The Project Gutenberg eBook of The 2007 CIA World Factbook

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Title: The 2007 CIA World Factbook

Author: United States. Central Intelligence Agency

Release date: November 28, 2008 [eBook #27348]

Most recently updated: January 4, 2021

Language: English

Credits: Produced by Al Haines

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE 2007 CIA WORLD FACTBOOK ***

Produced by Al Haines

THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK 2007

CONTENTS

Countries and Locations

Field Listings

Rank Orders

Appendixes

Notes and Definitions

History of the World Factbook

Contributors and Copyright Information

Purchasing Information

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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

What's New

- Country information has been updated as of 8 February 2007.

- In the Government category, the "Capital" entry has been greatly expanded and now contains up to four subfields, including significant new information having to do with time. The subfields consist of the name of the capital itself, its geographic coordinates, the time difference at the capital from coordinated universal time (UTC), and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.

- The Transnational issues category now has a "Trafficking in persons" entry. Human trafficking connotes modern-day slavery and this important new field will include information on the most egregious countries (Tier 2 Watch List and Tier 3) as listed in the US State Department's annual report.

- A new Appendix G lists Weights and Measures. The appendix includes information on mathematical notation and metric interrelationships, as well as over 400 examples of standard conversion factors.

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

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

The World Factbook (2007) - Country Listing

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

World

A

Afghanistan

Akrotiri

Albania

Algeria

American Samoa

Andorra

Angola

Anguilla

Antarctica

Antigua and Barbuda

Arctic Ocean

Argentina

Armenia

Aruba

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Atlantic Ocean

Australia

Austria

Azerbaijan

B

Bahamas, The

Bahrain

Baker Island description under United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Bangladesh

Barbados

Bassas da India description under Iles Eparses

Belarus

Belgium

Belize

Benin

Bermuda

Bhutan

Bolivia

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Botswana

Bouvet Island

Brazil

British Indian Ocean Territory

British Virgin Islands

Brunei

Bulgaria

Burkina Faso

Burma

Burundi

C

Cambodia

Cameroon

Canada

Cape Verde

Cayman Islands

Central African Republic

Chad

Chile

China

Christmas Island

Clipperton Island

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Colombia

Comoros

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Congo, Republic of the

Cook Islands

Coral Sea Islands

Costa Rica

Cote d'Ivoire

Croatia

Cuba

Cyprus

Czech Republic

D

Denmark

Dhekelia

Djibouti

Dominica

Dominican Republic

E

East Timor

Ecuador

Egypt

El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea

Eritrea

Estonia

Ethiopia

Europa Island description under Iles Eparses

European Union entry follows Taiwan

F

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Faroe Islands

Fiji

Finland

France

French Polynesia

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

G

Gabon

Gambia, The

Gaza Strip

Georgia

Germany

Ghana

Gibraltar

Glorioso Islands description under Iles Eparses

Greece

Greenland

Grenada

Guam

Guatemala

Guernsey

Guinea

Guinea-Bissau

Guyana

H

Haiti

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Holy See (Vatican City)

Honduras

Hong Kong

Howland Island description under United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Hungary

I

Iceland

Iles Eparses

India

Indian Ocean

Indonesia

Iran

Iraq

Ireland

Isle of Man

Israel

Italy

J

Jamaica

Jan Mayen

Japan

Jarvis Island description under United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Jersey

Johnston Atoll description under United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Jordan

Juan de Nova Island description under Iles Eparses

K

Kazakhstan

Kenya

Kingman Reef description under United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Kiribati

Korea, North

Korea, South

Kuwait

Kyrgyzstan

L

Laos

Latvia

Lebanon

Lesotho

Liberia

Libya

Liechtenstein

Lithuania

Luxembourg

M

Macau

Macedonia

Madagascar

Malawi

Malaysia

Maldives

Mali

Malta

Marshall Islands

Mauritania

Mauritius

Mayotte

Mexico

Micronesia, Federated States of

Midway Islands description under United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Moldova

Monaco

Mongolia

Montenegro

Montserrat

Morocco

Mozambique

N

Namibia

Nauru

Navassa Island

Nepal

Netherlands

Netherlands Antilles

New Caledonia

New Zealand

Nicaragua

Niger

Nigeria

Niue

Norfolk Island

Northern Mariana Islands

Norway

O

Oman

P

Pacific Ocean

Pakistan

Palau

Palmyra Atoll description under United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Panama

Papua New Guinea

Paracel Islands

Paraguay

Peru

Philippines

Pitcairn Islands

Poland

Portugal

Puerto Rico

Q

Qatar

R

Romania

Russia

Rwanda

S

Saint Helena

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Samoa

San Marino

Sao Tome and Principe

Saudi Arabia

Senegal

Serbia

Seychelles

Sierra Leone

Singapore

Slovakia

Slovenia

Solomon Islands

Somalia

South Africa

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Southern Ocean

Spain

Spratly Islands

Sri Lanka

Sudan

Suriname

Svalbard

Swaziland

Sweden

Switzerland

Syria

T

Taiwan entry follows Zimbabwe

Tajikistan

Tanzania

Thailand

Togo

Tokelau

Tonga

Trinidad and Tobago

Tromelin Island description under Iles Eparses

Tunisia

Turkey

Turkmenistan

Turks and Caicos Islands

Tuvalu

U

Uganda

Ukraine

United Arab Emirates

United Kingdom

United States

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Uruguay

Uzbekistan

V

Vanuatu

Venezuela

Vietnam

Virgin Islands

W

Wake Island

Wallis and Futuna

West Bank

Western Sahara

Y

Yemen

Z

Zambia

Zimbabwe

Taiwan

European Union

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

Field Listings

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

Code Field Description

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

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

Rank Orders

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

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

Geography

Area - total

People

Population

Birth rate

Death rate

Infant mortality rate

Life expectancy at birth - total

Total fertility rate

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS - deaths

Economy

GDP (purchasing power parity)

GDP - real growth rate

GDP - per capita

Labor force

Unemployment rate

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Investment (gross fixed)

Public debt

Industrial production growth rate

Electricity - production

Electricity - consumption

Oil - production

Oil - consumption

Oil - exports

Oil - imports

Oil - proved reserves

Natural Gas - production

Natural Gas - consumption

Natural Gas - exports

Natural Gas - imports

Natural Gas - proved reserves

Current account balance

Exports

Imports

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt - external

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use

Telephones - mobile cellular

Internet hosts

Internet users

Transportation

Airports

Railways - total

Roadways - total

Waterways

Merchant marine - total

Military

Military expenditures - dollar figure

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

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

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

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

Additional Rank Order pages being considered for future updates of the

Factbook Web site include:

Median age

Literacy

Population below the poverty line

This page was last updated on 4 April, 2006

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

Appendixes

Appendix A - Abbreviations

Appendix B - International Organizations and Groups

Appendix C - Selected International Environmental Agreements

Appendix D - Cross-Reference list of Country Data Codes

Appendix E - Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes

Appendix F - Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names

Appendix G - Weights and Measures

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

Notes and Definitions

Along with regular information updates, The World Factbook features several new or revised fields. In the Government category, the "Capital" entry has been greatly expanded and now contains up to four subfields, including significant new information having to do with time. The subfields consist of the name of the capital itself, its geographic coordinates, the time difference at the capital from coordinated universal time (UTC), and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones. The Transnational issues category now has a "Trafficking in persons" entry. Human trafficking connotes modern-day slavery and this important new field will include information on the most egregious countries (Tier 2 Watch List and Tier 3) as listed in the US State Department's annual report.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Appendixes: This section includes Factbook-related material by topic.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Country data codes: see Data codes

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

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

Crude oil: See entry for oil.

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

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

Data codes: This information is presented in Appendix D: Cross-

Reference List of Country Data Codes and Appendix E: Cross-Reference

List of Hydrographic Data Codes.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Diplomatic representation: The US Government has diplomatic relations with 188 independent states, including 187 of the 192 UN members (excluded UN members are Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and the US itself). In addition, the US has diplomatic relations with 1 independent state that is not in the UN, the Holy See, as well as with the EU.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

INDEPENDENT STATES

193 Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and

Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The

Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,

Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,

Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,

Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,

Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the

Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech

Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor,

Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia,

Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany,

Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,

Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran,

Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,

Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,

Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,

Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,

Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated

States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco,

Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,

Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea,

Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia,

Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,

Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia,

Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,

Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan,

Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,

Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,

Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

OTHER 2 Taiwan, European Union

DEPENDENCIES AND AREAS OF SPECIAL SOVEREIGNTY 6 Australia - Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island 2 China - Hong Kong, Macau 2 Denmark - Faroe Islands, Greenland 12 France - Bassas da India*, Clipperton Island, Europa Island*, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Glorioso Islands*, Juan de Nova Island*, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Tromelin Island*, Wallis and Futuna (* consolidated in Iles Eparses entry) 2 Netherlands - Aruba, Netherlands Antilles 3 New Zealand - Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau 3 Norway - Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard 17 UK - Akrotiri, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dhekelia, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands 14 US - American Samoa, Baker Island*, Guam, Howland Island*, Jarvis Island*, Johnston Atoll*, Kingman Reef*, Midway Islands*, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll*, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island (* consolidated in United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges entry)

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

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

268 total

Environment - current issues: This entry lists the most pressing and important environmental problems. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry:

Acidification - the lowering of soil and water pH due to acid precipitation and deposition usually through precipitation; this process disrupts ecosystem nutrient flows and may kill freshwater fish and plants dependent on more neutral or alkaline conditions (see acid rain).

Acid rain - characterized as containing harmful levels of sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxide; acid rain is damaging and potentially deadly to the earth's fragile ecosystems; acidity is measured using the pH scale where 7 is neutral, values greater than 7 are considered alkaline, and values below 5.6 are considered acid precipitation; note - a pH of 2.4 (the acidity of vinegar) has been measured in rainfall in New England.

Aerosol - a collection of airborne particles dispersed in a gas, smoke, or fog.

Afforestation - converting a bare or agricultural space by planting trees and plants; reforestation involves replanting trees on areas that have been cut or destroyed by fire.

Asbestos - a naturally occurring soft fibrous mineral commonly used in fireproofing materials and considered to be highly carcinogenic in particulate form.

Biodiversity - also biological diversity; the relative number of species, diverse in form and function, at the genetic, organism, community, and ecosystem level; loss of biodiversity reduces an ecosystem's ability to recover from natural or man-induced disruption.

Bio-indicators - a plant or animal species whose presence, abundance, and health reveal the general condition of its habitat. Biomass - the total weight or volume of living matter in a given area or volume.

Carbon cycle - the term used to describe the exchange of carbon (in various forms, e.g., as carbon dioxide) between the atmosphere, ocean, terrestrial biosphere, and geological deposits.

Catchments - assemblages used to capture and retain rainwater and runoff; an important water management technique in areas with limited freshwater resources, such as Gibraltar.

DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane) - a colorless, odorless insecticide that has toxic effects on most animals; the use of DDT was banned in the US in 1972.

Defoliants - chemicals which cause plants to lose their leaves artificially; often used in agricultural practices for weed control, and may have detrimental impacts on human and ecosystem health.

Deforestation - the destruction of vast areas of forest (e.g., unsustainable forestry practices, agricultural and range land clearing, and the over exploitation of wood products for use as fuel) without planting new growth.

Desertification - the spread of desert-like conditions in arid or semi- arid areas, due to overgrazing, loss of agriculturally productive soils, or climate change.

Dredging - the practice of deepening an existing waterway; also, a technique used for collecting bottom-dwelling marine organisms (e.g., shellfish) or harvesting coral, often causing significant destruction of reef and ocean-floor ecosystems.

Drift-net fishing - done with a net, miles in extent, that is generally anchored to a boat and left to float with the tide; often results in an over harvesting and waste of large populations of non-commercial marine species (by-catch) by its effect of "sweeping the ocean clean".

Ecosystems - ecological units comprised of complex communities of organisms and their specific environments.

Effluents - waste materials, such as smoke, sewage, or industrial waste which are released into the environment, subsequently polluting it.

Endangered species - a species that is threatened with extinction either by direct hunting or habitat destruction.

Freshwater - water with very low soluble mineral content; sources include lakes, streams, rivers, glaciers, and underground aquifers.

Greenhouse gas - a gas that "traps" infrared radiation in the lower atmosphere causing surface warming; water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, hydrofluorocarbons, and ozone are the primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere.

Groundwater - water sources found below the surface of the earth often in naturally occurring reservoirs in permeable rock strata; the source for wells and natural springs.

Highlands Water Project - a series of dams constructed jointly by Lesotho and South Africa to redirect Lesotho's abundant water supply into a rapidly growing area in South Africa; while it is the largest infrastructure project in southern Africa, it is also the most costly and controversial; objections to the project include claims that it forces people from their homes, submerges farmlands, and squanders economic resources.

Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC) - represents the 145,000 Inuits of Russia, Alaska, Canada, and Greenland in international environmental issues; a General Assembly convenes every three years to determine the focus of the ICC; the most current concerns are long-range transport of pollutants, sustainable development, and climate change.

Metallurgical plants - industries which specialize in the science, technology, and processing of metals; these plants produce highly concentrated and toxic wastes which can contribute to pollution of ground water and air when not properly disposed.

Noxious substances - injurious, very harmful to living beings. Overgrazing - the grazing of animals on plant material faster than it can naturally regrow leading to the permanent loss of plant cover, a common effect of too many animals grazing limited range land.

Ozone shield - a layer of the atmosphere composed of ozone gas (O3) that resides approximately 25 miles above the Earth's surface and absorbs solar ultraviolet radiation that can be harmful to living organisms.

Poaching - the illegal killing of animals or fish, a great concern with respect to endangered or threatened species.

Pollution - the contamination of a healthy environment by man-made waste.

Potable water - water that is drinkable, safe to be consumed.

Salination - the process through which fresh (drinkable) water becomes salt (undrinkable) water; hence, desalination is the reverse process; also involves the accumulation of salts in topsoil caused by evaporation of excessive irrigation water, a process that can eventually render soil incapable of supporting crops.

Siltation - occurs when water channels and reservoirs become clotted with silt and mud, a side effect of deforestation and soil erosion.

Slash-and-burn agriculture - a rotating cultivation technique in which trees are cut down and burned in order to clear land for temporary agriculture; the land is used until its productivity declines at which point a new plot is selected and the process repeats; this practice is sustainable while population levels are low and time is permitted for regrowth of natural vegetation; conversely, where these conditions do not exist, the practice can have disastrous consequences for the environment.

Soil degradation - damage to the land's productive capacity because of poor agricultural practices such as the excessive use of pesticides or fertilizers, soil compaction from heavy equipment, or erosion of topsoil, eventually resulting in reduced ability to produce agricultural products.

Soil erosion - the removal of soil by the action of water or wind, compounded by poor agricultural practices, deforestation, overgrazing, and desertification.

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation - a portion of the electromagnetic energy emitted by the sun and naturally filtered in the upper atmosphere by the ozone layer; UV radiation can be harmful to living organisms and has been linked to increasing rates of skin cancer in humans. Water-born diseases - those in which bacteria survive in, and are transmitted through, water; always a serious threat in areas with an untreated water supply.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

GDP methodology: In the Economy category, GDP dollar estimates for countries are reported both on an official exchange rate (OER) and a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis. Both measures contain information that is useful to the reader. The PPP method involves the use of standardized international dollar price weights, which are applied to the quantities of final goods and services produced in a given economy. The data derived from the PPP method probably provides the best available starting point for comparisons of economic strength and well- being between countries. In contrast, the currency exchange rate method involves a variety of international and domestic financial forces that may not capture the value of domestic output. Furthermore, exchange rates may suddenly go up or down by 10% or more because of market forces or official fiat whereas real output has remained unchanged. On 12 January 1994, for example, the 14 countries of the African Financial Community (whose currencies are tied to the French franc) devalued their currencies by 50%. This move, of course, did not cut the real output of these countries by half. Whereas PPP estimates for OECD countries are quite reliable, PPP estimates for developing countries are often rough approximations. In developing countries with weak currencies, the exchange rate estimate of GDP in dollars is typically one-fourth to one-half the PPP estimate. Most of the GDP estimates for developing countries are based on extrapolation of PPP numbers published by the UN International Comparison Program (UNICP) and by Professors Robert Summers and Alan Heston of the University of Pennsylvania and their colleagues. GDP derived using the OER method should be used for the purpose of calculating the share of items such as exports, imports, military expenditures, external debt, or the current account balance, because the dollar values presented in the Factbook for these items have been converted at official exchange rates, not at PPP. One should use the OER GDP figure to calculate the proportion of, say, Chinese defense expenditures in GDP, because that share will be the same as one calculated in local currency units. Comparison of OER GDP with PPP GDP may also indicate whether a currency is over- or under-valued. If OER GDP is smaller than PPP GDP, the official exchange rate may be undervalued, and vice versa. However, there is no strong historical evidence that market exchange rates move in the direction implied by the PPP rate, at least not in the short- or medium-term. Note: the numbers for GDP and other economic data should not be chained together from successive volumes of the Factbook because of changes in the US dollar measuring rod, revisions of data by statistical agencies, use of new or different sources of information, and changes in national statistical methods and practices.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Government type: This entry gives the basic form of government.

Definitions of the major governmental terms are as follows:

Anarchy - a condition of lawlessness or political disorder brought about by the absence of governmental authority.

Commonwealth - a nation, state, or other political entity founded on law and united by a compact of the people for the common good.

Communism - a system of government in which the state plans and controls the economy and a single - often authoritarian - party holds power; state controls are imposed with the elimination of private ownership of property or capital while claiming to make progress toward a higher social order in which all goods are equally shared by the people (i.e., a classless society).

Confederacy (Confederation) - a union by compact or treaty between states, provinces, or territories, that creates a central government with limited powers; the constituent entities retain supreme authority over all matters except those delegated to the central government.

Constitutional - a government by or operating under an authoritative document (constitution) that sets forth the system of fundamental laws and principles that determines the nature, functions, and limits of that government.

Constitutional democracy - a form of government in which the sovereign power of the people is spelled out in a governing constitution.

Constitutional monarchy - a system of government in which a monarch is guided by a constitution whereby his/her rights, duties, and responsibilities are spelled out in written law or by custom.

Democracy - a form of government in which the supreme power is retained by the people, but which is usually exercised indirectly through a system of representation and delegated authority periodically renewed.

Democratic republic - a state in which the supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote for officers and representatives responsible to them.

Dictatorship - a form of government in which a ruler or small clique wield absolute power (not restricted by a constitution or laws).

Ecclesiastical - a government administrated by a church.

Emirate - similar to a monarchy or sultanate, but a government in which the supreme power is in the hands of an emir (the ruler of a Muslim state); the emir may be an absolute overlord or a sovereign with constitutionally limited authority.

Federal (Federative) - a form of government in which sovereign power is formally divided - usually by means of a constitution - between a central authority and a number of constituent regions (states, colonies, or provinces) so that each region retains some management of its internal affairs; differs from a confederacy in that the central government exerts influence directly upon both individuals as well as upon the regional units.

Federal republic - a state in which the powers of the central government are restricted and in which the component parts (states, colonies, or provinces) retain a degree of self-government; ultimate sovereign power rests with the voters who chose their governmental representatives.

Islamic republic - a particular form of government adoped by some Muslim states; although such a state is, in theory, a theocracy, it remains a republic, but its laws are required to be compatible with the laws of Islam.

Maoism - the theory and practice of Marxism-Leninism developed in China by Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-tung), which states that a continuous revolution is necessary if the leaders of a communist state are to keep in touch with the people.

Marxism - the political, economic, and social principles espoused by 19th century economist Karl Marx; he viewed the struggle of workers as a progression of historical forces that would proceed from a class struggle of the proletariat (workers) exploited by capitalists (business owners), to a socialist "dictatorship of the proletariat," to, finally, a classless society - Communism.

Marxism-Leninism - an expanded form of communism developed by Lenin from doctrines of Karl Marx; Lenin saw imperialism as the final stage of capitalism and shifted the focus of workers' struggle from developed to underdeveloped countries.

Monarchy - a government in which the supreme power is lodged in the hands of a monarch who reigns over a state or territory, usually for life and by hereditary right; the monarch may be either a sole absolute ruler or a sovereign - such as a king, queen, or prince - with constitutionally limited authority.

Oligarchy - a government in which control is exercised by a small group of individuals whose authority generally is based on wealth or power. Parliamentary democracy - a political system in which the legislature (parliament) selects the government - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor along with the cabinet ministers - according to party strength as expressed in elections; by this system, the government acquires a dual responsibility: to the people as well as to the parliament.

Parliamentary government (Cabinet-Parliamentary government) - a government in which members of an executive branch (the cabinet and its leader - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor) are nominated to their positions by a legislature or parliament, and are directly responsible to it; this type of government can be dissolved at will by the parliament (legislature) by means of a no confidence vote or the leader of the cabinet may dissolve the parliament if it can no longer function.

Parliamentary monarchy - a state headed by a monarch who is not actively involved in policy formation or implementation (i.e., the exercise of sovereign powers by a monarch in a ceremonial capacity); true governmental leadership is carried out by a cabinet and its head - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor - who are drawn from a legislature (parliament).

Republic - a representative democracy in which the people's elected deputies (representatives), not the people themselves, vote on legislation.

Socialism - a government in which the means of planning, producing, and distributing goods is controlled by a central government that theoretically seeks a more just and equitable distribution of property and labor; in actuality, most socialist governments have ended up being no more than dictatorships over workers by a ruling elite.

Sultanate - similar to a monarchy, but a government in which the supreme power is in the hands of a sultan (the head of a Muslim state); the sultan may be an absolute ruler or a sovereign with constitutionally limited authority.

Theocracy - a form of government in which a Deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler, but the Deity's laws are interpreted by ecclesiastical authorities (bishops, mullahs, etc.); a government subject to religious authority.

Totalitarian - a government that seeks to subordinate the individual to the state by controlling not only all political and economic matters, but also the attitudes, values, and beliefs of its population.

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

Gross domestic product: see GDP

Gross national product: see GNP

Gross world product: see GWP

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

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

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

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

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

Hydrographic data codes: see Data codes

Illicit drugs: This entry gives information on the five categories of illicit drugs - narcotics, stimulants, depressants (sedatives), hallucinogens, and cannabis. These categories include many drugs legally produced and prescribed by doctors as well as those illegally produced and sold outside of medical channels.

Cannabis (Cannabis sativa) is the common hemp plant, which provides hallucinogens with some sedative properties, and includes marijuana (pot, Acapulco gold, grass, reefer), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, Marinol), hashish (hash), and hashish oil (hash oil).

Coca (mostly Erythroxylum coca) is a bush with leaves that contain the stimulant used to make cocaine. Coca is not to be confused with cocoa, which comes from cacao seeds and is used in making chocolate, cocoa, and cocoa butter.

Cocaine is a stimulant derived from the leaves of the coca bush. Depressants (sedatives) are drugs that reduce tension and anxiety and include chloral hydrate, barbiturates (Amytal, Nembutal, Seconal, phenobarbital), benzodiazepines (Librium, Valium), methaqualone (Quaalude), glutethimide (Doriden), and others (Equanil, Placidyl, Valmid).

Drugs are any chemical substances that effect a physical, mental, emotional, or behavioral change in an individual.

Drug abuse is the use of any licit or illicit chemical substance that results in physical, mental, emotional, or behavioral impairment in an individual.

Hallucinogens are drugs that affect sensation, thinking, self- awareness, and emotion. Hallucinogens include LSD (acid, microdot), mescaline and peyote (mexc, buttons, cactus), amphetamine variants (PMA, STP, DOB), phencyclidine (PCP, angel dust, hog), phencyclidine analogues (PCE, PCPy, TCP), and others (psilocybin, psilocyn). Hashish is the resinous exudate of the cannabis or hemp plant (Cannabis sativa).

Heroin is a semisynthetic derivative of morphine.

Mandrax is a trade name for methaqualone, a pharmaceutical depressant. Marijuana is the dried leaf of the cannabis or hemp plant (Cannabis sativa).

Methaqualone is a pharmaceutical depressant, referred to as mandrax in

Southwest Asia and Africa.

Narcotics are drugs that relieve pain, often induce sleep, and refer to opium, opium derivatives, and synthetic substitutes. Natural narcotics include opium (paregoric, parepectolin), morphine (MS-Contin, Roxanol), codeine (Tylenol with codeine, Empirin with codeine, Robitussan AC), and thebaine. Semisynthetic narcotics include heroin (horse, smack), and hydromorphone (Dilaudid). Synthetic narcotics include meperidine or Pethidine (Demerol, Mepergan), methadone (Dolophine, Methadose), and others (Darvon, Lomotil).

Opium is the brown, gummy exudate of the incised, unripe seedpod of the opium poppy.

Opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) is the source for the natural and semisynthetic narcotics.

Poppy straw is the entire cut and dried opium poppy-plant material, other than the seeds. Opium is extracted from poppy straw in commercial operations that produce the drug for medical use.

Qat (kat, khat) is a stimulant from the buds or leaves of Catha edulis that is chewed or drunk as tea.

Quaaludes is the North American slang term for methaqualone, a pharmaceutical depressant.

Stimulants are drugs that relieve mild depression, increase energy and

activity, and include cocaine (coke, snow, crack), amphetamines

(Desoxyn, Dexedrine), ephedrine, ecstasy (clarity, essence, doctor,

Adam), phenmetrazine (Preludin), methylphenidate (Ritalin), and others

(Cylert, Sanorex, Tenuate).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

International disputes: see Disputes - international

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

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

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

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

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

Introduction: This category includes one entry, Background.

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

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

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

Labor force: This entry contains the total labor force figure.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Major infectious diseases: This entry lists major infectious diseases likely to be encountered in countries where the risk of such diseases is assessed to be very high as compared to the United States. These infectious diseases represent risks to US government personnel traveling to the specified country for a period of less than three years. The degree of risk is assessed by considering the foreign nature of these infectious diseases, their severity, and the probability of being affected by the diseases present. The diseases listed do not necessarily represent the total disease burden experienced by the local population. The risk to an individual traveler varies considerably by the specific location, visit duration, type of activities, type of accommodations, time of year, and other factors. Consultation with a travel medicine physician is needed to evaluate individual risk and recommend appropriate preventive measures such as vaccines. Diseases are organized into the following six exposure categories shown in italics and listed in typical descending order of risk. Note - The sequence of exposure categories listed in individual country entries may vary according to local conditions.

food or waterborne diseases acquired through eating or drinking on the local economy:

Hepatitis A - viral disease that interferes with the functioning of the liver; spread through consumption of food or water contaminated with fecal matter, principally in areas of poor sanitation; victims exhibit fever, jaundice, and diarrhea; 15% of victims will experience prolonged symptoms over 6-9 months; vaccine available.

Hepatitis E - water-borne viral disease that interferes with the functioning of the liver; most commonly spread through fecal contamination of drinking water; victims exhibit jaundice, fatigue, abdominal pain, and dark colored urine.

Typhoid fever - bacterial disease spread through contact with food or water contaminated by fecal matter or sewage; victims exhibit sustained high fevers; left untreated, mortality rates can reach 20%.

vectorborne diseases acquired through the bite of an infected arthropod:

Malaria - caused by single-cell parasitic protozoa Plasmodium; transmitted to humans via the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito; parasites multiply in the liver attacking red blood cells resulting in cycles of fever, chills, and sweats accompanied by anemia; death due to damage to vital organs and interruption of blood supply to the brain; endemic in 100, mostly tropical, countries with 90% of cases and the majority of 1.5-2.5 million estimated annual deaths occurring in sub- Saharan Africa.

Dengue fever - mosquito-borne (Aedes aegypti) viral disease associated with urban environments; manifests as sudden onset of fever and severe headache; occasionally produces shock and hemorrhage leading to death in 5% of cases.

Yellow fever - mosquito-borne viral disease; severity ranges from influenza-like symptoms to severe hepatitis and hemorrhagic fever; occurs only in tropical South America and sub-Saharan Africa, where most cases are reported; fatality rate is less than 20%.

Japanese Encephalitis - mosquito-borne (Culex tritaeniorhynchus) viral disease associated with rural areas in Asia; acute encephalitis can progress to paralysis, coma, and death; fatality rates 30%.

African Trypanosomiasis - caused by the parasitic protozoa Trypanosoma; transmitted to humans via the bite of bloodsucking Tsetse flies; infection leads to malaise and irregular fevers and, in advanced cases when the parasites invade the central nervous system, coma and death; endemic in 36 countries of sub-Saharan Africa; cattle and wild animals act as reservoir hosts for the parasites.

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis - caused by the parasitic protozoa leishmania; transmitted to humans via the bite of sandflies; results in skin lesions that may become chronic; endemic in 88 countries; 90% of cases occur in Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, and Peru; wild and domesticated animals as well as humans can act as reservoirs of infection.

Plague - bacterial disease transmitted by fleas normally associated with rats; person-to-person airborne transmission also possible; recent plague epidemics occurred in areas of Asia, Africa, and South America associated with rural areas or small towns and villages; manifests as fever, headache, and painfully swollen lymph nodes; disease progresses rapidly and without antibiotic treatment leads to pneumonic form with a death rate in excess of 50%.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever - tick-borne viral disease; infection may also result from exposure to infected animal blood or tissue; geographic distribution includes Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe; sudden onset of fever, headache, and muscle aches followed by hemorrhaging in the bowels, urine, nose, and gums; mortality rate is approximately 30%.

Rift Valley fever - viral disease affecting domesticated animals and humans; transmission is by mosquito and other biting insects; infection may also occur through handling of infected meat or contact with blood; geographic distribution includes eastern and southern Africa where cattle and sheep are raised; symptoms are generally mild with fever and some liver abnormalities, but the disease may progress to hemorrhagic fever, encephalitis, or ocular disease; fatality rates are low at about 1% of cases.

Chikungunya - mosquito-borne (Aedes aegypti) viral disease associated with urban environments, similar to Dengue Fever; characterized by sudden onset of fever, rash, and severe joint pain usually lasting 3-7 days, some cases result in persistent arthritis.

water contact diseases acquired through swimming or wading in freshwater lakes, streams, and rivers:

Leptospirosis - bacterial disease that affects animals and humans; infection occurs through contact with water, food, or soil contaminated by animal urine; symptoms include high fever, severe headache, vomiting, jaundice, and diarrhea; untreated, the disease can result in kidney damage, liver failure, meningitis, or respiratory distress; fatality rates are low but left untreated recovery can take months.

Schistosomiasis - caused by parasitic trematode flatworm Schistosoma; fresh water snails act as intermediate host and release larval form of parasite that penetrates the skin of people exposed to contaminated water; worms mature and reproduce in the blood vessels, liver, kidneys, and intestines releasing eggs, which become trapped in tissues triggering an immune response; may manifest as either urinary or intestinal disease resulting in decreased work or learning capacity; mortality, while generally low, may occur in advanced cases usually due to bladder cancer; endemic in 74 developing countries with 80% of infected people living in sub-Saharan Africa; humans act as the reservoir for this parasite.

aerosolized dust or soil contact disease acquired through inhalation of aerosols contaminated with rodent urine:

Lassa fever - viral disease carried by rats of the genus Mastomys; endemic in portions of West Africa; infection occurs through direct contact with or consumption of food contaminated by rodent urine or fecal matter containing virus particles; fatality rate can reach 50% in epidemic outbreaks.

respiratory disease acquired through close contact with an infectious person:

Meningococcal meningitis - bacterial disease causing an inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord; one of the most important bacterial pathogens is Neisseria meningitidis because of its potential to cause epidemics; symptoms include stiff neck, high fever, headaches, and vomiting; bacteria are transmitted from person to person by respiratory droplets and facilitated by close and prolonged contact resulting from crowded living conditions, often with a seasonal distribution; death occurs in 5-15% of cases, typically within 24-48 hours of onset of symptoms; highest burden of meningococcal disease occurs in the hyperendemic region of sub-Saharan Africa known as the "Meningitis Belt" which stretches from Senegal east to Ethiopia.

animal contact disease acquired through direct contact with local animals:

Rabies - viral disease of mammals usually transmitted through the bite of an infected animal, most commonly dogs; virus affects the central nervous system causing brain alteration and death; symptoms initially are non-specific fever and headache progressing to neurological symptoms; death occurs within days of the onset of symptoms.

Manpower available for military service: This entry gives the number of males and females falling in the military age range for the country and assumes that every individual is fit to serve.

Manpower fit for military service: This entry gives the number of males and females falling in the military age range for the country and who are not otherwise disqualified for health reasons; accounts for the health situation in the country and provides a more realistic estimate of the actual number fit to serve.

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

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

Maritime claims: This entry includes the following claims, the definitions of which are excerpted from the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which alone contains the full and definitive descriptions:

territorial sea - the sovereignty of a coastal state extends beyond its land territory and internal waters to an adjacent belt of sea, described as the territorial sea in the UNCLOS (Part II); this sovereignty extends to the air space over the territorial sea as well as its underlying seabed and subsoil; every state has the right to establish the breadth of its territorial sea up to a limit not exceeding 12 nautical miles; the normal baseline for measuring the breadth of the territorial sea is the low-water line along the coast as marked on large-scale charts officially recognized by the coastal state; the UNCLOS describes specific rules for archipelagic states.

contiguous zone - according to the UNCLOS (Article 33), this is a zone contiguous to a coastal state's territorial sea, over which it may exercise the control necessary to: prevent infringement of its customs, fiscal, immigration, or sanitary laws and regulations within its territory or territorial sea; punish infringement of the above laws and regulations committed within its territory or territorial sea; the contiguous zone may not extend beyond 24 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured (e.g. the US has claimed a 12-nautical mile contiguous zone in addition to its 12-nautical mile territorial sea).

exclusive economic zone (EEZ) - the UNCLOS (Part V) defines the EEZ as a zone beyond and adjacent to the territorial sea in which a coastal state has: sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring and exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources, whether living or non-living, of the waters superjacent to the seabed and of the seabed and its subsoil, and with regard to other activities for the economic exploitation and exploration of the zone, such as the production of energy from the water, currents, and winds; jurisdiction with regard to the establishment and use of artificial islands, installations, and structures; marine scientific research; the protection and preservation of the marine environment; the outer limit of the exclusive economic zone shall not exceed 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured.

continental shelf - the UNCLOS (Article 76) defines the continental shelf of a coastal state as comprising the seabed and subsoil of the submarine areas that extend beyond its territorial sea throughout the natural prolongation of its land territory to the outer edge of the continental margin, or to a distance of 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured where the outer edge of the continental margin does not extend up to that distance; the continental margin comprises the submerged prolongation of the landmass of the coastal state, and consists of the seabed and subsoil of the shelf, the slope and the rise; wherever the continental margin extends beyond 200 nautical miles from the baseline, coastal states may extend their claim to a distance not to exceed 350 nautical miles from the baseline or 100 nautical miles from the 2500 meter isobath; it does not include the deep ocean floor with its oceanic ridges or the subsoil thereof.

exclusive fishing zone - while this term is not used in the UNCLOS, some states (e.g., the United Kingdom) have chosen not to claim an EEZ, but rather to claim jurisdiction over the living resources off their coast; in such cases, the term exclusive fishing zone is often used; the breadth of this zone is normally the same as the EEZ or 200 nautical miles.

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

Merchant marine: Merchant marine may be defined as all ships engaged in the carriage of goods; or all commercial vessels (as opposed to all nonmilitary ships), which excludes tugs, fishing vessels, offshore oil rigs, etc. This entry contains information in four fields - total, ships by type, foreign-owned, and registered in other countries.

Total includes the number of ships (1,000 GRT or over), total DWT for those ships, and total GRT for those ships. DWT or dead weight tonnage is the total weight of cargo, plus bunkers, stores, etc., that a ship can carry when immersed to the appropriate load line. GRT or gross register tonnage is a figure obtained by measuring the entire sheltered volume of a ship available for cargo and passengers and converting it to tons on the basis of 100 cubic feet per ton; there is no stable relationship between GRT and DWT.

Ships by type includes a listing of barge carriers, bulk cargo ships, cargo ships, chemical tankers, combination bulk carriers, combination ore/oil carriers, container ships, liquefied gas tankers, livestock carriers, multifunctional large-load carriers, petroleum tankers, passenger ships, passenger/cargo ships, railcar carriers, refrigerated cargo ships, roll-on/roll-off cargo ships, short-sea passenger ships, specialized tankers, and vehicle carriers.

Foreign-owned are ships that fly the flag of one country but belong to owners in another.

Registered in other countries are ships that belong to owners in one country but fly the flag of another.

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

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

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure: This entry gives spending on defense programs in US dollars for the most recent year available; dollar figures for military expenditures should be treated with caution because of different price patterns and accounting methods among nations, as well as wide variations in the strength of different currencies.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Natural hazards: This entry lists potential natural disasters.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Petroleum: See entries under Oil.

Petroleum products: See entries under Oil.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Radio broadcast stations: This entry includes the total number of AM,

FM, and shortwave broadcast stations.

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

Reference maps: This section includes world and regional maps.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Arabsat - Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Riyadh, Saudi

Arabia).

Autodin - Automatic Digital Network (US Department of Defense).

CB - citizen's band mobile radio communications.

Cellular telephone system - the telephones in this system are radio transceivers, with each instrument having its own private radio frequency and sufficient radiated power to reach the booster station in its area (cell), from which the telephone signal is fed to a telephone exchange.

Central American Microwave System - a trunk microwave radio relay system that links the countries of Central America and Mexico with each other.

Coaxial cable - a multichannel communication cable consisting of a central conducting wire, surrounded by and insulated from a cylindrical conducting shell; a large number of telephone channels can be made available within the insulated space by the use of a large number of carrier frequencies.

Comsat - Communications Satellite Corporation (US).

DSN - Defense Switched Network (formerly Automatic Voice Network or

Autovon); basic general-purpose, switched voice network of the Defense

Communications System (US Department of Defense).

Eutelsat - European Telecommunications Satellite Organization (Paris). Fiber-optic cable - a multichannel communications cable using a thread of optical glass fibers as a transmission medium in which the signal (voice, video, etc.) is in the form of a coded pulse of light.

GSM - a global system for mobile (cellular) communications devised by the Groupe Special Mobile of the pan-European standardization organization, Conference Europeanne des Posts et Telecommunications (CEPT) in 1982.

HF - high frequency; any radio frequency in the 3,000- to 30,000-kHz range.

Inmarsat - International Maritime Satellite Organization (London); provider of global mobile satellite communications for commercial, distress, and safety applications at sea, in the air, and on land.

Intelsat - International Telecommunications Satellite Organization

(Washington, DC).

Intersputnik - International Organization of Space Communications

(Moscow); first established in the former Soviet Union and the East

European countries, it is now marketing its services worldwide with

earth stations in North America, Africa, and East Asia.

Landline - communication wire or cable of any sort that is installed on poles or buried in the ground.

Marecs - Maritime European Communications Satellite used in the

Inmarsat system on lease from the European Space Agency.

Marisat - satellites of the Comsat Corporation that participate in the

Inmarsat system.

Medarabtel - the Middle East Telecommunications Project of the

International Telecommunications Union (ITU) providing a modern

telecommunications network, primarily by microwave radio relay, linking

Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Saudi Arabia,

Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen; it was initially started in

Morocco in 1970 by the Arab Telecommunications Union (ATU) and was

known at that time as the Middle East Mediterranean Telecommunications

Network.

Microwave radio relay - transmission of long distance telephone calls and television programs by highly directional radio microwaves that are received and sent on from one booster station to another on an optical path.

NMT - Nordic Mobile Telephone; an analog cellular telephone system that was developed jointly by the national telecommunications authorities of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden). Orbita - a Russian television service; also the trade name of a packet- switched digital telephone network.

Radiotelephone communications - the two-way transmission and reception of sounds by broadcast radio on authorized frequencies using telephone handsets.

PanAmSat - PanAmSat Corporation (Greenwich, CT).

SAFE - South African Far East Cable

Satellite communication system - a communication system consisting of two or more earth stations and at least one satellite that provide long distance transmission of voice, data, and television; the system usually serves as a trunk connection between telephone exchanges; if the earth stations are in the same country, it is a domestic system.

Satellite earth station - a communications facility with a microwave radio transmitting and receiving antenna and required receiving and transmitting equipment for communicating with satellites.

Satellite link - a radio connection between a satellite and an earth station permitting communication between them, either one-way (down link from satellite to earth station - television receive-only transmission) or two-way (telephone channels).

SHF - super high frequency; any radio frequency in the 3,000- to 30,000-MHz range.

Shortwave - radio frequencies (from 1.605 to 30 MHz) that fall above the commercial broadcast band and are used for communication over long distances.

Solidaridad - geosynchronous satellites in Mexico's system of international telecommunications in the Western Hemisphere.

Statsionar - Russia's geostationary system for satellite telecommunications.

Submarine cable - a cable designed for service under water.

TAT - Trans-Atlantic Telephone; any of a number of high-capacity submarine coaxial telephone cables linking Europe with North America.

Telefax - facsimile service between subscriber stations via the public switched telephone network or the international Datel network.

Telegraph - a telecommunications system designed for unmodulated electric impulse transmission.

Telex - a communication service involving teletypewriters connected by wire through automatic exchanges.

Tropospheric scatter - a form of microwave radio transmission in which the troposphere is used to scatter and reflect a fraction of the incident radio waves back to earth; powerful, highly directional antennas are used to transmit and receive the microwave signals; reliable over-the-horizon communications are realized for distances up to 600 miles in a single hop; additional hops can extend the range of this system for very long distances.

Trunk network - a network of switching centers, connected by multichannel trunk lines.

UHF - ultra high frequency; any radio frequency in the 300- to 3,000-

MHz range.

VHF - very high frequency; any radio frequency in the 30- to 300-MHz range.

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

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

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

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

Terrain: This entry contains a brief description of the topography.

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

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

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

Trafficking in persons: Trafficking in persons is modern-day slavery, involving victims who are forced, defrauded, or coerced into labor or sexual exploitation. The International Labor Organization (ILO), the UN agency charged with addressing labor standards, employment, and social protection issues, estimates that 12.3 million people worldwide are enslaved in forced labor, bonded labor, forced child labor, sexual servitude, and involuntary servitude at any given time. Human trafficking is a multi-dimensional threat, depriving people of their human rights and freedoms, risking global health, promoting social breakdown, inhibiting development by depriving countries of their human capital, and helping fuel the growth of organized crime. In 2000, the US Congress passed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), reauthorized in 2003 and 2005, which provides tools for the US to combat trafficking in persons, both domestically and abroad. One of the law's key components is the creation of the US Department of State's annual Trafficking in Persons Report, which assesses the government response in some 150 countries with a significant number of victims trafficked across their borders who are recruited, harbored, transported, provided, or obtained for forced labor or sexual exploitation. Countries in the annual report are rated in three tiers, based on government efforts to combat trafficking. The countries identified in this entry are those listed in the 2006 Trafficking in Persons Report as Tier 2 Watch List or Tier 3 based on the following definitions:

Tier 2 Watch List countries do not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but are making significant efforts to do so, and meet one of the following criteria:

1. they display a high or significantly increasing number victims,

2. they have failed to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons, or,

3. they have committed to take action over the next year.

Tier 3 countries neither satisfy the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking nor demonstrate a significant effort to do so. Countries in this tier are subject to potential non-humanitarian and non-trade sanctions.

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

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

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

UTC (Coordinated Universal Time): See entry for Coordinated Universal

Time.

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

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

Weights and Measures: This information is presented in Appendix G: Weights and Measures and includes mathematical notations (mathematical powers and names), metric interrelationships (prefix; symbol; length, weight, or capacity; area; volume), and standard conversion factors.

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

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

This page was last updated on 8 February 2007

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CIA - The World Factbook — History

A Brief History of Basic Intelligence and The World Factbook

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Central Intelligence Agency was established on 26 July 1947 and officially began operating on 18 September 1947. Effective 1 October 1947, the Director of Central Intelligence assumed operational responsibility for JANIS. On 13 January 1948, the National Security Council issued Intelligence Directive (NSCID) No. 3, which authorized the National Intelligence Survey (NIS) program as a peacetime replacement for the wartime JANIS program. Before adequate NIS country sections could be produced, government agencies had to develop more comprehensive gazetteers and better maps. The US Board on Geographic Names (BGN) compiled the names; the Department of the Interior produced the gazetteers; and CIA produced the maps. The Hoover Commission's Clark Committee, set up in 1954 to study the structure and administration of the CIA, reported to Congress in 1955 that: "The National Intelligence Survey is an invaluable publication which provides the essential elements of basic intelligence on all areas of the world. There will always be a continuing requirement for keeping the Survey up-to-date." The Factbook was created as an annual summary and update to the encyclopedic NIS studies. The first classified Factbook was published in August 1962, and the first unclassified version was published in June 1971. The NIS program was terminated in 1973 except for the Factbook, map, and gazetteer components. The 1975 Factbook was the first to be made available to the public with sales through the US Government Printing Office (GPO). The Factbook was first made available on the Internet in June 1997. The year 2007 marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Central Intelligence Agency and the 64th year of continuous basic intelligence support to the US Government by The World Factbook and its two predecessor programs.

The Evolution of The World Factbook

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

1981 - Publication becomes an annual product and is renamed The World Factbook. A total of 165 nations are covered on 225 pages.

1983 - Appendices (Conversion Factors, International Organizations) first introduced.

1984 - Appendices expanded; now include: A. The United Nations, B.

Selected United Nations Organizations, C. Selected International

Organizations, D. Country Membership in Selected Organizations, E.

Conversion Factors.

1987 - A new Geography section replaces the former separate Land and

Water sections. UN Organizations and Selected International

Organizations appendices merged into a new International

Organizations appendix. First multi-color-cover Factbook.

1988 - More than 40 new geographic entities added to provide complete world coverage without overlap or omission. Among the new entities are Antarctica, oceans (Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, Pacific), and the World. The front-of-the-book explanatory introduction expanded and retitled to Notes, Definitions, and Abbreviations. Two new Appendices added: Weights and Measures (in place of Conversion Factors) and a Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names. Factbook size reaches 300 pages.

1989 - Economy section completely revised and now includes an Overview briefly describing a country's economy. New entries added under People, Government, and Communications.

1990 - The Government section revised and considerably expanded with new entries.

1991 - A new International Organizations and Groups appendix added. Factbook size reaches 405 pages.

1992 - Twenty new successor state entries replace those of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia. New countries are respectively: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan; and Bosnia and Hercegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovenia. Number of nations in the Factbook rises to 188.

1993 - Czechoslovakia's split necessitates new Czech Republic and Slovakia entries. New Eritrea entry added after it secedes from Ethiopia. Substantial enhancements made to Geography section.

1994 - Two new appendices address Selected International Environmental Agreements. The gross domestic product (GDP) of most developing countries changed to a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis rather than an exchange rate basis. Factbook size up to 512 pages.

1995 - The GDP of all countries now presented on a PPP basis. New appendix lists estimates of GDP on an exchange rate basis. Communications category split; Railroads, Highways, Inland waterways, Pipelines, Merchant marine, and Airports entries now make up a new Transportation category. The World Factbook is first produced on CD-ROM.

1996 - Maps accompanying each entry now present more detail. Flags also introduced for nearly all entities. Various new entries appear under Geography and Communications. Factbook abbreviations consolidated into a new Appendix A. Two new appendices present a Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes and a Cross-Reference List of Hydrogeographic Data Codes. Geographic coordinates added to Appendix H, Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names. Factbook size expands by 95 pages in one year to reach 652.

1997 - A special edition for the CIA's 50 th anniversary. A schema or Guide to Country Profiles introduced. New color maps and flags now accompany each country profile. Category headings distinguished by shaded backgrounds. Number of categories expanded to nine - the current number - with the addition of an Introduction (for only a few countries) and Transnational Issues (which includes Disputes-international and Illicit drugs). The World Factbook introduced onto the Internet.

1998 - The Introduction category with two entries, Current issues and Historical perspective, expanded to more countries. Last year for the production of CD-ROM versions of the Factbook.

1999 - Historical perspective and Current issues entries in the Introduction category combined into a new Background statement. Several new Economy entries introduced. A new physical map of the world added to the back-of-the-book reference maps.

2000 - A new "country profile" added on the Southern Ocean. The Background statements dramatically expanded to over 200 countries and possessions. A number of new Communications entries added.

2001 - Background entries completed for all 267 entities in the Factbook. Several new HIV/AIDS entries introduced under the People category. Revision begun on individual country maps to include elevation extremes and a partial geographic grid. Weights and Measures appendix deleted.

2002 - New entry on Distribution of Family income - Gini index added. Revision of individual country maps continued (process still ongoing as of 2007).

2003 - In the Economy category, petroleum entries added for oil production, consumption, exports, imports, and proved reserves, as well as natural gas proved reserves.

2004 - Additional petroleum entries included for natural gas production, consumption, exports, and imports. In the Transportation category, under Merchant marine, subfields added for foreign-owned vessels and those registered in other countries. Descriptions of the many forms of government mentioned in the Factbook incorporated into the Notes and Definitions.

2005 - In the People category, a Major infectious diseases field added for countries deemed to pose a higher risk for travelers. In the Economy category, entries included for Current account balance, Investment, Public debt, and Reserves of foreign exchange and gold. The Transnational issues category expanded to include Refugees and internally displaced persons. Category headings receive distinctive colored backgrounds. These distinguishing colors are used in both the printed and online versions of the Factbook. Size of the printed Factbook reaches 702 pages.

2006 - In the Economy category, national GDP figures now presented at Official Exchange Rates (OER) in addition to GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP).

2007 - In the Government category, the Capital entry significantly expanded with up to four subfields, including new information having to do with time. The subfields consist of the name of the capital itself, its geographic coordinates, the time difference at the capital from coordinated universal time (UTC), and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note is added to highlight those countries with multiple time zones. A Trafficking in persons entry added to the Transnational issues category. A new appendix, Weights and Measures, (re)introduced to the online version of the Factbook.

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CIA - The World Factbook — Contributors and Copyright Information

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

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

Comments and queries are welcome and may be addressed to:

Central Intelligence Agency

Attn.: Office of Public Affairs

Washington, DC 20505

Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM Eastern Standard Time

Telephone: [1] (703) 482-0623

FAX: [1] (703) 482-1739

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CIA - The World Factbook — Purchasing Information

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

Superintendent of Documents

P. O. Box 371954

Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954

Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30 AM-9:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST)

Telephone: [1] (202) 512-1800; toll free: [1] (866) 512-1800

FAX: [1] (202) 512-2104

http://bookstore.gpo.gov/

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

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

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CIA - The World Factbook — FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

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

General

Geography

Spelling and Pronunciation

Policies and Procedures

Technical

General

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

How often is The World Factbook updated? Formerly our Web site (and the published Factbook) were only updated annually. Beginning in November 2001 we instituted a new system of more frequent online updates. The World Factbook is currently updated every two weeks.

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

Superintendent of Documents

P. O. Box 371954 Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954

Telephone: [1] (202) 512-1800

FAX: [1] (202) 512-2250

http://bookstore.gpo.gov

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

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

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

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

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

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

Previous versions of the Factbook, beginning with the 2000 edition, are available for downloading - but not browsing - on the CIA Web site. Hardcopy editions for earlier years are available from libraries.

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

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

Geography

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Why is Palestine not listed in The World Factbook?

The areas that could potentially form a future Palestinian state — the West Bank and Gaza Strip — do appear in the Factbook. These areas are presently Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian 1995 Interim Agreement; their permanent status is to be determined through further negotiation.

Why are the Golan Heights not shown as part of Israel or Northern

Cyprus with Turkey?

Territorial occupations/annexations not recognized by the United

States Government are not shown on US Government maps.

Why don't you include information on entities such as Tibet,

Kashmir, or Kosovo?

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

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

What do you mean when you say that a country is "doubly landlocked"? A doubly landlocked country is one that is separated from an ocean or an ocean-accessible sea by two intervening countries. Uzbekistan and Liechtenstein are the only countries that fit this definition.

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

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

Total area (combining land and water)

United States = 9,631,418 sq km

China = 9,596,960 sq km

Land only (without any water features)

United States = 9,161,923 sq km

China = 9,326,410 sq km

Why has The World Factbook dropped the four French departments of

Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion, and French Guiana?

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

Spelling and Pronunciation

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

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

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

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

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

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

Why is the name of the Labour party misspelled?

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

Policies and Procedures

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What information sources are used for the country flags?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Original Data Rounded to whole integer

Example 1 43.2 43

30.4 30

26.4 26

—— —

100.0 99

Example 2 42.8 43

31.6 32

25.6 26

—— —

100.0 101

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

What rounding convention does The World Factbook use?

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

Why do you list "Independence" dates for countries like France,

Germany, and the United Kingdom?

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

Technical

Does The World Factbook comply with Section 508 of the

Rehabilitation Act regarding accessibility of Web pages?

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@Afghanistan

Introduction Afghanistan

Background:

Ahmad Shah DURRANI unified the Pashtun tribes and founded

Afghanistan in 1747. The country served as a buffer between the

British and Russian empires until it won independence from notional

British control in 1919. A brief experiment in democracy ended in a

1973 coup and a 1978 Communist counter-coup. The Soviet Union

invaded in 1979 to support the tottering Afghan Communist regime,

touching off a long and destructive war. The USSR withdrew in 1989

under relentless pressure by internationally supported

anti-Communist mujahedin rebels. Subsequently, a series of civil

wars saw Kabul finally fall in 1996 to the Taliban, a hardline

Pakistani-sponsored movement that emerged in 1994 to end the

country's civil war and anarchy. Following the 11 September 2001

terrorist attacks, a US, Allied, and anti-Taliban Northern Alliance

military action toppled the Taliban for sheltering Osama BIN LADIN.

The UN-sponsored Bonn Conference in 2001 established a process for

political reconstruction that included the adoption of a new

constitution and a presidential election in 2004, and National

Assembly elections in 2005. On 7 December 2004, Hamid KARZAI became

the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan. The

National Assembly was inaugurated on 19 December 2005.

Geography Afghanistan

Location:

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

Geographic coordinates:

33 00 N, 65 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 647,500 sq km

land: 647,500 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 5,529 km

border countries: China 76 km, Iran 936 km, Pakistan 2,430 km,

Tajikistan 1,206 km, Turkmenistan 744 km, Uzbekistan 137 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers

Terrain:

mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m

highest point: Nowshak 7,485 m

Natural resources:

natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites,

sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones

Land use: arable land: 12.13% permanent crops: 0.21% other: 87.66% (2005)

Irrigated land:

27,200 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding;

droughts

Environment - current issues:

limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of

potable water; soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (much of

the remaining forests are being cut down for fuel and building

materials); desertification; air and water pollution

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping

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

Life Conservation

Geography - note:

landlocked; the Hindu Kush mountains that run northeast to

southwest divide the northern provinces from the rest of the

country; the highest peaks are in the northern Vakhan (Wakhan

Corridor)

People Afghanistan

Population:

31,056,997 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 44.6% (male 7,095,117/female 6,763,759)

15-64 years: 53% (male 8,436,716/female 8,008,463)

65 years and over: 2.4% (male 366,642/female 386,300) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 17.6 years

male: 17.6 years

female: 17.6 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.67% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

46.6 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

20.34 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

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

65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 160.23 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 164.77 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 155.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 43.34 years

male: 43.16 years

female: 43.53 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

6.69 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.01% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk countrywide below 2,000

meters from March through November

animal contact disease: rabies

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified

among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a

negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens

who have close contact with birds (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Afghan(s)

adjective: Afghan

Ethnic groups:

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

Baloch 2%, other 4%

Religions:

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

Languages:

Afghan Persian or Dari (official) 50%, Pashtu (official) 35%,

Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor

languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 36%

male: 51%

female: 21% (1999 est.)

People - note:

of the estimated 4 million refugees in October 2001, 2.3 million

have returned

Government Afghanistan

Country name:

conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

conventional short form: Afghanistan

local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Afghanestan

local short form: Afghanestan

former: Republic of Afghanistan

Government type:

Islamic republic

Capital:

name: Kabul

geographic coordinates: 34 31 N, 69 12 E

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

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

34 provinces (velayat, singular - velayat); Badakhshan, Badghis,

Baghlan, Balkh, Bamian, Daykondi, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghowr,

Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabol, Kandahar, Kapisa, Khowst, Konar,

Kondoz, Laghman, Lowgar, Nangarhar, Nimruz, Nurestan, Oruzgan,

Paktia, Paktika, Panjshir, Parvan, Samangan, Sar-e Pol, Takhar,

Vardak, Zabol

Independence:

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

National holiday:

Independence Day, 19 August (1919)

Constitution:

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

January 2004

Legal system:

according to the new constitution, no law should be "contrary to

Islam"; the state is obliged to create a prosperous and progressive

society based on social justice, protection of human dignity,

protection of human rights, realization of democracy, and to ensure

national unity and equality among all ethnic groups and tribes; the

state shall abide by the UN charter, international treaties,

international conventions that Afghanistan signed, and the Universal

Declaration of Human Rights

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); Vice Presidents Ahmad Zia

MASOOD and Abdul Karim KHALILI (since 7 December 2004); note - the

president is both the chief of state and head of government; former

King ZAHIR Shah holds the honorific, "Father of the Country," and

presides symbolically over certain occasions, but lacks any

governing authority; the honorific is not hereditary

head of government: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); Vice Presidents Ahmad Zia

MASOOD and Abdul Karim KHALILI (since 7 December 2004)

cabinet: 25 ministers; note - under the new constitution, ministers

are appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly

elections: the president and two vice presidents are elected by

direct vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); if no

candidate receives 50% or more of the vote in the first round of

voting, the two candidates with the most votes will participate in a

second round; a president can only be elected for two terms;

election last held 9 October 2004 (next to be held in 2009)

election results: Hamid KARZAI elected president; percent of vote -

Hamid KARZAI 55.4%, Yunus QANUNI 16.3%, Ustad Mohammad MOHAQQEQ

11.6%, Abdul Rashid DOSTAM 10.0%, Abdul Latif PEDRAM 1.4%, Masooda

JALAL 1.2%

Legislative branch:

the bicameral National Assembly consists of the Wolesi Jirga or

House of People (no more than 249 seats), directly elected for

five-year terms, and the Meshrano Jirga or House of Elders (102

seats, one-third elected from provincial councils for four-year

terms, one-third elected from local district councils for three-year

terms

note: on rare occasions the government may convene a Loya Jirga

(Grand Council) on issues of independence, national sovereignty, and

territorial integrity; it can amend the provisions of the

constitution and prosecute the president; it is made up of members

of the National Assembly and chairpersons of the provincial and

district councils

elections: last held 18 September 2005 (next to be held for the

Wolesi Jirga by September 2009; next to be held for the provincial

councils to the Meshrano Jirga by September 2008)

election results: the single non-transferable vote (SNTV) system

used in the election did not make use of political party slates;

most candidates ran as independents

Judicial branch:

the constitution establishes a nine-member Stera Mahkama or Supreme

Court (its nine justices are appointed for 10-year terms by the

president with approval of the Wolesi Jirga) and subordinate High

Courts and Appeals Courts; there is also a minister of justice; a

separate Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission established by

the Bonn Agreement is charged with investigating human rights abuses

and war crimes

Political parties and leaders:

note - includes only political parties approved by the Ministry of

Justice; De Afghan Watan Islami Gond [Mohammad Osman SALEKZADA]; De

Afghanistan De Mili Mubarizeeno Islami Gond [Amanat NINGARHAREE]; De

Afghanistan De Mili Wahdat Wolesi Tahreek [Abdul Hakim NOORZAI]; De

Afghanistan De Solay Ghorzang Gond [Shahnawaz TANAI]; De Afghanistan

De Solay Mili Islami Gond [Shah Mohammood Popal ZAI]; Hezb-e

Esteqlal-e-Mili Afghanistan [Taj Mohammad WARDAK]; Hezb-e

Hambastagee Mili Aqwam-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Zarif NASERI]; Hezb-e

Harakat-e-Islami-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Ali JAWID]; Hezb-e

Jamihat-e-Islami [Ustad RABBANI]; Hezb-e Paiwand Mihahani

Afghanistan [Sayed Kamal SADAT];

Hezb-e-Aarman-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Ilhaj Saraj-u-din ZAFAREE];

Hezb-e-Aazaadi Khwahan Maihan [Abdul Hadi DABEER]; Hezb-e-Aazadee

Khwahan Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Feda Mohammad EHSAS];

Hezb-e-Adalat-e-Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Kabir MARZBAN];

Hezb-e-Afghan Melat [Anwarul Haq AHADI]; Hezb-e-Afghanistan-e-Naween

[Mohammad Yunis QANUNI]; Hezb-e-Afghanistan-e-Wahid [Mohammad Wasil

RAHIMEE]; Hezb-e-Azadee-e-Afghanistan [Ilaj Abdul MALEK];

Hezb-e-Democracy Afghanistan [Tawos ARAB];

Hezb-e-Domcrat-e-Afghanistan [Abdul Kabir RANJBAR];

Hezb-e-Eatedal-e-Mili Islami-e-Afghanistan [Qara Bik Eized YAAR];

Hezb-e-Eqtedar-e-Mili [Sayed Mustafa KAZEMI];

Hezb-e-Falah-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Ustad Mohammad ZAREEF];

Hezb-e-Hambastagee Mili Jawanan-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Jamil

KARZAI]; Hezb-e-Hambastagee-e-Afghanistan [Abdul Khaleq NEMAT];

Hezb-e-Harakat-e-Islami Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Ilhaj Said Hussain

ANWARY]; Hezb-e-Harakat-e-Mili Wahdat-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Nadir

AATASH]; Hezb-e-Ifazat Az Uqooq-e-Bashar Wa Inkishaf-e-Afghanistan

[Baryalai NASRATI]; Hezb-e-Islami-e-Afghanistan-e-Jawan [Sayed Jawad

HUSSINEE]; Hezb-e-Isteqlal-e-Afghanistan [Dr. Ghulam Farooq

NEJRABEE]; Hezb-e-Jamahat-ul-Dawat ilal Quran-wa-Sunat-e-Afghanistan

[Mawlawee Samiullah NAJEEBEE]; Hezb-e-Jamhoree Khwahane-Afghanistan

[Sebghatullah SANJAR]; Hezb-e-Junbish Democracy Mardom-e-Afghanistan

[Sharif NAZARI]; Hezb-e-Junbish Mili Islami-e-Afghanistan [Sayed

NOORULLAH]; Hezb-e-Kangra-e-Mili-e-Afghanistan [Abdul Latif PEDRAM];

Hezb-e-Kar Wa Tawsiha-e-Afghanistan [Zulfiqar OMID];

Hezb-e-Lebral-e-Aazadee Khwa-e-Afghanistan [Ajmal SUHAIL];

Hezb-e-Majmeh Mili Faleen-Sulh-e-Afghanistan [Shamsul Haq Noor

SHAMS]; Hezb-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Ahmad Shah ASAR];

Hezb-e-Mardom-e-Mosalman-e-Afghanistan [Besmellah JOYAN];

Hezb-e-Mili Afghanistan [Abdul Rashid ARYAN]; Hezb-e-Mili Heward

[GHULAM MOHAMMAD]; Hezb-e-Mili Islami-e-Afghanistan [Rohullah

LOUDIN]; Hezb-e-Mili Wahdat-e-Aqwam-e-Islami-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad

Shah KHOGYANI]; Hezb-e-Mutahed Mili [Noorul Haq ULOOMI];

Hezb-e-Nahzat-e-Aazadee Wa Democracy-e-Afghanistan [Abdul Raqib

Jawid KOHISTANEE]; Hezb-e-Nahzat-e-Hambastagee Mili-e-Afghanistan

[Pir Sayed Eshaq GAILANEE]; Hezb-e-Nakhbagan-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan

[Abdul Hamid JAWAD]; Hezb-e-Paiwand Mili Afghanistan [Sayed Mansoor

NADREEI]; Hezb-e-Rastakhaiz-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Sayed Zahir

Qayed Omul BELADI]; Hezb-e-Refah-e-Afghanistan [Meer Asef ZAEEFI];

Hezb-e-Refah-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Mia Gul WASIQ];

Hezb-e-Refah-e-Mili Afghanistan [Mohammad Hassan JAHFAREE];

Hezb-e-Resalat-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Noor Aqa ROEENE];

Hezb-e-Sahadat-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Zubair PAIROZ];

Hezb-e-Sahadat-e-Mili Islami-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Osman

SALEKZADA]; Hezb-e-Subat-e-Mili Islami-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Same

KHAROTI]; Hezb-e-Sulh Wa Wahdat-e-Mili-e-Afghanistan [Gulabuddin

Shir ZAEE]; Hezb-e-Sulh-e-Mili Islami Aqwam-e-Afghanistan [Abdul

Qaher SHARIATEE]; Hezb-e-Tafahum Wa Democracy-e-Afghanistan [Ahamad

SHAHEEN]; Hezb-e-Tahreek Wahdat-e-Mili-e-Afghanistan [Sultan

Mohammad GHAZI]; Hezb-e-Tahreek Wahdat-ul-Musimeen Afghanistan

[Wazir Mohammad WAHDAT]; Hezb-e-Tanzim Jabha Mili

Nejat-e-Afghanistan [Seghatullah MOJADDEDI]; Hezb-e-Taraqee Democrat

Afghanistan [Wali ARYA]; Hezb-e-Taraqee Mili Afghanistan [Dr. Aref

BAKTASH]; Hezb-e-Umat-e-Islam-e-Afghanistan [Toran Noor Aqa Ahmad

ZAI]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Ustad Mohammad

MOHAQQEQ]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Karim

KHALILI]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami-e-Melat-e-Afghanistan [Qurban Ali

URFANI]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Mili Afghanistan [Abdul Rashid JALILI];

Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Mili Islami-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad AKBAREE];

Mahaz-e-Mili Islami Afghanistan [Pir Sayed Ahmad GAILANEE]; Mili

Dreez Gong [Habibullah JANBDAD];

Nahzat-e-Hakemyat-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Hayatullah SUBHANEE];

Nahzat-e-Mili Afghanistan [Ahmad Wali MASOOUD]; Tanzim

Daawat-e-Islami-e-Afghanistan [Abdul Rasoul SAYYAF]; (20 August 2005)

Political pressure groups and leaders:

International organization participation:

AsDB, CP, ECO, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB,

IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent),

ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SACEP, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Said Tayeb JAWAD

chancery: 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] 202-483-6410

FAX: [1] 202-483-6488

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald E. NEUMANN

embassy: The Great Masood Road, Kabul

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

telephone: [00 93] (20) 230-0436

FAX: [00 93] (20) 230-1364

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of black (hoist), red, and green, with a

gold emblem centered on the red band; the emblem features a

temple-like structure encircled by a wreath on the left and right

and by a bold Islamic inscription above

Economy Afghanistan

Economy - overview:

Afghanistan's economy is recovering from decades of conflict. The

economy has improved significantly since the fall of the Taliban

regime in 2001 largely because of the infusion of international

assistance, the recovery of the agricultural sector, and service

sector growth. Real GDP growth probably exceeded 8% in 2006. Despite

the progress of the past few years, Afghanistan is extremely poor,

landlocked, and highly dependent on foreign aid, agriculture, and

trade with neighboring countries. Much of the population continues

to suffer from shortages of housing, clean water, electricity,

medical care, and jobs. Criminality, insecurity, and the Afghan

Government's inability to extend rule of law to all parts of the

country pose challenges to future economic growth. It will probably

take the remainder of the decade and continuing donor aid and

attention to significantly raise Afghanistan's living standards from

its current status, among the lowest in the world. While the

international community remains committed to Afghanistan's

development, pledging over $24 billion at three donors' conferences

since 2002, Kabul will need to overcome a number of challenges.

Expanding poppy cultivation and a growing opium trade generate

roughly $3 billion in illicit economic activity and looms as one of

Kabul's most serious policy concerns. Other long-term challenges

include: budget sustainability, job creation, corruption, government

capacity, and rebuilding war torn infrastructure.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$21.5 billion (2004 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$7.095 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

8.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 38% industry: 24% services: 38% note: data exclude opium production (2005 est.)

Labor force: 15 million (2004 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:

40% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:

53% (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

16.3% (2005 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $269 million

expenditures: $561 million; including capital expenditures of $41.7

million

note: Afghanistan has also received $273 million from the

Reconstruction Trust Fund and $63 million from the Law and Order

Trust Fund (FY04-05 budget est.)

Agriculture - products:

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

Industries:

small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes,

fertilizer, cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal, copper

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

734.3 million kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

782.9 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

100 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

4,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2005)

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

20 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

20 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

99.96 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Exports:

$471 million; note - not including illicit exports or reexports

(2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:

opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and

pelts, precious and semi-precious gems

Exports - partners:

US 25.8%, India 21.2%, Pakistan 20.3%, Finland 4.1% (2005)

Imports:

$3.87 billion (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:

capital goods, food, textiles, petroleum products

Imports - partners:

Pakistan 38.6%, US 9.5%, Germany 5.5%, India 5.2%, Turkey 4.1%,

Turkmenistan 4% (2005)

Debt - external:

$8 billion in bilateral debt, mostly to Russia; Afghanistan has

$500 million in debt to Multilateral Development Banks (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:

international pledges made by more than 60 countries and

international financial institutions at the Berlin Donors Conference

for Afghan reconstruction in March 2004 reached $8.9 billion for

2004-09

Currency (code):

afghani (AFA)

Currency code:

AFA

Exchange rates:

afghanis per US dollar - 541 (2005), 48 (2004), 49 (2003), 41

(2002), note, in 2002, the afghani was revalued and the currency

stabilized at about 50 afghanis to the dollar; before 2002, the

market rate varied widely from the official rate

Fiscal year:

21 March - 20 March

Communications Afghanistan

Telephones - main lines in use:

280,000 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.4 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: very limited telephone and telegraph service;

many Afghans utilize growing cellular phone coverage in major cities

domestic: telephone service is improving with the licensing of

several wireless telephone service providers in 2005 and 2006;

approximately 4 in 100 Afghans own a wireless telephone; telephone

main lines remain limited.

international: country code - 93; five VSAT's installed in Kabul,

Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, Kandahar, and Jalalabad provide international

and domestic voice and data connectivity

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 21, FM 5, shortwave 1 (broadcasts in Pashtu, Afghan Persian

(Dari), Urdu, and English) (2006)

Radios:

167,000 (1999)

Television broadcast stations: at least 7 (one government-run central television station in Kabul and regional stations in nine of the 34 provinces; the regional stations operate on a reduced schedule; also, in 1997, there was a station in Mazar-e-Sharif reaching four northern Afghanistan provinces) (2006)

Televisions:

100,000 (1999)

Internet country code:

.af

Internet hosts:

22 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

30,000 (2005)

Communications - note:

in March 2003, 'af' was established as Afghanistan's domain name;

Internet access is growing through Internet cafes as well as public

"telekiosks" in Kabul (2002)

Transportation Afghanistan

Airports: 46 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 11

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 35

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 5

1,524 to 2,437 m: 16

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 9 (2006)

Heliports:

9 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 466 km (2006)

Roadways:

total: 34,782 km

paved: 8,229 km

unpaved: 26,553 km (2004)

Waterways:

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

(2005)

Ports and terminals:

Kheyrabad, Shir Khan

Military Afghanistan

Military branches:

Afghan National Army (includes Afghan Air Force) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

22 years of age; inductees are contracted into service for a 4-year

term (2005)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 22-49: 4,952,812

females age 22-49: 4,663,963 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 22-49: 2,662,946

females age 22-49: 2,508,574 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 275,362

females age 22-49: 259,935 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$122.4 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.7% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Afghanistan

Disputes - international:

most Afghan refugees in Pakistan have been repatriated, but

thousands still remain in Iran, many at their own choosing;

Coalition and Pakistani forces continue to patrol remote tribal

areas to control the borders and stem organized terrorist and other

illegal cross-border activities; regular meetings between Pakistani

and Coalition allies aim to resolve periodic claims of boundary

encroachments; regional conflicts over water-sharing arrangements

with Amu Darya and Helmand River states

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 136,565 (mostly Pashtuns and Kuchis displaced in south and

west due to drought and instability) (2006)

Illicit drugs:

world's largest producer of opium; cultivation dropped 48% to

107,400 hectares in 2005; better weather and lack of widespread

disease returned opium yields to normal levels, meaning potential

opium production declined by only 10% to 4,475 metric tons; if the

entire poppy crop were processed, it is estimated that 526 metric

tons of heroin could be processed; source of hashish; many

narcotics-processing labs throughout the country; drug trade source

of instability and some antigovernment groups profit from the trade;

80-90% of the heroin consumed in Europe comes from Afghan opium;

vulnerable to narcotics money laundering through informal financial

networks

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Akrotiri

Introduction Akrotiri

Background:

By terms of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment that created the

independent Republic of Cyprus, the UK retained full sovereignty and

jurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilometers -

Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The southernmost and smallest of these is the

Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as the

Western Sovereign Base Area.

Geography Akrotiri

Location:

peninsula on the southwest coast of Cyprus

Geographic coordinates:

34 37 N, 32 58 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 123 sq km

note: includes a salt lake and wetlands

Area - comparative:

about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC

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

Coastline:

56.3 km

Climate:

temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters

Environment - current issues:

shooting around the salt lake; note - breeding place for loggerhead

and green turtles; only remaining colony of griffon vultures is on

the base

Geography - note:

British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small

off-post sites scattered across Cyprus

People Akrotiri

Population:

no indigenous inhabitants

note: approximately 1,300 military personnel are on the base; there

are another 5,000 British citizens who are families of military

personnel or civilian staff on both Akrotiri and Dhekelia; Cyprus

citizens work on the base, but do not live there

Languages:

English, Greek

Government Akrotiri

Country name:

conventional long form: Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area

conventional short form: Akrotiri

Dependency status:

overseas territory of UK; administered by an administrator who is

also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus

Capital:

name: Episkopi Cantonment; also serves as capital of Dhekelia

geographic coordinates: 34 40 N, 32 51 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Constitution:

Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council

1960, effective 16 August 1960

Legal system:

the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

Executive branch:

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

head of government: Administrator Air Vice-Marshal Richard LACEY

(since 26 April 2006); note - reports to the British Ministry of

Defence

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

appointed by the monarch

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:

the flag of the UK is used

Economy Akrotiri

Economy - overview:

Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military

and their families located in Akrotiri. All food and manufactured

goods must be imported.

Currency (code):

Cypriot pound (CYP)

Exchange rates:

Cypriot pounds per US dollar - 0.46019 (2006), 0.4641 (2005),

0.4686 (2004), 0.5174 (2003), 0.6107 (2002)

Communications Akrotiri

Radio broadcast stations:

FM 1

note: British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1

and Radio 2 service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia (2006)

Television broadcast stations:

British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel

satellite service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia (2006)

Military Akrotiri

Military - note:

Akrotiri has a full RAF base, Headquarters for British Forces on

Cyprus, and Episkopi Support Unit

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Albania

Introduction Albania

Background:

Between 1990 and 1992 Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic

Communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The

transition has proven challenging as successive governments have

tried to deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, a

dilapidated physical infrastructure, powerful organized crime

networks, and combative political opponents. Albania has made

progress in its democratic development since first holding

multiparty elections in 1991, but deficiencies remain. International

observers judged elections to be largely free and fair since the

restoration of political stability following the collapse of pyramid

schemes in 1997. In the 2005 general elections, the Democratic Party

and its allies won a decisive victory on pledges of reducing crime

and corruption, promoting economic growth, and decreasing the size

of government. The election, and particularly the orderly transition

of power, was considered an important step forward. Although

Albania's economy continues to grow, the country is still one of the

poorest in Europe, hampered by a large informal economy and an

inadequate energy and transportation infrastructure. Albania has

played a largely helpful role in managing inter-ethnic tensions in

southeastern Europe, and is continuing to work toward joining NATO

and the EU. Albania, with troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, has been a

strong supporter of the global war on terrorism.

Geography Albania

Location:

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea,

between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro

Geographic coordinates:

41 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 28,748 sq km

land: 27,398 sq km

water: 1,350 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:

total: 720 km

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

km, Serbia 115 km

Coastline:

362 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

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

Climate:

mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers;

interior is cooler and wetter

Terrain:

mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m

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

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore,

nickel, salt, timber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 20.1% permanent crops: 4.21% other: 75.69% (2005)

Irrigated land:

3,530 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast;

floods; drought

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and

domestic effluents

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,

Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to

Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)

People Albania

Population:

3,581,655 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 24.8% (male 464,954/female 423,003)

15-64 years: 66.3% (male 1,214,942/female 1,158,562)

65 years and over: 8.9% (male 148,028/female 172,166) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 28.9 years

male: 28.3 years

female: 29.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.52% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

15.11 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

5.22 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-4.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female

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

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

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 20.75 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 21.2 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 20.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.43 years

male: 74.78 years

female: 80.34 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.03 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Albanian(s)

adjective: Albanian

Ethnic groups:

Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Roma (Gypsy), Serb,

Macedonian, Bulgarian) (1989 est.)

note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from

1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization)

Religions:

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

note: percentages are estimates; there are no available current

statistics on religious affiliation; all mosques and churches were

closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November

1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice

Languages:

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

Romani, Slavic dialects

Literacy:

definition: age 9 and over can read and write

total population: 86.5%

male: 93.3%

female: 79.5% (2003 est.)

Government Albania

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Albania

conventional short form: Albania

local long form: Republika e Shqiperise

local short form: Shqiperia

former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania

Government type:

emerging democracy

Capital:

name: Tirana (Tirane)

geographic coordinates: 41 20 N, 19 50 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Qarku i Beratit, Qarku i

Dibres, Qarku i Durresit, Qarku i Elbasanit, Qarku i Fierit, Qarku i

Gjirokastres, Qarku i Korces, Qarku i Kukesit, Qarku i Lezhes, Qarku

i Shkodres, Qarku i Tiranes, Qarku i Vlores

Independence:

28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 28 November (1912)

Constitution:

adopted by popular referendum on 28 November 1998

Legal system:

has a civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction; has accepted jurisdiction of the International

Criminal Court for its citizens

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President of the Republic Alfred MOISIU (since 24

June 2002)

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

2005)

cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister,

nominated by the president, and approved by parliament

elections: president elected by the People's Assembly for a

five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 24

June 2002 (next to be held June 2007); prime minister appointed by

the president

election results: Alfred MOISIU elected president; People's Assembly

vote by number - total votes 134: for 97, against 19, abstained 14,

invalid votes 4

Legislative branch:

unicameral Assembly or Kuvendi (140 seats; 100 are elected by

direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote for four-year terms)

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

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PD

56, PS 42, PR 11, PSD 7, LSI 5, other 19

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court, Supreme Court (chairman is elected by the

People's Assembly for a four-year term), and multiple appeals and

district courts

Political parties and leaders:

Agrarian Environmentalist Party or PAA [Lufter XHUVELI]; Christian

Democratic Party or PDK [Nard NDOKA]; Communist Party of Albania or

PKSH [Hysni MILLOSHI]; Democratic Alliance Party or AD [Neritan

CEKA]; Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; Legality Movement

Party or PLL [Ekrem SPAHIU]; Liberal Union Party or BLD [Arjan

STAROVA]; National Front Party (Balli Kombetar) or PBK [Adriatik

ALIMADHI]; New Democratic Party or PDR [Genc POLLO]; Party of

National Unity or PUK [Idajet BEQIRI]; Renewed Democratic Party or

PDRN [Dashamir SHEHI]; Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU]; Social

Democracy Party of Albania or PDSSh [Paskal MILO]; Social Democratic

Party or PSD [Skender GJINUSHI]; Socialist Movement for Integration

or LSI [Ilir META]; Socialist Party or PS [Edi RAMA]; Union for

Human Rights Party or PBDNj [Vangjel DULE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Citizens Advocacy Office [Kreshnik SPAHIU]; Confederation of Trade

Unions of Albania or KSSH [Kastriot MUCO]; Front for Albanian

National Unification or FBKSH [Gafur ADILI]; Mjaft Movement [Erion

VELIAJ]; Omonia [Jani JANI]; Union of Independent Trade Unions of

Albania or BSPSH [Gezim KALAJA]

International organization participation:

BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,

IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO

(correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI,

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,

WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Aleksander SALLABANDA

chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942

FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Marcie B. RIES

embassy: Rruga e Elbasanit, Labinoti #103, Tirana

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

VA 20189-9510

telephone: [355] (4) 247285

FAX: [355] (4) 232222

Flag description:

red with a black two-headed eagle in the center

Economy Albania

Economy - overview:

Lagging behind its Balkan neighbors, Albania is making the

difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. The

government has taken measures to curb violent crime and reduce the

large grey economy. The economy is bolstered by annual remittances

from abroad of $600-$800 million, mostly from Albanians residing in

Greece and Italy; this helps offset the towering trade deficit.

Agriculture, which accounts for about one-quarter of GDP, is held

back because of lack of modern equipment, unclear property rights,

and the prevalence of small, inefficient plots of land. Energy

shortages and antiquated and inadequate infrastructure contribute to

Albania's poor business environment, which make it difficult to

attract and sustain foreign investment. The planned construction of

a new thermal power plant near Vlore and improved transmission and

distribution facilities eventually will help relieve the energy

shortages. Also, the government is moving slowly to improve the poor

national road and rail network, a long-standing barrier to sustained

economic growth. On the positive side: growth was strong in 2003-06

and inflation is low and stable.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$20.21 billion

note: Albania has a large gray economy that may be as large as 50%

of official GDP (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$9.306 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$5,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 23.3% industry: 18.8% services: 57.9% (2006 est.)

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

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 58% industry: 19% services: 23% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

14.3% official rate, but may exceed 30% due to preponderance of

near-subsistence farming (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:

25% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

28.2 (2002)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.8% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

24.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $2.323 billion

expenditures: $2.587 billion; including capital expenditures of $500

million (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes;

meat, dairy products

Industries:

food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement,

chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower

Industrial production growth rate:

3.1% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:

5.434 billion kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

5.231 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

390 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

567 million kWh (2004 est.)

Oil - production:

3,600 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

25,200 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - imports:

21,600 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - proved reserves:

185.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

30 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

30 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

2.832 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-679.9 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$763.2 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude

oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco

Exports - partners:

Italy 72.4%, Greece 10.5%, Serbia and Montenegro 5% (2005)

Imports:

$2.901 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Italy 29.3%, Greece 16.4%, Turkey 7.5%, China 6.6%, Germany 5.4%,

Russia 4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.621 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.55 billion (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:

ODA: $366 million (top donors were Italy, EU, Germany) (2003 est.)

Currency (code):

lek (ALL)

note: the plural of lek is leke

Currency code:

ALL

Exchange rates:

leke per US dollar - 98.5927 (2006), 102.649 (2005), 102.78 (2004),

121.863 (2003), 140.155 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Albania

Telephones - main lines in use:

255,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.259 million (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: despite new investment in fixed lines, the

density of main lines remains the lowest in Europe with roughly

seven lines per 100 people; however, cellular telephone use is

widespread and generally effective

domestic: offsetting the shortage of fixed line capacity, mobile

phone service has been available since 1996; by 2003 two companies

were providing mobile services at a greater density than some of

Albania's Balkan neighbors

international: country code - 355; inadequate fixed main lines;

adequate cellular connections; international traffic carried by

fiber optic cable and, when necessary, by microwave radio relay from

the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece (2003)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 13, FM 46 (3 national, 62 local), shortwave 1 (2005)

Radios:

1 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

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

Televisions:

700,000 (2001)

Internet country code:

.al

Internet hosts:

430 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

10 (2001)

Internet users:

75,000 (2005)

Transportation Albania

Airports: 11 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 8 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Heliports:

1 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 339 km; oil 207 km (2006)

Railways: total: 447 km standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 18,000 km paved: 7,020 km unpaved: 10,980 km (2002)

Waterways:

43 km (2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 24 ships (1000 GRT or over) 52,987 GRT/79,863 DWT

by type: cargo 23, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 1 (Turkey 1)

registered in other countries: 1 (Georgia 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore

Military Albania

Military branches:

General Staff Headquarters, Land Forces Command (Army), Naval

Forces Command, Air Defense Command, Logistics Command, Training and

Doctrine Command

Military service age and obligation:

19 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 19-49: 809,524

females age 19-49: 784,199 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 19-49: 668,526

females age 19-49: 648,334 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 37,407

females age 19-49: 34,587 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$56.5 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.49% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Albania

Disputes - international:

the Albanian Government calls for the protection of the rights of

ethnic Albanians in neighboring countries, and the peaceful

resolution of interethnic disputes; some ethnic Albanian groups in

neighboring countries advocate for a "greater Albania," but the idea

has little appeal among Albanian nationals; thousands of unemployed

Albanians emigrate annually to nearby Italy and other developed

countries

Illicit drugs:

increasingly active transshipment point for Southwest Asian

opiates, hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan route and - to

a far lesser extent - cocaine from South America destined for

Western Europe; limited opium and growing cannabis production;

ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking organizations active and expanding

in Europe; vulnerable to money laundering associated with regional

trafficking in narcotics, arms, contraband, and illegal aliens

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Algeria

Introduction Algeria

Background:

After more than a century of rule by France, Algerians fought

through much of the 1950s to achieve independence in 1962. Algeria's

primary political party, the National Liberation Front (FLN), has

dominated politics ever since. Many Algerians in the subsequent

generation were not satisfied, however, and moved to counter the

FLN's centrality in Algerian politics. The surprising first round

success of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) in the December 1991

balloting spurred the Algerian army to intervene and postpone the

second round of elections to prevent what the secular elite feared

would be an extremist-led government from assuming power. The army

began a crack down on the FIS that spurred FIS supporters to begin

attacking government targets. The government later allowed elections

featuring pro-government and moderate religious-based parties, but

did not appease the activists who progressively widened their

attacks. The fighting escalated into an insurgency, which saw

intense fighting between 1992-98 and which resulted in over 100,000

deaths - many attributed to indiscriminate massacres of villagers by

extremists. The government gained the upper hand by the late-1990s

and FIS's armed wing, the Islamic Salvation Army, disbanded in

January 2000. However, small numbers of armed militants persist in

confronting government forces and conducting ambushes and occasional

attacks on villages. The army placed Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA in the

presidency in 1999 in a fraudulent election but claimed neutrality

in his 2004 landslide reelection victory. Longstanding problems

continue to face BOUTEFLIKA in his second term, including the ethnic

minority Berbers' ongoing autonomy campaign, large-scale

unemployment, a shortage of housing, unreliable electrical and water

supplies, government inefficiencies and corruption, and the

continuing - although significantly degraded - activities of

extremist militants. Algeria must also diversify its petroleum-based

economy, which has yielded a large cash reserve but which has not

been used to redress Algeria's many social and infrastructure

problems.

Geography Algeria

Location:

Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco

and Tunisia

Geographic coordinates:

28 00 N, 3 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 2,381,740 sq km

land: 2,381,740 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 6,343 km

border countries: Libya 982 km, Mali 1,376 km, Mauritania 463 km,

Morocco 1,559 km, Niger 956 km, Tunisia 965 km, Western Sahara 42 km

Coastline:

998 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 nm

Climate:

arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers along

coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high plateau;

sirocco is a hot, dust/sand-laden wind especially common in summer

Terrain:

mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow,

discontinuous coastal plain

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m

highest point: Tahat 3,003 m

Natural resources:

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

Land use: arable land: 3.17% permanent crops: 0.28% other: 96.55% (2005)

Irrigated land:

5,690 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides and

floods in rainy season

Environment - current issues:

soil erosion from overgrazing and other poor farming practices;

desertification; dumping of raw sewage, petroleum refining wastes,

and other industrial effluents is leading to the pollution of rivers

and coastal waters; Mediterranean Sea, in particular, becoming

polluted from oil wastes, soil erosion, and fertilizer runoff;

inadequate supplies of potable water

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

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

People Algeria

Population:

32,930,091 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 28.1% (male 4,722,076/female 4,539,713)

15-64 years: 67.1% (male 11,133,802/female 10,964,502)

65 years and over: 4.8% (male 735,444/female 834,554) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 24.9 years

male: 24.7 years

female: 25.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.22% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

17.14 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

4.61 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

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

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

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 29.87 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 33.62 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 25.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.26 years

male: 71.68 years

female: 74.92 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.89 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% ; note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

9,100 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 500 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: cutaneous leishmaniasis is a high risk in some

locations (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Algerian(s)

adjective: Algerian

Ethnic groups:

Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%

note: almost all Algerians are Berber in origin, not Arab; the

minority who identify themselves as Berber live mostly in the

mountainous region of Kabylie east of Algiers; the Berbers are also

Muslim but identify with their Berber rather than Arab cultural

heritage; Berbers have long agitated, sometimes violently, for

autonomy; the government is unlikely to grant autonomy but has

offered to begin sponsoring teaching Berber language in schools

Religions:

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

Languages:

Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 70%

male: 78.8%

female: 61% (2003 est.)

Government Algeria

Country name:

conventional long form: People's Democratic Republic of Algeria

conventional short form: Algeria

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

Sha'biyah

local short form: Al Jaza'ir

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Algiers

geographic coordinates: 36 47 N, 2 03 E

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

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

48 provinces (wilayat, singular - wilaya); Adrar, Ain Defla, Ain

Temouchent, Alger, Annaba, Batna, Bechar, Bejaia, Biskra, Blida,

Bordj Bou Arreridj, Bouira, Boumerdes, Chlef, Constantine, Djelfa,

El Bayadh, El Oued, El Tarf, Ghardaia, Guelma, Illizi, Jijel,

Khenchela, Laghouat, Mascara, Medea, Mila, Mostaganem, M'Sila,

Naama, Oran, Ouargla, Oum el Bouaghi, Relizane, Saida, Setif, Sidi

Bel Abbes, Skikda, Souk Ahras, Tamanghasset, Tebessa, Tiaret,

Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen

Independence:

5 July 1962 (from France)

National holiday:

Revolution Day, 1 November (1954)

Constitution:

8 September 1963; revised 19 November 1976, effective 22 November

1976; revised 3 November 1988, 23 February 1989, and 28 November 1996

Legal system:

socialist, based on French and Islamic law; judicial review of

legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of

various public officials, including several Supreme Court justices;

has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

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

head of government: Prime Minister Abdelaziz BELKHADEM

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 8 April 2004 (next

to be held in April 2009); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA reelected president for

second term; percent of vote - Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA 85%, Ali BENFLIS

6.4%, Abdellah DJABALLAH 5%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consisting of the National People's Assembly

or Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani (389 seats - formerly 380 seats;

members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the

Council of Nations (Senate) (144 seats; one-third of the members

appointed by the president, two-thirds elected by indirect vote;

members serve six-year terms; the constitution requires half the

council to be renewed every three years)

elections: National People's Assembly - last held 30 May 2002 (next

to be held in 2007); Council of Nations (Senate) - last held 30

December 2003 (next to be held in 2006)

election results: National People's Assembly - percent of vote by

party - NA; seats by party - FLN 199, RND 47, Islah 43, MSP 38, PT

21, FNA 8, EnNahda 1, PRA 1, MEN 1, independents 30; Council of

Nations - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party NA

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:

Algerian National Front or FNA [Moussa TOUATI]; National Democratic

Rally (Rassemblement National Democratique) or RND [Ahmed OUYAHIA,

secretary general]; Islamic Salvation Front or FIS (outlawed April

1992) [Ali BELHADJ, Dr. Abassi MADANI, Rabeh KEBIR]; National

Entente Movement or MEN [Ali BOUKHAZNA]; National Liberation Front

or FLN [Abdelaziz BELKHADEM, secretary general]; National Reform

Movement or Islah (formerly MRN) [Abdellah DJABALLAH]; National

Renewal Party or PRA [Yacine TERKMANE]; Progressive Republican Party

[Khadir DRISS]; Rally for Culture and Democracy or RCD [Said SADI];

Renaissance Movement or EnNahda Movement [Fatah RABEI]; Socialist

Forces Front or FFS [Hocine Ait AHMED, secretary general]; Social

Liberal Party or PSL [Ahmed KHELIL]; Society of Peace Movement or

MSP [Boudjerra SOLTANI]; Workers Party or PT [Louisa HANOUN]

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

in March 1997

Political pressure groups and leaders:

The Algerian Human Rights League or LADH or LADDH [Yahia Ali

ABDENOUR]; SOS Disparus [Nacera DUTOUR]; Somoud [Ali MERABET]

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BIS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA,

IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,

IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAS,

MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, OPEC, OSCE

(partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Amine KHERBI chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800 FAX: [1] (202) 667-2174

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert S. FORD embassy: 04 Chemin Cheikh Bachir Ibrahimi El-Biar 16030, Algiers mailing address: B. P. 408, Alger-Gare, 16030 Algiers telephone: [213] (021) 69-12-55 FAX: [213] (021) 69-39-79

Flag description:

two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and white; a red,

five-pointed star within a red crescent centered over the two-color

boundary; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional

symbols of Islam (the state religion)

Economy Algeria

Economy - overview:

The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the economy, accounting

for roughly 60% of budget revenues, 30% of GDP, and over 95% of

export earnings. Algeria has the seventh-largest reserves of natural

gas in the world and is the second-largest gas exporter; it ranks

14th in oil reserves. Sustained high oil prices in recent years,

along with macroeconomic policy reforms supported by the IMF, have

helped improve Algeria's financial and macroeconomic indicators.

Algeria is running substantial trade surpluses and building up

record foreign exchange reserves. Algeria has decreased its external

debt to less than 10% of GDP after repaying its Paris Club and

London Club debt in 2006. Real GDP has risen due to higher oil

output and increased government spending. The government's continued

efforts to diversify the economy by attracting foreign and domestic

investment outside the energy sector, however, has had little

success in reducing high unemployment and improving living

standards. Structural reform within the economy, such as development

of the banking sector and the construction of infrastructure, moves

ahead slowly hampered by corruption and bureaucratic resistance.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$253.4 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$92.22 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$7,700 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9.4% industry: 58.1% services: 32.5% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 9.31 million (2006 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:

15.7% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

25% (2005 est.)

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

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

35.3 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

23.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $59.26 billion

expenditures: $49.14 billion; including capital expenditures of $5.8

billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:

18.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

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

Industries:

petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining, electrical,

petrochemical, food processing

Industrial production growth rate:

10% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

29.39 billion kWh (2004 est.)

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

Electricity - consumption:

27.4 billion kWh (2004 est.)

Electricity - exports:

230 million kWh (2004 est.)

Electricity - imports:

300 million kWh (2004 est.)

Oil - production:

1.373 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

233,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

1.127 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - proved reserves:

11 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

80.15 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

19.28 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

60.87 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

4.545 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$25.8 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$55.6 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97%

Exports - partners:

US 22.6%, Italy 16%, Spain 10.5%, France 10%, Canada 7.9%, Brazil

6.5%, Belgium 4.3%, Germany 4.2% (2005)

Imports:

$27.6 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners:

France 28.1%, Italy 7.8%, Spain 7.2%, China 6.6%, Germany 6.3%, US

5.5% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$71.96 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$5 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$313 million (2004 est.)

Currency (code):

Algerian dinar (DZD)

Currency code:

DZD

Exchange rates:

Algerian dinars per US dollar - 73.2 (2006), 73.276 (2005), 72.061

(2004), 77.395 (2003), 79.682 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Algeria

Telephones - main lines in use:

2.572 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

13.661 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: telephone density in Algeria is very low, not

exceeding five telephones per 100 persons; the number of fixed main

lines increased in the last few years to nearly 2.6 million, but

only about two-thirds of these have subscribers; much of the

infrastructure is outdated and inefficient

domestic: good service in north but sparse in south; domestic

satellite system with 12 earth stations (20 additional domestic

earth stations are planned)

international: country code - 213; submarine cables - 5; microwave

radio relay to Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial

cable to Morocco and Tunisia; participant in Medarabtel; satellite

earth stations - 51 (Intelsat, Intersputnik, and Arabsat) (2005)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 25, FM 1, shortwave 8 (1999)

Radios:

7.1 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

46 (plus 216 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:

3.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.dz

Internet hosts:

1,202 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2000)

Internet users:

1.92 million (2005)

Transportation Algeria

Airports: 142 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 52 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 27 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 90 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 39 under 914 m: 23 (2006)

Heliports:

1 (2006)

Pipelines:

condensate 1,344 km; gas 85,946 km; liquid petroleum gas 2,213 km;

oil 6,496 km (2005)

Railways:

total: 3,973 km

standard gauge: 2,888 km 1.435-m gauge (283 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 1,085 km 1.055-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 108,302 km

paved: 76,028 km

unpaved: 32,274 km (2004)

Merchant marine:

total: 41 ships (1000 GRT or over) 744,406 GRT/766,764 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 7, cargo 10, chemical tanker 2, liquefied gas

9, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 5, roll on/roll off 3,

specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 13 (UK 13) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

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

Skikda

Military Algeria

Military branches:

National Popular Army (ANP; includes Land Forces), Algerian

National Navy (MRA), Air Force (QJJ), Territorial Air Defense Force

(2005)

Military service age and obligation:

19-30 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript

service obligation - 18 months (6 months basic training, 12 months

civil projects) (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 19-49: 8,033,049

females age 19-49: 7,926,351 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 19-49: 6,590,079

females age 19-49: 6,711,285 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 374,639

females age 19-49: 369,021 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$3 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

3.2% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Algeria

Disputes - international:

Algeria supports the exiled Sahrawi Polisario Front and rejects

Moroccan administration of Western Sahara; most of the approximately

102,000 Western Saharan Sahrawi refugees are sheltered in camps in

Tindouf, Algeria; Algeria's border with Morocco remains an irritant

to bilateral relations, each nation accusing the other of harboring

militants and arms smuggling; in an attempt to improve relations,

Morocco, in mid-2004, unilaterally lifted the requirement that

Algerians visiting Morocco possess entry visas - a gesture not

reciprocated by Algeria; Algeria remains concerned about armed

bandits operating throughout the Sahel who sometimes destabilize

southern Algerian towns; dormant disputes include Libyan claims of

about 32,000 sq km still reflected on its maps of southeastern

Algeria and the FLN's assertions of a claim to Chirac Pastures in

southeastern Morocco

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 90,000 (Western Saharan Sahrawi,

mostly living in Algerian-sponsored camps in the southwestern

Algerian town of Tindouf)

IDPs: 400,000-600,000 (conflict between government forces, Islamic

insurgents) (2006)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Algeria is a transit and destination country for

men, women, and children from sub-Saharan Africa and Asia trafficked

for forced labor and sexual exploitation; many victims willingly

migrate to Algeria en route to European countries with the help of

smugglers, where they are often forced into prostitution, labor, and

begging to pay off their smuggling debt; armed militants reportedly

traffic women for sexual exploitation and involuntary servitude, and

children may be trafficked for forced labor as domestic servants or

street vendors

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Algeria took no steps to assess the

scope of trafficking in the country and reported no investigations

or prosecutions for trafficking offenses this year

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@American Samoa

Introduction American Samoa

Background:

Settled as early as 1000 B.C., Samoa was "discovered" by European

explorers in the 18th century. International rivalries in the latter

half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899 treaty in which

Germany and the US divided the Samoan archipelago. The US formally

occupied its portion - a smaller group of eastern islands with the

excellent harbor of Pago Pago - the following year.

Geography American Samoa

Location:

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about half

way between Hawaii and New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:

14 20 S, 170 00 W

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 199 sq km

land: 199 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

116 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds; annual

rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season (November to April), dry

season (May to October); little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:

five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains,

two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Lata Mountain 964 m

Natural resources:

pumice, pumicite

Land use:

arable land: 10%

permanent crops: 15%

other: 75% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

typhoons common from December to March

Environment - current issues:

limited natural fresh water resources; the water division of the

government has spent substantial funds in the past few years to

improve water catchments and pipelines

Geography - note:

Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the

South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from rough seas and

protected by peripheral mountains from high winds; strategic

location in the South Pacific Ocean

People American Samoa

Population:

57,794 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 34.7% (male 10,388/female 9,654)

15-64 years: 62.4% (male 18,698/female 17,350)

65 years and over: 2.9% (male 633/female 1,071) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 23.2 years

male: 22.9 years

female: 23.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.19% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

22.46 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

3.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-21.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female

total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 9.07 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 9.66 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 8.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.05 years

male: 72.48 years

female: 79.82 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.16 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: American Samoan(s) (US nationals)

adjective: American Samoan

Ethnic groups:

native Pacific islander 92.9%, Asian 2.9%, white 1.2%, mixed 2.8%,

other 0.2% (2000 census)

Religions:

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

other 30%

Languages:

Samoan 90.6% (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian

languages), English 2.9%, Tongan 2.4%, other Pacific islander 2.1%,

other 2%

note: most people are bilingual (2000 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97%

male: 98%

female: 97% (1980 est.)

Government American Samoa

Country name:

conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa

conventional short form: American Samoa

abbreviation: AS

Dependency status:

unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US; administered by

the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Pago Pago

geographic coordinates: 14 16 S, 170 42 W

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

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative

divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three

districts and two islands* at the second order; Eastern, Manu'a,

Rose Island*, Swains Island*, Western

Independence:

none (territory of the US)

National holiday:

Flag Day, 17 April (1900)

Constitution:

ratified 2 June 1966, effective 1 July 1967

Legal system:

NA

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20

January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January

2001)

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

cabinet: Cabinet made up of 12 department directors

elections: under the US Consitution, residents of unincorporated

territories, such as American Samoa, do not vote in elections for US

president and vice president; governor and lieutenant governor

elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms

(eligible for a second term); election last held 2 and 16 November

2004 (next to be held November 2008)

election results: Togiola TULAFONO elected governor; percent of vote

- Togiola TULAFONO 55.7%, Afoa Moega LUTU 44.3%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of the House of

Representatives (21 seats - 20 of which are elected by popular vote

and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains Island;

members serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18 seats; members are

elected from local chiefs and serve four-year terms)

elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2006

(next to be held November 2008); Senate - last held 2 November 2004

(next to be held November 2008)

election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by

party - NA; seats by party - NA; Senate - percent of vote by party -

NA; seats by party - independents 18

note: American Samoa elects one nonvoting representative to the US

House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2006 (next

to be held November 2008); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA

(Democrat) reelected as delegate

Judicial branch:

High Court (chief justice and associate justices are appointed by

the US Secretary of the Interior)

Political parties and leaders:

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

FAALEVAO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territory of the US)

Flag description:

blue, with a white triangle edged in red that is based on the outer

side and extends to the hoist side; a brown and white American bald

eagle flying toward the hoist side is carrying two traditional

Samoan symbols of authority, a staff and a war club

Economy American Samoa

Economy - overview:

American Samoa has a traditional Polynesian economy in which more

than 90% of the land is communally owned. Economic activity is

strongly linked to the US with which American Samoa conducts most of

its foreign trade. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are the

backbone of the private sector, with canned tuna the primary export.

Transfers from the US Government add substantially to American

Samoa's economic well being. Attempts by the government to develop a

larger and broader economy are restrained by Samoa's remote

location, its limited transportation, and its devastating

hurricanes. Tourism is a promising developing sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$510.1 million (2003 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$333.8 million (2005)

GDP - real growth rate:

3% (2003)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$5,800 (2005 est.)

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

Labor force: 17,630 (2005)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 34% industry: 33% services: 33% (1990)

Unemployment rate:

29.8% (2005)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

NA%

Budget:

revenues: $121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants)

expenditures: $127 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(FY96/97)

Agriculture - products:

bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra,

pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock

Industries:

tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing vessels),

handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

128 million kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

119 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

3,900 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$445.6 million (FY04 est.)

Exports - commodities:

canned tuna 93% (2004 est.)

Exports - partners:

Indonesia 28.2%, India 22.3%, Australia 15.3%, Japan 11.2%, NZ 7.1%

(2005)

Imports:

$308.8 million (FY04 est.)

Imports - commodities:

materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%,

machinery and parts 6% (2004 est.)

Imports - partners:

Australia 66%, Samoa 13.8%, NZ 10.8% (2005)

Debt - external:

$NA

Economic aid - recipient:

important financial support from the US, more than $40 million in

1994

Currency (code):

US dollar (USD)

Currency code:

USD

Exchange rates:

the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:

1 October - 30 September

Communications American Samoa

Telephones - main lines in use:

15,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2,377 (1999)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephone

services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station

international: country code - 684; satellite earth station - 1

(Intelsat-Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2006)

Radios:

57,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (Low Power TV); note - one cable TV station (2006)

Televisions:

14,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.as

Internet hosts:

1,456 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

NA

Transportation American Samoa

Airports: 3 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 185 km (2004)

Ports and terminals:

Pago Pago

Military American Samoa

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues American Samoa

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Andorra

Introduction Andorra

Background:

For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a unique

co-principality, ruled by French and Spanish leaders (from 1607

onward, the French chief of state and the Spanish bishop of Urgel).

In 1993, this feudal system was modified with the titular heads of

state retained, but the government transformed into a parliamentary

democracy. Long isolated and impoverished, mountainous Andorra

achieved considerable prosperity since World War II through its

tourist industry. Many immigrants (legal and illegal) are attracted

to the thriving economy with its lack of income taxes.

Geography Andorra

Location:

Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain

Geographic coordinates:

42 30 N, 1 30 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 468 sq km

land: 468 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

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

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers

Terrain:

rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys

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

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

Land use: arable land: 2.13% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.87% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

avalanches

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes to soil

erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid waste disposal

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Hazardous Wastes, Biodiversity

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in the

Pyrenees

People Andorra

Population:

71,201 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 14.7% (male 5,456/female 4,994)

15-64 years: 71.4% (male 26,632/female 24,172)

65 years and over: 14% (male 4,918/female 5,029) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 40.9 years

male: 41.2 years

female: 40.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.89% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

8.71 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

6.25 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

6.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female

total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.04 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4.38 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 83.51 years

male: 80.61 years

female: 86.61 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.3 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Andorran(s)

adjective: Andorran

Ethnic groups:

Spanish 43%, Andorran 33%, Portuguese 11%, French 7%, other 6%

(1998)

Religions:

Roman Catholic (predominant)

Languages:

Catalan (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese

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

Government Andorra

Country name:

conventional long form: Principality of Andorra

conventional short form: Andorra

local long form: Principat d'Andorra

local short form: Andorra

Government type:

parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains as its

chiefs of state a coprincipality; the two princes are the president

of France and bishop of Seo de Urgel, Spain, who are represented

locally by coprinces' representatives

Capital:

name: Andorra la Vella

geographic coordinates: 42 30 N, 1 30 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia); Andorra la Vella,

Canillo, Encamp, Escaldes-Engordany, La Massana, Ordino, Sant Julia

de Loria

Independence:

1278 (formed under the joint suzerainty of the French count of Foix

and the Spanish bishop of Urgel)

National holiday:

Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278)

Constitution:

Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991, approved

by referendum 14 March 1993, effective 4 May 1993

Legal system:

based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review of

legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: French Coprince Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995),

represented by Philippe MASSONI (since 26 July 2002); Spanish

Coprince Bishop Joan Enric VIVES i SICILIA (since 12 May 2003),

represented by Nemesi MARQUES i OSTE (since NA)

head of government: Executive Council President Albert PINTAT

SANTOLARIA (since 27 May 2005)

cabinet: Executive Council or Govern designated by the Executive

Council president

elections: Executive Council president elected by the General

Council and formally appointed by the coprinces for a four-year

term; election last held 24 April 2005 (next to be held April-May

2009)

election results: Albert PINTAT SANTOLARIA elected executive council

president; percent of General Council vote - NA

Legislative branch:

unicameral General Council of the Valleys or Consell General de las

Valls (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, 14 from

a single national constituency and 14 to represent each of the seven

parishes; members serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 24 April 2005 (next to be held March-April 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - PLA 41.2%, PS 38.1%,

CDA-S21 11%, other 9.7%; seats by party - PLA 14, PS 12, CDA-S21 2

Judicial branch:

Tribunal of Judges or Tribunal de Batlles; Tribunal of the Courts

or Tribunal de Corts; Supreme Court of Justice of Andorra or

Tribunal Superior de Justicia d'Andorra; Supreme Council of Justice

or Consell Superior de la Justicia; Fiscal Ministry or Ministeri

Fiscal; Constitutional Tribunal or Tribunal Constitucional

Political parties and leaders:

Andorran Democratic Center Party or CDA (formerly Democratic Party

or PD); Century 21 or S21 [Enric TARRADO]; Liberal Party of Andorra

or PLA (formerly Liberal Union or UL) [Albert PINTAT SANTOLARIA];

Social Democratic Party or PS (formerly part of National Democratic

Group or AND) [Jaume BARTUMEU CASSANY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

CE, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, OIF, OIF

(associate member), OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNWTO, WCO, WHO,

WIPO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Julian VILA COMA chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 750-8064 FAX: [1] (212) 750-6630

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Andorra; the US Ambassador to Spain is accredited to Andorra; US interests in Andorra are represented by the Consulate General's office in Barcelona (Spain); mailing address: Paseo Reina Elisenda de Montcada, 23, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; telephone: [34] (3) 280-2227; FAX: [34] (3) 205-5206

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red

with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; the coat

of arms features a quartered shield; similar to the flags of Chad

and Romania, which do not have a national coat of arms in the

center, and the flag of Moldova, which does bear a national emblem

Economy Andorra

Economy - overview:

Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do economy,

accounts for more than 80% of GDP. An estimated 11.6 million

tourists visit annually, attracted by Andorra's duty-free status and

by its summer and winter resorts. Andorra's comparative advantage

has recently eroded as the economies of neighboring France and Spain

have been opened up, providing broader availability of goods and

lower tariffs. The banking sector, with its partial "tax haven"

status, also contributes substantially to the economy. Agricultural

production is limited - only 2% of the land is arable - and most

food has to be imported. The principal livestock activity is sheep

raising. Manufacturing output consists mainly of cigarettes, cigars,

and furniture. Andorra is a member of the EU Customs Union and is

treated as an EU member for trade in manufactured goods (no tariffs)

and as a non-EU member for agricultural products.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.84 billion (2004)

GDP (official exchange rate):

NA

GDP - real growth rate:

4% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$24,000 (2004)

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

Labor force: 48,740 (2004)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 0.3% industry: 19.6% services: 80% (2004)

Unemployment rate:

0% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.4% (2004)

Budget:

revenues: $373.5 million

expenditures: $373.5 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2004)

Agriculture - products:

small quantities of rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables; sheep

Industries:

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

tobacco, furniture

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

NA kWh

Electricity - production by source:

NA

Electricity - consumption:

NA kWh

Electricity - exports:

NA kWh

Electricity - imports:

NA kWh; note - most electricity supplied by Spain and France;

Andorra generates a small amount of hydropower

Exports:

$145 million f.o.b. (2004)

Exports - commodities:

tobacco products, furniture

Exports - partners:

Spain 59.5%, France 17.0% (2005)

Imports:

$1.077 billion (1998)

Imports - commodities:

consumer goods, food, electricity

Imports - partners:

Spain 53.2%, France 21.1% (2005)

Debt - external:

$NA

Economic aid - recipient:

none

Currency (code):

euro (EUR)

Currency code:

EUR

Exchange rates:

euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),

0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Andorra

Telephones - main lines in use:

35,400 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

64,600 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections

between exchanges

international: country code - 376; landline circuits to France and

Spain

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 15, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

16,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

0 (1997)

Televisions:

27,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.ad

Internet hosts:

14,944 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

21,900 (2005)

Transportation Andorra

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

Military Andorra

Military branches:

no regular military forces, Police Service of Andorra

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 18,418 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 14,721 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 369 (2005 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of France and Spain

Transnational Issues Andorra

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Angola

Introduction Angola

Background:

Angola is slowly rebuilding its country after the end of a 27-year

civil war in 2002. Fighting between the Popular Movement for the

Liberation of Angola (MPLA), led by Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS, and the

National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), led by

Jonas SAVIMBI, followed independence from Portugal in 1975. Peace

seemed imminent in 1992 when Angola held national elections, but

UNITA renewed fighting after being beaten by the MPLA at the polls.

Up to 1.5 million lives may have been lost - and 4 million people

displaced - in the quarter century of fighting. SAVIMBI's death in

2002 ended UNITA's insurgency and strengthened the MPLA's hold on

power. DOS SANTOS has pledged to hold legislative elections in 2007,

but 2008 may be more realistic.

Geography Angola

Location:

Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between

Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates:

12 30 S, 18 30 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 1,246,700 sq km

land: 1,246,700 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 5,198 km

border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,511 km (of

which 225 km is the boundary of discontiguous Cabinda Province),

Republic of the Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km, Zambia 1,110 km

Coastline:

1,600 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry

season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)

Terrain:

narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Morro de Moco 2,620 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold,

bauxite, uranium

Land use: arable land: 2.65% permanent crops: 0.23% other: 97.12% (2005)

Irrigated land:

800 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau

Environment - current issues:

overuse of pastures and subsequent soil erosion attributable to

population pressures; desertification; deforestation of tropical

rain forest, in response to both international demand for tropical

timber and to domestic use as fuel, resulting in loss of

biodiversity; soil erosion contributing to water pollution and

siltation of rivers and dams; inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the

Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the province of Cabinda is an exclave, separated from the rest of

the country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo

People Angola

Population:

12,127,071 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 43.7% (male 2,678,185/female 2,625,933)

15-64 years: 53.5% (male 3,291,954/female 3,195,688)

65 years and over: 2.8% (male 148,944/female 186,367) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 18 years

male: 18 years

female: 18 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.45% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

45.11 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

24.2 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

3.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

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

65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 185.36 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 197.56 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 172.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 38.62 years

male: 37.47 years

female: 39.83 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

6.35 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

3.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

240,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

21,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria, African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) are high risks in some locations respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Angolan(s)

adjective: Angolan

Ethnic groups:

Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, mestico (mixed European

and native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22%

Religions:

indigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15% (1998

est.)

Languages:

Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 66.8%

male: 82.1%

female: 53.8% (2001 est.)

Government Angola

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Angola

conventional short form: Angola

local long form: Republica de Angola

local short form: Angola

former: People's Republic of Angola

Government type:

republic; multiparty presidential regime

Capital:

name: Luanda

geographic coordinates: 8 48 S, 13 14 E

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

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

18 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Bengo, Benguela,

Bie, Cabinda, Cuando Cubango, Cuanza Norte, Cuanza Sul, Cunene,

Huambo, Huila, Luanda, Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Malanje, Moxico,

Namibe, Uige, Zaire

Independence:

11 November 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 11 November (1975)

Constitution:

adopted by People's Assembly 25 August 1992

Legal system:

based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law; recently

modified to accommodate political pluralism and increased use of

free markets

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21

September 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and

head of government

head of government: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21

September 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and

head of government; Fernando de Piedade Dias DOS SANTOS was

appointed Prime Minister on 6 December 2002

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by universal ballot for a five-year

term (eligible for a second consecutive or discontinuous term) under

the 1992 constitution; President DOS SANTOS originally elected (in

1979) without opposition under a one-party system and stood for

reelection in Angola's first multiparty elections 29-30 September

1992 (next to be held in 2009)

election results: Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS 49.6%, Jonas SAVIMBI

40.1%, making a run-off election necessary; the run-off was not held

and SAVIMBI's National Union for the Total Independence of Angola

(UNITA) repudiated the results of the first election; the civil war

resumed leaving DOS SANTOS in his current position as the president

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (220 seats;

members elected by proportional vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 29-30 September 1992 (next to be held September

2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - MPLA 54%, UNITA 34%,

other 12%; seats by party - MPLA 129, UNITA 70, PRS 6, FNLA 5, PLD

3, other 7

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court and separate provincial courts (judges are appointed

by the president)

Political parties and leaders:

Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Analia de Victoria PEREIRA];

National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA [disputed

leadership: Lucas NGONDA, Holden ROBERTO]; National Union for the

Total Independence of Angola or UNITA [Isaias SAMAKUVA] (largest

opposition party); Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or

MPLA [Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS] (ruling party in power since 1975);

Social Renewal Party or PRS [disputed leadership: Eduardo KUANGANA,

Antonio MUACHICUNGO]

note: about a dozen minor parties participated in the 1992 elections

but only won a few seats; they and the other 115 smaller parties

have little influence in the National Assembly

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

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt

(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS

(observer), SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Josefina Perpetua Pitra DIAKITI

chancery: 2108 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 785-1156

FAX: [1] (202) 785-1258

consulate(s) general: Houston, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Cynthia EFIRD

embassy: number 32 Rua Houari Boumedienne (in the Miramar area of

Luanda), Luanda

mailing address: international mail: Caixa Postal 6468, Luanda;

pouch: US Embassy Luanda,US Department of State, 2550 Luanda Place,

Washington, DC 20521-2550

telephone: [244] (222) 64-1000

FAX: [244] (222) 64-1232

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and black with a centered

yellow emblem consisting of a five-pointed star within half a

cogwheel crossed by a machete (in the style of a hammer and sickle)

Economy Angola

Economy - overview:

Angola's high growth rate is driven by its oil sector, with record

oil prices and rising petroleum production. Oil production and its

supporting activities contribute about half of GDP and 90% of

exports. Increased oil production supported 12% growth in 2004, 19%

growth in 2005, and nearly 17% growth in 2006. A postwar

reconstruction boom and resettlement of displaced persons has led to

high rates of growth in construction and agriculture as well. Much

of the country's infrastructure is still damaged or undeveloped from

the 27-year-long civil war. Remnants of the conflict such as

widespread land mines still mar the countryside even though an

apparently durable peace was established after the death of rebel

leader Jonas SAVIMBI in February 2002. Subsistence agriculture

provides the main livelihood for half of the population, but half of

the country's food must still be imported. In 2005, the government

started using a $2 billion line of credit from China to rebuild

Angola's public infrastructure, and several large-scale projects

were completed in 2006. The central bank in 2003 implemented an

exchange rate stabilization program using foreign exchange reserves

to buy kwanzas out of circulation, a policy that was more

sustainable in 2005 because of strong oil export earnings, and has

significantly reduced inflation. Consumer inflation declined from

325% in 2000 to about 13% in 2006, but the stabilization policy

places pressure on international net liquidity. To fully take

advantage of its rich national resources - gold, diamonds, extensive

forests, Atlantic fisheries, and large oil deposits - Angola will

need to continue reforming government policies and to reduce

corruption. The government has made little progress on reforms

recommended by the IMF such as promoting greater transparency in

government spending and continues to be without a formal monitoring

agreement with the institution. Corruption, especially in the

extractive sectors, is a major challenge facing Angola.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$51.95 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$28.37 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

14% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,300 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9.6% industry: 65.8% services: 24.6% (2005 est.)

Labor force: 6.393 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 85%

industry and services: 15% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:

extensive unemployment and underemployment affecting more than half

the population (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:

70% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

13.2% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

14.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $10.98 billion

expenditures: $9.7 billion; including capital expenditures of $963

million (2006 est.)

Public debt:

32.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

bananas, sugarcane, coffee, sisal, corn, cotton, manioc (tapioca),

tobacco, vegetables, plantains; livestock; forest products; fish

Industries:

petroleum; diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, feldspar, bauxite,

uranium, and gold; cement; basic metal products; fish processing;

food processing, brewing, tobacco products, sugar; textiles; ship

repair

Industrial production growth rate:

13.5% (2004)

Electricity - production:

2.194 billion kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

2.04 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

1.6 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

48,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

25 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

750 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

750 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

45.87 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$7.7 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$35.53 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

crude oil, diamonds, refined petroleum products, gas, coffee,

sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton

Exports - partners:

US 39.8%, China 29.6%, France 7.8%, Chile 5.4%, Taiwan 4.4% (2005)

Imports:

$10.21 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and electrical equipment, vehicles and spare parts;

medicines, food, textiles, military goods

Imports - partners:

South Korea 20.5%, Portugal 13.4%, US 12.5%, South Africa 7.4%,

Brazil 7%, France 5.1%, China 5% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$6.75 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$11.24 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$383.5 million (1999)

Currency (code):

kwanza (AOA)

Currency code:

AOA

Exchange rates:

kwanza per US dollar - 80.3 (2006), 88.6 (2005), 83.541 (2004),

74.606 (2003), 43.53 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Angola

Telephones - main lines in use:

94,300 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1,094,100 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: telephone service limited mostly to government

and business use; HF radiotelephone used extensively for military

links

domestic: limited system of wire, microwave radio relay, and

tropospheric scatter

international: country code - 244; satellite earth stations - 29;

fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to

Europe and Asia (2005)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 21, FM 6, shortwave 7 (2000)

Radios:

815,000 (2000)

Television broadcast stations:

6 (2000)

Televisions:

196,000 (2000)

Internet country code:

.ao

Internet hosts:

2,525 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

172,000 (2005)

Transportation Angola

Airports: 244 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 31

over 3,047 m: 5

2,438 to 3,047 m: 8

1,524 to 2,437 m: 12

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 213

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 5

1,524 to 2,437 m: 30

914 to 1,523 m: 95

under 914 m: 81 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 235 km; liquid petroleum gas 122 km; oil 867 km; oil/gas/water

5 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 2,761 km

narrow gauge: 2,638 km 1.067-m gauge; 123 km 0.600-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 51,429 km paved: 5,349 km unpaved: 46,080 km (2001)

Waterways:

1,300 km (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 4 ships (1000 GRT or over) 4,343 GRT/4,643 DWT

by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1

registered in other countries: 5 (Bahamas 5) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Cabinda, Luanda, Soyo

Military Angola

Military branches:

Army, Navy (Marinha de Guerra, MdG), Air and Air Defense Forces

(FANA) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

17 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service

obligation - two years plus time for training (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 17-49: 2,548,455

females age 17-49: 2,462,601 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 17-49: 1,282,195

females age 17-49: 1,256,390 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 126,694

females age 17-49: 123,586 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$2 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

8.8% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Angola

Disputes - international: many Cabinda exclave secessionists have sought shelter in neighboring states

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 13,464 (Democratic Republic of Congo) IDPs: 61,700 (27-year civil war ending in 2002; 4 million IDPs already have returned) (2006)

Illicit drugs:

used as a transshipment point for cocaine destined for Western

Europe and other African states

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Anguilla

Introduction Anguilla

Background:

Colonized by English settlers from Saint Kitts in 1650, Anguilla

was administered by Great Britain until the early 19th century, when

the island - against the wishes of the inhabitants - was

incorporated into a single British dependency, along with Saint

Kitts and Nevis. Several attempts at separation failed. In 1971, two

years after a revolt, Anguilla was finally allowed to secede; this

arrangement was formally recognized in 1980, with Anguilla becoming

a separate British dependency.

Geography Anguilla

Location:

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic

Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates:

18 15 N, 63 10 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 102 sq km

land: 102 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about half the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

61 km

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

Climate:

tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds

Terrain:

flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone

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

Natural resources:

salt, fish, lobster

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (mostly rock with sparse scrub oak, few trees, some

commercial salt ponds) (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October)

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

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

People Anguilla

Population:

13,477 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 22.8% (male 1,557/female 1,510)

15-64 years: 70.4% (male 4,878/female 4,608)

65 years and over: 6.9% (male 412/female 512) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 31.2 years

male: 31.2 years

female: 31.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.57% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

14.17 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

5.34 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

6.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 20.32 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 26.67 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 13.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.28 years

male: 74.35 years

female: 80.3 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.73 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Anguillan(s)

adjective: Anguillan

Ethnic groups:

black (predominant) 90.1%, mixed, mulatto 4.6%, white 3.7%, other

1.5% (2001 Census)

Religions:

Anglican 29%, Methodist 23.9%, other Protestant 30.2%, Roman

Catholic 5.7%, other Christian 1.7%, other 5.2%, none or unspecified

4.3% (2001 Census)

Languages:

English (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 12 and over can read and write

total population: 95%

male: 95%

female: 95% (1984 est.)

Government Anguilla

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

Dependency status:

overseas territory of the UK

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: The Valley

geographic coordinates: 18 13 N, 63 04 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:

Anguilla Day, 30 May

Constitution:

Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990

Legal system:

based on English common law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

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

represented by Governor Andrew N. GEORGE (since 10 July 2006)

head of government: Chief Minister Osbourne FLEMING (since 3 March

2000)

cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from among the

elected members of the House of Assembly

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

the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the

majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually

appointed chief minister by the governor

Legislative branch:

unicameral House of Assembly (11 seats total, 7 elected by direct

popular vote, 2 ex officio members, and 2 appointed; members serve

five-year terms)

elections: last held 21 February 2005 (next to be held 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - AUF 38.9%, ANSA 19.2%,

AUM 19.4%, APP 9.5%, independents 13%; seats by party - AUF 4, ANSA

2, AUM 1

Judicial branch:

High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court)

Political parties and leaders:

Anguilla United Movement or AUM [Hubert HUGHES]; The Anguilla

United Front or AUF [Osbourne FLEMING, Victor BANKS], a coalition of

the Anguilla Democratic Party or ADP and the Anguilla National

Alliance or ANA; Anguilla Progressive Party or APP [Roy ROGERS];

Anguilla Strategic Alternative or ANSA [Edison BAIRD]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS (associate),

UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:

blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and

the Anguillan coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag;

the coat of arms depicts three orange dolphins in an interlocking

circular design on a white background with blue wavy water below

Economy Anguilla

Economy - overview:

Anguilla has few natural resources, and the economy depends heavily

on luxury tourism, offshore banking, lobster fishing, and

remittances from emigrants. Increased activity in the tourism

industry, which has spurred the growth of the construction sector,

has contributed to economic growth. Anguillan officials have put

substantial effort into developing the offshore financial sector,

which is small, but growing. In the medium term, prospects for the

economy will depend largely on the tourism sector and, therefore, on

revived income growth in the industrialized nations as well as on

favorable weather conditions.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$108.9 million (2004 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$108.9 million (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

10.2% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$8,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 18% services: 78% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 6,049 (2001)

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

Unemployment rate:

8% (2002)

Population below poverty line:

23% (2002)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5.3% (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $22.8 million

expenditures: $22.5 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:

small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising

Industries:

tourism, boat building, offshore financial services

Industrial production growth rate:

3.1% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:

NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA hydro: NA nuclear: NA other: NA

Electricity - consumption:

42.6 million kWh

Current account balance:

$-42.87 million (2003 est.)

Exports:

$14.56 million (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:

lobster, fish, livestock, salt, concrete blocks, rum

Exports - partners:

UK, US, Puerto Rico, Saint-Martin (2004)

Imports:

$129.9 million (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:

fuels, foodstuffs, manufactures, chemicals, trucks, textiles

Imports - partners:

US, Puerto Rico, UK (2004)

Debt - external:

$8.8 million (1998)

Economic aid - recipient:

$9 million (2004 est.)

Currency (code):

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:

XCD

Exchange rates:

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7

(2003), 2.7 (2002), note, fixed rate since 1976

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications Anguilla

Telephones - main lines in use:

6,200 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1,800 (2002)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: modern internal telephone system

international: country code - 1-264; microwave radio relay to island

of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:

3,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (1997)

Televisions:

1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.ai

Internet hosts:

403 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

16 (2000)

Internet users:

3,000 (2002)

Transportation Anguilla

Airports: 3 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 2

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Roadways: total: 175 km paved: 82 km unpaved: 93 km (2004)

Merchant marine:

registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Blowing Point, Road Bay

Military Anguilla

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 3,614 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 2,986 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 120 (2005 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Anguilla

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the

US and Europe

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Antarctica

Background:

Speculation over the existence of a "southern land" was not

confirmed until the early 1820s when British and American commercial

operators and British and Russian national expeditions began

exploring the Antarctic Peninsula region and other areas south of

the Antarctic Circle. Not until 1840 was it established that

Antarctica was indeed a continent and not just a group of islands.

Several exploration "firsts" were achieved in the early 20th

century. Following World War II, there was an upsurge in scientific

research on the continent. A number of countries have set up

year-round research stations on Antarctica. Seven have made

territorial claims, but not all countries recognize these claims. In

order to form a legal framework for the activities of nations on the

continent, an Antarctic Treaty was negotiated that neither denies

nor gives recognition to existing territorial claims; signed in

1959, it entered into force in 1961.

Geography Antarctica

Location:

continent mostly south of the Antarctic Circle

Geographic coordinates:

90 00 S, 0 00 E

Map references:

Antarctic Region

Area:

total: 14 million sq km

land: 14 million sq km (280,000 sq km ice-free, 13.72 million sq km

ice-covered) (est.)

note: fifth-largest continent, following Asia, Africa, North

America, and South America, but larger than Australia and the

subcontinent of Europe

Area - comparative:

slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US

Land boundaries: 0 km note: see entry on Disputes - international

Coastline:

17,968 km

Maritime claims:

Australia, Chile, and Argentina claim Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

rights or similar over 200 nm extensions seaward from their

continental claims, but like the claims themselves, these zones are

not accepted by other countries; 21 of 28 Antarctic consultative

nations have made no claims to Antarctic territory (although Russia

and the US have reserved the right to do so) and do not recognize

the claims of the other nations; also see the Disputes -

international entry

Climate:

severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation, and distance

from the ocean; East Antarctica is colder than West Antarctica

because of its higher elevation; Antarctic Peninsula has the most

moderate climate; higher temperatures occur in January along the

coast and average slightly below freezing

Terrain:

about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren rock, with

average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain ranges

up to nearly 5,000 meters; ice-free coastal areas include parts of

southern Victoria Land, Wilkes Land, the Antarctic Peninsula area,

and parts of Ross Island on McMurdo Sound; glaciers form ice shelves

along about half of the coastline, and floating ice shelves

constitute 11% of the area of the continent

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,555 m

highest point: Vinson Massif 4,897 m

note: the lowest known land point in Antarctica is hidden in the

Bentley Subglacial Trench; at its surface is the deepest ice yet

discovered and the world's lowest elevation not under seawater

Natural resources:

iron ore, chromium, copper, gold, nickel, platinum and other

minerals, and coal and hydrocarbons have been found in small

uncommercial quantities; none presently exploited; krill, finfish,

and crab have been taken by commercial fisheries

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (ice 98%, barren rock 2%) (2005)

Natural hazards:

katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the high

interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau;

cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the

coast; volcanism on Deception Island and isolated areas of West

Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak; large icebergs may

calve from ice shelf

Environment - current issues:

in 1998, NASA satellite data showed that the Antarctic ozone hole

was the largest on record, covering 27 million square kilometers;

researchers in 1997 found that increased ultraviolet light passing

through the hole damages the DNA of icefish, an Antarctic fish

lacking hemoglobin; ozone depletion earlier was shown to harm

one-celled Antarctic marine plants; in 2002, significant areas of

ice shelves disintegrated in response to regional warming

Geography - note:

the coldest, windiest, highest (on average), and driest continent;

during summer, more solar radiation reaches the surface at the South

Pole than is received at the Equator in an equivalent period; mostly

uninhabitable

People Antarctica

Population:

no indigenous inhabitants, but there are both permanent and

summer-only staffed research stations

note: 26 nations, all signatory to the Antarctic Treaty, operate

through their National Antarctic Program a number of seasonal-only

(summer) and year-round research stations on the continent and its

nearby islands south of 60 degrees south latitude (the region

covered by the Antarctic Treaty); these stations' population of

persons doing and supporting science or engaged in the management

and protection of the Antarctic region varies from approximately

4,000 in summer to 1,000 in winter; in addition, approximately 1,000

personnel, including ship's crew and scientists doing onboard

research, are present in the waters of the treaty region; peak

summer (December-February) population - 3,822 total; Argentina 417,

Australia 213, Brazil 40, Bulgaria 15, Chile 224, China 70, Ecuador

22, Finland 20, France 123, Germany 78, India 65, Italy 112, Japan

150, South Korea 60, NZ 85, Norway 44, Peru 28, Poland 40, Russia

429, South Africa 80, Spain 28, Sweden 20, Ukraine 24, UK 205, US

1,170, Uruguay 60 (2005-2006); winter (June-August) station

population - 1,028 total; Argentina 176, Australia 62, Brazil 12,

Chile 88, China 29, France 37, Germany 9, India 25, Italy 2, Japan

40, South Korea 15, NZ 10, Norway 7, Poland 12, Russia 148, South

Africa 10, Ukraine 12, UK 37, US 288, Uruguay 9 (2005); research

stations operated within the Antarctic Treaty area (south of 60

degrees south latitude) by members of the Council of Managers of

National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP): year-round stations - 37

total; Argentina 6, Australia 3, Brazil 1, Chile 3, China 2, France

1, Germany 1, India 1, Japan 1, South Korea 1, NZ 1, Norway 1,

Poland 1, Russia 5, South Africa 1, Ukraine 1, UK 2, US 3, Uruguay

1, Italy and France jointly 1 (2005); seasonal-only (summer)

stations - 15 total; Australia 1, Bulgaria 1, Chile 1, Ecuador 1,

Finland 1, Germany 1, Italy 1, Japan 1, Norway 1, Peru 1, Russia 1,

Spain 2, Sweden 1, UK 1 (2005-2006); in addition, during the austral

summer some nations have numerous occupied locations such as tent

camps, summer-long temporary facilities, and mobile traverses in

support of research

Government Antarctica

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

Government type: Antarctic Treaty Summary - the Antarctic Treaty, signed on 1 December 1959 and entered into force on 23 June 1961, establishes the legal framework for the management of Antarctica; the 28th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was held in Stockholm, Sweden in June 2005; at these periodic meetings, decisions are made by consensus (not by vote) of all consultative member nations; at the end of 2005, there were 45 treaty member nations: 28 consultative and 17 non-consultative; consultative (decision-making) members include the seven nations that claim portions of Antarctica as national territory (some claims overlap) and 21 non-claimant nations; the US and Russia have reserved the right to make claims; the US does not recognize the claims of others; Antarctica is administered through meetings of the consultative member nations; decisions from these meetings are carried out by these member nations (with respect to their own nationals and operations) in accordance with their own national laws; the years in parentheses indicate when a consultative member-nation acceded to the Treaty and when it was accepted as a consultative member, while no date indicates the country was an original 1959 treaty signatory; claimant nations are - Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ, Norway, and the UK. Nonclaimant consultative nations are - Belgium, Brazil (1975/1983), Bulgaria (1978/1998) China (1983/1985), Ecuador (1987/1990), Finland (1984/1989), Germany (1979/1981), India (1983/1983), Italy (1981/1987), Japan, South Korea (1986/1989), Netherlands (1967/1990), Peru (1981/1989), Poland (1961/1977), Russia, South Africa, Spain (1982/1988), Sweden (1984/1988), Ukraine (1992/2004), Uruguay (1980/1985), and the US; non-consultative members, with year of accession in parentheses, are - Austria (1987), Canada (1988), Colombia (1989), Cuba (1984), Czech Republic (1962/1993), Denmark (1965), Estonia (2001), Greece (1987), Guatemala (1991), Hungary (1984), North Korea (1987), Papua New Guinea (1981), Romania (1971), Slovakia (1962/1993), Switzerland (1990), Turkey (1996), and Venezuela (1999); note - Czechoslovakia acceded to the Treaty in 1962 and separated into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993; Article 1 - area to be used for peaceful purposes only; military activity, such as weapons testing, is prohibited, but military personnel and equipment may be used for scientific research or any other peaceful purpose; Article 2 - freedom of scientific investigation and cooperation shall continue; Article 3 - free exchange of information and personnel, cooperation with the UN and other international agencies; Article 4 - does not recognize, dispute, or establish territorial claims and no new claims shall be asserted while the treaty is in force; Article 5 - prohibits nuclear explosions or disposal of radioactive wastes; Article 6 - includes under the treaty all land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees 00 minutes south and reserves high seas rights; Article 7 - treaty-state observers have free access, including aerial observation, to any area and may inspect all stations, installations, and equipment; advance notice of all expeditions and of the introduction of military personnel must be given; Article 8 - allows for jurisdiction over observers and scientists by their own states; Article 9 - frequent consultative meetings take place among member nations; Article 10 - treaty states will discourage activities by any country in Antarctica that are contrary to the treaty; Article 11 - disputes to be settled peacefully by the parties concerned or, ultimately, by the ICJ; Articles 12, 13, 14 - deal with upholding, interpreting, and amending the treaty among involved nations; other agreements - some 200 recommendations adopted at treaty consultative meetings and ratified by governments include - Agreed Measures for Fauna and Flora (1964) which were later incorporated into the Environmental Protocol; Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (1972); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (1980); a mineral resources agreement was signed in 1988 but remains unratified; the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty was signed 4 October 1991 and entered into force 14 January 1998; this agreement provides for the protection of the Antarctic environment through six specific annexes: 1) environmental impact assessment, 2) conservation of Antarctic fauna and flora, 3) waste disposal and waste management, 4) prevention of marine pollution, 5) area protection and management and 6) liability arising from environmental emergencies; it prohibits all activities relating to mineral resources except scientific research; a permanent Antarctic Treaty Secretariat was established in 2004 in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Legal system:

Antarctica is administered through meetings of the consultative

member nations; decisions from these meetings are carried out by

these member nations (with respect to their own nationals and

operations) in accordance with their own national laws; US law,

including certain criminal offenses by or against US nationals, such

as murder, may apply extraterritorially; some US laws directly apply

to Antarctica; for example, the Antarctic Conservation Act, 16

U.S.C. section 2401 et seq., provides civil and criminal penalties

for the following activities, unless authorized by regulation of

statute: the taking of native mammals or birds; the introduction of

nonindigenous plants and animals; entry into specially protected

areas; the discharge or disposal of pollutants; and the importation

into the US of certain items from Antarctica; violation of the

Antarctic Conservation Act carries penalties of up to $10,000 in

fines and one year in prison; the National Science Foundation and

Department of Justice share enforcement responsibilities; Public Law

95-541, the US Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, as amended in

1996, requires expeditions from the US to Antarctica to notify, in

advance, the Office of Oceans, Room 5805, Department of State,

Washington, DC 20520, which reports such plans to other nations as

required by the Antarctic Treaty; for more information, contact

Permit Office, Office of Polar Programs, National Science

Foundation, Arlington, Virginia 22230; telephone: (703) 292-8030, or

visit their website at www.nsf.gov; more generally, access to the

Antarctic Treaty area, that is to all areas between 60 and 90

degrees south latitude, is subject to a number of relevant legal

instruments and authorization procedures adopted by the states party

to the Antarctic Treaty

Economy Antarctica

Economy - overview:

Fishing off the coast and tourism, both based abroad, account for

Antarctica's limited economic activity. Antarctic fisheries in

2003-04 (1 July-30 June) reported landing 136,262 metric tons

(estimated fishing from the area covered by the Convention on the

Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), which

extends slightly beyond the Antarctic Treaty area). Unregulated

fishing, particularly of Patagonian toothfish, is a serious problem.

The CCAMLR determines the recommended catch limits for marine

species. A total of 23,175 tourists visited in the 2004-05 Antarctic

summer, up from the 19,486 visitors the previous year. Nearly all of

them were passengers on commercial (nongovernmental) ships and

several yachts that make trips during the summer. Most tourist trips

last approximately two weeks.

Communications Antarctica

Telephones - main lines in use:

0; note - information for US bases only (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

NA

Telephone system:

general assessment: local systems at some research stations

domestic: commercial cellular networks operating in a small number

of locations

international: country code - 672; via satellite (including mobile

Inmarsat and Iridium systems) from all research stations, ships,

aircraft, and most field parties

Radio broadcast stations:

AM NA, FM 2, shortwave 1, note - information for US bases only

(2002)

Radios:

NA

Television broadcast stations:

1 (cable system with six channels; American Forces Antarctic

Network-McMurdo)

note: information for US bases only (2002)

Televisions:

several hundred at McMurdo Station (US)

note: information for US bases only (2001)

Internet country code:

.aq

Internet hosts:

7,757 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

NA

Transportation Antarctica

Airports: 20 note: there are no developed public access airports or landing facilities; 28 stations or remote field locations, operated by 11 National Antarctic Programs from nations party to the Antarctic Treaty, have restricted aircraft landing facilities comprising a total of 11 runways and 22 skiways for fixed-wing aircraft; some stations have both runways and skiways; commercial enterprises operate two aircraft landing facilities at one station; helicopter pads are available at all 37 year-round and 15 seasonal stations operated by National Antarctic Programs; the 11 runways are suitable for wheeled, fixed-wing aircraft: three are gravel, four blue-ice, two sea-ice and two compacted snow; of these, five are 3 km in length, two are between 2 km and 3 km in length, three are between 1 km and 2 km in length and one is less than 1 km in length; the 22 snow surface skiways are limited to use by ski-equipped, fixed-wing aircraft; of these, three are equal to or greater than 3 km in length, one is between 2 km and 3 km in length, nine are between 1 km and 2 km in length, five are less than 1 km in length, and four are of unknown or variable length; snow surface skiways are generally prepared and maintained during specific periods only and during summer; all aircraft landing facilities subject to severe restrictions and limitations resulting from extreme seasonal and geographic conditions; aircraft landing facilities do not meet ICAO standards; advance approval from the respective governmental or nongovernmental operating organization required for using their facilities; landed aircraft are subject to inspection in accordance with Article 7, Antarctic Treaty; guidelines for the operation of aircraft near concentrations of birds in Antarctica were adopted in 2004; relevant legal instruments and authorization procedures adopted by states party to the Antarctic Treaty regulating access to the Antarctic Treaty area, that is to all areas between 60 and 90 degrees of latitude South, have to be complied with (see information under "Legal System"); an Antarctic Flight Information Manual (AFIM) providing up-to-date details of Antarctic air facilities and procedures is maintained and published by the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 28 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 4 length unknown or variable: 4 (2006)

Heliports:

37

note: all 37 year-round and 15 seasonal stations operated by

National Antarctic Programs stations have restricted helicopter

landing facilities (helipads) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

there are no developed ports and harbors in Antarctica; most

coastal stations have offshore anchorages, and supplies are

transferred from ship to shore by small boats, barges, and

helicopters; a few stations have a basic wharf facility; US coastal

stations include McMurdo (77 51 S, 166 40 E), and Palmer (64 43 S,

64 03 W); government use only except by permit (see Permit Office

under "Legal System"); all ships at port are subject to inspection

in accordance with Article 7, Antarctic Treaty; offshore anchorage

is sparse and intermittent; relevant legal instruments and

authorization procedures adopted by the states parties to the

Antarctic Treaty regulating access to the Antarctic Treaty area, to

all areas between 60 and 90 degrees of latitude south, have to be

complied with (see "Legal System"); The Hydrographic Committee on

Antarctica (HCA), a special hydrographic commission of International

Hydrographic Organization (IHO), is responsible for hydrographic

surveying and nautical charting matters in Antarctic Treaty area; it

coordinates and facilitates provision of accurate and appropriate

charts and other aids to navigation in support of safety of

navigation in region; membership of HCA is open to any IHO Member

State whose government has acceded to the Antarctic Treaty and which

contributes resources and/or data to IHO Chart coverage of the area;

members of HCA are Argentina, Australia, Chile, China, France,

Germany, Greece, India, Italy, NZ, Norway, Russia, South Africa,

Spain, and the UK (2005)

Military Antarctica

Military - note:

the Antarctic Treaty prohibits any measures of a military nature,

such as the establishment of military bases and fortifications, the

carrying out of military maneuvers, or the testing of any type of

weapon; it permits the use of military personnel or equipment for

scientific research or for any other peaceful purposes

Transnational Issues Antarctica

Disputes - international:

Antarctic Treaty freezes claims (see Antarctic Treaty Summary in

government type entry); Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ,

Norway, and UK claim land and maritime sectors (some overlapping)

for a large portion of the continent; the US and many other states

do not recognize these territorial claims and have made no claims

themselves (the US and Russia reserve the right to do so); no claims

have been made in the sector between 90 degrees west and 150 degrees

west; several states with territorial claims in Antarctica have

expressed their intention to submit data to the UN Commission on the

Limits of the Continental Shelf to extend their continental shelf

claims to adjoining undersea ridges

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Antigua and Barbuda

Introduction Antigua and Barbuda

Background:

The Siboney were the first to inhabit the islands of Antigua and

Barbuda in 2400 B.C., but Arawak Indians populated the islands when

Columbus landed on his second voyage in 1493. Early settlements by

the Spanish and French were succeeded by the English who formed a

colony in 1667. Slavery, established to run the sugar plantations on

Antigua, was abolished in 1834. The islands became an independent

state within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981.

Geography Antigua and Barbuda

Location:

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic

Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates:

17 03 N, 61 48 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 442.6 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km)

land: 442.6 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km

Area - comparative:

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

153 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:

mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands, with some higher

volcanic areas

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Boggy Peak 402 m

Natural resources:

NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism

Land use:

arable land: 18.18%

permanent crops: 4.55%

other: 77.27% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: water management - a major concern because of limited natural fresh water resources - is further hampered by the clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall to run off quickly

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

Geography - note:

Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors

and beaches; Barbuda has a very large western harbor

People Antigua and Barbuda

Population:

69,108 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 27.6% (male 9,716/female 9,375)

15-64 years: 68.5% (male 23,801/female 23,524)

65 years and over: 3.9% (male 1,020/female 1,672) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 30 years

male: 29.5 years

female: 30.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.55% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

16.93 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

5.37 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-6.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 18.86 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 22.71 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 14.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 72.16 years

male: 69.78 years

female: 74.66 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.24 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality: noun: Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s) adjective: Antiguan, Barbudan

Ethnic groups:

black, British, Portuguese, Lebanese, Syrian

Religions:

Christian (predominantly Anglican with other Protestant, and some

Roman Catholic)

Languages:

English (official), local dialects

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of

schooling

total population: 85.8%

male: NA%

female: NA% (2003 est.)

Government Antigua and Barbuda

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda

Government type:

constitutional parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Saint John's

geographic coordinates: 17 06 N, 61 51 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

6 parishes and 2 dependencies*; Barbuda*, Redonda*, Saint George,

Saint John, Saint Mary, Saint Paul, Saint Peter, Saint Philip

Independence:

1 November 1981 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day (National Day), 1 November (1981)

Constitution:

1 November 1981

Legal system:

based on English common law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

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

represented by Governor General Sir James B. CARLISLE (since 10 June

1993)

head of government: Prime Minister Winston Baldwin SPENCER (since 24

March 2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on

the advice of the prime minister

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general chosen

by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following

legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the

leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister

by the governor general

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (17-member body

appointed by the governor general) and the House of Representatives

(17 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to

serve five-year terms)

elections: House of Representatives - last held 23 March 2004 (next

to be held in 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

ALP 4, UPP 13

Judicial branch:

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia; one judge of

the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the

Court of Summary Jurisdiction); member Caribbean Court of Justice

Political parties and leaders:

Antigua Labor Party or ALP [Lester Bryant BIRD]; Barbudans for a

Better Barbuda [Ordrick SAMUEL]; Barbuda People's Movement or BPM

[Thomas H. FRANK]; Barbuda People's Movement for Change [Arthur

NIBBS]; National Democratic Congress [Tillman THOMAS]; United

Progressive Party or UPP [Baldwin SPENCER] (a coalition of three

parties - Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement or ACLM, Progressive

Labor Movement or PLM, United National Democratic Party or UNDP)

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Antigua Trades and Labor Union or ATLU [William ROBINSON]; People's

Democratic Movement or PDM [Hugh MARSHALL]

International organization participation:

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC,

IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC,

MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCL,

WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Deborah Mae LOVELL chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 362-5122 FAX: [1] (202) 362-5225 consulate(s) general: Miami

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Antigua and Barbuda; the US

Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda

Flag description:

red, with an inverted isosceles triangle based on the top edge of

the flag; the triangle contains three horizontal bands of black

(top), light blue, and white, with a yellow rising sun in the black

band

Economy Antigua and Barbuda

Economy - overview:

Tourism continues to dominate the economy, accounting for more than

half of GDP. Weak tourist arrival numbers since early 2000 have

slowed the economy and pressed the government into a tight fiscal

corner. The dual-island nation's agricultural production is focused

on the domestic market and constrained by a limited water supply and

a labor shortage stemming from the lure of higher wages in tourism

and construction. Manufacturing comprises enclave-type assembly for

export with major products being bedding, handicrafts, and

electronic components. Prospects for economic growth in the medium

term will continue to depend on income growth in the industrialized

world, especially in the US, which accounts for slightly more than

one-third of tourist arrivals.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$750 million (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$905 million (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.8% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$10,900 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.8% industry: 22% services: 74.3% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 30,000

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 7% industry: 11% services: 82% (1983)

Unemployment rate:

11% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

0.9% (2005 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $123.7 million

expenditures: $145.9 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:

cotton, fruits, vegetables, bananas, coconuts, cucumbers, mangoes,

sugarcane; livestock

Industries:

tourism, construction, light manufacturing (clothing, alcohol,

household appliances)

Industrial production growth rate:

NA

Electricity - production:

105 million kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

97.65 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

3,800 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-83.4 million (2004)

Exports:

$46.81 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum products 48%, manufactures 23%, machinery and transport

equipment 17%, food and live animals 4%, other 8%

Exports - partners:

Spain 34%, Germany 20.7%, Italy 7.7%, Singapore 5.8%, UK 4.9% (2005)

Imports:

$378 million (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment,

manufactures, chemicals, oil

Imports - partners:

US 21.1%, China 16.4%, Germany 13.3%, Singapore 12.7%, Spain 6.5%

(2005)

Debt - external:

$427.3 million; note - data are for public external debt, not total

external debt (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:

$1.65 million (2004)

Currency (code):

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:

XCD

Exchange rates:

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7

(2003), 2.7 (2002), note, fixed rate since 1976

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications Antigua and Barbuda

Telephones - main lines in use:

38,000 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

54,000 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: good automatic telephone system

international: country code - 1-268; 1 coaxial submarine cable;

satellite earth station - 2; tropospheric scatter to Saba

(Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 4, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

36,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (1997)

Televisions:

31,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.ag

Internet hosts:

2,231 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

16 (2000)

Internet users:

20,000 (2005)

Transportation Antigua and Barbuda

Airports:

3 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 1,165 km

paved: 384 km

unpaved: 781 km (2002)

Merchant marine:

total: 1,011 ships (1000 GRT or over) 7,452,503 GRT/9,783,309 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 40, cargo 596, chemical tanker 7, container

321, liquefied gas 11, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1,

refrigerated cargo 12, roll on/roll off 21

foreign-owned: 984 (Australia 1, Bangladesh 4, Belgium 4, Colombia

2, Denmark 14, Estonia 12, France 1, Germany 858, Iceland 8, Isle of

Man 2, Latvia 5, Lebanon 1, Lithuania 3, Netherlands 14, Norway 11,

NZ 1, Poland 3, Russia 6, Singapore 1, Slovenia 6, Switzerland 4,

Turkey 8, UK 7, US 7, Vietnam 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Saint John's

Military Antigua and Barbuda

Military branches:

Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.); no conscript military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 18,952

females age 18-49: 18,360 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 14,859

females age 18-49: 14,947 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 507

females age 18-49: 494 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

NA

Transnational Issues Antigua and Barbuda

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

considered a minor transshipment point for narcotics bound for the

US and Europe; more significant as an offshore financial center

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Arctic Ocean

Background:

The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world's five oceans (after

the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and the recently

delimited Southern Ocean). The Northwest Passage (US and Canada) and

Northern Sea Route (Norway and Russia) are two important seasonal

waterways. A sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes

circumscribes the Arctic Ocean.

Geography Arctic Ocean

Location:

body of water between Europe, Asia, and North America, mostly north

of the Arctic Circle

Geographic coordinates:

90 00 N, 0 00 E

Map references:

Arctic Region

Area:

total: 14.056 million sq km

note: includes Baffin Bay, Barents Sea, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea,

East Siberian Sea, Greenland Sea, Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait, Kara

Sea, Laptev Sea, Northwest Passage, and other tributary water bodies

Area - comparative:

slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US

Coastline:

45,389 km

Climate:

polar climate characterized by persistent cold and relatively

narrow annual temperature ranges; winters characterized by

continuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and clear

skies; summers characterized by continuous daylight, damp and foggy

weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow

Terrain:

central surface covered by a perennial drifting polar icepack that,

on average, is about 3 meters thick, although pressure ridges may be

three times that thickness; clockwise drift pattern in the Beaufort

Gyral Stream, but nearly straight-line movement from the New

Siberian Islands (Russia) to Denmark Strait (between Greenland and

Iceland); the icepack is surrounded by open seas during the summer,

but more than doubles in size during the winter and extends to the

encircling landmasses; the ocean floor is about 50% continental

shelf (highest percentage of any ocean) with the remainder a central

basin interrupted by three submarine ridges (Alpha Cordillera,

Nansen Cordillera, and Lomonosov Ridge)

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Fram Basin -4,665 m

highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources:

sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules,

oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales)

Natural hazards:

ice islands occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island;

icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland and extreme

northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually ice locked

from October to June; ships subject to superstructure icing from

October to May

Environment - current issues:

endangered marine species include walruses and whales; fragile

ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from disruptions or

damage; thinning polar icepack

Geography - note:

major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern access to

the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); strategic location between

North America and Russia; shortest marine link between the extremes

of eastern and western Russia; floating research stations operated

by the US and Russia; maximum snow cover in March or April about 20

to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean; snow cover lasts about 10

months

Economy Arctic Ocean

Economy - overview:

Economic activity is limited to the exploitation of natural

resources, including petroleum, natural gas, fish, and seals.

Transportation Arctic Ocean

Ports and terminals:

Churchill (Canada), Murmansk (Russia), Prudhoe Bay (US)

Transportation - note:

sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes; the Northwest

Passage (North America) and Northern Sea Route (Eurasia) are

important seasonal waterways

Transnational Issues Arctic Ocean

Disputes - international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Argentina

Introduction Argentina

Background:

In 1816, the United Provinces of the Rio Plata declared their

independence from Spain. Eventually, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay

went their own way, but the area that remained became Argentina. The

country's population and culture were subsequently heavily shaped by

immigrants from throughout Europe, but most particularly Italy and

Spain, which provided the largest percentage of newcomers from 1860

to 1930. Up until about the mid-20th century, much of Argentina's

history was dominated by periods of internal political conflict

between Federalists and Unitarians and between civilian and military

factions. After World War II, an era of Peronist authoritarian rule

and interference in subsequent governments was followed by a

military junta that took power in 1976. Democracy returned in 1983,

and has persisted despite numerous challenges, the most formidable

of which was a severe economic crisis in 2001-02 that led to violent

public protests and the resignation of several interim presidents.

The economy has since recovered strongly since bottoming out in

2002. The government renegotiated its public debt in 2005 and paid

off its remaining obligations to the IMF in early 2006.

Geography Argentina

Location:

Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between

Chile and Uruguay

Geographic coordinates:

34 00 S, 64 00 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 2,766,890 sq km

land: 2,736,690 sq km

water: 30,200 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US

Land boundaries:

total: 9,861 km

border countries: Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,261 km, Chile 5,308 km,

Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 580 km

Coastline:

4,989 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest

Terrain:

rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling plateau

of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western border

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Laguna del Carbon -105 m (located between Puerto San

Julian and Comandante Luis Piedra Buena in the province of Santa

Cruz)

highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,960 m (located in the northwestern

corner of the province of Mendoza)

Natural resources:

fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore,

manganese, petroleum, uranium

Land use: arable land: 10.03% permanent crops: 0.36% other: 89.61% (2005)

Irrigated land:

15,500 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to

earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the

pampas and northeast; heavy flooding

Environment - current issues: environmental problems (urban and rural) typical of an industrializing economy such as deforestation, soil degradation, desertification, air pollution, and water pollution note: Argentina is a world leader in setting voluntary greenhouse gas targets

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living

Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate

Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the

Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

second-largest country in South America (after Brazil); strategic

location relative to sea lanes between the South Atlantic and the

South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake

Passage); diverse geophysical landscapes range from tropical

climates in the north to tundra in the far south; Cerro Aconcagua is

the Western Hemisphere's tallest mountain, while Laguna del Carbon

is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere

People Argentina

Population:

39,921,833 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 25.2% (male 5,153,164/female 4,921,625)

15-64 years: 64.1% (male 12,804,376/female 12,798,731)

65 years and over: 10.6% (male 1,740,118/female 2,503,819) (2006

est.)

Median age: total: 29.7 years male: 28.8 years female: 30.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.96% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

16.73 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

7.55 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 14.73 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 16.58 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 12.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.12 years

male: 72.38 years

female: 80.05 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.16 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

130,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

1,500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Argentine(s)

adjective: Argentine

Ethnic groups:

white (mostly Spanish and Italian) 97%, mestizo (mixed white and

Amerindian ancestry), Amerindian, or other non-white groups 3%

Religions:

nominally Roman Catholic 92% (less than 20% practicing), Protestant

2%, Jewish 2%, other 4%

Languages:

Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.1%

male: 97.1%

female: 97.1% (2003 est.)

Government Argentina

Country name:

conventional long form: Argentine Republic

conventional short form: Argentina

local long form: Republica Argentina

local short form: Argentina

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Buenos Aires

geographic coordinates: 34 36 S, 58 27 W

time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

23 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 autonomous

city* (distrito federal); Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires Capital

Federal*, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, Cordoba, Corrientes, Entre Rios,

Formosa, Jujuy, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Misiones, Neuquen, Rio

Negro, Salta, San Juan, San Luis, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Santiago del

Estero, Tierra del Fuego - Antartida e Islas del Atlantico Sur,

Tucuman

note: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica

Independence:

9 July 1816 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Revolution Day, 25 May (1810)

Constitution:

1 May 1853; revised August 1994

Legal system:

mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not accepted

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Nestor KIRCHNER (since 25 May 2003); Vice

President Daniel SCIOLI (since 25 May 2003); note - the president is

both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Nestor KIRCHNER (since 25 May 2003);

Vice President Daniel SCIOLI (since 25 May 2003); note - the

president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket

by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term);

election last held 27 April 2003 (next election to be held in 2007)

election results: results of the presidential election of 27 April

2003: Carlos Saul MENEM 24.3%, Nestor KIRCHNER 22%, Ricardo Lopez

MURPHY 16.4%, Adolfo Rodriguez SAA 14.4%, Elisa CARRIO 14.2%, other

8.7%; the subsequent runoff election slated for 25 May 2003 was

awarded to KIRCHNER by default after MENEM withdrew his candidacy on

the eve of the election

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the

Senate (72 seats; members are elected by direct vote; presently

one-third of the members elected every two years to a six-year term)

and the Chamber of Deputies (257 seats; members are elected by

direct vote; one-half of the members elected every two years to a

four-year term)

elections: Senate - last held 23 October 2005 (next to be held in

2007); Chamber of Deputies - last held last held 23 October 2005

(next to be held in 2007)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by bloc or party - FV

45.1%, FJ 17.2%, UCR 7.5%, other 30.2%; seats by bloc or party - FV

14, FJ 3, UCR 2, other 5; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by

bloc or party - FV 29.9%, UCR 8.9%, ARI 7.2%, PJ 6.7%, PRO 6.2%, FJ

3.9%, other 37.2%; seats by bloc or party - FV 50, UCR 10, ARI 8, PJ

9, PRO 9, FJ 7, other 34

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (the nine Supreme Court judges are

appointed by the president with approval by the Senate)

note: the Supreme Court currently has two unfilled vacancies, and

the Argentine Congress is considering a bill to reduce the number of

Supreme Court judges to five

Political parties and leaders:

Affirmation for an Egalitarian Republic or ARI [Elisa CARRIO];

Front for Victory or FV [Nestor KIRCHNER]; Interbloque Federal or IF

(a broad coalition of approximately 12 parties including PRO);

Justicialist Front or FJ [leader NA]; Justicialist Party or PJ

(Peronist umbrella political organization); Radical Civic Union or

UCR [Gerardo MORALES]; Republican Proposal or PRO (including Federal

Recreate Movement or RECREAR [Ricardo LOPEZ MURPHY] and Commitment

for Change or CPC [Mauricio MACRI]); Socialist Party or PS [Ruben

GIUSTINIANI]; Union For All [Patricia BULLRICH]; several provincial

parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Argentine Association of Pharmaceutical Labs (CILFA); Argentine

Industrial Union (manufacturers' association); Argentine Rural

Confederation or CRA (small to medium landowners' association);

Argentine Rural Society (large landowners' association); business

organizations; Central of Argentine Workers or CTA (a radical union

for employed and unemployed workers); General Confederation of Labor

or CGT (Peronist-leaning umbrella labor organization);

Peronist-dominated labor movement; Piquetero groups (popular protest

organizations that can be either pro or anti-government); Roman

Catholic Church; students

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AfDB, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CAN (associate), CSN, FAO,

G-6, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,

IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,

ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NSG, OAS,

OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,

WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Jose Octavio BORDON

chancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 238-6400

FAX: [1] (202) 332-3171

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,

New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Earl Anthony WAYNE

embassy: Avenida Colombia 4300, C1425GMN Buenos Aires

mailing address: international mail: use street address; APO

address: Unit 4334, APO AA 34034

telephone: [54] (11) 5777-4533

FAX: [54] (11) 5777-4240

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white, and light

blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun with a

human face known as the Sun of May

Economy Argentina

Economy - overview: Argentina benefits from rich natural resources, a highly literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a diversified industrial base. Although one of the world's wealthiest countries 100 years ago, Argentina suffered during most of the twentieth century from recurring economic crises, persistent fiscal and current account deficits, high inflation, mounting external debt, and capital flight. Beginning in 1998, with external debt equivalent to more than 400 percent of annual exports, economic growth slowed and ultimately fell into a full-blown depression, as investors' fears grew in the wake of Russia's debt default, political discord caused by then-President Carlos MENEM's unpopular efforts to run for a constitutionally prohibited third term, and Brazil's devaluation. The government of Fernando DE LA RUA, elected President in late 1999, tried several measures to cut the fiscal deficit and instill confidence and received large IMF credit facilities, but nothing worked to revive the economy. Depositors began withdrawing money from the banks in late 2001, and the government responded with strict limits on withdrawals. When street protests turned deadly, DE LA RUA was forced to resign in December 2001. Interim President Adolfo Rodriguez SAA declared a default, the largest in history, on Argentina's foreign debt, but he stepped down only a few days later when he failed to garner political support from the country's governors. Eduardo DUHALDE became President in January 2002 and announced an end to the peso's decade-long 1-to-1 peg to the US dollar. When the peso depreciated and inflation rose, DUHALDE's government froze utility tariffs indefinitely, curtailed creditors' rights, and imposed high taxes on exports. The economy rebounded strongly from the crisis, inflation started falling, and DUHALDE called for special elections. Nestor KIRCHNER was elected President, taking office in May 2003, and continued the restrictions imposed by DUHALDE. With the reemergence of double-digit inflation in 2005, the KIRCHNER administration pressured businesses into a series of agreements to hold down prices. The government also restructured its defaulted debt in 2005, convincing most bondholders to accept a large cut on the value of their holdings, and paid off its IMF obligations from reserves in full in early 2006, both of which have reduced Argentina's external debt burden. Real GDP has continued growing strongly, averaging 9 percent during the period 2003-2006, bolstering government revenues and keeping the fiscal accounts-a key vulnerability in the past-in surplus.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$599.1 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$210 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

8.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$15,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9.5% industry: 35.8% services: 54.7% (2005 est.)

Labor force: 15.35 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

10.2% (3rd quarter)

Population below poverty line:

31.4% (June 2006)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1%

highest 10%: 35%

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

48.3 (June 2006)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

10% (November 2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

22.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $52.1 billion

expenditures: $47.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $5.4

billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:

62.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

sunflower seeds, lemons, soybeans, grapes, corn, tobacco, peanuts,

tea, wheat; livestock

Industries:

food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles,

chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel

Industrial production growth rate:

8.2% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

93.94 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 52.2% hydro: 40.8% nuclear: 6.7% other: 0.2% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

90.93 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

4.143 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

7.7 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

745,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

470,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

470,000 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:

39,000 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves:

2.116 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

44.88 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

37.85 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

7.83 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

800 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

612.5 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$5.81 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$46 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

edible oils, fuels and energy, cereals, feed, motor vehicles

Exports - partners:

Brazil 15.8%, US 11.4%, Chile 11.2%, China 7.9% (2005)

Imports:

$31.69 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal

manufactures, plastics

Imports - partners:

Brazil 35.9%, US 14.1%, China 7.8%, Germany 4.5% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$30.24 billion (November 2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$106.8 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$0 (2002)

Currency (code):

Argentine peso (ARS)

Currency code:

ARS

Exchange rates:

Argentine pesos per US dollar - 3.05999 (2006), 2.9037 (2005),

2.9233 (2004), 2.9006 (2003), 3.0633 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Argentina

Telephones - main lines in use:

8.8 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

22.1 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: by opening the telecommunications market to

competition and foreign investment with the "Telecommunications

Liberalization Plan of 1998," Argentina encouraged the growth of

modern telecommunications technology; fiber-optic cable trunk lines

are being installed between all major cities; the major networks are

entirely digital and the availability of telephone service is

improving; however, telephone density is presently minimal, and

making telephone service universally available will take time

domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber-optic cable, and a domestic

satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network;

more than 110,000 pay telephones are installed and mobile telephone

use is rapidly expanding

international: country code - 54; satellite earth stations - 112;

Atlantis II and Unisur submarine cables; two international gateways

near Buenos Aires (2005)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 260 (including 10 inactive stations), FM NA (probably more than

1,000, mostly unlicensed), shortwave 6 (1998)

Radios:

24.3 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

42 (plus 444 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:

7.95 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.ar

Internet hosts:

1,612,423 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

33 (2000)

Internet users:

10 million (2005)

Transportation Argentina

Airports: 1,381 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 154

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 26

1,524 to 2,437 m: 65

914 to 1,523 m: 50

under 914 m: 9 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1,227

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 49

914 to 1,523 m: 587

under 914 m: 587 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 29,804 km; liquid petroleum gas 41 km; oil 10,373 km; refined

products 8,540 km; unknown (oil/water) 13 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 31,902 km

broad gauge: 20,858 km 1.676-m gauge (141 km electrified)

standard gauge: 2,885 km 1.435-m gauge (26 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 7,922 km 1.000-m gauge; 237 km 0.750-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 229,144 km

paved: 68,809 km (including 734 km of expressways)

unpaved: 160,335 km (2004)

Waterways:

11,000 km (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 41 ships (1000 GRT or over) 435,969 GRT/707,767 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 10, chemical tanker 1, passenger 1,

passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 21, refrigerated cargo 2, roll

on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 11 (Chile 6, UK 4, Uruguay 1)

registered in other countries: 24 (Bolivia 1, Chile 1, Liberia 7,

Panama 9, Paraguay 3, Uruguay 3) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, Concepcion del Uruguay, La Plata, Punta

Colorada, Rosario, San Lorenzo-San Martin, San Nicolas

Military Argentina

Military branches:

Argentine Army, Navy of the Argentine Republic (includes naval

aviation and naval infantry), Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aerea

Argentina, FAA) (2005)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription

(2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 8,981,886

females age 18-49: 8,883,756 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 7,316,038

females age 18-49: 7,442,589 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 344,575

females age 18-49: 334,649 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$4.3 billion (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.3% (FY00)

Military - note:

the Argentine military is a well-organized force constrained by the

country's prolonged economic hardship; the country has recently

experienced a strong recovery, and the military is now implementing

"Plan 2000," aimed at making the ground forces lighter and more

responsive (2005)

Transnational Issues Argentina

Disputes - international:

Argentina continues to assert its claims to the UK-administered

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia and the South

Sandwich Islands in its constitution, forcibly occupying the

Falklands in 1982, but in 1995 agreed no longer to seek settlement

by force; territorial claim in Antarctica partially overlaps UK and

Chilean claims (see Antarctic disputes); unruly region at

convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money

laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics trafficking, and

fundraising for extremist organizations; uncontested dispute between

Brazil and Uruguay over Braziliera Island in the Quarai/Cuareim

River leaves the tripoint with Argentina in question; action by the

joint boundary commission, established by Chile and Argentina in

2001, for mapping and demarcating the disputed boundary in the

Andean Southern Ice Field (Campo de Hielo Sur) remains pending

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Argentina is primarily a destination country for

women and children trafficked for sexual and labor exploitation with

most victims trafficked internally, from rural to urban areas, for

exploitation in prostitution; foreign women and children trafficked

for commercial sexual exploitation come primarily from Paraguay, but

also from Bolivia, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, and

Chile; Bolivians are trafficked for forced labor; Argentine women

and girls are also trafficked to neighboring countries for sexual

exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Argentina failed to show evidence

of increasing efforts to combat trafficking particularly in the key

area of prosecutions; government efforts to improve interagency

anti-trafficking coordination did not achieve significant progress

in moving cases against traffickers through the judicial system; the

government made progress in other areas, by submitting

anti-trafficking legislation to Congress in August 2005 and

sensitizing provincial and municipal government officials to the

trafficking problem

Illicit drugs:

used as a transshipment country for cocaine headed for Europe; some

money-laundering activity, especially in the Tri-Border Area;

domestic consumption of drugs in urban centers is increasing

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Armenia

Introduction Armenia

Background:

Armenia prides itself on being the first nation to formally adopt

Christianity (early 4th century). Despite periods of autonomy, over

the centuries Armenia came under the sway of various empires

including the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, and Ottoman. During

World War I in the western portion of Armenia, Ottoman Turkey

instituted a policy of forced resettlement coupled with other harsh

practices that resulted in an estimated 1 million Armenian deaths.

The eastern area of Armenia was ceded by the Ottomans to Russia in

1828; this portion declared its independence in 1918, but was

conquered by the Soviet Red Army in 1920. Armenian leaders remain

preoccupied by the long conflict with Muslim Azerbaijan over

Nagorno-Karabakh, a primarily Armenian-populated region, assigned to

Soviet Azerbaijan in the 1920s by Moscow. Armenia and Azerbaijan

began fighting over the area in 1988; the struggle escalated after

both countries attained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

By May 1994, when a cease-fire took hold, Armenian forces held not

only Nagorno-Karabakh but also a significant portion of Azerbaijan

proper. The economies of both sides have been hurt by their

inability to make substantial progress toward a peaceful resolution.

Turkey imposed an economic blockade on Armenia and closed the common

border because of the Armenian occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and

surrounding areas.

Geography Armenia

Location:

Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey

Geographic coordinates:

40 00 N, 45 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 29,800 sq km

land: 28,400 sq km

water: 1,400 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:

total: 1,254 km

border countries: Azerbaijan-proper 566 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan

exclave 221 km, Georgia 164 km, Iran 35 km, Turkey 268 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

highland continental, hot summers, cold winters

Terrain:

Armenian Highland with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing

rivers; good soil in Aras River valley

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Debed River 400 m

highest point: Aragats Lerrnagagat' 4,090 m

Natural resources:

small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, alumina

Land use: arable land: 16.78% permanent crops: 2.01% other: 81.21% (2005)

Irrigated land:

2,860 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts

Environment - current issues:

soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; the energy crisis

of the 1990s led to deforestation when citizens scavenged for

firewood; pollution of Hrazdan (Razdan) and Aras Rivers; the

draining of Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan), a result of its use as a

source for hydropower, threatens drinking water supplies; restart of

Metsamor nuclear power plant in spite of its location in a

seismically active zone

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the

Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:

landlocked in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains; Sevana Lich (Lake

Sevan) is the largest lake in this mountain range

People Armenia

Population:

2,976,372 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 20.5% (male 322,189/female 286,944)

15-64 years: 68.4% (male 949,975/female 1,085,484)

65 years and over: 11.1% (male 133,411/female 198,369) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 30.4 years

male: 27.8 years

female: 33.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.19% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

12.07 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

8.23 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-5.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.17 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.12 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female

total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 22.47 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 27.59 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 16.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71.84 years

male: 68.25 years

female: 76.02 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.33 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

2,600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Armenian(s)

adjective: Armenian

Ethnic groups:

Armenian 97.9%, Yezidi (Kurd) 1.3%, Russian 0.5%, other 0.3% (2001

census)

Religions:

Armenian Apostolic 94.7%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi (monotheist

with elements of nature worship) 1.3%

Languages:

Armenian 97.7%, Yezidi 1%, Russian 0.9%, other 0.4% (2001 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.6%

male: 99.4%

female: 98% (2003 est.)

Government Armenia

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Armenia

conventional short form: Armenia

local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun

local short form: Hayastan

former: Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic; Armenian Republic

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Yerevan

geographic coordinates: 40 11 N, 44 30 E

time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

11 provinces (marzer, singular - marz); Aragatsotn, Ararat,

Armavir, Geghark'unik', Kotayk', Lorri, Shirak, Syunik', Tavush,

Vayots' Dzor, Yerevan

Independence:

21 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 21 September (1991)

Constitution:

adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995; amendments adopted

through a nationwide referendum 27 November 2005

Legal system:

based on civil law system

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Robert KOCHARIAN (since 30 March 1998)

head of government: Prime Minister Andranik MARGARYAN (since 12 May

2000)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 19 February and 5

March 2003 (next to be held in 2008); prime minister appointed by

the president and confirmed with the majority support of the

National Assembly; the prime minister and Council of Ministers must

resign if the National Assembly refuses to accept their program

election results: Robert KOCHARIAN reelected president; percent of

vote - Robert KOCHARIAN 67.5%, Stepan DEMIRCHYAN 32.5%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov (131

seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; 90

members elected by party list, 41 by direct vote)

elections: last held 25 May 2003 (next to be held in the spring of

2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - Republican Party 23.5%,

Justice Bloc 13.6%, Rule of Law 12.3%, ARF (Dashnak) 11.4%, National

Unity Party 8.8%, United Labor Party 5.7%; seats by faction -

Republican Party 39, Rule of Law 20, Justice Bloc 14, ARF (Dashnak)

11, National Unity 7, United Labor 6, People's Deputy Group 16,

independent (not in faction or group) 18; note - as of 10 March

2006; voting blocs in the legislature are more properly termed

factions and can be composed of members of several parties; seats by

faction change frequently as deputies switch parties or announce

themselves independent

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court; Court of Cassation (Appeals Court)

Political parties and leaders:

Agro-Industrial Party [Vladimir BADALYAN]; Armenia Party (Hayastan)

[Myasnik MALKHASYAN]; Armenian National Movement or ANM [Artashes

ZURABYAN]; Armenian Ramkavar Liberal Party or HRAK [Harutyun

MIRZAKHANYAN, chairman]; Armenian Revolutionary Federation

("Dashnak" Party) or ARF [Hrant MARKARYAN]; Democratic Party [Aram

SARKISYAN]; Justice Bloc (comprised of the Democratic Party,

National Democratic Party, National Democratic Union, the People's

Party, and the Republic Party) [Stepan DEMIRCHYAN]; National

Democratic Party [Shavarsh KOCHARIAN]; National Democratic Union or

NDU [Vazgen MANUKIAN]; National Revival Party [Albert BAZEYAN];

National Unity Party [Artashes GEGHAMYAN, chairman]; People's Party

of Armenia [Stepan DEMIRCHYAN]; Republic Party [Aram SARKISYAN,

chairman]; Republican Party or RPA [Andranik MARGARYAN]; Rule of Law

Party [Artur BAGHDASARYAN]; Union of Constitutional Rights [Hrant

KHACHATURYAN]; United Labor Party [Gurgen ARSENYAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Yerkrapah Union [Manvel GRIGORIAN]

International organization participation:

ACCT (observer), AsDB, BSEC, CE, CIS, EAEC (observer), EAPC, EBRD,

FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,

IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM

(observer), OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Tatoul MARKARIAN

chancery: 2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 319-1976

FAX: [1] (202) 319-2982

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Anthony F.

GODFREY

embassy: 1 American Ave., Yerevan 375082

mailing address: American Embassy Yerevan, US Department of State,

7020 Yerevan Place, Washington, DC 20521-7020

telephone: [374](10) 464-700

FAX: [374](10) 464-742

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and orange

Economy Armenia

Economy - overview:

Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia had developed

a modern industrial sector, supplying machine tools, textiles, and

other manufactured goods to sister republics in exchange for raw

materials and energy. Since the implosion of the USSR in December

1991, Armenia has switched to small-scale agriculture away from the

large agroindustrial complexes of the Soviet era. The agricultural

sector has long-term needs for more investment and updated

technology. The privatization of industry has been at a slower pace,

but has been given renewed emphasis by the current administration.

Armenia is a food importer, and its mineral deposits (copper, gold,

bauxite) are small. The ongoing conflict with Azerbaijan over the

ethnic Armenian-dominated region of Nagorno-Karabakh and the breakup

of the centrally directed economic system of the former Soviet Union

contributed to a severe economic decline in the early 1990s. By

1994, however, the Armenian Government had launched an ambitious

IMF-sponsored economic liberalization program that resulted in

positive growth rates in 1995-2006. Armenia joined the WTO in

January 2003. Armenia also has managed to slash inflation, stabilize

its currency, and privatize most small- and medium-sized

enterprises. Armenia's unemployment rate, however, remains high,

despite strong economic growth. The chronic energy shortages Armenia

suffered in the early and mid-1990s have been offset by the energy

supplied by one of its nuclear power plants at Metsamor. Armenia is

now a net energy exporter, although it does not have sufficient

generating capacity to replace Metsamor, which is under

international pressure to close. The electricity distribution system

was privatized in 2002 and bought by Russia's RAO-UES in 2005.

Armenia's severe trade imbalance has been offset somewhat by

international aid, remittances from Armenians working abroad, and

foreign direct investment. Economic ties with Russia remain close,

especially in the energy sector. The government made some

improvements in tax and customs administration in 2005, but

anti-corruption measures will be more difficult to implement.

Construction of a natural gas pipeline between Iran and Armenia has

been completed and it is scheduled to be commissioned by April 2007.

Investment in the construction and industrial sectors is expected to

continue in 2007 and will help to ensure annual average real GDP

growth of more than 10%.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$15.99 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$6.6 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

10.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$5,400 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 23.9% industry: 32.8% services: 43.3% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 1.2 million (2005)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 45% industry: 25% services: 30% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:

7.6% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:

43% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 41.3% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

41.3 (2004)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.1% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

20.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $1.004 billion

expenditures: $1.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

fruit (especially grapes), vegetables; livestock

Industries:

diamond-processing, metal-cutting machine tools, forging-pressing

machines, electric motors, tires, knitted wear, hosiery, shoes, silk

fabric, chemicals, trucks, instruments, microelectronics, jewelry

manufacturing, software development, food processing, brandy

Industrial production growth rate:

7.5% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:

6.317 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 42.3% hydro: 27% nuclear: 30.7% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

4.374 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports:

1.012 billion kWh; note - exports an unknown quantity to Georgia;

includes exports to Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan (2004)

Electricity - imports:

260 million kWh; note - imports an unknown quantity from Iran (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - consumption:

41,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

1.33 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

1.33 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-229.5 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$1.056 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

diamonds, mineral products, foodstuffs, energy

Exports - partners:

Germany 15.6%, Netherlands 13.7%, Belgium 12.8%, Russia 12.2%,

Israel 11.5%, US 11.2%, Georgia 4.8% (2005)

Imports:

$1.684 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

natural gas, petroleum, tobacco products, foodstuffs, diamonds

Imports - partners:

Russia 13.5%, Belgium 8%, Germany 7.9%, Ukraine 7%, Turkmenistan

6.3%, US 6.2%, Israel 5.8%, Iran 5%, Romania 4.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$761 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.936 billion (30 June 2006)

Economic aid - recipient:

ODA, $254 million (2004)

Currency (code):

dram (AMD)

Currency code:

AMD

Exchange rates:

drams per US dollar - 436.8 (2006), 457.69 (2005), 533.45 (2004),

578.76 (2003), 573.35 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Armenia

Telephones - main lines in use:

582,500 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

320,000 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: system inadequate; now 90% privately owned and

undergoing modernization and expansion

domestic: the majority of subscribers and the most modern equipment

are in Yerevan (this includes paging and mobile cellular service)

international: country code - 374; Yerevan is connected to the

Trans-Asia-Europe fiber-optic cable through Iran; additional

international service is available by microwave radio relay and

landline connections to the other countries of the Commonwealth of

Independent States and through the Moscow international switch and

by satellite to the rest of the world; satellite earth stations - 3

(2005)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 9, FM 16, shortwave 1 (2006)

Radios:

850,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 40 (private television stations alongside two public networks; major Russian channels widely available) (2006)

Televisions:

825,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.am

Internet hosts:

8,163 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

9 (2001)

Internet users:

150,000 (2005)

Transportation Armenia

Airports: 13 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 2,002 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 845 km

broad gauge: 845 km 1.520-m gauge (828 km electrified)

note: some lines are out of service (2005)

Roadways: total: 7,633 km paved: 7,633 km (includes 1,561 km of expressways) (2003)

Military Armenia

Military branches:

Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Nagorno-Karabakh Self Defense Force

(NKSDF), Air Force, Air Defense Force (2006)

Military service age and obligation: 18 to 27 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 722,836

females age 18-49: 795,084 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 551,938

females age 18-49: 656,493 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 31,774

females age 18-49: 31,182 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$135 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

6.5% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Armenia

Disputes - international:

Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in Nagorno-Karabakh

and since the early 1990s, has militarily occupied 16% of Azerbaijan

- Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)

continues to mediate dispute; over 800,000 mostly ethnic

Azerbaijanis were driven from the occupied lands and Armenia; about

230,000 ethnic Armenians were driven from their homes in Azerbaijan

into Armenia; Azerbaijan seeks transit route through Armenia to

connect to Naxcivan exclave; border with Turkey remains closed over

Nagorno-Karabakh dispute; ethnic Armenian groups in Javakheti region

of Georgia seek greater autonomy; tens of thousands of Armenians

emigrate, primarily to Russia, to seek employment

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 219,324 (Azerbaijan)

IDPs: 8,400 (conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh,

majority have returned home since 1994 ceasefire) (2006)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Armenia is a major source and, to a lesser

extent, a transit and destination country for women and girls

trafficked for sexual exploitation largely to the UAE and Turkey;

traffickers, many of them women, route victims directly into Dubai

or through Moscow; profits derived from the trafficking of Armenian

victims reportedly increased dramatically from 2005

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Armenia has failed to show evidence

of increasing efforts, particularly in the areas of enforcement,

trafficking-related corruption, and victim protection; the

government increased implementation of its anti-trafficking law, but

failed to impose significant penalties for convicted traffickers and

failed to vigorously investigate and prosecute ongoing and

widespread allegations of public officials' complicity in

trafficking; victim protection efforts remain in early, formative

stages and a lack of sensitivity for victims remains a problem,

particularly in the judiciary

Illicit drugs:

illicit cultivation of small amount of cannabis for domestic

consumption; minor transit point for illicit drugs - mostly opium

and hashish - moving from Southwest Asia to Russia and to a lesser

extent the rest of Europe

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Aruba

Introduction Aruba

Background:

Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the

Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by three main

industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by prosperity

brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The last

decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry.

Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a

separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in

1990.

Geography Aruba

Location:

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela

Geographic coordinates:

12 30 N, 69 58 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 193 sq km

land: 193 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

68.5 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:

tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:

flat with a few hills; scant vegetation

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m

Natural resources:

NEGL; white sandy beaches

Land use: arable land: 10.53% permanent crops: 0% other: 89.47% (2005)

Irrigated land:

0.01 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:

lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

a flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches; its

tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the

Atlantic Ocean; the temperature is almost constant at about 27

degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit)

People Aruba

Population:

71,891 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 19.5% (male 7,175/female 6,849)

15-64 years: 68.2% (male 23,894/female 25,140)

65 years and over: 12.3% (male 3,616/female 5,217) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 38.5 years

male: 36.4 years

female: 40.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.44% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

11.03 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

6.68 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 5.79 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 6.6 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.28 years

male: 75.95 years

female: 82.78 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.79 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality: noun: Aruban(s) adjective: Aruban; Dutch

Ethnic groups:

mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish

Languages:

Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English

dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 97% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Aruba

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

Dependency status:

member country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in

internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the

Netherlands Antilles; Dutch Government responsible for defense and

foreign affairs

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Oranjestad

geographic coordinates: 12 33 N, 70 06 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Independence:

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

National holiday:

Flag Day, 18 March

Constitution:

1 January 1986

Legal system:

based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law

influence

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April

1980), represented by Governor General Fredis REFUNJOL (since 11 May

2004)

head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30

October 2001)

cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed for

a six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime

minister elected by the Staten for four-year terms; election last

held 2005 (next to be held by 2009)

election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent

of legislative vote - NA

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by

direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 23 September 2005 (next to be held by in 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 43%, AVP 32%, MPA

7%, RED 7%, PDR 6%, OLA 4%, PPA 2%; seats by party - MEP 11, AVP 8,

MPA 1, RED 1

Judicial branch:

Common Court of Justice of Aruba (judges are appointed by the

monarch)

Political parties and leaders:

Aliansa/Aruban Social Movement or MSA [Robert WEVER]; Aruban

Liberal Organization or OLA [Glenbert CROES]; Aruban Patriotic

Movement or MPA [Monica ARENDS-KOCK]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA

[Benny NISBET]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Mike EMAN]; People's

Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson O. ODUBER]; Real Democracy

or PDR [Andin BIKKER]; RED [Rudy LAMPE]; Workers Political Platform

or PTT [Gregorio WOLFF]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITUC, UNESCO (associate), UNWTO

(associate), UPU, WCL, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - Mr. Henry BAARH, Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to

Netherlands Antilles is accredited to Aruba

Flag description:

blue, with two narrow, horizontal, yellow stripes across the lower

portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper

hoist-side corner

Economy Aruba

Economy - overview:

Tourism is the mainstay of the small, open Aruban economy, with

offshore banking and oil refining and storage also important. The

rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted

in a substantial expansion of other activities. Over 1.5 million

tourists per year visit Aruba, with 75% of those from the US.

Construction continues to boom, with hotel capacity five times the

1985 level. In addition, the reopening of the country's oil refinery

in 1993, a major source of employment and foreign exchange earnings,

has further spurred growth. Tourist arrivals have rebounded strongly

following a dip after the 11 September 2001 attacks. The island

experiences only a brief low season, and hotel occupancy in 2004

averaged 80%, compared to 68% throughout the rest of the Caribbean.

The government has made cutting the budget and trade deficits a high

priority.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$2.258 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.258 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.4% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$21,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0.4% industry: 33.3% services: 66.3%

Labor force: 41,500 (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% note: most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair, followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining

Unemployment rate:

6.9% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.4% (2005)

Budget:

revenues: $507.9 million

expenditures: $577.9 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2005 est.)

Public debt:

46.3% of GDP (2005)

Agriculture - products:

aloes; livestock; fish

Industries:

tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

770 million kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

716.1 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

2,363 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

7,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$80 million f.o.b.; note - includes oil reexports (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery

and electrical equipment, transport equipment

Exports - partners:

Netherlands 33.5%, Panama 16.7%, Colombia 11.9%, US 11.3%,

Venezuela 10.1%, Netherlands Antilles 9% (2005)

Imports:

$875 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and

reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

US 55.9%, Netherlands 12.9%, UK 3.8% (2005)

Debt - external:

$478.6 million (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$-11.3 million (2004)

Currency (code):

Aruban guilder/florin (AWG)

Currency code:

AWG

Exchange rates:

Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004),

1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Aruba

Telephones - main lines in use:

37,100 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

98,400 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern fully automatic telecommunications system

domestic: increased competition through privatization; 3 wireless

service providers are now licensed

international: country code - 297; 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten

(Netherlands Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay

links

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:

50,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (1997)

Televisions:

20,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.aw

Internet hosts:

11,548 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

NA

Internet users:

24,000 (2002)

Transportation Aruba

Airports: 1 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways: total: 800 km paved: 513 km unpaved: 287 km

Ports and terminals:

Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas

Military Aruba

Military branches:

no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Netherlands Navy and

Marines, Coast Guard

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 16,278 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 13,219 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 520 (2005 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Transnational Issues Aruba

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some

accompanying money-laundering activity

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Introduction Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Background:

These uninhabited islands came under Australian authority in 1931;

formal administration began two years later. Ashmore Reef supports a

rich and diverse avian and marine habitat; in 1983, it became a

National Nature Reserve. Cartier Island, a former bombing range, is

now a marine reserve.

Geography Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Location:

Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian Ocean, midway between

northwestern Australia and Timor island

Geographic coordinates:

12 14 S, 123 05 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 5 sq km

land: 5 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and

Cartier Island

Area - comparative:

about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

74.1 km

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

Climate:

tropical

Terrain:

low with sand and coral

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 3 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all grass and sand) (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in August 1983

People Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Population:

no indigenous inhabitants

note: Indonesian fishermen are allowed access to the lagoon and

fresh water at Ashmore Reef's West Island (July 2006 est.)

People - note:

the landing of illegal immigrants from Indonesia's Rote Island has

become an ongoing problem

Government Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands

conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Dependency status:

territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department

of Transport and Regional Services

Legal system:

the laws of the Commonwealth of Australia and the laws of the

Northern Territory of Australia, where applicable, apply

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territory of Australia)

Flag description:

the flag of Australia is used

Economy Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Ports and terminals: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of Australia; periodic visits by the

Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force

Transnational Issues Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Disputes - international:

Indonesian groups challenge Australia's claim to Ashmore Reef;

Australia has closed the surrounding waters to Indonesian

traditional fishing and created a national park in the region while

continuing to prospect for hydrocarbons in the vicinity

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Atlantic Ocean

Background:

The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceans

(after the Pacific Ocean, but larger than the Indian Ocean, Southern

Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). The Kiel Canal (Germany), Oresund

(Denmark-Sweden), Bosporus (Turkey), Strait of Gibraltar

(Morocco-Spain), and the Saint Lawrence Seaway (Canada-US) are

important strategic access waterways. The decision by the

International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to

delimit a fifth world ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion

of the Atlantic Ocean south of 60 degrees south latitude.

Geography Atlantic Ocean

Location:

body of water between Africa, Europe, the Southern Ocean, and the

Western Hemisphere

Geographic coordinates:

0 00 N, 25 00 W

Map references:

Political Map of the World

Area:

total: 76.762 million sq km

note: includes Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Caribbean Sea, Davis Strait,

Denmark Strait, part of the Drake Passage, Gulf of Mexico, Labrador

Sea, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, Norwegian Sea, almost all of the

Scotia Sea, and other tributary water bodies

Area - comparative:

slightly less than 6.5 times the size of the US

Coastline:

111,866 km

Climate:

tropical cyclones (hurricanes) develop off the coast of Africa near

Cape Verde and move westward into the Caribbean Sea; hurricanes can

occur from May to December, but are most frequent from August to

November

Terrain:

surface usually covered with sea ice in Labrador Sea, Denmark

Strait, and coastal portions of the Baltic Sea from October to June;

clockwise warm-water gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in

the northern Atlantic, counterclockwise warm-water gyre in the

southern Atlantic; the ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Atlantic

Ridge, a rugged north-south centerline for the entire Atlantic basin

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Milwaukee Deep in the Puerto Rico Trench -8,605 m

highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources:

oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales), sand

and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules,

precious stones

Natural hazards:

icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and the

northwestern Atlantic Ocean from February to August and have been

spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands; ships

subject to superstructure icing in extreme northern Atlantic from

October to May; persistent fog can be a maritime hazard from May to

September; hurricanes (May to December)

Environment - current issues:

endangered marine species include the manatee, seals, sea lions,

turtles, and whales; drift net fishing is hastening the decline of

fish stocks and contributing to international disputes; municipal

sludge pollution off eastern US, southern Brazil, and eastern

Argentina; oil pollution in Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Lake

Maracaibo, Mediterranean Sea, and North Sea; industrial waste and

municipal sewage pollution in Baltic Sea, North Sea, and

Mediterranean Sea

Geography - note:

major chokepoints include the Dardanelles, Strait of Gibraltar,

access to the Panama and Suez Canals; strategic straits include the

Strait of Dover, Straits of Florida, Mona Passage, The Sound

(Oresund), and Windward Passage; the Equator divides the Atlantic

Ocean into the North Atlantic Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean

Economy Atlantic Ocean

Economy - overview:

The Atlantic Ocean provides some of the world's most heavily

trafficked sea routes, between and within the Eastern and Western

Hemispheres. Other economic activity includes the exploitation of

natural resources, e.g., fishing, dredging of aragonite sands (The

Bahamas), and production of crude oil and natural gas (Caribbean

Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and North Sea).

Transportation Atlantic Ocean

Ports and terminals:

Alexandria (Egypt), Algiers (Algeria), Antwerp (Belgium), Barcelona

(Spain), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Casablanca (Morocco), Colon

(Panama), Copenhagen (Denmark), Dakar (Senegal), Gdansk (Poland),

Hamburg (Germany), Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas (Canary Islands,

Spain), Le Havre (France), Lisbon (Portugal), London (UK), Marseille

(France), Montevideo (Uruguay), Montreal (Canada), Naples (Italy),

New Orleans (US), New York (US), Oran (Algeria), Oslo (Norway),

Peiraiefs or Piraeus (Greece), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Rotterdam

(Netherlands), Saint Petersburg (Russia), Stockholm (Sweden)

Transportation - note:

Kiel Canal and Saint Lawrence Seaway are two important waterways;

significant domestic commercial and recreational use of Intracoastal

Waterway on central and south Atlantic seaboard and Gulf of Mexico

coast of US

Transnational Issues Atlantic Ocean

Disputes - international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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@Australia

Introduction Australia

Background:

Aboriginal settlers arrived on the continent from Southeast Asia

about 40,000 years before the first Europeans began exploration in

the 17th century. No formal territorial claims were made until 1770,

when Capt. James COOK took possession in the name of Great Britain.

Six colonies were created in the late 18th and 19th centuries; they

federated and became the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901. The new

country took advantage of its natural resources to rapidly develop

agricultural and manufacturing industries and to make a major

contribution to the British effort in World Wars I and II. In recent

decades, Australia has transformed itself into an internationally

competitive, advanced market economy. It boasted one of the OECD's

fastest growing economies during the 1990s, a performance due in

large part to economic reforms adopted in the 1980s. Long-term

concerns include pollution, particularly depletion of the ozone

layer, and management and conservation of coastal areas, especially

the Great Barrier Reef.

Geography Australia

Location:

Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific

Ocean

Geographic coordinates:

27 00 S, 133 00 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 7,686,850 sq km

land: 7,617,930 sq km

water: 68,920 sq km

note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

25,760 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical

in north

Terrain:

mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m

highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m

Natural resources:

bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium,

nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas,

petroleum

Land use:

arable land: 6.15% (includes about 27 million hectares of

cultivated grassland)

permanent crops: 0.04%

other: 93.81% (2005)

Irrigated land:

25,450 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires

Environment - current issues:

soil erosion from overgrazing, industrial development,

urbanization, and poor farming practices; soil salinity rising due

to the use of poor quality water; desertification; clearing for

agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique

animal and plant species; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast

coast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by

increased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; limited

natural fresh water resources

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living

Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate

Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,

Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:

world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; population

concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts; the

invigorating sea breeze known as the "Fremantle Doctor" affects the

city of Perth on the west coast, and is one of the most consistent

winds in the world

People Australia

Population:

20,264,082 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 19.6% (male 2,031,313/female 1,936,802)

15-64 years: 67.3% (male 6,881,863/female 6,764,709)

65 years and over: 13.1% (male 1,170,589/female 1,478,806) (2006

est.)

Median age: total: 36.9 years male: 36 years female: 37.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.85% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

12.14 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

7.51 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

3.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

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

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.63 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5.02 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 80.5 years

male: 77.64 years

female: 83.52 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.76 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

14,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Australian(s)

adjective: Australian

Ethnic groups:

Caucasian 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%

Religions:

Catholic 26.4%, Anglican 20.5%, other Christian 20.5%, Buddhist

1.9%, Muslim 1.5%, other 1.2%, unspecified 12.7%, none 15.3% (2001

Census)

Languages:

English 79.1%, Chinese 2.1%, Italian 1.9%, other 11.1%, unspecified

5.8% (2001 Census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government Australia

Country name:

conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia

conventional short form: Australia

Government type:

federal parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Canberra

geographic coordinates: 35 17 S, 149 08 E

time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in March

note: Australia is divided into three time zones

Administrative divisions:

6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New

South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South Australia,

Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Dependent areas:

Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling)

Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands,

Norfolk Island, Macquarie Island

Independence:

1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)

National holiday:

Australia Day, 26 January (1788); ANZAC Day (commemorated as the

anniversary of the 1915 landing of troops of the Australian and New

Zealand Army Corps during World War I at Gallipoli, Turkey), 25 April

Constitution:

9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901

Legal system:

based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,

with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen of Australia ELIZABETH II (since 6 February

1952), represented by Governor General Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Michael

JEFFERY (since 11 August 2003)

head of government: Prime Minister John Winston HOWARD (since 11

March 1996); Deputy Prime Minister Mark VAILE (since 6 July 2005)

cabinet: prime minister nominates, from among members of Parliament,

candidates who are subsequently sworn in by the governor general to

serve as government ministers

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general

appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime

minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the

majority party or leader of a majority coalition is sworn in as

prime minister by the governor general

note: government coalition - Liberal Party and National Party

Legislative branch:

bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76 seats - 12

from each of the six states and 2 from each of the two mainland

territories; one-half of state members are elected every three years

by popular vote to serve six-year terms while all territory members

are elected every three years) and the House of Representatives (150

seats; members elected by popular preferential voting to serve terms

of up to three-years; no state can have fewer than 5 representatives)

elections: Senate - last held 9 October 2004 (next to be held no

later than June 2008); House of Representatives - last held 9

October 2004 (next to be called no later than November 2007)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by

party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 39, Australian Labor

Party 28, Democrats 4, Australian Greens 4, Family First Party 1;

House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by

party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 87, Australian Labor

Party 60, independents 3

Judicial branch:

High Court (the chief justice and six other justices are appointed

by the governor general)

Political parties and leaders:

Australian Democrats [Lyn ALLISON]; Australian Greens [Bob BROWN];

Australian Labor Party [Kevin RUDD]; Country Liberal Party [Jodeen

CARNEY]; Family First Party [Steve FIELDING]; Liberal Party [John

Winston HOWARD]; The Nationals [Mark VAILE]

International organization participation:

ANZUS, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group,

BIS, C, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,

IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,

ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, Paris Club,

PCA, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMIS, UNRWA,

UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Dennis J. RICHARDSON

chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000

FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New

York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert D. McCALLUM, Jr.

embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital

Territory 2600

mailing address: APO AP 96549

telephone: [61] (02) 6214-5600

FAX: [61] (02) 6214-5970

consulate(s) general: Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Flag description:

blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a

large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side quadrant known as

the Commonwealth or Federation Star, representing the federation of

the colonies of Australia in 1901; the star depicts one point for

each of the six original states and one representing all of

Australia's internal and external territories; on the fly half is a

representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white with one

small five-pointed star and four larger, seven-pointed stars

Economy Australia

Economy - overview:

Australia has an enviable Western-style capitalist economy with a

per capita GDP on par with the four dominant West European

economies. Rising output in the domestic economy, robust business

and consumer confidence, and high export prices for raw materials

and agricultural products are fueling the economy. Australia's

emphasis on reforms, low inflation, and growing ties with China are

other key factors behind the economy's strength. The impact of

drought and strong import demand pushed the trade deficit up in

recent years, although the trade balance improved in 2006. Housing

prices probably peaked in 2005, diminishing the prospect that

interest rates would be raised to prevent a speculative bubble.

Conservative fiscal policies have kept Australia's budget in surplus

since 2002.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$666.3 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$645.3 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$32,900 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.8% industry: 26.2% services: 70% (2005 est.)

Labor force: 10.66 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 3.6% industry: 21.2% services: 75.2% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

4.9% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2%

highest 10%: 25.4% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

35.2 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.8% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

26.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $267 billion

expenditures: $258 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

14.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits, cattle, sheep, poultry

Industries:

mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing,

chemicals, steel

Industrial production growth rate:

-3.5% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

225.3 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 90.8% hydro: 8.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0.9% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

209.5 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

530,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

877,300 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

523,400 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

530,800 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

3.664 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

37.03 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

26.37 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

10.66 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

821.2 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-41.62 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$117 billion (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron ore, wheat, machinery and

transport equipment

Exports - partners:

Japan 20.3%, China 11.5%, South Korea 7.9%, US 6.7%, NZ 6.5%, India

5% (2005)

Imports:

$127.7 billion (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines,

telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum

products

Imports - partners:

US 13.9%, China 13.7%, Japan 11%, Singapore 5.6%, Germany 5.6%

(2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$48.25 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$585.1 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - donor:

ODA, $894 million (FY99/00)

Currency (code):

Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:

AUD

Exchange rates:

Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3382 (2006), 1.3095 (2005),

1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 July - 30 June

Communications Australia

Telephones - main lines in use:

11.46 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

18.42 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: excellent domestic and international service

domestic: domestic satellite system; much use of radiotelephone in

areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellular

telephones

international: country code - 61; submarine cables to New Zealand,

Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia; satellite earth stations - 19 (10

Intelsat - 4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean, 2 Inmarsat - Indian

and Pacific Ocean regions, 2 Globalstar, 5 other) (2005)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 262, FM 345, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:

25.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

104 (1997)

Televisions:

10.15 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.au

Internet hosts:

7,772,888 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

571 (2002)

Internet users:

14,663,622 (2006)

Transportation Australia

Airports: 455 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 311 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 133 914 to 1,523 m: 143 under 914 m: 13 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 144 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 111 under 914 m: 15 (2006)

Heliports:

1 (2006)

Pipelines:

condensate/gas 546 km; gas 31,323 km; liquid petroleum gas 240 km;

oil 4,808 km; oil/gas/water 110 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 47,738 km

broad gauge: 4,015 km 1.600-m gauge

standard gauge: 28,662 km 1.435-m gauge (1,397 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 14,831 km 1.067-m gauge (2,462 km electrified)

dual gauge: 230 km dual gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 810,641 km

paved: 336,962 km

unpaved: 473,679 km (2004)

Waterways:

2,000 km (mainly used for recreation on Murray and Murray-Darling

river systems) (2002)

Merchant marine:

total: 53 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,361,000 GRT/1,532,874 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 17, cargo 4, chemical tanker 3, container 1,

liquefied gas 4, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 6,

roll on/roll off 5

foreign-owned: 17 (Canada 1, France 3, Germany 3, Japan 1,

Netherlands 2, Norway 1, Philippines 1, UK 2, US 3)

registered in other countries: 34 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Bahamas 2,

Bermuda 3, Fiji 1, Hong Kong 1, Liberia 2, Marshall Islands 2,

Netherlands 1, NZ 2, Panama 3, Portugal 1, Singapore 7, Tonga 1, UK

3, US 2, Vanuatu 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Brisbane, Dampier, Fremantle, Gladstone, Hay Point, Melbourne,

Newcastle, Port Hedland, Port Kembla, Port Walcott, Sydney

Military Australia

Military branches:

Australian Defense Force (ADF): Australian Army, Royal Australian

Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, Special Operations Command (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

16 years of age for voluntary service; women allowed to serve in

Army combat units in non-combat support roles (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 4,943,676

females age 18-49: 4,821,264

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 4,092,717

females age 16-49: 3,983,447 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 142,158

females age 16-49: 135,675 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$17.84 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.7% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Australia

Disputes - international:

East Timor and Australia agreed in 2005 to defer the disputed

portion of the boundary for fifty years and to split hydrocarbon

revenues evenly outside the Joint Petroleum Development Area covered

by the 2002 Timor Sea Treaty; East Timor dispute hampers creation of

a revised maritime boundary with Indonesia (see also Ashmore and

Cartier Islands dispute); regional states express concern over

Australia's 2004 declaration of a 1,000-nautical mile-wide maritime

identification zone; Australia asserts land and maritime claims to

Antarctica (see Antarctica); in 2004 Australia submitted its claims

to UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) to

extend its continental margin from both its mainland and Antarctic

claims

Illicit drugs:

Tasmania is one of the world's major suppliers of licit opiate

products; government maintains strict controls over areas of opium

poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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@Austria

Introduction Austria

Background:

Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire,

Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World

War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and subsequent

occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's status

remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955 ended

the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade

unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year

declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for

Soviet military withdrawal. The Soviet Union's collapse in 1991 and

Austria's entry into the European Union in 1995 have altered the

meaning of this neutrality. A prosperous, democratic country,

Austria entered the EU Economic Monetary Union in 1999.

Geography Austria

Location:

Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia

Geographic coordinates:

47 20 N, 13 20 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 83,870 sq km

land: 82,444 sq km

water: 1,426 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maine

Land boundaries:

total: 2,562 km

border countries: Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366

km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 35 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 330

km, Switzerland 164 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain and

some snow in lowlands and snow in mountains; moderate summers with

occasional showers

Terrain:

in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the eastern

and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m

highest point: Grossglockner 3,798 m

Natural resources:

oil, coal, lignite, timber, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony,

magnesite, tungsten, graphite, salt, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 16.59% permanent crops: 0.85% other: 82.56% (2005)

Irrigated land:

40 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

landslides; avalanches; earthquakes

Environment - current issues: some forest degradation caused by air and soil pollution; soil pollution results from the use of agricultural chemicals; air pollution results from emissions by coal- and oil-fired power stations and industrial plants and from trucks transiting Austria between northern and southern Europe

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,

Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,

Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,

Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of central Europe

with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys; major river

is the Danube; population is concentrated on eastern lowlands

because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere

People Austria

Population:

8,192,880 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 15.4% (male 645,337/female 614,602)

15-64 years: 67.5% (male 2,782,712/female 2,749,620)

65 years and over: 17.1% (male 567,752/female 832,857) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 40.9 years

male: 39.8 years

female: 42 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.09% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

8.74 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

9.76 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

1.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.6 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5.65 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.07 years

male: 76.17 years

female: 82.11 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.36 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

10,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Austrian(s)

adjective: Austrian

Ethnic groups:

Austrians 91.1%, former Yugoslavs 4% (includes Croatians, Slovenes,

Serbs, and Bosniaks), Turks 1.6%, German 0.9%, other or unspecified

2.4% (2001 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 73.6%, Protestant 4.7%, Muslim 4.2%, other 3.5%,

unspecified 2%, none 12% (2001 census)

Languages:

German (official nationwide), Slovene (official in Carinthia),

Croatian (official in Burgenland), Hungarian (official in Burgenland)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98%

male: NA

female: NA

Government Austria

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Austria

conventional short form: Austria

local long form: Republik Oesterreich

local short form: Oesterreich

Government type:

federal republic

Capital:

name: Vienna

geographic coordinates: 48 12 N, 16 22 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

9 states (Bundeslaender, singular - Bundesland); Burgenland,

Kaernten (Carinthia), Niederoesterreich (Lower Austria),

Oberoesterreich (Upper Austria), Salzburg, Steiermark (Styria),

Tirol, Vorarlberg, Wien (Vienna)

Independence:

976 (Margravate of Austria established); 17 September 1156 (Duchy

of Austria founded); 11 August 1804 (Austrian Empire proclaimed); 12

November 1918 (republic proclaimed)

National holiday:

National Day, 26 October (1955); note - commemorates the passage of

the law on permanent neutrality

Constitution:

1920; revised 1929 (reinstated 1 May 1945)

Legal system:

civil law system with Roman law origin; judicial review of

legislative acts by the Constitutional Court; separate

administrative and civil/penal supreme courts; accepts compulsory

ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Heinz FISCHER (since 8 July 2004)

head of government: Chancellor Alfred GUSENBAUER (SPOe) (since 11

January 2007); Vice Chancellor Wilhelm MOLTERE (OeVP) (since 11

January 2007)

cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice

of the chancellor

elections: president elected by direct popular vote for a six-year

term (eligible for a second term); presidential election last held

25 April 2004 (next to be held April 2010); chancellor formally

chosen by the president but determined by the coalition parties

forming a parliamentary majority; vice chancellor chosen by the

president on the advice of the chancellor

election results: Heinz FISCHER elected president; percent of vote -

Heinz FISCHER (SPOe) 52.4%, Benita FERRERO-WALDNER (OeVP) 47.6%

note: government coalition - SPOe and OeVP

Legislative branch:

bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung consists of Federal

Council or Bundesrat (62 members; members chosen by state

parliaments with each state receiving 3 to 12 members according to

its population; members serve a five- or six-year term) and the

National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members elected by

direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: National Council - last held 1 October 2006 (next

scheduled for the fall of 2010)

election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - SPOe

35.3%, OeVP 34.3%, Greens 11.1%, FPOe 11.0%, BZOe 4.1%; seats by

party - SPOe 68, OeVP 66, Greens 21, FPOe 21, BZOe 7

Judicial branch:

Supreme Judicial Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Administrative

Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof; Constitutional Court or

Verfassungsgerichtshof

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance for the Future of Austria or BZOe [Peter WESENTHALER];

Austrian People's Party or OeVP [Wilhelm MOLTERE]; Freedom Party of

Austria or FPOe [Heinz Christian STRACHE]; Social Democratic Party

of Austria or SPOe [Alfred GUSENBAUER]; The Greens [Alexander VAN

DER BELLEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Austrian Trade Union Federation (nominally independent but

primarily Social Democratic) or OeGB; Federal Economic Chamber;

OeVP-oriented Association of Austrian Industrialists or IV; Roman

Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization, Catholic

Action; three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party or

OeVP representing business, labor, and farmers and other

non-government organizations in the areas of environment and human

rights

International organization participation:

ACCT (observer), AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer),

CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA,

IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,

IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM

(guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE,

Paris Club, PCA, PFP, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO,

UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,

WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Eva NOWOTNY

chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035

telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700

FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Susan R. McCAW

embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1090, Vienna

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [43] (1) 31339-0

FAX: [43] (1) 3100682

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red

Economy Austria

Economy - overview:

Austria, with its well-developed market economy and high standard

of living, is closely tied to other EU economies, especially

Germany's. The Austrian economy also benefits greatly from strong

commercial relations, especially in the banking and insurance

sectors, with central, eastern, and southeastern Europe. The economy

features a large service sector, a sound industrial sector, and a

small, but highly developed agricultural sector. Membership in the

EU has drawn an influx of foreign investors attracted by Austria's

access to the single European market and proximity to the new EU

economies. The outgoing government has successfully pursued a

comprehensive economic reform program, aimed at streamlining

government, creating a more competitive business environment,

further strengthening Austria's attractiveness as an investment

location, and implementing effective pension reforms; however, lower

taxes in 2005-2006 have lead to a small budget deficit in 2006. Weak

domestic consumption and slow growth in Europe have held the economy

to growth rates below 3% in 2002-05. Due to higher growth across

Europe, Austrian grew 3.3 percent in 2006. To meet increased

competition from both EU and Central European countries,

particularly the new EU members, Austria will need to continue

restructuring, emphasizing knowledge-based sectors of the economy,

and encouraging greater labor flexibility and greater labor

participation by its aging population.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$279.5 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$309.3 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$34,100 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.8% industry: 30.4% services: 67.8% (2005 est.)

Labor force: 3.52 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 3% industry: 27% services: 70% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

4.9% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

5.9% (2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.3% highest 10%: 22.5% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

31 (2002)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.6% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

21% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $155.9 billion

expenditures: $161.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

63% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

grains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine, fruit; dairy products, cattle,

pigs, poultry; lumber

Industries:

construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, metals,

chemicals, lumber and wood processing, paper and paperboard,

communications equipment, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

5.7% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

65.56 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 29.3% hydro: 67.2% nuclear: 0% other: 3.5% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

64.07 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

13.5 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

16.6 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

25,360 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

282,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

30,140 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:

152,600 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:

84.3 million bbl (2004)

Natural gas - production:

1.963 billion cu m (2004)

Natural gas - consumption:

8.981 billion cu m (2004)

Natural gas - exports:

1.324 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

8.407 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

15.01 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$5.913 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$144.4 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, paper and

paperboard, metal goods, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles,

foodstuffs

Exports - partners:

Germany 31.2%, Italy 8.7%, US 5.8%, Switzerland 5.2%, France 4.2%

(2005)

Imports:

$138.6 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal goods,

oil and oil products; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Germany 45.9%, Italy 6.6%, Switzerland 4.5% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$8.413 billion (August 2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$593.9 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - donor:

ODA, $681 million (2004)

Currency (code):

euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the

euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of

member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole

currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:

EUR

Exchange rates:

euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),

0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Austria

Telephones - main lines in use:

3.705 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

8.16 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: highly developed and efficient

domestic: there are 45 main lines for every 100 persons; the fiber

optic net is very extensive; all telephone applications and Internet

services are available

international: country code - 43; satellite earth stations - 15; in

addition, there are about 600 VSAT (very small aperture terminals)

(2005)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 65 (plus several hundred repeaters), shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:

6.08 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

10 (plus more than 1,000 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:

4.25 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.at

Internet hosts:

2,062,035 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

37 (2000)

Internet users:

4.65 million (2005)

Transportation Austria

Airports: 55 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 25 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 15 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 30 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 26 (2006)

Heliports:

1 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 2,722 km; oil 663 km; refined products 149 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 6,011 km

standard gauge: 5,568 km 1.435-m gauge (3,427 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 21 km 1.000-m gauge; 422 km 0.760-m gauge (109 km

electrified) (2005)

Roadways: total: 133,718 km paved: 133,718 km (including 1,677 km of expressways) (2003)

Waterways:

358 km (2003)

Merchant marine:

total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 34,072 GRT/44,437 DWT

by type: cargo 6, container 2

foreign-owned: 2 (Netherlands 2)

registered in other countries: 14 (Liberia 13, Malta 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Enns, Krems, Linz, Vienna

Military Austria

Military branches:

Land Forces (KdoLdSK), Air Forces (KdoLuSK)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for voluntary service; from 2007, at the earliest, compulsory military service obligation will be reduced from eight months to six (2005)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,914,800

females age 18-49: 1,870,134 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,550,441

females age 18-49: 1,515,365 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 48,967

females age 18-49: 46,633 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$1.497 billion (FY01/02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0.9% (2004)

Transnational Issues Austria

Disputes - international:

Austrian anti-nuclear activists have revived blockades of the

Czech-Austrian border to protest operation of the Temelin nuclear

power plant in the Czech Republic

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and South American

cocaine destined for Western Europe

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Azerbaijan

Introduction Azerbaijan

Background:

Azerbaijan - a nation with a Turkic and majority-Muslim population

- was briefly independent from 1918 to 1920; it regained its

independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Despite

a 1994 cease-fire, Azerbaijan has yet to resolve its conflict with

Armenia over the Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh enclave (largely

Armenian populated). Azerbaijan has lost 16% of its territory and

must support some 528,000 internally displaced persons as a result

of the conflict. Corruption is ubiquitous, and the promise of

widespread wealth from Azerbaijan's undeveloped petroleum resources

remains largely unfulfilled.

Geography Azerbaijan

Location:

Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and

Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus range

Geographic coordinates:

40 30 N, 47 30 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 86,600 sq km

land: 86,100 sq km

water: 500 sq km

note: includes the exclave of Naxcivan Autonomous Republic and the

Nagorno-Karabakh region; the region's autonomy was abolished by

Azerbaijani Supreme Soviet on 26 November 1991

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maine

Land boundaries:

total: 2,013 km

border countries: Armenia (with Azerbaijan-proper) 566 km, Armenia

(with Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave) 221 km, Georgia 322 km, Iran

(with Azerbaijan-proper) 432 km, Iran (with Azerbaijan-Naxcivan

exclave) 179 km, Russia 284 km, Turkey 9 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked); note - Azerbaijan borders the Caspian Sea (800

km est.)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

dry, semiarid steppe

Terrain:

large, flat Kur-Araz Ovaligi (Kura-Araks Lowland) (much of it below

sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains to the north, Qarabag

Yaylasi (Karabakh Upland) in west; Baku lies on Abseron Yasaqligi

(Apsheron Peninsula) that juts into Caspian Sea

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m highest point: Bazarduzu Dagi 4,485 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, alumina

Land use: arable land: 20.62% permanent crops: 2.61% other: 76.77% (2005)

Irrigated land:

14,550 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

droughts

Environment - current issues:

local scientists consider the Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron

Peninsula) (including Baku and Sumqayit) and the Caspian Sea to be

the ecologically most devastated area in the world because of severe

air, soil, and water pollution; soil pollution results from oil

spills, from the use of DDT as a pesticide, and from toxic

defoliants used in the production of cotton

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

both the main area of the country and the Naxcivan exclave are

landlocked

People Azerbaijan

Population:

7,961,619 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 25.8% (male 1,046,501/female 1,011,492)

15-64 years: 66.3% (male 2,573,134/female 2,706,275)

65 years and over: 7.8% (male 246,556/female 377,661) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 27.7 years

male: 26.3 years

female: 29.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.66% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

20.74 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

9.75 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-4.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 79 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 81.08 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 76.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 63.85 years

male: 59.78 years

female: 68.13 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.46 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

1,400 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Azerbaijani(s), Azeri(s)

adjective: Azerbaijani, Azeri

Ethnic groups:

Azeri 90.6%, Dagestani 2.2%, Russian 1.8%, Armenian 1.5%, other

3.9% (1999 census)

note: almost all Armenians live in the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh

region

Religions:

Muslim 93.4%, Russian Orthodox 2.5%, Armenian Orthodox 2.3%, other

1.8% (1995 est.)

note: religious affiliation is still nominal in Azerbaijan;

percentages for actual practicing adherents are much lower

Languages:

Azerbaijani (Azeri) 89%, Russian 3%, Armenian 2%, other 6% (1995

est.)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.8%

male: 99.5%

female: 98.2% (2003 est.)

Government Azerbaijan

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Azerbaijan

conventional short form: Azerbaijan

local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi

local short form: Azarbaycan

former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Baku (Baki, Baky)

geographic coordinates: 40 23 N, 49 51 E

time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

59 rayons (rayonlar; rayon - singular), 11 cities (saharlar; sahar

- singular), 1 autonomous republic (muxtar respublika)

rayons: Abseron Rayonu, Agcabadi Rayonu, Agdam Rayonu, Agdas Rayonu,

Agstafa Rayonu, Agsu Rayonu, Astara Rayonu, Balakan Rayonu, Barda

Rayonu, Beylaqan Rayonu, Bilasuvar Rayonu, Cabrayil Rayonu,

Calilabad Rayonu, Daskasan Rayonu, Davaci Rayonu, Fuzuli Rayonu,

Gadabay Rayonu, Goranboy Rayonu, Goycay Rayonu, Haciqabul Rayonu,

Imisli Rayonu, Ismayilli Rayonu, Kalbacar Rayonu, Kurdamir Rayonu,

Lacin Rayonu, Lankaran Rayonu, Lerik Rayonu, Masalli Rayonu,

Neftcala Rayonu, Oguz Rayonu, Qabala Rayonu, Qax Rayonu, Qazax

Rayonu, Qobustan Rayonu, Quba Rayonu, Qubadli Rayonu, Qusar Rayonu,

Saatli Rayonu, Sabirabad Rayonu, Saki Rayonu, Salyan Rayonu, Samaxi

Rayonu, Samkir Rayonu, Samux Rayonu, Siyazan Rayonu, Susa Rayonu,

Tartar Rayonu, Tovuz Rayonu, Ucar Rayonu, Xacmaz Rayonu, Xanlar

Rayonu, Xizi Rayonu, Xocali Rayonu, Xocavand Rayonu, Yardimli

Rayonu, Yevlax Rayonu, Zangilan Rayonu, Zaqatala Rayonu, Zardab

Rayonu

cities: Ali Bayramli Sahari, Baki Sahari, Ganca Sahari, Lankaran

Sahari, Mingacevir Sahari, Naftalan Sahari, Saki Sahari, Sumqayit

Sahari, Susa Sahari, Xankandi Sahari, Yevlax Sahari

autonomous republic: Naxcivan Muxtar Respublikasi

Independence:

30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan, 28 May (1918)

Constitution:

adopted 12 November 1995

Legal system:

based on civil law system

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Ilham ALIYEV (since 31 October 2003)

head of government: Prime Minister Artur RASIZADE (since 4 November

2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Abbas ABBASOV (since 10 November

2003)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and

confirmed by the National Assembly

elections: president elected by popular vote to a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 15 October 2003

(next to be held October 2008); prime minister and first deputy

prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the

National Assembly

election results: Ilham ALIYEV elected president; percent of vote -

Ilham ALIYEV 76.8%, Isa GAMBAR 14%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Milli Mejlis (125 seats; members

elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 6 November 2005 (next to be held in November

2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

Yeni 58, Azadliq coalition 8, CSP 2, YES 2, Motherland 2, other

parties with single seats 7, independents 42, undetermined 4

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:

Azerbaijan Popular Front or APF [Ali KARIMLI, leader of "Reform"

faction; Mirmahmud MIRALI-OGLU, leader of "Classic" faction]; Civic

Solidarity Party or CSP [Sabir RUSTAMKHANLY]; Civic Union Party

[Ayaz MUTALIBOV]; Communist Party of Azerbaijan or CPA [Ramiz

AHMADOV]; Compatriot Party [Mais SAFARLI]; Democratic Party for

Azerbaijan or DPA [Rasul QULIYEV, chairman]; Justice Party [Ilyas

ISMAILOV]; Liberal Party of Azerbaijan [Lala Shovkat HACIYEVA];

Motherland Party; Musavat [Isa GAMBAR, chairman]; Yeni Azerbaijan

Party; Party for National Independence of Azerbaijan or PNIA [Etibar

MAMMADLI, chairman]; Social Democratic Party of Azerbaijan or SDP

[Araz ALIZADE]

note: opposition parties regularly factionalize and form new parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Sadval, Lezgin movement; self-proclaimed Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh

Republic; Talysh independence movement; Union of Pro-Azerbaijani

Forces (UPAF); Karabakh Liberation Organization

International organization participation:

AsDB, BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS (observer),

OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,

UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Hafiv Mir Jalal PASHAYEV

chancery: 2741 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 337-3500

FAX: [1] (202) 337-5911

Consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Anne E. DERSE embassy: 83 Azadliyg Prospecti, Baku AZ1007 mailing address: American Embassy Baku, US Department of State, 7050 Baku Place, Washington, DC 20521-7050 telephone: [994] (12) 4980-335 through 337 FAX: [994] (12) 4656-671

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and green; a

crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered in red band

Economy Azerbaijan

Economy - overview:

Azerbaijan's number one export is oil. Azerbaijan's oil production

declined through 1997, but has registered an increase every year

since. Negotiation of production-sharing arrangements (PSAs) with

foreign firms, which have thus far committed $60 billion to

long-term oilfield development, should generate the funds needed to

spur future industrial development. Oil production under the first

of these PSAs, with the Azerbaijan International Operating Company,

began in November 1997. A consortium of Western oil companies began

pumping 1 million barrels a day from a large offshore field in early

2006, through a $4 billion pipeline it built from Baku to Turkey's

Mediterranean port of Ceyhan. Economists estimate that by 2010

revenues from this project will double the country's current GDP.

Azerbaijan shares all the formidable problems of the former Soviet

republics in making the transition from a command to a market

economy, but its considerable energy resources brighten its

long-term prospects. Baku has only recently begun making progress on

economic reform, and old economic ties and structures are slowly

being replaced. Several other obstacles impede Azerbaijan's economic

progress: the need for stepped up foreign investment in the

non-energy sector, the continuing conflict with Armenia over the

Nagorno-Karabakh region, and the pervasive corruption. Trade with

Russia and the other former Soviet republics is declining in

importance while trade is building with Turkey and the nations of

Europe. Long-term prospects will depend on world oil prices, the

location of new pipelines in the region, and Azerbaijan's ability to

manage its oil wealth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$58.1 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$14.05 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

32.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$7,300 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14.1% industry: 45.7% services: 40.2% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 5.191 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 41% industry: 7% services: 52% (2001)

Unemployment rate:

1.2% official rate (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

49% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 27.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

36.5 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

8% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

44.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $6.008 billion

expenditures: $5.804 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

10.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

cotton, grain, rice, grapes, fruit, vegetables, tea, tobacco;

cattle, pigs, sheep, goats

Industries:

petroleum and natural gas, petroleum products, oilfield equipment;

steel, iron ore; cement; chemicals and petrochemicals; textiles

Industrial production growth rate:

50% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

20.35 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 89.7% hydro: 10.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

20.57 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

510 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

2.15 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

477,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

120,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

589 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

5.01 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

9.94 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

4.93 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

849.5 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$2.737 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$12.51 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

oil and gas 90%, machinery, cotton, foodstuffs

Exports - partners:

Italy 30.3%, France 9.4%, Russia 6.6%, Turkey 6.3%, Turkmenistan

6.3%, Georgia 4.8%, Israel 4.5%, Croatia 4.1% (2005)

Imports:

$5.176 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, oil products, foodstuffs, metals, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Russia 17%, UK 9.1%, Singapore 9.1%, Turkey 7.4%, Germany 6.1%,

Turkmenistan 5.8%, Ukraine 5.4%, China 4.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.8 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$2.483 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

ODA, $140 million (2000 est.)

Currency (code):

Azerbaijani manat (AZM)

Currency code:

AZM

Exchange rates:

Azerbaijani manats per US dollar - 0.89131 (2006), 4,727.1 (2005),

4,913.48 (2004), 4,910.73 (2003), 4,860.82 (2002)

note: on 1 January 2006 Azerbaijan revalued its currency, with 5,000

old manats equal to 1 new manat

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Azerbaijan

Telephones - main lines in use:

1,091,400 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2.242 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: inadequate; requires considerable expansion and

modernization; teledensity of 14 main lines per 100 persons is low

(2002)

domestic: the majority of telephones are in Baku and other

industrial centers - about 700 villages still without public

telephone service; satellite service connects Baku to a modern

switch in its exclave of Naxcivan

international: country code - 994; the old Soviet system of cable

and microwave is still serviceable; satellite earth stations - 2

(2005)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 10, FM 17, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:

175,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (1997)

Televisions:

170,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.az

Internet hosts:

880 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2000)

Internet users:

678,800 (2005)

Transportation Azerbaijan

Airports: 36 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 27 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 9

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 7 (2006)

Heliports:

1 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 3,190 km; oil 2,436 km (2006)

Railways: total: 2,957 km broad gauge: 2,957 km 1.520-m gauge (1,278 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways: total: 59,141 km paved: 29,210 km unpaved: 29,931 km (2004)

Merchant marine:

total: 84 ships (1000 GRT or over) 405,395 GRT/436,666 DWT

by type: cargo 26, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 8, petroleum tanker

43, roll on/roll off 2, specialized tanker 3

registered in other countries: 4 (Georgia 2, Malta 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Baku (Baki)

Military Azerbaijan

Military branches:

Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces

Military service age and obligation: men between 18 and 35 are liable for military service; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; length of military service is 18 months and 12 months for university graduates (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,961,973

females age 18-49: 2,033,186 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,314,955

females age 18-49: 1,676,408 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 82,358

females age 18-49: 78,067 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$121 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.6% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Azerbaijan

Disputes - international:

Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in Nagorno-Karabakh

and since the early 1990s has militarily occupied 16% of Azerbaijan;

over 800,000 mostly ethnic Azerbaijanis were driven from the

occupied lands and Armenia; about 230,000 ethnic Armenians were

driven from their homes in Azerbaijan into Armenia; Azerbaijan seeks

transit route through Armenia to connect to Naxcivan exclave;

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) continues

to mediate dispute; Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia ratify

Caspian seabed delimitation treaties based on equidistance, while

Iran continues to insist on an even one-fifth allocation and

challenges Azerbaijan's hydrocarbon exploration in disputed waters;

bilateral talks continue with Turkmenistan on dividing the seabed

and contested oilfields in the middle of the Caspian; Azerbaijan and

Georgia continue to discuss the alignment of their boundary at

certain crossing areas

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 2,800 (Russia)

IDPs: 580,000-690,000 (conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh)

(2006)

Illicit drugs:

limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for

CIS consumption; small government eradication program; transit point

for Southwest Asian opiates bound for Russia and to a lesser extent

the rest of Europe

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Bahamas, The

Introduction Bahamas, The

Background:

Lucayan Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher Columbus

first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492. British

settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became a colony

in 1783. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The

Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking and

investment management. Because of its geography, the country is a

major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly shipments

to the US, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants

into the US.

Geography Bahamas, The

Location:

Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast

of Florida, northeast of Cuba

Geographic coordinates:

24 15 N, 76 00 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 13,940 sq km

land: 10,070 sq km

water: 3,870 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

3,542 km

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

Climate:

tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream

Terrain:

long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m

Natural resources: salt, aragonite, timber, arable land

Land use: arable land: 0.58% permanent crops: 0.29% other: 99.13% (2005)

Irrigated land:

10 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind

damage

Environment - current issues:

coral reef decay; solid waste disposal

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain

of which 30 are inhabited

People Bahamas, The

Population:

303,770

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 27.5% (male 41,799/female 41,733)

15-64 years: 66.1% (male 98,847/female 102,074)

65 years and over: 6.4% (male 7,891/female 11,426) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 27.8 years

male: 27.1 years

female: 28.6 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.64% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

17.57 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

9.05 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-2.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 24.68 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 30.29 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 18.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 65.6 years

male: 62.24 years

female: 69.03 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.18 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

5,600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Bahamian(s) adjective: Bahamian

Ethnic groups:

black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3%

Religions:

Baptist 35.4%, Anglican 15.1%, Roman Catholic 13.5%, Pentecostal

8.1%, Church of God 4.8%, Methodist 4.2%, other Christian 15.2%,

none or unspecified 2.9%, other 0.8% (2000 census)

Languages:

English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 95.6%

male: 94.7%

female: 96.5% (2003 est.)

Government Bahamas, The

Country name:

conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas

conventional short form: The Bahamas

Government type:

constitutional parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Nassau

geographic coordinates: 25 05 N, 77 21 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat Island,

Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour, Green Turtle Cay,

Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long Island, Marsh

Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nichollstown and Berry Islands,

Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador and Rum Cay

Independence:

10 July 1973 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 10 July (1973)

Constitution:

10 July 1973

Legal system:

based on English common law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

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

represented by Governor General Arthur D. HANNA (since 1 February

2006)

head of government: Prime Minister Perry CHRISTIE (since 3 May 2002)

and Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia PRATT (since 7 May 2002)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime

minister's recommendation

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general

appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the

leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition

is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the

prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16-member body

appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime

minister and the opposition leader for five-year terms) and the

House of Assembly (40 seats; members elected by direct popular vote

to serve five-year terms); the government may dissolve the

Parliament and call elections at any time

elections: last held 1 May 2002 (next to be held by May 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 50.8%, FNM 41.1%,

independents 5.2%; seats by party - PLP 29, FNM 7, independents 4

Judicial branch:

Privy Council (London); Courts of Appeal; Supreme (lower) Court;

magistrates courts

Political parties and leaders:

Free National Movement or FNM [Hubert INGRAHAM]; Progressive

Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt

(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOM,

IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: vacant chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 319-2660 FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668 consulate(s) general: Miami, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador John D. ROOD

embassy: 42 Queen Street, Nassau

mailing address: local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197,

Nassau; US Department of State, 3370 Nassau Place, Washington, DC

20521-3370

telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206 (after hours)

FAX: [1] (242) 356-0222

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and

aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side

Economy Bahamas, The

Economy - overview:

The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an economy heavily

dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism together with

tourism-driven construction and manufacturing accounts for

approximately 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs half of

the archipelago's labor force. Steady growth in tourism receipts and

a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences had

led to solid GDP growth in recent years, but the slowdown in the US

economy and the attacks of 11 September 2001 held back growth in

these sectors in 2001-03. The current government has presided over a

period of economic recovery and an upturn in large-scale private

sector investments in tourism. Financial services constitute the

second-most important sector of the Bahamian economy, accounting for

about 15% of GDP. However, since December 2000, when the government

enacted new regulations on the financial sector, many international

businesses have left The Bahamas. Manufacturing and agriculture

together contribute approximately a tenth of GDP and show little

growth, despite government incentives aimed at those sectors.

Overall growth prospects in the short run rest heavily on the

fortunes of the tourism sector, which depends on growth in the US,

the source of more than 80% of the visitors.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$6.476 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$6.159 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$21,300 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 7% services: 90% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 176,300 (2004)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 5%, industry 5%, tourism 50%, other services 5% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

10.2% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:

9.3% (2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: 27%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.2% (2004)

Budget:

revenues: $1.03 billion

expenditures: $1.03 billion; including capital expenditures of $130

million (FY04/05)

Agriculture - products:

citrus, vegetables; poultry

Industries:

tourism, banking, cement, oil transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite,

pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

1.795 billion kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

1.669 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

27,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

transhipments of 29,000 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$469.3 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

mineral products and salt, animal products, rum, chemicals, fruit

and vegetables

Exports - partners:

Spain 31.8%, US 30%, Poland 9%, Germany 5.4% (2005)

Imports:

$1.82 billion (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral

fuels; food and live animals

Imports - partners:

US 20.1%, South Korea 18%, Brazil 16.9%, Spain 7%, Italy 5.8%,

Germany 4.8% (2005)

Debt - external:

$342.6 million (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$5 million (2004)

Currency (code):

Bahamian dollar (BSD)

Currency code:

BSD

Exchange rates:

Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1 (2005), 1 (2004), 1 (2003), 1

(2002)

Fiscal year:

1 July - 30 June

Communications Bahamas, The

Telephones - main lines in use:

139,900 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

186,000 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern facilities

domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed

international: country code - 1-242; tropospheric scatter and

submarine cable to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite

earth station - 2 (2005)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 3, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2006)

Radios:

215,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (2006)

Televisions:

67,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.bs

Internet hosts:

591 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

19 (2000)

Internet users:

93,000 (2005)

Transportation Bahamas, The

Airports: 64 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 29 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 35 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 22 (2006)

Heliports: 1 (2006)

Roadways: total: 2,693 km paved: 1,546 km unpaved: 1,147 km (1999)

Merchant marine:

total: 1,177 ships (1000 GRT or over) 37,743,270 GRT/50,918,747 DWT

by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 253, cargo 250, chemical

tanker 64, container 79, liquefied gas 35, livestock carrier 2,

passenger 115, passenger/cargo 34, petroleum tanker 175,

refrigerated cargo 114, roll on/roll off 20, specialized tanker 5,

vehicle carrier 30

foreign-owned: 1,093 (Angola 5, Australia 2, Belgium 13, Canada 18,

China 3, Cuba 1, Cyprus 13, Denmark 59, Estonia 1, Finland 8, France

37, Germany 22, Greece 232, Hong Kong 8, Iceland 1, India 1,

Indonesia 4, Ireland 2, Israel 1, Italy 5, Japan 51, Jordan 2, Kenya

1, Latvia 1, Malaysia 12, Monaco 17, Montenegro 2, Netherlands 24,

Nigeria 2, Norway 259, Philippines 1, Poland 15, Reunion 1, Russia

6, Saudi Arabia 12, Singapore 12, Slovenia 1, Spain 12, Sweden 6,

Switzerland 2, Thailand 1, Turkey 8, UAE 16, UK 69, Uruguay 2, US

121, Venezuela 1)

registered in other countries: 4 (Barbados 1, Liberia 1, Panama 2)

(2006)

Ports and terminals:

Freeport, Nassau, South Riding Point

Military Bahamas, The

Military branches:

Royal Bahamian Defense Force: Marines, Air Wing (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 73,121 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 44,309 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 2,804 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

NA

Transnational Issues Bahamas, The

Disputes - international:

disagrees with the US on the alignment of the maritime boundary;

continues to monitor and interdict Haitian refugees fleeing economic

privation and political instability

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and

Europe; offshore financial center

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Bahrain

Introduction Bahrain

Background:

In 1782, the Al Khalifa family captured Bahrain from the Persians.

In order to secure these holdings, it entered into a series of

treaties with the UK during the 19th century that made Bahrain a

British protectorate. The archipelago attained its independence in

1971. Bahrain's small size and central location among Persian Gulf

countries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign

affairs among its larger neighbors. Facing declining oil reserves,

Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining and has

transformed itself into an international banking center. King HAMAD

bin Isa Al Khalifa, after coming to power in 1999, pushed economic

and political reforms to improve relations with the Shia community

and Shia political societies participated in 2006 parliamentary and

municipal elections. Al Wifaq, the largest Shia political society,

won the largest number of seats in the elected chamber of the

legislature. However, Shia discontent has resurfaced in recent years

with street demonstrations and occasional low-level violence.

Geography Bahrain

Location:

Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:

26 00 N, 50 33 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 665 sq km

land: 665 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

161 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined

Climate:

arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

Terrain:

mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m

Natural resources: oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls

Land use: arable land: 2.82% permanent crops: 5.63% other: 91.55% (2005)

Irrigated land:

40 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

periodic droughts; dust storms

Environment - current issues:

desertification resulting from the degradation of limited arable

land, periods of drought, and dust storms; coastal degradation

(damage to coastlines, coral reefs, and sea vegetation) resulting

from oil spills and other discharges from large tankers, oil

refineries, and distribution stations; lack of freshwater resources,

groundwater and seawater are the only sources for all water needs

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous

Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic

location in Persian Gulf, through which much of the Western world's

petroleum must transit to reach open ocean

People Bahrain

Population: 698,585 note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 27.4% (male 96,567/female 94,650)

15-64 years: 69.1% (male 280,272/female 202,451)

65 years and over: 3.5% (male 12,753/female 11,892) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 29.4 years

male: 32.4 years

female: 25.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.45% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

17.8 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

4.14 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.38 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.07 male(s)/female

total population: 1.26 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 16.8 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 19.65 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 13.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 74.45 years

male: 71.97 years

female: 77 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.6 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

less than 600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Bahraini(s)

adjective: Bahraini

Ethnic groups:

Bahraini 62.4%, non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census)

Religions:

Muslim (Shi'a and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001

census)

Languages:

Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 89.1%

male: 91.9%

female: 85% (2003 est.)

Government Bahrain

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Bahrain

conventional short form: Bahrain

local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn

local short form: Al Bahrayn

former: Dilmun

Government type:

constitutional hereditary monarchy

Capital:

name: Manama

geographic coordinates: 26 13 N, 50 35 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 5 governorates; Asamah, Janubiyah, Muharraq, Shamaliyah, Wasat note: each governorate administered by an appointed governor

Independence:

15 August 1971 (from UK)

National holiday:

National Day, 16 December (1971); note - 15 August 1971 is the date

of independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 is the date of

independence from British protection

Constitution:

new constitution 14 February 2002

Legal system:

based on Islamic law and English common law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa al-Khalifa (since 6 March 1999);

Heir Apparent Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad (son of the monarch,

born 21 October 1969)

head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman al-Khalifa

(since 1971); Deputy Prime Ministers ALI bin Khalifa bin Salman

al-Khalifa, MUHAMMAD bin Mubarak al-Khalifa, Jawad al-ARAIDH

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch

elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister

appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch:

bicameral legislature consists of Shura Council (40 members

appointed by the King) and House of Deputies (40 members directly

elected to serve four-year terms)

elections: House of Deputies - last held November-December 2006

(next election to be held NA)

election results: House of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA;

seats by party - Sunni Islamists 18, Al Wifaq (Shia) 17, other

groupings and independents 5

note: first elections since 7 December 1973; unicameral National

Assembly dissolved 26 August 1975; National Action Charter created

bicameral legislature on 23 December 2000; approved by referendum 14

February 2001; first legislative term held from December 2002 to

December 2006

Judicial branch:

High Civil Appeals Court

Political parties and leaders: political parties prohibited but political societies were legalized per a July 2005 law

Political pressure groups and leaders: Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically in 1994-97 and have recently engaged in protests and sporadic violence, demanding more power for the elected Council of Deputies to decrease unemployment; Sunni Islamist legislators support a greater role for shari'a in daily life; several small leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt

(signatory), ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nasir bin Muhammad al-BALUSHI chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 342-1111 FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William T. MONROE embassy: Building #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Block 331, Zinj District, Manama mailing address: American Embassy Manama, PSC 451, FPO AE 09834-5100; international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama telephone: [973] 1724-2700 FAX: [973] 1727-0547

Flag description:

red, the traditional color for flags of Persian Gulf states, with a

white serrated band (five white points) on the hoist side; the five

points represent the five pillars of Islam

Economy Bahrain

Economy - overview:

With its highly developed communication and transport facilities,

Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms with business in the

Gulf. Petroleum production and refining account for about 60% of

Bahrain's export receipts, 70% of government revenues, and 20% of

GDP, underpinning Bahrain's strong economic growth in recent years.

The financial and construction sectors have also bolstered GDP

growth. Bahrain is actively pursuing the diversification and

privatization of its economy to reduce the country's dependence on

oil. As part of this effort, Bahrain and the US in August 2006

implemented a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the first FTA between the

US and a Gulf state. Unemployment, especially among the young, and

the depletion of oil and underground water resources are major

long-term economic problems.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$17.7 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$12.12 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$25,300 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 0.5%

industry: 38.7%

services: 60.8% (2005 est.)

Labor force:

352,000

note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national

(2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 1%

industry: 79%

services: 20% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:

15% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.5% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

21.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $5.582 billion

expenditures: $4.197 billion; including capital expenditures of $700

million (2006 est.)

Public debt:

34.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish

Industries:

petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron

pelletization, fertilizers, offshore banking, ship repairing, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

2% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:

7.794 billion kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

7.248 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

188,300 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

27,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

121 million bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

9.75 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

9.75 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

92.03 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$1.999 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$12.62 billion (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles

Exports - partners:

Saudi Arabia 3.3%, US 2.6%, UAE 2.3% (2005)

Imports:

$9.036 billion (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

crude oil, machinery, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Saudi Arabia 36.5%, Japan 6.6%, Germany 6.4%, US 5.4%, UK 5%, UAE

4.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.918 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$7.267 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$150 million; note - $50 million annually since 1992 from the UAE

and Kuwait (2002)

Currency (code):

Bahraini dinar (BHD)

Currency code:

BHD

Exchange rates:

Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.376 (2006), 0.376 (2005), 0.376

(2004), 0.376 (2003), 0.376 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Bahrain

Telephones - main lines in use:

196,500 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

748,700 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern system

domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network

with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephones

international: country code - 973; tropospheric scatter to Qatar and

UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to

Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 1 (1997)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

338,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

4 (1997)

Televisions:

275,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.bh

Internet hosts:

2,165 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

152,700 (2005)

Transportation Bahrain

Airports: 3 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Heliports:

1 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 20 km; oil 52 km (2006)

Roadways:

total: 3,498 km

paved: 2,768 km

unpaved: 730 km (2003)

Merchant marine:

total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 235,449 GRT/339,728 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 1, container 2, petroleum tanker 1

foreign-owned: 3 (Kuwait 3) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Mina' Salman, Sitrah

Military Bahrain

Military branches:

Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air Defense),

Navy, Air Force, National Guard

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 202,126

females age 18-49: 151,734 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 161,372

females age 18-49: 125,488 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 6,013

females age 18-49: 5,852 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$627.7 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

4.9% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Bahrain

Disputes - international:

none

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Bahrain is a destination country for men and

women from South and Southeast Asia who migrate willingly to work as

laborers or domestic servants, but may be subjected to conditions of

involuntary servitude when faced with exorbitant recruitment and

transportation fees, withholding of their passports, restrictions on

their movement, non-payment of wages, and physical or sexual abuse;

Eastern European women are also believed to be trafficked to Bahrain

for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation or forced labor

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Bahrain's efforts to address

trafficking in persons are based largely on pledges of future

efforts; the government did not enact a comprehensive

anti-trafficking law extending labor protection to domestic workers

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Bangladesh

Introduction Bangladesh

Background:

Europeans began to set up trading posts in the area of Bangladesh

in the 16th century; eventually the British came to dominate the

region and it became part of British India. In 1947, West Pakistan

and East Bengal (both primarily Muslim) separated from India

(largely Hindu) and jointly became the new country of Pakistan. East

Bengal became East Pakistan in 1955, but the awkward arrangement of

a two-part country with its territorial units separated by 1,600 km

left the Bengalis marginalized and dissatisfied. East Pakistan

seceded from its union with West Pakistan in 1971 and was renamed

Bangladesh. About a third of this extremely poor country floods

annually during the monsoon rainy season, hampering economic

development.

Geography Bangladesh

Location:

Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India

Geographic coordinates:

24 00 N, 90 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 144,000 sq km

land: 133,910 sq km

water: 10,090 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Iowa

Land boundaries: total: 4,246 km border countries: Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km

Coastline: 580 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March

to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)

Terrain:

mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Keokradong 1,230 m

Natural resources: natural gas, arable land, timber, coal

Land use: arable land: 55.39% permanent crops: 3.08% other: 41.53% (2005)

Irrigated land:

47,250 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during

the summer monsoon season

Environment - current issues:

many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate

flood-prone land; water-borne diseases prevalent in surface water;

water pollution, especially of fishing areas, results from the use

of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by naturally

occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of falling

water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil

degradation and erosion; deforestation; severe overpopulation

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers flowing

from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main channel

of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually empty

into the Bay of Bengal

People Bangladesh

Population:

147,365,352 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 32.9% (male 24,957,997/female 23,533,894)

15-64 years: 63.6% (male 47,862,774/female 45,917,674)

65 years and over: 3.5% (male 2,731,578/female 2,361,435) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 22.2 years

male: 22.2 years

female: 22.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.09% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

29.8 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

8.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.16 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 60.83 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 61.87 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 59.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 62.46 years

male: 62.47 years

female: 62.45 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.11 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

13,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

650 (2001 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E,

and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in

some locations

water contact disease: leptospirosis

animal contact disease: rabies

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified

among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a

negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens

who have close contact with birds (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Bangladeshi(s)

adjective: Bangladeshi

Ethnic groups:

Bengali 98%, tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims (1998)

Religions:

Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998)

Languages:

Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 43.1%

male: 53.9%

female: 31.8% (2003 est.)

Government Bangladesh

Country name:

conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh

conventional short form: Bangladesh

local long form: Gana Prajatantri Banladesh

local short form: Banladesh

former: East Bengal, East Pakistan

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Dhaka

geographic coordinates: 23 43 N, 90 25 E

time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

6 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi, Sylhet

Independence:

16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan); note - 26 March 1971 is the

date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is known

as Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state

of Bangladesh

National holiday:

Independence Day, 26 March (1971); note - 26 March 1971 is the date

of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is Victory Day

and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh

Constitution:

4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972; suspended following

coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986; amended many times

Legal system:

based on English common law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Iajuddin AHMED (since 6 September 2002);

note - the president's duties are normally ceremonial, but with the

13th amendment to the constitution ("Caretaker Government

Amendment"), the president's role becomes significant at times when

Parliament is dissolved and a caretaker government is installed - at

presidential direction - to supervise the elections

head of government: Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA (since 10 October

2001)

cabinet: Cabinet selected by the prime minister and appointed by the

president

elections: president elected by National Parliament for a five-year

term (eligible for a second term); election scheduled for 16

September 2002 was not held since Iajuddin AHMED was the only

presidential candidate; he was sworn in on 6 September 2002 (next

election to be held by 2007); following legislative elections, the

leader of the party that wins the most seats is usually appointed

prime minister by the president

election results: Iajuddin AHMED declared by the Election Commission

elected unopposed as president; percent of National Parliament vote

- NA

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad; 300 seats elected

by popular vote from single territorial constituencies (the

constitutional amendment reserving 30 seats for women over and above

the 300 regular parliament seats expired in May 2001); members serve

five-year terms

elections: last held 1 October 2001 (next to be held no later than

January 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - BNP and alliance

partners 41%, AL 40%; seats by party - BNP 193, AL 58, JI 17, JP

(Ershad faction) 14, IOJ 2, JP (Manzur) 4, other 12; note - the

election of October 2001 brought a majority BNP government aligned

with three other smaller parties - JI, IOJ, and Jatiya Party (Manzur)

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (the chief justices and other judges are appointed by

the president)

Political parties and leaders:

Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]; Bangladesh Communist Party or

BCP [Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK]; Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP

[Khaleda ZIA]; Islami Oikya Jote or IOJ [Mufti Fazlul Haq AMINI];

Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh or JIB [Motiur Rahman NIZAMI]; Jatiya

Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD]; Jatiya Party

(Manzur faction) [Naziur Rahman MANZUR]; Liberal Democratic Party or

LDP [Badrudozza CHOWDHURY and Oli AHMED]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ARF, AsDB, BIMSTEC, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt

(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM,

OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE,

UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,

WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Shamsher Mobin CHOWDHURY

chancery: 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183

FAX: [1] (202) 244-5366

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia A. BUTENIS

embassy: Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212

mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000

telephone: [880] (2) 885-5500

FAX: [880] (2) 882-3744

Flag description:

green field with a large red disk shifted slightly to the hoist

side of center; the red disk represents the rising sun and the

sacrifice to achieve independence; the green field symbolizes the

lush vegetation of Bangladesh

Economy Bangladesh

Economy - overview:

Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improve

economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains a poor,

overpopulated, and inefficiently-governed nation. Although more than

half of GDP is generated through the service sector, nearly

two-thirds of Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector,

with rice as the single-most-important product. Major impediments to

growth include frequent cyclones and floods, inefficient state-owned

enterprises, inadequate port facilities, a rapidly growing labor

force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploiting

energy resources (natural gas), insufficient power supplies, and

slow implementation of economic reforms. Reform is stalled in many

instances by political infighting and corruption at all levels of

government. Progress also has been blocked by opposition from the

bureaucracy, public sector unions, and other vested interest groups.

The BNP government, led by Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA, has the

parliamentary strength to push through needed reforms, but the

party's political will to do so has been lacking in key areas. On an

encouraging note, growth has been a steady 5-6% for the past several

years.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$330.8 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$69.02 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,200 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 19.9%

industry: 20.6%

services: 59.5% (2006 est.)

Labor force:

68 million

note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman,

Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances estimated at $1.71 billion

in 1998-99 (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 63% industry: 11% services: 26% (FY95/96)

Unemployment rate:

2.5% (includes underemployment) (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

45% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.9% highest 10%: 28.6% (1995-96 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

31.8 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

7.2% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

24.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $6.389 billion

expenditures: $8.694 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

46.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, pulses,

oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry

Industries:

cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper newsprint,

cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar

Industrial production growth rate:

7.2% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

18.09 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 93.7% hydro: 6.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

16.82 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

6,813 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

85,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

28.45 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

13.1 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

13.1 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

300.2 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$339 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$11.17 billion (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood

(2001)

Exports - partners:

US 23.6%, Germany 13.5%, UK 9.4%, France 6.4% (2005)

Imports:

$13.77 billion (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles,

foodstuffs, petroleum products, cement (2000)

Imports - partners:

India 14.1%, China 13.5%, Kuwait 8.5%, Singapore 6.2%, Japan 4.1%,

Hong Kong 4.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$3.278 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$22.55 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$1.575 billion (2000 est.)

Currency (code):

taka (BDT)

Currency code:

BDT

Exchange rates:

taka per US dollar - 70.235 (2006), 64.328 (2005), 59.513 (2004),

58.15 (2003), 57.888 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 July - 30 June

Communications Bangladesh

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.07 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

9 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: totally inadequate for a modern country

domestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems

include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some

fiber-optic cable in cities

international: country code - 880; satellite earth stations - 6;

international radiotelephone communications and landline service to

neighboring countries (2005)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 15, FM 13, shortwave 2 (2006)

Radios:

6.15 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

15 (1999)

Televisions:

770,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.bd

Internet hosts:

469 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

10 (2000)

Internet users:

300,000 (2005)

Transportation Bangladesh

Airports: 16 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 5 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 2,604 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 2,768 km

broad gauge: 946 km 1.676-m gauge

narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 239,226 km

paved: 22,726 km

unpaved: 216,500 km (2003)

Waterways:

8,372 km

note: includes 5,635 km main cargo routes; network reduced to 5,200

km in dry season (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 42 ships (1000 GRT or over) 341,733 GRT/485,840 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 29, container 6, passenger/cargo 1,

petroleum tanker 3

foreign-owned: 1 (China 1)

registered in other countries: 10 (Antigua and Barbuda 4, Comoros 1,

Malta 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Singapore 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Chittagong, Mongla Port

Military Bangladesh

Military branches:

Bangladesh Defense Force: Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy,

Bangladesh Air Force (Bangladesh Biman Bahini, BAF) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription

(2005)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 35,170,019 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 26,841,255 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$1.01 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.8% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Bangladesh

Disputes - international:

discussions with India remain stalled to delimit a small section of

river boundary, exchange 162 miniscule enclaves in both countries,

allocate divided villages, and stop illegal cross-border trade,

migration, violence, and transit of terrorists through the porous

border; Bangladesh resists India's attempts to fence or wall off

high-traffic sections of the porous boundary; a joint

Bangladesh-India boundary inspection in 2005 revealed 92 pillars are

missing; dispute with India over New Moore/South Talpatty/Purbasha

Island in the Bay of Bengal deters maritime boundary delimitation;

Burmese Muslim refugees strain Bangladesh's meager resources

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 21,053 (Burma)

IDPs: 65,000 (land conflicts, religious persecution) (2006)

Illicit drugs:

transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Barbados

Introduction Barbados

Background:

The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in

1627. Slaves worked the sugar plantations established on the island

until 1834 when slavery was abolished. The economy remained heavily

dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the

20th century. The gradual introduction of social and political

reforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to complete independence from the

UK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the

sugar industry in economic importance.

Geography Barbados

Location:

Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of

Venezuela

Geographic coordinates:

13 10 N, 59 32 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 431 sq km

land: 431 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

97 km

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

Climate:

tropical; rainy season (June to October)

Terrain:

relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m

Natural resources: petroleum, fish, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 37.21% permanent crops: 2.33% other: 60.46% (2005)

Irrigated land:

50 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides

Environment - current issues:

pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil

erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of

aquifers

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

easternmost Caribbean island

People Barbados

Population:

279,912 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 20.1% (male 28,160/female 28,039)

15-64 years: 71.1% (male 97,755/female 101,223)

65 years and over: 8.8% (male 9,508/female 15,227) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 34.6 years

male: 33.4 years

female: 35.6 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.37% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

12.71 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

8.67 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 11.77 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 13.38 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 10.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 72.79 years

male: 70.79 years

female: 74.82 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.65 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

2,500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)

adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)

Ethnic groups:

black 90%, white 4%, Asian and mixed 6%

Religions:

Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other

12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12%

Languages:

English

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 99.7%

male: 99.7%

female: 99.7% (2002 est.)

Government Barbados

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

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Bridgetown

geographic coordinates: 13 06 N, 59 37 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

11 parishes and 1 city*; Bridgetown*, Christ Church, Saint Andrew,

Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy,

Saint Michael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas

Independence:

30 November 1966 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 30 November (1966)

Constitution:

30 November 1966

Legal system:

English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts; accepts

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

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

represented by Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS

(since 1 June 1996)

head of government: Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 7

September 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Mia MOTTLEY (since 26 May

2003)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of

the prime minister

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general

appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the

leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition

is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the

prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (21-member body

appointed by the governor general) and the House of Assembly (30

seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year

terms)

elections: House of Assembly - last held 21 May 2003 (next to be

held by May 2008)

election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;

seats by party - BLP 23, DLP 7

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the Service

Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Services); Caribbean Court of

Justice is the highest court of appeal

Political parties and leaders:

Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; Democratic Labor Party

or DLP [David THOMPSON]; People's Empowerment Party or PEP [David

COMISSIONG]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Barbados Secondary Teachers' Union or BSTU [Patrick FROST];

Barbados Union of Teachers or BUT [Herbert GITTENS]; Congress of

Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados or CTUSAB, which

includes the BWU, NUPW, BUT, and BSTU [Leroy TROTMAN]; Barbados

Workers Union or BWU [Leroy TROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor Union

[David COMISSIONG]; National Union of Public Workers [Joseph GODDARD]

International organization participation:

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,

IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, ITUC,

LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,

WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael Ian KING

chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 939-9200

FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467

consulate(s) general: Miami, New York

consulate(s): Los Angeles

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Mary M. OURISMAN

embassy: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street,

Bridgetown; (courier) ALICO Building-Cheapside, Bridgetown

mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; CMR 1014, APO AA 34055

telephone: [1] (246) 436-4950

FAX: [1] (246) 429-5246, 429-3379

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and blue

with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the

trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the

colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)

Economy Barbados

Economy - overview:

Historically, the Barbadian economy had been dependent on sugarcane

cultivation and related activities, but production in recent years

has diversified into light industry and tourism. Offshore finance

and information services are important foreign exchange earners. The

government continues its efforts to reduce unemployment, to

encourage direct foreign investment, and to privatize remaining

state-owned enterprises. The economy contracted in 2002-03 mainly

due to a decline in tourism. Growth was positive in 2005-06, as

economic conditions in the US and Europe moderately improved.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$5.108 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$3.157 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$18,200 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 16% services: 78% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 128,500 (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 10% industry: 15% services: 75% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate:

10.7% (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

-0.5% (2003 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $847 million (including grants)

expenditures: $886 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:

sugarcane, vegetables, cotton

Industries:

tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export

Industrial production growth rate:

-3.2% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:

896 million kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

833.3 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

1,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

11,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

1.254 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

29.17 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

29.17 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

141.6 million cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Exports:

$209 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals,

electrical components

Exports - partners:

US 18.6%, Trinidad and Tobago 15%, UK 12.1%, Saint Lucia 8.4%,

Jamaica 7.9%, Grenada 4.6%, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4.6%

(2005)

Imports:

$1.476 billion (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials,

chemicals, fuel, electrical components

Imports - partners:

US 37.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 22.1%, UK 5.5%, Japan 5.2% (2005)

Debt - external:

$668 million (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:

$9.1 million (1995)

Currency (code):

Barbadian dollar (BBD)

Currency code:

BBD

Exchange rates:

Barbadian dollars per US dollar - 2 (2005), 2 (2004), 2 (2003), 2

(2002)

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications Barbados

Telephones - main lines in use:

134,900 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

206,200 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: island-wide automatic telephone system

international: country code - 1-246; satellite earth stations - 1

(Intelsat -Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and

Saint Lucia

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 6, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:

237,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (plus two cable channels) (2004)

Televisions:

76,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.bb

Internet hosts:

282 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

19 (2000)

Internet users:

160,000 (2005)

Transportation Barbados

Airports: 1 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 1,600 km

paved: 1,600 km (2004)

Merchant marine:

total: 58 ships (1000 GRT or over) 433,390 GRT/664,998 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 32, chemical tanker 7, passenger 1,

passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 2,

specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 57 (Bahamas, The 1, Canada 8, Greece 11, Lebanon 1,

Monaco 1, Norway 29, UAE 1, UK 5)

registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Bridgetown

Military Barbados

Military branches:

Royal Barbados Defense Force: Troops Command, Coast Guard (2005)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; volunteers at

earlier age with parental consent; no conscription (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 71,524

females age 18-49: 72,302 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 54,510

females age 18-49: 54,889 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

NA

Military - note:

the Royal Barbados Defense Force includes a land-based Troop

Command and a small Coast Guard; the primary role of the land

element is to defend the island against external aggression; the

Command consists of a single, part-time battalion with a small

regular cadre that is deployed throughout the island; it

increasingly supports the police in patrolling the coastline to

prevent smuggling and other illicit activities (2005)

Transnational Issues Barbados

Disputes - international:

in 2005, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago agreed to compulsory

international arbitration that will result in a binding award

challenging whether the northern limit of Trinidad and Tobago's and

Venezuela's maritime boundary extends into Barbadian waters and the

southern limit of Barbadian traditional fishing; joins other

Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island

sustains human habitation, a criterion under the UN Convention on

the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which permits Venezuela to extend its

EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:

one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for

Europe and the US; offshore financial center

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Belarus

Introduction Belarus

Background:

After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR, Belarus

attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer political

and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former Soviet

republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state union

on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic

integration. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the

accord, serious implementation has yet to take place. Since his

election in July 1994 as the country's first president, Alexandr

LUKASHENKO has steadily consolidated his power through authoritarian

means. Government restrictions on freedom of speech and the press,

peaceful assembly, and religion continue.

Geography Belarus

Location:

Eastern Europe, east of Poland

Geographic coordinates:

53 00 N, 28 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 207,600 sq km

land: 207,600 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Kansas

Land boundaries:

total: 2,900 km

border countries: Latvia 141 km, Lithuania 502 km, Poland 407 km,

Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between

continental and maritime

Terrain:

generally flat and contains much marshland

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m

highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m

Natural resources:

forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas,

granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay

Land use: arable land: 26.77% permanent crops: 0.6% other: 72.63% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,310 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues: soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of the country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident at Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of

Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes

People Belarus

Population:

10,293,011 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 15.7% (male 825,823/female 791,741)

15-64 years: 69.7% (male 3,490,442/female 3,682,950)

65 years and over: 14.6% (male 498,976/female 1,003,079) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 37.2 years

male: 34.5 years

female: 39.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.06% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

11.16 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

14.02 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

2.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female

total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 13 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 13.92 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 12.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 69.08 years

male: 63.47 years

female: 74.98 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.43 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

15,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

1,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Belarusian(s)

adjective: Belarusian

Ethnic groups:

Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish 3.9%, Ukrainian 2.4%, other

1.1% (1999 census)

Religions:

Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant,

Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)

Languages:

Belarusian, Russian, other

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.6%

male: 99.8%

female: 99.5% (2003 est.)

Government Belarus

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Belarus

conventional short form: Belarus

local long form: Respublika Byelarus'

local short form: Byelarus'

former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship

Capital:

name: Minsk

geographic coordinates: 53 54 N, 27 34 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

6 provinces (voblastsi, singular - voblasts') and 1 municipality*

(horad); Brest, Homyel', Horad Minsk*, Hrodna, Mahilyow, Minsk,

Vitsyebsk

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their

administrative centers

Independence:

25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 3 July (1944); note - 3 July 1944 was the date

Minsk was liberated from German troops, 25 August 1991 was the date

of independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution:

15 March 1994; revised by national referendum of 24 November 1996

giving the presidency greatly expanded powers and became effective

27 November 1996; revised again 17 October 2004 removing

presidential term limits

Legal system:

based on civil law system

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994)

head of government: Prime Minister Sergei SIDORSKIY (since 19

December 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir SEMASHKO (since

December 2003)

cabinet: Council of Ministers

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;

first election took place 23 June and 10 July 1994; according to the

1994 constitution, the next election should have been held in 1999,

however, Aleksandr LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001 via a

November 1996 referendum; subsequent election held 9 September 2001;

an October 2004 referendum ended presidential term limits and

allowed the president to run in a third election, which was held on

19 March 2006; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed

by the president

election results: Aleksandr LUKASHENKO reelected president; percent

of vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 82.6%, Aleksandr MILINKEVICH 6%,

Aleksandr KOZULIN 2.3%; note - election marred by electoral fraud

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Assembly or Natsionalnoye Sobranie consists of

the Council of the Republic or Soviet Respubliki (64 seats; 56

members elected by regional councils and 8 members appointed by the

president, all for four-year terms) and the Chamber of

Representatives or Palata Predstaviteley (110 seats; members elected

by universal adult suffrage to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 17 and 31 October 2004; international observers

widely denounced the elections as flawed and undemocratic, based on

massive government falsification; pro-LUKASHENKO candidates won

every seat, after many opposition candidates were disqualified for

technical reasons

election results: Soviet Respubliki - percent of vote by party - NA;

seats by party - NA; Palata Predstaviteley - percent of vote by

party - NA; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president);

Constitutional Court (half of the judges appointed by the president

and half appointed by the Chamber of Representatives)

Political parties and leaders:

pro-government parties: Agrarian Party or AP [Mikhail SHIMANSKY];

Belarusian Communist Party or KPB; Belarusian Patriotic Movement

(Belarusian Patriotic Party) or BPR [Nikolai ULAKHOVICH, chairman];

Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus [Sergei GAYDUKEVICH]; Party of

Labor and Justice [Viktor SOKOLOV]; Social-Sports Party [Vladimir

ALEXANDROVICH]

opposition parties: 10 Plus Coalition [Alyaksandr MILINKEVICH],

includes: Belarusian Party of Communists or PKB [Syarhey KALYAKIN];

Belarusian Party of Labor (unregistered) [Aleksandr BUKHVOSTOV,

Leonid LEMESHONAK]; Belarusian Popular Front or BPF [Vintsyuk

VYACHORKA]; Belarusian Social-Democratic Gramada [Stanislav

SHUSHKEVICH]; Green Party [Oleg GROMYKO]; Party of Freedom and

Progress (unregistered) [Vladimir NOVOSYAD]; United Civic Party or

UCP [Anatol LYABEDKA]; Women's Party "Nadezhda" [Valentina

MATUSEVICH, chairperson]

other opposition includes: Belarusian Social-Democratic Party

Nardonaya Hromada or BSDP NH [Alyaksandr KOZULIN, chairman];

Christian Conservative BPF [Zyanon PAZNIAK]; Ecological Party of

Greens [Mikhail KARTASH]; Party of Popular Accord [Sergei YERMAKK];

Republican Party [Vladimir BELAZOR]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Assembly of Pro-Democratic NGOs [Sergey MATSKEVICH]; Belarusian

Congress of Democratic Trade Unions [Alyaksandr YAROSHUK];

Belarusian Helsinki Committee [Tatiana PROTKO]; Belarusian

Organization of Working Women [Irina ZHIKHAR]; Charter 97 [Andrey

SANNIKOV]; Lenin Communist Union of Youth (youth wing of the

Belarusian Party of Communists or PKB); National Strike Committee of

Entrepreneurs [Aleksandr VASILYEV, Valery LEVONEVSKY]; Partnership

NGO [Nikolay ASTREYKA]; Perspektiva kiosk watchdog NGO [Anatol

SHUMCHENKO]; Vyasna [Ales BYALATSKY]; Women's Independent Democratic

Movement [Ludmila PETINA]; Youth Front (Malady Front) [Dzmitryy

DASHKEVICH, Syarhey BAKHUN]; Zubr youth group [Vladimir KOBETS]

International organization participation:

BSEC (observer), CEI, CIS, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU,

ITUC, MIGA, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Mikhail KHVOSTOV

chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 986-1604

FAX: [1] (202) 986-1805

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Karen B. STEWART

embassy: 46 Starovilenskaya St., Minsk 220002

mailing address: PSC 78, Box B Minsk, APO 09723

telephone: [375] (17) 210-12-83, 217-7347, 217-7348

FAX: [375] (17) 234-7853

Flag description:

red horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-half the

width of the red band; a white vertical stripe on the hoist side

bears Belarusian national ornamentation in red

Economy Belarus

Economy - overview:

Belarus's economy in 2006 posted more than 8% growth. The

government has succeeded in lowering inflation over the past several

years. Trade with Russia - by far its largest single trade partner -

decreased in 2006, largely as a result of a change in the way the

Value Added Tax (VAT) on trade was collected. Trade with European

countries increased. Belarus has seen little structural reform since

1995, when President LUKASHENKO launched the country on the path of

"market socialism." In keeping with this policy, LUKASHENKO

reimposed administrative controls over prices and currency exchange

rates and expanded the state's right to intervene in the management

of private enterprises. Since 2005, the government has

re-nationalized a number of private companies. In addition,

businesses have been subject to pressure by central and local

governments, e.g., arbitrary changes in regulations, numerous

rigorous inspections, retroactive application of new business

regulations, and arrests of "disruptive" businessmen and factory

owners. A wide range of redistributive policies has helped those at

the bottom of the ladder; the Gini coefficient is among the lowest

in the world. Because of these restrictive economic policies,

Belarus has had trouble attracting foreign investment, which remains

low. Growth has been strong in recent years, despite the roadblocks

in a tough, centrally directed economy with a high, but decreasing,

rate of inflation. Belarus receives heavily discounted oil and

natural gas from Russia and much of Belarus' growth can be

attributed to the re-export of Russian oil at market prices. This

growth will be threatened in 2007, however, when Russia raises

energy prices closer to world market prices for Belarus. Russia is

planning to increase Belarusian gas prices from $47 per thousand

cubic meters (tcm) to $200 per tcm and introduce a first-time export

duty of $180 per ton on oil shipped to Belarus.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$80.74 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$28.56 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

8.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$7,800 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9.3% industry: 31.6% services: 59.1% (2005 est.)

Labor force: 4.3 million (31 December 2005)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 14% industry: 34.7% services: 51.3% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:

1.6% officially registered unemployed; large number of

underemployed workers (2005)

Population below poverty line:

27.1% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 5.1% highest 10%: 20% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

30.4 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

9.5% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

25.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $6.578 billion

expenditures: $7.164 billion; including capital expenditures of $180

million (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk

Industries:

metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers,

motorcycles, televisions, chemical fibers, fertilizer, textiles,

radios, refrigerators

Industrial production growth rate:

15.6% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:

29.33 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.5% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0.4% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

31.05 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

4.723 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

8.5 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

34,260 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

165,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

14,500 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - imports:

360,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:

180 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

20.5 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

16.22 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-511.8 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$19.61 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals, metals,

textiles, foodstuffs

Exports - partners:

Russia 35.8%, Netherlands 15.1%, UK 7%, Ukraine 5.7%, Poland 5.3%,

Germany 4.4% (2005)

Imports:

$21.12 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

mineral products, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs,

metals

Imports - partners:

Russia 60.6%, Germany 6.7%, Ukraine 5.4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.329 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$5.498 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$194.3 million (1995)

Currency (code):

Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR)

Currency code:

BYB/BYR

Exchange rates:

Belarusian rubles per US dollar - 2,220 (2006), 2,150 (2005),

2,160.26 (2004), 2,051.27 (2003), 1,790.92 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Belarus

Telephones - main lines in use:

3,284,300 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

4.098 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: Belarus lags behind its neighbors in upgrading

telecommunications infrastructure; state-owned Beltelcom, is the

sole provider of fixed line local and long distance service;

modernization of the network to digital switching progressing slowly

domestic: fixed line penetration is improving although rural areas

continue to be underserved; four GSM wireless networks are

experiencing rapid growth; strict government controls on

telecommunications technologies

international: country code - 375; Belarus is a member of the

Trans-European Line (TEL), Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line,

and has access to the Trans-Siberia Line (TSL); three fiber-optic

segments provide connectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, and

Ukraine; worldwide service is available to Belarus through this

infrastructure; additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat,

Eutelsat, and Intersputnik earth stations

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 28, FM 37, shortwave 11 (1998)

Radios:

3.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

47 (plus 27 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:

2.52 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.by

Internet hosts:

33,641 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

23 (2002)

Internet users:

3,394,400 (2005)

Transportation Belarus

Airports: 86 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 41

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 22

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 12 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 45

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 6

under 914 m: 35 (2006)

Heliports:

1 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 5,223 km; oil 2,321 km; refined products 1,686 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 5,512 km

broad gauge: 5,497 km 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified)

standard gauge: 15 km 1.435 m (2005)

Roadways:

total: 93,310 km

paved: 81,180 km

unpaved: 12,130 km (2004)

Waterways:

2,500 km (use limited by location on perimeter of country and by

shallowness) (2003)

Ports and terminals:

Mazyr

Military Belarus

Military branches:

Belarus Armed Forces: Land Force, Air and Air Defense Force (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18-27 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript

service obligation - 18 months (2005)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 2,520,644

females age 18-49: 2,564,696 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,657,984

females age 18-49: 2,102,793 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 85,202

females age 18-49: 82,037 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$420.5 million (2006)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.4% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Belarus

Disputes - international:

1997 boundary treaty with Ukraine remains unratified over

unresolved financial claims, preventing demarcation and diminishing

border security; the whole boundary with Latvia and more than half

the boundary with Lithuania remains undemarcated; discussions toward

economic and political union with Russia proceed slowly

Illicit drugs:

limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for the

domestic market; transshipment point for illicit drugs to and via

Russia, and to the Baltics and Western Europe; a small and lightly

regulated financial center; new anti-money-laundering legislation

does not meet international standards; few investigations or

prosecutions of money-laundering activities

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Belgium

Introduction Belgium

Background:

Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was

occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country

prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically

advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions

between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the

French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to

constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition

and autonomy.

Geography Belgium

Location:

Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the

Netherlands

Geographic coordinates:

50 50 N, 4 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 30,528 sq km

land: 30,278 sq km

water: 250 sq km

Area - comparative:

about the size of Maryland

Land boundaries:

total: 1,385 km

border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km,

Netherlands 450 km

Coastline:

66.5 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit

continental shelf: median line with neighbors

Climate:

temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy

Terrain:

flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged

mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: North Sea 0 m

highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m

Natural resources:

construction materials, silica sand, carbonates

Land use: arable land: 27.42% permanent crops: 0.69% other: 71.89% note: includes Luxembourg (2005)

Irrigated land:

400 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal

land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes

Environment - current issues:

the environment is exposed to intense pressures from human

activities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry,

extensive animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water

pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries;

uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now

resolved) have slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile

Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,

Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic

Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life

Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical

Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:

crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European capitals

within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European Union and

NATO

People Belgium

Population:

10,379,067 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 16.7% (male 883,254/female 846,099)

15-64 years: 65.9% (male 3,450,879/female 3,389,565)

65 years and over: 17.4% (male 746,569/female 1,062,701) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 40.9 years

male: 39.6 years

female: 42.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.13% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

10.38 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

10.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

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

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.62 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5.2 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.77 years

male: 75.59 years

female: 82.09 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.64 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

10,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Belgian(s)

adjective: Belgian

Ethnic groups:

Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%

Languages:

Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less

than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government Belgium

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium

conventional short form: Belgium

local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie

local short form: Belgique/Belgie

Government type:

federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Brussels

geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 20 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

10 provinces (French: provinces, singular - province; Dutch:

provincies, singular - provincie) and 3 regions* (French: regions;

Dutch: gewesten); Brussels* (Bruxelles) capital region; Flanders*

region (five provinces): Antwerpen (Antwerp), Limburg,

Oost-Vlaanderen (East Flanders), Vlaams-Brabant (Flemish Brabant),

West-Vlaanderen (West Flanders); Wallonia* region (five provinces):

Brabant Wallon (Walloon Brabant), Hainaut, Liege, Luxembourg, Namur

note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered

devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of

government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a

complex division of responsibilities

Independence:

4 October 1830 (a provisional government declares independence from

the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King Leopold I ascends to the throne)

National holiday:

21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King Leopold I

Constitution:

7 February 1831; amended many times; revised 14 July 1993 to create

a federal state

Legal system:

civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory;

judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir Apparent

Prince PHILIPPE, son of the monarch

head of government: Prime Minister Guy VERHOFSTADT (since 13 July

1999)

cabinet: Council of Ministers formally appointed by the monarch

elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary and constitutional;

following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or

the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime

minister by the monarch and then approved by parliament

note: government coalition - VLD, MR, PS, SP.A-Spirit

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat in Dutch, Senat

in French (71 seats; 40 members are directly elected by popular

vote, 31 are indirectly elected; members serve four-year terms) and

a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers in Dutch,

Chambre des Representants in French (150 seats; members are directly

elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation

to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies - last held 18 May 2003

(next to be held 10 June 2007)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - SP.A-Spirit

15.5%, VLD 15.4%, CD & V 12.7%, PS 12.8%, MR 12.1%, VB 9.4%, CDH

5.6%; seats by party - SP.A-Spirit 7, VLD 7, CD & V 6, PS 6, MR 5,

VB 5, CDH 2, other 2 (note - there are also 31 indirectly elected

senators); Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - VLD

15.4%, SP.A-Spirit 14.9%, CD & V 13.3%, PS 13.0%, VB 11.6%, MR

11.4%, CDH 5.5%, Ecolo 3.1%; seats by party - VLD 25, SP.A-Spirit

23, CD & V 21, PS 25, VB 18, MR 24, CDH 8, Ecolo 4, other 2

note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered

devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of

government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a

complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six

governments each with its own legislative assembly

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) or Cour de

Cassation (in French) (judges are appointed for life by the

government; candidacies have to be submitted by the High Justice

Council)

Political parties and leaders:

Flemish parties: Christian Democrats and Flemish or CD & V [Jo

VANDEURZEN]; Flemish Liberal and Democrats or VLD [Bart SOMERS];

GROEN! (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens) [Vera DUA]; New Flemish

Alliance or NVA [Bart DE WEVER]; Social Progressive Alternative or

SP.A [Johan Vande LANOTTE]; Spirit [Geert LAMBERT] (new party now

associated with SP.A); Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [Frank

VANHECKE]

Francophone parties: Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUX,

Isabelle DURANT, Claude BROUIR]; Humanist and Democratic Center of

CDH [Joelle MILQUET]; National Front or FN [Daniel FERET]; Reform

Movement or MR [Didier REYNDERS]; Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI

RUPO]; other minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Christian, Socialist, and Liberal Trade Unions; Federation of

Belgian Industries; numerous other associations representing

bankers, manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the legal and

medical professions; various organizations represent the cultural

interests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such as Pax

Christi and groups representing immigrants

International organization participation:

ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC,

EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NEA,

NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA,

SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR,

UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO,

WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dominique STRUYE DE SWIELANDE chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900 FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York consulate(s): Atlanta

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Tom C. KOROLOGOS; note - Ambassador-designate Sam FOX may take his place in early 2007; must face Senate confirmation hearing embassy: Regentlaan 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710 telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111 FAX: [32] (2) 511-2725

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red;

the design was based on the flag of France

Economy Belgium

Economy - overview:

This modern, private-enterprise economy has capitalized on its

central geographic location, highly developed transport network, and

diversified industrial and commercial base. Industry is concentrated

mainly in the populous Flemish area in the north. With few natural

resources, Belgium must import substantial quantities of raw

materials and export a large volume of manufactures, making its

economy unusually dependent on the state of world markets. Roughly

three-quarters of its trade is with other EU countries. Public debt

is more than 90% of GDP. On the positive side, the government has

succeeded in balancing its budget, and income distribution is

relatively equal. Belgium began circulating the euro currency in

January 2002. Economic growth in 2001-03 dropped sharply because of

the global economic slowdown, with moderate recovery in 2004-06.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$330.4 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$367.8 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$31,800 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 24% services: 74.9% (2005 est.)

Labor force: 4.89 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 1.3% industry: 24.5% services: 74.2% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:

8.1% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

4% (1989 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 23% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

25 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.1% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

19.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $195.7 billion

expenditures: $195.5 billion; including capital expenditures of

$1.56 billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:

90.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal,

pork, milk

Industries:

engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly,

transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and

beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum

Industrial production growth rate:

3% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

80.22 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 38.4% hydro: 0.6% nuclear: 59.3% other: 1.8% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

82.41 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

6.8 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

14.6 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

10,690 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

641,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

450,000 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

1.042 million bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

17.06 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

16.88 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$6.925 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$335.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal

products, foodstuffs

Exports - partners:

Germany 19.4%, France 17.3%, Netherlands 11.7%, UK 8.2%, US 6.4%,

Italy 5.3% (2005)

Imports:

$333.5 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, pharmaceuticals,

foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products

Imports - partners:

Netherlands 17.8%, Germany 17.2%, France 11.4%, UK 6.8%, Ireland

6.5%, US 5.4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$9.626 billion (August 2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.053 trillion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - donor:

ODA, $1.072 billion (2002)

Currency (code):

euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the

euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of

member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole

currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:

EUR

Exchange rates:

euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),

0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Belgium

Telephones - main lines in use:

4.801 million (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

9.46 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: highly developed, technologically advanced, and

completely automated domestic and international telephone and

telegraph facilities

domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable

network; limited microwave radio relay network

international: country code - 32; submarine cables - 5; satellite

earth stations - 7 (Intelsat - 3) (2005)

Radio broadcast stations:

FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:

8.075 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:

4.72 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.be

Internet hosts:

2,870,770 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

61 (2000)

Internet users:

5.1 million (2005)

Transportation Belgium

Airports: 43 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 25 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 7 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 16 (2006)

Heliports:

1 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 1,561 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 3,521 km

standard gauge: 3,521 km 1.435-m gauge (2,927 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:

total: 150,567 km

paved: 117,442 km (including 1,747 km of expressways)

unpaved: 33,125 km (2004)

Waterways:

2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2003)

Merchant marine:

total: 66 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,952,159 GRT/6,521,645 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 19, cargo 4, chemical tanker 2, container 10,

liquefied gas 15, petroleum tanker 12, roll on/roll off 4

foreign-owned: 10 (Denmark 4, Greece 4, UK 2)

registered in other countries: 113 (Antigua and Barbuda 4, Bahamas

13, Bermuda 4, Cyprus 1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 6,

Georgia 1, Gibraltar 2, Greece 12, Hong Kong 3, Luxembourg 9, Malta

10, Mozambique 2, Netherlands 2, Netherlands Antilles 4, Panama 11,

Portugal 8, Russia 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Singapore

12, Sweden 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Antwerp, Brussels, Gent, Liege, Oostende, Zeebrugge

Military Belgium

Military branches:

Belgian Armed Forces: Land, Naval, and Air Operations Commands

(2005)

Military service age and obligation:

16 years of age for voluntary military service; women comprise

approx. 7% of the Belgian armed forces (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,436,736

females age 16-49: 2,369,463 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,998,003

females age 16-49: 1,940,918 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 64,263

females age 16-49: 61,402 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$3.999 billion (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.3% (2003)

Transnational Issues Belgium

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

growing producer of synthetic drugs; transit point for US-bound

ecstasy; source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine

processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin, hashish, and

marijuana entering Western Europe; despite a strengthening of

legislation, the country remains vulnerable to money laundering

related to narcotics, automobiles, alcohol, and tobacco

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Belize

Introduction Belize

Background:

Belize was the site of several Mayan city states until their

decline at the end of the first millennium A.D. The British and

Spanish disputed the region in the 17th and 18th centuries; it

formally became the colony of British Honduras in 1854. Territorial

disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of

Belize until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation

until 1992. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. Current

concerns include high unemployment, growing involvement in the South

American drug trade, and increasing urban crime.

Geography Belize

Location:

Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and

Mexico

Geographic coordinates:

17 15 N, 88 45 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 22,966 sq km

land: 22,806 sq km

water: 160 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Land boundaries: total: 516 km border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km

Coastline:

386 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm in the north, 3 nm in the south; note - from

the mouth of the Sarstoon River to Ranguana Cay, Belize's

territorial sea is 3 nm; according to Belize's Maritime Areas Act,

1992, the purpose of this limitation is to provide a framework for

negotiating a definitive agreement on territorial differences with

Guatemala

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry

season (February to May)

Terrain:

flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Victoria Peak 1,160 m

Natural resources: arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 3.05% permanent crops: 1.39% other: 95.56% (2005)

Irrigated land:

30 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal

flooding (especially in south)

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents,

agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

only country in Central America without a coastline on the North

Pacific Ocean

People Belize

Population:

287,730 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 39.5% (male 57,923/female 55,678)

15-64 years: 57% (male 82,960/female 81,046)

65 years and over: 3.5% (male 4,888/female 5,235) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 19.6 years

male: 19.5 years

female: 19.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.31% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

28.84 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

5.72 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

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

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

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 24.89 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 28.07 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 21.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 68.3 years

male: 66.43 years

female: 70.26 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.6 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

2.4% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

3,600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Belizean(s) adjective: Belizean

Ethnic groups:

mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Pentecostal 7.4%, Anglican

5.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%, Mennonite 4.1%, Methodist 3.5%,

Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%), other 14%, none 9.4% (2000)

Languages:

English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib), Creole

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 94.1%

male: 94.1%

female: 94.1% (2003 est.)

Government Belize

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Belize former: British Honduras

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Belmopan

geographic coordinates: 17 15 N, 88 46 W

time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

Administrative divisions:

6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo

Independence:

21 September 1981 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 21 September (1981)

Constitution:

21 September 1981

Legal system:

English law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

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

represented by Governor General Sir Colville YOUNG, Sr. (since 17

November 1993)

head of government: Prime Minister Said Wilbert MUSA (since 28

August 1998); Deputy Prime Minister John BRICENO (since 1 September

1998)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of

the prime minister

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general

appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the

leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition

is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; prime

minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (12 members

appointed by the governor general - 6 on the advice of the prime

minister, 3 on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and 1

each on the advice of the Belize Council of Churches and Evangelical

Association of Churches, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry

and the Belize Better Business Bureau, and the National Trade Union

Congress and the Civil Society Steering Committee; members are

appointed for five-year terms) and the House of Representatives (29

seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year

terms)

elections: House of Representatives - last held 5 March 2003 (next

to be held March 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

PUP 21, UDP 8

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor

general on the advice of the prime minister)

Political parties and leaders:

People's United Party or PUP [Said MUSA]; United Democratic Party

or UDP [Dean BARROW, party leader; Douglas SINGH, party chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR [Adele

CATZIM]

International organization participation:

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,

ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU,

ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Lisa M. SHOMAN

chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636

FAX: [1] (202) 332-6888

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert J. DIETER

embassy: Floral Park Road, Belmopan City, Cayo District

mailing address: 3050 Belize Place, Washington DC 20521-3050

telephone: [501] 227-7161 through 7163

FAX: [501] 223-0802

Flag description:

blue with a narrow red stripe along the top and the bottom edges;

centered is a large white disk bearing the coat of arms; the coat of

arms features a shield flanked by two workers in front of a mahogany

tree with the related motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I Flourish in the

Shade) on a scroll at the bottom, all encircled by a green garland

Economy Belize

Economy - overview:

In this small, essentially private-enterprise economy the tourism

industry is the number one foreign exchange earner followed by

marine products, citrus, cane sugar, bananas, and garments. The

government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in

September 1998, led to sturdy GDP growth averaging nearly 4% in

1999-2006. Major concerns continue to be the sizable trade deficit

and unsustainable foreign debt. The government in 2006 announced it

would seek a restructuring of its sovereign debt and has been

negotiating with international creditors to find an acceptable

formula for doing so. A key short-term objective remains the

reduction of poverty with the help of international donors.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$2.307 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.141 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.5% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$8,400 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 22.5%

industry: 14.8%

services: 62.6% (2006 est.)

Labor force:

90,000

note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel

(2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 27%

industry: 18%

services: 55% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:

12.9% (2003)

Population below poverty line:

33.5% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

18.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $302.5 million

expenditures: $357.5 million; including capital expenditures of $70

million (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products: bananas, coca, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber; garments

Industries:

garment production, food processing, tourism, construction

Industrial production growth rate:

4.6% (1999)

Electricity - production:

175 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 59.9% hydro: 40.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

162.8 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

6,400 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-173.4 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$359.5 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood

Exports - partners:

US 30.6%, UK 25%, France 4.8% (2005)

Imports:

$543 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels,

chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco

Imports - partners:

US 31%, Mexico 11.6%, Russia 8.8%, Cuba 6%, Guatemala 5.6%, China

4.6%, Spain 4.5% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$78.96 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.362 billion (June 2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$NA

Currency (code):

Belizean dollar (BZD)

Currency code:

BZD

Exchange rates:

Belizean dollars per US dollar - 2 (2006), 2 (2005), 2 (2004), 2

(2003), 2 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications Belize

Telephones - main lines in use:

33,300 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

93,100 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: above-average system

domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay

international: country code - 501; satellite earth station - 8

(Intelsat - 2, unknown - 6) (2005)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

133,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (1997)

Televisions:

41,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.bz

Internet hosts:

3,905 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2000)

Internet users:

35,000 (2005)

Transportation Belize

Airports: 43 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 5

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 38

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 11

under 914 m: 26 (2006)

Roadways: total: 2,872 km paved: 488 km unpaved: 2,384 km (1999)

Waterways:

825 km (navigable only by small craft) (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 285 ships (1000 GRT or over) 985,464 GRT/1,322,629 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 36, cargo 203, chemical tanker 7, container 4,

passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 13, refrigerated cargo 12, roll

on/roll off 6, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 225 (China 103, Croatia 1, Cyprus 2, Estonia 3,

Germany 3, Greece 2, Hong Kong 8, Iceland 2, Indonesia 2, Italy 4,

Japan 2, North Korea 2, South Korea 4, Latvia 6, Lithuania 1,

Malaysia 1, Mexico 1, Norway 2, Poland 2, Russia 36, Singapore 6,

Spain 3, Switzerland 1, Turkey 11, UAE 5, Ukraine 7, US 5) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Belize City

Military Belize

Military branches:

Belize Defense Force (BDF): Army, Maritime Wing, Air Wing, and

Volunteer Guard

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; laws allow for conscription only if volunteers are insufficient; conscription has never been implemented; volunteers typically outnumber available positions by 3:1 (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 61,201

females age 18-49: 60,048 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 44,238

females age 18-49: 43,633 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 3,213

females age 18-49: 3,100 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$19 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.7% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Belize

Disputes - international:

Guatemalan squatters continue to settle in the largely uninhabited

rain forests of Belize's border region; OAS seeks to revive the 2002

failed Belize-Guatemala Differendum that created a small adjustment

to land boundary, a Guatemalan maritime corridor in Caribbean, joint

ecological park for disputed Sapodilla Cays, and substantial US-UK

financial package

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Belize is a source, transit, and destination

country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of

labor and sexual exploitation; women and girls are trafficked mainly

from Central America, and exploited in prostitution; children are

trafficked to Belize for labor exploitation; Belize's largely

unmonitored borders with Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico facilitate

the movement of illegal migrants who are vulnerable to traffickers;

girls are trafficked within the country for sexual exploitation,

sometimes with the consent and complicity of their close relatives;

there are unconfirmed reports that Indian and Chinese migrants are

trafficked for involuntary servitude in homes and shops

tier rating: Tier 3 - Belize has failed to show evidence of

significant law enforcement or victim protection efforts

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for cocaine; small-scale illicit producer of

cannabis for the international drug trade; money-laundering activity

related to narcotics trafficking and offshore sector

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Benin

Introduction Benin

Background:

Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey, a prominent West African

kingdom that rose in the 15th century. The territory became a French

Colony in 1872 and achieved independence on 1 August 1960, as the

Republic of Benin. A succession of military governments ended in

1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the establishment

of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles. A move to

representative government began in 1989. Two years later, free

elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as

president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa

from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by

elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were

alleged. KEREKOU stepped down at the end of his second term in 2006

and was succeeded by Thomas YAYI BONI, a political outsider and

independent.

Geography Benin

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and

Togo

Geographic coordinates:

9 30 N, 2 15 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 112,620 sq km

land: 110,620 sq km

water: 2,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries:

total: 1,989 km

border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km,

Togo 644 km

Coastline:

121 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Terrain:

mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m

Natural resources: small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

Land use: arable land: 23.53% permanent crops: 2.37% other: 74.1% (2005)

Irrigated land:

120 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to

March

Environment - current issues:

inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife

populations; deforestation; desertification

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural

harbors, river mouths, or islands

People Benin

Population:

7,862,944

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 44.1% (male 1,751,709/female 1,719,138)

15-64 years: 53.5% (male 2,067,248/female 2,138,957)

65 years and over: 2.4% (male 75,694/female 110,198) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 17.6 years

male: 17.2 years

female: 18 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.73% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

38.85 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

12.22 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 79.56 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 84.09 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 74.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 53.04 years

male: 51.9 years

female: 54.22 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.2 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

68,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

5,800 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria, yellow fever, and others are high risks in some locations respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Beninese (singular and plural)

adjective: Beninese

Ethnic groups:

African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja,

Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500

Religions:

indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%

Languages:

French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in

south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 33.6%

male: 46.4%

female: 22.6% (2002 est.)

Government Benin

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Benin

conventional short form: Benin

local long form: Republique du Benin

local short form: Benin

former: Dahomey

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Porto-Novo (official capital)

geographic coordinates: 6 29 N, 2 37 E

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

Standard Time)

note: Cotonou (seat of government)

Administrative divisions:

12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines,

Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou

Independence:

1 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:

National Day, 1 August (1960)

Constitution:

adopted by referendum 2 December 1990

Legal system:

based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Thomas YAYI Boni (since 6 April 2006);

note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Thomas YAYI Boni (since 6 April 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); runoff election held 19 March 2006

(next to be held March 2011)

election results: Thomas YAYI Boni elected president; percent of

vote - Thomas YAYI Boni 74.5%, Adrien HOUNGBEDJI 25.5%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats;

members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 30 March 2003 (next to be held 25 March 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

Presidential Movement (UBF, MADEP, FC, Alliance MDC-PC-CPP, IPD,

AFP, MDS, RDP) 52, opposition (PRB, PRD, E'toile, and 5 other small

parties) 31

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or

Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance of Progress Forces or AFP; African Movement for Democracy

and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]; Democratic Renewal Party or

PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Impulse for Progress and Democracy or IPD;

Key Force or FC; Movement for Development and Solidarity or MDS;

Movement for Development by the Culture-Salute Party-Congress of

People for Progress Alliance or Alliance MDC-PS-CPP; New Alliance or

NA; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP; Renaissance Party du

Benin or RB [Nicephore SOGLO]; The Star Alliance (Alliance E'toile)

[Sacca LAFIA]; Union of Tomorrow's Benin or UBF [Bruno AMOUSSOU]

note: approximately 20 additional minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA,

MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL,

UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Cyrille Segbe OGUIN chancery: 2124 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656 FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Gayleatha B. BROWN embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou mailing address: 01 B. P. 2012, Cotonou telephone: [229] 30-06-50 FAX: [229] 30-06-70

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom) with a

vertical green band on the hoist side

Economy Benin

Economy - overview:

The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on

subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade.

Growth in real output has averaged around 5% in the past six years,

but rapid population growth has offset much of this increase.

Inflation has subsided over the past several years. In order to

raise growth still further, Benin plans to attract more foreign

investment, place more emphasis on tourism, facilitate the

development of new food processing systems and agricultural

products, and encourage new information and communication

technology. Many of these proposals were included in Benin's $307

million Millennium Challenge Account grant signed in February 2006.

The 2001 privatization policy continues in telecommunications,

water, electricity, and agriculture in spite of government

reluctance. The Paris Club and bilateral creditors have eased the

external debt situation, with Benin benefiting from a G8 debt

reduction announced in July 2005, while pressing for more rapid

structural reforms. Benin continues to be hurt by Nigerian trade

protection that bans imports of a growing list of products from

Benin and elsewhere, which has resulted in increased smuggling and

criminality in the border region.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$8.931 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$4.622 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,100 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 32.8% industry: 13.7% services: 53.5% (2006 est.)

Labor force:

3.211 million (1996)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

33% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

19.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $836.8 million

expenditures: $1.064 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Agriculture - products: cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts; livestock

Industries:

textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement

Industrial production growth rate:

8.3% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:

82 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 14.2% hydro: 85.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

576.3 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

500 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

14,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

4.105 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

1.133 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-342.7 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$563.1 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa

Exports - partners:

China 31.3%, Indonesia 8.1%, India 7.4%, Niger 6%, Togo 4.8%,

Thailand 4.8%, Nigeria 4.6% (2005)

Imports:

$927.3 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products

Imports - partners:

France 21.8%, Ghana 7.1%, Cote d'Ivoire 7%, China 6.7%, UK 5.2%,

Belgium 4.9%, Togo 4.5%, Thailand 4.2%, Nigeria 4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$607.3 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.6 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:

$342.6 million (2000)

Currency (code):

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible

authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:

XOF

Exchange rates:

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

513.168 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99

(2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Benin

Telephones - main lines in use:

76,300 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

386,700 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: fair system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, and

cellular connections

international: country code - 229; satellite earth station - 7

(Intelsat-Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)

provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000)

Radios:

660,000 (2000)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2001)

Televisions:

66,000 (2000)

Internet country code:

.bj

Internet hosts:

867 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

4 (2002)

Internet users:

425,000 (2005)

Transportation Benin

Airports: 5 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)

Railways: total: 578 km narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 16,000 km paved: 1,400 km unpaved: 14,600 km (2005)

Waterways:

150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2005)

Ports and terminals:

Cotonou

Military Benin

Military branches:

Army, Navy, Air Force

Military service age and obligation: 21 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; in practice, volunteers may be taken at the age of 18; both sexes are eligible for military service; conscript tour of duty - 18 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 21-49: 1,295,230

females age 21-49: 1,301,936 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 21-49: 749,774

females age 21-49: 751,329 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 76,661

females: 75,068 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$100.9 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.3% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Benin

Disputes - international:

Benin and Burkina Faso military clash in 2006 over sections of

riverine boundary involving disputed villages and squatters; much of

Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria, remains

undemarcated; in 2005, Nigeria ceded thirteen villages to Benin as a

consequence of a 2004 joint task force to resolve maritime and land

boundary disputes, but clashes among rival gangs along the border

persist; a joint boundary commission continues to resurvey the

boundary with Togo to verify Benin's claim that Togo moved boundary

stones

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 26,632 (Togo) (2006)

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for narcotics associated with Nigerian

trafficking organizations and most commonly destined for Western

Europe and the US; vulnerable to money laundering due to a poorly

regulated financial infrastructure

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Bermuda

Introduction Bermuda

Background:

Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English colonists

headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North American

winters first developed in Victorian times. Tourism continues to be

important to the island's economy, although international business

has overtaken it in recent years. Bermuda has developed into a

highly successful offshore financial center. Although a referendum

on independence from the UK was soundly defeated in 1995, the

present government has reopened debate on the issue.

Geography Bermuda

Location:

North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east

of South Carolina (US)

Geographic coordinates:

32 20 N, 64 45 W

Map references:

North America

Area:

total: 53.3 sq km

land: 53.3 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about one-third the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

103 km

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

Climate:

subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter

Terrain:

low hills separated by fertile depressions

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Town Hill 76 m

Natural resources: limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism

Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (55% developed, 45% rural/open space) (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

hurricanes (June to November)

Environment - current issues:

sustainable development

Geography - note:

consists of about 138 coral islands and islets with ample rainfall,

but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land was leased by US

Government from 1941 to 1995

People Bermuda

Population:

65,773 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 18.6% (male 6,146/female 6,098)

15-64 years: 69.2% (male 22,562/female 22,954)

65 years and over: 12.2% (male 3,479/female 4,534) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 40.2 years

male: 39.3 years

female: 41 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.61% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

11.4 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

7.74 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

2.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 8.3 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 9.85 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.96 years

male: 75.85 years

female: 80.1 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.89 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.297% (2005)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

163 (2005)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

392 (2005)

Nationality:

noun: Bermudian(s)

adjective: Bermudian

Ethnic groups:

black 54.8%, white 34.1%, mixed 6.4%, other races 4.3%, unspecified

0.4% (2000 census)

Religions:

Anglican 23%, Roman Catholic 15%, African Methodist Episcopal 11%,

other Protestant 18%, other 12%, unaffiliated 6%, unspecified 1%,

none 14% (2000 census)

Languages:

English (official), Portuguese

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98%

male: 98%

female: 99% (2005 est.)

Government Bermuda

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bermuda former: Somers Islands

Dependency status:

overseas territory of the UK

Government type:

parliamentary; self-governing territory

Capital:

name: Hamilton

geographic coordinates: 32 17 N, 64 46 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire, Hamilton, Hamilton*,

Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George's, Sandys, Smith's,

Southampton, Warwick

Independence:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:

Bermuda Day, 24 May

Constitution:

8 June 1968; amended 1989 and 2003

Legal system:

English law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

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

represented by Governor Sir John VEREKER (since 11 April 2002)

head of government: Premier Ewart BROWN (since 30 October 2006);

Deputy Premier Paula COX

cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor

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

the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the

majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually

appointed premier by the governor

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (an 11-member body

appointed by the governor, the premier, and the opposition) and the

House of Assembly (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote to

serve up to five-year terms)

elections: last general election held 24 July 2003 (next to be held

not later than July 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 51.7%, UBP 48%;

seats by party - PLP 22, UBP 14

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts

Political parties and leaders:

Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Ewart BROWN]; United Bermuda Party

or UBP [Wayne FURBERT]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Bermuda Employer's Union [Eddie SAINTS]; Bermuda Industrial Union

or BIU [Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services Union or BPSU [Ed

BALL]; Bermuda Union of Teachers [Michael CHARLES]

International organization participation:

Caricom (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ITUC, UPU, WCO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Consul General Gregory W. SLAYTON consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DVO3 mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate General Hamilton, US Department of State, 5300 Hamilton Place, Washington, DC 20520-5300 telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342 FAX: [1] (441) 295-1592, [1] (441) 296-9233

Flag description:

red, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and

the Bermudian coat of arms (white and green shield with a red lion

holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea

Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the flag

Economy Bermuda

Economy - overview:

Bermuda enjoys the highest per capita income in the world, more

than 50% higher than that of the US. Its economy is primarily based

on providing financial services for international business and

luxury facilities for tourists. A number of reinsurance companies

relocated to the island following 11 September 2001 and again after

Hurricane Katrina, contributing to the expansion of an already

robust international business sector. Bermuda's tourism industry -

which derives over 80% of its visitors from the US - continues to

struggle but remains the island's number two industry. Most capital

equipment and food must be imported. Bermuda's industrial sector is

small, although construction continues to be important; the average

cost of a house in June 2003 had risen to $976,000. Agriculture is

limited with only 20% of the land being arable.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$4.5 billion (2004 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

NA

GDP - real growth rate:

4.6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$69,900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 10% services: 89% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 38,360 (2004)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture and fishing 3%, laborers 3%, clerical 19%, professional and technical 17%, administrative and managerial 15%, sales 19%, services 19% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

2.1% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:

19% (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.8% (November 2005)

Budget:

revenues: $738 million

expenditures: $665 million (FY04/05)

Agriculture - products:

bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products, honey

Industries:

international business, tourism, light manufacturing

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

682.5 million kWh (2005)

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

Electricity - consumption:

616.7 million kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

4,658 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$1.469 billion (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

reexports of pharmaceuticals

Exports - partners:

France 65.9%, Spain 11.8%, US 4.5% (2005)

Imports:

$982 million (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

clothing, fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction

materials, chemicals, food and live animals

Imports - partners:

France 38.9%, South Korea 20.9%, US 15.5% (2005)

Debt - external:

$160 million (FY99/00)

Economic aid - recipient:

$NA

Currency (code):

Bermudian dollar (BMD)

Currency code:

BMD

Exchange rates:

Bermudian dollar per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the

US dollar)

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications Bermuda

Telephones - main lines in use:

56,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

49,000 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: good

domestic: fully automatic digital telephone system; fiber optic

trunk lines

international: country code - 1-441; submarine cables - 3 (fiber

optic); satellite earth stations - 3 (2005)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005)

Radios:

82,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (2005)

Televisions:

66,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.bm

Internet hosts:

8,114 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

20 (2000)

Internet users:

39,000 (2005)

Transportation Bermuda

Airports: 1 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways: total: 447 km paved: 447 km note: public roads - 225 km; private roads - 222 km (2002)

Merchant marine:

total: 132 ships (1000 GRT or over) 7,873,728 GRT/8,688,692 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 25, cargo 1, container 24, liquefied gas 23,

passenger 19, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 16, refrigerated

cargo 13, roll on/roll off 5

foreign-owned: 116 (Australia 3, Belgium 4, France 1, Germany 21,

Greece 2, Hong Kong 10, Indonesia 1, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Monaco 2,

Nigeria 11, Norway 5, Sweden 14, Switzerland 2, UK 9, US 27)

registered in other countries: 6 (Liberia 1, Marshall Islands 4,

Panama 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Hamilton, Saint George

Military Bermuda

Military branches:

no regular military forces

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 15,151 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 12,165 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 408 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$4.03 million (2001)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0.11% (FY00/01)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Bermuda

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Bhutan

Introduction Bhutan

Background:

In 1865, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu, under

which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for ceding

some border land to British India. Under British influence, a

monarchy was set up in 1907; three years later, a treaty was signed

whereby the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal

affairs and Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs.

This role was assumed by independent India after 1947. Two years

later, a formal Indo-Bhutanese accord returned the areas of Bhutan

annexed by the British, formalized the annual subsidies the country

received, and defined India's responsibilities in defense and

foreign relations. A refugee issue of some 100,000 Bhutanese in

Nepal remains unresolved; 90% of the refugees are housed in seven

United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

camps. In March 2005, King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK unveiled the

government's draft constitution - which would introduce major

democratic reforms - and pledged to hold a national referendum for

its approval. A referendum date has yet to be named.

Geography Bhutan

Location:

Southern Asia, between China and India

Geographic coordinates:

27 30 N, 90 30 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 47,000 sq km

land: 47,000 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about half the size of Indiana

Land boundaries: total: 1,075 km border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers

in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas

Terrain:

mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Drangme Chhu 97 m highest point: Kula Kangri 7,553 m

Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbonate

Land use: arable land: 2.3% permanent crops: 0.43% other: 97.27% (2005)

Irrigated land:

400 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's

name, which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent

landslides during the rainy season

Environment - current issues:

soil erosion; limited access to potable water

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls

several key Himalayan mountain passes

People Bhutan

Population: 2,279,723 note: other estimates range as low as 810,000 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 38.9% (male 458,801/female 426,947)

15-64 years: 57.1% (male 671,057/female 631,078)

65 years and over: 4% (male 46,217/female 45,623) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 20.4 years

male: 20.2 years

female: 20.6 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.1% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

33.65 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

12.7 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female

total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 98.41 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 96.14 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 100.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 54.78 years

male: 55.02 years

female: 54.53 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.74 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

less than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural)

adjective: Bhutanese

Ethnic groups:

Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35% (includes Lhotsampas - one of

several Nepalese ethnic groups), indigenous or migrant tribes 15%

Religions:

Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%

Languages:

Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects,

Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 47%

male: 60%

female: 34% (2003 est.)

Government Bhutan

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan

conventional short form: Bhutan

local long form: Druk Gyalkhap

local short form: Druk Yul

Government type:

monarchy; special treaty relationship with India

Capital:

name: Thimphu

geographic coordinates: 27 28 N, 89 39 E

time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

18 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang, Chhukha,

Chirang, Dagana, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar, Paro, Pemagatsel,

Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang, Thimphu,

Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang

note: there may be two new districts named Gasa and Yangtse

Independence:

8 August 1949 (from India)

National holiday:

National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king), 17

December (1907)

Constitution:

no written constitution or bill of rights; note - in 2001, the king

commissioned the drafting of a constitution, and in March 2005

publicly unveiled it; is awaiting national referendum

Legal system:

based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

each family has one vote in village-level elections; note - in late

2003 Bhutan's legislature passed a new election law

Executive branch:

chief of state: King Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK (since 14

December 2006); note - King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK abdicated the

throne on 14 December 2006 and his son immediately succeeded him

head of government: Prime Minister Khandu WANGCHUK (since 7

September 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) nominated by the

monarch, approved by the National Assembly; members serve fixed,

five-year terms; note - there is also a Royal Advisory Council

(Lodoi Tsokde), members nominated by the monarch

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary, but democratic reforms

in July 1998 grant the National Assembly authority to remove the

monarch with two-thirds vote

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Tshogdu (150 seats; 105 elected

from village constituencies, 10 represent religious bodies, and 35

are designated by the monarch to represent government and other

secular interests; members serve three-year terms)

elections: local elections last held August 2005 (next to be held in

2008)

election results: NA

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges appointed

by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:

no legal parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Buddhist clergy; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading militant

antigovernment campaign; Indian merchant community; United Front for

Democracy (exiled)

International organization participation:

AsDB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF,

Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OPCW,

SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO,

WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note - Bhutan has a Permanent Mission to the UN; address: 2 United Nations Plaza, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10017; telephone [1] (212) 826-1919; FAX [1] (212) 826-2998; the Bhutanese mission to the UN has consular jurisdiction in the US consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US and Bhutan have no formal diplomatic relations, although informal contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US Embassy in New Delhi (India)

Flag description:

divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper

triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centered along

the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing away from

the hoist side

Economy Bhutan

Economy - overview:

The economy, one of the world's smallest and least developed, is

based on agriculture and forestry, which provide the main livelihood

for more than 80% of the population. Agriculture consists largely of

subsistence farming and animal husbandry. Rugged mountains dominate

the terrain and make the building of roads and other infrastructure

difficult and expensive. The economy is closely aligned with India's

through strong trade and monetary links and dependence on India's

financial assistance. The industrial sector is technologically

backward, with most production of the cottage industry type. Most

development projects, such as road construction, rely on Indian

migrant labor. Bhutan's hydropower potential and its attraction for

tourists are key resources. Model education, social, and environment

programs are underway with support from multilateral development

organizations. Each economic program takes into account the

government's desire to protect the country's environment and

cultural traditions. For example, the government, in its cautious

expansion of the tourist sector, encourages visits by upscale,

environmentally conscientious tourists. Detailed controls and

uncertain policies in areas like industrial licensing, trade, labor,

and finance continue to hamper foreign investment.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$2.9 billion (2003 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$840.5 million (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.9% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,400 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25.8% industry: 37.9% services: 36.3% (2004 est.)

Labor force: NA note: major shortage of skilled labor

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 93% industry: 2% services: 5%

Unemployment rate:

Population below poverty line:

31.7% (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

7% (2005 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $346.6 million

expenditures: including capital expenditures of $NA

note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of

Bhutan's budget expenditures (2004)

Public debt:

81.4% of GDP (2004)

Agriculture - products:

rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products, eggs

Industries:

cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages,

calcium carbide, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

9.3% (1996 est.)

Electricity - production:

2.05 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.1% hydro: 99.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

526.5 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

1.4 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

20 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

1,160 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$154 million f.o.b. (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities:

electricity (to India), cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts,

cement, fruit, precious stones, spices

Exports - partners:

Japan 32.3%, Germany 13.2%, France 13.1%, South Korea 7.6%, US

7.5%, Thailand 5.6%, Italy 5% (2005)

Imports:

$196 million c.i.f. (2000 est.)

Imports - commodities:

fuel and lubricants, grain, aircraft, machinery and parts,

vehicles, fabrics, rice

Imports - partners:

Hong Kong 66.6%, Mexico 20.2%, France 3.8% (2005)

Debt - external:

$593 million (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:

$78 million substantial aid from India and other nations (2004)

Currency (code):

ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR)

Currency code:

BTN; INR

Exchange rates:

ngultrum per US dollar - 44.101 (2006), 44.101 (2005), 45.317

(2004), 46.583 (2003), 48.61 (2002)

note: the ngultrum is pegged to the Indian rupee

Fiscal year:

1 July - 30 June

Communications Bhutan

Telephones - main lines in use:

32,700 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

37,800 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: telecommunications facilities are poor

domestic: very low teledensity; domestic service is very poor

especially in rural areas; wireless service available since 2003

international: country code - 975; international telephone and

telegraph service via landline and microwave relay through India;

satellite earth station - 1 (2005)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 9, shortwave 1 (2006)

Radios:

37,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2006)

Televisions:

11,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.bt

Internet hosts:

7,567 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

NA

Internet users:

25,000 (2005)

Transportation Bhutan

Airports: 2 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways: total: 8,050 km paved: 4,991 km unpaved: 3,059 km (2003)

Military Bhutan

Military branches:

Royal Bhutan Army: Royal Bodyguard, Royal Bhutan Police (2005)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription

(2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 483,860

females age 18-49: 453,683 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 314,975

females age 18-49: 296,833 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 23,939

females age 18-49: 21,979 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$8.29 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Bhutan

Disputes - international:

approximately 105,000 Bhutanese have lived decades as refugees in

Nepal, 90% of whom reside in seven UN Office of the High

Commissioner for Refugees camps; Bhutan cooperates with India to

expel Indian separatists

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Bolivia

Introduction Bolivia

Background:

Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simon BOLIVAR, broke away

from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history has

consisted of a series of nearly 200 coups and countercoups.

Democratic civilian rule was established in 1982, but leaders have

faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty, social unrest, and

illegal drug production. In December 2005, Bolivians elected

Movement Toward Socialism leader Evo MORALES president - by the

widest margin of any leader since the restoration of civilian rule

in 1982 - after he ran on a promise to change the country's

traditional political class and empower the nation's poor majority.

However, since taking office, his controversial strategies have

exacerbated racial and economic tensions between the Amerindian

populations of the Andean west and the non-indigenous communities of

the eastern lowlands.

Geography Bolivia

Location:

Central South America, southwest of Brazil

Geographic coordinates:

17 00 S, 65 00 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 1,098,580 sq km

land: 1,084,390 sq km

water: 14,190 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Land boundaries:

total: 6,940 km

border countries: Argentina 832 km, Brazil 3,423 km, Chile 860 km,

Paraguay 750 km, Peru 1,075 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid

Terrain:

rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano), hills,

lowland plains of the Amazon Basin

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Rio Paraguay 90 m

highest point: Nevado Sajama 6,542 m

Natural resources:

tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten, antimony, silver,

iron, lead, gold, timber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 2.78% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 97.03% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,320 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

flooding in the northeast (March-April)

Environment - current issues:

the clearing of land for agricultural purposes and the

international demand for tropical timber are contributing to

deforestation; soil erosion from overgrazing and poor cultivation

methods (including slash-and-burn agriculture); desertification;

loss of biodiversity; industrial pollution of water supplies used

for drinking and irrigation

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life

Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection

Geography - note:

landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest

navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru

People Bolivia

Population:

8,989,046 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 35% (male 1,603,982/female 1,542,319)

15-64 years: 60.4% (male 2,660,806/female 2,771,807)

65 years and over: 4.6% (male 182,412/female 227,720) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 21.8 years

male: 21.2 years

female: 22.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.45% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

23.3 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

7.53 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 51.77 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 55.31 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 48.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 65.84 years

male: 63.21 years

female: 68.61 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.85 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

4,900 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Bolivian(s)

adjective: Bolivian

Ethnic groups:

Quechua 30%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry) 30%,

Aymara 25%, white 15%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist) 5%

Languages:

Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 87.2%

male: 93.1%

female: 81.6% (2003 est.)

Government Bolivia

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Bolivia

conventional short form: Bolivia

local long form: Republica de Bolivia

local short form: Bolivia

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: La Paz (administrative capital)

geographic coordinates: 16 30 S, 68 09 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

note: Sucre (constitutional capital)

Administrative divisions:

9 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Beni,

Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, La Paz, Oruro, Pando, Potosi, Santa Cruz,

Tarija

Independence:

6 August 1825 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 6 August (1825)

Constitution:

2 February 1967; revised in August 1994

Legal system:

based on Spanish law and Napoleonic Code; has not accepted

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age, universal and compulsory (married); 21 years of

age, universal and compulsory (single)

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Juan Evo MORALES Ayma (since 22 January

2006); Vice President Alvaro GARCIA Linera (since 22 January 2006);

note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Juan Evo MORALES Ayma (since 22

January 2006); Vice President Alvaro GARCIA Linera (since 22 January

2006); note - the president is both chief of state and head of

government

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket

by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 18

December 2005 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: Juan Evo MORALES Ayma elected president; percent

of vote - Juan Evo MORALES Ayma 53.7%; Jorge Fernando QUIROGA

Ramirez 28.6%; Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana 7.8%; Michiaki NAGATANI

Morishit 6.5%; Felipe QUISPE Huanca 2.2%; Guildo ANGULA Cabrera 0.7%

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of

Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (27 seats; members are

elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve

five-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130

seats; 70 are directly elected from their districts and 60 are

elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve

five-year terms)

elections: Chamber of Senators and Chamber of Deputies - last held

18 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -

NA%; seats by party - PODEMOS 13, MAS 12, UN 1, MNR 1; Chamber of

Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - MAS 73,

PODEMOS 43, UN 8, MNR 6

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges appointed for 10-year terms

by National Congress); District Courts (one in each department);

provincial and local courts (to try minor cases)

Political parties and leaders:

Bolivian Socialist Falange or FSB [Romel PANTOJA]; Civic Solidarity

Union or UCS [Johnny FERNANDEZ]; Free Bolivia Movement or MBL [Franz

BARRIOS]; Marshal of Ayacucho Institutional Vanguard or VIMA [Freddy

ZABALA]; Movement of the Revolutionary Left or MIR [Jaime PAZ

Zamora]; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Juan Evo MORALES Ayma];

Movement Without Fear or MSM [Juan DEL GRANADO]; National

Revolutionary Movement or MNR [Gonzalo SANCHEZ DE LOZADA]; New

Republican Force or NFR [Manfred REYES-VILLA]; Pachakuti Indigenous

Movement or MIP [Felipe QUISPE Huanca]; Poder Democratico Nacional

or PODEMOS [Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez]; Socialist Party or PS

[Jeres JUSTINIANO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Cocalero groups; indigenous organizations; labor unions; Sole

Confederation of Campesino Workers of Bolivia or CSUTCB [Roman

LOAYZA]

International organization participation:

CAN, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,

IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO

(correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA,

MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMISET, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,

WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Gustavo GUZMAN Saldana

chancery: 3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 483-4410

FAX: [1] (202) 328-3712

consulate(s) general: Houston, Miami, New York, Oklahoma City, San

Francisco, Seattle, Washington, DC

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Philip S. GOLDBERG embassy: Avenida Arce 2780, La Paz mailing address: P. O. Box 425, La Paz; APO AA 34032 telephone: [591] (2) 216-8000 FAX: [591] (2) 216-8111

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with

the coat of arms centered on the yellow band; similar to the flag of

Ghana, which has a large black five-pointed star centered in the

yellow band

Economy Bolivia

Economy - overview:

Bolivia, long one of the poorest and least developed Latin American

countries, reformed its economy after suffering a disastrous

economic crisis in the early 1980s. The reforms spurred real GDP

growth, which averaged 4% in the 1990s, and poverty rates fell.

Economic growth, however, lagged again beginning in 1999 because of

a global slowdown and homegrown factors such as political turmoil,

civil unrest, and soaring fiscal deficits, all of which hurt

investor confidence. In 2003, violent protests against the

pro-foreign investment economic policies of President SANCHEZ DE

LOZADA led to his resignation and the cancellation of plans to

export Bolivia's newly discovered natural gas reserves to large

northern hemisphere markets. In 2005, the government passed a

controversial natural gas law that imposes on the oil and gas firms

significantly higher taxes as well as new contracts that give the

state control of their operations. Bolivian officials are in the

process of implementing the law; meanwhile, foreign investors have

stopped investing and have taken the first legal steps to secure

their investments. Real GDP growth in 2003-06 - helped by increased

demand for natural gas in neighboring Brazil - was positive, but

still below the levels seen during the 1990s. Bolivia's fiscal

position has improved in recent years, but the country remains

dependent on foreign aid from multilateral lenders and foreign

governments to meet budget shortfalls. In 2005, the G8 announced a

$2 billion debt-forgiveness plan over the next few decades that

should help reduce some fiscal pressures on the government in the

near term.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$27.21 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$10.22 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$3,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 12.8% industry: 36.1% services: 51.2% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 4.3 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

7.8% in urban areas; widespread underemployment (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

64% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.3% highest 10%: 32% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

60.6 (2002)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.3% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

12.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $4.153 billion

expenditures: $3.619 billion; including capital expenditures of $741

million (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

soybeans, coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice, potatoes;

timber

Industries:

mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverages, tobacco,

handicrafts, clothing

Industrial production growth rate:

5.7% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:

4.472 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 44.4% hydro: 54% nuclear: 0% other: 1.5% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

4.168 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

9 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

42,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

47,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

458.8 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

10.05 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

2.14 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

7.91 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

679.6 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$688 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$3.668 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

natural gas, soybeans and soy products, crude petroleum, zinc ore,

tin

Exports - partners:

Brazil 44.2%, US 12.5%, Argentina 10.9%, Colombia 7.8%, Peru 4.8%

(2005)

Imports:

$2.934 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum products, plastics, paper, aircraft and aircraft parts,

prepared foods, automobiles, insecticides, soybeans

Imports - partners:

Brazil 21.9%, Argentina 16.7%, US 13.8%, Chile 6.9%, Peru 6.5%,

Japan 6.1%, China 5.8% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$3.303 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$5.916 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$221 million (2005 est.)

Currency (code):

boliviano (BOB)

Currency code:

BOB

Exchange rates:

bolivianos per US dollar - 8.01039 (2006), 8.0661 (2005), 7.9363

(2004), 7.6592 (2003), 7.17 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Bolivia

Telephones - main lines in use:

646,300 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2.421 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: new subscribers face bureaucratic difficulties;

most telephones are concentrated in La Paz and other cities; mobile

cellular telephone use expanding rapidly

domestic: primary trunk system, which is being expanded, employs

digital microwave radio relay; some areas are served by fiber-optic

cable; mobile cellular systems are being expanded

international: country code - 591; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 171, FM 73, shortwave 77 (1999)

Radios:

5.25 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

48 (1997)

Televisions:

900,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.bo

Internet hosts:

20,085 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

9 (2000)

Internet users:

480,000 (2005)

Transportation Bolivia

Airports: 1,084 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 16 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1,068 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 60 914 to 1,523 m: 207 under 914 m: 797 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 4,860 km; liquid petroleum gas 47 km; oil 2,475 km; refined

products 1,589 km; unknown (oil/water) 247 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 3,519 km

narrow gauge: 3,519 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 62,479 km paved: 3,749 km unpaved: 56,730 km (2004)

Waterways:

10,000 km (commercially navigable) (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 24 ships (1000 GRT or over) 127,297 GRT/198,525 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 8, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo

3, petroleum tanker 10

foreign-owned: 10 (Argentina 1, China 1, Egypt 2, Iran 1, Singapore

3, Taiwan 1, Yemen 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Puerto Aguirre (on the Paraguay/Parana waterway, at the

Bolivia/Brazil border); also, Bolivia has free port privileges in

maritime ports in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay

Military Bolivia

Military branches:

Bolivian Armed Forces: Bolivian Army (Ejercito Boliviano), Bolivian

Navy (Armada Boliviana; includes marines), Bolivian Air Force

(Fuerza Aerea Boliviana, FAB) (2006)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; when annual number of volunteers falls short of goal, compulsory recruitment is effected, including conscription of boys as young as 14; one estimate holds that 40% of the armed forces are under the age of 18, with 50% of those under the age of 16; conscript tour of duty - 12 months (2002)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,923,234

females age 18-49: 2,007,315 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,311,414

females age 18-49: 1,502,177 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 101,101

females age 18-49: 98,671 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$130 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.4% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Bolivia

Disputes - international:

Chile rebuffs Bolivia's reactivated claim to restore the Atacama

corridor, ceded to Chile in 1884, offering instead unrestricted but

not sovereign maritime access through Chile for Bolivian natural gas

and other commodities

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Bolivia is a source and transit country for men,

women, and children trafficked for the purposes of labor and sexual

exploitation to Argentina, Brazil, and Chile, as well as to Spain;

children are trafficked internally for sexual exploitation, forced

mining, and agricultural labor; illegal migrants from Asia

transiting Bolivia are vulnerable as trafficking victims

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Bolivia has failed to show evidence

of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in the areas of

prosecutions and victim protection

Illicit drugs:

world's third-largest cultivator of coca (after Colombia and Peru)

with an estimated 26,500 hectares under cultivation in August 2005,

an 8% increase from 2004; intermediate coca products and cocaine

exported mostly to or through Brazil, Argentina, and Chile to

European drug markets; cultivation steadily increasing despite

eradication and alternative crop programs; money-laundering activity

related to narcotics trade, especially along the borders with Brazil

and Paraguay

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Bosnia and Herzegovina

Introduction Bosnia and Herzegovina

Background:

Bosnia and Herzegovina's declaration of sovereignty in October 1991

was followed by a declaration of independence from the former

Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992 after a referendum boycotted by ethnic

Serbs. The Bosnian Serbs - supported by neighboring Serbia and

Montenegro - responded with armed resistance aimed at partitioning

the republic along ethnic lines and joining Serb-held areas to form

a "Greater Serbia." In March 1994, Bosniaks and Croats reduced the

number of warring factions from three to two by signing an agreement

creating a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

On 21 November 1995, in Dayton, Ohio, the warring parties initialed

a peace agreement that brought to a halt three years of interethnic

civil strife (the final agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December

1995). The Dayton Peace Accords retained Bosnia and Herzegovina's

international boundaries and created a joint multi-ethnic and

democratic government charged with conducting foreign, diplomatic,

and fiscal policy. Also recognized was a second tier of government

comprised of two entities roughly equal in size: the Bosniak/Croat

Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Bosnian Serb-led

Republika Srpska (RS). The Federation and RS governments were

charged with overseeing most government functions. The Office of the

High Representative (OHR) was established to oversee the

implementation of the civilian aspects of the agreement. In 1995-96,

a NATO-led international peacekeeping force (IFOR) of 60,000 troops

served in Bosnia to implement and monitor the military aspects of

the agreement. IFOR was succeeded by a smaller, NATO-led

Stabilization Force (SFOR) whose mission was to deter renewed

hostilities. European Union peacekeeping troops (EUFOR) replaced

SFOR in December 2004; their mission is to maintain peace and

stability throughout the country. EUFOR plans to phase out its

mission beginning in 2007.

Geography Bosnia and Herzegovina

Location:

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Croatia

Geographic coordinates:

44 00 N, 18 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 51,129 sq km

land: 51,129 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total: 1,459 km border countries: Croatia 932 km, Montenegro 225 km, Serbia 302 km

Coastline:

20 km

Maritime claims:

no data available

Climate:

hot summers and cold winters; areas of high elevation have short,

cool summers and long, severe winters; mild, rainy winters along

coast

Terrain:

mountains and valleys

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m

highest point: Maglic 2,386 m

Natural resources:

coal, iron ore, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, cobalt,

manganese, nickel, clay, gypsum, salt, sand, forests, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 19.61% permanent crops: 1.89% other: 78.5% (2005)

Irrigated land:

30 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

destructive earthquakes

Environment - current issues:

air pollution from metallurgical plants; sites for disposing of

urban waste are limited; water shortages and destruction of

infrastructure because of the 1992-95 civil strife; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous

Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer

Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

within Bosnia and Herzegovina's recognized borders, the country is

divided into a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation (about 51% of the

territory) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska or RS (about

49% of the territory); the region called Herzegovina is contiguous

to Croatia and Serbia and Montenegro (Montenegro), and traditionally

has been settled by an ethnic Croat majority in the west and an

ethnic Serb majority in the east

People Bosnia and Herzegovina

Population:

4,498,976 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 15.5% (male 359,739/female 336,978)

15-64 years: 70.1% (male 1,590,923/female 1,564,665)

65 years and over: 14.4% (male 265,637/female 381,034) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 38.4 years

male: 37.2 years

female: 39.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.35% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

8.77 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

8.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

13.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

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

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 9.82 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 11.26 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 8.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78 years

male: 74.39 years

female: 81.88 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.22 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

900 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Bosnian(s), Herzegovinian(s)

adjective: Bosnian, Herzegovinian

Ethnic groups:

Bosniak 48%, Serb 37.1%, Croat 14.3%, other 0.6% (2000)

note: Bosniak has replaced Muslim as an ethnic term in part to avoid

confusion with the religious term Muslim - an adherent of Islam

Religions:

Muslim 40%, Orthodox 31%, Roman Catholic 15%, other 14%

Languages:

Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 94.6%

male: 98.4%

female: 91.1% (2000 est.)

Government Bosnia and Herzegovina

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Bosnia and Herzegovina

local long form: none

local short form: Bosna i Hercegovina

former: People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Socialist

Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Government type:

emerging federal democratic republic

Capital:

name: Sarajevo

geographic coordinates: 43 52 N, 18 25 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

2 first-order administrative divisions and 1 internationally

supervised district* - Brcko district (Brcko Distrikt)*, the

Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Federacija Bosna

i Hercegovina) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska; note -

Brcko district is in northeastern Bosnia and is an administrative

unit under the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina; the district

remains under international supervision

Independence:

1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia; referendum for independence was

completed 1 March 1992; independence was declared 3 March 1992)

National holiday:

National Day, 25 November (1943)

Constitution:

the Dayton Agreement, signed 14 December 1995, included a new

constitution now in force; note - each of the entities also has its

own constitution

Legal system:

based on civil law system

Suffrage:

18 years of age, universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Chairman of the Presidency Nebojsa RADMANOVIC

(chairman since 6 November 2006; presidency member since 1 October

2006 - Serb); other members of the three-member presidency rotating

(every eight months): Zeljko KOMSIC (since 1 October 2006 - Croat)

and Haris SILAJDZIC (since 1 October 2006 - Bosniak)

head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Nikola

SPIRIC (since 4 January 2007)

cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the council chairman;

approved by the National House of Representatives

elections: the three members of the presidency (one Bosniak, one

Croat, one Serb) are elected by popular vote for a four-year term

(eligible for a second term, but then ineligible for four years);

the member with the most votes becomes the chairman unless he or she

was the incumbent chairman at the time of the election, but the

chairmanship rotates every eight months; election last held 1

October 2006 (next to be held in 2010); the chairman of the Council

of Ministers is appointed by the presidency and confirmed by the

National House of Representatives

election results: percent of vote - Nebojsa RADMANOVIC with 53.3% of

the votes for the Serb seat; Zeljko KOMSIC received 39.6% of the

votes for the Croat seat; Haris SILAJDZIC received 62.8% of the

votes for the Bosniak seat

note: current government is caretaker in the Federation of Bosnia

and Herzegovina; President of the Federation of Bosnia and

Herzegovina: Niko LOZANCIC (since 27 January 2003); Vice Presidents

Sahbaz DZIHANOVIC (since in 2003) and Desnica RADIVOJEVIC (since in

2003); new government will be appointed in coming months; President

of the Republika Srpska: Milan JELIC (since 9 November 2006)

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliamentary Assembly or Skupstina consists of the

national House of Representatives or Predstavnicki Dom (42 seats -

elected by proportional representation, 28 seats allocated from the

Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 14 seats from the Republika

Srpska; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms);

and the House of Peoples or Dom Naroda (15 seats - 5 Bosniak, 5

Croat, 5 Serb; members elected by the Bosniak/Croat Federation's

House of Representatives and the Republika Srpska's National

Assembly to serve four-year terms); note - Bosnia's election law

specifies four-year terms for the state and first-order

administrative division entity legislatures

elections: national House of Representatives - elections last held 1

October 2006 (next to be held in 2010); House of Peoples - last

constituted in January 2003 (next to be constituted in 2007)

election results: national House of Representatives - percent of

vote by party/coalition - NA%; seats by party/coalition - SDA 9,

SBiH 8, SNSD 7, SDP 5, SDS 3, HDZ-BH 3, HDZ 1990 2, other 5; House

of Peoples - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by

party/coalition - NA

note: the Bosniak/Croat Federation has a bicameral legislature that

consists of a House of Representatives (98 seats; members elected by

popular vote to serve four-year terms); elections last held 1

October 2006 (next to be held in October 2010); percent of vote by

party - NA; seats by party/coalition - SDA 28, SBiH 24, SDP 17,

HDZ-BH 8, HDZ100 7, other 14; and a House of Peoples (58 seats - 17

Bosniak, 17 Croat, 1i7 Serb, 7 other); last constituted December

2002; the Republika Srpska has a National Assembly (83 seats;

members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); elections

last held 1 October 2006 (next to be held in the fall of 2010);

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party/coalition - SNSD 41,

SDS 17, PDP 8, DNS 4, SBH 4, SPRS 3, SDA 3, other 3; as a result of

the 2002 constitutional reform process, a 28-member Republika Srpska

Council of Peoples (COP) was established in the Republika Srpska

National Assembly including eight Croats, eight Bosniaks, eight

Serbs, and four members of the smaller communities

Judicial branch:

BH Constitutional Court (consists of nine members: four members are

selected by the Bosniak/Croat Federation's House of Representatives,

two members by the Republika Srpska's National Assembly, and three

non-Bosnian members by the president of the European Court of Human

Rights); BH State Court (consists of nine judges and three divisions

- Administrative, Appellate and Criminal - having jurisdiction over

cases related to state-level law and appellate jurisdiction over

cases initiated in the entities); note - a War Crimes Chamber opened

in March 2005

note: the entities each have a Supreme Court; each entity also has a

number of lower courts; there are 10 cantonal courts in the

Federation, plus a number of municipal courts; the Republika Srpska

has five municipal courts

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance of Independent Social Democrats or SNSD [Milorad DODIK];

Bosnian Party or BOSS [Mirnes AJANOVIC]; Civic Democratic Party or

GDS [Ibrahim SPAHIC]; Croat Christian Democratic Union of Bosnia and

Herzegovina or HKDU [Marin TOPIC]; Croat Party of Rights or HSP

[Zvonko JURISIC]; Croat Peasants Party or HSS [Marko TADIC];

Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HDZ-BH

[Dragan COVIC]; Croatian Democratic Union 1990 or HDZ1990 [Bozo

LJUBIC]; Croatian Peoples Union [Milenko BRKIC]; Democratic National

Union or DNZ [Rifet DOLIC]; Democratic Peoples Alliance or DNS

[Marko PAVIC]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDS [Rasim KADIC]; New

Croat Initiative or NHI [Kresimir ZUBAK]; Party for Bosnia and

Herzegovina or SBiH [Haris SILAJDZIC]; Party for Democratic Action

or SDA [Sulejman TIHIC]; Party of Democratic Progress or PDP [Mladen

IVANIC]; Serb Democratic Party or SDS [Mladen BOSIC]; Serb Radical

Party of the Republika Srpska or SRS-RS [Milanko MIHAJLICA]; Serb

Radical Party-Dr. Vojislav Seselj or SRS-VS [Radislav KANJERIC];

Social Democratic Party of BIH or SDP [Zlatko LAGUMDZIJA]; Social

Democratic Union or SDU [Sejfudin TOKIC]; Socialist Party of

Republika Srpska or SPRS [Petar DJOKIC]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

BIS, CE, CEI, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,

IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU,

ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIC (observer),

OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNWTO, UPU,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Bisera TURKOVIC

chancery: 2109 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037

telephone: [1] (202) 337-1500

FAX: [1] (202) 337-1502

consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Douglas L. McELHANEY embassy: Alipasina 43, 71000 Sarajevo mailing address: use street address telephone: [387] (33) 445-700 FAX: [387] (33) 659-722 branch office(s): Banja Luka, Mostar

Flag description:

a wide medium blue vertical band on the fly side with a yellow

isosceles triangle abutting the band and the top of the flag; the

remainder of the flag is medium blue with seven full five-pointed

white stars and two half stars top and bottom along the hypotenuse

of the triangle

Economy Bosnia and Herzegovina

Economy - overview:

Bosnia and Herzegovina ranked next to Macedonia as the poorest

republic in the old Yugoslav federation. Although agriculture is

almost all in private hands, farms are small and inefficient, and

the republic traditionally is a net importer of food. Industry

remains greatly overstaffed, a holdover from the socialist economic

structure of Yugoslavia. TITO had pushed the development of military

industries in the republic with the result that Bosnia was saddled

with a host of industrial firms with little commercial potential.

The interethnic warfare in Bosnia caused production to plummet by

80% from 1992 to 1995 and unemployment to soar. With an uneasy peace

in place, output recovered in 1996-99 at high percentage rates from

a low base; but output growth slowed in 2000-02. Part of the lag in

output was made up in 2003-06. National-level statistics are limited

and do not capture the large share of black market activity. The

konvertibilna marka (convertible mark or BAM)- the national currency

introduced in 1998 - is pegged to the euro, and confidence in the

currency and the banking sector has increased. Implementation of

privatization, however, has been slow, and local entities only

reluctantly support national-level institutions. Banking reform

accelerated in 2001 as all the Communist-era payments bureaus were

shut down; foreign banks, primarily from Western Europe, now control

most of the banking sector. A sizeable current account deficit and

high unemployment rate remain the two most serious economic

problems. The country receives substantial amounts of reconstruction

assistance and humanitarian aid from the international community but

will have to prepare for an era of declining assistance.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$24.8 billion

note: Bosnia has a large informal sector that could also be as much

as 50% of official GDP (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$9.158 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$5,500 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14.2% industry: 30.8% services: 55% (2002)

Labor force: 1.026 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

45.5% official rate; grey economy may reduce actual unemployment to

25-30% (31 December 2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:

25% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

26.2 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

8.2% (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $5.643 billion

expenditures: $5.677 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

24.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, corn, fruits, vegetables; livestock

Industries:

steel, coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, manganese, bauxite, vehicle

assembly, textiles, tobacco products, wooden furniture, tank and

aircraft assembly, domestic appliances, oil refining

Industrial production growth rate:

5.5% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:

12.98 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 53.5% hydro: 46.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

11.03 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

3.05 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

2 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

23,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

300 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

300 million cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-1.73 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$3.5 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

metals, clothing, wood products

Exports - partners:

Croatia 18.4%, Italy 17.1%, Slovenia 14.7%, Germany 12.8%, Austria

6.5%, Hungary 5.2%, China 4.2% (2005)

Imports:

$8.25 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Croatia 24.7%, Germany 13.6%, Slovenia 13%, Italy 11%, Austria

6.9%, Hungary 5.5% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.7 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$3.927 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$650 million (2001 est.)

Currency (code):

marka (BAM)

Currency code:

BAM

Exchange rates:

marka per US dollar - 1.55818 (2006), 1.5727 (2005), 1.5752 (2004),

1.7329 (2003), 2.0782 (2002)

note: the marka is pegged to the euro

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Bosnia and Herzegovina

Telephones - main lines in use:

968,900 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.594 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: telephone and telegraph network needs

modernization and expansion; many urban areas are below average as

contrasted with services in other former Yugoslav republics

domestic: NA

international: country code - 387; no satellite earth stations

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 8, FM 16, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:

940,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

33 (plus 277 repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions:

NA

Internet country code:

.ba

Internet hosts:

31,490 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

3 (2000)

Internet users:

806,400 (2005)

Transportation Bosnia and Herzegovina

Airports:

28 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 8

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 20

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 12 (2006)

Heliports:

5 (2006)

Railways:

total: 608 km (777 km electrified)

standard gauge: 608 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 21,846 km

paved: 11,425 km (4,686 km of interurban roads)

unpaved: 10,421 km (2005)

Waterways:

Sava River (northern border) open to shipping but use limited (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Bosanska Gradiska, Bosanski Brod, Bosanski Samac, and Brcko (all

inland waterway ports on the Sava), Orasje

Military Bosnia and Herzegovina

Military branches:

VF Army (the air and air defense forces are subordinate commands

within the Army), VRS Army (the air and air defense forces are

subordinate commands within the Army)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina; 16 years of age in times of war; 18 years of age for Republika Srpska; 17 years of age for voluntary military service in the Federation and in the Republika Srpska; by law, military obligations cover all healthy men between the ages of 18 and 60, and all women between the ages of 18 and 55; service obligation is four months (July 2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,119,508

females age 18-49: 1,079,435 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 910,539

females age 18-49: 881,446 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 32,942

females age 18-49: 31,466 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$234.3 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

4.5% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Bosnia and Herzegovina

Disputes - international:

Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia and Montenegro have delimited

most of their boundary, but sections along the Drina River remain in

dispute; discussions continue with Croatia on several small disputed

sections of the boundary related to maritime access that hinder

ratification of the 1999 border agreement

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 7,458 (Croatia)

IDPs: 180,251 (Bosnian Croats, Serbs, and Muslims displaced in

1992-95 war) (2006)

Illicit drugs:

minor transit point for marijuana and opiate trafficking routes to

Western Europe; remains highly vulnerable to money-laundering

activity given a primarily cash-based and unregulated economy, weak

law enforcement, and instances of corruption

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Botswana

Introduction Botswana

Background:

Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted

its new name upon independence in 1966. Four decades of

uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and

significant capital investment have created one of the most dynamic

economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining,

dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due

to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature

preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of

HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and

comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.

Geography Botswana

Location:

Southern Africa, north of South Africa

Geographic coordinates:

22 00 S, 24 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 600,370 sq km

land: 585,370 sq km

water: 15,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 4,013 km

border countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe

813 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

semiarid; warm winters and hot summers

Terrain:

predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in

southwest

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m

highest point: Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m

Natural resources:

diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore,

silver

Land use: arable land: 0.65% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.34% (2005)

Irrigated land:

10 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west,

carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure

visibility

Environment - current issues:

overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources

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

Geography - note: landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country

People Botswana

Population:

1,639,833

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 38.3% (male 319,531/female 309,074)

15-64 years: 57.9% (male 460,692/female 488,577)

65 years and over: 3.8% (male 23,374/female 38,585) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 19.4 years

male: 18.8 years

female: 20 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.04% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

23.08 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

29.5 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

6.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population

note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa

and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 53.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 54.92 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 52.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 33.74 years

male: 33.9 years

female: 33.56 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.79 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

37.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

350,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

33,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

Ethnic groups:

Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other, including

Kgalagadi and white 7%

Religions:

Christian 71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4%, unspecified 0.4%, none

20.6% (2001 census)

Languages:

Setswana 78.2%, Kalanga 7.9%, Sekgalagadi 2.8%, English 2.1%

(official), other 8.6%, unspecified 0.4% (2001 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 79.8%

male: 76.9%

female: 82.4% (2003 est.)

Government Botswana

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Botswana

conventional short form: Botswana

local long form: Republic of Botswana

local short form: Botswana

former: Bechuanaland

Government type:

parliamentary republic

Capital:

name: Gaborone

geographic coordinates: 24 45 S, 25 55 E

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

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

9 districts and 5 town councils*; Central, Francistown*, Gaborone*,

Ghanzi, Jwaneng*, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*, Northeast,

Northwest, Selebi-Pikwe*, Southeast, Southern

Independence:

30 September 1966 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966)

Constitution:

March 1965, effective 30 September 1966

Legal system:

based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial review

limited to matters of interpretation; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Festus G. MOGAE (since 1 April 1998) and

Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note - the

president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Festus G. MOGAE (since 1 April 1998)

and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note -

the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president indirectly elected for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 20 October 2004

(next to be held in 2009); vice president appointed by the president

election results: Festus G. MOGAE elected president; percent of

National Assembly vote - 52%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Chiefs (a largely

advisory 15-member body with 8 permanent members consisting of the

chiefs of the principal tribes, and 7 non-permanent members serving

5-year terms, consisting of 4 elected subchiefs and 3 members

selected by the other 12 members) and the National Assembly (63

seats, 57 members are directly elected by popular vote, 4 are

appointed by the majority party, and 2, the President and

Attorney-General, serve as ex-officio members; members serve

five-year terms)

elections: National Assembly elections last held 30 October 2004

(next to be held October 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - BDP 51.7%, BNF 26.1%,

BCP 16.6%, other 5%; seats by party - BDP 44, BNF 12, BCP 1

Judicial branch:

High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates' Courts (one in each

district)

Political parties and leaders:

Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO];

Botswana Congress Party or BCP [Otlaadisa KOOSALETSE]; Botswana

Democratic Party or BDP [Festus G. MOGAE]; Botswana National Front

or BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO]; Botswana Peoples Party or BPP; MELS

Movement of Botswana or MELS; New Democratic Front or NDF

note: a number of minor parties joined forces in 1999 to form the

BAM but did not capture any parliamentary seats - includes the

United Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]; the Independence

Freedom Party or IFP [Motsamai MPHO]; the Botswana Progressive Union

[D. K. KWELE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,

IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM,

OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,

WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Lapologang Caesar LEKOA

chancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990

FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Katherine H. CANAVAN embassy: address NA, Gaborone mailing address: Embassy Enclave, P. O. Box 90, Gaborone telephone: [267] 353982 FAX: [267] 312782

Flag description: light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center

Economy Botswana

Economy - overview:

Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest economic growth

rates since independence in 1966. Through fiscal discipline and

sound management, Botswana has transformed itself from one of the

poorest countries in the world to a middle-income country with a per

capita GDP of $11,200 in 2006. Two major investment services rank

Botswana as the best credit risk in Africa. Diamond mining has

fueled much of the expansion and currently accounts for more than

one-third of GDP and for 70-80% of export earnings. Tourism,

financial services, subsistence farming, and cattle raising are

other key sectors. On the downside, the government must deal with

high rates of unemployment and poverty. Unemployment officially was

23.8% in 2004, but unofficial estimates place it closer to 40%.

HIV/AIDS infection rates are the second highest in the world and

threaten Botswana's impressive economic gains. An expected leveling

off in diamond mining production overshadows long-term prospects.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$18.72 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$9.697 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$11,400 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.4% industry: 46.9% (including 36% mining) services: 50.7% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 288,400 formal sector employees (2004)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

23.8% (2004)

Population below poverty line:

30.3% (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

63 (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

11.4% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

21.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $4.256 billion

expenditures: $3.968 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

7.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers, groundnuts

Industries:

diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock

processing; textiles

Industrial production growth rate:

6.3% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

823 million kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

2.464 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

1.699 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

11,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

16,000 bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$1.698 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$4.836 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

diamonds, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles

Exports - partners:

European Free Trade Association (EFTA) 87%, Southern African

Customs Union (SACU) 7%, Zimbabwe 4% (2004)

Imports:

$3.034 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport equipment,

textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper products,

metal and metal products

Imports - partners:

Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 74%, EFTA 17%, Zimbabwe 4%

(2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$7.445 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$520 million (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$73 million (1995)

Currency (code):

pula (BWP)

Currency code:

BWP

Exchange rates:

pulas per US dollar - 5.90646 (2006), 5.1104 (2005), 4.6929 (2004),

4.9499 (2003), 6.3278 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications Botswana

Telephones - main lines in use:

132,000 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

823,100 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: the system is expanding with the growth of

mobile cellular service and participation in regional development

domestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay

links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations; mobile

cellular service is growing fast

international: country code - 267; two international exchanges;

digital microwave radio relay links to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 8, FM 13, shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios:

252,720 (2000)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2001)

Televisions:

31,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.bw

Internet hosts:

5,499 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

11 (2001)

Internet users:

60,000 (2002)

Transportation Botswana

Airports: 85 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 10

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 7

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 75

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 55

under 914 m: 17 (2006)

Railways: total: 888 km narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 24,455 km paved: 8,914 km unpaved: 15,441 km (2004)

Military Botswana

Military branches:

Botswana Defense Force (includes an air wing) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 is the apparent age of voluntary military service; the official

qualifications for determining minimum age are unknown (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 350,649

females age 18-49: 361,642 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 136,322

females age 18-49: 136,315 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 21,103

females age 18-49: 21,379 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$325.5 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

3.4% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Botswana

Disputes - international:

commission established with Namibia has yet to resolve small

residual disputes along the Caprivi Strip, including the Situngu

marshlands along the Linyanti River; downstream Botswana residents

protest Namibia's planned construction of the Okavango hydroelectric

dam at Popavalle (Popa Falls); Botswana has built electric fences to

stem the thousands of Zimbabweans who flee to find work and escape

political persecution; Namibia has long supported and in 2004

Zimbabwe dropped objections to plans between Botswana and Zambia to

build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing

their short, but not clearly delimited Botswana-Zambia boundary

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Bouvet Island

Introduction Bouvet Island

Background:

This uninhabited volcanic island is almost entirely covered by

glaciers and is difficult to approach. It was discovered in 1739 by

a French naval officer after whom the island was named. No claim was

made until 1825, when the British flag was raised. In 1928, the UK

waived its claim in favor of Norway, which had occupied the island

the previous year. In 1971, Bouvet Island and the adjacent

territorial waters were designated a nature reserve. Since 1977,

Norway has run an automated meteorological station on the island.

Geography Bouvet Island

Location:

island in the South Atlantic Ocean, southwest of the Cape of Good

Hope (South Africa)

Geographic coordinates:

54 26 S, 3 24 E

Map references:

Antarctic Region

Area:

total: 49 sq km

land: 49 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

29.6 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 4 nm

Climate:

antarctic

Terrain:

volcanic; coast is mostly inaccessible

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Olav Peak 935 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (93% ice) (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

covered by glacial ice; declared a nature reserve

People Bouvet Island

Population: uninhabited (July 2006 est.)

Government Bouvet Island

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Bouvet Island

Dependency status:

territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the

Ministry of Justice and Police from Oslo

Legal system:

the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply

Flag description:

the flag of Norway is used

Economy Bouvet Island

Economy - overview: no economic activity; declared a nature reserve

Communications Bouvet Island

Internet country code:

.bv

Internet hosts:

6 (2006)

Communications - note:

automatic meteorological station

Transportation Bouvet Island

Ports and terminals: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Bouvet Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Norway

Transnational Issues Bouvet Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Brazil

Introduction Brazil

Background:

Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil became

an independent nation in 1822 and a republic in 1889. By far the

largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil overcame

more than half a century of military intervention in the governance

of the country when in 1985 the military regime peacefully ceded

power to civilian rulers. Brazil continues to pursue industrial and

agricultural growth and development of its interior. Exploiting vast

natural resources and a large labor pool, it is today South

America's leading economic power and a regional leader. Highly

unequal income distribution remains a pressing problem.

Geography Brazil

Location:

Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean

Geographic coordinates:

10 00 S, 55 00 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 8,511,965 sq km

land: 8,456,510 sq km

water: 55,455 sq km

note: includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas,

Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao

Paulo

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than the US

Land boundaries:

total: 16,885 km

border countries: Argentina 1,261 km, Bolivia 3,423 km, Colombia

1,644 km, French Guiana 730.4 km, Guyana 1,606 km, Paraguay 1,365

km, Peru 2,995 km, Suriname 593 km, Uruguay 1,068 km, Venezuela

2,200 km

Coastline:

7,491 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

Climate:

mostly tropical, but temperate in south

Terrain:

mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills,

mountains, and narrow coastal belt

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Pico da Neblina 3,014 m

Natural resources:

bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum,

tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber

Land use: arable land: 6.93% permanent crops: 0.89% other: 92.18% (2005)

Irrigated land:

29,200 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in

south

Environment - current issues:

deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the habitat and endangers a

multitude of plant and animal species indigenous to the area; there

is a lucrative illegal wildlife trade; air and water pollution in

Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and several other large cities; land

degradation and water pollution caused by improper mining

activities; wetland degradation; severe oil spills

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living

Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate

Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the

Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

largest country in South America; shares common boundaries with

every South American country except Chile and Ecuador

People Brazil

Population:

188,078,227

note: Brazil conducted a census in August 2000, which reported a

population of 169,799,170; that figure was about 3.3% lower than

projections by the US Census Bureau, and is close to the implied

underenumeration of 4.6% for the 1991 census; estimates for this

country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality

due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant

mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and

changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would

otherwise be expected (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 25.8% (male 24,687,656/female 23,742,998)

15-64 years: 68.1% (male 63,548,331/female 64,617,539)

65 years and over: 6.1% (male 4,712,675/female 6,769,028) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 28.2 years

male: 27.5 years

female: 29 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.04% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

16.56 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

6.17 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 28.6 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 32.3 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 24.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71.97 years

male: 68.02 years

female: 76.12 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.91 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

660,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

15,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Brazilian(s)

adjective: Brazilian

Ethnic groups:

white 53.7%, mulatto (mixed white and black) 38.5%, black 6.2%,

other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian) 0.9%, unspecified 0.7%

(2000 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic (nominal) 73.6%, Protestant 15.4%, Spiritualist

1.3%, Bantu/voodoo 0.3%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.2%, none 7.4%

(2000 census)

Languages:

Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 86.4%

male: 86.1%

female: 86.6% (2003 est.)

Government Brazil

Country name:

conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil

conventional short form: Brazil

local long form: Republica Federativa do Brasil

local short form: Brasil

Government type:

federative republic

Capital:

name: Brasilia

geographic coordinates: 15 47 S, 47 55 W

time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

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

third Sunday in February

note: Brazil is divided into four time zones, including one for the

Fernando de Noronha islands

Administrative divisions:

26 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district*

(distrito federal); Acre, Alagoas, Amapa, Amazonas, Bahia, Ceara,

Distrito Federal*, Espirito Santo, Goias, Maranhao, Mato Grosso,

Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Para, Paraiba, Parana, Pernambuco,

Piaui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul,

Rondonia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo, Sergipe, Tocantins

Independence:

7 September 1822 (from Portugal)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 7 September (1822)

Constitution:

5 October 1988

Legal system:

based on Roman codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70; compulsory

over 18 and under 70 years of age; note - military conscripts do not

vote

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1

January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003);

note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1

January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket

by popular vote for a single four-year term; election last held 1

October 2006 with runoff 29 October 2006 (next to be held 3 October

2010 and, if necessary, 31 October 2010)

election results: Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (PT) reelected president

- 60.83%, Geraldo ALCKMIN (PSDB) 39.17%

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional consists of the

Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats; 3 members from each

state and federal district elected according to the principle of

majority to serve eight-year terms; one-third elected after a

four-year period, two-thirds elected after the next four-year

period) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara dos Deputados (513

seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve

four-year terms)

elections: Federal Senate - last held 1 October 2006 for one-third

of the Senate (next to be held October 2010 for two-thirds of the

Senate); Chamber of Deputies - last held 1 October 2006 (next to be

held October 2010)

election results: Federal Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%;

seats by party - PFL 6, PSDB 5, PMDB 4, PTB 3, PT 2, PDT 1, PSB 1,

PL 1, PPS 1, PRTB 1, PP 1, PCdoB 1; total seats following election -

PFL 18, PMDB 15, PSDB 15, PT 10, PDT 5, PTB 4, PSB 3, PL 3, PCdoB 2,

PRB 2, PPS 1, PRTB 1, PP 1, PSOL 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of

vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PMDB 89, PT 83, PFL 65, PSDB

65, PP 42, PSB 27, PDT 24, PL 23, PTB 22, PPS 21, PCdoB 13, PV 13,

PSC 9, other 17

Judicial branch:

Supreme Federal Tribunal (11 ministers are appointed for life by

the president and confirmed by the Senate); Higher Tribunal of

Justice; Regional Federal Tribunals (judges are appointed for life);

note - though appointed "for life," judges, like all federal

employees, have a mandatory retirement age of 70

Political parties and leaders:

Brazilian Democratic Movement Party or PMDB [Federal Deputy Michel

TEMER]; Brazilian Labor Party or PTB [Flavio de CASTRO MARTINEZ];

Brazilian Renewal Labor Party or PRTB [Jose Levy Fidelix DA CRUZ];

Brazilian Republican Party or PRB [Vitor Paulo Araujo DOS SANTOS];

Brazilian Social Democracy Party or PSDB [Senator Tasso JEREISSATI];

Brazilian Socialist Party or PSB [Federal Deputy Eduardo Henrique

Accioly CAMPOS]; Communist Party of Brazil or PCdoB [Jose Renato

RABELO]; Democratic Labor Party or PDT [Carlos Roberto LUPI];

Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [Luis Marques MENDES]; Green Party

or PV [Jose Luiz de Franca PENNA]; Humanist Party of Solidarity or

PHS [leader NA]; Liberal Party or PL [Federal Deputy Valdemar COSTA

Neto]; National Order Reconstruction Party or PRONA [Federal Deputy

Dr. Eneas Ferreira CARNEIRO]; Partido Municipalista Renovador or PMR

[Natal Wellington Rodrigues FURUCHO]; Popular Socialist Party or PPS

[Federal Deputy Roberto FREIRE]; Progressive Party or PP [Federal

Deputy Pedro CORREA]; Social Christian Party or PSC [Vitor Jorge

ABDALA NOSSEIS]; Workers' Party or PT [Ricardo Jose Ribeiro BERZOINI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Landless Worker's Movement; labor unions and federations; large

farmers' associations; religious groups including evangelical

Christian churches and the Catholic Church

International organization participation:

AfDB, BIS, CAN (associate), CSN, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA,

IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,

IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur,

MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN,

UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,

UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio de Aguiar PATRIOTA chancery: 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 238-2700 FAX: [1] (202) 238-2827 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Clifford M. SOBEL embassy: Avenida das Nacoes, Quadra 801, Lote 3, Distrito Federal Cep 70403-900, Brasilia mailing address: Unit 3500, APO AA 34030 telephone: [55] (61) 3312-7000 FAX: [55] (61) 3225-9136 consulate(s) general: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo consulate(s): Recife

Flag description:

green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a blue

celestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars (one for each state

and the Federal District) arranged in the same pattern as the night

sky over Brazil; the globe has a white equatorial band with the

motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress)

Economy Brazil

Economy - overview:

Characterized by large and well-developed agricultural, mining,

manufacturing, and service sectors, Brazil's economy outweighs that

of all other South American countries and is expanding its presence

in world markets. From 2001-03 real wages fell and Brazil's economy

grew, on average only 2.2% per year, as the country absorbed a

series of domestic and international economic shocks. That Brazil

absorbed these shocks without financial collapse is a tribute to the

resiliency of the Brazilian economy and the economic program put in

place by former President CARDOSO and strengthened by President LULA

DA SILVA. Since 2004, Brazil has enjoyed more robust growth that

yielded increases in employment and real wages. The three pillars of

the economic program are a floating exchange rate, an

inflation-targeting regime, and tight fiscal policy, all reinforced

by a series of IMF programs. The currency depreciated sharply in

2001 and 2002, which contributed to a dramatic current account

adjustment; from 2003 to 2006, Brazil ran record trade surpluses and

recorded its first current account surpluses since 1992.

Productivity gains - particularly in agriculture - also contributed

to the surge in exports. While economic management has been good,

there remain important economic vulnerabilities. The most

significant are debt-related: the government's largely domestic debt

increased steadily from 1994 to 2003 - straining government finances

- before falling as a percentage of GDP in 2005. Brazil has improved

its debt profile over the past year by shifting its debt burden

toward real denominated and domestically held instruments. LULA DA

SILVA restated his commitment to fiscal austerity by maintaining the

country's primary surplus during the 2006 election and plans to pass

a package of further economic reforms upon entering office for his

second term. Another challenge is maintaining economic growth over a

period of time to generate employment and make the government debt

burden more manageable.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.616 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$620.7 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$8,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8% industry: 38% services: 54% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 96.34 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 20% industry: 14% services: 66% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:

9.6% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

31% (2005)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 31.27% (2002)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

56.7 (2005)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.2% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

20.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $140.6 billion

expenditures: $172.4 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2004)

Public debt:

50.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, citrus; beef

Industries:

textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel,

aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and equipment

Industrial production growth rate:

3.4% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

380.9 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 8.3% hydro: 82.7% nuclear: 4.4% other: 4.6% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

391.7 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

7 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

39 billion kWh; note - supplied by Paraguay (2005)

Oil - production:

2.09 million bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption:

2.194 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:

241,700 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:

572,600 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

12.22 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

9.66 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

17.28 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

7.62 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

250 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$5.81 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$138 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

transport equipment, iron ore, soybeans, footwear, coffee, autos

Exports - partners:

US 19.2%, Argentina 8.4%, China 5.8%, Netherlands 4.5%, Germany

4.2% (2005)

Imports:

$95.83 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, electrical and transport equipment, chemical products,

oil

Imports - partners:

US 17.5%, Argentina 8.5%, Germany 8.4%, China 7.3%, Japan 4.6%

(2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$77.27 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$177.7 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$30 billion (2002)

Currency (code):

real (BRL)

Currency code:

BRL

Exchange rates:

reals per US dollar - 2.19132 (2006), 2.4344 (2005), 2.9251 (2004),

3.0771 (2003), 2.9208 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Brazil

Telephones - main lines in use:

42.382 million (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

86.21 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: good working system

domestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic

satellite system with 64 earth stations

international: country code - 55; 3 coaxial submarine cables;

satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat

(Atlantic Ocean region east), connected by microwave relay system to

Mercosur Brazilsat B3 satellite earth station

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1,365, FM 296, shortwave 161 (of which 91 are collocated with AM

stations) (1999)

Radios:

71 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

138 (1997)

Televisions:

36.5 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.br

Internet hosts:

6,508,431 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

50 (2000)

Internet users:

25.9 million (2005)

Transportation Brazil

Airports: 4,276 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 714 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 24 1,524 to 2,437 m: 164 914 to 1,523 m: 464 under 914 m: 54 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3,562 1,524 to 2,437 m: 81 914 to 1,523 m: 1,634 under 914 m: 1,847 (2006)

Heliports:

417 (2006)

Pipelines:

condensate/gas 244 km; gas 11,669 km; liquid petroleum gas 341 km;

oil 5,212 km; refined products 4,755 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 29,252 km

broad gauge: 4,877 km 1.600-m gauge (939 km electrified)

standard gauge: 194 km 1.440-m gauge

narrow gauge: 23,785 km 1.000-m gauge (581 km electrified)

dual gauge: 396 km 1.000 m and 1.600-m gauges (three rails) (78 km

electrified) (2005)

Roadways: total: 1,751,868 km paved: 96,353 km unpaved: 1,655,515 km (2004)

Waterways:

50,000 km (most in areas remote from industry and population) (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 137 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,038,923 GRT/3,057,820 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 21, cargo 21, chemical tanker 8, container 8,

liquefied gas 12, passenger/cargo 12, petroleum tanker 47, roll

on/roll off 8

foreign-owned: 15 (Chile 1, Germany 7, Norway 2, Spain 4, UK 1)

registered in other countries: 5 (Ghana 1, Liberia 3, Marshall

Islands 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Gebig, Itaqui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, San Sebasttiao, Santos,

Sepetiba Terminal, Tubarao, Vitoria

Military Brazil

Military branches:

Brazilian Army, Brazilian Navy (Marinha do Brasil (MB), includes

Naval Air and Marine Corps (Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais)), Brazilian

Air Force (Forca Aerea Brasileira, FAB) (2006)

Military service age and obligation: 21-45 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - nine to 12 months; 17-45 years of age for voluntary service; an increasing percentage of the ranks are "long-service" volunteer professionals; women were allowed to serve in the armed forces beginning in early 1980s when the Brazilian Army became the first army in South America to accept women into career ranks; women serve in Navy and Air Force only in Women's Reserve Corps (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 19-49: 45,586,036

females age 19-49: 45,728,704 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 19-49: 33,119,098

females age 19-49: 38,079,722 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 1,785,930

females age 19-49: 1,731,648 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$9.94 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.3% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Brazil

Disputes - international:

unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders

is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics

trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations;

uncontested dispute with Uruguay over certain islands in the

Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada boundary streams and the resulting

tripoint with Argentina; in 2004 Brazil submitted its claims to the

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to extend

its maritime continental margin

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Brazil is a source and destination country for

women and girls trafficked for sexual exploitation within Brazil and

to destinations in South America, the Caribbean, Western Europe,

Japan, the US, and the Middle East, and for men trafficked within

the country for forced agricultural labor; child sex tourism is a

problem within the country, particularly in the resort areas and

coastal cities of Brazil's northeast; foreign victims from Bolivia,

Peru, China, and Korea are trafficked to Brazil for labor

exploitation in factories

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Brazil has failed to show evidence

of increasing efforts to fight trafficking, specifically for its

failure to apply effective criminal penalties against traffickers

who exploit forced labor

Illicit drugs:

illicit producer of cannabis; trace amounts of coca cultivation in

the Amazon region, used for domestic consumption; government has a

large-scale eradication program to control cannabis; important

transshipment country for Bolivian, Colombian, and Peruvian cocaine

headed for Europe; also used by traffickers as a way station for

narcotics air transshipments between Peru and Colombia; upsurge in

drug-related violence and weapons smuggling; important market for

Colombian, Bolivian, and Peruvian cocaine; illicit narcotics

proceeds earned in Brazil are often laundered through the financial

system; significant illicit financial activity in the Tri-Border Area

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@British Indian Ocean Territory

Introduction British Indian Ocean Territory

Background:

Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the

British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to

the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently,

BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the

Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands,

Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of

the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers,

earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to

Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In

2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration

order that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the

special military status of Diego Garcia.

Geography British Indian Ocean Territory

Location:

archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the

way from Africa to Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:

6 00 S, 71 30 E; note - Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 E

Map references:

Political Map of the World

Area:

total: 54,400 sq km

land: 60 sq km; Diego Garcia 44 sq km

water: 54,340 sq km

note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago of 55 islands

Area - comparative:

land area is about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

698 km

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

Climate:

tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds

Terrain:

flat and low (most areas do not exceed two meters in elevation)

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m

Natural resources: coconuts, fish, sugarcane

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

archipelago of 55 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost

island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island

is site of joint US-UK military facility

People British Indian Ocean Territory

Population:

no indigenous inhabitants

note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in

the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois,

were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s and

1970s; in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a

British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in

November 2004, there were approximately 4,000 UK and US military

personnel and civilian contractors living on the island of Diego

Garcia (July 2006 est.)

Government British Indian Ocean Territory

Country name:

conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory

conventional short form: none

abbreviation: BIOT

Dependency status:

overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner,

resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London

Legal system:

the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

Executive branch:

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

head of government: Commissioner Tony CROMBIE (since January 2004);

Administrator Tony HUMPHRIES (since February 2005); note - both

reside in the UK

cabinet: NA

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and

administrator appointed by the monarch

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:

white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is

in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm

tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag

Economy British Indian Ocean Territory

Economy - overview:

All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of

Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located.

Construction projects and various services needed to support the

military installations are done by military and contract employees

from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no

industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois

return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing.

The country makes money by selling fishing licenses and postage

stamps.

Electricity - production:

NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military

Electricity - consumption:

NA kWh

Currency (code):

both the British Pound (GBP) and the US Dollar (USD) are accepted

Communications British Indian Ocean Territory

Telephones - main lines in use:

NA

Telephone system:

general assessment: separate facilities for military and public

needs are available

domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including

connection to the Internet

international: international telephone service is carried by

satellite (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

NA

Television broadcast stations:

1 (1997)

Televisions:

NA

Internet country code:

.io

Internet hosts:

65 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Transportation British Indian Ocean Territory

Airports: 1 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:

total: NA

paved: short section of paved road between port and airfield on

Diego Garcia

Ports and terminals:

Diego Garcia

Military British Indian Ocean Territory

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego

Garcia expires in 2016

Transnational Issues British Indian Ocean Territory

Disputes - international:

Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago including

Diego Garcia; in 2001 the former inhabitants of the Chagos

Archipelago, evicted in 1965 and now residing chiefly in Mauritius,

were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation; the UK

resists the Chagossians' demand for an immediate return to the

islands; repatriation is complicated by the exclusive US military

lease of Diego Garcia that restricts access to the largest island in

the chain;

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@British Virgin Islands

Introduction British Virgin Islands

Background:

First inhabited by Arawak and later by Carib Indians, the Virgin

Islands were settled by the Dutch in 1648 and then annexed by the

English in 1672. The islands were part of the British colony of the

Leeward Islands from 1872-1960; they were granted autonomy in 1967.

The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US

Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the legal currency.

Geography British Virgin Islands

Location:

Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean,

east of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates:

18 30 N, 64 30 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 153 sq km

land: 153 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited

islands; includes the islands of Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda,

Jost van Dyke

Area - comparative:

about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

80 km

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

Climate:

subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds

Terrain:

coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Sage 521 m

Natural resources:

NEGL

Land use:

arable land: 20%

permanent crops: 6.67%

other: 73.33% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources (except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchments)

Geography - note: strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico

People British Virgin Islands

Population:

23,098 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 20.5% (male 2,403/female 2,331)

15-64 years: 74.3% (male 8,811/female 8,340)

65 years and over: 5.3% (male 636/female 577) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 31.4 years

male: 31.6 years

female: 31.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.97% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

14.89 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

9.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.1 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 16.72 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 19.5 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 13.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.68 years

male: 75.56 years

female: 77.84 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.72 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality: noun: British Virgin Islander(s) adjective: British Virgin Islander

Ethnic groups:

black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed

Religions:

Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%,

Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other

15%), Roman Catholic 10%, none 2%, other 2% (1991)

Languages:

English (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.8% (1991 est.)

male: NA%

female: NA%

Government British Virgin Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: British Virgin Islands

abbreviation: BVI

Dependency status:

overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Road Town

geographic coordinates: 18 27 N, 64 37 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:

Territory Day, 1 July

Constitution:

1 June 1977, amended in 2000

Legal system:

English law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

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

represented by Governor David PEAREY (since 18 April 2006)

head of government: Chief Minister Dr. Orlando D. SMITH (since 17

June 2003)

cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of

the Legislative Council

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

the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the

majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually

appointed chief minister by the governor

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Council (13 seats; members are elected by

direct popular vote, 1 member from each of nine electoral districts,

4 at-large members; members serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 16 May 2003 (next to be held in 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

NDP 8, VIP 5

Judicial branch:

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the High Court of

Justice and the Court of Appeal (one judge of the Supreme Court is a

resident of the islands and presides over the High Court);

Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court; Court of Summary Jurisdiction

Political parties and leaders:

Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Ethlyn SMITH]; National

Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH]; United Party or UP [Gregory

MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T. O'NEAL]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS

(associate), UNESCO (associate), UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:

blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and

the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in the outer half of the

flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either side by a

vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the Latin

word VIGILATE (Be Watchful)

Economy British Virgin Islands

Economy - overview:

The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the

Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, generating an estimated

45% of the national income. An estimated 350,000 tourists, mainly

from the US, visited the islands in 1998. Tourism suffered in 2002

because of the lackluster US economy. In the mid-1980s, the

government began offering offshore registration to companies wishing

to incorporate in the islands, and incorporation fees now generate

substantial revenues. Roughly 400,000 companies were on the offshore

registry by yearend 2000. The adoption of a comprehensive insurance

law in late 1994, which provides a blanket of confidentiality with

regulated statutory gateways for investigation of criminal offenses,

made the British Virgin Islands even more attractive to

international business. Livestock raising is the most important

agricultural activity; poor soils limit the islands' ability to meet

domestic food requirements. Because of traditionally close links

with the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the

US dollar as its currency since 1959.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$853.4 million (2004 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$839.7 million (2003)

GDP - real growth rate:

1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$38,500 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.8% industry: 6.2% services: 92% (1996 est.)

Labor force: 12,770 (2004)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 0.6% industry: 40% services: 59.4%

Unemployment rate:

3.6% (1997)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2% (2005)

Budget:

revenues: $204.7 million

expenditures: $180.4 million; including capital expenditures of

$33.8 million (2004)

Agriculture - products:

fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish

Industries:

tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block,

offshore financial center

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

42 million kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

39.06 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

480 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$134.3 million (1999)

Exports:

$25.3 million (2002)

Exports - commodities:

rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand

Exports - partners:

Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US (2004)

Imports:

$187 million (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:

building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery

Imports - partners:

Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US (2004)

Debt - external:

$36.1 million (1997)

Economic aid - recipient:

$NA

Currency (code):

US dollar (USD)

Currency code:

USD

Exchange rates:

the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications British Virgin Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:

11,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

8,000 (2002)

Telephone system:

general assessment: worldwide telephone service

domestic: NA

international: country code - 1-284; submarine cable to Bermuda

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:

9,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (plus one cable company) (1997)

Televisions:

4,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.vg

Internet hosts:

525 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

16 (2000)

Internet users:

4,000 (2002)

Transportation British Virgin Islands

Airports: 3 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 177 km

paved: 177 km (2002)

Merchant marine:

registered in other countries: 1 (North Korea 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Road Town

Military British Virgin Islands

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 6,410 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 5,295 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 201 (2005 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues British Virgin Islands

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the

US and Europe; large offshore financial center makes it vulnerable

to money laundering

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Brunei

Introduction Brunei

Background:

The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked between the 15th and

17th centuries when its control extended over coastal areas of

northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently

entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal

succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In

1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was

achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six

centuries. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas

fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in the

developing world.

Geography Brunei

Location:

Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia

Geographic coordinates:

4 30 N, 114 40 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 5,770 sq km

land: 5,270 sq km

water: 500 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Delaware

Land boundaries: total: 381 km border countries: Malaysia 381 km

Coastline: 161 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to median line

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid, rainy

Terrain:

flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, timber

Land use: arable land: 2.08% permanent crops: 0.87% other: 97.05% (2005)

Irrigated land:

10 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare

Environment - current issues:

seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

close to vital sea lanes through South China Sea linking Indian and

Pacific Oceans; two parts physically separated by Malaysia; almost

an enclave within Malaysia

People Brunei

Population:

379,444 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 28.1% (male 54,411/female 52,134)

15-64 years: 68.8% (male 138,129/female 123,017)

65 years and over: 3.1% (male 5,584/female 6,169) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 27.4 years

male: 28 years

female: 26.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.87% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

18.79 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

3.45 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

3.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female

total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 12.25 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 15.46 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 8.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 75.01 years

male: 72.57 years

female: 77.59 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.28 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Bruneian(s)

adjective: Bruneian

Ethnic groups:

Malay 67%, Chinese 15%, indigenous 6%, other 12%

Religions:

Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%, indigenous

beliefs and other 10%

Languages:

Malay (official), English, Chinese

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 93.9%

male: 96.3%

female: 91.4% (2002)

Government Brunei

Country name:

conventional long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam

conventional short form: Brunei

local long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam

local short form: Brunei

Government type:

constitutional sultanate

Capital:

name: Bandar Seri Begawan

geographic coordinates: 4 52 S, 114 55 E

time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait, Brunei and

Muara, Temburong, Tutong

Independence:

1 January 1984 (from UK)

National holiday:

National Day, 23 February (1984); note - 1 January 1984 was the

date of independence from the UK, 23 February 1984 was the date of

independence from British protection

Constitution:

29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of

Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1

January 1984)

Legal system:

based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic Shari'a law

supersedes civil law in a number of areas

Suffrage:

none

Executive branch:

chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah

(since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief of

state and head of government

head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah

(since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief of

state and head of government

cabinet: Council of Cabinet Ministers appointed and presided over by

the monarch; deals with executive matters; note - there is also a

Religious Council (members appointed by the monarch) that advises on

religious matters, a Privy Council (members appointed by the

monarch) that deals with constitutional matters, and the Council of

Succession (members appointed by the monarch) that determines the

succession to the throne if the need arises

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary

Legislative branch:

Legislative Council met on 25 September 2004 for first time in 20

years with 21 members appointed by the Sultan; passed constitutional

amendments calling for a 45-seat council with 15 elected members;

Sultan dissolved council on 1 September 2005 and appointed a new

council with 29 members as of 2 September 2005

elections: last held in March 1962 (date of next election NA)

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court - chief justice and judges are sworn in by monarch

for three-year terms; Judicial Committee of Privy Council in London

is final court of appeal for civil cases; Shariah courts deal with

Islamic laws (2006)

Political parties and leaders:

Brunei Solidarity National Party (PPKB) [Haji Mohd HATTA bin Haji

Zainal Abidin]; National Development Party (NDP) [YASSIN Affendi];

People's Awareness Party (PAKAR) [Awang Haji MAIDIN bin Haji Ahmad]

note: parties are small and have limited activity (2005)

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, C, EAS, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB,

IFRCS, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC,

OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Pengiran Anak Dato PUTEH

chancery: 3520 International Court NW #300, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 237-1838

FAX: [1] (202) 885-0560

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Emil SKODON

embassy: Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri

Begawan, BS8811

mailing address: PSC 470 (BSB), FPO AP 96507; P.O. Box 2991, Bandar

Seri Begawan BS8675, Negara Brunei Darussalam

telephone: [673] 222-0384

FAX: [673] 222-5293

Flag description:

yellow with two diagonal bands of white (top, almost double width)

and black starting from the upper hoist side; the national emblem in

red is superimposed at the center; the emblem includes a

swallow-tailed flag on top of a winged column within an upturned

crescent above a scroll and flanked by two upraised hands

Economy Brunei

Economy - overview:

This small, well-to-do economy encompasses a mixture of foreign and

domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation, welfare measures,

and village tradition. Crude oil and natural gas production account

for nearly half of GDP and more than 90% of government revenues. Per

capita GDP is far above most other Third World countries, and

substantial income from overseas investment supplements income from

domestic production. The government provides for all medical

services and free education through the university level and

subsidizes rice and housing. Brunei's leaders are concerned that

steadily increased integration in the world economy will undermine

internal social cohesion. Plans for the future include upgrading the

labor force, reducing unemployment, strengthening the banking and

tourist sectors, and, in general, further widening the economic base

beyond oil and gas.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$6.842 billion (2003 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$5.486 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

1.7% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$23,600 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 3.6%

industry: 56.1%

services: 40.3% (2004 est.)

Labor force:

146,300

note: includes foreign workers and military personnel; temporary

residents make up about 40% of labor force (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 2.9%

industry: 61.1%

services: 36% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:

4.8% (2004)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

0.9% (2004)

Budget:

revenues: $3.765 billion

expenditures: $4.815 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:

rice, vegetables, fruits; chickens, water buffalo, eggs

Industries:

petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction

Industrial production growth rate:

7.3% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:

2.806 billion kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

2.609 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

200,800 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - consumption:

10,770 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:

192,700 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves:

1.255 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

11.5 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

9.5 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

390.8 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Exports:

$4.514 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

crude oil, natural gas, refined products

Exports - partners:

Japan 36.8%, Indonesia 19.3%, South Korea 12.7%, US 9.5%, Australia

9.3% (2005)

Imports:

$1.641 billion c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food,

chemicals

Imports - partners:

Singapore 32.7%, Malaysia 23.3%, Japan 6.9%, UK 5.3%, Thailand

4.5%, South Korea 4% (2005)

Debt - external:

$0

Economic aid - recipient:

$770,000 (2004)

Currency (code):

Bruneian dollar (BND)

Currency code:

BND

Exchange rates:

Bruneian dollars per US dollar - 1.6644 (2005), 1.6902 (2004),

1.7422 (2003), 1.7906 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Brunei

Telephones - main lines in use:

90,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

205,900 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: service throughout the country is excellent;

international service is good to Southeast Asia, Middle East,

Western Europe, and the US

domestic: every service available

international: country code - 673; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); digital submarine

cable links to Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore (2006)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 2 (transmitting on 18 different frequencies), shortwave 0

note: British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) station transmits

two FM signals with English and Nepali service (2006)

Radios:

329,000 (1998)

Television broadcast stations: 4; note - including two UHF stations broadcasting a subscription service (2006)

Televisions:

201,900 (1998)

Internet country code:

.bn

Internet hosts:

27 (2005)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2000)

Internet users:

56,000 (2005)

Transportation Brunei

Airports: 2 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Heliports:

3 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 672 km; oil 463 km (2006)

Roadways: total: 2,525 km paved: 2,338 km unpaved: 187 km (2000)

Waterways:

209 km (navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m) (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 465,937 GRT/413,393 DWT

by type: liquefied gas 8

foreign-owned: 8 (UK 8) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Lumut, Muara, Seria

Military Brunei

Military branches:

Royal Brunei Armed Forces: Royal Brunei Land Forces, Royal Brunei

Navy, Royal Brunei Air Force (Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei) (2005)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 103,885

females age 18-49: 93,024 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 85,045

females age 18-49: 77,436 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 3,478

females age 18-49: 3,342 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$290.7 million (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

5.1% (2003 est.)

Transnational Issues Brunei

Disputes - international:

in 2003 Brunei and Malaysia ceased gas and oil exploration in their

disputed offshore and deepwater seabeds and negotiations have

stalemated prompting consideration of international legal

adjudication; Malaysia's land boundary with Brunei around Limbang is

in dispute; Brunei established an exclusive economic fishing zone

encompassing Louisa Reef in southern Spratly Islands in 1984 but

makes no public territorial claim to the offshore reefs; the 2002

"Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has

eased tensions in the Spratly Islands but falls short of a legally

binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants

Illicit drugs:

drug trafficking and illegally importing controlled substances are

serious offenses in Brunei and carry a mandatory death penalty

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Bulgaria

Introduction Bulgaria

Background:

The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the local

Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first

Bulgarian state. In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with

the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the

end of the 14th century the country was overrun by the Ottoman

Turks. Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy in 1878 and all of

Bulgaria became independent from the Ottoman Empire in 1908. Having

fought on the losing side in both World Wars, Bulgaria fell within

the Soviet sphere of influence and became a People's Republic in

1946. Communist domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its

first multiparty election since World War II and began the

contentious process of moving toward political democracy and a

market economy while combating inflation, unemployment, corruption,

and crime. The country joined NATO in 2004 and the EU in 2007.

Geography Bulgaria

Location:

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and

Turkey

Geographic coordinates:

43 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 110,910 sq km

land: 110,550 sq km

water: 360 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries:

total: 1,808 km

border countries: Greece 494 km, Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km,

Serbia 318 km, Turkey 240 km

Coastline:

354 km

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

Climate:

temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers

Terrain:

mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point: Musala 2,925 m

Natural resources: bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land

Land use: arable land: 29.94% permanent crops: 1.9% other: 68.16% (2005)

Irrigated land:

5,880 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

earthquakes, landslides

Environment - current issues:

air pollution from industrial emissions; rivers polluted from raw

sewage, heavy metals, detergents; deforestation; forest damage from

air pollution and resulting acid rain; soil contamination from heavy

metals from metallurgical plants and industrial wastes

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,

Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental

Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty,

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Geography - note:

strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes

from Europe to Middle East and Asia

People Bulgaria

Population:

7,385,367 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 13.9% (male 527,881/female 502,334)

15-64 years: 68.7% (male 2,496,054/female 2,579,680)

65 years and over: 17.3% (male 527,027/female 752,391) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 40.8 years

male: 38.7 years

female: 42.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.86% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

9.65 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

14.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-4.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 19.85 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 23.52 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 15.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 72.3 years

male: 68.68 years

female: 76.13 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.38 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

346 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Bulgarian(s)

adjective: Bulgarian

Ethnic groups:

Bulgarian 83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2% (including

Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (2001 census)

Religions:

Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other Christian 1.2%, other

4% (2001 census)

Languages:

Bulgarian 84.5%, Turkish 9.6%, Roma 4.1%, other and unspecified

1.8% (2001 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.6%

male: 99.1%

female: 98.2% (2003 est.)

Government Bulgaria

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria

conventional short form: Bulgaria

local long form: Republika Balgariya

local short form: Balgariya

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Sofia

geographic coordinates: 42 41 N, 23 19 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

28 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast); Blagoevgrad, Burgas,

Dobrich, Gabrovo, Khaskovo, Kurdzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana,

Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Ruse, Shumen,

Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofiya, Sofiya-Grad, Stara Zagora,

Turgovishte, Varna, Veliko Turnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Yambol

Independence:

3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the Ottoman

Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the Ottoman

Empire)

National holiday:

Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)

Constitution:

adopted 12 July 1991

Legal system:

civil law and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts compulsory

ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Georgi PURVANOV (since 22 January 2002);

Vice President Angel MARIN (since 22 January 2002)

head of government: Prime Minister Sergei STANISHEV (since 16 August

2005); Deputy Prime Ministers Ivaylo KALFIN, Daniel VULCHEV, and

Emel ETEM (since 16 August 2005)

cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and

elected by the National Assembly

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket

by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term);

election last held 22 and 29 October 2006 (next to be held in 2011);

chairman of the Council of Ministers (prime minister) nominated by

the president and elected by the National Assembly; deputy prime

ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the

National Assembly

election results: Georgi PURVANOV reelected president; percent of

vote - Georgi PURVANOV 77.3%, Volen SIDEROV 22.7%; Sergei STANISHEV

elected prime minister, result of legislative vote - 168 to 67

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sobranie (240 seats;

members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 25 June 2005 (next to be held June 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - CfB 31.1%, NMS2 19.9%,

MRF 12.7%, ATAKA 8.2%, UDF 7.7%, DSB 6.5%, BPU 5.2%; seats by party

- CfB 83, NMS2 53, MRF 33, UDF 20, ATAKA 17, DSB 17, BPU 13,

independents 4

Judicial branch:

Supreme Administrative Court; Supreme Court of Cassation;

Constitutional Court (12 justices appointed or elected for nine-year

terms); Supreme Judicial Council (consists of the chairmen of the

two Supreme Courts, the Chief Prosecutor, and 22 other members;

responsible for appointing the justices, prosecutors, and

investigating magistrates in the justice system; members of the

Supreme Judicial Council elected for five-year terms, 11 elected by

the National Assembly and 11 by bodies of the judiciary)

Political parties and leaders:

ATAKA (Attack Coalition) (coalition of parties headed by the Attack

National Union); Attack National Union [Volen SIDEROV]; Bulgarian

Agrarian National Union-People's Union or BANU [Anastasia MOZER];

Bulgarian People's Union or BPU (coalition of UFD, IMRO, and BANU);

Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP [Sergei STANISHEV]; Coalition for

Bulgaria or CfB (coalition of parties dominated by BSP) [Sergei

STANISHEV]; Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria or DSB [Ivan KOSTOV];

Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization or IMRO [Krasimir

KARAKACHANOV]; Movement for Rights and Freedoms or MRF [Ahmed

DOGAN]; National Movement for Simeon II or NMS2 [Simeon

SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA]; New Time [Emil KOSHLUKOV]; Union of Democratic

Forces or UDF [Petar STOYANOV]; Union of Free Democrats or UFD

[Stefan SOFIYANSKI]; United Democratic Forces or UtDF (a coalition

of center-right parties dominated by UDF)

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria or CITUB;

Podkrepa Labor Confederation; numerous regional, ethnic, and

national interest groups with various agendas

International organization participation: ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EU (new member), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Elena B. POPTODOROVA chancery: 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-0174 FAX: [1] (202) 234-7973 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John Ross BEYRLE embassy: 16 Kozyak Street, Sofia 1407 mailing address: American Embassy Sofia, US Department of State, 5740 Sofia Place, Washington, DC 20521-5740 telephone: [359] (2) 937-5100 FAX: [359] (2) 937-5320

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red; note -

the national emblem, formerly on the hoist side of the white stripe,

has been removed

Economy Bulgaria

Economy - overview:

Bulgaria, a former communist country that entered the European

Union on 1 January 2007, has experienced macroeconomic stability and

strong growth since a major economic downturn in 1996 led to the

fall of the then socialist government. As a result, the government

became committed to economic reform and responsible fiscal planning.

Minerals, including coal, copper, and zinc, play an important role

in industry. In 1997, macroeconomic stability was reinforced by the

imposition of a fixed exchange rate of the lev against the German

D-mark - the currency is now fixed against the euro - and the

negotiation of an IMF standby agreement. Low inflation and steady

progress on structural reforms improved the business environment;

Bulgaria has averaged 5.1% growth since 2000 and has begun to

attract significant amounts of foreign direct investment. Corruption

in the public administration, a weak judiciary, and the presence of

organized crime remain the largest challenges for Bulgaria.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$77.13 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$27.85 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$10,400 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.9% industry: 30.1% services: 61% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 3.45 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 11% industry: 32.7% services: 56.3% (3rd qtr. 2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

9.6% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

4% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.4% highest 10%: 23.9% (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

29.2 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

7.2% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

24.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $13.28 billion

expenditures: $12.16 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

23.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

vegetables, fruits, tobacco, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar

beets; livestock

Industries:

electricity, gas, water; food, beverages, tobacco; machinery and

equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum,

nuclear fuel

Industrial production growth rate:

5% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

41.96 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 47.8% hydro: 8.1% nuclear: 44.1% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

35.23 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

5 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

1.2 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

3,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

109,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:

51,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - imports:

157,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - proved reserves:

15 million bbl (1 January 2006)

Natural gas - production:

1 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

5.301 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

5.3 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

5.947 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-4.13 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$14.6 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels

Exports - partners:

Italy 12%, Turkey 10.5%, Germany 9.8%, Greece 9.5%, Belgium 5.9%,

France 4.6% (2005)

Imports:

$20.69 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics;

fuels, minerals, and raw materials

Imports - partners:

Russia 15.6%, Germany 13.6%, Italy 9%, Turkey 6.1%, Greece 5%,

France 4.7% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$10.58 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$21.1 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$475 million (2004-06 est.)

Currency (code):

lev (BGL)

Currency code:

BGN

Exchange rates:

leva per US dollar - 1.56441 (2006), 1.5741 (2005), 1.5751 (2004),

1.7327 (2003), 2.077 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Bulgaria

Telephones - main lines in use:

2,483,500 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

6.245 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: extensive but antiquated

domestic: more than two-thirds of the lines are residential;

telephone service is available in most villages; a fairly modern

digital cable trunk line now connects switching centers in most of

the regions, the others are connected by digital microwave radio

relay

international: country code - 359; direct dialing to 58 countries;

satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 2

Intelsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios:

4.51 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

39 (plus 1,242 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:

3.31 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.bg

Internet hosts:

184,975 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

200 (2001)

Internet users:

2.2 million (2005)

Transportation Bulgaria

Airports: 217 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 132 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 19 1,524 to 2,437 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 96 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 85 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 72 (2006)

Heliports:

4 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 2,505 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 4,294 km

standard gauge: 4,049 km 1.435-m gauge (2,710 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 245 km 0.760-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 44,033 km

paved: 43,593 km (including 333 km of expressways)

unpaved: 440 km (2004)

Waterways:

470 km (2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 75 ships (1000 GRT or over) 872,653 GRT/1,294,877 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 40, cargo 17, chemical tanker 4, container 6,

passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 4

foreign-owned: 2 (Germany 1, Russia 1)

registered in other countries: 41 (Cambodia 1, Comoros 1, Malta 13,

Panama 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 17, Slovakia 7, unknown

1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Burgas, Varna

Military Bulgaria

Military branches:

Bulgarian Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Bulgarian Air

Forces (Bulgarski Voennovazdyshni Sily, BVVS) (2006)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 9 months; as of May 2006, 67% of the Bulgarian Army comprised of professional soldiers; conscription into the Army to end as of 1 January 2008; Air and Air Defense Forces and Naval Forces will become fully professional by end of 2006 (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,661,211

females age 18-49: 1,660,982 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,302,037

females age 18-49: 1,365,126 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 51,023

females age 18-49: 48,651 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$356 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.6% (2003)

Transnational Issues Bulgaria

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

major European transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and,

to a lesser degree, South American cocaine for the European market;

limited producer of precursor chemicals; some money laundering of

drug-related proceeds through financial institutions

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Burkina Faso

Introduction Burkina Faso

Background:

Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) achieved independence from

France in 1960. Repeated military coups during the 1970s and 1980s

were followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Current

President Blaise COMPAORE came to power in a 1987 military coup and

has won every election since then. Burkina Faso's high population

density and limited natural resources result in poor economic

prospects for the majority of its citizens. Recent unrest in Cote

d'Ivoire and northern Ghana has hindered the ability of several

hundred thousand seasonal Burkinabe farm workers to find employment

in neighboring countries.

Geography Burkina Faso

Location:

Western Africa, north of Ghana

Geographic coordinates:

13 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 274,200 sq km

land: 273,800 sq km

water: 400 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Colorado

Land boundaries:

total: 3,193 km

border countries: Benin 306 km, Cote d'Ivoire 584 km, Ghana 549 km,

Mali 1,000 km, Niger 628 km, Togo 126 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Terrain:

mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in west and

southeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m

highest point: Tena Kourou 749 m

Natural resources:

manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold, phosphates,

pumice, salt

Land use: arable land: 17.66% permanent crops: 0.22% other: 82.12% (2005)

Irrigated land:

250 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

recurring droughts

Environment - current issues: recent droughts and desertification severely affecting agricultural activities, population distribution, and the economy; overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation

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

Geography - note:

landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of the Black,

Red, and White Voltas

People Burkina Faso

Population:

13,902,972

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 46.8% (male 3,267,202/female 3,235,190)

15-64 years: 50.7% (male 3,513,559/female 3,538,623)

65 years and over: 2.5% (male 140,083/female 208,315) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 16.5 years

male: 16.3 years

female: 16.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

3% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

45.62 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

15.6 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 91.35 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 99.17 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 83.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 48.85 years

male: 47.33 years

female: 50.42 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

6.47 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

4.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

300,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

29,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural)

adjective: Burkinabe

Ethnic groups:

Mossi over 40%, Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande, Fulani

Religions:

Muslim 50%, indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian (mainly Roman

Catholic) 10%

Languages:

French (official), native African languages belonging to Sudanic

family spoken by 90% of the population

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 26.6%

male: 36.9%

female: 16.6% (2003 est.)

Government Burkina Faso

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Burkina Faso

local long form: none

local short form: Burkina Faso

former: Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta

Government type:

parliamentary republic

Capital:

name: Ouagadougou

geographic coordinates: 12 22 N, 1 31 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

45 provinces; Bale, Bam, Banwa, Bazega, Bougouriba, Boulgou,

Boulkiemde, Comoe, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Ioba, Kadiogo,

Kenedougou, Komondjari, Kompienga, Kossi, Koulpelogo, Kouritenga,

Kourweogo, Leraba, Loroum, Mouhoun, Nahouri, Namentenga, Nayala,

Noumbiel, Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Sanguie, Sanmatenga,

Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Tuy, Yagha, Yatenga, Ziro,

Zondoma, Zoundweogo

Independence:

5 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:

Republic Day, 11 December (1958)

Constitution:

2 June 1991 approved by referendum, 11 June 1991 formally adopted;

amended April 2000 and January 2002

Legal system:

based on French civil law system and customary law

Suffrage:

universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Blaise COMPAORE (since 15 October 1987)

head of government: Prime Minister Paramanga Ernest YONLI (since 6

November 2000)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the

recommendation of the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 13 November 2005

(next to be held in 2010); in April 2000, the constitution was

amended reducing the presidential term from seven to five years,

enforceable as of 2005; prime minister appointed by the president

with the consent of the legislature

election results: Blaise COMPAORE reelected president; percent of

popular vote - Blaise COMPAORE 80.3%, Benewende Stanislas SANKARA

4.9%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (111 seats;

members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: National Assembly election last held 5 May 2002 (next to

be held May 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

CDP 57, RDA-ADF 17, PDP/PS 10, CFD 5, PAI 5, other 17

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Appeals Court

Political parties and leaders:

African Democratic Rally-Alliance for Democracy and Federation or

ADF-RDA [Gilbert OUEDRAOGO]; Confederation for Federation and

Democracy or CFD [Amadou Diemdioda DICKO]; Congress for Democracy

and Progress or CDP [Roch Marc-Christian KABORE]; Movement for

Tolerance and Progress or MTP [Nayabtigungou Congo KABORE]; Party

for African Independence or PAI [Philippe OUEDRAOGO]; Party for

Democracy and Progress/Socialist Party or PDP/PS [Ali LANKOANDE];

Rally of Ecologists of Burkina Faso or RDEB [Ram OUEDRAGO];

Republican Party for Integration and Solidarity or PARIS [Cyril

GOUNGOUNGA]; Union for the Republic or UPR [Toussaint Abel COULIBALY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Burkinabe General Confederation of Labor or CGTB; Burkinabe

Movement for Human Rights or MBDHP; Group of 14 February; National

Confederation of Burkinabe Workers or CNTB; National Organization of

Free Unions or ONSL; watchdog/political action groups throughout the

country in both organizations and communities

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA,

MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,

UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,

WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Tertius ZONGO

chancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 332-5577

FAX: [1] (202) 667-1882

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Jeanine E. JACKSON

embassy: 602 Avenue Raoul Follereau, Koulouba, Secteur 4

mailing address: 01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou 01; pouch mail - US

Department of State, 2440 Ouagadougou Place, Washington, DC

20521-2440

telephone: [226] 50-30-67-23

FAX: [226] 50-30-38-90, 50-31-23-68

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a yellow

five-pointed star in the center; uses the popular pan-African colors

of Ethiopia

Economy Burkina Faso

Economy - overview:

One of the poorest countries in the world, landlocked Burkina Faso

has few natural resources and a weak industrial base. About 90% of

the population is engaged in subsistence agriculture, which is

vulnerable to periodic drought. Cotton is the main cash crop and the

government has joined with three other cotton producing countries in

the region - Mali, Niger, and Chad - to lobby for improved access to

Western markets. GDP growth has largely been driven by increases in

world cotton prices. Industry remains dominated by unprofitable

government-controlled corporations. Following the CFA franc currency

devaluation in January 1994, the government updated its development

program in conjunction with international agencies; exports and

economic growth have increased. The government devolved

macroeconomic policy and inflation targeting to the West African

regional central bank (BCEAO), but maintains control over fiscal and

microeconomic policies, including implementing reforms to encourage

private investment. The bitter internal crisis in neighboring Cote

d'Ivoire continues to hurt trade and industrial prospects and

deepens the need for international assistance. Burkina Faso is

eligible for a Millenium Challenge Account grant, which would

increase investment in the country's human capital.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$17.87 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$5.821 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,300 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 32.6%

industry: 19.7%

services: 47.7% (2006 est.)

Labor force:

5 million

note: a large part of the male labor force migrates annually to

neighboring countries for seasonal employment (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 90%

industry and services: 10% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

45% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2%

highest 10%: 46.8% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

48.2 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

20.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $1.158 billion

expenditures: $1.714 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

cotton, peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, sorghum, millet, corn, rice;

livestock

Industries:

cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes,

textiles, gold

Industrial production growth rate:

14% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:

400 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 69.9% hydro: 30.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

372 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

8,200 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-604.6 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$543.5 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

cotton, livestock, gold

Exports - partners:

China 39.8%, Singapore 13.1%, Thailand 5.9%, Ghana 5.4%, Taiwan

4.6%, Niger 4% (2005)

Imports:

$1.016 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

capital goods, foodstuffs, petroleum

Imports - partners:

France 23.9%, Cote d'Ivoire 23.3%, Togo 6.7% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.328 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.85 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:

$468.4 million (2003)

Currency (code):

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible

authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:

XOF

Exchange rates:

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

523.721 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99

(2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Burkina Faso

Telephones - main lines in use:

97,400 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

572,200 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: all services only fair

domestic: microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone

communication stations

international: country code - 226; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 3, FM 17, shortwave 3 (2002)

Radios:

394,020 (2000)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2002)

Televisions:

131,340 (2002)

Internet country code:

.bf

Internet hosts:

399 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2002)

Internet users:

64,600 (2005)

Transportation Burkina Faso

Airports: 34 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 32

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 11

under 914 m: 18 (2006)

Railways:

total: 622 km

narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge

note:: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote D'Ivoire

(2005)

Roadways: total: 15,272 km paved: 4,766 km unpaved: 10,506 km (2004)

Military Burkina Faso

Military branches:

Army, Air Force of Burkina Faso (Force Aerienne de Burkina Faso),

National Gendarmerie (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory military service; 20 years of age

for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 2,651,687 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,530,324 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$74.83 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.3% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Burkina Faso

Disputes - international:

two villages are in dispute along the border with Benin; Benin

accuses Burkina Faso of moving boundary pillars; Burkina Faso border

regions remain a staging area for Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire rebels

and an asylum for refugees caught in local fighting; the Ivoirian

Government accuses Burkina Faso of sheltering Ivoirian rebels

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Burma

Introduction Burma

Background:

Britain conquered Burma over a period of 62 years (1824-1886) and

incorporated it into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered as a

province of India until 1937 when it became a separate,

self-governing colony; independence from the Commonwealth was

attained in 1948. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to

1988, first as military ruler, then as self-appointed president, and

later as political kingpin. Despite multiparty legislative elections

in 1990 that resulted in the main opposition party - the National

League for Democracy (NLD) - winning a landslide victory, the ruling

junta refused to hand over power. NLD leader and Nobel Peace Prize

recipient AUNG SAN SUU KYI, who was under house arrest from 1989 to

1995 and 2000 to 2002, was imprisoned in May 2003 and subsequently

transferred to house arrest, where she remains virtually

incommunicado. In February 2006, the junta extended her detention

for another year. Her supporters, as well as all those who promote

democracy and improved human rights, are routinely harassed or

jailed.

Geography Burma

Location:

Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal,

between Bangladesh and Thailand

Geographic coordinates:

22 00 N, 98 00 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 678,500 sq km

land: 657,740 sq km

water: 20,760 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 5,876 km

border countries: Bangladesh 193 km, China 2,185 km, India 1,463 km,

Laos 235 km, Thailand 1,800 km

Coastline:

1,930 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest

monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild

temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon,

December to April)

Terrain:

central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Andaman Sea 0 m

highest point: Hkakabo Razi 5,881 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead,

coal, some marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas,

hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 14.92%

permanent crops: 1.31%

other: 83.77% (2005)

Irrigated land:

18,700 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides

common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water;

inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone

Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical

Timber 94

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes

People Burma

Population:

47,382,633

note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of

excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life

expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 26.4% (male 6,335,236/female 6,181,216)

15-64 years: 68.5% (male 16,011,723/female 16,449,626)

65 years and over: 5.1% (male 1,035,853/female 1,368,979) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 27 years

male: 26.4 years

female: 27.6 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.81% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

17.91 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

9.83 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 61.85 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 72.68 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 50.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 60.97 years

male: 58.07 years

female: 64.03 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.98 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

330,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

20,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in

some locations

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified

among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a

negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens

who have close contact with birds (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Burmese (singular and plural)

adjective: Burmese

Ethnic groups:

Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian 2%,

Mon 2%, other 5%

Religions:

Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Muslim

4%, animist 1%, other 2%

Languages:

Burmese, minority ethnic groups have their own languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 85.3%

male: 89.2%

female: 81.4% (2002)

Government Burma

Country name:

conventional long form: Union of Burma

conventional short form: Burma

local long form: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the

US Government as Union of Myanma and by the Burmese as Union of

Myanmar)

local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw

former: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma

note: since 1989 the military authorities in Burma have promoted the

name Myanmar as a conventional name for their state; this decision

was not approved by any sitting legislature in Burma, and the US

Government did not adopt the name, which is a derivative of the

Burmese short-form name Myanma Naingngandaw

Government type:

military junta

Capital:

name: Rangoon (Yangon)

geographic coordinates: 16 47 N, 96 10 E

time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

note: Nay Pyi Taw is administrative capital

Administrative divisions:

7 divisions (taing-myar, singular - taing) and 7 states (pyi

ne-myar, singular - pyi ne)

divisions: Ayeyarwady, Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Sagaing, Tanintharyi,

Yangon

states: Chin State, Kachin State, Kayah State, Kayin State, Mon

State, Rakhine State, Shan State

Independence:

4 January 1948 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 4 January (1948); Union Day, 12 February (1947)

Constitution:

3 January 1974; suspended since 18 September 1988; national

convention convened in 1993 to draft a new constitution but

collapsed in 1996; reconvened in 2004 but does not include

participation of democratic opposition

Legal system:

has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council

(SPDC) Sr. Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992)

head of government: Prime Minister, Gen SOE WIN (since 19 October

2004)

cabinet: Cabinet is overseen by SPDC; military junta, so named 15

November 1997, assumed power 18 September 1988 under name State Law

and Order Restoration Council (SLORC)

elections: none

Legislative branch:

unicameral People's Assembly or Pyithu Hluttaw (485 seats; members

elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 27 May 1990, but Assembly never allowed by

junta to convene

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

NLD 392 (opposition), SNLD 23 (opposition), NUP 10 (pro-government),

other 60

Judicial branch:

remnants of the British-era legal system are in place, but there is

no guarantee of a fair public trial; the judiciary is not

independent of the executive

Political parties and leaders:

National League for Democracy or NLD [AUNG SHWE, chairman, AUNG SAN

SUU KYI, general secretary]; National Unity Party or NUP

(pro-regime) [TUN YE]; Shan Nationalities League for Democracy or

SNLD [HKUN HTUN OO]; and other smaller parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: Ethnic Nationalities Council or ENC (based in Thailand); Federation of Trade Unions-Burma or FTUB (exile trade union and labor advocates); National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma or NCGUB (self-proclaimed government in exile) ["Prime Minister" Dr. SEIN WIN] consists of individuals, some legitimately elected to the People's Assembly in 1990 (the group fled to a border area and joined insurgents in December 1990 to form parallel government in exile); Kachin Independence Organization or KIO; Karen National Union or KNU; Karenni National People's Party or KNPP; National Council-Union of Burma or NCUB (exile coalition of opposition groups); several Shan factions; United Wa State Army or UWSA; Union Solidarity and Development Association or USDA (pro-regime, a social and political mass-member organization) [HTAY OO, general secretary]; 88 Generation Students (pro-democracy movement) [MIN KO]

International organization participation:

APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires MYINT LWIN chancery: 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-3344 FAX: [1] (202) 332-4351 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Shari

VILLAROSA

embassy: 581 Merchant Street, Rangoon (GPO 521)

mailing address: Box B, APO AP 96546

telephone: [95] (1) 379-880, 379-881

FAX: [95] (1) 256-018

Flag description:

red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing,

14 white five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel containing a stalk

of rice; the 14 stars represent the seven administrative divisions

and seven states

Economy Burma

Economy - overview:

Burma, a resource-rich country, suffers from pervasive government

controls, inefficient economic policies, and rural poverty. The

junta took steps in the early 1990s to liberalize the economy after

decades of failure under the "Burmese Way to Socialism," but those

efforts stalled, and some of the liberalization measures were

rescinded. Lacking monetary or fiscal stability, the economy suffers

from serious macroeconomic imbalances - including inflation,

multiple official exchange rates that overvalue the Burmese kyat,

and a distorted interest rate regime. Most overseas development

assistance ceased after the junta began to suppress the democracy

movement in 1988 and subsequently refused to honor the results of

the 1990 legislative elections. In response to the government of

Burma's attack in May 2003 on AUNG SAN SUU KYI and her convoy, the

US imposed new economic sanctions against Burma - including a ban on

imports of Burmese products and a ban on provision of financial

services by US persons. A poor investment climate further slowed the

inflow of foreign exchange. The most productive sectors will

continue to be in extractive industries, especially oil and gas,

mining, and timber. Other areas, such as manufacturing and services,

are struggling with inadequate infrastructure, unpredictable

import/export policies, deteriorating health and education systems,

and corruption. A major banking crisis in 2003 shuttered the

country's 20 private banks and disrupted the economy. As of 2006,

the largest private banks operate under tight restrictions limiting

the private sector's access to formal credit. Official statistics

are inaccurate. Published statistics on foreign trade are greatly

understated because of the size of the black market and unofficial

border trade - often estimated to be as large as the official

economy. Burma's trade with Thailand, China, and India is rising.

Though the Burmese government has good economic relations with its

neighbors, better investment and business climates and an improved

political situation are needed to promote foreign investment,

exports, and tourism.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$83.84 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$7.845 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,800 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 54.7% industry: 10.6% services: 34.7% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 28.49 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 70% industry: 7% services: 23% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:

10.2% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

25% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

21.4% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

11.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $494.1 million

expenditures: $947.3 million; including capital expenditures of NA

(2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

rice, pulses, beans, sesame, groundnuts, sugarcane; hardwood; fish

and fish products

Industries:

agricultural processing; knit and woven apparel; wood and wood

products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; construction materials;

pharmaceuticals; fertilizer; cement; natural gas

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

6.31 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 44.5% hydro: 43.4% nuclear: 0% other: 12.1% (2002)

Electricity - consumption:

5.869 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

18,500 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

37,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

3,356 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:

49,230 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves:

less than 1 billion bbl (2005)

Natural gas - production:

10.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

2.7 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

7.5 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

283.2 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$1.247 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$5.289 billion f.o.b.

note: official export figures are grossly underestimated due to the

value of timber, gems, narcotics, rice, and other products smuggled

to Thailand, China, and Bangladesh (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

clothing, gas, wood products, pulses, beans, fish, rice

Exports - partners:

Thailand 43.8%, India 12.1%, China 6.7%, Japan 5% (2005)

Imports:

$2.049 billion f.o.b.

note: import figures are grossly underestimated due to the value of

consumer goods, diesel fuel, and other products smuggled in from

Thailand, China, Malaysia, and India (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

fabric, petroleum products, plastics, machinery, transport

equipment, construction materials, crude oil; food products

Imports - partners:

China 28.8%, Thailand 21.8%, Singapore 18.4%, Malaysia 7.6% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$932 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$7.162 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$127 million (2001 est.)

Currency (code):

kyat (MMK)

Currency code:

MMK

Exchange rates:

kyats per US dollar - 1,310 (2006), 5.761 (2005), 5.7459 (2004),

6.0764 (2003), 6.5734 (2002), note, these are official exchange

rates; unofficial exchange rates ranged in 2004 from 815 kyat/US

dollar to nearly 970 kyat/US dollar, and by year-end 2005, the

unofficial exchange rate was 1,075 kyat/US dollar

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications Burma

Telephones - main lines in use:

476,200 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

183,400 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: barely meets minimum requirements for local and

intercity service for business and government; international service

is fair

domestic: NA

international: country code - 95; satellite earth station - 2,

Intelsat (Indian Ocean), and ShinSat

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 1 (2004)

Radios:

4.2 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (2004)

Televisions:

320,000 (2000)

Internet country code:

.mm

Internet hosts:

42 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1

note: as of September 2000, Internet connections were legal only for

the government, tourist offices, and a few large businesses (2000)

Internet users:

78,000 (2005)

Transportation Burma

Airports: 85 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 21 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 64 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 32 (2006)

Heliports:

1 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 2,224 km; oil 558 km (2006)

Railways: total: 3,955 km narrow gauge: 3,955 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 27,000 km paved: 3,200 km unpaved: 23,800 km (2005)

Waterways:

12,800 km (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 34 ships (1000 GRT or over) 402,699 GRT/620,642 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 20, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3,

specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 9 (Germany 5, Japan 4) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Moulmein, Rangoon, Sittwe

Military Burma

Military branches:

Myanmar Armed Forces (Tatmadaw): Army, Navy, Air Force (2005)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service for both sexes (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 12,268,850

females age 18-49: 12,469,771 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 7,946,701

females age 18-49: 8,543,705 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 469,841

females: 455,689 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$39 million (FY97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.1% (FY97)

Transnational Issues Burma

Disputes - international:

over half of Burma's population consists of diverse ethnic groups

with substantial numbers of kin beyond its borders; despite

continuing border committee talks, significant differences remain

with Thailand over boundary alignment and the handling of ethnic

rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border activities; ethnic Karens

flee into Thailand to escape fighting between Karen rebels and

Burmese troops; in 2005 Thailand sheltered about 121,000 Burmese

refugees; Karens also protest Thai support for a Burmese

hydroelectric dam on the Salween River near the border;

environmentalists in Burma and Thailand continue to voice concern

over China's construction of hydroelectric dams upstream on the

Nujiang/Salween River in Yunnan Province; India seeks cooperation

from Burma to keep Indian Nagaland separatists from hiding in remote

Burmese uplands

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 540,000 (government offensives against ethnic insurgent

groups near the eastern borders; most IDPs are ethnic Karen,

Karenni, Shan, Tavoyan, and Mon) (2006)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Burma is a source country for men, women, and

children trafficked to East and Southeast Asia for sexual

exploitation, domestic service, and forced commercial labor; a

significant number of victims are economic migrants who wind up in

forced or bonded labor and forced prostitution; to a lesser extent,

Burma is a country of transit and destination for women trafficked

from China for sexual exploitation; internal trafficking of persons

occurs primarily for labor in industrial zones and agricultural

estates; internal trafficking of women and girls for sexual

exploitation occurs from villages to urban centers and other areas;

the military junta's economic mismanagement, human rights abuses,

and policy of using forced labor are driving factors behind Burma's

large trafficking problem

tier rating: Tier 3 - Burma does not fully comply with the minimum

standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making

significant efforts to do so

Illicit drugs:

remains world's second largest producer of illicit opium (estimated

production in 2004 - 292 metric tons, down 40% from 2003 due to

eradication efforts and drought; cultivation in 2004 - 30,900

hectares, a 34% decline from 2003); lack of government will to take

on major narcotrafficking groups and lack of serious commitment

against money laundering continues to hinder the overall antidrug

effort; major source of methamphetamine and heroin for regional

consumption; currently under Financial Action Task Force

countermeasures due to continued failure to address its inadequate

money-laundering controls (2005)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Burundi

Introduction Burundi

Background:

Burundi's first democratically elected president was assassinated

in October 1993 after only 100 days in office, triggering widespread

ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi factions. Over 200,000

Burundians perished during the conflict that spanned almost a dozen

years. Hundreds of thousands of Burundians were internally displaced

or became refugees in neighboring countries. An internationally

brokered power-sharing agreement between the Tutsi-dominated

government and the Hutu rebels in 2003 paved the way for a

transition process that led to an integrated defense force,

established a new constitution in 2005, and elected a majority Hutu

government in 2005. The new government, led by President Pierre

NKURUNZIZA, signed a South African brokered ceasefire with the

country's last rebel group in September of 2006 but still faces many

challenges.

Geography Burundi

Location:

Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates:

3 30 S, 30 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 27,830 sq km

land: 25,650 sq km

water: 2,180 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:

total: 974 km

border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 233 km, Rwanda

290 km, Tanzania 451 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude variation (772

m to 2,670 m above sea level); average annual temperature varies

with altitude from 23 to 17 degrees centigrade but is generally

moderate as the average altitude is about 1,700 m; average annual

rainfall is about 150 cm; two wet seasons (February to May and

September to November), and two dry seasons (June to August and

December to January)

Terrain:

hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m

highest point: Heha 2,670 m

Natural resources:

nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum,

vanadium, arable land, hydropower, niobium, tantalum, gold, tin,

tungsten, kaolin, limestone

Land use:

arable land: 35.57%

permanent crops: 13.12%

other: 51.31% (2005)

Irrigated land:

210 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

flooding, landslides, drought

Environment - current issues:

soil erosion as a result of overgrazing and the expansion of

agriculture into marginal lands; deforestation (little forested land

remains because of uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel); habitat

loss threatens wildlife populations

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,

Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed; the

Kagera, which drains into Lake Victoria, is the most remote

headstream of the White Nile

People Burundi

Population:

8,090,068

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 46.3% (male 1,884,825/female 1,863,200)

15-64 years: 51.1% (male 2,051,451/female 2,082,017)

65 years and over: 2.6% (male 83,432/female 125,143) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 16.6 years

male: 16.4 years

female: 16.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

3.7% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

42.22 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

13.46 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

8.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 63.13 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 70.26 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 55.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 50.81 years

male: 50.07 years

female: 51.58 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

6.55 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

6% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

250,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

25,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Burundian(s)

adjective: Burundian

Ethnic groups:

Hutu (Bantu) 85%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 14%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%, Europeans

3,000, South Asians 2,000

Religions:

Christian 67% (Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 5%), indigenous

beliefs 23%, Muslim 10%

Languages:

Kirundi (official), French (official), Swahili (along Lake

Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 51.6%

male: 58.5%

female: 45.2% (2003 est.)

Government Burundi

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Burundi

conventional short form: Burundi

local long form: Republique du Burundi/Republika y'u Burundi

local short form: Burundi

former: Urundi

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Bujumbura

geographic coordinates: 3 23 S, 29 22 E

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

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

17 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura Mairie, Bujumbura Rurale, Bururi,

Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba,

Muramvya, Muyinga, Mwaro, Ngozi, Rutana, Ruyigi

Independence:

1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Constitution:

28 February 2005; ratified by popular referendum

Legal system:

based on German and Belgian civil codes and customary law; has not

accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Pierre NKURUNZIZA (since 26 August 2005);

First Vice President Martin NDUWIMANA - Tutsi (since 29 August

2005); Second Vice President Marina BARAMPAMA - Hutu (since 8

September 2006)

head of government: President Pierre NKURUNZIZA (since 26 August

2005); First Vice President Martin NDUWIMANA - Tutsi (since 29

August 2005); Second Vice President Marina BARAMPAMA - Hutu (since 8

September 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president

elections: the president is elected by popular vote to a five-year

term (eligible for a second term); note - the constitution adopted

in February 2005 permits the post-transition president to be elected

by a two-thirds majority of the parliament; vice presidents

nominated by the president, endorsed by parliament

election results: Pierre NKURUNZIZA was elected president by the

parliament by a vote of 151 to 9; note - the constitution adopted in

February 2005 permits the post-transition president to be elected by

a two-thirds majority of the legislature

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament or Parlement, consists of a National Assembly

or Assemblee Nationale (minimum 100 seats - 60% Hutu and 40% Tutsi

with at least 30% being women; additional seats appointed by a

National Independent Electoral Commission to ensure ethnic

representation; members are elected by popular vote to serve

five-year terms) and a Senate (54 seats; 34 by indirect vote to

serve five year terms, with remaining seats assigned to ethnic

groups and former chiefs of state)

elections: National Assembly - last held 4 July 2005 (next to be

held in 2010); Senate - last held 29 July 2005 (next to be held in

2010)

election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -

CNDD-FDD 58.6%, FRODEBU 21.7%, UPRONA 7.2%, CNDD 4.1%,

MRC-Rurenzangemero 2.1%, others 6.2%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 59,

FRODEBU 25, UPRONA 10, CNDD 4, MRC-Rurenzangemero 2; Senate -

percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 30,

FRODEBU 3, CNDD 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court; Courts of

Appeal (there are three in separate locations); Tribunals of First

Instance (17 at the province level and 123 small local tribunals)

Political parties and leaders:

the three national, mainstream, governing parties are: Burundi

Democratic Front or FRODEBU [Leonce NGENDAKUMANA, president];

National Council for the Defense of Democracy, Front for the Defense

of Democracy or CNDD-FDD [Hussein RADJABU, president]; Unity for

National Progress or UPRONA [Aloys RUBUKA, president]

note: a multiparty system was introduced after 1998, included are:

National Council for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD; National

Resistance Movement for the Rehabilitation of the Citizen or

MRC-Rurenzangemero [Epitace BANYAGANAKANDI]; Party for National

Redress or PARENA [Jean-Baptiste BAGAZA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,

ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM

(observer), IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW,

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Celestin NIYONGABO

chancery: Suite 212, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 342-2574

FAX: [1] (202) 342-2578

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia Newton MOLLER

embassy: Avenue des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura

mailing address: B. P. 1720, Bujumbura

telephone: [257] 223454

FAX: [257] 222926

Flag description:

divided by a white diagonal cross into red panels (top and bottom)

and green panels (hoist side and fly side) with a white disk

superimposed at the center bearing three red six-pointed stars

outlined in green arranged in a triangular design (one star above,

two stars below)

Economy Burundi

Economy - overview:

Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country with an

underdeveloped manufacturing sector. The economy is predominantly

agricultural with more than 90% of the population dependent on

subsistence agriculture. Economic growth depends on coffee and tea

exports, which account for 90% of foreign exchange earnings. The

ability to pay for imports, therefore, rests primarily on weather

conditions and international coffee and tea prices. The Tutsi

minority, 14% of the population, dominates the government and the

coffee trade at the expense of the Hutu majority, 85% of the

population. An ethnic-based war that lasted for over a decade

resulted in more than 200,000 deaths, forced more than 48,000

refugees into Tanzania, and displaced 140,000 others internally.

Only one in two children go to school, and approximately one in 10

adults has HIV/AIDS. Food, medicine, and electricity remain in short

supply. Political stability and the end of the civil war have

improved aid flows and economic activity has increased, but

underlying weaknesses - a high poverty rate, poor education rates, a

weak legal system, and low administrative capacity - risk

undermining planned economic reforms. Burundi grew about 5 percent

in 2006. Delayed disbursements of funds from the World Bank may add

to budget pressures in 2007. Burundi will continue to remain heavily

dependent on aid from bilateral and multilateral donors.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$5.744 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$778.9 million (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$700 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 44.9% industry: 20.9% services: 34.1% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 2.99 million (2002)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 93.6% industry: 2.3% services: 4.1% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

68% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 32.9% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

33.3 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

11% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

11.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $239.9 million

expenditures: $297 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

coffee, cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, manioc

(tapioca); beef, milk, hides

Industries:

light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap; assembly of

imported components; public works construction; food processing

Industrial production growth rate:

18% (2001)

Electricity - production:

137 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.6% hydro: 99.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

157.4 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

30 million kWh; note - supplied by the Democratic Republic of the

Congo (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

3,100 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-57.84 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$55.68 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, hides

Exports - partners:

Germany 24.6%, Belgium 11.2%, Netherlands 8.1%, Switzerland 5.9%,

US 4.7% (2005)

Imports:

$207.3 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

capital goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Kenya 12.9%, Tanzania 10.5%, Belgium 10.4%, Italy 8.1%, France

5.4%, Uganda 5.3%, China 5%, India 4.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$87.69 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.2 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:

$105.5 million (2003)

Currency (code):

Burundi franc (BIF)

Currency code:

BIF

Exchange rates:

Burundi francs per US dollar - 1,170 (2006), 1,138 (2005), 1,100.91

(2004), 1,082.62 (2003), 930.75 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Burundi

Telephones - main lines in use:

27,700 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

153,000 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: primitive system

domestic: sparse system of open-wire, radiotelephone communications,

and low-capacity microwave radio relay

international: country code - 257; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:

440,000 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2001)

Televisions:

25,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.bi

Internet hosts:

160 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

25,000 (2005)

Transportation Burundi

Airports: 8 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 7

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 12,322 km

paved: 1,286 km

unpaved: 11,036 km (2004)

Waterways:

mainly on Lake Tanganyika (2003)

Ports and terminals:

Bujumbura

Military Burundi

Military branches:

National Defense Force (Forces de Defense Nationales, FDN): Army

(includes Naval Detachment and Air Wing), National Gendarmerie

(being disbanded) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

16 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,676,855

females age 16-49: 1,656,366 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 955,616

females age 16-49: 932,767 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 91,331

females age 16-49: 90,685 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$43.9 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

5.6% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Burundi

Disputes - international:

Tutsi, Hutu, other conflicting ethnic groups, associated political

rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces continue fighting

in the Great Lakes region, transcending the boundaries of Burundi,

Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda in an effort to

gain control over populated and natural resource areas; government

heads pledge to end conflict, but localized violence continues

despite the presence of about 6,000 peacekeepers from the UN

Operation in Burundi (ONUB) since 2004; although some 150,000

Burundian refugees have been repatriated, as of February 2005,

Burundian refugees still reside in camps in western Tanzania as well

as the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 20,359 (Democratic Republic of the

Congo)

IDPs: 100,000 (armed conflict between government and rebels; most

IDPs in northern and western Burundi) (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Cambodia

Introduction Cambodia

Background:

Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, descendants of

the Angkor Empire that extended over much of Southeast Asia and

reached its zenith between the 10th and 13th centuries. Attacks by

the Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam) weakened the empire

ushering in a long period of decline. The king placed the country

under French protection in 1863. Cambodia became part of French

Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in World War II,

Cambodia gained full independence from France in 1953. In April

1975, after a five-year struggle, Communist Khmer Rouge forces

captured Phnom Penh and evacuated all cities and towns. At least 1.5

million Cambodians died from execution, forced hardships, or

starvation during the Khmer Rouge regime under POL POT. A December

1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside,

began a 10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off almost 13

years of civil war. The 1991 Paris Peace Accords mandated democratic

elections and a ceasefire, which was not fully respected by the

Khmer Rouge. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some

semblance of normalcy under a coalition government. Factional

fighting in 1997 ended the first coalition government, but a second

round of national elections in 1998 led to the formation of another

coalition government and renewed political stability. The remaining

elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in early 1999. Some of the

remaining Khmer Rouge leaders are awaiting trial by a UN-sponsored

tribunal for crimes against humanity. Elections in July 2003 were

relatively peaceful, but it took one year of negotiations between

contending political parties before a coalition government was

formed.

Geography Cambodia

Location:

Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between

Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos

Geographic coordinates:

13 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 181,040 sq km

land: 176,520 sq km

water: 4,520 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Oklahoma

Land boundaries: total: 2,572 km border countries: Laos 541 km, Thailand 803 km, Vietnam 1,228 km

Coastline: 443 km

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

Climate:

tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November); dry season

(December to April); little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:

mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m

highest point: Phnum Aoral 1,810 m

Natural resources:

oil and gas, timber, gemstones, some iron ore, manganese,

phosphates, hydropower potential

Land use: arable land: 20.44% permanent crops: 0.59% other: 78.97% (2005)

Irrigated land:

2,700 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional droughts

Environment - current issues:

illegal logging activities throughout the country and strip mining

for gems in the western region along the border with Thailand have

resulted in habitat loss and declining biodiversity (in particular,

destruction of mangrove swamps threatens natural fisheries); soil

erosion; in rural areas, most of the population does not have access

to potable water; declining fish stocks because of illegal fishing

and overfishing

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,

Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

a land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong River and

Tonle Sap

People Cambodia

Population:

13,881,427

note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of

excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life

expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 35.6% (male 2,497,595/female 2,447,754)

15-64 years: 61% (male 4,094,946/female 4,370,159)

65 years and over: 3.4% (male 180,432/female 290,541) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 20.6 years

male: 19.9 years

female: 21.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.78% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

26.9 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

9.06 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 68.78 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 77.35 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 59.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 59.29 years

male: 57.35 years

female: 61.32 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.37 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

2.6% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

170,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

15,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and Japanese encephalitis are high risks in some locations note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2007)

Nationality: noun: Cambodian(s) adjective: Cambodian

Ethnic groups:

Khmer 90%, Vietnamese 5%, Chinese 1%, other 4%

Religions:

Theravada Buddhist 95%, other 5%

Languages:

Khmer (official) 95%, French, English

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 73.6%

male: 84.7%

female: 64.1% (2004 est.)

Government Cambodia

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Cambodia

conventional short form: Cambodia

local long form: Preahreacheanachakr Kampuchea (phonetic

pronunciation)

local short form: Kampuchea

former: Kingdom of Cambodia, Khmer Republic, Democratic Kampuchea,

People's Republic of Kampuchea, State of Cambodia

Government type:

multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Phnom Penh

geographic coordinates: 11 33 N, 104 55 E

time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

20 provinces (khaitt, singular and plural) and 4 municipalities*

(krong, singular and plural)

provinces: Banteay Mean Cheay, Batdambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong

Chhnang, Kampong Spoe, Kampong Thum, Kampot, Kandal, Kaoh Kong,

Krachen, Mondol Kiri, Otdar Mean Cheay, Pouthisat, Preah Vihear,

Prey Veng, Rotanah Kiri, Siem Reab, Stoeng Treng, Svay Rieng, Takev

municipalities: Keb, Pailin, Phnum Penh (Phnom Penh), Preah Seihanu

(Sihanoukville)

Independence:

9 November 1953 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 9 November (1953)

Constitution:

promulgated 21 September 1993

Legal system:

primarily a civil law mixture of French-influenced codes from the

United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) period,

royal decrees, and acts of the legislature, with influences of

customary law and remnants of communist legal theory; increasing

influence of common law in recent years; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: King Norodom SIHAMONI (since 29 October 2004)

head of government: Prime Minister HUN SEN (since 14 January 1985)

and Deputy Prime Ministers SAR KHENG (since 3 February 1992); SOK

AN, LU LAY SRENG, TEA BANH, HOR NAMHONG, NHEK BUNCHHAY (since 16

July 2004); KEV PUT REAKSMEI (since 24 October 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers in theory appointed by the monarch; in

practice named by the prime minister

elections: none; the monarch is chosen by a Royal Throne Council;

following legislative elections, a member of the majority party or

majority coalition is named prime minister by the Chairman of the

National Assembly and appointed by the king

Legislative branch:

bicameral, consists of the National Assembly (123 seats; members

elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Senate (61

seats; 2 members appointed by the monarch, 2 elected by the National

Assembly, and 57 elected by parliamentarians and commune councils;

members serve five-year terms)

elections: National Assembly - last held 27 July 2003 (next to be

held in July 2008); Senate - last held 22 January 2006 (next to be

held in January 2011)

election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CPP

47%, SRP 22%, FUNCINPEC 21%, other 10%; seats by party - CPP 73,

FUNCINPEC 26, SRP 24; Senate - percent of vote by party - CPP 69%,

FUNCINPEC 21%, SRP 10%; seats by party - CPP 45, FUNCINPEC 10, SRP 2

(January 2006)

Judicial branch:

Supreme Council of the Magistracy (provided for in the constitution

and formed in December 1997); Supreme Court (and lower courts)

exercises judicial authority

Political parties and leaders:

Cambodian People's Party or CPP [CHEA SIM]; National United Front

for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia or

FUNCINPEC [KEV PUT REAKSMEI]; Norodom Ranariddh Party or NRP

[Norodom RANARIDDH]; Sam Rangsi Party or SRP [SAM RANGSI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACCT, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, EAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,

ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,

ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador EK SEREYWATH

chancery: 4530 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011

telephone: [1] (202) 726-7742

FAX: [1] (202) 726-8381

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph A. MUSSOMELI embassy: #1, Street 96, Sangkat Wat Phnom, Khan Daun Penh, Phnom Penh mailing address: Box P, APO AP 96546 telephone: [855] (23) 728-000 FAX: [855] (23) 728-600

Flag description:

three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (double width), and blue

with a white three-towered temple representing Angkor Wat outlined

in black in the center of the red band; only national flag to

incorporate an actual building in its design

Economy Cambodia

Economy - overview:

In 1999, the first full year of peace in 30 years, the government

made progress on economic reforms. The US and Cambodia signed a

Bilateral Textile Agreement, which gave Cambodia a guaranteed quota

of US textile imports and established a bonus for improving working

conditions and enforcing Cambodian labor laws and international

labor standards in the industry. From 2001 to 2004, the economy grew

at an average rate of 6.4%, driven largely by an expansion in the

garment sector and tourism. With the January 2005 expiration of a

WTO Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, Cambodia-based textile

producers were forced to compete directly with lower-priced

producing countries such as China and India. Better-than-expected

garment sector performance led to about 6% growth per year in

2005-06. Faced with the possibility that its vibrant garment

industry, with more than 200,000 jobs, could be in serious danger,

the Cambodian government has committed itself to a policy of

continued support for high labor standards in an attempt to maintain

favor with buyers. The tourism industry continues to grow rapidly,

with foreign visitors surpassing 1 million for per year beginning in

2005. In 2005, exploitable oil and natural gas deposits were found

beneath Cambodia's territorial waters, representing a new revenue

stream for the government once commercial extraction begins in the

coming years. Mining also is attracting significant investor

interest, particularly in the northeastern parts of the country. The

long-term development of the economy remains a daunting challenge.

The Cambodian government is working with bilateral and multilateral

donors, including the World Bank and IMF, to address the country's

many pressing needs. The major economic challenge for Cambodia over

the next decade will be fashioning an economic environment in which

the private sector can create enough jobs to handle Cambodia's

demographic imbalance. More than 50% of the population is less than

21 years old. The population lacks education and productive skills,

particularly in the poverty-ridden countryside, which suffers from

an almost total lack of basic infrastructure.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$36.78 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$5.122 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 35% industry: 30% services: 35% (2004)

Labor force: 7 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 75% industry: NA% services: NA% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

2.5% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:

40% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 33.8% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

40 (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

18.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $731 million

expenditures: $931.8 million; including capital expenditures of $291

million (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

rice, rubber, corn, vegetables, cashews, tapioca

Industries:

tourism, garments, rice milling, fishing, wood and wood products,

rubber, cement, gem mining, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:

22% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:

131 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 65% hydro: 35% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

121.8 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

3,750 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-412 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$3.331 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

clothing, timber, rubber, rice, fish, tobacco, footwear

Exports - partners:

US 48.6%, Hong Kong 24.4%, Germany 5.6%, Canada 4.6% (2005)

Imports:

$4.477 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum products, cigarettes, gold, construction materials,

machinery, motor vehicles, pharmaceutical products

Imports - partners:

Hong Kong 16.1%, China 13.6%, France 12.1%, Thailand 11.2%, Taiwan

10.2%, South Korea 7.5%, Vietnam 7.1%, Singapore 4.9%, Japan 4.1%

(2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.385 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$3.664 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $504 million pledged in grants and concessional loans for 2005 by international donors

Currency (code):

riel (KHR)

Currency code:

KHR

Exchange rates:

riels per US dollar - 4,119 (2006), 4,092.5 (2005), 4,016.25

(2004), 3,973.33 (2003), 3,912.08 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Cambodia

Telephones - main lines in use:

36,400 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.062 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate landline and/or cellular service in

Phnom Penh and other provincial cities; mobile phone coverage is

rapidly expanding in rural areas

domestic: NA

international: country code - 855; adequate but expensive landline

and cellular service available to all countries from Phnom Penh and

major provincial cities; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik

(Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 17 (2003)

Radios:

1.34 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 11 (including two TV relay stations with French and Vietnamese broadcasts); 12 regional low power TV stations (2006)

Televisions:

94,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.kh

Internet hosts:

1,378 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2000)

Internet users:

41,000 (2005)

Transportation Cambodia

Airports:

20 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 6

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 14

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 11

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Heliports:

2 (2006)

Railways: total: 602 km narrow gauge: 602 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 38,257 km paved: 2,406 km unpaved: 35,851 km (2004)

Waterways:

2,400 km (mainly on Mekong River) (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 544 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,777,907 GRT/2,529,708 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 41, cargo 443, chemical tanker 11, container

10, livestock carrier 3, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 9,

refrigerated cargo 19, roll on/roll off 2, specialized tanker 1,

vehicle carrier 1

foreign-owned: 407 (Bulgaria 1, Canada 6, China 128, Cyprus 12,

Egypt 8, Gabon 1, Greece 8, Hong Kong 15, Indonesia 1, Japan 4,

South Korea 23, Latvia 2, Lebanon 6, Nigeria 2, Norway 1,

Philippines 1, Russia 105, Singapore 4, Spain 1, Syria 20, Taiwan 2,

Turkey 26, UAE 1, Ukraine 17, US 8, Yemen 3, unknown 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Phnom Penh, Preah Seihanu (Sihanoukville)

Military Cambodia

Military branches:

Royal Cambodian Armed Forces: Royal Cambodian Army, Royal Khmer

Navy, Royal Cambodian Air Force (2005)

Military service age and obligation: conscription law made effective in October 2006 requires all males between 18-30 to register for military service; service obligation is 18 months (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 3,002,718

females age 18-49: 3,108,254 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,955,141

females age 18-49: 2,048,611 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 175,497

females age 18-49: 172,788 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$112 million (FY01 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

3% (FY01 est.)

Transnational Issues Cambodia

Disputes - international:

Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check

the spread of avian flu; Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections of

boundary with missing boundary markers and Thai encroachments into

Cambodian territory; maritime boundary with Vietnam is hampered by

unresolved dispute over offshore islands; Cambodia accuses Thailand

of obstructing access to Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded to

Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962; in 2004, Cambodian-Laotian and

Laotian-Vietnamese boundary commissions re-erected missing markers

completing most of their demarcations

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Cambodia is a source, destination, and transit

country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of

sexual exploitation and forced labor; a significant number of women

and children are trafficked to Thailand and Malaysia for commercial

sexual exploitation and forced labor; men are trafficked primarily

to Thailand for forced labor in the construction and agricultural

sectors, particularly the fishing industry, while women and girls

are trafficked for factory and domestic work; children are

trafficked to Vietnam and Thailand for the purpose of forced

begging; Cambodia is a transit and destination point for women from

Vietnam trafficked for sexual exploitation; trafficking for sexual

exploitation also occurs within Cambodia's borders, from rural areas

to the cities

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Cambodia does not fully comply with

the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however,

it is committed to making significant efforts to sustain progress

over the coming year

Illicit drugs:

narcotics-related corruption reportedly involving some in the

government, military, and police; possible small-scale heroin and

methamphetamine production; vulnerable to money laundering due to

its cash-based economy and porous borders

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Cameroon

Introduction Cameroon

Background:

The former French Cameroon and part of British Cameroon merged in

1961 to form the present country. Cameroon has generally enjoyed

stability, which has permitted the development of agriculture,

roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Despite a slow

movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in

the hands of an ethnic oligarchy headed by President Paul BIYA.

Geography Cameroon

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial

Guinea and Nigeria

Geographic coordinates:

6 00 N, 12 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 475,440 sq km

land: 469,440 sq km

water: 6,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:

total: 4,591 km

border countries: Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km,

Republic of the Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298

km, Nigeria 1,690 km

Coastline:

402 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

Climate:

varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot

in north

Terrain:

diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in

center, mountains in west, plains in north

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Fako 4,095 m (on Mt. Cameroon)

Natural resources:

petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 12.54% permanent crops: 2.52% other: 84.94% (2005)

Irrigated land:

260 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from

Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes

Environment - current issues:

waterborne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing;

desertification; poaching; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical

Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa; throughout the

country there are areas of thermal springs and indications of

current or prior volcanic activity; Mount Cameroon, the highest

mountain in Sub-Saharan west Africa, is an active volcano

People Cameroon

Population:

17,340,702

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 41.2% (male 3,614,430/female 3,531,047)

15-64 years: 55.5% (male 4,835,453/female 4,796,276)

65 years and over: 3.2% (male 260,342/female 303,154) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.9 years

male: 18.7 years

female: 19 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.04% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

33.89 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

13.47 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

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

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 63.52 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 67.38 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 59.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 51.16 years

male: 50.98 years

female: 51.34 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.39 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

6.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

560,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

49,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in

some locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified

among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a

negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens

who have close contact with birds (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Cameroonian(s)

adjective: Cameroonian

Ethnic groups:

Cameroon Highlanders 31%, Equatorial Bantu 19%, Kirdi 11%, Fulani

10%, Northwestern Bantu 8%, Eastern Nigritic 7%, other African 13%,

non-African less than 1%

Religions:

indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

Languages:

24 major African language groups, English (official), French

(official)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 79%

male: 84.7%

female: 73.4% (2003 est.)

Government Cameroon

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon

conventional short form: Cameroon

local long form: Republique du Cameroun/Republic of Cameroon

local short form: Cameroun/Cameroon

former: French Cameroon, British Cameroon, Federal Republic of

Cameroon, United Republic of Cameroon

Government type:

republic; multiparty presidential regime

Capital:

name: Yaounde

geographic coordinates: 3 52 N, 11 31 E

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

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

10 provinces; Adamaoua, Centre, Est, Extreme-Nord, Littoral, Nord,

Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Ouest

Independence:

1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:

Republic Day (National Day), 20 May (1972)

Constitution:

20 May 1972 approved by referendum, 2 June 1972 formally adopted;

revised January 1996

Legal system:

based on French civil law system, with common law influence;

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)

head of government: Prime Minister Ephraim INONI (since 8 December

2004)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from proposals submitted

by the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 11 October 2004

(next to be held by October 2011); prime minister appointed by the

president

election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote -

Paul BIYA 70.9%, John FRU NDI 17.4%, Adamou Ndam NJOYA 4.5%, Garga

Haman ADJI 3.7%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (180 seats;

members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year

terms); note - the president can either lengthen or shorten the term

of the legislature

elections: last held 23 June 2002 (next to be held in June 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

RDCP 133, SDF 21, UDC 5, other 21

note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for the

legislature, to be called a Senate, but it has yet to be established

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); High Court

of Justice (consists of nine judges and six substitute judges,

elected by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:

Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou Ndam NJOYA]; Cameroon

People's Democratic Movement or CPDM [Paul BIYA]; Movement for the

Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA]; Movement for the

Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC [Marcel YONDO];

Movement for the Youth of Cameroon or MYC [Dieudonne TINA]; National

Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari BELLO BOUBA];

Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU NDI]; Union of Peoples of

Cameroon or UPC [Augustin Frederic KODOCK]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Southern Cameroon National Council [Ayamba Ette OTUN]; Human Rights

Defense Group [Albert MUKONG, president]

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, C, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,

IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC,

OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,

WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jerome MENDOUGA chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790 FAX: [1] (202) 387-3826

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Niels MARQUARDT embassy: Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde mailing address: P. O. Box 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520 telephone: [237] 220 15 00; Consular: [237] 220 16 03 FAX: [237] 220 16 20; Consular FAX: [237] 220 17 52 branch office(s): Douala

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and yellow

with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the

popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Cameroon

Economy - overview:

Because of its modest oil resources and favorable agricultural

conditions, Cameroon has one of the best-endowed primary commodity

economies in sub-Saharan Africa. Still, it faces many of the serious

problems facing other underdeveloped countries, such as a top-heavy

civil service and a generally unfavorable climate for business

enterprise. Since 1990, the government has embarked on various IMF

and World Bank programs designed to spur business investment,

increase efficiency in agriculture, improve trade, and recapitalize

the nation's banks. In June 2000, the government completed an

IMF-sponsored, three-year structural adjustment program; however,

the IMF is pressing for more reforms, including increased budget

transparency, privatization, and poverty reduction programs.

International oil and cocoa prices have a significant impact on the

economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$42.2 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$16.37 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,400 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 45.2% industry: 16.1% services: 38.7% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 6.394 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 70% industry: 13% services: 17%

Unemployment rate:

30% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:

48% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.9% highest 10%: 36.6% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

44.6 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.4% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

16.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $3.339 billion

expenditures: $3.157 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

28.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root

starches; livestock; timber

Industries:

petroleum production and refining, aluminum production, food

processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber, ship repair

Industrial production growth rate:

4.2% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:

3.924 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 2.7% hydro: 97.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

3.649 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

82,300 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

24,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves:

90 million bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

110.4 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$419 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$4.318 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum,

coffee, cotton

Exports - partners:

Spain 17.4%, Italy 13.8%, France 9.5%, South Korea 8.1%, UK 8.1%,

Netherlands 7.9%, Belgium 4.9%, US 4.3% (2005)

Imports:

$3.083 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel, food

Imports - partners:

France 24%, Nigeria 12%, Belgium 6.3%, China 5.6%, US 5.1%,

Thailand 4.5%, Germany 4.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.336 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$3.657 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

in January 2001, the Paris Club agreed to reduce Cameroon's debt of

$1.3 billion by $900 million; debt relief now totals $1.26 billion

Currency (code):

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible

authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code:

XAF

Exchange rates:

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar -

522.592 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99

(2002)

Fiscal year:

1 July - 30 June

Communications Cameroon

Telephones - main lines in use:

99,400 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2.259 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: available only to business and government

domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter

international: country code - 237; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)

provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (2002)

Radios:

2.27 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2002)

Televisions:

450,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.cm

Internet hosts:

39 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2002)

Internet users:

167,000 (2005)

Transportation Cameroon

Airports: 47 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 36 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 9 (2006)

Pipelines: gas 70 km; liquid petroleum gas 9 km; oil 1,107 km (2006)

Railways: total: 987 km narrow gauge: 987 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 50,000 km paved: 5,000 km unpaved: 45,000 km (2004)

Waterways:

navigation mainly on Benue River; limited during rainy season (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 38,613 GRT/68,820 DWT

by type: petroleum tanker 1

foreign-owned: 1 (France 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Douala, Limboh Terminal

Military Cameroon

Military branches:

Cameroon Armed Forces: Army, Navy (includes naval infantry), Air

Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription

(1999)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 3,525,307

females age 18-49: 3,461,406 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,946,767

females age 18-49: 1,834,600 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 191,619

females age 18-49: 187,082 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$230.2 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.5% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Cameroon

Disputes - international:

ICJ ruled in 2002 on the entire Cameroon-Nigeria land and maritime

boundary but the parties formed a Joint Border Commission, which

continues to meet regularly to resolve differences bilaterally and

have commenced with demarcation in less-contested sections of the

boundary, starting in Lake Chad in the north; implementation of the

ICJ ruling on the Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime

boundary in the Gulf of Guinea is impeded by imprecisely defined

coordinates and a sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and

Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River; Nigeria

initially rejected cession of the Bakassi Peninsula, then agreed,

but much of the indigenous population opposes cession; only Nigeria

and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to

ratify the delimitation treaty which also includes the Chad-Niger

and Niger-Nigeria boundaries

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 39,303 (Chad) 9,711 (Nigeria) 13,000 (Central African Republic); note - there are an additional 10,000 Central African refugees unregistered with UNHCR as of December 2006 (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Canada

Introduction Canada

Background:

A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became

a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the

British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has

developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across

an unfortified border. Canada faces the political challenges of

meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care and

education services, as well as responding to separatist concerns in

predominantly francophone Quebec. Canada also aims to develop its

diverse energy resources while maintaining its commitment to the

environment.

Geography Canada

Location:

Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the

east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the

north, north of the conterminous US

Geographic coordinates:

60 00 N, 95 00 W

Map references:

North America

Area:

total: 9,984,670 sq km

land: 9,093,507 sq km

water: 891,163 sq km

Area - comparative:

somewhat larger than the US

Land boundaries: total: 8,893 km border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)

Coastline: 202,080 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north

Terrain:

mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m

Natural resources:

iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash,

diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural

gas, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 4.57%

permanent crops: 0.65%

other: 94.78% (2005)

Irrigated land:

7,850 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to

development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a

result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and

North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and

snow east of the mountains

Environment - current issues:

air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affecting lakes and

damaging forests; metal smelting, coal-burning utilities, and

vehicle emissions impacting on agricultural and forest productivity;

ocean waters becoming contaminated due to agricultural, industrial,

mining, and forestry activities

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,

Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,

Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic

Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,

Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,

Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic location

between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately 90% of

the population is concentrated within 160 km of the US border

People Canada

Population:

33,098,932 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 17.6% (male 2,992,811/female 2,848,388)

15-64 years: 69% (male 11,482,452/female 11,368,286)

65 years and over: 13.3% (male 1,883,008/female 2,523,987) (2006

est.)

Median age: total: 38.9 years male: 37.8 years female: 39.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.88% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

10.78 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

7.8 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

5.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.69 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5.15 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 80.22 years

male: 76.86 years

female: 83.74 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.61 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

56,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

1,500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Canadian(s)

adjective: Canadian

Ethnic groups:

British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%,

Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed

background 26%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including United Church

9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other Christian

4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and unspecified 11.8%, none 16% (2001

census)

Languages:

English (official) 59.3%, French (official) 23.2%, other 17.5%

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government Canada

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Canada

Government type:

constitutional monarchy that is also a parliamentary democracy and

a federation

Capital:

name: Ottawa

geographic coordinates: 45 25 N, 75 40 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

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

first Sunday in November

note: Canada is divided into six time zones

Administrative divisions:

10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia,

Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest

Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island,

Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*

Independence:

1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11 December

1931 (independence recognized)

National holiday:

Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

Constitution:

made up of unwritten and written acts, customs, judicial decisions,

and traditions; the written part of the constitution consists of the

Constitution Act of 29 March 1867, which created a federation of

four provinces, and the Constitution Act of 17 April 1982, which

transferred formal control over the constitution from Britain to

Canada, and added a Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well

as procedures for constitutional amendments

Legal system:

based on English common law, except in Quebec, where civil law

system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

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

represented by Governor General Michaelle JEAN (since 27 September

2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Stephen HARPER (since 6 February

2006)

cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister usually from

among the members of his own party sitting in Parliament

elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor general

appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a

five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the

majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House

of Commons is automatically designated prime minister by the

governor general

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat

(members appointed by the governor general with the advice of the

prime minister and serve until reaching 75 years of age; its normal

limit is 105 senators) and the House of Commons or Chambre des

Communes (308 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to

serve for up to five-year terms)

elections: House of Commons - last held 23 January 2006 (next to be

held in 2011)

election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party -

Conservative Party 36.3%, Liberal Party 30.2%, New Democratic Party

17.5%, Bloc Quebecois 10.5%, Greens 4.5%, other 1%; seats by party -

Conservative Party 124, Liberal Party 102, New Democratic Party 29,

Bloc Quebecois 51, other 2; seats by party as of February 2007 -

Conservative Party 125, Liberal Party 100, New Democratic Party 29,

Bloc Quebecois 51, other 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Canada (judges are appointed by the prime minister

through the governor general); Federal Court of Canada; Federal

Court of Appeal; Provincial Courts (these are named variously Court

of Appeal, Court of Queens Bench, Superior Court, Supreme Court, and

Court of Justice)

Political parties and leaders:

Bloc Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE]; Conservative Party of Canada (a

merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative

Party) [Stephen HARPER]; Green Party [Elizabeth MAY]; Liberal Party

[Stephane DION]; New Democratic Party [Jack LAYTON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACCT, AfDB, APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue

partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CDB, CE (observer), EAPC, EBRD,

ESA (cooperating state), FAO, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,

IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC,

NAFTA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE,

Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SECI (observer), UN, UNAMSIL,

UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMOVIC, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU,

WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael WILSON

chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001

telephone: [1] (202) 682-1740

FAX: [1] (202) 682-7701

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas,

Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Phoenix,

San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tucson

consulate(s): Anchorage, Houston, Philadelphia, Princeton (New

Jersey), Raleigh, San Jose (California)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador David H. WILKINS embassy: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8 mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburgh, NY 13669-0430 telephone: [1] (613) 238-5335, 4470 FAX: [1] (613) 688-3082 consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg

Flag description:

two vertical bands of red (hoist and fly side, half width), with

white square between them; an 11-pointed red maple leaf is centered

in the white square; the official colors of Canada are red and white

Economy Canada

Economy - overview:

As an affluent, high-tech industrial society in the trillion dollar

class, Canada resembles the US in its market-oriented economic

system, pattern of production, and affluent living standards. Since

World War II, the impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining,

and service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural

economy into one primarily industrial and urban. The 1989 US-Canada

Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the 1994 North American Free Trade

Agreement (NAFTA) (which includes Mexico) touched off a dramatic

increase in trade and economic integration with the US. Given its

great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital

plant, Canada enjoys solid economic prospects. Top-notch fiscal

management has produced consecutive balanced budgets since 1997,

although public debate continues over how to manage the rising cost

of the publicly funded healthcare system. Exports account for

roughly a third of GDP. Canada enjoys a substantial trade surplus

with its principal trading partner, the US, which absorbs about 85%

of Canadian exports. Canada is the US' largest foreign supplier of

energy, including oil, gas, uranium, and electric power.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.165 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.089 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$35,200 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.3% industry: 29.2% services: 68.5% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 17.59 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 2%, manufacturing 14%, construction 5%, services 75%, other 3% (2004)

Unemployment rate: 6.4% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line: 15.9%; note - this figure is the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO), a calculation that results in higher figures than found in many comparable economies; Canada does not have an official poverty line (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 23.8% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

33.1 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

21.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $183.5 billion

expenditures: $181.8 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2005 est.)

Public debt:

65.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy

products; forest products; fish

Industries:

transportation equipment, chemicals, processed and unprocessed

minerals, food products, wood and paper products, fish products,

petroleum and natural gas

Industrial production growth rate:

0.7% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

573 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 28% hydro: 57.9% nuclear: 12.9% other: 1.3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

522.4 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

33.01 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

22.48 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

3.135 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

2.294 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - exports:

1.6 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:

963,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves: 178.9 billion bbl note: includes oil sands (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:

183.6 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

95.85 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

104 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

10.86 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

1.603 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$20.56 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$405 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft,

telecommunications equipment; chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood

pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum

Exports - partners:

US 84.2%, Japan 2.1%, UK 1.8% (2005)

Imports:

$353.2 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, crude oil,

chemicals, electricity, durable consumer goods

Imports - partners:

US 56.7%, China 7.8%, Mexico 3.8% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$35.79 billion (August 2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$684.7 billion (30 June 2006)

Economic aid - donor:

ODA, $2.6 billion (2004)

Currency (code):

Canadian dollar (CAD)

Currency code:

CAD

Exchange rates:

Canadian dollars per US dollar - 1.13186 (2006), 1.2118 (2005),

1.301 (2004), 1.4011 (2003), 1.5693 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications Canada

Telephones - main lines in use:

18.276 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

16.6 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: excellent service provided by modern technology

domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations

international: country code - 1-xxx; 5 coaxial submarine cables;

satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Atlantic Ocean and 1

Pacific Ocean) and 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 245, FM 582, shortwave 6 (2004)

Radios:

32.3 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

80 (plus many repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:

21.5 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.ca

Internet hosts:

3,934,223 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

760 (2000 est.)

Internet users:

21.9 million (2005)

Transportation Canada

Airports: 1,337 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 509 over 3,047 m: 18 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 1,524 to 2,437 m: 151 914 to 1,523 m: 248 under 914 m: 77 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 828 1,524 to 2,437 m: 66 914 to 1,523 m: 355 under 914 m: 407 (2006)

Heliports:

12 (2006)

Pipelines:

crude and refined oil 23,564 km; liquid petroleum gas 74,980 km

(2005)

Railways:

total: 48,467 km

standard gauge: 48,467 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 1,042,300 km

paved: 415,600 km (including 17,000 km of expressways)

unpaved: 626,700 km (2005)

Waterways:

631 km

note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint

Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with United States (2003)

Merchant marine:

total: 173 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,129,243 GRT/2,716,340 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 62, cargo 10, chemical tanker 9, container 2,

passenger 6, passenger/cargo 63, petroleum tanker 13, roll on/roll

off 8

foreign-owned: 7 (Germany 3, Netherlands 1, Norway 1, US 2)

registered in other countries: 111 (Australia 1, Bahamas 18,

Barbados 8, Cambodia 6, Cyprus 2, Denmark 1, Honduras 1, Hong Kong

28, Liberia 2, Malta 18, Marshall Islands 6, Panama 4, Russia 1,

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, US 4, Vanuatu 5) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Fraser River Port, Halifax, Montreal, Port Cartier, Quebec, Saint

John's (Newfoundland), Sept Isles, Vancouver

Military Canada

Military branches:

Canadian Forces: Land Forces Command, Maritime Command, Air

Command, Canada Command (homeland security) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

16 years of age for voluntary military service; women comprise

approximately 11% of Canada's armed forces (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 8,216,510

females age 16-49: 8,034,939 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 6,740,490

females age 16-49: 6,580,868 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 223,821

females age 16-49: 212,900 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$9,801.7 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.1% (2003)

Transnational Issues Canada

Disputes - international:

managed maritime boundary disputes with the US at Dixon Entrance,

Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and around the disputed

Machias Seal Island and North Rock; working toward greater

cooperation with US in monitoring people and commodities crossing

the border; uncontested sovereignty dispute with Denmark over Hans

Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland

Illicit drugs:

illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market and

export to US; use of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant

large quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors; transit point

for ecstasy entering the US market; vulnerable to narcotics money

laundering because of its mature financial services sector

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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@Cape Verde

Introduction Cape Verde

Background:

The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the

Portuguese in the 15th century; Cape Verde subsequently became a

trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and

resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Following

independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in unification with

Guinea-Bissau, a one-party system was established and maintained

until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cape Verde continues

to exhibit one of Africa's most stable democratic governments.

Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused

significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result,

Cape Verde's expatriate population is greater than its domestic one.

Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents.

Geography Cape Verde

Location:

Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west

of Senegal

Geographic coordinates:

16 00 N, 24 00 W

Map references:

Political Map of the World

Area:

total: 4,033 sq km

land: 4,033 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Rhode Island

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

965 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic

Terrain:

steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island)

Natural resources: salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum

Land use: arable land: 11.41% permanent crops: 0.74% other: 87.85% (2005)

Irrigated land:

30 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring

dust; volcanically and seismically active

Environment - current issues: soil erosion; deforestation due to demand for wood used as fuel; desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing

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

Geography - note:

strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near major

north-south sea routes; important communications station; important

sea and air refueling site

People Cape Verde

Population:

420,979 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 37.9% (male 80,594/female 79,126)

15-64 years: 55.3% (male 113,450/female 119,423)

65 years and over: 6.7% (male 10,542/female 17,844) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 19.8 years

male: 19 years

female: 20.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.64% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

24.87 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

6.55 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-11.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 46.52 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 51.63 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 41.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 70.73 years

male: 67.41 years

female: 74.15 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.38 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.035% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

775 (2001)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

225 (as of 2001)

Nationality:

noun: Cape Verdean(s)

adjective: Cape Verdean

Ethnic groups:

Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%

Religions:

Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs); Protestant

(mostly Church of the Nazarene)

Languages:

Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 76.6%

male: 85.8%

female: 69.2% (2003 est.)

Government Cape Verde

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde

conventional short form: Cape Verde

local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde

local short form: Cabo Verde

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Praia

geographic coordinates: 14 55 N, 23 31 W

time difference: UTC-1 (4 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

17 municipalities (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa Vista,

Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande,

Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao Filipe, Sao

Miguel, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal

Independence:

5 July 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 5 July (1975)

Constitution:

new constitution came into force 25 September 1992; underwent a

major revision on 23 November 1995, substantially increasing the

powers of the president; a 1999 revision created the position of

national ombudsman (Provedor de Justica)

Legal system:

derived from the legal system of Portugal

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Pedro Verona PIRES (since 22 March 2001)

head of government: Prime Minister Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 1

February 2001)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the

recommendation of the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 12 February 2006

(next to be held February 2011); prime minister nominated by the

National Assembly and appointed by the president

election results: Pedro PIRES reelected president; percent of vote -

Pedro PIRES (PAICV) 51.2%, Carlos VIEGA (MPD) 48.8%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72 seats;

members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 22 January 2006 (next to be held in January

2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - PAICV 52.3%, MPD 44%,

UCID 2.7%; seats by party - PAICV 41, MPD 29, ADM 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia

Political parties and leaders:

African Party for Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV [Jose Maria

Pereira NEVES, chairman]; Democratic Alliance for Change or ADM [Dr.

Eurico MONTEIRO] (a coalition of PCD, PTS, and UCID); Democratic

Christian Party or PDC [Manuel RODRIGUES, chairman]; Democratic

Renovation Party or PRD [Victor FIDALGO, president]; Democratic and

Independent Cape Verdean Union or UCID [Antonio MONTEIRO]; Movement

for Democracy or MPD [Agostinho LOPES, president]; Party for

Democratic Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO, president];

Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS [Isaias RODRIGUES, president];

Social Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt

(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Jose BRITO

chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820

FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207

consulate(s) general: Boston

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Roger D. PIERCE

embassy: Rua Abilio Macedo n6, Praia

mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia

telephone: [238] 2-60-89-00

FAX: [238] 2-61-13-55

Flag description:

three horizontal bands of light blue (top, double width), white

(with a horizontal red stripe in the middle third), and light blue;

a circle of 10 yellow five-pointed stars is centered on the hoist

end of the red stripe and extends into the upper and lower blue bands

Economy Cape Verde

Economy - overview:

This island economy suffers from a poor natural resource base,

including serious water shortages exacerbated by cycles of long-term

drought. The economy is service-oriented, with commerce, transport,

tourism, and public services accounting for 66% of GDP. Although

nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of food

production in GDP in 2004 was only 12%, of which fishing accounted

for 1.5%. About 82% of food must be imported. The fishing potential,

mostly lobster and tuna, is not fully exploited. Cape Verde annually

runs a high trade deficit, financed by foreign aid and remittances

from emigrants; remittances supplement GDP by more than 20%.

Economic reforms are aimed at developing the private sector and

attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy. Future

prospects depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, the

encouragement of tourism, remittances, and the momentum of the

government's development program. Cape Verde has been exploring

European Union membership in recent years.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$3.129 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.128 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.5% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$6,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 12.1% industry: 21.9% services: 66% (2004 est.)

Labor force:

120,600 (1990)

Unemployment rate:

21% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:

30% (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.7% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

25.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $324.6 million

expenditures: $370.4 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts;

fish

Industries:

food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt

mining, ship repair

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

44 million kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

40.92 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

1,150 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-44.43 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$96.71 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides

Exports - partners:

Spain 38.2%, Portugal 33.3%, US 9.2%, Morocco 5.4% (2005)

Imports:

$495.1 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels

Imports - partners:

Portugal 40.9%, Italy 7.8%, Netherlands 7.2%, Spain 5.5%, Brazil

5.3%, France 4.7%, Belgium 4.6% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$166.4 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$325 million (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:

$136 million (1999)

Currency (code):

Cape Verdean escudo (CVE)

Currency code:

CVE

Exchange rates:

Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - 86.2664 (2006), 88.67

(2005), 88.808 (2004), 97.703 (2003), 117.168 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Cape Verde

Telephones - main lines in use:

71,400 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

81,700 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: effective system, extensive modernization from

1996-2000 following partial privatization in 1995

domestic: major service provider is Cabo Verde Telecom (CVT); fiber

optic ring, completed in 2001, links all islands providing Internet

access and ISDN services; cellular service introduced in 1998

international: country code - 238; 2 coaxial submarine cables; HF

radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station

- 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 22 (and 12 low power repeaters), shortwave 0 (2002)

Radios:

100,000 (2002 est.)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (and 7 repeaters) (2002)

Televisions:

15,000 (2002 est.)

Internet country code:

.cv

Internet hosts:

234 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2002)

Internet users:

25,000 (2005)

Transportation Cape Verde

Airports: 7 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 7 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 1,350 km

paved: 932 km

unpaved: 418 km (2000)

Merchant marine:

total: 7 ships (1000 GRT or over) 12,300 GRT/7,726 DWT

by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 4

foreign-owned: 2 (Spain 1, UK 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal

Military Cape Verde

Military branches:

People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARP): Army, Coast Guard

(includes maritime air wing)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 84,641

females age 18-49: 87,310 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 65,614

females age 18-49: 73,662 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$7.18 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0.7% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Cape Verde

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs moving from Latin

America and Asia destined for Western Europe; the lack of a

well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a

money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Cayman Islands

Introduction Cayman Islands

Background:

The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the British

during the 18th and 19th centuries, and were administered by Jamaica

after 1863. In 1959, the islands became a territory within the

Federation of the West Indies, but when the Federation dissolved in

1962, the Cayman Islands chose to remain a British dependency.

Geography Cayman Islands

Location:

Caribbean, three island (Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, Little Cayman)

group in Caribbean Sea, 240 km south of Cuba and 268 km northwest of

Jamaica

Geographic coordinates:

19 30 N, 80 30 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 262 sq km

land: 262 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

160 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool,

relatively dry winters (November to April)

Terrain:

low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: The Bluff (Cayman Brac) 43 m

Natural resources: fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism

Land use: arable land: 3.85% permanent crops: 0% other: 96.15% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

hurricanes (July to November)

Environment - current issues: no natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchments

Geography - note: important location between Cuba and Central America

People Cayman Islands

Population: 45,436 note: most of the population lives on Grand Cayman (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 20.7% (male 4,708/female 4,700)

15-64 years: 70.9% (male 15,707/female 16,504)

65 years and over: 8.4% (male 1,793/female 2,024) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 37.2 years

male: 36.8 years

female: 37.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.56% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

12.74 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

4.89 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

17.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population

note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2006

est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 8 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 9.16 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 80.07 years

male: 77.45 years

female: 82.74 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.9 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Caymanian(s)

adjective: Caymanian

Ethnic groups:

mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic

groups 20%

Religions:

United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist,

Church of God, other Protestant, Roman Catholic

Languages:

English

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 98%

male: 98%

female: 98% (1970 est.)

Government Cayman Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Cayman Islands

Dependency status:

overseas territory of the UK

Government type:

British crown colony

Capital:

name: George Town (on Grand Cayman)

geographic coordinates: 19 20 N, 81 23 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

Administrative divisions:

8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake

Bay, West End, Western

Independence:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:

Constitution Day, first Monday in July

Constitution:

1959; revised 1962, 1972, and 1994

Legal system:

British common law and local statutes

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

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

Governor Stuart JACK (since 23 November 2005)

head of government: Leader of Government Business Kurt TIBBETTS

(since 18 May 2005)

cabinet: Executive Council (three members appointed by the governor,

four members elected by the Legislative Assembly)

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor is

appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the

leader of the majority party or coalition is appointed by the

governor Leader of Government Business

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats, 3 appointed members from

the Executive Council and 15 elected by popular vote; members serve

four-year terms)

elections: last held 11 May 2005 (next to be held in 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

PPM 9, UDP 5, independent 1

Judicial branch:

Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:

no national teams (loose groupings of political organizations) were

formed for the 2000 elections; United Democratic Party or UDP

[leader McKeeva BUSH]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [leader

Kurt TIBBETTS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO

(associate), UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:

blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and

the Caymanian coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag;

the coat of arms includes a pineapple and turtle above a shield with

three stars (representing the three islands) and a scroll at the

bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS

Economy Cayman Islands

Economy - overview:

With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore

financial center. More than 68,000 companies were registered in the

Cayman Islands as of 2003, including almost 500 banks, 800 insurers,

and 5000 mutual funds. A stock exchange was opened in 1997. Tourism

is also a mainstay, accounting for about 70% of GDP and 75% of

foreign currency earnings. The tourist industry is aimed at the

luxury market and caters mainly to visitors from North America.

Total tourist arrivals exceeded 2.1 million in 2003, with about half

from the US. About 90% of the islands' food and consumer goods must

be imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest outputs per

capita and one of the highest standards of living in the world.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.939 billion (2004 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

NA

GDP - real growth rate:

0.9% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$43,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.4% industry: 3.2% services: 95.4% (1994 est.)

Labor force: 23,450 (2004)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 1.4% industry: 12.6% services: 86% (1995)

Unemployment rate:

4.4% (2004)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.4% (2004)

Budget:

revenues: $423.8 million

expenditures: $392.6 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2004)

Agriculture - products:

vegetables, fruit; livestock; turtle farming

Industries:

tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction

materials, furniture

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

400 million kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

372 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

2,600 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$2.52 million (2004)

Exports - commodities:

turtle products, manufactured consumer goods

Exports - partners:

mostly US (2004)

Imports:

$866.9 million (2004)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, manufactured goods

Imports - partners:

US, Netherlands Antilles, Japan (2004)

Debt - external:

$70 million (1996)

Economic aid - recipient:

$390,000 (2004)

Currency (code):

Caymanian dollar (KYD)

Currency code:

KYD

Exchange rates:

Caymanian dollars per US dollar - 0.82 (29 October 2001), 0.83 (3

November 1995), 0.85 (22 November 1993)

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications Cayman Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:

38,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

17,000 (2002)

Telephone system:

general assessment: reasonably good system

domestic: liberalization of telecom market in 2003 reflected in

falling prices and improving services

international: country code - 1-345; 2 submarine fiber optic cables

(Maya-1, Cayman-Jamaica); satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat

(Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:

36,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

4 with cable system (2004)

Televisions:

7,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.ky

Internet hosts:

8,611 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

16 (2000)

Internet users:

9,909 (2003)

Transportation Cayman Islands

Airports: 3 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 785 km

paved: 785 km (2002)

Merchant marine:

total: 132 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,746,290 GRT/4,366,790 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 32, cargo 14, chemical tanker 42, liquefied

gas 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 14, refrigerated cargo 23, roll

on/roll off 3, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1

foreign-owned: 130 (Denmark 5, Germany 13, Greece 21, Italy 12,

Japan 1, Malaysia 1, Netherlands 4, Norway 2, Philippines 1,

Singapore 10, Sweden 9, UK 10, US 41) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Cayman Brac, George Town

Military Cayman Islands

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Force

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 10,703 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 8,600 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 257 (2005 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Cayman Islands

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug transshipment to the

US and Europe

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Central African Republic

Introduction Central African Republic

Background:

The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African

Republic upon independence in 1960. After three tumultuous decades

of misrule - mostly by military governments - civilian rule was

established in 1993 and lasted for one decade. President Ange-Felix

PATASSE's civilian government was plagued by unrest, and in March

2003 he was deposed in a military coup led by General Francois

BOZIZE, who established a transitional government. Though the

government has the tacit support of civil society groups and the

main parties, a wide field of candidates contested the municipal,

legislative, and presidential elections held in March and May of

2005 in which General BOZIZE was affirmed as president. The

government still does not fully control the countryside, where

pockets of lawlessness persist.

Geography Central African Republic

Location:

Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates:

7 00 N, 21 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 622,984 sq km

land: 622,984 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 5,203 km

border countries: Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic

Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan

1,165 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers

Terrain:

vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in

northeast and southwest

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m

highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m

Natural resources:

diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 3.1% permanent crops: 0.15% other: 96.75% (2005)

Irrigated land:

20 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are

common

Environment - current issues:

tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished the country's

reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges;

desertification; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber

94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa

People Central African Republic

Population:

4,303,356

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 41.9% (male 907,629/female 897,153)

15-64 years: 53.9% (male 1,146,346/female 1,173,268)

65 years and over: 4.2% (male 71,312/female 107,648) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.4 years

male: 18 years

female: 18.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.53% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

33.91 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

18.65 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 85.63 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 92.44 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 78.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 43.54 years

male: 43.46 years

female: 43.62 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.41 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

13.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

260,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

23,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Central African(s)

adjective: Central African

Ethnic groups:

Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%, Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%,

Yakoma 4%, other 2%

Religions:

indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim

15%

note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the

Christian majority

Languages:

French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language),

tribal languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 51%

male: 63.3%

female: 39.9% (2003 est.)

Government Central African Republic

Country name:

conventional long form: Central African Republic

conventional short form: none

local long form: Republique Centrafricaine

local short form: none

former: Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire

abbreviation: CAR

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Bangui

geographic coordinates: 4 22 N, 18 35 E

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

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture), 2 economic

prefectures* (prefectures economiques, singular - prefecture

economique), and 1 commune**; Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui**,

Basse-Kotto, Haute-Kotto, Haut-Mbomou, Kemo, Lobaye, Mambere-Kadei,

Mbomou, Nana-Grebizi*, Nana-Mambere, Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham,

Ouham-Pende, Sangha-Mbaere*, Vakaga

Independence:

13 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:

Republic Day, 1 December (1958)

Constitution:

ratified by popular referendum 5 December 2004; effective 27

December 2004

Legal system:

based on French law

Suffrage:

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Francois BOZIZE (since 15 March 2003 coup)

head of government: Prime Minister Elie DOTE (since 13 June 2005);

note - Celestin GAOMBALET resigned 11 June 2005

cabinet: Council of Ministers

elections: under the new constitution, the president elected to a

five-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held 13

March and 8 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010); prime minister

appointed by the political party with a parliamentary majority

election results: Francois BOZIZE elected president; percent of

second round balloting - Francois BOZIZE (KNK) 64.6%, Martin ZIGUELE

(MLPC) 35.4%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (109 seats;

members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 13 March 2005 and 8 May 2005 (next to be held

NA 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - MLPC 43%, RDC 18%, MDD

9%, FPP 6%, PSD 5%, ADP 4%, PUN 3%, FODEM 2%, PLD 2%, UPR 1%, FC 1%,

independents 6%; seats by party - MLPC 47, RDC 20, MDD 8, FPP 7, PSD

6, ADP 5, PUN 3, FODEM 2, PLD 2, UPR 1, FC 1, independents 7

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court (3 judges

appointed by the president, 3 by the president of the National

Assembly, and 3 by fellow judges); Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts;

Inferior Courts

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP [Jacques MBOLIEDAS];

Central African Democratic Assembly or RDC [Andre KOLINGBA]; Civic

Forum or FC [Gen. Timothee MALENDOMA]; Democratic Forum for

Modernity or FODEM [Charles MASSI]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLD

[Nestor KOMBO-NAGUEMON]; Movement for Democracy and Development or

MDD [David DACKO]; Movement for the Liberation of the Central

African People or MLPC [Ange-Felix PATASSE] (the party of deposed

president); National Convergence or KNK; Patriotic Front for

Progress or FPP [Abel GOUMBA]; People's Union for the Republic or

UPR [Pierre Sammy MAKFOY]; National Unity Party or PUN [Jean-Paul

NGOUPANDE]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Enoch LAKOUE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU,

ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC (observer), OIF, OPCW, OPCW (signatory), UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Emmanuel TOUABOY

chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800

FAX: [1] (202) 332-9893

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires James PANOS embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui telephone: [236] 61 02 00 FAX: [236] 61 44 94 note: the embassy is currently operating with a minimal staff

Flag description:

four equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, green, and yellow

with a vertical red band in center; there is a yellow five-pointed

star on the hoist side of the blue band

Economy Central African Republic

Economy - overview:

Subsistence agriculture, together with forestry, remains the

backbone of the economy of the Central African Republic (CAR), with

more than 70% of the population living in outlying areas. The

agricultural sector generates more than half of GDP. Timber has

accounted for about 16% of export earnings and the diamond industry,

for 40%. Important constraints to economic development include the

CAR's landlocked position, a poor transportation system, a largely

unskilled work force, and a legacy of misdirected macroeconomic

policies. Factional fighting between the government and its

opponents remains a drag on economic revitalization. Distribution of

income is extraordinarily unequal. Grants from France and the

international community can only partially meet humanitarian needs.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$4.913 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.542 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,100 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 55%

industry: 20%

services: 25% (2001 est.)

Labor force:

NA

Unemployment rate:

8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 47.7% (1993)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

61.3 (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.6% (2001 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA

Agriculture - products:

cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn,

bananas; timber

Industries:

gold and diamond mining, logging, brewing, textiles, footwear,

assembly of bicycles and motorcycles

Industrial production growth rate:

3% (2002)

Electricity - production:

109 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 19.8% hydro: 80.2% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

101.4 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

2,420 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$131 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco

Exports - partners:

Belgium 34.9%, France 9.6%, Spain 8.7%, Italy 8.1%, China 7.1%,

Indonesia 6.3%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 4.7%, US 4.5%,

Turkey 4.5% (2005)

Imports:

$203 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical

equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners:

France 16.6%, Netherlands 10.3%, Cameroon 9.7%, US 7.3% (2005)

Debt - external:

$1.06 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

ODA, $59.8 million; note - traditional budget subsidies from France

(2002 est.)

Currency (code):

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible

authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code:

XAF

Exchange rates:

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 527.47

(2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Central African Republic

Telephones - main lines in use:

10,000 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

60,000 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: fair system

domestic: network consists principally of microwave radio relay and

low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communication

international: country code - 236; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)

Radios:

283,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2001)

Televisions:

18,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.cf

Internet hosts:

10 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2002)

Internet users:

9,000 (2005)

Transportation Central African Republic

Airports:

50 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 47 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 13 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 23,810 km (1999)

Waterways:

2,800 km (primarily on the Oubangui and Sangha rivers) (2005)

Ports and terminals:

Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga

Military Central African Republic

Military branches:

Central African Armed Forces (FACA): Ground Forces, Military Air

Service; General Directorate of Gendarmerie Inspection (DGIG),

Republican Guard, National Police (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service;

conscript service obligation is two years (2005)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 853,760

females age 18-49: 835,426 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 416,091

females age 18-49: 383,056 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$16.37 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Central African Republic

Disputes - international:

about 30,000 refugees fleeing the 2002 civil conflict in the CAR

still reside in southern Chad; periodic skirmishes over water and

grazing rights among related pastoral populations along the border

with southern Sudan persist

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 19,960 (Sudan) 3,325 (Democratic

Republic of the Congo); note - UNHCR resumed repatriation of

Southern Sudanese refugees in 2006

IDPs: 150,000 (ongoing unrest following coup in 2003) (2006)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Central African Republic is a source and

destination country for children trafficked for domestic servitude,

sexual exploitation, and forced labor in shops and commercial labor

activities; while the majority of child victims are trafficked

within the country, some are also trafficked to and from Cameroon

and Nigeria

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - the Central African Republic failed

to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in

persons during 2005, specifically its inadequate law enforcement

response to trafficking crimes

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Chad

Introduction Chad

Background:

Chad, part of France's African holdings until 1960, endured three

decades of civil warfare as well as invasions by Libya before a

semblance of peace was finally restored in 1990. The government

eventually drafted a democratic constitution, and held flawed

presidential elections in 1996 and 2001. In 1998, a rebellion broke

out in northern Chad, which sporadically flares up despite several

peace agreements between the government and the rebels. In 2005 new

rebel groups emerged in western Sudan and have made probing attacks

into eastern Chad. Power remains in the hands of an ethnic minority.

In June 2005, President Idriss DEBY held a referendum successfully

removing constitutional term limits.

Geography Chad

Location:

Central Africa, south of Libya

Geographic coordinates:

15 00 N, 19 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 1.284 million sq km

land: 1,259,200 sq km

water: 24,800 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than three times the size of California

Land boundaries:

total: 5,968 km

border countries: Cameroon 1,094 km, Central African Republic 1,197

km, Libya 1,055 km, Niger 1,175 km, Nigeria 87 km, Sudan 1,360 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

tropical in south, desert in north

Terrain:

broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in

northwest, lowlands in south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Djourab Depression 160 m

highest point: Emi Koussi 3,415 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad), gold,

limestone, sand and gravel, salt

Land use: arable land: 2.8% permanent crops: 0.02% other: 97.18% (2005)

Irrigated land:

300 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts;

locust plagues

Environment - current issues:

inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal in

rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution; desertification

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Geography - note:

landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the

Sahel

People Chad

Population:

9,944,201 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 47.9% (male 2,396,393/female 2,369,261)

15-64 years: 49.3% (male 2,355,940/female 2,550,535)

65 years and over: 2.7% (male 107,665/female 164,407) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 16 years

male: 15.3 years

female: 16.6 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.93% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

45.73 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

16.38 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 91.45 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 100.12 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 82.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 47.52 years

male: 45.88 years

female: 49.21 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

6.25 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

4.8% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

200,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

18,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007)

Nationality: noun: Chadian(s) adjective: Chadian

Ethnic groups:

200 distinct groups; in the north and center: Arabs, Gorane

(Toubou, Daza, Kreda), Zaghawa, Kanembou, Ouaddai, Baguirmi,

Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko, Hausa, Boulala, and Maba, most of whom are

Muslim; in the south: Sara (Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye), Moundang,

Moussei, Massa, most of whom are Christian or animist; about 1,000

French citizens live in Chad

Religions:

Muslim 51%, Christian 35%, animist 7%, other 7%

Languages:

French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more than

120 different languages and dialects

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic

total population: 47.5%

male: 56%

female: 39.3% (2003 est.)

Government Chad

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Chad

conventional short form: Chad

local long form: Republique du Tchad/Jumhuriyat Tshad

local short form: Tchad/Tshad

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: N'Djamena

geographic coordinates: 12 07 N, 15 03 E

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

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture); Batha,

Biltine, Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti, Chari-Baguirmi, Guera, Kanem, Lac,

Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mayo-Kebbi, Moyen-Chari,

Ouaddai, Salamat, Tandjile

note: instead of 14 prefectures, there may be a new administrative

structure of 28 departments (departments, singular - department) and

1 city*; Assongha, Baguirmi, Bahr El Gazal, Bahr Koh, Batha

Oriental, Batha Occidental, Biltine, Borkou, Dababa, Ennedi, Guera,

Hadjer Lamis, Kabia, Kanem, Lac, Lac Iro, Logone Occidental, Logone

Oriental, Mandoul, Mayo-Boneye, Mayo-Dallah, Monts de Lam,

N'Djamena*, Ouaddai, Salamat, Sila, Tandjile Oriental, Tandjile

Occidental, Tibesti

Independence:

11 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 11 August (1960)

Constitution:

passed by referendum 31 March 1996; a June 2005 referendum removed

constitutional term limits

Legal system:

based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; has not

accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno (since 4

December 1990)

head of government: Prime Minister Pascal YOADIMNADJI (since 3

February 2005)

cabinet: Council of State, members appointed by the president on the

recommendation of the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote to serve five-year

term; if no candidate receives at least 50% of the total vote, the

two candidates receiving the most votes must stand for a second

round of voting; last held 3 May 2006 (next to be held by May 2011);

prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno reelected president;

percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY 64.7%, Delwa Kassire

COUMAKOYE 15.1%, Albert Pahimi PADACKE 7.8%, Mahamat ABDOULAYE 7.1%,

Brahim KOULAMALLAH 5.3%; note - a June 2005 national referendum

altered the constitution removing presidential term limits and

permitting Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno to run for reelection

Legislative branch:

bicameral according to constitution, consists of a National

Assembly (155 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve

four-year terms) and a Senate (not yet created and size unspecified,

members to serve six-year terms, one-third of membership renewable

every two years)

elections: National Assembly - last held 21 April 2002 (next to be

held by April 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

MPS 110, RDP 12, FAR 9, RNDP 5, URD 5, UNDR 3, other 11

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Magistrate Courts

Political parties and leaders:

Federation Action for the Republic or FAR [Ngarledjy YORONGAR];

National Rally for Development and Progress or RNDP [Delwa Kassire

COUMAKOYE]; National Union for Democracy and Renewal or UNDR [Saleh

KEBZABO]; Party for Liberty and Development or PLD [Ibni Oumar

Mahamat SALEH]; Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS [Mahamat Saleh

AHMAT, chairman]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Lol

Mahamat CHOUA]; Union for Democracy and Republic or UDR [Jean

ALINGUE]; Union for Renewal and Democracy or URD [Gen. Wadal

Abdelkader KAMOUGUE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,

ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Mahamat Adam BECHIR

chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 462-4009

FAX: [1] (202) 265-1937

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marc M. WALL embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena telephone: [235] 516-211 FAX: [235] 515-654

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red;

similar to the flag of Romania; also similar to the flags of Andorra

and Moldova, both of which have a national coat of arms centered in

the yellow band; design was based on the flag of France

Economy Chad

Economy - overview:

Chad's primarily agricultural economy will continue to be boosted

by major foreign direct investment projects in the oil sector that

began in 2000. Over 80% of Chad's population relies on subsistence

farming and livestock raising for its livelihood. Chad's economy has

long been handicapped by its landlocked position, high energy costs,

and a history of instability. Chad relies on foreign assistance and

foreign capital for most public and private sector investment

projects. A consortium led by two US companies has been investing

$3.7 billion to develop oil reserves - estimated at 1 billion

barrels - in southern Chad. The nation's total oil reserves has been

estimated to be 2 billion barrels. Oil production came on stream in

late 2003. Chad began to export oil in 2004. Cotton, cattle, and gum

arabic provide the bulk of Chad's non-oil export earnings.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$15.26 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$5.255 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,500 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 32.5% industry: 26.6% services: 40.8% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 2.719 million (1993)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 80% (subsistence farming, herding, and fishing) industry and services: 20%

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

80% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

9.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $617.3 million

expenditures: $877.6 million; including capital expenditures of $146

million (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca);

cattle, sheep, goats, camels

Industries:

oil, cotton textiles, meatpacking, beer brewing, natron (sodium

carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials

Industrial production growth rate:

5% (1995)

Electricity - production:

94 million kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

87.42 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

225,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

1,460 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves:

2 billion bbl (2005)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-324.1 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$4.342 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

cotton, cattle, gum arabic, oil

Exports - partners:

US 78.1%, China 9.9%, Taiwan 4.1% (2005)

Imports:

$823.1 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods,

foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners:

France 21.2%, Cameroon 15.5%, US 12.1%, Belgium 6.8%, Portugal

4.6%, Saudi Arabia 4.3%, Netherlands 4.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$352.8 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.5 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$238.3 million received; note - $125 million committed by Taiwan

(August 1997); $30 million committed by African Development Bank;

ODA $246.9 million (2003 est.)

Currency (code):

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible

authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code:

XAF

Exchange rates:

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar -

508.494 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99

(2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Chad

Telephones - main lines in use:

13,000 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

210,000 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: primitive system

domestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stations

international: country code - 235; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 5 (2002)

Radios:

1.67 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2002)

Televisions:

10,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.td

Internet hosts:

9 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2002)

Internet users:

35,000 (2005)

Transportation Chad

Airports: 52 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 7 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 45 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 21 under 914 m: 10 (2006)

Pipelines: oil 205 km (2006)

Roadways: total: 33,400 km paved: 267 km unpaved: 33,133 km (1999)

Waterways:

Chari and Legone rivers are navigable only in wet season (2002)

Military Chad

Military branches:

Chadian National Army (Armee Nationale Tchadienne, ANT), Air Force,

Gendarmerie (2004)

Military service age and obligation: 20 years of age for conscripts, with three-year service obligation; 18 years of age for volunteers; no minimum age restriction for volunteers with consent from a guardian; women are subject to one year of compulsory military or civic service at age of 21 (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 20-49: 1,527,580

females age 20-49: 1,629,510 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 20-49: 794,988

females age 20-49: 849,500 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 94,536

females age 20-49: 93,521 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$68.95 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Chad

Disputes - international:

since the expulsions of residents from Darfur in 2003 by Janjawid

armed militia and Sudanese military, about 200,000 refugees remain

in eastern Chad; Chad remains an important mediator in the Sudanese

civil conflict, reducing tensions with Sudan arising from

cross-border banditry; Chadian Aozou rebels reside in southern

Libya; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad

Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty, which

also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 234,000 (Sudan), 41,246 (Central

African Republic)

IDPs: 100,000 (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Chile

Introduction Chile

Background:

Prior to the coming of the Spanish in the 16th century, northern

Chile was under Inca rule while Araucanian Indians inhabited central

and southern Chile; the latter were not completely subjugated by

Spain until the early 1880s. Although Chile declared its

independence in 1810, decisive victory over the Spanish was not

achieved until 1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-84), Chile

defeated Peru and Bolivia and won its present northern lands. A

three-year-old Marxist government of Salvador ALLENDE was overthrown

in 1973 by a dictatorial military regime led by Augusto PINOCHET,

who ruled until a freely elected president was installed in 1990.

Sound economic policies, maintained consistently since the 1980s,

have contributed to steady growth and have helped secure the

country's commitment to democratic and representative government.

Chile has increasingly assumed regional and international leadership

roles befitting its status as a stable, democratic nation.

Geography Chile

Location:

Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between

Argentina and Peru

Geographic coordinates:

30 00 S, 71 00 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 756,950 sq km

land: 748,800 sq km

water: 8,150 sq km

note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana

Land boundaries: total: 6,339 km border countries: Argentina 5,308 km, Bolivia 860 km, Peru 171 km

Coastline: 6,435 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200/350 nm

Climate:

temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool

and damp in south

Terrain:

low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 m

Natural resources:

copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum,

hydropower

Land use: arable land: 2.62% permanent crops: 0.43% other: 96.95% (2005)

Irrigated land:

19,000 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis

Environment - current issues:

widespread deforestation and mining threaten natural resources; air

pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution

from raw sewage

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living

Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate

Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the

Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location relative to sea lanes between Atlantic and

Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage);

Atacama Desert is one of world's driest regions

People Chile

Population:

16,134,219 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 24.7% (male 2,035,278/female 1,944,754)

15-64 years: 67.1% (male 5,403,525/female 5,420,497)

65 years and over: 8.2% (male 555,075/female 775,090) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 30.4 years

male: 29.5 years

female: 31.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.94% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

15.23 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

5.81 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 8.58 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 9.32 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 7.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.77 years

male: 73.49 years

female: 80.21 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

26,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

1,400 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Chilean(s) adjective: Chilean

Ethnic groups:

white and white-Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish NEGL%

Languages:

Spanish

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.2%

male: 96.4%

female: 96.1% (2003 est.)

Government Chile

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Chile

conventional short form: Chile

local long form: Republica de Chile

local short form: Chile

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Santiago

geographic coordinates: 33 27 S, 70 40 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

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

second Sunday in March

Administrative divisions:

13 regions (regiones, singular - region); Aisen del General Carlos

Ibanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania, Atacama, Bio-Bio,

Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los Lagos,

Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena, Maule, Region Metropolitana

(Santiago), Tarapaca, Valparaiso

note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica

Independence:

18 September 1810 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 18 September (1810)

Constitution:

11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981; amended 1989, 1991,

1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, and 2005

Legal system:

based on Code of 1857 derived from Spanish law and subsequent codes

influenced by French and Austrian law; judicial review of

legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory

ICJ jurisdiction; note - in June 2005, Chile completed overhaul of

its criminal justice system to a new, US-style adversarial system

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Michelle BACHELET Jeria (since 11 March

2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Michelle BACHELET Jeria (since 11

March 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a single four-year

term; election last held 11 December 2005, with runoff election held

15 January 2006 (next to be held December 2009)

election results: Michelle BACHELET Jeria elected president; percent

of vote - Michelle BACHELET Jeria 53.5%; Sebastian PINERA Echenique

46.5%

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the

Senate or Senado (38 seats elected by popular vote; members serve

eight-year terms - one-half elected every four years) and the

Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (120 seats; members are

elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 11 December 2005 (next to be held

December 2009); Chamber of Deputies - last held 11 December 2005

(next to be held December 2009)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - CPD 20 (PDC 6, PS 8, PPD 3, PRSD 3), APC 17 (UDI 9, RN 8),

independent 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA;

seats by party - CPD 65 (PDC 21, PPD 22, PS 15, PRSD 7), APC 54 (UDI

34, RN 20), independent 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by the

president and ratified by the Senate from lists of candidates

provided by the court itself; the president of the Supreme Court is

elected every three years by the 20-member court); Constitutional

Tribunal

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance for Chile ("Alianza") or APC (including National Renewal

or RN [Carlos LARRAIN Pena] and Independent Democratic Union or UDI

[Hernan LARRAIN Fernandez]); Coalition of Parties for Democracy

("Concertacion") or CPD (including Christian Democratic Party or PDC

[Soledad ALVEAR], Socialist Party or PS [Camilo ESCALONA], Party for

Democracy or PPD [Sergio BITAR Chacra], Radical Social Democratic

Party or PRSD [Jose Antonio GOMEZ Urrutia]); Communist Party or PC

[Guillermo TEILLIER]

Political pressure groups and leaders: revitalized university student federations at all major universities; Roman Catholic Church; United Labor Central or CUT includes trade unionists from the country's five largest labor confederations

International organization participation:

APEC, BIS, CAN (associate), CSN, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,

IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA,

Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA,

RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU,

WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Mariano FERNANDEZ

chancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 530-4104, 530-4106, 530-4107

FAX: [1] (202) 887-5579

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New

York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Craig A. KELLY embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago mailing address: APO AA 34033 telephone: [56] (2) 232-2600 FAX: [56] (2) 330-3710

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; there is a blue

square the same height as the white band at the hoist-side end of

the white band; the square bears a white five-pointed star in the

center representing a guide to progress and honor; blue symbolizes

the sky, white is for the snow-covered Andes, and red stands for the

blood spilled to achieve independence; design was influenced by the

US flag

Economy Chile

Economy - overview:

Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high level

of foreign trade. During the early 1990s, Chile's reputation as a

role model for economic reform was strengthened when the democratic

government of Patricio AYLWIN - which took over from the military in

1990 - deepened the economic reform initiated by the military

government. Growth in real GDP averaged 8% during 1991-97, but fell

to half that level in 1998 because of tight monetary policies

implemented to keep the current account deficit in check and because

of lower export earnings - the latter a product of the global

financial crisis. A severe drought exacerbated the recession in

1999, reducing crop yields and causing hydroelectric shortfalls and

electricity rationing, and Chile experienced negative economic

growth for the first time in more than 15 years. Despite the effects

of the recession, Chile maintained its reputation for strong

financial institutions and sound policy that have given it the

strongest sovereign bond rating in South America. By the end of

1999, exports and economic activity had begun to recover, and growth

rebounded to 4.2% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.1% in 2001 and 2.1%

in 2002, largely due to lackluster global growth and the devaluation

of the Argentine peso. Chile's economy began a slow recovery in

2003, growing 3.2%, and accelerated to about 5% per year in 2004-06,

while Chile maintained a low rate of inflation. GDP growth benefited

from high copper prices, solid export earnings (particularly

forestry, fishing, and mining), and stepped-up foreign direct

investment. Unemployment has exhibited a downward trend over the

past year, but remains fairly high. Chile deepened its longstanding

commitment to trade liberalization with the signing of a free trade

agreement with the US, which took effect on 1 January 2004. Chile

signed a free trade agreement with China in November 2005, and it

already has several trade deals signed with other nations and blocs,

including the European Union, Mercosur, South Korea, and Mexico.

Record-high copper prices helped to strengthen the peso to a 6 1/2-year

high, as of December 2006, and added investment in the mining sector

will boost GDP in 2007.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$203 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$100.3 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$12,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5.9% industry: 49.3% services: 44.7% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 6.94 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 13.6% industry: 23.4% services: 63% (2003)

Unemployment rate:

8.3% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

18.2% (2005)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 47% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

57.1 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.1% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

21% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $36.71 billion

expenditures: $26.68 billion; including capital expenditures of

$3.33 billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:

3.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

grapes, apples, pears, onions, wheat, corn, oats, peaches, garlic,

asparagus, beans; beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber

Industries:

copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and

steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:

5% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

50.91 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 47% hydro: 51.5% nuclear: 0% other: 1.4% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

49.09 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

1.744 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

15,100 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption:

238,000 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2006)

Oil - imports:

222,900 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - proved reserves:

150 million bbl (1 January 2006)

Natural gas - production:

1.09 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

8.29 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

7.2 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

7.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

97.98 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$5.063 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$58.21 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

copper, fruit, fish products, paper and pulp, chemicals, wine

Exports - partners:

US 15.8%, Japan 11.5%, China 11.1%, Netherlands 5.8%, South Korea

5.5%, Brazil 4.4%, Italy 4.2%, Mexico 4% (2005)

Imports:

$35.37 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, electrical and

telecommunications equipment, industrial machinery, vehicles,

natural gas

Imports - partners:

Argentina 14.8%, US 14.6%, Brazil 11.7%, China 7.8%, South Korea

4.8%, Yemen 4.4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$17.16 billion (November 2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$47.6 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$0 (2002)

Currency (code):

Chilean peso (CLP)

Currency code:

CLP

Exchange rates:

Chilean pesos per US dollar - 532.115 (2006), 560.09 (2005), 609.37

(2004), 691.43 (2003), 688.94 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Chile

Telephones - main lines in use:

3,435,900 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

10.57 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern system based on extensive microwave

radio relay facilities

domestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellite

system with three earth stations

international: country code - 56; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 180 (eight inactive), FM 64, shortwave 17 (one inactive) (1998)

Radios:

5.18 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

63 (plus 121 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:

3.15 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.cl

Internet hosts:

506,055 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

7 (2000)

Internet users:

6.7 million (2005)

Transportation Chile

Airports: 363 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 73

over 3,047 m: 5

2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 22

914 to 1,523 m: 22

under 914 m: 17 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 290

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 11

914 to 1,523 m: 58

under 914 m: 216 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 2,567 km; gas/lpg 42 km; liquid petroleum gas 539 km; oil 1,003

km; refined products 757 km; unknown (oil/water) 97 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 6,585 km

broad gauge: 2,831 km 1.676-m gauge (1,317 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 3,754 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 79,605 km

paved: 16,080 km (including 407 km of expressways)

unpaved: 63,525 km (2001)

Merchant marine:

total: 46 ships (1000 GRT or over) 649,091 GRT/898,110 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 6, chemical tanker 10, container 1,

liquefied gas 2, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 7,

roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 3

foreign-owned: 1 (Argentina 1)

registered in other countries: 17 (Argentina 6, Brazil 1, Marshall

Islands 1, Panama 9) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Antofagasta, Arica, Huasco, Iquique, Lirquen, San Antonio, San

Vicente, Valparaiso

Military Chile

Military branches:

Army of the Nation, National Navy (Armada de Chile, includes naval

air, marine corps, and Maritime Territory and Merchant Marine

Directorate (Directemar)), Chilean Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Chile,

FACh), Chilean Carabineros (National Police) (2006)

Military service age and obligation: all male citizens 18-45 are obligated to perform military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months for Army, 24 months for Navy and Air Force (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 3,815,761

females age 18-49: 3,780,864 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 3,123,281

females age 18-49: 3,128,277 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 140,084

females age 18-49: 134,518 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$3.91 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

3.5% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Chile

Disputes - international:

Chile rebuffs Bolivia's reactivated claim to restore the Atacama

corridor, ceded to Chile in 1884, offering instead unrestricted but

not sovereign maritime access through Chile to Bolivian gas and

other commodities; Peru proposes changing its latitudinal maritime

boundary with Chile to an equidistance line with a southwestern

axis; territorial claim in Antarctica (Chilean Antarctic Territory)

partially overlaps Argentine and British claims; action by the joint

boundary commission, established by Chile and Argentina in 2001, for

mapping and demarcating the disputed boundary in the Andean Southern

Ice Field (Campo de Hielo Sur) remains pending

Illicit drugs:

important transshipment country for cocaine destined for Europe;

economic prosperity and increasing trade have made Chile more

attractive to traffickers seeking to launder drug profits,

especially through the Iquique Free Trade Zone, but a new

anti-money-laundering law improves controls; imported precursors

passed on to Bolivia; domestic cocaine consumption is rising

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@China

Introduction China

Background:

For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the

rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and

early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major

famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War

II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established an autocratic

socialist system that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed

strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of

millions of people. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping and

other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by

2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living

standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal

choice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight.

Geography China

Location:

Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea,

and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam

Geographic coordinates:

35 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 9,596,960 sq km

land: 9,326,410 sq km

water: 270,550 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than the US

Land boundaries:

total: 22,117 km

border countries: Afghanistan 76 km, Bhutan 470 km, Burma 2,185 km,

India 3,380 km, Kazakhstan 1,533 km, North Korea 1,416 km,

Kyrgyzstan 858 km, Laos 423 km, Mongolia 4,677 km, Nepal 1,236 km,

Pakistan 523 km, Russia (northeast) 3,605 km, Russia (northwest) 40

km, Tajikistan 414 km, Vietnam 1,281 km

regional borders: Hong Kong 30 km, Macau 0.34 km

Coastline:

14,500 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north

Terrain:

mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas,

and hills in east

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Turpan Pendi -154 m

highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m

Natural resources:

coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, mercury, tin, tungsten,

antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum,

lead, zinc, uranium, hydropower potential (world's largest)

Land use:

arable land: 14.86%

permanent crops: 1.27%

other: 83.87% (2005)

Irrigated land:

545,960 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern

coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts; land

subsidence

Environment - current issues:

air pollution (greenhouse gases, sulfur dioxide particulates) from

reliance on coal produces acid rain; water shortages, particularly

in the north; water pollution from untreated wastes; deforestation;

estimated loss of one-fifth of agricultural land since 1949 to soil

erosion and economic development; desertification; trade in

endangered species

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the

Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

world's fourth largest country (after Russia, Canada, and US);

Mount Everest on the border with Nepal is the world's tallest peak

People China

Population:

1,313,973,713 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 20.8% (male 145,461,833/female 128,445,739)

15-64 years: 71.4% (male 482,439,115/female 455,960,489)

65 years and over: 7.7% (male 48,562,635/female 53,103,902) (2006

est.)

Median age: total: 32.7 years male: 32.3 years female: 33.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.59% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

13.25 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

6.97 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.12 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female

total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 23.12 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 20.6 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 25.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 72.58 years

male: 70.89 years

female: 74.46 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.73 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

840,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

44,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Chinese (singular and plural)

adjective: Chinese

Ethnic groups:

Han Chinese 91.9%, Zhuang, Uygur, Hui, Yi, Tibetan, Miao, Manchu,

Mongol, Buyi, Korean, and other nationalities 8.1%

Religions:

Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Christian 3%-4%, Muslim 1%-2%

note: officially atheist (2002 est.)

Languages:

Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing

dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghaiese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan

(Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages

(see Ethnic groups entry)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 90.9%

male: 95.1%

female: 86.5% (2002)

Government China

Country name:

conventional long form: People's Republic of China

conventional short form: China

local long form: Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo

local short form: Zhongguo

abbreviation: PRC

Government type:

Communist state

Capital:

name: Beijing

geographic coordinates: 39 56 N, 116 24 E

time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

note: despite its size, all of China falls within one time zone

Administrative divisions:

23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous regions

(zizhiqu, singular and plural), and 4 municipalities (shi, singular

and plural)

provinces: Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei,

Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin,

Liaoning, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan,

Zhejiang; (see note on Taiwan)

autonomous regions: Guangxi, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Xinjiang, Xizang

(Tibet)

municipalities: Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, Tianjin

note: China considers Taiwan its 23rd province; see separate entries

for the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau

Independence:

221 BC (unification under the Qin or Ch'in Dynasty); 1 January 1912

(Manchu Dynasty replaced by a Republic); 1 October 1949 (People's

Republic established)

National holiday:

Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China, 1

October (1949)

Constitution:

most recent promulgation 4 December 1982

Legal system:

based on civil law system; derived from Soviet and continental

civil code legal principles; legislature retains power to interpret

statutes; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislation;

has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003) and Vice

President ZENG Qinghong (since 15 March 2003)

head of government: Premier WEN Jiabao (since 16 March 2003);

Executive Vice Premier HUANG Ju (since 17 March 2003), Vice Premiers

WU Yi (17 March 2003), ZENG Peiyan (since 17 March 2003), and HUI

Liangyu (since 17 March 2003)

cabinet: State Council appointed by the National People's Congress

(NPC)

elections: president and vice president elected by the National

People's Congress for a five-year term (eligible for a second term);

elections last held 15-17 March 2003 (next to be held mid-March

2008); premier nominated by the president, confirmed by the National

People's Congress

election results: HU Jintao elected president by the 10th National

People's Congress with a total of 2,937 votes (four delegates voted

against him, four abstained, and 38 did not vote); ZENG Qinghong

elected vice president by the 10th National People's Congress with a

total of 2,578 votes (177 delegates voted against him, 190

abstained, and 38 did not vote); two seats were vacant

Legislative branch:

unicameral National People's Congress or Quanguo Renmin Daibiao

Dahui (2,985 seats; members elected by municipal, regional, and

provincial people's congresses to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held December 2002-February 2003 (next to be held

late 2007-February 2008)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - NA

Judicial branch:

Supreme People's Court (judges appointed by the National People's

Congress); Local People's Courts (comprise higher, intermediate, and

local courts); Special People's Courts (primarily military,

maritime, and railway transport courts)

Political parties and leaders:

Chinese Communist Party or CCP [HU Jintao]; eight registered small

parties controlled by CCP

Political pressure groups and leaders:

no substantial political opposition groups exist, although the

government has identified the Falungong spiritual movement and the

China Democracy Party as subversive groups

International organization participation:

AfDB, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BCIE, BIS,

CDB, EAS, FAO, G-24 (observer), G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM,

IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM

(observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC,

NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC

(observer), SCO, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,

UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNTSO,

UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador ZHOU Wenzhong chancery: 2300 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-2500 FAX: [1] (202) 328-2582 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Clark T. RANDT, Jr. embassy: Xiu Shui Bei Jie 3, 100600 Beijing mailing address: PSC 461, Box 50, FPO AP 96521-0002 telephone: [86] (10) 6532-3831 FAX: [86] (10) 6532-3178 consulate(s) general: Chengdu, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Macau, Shanghai, Shenyang

Flag description:

red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller yellow

five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the middle of

the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner

Economy China

Economy - overview: China's economy during the last quarter century has changed from a centrally planned system that was largely closed to international trade to a more market-oriented economy that has a rapidly growing private sector and is a major player in the global economy. Reforms started in the late 1970s with the phasing out of collectivized agriculture, and expanded to include the gradual liberalization of prices, fiscal decentralization, increased autonomy for state enterprises, the foundation of a diversified banking system, the development of stock markets, the rapid growth of the non-state sector, and the opening to foreign trade and investment. China has generally implemented reforms in a gradualist or piecemeal fashion, including the sale of equity in China's largest state banks to foreign investors and refinements in foreign exchange and bond markets in 2005. The restructuring of the economy and resulting efficiency gains have contributed to a more than tenfold increase in GDP since 1978. Measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis, China in 2006 stood as the second-largest economy in the world after the US, although in per capita terms the country is still lower middle-income and 130 million Chinese fall below international poverty lines. Economic development has generally been more rapid in coastal provinces than in the interior, and there are large disparities in per capita income between regions. The government has struggled to: (a) sustain adequate job growth for tens of millions of workers laid off from state-owned enterprises, migrants, and new entrants to the work force; (b) reduce corruption and other economic crimes; and (c) contain environmental damage and social strife related to the economy's rapid transformation. From 100 to 150 million surplus rural workers are adrift between the villages and the cities, many subsisting through part-time, low-paying jobs. One demographic consequence of the "one child" policy is that China is now one of the most rapidly aging countries in the world. Another long-term threat to growth is the deterioration in the environment - notably air pollution, soil erosion, and the steady fall of the water table, especially in the north. China continues to lose arable land because of erosion and economic development. China has benefited from a huge expansion in computer Internet use, with more than 100 million users at the end of 2005. Foreign investment remains a strong element in China's remarkable expansion in world trade and has been an important factor in the growth of urban jobs. In July 2005, China revalued its currency by 2.1% against the US dollar and moved to an exchange rate system that references a basket of currencies. In 2006 China had the largest current account surplus - nearly $180 billion - in the world. More power generating capacity came on line in 2006 as large scale investments were completed. Thirteen years in construction at a cost of $24 billion, the immense Three Gorges Dam across the Yangtze River was essentially completed in 2006 and will revolutionize electrification and flood control in the area. The 11th Five-Year Program (2006-10), approved by the National People's Congress in March 2006, calls for a 20% reduction in energy consumption per unit of GDP by 2010 and an estimated 45% increase in GDP by 2010. The plan states that conserving resources and protecting the environment are basic goals, but it lacks details on the policies and reforms necessary to achieve these goals.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$10 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.512 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

10.5% (official data) (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$7,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.9% industry: 48.1% services: 40% note: industry includes construction (2006 est.)

Labor force: 798 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 45% industry: 24% services: 31% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

4.2% official registered unemployment in urban areas in 2005;

substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas

Population below poverty line:

10% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 33.1% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

44 (2002)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.5% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

44.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $446.6 billion

expenditures: $489.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

22.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

rice, wheat, potatoes, corn, peanuts, tea, millet, barley, apples,

cotton, oilseed; pork; fish

Industries:

mining and ore processing, iron, steel, aluminum, and other metals,

coal; machine building; armaments; textiles and apparel; petroleum;

cement; chemicals; fertilizers; consumer products, including

footwear, toys, and electronics; food processing; transportation

equipment, including automobiles, rail cars and locomotives, ships,

and aircraft; telecommunications equipment, commercial space launch

vehicles, satellites

Industrial production growth rate:

22.9% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

2.5 trillion kWh (2005)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 80.2% hydro: 18.5% nuclear: 1.2% other: 0.1% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

2.494 trillion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports:

11.2 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports:

5 billion kWh (2005)

Oil - production:

3.631 million bbl/day (2005)

Oil - consumption:

6.534 million bbl/day (2005)

Oil - exports:

443,300 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

3.181 million bbl/day (2005)

Oil - proved reserves:

16.1 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

52.88 billion cu m (2005)

Natural gas - consumption:

47.91 billion cu m (2005)

Natural gas - exports:

2.79 billion cu m (2005)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2005)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

2.35 trillion cu m (2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$179.1 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$974 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, plastics, optical and medical equipment,

iron and steel

Exports - partners:

US 21.4%, Hong Kong 16.3%, Japan 11%, South Korea 4.6%, Germany

4.3% (2005)

Imports:

$777.9 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, oil and mineral fuels, plastics, optical

and medical equipment, organic chemicals, iron and steel

Imports - partners:

Japan 15.2%, South Korea 11.6%, Taiwan 11.2%, US 7.4%, Germany 4.6%

(2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.034 trillion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$305.6 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$NA

Currency (code):

yuan (CNY); note - also referred to as the Renminbi (RMB)

Currency code:

CNY

Exchange rates:

yuan per US dollar - 7.97 (2006), 8.1943 (2005), 8.2768 (2004),

8.277 (2003), 8.277 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications China

Telephones - main lines in use:

350.433 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

437.48 million (2006)

Telephone system:

general assessment: domestic and international services are

increasingly available for private use; unevenly distributed

domestic system serves principal cities, industrial centers, and

many towns; China continues to develop its telecommunications

infrastructure, and is partnering with foreign providers to expand

its global reach; three of China's six major telecommunications

operators are part of an international consortium which, in December

2006, signed an agreement with Verizon Business to build the first

next-generation optical cable system directly linking the US

mainland and China

domestic: interprovincial fiber-optic trunk lines and cellular

telephone systems have been installed; mobile cellular

subscribership is increasing rapidly; a domestic satellite system

with 55 earth stations is in place

international: country code - 86; satellite earth stations - 5

Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik

(Indian Ocean region) and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean

regions); several international fiber-optic links to Japan, South

Korea, Hong Kong, Russia, and Germany (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 369, FM 259, shortwave 45 (1998)

Radios:

417 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3,240 (of which 209 are operated by China Central Television, 31 are provincial TV stations, and nearly 3,000 are local city stations) (1997)

Televisions:

400 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.cn

Internet hosts:

232,780 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

3 (2000)

Internet users:

123 million (2006)

Transportation China

Airports: 486 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 403

over 3,047 m: 56

2,438 to 3,047 m: 127

1,524 to 2,437 m: 138

914 to 1,523 m: 22

under 914 m: 60 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 83

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 13

914 to 1,523 m: 25

under 914 m: 39 (2006)

Heliports:

32 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 22,664 km; oil 15,256 km; refined products 6,106 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 74,408 km

standard gauge: 74,408 km 1.435-m gauge (19,303 km electrified)

(2004)

Roadways:

total: 1,870,661 km

paved: 1,515,797 km (with at least 34,288 km of expressways)

unpaved: 354,864 km (2004)

Waterways:

123,964 km (2003)

Merchant marine:

total: 1,723 ships (1000 GRT or over) 21,405,633 GRT/32,411,260 DWT

by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 387, cargo 695, chemical

tanker 45, combination ore/oil 1, container 152, liquefied gas 31,

passenger 8, passenger/cargo 83, petroleum tanker 261, refrigerated

cargo 30, roll on/roll off 8, specialized tanker 6, vehicle carrier

14

foreign-owned: 13 (Hong Kong 7, Japan 3, South Korea 2, Norway 1)

registered in other countries: 1,191 (Bahamas 3, Bangladesh 1,

Belize 103, Bolivia 1, Cambodia 128, Cyprus 11, Georgia 2, Honduras

3, Hong Kong 274, India 2, North Korea 1, Liberia 35, Malaysia 1,

Malta 14, Mongolia 4, Norway 3, Panama 420, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines 103, Sierra Leone 2, Singapore 23, Thailand 1, Tuvalu 23,

unknown 33) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Dalian, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Ningbo, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai

Military China

Military branches:

People's Liberation Army (PLA): Ground Forces, Navy (includes

marines and naval aviation), Air Force (includes airborne forces),

and Second Artillery Corps (strategic missile force); People's Armed

Police (PAP); Reserve and Militia Forces (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18-22 years of age for compulsory military service, with 24-month

service obligation; no minimum age for voluntary service (all

officers are volunteers); 18-22 years of age for women who meet

requirements for specific military jobs (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 342,956,265

females age 18-49: 324,701,244 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 281,240,272

females age 18-49: 269,025,517 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 13,186,433

females age 18-49: 12,298,149 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$81.48 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

4.3% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues China

Disputes - international:

in 2005, China and India began drafting principles to resolve all

aspects of their extensive boundary and territorial disputes

together with a security and foreign policy dialogue to consolidate

discussions related to the boundary, regional nuclear proliferation,

and other matters; recent talks and confidence-building measures

have begun to defuse tensions over Kashmir, site of the world's

largest and most militarized territorial dispute with portions under

the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and

Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); India does

not recognize Pakistan's ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in

1964; about 90,000 ethnic Tibetan exiles reside primarily in India

as well as Nepal and Bhutan; China asserts sovereignty over the

Spratly Islands together with Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan,

Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct

of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions in the

Spratlys but is not the legally binding "code of conduct" sought by

some parties; Vietnam and China continue to expand construction of

facilities in the Spratlys and in March 2005, the national oil

companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint

accord on marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; China

occupies some of the Paracel Islands also claimed by Vietnam and

Taiwan; China and Taiwan have become more vocal in rejecting both

Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu

Tai) and Japan's unilaterally declared equidistance line in the East

China Sea, the site of intensive hydrocarbon prospecting; certain

islands in the Yalu and Tumen rivers are in an uncontested dispute

with North Korea and a section of boundary around Mount Paektu is

considered indefinite; China seeks to stem illegal migration of tens

of thousands of North Koreans; China and Russia prepare to demarcate

the boundary agreed to in October 2004 between the long-disputed

islands at the Amur and Ussuri; demarcation of the China-Vietnam

boundary proceeds slowly and although the maritime boundary

delimitation and fisheries agreements were ratified in June 2004,

implementation has been delayed; environmentalists in Burma and

Thailand remain concerned about China's construction of

hydroelectric dams upstream on the Nujiang/Salween River in Yunnan

Province

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 300,897 (Vietnam) estimated

30,000-50,000 (North Korea)

IDPs: 90,000 (2006)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: China is a source, transit, and destination

country for women, men, and children trafficked for purposes of

sexual exploitation and forced labor; the majority of trafficking in

China is internal, but there is also international trafficking of

Chinese citizens; women are lured through false promises of

legitimate employment into commercial sexual exploitation in Taiwan,

Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan; Chinese men and women are smuggled to

countries throughout the world at enormous personal expense and then

forced into commercial sexual exploitation or exploitative labor to

repay debts to traffickers; women and children are trafficked into

China from Mongolia, Burma, North Korea, Russia, and Vietnam for

forced labor, marriage, and sexual slavery; most North Koreans enter

northeastern China voluntarily, but others reportedly are trafficked

into China from North Korea; domestic trafficking remains the most

significant problem in China, with an estimated minimum of

10,000-20,000 victims trafficked each year; the actual number of

victims could be much greater; some experts believe that the serious

and prolonged imbalance in the male-female birth ratio may now be

contributing to Chinese and foreign girls and women being trafficked

as potential brides

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - China failed to show evidence of

increasing efforts to address transnational trafficking; while the

government provides reasonable protection to internal victims of

trafficking, protection for Chinese and foreign victims of

transnational trafficking remain inadequate

Illicit drugs:

major transshipment point for heroin produced in the Golden

Triangle; growing domestic drug abuse problem; source country for

chemical precursors and methamphetamine

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Christmas Island

Introduction Christmas Island

Background:

Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed

and settlement began by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in

the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958.

Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park.

Geography Christmas Island

Location:

Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:

10 30 S, 105 40 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 135 sq km

land: 135 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

138.9 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical with a wet and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by

trade winds; wet season (December to April)

Terrain:

steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Murray Hill 361 m

Natural resources:

phosphate, beaches

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a

national park) (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime

hazard

Environment - current issues:

loss of rainforest; impact of phosphate mining

Geography - note:

located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean

People Christmas Island

Population: 1,493 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

NA

Death rate:

NA

Net migration rate:

NA

Sex ratio:

NA

Infant mortality rate:

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Total fertility rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Christmas Islander(s)

adjective: Christmas Island

Ethnic groups:

Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%

note: no indigenous population (2001)

Religions:

Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997)

Languages:

English (official), Chinese, Malay

Literacy:

NA

Government Christmas Island

Country name:

conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island

conventional short form: Christmas Island

Dependency status:

non-self governing territory of Australia; administered by the

Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: The Settlement

geographic coordinates: 18 44 N, 64 19 W

time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (territory of Australia)

Independence:

none (territory of Australia)

National holiday:

Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Constitution:

Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) as amended by the

Territories Law Reform Act of 1992

Legal system:

under the authority of the governor general of Australia and

Australian law

Executive branch:

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

represented by the Australian governor general

head of government: Administrator Neil LUCAS (since 30 January 2006)

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed

by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and

Australia

Legislative branch:

unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected

by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: held every two years with half the members standing for

election; last held in May 2005 (next to be held in May 2007)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

none

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territory of Australia)

Flag description:

territorial flag; divided diagonally from upper hoist to lower fly;

the upper triangle is green with a yellow image of the Golden Bosun

Bird superimposed, while the lower triangle is blue with the

Southern Cross constellation, representing Australia, superimposed;

a centered yellow disk displays a green map of the island; the flag

of Australia is used for official purposes

Economy Christmas Island

Economy - overview:

Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity,

but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In

1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a

$34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino closed in 1998. The

Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a

commercial space-launching site on the island, projected to begin

operations in the near future.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$NA

Labor force:

NA

Budget:

revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA

Agriculture - products:

NA

Industries:

tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA hydro: NA nuclear: NA other: NA

Exports:

$NA

Exports - commodities:

phosphate

Exports - partners:

Australia, NZ (2004)

Imports:

$NA

Imports - commodities:

consumer goods

Imports - partners:

principally Australia (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:

$NA

Currency (code):

Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:

AUD

Exchange rates:

Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004),

1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 July - 30 June

Communications Christmas Island

Telephones - main lines in use:

NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:

NA

Telephone system:

general assessment: service provided by the Australian network

domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system

in February 2005

international: country code - 61-8; satellite earth stations - one

INTELSAT earth station provides telephone and telex service (2005)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2006)

Radios:

1,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

0; note - TV broadcasts received via satellite from mainland

Australia (2006)

Televisions:

600 (1997)

Internet country code:

.cx

Internet hosts:

2,368 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2000)

Internet users:

464 (2001)

Transportation Christmas Island

Airports: 1 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways: total: 142 km paved: 32 km unpaved: 110 km (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Flying Fish Cove

Military Christmas Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia

Transnational Issues Christmas Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Clipperton Island

Introduction Clipperton Island

Background:

This isolated island was named for John CLIPPERTON, a pirate who

made it his hideout early in the 18th century. Annexed by France in

1855, it was seized by Mexico in 1897. Arbitration eventually

awarded the island to France, which took possession in 1935.

Geography Clipperton Island

Location:

Middle America, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, 1,120 km

southwest of Mexico

Geographic coordinates:

10 17 N, 109 13 W

Map references:

Political Map of the World

Area:

total: 6 sq km

land: 6 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about 12 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

11.1 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; humid, average temperature 20-32 degrees C, wet season

(May to October)

Terrain:

coral atoll

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Rocher Clipperton 29 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all coral) (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

reef 12 km in circumference

People Clipperton Island

Population: uninhabited (July 2006 est.)

Government Clipperton Island

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Clipperton Island

local long form: none

local short form: Ile Clipperton

former: sometimes called Ile de la Passion

Dependency status:

possession of France; administered by France from French Polynesia

by a high commissioner of the Republic

Legal system:

the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Flag description:

the flag of France is used

Economy Clipperton Island

Economy - overview:

Although 115 species of fish have been identified in the

territorial waters of Clipperton Island, the only economic activity

is tuna fishing.

Transportation Clipperton Island

Ports and terminals: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Clipperton Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Clipperton Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Introduction Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Background:

There are 27 coral islands in the group. Captain William KEELING

discovered the islands in 1609, but they remained uninhabited until

the 19th century. Annexed by the UK in 1857, they were transferred

to the Australian Government in 1955. The population on the two

inhabited islands generally is split between the ethnic Europeans on

West Island and the ethnic Malays on Home Island.

Geography Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Location:

Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest

of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka

Geographic coordinates:

12 30 S, 96 50 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 14 sq km

land: 14 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island

Area - comparative:

about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

26 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds

for about nine months of the year

Terrain:

flat, low-lying coral atolls

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

cyclone season is October to April

Environment - current issues: fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs

Geography - note: islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation

People Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Population: 574 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

NA

Death rate:

NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate:

NA

Infant mortality rate:

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Total fertility rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Cocos Islander(s)

adjective: Cocos Islander

Ethnic groups:

Europeans, Cocos Malays

Religions:

Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.)

Languages:

Malay (Cocos dialect), English

Literacy:

NA

Government Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands

conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Dependency status:

non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from

Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional

Services

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: West Island

geographic coordinates: 12 10 S, 96 55 E

time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (territory of Australia)

Independence:

none (territory of Australia)

National holiday:

Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Constitution:

Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23 November 1955) as amended

by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992

Legal system:

based upon the laws of Australia and local laws

Suffrage:

NA

Executive branch:

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

represented by the Australian governor general

head of government: Administrator (nonresident) Neil LUCAS (since 30

January 2006)

cabinet: NA

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed

by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and

Australia

Legislative branch:

unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats)

elections: held every two years with half the members standing for

election; last held in May 2005 (next to be held in May 2007)

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

none

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territory of Australia)

Flag description:

the flag of Australia is used

Economy Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Economy - overview:

Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash crop.

Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but

additional food and most other necessities must be imported from

Australia. There is a small tourist industry.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$NA

Labor force:

NA

Labor force - by occupation: note: the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others

Unemployment rate: 60% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA

Agriculture - products:

vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts

Industries:

copra products and tourism

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA hydro: NA nuclear: NA other: NA

Exports:

$NA

Exports - commodities:

copra

Exports - partners:

Australia (2004)

Imports:

$NA

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Australia (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:

$NA

Currency (code):

Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:

AUD

Exchange rates:

Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004),

1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 July - 30 June

Communications Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:

287 (1992)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

note - analog cellular service available

Telephone system:

general assessment: connected within Australia's telecommunication

system

domestic: NA

international: country code - 61; telephone, telex, and facsimile

communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1

INTELSAT satellite earth station

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:

300 (1992)

Television broadcast stations:

NA

Televisions:

NA

Internet country code:

.cc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2000)

Internet users:

NA

Transportation Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Airports: 1 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways: total: 22 km paved: 10 km unpaved: 12 km (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Port Refuge

Military Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory has a

five-person police force

Transnational Issues Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Colombia

Introduction Colombia

Background:

Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the

collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and

Venezuela). A 40-year conflict between government forces and

anti-government insurgent groups and illegal paramilitary groups -

both heavily funded by the drug trade - escalated during the 1990s.

The insurgents lack the military or popular support necessary to

overthrow the government, and violence has been decreasing since

about 2002, but insurgents continue attacks against civilians and

large swaths of the countryside are under guerrilla influence.

Paramilitary groups challenge the insurgents for control of

territory and the drug trade. Most paramilitary members have

demobilized since 2002 in an ongoing peace process, although their

commitment to ceasing illicit activity is unclear. The Colombian

Government has stepped up efforts to reassert government control

throughout the country, and now has a presence in every one of its

municipalities. However, neighboring countries worry about the

violence spilling over their borders.

Geography Colombia

Location:

Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama

and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between

Ecuador and Panama

Geographic coordinates:

4 00 N, 72 00 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 1,138,910 sq km

land: 1,038,700 sq km

water: 100,210 sq km

note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, and Serrana Bank

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 6,309 km

border countries: Brazil 1,644 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km,

Peru 1,800 km, Venezuela 2,050 km

Coastline:

3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km)

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

Climate:

tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands

Terrain:

flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains,

eastern lowland plains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Pico Cristobal Colon 5,775 m

note: nearby Pico Simon Bolivar also has the same elevation

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper,

emeralds, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 2.01% permanent crops: 1.37% other: 96.62% (2005)

Irrigated land:

9,000 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes;

periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil and water quality damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

only South American country with coastlines on both the North

Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea

People Colombia

Population:

43,593,035 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 30.3% (male 6,683,079/female 6,528,563)

15-64 years: 64.5% (male 13,689,384/female 14,416,439)

65 years and over: 5.2% (male 996,022/female 1,279,548) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 26.3 years

male: 25.4 years

female: 27.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.46% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

20.48 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

5.58 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 20.35 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 24.25 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 16.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71.99 years

male: 68.15 years

female: 75.96 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.54 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

190,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

3,600 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Colombian(s)

adjective: Colombian

Ethnic groups:

mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed

black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 90%, other 10%

Languages:

Spanish

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.5%

male: 92.4%

female: 92.6% (2003 est.)

Government Colombia

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Colombia

conventional short form: Colombia

local long form: Republica de Colombia

local short form: Colombia

Government type:

republic; executive branch dominates government structure

Capital:

name: Bogota

geographic coordinates: 4 36 N, 74 05 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

Administrative divisions:

32 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1

capital district* (distrito capital); Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca,

Atlantico, Bogota*, Bolivar, Boyaca, Caldas, Caqueta, Casanare,

Cauca, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba, Cundinamarca, Guainia, Guaviare,

Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Narino, Norte de Santander,

Putumayo, Quindio, Risaralda, San Andres y Providencia, Santander,

Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes, Vichada

Independence:

20 July 1810 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 20 July (1810)

Constitution:

5 July 1991

Legal system:

based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US

procedures was enacted into law in 2004 and is gradually being

implemented; judicial review of executive and legislative acts

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August 2002);

Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002); note - the

president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August

2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002)

cabinet: Cabinet consists of a coalition of the three largest

parties that supported President URIBE's reelection - the PSUN, PC,

and CR - and independents

elections: president and vice president elected by popular vote for

a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 28

May 2006 (next to be held in May 2010)

election results: President Alvaro URIBE Velez reelected president;

percent of vote - Alvaro URIBE Velez 62%, Carlos GAVIRIA Diaz 22%,

Horacio SERPA Uribe 12%, other 4%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Senate or Senado

(102 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year

terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de Representantes

(166 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year

terms)

elections: Senate - last held 12 March 2006 (next to be held in

March 2010); House of Representatives - last held 12 March 2006

(next to be held in March 2010)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - PSUN 20, PC 18, PL 18, CR 15, PDI 10, other parties 21;

House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - PL 35, PSUN 33, PC 29, CR 20, PDA 8, other parties 41

Judicial branch:

four roughly coequal, supreme judicial organs; Supreme Court of

Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (highest court of criminal law;

judges are selected by their peers from the nominees of the Superior

Judicial Council for eight-year terms); Council of State (highest

court of administrative law; judges are selected from the nominees

of the Superior Judicial Council for eight-year terms);

Constitutional Court (guards integrity and supremacy of the

constitution; rules on constitutionality of laws, amendments to the

constitution, and international treaties); Superior Judicial Council

(administers and disciplines the civilian judiciary; resolves

jurisdictional conflicts arising between other courts; members are

elected by three sister courts and Congress for eight-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:

Colombian Conservative Party or PC [Julio MANZUR Abdala];

Alternative Democratic Pole or PDA [Samuel MORENO Rojas]; Liberal

Party or PL [Cesar GAVIRIA Trujillo]; Social National Unity Party or

PSUN [Carlos GARCIA]; Radical Change or CR [German VARGAS Lleras]

note: Colombia has 15 formally recognized political parties, and

numerous unofficial parties that did not meet the vote threshold in

the March 2006 legislative elections required for recognition

Political pressure groups and leaders:

two largest insurgent groups active in Colombia - Revolutionary

Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC and National Liberation Army or ELN

International organization participation:

BCIE, CAN, CDB, CSN, FAO, G-3, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur

(associate), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Carolina BARCO Isakson chancery: 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-8338 FAX: [1] (202) 232-8643 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Washington, DC

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William B. WOOD embassy: Calle 22D-BIS, numbers 47-51, Apartado Aereo 3831 mailing address: Carrera 45 #22D-45, Bogota, D.C., APO AA 34038 telephone: [57] (1) 315-0811 FAX: [57] (1) 315-2197

Flag description:

three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and

red; similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is longer and bears the

Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center

Economy Colombia

Economy - overview:

Colombia's economy has experienced positive growth over the past

three years despite a serious armed conflict. The economy continues

to improve in part because of austere government budgets, focused

efforts to reduce public debt levels, an export-oriented growth

strategy, an improved security situation in the country, and high

commodity prices. Ongoing economic problems facing President URIBE

range from reforming the pension system to reducing high

unemployment, and to achieving congressional passage of a fiscal

transfers reform. New exploration is needed to offset declining oil

production. International and domestic financial analysts note with

concern the growing central government deficit, which hovers at 5%

of GDP. However, the government's economic policy and democratic

security strategy have engendered a growing sense of confidence in

the economy, particularly within the business sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$366.7 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$105.5 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$8,400 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 12% industry: 35.2% services: 52.7% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 20.81 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 22.7% industry: 18.7% services: 58.5% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

11.1% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

49.2% (2005)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 7.9% highest 10%: 34.3% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

53.8 (2005)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.3% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

22.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $50.7 billion

expenditures: $52.29 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

45.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa

beans, oilseed, vegetables; forest products; shrimp

Industries:

textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages,

chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds

Industrial production growth rate:

5.8% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

46.93 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 26% hydro: 72.7% nuclear: 0% other: 1.3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

42.01 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

1.682 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

48 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

512,400 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

269,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves:

1.282 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

6.18 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

6.18 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

114.4 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-2.219 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$24.86 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum, coffee, coal, nickel, emeralds, apparel, bananas, cut

flowers

Exports - partners:

US 41.8%, Venezuela 9.9%, Ecuador 6.3% (2005)

Imports:

$24.33 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer goods,

chemicals, paper products, fuels, electricity

Imports - partners:

US 28.5%, Mexico 8.3%, China 7.6%, Brazil 6.5%, Venezuela 5.7%

(2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$16.5 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$37.21 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$NA

Currency (code):

Colombian peso (COP)

Currency code:

COP

Exchange rates:

Colombian pesos per US dollar - 2,382.9 (2006), 2,320.75 (2005),

2,628.61 (2004), 2,877.65 (2003), 2,504.24 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Colombia

Telephones - main lines in use:

7,678,800 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

21.85 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern system in many respects

domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic

satellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking

50 cities

international: country code - 57; satellite earth stations - 6

Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat; 3 fully digitalized international switching

centers; 8 submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 454, FM 34, shortwave 27 (1999)

Radios:

21 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

60 (includes seven low-power stations) (1997)

Televisions:

4.59 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.co

Internet hosts:

581,877 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

18 (2000)

Internet users:

4.739 million (2005)

Transportation Colombia

Airports: 984 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 101 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 38 914 to 1,523 m: 40 under 914 m: 12 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 883 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 35 914 to 1,523 m: 275 under 914 m: 572 (2006)

Heliports:

2 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 4,360 km; oil 6,140 km; refined products 3,158 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 3,304 km

standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 112,988 km

paved: 16,270 km

unpaved: 96,718 km (2004)

Waterways:

18,000 km (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 17 ships (1000 GRT or over) 42,413 GRT/58,737 DWT

by type: cargo 13, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 3

registered in other countries: 7 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Panama 5)

(2006)

Ports and terminals:

Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Muelles El Bosque, Puerto

Bolivar, Santa Marta, Turbo

Military Colombia

Military branches:

Army (Ejercito Nacional), National Navy (Armada Nacional, includes

naval aviation, marines, and coast guard), Colombian Air Force

(Fuerza Aerea de Colombia, FAC) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;

conscript service obligation - 24 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 10,212,456

females age 18-49: 10,561,562 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 6,986,228

females age 18-49: 8,794,465 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 389,735

females age 18-49: 383,146 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$3.3 billion (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

3.4% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Colombia

Disputes - international:

Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in 1999 and against

Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over disputed maritime boundary

involving 50,000 sq km in the Caribbean Sea, including the

Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank;

dispute with Venezuela over maritime boundary and Los Monjes Islands

near the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics,

guerrilla, and paramilitary activities penetrate all of its

neighbors' borders and have created a serious refugee crisis with

over 300,000 persons having fled the country, mostly into

neighboring states

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 1.8-3.8 million (conflict between government and illegal

armed groups and FARC factions; drug wars) (2006)

Illicit drugs:

illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis; world's

leading coca cultivator (cultivation of coca in 2004 was 114,100

hectares, virtually unchanged from 2003, but down one-third from its

peak of 169,800 ha); producing a potential of 430 mt of pure

cocaine; the world's largest producer of coca derivatives; supplying

most of the US market and the great majority of cocaine to other

international drug markets; important supplier of heroin to the US

market; opium poppy cultivation fell 50% between 2003 and 2004 to

2,100 hectares yielding a potential 3.8 metric tons of pure heroin,

mostly for the US market; in 2004, aerial eradication treated over

130,000 hectares of coca but aggressive replanting on the part of

growers means Colombia remains a key producer; a significant portion

of non-US narcotics proceeds are either laundered or invested in

Colombia through the black market peso exchange

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Comoros

Introduction Comoros

Background:

Comoros has endured 19 coups or attempted coups since gaining

independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of Anjouan

and Moheli declared independence from Comoros. In 1999, military

chief Col. AZALI seized power. He pledged to resolve the

secessionist crisis through a confederal arrangement named the 2000

Fomboni Accord. In December 2001, voters approved a new constitution

and presidential elections took place in the spring of 2002. Each

island in the archipelago elected its own president and a new union

president took office in May 2002.

Geography Comoros

Location:

Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of the

Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern

Madagascar and northern Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:

12 10 S, 44 15 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 2,170 sq km

land: 2,170 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

340 km

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

Climate:

tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)

Terrain:

volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Le Kartala 2,360 m

Natural resources:

NEGL

Land use:

arable land: 35.87%

permanent crops: 23.32%

other: 40.81% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le

Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano

Environment - current issues:

soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on

slopes without proper terracing; deforestation

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

Geography - note: important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel

People Comoros

Population:

690,948 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 42.7% (male 148,009/female 147,038)

15-64 years: 54.3% (male 185,107/female 190,139)

65 years and over: 3% (male 9,672/female 10,983) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.6 years

male: 18.4 years

female: 18.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.87% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

36.93 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

8.2 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

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

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 72.85 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 81.27 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 64.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 62.33 years

male: 60 years

female: 64.72 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.03 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.12% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Comoran(s)

adjective: Comoran

Ethnic groups:

Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava

Religions:

Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%

Languages:

Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of Swahili

and Arabic)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 56.5%

male: 63.6%

female: 49.3% (2003 est.)

Government Comoros

Country name:

conventional long form: Union of the Comoros

conventional short form: Comoros

local long form: Union des Comores

local short form: Comores

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Moroni

geographic coordinates: 11 41 S, 43 16 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

3 islands and 4 municipalities*; Grande Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan

(Nzwani), Domoni*, Fomboni*, Moheli (Mwali), Moroni*, Moutsamoudou*

Independence:

6 July 1975 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 6 July (1975)

Constitution:

23 December 2001

Legal system:

French and Sharia (Islamic) law in a new consolidated code

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI (since 26 May 2006);

head of government: President Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI (since 26 May

2006);

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: as defined by the 2001 constitution, the presidency

rotates every four years among the elected presidents from the three

main islands in the Union; election last held 14 May 2006 (next to

be held by May 2010); prime minister appointed by the president;

note - the post of Prime Minister has been vacant since May 2002

election results: Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI elected president; percent of

vote - Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI 58.0%, Ibrahim HALIDI 28.3%, Mohamed

DJAANFAMI 13.7%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Assembly of the Union (33 seats; 15 deputies are

selected by the individual islands' local assemblies and the 18 by

universal suffrage; deputies serve for five years);

elections: last held 18 and 25 April 2004 (next to be held in 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

CdIA 12, CRC 6; note - 15 additional seats are filled by deputies

from local island assemblies

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Cour Supremes (two members appointed by the

president, two members elected by the Federal Assembly, one elected

by the Council of each island, and others are former presidents of

the republic)

Political parties and leaders:

Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros [AZALI Assowmani]; Camp

of the Autonomous Islands (a coalition of parties organized by the

island Presidents in opposition to the Union President); Front

National pour la Justice or FNJ [Ahmed RACHID] (Islamic party in

opposition); Mouvement pour la Democratie et le Progress or MDP-NGDC

[Abbas DJOUSSOUF]; Parti Comorien pour la Democratie et le Progress

or PCDP [Ali MROUDJAE]; Rassemblement National pour le Development

or RND [Omar TAMOU, Abdoulhamid AFFRAITANE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AMF, AU, COMESA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,

ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol,

IOC, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Representative to the US and Ambassador to the UN

Mahmoud M. ABOUD

chancery: Mission to the US, 336 East 45th Street (2nd floor), New

York, NY 10017

telephone: [1] (212) 750-1637

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to

Madagascar is accredited to Comoros

Flag description:

four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, and blue

with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist; centered within

the triangle is a white crescent with the convex side facing the

hoist and four white, five-pointed stars placed vertically in a line

between the points of the crescent; the horizontal bands and the

four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago -

Mwali, Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mayotte (a territorial collectivity of

France, but claimed by Comoros); the crescent, stars, and color

green are traditional symbols of Islam

Economy Comoros

Economy - overview:

One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of three

islands that have inadequate transportation links, a young and

rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low

educational level of the labor force contributes to a subsistence

level of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy

dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture,

including fishing, hunting, and forestry, contributes 40% to GDP,

employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports.

The country is not self-sufficient in food production; rice, the

main staple, accounts for the bulk of imports. The government -

which is hampered by internal political disputes - is struggling to

upgrade education and technical training, privatize commercial and

industrial enterprises, improve health services, diversify exports,

promote tourism, and reduce the high population growth rate.

Increased foreign support is essential if the goal of 4% annual GDP

growth is to be met. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans abroad help

supplement GDP.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$441 million (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$402 million (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$600 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 40% industry: 4% services: 56% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 144,500 (1996 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 80% industry and services: 20%

Unemployment rate:

20% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line:

60% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3% (2005 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $27.6 million

expenditures: $NA (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products:

vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas,

cassava (tapioca)

Industries:

fishing, tourism, perfume distillation

Industrial production growth rate:

-2% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:

19 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 90.6% hydro: 9.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

17.67 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

720 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-17 million (2005 est.)

Exports:

$34 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), cloves, copra

Exports - partners:

France 26.9%, Singapore 16.3%, Japan 14.6%, Germany 13.2%, US 5.6%,

Netherlands 5% (2005)

Imports:

$115 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products,

cement, transport equipment

Imports - partners:

France 19.2%, Kenya 18.2%, UAE 8.5%, South Africa 6.3%, Pakistan

5.6%, Belgium 4% (2005)

Debt - external:

$232 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$24 million (2003 est.)

Currency (code):

Comoran franc (KMF)

Currency code:

KMF

Exchange rates:

Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 395.6 (2005), 396.21 (2004),

435.9 (2003), 522.74 (2002), note, the Comoran franc is pegged to

the euro at a rate of 491.9677 Comoran francs per euro

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Comoros

Telephones - main lines in use:

16,900 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

16,100 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF

radiotelephone communication stations

domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay

international: country code - 269; HF radiotelephone communications

to Madagascar and Reunion

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:

90,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

NA

Televisions:

1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.km

Internet hosts:

5 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

20,000 (2005)

Transportation Comoros

Airports:

4 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 880 km

paved: 673 km

unpaved: 207 km (1999)

Merchant marine:

total: 121 ships (1000 GRT or over) 564,882 GRT/801,238 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 85, chemical tanker 1, container 1,

livestock carrier 1, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum

tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 5, specialized

tanker 1

foreign-owned: 72 (Bangladesh 1, Bulgaria 1, Greece 10, India 1,

Kenya 1, Kuwait 1, Lebanon 6, Nigeria 2, Norway 1, Pakistan 2,

Philippines 1, Russia 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Saudi

Arabia 3, Syria 4, Turkey 11, UAE 6, Ukraine 14, US 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Mayotte, Moutsamoudou

Military Comoros

Military branches:

Comoran Defense Force: Comoran Security Force (includes Gendarmerie

and Army), Comoran Federal Police (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 138,940

females age 18-49: 139,491 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 98,792

females age 18-49: 106,415 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$12.87 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

3% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Comoros

Disputes - international: claims French-administered Mayotte

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Introduction Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Background:

Established as a Belgian colony in 1908, the Republic of the Congo

gained its independence in 1960, but its early years were marred by

political and social instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized power

and declared himself president in a November 1965 coup. He

subsequently changed his name - to MOBUTU Sese Seko - as well as

that of the country - to Zaire. MOBUTU retained his position for 32

years through several subsequent sham elections, as well as through

the use of brutal force. Ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by

a massive inflow of refugees in 1994 from fighting in Rwanda and

Burundi, led in May 1997 to the toppling of the MOBUTU regime by a

rebellion led by Laurent KABILA. He renamed the country the

Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but in August 1998 his

regime was itself challenged by an insurrection backed by Rwanda and

Uganda. Troops from Angola, Chad, Namibia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe

intervened to support the Kinshasa regime. A cease-fire was signed

in July 1999 by the DRC, Congolese armed rebel groups, Angola,

Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zimbabwe but sporadic fighting

continued. Laurent KABILA was assassinated in January 2001 and his

son, Joseph KABILA, was named head of state. In October 2002, the

new president was successful in negotiating the withdrawal of

Rwandan forces occupying eastern Congo; two months later, the

Pretoria Accord was signed by all remaining warring parties to end

the fighting and establish a government of national unity. A

transitional government was set up in July 2003; with Joseph KABILA

as president and joined by four vice presidents representing the

former government, former rebel groups, and the political

opposition. The transitional government held a successful

constitutional referendum in December 2005 and elections for the

presidency, National Assembly, and provincial legislatures in 2006.

KABILA was inaugurated president in December 2006.

Geography Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Location:

Central Africa, northeast of Angola

Geographic coordinates:

0 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 2,345,410 sq km

land: 2,267,600 sq km

water: 77,810 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US

Land boundaries:

total: 10,730 km

border countries: Angola 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary

of Angola's discontiguous Cabinda Province), Burundi 233 km, Central

African Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda

217 km, Sudan 628 km, Tanzania 459 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km

Coastline:

37 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighbors

Climate:

tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier

in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north

of Equator - wet season (April to October), dry season (December to

February); south of Equator - wet season (November to March), dry

season (April to October)

Terrain:

vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110

m

Natural resources:

cobalt, copper, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem

diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal,

hydropower, timber

Land use:

arable land: 2.86%

permanent crops: 0.47%

other: 96.67% (2005)

Irrigated land:

110 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the

east, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes

Environment - current issues:

poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution;

deforestation; refugees responsible for significant deforestation,

soil erosion, and wildlife poaching; mining of minerals (coltan - a

mineral used in creating capacitors, diamonds, and gold) causing

environmental damage

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone

Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:

straddles equator; has very narrow strip of land that controls the

lower Congo River and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense

tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands

People Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Population:

62,660,551

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 47.4% (male 14,906,488/female 14,798,210)

15-64 years: 50.1% (male 15,597,353/female 15,793,350)

65 years and over: 2.5% (male 632,143/female 933,007) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 16.2 years

male: 16 years

female: 16.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

3.07% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

43.69 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

13.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population

note: fighting between the Congolese Government and Uganda- and

Rwanda-backed Congolese rebels spawned a regional war in DRC in

August 1998, which left 2.33 million Congolese internally displaced

and caused 412,000 Congolese refugees to flee to surrounding

countries (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 88.62 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 96.9 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 80.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 51.46 years

male: 50.01 years

female: 52.94 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

6.45 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

4.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

1.1 million (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

100,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria, plague, and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Congolese (singular and plural)

adjective: Congolese or Congo

Ethnic groups:

over 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the

four largest tribes - Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the

Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population

Religions:

Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%,

other syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs 10%

Languages:

French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language),

Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala,

Kingwana, or Tshiluba

total population: 65.5%

male: 76.2%

female: 55.1% (2003 est.)

Government Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Country name:

conventional long form: Democratic Republic of the Congo

conventional short form: none

local long form: Republique Democratique du Congo

local short form: none

former: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville,

Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire

abbreviation: DRC

Government type:

transitional government

Capital:

name: Kinshasa

geographic coordinates: 4 18 S, 15 18 E

time difference: UTC+1 (six hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

10 provinces (provinces, singular - province) and 1 city* (ville);

Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Equateur, Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental,

Katanga, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Orientale, Sud-Kivu

note: According to the Constitution adopted in December 2005, the

current administrative divisions will be subdivided into 26 new

provinces

Independence:

30 June 1960 (from Belgium)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 30 June (1960)

Constitution:

18 February 2006

Legal system:

a new constitution was adopted by referendum 18 December 2005;

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001);

note - following the assassination of his father, Laurent Desire

KABILA, on 16 January 2001, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the

presidency, his presidency was reconfirmed by the October 2006

elections; the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001);

note - following the assassination of his father, Laurent Desire

KABILA, on 16 January 2001, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the

presidency, his presidency was reconfirmed by the October 2006

elections; the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the president

elections: under the new constitution the president is elected by

popular vote to a five-year term (eligible for a second term);

elections last held 30 July 2006 with a second round held on 29

October 2006 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: results of 29 October 2006 elections (second

round); Joseph KABILA 58%, Jean-Pierre BEMBA Gombo 42%

note: Joseph KABILA succeeded his father, Laurent Desire KABILA,

following the latter's assassination in January 2001; negotiations

with rebel leaders led to the establishment of a transitional

government in July 2003 with free elections held on 30 July 2006 and

29 October 2006 where the poplar vote confirmed Joseph KABILA as

president

Legislative branch:

bicameral legislature consists of a National Assembly (500 seats;

60 members elected by majority vote in single-member constituencies

440 members elected by open list proportional-representation in

multi-member constituencies; members serve 5-year terms) and a

Senate (108 seats; members elected by provincial assemblies to serve

5-year terms)

elections: National Assembly - last held 30 July 2006 (next to be

held in 2011)

election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;

seats by party - PPRD 111, MLC 64, PALU 34, MSR 27, FR 26, RCD 15,

Independents 63, others 160 (includes 63 political parties that won

fewer than 10 seats)

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders:

Congolese Rally for Democracy or RCD [Azaria RUBERWA]; Forces for

Renovation for Union and Solidarity or FONUS [Joseph OLENGHANKOY];

Forces of Renewal or FR [Mbusa NYAMWISI]; Movement for the

Liberation of the Congo or MLC [Jean-Pierre BEMBA]; National

Congolese Lumumbist Movement or MNC [Francois LUMUMBA]; People's

Party for Reconstruction and Democracy or PPRD [Joseph Kabila];

Social Movement for Renewal or MSR; Unified Lumumbast Party or PALU

[Antoine GIZENGA]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS

[Etienne TSHISEKEDI wa Mulumba]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF,

IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW,

PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,

WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Faida MITIFU

chancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009: note -

Consular Office at 1726 M Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690, 7691

FAX: [1] (202) 234-2609

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Roger MEECE

embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa

mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828

telephone: [243] (88) 43608

FAX: [243] (88) 43467

Flag description:

sky blue field divided diagonally from the lower hoist corner to

upper fly corner by a red stripe bordered by two narrow yellow

stripes; a yellow, five-pointed star appears in the upper hoist

corner

Economy Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Economy - overview:

The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation

endowed with vast potential wealth - has declined drastically since

the mid-1980s. The war, which began in August 1998, dramatically

reduced national output and government revenue, increased external

debt, and resulted in the deaths of perhaps 3.5 million people from

violence, famine, and disease. Foreign businesses curtailed

operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict,

lack of infrastructure, and the difficult operating environment.

Conditions improved in late 2002 with the withdrawal of a large

portion of the invading foreign troops. The transitional government

has reopened relations with international financial institutions and

international donors, and President KABILA has begun implementing

reforms. Much economic activity lies outside the GDP data. Economic

stability improved in 2003-06, although an uncertain legal

framework, corruption, and a lack of openness in government policy

continues to hamper growth. In 2005-06, renewed activity in the

mining sector, the source of most exports, boosted Kinshasa's fiscal

position and GDP growth. Business and economic prospects are

expected to improve once a new government is installed after

elections.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$44.6 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$8.061 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$700 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 55% industry: 11% services: 34% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 14.51 million (1993 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

9% (2004 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $700 million

expenditures: $750 million; including capital expenditures of $24

million (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:

coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca),

palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products

Industries:

mining (diamonds, copper, zinc), mineral processing, consumer

products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods

and beverages), cement, commercial ship repair

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

353 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.8% hydro: 98.2% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

658.3 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

330 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

21,090 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

8,200 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

1.538 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

991.1 million cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Exports:

$1.108 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

diamonds, copper, crude oil, coffee, cobalt

Exports - partners:

Belgium 38.1%, US 17.8%, China 11.6%, France 8%, Finland 7.7%,

Chile 4.3% (2005)

Imports:

$1.319 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels

Imports - partners:

South Africa 18%, Belgium 15.6%, France 8.8%, Zambia 6.7%, Kenya

6.2%, Germany 4.5%, US 4.4%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.2%, Netherlands 4%

(2005)

Debt - external:

$10.6 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$2.2 billion (FY03/04)

Currency (code):

Congolese franc (CDF)

Currency code:

CDF

Exchange rates:

Congolese francs per US dollar - 437.86 (2005), 401.04 (2004),

405.34 (2003), 346.49 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Telephones - main lines in use:

10,600 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2.746 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: poor

domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in

and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth

stations

international: country code - 243; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios:

18.03 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

4 (2001)

Televisions:

6.478 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.cd

Internet hosts:

1,778 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2001)

Internet users:

140,600 (2005)

Transportation Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Airports: 234 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 25 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 209 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 94 under 914 m: 97 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 54 km; oil 78 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 5,138 km

narrow gauge: 3,987 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km

1.000-m gauge; 1,026 km 0.600-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 153,497 km

paved: 2,794 km

unpaved: 150,703 km (2004)

Waterways:

15,000 km (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,004 GRT/1,640 DWT

by type: petroleum tanker 1

foreign-owned: 1 (Congo, Republic of the 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Banana, Boma, Bukavu, Bumba, Goma, Kalemie, Kindu, Kinshasa,

Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka

Military Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Military branches:

Army, Navy, Air Force

Military service age and obligation:

18-45 years of age for military service

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 11,365,610 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 6,464,223 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$103.7 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.5% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Disputes - international:

heads of the Great Lakes states and UN pledge to end conflict but

unchecked tribal, rebel, and militia fighting continues unabated in

the northeastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo,

drawing in the neighboring states of Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda; the

UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

(MONUC) has maintained over 14,000 peacekeepers in the region since

1999; thousands of Ituri refugees from the Congo continue to flee

the fighting primarily into Uganda; 90,000 Angolan refugees were

repatriated by 2004 with the remainder in the DRC expected to return

in 2005; in 2005, DRC and Rwanda established a border verification

mechanism to address accusations of Rwandan military supporting

Congolese rebels and the DRC providing rebel Rwandan "Interhamwe"

forces the means and bases to attack Rwandan forces; the location of

the boundary in the broad Congo River with the Republic of the Congo

is indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 106,772 (Angola), 42,360 (Rwanda),

19,032 (Burundi), 18,954 (Uganda), 11,723 (Sudan), 5,243 (Republic

of Congo)

IDPs: 1.1 million (fighting between government forces and rebels

since mid-1990s; most IDPs are in eastern provinces) (2006)

Illicit drugs:

illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for domestic consumption;

while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leaves the

banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a

well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a

money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Congo, Republic of the

Introduction Congo, Republic of the

Background:

Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congo

became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter century of

experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a

democratically elected government took office in 1992. A brief civil

war in 1997 restored former Marxist President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO,

and ushered in a period of ethnic and political unrest.

Southern-based rebel groups agreed to a final peace accord in March

2003, but the calm is tenuous and refugees continue to present a

humanitarian crisis. The Republic of Congo was once one of Africa's

largest petroleum producers, but with declining production it will

need to hope for new offshore oil finds to sustain its oil earnings

over the long term.

Geography Congo, Republic of the

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola

and Gabon

Geographic coordinates:

1 00 S, 15 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 342,000 sq km

land: 341,500 sq km

water: 500 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries:

total: 5,504 km

border countries: Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African

Republic 467 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Gabon

1,903 km

Coastline:

169 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to

October); persistent high temperatures and humidity; particularly

enervating climate astride the Equator

Terrain:

coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates,

gold, magnesium, natural gas, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 1.45% permanent crops: 0.15% other: 98.4% (2005)

Irrigated land:

20 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

seasonal flooding

Environment - current issues:

air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from the

dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber

94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or

along the railroad between them

People Congo, Republic of the

Population:

3,702,314

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 46.4% (male 864,407/female 853,728)

15-64 years: 50.7% (male 930,390/female 945,545)

65 years and over: 2.9% (male 44,430/female 63,814) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 16.6 years

male: 16.4 years

female: 16.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.6% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

42.57 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

12.93 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-3.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 85.29 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 91 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 79.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 52.8 years

male: 51.65 years

female: 53.98 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

6.07 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

4.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

90,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

9,700 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Congolese (singular and plural)

adjective: Congolese or Congo

Ethnic groups:

Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%, Europeans and other 3%

Religions:

Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%

Languages:

French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade

languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is

the most widespread)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 83.8%

male: 89.6%

female: 78.4% (2003 est.)

Government Congo, Republic of the

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of the Congo

conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville)

local long form: Republique du Congo

local short form: none

former: Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congo

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Brazzaville

geographic coordinates: 4 16 S, 15 17 E

time difference: UTC+1 (six hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

10 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 commune*; Bouenza,

Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala,

Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha

Independence:

15 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 15 August (1960)

Constitution:

approved by referendum 20 January 2002

Legal system:

based on French civil law system and customary law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October

1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president

Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of state

and head of government

head of government: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October

1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president

Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of state

and head of government

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 10 March 2002 (next

to be held in 2009)

election results: Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO reelected president; percent

of vote - Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO 89.4%, Joseph Kignoumbi Kia MBOUNGOU

2.7%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (66 seats; members are

elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the National

Assembly (137 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve

five-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 11 July 2002 (next to be held July

2007); National Assembly - last held 27 May and 26 June 2002 (next

to be held by May 2007)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - FDP 56, other 10; National Assembly - percent of vote by

party - NA; seats by party - FDP 83, UDR 6, UPADS 3, other 45

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders:

the most important of the many parties are the Democratic and

Patriotic Forces or FDP [Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, president] (an

alliance of Convention for Alternative Democracy, Congolese Labor

Party or PCT, Liberal Republican Party, National Union for Democracy

and Progress, Patriotic Union for the National Reconstruction, and

Union for the National Renewal); Congolese Movement for Democracy

and Integral Development or MCDDI [Michel MAMPOUYA]; Pan-African

Union for Social Development or UPADS [Martin MBERI]; Rally for

Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-Pierre Thystere

TCHICAYA, president]; Rally for Democracy and the Republic or RDR

[Raymond Damasge NGOLLO]; Union for Democracy and Republic or UDR;

Union of Democratic Forces or UFD [Sebastian EBAO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Congolese Trade Union Congress or CSC; General Union of Congolese

Pupils and Students or UGEEC; Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women

or URFC; Union of Congolese Socialist Youth or UJSC

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,

ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,

ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW (signatory), UN, UN Security Council

(temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,

WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI

chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011

telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500

FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert WEISBERG

embassy: NA

mailing address: NA

telephone: [243] (88) 43608

note: the embassy is temporarily collocated with the US Embassy in

the Democratic Republic of the Congo (US Embassy Kinshasa, 310

Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa)

Flag description:

divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a yellow band; the

upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is red;

uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Congo, Republic of the

Economy - overview:

The economy is a mixture of village agriculture and handicrafts, an

industrial sector based largely on oil, support services, and a

government characterized by budget problems and overstaffing. Oil

has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing a

major share of government revenues and exports. In the early 1980s,

rapidly rising oil revenues enabled the government to finance

large-scale development projects with GDP growth averaging 5%

annually, one of the highest rates in Africa. The government has

mortgaged a substantial portion of its oil earnings through

oil-backed loans that have contributed to a growing debt burden and

chronic revenue shortfalls. Economic reform efforts have been

undertaken with the support of international organizations, notably

the World Bank and the IMF. However, the reform program came to a

halt in June 1997 when civil war erupted. Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, who

returned to power when the war ended in October 1997, publicly

expressed interest in moving forward on economic reforms and

privatization and in renewing cooperation with international

financial institutions. Economic progress was badly hurt by slumping

oil prices and the resumption of armed conflict in December 1998,

which worsened the republic's budget deficit. The current

administration presides over an uneasy internal peace and faces

difficult economic challenges of stimulating recovery and reducing

poverty. Recovery of oil prices has boosted the economy's GDP and

near-term prospects. In March 2006, the World Bank and the

International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved Heavily Indebted Poor

Countries (HIPC) treatment for Congo.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$4.958 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$5.093 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,300 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 6.2%

industry: 55.3%

services: 38.5% (2006 est.)

Labor force:

NA

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.6% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

27.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $2.985 billion

expenditures: $1.664 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee,

cocoa; forest products

Industries:

petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil,

soap, flour, cigarettes

Industrial production growth rate:

0% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:

6.847 billion kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

5.127 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

1.25 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

9 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

267,100 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

6,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

93.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

90.61 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$1.215 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$5.996 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds

Exports - partners:

China 38.4%, US 28.6%, Taiwan 11.6%, South Korea 7.1% (2005)

Imports:

$1.964 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

France 23.2%, China 10.2%, US 7.3%, India 7.2%, Italy 6.7%, Belgium

4.6% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$547 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$5 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$159.1 million (1995)

Currency (code):

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible

authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code:

XAF

Exchange rates:

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar -

513.168 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99

(2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Congo, Republic of the

Telephones - main lines in use:

13,800 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

490,000 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: services barely adequate for government use;

key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo;

intercity lines frequently out of order

domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and

coaxial cable

international: country code - 242; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 3 (2001)

Radios:

341,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2002)

Televisions:

33,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.cg

Internet hosts:

46 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

36,000 (2005)

Transportation Congo, Republic of the

Airports: 32 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 4

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 28

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 11

under 914 m: 11 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 89 km; liquid petroleum gas 4 km; oil 744 km (2006)

Railways: total: 894 km narrow gauge: 894 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 17,289 km paved: 864 km unpaved: 16,425 km (2004)

Waterways:

4,385 km (on Congo and Oubanqui rivers) (2005)

Merchant marine:

registered in other countries: 1 (Congo, Democratic Republic of the

1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Brazzaville, Djeno, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire

Military Congo, Republic of the

Military branches:

Congolese Armed Forces (FAC): Army, Congolese Air Force (Armee de

l'Air Congolaise), Navy, Gendarmerie, Republican Guard (2005)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 688,628

females age 18-49: 685,388 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 406,016

females age 18-49: 394,745 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 38,464

females age 18-49: 38,082 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$85.22 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.4% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Congo, Republic of the

Disputes - international:

about 7,000 Congolese refugees fleeing internal civil conflicts

since the mid-1990s still reside in the Democratic Republic of the

Congo; the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with

the Democratic Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the

Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 56,380 (Democratic Republic of

Congo), 6,478 (Rwanda)

IDPs: 48,000 (multiple civil wars since 1992; most IDPs are ethnic

Lari) (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Cook Islands

Introduction Cook Islands

Background:

Named after Captain COOK, who sighted them in 1770, the islands

became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900, administrative

control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965 residents chose

self-government in free association with New Zealand. The emigration

of skilled workers to New Zealand and government deficits are

continuing problems.

Geography Cook Islands

Location:

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about

one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:

21 14 S, 159 46 W

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 236.7 sq km

land: 236.7 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

1.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

120 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical oceanic; moderated by trade winds; a dry season from April

to November and a more humid season from December to March

Terrain:

low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Te Manga 652 m

Natural resources:

NEGL

Land use:

arable land: 16.67%

permanent crops: 8.33%

other: 75% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

typhoons (November to March)

Environment - current issues:

NA

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely populated,

coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands, where most of the

population lives, consist of eight elevated, fertile, volcanic

isles, including the largest, Rarotonga, at 67 sq km

People Cook Islands

Population:

21,388 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 34.1% (male 2,718/female 2,388)

15-64 years: 59.5% (male 4,531/female 4,395)

65 years and over: 6.4% (male 489/female 469) (2001 census)

Median age:

total: 25.3 years

male: 24.7 years

female: 25.9 years (2001 census)

Population growth rate:

-1.2% between 1996-2001 (2001 census)

Birth rate:

21 births/1,000 population (2001 census)

Death rate:

NA deaths/1,000 population

Sex ratio:

1.07 male(s)/female (2001 census)

Infant mortality rate:

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Total fertility rate:

3.1 children born/woman (2001 census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Cook Islander(s)

adjective: Cook Islander

Ethnic groups:

Cook Island Maori (Polynesian) 87.7%, part Cook Island Maori 5.8%,

other 6.5% (2001 census)

Religions:

Cook Islands Christian Church 55.9%, Roman Catholic 16.8%,

Seventh-Day Adventists 7.9%, Church of Latter Day Saints 3.8%, other

Protestant 5.8%, other 4.2%, unspecified 2.6%, none 3% (2001 census)

Languages:

English (official), Maori

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA% female: NA%

People - note: 2001 census counted a resident population of 15,017

Government Cook Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Cook Islands

former: Harvey Islands

Dependency status:

self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands

is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains

responsibility for external affairs and defense, in consultation

with the Cook Islands

Government type:

self-governing parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Avarua

geographic coordinates: 21 12 S, 159 46 W

time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none

Independence:

none (became self-governing in free association with New Zealand on

4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move to full

independence by unilateral action)

National holiday:

Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965)

Constitution:

4 August 1965

Legal system:

based on New Zealand law and English common law

Suffrage:

NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:

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

represented by Frederick GOODWIN (since 9 February 2001); New

Zealand High Commissioner John BRYAN (since 6 September 2005),

representative of New Zealand

head of government: Prime Minister Jim MARURAI (since 14 December

2004); Deputy Prime Minister Terepai MAOATE (since 9 August 2005)

cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively

responsible to Parliament

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the UK representative is

appointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner is

appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative

elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the

majority coalition usually becomes prime minister

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consisting of a lower house or Legislative

Assembly with 25 seats (24 seats representing districts of the Cook

Islands and one seat representing Cook Islanders living overseas;

members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and an

upper house or House of Ariki made up of traditional leaders

elections: last held 26 September 2006 (next to be held by 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - Demo 51.9%, CIP 45.5%,

independent 2.7%; seats by party - Demo 15, CIP 8, independent 1

note: the House of Ariki advises on traditional matters and

maintains considerable influence, but has no legislative powers

Judicial branch:

High Court

Political parties and leaders:

Cook Islands Party or CIP [Henry PUNA]; Democratic Party or Demo

[Dr. Terepai MAOATE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, AsDB, FAO, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IOC, ITUC, OPCW, PIF,

Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)

Flag description:

blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and

a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island)

centered in the outer half of the flag

Economy Cook Islands

Economy - overview:

Like many other South Pacific island nations, the Cook Islands'

economic development is hindered by the isolation of the country

from foreign markets, the limited size of domestic markets, lack of

natural resources, periodic devastation from natural disasters, and

inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture, employing about 70% of the

working population, provides the economic base with major exports

made up of copra and citrus fruit. Black pearls are the Cook

Island's leading export. Manufacturing activities are limited to

fruit processing, clothing, and handicrafts. Trade deficits are

offset by remittances from emigrants and by foreign aid,

overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In the 1980s and 1990s, the country

lived beyond its means, maintaining a bloated public service and

accumulating a large foreign debt. Subsequent reforms, including the

sale of state assets, the strengthening of economic management, the

encouragement of tourism, and a debt restructuring agreement, have

rekindled investment and growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$183.2 million (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$183.2 million (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

0.1% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$9,100 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15.1% industry: 9.6% services: 75.3% (2004)

Labor force: 6,820 (2001)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 29% industry: 15% services: 56% (1995)

Unemployment rate:

13.1% (2005)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.1% (2005 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $70.95 million

expenditures: $69.05 million; including capital expenditures of

$5.744 million (FY05/06)

Agriculture - products: copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry

Industries:

fruit processing, tourism, fishing, clothing, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:

1% (2002)

Electricity - production:

28 million kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

26.04 million kWh (2004 est.)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

420 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$26.67 million (2005)

Exports:

$5.222 million (2005)

Exports - commodities:

copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls

and pearl shells; clothing

Exports - partners:

Australia 34%, Japan 27%, New Zealand 25%, US 8% (2004)

Imports:

$81.04 million (2005)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods

Imports - partners:

New Zealand 61%, Fiji 19%, US 9%, Australia 6%, Japan 2% (2004)

Debt - external:

$141 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$13.1 million; note - New Zealand continues to furnish the greater

part (1995)

Currency (code):

New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code:

NZD

Exchange rates:

New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004),

1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications Cook Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:

6,200 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1,500 (2002)

Telephone system:

general assessment: Telecom Cook Islands offers international

direct dialing, Internet, email, fax, and Telex

domestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination of

satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF

radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small

exchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, and

fiber-optic cable

international: country code - 682; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:

14,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (outer islands receive satellite broadcasts) (2004)

Televisions:

4,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.ck

Internet hosts:

1,456 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

3 (2000)

Internet users:

3,600 (2002)

Transportation Cook Islands

Airports: 9 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 320 km

paved: 33 km

unpaved: 287 km (2003)

Merchant marine:

total: 6 ships (1000 GRT or over) 48,422 GRT/51,900 DWT

by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3

foreign-owned: 5 (Norway 1, NZ 1, Sweden 3) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Avatiu

Military Cook Islands

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Ministry of Police and Disaster

Management (2005)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with

the Cook Islands and at its request

Transnational Issues Cook Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Coral Sea Islands

Introduction Coral Sea Islands

Background:

Scattered over more than three-quarters of a million square

kilometers of ocean, the Coral Sea Islands were declared a territory

of Australia in 1969. They are uninhabited except for a small

meteorological staff on the Willis Islets. Automated weather

stations, beacons, and a lighthouse occupy many other islands and

reefs.

Geography Coral Sea Islands

Location:

Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia

Geographic coordinates:

18 00 S, 152 00 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: less than 3 sq km

land: less than 3 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea

area of about 780,000 sq km, with the Willis Islets the most

important

Area - comparative:

NA

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

3,095 km

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

Climate:

tropical

Terrain:

sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m

Natural resources:

NEGL

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

occasional tropical cyclones

Environment - current issues:

no permanent fresh water resources

Geography - note:

important nesting area for birds and turtles

People Coral Sea Islands

Population:

no indigenous inhabitants

note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological

station (2005 est.)

Government Coral Sea Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory

conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands

Dependency status:

territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the

Department of the Transport and Regional Services

Legal system:

the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply

Executive branch:

administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment,

Sport, and Territories

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territory of Australia)

Flag description:

the flag of Australia is used

Economy Coral Sea Islands

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Communications Coral Sea Islands

Communications - note:

there are automatic weather stations on many of the isles and reefs

relaying data to the mainland

Transportation Coral Sea Islands

Ports and terminals: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Coral Sea Islands

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of Australia; visited regularly by

the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has control over the activities

of visitors

Transnational Issues Coral Sea Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Costa Rica

Introduction Costa Rica

Background:

Although explored by the Spanish early in the 16th century, initial

attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved unsuccessful due to a

combination of factors, including: disease from mosquito-infested

swamps, brutal heat, resistance by natives, and pirate raids. It was

not until 1563 that a permanent settlement of Cartago was

established in the cooler, fertile central highlands. The area

remained a colony for some two and a half centuries. In 1821, Costa

Rica became one of several Central American provinces that jointly

declared their independence from Spain. Two years later it joined

the United Provinces of Central America, but this federation

disintegrated in 1838, at which time Costa Rica proclaimed its

sovereignty and independence. Since the late 19th century, only two

brief periods of violence have marred the country's democratic

development. Although it still maintains a large agricultural

sector, Costa Rica has expanded its economy to include strong

technology and tourism industries. The standard of living is

relatively high. Land ownership is widespread.

Geography Costa Rica

Location:

Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North

Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama

Geographic coordinates:

10 00 N, 84 00 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 51,100 sq km

land: 50,660 sq km

water: 440 sq km

note: includes Isla del Coco

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total: 639 km border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km

Coastline: 1,290 km

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

Climate:

tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy

season (May to November); cooler in highlands

Terrain:

coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100

volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m

Natural resources:

hydropower

Land use: arable land: 4.4% permanent crops: 5.87% other: 89.73% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,080 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent

flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active

volcanoes

Environment - current issues:

deforestation and land use change, largely a result of the clearing

of land for cattle ranching and agriculture; soil erosion; coastal

marine pollution; fisheries protection; solid waste management; air

pollution

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,

Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital of San

Jose in the center of the country; one of the volcanoes, Irazu,

erupted destructively in 1963-65

People Costa Rica

Population:

4,075,261 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 28.3% (male 590,261/female 563,196)

15-64 years: 66% (male 1,359,750/female 1,329,346)

65 years and over: 5.7% (male 108,041/female 124,667) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 26.4 years

male: 26 years

female: 26.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.45% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

18.32 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

4.36 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

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

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

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 9.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 10.58 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 8.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.02 years

male: 74.43 years

female: 79.74 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.24 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.6% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

12,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

900 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Costa Rican(s)

adjective: Costa Rican

Ethnic groups:

white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%,

other 1%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%,

other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%

Languages:

Spanish (official), English

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96%

male: 95.9%

female: 96.1% (2003 est.)

Government Costa Rica

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica

conventional short form: Costa Rica

local long form: Republica de Costa Rica

local short form: Costa Rica

Government type:

democratic republic

Capital:

name: San Jose

geographic coordinates: 9 56 N, 84 05 W

time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

Administrative divisions:

7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago,

Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose

Independence:

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:

7 November 1949

Legal system:

based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative

acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (since 8 May 2006);

First Vice President Laura CHINCHILLA (since 8 May 2006); Second

Vice President Kevin CASAS Zamora (since 8 May 2006); note - the

president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (since 8 May

2006); First Vice President Laura CHINCHILLA (since 8 May 2006);

Second Vice President Kevin CASAS Zamora (since 8 May 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president

elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket

by popular vote for a single four-year term; election last held 5

February 2006 (next to be held February 2010)

election results: Oscar ARIAS Sanchez elected president; percent of

vote - Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (PLN) 40.9%; Otton SOLIS (PAC) 39.8%,

Otto GUEVARA Guth (PML) 8%, Ricardo TOLEDO (PUSC) 3%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (57 seats;

members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 5 February 2006 (next to be held February 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

PLN 25, PAC 17, PML 6, PUSC 5, other 4

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for

eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:

Authentic Member from Heredia [Jose SALAS]; Citizen Action Party or

PAC [Otton SOLIS]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC [Gerardo

Justo OROZCO Alvarez]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Vladimir DE LA

CRUZ]; General Union Party or PUGEN [Carlos Alberto FERNANDEZ Vega];

Homeland First or PP [Juan Jose VARGAS Fallas]; Independent Worker

Party or PIO [Jose Alberto CUBERO Carmona]; Libertarian Movement

Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA Guth]; National Christian Alliance Party

or ANC [Juan Carlos CHAVEZ Mora]; National Integration Party or PIN

[Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]; National Liberation Party or PLN [Francisco

Antonio PACHECO]; National Patriotic Party or PPN [Daniel Enrique

REYNOLDS Vargas]; National Restoration Party or PRN [Carlos

AVENDANO]; Nationalist Democratic Alliance or ADN [Jose Miguel

VILLALOBOS Umana]; Patriotic Union or UP [Humberto ARCE Salas];

Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Luis FILMAN]; Union for Change

Party or UPC [Antonio ALVAREZ Desanti]; United Leftist Coalition or

IU [Humberto VARGAS Carbonel]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD (Communist

Party affiliate); Chamber of Coffee Growers; Confederated Union of

Workers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate); Costa Rican

Confederation of Democratic Workers or CCTD (Liberation Party

affiliate); Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP; National

Association for Economic Development or ANFE; National Association

of Educators or ANDE; Rerum Novarum or CTRN (PLN affiliate) [Gilbert

BROWN]

International organization participation:

BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM,

IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,

ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL,

OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,

WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Tomas DUENAS chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945 FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Hammond (temporary location in Louisiana), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa (temporarily closed), Washington, DC consulate(s): San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mark LANGDALE embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose mailing address: APO AA 34020 telephone: [506] 519-2000 FAX: [506] 519-2305

Flag description:

five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width),

white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical disk on

the hoist side of the red band; above the coat of arms a light blue

ribbon contains the words, AMERICA CENTRAL, and just below it near

the top of the coat of arms is a white ribbon with the words,

REPUBLICA COSTA RICA

Economy Costa Rica

Economy - overview:

Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism,

agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has been substantially

reduced over the past 15 years, and a strong social safety net has

been put into place. Foreign investors remain attracted by the

country's political stability and high education levels, and tourism

continues to bring in foreign exchange. The government continues to

grapple with its large internal and external deficits and sizable

internal debt. The reduction of inflation remains a difficult

problem because of rising import prices, labor market rigidities,

and fiscal deficits. The country also needs to reform its tax system

and its pattern of public expenditure. The current administration

has made it a priority to pass the necessary reforms to implement

the US-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). CAFTA

implementation would result in an improved investment climate.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$48.77 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$20.77 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$12,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.6% industry: 31% services: 60.4% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 1.866 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 20% industry: 22% services: 58% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:

6.6% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

18% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.1% highest 10%: 36.8% (2002)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

46.5 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

12.1% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

19.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $3.134 billion

expenditures: $3.475 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

53.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes;

beef; timber

Industries:

microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing,

construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products

Industrial production growth rate:

8.4% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

8.4 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.5% hydro: 81.9% nuclear: 0% other: 16.6% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

7.574 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

440 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

202 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

44,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-1.176 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$7.931 billion (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

coffee, bananas, sugar, pineapples; textiles, electronic

components, medical equipment

Exports - partners:

US 42.6%, Hong Kong 6.9%, Netherlands 6.4%, Guatemala 4.2% (2005)

Imports:

$10.88 billion (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum

Imports - partners:

US 41.3%, Japan 5.6%, Venezuela 4.8%, Mexico 4.8%, Ireland 4.3%,

Brazil 4.2%, China 4.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.5 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$6.42 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Currency (code):

Costa Rican colon (CRC)

Currency code:

CRC

Exchange rates:

Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 513.302 (2006), 477.79 (2005),

437.91 (2004), 398.66 (2003), 359.82 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Costa Rica

Telephones - main lines in use:

1,388,500 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.101 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: good domestic telephone service in terms of

breadth of coverage; restricted cellular telephone service

domestic: point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave,

fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is

available

international: country code - 506; connected to Central American

Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic

Ocean); two submarine cables (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 65, FM 51, shortwave 19 (2002)

Radios:

980,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

20 (plus 43 repeaters) (2002)

Televisions:

525,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.cr

Internet hosts:

12,751 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

3 (of which only one is legal) (2000)

Internet users:

1 million (2005)

Transportation Costa Rica

Airports: 157 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 32 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 9 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 125 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 101 (2006)

Pipelines: refined products 242 km (2006)

Railways: total: 278 km narrow gauge: 278 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 35,330 km paved: 8,621 km unpaved: 26,709 km (2004)

Waterways:

730 km (seasonally navigable by small craft) (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,308 GRT/743 DWT

by type: passenger/cargo 2 (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Caldera, Puerto Limon

Military Costa Rica

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security,

Government, and Police (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 997,690

females age 18-49: 968,290 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 829,874

females age 18-49: 809,343 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 41,097

females age 18-49: 39,243

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$83.46 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0.4% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Costa Rica

Disputes - international:

in September 2005, Costa Rica took its case before the ICJ to

advocate the navigation, security, and commercial rights of Costa

Rican vessels using the Rio San Juan over which Nicaragua retains

sovereignty

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 9,470 (Colombia) (2006)

Illicit drugs:

transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America;

illicit production of cannabis on small, scattered plots; domestic

cocaine consumption, particularly crack cocaine, is rising

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Cote d'Ivoire

Introduction Cote d'Ivoire

Background:

Close ties to France since independence in 1960, the development of

cocoa production for export, and foreign investment made Cote

d'Ivoire one of the most prosperous of the tropical African states,

but did not protect it from political turmoil. In December 1999, a

military coup - the first ever in Cote d'Ivoire's history -

overthrew the government. Junta leader Robert GUEI blatantly rigged

elections held in late 2000 and declared himself the winner. Popular

protest forced him to step aside and brought runner-up Laurent

GBAGBO into power. Ivorian dissidents and disaffected members of the

military launched a failed coup attempt in September 2002. Rebel

forces claimed the northern half of the country, and in January 2003

were granted ministerial positions in a unity government under the

auspices of the Linas-Marcoussis Peace Accord. President GBAGBO and

rebel forces resumed implementation of the peace accord in December

2003 after a three-month stalemate, but issues that sparked the

civil war, such as land reform and grounds for citizenship, remain

unresolved. The central government has yet to exert control over the

northern regions and tensions remain high between GBAGBO and

opposition leaders. Several thousand French and West African troops

remain in Cote d'Ivoire to maintain peace and facilitate the

disarmament, demobilization, and rehabilitation process.

Geography Cote d'Ivoire

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana

and Liberia

Geographic coordinates:

8 00 N, 5 00 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 322,460 sq km

land: 318,000 sq km

water: 4,460 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries:

total: 3,110 km

border countries: Burkina Faso 584 km, Ghana 668 km, Guinea 610 km,

Liberia 716 km, Mali 532 km

Coastline:

515 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three seasons - warm

and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet

(June to October)

Terrain:

mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 m

highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt,

bauxite, copper, gold, nickel, tantalum, silica sand, clay, cocoa

beans, coffee, palm oil, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 10.23%

permanent crops: 11.16%

other: 78.61% (2005)

Irrigated land:

730 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy

season torrential flooding is possible

Environment - current issues: deforestation (most of the country's forests - once the largest in West Africa - have been heavily logged); water pollution from sewage and industrial and agricultural effluents

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

most of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastal region; apart

from the capital area, the forested interior is sparsely populated

People Cote d'Ivoire

Population:

17,654,843

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 40.8% (male 3,546,674/female 3,653,990)

15-64 years: 56.4% (male 5,024,575/female 4,939,677)

65 years and over: 2.8% (male 238,793/female 251,134) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 19.2 years

male: 19.4 years

female: 18.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.03% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

35.11 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

14.84 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

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

65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 89.11 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 105.73 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 71.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 48.82 years

male: 46.24 years

female: 51.48 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.5 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

570,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

47,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria, yellow fever, and others are high

risks in some locations

water contact: schistosomiasis

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified

among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a

negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens

who have close contact with birds (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Ivoirian(s)

adjective: Ivoirian

Ethnic groups:

Akan 42.1%, Voltaiques or Gur 17.6%, Northern Mandes 16.5%, Krous

11%, Southern Mandes 10%, other 2.8% (includes 130,000 Lebanese and

14,000 French) (1998)

Religions:

Muslim 35-40%, indigenous 25-40%, Christian 20-30% (2001)

note: the majority of foreigners (migratory workers) are Muslim

(70%) and Christian (20%)

Languages:

French (official), 60 native dialects with Dioula the most widely

spoken

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 50.9%

male: 57.9%

female: 43.6% (2003 est.)

Government Cote d'Ivoire

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Cote d'Ivoire

conventional short form: Cote d'Ivoire

local long form: Republique de Cote d'Ivoire

local short form: Cote d'Ivoire

former: Ivory Coast

Government type:

republic; multiparty presidential regime established 1960

note: the government is currently operating under a power-sharing

agreement mandated by international mediators

Capital:

name: Yamoussoukro

geographic coordinates: 5 19 N, 4 02 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

note: although Yamoussoukro has been the official capital since

1983, Abidjan remains the commercial and administrative center; the

US, like other countries, maintains its Embassy in Abidjan

Administrative divisions:

19 regions; Agneby, Bafing, Bas-Sassandra, Denguele, Dix-Huit

Montagnes, Fromager, Haut-Sassandra, Lacs, Lagunes, Marahoue,

Moyen-Cavally, Moyen-Comoe, N'zi-Comoe, Savanes, Sud-Bandama,

Sud-Comoe, Vallee du Bandama, Worodougou, Zanzan

Independence:

7 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 7 August (1960)

Constitution:

approved by referendum 23 July 2000

Legal system:

based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review

in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; accepts

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Laurent GBAGBO (since 26 October 2000)

head of government: Prime Minister Charles Konan BANNY (since 7

December 2005)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note -

under the current power-sharing agreement Prime Minister BANNY and

President GBAGBO share the authority to appoint ministers

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(no term limits); election last held 26 October 2000 (next to be

held by October 2007, after the government postponed elections in

2005 and 2006); prime minister appointed by the president (current

Prime Minister BANNY was appointed by African Union mediators as

part of the existing power-sharing agreement)

election results: Laurent GBAGBO elected president; percent of vote

- Laurent GBAGBO 59.4%, Robert GUEI 32.7%, Francis WODIE 5.7%, other

2.2%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (225 seats;

members are elected in single- and multi-district elections by

direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: elections last held 10 December 2000 with by-elections on

14 January 2001 (next to be held by October 2007, after the

government postponed the elections in 2005 and 2006)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

FPI 96, PDCI-RDA 94, RDR 5, PIT 4, other 2, independents 22, vacant 2

note: a Senate is scheduled to be created in the next full election

in 2006

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consists of four chambers: Judicial

Chamber for criminal cases, Audit Chamber for financial cases,

Constitutional Chamber for judicial review cases, and Administrative

Chamber for civil cases; there is no legal limit to the number of

members

Political parties and leaders:

Citizen's Democratic Union or UDCY [Theodore MEL EG]; Democratic

Party of Cote d'Ivoire-African Democratic Rally or PDCI-RDA [Henri

Konan BEDIE]; Ivorian Popular Front or FPI [Laurent GBAGBO]; Ivorian

Worker's Party or PIT [Francis WODIE]; Opposition Movement of the

Future or MFA [Anaky KOBENAN]; Rally of the Republicans or RDR

[Alassane OUATTARA]; Union for Democracy and Peace in Cote d'Ivoire

or UDPCI [Mabri TOIKEUSE]; over 20 smaller parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Federation of University and High School Students of Cote d'Ivoire

or FESCI [Serges KOFFI]; Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and

Peace or RHDP [Alphonse DJEDJE MADY]; Young Patriots [Charles BLE

GOUDE]

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA,

IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,

IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF,

OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional),

WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Daouda DIABATE chancery: 3421 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300 FAX: [1] (202) 244-3088

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Aubrey HOOKS

embassy: Riviera Golf 01, Abidjan

mailing address: B. P. 1866, Abidjan 01

telephone: [225] 20 21 09 79

FAX: [225] 20 22 32 59

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side), white, and

green; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and has the

colors reversed - green (hoist side), white, and orange; also

similar to the flag of Italy, which is green (hoist side), white,

and red; design was based on the flag of France

Economy Cote d'Ivoire

Economy - overview:

Cote d'Ivoire is among the world's largest producers and exporters

of coffee, cocoa beans, and palm oil. Consequently, the economy is

highly sensitive to fluctuations in international prices for these

products and weather conditions. Despite government attempts to

diversify the economy, it is still heavily dependent on agriculture

and related activities, engaging roughly 68% of the population.

Growth was negative in 2000-03 because of the difficulty of meeting

the conditions of international donors, continued low prices of key

exports, foreign divestment and civil war. Political turmoil has

continued to damage the economy since 2004, with a rising risk

premium associated with doing business in the country, foreign

investment shriveling, transportation costs increasing, French

businesses fleeing, and criminal elements that traffic in weapons

and diamonds gaining ground. The government will continue to survive

financially off of the sale of cocoa, which represents 90% of

foreign exchange earnings, but the government will probably lose

between 10% and 20% of its cocoa harvest to northern rebels who

smuggle the cocoa they control to neighboring countries where cocoa

prices are higher. The government remains hopeful that ongoing

exploration of Cote d'Ivoire's offshore oil reserves will result in

significant production that could boost daily crude output from

roughly 33,000 barrels per day (b/d) to more than 200,000 b/d by the

end of the decade.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$28.47 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$17.19 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

1.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 27% industry: 18.5% services: 54.5% (2006 est.)

Labor force:

6.738 million (68% agricultural) (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate:

13% in urban areas (1998)

Population below poverty line:

37% (1995)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 28.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

45.2 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.2% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

11.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $2.837 billion

expenditures: $3.154 billion; including capital expenditures of $420

million (2006 est.)

Public debt:

69.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

coffee, cocoa beans, bananas, palm kernels, corn, rice, manioc

(tapioca), sweet potatoes, sugar, cotton, rubber; timber

Industries:

foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining, truck and bus

assembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials, electricity,

ship construction and repair

Industrial production growth rate:

15% (1998 est.)

Electricity - production:

4.625 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 61.9% hydro: 38.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

3.202 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

1.1 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

32,900 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

23,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

220 million bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

1.3 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

1.3 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$460 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$7.832 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

cocoa, coffee, timber, petroleum, cotton, bananas, pineapples, palm

oil, fish

Exports - partners:

France 18.3%, US 14.1%, Netherlands 11%, Nigeria 8%, Panama 4.4%

(2005)

Imports:

$5.548 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

fuel, capital equipment, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

France 27.7%, Nigeria 24.5%, Singapore 6.6% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.4 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$11.96 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

ODA, $1 billion (1996 est.)

Currency (code):

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible

authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:

XOF

Exchange rates:

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

522.592 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99

(2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Cote d'Ivoire

Telephones - main lines in use:

257,900 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2.19 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: well developed by African standards but

operating well below capacity

domestic: open-wire lines and microwave radio relay; 90% digitalized

international: country code - 225; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); 2 submarine cables

(June 1999)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios:

2.26 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

14 (1999)

Televisions:

1.09 million (2000)

Internet country code:

.ci

Internet hosts:

2,534 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

5 (2001)

Internet users:

160,000 (2005)

Transportation Cote d'Ivoire

Airports: 35 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 7

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 28

1,524 to 2,437 m: 8

914 to 1,523 m: 15

under 914 m: 5 (2006)

Pipelines:

condensate 109 km; gas 240 km; oil 112 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 660 km

narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000 meter gauge

note: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina

Faso (2005)

Roadways:

total: 80,000 km

paved: 6,500 km

unpaved: 73,500 km

note: includes intercity and urban roads; another 20,000 km of dirt

roads are in poor condition and 150,000 km of dirt roads are

impassable (2006)

Waterways:

980 km (navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal lagoons)

(2005)

Ports and terminals:

Abidjan, Aboisso, Dabou, San-Pedro

Military Cote d'Ivoire

Military branches:

Cote d'Ivoire Defense and Security Forces (FDSC): Army, Navy, Air

Force (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;

conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 3,696,106

females age 18-49: 3,569,967 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,973,265

females age 18-49: 1,911,777 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 189,354

females age 18-49: 192,600 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$246.6 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.6% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Cote d'Ivoire

Disputes - international:

rebel and ethnic fighting against the central government in 2002

has spilled into neighboring states, driven out foreign cocoa

workers from nearby countries, and, in 2004, resulted in 6,000

peacekeepers deployed as part of UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire

(UNOCI) assisting 4,000 French troops already in-country; the

Ivorian Government accuses Burkina Faso and Liberia of supporting

Ivorian rebels

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 39,919 (Liberia)

IDPs: 750,000 (2002 coup; most IDPs are in western regions) (2006)

Illicit drugs:

illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for local consumption;

transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin to

Europe and occasionally to the US, and for Latin American cocaine

destined for Europe and South Africa; while rampant corruption and

inadequate supervision leave the banking system vulnerable to money

laundering, the lack of a developed financial system limits the

country's utility as a major money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Croatia

Introduction Croatia

Background:

The lands that today comprise Croatia were part of the

Austro-Hungarian Empire until the close of World War I. In 1918, the

Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom known after 1929 as

Yugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia became a federal

independent Communist state under the strong hand of Marshal TITO.

Although Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991,

it took four years of sporadic, but often bitter, fighting before

occupying Serb armies were mostly cleared from Croatian lands. Under

UN supervision, the last Serb-held enclave in eastern Slavonia was

returned to Croatia in 1998.

Geography Croatia

Location:

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Bosnia and

Herzegovina and Slovenia

Geographic coordinates:

45 10 N, 15 30 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 56,542 sq km

land: 56,414 sq km

water: 128 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries:

total: 2,197 km

border countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km, Hungary 329 km,

Serbia 241 km, Montenegro 25 km, Slovenia 670 km

Coastline:

5,835 km (mainland 1,777 km, islands 4,058 km)

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

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

Climate:

Mediterranean and continental; continental climate predominant with

hot summers and cold winters; mild winters, dry summers along coast

Terrain:

geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border, low

mountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m

highest point: Dinara 1,830 m

Natural resources:

oil, some coal, bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium, gypsum,

natural asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 25.82% permanent crops: 2.19% other: 71.99% (2005)

Irrigated land:

110 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

destructive earthquakes

Environment - current issues: air pollution (from metallurgical plants) and resulting acid rain is damaging the forests; coastal pollution from industrial and domestic waste; landmine removal and reconstruction of infrastructure consequent to 1992-95 civil strife

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:

controls most land routes from Western Europe to Aegean Sea and

Turkish Straits; the vast majority of Adriatic Sea islands lie off

the coast of Croatia - some 1,200 islands, islets, ridges, and rocks

People Croatia

Population:

4,494,749 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 16.2% (male 373,638/female 354,261)

15-64 years: 67% (male 1,497,958/female 1,515,314)

65 years and over: 16.8% (male 288,480/female 465,098) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 40.3 years

male: 38.3 years

female: 42.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.03% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

9.61 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

11.48 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

1.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female

total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 6.72 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 6.7 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 74.68 years

male: 71.03 years

female: 78.53 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.4 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

200 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 10 (2001 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Croat(s), Croatian(s)

adjective: Croatian

Ethnic groups:

Croat 89.6%, Serb 4.5%, other 5.9% (including Bosniak, Hungarian,

Slovene, Czech, and Roma) (2001 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 87.8%, Orthodox 4.4%, other Christian 0.4%, Muslim

1.3%, other and unspecified 0.9%, none 5.2% (2001 census)

Languages:

Croatian 96.1%, Serbian 1%, other and undesignated 2.9% (including

Italian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and German) (2001 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.5%

male: 99.4%

female: 97.8% (2003 est.)

Government Croatia

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Croatia

conventional short form: Croatia

local long form: Republika Hrvatska

local short form: Hrvatska

former: People's Republic of Croatia, Socialist Republic of Croatia

Government type:

presidential/parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Zagreb

geographic coordinates: 45 48 N, 15 58 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

20 counties (zupanije, zupanija - singular) and 1 city* (grad -

singular); Bjelovarsko-Bilogorska Zupanija, Brodsko-Posavska

Zupanija, Dubrovacko-Neretvanska Zupanija, Istarska Zupanija,

Karlovacka Zupanija, Koprivnicko-Krizevacka Zupanija,

Krapinsko-Zagorska Zupanija, Licko-Senjska Zupanija, Medimurska

Zupanija, Osjecko-Baranjska Zupanija, Pozesko-Slavonska Zupanija,

Primorsko-Goranska Zupanija, Sibensko-Kninska Zupanija,

Sisacko-Moslavacka Zupanija, Splitsko-Dalmatinska Zupanija,

Varazdinska Zupanija, Viroviticko-Podravska Zupanija,

Vukovarsko-Srijemska Zupanija, Zadarska Zupanija, Zagreb*,

Zagrebacka Zupanija

Independence:

25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 8 October (1991); note - 25 June 1991 is the day

the Croatian Parliament voted for independence; following a

three-month moratorium to allow the European Community to solve the

Yugoslav crisis peacefully, Parliament adopted a decision on 8

October 1991 to sever constitutional relations with Yugoslavia

Constitution:

adopted on 22 December 1990; revised 2000, 2001

Legal system:

based on civil law system

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Stjepan (Stipe) MESIC (since 18 February

2000)

head of government: Prime Minister Ivo SANADER (since 9 December

2003); Deputy Prime Ministers Jadranka KOSOR (since 23 December

2003) and Damir POLANCEC (since 15 February 2005)

cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and

approved by the parliamentary Assembly

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 16 January 2005

(next to be held January 2010); the leader of the majority party or

the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime

minister by the president and then approved by the Assembly

election results: Stjepan MESIC reelected president; percent of vote

- Stjepan MESIC 66%, Jadranka KOSOR (HDZ) 34% in the second round

Legislative branch:

unicameral Assembly or Sabor (152 seats; note - one seat was added

in the November 2003 parliamentary elections; members elected from

party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 23 November 2003 (next to be held in 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; number of seats by

party - HDZ 63, SDP 34, HNS 11, HSS 9, HSP 7, IDS 4, HDSSB 3, HSLS

3, HSU 3, SDSS 3, other 12

note: minority government coalition - HDZ, DC, HSLS, HSU, SDSS; note

- the Democratic Center party or DC withdrew from the government in

Febuary 2006

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; judges for both courts

appointed for eight-year terms by the Judicial Council of the

Republic, which is elected by the Assembly

Political parties and leaders:

Croatian Bloc or HB [Ivic PASALIC]; Croatian Christian Democratic

Union or HKDU [Anto KOVACEVIC]; Croatian Democratic Congress of

Slavonia and Baranja or HDSSB [Branimir GLAVAS]; Croatian Democratic

Union or HDZ [Ivo SANADER]; Croatian Party of Rights or HSP [Anto

DJAPIC]; Croatian Peasant Party or HSS [Josip FRISCIC]; Croatian

Pensioner Party or HSU [Vladimir JORDAN]; Croatian People's Party or

HNS [Vesna PUSIC] (in 2005 party merged with Libra to become

Croatian People's Party-Liberal Democrats or NS-LD [Vesna PUSIC]);

Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS [Djurdja ADLESIC]; Croatian

True Revival Party or HIP [Miroslav TUDJMAN]; Democratic Centre or

DC [Vesna SKARE-OZBOLT]; Independent Democratic Serb Party or SDSS

[Vojislav STANIMIROVIC]; Istrian Democratic Assembly or IDS [Ivan

JAKOVCIC]; Social Democratic Party of Croatia or SDP [Ivica RACAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACCT (observer), BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO,

IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,

ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,

MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIF

(observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP,

UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Neven JURICA

chancery: 2343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 588-5899

FAX: [1] (202) 588-8936

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert A. BRADTKE

embassy: 2 Thomas Jefferson Street, 10010 Zagreb

mailing address: use street address

telephone: [385] (1) 661-2200

FAX: [385] (1) 661-2373

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue

superimposed by the Croatian coat of arms (red and white checkered)

Economy Croatia

Economy - overview:

Before the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the Republic of Croatia,

after Slovenia, was the most prosperous and industrialized area with

a per capita output perhaps one-third above the Yugoslav average.

The economy emerged from a mild recession in 2000 with tourism,

banking, and public investments leading the way. Unemployment

remains high, at about 17%, with structural factors slowing its

decline. While macroeconomic stabilization has largely been

achieved, structural reforms lag because of deep resistance on the

part of the public and lack of strong support from politicians.

Growth, while impressive at about 3% to 4% for the last several

years, has been stimulated, in part, through high fiscal deficits

and rapid credit growth. The EU accession process should accelerate

fiscal and structural reform.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$59.41 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$37.35 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$13,200 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6.8% industry: 30.9% services: 62.3% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 1.72 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 2.7% industry: 32.8% services: 64.5% (2004)

Unemployment rate:

17.2% official rate; labor force surveys indicate unemployment

around 14% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

11% (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.4% highest 10%: 24.5% (2003 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

29 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.4% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

28.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $17.78 billion

expenditures: $19.06 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

56.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, barley, alfalfa, clover,

olives, citrus, grapes, soybeans, potatoes; livestock, dairy products

Industries:

chemicals and plastics, machine tools, fabricated metal,

electronics, pig iron and rolled steel products, aluminum, paper,

wood products, construction materials, textiles, shipbuilding,

petroleum and petroleum refining, food and beverages, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

5% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

12.95 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 33.6% hydro: 66% nuclear: 0% other: 0.4% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

16.53 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

600 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

5.086 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

20,500 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

93,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

93.6 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

1.64 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

2.75 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

1.11 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

24.64 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-2.892 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$11.17 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

transport equipment, textiles, chemicals, foodstuffs, fuels

Exports - partners:

Italy 21.8%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 14.7%, Germany 10.7%, Slovenia

8.1%, Austria 7.3% (2005)

Imports:

$21.79 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, transport and electrical equipment; chemicals, fuels and

lubricants; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Italy 15.9%, Germany 14.9%, Russia 9.1%, Slovenia 6.8%, Austria

5.8%, China 4.7%, France 4.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$11.07 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$33.09 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

ODA, $166.5 million (2002)

Currency (code):

kuna (HRK)

Currency code:

HRK

Exchange rates:

kuna per US dollar - 5.85506 (2006), 5.9473 (2005), 6.0358 (2004),

6.7035 (2003), 7.8687 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Croatia

Telephones - main lines in use:

1,889,500 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2.984 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: reconstruction plan calls for replacement of all analog

circuits with digital and enlarging the network; a backup will be

included in the plan for the main trunk

international: country code - 385; digital international service is

provided through the main switch in Zagreb; Croatia participates in

the Trans-Asia-Europe (TEL) fiber-optic project, which consists of

two fiber-optic trunk connections with Slovenia and a fiber-optic

trunk line from Rijeka to Split and Dubrovnik; Croatia is also

investing in ADRIA 1, a joint fiber-optic project with Germany,

Albania, and Greece

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 16, FM 98, shortwave 5 (1999)

Radios:

1.51 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

36 (plus 321 repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions:

1.22 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.hr

Internet hosts:

18,825 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

9 (2000)

Internet users:

1,451,100 (2005)

Transportation Croatia

Airports: 68 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 23 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 9 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 45 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 37 (2006)

Heliports:

2 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 1,340 km; oil 583 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 2,726 km

standard gauge: 2,726 km 1.435-m gauge (1,199 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:

total: 28,344 km

paved: 24,186 km (including 742 km of expressways)

unpaved: 4,158 km (2004)

Waterways:

785 km (2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 72 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,079,286 GRT/1,724,698 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 22, cargo 11, chemical tanker 3,

passenger/cargo 27, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll

on/roll off 3

registered in other countries: 36 (Belize 1, Cyprus 2, Liberia 7,

Malta 10, Marshall Islands 2, Panama 5, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines 9) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Omisalj, Ploce, Rijeka, Sibenik, Vukovar (on Danube)

Military Croatia

Military branches:

Ground Forces (Hrvatska Kopnena Vojska, HKoV), Naval Forces

(Hrvatska Ratna Mornarica, HRM), Air and Air Defense Forces

(Hrvatsko Ratno Zrakoplovstvo i Protuzrakoplovna Obrana, HRZiPZO),

Joint Education and Training Command, Logistics Command; Military

Police Force supports each of the three Croatian military forces

(2006)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service, with six-month service obligation; 16 years of age with consent for voluntary service (December 2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,005,058

females age 18-49: 1,008,511 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 725,914

females age 18-49: 823,611 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 29,020

females age 18-49: 27,897 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$620 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.39% (2002 est.)

Transnational Issues Croatia

Disputes - international:

discussions continue with Bosnia and Herzegovina over several small

disputed sections of the boundary related to maritime access that

hinders ratification of the 1999 border agreement; the

Croatia-Slovenia land and maritime boundary agreement, which would

have ceded most of Pirin Bay and maritime access to Slovenia and

several villages to Croatia, remains un-ratified and in dispute; as

a European Union peripheral state, neighboring Slovenia must conform

to the strict Schengen border rules to curb illegal migration and

commerce through southeastern Europe while encouraging close

cross-border ties with Croatia

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 4,200-7,000 (Croats and Serbs displaced in 1992-95 war) (2006)

Illicit drugs:

transit point along the Balkan route for Southwest Asian heroin to

Western Europe; has been used as a transit point for maritime

shipments of South American cocaine bound for Western Europe

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Cuba

Introduction Cuba

Background:

The native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline after the

European discovery of the island by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492 and

following its development as a Spanish colony during the next

several centuries. Large numbers of African slaves were imported to

work the coffee and sugar plantations, and Havana became the

launching point for the annual treasure fleets bound for Spain from

Mexico and Peru. Spanish rule, marked initially by neglect, became

increasingly repressive, provoking an independence movement and

occasional rebellions that were harshly suppressed. It was US

intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898 that finally

overthrew Spanish rule. The subsequent Treaty of Paris established

Cuban independence, which was granted in 1902 after a three-year

transition period. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959;

his iron rule has held the regime together since then. Cuba's

Communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout

Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The

country is now slowly recovering from a severe economic recession in

1990, following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies, worth $4

billion to $6 billion annually. Cuba portrays its difficulties as

the result of the US embargo in place since 1961. Illicit migration

to the US - using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, air flights, or

via the southwest border - is a continuing problem. The US Coast

Guard intercepted 2,810 individuals attempting to cross the Straits

of Florida in fiscal year 2006.

Geography Cuba

Location:

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic

Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida

Geographic coordinates:

21 30 N, 80 00 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 110,860 sq km

land: 110,860 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries:

total: 29 km

border countries: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 29 km

note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and remains part of

Cuba

Coastline:

3,735 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April);

rainy season (May to October)

Terrain:

mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in

the southeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Pico Turquino 2,005 m

Natural resources:

cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica,

petroleum, arable land

Land use: arable land: 27.63% permanent crops: 6.54% other: 65.83% (2005)

Irrigated land:

8,700 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to November (in

general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year);

droughts are common

Environment - current issues:

air and water pollution; biodiversity loss; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine

Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater

Antilles

People Cuba

Population:

11,382,820 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 19.1% (male 1,117,677/female 1,058,512)

15-64 years: 70.3% (male 4,001,161/female 3,999,303)

65 years and over: 10.6% (male 554,148/female 652,019) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 35.9 years

male: 35.2 years

female: 36.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.31% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

11.89 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

7.22 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-1.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 6.22 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 6.99 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.41 years

male: 75.11 years

female: 79.85 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.66 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

3,300 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Cuban(s) adjective: Cuban

Ethnic groups:

mulatto 51%, white 37%, black 11%, Chinese 1%

Religions:

nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power;

Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also

represented

Languages:

Spanish

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97%

male: 97.2%

female: 96.9% (2003 est.)

People - note:

illicit migration is a continuing problem; Cubans attempt to depart

the island and enter the US using homemade rafts, alien smugglers,

direct flights, or falsified visas; Cubans also use non-maritime

routes to enter the US including direct flights to Miami and

over-land via the southwest border

Government Cuba

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Cuba

conventional short form: Cuba

local long form: Republica de Cuba

local short form: Cuba

Government type:

Communist state

Capital:

name: Havana

geographic coordinates: 23 08 N, 82 22 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

14 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 special

municipality* (municipio especial); Camaguey, Ciego de Avila,

Cienfuegos, Ciudad de La Habana, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla

de la Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio,

Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara

Independence:

20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US

from 1898 to 1902)); not acknowledged by the Cuban Government as a

day of independence

National holiday:

Triumph of the Revolution, 1 January (1959)

Constitution:

24 February 1976; amended July 1992 and June 2002

Legal system:

based on Spanish civil law and influenced by American legal

concepts, with large elements of Communist legal theory; has not

accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

16 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President of the Council of State and President of

the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from

February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished;

president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the

Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of

Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note - the

president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President of the Council of State and President

of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from

February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished;

president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the

Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of

Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976)

cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president of the

Council of State and appointed by the National Assembly or the

31-member Council of State, elected by the Assembly to act on its

behalf when it is not in session

elections: president and vice presidents elected by the National

Assembly for a term of five years; election last held 6 March 2003

(next to be held in 2008)

election results: Fidel CASTRO Ruz reelected president; percent of

legislative vote - 100%; Raul CASTRO Ruz elected vice president;

percent of legislative vote - 100%

note: due to an ongoing health problem, Fidel CASTRO Ruz

provisionally transferred power to his brother Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz

on 31 July 2006, in accordance with the Cuban Constitution; CASTRO

has not yet reclaimed control of the government

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly of People's Power or Asemblea Nacional

del Poder Popular (609 seats, elected directly from slates approved

by special candidacy commissions; members serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 19 January 2003 (next to be held in 2008)

election results: percent of vote - PCC 97.6%; seats - PCC 609

Judicial branch:

People's Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo Popular (president, vice

president, and other judges are elected by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:

only party - Cuban Communist Party or PCC [Fidel CASTRO Ruz, first

secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS

(excluded from formal participation since 1962), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA,

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,

WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none; note - Cuba has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy,

headed by Principal Officer Dagoberto RODRIGUEZ Barrera; address:

Cuban Interests Section, Swiss Embassy, 2630 16th Street NW,

Washington, DC 20009; telephone: [1] (202) 797-8518; FAX: [1] (202)

797-8521

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none; note - the US has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy,

headed by Principal Officer Michael E. PARMLY; address: USINT, Swiss

Embassy, Calzada between L and M Streets, Vedado, Havana; telephone:

[53] (7) 833-3551 through 3559 (operator assistance required); FAX:

[53] (7) 833-3700; protecting power in Cuba is Switzerland

Flag description:

five equal horizontal bands of blue (top, center, and bottom)

alternating with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the

hoist side bears a white, five-pointed star in the center

Economy Cuba

Economy - overview:

The government continues to balance the need for economic loosening

against a desire for firm political control. It has rolled back

limited reforms undertaken in the 1990s to increase enterprise

efficiency and alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer goods,

and services. The average Cuban's standard of living remains at a

lower level than before the downturn of the 1990s, which was caused

by the loss of Soviet aid and domestic inefficiencies. In 2006, high

metals prices continued to boost Cuban earnings from nickel and

cobalt production. Havana continued to invest in the country's

energy sector to mitigate electrical blackouts that have plagued the

country since 2004.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$44.54 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$40 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$3,900 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5.1% industry: 27.2% services: 67.6% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 4.82 million note: state sector 78%, non-state sector 22% (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 20% industry: 19.4% services: 60.6% (2005)

Unemployment rate:

1.9% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

11.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $35.07 billion

expenditures: $36.41 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; livestock

Industries:

sugar, petroleum, tobacco, construction, nickel, steel, cement,

agricultural machinery, pharmaceuticals

Industrial production growth rate:

17.6% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

15.34 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 93.9% hydro: 0.6% nuclear: 0% other: 5.4% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

14.1 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

72,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

204,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

259 million bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

704 million cu m (2004)

Natural gas - consumption:

704 million cu m (2004)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

70.79 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-1.218 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$2.956 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee

Exports - partners:

Netherlands 25.7%, Canada 21%, China 9.9%, Spain 6.8% (2005)

Imports:

$9.51 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum, food, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners:

China 14.5%, Spain 13.7%, Canada 8.4%, US 8.3%, Germany 7.2%,

Brazil 5.6%, Italy 5.6%, Mexico 5.1%, Japan 4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.618 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$15.15 billion (convertible currency); another $15-20 billion owed

to Russia (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$68.2 million (1997 est.)

Currency (code):

Cuban peso (CUP) and Convertible peso (CUC)

Currency code:

CUP (nonconvertible Cuban peso) and CUC (convertible Cuban peso)

Exchange rates:

Convertible pesos per US dollar - 0.93 (2006), note, Cuba has three

currencies in circulation: the Cuban peso (CUP), the convertible

peso (CUC), and the US dollar (USD), although the dollar is being

withdrawn from circulation; in April 2005 the official exchange rate

changed from $1 per CUC to $1.08 per CUC (0.93 CUC per $1), both for

individuals and enterprises; individuals can buy 24 Cuban pesos

(CUP) for each CUC sold, or sell 25 Cuban pesos for each CUC bought;

enterprises, however, must exchange CUP and CUC at a 1:1 ratio.

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Cuba

Telephones - main lines in use:

849,900 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

134,500 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: greater investment beginning in 1994 and the

establishment of a new Ministry of Information Technology and

Communications in 2000 has resulted in improvements in the system;

wireless service is expensive and remains restricted to foreigners

and regime elites, many Cubans procure wireless service illegally

with the help of foreigners

domestic: national fiber-optic system under development; 85% of

switches digitized by end of 2004; telephone line density remains

low, at less than 10 per 100 inhabitants; domestic cellular service

expanding

international: country code - 53; fiber-optic cable laid to but not

linked to US network; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik

(Atlantic Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 169, FM 55, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:

3.9 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

58 (1997)

Televisions:

2.64 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.cu

Internet hosts:

2,234 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

5 (2001)

Internet users:

190,000

note: private citizens are prohibited from buying computers or

accessing the Internet without special authorization; foreigners may

access the Internet in large hotels but are subject to firewalls;

some Cubans buy illegal passwords on the black market or take

advantage of public outlets, to access limited email and the

government-controlled "intranet" (2005)

Transportation Cuba

Airports: 170 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 78 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 37 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 92 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 62 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 49 km; oil 230 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 4,226 km

standard gauge: 4,226 km 1.435-m gauge (140 km electrified)

note: an additional 7,742 km of track is used by sugar plantations;

about 65% of this track is standard gauge; the rest is narrow gauge

(2005)

Roadways:

total: 60,858 km

paved: 29,820 km (including 638 km of expressway)

unpaved: 31,038 km (1999)

Waterways:

240 km (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 11 ships (1000 GRT or over) 33,932 GRT/48,791 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger 1,

petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 2

foreign-owned: 1 (Spain 1)

registered in other countries: 17 (Bahamas 1, Cyprus 2, Netherlands

Antilles 1, Panama 11, Spain 1, unknown 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Cienfuegos, Havana, Matanzas

Military Cuba

Military branches:

Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR): Revolutionary Army (ER),

Revolutionary Navy (Marina de Guerra Revolucionaria, MGR),

Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Force (DAAFAR), Youth Labor Army

(EJT) (2005)

Military service age and obligation:

17 years of age; both sexes are eligible for military service (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 17-49: 2,967,865

females age 17-49: 2,913,559 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 17-49: 2,441,927

females age 17-49: 2,396,741 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 91,901

females: 87,500 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$694 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.8% (2005 est.)

Military - note:

Moscow, for decades the key military supporter and supplier of

Cuba, cut off almost all military aid by 1993

Transnational Issues Cuba

Disputes - international:

US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual

agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Cuba is a source country for women and children

trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced child

labor; Cuba is a major destination for sex tourism, which largely

caters to European, Canadian, and Latin American tourists and

involves large numbers of minors; there are reports that Cuban women

have been trafficked to Mexico for sexual exploitation; forced labor

victims also include children coerced into working in commercial

agriculture

tier rating: Tier 3 - Cuba does not fully comply with the minimum

standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making

significant efforts to do so

Illicit drugs:

territorial waters and air space serve as transshipment zone for US

and European-bound drugs; established the death penalty for certain

drug-related crimes in 1999

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Cyprus

Introduction Cyprus

Background:

A former British colony, Cyprus became independent in 1960

following years of resistance to British rule. Tensions between the

Greek Cypriot majority and Turkish Cypriot minority came to a head

in December 1963, when violence broke out in the capital of Nicosia.

Despite the deployment of UN peacekeepers in 1964, sporadic

intercommunal violence continued forcing most Turkish Cypriots into

enclaves throughout the island. In 1974, a Greek

Government-sponsored attempt to seize control of Cyprus was met by

military intervention from Turkey, which soon controlled more than a

third of the island. In 1983, the Turkish-held area declared itself

the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," but it is recognized only

by Turkey. The latest two-year round of UN-brokered talks - between

the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities to

reach an agreement to reunite the divided island - ended when the

Greek Cypriots rejected the UN settlement plan in an April 2004

referendum. The entire island entered the EU on 1 May 2004, although

the EU acquis - the body of common rights and obligations - applies

only to the areas under direct Republic of Cyprus control, and is

suspended in the areas administered by Turkish Cypriots. However,

individual Turkish Cypriots able to document their eligibility for

Republic of Cyprus citizenship legally enjoy the same rights

accorded to other citizens of European Union states. Nicosia

continues to oppose EU efforts to establish direct trade and

economic links to north Cyprus as a way of encouraging the Turkish

Cypriot community to continue to support reunification.

Geography Cyprus

Location:

Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey

Geographic coordinates:

35 00 N, 33 00 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 9,250 sq km (of which 3,355 sq km are in north Cyprus)

land: 9,240 sq km

water: 10 sq km

Area - comparative:

about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries:

total: NA; note - boundary with Dhekelia is being resurveyed

border countries: Akrotiri 47.4 km, Dhekelia NA

Coastline:

648 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters

Terrain:

central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered but

significant plains along southern coast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Olympus 1,951 m

Natural resources:

copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth

pigment

Land use: arable land: 10.81% permanent crops: 4.32% other: 84.87% (2005)

Irrigated land:

400 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

moderate earthquake activity; droughts

Environment - current issues:

water resource problems (no natural reservoir catchments, seasonal

disparity in rainfall, sea water intrusion to island's largest

aquifer, increased salination in the north); water pollution from

sewage and industrial wastes; coastal degradation; loss of wildlife

habitats from urbanization

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic

Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,

Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily and

Sardinia)

People Cyprus

Population:

784,301 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 20.4% (male 81,776/female 78,272)

15-64 years: 68% (male 270,254/female 263,354)

65 years and over: 11.6% (male 39,536/female 51,109) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 34.9 years

male: 33.9 years

female: 35.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.53% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

12.56 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

7.68 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

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

65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 7.04 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 8.74 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.82 years

male: 75.44 years

female: 80.31 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.82 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

less than 1,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Cypriot(s)

adjective: Cypriot

Ethnic groups:

Greek 77%, Turkish 18%, other 5% (2001)

Religions:

Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, Maronite, Armenian Apostolic, and

other 4%

Languages:

Greek, Turkish, English

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.6%

male: 98.9%

female: 96.3% (2003 est.)

Government Cyprus

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Cyprus

conventional short form: Cyprus

local long form: Kypriaki Dimokratia/Kibris Cumhuriyeti

local short form: Kypros/Kibris

note: the Turkish Cypriot community, which administers the northern

part of the island, refers to itself as the "Turkish Republic of

Northern Cyprus" (TRNC)

Government type:

republic

note: a separation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting the

island began following the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this

separation was further solidified after the Turkish intervention in

July 1974 that followed a Greek junta-supported coup attempt gave

the Turkish Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots

control the only internationally recognized government; on 15

November 1983 Turkish Cypriot "President" Rauf DENKTASH declared

independence and the formation of a "Turkish Republic of Northern

Cyprus" (TRNC), which is recognized only by Turkey

Capital:

name: Nicosia (Lefkosia)

geographic coordinates: 35 10 N, 33 22 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia,

Paphos; note - Turkish Cypriot area's administrative divisions

include Kyrenia, all but a small part of Famagusta, and small parts

of Lefkosia (Nicosia) and Larnaca

Independence:

16 August 1960 (from UK); note - Turkish Cypriots proclaimed

self-rule on 13 February 1975 and independence in 1983, but these

proclamations are only recognized by Turkey

National holiday:

Independence Day, 1 October (1960); note - Turkish Cypriots

celebrate 15 November (1983) as Independence Day

Constitution:

16 August 1960; from December 1963, the Turkish Cypriots no longer

participated in the government; negotiations to create the basis for

a new or revised constitution to govern the island and for better

relations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been held

intermittently since the mid-1960s; in 1975, following the 1974

Turkish intervention, Turkish Cypriots created their own

constitution and governing bodies within the "Turkish Federated

State of Cyprus," which became the "Turkish Republic of Northern

Cyprus" when the Turkish Cypriots declared their independence in

1983; a new constitution for the "TRNC" passed by referendum on 5

May 1985, although the "TRNC" remains unrecognized by any country

other than Turkey

Legal system:

based on common law, with civil law modifications; accepts

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since 1 March 2003);

note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the

1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot

head of government: President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since 1 March

2003); note - post of vice president is currently vacant; under the

1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed jointly by the president and

vice president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;

election last held 16 February 2003 (next to be held February 2008)

election results: Tassos PAPADOPOULOS elected president; percent of

vote - Tassos PAPADOPOULOS 51.5%, Glafkos KLIRIDIS 38.8%, Alekos

MARKIDIS 6.6%

note: Mehmet Ali TALAT became "president" of the "TRNC", 24 April

2005, after "presidential" elections on 17 April 2005; results -

Mehmet Ali TALAT 55.6%, Dervis EROGLU 22.7%; Ferdi Sabit SOYER is

"TRNC prime minister" and heads the Council of Ministers (cabinet)

in coalition with "Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister"

Turgay AVCI

Legislative branch:

unicameral - area under government control: House of

Representatives or Vouli Antiprosopon (80 seats; 56 assigned to the

Greek Cypriots, 24 to Turkish Cypriots; note - only those assigned

to Greek Cypriots are filled; members are elected by popular vote to

serve five-year terms); area administered by Turkish Cypriots:

Assembly of the Republic or Cumhuriyet Meclisi (50 seats; members

are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: area under government control: last held 21 May 2006

(next to be held 2011); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: last

held 14 December 2003 (next to be held in 2008)

election results: area under government control: House of

Representatives - percent of vote by party - AKEL 31.13%, DISY

30.34%, DIKO 17.92%, KISOS 6.51%, EDEK 8.91%, EURO.KO 5.75%, Greens

1.95%; seats by party - AKEL (Communist) 18, DISY 18, DIKO 11, KISOS

4, EDEK 4, EURO.KO 4, Greens 1; area administered by Turkish

Cypriots: Assembly of the Republic - percent of vote by party - CTP

35.8%, UBP 32.3%, Peace and Democratic Movement 13.4%, DP 12.3%;

seats by party - CTP 19, UBP 18, Peace and Democratic Movement 6, DP

7; note - "TRNC" seats by party as of September 2006 - CTP 25, OP 3,

UBP 13, DP 6, BDH 1, independents 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed jointly by the president and

vice president)

note: there is also a Supreme Court in the area administered by

Turkish Cyriots

Political parties and leaders:

area under government control: Democratic Party or DIKO [Marios

KAROYIAN]; Democratic Rally or DISY [Nikos ANASTASIADHIS]; European

Democracy or EURO.DI [Prodromos PRODROMOU] (evolved from For Europe

which merged with New Horizons); European Party or EURO.KO [Demetris

SYLLOURIS]; Fighting Democratic Movement or ADIK [Dinos

MIKHAILIDIS]; Green Party of Cyprus [George PERDIKIS]; Movement for

Social Democrats or EDEK [Yannakis OMIROU]; Political Movement of

Hunters [Michalis PAFITANIS]; Progressive Party of the Working

People or AKEL (Communist Party) [Dimitrios CHRISTOFIAS]; United

Democrats or EDI [Michalis PAPAPETROU]; area administered by Turkish

Cypriots: Communal Liberation Party or TKP [Huseyin ANGOLEMLI];

Cyprus Socialist Party or KSP [Kazim ONGEN]; Democratic Party or DP

[Serder DENKTASH]; Freedom and Reform Party or OP [Turgay AVCI];

National Unity Party or UBP [Tahsin ERTUGRULOGLU]; Nationalist

Justice Party or MAP [Ata TEPE]; New Party or YP [Huseyin TURAN];

Our Party or BP [Okyay SADIKOGLU]; Patriotic Unity Movement or YBH

[Oguz OZEN]; Peace and Democratic Movement or BDH [Mustafa AKINCI];

Renewal Progress Party or YAP [Ertugrul HASIPOGLU]; Republican

Turkish Party or CTP [Ferdi Sabit SOYER]; United Cyprus Party or BKP

[Isset IZCAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Confederation of Cypriot Workers or SEK (pro-West); Confederation

of Revolutionary Labor Unions or Dev-Is; Federation of Turkish

Cypriot Labor Unions or Turk-Sen; Pan-Cyprian Labor Federation or

PEO (Communist controlled)

International organization participation:

Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,

ICCt, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,

ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,

WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Andreas KAKOURIS chancery: 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-5772, 462-0873 FAX: [1] (202) 483-6710 consulate(s) general: New York note: representative of the Turkish Cypriot community in the US is Hilmi AKIL; office at 1667 K Street NW, Washington, DC; telephone [1] (202) 887-6198

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald L. SCHLICHER

embassy: corner of Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets, 2407 Engomi,

Nicosia

mailing address: P. O. Box 24536, 1385 Nicosia

telephone: [357] (22) 393939

FAX: [357] (22) 780944

Flag description:

white with a copper-colored silhouette of the island (the name

Cyprus is derived from the Greek word for copper) above two green

crossed olive branches in the center of the flag; the branches

symbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation between the Greek

and Turkish communities

note: the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" flag has a white

field with narrow horizontal red stripes positioned a small distance

from the top and bottom edges between which is centered a red

crescent and red five-pointd star

Economy Cyprus

Economy - overview:

The Republic of Cyprus has a market economy dominated by the

service sector, which accounts for 76% of GDP. Tourism and financial

services are the most important sectors; erratic growth rates over

the past decade reflect the economy's reliance on tourism, which

often fluctuates with political instability in the region and

economic conditions in Western Europe. Nevertheless, the economy

grew a healthy 3.7% per year in 2004 and 2005, well above the EU

average. Cyprus joined the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM2)

in May 2005. The government has initiated an aggressive austerity

program, which has cut the budget deficit to below 3% but continued

fiscal discipline is necessary if Cyprus is to meet its goal of

adopting the euro on 1 January 2008. As in the area administered by

Turkish Cypriots, water shortages are a perennial problem; a few

desalination plants are now on line. After 10 years of drought, the

country received substantial rainfall from 2001-03 alleviating

immediate concerns. The Turkish Cypriot economy has roughly

one-third of the per capita GDP of the south, and economic growth

tends to be volatile, given north Cyprus's relative isolation,

bloated public sector, reliance on the Turkish lira, and small

market size. The Turkish Cypriot economy grew 15.4% in 2004, fueled

by growth in the construction and education sectors, as well as

increased employment of Turkish Cypriots in the Republic of Cyprus.

The Turkish Cypriots are heavily dependent on transfers from the

Turkish Government. Under the 2003-06 economic protocol, Ankara

planned to provide around $700 million to the "TRNC." Agriculture

and services, together, employ more than half of the work force.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

Republic of Cyprus: $17.79 billion; north Cyprus: $4.54 billion

(2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

Republic of Cyprus: $16.35 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

Republic of Cyprus: 3.7%; north Cyprus: 10.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

Republic of Cyprus: $22,700 (2005 est.); north Cyprus: $7,135 (2004

est.) (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

Republic of Cyprus: agriculture 3.7%; industry 19.6%; services

76.8% (2005 est.)

north Cyprus: agriculture 10.6%; industry 20.5%; services 68.9%

(2003 est.)

Labor force:

Republic of Cyprus: 380,000, north Cyprus: 95,025 (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

Republic of Cyprus: agriculture 7.4%, industry 38.2%, services

54.4% (2004 est.)

north Cyprus: agriculture 14.5%, industry 29%, services 56.5% (2004

est.)

Unemployment rate:

Republic of Cyprus: 5.5% (2005 est.); north Cyprus: 5.6% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

Republic of Cyprus: 2.8% (2005 est.); north Cyprus: 9.1% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

Republic of Cyprus: 21.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: Republic of Cyprus - $7.395 billion (2005 est.)

expenditures: Republic of Cyprus - $7.695 billion (2005 est.)

revenues: $685.7 million; north Cyprus - $231.3 million (2003 est.)

expenditures: north Cyprus - $432.8 million (2003 est.)

Public debt:

Republic of Cyprus: 68.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

citrus, vegetables, barley, grapes, olives, vegetables; poultry,

pork, lamb; dairy, cheese

Industries:

tourism, food and beverage processing, cement and gypsum

production, ship repair and refurbishment, textiles, light

chemicals, metal products, wood, paper, stone, and clay products

Industrial production growth rate:

Republic of Cyprus: 2.4% (2005 est.); north Cyprus: -0.3% (2002

est.) (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

Republic of Cyprus: 3.926 billion kWh; north Cyprus: NA kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption: Republic of Cyprus: 3.651 billion kWh (2004); north Cyprus: NA kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

Republic of Cyprus: 300 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

Republic of Cyprus: 53,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

Republic of Cyprus: $-1.051 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

Republic of Cyprus: $1.34 billion f.o.b.; north Cyprus: $69 million

f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

Republic of Cyprus: citrus, potatoes, pharmaceuticals, cement,

clothing and cigarettes; north Cyprus: citrus, potatoes, textiles

Exports - partners:

France 18.8%, UK 18.1%, Greece 13%, Germany 6% (2005)

Imports:

Republic of Cyprus: $5.8 billion f.o.b.; north Cyprus: $415.2

million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

Republic of Cyprus: consumer goods, petroleum and lubricants,

intermediate goods, machinery, transport equipment; north Cyprus:

vehicles, fuel, cigarettes, food, minerals, chemicals, machinery

Imports - partners:

Greece 17.3%, Italy 10.3%, UK 9%, Germany 8.4%, Israel 7.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

Republic of Cyprus: $4.613 billion; north Cyprus $NA (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

Republic of Cyprus: $12.63 billion; north Cyprus: $NA (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

Republic of Cyprus - $NA; north Cyprus - $700 million from Turkey

in grants and loans, which are usually forgiven (2003-06)

Currency (code):

Republic of Cyprus: Cypriot pound (CYP); Turkish Cypriot area:

Turkish New lira (YTL)

Currency code:

CYP; TRL

Exchange rates:

Cypriot pounds per US dollar - 0.46019 (2006), 0.4641 (2005),

0.4686 (2004), 0.5174 (2003), 0.6107 (2002), Turkish lira per US

dollar - 1.44514 (2006), 1.3436 (2005), 1.426 million (2004), 1.501

million (2003), 1.507 million (2002), 1.226 million (2001)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Cyprus

Telephones - main lines in use:

area under government control: 420,000 (2005); area administered by

Turkish Cypriots: 86,228 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

area under government control: 718,800 (2005);; area administered

by Turkish Cypriots: 143,178 (2002)

Telephone system:

general assessment: excellent in both area under government control

and area administered by Turkish Cypriots

domestic: open-wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay

international: country code - 357 (area administered by Turkish

Cypriots uses the country code of Turkey - 90); tropospheric

scatter; 3 coaxial and 5 fiber-optic submarine cables; satellite

earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 2

Eutelsat, 2 Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations:

area under government control: AM 5, FM 76, shortwave 0

area administered by Turkish Cyriots: AM 1, FM 20, shortwave 1 (2004)

Radios:

Greek Cypriot area: 310,000 (1997); Turkish Cypriot area: 56,450

(1994)

Television broadcast stations:

area under government control: 8

area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 2 (plus 4 relay) (2004)

Televisions:

Greek Cypriot area: 248,000 (1997); Turkish Cypriot area: 52,300

(1994)

Internet country code:

.cy

Internet hosts:

67,589 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

6 (2000)

Internet users:

298,000 (2005)

Transportation Cyprus

Airports: 16 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Heliports:

10 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 14,496 km (area under government control: 12,146 km; area

administered by Turkish Cypriots: 2,350 km)

paved: area under government control: 7,845 km (including 276 km of

expressways); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 1,370 km

unpaved: area under government control: 4,301 km; area administered

by Turkish Cypriots: 980 km (2005/1996 est.)

Merchant marine:

total: 884 ships (1000 GRT or over) 19,477,944 GRT/31,157,473 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 354, cargo 210, chemical tanker 44, container

145, liquefied gas 8, passenger 7, passenger/cargo 23, petroleum

tanker 64, refrigerated cargo 15, roll on/roll off 9, vehicle

carrier 5

foreign-owned: 777 (Belgium 1, Canada 2, China 11, Croatia 2, Cuba

2, Denmark 1, Estonia 6, Germany 214, Greece 337, Greenland 1, Hong

Kong 1, India 5, Iran 2, Ireland 3, Israel 3, Italy 2, Japan 17,

South Korea 1, Latvia 4, Netherlands 18, Norway 16, Philippines 1,

Poland 20, Portugal 2, Russia 53, Singapore 1, Slovakia 1, Slovenia

4, Spain 7, Sweden 3, Switzerland 4, Syria 3, UAE 11, UK 6, Ukraine

4, US 7, unknown 1)

registered in other countries: 87 (Bahamas 13, Belize 2, Cambodia

12, Georgia 1, Gibraltar 1, Greece 1, Isle of Man 1, Liberia 3,

Malta 15, Marshall Islands 15, Norway 2, Panama 14, Portugal 1,

Russia 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Sierra Leone 1, Turkey

2) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Vasilikos

Military Cyprus

Military branches:

Republic of Cyprus: Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG; includes

air and naval elements); north Cyprus: Turkish Cypriot Security

Force (GKK)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

Greek Cyriot National Guard (GCNG):

males age 18-49: 184,352

females age 18-49: 175,567 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

Greek Cyriot National Guard (GCNG):

males age 18-49: 150,750

females age 18-49: 144,344 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

Greek Cyriot National Guard (GCNG):

males age 18-49: 6,578

females age 18-49: 6,200 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$384 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

3.8% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Cyprus

Disputes - international:

hostilities in 1974 divided the island into two de facto autonomous

entities, the internationally recognized Cypriot Government and a

Turkish-Cypriot community (north Cyprus); the 1,000-strong UN

Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) has served in Cyprus since

1964 and maintains the buffer zone between north and south; March

2003 reunification talks failed, but Turkish-Cypriots later opened

their borders to temporary visits by Greek Cypriots; on 24 April

2004, the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities voted in

simultaneous and parallel referenda on whether to approve the

UN-brokered Annan Plan that would have ended the 30-year division of

the island by establishing a new "United Cyprus Republic," a

majority of Greek Cypriots voted "no"; on 1 May 2004, Cyprus entered

the European Union still divided, with the EU's body of legislation

and standards (acquis communitaire) suspended in the north

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 210,000 (both Turkish and Greek Cypriots; many displaced for

over 30 years) (2006)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Cyprus is primarily a destination country for a

large number of women trafficked from Eastern and Central Europe,

the Philippines, and the Dominican Republic for the purpose of

sexual exploitation; traffickers continued to fraudulently recruit

victims for work as dancers in cabarets and nightclubs on short-term

"artiste" visas, for work in pubs and bars on employment visas, or

for illegal work on tourist or student visas; there were credible

reports of female domestic workers from India, Sri Lanka, and the

Philippines forced to work excessively long hours and denied proper

compensation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Cyprus does not fully comply with

the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and failed

to show evidence of increasing efforts to address its serious

trafficking for sexual exploitation problem; however, it is making

significant efforts to do so

Illicit drugs:

minor transit point for heroin and hashish via air routes and

container traffic to Europe, especially from Lebanon and Turkey;

some cocaine transits as well; despite a strengthening of

anti-money-laundering legislation, remains vulnerable to money

laundering; reporting of suspicious transactions in offshore sector

remains weak

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Czech Republic

Introduction Czech Republic

Background:

Following the First World War, the closely related Czechs and

Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to form

Czechoslovakia. During the interwar years, the new country's leaders

were frequently preoccupied with meeting the demands of other ethnic

minorities within the republic, most notably the Sudeten Germans and

the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). After World War II, a truncated

Czechoslovakia fell within the Soviet sphere of influence. In 1968,

an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of the country's

leaders to liberalize Communist party rule and create "socialism

with a human face." Anti-Soviet demonstrations the following year

ushered in a period of harsh repression. With the collapse of Soviet

authority in 1989, Czechoslovakia regained its freedom through a

peaceful "Velvet Revolution." On 1 January 1993, the country

underwent a "velvet divorce" into its two national components, the

Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999

and the European Union in 2004.

Geography Czech Republic

Location:

Central Europe, southeast of Germany

Geographic coordinates:

49 45 N, 15 30 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 78,866 sq km

land: 77,276 sq km

water: 1,590 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries:

total: 2,290.2 km

border countries: Austria 466.3 km, Germany 810.3 km, Poland 761.8

km, Slovakia 251.8 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Terrain:

Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus

surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of very

hilly country

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Elbe River 115 m highest point: Snezka 1,602 m

Natural resources: hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber

Land use: arable land: 38.82% permanent crops: 3% other: 58.18% (2005)

Irrigated land:

240 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

flooding

Environment - current issues: air and water pollution in areas of northwest Bohemia and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health risks; acid rain damaging forests; efforts to bring industry up to EU code should improve domestic pollution

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,

Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,

Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; strategically located astride some of oldest and most

significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is a traditional

military corridor between the North European Plain and the Danube in

central Europe

People Czech Republic

Population:

10,235,455 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 14.4% (male 755,098/female 714,703)

15-64 years: 71.2% (male 3,656,021/female 3,629,036)

65 years and over: 14.5% (male 576,264/female 904,333) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 39.3 years

male: 37.5 years

female: 41.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.06% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

9.02 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

10.59 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 3.89 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4.24 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.22 years

male: 72.94 years

female: 79.69 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.21 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

2,500 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 10 (2001 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Czech(s)

adjective: Czech

Ethnic groups:

Czech 90.4%, Moravian 3.7%, Slovak 1.9%, other 4% (2001 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 26.8%, Protestant 2.1%, other 3.3%, unspecified

8.8%, unaffiliated 59% (2001 census)

Languages:

Czech

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government Czech Republic

Country name:

conventional long form: Czech Republic

conventional short form: Czech Republic

local long form: Ceska Republika

local short form: Cesko

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Prague

geographic coordinates: 40 55 N, 21 00 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and 1 capital city* (hlavni

mesto); Jihocesky Kraj, Jihomoravsky Kraj, Karlovarsky Kraj,

Kralovehradecky Kraj, Liberecky Kraj, Moravskoslezsky Kraj,

Olomoucky Kraj, Pardubicky Kraj, Plzensky Kraj, Praha (Prague)*,

Stredocesky Kraj, Ustecky Kraj, Vysocina, Zlinsky Kraj

Independence:

1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and

Slovakia)

National holiday:

Czech Founding Day, 28 October (1918)

Constitution:

ratified 16 December 1992, effective 1 January 1993

Legal system:

civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not accepted

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to bring it in line

with Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)

obligations and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Vaclav KLAUS (since 7 March 2003)

head of government: Prime Minister Mirek TOPOLANEK (since 9 January

2007), Deputy Prime Minister Petr NECAS (since 9 January 2007),

Deputy Prime Minister Jiri CUNEK (since 9 January 2007), Deputy

Prime Minister Martin BURSIK (since 9 January 2007), and Deputy

Prime Minister Alexandr VONDRA (since 9 January 2007)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of

the prime minister

elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); last successful election held 28

February 2003 (after earlier elections held 15 and 24 January 2003

were inconclusive; next election to be held January 2008); prime

minister appointed by the president

election results: Vaclav KLAUS elected president on 28 February

2003; Vaclav KLAUS 142 votes, Jan SOKOL 124 votes (third round;

combined votes of both chambers of parliament)

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat

(81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year

terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of

Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members are elected by

popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held in two rounds 20-21 and 27-28 October

2006 (next to be held October 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held

2-3 June 2006 (next to be held by June 2010)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - ODS 41, CSSD 12, KDU-CSL 10, others 15, independents 2;

Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - ODS 35.4%, CSSD

32.3%, KSCM 12.8%, KDU-CSL 7.2%, Greens 6.3%, other 6%; seats by

party - ODS 81, CSSD 74, KSCM 26, KDU-CSL 13, Greens 6

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; chairman and deputy chairmen

are appointed by the president for a 10-year term

Political parties and leaders:

Association of Independent Candidates-European Democrats or SNK-ED

[Jana Hybaskova, chairman]; Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak

People's Party or KDU-CSL [Jiri CUNEK, chairman]; Civic Democratic

Alliance or ODA [Jirina NOVAKOVA, chairwoman]; Civic Democratic

Party or ODS [Mirek TOPOLANEK, chairman]; Communist Party of Bohemia

and Moravia or KSCM [Vojtech FILIP, chairman]; Czech Social

Democratic Party or CSSD [Jiri PAROUBEK, chairman]; Freedom

Union-Democratic Union or US-DEU [Jan HADRAVA, chairman]; Green

Party [Martin BURSIK, chairman]; Independent Democrats (NEZDEM)

[Vladimir ZELEZNY, chairman]; Party of Open Society (SOS) [Pavel

NOVACEK, chairman]; Path of Change [Jiri LOBKOWITZ, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions or CMKOS [Milan STECH]

International organization participation:

ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI,

CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,

IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM

(guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW,

OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOMIG,

UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Petr KOLAR

chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 274-9100

FAX: [1] (202) 966-8540

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Richard W. GRABER

embassy: Trziste 15, 11801 Prague 1

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [420] 257 022 000

FAX: [420] 257 022 809

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue

isosceles triangle based on the hoist side (identical to the flag of

the former Czechoslovakia)

Economy Czech Republic

Economy - overview:

The Czech Republic is one of the most stable and prosperous of the

post-Communist states of Central and Eastern Europe. Growth in

2000-05 was supported by exports to the EU, primarily to Germany,

and a strong recovery of foreign and domestic investment. Domestic

demand is playing an ever more important role in underpinning growth

as interest rates drop and the availability of credit cards and

mortgages increases. The current account deficit has declined to

around 3% of GDP as demand for Czech products in the European Union

has increased. Inflation is under control. Recent accession to the

EU gives further impetus and direction to structural reform. In

early 2004 the government passed increases in the Value Added Tax

(VAT) and tightened eligibility for social benefits with the

intention to bring the public finance gap down to 4% of GDP by 2006,

but more difficult pension and healthcare reforms will have to wait

until after the next elections. Privatization of the state-owned

telecommunications firm Cesky Telecom took place in 2005.

Intensified restructuring among large enterprises, improvements in

the financial sector, and effective use of available EU funds should

strengthen output growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$221.4 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$118.9 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$21,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.8% industry: 37.8% services: 59.4% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 5.31 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 4.1% industry: 37.6% services: 58.3% (2003)

Unemployment rate:

8.4% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.3% highest 10%: 22.4% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

27.3 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.7% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

26.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $57.88 billion

expenditures: $62.53 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

29.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, poultry

Industries:

metallurgy, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, glass,

armaments

Industrial production growth rate:

9.5% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

79.14 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 76.1% hydro: 2.9% nuclear: 20% other: 1% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

58.8 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

24.6 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

9.8 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

15,240 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - consumption:

203,100 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

26,670 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

182,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:

17.25 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

216 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

9.6 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

88 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

8.815 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

3.964 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-4.352 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$89.34 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment 52%, chemicals 5%, raw materials

and fuel 9% (2003)

Exports - partners:

Germany 33.5%, Slovakia 8.7%, Austria 5.5%, Poland 5.5%, France

5.3%, UK 4.6%, Italy 4.3% (2005)

Imports:

$87.7 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment 46%, raw materials and fuels 15%,

chemicals 10% (2003)

Imports - partners:

Germany 30%, Russia 5.7%, Slovakia 5.4%, China 5.1%, Poland 5%,

Italy 4.8%, France 4.5%, Netherlands 4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$30.99 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$50.2 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$2.4 billion in available EU structural adjustment and cohesion

funds (2004-06)

Currency (code):

Czech koruna (CZK)

Currency code:

CZK

Exchange rates:

koruny per US dollar - 22.3072 (2006), 23.957 (2005), 25.7 (2004),

28.209 (2003), 32.739 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Czech Republic

Telephones - main lines in use:

3,217,300 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

11.776 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: privatization and modernization of the Czech

telecommunication system got a late start but is advancing steadily;

growth in the use of mobile cellular telephones is particularly

vigorous

domestic: 86% of exchanges now digital; existing copper subscriber

systems now being enhanced with Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line

(ADSL) equipment to accommodate Internet and other digital signals;

trunk systems include fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay

international: country code - 420; satellite earth stations - 2

Intersputnik (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Intelsat, 1

Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 31, FM 304, shortwave 17 (2000)

Radios:

3,159,134 (December 2000)

Television broadcast stations:

150 (plus 1,434 repeaters) (2000)

Televisions:

3,405,834 (December 2000)

Internet country code:

.cz

Internet hosts:

1,267,265 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

more than 300 (2000)

Internet users:

5.1 million (2005)

Transportation Czech Republic

Airports: 121 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 46 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 19 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 75 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 25 under 914 m: 49 (2006)

Heliports:

2 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 7,010 km; oil 547 km; refined products 94 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 9,572 km

standard gauge: 9,473 km 1.435-m gauge (2,951 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 99 km 0.760-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 127,747 km

paved: 127,747 km (including 518 km of expressways) (2003)

Waterways:

664 km (principally on Elbe as well as Vltava and Oder rivers)

(2005)

Merchant marine:

registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem

Military Czech Republic

Military branches:

Army of the Czech Republic (ACR): Joint Forces Command (includes

air forces), Support and Training Forces Command (2006)

Military service age and obligation: 18-50 years of age for voluntary military service; on-going transformation of military service into a fully professional, all-volunteer force no longer dependent on conscription began in January 2004 and is scheduled to be completed by 2007 (2005)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 2,414,728

females age 18-49: 2,329,412 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,996,631

females age 18-49: 1,923,508 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 66,583

females age 18-49: 63,363 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$2.17 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.81% FY05

Transnational Issues Czech Republic

Disputes - international:

in February 2005, the ICJ refused to rule on the restitution of

Liechtenstein's land and property assets in the Czech Republic

confiscated in 1945 as German property; individual Sudeten Germans

seek restitution for property confiscated in connection with their

expulsion from Czechoslovakia after World War II; Austrian

anti-nuclear activists have revived blockades of the Czech-Austrian

border to protest operation of the Temelin nuclear power plant in

the Czech Republic

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and minor transit

point for Latin American cocaine to Western Europe; producer of

synthetic drugs for local and regional markets; susceptible to money

laundering related to drug trafficking, organized crime

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Denmark

Introduction Denmark

Background:

Once the seat of Viking raiders and later a major north European

power, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation that is

participating in the general political and economic integration of

Europe. It joined NATO in 1949 and the EEC (now the EU) in 1973.

However, the country has opted out of certain elements of the

European Union's Maastricht Treaty, including the European Economic

and Monetary Union (EMU), European defense cooperation, and issues

concerning certain justice and home affairs.

Geography Denmark

Location:

Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a

peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also includes two major

islands (Sjaelland and Fyn)

Geographic coordinates:

56 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 43,094 sq km

land: 42,394 sq km

water: 700 sq km

note: includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest

of metropolitan Denmark (the Jutland Peninsula, and the major

islands of Sjaelland and Fyn), but excludes the Faroe Islands and

Greenland

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts

Land boundaries: total: 68 km border countries: Germany 68 km

Coastline: 7,314 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool summers

Terrain:

low and flat to gently rolling plains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Lammefjord -7 m

highest point: Yding Skovhoej 173 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone, chalk, stone, gravel

and sand

Land use: arable land: 52.59% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 47.22% (2005)

Irrigated land:

4,490 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g., parts of

Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland) that are

protected from the sea by a system of dikes

Environment - current issues:

air pollution, principally from vehicle and power plant emissions;

nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of the North Sea; drinking and

surface water becoming polluted from animal wastes and pesticides

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,

Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,

Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,

Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking Baltic and

North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in greater

Copenhagen

People Denmark

Population:

5,450,661 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 18.7% (male 523,257/female 496,697)

15-64 years: 66.1% (male 1,815,240/female 1,787,406)

65 years and over: 15.2% (male 355,656/female 472,405) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 39.8 years

male: 38.9 years

female: 40.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.33% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

11.13 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

10.36 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

2.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

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

65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.51 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4.54 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.79 years

male: 75.49 years

female: 80.22 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.74 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

5,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Dane(s)

adjective: Danish

Ethnic groups:

Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian, Somali

Religions:

Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3%,

Muslim 2%

Languages:

Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small

minority)

note: English is the predominant second language

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government Denmark

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Denmark

conventional short form: Denmark

local long form: Kongeriget Danmark

local short form: Danmark

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Copenhagen

geographic coordinates: 55 40 N, 12 35 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

metropolitan Denmark - 14 counties (amter, singular - amt) and 2

boroughs* (amtskommuner, singular - amtskommune); Arhus, Bornholm,

Frederiksberg*, Frederiksborg, Fyn, Kobenhavn, Kobenhavn

(Copenhagen)*, Nordjylland, Ribe, Ringkobing, Roskilde,

Sonderjylland, Storstrom, Vejle, Vestsjalland, Viborg

note: as a result of an extensive 2005 local government reform, with

2006 being a transition year, 271 municipalities will be merged to

98 by 1 January 2007, and the 14 counties will be reorganized into

five regions

Independence:

first organized as a unified state in 10th century; in 1849 became

a constitutional monarchy

National holiday:

none designated; Constitution Day, 5 June (1849) is generally

viewed as the National Day

Constitution:

5 June 1849 adoption of original constitution; a major overhaul of

5 June 1953 allowed for a unicameral legislature and a female chief

of state

Legal system:

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972); Heir

Apparent Crown Prince FREDERIK, elder son of the monarch (born 26

May 1968)

head of government: Prime Minister Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN (since 27

November 2001)

cabinet: Council of State appointed by the monarch

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative

elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the

majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch

Legislative branch:

unicameral People's Assembly or Folketinget (179 seats, including 2

from Greenland and 2 from the Faroe Islands; members are elected by

popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve

four-year terms)

elections: last held 8 February 2005 (next to be held February 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 29%,

Social Democrats 25.9%, Danish People's Party 13.2%, Conservative

Party 10.3%, Social Liberal Party 9.2%, Socialist People's Party 6%,

Unity List 3.4%; seats by party - Liberal Party 52, Social Democrats

47, Danish People's Party 24, Conservative Party 18, Social Liberal

Party 17, Socialist People's Party 11, Unity List 6; note - does not

include the 2 seats from Greenland and the 2 seats from the Faroe

Islands

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch for life)

Political parties and leaders:

Christian Democrats (was Christian People's Party) [Bodil KORNBEK];

Conservative Party (sometimes known as Conservative People's Party)

[Bendt BENDTSEN]; Danish People's Party [Pia KJAERSGAARD]; Liberal

Party [Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN]; Red-Green Unity List (bloc includes

Left Socialist Party, Communist Party of Denmark, Socialist Workers'

Party) [collective leadership]; Social Democratic Party [Helle

THORNING-SCHMIDT]; Social Liberal Party (sometimes called the

Radical Left) [Marianne JELVED, leader; Soren BALD, chairman];

Socialist People's Party [Villy SOEVNDAL]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

AfDB, Arctic Council, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN,

EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,

ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NATO,

NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club,

PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,

UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU

(observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Friis Arne PETERSEN

chancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300

FAX: [1] (202) 328-1470

consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador James P. CAIN

embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen

mailing address: PSC 73, APO AE 09716

telephone: [45] 33 41 71 00

FAX: [45] 35 43 02 23

Flag description:

red with a white cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the

vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side, and that

design element of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) was subsequently

adopted by the other Nordic countries of Finland, Iceland, Norway,

and Sweden

Economy Denmark

Economy - overview:

The Danish economy is undergoing strong expansion fueled by private

consumption growth, low unemployment, rising real wages, and a

strong increase in house prices. This thoroughly modern market

economy features high-tech agriculture, up-to-date small-scale and

corporate industry, extensive government welfare measures,

comfortable living standards, a stable currency, and high dependence

on foreign trade. Denmark is a net exporter of food and energy and

enjoys a comfortable balance of payments surplus. Government

objectives include streamlining the bureaucracy and further

privatization of state assets. The government has been successful in

meeting, and even exceeding, the economic convergence criteria for

participating in the third phase (a common European currency) of the

European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), but Denmark has decided

not to join 12 other EU members in the euro. Nonetheless, the Danish

krone remains pegged to the euro. Economic growth gained momentum in

2004 and the upturn continued through 2006. Because of high GDP per

capita, welfare benefits, a low Gini index, and political stability,

the Danish people enjoy living standards topped by no other nation.

A major long-term issue will be the sharp decline in the ratio of

workers to retirees.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$198.5 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$256.3 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$37,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.4% industry: 24.6% services: 74% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 2.91 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 3% industry: 21% services: 76% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

4.5% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2%

highest 10%: 24% (2000 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

23.2 (2002)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.8% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

22.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $147 billion

expenditures: $138.9 billion; including capital expenditures of $4.6

billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:

28.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

barley, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets; pork, dairy products; fish

Industries:

iron, steel, nonferrous metals, chemicals, food processing,

machinery and transportation equipment, textiles and clothing,

electronics, construction, furniture and other wood products,

shipbuilding and refurbishment, windmills, pharmaceuticals, medical

equipment

Industrial production growth rate:

2.5% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

38.02 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 82.7% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 17.3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

32.56 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

11.5 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

8.7 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

391,400 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

185,300 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

332,100 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

195,000 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

1.23 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

9.43 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

5.171 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

4.099 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

99.99 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$4.941 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$93.93 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, dairy products,

fish, chemicals, furniture, ships, windmills

Exports - partners:

Germany 17.6%, Sweden 13.2%, UK 8.7%, US 6.4%, France 5.5%,

Netherlands 5.3%, Norway 5.1% (2005)

Imports:

$89.32 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, raw materials and semimanufactures for

industry, chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners:

Germany 20.5%, Sweden 13.8%, Norway 6.6%, Netherlands 6.5%, UK

5.9%, China 4.7%, France 4.2%, Italy 4.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$30.38 billion (August 2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$405 billion (30 June 2006)

Economic aid - donor:

ODA, $2 billion (2004)

Currency (code):

Danish krone (DKK)

Currency code:

DKK

Exchange rates:

Danish kroner per US dollar - 5.93667 (2006), 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911

(2004), 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Denmark

Telephones - main lines in use:

3.35 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

5.469 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: excellent telephone and telegraph services

domestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form

trunk network, 4 cellular mobile communications systems

international: country code - 45; 18 submarine fiber-optic cables

linking Denmark with Canada, Faroe Islands, Germany, Iceland,

Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and UK; satellite earth

stations - 6 Intelsat, 10 Eutelsat, 1 Orion, 1 Inmarsat

(Blaavand-Atlantic-East); note - the Nordic countries (Denmark,

Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) share the Danish earth station

and the Eik, Norway, station for worldwide Inmarsat access (1997)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 355, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

6.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

26 (plus 51 repeaters) (1998)

Televisions:

3.121 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.dk

Internet hosts:

2,415,530 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

13 (2000)

Internet users:

3,762,500 (2005)

Transportation Denmark

Airports: 92 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 28 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 64 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 61 (2006)

Pipelines:

condensate 12 km; gas 3,931 km; oil 626 km; oil/gas/water 2 km

(2006)

Railways:

total: 2,673 km

standard gauge: 2,673 km 1.435-m gauge (601 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:

total: 72,257 km

paved: 72,257 km (including 1,032 km of expressways) (2005)

Waterways:

400 km (2001)

Merchant marine:

total: 293 ships (1000 GRT or over) 7,986,735 GRT/9,936,431 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 7, cargo 63, chemical tanker 48, container 86,

liquefied gas 4, livestock carrier 2, passenger 1, passenger/cargo

40, petroleum tanker 23, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 8,

specialized tanker 4

foreign-owned: 25 (Canada 1, Germany 13, Greece 5, Greenland 1,

Norway 3, Sweden 1, UK 1)

registered in other countries: 409 (Antigua and Barbuda 14, Bahamas

59, Belgium 4, Cayman Islands 5, Cyprus 1, Egypt 1, Estonia 2,

France 1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 2, Gibraltar 1, Hong

Kong 6, Isle of Man 53, North Korea 1, Liberia 8, Lithuania 10,

Malta 6, Marshall Islands 1, Mexico 2, Netherlands 9, Netherlands

Antilles 1, Norway 32, Panama 34, Portugal 4, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines 14, Singapore 52, South Africa 1, Spain 1, Sweden 4, UK

46, US 24, Vanuatu 6, Venezuela 3, Vietnam 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Aalborg, Aarhus, Asnaesvaerkets, Copenhagen, Elsinore, Ensted,

Esbjerg, Fredericia, Frederikshavn, Kalundborg, Odense, Roenne

Military Denmark

Military branches:

Defense Command: Army Operational Command, Admiral Danish Fleet,

Tactical Air Command (2006)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and volunteer military service; conscripts serve an initial training period that varies from four to 12 months according to specialization; reservists are assigned to mobilization units following completion of their conscript service; women eligible to volunteer for military service (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,175,108

females age 18-49: 1,150,627 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 955,168

females age 18-49: 935,643 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 31,317

females age 18-49: 29,558 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$3,271.6 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.5% (2004)

Transnational Issues Denmark

Disputes - international:

Iceland disputes the Faroe Islands' fisheries median line; Iceland,

the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands'

continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm; Faroese continue to study

proposals for full independence; uncontested sovereignty dispute

with Canada over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between

Ellesmere Island and Greenland

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Dhekelia

Introduction Dhekelia

Background:

By terms of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment that created the

independent Republic of Cyprus, the UK retained full sovereignty and

jurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilometers -

Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The larger of these is the Dhekelia Sovereign

Base Area, which is also referred to as the Eastern Sovereign Base

Area.

Geography Dhekelia

Location:

on the southeast coast of Cyprus near Famagusta

Geographic coordinates:

34 59 N, 33 45 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 130.8 sq km

note: area surrounds three Cypriot enclaves

Area - comparative:

about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

total: NA; note - boundary with Cyprus is being resurveyed

Coastline:

27.5 km

Climate:

temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters

Environment - current issues:

netting and trapping of small migrant songbirds in the spring and

autumn

Geography - note:

British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small

off-post sites scattered across Cyprus

People Dhekelia

Population:

no indigenous personnel

note: approximately 2,200 military personnel are on the base; there

are another 5,000 British citizens who are families of military

personnel or civilian staff on both the bases of Akrotiri and

Dhekelia; Cyprus citizens work on the base, but do not live there

Languages:

English, Greek

Government Dhekelia

Country name:

conventional long form: Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area

conventional short form: Dhekelia

Dependency status:

overseas territory of UK; administered by an administrator who is

also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus

Capital:

name: Episkopi Cantonment; located in Akrotiri

geographic coordinates: 34 40 N, 32 51 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Constitution:

Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council

1960, effective 16 August 1960

Legal system:

the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

Executive branch:

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

head of government: Administrator Air Vice-Marshal Richard LACEY

(since 26 April 2006); note - reports to the British Ministry of

Defence

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

appointed by the monarch

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:

the flag of the UK is used

Economy Dhekelia

Economy - overview:

Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military

and their families located in Dhekelia. All food and manufactured

goods must be imported.

Industries:

none

Currency (code):

Cypriot pound (CYP)

Exchange rates:

Cypriot pounds per US dollar - 0.46019 (2006), 0.4641 (2005),

0.4686 (2004), 0.5174 (2003), 0.6107 (2002)

Communications Dhekelia

Radio broadcast stations: FM 1 (located in Akrotiri) note: British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia (2006)

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

Military Dhekelia

Military - note:

includes Dhekelia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station connected by

a roadway

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Djibouti

Introduction Djibouti

Background:

The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became Djibouti in

1977. Hassan Gouled APTIDON installed an authoritarian one-party

state and proceeded to serve as president until 1999. Unrest among

the Afars minority during the 1990s led to a civil war that ended in

2001 following the conclusion of a peace accord between Afar rebels

and the Issa-dominated government. In 1999, Djibouti's first

multi-party presidential elections resulted in the election of

Ismail Omar GUELLEH; he was re-elected to a second and final term in

2005. Djibouti occupies a strategic geographic location at the mouth

of the Red Sea and serves as an important transshipment location for

goods entering and leaving the east African highlands. The present

leadership favors close ties to France, which maintains a

significant military presence in the country, but is also developing

stronger ties with the US. Djibouti hosts the only US military base

in sub-Saharan Africa and is a front-line state in the global war on

terrorism.

Geography Djibouti

Location:

Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between

Eritrea and Somalia

Geographic coordinates:

11 30 N, 43 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 23,000 sq km

land: 22,980 sq km

water: 20 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Land boundaries: total: 516 km border countries: Eritrea 109 km, Ethiopia 349 km, Somalia 58 km

Coastline: 314 km

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

Climate:

desert; torrid, dry

Terrain:

coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Lac Assal -155 m

highest point: Moussa Ali 2,028 m

Natural resources:

geothermal areas, gold, clay, granite, limestone, marble, salt,

diatomite, gypsum, pumice, petroleum

Land use: arable land: 0.04% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.96% (2005)

Irrigated land:

10 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the

Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods

Environment - current issues:

inadequate supplies of potable water; limited arable land;

desertification; endangered species

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and close to

Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia; mostly

wasteland; Lac Assal (Lake Assal) is the lowest point in Africa

People Djibouti

Population:

486,530 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 43.3% (male 105,760/female 105,068)

15-64 years: 53.3% (male 135,119/female 124,367)

65 years and over: 3.3% (male 8,183/female 8,033) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.2 years

male: 18.7 years

female: 17.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.02% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

39.53 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

19.31 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 102.44 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 110.07 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 94.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 43.17 years

male: 41.86 years

female: 44.52 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.31 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

2.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

9,100 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

690 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified

among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a

negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens

who have close contact with birds (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Djiboutian(s)

adjective: Djiboutian

Ethnic groups:

Somali 60%, Afar 35%, French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian 5%

Religions:

Muslim 94%, Christian 6%

Languages:

French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 67.9%

male: 78%

female: 58.4% (2003 est.)

Government Djibouti

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti

conventional short form: Djibouti

local long form: Republique de Djibouti/Jumhuriyat Jibuti

local short form: Djibouti/Jibuti

former: French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Djibouti

geographic coordinates: 11 30 N, 43 15 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

6 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); Ali Sabieh, Arta, Dikhil,

Djibouti, Obock, Tadjourah

Independence:

27 June 1977 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 27 June (1977)

Constitution:

multiparty constitution approved by referendum 4 September 1992

Legal system:

based on French civil law system, traditional practices, and

Islamic law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May 1999)

head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed Dileita DILEITA (since 4

March 2001)

cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 8 April 2005 (next

to be held by April 2011); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Ismail Omar GUELLEH reelected president; percent

of vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH 100%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (65 seats;

members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)

elections: last held 10 January 2003 (next to be held January 2008)

election results: percent of vote - RPP 62.2%, FRUD 36.9%; seats -

RPP 65, FRUD 0; note - RPP (the ruling party) dominated the election

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic National Party or PND [ADEN Robleh Awaleh]; Democratic

Renewal Party or PRD [Abdillahi HAMARITEH]; Djibouti Development

Party or PDD [Mohamed Daoud CHEHEM]; Front pour la Restauration de

l'Unite Democratique or FRUD [Ali Mohamed DAOUD]; People's Progress

Assembly or RPP [Ismail Omar GUELLEH] (governing party); Peoples

Social Democratic Party or PPSD [Moumin Bahdon FARAH]; Republican

Alliance for Democracy or ARD [Ahmed Dini AHMED]; Union for

Democracy and Justice or UDJ

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Union for Presidential Majority UMP (coalition includes RPP, FRUD,

PPSD and PND); Union for Democratic Changeover or UAD (opposition

coalition includes ARD, MRDD, UDJ, and PDD) [Ahmed Dini AHMED]

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,

ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, ITUC, LAS, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW (signatory),

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Roble OLHAYE Oudine

chancery: Suite 515, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005

telephone: [1] (202) 331-0270

FAX: [1] (202) 331-0302

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador W. Stuart SYMINGTON embassy: Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti mailing address: B. P. 185, Djibouti telephone: [253] 35 39 95 FAX: [253] 35 39 40

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of light blue (top) and light green with

a white isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a red

five-pointed star in the center

Economy Djibouti

Economy - overview:

The economy is based on service activities connected with the

country's strategic location and status as a free trade zone in

northeast Africa. Two-thirds of the inhabitants live in the capital

city; the remainder are mostly nomadic herders. Scanty rainfall

limits crop production to fruits and vegetables, and most food must

be imported. Djibouti provides services as both a transit port for

the region and an international transshipment and refueling center.

Djibouti has few natural resources and little industry. The nation

is, therefore, heavily dependent on foreign assistance to help

support its balance of payments and to finance development projects.

An unemployment rate of at least 50% continues to be a major

problem. While inflation is not a concern, due to the fixed tie of

the Djiboutian franc to the US dollar, the artificially high value

of the Djiboutian franc adversely affects Djibouti's balance of

payments. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% over the

last seven years because of recession, civil war, and a high

population growth rate (including immigrants and refugees). Faced

with a multitude of economic difficulties, the government has fallen

in arrears on long-term external debt and has been struggling to

meet the stipulations of foreign aid donors.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$619 million (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$702 million (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.2% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,000 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17.9% industry: 22.5% services: 59.6% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 282,000 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

50% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:

50% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3% (2005 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $135 million

expenditures: $182 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(1999 est.)

Agriculture - products:

fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels, animal hides

Industries:

construction, agricultural processing

Industrial production growth rate:

3% (1996 est.)

Electricity - production:

200 million kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

186 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

11,900 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$250 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit)

Exports - partners:

Somalia 66.3%, Ethiopia 21.5%, Yemen 3.4% (2005)

Imports:

$987 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products

Imports - partners:

Saudi Arabia 21.9%, India 18.7%, China 10.1%, Ethiopia 4.8%, France

4.7%, US 4.3%, Japan 4.2% (2005)

Debt - external:

$394 million (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$64.1 million (2004)

Currency (code):

Djiboutian franc (DJF)

Currency code:

DJF

Exchange rates:

Djiboutian francs per US dollar - 177.72 (2005), 177.72 (2004),

177.72 (2003), 177.72 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Djibouti

Telephones - main lines in use:

11,100 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

34,500 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: telephone facilities in the city of Djibouti

are adequate, as are the microwave radio relay connections to

outlying areas of the country

domestic: microwave radio relay network

international: country code - 253; submarine cable to Jiddah, Suez,

Sicily, Marseille, Colombo, and Singapore; satellite earth stations

- 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; Medarabtel regional

microwave radio relay telephone network

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios:

52,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2002)

Televisions:

28,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.dj

Internet hosts:

1,540 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

9,000 (2005)

Transportation Djibouti

Airports: 13 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 3

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 10

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Railways:

total: 100 km (Djibouti segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway)

narrow gauge: 100 km 1.000-m gauge

note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2005)

Roadways:

total: 2,890 km

paved: 364 km

unpaved: 2,526 km (1999)

Merchant marine:

total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,369 GRT/3,030 DWT

by type: cargo 1 (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Djibouti

Military Djibouti

Military branches:

Djibouti National Army (includes Navy and Air Force)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 95,328

females age 18-49: 87,795 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 46,020

females age 18-49: 42,181 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$29.05 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

4.3% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Djibouti

Disputes - international:

Djibouti maintains economic ties and border accords with

"Somaliland" leadership while maintaining some political ties to

various factions in Somalia; thousands of Somali refugees await

repatriation in UNHCR camps in Djibouti

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 9,828 (Somalia) (2006)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Djibouti is a source, transit, and destination

country for women and children trafficked for the purposes of sexual

exploitation and possibly forced labor; small numbers are trafficked

from Ethiopia and Somalia for sexual exploitation; economic migrants

from these countries also fall victim to trafficking upon reaching

Djibouti City or the Ethiopia-Djibouti trucking corridor; women and

children from neighboring countries reportedly transit Djibouti to

Arab countries and Somalia for ultimate use in forced labor or

sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Djibouti does not fully comply with

the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however,

it is making significant efforts to do so based partly on the

government's commitments to undertake future action

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Dominica

Introduction Dominica

Background:

Dominica was the last of the Caribbean islands to be colonized by

Europeans due chiefly to the fierce resistance of the native Caribs.

France ceded possession to Great Britain in 1763, which made the

island a colony in 1805. In 1980, two years after independence,

Dominica's fortunes improved when a corrupt and tyrannical

administration was replaced by that of Mary Eugenia CHARLES, the

first female prime minister in the Caribbean, who remained in office

for 15 years. Some 3,000 Carib Indians still living on Dominica are

the only pre-Columbian population remaining in the eastern Caribbean.

Geography Dominica

Location:

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic

Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and

Tobago

Geographic coordinates:

15 25 N, 61 20 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 754 sq km

land: 754 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

148 km

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

Climate:

tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall

Terrain:

rugged mountains of volcanic origin

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m

Natural resources: timber, hydropower, arable land

Land use: arable land: 6.67% permanent crops: 21.33% other: 72% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be

expected during the late summer months

Environment - current issues:

NA

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to its

spectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protected

by an extensive natural park system; the most mountainous of the

Lesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters and

include Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake in

the world

People Dominica

Population:

68,910 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 26.1% (male 9,084/female 8,885)

15-64 years: 66% (male 23,419/female 22,079)

65 years and over: 7.9% (male 2,186/female 3,257) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 30.1 years

male: 29.8 years

female: 30.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.08% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

15.27 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

6.73 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-9.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 13.71 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 18.09 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 9.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 74.87 years

male: 71.95 years

female: 77.93 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.94 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality: noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican

Ethnic groups:

black, mixed black and European, European, Syrian, Carib Amerindian

Religions:

Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%, Pentecostal 3%,

Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%), other 6%, none 2%

Languages:

English (official), French patois

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 94%

male: 94%

female: 94% (2003 est.)

Government Dominica

Country name:

conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica

conventional short form: Dominica

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Roseau

geographic coordinates: 15 18 N, 61 24 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John,

Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint Paul,

Saint Peter

Independence:

3 November 1978 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 3 November (1978)

Constitution:

3 November 1978

Legal system:

based on English common law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (since October

2003)

head of government: Prime Minister Roosevelt SKERRIT (since 8

January 2004)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the

prime minister

elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for a

five-year term; election last held 1 October 2003 (next to be held

October 2008); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Nicholas LIVERPOOL elected president; percent of

legislative vote - NA%

Legislative branch:

unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats, 9 appointed senators, 21

elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 5 May 2005 (next to be held by 5 August 2010);

note - tradition dictates that the election will be held within five

years of the last election, but technically it is five years from

the first seating of parliament (12 May 2005) plus a 90-day grace

period

election results: percent of vote by party - DLP 52.07%, UWP 43.6%,

DFP 3.15%; seats by party - DLP 12, UWP 8, independent 1

Judicial branch:

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the Court of Appeal

and the High Court (located in Saint Lucia; one of the six judges

must reside in Dominica and preside over the Court of Summary

Jurisdiction)

Political parties and leaders:

Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Charles SAVARIN]; Dominica Labor

Party or DLP [Roosevelt SKERRIT]; Dominica United Workers Party or

UWP [Earl WILLIAMS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party)

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,

IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU,

ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Swinburne A.S. LESTRADE chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6791 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; the US Ambassador to

Barbados is accredited to Dominica

Flag description:

green, with a centered cross of three equal bands - the vertical

part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white and the horizontal

part is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in the center

of the cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrot encircled by 10

green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10 stars represent

the 10 administrative divisions (parishes)

Economy Dominica

Economy - overview:

The Dominican economy depends on agriculture, primarily bananas,

and remains highly vulnerable to climatic conditions and

international economic developments. Tourism has increased as the

government seeks to promote Dominica as an "ecotourism" destination.

Development of the tourism industry remains difficult, however,

because of the rugged coastline, lack of beaches, and the absence of

an international airport. The government began a comprehensive

restructuring of the economy in 2003 - including elimination of

price controls, privatization of the state banana company, and tax

increases - to address Dominica's economic crisis and to meet IMF

targets. In order to diversify the island's production base, the

government is attempting to develop an offshore financial sector and

is planning to construct an oil refinery on the eastern part of the

island.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$384 million (2003 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$279 million (2005)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.1% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$3,800 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17.7% industry: 32.8% services: 49.5% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 25,000 (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 40% industry: 32% services: 28%

Unemployment rate:

23% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:

30% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

-0.1% (2005 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $73.9 million

expenditures: $84.4 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2001)

Agriculture - products: bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts, cocoa; forest and fishery potential not exploited

Industries:

soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes

Industrial production growth rate:

-10% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:

83.88 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 47.1% hydro: 52.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

78.01 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

900 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$74 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges

Exports - partners:

UK 26.8%, Jamaica 10%, South Korea 8.9%, Antigua and Barbuda 8.8%,

Guyana 7.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.8%, US 4%, Saint Lucia 4% (2005)

Imports:

$234 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals

Imports - partners:

US 25.5%, China 20.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 12.4%, South Korea 7.1%,

Japan 4.7%, UK 4.4% (2005)

Debt - external:

$213 million (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:

$29.2 million (2004 est.)

Currency (code):

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:

XCD

Exchange rates:

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7

(2003), 2.7 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 July - 30 June

Communications Dominica

Telephones - main lines in use:

21,000 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

41,800 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: fully automatic network

international: country code - 1-767; microwave radio relay and SHF

radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF

radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:

46,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2004)

Televisions:

6,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.dm

Internet hosts:

263 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

16 (2000)

Internet users:

20,500 (2005)

Transportation Dominica

Airports: 2 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)

Roadways: total: 780 km paved: 393 km unpaved: 387 km (1999)

Merchant marine:

total: 48 ships (1000 GRT or over) 634,668 GRT/1,100,558 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 24, chemical tanker 4, container 2,

petroleum tanker 6, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 1,

vehicle carrier 1

foreign-owned: 45 (Estonia 11, Germany 1, Greece 5, Latvia 1, Norway

1, NZ 4, Russia 2, Saudi Arabia 3, Singapore 9, Syria 1, Turkey 3,

UAE 2, Ukraine 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Portsmouth, Roseau

Military Dominica

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force

(includes coast guard)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 18,227 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 15,136 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 602 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

NA

Transnational Issues Dominica

Disputes - international:

Dominica is the only Caribbean state to challenge Venezuela's

sovereignty claim over Aves Island and joins the other island

nations in challenging whether the feature sustains human

habitation, a criterion under the UN Convention on the Law of the

Sea (UNCLOS), which permits Venezuela to extend its Exclusive

Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf claims over a large

portion of the Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe;

minor cannabis producer; anti-money-laundering enforcement is weak,

making the country particularly vulnerable to money laundering

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Dominican Republic

Introduction Dominican Republic

Background:

Explored and claimed by Christopher COLUMBUS on his first voyage in

1492, the island of Hispaniola became a springboard for Spanish

conquest of the Caribbean and the American mainland. In 1697, Spain

recognized French dominion over the western third of the island,

which in 1804 became Haiti. The remainder of the island, by then

known as Santo Domingo, sought to gain its own independence in 1821,

but was conquered and ruled by the Haitians for 22 years; it finally

attained independence as the Dominican Republic in 1844. In 1861,

the Dominicans voluntarily returned to the Spanish Empire, but two

years later they launched a war that restored independence in 1865.

A legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative rule followed,

capped by the dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas TRUJILLO from

1930-1961. Juan BOSCH was elected president in 1962, but was deposed

in a military coup in 1963. In 1965, the United States led an

intervention in the midst of a civil war sparked by an uprising to

restore BOSCH. In 1966, Joaquin BALAGUER defeated BOSCH in an

election to become president. BALAGUER maintained a tight grip on

power for most of the next 30 years when international reaction to

flawed elections forced him to curtail his term in 1996. Since then,

regular competitive elections have been held in which opposition

candidates have won the presidency. Former President (1996-2000)

Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna won election to a second term in 2004

following a constitutional amendment allowing presidents to serve

more than one term.

Geography Dominican Republic

Location:

Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between

the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti

Geographic coordinates:

19 00 N, 70 40 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 48,730 sq km

land: 48,380 sq km

water: 350 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire

Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: Haiti 360 km

Coastline: 1,288 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 6 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal

variation in rainfall

Terrain:

rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m

Natural resources:

nickel, bauxite, gold, silver

Land use:

arable land: 22.49%

permanent crops: 10.26%

other: 67.25% (2005)

Irrigated land:

2,750 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe

storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs;

deforestation

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note: shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti

People Dominican Republic

Population:

9,183,984 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 32.6% (male 1,531,145/female 1,464,076)

15-64 years: 61.9% (male 2,902,098/female 2,782,608)

65 years and over: 5.5% (male 235,016/female 269,041) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 24.1 years

male: 24 years

female: 24.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.47% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

23.22 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

5.73 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-2.79 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

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

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 28.25 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 30.58 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 25.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71.73 years

male: 70.21 years

female: 73.33 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.83 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

88,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

7,900 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican

Ethnic groups:

mixed 73%, white 16%, black 11%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 95%

Languages:

Spanish

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 84.7%

male: 84.6%

female: 84.8% (2003 est.)

Government Dominican Republic

Country name:

conventional long form: Dominican Republic

conventional short form: The Dominican

local long form: Republica Dominicana

local short form: La Dominicana

Government type:

representative democracy

Capital:

name: Santo Domingo

geographic coordinates: 18 28 N, 69 54 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

31 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 district*

(distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*,

Duarte, El Seibo, Elias Pina, Espaillat, Hato Mayor, Independencia,

La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor

Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata,

Salcedo, Samana, San Cristobal, San Jose de Ocoa, San Juan, San

Pedro de Macoris, Sanchez Ramirez, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez,

Santo Domingo, Valverde

Independence:

27 February 1844 (from Haiti)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 27 February (1844)

Constitution:

28 November 1966; amended 25 July 2002

Legal system:

based on French civil codes; Criminal Procedures Code modified in

2004 to include important elements of an accusatory system; accepts

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons

regardless of age

note: members of the armed forces and national police cannot vote

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August

2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16 August

2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16

August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16

August 2004)

cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket

by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second

consecutive term); election last held 16 May 2004 (next to be held

in May 2008)

election results: Leonel FERNANDEZ elected president; percent of

vote - Leonel FERNANDEZ (PLD) 57.1%, Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez

(PRD) 33.7%, Eduardo ESTRELLA (PRSC) 8.7%

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the

Senate or Senado (32 seats; members are elected by popular vote to

serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de

Diputados (178 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve

four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 16 May 2006 (next to be held in May

2008); House of Representatives - last held 16 May 2006 (next to be

held in May 2008)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - PLD 22, PRD 6, PRSC 4; House of Representatives - percent of

vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLD 96, PRD 60, PRSC 22

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by the

National Judicial Council comprised of the president, the leaders of

both chambers of congress, the president of the Supreme Court, and

an additional non-governing party congressional representative)

Political parties and leaders:

Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna];

Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Ramon ALBURQUERQUE]; National

Progressive Front [Vincent CASTILLO, Pelegrin CASTILLO]; Social

Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Enrique ANTUN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Citizen Participation Group (Participacion Ciudadania); Collective

of Popular Organizations or COP; Foundation for Institution-Building

and Justice (FINJUS)

International organization participation:

ACP, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory),

ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA

(observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,

WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Flavio Dario ESPINAL Jacobo chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280 FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057 consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Boston, Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hans H. HERTELL embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500 telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171 FAX: [1] (809) 686-7437

Flag description:

a centered white cross that extends to the edges divides the flag

into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red,

and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat of

arms featuring a shield supported by an olive branch (left) and a

palm branch (right) is at the center of the cross; above the shield

a blue ribbon displays the motto, DIOS, PATRIA, LIBERTAD (God,

Fatherland, Liberty), and below the shield, REPUBLICA DOMINICANA

appears on a red ribbon

Economy Dominican Republic

Economy - overview:

The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean representative democracy that

enjoyed strong GDP growth until 2003. Although the country has long

been viewed primarily as an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco,

in recent years the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the

economy's largest employer due to growth in tourism and free trade

zones. Growth turned negative in 2003 with reduced tourism, a major

bank fraud, and limited growth in the US economy (the source of

about 80% of export revenues), but recovered in 2004-06. With the

help of strict fiscal targets agreed in the 2004 renegotiation of an

IMF standby loan, President FERNANDEZ has stabilized the country's

financial situation. Although the economy continues to grow at a

respectable rate, high unemployment and inflation remain important

challenges. The country suffers from marked income inequality; the

poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GNP,

while the richest 10% enjoys nearly 40% of national income. The

Dominican Republic's development prospects improved with the

ratification of the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade

Agreement (CAFTA-DR) in September 2005.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$73.74 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$19.91 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$8,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.2% industry: 30.6% services: 58.2% (2005 est.)

Labor force: 3.896 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 17% industry: 24.3% services: 58.7% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate:

16% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

25%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 37.9% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

47.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

8.2% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

15.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $5.852 billion

expenditures: $5.947 billion; including capital expenditures of $1.1

billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:

45.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes,

corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef, eggs

Industries:

tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles,

cement, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:

2% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:

15.02 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 92% hydro: 7.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0.4% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

13.96 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

11.95 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

127,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

129,900 bbl/day (2003)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

130 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

130 million cu m

Current account balance:

$-1.124 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$6.495 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats,

consumer goods

Exports - partners:

US 78.9%, Netherlands 2.4%, Mexico 1.9% (2005)

Imports:

$11.39 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and

pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners:

US 50%, Colombia 6.2%, Mexico 5.8% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.106 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$8.634 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$571.6 million (2004)

Currency (code):

Dominican peso (DOP)

Currency code:

DOP

Exchange rates:

Dominican pesos per US dollar - 33.6046 (2006), 30.409 (2005),

42.12 (2004), 30.831 (2003), 18.61 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Dominican Republic

Telephones - main lines in use:

894,500 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

3.623 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: relatively efficient system based on island-wide microwave

radio relay network

international: country code - 1-809; 1 coaxial submarine cable;

satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:

1.44 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

25 (2003)

Televisions:

770,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.do

Internet hosts:

91,895 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

24 (2000)

Internet users:

938,300 (2005)

Transportation Dominican Republic

Airports: 33 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 19 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 10 (2006)

Railways:

total: 517 km

standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge

note: additional 1,226 km operated by sugar companies in 1.076 m,

0.889 m, and 0.762-m gauges (2005)

Roadways:

total: 12,600 km

paved: 6,224 km

unpaved: 6,376 km (1999)

Merchant marine:

total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,587 GRT/1,165 DWT

by type: cargo 1 (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Boca Chica, Puerto Plata, Rio Haina, Santo Domingo

Military Dominican Republic

Military branches:

Army, Navy, Air Force

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 2,133,142

females age 18-49: 2,032,840 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,671,493

females age 18-49: 1,536,257 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 91,699

females age 18-49: 87,550 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$0 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0% (2002 est.)

Transnational Issues Dominican Republic

Disputes - international: increasing numbers of illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage each year to Puerto Rico to find work

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US

and Europe; has become a transshipment point for ecstasy from the

Netherlands and Belgium destined for US and Canada; substantial

money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor the

Dominican Republic for illicit financial transactions

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@East Timor

Introduction East Timor

Background:

The Portuguese began to trade with the island of Timor in the early

16th century and colonized it in mid-century. Skirmishing with the

Dutch in the region eventually resulted in an 1859 treaty in which

Portugal ceded the western portion of the island. Imperial Japan

occupied East Timor from 1942 to 1945, but Portugal resumed colonial

authority after the Japanese defeat in World War II. East Timor

declared itself independent from Portugal on 28 November 1975 and

was invaded and occupied by Indonesian forces nine days later. It

was incorporated into Indonesia in July 1976 as the province of East

Timor. An unsuccessful campaign of pacification followed over the

next two decades, during which an estimated 100,000 to 250,000

individuals lost their lives. On 30 August 1999, in a UN-supervised

popular referendum, an overwhelming majority of the people of East

Timor voted for independence from Indonesia. Between the referendum

and the arrival of a multinational peacekeeping force in late

September 1999, anti-independence Timorese militias - organized and

supported by the Indonesian military - commenced a large-scale,

scorched-earth campaign of retribution. The militias killed

approximately 1,400 Timorese and forcibly pushed 300,000 people into

West Timor as refugees. The majority of the country's

infrastructure, including homes, irrigation systems, water supply

systems, and schools, and nearly 100% of the country's electrical

grid were destroyed. On 20 September 1999 the Australian-led

peacekeeping troops of the International Force for East Timor

(INTERFET) deployed to the country and brought the violence to an

end. On 20 May 2002, East Timor was internationally recognized as an

independent state. In March of 2006, a military strike led to

violence and a near breakdown of law and order. Over 2,000

Australian, New Zealand, and Portuguese police and peacekeepers

deployed to East Timor in late May. Although many of the

peacekeepers were replaced by UN police officers, 850 Australian

soldiers remained as of 1 January 2007.

Geography East Timor

Location:

Southeastern Asia, northwest of Australia in the Lesser Sunda

Islands at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago; note -

East Timor includes the eastern half of the island of Timor, the

Oecussi (Ambeno) region on the northwest portion of the island of

Timor, and the islands of Pulau Atauro and Pulau Jaco

Geographic coordinates:

8 50 S, 125 55 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 15,007 sq km

land: NA sq km

water: NA sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Connecticut

Land boundaries: total: 228 km border countries: Indonesia 228 km

Coastline: 706 km

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

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons

Terrain:

mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m

Natural resources: gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble

Land use: arable land: 8.2% permanent crops: 4.57% other: 87.23% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,065 sq km (est.)

Natural hazards:

floods and landslides are common; earthquakes, tsunamis, tropical

cyclones

Environment - current issues:

widespread use of slash and burn agriculture has led to

deforestation and soil erosion

Environment - international agreements:

NA

Geography - note:

Timor comes from the Malay word for "East"; the island of Timor is

part of the Malay Archipelago and is the largest and easternmost of

the Lesser Sunda Islands

People East Timor

Population: 1,062,777 note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 36.3% (male 196,293/female 189,956)

15-64 years: 60.6% (male 328,111/female 315,401)

65 years and over: 3.1% (male 16,072/female 16,944) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 20.8 years

male: 20.8 years

female: 20.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.08% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

26.99 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

6.24 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 45.89 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 52.03 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 39.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 66.26 years

male: 63.96 years

female: 68.67 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.53 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Timorese

adjective: Timorese

Ethnic groups:

Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese minority

Religions:

Roman Catholic 98%, Muslim 1%, Protestant 1% (2005)

Languages:

Tetum (official), Portuguese (official), Indonesian, English

note: there are about 16 indigenous languages; Tetum, Galole,

Mambae, and Kemak are spoken by significant numbers of people

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 58.6%

male: NA%

female: NA% (2002)

Government East Timor

Country name:

conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste

conventional short form: East Timor

local long form: Republika Demokratika Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum];

Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste [Portuguese]

local short form: Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum]; Timor-Leste [Portuguese]

former: Portuguese Timor

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Dili

geographic coordinates: 8 35 S, 125 36 E

time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

13 administrative districts; Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro

(Maliana), Cova-Lima (Suai), Dili, Ermera, Lautem (Los Palos),

Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oecussi (Ambeno), Viqueque

Independence:

28 November 1975 (date of proclamation of independence from

Portugal); note - 20 May 2002 is the official date of international

recognition of East Timor's independence from Indonesia

National holiday:

Independence Day, 28 November (1975)

Constitution:

22 March 2002 (based on the Portuguese model)

Legal system:

UN-drafted legal system based on Indonesian law remains in place

but are to be replaced by civil and penal codes based on Portuguese

law; these have passed but have not been promulgated

Suffrage:

17 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO (since 20 May

2002); note - the president plays a largely symbolic role but is

able to veto legislation, dissolve parliament, and call national

elections; he formerly used the name Jose Alexandre GUSMAO

head of government: Prime Minister Jose RAMOS-HORTA (since 10 July

2006); First Deputy Prime Minister Estanlislau Maria Alexio da SILVA

(since 10 July 2006); Second Deputy Prime Minister Rui Maria do

ARAUJO (since 10 July 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 14 April 2002 (next

to be held 9 April 2007)

election results: Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO elected president; percent

of vote - Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO 82.7%, Francisco Xavier do AMARAL

17.3%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Parliament (number of seats can vary, minimum

requirement of 52 and a maximum of 65 seats; members elected by

popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - for its first term of

office, the National Parliament is comprised of 88 members on an

exceptional basis

elections: (next to be held in May 2007); direct elections for

national parliament were never held; elected delegates to the

national convention adopted a constitution and named themselves

legislators instead of having elections; hence the exceptional

numbers for this term of the national parliament

election results: percent of vote by party - FRETILIN 57.37%, PD

8.72%, PSD 8.18%, ASDT 7.84%, UDT 2.36%, PNT 2.21%, KOTA 2.13%, PPT

2.01%, PDC 1.98%, PST 1.78%, independents/other 5.42%; seats by

party - FRETILIN 55, PD 7, PSD 6, ASDT 6, PDC 2, UDT 2, KOTA 2, PNT

2, PPT 2, UDC/PDC 1, PST 1, PL 1, independent 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Justice - constitution calls for one judge to be

appointed by National Parliament and rest appointed by Superior

Council for Judiciary; note - until Supreme Court is established,

Court of Appeals is highest court

Political parties and leaders:

Associacao Social-Democrata Timorense or ASDT [Francisco Xavier do

AMARAL]; Christian Democratic Party of Timor or PDC [Antonio

XIMENES]; Christian Democratic Union of Timor or UDC [Vicente da

Silva GUTERRES]; Democratic Party or PD [Fernando de ARAUJO];

People's Party of Timor or PPT [Jacob XAVIER]; Revolutionary Front

of Independent East Timor or FRETILIN [Francisco Guterres Lu OLO];

Social Democrat Party of East Timor or PSD [Mario CARRASCALAO];

Socialist Party of Timor or PST [Pedro da COSTA]; Sons of the

Mountain Warriors (also known as Association of Timorese Heroes) or

KOTA [Clementino dos Reis AMARAL]; Timor Democratic Union or UDT

[Joao CARRASCALAO]; Timor Labor Party or PTT [Paulo Freitas DA

SILVA]; Timorese Nationalist Party or PNT [Abilio ARAUJO]

International organization participation:

ACP, ARF, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,

ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PIF (observer), UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Constancio

PINTO

chancery: 4201 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: 202 966-3202

FAX: 202 966-3205

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires William

Gary GRAY

embassy: Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Conqueiros, Dili

mailing address: US Department of State, 8250 Dili Place,

Washington, DC 20521-8250

telephone: (670) 332-4684

FAX: (670) 331-3206

Flag description:

red, with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side)

superimposed on a slightly longer yellow arrowhead that extends to

the center of the flag; there is a white star in the center of the

black triangle

Economy East Timor

Economy - overview:

In late 1999, about 70% of the economic infrastructure of East

Timor was laid waste by Indonesian troops and anti-independence

militias, and 300,000 people fled westward. Over the next three

years, however, a massive international program, manned by 5,000

peacekeepers (8,000 at peak) and 1,300 police officers, led to

substantial reconstruction in both urban and rural areas. By the end

of 2005, all refugees either returned or resettled in Indonesia. The

country faces great challenges in continuing the rebuilding of

infrastructure, strengthening the infant civil administration, and

generating jobs for young people entering the work force. The

development of oil and gas resources in nearby waters has begun to

supplement government revenues ahead of schedule and above

expectations - the result of high petroleum prices - but the

technology-intensive industry does little to create jobs for the

unemployed, because there are no production facilities in Timor and

the gas is piped to Australia. The parliament in June 2005

unanimously approved the creation of a Petroleum Fund to serve as a

repository for all petroleum revenues and preserve the value of East

Timor's petroleum wealth for future generations.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$370 million (2004 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$349 million (2005)

GDP - real growth rate:

1.8% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$800 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 8.5%

industry: 23.1%

services: 68.4% (2004)

Labor force:

NA

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

50% estimated; note - unemployment in urban areas reached 20%; data

do not include underemployed (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:

42% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

38 (2002 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.4% (2005)

Budget:

revenues: $107.7 million

expenditures: $73 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2004 est.)

Agriculture - products: coffee, rice, corn, cassava, sweet potatoes, soybeans, cabbage, mangoes, bananas, vanilla

Industries:

printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth

Industrial production growth rate:

8.5%

Electricity - production:

NA kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

NA kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Exports:

$10 million; note - excludes oil (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:

coffee, sandalwood, marble; note - potential for oil and vanilla

exports

Exports - partners:

Indonesia 100% (2005)

Imports:

$202 million (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

food, gasoline, kerosene, machinery

Debt - external:

$0

Economic aid - recipient:

$153 million (2004 est.)

Currency (code):

US dollar (USD)

Currency code:

USD

Exchange rates:

the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:

1 July - 30 June

Communications East Timor

Telephones - main lines in use:

NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:

NA

Telephone system:

NA

Radio broadcast stations:

AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

Radios:

NA

Television broadcast stations:

East Timor has a state-run media oversight authority, which

oversees at least one television and one radio station.

Televisions:

NA

Internet country code:

.tl; note - ICANN approved the change from .tp in January 2005

Internet hosts:

68 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

NA

Internet users:

1,000 (2004)

Transportation East Timor

Airports:

8 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Heliports:

9 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 5,000 km

paved: 2,500 km

unpaved: 2,500 km (2005)

Ports and terminals:

Dili

Military East Timor

Military branches:

East Timor Defense Force (Forcas de Defesa de Timor-L'este, FDTL):

Army, Navy (Armada) (2005)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 235,198

females age 18-49: 223,069 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 179,422

females age 18-49: 184,533 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 12,740

females age 18-49: 12,438 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$4.4 million (FY03)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

NA

Transnational Issues East Timor

Disputes - international:

UN Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) has maintained about

1,000 peacekeepers in East Timor since 2002; East Timor-Indonesia

Boundary Committee continues to meet, survey, and delimit the land

boundary, but several sections of the boundary especially around the

Oekussi enclave remain unresolved; Indonesia and East Timor contest

the sovereignty of the uninhabited coral island of Pulau Batek/Fatu

Sinai, which prevents delimitation of the northern maritime

boundaries; many refugees who left East Timor in 2003 still reside

in Indonesia and refuse repatriation; Australia and East Timor

agreed in 2005 to defer the disputed portion of the boundary for 50

years and to split hydrocarbon revenues evenly outside the Joint

Petroleum Development Area covered by the 2002 Timor Sea Treaty;

dispute with Australia has hampered creation of a southern maritime

boundary with Indonesia

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 150,000 (2006)

Illicit drugs:

NA

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Ecuador

Introduction Ecuador

Background:

What is now Ecuador formed part of the northern Inca Empire until

the Spanish conquest in 1533. Quito became a seat of Spanish

colonial government in 1563 and part of the Viceroyalty of New

Granada in 1717. The territories of the Viceroyalty - New Granada

(Colombia), Venezuela, and Quito - gained their independence by 1819

and formed a federation known as Gran Colombia. When Quito withdrew

in 1830, the traditional name was changed in favor of the "Republic

of the Equator." Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories in

a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peru

that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999. Although Ecuador marked 25

years of civilian governance in 2004, the period has been marred by

political instability. Protests in Quito have contributed to the

mid-term ouster of Ecuador's last three democratically elected

Presidents.

Geography Ecuador

Location:

Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator,

between Colombia and Peru

Geographic coordinates:

2 00 S, 77 30 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 283,560 sq km

land: 276,840 sq km

water: 6,720 sq km

note: includes Galapagos Islands

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Nevada

Land boundaries: total: 2,010 km border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km

Coastline: 2,237 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 200 nm

continental shelf: 100 nm from 2,500 meter isobath

Climate:

tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations;

tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands

Terrain:

coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and

flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 5.71% permanent crops: 4.81% other: 89.48% (2005)

Irrigated land:

8,650 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods;

periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution;

pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas

of the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,

Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world

People Ecuador

Population:

13,547,510 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 33% (male 2,281,499/female 2,195,551)

15-64 years: 61.9% (male 4,178,653/female 4,210,766)

65 years and over: 5% (male 319,719/female 361,322) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 23.6 years

male: 23.1 years

female: 24 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.5% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

22.29 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

4.23 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-3.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 22.87 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 27.42 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 18.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.42 years

male: 73.55 years

female: 79.43 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.68 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

21,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

1,700 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Ecuadorian(s)

adjective: Ecuadorian

Ethnic groups:

mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%, Spanish

and others 7%, black 3%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%

Languages:

Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.5%

male: 94%

female: 91% (2003 est.)

Government Ecuador

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador

conventional short form: Ecuador

local long form: Republica del Ecuador

local short form: Ecuador

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Quito

geographic coordinates: 0 13 S, 78 30 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

Administrative divisions:

22 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Azuay, Bolivar,

Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Galapagos,

Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabi, Morona-Santiago, Napo,

Orellana, Pastaza, Pichincha, Sucumbios, Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe

Independence:

24 May 1822 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809)

Constitution:

10 August 1998

Legal system:

based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons ages

18-65, optional for other eligible voters

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Rafael CORREA Delgado (since 15 January

2007); Vice President Lenin MORENO (since 15 January 2007); note -

the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Rafael CORREA Delgado (since 15

January 2007); Vice President Lenin MORENO (since 15 January 2007)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: the president and vice president are elected on the same

ticket by popular vote for a four-year term (may not serve

consecutive terms); election last held 15 October 2006 with a runoff

election on 26 November 2006 (next to be held October 2010)

election results: Rafael CORREA Delgado elected president; percent

of vote - Rafael CORREA Delgado 56.7%; Alvaro NOBOA 43.3%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (100 seats;

members are elected through a party-list proportional representation

system to serve 4-year terms)

elections: last held 15 October 2006 (next to be held October 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

PRIAN 28; PSP 24; PSC 13; ID 7; PRE 6; MUPP-NP 6; RED 5; UDC 5;

other 6; note - defections by members of National Congress are

commonplace, resulting in frequent changes in the numbers of seats

held by the various parties

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (according to the Constitution, new

justices are elected by the full Supreme Court; in December 2004,

however, Congress successfully replaced the entire court via a

simple-majority resolution)

Political parties and leaders:

Concentration of Popular Forces or CFP [Averroes BUCARAM];

Democratic Left or ID [Guillermo LANDAZURI]; Ethical and Democratic

Network or RED [Leon ROLDOS]; National Action Institutional Renewal

Party or PRIAN [Alvaro NOBOA]; Pachakutik Plurinational Unity

Movement - New Country or MUPP-NP [Gilberto TALAHUA]; Patriotic

Society Party or PSP [Lucio GUTIERREZ Borbua]; Popular Democracy or

DP [Dr. Juan Manuel FUERTES]; Popular Democratic Movement or MPD

[Gustavo TERAN Acosta]; Radical Alfarista Front or FRA [Fabian

ALARCON, director]; Roldosist Party or PRE [Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz,

director]; Social Christian Party or PSC [Leon FEBRES CORDERO];

Socialist Party - Broad Front or PS-FA [Victor GRANDA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador or CONAIE

[Luis MACAS, president]; Coordinator of Social Movements or CMS [F.

Napoleon SANTOS]; Federation of Indigenous Evangelists of Ecuador or

FEINE [Marco MURILLO, president]; National Federation of Indigenous

Afro-Ecuatorianos and Peasants or FENOCIN [Pedro DE LA CRUZ,

president]

International organization participation:

CAN, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,

IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,

ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM,

OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL,

UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Luis Benigno GALLEGOS Chiriboga chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-7200 FAX: [1] (202) 667-3482 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Jersey City (New Jersey), Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, Washington, DC

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Linda L. JEWELL embassy: Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito mailing address: APO AA 34039 telephone: [593] (2) 256-2890 FAX: [593] (2) 250-2052 consulate(s) general: Guayaquil

Flag description:

three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue, and red

with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the flag;

similar to the flag of Colombia, which is shorter and does not bear

a coat of arms

Economy Ecuador

Economy - overview:

Ecuador has substantial petroleum resources, which have accounted

for 40% of the country's export earnings and one-third of central

government budget revenues in recent years. Consequently,

fluctuations in world market prices can have a substantial domestic

impact. In the late 1990s, Ecuador suffered its worst economic

crisis, with natural disasters and sharp declines in world petroleum

prices driving Ecuador's economy into free fall in 1999. Real GDP

contracted by more than 6%, with poverty worsening significantly.

The banking system also collapsed, and Ecuador defaulted on its

external debt later that year. The currency depreciated by some 70%

in 1999, and, on the brink of hyperinflation, the MAHAUD government

announced it would dollarize the economy. A coup, however, ousted

MAHAUD from office in January 2000, and after a short-lived junta

failed to garner military support, Vice President Gustavo NOBOA took

over the presidency. In March 2000, Congress approved a series of

structural reforms that also provided the framework for the adoption

of the US dollar as legal tender. Dollarization stabilized the

economy, and growth returned to its pre-crisis levels in the years

that followed. Under the administration of Lucio GUTIERREZ - January

2003 to April 2005 - Ecuador benefited from higher world petroleum

prices. However, the government under Alfredo PALACIO has reversed

economic reforms that reduced Ecuador's vulnerability to petroleum

price swings and financial crises, allowing the central government

greater access to oil windfalls and disbursing surplus retirement

funds.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$60.48 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$32.57 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,500 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6.3% industry: 33.5% services: 60.2% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 4.57 million (urban) (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 8% industry: 24% services: 68% (2001)

Unemployment rate:

10.6% official rate; but underemployment of 47% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

41% (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2%

highest 10%: 32%

note: data for urban households only (October 2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

42

note: data are for urban households (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.4% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

22.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $11.5 billion

expenditures: planned $10.46 billion; including capital expenditures

of $1.6 billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:

36% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca),

plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy

products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp

Industries:

petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products, chemicals

Industrial production growth rate:

5% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

12.2 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 81% hydro: 19% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

12.95 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

35 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

1.642 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

493,200 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

148,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

387,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

5.115 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

170 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

170 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

9.769 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$727 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$12.56 billion (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp

Exports - partners:

US 50.6%, Peru 7.9%, Germany 4.3%, Colombia 4.3% (2005)

Imports:

$10.81 billion (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

vehicles, medicinal products, telecommunications equipment,

electricity

Imports - partners:

US 22.1%, Colombia 14.8%, Venezuela 7.7%, Brazil 7.2%, China 5.2%

(2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.514 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$18.1 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$216 million (2002)

Currency (code):

US dollar (USD)

Currency code:

USD

Exchange rates:

1 (2006), 25,000 (2005), 25,000 (2004), 25,000 (2003), 25,000 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Ecuador

Telephones - main lines in use:

1,701,500 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

6.246 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: generally elementary but being expanded

domestic: facilities generally inadequate and unreliable

international: country code - 593; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 392, FM 35, shortwave 29 (2001)

Radios:

5 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

7 (plus 14 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:

2.5 million (2001)

Internet country code:

.ec

Internet hosts:

19,027 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

31 (2001)

Internet users:

616,000 (2005)

Transportation Ecuador

Airports: 359 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 98 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 43 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 261 914 to 1,523 m: 33 under 914 m: 228 (2006)

Heliports:

1 (2006)

Pipelines:

extra heavy crude 578 km; gas 71 km; oil 1,386 km; refined products

1,185 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 966 km

narrow gauge: 966 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 43,197 km paved: 6,467 km unpaved: 36,730 km (2004)

Waterways:

1,500 km (most inaccessible) (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 31 ships (1000 GRT or over) 184,819 GRT/300,339 DWT

by type: chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 1, passenger 7, petroleum

tanker 21, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 2 (Norway 1, Paraguay 1)

registered in other countries: 1 (Georgia 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar

Military Ecuador

Military branches:

Army, Navy (includes naval infantry, naval aviation, coast guard),

Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana, FAE)

Military service age and obligation:

20 years of age for conscript military service; 12-month service

obligation (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 20-49: 2,792,770

females age 20-49: 2,849,519 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 20-49: 2,338,428

females age 20-49: 2,380,327 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 133,922

females age 20-49: 129,758 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$650 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Ecuador

Disputes - international:

organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia penetrate across

Ecuador's shared border and caused over 20,000 refugees to flee into

Ecuador in 2004

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 9,851 (Colombia), note - UNHCR

estimates as many as 250,000 Columbians are seeking asylum in

Ecuador, many of whom do not register as refugees for fear of

deportation (2006)

Illicit drugs:

significant transit country for cocaine originating in Colombia and

Peru; importer of precursor chemicals used in production of illicit

narcotics; attractive location for cash-placement by drug

traffickers laundering money because of dollarization and weak

anti-money-laundering regime; increased activity on the northern

frontier by trafficking groups and Colombian insurgents

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Egypt

Introduction Egypt

Background:

The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood, coupled

with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and west,

allowed for the development of one of the world's great

civilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C., and a series

of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last

native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn were

replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs who

introduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and who

ruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, the

Mamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after the

conquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Following the

completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, Egypt became an important

world transportation hub, but also fell heavily into debt.

Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control of

Egypt's government in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the Ottoman

Empire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in

1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty following World War II. The

completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake

Nasser have altered the time-honored place of the Nile River in the

agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the

largest in the Arab world), limited arable land, and dependence on

the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. The

government has struggled to ready the economy for the new millennium

through economic reform and massive investment in communications and

physical infrastructure.

Geography Egypt

Location:

Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Libya and

the Gaza Strip, and the Red Sea north of Sudan, and includes the

Asian Sinai Peninsula

Geographic coordinates:

27 00 N, 30 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 1,001,450 sq km

land: 995,450 sq km

water: 6,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico

Land boundaries:

total: 2,665 km

border countries: Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 266 km, Libya 1,115 km,

Sudan 1,273 km

Coastline:

2,450 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters

Terrain:

vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Qattara Depression -133 m

highest point: Mount Catherine 2,629 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone,

gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc

Land use: arable land: 2.92% permanent crops: 0.5% other: 96.58% (2005)

Irrigated land:

34,220 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods, landslides;

hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms,

sandstorms

Environment - current issues:

agricultural land being lost to urbanization and windblown sands;

increasing soil salination below Aswan High Dam; desertification;

oil pollution threatening coral reefs, beaches, and marine habitats;

other water pollution from agricultural pesticides, raw sewage, and

industrial effluents; very limited natural fresh water resources

away from the Nile, which is the only perennial water source; rapid

growth in population overstraining the Nile and natural resources

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,

Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical

Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and

remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, a sea link

between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; size, and juxtaposition

to Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics;

dependence on upstream neighbors; dominance of Nile basin issues;

prone to influxes of refugees

People Egypt

Population:

78,887,007 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 32.6% (male 13,172,641/female 12,548,346)

15-64 years: 62.9% (male 25,102,754/female 24,519,698)

65 years and over: 4.5% (male 1,510,280/female 2,033,288) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 24 years

male: 23.6 years

female: 24.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.75% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

22.94 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

5.23 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

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

65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 31.33 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 32.04 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 30.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71.29 years

male: 68.77 years

female: 73.93 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.83 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

12,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

700 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Egyptian(s)

adjective: Egyptian

Ethnic groups:

Egyptian 98%, Berber, Nubian, Bedouin, and Beja 1%, Greek,

Armenian, other European (primarily Italian and French) 1%

Religions:

Muslim (mostly Sunni) 90%, Coptic 9%, other Christian 1%

Languages:

Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated

classes

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 57.7%

male: 68.3%

female: 46.9% (2003 est.)

Government Egypt

Country name:

conventional long form: Arab Republic of Egypt

conventional short form: Egypt

local long form: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah

local short form: Misr

former: United Arab Republic (with Syria)

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Cairo

geographic coordinates: 30 03 N, 31 15 E

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

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Friday in April; ends last

Thursday in September

Administrative divisions:

26 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ad Daqahliyah,

Al Bahr al Ahmar, Al Buhayrah, Al Fayyum, Al Gharbiyah, Al

Iskandariyah, Al Isma'iliyah, Al Jizah, Al Minufiyah, Al Minya, Al

Qahirah, Al Qalyubiyah, Al Wadi al Jadid, As Suways, Ash Sharqiyah,

Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf, Bur Sa'id, Dumyat, Janub Sina', Kafr ash

Shaykh, Matruh, Qina, Shamal Sina', Suhaj

Independence:

28 February 1922 (from UK)

National holiday:

Revolution Day, 23 July (1952)

Constitution:

11 September 1971; amended 22 May 1980 and 25 May 2005

Legal system:

based on English common law, Islamic law, and Napoleonic codes;

judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State (oversees

validity of administrative decisions); accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (since 14 October

1981)

head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed NAZIF (since 9 July 2004)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term (no

term limits); note - a national referendum in May 2005 approved a

constitutional amendment that changed the presidential election to a

multicandidate popular vote; previously the president was nominated

by the People's Assembly and the nomination was validated by a

national, popular referendum; last referendum held 26 September

1999; first election under terms of constitutional amendment held 7

September 2005; next election scheduled for 2011

election results: Hosni MUBARAK reelected president; percent of vote

- Hosni MUBARAK 88.6%, Ayman NOUR 7.6%, Noman GOMAA 2.9%

Legislative branch:

bicameral system consists of the People's Assembly or Majlis

al-Sha'b (454 seats; 444 elected by popular vote, 10 appointed by

the president; members serve five-year terms) and the Advisory

Council or Majlis al-Shura - which functions only in a consultative

role (264 seats; 176 elected by popular vote, 88 appointed by the

president; members serve six-year terms; mid-term elections for half

of the elected members)

elections: People's Assembly - three-phase voting - last held 7 and

20 November, 1 December 2005;(next to be held November-December

2010); Advisory Council - last held May-June 2004 (next to be held

May-June 2007)

election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;

seats by party - NDP 311, NWP 6, Tagammu 2, Tomorrow Party 1,

independents 112 (12 seats to be determined by rerun elections, 10

seats appointed by President); Advisory Council - percent of vote by

party - NA; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch:

Supreme Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders:

National Democratic Party or NDP [Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (governing

party)]; National Progressive Unionist Grouping or Tagammu [Rifaat

EL-SAID]; New Wafd Party or NWP [Mahmoud ABAZA]; Tomorrow Party

[Naji AL-GHATRIFI]

note: formation of political parties must be approved by the

government

Political pressure groups and leaders: despite a constitutional ban against religious-based parties, the technically illegal Muslim Brotherhood constitutes Hosni MUBARAK's potentially most significant political opposition; MUBARAK tolerated limited political activity by the Brotherhood for his first two terms, but moved more aggressively since then to block its influence; civic society groups are sanctioned, but constrained in practical terms; trade unions and professional associations are officially sanctioned

International organization participation:

ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, BSEC (observer), CAEU, COMESA,

EBRD, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt

(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM,

OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, ONUB, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNRWA,

UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Nabil FAHMY

chancery: 3521 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 895-5400

FAX: [1] (202) 244-4319

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Francis J. RICCIARDONE, Jr.

embassy: 8 Kamal El Din Salah St., Garden City, Cairo

mailing address: Unit 64900, Box 15, APO AE 09839-4900

telephone: [20] (2) 797-3300

FAX: [20] (2) 797-3200

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; the

national emblem (a gold Eagle of Saladin facing the hoist side with

a shield superimposed on its chest above a scroll bearing the name

of the country in Arabic) centered in the white band; design is

based on the Arab Liberation flag and similar to the flag of Syria,

which has two green stars, Iraq, which has three green stars (plus

an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white

band, and Yemen, which has a plain white band

Economy Egypt

Economy - overview:

Occupying the northeast corner of the African continent, Egypt is

bisected by the highly fertile Nile valley, where most economic

activity takes place. In the last 30 years, the government has

reformed the highly centralized economy it inherited from President

NASSER. In 2005, Prime Minister Ahmed NAZIF reduced personal and

corporate tax rates, reduced energy subsidies, and privatized

several enterprises. The stock market boomed, and GDP grew about 5%

per year in 2005-06. Despite these achievements, the government has

failed to raise living standards for the average Egyptian, and has

had to continue providing subsidies for basic necessities. The

subsidies have contributed to a growing budget deficit - more than

10% of GDP each year - and represent a significant drain on the

economy. Foreign direct investment remains low. To achieve higher

GDP growth the NAZIF government will need to continue its aggressive

pursuit of reform, especially in the energy sector. Egypt's export

sectors - particularly natural gas - have bright prospects.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$328.1 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$84.51 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,200 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14.7% industry: 35.5% services: 49.8% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 21.8 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 32% industry: 17% services: 51% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:

10.3% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

20% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.4% highest 10%: 25% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

34.4 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6.5% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

19.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $21.32 billion

expenditures: $31.83 billion; including capital expenditures of $2.7

billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:

102.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water

buffalo, sheep, goats

Industries:

textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, pharmaceuticals,

hydrocarbons, construction, cement, metals, light manufactures

Industrial production growth rate:

5.1% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

91.72 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 81% hydro: 19% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

84.49 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

1 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

200 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

700,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

590,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

134,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

2.6 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

32.56 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

31.46 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

1.1 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

1.657 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$2.697 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$24.22 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal products,

chemicals

Exports - partners:

US 13%, Italy 9.2%, Spain 7.7%, Syria 5.5%, France 4.9%, Germany

4.8%, Saudi Arabia 4.7%, UK 4% (2005)

Imports:

$35.86 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products, fuels

Imports - partners:

US 10.5%, Germany 7%, China 6.4%, France 6.3%, Italy 5.7%, Saudi

Arabia 4.8% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$26.3 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$29.59 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

ODA, $1.12 billion (2002)

Currency (code):

Egyptian pound (EGP)

Currency code:

EGP

Exchange rates:

Egyptian pounds per US dollar - 5.75 (2006), 5.78 (2005), 6.1962

(2004), 5.8509 (2003), 4.4997 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 July - 30 June

Communications Egypt

Telephones - main lines in use:

10,396,100 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

14,045,134 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: large system; underwent extensive upgrading

during 1990s and is reasonably modern; Internet access and cellular

service are available

domestic: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah,

Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and

microwave radio relay

international: country code - 20; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1

Inmarsat; 5 coaxial submarine cables; tropospheric scatter to Sudan;

microwave radio relay to Israel; a participant in Medarabtel

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 42 (plus 15 repeaters), FM 14, shortwave 3 (1999)

Radios:

20.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

98 (September 1995)

Televisions:

7.7 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.eg

Internet hosts:

2,254 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

50 (2000)

Internet users:

5 million (2005)

Transportation Egypt

Airports: 88 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 72

over 3,047 m: 13

2,438 to 3,047 m: 38

1,524 to 2,437 m: 16

under 914 m: 5 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 16

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 7 (2006)

Heliports:

3 (2006)

Pipelines:

condensate 464 km; condensate/gas 94 km; gas 6,021 km; liquid

petroleum gas 897 km; oil 5,120 km; oil/gas/water 36 km; refined

products 897 km (2006)

Railways: total: 5,063 km standard gauge: 5,063 km 1.435-m gauge (62 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways: total: 92,370 km paved: 74,820 km unpaved: 17,550 km (2004)

Waterways:

3,500 km

note: includes Nile River, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway,

and numerous smaller canals in delta; Suez Canal (193.5 km including

approaches) navigable by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 17.68 m

(2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 76 ships (1000 GRT or over) 987,524 GRT/1,467,139 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 14, cargo 33, container 2, passenger/cargo 5,

petroleum tanker 13, roll on/roll off 9

foreign-owned: 9 (Denmark 1, Greece 6, Lebanon 2)

registered in other countries: 49 (Bolivia 2, Cambodia 8, Georgia 8,

Honduras 4, North Korea 2, Panama 16, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines 3, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Saudi Arabia 2, Sierra Leone

1, Thailand 1, unknown 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Alexandria, Damietta, El Dekheila, Port Said, Suez, Zeit

Military Egypt

Military branches:

Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for conscript military service; three-year service

obligation (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 18,347,560

females age 18-49: 17,683,904 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 15,540,234

females age 18-49: 14,939,378 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 802,920

females age 18-49: 764,176 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$2.44 billion (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

3.4% (2004)

Transnational Issues Egypt

Disputes - international:

Egypt and Sudan retain claims to administer the two triangular

areas that extend north and south of the 1899 Treaty boundary along

the 22nd Parallel, but have withdrawn their military presence; Egypt

is developing the Hala'ib Triangle north of the Treaty line; since

the attack on Taba and other Egyptian resort towns on the Red Sea in

October 2004, Egypt vigilantly monitors the Sinai and borders with

Israel and the Gaza Strip; Egypt does not extend domestic asylum to

some 70,000 persons who identify themselves as Palestinians but who

largely lack UNRWA assistance and, until recently, UNHCR recognition

as refugees

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 100,000 (Iraq), 70,255 (Palestinian

Territories), 13,446 (Sudan) (2006)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Egypt is a transit country for women trafficked

from Eastern Europe to Israel for the purpose of sexual

exploitation; these women generally arrive as tourists and are

subsequently trafficked through the Sinai Desert by Bedouin tribes;

men and women from sub-Saharan Africa and Asia are believed to be

trafficked through the Sinai Desert to Israel and Europe for labor

exploitation; some Egyptian children from rural areas are trafficked

within the country to work as domestic servants or laborers in the

agriculture industry

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Egypt is placed on the Tier 2 Watch

List for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to

address trafficking over the past year, particularly in the area of

law enforcement

Illicit drugs:

transit point for Southwest Asian and Southeast Asian heroin and

opium moving to Europe, Africa, and the US; transit stop for

Nigerian couriers; concern as money-laundering site due to lax

enforcement of financial regulations

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@El Salvador

Introduction El Salvador

Background:

El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and from the

Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war, which cost

about 75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992 when the

government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for

military and political reforms.

Geography El Salvador

Location:

Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between

Guatemala and Honduras

Geographic coordinates:

13 50 N, 88 55 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 21,040 sq km

land: 20,720 sq km

water: 320 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Land boundaries: total: 545 km border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km

Coastline: 307 km

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

Climate:

tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to

April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands

Terrain:

mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m

Natural resources:

hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 31.37%

permanent crops: 11.88%

other: 56.75% (2005)

Irrigated land:

450 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive

earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to

hurricanes

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline

on Caribbean Sea

People El Salvador

Population:

6,822,378 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 36.3% (male 1,265,080/female 1,212,216)

15-64 years: 58.5% (male 1,900,372/female 2,092,251)

65 years and over: 5.2% (male 156,292/female 196,167) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 21.8 years

male: 20.7 years

female: 22.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.72% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

26.61 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

5.78 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-3.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 24.39 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 27.27 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 21.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71.49 years

male: 67.88 years

female: 75.28 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.12 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

29,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

2,200 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Salvadoran(s) adjective: Salvadoran

Ethnic groups:

mestizo 90%, white 9%, Amerindian 1%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 83%, other 17%

note: there is extensive activity by Protestant groups throughout

the country; by the end of 1992, there were an estimated 1 million

Protestant evangelicals in El Salvador

Languages:

Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)

Literacy:

definition: age 10 and over can read and write

total population: 80.2%

male: 82.8%

female: 77.7% (2003 est.)

Government El Salvador

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of El Salvador

conventional short form: El Salvador

local long form: Republica de El Salvador

local short form: El Salvador

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: San Salvador

geographic coordinates: 13 42 N, 89 12 W

time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

Administrative divisions:

14 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);

Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz,

La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, San Vicente, Santa Ana,

Sonsonate, Usulutan

Independence:

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:

23 December 1983

Legal system:

based on civil and Roman law with traces of common law; judicial

review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1 June

2004); Vice President Ana Vilma DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004); note

- the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1

June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket

by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 21

March 2004 (next to be held March 2009)

election results: Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez elected president;

percent of vote - Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (ARENA) 57.7%, Schafik

HANDAL (FMLN) 35.6%, Hector SILVA (CDU-PDC) 3.9%, other 2.8%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (84 seats;

members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve three-year

terms)

elections: last held 12 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

ARENA 34, FMLN 32, PCN 10, PDC 6, CD 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are selected by the

Legislative Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:

Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER, secretary

general]; Democratic Convergence or CD (formerly United Democratic

Center or CDU) [Ruben ZAMORA, secretary general]; Farabundo Marti

National Liberation Front or FMLN [Medardo GONZALEZ, coordinator

general]; National Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ ZEPEDA,

president]; National Republican Alliance or ARENA [Elias Antonio

SACA Gonzalez]; Popular Social Christian Party or PPSC [Rene

AGUILUZ]; Revolutionary Democratic Front or FDR [Julio Cesar

HERNANDEZ Carcamo, coordinator general]

Political pressure groups and leaders: labor organizations - Electrical Industry Union of El Salvador or SIES; Federation of the Construction Industry, Similar Transport and other activities, or FESINCONTRANS; National Confederation of Salvadoran Workers or CNTS; National Union of Salvadoran Workers or UNTS; Port Industry Union of El Salvador or SIPES; Salvadoran Union of Ex-Petrolleros and Peasant Workers or USEPOC; Salvadoran Workers Central or CTS; Workers Union of Electrical Corporation or STCEL; business organizations - National Association of Small Enterprise or ANEP; Salvadoran Assembly Industry Association or ASIC; Salvadoran Industrial Association or ASI

International organization participation:

BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA,

IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO

(correspondent), ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (observer),

OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS,

UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Rene Antonio LEON Rodriguez

chancery: 2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 265-9671

FAX: [1] (202) 234-3834

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Dallas, Elizabeth (New Jersey),

Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York (2), Nogales

(Arizona), Santa Ana (California), San Francisco, Washington, DC

consulate(s): Boston

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador H. Douglas BARCLAY embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena Sur, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La Libertad, San Salvador mailing address: Unit 3116, APO AA 34023 telephone: [503] 2278-4444 FAX: [503] 2278-5522

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with

the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of

arms features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL

SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; similar to the flag of Nicaragua,

which has a different coat of arms centered in the white band - it

features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on

top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; also similar to the flag of

Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern

centered in the white band

Economy El Salvador

Economy - overview:

The smallest country in Central America, El Salvador has the third

largest economy, but growth has been minimal in recent years. Hoping

to stimulate the sluggish economy, the government is striving to

open new export markets, encourage foreign investment, and modernize

the tax and healthcare systems. Implementation in 2006 of the

Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement, which El

Salvador was the first to ratify, has strenthened an already

positive export trend. The trade deficit has been offset by annual

remittances from Salvadorans living abroad - equivalent to more than

15% of GDP - and external aid. With the adoption of the US dollar as

its currency in 2001, El Salvador has lost control over monetary

policy and must concentrate on maintaining a disciplined fiscal

policy. The current government has pursued economic diversification,

with some success in promoting textile production, international

port services, and tourism. It is committed to opening the economy

to trade and investment, and has embarked on a wave of

privatizations extending to telecom, electricity distribution,

banking, and pension funds.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$33.2 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$15.14 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,900 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9.7% industry: 29.6% services: 60.7% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 2.856 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 17.1% industry: 17.1% services: 65.8% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:

6% official rate; but the economy has much underemployment (2006

est.)

Population below poverty line:

36.1% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.4% highest 10%: 39.3% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

52.5 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.3% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

16.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $356.6 million

expenditures: $384.5 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

44.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton, sorghum; beef,

dairy products; shrimp

Industries:

food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer,

textiles, furniture, light metals

Industrial production growth rate:

2% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

4.174 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 44% hydro: 30.9% nuclear: 0% other: 25.1% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

4.229 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

109 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

456 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

43,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-1.059 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$3.686 billion (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, shrimp, textiles,

chemicals, electricity

Exports - partners:

US 61%, Guatemala 12.1%, Honduras 7.4%, Nicaragua 4.2% (2005)

Imports:

$7.326 billion (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels, foodstuffs,

petroleum, electricity

Imports - partners:

US 43.4%, Guatemala 8.2%, Mexico 7.8% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.951 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$8.841 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$125 million of which, $53 million from US (2003)

Currency (code):

US dollar (USD)

Currency code:

USD

Exchange rates:

8.75 (2006), the US dollar became El Salvador's currency in 2001

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications El Salvador

Telephones - main lines in use:

971,500 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2.412 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system

international: country code - 503; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave

System

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 61 (plus 24 repeaters), FM 30, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

2.75 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

5 (1997)

Televisions:

600,000 (1990)

Internet country code:

.sv

Internet hosts:

4,682 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

4 (2000)

Internet users:

637,100 (2005)

Transportation El Salvador

Airports: 75 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 4

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 71

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 14

under 914 m: 56 (2006)

Heliports:

1 (2006)

Railways:

total: 283 km

narrow gauge: 283 km 0.914-m gauge

note: length of operational route reduced from 562 km to 283 km by

disuse and lack of maintenance (2005)

Roadways:

total: 10,029 km

paved: 1,986 km

unpaved: 8,043 km (1999)

Waterways:

Rio Lempa partially navigable (2004)

Ports and terminals:

Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco

Military El Salvador

Military branches:

Salvadoran Army (ES), Salvadoran Navy (FNES), Salvadoran Air Force

(Fuerza Aerea Salvadorena, FAS) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory military service, with 12-month

service obligation; 16 years of age for volunteers (2002)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,391,278

females age 18-49: 1,542,323 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 960,315

females age 18-49: 1,310,466 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 70,286

females age 18-49: 69,526 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$161.7 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues El Salvador

Disputes - international:

in 1992, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on the

delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El

Salvador-Honduras boundary, but despite Organization of American

States (OAS) intervention and a further ICJ ruling in 2003, full

demarcation of the border remains stalled; the 1992 ICJ ruling

advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf

of Fonseca advocating Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador

continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not identified in the ICJ

decision, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for cocaine; small amounts of marijuana

produced for local consumption; domestic cocaine abuse on the rise

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Equatorial Guinea

Introduction Equatorial Guinea

Background:

Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968 after 190 years of

Spanish rule. This tiny country, composed of a mainland portion plus

five inhabited islands, is one of the smallest on the African

continent. President Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO has ruled the

country since 1979 when he seized power in a coup. Although

nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996 and 2002

presidential elections - as well as the 1999 and 2004 legislative

elections - were widely seen as flawed. The president exerts almost

total control over the political system and has discouraged

political opposition. Equatorial Guinea has experienced rapid

economic growth due to the discovery of large offshore oil reserves,

and in the last decade has become Sub-Saharan Africa's third largest

oil exporter. Despite the country's economic windfall from oil

production resulting in a massive increase in government revenue in

recent years, there have been few improvements in the population's

living standards.

Geography Equatorial Guinea

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and

Gabon

Geographic coordinates:

2 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 28,051 sq km

land: 28,051 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 539 km border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km

Coastline: 296 km

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

Climate:

tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain:

coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite, diamonds, tantalum,

sand and gravel, clay

Land use:

arable land: 4.63%

permanent crops: 3.57%

other: 91.8% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

violent windstorms, flash floods

Environment - current issues:

tap water is not potable; deforestation

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

Geography - note: insular and continental regions widely separated

People Equatorial Guinea

Population:

540,109 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 41.7% (male 113,083/female 111,989)

15-64 years: 54.5% (male 141,914/female 152,645)

65 years and over: 3.8% (male 8,886/female 11,592) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.8 years

male: 18.2 years

female: 19.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.05% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

35.59 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

15.06 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 89.21 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 95.22 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 83.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 49.54 years

male: 48 years

female: 51.13 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.55 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

3.4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

5,900 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

370 (2001 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s)

adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean

Ethnic groups:

Bioko (primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos), Rio Muni (primarily

Fang), Europeans less than 1,000, mostly Spanish

Religions:

nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan

practices

Languages:

Spanish (official), French (official), pidgin English, Fang, Bubi,

Ibo

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 85.7%

male: 93.3%

female: 78.4% (2003 est.)

Government Equatorial Guinea

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial Guinea

conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea

local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial/Republique de Guinee

equatoriale

local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial/Guinee equatoriale

former: Spanish Guinea

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Malabo

geographic coordinates: 3 45 N, 8 47 E

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

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Annobon, Bioko

Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas

Independence:

12 October 1968 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 12 October (1968)

Constitution:

approved by national referendum 17 November 1991; amended January

1995

Legal system:

partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA

MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979 when he seized power in a military coup)

head of government: Prime Minister Ricardo Mangue Obama NFUBEA

(since 14 August 2006); First Deputy Prime Minister Mercelino Oyono

NTUTUMU (since 15 June 2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term

(no term limits); election last held 15 December 2002 (next to be

held December 2009); prime minister and deputy prime ministers

appointed by the president

election results: Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO reelected president;

percent of vote - Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO 97.1%, Celestino

Bonifacio BACALE 2.2%; elections marred by widespread fraud

Legislative branch:

unicameral House of People's Representatives or Camara de

Representantes del Pueblo (100 seats; members directly elected by

popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 25 April 2004 (next to be held in 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

PDGE 98, CPDS 2

note: Parliament has little power since the constitution vests all

executive authority in the president

Judicial branch:

Supreme Tribunal

Political parties and leaders:

Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS [Placido MIKO

Abogo]; Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE [Teodoro

OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO] (ruling party); Party for Progress of

Equatorial Guinea or PPGE [Severo MOTO]; Popular Action of

Equatorial Guinea or APGE [Miguel Esono EMAN]; Popular Union or UP

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,

IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM,

OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,

WHO, WIPO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Purificacion ANGUE ONDO

chancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700

FAX: [1] (202) 518-5252

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Donald C. JOHNSON embassy: adjacent to the golf course at the base of Mont Febe; note - relocated embassy is opened for limited functions; inquiries should continue to be directed to the US Embassy in Yaounde, Cameroon mailing address: B.P. 817, Yaounde, Cameroon; US Embassy Yaounde, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520 telephone: [237] 220 15 00 FAX: [237] 220 16 20

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a

blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side and the coat of arms

centered in the white band; the coat of arms has six yellow

six-pointed stars (representing the mainland and five offshore

islands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton tree and below

which is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ, JUSTICIA (Unity,

Peace, Justice)

Economy Equatorial Guinea

Economy - overview:

The discovery and exploitation of large oil reserves have

contributed to dramatic economic growth in recent years. Forestry,

farming, and fishing are also major components of GDP. Subsistence

farming predominates. Although pre-independence Equatorial Guinea

counted on cocoa production for hard currency earnings, the neglect

of the rural economy under successive regimes has diminished

potential for agriculture-led growth (the government has stated its

intention to reinvest some oil revenue into agriculture). A number

of aid programs sponsored by the World Bank and the IMF have been

cut off since 1993, because of corruption and mismanagement. No

longer eligible for concessional financing because of large oil

revenues, the government has been trying to agree on a "shadow"

fiscal management program with the World Bank and IMF. Businesses,

for the most part, are owned by government officials and their

family members. Undeveloped natural resources include titanium, iron

ore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold. Growth remained strong

in 2006, led by oil. Equatorial Guinea now has the third highest per

capita income in the world, after Luxembourg and Bermuda.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$25.69 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$7.644 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

18.6% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$50,200 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 2.8%

industry: 92.6%

services: 4.5% (2006 est.)

Labor force:

NA

Unemployment rate:

30% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5.2% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

34.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $2.752 billion

expenditures: $1.424 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

4.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products: coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca), bananas, palm oil nuts; livestock; timber

Industries:

petroleum, fishing, sawmilling, natural gas

Industrial production growth rate:

30% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:

26 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 94.3% hydro: 5.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

24.18 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

420,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

1,220 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves:

563.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

100 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

100 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

36.81 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$175 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$8.961 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum, methanol, timber, cocoa

Exports - partners:

US 24.6%, China 21.8%, Spain 10.9%, Canada 7.3%, Taiwan 7.2%,

Portugal 5.5%, Netherlands 5.2%, Brazil 4.6%, France 4% (2005)

Imports:

$2.543 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum sector equipment, other equipment

Imports - partners:

US 24.5%, Italy 20.5%, France 12.1%, Spain 10.8%, Cote d'Ivoire

8.6%, UK 6.9% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$3.235 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$289 million (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$NA

Currency (code):

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible

authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code:

XAF

Exchange rates:

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar -

522.594 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99

(2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Equatorial Guinea

Telephones - main lines in use:

10,000 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

96,900 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: poor system with adequate government services

domestic: NA

international: country code - 240; international communications from

Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earth

station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 5 (2002)

Radios:

180,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2002)

Televisions:

4,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.gq

Internet hosts:

19 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2002)

Internet users:

5,000 (2005)

Transportation Equatorial Guinea

Airports:

4 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Pipelines:

condensate 46 km; condensate/gas 5 km; gas 47 km; oil 31 km (2006)

Roadways:

total: 2,880 km (1999)

Merchant marine:

total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,745 GRT/3,434 DWT

by type: cargo 1 (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Malabo

Military Equatorial Guinea

Military branches:

Army, Navy, Air Force (2005)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 104,563

females age 18-49: 109,923 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 56,462

females age 18-49: 59,260 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$152.2 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.1% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Equatorial Guinea

Disputes - international:

in 2002, ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of

Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of

Guinea, but a dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an

island at the mouth of the Ntem River, imprecisely defined maritime

coordinates in the ICJ decision, and the unresolved Bakasi

allocation contribute to the delay in implementation; UN has been

pressing Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to pledge to resolve the

sovereignty dispute over Gabon-occupied Mbane Island and create a

maritime boundary in the hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Equatorial Guinea is a transit and destination

country for women and children trafficked for forced labor,

involuntary domestic servitude, and commercial sexual exploitation

from surrounding countries - primarily Benin, Nigeria, Mali, and

Cameroon; victims work in the agricultural and commercial sectors of

Malabo and Bata, where demand is high due to a booming oil sector;

children work as farmhands, street vendors, or household servants;

girls and women are also trafficked for commercial sexual

exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Equatorial Guinea is placed on the

Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide adequate evidence of

concrete measures to address trafficking over the past year

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Eritrea

Introduction Eritrea

Background:

Eritrea was awarded to Ethiopia in 1952 as part of a federation.

Ethiopia's annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years later

sparked a 30-year struggle for independence that ended in 1991 with

Eritrean rebels defeating governmental forces; independence was

overwhelmingly approved in a 1993 referendum. A two-and-a-half-year

border war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 ended under UN

auspices in December 2000. Eritrea currently hosts a UN peacekeeping

operation that is monitoring a 25 km-wide Temporary Security Zone on

the border with Ethiopia. An international commission, organized to

resolve the border dispute, posted its findings in 2002 but final

demarcation is on hold due to Ethiopian objections.

Geography Eritrea

Location:

Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan

Geographic coordinates:

15 00 N, 39 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 121,320 sq km

land: 121,320 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries: total: 1,626 km border countries: Djibouti 109 km, Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km

Coastline:

2,234 km (mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km, islands in Red Sea 1,083 km)

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:

hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter in the

central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually, heaviest June

to September); semiarid in western hills and lowlands

Terrain:

dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending highlands,

descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the northwest

to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling plains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: near Kulul within the Denakil depression -75 m

highest point: Soira 3,018 m

Natural resources:

gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural gas, fish

Land use: arable land: 4.78% permanent crops: 0.03% other: 95.19% (2005)

Irrigated land:

210 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

frequent droughts; locust swarms

Environment - current issues: deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss of infrastructure from civil warfare

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Hazardous Wastes

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest shipping

lanes; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia along the

Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993

People Eritrea

Population:

4,786,994 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 44% (male 1,059,458/female 1,046,955)

15-64 years: 52.5% (male 1,244,153/female 1,268,189)

65 years and over: 3.5% (male 82,112/female 86,127) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 17.8 years

male: 17.6 years

female: 18 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.47% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

34.33 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

9.6 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 46.3 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 52.22 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 40.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 59.03 years

male: 57.44 years

female: 60.66 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.08 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

2.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

60,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

6,300 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Eritrean(s)

adjective: Eritrean

Ethnic groups:

Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho (Red Sea coast

dwellers) 3%, other 3%

Religions:

Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant

Languages:

Afar, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 58.6%

male: 69.9%

female: 47.6% (2003 est.)

Government Eritrea

Country name:

conventional long form: State of Eritrea

conventional short form: Eritrea

local long form: Hagere Ertra

local short form: Ertra

former: Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia

Government type:

transitional government

note: following a successful referendum on independence for the

Autonomous Region of Eritrea on 23-25 April 1993, a National

Assembly, composed entirely of the People's Front for Democracy and

Justice or PFDJ, was established as a transitional legislature; a

Constitutional Commission was also established to draft a

constitution; ISAIAS Afworki was elected president by the

transitional legislature; the constitution, ratified in May 1997,

did not enter into effect, pending parliamentary and presidential

elections; parliamentary elections had been scheduled in December

2001, but were postponed indefinitely; currently the sole legal

party is the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ)

Capital:

name: Asmara (Asmera)

geographic coordinates: 15 20 N, 38 53 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

6 regions (zobatat, singular - zoba); Anseba, Debub (Southern),

Debubawi K'eyih Bahri (Southern Red Sea), Gash Barka, Ma'akel

(Central), Semenawi Keyih Bahri (Northern Red Sea)

Independence:

24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 24 May (1993)

Constitution:

a transitional constitution, decreed on 19 May 1993, was replaced

by a new constitution adopted on 23 May 1997, but not yet implemented

Legal system:

primary basis is the Ethiopian legal code of 1957, with revisions;

new civil, commercial, and penal codes have not yet been

promulgated; also relies on customary and post-independence-enacted

laws and, for civil cases involving Muslims, Sharia law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993); note

- the president is both the chief of state and head of government

and is head of the State Council and National Assembly

head of government: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993);

note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly

cabinet: State Council is the collective executive authority;

members appointed by the president

elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a

five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 8

June 1993 (next election date uncertain as the National Assembly did

not hold a presidential election in December 2001 as anticipated)

election results: ISAIAS Afworki elected president; percent of

National Assembly vote - ISAIAS Afworki 95%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; term limits not

established)

elections: in May 1997, following the adoption of the new

constitution, 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the old

Central Committee of the EPLF), 60 members of the 527-member

Constituent Assembly, that had been established in 1997 to discuss

and ratify the new constitution, and 15 representatives of Eritreans

living abroad were formed into a Transitional National Assembly to

serve as the country's legislative body until countrywide elections

to a National Assembly were held; although only 75 of 150 members of

the Transitional National Assembly were elected, the constitution

stipulates that once past the transition stage, all members of the

National Assembly will be elected by secret ballot of all eligible

voters; National Assembly elections scheduled for December 2001 were

postponed indefinitely

Judicial branch:

High Court - regional, subregional, and village courts; also have

military and special courts

Political parties and leaders:

People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, the only party

recognized by the government [ISAIAS Afworki]; note - a National

Assembly committee drafted a law on political parties in January

2001, but the full National Assembly has not yet debated or voted on

it

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Eritrean Islamic Jihad or EIJ (also including Eritrean Islamic

Jihad Movement or EIJM (also known as the Abu Sihel Movement));

Eritrean Islamic Salvation or EIS (also known as the Arafa

Movement); Eritrean Liberation Front or ELF [ABDULLAH Muhammed];

Eritrean National Alliance or ENA (a coalition including EIJ, EIS,

ELF, and a number of ELF factions) [HERUY Tedla Biru]; Eritrean

Public Forum or EPF [ARADOM Iyob]

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt

(signatory), IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA,

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador GHIRMAI Ghebremariam

chancery: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 319-1991

FAX: [1] (202) 319-1304

consulate(s) general: Oakland (California)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Scott H. DELISI

embassy: 179 Alaa Street, Asmara

mailing address: P. O. Box 211, Asmara

telephone: [291] (1) 120004

FAX: [291] (1) 127584

Flag description:

red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) dividing the flag

into two right triangles; the upper triangle is green, the lower one

is blue; a gold wreath encircling a gold olive branch is centered on

the hoist side of the red triangle

Economy Eritrea

Economy - overview:

Since independence from Ethiopia in 1993, Eritrea has faced the

economic problems of a small, desperately poor country. Like the

economies of many African nations, the economy is largely based on

subsistence agriculture, with 80% of the population involved in

farming and herding. The Ethiopian-Eritrea war in 1998-2000 severely

hurt Eritrea's economy. GDP growth fell to zero in 1999 and to

-12.1% in 2000. The May 2000 Ethiopian offensive into northern

Eritrea caused some $600 million in property damage and loss,

including losses of $225 million in livestock and 55,000 homes. The

attack prevented planting of crops in Eritrea's most productive

region, causing food production to drop by 62%. Even during the war,

Eritrea developed its transportation infrastructure, asphalting new

roads, improving its ports, and repairing war-damaged roads and

bridges. Since the war ended, the government has maintained a firm

grip on the economy, expanding the use of the military and

party-owned businesses to complete Eritrea's development agenda.

Erratic rainfall and the delayed demobilization of agriculturalists

from the military kept cereal production well below normal, holding

down growth in 2002-06. Eritrea's economic future depends upon its

ability to master social problems such as illiteracy, unemployment,

and low skills, as well as the willingness to open its economy to

private enterprise so that the diaspora's money and expertise can

foster economic growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$4.471 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.244 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,000 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 9.9%

industry: 25.4%

services: 64.6% (2006 est.)

Labor force:

NA

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 80%

industry and services: 20%

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

50% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

14% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

24.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $257.6 million

expenditures: $424 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

sorghum, lentils, vegetables, corn, cotton, tobacco, coffee, sisal;

livestock, goats; fish

Industries:

food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles, light

manufacturing, salt, cement, commercial ship repair

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

276.1 million kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

256.7 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

5,300 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-440.5 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$17.65 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small manufactures (2000)

Exports - partners:

Italy 36.4%, US 13.8%, Belarus 6.8%, Germany 5.3%, UK 4.6% (2005)

Imports:

$701.8 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods (2000)

Imports - partners:

Germany 21.3%, Italy 19.5%, France 15.3%, US 12.3%, Ireland 7.9%,

Jordan 5.5% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$30.6 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$311 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$77 million (1999)

Currency (code):

nakfa (ERN)

Currency code:

ERN

Exchange rates:

nakfa (ERN) per US dollar - 14 (2006), 14.5 (2005), 13.788 (2004),

13.878 (2003), 13.958 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Eritrea

Telephones - main lines in use:

37,700 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

58,000 (2006)

Telephone system:

general assessment: inadequate

domestic: inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; government is

seeking international tenders to improve the system (2002)

international: country code - 291; note - international connections

exist

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM NA, shortwave 2 (2000)

Radios:

345,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (2006)

Televisions:

1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.er

Internet hosts:

1,088 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

5 (2001)

Internet users:

70,000 (2005)

Transportation Eritrea

Airports: 17 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 13 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Railways: total: 306 km narrow gauge: 306 km 0.950-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 4,010 km

paved: 874 km

unpaved: 3,136 km (1999)

Merchant marine:

total: 6 ships (1000 GRT or over) 19,506 GRT/23,649 DWT

by type: cargo 3, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll

off 1 (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Assab, Massawa

Military Eritrea

Military branches:

Army, Navy, Air Force

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service;

conscript service obligation - 16 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 893,361

females age 18-49: 891,662 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 555,553

females age 18-49: 562,426 (2005)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 50,156

females age 18-49: 49,746 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$220.1 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

17.7% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Eritrea

Disputes - international:

Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by 2002 Ethiopia-Eritrea

Boundary Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision, but despite

international intervention, mutual animosities, accusations, and

armed posturing have prevented demarcation; Ethiopia refuses to

withdraw to the delimited boundary until claimed technical errors

made by the EEBC that ignored "human geography" are addressed,

including the award of Badme, the focus of the 1998-2000 war;

Eritrea insists that the EEBC decision be implemented immediately

without modifications; in 2005 Eritrea began severely restricting

the operations of the UN Peacekeeping Mission to Ethiopia and

Eritrea (UNMEE) monitoring the 25km-wide Temporary Security Zone in

Eritrea since 2000; Sudan sustains over 110,000 Eritrean refugees

and accuses Eritrea of supporting Sudanese rebel groups

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 40,000-45,000 (border war with Ethiopia from 1998-2000; most

IDPs are near the central border region) (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Estonia

Introduction Estonia

Background:

After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian rule,

Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated into

the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US - it

regained its freedom in 1991, with the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Since the last Russian troops left in 1994, Estonia has been free to

promote economic and political ties with Western Europe. It joined

both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Geography Estonia

Location:

Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland,

between Latvia and Russia

Geographic coordinates:

59 00 N, 26 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 45,226 sq km

land: 43,211 sq km

water: 2,015 sq km

note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined

Land boundaries: total: 633 km border countries: Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km

Coastline:

3,794 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: limits fixed in coordination with

neighboring states

Climate:

maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers

Terrain:

marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m

highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m

Natural resources:

oil shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite,

arable land, sea mud

Land use: arable land: 12.05% permanent crops: 0.35% other: 87.6% (2005)

Irrigated land:

40 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

sometimes flooding occurs in the spring

Environment - current issues:

air polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power

plants in northeast; however, the amount of pollutants emitted to

the air have fallen steadily, the emissions of 2000 were 80% less

than in 1980; the amount of unpurified wastewater discharged to

water bodies in 2000 was one twentieth the level of 1980; in

connection with the start-up of new water purification plants, the

pollution load of wastewater decreased; Estonia has more than 1,400

natural and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural

areas need to be monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certain

locations

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,

Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution,

Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore

lie more than 1,500 islands

People Estonia

Population:

1,324,333 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 15.2% (male 103,367/female 97,587)

15-64 years: 67.6% (male 427,043/female 468,671)

65 years and over: 17.2% (male 75,347/female 152,318) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 39.3 years

male: 35.8 years

female: 42.6 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.64% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

10.04 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

13.25 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-3.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female

total population: 0.84 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 7.73 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 8.91 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 72.04 years

male: 66.58 years

female: 77.83 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.4 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

7,800 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Estonian(s)

adjective: Estonian

Ethnic groups:

Estonian 67.9%, Russian 25.6%, Ukrainian 2.1%, Belarusian 1.3%,

Finn 0.9%, other 2.2% (2000 census)

Religions:

Evangelical Lutheran 13.6%, Orthodox 12.8%, other Christian

(including Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic,

Pentecostal) 1.4%, unaffiliated 34.1%, other and unspecified 32%,

none 6.1% (2000 census)

Languages:

Estonian (official) 67.3%, Russian 29.7%, other 2.3%, unknown 0.7%

(2000 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.8%

male: 99.8%

female: 99.8% (2003 est.)

Government Estonia

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Estonia

conventional short form: Estonia

local long form: Eesti Vabariik

local short form: Eesti

former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

parliamentary republic

Capital:

name: Tallinn

geographic coordinates: 59 25 N, 24 45 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

15 counties (maakonnad, singular - maakond): Harjumaa (Tallinn),

Hiiumaa (Kardla), Ida-Virumaa (Johvi), Jarvamaa (Paide), Jogevamaa

(Jogeva), Laanemaa (Haapsalu), Laane-Virumaa (Rakvere), Parnumaa

(Parnu), Polvamaa (Polva), Raplamaa (Rapla), Saaremaa (Kuressaare),

Tartumaa (Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa (Viljandi), Vorumaa

(Voru)

note: counties have the administrative center name following in

parentheses

Independence:

20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 is

the date Estonia declared its independence from Soviet Russia; 20

August 1991 is the date it declared its independence from the Soviet

Union

Constitution:

adopted 28 June 1992

Legal system:

based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts;

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Toomas Hendrik ILVES (since 9 October

2006)

head of government: Prime Minister Andrus ANSIP (since 12 April 2005)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister,

approved by Parliament

elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); if a candidate does not secure

two-thirds of the votes after three rounds of balloting in the

Parliament, then an electoral assembly (made up of Parliament plus

members of local governments) elects the president, choosing between

the two candidates with the largest percentage of votes; election

last held 23 September 2006 (next to be held fall of 2011); prime

minister nominated by the president and approved by Parliament

election results: Toomas Hendrik ILVES elected president on 23

September 2006 by a 345-member electoral assembly; ILVES received

174 votes to incumbent Arnold RUUTEL's 162; remaining 9 ballots left

blank or invalid

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are elected

by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 2 March 2003 (next to be held March 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - Center Party of Estonia

25.4%, Res Publica 24.6%, Estonian Reform Party 17.7%, Estonian

People's Union 13%, Pro Patria Union (Fatherland League) 7.3%

People's Party Moodukad 7%; seats by party - Res Publica 26, Center

Party 20, Reform Party 19, Estonian People's Union 13, Pro Patria

Union 7, Social Democrats (formerly People's Party Moodukad) 6,

non-affiliated (Social Liberals and independents) 10

Judicial branch:

National Court (chairman appointed by Parliament for life)

Political parties and leaders:

Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) [Edgar SAVISAAR, chairman];

Estonian People's Union (Rahvaliit) [Villu REILJAN, chairman];

Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond) [Andrus ANSIP]; Estonian

United Russian People's Party or EUVRP [Yevgeniy TOMBERG, chairman];

Social Democratic Party (formerly People's Party Moodukad or

Moderates) [Ivari PADAR, chairman]; Social Liberals (group of eight

parliamentarians, former Center Party members) [Peeter KREITZBERG];

Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica (Isamaa je Res Publica Liit)

[Tonis LUKAS and Taavi VESKIMAGI, co-chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA,

IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG,

OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNTSO, UPU,

WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Juri LUIK

chancery: 2131 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101

FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jeffrey

GOLDSTEIN

embassy: Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinn

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [372] 668-8100

FAX: [372] 668-8134

Flag description:

pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three equal

horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white

Economy Estonia

Economy - overview:

Estonia, as a new member of the World Trade Organization and the

European Union, has transitioned effectively to a modern market

economy with strong ties to the West, including the pegging of its

currency to the euro. The economy benefits from strong electronics

and telecommunications sectors and is greatly influenced by

developments in Finland, Sweden, and Germany, three major trading

partners. The current account deficit remains high; however, the

state budget is essentially in balance, and public debt is low.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$26 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$13.62 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

9.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$19,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.4% industry: 28% services: 68.6% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 673,000 (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 11% industry: 20% services: 69% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:

5.8% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

5% (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.9% highest 10%: 28.5% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

33 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.4% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

32.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $5.994 billion

expenditures: $5.718 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

3.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

potatoes, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish

Industries:

engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textile;

information technology, telecommunications

Industrial production growth rate:

8% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

9.29 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.8% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0.2% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

6.846 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

2.141 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

347 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

6,819 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

60,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

54,000 bbl/day (2004)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

1.44 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

1.44 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-1.919 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$9.68 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and equipment 33%, wood and paper 15%, textiles 14%, food

products 8%, furniture 7%, metals, chemical products (2001)

Exports - partners:

Finland 26.3%, Sweden 13.2%, Latvia 8.8%, Russia 6.5%, Germany

6.2%, Lithuania 4.6% (2005)

Imports:

$12.03 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment 33.5%, chemical products 11.6%, textiles

10.3%, foodstuffs 9.4%, transportation equipment 8.9% (2001)

Imports - partners:

Finland 19.8%, Germany 13.9%, Russia 9.2%, Sweden 8.9%, Lithuania

6%, Latvia 4.7% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.344 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$13.94 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$108 million (2000)

Currency (code):

Estonian kroon (EEK)

Currency code:

EEK

Exchange rates:

krooni per US dollar - 12.5153 (2006), 12.584 (2005), 12.596

(2004), 13.856 (2003), 16.612 (2002), note - the krooni is pegged to

the euro

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Estonia

Telephones - main lines in use:

442,000 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.445 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: foreign investment in the form of joint

business ventures greatly improved telephone service; substantial

fiber-optic cable systems carry telephone, TV, and radio traffic in

the digital mode; Internet services are available throughout most of

the country

domestic: a wide range of high quality voice, data, and Internet

services is available throughout the country

international: country code - 372; fiber-optic cables to Finland,

Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet-switched

service; two international switches are located in Tallinn (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 98, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios:

1.01 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (2001)

Televisions:

605,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.ee

Internet hosts:

52,241 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

38 (2001)

Internet users:

690,000 (2005)

Transportation Estonia

Airports: 24 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 12

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 12

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 5 (2006)

Heliports:

1 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 859 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 958 km

broad gauge: 958 km 1.520 m/1.524-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 56,856 km

paved: 13,384 km (including 99 km of expressways)

unpaved: 43,472 km (2004)

Waterways:

500 km (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 35 ships (1000 GRT or over) 388,723 GRT/98,393 DWT

by type: cargo 7, passenger/cargo 26, petroleum tanker 2

foreign-owned: 4 (Denmark 2, Norway 2)

registered in other countries: 72 (Antigua and Barbuda 12, Bahamas

1, Belize 3, Cyprus 6, Dominica 11, Isle of Man 2, Liberia 1, Malta

4, Norway 1, Panama 3, Russia 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

25, Slovakia 1, Vanuatu 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Kopli, Kuivastu, Muuga, Tallinn, Virtsu

Military Estonia

Military branches:

Estonian Defense Forces: Land Force, Navy, Air Force, Volunteer

Defense League (Kaitseliit, KL) (2006)

Military service age and obligation: compulsory military service for men between 19 and 28; conscription lasts 11 months for junior NCOs and reserve platoon leaders; reserve officers and designated specialists have a different conscript service obligation; Estonia has committed to retaining conscription for men up to 2010 and, unlike Latvia and Lithuania, has no plan to transition to a contract armed forces; 17 years of age for volunteers; reserve commitment up to the age of 60 (2006)

Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 291,696 females age 18-49: 304,961 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 200,382 (in 2004, 51% of the young men called up for service were determined to be unfit; main obstacles to conscription were psychiatric and behavioral) females age 18-49: 250,351 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males: 11,146

females age 18-49: 10,605 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$155 million (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2% (2002 est.)

Transnational Issues Estonia

Disputes - international:

in 2005, Russia refuses to sign the 1996 technical border agreement

with Estonia when Estonia prepares a unilateral declaration

referencing Soviet occupation and territorial losses; Russia demands

better accommodation of Russian-speaking population in Estonia;

Estonian citizen groups continue to press for realignment of the

boundary based on the 1920 Tartu Peace Treaty that would bring the

now divided ethnic Setu people and parts of the Narva region within

Estonia; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external

border, Estonia must implement the strict Schengen border rules

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Southwest Asia

and the Caucasus via Russia, cocaine from Latin America to Western

Europe and Scandinavia, and synthetic drugs from Western Europe to

Scandinavia; increasing domestic drug abuse problem; possible

precursor manufacturing and/or trafficking; potential money

laundering related to organized crime and drug trafficking is a

concern, as is possible use of the gambling sector to launder funds

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Ethiopia

Introduction Ethiopia

Background:

Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy

maintained its freedom from colonial rule with the exception of the

1936-41 Italian occupation during World War II. In 1974, a military

junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since

1930) and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups,

uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the

regime was finally toppled in 1991 by a coalition of rebel forces,

the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). A

constitution was adopted in 1994, and Ethiopia's first multiparty

elections were held in 1995. A border war with Eritrea late in the

1990's ended with a peace treaty in December 2000. Final demarcation

of the boundary is currently on hold due to Ethiopian objections to

an international commission's finding requiring it to surrender

territory considered sensitive to Ethiopia.

Geography Ethiopia

Location:

Eastern Africa, west of Somalia

Geographic coordinates:

8 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 1,127,127 sq km

land: 1,119,683 sq km

water: 7,444 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 5,328 km

border countries: Djibouti 349 km, Eritrea 912 km, Kenya 861 km,

Somalia 1,600 km, Sudan 1,606 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation

Terrain:

high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift

Valley

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Denakil Depression -125 m

highest point: Ras Dejen 4,620 m

Natural resources:

small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural gas,

hydropower

Land use: arable land: 10.01% permanent crops: 0.65% other: 89.34% (2005)

Irrigated land:

2,900 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes,

volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water

shortages in some areas from water-intensive farming and poor

management

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost with the

de jure independence of Eritrea on 24 May 1993; the Blue Nile, the

chief headstream of the Nile by water volume, rises in T'ana Hayk

(Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopia; three major crops are believed to

have originated in Ethiopia: coffee, grain sorghum, and castor bean

People Ethiopia

Population:

74,777,981

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 43.7% (male 16,373,718/female 16,280,766)

15-64 years: 53.6% (male 19,999,482/female 20,077,014)

65 years and over: 2.7% (male 929,349/female 1,117,652) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 17.8 years

male: 17.7 years

female: 17.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.31% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

37.98 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

14.86 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population

note: repatriation of Ethiopian refugees residing in Sudan is

expected to continue for several years; some Sudanese, Somali, and

Eritrean refugees, who fled to Ethiopia from the fighting or famine

in their own countries, continue to return to their homes (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 93.62 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 103.43 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 83.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 49.03 years

male: 47.86 years

female: 50.24 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.22 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

4.4% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

1.5 million (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

120,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever, and hepatitis E vectorborne diseases: malaria and cutaneous leishmaniasis are high risks in some locations respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis animal contact disease: rabies water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Ethiopian(s)

adjective: Ethiopian

Ethnic groups:

Oromo 40%, Amhara and Tigre 32%, Sidamo 9%, Shankella 6%, Somali

6%, Afar 4%, Gurage 2%, other 1%

Religions:

Muslim 45%-50%, Ethiopian Orthodox 35%-40%, animist 12%, other 3%-8%

Languages:

Amharic, Tigrinya, Oromigna, Guaragigna, Somali, Arabic, other

local languages, English (major foreign language taught in schools)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 42.7%

male: 50.3%

female: 35.1% (2003 est.)

Government Ethiopia

Country name:

conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

conventional short form: Ethiopia

local long form: Ityop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik

local short form: Ityop'iya

former: Abyssinia, Italian East Africa

abbreviation: FDRE

Government type:

federal republic

Capital:

name: Addis Ababa

geographic coordinates: 9 02 N, 38 42 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

9 ethnically-based states (kililoch, singular - kilil) and 2

self-governing administrations* (astedaderoch, singular -

astedader); Adis Abeba* (Addis Ababa), Afar, Amara (Amhara),

Binshangul Gumuz, Dire Dawa*, Gambela Hizboch (Gambela Peoples),

Hareri Hizb (Harari People), Oromiya (Oromia), Sumale (Somali),

Tigray, Ye Debub Biheroch Bihereseboch na Hizboch (Southern Nations,

Nationalities and Peoples)

Independence:

oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the

world - at least 2,000 years

National holiday:

National Day (defeat of MENGISTU regime), 28 May (1991)

Constitution:

ratified December 1994, effective 22 August 1995

Legal system:

currently transitional mix of national and regional courts

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President GIRMA Woldegiorgis (since 8 October 2001)

head of government: Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since NA August

1995)

cabinet: Council of Ministers as provided for in the December 1994

constitution; ministers are selected by the prime minister and

approved by the House of People's Representatives

elections: president elected by the House of People's

Representatives for a six-year term (eligible for a second term);

election last held 8 October 2001 (next to be held October 2007);

prime minister designated by the party in power following

legislative elections

election results: GIRMA Woldegiorgis elected president; percent of

vote by the House of People's Representatives - 100%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Federation or upper

chamber (108 seats; members are chosen by state assemblies to serve

five-year terms) and the House of People's Representatives or lower

chamber (547 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote

from single-member districts to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 15 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by party - EPRDF 327,

CUD 109, UEDF 52, SPDP 23, OFDM 11, BGPDUF 8, ANDP 8, independent 1,

others 6, undeclared 2

note: irregularities at some polling stations necessitated the

rescheduling of voting in certain constituencies

Judicial branch:

Federal Supreme Court (the president and vice president of the

Federal Supreme Court are recommended by the prime minister and

appointed by the House of People's Representatives; for other

federal judges, the prime minister submits to the House of People's

Representatives for appointment candidates selected by the Federal

Judicial Administrative Council)

Political parties and leaders:

Afar National Democratic Party or ANDP; Benishangul Gumuz People's

Democratic Unity Front or BGPDUF [Mulualem BESSE]; Coalition for

Unity and Democracy or CUD [HAILU Shawel]; Ethiopian People's

Revolutionary Democratic Front or EPRDF [MELES Zenawi] (an alliance

of Amhara National Democratic Movement or ANDM, Oromo People's

Democratic Organization or OPDO, the South Ethiopean People's

Democratic Front or SEPDF, and TigrAyan Peoples' Liberation Front or

TPLF); Gurage Nationalities' Democratic Movement or GNDM; Oromo

Federalist Democratic Movement or OFDM [BULCHA Demeksa]; Somali

People's Democratic Party or SPDP; United Ethopian Democratic Forces

or UEDF [BEYENE Petros]; dozens of small parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Ethiopian People's Patriotic Front or EPPF; Ogaden National

Liberation Front or ONLF; Oromo Liberation Front or OLF [DAOUD Ibsa]

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,

IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM

(observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Samuel ASSEFA chancery: 3506 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 364-1200 FAX: [1] (202) 587-0195 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Donald Y. YAMAMOTO embassy: Entoto Street, Addis Ababa mailing address: P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa telephone: [251] (1) 517-4000 FAX: [251] (1) 517-4888

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and red with a

yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from the angles

between the points on a light blue disk centered on the three bands;

Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and the three

main colors of her flag were so often adopted by other African

countries upon independence that they became known as the

pan-African colors

Economy Ethiopia

Economy - overview:

Ethiopia's poverty-stricken economy is based on agriculture,

accounting for half of GDP, 60% of exports, and 80% of total

employment. The agricultural sector suffers from frequent drought

and poor cultivation practices. Coffee is critical to the Ethiopian

economy with exports of some $156 million in 2002, but historically

low prices have seen many farmers switching to qat to supplement

income. The war with Eritrea in 1998-2000 and recurrent drought have

buffeted the economy, in particular coffee production. In November

2001, Ethiopia qualified for debt relief from the Highly Indebted

Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, and in December 2005 the

International Monetary Fund voted to forgive Ethiopia's debt to the

body. Under Ethiopia's land tenure system, the government owns all

land and provides long-term leases to the tenants; the system

continues to hamper growth in the industrial sector as entrepreneurs

are unable to use land as collateral for loans. Drought struck again

late in 2002, leading to a 2% decline in GDP in 2003. Normal weather

patterns helped agricultural and GDP growth recover in 2004-06.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$71.63 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$9.789 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

8.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 49.2% industry: 9.1% services: 41.7% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 27.27 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 80% industry: 8% services: 12% (1985)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

50% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3%

highest 10%: 33.7% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

30 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

10.5% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

21.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $2.565 billion

expenditures: $3.165 billion; including capital expenditures of $788

million (2006 est.)

Public debt:

78.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, cotton, sugarcane, potatoes, qat,

cut flowers; hides, cattle, sheep, goats; fish

Industries:

food processing, beverages, textiles, leather, chemicals, metals

processing, cement

Industrial production growth rate:

6.7% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:

2.294 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.3% hydro: 97.6% nuclear: 0% other: 1.2% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

2.133 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

29,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

214,000 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

24.92 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-1.34 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$1.085 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

coffee, qat, gold, leather products, live animals, oilseeds

Exports - partners:

Germany 15.5%, China 10.5%, Japan 8.5%, Saudi Arabia 6.9%, Djibouti

6.8%, Switzerland 6.4%, Italy 5.9%, US 5.5%, Netherlands 4.2% (2005)

Imports:

$4.105 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

food and live animals, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals,

machinery, motor vehicles, cereals, textiles

Imports - partners:

Saudi Arabia 14.7%, China 12.6%, US 12.4%, India 6.7%, Italy 4.6%

(2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.186 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$2.789 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$308 million (FY00/01)

Currency (code):

birr (ETB)

Currency code:

ETB

Exchange rates:

birr per US dollar - 8.69 (2006), 8.68 (2005), 8.6356 (2004),

8.5997 (2003), 8.5678 (2002), note, since 24 October 2001 exchange

rates are determined on a daily basis via interbank transactions

regulated by the Central Bank

Fiscal year:

8 July - 7 July

Communications Ethiopia

Telephones - main lines in use:

610,300 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

410,600 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate for government use

domestic: open-wire; microwave radio relay; radio communication in

the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; two domestic satellites provide

the national trunk service

international: country code - 251; open-wire to Sudan and Djibouti;

microwave radio relay to Kenya and Djibouti; satellite earth

stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 8, FM 0, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:

15.2 million (2002)

Television broadcast stations:

1 plus 24 repeaters (2002)

Televisions:

682,000 (2002)

Internet country code:

.et

Internet hosts:

88 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2002)

Internet users:

113,000 (2005)

Transportation Ethiopia

Airports: 84 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 70 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 23 (2006)

Railways:

total: 681 km (Ethiopian segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti

railroad)

narrow gauge: 681 km 1.000-m gauge

note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2005)

Roadways:

total: 36,469 km

paved: 6,980 km

unpaved: 29,489 km (2004)

Merchant marine:

total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 79,441 GRT/97,669 DWT

by type: cargo 6, roll on/roll off 2 (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Ethiopia is landlocked and uses the port of Djibouti

Military Ethiopia

Military branches:

Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF): Ground Forces, Ethiopian

Air Force

note: Ethiopia is landlocked and has no navy; following the

secession of Eritrea, Ethiopian naval facilities remained in

Eritrean possession

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 14,568,277

females age 18-49: 14,482,885 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 8,072,755

females age 18-49: 7,902,660 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 803,777

females age 18-49: 801,789 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$295.9 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

3.4% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Ethiopia

Disputes - international:

Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by the 2002 Eritrea-Ethiopia

Boundary Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision, but mutual

animosities, accusations, and armed posturing prevail, preventing

demarcation despite international intervention; Ethiopia refuses to

withdraw to the delimited boundary until technical errors made by

the EEBC that ignored "human geography" are addressed, including the

award of Badme, the focus of the 1998-2000 war; Eritrea insists that

the EEBC decision be implemented immediately without modifications;

Ethiopia has only an administrative line and no international border

with the Oromo region of southern Somalia where it maintains

alliances with local clans in opposition to the unrecognized Somali

Interim Government in Mogadishu; "Somaliland" secessionists provide

port facilities and trade ties to landlocked Ethiopia; efforts to

demarcate the porous boundary with Sudan have been delayed by civil

war

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 73,927 (Sudan), 15,901 (Somalia),

10,700 (Eritrea)

IDPs: 100,000-280,000 (border war with Eritrea from 1998-2000 and

ethnic clashes in Gambela; most IDPs are in Tigray and Gambela

Provinces) (2006)

Illicit drugs:

transit hub for heroin originating in Southwest and Southeast Asia

and destined for Europe and North America, as well as cocaine

destined for markets in southern Africa; cultivates qat (khat) for

local use and regional export, principally to Djibouti and Somalia

(legal in all three countries); the lack of a well-developed

financial system limits the country's utility as a money-laundering

center

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@European Union

Introduction European Union

Preliminary statement:

The evolution of the European Union (EU) from a regional economic

agreement among six neighboring states in 1951 to today's

supranational organization of 27 countries across the European

continent stands as an unprecedented phenomenon in the annals of

history. Dynastic unions for territorial consolidation were long the

norm in Europe. On a few occasions even country-level unions were

arranged - the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the

Austro-Hungarian Empire were examples - but for such a large number

of nation-states to cede some of their sovereignty to an overarching

entity is truly unique. Although the EU is not a federation in the

strict sense, it is far more than a free-trade association such as

ASEAN, NAFTA, or Mercosur, and it has many of the attributes

associated with independent nations: its own flag, anthem, founding

date, and currency, as well as an incipient common foreign and

security policy in its dealings with other nations. In the future,

many of these nation-like characteristics are likely to be expanded.

Thus, inclusion of basic intelligence on the EU has been deemed

appropriate as a new, separate entity in The World Factbook.

However, because of the EU's special status, this description is

placed after the regular country entries.

Background: Following the two devastating World Wars of the first half of the 20th century, a number of European leaders in the late 1940s became convinced that the only way to establish a lasting peace was to unite the two chief belligerent nations - France and Germany - both economically and politically. In 1950, the French Foreign Minister Robert SCHUMAN proposed an eventual union of all Europe, the first step of which would be the integration of the coal and steel industries of Western Europe. The following year the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was set up when six members, Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, signed the Treaty of Paris. The ECSC was so successful that within a few years the decision was made to integrate other parts of the countries' economies. In 1957, the Treaties of Rome created the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), and the six member states undertook to eliminate trade barriers among themselves by forming a common market. In 1967, the institutions of all three communities were formally merged into the European Community (EC), creating a single Commission, a single Council of Ministers, and the European Parliament. Members of the European Parliament were initially selected by national parliaments, but in 1979 the first direct elections were undertaken and they have been held every five years since. In 1973, the first enlargement of the EC took place with the addition of Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The 1980s saw further membership expansion with Greece joining in 1981 and Spain and Portugal in 1986. The 1992 Treaty of Maastricht laid the basis for further forms of cooperation in foreign and defense policy, in judicial and internal affairs, and in the creation of an economic and monetary union - including a common currency. This further integration created the European Union (EU). In 1995, Austria, Finland, and Sweden joined the EU, raising the membership total to 15. A new currency, the euro, was launched in world money markets on 1 January 1999; it became the unit of exchange for all of the EU states except the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Denmark. In 2002, citizens of the 12 euro-area countries began using the euro banknotes and coins. Ten new countries joined the EU in 2004 - Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia - and in 2007 Bulgaria and Romania joined, bringing the current membership to 27. In order to ensure that the EU can continue to function efficiently with an expanded membership, the Treaty of Nice (in force as of 1 February 2003) set forth rules streamlining the size and procedures of EU institutions. An EU Constitutional Treaty, signed in Rome on 29 October 2004, gave member states two years to ratify the document before it was scheduled to take effect on 1 November 2006. Referenda held in France and the Netherlands in May-June 2005 rejected the proposed constitution. This development set back the ratification effort and left the longer-term political integration of the EU in limbo.

Geography European Union

Location:

Europe between the North Atlantic Ocean in the west and Russia,

Belarus, and Ukraine to the east

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 4,324,782 sq km

Area - comparative:

less than one-half the size of the US

Land boundaries:

total: 12,440.8 km

border countries: Albania 282 km, Andorra 120.3 km, Belarus 1,050

km, Croatia 999 km, Holy See 3.2 km, Liechtenstein 34.9 km,

Macedonia 394 km, Moldova 450 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Norway 2,348 km,

Russia 2,257 km, San Marino 39 km, Serbia 945 km, Switzerland 1,811

km, Turkey 446 km, Ukraine 1,257 km

note: data for European Continent only

Coastline:

65,992.9 km

Maritime claims:

NA

Climate:

cold temperate; potentially subarctic in the north to temperate;

mild wet winters; hot dry summers in the south

Terrain:

fairly flat along the Baltic and Atlantic coast; mountainous in the

central and southern areas

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Lammefjord, Denmark -7 m; Zuidplaspolder, Netherlands

-7 m

highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m; note - situated on the border

between France and Italy

Natural resources:

iron ore, natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, lead, zinc,

bauxite, uranium, potash, salt, hydropower, arable land, timber, fish

Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% other: NA%

Irrigated land:

168,050 sq km (2003 est.)

Natural hazards:

flooding along coasts; avalanches in mountainous area; earthquakes

in the south; volcanic eruptions in Italy; periodic droughts in

Spain; ice floes in the Baltic

Environment - current issues:

NA

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94,

Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes,

Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 82, Tropical

Timber 94

signed but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

People European Union

Population:

486,642,177 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 16.03% (male 37,608,010/female 35,632,351)

15-64 years: 67.17% (male 154,439,536/female 152,479,619)

65 years and over: 16.81% (male 31,515,921/female 45,277,821) (2006

est.)

Median age:

NA

Population growth rate:

0.15% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

10 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

10.1 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: NA

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female

Infant mortality rate:

total: 5.1 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5.6 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.3 years

male: 75.1 years

female: 81.6 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.47 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Religions:

Roman Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish

Languages:

Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish,

French, Gaelic, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian,

Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovene,

Spanish, Swedish; note - only official languages are listed

Government European Union

Union name:

conventional long form: European Union

abbreviation: EU

Political structure:

a hybrid intergovernmental and supranational organization

Capital:

name: Brussels (Belgium), Strasbourg (France), Luxembourg

geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 20 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

note: the Council of the European Union meets in Brussels, the

European Parliament meets in Brussels and Strasbourg, France, and

the Court of Justice of the European Communities meets in Luxembourg

Member states:

27 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic,

Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary,

Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands,

Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK;

note - Canary Islands (Spain), Azores and Madeira (Portugal), French

Guyana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Reunion (France) are sometimes

listed separately even though they are legally a part of Spain,

Portugal, and France; candidate countries: Croatia, Macedonia, Turkey

Independence:

7 February 1992 (Maastricht Treaty signed establishing the EU); 1

November 1993 (Maastricht Treaty entered into force)

National holiday:

Europe Day 9 May (1950); note - a Union-wide holiday, the day that

Robert SCHUMAN proposed the creation of the European Coal and Steel

Community to achieve an organized Europe

Constitution:

based on a series of treaties: the Treaty of Paris, which set up

the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1951; the Treaties

of Rome, which set up the European Economic Community (EEC) and the

European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) in 1957; the Single

European Act in 1986; the Treaty on European Union (Maastricht) in

1992; the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1997; and the Treaty of Nice in

2003; note - a new draft Constitutional Treaty, signed on 29 October

2004 in Rome, gave member states two years for ratification either

by parliamentary vote or national referendum before it was scheduled

to take effect on 1 November 2006; defeat in French and Dutch

referenda in May-June 2005 dealt a severe setback to the

ratification process, though it has continued more slowly with

Finland ratifying in December 2006; as of January 2007, 18 countries

have ratified the Constitutional Treaty; Germany has made revival of

the EU Constitution a goal of its EU Presidency in 2007

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of union: President of the European Commission Jose Manuel

DURAO BARROSO (since 22 November 2004)

cabinet: European Commission (composed of 27 members, one from each

member country; each commissioner responsible for one or more policy

areas)

elections: the president of the European Commission is designated by

member governments and is confirmed by the European Parliament;

working from member state recommendations, the Commission president

then assembles a "college" of Commission members; the European

Parliament confirms the entire Commission for a five-year term; the

last confirmation process was held 18 November 2004 (next to be held

2009)

election results: European Parliament approved the European

Commission by an approval vote of 449 to 149 with 82 abstentions

note: the European Council brings together heads of state and

government and the president of the European Commission and meets at

least four times a year; its aim is to provide the impetus for the

major political issues relating to European integration and to issue

general policy guidelines

Legislative branch:

Council of the European Union (27 member-state ministers having 345

votes; the number of votes is roughly proportional to member-states'

population); note - the Council is the main decision-making body of

the EU; European Parliament (785 seats (as of 1 January 2007); seats

allocated among member states by proportion to population); members

elected by direct universal suffrage for a five-year term

elections: last held 10-13 June 2004 (next to be held June 2009)

election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by party - EPP-ED

268, PES 202, ALDE 88, Greens/EFA 42, EUL/NGL 41, IND/DEM 36, UEN

27, independents 28; note - seats by party as of 1 January 2007 -

EPP-ED 277, PES 218, ALDE 106, UEN 44, Greens/EFA 42, EUL/NGL 41,

IND/DEM 23, ITS 20, independents 14

Judicial branch:

Court of Justice of the European Communities (ensures that the

treaties are interpreted and applied uniformly throughout the EU;

resolve constitutional issues among the EU institutions) - 27

justices (one from each member state) appointed for a six-year term;

note - for the sake of efficiency, the court can sit with 13

justices known as the "Grand Chamber"; Court of First Instance - 27

justices appointed for a six-year term

Political parties and leaders:

Confederal Group of the European United Left-Nordic Green Left or

EUL/NGL [Francis WURTZ]; European People's Party-European Democrats

or EPP-ED [Joseph DAUL]; Group of the Alliance of Liberals and

Democrats for Europe or ALDE [Graham R. WATSON]; Group of

Greens/European Free Alliance or Greens/EFA [Monica FRASSONI and

Daniel Marc COHN-BENDIT]; Identity, Tradition, Sovereignty Group

[Bruno GOLLNISCH]; Independence/Democracy Group or IND/DEM

[Jens-Peter BONDE and Nigel FARAGE]; Socialist Group in the European

Parliament or PES [Martin SCHULZ]; Union for Europe of the Nations

Group or UEN [Brian CROWLEY and Cristiana MUSCARDINI]

International organization participation:

European Union: ASEAN (dialogue member), ARF (dialogue member),

IDA, OAS (observer), UN (observer), WTO

European Community: Australian Group, CBSS, CERN, FAO, EBRD, G-10,

NAM (observer), NSG (observer), OECD, UNRWA, ZC (observer)

European Central Bank: BIS

European Investment Bank: EBRD, WADB (nonregional member)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John BRUTON chancery: 2300 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 862-9500 FAX: [1] (202) 429-1766

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador C. Boyden GRAY embassy: 13 Zinnerstraat/Rue Zinner, B-1000 Brussels mailing address: same as above telephone: [32] (2) 508-2222 FAX: [32] (2) 512-5720

Flag description:

on a blue field, 12 five-pointed gold stars arranged in a circle,

representing the union of the peoples of Europe; the number of stars

is fixed

Economy European Union

Economy - overview:

Internally, the European Union attempts to lower trade barriers,

adopt a common currency, and move toward convergence of living

standards. Internationally, the EU aims to bolster Europe's trade

position and its political and economic power. Because of the great

differences in per capita income among member states (from $8,000 to

$61,000) and historic national animosities, the European Union faces

difficulties in devising and enforcing common policies. For example,

since 2003 Germany and France have flouted the member states' treaty

obligation to prevent their national budgets from running more than

a 3% deficit. In 2004 and 2007, the EU admitted 10 and two

countries, respectively, that are, in general, less advanced

technologically and economically than the other 15. Twelve

established EU member states introduced the euro as their common

currency on 1 January 1999, but the UK, Sweden, and Denmark chose

not to participate. Of the 12 most recent member states, only

Slovenia has adopted the euro (1 January 2007); the remaining eleven

are legally required to adopt the currency upon meeting EU's fiscal

and monetary convergence criteria.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$12.82 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$13.62 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$29,300 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.1% industry: 27.3% services: 70.5% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 221.5 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 4.4% industry: 27.3% services: 67% note: the remainder is in miscellaneous public and private sector industries and services (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:

8.8% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:

see individual country listings

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.4% (1995 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

32 (2003 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.2% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

20.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, barley, oilseeds, sugar beets, wine, grapes; dairy products,

cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry; fish

Industries:

among the world's largest and most technologically advanced, the

European Union industrial base includes: ferrous and non-ferrous

metal production and processing, metal products, petroleum, coal,

cement, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, rail transportation

equipment, passenger and commercial vehicles, construction

equipment, industrial equipment, shipbuilding, electrical power

equipment, machine tools and automated manufacturing systems,

electronics and telecommunications equipment, fishing, food and

beverage processing, furniture, paper, textiles, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

2.8% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

2.98 trillion kWh (2004 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

2.77 trillion kWh (2004 est.)

Electricity - exports:

278.7 billion kWh

Electricity - imports:

277.1 billion kWh

Oil - production:

3.172 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

14.7 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - exports:

5.318 million bbl/day

Oil - imports:

15.74 million bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves:

7.335 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

238.1 billion cu m (2004)

Natural gas - consumption:

507.4 billion cu m (2004)

Natural gas - exports:

78.89 billion cu m

Natural gas - imports:

347.7 billion cu m

Natural gas - proved reserves:

3.219 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$NA

Exports:

$1.33 trillion; note - external exports, excluding intra-EU trade

(2005)

Exports - commodities:

machinery, motor vehicles, aircraft, plastics, pharmaceuticals and

other chemicals, fuels, iron and steel, nonferrous metals, wood pulp

and paper products, textiles, meat, dairy products, fish, alcoholic

beverages.

Exports - partners:

US 23.3%, Switzerland 7.6%, Russia 5.2%, China 4.8% (2005)

Imports:

$1.466 trillion; note - external imports, excluding intra-EU trade

(2005)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, vehicles, aircraft, plastics, crude oil, chemicals,

textiles, metals, foodstuffs, clothing

Imports - partners:

US 13.8%, China 13.4%, Russia 8.2%, Japan 6.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$NA

Currency (code):

euro, British pound, Bulgarian lev, Cypriot pound, Czech koruna,

Danish krone, Estonian kroon, Hungarian forint, Latvian lat,

Lithuanian litas, Maltese lira, Polish zloty, Romanian leu, Slovak

koruna, Swedish krona; Romanian leu and Bulgarian lev added,

beginning in 2007

Currency code:

EUR

Exchange rates:

euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),

0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Fiscal year:

NA

Communications European Union

Telephones - main lines in use:

238 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

466 million (2005)

Telephone system:

note - see individual country entries of member states

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 930, FM 13,655, shortwave 71 (1998); note - sum of individual

country radio broadcast stations; there is also a European-wide

station (Euroradio)

Television broadcast stations:

2,700 (1995); note - does not include repeaters; sum of individual

country television broadcast stations; there is also a European-wide

station (Eurovision)

Internet country code:

.eu (effective 2005); note - see country entries of member states

for individual country codes

Internet hosts:

50.5 million (2005); note - sum of individual country Internet hosts

Internet users:

247 million (2006)

Transportation European Union

Airports:

3,393 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

2,020 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

1,373 (2006)

Heliports:

100 (2006)

Railways:

total: 235,199 km

broad gauge: 28,327 km

standard gauge: 198,913 km

narrow gauge: 7,936 km

other: 23 km (2005)

Roadways:

total: 2,294,641 km (including 61,522 km of expressways)

paved: 1,809,821 km

unpaved: 584,820 km (2005)

Waterways:

52,332 km (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Antwerp (Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Braila (Romania), Bremen

(Germany), Burgas (Bulgaria), Constanta (Romania), Copenhagen

(Denmark), Galati (Romania), Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg (Germany),

Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas (Canary Islands, Spain), Le Havre

(France), Lisbon (Portugal), London (UK), Marseille (France), Naples

(Italy), Peiraiefs or Piraeus (Greece), Riga (Latvia), Rotterdam

(Netherlands), Stockholm (Sweden), Talinn (Estonia), Tulcea

(Romania), Varna (Bulgaria)

Military European Union

Military - note:

In November 2004, the European Union heads of government signed a

"Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe" that offers

possibilities - with some limits - for increased defense and

security cooperation. If ratified, in a process that may take some

two years, this treaty will in effect make operational the European

Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) approved in the 2000 Nice Treaty.

Despite limits of cooperation for some EU members, development of a

European military planning unit is likely to continue. So is

creation of a rapid-reaction military force and a humanitarian aid

system, which the planning unit will support. France, Germany,

Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Italy continue to press for

wider coordination. The five-nation Eurocorps - created in 1992 by

France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Luxembourg - has already

deployed troops and police on peacekeeping missions to Bosnia and

Herzegovina, Macedonia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo and

assumed command of the International Security Assistance Force

(ISAF) in Afghanistan in August 2004. Eurocorps directly commands

the 5,000-man Franco-German Brigade, the Multinational Command

Support Brigade, and EUFOR, which took over from SFOR in Bosnia in

December 2004. Other troop contributions are under national command

- commitments to provide 67,100 troops were made at the Helsinki EU

session in 2000. Some 56,000 EU troops were actually deployed in

2003. In August 2004, the new European Defense Agency, tasked with

promoting cooperative European defense capabilities, began

operations. In November 2004, the EU Council of Ministers formally

committed to creating thirteen 1,500-man "battle groups" by the end

of 2007, to respond to international crises on a rotating basis.

Twenty-two of the EU's 25 nations have agreed to supply troops.

France, Italy, and the UK are to form the first three battle groups

in 2005, with Spain to follow. In May 2005, Norway, Sweden, and

Finland agreed to establish one of the battle groups, possibly to

include Estonian forces. The remaining groups are to be formed by

2007. (2005)

Transnational Issues European Union

Disputes - international:

as a political union, the EU has no border disputes with

neighboring countries, but Estonia and Latvia have no land boundary

agreements with Russia, Slovenia disputes its land and maritime

boundaries with Croatia, and Spain has territorial and maritime

disputes with Morocco; the EU has set up a Schengen area -

consisting of 13 EU member states that have signed the convention

implementing the Schengen agreements (1985 and 1990) on the free

movement of persons and the harmonization of border controls in

Europe; the Schengen agreements ("acquis") became incorporated into

EU law with the implementation of the 1997 Treaty of Amsterdam on 1

May 1999; member states are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland,

France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal,

Spain, and Sweden; in addition, non-EU states Iceland and Norway (as

part of the Nordic Union) have been included in the Schengen area

since 1996 (full members in 2001), bringing the total current

membership to 15; the UK (since 2000) and Ireland (since 2002) take

part in some aspects of the Schengen area, especially with respect

to police and criminal matters; the 12 new member states that joined

the EU in 2004 and 2007 eventually are expected to participate in

Schengen, following a transition period to upgrade their border

controls and procedures

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Introduction Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Background:

Although first sighted by an English navigator in 1592, the first

landing (English) did not occur until almost a century later in

1690, and the first settlement (French) was not established until

1764. The colony was turned over to Spain two years later and the

islands have since been the subject of a territorial dispute, first

between Britain and Spain, then between Britain and Argentina. The

UK asserted its claim to the islands by establishing a naval

garrison there in 1833. Argentina invaded the islands on 2 April

1982. The British responded with an expeditionary force that landed

seven weeks later and after fierce fighting forced Argentine

surrender on 14 June 1982.

Geography Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Location:

Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east

of southern Argentina

Geographic coordinates:

51 45 S, 59 00 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 12,173 sq km

land: 12,173 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and

about 200 small islands

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

1,288 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on

more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 24 inches

in Stanley; occasional snow all year, except in January and

February, but does not accumulate

Terrain:

rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m

Natural resources: fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (99% permanent pastures, 1% other) (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

strong winds persist throughout the year

Environment - current issues:

overfishing by unlicensed vessels is a problem; reindeer were

introduced to the islands in 2001 for commercial reasons; this is

the only commercial reindeer herd in the world unaffected by the

Chornobyl disaster

Geography - note:

deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing

season

People Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Population: 2,967 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.44% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

NA births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate:

NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Total fertility rate:

NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Falkland Islander(s)

adjective: Falkland Island

Ethnic groups:

British

Religions:

primarily Anglican, Roman Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist

Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist

Languages:

English

Literacy:

NA

Government Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Dependency status:

overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Stanley

geographic coordinates: 51 42 S, 57 41 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in September; ends

third Sunday in April

Administrative divisions:

none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Independence:

none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

National holiday:

Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)

Constitution:

3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 1998

Legal system:

English common law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

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

head of government: Governor Alan HUCKLE (since 25 August 2006);

Chief Executive Chris SIMPKINS (since March 2003); Financial

Secretary Derek F. HOWATT (since NA)

cabinet: Executive Council; three members elected by the Legislative

Council, two ex officio members (chief executive and the financial

secretary), and the governor

elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by

the monarch

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Council (10 seats - two ex officio, eight

elected by popular vote, members serve four-year terms); presided

over by the governor

elections: last held 17 November 2005 (next to be held November 2009)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 8

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (chief justice is a nonresident); Magistrates Court

(senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions);

Court of Summary Jurisdiction

Political parties and leaders:

none; all independents

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

ICFTU, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Flag description:

blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and

the Falkland Island coat of arms centered on the outer half of the

flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising was once

the major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose

crew discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the

motto DESIRE THE RIGHT

Economy Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Economy - overview:

The economy was formerly based on agriculture, mainly sheep

farming, but today fishing contributes the bulk of economic

activity. In 1987 the government began selling fishing licenses to

foreign trawlers operating within the Falkland Islands' exclusive

fishing zone. These license fees total more than $40 million per

year, which goes to support the island's health, education, and

welfare system. Squid accounts for 75% of the fish taken. Dairy

farming supports domestic consumption; crops furnish winter fodder.

Exports feature shipments of high-grade wool to the UK and the sale

of postage stamps and coins. The islands are now self-financing

except for defense. The British Geological Survey announced a

200-mile oil exploration zone around the islands in 1993, and early

seismic surveys suggest substantial reserves capable of producing

500,000 barrels per day; to date, no exploitable site has been

identified. An agreement between Argentina and the UK in 1995 seeks

to defuse licensing and sovereignty conflicts that would dampen

foreign interest in exploiting potential oil reserves. Tourism,

especially eco-tourism, is increasing rapidly, with about 30,000

visitors in 2001. Another large source of income is interest paid on

money the government has in the bank. The British military presence

also provides a sizeable economic boost.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$75 million (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

NA

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$25,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 95% industry: NA% services: NA%

Labor force: 1,724 (est.) (1996)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 95% (mostly sheepherding and fishing) industry and services: 5%

Unemployment rate:

full employment; labor shortage (2001)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.6% (1998)

Budget:

revenues: $66.2 million

expenditures: $67.9 million; including capital expenditures of $23.2

million (FY98/99 est.)

Agriculture - products:

fodder and vegetable crops; sheep, dairy products

Industries:

fish and wool processing; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

16 million kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

14.88 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

230 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$125 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

wool, hides, meat

Exports - partners:

Spain 81.9%, US 6%, UK 4.5% (2005)

Imports:

$90 million (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

fuel, food and drink, building materials, clothing

Imports - partners:

UK 72.5%, US 15.1%, Netherlands 8.5% (2005)

Debt - external:

$NA

Economic aid - recipient:

$0 (1997 est.)

Currency (code):

Falkland pound (FKP)

Currency code:

FKP

Exchange rates:

Falkland pounds per US dollar - 0.55 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125

(2003), 0.6672 (2002), note, the Falkland pound is at par with the

British pound

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Telephones - main lines in use:

2,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

0 (2001)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB

radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all

points on both islands

international: country code - 500; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other

countries

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0

note: British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1

(FM) and Radio 2 (AM) service (2006)

Radios:

1,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides

multi-channel satellite service to members of UK Forces as well as

islanders)

note: cable television is available in Stanley (2006)

Televisions:

1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.fk

Internet hosts:

103 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2000)

Internet users:

1,900 (2002)

Transportation Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Airports:

5 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 3

under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 440 km

paved: 50 km

unpaved: 390 km (2003)

Ports and terminals:

Stanley

Military Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Military branches:

no regular military forces

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

NA

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Disputes - international:

Argentina, which claims the islands in its constitution and briefly

occupied them by force in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek

settlement by force; UK continues to reject Argentine requests for

sovereignty talks

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Faroe Islands

Introduction Faroe Islands

Background:

The population of the Faroe Islands is largely descended from

Viking settlers who arrived in the 9th century. The islands have

been connected politically to Denmark since the 14th century. A high

degree of self government was attained in 1948.

Geography Faroe Islands

Location:

Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian Sea and the

North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Iceland to

Norway

Geographic coordinates:

62 00 N, 7 00 W

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 1,399 sq km

land: 1,399 sq km

water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams)

Area - comparative:

eight times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

1,117 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 3 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

Climate:

mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy

Terrain:

rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m

Natural resources: fish, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

Land use: arable land: 2.14% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.86% (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

NA

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Marine Dumping -associate member to the London Convention

Geography - note:

archipelago of 17 inhabited islands and one uninhabited island, and

a few uninhabited islets; strategically located along important sea

lanes in northeastern Atlantic; precipitous terrain limits

habitation to small coastal lowlands

People Faroe Islands

Population:

47,246 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 20.9% (male 4,940/female 4,952)

15-64 years: 65.1% (male 16,247/female 14,522)

65 years and over: 13.9% (male 2,976/female 3,609) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 35 years

male: 34.7 years

female: 35.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.58% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

14.05 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

8.7 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 6.12 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.35 years

male: 75.91 years

female: 82.8 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.17 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Faroese (singular and plural)

adjective: Faroese

Ethnic groups:

Scandinavian

Religions:

Evangelical Lutheran

Languages:

Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% note: probably 100%, the same as Denmark proper

Government Faroe Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Faroe Islands

local long form: none

local short form: Foroyar

Dependency status:

part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas

administrative division of Denmark since 1948

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Torshavn

geographic coordinates: 62 01 N, 6 46 W

time difference: UTC (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas

administrative division of Denmark); there are no first-order

administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there

are 34 municipalities

Independence:

none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas

administrative division of Denmark)

National holiday:

Olaifest (Olavasoka), 29 July

Constitution:

5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Legal system:

Danish

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January

1972), represented by High Commissioner Birgit KLEIS, chief

administrative officer (since 1 November 2001)

head of government: Prime Minister Joannes EIDESGAARD (since 3

February 2004)

cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister

elections: the monarch is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by

the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the

majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually

elected prime minister by the Faroese Parliament; election last held

20 January 2004 (next to be held no later than January 2008)

election results: Joannes EIDESGAARD elected prime minister; percent

of parliamentary vote - NA

Legislative branch:

unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (32 seats; members are

elected by popular vote on a proportional basis from the seven

constituencies to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 20 January 2004 (next to be held no later than

January 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - Union Party 23.7%,

Social Democratic Party 21.8%, Republican Party 21.7%, People's

Party 20.6%, Center Party 5.2%, Independence Party 4.6%; seats by

party - Union Party 7, Social Democratic Party 7, Republican Party

8, People's Party 7, Center Party 2, Independence Party 1

note: election of two seats to the Danish Parliament was last held

on 8 February 2005 (next to be held February 2009); results -

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 1,

People's Party 1

Judicial branch:

none

Political parties and leaders:

Center Party [Jenis A. RANA]; Independence Party [Kari P.

HOJGAARD]; People's Party [Anfinn KALLSBERG]; Republican Party

[Hogni HOYDAL]; Social Democratic Party [Joannes EIDESGAARD]; Union

Party [Kaj Leo JOHANNESEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

Arctic Council, IMO (associate), NC, NIB, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Flag description:

white with a red cross outlined in blue extending to the edges of

the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted toward the hoist

side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy Faroe Islands

Economy - overview:

The Faroese economy has had a strong performance since 1994, mostly

as a result of increasing fish landings and high and stable export

prices. Unemployment is minimal and there are signs of labor

shortages in several sectors. The positive economic development has

helped the Faroese Home Rule Government produce increasing budget

surpluses, which in turn have helped reduce the large public debt,

most of it owed to Denmark. However, the total dependence on fishing

makes the Faroese economy extremely vulnerable, and the present

fishing efforts appear in excess of what is a sustainable level of

fishing in the long term. Oil finds close to the Faroese area give

hope for deposits in the immediate Faroese area, which may

eventually lay the basis for a more diversified economy and thus

lessen dependence on Danish economic assistance. Aided by a

substantial annual subsidy (about 15% of GDP) from Denmark, the

Faroese have a standard of living not far below the Danes and other

Scandinavians.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1 billion (2001 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

NA

GDP - real growth rate:

10% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$31,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 27% industry: 11% services: 62% (1999)

Labor force: 24,250 (October 2000)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 33% industry: 33% services: 34%

Unemployment rate:

1% (October 2000)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5.1% (1999)

Budget:

revenues: $488 million

expenditures: $484 million; including capital expenditures of $21

million (1999)

Agriculture - products:

milk, potatoes, vegetables; sheep; salmon, other fish

Industries:

fishing, fish processing, small ship repair and refurbishment,

handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:

8% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:

292.6 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 62.4% hydro: 37.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

272.1 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

4,550 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$533 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

fish and fish products 94%, stamps, ships (1999)

Exports - partners:

Denmark 38%, UK 29.4%, Nigeria 8.9%, Norway 6.1%, Netherlands 4.3%

(2005)

Imports:

$639 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

consumer goods 36%, raw materials and semi-manufactures 32%,

machinery and transport equipment 29%, fuels, fish, salt (1999)

Imports - partners:

Denmark 47.4%, Norway 18.7%, Germany 8.4%, Spain 7.8%, Iceland 4.9%

(2005)

Debt - external:

$64 million (1999)

Economic aid - recipient:

$135 million (annual subsidy from Denmark) (1998)

Currency (code):

Danish krone (DKK)

Currency code:

DKK

Exchange rates:

Danish kroner per US dollar - 5.93667 (2006), 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911

(2004), 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Faroe Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:

23,800 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

42,500 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: good international communications; good

domestic facilities

domestic: digitalization was completed in 1998; both NMT (analog)

and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installed

international: country code - 298; satellite earth stations - 1

Orion; 1 fiber-optic submarine cable to the Shetland Islands,

linking the Faroe Islands with Denmark and Iceland; fiber-optic

submarine cable connection to Canada-Europe cable

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

26,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (plus 43 low-power repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions:

15,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.fo

Internet hosts:

6,915 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2000)

Internet users:

33,000 (2005)

Transportation Faroe Islands

Airports: 1 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 458 km

note: no roads between towns (2003)

Merchant marine:

total: 18 ships (1000 GRT or over) 19,265 GRT/9,171 DWT

by type: cargo 10, container 2, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 2

foreign-owned: 8 (Iceland 4, Norway 4) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Torshavn

Military Faroe Islands

Military branches:

no regular military forces

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 10,695 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 8,852 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 366 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

NA

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Transnational Issues Faroe Islands

Disputes - international:

because anticipated offshore hydrocarbon resources have not been

realized, earlier Faroese proposals for full independence have been

deferred; Iceland disputes the Faroe Islands' fisheries median line

boundary; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that

the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Fiji

Introduction Fiji

Background:

Fiji became independent in 1970, after nearly a century as a

British colony. Democratic rule was interrupted by two military

coups in 1987, caused by concern over a government perceived as

dominated by the Indian community (descendants of contract laborers

brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century). The

coups and a 1990 constitution that cemented native Melanesian

control of Fiji, led to heavy Indian emigration; the population loss

resulted in economic difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians

became the majority. A new constitution enacted in 1997 was more

equitable. Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a

government led by an Indo-Fijian, but a civilian-led coup in May

2000 ushered in a prolonged period of political turmoil.

Parliamentary elections held in August 2001 provided Fiji with a

democratically elected government led by Prime Minister Laisenia

QARASE. Re-elected in May 2006, QARASE was ousted in a December 2006

military coup led by Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA, who initially

appointed himself acting president. In January 2007, BAINIMARAMA was

appointed interim prime minister.

Geography Fiji

Location:

Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds

of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:

18 00 S, 175 00 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 18,270 sq km

land: 18,270 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

1,129 km

Maritime claims:

measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

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

rectilinear shelf claim added

Climate:

tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:

mostly mountains of volcanic origin

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Tomanivi 1,324 m

Natural resources: timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 10.95% permanent crops: 4.65% other: 84.4% (2005)

Irrigated land:

30 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

cyclonic storms can occur from November to January

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: includes 332 islands; approximately 110 are inhabited

People Fiji

Population:

905,949 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 31.1% (male 143,847/female 138,061)

15-64 years: 64.6% (male 293,072/female 292,312)

65 years and over: 4.3% (male 17,583/female 21,074) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 24.6 years

male: 24.1 years

female: 25 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.4% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

22.55 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

5.65 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-2.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 12.3 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 13.63 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 10.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 69.82 years

male: 67.32 years

female: 72.45 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.73 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Fijian(s)

adjective: Fijian

Ethnic groups:

Fijian 51% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture),

Indian 44%, European, other Pacific Islanders, overseas Chinese, and

other 5% (1998 est.)

Religions:

Christian 52% (Methodist 37%, Roman Catholic 9%), Hindu 38%, Muslim

8%, other 2%

note: Fijians are mainly Christian, Indians are Hindu, and there is

a Muslim minority

Languages:

English (official), Fijian (official), Hindustani

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 93.7%

male: 95.5%

female: 91.9% (2003 est.)

Government Fiji

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands

conventional short form: Fiji

local long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands/Matanitu ko Viti

local short form: Fiji/Viti

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Suva (on Viti Levu)

geographic coordinates: 18 08 S, 178 25 E

time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

4 divisions and 1 dependency*; Central, Eastern, Northern, Rotuma*,

Western

Independence:

10 October 1970 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, second Monday of October (1970)

Constitution:

enacted on 25 July 1997 to encourage multiculturalism and make

multiparty government mandatory; effective 28 July 1998

Legal system:

based on British system

Suffrage:

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda (since 18

July 2000); note - ILOILOVATU was reaffirmed as president by the

Great Council of Chiefs in a statement issued on 22 December, and

reappointed by the coup leader Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA in

January 2007

head of government: Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since 10

September 2000); note - although QARASE is still the legal prime

minister, he has been confined to his home island; the president

appointed Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA interim prime minister under

the military regime

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the

members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament; note - coup

leader Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA has appointed an interim cabinet

elections: president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a

five-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister

appointed by the president; election last held 8 March 2006

election results: Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda elected president

by the Great Council of Chiefs; percent of vote - NA

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (32 seats; 14 appointed

by the president on the advice of the Great Council of Chiefs, 9

appointed by the president on the advice of the Prime Minister, 8 on

the advice of the Opposition Leader, and 1 appointed on the advice

of the council of Rotuma) and the House of Representatives (71

seats; 23 reserved for ethnic Fijians, 19 reserved for ethnic

Indians, 3 reserved for other ethnic groups, 1 reserved for the

council of Rotuma constituency encompassing the whole of Fiji, and

25 open seats; members serve five-year terms)

elections: House of Representatives - last held 6-13 May 2006 (next

to be held 2011)

election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by

party - SDL 44.59%, FLP 39.18%, UPP .84%, independents 4.89%; seats

by party - SDL 36, FLP 31, UPP 2, independents 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); Court of

Appeal; High Court; Magistrates' Courts

Political parties and leaders:

Dodonu Ni Taukei Party or DNT [Fereti S. DEWA]; Fiji Democratic

Party or FDP [Filipe BOLE] (a merger of the Christian Democrat

Alliance or VLV [Poesci Waqalevu BUNE], Fijian Association Party or

FAP, Fijian Political Party or SVT (primarily Fijian) [Sitiveni

RABUKA], and New Labor Unity Party or NLUP [Ofa SWANN]); Fiji Labor

Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDHRY]; General Voters Party or GVP

(became part of United General Party); Girmit Heritage Party or GHP;

Justice and Freedom Party or AIM; Lio 'On Famor Rotuma Party or LFR;

National Federation Party or NFP (primarily Indian) [Pramond RAE];

Nationalist Vanua Takolavo Party or NVTLP [Saula TELAWA]; Party of

National Unity or PANU [Ponipate LESAVUA]; Party of the Truth or

POTT; United Fiji Party/Sogosogo Duavata ni Lewenivanua or SDL

[Laisenia QARASE]; United Peoples Party or UPP [Millis Mick BEDDOES]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,

IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC,

MIGA, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,

UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Jesoni VITUSAGAVULU

chancery: 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 240, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 337-8320

FAX: [1] (202) 337-1996

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Larry Miles DINGER

embassy: 31 Loftus Street, Suva

mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva

telephone: [679] 331-4466

FAX: [679] 330-0081

Flag description:

light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant

and the Fijian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the

shield depicts a yellow lion above a white field quartered by the

cross of Saint George featuring stalks of sugarcane, a palm tree,

bananas, and a white dove

Economy Fiji

Economy - overview:

Fiji, endowed with forest, mineral, and fish resources, is one of

the most developed of the Pacific island economies, though still

with a large subsistence sector. Sugar exports, remittances from

Fijians working abroad, and a growing tourist industry - with

300,000 to 400,000 tourists annually - are the major sources of

foreign exchange. Fiji's sugar has special access to European Union

markets, but will be harmed by the EU's decision to cut sugar

subsidies. Sugar processing makes up one-third of industrial

activity but is not efficient. Fiji's tourism industry was damaged

by the 2006 coup and is facing an uncertain recovery time. Long-term

problems include low investment, uncertain land ownership rights,

and the government's ability to manage its budget. Overseas

remittances from Fijians working in Kuwait and Iraq have increased

significantly.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$5.504 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.038 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$6,100 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.9% industry: 13.5% services: 77.6% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 137,000 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 70% industry and services: 30% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:

7.6% (1999)

Population below poverty line:

25.5% (1990-91)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3% (2005)

Budget:

revenues: $720.5 million

expenditures: $728.3 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2005)

Agriculture - products:

sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes,

bananas; cattle, pigs, horses, goats; fish

Industries:

tourism, sugar, clothing, copra, gold, silver, lumber, small

cottage industries

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

817 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 18.5% hydro: 81.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

759.8 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

10,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-465.8 million

Exports:

$719.6 million f.o.b. (2005)

Exports - commodities:

sugar, garments, gold, timber, fish, molasses, coconut oil

Exports - partners:

US 19.7%, Australia 17%, UK 12.3%, Japan 5.4%, Samoa 4.1% (2005)

Imports:

$1.462 billion c.i.f. (2005)

Imports - commodities:

manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum

products, food, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Singapore 27.5%, Australia 23.7%, NZ 19%, Thailand 4.5% (2005)

Debt - external:

$127 million (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$63.9 million (2004)

Currency (code):

Fijian dollar (FJD)

Currency code:

FJD

Exchange rates:

Fijian dollars per US dollar - 1.691 (2005), 1.7331 (2004), 1.8958

(2003), 2.1869 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Fiji

Telephones - main lines in use:

102,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

142,200 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern local, interisland, and international

(wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose telephone,

telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio communications

center

domestic: NA

international: country code - 679; access to important cable links

between US and Canada as well as between NZ and Australia; 2

satellite earth stations - 2 INMARSAT (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 13, FM 40, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

541,476 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:

NA

Televisions:

88,110 (1999)

Internet country code:

.fj

Internet hosts:

8,987 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2000)

Internet users:

61,000 (2004)

Transportation Fiji

Airports: 28 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 18 (2006)

Railways:

total: 597 km

narrow gauge: 597 km 0.600-m gauge

note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation; used

to haul sugarcane during harvest season (May to December) (2005)

Roadways:

total: 3,440 km

paved: 1,692 km

unpaved: 1,748 km (1999)

Waterways:

203 km

note: 122 km navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges

(2004)

Merchant marine:

total: 7 ships (1000 GRT or over) 15,867 GRT/8,432 DWT

by type: passenger 3, passenger/cargo 2, roll on/roll off 2

foreign-owned: 1 (Australia 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Lambasa, Lautoka, Suva

Military Fiji

Military branches:

Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF): Land Forces, Naval Forces

(2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 215,104

females age 18-49: 212,739 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 163,960

females age 18-49: 178,714 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 9,266

females age 18-49: 8,916 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$36 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.2% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Fiji

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Finland

Introduction Finland

Background:

Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden from the

12th to the 19th centuries and an autonomous grand duchy of Russia

after 1809. It won its complete independence in 1917. During World

War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom and resist

invasions by the Soviet Union - albeit with some loss of territory.

In the subsequent half century, the Finns made a remarkable

transformation from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern

industrial economy; per capita income is now on par with Western

Europe. A member of the European Union since 1995, Finland was the

only Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation in

January 1999.

Geography Finland

Location:

Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and

Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia

Geographic coordinates:

64 00 N, 26 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 338,145 sq km

land: 304,473 sq km

water: 33,672 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries: total: 2,681 km border countries: Norway 727 km, Sweden 614 km, Russia 1,340 km

Coastline:

1,250 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 nm)

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm; extends to continental shelf boundary

with Sweden

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

Climate:

cold temperate; potentially subarctic but comparatively mild

because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current,

Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes

Terrain:

mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low

hills

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m

highest point: Haltiatunturi 1,328 m

Natural resources:

timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold,

silver, limestone

Land use: arable land: 6.54% permanent crops: 0.02% other: 93.44% (2005)

Irrigated land:

640 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

air pollution from manufacturing and power plants contributing to

acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes, agricultural

chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,

Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,

Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,

Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,

Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national

capital on European continent; population concentrated on small

southwestern coastal plain

People Finland

Population:

5,231,372 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 17.1% (male 455,420/female 438,719)

15-64 years: 66.7% (male 1,766,674/female 1,724,858)

65 years and over: 16.2% (male 337,257/female 508,444) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 41.3 years

male: 39.7 years

female: 42.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.14% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

10.45 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

9.86 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

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

65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 3.55 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 3.86 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.5 years

male: 74.99 years

female: 82.17 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.73 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

1,500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Finn(s)

adjective: Finnish

Ethnic groups:

Finn 93.4%, Swede 5.7%, Russian 0.4%, Estonian 0.2%, Roma 0.2%,

Sami 0.1%

Religions:

Lutheran National Church 84.2%, Greek Orthodox in Finland 1.1%,

other Christian 1.1%, other 0.1%, none 13.5% (2003)

Languages:

Finnish 92% (official), Swedish 5.6% (official), other 2.4% (small

Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities) (2003)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 100%

male: 100%

female: 100% (2000 est.)

Government Finland

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Finland

conventional short form: Finland

local long form: Suomen tasavalta/Republiken Finland

local short form: Suomi/Finland

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Helsinki

geographic coordinates: 60 10 N, 24 58 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

6 provinces (laanit, singular - laani); Aland, Etela-Suomen Laani,

Ita-Suomen Laani, Lansi-Suomen Laani, Lappi, Oulun Laani

Independence:

6 December 1917 (from Russia)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 6 December (1917)

Constitution:

1 March 2000

Legal system:

civil law system based on Swedish law; the president may request

the Supreme Court to review laws; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000)

head of government: Prime Minister Matti VANHANEN (since 24 June

2003) and Deputy Prime Minister Eero HEINALUOMA (since 24 September

2005)

cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the

president, responsible to parliament

elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 15 January 2006

(next to be held January 2012); the president appoints the prime

minister and deputy prime minister from the majority party or the

majority coalition after parliamentary elections and the parliament

must approve the appointment

election results: percent of vote - Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 46.3%, Sauli

NIINISTO (Kok) 24.1%, Matti Vanhanen (Kesk) 18.6%, Heidi HAUTALA

(VIHR) 3.5%; a runoff election between HALONEN and NIINISTO was held

29 January 2006 - HOLONEN 51.8%, NIINISTO 48.2%

note: government coalition - Kesk, SDP, and SFP

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members are elected

by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 16 March 2003 (next to be held March 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - Kesk 24.7%, SDP 24.5%,

Kok 18.5%, VAS 9.9%, VIHR 8%, KD 5.3%, SFP 4.6%; seats by party -

Kesk 55, SDP 53, Kok 40, VAS 19, VIHR 14, KD 7, SFP 8, other 4

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders:

Center Party or Kesk [Matti VANHANEN]; Christian Democrats or KD

[Paivi RASANEN]; Green League or VIHR [Tarja CRONBERG]; Left

Alliance or VAS composed of People's Democratic League and

Democratic Alternative [Martti KORHONEN]; National Coalition

(conservative) Party or Kok [Jyrki KATAINEN]; Social Democratic

Party or SDP [Eero HEINALUOMA]; Swedish People's Party or SFP

[Stefan WALLIN]

International organization participation:

AfDB, Arctic Council, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN,

EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NC, NEA,

NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP,

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS,

UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO,

ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Pekka LINTU

chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800

FAX: [1] (202) 298-6030

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Marilyn WARE

embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14B, 00140 Helsinki

mailing address: APO AE 09723

telephone: [358] (9) 616250

FAX: [358] (9) 6162 5800

Flag description:

white with a blue cross extending to the edges of the flag; the

vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style

of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy Finland

Economy - overview:

Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market economy

with per capita output roughly that of the UK, France, Germany, and

Italy. Its key economic sector is manufacturing - principally the

wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and electronics

industries. Trade is important; exports equal two-fifths of GDP.

Finland excels in high-tech exports, e.g., mobile phones. Except for

timber and several minerals, Finland depends on imports of raw

materials, energy, and some components for manufactured goods.

Because of the climate, agricultural development is limited to

maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products. Forestry, an

important export earner, provides a secondary occupation for the

rural population. High unemployment remains a persistent problem.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$171.7 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$196.2 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$32,800 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.7% industry: 30.3% services: 67% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 2.62 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture and forestry 4.4%, industry 4.4%, construction 6%, commerce 17.5%, finance, insurance, and business services 12%, transport and communications 6%, public services 30.2%

Unemployment rate:

7% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.2% highest 10%: 21.6% (1991)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

26.9 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.7% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

18.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $105.6 billion

expenditures: $101 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

37.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish

Industries:

metals and metal products, electronics, machinery and scientific

instruments, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, foodstuffs, chemicals,

textiles, clothing

Industrial production growth rate:

3% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

81.6 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 39% hydro: 18.7% nuclear: 30.4% other: 11.8% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

80.79 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

6.8 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

11.7 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

9,105 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

220,400 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

101,000 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

318,300 bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

4.86 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

4.866 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$8.749 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$84.72 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper, pulp

(1999)

Exports - partners:

Russia 11.2%, Sweden 10.7%, Germany 10.5%, UK 6.6%, US 6.2%,

Netherlands 4.8% (2005)

Imports:

$71.69 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport

equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics,

grains

Imports - partners:

Germany 16.2%, Sweden 14.1%, Russia 13.9%, Netherlands 6.2%,

Denmark 4.6%, UK 4.3%, China 4.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$6.561 billion (August 2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$251.9 billion (30 June 2006)

Economic aid - donor:

ODA, $850,536,746.4905 (2005)

Currency (code):

euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the

euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of

member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole

currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:

EUR

Exchange rates:

euros per US dollar - 0.79987 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),

0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Finland

Telephones - main lines in use:

2.12 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

5.231 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern system with excellent service

domestic: digital fiber-optic fixed-line network and an extensive

cellular network provide domestic needs

international: country code - 358; 1 submarine cable (Finland

Estonia Connection); satellite earth stations - access to Intelsat

transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station, 1

Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Finland shares

the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark,

Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 186, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:

7.7 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

120 (plus 431 repeaters) (1999)

Televisions:

3.2 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.fi; note - the IANA has assigned the ccTLD of .ax to the Aland

Islands

Internet hosts:

1,633,614 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

3 (2002)

Internet users:

3.286 million (2005)

Transportation Finland

Airports: 148 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 76 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 27 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 14 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 72 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 67 (2006)

Pipelines: gas 694 km (2006)

Railways: total: 5,741 km broad gauge: 5,741 km 1.524-m gauge (2,619 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:

total: 78,189 km

paved: 50,633 km (including 653 km of expressways)

unpaved: 27,556 km (2006)

Waterways:

7,842 km

note: includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part leased

from Russia (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 87 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,250,600 GRT/952,072 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 22, chemical tanker 6, container 1,

passenger 5, passenger/cargo 20, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll

off 25

foreign-owned: 3 (Norway 1, Russia 1, UK 1)

registered in other countries: 48 (Bahamas 8, Germany 2, Gibraltar

3, Luxembourg 4, Marshall Islands 2, Netherlands 13, Norway 4,

Sweden 11, UK 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Hamina, Hanko, Helsinki, Kotka, Naantali, Pori, Porvoo, Raahe,

Rauma, Turku

Military Finland

Military branches:

Finnish Defense Forces: Army, Navy (includes coastal defense

forces), Air Force (2003)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service

(October 2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,121,275

females age 18-49: 1,076,684 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 913,617

females age 18-49: 875,689 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 32,040

females age 18-49: 30,519 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$1.8 billion (FY98/99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2% (FY98/99)

Transnational Issues Finland

Disputes - international:

various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia and other

areas ceded to the Soviet Union, but the Finnish Government asserts

no territorial demands

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@France

Introduction France

Background:

Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France

suffered extensive losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, and rank

as a dominant nation-state. Nevertheless, France today is one of the

most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European

nations. Since 1958, it has constructed a presidential democracy

resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier parliamentary

democracies. In recent years, its reconciliation and cooperation

with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of

Europe, including the introduction of a common exchange currency,

the euro, in January 1999. At present, France is at the forefront of

efforts to develop the EU's military capabilities to supplement

progress toward an EU foreign policy.

Geography France

Location:

Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English Channel,

between Belgium and Spain, southeast of the UK; bordering the

Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain

French Guiana: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic

Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname

Guadeloupe: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the

North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico

Martinique: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North

Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Reunion: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of

Madagascar

Geographic coordinates:

46 00 N, 2 00 E

French Guiana: 4 00 N, 53 00 W

Guadeloupe: 16 15 N, 61 35 W

Martinique: 14 40 N, 61 00 W

Reunion: 21 06 S, 55 36 E

Map references:

Europe

French Guiana: South America

Guadeloupe: Central America and the Caribbean

Martinique: Central America and the Caribbean

Reunion: World

Area:

total: 643,427 sq km; 547,030 sq km (metropolitan France)

land: 640,053 sq km; 545,630 sq km (metropolitan France)

water: 3,374 sq km; 1,400 sq km (metropolitan France)

note: the first numbers include the overseas regions of French

Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Reunion

Area - comparative:

slightly less than the size of Texas

Land boundaries:

metropolitan France - total: 2,889 km

border countries: Andorra 56.6 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany 451 km,

Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Spain 623 km,

Switzerland 573 km

Guadeloupe - total: 10.2 km

border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 10.2 km

French Guiana - total: 1,183 km

border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km

Coastline:

total: 4,668 km

metropolitan France: 3,427 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (does not apply to the Mediterranean)

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

Climate:

generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot

summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry,

north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral

French Guiana: tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature

variation

Guadeloupe and Martinique: subtropical tempered by trade winds;

moderately high humidity; rainy season (June to October); vulnerable

to devasting cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on average

Reunion: tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool

and dry (May to November), hot and rainy (November to April)

Terrain:

mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west;

remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east

French Guiana: low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small

mountains

Guadeloupe: Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior

mountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the

seven other islands are volcanic in origin

Martinique: mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano

Reunion: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m

highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m

Natural resources:

coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash,

feldspar, fluorospar, gypsum, timber, fish

French Guiana: gold deposits, petroleum, kaolin, niobium, tantalum,

clay

Land use:

arable land: 33.46%

permanent crops: 2.03%

other: 64.51%

note: French Guiana - arable land 0.13%, permanent crops 0.04%,

other 99.83% (90% forest, 10% other); Guadeloupe - arable land

11.70%, permanent crops 2.92%, other 85.38%; Martinique - arable

land 9.09%, permanent crops 10.0%, other 80.91%; Reunion - arable

land 13.94%, permanent crops 1.59%, other 84.47% (2005)

Irrigated land:

total: 26,190 sq km;

metropolitan France: 26,000 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

metropolitan France: flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms;

drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean

overseas departments: hurricanes (cyclones), flooding, volcanic

activity (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion)

Environment - current issues:

some forest damage from acid rain; air pollution from industrial

and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes,

agricultural runoff

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,

Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,

Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,

Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life

Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical

Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

largest West European nation

People France

Population: total: 62,752,136 note: 60,876,136 in metropolitan France (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 18.3% (male 5,704,152/female 5,427,213)

15-64 years: 65.3% (male 19,886,228/female 19,860,506)

65 years and over: 16.4% (male 4,103,883/female 5,894,154) (2006

est.)

Median age: total: 39.1 years male: 37.6 years female: 40.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.35% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

11.99 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

9.14 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.21 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4.71 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.73 years

male: 76.1 years

female: 83.54 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.84 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.4% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

120,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)

adjective: French

Ethnic groups:

Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese,

Basque minorities

overseas departments: black, white, mulatto, East Indian, Chinese,

Amerindian

Religions:

Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%,

unaffiliated 4%

overseas departments: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Hindu, Muslim,

Buddhist, pagan

Languages:

French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages

(Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish)

overseas departments: French, Creole patois

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government France

Country name:

conventional long form: French Republic

conventional short form: France

local long form: Republique francaise

local short form: France

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Paris

geographic coordinates: 48 52 N, 2 20 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

26 regions (regions, singular - region); Alsace, Aquitaine,

Auvergne, Basse-Normandie (Lower Normandy), Bourgogne, Bretagne

(Brittany), Centre, Champagne-Ardenne, Corse (Corsica),

Franche-Comte, Guadeloupe, Guyane (French Guiana), Haute-Normandie

(Upper Normandy), Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin,

Lorraine, Martinique, Reunion, Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais,

Pays de la Loire, Picardie, Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote

d'Azur, Rhone-Alpes

note: France is divided into 22 metropolitan regions (including the

"territorial collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and 4 overseas

regions and is subdivided into 96 metropolitan departments and 4

overseas departments

Dependent areas:

Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island, French

Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Glorioso Islands,

Juan de Nova Island, New Caledonia, Tromelin Island, Wallis and

Futuna

note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica; New Caledonia

has been considered a "sui generis" collectivity of France since

1999, a unique status falling between that of an independent country

and a French overseas deparment

Independence:

486 (unified by Clovis)

National holiday:

Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note - although often

incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, the celebration actually

commemorates the holiday held on the first anniversary of the

storming of the Bastille (on 14 July 1789) and the establishment of

a constitutional monarchy; other names for the holiday are Fete

Nationale (National Holiday) and quatorze juillet (14th of July)

Constitution:

adopted by referendum 28 September 1958, effective 4 October 1958;

amended concerning election of president in 1962; amended to comply

with provisions of 1992 EC Maastricht Treaty, 1996 Amsterdam Treaty,

2000 Treaty of Nice; amended to tighten immigration laws in 1993;

amended in 2000 to change the seven-year presidential term to a

five-year term; amended in 2005 to make the EU constitutional treaty

compatible with the Constitution of France and to ensure that the

decision to ratify EU accession treaties would be made by referendum

Legal system:

civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of administrative

but not legislative acts

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995)

head of government: Prime Minister Dominique DE VILLEPIN (since 31

May 2005)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the

suggestion of the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(changed from seven-year term in October 2000); election last held

21 April and 5 May 2002 (next to be held, first round 22 April 2007,

second round 6 May 2007); prime minister nominated by the National

Assembly majority and appointed by the president

election results: Jacques CHIRAC reelected president; percent of

vote, second ballot - Jacques CHIRAC (RPR) 81.96%, Jean-Marie LE PEN

(FN) 18.04%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat

(331 seats - 305 for metropolitan France, 9 for overseas

departments, 5 for dependencies, and 12 for French nationals abroad;

members are indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve

nine-year terms; elected by thirds every three years); note -

between 2006 and 2010, 15 new seats will be added to the Senate for

a total of 346 seats - 326 for metropolitan France and overseas

departments, 2 for New Caledonia, 2 for Mayotte, 1 for Saint-Pierre

and Miquelon, 3 for overseas territories, and 12 for French

nationals abroad; starting in 2008, members will be indirectly

elected by an electoral college to serve six-year terms, with

one-half the seats being renewed every three years; and the National

Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats - 555 for metropolitan

France, 15 for overseas departments, 7 for dependencies; members are

elected by popular vote under a single-member majority system to

serve five-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 26 September 2004 (next to be held

September 2008); National Assembly - last held 8-16 June 2002 (next

to be held on 10 and 17 June 2007)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - UMP 156, PS 97, UDF 33, PCF 23, RDSE 15, other 7; National

Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 355,

PS 140, UDF 29, PCF 21, Left Radical Party 7, Greens 3, other 22

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (judges are appointed

by the president from nominations of the High Council of the

Judiciary); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (three

members appointed by the president, three appointed by the president

of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the president of

the Senate); Council of State or Conseil d'Etat

Political parties and leaders:

Citizen and Republican Movement or MRC [Jean Pierre CHEVENEMENT];

Democratic and European Social Rally or RDSE (mainly Radical

Republican and Socialist Parties, and PRG) [Jacques PELLETIER];

French Communist Party or PCF [Marie-George BUFFET]; Greens [Yann

WEHRLING, national secretary]; Left Radical Party or PRG (previously

Radical Socialist Party or PRS and the Left Radical Movement or MRG)

[Jean-Michel BAYLET]; Movement for France or MPF [Philippe DE

VILLIERS]; National Front or FN [Jean-Marie LE PEN]; Rally for

France or RPF [Charles PASQUA]; Socialist Party or PS [Francois

HOLLANDE]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Francois BAYROU];

Union for a Popular Movement or UMP [Nicolas SARKOZY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

historically-Communist labor union (Confederation Generale du

Travail) or CGT, approximately 700,000 members (claimed);

left-leaning labor union (Confederation Francaise Democratique du

Travail) or CFDT, approximately 889,000 members (claimed);

independent labor union (Confederation Generale du Travail - Force

Ouvriere) or FO, 300,000 members (est.); independent white-collar

union (Confederation Generale des Cadres) or CGC, 196,000 members

(claimed); employers' union (Mouvement des Entreprises de France) or

MEDEF, 750,000 companies as members (claimed)

French Guiana: NA

Guadeloupe: Christian Movement for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or

KLPG; General Federation of Guadeloupe Workers or CGT-G; General

Union of Guadeloupe Workers or UGTG; Movement of Independent

Guadeloupe or MPGI; The Socialist Renewal Movement

Martinique: Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance or ARC; Central Union

for Martinique Workers or CSTM [Marc PULVAR]; Frantz Fanon Circle;

League of Workers and Peasants; Proletarian Action Group or GAP

Reunion: NA

International organization participation:

ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, Arctic Council (observer), AsDB, Australia

Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC,

EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FZ, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB,

IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IFTU,

IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA,

MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF,

OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SECI (observer), SPC,

UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL,

UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO,

UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Jean-David LEVITTE

chancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000

FAX: [1] (202) 944-6166

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los

Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Craig R. STAPLETON

embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75382 Paris Cedex 08

mailing address: PSC 116, APO AE 09777

telephone: [33] (1) 43-12-22-22

FAX: [33] (1) 42 66 97 83

consulate(s) general: Marseille, Strasbourg

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and red;

known as the "Le drapeau tricolore" (French Tricolor), the origin of

the flag dates to 1790 and the French Revolution; the design and/or

colors are similar to a number of other flags, including those of

Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote d'Ivoire, Luxembourg, and Netherlands;

the official flag for all French dependent areas

Economy France

Economy - overview:

France is in the midst of transition from a well-to-do modern

economy that has featured extensive government ownership and

intervention to one that relies more on market mechanisms. The

government has partially or fully privatized many large companies,

banks, and insurers. It retains controlling stakes in several

leading firms, including Air France, France Telecom, Renault, and

Thales, and is dominant in some sectors, particularly power, public

transport, and defense industries. The telecommunications sector is

gradually being opened to competition. France's leaders remain

committed to a capitalism in which they maintain social equity by

means of laws, tax policies, and social spending that reduce income

disparity and the impact of free markets on public health and

welfare. The government in 2006 focused on introducing measures that

attempt to boost employment through increased labor market

flexibility; however, the population has remained opposed to labor

reforms, hampering the government's ability to revitalize the

economy. The tax burden remains one of the highest in Europe (nearly

50% of GDP in 2005). The lingering economic slowdown and inflexible

budget items probably pushed the budget deficit above the eurozone's

3%-of-GDP limit in 2006; unemployment hovers near 9%.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.871 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.154 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$30,100 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.2% industry: 20.6% services: 77.2% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 27.88 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 4.1% industry: 24.4% services: 71.5% (1999)

Unemployment rate:

9.1% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

6.5% (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.1% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

32.7 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

20% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $1.15 trillion

expenditures: $1.211 trillion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

64.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairy

products; fish

Industries:

machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft,

electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

1.5% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

540.6 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 8.2% hydro: 14% nuclear: 77.1% other: 0.7% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

440.6 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

68.6 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

6.5 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

77,690 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

1.977 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

409,600 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

2.281 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

144.3 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

1.4 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

45.41 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

770 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

44.78 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

12.77 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-35.36 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$490 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics,

chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages

Exports - partners:

Germany 14.7%, Spain 9.7%, Italy 8.7%, UK 8.3%, Belgium 7.1%, US

7.1% (2005)

Imports:

$529.1 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics,

chemicals

Imports - partners:

Germany 18.9%, Belgium 10.7%, Italy 8.3%, Spain 7%, Netherlands

6.6%, UK 5.9%, US 5.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$39.98 billion (August 2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$3.461 trillion (30 June 2006)

Economic aid - donor:

ODA, $5.4 billion (2002)

Currency (code):

euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the

euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of

member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole

currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:

EUR

Exchange rates:

euros per US dollar - 0.7967 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),

0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications France

Telephones - main lines in use:

38.433 million; 35.7 million (metropolitan France) (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

49,369,800; 48.058 million (metropolitan France) (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: highly developed

domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive

introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system

international: country code - 33; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (with total of 5 antennas - 2 for Indian Ocean and 3 for

Atlantic Ocean), NA Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region); HF

radiotelephone communications with more than 20 countries

overseas departments: country codes: French Guiana - 594; Guadeloupe

- 590; Martinique - 596; Reunion - 262

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 41, FM about 3,500 (this figure is an approximation and includes

many repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:

55.3 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

584 (plus 9,676 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:

34.8 million (1997)

Internet country code:

metropolitan France - .fr; French Guiana - .gf; Guadeloupe - .gp;

Martinique - .mq; Reunion - .re

Internet hosts:

3,149,008; 3,148,379 (metropolitan France) (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

62 (2000)

Internet users:

29.945 million; 29.521 million (metropolitan France) (2006)

Transportation France

Airports: total: 501 metropolitan France: 477 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 292 (metropolitan France) 15 (overseas departments) over 3,047 m: 13 (metropolitan France) 3 (overseas departments) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 28 (metropolitan France) 1 (overseas departments) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 96 (metropolitan France) 914 to 1,523 m: 81 (metropolitan France) 5 (overseas departments) under 914 m: 74 (metropolitan France) 6 (overseas departments) (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 185 (metropolitan France) 9 (overseas departments) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (metropolitan France) 914 to 1,523 m: 73 (metropolitan France) 2 (overseas departments) under 914 m: 108 (metropolitan France) 7 (overseas departments) (2006)

Heliports:

3 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 14,588 km; oil 3,024 km; refined products 4,889 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 29,085 km

standard gauge: 28,918 km 1.435-m gauge (14,481 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 956,303 km (including 5,083 km of roads in the overseas

departments)

paved: 951,220 km (metropolitan France; including 10,490 km of

expressways) (2004)

Waterways:

metropolitan France: 8,500 km (1,686 km accessible to craft of

3,000 metric tons)

French Guiana: 3,760 km (460 km navigable by small oceangoing

vessels and coastal and river steamers, 3,300 km by native craft)

(2000)

Merchant marine:

total: 61 ships (1000 GRT or over) 875,777 GRT/1,318,605 DWT

by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 3, container 5, liquefied gas 6,

passenger 3, passenger/cargo 32, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll

off 1

foreign-owned: 13 (Denmark 1, Hong Kong 1, Italy 2, Monaco 1, Norway

1, NZ 1, Singapore 2, Sweden 2, Switzerland 2)

registered in other countries: 154 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Australia

3, Bahamas 37, Bermuda 1, Cameroon 1, French Polynesia 1, French

Southern and Antarctic Lands 36, Gibraltar 1, Indonesia 1, Isle of

Man 2, Italy 1, South Korea 12, Liberia 3, Luxembourg 14, Malta 6,

Mexico 1, Morocco 1, Panama 15, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 8,

UK 4, Wallis and Futuna 5)

note: Reunion owns one ship registered in the Bahamas (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Basse-Terre (Guadeloupe), Bordeaux, Calais, Degrad de Cannes

(French Guiana), Dunkerque, Fort-de-France (Martinique), Gustavia

(Guadeloupe), La Pallice, La Trinite (Martinique), Le Havre, Le Port

(Reunion), Marin (Martinique), Marseille, Nantes, Paris,

Pointe-a-Pitre (Guadeloupe), Rouen, Strasbourg

Military France

Military branches:

Army (includes marines, Foreign Legion, light aviation), Navy

(includes naval air), Air Force (includes air defense), National

Gendarmerie

Military service age and obligation:

17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription ended

in the 1990s; women serve in non-combat military posts (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 17-49: 13,676,509

females age 17-49: 13,504,539 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 17-49: 11,262,661

females age 17-49: 11,079,472 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 17-49: 389,204

females age 17-49: 372,719 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$45 billion FY06 (2005)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.6% FY06 (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues France

Disputes - international:

Madagascar claims the French territories of Bassas da India, Europa

Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island; Comoros claims

Mayotte; Mauritius claims Tromelin Island; territorial dispute

between Suriname and the French overseas department of French

Guiana; France asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie

Land); France and Vanuatu claim Matthew and Hunter Islands, east of

New Caledonia

Illicit drugs:

metropolitan France: transshipment point for and consumer of South

American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and European synthetics

French Guiana: small amount of marijuana grown for local

consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe

Martinique: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for

the US and Europe

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@French Polynesia

Introduction French Polynesia

Background:

The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th

century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by

resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year

moratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996. In recent

years, French Polynesia's autonomy has been considerably expanded.

Geography French Polynesia

Location:

Oceania, archipelagoes in the South Pacific Ocean about one-half of

the way from South America to Australia

Geographic coordinates:

15 00 S, 140 00 W

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)

land: 3,660 sq km

water: 507 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

2,525 km

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

Climate:

tropical, but moderate

Terrain:

mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m

Natural resources: timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 0.75% permanent crops: 5.5% other: 93.75% (2005)

Irrigated land:

10 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

occasional cyclonic storms in January

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

includes five archipelagoes (4 volcanic, 1 coral); Makatea in

French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in

the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati

and Nauru

People French Polynesia

Population:

274,578 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 26.1% (male 36,541/female 34,999)

15-64 years: 67.9% (male 96,769/female 89,593)

65 years and over: 6.1% (male 8,428/female 8,248) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 27.9 years

male: 28.2 years

female: 27.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.48% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

16.68 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

4.69 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

2.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female

total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 8.29 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 9.55 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.1 years

male: 73.69 years

female: 78.63 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.01 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: French Polynesian(s)

adjective: French Polynesian

Ethnic groups:

Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%

Religions:

Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6%

Languages:

French 61.1% (official), Polynesian 31.4% (official), Asian

languages 1.2%, other 0.3%, unspecified 6% (2002 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 14 and over can read and write

total population: 98%

male: 98%

female: 98% (1977 est.)

Government French Polynesia

Country name:

conventional long form: Overseas Lands of French Polynesia

conventional short form: French Polynesia

local long form: Pays d'outre-mer de la Polynesie Francaise

local short form: Polynesie Francaise

former: French Colony of Oceania

Dependency status:

overseas lands of France; overseas territory of France from

1946-2004

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Papeete

geographic coordinates: 17 32 S, 149 34 W

time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (overseas lands of France); there are no first-order

administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there

are five archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises,

Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, Iles

Sous-le-Vent

note: Clipperton Island is administered by France from French

Polynesia

Independence:

none (overseas lands of France)

National holiday:

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:

based on French system

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May

1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Anne BOQUET

(since September 2005)

head of government: President of French Polynesia Gaston TONG SANG

(since 14 December 2006); President of the Territorial Assembly

Antony GEROS (since 9 May 2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members

of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as

ministers

elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year

term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the

advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the

territorial government and the president of the Territorial Assembly

are elected by the members of the assembly for five-year terms (no

term limits)

Legislative branch:

unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (57 seats

- changed from 49 seats for May 2004 election; members are elected

by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 23 May 2004 (next to be held May 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 28, Union for Democracy

27, New Star 1, This Country is Yours 1; after by-elections of 13

February 2005 seating was as follows: People's Rally for the

Republic 27, Union for Democracy 27, and Alliance for a New

Democracy 3

note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998

(next to be held September 2007); results - percent of vote by party

- NA; seats by party - NA; two seats were elected to the French

National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007);

results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1,

UMP 1

Judicial branch:

Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First Instance or

Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or

Tribunal Administratif

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance for a New Democracy or ADN [Nicole BOUTEAU and Philip

SCHYLE](includes the parties The New Star and This Country is

Yours); Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini

Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile

VERNAUDON]; People's Rally for the Republic of Polynesia or RPR

(Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; Union for Democracy or UPD

[Oscar TEMARU]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

FZ, ITUC, PIF (observer), SPC, UPU, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas lands of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas lands of France)

Flag description:

two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white band; centered

on the white band is a disk with blue and white wave pattern on the

lower half and gold and white ray pattern on the upper half; a

stylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wave pattern; the

French flag is used for official occasions

Government - note:

under certain acts of France, French Polynesia has acquired

autonomy in all areas except those relating to police and justice,

monetary policy, tertiary education, immigration, and defense and

foreign affairs; the duties of its president are fashioned after

those of the French prime minister

Economy French Polynesia

Economy - overview:

Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region,

French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence agricultural economy

to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either

employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. With the

halt of French nuclear testing in 1996, the military contribution to

the economy fell sharply. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth of

GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. Other sources

of income are pearl farming and deep-sea commercial fishing. The

small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural

products. The territory benefits substantially from development

agreements with France aimed principally at creating new businesses

and strengthening social services.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$4.58 billion (2003 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

NA

GDP - real growth rate:

NA% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$17,500 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.1% industry: 19% services: 76.9% (2005)

Labor force: 65,870 (December 2005)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 13% industry: 19% services: 68% (2002)

Unemployment rate:

11.8%

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.1% (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $865 million

expenditures: $644.1 million; including capital expenditures of $185

million (1999)

Agriculture - products: fish; coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits, coffee; poultry, beef, dairy products

Industries:

tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

477 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 60.7% hydro: 39.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

443.6 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

6,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$211 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:

cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark

meat

Exports - partners:

France 46.3%, Japan 20.8%, Niger 12.8%, US 12.5% (2005)

Imports:

$1.706 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:

fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment

Imports - partners:

France 52.7%, Singapore 14.9%, NZ 6.8%, US 6.6% (2005)

Debt - external:

$NA

Economic aid - recipient:

$580 million (2004)

Currency (code):

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Currency code:

XPF

Exchange rates:

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 95.01

(2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002)

note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications French Polynesia

Telephones - main lines in use:

53,400 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

87,000 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:

128,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:

40,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.pf

Internet hosts:

14,047 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2000)

Internet users:

55,000 (2005)

Transportation French Polynesia

Airports: 51 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 39 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 25 under 914 m: 7 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 7 (2006)

Heliports: 1 (2006)

Roadways: total: 2,590 km paved: 1,735 km unpaved: 855 km (1999)

Merchant marine:

total: 13 ships (1000 GRT or over) 23,684 GRT/17,291 DWT

by type: cargo 4, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 5, refrigerated cargo

1, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 1 (France 1)

registered in other countries: 2 (Wallis and Futuna 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Papeete

Military French Polynesia

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Gendarmerie and National Police Force

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 69,679 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 55,305 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 2,747 (2005 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues French Polynesia

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Introduction French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Background:

The Southern Lands consist of two archipelagos, Iles Crozet and

Iles Kerguelen, and two volcanic islands, Ile Amsterdam and Ile

Saint-Paul. They contain no permanent inhabitants and are visited

only by researchers studying the native fauna. The Antarctic portion

consists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice of the Antarctic continent

discovered and claimed by the French in 1840.

Geography French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Location:

southeast of Africa, islands in the southern Indian Ocean, about

equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia; note - French

Southern and Antarctic Lands include Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul,

Iles Crozet, and Iles Kerguelen in the southern Indian Ocean, along

with the French-claimed sector of Antarctica, "Adelie Land"; the US

does not recognize the French claim to "Adelie Land"

Geographic coordinates:

43 00 S, 67 00 E

Map references:

Antarctic Region

Area:

total: 7,829 sq km

land: 7,829 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet, and Iles

Kerguelen; excludes "Adelie Land" claim of about 500,000 sq km in

Antarctica that is not recognized by the US

Area - comparative:

slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Delaware

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

1,232 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm from Iles Kerguelen (does not

include the rest of French Southern and Antarctic Lands)

Climate:

antarctic

Terrain:

volcanic

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Ross on Iles Kerguelen 1,850 m

Natural resources: fish, crayfish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

islands component is widely scattered across remote locations in

the southern Indian Ocean

People French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Population:

no indigenous inhabitants

note: in 2002, there were 145 researchers whose numbers vary from

winter (July) to summer (January) (July 2006 est.)

Government French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Country name:

conventional long form: Territory of the French Southern and

Antarctic Lands

conventional short form: French Southern and Antarctic Lands

local long form: Territoire des Terres Australes et Antarctiques

Francaises

local short form: Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises

abbreviation: TAAF

Dependency status:

overseas territory of France since 1955; administered from Paris by

Administrateur Superieur Michel CHAMPON (since 20 December 2004),

assisted by Secretary General Jean-Yves HERMOSO (since NA)

Administrative divisions:

none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order

administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there

are three districts named Ile Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, Iles

Saint-Paul et Amsterdam; excludes "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica

that is not recognized by the US

Legal system:

the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May

1995), represented by Senior Administrator Michel CHAMPON

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of France)

Flag description:

the flag of France is used

Economy French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Economy - overview:

Economic activity is limited to servicing meteorological and

geophysical research stations and French and other fishing fleets.

The fish catches landed on Iles Kerguelen by foreign ships are

exported to France and Reunion.

Communications French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Internet country code:

.tf

Internet hosts:

38 (2006)

Transportation French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Merchant marine:

total: 77 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,432,833 GRT/5,345,291 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 2, chemical tanker 27, container 18, liquefied

gas 5, petroleum tanker 15, roll on/roll off 6, vehicle carrier 4

foreign-owned: 76 (Belgium 6, Denmark 2, France 36, Germany 2, Hong

Kong 2, Japan 4, Norway 12, Saudi Arabia 1, Sweden 9, Switzerland 1,

UK 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

none; offshore anchorage only

Military French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Disputes - international: French claim to "Adelie Land" in Antarctica is not recognized by the US

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Gabon

Introduction Gabon

Background:

Only two autocratic presidents have ruled Gabon since independence

from France in 1960. The current president of Gabon, El Hadj Omar

BONGO Ondimba - one of the longest-serving heads of state in the

world - has dominated the country's political scene for almost four

decades. President BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty system and

a new constitution in the early 1990s. However, allegations of

electoral fraud during local elections in 2002-03 and the

presidential elections in 2005 have exposed the weaknesses of formal

political structures in Gabon. Gabon's political opposition remains

weak, divided, and financially dependent on the current regime.

Despite political conditions, a small population, abundant natural

resources, and considerable foreign support have helped make Gabon

one of the more prosperous and stable African countries.

Geography Gabon

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator,

between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea

Geographic coordinates:

1 00 S, 11 45 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 267,667 sq km

land: 257,667 sq km

water: 10,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Colorado

Land boundaries:

total: 2,551 km

border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km,

Equatorial Guinea 350 km

Coastline:

885 km

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

Climate:

tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain:

narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold,

timber, iron ore, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 1.21% permanent crops: 0.64% other: 98.15% (2005)

Irrigated land:

70 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; poaching

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,

Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands,

Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

a small population and oil and mineral reserves have helped Gabon

become one of Africa's wealthier countries; in general, these

circumstances have allowed the country to maintain and conserve its

pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity

People Gabon

Population:

1,424,906

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 42.1% (male 300,914/female 299,141)

15-64 years: 53.9% (male 383,137/female 384,876)

65 years and over: 4% (male 23,576/female 33,262) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.6 years

male: 18.4 years

female: 18.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.13% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

36.16 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

12.25 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-2.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 54.51 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 63.65 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 45.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 54.49 years

male: 53.21 years

female: 55.81 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.74 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

8.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

48,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

3,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)

adjective: Gabonese

Ethnic groups:

Bantu tribes, including four major tribal groupings (Fang,

Bapounou, Nzebi, Obamba); other Africans and Europeans, 154,000,

including 10,700 French and 11,000 persons of dual nationality

Religions:

Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%

Languages:

French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 63.2%

male: 73.7%

female: 53.3% (1995 est.)

Government Gabon

Country name:

conventional long form: Gabonese Republic

conventional short form: Gabon

local long form: Republique gabonaise

local short form: Gabon

Government type:

republic; multiparty presidential regime

Capital:

name: Libreville

geographic coordinates: 0 23 N, 9 27 E

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

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga,

Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem

Independence:

17 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:

Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), 12 March (1968)

Constitution:

adopted 14 March 1991

Legal system:

based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review

of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court;

has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba (since 2

December 1967)

head of government: Prime Minister Jean Eyeghe NDONG (since 20

January 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in

consultation with the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term

(no term limits); election last held 27 November 2005 (next to be

held in 2012); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: President El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba reelected;

percent of vote - El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba 79.2%, Pierre

MAMBOUNDOU 13.6%, Zacharie MYBOTO 6.6%

Legislative branch:

bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (91 seats; members

elected by members of municipal councils and departmental assemblies

to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly or Assemblee

Nationale (120 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to

serve five-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 26 January and 9 February 2003 (next

to be held by January 2009); National Assembly - last held 17 and 24

December 2006 (next to be held December 2011)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - PDG 53, RNB 20, PGP 4, ADERE 3, RDP 1, CLR 1, independents

9; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party

- PDG 82, RPG 8, UPG 8, UGDD 4, ADERE 3, CLR 2, PGP-Ndaot 2, PSD 2,

independents 4, others 5

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consisting of three chambers -

Judicial, Administrative, and Accounts; Constitutional Court; Courts

of Appeal; Court of State Security; County Courts

Political parties and leaders:

Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR [General Jean Boniface ASSELE];

Congress for Democracy and Justice or CDJ [Jules Aristide Bourdes

OGOULIGUENDE]; Democratic and Republican Alliance or ADERE

[Divungui-di-Ndinge DIDJOB]; Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG

[Simplice Nguedet MANZELA] (former sole party); Gabonese Party for

Progress or PGP [Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE]; Gabonese Union for

Democracy and Development or UGDD [Zacherie MYBOTO]; National Rally

of Woodcutters or RNB; National Rally of Woodcutters-Rally for Gabon

or RNB-RPG (Bucherons) [Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE]; People's Unity

Party or PUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA]; Rally for Democracy and Progress

or RDP [Pierre EMBONI]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Pierre

Claver MAGANGA-MOUSSAVOU]; Union for Democracy and Social

Integration or UDIS; Union of Gabonese Patriots or UPG [Pierre

MAMBOUNDOU]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO,

WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Jules Marius OGOUEBANDJA

chancery: Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 797-1000

FAX: [1] (202) 332-0668

consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Barrie R. WALKLEY

embassy: Boulevard du Bord de Mer, Libreville

mailing address: Centre Ville, B. P. 4000, Libreville

telephone: [241] 76 20 03 through 76 20 04, after hours - 74 34 92

FAX: [241] 74 55 07

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue

Economy Gabon

Economy - overview:

Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most of

sub-Saharan African nations. This has supported a sharp decline in

extreme poverty; yet, because of high income inequality, a large

proportion of the population remains poor. Gabon depended on timber

and manganese until oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s.

The oil sector now accounts for 50% of GDP. Gabon continues to face

fluctuating prices for its oil, timber, and manganese exports.

Despite the abundance of natural wealth, poor fiscal management

hobbles the economy. Devaluation of its currency by 50% in January

1994 sparked a one-time inflationary surge, to 35%; the rate dropped

to 6% in 1996. The IMF provided a one-year standby arrangement in

1994-95, a three-year Enhanced Financing Facility (EFF) at near

commercial rates beginning in late 1995, and stand-by credit of $119

million in October 2000. Those agreements mandated progress in

privatization and fiscal discipline. France provided additional

financial support in January 1997 after Gabon met IMF targets for

mid-1996. In 1997, an IMF mission to Gabon criticized the government

for overspending on off-budget items, overborrowing from the central

bank, and slipping on its schedule for privatization and

administrative reform. The rebound of oil prices in 1999-2000 helped

growth, but drops in production hampered Gabon from fully realizing

potential gains. In December 2000, Gabon signed a new agreement with

the Paris Club to reschedule its official debt. A follow-up

bilateral repayment agreement with the US was signed in December

2001. Gabon signed a 14-month Stand-By Arrangement with the IMF in

May 2004, and received Paris Club debt rescheduling later that year.

Short-term progress depends on an upbeat world economy and fiscal

and other adjustments in line with IMF policies.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$10.21 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$7.052 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$7,200 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5.9% industry: 59.7% services: 34.4% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 581,000 (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 60% industry: 15% services: 25%

Unemployment rate:

21% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.2% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

22.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $3.1 billion

expenditures: $2.181 billion; including capital expenditures of $325

million (2006 est.)

Public debt:

28.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical

softwood); fish

Industries:

petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, gold; chemicals, ship

repair, food and beverages, textiles, lumbering and plywood, cement

Industrial production growth rate:

1.6% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:

1.543 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 34.5% hydro: 65.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

1.435 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

268,900 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

13,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

1.827 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

100 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

100 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

33.98 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$1.807 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$6.677 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001)

Exports - partners:

US 52.6%, France 6.3%, China 6.2% (2005)

Imports:

$1.607 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction

materials

Imports - partners:

France 40.5%, US 6.4%, Cameroon 4.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$835 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$3.971 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$331 million (1995)

Currency (code):

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible

authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code:

XAF

Exchange rates:

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar -

522.592 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99

(2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Gabon

Telephones - main lines in use:

39,100 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

649,800 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate service by African standards and

improving with the help of the growing mobile cell system

domestic: adequate system of cable, microwave radio relay,

tropospheric scatter, radiotelephone communication stations, and a

domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations

international: country code - 241; satellite earth stations - 3

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)

provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 6, FM 7 (and 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios:

208,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

4 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:

63,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.ga

Internet hosts:

322 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2001)

Internet users:

67,000 (2005)

Transportation Gabon

Airports: 56 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 45 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 23 (2006)

Pipelines: gas 272 km; oil 1,354 km (2006)

Railways: total: 814 km standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 9,170 km paved: 937 km unpaved: 8,233 km (2004)

Waterways:

1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2005)

Merchant marine:

registered in other countries: 2 (Cambodia 1, Panama 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Gamba, Libreville, Lucinda, Owendo, Port-Gentil

Military Gabon

Military branches:

Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 278,826

females age 18-49: 279,865 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 159,198

females age 18-49: 156,122 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 15,325

females age 18-49: 15,367 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$253.5 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

3.4% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Gabon

Disputes - international:

UN presses Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to resolve the sovereignty

dispute over Gabon-occupied Mbane Island and to establish a maritime

boundary in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay; only a few hundred out of

the 20,000 Republic of the Congo refugees who fled militia fighting

in 2000 remain in Gabon

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 7,298 (Republic of Congo) (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Gambia, The

Introduction Gambia, The

Background:

The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965.

Geographically surrounded by Senegal, it formed a short-lived

federation of Senegambia between 1982 and 1989. In 1991 the two

nations signed a friendship and cooperation treaty, but tensions

have flared up intermittently since then. Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH led

a military coup in 1994 that overthrew the president and banned

political activity. A new constitution and presidential elections in

1996, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997, completed a

nominal return to civilian rule. JAMMEH has been elected president

in all subsequent elections, including most recently in late 2006.

Geography Gambia, The

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal

Geographic coordinates:

13 28 N, 16 34 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 11,300 sq km

land: 10,000 sq km

water: 1,300 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of Delaware

Land boundaries: total: 740 km border countries: Senegal 740 km

Coastline: 80 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm continental shelf: not specified

Climate:

tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler, dry season

(November to May)

Terrain:

flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 53 m

Natural resources:

fish, titanium (rutile and ilmenite), tin, zircon, silica sand,

clay, petroleum

Land use: arable land: 27.88% permanent crops: 0.44% other: 71.68% (2005)

Irrigated land:

20 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30 years)

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; desertification; water-borne diseases prevalent

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the continent of

Africa

People Gambia, The

Population:

1,641,564 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 44.3% (male 365,157/female 361,821)

15-64 years: 53% (male 431,627/female 438,159)

65 years and over: 2.7% (male 22,889/female 21,911) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 17.7 years

male: 17.6 years

female: 17.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.84% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

39.37 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

12.25 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

1.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.05 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 71.58 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 78.06 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 64.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 54.14 years

male: 52.3 years

female: 56.03 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.3 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

6,800 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

600 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, yellow fever are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Gambian(s)

adjective: Gambian

Ethnic groups:

African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli

9%, other 4%), non-African 1%

Religions:

Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1%

Languages:

English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous

vernaculars

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 40.1%

male: 47.8%

female: 32.8% (2003 est.)

Government Gambia, The

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of The Gambia

conventional short form: The Gambia

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Banjul

geographic coordinates: 12 28 N, 16 39 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Central River, Lower River, North

Bank, Upper River, Western

Independence:

18 February 1965 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 18 February (1965)

Constitution:

24 April 1970; suspended July 1994; rewritten and approved by

national referendum 8 August 1996; reestablished January 1997

Legal system:

based on a composite of English common law, Koranic law, and

customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18 October

1996); note - from 1994 to 1996 he was chairman of the Junta); Vice

President Isatou NJIE-SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note - the

president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18

October 1996); note - from 1994 to 1996 he was chairman of the

Junta); Vice President Isatou NJIE-SAIDY (since 20 March 1997)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(no term limits); election last held 22 September 2006 (next to be

held in 2011)

election results: Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH reelected president; percent

of vote - Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH 67.3%, Ousainou DARBOE 26.6%, Halifa

SALLAH 6.0%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (53 seats; 48 elected by popular vote,

5 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 17 January 2002 (next to be held 25 January

2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

APRC 45, PDOIS 2, NRP 1,

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC

[Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH] (the ruling party); Gambia People's

Democratic Party or GPDP [Henry GOMEZ]; National Alliance for

Democracy and Development or NADD [Halifa SALLAH]; National

Convention Party or NCP [Sheriff DIBBA]; National Reconciliation

Party or NRP [Hamat N. K. BAH]; People's Democratic Organization for

Independence and Socialism or PDOIS [Sidia JATTA]; United Democratic

Party or UDP [Ousainou DARBOE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,

IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU,

ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL,

UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Dodou Bammy JAGNE

chancery: Suite 905, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005

telephone: [1] (202) 785-1379

FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph D. STAFFORD, III embassy: Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, Banjul mailing address: P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul telephone: [220] 439-2856, 437-6169, 437-6170 FAX: [220] 439-2475

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges,

and green

Economy Gambia, The

Economy - overview:

The Gambia has no confirmed mineral or natural resource deposits

and has a limited agricultural base. About 75% of the population

depends on crops and livestock for its livelihood. Small-scale

manufacturing activity features the processing of peanuts, fish, and

hides. Reexport trade normally constitutes a major segment of

economic activity, but a 1999 government-imposed preshipment

inspection plan, and instability of the Gambian dalasi (currency)

have drawn some of the reexport trade away from The Gambia. The

Gambia's natural beauty and proximity to Europe has made it one of

the larger markets for tourism in West Africa. The government's 1998

seizure of the private peanut firm Alimenta eliminated the largest

purchaser of Gambian groundnuts. Despite an announced program to

begin privatizing key parastatals, no plans have been made public

that would indicate that the government intends to follow through on

its promises. Unemployment and underemployment rates remain

extremely high; short-run economic progress depends on sustained

bilateral and multilateral aid, on responsible government economic

management, on continued technical assistance from the IMF and

bilateral donors, and on expected growth in the construction sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$3.25 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$461.2 million (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 30.5% industry: 13.9% services: 55.6% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 400,000 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 75% industry: 19% services: 6%

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

14% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

20.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $112.7 million

expenditures: $155.1 million; including capital expenditures of $4.1

million (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

rice, millet, sorghum, peanuts, corn, sesame, cassava (tapioca),

palm kernels; cattle, sheep, goats

Industries:

processing peanuts, fish, and hides; tourism, beverages,

agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking, clothing

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

145 million kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

134.9 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

2,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-54.61 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$130.5 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels, re-exports

Exports - partners:

India 29.6%, Kenya 28.4%, UK 13.3%, Indonesia 6.1% (2005)

Imports:

$212.2 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and transport equipment

Imports - partners:

China 21.5%, Senegal 11.4%, Cote d'Ivoire 8.5%, Brazil 5.6%, US

5.3%, UK 5.2%, Netherlands 4.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$88.11 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$628.8 million (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$59.8 million (2003)

Currency (code):

dalasi (GMD)

Currency code:

GMD

Exchange rates:

dalasi per US dollar - 30 (2006), 30.38 (2005), 30.03 (2004),

27.306 (2004), 19.918 (2003), 15.687 (2002), 15.687 (2001)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Gambia, The

Telephones - main lines in use:

44,000 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

247,500 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate; a packet switched data network is

available

domestic: adequate network of microwave radio relay and open-wire

international: country code - 220; microwave radio relay links to

Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat

(Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios:

196,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (government-owned) (1997)

Televisions:

5,000 (2000)

Internet country code:

.gm

Internet hosts:

14 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2001)

Internet users:

49,000 (2005)

Transportation Gambia, The

Airports: 1 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways: total: 3,742 km paved: 723 km unpaved: 3,019 km (2004)

Waterways:

390 km (on River Gambia; small ocean-going vessels can reach 190

km) (2004)

Merchant marine:

total: 5 ships (1000 GRT or over) 32,064 GRT/9,751 DWT

by type: passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 1 (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Banjul

Military Gambia, The

Military branches:

Gambian National Army (GNA), Gambian Navy (GN), Presidential Guard,

National Guard

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription

(2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 311,025

females age 18-49: 316,214 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 183,057

females age 18-49: 194,551 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$1.55 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0.4% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Gambia, The

Disputes - international:

attempts to stem refugees, cross-border raids, arms smuggling, and

other illegal activities by separatists from southern Senegal's

Casamance region, as well as from conflicts in other west African

states

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 5,955 (Sierra Leone) (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Gaza Strip

Background:

The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government

Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington in September 1993,

provided for a transitional period of Palestinian interim

self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. A transfer of

authority to the Palestinian Authority (PA) for the Gaza Strip and

Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4 May 1994 Cairo

Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and, in additional

areas of the West Bank, pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28 September 1995

Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997 Protocol

Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23 October 1998

Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm el-Sheikh

Agreement. Direct negotiations to determine the permanent status of

Gaza and the West Bank began in September 1999 after a three-year

hiatus, but were derailed by a second intifadah that broke out a

year later. In April 2003, the Quartet (US, EU, UN, and Russia)

presented a roadmap to a final settlement of the conflict by 2005

based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to two states,

Israel and a democratic Palestine. The proposed date for a permanent

status agreement has been postponed indefinitely due to violence and

accusations that both sides have not followed through on their

commitments. Following Palestinian leader Yasir ARAFAT's death in

late 2004, Mahmud ABBAS was elected PA president in January 2005. A

month later, Israel and the PA agreed to the Sharm el-Sheikh

Commitments in an effort to move the peace process forward. In

September 2005, Israel withdrew all its settlers and soldiers and

dismantled its military facilities in the Gaza Strip and four

northern West Bank settlements. Nonetheless, Israel controls

maritime, airspace, and most access to the Gaza Strip. A November

2005 PA-Israeli agreement authorized the reopening of the Rafah

border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt under joint PA and

Egyptian control. In January 2006, the Islamic Resistance Movement,

HAMAS, won control of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). The

international community has refused to accept the HAMAS-led

government because it does not recognize Israel, will not renounce

violence, and refuses to honor previous peace agreements between

Israel and the PA. Since March 2006, President Abbas has had little

success negotiating with HAMAS to present a political platform

acceptable to the international community so as to lift the economic

siege on Palestinians. The PLC was unable to convene in late 2006 as

a result of Israel's detention of many HAMAS PLC members and

Israeli-imposed travel restrictions on other PLC members.

Geography Gaza Strip

Location:

Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and

Israel

Geographic coordinates:

31 25 N, 34 20 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 360 sq km

land: 360 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 62 km border countries: Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km

Coastline:

40 km

Maritime claims:

Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the

Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be

determined through further negotiation

Climate:

temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers

Terrain:

flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda) 105 m

Natural resources: arable land, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 29% permanent crops: 21% other: 50% (2002)

Irrigated land:

150 sq km; note - includes West Bank (2003)

Natural hazards:

droughts

Environment - current issues:

desertification; salination of fresh water; sewage treatment;

water-borne disease; soil degradation; depletion and contamination

of underground water resources

Geography - note:

strategic strip of land along Mideast-North African trade routes

has experienced an incredibly turbulent history; the town of Gaza

itself has been besieged countless times in its history

People Gaza Strip

Population:

1,428,757 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 48.1% (male 351,642/female 335,060)

15-64 years: 49.4% (male 360,147/female 345,318)

65 years and over: 2.6% (male 15,231/female 21,359) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 15.8 years

male: 15.7 years

female: 16 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

3.71% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

39.45 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

3.8 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

1.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 22.4 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 23.48 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 21.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71.97 years

male: 70.67 years

female: 73.34 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.78 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: NA

adjective: NA

Ethnic groups:

Palestinian Arab and other 99.4%, Jewish 0.6%

Religions:

Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 98.7%, Christian 0.7%, Jewish 0.6%

Languages:

Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by many Palestinians), English (widely

understood)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 91.9%

male: 96.3%

female: 87.4% (2003 est.)

Government Gaza Strip

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Gaza Strip local long form: none local short form: Qita Ghazzah

Economy Gaza Strip

Economy - overview:

High population density, limited land access, and strict internal

and external security controls have kept economic conditions in the

Gaza Strip - the smaller of the two areas under the Palestinian

Authority (PA)- even more degraded than in the West Bank. The

beginning of the second intifadah in September 2000 sparked an

economic downturn, largely the result of Israeli closure policies;

these policies, which were imposed to address security concerns in

Israel, disrupted labor and trade access to and from the Gaza Strip.

In 2001, and even more severely in 2003, Israeli military measures

in PA areas resulted in the destruction of capital, the disruption

of administrative structures, and widespread business closures. The

Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in September 2005 offered

some medium-term opportunities for economic growth, which have not

yet been realized due to Israeli military activities in the Gaza

Strip in 2006, continued crossings closures, and the international

community's financial embargo of the PA after HAMAS took office in

March 2006.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$5.327 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

NA

GDP - real growth rate:

4.9% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,500 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8% industry: 18.2% services: 73.9% (includes West Bank) (2005 est.)

Labor force: 259,000 (2005)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 12% industry: 18% services: 70% (2005)

Unemployment rate:

31% (includes West Bank) (January-September 2005 avg.)

Population below poverty line:

81% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.2% (includes West Bank) (2005)

Budget:

revenues: $1.23 billion

expenditures: $1.64 billion; including capital expenditures of $44

million; note - these budget data include West Bank (2005)

Agriculture - products:

olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products

Industries:

generally small family businesses that produce textiles, soap,

olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis

have established some small-scale modern industries in an industrial

center, but operations ceased prior to Israel's evacuation of Gaza

Strip settlements

Industrial production growth rate:

2.4%

Electricity - production:

140,000 kWh

Electricity - consumption:

230,000 kWh

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh

Electricity - imports:

90,000 kWh; note - from Israeli Electric Company (2005)

Exports:

$313 million f.o.b.; note - includes West Bank (2004)

Exports - commodities:

citrus, flowers, textiles

Exports - partners:

Israel, Egypt, West Bank

Imports:

$1.37 billion c.i.f.; note - includes West Bank (2004)

Imports - commodities:

food, consumer goods, construction materials

Imports - partners:

Israel, Egypt, West Bank (2004)

Debt - external:

NA (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:

$1.14 billion; note - includes West Bank (2004 est.)

Currency (code):

new Israeli shekel (ILS)

Currency code:

ILS

Exchange rates:

new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.4877 (2005), 4.482 (2004),

4.5541 (2003), 4.7378 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Gaza Strip

Telephones - main lines in use:

349,000 (includes West Bank) (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.095 million (includes West Bank) (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL

are responsible for fixed line services in the Gaza Strip; the

Palestinian JAWAL company provides cellular services

international: country code - 970

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 8, shortwave 0 (2005)

Radios:

NA; note - most Palestinian households have radios (1999)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2005)

Televisions:

NA; note - most Palestinian households have televisions (1997)

Internet country code:

.ps

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

3 (1999)

Internet users:

243,000 (includes West Bank) (2005)

Transportation Gaza Strip

Airports:

2

note: includes Gaza International Airport closed since its runway

was destroyed by the Israeli Defense Forces in December 2001 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Heliports:

1 (2006)

Roadways:

note: see entry for West Bank

Ports and terminals:

Gaza

Military Gaza Strip

Military branches:

in accordance with the peace agreement, the Palestinian Authority

is not permitted conventional military forces; there are, however,

public security forces (2002)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 260,855 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 221,530 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 15,196 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

NA

Transnational Issues Gaza Strip

Disputes - international:

West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status

subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent

status to be determined through further negotiation; Israel removed

settlers and military personnel from the Gaza Strip in August 2005

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 993,818 (Palestinian Refugees

(UNRWA)) (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Georgia

Introduction Georgia

Background:

The region of present-day Georgia contained the ancient kingdoms of

Colchis and Kartli-Iberia. The area came under Roman influence in

the first centuries A.D. and Christianity became the state religion

in the 330s. Domination by Persians, Arabs, and Turks was followed

by a Georgian golden age (11th-13th centuries) that was cut short by

the Mongol invasion of 1236. Subsequently, the Ottoman and Persian

empires competed for influence in the region. Georgia was absorbed

into the Russian Empire in the 19th century. Independent for three

years (1918-1921) following the Russian revolution, it was forcibly

incorporated into the USSR until the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991.

An attempt by the incumbent Georgian government to manipulate

national legislative elections in November 2003 touched off

widespread protests that led to the resignation of Eduard

SHEVARDNADZE, president since 1995. New elections in early 2004

swept Mikheil SAAKASHVILI into power along with his National

Movement Party. Progress on market reforms and democratization has

been made in the years since independence, but this progress has

been complicated by two civil conflicts in the breakaway regions of

Abkhazia and South Ossetia. These two territories remain outside the

control of the central government and are ruled by de facto,

unrecognized governments, supported by Russia. Russian-led

peacekeeping operations continue in both regions. The Georgian

Government put forward a new peace initiative for the peaceful

resolution of the status of South Ossetia in 2005.

Geography Georgia

Location:

Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and

Russia

Geographic coordinates:

42 00 N, 43 30 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 69,700 sq km

land: 69,700 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries:

total: 1,461 km

border countries: Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km,

Turkey 252 km

Coastline:

310 km

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

Climate:

warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast

Terrain:

largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the north and

Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhet'is Dablobi (Kolkhida

Lowland) opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari River Basin in

the east; good soils in river valley flood plains, foothills of

Kolkhida Lowland

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Black Sea 0 m

highest point: Mt'a Shkhara 5,201 m

Natural resources:

forests, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper, minor

coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for important

tea and citrus growth

Land use:

arable land: 11.51%

permanent crops: 3.79%

other: 84.7% (2005)

Irrigated land:

4,690 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

earthquakes

Environment - current issues:

air pollution, particularly in Rust'avi; heavy pollution of Mtkvari

River and the Black Sea; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil

pollution from toxic chemicals

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship

Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia controls much

of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them

People Georgia

Population:

4,661,473 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 17.3% (male 428,056/female 380,193)

15-64 years: 66.2% (male 1,482,908/female 1,602,064)

65 years and over: 16.5% (male 308,905/female 459,347) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 37.7 years

male: 35.3 years

female: 40.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.34% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

10.41 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

9.23 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-4.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.15 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female

total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 17.97 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 20.06 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 15.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.09 years

male: 72.8 years

female: 79.87 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.42 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

3,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Georgian(s)

adjective: Georgian

Ethnic groups:

Georgian 83.8%, Azeri 6.5%, Armenian 5.7%, Russian 1.5%, other 2.5%

(2002 census)

Religions:

Orthodox Christian 83.9%, Muslim 9.9%, Armenian-Gregorian 3.9%,

Catholic 0.8%, other 0.8%, none 0.7% (2002 census)

Languages:

Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, other 7%

note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 100%

male: 100%

female: 100% (2004 est.)

Government Georgia

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Georgia

local long form: none

local short form: Sak'art'velo

former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: T'bilisi

geographic coordinates: 41 43 N, 44 49 E

time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

9 regions (mkharebi, singular - mkhare), 9 cities (k'alak'ebi,

singular - k'alak'i), and 2 autonomous republics (avtomnoy

respubliki, singular - avtom respublika)

regions: Guria, Imereti, Kakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti,

Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti,

Samtskhe-Javakheti, Shida Kartli

cities: Chiat'ura, Gori, K'ut'aisi, P'ot'i, Rust'avi, Tbilisi,

Tqibuli, Tsqaltubo, Zugdidi

autonomous republics: Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri

Respublika (Sokhumi), Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika

(Bat'umi)

note: the administrative centers of the two autonomous republics are

shown in parentheses

Independence:

9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 26 May (1918); note - 26 May 1918 is the date of

independence from Soviet Russia, 9 April 1991 is the date of

independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution:

adopted 24 August 1995

Legal system:

based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Mikheil SAAKASHVILI (since 25 January

2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government for the power ministries: state security (includes

interior) and defense

head of government: President Mikheil SAAKASHVILI (since 25 January

2004); Prime Minister Zurab NOGHAIDELI (since 17 February 2005);

note - the president is the chief of state and head of government

for the power ministries: state security (includes interior) and

defense; the prime minister is head of the remaining ministries of

government

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 4 January 2004

(next to be held in late 2008)

election results: Mikheil SAAKASHVILI elected president; percent of

vote - Mikheil SAAKASHVILI 96.3%, Temur SHASHIASHVILI 1.9%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Supreme Council (commonly referred to as Parliament) or

Umaghiesi Sabcho (235 seats - 150 elected by party lists); members

are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held spring 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - National

Movement-Democratic Front 67.6%, Rightist Opposition 7.6%, all other

parties received less than 7% each; seats by party - National

Movement-Democratic Front 135, Rightist Opposition 15

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council on the

president's or chairman of the Supreme Court's recommendation);

Constitutional Court; first and second instance courts

Political parties and leaders:

Burjanadze-Democrats [Nino BURJANADZE]; Georgian People's Front

[Nodar NATADZE]; Georgian United Communist Party or UCPG

[Panteleimon GIORGADZE]; Georgia's Way Party [Salome ZOURABICHVILI];

Greens [Giorgi GACHECHILADZE]; Industry Will Save Georgia

(Industrialists) or IWSG [Georgi TOPADZE]; Labor Party [Shalva

NATELASHVILI]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Bachuki KARDAVA];

National Movement Democratic Front [Mikheil SAAKASHVILI] bloc

composed of National Movement and Burjanadze-Democrats; National

Movement [Mikheil SAAKASHVILI]; New Rights [David GAMKRELIDZE];

Republican Party [David USUPASHVILI]; Rightist Opposition [David

GAMKRELIDZE] bloc composed of Industrialists and New Right Party;

Socialist Party or SPG [Irakli MINDELI]; Traditionalists [Akaki

ASATIANI]; Union of National Forces-Conservatives [Koba DAVITASHVILI

and Zviad DZIDZIGURI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Georgian independent deputies from Abkhaz government in exile;

separatists in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia

International organization participation:

ACCT (observer), BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA,

IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OAS

(observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI (observer), UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Vasil SIKHARULIDZE chancery: 1101 15th Street NW, Suite 602, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 387-2390 FAX: [1] (202) 393-4537

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John F. TEFFT embassy: 11 George Balanchine St., T'bilisi 0131 mailing address: 7060 T'bilisi Place, Washington, DC 20521-7060 telephone: [995] (32) 27-70-00 FAX: [995] (32) 53-23-10

Flag description:

white rectangle, in its central portion a red cross connecting all

four sides of the flag; in each of the four corners is a small red

bolnur-katskhuri cross; the five-cross flag appears to date back to

the 14th century

Economy Georgia

Economy - overview:

Georgia's main economic activities include the cultivation of

agricultural products such as grapes, citrus fruits, and hazelnuts;

mining of manganese and copper; and output of a small industrial

sector producing alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, metals,

machinery, and chemicals. The country imports the bulk of its energy

needs, including natural gas and oil products. It has sizeable but

underdeveloped hydropower capacity. Despite the severe damage the

economy has suffered due to civil strife, Georgia, with the help of

the IMF and World Bank, has made substantial economic gains since

2000, achieving positive GDP growth and curtailing inflation.

Georgia had suffered from a chronic failure to collect tax revenues;

however, the new government is making progress and has reformed the

tax code, improved tax administration, increased tax enforcement,

and cracked down on corruption. In addition, the reinvigorated

privatization process has met with success, supplementing government

expenditures on infrastructure, defense, and poverty reduction.

Despite customs and financial (tax) enforcement improvements,

smuggling is a drain on the economy. Georgia also suffers from

energy shortages due to aging and badly maintained infrastructure,

as well as poor management. Due to concerted reform efforts,

collection rates have improved considerably to roughly 60%, both in

T'bilisi and throughout the regions. Continued reform in the

management of state-owned power entities is essential to successful

privatization and onward sustainability in this sector. The country

is pinning its hopes for long-term growth on its role as a transit

state for pipelines and trade. The construction on the

Baku-T'bilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the Baku-T'bilisi-Erzerum gas

pipeline have brought much-needed investment and job opportunities.

Nevertheless, high energy prices have compounded the pressure on the

country's inefficient energy sector. Restructuring the sector and

finding energy supply alternatives to Russia remain major challenges.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$17.79 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$5.272 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

8.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$3,800 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17.7% industry: 27.5% services: 54.8% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 2.04 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 40% industry: 20% services: 40% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:

12.6% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:

54% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 27.9% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

38 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

10% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

30% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $1.726 billion

expenditures: $1.879 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

citrus, grapes, tea, hazelnuts, vegetables; livestock

Industries:

steel, aircraft, machine tools, electrical appliances, mining

(manganese and copper), chemicals, wood products, wine

Industrial production growth rate:

3% (2000)

Electricity - production:

6.804 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 19.7% hydro: 80.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

8.528 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

200 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

2.4 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

1,981 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

13,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

20 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

1.5 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

NA cu m

Natural gas - imports:

1.5 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-735 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$1.761 billion (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

scrap metal, machinery, chemicals; fuel reexports; citrus fruits,

tea, wine

Exports - partners:

Russia 18.1%, Turkey 14.3%, Azerbaijan 9.8%, Turkmenistan 8.9%,

Bulgaria 5%, Armenia 4.7%, Ukraine 4.4%, Canada 4.2% (2005)

Imports:

$3.32 billion (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

fuels, machinery and parts, transport equipment, grain and other

foods, pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners:

Russia 15.4%, Turkey 11.4%, Azerbaijan 9.4%, Ukraine 8.8%, Germany

8.3%, US 6% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$492 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$2.04 billion (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:

ODA, $150 million (2000 est.)

Currency (code):

lari (GEL)

Currency code:

GEL

Exchange rates:

lari per US dollar - 1.79 (2006), 1.8127 (2005), 1.9167 (2004),

2.1457 (2003), 2.1957 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Georgia

Telephones - main lines in use:

683,200 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.459 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: local - T'bilisi, K'ut'aisi, and Batumi have cellular

telephone networks; urban telephone density is about 20 per 100

people; rural telephone density is about 4 per 100 people; intercity

facilities include a fiber-optic line between T'bilisi and

K'ut'aisi; nationwide pager service is available

international: country code - 995; Georgia and Russia are working on

a fiber-optic line between P'ot'i and Sochi (Russia); present

international service is available by microwave, landline, and

satellite through the Moscow switch; international electronic mail

and telex service are available

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 7, FM 12, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:

3.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

12 (plus repeaters) (1998)

Televisions:

2.57 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.ge

Internet hosts:

10,752 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

6 (2000)

Internet users:

175,600 (2005)

Transportation Georgia

Airports: 23 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 19 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Heliports:

3 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 1,349 km; oil 1,010 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 1,612 km

broad gauge: 1,575 km 1.520-m gauge (1,575 electrified)

narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge (37 electrified) (2005)

Roadways:

total: 20,247 km

paved: 7,973 km

unpaved: 12,274 km (2004)

Merchant marine:

total: 222 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,059,386 GRT/1,538,746 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 27, cargo 176, container 4, liquefied gas 1,

passenger 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated

cargo 4, roll on/roll off 2, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 188 (Albania 1, Azerbaijan 2, Belgium 1, China 2,

Cyprus 1, Ecuador 1, Egypt 8, Germany 1, Greece 8, Indonesia 1,

South Korea 1, Lebanon 7, Monaco 13, Romania 11, Russia 28, Slovakia

1, Slovenia 1, Syria 43, Turkey 30, UAE 1, UK 4, Ukraine 22) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Bat'umi, P'ot'i

Transportation - note:

transportation network is in poor condition resulting from ethnic

conflict, criminal activities, and fuel shortages; network lacks

maintenance and repair

Military Georgia

Military branches:

Ground Forces (includes National Guard), Air and Air Defense

Forces, Navy (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 to 34 years of age for compulsory and voluntary active duty

military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2005)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,038,736

females age 18-49: 1,105,910 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 827,281

females age 18-49: 903,791 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 38,857

females age 18-49: 38,238 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$23 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0.59% (FY00)

Military - note:

a CIS peacekeeping force of Russian troops is deployed in the

Abkhazia region of Georgia together with a UN military observer

group; a Russian peacekeeping battalion is deployed in South Ossetia

Transnational Issues Georgia

Disputes - international:

Russia and Georgia agree on delimiting 80% of their common border,

leaving certain small, strategic segments and the maritime boundary

unresolved; OSCE observers monitor volatile areas such as the

Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti region and the Argun Gorge in Abkhazia;

UN Observer Mission in Georgia has maintained a peacekeeping force

in Georgia since 1993; Meshkheti Turks scattered throughout the

former Soviet Union seek to return to Georgia; boundary with Armenia

remains undemarcated; ethnic Armenian groups in Javakheti region of

Georgia seek greater autonomy from the Georgian government;

Azerbaijan and Georgia continue to discuss the alignment of their

boundary at certain crossing areas

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 220,000-240,000 (displaced from Abkhazia and South Ossetia)

(2006)

Illicit drugs:

limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for

domestic consumption; used as transshipment point for opiates via

Central Asia to Western Europe and Russia

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Germany

Introduction Germany

Background:

As Europe's largest economy and second most populous nation,

Germany is a key member of the continent's economic, political, and

defense organizations. European power struggles immersed Germany in

two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th century and

left the country occupied by the victorious Allied powers of the US,

UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945. With the advent of the

Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the western Federal

Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German Democratic Republic

(GDR). The democratic FRG embedded itself in key Western economic

and security organizations, the EC, which became the EU, and NATO,

while the Communist GDR was on the front line of the Soviet-led

Warsaw Pact. The decline of the USSR and the end of the Cold War

allowed for German unification in 1990. Since then, Germany has

expended considerable funds to bring Eastern productivity and wages

up to Western standards. In January 1999, Germany and 10 other EU

countries introduced a common European exchange currency, the euro.

Geography Germany

Location:

Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between

the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark

Geographic coordinates:

51 00 N, 9 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 357,021 sq km

land: 349,223 sq km

water: 7,798 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries:

total: 3,621 km

border countries: Austria 784 km, Belgium 167 km, Czech Republic 646

km, Denmark 68 km, France 451 km, Luxembourg 138 km, Netherlands 577

km, Poland 456 km, Switzerland 334 km

Coastline:

2,389 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

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

Climate:

temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers;

occasional warm mountain (foehn) wind

Terrain:

lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Neuendorf bei Wilster -3.54 m

highest point: Zugspitze 2,963 m

Natural resources:

coal, lignite, natural gas, iron ore, copper, nickel, uranium,

potash, salt, construction materials, timber, arable land

Land use: arable land: 33.13% permanent crops: 0.6% other: 66.27% (2005)

Irrigated land:

4,850 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

flooding

Environment - current issues:

emissions from coal-burning utilities and industries contribute to

air pollution; acid rain, resulting from sulfur dioxide emissions,

is damaging forests; pollution in the Baltic Sea from raw sewage and

industrial effluents from rivers in eastern Germany; hazardous waste

disposal; government established a mechanism for ending the use of

nuclear power over the next 15 years; government working to meet EU

commitment to identify nature preservation areas in line with the

EU's Flora, Fauna, and Habitat directive

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,

Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,

Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,

Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine

Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,

Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location on North European Plain and along the entrance

to the Baltic Sea

People Germany

Population:

82,422,299 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 14.1% (male 5,973,437/female 5,665,971)

15-64 years: 66.4% (male 27,889,936/female 26,874,858)

65 years and over: 19.4% (male 6,602,478/female 9,415,619) (2006

est.)

Median age: total: 42.6 years male: 41.3 years female: 43.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.02% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

8.25 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

10.62 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

2.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.12 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4.56 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.8 years

male: 75.81 years

female: 81.96 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.39 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

43,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: German(s)

adjective: German

Ethnic groups:

German 91.5%, Turkish 2.4%, other 6.1% (made up largely of Greek,

Italian, Polish, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish)

Religions:

Protestant 34%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 3.7%, unaffiliated or

other 28.3%

Languages:

German

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government Germany

Country name:

conventional long form: Federal Republic of Germany

conventional short form: Germany

local long form: Bundesrepublik Deutschland

local short form: Deutschland

former: German Empire, German Republic, German Reich

Government type:

federal republic

Capital:

name: Berlin

geographic coordinates: 52 31 N, 13 24 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

16 states (Laender, singular - Land); Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bayern

(Bavaria), Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen,

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania),

Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony), Nordrhein-Westfalen (North

Rhine-Westphalia), Rheinland-Pfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate), Saarland,

Sachsen (Saxony), Sachsen-Anhalt (Saxony-Anhalt),

Schleswig-Holstein, Thueringen (Thuringia); note - Bayern, Sachsen,

and Thueringen refer to themselves as free states (Freistaaten,

singular - Freistaat)

Independence:

18 January 1871 (German Empire unification); divided into four

zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and later, France) in 1945

following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West

Germany) proclaimed 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and

French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany)

proclaimed 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone;

unification of West Germany and East Germany took place 3 October

1990; all four powers formally relinquished rights 15 March 1991

National holiday:

Unity Day, 3 October (1990)

Constitution:

23 May 1949, known as Basic Law; became constitution of the united

Germany 3 October 1990

Legal system:

civil law system with indigenous concepts; judicial review of

legislative acts in the Federal Constitutional Court; has not

accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Horst KOEHLER (since 1 July 2004)

head of government: Chancellor Angela MERKEL (since 22 November 2005)

cabinet: Cabinet or Bundesminister (Federal Ministers) appointed by

the president on the recommendation of the chancellor

elections: president elected for a five-year term (eligible for a

second term) by a Federal Convention, including all members of the

Federal Assembly and an equal number of delegates elected by the

state parliaments; election last held 23 May 2004 (next to be held

23 May 2009); chancellor elected by an absolute majority of the

Federal Assembly for a four-year term; Bundestag election last held

22 November 2005 (next to be held November 2009)

election results: Horst KOEHLER elected president; received 604

votes of the Federal Convention against 589 for Gesine SCHWAN;

Angela MERKEL elected chancellor; vote by Federal Assembly 397 to

202 with 12 abstentions

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Federal Assembly

or Bundestag (614 seats; elected by popular vote under a system

combining direct and proportional representation; a party must win

5% of the national vote or three direct mandates to gain

proportional representation and caucus recogntion; members serve

four-year terms) and the Federal Council or Bundesrat (69 votes;

state governments are directly represented by votes; each has three

to six votes depending on population and are required to vote as a

block)

elections: Federal Assembly - last held 18 September 2005 (next to

be held September 2009); note - there are no elections for the

Bundesrat; composition is determined by the composition of the

state-level governments; the composition of the Bundesrat has the

potential to change any time one of the 16 states holds an election

election results: Federal Assembly - percent of vote by party -

CDU/CSU 35.2%, SPD 34.3%, FDP 9.8%, Left 8.7%, Greens 8.1%; seats by

party - CDU/CSU 225, SPD 222, FDP 61, Left 53, Greens 51, and

independents 2

Judicial branch:

Federal Constitutional Court or Bundesverfassungsgericht (half the

judges are elected by the Bundestag and half by the Bundesrat)

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance '90/Greens [Claudia ROTH and Reinhard BUETIKOFER];

Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Angela MERKEL]; Christian Social

Union or CSU [Edmund STOIBER, chairman]; Free Democratic Party or

FDP [Guido WESTERWELLE, chairman]; Left Party.PDS (Linkspartei.PDS)

[Lothar BISKY]; note - a merger with the Electoral Alternative-Work

and Social Justice or WASG [Klaus ERNST] is planned for summer 2007;

Social Democratic Party or SPD [Kurt BECK]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

business associations and employers' organizations; religious,

trade unions, immigrant, expellee, and veterans groups

International organization participation:

AfDB, Arctic Council (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC

(observer), CBSS, CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO,

G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM,

IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,

IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS

(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, SECI (observer), UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG,

UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,

WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Klaus SCHARIOTH chancery: 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 298-4000 FAX: [1] (202) 298-4249 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William R. TIMKEN, Jr. embassy: Neustaedtische Kirchstrasse 4-5, 10117 Berlin; note - a new embassy will be built near the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin; ground was broken in October 2004 and completion is scheduled for 2008 mailing address: PSC 120, Box 1000, APO AE 09265 telephone: [49] (030) 8305-0 FAX: [49] (030) 8305-1215 consulate(s) general: Duesseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and gold

Economy Germany

Economy - overview:

Germany's affluent and technologically powerful economy - the fifth

largest in the world - has become one of the slowest growing

economies in the euro zone. A quick turnaround is not in the offing

in the foreseeable future; however, stronger growth this year has

improved employment considerably. Growth in 2001-03 fell short of

1%, rising to 1.7% in 2004, falling back to 0.9% in 2005, and

increasing to 2.2% in 2006. Unemployment fell to 7.1% in October

2006, based on the Internation Labor Organization's measurement. The

modernization and integration of the eastern German economy

continues to be a costly long-term process, with annual transfers

from west to east amounting to roughly $70 billion. Germany's aging

population, combined with high chronic unemployment, has pushed

social security outlays to a level exceeding contributions from

workers. Structural rigidities in the labor market - including

strict regulations on laying off workers and the setting of wages on

a national basis - and a lack of competition in the sevice sectors

have made slow growth a chronic problem. Corporate restructuring and

growing capital markets are setting the foundations that could help

Germany meet the long-term challenges of European economic

integration and globalization; however, the current government has

failed to pass meaningful economic reform that would improve growth

prospects. Higher government revenues from the cyclical upturn in

2006 reduced Germany's budget deficit to within the EU's 3% debt

limit.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$2.585 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.858 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$31,400 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0.9% industry: 29.1% services: 70% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 43.66 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 2.8% industry: 33.4% services: 63.8% (1999)

Unemployment rate:

7.1%

note: this is the International Labor Organization's estimated rate

for international comparisons; Germany's Federal Employment Office

estimated a seasonally adjusted rate of 9.8% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 25.1% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

28.3 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.7% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

17.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $1.277 trillion

expenditures: $1.344 trillion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

66.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

potatoes, wheat, barley, sugar beets, fruit, cabbages; cattle,

pigs, poultry

Industries:

among the world's largest and most technologically advanced

producers of iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery,

vehicles, machine tools, electronics, food and beverages,

shipbuilding, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:

4.4% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

566.9 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 61.8% hydro: 4.2% nuclear: 29.9% other: 4.1% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

524.6 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

50.8 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

48.2 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

167,400 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

2.65 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - exports:

12,990 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:

2.135 million bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves:

395.8 million bbl (1 January 2004)

Natural gas - production:

19.9 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

102 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

8.81 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

90.11 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

279.1 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$134.8 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$1.133 trillion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery, vehicles, chemicals, metals and manufactures,

foodstuffs, textiles

Exports - partners:

France 10.2%, US 8.8%, UK 7.9%, Italy 6.9%, Netherlands 6.1%,

Belgium 5.6%, Austria 5.4%, Spain 5.1% (2005)

Imports:

$916.4 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, vehicles, chemicals, foodstuffs, textiles, metals

Imports - partners:

France 8.7%, Netherlands 8.5%, US 6.6%, China 6.4%, UK 6.3%, Italy

5.7%, Belgium 5%, Austria 4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$48.76 billion (August 2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$3.904 trillion (30 June 2006)

Economic aid - donor:

ODA, $5.6 billion (1998)

Currency (code):

euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the

euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of

member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole

currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:

EUR

Exchange rates:

euros per US dollar - 0.7967 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),

0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Germany

Telephones - main lines in use:

55.046 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

79.2 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: Germany has one of the world's most

technologically advanced telecommunications systems; as a result of

intensive capital expenditures since reunification, the formerly

backward system of the eastern part of the country, dating back to

World War II, has been modernized and integrated with that of the

western part

domestic: Germany is served by an extensive system of automatic

telephone exchanges connected by modern networks of fiber-optic

cable, coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, and a domestic

satellite system; cellular telephone service is widely available,

expanding rapidly, and includes roaming service to many foreign

countries

international: country code - 49; Germany's international service is

excellent worldwide, consisting of extensive land and undersea cable

facilities as well as earth stations in the Inmarsat, Intelsat,

Eutelsat, and Intersputnik satellite systems (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 51, FM 787, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:

77.8 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

373 (plus 8,042 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:

51.4 million (1998)

Internet country code:

.de

Internet hosts:

11,859,131 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

200 (2001)

Internet users:

50.616 million (2006)

Transportation Germany

Airports: 554 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 332 over 3,047 m: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 54 1,524 to 2,437 m: 58 914 to 1,523 m: 72 under 914 m: 135 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 222 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 33 under 914 m: 185 (2006)

Heliports:

32 (2006)

Pipelines:

condensate 37 km; gas 25,035 km; oil 3,546 km; refined products

3,827 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 47,201 km

standard gauge: 46,948 km 1.435-m gauge (19,674 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 229 km 1.000-m gauge (16 km electrified); 24 km

0.750-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 231,581 km

paved: 231,581 km (including 12,200 km of expressways) (2005)

Waterways:

7,467 km

note: Rhine River carries most goods; Main-Danube Canal links North

Sea and Black Sea (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 394 ships (1000 GRT or over) 11,017,754 GRT/13,091,194 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 60, chemical tanker 13, container

273, liquefied gas 3, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 25, petroleum

tanker 10, roll on/roll off 3

foreign-owned: 4 (Finland 2, Italy 1, Switzerland 1)

registered in other countries: 2,491 (Antigua and Barbuda 858,

Australia 3, Bahamas 22, Belize 3, Bermuda 21, Brazil 7, Bulgaria 1,

Burma 5, Canada 3, Cayman Islands 13, Cyprus 214, Denmark 13,

Dominica 1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 2, Georgia 1,

Gibraltar 108, Guyana 1, Hong Kong 6, Indonesia 1, Ireland 2, Isle

of Man 56, Jamaica 3, Liberia 587, Luxembourg 10, Malaysia 2, Malta

64, Marshall Islands 194, Morocco 2, Netherlands 56, Netherlands

Antilles 60, NZ 1, Panama 35, Portugal 17, Russia 2, Saint Vincent

and the Grenadines 8, Samoa 1, Singapore 9, Spain 12, Sri Lanka 5,

Sweden 3, Turkey 1, UK 76, US 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Bremen, Bremerhaven, Brunsbuttel, Duisburg, Frankfurt, Hamburg,

Karlsruhe, Mainz, Rostock, Wilhemshaven

Military Germany

Military branches:

Federal Armed Forces (Bundeswehr): Army (Heer), Navy (Deutsche

Marine, includes naval air arm), Air Force (Luftwaffe), Joint

Service Support Command (Streitkraeftebasis), Central Medical

Service (Zentraler Sanitaetsdienst) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (conscripts serve a nine-month tour of compulsory

military service) (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 18,917,537

females age 18-49: 17,913,113 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 15,258,931

females age 18-49: 14,443,412 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 497,048

females age 18-49: 470,537 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$35.063 billion (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.5% (2003)

Transnational Issues Germany

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine

processors; transshipment point for and consumer of Southwest Asian

heroin, Latin American cocaine, and European-produced synthetic

drugs; major financial center

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Ghana

Introduction Ghana

Background:

Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and

the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first

sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. A

long series of coups resulted in the suspension of the constitution

in 1981 and a ban on political parties. A new constitution,

restoring multiparty politics, was approved in 1992. Lt. Jerry

RAWLINGS, head of state since 1981, won presidential elections in

1992 and 1996, but was constitutionally prevented from running for a

third term in 2000. John KUFUOR, who defeated former Vice President

John ATTA-MILLS in a free and fair election, succeeded him.

Geography Ghana

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire

and Togo

Geographic coordinates:

8 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 239,460 sq km

land: 230,940 sq km

water: 8,520 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries:

total: 2,094 km

border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo

877 km

Coastline:

539 km

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

Climate:

tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and

humid in southwest; hot and dry in north

Terrain:

mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m

Natural resources:

gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish,

rubber, hydropower, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone

Land use: arable land: 17.54% permanent crops: 9.22% other: 73.24% (2005)

Irrigated land:

310 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to

March; droughts

Environment - current issues: recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,

Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake

People Ghana

Population:

22,409,572

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 38.8% (male 4,395,744/female 4,288,720)

15-64 years: 57.7% (male 6,450,828/female 6,483,781)

65 years and over: 3.5% (male 371,428/female 419,071) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 19.9 years

male: 19.7 years

female: 20.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.07% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

30.52 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

9.72 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 55.02 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 59.56 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 50.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 58.87 years

male: 58.07 years

female: 59.69 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.99 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

3.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

350,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

30,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in

some locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Ghanaian(s)

adjective: Ghanaian

Ethnic groups:

African 98.5% (includes Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%, Ga

8%, Gurma 3%, Yoruba 1%), European and other 1.5% (1998)

Religions:

Christian 63%, Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs 21%

Languages:

English (official), African languages (including Akan,

Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 74.8%

male: 82.7%

female: 67.1% (2003 est.)

Government Ghana

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Ghana

conventional short form: Ghana

former: Gold Coast

Government type:

constitutional democracy

Capital:

name: Accra

geographic coordinates: 5 33 N, 0 13 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra,

Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western

Independence:

6 March 1957 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 6 March (1957)

Constitution:

approved 28 April 1992

Legal system:

based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January

2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001);

note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January

2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001);

note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

cabinet: Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject

to approval by Parliament

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket

by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term);

election last held 7 December 2004 (next to be held December 2008)

election results: John Agyekum KUFUOR reelected president in

election; percent of vote - John KUFUOR 53.4%, John ATTA-MILLS 43.7%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament (230 seats; note - increased from 200 seats

in last election; members are elected by direct, popular vote to

serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 7 December 2004 (next to be held December 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

NPP 128, NDC 92, other 10

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:

Convention People's Party or CPP [Nii Noi DOWUONA, general

secretary]; Democratic Freedom Party or DFP [Obed ASAMOAH,

chairman]; Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere or EGLE [Owuraku AMOFA,

chairman]; Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP [Dan LARTY];

National Convention Party or NCP [Sarpong KUMA-KUMA]; National

Democratic Congress or NDC [Dr. Huudu YAHAYA, general secretary];

New Patriotic Party or NPP [Samuel Arthur ODOI-SYKES]; People's

Convention Party or PCP [P. K. DONKOH-AYIFI, acting chairman];

People's Heritage Party or PHP [Emmanuel Alexander ERSKINE];

People's National Convention or PNC [Edward MAHAMA]; Reform Party

[Kyeretwie OPUKU, general secretary]; United Renaissance Party or

URP [Charles Wayo, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,

ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,

IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer),

OIF, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR,

UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Fritz Kwabena POKU

chancery: 1156 15th St. NW #905, Washington, DC 20005

telephone: [1] (202) 785-1379

FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela BRIDGEWATER

embassy: 6th and 10th Lanes, 798/1 Osu, Accra

mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra

telephone: [233] (21) 775-347, 775-348

FAX: [233] (21) 701-813

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with a

large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the

popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of

Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band

Economy Ghana

Economy - overview:

Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has roughly twice the

per capita output of the poorest countries in West Africa. Even so,

Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial and

technical assistance. Gold, timber, and cocoa production are major

sources of foreign exchange. The domestic economy continues to

revolve around subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 34% of

GDP and employs 60% of the work force, mainly small landholders.

Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country

(HIPC) program in 2002, but was included in a G-8 debt relief

program decided upon at the Gleneagles Summit in July 2005.

Priorities under its current $38 million Poverty Reduction and

Growth Facility (PRGF) include tighter monetary and fiscal policies,

accelerated privatization, and improvement of social services.

Receipts from the gold sector helped sustain GDP growth in 2006

along with record high prices for Ghana's largest cocoa crop to

date. Ghana received a Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) grant

in 2006, which aims to assist in transforming Ghana's agricultural

export sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$59.15 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$10.18 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 37.3% industry: 25.3% services: 37.5% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 10.87 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 60% industry: 15% services: 25% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:

20% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line:

31.4% (1992 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 30.1% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

30 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

10.9% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

29% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $3.616 billion

expenditures: $3.947 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

38.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts,

bananas; timber

Industries:

mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food

processing, cement, small commercial ship building

Industrial production growth rate:

3.8% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:

6.489 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 5% hydro: 95% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

7.095 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

900 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

1.96 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

7,477 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

44,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves:

8.255 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

23.79 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-219 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$3.286 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore,

diamonds

Exports - partners:

Netherlands 12.5%, UK 8.3%, US 6.7%, Belgium 5.8%, France 5.6%,

Germany 4.4% (2005)

Imports:

$5.666 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Nigeria 15.2%, China 12.5%, US 6.3%, UK 5.2%, South Africa 4.5%,

Brazil 4.1%, Netherlands 4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.098 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$3.546 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$6.9 billion

Currency (code):

cedi (GHC)

Currency code:

GHC

Exchange rates:

cedis per US dollar - 9,178.85 (2006), 9,072.5 (2005), 9,004.6

(2004), 8,677.4 (2003), 7,932.7 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Ghana

Telephones - main lines in use:

321,500 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2.842 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: poor to fair system; Internet accessible; many

rural communities not yet connected; expansion of services is

underway

domestic: primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has

been installed

international: country code - 233; satellite earth stations - 4

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel

system connects Ghana to its neighbors; fiber optic submarine cable

(SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 49, shortwave 3 (2001)

Radios:

12.5 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

10 (2001)

Televisions:

1.9 million (2001)

Internet country code:

.gh

Internet hosts:

380 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

12 (2000)

Internet users:

401,300 (2005)

Transportation Ghana

Airports: 12 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 7 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Pipelines:

oil 13 km; refined products 316 km (2006)

Railways: total: 953 km narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 42,623 km paved: 3,267 km unpaved: 39,356 km (2004)

Waterways:

1,293 km

note: 168 km for launches and lighters on Volta, Ankobra, and Tano

rivers; 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways on Lake Volta

(2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 4 ships (1000 GRT or over) 6,308 GRT/9,418 DWT

by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2

foreign-owned: 1 (Brazil 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Takoradi, Tema

Military Ghana

Military branches:

Ghanaian Army, Ghanaian Navy, Ghanaian Air Force (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory and volunteer military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 4,808,451

females age 18-49: 4,762,459 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 3,011,081

females age 18-49: 2,991,551 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 251,056

females age 18-49: 247,777 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$83.65 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0.8% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Ghana

Disputes - international: Ghana struggles to accommodate returning nationals who worked in the cocoa plantations and escaped fighting in Cote d'Ivoire

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 38,684 (Liberia), 14,136 (Togo) (2006)

Illicit drugs:

illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade;

major transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and, to a

lesser extent, South American cocaine destined for Europe and the

US; widespread crime and money laundering problem, but the lack of a

well-developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility

as a money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Gibraltar

Introduction Gibraltar

Background:

Strategically important, Gibraltar was reluctantly ceded to Great

Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison

was formally declared a colony in 1830. In a referendum held in

1967, Gibraltarians voted overwhelmingly to remain a British

dependency. Although the current 1969 Constitution for Gibraltar

states that the British government will never allow the people of

Gibraltar to pass under the sovereignty of another state against

their freely and democratically expressed wishes, a series of talks

were held by the UK and Spain between 1997 and 2002 on establishing

temporary joint sovereignty over Gibraltar. In response to these

talks, the Gibraltarian Government set up a referendum in late 2002

in which a majority of the citizens voted overwhelmingly against any

sharing of sovereignty with Spain. Since the referendum, tripartite

talks have been held with Spain, the UK, and Gibraltar, and in

September 2006 a three-way agreement was signed. Spain agreed to

allow airlines other than British to serve Gibraltar, to speed up

customs procedures, and to add more telephone lines into Gibraltar.

Britain agreed to pay pensions to Spaniards who had been employed in

Gibraltar before the border closed in 1969. Spain will be allowed to

open a cultural institute from which the Spanish flag will fly.

Geography Gibraltar

Location:

Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links

the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern

coast of Spain

Geographic coordinates:

36 8 N, 5 21 W

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 6.5 sq km

land: 6.5 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 1.2 km border countries: Spain 1.2 km

Coastline:

12 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate:

Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers

Terrain:

a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

limited natural freshwater resources: large concrete or natural

rock water catchments collect rainwater (no longer used for drinking

water) and adequate desalination plant

Geography - note:

strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North

Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea

People Gibraltar

Population:

27,928 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 17.5% (male 2,499/female 2,388)

15-64 years: 66% (male 9,443/female 8,999)

65 years and over: 16.5% (male 2,059/female 2,540) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 39.8 years

male: 39.4 years

female: 40.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.14% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

10.74 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

9.31 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

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

65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 5.06 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5.63 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.8 years

male: 76.92 years

female: 82.83 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.65 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Gibraltarian(s)

adjective: Gibraltar

Ethnic groups:

Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, German, North

Africans

Religions:

Roman Catholic 78.1%, Church of England 7%, other Christian 3.2%,

Muslim 4%, Jewish 2.1%, Hindu 1.8%, other or unspecified 0.9%, none

2.9% (2001 census)

Languages:

English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish,

Italian, Portuguese

Literacy: definition: NA total population: above 80% male: NA female: NA

Government Gibraltar

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

Dependency status:

overseas territory of the UK

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Gibraltar

geographic coordinates: 39 11 N, 5 22 W

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:

National Day, 10 September (1967); note - day of the national

referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or go with Spain

Constitution:

30 May 1969

Legal system:

English law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal, plus other British citizens who have

been residents six months or more

Executive branch:

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

represented by Governor Sir Robert FULTON (since 27 October 2006)

head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 15 elected

members of the House of Assembly by the governor in consultation

with the chief minister

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

the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the

majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually

appointed chief minister by the governor

Legislative branch:

unicameral House of Assembly (18 seats - 15 elected by popular

vote, 1 appointed for the Speaker, and 2 ex officio members; members

serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 27 November 2003 (next to be held not later

than February 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - GSD 58%, GSLP 41%;

seats by party - GSD 8, GSLP 7

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:

Gibraltar Liberal Party [Joseph GARCIA]; Gibraltar Social Democrats

or GSD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP

[Joseph John BOSSANO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives Organization;

Women's Association

International organization participation:

Interpol (subbureau), UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:

two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red with a

three-towered red castle in the center of the white band; hanging

from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band

Economy Gibraltar

Economy - overview:

Self-sufficient Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping

trade, offshore banking, and its position as an international

conference center. The British military presence has been sharply

reduced and now contributes about 7% to the local economy, compared

with 60% in 1984. The financial sector, tourism (almost 5 million

visitors in 1998), shipping services fees, and duties on consumer

goods also generate revenue. The financial sector, the shipping

sector, and tourism each contribute 25%-30% of GDP.

Telecommunications accounts for another 10%. In recent years,

Gibraltar has seen major structural change from a public to a

private sector economy, but changes in government spending still

have a major impact on the level of employment.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$769 million (2000 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

NA

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$27,900 (2000 est.)

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

Labor force: 12,690 (including non-Gibraltar laborers) (2001)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: negligible industry: 40% services: 60%

Unemployment rate:

2% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.5% (1998)

Budget:

revenues: $307 million

expenditures: $284 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(FY00/01 est.)

Agriculture - products:

none

Industries:

tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

131.2 million kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

122 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

24,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$271 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

(principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%,

other 8%

Exports - partners:

UK 30.8%, Spain 22.7%, Germany 13.7%, Turkmenistan 10.4%,

Switzerland 8.3%, Italy 6.7% (2005)

Imports:

$2.967 billion c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Spain 23.4%, Russia 12.3%, Italy 12%, UK 9%, France 8.9%,

Netherlands 6.8%, US 4.7% (2005)

Debt - external:

$NA (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$NA

Currency (code):

Gibraltar pound (GIP)

Currency code:

GIP

Exchange rates:

Gibraltar pounds per US dollar - 0.54413 (2006), 0.55 (2005),

0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), note, the Gibraltar

pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year:

1 July - 30 June

Communications Gibraltar

Telephones - main lines in use:

24,512 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

9,797 (2002)

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate, automatic domestic system and

adequate international facilities

domestic: automatic exchange facilities

international: country code - 350; radiotelephone; microwave radio

relay; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

37,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (plus three low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:

10,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.gi

Internet hosts:

641 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2000)

Internet users:

6,200 (2002)

Transportation Gibraltar

Airports: 1 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 29 km

paved: 29 km (2002)

Merchant marine:

total: 180 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,129,379 GRT/1,437,754 DWT

by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 1, cargo 105, chemical tanker

26, container 26, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 11, roll on/roll off

6, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 165 (Belgium 2, Cyprus 1, Denmark 1, Finland 3,

France 1, Germany 108, Greece 7, Iceland 1, Ireland 1, Italy 6,

Latvia 2, Netherlands 5, Norway 18, Sweden 5, UK 4) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Gibraltar

Military Gibraltar

Military branches:

Royal Gibraltar Regiment

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 5,959 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 4,893 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 187 (2005 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK; the last British regular

infantry forces left Gibraltar in 1992, replaced by the Royal

Gibraltar Regiment

Transnational Issues Gibraltar

Disputes - international:

in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to

reject any "shared sovereignty" arrangement; the government of

Gibraltar insists on equal participation in talks between the UK and

Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar even greater

autonomy

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Greece

Introduction Greece

Background:

Greece achieved independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1829.

During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the

20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and

territories, most with Greek-speaking populations. In World War II,

Greece was first invaded by Italy (1940) and subsequently occupied

by Germany (1941-44); fighting endured in a protracted civil war

between supporters of the king and Communist rebels. Following the

latter's defeat in 1949, Greece joined NATO in 1952. A military

dictatorship, which in 1967 suspended many political liberties and

forced the king to flee the country, lasted seven years. The 1974

democratic elections and a referendum created a parliamentary

republic and abolished the monarchy. In 1981 Greece joined the EC

(now the EU); it became the 12th member of the euro zone in 2001.

Geography Greece

Location:

Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the

Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey

Geographic coordinates:

39 00 N, 22 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 131,940 sq km

land: 130,800 sq km

water: 1,140 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Alabama

Land boundaries:

total: 1,228 km

border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km,

Macedonia 246 km

Coastline:

13,676 km

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

Climate:

temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

Terrain:

mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas

or chains of islands

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m

Natural resources:

lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel,

magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential

Land use: arable land: 20.45% permanent crops: 8.59% other: 70.96% (2005)

Irrigated land:

14,530 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

severe earthquakes

Environment - current issues:

air pollution; water pollution

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,

Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,

Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,

Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship

Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic

Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

Geography - note:

strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach

to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago

of about 2,000 islands

People Greece

Population:

10,688,058 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 14.3% (male 790,291/female 742,902)

15-64 years: 66.7% (male 3,562,251/female 3,566,097)

65 years and over: 19% (male 891,620/female 1,134,897) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 40.8 years

male: 39.7 years

female: 42 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.18% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

9.68 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

10.24 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

2.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 5.43 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5.97 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.24 years

male: 76.72 years

female: 81.91 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.34 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

9,100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Greek(s)

adjective: Greek

Ethnic groups:

Greek 98%, Turkish and other 2%

note: the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in

Greece

Religions:

Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%

Languages:

Greek 99% (official), English, French

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.5%

male: 98.6%

female: 96.5% (2003 est.)

People - note:

women, men, and children are trafficked to and within Greece for

the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor

Government Greece

Country name:

conventional long form: Hellenic Republic

conventional short form: Greece

local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia

local short form: Ellas or Ellada

former: Kingdom of Greece

Government type:

parliamentary republic

Capital:

name: Athens

geographic coordinates: 37 59 N, 23 44 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos) and 1 autonomous region*;

Achaia, Agion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Aitolia kai Akarnania, Argolis,

Arkadia, Arta, Attiki, Chalkidiki, Chanion, Chios, Dodekanisos,

Drama, Evros, Evrytania, Evvoia, Florina, Fokidos, Fthiotis,

Grevena, Ileia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Karditsa, Kastoria,

Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Kyklades,

Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lefkas, Lesvos, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella,

Pieria, Preveza, Rethynnis, Rodopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia,

Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakynthos

Independence:

1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 25 March (1821)

Constitution:

11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001

Legal system:

based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil,

criminal, and administrative courts; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Karolos PAPOULIAS (since 12 March 2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos (Kostas) KARAMANLIS

(since 7 March 2004)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of

the prime minister

elections: president elected by parliament for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 8 February 2005

(next to be held by February 2010); according to the Greek

Constitution, presidents may only serve two terms; president

appoints leader of the party securing plurality of vote in election

to become prime minister and form a government

election results: Karolos PAPOULIAS elected president; number of

parlimentary votes, 279 out of 300

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members are

elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: elections last held 7 March 2004 (next to be held by

March 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - ND 45.4%, PASOK 40.6%,

KKE 5.9%, Synaspismos 3.3%; seats by party - ND 165, PASOK 117, KKE

12, Synaspismos 6; note - seats by party as of December 2006 - ND

164, PASOK 113, KKE 12, Synaspismos 6, independents 5, other 6

Judicial branch:

Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges

appointed for life by the president after consultation with a

judicial council

Political parties and leaders:

Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) [Alekos ALAVANOS];

Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; New Democracy or

ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS]; Panhellenic Socialist

Movement or PASOK [Yiorgos PAPANDREOU]; Popular Orthodox Rally or

LAOS [Yeoryios KARATZAFERIS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

General Confederation of Greek Workers or GSEE [Khristos

POLYZOGOPOULOS]; Federation of Greek Industries or SEV [Odysseas

KYRIAKOPOULOS]; Civil Servants Confederation or ADEDY [Spyros

PAPASPYROS]

International organization participation:

Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU,

FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,

IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC,

MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD,

OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UN Security Council (temporary),

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,

WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Alexandros P. MALLIAS

chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 939-1300

FAX: [1] (202) 939-1324

consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San

Francisco, Tampa

consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, New Orleans

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Charles P. RIES embassy: 91 Vasilisis Sophias Avenue, 10160 Athens mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108 telephone: [30] (210) 721-2951 FAX: [30] (210) 645-6282 consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki

Flag description:

nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; there

is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white

cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established

religion of the country

Economy Greece

Economy - overview:

Greece has a capitalist economy with the public sector accounting

for about 40% of GDP and with per capita GDP at least 75% of the

leading euro-zone economies. Tourism provides 15% of GDP. Immigrants

make up nearly one-fifth of the work force, mainly in menial jobs.

Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of

annual GDP. The Greek economy grew by nearly 4.0% per year between

2003 and 2006, largely because of an investment boom and

infrastructure upgrades for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Greece

has not met the EU's Growth and Stability Pact budget deficit

criteria of 3% of GDP since 2000. Public debt, inflation, and

unemployment are above the euro-zone average. To overcome these

challenges, the Greek Government is expected to continue cutting

government spending, reducing the size of the public sector, and

reforming the labor and pension systems, despite vocal opposition

from the country's powerful labor unions and the general public.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$251.7 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$222.5 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$23,500 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5.1% industry: 20.6% services: 74.4% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 4.88 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 12% industry: 20% services: 68% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

9.2% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3%

highest 10%: 28.3% (1998 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

35.1 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.3% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

25.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $99.16 billion

expenditures: $106.7 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

104.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco,

potatoes; beef, dairy products

Industries:

tourism, food and tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals, metal

products; mining, petroleum

Industrial production growth rate:

2% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

55.51 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 94.5% hydro: 3.8% nuclear: 0% other: 1.7% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

53.5 billion kWh (2005 est.)

Electricity - exports:

1.5 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

3.4 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

5,401 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

435,700 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:

84,720 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

468,300 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

4.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

23 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

2.34 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

2.641 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

991.1 million cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-21.37 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$24.42 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products,

chemicals, textiles

Exports - partners:

Germany 12.4%, Italy 10.4%, UK 6.7%, Bulgaria 5.9%, US 5.3%, Cyprus

5.2%, Turkey 5.1%, France 4.2% (2005)

Imports:

$59.12 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Germany 12.7%, Italy 12.4%, Russia 7.8%, France 5.7%, Netherlands

5.5%, Saudi Arabia 4.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.5 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$301.9 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$8 billion from EU (2000-06)

Currency (code):

euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the

euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of

member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole

currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:

EUR

Exchange rates:

euros per US dollar - 0.79987 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),

0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Greece

Telephones - main lines in use:

6.303 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

10.043 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all areas; good

mobile telephone and international service

domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open-wire

connections; submarine cable to offshore islands

international: country code - 30; tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine

cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and

1 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 26, FM 88, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:

5.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

36 (plus 1,341 low-power repeaters); also two stations in the US

Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (1995)

Televisions:

2.54 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.gr

Internet hosts:

587,717 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

27 (2000)

Internet users:

3.8 million (2005)

Transportation Greece

Airports: 82 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 66 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 9 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 13 (2006)

Heliports:

8 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 1,166 km; oil 94 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 2,571 km

standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (764 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge

dual gauge: 23 km combined 1.435 m and 1.000-m gauges (three rail

system) (2005)

Roadways:

total: 114,931 km

paved: 105,507 km (including 880 km of expressways)

unpaved: 9,424 km (2004)

Waterways:

6 km

note: Corinth Canal (6 km) crosses the Isthmus of Corinth; shortens

sea voyage by 325 km (2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 817 ships (1000 GRT or over) 31,895,832 GRT/54,341,584 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 270, cargo 61, chemical tanker 47, container

47, liquefied gas 5, passenger 11, passenger/cargo 114, petroleum

tanker 244, roll on/roll off 17, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 24 (Belgium 12, Cyprus 1, Hong Kong 1, UK 9, US 1)

registered in other countries: 2,363 (Bahamas 232, Barbados 11,

Belgium 4, Belize 2, Bermuda 2, Cambodia 8, Cayman Islands 21,

Comoros 10, Cyprus 337, Denmark 5, Dominica 5, Egypt 6, Georgia 8,

Gibraltar 7, Honduras 3, Hong Kong 27, Isle of Man 45, Italy 6,

Jamaica 6, North Korea 1, Lebanon 3, Liberia 267, Malta 495,

Marshall Islands 199, Norway 1, Panama 524, Philippines 5, Portugal

4, Russia 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines 82, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Singapore 9, Slovakia 4, UAE

2, UK 7, Uruguay 1, US 1, Venezuela 3, unknown 7) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Agioitheodoroi, Aspropyrgos, Irakleion, Pachi, Piraeus, Thessaloniki

Military Greece

Military branches:

Hellenic Army (Ellinikos Stratos, ES), Hellenic Navy (Ellinikos

Polemiko Navtiko, EPN), Hellenic Air Force (Elliniki Polimiki

Aeroporia, EPA) (2006)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; during wartime the law allows for recruitment beginning January of the year of inductee's 18th birthday, thus including 17 year olds; 17 years of age for volunteers; conscript service obligation - 12 months for the Army, Air Force; 15 months for Navy; women are eligible for military service (2005)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 2,459,988

females age 18-49: 2,442,818 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 2,018,557

females age 18-49: 2,000,650 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 58,399

females age 18-49: 55,571 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$5.89 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

4.3% (2003)

Transnational Issues Greece

Disputes - international:

Greece and Turkey continue discussions to resolve their complex

maritime, air, territorial, and boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea;

Cyprus question with Turkey; Greece rejects the use of the name

Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia

Illicit drugs:

a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis and heroin

from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and precursor

chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine transits or is

consumed in Greece; money laundering related to drug trafficking and

organized crime

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Greenland

Introduction Greenland

Background:

Greenland, the world's largest island, is about 81% ice-capped.

Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from Iceland; Danish

colonization began in the 18th century, and Greenland was made an

integral part of Denmark in 1953. It joined the European Community

(now the EU) with Denmark in 1973, but withdrew in 1985 over a

dispute centered on stringent fishing quotas. Greenland was granted

self-government in 1979 by the Danish parliament; the law went into

effect the following year. Denmark continues to exercise control of

Greenland's foreign affairs in consultation with Greenland's Home

Rule Government.

Geography Greenland

Location:

Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the

North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada

Geographic coordinates:

72 00 N, 40 00 W

Map references:

Arctic Region

Area:

total: 2,166,086 sq km

land: 2,166,086 sq km (410,449 sq km ice-free, 1,755,637 sq km

ice-covered) (2000 est.)

Area - comparative:

slightly more than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

44,087 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 3 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

Climate:

arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

Terrain:

flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow,

mountainous, barren, rocky coast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m

Natural resources:

coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum, gold, platinum, uranium,

fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island

Environment - current issues:

protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit

traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting

Geography - note:

dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe;

sparse population confined to small settlements along coast, but

close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk;

world's second largest ice cap

People Greenland

Population:

56,361 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 24.5% (male 7,072/female 6,740)

15-64 years: 68.9% (male 20,904/female 17,919)

65 years and over: 6.6% (male 1,768/female 1,958) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 34 years

male: 35.3 years

female: 32.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.03% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

15.93 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

7.84 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-8.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.17 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female

total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 15.4 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 16.73 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 14.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 69.94 years

male: 66.36 years

female: 73.6 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.4 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

100 (1999)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Greenlander(s)

adjective: Greenlandic

Ethnic groups:

Greenlander 88% (Inuit and Greenland-born whites), Danish and

others 12% (2000)

Religions:

Evangelical Lutheran

Languages:

Greenlandic (East Inuit), Danish, English

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 100%

male: 100%

female: 100% (2001 est.)

Government Greenland

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Greenland local long form: none local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat

Dependency status:

part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas

administrative division of Denmark since 1979

Government type:

parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Nuuk (Godthab)

geographic coordinates: 64 11 N, 51 44 W

time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

note: Greenland is divided into four time zones

Administrative divisions:

3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu

(Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland)

note: there are 18 municipalities in Greenland

Independence:

none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; foreign affairs is the

responsibility of Denmark, but Greenland actively participates in

international agreements relating to Greenland)

National holiday:

June 21 (longest day)

Constitution:

5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Legal system:

Danish

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January

1972), represented by High Commissioner Soren MOLLER (since April

2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Hans ENOKSEN (since 14 December

2002)

cabinet: Home Rule Government is elected by the parliament

(Landstinget) on the basis of the strength of parties

elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed

by the monarch; prime minister is elected by parliament (usually the

leader of the majority party); election last held 3 December 2002

(next to be held December 2006)

election results: Hans ENOKSEN elected prime minister

note: government coalition - Siumut and Inuit Ataqatigiit

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament or Landstinget (31 seats; members are elected

by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve

four-year terms)

elections: last held on 15 November 2005 (next to be held by

December 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut 30.7%,

Demokratiit 22.8%, Inuit Ataqatigiit 22.6%, Atassut Party 19.1%;

Katusseqatigiit 4.1%, other 0.7%; seats by party - Siumut 10,

Demokratiit 7, Inuit Ataqatigiit 7, Atassut 6, Katusseqatigiit 1

note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or

Folketing on 8 February 2005 (next to be held February 2009);

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Siumut 1, Inuit

Ataqatigiit 1

Judicial branch:

High Court or Landsret (appeals can be made to the Ostre Landsret

or Eastern Division of the High Court or Supreme Court in Copenhagen)

Political parties and leaders:

Atassut Party (Solidarity, a conservative party favoring continuing

close relations with Denmark) [Finn KARLSEN]; Demokratiit [Per

BERTHELSEN]; Inuit Ataqatigiit or IA (Eskimo Brotherhood, a leftist

party favoring complete independence from Denmark rather than home

rule) [Josef MOTZFELDT]; Kattusseqatigiit (Candidate List, an

independent right-of-center party with no official platform; Siumut

(Forward Party, a social democratic party advocating more distinct

Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from Denmark) [Hans

ENOKSEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

Arctic Council, NC, NIB, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a large disk

slightly to the hoist side of center - the top half of the disk is

red, the bottom half is white

Economy Greenland

Economy - overview:

The economy remains critically dependent on exports of fish and

substantial support from the Danish Government, which supplies about

half of government revenues. The public sector, including

publicly-owned enterprises and the municipalities, plays the

dominant role in the economy. Despite several interesting

hydrocarbon and mineral exploration activities, it will take a

number of years before production can materialize. Tourism is the

only sector offering any near-term potential, and even this is

limited due to a short season and high costs.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.1 billion (2001 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

NA

GDP - real growth rate:

1.8% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$20,000 (2001 est.)

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

Labor force:

24,500 (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:

10% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.6% (1999 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $646 million

expenditures: $629 million; including capital expenditures of $85

million (1999)

Agriculture - products:

forage crops, garden and greenhouse vegetables; sheep, reindeer;

fish

Industries:

fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut); gold,

niobium, tantalite, uranium, iron and diamond mining; handicrafts,

hides and skins, small shipyards

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

295 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 100%

hydro: 0%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0%

note: Greenland is shifting its electricity production from fossil

fuel to hydropower production (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

274.4 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

3,860 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$480 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

fish and fish products 94% (prawns 63%)

Exports - partners:

Denmark 61.7%, Japan 12.2%, China 5.2%, Spain 4.6% (2005)

Imports:

$601 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food,

petroleum products

Imports - partners:

Denmark 67.1%, Sweden 19.2%, Ireland 3.5% (2005)

Debt - external:

$25 million (1999)

Economic aid - recipient:

$380 million subsidy from Denmark (1997)

Currency (code):

Danish krone (DKK)

Currency code:

DKK

Exchange rates:

Danish kroner per US dollar - 5.93667 (2006), 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911

(2004), 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Greenland

Telephones - main lines in use:

25,300 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

32,200 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate domestic and international service

provided by satellite, cables and microwave radio relay; totally

digitalized in 1995

domestic: microwave radio relay and satellite

international: country code - 299; satellite earth stations - 12

Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2 Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 5, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

30,000 (1998 est.)

Television broadcast stations:

1 publicly-owned station, some local low-power stations, and three

AFRTS (US Air Force) stations (1997)

Televisions:

30,000 (1998 est.)

Internet country code:

.gl

Internet hosts:

8,851 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

38,000 (2005)

Transportation Greenland

Airports:

14 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 9

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 5 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 5

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Roadways:

total: NA

note: while there are short roads in towns, there are no roads

between towns; inter-town transport takes place either by sea or air

(2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 3 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,540 GRT/2,540 DWT

by type: cargo 1, passenger 2

registered in other countries: 2 (Cyprus 1, Denmark 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Sisimiut

Military Greenland

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 14,653 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 10,199 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 440 (2005 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Transnational Issues Greenland

Disputes - international: managed dispute between Canada and Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Canada's Ellesmere Island and Greenland

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Grenada

Introduction Grenada

Background:

Carib Indians inhabited Grenada when COLUMBUS discovered the island

in 1498, but it remained uncolonized for more than a century. The

French settled Grenada in the 17th century, established sugar

estates, and imported large numbers of African slaves. Britain took

the island in 1762 and vigorously expanded sugar production. In the

19th century, cacao eventually surpassed sugar as the main export

crop; in the 20th century, nutmeg became the leading export. In

1967, Britain gave Grenada autonomy over its internal affairs. Full

independence was attained in 1974 making Grenada one of the smallest

independent countries in the Western Hemisphere. Grenada was seized

by a Marxist military council on 19 October 1983. Six days later the

island was invaded by US forces and those of six other Caribbean

nations, which quickly captured the ringleaders and their hundreds

of Cuban advisers. Free elections were reinstituted the following

year and have continued since that time. Hurricane Ivan struck

Grenada in September of 2004 causing severe damage.

Geography Grenada

Location:

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean,

north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates:

12 07 N, 61 40 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 344 sq km

land: 344 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

121 km

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

Climate:

tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds

Terrain:

volcanic in origin with central mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Saint Catherine 840 m

Natural resources: timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors

Land use: arable land: 5.88% permanent crops: 29.41% other: 64.71% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to

November

Environment - current issues:

NA

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone

Layer Protection, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is

divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada

People Grenada

Population:

89,703 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 33.4% (male 15,097/female 14,820)

15-64 years: 63.4% (male 30,106/female 26,764)

65 years and over: 3.3% (male 1,394/female 1,522) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 21.7 years

male: 22.1 years

female: 21.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.26% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

22.08 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

6.88 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-12.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female

total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 14.27 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 13.87 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 14.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 64.87 years

male: 63.06 years

female: 66.68 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.34 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Grenadian(s)

adjective: Grenadian

Ethnic groups:

black 82%, mixed black and European 13%, European and East Indian

5%, and trace of Arawak/Carib Amerindian

Religions:

Roman Catholic 53%, Anglican 13.8%, other Protestant 33.2%

Languages:

English (official), French patois

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96%

male: NA%

female: NA% (2003 est.)

Government Grenada

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

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Saint George's

geographic coordinates: 12 03 N, 61 45 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

6 parishes and 1 dependency*; Carriacou and Petit Martinique*,

Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mark,

Saint Patrick

Independence:

7 February 1974 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 7 February (1974)

Constitution:

19 December 1973

Legal system:

based on English common law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

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

represented by Governor General Daniel WILLIAMS (since 9 August 1996)

head of government: Prime Minister Keith MITCHELL (since 22 June

1995)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of

the prime minister

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general

appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the

leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition

is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 13-member body, 10

appointed by the government and 3 by the leader of the opposition)

and the House of Representatives (15 seats; members are elected by

popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held on 27 November 2003 (next to be held by

November 2008)

election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by

party - NNP 46.65%, NDC 44.12%; seats by party - NNP 8, NDC 7

Judicial branch:

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of a court of Appeal

and a High Court of Justice (a High Court judge is assigned to and

resides in Grenada)

Political parties and leaders:

Grenada United Labor Party or GULP [Gloria Payne BANFIELD];

National Democratic Congress or NDC [Tillman THOMAS]; New National

Party or NNP [Keith MITCHELL]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,

IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC,

LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,

UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Denis G. ANTOINE chancery: 1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 265-2561 FAX: [1] (202) 265-2468 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to

Grenada

embassy: Lance-aux-Epines Stretch, Saint George's

mailing address: P. O. Box 54, Saint George's

telephone: [1] (473) 444-1173 through 1176

FAX: [1] (473) 444-4820

Flag description:

a rectangle divided diagonally into yellow triangles (top and

bottom) and green triangles (hoist side and outer side), with a red

border around the flag; there are seven yellow, five-pointed stars

with three centered in the top red border, three centered in the

bottom red border, and one on a red disk superimposed at the center

of the flag; there is also a symbolic nutmeg pod on the hoist-side

triangle (Grenada is the world's second-largest producer of nutmeg,

after Indonesia); the seven stars represent the seven administrative

divisions

Economy Grenada

Economy - overview:

Grenada relies on tourism as its main source of foreign exchange,

especially since the construction of an international airport in

1985. Strong performances in construction and manufacturing,

together with the development of an offshore financial industry,

have also contributed to growth in national output.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$440 million (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$454 million (2005)

GDP - real growth rate:

0.9% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$3,900 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5.4% industry: 18% services: 76.6% (2003)

Labor force: 42,300 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 24% industry: 14% services: 62% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:

12.5% (2000)

Population below poverty line:

32% (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3% (2005 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $85.8 million

expenditures: $102.1 million; including capital expenditures of $28

million (1997)

Agriculture - products:

bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, mace, citrus, avocados, root crops,

sugarcane, corn, vegetables

Industries:

food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations, tourism,

construction

Industrial production growth rate:

0.7% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:

171.3 million kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

159.3 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

1,800 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$40 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, fruit and vegetables, clothing, mace

Exports - partners:

Saint Lucia 12.2%, US 11.4%, Antigua and Barbuda 8.3%, Germany 8%,

Netherlands 7.9%, Saint Kitts & Nevis 7.4%, Dominica 7.4%, UK 6.8%,

France 4.2% (2005)

Imports:

$276 million (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

food, manufactured goods, machinery, chemicals, fuel

Imports - partners:

Trinidad and Tobago 27.6%, US 26.8%, UK 5.9% (2005)

Debt - external:

$347 million (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:

$15.4 million (2004)

Currency (code):

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:

XCD

Exchange rates:

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7

(2003), 2.7 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Grenada

Telephones - main lines in use:

32,700 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

43,300 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: automatic, islandwide telephone system

domestic: interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links

international: country code - 1-473; new SHF radiotelephone links to

Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to

Trinidad

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

57,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (1997)

Televisions:

33,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.gd

Internet hosts:

17 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

14 (2000)

Internet users:

19,000 (2005)

Transportation Grenada

Airports:

3 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 1,127 km

paved: 687 km

unpaved: 440 km (1999)

Ports and terminals:

Saint George's

Military Grenada

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Royal Grenada Police Force

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 24,031 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 17,483 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 1,274 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

NA

Transnational Issues Grenada

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

small-scale cannabis cultivation; lesser transshipment point for

marijuana and cocaine to US

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Guam

Introduction Guam

Background:

Guam was ceded to the US by Spain in 1898. Captured by the Japanese

in 1941, it was retaken by the US three years later. The military

installation on the island is one of the most strategically

important US bases in the Pacific.

Geography Guam

Location:

Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of

the way from Hawaii to the Philippines

Geographic coordinates:

13 28 N, 144 47 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 541.3 sq km

land: 541.3 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

three times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

125.5 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by northeast

trade winds; dry season (January to June), rainy season (July to

December); little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:

volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat

coralline limestone plateau (source of most fresh water), with steep

coastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low hills in

center, mountains in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m

Natural resources: fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan)

Land use: arable land: 3.64% permanent crops: 18.18% other: 78.18% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but

potentially very destructive typhoons (June - December)

Environment - current issues:

extirpation of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of

the brown tree snake, an exotic, invasive species

Geography - note:

largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago;

strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean

People Guam

Population:

171,019 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 29% (male 25,703/female 23,903)

15-64 years: 64.3% (male 56,020/female 53,894)

65 years and over: 6.7% (male 5,391/female 6,108) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 28.6 years

male: 28.3 years

female: 28.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.43% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

18.79 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

4.48 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

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

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 6.81 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 7.48 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.58 years

male: 75.52 years

female: 81.83 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.58 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Guamanian(s) (US citizens)

adjective: Guamanian

Ethnic groups:

Chamorro 37.1%, Filipino 26.3%, other Pacific islander 11.3%, white

6.9%, other Asian 6.3%, other ethnic origin or race 2.3%, mixed 9.8%

(2000 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.)

Languages:

English 38.3%, Chamorro 22.2%, Philippine languages 22.2%, other

Pacific island languages 6.8%, Asian languages 7%, other languages

3.5% (2000 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (1990 est.)

Government Guam

Country name:

conventional long form: Territory of Guam

conventional short form: Guam

local long form: Guahan

local short form: Guahan

Dependency status:

organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations

between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of

Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Hagatna (Agana)

geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 144 45 E

time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (territory of the US)

Independence:

none (territory of the US)

National holiday:

Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521)

Constitution:

Organic Act of Guam, 1 August 1950

Legal system:

modeled on US; US federal laws apply

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US

presidential elections

Executive branch:

chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20

January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January

2001)

head of government: Governor Felix P. CAMACHO (since 6 January 2003)

and Lieutenant Governor Dr. Michael W. CRUZ (since 1 January 2007)

cabinet: heads of executive departments; appointed by the governor

with the consent of the Guam legislature

elections: under the US Consitution, residents of unincorporated

territories, such as Guam, do not vote in elections for US president

and vice president; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the

same ticket by popular vote for four-year term (can serve two

consecutive terms, then must wait a full term before running again);

election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2010)

election results: Felix P. CAMACHO reelected governor; Dr. Michael

W. CRUZ elected lieutenant governor; percent of vote - NA

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by popular

vote to serve two-year terms)

elections: last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

Republican Party 8, Democratic Party 7

note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of

Representatives; election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held

November 2008); results - Madeleine BORDALLO (Democratic Party) was

reelected as delegate; percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party

- Democratic Party 1

Judicial branch:

Federal District Court (judge is appointed by the president);

Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms by

the governor)

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Party [leader Michael PHILLIPS]; Republican Party

(controls the legislature) [leader Philip J. FLORES]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

IOC, SPC, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territory of the US)

Flag description:

territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all four

sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse

containing a beach scene, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree

with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is the

national flag

Economy Guam

Economy - overview:

The economy depends largely on US military spending and tourism.

Total US grants, wage payments, and procurement outlays amounted to

$1.3 billion in 2004. Over the past 30 years, the tourist industry

has grown to become the largest income source following national

defense. The Guam economy continues to experience expansion in both

its tourism and military sectors.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$2.5 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.773 billion (2001)

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$15,000 (2005 est.)

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

Labor force: 62,050 (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 26% industry: 10% services: 64% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

11.4% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:

23% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.5% (2005 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $319.6 million

expenditures: $427.8 million (2002 est.)

Agriculture - products:

fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef

Industries:

US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services,

concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

1.764 billion kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

1.641 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

16,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$45 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products; construction

materials, fish, food and beverage products

Exports - partners:

Japan 67.2%, Singapore 11.6%, UK 4.8% (2005)

Imports:

$701 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

Imports - partners:

Singapore 50%, South Korea 21.4%, Japan 14%, Hong Kong 4.6% (2005)

Debt - external:

$NA

Economic aid - recipient:

Guam receives large transfer payments from the US Federal Treasury

($143 million in 1997) into which Guamanians pay no income or excise

taxes; under the provisions of a special law of Congress, the Guam

Treasury, rather than the US Treasury, receives federal income taxes

paid by military and civilian Federal employees stationed in Guam

(2001 est.)

Currency (code):

US dollar (USD)

Currency code:

USD

Exchange rates:

the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:

1 October - 30 September

Communications Guam

Telephones - main lines in use:

84,134 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

98,000 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern system, integrated with US facilities

for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers

domestic: modern digital system, including cellular mobile service

and local access to the Internet

international: country code - 1-671; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan (Guam is

a trans-Pacific communications hub for MCI, Sprint, AT&T, IT&E, and

GTE, linking the US and Asia)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2006)

Radios:

221,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

3; 6 (Low Power TV) (2006)

Televisions:

106,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.gu

Internet hosts:

76 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

20 (2000)

Internet users:

79,000 (2004)

Transportation Guam

Airports: 5 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 977 km (2004)

Ports and terminals:

Apra Harbor

Military Guam

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Guam

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Guatemala

Introduction Guatemala

Background:

The Maya civilization flourished in Guatemala and surrounding

regions during the first millennium A.D. After almost three

centuries as a Spanish colony, Guatemala won its independence in

1821. During the second half of the 20th century, it experienced a

variety of military and civilian governments, as well as a 36-year

guerrilla war. In 1996, the government signed a peace agreement

formally ending the conflict, which had left more than 100,000

people dead and had created some 1 million refugees.

Geography Guatemala

Location:

Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El

Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean

Sea) between Honduras and Belize

Geographic coordinates:

15 30 N, 90 15 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 108,890 sq km

land: 108,430 sq km

water: 460 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Tennessee

Land boundaries:

total: 1,687 km

border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256

km, Mexico 962 km

Coastline:

400 km

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

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

Terrain:

mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone

plateau

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 13.22% permanent crops: 5.6% other: 81.18% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,300 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent

earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and

other tropical storms

Environment - current issues:

deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution

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

Geography - note: no natural harbors on west coast

People Guatemala

Population:

12,293,545 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 41.1% (male 2,573,359/female 2,479,098)

15-64 years: 55.5% (male 3,353,630/female 3,468,184)

65 years and over: 3.4% (male 194,784/female 224,490) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.9 years

male: 18.5 years

female: 19.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.27% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

29.88 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

5.2 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-1.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

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

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 30.94 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 33.55 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 28.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 69.38 years

male: 67.65 years

female: 71.18 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.82 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

78,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

5,800 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Guatemalan(s)

adjective: Guatemalan

Ethnic groups:

Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish - in local Spanish called Ladino)

and European 59.4%, K'iche 9.1%, Kaqchikel 8.4%, Mam 7.9%, Q'eqchi

6.3%, other Mayan 8.6%, indigenous non-Mayan 0.2%, other 0.1% (2001

census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs

Languages:

Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized

Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam,

Garifuna, and Xinca)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 70.6%

male: 78%

female: 63.3% (2003 est.)

Government Guatemala

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala

conventional short form: Guatemala

local long form: Republica de Guatemala

local short form: Guatemala

Government type:

constitutional democratic republic

Capital:

name: Guatemala

geographic coordinates: 14 38 N, 90 31 W

time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

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

Friday in September; note - there is no DST planned for 2007-2009

Administrative divisions:

22 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Alta

Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso,

Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten,

Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San Marcos, Santa

Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez, Totonicapan, Zacapa

Independence:

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:

31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; note - suspended 25 May

1993 by former President Jorge SERRANO; reinstated 5 June 1993

following ouster of president; amended November 1993

Legal system:

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not

accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal (active duty members of the armed forces

may not vote and are restricted to their barracks on election day)

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER Perdomo (since

14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo STEIN Barillas (since 14

January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and

head of government

head of government: President Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER Perdomo

(since 14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo STEIN Barillas

(since 14 January 2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term

(may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 9 November

2003; runoff held 28 December 2003 (next to be held September 2007)

election results: Oscar BERGER Perdomo elected president; percent of

vote - Oscar BERGER Perdomo (GANA) 54.1%, Alvarado COLOM (UNE) 45.9%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica

(158 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year

terms)

elections: last held 9 November 2003 (next to be held September 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

GANA 49, FRG 41, UNE 33, PAN 17, other 18

note: for the 9 November 2003 election, the number of congressional

seats increased from 113 to 158

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitutcionalidad is Guatemala's

highest court (five judges are elected for concurrent five-year

terms by Congress, each serving one year as president of the

Constitutional Court; one is elected by Congress, one elected by the

Supreme Court of Justice, one appointed by the president, one

elected by Superior Counsel of Universidad San Carlos de Guatemala,

and one by Colegio de Abogados); Supreme Court of Justice or Corte

Suprema de Justicia (13 members serve concurrent five-year terms and

elect a president of the Court each year from among their number;

the president of the Supreme Court of Justice also supervises trial

judges around the country, who are named to five-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:

Authentic Integral Development or DIA [Eduardo SUGER]; Grand

National Alliance or GANA [Fraterno VILLA, secretary general];

Guatemalan Christian Democracy or DCG [Vinicio CEREZO Arevalo];

Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG [Alba ESTELA

Maldonado, secretary general]; Guatemalan Republican Front or FRG

[Efrain RIOS Montt]; Movement for Guatemalan Unity or MGU [Jacobo

ARBENZ Villanueva]; Movement for Principles and Values or MPV

[Francisco BIANCHI]; National Advancement Party or PAN [Leonel LOPEZ

Rodas, secretary general]; National Unity for Hope or UNE [Alvaro

COLOM Caballeros]; New Nation Alliance or ANN (formed by an alliance

of DIA, URNG, and several splinter groups most of whom subsequently

defected) [Pablo MONSANTO]; Patriot Party or PP [Ret. Gen. Otto

PEREZ Molina]; Reform Movement or MR [Alfredo SKINNER-KLEE,

secretary general]; Unionista Party [Fritz GARCIA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Agrarian Owners Group or UNAGRO; Alliance Against Impunity or AAI;

Committee for Campesino Unity or CUC; Coordinating Committee of

Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations or

CACIF; Mutual Support Group or GAM

International organization participation:

BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM,

IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,

ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA,

MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,

WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Guillermo CASTILLO

chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 745-4952

FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,

New York, Providence, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James M. DERHAM embassy: 7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City mailing address: APO AA 34024 telephone: [502] 2326-4000 FAX: [502] 2326-4654

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist side), white, and

light blue with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the

coat of arms includes a green and red quetzal (the national bird)

and a scroll bearing the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE

1821 (the original date of independence from Spain) all superimposed

on a pair of crossed rifles and a pair of crossed swords and framed

by a wreath

Economy Guatemala

Economy - overview:

Guatemala is the largest and most populous of the Central American

countries with a GDP per capita roughly one-half that of Brazil,

Argentina, and Chile. The agricultural sector accounts for about

one-fourth of GDP, two-fifths of exports, and half of the labor

force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main products. The 1996

signing of peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed

a major obstacle to foreign investment, and Guatemala since then has

pursued important reforms and macroeconomic stabilization. The

distribution of income remains highly unequal with about 75% of the

population below the poverty line. Other ongoing challenges include

increasing government revenues, negotiating further assistance from

international donors, upgrading both government and private

financial operations, curtailing drug trafficking, and narrowing the

trade deficit. Remittances from a large expatriate community that

moved to the United States during the war have become an important

source of foreign exchange.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$60.57 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$28.84 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,900 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 22.5% industry: 18.8% services: 58.7% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 3.85 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 50% industry: 15% services: 35% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:

7.5% (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line:

75% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 46% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

48.3 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6.6% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

15.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $3.894 billion

expenditures: $4.828 billion; including capital expenditures of $750

million (2006 est.)

Public debt:

25.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle, sheep,

pigs, chickens

Industries:

sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum,

metals, rubber, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

4.1% (1999)

Electricity - production:

7.604 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 51.9% hydro: 35.2% nuclear: 0% other: 12.9% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

6.649 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

464 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

41 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

22,300 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

67,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

3,104 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

263 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

3.087 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-2.028 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$4.097 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

coffee, sugar, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and vegetables,

cardamom

Exports - partners:

US 50.1%, El Salvador 12.1%, Honduras 7.3%, Mexico 4% (2005)

Imports:

$9.118 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials,

grain, fertilizers, electricity

Imports - partners:

US 38.1%, Mexico 7.6%, El Salvador 4.8%, South Korea 4.8%, Panama

4.4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$3.959 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$6.169 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$250 million (2000 est.)

Currency (code):

quetzal (GTQ), US dollar (USD), others allowed

Currency code:

GTQ; USD

Exchange rates:

quetzales per US dollar - 7.60102 (2006), 7.6339 (2005), 7.9465

(2004), 7.9409 (2003), 7.8217 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Guatemala

Telephones - main lines in use:

1,132,100 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

3,168,300 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: fairly modern network centered in the city of

Guatemala

domestic: NA

international: country code - 502; connected to Central American

Microwave System; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic

Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 130, FM 487, shortwave 15 (2000)

Radios:

835,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

26 (plus 27 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:

1.323 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.gt

Internet hosts:

49,026 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

5 (2000)

Internet users:

756,000 (2005)

Transportation Guatemala

Airports: 450 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 11

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 439

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 8

914 to 1,523 m: 111

under 914 m: 319 (2006)

Pipelines:

oil 480 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 886 km

narrow gauge: 886 km 0.914-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 14,095 km

paved: 4,863 km (including 75 km of expressways)

unpaved: 9,232 km (1999)

Waterways:

990 km

note: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable

during high-water season (2004)

Ports and terminals:

Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla

Military Guatemala

Military branches:

Army, Navy (includes marines), Air Force

Military service age and obligation: all male citizens between the ages of 18 and 50 are liable for military service; conscript service obligation varies from 12 to 24 months (2005)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 2,429,033

females age 18-49: 2,503,482 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,911,412

females age 18-49: 2,070,806 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 134,032

females age 18-49: 130,641 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$169.8 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0.5% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Guatemala

Disputes - international:

Guatemalan squatters continue to settle in the rain forests of

Belize's border region; Organization of American States (OAS) is

attempting to revive the 2002 failed Differendum that created a

small adjustment to land boundary, a Guatemalan maritime corridor in

Caribbean, a joint ecological park for the disputed Sapodilla Cays,

and a substantial US-UK financial package; Guatemalans enter Mexico

illegally seeking work or transit to the US

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: undetermined (estimates vary from none to 1 million displaced

from government's scorched-earth offensive in 1980s against

indigenous people) (2006)

Illicit drugs:

major transit country for cocaine and heroin; in 2004, reemerged as

a potential source of opium, growing 330 hectares of opium poppy,

with potential pure heroin production of 1.4 metric tons; 76% of

opium poppy cultivation in western highlands along Mexican border;

marijuana cultivation for mostly domestic consumption; proximity to

Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging area for drugs (particularly

for cocaine); money laundering is a serious problem; corruption is a

major problem

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Guernsey

Introduction Guernsey

Background:

Guernsey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants

of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy, which held sway in both France

and England. The islands were the only British soil occupied by

German troops in World War II. Guernsey is a British crown

dependency, but is not part of the UK. However, the UK Government is

constitutionally responsible for defense and international

representation.

Geography Guernsey

Location:

Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France

Geographic coordinates:

49 28 N, 2 35 W

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 78 sq km

land: 78 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other

smaller islands

Area - comparative:

about one-half the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

50 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 3 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Climate:

temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are

overcast

Terrain:

mostly level with low hills in southwest

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m

Natural resources: cropland

Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% other: NA%

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

People Guernsey

Population:

65,409 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 15% (male 4,998/female 4,842)

15-64 years: 67.1% (male 21,752/female 22,170)

65 years and over: 17.8% (male 4,926/female 6,721) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 41.3 years

male: 40.4 years

female: 42.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.26% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

8.81 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

10.01 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

3.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.65 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5.19 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 80.42 years

male: 77.41 years

female: 83.53 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.39 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Channel Islander(s)

adjective: Channel Islander

Ethnic groups:

UK and Norman-French descent with small percentages from other

European countries

Religions:

Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational,

Methodist

Languages:

English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts

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

Government Guernsey

Country name:

conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey

conventional short form: Guernsey

Dependency status:

British crown dependency

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Saint Peter Port

geographic coordinates: 49 27 N, 2 32 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order

administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there

are 10 parishes including Castel, Forest, Saint Andrew, Saint

Martin, Saint Peter Port, Saint Pierre du Bois, Saint Sampson, Saint

Saviour, Torteval, Vale

Independence:

none (British crown dependency)

National holiday:

Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Constitution:

unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Legal system:

English law and local statutes; justice is administered by the

Royal Court

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

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

represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir Fabian MALBON (since 28

October 2005)

head of government: Chief Minister Laurie MORGAN (since 1 May 2004)

cabinet: Policy Council elected by the States of Deliberation

elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed

by the monarch; chief minister is elected by States of Delibertion

election results: Laurie MORGAN elected chief minister, percent of

vote of the States of Deliberation NA

Legislative branch:

unicameral States of Deliberation (45 seats; members are elected by

popular vote for four years); note - Alderney and Sark have their

own parliaments

elections: last held 21 April 2004 (next to be held in 2008)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents

Judicial branch:

Royal Court

Political parties and leaders:

none; all independents

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (British crown dependency)

Flag description:

white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England)

extending to the edges of the flag and a yellow equal-armed cross of

William the Conqueror superimposed on the Saint George cross

Economy Guernsey

Economy - overview:

Financial services - banking, fund management, insurance - account

for about 23% of employment and 32% of total income in this tiny,

prosperous Channel Island economy. Tourism, manufacturing, and

horticulture, mainly tomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining.

Financial services, construction, retail, and the public sector have

been growing. Light tax and death duties make Guernsey a popular tax

haven. The evolving economic integration of the EU nations is

changing the environment under which Guernsey operates.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$2.742 billion (2005)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.742 billion (2005)

GDP - real growth rate:

3% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$44,600 (2005)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 10% services: 87% (2000)

Labor force:

31,470 (March 2006)

Unemployment rate:

0.9% (March 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.4% (June 2006)

Budget:

revenues: $563.6 million

expenditures: $530.9 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:

tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit;

Guernsey cattle

Industries:

tourism, banking

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA hydro: NA nuclear: NA other: NA

Electricity - consumption:

NA kWh

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2002)

Exports:

$NA

Exports - commodities:

tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other

vegetables

Exports - partners:

UK; note - regarded as internal trade (2004)

Imports:

$NA

Imports - commodities:

coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment

Imports - partners:

UK; note - regarded as internal trade (2004)

Debt - external:

$NA

Economic aid - recipient:

$NA

Currency (code):

British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Guernsey pound

Currency code:

GBP

Exchange rates:

Guernsey pounds per US dollar - 0.5441 (2006), 0.55 (2005), 0.5462

(2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), note, the Guernsey pound is at

par with the British pound

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Guernsey

Telephones - main lines in use:

55,100 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

43,800 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: 1 submarine cable

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

NA

Television broadcast stations:

1 (1997)

Televisions:

NA

Internet country code:

.gg

Internet hosts:

1,245 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

NA

Internet users:

36,000 (2005)

Transportation Guernsey

Airports: 2 (one on Alderney) (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:

total: NA

Ports and terminals:

Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson

Military Guernsey

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Guernsey

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Guinea

Introduction Guinea

Background:

Guinea has had only two presidents since gaining its independence

from France in 1958. Lansana CONTE came to power in 1984 when the

military seized the government after the death of the first

president, Sekou TOURE. Guinea did not hold democratic elections

until 1993 when Gen. CONTE (head of the military government) was

elected president of the civilian government. He was reelected in

1998 and again in 2003. Unrest in Sierra Leone and Liberia has

spilled over into Guinea on several occasions over the past decade,

threatening stability and creating humanitarian emergencies. In

2006, declining economic conditions prompted two massive strikes

that sparked urban unrest in many Guinean cities.

Geography Guinea

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between

Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone

Geographic coordinates:

11 00 N, 10 00 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 245,857 sq km

land: 245,857 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries: total: 3,399 km border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km

Coastline: 320 km

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

Climate:

generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to

November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May)

with northeasterly harmattan winds

Terrain:

generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m

Natural resources: bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish, salt

Land use: arable land: 4.47% permanent crops: 2.64% other: 92.89% (2005)

Irrigated land:

950 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry

season

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water;

desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing,

overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices have led to

environmental damage

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their sources

in the Guinean highlands

People Guinea

Population:

9,690,222 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 44.4% (male 2,171,733/female 2,128,027)

15-64 years: 52.5% (male 2,541,140/female 2,542,847)

65 years and over: 3.2% (male 134,239/female 172,236) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 17.7 years

male: 17.4 years

female: 17.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.63% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

41.76 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

15.48 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population

note: as a result of conflict in neighboring countries, Guinea is

host to approximately 141,500 refugees from Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia,

and Sierra Leone (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 90 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 95.16 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 84.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 49.5 years

male: 48.34 years

female: 50.7 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.79 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

3.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

140,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

9,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in

some locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis

aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Guinean(s)

adjective: Guinean

Ethnic groups:

Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic groups 10%

Religions:

Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%

Languages:

French (official); note - each ethnic group has its own language

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 35.9%

male: 49.9%

female: 21.9% (1995 est.)

Government Guinea

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Guinea

conventional short form: Guinea

local long form: Republique de Guinee

local short form: Guinee

former: French Guinea

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Conakry

geographic coordinates: 9 31 N, 13 43 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

33 prefectures and 1 special zone (zone special)*; Beyla, Boffa,

Boke, Conakry*, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba, Dinguiraye, Dubreka, Faranah,

Forecariah, Fria, Gaoual, Gueckedou, Kankan, Kerouane, Kindia,

Kissidougou, Koubia, Koundara, Kouroussa, Labe, Lelouma, Lola,

Macenta, Mali, Mamou, Mandiana, Nzerekore, Pita, Siguiri, Telimele,

Tougue, Yomou

Independence:

2 October 1958 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 2 October (1958)

Constitution:

23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)

Legal system:

based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree; legal

codes currently being revised; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,

with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Lansana CONTE (head of military

government since 5 April 1984, elected president 19 December 1993)

head of government: vacant; note - Prime Minister Cellou Dalein

DIALLO was dismissed on 5 April 2006

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term

(no term limits); candidate must receive a majority of the votes

cast to be elected president; election last held 21 December 2003

(next to be held December 2010); the prime minister is appointed by

the president

election results: Lansana CONTE reelected president; percent of vote

- Lansana CONTE (PUP) 95.3%, Mamadou Boye BARRY (UPR) 4.6%

Legislative branch:

unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale

Populaire (114 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to

serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 30 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - PUP 61.6%, UPR 26.6%,

other 11.8%; seats by party - PUP 85, UPR 20, other 9

Judicial branch:

Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally or PDG-RDA [El

Hadj Ismael Mohamed Gassim GUSHEIN]; Dyama; National Union for

Progress or UPN [Mamadou Bhoye BARRY]; Party for Unity and Progress

or PUP [Lansana CONTE] (the governing party); People's Party of

Guinea or PPG [Charles Pascal TOLNO]; Rally for the Guinean People

or RPG [Alpha CONDE]; Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea or UFDG

[Mamadou BAH]; Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE];

Union for Progress of Guinea or UPG [Jean-Marie DORE,

secretary-general]; Union for Progress and Renewal or UPR [Ousmane

BAH]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Labor Union of Guinean Workers - National Confederation of Guinean

Workers or USTG-NCTG Alliance [Ibrahima FOFANA]; Student and teacher

unions

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,

IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,

ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF,

OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU,

WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 986-4300 FAX: [1] (202) 478-3800

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jackson C. MCDONALD embassy: Koloma, Conakry, east of Hamdallaye Circle mailing address: B. P. 603, Transversale No. 2, Centre Administratif de Koloma, Commune de Ratoma, Conakry telephone: [224] 30-42-08-61 FAX: [224] 30-42-08-73

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green;

uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Guinea

Economy - overview:

Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural

resources, yet remains an underdeveloped nation. The country

possesses almost half of the world's bauxite reserves and is the

second-largest bauxite producer. The mining sector accounts for over

70% of exports. Long-run improvements in government fiscal

arrangements, literacy, and the legal framework are needed if the

country is to move out of poverty. Fighting along the Sierra Leonean

and Liberian borders, as well as refugee movements, have caused

major economic disruptions, aggravating a loss in investor

confidence. Panic buying has created food shortages and inflation

and caused riots in local markets. Guinea is trying to reengage with

the IMF and World Bank, which cut off most assistance in 2003.

Growth rose slightly in 2006, primarily due to increases in global

demand and commodity prices on world markets, but the standard of

living fell. The Guinea franc depreciated sharply as the prices for

basic necessities like food and fuel rose beyond the reach of most

Guineans. Dissatisfaction with economic conditions prompted

nationwide strikes in February and June 2006.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$19.4 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$3.737 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 23.7% industry: 36.1% services: 40.2% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 3 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 80% industry and services: 20% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

40% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 32% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

40.3 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

27% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

17.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $288.2 million

expenditures: $556.7 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca), bananas,

sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber

Industries:

bauxite, gold, diamonds; alumina refining; light manufacturing and

agricultural processing industries

Industrial production growth rate:

NA

Electricity - production:

790 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 45.5% hydro: 54.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

734.7 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

8,440 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-344 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$615.1 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

bauxite, alumina, gold, diamonds, coffee, fish, agricultural

products

Exports - partners:

Russia 14.6%, South Korea 11.3%, Spain 10.2%, Ukraine 7.9%, US

6.1%, Ireland 6%, France 5.7%, Germany 5%, Belgium 4.5% (2005)

Imports:

$730 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment,

textiles, grain and other foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

China 8.5%, US 7.3%, France 7.2%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.2%, Italy 4.7%,

Belgium 4.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$59.6 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$3.46 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$237.5 million (2003)

Currency (code):

Guinean franc (GNF)

Currency code:

GNF

Exchange rates:

Guinean francs per US dollar - 5,555 (2006), 3,644.3 (2005), 2,225

(2004), 1,984.9 (2003), 1,975.8 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Guinea

Telephones - main lines in use:

26,200 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

189,000 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: poor to fair system of open-wire lines, small

radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio relay

system

domestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communication

international: country code - 224; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 4 (one station is inactive), FM 1 (plus 7 repeaters), shortwave

3 (2001)

Radios:

357,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

6 low-power stations (2001)

Televisions:

85,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.gn

Internet hosts:

367 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

4 (2001)

Internet users:

46,000 (2005)

Transportation Guinea

Airports: 16 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 5

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 11

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Railways:

total: 837 km

standard gauge: 175 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 662 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 44,348 km

paved: 4,342 km

unpaved: 40,006 km (2003)

Waterways:

1,300 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft) (2005)

Ports and terminals:

Kamsar

Military Guinea

Military branches:

Army, Navy, Air Force, Presidential Guard (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service

obligation - 24 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,852,534

females age 18-49: 1,827,560 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,034,006

females age 18-49: 1,032,885 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$119.7 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.9% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Guinea

Disputes - international:

conflicts among rebel groups, warlords, and youth gangs in

neighboring states have spilled over into Guinea, resulting in

domestic instability; Sierra Leone has pressured Guinea to remove

its forces from the town of Yenga, occupied since 1998

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 54,810 (Liberia), 5,423 (Sierra

Leone), 3,900 (Cote d'Ivoire)

IDPs: 19,000 (cross-border incursions from Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia,

Sierra Leone) (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Guinea-Bissau

Introduction Guinea-Bissau

Background:

Since independence from Portugal in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has

experienced considerable political and military upheaval. In 1980, a

military coup established authoritarian dictator Joao Bernardo

'Nino' VIEIRA as president. Despite setting a path to a market

economy and multiparty system, VIEIRA's regime was characterized by

the suppression of political opposition and the purging of political

rivals. Several coup attempts through the 1980s and early 1990s

failed to unseat him. In 1994 VIEIRA was elected president in the

country's first free elections. A military mutiny and resulting

civil war in 1998 eventually led to VIEIRA's ouster in May 1999. In

February 2000, a transitional government turned over power to

opposition leader Kumba YALA, after he was elected president in

transparent polling. In September 2003, after only three years in

office, YALA was ousted by the military in a bloodless coup, and

businessman Henrique ROSA was sworn in as interim president. In

2005, former President VIEIRA was re-elected president pledging to

pursue economic development and national reconciliation.

Geography Guinea-Bissau

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea

and Senegal

Geographic coordinates:

12 00 N, 15 00 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 36,120 sq km

land: 28,000 sq km

water: 8,120 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries: total: 724 km border countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km

Coastline: 350 km

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

Climate:

tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season

(June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to

May) with northeasterly harmattan winds

Terrain:

mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location in the northeast corner of the

country 300 m

Natural resources:

fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, clay, granite, limestone,

unexploited deposits of petroleum

Land use: arable land: 8.31% permanent crops: 6.92% other: 84.77% (2005)

Irrigated land:

250 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry

season; brush fires

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Law of the Sea, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

this small country is swampy along its western coast and low-lying

further inland

People Guinea-Bissau

Population:

1,442,029 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 41.4% (male 297,623/female 298,942)

15-64 years: 55.6% (male 384,559/female 417,811)

65 years and over: 3% (male 18,048/female 25,046) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 19 years

male: 18.4 years

female: 19.6 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.07% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

37.22 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

16.53 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 105.21 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 115.53 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 94.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 46.87 years

male: 45.05 years

female: 48.75 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.86 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

10% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

17,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

1,200 (2001 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in

some locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Guinean(s)

adjective: Guinean

Ethnic groups:

African 99% (includes Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga

13%, Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1%

Religions:

indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5%

Languages:

Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 42.4%

male: 58.1%

female: 27.4% (2003 est.)

Government Guinea-Bissau

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissau

conventional short form: Guinea-Bissau

local long form: Republica da Guine-Bissau

local short form: Guine-Bissau

former: Portuguese Guinea

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Bissau

geographic coordinates: 11 51 N, 15 35 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau,

Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali; note - Bolama may have

been renamed Bolama/Bijagos

Independence:

24 September 1973 (unilaterally declared by Guinea-Bissau); 10

September 1974 (recognized by Portugal)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 24 September (1973)

Constitution:

16 May 1984; amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26 February 1993,

9 June 1993, NA 1996

Legal system:

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Joao Bernardo 'Nino' VIEIRA (since 1

October 2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Aristides GOMES (since 2 November

2005)

cabinet: NA

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(no term limits); election last held 24 July 2005 (next to be held

in 2010); prime minister appointed by the president after

consultation with party leaders in the legislature

election results: Joao Bernardo VIEIRA elected president; percent of

vote, second ballot - Joao Bernardo VIEIRA 52.4%, Malam Bacai SANHA

47.6%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia Nacional

Popular (100 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve a

maximum of four years)

elections: last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held in 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - PAIGC 31.5%, PRS 24.8%,

PUSD 16.1%, UE 4.1%, APU 1.3%, 13 other parties 22.2%; seats by

party - PAIGC 45, PRS 35, PUSD 17, UE 2, APU 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica (consists of nine

justices appointed by the president and serve at his pleasure; final

court of appeals in criminal and civil cases); Regional Courts (one

in each of nine regions; first court of appeals for Sectoral Court

decisions; hear all felony cases and civil cases valued at over

$1,000); 24 Sectoral Courts (judges are not necessarily trained

lawyers; they hear civil cases under $1,000 and misdemeanor criminal

cases)

Political parties and leaders:

African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde

or PAIGC [Carlos GOMES Junior]; Broad Republican Front or FRA

(coalition formed by PAIGC, UM, PST, UPG, FCGSD, UE, PP, PDG, PDSG,

PRP, and the International League for Ecological Protection);

Democratic Social Front or FDS; Electoral Union or UE; Guinea-Bissau

Civic Forum/Social Democracy or FCGSD [Antonieta Rosa GOMES];

Guinea-Bissau Democratic Party or PDG; Guinea-Bissau Socialist

Democratic Party or PDSG [Serifo BALDE]; Labor and Solidarity Party

or PST [Iancuba INDJAI]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD;

Party for Renewal and Progress or PRP; Party for Social Renewal or

PRS [Kumba YALA]; Progress Party or PP; Union for Change or UM

[Amine SAAD]; Union of Guinean Patriots or UPG [Francisca VAZ];

United Platform or UP (coalition formed by PCD, FDS, FLING, and

RGB-MB); United Popular Alliance or APU; United Social Democratic

Party or PUSD

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); note - Guinea-Bissau does not have official representation in Washington, DC

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998 in the midst of

violent conflict between forces loyal to then President VIEIRA and

military-led junta; the US Ambassador to Senegal is accredited to

Guinea-Bissau

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a

vertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black five-pointed

star centered in the red band; uses the popular pan-African colors

of Ethiopia

Economy Guinea-Bissau

Economy - overview:

One of the 10 poorest countries in the world, Guinea-Bissau depends

mainly on farming and fishing. Cashew crops have increased

remarkably in recent years, and the country now ranks sixth in

cashew production. Guinea-Bissau exports fish and seafood along with

small amounts of peanuts, palm kernels, and timber. Rice is the

major crop and staple food. However, intermittent fighting between

Senegalese-backed government troops and a military junta destroyed

much of the country's infrastructure and caused widespread damage to

the economy in 1998; the civil war led to a 28% drop in GDP that

year, with partial recovery in 1999-2002. Before the war, trade

reform and price liberalization were the most successful part of the

country's structural adjustment program under IMF sponsorship. The

tightening of monetary policy and the development of the private

sector had also begun to reinvigorate the economy. Because of high

costs, the development of petroleum, phosphate, and other mineral

resources is not a near-term prospect. However, offshore oil

prospecting has begun and could lead to much-needed revenue in the

long run. The inequality of income distribution is one of the most

extreme in the world. The government and international donors

continue to work out plans to forward economic development from a

lamentably low base. In December 2003, the World Bank, IMF, and UNDP

were forced to step in to provide emergency budgetary support in the

amount of $107 million for 2004, representing over 80% of the total

national budget. Government drift and indecision, however, have

resulted in continued low growth in 2002-06.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.244 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$295.1 million (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$900 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 62% industry: 12% services: 26% (1999 est.)

Labor force: 480,000 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 82% industry and services: 18% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 42.4% (1991)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (2002 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA

Agriculture - products:

rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts, peanuts, palm

kernels, cotton; timber; fish

Industries:

agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks

Industrial production growth rate:

4.7% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:

58.02 million kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

53.96 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

2,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$116 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

cashew nuts, shrimp, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn lumber

Exports - partners:

India 71.9%, Nigeria 17.1%, Ecuador 4% (2005)

Imports:

$176 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products

Imports - partners:

Italy 24.8%, Senegal 18.2%, Portugal 15.4%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.2%

(2005)

Debt - external:

$941.5 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$115.4 million (1995)

Currency (code):

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible

authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:

XOF; GWP

Exchange rates:

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 527.47

(2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), note, since 1

January 1999, the XOF franc has been pegged to the euro at a rate of

655.957 XOF francs per euro

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Guinea-Bissau

Telephones - main lines in use:

10,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

67,000 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: small system

domestic: combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines,

radiotelephone, and cellular communications

international: country code - 245

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1 (transmitter out of service), FM 4, shortwave 0 (2002)

Radios:

49,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

NA (2005)

Televisions:

NA

Internet country code:

.gw

Internet hosts:

5 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2002)

Internet users:

26,000 (2005)

Transportation Guinea-Bissau

Airports: 28 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 3

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 25

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 20 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 3,455 km

paved: 965 km

unpaved: 2,490 km (2002)

Waterways:

four largest rivers are navigable for some distance; many inlets

and creeks give shallow-water access to much of interior (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim

Military Guinea-Bissau

Military branches:

People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP; includes Army, Navy, and

Air Force), paramilitary force

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 287,542

females age 18-49: 297,295 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 152,681

females age 18-49: 161,033 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$9.46 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

3.1% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Guinea-Bissau

Disputes - international:

attempts to stem refugees and cross-border raids, arms smuggling,

and political instability from a separatist movement in Senegal's

Casamance region

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 7,320 (Senegal) (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Guyana

Introduction Guyana

Background:

Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana had

become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to black

settlement of urban areas and the importation of indentured servants

from India to work the sugar plantations. This ethnocultural divide

has persisted and has led to turbulent politics. Guyana achieved

independence from the UK in 1966, and since then it has been ruled

mostly by socialist-oriented governments. In 1992, Cheddi JAGAN was

elected president in what is considered the country's first free and

fair election since independence. After his death five years later,

his wife, Jane JAGAN, became president but resigned in 1999 due to

poor health. Her successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was reelected in 2001

and again in 2006.

Geography Guyana

Location:

Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between

Suriname and Venezuela

Geographic coordinates:

5 00 N, 59 00 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 214,970 sq km

land: 196,850 sq km

water: 18,120 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Idaho

Land boundaries: total: 2,949 km border countries: Brazil 1,606 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km

Coastline:

459 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental

margin

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy

seasons (May to August, November to January)

Terrain:

mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m

Natural resources: bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish

Land use: arable land: 2.23% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 97.63% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,500 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons

Environment - current issues:

water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial

chemicals; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber

83, Tropical Timber 94

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the third-smallest country in South America after Suriname and

Uruguay; substantial portions of its western and eastern territories

are claimed by Venezuela and Suriname respectively

People Guyana

Population:

767,245

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 26.2% (male 102,551/female 98,772)

15-64 years: 68.6% (male 265,193/female 260,892)

65 years and over: 5.2% (male 17,043/female 22,794) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 27.4 years

male: 26.9 years

female: 27.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.25% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

18.28 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

8.28 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-7.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

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

65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 32.19 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 35.8 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 28.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 65.86 years

male: 63.21 years

female: 68.65 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.04 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

2.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

11,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

1,100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Guyanese (singular and plural)

adjective: Guyanese

Ethnic groups:

East Indian 50%, black 36%, Amerindian 7%, white, Chinese, and

mixed 7%

Religions:

Christian 50%, Hindu 35%, Muslim 10%, other 5%

Languages:

English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Hindi, Urdu

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 98.8%

male: 99.1%

female: 98.5% (2003 est.)

Government Guyana

Country name:

conventional long form: Cooperative Republic of Guyana

conventional short form: Guyana

former: British Guiana

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Georgetown

geographic coordinates: 6 48 N, 58 10 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

10 regions; Barima-Waini, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Demerara-Mahaica, East

Berbice-Corentyne, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, Mahaica-Berbice,

Pomeroon-Supenaam, Potaro-Siparuni, Upper Demerara-Berbice, Upper

Takutu-Upper Essequibo

Independence:

26 May 1966 (from UK)

National holiday:

Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

Constitution:

6 October 1980

Legal system:

based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch

law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Bharrat JAGDEO (since 11 August 1999);

note - assumed presidency after resignation of President Janet JAGAN

and reelected in 2001, and again in 2006

head of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since October 1992,

except for a period as chief of state after the death of President

Cheddi JAGAN on 6 March 1997)

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president,

responsible to the legislature

elections: president elected by popular vote as leader of a party

list in parliamentary elections, which must be held at least every

five years (no term limits); elections last held 28 August 2006

(next to be held by August 2011); prime minister appointed by the

president

election results: President Bharrat JAGDEO reelected; percent of

vote 54.6%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (65 members elected by popular vote,

also not more than four non-elected non-voting ministers and two

non-elected non-voting parliamentary secretaries appointed by the

president; members serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 28 August 2006 (next to be held by August 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - PPP/C 54.6%, PNC/R 34%,

AFC 8.1%, other 3.3%; seats by party - PPP/C 36, PNC/R 22, AFC 5,

other 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Judicature, consisting of the High Court and the

Judicial Court of Appeal, with right of final appeal to the

Caribbean Court of Justice

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance for Change or AFC [Raphael TROTMAN and Khemraj RAMJATTAN];

Guyana Action Party or GAP [Paul HARDY]; Justice for All Party [C.N.

SHARMA]; People's National Congress/Reform or PNC/R [Robert Herman

Orlando CORBIN]; People's Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/C [Bharrat

JAGDEO]; Rise, Organize, and Rebuild or ROAR [Ravi DEV]; The United

Force or TUF [Manzoor NADIR]; The Unity Party [Joey JAGAN]; Vision

Guyana [Peter RAMSAROOP]; Working People's Alliance or WPA [Rupert

ROOPNARAINE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Amerindian People's Association; Guyana Citizens Initiative; Guyana

Bar Association; Guyana Human Rights Association; Guyana Public

Service Union or GPSU; Private Sector Commission; Trades Union

Congress

International organization participation:

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,

IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer),

ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL,

OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,

WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Bayney KARRAN

chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900

FAX: [1] (202) 232-1297

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador David M. ROBINSON embassy: 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown; US Embassy, 3170 Georgetown Place, Washington DC 20521-3170 telephone: [592] 225-4900 through 4909 FAX: [592] 225-8497

Flag description:

green, with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side)

superimposed on a long, yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow, black

border between the red and yellow, and a narrow, white border

between the yellow and the green

Economy Guyana

Economy - overview:

The Guyanese economy exhibited moderate economic growth in 2001-02,

based on expansion in the agricultural and mining sectors, a more

favorable atmosphere for business initiatives, a more realistic

exchange rate, fairly low inflation, and the continued support of

international organizations. Chronic problems include a shortage of

skilled labor and a deficient infrastructure. The government is

juggling a sizable external debt against the urgent need for

expanded public investment. The InterAmerican Development Bank in

November 2006 canceled Guyana's nearly $400 million debt with the

Bank. The bauxite mining sector should benefit in the near term from

restructuring and partial privatization. Export earnings from

agriculture and mining have fallen sharply, while the import bill

has risen, driven by higher energy prices. Guyana's entrance into

the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) in January 2006 will

broaden the country's export market, primarily in the raw materials

sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$3.62 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$826.6 million (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,700 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 35.5% industry: 19.3% services: 45.2% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 418,000 (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

9.1% (understated) (2000)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

31.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $359.9 million

expenditures: $430.3 million; including capital expenditures of

$93.4 million (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products: sugarcane, rice, wheat, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish, shrimp

Industries:

bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

818.8 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.4% hydro: 0.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

761.5 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

11,200 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-84.3 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$621.6 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

sugar, gold, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum, timber

Exports - partners:

Canada 18.9%, US 18.9%, UK 11.8%, Portugal 8.1%, Jamaica 5.3%,

Trinidad and Tobago 4.2% (2005)

Imports:

$706.9 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food

Imports - partners:

US 26.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 23.9%, Cuba 6.6%, UK 5%, China 4.1%

(2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$294.9 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.2 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:

$84 million (1995), Heavily Indebted Poor Country Initiative (HIPC)

$253 million (1997)

Currency (code):

Guyanese dollar (GYD)

Currency code:

GYD

Exchange rates:

Guyanese dollars per US dollar - 200.281 (2006), 200.79 (2005),

198.31 (2004), 193.88 (2003), 190.67 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Guyana

Telephones - main lines in use:

110,100 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

281,400 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: fair system for long-distance service

domestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk lines

international: country code - 592; tropospheric scatter to Trinidad;

satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:

420,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (one public station; two private stations which relay US satellite services) (1997)

Televisions:

46,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.gy

Internet hosts:

1,046 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

3 (2000)

Internet users:

160,000 (2005)

Transportation Guyana

Airports:

90 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

under 914 m: 6 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 81

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 14

under 914 m: 65 (2006)

Railways:

total: 187 km

standard gauge: 139 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 48 km 0.914-m gauge

note: all dedicated to ore transport (2001 est.)

Roadways:

total: 7,970 km

paved: 590 km

unpaved: 7,380 km (1999)

Waterways:

Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers are navigable by oceangoing

vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km respectively (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 7 ships (1000 GRT or over) 12,461 GRT/15,155 DWT

by type: cargo 5, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1

foreign-owned: 1 (Germany 1)

registered in other countries: 4 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

3, unknown 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Georgetown

Military Guyana

Military branches:

Guyana Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Corps (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 206,098 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 137,964 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$6.48 million (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0.9% (2003 est.)

Transnational Issues Guyana

Disputes - international:

all of the area west of the Essequibo (river) is claimed by

Venezuela preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana

has expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims

before UNCLOS that Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with

Venezuela extends into their waters; Suriname claims a triangle of

land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic dispute

over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks arbitration

under provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)

to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over the axis of

the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich waters

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for narcotics from South America - primarily

Venezuela - to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis; rising money

laundering related to drug trafficking and human smuggling

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Haiti

Introduction Haiti

Background:

The native Taino Amerindians - who inhabited the island of

Hispaniola when it was discovered by COLUMBUS in 1492 - were

virtually annihilated by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In the

early 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola,

and in 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the

island, which later became Haiti. The French colony, based on

forestry and sugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest

in the Caribbean, but only through the heavy importation of African

slaves and considerable environmental degradation. In the late 18th

century, Haiti's nearly half million slaves revolted under Toussaint

L'OUVERTURE. After a prolonged struggle, Haiti became the first

black republic to declare its independence in 1804. The poorest

country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti has been plagued by

political violence for most of its history. After an armed rebellion

led to the departure of President Jean-Betrand ARISTIDE in February

2004, an interim government took office to organize new elections

under the auspices of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in

Haiti (MINUSTAH). Continued violence and technical delays prompted

repeated postponements, but Haiti finally did inaugurate a

democratically elected president and parliament in May of 2006.

Geography Haiti

Location:

Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between

the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the

Dominican Republic

Geographic coordinates:

19 00 N, 72 25 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 27,750 sq km

land: 27,560 sq km

water: 190 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: Dominican Republic 360 km

Coastline: 1,771 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation

Climate:

tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds

Terrain:

mostly rough and mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m

Natural resources:

bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 28.11%

permanent crops: 11.53%

other: 60.36% (2005)

Irrigated land:

920 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe

storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes;

periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land is

being cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion;

inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the

Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes

Geography - note:

shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western

one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)

People Haiti

Population:

8,308,504

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 42.4% (male 1,770,523/female 1,749,853)

15-64 years: 54.2% (male 2,201,957/female 2,301,886)

65 years and over: 3.4% (male 125,298/female 158,987) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.2 years

male: 17.8 years

female: 18.6 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.3% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

36.44 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

12.17 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-1.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 71.65 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 78.01 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 65.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 53.23 years

male: 51.89 years

female: 54.6 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.94 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

5.6% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

280,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

24,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Haitian(s) adjective: Haitian

Ethnic groups:

black 95%, mulatto and white 5%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%,

Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3%

note: roughly half of the population practices Voodoo

Languages:

French (official), Creole (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 52.9%

male: 54.8%

female: 51.2% (2003 est.)

Government Haiti

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Haiti

conventional short form: Haiti

local long form: Republique d'Haiti/Repiblik d' Ayiti

local short form: Haiti/Ayiti

Government type:

elected government

Capital:

name: Port-au-Prince

geographic coordinates: 18 32 N, 72 20 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

10 departments (departements, singular - departement); Artibonite,

Centre, Grand 'Anse, Nippes, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud,

Sud-Est

Independence:

1 January 1804 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 1 January (1804)

Constitution:

approved March 1987; suspended June 1988 with most articles

reinstated March 1989; constitutional government ousted in a

military coup in September 1991, although in October 1991, military

government claimed to be observing the constitution; returned to

constitutional rule in October 1994; constitution, while technically

in force between 2004-2006, was not enforced; returned to

constitutional rule in May 2006

Legal system:

based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Rene PREVAL (since 14 May 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister Jacques-Edouard ALEXIS (since 30

May 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with

the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 7 February

2006 (next to be held in 2010); prime minister appointed by the

president, ratified by the National Assembly

election results: Rene PREVAL elected president; percent of vote -

Rene PREVAL 51%

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of the

Senate (30 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year

terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of

Deputies (99 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve

four-year terms); note - in reestablishing the Senate, the candidate

in each department receiving the most votes in the last election

serves six years, the candidate with the second most votes serves

four years, and the candidate with the third most votes serves two

years

elections: Senate - last held 21 April 2006, with run-off elections

on 3 December 2006 (next regular election, for one third of seats,

to be held in 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 21 April 2006,

with run-off elections on 3 December 2006 (next regular election to

be held in 2010)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - L'ESPWA 11, OPL 4, FL 3, FUSION 5, LAAA 2, UNCRH 2, ALYANS

1, PONT 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA;

seats by party - L'ESPWA 21, FUSION 15, ALYANS 11, OPL 8, FL 6,

UNCRH 6, MPH 4, RDNP 4, LAAA 4,KONBA 3, FRN 2, MOCHRENHA 1, MRN 1,

Tet-Ansanm 1, MIRN 1, JPDN 1, UNITE 1, PLH 1; results for six other

seats contested on 3 December 2006 remain unknown

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Cour de Cassation

Political parties and leaders:

Artibonite in Action or LAAA [Youri LATORTUE]; Assembly of

Progressive National Democrats or RDNP [Leslie MANIGAT]; Convention

for Democratic Unity or KID [Evans PAUL]; Cooperative Action to

Build Haiti or KONBA [Evans LESCOUFALIR]; Democratic Alliance or

ALYANS (coalition composed of KID and PPRH) [Evans PAUL]; Effort and

Solidarity to Create an Alternative for the People or ESKAMP [Joseph

JASME]; For Us All or PONT [Jean-Marie CHERESTAL]; Front for Hope or

LESPWA (alliance of ESKAMP, PLB, and grass-roots organizations

Grand-Anse Resistance Committee, the Central Plateau Peasants'

Group, and Kombit Sudest) [Rene PREVAL]; Haitian Christian

Democratic Party or PDCH [Osner FEVRY and Marie-Denise CLAUDE];

Haitian Democratic and Reform Movement or MODEREH [Dany TOUSSAINT

and Pierre Soncon PRINCE]; Heads Together or Tet-Ansanm [Dr. Gerard

BLOT]; Independent Movement for National Reconciliation or MIRN [Luc

FLEURINORD]; Justice for Peace and National Development or JPDN

[Rigaud DUPLAN]; Fanmi Lavalas or FL [Rudy HERIVEAUX]; Liberal Party

of Haiti or PLH [Gehy MICHEL]; Merging of Haitian Social Democratic

Parties or FUSION or FPSDH (coalition of Ayiti Capable, Haitian

National Revolutionary Party, and National Congress of Democratic

Movements) [Serge GILLES]; Mobilization for Haiti's Development or

MPH [Samir MOURRA]; Mobilization for National Development or MDN

[Hubert de RONCERAY]; Movement for National Reconstruction or MRN

[Jean Henold BUTEAU]; Movement for the Installation of Democracy in

Haiti or MIDH [Marc BAZIN]; National Christian Union for the

Reconstruction of Haiti or UNCRH [Marie Claude GERMAIN]; National

Front for the Reconstruction of Haiti or FRN [Guy PHILIPPE]; New

Christian Movement for a New Haiti or MOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU]; Open

the Gate Party or PLB [Anes LUBIN]; Popular Party for the Renewal of

Haiti or PPRH [Claude ROMAIN]; Struggling People's Organization or

OPL [Edgard LEBLANC]; Union of Nationalist and Progressive Haitians

or UNITE [Edouard FRANCISQUE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Autonomous Organizations of Haitian Workers or CATH [Fignole

ST-CYR]; Confederation of Haitian Workers or CTH; Federation of

Workers Trade Unions or FOS; General Organization of Independent

Haitian Workers [Patrick NUMAS]; Grand-Anse Resistance Committee, or

KOREGA; National Popular Assembly or APN; Papaye Peasants Movement

or MPP [Chavannes JEAN-BAPTISTE]; Popular Organizations Gathering

Power or PROP; Roman Catholic Church; Protestant Federation of Haiti

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, Caricom, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Raymond JOSEPH chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090 FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Janet A. SANDERSON embassy: 5 Harry S Truman Boulevard, Bicentenaire-Port-au-Prince mailing address: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince telephone: [509] 222-0200 FAX: [509] 223-9038

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a centered

white rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a palm tree

flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing the motto

L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)

Economy Haiti

Economy - overview:

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with 80% of

the population living under the poverty line and 54% in abject

poverty. Two-thirds of all Haitians depend on the agriculture

sector, mainly small-scale subsistence farming, and remain

vulnerable to damage from frequent natural disasters, exacerbated by

the country's widespread deforestation. A macroeconomic program

developed in 2005 with the help of the International Monetary Fund

helped the economy grow 1.8% in 2006, the highest growth rate since

1999. Haiti suffers from higher inflation than similar low-income

countries, a lack of investment, and a severe trade deficit. In

2005, Haiti paid its arrears to the World Bank, paving the way for

reengagement with the Bank. The government relies on formal

international economic assistance for fiscal sustainability. In

2006, Haiti held a successful donors conference in which the total

aid pledged exceeded Haiti's request. Remittances are the primary

source of foreign exchange, equaling nearly a quarter of GDP.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$14.56 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$5.947 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

1.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,800 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 28% industry: 20% services: 52% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 3.6 million note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1995)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 66% industry: 9% services: 25%

Unemployment rate:

widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than two-thirds

of the labor force do not have formal jobs (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:

80% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

14.4% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

27.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $385 million

expenditures: $807.7 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum; wood

Industries:

sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, light assembly

industries based on imported parts

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

536.2 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 60.3% hydro: 39.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

498.6 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

11,600 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-58.72 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$443.7 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

manufactures, coffee, oils, cocoa, mangoes

Exports - partners:

US 80.9%, Dominican Republic 6.9%, Canada 4% (2005)

Imports:

$1.721 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

food, manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, fuels,

raw materials

Imports - partners:

US 48.7%, Netherlands Antilles 11.9%, Brazil 3.3% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$123.4 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.309 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$153 million (FY05 est.)

Currency (code):

gourde (HTG)

Currency code:

HTG

Exchange rates:

gourdes per US dollar - 45.189 (2006), 40.449 (2005), 38.352

(2004), 42.367 (2003), 29.251 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 October - 30 September

Communications Haiti

Telephones - main lines in use:

140,000 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

400,000 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: domestic facilities barely adequate;

international facilities slightly better

domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk service

international: country code - 509; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 41, FM 26, shortwave 0 (1999)

Radios:

415,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (plus a cable TV service) (1997)

Televisions:

38,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.ht

Internet hosts:

6 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

3 (2000)

Internet users:

500,000 (2005)

Transportation Haiti

Airports:

12 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 8

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 7 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 4,160 km

paved: 1,011 km

unpaved: 3,149 km (1999)

Ports and terminals:

Cap-Haitien

Military Haiti

Military branches:

the regular Haitian Armed Forces (FAdH) - Army, Navy, and Air Force

- have been demobilized but still exist on paper unless they are

constitutionally abolished

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary recruitment into the police force

(2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,626,491

females age 18-49: 1,637,657 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 948,320

females age 18-49: 931,972 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 98,554

females age 18-49: 97,690 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$25.96 million (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0.9% (2003 est.)

Transnational Issues Haiti

Disputes - international:

since 2004, about 8,000 peacekeepers from the UN Stabilization

Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) maintain civil order in Haiti; despite

efforts to control illegal migration, Haitians fleeing economic

privation and civil unrest continue to cross into the Dominican

Republic and sail to neighboring countries; Haiti claims

US-administered Navassa Island

Illicit drugs:

Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to the US and

Europe; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics

traffickers favor Haiti for illicit financial transactions;

pervasive corruption

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Introduction Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Background:

These uninhabited, barren, sub-Antarctic islands were transferred

from the UK to Australia in 1947. Populated by large numbers of seal

and bird species, the islands have been designated a nature preserve.

Geography Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Location:

islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from

Madagascar to Antarctica

Geographic coordinates:

53 06 S, 72 31 E

Map references:

Antarctic Region

Area:

total: 412 sq km

land: 412 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than two times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

101.9 km

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

Climate:

antarctic

Terrain:

Heard Island - 80% ice-covered, bleak and mountainous, dominated by

a large massif (Big Ben) and an active volcano (Mawson Peak);

McDonald Islands - small and rocky

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mawson Peak, on Big Ben 2,745 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is on Heard Island

Environment - current issues:

NA

People Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Population: uninhabited (July 2006 est.)

Government Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: Territory of Heard Island and McDonald

Islands

conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands

abbreviation: HIMI

Dependency status:

territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the

Australian Antarctic Division of the Department of the Environment

and Heritage

Legal system:

the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territory of Australia)

Flag description:

the flag of Australia is used

Economy Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Economy - overview:

No indigenous economic activity, but the Australian Government

allows limited fishing around the islands.

Communications Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Internet country code: .hm

Transportation Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Ports and terminals: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of Australia; Australia conducts

fisheries patrols

Transnational Issues Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Holy See (Vatican City)

Introduction Holy See (Vatican City)

Background:

Popes in their secular role ruled portions of the Italian peninsula

for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when many

of the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom of

Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed when

Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between a series of "prisoner"

popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties,

which established the independent state of Vatican City and granted

Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a concordat

between the Holy See and Italy modified certain of the earlier

treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as the

Italian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See include

religious freedom, international development, the Middle East,

terrorism, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the

application of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and

globalization. About 1 billion people worldwide profess the Catholic

faith.

Geography Holy See (Vatican City)

Location:

Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)

Geographic coordinates:

41 54 N, 12 27 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 0.44 sq km

land: 0.44 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 3.2 km border countries: Italy 3.2 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to May) with hot, dry

summers (May to September)

Terrain:

urban; low hill

Elevation extremes: lowest point: unnamed location 19 m highest point: unnamed location 75 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

NA

Environment - international agreements:

party to: none of the selected agreements

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification

Geography - note:

landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; beyond

the territorial boundary of Vatican City, the Lateran Treaty of 1929

grants the Holy See extraterritorial authority over 23 sites in Rome

and five outside of Rome, including the Pontifical Palace at Castel

Gandolfo (the Pope's summer residence)

People Holy See (Vatican City)

Population:

932 (July 2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.01% (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: none

adjective: none

Ethnic groups:

Italians, Swiss, other

Religions:

Roman Catholic

Languages:

Italian, Latin, French, various other languages

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

Government Holy See (Vatican City)

Country name:

conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City)

conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City)

local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano)

local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)

Government type:

ecclesiastical

Capital:

name: Vatican City

geographic coordinates: 41 54 N, 12 27 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

none

Independence:

11 February 1929 (from Italy); note - the three treaties signed

with Italy on 11 February 1929 acknowledged, among other things, the

full sovereignty of the Vatican and established its territorial

extent; however, the origin of the Papal States, which over the

years have varied considerably in extent, may be traced back to the

8th century

National holiday:

Coronation Day of Pope BENEDICT XVI, 24 April (2005)

Constitution:

new Fundamental Law promulgated by Pope JOHN PAUL II on 26 November

2000, effective 22 February 2001 (replaces the first Fundamental Law

of 1929)

Legal system:

based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to it

Suffrage:

limited to cardinals less than 80 years old

Executive branch:

chief of state: Pope BENEDICT XVI (since 19 April 2005)

head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio BERTONE

(since 15 September 2006)

cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope

elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals;

election last held 19 April 2005 (next to be held after the death of

the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope

election results: Joseph RATZINGER elected Pope BENEDICT XVI

Legislative branch:

unicameral Pontifical Commission

Judicial branch:

there are three tribunals responsible for civil and criminal

matters within Vatican City; three other tribunals rule on issues

pertaining to the Holy See

note: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of Pope

PIUS XII on 1 May 1946

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)

International organization participation: CE (observer), IAEA, IOM (observer), ITU, ITUC, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UNWTO (observer), UPU, WIPO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Pietro SAMBI chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121 FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Francis ROONEY embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 66, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428 FAX: [39] (06) 575-8346

Flag description:

two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the arms

of the Holy See, consisting of the crossed keys of Saint Peter

surmounted by the three-tiered papal tiara, centered in the white

band

Economy Holy See (Vatican City)

Economy - overview:

This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by an

annual contribution from Roman Catholic dioceses throughout the

world (known as Peter's Pence); by the sale of postage stamps,

coins, medals, and tourist mementos; by fees for admission to

museums; and by the sale of publications. Investments and real

estate income also account for a sizable portion of revenue. The

incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to those

of counterparts who work in the city of Rome.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$NA

Labor force:

NA

Labor force - by occupation:

note: essentially services with a small amount of industry;

dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers live

outside the Vatican

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Budget:

revenues: $247 million

expenditures: $243 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2005)

Industries:

printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps; a small

amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and

financial activities

Electricity - production:

NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:

NA kWh

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh

Electricity - imports:

NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy

Economic aid - recipient:

$0

Currency (code):

euro (EUR)

Currency code:

EUR

Exchange rates:

euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),

0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Holy See (Vatican City)

Telephones - main lines in use:

5,120 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

NA

Telephone system:

general assessment: automatic digital exchange

domestic: connected via fiber optic cable to Telecom Italia network

international: country code - 39; uses Italian system

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 4, FM 3, shortwave 2 (2004)

Radios:

NA

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2005)

Televisions:

NA

Internet country code:

.va

Internet hosts:

45 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

NA

Internet users:

93 (2000)

Military Holy See (Vatican City)

Military branches:

Pontifical Swiss Guard (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera Pontificia)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of Italy; ceremonial and limited

security duties performed by Pontifical Swiss Guard

Transnational Issues Holy See (Vatican City)

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Honduras

Introduction Honduras

Background:

Once part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras became

an independent nation in 1821. After two and a half decades of

mostly military rule, a freely elected civilian government came to

power in 1982. During the 1980s, Honduras proved a haven for

anti-Sandinista contras fighting the Marxist Nicaraguan Government

and an ally to Salvadoran Government forces fighting leftist

guerrillas. The country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998,

which killed about 5,600 people and caused approximately $2 billion

in damage.

Geography Honduras

Location:

Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and

Nicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North Pacific Ocean),

between El Salvador and Nicaragua

Geographic coordinates:

15 00 N, 86 30 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 112,090 sq km

land: 111,890 sq km

water: 200 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries:

total: 1,520 km

border countries: Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua

922 km

Coastline:

820 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 nm

Climate:

subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains

Terrain:

mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m

Natural resources:

timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal,

fish, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 9.53% permanent crops: 3.21% other: 87.26% (2005)

Irrigated land:

800 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely susceptible to

damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean coast

Environment - current issues:

urban population expanding; deforestation results from logging and

the clearing of land for agricultural purposes; further land

degradation and soil erosion hastened by uncontrolled development

and improper land use practices such as farming of marginal lands;

mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa (the country's largest

source of fresh water), as well as several rivers and streams, with

heavy metals

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean shoreline,

including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast

People Honduras

Population:

7,326,496

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 39.9% (male 1,491,170/female 1,429,816)

15-64 years: 56.7% (male 2,076,727/female 2,077,975)

65 years and over: 3.4% (male 113,747/female 137,061) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 19.5 years

male: 19.1 years

female: 19.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.16% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

28.24 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

5.28 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-1.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 25.82 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 29 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 22.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 69.33 years

male: 67.75 years

female: 70.98 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.59 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.8% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

63,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

4,100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Honduran(s)

adjective: Honduran

Ethnic groups:

mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%, black

2%, white 1%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant 3%

Languages:

Spanish, Amerindian dialects

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 76.2%

male: 76.1%

female: 76.3% (2003 est.)

Government Honduras

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Honduras

conventional short form: Honduras

local long form: Republica de Honduras

local short form: Honduras

Government type:

democratic constitutional republic

Capital:

name: Tegucigalpa

geographic coordinates: 14 06 N, 87 13 W

time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

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

first Sunday in November; note - these new dates become effective in

2007

Administrative divisions:

18 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Atlantida,

Choluteca, Colon, Comayagua, Copan, Cortes, El Paraiso, Francisco

Morazan, Gracias a Dios, Intibuca, Islas de la Bahia, La Paz,

Lempira, Ocotepeque, Olancho, Santa Barbara, Valle, Yoro

Independence:

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:

11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982; amended 1995

Legal system:

rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law with increasing influence of

English common law; recent judicial reforms include abandoning

Napoleonic legal codes in favor of the oral adversarial system;

accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Manuel ZELAYA Rosales (since 27 January

2006); First Vice President Elvin Ernesto SANTOS Ordonez (since 27

January 2006); Second Vice President (vacant); Third Vice President

(vacant); note - the president is both the chief of state and head

of government

head of government: President Manuel ZELAYA Rosales (since 27

January 2006); First Vice President Elvin Ernesto SANTOS Ordonez

(since 27 January 2006); Second Vice President (vacant); Third Vice

President (vacant)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;

election last held 27 November 2005 (next to be held November 2009)

election results: Manuel ZELAYA Rosales (PL) elected president -

49.8%, Porfirio "Pepe" LOBO Sosa (PN) 46.1%, other 4.1%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (128 seats;

members are elected proportionally to the number of votes their

party's presidential candidate receives to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 27 November 2005 (next to be held November 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PL

62, PN 55, PUD 5, PDC 4, PINU 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are

elected for seven-year terms by the National Congress)

Political parties and leaders:

Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Arturo CORRALES]; Democratic

Unification Party or PUD [Matias FUNES]; Liberal Party or PL

[Patricia RODAS]; National Innovation and Unity Party or PINU [Olban

F. VALLADARES]; National Party of Honduras or PN [Porfirio LOBO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras or CODEH;

Confederation of Honduran Workers or CTH; Coordinating Committee of

Popular Organizations or CCOP; General Workers Confederation or CGT;

Honduran Council of Private Enterprise or COHEP; National

Association of Honduran Campesinos or ANACH; National Union of

Campesinos or UNC; Popular Bloc or BP; United Confederation of

Honduran Workers or CUTH

International organization participation:

BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,

IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO

(subscriber), ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM,

OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,

WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Roberto FLORES Bermudez chancery: Suite 4-M, 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-7702 FAX: [1] (202) 966-9751 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco honorary consulate(s): Boston, Detroit, Jacksonville

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Charles A. FORD embassy: Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa mailing address: American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa telephone: [504] 236-9320, 238-5114 FAX: [504] 236-9037

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with

five blue, five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern centered in

the white band; the stars represent the members of the former

Federal Republic of Central America - Costa Rica, El Salvador,

Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; similar to the flag of El

Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words

REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white

band; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which features a

triangle encircled by the word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and

AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band

Economy Honduras

Economy - overview:

Honduras, the second poorest country in Central America and one of

the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, with an

extraordinarily unequal distribution of income and massive

unemployment, is banking on expanded trade under the US-Central

America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and on debt relief under the

Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. The country has

met most of its macroeconomic targets, and began a three-year IMF

Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PGRF) program in February

2004. The economy relies heavily on a narrow range of exports,

notably bananas and coffee, making it vulnerable to natural

disasters and shifts in commodity prices, but in recent years has

experienced a rapid rise in exports of light manufacturers. Growth

remains dependent on the economy of the US, its largest trading

partner, and on reduction of the high crime rate, as a means of

attracting and maintaining investment.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$22.13 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$8.414 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$3,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13.6% industry: 31.4% services: 55% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 2.589 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 34% industry: 23% services: 43% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:

27.9% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

53% (1993 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.6% highest 10%: 42.7% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

55 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5.7% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

23.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $2.002 billion

expenditures: $2.028 billion; including capital expenditures of $106

million (2006 est.)

Public debt:

67.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp

Industries:

sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products

Industrial production growth rate:

7.7% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:

4.805 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 50.2% hydro: 49.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

4.824 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

356 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

37,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-160 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$1.947 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

coffee, shrimp, bananas, gold, palm oil, fruit, lobster, lumber

Exports - partners:

US 73.3%, Guatemala 2.9%, El Salvador 2.9% (2005)

Imports:

$4.86 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, industrial raw materials,

chemical products, fuels, foodstuffs (2000)

Imports - partners:

US 52.6%, Guatemala 6.4%, El Salvador 4.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.778 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$5.587 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$557.8 million (1999)

Currency (code):

lempira (HNL)

Currency code:

HNL

Exchange rates:

lempiras per US dollar - 18.9278 (2006), 18.92 (2005), 18.206

(2004), 17.345 (2003), 16.433 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Honduras

Telephones - main lines in use:

494,400 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.282 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: inadequate system

domestic: NA

international: country code - 504; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave

System

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 241, FM 53, shortwave 12 (1998)

Radios:

2.45 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

11 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:

570,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.hn

Internet hosts:

3,973 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

8 (2000)

Internet users:

223,000 (2005)

Transportation Honduras

Airports: 116 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 105 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 84 (2006)

Railways: total: 699 km narrow gauge: 279 km 1.067-m gauge; 420 km 0.914-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 13,603 km paved: 2,775 km unpaved: 10,828 km (1999)

Waterways:

465 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 136 ships (1000 GRT or over) 405,984 GRT/557,179 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 61, chemical tanker 5, container 1,

liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger 5, passenger/cargo

9, petroleum tanker 29, refrigerated cargo 8, roll on/roll off 4,

specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 43 (Canada 1, China 3, Egypt 4, Greece 3, Hong Kong

2, Israel 1, Japan 4, South Korea 6, Lebanon 1, Mexico 1, Qatar 1,

Singapore 11, Taiwan 2, Tanzania 1, US 1, Vietnam 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo, Tela

Military Honduras

Military branches:

Army, Navy (includes naval infantry), Honduran Air Force (Fuerza

Aerea Hondurena, FAH) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary two-three year military service (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,537,232

females age 18-49: 1,515,120 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,100,991

females age 18-49: 1,121,649 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 82,105

females age 18-49: 78,971 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$52.8 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.55% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Honduras

Disputes - international:

in 1992, International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on the

delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El

Salvador-Honduras border, but despite Organization of American

States (OAS) intervention and a further ICJ ruling in 2003, full

demarcation of the border remains stalled; the 1992 ICJ ruling

advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf

of Fonseca with consideration of Honduran access to the Pacific; El

Salvador continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not mentioned in the

ICJ ruling, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca; Honduras claims

Sapodilla Cays off the coast of Belize, but agreed to creation of a

joint ecological park and Guatemalan corridor in the Caribbean in

the failed 2002 Belize-Guatemala Differendum, which the OAS is

attempting to revive; Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in

1999 and against Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over a complex dispute

over islands and maritime boundaries in the Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for drugs and narcotics; illicit producer of

cannabis, cultivated on small plots and used principally for local

consumption; corruption is a major problem; some money-laundering

activity

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Hong Kong

Introduction Hong Kong

Background:

Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China

the following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the

19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on

19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special

Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In this

agreement, China has promised that, under its "one country, two

systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be

imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of

autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the

next 50 years.

Geography Hong Kong

Location:

Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Geographic coordinates:

22 15 N, 114 10 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 1,092 sq km

land: 1,042 sq km

water: 50 sq km

Area - comparative:

six times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 30 km regional border: China 30 km

Coastline:

733 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate:

subtropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from

spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall

Terrain:

hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m

Natural resources: outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar

Land use: arable land: 5.05% permanent crops: 1.01% other: 93.94% (2001)

Irrigated land:

20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:

occasional typhoons

Environment - current issues:

air and water pollution from rapid urbanization

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Marine Dumping (associate member)

Geography - note:

more than 200 islands

People Hong Kong

Population:

6,940,432 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 13.5% (male 488,607/female 445,593)

15-64 years: 73.7% (male 2,495,679/female 2,620,336)

65 years and over: 12.8% (male 413,031/female 477,186) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 40.7 years

male: 40.4 years

female: 40.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.59% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

7.29 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

4.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

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

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 2.95 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 3.13 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 81.59 years

male: 78.9 years

female: 84.5 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

0.95 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

2,600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Chinese/Hong Konger

adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong

Ethnic groups:

Chinese 95%, other 5%

Religions:

eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%

Languages:

Chinese (Cantonese), English; both are official

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 93.5%

male: 96.9%

female: 89.6% (2002)

Government Hong Kong

Country name:

conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

conventional short form: Hong Kong

local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu

local short form: Xianggang

abbreviation: HK

Dependency status:

special administrative region of China

Government type:

limited democracy

Administrative divisions:

none (special administrative region of China)

Independence:

none (special administrative region of China)

National holiday:

National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic

of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July 1997 is celebrated as

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

Constitution:

Basic Law, approved in March 1990 by China's National People's

Congress, is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution"

Legal system:

based on English common law

Suffrage:

direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent residents

living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years;

indirect election limited to about 200,000 members of functional

constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn from broad

regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government

bodies

Executive branch:

chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)

head of government: Chief Executive Donald TSANG (since 24 June 2005)

cabinet: Executive Council consists of 14 official members and 15

non-official members

elections: previous chief executive TUNG Chee-hwa was elected to

second five-year term in March 2002 by 800-member election committee

dominated by pro-Beijing forces, resignation accepted 12 March 2005;

Donald TSANG acted as chief executive between 12 March 2005 and 25

May 2005; Henry TANG acted as chief executive between 25 May 2005

and 24 June 2005; TSANG was elected on 16 June 2005 to fill final

two years of TUNG's term (next election to be held in March 2007)

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; in 2004 30 seats

indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 30 elected by

popular vote; members serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 12 September 2004 (next to be held in September

2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - pro-democracy group

62%; seats by party - (pro-Beijing 34) DAB 12, Liberal Party 10,

independents 11, FTU 1; (pro-democracy 25) independents 11,

Democratic Party 9, CTU 2, ADPL 1, Frontier Party 1, NWSC 1;

non-voting LEGCO president 1

Judicial branch:

Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Political parties and leaders:

Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood or ADPL

[Frederick FUNG Kin-kee]; Citizens Party [Alex CHAN Kai-chung];

Civic Party [KUAN Hsin-chi]; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment

and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [MA Lik]; Democratic Party [Albert

HO]; Frontier Party [Emily LAU Wai-hing]; Liberal Party [James TIEN

Pei-chun]

note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - ADPL, Democratic

Party, Frontier Party; pro-Beijing - DAB, Liberal Party

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese

Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Confederation of Trade

Unions or CTU (pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek, president; LEE

Cheuk-yan, general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries;

Federation of Trade Unions or FTU (pro-China) [CHENG Yiu-tong,

executive councilor]; Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic

Democratic Movement in China [Szeto WAH, chairman]; Hong Kong and

Kowloon Trade Union Council (pro-Taiwan); Hong Kong General Chamber

of Commerce; Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union [CHEUNG

Man-kwong, president]; Neighborhood and Workers' Service Center or

NWSC (pro-democracy); The Alliance [Bernard CHAN, exco member]

International organization participation:

APEC, AsDB, BIS, ICC, IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), IOC, ISO

(correspondent), ITUC, UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (special administrative region of China)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Consul General James B. CUNNINGHAM consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006 telephone: [852] 2523-9011 FAX: [852] 2845-1598

Flag description: red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in the center

Economy Hong Kong

Economy - overview:

Hong Kong has a free market economy highly dependent on

international trade. The territory has become more closely linked to

mainland China over the past few years. Even before Hong Kong

reverted to Chinese administration on 1 July 1997, it had extensive

trade and investment ties with China. Hong Kong's service industry

over the past decade has grown rapidly as its manufacturing industry

has moved to the mainland. Hong Kong also has stepped up its efforts

to gain approval to offer more mainland financial services in a bid

to remain competitive with China's growing financial centers. Hong

Kong's natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials

must be imported. Gross imports and exports (i.e., including

reexports to and from third countries) each exceed GDP in dollar

value. Per capita GDP exceeds that of the four big economies of

Western Europe. GDP growth averaged a strong 5% from 1989 to 2006,

but Hong Kong suffered two recessions in the past eight years

because of the Asian financial crisis in 1997-1998 and the global

downturn in 2001-2002. Although the Severe Acute Respiratory

Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003 also battered Hong Kong's economy,

a solid rise in exports, a boom in tourism from the mainland because

of China's easing of travel restrictions, and a return of consumer

confidence resulted in the resumption of strong growth from late

2003 through 2006. Moreover, several large initial public offerings

of Chinese companies on the Hong Kong stock exchange since late 2005

have helped to boost Hong Kong's status as a financial hub and have

contributed to the improved performance of the market in late 2006.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$253.1 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$187.1 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$36,500 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0.1% industry: 9% services: 90.9% (2006 est.)

Labor force:

3.63 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

manufacturing 7.5%, construction 7.5%, wholesale and retail trade,

restaurants, and hotels 43.9%, financing, insurance, and real estate

2.9%, transport and communications 7.1%, community and social

services 43.9%

note: above data exclude public sector (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

4.9% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

52.25 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.2% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

21.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $35.16 billion

expenditures: $33.02 billion; including capital expenditures of $5.9

billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:

1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

fresh vegetables; poultry, pork; fish

Industries:

textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping, electronics,

plastics, toys, watches, clocks

Industrial production growth rate:

4% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

38.45 billion kWh (2005)

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

Electricity - consumption:

44.55 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports:

4.497 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports:

10.39 billion kWh (2005)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

285,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day

Oil - imports:

25,000 bbl/day

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

2.2 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

2.524 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$20.9 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$611.6 billion f.o.b., including reexports (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, footwear,

watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones, printed material

Exports - partners:

China 45%, US 16.1%, Japan 5.3% (2005)

Imports:

$329.8 billion (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

raw materials and semi-manufactures, consumer goods, capital goods,

foodstuffs, fuel (most is re-exported)

Imports - partners:

China 45%, Japan 11%, Taiwan 7.2%, Singapore 5.8%, US 5.1%, South

Korea 4.4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$132 billion (November 2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$472.9 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Currency (code):

Hong Kong dollar (HKD)

Currency code:

HKD

Exchange rates:

Hong Kong dollars per US dollar - 7.77367 (2006), 7.7773 (2005),

7.788 (2004), 7.7868 (2003), 7.7989 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications Hong Kong

Telephones - main lines in use:

3,794,600 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

8.693 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent domestic

and international services

domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic

network

international: country code - 852; satellite earth stations - 3

Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to

Guangzhou, China; access to 5 international submarine cables

providing connections to ASEAN member nations, Japan, Taiwan,

Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 5, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:

4.45 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 55 low power stations note: two TV networks, each one broadcasting on two channels (2006)

Televisions:

1.84 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.hk

Internet hosts:

800,834 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

17 (2000)

Internet users:

4,878,713 (2005)

Transportation Hong Kong

Airports: 3 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Heliports: 3 (2006)

Roadways: total: 1,955 km paved: 1,955 km (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 924 ships (1000 GRT or over) 30,838,025 GRT/51,957,682 DWT

by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 495, cargo 121, chemical

tanker 44, container 133, liquefied gas 22, passenger 6,

passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 76, roll on/roll off 3,

specialized tanker 7, vehicle carrier 8

foreign-owned: 562 (Australia 1, Belgium 3, Canada 28, China 274,

Denmark 6, Germany 6, Greece 27, Indonesia 4, Japan 67, South Korea

6, Norway 26, Philippines 16, Portugal 1, Singapore 24, Syria 1,

Taiwan 6, UAE 2, UK 43, US 21)

registered in other countries: 417 (Bahamas 8, Belize 8, Bermuda 10,

Cambodia 15, China 7, Cyprus 1, France 1, French Southern and

Antarctic Lands 2, Greece 1, Honduras 2, India 1, Liberia 37,

Malaysia 14, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 7, Norway 55, Panama 169,

Philippines 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Singapore 50,

Taiwan 3, Tuvalu 8, unknown 7) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Hong Kong

Military Hong Kong

Military branches:

no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of

China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) includes elements of the PLA

Ground Forces, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under

the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing

and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou Military

Region

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,743,972

females age 18-49: 1,904,967 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,403,088

females age 18-49: 1,527,278 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 40,343

females age 18-49: 38,234 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

Hong Kong garrison is funded by China; figures are NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

NA

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of China

Transnational Issues Hong Kong

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

makes strenuous law enforcement efforts, but faces difficult

challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to

regional and world markets; modern banking system provides conduit

for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs,

especially among young people

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Hungary

Introduction Hungary

Background:

Hungary was part of the polyglot Austro-Hungarian Empire, which

collapsed during World War I. The country fell under Communist rule

following World War II. In 1956, a revolt and announced withdrawal

from the Warsaw Pact were met with a massive military intervention

by Moscow. Under the leadership of Janos KADAR in 1968, Hungary

began liberalizing its economy, introducing so-called "Goulash

Communism." Hungary held its first multiparty elections in 1990 and

initiated a free market economy. It joined NATO in 1999 and the EU

in 2004.

Geography Hungary

Location:

Central Europe, northwest of Romania

Geographic coordinates:

47 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 93,030 sq km

land: 92,340 sq km

water: 690 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries:

total: 2,171 km

border countries: Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km,

Serbia 151 km, Slovakia 677 km, Slovenia 102 km, Ukraine 103 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers

Terrain:

mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on the

Slovakian border

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Tisza River 78 m

highest point: Kekes 1,014 m

Natural resources:

bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land

Land use: arable land: 49.58% permanent crops: 2.06% other: 48.36% (2005)

Irrigated land: 2,300 sq km (2003)

Environment - current issues: the upgrading of Hungary's standards in waste management, energy efficiency, and air, soil, and water pollution to meet EU requirements will require large investments

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,

Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty,

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Geography - note:

landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes between

Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between Ukraine and

Mediterranean basin; the north-south flowing Duna (Danube) and Tisza

Rivers divide the country into three large regions

People Hungary

Population:

9,981,334 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 15.6% (male 799,163/female 755,389)

15-64 years: 69.2% (male 3,403,375/female 3,505,640)

65 years and over: 15.2% (male 550,297/female 967,470) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 38.7 years

male: 36.3 years

female: 41.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.25% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

9.72 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

13.11 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.57 male(s)/female

total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 8.39 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 9.09 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 7.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 72.66 years

male: 68.45 years

female: 77.14 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.32 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

2,800 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Hungarian(s)

adjective: Hungarian

Ethnic groups:

Hungarian 92.3%, Roma 1.9%, other or unknown 5.8% (2001 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 51.9%, Calvinist 15.9%, Lutheran 3%, Greek Catholic

2.6%, other Christian 1%, other or unspecified 11.1%, unaffiliated

14.5% (2001 census)

Languages:

Hungarian 93.6%, other or unspecified 6.4% (2001 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.4%

male: 99.5%

female: 99.3% (2003 est.)

Government Hungary

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Hungary

conventional short form: Hungary

local long form: Magyar Koztarsasag

local short form: Magyarorszag

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Budapest

geographic coordinates: 47 30 N, 19 05 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

19 counties (megyek, singular - megye), 22 urban counties (singular

- megyei varos), and 1 capital city (fovaros)

counties: Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen,

Csongrad, Fejer, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves,

Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Komarom-Esztergom, Nograd, Pest, Somogy,

Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Zala

urban counties: Bekescsaba, Debrecen, Dunaujvaros, Eger, Gyor,

Hodmezovasarhely, Kaposvar, Kecskemet, Miskolc, Nagykanizsa,

Nyiregyhaza, Pecs, Salgotarjan, Sopron, Szeged, Szekesfehervar,

Szekszard, Szolnok, Szombathely, Tatabanya, Veszprem, Zalaegerszeg

capital city: Budapest

Independence:

1001 (unification by King Stephen I)

National holiday:

Saint Stephen's Day, 20 August

Constitution:

18 August 1949, effective 20 August 1949; revised 19 April 1972; 18

October 1989 revision ensured legal rights for individuals and

constitutional checks on the authority of the prime minister and

also established the principle of parliamentary oversight; 1997

amendment streamlined the judicial system

Legal system:

rule of law based on Western model; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Laszlo SOLYOM (since 5 August 2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Ferenc GYURCSANY (since 29

September 2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the National Assembly on

the recommendation of the president

elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a

five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 6-7

June 2005 (next to be held by June 2010); prime minister elected by

the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president;

election last held 29 September 2004

election results: Laszlo SOLYOM elected president by a simple

majority in the third round of voting, 185 to 182; Ferenc GYURCSANY

elected prime minister; result of legislative vote - 197 to 12

note: to be elected, the president must win two-thirds of

legislative vote in the first two rounds or a simple majority in the

third round

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Orszaggyules (386 seats; members

are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional and

direct representation to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 9 and 23 April 2006 (next to be held April 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party (5% or more of the vote

required for parliamentary representation in the first round) - MSzP

43.2%, Fidesz-KDNP 42%, SzDSz 6.5%, MDF 5%, other 3.3%; seats by

party - MSzP 190, Fidesz 141, KDNP 23, SzDSz 20, MDF 11, independent

1

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly

for nine-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance of Free Democrats or SzDSz [Gabor KUNCZE]; Christian

Democratic People's Party or KDNP [Zsolt SEMJEN]; Hungarian Civic

Alliance or Fidesz [Viktor ORBAN, chairman]; Hungarian Democratic

Forum or MDF [Ibolya DAVID]; Hungarian Socialist Party or MSzP

[Istvan HILLER, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,

EIB, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,

ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,

IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS

(observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU

(associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Andras SIMONYI chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 362-6730 FAX: [1] (202) 966-8135 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador April H. FOLEY embassy: Szabadsag ter 12, H-1054 Budapest mailing address: pouch: American Embassy Budapest, 5270 Budapest Place, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5270 telephone: [36] (1) 475-4400 FAX: [36] (1) 475-4764

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green

Economy Hungary

Economy - overview:

Hungary has made the transition from a centrally planned to a

market economy, with a per capita income nearly two-thirds that of

the EU-25 average. Hungary continues to demonstrate strong economic

growth and acceded to the EU in May 2004. The private sector

accounts for over 80% of GDP. Foreign ownership of and investment in

Hungarian firms are widespread, with cumulative foreign direct

investment totaling more than $60 billion since 1989. Hungarian

sovereign debt was upgraded in 2000 - together with the Czech

Republic, Hungary holds the highest rating among the Central

European transition economies. Rating agencies, however, have

expressed concerns over Hungary's fiscal and current account

deficits. Inflation has declined from 14% in 1998 to 3.7% in 2006.

Unemployment has persisted above 6%. Hungary's labor force

participation rate of 57% is one of the lowest in the Organization

for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Germany is by far

Hungary's largest economic partner. Policy challenges include

cutting the public sector deficit to 3% of GDP by 2008, from about

6.5% in 2006, and orchestrating an orderly interest rate reduction

without sparking capital outflows.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$172.7 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$113.1 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$17,300 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.1% industry: 32.1% services: 64.8% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 4.2 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 5.5% industry: 33.3% services: 61.2% (2003)

Unemployment rate:

7.4% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

8.6%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.1% highest 10%: 22.2% (2002)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

26.9 (2002)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.7% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

23.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $48.73 billion

expenditures: $59.62 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

68.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, corn, sunflower seed, potatoes, sugar beets; pigs, cattle,

poultry, dairy products

Industries:

mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods,

textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles

Industrial production growth rate:

9.5% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

31.83 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 60.1% hydro: 0.5% nuclear: 39% other: 0.3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

37.1 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

6.3 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

13.8 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

47,530 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

132,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

47,180 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

94,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:

110.7 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

2.963 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

14.46 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

11.42 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

34.26 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-8.392 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$67.99 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and equipment 61.1%, other manufactures 28.7%, food

products 6.5%, raw materials 2%, fuels and electricity 1.6% (2003)

Exports - partners:

Germany 30.2%, Italy 5.7%, Austria 5.6%, France 5.3%, UK 5.1% (2005)

Imports:

$69.75 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment 51.6%, other manufactures 35.7%, fuels and

electricity 7.7%, food products 3.1%, raw materials 2.0% (2003)

Imports - partners:

Germany 27.5%, Russia 7.4%, China 7.1%, Austria 6.6%, France 4.9%,

Italy 4.9%, Netherlands 4.3% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$21.05 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$107.3 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $3.4 billion in available EU structural adjustment and cohesion funds (2004-06)

Currency (code):

forint (HUF)

Currency code:

HUF

Exchange rates:

forints per US dollar - 215.105 (2006), 199.58 (2005), 202.75

(2004), 224.31 (2003), 257.89 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Hungary

Telephones - main lines in use:

3.356 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

9.32 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: the telephone system has been modernized and is

capable of satisfying all requests for telecommunication service

domestic: the system is digitalized and highly automated; trunk

services are carried by fiber-optic cable and digital microwave

radio relay; a program for fiber-optic subscriber connections was

initiated in 1996; heavy use is made of mobile cellular telephones

international: country code - 36; Hungary has fiber-optic cable

connections with all neighboring countries; the international switch

is in Budapest; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic

Ocean and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Inmarsat, 1 very small aperture

terminal (VSAT) system of ground terminals

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 17, FM 57, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios:

7.01 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

35 (plus 161 low-power repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:

4.42 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.hu

Internet hosts:

608,085 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

16 (2000)

Internet users:

3.05 million (2005)

Transportation Hungary

Airports: 46 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 20 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 26 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 10 (2006)

Heliports:

5 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 4,397 km; oil 990 km; refined products 335 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 7,937 km

broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge

standard gauge: 7,682 km 1.435-m gauge (2,628 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 219 km 0.760-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 159,568 km

paved: 70,050 km (30,874 km of interurban roads including 626 km of

expressways)

unpaved: 89,518 km (2005)

Waterways:

1,622 km (most on Danube River) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Budapest, Dunaujvaros, Gyor-Gonyu, Csepel, Baja, Mohacs (2003)

Military Hungary

Military branches:

Ground Forces, Hungarian Air Force (Magyar Legiero, ML) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription

abolished in June 2004 (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 2,303,116

females age 18-49: 2,265,463 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,780,513

females age 18-49: 1,864,580 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 63,847

females age 18-49: 61,037 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$1.08 billion (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.75% (2002 est.)

Transnational Issues Hungary

Disputes - international:

in 2004, Hungary amended the status law extending special social

and cultural benefits - and voted down a referendum to extend dual

citizenship - to ethnic Hungarians living in neighboring states,

which have objected to such measures; consultations continue between

Slovakia and Hungary over Hungary's completion of its portion the

Gabcikovo-Nagymaros hydroelectric dam project along the Danube; as a

member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Hungary

must implement the strict Schengen border rules

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and cannabis and for

South American cocaine destined for Western Europe; limited producer

of precursor chemicals, particularly for amphetamine and

methamphetamine; improving, but remains vulnerable to money

laundering related to organized crime and drug trafficking

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Iceland

Introduction Iceland

Background:

Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish) immigrants

during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland boasts the

world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althing,

established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland was

subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja

volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused

widespread famine. Over the next quarter century, 20% of the

island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US. Limited

home rule from Denmark was granted in 1874 and complete independence

attained in 1944. Literacy, longevity, income, and social cohesion

are first-rate by world standards.

Geography Iceland

Location:

Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North

Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK

Geographic coordinates:

65 00 N, 18 00 W

Map references:

Arctic Region

Area:

total: 103,000 sq km

land: 100,250 sq km

water: 2,750 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Kentucky

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

4,970 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy

winters; damp, cool summers

Terrain:

mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast

deeply indented by bays and fiords

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,110 m (at Vatnajokull glacier)

Natural resources:

fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite

Land use:

arable land: 0.07%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 99.93% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

earthquakes and volcanic activity

Environment - current issues:

water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater

treatment

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic

Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,

Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Transboundary Air Pollution, Wetlands,

Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life

Conservation

Geography - note:

strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost

European country; Reykjavik is the northernmost national capital in

the world; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental

Europe

People Iceland

Population:

299,388 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 21.7% (male 33,021/female 32,021)

15-64 years: 66.5% (male 100,944/female 98,239)

65 years and over: 11.7% (male 15,876/female 19,287) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 34.2 years

male: 33.8 years

female: 34.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.87% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

13.64 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

6.72 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

1.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

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

65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 3.29 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 3.43 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 80.31 years

male: 78.23 years

female: 82.48 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.92 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

220 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Icelander(s)

adjective: Icelandic

Ethnic groups:

homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%,

population of foreign origin 6%

Religions:

Lutheran Church of Iceland 85.5%, Reykjavik Free Church 2.1%, Roman

Catholic Church 2%, Hafnarfjorour Free Church 1.5%, other Christian

2.7%, other or unspecified 3.8%, unaffiliated 2.4% (2004)

Languages:

Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government Iceland

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Iceland

conventional short form: Iceland

local long form: Lydveldid Island

local short form: Island

Government type:

constitutional republic

Capital:

name: Reykjavik

geographic coordinates: 64 09 N, 21 57 W

time difference: UTC (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

8 regions; Austurland, Hofudhborgarsvaedhi, Nordhurland Eystra,

Nordhurland Vestra, Sudhurland, Sudhurnes, Vestfirdhir, Vesturland

Independence:

1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown);

17 June 1944 (from Denmark)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 17 June (1944)

Constitution:

16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944; amended many times

Legal system:

civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory

ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1 August

1996)

head of government: Prime Minister Geir H. HAARDE (since 7 June 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister

elections: president, largely a ceremonial post, is elected by

popular vote for a four-year term (no term limits); election last

held 26 June 2004 (next to be held June 2008); following legislative

elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the

majority coalition is usually the prime minister

election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON 85.6%, Baldur AGUSTSSON

12.5%, Astthor MAGNUSSON 1.9%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are elected by

popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 10 May 2003 (next to be held by May 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - Independence Party

33.7%, Social Democratic Alliance 31%, Progressive Party 17.7%,

Left-Green Movement 8.8%, Liberal Party 7.4%; seats by party -

Independence Party 22, Social Democratic Alliance 20, Progressive

Party 12, Left-Green Alliance 5, Liberal Party 4

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Haestirettur (justices are appointed for life by

the Minister of Justice); eight district courts (justices are

appointed for life by the Minister of Justice)

Political parties and leaders:

Independence Party or IP [Geir H. HAARDE]; Left-Green Movement or

LGM [Steingrimur SIGFUSSON]; Liberal Party or LP [Gudjon

KRISTJANSSON]; Progressive Party or PP [Jon SIGURDSSON]; Social

Democratic Alliance (includes People's Alliance or PA, Social

Democratic Party or SDP, Women's List) or SDA [Ingibjorg Solrun

GISLADOTTIR]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA,

FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,

ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NC,

NEA, NIB, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU

(associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Albert JONSSON

chancery: Suite 1200, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1704

telephone: [1] (202) 265-6653

FAX: [1] (202) 265-6656

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Carol VAN VOORST embassy: Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik mailing address: US Department of State, 5640 Reykjavik Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-5640 telephone: [354] 562-9100 FAX: [354] 562-9118

Flag description:

blue with a red cross outlined in white extending to the edges of

the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist

side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy Iceland

Economy - overview:

Iceland's Scandinavian-type economy is basically capitalistic, yet

with an extensive welfare system (including generous housing

subsidies), low unemployment, and remarkably even distribution of

income. In the absence of other natural resources (except for

abundant geothermal power), the economy depends heavily on the

fishing industry, which provides nearly 60% of export earnings and

employs 6% of the work force. The economy remains sensitive to

declining fish stocks as well as to fluctuations in world prices for

its main exports: fish and fish products, aluminum, and

ferrosilicon. Government policies include reducing the current

account deficit, limiting foreign borrowing, containing inflation,

revising agricultural and fishing policies, and diversifying the

economy. The government remains opposed to EU membership, primarily

because of Icelanders' concern about losing control over their

fishing resources. Iceland's economy has been diversifying into

manufacturing and service industries in the last decade, and new

developments in software production, biotechnology, and financial

services are taking place. The tourism sector is also expanding,

with the recent trends in ecotourism and whale watching. Since 2000

growth has varied from a -1% in 2002 to 8% in 2004.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$11.4 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$13.85 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$38,100 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.4% industry: 15.6% services: 76% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 173,000 (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 5.1% industry: 23% services: 71.4% (2005)

Unemployment rate:

1.3% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6.8% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

31.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $7.345 billion

expenditures: $6.655 billion; including capital expenditures of $467

million (2006 est.)

Public debt:

23.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

potatoes, green vegetables; mutton, dairy products; fish

Industries:

fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production;

geothermal power, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

5% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

8.474 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.1% hydro: 82.5% nuclear: 0% other: 17.5% (geothermal) (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

7.881 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

20,560 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

15,470 bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-2.932 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$3.587 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

fish and fish products 70%, aluminum, animal products,

ferrosilicon, diatomite

Exports - partners:

UK 17.9%, Germany 16.4%, Netherlands 13%, US 8.1%, Spain 7.7%,

Denmark 4.3% (2005)

Imports:

$5.189 billion (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners:

Germany 13.4%, US 9.1%, Sweden 8.6%, Denmark 7.3%, Norway 7.2%, UK

5.9%, China 5.3%, Netherlands 5%, Japan 4.7% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.018 billion (August 2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$3.073 billion (2002)

Economic aid - donor:

$6.7 million (2004)

Currency (code):

Icelandic krona (ISK)

Currency code:

ISK

Exchange rates:

Icelandic kronur per US dollar - 69.5108 (2006), 62.982 (2005),

70.192 (2004), 76.709 (2003), 91.662 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Iceland

Telephones - main lines in use:

193,900 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

304,000 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: extensive domestic service

domestic: the trunk network consists of coaxial and fiber-optic

cables and microwave radio relay links

international: country code - 354; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean

regions); note - Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the

other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:

260,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

14 (plus 156 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:

98,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.is

Internet hosts:

212,897 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

20 (2001)

Internet users:

258,000 (2005)

Transportation Iceland

Airports: 98 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 5

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 93

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 29

under 914 m: 61 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 13,028 km

paved/oiled gravel: 4,241 km (does not include urban roads)

unpaved: 8,787 km (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 3,354 GRT/480 DWT

by type: passenger/cargo 1

registered in other countries: 34 (Antigua and Barbuda 8, Bahamas 1,

Belize 2, Faroe Islands 4, Gibraltar 1, Malta 4, Norway 4, Saint

Vincent and the Grenadines 10) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Grundartangi, Hafnarfjordur, Hornafjordhur, Reykjavik,

Seydhisfjordhur

Military Iceland

Military branches:

no regular armed forces; Icelandic National Police, Icelandic Coast

Guard (Islenska Landhelgisgaeslan) subordinate to Ministry of

Justice, Icelandic Crisis Response Unit (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 69,038 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 56,777 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

0

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0%

Military - note:

under a 1951 bilateral agreement, Iceland's defense was provided by

a US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered in Keflavik;

in October 2006, all US military forces in Iceland were withdrawn;

nonetheless, the US and Iceland signed a Joint Understanding to

strengthen their bilateral defense relationship, including regular

security consultations, military communications in the event of

national emergencies, annual bilateral exercises on Icelandic

territory, and future bilateral and NATO support to four Iceland Air

Defense System (IADS) radar sites

Transnational Issues Iceland

Disputes - international:

Iceland disputes Denmark's alignment of the Faroe Islands'

fisheries median line; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute

Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends

beyond 200 nm

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Iles Eparses

Introduction Iles Eparses

Background:

The Iles Eparses, or scattered islands, are a group of five French

entities - Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de

Nova Island, and Tromelin Island - which on 1 April 1960 came under

the authority of the Minister in charge of overseas possessions. On

19 September 1960 by decree, the islands were transferred to the

charge of the Prefet of Reunion where they remained until 3 January

2005 when they were transferred by another decree to the Senior

Administrator of the Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic

Lands (TAAF).

Bassas da India: A French possession since 1897, this atoll is a

volcanic seamount surrounded by reefs and awash at high tide.

Europa Island: A French possession since 1897, the island is heavily

wooded; it is the site of a small military garrison that staffs a

weather station.

Glorioso Islands: A French possession since 1892, the Glorioso

Islands are composed of two lushly vegetated coral islands (Ile

Glorieuse and Ile du Lys) and three rock islets. A military garrison

operates a weather and radio station on Ile Glorieuse.

Juan de Nova Island: Named after a famous 15th century Spanish

navigator and explorer, the island has been a French possession

since 1897. It has been exploited for its guano and phosphate.

Presently a small military garrison oversees a meteorological

station.

Tromelin Island: First explored by the French in 1776, the island

came under the jurisdiction of Reunion in 1814. At present, it

serves as a sea turtle sanctuary and is the site of an important

meteorological station.

Geography Iles Eparses

Location:

Southern Africa, in the Indian Ocean

Bassas da India: atoll in the southern Mozambique Channel, about

half way from Madagascar to Mozambique

Europa Island: island in the Mozambique Channel, about half way

between southern Madagascar and southern Mozambique

Glorioso Islands: group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northwest of

Madagascar

Juan de Nova Island: island in the Mozambique Channel, about

one-third of the way between Madagascar and Mozambique

Tromelin Island: island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates:

Bassas da India: 21 30 S, 39 50 E

Europa Island: 22 20 S, 40 22 E

Glorioso Islands: 11 30 S, 47 20 E

Juan de Nova Island: 17 03 S, 42 45 E

Tromelin Island: 15 52 S, 54 25 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

Bassas da India: total - 80 sq km; land - 0.2 sq km; water - 79.8

sq km (lagoon)

Europa Island: total - 28 sq km; land - 28 sq km; water - 0 sq km

Glorioso Islands: total - 5 sq km; land - 5 sq km; water - 0 sq km

Juan de Nova Island: total - 4.4 sq km; land - 4.4 sq km; water - 0

sq km

Tromelin Island: total - 1 sq km; land - 1 sq km; water - 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

Bassas da India: land area about one-third the size of The Mall in

Washington, DC

Europa Island: about one-sixth the size of Washington, DC

Glorioso Islands: about eight times the size of The Mall in

Washington, DC

Juan de Nova Island: about seven times the size of The Mall in

Washington, DC

Tromelin Island: about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington,

DC

Land boundaries:

none

Coastline:

Bassas da India: 35.2 km

Europa Island: 22.2 km

Glorioso Islands: 35.2 km

Juan de Nova Island: 24.1 km

Tromelin Island: 3.7 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; note - Juan de Nova Island and

Tromelin Island claim a continental shelf of 200-m depth or to the

depth of exploitation

Climate:

tropical

Terrain:

Bassas da India: atoll, awash at high tide; shallow (15 m) lagoon

Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island: low, flat, and

sandy

Tromelin Island: low, flat, sandy; likely volcanic seamount

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Bassas da India 2.4 m; Europa Island 24 m; Glorioso

Islands 12 m; Juan de Nova Island 10 m; Tromelin Island 7 m (all

unnamed locations)

Natural resources:

Bassas da India and Europa Island: none

Glorioso Islands and Juan de Nova Island: guano, phosphates; coconuts

Tromelin Island: fish

Land use:

Bassas da India - 100% rock, coral reef, and sand; Europa Island -

100% mangrove swamp and dry woodlands; Glorioso Islands - 100% lush

vegetation and coconut palms; Juan de Nova Island - 90% forest, 10%

other; Tromelin Island - 100% grasses and scattered brush

Natural hazards:

all islands subject to periodic cyclones

Bassas da India: maritime hazard since it is under water for a

period of three hours prior to and following the high tide and

surrounded by reefs

Geography - note:

Bassas da India: the atoll is a circular reef that sits atop a

long-extinct, submerged volcano

Europa Island and Juan de Nova Island: wildlife sanctuary for

seabirds and sea turtles

Glorioso Islands: the islands and rocks are surrounded by an

extensive reef system

Tromelin Island: climatologically important location for forecasting

cyclones in the western Indian Ocean; wildlife sanctuary (seabirds,

tortoises)

People Iles Eparses

Population:

Bassas da India: uninhabitable

Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island: a small French

military garrison and a few meteorologists on each possession;

visited by scientists

Tromelin Island: uninhabited, except for visits by scientists

Government Iles Eparses

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso

Islands, Juan de Nova Island, Tromelin Island

local long form: none

local short form: Bassas da India, Ile Europa, Iles Glorieuses, Ile

Juan de Nova, Ile Tromelin

Dependency status:

possessions of France; administered by the Senior Administrator of

the Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF),

resident in Reunion

Legal system:

the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May

1995), represented by Senior Administrator Michel CHAMPON

Flag description:

the flag of France is used

Economy Iles Eparses

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Communications Iles Eparses

Communications - note:

Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, Tromelin

Island: 1 meteorological station on each possession; note -

meteorological station on Tromelin Island is important for

forecasting cyclones

Transportation Iles Eparses

Airports:

4 (2006)

Ports and terminals:

none; offshore anchorage only

Transportation - note:

aids to navigation - lighthouses: Europa Island 18m; Juan de Nova

Island (W side) 37m; Tromelin Island (NW point) 11m

Military Iles Eparses

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Iles Eparses

Disputes - international:

Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova

Island: claimed by Madagascar

Tromelin Island: claimed by Mauritius

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@India

Introduction India

Background:

The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world,

dates back at least 5,000 years. Aryan tribes from the northwest

infiltrated onto Indian lands about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the

earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture.

Arab incursions starting in the 8th century and Turkish in the 12th

were followed by those of European traders, beginning in the late

15th century. By the 19th century, Britain had assumed political

control of virtually all Indian lands. Indian armed forces in the

British army played a vital role in both World Wars. Nonviolent

resistance to British colonialism led by Mohandas GANDHI and

Jawaharlal NEHRU brought independence in 1947. The subcontinent was

divided into the secular state of India and the smaller Muslim state

of Pakistan. A third war between the two countries in 1971 resulted

in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. Despite

impressive gains in economic investment and output, India faces

pressing problems such as the ongoing dispute with Pakistan over

Kashmir, massive overpopulation, environmental degradation,

extensive poverty, and ethnic and religious strife.

Geography India

Location:

Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal,

between Burma and Pakistan

Geographic coordinates:

20 00 N, 77 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 3,287,590 sq km

land: 2,973,190 sq km

water: 314,400 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than one-third the size of the US

Land boundaries:

total: 14,103 km

border countries: Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463

km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km

Coastline:

7,000 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north

Terrain:

upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along

the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Kanchenjunga 8,598 m

Natural resources:

coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore, manganese,

mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds,

petroleum, limestone, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 48.83%

permanent crops: 2.8%

other: 48.37% (2005)

Irrigated land:

558,080 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive

flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air

pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water

pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; tap

water is not potable throughout the country; huge and growing

population is overstraining natural resources

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living

Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone

Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical

Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian Ocean

trade routes; Kanchenjunga, third tallest mountain in the world,

lies on the border with Nepal

People India

Population:

1,095,351,995 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 30.8% (male 173,478,760/female 163,852,827)

15-64 years: 64.3% (male 363,876,219/female 340,181,764)

65 years and over: 4.9% (male 27,258,020/female 26,704,405) (2006

est.)

Median age: total: 24.9 years male: 24.9 years female: 24.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.38% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

22.01 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

8.18 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female

total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 54.63 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 55.18 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 54.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 64.71 years

male: 63.9 years

female: 65.57 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.73 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.9% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

5.1 million (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

310,000 (2001 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E,

and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and Japanese

encephalitis are high risks in some locations

animal contact disease: rabies

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified

among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a

negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens

who have close contact with birds (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Indian(s)

adjective: Indian

Ethnic groups:

Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% (2000)

Religions:

Hindu 80.5%, Muslim 13.4%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other 1.8%,

unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)

Languages:

English enjoys associate status but is the most important language

for national, political, and commercial communication; Hindi is the

national language and primary tongue of 30% of the people; there are

14 other official languages: Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu,

Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri,

Sindhi, and Sanskrit; Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu

spoken widely throughout northern India but is not an official

language

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 59.5%

male: 70.2%

female: 48.3% (2003 est.)

Government India

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of India

conventional short form: India

local long form: Republic of India/Bharatiya Ganarajya

local short form: India/Bharat

Government type:

federal republic

Capital:

name: New Delhi

geographic coordinates: 28 36 N, 77 12 E

time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

28 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar Islands*,

Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh*,

Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu*, Delhi*, Goa,

Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand,

Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,

Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Puducherry*, Punjab,

Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal,

West Bengal

Independence:

15 August 1947 (from UK)

National holiday:

Republic Day, 26 January (1950)

Constitution:

26 January 1950; amended many times

Legal system:

based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts;

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; separate

personal law codes apply to Muslims, Christians, and Hindus

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President A.P.J. Abdul KALAM (since 25 July 2002);

Vice President Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT (since 19 August 2002)

head of government: Prime Minister Manmohan SINGH (since 22 May 2004)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of

the prime minister

elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of

elected members of both houses of Parliament and the legislatures of

the states for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held

July 2002 (next to be held 18 July 2007); vice president elected by

both houses of Parliament for a five-year term; election last held

12 August 2002 (next to be held August 2007); prime minister chosen

by parliamentary members of the majority party following legislative

elections; election last held April - May 2004 (next to be held May

2009)

election results: Abdul KALAM elected president; percent of

electoral college vote - 89.6%; Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT elected vice

president; percent of Parliament vote - 59.8%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament or Sansad consists of the Council of States or

Rajya Sabha (a body consisting of not more than 250 members, up to

12 of whom are appointed by the president, the remainder are chosen

by the elected members of the state and territorial assemblies;

members serve six-year terms) and the People's Assembly or Lok Sabha

(545 seats; 543 elected by popular vote, 2 appointed by the

president; members serve five-year terms)

elections: People's Assembly - last held 20 April through 10 May

2004 (next must be held before May 2009)

election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;

seats by party - INC 147, BJP 129, CPI(M) 43, SP 38, RJD 23, DMK 16,

BSP 15, SS 12, BJD 11, CPI 10, NCP 10, JD(U) 8, SAD 8, PMK 6, JMM 5,

LJSP 4, MDMK 4, TDP 4, TRS 4, independent 6, other 29, vacant 13;

note - party seat composition as of December 2006

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (one chief justice and 25 associate justices are

appointed by the president and remain in office until they reach the

age of 65 or are removed for "proved misbehavior")

Political parties and leaders:

note - India has dozens of national and regional political parties;

only parties with four or more seats in the People's Assembly are

listed; Bahujan Samaj Party or BSP [MAYAWATI]; Bharatiya Janata

Party or BJP [Rajnath SINGH]; Biju Janata Dal or BJD [Naveen

PATNAIK]; Communist Party of India or CPI [Ardhendu Bhushan

BARDHAN]; Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI (M) [Prakash

KARAT]; Dravida Munnetra Kazagham or DMK [M. KARUNANIDHI]; Indian

National Congress or INC [Sonia GANDHI]; Janata Dal (United) or

JD(U) [Sharad YADEV]; Jharkhand Mukti Morcha or JMM [Shibu SOREN];

Lok Jan Shakti Party or LJSP [Ram Vilas PASWAN]; Marumalarchi

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or MDMK [VAIKU]; Nationalist Congress

Party or NCP [Sharad PAWAR]; Pattali Makkal Katchi or PMK [S.

RAMADOSS]; Rashtriya Janata Dal or RJD [Laloo Prasad YADAV];

Samajwadi Party or SP [Mulayam Singh YADAV]; Shiromani Akali Dal or

SAD [Prakash Singh BADAL]; Shiv Sena or SS [Bal THACKERAY];

Telangana Rashtra Samithi or TRS [K. Chandrasekhar RAO]; Telugu

Desam Party or TDP [Chandrababu NAIDU]

Political pressure groups and leaders: numerous religious or militant/chauvinistic organizations, including Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh; various separatist groups seeking greater communal and/or regional autonomy, including the All Parties Hurriyat Conference in the Kashmir Valley and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland in the Northeast

International organization participation: AfDB, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIMSTEC, BIS, C, CERN (observer), CP, EAS, FAO, G- 6, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC, SACEP, SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIS, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Ranendra SEN

chancery: 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; note -

Consular Wing located at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington,

DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 939-7000

FAX: [1] (202) 265-4351

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador David C. MULFORD

embassy: Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [91] (11) 2419-8000

FAX: [91] (11) 2419-0017

consulate(s) general: Chennai (Madras), Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai

(Bombay)

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of saffron (subdued orange) (top),

white, and green with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in

the white band; similar to the flag of Niger, which has a small

orange disk centered in the white band

Economy India

Economy - overview:

India's diverse economy encompasses traditional village farming,

modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries,

and a multitude of services. Services are the major source of

economic growth, accounting for more than half of India's output

with less than one quarter of its labor force. About three-fifths of

the work force is in agriculture, leading the UPA government to

articulate an economic reform program that includes developing basic

infrastructure to improve the lives of the rural poor and boost

economic performance. The government has reduced controls on foreign

trade and investment. Tariffs averaged 12.5% on non-agricultural

items in 2006. Higher limits on foreign direct investment were

permitted in a few key sectors, such as telecommunications. However,

tariff spikes in sensitive categories, including agriculture, and

incremental progress on economic reforms still hinder foreign access

to India's vast and growing market. Privatization of

government-owned industries remained stalled in 2006, and continues

to generate political debate; populist pressure from within the UPA

government and from its Left Front allies continues to restrain

needed initiatives. The economy has posted an average growth rate of

more than 7% in the decade since 1996, reducing poverty by about 10

percentage points. India achieved 8.5% GDP growth in 2006,

significantly expanding manufacturing. India is capitalizing on its

large numbers of well-educated people skilled in the English

language to become a major exporter of software services and

software workers. Economic expansion has helped New Delhi continue

to make progress in reducing its federal fiscal deficit. However,

strong growth - more than 8 percent growth in each of the last three

years - combined with easy consumer credit and a real estate boom is

fueling inflation concerns. The huge and growing population is the

fundamental social, economic, and environmental problem.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$4.042 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$796.1 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

8.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$3,700 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 19.9% industry: 19.3% services: 60.7% (2005 est.)

Labor force: 509.3 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 60% industry: 12% services: 28% (2003)

Unemployment rate:

7.8% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

25% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.5% highest 10%: 33.5% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

32.5 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5.3% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

29.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $109.4 billion

expenditures: $143.8 billion; including capital expenditures of $15

billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:

52.8% of GDP (federal and state debt combined) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes;

cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, poultry; fish

Industries:

textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation

equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery, software

Industrial production growth rate:

7.5% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

630.6 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 81.7% hydro: 14.5% nuclear: 3.4% other: 0.3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

587.9 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

60 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

1.5 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

785,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

2.45 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

350,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - imports:

2.09 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - proved reserves:

5.6 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

28.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

30.83 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

2.63 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

853.5 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-26.4 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$112 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

textile goods, gems and jewelry, engineering goods, chemicals,

leather manufactures

Exports - partners:

US 16.7%, UAE 8.5%, China 6.6%, Singapore 5.3%, UK 4.9%, Hong Kong

4.4% (2005)

Imports:

$187.9 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

crude oil, machinery, gems, fertilizer, chemicals

Imports - partners:

China 7.3%, US 5.6%, Switzerland 4.7% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$165 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$132.1 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$2.9 billion (FY98/99)

Currency (code):

Indian rupee (INR)

Currency code:

INR

Exchange rates:

Indian rupees per US dollar - 45.5 (2006), 44.101 (2005), 45.317

(2004), 46.583 (2003), 48.61 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications India

Telephones - main lines in use:

49.75 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

69,193,321 (2006)

Telephone system:

general assessment: recent deregulation and liberalization of

telecommunications laws and policies have prompted rapid growth;

local and long distance service provided throughout all regions of

the country, with services primarily concentrated in the urban

areas; steady improvement is taking place with the recent admission

of private and private-public investors, but telephone density

remains low at about ten for each 100 persons nationwide and only

one per 100 persons in rural areas; there remains a national waiting

list of over 1.7 million; fastest growth is in cellular service with

modest growth in fixed lines

domestic: expansion of domestic service, although still weak in

rural areas, resulted from increased competition and dramatic

reductions in price led in large part by wireless service; mobile

cellular service (both CDMA and GSM) introduced in 1994 and

organized nationwide into four metropolitan cities and 19 telecom

circles each with about three private service providers and one

state-owned service provider; in recent years significant trunk

capacity added in the form of fiber-optic cable and one of the

world's largest domestic satellite systems, the Indian National

Satellite system (INSAT), with six satellites supporting 33,000 very

small aperture terminals (VSAT)

international: country code - 91; nine satellite earth stations - 8

Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region); nine

gateway exchanges operating from Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi, Kolkata

(Calcutta), Chennai (Madras), Jalandhar, Kanpur, Gandhinagar,

Hyderabad, and Ernakulam; 6 submarine cables, including Sea-Me-We-3

with landing sites at Cochin and Mumbai (Bombay), Sea-Me-We-4 with

landing site at Chennai, Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG)

with landing site at Mumbai (Bombay), South Africa - Far East (SAFE)

with landing site at Cochin, i2icn linking to Singapore with landing

sites at Mumbai (Bombay) and Chennai (Madras), and Tata Indicom

linking Singapore and Chennai (Madras), provide a significant

increase in the bandwidth available for both voice and data traffic

(2006)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 153, FM 91, shortwave 68 (1998)

Radios:

116 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 562 (of which 82 stations have 1 kW or greater power and 480 stations have less than 1 kW of power) (1997)

Televisions:

63 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.in

Internet hosts:

1,543,289 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

43 (2000)

Internet users:

60 million (2005)

Transportation India

Airports: 341 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 243 over 3,047 m: 17 2,438 to 3,047 m: 51 1,524 to 2,437 m: 73 914 to 1,523 m: 81 under 914 m: 21 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 98 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 42 under 914 m: 48 (2006)

Heliports:

28 (2006)

Pipelines:

condensate/gas 8 km; gas 5,184 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,993 km;

oil 6,500 km; refined products 6,152 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 63,230 km

broad gauge: 45,718 km 1.676-m gauge (16,528 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 14,406 km 1.000-m gauge (165 km electrified); 3,106 km

0.762-m gauge and 0.610-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 3,383,344 km

paved: 1,603,705 km

unpaved: 1,779,639 km (2002)

Waterways:

14,500 km

note: 5,200 km on major rivers and 485 km on canals suitable for

mechanized vessels (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 316 ships (1000 GRT or over) 7,772,313 GRT/13,310,858 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 96, cargo 72, chemical tanker 13, container 8,

liquefied gas 17, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 10, petroleum tanker

96, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 10 (China 2, Hong Kong 1, UAE 6, UK 1)

registered in other countries: 46 (Bahamas 1, Comoros 1, Cyprus 5,

North Korea 1, Liberia 3, Malta 1, Mauritius 2, Panama 19, Saint

Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Singapore 5, Venezuela 1, unknown 1)

(2006)

Ports and terminals:

Chennai, Haldia, Jawaharal Nehru, Kandla, Kolkata (Calcutta),

Mumbai (Bombay), New Mangalore, Vishakhapatnam

Military India

Military branches:

Army, Navy (includes naval air arm), Air Force, Coast Guard,

various security or paramilitary forces (includes Border Security

Force, Assam Rifles, National Security Guards, Indo-Tibetan Border

Police, Special Frontier Force, Central Reserve Police Force,

Central Industrial Security Force, Railway Protection Force, and

Defense Security Corps)

Military service age and obligation:

16 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 287,551,111

females age 16-49: 268,524,835 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 219,471,999

females age 16-49: 209,917,553 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 11,446,452

females age 16-49: 10,665,877 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$19.04 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.5% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues India

Disputes - international:

since China and India launched a security and foreign policy

dialogue in 2005, consolidated discussions related to the dispute

over most of their rugged, militarized boundary, regional nuclear

proliferation, Indian claims that China transferred missiles to

Pakistan, and other matters continue; various talks and

confidence-building measures have cautiously begun to defuse

tensions over Kashmir, particularly since the October 2005

earthquake in the region; Kashmir nevertheless remains the site of

the world's largest and most militarized territorial dispute with

portions under the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin),

India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern

Areas); in 2004, India and Pakistan instituted a cease fire in

Kashmir and in 2005, restored bus service across the highly

militarized Line of Control; Pakistan has taken its dispute on the

impact and benefits of India's building the Baglihar Dam on the

Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir to the World Bank for arbitration;

UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) has

maintained a small group of peacekeepers since 1949; India does not

recognize Pakistan's ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964;

disputes persist with Pakistan over Indus River water sharing; to

defuse tensions and prepare for discussions on a maritime boundary,

in 2004, India and Pakistan resurveyed a portion of the disputed

boundary in Sir Creek estuary at the mouth of the Rann of Kutch;

Pakistani maps continue to show its Junagadh claim in Indian Gujarat

State; discussions with Bangladesh remain stalled to delimit a small

section of river boundary, to exchange 162 miniscule enclaves in

both countries, to allocate divided villages, and to stop illegal

cross-border trade, migration, violence, and transit of terrorists

through the porous border; Bangladesh protests India's attempts to

fence off high-traffic sections of the border; dispute with

Bangladesh over New Moore/South Talpatty/Purbasha Island in the Bay

of Bengal deters maritime boundary delimitation; India seeks

cooperation from Bhutan and Burma to keep Indian Nagaland and Assam

separatists from hiding in remote areas along the borders; Joint

Border Committee with Nepal continues to demarcate minor disputed

boundary sections; India maintains a strict border regime to keep

out Maoist insurgents and control illegal cross-border activities

from Nepal

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 77,200 (Tibet/China), 50,730 (Sri

Lanka), 9,700 (Afghanistan)

IDPs: at least 600,000 (about half are Kashmiri Pandits from Jammu

and Kashmir) (2006)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: India is a source, destination, and transit

country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of

forced or bonded labor and commercial sexual exploitation; the large

population of men, women, and children - numbering in the millions -

in debt bondage face involuntary servitude in brick kilns, rice

mills, and embroidery factories, while some children endure

involuntary servitude as domestic servants; internal trafficking of

women and girls for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation

and forced marriage also occurs; the government estimates that 90

percent of India's sex trafficking is internal; India is also a

destination for women and girls from Nepal and Bangladesh trafficked

for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; boys from

Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh are trafficked through India

to the Gulf states for involuntary servitude as child camel jockeys;

Indian men and women migrate willingly to the Persian Gulf region

for work as domestic servants and low-skilled laborers, but some

later find themselves in situations of involuntary servitude

including extended working hours, nonpayment of wages, restrictions

on their movement by withholding of their passports or confinement

to the home, and physical or sexual abuse

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - India has been on the Tier 2 Watch

List since 2004 for its failure to show evidence of increasing

efforts to address trafficking in persons

Illicit drugs:

world's largest producer of licit opium for the pharmaceutical

trade, but an undetermined quantity of opium is diverted to illicit

international drug markets; transit point for illicit narcotics

produced in neighboring countries; illicit producer of methaqualone;

vulnerable to narcotics money laundering through the hawala system

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Indian Ocean

Background:

The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's five oceans

(after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger than the

Southern Ocean and Arctic Ocean). Four critically important access

waterways are the Suez Canal (Egypt), Bab el Mandeb

(Djibouti-Yemen), Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), and Strait of

Malacca (Indonesia-Malaysia). The decision by the International

Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth

ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Indian Ocean

south of 60 degrees south latitude.

Geography Indian Ocean

Location:

body of water between Africa, the Southern Ocean, Asia, and

Australia

Geographic coordinates:

20 00 S, 80 00 E

Map references:

Political Map of the World

Area:

total: 68.556 million sq km

note: includes Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Flores Sea,

Great Australian Bight, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Java Sea,

Mozambique Channel, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Savu Sea, Strait of

Malacca, Timor Sea, and other tributary water bodies

Area - comparative:

about 5.5 times the size of the US

Coastline:

66,526 km

Climate:

northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest monsoon (June to

October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June and

October/November in the northern Indian Ocean and January/February

in the southern Indian Ocean

Terrain:

surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad, circular system

of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; unique reversal of

surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; low atmospheric

pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer air results in

the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast winds and currents,

while high pressure over northern Asia from cold, falling, winter

air results in the northeast monsoon and northeast-to-southwest

winds and currents; ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Indian Ocean

Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge, Southwest

Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninetyeast Ridge

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Java Trench -7,258 m

highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources:

oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel aggregates,

placer deposits, polymetallic nodules

Natural hazards:

occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in southern reaches

Environment - current issues:

endangered marine species include the dugong, seals, turtles, and

whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea

Geography - note:

major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Strait

of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and the Lombok Strait

Economy Indian Ocean

Economy - overview:

The Indian Ocean provides major sea routes connecting the Middle

East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and the Americas. It carries

a particularly heavy traffic of petroleum and petroleum products

from the oilfields of the Persian Gulf and Indonesia. Its fish are

of great and growing importance to the bordering countries for

domestic consumption and export. Fishing fleets from Russia, Japan,

South Korea, and Taiwan also exploit the Indian Ocean, mainly for

shrimp and tuna. Large reserves of hydrocarbons are being tapped in

the offshore areas of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and western

Australia. An estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil production

comes from the Indian Ocean. Beach sands rich in heavy minerals and

offshore placer deposits are actively exploited by bordering

countries, particularly India, South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka,

and Thailand.

Transportation Indian Ocean

Ports and terminals:

Chennai (Madras; India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban (South

Africa), Jakarta (Indonesia), Kolkata (Calcutta; India) Melbourne

(Australia), Mumbai (Bombay; India), Richards Bay (South Africa)

Transnational Issues Indian Ocean

Disputes - international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Indonesia

Introduction Indonesia

Background:

The Dutch began to colonize Indonesia in the early 17th century;

the islands were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. Indonesia

declared its independence after Japan's surrender, but it required

four years of intermittent negotiations, recurring hostilities, and

UN mediation before the Netherlands agreed to relinquish its colony.

Indonesia is the world's largest archipelagic state and home to the

world's largest Muslim population. Current issues include:

alleviating poverty, preventing terrorism, consolidating democracy

after four decades of authoritarianism, implementing financial

sector reforms, stemming corruption, and holding the military and

police accountable for human rights violations. Indonesia was the

nation worst hit by the December 2004 tsunami, which particularly

affected Aceh province causing over 100,000 deaths and over $4

billion in damage. An additional earthquake in March 2005 created

heavy destruction on the island of Nias. Reconstruction in these

areas may take up to a decade. In 2005, Indonesia reached a historic

peace agreement with armed separatists in Aceh, but it continues to

face a low intensity separatist guerilla movement in Papua.

Geography Indonesia

Location:

Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean and the

Pacific Ocean

Geographic coordinates:

5 00 S, 120 00 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 1,919,440 sq km

land: 1,826,440 sq km

water: 93,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 2,830 km

border countries: East Timor 228 km, Malaysia 1,782 km, Papua New

Guinea 820 km

Coastline:

54,716 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Terrain:

mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior mountains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Puncak Jaya 5,030 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper,

fertile soils, coal, gold, silver

Land use: arable land: 11.03% permanent crops: 7.04% other: 81.93% (2005)

Irrigated land:

45,000 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

occasional floods, severe droughts, tsunamis, earthquakes,

volcanoes, forest fires

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; water pollution from industrial wastes, sewage; air

pollution in urban areas; smoke and haze from forest fires

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship

Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

archipelago of 17,508 islands (6,000 inhabited); straddles equator;

strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from Indian

Ocean to Pacific Ocean

People Indonesia

Population:

245,452,739 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 28.8% (male 35,995,919/female 34,749,582)

15-64 years: 65.8% (male 80,796,794/female 80,754,238)

65 years and over: 5.4% (male 5,737,473/female 7,418,733) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 26.8 years

male: 26.4 years

female: 27.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.41% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

20.34 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

6.25 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 34.39 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 39.36 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 29.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 69.87 years

male: 67.42 years

female: 72.45 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.4 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

110,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

2,400 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and chikungunya are

high risks in some locations

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified

among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a

negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens

who have close contact with birds (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Indonesian(s)

adjective: Indonesian

Ethnic groups:

Javanese 45%, Sundanese 14%, Madurese 7.5%, coastal Malays 7.5%,

other 26%

Religions:

Muslim 88%, Protestant 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 2%, Buddhist

1%, other 1% (1998)

Languages:

Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay), English,

Dutch, local dialects, the most widely spoken of which is Javanese

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 87.9%

male: 92.5%

female: 83.4% (2002 est.)

Government Indonesia

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Indonesia

conventional short form: Indonesia

local long form: Republik Indonesia

local short form: Indonesia

former: Netherlands East Indies; Dutch East Indies

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Jakarta

geographic coordinates: 6 10 S, 106 48 E

time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

note: Indonesia is divided into three time zones

Administrative divisions:

30 provinces (propinsi-propinsi, singular - propinsi), 2 special

regions* (daerah-daerah istimewa, singular - daerah istimewa), and 1

special capital city district** (daerah khusus ibukota); Aceh*,

Bali, Banten, Bengkulu, Gorontalo, Irian Jaya Barat, Jakarta Raya**,

Jambi, Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur, Kalimantan Barat,

Kalimantan Selatan, Kalimantan Tengah, Kalimantan Timur, Kepulauan

Bangka Belitung, Kepulauan Riau, Lampung, Maluku, Maluku Utara, Nusa

Tenggara Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Papua, Riau, Sulawesi Barat,

Sulawesi Selatan, Sulawesi Tengah, Sulawesi Tenggara, Sulawesi

Utara, Sumatera Barat, Sumatera Selatan, Sumatera Utara, Yogyakarta*

note: following the implementation of decentralization beginning on

1 January 2001, the 440 districts or regencies have become the key

administrative units responsible for providing most government

services

Independence:

17 August 1945 (independence proclaimed); 27 December 1949

(Netherlands recognizes Indonesian independence)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 17 August (1945)

Constitution:

August 1945; abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949 and

Provisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959; series of

amemdments concluded in 2002

Legal system:

based on Roman-Dutch law, substantially modified by indigenous

concepts and by new criminal procedures and election codes; has not

accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless of age

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO (since 20

October 2004) and Vice President Muhammad Yusuf KALLA (since 20

October 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and

head of government

head of government: President Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO (since 20

October 2004) and Vice President Muhammad Yusuf KALLA (since 20

October 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and

head of government

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president and vice president were elected for five-year

terms (eligible for a second term) by direct vote of the citizenry;

last held 20 September 2004 (next to be held in 2009)

election results: Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO elected president

receiving 60.6% of vote; MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri received 39.4%

Legislative branch:

House of Representatives or Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR) (550

seats; members elected to serve five-year terms); House of Regional

Representatives (Dewan Perwakilan Daerah or DPD), constitutionally

mandated role includes providing legislative input to DPR on issues

affecting regions; People's Consultative Assembly (Majelis

Permusyawaratan Rakyat or MPR) has role in inaugurating and

impeaching president and in amending constitution; consists of

popularly-elected members in DPR and DPD; MPR does not formulate

national policy

elections: last held 5 April 2004 (next to be held in 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - Golkar 21.6%, PDI-P

18.5%, PKB 10.6%, PPP 8.2%, PD 7.5%, PKS 7.3%, PAN 6.4%, others

19.9%; seats by party - Golkar 128, PDI-P 109, PPP 58, PD 55, PAN

53, PKB 52, PKS 45, others 50

note: because of election rules, the number of seats won does not

always follow the percentage of votes received by parties

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Mahkamah Agung (justices appointed by the

president from a list of candidates approved by the legislature); a

separate Constitutional Court or Mahkamah Konstitusi was invested by

the president on 16 August 2003; in March 2004 the Supreme Court

assumed administrative and financial responsibility for the lower

court system from the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights; Labor

Court under supervision of Supreme Court began functioning in

January 2006

Political parties and leaders:

Crescent Moon and Star Party or PBB [MS KABAN]; Democratic Party or

PD [Hadi UTOMO]; Functional Groups Party or Golkar [Yusuf KALLA];

Indonesia Democratic Party-Struggle or PDI-P [MEGAWATI

Sukarnoputri]; National Awakening Party or PKB [MUHAIMIN Iskander];

National Mandate Party or PAN [Sutrisno BACHIR]; Prosperous Justice

Party or PKS [Tifatul SEMBIRING]; United Development Party or PPP

[Hamzah HAZ]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, CP, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA,

IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,

IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,

MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PIF (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador SUDJADNAN Parnohadiningrat chancery: 2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 775-5200 FAX: [1] (202) 775-5365 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador B. Lynn PASCOE embassy: Jalan 1 Medan Merdeka Selatan 4-5, Jakarta 10110 mailing address: Unit 8129, Box 1, FPO AP 96520 telephone: [62] (21) 3435-9000 FAX: [62] (21) 3435-9922 consulate(s) general: Surabaya consulate(s): Medan; Denpasar (consular agency)

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the

flag of Monaco, which is shorter; also similar to the flag of

Poland, which is white (top) and red

Economy Indonesia

Economy - overview:

Indonesia, a vast polyglot nation, has struggled to overcome the

Asian financial crisis, and still grapples with high poverty and

unemployment, inadequate infrastructure, endemic corruption, a

fragile banking sector, a poor investment climate, and unequal

resource distribution among regions. The country continues the slow

work of rebuilding from the devastating December 2004 tsunami and

from an earthquake in central Java in May 2006 that caused over $3

billion in damage and losses. Declining oil production and lack of

new exploration investment turned Indonesia into a net oil importer

in 2004. The cost of subsidizing domestic fuel placed increasing

strain on the budget in 2005, and combined with indecisive monetary

policy, contributed to a run on the currency in August, prompting

the government to enact a 126% average fuel price hike in October.

The resulting inflation and interest rate hikes dampened growth

through mid-2006, while large increases in rice prices pushed

millions more people under the national poverty line. Economic

reformers introduced three policy packages in 2006 to improve the

investment climate, infrastructure, and the financial sector, but

translating them into reality has not been easy. Keys to future

growth remain internal reform, building up the confidence of

international and domestic investors, and strong global economic

growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$935 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$264.4 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$3,800 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13.1% industry: 46% services: 41% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 108.2 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 43.3% industry: 18% services: 38.7% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

12.5% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

17.8% (2006)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 28.5% (2002)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

34.8 (2004)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

13.2% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

20.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $75.58 billion

expenditures: $79.45 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

43.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, rubber, cocoa, coffee, palm oil,

copra; poultry, beef, pork, eggs

Industries:

petroleum and natural gas, textiles, apparel, footwear, mining,

cement, chemical fertilizers, plywood, rubber, food, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

2.6% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

112.6 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 86.9% hydro: 10.5% nuclear: 0% other: 2.6% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

104.7 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

1.061 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

1.084 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:

431,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports:

345,700 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - proved reserves:

4.85 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

83.4 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

22.5 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

37.5 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

2.557 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$1.636 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$102.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

oil and gas, electrical appliances, plywood, textiles, rubber

Exports - partners:

Japan 21.1%, US 11.5%, Singapore 9.2%, South Korea 8.3%, China

7.8%, Malaysia 4% (2005)

Imports:

$77.73 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Singapore 16.4%, Japan 12%, China 10.1%, US 6.7%, Thailand 6%,

South Korea 5%, Saudi Arabia 4.7%, Australia 4.4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$43.04 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$130.4 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$43 billion (2002 est.)

note: Indonesia finished its IMF program in December 2003 but still

receives bilateral aid through the Consultative Group on Indonesia

(CGI), which pledged $2.8 billion in grants and loans for 2004 and

again in 2005; nearly $5 billion in aid money pledged by a variety

bilateral, multilateral, and non-governmental organization (NGO)

donors following the 2004 tsunami; money is slated for use in relief

and rebuilding efforts in Aceh

Currency (code):

Indonesian rupiah (IDR)

Currency code:

IDR

Exchange rates:

Indonesian rupiah per US dollar - 9,207.18 (2006), 9,704.7 (2005),

8,938.9 (2004), 8,577.1 (2003), 9,311.2 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year; note - previously was 1 April - 31 March, but

starting with 2001, has been changed to calendar year

Communications Indonesia

Telephones - main lines in use:

12.772 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

46.91 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: domestic service fair, international service

good

domestic: interisland microwave system and HF radio police net;

domestic satellite communications system

international: country code - 62; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 678, FM 43, shortwave 82 (1998)

Radios:

31.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 54 local TV stations note: 11 national TV networks; each with their own group of local, often low power, transmitters (2006)

Televisions:

13.75 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.id

Internet hosts:

170,834 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

24 (2000)

Internet users:

16 million (2005)

Transportation Indonesia

Airports: 662 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 159 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 1,524 to 2,437 m: 49 914 to 1,523 m: 49 under 914 m: 42 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 503 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 26 under 914 m: 471 (2006)

Heliports:

23 (2006)

Pipelines:

condensate 944 km; condensate/gas 135 km; gas 9,175 km; oil 7,684

km; oil/gas/water 89 km; refined products 1,367 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 6,458 km

narrow gauge: 5,961 km 1.067-m gauge (125 km electrified); 497 km

0.750-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 368,360 km

paved: 213,649 km

unpaved: 154,711 km (2002)

Waterways:

21,579 km (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 824 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,773,771 GRT/4,887,614 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 43, cargo 451, chemical tanker 21, container

50, liquefied gas 7, livestock carrier 1, passenger 41,

passenger/cargo 58, petroleum tanker 132, refrigerated cargo 2, roll

on/roll off 12, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 2

foreign-owned: 30 (France 1, Germany 1, Japan 3, South Korea 1,

Norway 1, Philippines 1, Singapore 17, Switzerland 3, UK 2)

registered in other countries: 122 (Bahamas 4, Belize 2, Bermuda 1,

Cambodia 1, Georgia 1, Hong Kong 4, Liberia 1, Panama 50, Singapore

56, Thailand 1, unknown 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Banjarmasin, Belawan, Ciwandan, Krueg Geukueh, Palembang, Panjang,

Sungai Pakning, Tanjung Perak, Tanjung Priok

Military Indonesia

Military branches:

Indonesia Armed Forces (Tentara Nasional Indonesia, TNI): Army

(TNI-AD), Navy (TNI-AL, includes marines, naval air arm), Air Force

(TNI-AU)

note: the TNI is directly subordinate to the president but the

government is making efforts to incorporate it into the Department

of Defense

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;

conscript service obligation - two years (2002)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 60,543,028

females age 18-49: 59,981,730 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 48,687,234

females age 18-49: 50,252,911 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 2,201,047

females age 18-49: 2,139,573 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$1.3 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

3% (2004)

Transnational Issues Indonesia

Disputes - international:

East Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee continues to meet, survey,

and delimit land boundary, but several sections of the boundary

remain unresolved; many East Timorese refugees who left in 2003

still reside in Indonesia and refuse repatriation; Indonesia and

East Timor contest the sovereignty of the uninhabited coral island

of Pulau Batek/Fatu Sinai, which hinders a decision on a northern

maritime boundary; a 1997 treaty between Indonesia and Australia

settled some parts of their maritime boundary but outstanding issues

remain; ICJ's award of Sipadan and Ligitan islands to Malaysia in

2002 left maritime boundary in the hydrocarbon-rich Celebes Sea in

dispute, culminating in hostile confrontations in March 2005 over

concessions to the Ambalat oil block; the ICJ decision has prompted

Indonesia to assert claims to and to establish a presence on its

smaller outer islands; Indonesia and Singapore pledged in 2005 to

finalize their 1973 maritime boundary agreement by defining

unresolved areas north of Batam Island; Indonesian secessionists,

squatters, and illegal migrants create repatriation problems for

Papua New Guinea; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 200,000-350,000 (government offensives against rebels in

Aceh; most IDPs in Aceh, Central Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi

Provinces, and Maluku), 300,000 (December 2006 floods in Aceh

regions) (2006)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Indonesia is a source, transit, and destination

country for women, children and men trafficked for the purposes of

sexual exploitation and forced labor; Indonesian victims are

trafficked to Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Hong Kong,

Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore; a significant number of

Indonesian women who go overseas each year to work as domestic

servants or "cultural performers" are subjected to conditions of

involuntary servitude and commercial sexual exploitation; to a

minimal extent, Indonesia is a destination for women from East Asia,

Europe, and South America who are trafficked for sexual

exploitation; there is extensive trafficking within Indonesia from

rural to urban metropolitan areas particularly for sexual

exploitation and involuntary domestic servitude

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Indonesia is placed on the Tier 2

Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts

to combat trafficking

Illicit drugs:

illicit producer of cannabis largely for domestic use; producer of

methamphetamine and ecstasy

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Iran

Introduction Iran

Background:

Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979

after the ruling monarchy was overthrown and the shah was forced

into exile. Conservative clerical forces established a theocratic

system of government with ultimate political authority nominally

vested in a learned religious scholar. Iranian-US relations have

been strained since a group of Iranian students seized the US

Embassy in Tehran on 4 November 1979 and held it until 20 January

1981. During 1980-88, Iran fought a bloody, indecisive war with Iraq

that eventually expanded into the Persian Gulf and led to clashes

between US Navy and Iranian military forces between 1987-1988. Iran

has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism for its activities

in Lebanon and elsewhere in the world and remains subject to US

economic sanctions and export controls because of its continued

involvement. Following the elections of a reformist president and

Majlis in the late 1990s, attempts to foster political reform in

response to popular dissatisfaction floundered as conservative

politicians prevented reform measures from being enacted, increased

repressive measures, and made electoral gains against reformers.

Parliamentary elections in 2004 and the August 2005 inauguration of

a conservative stalwart as president, completed the reconsolidation

of conservative power in Iran's government.

Geography Iran

Location:

Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the

Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan

Geographic coordinates:

32 00 N, 53 00 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 1.648 million sq km

land: 1.636 million sq km

water: 12,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Alaska

Land boundaries:

total: 5,440 km

border countries: Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35 km,

Azerbaijan-proper 432 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 179 km, Iraq

1,458 km, Pakistan 909 km, Turkey 499 km, Turkmenistan 992 km

Coastline:

2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median lines in the

Persian Gulf

continental shelf: natural prolongation

Climate:

mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast

Terrain:

rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts,

mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m

highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead,

manganese, zinc, sulfur

Land use: arable land: 9.78% permanent crops: 1.29% other: 88.93% (2005)

Irrigated land:

76,500 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes

Environment - current issues:

air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions,

refinery operations, and industrial effluents; deforestation;

overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf;

wetland losses from drought; soil degradation (salination);

inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution from raw

sewage and industrial waste; urbanization

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,

Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the

Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which

are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport

People Iran

Population:

68,688,433 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 26.1% (male 9,204,785/female 8,731,429)

15-64 years: 69% (male 24,133,919/female 23,245,255)

65 years and over: 4.9% (male 1,653,827/female 1,719,218) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 24.8 years

male: 24.6 years

female: 25 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.1% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

17 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

5.55 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 40.3 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 40.49 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 40.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 70.26 years

male: 68.86 years

female: 71.74 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.8 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

31,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

800 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Iranian(s)

adjective: Iranian

Ethnic groups:

Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab

3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%

Religions:

Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 9%, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian,

and Baha'i 2%

Languages:

Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%,

Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 79.4%

male: 85.6%

female: 73% (2003 est.)

Government Iran

Country name:

conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Iran

conventional short form: Iran

local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran

local short form: Iran

former: Persia

Government type:

theocratic republic

Capital:

name: Tehran

geographic coordinates: 35 40 N, 51 26 E

time difference: UTC+3.5 (8.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

30 provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan); Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e

Gharbi, Azarbayjan-e Sharqi, Bushehr, Chahar Mahall va Bakhtiari,

Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman,

Kermanshah, Khorasan-e Janubi, Khorasan-e Razavi, Khorasan-e

Shemali, Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh va Buyer Ahmad, Kordestan, Lorestan,

Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan,

Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan

Independence:

1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)

National holiday:

Republic Day, 1 April (1979)

note: additional holidays celebrated widely in Iran include

Revolution Day, 11 February (1979); Noruz (New Year's Day), 21

March; Constitutional Monarchy Day, 5 August (1925); and various

Islamic observances that change in accordance with the lunar-based

hejira calendar

Constitution:

2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidency

and eliminate the prime ministership

Legal system:

the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government

Suffrage:

15 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Supreme Leader Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June

1989)

head of government: President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD (since 3 August

2005); First Vice President Parviz DAVUDI (since 11 September 2005)

cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with

legislative approval; the Supreme Leader has some control over

appointments to the more sensitive ministries

note: also considered part of the Executive branch of government are

three oversight bodies: 1) Assembly of Experts, a popularly elected

body of 86 religious scholars constitutionally charged with

determining the succession of the Supreme Leader, reviewing his

performance, and deposing him if deemed necessary; 2) Expediency

Council or Council for the Discernment of Expediency is a policy

advisory and implementation board consisting of permanent and

temporary members representing all major government factions, some

of whom are appointed by the Supreme Leader; the Council exerts

supervisory authority over the executive, judicial, and legislative

branches and resolves legislative issues on which the Majles and the

Council of Guardians disagree; 3) Council of Guardians or Council of

Guardians of the Constitution is a 12-member board of clerics and

jurists serving six-year terms that determines whether proposed

legislation is both constitutional and faithful to Islamic law; the

Council also vets candidates for suitability and supervises national

elections

elections: Supreme Leader appointed for life by the Assembly of

Experts; president elected by popular vote for a four-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 17 June 2005 with a

two-candidate runoff on 24 June 2005 (next to be held in 2009)

election results: Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD elected president; percent of

vote - Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD 62%, Ali Akbar Hashemi RAFSANJANI 36%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or

Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami (290 seats - formerly 270 seats; members

elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 20 February 2004 with a runoff held 7 May 2004

(by-elections next to be held in December 2006; general election to

be held in February 2008)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats by party -

conservatives/Islamists 190, reformers 50, independents 43,

religious minorities 5, and 2 seats unaccounted for

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court - above a special clerical court, a revolutionary

court, and a special administrative court

Political parties and leaders:

formal political parties are a relatively new phenomenon in Iran

and most conservatives still prefer to work through political

pressure groups rather than parties; a loose pro-reform coalition

called the 2nd Khordad Front, which includes political parties as

well as less formal pressure groups and organizations, achieved

considerable success at elections to the sixth Majles in early 2000;

groups in the coalition include: Islamic Iran Participation Front

(IIPF), Executives of Construction Party (Kargozaran), Solidarity

Party, Islamic Labor Party, Mardom Salari, Mojahedin of the Islamic

Revolution Organization (MIRO), and Militant Clerics Society

(Ruhaniyun); the coalition participated in the seventh Majles

elections in early 2004; following his defeat in the 2005

presidential elections, former MCS Secretary General Mehdi KARRUBI

formed the National Trust Party; a new apparently conservative

group, the Builders of Islamic Iran, took a leading position in the

new Majles after winning a majority of the seats in February 2004

Political pressure groups and leaders: political pressure groups conduct most of Iran's political activities; groups that generally support the Islamic Republic include Ansar-e Hizballah, Muslim Students Following the Line of the Imam, Tehran Militant Clergy Association (Ruhaniyat), Islamic Coalition Party (Motalefeh), and Islamic Engineers Society; active pro-reform student groups include the Office of Strengthening Unity (OSU); opposition groups include Freedom Movement of Iran, the National Front, Marz-e Por Gohar, and various ethnic and Monarchist organizations; armed political groups that have been almost completely repressed by the government include Mujahidin-e Khalq Organization (MEK), People's Fedayeen, Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, and Komala

International organization participation:

ABEDA, CP, ECO, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt

(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA,

SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNWTO, UPU,

WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note - Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani Embassy; address: Iranian Interests Section, Pakistani Embassy, 2209 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007; telephone: [1] (202) 965-4990; FAX [1] (202) 965-1073

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none; note - protecting power in Iran is Switzerland

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red; the

national emblem (a stylized representation of the word Allah in the

shape of a tulip, a symbol of martyrdom) in red is centered in the

white band; ALLAH AKBAR (God is Great) in white Arabic script is

repeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and 11

times along the top edge of the red band

Economy Iran

Economy - overview:

Iran's economy is marked by a bloated, inefficient state sector,

over reliance on the oil sector, and statist policies that create

major distortions throughout. Most economic activity is controlled

by the state. Private sector activity is typically small-scale -

workshops, farming, and services. President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD has

continued to follow the market reform plans of former President

RAFSANJANI, with limited progress. Relatively high oil prices in

recent years have enabled Iran to amass nearly $60 billion in

foreign exchange reserves, but have not eased economic hardships

such as high unemployment and inflation. The proportion of the

economy devoted to the development of weapons of mass destruction

remains a contentious issue with leading Western nations.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$610.4 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$194.8 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$8,900 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.2% industry: 41.7% services: 47.1% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 24.36 million note: shortage of skilled labor (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 30% industry: 25% services: 45% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:

11.2% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:

40% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

43 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

15.8% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

30% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $104.6 billion

expenditures: $100.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $7.6

billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:

25.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton; dairy

products, wool; caviar

Industries:

petroleum, petrochemicals, fertilizers, caustic soda, textiles,

cement and other construction materials, food processing

(particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), ferrous

and non-ferrous metal fabrication, armaments

Industrial production growth rate:

3.2% excluding oil (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

155.7 billion kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

145.1 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

1.837 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

2.17 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

3.979 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

1.51 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

2.5 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

132.5 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

83.9 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

85.54 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

3.56 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

5.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

26.62 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$13.13 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$63.18 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and

nuts, carpets

Exports - partners:

Japan 16.9%, China 11.2%, Italy 5.9%, South Korea 5.8%, Turkey

5.7%, Netherlands 4.6%, France 4.4%, South Africa 4.1%, Taiwan 4.1%

(2005)

Imports:

$45.48 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods,

foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services, military

supplies

Imports - partners:

Germany 13.9%, UAE 8.4%, China 8.3%, Italy 7.1%, France 6.3%, South

Korea 5.4%, Russia 4.9% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$58.46 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$14.8 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$408 million (2002 est.)

Currency (code):

Iranian rial (IRR)

Currency code:

IRR

Exchange rates:

rials per US dollar - 9,246.94 (2006), 8,964 (2005), 8,614 (2004),

8,193.9 (2003), 6,907 (2002), note, Iran has been using a managed

floating exchange rate regime since unifying multiple exchange rates

in March 2002

Fiscal year:

21 March - 20 March

Communications Iran

Telephones - main lines in use:

18.986 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

8.5 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: inadequate, but currently being modernized and

expanded with the goal of not only improving the efficiency and

increasing the volume of the urban service but also bringing

telephone service to several thousand villages, not presently

connected

domestic: the addition of new fiber cables and modern switching and

exchange systems installed by Iran's state owned telecom company

have improved and expanded the main line network greatly; main line

availability has more than doubled to 19 million lines since 1995;

additionally, mobile service has increased dramatically serving some

8.5 million subscribers in 2005

international: country code - 98; HF radio and microwave radio relay

to Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Syria,

Kuwait, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; submarine fiber-optic cable to

UAE with access to Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG);

Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line runs from Azerbaijan

through the northern portion of Iran to Turkmenistan with expansion

to Georgia and Azerbaijan; satellite earth stations - 9 Intelsat and

4 Inmarsat

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 72, FM 5, shortwave 5 (1998)

Radios:

17 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

28 (plus 450 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:

4.61 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.ir

Internet hosts:

5,242 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

100 (2002)

Internet users:

7.5 million (2005)

Transportation Iran

Airports: 321 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 129 over 3,047 m: 41 2,438 to 3,047 m: 26 1,524 to 2,437 m: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 31 under 914 m: 6 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 192 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 140 under 914 m: 43 (2006)

Heliports:

15 (2006)

Pipelines:

condensate 7 km; condensate/gas 397 km; gas 17,099 km; liquid

petroleum gas 570 km; oil 8,521 km; refined products 7,808 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 7,256 km

broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge

standard gauge: 7,162 km 1.435-m gauge (186 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:

total: 179,388 km

paved: 120,782 km (including 878 km of expressways)

unpaved: 58,606 km (2003)

Waterways:

850 km (850 km on Karun River; additional service on Lake Urmia)

(2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 141 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,086,702 GRT/8,878,829 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 39, cargo 45, chemical tanker 4, container 12,

liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker

30, roll on/roll off 3

foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1)

registered in other countries: 22 (Bolivia 1, Cyprus 2, Malta 14,

Panama 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Assaluyeh, Bushehr

Military Iran

Military branches:

Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh): Ground Forces,

Navy, Air Force (Niruye Havayi Jomhuriye Islamiye Iran; includes air

defense); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah-e Pasdaran-e

Enqelab-e Eslami, IRGC): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Qods Force

(special operations), and Basij Force (Popular Mobilization Army);

Law Enforcement Forces (2006)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; soldiers as young as 9 were recruited extensively during the Iran-Iraq War; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 18,319,545

females age 18-49: 17,541,037 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 15,665,725

females age 18-49: 15,005,597 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 862,056

females age 18-49: 808,044 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$4.3 billion (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

3.3% (2003 est.)

Transnational Issues Iran

Disputes - international:

Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed tributaries to

the Helmand River in periods of drought; Iraq's lack of a maritime

boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of

the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Iran and UAE dispute Tunb

Islands and Abu Musa Island, which are occupied by Iran; Iran stands

alone among littoral states in insisting upon a division of the

Caspian Sea into five equal sectors

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 662,355 (Afghanistan), 54,000 (Iraq)

(2006)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Iran is a source, transit, and destination

country for women and girls trafficked for the purposes of sexual

exploitation and involuntary servitude; according to foreign

observers, women and girls are trafficked to Pakistan, Turkey, the

Persian Gulf, and Europe for sexual exploitation, while boys from

Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan are trafficked through Iran en

route to Persian Gulf states where they are ultimately forced to

work as camel jockeys, beggars, or laborers; Afghan women and girls

are trafficked to the country for forced marriages and sexual

exploitation; women and children are also trafficked internally for

the purposes of forced marriage, sexual exploitation, and

involuntary servitude

tier rating: Tier 3 - Iran is downgraded to Tier 3 after persistent,

credible reports of Iranian authorities punishing victims of

trafficking with beatings, imprisonment, and execution

Illicit drugs:

despite substantial interdiction efforts, Iran remains a key

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe; domestic

narcotics consumption remains a persistent problem and according to

official Iranian statistics there are at least 2 million drug users

in the country; lacks anti-money-laundering laws

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Iraq

Introduction Iraq

Background:

Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by Britain

during the course of World War I; in 1920, it was declared a League

of Nations mandate under UK administration. In stages over the next

dozen years, Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in 1932. A

"republic" was proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series of

military strongmen ruled the country until 2003, the last was SADDAM

Husayn. Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and

costly eight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990, Iraq seized Kuwait,

but was expelled by US-led, UN coalition forces during the Gulf War

of January-February 1991. Following Kuwait's liberation, the UN

Security Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap all weapons of mass

destruction and long-range missiles and to allow UN verification

inspections. Continued Iraqi noncompliance with UNSC resolutions

over a period of 12 years led to the US-led invasion of Iraq in

March 2003 and the ouster of the SADDAM Husayn regime. Coalition

forces remain in Iraq under a UNSC mandate, helping to provide

security and to support the freely elected government. The Coalition

Provisional Authority, which temporarily administered Iraq after the

invasion, transferred full governmental authority on 28 June 2004 to

the Iraqi Interim Government, which governed under the Transitional

Administrative Law for Iraq (TAL). Under the TAL, elections for a

275-member Transitional National Assembly (TNA) were held in Iraq on

30 January 2005. Following these elections, the Iraqi Transitional

Government (ITG) assumed office. The TNA was charged with drafting

Iraq's permanent constitution, which was approved in a 15 October

2005 constitutional referendum. An election under the constitution

for a 275-member Council of Representatives (CoR) was held on 15

December 2005. The CoR approval in the selection of most of the

cabinet ministers on 20 May 2006 marked the transition from the ITG

to Iraq's first constitutional government in nearly a half-century.

Geography Iraq

Location:

Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait

Geographic coordinates:

33 00 N, 44 00 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 437,072 sq km

land: 432,162 sq km

water: 4,910 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than twice the size of Idaho

Land boundaries:

total: 3,650 km

border countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 240 km, Saudi

Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 352 km

Coastline:

58 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

continental shelf: not specified

Climate:

mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless

summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish

borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that

melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in

central and southern Iraq

Terrain:

mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south

with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and

Turkey

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m

highest point: unnamed peak; 3,611 m; note - this peak is not Gundah

Zhur 3,607 m or Kuh-e Hajji-Ebrahim 3,595 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur

Land use: arable land: 13.12% permanent crops: 0.61% other: 86.27% (2005)

Irrigated land:

35,250 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

dust storms, sandstorms, floods

Environment - current issues:

government water control projects have drained most of the

inhabited marsh areas east of An Nasiriyah by drying up or diverting

the feeder streams and rivers; a once sizable population of Marsh

Arabs, who inhabited these areas for thousands of years, has been

displaced; furthermore, the destruction of the natural habitat poses

serious threats to the area's wildlife populations; inadequate

supplies of potable water; development of the Tigris and Euphrates

rivers system contingent upon agreements with upstream riparian

Turkey; air and water pollution; soil degradation (salination) and

erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Law of the Sea

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:

strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of the

Persian Gulf

People Iraq

Population:

26,783,383 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 39.7% (male 5,398,645/female 5,231,760)

15-64 years: 57.3% (male 7,776,257/female 7,576,726)

65 years and over: 3% (male 376,700/female 423,295) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 19.7 years

male: 19.6 years

female: 19.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.66% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

31.98 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

5.37 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

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

65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 48.64 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 54.39 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 42.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 69.01 years

male: 67.76 years

female: 70.31 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.18 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

less than 500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Iraqi(s)

adjective: Iraqi

Ethnic groups:

Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5%

Religions:

Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%

Languages:

Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 40.4%

male: 55.9%

female: 24.4% (2003 est.)

Government Iraq

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Iraq

conventional short form: Iraq

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah

local short form: Al Iraq

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Baghdad

geographic coordinates: 33 21 N, 44 25 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins 1 April; ends 1 October

Administrative divisions:

18 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Anbar, Al

Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf, Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah,

At Ta'mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar, Diyala, Karbala', Maysan,

Ninawa, Salah ad Din, Wasit

Independence:

3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British

administration); note - on 28 June 2004 the Coalition Provisional

Authority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi Interim Government

National holiday:

Revolution Day, 17 July (1968); note - this holiday was celebrated

under the SADDAM Husayn regime; the Government of Iraq has yet to

declare a new national holiday

Constitution:

ratified on 15 October 2005 (subject to review by the

Constitutional Review Committee and a possible public referendum in

2007)

Legal system:

based on European civil and Islamic law under the framework

outlined in the Iraqi Constitution

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Jalal TALABANI (since 6 April 2005); Vice

Presidents Adil ABD AL-MAHDI and Tariq al-HASHIMI (since 22 April

2006); note - the president and vice presidents comprise the

Presidency Council)

head of government: Prime Minister Nuri al-MALIKI (since 20 May

2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Barham SALIH and Salam al-ZUBAI (since

20 May 2006)

cabinet: 37 ministers appointed by the Presidency Council, plus

Prime Minister Nuri al-MALIKI, and Deputy Prime Ministers Barham

SALIH and Salam al-ZUBAI

elections: held 15 December 2005 to elect a 275-member Council of

Representatives

Legislative branch:

bicameral Council of Representatives (consisting of 275 members

elected by a closed-list, proportional representation system) and a

Federation Council (membership not established and authorities

undefined)

elections: held 15 December 2005 to elect a 275-member Council of

Representatives; the Council of Representatives elected the

Presidency Council and approved the Prime Minister

election results: Council of Representatives - percent of vote by

party - Unified Iraqi Alliance 41%, Kurdistan Alliance 22%, Tawafuq

Coalition 15%, Iraqi National List 8%, Iraqi Front for National

Dialogue 4%, others 10%; number of seats by party - Unified Iraqi

Alliance 128, Kurdistan Alliance 53, Tawafuq Coalition 44, Iraqi

National List 25, Iraqi Front for National Dialogue 11, others 14

Judicial branch:

the Iraq Constitution calls for the Federal Judicial Authority,

comprised of the Higher Juridical Council, Supreme Federal Court,

Federal Court of Cassation, Public Prosecution Department, Judiciary

Oversight Commission and other federal courts that are regulated in

accordance with the law

Political parties and leaders:

Assyrian Democratic Movement [Yunadim KANNA]; Badr Organization

[Hadi al-AMIRI]; Constitutional Monarchy Movement or CMM [Sharif Ali

Bin al-HUSAYN]; Da'wa al-Islamiyya Party [Ibrahim al-JA'FARI];

General Conference of Iraqi People [Adnan al-DULAYMI]; Independent

Iraqi Alliance or IIA [Falah al-NAQIB]; Iraqi Communist Party [Hamid

al-MUSA]; Iraqi Front for National Dialogue [Salih al-MUTLAQ]; Iraqi

Hizballah [Karim Mahmud al-MUHAMMADAWI]; Iraqi Independent Democrats

or IID [Adnan PACHACHI, Mahdi al-HAFIZ]; Iraqi Islamic Party or IIP

[Tariq al-HASHIMI]; Iraqi National Accord or INA [Ayad ALLAWI];

Iraqi National Congress or INC [Ahmad CHALABI]; Iraqi National

Council for Dialogue or INCD [Khalaf Ulayan al-Khalifawi

al-DULAYMI]; Iraqi National Unity Movement or INUM [Ahmad

al-KUBAYSI, chairman]; Islamic Action Organization or IAO [Ayatollah

Muhammad al-MUDARRISI]; Jama'at al Fadilah or JAF [Muhammad Ali

al-YAQUBI]; Kurdistan Democratic Party or KDP [Masud BARZANI];

Kurdistan Islamic Union [Salah ad-Din Muhammad BAHA al-DIN];

National Reconciliation and Liberation Party [Mishan al-JABBURI];

Patriotic Union of Kurdistan or PUK [Jalal TALABANI]; Sadrist Trend

[Muqtada al-SADR] (not an organized political party, but it fields

independent candidates affiliated with Muqtada al-SADR); Supreme

Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq or SCIRI [Abd al-Aziz

al-HAKIM]

note: the Kurdistan Alliance, Iraqi National List, Tawafuq

Coalition, Iraqi Front for National Dialogue, and Unified Iraqi

Alliance were only electoral slates consisting of the

representatives from the various Iraqi political parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: an insurgency against the Government of Iraq and Coalition forces is primarily concentrated in Baghdad and in areas north, northeast, and west of the capital; the diverse, multigroup insurgency consists principally of Sunni Arabs whose only common denominator is a shared desire to oust the Coalition and end US influence in Iraq; a number of predominantly Shia militias, some of which are associated with political parties, challenge governmental authority in Baghdad and southern Iraq

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,

IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS,

NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,

WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Samir Shakir al-SUMAYDI

chancery: 1801 P Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 483-7500

FAX: [1] (202) 462-5066

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Zalmay KHALILZAD

embassy: Baghdad

mailing address: APO AE 09316

telephone: 00-1-240-553-0584 ext. 5340 or 5635; note - Consular

Section

FAX: NA

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with

three green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the

white band; the phrase ALLAHU AKBAR (God is Great) in green Arabic

script - Allahu to the right of the middle star and Akbar to the

left of the middle star - was added in January 1991 during the

Persian Gulf crisis; similar to the flag of Syria, which has two

stars but no script, Yemen, which has a plain white band, and that

of Egypt which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the white

band; design is based upon the Arab Liberation colors

Economy Iraq

Economy - overview:

Iraq's economy is dominated by the oil sector, which has

traditionally provided about 95% of foreign exchange earnings.

Iraq's seizure of Kuwait in August 1990, subsequent international

economic sanctions, and damage from military action by an

international coalition beginning in January 1991 drastically

reduced economic activity. Although government policies supporting

large military and internal security forces and allocating resources

to key supporters of the regime hurt the economy, implementation of

the UN's oil-for-food program, which began in December 1996, helped

improve conditions for the average Iraqi citizen. Iraq was allowed

to export limited amounts of oil in exchange for food, medicine, and

some infrastructure spare parts. In December 1999, the UN Security

Council authorized Iraq to export under the program as much oil as

required to meet humanitarian needs. The military victory of the

US-led coalition in March-April 2003 resulted in the shutdown of

much of the central economic administrative structure. Although a

comparatively small amount of capital plant was damaged during the

hostilities, looting, insurgent attacks, and sabotage have

undermined efforts to rebuild the economy. Attacks on key economic

facilities - especially oil pipelines and infrastructure - have

prevented Iraq from reaching projected export volumes, but total

government revenues have been higher than anticipated due to high

oil prices. Despite political uncertainty, Iraq is making some

progress in building the institutions needed to implement economic

policy and has concluded a debt reduction agreement with the Paris

Club and a Standby Arrangement with the IMF. Iraq's economic

prospects will depend on the government's ability to control

inflation, to implement structural reforms such as bank

restructuring, and to develop the private sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$94.1 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$46.5 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,900 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7.3% industry: 66.6% services: 26.1% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 7.4 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

25% to 30% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

50% (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $30.8 billion

expenditures: $34.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $5

billion (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep,

poultry

Industries:

petroleum, chemicals, textiles, leather, construction materials,

food processing, fertilizer, metal fabrication/processing

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

31.7 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 98.4% hydro: 1.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

33.3 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports:

2.02 billion kWh (2005)

Oil - production:

2.093 million bbl/day; note - prewar production (in 2002) was 2.2

million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

351,500 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:

1.42 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2005)

Oil - proved reserves:

112.5 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

1.75 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

1.75 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

3.115 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$8.134 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$32.19 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

crude oil 84%, crude materials excluding fuels 8%, food and live

animals 5%

Exports - partners:

US 49.7%, Italy 10.4%, Spain 6.3%, Canada 5.6% (2005)

Imports:

$20.76 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

food, medicine, manufactures

Imports - partners:

Turkey 23.3%, Syria 23%, US 11.6%, Jordan 6.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$15.65 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$81.48 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

more than $33 billion in foreign aid pledged for 2004-07 (2004)

Currency (code):

New Iraqi dinar (NID) as of 22 January 2004

Currency code:

NID, IQD prior to 22 January 2004

Exchange rates:

New Iraqi dinars per US dollar - 1,477.17 (2006), 1,475 (2005),

1,890 (second half, 2003), 0.3109 (2001)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Iraq

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.547 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

8.7 million (2006)

Telephone system:

general assessment: the aftermath of the liberation of Iraq in 2003

severely disrupted telecommunications throughout Iraq including

international connections; USAID repaired switching capabilities and

constructed a mobile and satellite communication facility; landlines

now exceed pre-war levels

domestic: repairs to switches and lines destroyed during 2003 have

been completed, but sabotage remains a problem; additional switching

capacity is improving access; cellular service is widely available

in major cities and centered on three regional GSM networks,

improving country-wide connectivity. There are currently 8.7 million

users of cellular services.

international: country code - 964; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik

(Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Arabsat (inoperative); coaxial cable

and microwave radio relay to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey;

despite a new satellite gateway, international calls outside of

Baghdad are sometimes problematic

Radio broadcast stations: after 17 months of unregulated media growth, there are approximately 80 radio stations on the air inside Iraq (2004)

Radios:

4.85 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

21 (2004)

Televisions:

1.75 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.iq

Internet hosts:

5 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

36,000 (2005)

Transportation Iraq

Airports: 110 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 77

over 3,047 m: 20

2,438 to 3,047 m: 37

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 6

under 914 m: 9 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 33

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 13

under 914 m: 10 (2006)

Heliports:

8 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 2,228 km; liquid petroleum gas 918 km; oil 5,506 km; refined

products 1,637 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 2,200 km

standard gauge: 2,200 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 45,550 km

paved: 38,399 km

unpaved: 7,151 km (1999)

Waterways:

5,279 km

note: Euphrates River (2,815 km), Tigris River (1,899 km), and Third

River (565 km) are principal waterways (2004)

Merchant marine:

total: 13 ships (1000 GRT or over) 67,796 GRT/101,317 DWT

by type: cargo 11, petroleum tanker 2 (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Al Basrah, Khawr az Zubayr, Umm Qasr

Military Iraq

Military branches:

Iraqi Armed Forces: Iraqi Regular Army (includes Iraqi Special

Operations Force, Iraqi Intervention Force), Iraqi Navy (former

Iraqi Coastal Defense Force), Iraqi Air Force (former Iraqi Army Air

Corps) (2005)

Military service age and obligation: all volunteer force; the Iraqi Government is creating a new professional Iraqi military force of men aged 18 to 40 to defend Iraq from external threats and the current insurgency (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 5,870,640

females age 18-49: 5,642,073 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 4,930,074

females age 18-49: 4,771,105 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 198,518

females age 18-49: 289,879 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$1.34 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

NA

Transnational Issues Iraq

Disputes - international:

coalition forces assist Iraqis in monitoring boundary security;

Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction

disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf;

Turkey has expressed concern over the status of Kurds in Iraq

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 22,698 (Palestinian Territories),

13,382 (Iran), 13,332 (Turkey)

IDPs: 1.6 million (ongoing US-led war and Kurds' subsequent return)

(2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Ireland

Introduction Ireland

Background:

Celtic tribes arrived on the island between 600-150 B.C. Invasions

by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were finally ended

when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014. English invasions

began in the 12th century and set off more than seven centuries of

Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harsh

repressions. A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched off

several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted in

independence from the UK for 26 southern counties; six northern

(Ulster) counties remained part of the UK. In 1948 Ireland withdrew

from the British Commonwealth; it joined the European Community in

1973. Irish governments have sought the peaceful unification of

Ireland and have cooperated with Britain against terrorist groups. A

peace settlement for Northern Ireland is being implemented with some

difficulties. In 2006, the Irish and British governments developed

and began working to implement the St. Andrew's Agreement, building

on the Good Friday Agreement approved in 1998.

Geography Ireland

Location:

Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in

the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain

Geographic coordinates:

53 00 N, 8 00 W

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 70,280 sq km

land: 68,890 sq km

water: 1,390 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: UK 360 km

Coastline: 1,448 km

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

Climate:

temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild

winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the

time

Terrain:

mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills

and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m

Natural resources:

natural gas, peat, copper, lead, zinc, silver, barite, gypsum,

limestone, dolomite

Land use:

arable land: 16.82%

permanent crops: 0.03%

other: 83.15% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine

Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,

Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic

Pollutants, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

strategic location on major air and sea routes between North

America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides

within 100 km of Dublin

People Ireland

Population:

4,062,235 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 20.9% (male 437,903/female 409,774)

15-64 years: 67.6% (male 1,373,771/female 1,370,452)

65 years and over: 11.6% (male 207,859/female 262,476) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 34 years

male: 33.2 years

female: 34.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.15% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

14.45 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

7.82 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

4.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 5.31 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5.82 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.73 years

male: 75.11 years

female: 80.52 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.86 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

2,800 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural)

adjective: Irish

Ethnic groups:

Celtic, English

Religions:

Roman Catholic 88.4%, Church of Ireland 3%, other Christian 1.6%,

other 1.5%, unspecified 2%, none 3.5% (2002 census)

Languages:

English (official) is the language generally used, Irish (official)

(Gaelic or Gaeilge) spoken mainly in areas located along the western

seaboard

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government Ireland

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Ireland local long form: none local short form: Eire

Government type:

republic, parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Dublin

geographic coordinates: 53 20 N, 6 15 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

26 counties; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway,

Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth,

Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary,

Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow

note: Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan are part of Ulster Province

Independence:

6 December 1921 (from UK by treaty)

National holiday:

Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March

Constitution:

adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite; effective 29 December 1937

Legal system:

based on English common law, substantially modified by indigenous

concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court; has

not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Mary MCALEESE (since 11 November 1997)

head of government: Prime Minister Bertie AHERN (since 26 June 1997)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with previous nomination

by the prime minister and approval of the House of Representatives

elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 31 October 1997

(next scheduled for October 2011); note - Mary MCALEESE appointed to

a second term when no other candidate qualified for the 2004

presidential election; prime minister (taoiseach) nominated by the

House of Representatives and appointed by the president

election results: Mary MCALEESE elected president; percent of vote -

Mary MCALEESE 44.8%, Mary BANOTTI 29.6%

note: government coalition - Fianna Fail and the Progressive

Democrats

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of the Senate or Seanad

Eireann (60 seats - 49 elected by the universities and from

candidates put forward by five vocational panels, 11 are nominated

by the prime minister; members serve five-year terms) and the House

of Representatives or Dail Eireann (166 seats; members are elected

by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve

five-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 16 and 17 July 2002 (next to be held

by July 2007); House of Representatives - last held 17 May 2002

(next to be held by May 2007)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - Fianna Fail 30, Fine Gael 15, Labor Party 5, Progressive

Democrats 4, independents and other 6; House of Representatives -

percent of vote by party - Fianna Fail 41.5%, Fine Gael 22.5%, Labor

Party 10.8%, Sinn Fein 6.5%, Progressive Democrats 4.0%, Green Party

3.8%, other 10.9%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 81, Fine Gael 31,

Labor Party 21, Sinn Fein 5, Progressive Democrats 8, Green Party 6,

other 14

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the advice of

the prime minister and cabinet)

Political parties and leaders:

Fianna Fail [Bertie AHERN]; Fine Gael [Enda KENNY]; Green Party

[Trevor SARGENT]; Labor Party [Pat RABBITTE]; Progressive Democrats

[Michael McDOWELL]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Socialist Party [Joe

HIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Sean GARLAND]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO,

IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,

IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC,

NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP,

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU,

WCO, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Noel FAHEY

chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939

FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993

consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas C. FOLEY

embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [353] (1) 668-8777

FAX: [353] (1) 668-9946

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and

orange; similar to the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and

has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green;

also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors

of green (hoist side), white, and red

Economy Ireland

Economy - overview:

Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growth

averaging 6% in 1995-2006. Agriculture, once the most important

sector, is now dwarfed by industry and services. Industry accounts

for 46% of GDP, about 80% of exports, and 29% of the labor force.

Although exports remain the primary engine for Ireland's growth, the

economy has also benefited from a rise in consumer spending,

construction, and business investment. Per capita GDP is 10% above

that of the four big European economies and the second highest in

the EU behind Luxembourg. Over the past decade, the Irish Government

has implemented a series of national economic programs designed to

curb price and wage inflation, reduce government spending, increase

labor force skills, and promote foreign investment. Ireland joined

in circulating the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU

nations.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$177.2 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$202.9 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$43,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 46% services: 49% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 2.12 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 8% industry: 29% services: 64% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:

4.3% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

10% (1997 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2%

highest 10%: 27.3% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

35.9 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.9% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

28% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $74.49 billion

expenditures: $73.05 billion; including capital expenditures of $5.5

billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:

22.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products

Industries:

steel, lead, zinc, silver, aluminum, barite, and gypsum mining

processing; food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals,

pharmaceuticals; machinery, rail transportation equipment, passenger

and commercial vehicles, ship construction and refurbishment; glass

and crystal; software, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

5% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

23.26 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 95.9% hydro: 2.3% nuclear: 0% other: 1.7% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

23.23 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

1.6 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

182,400 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

27,450 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

178,600 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

855 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

4.295 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

3.44 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

19.82 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-9.45 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$119.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals;

live animals, animal products

Exports - partners:

US 18.7%, UK 17.4%, Belgium 15.2%, Germany 7.4%, France 6.4%,

Netherlands 4.8% (2005)

Imports:

$87.36 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment,

chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing

Imports - partners:

UK 37.1%, US 13.8%, Germany 9.2%, Netherlands 4.5% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$842.5 million (August 2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.392 trillion (30 June 2006)

Economic aid - donor:

ODA, $607 million (2004)

Currency (code):

euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the

euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of

member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole

currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:

EUR

Exchange rates:

euros per US dollar - 0.79987 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),

0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Ireland

Telephones - main lines in use:

2.033 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

4.21 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern digital system using cable and microwave

radio relay

domestic: microwave radio relay

international: country code - 353; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 9, FM 106, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

2.55 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

4 (many low-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:

1.82 million (2001)

Internet country code:

.ie

Internet hosts:

238,191 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

22 (2000)

Internet users:

2.06 million (2005)

Transportation Ireland

Airports: 36 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 6 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 21 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 17 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 1,728 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 3,312 km

broad gauge: 1,947 km 1.600-m gauge (46 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 1,365 km 0.914-m gauge (operated by the Irish Peat

Board to transport peat to power stations and briquetting plants)

(2005)

Roadways: total: 96,602 km paved: 96,602 km (including 200 km of expressways) (2003)

Waterways:

753 km (pleasure craft only) (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 23 ships (1000 GRT or over) 103,589 GRT/145,044 DWT

by type: cargo 19, chemical tanker 2, container 1, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 4 (Germany 2, US 2)

registered in other countries: 21 (Bahamas 2, Bermuda 1, Cyprus 3,

Gibraltar 1, Netherlands 10, Panama 2, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines 1, UK 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Cork, Dublin, New Ross, Shannon Foynes, Waterford

Military Ireland

Military branches:

Irish Defense Forces (Oglaigh na h-Eireann): Army (includes Naval

Service and Air Corps) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

17 years of age for voluntary military service; enlistees under the

age of 17 can be recruited for specialist positions (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 17-49: 977,092

females age 17-49: 978,465 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 17-49: 814,768

females age 17-49: 813,981 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 29,327

females age 17-49: 28,139 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$700 million (FY00/01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0.9% (FY00/01)

Transnational Issues Ireland

Disputes - international:

Ireland, Iceland, and the UK dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe

Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North Africa

to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic drugs;

minor transshipment point for heroin and cocaine destined for

Western Europe; despite recent legislation, narcotics-related money

laundering - using bureaux de change, trusts, and shell companies

involving the offshore financial community - remains a concern

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Isle of Man

Introduction Isle of Man

Background:

Part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until the 13th

century when it was ceded to Scotland, the isle came under the

British crown in 1765. Current concerns include reviving the almost

extinct Manx Gaelic language. Isle of Man is a British crown

dependency, but is not part of the UK. However, the UK Government

remains constitutionally responsible for defense and international

representation.

Geography Isle of Man

Location:

Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and

Ireland

Geographic coordinates:

54 15 N, 4 30 W

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 572 sq km

land: 572 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

160 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Climate:

temperate; cool summers and mild winters; overcast about one-third

of the time

Terrain:

hills in north and south bisected by central valley

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m highest point: Snaefell 621 m

Natural resources:

none

Land use:

arable land: 9%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 91% (permanent pastures, forests, mountain, and heathland)

(2002)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

waste disposal (both household and industrial); transboundary air

pollution

Geography - note:

one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the southwest, and is a

bird sanctuary

People Isle of Man

Population:

75,441 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 17.3% (male 6,669/female 6,350)

15-64 years: 65.7% (male 24,884/female 24,678)

65 years and over: 17% (male 5,197/female 7,663) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 39.6 years

male: 38.4 years

female: 41 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.52% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

11.05 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

11.19 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

5.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 5.82 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.49 years

male: 75.14 years

female: 82.02 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.65 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Manxman (men), Manxwoman (women)

adjective: Manx

Ethnic groups:

Manx (Norse-Celtic descent), Briton

Religions:

Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Society

of Friends

Languages:

English, Manx Gaelic

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

Government Isle of Man

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Isle of Man

Dependency status:

British crown dependency

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Douglas

geographic coordinates: 54 09 N, 4 28 W

time difference: UTC 0 (five hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined

by the US Government, but there are 24 local authorities each with

its own elections

Independence:

none (British crown dependency)

National holiday:

Tynwald Day, 5 July

Constitution:

unwritten; note - The Isle of Man Constitution Act of 1961 does not

embody the unwritten Manx Constitution

Legal system:

English common law and Manx statute

Suffrage:

16 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February

1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir Paul K. HADDACKS

(since 17 October 2005)

head of government: Chief Minister Tony BROWN (since 14 December

2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers

elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed

by the monarch for a five-year term; the chief minister is elected

by the Tynwald; election last held 14 December 2006 (next to be held

December 2008)

election results: House of Keys speaker Tony BROWN elected chief

minister by the Tynwald

Legislative branch:

bicameral Tynwald consists of the Legislative Council (an 11-member

body composed of the President of Tynwald, the Lord Bishop of Sodor

and Man, a nonvoting attorney general, and eight others named by the

House of Keys) and the House of Keys (24 seats; members are elected

by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: House of Keys - last held 23 November 2006 (next to be

held November 2011)

election results: House of Keys - percent of vote by party - NA;

seats by party - Liberal Vannin Party 2, Man Labor Party 1,

independents 21

Judicial branch:

High Court of Justice (justices are appointed by the Lord

Chancellor of England on the nomination of the lieutenant governor)

Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Progressive Government; Liberal Vannin Party [Peter KARRAN]; Man Labor Party; Man Nationalist Party (Mec Vannin) (branch of the British National Party) note: most members sit as independents

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (British crown dependency)

Flag description:

red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (Trinacria), in the center;

the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the knee; in

order to have the toes pointing clockwise on both sides of the flag,

a two-sided emblem is used

Economy Isle of Man

Economy - overview:

Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism are key sectors of the

economy. The government offers incentives to high-technology

companies and financial institutions to locate on the island; this

has paid off in expanding employment opportunities in high-income

industries. As a result, agriculture and fishing, once the mainstays

of the economy, have declined in their shares of GDP. The Isle of

Man also attracts online gambling sites and the film industry. Trade

is mostly with the UK. The Isle of Man enjoys free access to EU

markets.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$2.113 billion (2003 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.26 billion (2003)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.3% (2003)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$27,800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 13% services: 86% (2000 est.)

Labor force:

39,690 (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture, forestry and fishing 3%, manufacturing 3%,

construction 10%, transport and communication 11%, wholesale and

retail distribution 11%, professional and scientific services 10%,

public administration 6%, banking and finance 18%, tourism 2%,

entertainment and catering 3%, miscellaneous services 10%

Unemployment rate:

0.6% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.7% (2003 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $485 million

expenditures: $463 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(FY00/01 est.)

Agriculture - products:

cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry

Industries:

financial services, light manufacturing, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

3.2% (FY96/97)

Exports:

$NA

Exports - commodities:

tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb

Exports - partners:

UK (2004)

Imports:

$NA

Imports - commodities:

timber, fertilizers, fish

Imports - partners:

UK (2004)

Debt - external:

$NA

Economic aid - recipient:

$NA

Currency (code):

British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Manx pound

Currency code:

GBP

Exchange rates:

Manx pounds per US dollar - 0.54413 (2006), 0.55 (2005), 0.5462

(2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications Isle of Man

Telephones - main lines in use:

51,000 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

NA

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone system

international: fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, satellite

earth station, submarine cable

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

NA

Television broadcast stations:

0 (receives broadcasts from the UK and satellite) (1999)

Televisions:

27,490 (1999)

Internet country code:

.im

Internet hosts:

290 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

NA

Internet users:

NA

Transportation Isle of Man

Airports: 1 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Railways:

total: 65 km

standard guage: 7 km 1.067-m guage (7 km electrified)

narrow guage: 58 km 0.914-m guage (29 km electrified)

note: primarily summer tourist attractions (2006)

Roadways:

total: 800 km

paved: 800 km (1999)

Merchant marine:

total: 305 ships (1000 GRT or over) 8,266,229 GRT/13,792,927 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 38, cargo 65, chemical tanker 53, container

16, liquefied gas 38, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 74,

refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 9, specialized tanker 1,

vehicle carrier 5

foreign-owned: 213 (Cyprus 1, Denmark 53, Estonia 2, France 2,

Germany 56, Greece 45, Italy 5, Japan 4, Monaco 3, Netherlands 1,

Norway 27, Singapore 7, Sweden 1, Turkey 3, US 3)

registered in other countries: 9 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Liberia 5,

Marshall Islands 1, NZ 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Castletown, Douglas, Ramsey

Military Isle of Man

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Isle of Man

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Israel

Introduction Israel

Background:

Following World War II, the British withdrew from their mandate of

Palestine, and the UN partitioned the area into Arab and Jewish

states, an arrangement rejected by the Arabs. Subsequently, the

Israelis defeated the Arabs in a series of wars without ending the

deep tensions between the two sides. The territories Israel occupied

since the 1967 war are not included in the Israel country profile,

unless otherwise noted. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew from the

Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty. Israel and

Palestinian officials signed on 13 September 1993 a Declaration of

Principles (also known as the "Oslo Accords") guiding an interim

period of Palestinian self-rule. Outstanding territorial and other

disputes with Jordan were resolved in the 26 October 1994

Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace. In addition, on 25 May 2000, Israel

withdrew unilaterally from southern Lebanon, which it had occupied

since 1982. In keeping with the framework established at the Madrid

Conference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations were conducted

between Israel and Palestinian representatives and Syria to achieve

a permanent settlement. In April 2003, US President BUSH, working in

conjunction with the EU, UN, and Russia - the "Quartet" - took the

lead in laying out a roadmap to a final settlement of the conflict

by 2005, based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to two

states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. However, progress toward

a permanent status agreement was undermined by Israeli-Palestinian

violence between September 2003 and February 2005. An

Israeli-Palestinian agreement reached at Sharm al-Sheikh in February

2005, along with an internally-brokered Palestinian ceasefire,

significantly reduced the violence. In the summer of 2005, Israel

unilaterally disengaged from the Gaza Strip, evacuating settlers and

its military. The election of HAMAS in January 2006 to head the

Palestinian Legislative Council froze relations between Israel and

the Palestinian Authority. Ehud OLMERT became prime minister in

March 2006; following an Israeli military operation in Gaza in

June-July 2006, he shelved plans to unilaterally evacuate from most

of the West Bank. The kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers by Lebanese

Hizballah led to a 34-day conflict in Lebanon in June-August 2006.

Geography Israel

Location:

Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and

Lebanon

Geographic coordinates:

31 30 N, 34 45 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 20,770 sq km

land: 20,330 sq km

water: 440 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:

total: 1,017 km

border countries: Egypt 266 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km,

Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km

Coastline:

273 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation

Climate:

temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas

Terrain:

Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains;

Jordan Rift Valley

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m

highest point: Har Meron 1,208 m

Natural resources:

timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium

bromide, clays, sand

Land use: arable land: 15.45% permanent crops: 3.88% other: 80.67% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,940 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic

earthquakes

Environment - current issues:

limited arable land and natural fresh water resources pose serious

constraints; desertification; air pollution from industrial and

vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and

domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,

Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

there are 242 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in

the West Bank, 42 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 0 in the

Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (August 2005 est.); Sea of

Galilee is an important freshwater source

People Israel

Population:

6,352,117

note: includes about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank,

about 20,000 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, and fewer than

177,000 in East Jerusalem (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 26.3% (male 855,054/female 815,619)

15-64 years: 63.9% (male 2,044,135/female 2,016,647)

65 years and over: 9.8% (male 266,671/female 353,991) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 29.6 years

male: 28.8 years

female: 30.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.18% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

17.97 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

6.18 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 6.89 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 7.61 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.46 years

male: 77.33 years

female: 81.7 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.41 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

3,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Israeli(s)

adjective: Israeli

Ethnic groups:

Jewish 76.4% (of which Israel-born 67.1%, Europe/America-born

22.6%, Africa-born 5.9%, Asia-born 4.2%), non-Jewish 23.6% (mostly

Arab) (2004)

Religions:

Jewish 76.4%, Muslim 16%, Arab Christians 1.7%, other Christian

0.4%, Druze 1.6%, unspecified 3.9% (2004)

Languages:

Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority,

English most commonly used foreign language

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 95.4%

male: 97.3%

female: 93.6% (2003 est.)

Government Israel

Country name:

conventional long form: State of Israel

conventional short form: Israel

local long form: Medinat Yisra'el

local short form: Yisra'el

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Jerusalem

geographic coordinates: 32 05 N, 34 48 E

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

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Friday in March; ends the

Sunday between the holidays of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur

note: Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital in 1950, but the

US, like nearly all other countries, maintains its Embassy in Tel

Aviv

Administrative divisions:

6 districts (mehozot, singular - mehoz); Central, Haifa, Jerusalem,

Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv

Independence:

14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British

administration)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 14 May (1948); note - Israel declared

independence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and

the holiday may occur in April or May

Constitution:

no formal constitution; some of the functions of a constitution are

filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the Basic Laws of

the parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli citizenship law

Legal system:

mixture of English common law, British Mandate regulations, and, in

personal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal systems; in

December 1985, Israel informed the UN Secretariat that it would no

longer accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Moshe KATZAV (since 31 July 2000)

head of government: Prime Minister Ehud OLMERT (since May 2006);

Deputy Prime Minister Tzipora "Tzipi" LIVNI (since May 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet selected by prime minister and approved by the

Knesset

elections: president is largely a ceremonial role and is elected by

the Knesset for a seven-year term (no term limits); election last

held 28 March 2006 (next to be held in 2010, but can be called

earlier); following legislative elections, the president assigns a

Knesset member - traditionally the leader of the largest party - the

task of forming a governing coalition

election results: Moshe KATZAV elected president by the 120-member

Knesset with a total of 60 votes, other candidate, Shimon PERES,

received 57 votes (there were three abstentions); Ehud OLMERT won

the right to lead the government when his Kadima Party won 29 seats

in elections held on 28 March 2006; in May 2006 OLMERT formed a

coalition government with the Labor, GIL (Pensioners), and SHAS

parties. In October 2006 the Yisrael Beiteinu party joined the

government

Legislative branch:

unicameral Knesset (120 seats; members elected by popular vote to

serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 28 March 2006 (next scheduled to be held in

2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - Kadima 22%, Labor

15.1%, Likud 9%, SHAS 9.5%, Yisrael Beiteinu 9%, NU/NRP 7.1%, GIL

5.9%, Torah and Shabbat Judaism 4.7%, Meretz-YAHAD 3.8%, United Arab

List 3%, Balad 2.3%, HADASH 2.7%; seats by party - Kadima 29, Labor

19, Likud 12, SHAS 12, Yisrael Beiteinu 11, NU/NRP 9, GIL 7, Torah

and Shabbat Judaism 6, Meretz-YAHAD 5, United Arab List 4, Balad 3,

HADASH 3

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (justices appointed by Judicial Selection Committee -

made up of all three branches of the government; mandatory

retirement age is 70)

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (HADASH) [Muhammad BARAKA];

GIL (Pensioners) [Rafael EITAN]; Kadima [Ehud OLMERT]; Labor Party

[Amir PERETZ]; Likud Party [Binyamin NETANYAHU]; Meretz-YAHAD [Yossi

BEILIN]; National Democratic Assembly (Balad) [Azmi BISHARA];

National Union (NU)/National Religious Party (NRP) [Binyamin ELON];

SHAS [Eliyahu YISHAI]; Torah and Shabbat Judaism [Yaakov LITZMAN];

United Arab List [Ibrahim SARSOUR]; Yisrael Beiteinu [Avigdor

LIEBERMAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Israeli nationalists advocating Jewish settlement on the West Bank

and Gaza Strip; Peace Now [Yariv OPPENHEIMER, Secretary

General]supports territorial concessions in the West Bank and Gaza

Strip; Yesha Council of Settlements [Bentzi LIEBERMAN, Chairman]

promotes settler interests and opposes territorial compromise;

B'Tselem monitors human rights abuses

International organization participation:

BIS, BSEC (observer), CERN (observer), EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICC, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,

IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OAS (observer), OPCW (signatory), OSCE

(partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Salai MERIDOR chancery: 3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 364-5500 FAX: [1] (202) 364-5607 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard H. JONES embassy: 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv 63903 mailing address: PSC 98, Box 29, APO AE 09830 telephone: [972] (3) 519-7575 FAX: [972] (3) 516-4390 consulate(s) general: Jerusalem; note - an independent US mission, established in 1928, whose members are not accredited to a foreign government

Flag description:

white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as the

Magen David (Shield of David) centered between two equal horizontal

blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag

Economy Israel

Economy - overview:

Israel has a technologically advanced market economy with

substantial, though diminishing, government participation. It

depends on imports of crude oil, grains, raw materials, and military

equipment. Despite limited natural resources, Israel has intensively

developed its agricultural and industrial sectors over the past 20

years. Israel imports substantial quantities of grain, but is

largely self-sufficient in other agricultural products. Cut

diamonds, high-technology equipment, and agricultural products

(fruits and vegetables) are the leading exports. Israel usually

posts sizable trade deficits, which are covered by large transfer

payments from abroad and by foreign loans. Roughly half of the

government's external debt is owed to the US, which is its major

source of economic and military aid. The bitter Israeli-Palestinian

conflict; difficulties in the high-technology, construction, and

tourist sectors; and fiscal austerity in the face of growing

inflation led to small declines in GDP in 2001 and 2002. The economy

rebounded in 2003-05, growing at a 4% rate each year, as the

government tightened fiscal policy and implemented structural

reforms to boost competition and efficiency in the markets. The

conflict with Lebanon in summer 2006 dampened slightly GDP growth

estimates for the year, but continuing strong foreign investment,

tax revenue, and private consumption levels helped the economy

recover quickly.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$166.3 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$121.6 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$26,200 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.6% industry: 30.8% services: 66.6% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 2.6 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture, forestry, and fishing 1.8%, manufacturing 1.8%, construction 5.3%, wholesale and retail trade 15.7%, transport, storage, and communications 6.3%, finance and business 5.3%, personal and other services 11.5%, public services 28.6% (1996)

Unemployment rate:

8.5% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

22.6% (2005)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.4% highest 10%: 32% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

34 (2005)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.9% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

17.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $47.57 billion

expenditures: $49.57 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

91% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

citrus, vegetables, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products

Industries:

high-technology projects (including aviation, communications,

computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics, fiber

optics), wood and paper products, potash and phosphates, food,

beverages, and tobacco, caustic soda, cement, construction, metals

products, chemical products, plastics, diamond cutting, textiles,

footwear

Industrial production growth rate:

4.7% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

46.07 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.9% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

41.38 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

1.47 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

3,209 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

248,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

1.92 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

780 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

780 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

38.94 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$1.463 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$42.86 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, software, cut diamonds, agricultural

products, chemicals, textiles and apparel

Exports - partners:

US 36.5%, Belgium 8.7%, Hong Kong 5.6% (2005)

Imports:

$47.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

raw materials, military equipment, investment goods, rough

diamonds, fuels, grain, consumer goods

Imports - partners:

US 13.4%, Belgium 10.1%, Germany 6.4%, UK 5.7%, Switzerland 5.5%,

China 4.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$28.2 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$81.98 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$240 million from US (FY06)

Currency (code):

new Israeli shekel (ILS); note - NIS is the currency abbreviation;

ILS is the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) code

for the NIS

Currency code:

ILS

Exchange rates:

new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.5 (2006), 4.4877 (2005),

4.482 (2004), 4.5541 (2003), 4.7378 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Israel

Telephones - main lines in use:

2,936,300 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

7.757 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: most highly developed system in the Middle East

although not the largest

domestic: good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay;

all systems are digital

international: country code - 972; 3 submarine cables; satellite

earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 23, FM 15, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:

3.07 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

17 (plus 36 low-power repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:

1.69 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.il

Internet hosts:

1,251,881 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

21 (2000)

Internet users:

3.7 million (2006)

Transportation Israel

Airports: 53 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 30 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 6 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 23 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 20 (2006)

Heliports:

3 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 193 km; oil 442 km; refined products 261 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 853 km

standard gauge: 853 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 17,446 km

paved: 17,446 km (including 144 km of expressways) (2004)

Merchant marine:

total: 18 ships (1000 GRT or over) 716,382 GRT/845,053 DWT

by type: cargo 2, container 16

registered in other countries: 51 (Bahamas 1, Bermuda 3, Cyprus 3,

Honduras 1, Liberia 5, Malta 23, Panama 6, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines 2, Slovakia 7) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Ashdod, Elat (Eilat), Hadera, Haifa

Military Israel

Military branches:

Israel Defense Forces (IDF): Army Headquarters, Israel Navy,

Israeli Air and Space Force (ISAF, includes air defense forces);

historically there have been no separate Israeli military services

(2005)

Military service age and obligation:

17 years of age for compulsory (Jews, Druzes) and voluntary

(Christians, Muslims, Circassians) military service; both sexes are

eligible for military service; conscript service obligation - 36

months for men, 21 months for women (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 17-49: 1,492,125

females age 17-49: 1,443,916 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 17-49: 1,255,902

females age 17-49: 1,212,394 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 53,760

females: 51,293 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$9.45 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

7.7% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Israel

Disputes - international:

West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status

subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent

status to be determined through further negotiation; Israel

continues construction of a "seam line" separation barrier along

parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; Israel withdrew

its settlers and military from the Gaza Strip and from four

settlements in the West Bank in August 2005; Golan Heights is

Israeli-occupied (Lebanon claims the Shab'a Farms area of Golan

Heights); since 1948, about 350 peacekeepers from the UN Truce

Supervision Organization (UNTSO) headquartered in Jerusalem monitor

ceasefires, supervise armistice agreements, prevent isolated

incidents from escalating, and assist other UN personnel in the

region

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 150,000-420,000 (Arab villagers displaced from homes in

northern Israel) (2006)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Israel is a destination country for low-skilled

workers from Eastern Europe and Asia who migrate voluntarily for

contract labor in the construction, agriculture, and health care

industries, some of whom are subsequently subjected to conditions of

involuntary servitude; many labor recruitment agencies in source

countries and in Israel require workers to pay large up-front fees

that often lead to debt bondage and vulnerability to forced labor;

Israel is also a destination country for women trafficked from

Eastern Europe for the purpose of sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Israel is placed on the Tier 2

Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts

to address trafficking, namely the conditions of involuntary

servitude allegedly facing thousands of foreign migrant workers

Illicit drugs:

increasingly concerned about cocaine and heroin abuse; drugs arrive

in country from Lebanon and, increasingly, from Jordan;

money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Italy

Introduction Italy

Background:

Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the regional states of the

peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under King

Victor EMMANUEL II. An era of parliamentary government came to a

close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a Fascist

dictatorship. His disastrous alliance with Nazi Germany led to

Italy's defeat in World War II. A democratic republic replaced the

monarchy in 1946 and economic revival followed. Italy was a charter

member of NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC). It has

been at the forefront of European economic and political

unification, joining the Economic and Monetary Union in 1999.

Persistent problems include illegal immigration, organized crime,

corruption, high unemployment, sluggish economic growth, and the low

incomes and technical standards of southern Italy compared with the

prosperous north.

Geography Italy

Location:

Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central

Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia

Geographic coordinates:

42 50 N, 12 50 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 301,230 sq km

land: 294,020 sq km

water: 7,210 sq km

note: includes Sardinia and Sicily

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Arizona

Land boundaries:

total: 1,932.2 km

border countries: Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (Vatican

City) 3.2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 232 km, Switzerland 740 km

Coastline:

7,600 km

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

Climate:

predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south

Terrain:

mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) de Courmayeur 4,748 m (a

secondary peak of Mont Blanc)

Natural resources:

coal, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice,

fluorospar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oil

reserves, fish, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 26.41%

permanent crops: 9.09%

other: 64.5% (2005)

Irrigated land:

27,500 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches,

earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice

Environment - current issues: air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulfur dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile

Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,

Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic

Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,

Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:

strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as

southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe

People Italy

Population:

58,133,509 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 13.8% (male 4,147,149/female 3,899,980)

15-64 years: 66.5% (male 19,530,512/female 19,105,841)

65 years and over: 19.7% (male 4,771,858/female 6,678,169) (2006

est.)

Median age: total: 42.2 years male: 40.7 years female: 43.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.04% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

8.72 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

10.4 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

2.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

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

65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 5.83 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 6.42 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.81 years

male: 76.88 years

female: 82.94 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.28 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

140,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Italian(s)

adjective: Italian

Ethnic groups:

Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and

Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and

Greek-Italians in the south)

Religions:

approximately 90% Roman Catholic (about one-third regularly attend

services); mature Protestant and Jewish communities and a growing

Muslim immigrant community

Languages:

Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region are

predominantly German speaking), French (small French-speaking

minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speaking

minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.6%

male: 99%

female: 98.3% (2003 est.)

Government Italy

Country name:

conventional long form: Italian Republic

conventional short form: Italy

local long form: Repubblica Italiana

local short form: Italia

former: Kingdom of Italy

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Rome

geographic coordinates: 41 54 N, 12 29 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

15 regions (regioni, singular - regione) and 5 autonomous regions*

(regioni autonome, singular - regione autonoma); Abruzzo,

Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia

Giulia*, Lazio (Latium), Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise,

Piemonte (Piedmont), Puglia (Apulia), Sardegna* (Sardinia),

Sicilia*, Toscana (Tuscany), Trentino-Alto Adige* (Trentino-South

Tyrol), Umbria, Valle d'Aosta* (Aosta Valley), Veneto

Independence:

17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally

unified until 1870)

National holiday:

Republic Day, 2 June (1946)

Constitution:

passed 11 December 1947, effective 1 January 1948; amended many

times

Legal system:

based on civil law system; appeals treated as new trials; judicial

review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court; has not

accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections, where

minimum age is 25)

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Giorgio NAPOLITANO (since 15 May 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister (referred to in Italy as the

president of the Council of Ministers) Romano PRODI (since 17 May

2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and

approved by the president

elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of

both houses of parliament and 58 regional representatives for a

seven-year term (no term limits); election last held 10 May 2006

(next to be held May 2013); prime minister appointed by the

president and confirmed by parliament

election results: Giorgio NAPOLITANO elected president on the fourth

round of voting; electoral college vote - 543

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of the Senate or Senato

della Repubblica (315 seats; elected by proportional vote with the

winning coalition in each region receiving 55% of seats from that

region; members serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies

or Camera dei Deputati (630 seats; elected by popular vote with the

winning national coalition receiving 54% of chamber seats; members

serve five-year terms); note - electoral vote reform passed in

December 2005

elections: Senate - last held 10 April 2006 (next to be held in

2011); Chamber of Deputies - last held 10 April 2006 (next to be

held May 2011)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - The Union 158 (DS 62, DL 39, RC 27, Together with the Union

11, other 19), House of Freedoms 154 (FI 79, AN 41, UDC 21, LEGA

13), other 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA;

seats by party - The Union 348 (DS 220, RC 41, Rose in the Fist 18,

Italy of Values 17, PdCI 16, Greens Federation 15, UDEUR 10, other

11), House of Freedoms 276 (FI 140, AN 71, Union of Christian and

Center Democrats 39, LEGA 26), other 6

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale (composed of 15

judges: one-third appointed by the president, one-third elected by

parliament, one-third elected by the ordinary and administrative

Supreme Courts)

Political parties and leaders:

Center-Left Union Coalition [Romano PRODI]: Ulivo Alliance

(including Democrats of the Left or DS [Piero FASSINO];

Daisy-Democracy is Freedom or DL [Francesco RUTELLI]); Rose in the

Fist (including Italian Social Democrats or SDI [Enrico BOSELLI];

Italian Radical Party [Emma BONINO]); Italian Communist Party or

PdCI [Oliviero DILIBERTO]; Green Federation [Alfonso PECORARO

SCANIO]; Communist Renewal or RC [Fausto BERTINOTTI]; Italy of

Values or IdV [Antonio DI PIETRO]; Union of Democrats for Europe or

UDEUR [Clemente MASTELLA]; Republican European Movement or MRE

[Luciana SBARBATI]

Center-Right Freedom House Coalition [Silvio BERLUSCONI]: Forza

Italia or FI [Silvio BERLUSCONI]; National Alliance or AN

[Gianfranco FINI]; Union of Christian Democrats of the Center or UDC

[Pier Ferdinando CASINI]; Northern League or LEGA [Umberto BOSSI];

Christian Democracy (Per la Autonomie) [Gianfranco ROTONDI]

other non-allied parties: New Italian Socialist Party or New PSI

[Gianni DE MICHELIS]; Italian Republican Party or PRI [Giorgio LA

MALFA]; Social Alternative [Alessandra MUSSOLINI]; Social

Movement-Tricolor Flame or MSI-Fiamma [Luca ROMAGNOLI]; Social Idea

Movement with Rauti or MIS [Pino RAUTI]; South Tyrol People's Party

or SVP (German speakers) [Elmar Pichler ROLLE]; Union of Valley

Aosta Region or UV [Guido CESAL]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Italian manufacturers and merchants associations (Confindustria,

Confcommercio); organized farm groups (Confcoltivatori,

Confagricoltura); Roman Catholic Church; three major trade union

confederations (Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro or CGIL

[Guglielmo EPIFANI] which is left wing, Confederazione Italiana dei

Sindacati Lavoratori or CISL [Savino PEZZOTTA], which is Roman

Catholic centrist, and Unione Italiana del Lavoro or UIL [Luigi

ANGELETTI] which is lay centrist)

International organization participation:

AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer),

CDB, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 7, G- 8,

G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,

IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC,

LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS

(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, SECI (observer), UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO,

UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Giovanni CASTELLANETA chancery: 3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 612-4400 FAX: [1] (202) 518-2151 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco consulate(s): Detroit

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald P. SPOGLI embassy: Via Vittorio Veneto 121, 00187-Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 46741 FAX: [39] (06) 488-2672, 4674-2356 consulate(s) general: Florence, Milan, Naples

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red;

similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and is green (hoist

side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the Cote

d'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side),

white, and green

note: inspired by the French flag brought to Italy by Napoleon in

1797

Economy Italy

Economy - overview:

Italy has a diversified industrial economy with roughly the same

total and per capita output as France and the UK. This capitalistic

economy remains divided into a developed industrial north, dominated

by private companies, and a less-developed, welfare-dependent,

agricultural south, with 20% unemployment. Most raw materials needed

by industry and more than 75% of energy requirements are imported.

Over the past decade, Italy has pursued a tight fiscal policy in

order to meet the requirements of the Economic and Monetary Unions

and has benefited from lower interest and inflation rates. The

current government has enacted numerous short-term reforms aimed at

improving competitiveness and long-term growth. Italy has moved

slowly, however, on implementing needed structural reforms, such as

lightening the high tax burden and overhauling Italy's rigid labor

market and over-generous pension system, because of the current

economic slowdown and opposition from labor unions. But the

leadership faces a severe economic constraint: the budget deficit

has breached the 3% EU ceiling. The economy experienced low growth

in 2006, and unemployment remained at a high level.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.727 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.78 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

1.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$29,700 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 29.1% services: 69% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 24.63 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 5% industry: 32% services: 63% (2001)

Unemployment rate:

7% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 26.6% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

36 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.3% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

20.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $832.9 billion

expenditures: $925 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

107.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain,

olives; beef, dairy products; fish

Industries:

tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing,

textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics

Industrial production growth rate:

1.5% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

277.6 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 78.6% hydro: 18.4% nuclear: 0% other: 3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

303.8 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

800 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

46.4 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

145,100 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

1.881 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

456,600 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

2.158 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

586.6 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

12.96 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

80.61 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

396 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

67.91 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

226.5 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-23.73 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$450.1 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery,

motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; food, beverages and

tobacco; minerals, and nonferrous metals

Exports - partners:

Germany 13.1%, France 12.3%, US 8.1%, Spain 7.4%, UK 6.4% (2005)

Imports:

$445.6 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energy

products, minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing;

food, beverages, and tobacco

Imports - partners:

Germany 17.2%, France 9.9%, Netherlands 5.7%, China 4.6%, Belgium

4.5%, Spain 4.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$70.5 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.957 trillion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - donor:

ODA, $1 billion (2002 est.)

Currency (code):

euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the

euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of

member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole

currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:

EUR

Exchange rates:

euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),

0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Italy

Telephones - main lines in use:

25.049 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

72.2 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern, well developed, fast; fully automated

telephone, telex, and data services

domestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks

international: country code - 39; satellite earth stations - 3

Intelsat (with a total of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2

for Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and NA

Eutelsat; 21 submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations:

AM about 100, FM about 4,600, shortwave 9 (1998)

Radios:

50.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

358 (plus 4,728 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:

30.3 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.it

Internet hosts:

1,731,165 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

93 (Italy and Holy See) (2000)

Internet users:

28.87 million (2005)

Transportation Italy

Airports: 133 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 98 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 30 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 31 under 914 m: 14 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 35 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 19 (2006)

Heliports:

5 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 17,589 km; oil 1,136 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 19,459 km

standard gauge: 18,037 km 1.435-m gauge (11,354 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 123 km 1.000-m gauge (122 km electrified); 1,299 km

0.950-m gauge (161 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:

total: 484,688 km

paved: 484,688 km (including 6,621 km of expressways) (2004)

Waterways:

2,400 km

note: used for commercial traffic; of limited overall value compared

to road and rail (2004)

Merchant marine:

total: 591 ships (1000 GRT or over) 11,737,175 GRT/12,573,225 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 52, cargo 45, chemical tanker 136, container

25, liquefied gas 37, livestock carrier 3, passenger 16,

passenger/cargo 150, petroleum tanker 49, refrigerated cargo 4, roll

on/roll off 33, specialized tanker 13, vehicle carrier 28

foreign-owned: 36 (France 1, Greece 6, Spain 1, Taiwan 10, UK 3, US

15)

registered in other countries: 152 (Bahamas 5, Belize 4, Cayman

Islands 12, Cyprus 2, France 2, Germany 1, Gibraltar 6, Isle of Man

5, Jamaica 1, Liberia 16, Malta 29, Marshall Islands 1, Norway 4,

Panama 15, Portugal 12, Romania 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

18, Singapore 2, Spain 2, Sweden 7, Turkey 3, UK 4) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Augusta, Genoa, Livorno, Melilli Oil Terminal, Ravenna, Taranto,

Trieste, Venice

Military Italy

Military branches:

Army (Esercito Italiano, EI), Navy (Marina Militare Italiana, MMI),

Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana, AMI), Carabinieri Corps

(Corpo dei Carabinieri, CC) (2005)

Military service age and obligation:

voluntary military service; conscription abolished January 2005

(2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 13,491,260

females age 18-49: 12,886,033 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 10,963,513

females age 18-49: 10,452,189 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 286,344

females age 18-49: 270,099 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$28,182.8 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.8% (2004)

Transnational Issues Italy

Disputes - international:

Italy's long coastline and developed economy entices tens of

thousands of illegal immigrants from southeastern Europe and

northern Africa

Illicit drugs:

important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine and

Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market; money

laundering by organized crime and from smuggling

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Jamaica

Introduction Jamaica

Background:

The island - discovered by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1494 - was

settled by the Spanish early in the 16th century. The native Taino

Indians, who had inhabited Jamaica for centuries, were gradually

exterminated, replaced by African slaves. England siezed the island

in 1655 and a plantation economy - based on sugar, cocoa, and coffee

- was established. The abolition of slavery in 1834 freed a quarter

million slaves, many of which became small farmers. Jamaica

gradually obtained increasing independence from Britain, and in 1958

it joined other British Caribbean colonies in forming the Federation

of the West Indies. Jamaica gained full independence when it

withdrew from the federation in 1962. Deteriorating economic

conditions during the 1970s led to recurrent violence as rival gangs

created by the major political parties evolved into powerful

organized crime networks involved in international drug smuggling

and money laundering. The cycle of violence, drugs, and poverty has

served to impoverish large sectors of the populace. Nonetheless,

many rural and resort areas remain relatively safe and contribute

substantially to the economy.

Geography Jamaica

Location:

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba

Geographic coordinates:

18 15 N, 77 30 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 10,991 sq km

land: 10,831 sq km

water: 160 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

1,022 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior

Terrain:

mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m

Natural resources:

bauxite, gypsum, limestone

Land use:

arable land: 15.83%

permanent crops: 10.01%

other: 74.16% (2005)

Irrigated land:

250 sq km (2002)

Natural hazards:

hurricanes (especially July to November)

Environment - current issues: heavy rates of deforestation; coastal waters polluted by industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air pollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions

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

Geography - note:

strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica Channel, the

main sea lanes for the Panama Canal

People Jamaica

Population:

2,758,124 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 33.1% (male 464,297/female 449,181)

15-64 years: 59.6% (male 808,718/female 835,394)

65 years and over: 7.3% (male 90,100/female 110,434) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 23 years

male: 22.4 years

female: 23.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.8% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

20.82 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

6.52 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-6.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 15.98 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 16.66 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 15.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.24 years

male: 71.54 years

female: 75.03 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.41 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

22,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

900 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Jamaican(s)

adjective: Jamaican

Ethnic groups:

black 90.9%, East Indian 1.3%, white 0.2%, Chinese 0.2%, mixed

7.3%, other 0.1%

Religions:

Protestant 61.3% (Church of God 21.2%, Seventh-Day Adventist 9%,

Baptist 8.8%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Anglican 5.5%, Methodist 2.7%,

United Church 2.7%, Jehovah's Witness 1.6%, Brethren 1.1%, Moravian

1.1%), Roman Catholic 4%, other including some spiritual cults 34.7%

Languages:

English, patois English

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 87.9%

male: 84.1%

female: 91.6% (2003 est.)

Government Jamaica

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

Government type:

constitutional parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Kingston

geographic coordinates: 18 00 N, 76 48 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

Administrative divisions:

14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester, Portland,

Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth, Saint

James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland

note: for local government purposes, Kingston and Saint Andrew were

amalgamated in 1923 into the present single corporate body known as

the Kingston and Saint Andrew Corporation

Independence:

6 August 1962 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 6 August (1962)

Constitution:

6 August 1962

Legal system:

based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

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

represented by Governor General Kenneth O. HALL (since 15 February

2006)

head of government: Prime Minister Portia SIMPSON-MILLER (since 30

March 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of

the prime minister

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general

appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime

minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the

majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House

of Representatives is appointed prime minister by the governor

general; the deputy prime minister is recommended by the prime

minister

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 21-member body

appointed by the governor general on the recommendations of the

prime minister and the leader of the opposition; ruling party is

allocated 13 seats, and the opposition is allocated eight seats) and

the House of Representatives (60 seats; members are elected by

popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 16 October 2002 (next to be held no later than

October 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - PNP 52%, JLP 47.3%;

seats by party - PNP 34, JLP 26

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges appointed by the governor general on the

advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:

Jamaica Labor Party or JLP [Bruce GOLDING]; People's National Party

or PNP [Portia SIMPSON-MILLER]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

New Beginnings Movement or NBM; Rastafarians (black

religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists)

International organization participation:

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt

(signatory), ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Gordon SHIRLEY

chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 452-0660

FAX: [1] (202) 452-0081

consulate(s) general: Miami, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Brenda LaGrange JOHNSON

embassy: Mutual Life Building, 2 Oxford Road, 3rd floor, Kingston 5

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [1] (876) 929-4850 through 4859

FAX: [1] (876) 935-6001

Flag description:

diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles - green

(top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side)

Economy Jamaica

Economy - overview:

The Jamaican economy is heavily dependent on services, which now

account for 60% of GDP. The country continues to derive most of its

foreign exchange from remittances, tourism, and bauxite/alumina.

Jamaica's economy, already saddled with a record of relatively low

growth, was hit hard by Hurricane Ivan in late 2004, and is making a

gradual recovery. But the economy faces serious long-term problems:

high interest rates, increased foreign competition, exchange rate

instability, a sizable merchandise trade deficit, large-scale

unemployment and underemployment, and a high debt burden - the

result of government bailouts to ailing sectors of the economy, most

notably the financial sector in the mid-1990s. Following a strategy

begun in 2004, Jamaica has reduced its public debt to 130% of GDP.

Inflation has declined to 9%. Uncertain economic conditions have led

to increased civil unrest, including gang violence fueled by the

drug trade. The government faces the difficult prospect of having to

achieve fiscal discipline in order to maintain debt payments while

simultaneously attacking a serious and growing crime problem that is

hampering economic growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$12.71 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$8.579 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5.3% industry: 33.9% services: 60.8% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 1.197 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 19.3% industry: 16.6% services: 64.1% (2004)

Unemployment rate:

11% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

19.1% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.7% highest 10%: 30.3% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

37.9 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

9.1% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

30.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $3.302 billion

expenditures: $3.564 billion; including capital expenditures of

$180.4 million (2006 est.)

Public debt:

129.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, yams, ackees, vegetables;

poultry, goats, milk; crustaceans, mollusks

Industries:

tourism, bauxite/alumina, agro processing, light manufactures, rum,

cement, metal, paper, chemical products, telecommunications

Industrial production growth rate:

-2% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:

6.913 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 96.8% hydro: 1.8% nuclear: 0% other: 1.4% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

6.429 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

71,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-970 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$2.087 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

alumina, bauxite, sugar, bananas, rum, coffee, yams, beverages,

chemicals, wearing apparel, mineral fuels

Exports - partners:

US 25.8%, Canada 19.3%, UK 10.7%, Netherlands 8.6%, China 7%,

Norway 6.4%, Germany 5.6% (2005)

Imports:

$4.682 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

food and other consumer goods, industrial supplies, fuel, parts and

accessories of capital goods, machinery and transport equipment,

construction materials

Imports - partners:

US 41.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 14%, Venezuela 5.5%, Japan 4.6% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.15 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$7.384 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$18.5 million; note - US aid only (2004)

Currency (code):

Jamaican dollar (JMD)

Currency code:

JMD

Exchange rates:

Jamaican dollars per US dollar - 65.9329 (2006), 62.51 (2005),

61.197 (2004), 57.741 (2003), 48.416 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications Jamaica

Telephones - main lines in use:

342,000 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2.7 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: fully automatic domestic telephone network

domestic: NA

international: country code - 1-876; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); 3 coaxial submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 10, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

1.215 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

7 (1997)

Televisions:

460,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.jm

Internet hosts:

1,402 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

21 (2000)

Internet users:

1.067 million (2005)

Transportation Jamaica

Airports: 35 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 5 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 22 (2006)

Railways:

total: 272 km

standard gauge: 272 km 1.435-m gauge

note: 207 of these km belonging to the Jamaica Railway Corporation

had been in common carrier service until 1992 but are no longer

operational; 57 km of the remaining track is privately owned and

used by ALCAN to transport bauxite (2003)

Roadways:

total: 20,996 km

paved: 15,386 km (including 33 km of expressways)

unpaved: 5,610 km (2004)

Merchant marine:

total: 10 ships (1000 GRT or over) 124,323 GRT/184,247 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll

off 2

foreign-owned: 10 (Germany 3, Greece 6, Italy 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Kingston, Port Esquivel, Port Kaiser, Port Rhoades, Rocky Point

Military Jamaica

Military branches:

Jamaica Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Wing

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; younger recruits

may be conscripted with parental consent (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 592,018

females age 18-49: 616,500 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 478,761

females age 18-49: 504,541 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 27,923

females age 18-49: 27,889 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$31.17 million (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0.4% (2003 est.)

Transnational Issues Jamaica

Disputes - international:

none

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Jamaica is a source country for men, women, and

children trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and

labor; information suggests that women from the Dominican Republic

and Eastern Europe are also trafficked to Jamaica for sexual

exploitation; women and children are trafficked internally from

rural to urban and tourist areas for sexual exploitation; there may

also be trafficking for domestic servitude and forced labor

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Jamaica is placed on the Tier 2

Watch List based on the determination that it is making significant

efforts to undertake future action

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for cocaine from South America to North America

and Europe; illicit cultivation of cannabis; government has an

active manual cannabis eradication program; corruption is a major

concern; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics

traffickers favor Jamaica for illicit financial transactions

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Jan Mayen

Introduction Jan Mayen

Background:

This desolate, mountainous island was named after a Dutch whaling

captain who indisputably discovered it in 1614 (earlier claims are

inconclusive). Visited only occasionally by seal hunters and

trappers over the following centuries, the island came under

Norwegian sovereignty in 1929. The long dormant Haakon VII

Toppen/Beerenberg volcano resumed activity in 1970; it is the

northernmost active volcano on earth.

Geography Jan Mayen

Location:

Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the Norwegian

Sea, northeast of Iceland

Geographic coordinates:

71 00 N, 8 00 W

Map references:

Arctic Region

Area:

total: 377 sq km

land: 377 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

124.1 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 4 nm contiguous zone: 10 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog

Terrain:

volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m highest point: Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg 2,277 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg; volcanic

activity resumed in 1970

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

barren volcanic island with some moss and grass

People Jan Mayen

Population:

no indigenous inhabitants

note: personnel operate the Long Range Navigation (Loran-C) base and

the weather and coastal services radio station (July 2006 est.)

Government Jan Mayen

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Jan Mayen

Dependency status:

territory of Norway; since August 1994, administered from Oslo

through the county governor (fylkesmann) of Nordland; however,

authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian

Defense Communication Service

Legal system:

the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply

Flag description:

the flag of Norway is used

Economy Jan Mayen

Economy - overview:

Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no exploitable natural

resources. Economic activity is limited to providing services for

employees of Norway's radio and meteorological stations on the

island.

Communications Jan Mayen

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA note: there is one radio and meteorological station (1998)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 13 (Jan Mayen and Svalbard) (2000)

Transportation Jan Mayen

Airports:

1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Ports and terminals:

none; offshore anchorage only

Military Jan Mayen

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Norway

Transnational Issues Jan Mayen

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Japan

Introduction Japan

Background:

In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered in a

long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to secure

its power. For 250 years this policy enabled Japan to enjoy

stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Following the

Treaty of Kanagawa with the US in 1854, Japan opened its ports and

began to intensively modernize and industrialize. During the late

19th and early 20th centuries, Japan became a regional power that

was able to defeat the forces of both China and Russia. It occupied

Korea, Formosa (Taiwan), and southern Sakhalin Island. In 1931-32

Japan occupied Manchuria, and in 1937 it launched a full-scale

invasion of China. Japan attacked US forces in 1941 - triggering

America's entry into World War II - and soon occupied much of East

and Southeast Asia. After its defeat in World War II, Japan

recovered to become an economic power and a staunch ally of the US.

While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity,

actual power rests in networks of powerful politicians, bureaucrats,

and business executives. The economy experienced a major slowdown

starting in the 1990s following three decades of unprecedented

growth, but Japan still remains a major economic power, both in Asia

and globally.

Geography Japan

Location:

Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the

Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula

Geographic coordinates:

36 00 N, 138 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 377,835 sq km

land: 374,744 sq km

water: 3,091 sq km

note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto,

Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and

Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than California

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

29,751 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the international

straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and Eastern and

Western Channels of the Korea or Tsushima Strait

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north

Terrain:

mostly rugged and mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m highest point: Mount Fuji 3,776 m

Natural resources: negligible mineral resources, fish

Land use: arable land: 11.64% permanent crops: 0.9% other: 87.46% (2005)

Irrigated land:

25,920 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic

occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons

Environment - current issues:

air pollution from power plant emissions results in acid rain;

acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality and

threatening aquatic life; Japan is one of the largest consumers of

fish and tropical timber, contributing to the depletion of these

resources in Asia and elsewhere

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living

Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate

Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the

Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

Geography - note:

strategic location in northeast Asia

People Japan

Population:

127,463,611 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 14.2% (male 9,309,524/female 8,849,476)

15-64 years: 65.7% (male 42,158,122/female 41,611,754)

65 years and over: 20% (male 10,762,585/female 14,772,150) (2006

est.)

Median age: total: 42.9 years male: 41.1 years female: 44.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.02% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

9.37 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

9.16 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 3.24 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 3.5 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 81.25 years

male: 77.96 years

female: 84.7 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.4 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

12,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Japanese (singular and plural)

adjective: Japanese

Ethnic groups:

Japanese 99%, others 1% (Korean 511,262, Chinese 244,241, Brazilian

182,232, Filipino 89,851, other 237,914)

note: up to 230,000 Brazilians of Japanese origin migrated to Japan

in the 1990s to work in industries; some have returned to Brazil

(2004)

Religions:

observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including

Christian 0.7%)

Languages:

Japanese

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2002)

Government Japan

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Japan

local long form: Nihon-koku/Nippon-koku

local short form: Nihon/Nippon

Government type:

constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government

Capital:

name: Tokyo

geographic coordinates: 35 42 N, 139 46 E

time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka,

Fukushima, Gifu, Gunma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Hyogo, Ibaraki,

Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi, Kumamoto,

Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara, Niigata, Oita,

Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga, Shimane, Shizuoka,

Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama, Yamagata,

Yamaguchi, Yamanashi

Independence:

660 B.C. (traditional founding by Emperor JIMMU)

National holiday:

Birthday of Emperor AKIHITO, 23 December (1933)

Constitution:

3 May 1947

Legal system:

modeled after European civil law system with English-American

influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court;

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989)

head of government: Prime Minister Shinzo ABE (since 26 September

2006)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister

elections: Diet designates prime minister; constitution requires

that prime minister commands parliamentary majority; following

legislative elections, leader of majority party or leader of

majority coalition in House of Representatives usually becomes prime

minister; monarch is hereditary

election results: ABE was elected prime minister with 339 of 476

votes cast in the House of Representatives and 136 of 240 votes cast

in the House of Councilors.

Legislative branch:

bicameral Diet or Kokkai consists of the House of Councillors or

Sangi-in (242 seats - members elected for six-year terms; half

reelected every three years; 146 members in multi-seat

constituencies and 96 by proportional representation) and the House

of Representatives or Shugi-in (480 seats - members elected for

four-year terms; 300 in single-seat constituencies; 180 members by

proportional representation in 11 regional blocs)

elections: House of Councillors - last held 11 July 2004 (next to be

held in July 2007); House of Representatives - last held 11

September 2005 (next election by September 2009)

election results: House of Councillors - percent of vote by party -

NA; seats by party - LDP 115, DPJ 82, Komeito 24, JCP 9, SDP 5,

others 7; distribution of seats as of December 2006 - LDP 111, DPJ

82, Komeito 24, JCP 9, SDP 6, others 10

: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - LDP 47.8%,

DPJ 36.4%, others 15.8%; seats by party - LDP 296, DPJ 113, Komeito

31, JCP 9, SDP 7, others 24; note - seats by party as of December

2006 - LDP 305, DPJ 113, Komeito 31, JCP 9, SDP 7, others 15 (2006)

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the monarch after

designation by the cabinet; all other justices are appointed by the

cabinet)

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ [Ichiro OZAWA]; Japan Communist

Party or JCP [Kazuo SHII]; Komeito [Akihoro OTA]; Liberal Democratic

Party or LDP [Shinzo ABE]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Mizuho

FUKUSHIMA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

AfDB, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia

Group, BIS, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, G-5,

G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,

IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU,

ITUC, LAIA, MIGA, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE

(partner), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SECI

(observer), UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNDOF,

UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOVIC, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,

WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Ryozo KATO

chancery: 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 238-6700

FAX: [1] (202) 328-2187

consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver,

Detroit, Agana (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New

Orleans, New York, Portland (Oregon), San Francisco, Seattle

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador J. Thomas SCHIEFFER

embassy: 1-10-5 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420

mailing address: Unit 45004, Box 258, APO AP 96337-5004

telephone: [81] (03) 3224-5000

FAX: [81] (03) 3505-1862

consulate(s) general: Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo

consulate(s): Fukuoka, Nagoya

Flag description:

white with a large red disk (representing the sun without rays) in

the center

Economy Japan

Economy - overview:

Government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of

high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (1% of

GDP) helped Japan advance with extraordinary rapidity to the rank of

second most technologically powerful economy in the world after the

US and the third-largest economy in the world after the US and

China, measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis. One

notable characteristic of the economy is how manufacturers,

suppliers, and distributors work together in closely-knit groups

called keiretsu. A second basic feature has been the guarantee of

lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor

force. Both features are now eroding. Japan's industrial sector is

heavily dependent on imported raw materials and fuels. The tiny

agricultural sector is highly subsidized and protected, with crop

yields among the highest in the world. Usually self sufficient in

rice, Japan must import about 60% of its food on a caloric basis.

Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and

accounts for nearly 15% of the global catch. For three decades,

overall real economic growth had been spectacular - a 10% average in

the 1960s, a 5% average in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s.

Growth slowed markedly in the 1990s, averaging just 1.7%, largely

because of the after effects of overinvestment during the late 1980s

and contractionary domestic policies intended to wring speculative

excesses from the stock and real estate markets and to force a

restructuring of the economy. From 2000 to 2003, government efforts

to revive economic growth met with little success and were further

hampered by the slowing of the US, European, and Asian economies. In

2004-06, growth improved and the lingering fears of deflation in

prices and economic activity lessened. Japan's huge government debt,

which totals 175% of GDP, and the aging of the population are two

major long-run problems. Some fear that a rise in taxes could

endanger the current economic recovery. Internal conflict over the

proper way to reform the financial system will continue as Japan

Post's banking, insurance, and delivery services undergo

privatization between 2007 and 2017.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$4.22 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$4.911 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$33,100 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.6% industry: 25.3% services: 73.1% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 66.44 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 4.6% industry: 27.8% services: 67.7% (2004)

Unemployment rate:

4.1% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.8% highest 10%: 21.7% (1993)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

38.12 (2002)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

0.4% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

23.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $1.411 trillion

expenditures: $1.639 trillion; including capital expenditures

(public works only) of about $71 billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:

175.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit; pork, poultry, dairy

products, eggs; fish

Industries:

among world's largest and technologically advanced producers of

motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and

nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals, textiles, processed foods

Industrial production growth rate:

3.3% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

974.4 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 60% hydro: 8.4% nuclear: 29.8% other: 1.8% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

906.2 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

120,600 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

5.353 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

93,360 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

5.449 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

29.29 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

2.957 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

83.55 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

81.23 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

39.64 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$174.4 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$590.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

transport equipment, motor vehicles, semiconductors, electrical

machinery, chemicals

Exports - partners:

US 22.9%, China 13.4%, South Korea 7.8%, Taiwan 7.3%, Hong Kong

6.1% (2005)

Imports:

$524.1 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, fuels, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles,

raw materials (2001)

Imports - partners:

China 21%, US 12.7%, Saudi Arabia 5.5%, UAE 4.9%, Australia 4.7%,

South Korea 4.7%, Indonesia 4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$864.7 billion (August 2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.547 trillion (30 June 2006)

Economic aid - donor:

ODA, $8.9 billion (2004)

Currency (code):

yen (JPY)

Currency code:

JPY

Exchange rates:

yen per US dollar - 116.175 (2006), 110.22 (2005), 108.19 (2004),

115.93 (2003), 125.39 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications Japan

Telephones - main lines in use:

58.78 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

94.745 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: excellent domestic and international service

domestic: high level of modern technology and excellent service of

every kind

international: country code - 81; satellite earth stations - 5

Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik

(Indian Ocean region), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean

regions); submarine cables to China, Philippines, Russia, and US

(via Guam) (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 215 plus 370 repeaters, FM 89 plus 485 repeaters, shortwave 21

(2001)

Radios:

120.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 211 plus 7,341 repeaters note: in addition, US Forces are served by 3 TV stations and 2 TV cable services (1999)

Televisions:

86.5 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.jp

Internet hosts:

28,321,846 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

73 (2000)

Internet users:

86.3 million (2005)

Transportation Japan

Airports: 175 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 145 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 41 1,524 to 2,437 m: 39 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 30 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 30 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 26 (2006)

Heliports:

15 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 8,015 km; oil 170 km; oil/gas/water 60 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 23,556 km

standard gauge: 3,204 km 1.435-m gauge (3,204 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 77 km 1.372-m gauge (77 km electrified); 20,264 km

1.067-m gauge (13,280 km electrified); 11 km 0.762-m gauge (11 km

electrified) (2005)

Roadways:

total: 1.183 million km

paved: 925,000 km (including 6,946 km of expressways)

unpaved: 258,000 km (2003)

Waterways:

1,770 km (seagoing vessels use inland seas) (2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 683 ships (1000 GRT or over) 10,415,892 GRT/11,765,038 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 134, cargo 30, chemical tanker 20, container

11, liquefied gas 59, passenger 14, passenger/cargo 149, petroleum

tanker 156, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 51, vehicle

carrier 56

registered in other countries: 2,459 (Australia 1, Bahamas 51,

Belize 2, Burma 4, Cambodia 4, Cayman Islands 1, China 3, Cyprus 17,

French Southern and Antarctic Lands 4, Honduras 4, Hong Kong 67,

Indonesia 3, Isle of Man 4, South Korea 1, Liberia 102, Malaysia 4,

Malta 1, Marshall Islands 7, Mongolia 1, Norway 1, Panama 2007,

Philippines 26, Portugal 9, Singapore 100, Sweden 2, Thailand 4,

Vanuatu 28, unknown 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Chiba, Kawasaki, Kiire, Kisarazu, Kobe, Mizushima, Nagoya, Osaka,

Tokyo, Yohohama

Military Japan

Military branches:

Japanese Defense Agency (JDA): Ground Self-Defense Force (Rikujou

Jietai, GSDF), Maritime Self-Defense Force (Kaijou Jietai, MSDF),

Air Self-Defense Force (Nihon Koku-Jieitai, ASDF) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 27,003,112

females age 18-49: 26,153,482 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 22,234,663

females age 18-49: 21,494,947 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 683,147

females age 18-49: 650,157 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$44.31 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Japan

Disputes - international:

the sovereignty dispute over the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, and

Shikotan, and the Habomai group, known in Japan as the "Northern

Territories" and in Russia as the "Southern Kuril Islands," occupied

by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia and claimed

by Japan, remains the primary sticking point to signing a peace

treaty formally ending World War II hostilities; Japan and South

Korea claim Liancourt Rocks (Take-shima/Tok-do) occupied by South

Korea since 1954; China and Taiwan dispute both Japan's claims to

the uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and

Japan's unilaterally declared exclusive economic zone in the East

China Sea, the site of intensive hydrocarbon prospecting

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Jersey

Introduction Jersey

Background:

Jersey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of

the medieval Dukedom of Normandy that held sway in both France and

England. These islands were the only British soil occupied by German

troops in World War II. Jersey is a British crown dependency, but is

not part of the UK. However, the UK Government is constitutionally

responsible for defense and international representation.

Geography Jersey

Location:

Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France

Geographic coordinates:

49 15 N, 2 10 W

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 116 sq km

land: 116 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about two-thirds the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

70 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Climate:

temperate; mild winters and cool summers

Terrain:

gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 143 m

Natural resources: arable land

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of

population concentrated in Saint Helier

People Jersey

Population:

91,084 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 17.2% (male 8,139/female 7,552)

15-64 years: 67.1% (male 30,407/female 30,691)

65 years and over: 15.7% (male 6,299/female 7,996) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 41.4 years

male: 40.7 years

female: 42.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.28% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

9.3 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

9.28 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

2.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 5.16 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5.52 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.38 years

male: 76.89 years

female: 82.05 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.58 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Channel Islander(s)

adjective: Channel Islander

Ethnic groups:

Jersey 51.1%, British 34.8%, Irish, French, and other white 6.6%,

Portuguese/Madeiran 6.4%, other 1.1% (2001 census)

Religions:

Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church,

Methodist, Presbyterian

Languages:

English 94.5% (official), Portuguese 4.6%, other 0.9% (2001 census)

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

Government Jersey

Country name:

conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey

conventional short form: Jersey

Dependency status:

British crown dependency

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Saint Helier

geographic coordinates: 49 12 N, 2 07 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order

administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there

are 12 parishes including Grouville, Saint Brelade, Saint Clement,

Saint Helier, Saint John, Saint Lawrence, Saint Martin, Saint Mary,

Saint Quen, Saint Peter, Saint Saviour, and Trinity

Independence:

none (British crown dependency)

National holiday:

Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Constitution:

unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Legal system:

English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal

Court

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

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

represented by Lieutenant Governor Andrew RIDGEWAY (since 14 June

2006)

head of government: Chief Minister Frank WALKER (since December

2005); Bailiff Philip Martin BAILHACHE (since February 1995)

cabinet: Cabinet (since December 2005)

elections: ministers of the Cabinet including the chief minister are

elected by the Assembly of States; the monarch is hereditary;

lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch:

unicameral Assembly of the States of Jersey (55 voting members - 12

senators (elected for six-year terms), 12 constables or heads of

parishes (elected for three-year terms), 29 deputies (elected for

three-year terms); the bailiff and the deputy bailiff; and three

non-voting members - the Dean of Jersey, the Attorney General, and

the Solicitor General all appointed by the monarch)

elections: last held 19 October 2005 for senators and 23 November

2005 for deputies (next to be held in 2008)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 55

Judicial branch:

Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff)

Political parties and leaders: two declared parties: Centre Party; Jersey Democratic Alliance note: all senators and deputies elected in 2005 were independents

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (British crown dependency)

Flag description:

white with a diagonal red cross extending to the corners of the

flag; in the upper quadrant, surmounted by a yellow crown, a red

shield with the three lions of England in yellow

Economy Jersey

Economy - overview:

Jersey's economy is based on international financial services,

agriculture, and tourism. In 2005 the finance sector accounted for

about 50% of the island's output. Potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes,

and especially flowers are important export crops, shipped mostly to

the UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle is known worldwide and

represents an important export income earner. Milk products go to

the UK and other EU countries. Tourism accounts for one-quarter of

GDP. In recent years, the government has encouraged light industry

to locate in Jersey, with the result that an electronics industry

has developed alongside the traditional manufacturing of knitwear.

All raw material and energy requirements are imported, as well as a

large share of Jersey's food needs. Light taxes and death duties

make the island a popular tax haven. Living standards come close to

those of the UK.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$3.6 billion (2003 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

NA

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$40,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 2% services: 93% (1996)

Labor force:

52,790 (2004)

Unemployment rate:

0.9% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5.3% (2004)

Budget:

revenues: $601 million

expenditures: $588 million; including capital expenditures of $98

million (2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:

potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products

Industries:

tourism, banking and finance, dairy, electronics

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - consumption:

630.1 million kWh (2004 est.)

Electricity - imports:

NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France

Exports:

$NA

Exports - commodities:

light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles

Exports - partners:

UK (2004)

Imports:

$NA

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs,

mineral fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners:

UK (2004)

Debt - external:

$NA

Economic aid - recipient:

$0

Currency (code):

British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Jersey pound

Currency code:

GBP

Exchange rates:

Jersey pounds per US dollar - 0.54413 (2006), 0.55 (2005), 0.5462

(2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), note, the Jersey pound is at

par with the British pound

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications Jersey

Telephones - main lines in use:

73,900 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

83,900 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: 3 submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations:

AM NA, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

NA

Television broadcast stations:

2 (1997)

Televisions:

NA

Internet country code:

.je

Internet hosts:

1,240 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

NA

Internet users:

27,000 (2005)

Transportation Jersey

Airports: 1 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 577 km

Ports and terminals:

Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier

Military Jersey

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Jersey

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Jordan

Introduction Jordan

Background:

Following World War I and the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire,

the UK received a mandate to govern much of the Middle East. Britain

separated out a semi-autonomous region of Transjordan from Palestine

in the early 1920s, and the area gained its independence in 1946; it

adopted the name of Jordan in 1950. The country's long-time ruler

was King HUSSEIN (1953-99). A pragmatic leader, he successfully

navigated competing pressures from the major powers (US, USSR, and

UK), various Arab states, Israel, and a large internal Palestinian

population, despite several wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he

reinstituted parliamentary elections and gradual political

liberalization; in 1994 he signed a peace treaty with Israel. King

ABDALLAH II, the son of King HUSSEIN, assumed the throne following

his father's death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated

his power and undertaken an aggressive economic reform program.

Jordan acceded to the World Trade Organization in 2000, and began to

participate in the European Free Trade Association in 2001. After a

two-year delay, parliamentary and municipal elections took place in

the summer of 2003. The prime minister appointed in November 2005

stated the government would focus on political reforms, improving

conditions for the poor, and fighting corruption.

Geography Jordan

Location:

Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:

31 00 N, 36 00 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 92,300 sq km

land: 91,971 sq km

water: 329 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries:

total: 1,635 km

border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km,

Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km

Coastline:

26 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate:

mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)

Terrain:

mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift

Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m

highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m

Natural resources:

phosphates, potash, shale oil

Land use: arable land: 3.32% permanent crops: 1.18% other: 95.5% (2005)

Irrigated land:

750 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

droughts; periodic earthquakes

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

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

Geography - note:

strategic location at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba and as the Arab

country that shares the longest border with Israel and the occupied

West Bank

People Jordan

Population:

5,906,760 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 33.8% (male 1,018,070/female 976,442)

15-64 years: 62.4% (male 1,966,794/female 1,716,255)

65 years and over: 3.9% (male 111,636/female 117,563) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 23 years

male: 23.7 years

female: 22.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.49% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

21.25 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

2.65 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

6.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.15 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female

total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 16.76 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 20.04 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 13.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.4 years

male: 75.9 years

female: 81.05 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.63 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Jordanian(s)

adjective: Jordanian

Ethnic groups:

Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%

Religions:

Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some

Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox,

Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several

small Shi'a Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.)

Languages:

Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle

classes

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 91.3%

male: 95.9%

female: 86.3% (2003 est.)

Government Jordan

Country name:

conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

conventional short form: Jordan

local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah

local short form: Al Urdun

former: Transjordan

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Amman

geographic coordinates: 31 57 N, 35 56 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Friday in September

Administrative divisions:

12 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ajlun, Al

'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, Az

Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba

Independence:

25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British

administration)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 25 May (1946)

Constitution:

1 January 1952; amended 1954, 1955, 1958, 1960, 1965, 1973, 1974,

1976, 1984

Legal system:

based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of

legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not

accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999); Prince

HUSSEIN (born 1994), eldest son of King ABDALLAH, is first in line

to inherit the throne

head of government: Prime Minister Marouf al-BAKHIT (since 24

November 2005); Deputy Prime Minister Ziad FARIZ (since 24 November

2005)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation

with the monarch

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed

by the monarch

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of the

Senate, also called the House of Notables (Majlis al-Ayan) (55

seats; members appointed by the monarch from designated categories

of public figures; members serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of

Deputies, also called the House of Representatives (Majlis

al-Nuwaab) (110 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis

of proportional representation to serve four-year terms); note - six

seats are reserved for women and are allocated by a special

electoral panel if no women are elected

elections: Chamber of Deputies - last held 17 June 2003 (next to be

held in 2007)

election results: Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party -

independents and other 84.6%, IAF 15.4%; seats by party -

independents and other 88, IAF 16; note - six women were appointed

to fill the woman's quota seats, including one female member of the

IAF; two IAF members were expelled from the Chamber of Deputies in

2006

Judicial branch:

Court of Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final appeal)

Political parties and leaders:

al-Ahd Party; Arab Islamic Democratic Movement [Yusuf ABU BAKR,

president]; Arab Land Party [Dr. Ayishah Salih HIJAZAYN, secretary

general]; Arab Socialist Ba'th Party [Taysir al-HIMSI, secretary

general]; Ba'th Arab Progressive Party [Fu'ad DABBUR, secretary

general]; Freedom Party; Future Party; Islamic Action Front or IAF

[Zaki Sa'ed BANI IRSHEID, secretary general]; Islamic Center Party

[Marwan al-FAURI, secretary general]; Jordanian Arab Ansar Party;

Jordanian Arab New Dawn Party; Jordanian Arab Party; Jordanian

Citizens' Rights Movement; Jordanian Communist Party [Munir

HAMARINAH, secretary general]; Jordanian Communist Workers Party;

Jordanian Democratic Left Party [Musa MA'AYTEH, secretary general];

Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'id Dhiyab Ali MUSTAFA,

secretary general]; Jordanian Generations Party [Muhammad KHALAYLEH,

secretary general]; Jordanian Green Party [Muhammad BATAYNEH,

secretary general]; Jordanian Labor Party [Dr. Mazin Sulayman Jiryis

HANNA, secretary general]; Jordanian Peace Party; Jordanian People's

Committees Movement; Jordanian People's Democratic Party (Hashd)

[Ahmad YUSUF, secretary general]; Jordanian Rafah Party; Jordanian

Renaissance Party; Mission Party; Nation Party [Ahmad al-HANANDEH,

secretary general]; National Action Party (Haqq) [Tariq al-KAYYALI,

secretary general]; National Constitutional Party [Abdul Hadi

MAJALI, secretary general]; National Popular Democratic Movement

[Mahmud al-NUWAYHI, secretary general]; Progressive Party [Fawwaz

al-ZUBI, secretary general]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Anti-Normalization Committee [Ali Abu SUKKAR, president vice

chairman]; Jordan Bar Association [Hussein Mujalli, chairman];

Jordanian Press Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president]; Muslim

Brotherhood [Salem AL-FALAHAT, controller general]

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,

ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,

IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, OIC, ONUB, OPCW,

OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL,

UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,

WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador ZEID Ra'ad Zeid al-Hussein, Prince chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664 FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador David M. HALE embassy: Abdoun, Amman mailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; Unit 70200, Box 5, APO AE 09892-0200 telephone: [962] (6) 590-6000 FAX: [962] (6) 592-0121

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of black (top), representing the

Abbassid Caliphate, white, representing the Ummayyad Caliphate, and

green, representing the Fatimid Caliphate; a red isosceles triangle

on the hoist side, representing the Great Arab Revolt of 1916, and

bearing a small white seven-pointed star symbolizing the seven

verses of the opening Sura (Al-Fatiha) of the Holy Koran; the seven

points on the star represent faith in One God, humanity, national

spirit, humility, social justice, virtue, and aspirations; design is

based on the Arab Revolt flag of World War I

Economy Jordan

Economy - overview:

Jordan is a small Arab country with insufficient supplies of water,

oil, and other natural resources. Debt, poverty, and unemployment

are fundamental problems, but King ABDALLAH, since assuming the

throne in 1999, has undertaken some broad economic reforms in a

long-term effort to improve living standards. Since Jordan's

graduation from its most recent IMF program in 2002, Amman has

continued to follow IMF guidelines, practicing careful monetary

policy, and making substantial headway with privatization. The

government also has liberalized the trade regime sufficiently to

secure Jordan's membership in the WTO (2000), a free trade accord

with the US (2001), and an association agreement with the EU (2001).

These measures have helped improve productivity and have put Jordan

on the foreign investment map. Jordan imported most of its oil from

Iraq, but the US-led war in Iraq in 2003 made Jordan more dependent

on oil from other Gulf nations, and has forced the Jordanian

Government to raise retail petroleum product prices and the sales

tax base. Jordan's export market, which is heavily dependent on

exports to Iraq, was also affected by the war but recovered quickly

while contributing to the Iraq recovery effort. The main challenges

facing Jordan are reducing dependence on foreign grants, reducing

the budget deficit, and creating investment incentives to promote

job creation.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$28.89 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$12.32 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,900 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.6% industry: 30.5% services: 65.9% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 1.512 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 5% industry: 12.5% services: 82.5% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:

15% official rate; unofficial rate is approximately 30% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

30% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.3% highest 10%: 29.8% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

36.4 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.6% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

24.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $4.191 billion

expenditures: $5.305 billion; including capital expenditures of

$1.092 billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:

79.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, barley, citrus, tomatoes, melons, olives; sheep, goats,

poultry

Industries:

textiles, phosphate mining, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, petroleum

refining, cement, potash, inorganic chemicals, light manufacturing,

tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

6% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

8.431 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.4% hydro: 0.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

8.387 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

4 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

550 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

107,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports:

100,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - proved reserves:

445,000 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

310 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

1.41 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

1.1 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

6.23 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-2.834 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$4.798 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

clothing, pharmaceuticals, potash, phosphates, fertilizers,

vegetables, manufactures

Exports - partners:

US 26.2%, Iraq 17.1%, India 8.1%, Saudi Arabia 5.9%, Syria 4.7%

(2005)

Imports:

$10.42 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

crude oil, textile fabrics, machinery, transport equipment,

manufactured goods

Imports - partners:

Saudi Arabia 23.6%, China 9.2%, Germany 8%, US 5.6% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$5.55 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$9.071 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

ODA, $752 million (2005 est.)

Currency (code):

Jordanian dinar (JOD)

Currency code:

JOD

Exchange rates:

Jordanian dinars per US dollar - 0.709 (2006), 0.709 (2005), 0.709

(2004), 0.709 (2003), 0.709 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Jordan

Telephones - main lines in use:

628,200 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

3,012,800 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: service has improved recently with increased

use of digital switching equipment, but better access to the

telephone system is needed in the rural areas and easier access to

pay telephones is needed by the urban public

domestic: microwave radio relay transmission and coaxial and

fiber-optic cable are employed on trunk lines; considerable use of

mobile cellular systems; Internet service is available

international: country code - 962; satellite earth stations - 3

Intelsat, 1 Arabsat, and 29 land and maritime Inmarsat terminals;

fiber-optic cable to Saudi Arabia and microwave radio relay link

with Egypt and Syria; connection to international submarine cable

FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); participant in MEDARABTEL;

international links total about 4,000

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999)

Radios:

1.66 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

20 (plus 96 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:

500,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.jo

Internet hosts:

3,441 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

5 (2000)

Internet users:

629,500 (2005)

Transportation Jordan

Airports: 17 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 2

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Heliports:

1 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 426 km; oil 49 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 505 km

narrow gauge: 505 km 1.050-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 7,500 km

paved: 7,500 km (2004)

Merchant marine:

total: 25 ships (1000 GRT or over) 346,698 GRT/501,060 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 9, container 2, passenger/cargo 6,

petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 4

foreign-owned: 11 (UAE 11)

registered in other countries: 15 (Bahamas 2, Panama 13) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Al 'Aqabah

Military Jordan

Military branches:

Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF): Royal Jordanian Land Force, Royal

Jordanian Navy, Royal Jordanian Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya

al-Malakiya al-Urduniya), Special Operations Command (Socom); Public

Security Directorate (normally falls under Ministry of Interior, but

comes under JAF in wartime or crisis situations) (2006)

Military service age and obligation: 17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription at age 18 was suspended in 1999, although all males under age 37 are required to register; women not subject to conscription, but can volunteer to serve in non-combat military positions (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 17-49: 1,573,995

females age 17-49: 1,346,642 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 17-49: 1,348,076

females age 17-49: 1,158,011 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 60,625

females age 17-49: 58,218 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$1.4 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

11.4% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Jordan

Disputes - international:

2004 Agreement settles border dispute with Syria pending demarcation

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 1,835,704 (Palestinian Refugees

(UNRWA)), 700,000 (Iraq)

IDPs: 160,000 (1967 Arab-Israeli War) (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Kazakhstan

Introduction Kazakhstan

Background:

Native Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes who

migrated into the region in the 13th century, were rarely united as

a single nation. The area was conquered by Russia in the 18th

century, and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1936. During the

1950s and 1960s agricultural "Virgin Lands" program, Soviet citizens

were encouraged to help cultivate Kazakhstan's northern pastures.

This influx of immigrants (mostly Russians, but also some other

deported nationalities) skewed the ethnic mixture and enabled

non-Kazakhs to outnumber natives. Independence in 1991 caused many

of these newcomers to emigrate. Current issues include: developing a

cohesive national identity; expanding the development of the

country's vast energy resources and exporting them to world markets;

achieving a sustainable economic growth outside the oil, gas, and

mining sectors; and strengthening relations with neighboring states

and other foreign powers.

Geography Kazakhstan

Location:

Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of the Ural

River in eastern-most Europe

Geographic coordinates:

48 00 N, 68 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 2,717,300 sq km

land: 2,669,800 sq km

water: 47,500 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than four times the size of Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 12,012 km

border countries: China 1,533 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,051 km, Russia 6,846

km, Turkmenistan 379 km, Uzbekistan 2,203 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked); note - Kazakhstan borders the Aral Sea, now

split into two bodies of water (1,070 km), and the Caspian Sea

(1,894 km)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid

Terrain:

extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from the plains

in western Siberia to oases and desert in Central Asia

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy -132 m

highest point: Khan Tangiri Shyngy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m

Natural resources:

major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore,

manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead,

zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium

Land use:

arable land: 8.28%

permanent crops: 0.05%

other: 91.67% (2005)

Irrigated land:

35,560 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

earthquakes in the south, mudslides around Almaty

Environment - current issues:

radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with former defense

industries and test ranges scattered throughout the country pose

health risks for humans and animals; industrial pollution is severe

in some cities; because the two main rivers which flowed into the

Aral Sea have been diverted for irrigation, it is drying up and

leaving behind a harmful layer of chemical pesticides and natural

salts; these substances are then picked up by the wind and blown

into noxious dust storms; pollution in the Caspian Sea; soil

pollution from overuse of agricultural chemicals and salination from

poor infrastructure and wasteful irrigation practices

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:

landlocked; Russia leases approximately 6,000 sq km of territory

enclosing the Baykonur Cosmodrome; in January 2004, Kazakhstan and

Russia extended the lease to 2050

People Kazakhstan

Population:

15,233,244 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 23% (male 1,792,685/female 1,717,294)

15-64 years: 68.8% (male 5,122,027/female 5,357,819)

65 years and over: 8.2% (male 438,541/female 804,878) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 28.8 years

male: 27.2 years

female: 30.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.33% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

16 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

9.42 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-3.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.55 male(s)/female

total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 28.3 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 32.88 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 23.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 66.89 years

male: 61.56 years

female: 72.52 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.89 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

16,500 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Kazakhstani(s)

adjective: Kazakhstani

Ethnic groups:

Kazakh (Qazaq) 53.4%, Russian 30%, Ukrainian 3.7%, Uzbek 2.5%,

German 2.4%, Tatar 1.7%, Uygur 1.4%, other 4.9% (1999 census)

Religions:

Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%

Languages:

Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official, used in

everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic

communication") 95% (2001 est.)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.4%

male: 99.1%

female: 97.7% (1999 est.)

Government Kazakhstan

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Kazakhstan

conventional short form: Kazakhstan

local long form: Qazaqstan Respublikasy

local short form: Qazaqstan

former: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power

outside the executive branch

Capital:

name: Astana

geographic coordinates: 51 10 N, 71 30 E

time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

note: Kazakhstan is divided into three time zones

Administrative divisions:

14 provinces (oblystar, singular - oblys) and 3 cities* (qala,

singular - qalasy); Almaty Oblysy, Almaty Qalasy*, Aqmola Oblysy

(Astana), Aqtobe Oblysy, Astana Qalasy*, Atyrau Oblysy, Batys

Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oral), Bayqongyr Qalasy*, Mangghystau Oblysy

(Aqtau), Ongtustik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Shymkent), Pavlodar Oblysy,

Qaraghandy Oblysy, Qostanay Oblysy, Qyzylorda Oblysy, Shyghys

Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oskemen), Soltustik Qazaqstan Oblysy

(Petropavlovsk), Zhambyl Oblysy (Taraz)

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their

administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center

name following in parentheses); in 1995, the Governments of

Kazakhstan and Russia entered into an agreement whereby Russia would

lease for a period of 20 years an area of 6,000 sq km enclosing the

Baykonur space launch facilities and the city of Bayqongyr

(Baykonur, formerly Leninsk); in 2004, a new agreement extended the

lease to 2050

Independence:

16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 16 December (1991)

Constitution:

first post-independence constitution adopted 28 January 1993; new

constitution adopted by national referendum 30 August 1995

Legal system:

based on civil law system

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV (chairman of the

Supreme Soviet from 22 February 1990, elected president 1 December

1991)

head of government: Prime Minister Karim MASIMOV (since 10 January

2007); Deputy Prime Minister Aslan MUSIN (since 11 January 2007)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term

(two term limit); election last held 4 December 2005 (next to be

held in 2012); prime minister and first deputy prime minister

appointed by the president

election results: Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV reelected president;

percent of vote - Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV 91.1%, Zharmakhan A.

TUYAKBAI 6.6%, Alikhan M. BAIMENOV 1.6%

note: President NAZARBAYEV arranged a referendum in 1995 that

extended his term of office and expanded his presidential powers:

only he can initiate constitutional amendments, appoint and dismiss

the government, dissolve Parliament, call referenda at his

discretion, and appoint administrative heads of regions and cities

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (39 seats; 7 senators

are appointed by the president; other members are elected by local

government bodies, 2 from each of the 14 oblasts, the capital of

Astana, and the city of Almaty, to serve six-year terms; note -

formerly composed of 47 seats) and the Mazhilis (77 seats; 10 out of

the 77 Mazhilis members are elected from the winning party's lists;

members are popularly elected to serve five-year terms)

elections: Senate - (indirect) last held December 2005; next to be

held in 2011; Mazhilis - last held 19 September and 3 October 2004

(next to be held in September 2009)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - NA; candidates nominated by local councils; Mazhilis -

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Otan 42, AIST 11,

ASAR (All Together) 4, Aq Zhol (Bright Path) 1, Democratic Party 1

(party refused to take the seat due to criticism of the election and

seat remained unoccupied), independent 18; note - most independent

candidates are affiliated with parastatal enterprises and other

pro-government institutions

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (44 members); Constitutional Council (7 members)

Political parties and leaders:

Adilet (Justice) [Maksut NARIKBAYEV, co-chair, Zeynulla

ALSHIMBAYEV, co-chair, Bakhytbek AKHMETZHAN, co-chair, Yerkin

ONGARBAYEV, co-chair, Tolegan SYDYKOV, co-chair] (formerly

Democratic Party of Kazakhstan); Aq Zhol Party (Bright Path)

[Alikhan BAIMENOV, chairman]; AUL (Village) [Gani KALIYEV,

chairman]; Communist Party of Kazakhstan or KPK [Serikbolsyn

ABDILDIN, first secretary]; Communist People's Party of Kazakhstan

[Vladislav KOSAREV, first secretary]; Otan [Bakhytzhan ZHUMAGULOV,

acting chairman] (the Agrarian, Asar, and Civic parties merged with

Otan); Patriots' Party [Gani KASYMOV, chairman]; Rukhaniyat

(Spirituality) [Altynshash ZHAGANOVA, chairwoman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Adil-Soz [Tamara KALEYEVA]; Almaty Helsinki Group [Ninel FOKINA];

Confederation of Free Trade Unions [Sergei BELKIN]; For a Just

Kazakhstan [Bolat ABILOV]; For Fair Elections [Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS,

Sabit ZHUSUPOV, Sergey DUVANOV, Ibrash NUSUPBAYEV]; Kazakhstan

International Bureau on Human Rights [Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS, executive

director]; Pan-National Social Democratic Party of Kazakhstan

[Zharmakhan TUYAKBAI]; Pensioners Movement or Pokoleniye [Irina

SAVOSTINA, chairwoman]; Republican Network of International Monitors

[Dos KUSHIM]; Transparency International [Sergei ZLOTNIKOV]

International organization participation:

AsDB, CIS, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,

IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW,

OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,

WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Kanat B. SAUDABAYEV

chancery: 1401 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 232-5488

FAX: [1] (202) 232-5845

consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador John M. ORDWAY

embassy: Ak Bulak 4, Str. 23-22, Building #3, Astana 010010

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [7] (3172) 70-21-00

FAX: [7] (3172) 34-08-90

Flag description:

sky blue background representing the endless sky and a gold sun

with 32 rays soaring above a golden steppe eagle in the center; on

the hoist side is a "national ornamentation" in gold

Economy Kazakhstan

Economy - overview:

Kazakhstan, the largest of the former Soviet republics in

territory, excluding Russia, possesses enormous fossil fuel reserves

and plentiful supplies of other minerals and metals. It also has a

large agricultural sector featuring livestock and grain.

Kazakhstan's industrial sector rests on the extraction and

processing of these natural resources and also on a growing

machine-building sector specializing in construction equipment,

tractors, agricultural machinery, and some defense items. The

breakup of the USSR in December 1991 and the collapse in demand for

Kazakhstan's traditional heavy industry products resulted in a

short-term contraction of the economy, with the steepest annual

decline occurring in 1994. In 1995-97, the pace of the government

program of economic reform and privatization quickened, resulting in

a substantial shifting of assets into the private sector. Kazakhstan

enjoyed double-digit growth in 2000-01 - 8% or more per year in

2002-06 - thanks largely to its booming energy sector, but also to

economic reform, good harvests, and foreign investment. The opening

of the Caspian Consortium pipeline in 2001, from western

Kazakhstan's Tengiz oilfield to the Black Sea, substantially raised

export capacity. Kazakhstan in 2006 completed the Atasu-Alashankou

portion of an oil pipeline to China that is planned to extend from

the country's Caspian coast eastward to the Chinese border in future

construction. The country has embarked upon an industrial policy

designed to diversify the economy away from overdependence on the

oil sector by developing light industry. The policy aims to reduce

the influence of foreign investment and foreign personnel. The

government has engaged in several disputes with foreign oil

companies over the terms of production agreements; tensions

continue. Upward pressure on the local currency continued in 2006

due to massive oil-related foreign-exchange inflows.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$138.7 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$52.6 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

8.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$9,100 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6.3% industry: 41.1% services: 52.7% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 7.834 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 20% industry: 30% services: 50% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:

7.4% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

19% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.3% highest 10%: 26.5% (2004 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

31.5 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

8.6% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

27% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $18.48 billion

expenditures: $18.09 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

11% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

grain (mostly spring wheat), cotton; livestock

Industries:

oil, coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, lead, zinc, copper,

titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur, iron and steel;

tractors and other agricultural machinery, electric motors,

construction materials

Industrial production growth rate:

7.7% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

63.26 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 84.3% hydro: 15.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

58.3 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

4.9 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

4.37 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

1.3 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

220,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

890,000 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:

47,000 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves:

26 billion bbl (1 January 2004)

Natural gas - production:

20.49 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

15.75 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

7.01 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

2.27 billion cu m

Natural gas - proved reserves:

1.841 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$133 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$35.55 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

oil and oil products 58%, ferrous metals 24%, chemicals 5%,

machinery 3%, grain, wool, meat, coal (2001)

Exports - partners:

Russia 12.4%, Germany 12%, China 11.2%, Italy 8.8%, France 8.6%,

Romania 5.1%, US 4.5% (2005)

Imports:

$22 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment 41%, metal products 28%, foodstuffs 8%

(2001)

Imports - partners:

Russia 35.7%, China 21.3%, Germany 7.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$15.26 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$53.89 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$74.2 million in US assistance programs, 1992-2000 (FY2004)

Currency (code):

tenge (KZT)

Currency code:

KZT

Exchange rates:

tenge per US dollar - 125.556 (2006), 132.88 (2005), 136.04 (2004),

149.58 (2003), 153.28 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Kazakhstan

Telephones - main lines in use:

2.5 million (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

4.955 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: service is poor; equipment antiquated

domestic: intercity by landline and microwave radio relay; mobile

cellular systems are available in most of Kazakhstan

international: country code - 7; international traffic with other

former Soviet republics and China carried by landline and microwave

radio relay and with other countries by satellite and by the

Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable; satellite earth stations

- 2 Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 60, FM 17, shortwave 9 (1998)

Radios:

6.47 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

12 (plus nine repeaters) (1998)

Televisions:

3.88 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.kz

Internet hosts:

21,187 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

10 (with their own international channels) (2001)

Internet users:

400,000 (2005)

Transportation Kazakhstan

Airports: 150 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 67

over 3,047 m: 9

2,438 to 3,047 m: 27

1,524 to 2,437 m: 17

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 10 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 83

over 3,047 m: 5

2,438 to 3,047 m: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 9

914 to 1,523 m: 10

under 914 m: 53 (2006)

Heliports:

4 (2006)

Pipelines:

condensate 658 km; gas 11,019 km; oil 10,338 km; refined products

1,095 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 13,700 km

broad gauge: 13,700 km 1.520-m gauge (3,700 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:

total: 90,018 km

paved: 84,104 km

unpaved: 5,914 km (2004)

Waterways:

4,000 km (on the Ertis (Irtysh) (80%) and Syr Darya (Syrdariya)

rivers) (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 6 ships (1000 GRT or over) 27,173 GRT/43,475 DWT

by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 1

foreign-owned: 2 (Oman 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Aqtau (Shevchenko), Atyrau (Gur'yev), Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk),

Pavlodar, Semey (Semipalatinsk)

Military Kazakhstan

Military branches:

Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Naval Force, Republican

Guard

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service

obligation - two years; minimum age for volunteers NA (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 3,758,255

females age 18-49: 3,822,845 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 2,473,529

females age 18-49: 3,168,048 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 173,129

females age 18-49: 168,697 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$221.8 million (Ministry of Defense expenditures) (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0.9% (Ministry of Defense expenditures) (FY02)

Transnational Issues Kazakhstan

Disputes - international:

in 2005, Kazakhstan agreed with Russia, Turkmenistan, and

Uzbekistan to commence demarcating their boundaries; delimitation

with Kyrgyzstan is complete; creation of a seabed boundary with

Turkmenistan in the Caspian Sea remains unresolved; equidistant

seabed treaties have been ratified with Azerbaijan and Russia in the

Caspian Sea, but no resolution has been made on dividing the water

column among any of the littoral states

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 5,000 (Russia) (2006)

Illicit drugs:

significant illicit cultivation of cannabis for CIS markets, as

well as limited cultivation of opium poppy and ephedra (for the drug

ephedrine); limited government eradication of illicit crops; transit

point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia and the rest of

Europe

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Kenya

Introduction Kenya

Background:

Founding president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA led

Kenya from independence in 1963 until his death in 1978, when

President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI took power in a constitutional

succession. The country was a de facto one-party state from 1969

until 1982 when the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) made

itself the sole legal party in Kenya. MOI acceded to internal and

external pressure for political liberalization in late 1991. The

ethnically fractured opposition failed to dislodge KANU from power

in elections in 1992 and 1997, which were marred by violence and

fraud, but were viewed as having generally reflected the will of the

Kenyan people. President MOI stepped down in December 2002 following

fair and peaceful elections. Mwai KIBAKI, running as the candidate

of the multiethnic, united opposition group, the National Rainbow

Coalition (NARC), defeated KANU candidate Uhuru KENYATTA and assumed

the presidency following a campaign centered on an anticorruption

platform. KIBAKI's NARC coalition splintered in 2005 over the

constitutional review process. Government defectors joined with KANU

to form a new opposition coalition, the Orange Democratic Movement,

which defeated the government's draft constitution in a popular

referendum in November 2005.

Geography Kenya

Location:

Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and

Tanzania

Geographic coordinates:

1 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 582,650 sq km

land: 569,250 sq km

water: 13,400 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than twice the size of Nevada

Land boundaries:

total: 3,477 km

border countries: Ethiopia 861 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km,

Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km

Coastline:

536 km

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

Climate:

varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior

Terrain:

low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley;

fertile plateau in west

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m

Natural resources:

limestone, soda ash, salt, gemstones, fluorspar, zinc, diatomite,

gypsum, wildlife, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 8.01% permanent crops: 0.97% other: 91.02% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,030 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons

Environment - current issues: water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; poaching

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful

agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers are found on

Mount Kenya, Africa's second highest peak; unique physiography

supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic

value

People Kenya

Population:

34,707,817

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 42.6% (male 7,454,765/female 7,322,130)

15-64 years: 55.1% (male 9,631,488/female 9,508,068)

65 years and over: 2.3% (male 359,354/female 432,012) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.2 years

male: 18.1 years

female: 18.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.57% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

39.72 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

14.02 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population

note: according to the UNHCR, by the end of 2005 Kenya was host to

233,778 refugees from neighboring countries, including Somalia

153,627, Sudan 67,556, Ethiopia 12,595 (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 59.26 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 61.92 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 56.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 48.93 years

male: 49.78 years

female: 48.07 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.91 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

6.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

1.2 million (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

150,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)

Nationality: noun: Kenyan(s) adjective: Kenyan

Ethnic groups:

Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%,

Meru 6%, other African 15%, non-African (Asian, European, and Arab)

1%

Religions:

Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, indigenous beliefs 10%, Muslim

10%, other 2%

note: a large majority of Kenyans are Christian, but estimates for

the percentage of the population that adheres to Islam or indigenous

beliefs vary widely

Languages:

English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous

languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 85.1%

male: 90.6%

female: 79.7% (2003 est.)

Government Kenya

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Kenya

conventional short form: Kenya

local long form: Republic of Kenya/Jamhuri y Kenya

local short form: Kenya

former: British East Africa

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Nairobi

geographic coordinates: 1 17 S, 36 49 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi Area*,

North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western

Independence:

12 December 1963 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 12 December (1963)

Constitution:

12 December 1963; amended as a republic 1964; reissued with

amendments 1979, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1997, 2001; note - a

new draft constitution was defeated by popular referendum in 2005

Legal system:

based on Kenyan statutory law, Kenyan and English common law,

tribal law, and Islamic law; judicial review in High Court; accepts

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; constitutional

amendment of 1982 making Kenya a de jure one-party state repealed in

1991

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002);

Vice President Moody AWORI (since 25 September 2003); note - the

president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002);

Vice President Moody AWORI (since 25 September 2003); note - the

president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); in addition to receiving the largest

number of votes in absolute terms, the presidential candidate must

also win 25% or more of the vote in at least five of Kenya's seven

provinces and one area to avoid a runoff; election last held 27

December 2002 (next to be held December 2007); vice president

appointed by the president

election results: President Mwai KIBAKI elected; percent of vote -

Mwai KIBAKI 63%, Uhuru KENYATTA 30%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (224 seats; 210 members

elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms, 12 so-called

"nominated" members who are appointed by the president but selected

by the parties in proportion to their parliamentary vote totals, 2

ex-officio members)

elections: last held 27 December 2002 (next to be held December 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

NARC 125, KANU 64, FORD-P 14, other 7; ex-officio 2; seats appointed

by the president - NARC 7, KANU 4, FORD-P 1

Judicial branch:

Court of Appeal (chief justice is appointed by the president); High

Court

Political parties and leaders:

Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Kenya or FORD-Kenya

[Musikari KOMBO or Soita SHITANDA, disputed]; Forum for the

Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-People [Simeon NYACHAE];

Kenya African National Union or KANU [Nicholas BIWOTT or Uhuru

KENYATTA, disputed]; National Rainbow Coalition-Kenya or NARC-K

[Mwai KIBAKI, unofficially, since the break-up of Kibaki's original

coalition]; Orange Democratic Movement-Kenya or ODM-Kenya [Raila

ODINGA, unofficially]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

human rights groups; labor unions; Muslim organizations; National

Convention Executive Council or NCEC, a proreform coalition of

political parties and nongovernment organizations [Ndung'u WAINANA];

Protestant National Council of Churches of Kenya or NCCK [Mutava

MUSYIMI]; Roman Catholic and other Christian churches; Supreme

Council of Kenya Muslims or SUPKEM [Shaykh Abdul Gafur al-BUSAIDY]

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EADB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, ONUB,

OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS,

UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Peter Rateng Oginga OGEGO

chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 387-6101

FAX: [1] (202) 462-3829

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael RANNEBERGER embassy: US Embassy, United Nations Ave., Gigiri; P. O. Box 606 Village Market Nairobi mailing address: Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831 telephone: [254] (20) 537-800 FAX: [254] (20) 537-810

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; the

red band is edged in white; a large warrior's shield covering

crossed spears is superimposed at the center

Economy Kenya

Economy - overview:

The regional hub for trade and finance in East Africa, Kenya has

been hampered by corruption and by reliance upon several primary

goods whose prices have remained low. In 1997, the IMF suspended

Kenya's Enhanced Structural Adjustment Program due to the

government's failure to maintain reforms and curb corruption. A

severe drought from 1999 to 2000 compounded Kenya's problems,

causing water and energy rationing and reducing agricultural output.

As a result, GDP contracted by 0.2% in 2000. The IMF, which had

resumed loans in 2000 to help Kenya through the drought, again

halted lending in 2001 when the government failed to institute

several anticorruption measures. Despite the return of strong rains

in 2001, weak commodity prices, endemic corruption, and low

investment limited Kenya's economic growth to 1.2%. Growth lagged at

1.1% in 2002 because of erratic rains, low investor confidence,

meager donor support, and political infighting up to the elections.

In the key December 2002 elections, Daniel Arap MOI's 24-year-old

reign ended, and a new opposition government took on the formidable

economic problems facing the nation. In 2003, progress was made in

rooting out corruption and encouraging donor support. Since then,

however, the KIBAKI government has been rocked by high-level graft

scandals. The World Bank suspended aid for most of 2006, and the IMF

has delayed loans pending further action by the government on

corruption. The scandals have not seemed to affect growth, with GDP

growing more than 5% in 2006.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$40.77 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$17.39 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,200 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 16.3% industry: 18.8% services: 65% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 1.955 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 75% industry and services: 25% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:

40% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:

50% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2%

highest 10%: 37.2% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

44.5 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

10.5% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

19.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $4.448 billion

expenditures: $5.377 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

50.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

tea, coffee, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables; dairy

products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs

Industries:

small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries,

textiles, clothing, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products,

horticulture, oil refining; aluminum, steel, lead; cement,

commercial ship repair, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

6.3% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

5.709 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 17.7% hydro: 71% nuclear: 0% other: 11.3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

5.459 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

150 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

55,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-1.119 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$3.614 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

tea, horticultural products, coffee, petroleum products, fish,

cement

Exports - partners:

Uganda 14.2%, UK 10.8%, US 9.7%, Netherlands 8.3%, Egypt 5.2%,

Pakistan 4.8%, Tanzania 4.8% (2005)

Imports:

$6.602 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, motor

vehicles, iron and steel, resins and plastics

Imports - partners:

UAE 20.9%, US 9.2%, India 7.7%, South Africa 6.7%, China 6.6%,

Saudi Arabia 6.5%, UK 5.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.35 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$6.675 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$453 million (1997)

Currency (code):

Kenyan shilling (KES)

Currency code:

KES

Exchange rates:

Kenyan shillings per US dollar - 72.7649 (2006), 75.554 (2005),

79.174 (2004), 75.936 (2003), 78.749 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 July - 30 June

Communications Kenya

Telephones - main lines in use:

281,800 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

6.5 million (2006)

Telephone system:

general assessment: unreliable; little attempt to modernize except

for service to business

domestic: trunks are primarily microwave radio relay; business data

commonly transferred by a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system

international: country code - 254; satellite earth stations - 4

Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 24, FM 18, shortwave 6 (2001)

Radios:

3.07 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

8 (2002)

Televisions:

730,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.ke

Internet hosts:

13,274 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

65 (2001)

Internet users:

1,054,900 (2005)

Transportation Kenya

Airports: 225 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 210 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 115 under 914 m: 84 (2006)

Pipelines: refined products 894 km (2006)

Railways: total: 2,778 km narrow gauge: 2,778 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 63,265 km (interurban roads)

paved: 8,933 km

unpaved: 54,332 km

note: there also are 100,000 km of rural roads and 14,500 km of

urban roads for a national total of 177,765 km (2004)

Waterways:

part of Lake Victoria system is within boundaries of Kenya (2003)

Merchant marine:

total: 3 ships (1000 GRT or over) 6,049 GRT/7,082 DWT

by type: passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1

registered in other countries: 6 (Bahamas 1, Comoros 1, Saint

Vincent and the Grenadines 2, Tuvalu 1, unknown 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Mombasa

Military Kenya

Military branches:

Kenyan Army, Kenyan Navy, Kenyan Air Force (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 7,303,153

females age 18-49: 7,083,726 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 3,963,532

females age 18-49: 3,471,926 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$280.5 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.6% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Kenya

Disputes - international:

Kenya served as an important mediator in brokering Sudan's

north-south separation in February 2005; Kenya provides shelter to

approximately a quarter of a million refugees including Ugandans who

flee across the border periodically to seek protection from Lord's

Resistance Army (LRA) rebels; the Kenya-Somalia border is open to

pastoralists and is susceptible to cross-border clan insurgencies;

Kenya's administrative limits extend beyond the treaty border into

the Sudan, creating the Ilemi Triangle

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 150,459 (Somalia), 76,646 (Sudan),

14,862 (Ethiopia)

IDPs: 431,150 (KANU attacks on opposition tribal groups in 1990s)

(2006)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Kenya is a source, transit, and destination

country for men, women, and children trafficked for forced labor and

sexual exploitation; children are trafficked within the country for

domestic servitude, street vending, agricultural labor, and sexual

exploitation; men, women, and girls are trafficked to the Middle

East, other African nations, Western Europe, and North America for

domestic servitude, enslavement in massage parlors and brothels, and

manual labor; Chinese women trafficked for sexual exploitation

reportedly transit Nairobi and Bangladeshis may transit Kenya for

forced labor in other countries

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Kenya is placed on the Tier 2 Watch

List due to a lack of evidence of increasing efforts to combat

severe forms of trafficking

Illicit drugs:

widespread harvesting of small plots of marijuana; transit country

for South Asian heroin destined for Europe and North America; Indian

methaqualone also transits on way to South Africa; significant

potential for money-laundering activity given the country's status

as a regional financial center; massive corruption, and relatively

high levels of narcotics-associated activities

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Kiribati

Introduction Kiribati

Background:

The Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in 1971 and

complete independence in 1979 under the new name of Kiribati. The US

relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and Line

Island groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with Kiribati.

Geography Kiribati

Location:

Oceania, group of 33 coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean, straddling

the Equator; the capital Tarawa is about one-half of the way from

Hawaii to Australia; note - on 1 January 1995, Kiribati proclaimed

that all of its territory lies in the same time zone as its Gilbert

Islands group (GMT +12) even though the Phoenix Islands and the Line

Islands under its jurisdiction lie on the other side of the

International Date Line

Geographic coordinates:

1 25 N, 173 00 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 811 sq km

land: 811 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands,

Phoenix Islands

Area - comparative:

four times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

1,143 km

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

Climate:

tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds

Terrain:

mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Banaba 81 m

Natural resources: phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)

Land use: arable land: 2.74% permanent crops: 47.95% other: 49.31% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March;

occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them

very sensitive to changes in sea level

Environment - current issues:

heavy pollution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due to heavy

migration mixed with traditional practices such as lagoon latrines

and open-pit dumping; ground water at risk

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine

Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

21 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean Island) in

Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the

Pacific Ocean - the others are Makatea in French Polynesia, and Nauru

People Kiribati

Population:

105,432 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 38.6% (male 20,608/female 20,060)

15-64 years: 58.1% (male 30,216/female 31,004)

65 years and over: 3.4% (male 1,517/female 2,027) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 20.2 years

male: 19.8 years

female: 20.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.24% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

30.65 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

8.26 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 47.27 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 52.34 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 41.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 62.08 years

male: 59.06 years

female: 65.24 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.16 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: I-Kiribati (singular and plural)

adjective: I-Kiribati

Ethnic groups:

Micronesian 98.8%, other 1.2% (2000 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 52%, Protestant (Congregational) 40%, some

Seventh-Day Adventist, Muslim, Baha'i, Latter-day Saints, Church of

God (1999)

Languages:

I-Kiribati, English (official)

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

Government Kiribati

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati

conventional short form: Kiribati

local long form: Republic of Kiribati

local short form: Kiribati

note: pronounced keer-ree-bahss

former: Gilbert Islands

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Tarawa

geographic coordinates: 1 25 N, 173 00 E

time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands; note - in

addition, there are 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts, Line

Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) and 21 island

councils - one for each of the inhabited islands (Abaiang, Abemama,

Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton, Kiritimati,

Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea,

Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina)

Independence:

12 July 1979 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 12 July (1979)

Constitution:

12 July 1979

Legal system:

NA

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice

President Teima ONORIO; note - the president is both the chief of

state and head of government

head of government: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice

President Teima ONORIO

cabinet: 12-member cabinet appointed by the president from among the

members of the House of Parliament

elections: the House of Parliament chooses the presidential

candidates from among its members and then those candidates compete

in a general election; president is elected by popular vote for a

four-year term (eligible for two more terms); election last held 4

July 2003 (next to be held not later than July 2007); vice president

appointed by the president

election results: Anote TONG 47.4%, Harry TONG 43.5%, Banuera BERINA

9.1%

Legislative branch:

unicameral House of Parliament or Maneaba Ni Maungatabu (42 seats;

39 elected by popular vote, 1 ex officio member - the attorney

general, 1 appointed to represent Banaba, and 1 other; members serve

four-year terms)

elections: legislative elections were held in two rounds - the first

round on 9 May 2003 and the second round on 14 May 2003 (next to be

held by November 2006)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

BTK 17, MTM 16, independents 7, other 2 (includes attorney general)

Judicial branch:

Court of Appeal; High Court; 26 Magistrates' courts; judges at all

levels are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders:

Boutokaan Te Koaua Party or BTK [Taberannang TIMEON]; Maneaban Te

Mauri Party or MTM [Teburoro TITO]; Maurin Kiribati Pati or MKP;

National Progressive Party or NPP [Dr. Harry TONG]

note: there is no tradition of formally organized political parties

in Kiribati; they more closely resemble factions or interest groups

because they have no party headquarters, formal platforms, or party

structures

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,

IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

Kiribati does not have an embassy in the US; there is an honorary

consulate in Honolulu

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Kiribati; the ambassador to Fiji

is accredited to Kiribati

Flag description:

the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying over a

yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three horizontal

wavy white stripes to represent the ocean

Economy Kiribati

Economy - overview:

A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls, Kiribati has few

natural resources. Commercially viable phosphate deposits were

exhausted at the time of independence from the UK in 1979. Copra and

fish now represent the bulk of production and exports. The economy

has fluctuated widely in recent years. Economic development is

constrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak infrastructure,

and remoteness from international markets. Tourism provides more

than one-fifth of GDP. The financial sector is at an early stage of

development as is the expansion of private sector initiatives.

Foreign financial aid from UK, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and

China equals more than 10% of GDP. Remittances from seamen on

merchant ships abroad account for more than $5 million each year.

Kiribati receives around $15 million annually for the government

budget from an Australian trust fund.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$206.4 million (2004 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$76.4 million (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

0.3% (2005)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,700 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 8.9%

industry: 24.2%

services: 66.8% (2004)

Labor force:

7,870 economically active, not including subsistence farmers (2001

est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 2.7% industry: 32% services: 65.3%

Unemployment rate:

2% official rate; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

0.5% (2005 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $55.52 million

expenditures: $59.71 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(FY05)

Agriculture - products:

copra, taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; fish

Industries:

fishing, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:

0.7% (1991 est.)

Electricity - production:

13 million kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

12.09 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

200 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-19.87 million (2004)

Exports:

$17 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

copra 62%, coconuts, seaweed, fish

Exports - partners:

US 22.8%, Belgium 21.5%, Japan 14.3%, Samoa 7.8%, Australia 7.5%,

Malaysia 6.7%, Taiwan 5.6%, Denmark 4.6% (2005)

Imports:

$62 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous manufactured

goods, fuel

Imports - partners:

Australia 33%, Fiji 27.1%, Japan 18.1%, NZ 6.9% (2005)

Debt - external:

$10 million (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$16.7 million largely from UK and Japan (2004)

Currency (code):

Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:

AUD

Exchange rates:

Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004),

1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002)

Fiscal year:

NA

Communications Kiribati

Telephones - main lines in use:

4,500 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

600 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: generally good quality national and

international service

domestic: wire line service available on Tarawa and Kiritimati

(Christmas Island); connections to outer islands by HF/VHF

radiotelephone; wireless service available in Tarawa since 1999

international: country code - 686; Kiribati is being linked to the

Pacific Ocean Cooperative Telecommunications Network, which should

improve telephone service; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat

(Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1

note: the shortwave station may be inactive (2002)

Radios:

17,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (not reported to be active) (2002)

Televisions:

1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.ki

Internet hosts:

42 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

2,000 (2004)

Transportation Kiribati

Airports: 19 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 670 km (1999)

Waterways:

5 km (small network of canals in Line Islands) (2003)

Merchant marine:

total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,749 GRT/3,911 DWT

by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1

foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Betio

Military Kiribati

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Police Force (carries out law

enforcement functions and paramilitary duties; small police posts

are on all islands)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 21,938 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 14,231 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 1,128 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

NA

Military - note:

Kiribati does not have military forces; defense assistance is

provided by Australia and NZ

Transnational Issues Kiribati

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Korea, North

Introduction Korea, North

Background: An independent kingdom for much of its long history, Korea was occupied by Japan in 1905 following the Russo-Japanese War. Five years later, Japan formally annexed the entire peninsula. Following World War II, Korea was split with the northern half coming under Soviet-sponsored Communist domination. After failing in the Korean War (1950-53) to conquer the US-backed Republic of Korea (ROK) in the southern portion by force, North Korea (DPRK), under its founder President KIM Il-so'ng, adopted a policy of ostensible diplomatic and economic "self-reliance" as a check against excessive Soviet or Communist Chinese influence. The DPRK demonized the US as the ultimate threat to its social system through state-funded propaganda, and molded political, economic, and military policies around the core ideological objective of eventual unification of Korea under Pyongyang's control. KIM's son, the current ruler KIM Jong Il, was officially designated as his father's successor in 1980, assuming a growing political and managerial role until the elder KIM's death in 1994. After decades of economic mismanagement and resource misallocation, the DPRK since the mid-1990s has relied heavily on international aid to feed its population while continuing to expend resources to maintain an army of 1 million. North Korea's long-range missile development, as well as its nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons programs and massive conventional armed forces, are of major concern to the international community. In December 2002, following revelations that the DPRK was pursuing a nuclear weapons program based on enriched uranium in violation of a 1994 agreement with the US to freeze and ultimately dismantle its existing plutonium-based program, North Korea expelled monitors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In January 2003, it declared its withdrawal from the international Non-Proliferation Treaty. In mid-2003 Pyongyang announced it had completed the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel rods (to extract weapons-grade plutonium) and was developing a "nuclear deterrent." Since August 2003, North Korea has participated in the Six-Party Talks with China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, and the US designed to resolve the stalemate over its nuclear programs. The fourth round of Six-Party Talks were held in Beijing during July-September 2005. All parties agreed to a Joint Statement of Principles in which, among other things, the six parties unanimously reaffirmed the goal of verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner. In the Joint Statement, the DPRK committed to "abandoning all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs and returning, at an early date, to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and to IAEA safeguards." The Joint Statement also commits the US and other parties to certain actions as the DPRK denuclearizes. The US offered a security assurance, specifying that it had no nuclear weapons on ROK territory and no intention to attack or invade the DPRK with nuclear or other weapons. The US and DPRK will take steps to normalize relations, subject to the DPRK's implementing its denuclearization pledge and resolving other longstanding concerns. While the Joint Statement provides a vision of the end-point of the Six-Party process, much work lies ahead to implement the elements of the agreement.

Geography Korea, North

Location:

Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the

Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea

Geographic coordinates:

40 00 N, 127 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 120,540 sq km

land: 120,410 sq km

water: 130 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Mississippi

Land boundaries: total: 1,673 km border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km

Coastline:

2,495 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

note: military boundary line 50 nm in the Sea of Japan and the

exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign

vessels and aircraft without permission are banned

Climate:

temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer

Terrain:

mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys;

coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m

highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m

Natural resources:

coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper,

gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 22.4% permanent crops: 1.66% other: 75.94% (2005)

Irrigated land:

14,600 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional

typhoons during the early fall

Environment - current issues:

water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; waterborne

disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia;

mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated

People Korea, North

Population:

23,113,019 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 23.8% (male 2,788,944/female 2,708,331)

15-64 years: 68% (male 7,762,442/female 7,955,522)

65 years and over: 8.2% (male 667,792/female 1,229,988) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 32 years

male: 30.7 years

female: 33.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.84% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

15.54 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

7.13 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.54 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 23.29 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 24.97 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 21.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71.65 years

male: 68.92 years

female: 74.51 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.1 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Korean(s)

adjective: Korean

Ethnic groups:

racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese community and a few

ethnic Japanese

Religions:

traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian and

syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way)

note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent;

government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of

religious freedom

Languages:

Korean

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99%

Government Korea, North

Country name:

conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic of Korea

conventional short form: North Korea

local long form: Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk

local short form: Choson

abbreviation: DPRK

Government type:

Communist state one-man dictatorship

Capital:

name: Pyongyang

geographic coordinates: 39 01 N, 125 45 E

time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 4 municipalities (si,

singular and plural)

provinces: Chagang-do (Chagang), Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong),

Hamgyong-namdo (South Hamgyong), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae),

Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae), Kangwon-do (Kangwon),

P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan), P'yongan-namdo (South P'yongan),

Yanggang-do (Yanggang)

municipalites: Kaesong-si (Kaesong), Najin Sonbong-si (Najin),

Namp'o-si (Namp'o), P'yongyang-si (Pyongyang)

Independence:

15 August 1945 (from Japan)

National holiday:

Founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), 9

September (1948)

Constitution:

adopted 1948; completely revised 27 December 1972, revised again in

April 1992, and September 1998

Legal system:

based on Prussian civil law system with Japanese influences and

Communist legal theory; no judicial review of legislative acts; has

not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

17 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: KIM Jong Il (since July 1994); note - on 3

September 2003, rubberstamp Supreme People's Assembly (SPA)

reelected KIM Jong Il chairman of the National Defense Commission, a

position accorded nation's "highest administrative authority"; SPA

reelected KIM Yong Nam president of its Presidium also with

responsibility of representing state and receiving diplomatic

credentials; SPA appointed PAK Pong Ju premier

head of government: Premier PAK Pong Ju (since 3 September 2003);

Vice Premiers KWAK Pom Gi (since 5 September 1998), JON Sung Hun

(since 3 September 2003), RO Tu Chol (since 3 September 2003)

cabinet: Naegak (cabinet) members, except for Minister of People's

Armed Forces, are appointed by SPA

elections: last held in September 2003 (next to be held in September

2008)

election results: KIM Jong Il and KIM Yong Nam were only nominees

for positions and ran unopposed

Legislative branch:

unicameral Supreme People's Assembly or Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui (687

seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 3 August 2003 (next to be held in August 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

NA; ruling party approves a list of candidates who are elected

without opposition; some seats are held by minor parties

Judicial branch:

Central Court (judges are elected by the Supreme People's Assembly)

Political parties and leaders: major party - Korean Workers' Party or KWP [KIM Jong Il]; minor parties - Chondoist Chongu Party [RYU Mi Yong] (under KWP control), Social Democratic Party [KIM Yong Dae] (under KWP control)

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

ARF, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, IOC, IPU, ISO,

ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none; North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none; note - Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang represents the US as

consular protecting power

Flag description:

three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue;

the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side of the red band is

a white disk with a red five-pointed star

Economy Korea, North

Economy - overview:

North Korea, one of the world's most centrally planned and isolated

economies, faces desperate economic conditions. Industrial capital

stock is nearly beyond repair as a result of years of

underinvestment and shortages of spare parts. Industrial and power

output have declined in parallel. Due in part to severe summer

flooding followed by dry weather conditions in the fall of 2006, the

nation has suffered its 12th year of food shortages because of

on-going systemic problems, including a lack of arable land,

collective farming practices, and chronic shortages of tractors and

fuel. Massive international food aid deliveries have allowed the

people of North Korea to escape mass starvation since famine

threatened in 1995, but the population continues to suffer from

prolonged malnutrition and poor living conditions. Large-scale

military spending eats up resources needed for investment and

civilian consumption. In 2004, the regime formalized an arrangement

whereby private "farmers markets" were allowed to begin selling a

wider range of goods. It also permitted some private farming on an

experimental basis in an effort to boost agricultural output. In

October 2005, the regime reversed some of these policies by

forbidding private sales of grains and reinstituting a centralized

food rationing system. By December 2005, the regime terminated most

international humanitarian assistance operations in the DPRK

(calling instead for developmental assistance only) and restricted

the activities of remaining international and non-governmental aid

organizations such as the World Food Program. Firm political control

remains the Communist government's overriding concern, which will

likely inhibit the loosening of economic regulations.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$40 billion

note: North Korea does not publish any reliable National Income

Accounts data; the datum shown here is derived from purchasing power

parity (PPP) GDP estimates for North Korea that were made by Angus

Maddison in a study conducted for the OECD; his figure for 1999 was

extrapolated to 2005 using estimated real growth rates for North

Korea's GDP and an inflation factor based on the US GDP deflator;

the result was rounded to the nearest $10 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

NA

GDP - real growth rate:

1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,800 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 30% industry: 34% services: 36% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 9.6 million

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 36% industry and services: 64%

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

NA%

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA

Agriculture - products:

rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; cattle, pigs, pork, eggs

Industries:

military products; machine building, electric power, chemicals;

mining (coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and

precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food processing; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

21.71 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 29% hydro: 71% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

20.19 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

138.5 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

25,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:

22,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$1.4 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:

minerals, metallurgical products, manufactures (including

armaments), textiles, fishery products

Exports - partners:

China 35%, South Korea 24%, Thailand 9%, Japan 9% (2005)

Imports:

$2.6 billion c.i.f. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum, coking coal, machinery and equipment, textiles, grain

Imports - partners:

China 42%, South Korea 28%, Russia 9%, Thailand 8% (2005)

Debt - external:

$12 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$NA; note - approximately 350,000 metric tons in food aid, worth

approximately $118 million, through the World Food Program appeal in

2004, plus additional aid from bilateral donors and non-governmental

organizations

Currency (code):

North Korean won (KPW)

Currency code:

KPW

Exchange rates:

official: North Korean won per US dollar - 141 (2006), 170

(December 2004), 150 (December 2002), 2.15 (December 2001); market:

North Korean won per US dollar - 2,500-3,000 (December 2006)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Korea, North

Telephones - main lines in use:

980,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

NA

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: country code - 850; satellite earth stations - 1

Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Russian (Indian Ocean region); other

international connections through Moscow and Beijing

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 17 (including 11 stations of Korean Central Broadcasting

Station; North Korea has a "national intercom" cable radio station

wired throughout the country that is a significant source of

information for the average North Korean citizen; it is wired into

most residences and workplaces and carries news and commentary), FM

14, shortwave 14 (2006)

Radios:

3.36 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

4 (includes Korean Central Television, Mansudae Television, Korean

Educational and Cultural Network, and Kaesong Television targeting

South Korea) (2003)

Televisions:

1.2 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.kp

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

NA

Transportation Korea, North

Airports: 77 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 36 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 22 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 41 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 7 (2006)

Heliports:

22 (2006)

Pipelines:

oil 154 km (2006)

Railways: total: 5,214 km standard gauge: 5,214 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways: total: 31,200 km paved: 1,997 km unpaved: 29,203 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:

2,250 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 232 ships (1000 GRT or over) 983,182 GRT/1,370,104 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 14, cargo 176, chemical tanker 1, container 4,

livestock carrier 3, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 17,

refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 8, vehicle carrier 1

foreign-owned: 60 (British Virgin Islands 1, China 1, Denmark 1,

Egypt 2, Greece 1, India 1, Lebanon 6, Lithuania 1, Marshall Islands

1, Pakistan 3, Romania 11, Russia 1, Singapore 1, Syria 14, Turkey

4, UAE 6, US 3, Yemen 2)

registered in other countries: 5 (Belize 2, Mongolia 3) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek, Kosong, Najin,

Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang, Wonsan

Military Korea, North

Military branches:

North Korean People's Army: Ground Force, Navy, Air Force; civil

security forces (2005)

Military service age and obligation:

17 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 17-49: 5,851,801

females age 17-49: 5,850,733 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 17-49: 4,810,831

females age 17-49: 4,853,270 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 194,605

females age 17-49: 187,846 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$5,217.4 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

NA

Transnational Issues Korea, North

Disputes - international:

China seeks to stem illegal migration of tens of thousands of North

Koreans escaping famine, economic privation, and political

oppression; North Korea and China dispute the sovereignty of certain

islands in Yalu and Tumen rivers and a section of boundary around

Paektu-san (mountain) is indefinite; Military Demarcation Line

within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from

South Korea since 1953; periodic maritime disputes with South over

the Northern Limit Line; North Korea supports South Korea in

rejecting Japan's claim to Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima)

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 50,000-250,000 (government repression and famine) (2006)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: North Korea is a source country for men, women,

and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual

exploitation; North Korea's own system of political repression

includes forced labor in a network of prison camps where an

estimated 150,000 to 200,000 persons are incarcerated; the illegal

status of North Koreans in China and other countries increases their

vulnerability to trafficking schemes and sexual and physical abuse;

North Koreans forcibly returned from China may be subject to hard

labor in prison camps operated by the government

tier rating: Tier 3 - North Korea does not fully comply with minimum

standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making

significant efforts to do so

Illicit drugs:

for years, from the 1970s into the 2000s, citizens of the

Democratic People's Republic of (North) Korea (DPRK), many of them

diplomatic employees of the government, were apprehended abroad

while trafficking in narcotics, including two in Turkey in December

2004; police investigations in Taiwan and Japan in recent years have

linked North Korea to large illicit shipments of heroin and

methamphetamine, including an attempt by the North Korean merchant

ship Pong Su to deliver 150 kg of heroin to Australia in April 2003

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Korea, South

Introduction Korea, South

Background:

An independent Korean state or collection of states has existed

almost continuously for several millennia. Between its initial

unification in the 7th century - from three predecessor Korean

states - until the 20th century, Korea existed as a single

independent country. In 1905, following the Russo-Japanese War,

Korea became a protectorate of imperial Japan, and in 1910 it was

annexed as a colony. Korea regained its independence following

Japan's surrender to the United States in 1945. After World War II,

a Republic of Korea (ROK) was set up in the southern half of the

Korean Peninsula while a Communist-style government was installed in

the north (the DPRK). During the Korean War (1950-53), US troops and

UN forces fought alongside soldiers from the ROK to defend South

Korea from DPRK attacks supported by China and the Soviet Union. An

armistice was signed in 1953, splitting the peninsula along a

demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. Thereafter, South

Korea achieved rapid economic growth with per capita income rising

to roughly 14 times the level of North Korea. In 1993, KIM Yo'ng-sam

became South Korea's first civilian president following 32 years of

military rule. South Korea today is a fully functioning modern

democracy. In June 2000, a historic first North-South summit took

place between the South's President KIM Tae-chung and the North's

leader KIM Jong Il.

Geography Korea, South

Location:

Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the

Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea

Geographic coordinates:

37 00 N, 127 30 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 98,480 sq km

land: 98,190 sq km

water: 290 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Indiana

Land boundaries: total: 238 km border countries: North Korea 238 km

Coastline:

2,413 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the Korea Strait

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: not specified

Climate:

temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter

Terrain:

mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m

Natural resources: coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential

Land use: arable land: 16.58% permanent crops: 2.01% other: 81.41% (2005)

Irrigated land:

8,780 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic

activity common in southwest

Environment - current issues:

air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the

discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living

Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine

Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,

Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location on Korea Strait

People Korea, South

Population:

48,846,823 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 18.9% (male 4,844,083/female 4,368,139)

15-64 years: 71.9% (male 17,886,148/female 17,250,862)

65 years and over: 9.2% (male 1,818,677/female 2,678,914) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 35.2 years

male: 34.2 years

female: 36.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.42% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

10 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

5.85 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 6.16 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 6.54 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.04 years

male: 73.61 years

female: 80.75 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.27 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

8,300 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Korean(s) adjective: Korean

Ethnic groups:

homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)

Religions:

no affiliation 46%, Christian 26%, Buddhist 26%, Confucianist 1%,

other 1%

Languages:

Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.9%

male: 99.2%

female: 96.6% (2002)

Government Korea, South

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Korea

conventional short form: South Korea

local long form: Taehan-min'guk

local short form: Han'guk

abbreviation: ROK

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Seoul

geographic coordinates: 37 34 N, 127 00 E

time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 7 metropolitan cities

(gwangyoksi, singular and plural)

provinces: Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto (North Cholla), Cholla-namdo

(South Cholla), Ch'ungch'ong-bukto (North Ch'ungch'ong),

Ch'ungch'ong-namdo (South Ch'ungch'ong), Kangwon-do, Kyonggi-do,

Kyongsang-bukto (North Kyongsang), Kyongsang-namdo (South Kyongsang)

metropolitan cities: Inch'on-gwangyoksi (Inch'on),

Kwangju-gwangyoksi (Kwangju), Pusan-gwangyoksi (Pusan),

Soul-t'ukpyolsi (Seoul), Taegu-gwangyoksi (Taegu), Taejon-gwangyoksi

(Taejon), Ulsan-gwangyoksi (Ulsan)

Independence:

15 August 1945 (from Japan)

National holiday:

Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)

Constitution:

29 October 1987

Legal system:

combines elements of continental European civil law systems,

Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought

Suffrage:

19 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President ROH Moo-hyun (since 25 February 2003)

head of government: Prime Minister HAN Myeong-sook (since 20 April

2006); Deputy Prime Ministers KIM Woo-sik (since 10 February 2006);

KWON O-kyu (since 18 July 2006); KIM Shin-il (since 20 September

2006)

cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime

minister's recommendation

elections: president elected by popular vote for a single five-year

term; election last held 19 December 2002 (next to be held on 19

December 2007); prime minister appointed by president with consent

of National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by president

on prime minister's recommendation

election results: ROH Moo-hyun elected president; percent of vote -

ROH Moo-hyun (MDP) 48.9%; LEE Hoi-chang (GNP) 46.6%; other 4.5%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (299 seats - members elected

for four-year terms; 243 in single-seat constituencies, 56 by

proportional representation)

elections: last held 15 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2008;

byelections held to fill vacant seats)

election results: percent of vote by party - Uri 51%, GNP 41%, DLP

3%, DP 3%, others 2%; seats by party - Uri 141, GNP 127, DP 12, DLP

9, PFP 5, independents 5

note: percent of vote is for 2004 general election; seats by party

reflect results of 2005 and 2006 byelections; MDP became DP in May

2005; United Liberal Democrats (ULD) merged with GNP in February 2006

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (justices appointed by president with consent of

National Assembly); Constitutional Court (justices appointed by

president based partly on nominations by National Assembly and Chief

Justice of the court)

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Labor Party or DLP [MOON Seong-hyun]; Democratic Party

or DP [HAHN Hwa-kap]; Grand National Party or GNP [KANG Jae-sup];

People-First Party or PFP [SHIN Kook-hwan and SIM Dae-pyung]; Uri

Party [KIM Geun-tae]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Federation of Korean Industries; Federation of Korean Trade Unions;

Korean Confederation of Trade Unions; Korean National Council of

Churches; Korean Traders Association; Korean Veterans' Association;

National Council of Labor Unions; National Democratic Alliance of

Korea; National Federation of Farmers' Associations; National

Federation of Student Associations

International organization participation:

AfDB, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia

Group, BIS, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,

ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,

IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA, MIGA, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),

OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC

(observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP,

UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador LEE Tae-sik chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600 FAX: [1] (202) 387-0205 consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alexander VERSHBOW embassy: 32 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710 mailing address: US Embassy Seoul, Unit 15550, APO AP 96205-5550 telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114 FAX: [82] (2) 738-8845

Flag description:

white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the center;

there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching (Book of

Changes) in each corner of the white field

Economy Korea, South

Economy - overview:

Since the 1960s, South Korea has achieved an incredible record of

growth and integration into the high-tech modern world economy. Four

decades ago, GDP per capita was comparable with levels in the poorer

countries of Africa and Asia. In 2004, South Korea joined the

trillion dollar club of world economies. Today its GDP per capita is

equal to the lesser economies of the EU. This success was achieved

by a system of close government/business ties, including directed

credit, import restrictions, sponsorship of specific industries, and

a strong labor effort. The government promoted the import of raw

materials and technology at the expense of consumer goods and

encouraged savings and investment over consumption. The Asian

financial crisis of 1997-99 exposed longstanding weaknesses in South

Korea's development model, including high debt/equity ratios,

massive foreign borrowing, and an undisciplined financial sector.

GDP plunged by 6.9% in 1998, then recovered 9.5% in 1999 and 8.5% in

2000. Growth fell back to 3.3% in 2001 because of the slowing global

economy, falling exports, and the perception that much-needed

corporate and financial reforms had stalled. Led by consumer

spending and exports, growth in 2002 was an impressive 7%, despite

anemic global growth. Between 2003 and 2006, growth moderated to

about 4-5%. A downturn in consumer spending was offset by rapid

export growth. Moderate inflation, low unemployment, an export

surplus, and fairly equal distribution of income characterize this

solid economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.18 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$768.5 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$24,200 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.3% industry: 40.7% services: 56% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 23.88 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 6.4% industry: 26.4% services: 67.2% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

3.6% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

15% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 25% (2005 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

35.8 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

29.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $218 billion

expenditures: $209.5 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

21.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs,

chickens, milk, eggs; fish

Industries:

electronics, telecommunications, automobile production, chemicals,

shipbuilding, steel

Industrial production growth rate:

10% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

345.2 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 62.4% hydro: 0.8% nuclear: 36.6% other: 0.2% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

321 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

7,378 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

2.149 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - exports:

645,200 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:

2.263 million bbl/day (2004)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

27.84 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

28.93 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$6.741 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$327.9 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

semiconductors, wireless telecommunications equipment, motor

vehicles, computers, steel, ships, petrochemicals

Exports - partners:

China 21.8%, US 14.6%, Japan 8.5%, Hong Kong 5.5% (2005)

Imports:

$300.4 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel,

transport equipment, organic chemicals, plastics

Imports - partners:

Japan 18.5%, China 14.8%, US 11.8%, Saudi Arabia 6.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$235 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$229.3 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - donor:

ODA, $423.3 million (2004)

Currency (code):

South Korean won (KRW)

Currency code:

KRW

Exchange rates:

South Korean won per US dollar - 952 (2006), 1,024.1 (2005),

1,145.3 (2004), 1,191.6 (2003), 1,251.1 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Korea, South

Telephones - main lines in use:

23.745 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

38.342 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: excellent domestic and international services

domestic: NA

international: country code - 82; 10 fiber-optic submarine cables -

1 Korea-Russia-Japan, 1 Korea-Japan-Hong Kong, 3 Korea-Japan-China,

1 Korea-Japan-China-Europe, 1 Korea-Japan-China-US-Taiwan, 1

Korea-Japan-China, 1 Korea-Japan-Hong Kong-Taiwan, 1 Korea-Japan;

satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian

Ocean) and 3 Inmarsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 61, FM 150, shortwave 2 (2005)

Radios:

47.5 million (2000)

Television broadcast stations: terrestrial stations 43; cable operators 59; relay cable operators 190 (2005)

Televisions:

15.9 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.kr

Internet hosts:

5,433,591 (2005)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

11 (2000)

Internet users:

33.9 million (2005)

Transportation Korea, South

Airports: 107 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 69 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 21 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 20 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 38 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 35 (2006)

Heliports:

540 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 1,482 km; refined products 827 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 3,472 km

standard gauge: 3,472 km 1.435-m gauge (1,361 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:

total: 100,279 km

paved: 87,032 km (including 3,060 km of expressways)

unpaved: 13,247 km (2004)

Waterways:

1,608 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 669 ships (1000 GRT or over) 8,634,188 GRT/13,733,624 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 157, cargo 193, chemical tanker 98, container

81, liquefied gas 22, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 24, petroleum

tanker 57, refrigerated cargo 17, roll on/roll off 6, specialized

tanker 3, vehicle carrier 6

foreign-owned: 22 (France 12, Japan 1, UK 2, US 7)

registered in other countries: 365 (Belize 4, Cambodia 23, China 2,

Cyprus 1, Georgia 1, Honduras 6, Hong Kong 6, Indonesia 1, Liberia

3, Malaysia 1, Malta 6, Marshall Islands 1, Panama 291, Singapore

17, unknown 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Inch'on, Masan, P'ohang, Pusan, Ulsan

Military Korea, South

Military branches:

Army, Navy, Republic of Korea Air Force (Han-guk Kong Goon), Marine

Corps, National Maritime Police (coast guard) (2006)

Military service age and obligation: 20-30 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 24-28 months, depending on the military branch involved; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; some 4,000 women serve as commissioned and noncommissioned officers, approx. 2.3% of all officers; women, in service since 1950, are admitted to seven service branches, including infantry, but excluded from artillery, armor, anti-air, and chaplaincy corps (2005)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 20-49: 12,483,677

females age 20-49: 12,014,462 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 20-49: 10,115,817

females age 20-49: 9,721,914 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 344,943

females age 20-49: 312,720 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$21.06 billion FY05 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.6% FY05 (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Korea, South

Disputes - international:

Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone

has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic maritime

disputes with North Korea over the Northern Limit Line; South Korea

and Japan claim Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima), occupied by

South Korea since 1954

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Kuwait

Introduction Kuwait

Background:

Britain oversaw foreign relations and defense for the ruling

Kuwaiti AL-SABAH dynasty from 1899 until independence in 1961.

Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq on 2 August 1990. Following

several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led, UN coalition began a

ground assault on 23 February 1991 that liberated Kuwait in four

days. Kuwait spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure

damaged during 1990-91. The AL-SABAH family has ruled since

returning to power in 1991, and reestablished an elected legislature

that in recent years has become increasingly assertive.

Geography Kuwait

Location:

Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi

Arabia

Geographic coordinates:

29 30 N, 45 45 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 17,820 sq km

land: 17,820 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries: total: 462 km border countries: Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km

Coastline:

499 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:

dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters

Terrain:

flat to slightly undulating desert plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: unnamed location 306 m

Natural resources: petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 0.84% permanent crops: 0.17% other: 98.99% (2005)

Irrigated land:

130 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring heavy

rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms

occur throughout the year, but are most common between March and

August

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much of the water; air and water pollution; desertification

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

Geography - note: strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

People Kuwait

Population: 2,418,393 note: includes 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 26.9% (male 331,768/female 319,895)

15-64 years: 70.3% (male 1,085,721/female 613,746)

65 years and over: 2.8% (male 42,460/female 24,803) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 25.9 years

male: 28 years

female: 22.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

3.52%

note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of

expatriates (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

21.94 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

2.41 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

15.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.77 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.71 male(s)/female

total population: 1.52 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 9.71 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 10.72 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 8.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.2 years

male: 76.13 years

female: 78.31 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.91 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.12% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Kuwaiti(s)

adjective: Kuwaiti

Ethnic groups:

Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7%

Religions:

Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shi'a 30%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and

other 15%

Languages:

Arabic (official), English widely spoken

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 83.5%

male: 85.1%

female: 81.7% (2003 est.)

Government Kuwait

Country name:

conventional long form: State of Kuwait

conventional short form: Kuwait

local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt

local short form: Al Kuwayt

Government type:

constitutional hereditary emirate

Capital:

name: Kuwait

geographic coordinates: 29 20 N, 47 59 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

6 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al

'Asimah, Al Farwaniyah, Al Jahra', Hawalli, Mubarak Al Kabir

Independence:

19 June 1961 (from UK)

National holiday:

National Day, 25 February (1950)

Constitution:

approved and promulgated 11 November 1962

Legal system:

civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters;

has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

adult males who are not in the military forces, and adult females

(as of 16 May 2005); all voters must have been citizens for 20 years

Executive branch:

chief of state: Amir SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 29

January 2006); Crown Prince NAWAF al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah

head of government: Prime Minister NASIR al-Muhammad al-Ahmad

al-Sabah (since 7 February 2006) First Deputy Prime Minister JABIR

Mubarak al-Hamad al-Sabah (since 9 February 2006); Deputy Prime

Ministers MUHAMMAD al-Sabah al-Salim al-Sabah (since 9 February

2006) and Ismail al-SHATTI (since 10 July 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and

approved by the amir

elections: none; the amir is hereditary; the amir appoints the prime

minister and deputy prime ministers

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats; members

elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; all cabinet

ministers are also ex officio voting members of the National

Assembly)

elections: last held 29 June 2006 (next election to be held in 2010)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - NA

Judicial branch:

High Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:

none; formation of political parties is illegal

Political pressure groups and leaders:

a number of political groups act as de facto parties; several

legislative blocs operate in the National Assembly: tribal groups,

merchants, Shi'a activists, Islamists, and secular liberals; in

mid-2006, a coalition of Islamists, liberals, and Shia campaigned

successfully for electoral reform to reduce corruption

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,

ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM,

OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR,

UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador SALIM Abdallah al-Jabir al-Sabah

chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702

FAX: [1] (202) 966-0517

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Richard LEBARON

embassy: Bayan 36302, Area 14, Al-Masjed Al-Aqsa Street (near the

Bayan palace), Kuwait City

mailing address: P. O. Box 77 Safat 13001 Kuwait; or PSC 1280 APO AE

09880-9000

telephone: [965] 259-1001

FAX: [965] 538-0282

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a

black trapezoid based on the hoist side; design, which dates to

1961, based on the Arab revolt flag of World War I

Economy Kuwait

Economy - overview:

Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with self-reported

crude oil reserves of about 96 billion barrels - 10% of world

reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 95% of export

revenues, and 80% of government income. Kuwait's climate limits

agricultural development. Consequently, with the exception of fish,

it depends almost wholly on food imports. About 75% of potable water

must be distilled or imported. Kuwait continues its discussions with

foreign oil companies to develop fields in the northern part of the

country. High oil prices in recent years have helped build Kuwait's

budget and trade surpluses and foreign reserves. As a result of this

positive fiscal situation, the need for economic reforms is less

urgent and the government has not earnestly pushed through new

initiatives.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$52.17 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$58.3 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$21,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0.4% industry: 48.3% services: 51.3% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 1.136 million note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 80% of the labor force (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

2.2% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

26.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $59.58 billion

expenditures: $33.62 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

8.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

practically no crops; fish

Industries:

petroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair,

desalination, food processing, construction materials

Industrial production growth rate:

13.1% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:

40.37 billion kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

37.54 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

2.418 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

335,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

1.97 million bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves:

96.5 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

9.7 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

9.7 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

1.572 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$40.75 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$56.06 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

oil and refined products, fertilizers

Exports - partners:

Japan 19.7%, South Korea 15.4%, US 11.9%, Taiwan 11.1%, Singapore

9.5%, Netherlands 4.7% (2005)

Imports:

$19.12 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing

Imports - partners:

US 14.1%, Germany 10.8%, Japan 8.4%, Saudi Arabia 6.2%, UK 5.7%,

France 4.8%, China 4.5% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$11.08 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$19.7 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$NA (2001)

Currency (code):

Kuwaiti dinar (KD)

Currency code:

KWD

Exchange rates:

Kuwaiti dinars per US dollar - 0.29 (2006), 0.292 (2005), 0.2947

(2004), 0.298 (2003), 0.3039 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications Kuwait

Telephones - main lines in use:

510,300 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2.536 million (2006)

Telephone system:

general assessment: the quality of service is excellent

domestic: new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new

subscribers; trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay,

coaxial cable, and open-wire and fiber-optic cable; a cellular

telephone system operates throughout Kuwait, and the country is well

supplied with pay telephones

international: country code - 965; coaxial cable and microwave radio

relay to Saudi Arabia; linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the

Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG) cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat

(1 Atlantic Ocean, 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean), and

2 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:

1.175 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997)

Televisions:

875,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.kw

Internet hosts:

2,310 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

3 (2000)

Internet users:

700,000 (2005)

Transportation Kuwait

Airports: 7 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Heliports:

5 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 269 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2006)

Roadways:

total: 5,749 km

paved: 4,887 km

unpaved: 862 km (2004)

Merchant marine:

total: 38 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,424,983 GRT/3,996,755 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 1, container 6, liquefied gas 5,

livestock carrier 3, petroleum tanker 21

registered in other countries: 28 (Bahrain 3, Comoros 1, Liberia 1,

Libya 1, Panama 2, Qatar 7, Saudi Arabia 5, UAE 8) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Az Zawr (Mina' Sa'ud), Mina' 'Abd

Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi

Military Kuwait

Military branches:

Land Forces, Kuwaiti Navy, Kuwaiti Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya

al-Kuwaitiya), National Guard (2006)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; 1 month annual training to age 40; women have served in police forces since 1999 (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 864,745

females age 18-49: 467,120 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 737,292

females age 18-49: 405,207 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 18,743

females age 18-49: 20,065 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$3.01 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

4.2% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Kuwait

Disputes - international:

Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue negotiating a joint maritime

boundary with Iran; no maritime boundary exists with Iraq in the

Persian Gulf

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Kuwait is a destination country for men and

women who migrate legally from South and Southeast Asia for domestic

or low-skilled labor, but are subjected to conditions of involuntary

servitude by employers in Kuwait including conditions of physical

and sexual abuse, non-payment of wages, confinement to the home, and

withholding of passports to restrict their freedom of movement;

Kuwait is reportedly a transit point for South and East Asian

workers recruited for low-skilled work in Iraq; some of these

workers are deceived as to the true location and nature of this

work, and others are subjected to conditions of involuntary

servitude in Iraq; in past years, Kuwait was also a destination

country for children exploited as camel jockeys, but this form of

trafficking appears to have ceased

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Kuwait is placed on the Tier 2

Watch List because its efforts are based largely on pledges of

future actions

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Kyrgyzstan

Introduction Kyrgyzstan

Background:

A Central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and proud

nomadic traditions, Kyrgyzstan was annexed by Russia in 1864; it

achieved independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Nationwide

demonstrations in the spring of 2005 resulted in the ouster of

President Askar AKAYEV, who had run the country since 1990.

Subsequent presidential elections in July 2005 were won

overwhelmingly by former prime minister Kurmanbek BAKIYEV. The

political opposition organized demonstrations in Bishkek in in

April, May, and November 2006 resulting in the adoption of new

constitution that transfered some of the president's powers to

parliament and the government. Current concerns include:

privatization of state-owned enterprises, expansion of democracy and

political freedoms, reduction of corruption, improving interethnic

relations, and combating terrorism.

Geography Kyrgyzstan

Location:

Central Asia, west of China

Geographic coordinates:

41 00 N, 75 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 198,500 sq km

land: 191,300 sq km

water: 7,200 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than South Dakota

Land boundaries:

total: 3,878 km

border countries: China 858 km, Kazakhstan 1,051 km, Tajikistan 870

km, Uzbekistan 1,099 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan; subtropical in

southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone

Terrain:

peaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basins encompass

entire nation

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Kara-Daryya (Karadar'ya) 132 m

highest point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy) 7,439 m

Natural resources:

abundant hydropower; significant deposits of gold and rare earth

metals; locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas; other

deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc

Land use:

arable land: 6.55%

permanent crops: 0.28%

other: 93.17%

note: Kyrgyzstan has the world's largest natural growth walnut

forest (2005)

Irrigated land:

10,720 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

water pollution; many people get their water directly from

contaminated streams and wells; as a result, water-borne diseases

are prevalent; increasing soil salinity from faulty irrigation

practices

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone

Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien Shan range;

many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes

People Kyrgyzstan

Population:

5,213,898 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 30.9% (male 821,976/female 789,687)

15-64 years: 62.9% (male 1,607,396/female 1,669,612)

65 years and over: 6.2% (male 126,847/female 198,380) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 23.6 years

male: 22.8 years

female: 24.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.32% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

22.8 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

7.08 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-2.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 34.49 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 39.72 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 28.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 68.49 years

male: 64.48 years

female: 72.7 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.69 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

3,900 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Kyrgyzstani(s)

adjective: Kyrgyzstani

Ethnic groups:

Kyrgyz 64.9%, Uzbek 13.8%, Russian 12.5%, Dungan 1.1%, Ukrainian

1%, Uygur 1%, other 5.7% (1999 census)

Religions:

Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5%

Languages:

Kyrgyz (official), Russian (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.7%

male: 99.3%

female: 98.1% (1999 est.)

Government Kyrgyzstan

Country name:

conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic

conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan

local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy

local short form: Kyrgyzstan

former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Bishkek

geographic coordinates: 42 54 N, 74 36 E

time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

7 provinces (oblastlar, singular - oblasty) and 1 city* (shaar);

Batken Oblasty, Bishkek Shaary*, Chuy Oblasty (Bishkek), Jalal-Abad

Oblasty, Naryn Oblasty, Osh Oblasty, Talas Oblasty, Ysyk-Kol Oblasty

(Karakol)

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their

administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center

name following in parentheses)

Independence:

31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 31 August (1991)

Constitution:

adopted 5 May 1993; note - amendment proposed by President Askar

AKAYEV and passed in a national referendum on 2 February 2003

significantly expanded the powers of the president at the expense of

the legislature; during large-scale demonstrations in November 2006,

President BAKIYEV and the opposition negotiated a new constitution

granting greater powers to the parliament and the government

Legal system:

based on civil law system

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Kurmanbek BAKIYEV (since 14 August 2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Azim ISABEKOV (since 29 January

2007); First Deputy Prime Minister Daniyar USENOV (since 10 May 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president on the

recommendation of the prime minister; note - the new constitution of

November 2006 calls for the legislature to appoint the prime

minister and members of the Cabinet after the elections of 2010

elections: Kurmanbek BAKIYEV elected by popular vote for a five-year

term (eligible for a second term); election last held 10 July 2005

(next scheduled for 2010); prime minister nominated by the president

for approval by Parliament; note - the new constitution of November

2006 calls for the legislature to appoint the prime minister and

members of the Cabinet after the elections of 2010

election results: Kurmanbek BAKIYEV elected president; percent of

vote - Kurmanbek BAKIYEV 88.6%, Tursunbai BAKIR-UULU 3.9%, other

candidates 7.5%; Azim ISABEKOV approved as prime minister 57-4

Legislative branch:

unicameral Supreme Council or Jorgorku Kenesh (75 seats; members

are elected by popular vote to serve five year terms); note - the

November 2006 constitution calls for 90 seats

elections: elections for the new unicameral body or Jorgorku Kenesh

were held 27 February 2005, but the vast majority of positions

remained undecided and were contested in a runoff election on 13

March 2005; election irregularities caused widespread protests that

resulted in the president being forced to flee the country

election results: Supreme Council - percent of vote by party - NA;

seats by party - NA

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (judges of both the Supreme and

Constitutional Courts are appointed for 10-year terms by the

Jorgorku Kenesh on the recommendation of the president); Higher

Court of Arbitration; Local Courts (judges appointed by the

president on the recommendation of the National Council on Legal

Affairs for a probationary period of five years, then 10 years)

Political parties and leaders:

Ar-Namys (Dignity) Party [Emil ALIYEV]; Asaba (Banner National

Revival Party) [Azimbek BEKNAZAROV and Roza OTUNBAYEVA]; Ata-Meken

(Fatherland) [Omurbek TEKEBAYEV]; Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan

or DDK [Viktor TCHETRNOMORETS]; Erkindik (Freedom) Party [Topchubek

TURGUNALIYEV]; Moya Strana (My Country Party of Action) [Medet

SADYRKULOV]; Party of Communists of Kyrgyzstan or KCP [Ishak

MASALIYEV]; Party of Justice and Progress [Muratbek IMANALIEV];

Party of Peasants [Esengul ISAKOV]; Republican Party of Labor and

Unity [Tabaldy OROZALIYEV]; Sanjira (Tree of Life) [Ednan

KARABAYEV]; Social Democratic Party [Almaz ATAMBAYEV]; Sodruzhestvo

(Cooperation) [Alisher SABIROV]; Union of Democratic Forces

[Kubatbek BAIBOLOV]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Adilet Legal Clinic [Cholpon JAKUPOVA]; Coalition for Democracy and

Civil Society [Edil BAISALOV]; For Reforms [Omurbek TEKEBAYEV and

Almazbek ATAMBAYEV]; Interbilim [Asiya SASYKBAYEVA]

International organization participation:

AsDB, CIS, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt

(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,

IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OIC,

OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS,

UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Zamira SYDYKOVA

chancery: 2360 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 338-5141

FAX: [1] (202) 386-7550

consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Marie L. YOVANOVITCH

embassy: 171 Prospect Mira, Bishkek 720016

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [996] (312) 551-241, (517) 777-217

FAX: [996] (312) 551-264

Flag description:

red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays

representing the 40 Kyrgyz tribes; on the obverse side the rays run

counterclockwise, on the reverse, clockwise; in the center of the

sun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines, a stylized

representation of the roof of the traditional Kyrgyz yurt

Economy Kyrgyzstan

Economy - overview:

Kyrgyzstan is a poor, mountainous country with a predominantly

agricultural economy. Cotton, tobacco, wool, and meat are the main

agricultural products, although only tobacco and cotton are exported

in any quantity. Industrial exports include gold, mercury, uranium,

natural gas, and electricity. Following independence Kyrgyzstan was

progressive in carrying out market reforms, such as an improved

regulatory system and land reform, but political instability during

2005-06 has undercut the investment climate. Kyrgyzstan was the

first CIS country to be accepted into the World Trade Organization.

Much of the government's stock in enterprises has been sold. Drops

in production had been severe after the breakup of the Soviet Union

in December 1991, but by mid-1995, production began to recover and

exports began to increase. The economy is heavily weighted toward

gold export and a drop in output at the main Kumtor gold mine

sparked a 0.5% decline in GDP in 2002, but GDP growth bounced back

the following year. In 2005 Kyrgyzstan again experienced a decline

in GDP, this time 0.6%. The government has made steady strides in

controlling its substantial fiscal deficit, virtually balancing

revenues and expenditures in 2006. The government and international

financial institutions have been engaged in a comprehensive

medium-term poverty reduction and economic growth strategy; in 2005

Bishkek agreed to pursue much-needed tax reform and in 2006 became

eligible for the heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) initiative.

Progress fighting corruption, further restructuring of domestic

industry, and success in attracting foreign investment are keys to

future growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$10.49 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.24 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 34.5% industry: 19.5% services: 46.1% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 2.7 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 55% industry: 15% services: 30% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

18% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:

40% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.9% highest 10%: 23.3% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

29 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6.4% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

15.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $498.3 million

expenditures: $544.8 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

tobacco, cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and berries;

sheep, goats, cattle, wool

Industries:

small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, sawn

logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth

metals

Industrial production growth rate:

-4.5% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

14.06 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 7.6% hydro: 92.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

6.777 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

6.4 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

100 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

1,378 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

10,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

29 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

919 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

890 million cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-287.3 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$701.8 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

cotton, wool, meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium, natural gas,

hydropower; machinery; shoes

Exports - partners:

UAE 35.6%, Russia 18.6%, China 13.4%, Kazakhstan 13% (2005)

Imports:

$1.177 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

oil and gas, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

China 43%, Russia 19.7%, Kazakhstan 12.1%, Turkey 4.4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$621.2 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$2.483 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$50 million from the US (2001)

Currency (code):

som (KGS)

Currency code:

KGS

Exchange rates:

soms per US dollar - 40.673 (2006), 41.012 (2005), 42.65 (2004),

43.648 (2003), 46.937 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Kyrgyzstan

Telephones - main lines in use:

438,200 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

541,700 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: development of telecommunications

infrastructure is slow; fixed line penetration remains low and

concentrated in Bishkek

domestic: mobile cellular subscribership has risen sharply since

2000 reaching 541,700 in 2005 as three companies compete for the

rapidly expanding market; main line availability has been virtually

flat over the same timeframe; four major providers compete for

shares of the main line market

international: country code - 996; connections with other CIS

countries by landline or microwave radio relay and with other

countries by leased connections with Moscow international gateway

switch and by satellite; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik

and 1 Intelsat; connected internationally by the Trans-Asia-Europe

(TAE) fiber-optic line

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 12 (plus 10 repeater stations), FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:

520,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

7 (2006)

Televisions:

210,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.kg

Internet hosts:

18,928 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

NA

Internet users:

280,000 (2005)

Transportation Kyrgyzstan

Airports: 37 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 18 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 19 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 16 (2006)

Pipelines: gas 254 km; oil 16 km (2006)

Railways: total: 470 km broad gauge: 470 km 1.520-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 18,500 km paved: 16,854 km unpaved: 1,646 km (1999)

Waterways:

600 km (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye)

Military Kyrgyzstan

Military branches:

Army, Air Force, National Guard (2005)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,193,529

females age 18-49: 1,219,080 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 871,493

females age 18-49: 1,024,568 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 61,091

females age 18-49: 59,784 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$19.2 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.4% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Kyrgyzstan

Disputes - international:

Kyrgystan has yet to ratify the 2001 boundary delimitation with

Kazakhstan; disputes in Isfara Valley delay completion of

delimitation with Tajikistan; delimitation of 130 km of border with

Uzbekistan is hampered by serious disputes around enclaves and other

areas

Illicit drugs:

limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy for CIS

markets; limited government eradication of illicit crops; transit

point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia and the rest of

Europe

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Laos

Introduction Laos

Background:

Modern-day Laos has its roots in the ancient Lao kingdom of Lan

Xang, established in the 14th Century under King FA NGUM. For three

hundred years Lan Xang included large parts of present-day Cambodia

and Thailand, as well as all of what is now Laos. After centuries of

gradual decline, Laos came under the control of Siam (Thailand) from

the late 18th century until the late 19th century when it became

part of French Indochina. The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined

the current Lao border with Thailand. In 1975, the Communist Pathet

Lao took control of the government ending a six-century-old monarchy

and instituting a strict socialist regime closely aligned to

Vietnam. A gradual return to private enterprise and the

liberalization of foreign investment laws began in 1986. Laos became

a member of ASEAN in 1997.

Geography Laos

Location:

Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam

Geographic coordinates:

18 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 236,800 sq km

land: 230,800 sq km

water: 6,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Utah

Land boundaries:

total: 5,083 km

border countries: Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km,

Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season

(December to April)

Terrain:

mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mekong River 70 m highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m

Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones

Land use: arable land: 4.01% permanent crops: 0.34% other: 95.65% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,750 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

floods, droughts

Environment - current issues: unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; most of the population does not have access to potable water

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

Geography - note:

landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly

forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western

boundary with Thailand

People Laos

Population:

6,368,481 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 41.4% (male 1,324,207/female 1,313,454)

15-64 years: 55.4% (male 1,744,206/female 1,786,139)

65 years and over: 3.1% (male 89,451/female 111,024) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.9 years

male: 18.6 years

female: 19.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.39% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

35.49 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

11.55 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 83.31 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 92.95 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 73.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 55.49 years

male: 53.45 years

female: 57.61 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.68 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

1,700 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)

adjective: Lao or Laotian

Ethnic groups:

Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung

(highland) including the Hmong and the Yao 9%, ethnic

Vietnamese/Chinese 1%

Religions:

Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various Christian

denominations 1.5%)

Languages:

Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 66.4%

male: 77.4%

female: 55.5% (2002)

Government Laos

Country name:

conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic

conventional short form: Laos

local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao

local short form: none

Government type:

Communist state

Capital:

name: Vientiane

geographic coordinates: 17 58 N, 102 36 E

time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural), 1 municipality*

(kampheng nakhon, singular and plural), and 1 special zone**

(khetphiset, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai,

Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphrabang,

Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan (Vientiane)*,

Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xaisomboun**, Xekong, Xiangkhoang

Independence:

19 July 1949 (from France)

National holiday:

Republic Day, 2 December (1975)

Constitution:

promulgated 14 August 1991

Legal system:

based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures,

and socialist practice

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 8

June 2006) and Vice President BOUN-GNANG Volachit (since 8 June 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister BOUASONE Bouphavanh (since 8 June

2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since May

2002), Maj. Gen. DOUANGCHAI Phichit (since 8 June 2006), SOMSAVAT

Lengsavat (since 26 February 1998), and THONGLOUN Sisoulit (since 27

March 2001)

cabinet: Ministers appointed by president, approved by National

Assembly

elections: president and vice president elected by National Assembly

for five-year terms; election last held 8 June 2006 (next to be held

in 2011); prime minister nominated by president and elected by

National Assembly for five-year term

election results: CHOUMMALI Saignason elected president; BOUN-GNANG

Volachit elected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote -

100%; BOUASONE Bouphavanh elected prime minister; percent of

National Assembly vote - 97%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (115 seats; members elected by popular

vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 30 April 2006 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

LPRP 113, independents 2

Judicial branch:

People's Supreme Court (the president of the People's Supreme Court

is elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the

National Assembly Standing Committee; the vice president of the

People's Supreme Court and the judges are appointed by the National

Assembly Standing Committee)

Political parties and leaders:

Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [CHOUMMALI Saignason];

other parties proscribed

Political pressure groups and leaders:

noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders

fled the country in 1975

International organization participation:

ACCT, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,

IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM,

OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador PHIANE Philakone

chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416

FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia M. HASLACH embassy: 19 Rue Bartholonie, That Dam Road, Vientiane mailing address: American Embassy Vientiane, Box V, APO AP 96546 telephone: [856] 21-26 7000 FAX: [856] 21-26 7074

Flag description:

three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red

with a large white disk centered in the blue band

Economy Laos

Economy - overview:

The government of Laos, one of the few remaining official Communist

states, began decentralizing control and encouraging private

enterprise in 1986. The results, starting from an extremely low

base, were striking - growth averaged 6% per year in 1988-2006

except during the short-lived drop caused by the Asian financial

crisis beginning in 1997. Despite this high growth rate, Laos

remains a country with a primitive infrastructure. It has no

railroads, a rudimentary road system, and limited external and

internal telecommunications, though the government is sponsoring

major improvements in the road system with possible support from

Japan. Electricity is available in only a few urban areas.

Subsistence agriculture, dominated by rice, accounts for about half

of GDP and provides 80% of total employment. The economy will

continue to benefit from aid by the IMF and other international

sources and from new foreign investment in hydropower and mining.

Construction will be another strong economic driver, especially as

hydroelectric dam and road projects gain steam. Several policy

changes since 2004 may help spur growth. In late 2004, Laos gained

Normal Trade Relations status with the US, allowing Laos-based

producers to benefit from lower tariffs on exports. Laos is taking

steps to join the World Trade Organization in the next few years;

the resulting trade policy reforms will improve the business

environment. On the fiscal side, a value-added tax (VAT) regime,

slated to begin in 2008, will streamline the government's

inefficient tax system.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$13.43 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.768 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,100 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 43.4% industry: 30.6% services: 26% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 2.8 million (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 80% industry and services: 20% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

2.4% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:

34% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 30.6% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

37 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5.9% (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $400 million

expenditures: $537.4 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco,

cotton, tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry

Industries:

copper, tin, and gypsum mining; timber, electric power,

agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism, cement

Industrial production growth rate:

13% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:

3.936 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.4% hydro: 98.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

3.26 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

600 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

200 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

3,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-381.7 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$593.6 million (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

garments, wood products, coffee, electricity, tin

Exports - partners:

Thailand 29.4%, Vietnam 12.5%, France 6%, Germany 4.5% (2005)

Imports:

$1.092 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods

Imports - partners:

Thailand 66.8%, China 9.1%, Vietnam 5.8% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$316.9 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$2.49 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient:

$243 million (2001 est.)

Currency (code):

kip (LAK)

Currency code:

LAK

Exchange rates:

kips per US dollar - 10,235 (2006), 10,820 (2005), 10,585.5 (2004),

10,569 (2003), 10,056.3 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 October - 30 September

Communications Laos

Telephones - main lines in use:

90,067 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

520,546 (2006)

Telephone system:

general assessment: service to general public is poor but

improving; the government relies on a radiotelephone network to

communicate with remote areas

domestic: radiotelephone communications

international: country code - 856; satellite earth station - 1

Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 7, FM 14, shortwave 2 (2007)

Radios:

730,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

7; note - including one station relaying Vietnam Television from

Hanoi (2006)

Televisions:

52,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.la

Internet hosts:

1,108 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

25,000 (2005)

Transportation Laos

Airports:

44 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 9

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 35

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 13

under 914 m: 21 (2006)

Pipelines:

refined products 540 km (2006)

Roadways:

total: 31,210 km

paved: 4,494 km

unpaved: 26,716 km (2003)

Waterways:

4,600 km

note: primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional km are

intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT

by type: cargo 1 (2006)

Military Laos

Military branches:

Lao People's Army (LPA; includes Riverine Force), Air Force

Military service age and obligation:

15 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service

obligation - minimum 18 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 15-49: 1,500,625

females age 15-49: 1,521,116 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 15-49: 954,816

females age 15-49: 1,006,082 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 73,167

females age 15-49: 71,432 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$11.04 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0.4% (2005 est.)

Military - note:

Laos is one of the world's least developed countries; the Lao

People's Armed Forces are small, poorly funded, and ineffectively

resourced; there is little political will to allocate sparse funding

to the military, and the armed forces' gradual degradation is likely

to continue; the massive drug production and trafficking industry

centered in the Golden Triangle makes Laos an important narcotics

transit country, and armed Wa and Chinese smugglers are active on

the Lao-Burma border (2005)

Transnational Issues Laos

Disputes - international:

Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check

the spread of avian flu; talks continue on completion of demarcation

with Thailand but disputes remain over islands in the Mekong River;

concern among Mekong Commission members that China's construction of

dams on the Mekong River will affect water levels

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Laos is a source country for men and women

trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation;

a significant number are economic migrants who are subjected to

commercial sexual exploitation or conditions of forced or bonded

labor in Thailand; to a lesser extent, Laos is a transit and

destination country for women who are trafficked for sexual

exploitation including a small number of victims from China and

Vietnam trafficked to work as street vendors and for sexual

exploitation in prostitution

tier rating: Tier 3 - Laos does not fully comply with the minimum

standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making

significant efforts to do so

Illicit drugs:

estimated cultivation in 2004 - 10,000 hectares, a 45% decrease

from 2003; estimated potential production in 2004 - 49 metric tons,

a significant decrease from 200 metric tons in 2003 (2005)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Latvia

Introduction Latvia

Background:

After a brief period of independence between the two World Wars,

Latvia was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized

by the US and many other countries. It reestablished its

independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union.

Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the

Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to

Moscow. Latvia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Geography Latvia

Location:

Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and

Lithuania

Geographic coordinates:

57 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 64,589 sq km

land: 63,589 sq km

water: 1,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries:

total: 1,368 km

border countries: Belarus 167 km, Estonia 343 km, Lithuania 576 km,

Russia 282 km

Coastline:

531 km

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

Climate:

maritime; wet, moderate winters

Terrain:

low plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m

Natural resources: peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land

Land use: arable land: 28.19% permanent crops: 0.45% other: 71.36% (2005)

Irrigated land:

200 sq km

note: land in Latvia is often too wet, and in need of drainage, not

irrigation; approximately 16,000 sq km or 85% of agricultural land

has been improved by drainage (2003)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service

industries after the country regained independence; the main

environmental priorities are improvement of drinking water quality

and sewage system, household, and hazardous waste management, as

well as reduction of air pollution; in 2001, Latvia closed the EU

accession negotiation chapter on environment committing to full

enforcement of EU environmental directives by 2010

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic

Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,

Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with

some hills in the east

People Latvia

Population:

2,274,735 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 14% (male 162,562/female 155,091)

15-64 years: 69.6% (male 769,004/female 815,042)

65 years and over: 16.4% (male 121,646/female 251,390) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 39.4 years

male: 36.3 years

female: 42.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.67% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

9.24 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

13.66 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-2.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female

total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 9.35 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 11.31 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 7.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71.33 years

male: 66.08 years

female: 76.85 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.27 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.6% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

7,600 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Latvian(s)

adjective: Latvian

Ethnic groups:

Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%,

Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002)

Religions:

Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox

Languages:

Latvian (official) 58.2%, Russian 37.5%, Lithuanian and other 4.3%

(2000 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.8%

male: 99.8%

female: 99.8% (2003 est.)

Government Latvia

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Latvia

conventional short form: Latvia

local long form: Latvijas Republika

local short form: Latvija

former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Riga

geographic coordinates: 56 57 N, 24 06 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities*: Aizkraukles

Rajons, Aluksnes Rajons, Balvu Rajons, Bauskas Rajons, Cesu Rajons,

Daugavpils*, Daugavpils Rajons, Dobeles Rajons, Gulbenes Rajons,

Jekabpils Rajons, Jelgava*, Jelgavas Rajons, Jurmala*, Kraslavas

Rajons, Kuldigas Rajons, Liepaja*, Liepajas Rajons, Limbazu Rajons,

Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons, Preilu Rajons,

Rezekne*, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga*, Rigas Rajons, Saldus Rajons, Talsu

Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras Rajons, Ventspils*,

Ventspils Rajons

Independence:

18 November 1918 (from Soviet Russia)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 is

the date Latvia declared itself independent from Soviet Russia; 4

May 1990 is when it declared the renewal of independence; 21 August

1991 is the date of de facto independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution:

15 February 1922; restored to force by the Constitutional Law of

the Republic of Latvia adopted by the Supreme Council on 21 August

1991; multiple amendments since

Legal system:

based on civil law system

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999)

head of government: Prime Minister Aigars KALVITIS (since 2 December

2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and

appointed by the Parliament

elections: president reelected by Parliament for a four-year term

(no term limits); election last held 20 June 2003 (next to be held

by July 2007); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA reelected president;

parliamentary vote - Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA 88 of 94 votes cast

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by

proportional representation from party lists across five districts

through direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 7 October 2006 (next to be held October 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - TP 19.5%, ZZS 16.7%, JL

16.4%, SC 14.4%; LPP/LC 8.6%; TB/LNNK 7%; PCTVL 6%; seats by party -

TP 23, ZZS 18, JL 18, SC 17, LPP/LC 10, TB/LNNK 8, PCTVL 6

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament);

Constitutional Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by

Parliament)

Political parties and leaders:

First Party of Latvia or LPP [Ainars SLESERS]; For Human Rights in

a United Latvia or PCTVL [Jakovs PLINERS]; For the Fatherland and

Freedom/Latvian National Independence Movement or TB/LNNK [Roberts

ZILE, Maris GRINBLATS]; Harmony Center or SC [Janis URBANOVICS, Nils

USAKOVS]; Latvian Farmer's Union or LZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS]; Latvian

Social Democratic Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDSP [Juris

BOJARS]; Latvian Socialist Party or LSP [Alfreds RUBIKS]; Latvia's

Way or LC [Ivars GODMANIS, Ainars BERZINS]; New Democrats or JD

[Maris GULBIS]; New Era Party or JL [Einars REPSE, Krisjanis

KARINS]; People's Party or TP [Aigars KALVITIS]; The Union of

Latvian Greens and Farmers Party or ZZS [Indulis EMSIS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools (SHTAB)

[Aleksandr KAZAKOV]

International organization participation:

Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA,

IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO,

NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Maris SELGA

chancery: 2306 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 328-2840

FAX: [1] (202) 328-2860

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Catherine Todd BAILEY

embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510

mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE

09723

telephone: [371] 703-6200

FAX: [371] 782-0047

Flag description:

three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and

maroon

Economy Latvia

Economy - overview:

Latvia's transitional economy recovered from the 1998 Russian

financial crisis, largely due to the government's budget stringency

and a gradual reorientation of exports toward EU countries,

lessening Latvia's trade dependency on Russia. The majority of

companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized, although the

state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises. Latvia

officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999. EU

membership, a top foreign policy goal, came in May 2004. The current

account deficit - 15.7% of GDP in 2006 - remains a major concern.

The perception that many of Latvia's banks facilitate illicit

activity could damage the country's vibrant financial sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$35.08 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$16.13 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

9.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$15,400 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.7% industry: 26.3% services: 70% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 1.136 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 15% industry: 25% services: 60% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

6.7% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 26.1% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

35.03 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6.3% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

31.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $6.172 billion

expenditures: $6.45 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

11% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs;

fish

Industries:

buses, vans, street and railroad cars; synthetic fibers,

agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios,

electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; note -

dependent on imports for energy and raw materials

Industrial production growth rate:

8.5% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

4.55 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 29.1% hydro: 70.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

6.329 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

636 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

2.733 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

47,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

1.91 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

1.91 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-2.538 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$6.98 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles,

foodstuffs

Exports - partners:

Lithuania 11%, Estonia 10.8%, Germany 10.2%, UK 10.2%, Russia 7.9%,

Sweden 7.8%, Denmark 5.3%, Poland 5.3% (2005)

Imports:

$10.33 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles

Imports - partners:

Germany 13.9%, Lithuania 13.6%, Russia 8.6%, Estonia 7.9%, Poland

6.4%, Finland 5.9%, Belarus 5.8%, Sweden 5.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.61 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$18.9 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$96.2 million

Currency (code):

Latvian lat (LVL)

Currency code:

LVL

Exchange rates:

lati per US dollar - 0.55991 (2006), - 0.5647 (2005), 0.5402

(2004), 0.5715 (2003), 0.6182 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Latvia

Telephones - main lines in use:

731,000 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.872 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: recent efforts focused on bringing competition

to the telecommunications sector, beginning in 2003; the number of

fixed lines is decreasing as wireless telephony expands

domestic: two wireless service providers in addition to Lattelekom,

the incumbent monopoly

international: country code - 371; the Latvian network is now

connected via fiber optic cable to Estonia, Finland, and Sweden

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:

1.76 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:

1.22 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.lv

Internet hosts:

65,858 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

41 (2001)

Internet users:

1.03 million (2005)

Transportation Latvia

Airports: 46 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 24 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 13 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 22 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 19 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 1,097 km; oil 82 km; refined products 415 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 2,303 km

broad gauge: 2,270 km 1.520-m gauge (257 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 69,532 km paved: 69,532 km (2004)

Waterways:

300 km (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 21 ships (1000 GRT or over) 250,559 GRT/336,136 DWT

by type: cargo 7, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 2,

passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 1

registered in other countries: 105 (Antigua and Barbuda 5, Bahamas

1, Belize 6, Cambodia 2, Cyprus 4, Dominica 1, Gibraltar 2, Liberia

14, Malta 40, Marshall Islands 7, Panama 3, Russia 2, Saint Vincent

and the Grenadines 18) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Riga, Ventspils

Military Latvia

Military branches:

Latvian Republic Defense Force: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force,

Border Guard, Home Guard (Zemessardze) (2005)

Military service age and obligation: 19 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for volunteers; plans are to phase out conscription, tentatively moving to an all-professional force by 2007; under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 19-49: 517,713

females age 19-49: 519,631 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 19-49: 361,098

females age 19-49: 422,913 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 19,137

females age 19-49: 18,505 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$87 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.2% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Latvia

Disputes - international:

Russia refuses to sign the 1997 boundary treaty due to Latvian

insistence on a unilateral clarificatory declaration referencing

Soviet occupation of Latvia and territorial losses; Russia demands

better Latvian treatment of ethnic Russians in Latvia; as of January

2007, ground demarcation of the boundary with Belarus was complete

and mapped with final ratification documentation in preparation; the

Latvian parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary

treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil

exploration rights; as a member state that forms part of the EU's

external border, Latvia must implement the strict Schengen border

rules with Russia

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Central and

Southwest Asia to Western Europe and Scandinavia and Latin American

cocaine and some synthetics from Western Europe to CIS; despite

improved legislation, vulnerable to money laundering due to nascent

enforcement capabilities and comparatively weak regulation of

offshore companies and the gaming industry; CIS organized crime

(including counterfeiting, corruption, extortion, stolen cars, and

prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Lebanon

Introduction Lebanon

Background:

Following the capture of Syria from the Ottoman Empire by

Anglo-French forces in 1918, France received a mandate over this

territory and separated out a region of Lebanon in 1920. France

granted this area independence in 1943. A 15-year civil war

(1976-1991) devastated the country, but Lebanon has since made

progress toward rebuilding its political institutions. Under the

Ta'if Accord - the blueprint for national reconciliation - the

Lebanese established a more equitable political system, particularly

by giving Muslims a greater voice in the political process while

institutionalizing sectarian divisions in the government. Since the

end of the war, Lebanon has conducted several successful elections,

most militias have been disbanded, and the Lebanese Armed Forces

(LAF) have extended authority over about two-thirds of the country.

Hizballah, a radical Shi'a organization listed by the US State

Department as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, retains its weapons.

During Lebanon's civil war, the Arab League legitimized in the Ta'if

Accord Syria's troop deployment, numbering about 16,000 based mainly

east of Beirut and in the Bekaa Valley. Damascus justified its

continued military presence in Lebanon by citing Beirut's requests

and the failure of the Lebanese Government to implement all of the

constitutional reforms in the Ta'if Accord. Israel's withdrawal from

southern Lebanon in May 2000, however, encouraged some Lebanese

groups to demand that Syria withdraw its forces as well. The passage

of UNSCR 1559 in early October 2004 - a resolution calling for Syria

to withdraw from Lebanon and end its interference in Lebanese

affairs - further emboldened Lebanese groups opposed to Syria's

presence in Lebanon. The assassination of former Prime Minister

Rafiq HARIRI and 20 others in February 2005 led to massive

demonstrations in Beirut against the Syrian presence ("the Cedar

Revolution"). Syria finally withdrew the remainder of its military

forces from Lebanon in April 2005. In May-June 2005, Lebanon held

its first legislative elections since the end of the civil war free

of foreign interference, handing a majority to the bloc led by Saad

HARIRI, the slain prime minister's son. Hizballah kidnapped two

Israeli soldiers in July 2006 leading to a 34-day conflict with

Israel. UNSCR 1701, which passed in August 2006, called for the

disarmament of Hizballah.

Geography Lebanon

Location:

Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and

Syria

Geographic coordinates:

33 50 N, 35 50 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 10,400 sq km

land: 10,230 sq km

water: 170 sq km

Area - comparative:

about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries: total: 454 km border countries: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km

Coastline:

225 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:

Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers;

Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows

Terrain:

narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and

Anti-Lebanon Mountains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

highest point: Qurnat as Sawda' 3,088 m

Natural resources:

limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit

region, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 16.35%

permanent crops: 13.75%

other: 69.9% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,040 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in

Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial wastes;

pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous

Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life

Conservation

Geography - note:

Nahr el Litani is the only major river in Near East not crossing an

international boundary; rugged terrain historically helped isolate,

protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion,

clan, and ethnicity

People Lebanon

Population:

3,874,050 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 26.5% (male 523,220/female 502,372)

15-64 years: 66.6% (male 1,235,915/female 1,342,540)

65 years and over: 7% (male 122,155/female 147,848) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 27.8 years

male: 26.7 years

female: 28.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.23% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

18.52 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

6.21 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 23.72 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 26.34 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 20.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 72.88 years

male: 70.41 years

female: 75.48 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.9 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

2,800 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Lebanese (singular and plural)

adjective: Lebanese

Ethnic groups:

Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%

note: many Christian Lebanese do not identify themselves as Arab but

rather as descendents of the ancient Canaanites and prefer to be

called Phoenicians

Religions:

Muslim 59.7% (Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri),

Christian 39% (Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Melkite Catholic,

Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Syrian

Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Chaldean, Assyrian, Copt, Protestant),

other 1.3%

note: 17 religious sects recognized

Languages:

Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 87.4%

male: 93.1%

female: 82.2% (2003 est.)

Government Lebanon

Country name:

conventional long form: Lebanese Republic

conventional short form: Lebanon

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah

local short form: Lubnan

former: Greater Lebanon

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Beirut

geographic coordinates: 33 53 N, 35 30 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

8 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Aakkar,

Baalbek-Hermel, Beyrouth, Beqaa, Liban-Nord, Liban-Sud, Mont-Liban,

Nabatiye

Independence:

22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French

administration)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 22 November (1943)

Constitution:

23 May 1926; amended a number of times, most recently Charter of

Lebanese National Reconciliation (Ta'if Accord) of October 1989

Legal system:

mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and civil law;

no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory

ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at

age 21 with elementary education

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Emile LAHUD (since 24 November 1998)

head of government: Prime Minister Fuad SINIORA (since 30 June

2005); Deputy Prime Minister Elias MURR (since April 2005)

cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with

the president and members of the National Assembly

elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a six-year

term (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 15

October 1998 (next to be held in 2007 based on three-year

extension); note - on 3 September 2004 the National Assembly voted

96 to 29 to extend Emile LAHUD's six-year term by three years; the

prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president

in consultation with the National Assembly; by agreement, the

president is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a Sunni

Muslim, and the speaker of the National Assembly is a Shi'a Muslim

election results: for 15 October 1998 election: Emile LAHUD elected

president; National Assembly vote - 118 votes in favor, 0 against,

10 abstentions

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Majlis Alnuwab (Arabic) or

Assemblee Nationale (French) (128 seats; members elected by popular

vote on the basis of sectarian proportional representation to serve

four-year terms); note - Nahib BERRI is the National Assembly

Speaker (since 1992)

elections: last held in four rounds on 29 May, 5, 12, 19 June 2005

(next to be held 2009)

election results: percent of vote by group - NA; seats by group (as

of December 2006) - Future Movement Bloc 36; Democratic Gathering

15; Development and Resistance Bloc 15; Loyalty to the Resistance

14; Free Patriotic Movement 15; Lebanese Forces 5; Qornet Shewan 6;

Popular Bloc 4; Tripoli Independent Bloc 3; Syrian National

Socialist Party 2; Kataeb Reform Movement 2; Tachnaq Party 2;

Democratic Renewal Movement 1; Democratic Left 1; Nasserite Popular

Movement 1; Ba'th Party 1; Kataeb Party 1; independent 4

Judicial branch:

four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and commercial

cases and one court for criminal cases); Constitutional Council

(called for in Ta'if Accord - rules on constitutionality of laws);

Supreme Council (hears charges against the president and prime

minister as needed)

Political parties and leaders:

note - organized in three major political blocs; 14 March Coalition

(bloc includes Democratic Gathering [Walid JUNBLATT, leader of

Progressive Socialist Party]; Democratic Left [Ilyas ATALLAH];

Democratic Renewal Movement [Nassib LAHUD]; Future Movement Bloc

[Sa'ad HARIRI]; Kataeb Reform Movement [Amine GEMAYEL]; Lebanese

Forces [Samir JA'JA]; Nasserite Popular Movement [Ussama SAAD];

Qornet Shewan Gathering (a grouping composed of political parties

and independent members of the National Assembly [no individual

leader]; Tripoli Independent Bloc); Change and Reform Alliance (bloc

includes Free Patriotic Movement [Michel AWN]; Metn Bloc [Michel

MURR]; Popular Bloc [Elias SKAFF]; Tachnaq); Hizballah and Amal

Alliance (bloc includes Ba'th Party [Muhammad MUHAMMADIYAH];

Development and Resistance Bloc [Nabih BERRI, leader of Amal

Movement]; Kataeb Party [Karim PAKRADONI]; Loyalty to the Resistance

[Mohammad RA'AD]; Syrian National Socialist Party [Ali QANSU])

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,

ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU,

ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,

WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Carla JAZZAR; note - ambassador designate is Antoine CHEDID chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6320 FAX: [1] (202) 939-6324 consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, Los Angeles

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Ambassador Designate Antoine

CHEDID

embassy: Awkar, Lebanon; (Akwar facing the Municipality)

mailing address: P. O. Box 70-840, Antelias, Lebanon; PSC 815, Box

2, FPO AE 09836-0002; from US: US Embassy Beirut, 6070 Beirut Place,

Washington, DC 20521-6070

telephone: [961] (4) 542600, 543600

FAX: [961] (4) 544136

Flag description:

three horizontal bands consisting of red (top), white (middle,

double width), and red (bottom) with a green cedar tree centered in

the white band

Economy Lebanon

Economy - overview:

The 1975-91 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's economic

infrastructure, cut national output by half, and all but ended

Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and banking hub. In

the years since, Lebanon has rebuilt much of its war-torn physical

and financial infrastructure by borrowing heavily - mostly from

domestic banks. In an attempt to reduce the ballooning national

debt, the Rafiq HARIRI government began an austerity program,

reining in government expenditures, increasing revenue collection,

and privatizing state enterprises, but economic and financial reform

initiatives stalled and public debt continued to grow despite

receipt of more than $2 billion in bilateral assistance at the Paris

II Donors Conference. The Israeli-Hizballah conflict caused an

estimated $3.6 billion in infrastructure damage in July and August

2006, and internal Lebanese political tension continues to hamper

economic activity.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$21.45 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$19.62 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$5,500 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 7%

industry: 21%

services: 72% (2005)

Labor force:

1.5 million

note: in addition, there are as many as 1 million foreign workers

(2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

20% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

28% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.8% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

17.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $4.444 billion

expenditures: $7.429 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

209% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes, olives,

tobacco; sheep, goats

Industries:

banking, tourism, food processing, jewelry, cement, textiles,

mineral and chemical products, wood and furniture products, oil

refining, metal fabricating

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

9.762 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 97.2% hydro: 2.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

9.529 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

450 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

107,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-5.339 billion (October 2006)

Exports:

$1.881 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:

authentic jewelry, inorganic chemicals, miscellaneous consumer

goods, fruit, tobacco, construction minerals, electric power

machinery and switchgear, textile fibers, paper

Exports - partners:

Syria 25.3%, UAE 11.4%, Switzerland 8.1%, Turkey 6%, Saudi Arabia

5.4% (2005)

Imports:

$9.34 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum products, cars, medicinal products, clothing, meat and

live animals, consumer goods, paper, textile fabrics, tobacco

Imports - partners:

Italy 11.1%, Syria 10.7%, France 9.2%, Germany 6.4%, China 5.4%, US

5.3%, UK 4.4%, Saudi Arabia 4.3% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$16.78 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$31.1 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$2.2 billion received (2003), out of the $4.2 billion in soft loans

pledged at the November 2002 Paris II Aid Conference

Currency (code):

Lebanese pound (LBP)

Currency code:

LBP

Exchange rates:

Lebanese pounds per US dollar - 1,507.5 (2006), 1,507.5 (2005),

1,507.5 (2004), 1,507.5 (2003), 1,507.5 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Lebanon

Telephones - main lines in use:

990,000 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.178 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: repair of the telecommunications system,

severely damaged during the civil war, now complete

domestic: two commercial wireless networks provide good service;

political instability hampers privatization and deployment of new

technologies

international: country code - 961; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) (erratic operations);

coaxial cable to Syria; 3 submarine coaxial cables

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 20, FM 22, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:

2.85 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

15 (plus 5 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:

1.18 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.lb

Internet hosts:

3,307 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

22 (2000)

Internet users:

700,000 (2005)

Transportation Lebanon

Airports: 7 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 43 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 401 km

standard gauge: 319 km 1.435 m

narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050 m

note: rail system became unusable because of damage done during

fighting in the 1980s and in 2006 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 7,300 km

paved: 6,198 km

unpaved: 1,102 km (1999)

Merchant marine:

total: 39 ships (1000 GRT or over) 150,598 GRT/178,295 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 18, livestock carrier 10,

refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 3, vehicle carrier 3

foreign-owned: 4 (Greece 3, Syria 1)

registered in other countries: 59 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Barbados

1, Cambodia 6, Comoros 6, Egypt 2, Georgia 7, Honduras 1, North

Korea 6, Liberia 2, Malta 10, Mongolia 1, Panama 2, Saint Vincent

and the Grenadines 4, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Syria 7, unknown 2)

(2006)

Ports and terminals:

Beirut, Chekka, Jounie, Tripoli

Military Lebanon

Military branches:

Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF): Army, Navy, and Air Force

Military service age and obligation:

18-30 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;

conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 974,363

females age 18-49: 1,024,273 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 821,762

females age 18-49: 865,770 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$540.6 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

3.1% (2004)

Transnational Issues Lebanon

Disputes - international:

Lacking a treaty or other documentation describing the boundary,

portions of the Lebanon-Syria boundary are unclear with several

sections in dispute; since 2000, Lebanon has claimed Shab'a Farms

area in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights ; the roughly

2,000-strong UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has been in place

since 1978

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 405,425 (Palestinian Refugees

(UNRWA)), 20,000-40,000 (Iraq)

IDPs: 17,000 (1975-90 civil war, Israeli invasions), 200,000

(July-August 2006 war) (2006)

Illicit drugs:

cannabis cultivation dramatically reduced to 2,500 hectares in

2002; opium poppy cultivation minimal; small amounts of Latin

American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin transit country on way

to European markets and for Middle Eastern consumption

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Lesotho

Introduction Lesotho

Background:

Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence

from the UK in 1966. The Basuto National Party ruled for the first

two decades. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990, but returned to

Lesotho in 1992 and reinstated in 1995. Constitutional government

was restored in 1993 after 7 years of military rule. In 1998,

violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious

election prompted a brief but bloody intervention by South African

and Botswanan military forces under the aegis of the Southern

African Development Community. Constitutional reforms have since

restored political stability; peaceful parliamentary elections were

held in 2002.

Geography Lesotho

Location:

Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa

Geographic coordinates:

29 30 S, 28 30 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 30,355 sq km

land: 30,355 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 909 km border countries: South Africa 909 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Terrain:

mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m

highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m

Natural resources:

water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay,

building stone

Land use: arable land: 10.87% permanent crops: 0.13% other: 89% (2005)

Irrigated land:

30 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in

overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion;

desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and

redirects water to South Africa

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,

Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous,

more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level

People Lesotho

Population:

2,022,331

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 36.8% (male 374,102/female 369,527)

15-64 years: 58.3% (male 572,957/female 606,846)

65 years and over: 4.9% (male 39,461/female 59,438) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 20.3 years

male: 19.7 years

female: 21 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.46% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

24.75 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

28.71 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 87.24 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 92.04 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 82.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 34.4 years

male: 35.55 years

female: 33.21 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.28 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

28.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

320,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

29,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)

adjective: Basotho

Ethnic groups:

Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,

Religions:

Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%

Languages:

Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 84.8%

male: 74.5%

female: 94.5% (2003 est.)

Government Lesotho

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho

conventional short form: Lesotho

local long form: Kingdom of Lesotho

local short form: Lesotho

former: Basutoland

Government type:

parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Maseru

geographic coordinates: 29 28 S, 27 30 E

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

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru,

Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka

Independence:

4 October 1966 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 4 October (1966)

Constitution:

2 April 1993

Legal system:

based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of

legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; accepts

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996); note -

King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November 1990 to

February 1995, while his father was in exile

head of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May

1998)

cabinet: Cabinet

elections: none - according to the constitution, the leader of the

majority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister;

the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution,

which came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is

a "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative

powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to

depose the monarch, determine who is next in the line of succession,

or who shall serve as regent in the event that the successor is not

of mature age

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22

principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party)

and the Assembly (120 seats, 80 by direct popular vote and 40 by

proportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-year

terms); note - number of seats in the Assembly rose from 80 to 120

in the May 2002 election

elections: last held 25 May 2002 (next to be held 17 February 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - LCD 54.9%, BNP 22.4%,

LPC 5.8%, NIP 5.5% other 11.5%; seats by party - LCD 77, BNP 21, LPC

5, NIP 5, other 10

Judicial branch:

High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch acting on the

advice of the Prime Minister); Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts;

customary or traditional court

Political parties and leaders:

All Basotho Convention or ABC [Thomas THABANE]; Basotholand African

Congress or BAC [Khauhelo RALITAPOLE]; Basotho Congress Party or BCP

[Ntsukunyane MPHANYA]; Basotho National Party or BNP [Maj. Gen.

Justin Metsing LEKHANYA]; Kopanang Basotho Party or KPB [Pheelo

MOSALA]; Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD [Pakalitha MOSISILI]

(the governing party); Lesotho Education Party or LEP [Thabo PITSO];

Lesotho People's Congress or LPC [Kelebone MAOPE]; Lesotho Workers

Party or LWP [Macaefa BILLY]; Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP

[Vincent MALEBO]; National Democratic Party [J.S. Bereng]; National

Independent Party or NIP [Anthony MANYELI]; National Progressive

Party or NPP [Chief Peete Nkoebe PEETE]; New Lesotho Freedom Party

or NLFP [Manapo MAJARA]; Popular Front for Democracy or PFD

[Lekhetho RAKUOANE]; Sefate Democratic Union or SDU [Bofihla

NKUEBE]; Social Democratic Party of SDP [Masitise SELESO]; United

Democratic Party or UDP [C.D. MOFELI]; United Party or UP [Makara

SEKAUTU]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,

IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA,

NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,

WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Molelekeng E. RAPOLAKI

chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536

FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador June Carter PERRY

embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section)

mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho

telephone: [266] 22 312666

FAX: [266] 22 310116

Flag description:

three horizontal stripes of blue (top), white, and green in the

proportions of 3:4:3; the colors represent rain, peace, and

prosperity respectively; centered in the white stripe is a black

Basotho hat representing the indigenous people; the flag was

unfurled in October 2006 to celebrate 40 years of independence

Economy Lesotho

Economy - overview:

Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on remittances

from miners employed in South Africa and customs duties from the

Southern Africa Customs Union for the majority of government

revenue. However, the government has recently strengthened its tax

system to reduce dependency on customs duties. Completion of a major

hydropower facility in January 1998 now permits the sale of water to

South Africa, also generating royalties for Lesotho. As the number

of mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years, a

small manufacturing base has developed based on farm products that

support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries, as well

as a rapidly expanding apparel-assembly sector. The latter has grown

significantly, mainly due to Lesotho qualifying for the trade

benefits contained in the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act. The

economy is still primarily based on subsistence agriculture,

especially livestock, although drought has decreased agricultural

activity. The extreme inequality in the distribution of income

remains a major drawback. Lesotho has signed an Interim Poverty

Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$5.195 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.419 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

1.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 16.1% industry: 43% services: 40.9% (2006 est.)

Labor force:

838,000 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence

agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in

South Africa

industry and services: 14%

Unemployment rate:

45% (2002)

Population below poverty line:

49% (1999)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.9% highest 10%: 43.4%

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

63.2 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

32% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $778.9 million

expenditures: $734.7 million; including capital expenditures of NA

(2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock

Industries:

food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts,

construction, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

15.5% (1999)

Electricity - production:

250 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2004)

Electricity - consumption:

244.5 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

12 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

1,400 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-75.44 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$779.1 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and

mohair, food and live animals (2000)

Exports - partners:

Hong Kong 41.8%, China 33.9%, Germany 7.9% (2005)

Imports:

$1.401 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum

products (2000)

Imports - partners:

US 83.9%, Belgium 12.7%, Canada 2.4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$528.2 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$735 million (2002)

Economic aid - donor:

ODA, $4.4 million

Economic aid - recipient:

$41.5 million (2000)

Currency (code):

loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR)

Currency code:

LSL; ZAR

Exchange rates:

maloti per US dollar - 6.6 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004),

7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications Lesotho

Telephones - main lines in use:

48,000 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

245,100 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: rudimentary system

domestic: consists of a modest but growing number of landlines, a

small microwave radio relay system, and a minor radiotelephone

communication system; a cellular mobile telephone system is growing

international: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:

NA (2002)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2000)

Televisions:

NA

Internet country code:

.ls

Internet hosts:

168 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

43,000 (2005)

Transportation Lesotho

Airports: 28 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 25

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 21 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 5,940 km

paved: 1,087 km

unpaved: 4,853 km (1999)

Military Lesotho

Military branches:

Lesotho Defense Force (LDF): Army and Air Wing

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 428,982

females age 18-49: 440,102 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 180,797

females age 18-49: 160,681 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$41.1 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.1% (2005 est.)

Military - note:

the Lesotho Government in 1999 began an open debate on the future

structure, size, and role of the armed forces, especially

considering the Lesotho Defense Force's (LDF) history of intervening

in political affairs

Transnational Issues Lesotho

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Liberia

Introduction Liberia

Background:

Settlement of freed slaves from the US in what is today Liberia

began in 1822; by 1847, the Americo-Liberians were able to establish

a republic. William TUBMAN, president from 1944-71, did much to

promote foreign investment and to bridge the economic, social, and

political gaps between the descendents of the original settlers and

the inhabitants of the interior. In 1980, a military coup led by

Samuel DOE ushered in a decade of authoritarian rule. In December

1989, Charles TAYLOR launched a rebellion against DOE's regime that

led to a prolonged civil war in which DOE himself was killed. A

period of relative peace in 1997 allowed for elections that brought

TAYLOR to power, but major fighting resumed in 2000. An August 2003,

peace agreement ended the war and prompted the resignation of former

president Charles TAYLOR, who was exiled to Nigeria. After two years

of rule by a transitional government, democratic elections in late

2005 brought President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF to power. The UN

Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), which maintains a strong presence

throughout the country, completed a disarmament program for former

combatants in late 2004, but the security situation is still

volatile and the process of rebuilding the social and economic

structure of this war-torn country remains sluggish.

Geography Liberia

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote

d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone

Geographic coordinates:

6 30 N, 9 30 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 111,370 sq km

land: 96,320 sq km

water: 15,050 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries:

total: 1,585 km

border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone

306 km

Coastline:

579 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold

nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers

Terrain:

mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and

low mountains in northeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m

Natural resources:

iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 3.43% permanent crops: 1.98% other: 94.59% (2005)

Irrigated land:

30 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March)

Environment - current issues:

tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of

biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw

sewage

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,

Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical

Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the

Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by

lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland

grassy plateau supports limited agriculture

People Liberia

Population:

3,042,004 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 43.1% (male 656,016/female 653,734)

15-64 years: 54.2% (male 816,443/female 832,152)

65 years and over: 2.8% (male 40,591/female 43,068) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.1 years

male: 18 years

female: 18.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

4.91% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

44.77 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

23.1 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

27.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population

note: at least 238,500 Liberian refugees are in surrounding

countries; the uncertain security situation has hindered their

ability to return (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 155.76 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 171.96 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 139.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 39.65 years

male: 37.99 years

female: 41.35 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

6.02 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

5.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

100,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

7,200 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in

some locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Liberian(s)

adjective: Liberian

Ethnic groups:

indigenous African 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo,

Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella, Mandingo,

and Mende), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from

the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5% (descendants of

immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves)

Religions:

indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

Languages:

English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of which a

few can be written and are used in correspondence

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 57.5%

male: 73.3%

female: 41.6% (2003 est.)

Government Liberia

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Liberia

conventional short form: Liberia

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Monrovia

geographic coordinates: 6 18 N, 10 47 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount,

Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba,

River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe

Independence:

26 July 1847

National holiday:

Independence Day, 26 July (1847)

Constitution:

6 January 1986

Legal system:

dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for

the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal

practices for indigenous sector; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16 January

2006); note - the President is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16

January 2006); note - the President is both the chief of state and

head of government

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the

Senate

elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 8 November 2005

(next to be held in 2011)

election results: Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF elected president; percent

of vote, second round - Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (UP) 59.6%, George

WEAH (CDC) 40.4%

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (30 seats -

number of seats changed in 11 October 2005 elections; members

elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and the House of

Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve

six-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 11 October 2005 (next to be held in

2011); House of Representatives - last held 11 October 2005 (next to

be held in 2011)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by

party - COTOL 7, NPP 4, CDC 3, LP 3, UP 3, APD 3, other 7; House of

Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

CDC 15, LP 9, UP 8, COTOL 8, APD 5, NPP 4, other 15

note: junior senators - those who received the second most votes in

each county in the 11 October 2005 election - will only serve a

six-year first term because the Liberian constitution mandates

staggered Senate elections to ensure continuity of government; all

senators will be eligible for nine-year terms thereafter

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance for Peace and Democracy or APD [Togba-na TIPOTEH];

Coalition for the Transformation of Liberia or COTOL; Congress for

Democratic Change or CDC [George WEAH]; Liberian Action Party or LAP

[H. Varney SHERMAN]; Liberty Party or LP [Charles BRUMSKINE];

National Patriotic Party or NPP [Cyril ALLEN]; Unity Party or UP

[Charles CLARKE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Demobilized former military officers

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,

IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU,

ITUC, NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,

WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Charles A. MINOR chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437 FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Donald E. BOOTH

embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 10-0098, Mamba Point,

1000 Monrovia, 10

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [231] 226-370 through 226-380

FAX: [231] 226-148

Flag description:

11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating

with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square in

the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag

Economy Liberia

Economy - overview:

Civil war and government mismanagement have destroyed much of

Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around

Monrovia. Many businessmen have fled the country, taking capital and

expertise with them. Some have returned, but many will not. Richly

endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate

favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a producer and exporter

of basic products - primarily raw timber and rubber. Local

manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope.

President JOHNSON SIRLEAF, a Harvard-trained economist, has taken

steps to reduce corruption, build support from international donors,

and encourage private investment. An embargo on timber exports has

been lifted, opening a source of revenue for the government, but

diamonds remain under UN sanctions. The reconstruction of

infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy

will largely depend on generous financial support and technical

assistance from donor countries.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$2.911 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$902.9 million (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 76.9%

industry: 5.4%

services: 17.7% (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 70%

industry: 8%

services: 22% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

85% (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line:

80%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

15% (2003 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $85.4 million

expenditures: $90.5 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2000 est.)

Agriculture - products: rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber

Industries:

rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

325 million kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

302.3 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

3,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$910 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee

Exports - partners:

Belgium 40.7%, Spain 15.2%, US 8.9%, Malaysia 5.4%, Thailand 4.5%,

Poland 4.5%, Germany 4.3% (2005)

Imports:

$4.839 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured

goods; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

South Korea 38.1%, Japan 21.2%, Singapore 14.2%, Croatia 4.7% (2005)

Debt - external:

$3.2 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$94 million (1999)

Currency (code):

Liberian dollar (LRD)

Currency code:

LRD

Exchange rates:

Liberian dollars per US dollar - NA (2005), 54.906 (2004), 59.379

(2003), 61.754 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Liberia

Telephones - main lines in use:

6,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

160,000 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: the limited services available are found almost

exclusively in the capital Monrovia

domestic: fully automatic system with very low density of .23 fixed

main lines per 100 persons; limited wireless service available

international: country code - 231; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios:

790,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:

70,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.lr

Internet hosts:

8 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2001)

Internet users:

1,000 (2002)

Transportation Liberia

Airports: 53 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 51 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 38 (2006)

Railways:

total: 490 km

standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge

note: railway is inoperable because of damage suffered during the

civil war (2005)

Roadways:

total: 10,600 km

paved: 657 km

unpaved: 9,943 km (1999)

Merchant marine:

total: 1,687 ships (1000 GRT or over) 62,522,787 GRT/96,776,521 DWT

by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 322, cargo 83, chemical

tanker 199, combination ore/oil 2, container 477, liquefied gas 75,

passenger 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 397, refrigerated

cargo 76, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier

35

foreign-owned: 1,611 (Argentina 7, Australia 2, Austria 13, Bahamas,

The 1, Bermuda 1, Brazil 3, Canada 2, China 35, Croatia 7, Cyprus 3,

Denmark 8, Estonia 1, France 3, Germany 587, Greece 267, Hong Kong

37, India 3, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 5, Israel 5, Italy 16, Japan

102, South Korea 3, Kuwait 1, Latvia 14, Lebanon 2, Mexico 1, Monaco

10, Netherlands 29, Norway 38, Poland 14, Qatar 2, Russia 77, Saudi

Arabia 24, Singapore 28, Slovenia 2, Sweden 8, Switzerland 7, Taiwan

69, Turkey 1, UAE 18, UK 41, Ukraine 16, Uruguay 3, US 93, unknown

1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Buchanan, Monrovia

Military Liberia

Military branches:

Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Navy, Air Force

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription

(2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 575,384

females age 18-49: 588,780 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 267,430

females age 18-49: 286,231 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$67.4 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

7.5% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Liberia

Disputes - international:

although civil unrest continues to abate with the assistance of

18,000 UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) peacekeepers, as of January

2007, 22,000 Liberian refugees still remain in both Guinea and Cote

d'Ivoire, 38,500 in Sierra Leone, and 39,690 in Ghana; Liberia, in

turn, shelters 12,580 refugees fleeing turmoil in Cote d'Ivoire and

3,600 from Sierra Leone; despite the presence of over 9000 UN forces

(UNOCI) in Cote d'Ivoire since 2004, ethnic conflict continues to

spread into neighboring states who can no longer send their migrant

workers to Ivorian cocoa plantations; UN sanctions ban Liberia from

exporting diamonds and timber

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 6,592 (Cote d'Ivoire)

IDPs: 13,000 (civil war from 1990-2004; IDP resettlement began in

November 2004) (2006)

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and

South American cocaine for the European and US markets; corruption,

criminal activity, arms-dealing, and diamond trade provide

significant potential for money laundering, but the lack of

well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a

major money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Libya

Introduction Libya

Background:

The Italians supplanted the Ottoman Turks from the area around

Tripoli in 1911 and did not relinquish their hold until 1943 when

defeated in World War II. Libya then passed to UN administration and

achieved independence in 1951. Following a 1969 military coup, Col.

Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI began to espouse his own political

system, the Third Universal Theory. The system is a combination of

socialism and Islam derived in part from tribal practices and is

supposed to be implemented by the Libyan people themselves in a

unique form of "direct democracy." QADHAFI has always seen himself

as a revolutionary and visionary leader. He used oil funds during

the 1970s and 1980s to promote his ideology outside Libya,

supporting subversives and terrorists abroad to hasten the end of

Marxism and capitalism. In addition, beginning in 1973, he engaged

in military operations in northern Chad's Aozou Strip - to gain

access to minerals and to use as a base of influence in Chadian

politics - but was forced to retreat in 1987. UN sanctions in 1992

isolated QADHAFI politically following the downing of Pan AM Flight

103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. Libyan support for terrorism appeared

to have decreased after the imposition of sanctions. During the

1990s, QADHAFI also began to rebuild his relationships with Europe.

UN sanctions were suspended in April 1999 and finally lifted in

September 2003 after Libya resolved the Lockerbie case. In December

2003, Libya announced that it had agreed to reveal and end its

programs to develop weapons of mass destruction, and QADHAFI has

made significant strides in normalizing relations with western

nations since then. He has received various Western European leaders

as well as many working-level and commercial delegations, and made

his first trip to Western Europe in 15 years when he traveled to

Brussels in April 2004. QADHAFI also resolved in 2004 some of the

outstanding cases against his government for terrorist activities in

the 1980s by compensating some families of victims of the Pan Am

103, French airliner UTA, and La Belle disco bombings. The US

resumed full diplomatic relations with Libya in May 2006 and

rescinded Libya's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism in

June.

Geography Libya

Location:

Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and

Tunisia

Geographic coordinates:

25 00 N, 17 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 1,759,540 sq km

land: 1,759,540 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Alaska

Land boundaries:

total: 4,348 km

border countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km,

Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km

Coastline:

1,770 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north

exclusive fishing zone: 62 nm

Climate:

Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior

Terrain:

mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, gypsum

Land use: arable land: 1.03% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 98.78% (2005)

Irrigated land:

4,700 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four

days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues:

desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources; the

Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in

the world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers under

the Sahara to coastal cities

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,

Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert

People Libya

Population: 5,900,754 note: includes 166,510 non-nationals (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 33.6% (male 1,012,748/female 969,978)

15-64 years: 62.2% (male 1,891,643/female 1,778,621)

65 years and over: 4.2% (male 121,566/female 126,198) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 23 years

male: 23.1 years

female: 22.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.3% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

26.49 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

3.48 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 23.71 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 25.99 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 21.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.69 years

male: 74.46 years

female: 79.02 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.28 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

10,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: may be a significant risk in some locations

during the transmission season (typically April through October)

(2007)

Nationality:

noun: Libyan(s)

adjective: Libyan

Ethnic groups:

Berber and Arab 97%, Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians,

Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, Tunisians

Religions:

Sunni Muslim 97%

Languages:

Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the major

cities

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 82.6%

male: 92.4%

female: 72% (2003 est.)

Government Libya

Country name:

conventional long form: Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab

Jamahiriya

conventional short form: Libya

local long form: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah

al Ishtirakiyah al Uzma

local short form: none

Government type:

Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the

populace through local councils; in practice, an authoritarian state

Capital:

name: Tripoli

geographic coordinates: 32 54 N, 13 11 E

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

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

25 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ajdabiya, Al

'Aziziyah, Al Fatih, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jufrah, Al Khums, Al

Kufrah, An Nuqat al Khams, Ash Shati', Awbari, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi,

Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Misratah, Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt,

Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Yafran, Zlitan; note - the 25

municipalities may have been replaced by 13 regions

Independence:

24 December 1951 (from UN trusteeship)

National holiday:

Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)

Constitution:

none; note - following the September 1969 military overthrow of the

Libyan government, the Revolutionary Command Council replaced the

existing constitution with the Constitutional Proclamation in

December 1969; in March 1977, Libya adopted the Declaration of the

Establishment of the People's Authority

Legal system:

based on Italian civil law system and Islamic law; separate

religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review of

legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar

al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969); note - holds no official title,

but is de facto chief of state

head of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee

(Prime Minister) al-Baghdadi Ali al-MAHMUDI (since 5 March 2006)

cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General

People's Congress

elections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of

people's committees; head of government elected by the General

People's Congress; election last held March 2006 (next to be held NA)

election results: NA

Legislative branch:

unicameral General People's Congress (NA seats; members elected

indirectly through a hierarchy of people's committees)

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

various Arab nationalist movements with almost negligible

memberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as some

Islamic elements; an anti-QADHAFI Libyan exile movement exists,

primarily based in London, but has little influence

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA,

IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW,

OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ali AUJALI

chancery: 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Suite 705, Washington, DC 20037

telephone: [1] (202) 944-9601

FAX: [1] (202) 944-9060

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad Interim

Charles O. CECIL

embassy: Corinthia Bab Africa Hotel, Souq At-Tlat Al-Qadim, Tripoli

mailing address: US Embassy, 8850 Tripoli Place, Washington, DC

20521-8850

telephone: [218] 21-335-1848

Flag description:

plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state

religion)

Economy Libya

Economy - overview:

The Libyan economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil

sector, which contribute about 95% of export earnings, about

one-quarter of GDP, and 60% of public sector wages. Substantial

revenues from the energy sector coupled with a small population give

Libya one of the highest per capita GDPs in Africa, but little of

this income flows down to the lower orders of society. Libyan

officials in the past four years have made progress on economic

reforms as part of a broader campaign to reintegrate the country

into the international fold. This effort picked up steam after UN

sanctions were lifted in September 2003 and as Libya announced in

December 2003 that it would abandon programs to build weapons of

mass destruction. Almost all US unilateral sanctions against Libya

were removed in April 2004, helping Libya attract more foreign

direct investment, mostly in the energy sector. Libyan oil and gas

licensing rounds continue to draw high international interest. Libya

faces a long road ahead in liberalizing the socialist-oriented

economy, but initial steps - including applying for WTO membership,

reducing some subsidies, and announcing plans for privatization -

are laying the groundwork for a transition to a more market-based

economy. The non-oil manufacturing and construction sectors, which

account for more than 20% of GDP, have expanded from processing

mostly agricultural products to include the production of

petrochemicals, iron, steel, and aluminum. Climatic conditions and

poor soils severely limit agricultural output, and Libya imports

about 75% of its food.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$74.97 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$34.83 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

8.1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$12,700 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7.3% industry: 51.3% services: 41.4% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 1.787 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 17% industry: 23% services: 59% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

30% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:

7.4%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.1% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

7.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $33.34 billion

expenditures: $19.3 billion; including capital expenditures of $5.6

billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:

5.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts,

soybeans; cattle

Industries:

petroleum, iron and steel, food processing, textiles, handicrafts,

cement

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

19.44 billion kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

18.08 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

1.72 million bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption:

237,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

1.34 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:

42 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

8.06 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

5.93 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

2.13 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

1.472 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$14.5 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$37.02 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas, chemicals

Exports - partners:

Italy 37.7%, Germany 15.1%, Spain 9.3%, Turkey 6.2%, France 6.2%,

US 5.2% (2005)

Imports:

$14.47 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, semi-finished goods, food, transport equipment, consumer

products

Imports - partners:

Italy 21.2%, Germany 10.3%, Tunisia 5.6%, Turkey 4.8%, UK 4.8%,

France 4.7%, South Korea 4.6%, China 4.5% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$57.48 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$4.492 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

ODA, $18 million (2004 est.)

Currency (code):

Libyan dinar (LYD)

Currency code:

LYD

Exchange rates:

Libyan dinars per US dollar - 1.315 (2006), 1.3084 (2005), 1.305

(2004), 1.2929 (2003), 1.2707 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Libya

Telephones - main lines in use:

750,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

234,800 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: telecommunications system is being modernized;

mobile cellular telephone system became operational in 1996

domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, cellular,

tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth

stations

international: country code - 218; satellite earth stations - 4

Intelsat, NA Arabsat, and NA Intersputnik; submarine cables to

France and Italy; microwave radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt;

tropospheric scatter to Greece; participant in Medarabtel (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 16, FM 3, shortwave 3 (2002)

Radios:

1.35 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

12 (plus one low-power repeater) (1999)

Televisions:

730,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.ly

Internet hosts:

31 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2002)

Internet users:

205,000 (2005)

Transportation Libya

Airports: 141 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 60

over 3,047 m: 23

2,438 to 3,047 m: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 23

914 to 1,523 m: 6

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 81

over 3,047 m: 5

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 15

914 to 1,523 m: 41

under 914 m: 18 (2006)

Heliports:

2 (2006)

Pipelines:

condensate 882 km; gas 3,481 km; oil 6,916 km (2006)

Railways:

0 km

note: Libya is working on seven lines totaling 2,757 km of 1.435-m

gauge track; it hopes to have trains running by 2008 (2005)

Roadways:

total: 83,200 km

paved: 47,590 km

unpaved: 35,610 km (1999)

Merchant marine:

total: 18 ships (1000 GRT or over) 86,034 GRT/89,820 DWT

by type: cargo 10, liquefied gas 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum

tanker 2, roll on/roll off 2

foreign-owned: 4 (Kuwait 1, Norway 1, Turkey 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

As Sidrah, Az Zuwaytinah, Marsa al Burayqah, Ra's Lanuf, Tripoli,

Zawiyah

Military Libya

Military branches:

Armed Peoples on Duty (APOD, Army), Libyan Arab Navy, Libyan Arab

Air Force (LAAF) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

17 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 17-49: 1,505,675

females age 17-49: 1,429,152 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 17-49: 1,291,624

females age 17-49: 1,230,824 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 62,034

females age 17-49: 59,533 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$1.3 billion (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

3.9% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Libya

Disputes - international:

Libya has claimed more than 32,000 sq km in southeastern Algeria

and about 25,000 sq km in the Tommo region of Niger in a currently

dormant dispute; various Chadian rebels from the Aozou region reside

in southern Libya

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 8,873 (Palestinian Territories) (2006)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Libya is a transit and destination country for

men, women, and children from sub-Saharan Africa and Asia trafficked

for forced labor and sexual exploitation; many victims willingly

migrate to Libya en route to Europe with the help of smugglers, but

may be forced into prostitution or work as laborers and beggars to

pay off their $800-$1,200 smuggling debt; laborers from Egypt,

Sudan, and Ethiopia are reportedly trafficked to Libya for the

purpose of labor exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Libya is placed on the Tier 2 Watch

List for its lack of evidence of increasing efforts to address

trafficking since 2004

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Liechtenstein

Introduction Liechtenstein

Background:

The Principality of Liechtenstein was established within the Holy

Roman Empire in 1719; it became a sovereign state in 1806. Until the

end of World War I, it was closely tied to Austria, but the economic

devastation caused by that conflict forced Liechtenstein to enter

into a customs and monetary union with Switzerland. Since World War

II (in which Liechtenstein remained neutral), the country's low

taxes have spurred outstanding economic growth. Shortcomings in

banking regulatory oversight resulted in concerns about the use of

financial institutions for money laundering. However, Liechtenstein

implemented anti-money-laundering legislation over the past several

years and a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with the US went into

effect in 2003.

Geography Liechtenstein

Location:

Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland

Geographic coordinates:

47 16 N, 9 32 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 160 sq km

land: 160 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 76 km border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km

Coastline:

0 km (doubly landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool

to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers

Terrain:

mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m highest point: Vorder-Grauspitz 2,599 m

Natural resources: hydroelectric potential, arable land

Land use: arable land: 25% permanent crops: 0% other: 75% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

NA

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,

Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer

Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries

in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation

People Liechtenstein

Population:

33,987 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 17.4% (male 2,922/female 2,988)

15-64 years: 70.2% (male 11,842/female 12,022)

65 years and over: 12.4% (male 1,773/female 2,440) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 39.6 years

male: 39.2 years

female: 40.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.78% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

10.21 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

7.18 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

4.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.64 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 6.24 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.68 years

male: 76.1 years

female: 83.28 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.51 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Liechtensteiner(s)

adjective: Liechtenstein

Ethnic groups:

Alemannic 86%, Italian, Turkish, and other 14%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2%

(June 2002)

Languages:

German (official), Alemannic dialect

Literacy:

definition: age 10 and over can read and write

total population: 100%

male: 100%

female: 100%

Government Liechtenstein

Country name:

conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein

conventional short form: Liechtenstein

local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein

local short form: Liechtenstein

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Vaduz

geographic coordinates: 47 09 N, 9 31 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen,

Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen,

Triesenberg, Vaduz

Independence:

23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein established); 12

July 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire)

National holiday:

Assumption Day, 15 August

Constitution:

5 October 1921

Legal system:

local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,

with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Prince HANS ADAM II (since 13 November 1989,

assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince

ALOIS, son of the monarch (born 11 June 1968); note - on 15 August

2004, HANS ADAM transferred the official duties of the ruling prince

to ALOIS, but HANS ADAM retains status of chief of state

head of government: Head of Government Ottmar HASLER (since 5 April

2001) and Deputy Head of Government Klaus TSCHUETSCHER (since 21

April 2005)

cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed by the monarch

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative

elections, the leader of the majority party in the Landtag is

usually appointed the head of government by the monarch and the

leader of the largest minority party in the Landtag is usually

appointed the deputy head of government by the monarch if there is a

coalition government

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament or Landtag (25 seats; members are elected by

direct, popular vote under proportional representation to serve

four-year terms)

elections: last held 11 and 13 March 2005 (next to be held by NA

2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - FBP 48.7%, VU 38.2%, FL

13%; seats by party - FBP 12, VU 10, FL 3

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or

Obergericht

Political parties and leaders:

Patriotic Union (was Fatherland Union) or VU [Adolf HEEB];

Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Otmar HASLER]; The Free List or

FL [Claudia HEEB-FLECK and Egon MATT]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU,

OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Claudia FRITSCHE chancery: 888 17th Street NW, Suite 1250, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 331-0590 FAX: [1] (202) 331-3221

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein, but the US

Ambassador to Switzerland is also accredited to Liechtenstein

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown

on the hoist side of the blue band

Economy Liechtenstein

Economy - overview:

Despite its small size and limited natural resources, Liechtenstein

has developed into a prosperous, highly industrialized,

free-enterprise economy with a vital financial service sector and

living standards on a par with its large European neighbors. The

Liechtenstein economy is widely diversified with a large number of

small businesses. Low business taxes - the maximum tax rate is 20% -

and easy incorporation rules have induced many holding or so-called

letter box companies to establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein,

providing 30% of state revenues. The country participates in a

customs union with Switzerland and uses the Swiss franc as its

national currency. It imports more than 90% of its energy

requirements. Liechtenstein has been a member of the European

Economic Area (an organization serving as a bridge between the

European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the EU) since May 1995.

The government is working to harmonize its economic policies with

those of an integrated Europe.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.786 billion (2001 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.487 billion (2001)

GDP - real growth rate:

11% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$25,000 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 6%

industry: 39%

services: 55% (2001)

Labor force:

29,500 of whom 13,900 commute from Austria, Switzerland, and

Germany to work each day (31 December 2001)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 2% industry: 47% services: 51% (31 December 2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:

1.3% (September 2002)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1% (2001)

Budget:

revenues: $424.2 million

expenditures: $414.1 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(1998 est.)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products

Industries:

electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics,

pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism,

optical instruments

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Exports:

$2.47 billion (1996)

Exports - commodities:

small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts

for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs,

electronic equipment, optical products

Exports - partners:

EU 62.6% (Germany 24.3%, Austria 9.5%, France 8.9%, Italy 6.6%, UK

4.6%), US 18.9%, Switzerland 15.7% (2004)

Imports:

$917.3 million (1996)

Imports - commodities:

agricultural products, raw materials, machinery, metal goods,

textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles

Imports - partners:

EU, Switzerland (2004)

Debt - external:

$0 (2001)

Economic aid - recipient:

$0

Currency (code):

Swiss franc (CHF)

Currency code:

CHF

Exchange rates:

Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.2508 (2006), 1.2452 (2005), 1.2435

(2004), 1.3467 (2003), 1.5586 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Liechtenstein

Telephones - main lines in use:

19,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

11,400 (2002)

Telephone system:

general assessment: automatic telephone system

domestic: NA

international: country code - 423; linked to Swiss networks by cable

and microwave radio relay

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

21,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997)

Televisions:

12,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.li

Internet hosts:

4,697 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

44 (Liechtenstein and Switzerland) (2000)

Internet users:

20,000 (2002)

Transportation Liechtenstein

Pipelines:

gas 20 km (2006)

Railways:

9 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified)

note: belongs to the Austrian Railway System connecting Austria and

Switzerland (2006)

Roadways: total: 380 km paved: 380 km (2006)

Waterways:

28 km (2005)

Ports and terminals:

none

Military Liechtenstein

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 7,736 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 6,250 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 208 (2005 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of Switzerland

Transnational Issues Liechtenstein

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

has strengthened money-laundering controls, but money laundering

remains a concern due to Liechtenstein's sophisticated offshore

financial services sector

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Lithuania

Introduction Lithuania

Background:

Independent between the two World Wars, Lithuania was annexed by

the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US. On 11 March

1990, Lithuania became the first of the Soviet republics to declare

its independence, but Moscow did not recognize this proclamation

until September of 1991 (following the abortive coup in Moscow). The

last Russian troops withdrew in 1993. Lithuania subsequently

restructured its economy for integration into Western European

institutions; it joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Geography Lithuania

Location:

Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia

Geographic coordinates:

56 00 N, 24 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 65,200 sq km

land: NA sq km

water: NA sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries:

total: 1,613 km

border countries: Belarus 653.5 km, Latvia 588 km, Poland 103.7 km,

Russia (Kaliningrad) 267.8 km

Coastline:

90 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:

transitional, between maritime and continental; wet, moderate

winters and summers

Terrain:

lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Juozapines Kalnas 293.6 m

Natural resources: peat, arable land, amber

Land use: arable land: 44.81% permanent crops: 0.9% other: 54.29% (2005)

Irrigated land:

70 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues: contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products and chemicals at military bases

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:

fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that are

ancient glacial deposits

People Lithuania

Population:

3,585,906 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 15.5% (male 284,888/female 270,458)

15-64 years: 69.1% (male 1,210,557/female 1,265,542)

65 years and over: 15.5% (male 190,496/female 363,965) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 38.2 years

male: 35.7 years

female: 40.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.3% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

8.75 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

10.98 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.52 male(s)/female

total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 6.78 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 8.12 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 74.2 years

male: 69.2 years

female: 79.49 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.2 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

1,300 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Lithuanian(s)

adjective: Lithuanian

Ethnic groups:

Lithuanian 83.4%, Polish 6.7%, Russian 6.3%, other or unspecified

3.6% (2001 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 79%, Russian Orthodox 4.1%, Protestant (including

Lutheran and Evangelical Christian Baptist) 1.9%, other or

unspecified 5.5%, none 9.5% (2001 census)

Languages:

Lithuanian (official) 82%, Russian 8%, Polish 5.6%, other and

unspecified 4.4% (2001 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.6%

male: 99.7%

female: 99.6% (2003 est.)

Government Lithuania

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Lithuania

conventional short form: Lithuania

local long form: Lietuvos Respublika

local short form: Lietuva

former: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Vilnius

geographic coordinates: 54 41 N, 25 19 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

10 counties (apskritys, singular - apskritis); Alytaus, Kauno,

Klaipedos, Marijampoles, Panevezio, Siauliu, Taurages, Telsiu,

Utenos, Vilniaus

Independence:

11 March 1990 (independence declared from Soviet Union); 6

September 1991 (Soviet Union recognizes Lithuania's independence)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 16 February (1918); note - 16 February 1918 is

the date Lithuania declared its independence from Soviet Russia and

established its statehood; 11 March 1990 is the date it declared its

independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution:

adopted 25 October 1992

Legal system:

based on civil law system; legislative acts can be appealed to the

constitutional court

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Valdas ADAMKUS (since 12 July 2004)

head of government: Prime Minister Gediminas KIRKILAS (since 4 July

2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the

nomination of the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 13 and 27 June 2004

(next to be held June 2009); prime minister appointed by the

president on the approval of the Parliament

election results: Valdas ADAMKUS elected president; percent of vote

- Valdas ADAMKUS 52.2%, Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE 47.8%; Gediminas

KIRKILAS approved by Parliament 85-13, with 5 abstentions

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats, 71 members are directly

elected by popular vote, 70 are elected by proportional

representation; members serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 10 and 24 October 2004 (next to be held October

2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - Labor 28.6%, Working

for Lithuania (Social Democrats and Social Liberals) 20.7%, TS

14.6%, For Order and Justice (Liberal Democrats and Lithuanian

People's Union) 11.4%, Liberal and Center Union 9.1%, Farmers and

New Democracy Union 6.6%, other 9%; seats by faction - Labor 29,

Homeland Union 26, Social Democrats 23, Civil Democracy (split from

Labor) 11, Liberal Movement (formerly Liberal Political Group) 11,

National Farmer's Union (formerly Farmers and New Democracy Union)

11, Social Liberal 10, Liberal Democrats 9, Liberal and Center Union

8, independents 3 (as of late-July 2006)

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; judges for

all courts appointed by the President

Political parties and leaders:

Civil Democracy Party [Viktor MUNTIANAS, chairman]; Electoral

Action of Lithuanian Poles [Valdemar TOMASZEVSKI, chairman];

National Farmer's Union [Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE, chairwoman]; Homeland

Union/Conservative Party or TS [Andrius KUBILIUS, chairman]; Labor

Party [Kestutis DAUKSYS, chairman]; Liberal and Center Union

[Arturas ZUOKAS, chairman]; Liberal Democratic Party [Rolandas

PAKSAS, chairman]; Liberal Movement [Petras AUSTREVICIUS, chairman];

Lithuanian Christian Democrats or LKD [Valentinas STUNDYS,

chairman]; Lithuanian People's Union for a Fair Lithuania [Julius

VESELKA, chairman]; Lithuanian Social Democratic Party [Algirdas

BRAZAUSKAS, chairman]; Social Liberal/New Union [Arturas PAULAUSKAS,

chairman]; Social Union of Christian Conservatives [Gediminas

VAGNORIUS, chairman]; Young Lithuania and New Nationalists

[Stanislovas BUSKEVICIUS, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD,

EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,

IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC,

MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO,

WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Kornelija

JURGAITIENE

chancery: 4590 MacArthur Blvd. NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 234-5860

FAX: [1] (202) 328-0466

consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John A. CLOUD embassy: Akmenu Gatve 6, Vilnius, LT-03106 mailing address: American Embassy, Akmenu Gatve 6, Vilnius LT-03106 telephone: [370] (5) 266 5500 FAX: [370] (5) 266 5510

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and red

Economy Lithuania

Economy - overview:

Lithuania, the Baltic state that has conducted the most trade with

Russia, has slowly rebounded from the 1998 Russian financial crisis.

Unemployment dropped from 11% in 2003 to 4.5% in 2006. Growing

domestic consumption and increased investment have furthered

recovery. Trade has been increasingly oriented toward the West.

Lithuania has gained membership in the World Trade Organization and

joined the EU in May 2004. Privatization of the large, state-owned

utilities, particularly in the energy sector, is nearing completion.

Overall, more than 80% of enterprises have been privatized. Foreign

government and business support have helped in the transition from

the old command economy to a market economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$54.03 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$25.78 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$15,100 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5.5% industry: 33.3% services: 61.2% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 1.617 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 15.8% industry: 28.2% services: 56% (2004)

Unemployment rate:

4.5% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

4%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 24.9% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

32.5 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.6% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

23% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $9.415 billion

expenditures: $9.761 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

18% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

grain, potatoes, sugar beets, flax, vegetables; beef, milk, eggs;

fish

Industries:

metal-cutting machine tools, electric motors, television sets,

refrigerators and freezers, petroleum refining, shipbuilding (small

ships), furniture making, textiles, food processing, fertilizers,

agricultural machinery, optical equipment, electronic components,

computers, amber jewelry

Industrial production growth rate:

7% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

17.8 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 16.5% hydro: 5.7% nuclear: 77.7% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

9.358 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

11.49 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

4.293 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

14,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

56,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:

93,000 bbl/day (2004)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004)

Natural gas - consumption:

2.92 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

2.92 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-2.572 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$14.64 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

mineral products 23%, textiles and clothing 16%, machinery and

equipment 11%, chemicals 6%, wood and wood products 5%, foodstuffs

5% (2001)

Exports - partners:

Russia 10.4%, Latvia 10.2%, Germany 9.4%, France 7.1%, Estonia

5.9%, Poland 5.5%, Sweden 5%, US 4.7%, UK 4.7%, Denmark 4.3% (2005)

Imports:

$18.25 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

mineral products, machinery and equipment, transport equipment,

chemicals, textiles and clothing, metals

Imports - partners:

Russia 27.9%, Germany 15.1%, Poland 8.3% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$5.22 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$15.12 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$1.6 billion (1995)

Currency (code):

litas (LTL)

Currency code:

LTL

Exchange rates:

litai per US dollar - 2.7508 (2006), 2.774 (2005), 2.7806 (2004),

3.0609 (2003), 3.677 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Lithuania

Telephones - main lines in use:

801,100 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

4.353 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to provide

an improved international capability and better residential access

domestic: a national, fiber-optic cable, interurban, trunk system is

nearing completion; rural exchanges are being improved and expanded;

mobile cellular systems are being installed; access to the Internet

is available; still many unsatisfied telephone subscriber

applications

international: country code - 370; landline connections to Latvia

and Poland; major international connections to Denmark, Sweden, and

Norway by submarine cable for further transmission by satellite

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 29, FM 142, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:

1.9 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

27

note: Lithuania has approximately 27 broadcasting stations, but may

have as many as 100 transmitters, including repeater stations (2001)

Televisions:

1.7 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.lt

Internet hosts:

148,675 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

32 (2001)

Internet users:

1,221,700 (2005)

Transportation Lithuania

Airports: 91 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 34 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 20 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 57 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 53 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 1,696 km; oil 228 km; refined products 121 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 1,771 km

broad gauge: 1,749 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified)

standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 79,497 km

paved: 70,549 km (including 417 km of expressways)

unpaved: 8,948 km (2005)

Waterways:

425 km (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 49 ships (1000 GRT or over) 353,094 GRT/352,883 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 20, chemical tanker 1, container 1,

passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 14, roll

on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 10 (Denmark 10)

registered in other countries: 17 (Antigua and Barbuda 3, Belize 1,

North Korea 1, Norway 1, Panama 5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

3, unknown 3) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Klaipeda

Military Lithuania

Military branches:

Ground Forces, Naval Force, Lithuanian Military Air Forces,

National Defense Volunteer Forces (2005)

Military service age and obligation:

19-45 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript

service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for volunteers (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 19-49: 830,368

females age 19-49: 830,524 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 19-49: 590,606

females age 19-49: 676,102 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 29,689

females age 19-49: 28,543 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$230.8 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.9% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Lithuania

Disputes - international:

Lithuania and Russia committed to demarcating their boundary in

2006 in accordance with the land and maritime treaty ratified by

Russia in May 2003 and by Lithuania in 1999; Lithuania operates a

simplified transit regime for Russian nationals traveling from the

Kaliningrad coastal exclave into Russia, while still conforming, as

a EU member state having an external border with a non-EU member, to

strict Schengen border rules; the Latvian parliament has not

ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily

due to concerns over potential hydrocarbons; as of January 2007,

ground demarcation of the boundary with Belarus was complete and

mapped with final ratification documents in preparation

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for opiates and other illicit drugs from

Southwest Asia, Latin America, and Western Europe to Western Europe

and Scandinavia; limited production of methamphetamine and ecstasy;

susceptible to money laundering despite changes to banking

legislation

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Luxembourg

Introduction Luxembourg

Background:

Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815 and an

independent state under the Netherlands. It lost more than half of

its territory to Belgium in 1839, but gained a larger measure of

autonomy. Full independence was attained in 1867. Overrun by Germany

in both World Wars, it ended its neutrality in 1948 when it entered

into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO the following

year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six founding countries

of the European Economic Community (later the European Union), and

in 1999 it joined the euro currency area.

Geography Luxembourg

Location:

Western Europe, between France and Germany

Geographic coordinates:

49 45 N, 6 10 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 2,586 sq km

land: 2,586 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Land boundaries: total: 359 km border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

modified continental with mild winters, cool summers

Terrain:

mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys; uplands

to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to Moselle

flood plain in the southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Moselle River 133 m highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 m

Natural resources: iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land

Land use: arable land: 23.94% permanent crops: 0.39% other: 75.67% (includes Belgium) (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of farmland

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,

Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the

Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:

landlocked; the only Grand Duchy in the world

People Luxembourg

Population:

474,413 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 18.9% (male 46,118/female 43,356)

15-64 years: 66.5% (male 159,498/female 156,075)

65 years and over: 14.6% (male 28,027/female 41,339) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 38.7 years

male: 37.7 years

female: 39.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.23% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

11.94 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

8.41 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

8.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

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

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.74 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4.73 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.89 years

male: 75.6 years

female: 82.38 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.78 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

less than 500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Luxembourger(s)

adjective: Luxembourg

Ethnic groups:

Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian,

Slavs (from Montenegro, Albania, and Kosovo) and European (guest and

resident workers)

Religions:

87% Roman Catholic, 13% Protestants, Jews, and Muslims (2000)

Languages:

Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative

language), French (administrative language)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 100%

male: 100%

female: 100% (2000 est.)

Government Luxembourg

Country name:

conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

conventional short form: Luxembourg

local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg

local short form: Luxembourg

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Luxembourg

geographic coordinates: 49 45 N, 6 10 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg

Independence:

1839 (from the Netherlands)

National holiday:

National Day (Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte) 23 June

Constitution:

17 October 1868; occasional revisions

Legal system:

based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000); Heir

Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch, born 11 November 1981)

head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 1

January 1995) and Vice Prime Minister Jean ASSELBORN (since 31 July

2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister and

appointed by the monarch

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following popular

elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the leader of the majority

party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed

prime minister by the monarch; the deputy prime minister is

appointed by the monarch; they are responsible to the Chamber of

Deputies

note: government coalition - CSV and LSAP

Legislative branch:

unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats;

members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 13 June 2004 (next to be held by June 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 36.1%, LSAP 23.4%,

DP 16.1%, Green Party 11.6%, ADR 10%; seats by party - CSV 24, LSAP

14, DP 10, Green Party 7, ADR 5

note: there is also a Council of State that serves as an advisory

body to the Chamber of Deputies; the Council of State has 21 members

appointed by the Grand Duke on the advice of the prime minister

Judicial branch:

judicial courts and tribunals (3 Justices of the Peace, 2 district

courts, and 1 Supreme Court of Appeals); administrative courts and

tribunals (State Prosecutor's Office, administrative courts and

tribunals, and the Constitutional Court); judges for all courts are

appointed for life by the monarch

Political parties and leaders:

Action Committee for Democracy and Justice or ADR [Gast GIBERYEN];

Christian Social People's Party or CSV (also known as Christian

Social Party or PCS) [Francois BILTGEN]; Democratic Party or DP

[Claude MEISCH]; Green Party [Francois BAUSCH]; Luxembourg Socialist

Workers' Party or LSAP [Alex BODRY]; Marxist and Reformed Communist

Party dei Lenk/la Gauche (the Left) [no formal leadership]; other

minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: ABBL (bankers' association); ALEBA (financial sector trade union); Centrale Paysanne (federation of agricultural producers); CEP (professional sector chamber); CGFP (trade union representing civil service); Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of Commerce); Chambre des Metiers (Chamber of Artisans); FEDIL (federation of industrialists); Greenpeace (environment protection); LCGP (center-right trade union); Mouvement Ecologique (protection of ecology); OGBL (center-left trade union)

International organization participation:

ACCT, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU,

ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,

IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC,

MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA,

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO,

WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph WEYLAND chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171/72 FAX: [1] (202) 328-8270 consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ann WAGNER embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City mailing address: American Embassy Luxembourg, Unit 1410, APO AE 09126-1410 (official mail); American Embassy Luxembourg, PSC 9, Box 9500, APO AE 09123 (personal mail) telephone: [352] 46 01 23 FAX: [352] 46 14 01

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and light blue;

similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which uses a darker blue and

is shorter; design was based on the flag of France

Economy Luxembourg

Economy - overview:

This stable, high-income economy - benefitting from its proximity

to France, Belgium, and Germany - features solid growth, low

inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial sector, initially

dominated by steel, has become increasingly diversified to include

chemicals, rubber, and other products. Growth in the financial

sector, which now accounts for about 28% of GDP, has more than

compensated for the decline in steel. Most banks are foreign-owned

and have extensive foreign dealings. Agriculture is based on small

family-owned farms. The economy depends on foreign and cross-border

workers for about 60% of its labor force. Although Luxembourg, like

all EU members, has suffered from the global economic slump, the

country enjoys an extraordinarily high standard of living - GDP per

capita ranks first in the world.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$32.6 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$34.37 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$68,800 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1%

industry: 13%

services: 86% (2005 est.)

Labor force:

203,000 of whom 121,600 are foreign cross-border workers commuting

primarily from France, Belgium, and Germany (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 1% industry: 13% services: 86% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

4.1% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.6% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

18.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $19.07 billion

expenditures: $19.79 billion; including capital expenditures of

$975.5 million (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

wine, grapes, barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits; dairy

products, livestock products

Industries:

banking and financial services, iron and steel, information

technology, telecommunications, cargo transportation, food

processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass,

aluminum, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

4.3% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

3.203 billion kWh (2005 est.)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 57.3% hydro: 25.2% nuclear: 0% other: 17.5% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

6.14 billion kWh (2005 est.)

Electricity - exports:

2.346 billion kWh (2005 est.)

Electricity - imports:

5.287 billion kWh (2005 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

62,420 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

634 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

50,700 bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

1.361 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

1.361 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$4.63 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$19.55 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals, rubber

products, glass

Exports - partners:

Germany 21%, France 16.3%, Belgium 9.2%, UK 8.3%, Italy 7.5%, Spain

6.6%, Netherlands 4.3% (2005)

Imports:

$24.22 billion c.i.f. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods

Imports - partners:

Belgium 28.2%, Germany 21.8%, China 12.8%, France 9.6%, Netherlands

5.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$232.2 million (August 2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$NA

Economic aid - donor:

ODA, $235.59 million (2004)

Currency (code):

euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the

euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of

member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole

currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:

EUR

Exchange rates:

euros per US dollar - 0.79987 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),

0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Luxembourg

Telephones - main lines in use:

244,500 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

720,000 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: highly developed, completely automated and

efficient system, mainly buried cables

domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; buried cable

international: country code - 352; 3 channels leased on TAT-6

coaxial submarine cable (Europe to North America)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)

Radios:

285,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

5 (1999)

Televisions:

285,000 (1998 est.)

Internet country code:

.lu

Internet hosts:

88,661 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

8 (2000)

Internet users:

315,000 (2005)

Transportation Luxembourg

Airports: 2 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Heliports:

1 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 155 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 274 km

standard gauge: 274 km 1.435-m gauge (262 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:

total: 5,227 km

paved: 5,227 km (including 147 km of expressways) (2004)

Waterways:

37 km (on Moselle River) (2003)

Merchant marine:

total: 42 ships (1000 GRT or over) 557,636 GRT/792,069 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 6, chemical tanker 16, container 7, liquefied

gas 2, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 5

foreign-owned: 42 (Belgium 9, Finland 4, France 14, Germany 10,

Netherlands 2, US 3) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Mertert

Military Luxembourg

Military branches:

Army

Military service age and obligation: a 1967 law made the Army an all-volunteer force; 17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers under 18 are not deployed into combat or with peacekeeping missions (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 17-49: 110,867

females age 17-49: 108,758 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 17-49: 90,279

females age 17-49: 88,638 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 2,775

females age 17-49: 2,703 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$231.6 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0.9% (2003)

Transnational Issues Luxembourg

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Macau

Introduction Macau

Background:

Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was the

first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an agreement

signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became the

Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 20 December

1999. China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems"

formula, China's socialist economic system will not be practiced in

Macau, and that Macau will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all

matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.

Geography Macau

Location:

Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Geographic coordinates:

22 10 N, 113 33 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 28.2 sq km

land: 28.2 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

less than one-sixth the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 0.34 km regional border: China 0.34 km

Coastline:

41 km

Maritime claims:

not specified

Climate:

subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers

Terrain:

generally flat

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

highest point: Coloane Alto 172.4 m

Natural resources:

NEGL

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

typhoons

Environment - current issues:

NA

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Marine Dumping -associate member to the London Convention

Geography - note:

essentially urban; an area of land reclaimed from the sea measuring

5.2 sq km and known as Cotai now connects the islands of Coloane and

Taipa; the island area is connected to the mainland peninsula by

three bridges

People Macau

Population:

453,125 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 16.2% (male 37,934/female 35,412)

15-64 years: 75.9% (male 163,975/female 179,830)

65 years and over: 7.9% (male 15,099/female 20,875) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 36.1 years

male: 35.7 years

female: 36.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.86% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

8.48 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

4.47 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

4.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.35 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4.54 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 82.19 years

male: 79.36 years

female: 85.17 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.02 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Chinese

adjective: Chinese

Ethnic groups:

Chinese 95.7%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry) 1%,

other 3.3% (2001 census)

Religions:

Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.)

Languages:

Cantonese 87.9%, Hokkien 4.4%, Mandarin 1.6%, other Chinese

dialects 3.1%, other 3% (2001 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 94.5%

male: 97.2%

female: 92% (2003 est.)

Government Macau

Country name:

conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region

conventional short form: Macau

local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao

Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese)

local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese)

Dependency status:

special administrative region of China

Government type:

limited democracy

Administrative divisions:

none (special administrative region of China)

Independence:

none (special administrative region of China)

National holiday:

National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic

of China), 1 October (1949); note - 20 December 1999 is celebrated

as Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

Constitution:

Basic Law, approved in March 1993 by China's National People's

Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution"

Legal system:

based on Portuguese civil law system

Suffrage:

direct election 18 years of age, universal for permanent residents

living in Macau for the past seven years; indirect election limited

to organizations registered as "corporate voters" (257 are currently

registered) and a 300-member Election Committee drawn from broad

regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government

bodies

Executive branch:

chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)

head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20

December 1999)

cabinet: Executive Council consists of one government secretary,

three legislators, four businessmen, one pro-Beijing unionist, and

one pro-Beijing educator

elections: chief executive chosen by a 300-member Election Committee

for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last

held 29 August 2004 (next to be held in 2009)

election results: Edmund HO Hau-wah reelected received 296 votes;

three members submitted blank ballots; one member was absent

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Assembly (29 seats; 12 elected by popular

vote, 10 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the chief executive;

members serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 25 September 2005 (next in September 2009)

election results: percent of vote - New Democratic Macau Association

18.2%, Macau United Citizens' Association 16%, Development Union

12.8%, Macau Development Alliance 9%, others NA; seats by political

group - New Democratic Macau Association 2, Macau United Citizens'

Association 2, Development Union 2, Macau Development Alliance 1,

New Hope 1, United Forces 2, others 2; 10 seats filled by

professional and business groups; seven members appointed by chief

executive

Judicial branch:

Court of Final Appeal in Macau Special Administrative Region

Political parties and leaders:

Civil Service Union [Jose Maria Pereira COUTINHO]; Development

Union [KWAN Tsui-hang]; Macau Development Alliance [Angela LEONG

On-kei]; Macau United Citizens' Association [CHAN Meng-kam]; New

Democratic Macau Association [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong]; United Forces

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate),

UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (special administrative region of China)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US has no offices in Macau; US interests are monitored by the

US Consulate General in Hong Kong

Flag description:

light green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and water

in white, beneath an arc of five gold, five-pointed stars: one large

in center of arc and four smaller

Economy Macau

Economy - overview:

Macau's well-to-do economy has remained one of the most open in the

world since its reversion to China in 1999. Apparel exports and

tourism are mainstays of the economy. Although the territory was hit

hard by the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis and the global downturn

in 2001, its economy grew 10.1% in 2002, 14.2% in 2003, and 28.6% in

2004 before slowing to 6.7% in 2005. The economic boom was powered

by gambling, tourism, and the construction necessary to support such

endeavours. China's decision to ease travel restrictions led to a

rapid rise in the number of mainland visitors. The opening of

Macau's gaming industry to foreign access in 2001 spurred an

increase in public works expenditures. The budget also returned to

surplus in 2002 because of the surge in visitors from China and a

hike in taxes on gambling profits, which generated about 70% of

government revenue. Much of Macau's textile industry may move to the

mainland due to the termination in 2005 of the Multi-Fiber

Agreement, which provided a near guarantee of export markets,

leaving the territory more dependant on gambling and trade-related

services to generate growth. The Closer Economic Partnership

Agreement (CEPA) between Macau and mainland China that came into

effect on 1 January 2004 offers many Macau-made products tariff-free

access to the mainland. The range of products covered by CEPA was

expanded on 1 January 2005.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$10 billion (2004)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$11.56 billion (2005)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.7% (2005)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$24,300 (2005)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0.1% industry: 7.2% services: 92.7% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 248,000 (2005)

Labor force - by occupation: manufacturing 13.7%, construction 13.7%, transport and communications 5.9%, wholesale and retail trade 10.5%, restaurants and hotels 10.3%, gambling 5.9%, public sector 7.8%, other services and agriculture 19.3% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

4.1% (2005)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.4% (2005)

Budget:

revenues: $3.16 billion

expenditures: $3.16 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(FY05/06)

Agriculture - products:

only 2% of land area is cultivated, mainly by vegetable growers;

fishing, mostly for crustaceans, is important; some of the catch is

exported to Hong Kong

Industries:

tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

2.027 billion kWh (2005)

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

Electricity - consumption:

2.159 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports:

1 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

340.8 million kWh (2005)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

12,360 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:

21 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

12,840 bbl/day (2005)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

43.96 million cu m (2005 est.)

Exports:

$3.156 billion f.o.b.; note - includes reexports (2005)

Exports - commodities:

clothing, textiles, footwear, toys, electronics, machinery and parts

Exports - partners:

US 48.7%, China 14.9%, Hong Kong 9.8%, Germany 5.9% (2005)

Imports:

$3.912 billion c.i.f. (2005)

Imports - commodities:

raw materials and semi-manufactured goods, consumer goods

(foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco), capital goods, mineral fuels and

oils

Imports - partners:

China 43.1%, Japan 10.9%, Hong Kong 10%, Singapore 5.2%, US 4.1%,

Taiwan 4% (2005)

Debt - external:

$3.1 billion (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:

$NA

Currency (code):

pataca (MOP)

Currency code:

MOP

Exchange rates:

patacas per US dollar - 8.011 (2005), 8.022 (2004), 8.021 (2003),

8.033 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Macau

Telephones - main lines in use:

174,400 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

532,800 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: fairly modern communication facilities

maintained for domestic and international services

domestic: NA

international: country code - 853; HF radiotelephone communication

facility; access to international communications carriers provided

via Hong Kong and China; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat

(Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

160,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2006)

Televisions:

49,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.mo

Internet hosts:

108 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

201,000 (2004)

Transportation Macau

Airports: 1 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 368 km

paved: 368 km (2005)

Ports and terminals:

Macau

Military Macau

Military branches:

no regular military forces

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 112,744 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 91,299 (2005 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsiblity of China

Transnational Issues Macau

Disputes - international:

none

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Macau is a transit and destination territory for

women trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation;

most females in Macau's sizeable sex industry come from the interior

regions of China or Mongolia, though a significant number also come

from Russia, Eastern Europe, Thailand, and Vietnam; the majority of

women in Macau's prostitution trade appear to have entered Macau and

the sex trade voluntarily, though there is evidence that some are

deceived or coerced into sexual servitude, often through the use of

debt bondage; organized criminal syndicates are reportedly involved

in bringing women to Macau, and fear of reprisals from these groups

may prevent some women from seeking help

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Macau is placed on the Tier 2 Watch

List for failing to show evidence of increasing efforts to address

trafficking since 2004

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Macedonia

Introduction Macedonia

Background:

Macedonia gained its independence peacefully from Yugoslavia in

1991, but Greece's objection to the new state's use of what it

considered a Hellenic name and symbols delayed international

recognition, which occurred under the provisional designation of

"the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia." In 1995, Greece lifted

a 20-month trade embargo and the two countries agreed to normalize

relations. The United States began referring to Macedonia by its

constitutional name, Republic of Macedonia, in 2004 and negotiations

continue between Greece and Macedonia to resolve the name issue.

Some ethnic Albanians, angered by perceived political and economic

inequities, launched an insurgency in 2001 that eventually won the

support of the majority of Macedonia's Albanian population and led

to the internationally-brokered Framework Agreement, which ended the

fighting by establishing a set of new laws enhancing the rights of

minorities. The undetermined status of neighboring Kosovo,

implementation of the Framework Agreement, and a weak economy

continue to be challenges for Macedonia.

Geography Macedonia

Location:

Southeastern Europe, north of Greece

Geographic coordinates:

41 50 N, 22 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 25,333 sq km

land: 24,856 sq km

water: 477 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Vermont

Land boundaries:

total: 766 km

border countries: Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 246 km,

Serbia 221 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

warm, dry summers and autumns; relatively cold winters with heavy

snowfall

Terrain:

mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; three

large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by

the Vardar River

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Vardar River 50 m

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

Natural resources:

low-grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, manganese,

nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber, arable land

Land use: arable land: 22.01% permanent crops: 1.79% other: 76.2% (2005)

Irrigated land:

550 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

high seismic risks

Environment - current issues:

air pollution from metallurgical plants

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of

the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and Central

Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe

People Macedonia

Population:

2,050,554 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 20.1% (male 213,486/female 199,127)

15-64 years: 68.9% (male 711,853/female 701,042)

65 years and over: 11% (male 98,618/female 126,428) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 34.1 years

male: 33.2 years

female: 35.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.26% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

12.02 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

8.77 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

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

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 9.81 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 9.94 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 9.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.97 years

male: 71.51 years

female: 76.62 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.57 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Macedonian(s)

adjective: Macedonian

Ethnic groups:

Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.9%, Roma 2.7%, Serb

1.8%, other 2.2% (2002 census)

Religions:

Macedonian Orthodox 64.7%, other Christian 0.37%, Muslim 33.3%,

other and unspecified 1.63% (2002 census)

Languages:

Macedonian 66.5%, Albanian 25.1%, Turkish 3.5%, Roma 1.9%, Serbian

1.2%, other 1.8% (2002 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.1%

male: 98.2%

female: 94.1% (2002 est.)

Government Macedonia

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Macedonia

conventional short form: Macedonia

local long form: Republika Makedonija

local short form: Makedonija

note: the provisional designation used by the UN, EU, and NATO is

Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)

former: People's Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of

Macedonia

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Skopje

geographic coordinates: 41 59 N, 21 26 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

85 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina); Aerodrom (Skopje),

Aracinovo, Berovo, Bitola, Bogdanci, Bogovinje, Bosilovo, Brvenica,

Butel (Skopje), Cair (Skopje), Caska, Centar (Skopje), Centar Zupa,

Cesinovo, Cucer-Sandevo, Debar, Debartsa, Delcevo, Demir Hisar,

Demir Kapija, Dojran, Dolneni, Drugovo, Gazi Baba (Skopje),

Gevgelija, Gjorce Petrov (Skopje), Gostivar, Gradsko, Ilinden,

Jegunovce, Karbinci, Karpos (Skopje), Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kisela Voda

(Skopje), Kocani, Konce, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani,

Krusevo, Kumanovo, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Makedonska Kamenica, Makedonski

Brod, Mavrovo i Rastusa, Mogila, Negotino, Novaci, Novo Selo, Ohrid,

Oslomej, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis,

Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman, Saraj (Skopje), Skopje, Sopiste, Staro

Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica, Studenicani, Suto Orizari

(Skopje), Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Veles,

Vevcani, Vinica, Vranestica, Vrapciste, Zajas, Zelenikovo, Zelino,

Zrnovci

note: the ten municipalities followed by Skopje in parentheses

collectively constitute the larger Skopje Municipality

Independence:

8 September 1991 (referendum by registered voters endorsing

independence from Yugoslavia)

National holiday:

Ilinden Uprising Day, 2 August (1903); note - also known as Saint

Elijah's Day

Constitution:

adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991; amended

November 2001 by a series of new constitutional amendments

strengthening minority rights and in 2005 with amendments related to

the judiciary

Legal system:

based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 12 May 2004)

head of government: Prime Minister Nikola GRUEVSKI (since 26 August

2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the majority vote of all

the deputies in the Assembly; note - current cabinet formed by the

government coalition parties VMRO/DPMNE, NSDP, PDSh/DPA, and several

small parties

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); two-round election last held 14 April

and 28 April 2004 (next to be held by April 2009); prime minister

elected by the Assembly following legislative elections

election results: Branko CRVENKOVSKI elected president on

second-round ballot; percent of vote - Branko CRVENKOVSKI 62.7%,

Sasko KEDEV 37.3%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Assembly or Sobranie (120 seats - members elected by

popular vote from party lists based on the percentage of the overall

vote the parties gain in each of six electoral districts; all serve

four-year terms)

elections: last held 5 July 2006 (next to be held by July 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - VMRO-DPMNE 33%, SDSM

22%, BDI/DUI 12%, PDSh/DPA 7%, NSDP 6%, VMRO-Narodna 6%; seats by

party - VMRO-DPMNE 45, SDSM 32, BDI/DUI 17, PDSh/DPA 11, NSDP 7,

VMRO-Narodna 6, other 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Constitutional

Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Republican Judicial

Council - the Assembly appoints the judges

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Alliance [Pavle TRAJANOV]; Democratic League of the

Bosniaks [Rafet MUMINOVIC]; Democratic Party of Albanians or

PDSh/DPA [Arben XHAFERI]; Democratic Party of Serbs [Ivan

STOILJKOVIC]; Democratic Party of Turks [Kenan HASIPI]; Democratic

Renewal of Macedonia [Liljana POPOVSKA]; Democratic Union of Vlachs

for Macedonia [Mitko KOSTOV]; Democratic Union for Integration or

BDI/DUI [Ali AHMETI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary

Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or

VMRO-DPMNE [Nikola GRUEVSKI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary

Organization-People's Party or VMRO-Narodna [Vesna JANEVSKA]; League

for Democracy [Gjorgi MARJANOVIC]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP

[Risto PENOV]; Liberal Party [Stojan ANDOV]; National Alternative

[Harun ALIU]; National Democratic Party-New Democratic Forces or

PDK-FRO [Hysni SHAQIR]; New Social Democratic Party or NSDP [Tito

PETKOVSKI]; Party for Democratic Future [Alajdin DEMIRI]; Party for

Democratic Prosperity or PPD/PDP [Abduljhadi VEJSELI]; Party for

European Future or PEI [Fijat CANOSKI]; Social Democratic Alliance

of Macedonia or SDSM [Radmila SEKERINSKA]; Socialist Party of

Macedonia or SP [Ljubisav IVANOV-ZINGO]; Union of Romas or SR [Saliu

SHABAN]; United Party for Emancipation or OPE [Nezdet MUSTAFA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Federation of Free Trade Unions [Svetlana PETROVIC]; Federation of

Trade Unions [Vanco MURATOVSKI]; World Macedonian Congress [Todor

PETROV]

International organization participation:

BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,

IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU,

ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 2129 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 667-0501 FAX: [1] (202) 667-2131 consulate(s) general: Southfield (Michigan)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Gillian A. MILOVANOVIC embassy: Bul. Ilindenska bb, 1000 Skopje mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, US Department of State, 7120 Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch) telephone: [389] 2 311-6180 FAX: [389] 2 311-7103

Flag description:

a yellow sun with eight broadening rays extending to the edges of

the red field

Economy Macedonia

Economy - overview:

At independence in September 1991, Macedonia was the least

developed of the Yugoslav republics, producing a mere 5% of the

total federal output of goods and services. The collapse of

Yugoslavia ended transfer payments from the central government and

eliminated advantages from inclusion in a de facto free trade area.

An absence of infrastructure, UN sanctions on the downsized

Yugoslavia, and a Greek economic embargo over a dispute about the

country's constitutional name and flag hindered economic growth

until 1996. GDP subsequently rose each year through 2000. However,

the leadership's commitment to economic reform, free trade, and

regional integration was undermined by the ethnic Albanian

insurgency of 2001. The economy shrank 4.5% because of decreased

trade, intermittent border closures, increased deficit spending on

security needs, and investor uncertainty. Growth barely recovered in

2002 to 0.9%, then averaged 4% per year during 2003-06. Macedonia

has maintained macroeconomic stability with low inflation, but it

has lagged the region in attracting foreign investment and job

growth has been anemic. Macedonia has an extensive grey market,

estimated to be more than 20 percent of GDP, that falls outside

official statistics.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $16.91 billion note: Macedonia has a large informal sector (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$5.649 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$8,200 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13% industry: 27.7% services: 59.3% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 880,000 (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 21.7% industry: 32.6% services: 45.7% (September 2006)

Unemployment rate:

35% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

29.6% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

28.2 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

18.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $2.113 billion

expenditures: $2.149 billion; including capital expenditures of $114

million (2006 est.)

Public debt:

27.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

grapes, wine, tobacco, vegetables; milk, eggs

Industries:

food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, iron, steel,

cement, energy, pharmaceuticals

Industrial production growth rate:

3.5% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

6.271 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 83.7% hydro: 16.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

7.933 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports:

1.662 billion kWh (2005)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

23,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

100 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

100 million cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-167 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$2.341 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

food, beverages, tobacco; textiles, miscellaneous manufactures,

iron and steel

Exports - partners:

Serbia and Montenegro 22.5%, Germany 17.8%, Greece 15.3%, Italy

8.3% (2005)

Imports:

$3.631 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, automobiles, chemicals, fuels, food

products

Imports - partners:

Russia 13.2%, Germany 10.4%, Greece 9.2%, Serbia and Montenegro

8.2%, Bulgaria 7.3%, Italy 6% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.845 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$2.138 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

NA

Currency (code):

Macedonian denar (MKD)

Currency code:

MKD

Exchange rates:

Macedonian denars per US dollar - 48.9962 (2006), 48.92 (2005),

49.41 (2004), 54.322 (2003), 64.35 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Macedonia

Telephones - main lines in use:

533,200 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.261 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: country code - 389

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 29, FM 20, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

410,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

31 (plus 166 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:

510,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.mk

Internet hosts:

3,716 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

6 (2000)

Internet users:

392,671 (2005)

Transportation Macedonia

Airports: 17 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 10

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

under 914 m: 8 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 7

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 268 km; oil 120 km (2006)

Railways: total: 699 km standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (233 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways: total: 8,684 km paved: 5,540 km unpaved: 3,144 km (1999)

Military Macedonia

Military branches:

Army of the Republic of Macedonia (ARM): Joint Operational Command,

with subordinate Air Wing (Makedonsko Voeno Vozduhoplovstvo, MVV),

Special Force Command (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

conscription to be phased out by 2007; current tour of conscript

duty is six months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service

(2005)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 498,259

females age 18-49: 481,317 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 411,156

females age 18-49: 397,839 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 16,686

females age 18-49: 15,664 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$200 million (FY01/02 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

6% (FY01/02 est.)

Transnational Issues Macedonia

Disputes - international:

ethnic Albanians in Kosovo object to demarcation of the boundary

with Serbia in accordance with the 2000 Macedonia-Serbia and

Montenegro delimitation agreement; Greece continues to reject the

use of the name Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: fewer than 1,000 (ethnic conflict in 2001) (2006)

Illicit drugs:

major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish;

minor transit point for South American cocaine destined for Europe;

although not a financial center and most criminal activity is

thought to be domestic, money laundering is a problem due to a

mostly cash-based economy and weak enforcement (no arrests or

prosecutions for money laundering to date)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Madagascar

Introduction Madagascar

Background:

Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony

in 1896, but regained its independence in 1960. During 1992-93, free

presidential and National Assembly elections were held, ending 17

years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second presidential

race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and 1980s, was

returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential election was

contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and Marc

RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country. In

April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the

winner.

Geography Madagascar

Location:

Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:

20 00 S, 47 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 587,040 sq km

land: 581,540 sq km

water: 5,500 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of Arizona

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

4,828 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m deep isobath

Climate:

tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

Terrain:

narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m

Natural resources:

graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands,

semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 5.03% permanent crops: 1.02% other: 93.95% (2005)

Irrigated land:

10,860 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

periodic cyclones, drought, and locust infestation

Environment - current issues: soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; several endangered species of flora and fauna unique to the island

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,

Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique

Channel

People Madagascar

Population:

18,595,469 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 44.8% (male 4,171,821/female 4,158,288)

15-64 years: 52.2% (male 4,809,173/female 4,900,675)

65 years and over: 3% (male 249,414/female 306,098) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 17.5 years

male: 17.3 years

female: 17.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

3.03% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

41.41 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

11.11 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 75.21 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 83.34 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 66.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 57.34 years

male: 54.93 years

female: 59.82 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.62 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

140,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

7,500 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in some

locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Malagasy (singular and plural)

adjective: Malagasy

Ethnic groups:

Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed

African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka,

Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran

Religions:

indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%

Languages:

French (official), Malagasy (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 68.9%

male: 75.5%

female: 62.5% (2003 est.)

Government Madagascar

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar

conventional short form: Madagascar

local long form: Republique de Madagascar/Repoblikan'i Madagasikara

local short form: Madagascar/Madagasikara

former: Malagasy Republic

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Antananarivo

geographic coordinates: 18 52 S, 47 30 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa,

Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Independence:

26 June 1960 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 26 June (1960)

Constitution:

19 August 1992 by national referendum

Legal system:

based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law;

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6 May 2002)

head of government: Prime Minister Jacques SYLLA (27 May 2002)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 3 December 2006

(next to be held December 2011); prime minister appointed by the

president

election results: percent of vote - Marc RAVALOMANANA (TIM) 54.8%,

Jean LAHINIRIKO 11.7%, Roland RATSIRAKA 10.1%, Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO

(LEADER-Fanilo) 9.1%, Norbert RATSIRAHONANA (AVI) 4.2%, Ny Hasina

ANDRIAMANJATO 4.2%, Elia RAVELOMANANTSOA 2.6%, Pety RAKOTONIAINA

1.7%, other 1.6%

Legislative branch:

bicameral legislature consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee

Nationale (160 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote

to serve four-year terms) and a Senate or Senat (100 seats;

two-thirds of the seats filled by regional assemblies whose members

will be elected by popular vote; the remaining one-third of the

seats appointed by the president; all members will serve four-year

terms)

elections: National Assembly - last held 15 December 2002 (next to

be held in 2007)

election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -

NA%; seats by party - TIM 103, FP 22, AREMA 3, LEADER/Fanilo 2, RPSD

5, others 3, independents 22

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute

Cour Constitutionnelle

Political parties and leaders:

Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA [Pierrot

RAJAONARIVO]; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National

Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO]; Fihaonana Party or

FP [Guy-Willy RAZANAMASY]; I Love Madagascar or TIM [Marc

RAVALOMANANA]; Renewal of the Social Democratic Party or RPSD

[Evariste MARSON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Committee for the Defense of Truth and Justice or KMMR; Committee

for National Reconciliation or CRN [Albert Zafy]; National Council

of Christian Churches or FFKM

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt

(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM,

OIF, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,

WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Narisoa RAJAONARIVONY

chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526

FAX: [1] (202) 265-3034

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador James D. MCGEE

embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo 101

mailing address: B. P. 620, Antsahavola, Antananarivo

telephone: [261] (20) 22-212-57, 22-212-73, 22-209-56

FAX: [261] (20) 22-345-39

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical

white band of the same width on hoist side

Economy Madagascar

Economy - overview:

Having discarded past socialist economic policies, Madagascar has

since the mid 1990s followed a World Bank- and IMF-led policy of

privatization and liberalization. This strategy placed the country

on a slow and steady growth path from an extremely low level.

Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of the

economy, accounting for more than one-fourth of GDP and employing

80% of the population. Exports of apparel have boomed in recent

years primarily due to duty-free access to the United States.

Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by the use of firewood as the

primary source of fuel, are serious concerns. President RAVALOMANANA

has worked aggressively to revive the economy following the 2002

political crisis, which triggered a 12% drop in GDP that year.

Poverty reduction and combating corruption will be the centerpieces

of economic policy for the next few years.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$17.27 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$5.097 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$900 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 26.9% industry: 16.5% services: 56.6% (2006 est.)

Labor force:

7.3 million (2000)

Population below poverty line:

50% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3%

highest 10%: 29% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

47.5 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

12% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

26.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $879.9 million

expenditures: $1.147 billion; including capital expenditures of $331

million (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca),

beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products

Industries:

meat processing, seafood, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar,

textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper,

petroleum, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

3% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:

984 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 36.1% hydro: 63.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

915.1 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

90.59 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

14,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-504 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$993.5 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar, cotton cloth, chromite,

petroleum products

Exports - partners:

France 31.5%, US 31%, Germany 8.8% (2005)

Imports:

$1.544 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food

Imports - partners:

France 16.7%, China 10.6%, Iran 8%, Mauritius 6.6%, Hong Kong 5%,

South Africa 4.9% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$563 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$4.6 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:

$354 million (2001)

Currency (code):

Madagascar ariary (MGA)

Currency code:

MGF

Exchange rates:

Malagasy ariary per US dollar - 2,167.5 (2006), 2,003 (2005),

1,868.9 (2004), 1,238.3 (2003), 1,366.4 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Madagascar

Telephones - main lines in use:

66,900 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

504,700 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: system is above average for the region

domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay,

and tropospheric scatter links connect regions

international: country code - 261; submarine cable to Bahrain;

satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1

Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001)

Radios:

3.05 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:

325,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.mg

Internet hosts:

1,504 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2000)

Internet users:

90,000 (2005)

Transportation Madagascar

Airports: 116 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 29 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 87 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 42 under 914 m: 43 (2006)

Railways: total: 854 km narrow gauge: 854 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 49,827 km paved: 5,780 km unpaved: 44,047 km (1999)

Waterways:

600 km (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 9 ships (1000 GRT or over) 13,896 GRT/18,466 DWT

by type: cargo 5, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 2 (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Antsiranana, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Military Madagascar

Military branches:

People's Armed Forces: Intervention Force, Development Force, and

Aeronaval Force (navy and air); National Gendarmerie

Military service age and obligation:

18-50 years of age; conscript service obligation - 18 months

(either military or equivalent civil service) (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 3,542,797

females age 18-49: 3,551,447 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 2,218,662

females age 18-49: 2,408,810 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 187,000

females age 18-49: 184,833 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$329 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

7.2% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Madagascar

Disputes - international:

claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan

de Nova Island (all administered by France)

Illicit drugs:

illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used

mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Malawi

Introduction Malawi

Background:

Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland became

the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades of

one-party rule under President Hastings Kamuzu BANDA the country

held multiparty elections in 1994, under a provisional constitution

which came into full effect the following year. Current President

Bingu wa MUTHARIKA, elected in May 2004 after a failed attempt by

the previous president to amend the constitution to permit another

term, has struggled to assert his authority against his predecessor,

who still leads their shared political party. MUTHARIKA's

anti-corruption efforts have led to several high-level arrests and

one prominent conviction. Increasing corruption, population growth,

increasing pressure on agricultural lands, and the spread of

HIV/AIDS pose major problems for the country.

Geography Malawi

Location:

Southern Africa, east of Zambia

Geographic coordinates:

13 30 S, 34 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 118,480 sq km

land: 94,080 sq km

water: 24,400 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries: total: 2,881 km border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to

November)

Terrain:

narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some

mountains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international

boundary with Mozambique 37 m

highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m

Natural resources:

limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of

uranium, coal, and bauxite

Land use: arable land: 20.68% permanent crops: 1.18% other: 78.14% (2005)

Irrigated land:

560 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues: deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations

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

Geography - note:

landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's most

prominent physical feature

People Malawi

Population:

13,013,926

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 46.5% (male 3,056,522/female 3,000,493)

15-64 years: 50.8% (male 3,277,573/female 3,332,907)

65 years and over: 2.7% (male 139,953/female 206,478) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 16.5 years

male: 16.2 years

female: 16.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.38% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

43.13 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

19.33 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 94.37 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 98.66 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 89.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 41.7 years

male: 41.93 years

female: 41.45 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.92 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

14.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

900,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

84,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in some

locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Malawian(s)

adjective: Malawian

Ethnic groups:

Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde,

Asian, European

Religions:

Christian 79.9%, Muslim 12.8%, other 3%, none 4.3% (1998 census)

Languages:

Chichewa 57.2% (official), Chinyanja 12.8%, Chiyao 10.1%,

Chitumbuka 9.5%, Chisena 2.7%, Chilomwe 2.4%, Chitonga 1.7%, other

3.6% (1998 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 62.7%

male: 76.1%

female: 49.8% (2003 est.)

Government Malawi

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Malawi

conventional short form: Malawi

local long form: Dziko la Malawi

local short form: Malawi

former: British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland

Protectorate, Nyasaland

Government type:

multiparty democracy

Capital:

name: Lilongwe

geographic coordinates: 13 59 S, 33 44 E

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

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

27 districts; Balaka, Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Chitipa,

Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Likoma, Lilongwe, Machinga (Kasupe),

Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Ntcheu, Nkhata Bay,

Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Phalombe, Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo, Zomba

Independence:

6 July 1964 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day (Republic Day), 6 July (1964)

Constitution:

18 May 1994

Legal system:

based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of

legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal; accepts compulsory

ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May 2004);

note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May

2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

cabinet: 46-member Cabinet named by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 20 May 2004 (next

to be held May 2009)

election results: Bingu wa MUTHARIKA elected president; percent of

vote - Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (UDF) 35.9%, John TEMBO (MCP) 27.1%,

Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA (MC) 25.7%, Brown MPINGANJIRA (NDA) 8.7%,

Justin MALEWEZI (independent) 2.5%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (193 seats; members elected by popular

vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 20 May 2004 (next to be held May 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

UDF 74, MCP 60, Independents 24, RP 16, others 18, vacancies 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Appeal; High Court (chief justice appointed by the

president, puisne judges appointed on the advice of the Judicial

Service Commission); magistrate's courts

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance for Democracy or AFORD [Chakufwa CHIHANA]; Congress for

National Unity or CONU; Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [Bingu

wa MUTHARIKA]; Malawi Congress Party or MCP [John TEMBO]; Malawi

Democratic Party or MDP [Kampelo KALUA]; Malawi Forum for Unity and

Development or MAFUNDE [George MNESA]; Mgwirizano Coalition or MC

[Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA] (coalition of MAFUNDE, MDP, MGODE, NUP,

PETRA, PPM, RP); Movement for Genuine Democratic Change or MGODE

[Sam Kandodo BANDA]; National Democratic Alliance or NDA [Brown

MPINGANJIRA]; National Unity Party or NUP [Harry CHIUME]; People's

Progressive Movement or PPM [Aleke BANDA]; People's Transformation

Movement or PETRA [Kamuzu CHIBAMBO]; Republican Party or RP

[Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA]; United Democratic Front or UDF

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,

IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO

(correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, SADC, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Bernard Herbert SANDE

chancery: 1156 15th Street, NW, Suite 320, Washington, DC 20005

telephone: [1] (202) 721-0270

FAX: [1] (202) 721-0288

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires David

GILMOUR

embassy: Area 40, Plot 24, Kenyatta Road

mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi

telephone: [265] (1) 773 166

FAX: [265] (1) 770 471

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a

radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band

Government - note:

the executive exerts considerable influence over the legislature

Economy Malawi

Economy - overview:

Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's least developed

countries. The economy is predominately agricultural, with about 90%

of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounted for

nearly 36% of GDP and 80% of export revenues in 2005. The

performance of the tobacco sector is key to short-term growth as

tobacco accounts for over 60% of exports. The economy depends on

substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World

Bank, and individual donor nations. In late 2000, Malawi was

approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC)

program. The government faces strong challenges, including

developing a market economy, improving educational facilities,

facing up to environmental problems, dealing with the rapidly

growing problem of HIV/AIDS, and satisfying foreign donors that

fiscal discipline is being tightened. In 2005, President MUTHARIKA

championed an anticorruption campaign. Malawi's recent fiscal policy

performance has been very strong, but a serious drought in 2005 and

2006 heightened pressure on the government to increase spending.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$8.038 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.172 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$600 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 35.4% industry: 17.6% services: 47% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 4.5 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 90% industry and services: 10% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

55% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

50.3 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

15.1% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

9.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $818.4 million

expenditures: $895.9 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

68.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products: tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum, pulses, groundnuts, Macadamia nuts; cattle, goats

Industries:

tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods

Industrial production growth rate:

6.4% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

1.293 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 3.3% hydro: 96.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

1.202 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

5,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-186 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$513.1 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

tobacco 60%, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products,

apparel

Exports - partners:

US 17.9%, South Africa 11.2%, Egypt 7.6%, Germany 7%, Netherlands

6.9%, Japan 4.8%, Russia 4.6%, Mozambique 4.3%, UK 4.2% (2005)

Imports:

$767.9 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods,

transportation equipment

Imports - partners:

South Africa 36.9%, Zambia 9.2%, Zimbabwe 7.7%, Mozambique 7.1%,

India 6.8%, Tanzania 4.9%, US 4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$175.5 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$982.4 million (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$401.5 million (2001)

Currency (code):

Malawian kwacha (MWK)

Currency code:

MWK

Exchange rates:

Malawian kwachas per US dollar - 139.786 (2006), 108.894 (2005),

108.898 (2004), 97.433 (2003), 76.687 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 July - 30 June

Communications Malawi

Telephones - main lines in use:

102,700 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

429,300 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: system employs open-wire lines, microwave radio relay

links, and radiotelephone communications stations

international: country code - 265; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 9, FM 5 (plus 15 repeater stations), shortwave 2 (plus a third

station held in standby status) (2001)

Radios:

2.6 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2001)

Televisions:

NA

Internet country code:

.mw

Internet hosts:

377 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

3 (2002)

Internet users:

52,500 (2005)

Transportation Malawi

Airports: 42 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 6

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 36

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 15

under 914 m: 20 (2006)

Railways: total: 797 km narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 15,451 km paved: 6,956 km unpaved: 8,495 km (2003)

Waterways:

700 km (on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire River) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba

Military Malawi

Military branches:

Malawi Armed Forces: Army (includes Air Wing and Naval Detachment),

Police (includes Mobile Force Unit)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription

(2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 2,430,514 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,226,802 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$15.81 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0.8% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Malawi

Disputes - international: disputes with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Malaysia

Introduction Malaysia

Background:

During the late 18th and 19th centuries, Great Britain established

colonies and protectorates in the area of current Malaysia; these

were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. In 1948, the British-ruled

territories on the Malay Peninsula formed the Federation of Malaya,

which became independent in 1957. Malaysia was formed in 1963 when

the former British colonies of Singapore and the East Malaysian

states of Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of Borneo joined

the Federation. The first several years of the country's history

were marred by Indonesian efforts to control Malaysia, Philippine

claims to Sabah, and Singapore's secession from the Federation in

1965. During the 22-year term of Prime Minister MAHATHIR bin Mohamad

(1981-2003), Malaysia was successful in diversifying its economy

from dependence on exports of raw materials, to expansion in

manufacturing, services, and tourism.

Geography Malaysia

Location:

Southeastern Asia, peninsula bordering Thailand and northern

one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia, Brunei, and

the South China Sea, south of Vietnam

Geographic coordinates:

2 30 N, 112 30 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 329,750 sq km

land: 328,550 sq km

water: 1,200 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries: total: 2,669 km border countries: Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km

Coastline:

4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

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

specified boundary in the South China Sea

Climate:

tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast

(October to February) monsoons

Terrain:

coastal plains rising to hills and mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m

Natural resources: tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite

Land use: arable land: 5.46% permanent crops: 17.54% other: 77% (2005)

Irrigated land:

3,650 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

flooding, landslides, forest fires

Environment - current issues: air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian forest fires

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

Geography - note:

strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China

Sea

People Malaysia

Population:

24,385,858 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 32.6% (male 4,093,859/female 3,862,730)

15-64 years: 62.6% (male 7,660,680/female 7,613,537)

65 years and over: 4.7% (male 509,260/female 645,792) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 24.1 years

male: 23.6 years

female: 24.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.78% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

22.86 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

5.05 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population

note: does not reflect net flow of an unknown number of illegal

immigrants from other countries in the region (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 17.16 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 19.87 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 14.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 72.5 years

male: 69.8 years

female: 75.38 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.04 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.4% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

52,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

2,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in

some locations (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Malaysian(s)

adjective: Malaysian

Ethnic groups:

Malay 50.4%, Chinese 23.7%, Indigenous 11%, Indian 7.1%, others

7.8% (2004 est.)

Religions:

Muslim, Buddhist, Daoist, Hindu, Christian, Sikh; note - in

addition, Shamanism is practiced in East Malaysia

Languages:

Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin,

Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi,

Thai

note: in East Malaysia there are several indigenous languages; most

widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 88.7%

male: 92%

female: 85.4% (2002)

Government Malaysia

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Malaysia local long form: none local short form: Malaysia former: Federation of Malaysia

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

note: nominally headed by paramount ruler and a bicameral Parliament

consisting of a nonelected upper house and an elected lower house;

all Peninsular Malaysian states have hereditary rulers except Melaka

and Pulau Pinang (Penang); those two states along with Sabah and

Sarawak in East Malaysia have governors appointed by government;

powers of state governments are limited by federal constitution;

under terms of federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain

constitutional prerogatives (e.g., right to maintain their own

immigration controls); Sabah holds 25 seats in House of

Representatives; Sarawak holds 28 seats in House of Representatives

Capital:

name: Kuala Lumpur

geographic coordinates: 3 10 N, 101 42 E

time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

note: Putrajaya is referred to as administrative center not capital;

Parliament meets in Kuala Lumpur

Administrative divisions:

13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri) Johor, Kedah,

Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau

Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, and Terengganu; and one federal

territory (wilayah persekutuan) with three components, city of Kuala

Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya

Independence:

31 August 1957 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day/Malaysia Day, 31 August (1957)

Constitution:

31 August 1957; amended 16 September 1963

Legal system:

based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in

the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation; has

not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; Islamic law is applied to

Muslims in matters of family law and religion

Suffrage:

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Paramount Ruler Sultan MIZAN Zainal Abidin (since

13 December 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi (since

31 October 2003); Deputy Prime Minister Mohamed NAJIB bin Abdul

Razak (since 7 January 2004)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the

members of Parliament with consent of the paramount ruler

elections: paramount ruler elected by and from the hereditary rulers

of nine of the states for five-year terms; election last held 3

November 2006 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister designated

from among the members of the House of Representatives; following

legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins a plurality

of seats in the House of Representatives becomes prime minister

election results: Sultan MIZAN Zainal Abidin elected paramount ruler

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of the Senate or Dewan

Negara (70 seats; 44 appointed by the paramount ruler, 26 appointed

by the state legislatures) and the House of Representatives or Dewan

Rakyat (219 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve

five-year terms)

elections: House of Representatives - last held 21 March 2004 (next

must be held by 2009)

election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by

party - BN 91%, DAP 5%, PAS 3%, other 1%; seats by party - BN 199,

DAP 12, PAS 6, PKR 1, independent 1

Judicial branch:

Federal Court (judges appointed by the paramount ruler on the

advice of the prime minister)

Political parties and leaders:

ruling-coalition National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN,

consisting of the following parties: Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Party

or PGRM [LIM Keng Yaik]; Liberal Democratic Party (Parti Liberal

Demokratik - Sabah) or LDP [LIEW Vui Keong]; Malaysian Chinese

Association (Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [ONG Ka Ting];

Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongresi India Malaysia) or MIC [S. Samy

VELLU]; Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah or PBRS [Joseph KURUP]; Parti

Bersatu Sabah or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan]; Parti Pesaka

Bumiputera Bersatu or PBB [Patinggi Haji Abdul TAIB Mahmud]; Parti

Rakyat Sarawak or PRS [James MASING]; Sabah Progressive Party (Parti

Progresif Sabah) or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee]; Sarawak United People's

Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak) or SUPP [George CHAN Hong Nam];

United Malays National Organization or UMNO [ABDULLAH bin Ahmad

Badawi]; United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization

(Pertubuhan Pasko Momogun Kadazan Dusun Bersatu) or UPKO [Bernard

DOMPOK]; People's Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Penduduk

Malaysia) or PPP [M.Keyveas]; Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party

or SPDP [William MAWANI]; opposition parties: Democratic Action

Party (Parti Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [KARPAL Singh]; Islamic

Party of Malaysia (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI

Awang]; People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [WAN

AZIZAH Wan Ismael]; Sarawak National Party or SNAP [Edwin DUNDANG];

opposition coalition Alternative Front (Barisan Alternatif) or BA -

consists of PAS and PKR

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-77,

IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,

IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC,

NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,

UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador RAJMAH binti Hussain

chancery: 3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 572-9700

FAX: [1] (202) 572-9882

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher J. LAFLEUR

embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur 50440

mailing address: US Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152

telephone: [60] (3) 2168-5000

FAX: [60] (3) 2142-2207

Flag description:

14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white

(bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner

bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow 14-pointed star; the crescent

and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design was based

on the flag of the US

Economy Malaysia

Economy - overview:

Malaysia, a middle-income country, transformed itself from 1971

through the late 1990s from a producer of raw materials into an

emerging multi-sector economy. Growth was almost exclusively driven

by exports - particularly of electronics. As a result, Malaysia was

hard hit by the global economic downturn and the slump in the

information technology (IT) sector in 2001 and 2002. GDP in 2001

grew only 0.5% because of an estimated 11% contraction in exports,

but a substantial fiscal stimulus package equal to US $1.9 billion

mitigated the worst of the recession, and the economy rebounded in

2002 with a 4.1% increase. The economy grew 4.9% in 2003,

notwithstanding a difficult first half, when external pressures from

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and the Iraq War led to

caution in the business community. Growth topped 7% in 2004 and 5%

per year in 2005-06. As an oil and gas exporter, Malaysia has

profited from higher world energy prices, although the rising cost

of domestic gasoline and diesel fuel forced Kuala Lumpur to reduce

government subsidies, contributing to higher inflation. Malaysia

"unpegged" the ringgit from the US dollar in 2005 and the currency

appreciated 6% against the dollar in 2006. Healthy foreign exchange

reserves and a small external debt greatly reduce the risk that

Malaysia will experience a financial crisis over the near term

similar to the one in 1997. The economy remains dependent on

continued growth in the US, China, and Japan - top export

destinations and key sources of foreign investment.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$308.8 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$131.8 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$12,700 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.3% industry: 48.1% services: 43.6% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 10.73 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 14.5% industry: 36% services: 49.5% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

3.5% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

8% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.4% highest 10%: 39.2% (2003 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

49.2 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.8% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

19.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $31.63 billion

expenditures: $37 billion; including capital expenditures of $9.4

billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:

46.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

Peninsular Malaysia - rubber, palm oil, cocoa, rice; Sabah -

subsistence crops, rubber, timber, coconuts, rice; Sarawak - rubber,

pepper, timber

Industries:

Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing and

manufacturing, light manufacturing industry, electronics, tin mining

and smelting, logging, timber processing; Sabah - logging, petroleum

production; Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleum production

and refining, logging

Industrial production growth rate:

5.8% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

78.24 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 89.5% hydro: 10.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

72.71 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

50 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

770,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

515,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

230,200 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves:

3.1 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

62.43 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

32.97 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

29.46 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

2.124 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$17.86 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$158.7 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas, wood and

wood products, palm oil, rubber, textiles, chemicals

Exports - partners:

US 19.7%, Singapore 15.6%, Japan 9.3%, China 6.6%, Hong Kong 5.8%,

Thailand 5.4% (2005)

Imports:

$127.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

electronics, machinery, petroleum products, plastics, vehicles,

iron and steel products, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Japan 14.6%, US 13%, Singapore 11.8%, China 11.6%, Taiwan 5.6%,

Thailand 5.3%, South Korea 5%, Germany 4.5% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$82.3 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$57.77 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Currency (code):

ringgit (MYR)

Currency code:

MYR

Exchange rates:

ringgits per US dollar - 3.67 (2006), 3.8 (2005), 3.8 (2004), 3.8

(2003), 3.8 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Malaysia

Telephones - main lines in use:

4.366 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

19.545 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern system; international service excellent

domestic: good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysia

mainly by microwave radio relay; adequate intercity microwave radio

relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; domestic

satellite system with 2 earth stations

international: country code - 60; submarine cables to India, Hong

Kong, and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian

Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 35, FM 391, shortwave 15 (2001)

Radios:

10.9 million (1999)

Television broadcast stations: mainland Malaysia 51; Sabah 16; Sarawak 21; note - many are low power stations (2006)

Televisions:

10.8 million (1999)

Internet country code:

.my

Internet hosts:

158,650 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

7 (2000)

Internet users:

11.016 million (2005)

Transportation Malaysia

Airports: 117 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 37 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 7 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 80 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 72 (2006)

Heliports:

2 (2006)

Pipelines:

condensate 282 km; gas 5,372 km; oil 1,715 km; oil/gas/water 19 km;

refined products 114 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 1,890 km

standard gauge: 57 km 1.435-m gauge (57 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 1,833 km 1.000-m gauge (150 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:

total: 98,721 km

paved: 80,280 km (including 1,821 km of expressways)

unpaved: 18,441 km (2004)

Waterways:

7,200 km

note: Peninsular Malaysia 3,200 km, Sabah 1,500 km, Sarawak 2,500 km

(2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 312 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,542,727 GRT/7,544,154 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 19, cargo 99, chemical tanker 38, container

48, liquefied gas 27, livestock carrier 1, passenger/cargo 8,

petroleum tanker 61, roll on/roll off 5, vehicle carrier 6

foreign-owned: 66 (China 1, Germany 2, Hong Kong 14, Japan 4, South

Korea 1, Singapore 44)

registered in other countries: 68 (Bahamas 12, Belize 1, Cayman

Islands 1, Mongolia 1, Panama 13, Philippines 1, Singapore 35, US 4)

(2006)

Ports and terminals:

Bintulu, Johor, Labuan, Lahad Datu, Lumut, Miri, George Town

(Penang), Port Kelang, Tanjung Pelepas

Military Malaysia

Military branches:

Malaysian Armed Forces (Angkatan Tentera Malaysia, ATM): Malaysian

Army (Tentera Darat Malaysia), Royal Malaysian Navy (Tentera Laut

Diraja Malaysia, TLDM), Royal Malaysian Air Force (Tentera Udara

Diraja Malaysia, TUDM) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2005)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 5,584,231

females age 18-49: 5,510,345 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 4,574,854

females age 18-49: 4,613,321 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 244,418

females age 18-49: 231,896 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$1.69 billion (FY00 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.03% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Malaysia

Disputes - international:

Malaysia has asserted sovereignty over the Spratly Islands together

with China, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; while

the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China

Sea" has eased tensions over the Spratly Islands, it is not the

legally binding "code of conduct" sought by some parties; Malaysia

was not party to the March 2005 joint accord among the national oil

companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam on conducting

marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; disputes continue

over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's land

reclamation, bridge construction, and maritime boundaries in the

Johor and Singapore Straits; in November 2007 the ICJ will hold

public hearings in response to the Memorials and Countermemorials

filed by the parties in 2003 and 2005 over sovereignty of Pedra

Branca Island/Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge; ICJ

awarded Ligitan and Sipadan islands, also claimed by Indonesia and

Philippines, to Malaysia but left maritime boundary and sovereignty

of Unarang rock in the hydrocarbon-rich Celebes Sea in dispute;

separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim southern

provinces prompts measures to close and monitor border with Malaysia

to stem terrorist activities; Philippines retains a dormant claim to

Malaysia's Sabah State in northern Borneo; Brunei and Malaysia are

still considering international adjudication over their disputed

offshore and deepwater seabeds, where hydrocarbon exploration was

terminated in 2003; Malaysia's land boundary with Brunei around

Limbang is in dispute; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 19,153 (Indonesia), 14,208 (Burma)

(2006)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Malaysia is a destination and, to a lesser

extent, a source and transit country for men and women trafficked

for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor; foreign

victims, mostly women and girls from China, Indonesia, Thailand, the

Philippines, and Vietnam, are trafficked to Malaysia for commercial

sexual exploitation; economic migrants from countries in the region

who work as domestic servants or laborers in the construction and

agricultural sectors face exploitative conditions in Malaysia that

meet the definition of involuntary servitude; some Malaysian women,

primarily of Chinese ethnicity, are trafficked abroad for sexual

exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Malaysia is placed on Tier 2 Watch

List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to

combat trafficking, particularly its failure to provide protection

for victims of trafficking

Illicit drugs:

regional transit point for some illicit drugs; drug trafficking

prosecuted vigorously and carries severe penalties

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Maldives

Introduction Maldives

Background:

The Maldives was long a sultanate, first under Dutch and then under

British protection. It became a republic in 1968, three years after

independence. Since 1978, President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM - currently

in his sixth term in office - has dominated the islands' political

scene. Following riots in the capital Male in August 2004, the

president and his government pledged to embark upon democratic

reforms, including a more representative political system and

expanded political freedoms. Progress has been slow, however, and

many promised reforms have been delayed indefinitely. Tourism and

fishing are being developed on the archipelago.

Geography Maldives

Location:

Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest

of India

Geographic coordinates:

3 15 N, 73 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 300 sq km

land: 300 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

644 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March);

rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)

Terrain:

flat, with white sandy beaches

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu

Atoll 2.4 m

Natural resources:

fish

Land use:

arable land: 13.33%

permanent crops: 30%

other: 56.67% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise

Environment - current issues: depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited islands,

plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); archipelago with strategic

location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean

People Maldives

Population:

359,008 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 43.4% (male 80,113/female 75,763)

15-64 years: 53.5% (male 98,040/female 94,029)

65 years and over: 3.1% (male 5,477/female 5,586) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 17.9 years

male: 17.8 years

female: 18 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.78% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

34.81 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

7.06 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 54.89 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 54.01 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 55.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 64.41 years

male: 63.08 years

female: 65.8 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.9 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

less than 100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Maldivian(s)

adjective: Maldivian

Ethnic groups:

South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs

Religions:

Sunni Muslim

Languages:

Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic),

English spoken by most government officials

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.2%

male: 97.1%

female: 97.3% (2003 est.)

Government Maldives

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Maldives

conventional short form: Maldives

local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa

local short form: Dhivehi Raajje

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Male

geographic coordinates: 4 10 N, 73 31 E

time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

19 atolls (atholhu, singular and plural) and the capital city*;

Alifu, Baa, Dhaalu, Faafu, Gaafu Alifu, Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Haa

Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Kaafu, Laamu, Lhaviyani, Maale* (Male), Meemu,

Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Vaavu

Independence:

26 July 1965 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 26 July (1965)

Constitution:

adopted 1 January 1998

Legal system:

based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law

primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction

Suffrage:

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November

1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11

November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and

head of government

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president nominated by the Majlis and then the nomination

must be ratified by a national referendum (at least a 51% approval

margin is required); president elected for a five-year term;

election last held 17 October 2003 (next to be held NA 2008)

election results: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected in

referendum held 17 October 2003; percent of popular vote - Maumoon

Abdul GAYOOM 90.3%

Legislative branch:

unicameral People's Council or Majlis (50 seats; 42 elected by

popular vote, 8 appointed by the president; members serve five-year

terms)

elections: last held 22 January 2005 (next to be held NA 2010)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 50

Judicial branch:

High Court

Political parties and leaders: political parties were allowed to register in June 2005; the first entrants are: Adhaalath (Justice) Party or AP [Abdul Majeed Abdul BARI]; Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (Maldivian People's Party) or DRP [Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM]; Islamic Democratic Party or IDP [Omar NASEER]; Maldivian Democratic Party or MDP [Mohamed NASHEED]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

various unregistered political parties

International organization participation:

AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed LATHEEF chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400E, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6195 FAX: [1] (212) 661-6405

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; the US Ambassador to

Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits there

Flag description:

red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a vertical

white crescent; the closed side of the crescent is on the hoist side

of the flag

Economy Maldives

Economy - overview:

Tourism, Maldives' largest industry, accounts for 28% of GDP and

more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts. Over 90%

of government tax revenue comes from import duties and

tourism-related taxes. Fishing is the second leading sector.

Agriculture and manufacturing continue to play a lesser role in the

economy, constrained by the limited availability of cultivable land

and the shortage of domestic labor. Most staple foods must be

imported. Industry, which consists mainly of garment production,

boat building, and handicrafts, accounts for about 7% of GDP. The

Maldivian Government began an economic reform program in 1989

initially by lifting import quotas and opening some exports to the

private sector. Subsequently, it has liberalized regulations to

allow more foreign investment. Real GDP growth averaged over 7.5%

per year for more than a decade. In late December 2004, a major

tsunami left more than 100 dead, 12,000 displaced, and property

damage exceeding $300 million. As a result of the tsunami, the GDP

contracted by about 3.6% in 2005. A rebound in tourism, post-tsunami

reconstruction, and development of new resorts helped boost GDP by

nearly 18 percent in 2006. The trade deficit has expanded sharply as

a result of high oil prices and imports of construction material.

Diversifying beyond tourism and fishing is the major challenge

facing the government. Over the longer term Maldivian authorities

worry about the impact of erosion and possible global warming on

their low-lying country; 80% of the area is one meter or less above

sea level.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.25 billion (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$817 million (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-3.6% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$3,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20% industry: 18% services: 62% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 88,000 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 22% industry: 18% services: 60% (1995)

Unemployment rate:

NEGL% (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line:

21% (2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6% (2005 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $508 million (including foreign grants)

expenditures: $671 million (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish

Industries:

fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut

processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand

mining

Industrial production growth rate:

-0.9% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:

149.9 million kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

139.4 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

7,200 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$123 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

fish

Exports - partners:

Japan 22.8%, Thailand 22.7%, Sri Lanka 16.4%, UK 12.6%, Singapore

5.8%, Germany 4.8%, France 4.3% (2005)

Imports:

$567 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum products, ships, foodstuffs, clothing, intermediate and

capital goods

Imports - partners:

Singapore 24.1%, UAE 15.7%, India 11.3%, Malaysia 7.2%, Sri Lanka

5.7%, UK 4.5% (2005)

Debt - external:

$304 million (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$27.9 million (2004)

Currency (code):

rufiyaa (MVR)

Currency code:

MVR

Exchange rates:

rufiyaa per US dollar - 12.8 (2006), 12.8 (2005), 12.8 (2004), 12.8

(2003), 12.8 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Maldives

Telephones - main lines in use:

32,181 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

271,053 (2006)

Telephone system:

general assessment: Telephone services have improved; each island

now has at least one public telephone, and there are mobile cellular

networks with expanding subscribership

domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all

inhabited islands and resorts are connected with telephone and fax

service

international: country code - 960; satellite earth station - 3

Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:

35,000 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2006)

Televisions:

10,000 (1999)

Internet country code:

.mv

Internet hosts:

1,357 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

19,000 (2005)

Transportation Maldives

Airports: 5 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 88 km

paved roads: 88 km - 60 km in Male; 14 km on Addu Atolis; 14 km on

Laamu

note: village roads are mainly compacted coral (2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 17 ships (1000 GRT or over) 67,149 GRT/87,220 DWT

by type: cargo 13, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 2

registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Male

Military Maldives

Military branches:

National Security Service: Security Branch (ground forces), Air

Element, Coast Guard

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 71,774

females age 18-49: 69,229 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 56,687

females age 18-49: 54,454 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$45.07 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

5.5% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Maldives

Disputes - international:

none

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 10,000 (December 2004 tsunami victims) (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Mali

Introduction Mali

Background:

The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France in

1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few

months, what formerly made up the Sudanese Republic was renamed

Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 by a coup

that ushered in democratic government. President Alpha KONARE won

Mali's first democratic presidential election in 1992 and was

reelected in 1997. In keeping with Mali's two-term constitutional

limit, KONARE stepped down in 2002 and was succeeded by Amadou TOURE.

Geography Mali

Location:

Western Africa, southwest of Algeria

Geographic coordinates:

17 00 N, 4 00 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 1.24 million sq km

land: 1.22 million sq km

water: 20,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 7,243 km

border countries: Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina Faso 1,000 km, Guinea

858 km, Cote d'Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km,

Senegal 419 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

subtropical to arid; hot and dry (February to June); rainy, humid,

and mild (June to November); cool and dry (November to February)

Terrain:

mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in

south, rugged hills in northeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Senegal River 23 m

highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m

Natural resources:

gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, gypsum,

granite, hydropower

note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are

known but not exploited

Land use: arable land: 3.76% permanent crops: 0.03% other: 96.21% (2005)

Irrigated land:

2,360 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring

droughts; occasional Niger River flooding

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; inadequate supplies

of potable water; poaching

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern,

cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and the

northern, arid Saharan

People Mali

Population:

11,716,829 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 48.2% (male 2,857,670/female 2,787,506)

15-64 years: 48.8% (male 2,804,344/female 2,910,097)

65 years and over: 3% (male 146,458/female 210,754) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 15.8 years

male: 15.4 years

female: 16.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.63% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

49.82 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

16.89 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-6.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 107.58 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 117.32 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 97.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 49 years

male: 47.05 years

female: 51.01 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

7.42 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

140,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

12,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Malian(s)

adjective: Malian

Ethnic groups:

Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Soninke), Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%,

Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5%

Religions:

Muslim 90%, indigenous beliefs 9%, Christian 1%

Languages:

French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 46.4%

male: 53.5%

female: 39.6% (2003 est.)

Government Mali

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Mali

conventional short form: Mali

local long form: Republique de Mali

local short form: Mali

former: French Sudan and Sudanese Republic

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Bamako

geographic coordinates: 12 39 N, 8 00 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

8 regions (regions, singular - region); Gao, Kayes, Kidal,

Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou

Independence:

22 September 1960 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 22 September (1960)

Constitution:

adopted 12 January 1992

Legal system:

based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review

of legislative acts in Constitutional Court (which was formally

established on 9 March 1994); has not accepted compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Amadou Toumani TOURE (since 8 June 2002)

head of government: Prime Minister Ousmane Issoufi MAIGA (since 30

April 2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 12 May 2002 (next

to be held April 2007); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Amadou Toumani TOURE elected president; percent of

vote - Amadou Toumani TOURE 64.4%, Soumaila CISSE 35.6%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats;

members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 14 and 28 July 2002 (next to be held July 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

Hope 2002 coalition 66 (including RPM 42, CNID 10, and MPR 3), ADEMA

51, other 30

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP (a coalition of 14

political parties including ADEMA and URD formed in December 2006 to

support the presidential candidacy of Amadou TOURE); Alliance for

Democracy or ADEMA [Diounconda TRAORE, party chairman]; Convergence

2007 [Soumeylou Boubeye MAIGA]; Hope 2002 (a coalition of CNID, MPR,

RDT, and RPM); National Congress for Democratic Initiative or CNID

[Mountaga TALL, chairman]; Party for Democracy and Progress or PDP

[Me Idrissa TRAORE]; Party for National Renewal or PARENA [Tiebile

DRAME, secretary general]; Patriotic Movement for Renewal or MPR

[Choguel MAIGA]; Rally for Democracy and Labor or RDT; Rally for

Mali or RPM [Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA, chairman]; Sudanese

Union/African Democratic Rally or US/RDA [Mamadou Bamou TOURE,

secretary general]; Union for Democracy and Development or UDD

[Moussa Balla COULIBALY]; Union for Republic and Democracy or URD

[Soumaila CISSE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Alliance for Democratic Change or ACD; Patriotic Movement of the

Ghanda Koye or MPGK; United Movement and Fronts of Azawad or MFUA

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,

ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,

ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB,

OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WADB

(regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Abdoulaye DIOP chancery: 2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-2249, 939-8950 FAX: [1] (202) 332-6603

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Terrence P. MCCULLEY embassy: Rue Rochester NY and Rue Mohamed V, Bamako mailing address: B. P. 34, Bamako telephone: [223] 222-5470 FAX: [223] 222-3712

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red;

uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Mali

Economy - overview:

Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with 65% of its

land area desert or semidesert and with a highly unequal

distribution of income. Economic activity is largely confined to the

riverine area irrigated by the Niger. About 10% of the population is

nomadic and some 80% of the labor force is engaged in farming and

fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm

commodities. Mali is heavily dependent on foreign aid and vulnerable

to fluctuations in world prices for cotton, its main export, along

with gold. The government has continued its successful

implementation of an IMF-recommended structural adjustment program

that is helping the economy grow, diversify, and attract foreign

investment. Mali's adherence to economic reform and the 50%

devaluation of the CFA franc in January 1994 have pushed up economic

growth to a sturdy 5% average in 1996-2006. Worker remittances and

external trade routes for the landlocked country have been

jeopardized by continued unrest in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$14.59 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$5.847 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,200 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 45% industry: 17% services: 38% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 3.93 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 80% industry and services: 20% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:

14.6% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:

64% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 40.4% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

50.5 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.5% (2002 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $764 million

expenditures: $828 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2002 est.)

Agriculture - products: cotton, millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats

Industries:

food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

410 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 41.7% hydro: 58.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 381.3 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh; note - recent hydropower developments may be providing electricity to Senegal and Mauritania (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

4,300 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$323 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

cotton, gold, livestock

Exports - partners:

China 29.3%, Thailand 10.1%, Taiwan 7.7%, Italy 5.3%, Bangladesh

4.5%, France 4.4% (2005)

Imports:

$1.858 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum, machinery and equipment, construction materials,

foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners:

France 13%, Senegal 13%, Cote d'Ivoire 8.5% (2005)

Debt - external:

$2.8 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:

$472.1 million (2002)

Currency (code):

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible

authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:

XOF

Exchange rates:

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 527.47

(2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Mali

Telephones - main lines in use:

75,000 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

869,600 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: domestic system unreliable but improving;

provides only minimal service

domestic: network consists of microwave radio relay, open-wire, and

radiotelephone communications stations; expansion of microwave radio

relay in progress

international: country code - 223; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 28, shortwave 1 note: the shortwave station in Bamako has seven frequencies and five transmitters and relays broadcasts for China Radio International (2001)

Radios:

570,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (plus repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:

45,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.ml

Internet hosts:

278 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

13 (2001)

Internet users:

60,000 (2005)

Transportation Mali

Airports:

29 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 9

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 20 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 8 (2006)

Railways: total: 729 km narrow gauge: 729 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 18,709 km paved: 3,368 km unpaved: 15,341 km (2004)

Waterways:

1,815 km (2005)

Ports and terminals:

Koulikoro

Military Mali

Military branches:

Army, Air Force, National Guard

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;

conscript service obligation - two years (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 2,094,432

females age 18-49: 2,027,352 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,244,176

females age 18-49: 1,226,226 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$106.3 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.9% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Mali

Disputes - international:

none

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 6,165 (Mauritania) (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Malta

Introduction Malta

Background:

Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814. The

island staunchly supported the UK through both World Wars and

remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964. A

decade later Malta became a republic. Since about the mid-1980s, the

island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a

financial center, and a tourist destination. Malta became an EU

member in May 2004.

Geography Malta

Location:

Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily

(Italy)

Geographic coordinates:

35 50 N, 14 35 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 316 sq km

land: 316 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

196.8 km (does not include 56.01 km for the island of Gozo)

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm

Climate:

Mediterranean; mild, rainy winters; hot, dry summers

Terrain:

mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli)

Natural resources: limestone, salt, arable land

Land use: arable land: 31.25% permanent crops: 3.13% other: 65.62% (2005)

Irrigated land:

20 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on desalination

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three largest

islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino) being

inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors; Malta and Tunisia are

discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf

between their countries, particularly for oil exploration

People Malta

Population:

400,214 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 17.1% (male 35,264/female 33,368)

15-64 years: 69.1% (male 139,890/female 136,767)

65 years and over: 13.7% (male 23,554/female 31,371) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 38.7 years

male: 37.2 years

female: 40.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.42% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

10.22 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

8.1 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

2.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

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

65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 3.86 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4.34 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.01 years

male: 76.83 years

female: 81.31 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.5 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

less than 500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Maltese (singular and plural)

adjective: Maltese

Ethnic groups:

Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians, with

strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 98%

Languages:

Maltese (official), English (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 10 and over can read and write

total population: 92.8%

male: 92%

female: 93.6% (2003 est.)

Government Malta

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Malta

conventional short form: Malta

local long form: Repubblika ta' Malta

local short form: Malta

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Valletta

geographic coordinates: 35 54 N, 14 31 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions: none (administered directly from Valletta); note - local councils carry out administrative orders

Independence:

21 September 1964 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 21 September (1964)

Constitution:

1964 constitution; amended many times

Legal system:

based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts compulsory

ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Edward FENECH ADAMI (since 4 April 2004)

head of government: Prime Minister Lawrence GONZI (since 23 March

2004)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the

prime minister

elections: president elected by the House of Representatives for a

five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 29

March 2004 (next to be held by April 2009); following legislative

elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority

coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president for a

five-year term; the deputy prime minister is appointed by the

president on the advice of the prime minister

election results: Eddie FENECH ADAMI elected president; House of

Representatives vote - 33 out of 65 votes

Legislative branch:

unicameral House of Representatives (usually 65 seats; note -

additional seats are given to the party with the largest popular

vote to ensure a legislative majority; members are elected by

popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve

five-year terms)

elections: last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held by August 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - PN 51.79%, MLP 47.51%,

AD 0.68%; seats by party - PN 34, MLP 31

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are

appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister

Political parties and leaders:

Alternativa Demokratika/Alliance for Social Justice or AD [Harry

VASSALLO]; Malta Labor Party or MLP [Alfred SANT]; Nationalist Party

or PN [Lawrence GONZI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,

ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,

ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,

UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John LOWELL chancery: 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-3611, 3612 FAX: [1] (202) 387-5470 consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Molly BORDONARO

embassy: 3rd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana,

VLT 01

mailing address: P. O. Box 535, Valletta, CMR01

telephone: [356] 2561 4000

FAX: [356] 21 243229

Flag description:

two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the

upper hoist-side corner is a representation of the George Cross,

edged in red

Economy Malta

Economy - overview:

Major resources are limestone, a favorable geographic location, and

a productive labor force. Malta produces only about 20% of its food

needs, has limited fresh water supplies, and has few domestic energy

sources. The economy is dependent on foreign trade, manufacturing

(especially electronics and textiles), and tourism. Continued

sluggishness in the European economy is holding back exports,

tourism, and overall growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$8.122 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$5.39 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

1.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$20,300 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 23% services: 74% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 160,000 (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 3% industry: 22% services: 75% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

7.8% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.3% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

25.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $2.503 billion

expenditures: $2.703 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:

potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut

flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs

Industries:

tourism, electronics, ship building and repair, construction, food

and beverages, textiles, footwear, clothing, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

2.291 billion kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

2.13 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

19,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-966.2 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$2.425 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, manufactures

Exports - partners:

France 15.4%, US 14.4%, Singapore 12.3%, UK 11.3%, Germany 11.2%,

Italy 5.1%, Libya 4.2% (2005)

Imports:

$4.077 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured and

semi-manufactured goods; food, drink, tobacco

Imports - partners:

Italy 32.3%, UK 11.5%, France 9.6%, Germany 8%, US 5.5%, Singapore

4.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$3.065 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$188.8 million (2005)

Economic aid - recipient:

$NA

Currency (code):

Maltese lira (MTL)

Currency code:

MTL

Exchange rates:

Maltese liri per US dollar - 0.37 (2006), 0.34578 (2005), 0.34466

(2004), 0.37723 (2003), 0.43362 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Malta

Telephones - main lines in use:

202,100 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

324,000 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: automatic system satisfies normal requirements

domestic: submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands

international: country code - 356; 2 submarine cables; satellite

earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 18, shortwave 6 (1999)

Radios:

255,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

5 (2006)

Televisions:

280,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.mt

Internet hosts:

14,025 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

6 (2002)

Internet users:

127,200 (2005)

Transportation Malta

Airports: 1 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways: total: 2,227 km paved: 2,014 km unpaved: 213 km (2004)

Merchant marine:

total: 1,220 ships (1000 GRT or over) 23,917,414 GRT/38,685,924 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 434, cargo 344, chemical tanker 105,

combination ore/oil 1, container 59, liquefied gas 7, livestock

carrier 1, passenger 15, passenger/cargo 14, petroleum tanker 146,

refrigerated cargo 43, roll on/roll off 33, specialized tanker 2,

vehicle carrier 16

foreign-owned: 1,162 (Austria 1, Azerbaijan 2, Bangladesh 3, Belgium

10, Bulgaria 13, Canada 18, China 14, Croatia 10, Cyprus 15, Denmark

6, Estonia 4, France 6, Germany 64, Greece 495, Hong Kong 2, Iceland

4, India 1, Iran 14, Israel 23, Italy 29, Japan 1, South Korea 6,

Latvia 40, Lebanon 10, Monaco 1, Netherlands 6, Norway 49, Pakistan

1, Poland 27, Portugal 3, Romania 9, Russia 70, Slovenia 3, Spain 6,

Sweden 3, Switzerland 21, Syria 7, Taiwan 2, Turkey 123, UAE 5, UK

8, Ukraine 24, US 3)

registered in other countries: 8 (Panama 3, Portugal 1, Russia 4)

(2006)

Ports and terminals:

Marsaxlokk, Valletta

Military Malta

Military branches:

Armed Forces of Malta (AFM; includes air and maritime elements)

(2005)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription

(2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 90,651

females age 18-49: 87,047 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 74,525

females age 18-49: 71,333 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$38.168 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Malta

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Western

Europe

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Marshall Islands

Introduction Marshall Islands

Background:

After almost four decades under US administration as the

easternmost part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands,

the Marshall Islands attained independence in 1986 under a Compact

of Free Association. Compensation claims continue as a result of US

nuclear testing on some of the atolls between 1947 and 1962. The

Marshall Islands hosts the US Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) Reagan

Missile Test Site, a key installation in the US missile defense

network.

Geography Marshall Islands

Location:

Oceania, two archipelagic island chains of 29 atolls, each made up

of many small islets, and five single islands in the North Pacific

Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Geographic coordinates:

9 00 N, 168 00 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 11,854.3 sq km

land: 181.3 sq km

water: 11,673 sq km (note - lagoon waters)

note: includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, Kwajalein, Majuro,

Rongelap, and Utirik

Area - comparative:

about the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

370.4 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November; islands border

typhoon belt

Terrain:

low coral limestone and sand islands

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Likiep 10 m

Natural resources:

coconut products, marine products, deep seabed minerals

Land use:

arable land: 11.11%

permanent crops: 44.44%

other: 44.45% (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

infrequent typhoons

Environment - current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; pollution of Majuro lagoon from household waste and discharges from fishing vessels

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

Geography - note:

Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites; Kwajalein,

the famous World War II battleground, is used as a US missile test

range; island city of Ebeye is the second largest settlement in the

Marshall Islands, after the capital of Majuro, and one of the most

densely populated locations in the Pacific

People Marshall Islands

Population:

60,422 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 38.1% (male 11,720/female 11,295)

15-64 years: 59.2% (male 18,305/female 17,445)

65 years and over: 2.7% (male 801/female 856) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 20.3 years

male: 20.4 years

female: 20.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.25% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

33.05 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

4.78 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-5.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

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

65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 28.43 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 31.93 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 24.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 70.31 years

male: 68.33 years

female: 72.39 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.85 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Marshallese (singular and plural)

adjective: Marshallese

Ethnic groups:

Micronesian

Religions:

Protestant 54.8%, Assembly of God 25.8%, Roman Catholic 8.4%, Bukot

nan Jesus 2.8%, Mormon 2.1%, other Christian 3.6%, other 1%, none

1.5% (1999 census)

Languages:

Marshallese 98.2%, other languages 1.8% (1999 census)

note: English widely spoken as a second language; both Marshallese

and English are official languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 93.7%

male: 93.6%

female: 93.7% (1999)

Government Marshall Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands

conventional short form: Marshall Islands

local long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands

local short form: Marshall Islands

abbreviation: RMI

former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Marshall Islands

District

Government type:

constitutional government in free association with the US; the

Compact of Free Association entered into force 21 October 1986 and

the Amended Compact entered into force in May 2004

Capital:

name: Majuro

geographic coordinates: 7 05 N, 171 08 E

time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

33 municipalities; Ailinginae, Ailinglaplap, Ailuk, Arno, Aur,

Bikar, Bikini, Bokak, Ebon, Enewetak, Erikub, Jabat, Jaluit, Jemo,

Kili, Kwajalein, Lae, Lib, Likiep, Majuro, Maloelap, Mejit, Mili,

Namorik, Namu, Rongelap, Rongrik, Toke, Ujae, Ujelang, Utirik,

Wotho, Wotje

Independence:

21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:

Constitution Day, 1 May (1979)

Constitution:

1 May 1979

Legal system:

based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature,

municipal, common, and customary laws

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 5 January 2004);

note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 5 January 2004)

cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president from among the members of

the legislature

elections: president elected by Parliament from among its own

members for a four-year term; election last held 17 November 2003

(next to be held November 2007)

election results: Kessai Hesa NOTE elected president; percent of

Parliament vote - 100%

Legislative branch:

unicameral legislature or Nitijela (33 seats; members elected by

popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 17 November 2003 (next to be held by November

2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA

note: the Council of Chiefs or Ironij is a 12-member body comprised

of tribal chiefs that advises on matters affecting customary law and

practice

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; High Court; Traditional Rights Court

Political parties and leaders:

traditionally there have been no formally organized political

parties; what has existed more closely resembles factions or

interest groups because they do not have party headquarters, formal

platforms, or party structures; the following two "groupings" have

competed in legislative balloting in recent years - Aelon Kein Ad

Party [Michael KABUA] and United Democratic Party or UDP [Litokwa

TOMEING]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFC, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Banny DE BRUM chancery: 2433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-5414 FAX: [1] (202) 232-3236 consulate(s) general: Honolulu

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Greta N. MORRIS

embassy: Oceanside, Mejen Weto, Long Island, Majuro

mailing address: P. O. Box 1379, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall

Islands 96960-1379

telephone: [692] 247-4011

FAX: [692] 247-4012

Flag description:

blue with two stripes radiating from the lower hoist-side corner -

orange (top) and white; there is a white star with four large rays

and 20 small rays on the hoist side above the two stripes

Economy Marshall Islands

Economy - overview:

US Government assistance is the mainstay of this tiny island

economy. Agricultural production, primarily subsistence, is

concentrated on small farms; the most important commercial crops are

coconuts and breadfruit. Small-scale industry is limited to

handicrafts, tuna processing, and copra. The tourist industry, now a

small source of foreign exchange employing less than 10% of the

labor force, remains the best hope for future added income. The

islands have few natural resources, and imports far exceed exports.

Under the terms of the Amended Compact of Free Association, the US

will provide millions of dollars per year to the Marshall Islands

(RMI) through 2023, at which time a Trust Fund made up of US and RMI

contributions will begin perpetual annual payouts. Government

downsizing, drought, a drop in construction, the decline in tourism,

and less income from the renewal of fishing vessel licenses have

held GDP growth to an average of 1% over the past decade.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$115 million (2001 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$144 million (2005)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.5% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,900 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 31.7% industry: 14.9% services: 53.4% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 14,680 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 21.4% industry: 20.9% services: 57.7%

Unemployment rate:

30.9% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3% (2005 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $42 million

expenditures: $40 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(1999)

Agriculture - products:

coconuts, tomatoes, melons, taro, breadfruit, fruits; pigs, chickens

Industries:

copra, tuna processing, tourism, craft items from seashells, wood,

and pearls

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 1% (solar)

Exports:

$9.1 million f.o.b. (2000)

Exports - commodities:

copra cake, coconut oil, handicrafts, fish

Exports - partners:

US, Japan, Australia, China (2004)

Imports:

$54.7 million f.o.b. (2000)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels, beverages and tobacco

Imports - partners:

US, Japan, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Fiji, China, Philippines (2004)

Debt - external:

$86.5 million (FY99/00 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$51.1 million more than $1 billion from the US, 1986-2002 (2004)

Currency (code):

US dollar (USD)

Currency code:

USD

Exchange rates:

the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:

1 October - 30 September

Communications Marshall Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:

5,510 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1,198 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: digital switching equipment; modern services

include telex, cellular, internet, international calling, caller ID,

and leased data circuits

domestic: Majuro Atoll and Ebeye and Kwajalein islands have regular,

seven-digit, direct-dial telephones; other islands interconnected by

high frequency radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes)

and mini-satellite telephones

international: country code - 692; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications

system on Kwajalein (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0

note: additionally, the US Armed Forces Radio and Television

Services (Central Pacific Network) operate one FM and one AM station

on Kwajalein (2005)

Radios:

NA

Television broadcast stations:

2 (both are US military stations)

note: Marshalls Broadcasting Service (cable company) operates on

Majuro (2005)

Televisions:

NA

Internet country code:

.mh

Internet hosts:

6 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2002)

Internet users:

2,000 (2005)

Transportation Marshall Islands

Airports:

15 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 11

914 to 1,523 m: 10

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 64.5 km

paved: 64.5 km

note: paved roads on major islands (Majuro, Kwajalein), otherwise

stone-, coral-, or laterite-surfaced roads and tracks (2002)

Merchant marine:

total: 795 ships (1000 GRT or over) 30,772,611 GRT/50,987,293 DWT

by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 178, cargo 53, chemical

tanker 133, container 147, liquefied gas 25, passenger 7, petroleum

tanker 234, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 7, specialized

tanker 2, vehicle carrier 5

foreign-owned: 730 (Australia 2, Bermuda 4, Brazil 1, Canada 6,

Chile 1, Croatia 2, Cyprus 15, Denmark 1, Finland 2, Germany 194,

Greece 199, Hong Kong 7, Isle of Man 1, Italy 1, Japan 7, South

Korea 1, Latvia 7, Monaco 8, Netherlands 1, Norway 65, Russia 1,

Saudi Arabia 1, Singapore 6, Slovenia 3, Spain 3, Switzerland 13,

Turkey 20, UAE 3, UK 12, US 143)

registered in other countries: 1 (North Korea 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Majuro

Military Marshall Islands

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Marshall Islands Police

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 13,465 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 10,792 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 726 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

NA

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Marshall Islands

Disputes - international: claims US territory of Wake Island

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Mauritania

Introduction Mauritania

Background:

Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the southern

third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in 1976, but

relinquished it after three years of raids by the Polisario

guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory. Maaouya Ould

Sid Ahmed TAYA seized power in a coup in 1984. Opposition parties

were legalized and a new constitution approved in 1991. Two

multiparty presidential elections since then were widely seen as

flawed, but October 2001 legislative and municipal elections were

generally free and open. A bloodless coup in August 2005 deposed

President TAYA and ushered in a military council headed by Col. Ely

Ould Mohamed VALL, which declared it would remain in power for up to

two years while it created conditions for genuine democratic

institutions and organized elections. Accordingly, parliamentary

elections were held in December of 2006 and senatorial and

presidential elections will follow (January and March 2007

respectively). The newly-elected legislature is expected to assume

power following the inauguration of the new president. For now,

however, Mauritania remains an autocratic state, and the country

continues to experience ethnic tensions among its black population

and different Moor (Arab-Berber) communities.

Geography Mauritania

Location:

Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between

Senegal and Western Sahara

Geographic coordinates:

20 00 N, 12 00 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 1,030,700 sq km

land: 1,030,400 sq km

water: 300 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico

Land boundaries:

total: 5,074 km

border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km,

Western Sahara 1,561 km

Coastline:

754 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty

Terrain:

mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m

Natural resources: iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish

Land use: arable land: 0.2% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.79% (2005)

Irrigated land:

490 sq km (2002)

Natural hazards:

hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and

April; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated by drought

are contributing to desertification; very limited natural fresh

water resources away from the Senegal, which is the only perennial

river; locust infestation

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,

Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

most of the population concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and

Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the

country

People Mauritania

Population:

3,177,388 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 45.6% (male 726,376/female 723,013)

15-64 years: 52.2% (male 818,408/female 839,832)

65 years and over: 2.2% (male 28,042/female 41,717) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 17 years

male: 16.8 years

female: 17.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.88% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

40.99 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

12.16 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 69.48 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 72.44 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 66.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 53.12 years

male: 50.88 years

female: 55.42 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.86 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.6% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

9,500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 500 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and Rift Valley fever are high risks

in some locations

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007)

Nationality: noun: Mauritanian(s) adjective: Mauritanian

Ethnic groups:

mixed Maur/black 40%, Moor 30%, black 30%

Religions:

Muslim 100%

Languages:

Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, French, Hassaniya, Wolof

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 41.7%

male: 51.8%

female: 31.9% (2003 est.)

Government Mauritania

Country name:

conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania

conventional short form: Mauritania

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah

local short form: Muritaniyah

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Nouakchott

geographic coordinates: 18 06 N, 15 57 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

12 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 capital district*;

Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh

Ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott*, Tagant, Tiris

Zemmour, Trarza

Independence:

28 November 1960 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 28 November (1960)

Constitution:

12 July 1991

Legal system:

a combination of Shari'a (Islamic law) and French civil law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Col. Ely Ould Mohamed VALL, whose Military Council

for Justice and Democracy deposed longtime President Maaouya Ould

Sid Ahmed TAYA in a coup on 3 August 2005

head of government: Prime Minister Sidi Mohamed Ould BOUBAKAR (since

8 August 2005)

cabinet: Council of Ministers

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second consecutive term); note - passage of a

constitutional reform referendum in July 2006 limits president to

two five-year terms; election last held 7 November 2003 (next to be

held 11 March 2007); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA reelected

for a third term with 60.8% of the vote

Legislative branch:

bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis al-Shuyukh

(56 seats; a portion of seats up for election every two years;

members elected by municipal leaders to serve six-year terms) and

the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (95 seats; members elected

by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 9 and 16 April 2004 (next to be held

21 January 2007); National Assembly - last held 19 November and 3

December 2006

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats

by party - CFCD 41 (including RFD 16, United Forces for Progress

(UDP) 9, APP 5, Islamists 5, HATEM-PMUC 3, RD 2, FP 1), RNI

(coalition of independent candidates) 38, PRDR 7, Union for

Democracy and Progress (UDP) 3, RDU 3, Alternative (Al-Badil) 1,

RNDLE 1, UCD 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower courts

Political parties and leaders:

Alternative or Al-Badil; Coalition for Forces for Democratic Change

or CFCD (coalition of political parties including RFD, United Forces

of Progress or UDP, APP, Islamists, HATEM-PMUC, RD, UDC); Democratic

Renewal or RD; Islamists (Centrist Reformists); Mauritanian Party

for Unity and Change or HATEM-PMUC; National Rally for Freedom,

Democracy and Equality or RNDLE; Popular Front or FP [Ch'bih Ould

CHEIKH MALAININE]; Popular Progressive Alliance or APP [Messoud Ould

BOULKHEIR]; Rally of Democratic Forces or RFD [Ahmed Ould DADDAH];

Rally for Democracy and Unity or RDU [Ahmed Ould SIDI BABA];

Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal or PRDR (formerly ruling

Democratic and Social Republican Party or PRDS) [Boullah Ould

MOGUEYA]; Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint

MOUKNASS]; Union of Democratic Centre or UCD

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Arab nationalists; Ba'thists; General Confederation of Mauritanian

Workers or CGTM [Abdallahi Ould MOHAMED, secretary general];

Independent Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CLTM [Samory

Ould BEYE]; Islamists; Mauritanian Workers Union or UTM [Mohamed Ely

Ould BRAHIM, secretary general]

International organization participation:

ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA,

IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Tijani Ould Mohamed EL KERIM

chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700, 5701

FAX: [1] (202) 319-2623

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Charles H.

Twining

embassy: 288 Rue Abdallaye (between Presidency building and Spanish

Embassy), Nouakchott

mailing address: BP 222, Nouakchott

telephone: [222] 525-2660/525-2663

FAX: [222] 525-1592

Flag description:

green with a yellow five-pointed star above a yellow, horizontal

crescent; the closed side of the crescent is down; the crescent,

star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

Economy Mauritania

Economy - overview:

Half the population still depends on agriculture and livestock for

a livelihood, even though many of the nomads and subsistence farmers

were forced into the cities by recurrent droughts in the 1970s and

1980s. Mauritania has extensive deposits of iron ore, which account

for nearly 40% of total exports. The nation's coastal waters are

among the richest fishing areas in the world, but overexploitation

by foreigners threatens this key source of revenue. The country's

first deepwater port opened near Nouakchott in 1986. In the past,

drought and economic mismanagement resulted in a buildup of foreign

debt which now stands at more than three times the level of annual

exports. In February 2000, Mauritania qualified for debt relief

under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and in

December 2001 received strong support from donor and lending

countries at a triennial Consultative Group review. A new investment

code approved in December 2001 improved the opportunities for direct

foreign investment. Ongoing negotiations with the IMF involve

problems of economic reforms and fiscal discipline. In 2001,

exploratory oil wells in tracts 80 km offshore indicated potential

extraction at current world oil prices. Mauritania has an estimated

1 billion barrels of proved reserves. Substantial oil production and

exports began in early 2006 and averaged 75,000 barrels per day for

the year. Meantime the government emphasizes reduction of poverty,

improvement of health and education, and promoting privatization of

the economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$8.397 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.641 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

19.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25% industry: 29% services: 46% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 786,000 (2001)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 50% industry: 10% services: 40% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:

20% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:

40% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 30.2% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

39 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

7% (2003 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $421 million

expenditures: $378 million; including capital expenditures of $154

million (2002 est.)

Agriculture - products:

dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn; cattle, sheep

Industries:

fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum

Industrial production growth rate:

2% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:

176.7 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 85.9% hydro: 14.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

164.3 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

75,000 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption:

24,200 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves:

1 billion bbl (2005)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Exports:

$784 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

iron ore, fish and fish products, gold

Exports - partners:

Italy 14.8%, Japan 12.2%, France 11.9%, Belgium 8.5%, Germany 8.2%,

Cote d'Ivoire 7.1%, Spain 7.1%, Russia 5%, Netherlands 4.4% (2005)

Imports:

$1.124 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods,

foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners:

France 18.2%, UK 7.1%, US 6.9%, China 6%, Spain 5%, Belgium 4.3%

(2005)

Debt - external:

$2.5 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:

$305.7 million (2002)

Currency (code):

ouguiya (MRO)

Currency code:

MRO

Exchange rates:

ouguiyas per US dollar - NA (2005), NA (2004), 263.03 (2003),

271.74 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Mauritania

Telephones - main lines in use:

41,000 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

745,600 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: limited system of cable and open-wire lines,

minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications

stations (improvements being made)

domestic: mostly cable and open-wire lines; a recently completed

domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with

regional capitals

international: country code - 222; satellite earth stations - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 2 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:

410,000 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2002)

Televisions:

98,000 (2001)

Internet country code:

.mr

Internet hosts:

32 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

5 (2001)

Internet users:

14,000 (2005)

Transportation Mauritania

Airports:

25 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 8

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Railways: 717 km standard gauge: 717 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 7,660 km paved: 866 km unpaved: 6,794 km (1999)

Ports and terminals:

Nouadhibou, Nouakchott

Military Mauritania

Military branches:

Mauritanian Armed Forces: Army, Navy (Marine Mauritanienne;

includes naval infantry), Air Force (Force Aerienne Islamique de

Mauritanie, FAIM) (2005)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.); conscript service obligation - two years;

majority of servicemen believed to be volunteers; service in Air

Force and Navy is voluntary (April 2005)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 606,463

females age 18-49: 607,955 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 370,513

females age 18-49: 384,269 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$19.32 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.4% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Mauritania

Disputes - international:

Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara remain dormant

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Mauritania is a source and destination country

for children trafficked for the purpose of forced labor, begging,

and domestic servitude; adults and children are subjected to

slavery-related practices rooted in ancestral master-slave

relationships in isolated parts of the country where a barter

economy exists

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Mauritania is placed on the Tier 2

Watch List for its failure to show evidence of increased efforts to

combat trafficking, particularly in the area of law enforcement

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Mauritius

Introduction Mauritius

Background:

Although known to Arab and Malay sailors as early as the 10th

century, Mauritius was first explored by the Portuguese in 1505; it

was subsequently held by the Dutch, French, and British before

independence was attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular

free elections and a positive human rights record, the country has

attracted considerable foreign investment and has earned one of

Africa's highest per capita incomes. Recent poor weather and

declining sugar prices have slowed economic growth, leading to some

protests over standards of living in the Creole community.

Geography Mauritius

Location:

Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates:

20 17 S, 57 33 E

Map references:

Political Map of the World

Area:

total: 2,040 sq km

land: 2,030 sq km

water: 10 sq km

note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint

Brandon), and Rodrigues

Area - comparative:

almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

177 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May

to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)

Terrain:

small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling

central plateau

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mont Piton 828 m

Natural resources:

arable land, fish

Land use: arable land: 49.02% permanent crops: 2.94% other: 48.04% (2005)

Irrigated land:

220 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs

that may pose maritime hazards

Environment - current issues:

water pollution, degradation of coral reefs

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate

Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the

Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship

Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of

volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs

People Mauritius

Population:

1,240,827 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 23.9% (male 149,486/female 147,621)

15-64 years: 69.5% (male 430,288/female 431,753)

65 years and over: 6.6% (male 31,939/female 49,740) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 30.8 years

male: 30 years

female: 31.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.82% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

15.43 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

6.86 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 14.59 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 17.23 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 11.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 72.63 years

male: 68.66 years

female: 76.66 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.95 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

700 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Mauritian(s)

adjective: Mauritian

Ethnic groups:

Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian

2%

Religions:

Hindu 48%, Roman Catholic 23.6%, other Christian 8.6%, Muslim

16.6%, other 2.5%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.4% (2000 census)

Languages:

Creole 80.5%, Bhojpuri 12.1%, French 3.4%, English (official;

spoken by less than 1% of the population), other 3.7%, unspecified

0.3% (2000 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 85.6%

male: 88.6%

female: 82.7% (2003 est.)

Government Mauritius

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius

conventional short form: Mauritius

local long form: Republic of Mauritius

local short form: Mauritius

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Port Louis

geographic coordinates: 20 10 S, 57 30 E

time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

9 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega Islands*, Black River,

Cargados Carajos Shoals*, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka, Pamplemousses,

Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart, Rodrigues*, Savanne

Independence:

12 March 1968 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 12 March (1968)

Constitution:

12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992

Legal system:

based on French civil law system with elements of English common

law in certain areas; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with

reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 7 October

2003) and Vice President Abdool Raouf BUNDHUN (since 25 February

2002)

head of government: Prime Minister Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM (since 5

July 2005)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the

recommendation of the prime minister

elections: president and vice president elected by the National

Assembly for five-year terms (eligible for a second term); election

last held 25 February 2002 (next to be held in February 2007); prime

minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president,

responsible to the National Assembly

election results: Karl OFFMANN elected president and Raouf BUNDHUN

elected vice president; percent of vote by the National Assembly -

NA%; note - Karl OFFMANN stepped down on 30 September 2003

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (70 seats; 62 elected by popular vote,

8 appointed by the election commission to give representation to

various ethnic minorities; members serve five-year terms)

elections: last held on 3 July 2005 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - AS

38, MSM/MMM 22, OPR 2; appointed seats - AS 4, MSM/MMM 2, OPR 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance Sociale or AS; Hizbullah [Cehl Mohamed FAKEEMEEAH];

Mauritian Labor Party or MLP [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]; Mauritian

Militant Movement or MMM [Paul BERENGER] (in coalition with MSM);

Mauritian Social Democrat Party or PMSD [Charles Xavier-Luc DUVAL];

Militant Socialist Movement or MSM [Pravind JUGNAUTH] (the governing

party); Rodrigues Movement or MR [Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY];

Rodrigues Peoples Organization or OPR [Serge CLAIR]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

various labor unions

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,

ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol,

IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,

WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Usha JEETAH chancery: 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 441, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-1491, 1492 FAX: [1] (202) 966-0983

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John PRICE embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis mailing address: international mail: P. O. Box 544, Port Louis; US mail: American Embassy, Port Louis, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2450 telephone: [230] 202-4400 FAX: [230] 208-9534

Flag description: four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green

Economy Mauritius

Economy - overview:

Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a

low-income, agriculturally based economy to a middle-income

diversified economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist

sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been in the order

of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in more

equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered

infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure. Sugarcane is

grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 25%

of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on

expanding local financial institutions and building a domestic

information telecommunications industry. Mauritius has attracted

more than 9,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India

and South Africa, and investment in the banking sector alone has

reached over $1 billion. Mauritius, with its strong textile sector,

has been well poised to take advantage of the Africa Growth and

Opportunity Act (AGOA).

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$16.72 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$7.135 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$13,500 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5.1% industry: 25.2% services: 69.7% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 555,000 (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture and fishing 14%, construction and industry 14%, transportation and communication 7%, trade, restaurants, hotels 36%, finance 3%, other services 7% (1995)

Unemployment rate:

9.4% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

10% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

37 (1987 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

8.9% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

23.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $1.475 billion

expenditures: $1.854 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

57.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish

Industries:

food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing,

mining, chemicals, metal products, transport equipment,

nonelectrical machinery, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

8% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:

2.107 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 90.8% hydro: 9.2% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

1.96 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

21,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-651 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$2.318 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses

Exports - partners:

UK 32%, France 17%, US 9.7%, UAE 8.6%, Madagascar 5.7%, Italy 5.7%

(2005)

Imports:

$3.391 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum

products, chemicals

Imports - partners:

China 9.8%, South Africa 8.6%, France 7.6%, India 6.9%, Bahrain

5.2%, Finland 4.8%, Germany 4.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.358 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$2.834 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$42 million (1997)

Currency (code):

Mauritian rupee (MUR)

Currency code:

MUR

Exchange rates:

Mauritian rupees per US dollar - 31.4607 (2006), 29.496 (2005),

27.499 (2004), 27.902 (2003), 29.962 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 July - 30 June

Communications Mauritius

Telephones - main lines in use:

359,000 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

713,300 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: small system with good service

domestic: primarily microwave radio relay trunk system

international: country code - 230; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF

radiotelephone links to several countries; fiber optic submarine

cable (SAT-3/WASC/SAFE) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 4, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2002)

Radios:

420,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (plus several repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:

258,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.mu

Internet hosts:

4,997 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2000)

Internet users:

180,000 (2005)

Transportation Mauritius

Airports: 6 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

over 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 2,020 km

paved: 2,020 km (including 75 km of expressways) (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 6 ships (1000 GRT or over) 22,386 GRT/23,214 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 2, passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 2

foreign-owned: 4 (India 2, Switzerland 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Port Louis

Military Mauritius

Military branches:

no regular military forces; National Police Force, Special Mobile

Force, National Coast Guard

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 313,271 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$12.04 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0.2% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Mauritius

Disputes - international:

Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British

Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants, who reside

chiefly in Mauritius; claims French-administered Tromelin Island

Illicit drugs:

minor consumer and transshipment point for heroin from South Asia;

small amounts of cannabis produced and consumed locally; significant

offshore financial industry creates potential for money laundering,

but corruption levels are relatively low and the government appears

generally to be committed to regulating its banking industry

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Mayotte

Introduction Mayotte

Background:

Mayotte was ceded to France along with the other islands of the

Comoros group in 1843. It was the only island in the archipelago

that voted in 1974 to retain its link with France and forego

independence.

Geography Mayotte

Location:

Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half

of the way from northern Madagascar to northern Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:

12 50 S, 45 10 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 374 sq km

land: 374 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

185.2 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern

monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November)

Terrain:

generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Benara 660 m

Natural resources:

NEGL

Land use:

arable land: NA%

permanent crops: NA%

other: NA%

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

cyclones during rainy season

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

part of Comoro Archipelago; 18 islands

People Mayotte

Population:

201,234 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 46% (male 46,512/female 46,067)

15-64 years: 52.3% (male 56,899/female 48,274)

65 years and over: 1.7% (male 1,756/female 1,726) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 17 years

male: 18 years

female: 16 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

3.77% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

40.95 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

7.7 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

4.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.18 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female

total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 60.76 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 66.76 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 54.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 61.76 years

male: 59.57 years

female: 64.02 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.79 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Mahorais (singular and plural)

adjective: Mahoran

Ethnic groups:

NA

Religions:

Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic)

Languages:

Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by

35% of the population

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

Government Mayotte

Country name:

conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte

conventional short form: Mayotte

Dependency status:

departmental collectivity of France

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Mamoudzou

geographic coordinates: 12 47 S, 45 14 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)

Independence:

none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)

National holiday:

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:

French law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May

1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Paul KIHL (since 17 January 2005)

head of government: President of the General Council Said Omar OILI

(since 8 April 2004)

cabinet: NA

elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year

term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the

French Ministry of the Interior; president of the General Council

elected by the members of the General Council for a six-year term;

next election to be held in 2010

Legislative branch:

unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members

are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)

elections: last held 21 and 28 March 2004 (next to be held in 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - MDM 23.3%, UMP 22.8%,

PS 10.2%, MRC 8.9%, FRAP 6.5%, MPM 1.2%; seats by party - MDM 6, UMP

9, MRC 2, MPM 1, diverse left 1

note: Mayotte elects one member of the French Senate; elections last

held 24 September 2001 (next to be held September 2007); results -

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Mayotte also

elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last

held 16 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007); results - percent of

vote by party - UMP-RPR 55.08%, UDF 44.92%; seats by party - UMP-RPR

1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Mahoran Popular Movement

or MPM [Ahmed MADI]; Federation of Mahorans or RPR (UMP) [Mansour

KAMARDINE]; Force of the Rally and the Alliance for Democracy or

FRAP; Movement for Department Status Mayotte or MDM [Mouhoutar

SALIM]; Renewed Communist Party of Mayotte or MRC [Omar SIMBA];

Socialist Party or PS (local branch of French Parti Socialiste)

[Ibrahim ABUBACAR]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Henri

JEAN-BAPTISTE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)

Flag description:

unofficial, local flag with the coat of arms of Mayotte centered on

a white field, above which the name of the island appears in red

capital letters; the main elements of the coat of arms, flanked on

either side by a seahorse, appear above a scroll with the motto RA

HACHIRI (We are Vigilant); the only official flag is the national

flag of France

Economy Mayotte

Economy - overview:

Economic activity is based primarily on the agricultural sector,

including fishing and livestock raising. Mayotte is not

self-sufficient and must import a large portion of its food

requirements, mainly from France. The economy and future development

of the island are heavily dependent on French financial assistance,

an important supplement to GDP. Mayotte's remote location is an

obstacle to the development of tourism.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$466.8 million (2003 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

NA

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,600 (2003 est.)

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

Labor force:

44,560 (2002)

Unemployment rate:

32.8% (2003)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

NA%

Budget:

revenues: $NA

expenditures: $73 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(1991 est.)

Agriculture - products:

vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra

Industries:

newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

NA kWh

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

Electricity - consumption:

87.79 million kWh (2001)

Exports:

$4.85 million f.o.b. (2004)

Exports - commodities:

ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts, coffee,

cinnamon

Exports - partners:

France 80%, Comoros 15%, Reunion (2004)

Imports:

$256.7 million f.o.b. (2004)

Imports - commodities:

food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, metals,

chemicals

Imports - partners:

France 66%, Africa 14%, Southeast Asia 11% (2004)

Debt - external:

$NA

Economic aid - recipient:

$208 million; note - extensive French financial assistance (2004)

Currency (code):

euro (EUR)

Currency code:

EUR

Exchange rates:

euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),

0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Mayotte

Telephones - main lines in use:

10,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

48,100 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: small system administered by French Department

of Posts and Telecommunications

domestic: NA

international: country code - 269; microwave radio relay and HF

radiotelephone communications to Comoros

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios:

NA

Television broadcast stations:

3 (2001)

Televisions:

3,500 (1994)

Internet country code:

.yt

Internet hosts:

1 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

NA

Internet users:

NA

Transportation Mayotte

Airports: 1 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways: total: 93 km paved: 72 km unpaved: 21 km

Ports and terminals:

Dzaoudzi

Military Mayotte

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of France; small contingent of French

forces stationed on the island

Transnational Issues Mayotte

Disputes - international: claimed by Comoros

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Mexico

Introduction Mexico

Background:

The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, Mexico came under

Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence early

in the 19th century. A devaluation of the peso in late 1994 threw

Mexico into economic turmoil, triggering the worst recession in over

half a century. The nation continues to make an impressive recovery.

Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real wages,

underemployment for a large segment of the population, inequitable

income distribution, and few advancement opportunities for the

largely Amerindian population in the impoverished southern states.

Elections held in July 2000 marked the first time since the 1910

Mexican Revolution that the opposition defeated the party in

government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). Vicente FOX

of the National Action Party (PAN) was sworn in on 1 December 2000

as the first chief executive elected in free and fair elections.

Geography Mexico

Location:

Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico,

between Belize and the US and bordering the North Pacific Ocean,

between Guatemala and the US

Geographic coordinates:

23 00 N, 102 00 W

Map references:

North America

Area:

total: 1,972,550 sq km

land: 1,923,040 sq km

water: 49,510 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries: total: 4,353 km border countries: Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,141 km

Coastline: 9,330 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

varies from tropical to desert

Terrain:

high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus; desert

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Laguna Salada -10 m highest point: Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,700 m

Natural resources: petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber

Land use: arable land: 12.66% permanent crops: 1.28% other: 86.06% (2005)

Irrigated land:

63,200 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive

earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific,

Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts

Environment - current issues:

scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities; rural to urban

migration; natural fresh water resources scarce and polluted in

north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme

southeast; raw sewage and industrial effluents polluting rivers in

urban areas; deforestation; widespread erosion; desertification;

deteriorating agricultural lands; serious air and water pollution in

the national capital and urban centers along US-Mexico border; land

subsidence in Valley of Mexico caused by groundwater depletion

note: the government considers the lack of clean water and

deforestation national security issues

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location on southern border of US; corn (maize), one of

the world's major grain crops, is thought to have originated in

Mexico

People Mexico

Population:

107,449,525 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 30.6% (male 16,770,957/female 16,086,172)

15-64 years: 63.6% (male 33,071,809/female 35,316,281)

65 years and over: 5.8% (male 2,814,707/female 3,389,599) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 25.3 years

male: 24.3 years

female: 26.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.16% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

20.69 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

4.74 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-4.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 20.26 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 22.19 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 18.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 75.41 years

male: 72.63 years

female: 78.33 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.42 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

160,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

5,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Mexican(s)

adjective: Mexican

Ethnic groups:

mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predominantly

Amerindian 30%, white 9%, other 1%

Religions:

nominally Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%, other 5%

Languages:

Spanish, various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional indigenous

languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.2%

male: 94%

female: 90.5% (2003 est.)

Government Mexico

Country name:

conventional long form: United Mexican States

conventional short form: Mexico

local long form: Estados Unidos Mexicanos

local short form: Mexico

Government type:

federal republic

Capital:

name: Mexico (Distrito Federal)

geographic coordinates: 19 24 N, 99 09 W

time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last

Sunday in October

note: Mexico is divided into four time zones

Administrative divisions:

31 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district*

(distrito federal); Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja California

Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Colima,

Distrito Federal*, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco,

Mexico, Michoacan de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca,

Puebla, Queretaro de Arteaga, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi,

Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz-Llave,

Yucatan, Zacatecas

Independence:

16 September 1810 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 16 September (1810)

Constitution:

5 February 1917

Legal system:

mixture of US constitutional theory and civil law system; judicial

review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,

with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Felipe de Jesus CALDERON Hinojosa (since

1 December 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state

and head of government

head of government: President Felipe de Jesus CALDERON Hinojosa

(since 1 December 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; note - appointment of

attorney general requires consent of the Senate

elections: president elected by popular vote for a single six-year

term; election last held 2 July 2006 (next to be held 1 July 2012)

election results: Felipe CALDERON elected president; percent of vote

- Felipe CALDERON (PAN) 35.89%, Andres Manuel Lopez OBRADOR (PRD)

35.31%, Roberto MADRAZO (PRI) 22.26%, other 6.54%

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union consists of the

Senate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; 96 are elected by popular

vote to serve six-year terms, and 32 are allocated on the basis of

each party's popular vote) and the Federal Chamber of Deputies or

Camara Federal de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members are directly

elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; remaining 200

members are allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote,

also for three-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 2 July 2006 for all of the seats (next

to be held 1 July 2012); Chamber of Deputies - last held 2 July 2006

(next to be held 5 July 2009)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by

party - PAN 52, PRI 33, PRD 29, PVEM 6, CD 5, PT 2, PNA 1; Chamber

of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PAN

206, PRD 127, PRI 103, PVEM 18, CD 17, PT 16, other 13

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Justice or Suprema Corte de Justicia Nacional

(justices or ministros are appointed by the president with consent

of the Senate)

Political parties and leaders:

Convergence for Democracy or CD [Luis MALDONADO Venegas];

Institutional Revolutionary Party or PRI [Mariano PALACIOS Alcocer];

Labor Party or PT [Alberto ANAYA Gutierrez]; Mexican Green

Ecological Party or PVEM [Jorge Emilio GONZALEZ Martinez]; National

Action Party (Partido Accion Nacional) or PAN [Manuel ESPINO

Barrientos]; New Alliance Party (Partido Nueva Alianza) or PNA

[Miguel Angel JIMENEZ Godinez]; Party of the Democratic Revolution

(Partido de la Revolucion Democratica) or PRD [Leonel COTA Montano];

Social Democratic and Peasant Alternative Party (Partido Alternativa

Socialdemocrata y Campesina) or Alternativa [Alberto BEGNE Guerra]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Broad Progressive Front or FAP; Businessman's Coordinating Council

or CCE; Confederation of Employers of the Mexican Republic or

COPARMEX; Confederation of Industrial Chambers or CONCAMIN;

Confederation of Mexican Workers or CTM; Confederation of National

Chambers of Commerce or CONCANACO; Coordinator for Foreign Trade

Business Organizations or COECE; Federation of Unions Providing

Goods and Services or FESEBES; National Chamber of Transformation

Industries or CANACINTRA; National Peasant Confederation or CNC;

National Small Business Chamber or CANACOPE; National Syndicate of

Education Workers or SNTE; National Union of Workers or UNT; Popular

Assembly of the People of Oaxaca or APPO; Roman Catholic Church

International organization participation:

APEC, BCIE, BIS, CAN (observer), CDB, CE (observer), CSN

(observer), EBRD, FAO, G-3, G-6, G-15, G-24, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, NAFTA, NAM

(observer), NEA, OAS, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOVIC, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos Alberto de ICAZA Gonzalez

chancery: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006

telephone: [1] (202) 728-1600

FAX: [1] (202) 728-1698

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas,

Denver, El Paso, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York,

Nogales (Arizona), Omaha, Orlando, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Antonio,

San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

consulate(s): Albuquerque, Brownsville (Texas), Calexico

(California), Del Rio (Texas), Detroit, Douglas (Arizona), Eagle

Pass (Texas), Fresno (California), Indianapolis (Indiana), Kansas

City (Missouri), Laredo (Texas), Las Vegas, McAllen (Texas), Midland

(Texas), Oxnard (California), Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon),

Presidio (Texas), Raleigh, Saint Paul (Minnesota), Salt Lake City,

San Bernardino, Santa Ana (California), Seattle, Tucson, Yuma

(Arizona)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio O. GARZA, Jr.

embassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, 06500 Mexico,

Distrito Federal

mailing address: P. O. Box 9000, Brownsville, TX 78520-9000

telephone: [52] (55) 5080-2000

FAX: [52] (55) 5511-9980

consulate(s) general: Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana

consulate(s): Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Nogales, Nuevo Laredo

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red;

the coat of arms (an eagle perched on a cactus with a snake in its

beak) is centered in the white band

Economy Mexico

Economy - overview:

Mexico has a free market economy that recently entered the trillion

dollar class. It contains a mixture of modern and outmoded industry

and agriculture, increasingly dominated by the private sector.

Recent administrations have expanded competition in seaports,

railroads, telecommunications, electricity generation, natural gas

distribution, and airports. Per capita income is one-fourth that of

the US; income distribution remains highly unequal. Trade with the

US and Canada has tripled since the implementation of NAFTA in 1994.

Mexico has 12 free trade agreements with over 40 countries

including, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, the European Free Trade

Area, and Japan, putting more than 90% of trade under free trade

agreements. The new Felipe CALDERON administration that took office

in December 2006 faces many of the same challenges that former

President FOX tried to tackle, including the need to upgrade

infrastructure, modernize the tax system and labor laws, and allow

private investment in the energy sector. CALDERON has stated that

his top priorities include reducing poverty and creating jobs. The

success of his economic agenda will depend on his ability to garner

support from the opposition.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.134 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$741.5 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$10,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.9% industry: 25.7% services: 70.5% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 38.09 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 18% industry: 24% services: 58% (2003)

Unemployment rate:

3.2% plus underemployment of perhaps 25% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

40% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 35.6% (2002)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

54.6 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.4% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

20% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $196.5 billion

expenditures: $196.2 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

20.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, beans, cotton, coffee, fruit,

tomatoes; beef, poultry, dairy products; wood products

Industries:

food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel, petroleum,

mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer durables,

tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

3.6% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

242.4 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 78.7% hydro: 14.2% nuclear: 4.2% other: 2.9% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

224.6 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

1.203 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

416 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

3.42 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

1.97 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

1.863 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:

205,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:

12.49 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

41.47 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

50.45 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

9.831 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

420.5 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-400.1 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$248.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

manufactured goods, oil and oil products, silver, fruits,

vegetables, coffee, cotton

Exports - partners:

US 85.7%, Canada 2%, Spain 1.4% (2005)

Imports:

$253.1 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

metalworking machines, steel mill products, agricultural machinery,

electrical equipment, car parts for assembly, repair parts for motor

vehicles, aircraft, and aircraft parts

Imports - partners:

US 53.4%, China 8%, Japan 5.9% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$85.01 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$178.3 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$1.166 billion (1995)

Currency (code):

Mexican peso (MXN)

Currency code:

MXN

Exchange rates:

Mexican pesos per US dollar - 11.024 (2006), 10.898 (2005), 11.286

(2004), 10.789 (2003), 9.656 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Mexico

Telephones - main lines in use:

19.512 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

47.462 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: low telephone density with about 18 main lines

per 100 persons; privatized in December 1990; the opening to

competition in January 1997 improved prospects for development, but

Telmex remains dominant

domestic: adequate telephone service for business and government,

but the population is poorly served; mobile subscribers far

outnumber fixed-line subscribers; domestic satellite system with 120

earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network;

considerable use of fiber-optic cable and coaxial cable

international: country code - 52; satellite earth stations - 32

Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad (giving Mexico improved access to South

America, Central America, and much of the US as well as enhancing

domestic communications), 1 Panamsat, numerous Inmarsat mobile earth

stations; linked to Central American Microwave System of trunk

connections; high capacity Columbus-2 fiber-optic submarine cable

with access to the US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Morocco,

Spain, and Italy (2005)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 850, FM 545, shortwave 15 (2003)

Radios:

31 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

236 (plus repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:

25.6 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.mx

Internet hosts:

3,426,680 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

51 (2000)

Internet users:

18,622,500 (2005)

Transportation Mexico

Airports: 1,839 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 228

over 3,047 m: 12

2,438 to 3,047 m: 28

1,524 to 2,437 m: 82

914 to 1,523 m: 77

under 914 m: 29 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1,611

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 68

914 to 1,523 m: 460

under 914 m: 1,081 (2006)

Heliports:

1 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 22,705 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,875 km; oil 8,688 km;

oil/gas/water 228 km; refined products 6,520 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 17,562 km

standard gauge: 17,562 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 235,670 km

paved: 116,751 km (including 6,144 km of expressways)

unpaved: 118,919 km (2004)

Waterways:

2,900 km (navigable rivers and coastal canals) (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 56 ships (1000 GRT or over) 751,607 GRT/1,129,234 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 6, chemical tanker 6, liquefied gas

4, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 25, roll on/roll off 4

foreign-owned: 5 (Denmark 2, France 1, Norway 1, UAE 1)

registered in other countries: 15 (Belize 1, Honduras 1, Liberia 1,

Panama 5, Portugal 1, Spain 3, Venezuela 3) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Altamira, Manzanillo, Morro Redondo, Salina Cruz, Tampico,

Topolobampo, Veracruz

Military Mexico

Military branches:

Secretariat of National Defense (Secretaria de Defensa Nacional,

Sedena): Army (Ejercito), Mexican Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Mexicana,

FAM); Secretariat of the Navy (Secretaria de Marina, Semar): Mexican

Navy (Armada de Mexico, ARM, includes Naval Air Force (FAN) and

Marines) (2006)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation - 12 months; 16 years of age with consent for voluntary enlistment (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 24,488,008

females age 18-49: 26,128,046 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 19,058,337

females age 18-49: 21,966,796 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 1,063,233

females age 18-49: 1,043,816 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$6.07 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0.8% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Mexico

Disputes - international:

Abundant rainfall in recent years along much of the Mexico-US

border region has ameliorated periodically strained water-sharing

arrangements; the US has intensified security measures to monitor

and control legal and illegal personnel, transport, and commodities

across its border with Mexico; Mexico must deal with thousands of

impoverished Guatemalans and other Central Americans who cross the

porous border looking for work in Mexico and the United States

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 10,000-12,000 (government's quashing of Zapatista uprising in

1994 in eastern Chiapas Region) (2006)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Mexico is a source, transit, and destination

country for persons trafficked for sexual exploitation and labor;

while the vast majority of victims are Central Americans trafficked

along Mexico's southern border, other source regions include South

America, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia; women and

children are trafficked from rural regions to urban centers and

tourist areas for sexual exploitation, often through fraudulent

offers of employment or through threats of physical violence; the

Mexican trafficking problem is often conflated with alien smuggling,

and frequently the same criminal networks are involved; pervasive

corruption among state and local law enforcement often impedes

investigations

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Mexico remains on the Tier 2 Watch

List for the third consecutive year based on future commitments to

undertake additional efforts in prosecution, protection, and

prevention of trafficking in persons, and the failure of the

government to provide critical law enforcement data

Illicit drugs:

major drug-producing nation; cultivation of opium poppy in 2004

amounted to 3,500 hectares, but opium cultivation stayed within the

range - between 3,500 and 5,500 hectares - observed in nine of the

last 12 years; potential production of 9 metric tons of pure heroin,

or 23 metric tons of "black tar" heroin, the dominant form of

Mexican heroin in the western United States; marijuana cultivation

decreased 23% to 5,800 hectares in 2004 after decade-high

cultivation peak in 2003; potential production of 10,400 metric tons

of marijuana in 2004; government conducts the largest independent

illicit-crop eradication program in the world; major supplier of

heroin and largest foreign supplier of marijuana and methamphetamine

to the US market; continues as the primary transshipment country for

US-bound cocaine from South America, accounting for about 90% of

estimated annual cocaine movement to the US; major drug syndicates

control majority of drug trafficking throughout the country;

producer and distributor of ecstasy; significant money-laundering

center

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Micronesia, Federated States of

Introduction Micronesia, Federated States of

Background:

In 1979 the Federated States of Micronesia, a UN Trust Territory

under US administration, adopted a constitution. In 1986

independence was attained under a Compact of Free Association with

the US, which was amended and renewed in 2004. Present concerns

include large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and overdependence on

US aid.

Geography Micronesia, Federated States of

Location:

Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about

three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:

6 55 N, 158 15 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 702 sq km

land: 702 sq km

water: 0 sq km (fresh water only)

note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) Islands, Yap Islands,

and Kosrae (Kosaie)

Area - comparative:

four times the size of Washington, DC (land area only)

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

6,112 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern

islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with

occasionally severe damage

Terrain:

islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low,

coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m

Natural resources:

forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals, phosphate

Land use:

arable land: 5.71%

permanent crops: 45.71%

other: 48.58% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

typhoons (June to December)

Environment - current issues:

overfishing, climate change, pollution

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone

Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

four major island groups totaling 607 islands

People Micronesia, Federated States of

Population:

108,004 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 36.6% (male 20,116/female 19,391)

15-64 years: 60.4% (male 32,620/female 32,659)

65 years and over: 3% (male 1,413/female 1,805) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 20.9 years

male: 20.5 years

female: 21.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.11% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

24.68 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

4.75 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-21.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

NA

Infant mortality rate:

total: 29.16 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 32.17 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 26.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 70.05 years

male: 68.24 years

female: 71.95 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.16 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality: noun: Micronesian(s) adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese

Ethnic groups:

nine ethnic Micronesian and Polynesian groups

Religions:

Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%, other 3%

Languages:

English (official and common language), Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese,

Kosrean, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 89%

male: 91%

female: 88% (1980 est.)

Government Micronesia, Federated States of

Country name:

conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia

conventional short form: none

local long form: Federated States of Micronesia

local short form: none

former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Ponape, Truk, and

Yap Districts

abbreviation: FSM

Government type:

constitutional government in free association with the US; the

Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986 and

the Amended Compact entered into force May 2004

Capital:

name: Palikir

geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 158 08 E

time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae (Kosaie), Pohnpei (Ponape), Yap

Independence:

3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)

National holiday:

Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)

Constitution:

10 May 1979

Legal system:

based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature,

municipal, common, and customary laws

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May 2003);

Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May 2003); note - the president is

both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May

2003); Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May 2003)

cabinet: Cabinet includes the vice president and the heads of the

eight executive departments

elections: president and vice president elected by Congress from

among the four senators at large for a four-year term (eligible for

a second term); election last held 11 May 2003 (next to be held May

2007); note - a proposed constitutional amendment to establish

popular elections for president and vice president failed

election results: Joseph J. URUSEMAL elected president; percent of

Congress vote - NA%; Redley KILLION elected vice president; percent

of Congress vote - NA%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Congress (14 seats; 4 - one elected from each state to

serve four-year terms and 10 - elected from single-member districts

delineated by population to serve two-year terms; members elected by

popular vote)

elections: elections for four-year term seats last held 4 March 2003

(next to be held March 2007); elections for two-year term seats last

held 8 March 2005 (next to be held March 2007)

election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 14

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:

no formal parties

International organization participation:

ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC,

ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Jesse Bibiano MAREHALAU

chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 223-4383

FAX: [1] (202) 223-4391

consulate(s) general: Honolulu, Tamuning (Guam)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Suzanne K. HALE

embassy: 101 Upper Pics Road, Kolonia

mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, 96941

telephone: [691] 320-2187

FAX: [691] 320-2186

Flag description:

light blue with four white five-pointed stars centered; the stars

are arranged in a diamond pattern

Economy Micronesia, Federated States of

Economy - overview:

Economic activity consists primarily of subsistence farming and

fishing. The islands have few mineral deposits worth exploiting,

except for high-grade phosphate. The potential for a tourist

industry exists, but the remote location, a lack of adequate

facilities, and limited air connections hinder development. The

Amended Compact of Free Association with the US guarantees the

Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) millions of dollars in annual

aid through 2023, and establishes a Trust Fund into which the US and

the FSM make annual contributions in order to provide annual payouts

to the FSM in perpetuity after 2023. The country's medium-term

economic outlook appears fragile due not only to the reduction in US

assistance but also to the slow growth of the private sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $277 million; note - supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100 million annually (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$232 million (2005)

GDP - real growth rate:

0.3% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,300 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 28.9% industry: 15.2% services: 55.9% (2004 est.)

Labor force:

37,410 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:

note: 0.9% two-thirds are government employees, 34.4%, 64.7%

Unemployment rate:

22% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:

26.7%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.2% (2005)

Budget:

revenues: $127.3 million ($69 million less grants)

expenditures: $144.2 million; including capital expenditures of

$17.9 million (FY05 est.)

Agriculture - products:

black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, cassava

(tapioca), betel nuts, sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens; fish

Industries:

tourism, construction; fish processing, specialized aquaculture;

craft items from shell, wood, and pearls

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

192 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:

NA

Electricity - consumption:

178.6 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2002)

Current account balance:

$-34.3 million (FY05 est.)

Exports:

$14 million (f.o.b.) (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

fish, garments, bananas, black pepper

Exports - partners:

Japan, US, Guam (2004)

Imports:

$132.7 million f.o.b. (2004)

Imports - commodities:

food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages

Imports - partners:

US, Japan, Hong Kong (2004)

Debt - external:

$60.8 million (FY05 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$86.3 million under terms of the Compact of Free Association, the

US pledged $1.3 billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001;

the level of aid has been subsequently reduced (2004)

Currency (code):

US dollar (USD)

Currency code:

USD

Exchange rates:

the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:

1 October - 30 September

Communications Micronesia, Federated States of

Telephones - main lines in use:

12,400 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

14,100 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate system

domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used

mostly for government purposes), satellite (Intelsat) ground

stations, and some coaxial and fiber-optic cable; cellular service

available on Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap

international: country code - 691; satellite earth stations - 5

Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:

9,400 (1996)

Television broadcast stations:

3; note - cable TV also available (2004)

Televisions:

2,800 (1999)

Internet country code:

.fm

Internet hosts:

550 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

14,000 (2005)

Transportation Micronesia, Federated States of

Airports:

6 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 240 km

paved: 42 km

unpaved: 198 km (1999)

Merchant marine:

total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,423 GRT/1,551 DWT

by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Tomil Harbor

Military Micronesia, Federated States of

Military branches:

no ministry of defense and no standing armed forces; the

paramilitary Maritime Wing, a small maritime law enforcement unit,

is responsible to the Division of Maritime Surveillance within the

Office of the Attorney General (2003)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 23,816 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 18,914 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 1,305 (2005 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Micronesia, Federated States of

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Moldova

Introduction Moldova

Background:

Formerly part of Romania, Moldova was incorporated into the Soviet

Union at the close of World War II. Although independent from the

USSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory

east of the Dniester River supporting the Slavic majority

population, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have proclaimed a

"Transnistria" republic. The poorest nation in Europe, Moldova

became the first former Soviet state to elect a Communist as its

president in 2001.

Geography Moldova

Location:

Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania

Geographic coordinates:

47 00 N, 29 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 33,843 sq km

land: 33,371 sq km

water: 472 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 1,389 km border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

moderate winters, warm summers

Terrain:

rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dniester River 2 m highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m

Natural resources: lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone

Land use: arable land: 54.52% permanent crops: 8.81% other: 36.67% (2005)

Irrigated land:

3,000 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

landslides (57 cases in 1998)

Environment - current issues: heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned pesticides such as DDT, has contaminated soil and groundwater; extensive soil erosion from poor farming methods

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and

minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone

People Moldova

Population:

4,466,706 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 20% (male 455,673/female 438,934)

15-64 years: 69.7% (male 1,498,078/female 1,613,489)

65 years and over: 10.3% (male 170,456/female 290,076) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 32.3 years

male: 30.3 years

female: 34.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.28% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

15.7 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

12.64 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female

total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 38.38 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 41.44 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 35.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 65.65 years

male: 61.61 years

female: 69.88 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.85 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

5,500 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 300 (2001 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Moldovan(s)

adjective: Moldovan

Ethnic groups:

Moldovan/Romanian 78.2%, Ukrainian 8.4%, Russian 5.8%, Gagauz 4.4%,

Bulgarian 1.9%, other 1.3% (2004 census)

note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region

Religions:

Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)

Languages:

Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language),

Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.1%

male: 99.6%

female: 98.7% (2003 est.)

Government Moldova

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Moldova

conventional short form: Moldova

local long form: Republica Moldova

local short form: Moldova

former: Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic; Moldovan Soviet

Socialist Republic

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Chisinau (Kishinev)

geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 28 50 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

32 raions (raioane, singular - raionul), 3 municipalities

(municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala

autonoma), and 1 territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala)

raions: Anenii Noi, Basarabeasca, Briceni, Cahul, Cantemir,

Calarasi, Causeni, Cimislia, Criuleni, Donduseni, Drochia, Dubasari,

Edinet, Falesti, Floresti, Glodeni, Hincesti, Ialoveni, Leova,

Nisporeni, Ocnita, Orhei, Rezina, Riscani, Singerei, Soldanesti,

Soroca, Stefan-Voda, Straseni, Taraclia, Telenesti, Ungheni

municipalities: Balti, Bender, Chisinau

autonomous territorial unit: Gagauzia

territorial unit: Stinga Nistrului

Independence:

27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 27 August (1991)

Constitution:

new constitution adopted 29 July 1994, effective 27 August 1994;

replaced old Soviet constitution of 1979

Legal system:

based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legality of

legislative acts and governmental decisions of resolution; accepts

many UN and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

(OSCE) documents

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Vladimir VORONIN (since 4 April 2001)

head of government: Prime Minister Vasile TARLEV (since 15 April

2001), First Deputy Prime Minister Zinaida GRECIANII (since 10

October 2005)

cabinet: Cabinet selected by president, subject to approval of

Parliament

elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 4 April 2005 (next

to be held in 2009); note - prime minister designated by the

president, upon consultation with Parliament; within 15 days from

designation, the prime minister-designate must request a vote of

confidence from the Parliament regarding his/her work program and

entire cabinet; prime minister designated 15 April 2001, cabinet

received a vote of confidence 19 April 2001

election results: Vladimir VORONIN reelected president;

parliamentary votes - Vladimir VORONIN 75, Gheorghe DUCA 1; Vasile

TARLEV designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of confidence

- 75 of 101

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; parties and

electoral blocs elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 6 March 2005 (next to be held in 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - PCRM 46.1%, Democratic

Moldova Bloc 28.4%, PPCD 9.1%, other parties 16.4%; seats by party -

PCRM 56, Democratic Moldova Bloc 34, PPCD 11

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for

constitutional judicature)

Political parties and leaders:

Christian Democratic People's Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA];

Communist Party of the Republic of Moldova or PCRM [Vladimir

VORONIN, first chairman]; Democratic Party or PD [Dumitru DIACOV];

National Liberal Party or NLP [Vitalia PAVLICENKO]; Our Moldova

Alliance or AMN [Serafim URECHEAN]; Party for Social Democracy or

PSD [Dumitru BRAGHIS]; Social Liberal Party or PSL [Oleg SEREBRIAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACCT, BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAEC (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU,

GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,

ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU,

ITUC, MIGA, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,

UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nicolae CHIRTOACA chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130 FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael D. KIRBY embassy: 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [373] (22) 40-8300 FAX: [373] (22) 23-3044

Flag description:

same color scheme as Romania - three equal vertical bands of blue

(hoist side), yellow, and red; emblem in center of flag is of a

Roman eagle of gold outlined in black with a red beak and talons

carrying a yellow cross in its beak and a green olive branch in its

right talons and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on its breast

is a shield divided horizontally red over blue with a stylized ox

head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow

Economy Moldova

Economy - overview:

Moldova remains one of the poorest countries in Europe despite

recent progress from its small economic base. It enjoys a favorable

climate and good farmland but has no major mineral deposits. As a

result, the economy depends heavily on agriculture, featuring

fruits, vegetables, wine, and tobacco. Moldova must import almost

all of its energy supplies. Moldova's dependence on Russian energy

was underscored at the end of 2005, when a Russian-owned electrical

station in Moldova's separatist Transnistria region cut off power to

Moldova and Russia's Gazprom cut off natural gas to Moldova in

disputes over pricing. The economy achieved six percent or more GDP

growth every year from 2000-2005, though this was based largely on

consumption fueled by remittances received from Moldovans working

abroad. Russia's decision to ban Moldovan wine and agricultural

products, coupled with its decision to double the price Moldova paid

for Russian natural gas, slowed GDP growth in 2006 and greatly

exacerbated Moldova's economic troubles. Economic reforms have been

slow because of corruption and strong political forces backing

government controls; nevertheless, the government's primary goal of

EU integration has resulted in some market-oriented progress. The

economy remains vulnerable to higher fuel prices, poor agricultural

weather, and the skepticism of foreign investors. Also, the presence

of an illegal separatist regime in Moldova's Transnistria region

continues to be a drag on the Moldovan economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$8.971 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.588 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 21.5% industry: 22% services: 56.5% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 1.339 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 40% industry: 14% services: 46% (1998)

Unemployment rate:

8%; note - roughly 25% of working age Moldovans are employed abroad

(2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:

80% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 30.7% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

36.2 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

12.8% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

24.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $1.318 billion

expenditures: $1.335 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

84.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed,

tobacco; beef, milk

Industries:

sugar, vegetable oil, food processing, agricultural machinery;

foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines;

hosiery, shoes, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:

17% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:

3.506 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 90.6% hydro: 9.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

6.731 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

130 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

3.6 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

14,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

2.17 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

2.17 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-561 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$1.02 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

foodstuffs, textiles, machinery

Exports - partners:

Russia 32.9%, Italy 12.7%, Romania 10.6%, Ukraine 9.5%, Belarus

6.7%, Germany 4.5% (2005)

Imports:

$2.65 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

mineral products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals,

textiles (2000)

Imports - partners:

Ukraine 20.9%, Russia 11.7%, Romania 11.2%, Germany 8.3%, Italy

6.6%, Turkey 4.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$680 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$2.142 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$100 million (2000)

Currency (code):

Moldovan leu (MDL)

Currency code:

MDL

Exchange rates:

lei per US dollar - 13.1571 (2006), 12.6 (2005), 12.33 (2004),

13.945 (2003), 13.571 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Moldova

Telephones - main lines in use:

929,400 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.09 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service outside

Chisinau; some modernization is under way

domestic: depending on location, new subscribers may face long wait

for service; two private operators of GSM mobile cellular telephone

service are operating; GPRS system is being introduced; license for

one CDMA mobile telephone network currently being tendered.

international: country code - 373; service through Romania and

Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - Intelsat, Eutelsat,

and Intersputnik

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 29 (2004)

Radios:

3.22 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

40 (2004)

Televisions:

1.26 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.md

Internet hosts:

58,886 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (1999)

Internet users:

406,000 (2005)

Transportation Moldova

Airports: 12 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 606 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 1,138 km

broad gauge: 1,124 km 1.520-m gauge

standard gauge: 14 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 12,733 km

paved: 10,976 km

unpaved: 1,757 km (2004)

Waterways:

424 km (on Dniester River) (2005)

Merchant marine: total: 7 ships (1000 GRT or over) 13,831 GRT/15,003 DWT by type: cargo 7 foreign-owned: 3 (Ukraine 3) (2006)

Military Moldova

Military branches:

National Army: Ground Forces, Rapid Reaction Forces, Air and Air

Defense Forces (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory military service; national service

obligation - 12 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,066,459

females age 18-49: 1,117,070 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 693,913

females age 18-49: 911,568 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 43,729

females age 18-49: 42,354 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$8.7 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0.4% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Moldova

Disputes - international:

Moldova and Ukraine operate joint customs posts to monitor the

transit of people and commodities through Moldova's break-away

Transnistria region which remains under OSCE supervision

Illicit drugs:

limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for CIS

consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest

Asia via Central Asia to Russia, Western Europe, and possibly the

US; widespread crime and underground economic activity

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Monaco

Introduction Monaco

Background:

The Genoese built a fortress on the site of present-day Monaco in

1215. The current ruling Grimaldi family secured control in the late

13th century, and a principality was established in 1338. Economic

development was spurred in the late 19th century with a railroad

linkup to France and the opening of a casino. Since then, the

principality's mild climate, splendid scenery, and gambling

facilities have made Monaco world famous as a tourist and recreation

center.

Geography Monaco

Location:

Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea on the southern

coast of France, near the border with Italy

Geographic coordinates:

43 44 N, 7 24 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 1.95 sq km

land: 1.95 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 4.4 km border countries: France 4.4 km

Coastline:

4.1 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:

Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers

Terrain:

hilly, rugged, rocky

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mont Agel 140 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

NA

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:

second-smallest independent state in the world (after Holy See);

almost entirely urban

People Monaco

Population:

32,543 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 15.2% (male 2,539/female 2,417)

15-64 years: 62.1% (male 9,959/female 10,266)

65 years and over: 22.6% (male 3,015/female 4,347) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 45.4 years

male: 43.3 years

female: 47.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.4% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

9.19 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

12.91 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

7.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 5.35 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 6.19 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.69 years

male: 75.85 years

female: 83.74 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.76 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Monegasque(s) or Monacan(s)

adjective: Monegasque or Monacan

Ethnic groups:

French 47%, Monegasque 16%, Italian 16%, other 21%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 90%

Languages:

French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government Monaco

Country name:

conventional long form: Principality of Monaco

conventional short form: Monaco

local long form: Principaute de Monaco

local short form: Monaco

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Monaco

geographic coordinates: 43 44 N, 7 25 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined

by the US Government, but there are four quarters (quartiers,

singular - quartier); Fontvieille, La Condamine, Monaco-Ville,

Monte-Carlo

Independence:

1419 (beginning of the rule by the House of Grimaldi)

National holiday:

National Day (Prince of Monaco Holiday), 19 November

Constitution:

17 December 1962

Legal system:

based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Prince ALBERT II (since 6 April 2005)

head of government: Minister of State Jean-Paul PROUST (since 1 June

2005)

cabinet: Council of Government is under the authority of the monarch

elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; minister of state

appointed by the monarch from a list of three French national

candidates presented by the French Government

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Council or Conseil National (24 seats; 16

members elected by list majority system, 8 by proportional

representation; to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 9 February 2003 (next to be held February 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

UNAM 21, UND 3

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Tribunal Supreme (judges appointed by the monarch

on the basis of nominations by the National Council)

Political parties and leaders:

National and Democratic Union or UND [Guy MAGNAN]; Union for Monaco

or UPM (including National Union for the Future of Monaco or UNAM)

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACCT, CE, FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFRCS, IHO,

IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador to the US and UN Gilles NOGHES

chancery: 565 Fifth Avenue, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10017

telephone: (212) 286-0500

FAX: (212) 286-1574

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Monaco; the US Ambassador to

France is accredited to Monaco; the US Consul General in Marseille

(France), under the authority of the US ambassador to France,

handles routine diplomatic and consular matters concerning Monaco

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the

flag of Indonesia which is longer and the flag of Poland which is

white (top) and red

Economy Monaco

Economy - overview:

Monaco, bordering France on the Mediterranean coast, is a popular

resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant climate. In

2001, a major construction project extended the pier used by cruise

ships in the main harbor. The principality has successfully sought

to diversify into services and small, high-value-added, nonpolluting

industries. The state has no income tax and low business taxes and

thrives as a tax haven both for individuals who have established

residence and for foreign companies that have set up businesses and

offices. The state retains monopolies in a number of sectors,

including tobacco, the telephone network, and the postal service.

Living standards are high, roughly comparable to those in prosperous

French metropolitan areas.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$870 million

note: Monaco does not publish national income figures; the estimates

are extremely rough (2000 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

NA

GDP - real growth rate:

0.9% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$27,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0% industry: 4.9% services: 95.1% (2005)

Labor force: 41,110 note: includes workers from all foreign countries (2004)

Unemployment rate:

22% (1999)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.9% (2000)

Budget:

revenues: $719.2 million

expenditures: $864.1 million; including capital expenditures of

$283.1 million (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:

none

Industries:

tourism, construction, small-scale industrial and consumer products

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - consumption:

NA kWh

Electricity - imports:

NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France

Exports:

$656.5 million

note: full customs integration with France, which collects and

rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market

system through customs union with France (2004)

Imports:

$636.6 million

note: full customs integration with France, which collects and

rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market

system through customs union with France (2004)

Debt - external:

$18 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$NA

Currency (code):

euro (EUR)

Currency code:

EUR

Exchange rates:

euros per US dollar - 0.7967 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),

0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Monaco

Telephones - main lines in use:

33,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

19,300 (2002)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern automatic telephone system

domestic: NA

international: country code - 377; no satellite earth stations;

connected by cable into the French communications system

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM NA, shortwave 8 (1998)

Radios:

34,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

5 (1998)

Televisions:

25,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.mc

Internet hosts:

12,720 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2000)

Internet users:

16,000 (2002)

Transportation Monaco

Heliports: 1 (2006)

Roadways: total: 50 km paved: 50 km (1999)

Merchant marine:

registered in other countries: 77 (Bahamas 17, Barbados 1, Bermuda

2, France 1, Georgia 13, Isle of Man 3, Liberia 10, Malta 1,

Marshall Islands 8, Norway 4, Panama 9, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1,

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4, Switzerland 2, unknown 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Monaco

Military Monaco

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 6,256 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 4,971 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 148 (2005 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of France; the Palace Guard performs

ceremonial duties (2003)

Transnational Issues Monaco

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Mongolia

Introduction Mongolia

Background:

The Mongols gained fame in the 13th century when under Chinggis

KHAN they conquered a huge Eurasian empire. After his death the

empire was divided into several powerful Mongol states, but these

broke apart in the 14th century. The Mongols eventually retired to

their original steppe homelands and later came under Chinese rule.

Mongolia won its independence in 1921 with Soviet backing. A

Communist regime was installed in 1924. The ex-Communist Mongolian

People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) won elections in 1990 and 1992,

but was defeated by the Democratic Union Coalition (DUC) in the 1996

parliamentary election. Since then, parliamentary elections returned

the MPRP overwhelmingly to power in 2000 and produced a coalition

government in 2004.

Geography Mongolia

Location:

Northern Asia, between China and Russia

Geographic coordinates:

46 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 1,564,116 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Alaska

Land boundaries: total: 8,220 km border countries: China 4,677 km, Russia 3,543 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges)

Terrain:

vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains in west

and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m

highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) 4,374 m

Natural resources:

oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel,

zinc, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron

Land use: arable land: 0.76% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.24% (2005)

Irrigated land:

840 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and "zud," which

is harsh winter conditions

Environment - current issues:

limited natural fresh water resources in some areas; the policies

of former Communist regimes promoted rapid urbanization and

industrial growth that had negative effects on the environment; the

burning of soft coal in power plants and the lack of enforcement of

environmental laws severely polluted the air in Ulaanbaatar;

deforestation, overgrazing, and the converting of virgin land to

agricultural production increased soil erosion from wind and rain;

desertification and mining activities had a deleterious effect on

the environment

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

Geography - note: landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia

People Mongolia

Population:

2,832,224 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 27.9% (male 402,448/female 387,059)

15-64 years: 68.4% (male 967,546/female 969,389)

65 years and over: 3.7% (male 45,859/female 59,923) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 24.6 years

male: 24.3 years

female: 25 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.46% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

21.59 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

6.95 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 52.12 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 55.51 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 48.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 64.89 years

male: 62.64 years

female: 67.25 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.25 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

less than 500 (2003 est)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Mongolian(s)

adjective: Mongolian

Ethnic groups:

Mongol (mostly Khalkha) 94.9%, Turkic (mostly Kazakh) 5%, other

(including Chinese and Russian) 0.1% (2000)

Religions:

Buddhist Lamaist 50%, none 40%, Shamanist and Christian 6%, Muslim

4% (2004)

Languages:

Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian (1999)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.8%

male: 98%

female: 97.5% (2002)

Government Mongolia

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Mongolia

local long form: none

local short form: Mongol Uls

former: Outer Mongolia

Government type:

mixed parliamentary/presidential

Capital:

name: Ulaanbaatar

geographic coordinates: 47 55 N, 106 53 E

time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

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

Saturday in September

Administrative divisions:

21 provinces (aymguud, singular - aymag) and 1 municipality*

(singular - hot); Arhangay, Bayanhongor, Bayan-Olgiy, Bulgan,

Darhan-Uul, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan, Govi-Altay,

Govisumber, Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Orhon, Ovorhangay,

Selenge, Suhbaatar, Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs

Independence:

11 July 1921 (from China)

National holiday:

Independence Day/Revolution Day, 11 July (1921)

Constitution:

12 February 1992

Legal system:

blend of Soviet, German, and US systems that combine "continental"

or "civil" code and case-precedent; constitution ambiguous on

judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR (since 24 June 2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Miegombyn ENKHBOLD (since 25

January 2006); Deputy Prime Minister Mendsaikhan ENKHSAIKHAN (since

28 January 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister in consultation

with the president and confirmed by the State Great Hural

(parliament)

elections: presidential candidates nominated by political parties

represented in State Great Hural and elected by popular vote for a

four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 22

May 2005 (next to be held in May 2009); following legislative

elections, leader of majority party or majority coalition is usually

elected prime minister by State Great Hural

election results: Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR elected president; percent of

vote - Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR (MPRP) 53.44%, Mendsaikhanin ENKHSAIKHAN

(DP) 20.05%, Bazarsadyn JARGALSAIKHAN (MRP) 13.92%, Badarchyn

ERDENEBAT (M-MNSDP) 12.59%; Miegombyn ENKHBOLD elected prime

minister by the State Great Hural 56 to 10

Legislative branch:

unicameral State Great Hural 76 seats; members elected by popular

vote to serve four-year terms

elections: last held 27 June 2004 (next to be held in June 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - MPRP 48.78%, MDC 44.8%,

independents 3.5%, Republican Party 1.5%, others 1.42%; seats by

party - MPRP 36, MDC 34, others 4; note - following June 2004

election MDC collapsed; note - seats by party as of 1 December 2005

- MPRP 38, DP 25, M-MNSDP 6, CWRP 2, MRP 1, PP 1, independents 3

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (serves as appeals court for people's and provincial

courts but rarely overturns verdicts of lower courts; judges are

nominated by the General Council of Courts and approved by the

president)

Political parties and leaders:

Citizens' Will Republican Party or CWRP (also called Civil Courage

Republican Party or CCRP) [Sanjaasurengiin OYUN]; Democratic Party

or DP [Tsakhiagiyn ELBEGDORJ]; Motherland-Mongolian New Socialist

Democratic Party or M-MNSDP [Badarchyn ERDENEBAT]; Mongolian

People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Miegombyn ENKHBOLD]; Mongolian

Republican Party or MRP [Bazarsadyn JARGALSAIKHAN]; People's Party

or PP [Lamjav GUNDALAI]

note: DP and M-MNSDP formed Motherland-Democracy Coalition (MDC) in

2003 and with CWRP contested June 2004 elections as single party;

MDC's leadership dissolved coalition in December 2004

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ARF, AsDB, CP, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,

IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC,

MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SCO (observer), UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO,

WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Ravdan BOLD

chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 333-7117

FAX: [1] (202) 298-9227

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Mark C. MINTON

embassy: Big Ring Road, 11th Micro Region, Ulaanbaatar

mailing address: PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP 96521-0002; P.O. Box 1021,

Ulaanbaatar-13

telephone: [976] (11) 329095

FAX: [976] (11) 320776

Flag description:

three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), blue, and red;

centered on the hoist-side red band in yellow is the national emblem

("soyombo" - a columnar arrangement of abstract and geometric

representation for fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and the yin-yang

symbol)

Economy Mongolia

Economy - overview:

Economic activity in Mongolia has traditionally been based on

herding and agriculture. Mongolia has extensive mineral deposits.

Copper, coal, molybdenum, tin, tungsten and gold account for a large

part of industrial production. Soviet assistance, at its height

one-third of GDP, disappeared almost overnight in 1990 and 1991 at

the time of the dismantlement of the USSR. The following decade saw

Mongolia endure both deep recession due to political inaction and

natural disasters, as well as economic growth because of

reform-embracing, free-market economics and extensive privatization

of the formerly state-run economy. Severe winters and summer

droughts in 2000-2002 resulted in massive livestock die-off and zero

or negative GDP growth. This was compounded by falling prices for

Mongolia's primary sector exports and widespread opposition to

privatization. Growth was 10.6% in 2004, 5.5% in 2005, and 7.5% in

2006, largely because of high copper prices and new gold production.

Mongolia's economy continues to be heavily influenced by its

neighbors. For example, Mongolia purchases 80% of its petroleum

products and a substantial amount of electric power from Russia,

leaving it vulnerable to price increases. China is Mongolia's chief

export partner and a main source of the "shadow" or "grey" economy.

The World Bank and other international financial institutions

estimate the grey economy to be at least equal to that of the

official economy, but the former's actual size is difficult to

calculate since the money does not pass through the hands of tax

authorities or the banking sector. Remittances from Mongolians

working abroad both legally and illegally are sizeable, and money

laundering is a growing concern. Mongolia settled its $11 billion

debt with Russia at the end of 2003 on favorable terms. Mongolia,

which joined the World Trade Organization in 1997, seeks to expand

its participation and integration into Asian regional economic and

trade regimes.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$5.781 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.54 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7.5% according to official estimate (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20.6% industry: 21.4% services: 58% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 1.488 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation: herding/agriculture 42%, mining 42%, manufacturing 6%, trade 4%, services 29%, public sector 6% (2003)

Unemployment rate:

6.7% (2003)

Population below poverty line:

36.1% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 37% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

44 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

9.5% (2005 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $702 million

expenditures: $651 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, barley, vegetables, forage crops; sheep, goats, cattle,

camels, horses

Industries:

construction and construction materials; mining (coal, copper,

molybdenum, fluorspar, tin, tungsten, and gold); oil; food and

beverages; processing of animal products, cashmere and natural fiber

manufacturing

Industrial production growth rate:

4.1% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:

3.24 billion kWh (2005 est.)

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

Electricity - consumption:

3.37 billion kWh (2005 est.)

Electricity - exports:

18 million kWh (2005 est.)

Electricity - imports:

130 million kWh (2005 est.)

Oil - production:

548.8 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

11,220 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:

515 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - imports:

11,210 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$852 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

copper, apparel, livestock, animal products, cashmere, wool, hides,

fluorspar, other nonferrous metals

Exports - partners:

China 48.1%, US 14.2%, Canada 11.6%, UK 8.3%, South Korea 6.2%

(2005)

Imports:

$1.011 billion c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, fuel, cars, food products, industrial

consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea

Imports - partners:

Russia 34.5%, China 27.4%, Japan 7.1%, South Korea 5.3% (2005)

Debt - external:

$1.36 billion (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:

$215 million (2003)

Currency (code):

togrog/tugrik (MNT)

Currency code:

MNT

Exchange rates:

togrogs/tugriks per US dollar - 1,187.17 (2005), 1,185.3 (2004),

1,146.5 (2003), 1,110.3 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Mongolia

Telephones - main lines in use:

156,000 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

557,200 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: network is improving with international direct

dialing available in many areas

domestic: very low density of about 5.5 main lines per 100 persons;

two wireless providers cover all but two provinces

international: country code - 976; satellite earth station - 1

Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 7, FM 62, shortwave 3 (2004)

Radios:

155,900 (1999)

Television broadcast stations: 52 (plus 21 provincial repeaters and many low power repeaters) (2004)

Televisions:

168,800 (1999)

Internet country code:

.mn

Internet hosts:

272 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

5 (2001)

Internet users:

268,300 (2005)

Transportation Mongolia

Airports: 44 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 12 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 32 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Heliports: 2 (2006)

Railways: total: 1,810 km broad gauge: 1,810 km 1.524-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 49,250 km paved: 1,724 km unpaved: 47,526 km (2002)

Waterways:

580 km

note: only waterway in operation is Lake Hovsgol (135 km); Selenge

River (270 km) and Orhon River (175 km) are navigable but carry

little traffic; lakes and rivers freeze in winter, are open from May

to September (2004)

Merchant marine:

total: 61 ships (1000 GRT or over) 319,053 GRT/479,190 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 49, passenger/cargo 1, roll on/roll

off 3

foreign-owned: 49 (China 4, Japan 1, North Korea 3, Lebanon 1,

Malaysia 1, Russia 13, Singapore 10, Syria 1, Thailand 1, UAE 5,

Ukraine 1, Vietnam 8) (2006)

Military Mongolia

Military branches:

Mongolian People's Army (MPA), Mongolian People's Air Force (MPAF);

there is no navy (2005)

Military service age and obligation: 18-25 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months in land or air defense forces or police; a small portion of Mongolian land forces (2.5 percent) is comprised of contract soldiers; women cannot be deployed overseas for military operations (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 736,182

females age 18-49: 734,679 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 570,435

females age 18-49: 607,918 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 34,674

females age 18-49: 34,251 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$23.1 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.2% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Mongolia

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Montenegro

Introduction Montenegro

Background:

The use of the name Montenegro began in the 15th century when the

Crnojevic dynasty began to rule the Serbian principality of Zeta;

over subsequent centuries Montenegro was able to maintain its

independence from the Ottoman Empire. From the 16th to 19th

centuries, Montenegro became a theocracy ruled by a series of bishop

princes; in 1852, it was transformed into a secular principality.

After World War I, Montenegro was absorbed by the Kingdom of Serbs,

Croats, and Slovenes, which became the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in

1929; at the conclusion of World War II, it became a constituent

republic of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. When the

latter dissolved in 1992, Montenegro federated with Serbia, first as

the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and, after 2003, in a looser

union of Serbia and Montenegro. In May 2006, Montenegro invoked its

right under the Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro to

hold a referendum on independence from the state union. The vote for

severing ties with Serbia exceeded 55% - the threshold set by the EU

- allowing Montenegro to formally declare its independence on 3 June

2006.

Geography Montenegro

Location:

Southeastern Europe, between the Adriatic Sea and Serbia

Geographic coordinates:

42 30 N, 19 18 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 14,026 sq km

land: 13,812 sq km

water: 214 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries:

total: 625 km

border countries: Albania 172 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina 225 km,

Croatia 25 km, Serbia 203 km

Coastline:

293.5 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

continental shelf: defined by treaty

Climate:

Mediterranean climate, hot dry summers and autumns and relatively

cold winters with heavy snowfalls inland

Terrain:

highly indented coastline with narrow coastal plain backed by

rugged high limestone mountains and plateaus

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m

highest point: Bobotov Kuk 2,522 m

Natural resources:

bauxite, hydroelectricity

Land use:

arable land: 13.7%

permanent crops: 1%

other: 85.3%

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

destructive earthquakes

Environment - current issues: pollution of coastal waters from sewage outlets, especially in tourist-related areas such as Kotor

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping

Geography - note:

strategic location along the Adriatic coast

People Montenegro

Population:

630,548 (2004)

Population growth rate:

3.5% (2004)

Birth rate:

12.6 births/1,000 population (2004)

Death rate:

9.2 deaths/1,000 population (2004)

Nationality:

noun: Montenegrin(s)

adjective: Montenegrin

Ethnic groups:

Montenegrin 43%, Serbian 32%, Bosniak 8%, Albanian 5%, other

(Muslims, Croats, Roma) 12%

Religions:

Orthodox, Muslim, Roman Catholic

Languages:

Serbian (Ijekavian dialect - official), Bosnian, Albanian, Croatian

Government Montenegro

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Montenegro

conventional short form: Montenegro

local long form: Republika Crna Gora

local short form: Crna Gora

former: People's Republic of Montenegro, Socialist Republic of

Montenegro

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Podgorica (administrative capital)

geographic coordinates: 42 26 N, 19 16 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

note: Cetinje (capital city)

Administrative divisions:

21 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina); Andrijevia, Bar,

Berane, Bijelo Polje, Budva, Cetinje, Danilovgrad, Herceg Novi,

Kolasin, Kotor, Mojkovac, Niksic, Plav, Pluzine, Pljevlja,

Podgornica, Rozaje, Savnik, Tivat, Ulcinj, Zabljak

Independence:

3 June 2006 (from Serbia and Montenegro)

National holiday:

National Day, 13 July

Constitution:

12 October 1992 (was approved by the Assembly); note - Montenegro

is currently writing a new constitution set to be presented to

Parliament in spring 2007

Legal system:

based on civil law system

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Filip VUJANOVIC (since 11 May 2003)

head of government: Prime Minister Zeljko STURANOVIC (since 13

November 2006)

cabinet: Ministries act as cabinet

elections: president elected by direct vote for five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 11 May 2003 (next

to be held in 2008); prime minister proposed by president, accepted

by Assembly

election results: Filip VUJANOVIC elected on the third round; Filip

VUJANOVIC 63.3%, Miodrag ZIVKOVIC 30.8%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Assembly (81 seats, elected by direct vote for four-year

terms; changed from 74 seats in 2006)

elections: last held 10 September 2006 (next to be held 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

Coalition for a European Montenegro 41, SNS 12, Coalition SPP/NS/DSS

11, PZP 11, Liberals and Bosniaks 3, Democratic League-Democratic

Prosperity 1, Democratic Union of Albanians 1, Albanian Alternative 1

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court (five judges with nine-year terms); Supreme

Court (judges have life tenure)

Political parties and leaders:

Albanian Alternative or AA [Vesel SINISHTAJ]; Bosniak Party or BS

[Rafet HUSOVIC]; Democratic League-Party of Democratic Prosperity or

SPP [Mehmet BARHDI]; Democratic Party of Socialists or DPS [Milo

DJUKANOVIC]; Democratic Serbian Party of Montenegro or DSS [Ranko

KADIC]; Democratic Union of Albanians or DUA [Ferhat DINOSA];

Liberal Party of Montenegro or LP [Miodrag ZIVKOVIC]; Movement for

Changes or PZP [Nebojsa MEDOJEVIC]; Party of Serb Radicals or SSR

[Dusko SEKULIC]; People's Party of Montenegro or NS [Predrag

POPOVIC]; People's Socialist Party or NSS [Emilo LABUDOVIC]; Serbian

People's Party of Montenegro or SNS [Andrija MANDIC]; Social

Democratic Party or SDP [Ranko KRIVOKAPIC]; Socialist People's Party

or SNP [Srdjan MILIC]

International organization participation:

CEI, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICCt, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOM,

IPU, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO,

WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Miodrag VLAHOVIC

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Arlene

FERRILL

embassy: Ljubljanska bb, 82000 Podgorica, Montenegro

mailing address: (use street address)

telephone: [381] 81 225 417

FAX: [381] 81 241 358

Flag description:

a red field bordered by a narrow golden-yellow stripe with the

Montenegrin coat of arms centered

Economy Montenegro

Economy - overview:

The republic of Montenegro severed its economy from federal control

and from Serbia during the MILOSEVIC era and continues to maintain

its own central bank, uses the euro instead of the Yugoslav dinar as

official currency, collects customs tariffs, and manages its own

budget. The dissolution of the loose political union between Serbia

and Montenegro in 2006 led to separate membership in several

international financial institutions, such as the European Bank for

Reconstruction and Development. On January 18, 2007, Montenegro

joined the World Bank and IMF. Montenegro is pursuing its own

membership in the World Trade Organization as well as negotiating a

Stabilization and Association agreement with the European Union in

anticipation of eventual membership. Severe unemployment remains a

key political and economic problem for this entire region.

Montenegro has privatized its large aluminum complex - the dominant

industry - as well as most of its financial sector, and has begun to

attract foreign direct investment in the tourism sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$3.394 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$4.744 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

NA

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$3,800 (2005 est.)

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

Labor force: 259,100 (2004)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 2% industry: 30% services: 68% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

27.7% (2005)

Population below poverty line:

12.2% (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.4% (2004)

Investment (gross fixed):

% of GDP NA

Budget: revenues: NA expenditures: NA

Public debt: % of GDP NA

Agriculture - products: grains, tobacco, potatoes, citrus fruits, olives, grapes; sheepherding; commercial fishing negligible

Industries:

steelmaking, agricultural processing, consumer goods, tourism

Electricity - production:

2.864 billion kWh 2.864 billion kWh (2005 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

18.6 million kWh

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day

Oil - consumption:

450 bbl/day

Natural gas - consumption:

NA

Current account balance:

NA

Exports:

$171.3 million (2003)

Exports - partners:

Switzerland 83.9%, Italy 6.1%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.3% (2003)

Imports:

$601.7 million (2003)

Imports - partners:

Greece 10.2%, Italy 10.2%, Germany 9.6%, Bosnia and Herzegovina

9.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

NA

Debt - external:

NA

Economic aid - recipient:

NA

Currency (code):

euro (EUR)

Exchange rates:

euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8089 (2004),

0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Montenegro

Telephones - main lines in use:

177,663 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

543,220 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern telecommunications system with access to

European satellites

domestic: GSM wireless service, available through two providers with

national coverage, is growing rapidly

international: country code - 382 (the old code of 381 used by

Serbia and Montenegro will also remain in use until Feb 2007); two

international switches connect the national system

Radio broadcast stations:

31 (2004)

Television broadcast stations:

13 (2004)

Internet country code:

.me

Internet users:

50,000 (2004)

Transportation Montenegro

Airports:

5 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Railways: total: 250 km standard gauge: 250 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified 169 km) (2005)

Roadways: total: 7,353 km paved: 4,274 km unpaved: 3,079 km (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 4 ships (1000 GRT or over) 9,458 GRT/10,172 DWT

by type: cargo 4

registered in other countries: 4 (Bahamas 2, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Bar

Military Montenegro

Military service age and obligation:

compulsory national military service abolished August 2006

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$2.306 billion

Military - note:

Montenegrin plans call for the establishment of a fully

professional armed forces

Transnational Issues Montenegro

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Montserrat

Introduction Montserrat

Background:

English and Irish colonists from St. Kitts first settled on

Montserrat in 1632; the first African slaves arrived three decades

later. The British and French fought for possesion of the island for

most of the 18th century, but it finally was confirmed as a British

possession in 1783. The island's sugar plantation economy was

converted to small farm landholdings in the mid 19th century. Much

of this island was devastated and two-thirds of the population fled

abroad because of the eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano that

began on 18 July 1995. Montserrat has endured volcanic activity

since, with the last eruption occurring in July 2003.

Geography Montserrat

Location:

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates:

16 45 N, 62 12 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 102 sq km

land: 102 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

40 km

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

Climate:

tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:

volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: lava dome in English's Crater (in the Soufriere Hills

volcanic complex) estimated at over 930 m (2006)

Natural resources:

NEGL

Land use:

arable land: 20%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 80% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere

Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995)

Environment - current issues:

land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation

Geography - note:

the island is entirely volcanic in origin and comprised of three

major volcanic centers of differing ages

People Montserrat

Population:

9,439

note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the

resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned

(July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 23.3% (male 1,125/female 1,079)

15-64 years: 65.7% (male 2,957/female 3,245)

65 years and over: 10.9% (male 532/female 501) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 28.9 years

male: 28.6 years

female: 29.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.05% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

17.59 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 7.19 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 8.35 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.85 years

male: 76.67 years

female: 81.14 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.77 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality: noun: Montserratian(s) adjective: Montserratian

Ethnic groups:

black, white

Religions:

Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day

Adventist, other Christian denominations

Languages:

English

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 97%

male: 97%

female: 97% (1970 est.)

Government Montserrat

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

Dependency status:

overseas territory of the UK

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Plymouth

geographic coordinates: 16 44 N, 62 14 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

note: Plymouth was abandoned in 1997 due to volcanic activity;

interim government buildings have been built at Brades Estate, in

the Carr's Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat

Administrative divisions:

3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter

Independence:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:

Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)

Constitution:

effective 19 December 1989

Legal system:

English common law and statutory law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

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

represented by Governor Deborah BARNES-JONES (since 10 May 2004)

head of government: Chief Minister Lowell LEWIS (since 2 June 2006)

cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief

minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the

finance secretary

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the

monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority

party usually becomes chief minister

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly elected;

members serve five-year terms)

note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney

general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members

elections: last held 31 May 2006 (next to be held by 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - MCAP 36.1%, NPLM 29.4%,

MDP 24.4%, independents 10.1%; seats by party - MCAP 4, NPLM 3, MDP

1, independents 1

note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a single

constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast

ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council

Judicial branch:

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia, one judge of

the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the

High Court)

Political parties and leaders:

Montserrat Democratic Party or MDP [Lowell LEWIS]; Movement for

Change and Prosperity or MCAP [Roselyn CASSELL-SEALY]; New People's

Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

Caricom, CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:

blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and

the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer half of the

flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside a yellow

harp with her arm around a black cross

Economy Montserrat

Economy - overview:

Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has put a

damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in June

1997 closed the airports and seaports, causing further economic and

social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled the

island. Some began to return in 1998, but lack of housing limited

the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected by the

lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of crops.

Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in relation

to the volcanic activity and on public sector construction activity.

The UK has launched a three-year $122.8 million aid program to help

reconstruct the economy. Half of the island is expected to remain

uninhabitable for another decade.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$29 million (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

NA

GDP - real growth rate:

-1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$3,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.2% industry: 23.1% services: 75.7% (1999 est.)

Labor force: 4,521 note: lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

6% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.6% (2002 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $31.4 million

expenditures: $31.6 million; including capital expenditures of $8.4

million (1997 est.)

Agriculture - products: cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products

Industries:

tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

2 million kWh (2003)

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

Electricity - consumption:

1.86 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:

380 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$700,000 (2001)

Exports - commodities:

electronic components, plastic bags, apparel; hot peppers, limes,

live plants; cattle

Exports - partners:

US, Antigua and Barbuda (2004)

Imports:

$17 million (2001)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured

goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials

Imports - partners:

US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada (2004)

Debt - external:

$8.9 million (1997)

Economic aid - recipient:

Country Policy Plan (2001) is a three-year program for spending

$122.8 million in British budgetary assistance (2002 est.)

Currency (code):

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:

XCD

Exchange rates:

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7

(2003), 2.7 (2002), note, fixed rate since 1976

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications Montserrat

Telephones - main lines in use:

NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:

70 (1994)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern and fully digitalized

domestic: NA

international: country code - 1-664

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

7,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (1997)

Televisions:

3,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.ms

Internet hosts:

386 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

17 (2000)

Internet users:

NA

Transportation Montserrat

Airports: 2 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 227 km

note: volcanic eruptions that began in 1995 destroyed most of the

road system (2003)

Ports and terminals:

Plymouth

Military Montserrat

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Police Force (2005)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 2,298 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,899 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 84 (2005 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Montserrat

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the

US and Europe

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Morocco

Introduction Morocco

Background:

In 788, about a century after the Arab conquest of North Africa,

successive Moorish dynasties began to rule in Morocco. In the 16th

century, the Sa'adi monarchy, particularly under Ahmad AL-MANSUR

(1578-1603), repelled foreign invaders and inaugurated a golden age.

In 1860, Spain occupied northern Morocco and ushered in a half

century of trade rivalry among European powers that saw Morocco's

sovereignty steadily erode; in 1912, the French imposed a

protectorate over the country. A protracted independence struggle

with France ended successfully in 1956. The internationalized city

of Tangier and most Spanish possessions were turned over to the new

country that same year. Morocco virtually annexed Western Sahara

during the late 1970s, but final resolution on the status of the

territory remains unresolved. Gradual political reforms in the 1990s

resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legislature, which

first met in 1997. Lower house elections were last held held in

September 2002 and upper house elections were last held in September

2006.

Geography Morocco

Location:

Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the

Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara

Geographic coordinates:

32 00 N, 5 00 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 446,550 sq km

land: 446,300 sq km

water: 250 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:

total: 2,017.9 km

border countries: Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km, Spain

(Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km

Coastline:

1,835 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior

Terrain:

northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas of

bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m

highest point: Jebel Toubkal 4,165 m

Natural resources:

phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt

Land use: arable land: 19% permanent crops: 2% other: 79% (2005)

Irrigated land:

14,450 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to

earthquakes; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: land degradation/desertification (soil erosion resulting from farming of marginal areas, overgrazing, destruction of vegetation); water supplies contaminated by raw sewage; siltation of reservoirs; oil pollution of coastal waters

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,

Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands,

Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar

People Morocco

Population:

33,241,259 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 31.6% (male 5,343,976/female 5,145,019)

15-64 years: 63.4% (male 10,505,018/female 10,580,599)

65 years and over: 5% (male 725,116/female 941,531) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 23.9 years

male: 23.4 years

female: 24.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.55% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

21.98 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

5.58 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 40.24 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 43.99 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 36.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 70.94 years

male: 68.62 years

female: 73.37 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.68 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

15,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, and hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: may be a significant risk in some locations during the transmission season (typically April through November) (2007)

Nationality: noun: Moroccan(s) adjective: Moroccan

Ethnic groups:

Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2%

Religions:

Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%

Languages:

Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the language of

business, government, and diplomacy

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 51.7%

male: 64.1%

female: 39.4% (2003 est.)

Government Morocco

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco

conventional short form: Morocco

local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah

local short form: Al Maghrib

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Rabat

geographic coordinates: 34 02 N, 6 51 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

15 regions; Grand Casablanca, Chaouia-Ouardigha, Doukkala-Abda,

Fes-Boulemane, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Guelmim-Es Smara,

Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra, Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz,

Meknes-Tafilalet, Oriental, Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer,

Souss-Massa-Draa, Tadla-Azilal, Tanger-Tetouan, Taza-Al

Hoceima-Taounate

note: Morocco claims the territory of Western Sahara, the political

status of which is considered undetermined by the US Government;

portions of the regions Guelmim-Es Smara and Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia

El Hamra as claimed by Morocco lie within Western Sahara; Morocco

claims another region, Oued Eddahab-Lagouira, which falls entirely

within Western Sahara

Independence:

2 March 1956 (from France)

National holiday:

Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMED VI to the throne), 30 July

(1999)

Constitution:

10 March 1972; revised 4 September 1992, amended (to create

bicameral legislature) September 1996

Legal system:

based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law system;

judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of

Supreme Court

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003)

Executive branch:

chief of state: King MOHAMED VI (since 30 July 1999)

head of government: Prime Minister Driss JETTOU (since 9 October

2002)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed

by the monarch following legislative elections

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Chamber of

Counselors (270 seats; members elected indirectly by local councils,

professional organizations, and labor syndicates for nine-year

terms; one-third of the members are renewed every three years) and a

lower house or Chamber of Representatives (325 seats; 295 by

multi-seat constituencies and 30 from national lists of women;

members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)

elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held 6 October 2003 (next to

be held in 2006); Chamber of Representatives - last held 27

September 2002 (next to be held in 2007)

election results: Chamber of Counselors - percent of vote by party -

NA; seats by party - RNI 42, MDS 33, UC 28, MP 27, PND 21, PI 21,

USFP 16, MNP 15, PA 13, FFD 12, other 42; Chamber of Representatives

- percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - USFP 50, PI 48,

PJD 42, RNI 41, MP 27, MNP 18, UC 16, PND 12, PPS 11, UD 10, other 50

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed on the recommendation of the

Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:

Action Party or PA [Muhammad EL IDRISSI]; Alliance of Liberties or

ADL [Ali BELHAJ]; Annahj Addimocrati or Annahj [Abdellah EL HARIF];

Avant Garde Social Democratic Party or PADS [Ahmed BENJELLOUN];

Citizen Forces or FC [Abderrahman LAHJOUJI]; Citizen's Initiatives

for Development [Mohamed BENHAMOU]; Constitutional Union or UC

[Mohamed ABIED (interim)]; Democratic and Independence Party or PDI

[Abdelwahed MAACH]; Democratic and Social Movement or MDS [Mahmoud

ARCHANE]; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [Aissa OUARDIGHI];

Democratic Union or UD [Bouazza IKKEN]; Environment and Development

Party or PED [Ahmed EL ALAMI]; Front of Democratic Forces or FFD

[Thami EL KHYARI]; Istiqlal Party (Independence Party) or PI [Abbas

El FASSI]; Justice and Development Party or PJD [Saad Eddine El

OTHMANI]; Moroccan Liberal Party or PML [Mohamed ZIANE]; National

Democratic Party or PND [Abdallah KADIRI]; National Ittihadi

Congress Party or CNI [Abdelmajid BOUZOUBAA]; National Popular

Movement or MNP [Mahjoubi AHERDANE]; National Rally of Independents

or RNI [Ahmed OSMAN]; National Union of Popular Forces or UNFP

[Abdellah IBRAHIM]; Parti Al Ahd or Al Ahd [Najib EL OUAZZANI,

chairman]; Party of Progress and Socialism or PPS [Ismail ALAOUI];

Party of Renewal and Equity or PRE [Chakir ACHABAR]; Party of the

Unified Socialist Left or GSU [Mohamed Ben Said AIT IDDER]; Popular

Movement Union or UMP [Mohamed LAENSER]; Reform and Development

Party or PRD [Abderrahmane EL KOUHEN]; Social Center Party or PSC

[Lahcen MADIH]; Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP [Mohammed

El-YAZGHI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Democratic Confederation of Labor or CDT [Noubir AMAOUI]; General

Union of Moroccan Workers or UGTM [Abderrazzak AFILAL]; Moroccan

Employers Association or CGEM [Hassan CHAMI]; National Labor Union

of Morocco or UNMT [Abdelslam MAATI]; Union of Moroccan Workers or

UMT [Mahjoub BENSEDDIK]

International organization participation:

ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,

ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA,

MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE

(partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNOCI,

UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Aziz MEKOUAR chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 462-7979 FAX: [1] (202) 265-0161 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas T. RILEY embassy: 2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat mailing address: PSC 74, Box 021, APO AE 09718 telephone: [212] (37) 76 22 65 FAX: [212] (37) 76 56 61 consulate(s) general: Casablanca

Flag description:

red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known as

Sulayman's (Solomon's) seal in the center of the flag; red and green

are traditional colors in Arab flags, although the use of red is

more commonly associated with the Arab states of the Persian gulf;

design dates to 1912

Economy Morocco

Economy - overview:

Moroccan economic policies brought macroeconomic stability to the

country in the early 1990s but have not spurred growth sufficient to

reduce unemployment that nears 20% in urban areas. Poverty has

increased due to the volatile nature of GDP, Morocco's continued

dependence on foreign energy, and its inability to promote the

growth of small and medium size enterprises. However, GDP growth

rebounded to 6.7% in 2006 due to high rainfall, which resulted in a

strong second harvest. Despite structural adjustment programs

supported by the IMF, the World Bank, and the Paris Club, the dirham

is only fully convertible for current account transactions and

Morocco's financial sector is rudimentary. Moroccan authorities

understand that reducing poverty and providing jobs is key to

domestic security and development. In 2004, Moroccan authorities

instituted measures to boost foreign direct investment and trade by

signing a free trade agreement with the US, which entered into force

in January 2006, and sold government shares in the state

telecommunications company and in the largest state-owned bank.

Long-term challenges include preparing the economy for freer trade

with the US and European Union, improving education and job

prospects for Morocco's youth, and raising living standards, which

the government hopes to achieve by increasing tourist arrivals and

boosting competitiveness in textiles.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$147 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$56.72 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,400 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13.3% industry: 31.2% services: 55.5% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 11.25 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 40% industry: 15% services: 45% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:

7.7% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

19% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 30.9% (1998-99)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

40 (2005 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.8% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

21.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $15.85 billion

expenditures: $20.39 billion; including capital expenditures of

$2.19 billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:

70.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock

Industries:

phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather

goods, textiles, construction, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

4% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:

18.48 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 95.4% hydro: 4.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

18.89 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

1.7 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

300 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

170,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2000 est.)

Oil - imports:

147,800 bbl/day (2000 est.)

Oil - proved reserves:

100 million bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

50 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

50 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m

Natural gas - proved reserves:

1.218 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$389 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$11.72 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

clothing, fish, inorganic chemicals, transistors, crude minerals,

fertilizers (including phosphates), petroleum products, fruits,

vegetables

Exports - partners:

France 30.3%, Spain 18%, UK 6.2%, Italy 5.2%, India 4.1% (2005)

Imports:

$21.22 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

crude petroleum, textile fabric, telecommunications equipment,

wheat, gas and electricity, transistors, plastics

Imports - partners:

France 18.2%, Spain 11%, Saudi Arabia 6.8%, Russia 6.8%, Italy

6.1%, China 5.2%, Germany 4.7% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$18.21 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$17.9 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

ODA, $706 million (2004)

Currency (code):

Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Currency code:

MAD

Exchange rates:

Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.77508 (2006), 8.865 (2005),

8.868 (2004), 9.574 (2003), 11.021 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Morocco

Telephones - main lines in use:

1,341,200 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

12.393 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern system with all important capabilities;

however, density is low with only 4 main lines available for each

100 persons

domestic: good system composed of open-wire lines, cables, and

microwave radio relay links; Internet available but expensive;

principal switching centers are Casablanca and Rabat; national

network nearly 100% digital using fiber-optic links; improved rural

service employs microwave radio relay

international: country code - 212; 7 submarine cables; satellite

earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat;

microwave radio relay to Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara;

coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria; participant in

Medarabtel; fiber-optic cable link from Agadir to Algeria and

Tunisia (1998)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 27, FM 25, shortwave 6 (1998)

Radios:

6.64 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

35 (plus 66 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:

3.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.ma

Internet hosts:

3,218 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

8 (2000)

Internet users:

4.6 million (2005)

Transportation Morocco

Airports: 60 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 26 over 3,047 m: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 34 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 11 (2006)

Heliports:

1 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 715 km; oil 285 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 1,907 km

standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:

total: 57,493 km

paved: 32,716 km (including 507 km of expressways)

unpaved: 24,777 km (2004)

Merchant marine:

total: 41 ships (1000 GRT or over) 382,781 GRT/285,435 DWT

by type: cargo 5, chemical tanker 6, container 9, passenger/cargo

13, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 5

foreign-owned: 5 (France 1, Germany 2, Switzerland 1, UK 1)

registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Agadir, Casablanca, Mohammedia, Nador, Safi, Tangier

Military Morocco

Military branches:

Royal Armed Forces (Forces Armees Royales, FAR): Royal Moroccan

Army (includes Air Defense), Navy (includes Marines), Royal Moroccan

Air Force (Force Aerienne Royale Marocaine) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;

conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 7,908,864

females age 18-49: 7,882,879 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 6,484,787

females age 18-49: 6,675,729 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 353,377

females age 18-49: 341,677 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$2.31 billion (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

5% (2003 est.)

Transnational Issues Morocco

Disputes - international:

claims and administers Western Sahara whose sovereignty remains

unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since

September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and

parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals; Morocco

protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta,

Melilla, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de

Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; discussions

have not progressed on a comprehensive maritime delimitation setting

limits on resource exploration and refugee interdiction since

Morocco's 2002 rejection of Spain's unilateral designation of a

median line from the Canary Islands; Morocco serves as one of the

primary launching areas of illegal migration into Spain from North

Africa

Illicit drugs:

illicit producer of hashish; shipments of hashish mostly directed

to Western Europe; transit point for cocaine from South America

destined for Western Europe

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Mozambique

Introduction Mozambique

Background:

Almost five centuries as a Portuguese colony came to a close with

independence in 1975. Large-scale emigration by whites, economic

dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a prolonged civil

war hindered the country's development. The ruling Front for the

Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) party formally abandoned Marxism

in 1989, and a new constitution the following year provided for

multiparty elections and a free market economy. A UN-negotiated

peace agreement between FRELIMO and rebel Mozambique National

Resistance (RENAMO) forces ended the fighting in 1992. In December

2004, Mozambique underwent a delicate transition as Joaquim CHISSANO

stepped down after 18 years in office. His newly elected successor,

Armando Emilio GUEBUZA, has promised to continue the sound economic

policies that have encouraged foreign investment.

Geography Mozambique

Location:

Southeastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between

South Africa and Tanzania

Geographic coordinates:

18 15 S, 35 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 801,590 sq km

land: 784,090 sq km

water: 17,500 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of California

Land boundaries:

total: 4,571 km

border countries: Malawi 1,569 km, South Africa 491 km, Swaziland

105 km, Tanzania 756 km, Zambia 419 km, Zimbabwe 1,231 km

Coastline:

2,470 km

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

Climate:

tropical to subtropical

Terrain:

mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in

northwest, mountains in west

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Monte Binga 2,436 m

Natural resources:

coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum, graphite

Land use: arable land: 5.43% permanent crops: 0.29% other: 94.28% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,180 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods in central and

southern provinces

Environment - current issues: a long civil war and recurrent drought in the hinterlands have resulted in increased migration of the population to urban and coastal areas with adverse environmental consequences; desertification; pollution of surface and coastal waters; elephant poaching for ivory is a problem

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

Geography - note:

the Zambezi flows through the north-central and most fertile part

of the country

People Mozambique

Population:

19,686,505

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected; the 1997

Mozambican census reported a population of 16,099,246 (July 2006

est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 42.7% (male 4,229,802/female 4,177,235)

15-64 years: 54.5% (male 5,207,149/female 5,519,291)

65 years and over: 2.8% (male 230,616/female 322,412) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.3 years

male: 17.8 years

female: 18.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.38% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

35.18 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

21.35 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 129.24 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 134.31 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 124.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 39.82 years

male: 39.53 years

female: 40.13 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.62 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

12.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

1.3 million (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

110,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in some

locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Mozambican(s)

adjective: Mozambican

Ethnic groups:

African 99.66% (Makhuwa, Tsonga, Lomwe, Sena, and others),

Europeans 0.06%, Euro-Africans 0.2%, Indians 0.08%

Religions:

Catholic 23.8%, Muslim 17.8%, Zionist Christian 17.5%, other 17.8%,

none 23.1% (1997 census)

Languages:

Emakhuwa 26.1%, Xichangana 11.3%, Portuguese 8.8% (official; spoken

by 27% of population as a second language), Elomwe 7.6%, Cisena

6.8%, Echuwabo 5.8%, other Mozambican languages 32%, other foreign

languages 0.3%, unspecified 1.3% (1997 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 47.8%

male: 63.5%

female: 32.7% (2003 est.)

Government Mozambique

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Mozambique

conventional short form: Mozambique

local long form: Republica de Mocambique

local short form: Mocambique

former: Portuguese East Africa

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Maputo

geographic coordinates: 25 58 S, 32 35 E

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

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), 1 city (cidade)*;

Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Cidade de Maputo*,

Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia

Independence:

25 June 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 25 June (1975)

Constitution:

30 November 1990

Legal system:

based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Armando GUEBUZA (since 2 February 2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Luisa DIOGO (since 17 February

2004)

cabinet: Cabinet

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 1-2 December 2004

(next to be held December 2009); prime minister appointed by the

president

election results: Armando GUEBUZA elected president; percent of vote

- Armando GUEBUZA 63.7%, Afonso DHLAKAMA 31.7%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (250

seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on a secret

ballot to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 1-2 December 2004 (next to be held December

2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - FRELIMO 62%, RENAMO

29.7%; seats by party - FRELIMO 160, RENAMO 90

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (the court of final appeal; some of its professional

judges are appointed by the president and some are elected by the

Assembly); other courts include an Administrative Court, customs

courts, maritime courts, courts marshal, labor courts

note: although the constitution provides for a separate

Constitutional Court, one has never been established; in its absence

the Supreme Court reviews constitutional cases

Political parties and leaders:

Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frente de Liberatacao de

Mocambique) or FRELIMO [Armando Emilio GUEBUZA, president];

Mozambique National Resistance-Electoral Union (Resistencia Nacional

Mocambicana-Uniao Eleitoral) or RENAMO-UE [Afonso DHLAKAMA,

president]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Institute for Peace and Democracy (Instituto para Paz e Democracia)

or IPADE [Raul DOMINGOS, president]; Etica [Abdul CARIMO Issa,

chairman]; Movement for Peace and Citizenship (Movimento para Paz e

Cidadania); Mozambican League of Human Rights (Liga Mocambicana dos

Direitos Humanos) or LDH [Alice MABOTE, president]; Human Rights and

Development (Direitos Humanos e Desenvolvimento) or DHD [Artemisia

FRANCO, secretary general]

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),

ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,

IOM (observer), IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC,

NAM, OIC, OIF (observer), OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,

UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Armando PANGUENE chancery: 1990 M Street NW, Suite 570, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 293-7146 FAX: [1] (202) 835-0245

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Helen LA LIME

embassy: Avenida Kenneth Kuanda 193, Maputo

mailing address: P. O. Box 783, Maputo

telephone: [258] (1) 492797

FAX: [258] (1) 490448

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), black, and yellow with

a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; the black band is

edged in white; centered in the triangle is a yellow five-pointed

star bearing a crossed rifle and hoe in black superimposed on an

open white book

Economy Mozambique

Economy - overview:

At independence in 1975, Mozambique was one of the world's poorest

countries. Socialist mismanagement and a brutal civil war from

1977-92 exacerbated the situation. In 1987, the government embarked

on a series of macroeconomic reforms designed to stabilize the

economy. These steps, combined with donor assistance and with

political stability since the multi-party elections in 1994, have

led to dramatic improvements in the country's growth rate. Inflation

was reduced to single digits during the late 1990s although it

returned to double digits in 2000-06. Fiscal reforms, including the

introduction of a value-added tax and reform of the customs service,

have improved the government's revenue collection abilities. In

spite of these gains, Mozambique remains dependent upon foreign

assistance for much of its annual budget, and the majority of the

population remains below the poverty line. Subsistence agriculture

continues to employ the vast majority of the country's work force. A

substantial trade imbalance persists although the opening of the

Mozal aluminum smelter, the country's largest foreign investment

project to date, has increased export earnings. In late 2005, and

after years of negotiations, the government signed an agreement to

gain Portugal's majority share of the Cahora Bassa Hydroelectricity

(HCB) company, a dam that was not transferred to Mozambique at

independence because of the ensuing civil war and unpaid debts. More

power is needed for additional investment projects in titanium

extraction and processing and garment manufacturing that could

further close the import/export gap. Mozambique's once substantial

foreign debt has been reduced through forgiveness and rescheduling

under the IMF's Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and Enhanced

HIPC initiatives, and is now at a manageable level.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$29.32 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$6.431 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

9.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,500 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 21.1% industry: 30.9% services: 48% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 9.4 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 81% industry: 6% services: 13% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:

21% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line:

70% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 31.7% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

39.6 (1996-97)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

12.8% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

21.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $1.391 billion

expenditures: $1.822 billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:

23.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, cassava (tapioca), corn,

coconuts, sisal, citrus and tropical fruits, potatoes, sunflowers;

beef, poultry

Industries:

food, beverages, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints), aluminum,

petroleum products, textiles, cement, glass, asbestos, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:

3.4% (2000)

Electricity - production:

11.58 billion kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

9.592 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

8.75 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

7.576 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

11,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

80 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

80 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

127.4 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-444.4 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$2.429 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

aluminum, prawns, cashews, cotton, sugar, citrus, timber; bulk

electricity

Exports - partners:

Netherlands 59.7%, South Africa 16.2%, Zimbabwe 2.9% (2005)

Imports:

$2.815 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, chemicals, metal products,

foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners:

South Africa 42.9%, Netherlands 11.5%, Portugal 3.6% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.353 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$2.392 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$632.8 million (2001)

Currency (code):

metical (MZM)

Currency code:

MZM

Exchange rates:

meticais per US dollar - 24.9245 (2006), 23,061 (2005), 22,581

(2004), 23,782 (2003), 23,678 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Mozambique

Telephones - main lines in use:

69,700 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.22 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: fair system but not available generally

(extremely low density with less than 1 main line per 100 persons)

domestic: the system consists of open-wire lines and trunk

connection by microwave radio relay and tropospheric scatter

international: country code - 258; satellite earth stations - 5

Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 13, FM 17, shortwave 11 (2001)

Radios:

730,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2001)

Televisions:

67,600 (2000)

Internet country code:

.mz

Internet hosts:

6,985 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

11 (2002)

Internet users:

138,000 (2005)

Transportation Mozambique

Airports: 158 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 22 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 136 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 34 under 914 m: 87 (2006)

Pipelines: gas 918 km; refined products 294 km (2006)

Railways: total: 3,123 km narrow gauge: 2,983 km 1.067-m gauge; 140 km 0.762-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 30,400 km paved: 5,685 km unpaved: 24,715 km (1999)

Waterways:

460 km (Zambezi River navigable to Tete and along Cahora Bassa

Lake) (2002)

Merchant marine:

total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,964 GRT/5,324 DWT

by type: cargo 2

foreign-owned: 2 (Belgium 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Beira, Maputo, Nacala

Military Mozambique

Military branches:

Mozambique Armed Defense Forces (FADM): Mozambique Army, Mozambique

Navy (Marinha Mocambique, MM), Mozambique Air Force (Forca Aerea de

Mocambique, FAM) (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 3,793,373 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,751,223 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 185,314 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$78.03 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.3% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Mozambique

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

Southern African transit point for South Asian hashish and heroin,

and South American cocaine probably destined for the European and

South African markets; producer of cannabis (for local consumption)

and methaqualone (for export to South Africa); corruption and poor

regulatory capability makes the banking system vulnerable to money

laundering, but the lack of a well-developed financial

infrastructure limits the country's utility as a money-laundering

center

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Namibia

Introduction Namibia

Background:

South Africa occupied the German colony of South-West Africa during

World War I and administered it as a mandate until after World War

II, when it annexed the territory. In 1966 the Marxist South-West

Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group launched a war

of independence for the area that was soon named Namibia, but it was

not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its administration in

accordance with a UN peace plan for the entire region. Namibia won

its independence in 1990 and has been governed by SWAPO since.

Hifikepunye POHAMBA was elected president in November 2004 in a

landslide victory replacing Sam NUJOMA who led the country during

its first 14 years of self rule.

Geography Namibia

Location:

Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola

and South Africa

Geographic coordinates:

22 00 S, 17 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 825,418 sq km

land: 825,418 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than half the size of Alaska

Land boundaries:

total: 3,936 km

border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa

967 km, Zambia 233 km

Coastline:

1,572 km

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

Climate:

desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

Terrain:

mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in

east

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m

Natural resources:

diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc,

salt, hydropower, fish

note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore

Land use:

arable land: 0.99%

permanent crops: 0.01%

other: 99% (2005)

Irrigated land:

80 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

prolonged periods of drought

Environment - current issues:

very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification;

wildlife poaching; land degradation has led to few conservation areas

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate

Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,

Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

first country in the world to incorporate the protection of the

environment into its constitution; some 14% of the land is

protected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip

People Namibia

Population:

2,044,147

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 38.2% (male 393,878/female 387,147)

15-64 years: 58.1% (male 596,557/female 591,350)

65 years and over: 3.7% (male 34,245/female 40,970) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 20 years

male: 19.8 years

female: 20.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.59% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

24.32 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

18.86 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 48.1 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 51.99 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 44.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 43.39 years

male: 44.46 years

female: 42.29 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.06 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

21.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

210,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

16,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria

water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Namibian(s)

adjective: Namibian

Ethnic groups:

black 87.5%, white 6%, mixed 6.5%

note: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9%

to the Kavangos tribe; other ethnic groups includes Herero 7%,

Damara 7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%

Religions:

Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs

10% to 20%

Languages:

English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of the

population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%,

indigenous languages (Oshivambo, Herero, Nama)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 84%

male: 84.4%

female: 83.7% (2003 est.)

Government Namibia

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Namibia

conventional short form: Namibia

local long form: Republic of Namibia

local short form: Namibia

former: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Windhoek

geographic coordinates: 22 34 S, 17 06 E

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

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in September; ends

first Sunday in April

Administrative divisions:

n13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene,

Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa

Independence:

21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 21 March (1990)

Constitution:

ratified 9 February 1990, effective 12 March 1990

Legal system:

based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Hifikepunye POHAMBA (since 21 March 2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Nahas ANGULA (since 21 March 2005)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members

of the National Assembly

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 15 November 2004

(next to be held November 2009)

election results: Hifikepunye POHAMBA elected president; percent of

vote - Hifikepunye POHAMBA 76.4%, Den ULENGA 7.3%, Katuutire KAURA

5.1%, Kuaima RIRUAKO 4.2%, Justus GAROEB 3.8%, other 3.2%

Legislative branch:

bicameral legislature consists of the National Council (26 seats; 2

members are chosen from each regional council to serve six-year

terms) and the National Assembly (72 seats; members are elected by

popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: National Council - elections for regional councils, to

determine members of the National Council, held 29-30 November 2004

(next to be held November 2010); National Assembly - last held 15-16

November 2004 (next to be held November 2009)

election results: National Council - percent of vote by party -

SWAPO 89.7%, UDF 4.7%, NUDO 2.8%, DTA 1.9%; seats by party - SWAPO

24, UDF 1, DTA 1; National Assembly - percent of vote by party -

SWAPO 76.1%, COD 7.3%, DTA 5.1%, NUDO 4.2%, UDF 3.6%, RP 1.9%, MAG

0.8%, other 1.0%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 5, DTA 4, NUDO 3,

UDF 3, RP 1, MAG 1

note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the

recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission)

Political parties and leaders:

Congress of Democrats or COD [Ben ULENGA]; Democratic Turnhalle

Alliance of Namibia or DTA [Katuutire KAURA, president]; Monitor

Action Group or MAG [Jurie VILJOEN]; National Democratic Movement

for Change or NamDMC; National Unity Democratic Organization or NUDO

[Kuaima RIRUAKO]; Republican Party or RP [Henk MUDGE]; South West

Africa National Union or SWANU [Rihupisa KANDANDO]; South West

Africa People's Organization or SWAPO [Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA];

United Democratic Front or UDF [Justus GAROEB]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD,

IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO

(correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,

WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Patrick NANDAGO chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540 FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joyce BARR embassy: Ausplan Building, 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek mailing address: Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek telephone: [264] (61) 221601 FAX: [264] (61) 229792

Flag description:

a large blue triangle with a yellow sunburst fills the upper left

section and an equal green triangle (solid) fills the lower right

section; the triangles are separated by a red stripe that is

contrasted by two narrow white-edge borders

Economy Namibia

Economy - overview:

The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing

of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 20% of GDP. Rich

alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for

gem-quality diamonds. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of

nonfuel minerals in Africa, the world's fifth-largest producer of

uranium, and the producer of large quantities of lead, zinc, tin,

silver, and tungsten. The mining sector employs only about 3% of the

population while about half of the population depends on subsistence

agriculture for its livelihood. Namibia normally imports about 50%

of its cereal requirements; in drought years food shortages are a

major problem in rural areas. A high per capita GDP, relative to the

region, hides the world's worst inequality of income distribution.

The Namibian economy is closely linked to South Africa with the

Namibian dollar pegged one-to-one to the South African rand.

Privatization of several enterprises in coming years may stimulate

long-run foreign investment. Increased fish production and mining of

zinc, copper, uranium, and silver spurred growth in 2003-06.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$15.04 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$5.304 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$7,400 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.8% industry: 30.2% services: 58.1% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 653,000 (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 47% industry: 20% services: 33% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 5.3% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

the UNDP's 2005 Human Development Report indicated that 34.9% of

the population live on $1 per day and 55.8% live on $2 per day

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 0.5%

highest 10%: 64.5%

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

70.7 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

25% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $2.233 billion

expenditures: $2.214 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

31.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

millet, sorghum, peanuts, grapes; livestock; fish

Industries:

meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining (diamonds,

lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

1.397 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source:

NA

Electricity - consumption:

2.819 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

80 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

1.6 billion kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

18,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

12,770 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

62.3 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$572 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$2.321 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed

fish, karakul skins

Exports - partners:

South Africa 33.4%, US 4% (2004)

Imports:

$2.456 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment,

chemicals

Imports - partners:

South Africa 85.2%, US (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$480 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$887 million (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

ODA, $160 million (2000 est.)

Currency (code):

Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand (ZAR)

Currency code:

NAD; ZAR

Exchange rates:

Namibian dollars per US dollar - 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597

(2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications Namibia

Telephones - main lines in use:

127,900 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

495,000 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: good system; about 6 telephones for each 100

persons

domestic: good urban services; fair rural service; microwave radio

relay links major towns; connections to other populated places are

by open wire; 100% digital

international: country code - 264; fiber-optic cable to South

Africa, microwave radio relay link to Botswana, direct links to

other neighboring countries; connected to Africa ONE and South

African Far East (SAFE) submarine cables through South Africa;

satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (2002)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios:

232,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

8 (plus about 20 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:

60,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.na

Internet hosts:

3,527 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2000)

Internet users:

75,000 (2005)

Transportation Namibia

Airports: 137 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 21

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 13

914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 116

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 22

914 to 1,523 m: 72

under 914 m: 20 (2006)

Railways: total: 2,382 km narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 42,237 km paved: 5,406 km unpaved: 36,831 km (2002)

Merchant marine:

total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 2,265 GRT/3,605 DWT

by type: cargo 1 (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Luderitz, Walvis Bay

Military Namibia

Military branches:

Namibian Defense Force: Army, Air Wing, Navy (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 441,293 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 217,118 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$149.5 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.3% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Namibia

Disputes - international:

concerns from international experts and local populations over the

Okavango Delta ecology in Botswana and human displacement scuttled

Namibian plans to construct a hydroelectric dam on Popa Falls along

the Angola-Namibia border; managed dispute with South Africa over

the location of the boundary in the Orange River; Namibia has

supported and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to plans between

Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River,

thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited,

Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 11,900 (Angola) (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Nauru

Introduction Nauru

Background:

The exact origins of the Nauruans are unclear, since their language

does not resemble any other in the Pacific. The island was annexed

by Germany in 1888 and its phosphate deposits began to be mined

early in the 20th century by a German-British consortium. Nauru was

occupied by Australian forces in World War I and subsequently became

a League of Nations mandate. After the Second World War - and a

brutal occupation by Japan - Nauru became a UN trust territory. It

achieved its independence in 1968 and joined the UN in 1999 as the

world's smallest independent republic.

Geography Nauru

Location:

Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall

Islands

Geographic coordinates:

0 32 S, 166 55 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 21 sq km

land: 21 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

30 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical with a monsoonal pattern; rainy season (November to

February)

Terrain:

sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with

phosphate plateau in center

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m

Natural resources:

phosphates, fish

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks collect

rainwater, but mostly dependent on a single, aging desalination

plant; intensive phosphate mining during the past 90 years - mainly

by a UK, Australia, and NZ consortium - has left the central 90% of

Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining land resources

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine

Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the

Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and

Makatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator

People Nauru

Population:

13,287 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 36.9% (male 2,507/female 2,391)

15-64 years: 61.2% (male 4,004/female 4,123)

65 years and over: 2% (male 139/female 123) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 20.6 years

male: 20 years

female: 21.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.81% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

24.76 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

6.7 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 9.78 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 12.29 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 7.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 63.08 years

male: 59.5 years

female: 66.84 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.11 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Nauruan(s)

adjective: Nauruan

Ethnic groups:

Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8%

Religions:

Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic)

Languages:

Nauruan (official, a distinct Pacific Island language), English

widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and

commercial purposes

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

Government Nauru

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Nauru

conventional short form: Nauru

local long form: Republic of Nauru

local short form: Nauru

former: Pleasant Island

Government type:

republic

Capital:

no official capital; government offices in Yaren District

time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada,

Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren

Independence:

31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered UN

trusteeship)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 31 January (1968)

Constitution:

29 January 1968; amended 17 May 1968 (Constitution Day)

Legal system:

acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law; accepts

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

20 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Ludwig SCOTTY (since 22 June 2004); note

- the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Ludwig SCOTTY (since 22 June 2004)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members

of Parliament

elections: president elected by Parliament for a three-year term;

election last held 23 October 2004 (next to be held NA 2007)

election results: Ludwig SCOTTY was unopposed in the parliamentary

elections for president

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote to

serve three-year terms)

elections: last held 23 October 2004 (next to be held not later than

2007)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - Nauru First Party 3,

independents 15

note: the president dissolved parliament on 30 September 2004 and

set new elections for 23 October 2004

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:

loose multiparty system; Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG]; Nauru

Party (informal); Nauru First (Naoero Amo) Party

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF,

Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Vinci Niel CLODUMAR chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 937-0074 FAX: [1] (212) 937-0079 consulate(s): Agana (Guam)

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Nauru

Flag description:

blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the center and

a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the hoist side;

the star indicates the country's location in relation to the Equator

(the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12 original

tribes of Nauru

Economy Nauru

Economy - overview:

Revenues of this tiny island have traditionally come from exports

of phosphates, now significantly depleted. An Australian company in

2005 entered into an agreement intended to exploit remaining

supplies. Few other resources exist with most necessities being

imported, mainly from Australia, its former occupier and later major

source of support. The rehabilitation of mined land and the

replacement of income from phosphates are serious long-term

problems. In anticipation of the exhaustion of Nauru's phosphate

deposits, substantial amounts of phosphate income were invested in

trust funds to help cushion the transition and provide for Nauru's

economic future. As a result of heavy spending from the trust funds,

the government faces virtual bankruptcy. To cut costs the government

has frozen wages and reduced overstaffed public service departments.

In 2005, the deterioration in housing, hospitals, and other capital

plant continued, and the cost to Australia of keeping the government

and economy afloat continued to climb. Few comprehensive statistics

on the Nauru economy exist, with estimates of Nauru's GDP varying

widely.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$60 million (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

NA

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$5,000 (2005 est.)

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

Labor force - by occupation: note: 0.1% employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation

Unemployment rate:

90% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

-3.6% (1993)

Budget:

revenues: $13.5 million

expenditures: $13.5 million (2005)

Agriculture - products:

coconuts

Industries:

phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

30 million kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

27.9 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

1,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$64,000 f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:

phosphates

Exports - partners:

South Africa 63.7%, South Korea 7.6%, Canada 6.6% (2005)

Imports:

$20 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery

Imports - partners:

South Korea 43.8%, Australia 36.2%, US 5.9%, Germany 4.3% (2005)

Debt - external:

$33.3 million (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:

$20 million mostly from Australia (2005)

Currency (code):

Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:

AUD

Exchange rates:

Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004),

1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 July - 30 June

Communications Nauru

Telephones - main lines in use:

1,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1,500 (2002)

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate local and international radiotelephone

communication provided via Australian facilities

domestic: NA

international: country code - 674; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

7,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (1997)

Televisions:

500 (1997)

Internet country code:

.nr

Internet hosts:

52 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

300 (2002)

Transportation Nauru

Airports: 1 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways: total: 30 km paved: 24 km unpaved: 6 km (1999 est.)

Ports and terminals:

Nauru

Military Nauru

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force (2005)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 2,874 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

NA

Military - note:

Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal agreement,

defense is the responsibility of Australia

Transnational Issues Nauru

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Navassa Island

Introduction Navassa Island

Background:

This uninhabited island was claimed by the US in 1857 for its

guano. Mining took place between 1865 and 1898. The lighthouse,

built in 1917, was shut down in 1996 and administration of Navassa

Island transferred from the Coast Guard to the Department of the

Interior. A 1998 scientific expedition to the island described it as

a unique preserve of Caribbean biodiversity; the following year it

became a National Wildlife Refuge and annual scientific expeditions

have continued.

Geography Navassa Island

Location:

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, 35 miles west of Tiburon

Peninsula of Haiti

Geographic coordinates:

18 25 N, 75 02 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 5.4 sq km

land: 5.4 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

8 km

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

Climate:

marine, tropical

Terrain:

raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to undulating; ringed by

vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high)

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on southwest side 77 m

Natural resources:

guano

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)

Natural hazards:

hurricanes

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base at Guantanamo

Bay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock but with enough grassland to support

goat herds; dense stands of fig-like trees, scattered cactus

People Navassa Island

Population:

uninhabited

note: transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island

(July 2006 est.)

Government Navassa Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Navassa Island

Dependency status:

unincorporated territory of the US; administered by the Fish and

Wildlife Service, US Department of the Interior, from the Caribbean

Islands National Wildlife Refuge in Boqueron, Puerto Rico; in

September 1996, the Coast Guard ceased operations and maintenance of

Navassa Island Light, a 46-meter-tall lighthouse on the southern

side of the island; there has also been a private claim advanced

against the island

Legal system:

the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:

the flag of the US is used

Economy Navassa Island

Economy - overview:

Subsistence fishing and commercial trawling occur within refuge

waters.

Transportation Navassa Island

Ports and terminals: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Navassa Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Navassa Island

Disputes - international: claimed by Haiti, source of subsistence fishing

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Nepal

Introduction Nepal

Background:

In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of rule

by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of

government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy

within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. A Maoist

insurgency, launched in 1996, gained traction and threatened to

bring down the regime, especially after a negotiated cease-fire

between the Maoists and government forces broke down in August 2003.

In 2001, the crown prince massacred ten members of the royal family,

including the king and queen, and then took his own life. In October

2002, the new king dismissed the prime minister and his cabinet for

"incompetence" after they dissolved the parliament and were

subsequently unable to hold elections because of the ongoing

insurgency. While stopping short of reestablishing parliament, the

king in June 2004 reinstated the most recently elected prime

minister who formed a four-party coalition government. Citing

dissatisfaction with the government's lack of progress in addressing

the Maoist insurgency and corruption, the king in February 2005

dissolved the government, declared a state of emergency, imprisoned

party leaders, and assumed power. The king's government subsequently

released party leaders and officially ended the state of emergency

in May 2005, but the monarch retained absolute power until April

2006. After nearly three weeks of mass protests organized by the

seven-party opposition and the Maoists, the king allowed parliament

to reconvene on 28 April 2006. In November 2006, the government and

Maoists signed the Comprehensive Peace Accord to end the ten-year

insurgency.

Geography Nepal

Location:

Southern Asia, between China and India

Geographic coordinates:

28 00 N, 84 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 147,181 sq km

land: 143,181 sq km

water: 4,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Arkansas

Land boundaries: total: 2,926 km border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical

summers and mild winters in south

Terrain:

Tarai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill

region, rugged Himalayas in north

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m

highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m

Natural resources:

quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of

lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore

Land use: arable land: 16.07% permanent crops: 0.85% other: 83.08% (2005)

Irrigated land:

11,700 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine

depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer

monsoons

Environment - current issues:

deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives);

contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural

runoff, and industrial effluents); wildlife conservation; vehicular

emissions

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,

Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains

eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest and

Kanchenjunga - the world's tallest and third tallest - on the

borders with China and India respectively

People Nepal

Population:

28,287,147 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 38.7% (male 5,648,959/female 5,291,447)

15-64 years: 57.6% (male 8,365,526/female 7,925,941)

65 years and over: 3.7% (male 513,777/female 541,497) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 20.3 years

male: 20.1 years

female: 20.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.17% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

30.98 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

9.31 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female

total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 65.32 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 63.56 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 67.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 60.18 years

male: 60.43 years

female: 59.91 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.1 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

61,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

3,100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Nepalese (singular and plural)

adjective: Nepalese

Ethnic groups:

Chhettri 15.5%, Brahman-Hill 12.5%, Magar 7%, Tharu 6.6%, Tamang

5.5%, Newar 5.4%, Muslim 4.2%, Kami 3.9%, Yadav 3.9%, other 32.7%,

unspecified 2.8% (2001 census)

Religions:

Hindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%, Kirant 3.6%, other 0.9%

(2001 census)

note: only official Hindu state in the world

Languages:

Nepali 47.8%, Maithali 12.1%, Bhojpuri 7.4%, Tharu (Dagaura/Rana)

5.8%, Tamang 5.1%, Newar 3.6%, Magar 3.3%, Awadhi 2.4%, other 10%,

unspecified 2.5% (2001 census)

note: many in government and business also speak English

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 48.6%

male: 62.7%

female: 34.9% (2000-2004 est.)

Government Nepal

Country name:

conventional long and short form: Nepal

local long and short form: Nepal

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Kathmandu

geographic coordinates: 27 43 N, 85 19 E

time difference: UTC+5.75 (10.75 hours ahead of Washington, DC

during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri,

Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali,

Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti

Independence:

1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah)

National holiday:

note - in 2006 Parliament abolished the birthday of King GYANENDRA

(7 July) and Constitution Day (9 November) as national holidays

Constitution:

9 November 1990; the government began working on an interim

constitution in May 2006

Legal system:

based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not

accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Girija Prasad KOIRALA (since 30 April 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister Girija Prasad KOIRALA (since 30

April 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Khadga Prasad OLI (since 2 May

2006) and Amik SHERCHAN since June 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet historically appointed by the monarch on the

recommendation of the prime minister; note - the prime minister

selected the Cabinet in May 2006 in consultation with the political

parties

elections: following legislative elections, the leader of the

majority party or leader of a majority coalition historically has

been appointed prime minister by the monarch

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the National Council (60 seats; 35

appointed by the House of Representatives, 10 by the king, and 15

elected by an electoral college; one-third of the members elected

every two years to serve six-year terms) and the House of

Representatives (205 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve

five-year terms)

elections: House of Representatives - last held in May 1999; note -

Parliament was dissolved in May 2002 but was finally reconvened in

April 2006 with most of the members that were elected in 1999

election results: House of Representatives (for 1999 parliament) -

percent of vote by party - NC 37.3%, CPN/UML 31.6%, NDP (RPP) 10.4%,

NSP 3.2%, Rastriya Jana Morcha 1.4%, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 0.8%,

NWPP 0.5%, others 14.8%; seats by party - NC 113, CPN/UML 69, NDP

11, NSP 5, Rastriya Jana Morcha 5, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 1, NWPP

1; note - NC, NSP, and NDP have since each split into two parties

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Sarbochha Adalat (chief justice is appointed by

the monarch on recommendation of the Constitutional Council; the

other judges are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of

the Judicial Council)

Political parties and leaders:

Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML [Madhav

Kumar NEPAL, general secretary]; National Democratic Party or NDP

(also called Rastriya Prajantra Party or RPP) [Pashupati Shumsher

RANA, chairman]; Nepali Congress-Democratic [Sher Bahadur DEUBA,

president]; Nepali Congress or NC [Girija Prasad KOIRALA, party

president, Sushil KOIRALA, vice president]; Nepal Sadbhavana

(Goodwill) Party or NSP - Mandal [Bhadri Prasad MANDAL, party

president]; Nepal Sadbhavana Party - Ananda Devi [Ananda DEVI,

president]; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan Man

BIJUKCHHE, party chairman]; People's Front Nepal (Rastriya Jana

Morcha) [Amik SHERCHAN, chairman]; Rastriya Janashakti Party or RJP

[Surya Bahadur THAPA, chairman]; note - split from RPP in March

2005; Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal [leader NA]; note - merged with

People's Front Nepal or PFN in 2002

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Maoist guerrilla-based insurgency [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL, a.k.a.

PRACHANDA, chairman; Dr. Baburam BHATTARAI, deputy]; numerous small,

left-leaning student groups in the capital; several small, radical

Nepalese antimonarchist groups

International organization participation:

AsDB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,

IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IOM (observer), IPU,

ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, ONUB,

OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL,

UNMIS, UNOCI, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)

chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550

FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador James F. MORIARTY

embassy: Panipokhari, Kathmandu

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [977] (1) 411-1179

FAX: [977] (1) 441-9963

Flag description:

red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping

right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized

moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white 12-pointed sun

Economy Nepal

Economy - overview:

Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the

world with almost one-third of its population living below the

poverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing

a livelihood for three-fourths of the population and accounting for

38% of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of

agricultural produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain.

Security concerns relating to the Maoist conflict have led to a

decrease in tourism, a key source of foreign exchange. Nepal has

considerable scope for exploiting its potential in hydropower and

tourism, areas of recent foreign investment interest. Prospects for

foreign trade or investment in other sectors will remain poor,

however, because of the small size of the economy, its technological

backwardness, its remoteness, its landlocked geographic location,

its civil strife, and its susceptibility to natural disaster.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$41.92 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$7.154 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,500 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 38% industry: 21% services: 41% (2005 est.)

Labor force: 10.4 million note: severe lack of skilled labor (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 76% industry: 6% services: 18%

Unemployment rate:

42% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:

31% (2003-2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 39.1% (2003-2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

37.7 (FY04/05)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

7.8% (October 2005 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $1.153 billion

expenditures: $1.789 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(FY05/06)

Agriculture - products:

rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat

Industries:

tourism, carpet, textile; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed

mills; cigarettes, cement and brick production

Industrial production growth rate:

3.8% (FY04/05)

Electricity - production:

2.565 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 8.5% hydro: 91.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

1.85 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports:

111 million kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports:

241 million kWh (2005)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

11,980 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:

11,760 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$822 million f.o.b.; note - does not include unrecorded border

trade with India (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:

carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain

Exports - partners:

India 53.7%, US 17.4%, Germany 7.1% (2005)

Imports:

$2 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:

gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer

Imports - partners:

India 47.7%, UAE 11.2%, China 10.8%, Saudi Arabia 4.9%, Kuwait 4.2%

(2005)

Debt - external:

$3.34 billion (March 2005)

Economic aid - recipient:

$424 million (FY00/01)

Currency (code):

Nepalese rupee (NPR)

Currency code:

NPR

Exchange rates:

Nepalese rupees per US dollar - 71.368 (2005), 73.674 (2004),

76.141 (2003), 77.877 (2002)

Fiscal year:

16 July - 15 July

Communications Nepal

Telephones - main lines in use:

448,600 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

248,800 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair

radiotelephone communication service and mobile cellular telephone

network

domestic: NA

international: country code - 977; radiotelephone communications;

microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat

(Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (January 2000)

Radios:

840,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998)

Televisions:

130,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.np

Internet hosts:

17,789 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

6 (2000)

Internet users:

175,000 (2005)

Transportation Nepal

Airports: 48 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 10

over 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 38

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 8

under 914 m: 29 (2006)

Railways: total: 59 km narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 17,380 km paved: 9,886 km unpaved: 7,494 km (2004)

Military Nepal

Military branches:

Royal Nepalese Army (includes Royal Nepalese Army Air Service);

Nepalese Police Force

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 6,107,091

females age 18-49: 5,744,989 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 4.193 million

females age 18-49: 3,853,102 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 308,031

females age 18-49: 286,604 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$104.9 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.5% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Nepal

Disputes - international:

joint border commission continues to work on contested sections of

boundary with India, including the 400 square kilometer dispute over

the source of the Kalapani River; India has instituted a stricter

border regime to restrict transit of Maoist insurgents and illegal

cross-border activities; approximately 103,000 Bhutanese Lhotshampas

(Hindus) have been confined in refugee camps in southeastern Nepal

since 1990

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 106,248 (Bhutan), 20,153 (Tibet/China)

IDPs: 100,000-200,000 (ongoing conflict between government forces

and Maoist rebels; displacement spread across the country) (2006)

Illicit drugs:

illicit producer of cannabis and hashish for the domestic and

international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast

Asia to the West

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Netherlands

Introduction Netherlands

Background:

The Dutch United Provinces declared their independence from Spain

in 1579; during the 17th century, they became a leading seafaring

and commercial power, with settlements and colonies around the

world. After a 20-year French occupation, a Kingdom of the

Netherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830 Belgium seceded and formed a

separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I,

but suffered invasion and occupation by Germany in World War II. A

modern, industrialized nation, the Netherlands is also a large

exporter of agricultural products. The country was a founding member

of NATO and the EEC (now the EU), and participated in the

introduction of the euro in 1999.

Geography Netherlands

Location:

Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany

Geographic coordinates:

52 30 N, 5 45 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 41,526 sq km

land: 33,883 sq km

water: 7,643 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries: total: 1,027 km border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km

Coastline: 451 km

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

Climate:

temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters

Terrain:

mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in

southeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m

highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m

Natural resources:

natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel,

arable land

Land use: arable land: 21.96% permanent crops: 0.77% other: 77.27% (2005)

Irrigated land:

5,650 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

flooding

Environment - current issues:

water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic compounds, and

nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air pollution from

vehicles and refining activities; acid rain

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,

Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,

Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,

Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea,

Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,

Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands,

Whaling

Geography - note:

located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or

Meuse, and Schelde)

People Netherlands

Population:

16,491,461 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 18% (male 1,515,123/female 1,445,390)

15-64 years: 67.8% (male 5,656,448/female 5,525,481)

65 years and over: 14.2% (male 994,723/female 1,354,296) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 39.4 years

male: 38.6 years

female: 40.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.49% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

10.9 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

8.68 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

2.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

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

65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.96 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5.52 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.96 years

male: 76.39 years

female: 81.67 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.66 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

19,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women)

adjective: Dutch

Ethnic groups:

Dutch 83%, other 17% (of which 9% are non-Western origin mainly

Turks, Moroccans, Antilleans, Surinamese, and Indonesians) (1999

est.)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 31%, Dutch Reformed 13%, Calvinist 7%, Muslim 5.5%,

other 2.5%, none 41% (2002)

Languages:

Dutch (official), Frisian (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government Netherlands

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands

conventional short form: Netherlands

local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden

local short form: Nederland

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Amsterdam

geographic coordinates: 52 23 N, 4 54 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

note: The Hague (seat of government)

Administrative divisions:

12 provinces (provincies, singular - provincie); Drenthe,

Flevoland, Friesland (Fryslan), Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg,

Noord-Brabant (North Brabant), Noord-Holland (North Holland),

Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland, Zuid-Holland (South Holland)

Dependent areas:

Aruba, Netherlands Antilles

Independence:

23 January 1579 (the northern provinces of the Low Countries

conclude the Union of Utrecht breaking with Spain; on 26 July 1581

they formally declared their independence with an Act of Abjuration;

however, it was not until 30 January 1648 and the Peace of

Westphalia that Spain recognized this independence)

National holiday:

Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909 and accession

to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980), 30 April

Constitution:

adopted 1815; amended many times, most recently in 2002

Legal system:

civil law system incorporating French penal theory; constitution

does not permit judicial review of acts of the States General;

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen BEATRIX (since 30 April 1980); Heir Apparent

WILLEM-ALEXANDER (born 27 April 1967), son of the monarch

head of government: Prime Minister Jan Peter BALKENENDE (since 22

July 2002) and Deputy Prime Ministers Gerrit ZALM (since 27 May

2003) and Laurens Jan BRINKHORST (since 31 March 2005)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch

elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following Second

Chamber elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a

majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the

monarch; vice prime ministers appointed by the monarch

note: there is also a Council of State composed of the monarch, heir

apparent, and councilors that provides consultations to the cabinet

on legislative and administrative policy

Legislative branch:

bicameral States General or Staten Generaal consists of the First

Chamber or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly elected by the

country's 12 provincial councils for four-year terms) and the Second

Chamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members directly elected by

popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: First Chamber - last held 25 May 2003 (next to be held

May 2007); Second Chamber - last held 22 November 2006 (next to be

held by early 2011)

election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%;

seats by party - CDA 23, PvdA 19, VVD 15, Green Party 5, Socialist

Party 4, D66 3, other 6; Second Chamber - percent of vote by party -

CDA 26.5%, PvdA 21.2%, Socialist Party 16.6%, VVD 14.6%, Party for

Freedom 5.9%, Green Party 4.6%, Christian Union 4.0%; seats by party

- CDA 41, PvdA 33, Socialist Party 25, VVD 22, Party for Freedom 9,

Green Party 7, Christian Union 6, other 7

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Hoge Raad (justices are nominated for life by the

monarch)

Political parties and leaders:

Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Jan Peter BALKENENDE];

Christian Union Party [Andre ROUVOET]; Democrats 66 or D66

[Alexander PECHTOLD]; Green Left Party [Femke HALSEMA]; Labor Party

or PvdA [Wouter BOS]; List Pim Fortuyn [Olaf STUGER]; Party for

Freedom [Geert WILDERS]; People's Party for Freedom and Democracy

(Liberal) or VVD [Mark RUTTE]; Socialist Party [Jan MARIJNISSEN];

Party for Freedom or PVV [Geert WILDERS]; Party for the Animals or

PvdD [Marianne THIEME]; Reformed Political Party of SGP [Bas VAN DER

VLIES]; plus a few minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Netherlands Trade Union Federation or FNV (consisting of a merger

of Socialist and Catholic trade unions); Christian Trade Union

Federation or CNV; Trade Union Federation of Middle and High

Personnel or MHP; Federation of Catholic and Protestant Employers

Associations; Interchurch Peace Council or IKV; large multinational

firms; the nondenominational Federation of Netherlands Enterprises

International organization participation:

AfDB, Arctic Council (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux,

BIS, CBSS (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO,

G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,

IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC,

MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD,

OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO,

WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Christiaan Mark Johan KRONER

chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300

FAX: [1] (202) 362-3430

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York

consulate(s): Boston

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Roland E. ARNALL

embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ, The Hague

mailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715

telephone: [31] (70) 310-2209

FAX: [31] (70) 361-4688

consulate(s) general: Amsterdam

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue; similar

to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is longer;

one of the oldest flags in constant use, originating with WILLIAM I,

Prince of Orange, in the latter half of the 16th century

Economy Netherlands

Economy - overview:

The Netherlands has a prosperous and open economy, which depends

heavily on foreign trade. The economy is noted for stable industrial

relations, moderate unemployment and inflation, a sizable current

account surplus, and an important role as a European transportation

hub. Industrial activity is predominantly in food processing,

chemicals, petroleum refining, and electrical machinery. A highly

mechanized agricultural sector employs no more than 2% of the labor

force but provides large surpluses for the food-processing industry

and for exports. The Netherlands, along with 11 of its EU partners,

began circulating the euro currency on 1 January 2002. The country

continues to be one of the leading European nations for attracting

foreign direct investment. Economic growth slowed considerably in

2001-06, as part of the global economic slowdown, but for the four

years before that, annual growth averaged nearly 4%, well above the

EU average.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$512 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$612.7 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$31,700 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.1% industry: 23.9% services: 73.9% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 7.6 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 2% industry: 19% services: 79% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

5.5% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

10.5% (1999)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 22.9% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

30.9 (2005)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.4% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

19.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $304.3 billion

expenditures: $306.5 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

50.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; livestock

Industries:

agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical

machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction,

microelectronics, fishing

Industrial production growth rate:

2.3% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

92.7 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 89.9% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 4.3% other: 5.7% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

102.4 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

5.2 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

21.4 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

95,800 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

946,700 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

1.418 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

2.284 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

88.06 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

85.98 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

51.3 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

53.56 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

18.85 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

1.756 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$50.17 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$413.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs

Exports - partners:

Germany 24.9%, Belgium 13%, France 9.4%, UK 9.2%, Italy 5.7%, US

4.3%, Spain 4.1% (2005)

Imports:

$373.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs,

clothing

Imports - partners:

Germany 16.6%, Belgium 9.3%, China 8.8%, US 7.6%, UK 5.8%, France

4.7%, Russia 4.4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$10.24 billion (August 2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.899 trillion (30 June 2006)

Economic aid - donor:

ODA, $4 billion (2003 est.)

Currency (code):

euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the

euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of

member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole

currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:

EUR

Exchange rates:

euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),

0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Netherlands

Telephones - main lines in use:

7.6 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

15.834 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: highly developed and well maintained

domestic: extensive fixed-line fiber-optic network; cellular

telephone system is one of the largest in Europe with five major

network operators utilizing the third generation of the Global

System for Mobile Communications (GSM)

international: country code - 31; 9 submarine cables; satellite

earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean), 1

Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (2004)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 4, FM 246, shortwave 3 (2004)

Radios:

15.3 million (1996)

Television broadcast stations:

21 (plus 26 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:

8.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.nl

Internet hosts:

8,363,158 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

52 (2000)

Internet users:

10,806,328 (2004)

Transportation Netherlands

Airports: 27 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 20 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 7

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Heliports:

1 (2006)

Pipelines:

condensate 81 km; gas 7,229 km; oil 578 km; refined products 716 km

(2006)

Railways:

total: 2,808 km

standard gauge: 2,808 km 1.435-m gauge (2,061 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:

total: 134,000 km (including 3,270 km of expressways) (2004)

Waterways:

6,183 km (navigable for ships of 50 tons) (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 558 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,042,775 GRT/5,016,265 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 29, cargo 345, chemical tanker 29, container

59, liquefied gas 12, passenger 14, passenger/cargo 14, petroleum

tanker 16, refrigerated cargo 19, roll on/roll off 18, specialized

tanker 3

foreign-owned: 157 (Australia 1, Belgium 2, Denmark 9, Finland 13,

Germany 56, Ireland 10, Netherlands Antilles 1, Norway 7, Sweden 26,

UK 19, US 13)

registered in other countries: 222 (Antigua and Barbuda 14,

Australia 2, Austria 2, Bahamas 24, Canada 1, Cayman Islands 4,

Cyprus 18, Gibraltar 5, Isle of Man 1, Liberia 29, Luxembourg 2,

Malta 6, Marshall Islands 1, Netherlands Antilles 54, Norway 3,

Panama 21, Philippines 19, Portugal 1, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines 5, Singapore 2, UK 3, US 4, unknown 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Amsterdam, Groningen, IJmuiden, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Vlissingen,

Zaanstad

Military Netherlands

Military branches:

Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (includes Naval Air

Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force (Koninklijke

Luchtmacht, KLu), Royal Military Police, Defense Interservice

Command (DICO) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

20 years of age for an all-volunteer force (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 20-49: 3,557,918

females age 20-49: 3,470,377 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 20-49: 2,856,691

females age 20-49: 2,786,495 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 99,934

females age 20-49: 95,818 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$9.408 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.6% (2004)

Transnational Issues Netherlands

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

major European producer of ecstasy, illicit amphetamines, and other

synthetic drugs; important gateway for cocaine, heroin, and hashish

entering Europe; major source of US-bound ecstasy; large financial

sector vulnerable to money laundering

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Netherlands Antilles

Introduction Netherlands Antilles

Background:

Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, the island of Curacao

was hard hit by the abolition of slavery in 1863. Its prosperity

(and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in the early 20th

century with the construction of oil refineries to service the newly

discovered Venezuelan oil fields. The island of Saint Martin is

shared with France; its southern portion is named Sint Maarten and

is part of the Netherlands Antilles; its northern portion is called

Saint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe (France).

Geography Netherlands Antilles

Location:

Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea - composed of

five islands, Curacao and Bonaire located off the coast of

Venezuela, and St. Maarten, Saba, and St. Eustatius lie east of the

US Virgin Islands

Geographic coordinates:

12 15 N, 68 45 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 960 sq km

land: 960 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint

Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)

Area - comparative:

more than five times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 15 km border countries: Guadeloupe (Saint-Martin) 15 km

Coastline: 364 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Climate:

tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds

Terrain:

generally hilly, volcanic interiors

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m

Natural resources: phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)

Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 0% other: 90% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt and are

rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are

subject to hurricanes from July to October

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

the five islands of the Netherlands Antilles are divided

geographically into the Leeward Islands (northern) group (Saba, Sint

Eustatius, and Sint Maarten) and the Windward Islands (southern)

group (Bonaire and Curacao)

People Netherlands Antilles

Population:

221,736 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 23.9% (male 27,197/female 25,886)

15-64 years: 67.3% (male 71,622/female 77,710)

65 years and over: 8.7% (male 7,925/female 11,396) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 32.8 years

male: 31.1 years

female: 34.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.79% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

14.78 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

6.45 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 9.76 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 10.54 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 8.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.03 years

male: 73.76 years

female: 78.41 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.99 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality: noun: Dutch Antillean(s) adjective: Dutch Antillean

Ethnic groups:

mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian

Religions:

Roman Catholic 72%, Pentecostal 4.9%, Protestant 3.5%, Seventh-Day

Adventist 3.1%, Methodist 2.9%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.7%, other

Christian 4.2%, Jewish 1.3%, other or unspecified 1.2%, none 5.2%

(2001 census)

Languages:

Papiamento 65.4% (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect),

English 15.9% (widely spoken), Dutch 7.3% (official), Spanish 6.1%,

Creole 1.6%, other 1.9%, unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.7%

male: 96.7%

female: 96.8% (2003 est.)

Government Netherlands Antilles

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles

local long form: none

local short form: Nederlandse Antillen

former: Curacao and Dependencies

Dependency status:

an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full

autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954; Dutch Government

responsible for defense and foreign affairs

Government type:

parliamentary

Capital:

name: Willemstad (on Curacao)

geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 68 56 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) note: each island has its own government

Independence:

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

National holiday:

Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909 and accession

to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980), 30 April

Constitution:

29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as

amended

Legal system:

based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law

influence

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April

1980), represented by Governor General Frits GOEDGEDRAG (since 1

July 2002)

head of government: Prime Minister Emily de JONGH-ELHAGE (since 26

March 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten (legislature)

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by

the monarch for a six-year term; following legislative elections,

the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister

by the Staten; election last held 27 January 2006 (next to be held

by 2007)

note: government coalition - PAR, PNP, DP St. Maarten, UP Bonaire,

WIPM Saba, DP Statia

Legislative branch:

unicameral States or Staten (22 seats - Curacao 14, Bonaire 3, St.

Maarten 3, St. Eustatius 1, Saba 1; members are elected by popular

vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 27 January 2006 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

PAR 5, MAN 3, FOL 2, Forsa Korsou 2, National Alliance 2, PNP 2, UPB

2, DP St. E 1, DP St. M 1, BDP 1, WIPM 1

note: the government of Prime Minister Emily de JONGH-ELHAGE is a

coalition of several parties

Judicial branch:

Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:

Bonaire: Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB [Jopi ABRAHAM];

Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UPB [Ramonsito BOOI]

Curacao: Ban Vota [Norbert GEORGE]; C-93 [Stanley BROWN]; Democratic

Party of Curacao or DP [Errol HERNANDEZ]; E Mayoria [Aurelio PEDRO];

Forsa Korsou [Nelson NAVARRO]; Liste Ni'un Paso Atras [Nelson

PIERRE]; Movemiento Patriotiko Korsou [Reginald LAK]; New Antilles

Movement or MAN [Charles COOPER]; Partido Akshon Pa Prosperidat I

Seguridat [Sonja BERKEMEYER]; Partido Laboral Krusada Popular or

PLKP [Errol COVA]; Party for the Restructured Antilles or PAR [Emily

de JONGH-ELHAGE]; People's National Party or PNP [Ersilia DE

LANNOOY]; Pidjin [Jasmin PINEDO]; Pueblo Soberano [Herman WIELS];

Workers' Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT]

Saba: Saba Labor Party [Akilah LEVENSTONE]; Windward Islands

People's Movement or WIPM [Ray HASSELL]

Sint Eustatius: Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E

[Julian WOODLEY]; Progressive Labor Party [Clyde VAN PUTTEN]; St.

Eustatius Alliance [Ingrid HOUTMAN-WHITFIELD]

Sint Maarten: Democratic Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [Sarah

WESCOTT-WILLIAMS]; Freedom Slate of National Democratic Party

[Theophilus PRIEST]; National Alliance or NA [William MARLIN];

People's Progressive Alliance or PPA [Gracita ARRINDELL]; St.

Maarten People's Party [Johan LEONARD]; United People's Labor Party

[Bienvenido RICHARDSON]

note: political parties are indigenous to each island

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Unions (AVBO) and Employers Association (VBC)

International organization participation:

ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate),

UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - Mr. Jeffrey CORRION, Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Consul General Robert E. SORENSON

consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad, Curacao

mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao

telephone: [599] (9) 4613066

FAX: [599] (9) 4616489

Flag description:

white, with a horizontal blue stripe in the center superimposed on

a vertical red band, also centered; five white, five-pointed stars

are arranged in an oval pattern in the center of the blue band; the

five stars represent the five main islands of Bonaire, Curacao,

Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten

Economy Netherlands Antilles

Economy - overview:

Tourism, petroleum refining, and offshore finance are the mainstays

of this small economy, which is closely tied to the outside world.

Although GDP has declined or grown slightly in each of the past

eight years, the islands enjoy a high per capita income and a

well-developed infrastructure compared with other countries in the

region. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, the US

and Mexico being the major suppliers. Poor soils and inadequate

water supplies hamper the development of agriculture. Budgetary

problems hamper reform of the health and pension systems of an aging

population.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$2.8 billion (2004 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

NA

GDP - real growth rate:

1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$16,000 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 15% services: 84% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 83,600 (2005)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 1% industry: 20% services: 79% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

17% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.1% (2003 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $757.9 million

expenditures: $949.5 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2004)

Agriculture - products:

aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit

Industries:

tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining

(Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire),

light manufacturing (Curacao)

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

1.005 billion kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

934.7 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

70,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

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

Exports - commodities:

petroleum products

Exports - partners:

US 29.4%, Panama 14.4%, Mexico 8.8%, Haiti 5.6%, Venezuela 4.9%,

Bahamas, The 4.4% (2005)

Imports:

$4.383 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

crude petroleum, food, manufactures

Imports - partners:

Venezuela 50.7%, US 20.8%, Italy 4.8%, Netherlands 4.5% (2005)

Debt - external:

$2.68 billion (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:

$21.5 million IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the Netherlands

continued its support with $40 million (2004)

Currency (code):

Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG)

Currency code:

ANG

Exchange rates:

Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar - 1.79 (2005), 1.79

(2004), 1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Netherlands Antilles

Telephones - main lines in use:

81,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

200,000 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: generally adequate facilities

domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links

international: country code - 599; submarine cables - 2; satellite

earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:

217,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (there is also a cable service, which supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and four Venezuelan channels) (2004)

Televisions:

69,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.an

Internet hosts:

19,204 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

6

Internet users:

2,000 (2000)

Transportation Netherlands Antilles

Airports: 5 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 152 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,289,462 GRT/1,671,649 DWT

by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 13, cargo 68, chemical tanker

3, container 19, liquefied gas 4, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3,

petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 28, roll on/roll off 4,

specialized tanker 3

foreign-owned: 143 (Belgium 4, Cuba 1, Denmark 1, Germany 60,

Netherlands 54, Norway 5, Sweden 5, Turkey 9, UK 3, US 1)

registered in other countries: 1 (Netherlands 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Bopec Terminal, Fuik Bay, Kralendijk, Willemstad

Military Netherlands Antilles

Military branches: no regular military forces; National Guard, Police Force (2005)

Military service age and obligation:

16 years of age for National Guard recruitment; no conscription

(2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 54,200

females age 16-49: 56,868 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 45,273

females age 16-49: 47,166 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 1,720

females age 16-49: 1,657 (2005 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Transnational Issues Netherlands Antilles

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and

Europe; money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@New Caledonia

Introduction New Caledonia

Background:

Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the

19th century, the island was made a French possession in 1853. It

served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864. Agitation for

independence during the 1980s and early 1990s ended in the 1998

Noumea Accord, which over a period of 15 to 20 years will transfer

an increasing amount of governing responsibility from France to New

Caledonia. The agreement also commits France to conduct as many as

three referenda between 2013 and 2018, to decide whether New

Caledonia should assume full sovereignty and independence.

Geography New Caledonia

Location:

Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia

Geographic coordinates:

21 30 S, 165 30 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 19,060 sq km

land: 18,575 sq km

water: 485 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

2,254 km

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

Climate:

tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid

Terrain:

coastal plains with interior mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m

Natural resources: nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper

Land use: arable land: 0.32% permanent crops: 0.22% other: 99.46% (2005)

Irrigated land:

100 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

cyclones, most frequent from November to March

Environment - current issues:

erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires

Geography - note:

consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of the largest in

the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute, and numerous

small, sparsely populated islands and atolls

People New Caledonia

Population:

219,246 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 28.4% (male 31,818/female 30,503)

15-64 years: 64.9% (male 71,565/female 70,815)

65 years and over: 6.6% (male 6,773/female 7,772) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 27.8 years

male: 27.4 years

female: 28.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.24% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

18.11 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

5.69 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population

note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New

Caledonia (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

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

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 7.57 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 8.27 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 74.27 years

male: 71.29 years

female: 77.39 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.28 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: New Caledonian(s)

adjective: New Caledonian

Ethnic groups:

Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%,

Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%

Languages:

French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 91%

male: 92%

female: 90% (1976 est.)

Government New Caledonia

Country name:

conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies

conventional short form: New Caledonia

local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances

local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie

Dependency status:

territorial collectivity of France since 1998

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Noumea

geographic coordinates: 22 16 S, 166 27 E

time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order

administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there

are 3 provinces named Province des Iles, Province Nord, and Province

Sud

Independence:

none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on

independence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new referendum is

scheduled for 2014

National holiday:

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:

the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the

islands; formerly under French law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May

1995), represented by High Commissioner Michel MATHIEU (since 15

July 2005)

head of government: President of the Government Marie-Noelle

THEMEREAU (since 10 June 2004)

cabinet: Consultative Committee consists of eight members chosen

from leading figures on the island to advise the High Commissioner

elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year

term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the

advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the

government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress for a

five-year term (no term limits); note - last election held 29 June

2004 when Marie-Noelle THEMEREAU was elected on the third vote with

8 votes for and 3 abstentions

Legislative branch:

unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres du territoire (54 seats;

members belong to the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees

Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 9 May 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

RPCR-UMP 16, AE 16, UNI-FLNKS 8, UC 7, FN 4, others 3

note: New Caledonia currently holds 1 seat in the French Senate; by

2010, New Caledonia will gain a second seat in the French Senate;

elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held not later

than September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats

by party - UMP 1; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French

National Assembly; elections last held 9 and 16 June 2002 (next to

be held in June 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA;

seats by party - UMP 2

Judicial branch:

Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce

Tribunal Court; Children's Court

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX]; Caledonian

Union or UC; Federation des Comites de Coordination des

Independantistes or FCCI [Francois BURCK]; Front National or FN [Guy

GEORGE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Kanak

Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS [leader NA]

(includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation Kanak or

PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE]; Rally for Caledonia in

the Republic (anti independent) or RPCR-UMP [Jacques LAFLEUR]; The

Future Together or AE [Harold MARTIN]; Union Nationale pour

l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; note - may no longer exist,

but Paul NEAOUTYINE has since become a president of Parti de

Liberation Kanak or PALIKA; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM

[Victor TUTUGORO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ITUC, PIF (observer), SPC, UPU, WFTU, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of France)

Flag description:

the flag of France is used

Economy New Caledonia

Economy - overview:

New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's known nickel resources.

Only a small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and

food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel,

substantial financial support from France - equal to more than 15%

of GDP - and tourism are keys to the health of the economy.

Substantial new investment in the nickel industry, combined with the

recovery of global nickel prices, brightens the economic outlook for

the next several years.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$3.158 billion (2003 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

NA

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$15,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15% industry: 8.8% services: 76.2% (2003)

Labor force: 78,990 (including 11,300 unemployed) (2004)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 20% industry: 20% services: 60% (2002)

Unemployment rate:

17.1% (2004)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

-0.6% (2000 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $856.3 million

expenditures: $836.5 million (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products:

vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products; fish

Industries:

nickel mining and smelting

Industrial production growth rate:

-0.6% (1996)

Electricity - production:

1.675 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 76.3% hydro: 23.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

1.558 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

10,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$999 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

ferronickels, nickel ore, fish

Exports - partners:

Japan 21.1%, France 17.2%, Taiwan 11.3%, South Korea 10%, Spain

8.9%, China 7.2%, Belgium 4.5%, South Africa 4.4% (2005)

Imports:

$1.636 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

France 39.3%, Singapore 17.5%, Australia 13.1%, NZ 5.3% (2005)

Debt - external:

$79 million (1998 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$525 million annual subsidy from France (2004)

Currency (code):

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Currency code:

XPF

Exchange rates:

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 95.01

(2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications New Caledonia

Telephones - main lines in use:

55,300 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

134,300 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

107,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

6 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:

52,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.nc

Internet hosts:

13,962 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

76,000 (2005)

Transportation New Caledonia

Airports: 25 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 6 (2006)

Heliports:

6 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 5,432 km (2000)

Merchant marine:

total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,566 GRT/2,543 DWT

by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Noumea

Military New Caledonia

Military branches:

no regular indigenous military forces; French Armed Forces

(includes Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 50,874 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 40,822 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 1,907 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

NA

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues New Caledonia

Disputes - international: Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@New Zealand

Introduction New Zealand

Background:

The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In

1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain, the

Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen

Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year, the

British began the first organized colonial settlement. A series of

land wars between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native

peoples. The British colony of New Zealand became an independent

dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both World Wars.

New Zealand's full participation in a number of defense alliances

lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years, the government has sought to

address longstanding Maori grievances.

Geography New Zealand

Location:

Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia

Geographic coordinates:

41 00 S, 174 00 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 268,680 sq km

land: 268,021 sq km

water: NA

note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands,

Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands

Area - comparative:

about the size of Colorado

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

15,134 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

temperate with sharp regional contrasts

Terrain:

predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m

Natural resources:

natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold,

limestone

Land use: arable land: 5.54% permanent crops: 6.92% other: 87.54% (2005)

Irrigated land:

2,850 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit by

invasive species

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living

Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine

Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,

Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Antarctic Seals, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

about 80% of the population lives in cities; Wellington is the

southernmost national capital in the world

People New Zealand

Population:

4,076,140 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 21.1% (male 439,752/female 419,174)

15-64 years: 67.1% (male 1,374,850/female 1,361,570)

65 years and over: 11.8% (male 210,365/female 270,429) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 33.9 years

male: 33.2 years

female: 34.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.99% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

13.76 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

7.53 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

3.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 5.76 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 6.59 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.81 years

male: 75.82 years

female: 81.93 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.79 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

1,400 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: New Zealander(s)

adjective: New Zealand

Ethnic groups:

European 69.8%, Maori 7.9%, Asian 5.7%, Pacific islander 4.4%,

other 0.5%, mixed 7.8%, unspecified 3.8% (2001 census)

Religions:

Anglican 14.9%, Roman Catholic 12.4%, Presbyterian 10.9%, Methodist

2.9%, Pentecostal 1.7%, Baptist 1.3%, other Christian 9.4%, other

3.3%, unspecified 17.2%, none 26% (2001 census)

Languages:

English (official), Maori (official), Sign Language (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government New Zealand

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: New Zealand

abbreviation: NZ

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Wellington

geographic coordinates: 41 28 S, 174 51 E

time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

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

third Sunday in March

note: New Zealand is divided into two time zones, including Chatham

Island

Administrative divisions:

16 regions and 1 territory*; Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury,

Chatham Islands*, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu-Wanganui,

Marlborough, Nelson, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Tasman,

Waikato, Wellington, West Coast

Dependent areas:

Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau

Independence:

26 September 1907 (from UK)

National holiday:

Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty

over New Zealand), 6 February (1840); ANZAC Day (commemorated as the

anniversary of the 1915 landing of troops of the Australian and New

Zealand Army Corps during World War I at Gallipoli, Turkey), 25 April

Constitution:

consists of a series of legal documents, including certain acts of

the UK and New Zealand Parliaments, as well as The Constitution Act

1986, which is the principal formal charter; adopted 1 January 1987,

effective 1 January 1987

Legal system:

based on English law, with special land legislation and land courts

for the Maori; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

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

represented by Governor General Anand SATYANAND (since 23 August

2006)

head of government: Prime Minister Helen CLARK (since 10 December

1999) and Deputy Prime Minister Michael CULLEN (since NA July 2002)

cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the

recommendation of the prime minister

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general

appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the

leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition

is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy

prime minister appointed by the governor general

Legislative branch:

unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called Parliament

(120 seats; 69 members elected by popular vote in single-member

constituencies including seven Maori constituencies, and 51

proportional seats chosen from party lists, all to serve three-year

terms)

elections: last held 17 September 2005 (next to be held not later

than 15 November 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - NZLP 41.1%, NP 39.1%,

NZFP 5.72%, Green Party 5.3%, Maori 2.12%, UF 2.67%, ACT New Zealand

1.51%, Progressive 1.16%; seats by party - NZLP 50, NP 48, NZFP 7,

Green Party 6, Maori 4, UF 3, ACT New Zealand 2, Progressive 1

note: results of 2005 election saw the total number of seats

increase to 121 because the Maori Party won one more electorate seat

than its entitlement under the party vote

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; High Court; note - Judges appointed

by the Governor-General

Political parties and leaders:

ACT New Zealand [Rodney HIDE]; Green Party [Jeanette FITZSIMONS];

Maori Party [Whatarangi WINIATA]; National Party or NP [John KEY];

New Zealand First Party or NZFP [Winston PETERS]; New Zealand Labor

Party or NZLP [Helen CLARK]; Progressive Party [James (Jim)

ANDERTON]; United Future or UF [Peter DUNNE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986),

APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C,

CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA,

IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,

ITU, ITUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OECD, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, SPC,

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,

WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Roy N. FERGUSON chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-4800 FAX: [1] (202) 667-5227 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador William P. McCORMICK

embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington

mailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, APO AP

96531-1034

telephone: [64] (4) 462-6000

FAX: [64] (4) 499-0490

consulate(s) general: Auckland

Flag description:

blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant with

four red five-pointed stars edged in white centered in the outer

half of the flag; the stars represent the Southern Cross

constellation

Government - note:

while not an official symbol, the Kiwi, a small native flightless

bird, represents New Zealand

Economy New Zealand

Economy - overview:

Over the past 20 years the government has transformed New Zealand

from an agrarian economy dependent on concessionary British market

access to a more industrialized, free market economy that can

compete globally. This dynamic growth has boosted real incomes (but

left behind many at the bottom of the ladder), broadened and

deepened the technological capabilities of the industrial sector,

and contained inflationary pressures. Per capita income has risen

for eight consecutive years and was more than $25,500 in 2006 in

purchasing power parity terms. Consumer and government spending have

driven growth in recent years, and exports picked up in 2006 after

struggling for several years. Exports are equal to about 28% of GDP,

down from 33 percent of GDP in 2001. Thus far the economy has been

resilient, and the Labor Government promises that expenditures on

health, education, and pensions will increase proportionately to

output.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$106 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$98.77 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

1.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$26,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4.3% industry: 26.9% services: 68.8% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 2.18 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 10% industry: 25% services: 65% (1995)

Unemployment rate:

8.3% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA

highest 10%: NA (1991 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

36.2 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.8% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

22% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $41.51 billion

expenditures: $36.99 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

19.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables; wool, beef,

lamb and mutton, dairy products; fish

Industries:

food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, machinery,

transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism, mining

Industrial production growth rate:

1.2% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

41.1 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 31.6% hydro: 57.8% nuclear: 0% other: 10.7% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

38.22 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

27,860 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

150,600 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

30,220 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

119,700 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

89.62 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

4.35 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

4.349 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

33.36 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-7.944 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$23.69 billion (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

dairy products, meat, wood and wood products, fish, machinery

Exports - partners:

Australia 21.4%, US 14.1%, Japan 10.6%, China 5.1%, UK 4.7% (2005)

Imports:

$25.23 billion (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft, petroleum,

electronics, textiles, plastics

Imports - partners:

Australia 20.9%, US 11%, Japan 11%, China 10.9%, Germany 4.9% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$10 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$47 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - donor:

ODA, $276 million

Currency (code):

New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code:

NZD

Exchange rates:

New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.55677 (2006), 1.4203 (2005),

1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 July - 30 June

Communications New Zealand

Telephones - main lines in use:

1,800,500 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

3.53 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: excellent domestic and international systems

domestic: NA

international: country code - 64; submarine cables to Australia and

Fiji; 8 satellite earth stations - 1 InMarSat (Pacific Ocean), 7

other

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 124, FM 290, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:

3.75 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 41 (plus 52 medium-power repeaters and over 650 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:

1.926 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.nz

Internet hosts:

1,050,197 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

36 (2000)

Internet users:

3.2 million (2005)

Transportation New Zealand

Airports: 118 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 45 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 73 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 31 under 914 m: 40 (2006)

Pipelines:

condensate 224 km; gas 1,693 km; liquid petroleum gas 45 km; oil

280 km; refined products 288 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 4,128 km

narrow gauge: 4,128 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:

total: 92,931 km

paved: 59,783 km (including 171 km of expressways)

unpaved: 33,148 km (2003)

Merchant marine:

total: 13 ships (1000 GRT or over) 136,361 GRT/124,972 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum

tanker 2, roll on/roll off 2

foreign-owned: 4 (Australia 2, Germany 1, Isle of Man 1)

registered in other countries: 8 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Cook

Islands 1, Dominica 4, France 1, UK 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Auckland, Lyttelton, Tauranga, Wellington, Whangarei

Military New Zealand

Military branches:

New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF): New Zealand Army, Royal New

Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be

deployed until the age of 18 (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 17-49: 984,700

females age 17-49: 965,170 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 17-49: 809,519

females age 17-49: 802,069 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 29,738

females age 17-49: 28,523 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$1.147 billion (FY03/04)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1% (FY02)

Transnational Issues New Zealand

Disputes - international: asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency) [see Antarctica]

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Nicaragua

Introduction Nicaragua

Background:

The Pacific coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony from

Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from Spain was

declared in 1821 and the country became an independent republic in

1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the

19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region in

subsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental manipulation

and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and resulted in a

short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist Sandinista guerrillas

to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador

caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista contra guerrillas through

much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990, 1996, and 2001, saw the

Sandinistas defeated, but voting in 2006 announced the return of

former Sandinista President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra. Nicaragua's

infrastructure and economy - hard hit by the earlier civil war and

by Hurricane Mitch in 1998 - are slowly being rebuilt.

Geography Nicaragua

Location:

Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North

Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras

Geographic coordinates:

13 00 N, 85 00 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 129,494 sq km

land: 120,254 sq km

water: 9,240 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than the state of New York

Land boundaries: total: 1,231 km border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km

Coastline: 910 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: natural prolongation

Climate:

tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands

Terrain:

extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior

mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m

Natural resources:

gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish

Land use: arable land: 14.81% permanent crops: 1.82% other: 83.37% (2005)

Irrigated land:

610 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely

susceptible to hurricanes

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:

largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater

body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua

People Nicaragua

Population:

5,570,129 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 36.4% (male 1,031,897/female 994,633)

15-64 years: 60.5% (male 1,677,633/female 1,691,353)

65 years and over: 3.1% (male 76,758/female 97,855) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 20.9 years

male: 20.5 years

female: 21.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.89% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

24.51 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

4.45 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-1.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 28.11 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 31.51 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 24.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 70.63 years

male: 68.55 years

female: 72.81 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.75 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

6,400 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Nicaraguan(s)

adjective: Nicaraguan

Ethnic groups:

mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%,

Amerindian 5%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 72.9%, Evangelical 15.1%, Moravian 1.5%, Episcopal

0.1%, other 1.9%, none 8.5% (1995 census)

Languages:

Spanish 97.5% (official), Miskito 1.7%, other 0.8% (1995 census)

note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 67.5%

male: 67.2%

female: 67.8% (2003 est.)

Government Nicaragua

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua

conventional short form: Nicaragua

local long form: Republica de Nicaragua

local short form: Nicaragua

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Managua

geographic coordinates: 12 09 N, 86 17 W

time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

Administrative divisions:

15 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 2

autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular - region

autonomista); Atlantico Norte*, Atlantico Sur*, Boaco, Carazo,

Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz,

Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas

Independence:

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:

9 January 1987; reforms in 1995 and 2000

Legal system:

civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts;

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

16 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 15 January

2007); Vice President Jaime MORALES Carazo (since 10 January 2007);

note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 15

January 2007); Vice President Jaime MORALES Carazo (since 10 January

2007)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket

by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term so

long as it is not consecutive); election last held 5 November 2006

(next to be held by November 2011)

election results: Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) elected president -

38.07%, Eduardo MONTEALEGRE (ALN) 29%, Jose RIZO (PLC) 26.21%,

Edmundo JARQUIN (MRS) 6.44%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (92 seats;

members are elected by proportional representation and party lists

to serve five-year terms; 1 seat for the previous president, 1 seat

for the runner-up in previous presidential election)

elections: last held 5 November 2006 (next to be held by November

2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

FSLN 38, PLC 25, ALN 23 (22 plus one for presidential candidate

Eduardo MONTEALEGRE, runner-up in the 2006 presidential election),

MRS 5, APRE 1 (outgoing President Enrique BOLANOS)

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (16 judges elected for five-year

terms by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance for the Republic or APRE [Miguel LOPEZ Baldizon]; Central

American Unionist Party or PUCA [Blanca ROJAS]; Christian

Alternative Party or AC [Orlando TARDENCILLA Espinoza]; Conservative

Party or PC [Azalia AVILES Salmeron]; Independent Liberal Party or

PLI [Anibal MARTINEZ Nunez, Pedro REYES Vallejos]; Independent

Liberal Party for National Unity or PLIUN [Carlos GUERRA Gallardo];

Liberal Constitutional Party or PLC [Jorge CASTILLO Quant]; Liberal

Salvation Movement or MSL [Eliseo NUNEZ Hernandez]; New Liberal

Party or PALI [Adolfo GARCIA Esquivel]; Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance

or ALN [Eduardo MONTEALEGRE]; Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Path

or PCCN [Guillermo OSORNO Molina]; Nicaraguan Resistance Party or

PRN [Salvador TALAVERA]; Sandinista National Liberation Front or

FSLN [Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra]; Sandinista Renovation Movement or MRS

[Dora Maria TELLEZ]; Unity Alliance or AU

Political pressure groups and leaders:

National Workers Front or FNT is a Sandinista umbrella group of

eight labor unions including - Farm Workers Association or ATC,

Health Workers Federation or FETASALUD, Heroes and Martyrs

Confederation of Professional Associations or CONAPRO, National

Association of Educators of Nicaragua or ANDEN, National Union of

Employees or UNE, National Union of Farmers and Ranchers or UNAG,

Sandinista Workers Central or CST, and Union of Journalists of

Nicaragua or UPN; Permanent Congress of Workers or CPT is an

umbrella group of four non-Sandinista labor unions including -

Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers Central or CTN-A, Confederation of

Labor Unification or CUS, Independent General Confederation of Labor

or CGT-I, and Labor Action and Unity Central or CAUS; Nicaraguan

Workers' Central or CTN is an independent labor union; Superior

Council of Private Enterprise or COSEP is a confederation of

business groups

International organization participation:

BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,

IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO

(correspondent), ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS,

OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,

WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: vacant chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6570, [1] (202) 939-6573 FAX: [1] (202) 939-6545 consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Paul A. TRIVELLI embassy: Kilometer 4.5 Carretera Sur, Managua mailing address: P.O. Box 327 telephone: [505] 266-6010 FAX: [505] 266-3861

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with

the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of

arms features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE

NICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; similar to

the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by

the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in

the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five

blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band

Economy Nicaragua

Economy - overview:

Nicaragua, the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere,

has low per capita income and widespread underemployment.

Distribution of income is one of the most unequal on the globe.

While the country has progressed toward macroeconomic stability in

the past few years, GDP annual growth has been far too low to meet

the country's needs, forcing the country to rely on international

economic assistance to meet fiscal and debt financing obligations.

Nicaragua qualified in early 2004 for some $4.5 billion in foreign

debt reduction under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC)

initiative and in November 2006 obtained over $800 million in debt

relief from the Inter-American Development Bank. In October 2005,

Nicaragua ratified the US-Central America Free Trade Agreement

(CAFTA), which will provide an opportunity for Nicaragua to attract

investment, create jobs, and deepen economic development. Energy

shortages, however, are a serious bottleneck to growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$16.83 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$4.816 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$3,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17.3% industry: 25.8% services: 56.8% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 2.261 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 30.5% industry: 17.3% services: 52.2% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:

3.8% plus underemployment of 46.5% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

50% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 45% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

55.1 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

9.4% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

29.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $945.3 million

expenditures: $1.254 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

82.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco, sesame,

soya, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products; shrimp,

lobsters

Industries:

food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, textiles,

clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear,

wood

Industrial production growth rate:

2.4% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:

2.766 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 83.9% hydro: 7.7% nuclear: 0% other: 8.4% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

2.573 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

22 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

23 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

14,300 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

25,200 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:

758.9 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:

15,560 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-883 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$1.714 billion f.o.b.; note - includes free trade zones (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

coffee, beef, shrimp and lobster, tobacco, sugar, gold, peanuts

Exports - partners:

US 34.1%, El Salvador 14.3%, Honduras 7.9%, Costa Rica 6.1%,

Guatemala 5.2%, Mexico 5.1%, Spain 4.2% (2005)

Imports:

$3.202 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

consumer goods, machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum

products

Imports - partners:

US 20.1%, Venezuela 11.9%, Costa Rica 8.9%, Mexico 8.3%, Guatemala

7%, El Salvador 5.1%, Japan 4.5%, Ecuador 4.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$723 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$3.763 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$419.5 million (2005 est.)

Currency (code):

gold cordoba (NIO)

Currency code:

NIO

Exchange rates:

gold cordobas per US dollar - 17.5815 (2006), 16.733 (2005), 15.937

(2004), 15.105 (2003), 14.251 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Nicaragua

Telephones - main lines in use:

220,900 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.119 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: inadequate system being upgraded by foreign

investment

domestic: low-capacity microwave radio relay and wire system being

expanded; connected to Central American Microwave System

international: country code - 505; satellite earth stations - 1

Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 63, FM 32, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:

1.24 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:

320,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.ni

Internet hosts:

24,452 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

3 (2000)

Internet users:

140,000 (2005)

Transportation Nicaragua

Airports: 176 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 165 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 141 (2006)

Pipelines: oil 54 km (2006)

Railways: total: 6 km narrow gauge: 6 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 19,036 km paved: 2,299 km unpaved: 16,737 km (2005)

Waterways:

2,220 km (including lakes Managua and Nicaragua) (2005)

Ports and terminals:

Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff

Military Nicaragua

Military branches:

Army (includes Navy, Air Force)

Military service age and obligation:

17 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 17-49: 1,309,970

females age 17-49: 1,315,186 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 17-49: 1,051,425

females age 17-49: 1,129,649 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 65,170

females age 17-49: 63,133 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$32.27 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0.7% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Nicaragua

Disputes - international:

Memorials and countermemorials were filed by the parties in

Nicaragua's 1999 and 2001 proceedings against Honduras and Colombia

at the ICJ over the maritime boundary and territorial claims in the

western Caribbean Sea, final public hearings are scheduled for 2007;

the 1992 ICJ ruling for El Salvador and Honduras advised a

tripartite resolution to establish a maritime boundary in the Gulf

of Fonseca, which considers Honduran access to the Pacific; legal

dispute over navigational rights of San Juan River on border with

Costa Rica

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US and

transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Niger

Introduction Niger

Background:

Niger became independent from France in 1960 and experienced

single-party and military rule until 1991, when Gen. Ali SAIBOU was

forced by public pressure to allow multiparty elections, which

resulted in a democratic government in 1993. Political infighting

brought the government to a standstill and in 1996 led to a coup by

Col. Ibrahim BARE. In 1999 BARE was killed in a coup by military

officers who promptly restored democratic rule and held elections

that brought Mamadou TANDJA to power in December of that year.

TANDJA was reelected in 2004. Niger is one of the poorest countries

in the world with minimal government services and insufficient funds

to develop its resource base. The largely agrarian and

subsistence-based economy is frequently disrupted by extended

droughts common to the Sahel region of Africa.

Geography Niger

Location:

Western Africa, southeast of Algeria

Geographic coordinates:

16 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 1.267 million sq km

land: 1,266,700 sq km

water: 300 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 5,697 km

border countries: Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina Faso 628 km,

Chad 1,175 km, Libya 354 km, Mali 821 km, Nigeria 1,497 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south

Terrain:

predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains

in south; hills in north

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Niger River 200 m

highest point: Mont Bagzane 2,022 m

Natural resources:

uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, molybdenum, gypsum,

salt, petroleum

Land use: arable land: 11.43% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 88.56% (2005)

Irrigated land:

730 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

recurring droughts

Environment - current issues: overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction

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

Geography - note:

landlocked; one of the hottest countries in the world; northern

four-fifths is desert, southern one-fifth is savanna, suitable for

livestock and limited agriculture

People Niger

Population:

12,525,094 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 46.9% (male 2,994,022/female 2,882,273)

15-64 years: 50.7% (male 3,262,114/female 3,083,522)

65 years and over: 2.4% (male 150,982/female 152,181) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 16.5 years

male: 16.5 years

female: 16.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.92% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

50.73 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

20.91 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 118.25 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 122.29 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 114.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 43.76 years

male: 43.8 years

female: 43.73 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

7.46 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

70,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

4,800 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2007)

Nationality: noun: Nigerien(s) adjective: Nigerien

Ethnic groups:

Hausa 56%, Djerma 22%, Fula 8.5%, Tuareg 8%, Beri Beri (Kanouri)

4.3%, Arab, Toubou, and Gourmantche 1.2%, about 1,200 French

expatriates

Religions:

Muslim 80%, remainder indigenous beliefs and Christian

Languages:

French (official), Hausa, Djerma

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 17.6%

male: 25.8%

female: 9.7% (2003 est.)

Government Niger

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Niger

conventional short form: Niger

local long form: Republique du Niger

local short form: Niger

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Niamey

geographic coordinates: 13 31 N, 2 07 E

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

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

8 regions (regions, singular - region) includes 1 capital district*

(communite urbaine); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua,

Tillaberi, Zinder

Independence:

3 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:

Republic Day, 18 December (1958)

Constitution:

new constitution adopted 18 July 1999

Legal system:

based on French civil law system and customary law; has not

accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Mamadou TANDJA (since 22 December 1999);

note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Mamadou TANDJA (since 22 December

1999); Prime Minister Hama AMADOU (since 31 December 1999) was

appointed by the president and shares some executive

responsibilities with the president

cabinet: 26-member Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); second round last held 4 December 2004

(next to be held December 2009)

election results: Mamadou TANDJA reelected president; percent of

vote - Mamadou TANDJA 65.5%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 34.5%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (113 seats; note - expanded from 83

seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)

elections: last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

MNSD 47, CDS 22, PNDS 25, RSD 7, RDP 6, ANDP 5, PSDN 1

Judicial branch:

State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama [Mahamane

OUSMANE]; National Movement for a Developing Society-Nassara or

MNSD-Nassara [Hama AMADOU]; Niger Social Democratic Party or PSDN;

Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Social Progress-Zaman Lahiya or

ANDP-Zaman Lahiya [Moumouni DJERMAKOYE]; Nigerien Party for Autonomy

or PNA-Alouma'a [Sanousi JACKOU]; Nigerien Party for Democracy and

Socialism or PNDS-Tarrayya [Issifou MAHAMADOU]; Nigerien Progressive

Party or PPN-RDA [Abdoulaye DIORI]; Rally for Democracy and Progress

or RDP-jama'a [Hamid ALGABID]; Social and Democratic Rally or

RSD-Gaskiyya [Cheiffou AMADOU]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Coalition Against a High Cost of Living [Nouhou ARZIKA]

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,

IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF,

ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU,

WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Aminata Maiga Djibrilla TOURE chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227 FAX: [1] (202)483-3169

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Bernadette M. ALLEN embassy: Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey mailing address: B. P. 11201, Niamey telephone: [227] 73 31 69 FAX: [227] 73 55 60

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with

a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in the white

band; similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked wheel

centered in the white band

Economy Niger

Economy - overview:

Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranking last on

the United Nations Development Fund index of human development. It

is a landlocked, Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy centers on

subsistence crops, livestock, and some of the world's largest

uranium deposits. Drought cycles, desertification, and a 2.9%

population growth rate, have undercut the economy. Niger shares a

common currency, the CFA franc, and a common central bank, the

Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), with seven other

members of the West African Monetary Union. In December 2000, Niger

qualified for enhanced debt relief under the International Monetary

Fund program for Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and concluded

an agreement with the Fund on a Poverty Reduction and Growth

Facility (PRGF). Debt relief provided under the enhanced HIPC

initiative significantly reduces Niger's annual debt service

obligations, freeing funds for expenditures on basic health care,

primary education, HIV/AIDS prevention, rural infrastructure, and

other programs geared at poverty reduction. In December 2005, Niger

received 100% multilateral debt relief from the IMF, which

translates into the forgiveness of approximately $86 million USD in

debts to the IMF, excluding the remaining assistance under HIPC.

Nearly half of the government's budget is derived from foreign donor

resources. Future growth may be sustained by exploitation of oil,

gold, coal, and other mineral resources. Uranium prices have

increased sharply in the last few years. A drought and locust

infestation in 2005 led to food shortages for as many as 2.5 million

Nigeriens.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$12.23 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$3.638 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 39%

industry: 17%

services: 44% (2001)

Labor force:

70,000 salaried workers, 60% of whom are employed in the public

sector (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 90%

industry: 6%

services: 4%

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

63% (1993 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.8% highest 10%: 35.4% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

50.5 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

0.2% (2004 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $320 million - including $134 million from foreign sources

expenditures: $320 million; including capital expenditures of $178

million (2002 est.)

Agriculture - products:

cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), rice;

cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses, poultry

Industries:

uranium mining, cement, brick, soap, textiles, food processing,

chemicals, slaughterhouses

Industrial production growth rate:

5.1% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:

232 million kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

415.8 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

200 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

5,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$222 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas, onions

Exports - partners:

France 47.9%, Nigeria 21.4%, US 20.3% (2005)

Imports:

$588 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals

Imports - partners:

France 14.5%, US 10.7%, French Polynesia 7.6%, Nigeria 7.5%, Italy

6.8%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.1%, Belgium 4.6%, Germany 4.5%, China 4.5%

(2005)

Debt - external:

$2.1 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$453.3 million (2003)

Currency (code):

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible

authority is the Central Bank of the West African States (BCEAO)

Currency code:

XOF

Exchange rates:

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 527.47

(2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Niger

Telephones - main lines in use:

24,000 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

299,900 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: small system of wire, radio telephone

communications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in the

southwestern area of Niger

domestic: wire, radiotelephone communications, and microwave radio

relay; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned

international: country code - 227; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios:

680,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (2002)

Televisions:

125,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.ne

Internet hosts:

189 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2002)

Internet users:

24,000 (2005)

Transportation Niger

Airports:

28 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 9

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 19

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 15

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 14,565 km

paved: 3,641 km

unpaved: 10,924 km (2004)

Waterways:

300 km (the Niger, the only major river, is navigable to Gaya

between September and March) (2005)

Ports and terminals:

none

Military Niger

Military branches:

Nigerien Armed Forces (Forces Armees Nigeriennes, FAN): Army,

National Air Force (2005)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service

obligation - two years (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 2,367,828

females age 18-49: 2,217,568 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,349,863

females age 18-49: 1,256,569 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 129,045

females age 18-49: 121,230 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$44.78 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.4% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Niger

Disputes - international:

Libya claims about 25,000 sq km in a currently dormant dispute in

the Tommo region; much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint

with Nigeria, remains undemarcated; only Nigeria and Cameroon have

heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the

delimitation treaty which also includes the Chad-Niger and

Niger-Nigeria boundaries

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Nigeria

Introduction Nigeria

Background:

British influence and control over what would become Nigeria grew

through the 19th century. A series of constitutions after World War

II granted Nigeria greater autonomy; independence came in 1960.

Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new constitution was

adopted in 1999, and a peaceful transition to civilian government

was completed. The president faces the daunting task of reforming a

petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have been squandered through

corruption and mismanagement, and institutionalizing democracy. In

addition, the OBASANJO administration must defuse longstanding

ethnic and religious tensions, if it is to build a sound foundation

for economic growth and political stability. Although the April 2003

elections were marred by some irregularities, Nigeria is currently

experiencing its longest period of civilian rule since independence.

The general elections set for April 2007 would mark the first

civilian-to-civilian transfer of power in the country's history.

Geography Nigeria

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and

Cameroon

Geographic coordinates:

10 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 923,768 sq km

land: 910,768 sq km

water: 13,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than twice the size of California

Land boundaries:

total: 4,047 km

border countries: Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger

1,497 km

Coastline:

853 km

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

Climate:

varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north

Terrain:

southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains

in southeast, plains in north

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m

Natural resources:

natural gas, petroleum, tin, iron ore, coal, limestone, niobium,

lead, zinc, arable land

Land use: arable land: 33.02% permanent crops: 3.14% other: 63.84% (2005)

Irrigated land:

2,820 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

periodic droughts; flooding

Environment - current issues: soil degradation; rapid deforestation; urban air and water pollution; desertification; oil pollution - water, air, and soil; has suffered serious damage from oil spills; loss of arable land; rapid urbanization

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer

Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the Niger enters the country in the northwest and flows southward

through tropical rain forests and swamps to its delta in the Gulf of

Guinea

People Nigeria

Population:

131,859,731

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 42.3% (male 28,089,017/female 27,665,212)

15-64 years: 54.6% (male 36,644,885/female 35,405,915)

65 years and over: 3.1% (male 1,930,007/female 2,124,695) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.7 years

male: 18.7 years

female: 18.6 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.38% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

40.43 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

16.94 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 97.14 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 104.05 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 90.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 47.08 years

male: 46.52 years

female: 47.66 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.49 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

5.4% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

3.6 million (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

310,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: one of the most highly endemic areas for Lassa fever note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2007)

Nationality: noun: Nigerian(s) adjective: Nigerian

Ethnic groups:

Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, is composed of more than

250 ethnic groups; the following are the most populous and

politically influential: Hausa and Fulani 29%, Yoruba 21%, Igbo

(Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Ibibio 3.5%, Tiv 2.5%

Religions:

Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%

Languages:

English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 68%

male: 75.7%

female: 60.6% (2003 est.)

Government Nigeria

Country name:

conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria

conventional short form: Nigeria

Government type:

federal republic

Capital:

name: Abuja

geographic coordinates: 9 12 N, 7 11 E

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

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

36 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra,

Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo,

Ekiti, Enugu, Federal Capital Territory*, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa,

Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nassarawa, Niger,

Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara

Independence:

1 October 1960 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day (National Day), 1 October (1960)

Constitution:

new constitution adopted May 1999

Legal system:

based on English common law, Islamic Shariah law (in 12 northern

states), and traditional law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,

with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May 1999);

note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May 1999);

note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

cabinet: Federal Executive Council

elections: president is elected by popular vote for a four-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 19 April 2003 (next

to be held 21 April 2007)

election results: Olusegun OBASANJO elected president; percent of

vote - Olusegun OBASANJO (PDP) 61.9%, Muhammadu BUHARI (ANPP) 31.2%,

Chukwuemeka Odumegwu OJUKWU (APGA) 3.3%, other 3.6%

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Assembly consists of Senate (109 seats - 3 from

each state plus 1 from Abuja, members elected by popular vote to

serve four-year terms) and House of Representatives (360 seats,

members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held 21

April 2007); House of Representatives - last held 12 April 2003

(next to be held 21 April 2007)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PDP 53.7%,

ANPP 27.9%, AD 9.7%; seats by party - PDP 76, ANPP 27, AD 6; House

of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDP 54.5%, ANPP

27.4%, AD 8.8%, other 9.3%; seats by party - PDP 223, ANPP 96, AD

34, other 6; note - one seat is vacant

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges appointed by the President); Federal Court of

Appeal (judges are appointed by the federal government on the advice

of the Advisory Judicial Committee)

Political parties and leaders:

Action Congress or AC [Bise Akande]; Advanced Congress of Demorats

or ACD [Alex Anielo]; Alliance for Democracy or AD [Mojisoluwa

AKINFENWA]; All Nigeria Peoples' Party or ANPP [Edwin UME-EZEOKE];

All Progressives Grand Alliance or APGA [disputed leadership];

Democratic People's Party or DPP [Jerry Useni]; Fresh Democratic

Party [Chris OKOTIE]; Movement for the Restoration and Defense of

Democracy or MRDD [Mohammed Gambo JIMETA]; National Democratic Party

or NDP [Aliyu Habu FARI]; Peoples Democratic Party or PDP [Dr.

Ahmadu ALI]; Peoples Redemption Party or PRP [Abdulkadir Balarabe

MUSA]; Peoples Salvation Party or PSP [Lawal MAITURARE]; United

Nigeria Peoples Party or UNPP [disputed leadership]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM,

OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNWTO,

UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Professor George A. OBIOZOR

chancery: 3519 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 986-8400

FAX: [1] (202) 775-1385

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador John CAMPBELL

embassy: 7 Mambilla Drive, Abuja

mailing address: P. O. Box 554, Lagos

telephone: [234] (9) 523-0916/0906/5857/2235/2205

FAX: [234] (9) 523-0353

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green

Economy Nigeria

Economy - overview:

Oil-rich Nigeria, long hobbled by political instability,

corruption, inadequate infrastructure, and poor macroeconomic

management, is undertaking some reforms under a new reform-minded

administration. Nigeria's former military rulers failed to diversify

the economy away from its overdependence on the capital-intensive

oil sector, which provides 20% of GDP, 95% of foreign exchange

earnings, and about 65% of budgetary revenues. The largely

subsistence agricultural sector has failed to keep up with rapid

population growth - Nigeria is Africa's most populous country - and

the country, once a large net exporter of food, now must import

food. Following the signing of an IMF stand-by agreement in August

2000, Nigeria received a debt-restructuring deal from the Paris Club

and a $1 billion credit from the IMF, both contingent on economic

reforms. Nigeria pulled out of its IMF program in April 2002, after

failing to meet spending and exchange rate targets, making it

ineligible for additional debt forgiveness from the Paris Club. In

the last year the government has begun showing the political will to

implement the market-oriented reforms urged by the IMF, such as to

modernize the banking system, to curb inflation by blocking

excessive wage demands, and to resolve regional disputes over the

distribution of earnings from the oil industry. In 2003, the

government began deregulating fuel prices, announced the

privatization of the country's four oil refineries, and instituted

the National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy, a

domestically designed and run program modeled on the IMF's Poverty

Reduction and Growth Facility for fiscal and monetary management. In

November 2005, Abuja won Paris Club approval for a debt-relief deal

that eliminated $18 billion of debt in exchange for $12 billion in

payments-a total package worth $30 billion of Nigeria's total $37

billion external debt. The deal requires Nigeria to be subject to

stringent IMF reviews. GDP rose strongly in 2006, based largely on

increased oil exports and high global crude prices.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$188.5 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$83.36 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,400 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17.3% industry: 53.2% services: 29.5% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 48.99 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 70% industry: 10% services: 20% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:

5.8% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

60% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 40.8% (1996-97)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

50.6 (1996-97)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

10.5% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

26.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $17.86 billion

expenditures: $19.05 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

10.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, corn, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava

(tapioca), yams, rubber; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; timber; fish

Industries:

crude oil, coal, tin, columbite; palm oil, peanuts, cotton, rubber,

wood; hides and skins, textiles, cement and other construction

materials, food products, footwear, chemicals, fertilizer, printing,

ceramics, steel, small commercial ship construction and repair

Industrial production growth rate:

-1.6% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

19.06 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 61.9% hydro: 38.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

17.71 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

20 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

2.451 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

290,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves:

36.25 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

21.8 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

9.21 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

12.59 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

4.984 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$12.59 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$59.01 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber

Exports - partners:

US 52.5%, Spain 8.2%, Brazil 6.1% (2005)

Imports:

$25.1 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, chemicals, transport equipment, manufactured goods, food

and live animals

Imports - partners:

China 10.4%, US 7.3%, UK 6.7%, Netherlands 6%, France 5.9%, Brazil

4.3%, Germany 4.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$42.97 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$6.278 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$250 million

Currency (code):

naira (NGN)

Currency code:

NGN

Exchange rates:

nairas per US dollar - 127.573 (2006), 132.59 (2005), 132.89

(2004), 129.22 (2003), 120.58 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Nigeria

Telephones - main lines in use:

1,223,300 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

21,571,131 (2006)

Telephone system:

general assessment: expansion and modernization of the fixed-line

telephone network has been slow due to faltering efforts at

privatization

domestic: the addition of a second fixed-line provider in 2002

resulted in faster growth in this service; wireless telephony has

grown rapidly, in part responding to the shortcomings of the

fixed-line network; four wireless (GSM) service providers operate

nationally; the combined growth resulted in a sharp increase in

teledensity reported to be over 18% in March 2006

international: country code - 234; satellite earth stations - 3

Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); fiber optic

submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 83, FM 36, shortwave 11 (2001)

Radios:

23.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (the government controls 2 of the broadcasting stations and 15 repeater stations) (2002)

Televisions:

6.9 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.ng

Internet hosts:

1,549 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

11 (2000)

Internet users:

5 million (2005)

Transportation Nigeria

Airports: 69 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 36 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 33 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 18 (2006)

Heliports:

1 (2006)

Pipelines:

condensate 126 km; gas 2,812 km; liquid petroleum gas 125 km; oil

4,278 km; refined products 3,517 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 3,505 km

narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 194,394 km

paved: 60,068 km

unpaved: 134,326 km (1999)

Waterways:

8,600 km (Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers and creeks)

(2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 52 ships (1000 GRT or over) 277,709 GRT/475,414 DWT

by type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 5, combination ore/oil 1,

liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 36, specialized

tanker 2

foreign-owned: 4 (Norway 1, Pakistan 1, Singapore 1, Spain 1)

registered in other countries: 28 (Bahamas 2, Bermuda 11, Cambodia

2, Comoros 2, Panama 7, Poland 1, Seychelles 1, unknown 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Bonny Inshore Terminal, Calabar, Lagos, Port Harcourt

Military Nigeria

Military branches:

Nigerian Armed Forces (Forces Armees Nigeriennes, FAN): Army, Niger

Air Force (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 26,802,678

females age 18-49: 25,668,446 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 15,052,914

females age 18-49: 13,860,806 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 1,353,180

females age 18-49: 1,329,267 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$737.6 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0.8% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Nigeria

Disputes - international:

Joint Border Commission with Cameroon reviewed 2002 ICJ ruling on

the entire boundary and bilaterally resolved differences, including

June 2006 Greentree Agreement that immediately cedes sovereignty of

the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon with a phase-out of Nigerian

control within two years while resolving patriation issues; the ICJ

ruled on an equidistance settlement of Cameroon-Equatorial

Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea, but

imprecisely defined coordinates in the ICJ decision and a

sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an

island at the mouth of the Ntem River all contribute to the delay in

implementation; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad

Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty which also

includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 6,051 (Liberia)

IDPs: undetermined (communal violence between Christians and Muslims

since President OBASANJO's election in 1999, displacement is mostly

short-term) (2006)

Illicit drugs:

a transit point for heroin and cocaine intended for European, East

Asian, and North American markets; safehaven for Nigerian

narcotraffickers operating worldwide; major money-laundering center;

massive corruption and criminal activity; Nigeria has improved some

anti-money-laundering controls, resulting in its removal from the

Financial Action Task Force's (FATF's) Noncooperative Countries and

Territories List in June 2006; Nigeria's anti-money-laundering

regime continues to be monitored by FATF

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Niue

Introduction Niue

Background:

Niue's remoteness, as well as cultural and linguistic differences

between its Polynesian inhabitants and those of the rest of the Cook

Islands, have caused it to be separately administered. The

population of the island continues to drop (from a peak of 5,200 in

1966 to about 2,166 in 2006), with substantial emigration to New

Zealand, 2,400 km to the southwest.

Geography Niue

Location:

Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga

Geographic coordinates:

19 02 S, 169 52 W

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 260 sq km

land: 260 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

64 km

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

Climate:

tropical; modified by southeast trade winds

Terrain:

steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m

Natural resources:

fish, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 11.54%

permanent crops: 15.38%

other: 73.08% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

typhoons

Environment - current issues: increasing attention to conservationist practices to counter loss of soil fertility from traditional slash and burn agriculture

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note: one of world's largest coral islands

People Niue

Population: 2,166 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.01% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

NA births/1,000 population

Death rate:

NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate:

NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Sex ratio:

NA

Infant mortality rate:

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Total fertility rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Niuean(s)

adjective: Niuean

Ethnic groups:

Niuen 78.2%, Pacific islander 10.2%, European 4.5%, mixed 3.9%,

Asian 0.2%, unspecified 3% (2001 census)

Religions:

Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church - a Protestant church closely related

to the London Missionary Society) 61.1%, Latter-Day Saints 8.8%,

Roman Catholic 7.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2.4%, Seventh-Day Adventist

1.4%, other 8.4%, unspecified 8.7%, none 1.9% (2001 census)

Languages:

Niuean, a Polynesian language closely related to Tongan and Samoan;

English

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA female: NA

Government Niue

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Niue former: Savage Island

Dependency status:

self-governing in free association with New Zealand since 1974;

Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains

responsibility for external affairs and defense; however, these

responsibilities confer no rights of control and are only exercised

at the request of the Government of Niue

Government type:

self-governing parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Alofi

geographic coordinates: 19 01 S, 169 55 W

time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none; note - there are no first-order administrative divisions as

defined by the US Government, but there are 14 villages at the

second order

Independence:

on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing parliamentary

government in free association with New Zealand

National holiday:

Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty

over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Constitution:

19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)

Legal system:

English common law; note - Niue is self-governing, with the power

to make its own laws

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

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

represented by Governor General of New Zealand Anand SATYANAND

(since 23 August 2006); the UK and New Zealand are represented by

New Zealand High Commissioner John BRYAN (since NA May 2000)

head of government: Premier Young VIVIAN (since 1 May 2002)

cabinet: Cabinet consists of the premier and three ministers

elections: the monarch is hereditary; premier elected by the

Legislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held 12

May 2005 (next to be held May 2008)

election results: Young VIVIAN reelected premier; percent of

Legislative Assembly vote - Young VIVIAN (NPP) 85%, O'Love JACOBSEN

(independent) 15%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Assembly (20 seats; members elected by

popular vote to serve three-year terms; 6 elected from a common roll

and 14 are village representatives)

elections: last held 30 April 2005 (next to be held April 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance of Independents or AI; Niue People's Action Party or NPP

[Young VIVIAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, FAO, IFAD, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)

Flag description:

yellow with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant;

the flag of the UK bears five yellow five-pointed stars - a large

one on a blue disk in the center and a smaller one on each arm of

the bold red cross

Economy Niue

Economy - overview:

The economy suffers from the typical Pacific island problems of

geographic isolation, few resources, and a small population.

Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, and the shortfall

is made up by critically needed grants from New Zealand that are

used to pay wages to public employees. Niue has cut government

expenditures by reducing the public service by almost half. The

agricultural sector consists mainly of subsistence gardening,

although some cash crops are grown for export. Industry consists

primarily of small factories to process passion fruit, lime oil,

honey, and coconut cream. The sale of postage stamps to foreign

collectors is an important source of revenue. The island in recent

years has suffered a serious loss of population because of

emigration to New Zealand. Efforts to increase GDP include the

promotion of tourism and a financial services industry, although the

International Banking Repeal Act of 2002 resulted in the termination

of all offshore banking licenses. Economic aid from New Zealand in

2002 was about US$2 million. Niue suffered a devastating typhoon in

January 2004, which decimated nascent economic programs. While in

the process of rebuilding, Niue has been dependent on foreign aid.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$7.6 million (2000 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$10.01 million (2003)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.2% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$5,800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 23.5% industry: 26.9% services: 49.5% (2003)

Labor force: 663 (2001)

Labor force - by occupation: note: most work on family plantations; paid work exists only in government service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board

Unemployment rate:

12% (2001)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4% (2005)

Budget:

revenues: $15.07 million

expenditures: $16.33 million; including capital expenditures of

$123,700 (FY0405)

Agriculture - products: coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, taro, yams, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle

Industries:

tourism, handicrafts, food processing

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

3 million kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

2.79 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

20 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$201,400 (2004)

Exports - commodities:

canned coconut cream, copra, honey, vanilla, passion fruit

products, pawpaws, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts

Exports - partners:

New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia (2004)

Imports:

$9.038 million (2004)

Imports - commodities:

food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels,

lubricants, chemicals, drugs

Imports - partners:

New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Australia, US (2004)

Debt - external:

$418,000 (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$2.6 million from New Zealand (2002)

Currency (code):

New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code:

NZD

Exchange rates:

New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004),

1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications Niue

Telephones - main lines in use:

1,100 est (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

400 (2002)

Telephone system:

domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on

island

international: country code - 683

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

1,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (1997)

Televisions:

NA

Internet country code:

.nu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

900 (2002)

Transportation Niue

Airports: 1 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways: total: 234 km paved: 86 km unpaved: 148 km (2001)

Ports and terminals: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Niue

Military branches:

no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Transnational Issues Niue

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Norfolk Island

Introduction Norfolk Island

Background:

Two British attempts at establishing the island as a penal colony

(1788-1814 and 1825-55) were ultimately abandoned. In 1856, the

island was resettled by Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of the

Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions.

Geography Norfolk Island

Location:

Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia

Geographic coordinates:

29 02 S, 167 57 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 34.6 sq km

land: 34.6 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

32 km

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

Climate:

subtropical; mild, little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:

volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Bates 319 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

typhoons (especially May to July)

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

most of the 32 km coastline consists of almost inaccessible cliffs,

but the land slopes down to the sea in one small southern area on

Sydney Bay, where the capital of Kingston is situated

People Norfolk Island

Population: 1,828 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 20.2% 15-64 years: 63.9% 65 years and over: 15.9% (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.01% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

NA

Death rate:

NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate:

NA

Sex ratio:

NA

Infant mortality rate:

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Total fertility rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Norfolk Islander(s)

adjective: Norfolk Islander(s)

Ethnic groups:

descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New Zealander,

Polynesian

Religions:

Anglican 34.9%, Roman Catholic 11.7%, Uniting Church in Australia

11.2%, Seventh-Day Adventist 2.8%, Australian Christian 2.4%,

Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, other 2.7%, unspecified 15.3%, none 18.1%

(2001 census)

Languages:

English (official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century English and

ancient Tahitian

Literacy:

NA

Government Norfolk Island

Country name:

conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island

conventional short form: Norfolk Island

Dependency status:

self governing territory of Australia; Canberra administers

Commonwealth responsibilities on Norfolk Island through the

Department of Transport and Regional Services

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Kingston

geographic coordinates: 29 03 S, 167 58 E

time difference: UTC+11.5 (16.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (territory of Australia)

Independence:

none (territory of Australia)

National holiday:

Bounty Day (commemorates the arrival of Pitcairn Islanders), 8 June

(1856)

Constitution:

Norfolk Island Act of 1979, as amended in 2005

Legal system:

based on the laws of Australia, local ordinances and acts; English

common law applies in matters not covered by either Australian or

Norfolk Island law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

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

represented by the Australian governor general

head of government: Administrator Grant TAMBLING (since 1 November

2003)

cabinet: Executive Council is made up of four of the nine members of

the Legislative Assembly; the council devises government policy and

acts as an advisor to the administrator

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed

by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and

Australia

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Assembly (9 seats; members elected by

electors who have nine equal votes each but only four votes can be

given to any one candidate; members serve three-year terms)

elections: last held 20 October 2004 (next to be held by December

2007)

election results: seats - independents 9 (note - no political

parties)

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territory of Australia)

Flag description:

three vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green with a

large green Norfolk Island pine tree centered in the slightly wider

white band

Economy Norfolk Island

Economy - overview:

Tourism, the primary economic activity, has steadily increased over

the years and has brought a level of prosperity unusual among

inhabitants of the Pacific islands. The agricultural sector has

become self-sufficient in the production of beef, poultry, and eggs.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$NA

Labor force:

1,345

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 10% industry and services: 90%

Unemployment rate:

0%

Budget:

revenues: $4.6 million

expenditures: $4.8 million; including capital expenditures of $2

million (FY99/00)

Agriculture - products:

Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, vegetables,

fruit; cattle, poultry

Industries:

tourism, light industry, ready mixed concrete

Electricity - production:

NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2002)

Electricity - consumption:

NA kWh

Exports:

$1.5 million f.o.b. (FY91/92)

Exports - commodities:

postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and Kentia palm,

small quantities of avocados

Exports - partners:

Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe (2004)

Imports:

$17.9 million c.i.f. (FY91/92)

Imports - commodities:

NA

Imports - partners:

Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe (2004)

Debt - external:

$NA

Economic aid - recipient:

$NA

Currency (code):

Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:

AUD

Exchange rates:

Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004),

1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 July - 30 June

Communications Norfolk Island

Telephones - main lines in use:

2,532; note - a mix of analog (2500) and digital (32) circuits

(2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

0 (proposed cellular service disallowed in August 2002 island

referendum) (2002)

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate

domestic: free local calls

international: country code - 672; undersea coaxial cable links with

Australia, New Zealand, and Canada; satellite earth station

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005)

Radios:

2,500 (1996)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (local programming station plus two repeaters that bring in

Australian programs by satellite) (2005)

Televisions:

1,200 (1996)

Internet country code:

.nf

Internet hosts:

100 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2000)

Internet users:

700

Transportation Norfolk Island

Airports: 1 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways: total: 80 km paved: 53 km unpaved: 27 km (2002)

Ports and terminals: none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade

Military Norfolk Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia

Transnational Issues Norfolk Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Northern Mariana Islands

Introduction Northern Mariana Islands

Background:

Under US administration as part of the UN Trust Territory of the

Pacific, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands decided in the

1970s not to seek independence but instead to forge closer links

with the US. Negotiations for territorial status began in 1972. A

covenant to establish a commonwealth in political union with the US

was approved in 1975, and came into force on 24 March 1976. A new

government and constitution went into effect in 1978.

Geography Northern Mariana Islands

Location:

Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters

of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines

Geographic coordinates:

15 12 N, 145 45 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 477 sq km

land: 477 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian

Area - comparative:

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

1,482 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little

seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy

season July to October

Terrain:

southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing

coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m

Natural resources:

arable land, fish

Land use:

arable land: 13.04%

permanent crops: 4.35%

other: 82.61% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August

to November)

Environment - current issues: contamination of groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts with development

Geography - note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean

People Northern Mariana Islands

Population:

82,459 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 19.4% (male 8,350/female 7,623)

15-64 years: 79% (male 26,715/female 38,442)

65 years and over: 1.6% (male 679/female 650) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 29.5 years

male: 31.7 years

female: 28.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.54% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

19.43 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

2.29 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

8.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.7 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.05 male(s)/female

total population: 0.77 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 6.98 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 6.92 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 7.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.09 years

male: 73.5 years

female: 78.83 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.24 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: NA (US citizens)

adjective: NA

Ethnic groups:

Asian 56.3%, Pacific islander 36.3%, Caucasian 1.8%, other 0.8%,

mixed 4.8% (2000 census)

Religions:

Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs

and taboos may still be found)

Languages:

Philippine languages 24.4%, Chinese 23.4%, Chamorro 22.4%, English

10.8%, other Pacific island languages 9.5%, other 9.6% (2000 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97%

male: 97%

female: 96% (1980 est.)

Government Northern Mariana Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands

abbreviation: CNMI

former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Mariana Islands

District

Dependency status:

commonwealth in political union with the US; federal funds to the

Commonwealth administered by the US Department of the Interior,

Office of Insular Affairs

Government type:

commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected governor,

lieutenant governor, and legislature

Capital:

name: Saipan

geographic coordinates: 15 12 N, 145 45 E

time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (commonwealth in political union with the US); there are no

first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US

Government, but there are four municipalities at the second order:

Northern Islands, Rota, Saipan, Tinian

Independence:

none (commonwealth in political union with the US)

National holiday:

Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)

Constitution:

Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

effective 1 January 1978; Covenant Agreement fully effective 4

November 1986

Legal system:

based on US system, except for customs, wages, immigration laws,

and taxation

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens

but do not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch:

chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20

January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January

2001)

head of government: Governor Benigno R. FITIAL (since 9 January

2006); Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. VILLAGOMEZ (since 9 January

2006)

cabinet: the cabinet consists of the heads of the 10 principal

departments under the executive branch who are appointed by the

governor with the advice and consent of the Senate; other members

include Special Assistants to the governor and office heads

appointed by and reporting directly to the governor

elections: under the US Consitution, residents of unincorporated

territories, such as the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana

Islands, do not vote in elections for US president and vice

president; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same

ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second

term); election last held 5 November 2005 (next to be held November

2009)

election results: Benigno R. FITIAL elected governor in a four-way

race; percent of vote - Benigno R. FITIAL (Covenant Party) 28.07%,

Heinz HOFSCHNEIDER (Independent) 27.34%, Juan BABAUTA (Republican)

26.6%, Froilan TENORIO (Democrat) 17.99%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Legislature consists of the Senate (9 seats; members are

elected by popular vote to serve four-year staggered terms) and the

House of Representatives (18 seats; members are elected by popular

vote to serve two-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 5 November 2005 (next to be held

November 2009); House of Representatives - last held 5 November 2005

(next to be held November 2007)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by

party - Covenant Party 3, Republican Party 3, Democratic Party 2,

independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party -

NA%; seats by party - Covenant Party 7, Republican Party 7,

Democratic Party 2, independent 2

note: the Northern Mariana Islands does not have a nonvoting

delegate in the US Congress; instead, it has an elected official or

"resident representative" located in Washington, DC; seats by party

- Republican Party 1 (Pedro A. TENORIO)

Judicial branch:

Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court

Political parties and leaders:

Covenant Party [Benigno R. FITIAL]; Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S.

CAMACHO]; Republican Party [Juan S. REYES]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

Interpol (subbureau), SPC, UPU

Flag description:

blue, with a white, five-pointed star superimposed on the gray

silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional foundation stone used in

building) in the center, surrounded by a wreath

Economy Northern Mariana Islands

Economy - overview:

The economy benefits substantially from financial assistance from

the US. The rate of funding has declined as locally generated

government revenues have grown. The key tourist industry employs

about 50% of the work force and accounts for roughly one-fourth of

GDP. Japanese tourists predominate. Annual tourist entries have

exceeded one-half million in recent years, but financial

difficulties in Japan have caused a temporary slowdown. The

agricultural sector is made up of cattle ranches and small farms

producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment

production is by far the most important industry with the employment

of 17,500 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US

under duty and quota exemptions.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $900 million note: GDP estimate includes US subsidy (2000 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$633.4 million (2000)

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$12,500 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Labor force:

44,470 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717

foreign workers (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

3.9% (2001)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

-0.8% (2000)

Budget:

revenues: $193 million

expenditures: $223 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(FY01/02 est.)

Agriculture - products:

coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle

Industries:

tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:

NA kWh

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh

Exports:

$NA

Exports - commodities:

garments

Exports - partners:

US (2004)

Imports:

$214.4 million (2001)

Imports - commodities:

food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products

Imports - partners:

US, Japan (2004)

Debt - external:

$NA

Economic aid - recipient:

extensive funding from US

Currency (code):

US dollar (USD)

Currency code:

USD

Exchange rates:

the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:

1 October - 30 September

Communications Northern Mariana Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:

21,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

20,500 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: country code - 1-670; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 1 (2006)

Radios:

NA

Television broadcast stations:

1 (Low Power TV on Saipan; in addition, two cable services on

Saipan provide varied programming from satellite networks) (2006)

Televisions:

NA

Internet country code:

.mp

Internet hosts:

20 (2005)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2001)

Internet users:

10,000 (2003)

Transportation Northern Mariana Islands

Airports:

5 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Heliports:

1 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 536 km (2004)

Ports and terminals:

Saipan, Tinian

Military Northern Mariana Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Northern Mariana Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Norway

Introduction Norway

Background:

Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off following the

adoption of Christianity by King Olav TRYGGVASON in 994. Conversion

of the Norwegian kingdom occurred over the next several decades. In

1397, Norway was absorbed into a union with Denmark that lasted more

than four centuries. In 1814, Norwegians resisted the cession of

their country to Sweden and adopted a new constitution. Sweden then

invaded Norway but agreed to let Norway keep its constitution in

return for accepting the union under a Swedish king. Rising

nationalism throughout the 19th century led to a 1905 referendum

granting Norway independence. Although Norway remained neutral in

World War I, it suffered heavy losses to its shipping. Norway

proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of World War II, but was

nonetheless occupied for five years by Nazi Germany (1940-45). In

1949, neutrality was abandoned and Norway became a member of NATO.

Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s

boosted Norway's economic fortunes. The current focus is on

containing spending on the extensive welfare system and planning for

the time when petroleum reserves are depleted. In referenda held in

1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU.

Geography Norway

Location:

Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic

Ocean, west of Sweden

Geographic coordinates:

62 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 323,802 sq km

land: 307,442 sq km

water: 16,360 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries:

total: 2,542 km

border countries: Finland 727 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 196 km

Coastline:

25,148 km (includes mainland 2,650 km, as well as long fjords,

numerous small islands, and minor indentations 22,498 km; length of

island coastlines 58,133 km)

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 10 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:

temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder

interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy

year-round on west coast

Terrain:

glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by

fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented

by fjords; arctic tundra in north

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m

highest point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, titanium,

pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 2.7% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.3% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,270 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

rockslides, avalanches

Environment - current issues:

water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting

lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,

Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,

Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,

Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine

Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,

Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much

indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air

routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and longest coastlines

in the world

People Norway

Population:

4,610,820 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 19.3% (male 455,122/female 434,009)

15-64 years: 65.9% (male 1,542,439/female 1,496,745)

65 years and over: 14.8% (male 288,509/female 393,996) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 38.4 years

male: 37.6 years

female: 39.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.38% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

11.46 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

9.4 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

1.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

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

65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 3.67 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4.03 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.54 years

male: 76.91 years

female: 82.31 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.78 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

2,100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Norwegian(s)

adjective: Norwegian

Ethnic groups:

Norwegian, Sami 20,000

Religions:

Church of Norway 85.7%, Pentecostal 1%, Roman Catholic 1%, other

Christian 2.4%, Muslim 1.8%, other 8.1% (2004)

Languages:

Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small

Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities; note - Sami is official in

six municipalities

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 100%

male: 100%

female: 100%

Government Norway

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway

conventional short form: Norway

local long form: Kongeriket Norge

local short form: Norge

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Oslo

geographic coordinates: 59 55 N, 10 45 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

19 counties (fylker, singular - fylke); Akershus, Aust-Agder,

Buskerud, Finnmark, Hedmark, Hordaland, More og Romsdal, Nordland,

Nord-Trondelag, Oppland, Oslo, Ostfold, Rogaland, Sogn og Fjordane,

Sor-Trondelag, Telemark, Troms, Vest-Agder, Vestfold

Dependent areas:

Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard

Independence:

7 June 1905 (Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved); 26

October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union)

National holiday:

Constitution Day, 17 May (1814)

Constitution:

17 May 1814; amended many times

Legal system:

mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common law

traditions; Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to legislature

when asked; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir

Apparent Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS, son of the monarch (born 20

July 1973)

head of government: Prime Minister Jens STOLTENBERG (since 17

October 2005)

cabinet: State Council appointed by the monarch with the approval of

parliament

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following parliamentary

elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the

majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the

monarch with the approval of the parliament

Legislative branch:

modified unicameral Parliament or Storting (169 seats - will be 165

seats next election; members are elected by popular vote by

proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 12 September 2005 (next to be held September

2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - Labor Party 32.7%,

Progress Party 22.1%, Conservative Party 14.1%, Socialist Left Party

8.8%, Christian People's Party 6.8%, Center Party 6.5%, Liberal

Party 5.9%, Red Electoral Alliance 1.2%, other 1.9%; seats by party

- Labor Party 61, Progress Party 38, Conservative Party 23,

Socialist Left Party 15, Christian People's Party 11, Center Party

11, Liberal Party 10

note: for certain purposes, the parliament divides itself into two

chambers and elects one-fourth of its membership in the Lagting and

three-forths of its membership in the Odelsting

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (justices appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:

Center Party [Aslaug Marie HAGA]; Christian People's Party [Dagfinn

HOYBRATEN]; Coastal Party [Roy WAAGE]; Conservative Party [Erna

SOLBERG]; Labor Party [Jens STOLTENBERG]; Liberal Party [Lars

SPONHEIM]; Progress Party [Siv JENSEN]; Red Electoral Alliance

[Torstein DAHLE]; Socialist Left Party [Kristin HALVORSEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

AfDB, Arctic Council, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN,

EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM,

IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,

IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS

(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU

(associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Knut VOLLEBAEK chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000 FAX: [1] (202) 337-0870 consulate(s) general: Houston, Minneapolis, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Benson K. WHITNEY embassy: Henrik Ibsens gate 48, 0244 Oslo; note - the embassy will move to Huseby in the near future mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707 telephone: [47] (22) 44 85 50 FAX: [47] (22) 44 33 63, 56 27 51

Flag description:

red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the edges

of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist

side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy Norway

Economy - overview:

The Norwegian economy is a prosperous bastion of welfare

capitalism, featuring a combination of free market activity and

government intervention. The government controls key areas such as

the vital petroleum sector (through large-scale state enterprises).

The country is richly endowed with natural resources - petroleum,

hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals - and is highly dependent on

its oil production and international oil prices, with oil and gas

accounting for one-third of exports. Only Saudi Arabia and Russia

export more oil than Norway. Norway opted to stay out of the EU

during a referendum in November 1994; nonetheless, it contributes

sizably to the EU budget. The government has moved ahead with

privatization. Although Norwegian oil production peaked in 2000,

natural gas production is still rising. Norwegians realize that once

their gas production peaks they will eventually face declining oil

and gas revenues; accordingly, Norway has been saving its

oil-and-gas-boosted budget surpluses in a Government Petroleum Fund,

which is invested abroad and now is valued at more than $250

billion. After lackluster growth of less than 1% in 2002-03, GDP

growth picked up to 3-4% in 2004-06. Norway's economy remains

buoyant. Domestic economic activity is, and will continue to be, the

main driver of growth, supported by high consumer confidence and

strong investment spending in the offshore oil and gas sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$207.3 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$261.7 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$47,800 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.3% industry: 41.4% services: 56.3% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 2.42 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 4% industry: 22% services: 74% (1995)

Unemployment rate:

3.5% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.1% highest 10%: 21.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

25.8 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.3% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

19.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $195.8 billion

expenditures: $133.1 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

44.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

barley, wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish

Industries:

petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper

products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing

Industrial production growth rate:

1.8% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

108.9 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.4% hydro: 99.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0.4% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

112.8 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

3.8 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

15.3 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

3.22 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

244,300 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

3.466 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

88,870 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

9.859 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

83.49 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

8.09 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

75.4 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

2.085 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$63.33 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$122.6 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment, metals,

chemicals, ships, fish

Exports - partners:

UK 25.5%, Germany 12.6%, Netherlands 9.9%, France 9.1%, US 6.7%,

Sweden 6.5% (2005)

Imports:

$59.9 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Sweden 14.6%, Germany 13.6%, Denmark 7.3%, UK 6.8%, China 5.5%, US

5%, France 4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$49.62 billion (August 2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$350.3 billion; note - Norway is a net external creditor (30 June

2006)

Economic aid - donor:

ODA, $1.4 billion (1998)

Currency (code):

Norwegian krone (NOK)

Currency code:

NOK

Exchange rates:

Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 6.41332 (2006), 6.4425 (2005),

6.7408 (2004), 7.0802 (2003), 7.9838 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Norway

Telephones - main lines in use:

2.129 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

4.755 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern in all respects; one of the most

advanced telecommunications networks in Europe

domestic: Norway has a domestic satellite system; moreover, the

prevalence of rural areas encourages the wide use of cellular mobile

systems instead of fixed-wire systems

international: country code - 47; 2 buried coaxial cable systems; 4

coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - NA Eutelsat, NA

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean

regions); note - Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with the

other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden) (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 5, FM at least 650, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:

4.03 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

360 (plus 2,729 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:

2.03 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.no

Internet hosts:

1,364,448 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

13 (2000)

Internet users:

3.14 million (2005)

Transportation Norway

Airports: 99 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 67 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 29 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 32 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 26 (2006)

Heliports:

1 (2006)

Pipelines:

condensate 508 km; gas 5,910 km; oil 2,557 km; oil/gas/water 746 km

(2006)

Railways:

total: 4,077 km

standard gauge: 4,077 km 1.435-m gauge (2,680 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:

total: 92,513 km

paved: 71,832 km (including 664 km of expressways)

unpaved: 20,681 km (2005)

Waterways:

1,577 km (2002)

Merchant marine:

total: 724 ships (1000 GRT or over) 14,472,103 GRT/20,245,353 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 67, cargo 153, chemical tanker 150, container

2, liquefied gas 79, passenger/cargo 121, petroleum tanker 75,

refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 19, specialized tanker 2,

vehicle carrier 47

foreign-owned: 168 (China 3, Cyprus 2, Denmark 32, Estonia 1,

Finland 4, Greece 1, Hong Kong 55, Iceland 4, Italy 4, Japan 1,

Lithuania 1, Monaco 4, Netherlands 3, Poland 2, Saudi Arabia 3,

Sweden 28, UAE 1, UK 6, US 13)

registered in other countries: 861 (Antigua and Barbuda 11,

Australia 1, Bahamas 259, Barbados 29, Belize 2, Bermuda 5, Brazil

2, Cambodia 1, Canada 1, Cayman Islands 2, China 1, Comoros 1, Cook

Islands 1, Cyprus 16, Denmark 3, Dominica 1, Ecuador 1, Estonia 2,

Faroe Islands 4, Finland 1, France 1, French Southern and Antarctic

Lands 12, Gibraltar 18, Hong Kong 26, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 27,

Liberia 38, Libya 1, Malta 49, Marshall Islands 65, Mexico 1,

Netherlands 7, Netherlands Antilles 5, Nigeria 1, Panama 66,

Philippines 3, Portugal 4, Russia 1, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines 16, Singapore 90, Spain 7, Sweden 7, Thailand 30, Tonga

1, UK 36, US 2, unknown 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Borg Havn, Bergen, Mo i Rana, Molde, Mongstad, Narvik, Oslo, Sture

Military Norway

Military branches:

Norwegian Army (Haeren), Royal Norwegian Navy (Kongelige Norske

Sjoeforsvaret, RNoN; includes Coastal Rangers and Coast Guard

(Kystvakt)), Royal Norwegian Air Force (Kongelige Norske

Luftforsvaret, RNoAF), Home Guard (Heimevernet, HV) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age in

wartime; 17 years of age for male volunteers; 18 years of age for

women; 16 years of age for volunteers to the Home Guard; conscript

service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,014,592

females age 18-49: 982,734 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 827,016

females age 18-49: 801,358 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 29,179

females age 18-49: 28,023 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$4,033.5 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.9% (2003)

Transnational Issues Norway

Disputes - international:

Norway asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land

and its continental shelf); despite dialogue, Russia and Norway

continue to dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and

Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within

the Svalbard Treaty zone

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Oman

Introduction Oman

Background:

The inhabitants of the area of Oman have long prospered on Indian

Ocean trade. In the late 18th century, a newly established sultanate

in Muscat signed the first in a series of friendship treaties with

Britain. Over time, Oman's dependence on British political and

military advisors increased, but it never became a British colony.

In 1970, QABOOS bin Said al-Said overthrew the restrictive rule of

his father; he has ruled as sultan ever since. His extensive

modernization program has opened the country to the outside world

while preserving the longstanding close ties with the UK. Oman's

moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good

relations with all Middle Eastern countries.

Geography Oman

Location:

Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian

Gulf, between Yemen and UAE

Geographic coordinates:

21 00 N, 57 00 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 212,460 sq km

land: 212,460 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Kansas

Land boundaries: total: 1,374 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km

Coastline: 2,092 km

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

Climate:

dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong

southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south

Terrain:

central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m

highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium,

gypsum, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 0.12% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 99.74% (2005)

Irrigated land:

720 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in

interior; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited

natural fresh water resources

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine

Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of

Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

People Oman

Population: 3,102,229 note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 42.7% (male 675,423/female 648,963)

15-64 years: 54.7% (male 1,001,917/female 695,578)

65 years and over: 2.6% (male 44,300/female 36,048) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 19 years

male: 21.7 years

female: 16.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

3.28% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

36.24 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

3.81 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.44 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.23 male(s)/female

total population: 1.25 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 18.89 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 21.65 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 16 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.37 years

male: 71.14 years

female: 75.72 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.77 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

1,300 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Omani(s)

adjective: Omani

Ethnic groups:

Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan,

Bangladeshi), African

Religions:

Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu

Languages:

Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 75.8% male: 83.1% female: 67.2%

Government Oman

Country name:

conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman

conventional short form: Oman

local long form: Saltanat Uman

local short form: Uman

former: Muscat and Oman

Government type:

monarchy

Capital:

name: Muscat

geographic coordinates: 23 37 N, 58 35 E

time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

5 regions (manatiq, singular - mintaqat) and 4 governorates*

(muhafazat, singular - muhafazat) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al

Buraymi*, Al Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat*, Musandam*,

Zufar (Dhofar)*

Independence:

1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)

National holiday:

Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940)

Constitution:

none; note - on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal

decree promulgating a basic law considered by the government to be a

constitution which, among other things, clarifies the royal

succession, provides for a prime minister, bars ministers from

holding interests in companies doing business with the government,

establishes a bicameral legislature, and guarantees basic civil

liberties for Omani citizens

Legal system:

based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the

monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

in Oman's most recent Majlis al-Shura elections in 2003, suffrage

was universal for all Omanis over age 21 except for members of the

military and security forces; the next Majlis al-Shura elections are

scheduled for 2007

Executive branch:

chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said al-Said

(sultan since 23 July 1970 and prime minister since 23 July 1972);

note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said

al-Said (sultan since 23 July 1970 and prime minister since 23 July

1972); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of

government

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary

Legislative branch:

bicameral Majlis Oman consists of an upper chamber or Majlis

al-Dawla (58 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory

powers only) and a lower chamber or Majlis al-Shura (83 seats;

members elected by popular vote for four-year terms; body has some

limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise has only

advisory powers)

elections: last held 4 October 2003 (next to be held October 2007)

election results: NA

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court

note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has

judges who practice secular and Shari'a law

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),

IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU,

LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,

WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Hunaina bint Sultan bin Ahmad

al-MUGHAIRI

chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980 through 1981, 1988

FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Gary A. GRAPPO

embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat

mailing address: P. O. Box 202, P.C. 115, Madinat Sultan Qaboos,

Muscat

telephone: [968] 24-698989

FAX: [968] 24-699771

Flag description:

three horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal width with

a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national emblem

(a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed swords

in scabbards) in white is centered near the top of the vertical band

Economy Oman

Economy - overview:

Oman is a middle-income economy in the Middle East with notable oil

and gas resources, a substantial trade surplus, and low inflation.

Sustained high oil prices in recent years have helped build Oman's

budget and trade surpluses and foreign reserves. Oman joined the

World Trade Organization in November 2000 and continues to

liberalize its markets. To reduce unemployment and limit dependence

on foreign labor, the government is encouraging the replacement of

foreign expatriate workers with local workers. Oman actively seeks

private foreign investors, especially in the industrial, information

technology, tourism, and higher education fields. Industrial

development plans focus on gas resources, metal manufacturing,

petrochemicals, and international transshipment ports.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$43.88 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$27.23 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$14,100 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.6% industry: 38.8% services: 58.7% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 920,000 (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

15% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

14.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $14.33 billion

expenditures: $12.81 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

4.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish

Industries:

crude oil production and refining, natural and liquefied natural

gas (LNG) production; construction, cement, copper, steel,

chemicals, optic fiber

Industrial production growth rate:

5.9% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

14.33 billion kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

13.33 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

769,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

60,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

721,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves:

4.7 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

17.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

6.77 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

10.43 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

829.1 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$7.097 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$24.73 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles

Exports - partners:

China 21.6%, South Korea 19.3%, Japan 14.2%, Thailand 12.6%, UAE

7.1%, Taiwan 4.1% (2005)

Imports:

$10.29 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food,

livestock, lubricants

Imports - partners:

UAE 22.4%, Japan 15.7%, UK 7.7%, US 6.7%, Germany 5.8%, India 4.2%

(2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$4.908 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$4.259 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$76.4 million (1995)

Currency (code):

Omani rial (OMR)

Currency code:

OMR

Exchange rates:

Omani rials per US dollar - 0.3845 (2006), 0.3845 (2005), 0.3845

(2004), 0.3845 (2003), 0.3845 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Oman

Telephones - main lines in use:

265,200 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.333 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern system consisting of open-wire,

microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited

coaxial cable

domestic: open-wire, microwave, radiotelephone communications, and a

domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations

international: country code - 968; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)

Radios:

1.4 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

13 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1999)

Televisions:

1.6 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.om

Internet hosts:

3,555 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

245,000 (2005)

Transportation Oman

Airports: 137 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 131 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 52 914 to 1,523 m: 35 under 914 m: 35 (2006)

Heliports:

1 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 4,072 km; oil 3,405 km (2006)

Roadways:

total: 34,965 km

paved: 9,673 km (including 550 km of expressways)

unpaved: 25,292 km (2001)

Merchant marine:

total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 10,797 GRT/5,040 DWT

by type: passenger 1

registered in other countries: 2 (Kazakhstan 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Mina' Qabus, Salalah

Military Oman

Military branches:

Royal Omani Armed Forces: Royal Army of Oman, Royal Navy of Oman,

Royal Air Force of Oman (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Sultanat Oman,

RAFO) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 719,871

females age 18-49: 508,621 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 581,444

females age 18-49: 435,107 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 26,391

females age 18-49: 25,466 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$252.99 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

11.4% (2003)

Transnational Issues Oman

Disputes - international:

boundary agreement reportedly signed and ratified with UAE in 2003

for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah

exclave, but details of the alignment have not been made public

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Oman is a destination country for men and women

primarily from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India who migrate

willingly, but may subsequently become victims of trafficking when

subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude as domestic workers

and laborers; there have been occasional reports that expatriate

children engaged in camel racing may transit or reside in Omani

territory

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Oman is placed on the Tier 2 Watch

List because of a lack of evidence of increasing efforts to combat

severe forms of trafficking in persons in 2005

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Pacific Ocean

Background:

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the world's five oceans

(followed by the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and

Arctic Ocean). Strategically important access waterways include the

La Perouse, Tsugaru, Tsushima, Taiwan, Singapore, and Torres

Straits. The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization

in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean,

removed the portion of the Pacific Ocean south of 60 degrees south.

Geography Pacific Ocean

Location:

body of water between the Southern Ocean, Asia, Australia, and the

Western Hemisphere

Geographic coordinates:

0 00 N, 160 00 W

Map references:

Political Map of the World

Area:

total: 155.557 million sq km

note: includes Bali Sea, Bering Sea, Bering Strait, Coral Sea, East

China Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Gulf of Tonkin, Philippine Sea, Sea of

Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, South China Sea, Tasman Sea, and other

tributary water bodies

Area - comparative:

about 15 times the size of the US; covers about 28% of the global

surface; larger than the total land area of the world

Coastline:

135,663 km

Climate:

planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind patterns exhibit

remarkable uniformity in the south and east; trade winds and

westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by seasonal

fluctuations; tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of

Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central America;

continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be much less

pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same latitude

in the North Pacific Ocean; the western Pacific is monsoonal - a

rainy season occurs during the summer months, when moisture-laden

winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry season during the

winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian landmass back to

the ocean; tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike southeast and

east Asia from May to December

Terrain:

surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated by a

clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents) and

in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre; in

the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of

Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica

reaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in the

eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the

western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Mariana

Trench, which is the world's deepest

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench -10,924 m

highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources:

oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and gravel

aggregates, placer deposits, fish

Natural hazards:

surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and earthquake activity

sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of Fire"; subject to

tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east Asia from May to

December (most frequent from July to October); tropical cyclones

(hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike Central America and

Mexico from June to October (most common in August and September);

cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in the equatorial

Pacific, influencing weather in the Western Hemisphere and the

western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme

north from October to May; persistent fog in the northern Pacific

can be a maritime hazard from June to December

Environment - current issues:

endangered marine species include the dugong, sea lion, sea otter,

seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in Philippine Sea and

South China Sea

Geography - note:

the major chokepoints are the Bering Strait, Panama Canal, Luzon

Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator divides the Pacific

Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean;

dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in the

southwestern Pacific Ocean

Economy Pacific Ocean

Economy - overview:

The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the world economy and

particularly to those nations its waters directly touch. It provides

low-cost sea transportation between East and West, extensive fishing

grounds, offshore oil and gas fields, minerals, and sand and gravel

for the construction industry. In 1996, over 60% of the world's fish

catch came from the Pacific Ocean. Exploitation of offshore oil and

gas reserves is playing an ever-increasing role in the energy

supplies of the US, Australia, NZ, China, and Peru. The high cost of

recovering offshore oil and gas, combined with the wide swings in

world prices for oil since 1985, has led to fluctuations in new

drillings.

Transportation Pacific Ocean

Ports and terminals:

Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong (China), Kao-hsiung (Taiwan), Los

Angeles (US), Manila (Philippines), Pusan (South Korea), San

Francisco (US), Seattle (US), Shanghai (China), Singapore, Sydney

(Australia), Vladivostok (Russia), Wellington (NZ), Yokohama (Japan)

Transportation - note:

Inside Passage offers protected waters from southeast Alaska to

Puget Sound (Washington state)

Transnational Issues Pacific Ocean

Disputes - international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Pakistan

Introduction Pakistan

Background:

The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of

Pakistan (with two sections West and East) and largely Hindu India

was never satisfactorily resolved, and India and Pakistan fought two

wars - in 1947-48 and 1965 - over the disputed Kashmir territory. A

third war between these countries in 1971 - in which India

capitalized on Islamabad's marginalization of Bengalis in Pakistani

politics - resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of

Bangladesh. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing, Pakistan

conducted its own tests in 1998. The dispute over the state of

Kashmir is ongoing, but discussions and confidence-building measures

have led to decreased tensions since 2002.

Geography Pakistan

Location:

Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east

and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north

Geographic coordinates:

30 00 N, 70 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 803,940 sq km

land: 778,720 sq km

water: 25,220 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of California

Land boundaries:

total: 6,774 km

border countries: Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912

km, Iran 909 km

Coastline:

1,046 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north

Terrain:

flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest;

Balochistan plateau in west

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m

Natural resources:

land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor

quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone

Land use: arable land: 24.44% permanent crops: 0.84% other: 74.72% (2005)

Irrigated land:

182,300 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and

west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August)

Environment - current issues: water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh water resources; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes

between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent

People Pakistan

Population:

165,803,560 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 39% (male 33,293,428/female 31,434,314)

15-64 years: 56.9% (male 48,214,298/female 46,062,933)

65 years and over: 4.1% (male 3,256,065/female 3,542,522) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 19.8 years

male: 19.7 years

female: 20 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.09% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

29.74 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

8.23 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

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

65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 70.45 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 70.84 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 70.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 63.39 years

male: 62.4 years

female: 64.44 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

74,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

4,900 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E,

and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and cutaneous

leishmaniasis are high risks depending on location

animal contact disease: rabies

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified

among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a

negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens

who have close contact with birds (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Pakistani(s)

adjective: Pakistani

Ethnic groups:

Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir (immigrants from

India at the time of partition and their descendants)

Religions:

Muslim 97% (Sunni 77%, Shi'a 20%), Christian, Hindu, and other 3%

Languages:

Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu

8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English

(official and lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government

ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 48.7%

male: 61.7%

female: 35.2% (2004 est.)

Government Pakistan

Country name:

conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan

conventional short form: Pakistan

local long form: Jamhuryat Islami Pakistan

local short form: Pakistan

former: West Pakistan

Government type:

federal republic

Capital:

name: Islamabad

geographic coordinates: 33 42 N, 73 10 E

time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

4 provinces, 1 territory*, and 1 capital territory**; Balochistan,

Federally Administered Tribal Areas*, Islamabad Capital Territory**,

North-West Frontier Province, Punjab, Sindh

note: the Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and

Kashmir region consists of two administrative entities: Azad Kashmir

and Northern Areas

Independence:

14 August 1947 (from UK)

National holiday:

Republic Day, 23 March (1956)

Constitution:

12 April 1973; suspended 5 July 1977, restored with amendments 30

December 1985; suspended 15 October 1999, restored in stages in

2002; amended 31 December 2003

Legal system:

based on English common law with provisions to accommodate

Pakistan's status as an Islamic state; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal; joint electorates and reserved

parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims

Executive branch:

note: following a military takeover on 12 October 1999, Chief of

Army Staff and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee,

General Pervez MUSHARRAF, suspended Pakistan's Constitution and

assumed the additional title of Chief Executive; on 12 May 2000,

Pakistan's Supreme Court unanimously validated the October 1999 coup

and granted MUSHARRAF executive and legislative authority for three

years from the coup date; on 20 June 2001, MUSHARRAF named himself

as president and was sworn in, replacing Mohammad Rafiq TARAR; in a

referendum held on 30 April 2002, MUSHARRAF's presidency was

extended by five more years; on 1 January 2004, MUSHARRAF won a vote

of confidence in the Senate, National Assembly, and four provincial

assemblies

chief of state: President General Pervez MUSHARRAF (since 20 June

2001)

head of government: Prime Minister Shaukat AZIZ (since 28 August

2004)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister

elections: the president is elected by an electoral college drawn

from the national parliament and provincial assemblies for a

five-year term; note - Musharraf was last sworn in as President in

November 2002; the prime minister is selected by the National

Assembly (next elections to be held in 2007)

election results: AZIZ elected by the National Assembly on 27 August

2004

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of the Senate (100

seats; members indirectly elected by provincial assemblies and the

territories' representatives in the National Assembly to serve

six-year terms; half of the Senate's seats turn over every three

years) and the National Assembly (342 seats; 272 seats filled by

popular vote; 60 seats reserved for women; 10 seats reserved for

non-Muslims; members serve five-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held in March 2006 (next to be held in

March 2009); National Assembly - last held 10 October 2002 (next to

be held in 2007)

election results: Senate results - percent of vote by party - NA;

seats by party - PML 39, MMA 18, PPPP 9, MQM 6, PML/N 4, PkMAP 3,

PPP 3, ANP 2, BNP-Awami 1, BNP/M 1, JWP 1, PML/F 1, independents 12;

National Assembly results - percent of votes by party - NA; seats by

party - PML/Q 126, PPPP 81, MMA 63, PML/N 19, MQM 17, NA 16, PML/F

5, PML/J 3, PPP/S 2, BNP 1, JWP 1, MQM-H 1, PAT 1, PkMAP 1, PML/Z 1,

PTI 1, independents 3

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president); Federal

Islamic or Shari'a Court

Political parties and leaders:

Awami National Party or ANP [Asfandyar Wali KHAN]; Balochistan

National Party/Hayee Group or BNP/H [Dr. Hayee BALUCH]; Baluch

National Party/Awami or BNP/Awami [Moheem Khan BALOCH]; Baluch

National Party-Mengal or BNP/M [Sardar Ataullah MENGAL]; Jamhoori

Watan Party or JWP; Jamiat-al-Hadith or JAH [Sajid MIR];

Jamiat-i-Islami or JI [Qazi Hussain AHMED]; Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam,

Fazlur Rehman faction or JUI/F [Fazlur REHMAN]; Jamiat

Ulema-i-Islam, Sami ul-HAQ faction or JUI/S [Sami ul-HAQ]; Jamiat

Ulema-i-Pakistan or JUP [Shah Faridul HAQ]; Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal

or MMA [Qazi Hussain AHMED]; Muttahida Qaumi Movement, or MQM [Altaf

HUSSAIN]; National Alliance or NA [Ghulam Mustapha JATOI] (merged

with PML); Pakhtun Khwa Milli Awami Party or PkMAP [Mahmood Khan

ACHAKZAI]; Pakistan Awami Tehrik or PAT [Tahir ul QADRI]; Pakistan

Muslim League, Functional Group or PML/F [Pir PAGARO]; Pakistan

Muslim League, Nawaz Sharif faction or PML/N [Nawaz SHARIF];

Pakistan Muslim League or PML [Chaudhry Shujaat HUSSAIN]; note - as

of May 2004, the PML/Q changed its name to PML and absorbed the

PML/J, PML/Z, and NA; Pakistan People's Party or PPP [Aftab Ahmed

Khan SHERPAO]; Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians or PPPP

[Benazir BHUTTO]; Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf or PTI [Imran KHAN];

Tehrik-i-Islami [Allama Sajid NAQVI]

note: political alliances in Pakistan can shift frequently

Political pressure groups and leaders:

military remains most important political force; ulema (clergy),

landowners, industrialists, and small merchants also influential

International organization participation:

ARF, AsDB, C (reinstated 2004), CP, ECO, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA,

IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,

IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO,

MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, SAARC,

SACEP, SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR,

UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,

WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mahmud Ali DURRANI chancery: 3517 International Court, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 243-6500 FAX: [1] (202) 686-1544 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Sunnyvale (California)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ryan CROCKER embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad mailing address: P. O. Box 1048, Unit 62200, APO AE 09812-2200 telephone: [92] (51) 208-0000 FAX: [92] (51) 2276427 consulate(s) general: Karachi consulate(s): Lahore, Peshawar

Flag description:

green with a vertical white band (symbolizing the role of religious

minorities) on the hoist side; a large white crescent and star are

centered in the green field; the crescent, star, and color green are

traditional symbols of Islam

Economy Pakistan

Economy - overview:

Pakistan, an impoverished and underdeveloped country, has suffered

from decades of internal political disputes, low levels of foreign

investment, and a costly, ongoing confrontation with neighboring

India. However, IMF-approved government policies, bolstered by

generous foreign assistance and renewed access to global markets

since 2001, have generated solid macroeconomic recovery the last

five years. The government has made substantial macroeconomic

reforms since 2000, most notably privatizing the banking sector.

Poverty levels have decreased by 10 percent since 2001, and

Islamabad has steadily raised development spending in recent years,

including a 52-percent real increase in the budget allocation for

development in fiscal year 2007, a necessary step toward reversing

the broad underdevelopment of its social sector. The fiscal deficit

- the result of chronically low tax collection and increased

spending, including reconstruction costs from the October 2005

earthquake - appears manageable for now. GDP growth, spurred by

gains in the industrial and service sectors, remained in the 6-8%

range in 2004-06. Inflation remains the biggest threat to the

economy, jumping to more than 9% in 2005 before easing to 7.9% in

2006. The central bank is pursuing tighter monetary policy - raising

interest rates in 2006 - while trying to preserve growth. Foreign

exchange reserves are bolstered by steady worker remittances, but a

growing current account deficit - driven by a widening trade gap as

import growth outstrips export expansion - could draw down reserves

and dampen GDP growth in the medium term.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$427.3 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$124 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 22%

industry: 26%

services: 52% (2006 est.)

Labor force:

48.29 million

note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use

of child labor (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 42%

industry: 20%

services: 38% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

6.5% plus substantial underemployment (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

24% (FY05/06 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.1% highest 10%: 27.6% (FY96/97)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

41 (FY98/99)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

7.9% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

15.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $20.55 billion

expenditures: $25.65 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

55% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk, beef,

mutton, eggs

Industries:

textiles and apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals,

construction materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp

Industrial production growth rate:

6% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

80.24 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 68.8% hydro: 28.2% nuclear: 3% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

74.62 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

63,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

324,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:

358.9 million bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

27.4 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

27.4 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

759.7 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-5.486 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$19.24 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, yarn), rice, leather

goods, sports goods, chemicals, manufactures, carpets and rugs

Exports - partners:

US 24.8%, UAE 7.8%, Afghanistan 6.6%, UK 5.7%, Germany 4.5% (2005)

Imports:

$26.79 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics, transportation

equipment, edible oils, paper and paperboard, iron and steel, tea

Imports - partners:

Saudi Arabia 11.1%, UAE 10.3%, China 9.2%, Japan 6.4%, US 6%,

Kuwait 5%, Germany 4.5% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$13.29 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$42.38 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$2.4 billion (FY01/02)

Currency (code):

Pakistani rupee (PKR)

Currency code:

PKR

Exchange rates:

Pakistani rupees per US dollar - 60.5 (2006), 59.515 (2005), 58.258

(2004), 57.752 (2003), 59.724 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 July - 30 June

Communications Pakistan

Telephones - main lines in use:

5,162,798 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

48,289,136 (2006)

Telephone system:

general assessment: the telecom infrastructure is improving

dramatically with foreign and domestic investments into fixed-line

and mobile networks; mobile cellular subscribership has skyrocketed,

approaching 50 million in late 2006, up from only about 300,000 in

2000; fiber systems are being constructed throughout the country to

aid in network growth; main line availability has risen only

marginally over the same period and there are still difficulties

getting main line service to rural areas.

domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable,

cellular, and satellite networks

international: country code - 92; satellite earth stations - 3

Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational

international gateway exchanges (1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad);

microwave radio relay to neighboring countries (2006)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 27, FM 1, shortwave 21 (1998)

Radios:

13.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

30 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (2006)

Televisions:

3.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.pk

Internet hosts:

72,765 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

30 (2000)

Internet users:

10.5 million (2005)

Transportation Pakistan

Airports: 139 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 91 over 3,047 m: 14 2,438 to 3,047 m: 21 1,524 to 2,437 m: 33 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 8 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 48 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 23 (2006)

Heliports:

18 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 10,257 km; oil 2,001 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 8,163 km

broad gauge: 7,718 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 445 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Roadways:

total: 258,340 km

paved: 167,146 km (including 711 km of expressways)

unpaved: 91,194 km (2004)

Merchant marine:

total: 16 ships (1000 GRT or over) 397,740 GRT/657,656 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 10, container 1, petroleum tanker 4

registered in other countries: 11 (Comoros 2, North Korea 3, Malta

1, Nigeria 1, Panama 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Karachi, Port Muhammad Bin Qasim

Military Pakistan

Military branches:

Army (includes National Guard), Navy (includes Marines), Pakistan

Air Force (Pakistan Fiza'ya) (2006)

Military service age and obligation: 16 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed for combat until age of 18; the Pakistani Air Force and Pakistani Navy have inducted their first female pilots and sailors (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 39,028,014

females age 16-49: 36,779,584 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 29,428,747

females age 16-49: 28,391,887 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 1,969,055

females age 16-49: 1,849,254 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$4.26 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

3.9% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Pakistan

Disputes - international:

various talks and confidence-building measures cautiously have

begun to defuse tensions over Kashmir, particularly since the

October 2005 earthquake in the region; Kashmir nevertheless remains

the site of the world's largest and most militarized territorial

dispute with portions under the de facto administration of China

(Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir

and Northern Areas); UN Military Observer Group in India and

Pakistan (UNMOGIP) has maintained a small group of peacekeepers

since 1949; India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding historic

Kashmir lands to China in 1964; India and Pakistan have maintained

their 2004 cease fire in Kashmir and initiated discussions on

defusing the armed stand-off in the Siachen glacier region; Pakistan

protests India's fencing the highly militarized Line of Control and

construction of the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River in Jammu and

Kashmir, which is part of the larger dispute on water sharing of the

Indus River and its tributaries; to defuse tensions and prepare for

discussions on a maritime boundary, India and Pakistan seek

technical resolution of the disputed boundary in Sir Creek estuary

at the mouth of the Rann of Kutch in the Arabian Sea; Pakistani maps

continue to show the Junagadh claim in India's Gujarat State; by

2005, Pakistan, with UN assistance, repatriated 2.3 million Afghan

refugees leaving slightly less than a million, many of whom remain

at their own choosing; Pakistan has proposed and Afghanistan

protests construction of a fence and laying of mines along portions

of their porous border; Pakistan has sent troops into remote tribal

areas to monitor and control the border with Afghanistan and stem

terrorist or other illegal activities

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 1,084,208 (Afghanistan)

IDPs: undetermined (government strikes on Islamic militants in South

Waziristan), 34,000 (October 2005 earthquake, most of those

displaced returned to their home villages in the spring of 2006)

(2006)

Illicit drugs:

opium poppy cultivation declined 58% to 3,147 hectares in 2005;

federal and provincial authorities continue to conduct anti-poppy

campaigns that force eradication - fines and arrests will take place

if the ban on poppy cultivation is not observed; key transit point

for Afghan drugs, including heroin, opium, morphine, and hashish,

bound for Western markets, the Gulf States, and Africa; financial

crimes related to drug trafficking, terrorism, corruption, and

smuggling remain problems

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Palau

Introduction Palau

Background:

After three decades as part of the UN Trust Territory of the

Pacific under US administration, this westernmost cluster of the

Caroline Islands opted for independence in 1978 rather than join the

Federated States of Micronesia. A Compact of Free Association with

the US was approved in 1986, but not ratified until 1993. It entered

into force the following year, when the islands gained independence.

Geography Palau

Location:

Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of

the Philippines

Geographic coordinates:

7 30 N, 134 30 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 458 sq km

land: 458 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

1,519 km

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

Climate:

tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November

Terrain:

varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of

Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier

reefs

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m

Natural resources:

forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed

minerals

Land use:

arable land: 8.7%

permanent crops: 4.35%

other: 86.95% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

typhoons (June to December)

Environment - current issues:

inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste; threats to the

marine ecosystem from sand and coral dredging, illegal fishing

practices, and overfishing

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,

Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

westernmost archipelago in the Caroline chain, consists of six

island groups totaling more than 300 islands; includes World War II

battleground of Beliliou (Peleliu) and world-famous rock islands

People Palau

Population:

20,579 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 26.3% (male 2,789/female 2,622)

15-64 years: 69.1% (male 7,664/female 6,549)

65 years and over: 4.6% (male 453/female 502) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 31.7 years

male: 32.7 years

female: 30.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.31% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

18.03 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

6.8 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

1.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.17 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female

total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 14.46 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 16.19 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 12.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 70.42 years

male: 67.26 years

female: 73.77 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.46 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Palauan(s)

adjective: Palauan

Ethnic groups:

Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures) 69.9%,

Filipino 15.3%, Chinese 4.9%, other Asian 2.4%, white 1.9%,

Carolinian 1.4%, other Micronesian 1.1%, other or unspecified 3.2%

(2000 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 41.6%, Protestant 23.3%, Modekngei 8.8% (indigenous

to Palau), Seventh-Day Adventist 5.3%, Jehovah's Witness 0.9%,

Latter-Day Saints 0.6%, other religion 3.1%, unspecified or none

16.4% (2000 census)

Languages:

Palauan 64.7% official in all islands except Sonsoral (Sonsoralese

and English are official), Tobi (Tobi and English are official), and

Angaur (Angaur, Japanese, and English are official), Filipino 13.5%,

English 9.4%, Chinese 5.7%, Carolinian 1.5%, Japanese 1.5%, other

Asian 2.3%, other languages 1.5% (2000 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92%

male: 93%

female: 90% (1980 est.)

Government Palau

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Palau

conventional short form: Palau

local long form: Beluu er a Belau

local short form: Belau

former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Palau District

Government type:

constitutional government in free association with the US; the

Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994

Capital:

name: Melekeok

geographic coordinates: 7 29 N, 134 38 E

time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

16 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatohobei, Kayangel, Koror,

Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong, Ngardmau, Ngatpang, Ngchesar,

Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsorol

Independence:

1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)

National holiday:

Constitution Day, 9 July (1979)

Constitution:

1 January 1981

Legal system:

based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal,

common, and customary laws

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19

January 2001) and Vice President Camsek CHIN (since 1 January 2005);

note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19

January 2001) and Vice President Camsek CHIN (since 1 January 2005)

cabinet: NA

elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets

by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term);

election last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008)

election results: Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. reelected president;

percent of vote - Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. 64%, Polycarp BASILIUS

33%; Elias Camsek CHIN elected vice president; percent of vote -

Elias Camsek CHIN 70%, Sandra PIERANTOZZI 29%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament or Olbiil Era Kelulau (OEK) consists of the

Senate (9 seats; members elected by popular vote on a population

basis to serve four-year terms) and the House of Delegates (16

seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held

November 2008); House of Delegates - last held 2 November 2004 (next

to be held November 2008)

election results: Senate - percent of vote - NA%; seats -

independents 9 (four new members elected); House of Delegates -

percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 16 (one new member

elected)

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; National Court; Court of Common Pleas

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, AsDB, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC,

IPU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Hersey KYOTA

chancery: 1700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC

20006

telephone: [1] (202) 452-6814

FAX: [1] (202) 452-6281

consulate(s) general: Honolulu

consulate(s): Tamuning (Guam)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: US ambassador to the Philippines is accredited to

Palau

embassy: Koror (no street address)

mailing address: P. O. Box 6028, Republic of Palau 96940

telephone: [680] 488-2920, 2990

FAX: [680] 488-2911

Flag description:

light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon) shifted

slightly to the hoist side

Economy Palau

Economy - overview:

The economy consists primarily of tourism, subsistence agriculture,

and fishing. The government is the major employer of the work force,

relying heavily on financial assistance from the US. Business and

tourist arrivals numbered 63,000 in 2003. The population enjoys a

per capita income twice that of the Philippines and much of

Micronesia. Long-run prospects for the key tourist sector have been

greatly bolstered by the expansion of air travel in the Pacific, the

rising prosperity of leading East Asian countries, and the

willingness of foreigners to finance infrastructure development.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$124.5 million; note - includes US subsidy (2004 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$145 million (2005)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.5% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$7,600 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6.2% industry: 12% services: 81.8%

Labor force: 9,777 (2005)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 20% industry: NA% services: NA% (1990)

Unemployment rate:

4.2% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.7% (2005 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $72.07 million

expenditures: $72.43 million; including capital expenditures of

$12.98 million (FY04/05 est.)

Agriculture - products:

coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; fish

Industries:

tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), construction,

garment making

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production by source:

NA

Current account balance:

$15.09 million (FY03/04)

Exports:

$5.882 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

shellfish, tuna, copra, garments

Exports - partners:

US, Japan, Singapore (2004)

Imports:

$107.3 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

US, Singapore, Japan, South Korea (2004)

Debt - external:

$0 (FY99/00)

Economic aid - recipient:

$19.6 million; note - the Compact of Free Association with the US,

entered into after the end of the UN trusteeship on 1 October 1994,

provides Palau with up to $700 million in US aid over 15 years in

return for furnishing military facilities (2004)

Currency (code):

US dollar (USD)

Currency code:

USD

Exchange rates:

the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:

1 October - 30 September

Communications Palau

Telephones - main lines in use:

6,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1,000 (2002)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: country code - 680; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2002)

Radios:

12,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (cable) (2005)

Televisions:

11,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.pw

Internet hosts:

3 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2002)

Transportation Palau

Airports: 3 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 61 km

paved: 36 km

unpaved: 25 km

Ports and terminals:

Koror

Military Palau

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Palau National Police (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 5,694 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 4,087 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 142 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

NA

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the US; under a Compact of Free

Association between Palau and the US, the US military is granted

access to the islands for 50 years, but it has not stationed any

military forces there (2005)

Transnational Issues Palau

Disputes - international: maritime delineation negotiations continue with Philippines, Indonesia

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Panama

Introduction Panama

Background:

Explored and settled by the Spanish in the 16th century, Panama

broke with Spain in 1821 and joined a union of Colombia, Venezuela,

and Ecuador - named the Republic of Gran Colombia. When the latter

dissolved in 1830, Panama remained part of Colombia. With US

backing, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903 and promptly signed a

treaty with the US allowing for the construction of a canal and US

sovereignty over a strip of land on either side of the structure

(the Panama Canal Zone). The Panama Canal was built by the US Army

Corps of Engineers between 1904 and 1914. In 1977, an agreement was

signed for the complete transfer of the Canal from the US to Panama

by the end of the century. Certain portions of the Zone and

increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over in the

subsequent decades. With US help, dictator Manuel NORIEGA was

deposed in 1989. The entire Panama Canal, the area supporting the

Canal, and remaining US military bases were transfered to Panama by

the end of 1999. In October 2006, Panamanians approved an ambitious

plan to expand the Canal. The project, which is to begin in 2007 and

could double the Canal's capacity, is expected to be completed in

2014-15.

Geography Panama

Location:

Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North

Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica

Geographic coordinates:

9 00 N, 80 00 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 78,200 sq km

land: 75,990 sq km

water: 2,210 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries: total: 555 km border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km

Coastline: 2,490 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or edge of continental margin

Climate:

tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May

to January), short dry season (January to May)

Terrain:

interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland

plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Volcan de Chiriqui 3,475 m

Natural resources:

copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 7.26% permanent crops: 1.95% other: 90.79% (2005)

Irrigated land:

430 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area

Environment - current issues: water pollution from agricultural runoff threatens fishery resources; deforestation of tropical rain forest; land degradation and soil erosion threatens siltation of Panama Canal; air pollution in urban areas; mining threatens natural resources

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

strategic location on eastern end of isthmus forming land bridge

connecting North and South America; controls Panama Canal that links

North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific Ocean

People Panama

Population:

3,191,319 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 30.3% (male 492,403/female 472,996)

15-64 years: 63.4% (male 1,025,898/female 998,926)

65 years and over: 6.3% (male 94,122/female 106,974) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 26.1 years

male: 25.8 years

female: 26.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.6% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

21.74 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

5.36 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

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

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

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 16.37 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 17.75 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 14.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 75.22 years

male: 72.68 years

female: 77.87 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.68 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

16,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Panamanian(s)

adjective: Panamanian

Ethnic groups:

mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and mixed

(West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%

Languages:

Spanish (official), English 14%; note - many Panamanians bilingual

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.6%

male: 93.2%

female: 91.9% (2003 est.)

Government Panama

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Panama

conventional short form: Panama

local long form: Republica de Panama

local short form: Panama

Government type:

constitutional democracy

Capital:

name: Panama

geographic coordinates: 8 58 N, 79 32 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

Administrative divisions:

9 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 territory*

(comarca); Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon, Darien, Herrera,

Los Santos, Panama, San Blas*(Kuna Yala), and Veraguas

Independence:

3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain 28

November 1821)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 3 November (1903)

Constitution:

11 October 1972; major reforms adopted 1978, 1983, 1994, and 2004

Legal system:

based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in

the Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,

with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Martin TORRIJOS Espino (since 1 September

2004); First Vice President Samuel LEWIS Navarro (since 1 September

2004); Second Vice President Ruben AROSEMENA Valdes (since 1

September 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and

head of government

head of government: President Martin TORRIJOS Espino (since 1

September 2004); First Vice President Samuel LEWIS Navarro (since 1

September 2004); Second Vice President Ruben AROSEMENA Valdes (since

1 September 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state

and head of government

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket

by popular vote for five-year terms (eligible for two more terms);

election last held 2 May 2004 (next to be held 3 May 2009); note -

beginning in 2009, Panama will have only one vice president.

election results: Martin TORRIJOS Espino elected president; percent

of vote - Martin TORRIJOS Espino 47.5%, Guillermo ENDARA Galimany

30.6%, Jose Miguel ALEMAN 17%, Ricardo MARTINELLI 4.9%

note: government coalition - PRD (Democratic Revolutionary Party),

PP (Popular Party)

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (formerly called Legislative Assembly)

or Asamblea Nacional (78 seats; members are elected by popular vote

to serve five-year terms); note - in 2009, the number of seats will

change to 71

elections: last held 2 May 2004 (next to be held 3 May 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

PRD 41, PA 17, PS 9, MOLIRENA 4, CD 3, PLN 3, PP 1

note: as of January 2006, the composition of the legislature is as

follows: seats by party - PRD 42, PA 16, PS 9, MOLIRENA 4, CD 3, PLN

3, PP 1; note - legislators from outlying rural districts are chosen

on a plurality basis while districts located in more populous towns

and cities elect multiple legislators by means of a proportion-based

formula

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (nine judges

appointed for 10-year terms); five superior courts; three courts of

appeal

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Change or CD [Ricardo MARTINELLI]; Democratic

Revolutionary Party or PRD [Hugo GUIRAUD]; Liberal Party or PL

[Joaquin F. Franco VASQUEZ]; Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement

or MOLIRENA [Gisela CHUNG]; Panamenista Party or PA (formerly the

Arnulfista Party) [Juan Carlos VARELA]; Patriotic Union Party or PUP

[Jose Raul MULINO and Anibal GALINDO]; Popular Party or PP (formerly

Christian Democratic Party or PDC) [Rene ORILLAC]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Chamber of Commerce; National Civic Crusade; National Council of

Organized Workers or CONATO; National Council of Private Enterprise

or CONEP; National Union of Construction and Similar Workers

(SUNTRACS); Panamanian Association of Business Executives or APEDE;

Panamanian Industrialists Society or SIP; Workers Confederation of

the Republic of Panama or CTRP

International organization participation:

CAN (observer), CSN (observer), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM,

OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,

WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Federico HUMBERT Arias

chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 483-1407

FAX: [1] (202) 483-8416

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New

York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador William A. EATON

embassy: Avenida Balboa and Calle 37, Apartado Postal 0816-02561,

Zona 5, Panama City 5

mailing address: American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945, APO AA 34002

telephone: [507] 207-7000

FAX: [507] 227-1964

Flag description:

divided into four, equal rectangles; the top quadrants are white

(hoist side) with a blue five-pointed star in the center and plain

red; the bottom quadrants are plain blue (hoist side) and white with

a red five-pointed star in the center

Economy Panama

Economy - overview:

Panama's dollarised economy rests primarily on a well-developed

services sector that accounts for three-fourths of GDP. Services

include operating the Panama Canal, banking, the Colon Free Zone,

insurance, container ports, flagship registry, and tourism. A slump

in the Colon Free Zone and agricultural exports, the global

slowdown, and the withdrawal of US military forces held back

economic growth in 2000-03; growth picked up in 2004-06 led by

export-oriented services and a construction boom stimulated by tax

incentives. The government has implemented tax reforms, as well as

social security reforms, and backs regional trade agreements and

development of tourism. Unemployment remains high. In October 2006,

voters passed a referendum to expand the Panama Canal to accommodate

ships that are now too large to cross the transoceanic crossway. Not

a CAFTA signatory, Panama in December 2006 independently negotiated

a free trade agreement with the United States, which, when

implemented, will help promote the country's economic growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$25.29 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$16.2 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$7,900 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 7.2%

industry: 16.4%

services: 76.4% (2006 est.)

Labor force:

1.441 million

note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled

labor (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 20.8%

industry: 18%

services: 61.2% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate:

8.8% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

37% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 35.7% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

56.4 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.6% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

17.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $4.157 billion

expenditures: $4.489 billion; including capital expenditures of $471

million (2006 est.)

Public debt:

61.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock;

shrimp

Industries:

construction, brewing, cement and other construction materials,

sugar milling

Industrial production growth rate:

3% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

7.545 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 37% hydro: 61.3% nuclear: 0% other: 1.7% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

6.888 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

207 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

78 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

79,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day; note - imports oil (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-467 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$8.087 billion f.o.b.; note - includes the Colon Free Zone (2006

est.)

Exports - commodities:

bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing

Exports - partners:

US 44.9%, Spain 8.9%, Sweden 5.6%, Netherlands 4.9%, Costa Rica 4%

(2005)

Imports:

$9.365 billion f.o.b. (includes the Colon Free Zone) (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals

Imports - partners:

US 27.5%, Netherlands Antilles 11.4%, Costa Rica 4.7%, Japan 4.5%

(2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.236 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$9.993 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$197.1 million (1995)

Currency (code):

balboa (PAB); US dollar (USD)

Currency code:

PAB; USD

Exchange rates:

balboas per US dollar - 1 (2006), 1 (2005), 1 (2004), 1 (2003), 1

(2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Panama

Telephones - main lines in use:

440,100 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.352 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: domestic and international facilities well

developed

domestic: NA

international: country code - 507; 1 coaxial submarine cable;

satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to

the Central American Microwave System

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 101, FM 134, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

815,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

38 (including repeaters) (1998)

Televisions:

510,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.pa

Internet hosts:

7,149 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

6 (2000)

Internet users:

300,000 (2005)

Transportation Panama

Airports: 117 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 53 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 28 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 64 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 53 (2006)

Railways:

total: 355 km

standard gauge: 77 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 278 km 0.914-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 11,643 km

paved: 4,028 km

unpaved: 7,615 km (2000)

Waterways:

800 km (includes 82 km Panama Canal) (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 5,473 ships (1000 GRT or over) 146,511,342 GRT/219,940,567

DWT

by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 1,776, cargo 992, chemical

tanker 476, combination ore/oil 2, container 663, liquefied gas 193,

livestock carrier 7, passenger 49, passenger/cargo 77, petroleum

tanker 518, refrigerated cargo 299, roll on/roll off 123,

specialized tanker 23, vehicle carrier 274

foreign-owned: 4,922 (Anguilla 1, Argentina 9, Australia 3, Bahamas,

The 2, Belgium 11, Bermuda 1, Bulgaria 1, Canada 4, Chile 9, China

420, Colombia 5, Croatia 5, Cuba 11, Cyprus 14, Denmark 34, Egypt

16, Estonia 3, France 15, Gabon 1, Germany 35, Greece 524, Hong Kong

169, India 19, Indonesia 50, Iran 4, Ireland 2, Israel 6, Italy 15,

Japan 2007, Jordan 13, South Korea ( ( (291, Kuwait 2, Latvia 3,

Lebanon 2, Lithuania 5, Malaysia 13, Maldives 1, Malta 3, Mexico 5,

Monaco 9, Morocco 1, Netherlands 21, Nigeria 7, Norway 66, Pakistan

3, Peru 15, Philippines 13, Poland 15, Portugal 10, Qatar 1, Romania

9, Russia 7, Saudi Arabia 8, Singapore 67, South Africa 3, Spain 53,

Sri Lanka 5, Sudan 1, Sweden 5, Switzerland 226, Syria 18, Taiwan

308, Thailand 9, Trinidad and Tobago 1, Turkey 42, UAE 105, UK 37,

Ukraine 8, US 94, Venezuela 14, Vietnam 4, Yemen 3)

registered in other countries: 1 (Venezuela 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Balboa, Colon, Cristobal

Military Panama

Military branches:

an amendment to the Constitution abolished the armed forces, but

there are security forces (Panamanian Public Forces or PPF includes

the Panamanian National Police, National Maritime Service, and

National Air Service)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 751,065 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 591,604 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 29,724

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$150 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1% (2005 est.)

Military - note:

on 10 February 1990, the government of then President ENDARA

abolished Panama's military and reformed the security apparatus by

creating the Panamanian Public Forces; in October 1994, Panama's

Legislative Assembly approved a constitutional amendment prohibiting

the creation of a standing military force, but allowing the

temporary establishment of special police units to counter acts of

"external aggression"

Transnational Issues Panama

Disputes - international: organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia operate within the remote border region with Panama

Illicit drugs:

major cocaine transshipment point and primary money-laundering

center for narcotics revenue; money-laundering activity is

especially heavy in the Colon Free Zone; offshore financial center;

negligible signs of coca cultivation; monitoring of financial

transactions is improving; official corruption remains a major

problem

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Papua New Guinea

Introduction Papua New Guinea

Background:

The eastern half of the island of New Guinea - second largest in

the world - was divided between Germany (north) and the UK (south)

in 1885. The latter area was transferred to Australia in 1902, which

occupied the northern portion during World War I and continued to

administer the combined areas until independence in 1975. A

nine-year secessionist revolt on the island of Bougainville ended in

1997 after claiming some 20,000 lives.

Geography Papua New Guinea

Location:

Oceania, group of islands including the eastern half of the island

of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and the South Pacific Ocean,

east of Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:

6 00 S, 147 00 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 462,840 sq km

land: 452,860 sq km

water: 9,980 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than California

Land boundaries: total: 820 km border countries: Indonesia 820 km

Coastline:

5,152 km

Maritime claims:

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

territorial sea: 12 nm

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

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March), southeast monsoon

(May to October); slight seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:

mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m

Natural resources: gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil, fisheries

Land use: arable land: 0.49% permanent crops: 1.4% other: 98.11% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Ring of Fire"; the

country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud

slides; tsunamis

Environment - current issues:

rain forest subject to deforestation as a result of growing

commercial demand for tropical timber; pollution from mining

projects; severe drought

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine

Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,

Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of world's largest

swamps along southwest coast

People Papua New Guinea

Population:

5,670,544 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 37.8% (male 1,090,879/female 1,054,743)

15-64 years: 58.3% (male 1,703,204/female 1,601,224)

65 years and over: 3.9% (male 103,054/female 117,440) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 21.2 years

male: 21.4 years

female: 21.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.21% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

29.36 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

7.25 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

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

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 49.96 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 54.08 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 45.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 65.28 years

male: 63.08 years

female: 67.58 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.88 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.6% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

16,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

600 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in some locations (2007)

Nationality: noun: Papua New Guinean(s) adjective: Papua New Guinean

Ethnic groups:

Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian

Religions:

Roman Catholic 22%, Lutheran 16%, Presbyterian/Methodist/London

Missionary Society 8%, Anglican 5%, Evangelical Alliance 4%,

Seventh-Day Adventist 1%, other Protestant 10%, indigenous beliefs

34%

Languages:

Melanesian Pidgin serves as the lingua franca, English spoken by

1%-2%, Motu spoken in Papua region

note: 820 indigenous languages spoken (over one-tenth of the world's

total)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 64.6%

male: 71.1%

female: 57.7% (2002)

Government Papua New Guinea

Country name:

conventional long form: Independent State of Papua New Guinea

conventional short form: Papua New Guinea

local short form: Papuaniugini

former: Territory of Papua and New Guinea

abbreviation: PNG

Government type:

constitutional parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Port Moresby

geographic coordinates: 9 30 S, 147 10 E

time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

20 provinces; Bougainville, Central, Chimbu, Eastern Highlands,

East New Britain, East Sepik, Enga, Gulf, Madang, Manus, Milne Bay,

Morobe, National Capital, New Ireland, Northern, Sandaun, Southern

Highlands, Western, Western Highlands, West New Britain

Independence:

16 September 1975 (from the Australian-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 16 September (1975)

Constitution:

16 September 1975

Legal system:

based on English common law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

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

represented by governor general Sir Paulius MATANE (since 29 June

2004)

head of government: Prime Minister Sir Michael SOMARE (since 2

August 2002); deputy prime minister Don Polye (since 5 July 2006)

cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the governor

general on the recommendation of the prime minister

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general

appointed by the National Executive Council; following legislative

elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the

majority coalition usually is appointed prime minister by the

governor general

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Parliament - sometimes referred to as the House

of Assembly (109 seats, 89 elected from open electorates and 20 from

provincial electorates; members elected by popular vote to serve

five-year terms)

elections: last held 15-29 June 2002 and April and May 2003;

completed in May 2003 (voting in the Southern Highlands was not

completed during the June 2002 election period); next to be held not

later than June 2007

election results: percent of vote by party - National Alliance 18%,

URP 13%, PDM 12%, PPP 8%, Pangu 6%, PAP 5%, PLP 4%, others 34%;

seats by party - National Alliance 19, URP 14, PDM 13, PPP 8, PANGU

6, PAP 5, PLP 4, others 40; note - seats by party as of January 2006

- National Alliance 25, URP 10, PNGP 9, PPP 9, PANGU 6, PAP 12, PLP

4, others 34

note: association with political parties is fluid

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor

general on the proposal of the National Executive Council after

consultation with the minister responsible for justice; other judges

are appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission)

Political parties and leaders:

Christian Democratic Party [Dr. Banare BUN]; Melanesian Alliance

Party or MAP [Sir Moi AVEL]; National Alliance Party or NA [Michael

SOMARE]; National Party; Papua and Niugini Union Party or PANGU

[Rabbie NAMALIU]; Papua New Guinea First Party [Cecilking DORUBA];

Papua New Guinea Labor Party [Bob DANAYA]; Papua New Guinea Party or

PNGP (was People's Democratic Movement or PDM) [Sir Mekere MORAUTA];

People's Action Party or PAP [Moses MALADINA]; People's Labor Party

or PLP [Ekis ROPENU]; People's National Congress or PNC [Peter

O'NEILL]; People's Progress Party or PPP [Byron CHAN]; Pipol First

Party [Luther WENGE]; United Party [Bire KIMASOPA]; United Resources

Party or URP [Tim NEVILLE] (2007)

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (observer), C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD,

ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW,

PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,

WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Evan Jeremy PAKI

chancery: 1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 805, Washington, DC

20036

telephone: [1] (202) 745-3680

FAX: [1] (202) 745-3679

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Leslie V. ROWE embassy: Douglas Street, Port Moresby mailing address: 4240 Port Moresby PI, US Department of State, Washington DC 20521-4240 telephone: [675] 321-1455 FAX: [675] 321-3423

Flag description:

divided diagonally from upper hoist-side corner; the upper triangle

is red with a soaring yellow bird of paradise centered; the lower

triangle is black with five, white, five-pointed stars of the

Southern Cross constellation centered

Economy Papua New Guinea

Economy - overview:

Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural resources, but

exploitation has been hampered by rugged terrain and the high cost

of developing infrastructure. Agriculture provides a subsistence

livelihood for 85% of the population. Mineral deposits, including

oil, copper, and gold, account for nearly two-thirds of export

earnings. The economy has improved over the past three years because

of high commodity prices following a prolonged period of

instability. The government of Prime Minister SOMARE has expended

much of its energy remaining in power and should be the first

government in decades to serve a full five-year term. The government

has also brought stability to the national budget thus far, largely

through expenditure control. Numerous challenges still face the

government including regaining investor confidence, restoring

integrity to state institutions, promoting economic efficiency by

privatizing moribund state institutions, and balancing relations

with Australia, the former colonial ruler. Other socio-cultural

challenges could upend the economy including a worsening HIV/Aids

epidemic and chronic law and order and land tenure issues. Australia

annually supplies $240 million in aid, which accounts for nearly 20%

of the national budget.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$15.13 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$4.148 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,700 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 35.7% industry: 37.1% services: 27.2% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 3.477 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 85% industry: NA% services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

2% up to 80% in urban areas (2004)

Population below poverty line:

37% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 40.5% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

50.9 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.5% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

19.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $2.155 billion

expenditures: $2.166 billion; including capital expenditures of $344

million (2006 est.)

Public debt:

53.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

coffee, cocoa, copra, palm kernels, tea, sugar, rubber, sweet

potatoes, fruit, vegetables, vanilla; shell fish, poultry, pork

Industries:

copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood production, wood chip

production; mining of gold, silver, and copper; crude oil

production, petroleum refining; construction, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

3.358 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 54.1% hydro: 45.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

3.123 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

50,000 bbl/day (January 2006 est.)

Oil - consumption:

18,000 bbl/day (January 2006 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves:

170 million bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

140 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

140 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

345.5 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$661 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$4.096 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

oil, gold, copper ore, logs, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, crayfish,

prawns

Exports - partners:

Australia 28.8%, Japan 8.6%, China 5.4% (2005)

Imports:

$1.686 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels,

chemicals

Imports - partners:

Australia 54.7%, Singapore 13.4%, Japan 4.3%, Malaysia 4.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.099 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.801 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$NA

Currency (code):

kina (PGK)

Currency code:

PGK

Exchange rates:

kina per US dollar - 3.08 (2006), 3.08 (2005), 3.2225 (2004),

3.5635 (2003), 3.8952 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Papua New Guinea

Telephones - main lines in use:

62,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

26,000 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: services are adequate; facilities provide

radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio, aeronautical radio, and

international radio communication services

domestic: mostly radiotelephone

international: country code - 675; submarine cables to Australia and

Guam; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean);

international radio communication service

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 28 (1998)

Radios:

410,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (all in the Port Moresby area) note: additional stations at Mt. Hagen, Goroka, Lae, and Rabaul are planned (2004)

Televisions:

59,841 (1999)

Internet country code:

.pg

Internet hosts:

1,573 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

3 (2000)

Internet users:

170,000 (2005)

Transportation Papua New Guinea

Airports: 582 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 21 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 561 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 62 under 914 m: 488 (2006)

Heliports:

2 (2006)

Pipelines:

oil 264 km (2006)

Roadways: total: 19,600 km paved: 686 km unpaved: 18,914 km (1999)

Waterways:

10,940 km (2003)

Merchant marine:

total: 24 ships (1000 GRT or over) 55,532 GRT/72,240 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 18, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum

tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 6 (UK 6) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Kimbe, Lae, Rabaul

Military Papua New Guinea

Military branches:

Papua New Guinea Defense Force (includes Maritime Operations

Element, Air Operations Element)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,264,728

females age 18-49: 1,167,188 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 902,432

females age 18-49: 894,759 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$16.9 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.4% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Papua New Guinea

Disputes - international:

relies on assistance from Australia to keep out illegal

cross-border activities from primarily Indonesia, including goods

smuggling, illegal narcotics trafficking, and squatters and

secessionists

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 9,991 (Indonesia) (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Paracel Islands

Background:

The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive fishing grounds

and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932, French Indochina

annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island;

maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam. China has

occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a

South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. The islands

are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.

Geography Paracel Islands

Location:

Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South

China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the

northern Philippines

Geographic coordinates:

16 30 N, 112 00 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: NA sq km

land: NA sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

NA

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

518 km

Maritime claims:

NA

Climate:

tropical

Terrain:

mostly low and flat

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

typhoons

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the

northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group

People Paracel Islands

Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons

Government Paracel Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Paracel Islands

Economy Paracel Islands

Economy - overview:

China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism.

Transportation Paracel Islands

Airports: 1 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Ports and terminals:

small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island

being expanded

Military Paracel Islands

Military - note: occupied by China

Transnational Issues Paracel Islands

Disputes - international: occupied by China, also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Paraguay

Introduction Paraguay

Background:

In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70), Paraguay

lost two-thirds of all adult males and much of its territory. It

stagnated economically for the next half century. In the Chaco War

of 1932-35, large, economically important areas were won from

Bolivia. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo STROESSNER was

overthrown in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in political

infighting in recent years, relatively free and regular presidential

elections have been held since then.

Geography Paraguay

Location:

Central South America, northeast of Argentina

Geographic coordinates:

23 00 S, 58 00 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 406,750 sq km

land: 397,300 sq km

water: 9,450 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than California

Land boundaries: total: 3,995 km border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,365 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern

portions, becoming semiarid in the far west

Terrain:

grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran Chaco

region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the river,

and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m

highest point: Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 m

Natural resources:

hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone

Land use: arable land: 7.47% permanent crops: 0.24% other: 92.29% (2005)

Irrigated land:

670 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly

drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal

pose health risks for many urban residents; loss of wetlands

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil; population

concentrated in southern part of country

People Paraguay

Population:

6,506,464 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 37.7% (male 1,245,149/female 1,204,970)

15-64 years: 57.5% (male 1,878,761/female 1,862,266)

65 years and over: 4.8% (male 145,899/female 169,419) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 21.3 years

male: 21.1 years

female: 21.6 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.45% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

29.1 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

4.49 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

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

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 24.78 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 29.4 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 19.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 75.1 years

male: 72.56 years

female: 77.78 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.89 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

15,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

600 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Paraguayan(s) adjective: Paraguayan

Ethnic groups:

mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%, other 5%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite and other Protestant 10%

Languages:

Spanish (official), Guarani (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 94%

male: 94.9%

female: 93% (2003 est.)

Government Paraguay

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay

conventional short form: Paraguay

local long form: Republica del Paraguay

local short form: Paraguay

Government type:

constitutional republic

Capital:

name: Asuncion

geographic coordinates: 25 16 S, 57 40 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

17 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1

capital city*; Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Asuncion*,

Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concepcion,

Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari,

Presidente Hayes, San Pedro

Independence:

14 May 1811 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 14 May 1811 (observed 15 May annually)

Constitution:

promulgated 20 June 1992

Legal system:

based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes; judicial

review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice; accepts

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS (since 15 August

2003); Vice President Luis CASTIGLIONI Joria (since 15 August 2003);

note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS (since 15 August

2003); Vice President Luis CASTIGLIONI Joria (since 15 August 2003)

cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the president

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket

by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 27

April 2003 (next to be held April 2008)

election results: Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS elected president; percent

of vote - Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS 37.1%, Julio Cesar Ramon FRANCO

Gomez 23.9%, Pedro Nicolas Maraa FADUL Niella 21.3%, Guillermo

SANCHEZ Guffanti 13.5%, other 4.2%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Chamber of Senators

or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members are elected by popular

vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara

de Diputados (80 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve

five-year terms)

elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 27 April 2003 (next to be

held April 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 27 April 2003

(next to be held April 2008)

election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -

NA; seats by party - ANR 16, PLRA 12, UNACE 7, PQ 7, PPS 2, PEN 1;

Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party

- ANR 37, PLRA 21, UNACE 10, PQ 10, PPS 2

note: as of January 2006, changes in party affiliation has led to

the composition of the legislature as follows: Chamber of Senators -

seats by party - ANR 18, PLRA 12, UNACE 5, PQ 7, PPS 2, PEN 1;

Chamber of Deputies - seats by party - ANR 39, PLRA 21, UNACE 8, PQ

10, PPS 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges

appointed on the proposal of the Council of Magistrates or Consejo

de la Magistratura)

Political parties and leaders:

Asociacion Nacional Republicana - Colorado Party or ANR [Jose A.

ALDERETE, interim president]; Movimiento Union Nacional de

Ciudadanos Eticos or UNACE [Enrique GONZALEZ Quintana, acting

chairman]; Patria Querida (Beloved Fatherland Party) or PQ [Pedro

Nicolas Maraa FADUL Niella]; Partido Encuentro Nacional or PEN [Luis

TORALES Kennedy]; Partido Liberal Radical Autentico or PLRA [Blas

LLANO]; Partido Pais Solidario or PPS [Carlos Alberto FILIZZOLA

Pallares]

note: Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS on leave as party leader of the Colorado

Party or ANR while serving as President of Paraguay; Lino Cesar

OVIEDO Silva, leader of UNACE, is currently serving a ten-year

prison term

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Ahorristas Estafados or AE; National Coordinating Board of

Campesino Organizations or MCNOC [Luis AGUAYO]; National Federation

of Campesinos or FNC [Odilon ESPINOLA]; National Workers Central or

CNT [Secretary General Juan TORRALES]; Paraguayan Workers

Confederation or CPT; Roman Catholic Church; Unitary Workers Central

or CUT [Jorge Guzman ALVARENGA Malgarejo]

International organization participation:

CAN (associate), CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,

ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,

ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA,

MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,

WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador James SPALDING Hellmers

chancery: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 483-6960 through 6962

FAX: [1] (202) 234-4508

consulate(s) general: Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

Ambassador James C. CASON

embassy: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion

mailing address: Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001

telephone: [595] (21) 213-715

FAX: [595] (21) 213-728

Flag description:

three equal, horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue with an

emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in that the emblem

is different on each side; the obverse (hoist side at the left)

bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed star within a

green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within

two circles); the reverse (hoist side at the right) bears the seal

of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty and the

words Paz y Justicia (Peace and Justice) capped by the words

REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles)

Economy Paraguay

Economy - overview:

Landlocked Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large informal

sector. This sector features both reexport of imported consumer

goods to neighboring countries, as well as the activities of

thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors. Because of

the importance of the informal sector, accurate economic measures

are difficult to obtain. A large percentage of the population

derives its living from agricultural activity, often on a

subsistence basis. The formal economy grew by an average of about 3%

annually in 1995-97, but averaged near-zero growth in 1998-2001 and

contracted by 2.3 percent in 2002, in response to regional contagion

and an outbreak of hoof-and-mouth disease. On a per capita basis,

real income has stagnated at 1980 levels. Most observers attribute

Paraguay's poor economic performance to political uncertainty,

corruption, lack of progress on structural reform, substantial

internal and external debt, and deficient infrastructure. Aided by a

firmer exchange rate and perhaps a greater confidence in the

economic policy of the DUARTE FRUTOS administration, the economy

rebounded between 2003 and 2006, posting modest growth each year.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$30.64 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$7.696 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,700 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 22.4% industry: 18.4% services: 59.2% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 2.742 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 45% industry: NA% services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

9.4% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:

32% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 43.8% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

56.8 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

9% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

19.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $1.773 billion

expenditures: $1.733 billion; including capital expenditures of $700

million (2006 est.)

Public debt:

30.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava

(tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber

Industries:

sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products, steel,

metallurgic, electric power

Industrial production growth rate:

0% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:

51.77 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 99.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0.1% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

3.133 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

45.01 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

27,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-300 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$1.69 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:

soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils, electricity, wood,

leather

Exports - partners:

Uruguay 28.4%, Brazil 19.3%, Argentina 6.4%, Russia 6%, China 4.1%

(2005)

Imports:

$4.5 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products,

electrical machinery

Imports - partners:

Brazil 27.2%, China 20.5%, Argentina 19.7%, US 5.3%, Switzerland

4.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.543 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$3.722 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$NA

Currency (code):

guarani (PYG)

Currency code:

PYG

Exchange rates:

guarani per US dollar - 5,680.71 (2006), 6,178 (2005), 5,974.6

(2004), 6,424.3 (2003), 5,716.3 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Paraguay

Telephones - main lines in use:

320,300 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.887 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: meager telephone service; principal switching

center is in Asuncion

domestic: fair microwave radio relay network

international: country code - 595; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 46, FM 27, shortwave 6 (three inactive) (1998)

Radios:

925,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

5 (2003)

Televisions:

990,000 (2001)

Internet country code:

.py

Internet hosts:

13,178 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

4 (2000)

Internet users:

200,000 (2005)

Transportation Paraguay

Airports: 881 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 12

over 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 869

1,524 to 2,437 m: 26

914 to 1,523 m: 325

under 914 m: 518 (2006)

Railways: total: 36 km standard gauge: 36 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 29,500 km paved: 14,986 km unpaved: 14,514 km (1999)

Waterways:

3,100 km (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 21 ships (1000 GRT or over) 34,749 GRT/39,280 DWT

by type: cargo 15, livestock carrier 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo

1, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 3 (Argentina 3)

registered in other countries: 1 (Ecuador 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion

Military Paraguay

Military branches:

Army, National Navy (Armada Nacional, includes Naval Aviation,

Marine Corps, General Naval Prefecture), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea

Paraguay, FAP) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;

conscript service obligation - 12 months for Army, 24 months for

Navy (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,345,022

females age 18-49: 1,342,725 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,109,166

females age 18-49: 1,135,046 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 63,058

females age 18-49: 62,217 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$53.1 million (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0.9% (2003 est.)

Transnational Issues Paraguay

Disputes - international:

unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders

is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics

trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations

Illicit drugs:

major illicit producer of cannabis, most or all of which is

consumed in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile; transshipment country for

Andean cocaine headed for Brazil, other Southern Cone markets, and

Europe; corruption and some money-laundering activity, especially in

the Tri-Border Area; weak anti-money-laundering laws and enforcement

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Peru

Introduction Peru

Background:

Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean

civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was

captured by the Spanish conquistadors in 1533. Peruvian independence

was declared in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces defeated in 1824.

After a dozen years of military rule, Peru returned to democratic

leadership in 1980, but experienced economic problems and the growth

of a violent insurgency. President Alberto FUJIMORI's election in

1990 ushered in a decade that saw a dramatic turnaround in the

economy and significant progress in curtailing guerrilla activity.

Nevertheless, the president's increasing reliance on authoritarian

measures and an economic slump in the late 1990s generated mounting

dissatisfaction with his regime, which led to his ouster in 2000. A

caretaker government oversaw new elections in the spring of 2001,

which ushered in Alejandro TOLEDO as the new head of government -

Peru's first democratically elected president of Native American

ethnicity. The presidential election of 2006 saw the return of Alan

GARCIA who, after a disappointing presidential term from 1985 to

1990, returned to the presidency with promises to improve social

conditions and maintain fiscal responsibility.

Geography Peru

Location:

Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between

Chile and Ecuador

Geographic coordinates:

10 00 S, 76 00 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 1,285,220 sq km

land: 1.28 million sq km

water: 5,220 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Alaska

Land boundaries:

total: 7,461 km

border countries: Bolivia 1,075 km, Brazil 2,995 km, Chile 171 km,

Colombia 1,800 km, Ecuador 1,420 km

Coastline:

2,414 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:

varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west; temperate to

frigid in Andes

Terrain:

western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center

(sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m

Natural resources:

copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal,

phosphate, potash, hydropower, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 2.88% permanent crops: 0.47% other: 96.65% (2005)

Irrigated land:

12,000 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity

Environment - current issues: deforestation (some the result of illegal logging); overgrazing of the slopes of the costa and sierra leading to soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Lima; pollution of rivers and coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake,

with Bolivia; a remote slope of Nevado Mismi, a 5,316 m peak, is the

ultimate source of the Amazon River

People Peru

Population:

28,302,603 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 30.9% (male 4,456,195/female 4,300,233)

15-64 years: 63.7% (male 9,078,123/female 8,961,981)

65 years and over: 5.3% (male 709,763/female 796,308) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 25.3 years

male: 25 years

female: 25.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.32% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

20.48 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

6.23 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-1.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 30.94 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 33.49 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 28.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 69.84 years

male: 68.05 years

female: 71.71 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.51 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

82,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

4,200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Peruvian(s)

adjective: Peruvian

Ethnic groups:

Amerindian 45%, mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 37%, white

15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 81%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.4%, other Christian

0.7%, other 0.6%, unspecified or none 16.3% (2003 est.)

Languages:

Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara, and a large number

of minor Amazonian languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 87.7%

male: 93.5%

female: 82.1% (2004 est.)

Government Peru

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Peru

conventional short form: Peru

local long form: Republica del Peru

local short form: Peru

Government type:

constitutional republic

Capital:

name: Lima

geographic coordinates: 12 03 S, 77 03 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

Administrative divisions:

25 regions (regiones, singular - region) and 1 province*

(provincia); Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho,

Cajamarca, Callao, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huanuco, Ica, Junin, La

Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Lima*, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua,

Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali

Independence:

28 July 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 28 July (1821)

Constitution:

31 December 1993

Legal system:

based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,

with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70; note

- for the first time in recent elections, members of the military

and national police were eligible to vote in the 2006 elections

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Alan GARCIA Perez (since 28 July 2006);

First Vice President Luis GIAMPIETRI Rojas; Second Vice President

Lourdes MENDOZA del Solar (since 28 July 2006); note - the president

is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Alan GARCIA Perez (since 28 July

2006); First Vice President Luis GIAMPIETRI Rojas; Second Vice

President Lourdes MENDOZA del Solar (since 28 July 2006)

note: Prime Minister Jorge DEL CASTILLO Galvez (since 28 August

2006) does not exercise executive power; this power is in the hands

of the president

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); presidential and congressional

elections held 9 April 2006, with runoff election held 4 June 2006;

next to be held April 2011

election results: Alan GARCIA elected president in runoff election;

percent of vote - Alan GARCIA 52.5%, Ollanta HUMALA Tasso 47.5%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Congress of the Republic of Peru or Congreso de la

Republica del Peru (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote

to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 9 April 2006 (next to be held April 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - UPP 21.2%, PAP 20.6%,

UN 15.3%, AF 13.1%, FC 7.1%, PP 4.1%, RN 4.0%; seats by party - UPP

45, PAP 36, UN 17, AF 13, FC 5, PP 2, RN 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are

appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary)

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance For Progress (Alianza Para El Progreso) [Cesar ACUNA

Peralta]; Alliance For The Future (Alianza Por El Futuro) or AF - a

coalition of pro-FUJIMORI parties including Cambio 90, Nueva

Mayoria, and Si Cumple [Martha CHAVEZ Cossio]; Centrist Front

(Frente Del Centro) or FC - a coalition of Accion Popular, Somos

Peru, and Coordinadora Nacional de Independientes [Drago KISIC];

Independent Moralizing Front (Frente Independiente Moralizador) or

FIM [Fernando OLIVERA Vega]; Nationalist Party Uniting Peru (Partido

Nacionalista Uniendo al Peru) or UPP - a coalition of Union for Peru

(UPP) and Peruvian Nationalist Party (PNP) [Ollanta HUMALA Tasso];

National Restoration (Restauracion Nacional) or RN [Humberto LAY

Sun]; National Unity (Unidad Nacional) or UN [Lourdes FLORES Nano];

Peru Possible (Peru Posible) or PP [David WAISMAN]; Peruvian Aprista

Party (Partido Aprista Peruano) or PAP - also referred to by its

original name Alianza Popular Revolucionaria Americana or APRA [Alan

GARCIA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

leftist guerrilla groups include Shining Path [Abimael GUZMAN

Reynoso (imprisoned), Gabriel MACARIO (top leader at-large)]; Tupac

Amaru Revolutionary Movement or MRTA [Victor POLAY (imprisoned),

Hugo AVALLENEDA Valdez (top leader at-large)]

International organization participation:

APEC, CAN, CSN, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,

ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur

(associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG,

UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE,

UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Felipe ORTIZ de Zevallos

chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 833-9860 through 9869

FAX: [1] (202) 659-8124

consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Denver, Hartford, Houston,

Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paterson (New Jersey), San Francisco,

Washington, DC

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador J. Curtis STRUBLE

embassy: Avenida La Encalada, Cuadra 17s/n, Surco, Lima 33

mailing address: P. O. Box 1995, Lima 1; American Embassy (Lima),

APO AA 34031-5000

telephone: [51] (1) 434-3000

FAX: [51] (1) 618-2397

Flag description:

three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), white, and red

with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms

features a shield bearing a vicuna, cinchona tree (the source of

quinine), and a yellow cornucopia spilling out gold coins, all

framed by a green wreath

Economy Peru

Economy - overview:

Peru's economy reflects its varied geography - an arid coastal

region, the Andes further inland, and tropical lands bordering

Colombia and Brazil. Abundant mineral resources are found in the

mountainous areas, and Peru's coastal waters provide excellent

fishing grounds. However, overdependence on minerals and metals

subjects the economy to fluctuations in world prices, and a lack of

infrastructure deters trade and investment. After several years of

inconsistent economic performance, the Peruvian economy grew by more

than 4 percent per year during the period 2002-2006, with a stable

exchange rate and low inflation. Risk premiums on Peruvian bonds on

secondary markets reached historically low levels in late 2004,

reflecting investor optimism regarding the government's prudent

fiscal policies and openness to trade and investment. Despite the

strong macroeconomic performance, underemployment and poverty have

stayed persistently high. Economic growth continues to be driven by

the Camisea natural gas megaproject and by exports of minerals,

textiles, and agricultural products. Upon taking office, President

GARCIA announced the formation of Sierria Exportadora, a program

aimed at promoting economic growth in Southern Peru and the

highlands.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$181.8 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$76.09 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$6,400 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.5% industry: 26.4% services: 53.1% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 9.21 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 9% industry: 18% services: 73% (2001)

Unemployment rate:

7.2% in metropolitan Lima; widespread underemployment (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

54% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.8% highest 10%: 37.2% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

49.8 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.1% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

20.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $25.5 billion

expenditures: $25.18 billion; including capital expenditures of $1.8

billion for general government, but excluding private enterprises

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

33.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

asparagus, coffee, cotton, sugarcane, rice, potatoes, corn,

plantains, grapes, oranges, coca; poultry, beef, dairy products;

fish, guinea pigs

Industries:

mining and refining of minerals; steel, metal fabrication;

petroleum extraction and refining, natural gas; fishing and fish

processing, textiles, clothing, food processing

Industrial production growth rate:

7% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

23.99 billion kWh (2004 est.)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 14.5% hydro: 84.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0.8% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

22.31 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

120,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

156,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

49,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves:

370 million bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

860 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

860 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

246.8 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$1.515 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$22.69 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

copper, gold, zinc, crude petroleum and petroleum products, coffee,

potatoes, asparagus, textiles, guinea pigs

Exports - partners:

US 31.1%, China 10.8%, Chile 6.6%, Canada 5.9%, Switzerland 4.6%

(2005)

Imports:

$15.38 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum and petroleum products, plastics, machinery, vehicles,

iron and steel, wheat, paper

Imports - partners:

US 18.2%, China 8.5%, Brazil 8%, Ecuador 7.4%, Colombia 6.1%,

Argentina 5.1%, Chile 5.1%, Venezuela 4.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$17.04 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$27.93 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$491 million (2002)

Currency (code):

nuevo sol (PEN)

Currency code:

PEN

Exchange rates:

nuevo sol per US dollar - 3.28069 (2006), 3.2958 (2005), 3.4132

(2004), 3.4785 (2003), 3.5165 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Peru

Telephones - main lines in use:

2,250,500 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

5.583 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate for most requirements

domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system and a domestic

satellite system with 12 earth stations

international: country code - 51; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); Pan American submarine cable

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 472, FM 198, shortwave 189 (1999)

Radios:

6.65 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

13 (plus 112 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:

3.06 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.pe

Internet hosts:

269,981 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

10 (2000)

Internet users:

4.6 million (2005)

Transportation Peru

Airports: 268 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 54 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 20 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 214 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 63 under 914 m: 124 (2006)

Heliports:

1 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 983 km; gas/lpg 61 km; liquid natural gas 106 km; liquid

petroleum gas 517 km; oil 1,754 km; refined products 13 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 3,462 km

standard gauge: 2,962 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 500 km 0.914-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 78,829 km

paved: 11,351 km (including 276 km of expressways)

unpaved: 67,478 km (2004)

Waterways:

8,808 km

note: 8,600 km of navigable tributaries of Amazon system and 208 km

of Lago Titicaca (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 4 ships (1000 GRT or over) 38,954 GRT/62,255 DWT

by type: cargo 3, petroleum tanker 1

foreign-owned: 1 (US 1)

registered in other countries: 15 (Panama 15) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Callao, Iquitos, Matarani, Pucallpa, Yurimaguas; note - Iquitos,

Pucallpa, and Yurimaguas are on the upper reaches of the Amazon and

its tributaries

Military Peru

Military branches:

Peruvian Army (Ejercito Peruano), Peruvian Navy (Marina de Guerra

del Peru; includes naval air, naval infantry, and coast guard),

Peruvian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea del Peru, FAP)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory military service (1999)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 6,647,874

females age 18-49: 6,544,408 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 4,938,417

females age 18-49: 5,278,511 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 277,105

females age 18-49: 269,799 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$829.3 million (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.4% (2003 est.)

Transnational Issues Peru

Disputes - international:

Chile and Ecuador rejected Peru's November 2005 unilateral

legislation to shift the axis of their joint treaty-defined maritime

boundaries along the parallels of latitude to equidistance lines

which favor Peru; organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia

have penetrated Peru's shared border; Peru rejects Bolivia's claim

to restore maritime access through a sovereign corridor through

Chile along the Peruvian border

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 60,000 (civil war from 1980-2000; most IDPs are indigenous

peasants in Andean and Amazonian regions) (2005)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Peru is primarily a source country for women and

children trafficked internally for the purposes of sexual

exploitation and forced domestic labor; most victims are girls and

young women moved internally from rural to urban areas, or from city

to city, and lured or coerced into prostitution in nightclubs, bars,

and brothels; Peruvians have also been trafficked for sexual

exploitation to Spain, Japan, the United States, and Venezuela; the

government acknowledges that sex tourism occurs, particularly in the

Amazon region of the country

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Peru is placed on the Tier 2 Watch

List for failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to eliminate

trafficking in 2005

Illicit drugs:

until 1996 the world's largest coca leaf producer; cultivation of

coca in Peru fell 15% to 31,150 hectares between 2002 and the end of

2003; much of the cocaine base is shipped to neighboring Colombia

for processing into cocaine, while finished cocaine is shipped out

from Pacific ports to the international drug market; increasing

amounts of base and finished cocaine, however, are being moved to

Brazil and Bolivia for use in the Southern Cone or transshipped to

Europe and Africa

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Philippines

Introduction Philippines

Background:

The Philippine Islands became a Spanish colony during the 16th

century; they were ceded to the US in 1898 following the

Spanish-American War. In 1935 the Philippines became a

self-governing commonwealth. Manuel QUEZON was elected President and

was tasked with preparing the country for independence after a

10-year transition. In 1942 the islands fell under Japanese

occupation during WWII, and US forces and Filipinos fought together

during 1944-45 to regain control. On 4 July 1946 the Philippines

attained their independence. The 20-year rule of Ferdinand MARCOS

ended in 1986, when a widespread popular rebellion forced him into

exile and installed Corazon AQUINO as president. Her presidency was

hampered by several coup attempts, which prevented a return to full

political stability and economic development. Fidel RAMOS was

elected president in 1992 and his administration was marked by

greater stability and progress on economic reforms. In 1992, the US

closed its last military bases on the islands. Joseph ESTRADA was

elected president in 1998, but was succeeded by his vice-president,

Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, in January 2001 after ESTRADA's stormy

impeachment trial on corruption charges broke down and widespread

demonstrations led to his ouster. MACAPAGAL-ARROYO was elected to a

six-year term in May 2004. The Philippine Government faces threats

from an armed Communist insurgency and from Muslim separatists in

the south, as well as from impeachment attempts by political elites

and civil groups unhappy with the current administration.

Geography Philippines

Location:

Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the

South China Sea, east of Vietnam

Geographic coordinates:

13 00 N, 122 00 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 300,000 sq km

land: 298,170 sq km

water: 1,830 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Arizona

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

36,289 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: irregular polygon extending up to 100 nm from

coastline as defined by 1898 treaty; since late 1970s has also

claimed polygonal-shaped area in South China Sea up to 285 nm in

breadth

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: to depth of exploitation

Climate:

tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest

monsoon (May to October)

Terrain:

mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Philippine Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Apo 2,954 m

Natural resources: timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper

Land use: arable land: 19% permanent crops: 16.67% other: 64.33% (2005)

Irrigated land:

15,500 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to

six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active volcanoes;

destructive earthquakes; tsunamis

Environment - current issues: uncontrolled deforestation especially in watershed areas; soil erosion; air and water pollution in major urban centers; coral reef degradation; increasing pollution of coastal mangrove swamps that are important fish breeding grounds

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:

the Philippine archipelago is made up of 7,107 islands; favorably

located in relation to many of Southeast Asia's main water bodies:

the South China Sea, Philippine Sea, Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea, and

Luzon Strait

People Philippines

Population:

89,468,677 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 35% (male 15,961,365/female 15,340,065)

15-64 years: 61% (male 27,173,919/female 27,362,736)

65 years and over: 4.1% (male 1,576,089/female 2,054,503) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 22.5 years

male: 22 years

female: 23 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.8% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

24.89 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

5.41 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-1.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 22.81 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 25.59 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 19.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 70.21 years

male: 67.32 years

female: 73.24 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.11 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

9,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 500 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in

some locations

animal contact disease: rabies (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Filipino(s)

adjective: Philippine

Ethnic groups:

Tagalog 28.1%, Cebuano 13.1%, Ilocano 9%, Bisaya/Binisaya 7.6%,

Hiligaynon Ilonggo 7.5%, Bikol 6%, Waray 3.4%, other 25.3% (2000

census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 80.9%, Evangelical 2.8%, Iglesia ni Kristo 2.3%,

Aglipayan 2%, other Christian 4.5%, Muslim 5%, other 1.8%,

unspecified 0.6%, none 0.1% (2000 census)

Languages:

two official languages - Filipino (based on Tagalog) and English;

eight major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or

Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinan

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.6%

male: 92.5%

female: 92.7% (2002)

Government Philippines

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of the Philippines

conventional short form: Philippines

local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas

local short form: Pilipinas

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Manila

geographic coordinates: 14 35 N, 121 00 E

time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

79 provinces and 117 chartered cities

provinces: Abra, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay,

Antique, Apayao, Aurora, Basilan, Bataan, Batanes, Batangas,

Biliran, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Cagayan, Camarines

Norte, Camarines Sur, Camiguin, Capiz, Catanduanes, Cavite, Cebu,

Compostela, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Eastern

Samar, Guimaras, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Isabela,

Kalinga, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, La Union, Leyte,

Maguindanao, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro

Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain Province,

Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, North Cotabato, Northern Samar,

Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Palawan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Quezon,

Quirino, Rizal, Romblon, Samar, Sarangani, Siquijor, Sorsogon, South

Cotabato, Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Surigao del Norte,

Surigao del Sur, Tarlac, Tawi-Tawi, Zambales, Zamboanga del Norte,

Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay

chartered cities: Alaminos, Angeles, Antipolo, Bacolod, Bago,

Baguio, Bais, Balanga, Batangas, Bayawan, Bislig, Butuan,

Cabanatuan, Cadiz, Cagayan de Oro, Calamba, Calapan, Calbayog,

Candon, Canlaon, Cauayan, Cavite, Cebu, Cotabato, Dagupan, Danao,

Dapitan, Davao, Digos, Dipolog, Dumaguete, Escalante, Gapan, General

Santos, Gingoog, Himamaylan, Iligan, Iloilo, Isabela, Iriga,

Kabankalan, Kalookan, Kidapawan, Koronadal, La Carlota, Laoag,

Lapu-Lapu, Las Pinas, Legazpi, Ligao, Lipa, Lucena, Maasin, Makati,

Malabon, Malaybalay, Malolos, Mandaluyong, Mandaue, Manila, Marawi,

Markina, Masbate, Muntinlupa, Munoz, Naga, Olongapo, Ormoc,

Oroquieta, Ozamis, Pagadian, Palayan, Panabo, Paranaque, Pasay,

Pasig, Passi, Puerto Princesa, Quezon, Roxas, Sagay, Samal, San

Carlos (in Negros Occidental), San Carlos (in Pangasinan), San

Fernando (in La Union), San Fernando (in Pampanga), San Jose, San

Jose del Monte, San Pablo, Santa Rosa, Santiago, Silay, Sipalay,

Sorsogon, Surigao, Tabaco, Tacloban, Tacurong, Tagaytay, Tagbilaran,

Taguig, Tagum, Talisay (in Cebu), Talisay (in Negros Oriental),

Tanauan, Tangub, Tanjay, Tarlac, Toledo, Tuguegarao, Trece Martires,

Urdaneta, Valencia, Valenzuela, Victorias, Vigan, Zamboanga

Independence:

12 June 1898 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 12 June (1898); note - 12 June 1898 was date of

declaration of independence from Spain; 4 July 1946 was date of

independence from US

Constitution:

2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987

Legal system:

based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20 January

2001); note - president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20

January 2001); note - president is both chief of state and head of

government

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with consent of

Commission of Appointments

elections: president and vice president (Manuel "Noli" DE CASTRO)

elected on separate tickets by popular vote for a single six-year

term; election last held 10 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2010)

election results: results of the election - Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

elected president; percent of vote - Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO 40%,

Fernando POE 37%, three others 23%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Congress or Kongreso consists of the Senate or Senado (24

seats - one-half elected every three years; members elected at large

by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of

Representatives or Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan (212 members

representing districts plus 24 sectoral party-list members; members

elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; note - the

Constitution prohibits the House of Representatives from having more

than 250 members)

elections: Senate - last held 10 May 2004 (next to be held 14 May

2007); House of Representatives - elections last held 10 May 2004

(next to be held 14 May 2007)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - Lakas 30%, LP

13%, KNP 13%, independents 17%, others 27%; seats by party - Lakas

7, LP 3, KNP (coalition) 3, independents 4, others 6; note - there

are 23 rather than 24 sitting senators because one senator was

elected vice president; House of Representatives - percent of vote

by party - NA; seats by party - Lakas 93, NPC 53, LP 34, LDP 11,

others 20; party-listers 24 (2004)

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (15 justices are appointed by the president on the

recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council and serve until 70

years of age); Court of Appeals; Sandigan-bayan (special court for

hearing corruption cases of government officials)

Political parties and leaders:

Kabalikat Ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) [Ronaldo PUNO]; Laban Ng

Demokratikong Pilipino (Struggle of Filipino Democrats) or LDP

[Edgardo ANGARA]; Lakas Ng Edsa (National Union of Christian

Democrats) or Lakas [Jose DE VENECIA]; Liberal Party or LP [Franklin

DRILON/Eli QUINTO]; Nacionalista [Manuel VILLAR]; National People's

Coalition or NPC [Frisco SAN JUAN]; PDP-Laban [Aquilino PIMENTEL];

People's Reform Party [Miriam Defensor SANTIAGO]; PROMDI [Emilio

OSMENA]; Pwersa Ng Masang Pilipino (Party of the Philippine Masses)

or PMP [Joseph ESTRADA]; Reporma [Renato DE VILLA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

AKBAYAN [Reps. Etta ROSALES, Mario AGUJA, and Risa

HONTIVEROS-BARAQUIEL]; ALAGAD [Rep. Rodante MARROLITA]; ALIF [Rep.

Acmad TOMAWIS]; An Waray [Rep. Horencio NOEL]; Anak Mindanao [Mujiv

HATAMIN]; ANAKPAWIS [Reps. Crispin BELTRAN and Rafael MARIANO]; APEC

[Reps. Ernesto PABLO, Edgar VALDEZ]; Association of Philippine

Electric Cooperatives (APEC) [Reps. Edgar VALDEZ, Ernesto PABLO, and

Sunny Rose MADAMBA]; AVE [Rep. Eulogio MAGSAYSAY]; Bayan Muna [Reps.

Satur OCAMPO, Joel VIRADOR, and Teodoro CASINO, Jr.]; BUHAY [Reps.

Rene VELARDE and Hans Christian SENERES]; BUTIL [Rep. Benjamin

CRUZ]; CIBAC [Rep. Emmanuel Joel VILLANUEVA]; COOP-NATCO [Rep.

Guillermo CUA]; GABRIELA [Rep. Liza MAZA]; Partido Ng Manggagawa

[Rep. Renato MAGTUBO]; Veterans Federation of the Philippines [Rep.

Ernesto GIDAYA] (2006)

International organization participation:

APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, CP, EAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA,

IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,

ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,

MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, PIF (partner), UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,

WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Willy C. GAA

chancery: 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 467-9300

FAX: [1] (202) 328-7614

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San

Francisco, San Jose (Northern Mariana Islands), Tamuning (Guam)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita 1000, Manila mailing address: PSC 500, FPO AP 96515-1000 telephone: [63] (2) 528-6300 FAX: [63] (2) 522-4361

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of blue (top; representing peace and

justice) and red (representing courage); a white equilateral

triangle based on the hoist side represents equality; the center of

the triangle displays a yellow sun with eight primary rays, each

representing one of the first eight provinces that sought

independence from Spain; each corner of the triangle contains a

small, yellow, five-pointed star representing the three major

geographical divisions of the country: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao;

the design of the flag dates to 1897; in wartime the flag is flown

upside down with the red band at the top

Economy Philippines

Economy - overview:

The Philippines was less severely affected by the Asian financial

crisis of 1998 than its neighbors, aided in part by its high level

of annual remittances from overseas workers, and no sustained runup

in asset prices or foreign borrowing prior to the crisis. From a

0.6% decline in 1998, GDP expanded by 2.4% in 1999, and 4.4% in

2000, but slowed to 3.2% in 2001 in the context of a global economic

slowdown, an export slump, and political and security concerns. GDP

growth accelerated to about 5% between 2002 and 2006 reflecting the

continued resilience of the service sector, and improved exports and

agricultural output. Nonetheless, it will take a higher, sustained

growth path to make appreciable progress in the alleviation of

poverty given the Philippines' high annual population growth rate

and unequal distribution of income. The Philippines also faces

higher oil prices, higher interest rates on its dollar borrowings,

and higher inflation. Fiscal constraints limit Manila's ability to

finance infrastructure and social spending. The Philippines'

consistently large budget deficit has produced a high debt level,

and this situation has forced Manila to spend a large portion of the

national government budget on debt service. Large unprofitable

public enterprises, especially in the energy sector, contribute to

the government's debt because of slow progress on privatization.

Credit rating agencies have at times expressed concern about the

Philippines' ability to service the debt, though central bank

reserves appear adequate and large remittance inflows appear stable.

The implementation of the expanded Value Added Tax (VAT) in November

2005 boosted confidence in the government's fiscal capacity and

helped to strengthen the peso, making it East Asia's best performing

currency in 2005-06. Investors and credit rating institutions will

continue to look for effective implementation of the new VAT and

continued improvement in the government's overall fiscal capacity in

the coming year.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$443.1 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$98.48 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$5,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14.3% industry: 32.1% services: 53.7% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 36.65 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 36% industry: 16% services: 48% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

8.4% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

40% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 31.9% (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

46.6 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6.6% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

14.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $19.44 billion

expenditures: $21.38 billion; including capital expenditures of NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

69.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

sugarcane, coconuts, rice, corn, bananas, cassavas, pineapples,

mangoes; pork, eggs, beef; fish

Industries:

electronics assembly, garments, footwear, pharmaceuticals,

chemicals, wood products, food processing, petroleum refining,

fishing

Industrial production growth rate:

2% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

53.13 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 55.6% hydro: 17.5% nuclear: 0% other: 26.9% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

49.41 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2006)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2006)

Oil - production:

25,320 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

342,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

312,000 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves:

152 million bbl (1 January 2004)

Natural gas - production:

2.9 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

2.9 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

106.8 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$5.355 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$44.2 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

electronic equipment, machinery and transport equipment, garments,

optical instruments, coconut products, fruits and nuts, copper

products, chemicals

Exports - partners:

US 18%, Japan 17.5%, China 9.9%, Netherlands 9.8%, Hong Kong 8.1%,

Singapore 6.6%, Malaysia 6%, Taiwan 4.6% (2005)

Imports:

$48.76 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

raw materials, machinery and equipment, fuels, vehicles and vehicle

parts, plastic, chemicals, grains

Imports - partners:

US 19.2%, Japan 17%, Singapore 7.9%, Taiwan 7.5%, China 6.3%, South

Korea 4.8%, Saudi Arabia 4.6%, Hong Kong 4.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$20.57 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$61.49 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

ODA commitments, $2 billion (2004)

Currency (code):

Philippine peso (PHP)

Currency code:

PHP

Exchange rates:

Philippine pesos per US dollar - 51.5747 (2006), 55.086 (2005),

56.04 (2004), 54.203 (2003), 51.604 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Philippines

Telephones - main lines in use:

3,437,500 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

32.81 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: good international radiotelephone and submarine

cable services; domestic and inter-island service adequate

domestic: domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations; cellular

communications now dominate the industry with roughly 10 mobile

cellular subscribers for every fixed-line subscriber

international: country code - 63; 11 international gateways;

submarine cables to Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan,

Brunei, and Malaysia among others

Radio broadcast stations: AM 375, FM 596, shortwave 4 note: each shortwave station operates on multiple frequencies in the language of the target audience (2006)

Radios:

11.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

233; note - 1480 CATV networks (2006)

Televisions:

3.7 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.ph

Internet hosts:

111,262 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

33 (2000)

Internet users:

7.82 million (2005)

Transportation Philippines

Airports: 256 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 83 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 36 under 914 m: 10 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 173 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 69 under 914 m: 99 (2006)

Heliports:

2 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 565 km; oil 135 km; refined products 105 km (2006)

Railways: total: 897 km narrow gauge: 897 km 1.067-m gauge (492 km are in operation) (2005)

Roadways: total: 200,037 km paved: 19,804 km unpaved: 180,233 km (2003)

Waterways:

3,219 km (limited to vessels with draft less than 1.5 m) (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 403 ships (1000 GRT or over) 4,661,285 GRT/6,426,183 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 82, cargo 115, chemical tanker 13, container

6, liquefied gas 5, livestock carrier 17, passenger 9,

passenger/cargo 73, petroleum tanker 42, refrigerated cargo 15, roll

on/roll off 13, vehicle carrier 13

foreign-owned: 66 (Greece 5, Hong Kong 3, Japan 26, Malaysia 1,

Netherlands 19, Norway 3, UAE 1, US 8)

registered in other countries: 41 (Australia 1, Bahamas 1, Cambodia

1, Cayman Islands 1, Comoros 1, Cyprus 1, Hong Kong 16, Indonesia 1,

Panama 13, Singapore 5) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Iligan, Iloilo, Manila, Surigao

Military Philippines

Military branches:

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP): Army, Navy (includes Marine

Corps), Philippine Air Force (Hukbomg Himpapawid ng Pilipinas) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 20,131,179

females age 18-49: 20,009,526 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 15,170,096

females age 18-49: 16,931,191 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 907,542

females age 18-49: 878,712 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$836.9 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0.9% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Philippines

Disputes - international:

Philippines claims sovereignty over certain of the Spratly Islands,

known locally as the Kalayaan (Freedom) Islands, also claimed by

China, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam; the 2002 "Declaration on the

Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," has eased tensions in

the Spratly Islands but falls short of a legally binding "code of

conduct" desired by several of the disputants; in March 2005, the

national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed

a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly

Islands; Philippines retains a dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah

State in northern Borneo based on the Sultanate of Sulu's granting

the Philippines Government power of attorney to pursue a sovereignty

claim on his behalf; maritime delimitation negotiations continue

with Palau

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 60,000 (fighting between government troops and MILF and Abu

Sayyaf groups) (2006)

Illicit drugs:

domestic methamphetamine production has been a growing problem in

recent years; longstanding marijuana producer

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Pitcairn Islands

Introduction Pitcairn Islands

Background:

Pitcairn Island was discovered in 1767 by the British and settled

in 1790 by the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions.

Pitcairn was the first Pacific island to become a British colony (in

1838) and today remains the last vestige of that empire in the South

Pacific. Outmigration, primarily to New Zealand, has thinned the

population from a peak of 233 in 1937 to less than 50 today.

Geography Pitcairn Islands

Location:

Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about midway between

Peru and New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:

25 04 S, 130 06 W

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 47 sq km

land: 47 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

51 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 3 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; hot and humid; modified by southeast trade winds; rainy

season (November to March)

Terrain:

rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Pawala Valley Ridge 347 m

Natural resources:

miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish

note: manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been

discovered offshore

Land use:

arable land: NA%

permanent crops: NA%

other: NA%

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

typhoons (especially November to March)

Environment - current issues:

deforestation (only a small portion of the original forest remains

because of burning and clearing for settlement)

Geography - note:

Britain's most isolated dependency; only the larger island of

Pitcairn is inhabited but it has no port or natural harbor; supplies

must be transported by rowed longboat from larger ships stationed

offshore

People Pitcairn Islands

Population: 45 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.01% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

NA

Death rate:

NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate:

NA

Sex ratio:

NA

Infant mortality rate:

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Total fertility rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality: noun: Pitcairn Islander(s) adjective: Pitcairn Islander

Ethnic groups:

descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives

Religions:

Seventh-Day Adventist 100%

Languages:

English (official), Pitcairnese (mixture of an 18th century English

dialect and a Tahitian dialect)

Literacy:

NA

Government Pitcairn Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands

conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands

Dependency status:

overseas territory of the UK

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Adamstown

geographic coordinates: 25 04 S, 130 05 W

time difference: UTC-9 (4 hours behind Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:

Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)

Constitution:

30 November 1838; reformed 1904 with additional reforms in 1940;

further refined by the Local Government Ordinance of 1964

Legal system:

local island by-laws

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal with three years residency

Executive branch:

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

represented by UK High Commissioner to New Zealand and Governor

(nonresident) of the Pitcairn Islands George FERGUSSON (since April

2006); Commissioner (nonresident) Leslie JAQUES (since September

2003) serves as liaison between the governor and the Island Council

head of government: Governor George FERGUSSON (since April 2006);

Mayor and Chairman of the Island Council Jay WARREN (since 15

December 2004)

cabinet: NA

elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor and commissioner

appointed by the monarch; island mayor elected by popular vote for a

three-year term; election last held December 2004 (next to be held

December 2007)

election results: Jay WARREN elected mayor and chairman of the

Island Council

Legislative branch:

unicameral Island Council (10 seats - 5 elected by popular vote, 1

nominated by the 5 elected members, 2 appointed by the governor

including 1 seat for the Island Secretary, the Island Mayor, and a

commissioner liaising between the governor and council; elected

members serve one-year terms)

elections: last held in 24 December 2005 (next to be held December

2006)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents

Judicial branch:

Magistrate's Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Judicial

Officers are appointed by the Governor

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

SPC, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:

blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and

the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered on the outer half of the

flag; the coat of arms is yellow, green, and light blue with a

shield featuring a yellow anchor

Economy Pitcairn Islands

Economy - overview:

The inhabitants of this tiny isolated economy exist on fishing,

subsistence farming, handicrafts, and postage stamps. The fertile

soil of the valleys produces a wide variety of fruits and

vegetables, including citrus, sugarcane, watermelons, bananas, yams,

and beans. Bartering is an important part of the economy. The major

sources of revenue are the sale of postage stamps to collectors and

the sale of handicrafts to passing ships. In October 2004, more than

one-quarter of Pitcairn's small labor force was arrested, putting

the economy in a bind, since their services were required as lighter

crew to load or unload passing ships.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$NA

Labor force:

15 able-bodied men (2004)

Labor force - by occupation:

note: no business community in the usual sense; some public works;

subsistence farming and fishing

Budget:

revenues: $746,000

expenditures: $1.028 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(FY04/05)

Agriculture - products:

honey; wide variety of fruits and vegetables; goats, chickens

Industries:

postage stamps, handicrafts, beekeeping, honey

Electricity - production:

NA kWh; note - electric power is provided by a small diesel-powered

generator

Exports:

$NA

Exports - commodities:

fruits, vegetables, curios, stamps

Imports:

$NA

Imports - commodities: fuel oil, machinery, building materials, flour, sugar, other foodstuffs

Economic aid - recipient:

$3.465 million (2004)

Currency (code):

New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code:

NZD

Exchange rates:

New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004),

1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications Pitcairn Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:

1 (there are 17 telephones on one party line); (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: satellite phone services

domestic: domestic communication via radio (CB)

international: country code - 872; satellite earth station (Inmarsat)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0, note - 15 Ham radio operators (VP6) (2004)

Radios:

NA

Televisions:

NA

Internet country code:

.pn

Internet hosts:

8 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

NA

Internet users:

NA

Transportation Pitcairn Islands

Roadways: total: 6 km unpaved: 6 km (dirt roads)

Ports and terminals:

Adamstown (on Bounty Bay)

Military Pitcairn Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Pitcairn Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Poland

Introduction Poland

Background:

Poland is an ancient nation that was conceived near the middle of

the 10th century. Its golden age occurred in the 16th century.

During the following century, the strengthening of the gentry and

internal disorders weakened the nation. In a series of agreements

between 1772 and 1795, Russia, Prussia, and Austria partitioned

Poland amongst themselves. Poland regained its independence in 1918

only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet Union in World War II.

It became a Soviet satellite state following the war, but its

government was comparatively tolerant and progressive. Labor turmoil

in 1980 led to the formation of the independent trade union

"Solidarity" that over time became a political force and by 1990 had

swept parliamentary elections and the presidency. A "shock therapy"

program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its

economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe, but Poland

still faces the lingering challenges of high unemployment,

underdeveloped and dilapidated infrastructure, and a poor rural

underclass. Solidarity suffered a major defeat in the 2001

parliamentary elections when it failed to elect a single deputy to

the lower house of Parliament, and the new leaders of the Solidarity

Trade Union subsequently pledged to reduce the Trade Union's

political role. Poland joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in

2004. With its transformation to a democratic, market-oriented

country largely completed, Poland is an increasingly active member

of Euro-Atlantic organizations.

Geography Poland

Location:

Central Europe, east of Germany

Geographic coordinates:

52 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 312,685 sq km

land: 304,465 sq km

water: 8,220 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than New Mexico

Land boundaries:

total: 3,056 km

border countries: Belarus 416 km, Czech Republic 790 km, Germany 467

km, Lithuania 103 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 210 km, Slovakia

541 km, Ukraine 529 km

Coastline:

491 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties

Climate:

temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with

frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and

thundershowers

Terrain:

mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m

highest point: Rysy 2,499 m

Natural resources:

coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber,

arable land

Land use: arable land: 40.25% permanent crops: 1% other: 58.75% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,000 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

flooding

Environment - current issues:

situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy industry

and increased environmental concern by post-Communist governments;

air pollution nonetheless remains serious because of sulfur dioxide

emissions from coal-fired power plants, and the resulting acid rain

has caused forest damage; water pollution from industrial and

municipal sources is also a problem, as is disposal of hazardous

wastes; pollution levels should continue to decrease as industrial

establishments bring their facilities up to EU code, but at

substantial cost to business and the government

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,

Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic

Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,

Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,

Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Geography - note:

historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the

lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain

People Poland

Population:

38,536,869 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 15.9% (male 3,142,811/female 2,976,363)

15-64 years: 70.8% (male 13,585,306/female 13,704,763)

65 years and over: 13.3% (male 1,961,326/female 3,166,300) (2006

est.)

Median age: total: 37 years male: 35.1 years female: 39 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.05% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

9.85 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

9.89 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 7.22 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 7.95 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 74.97 years

male: 70.95 years

female: 79.23 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.25 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% ; note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

14,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Pole(s)

adjective: Polish

Ethnic groups:

Polish 96.7%, German 0.4%, Belarusian 0.1%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other

and unspecified 2.7% (2002 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 89.8% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox 1.3%,

Protestant 0.3%, other 0.3%, unspecified 8.3% (2002)

Languages:

Polish 97.8%, other and unspecified 2.2% (2002 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.8%

male: 99.8%

female: 99.7% (2003 est.)

Government Poland

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Poland

conventional short form: Poland

local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska

local short form: Polska

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Warsaw

geographic coordinates: 52 15 N, 21 00 E

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

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

16 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie

wojewodztwo, Kujawsko-Pomorskie wojewodztwo, Lodzkie wojewodztwo,

Lubelskie wojewodztwo, Lubuskie wojewodztwo, Malopolskie

wojewodztwo, Mazowieckie wojewodztwo, Opolskie wojewodztwo,

Podkarpackie wojewodztwo, Podlaskie wojewodztwo, Pomorskie

wojewodztwo, Slaskie wojewodztwo, Swietokrzyskie wojewodztwo,

Warminsko-Mazurskie wojewodztwo, Wielkopolskie wojewodztwo,

Zachodniopomorskie wojewodztwo

Independence:

11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed)

National holiday:

Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)

Constitution:

adopted by the National Assembly 2 April 1997, passed by national

referendum 25 May 1997, effective 17 October 1997

Legal system:

mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and holdover

Communist legal theory; changes being gradually introduced as part

of broader democratization process; limited judicial review of

legislative acts, but rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are

final; court decisions can be appealed to the European Court of

Justice in Strasbourg; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with

reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Lech KACZYNSKI (since 23 December 2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI (since 10 July

2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Ludwik DORN (since 23 November 2005),

Roman GIERTYCH (since 5 May 2006), Zyta GILOWSKA (since 22 September

2006), Andrzej LEPPER (since 16 October 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the prime minister and

the Sejm; the prime minister proposes, the president appoints, and

the Sejm approves the Council of Ministers

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 9 and 23 October

2005 (next to be held fall 2010); prime minister and deputy prime

ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm

election results: Lech KACZYNSKI elected president; percent of

popular vote - Lech KACZYNSKI 54%, Donald Tusk 46%

Legislative branch:

bicameral legislature consisting of an upper house, the Senate or

Senat (100 seats; members are elected by a majority vote on a

provincial basis to serve four-year terms), and a lower house, the

Sejm (460 seats; members are elected under a complex system of

proportional representation to serve four-year terms); the

designation of National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe is only

used on those rare occasions when the two houses meet jointly

elections: Senate - last held 25 September 2005 (next to be held by

September 2009); Sejm elections last held 25 September 2005 (next to

be held by September 2009)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by

party - PiS 49, PO 34, LPR 7, SO 3, PSL 2, independents 5; Sejm -

percent of vote by party - PiS 27%, PO 24.1%, SO 11.4%, SLD 11.3%,

LPR 8%, PSL 7%, other 11.2%; seats by party - PiS 155, PO 133, SO

56, SLD 55, LPR 34, PSL 25, German minorities 2

note: two seats are assigned to ethnic minority parties in the Sejm

only

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president on the

recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary for an

indefinite period); Constitutional Tribunal (judges are chosen by

the Sejm for nine-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:

Catholic-National Movement or RKN [Antoni MACIEREWICZ]; Civic

Platform or PO [Donald TUSK]; Conservative Peasants Party or SKL

[Artur BALASZ]; Democratic Left Alliance or SLD [Wojciech

OLEJNICZAK]; Democratic Party or PD [Janusz ONYSZKIEWICZ]; Dom

Ojczysty (Fatherland Home); German Minority of Lower Silesia or MNSO

[Henryk KROLL]; Law and Justice or PiS [Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI]; League

of Polish Families or LPR [Roman GIERTYCH]; Peasant-Democratic Party

or PLD [Roman JAGIELINSKI]; Polish Accord or PP [Jan LOPUSZANSKI];

Polish Peasant Party or PSL [Waldemar PAWLAK]; Ruch Patriotyczny or

RP [Jan OLSZEWSKI]; Samoobrona or SO [Andrzej LEPPER]; Social

Democratic Party of Poland or SDPL [Marek BOROWSKI]; Social Movement

or RS [Krzysztof PIESIEWICZ]; Union of Labor or UP [Andrzej

SPYCHALSKI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ (trade union) [Jan GUZ];

Roman Catholic Church [Cardinal Jozef GLEMP]; Solidarity Trade Union

[Janusz SNIADEK]

International organization participation:

ACCT (observer), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS,

BSEC (observer), CBSS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO,

IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,

IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC,

NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW,

OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE,

UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate),

WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Janusz REITER chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-3800 through 3802 FAX: [1] (202) 328-6271 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Victor ASHE embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-540 Warsaw mailing address: American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch) telephone: [48] (22) 504-2000 FAX: [48] (22) 504-2688 consulate(s) general: Krakow

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar to the

flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white

Economy Poland

Economy - overview:

Poland has steadfastly pursued a policy of economic liberalization

since 1990 and today stands out as a success story among transition

economies. Even so, much remains to be done, especially in bringing

down the unemployment rate - still the highest in the EU despite

recent improvement. The privatization of small- and medium-sized

state-owned companies and a liberal law on establishing new firms

has encouraged the development of the private business sector, but

legal and bureaucratic obstacles alongside persistent corruption are

hampering its further development. Poland's agricultural sector

remains handicapped by surplus labor, inefficient small farms, and

lack of investment. Restructuring and privatization of "sensitive

sectors" (e.g., coal, steel, railroads, and energy), while recently

initiated, have stalled. Reforms in health care, education, the

pension system, and state administration have resulted in

larger-than-expected fiscal pressures. Further progress in public

finance depends mainly on reducing losses in Polish state

enterprises, restraining entitlements, and overhauling the tax code

to incorporate the growing gray economy and farmers, most of whom

pay no tax. The previous Socialist-led government introduced a

package of social and administrative spending cuts to reduce public

spending by about $17 billion through 2007, but full implementation

of the plan was trumped by election-year politics in 2005. The

right-wing Law and Justice party won parliamentary elections in

September, and Lech KACZYNSKI won the presidential election in

October 2005, running on a state-interventionist fiscal and monetary

platform. Poland joined the EU in May 2004, and surging exports to

the EU contributed to Poland's strong growth in 2004, though its

competitiveness could be threatened by the zloty's appreciation. GDP

per capita roughly equals that of the three Baltic states. Poland

benefited from nearly $23.2 billion in EU funds, which were

available through 2006. Farmers have already begun to reap the

rewards of membership via booming exports, higher food prices, and

EU agricultural subsidies.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$542.6 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$265.4 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$14,100 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4.8% industry: 31.2% services: 64% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 17.26 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 16.1% industry: 29% services: 54.9% (2002)

Unemployment rate:

14.9% (November 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

17% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 26.7% (2002)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

34.1 (2002)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.3% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

19.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $62 billion

expenditures: $71.25 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

49% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork, dairy

Industries:

machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals,

shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:

10.2% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

143.5 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 98.1% hydro: 1.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0.4% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

124.1 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

14.6 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

5.3 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

35,880 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

445,700 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

53,000 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

413,700 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

142.4 million bbl (December 2004)

Natural gas - production:

5.957 billion cu m (2004)

Natural gas - consumption:

15.67 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

46 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

9.963 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

164.8 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-4.548 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$110.7 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment 37.8%, intermediate manufactured

goods 23.7%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 17.1%, food and live

animals 7.6% (2003)

Exports - partners:

Germany 28.2%, France 6.2%, Italy 6.1%, UK 5.6%, Czech Republic

4.6%, Russia 4.4%, Netherlands 4.2% (2005)

Imports:

$113.2 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment 38%, intermediate manufactured

goods 21%, chemicals 14.8%, minerals, fuels, lubricants, and related

materials 9.1% (2003)

Imports - partners:

Germany 29.6%, Russia 8.7%, Italy 6.6%, Netherlands 5.9%, France

5.7% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$49.69 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$147.3 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $13.9 billion in available EU structural adjustment and cohesion funds (2004-06)

Currency (code):

zloty (PLN)

Currency code:

PLN

Exchange rates:

zlotych per US dollar - 3.11 (2006), 3.2355 (2005), 3.6576 (2004),

3.8891 (2003), 4.08 (2002), note, zlotych is the plural form of zloty

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Poland

Telephones - main lines in use:

11.803 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

29,166,400 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modernization of the telecommunications network

has accelerated with market based competition finalized in 2003;

fixed-line service, dominated by the former state-owned company, is

dwarfed by the growth in wireless telephony

domestic: wireless service, available since 1993 (GSM service

available since 1996) and provided by three nation-wide networks,

has grown rapidly in response to the weak fixed-line coverage; third

generation UMTS service available in urban areas; cellular coverage

is generally good with more gaps in the east; fixed-line service is

growing slowly and still lags in rural areas

international: country code - 48; international direct dialing with

automated exchanges; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsat,

Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 14, FM 777, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:

20.2 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

40 (2006)

Televisions:

13.05 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.pl

Internet hosts:

358,476 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

19 (2000)

Internet users:

10.6 million (2005)

Transportation Poland

Airports: 122 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 83 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 29 1,524 to 2,437 m: 40 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 39 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 21 (2006)

Heliports:

3 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 13,552 km; oil 1,384 km; refined products 777 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 23,072 km

broad gauge: 629 km 1.524-m gauge

standard gauge: 22,443 km 1.435-m gauge (20,555 km operational;

11,910 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:

total: 423,997 km

paved: 295,356 km (including 484 km of expressways)

unpaved: 128,641 km (2004)

Waterways:

3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 11 ships (1000 GRT or over) 55,701 GRT/45,082 DWT

by type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 2, passenger/cargo 1, roll on/roll

off 1, vehicle carrier 1

foreign-owned: 1 (Nigeria 1)

registered in other countries: 106 (Antigua and Barbuda 3, Bahamas

15, Belize 2, Cyprus 20, Liberia 14, Malta 27, Norway 2, Panama 15,

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Slovakia 2, Vanuatu 5) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Gdansk, Gdynia, Swinoujscie, Szczecin

Military Poland

Military branches:

Polish Armed Forces: Land Forces (includes Navy (Marynarka Wojenna,

MW)), Polish Air Force (Sily Powietrzenje Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej,

SPRP) (2006)

Military service age and obligation: 17 years of age for compulsory military service after January 1st of the year of 18th birthday; 17 years of age for voluntary military service; in 2005, Poland plans to shorten the length of conscript service obligation from 12 to 9 months; by 2008, plans call for at least 60% of military personnel to be volunteers; only soldiers who have completed their conscript service are allowed to volunteer for professional service; as of April 2004, women are only allowed to serve as officers and noncommissioned officers (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 17-49: 9,681,703

females age 17-49: 9,480,641 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 17-49: 7,739,472

females age 17-49: 7,859,165 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 275,446

females age 17-49: 265,164 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$3.5 billion (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.71% (2002)

Transnational Issues Poland

Disputes - international:

as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border,

Poland must implement the strict Schengen border rules to restrict

illegal immigration and trade along its eastern borders with Belarus

and Ukraine

Illicit drugs:

major illicit producer of synthetic drugs for the international

market; minor transshipment point for Asian and Latin American

illicit drugs to Western Europe

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Portugal

Introduction Portugal

Background:

Following its heyday as a world power during the 15th and 16th

centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the

destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the

Napoleonic Wars, and the independence in 1822 of Brazil as a colony.

A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six

decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a

left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The

following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African

colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC

(now the EU) in 1986.

Geography Portugal

Location:

Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of

Spain

Geographic coordinates:

39 30 N, 8 00 W

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 92,391 sq km

land: 91,951 sq km

water: 440 sq km

note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries: total: 1,214 km border countries: Spain 1,214 km

Coastline: 1,793 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in

south

Terrain:

mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in

the Azores 2,351 m

Natural resources:

fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin, tungsten,

silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable land,

hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 17.29%

permanent crops: 7.84%

other: 74.87% (2005)

Irrigated land:

6,500 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

Azores subject to severe earthquakes

Environment - current issues:

soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and vehicle

emissions; water pollution, especially in coastal areas

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life

Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical

Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic

Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Environmental

Modification

Geography - note:

Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western

sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

People Portugal

Population:

10,605,870 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 16.5% (male 915,604/female 839,004)

15-64 years: 66.3% (male 3,484,545/female 3,544,674)

65 years and over: 17.2% (male 751,899/female 1,070,144) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 38.5 years

male: 36.4 years

female: 40.6 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.36% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

10.72 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

10.5 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

3.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.98 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5.45 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.7 years

male: 74.43 years

female: 81.2 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.47 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

22,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Portuguese (singular and plural)

adjective: Portuguese

Ethnic groups:

homogeneous Mediterranean stock; citizens of black African descent

who immigrated to mainland during decolonization number less than

100,000; since 1990 East Europeans have entered Portugal

Religions:

Roman Catholic 94%, Protestant (1995)

Languages:

Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official - but locally used)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 93.3%

male: 95.5%

female: 91.3% (2003 est.)

Government Portugal

Country name:

conventional long form: Portuguese Republic

conventional short form: Portugal

local long form: Republica Portuguesa

local short form: Portugal

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Lisbon

geographic coordinates: 38 43 N, 9 08 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

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

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

18 districts (distritos, singular - distrito) and 2 autonomous

regions* (regioes autonomas, singular - regiao autonoma); Aveiro,

Acores (Azores)*, Beja, Braga, Braganca, Castelo Branco, Coimbra,

Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisboa, Madeira*, Portalegre, Porto,

Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu

Independence:

1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 5 October 1910 (independent

republic proclaimed)

National holiday:

Portugal Day (Day of Portugal), 10 June (1580); note - also called

Camoes Day, the day that revered national poet Luis de Camoes

(1524-80) died

Constitution:

25 April 1976; revised many times

Legal system:

civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the

constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Anibal CAVACO SILVA (since 9 March 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister Jose SOCRATES Carvalho Pinto de

Sousa (since 12 March 2005)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the

recommendation of the prime minister

note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative

body to the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 22 January 2006

(next to be held January 2011); following legislative elections, the

leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is

usually appointed prime minister by the president

election results: Anibal CAVACO SILVA elected president; percent of

vote - Anibal CAVACO SILVA 50.6%, Manuel ALEGRE 20.7%, Mario Alberto

Nobre Lopes SOARES 14.3%, Jeronimo DE SOUSA 8.5%, Franciso LOUCA 5.3%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (230

seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 20 February 2005 (next to be held February 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - PS 45.1%, PSD 28.7%,

CDU 7.6%, PP 7.3%, BE 6.4%; seats by party - PS 121, PSD 75, CDU 14,

PP 12, BE 8

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (judges appointed for

life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura)

Political parties and leaders:

Green Ecologist Party or PEV [Heloisa Augusta Baiao de Brito

APOLONIA]; Popular Party or PP [Jose Ribeiro e CASTRO]; Portuguese

Communist Party or PCP [Jeronimo DE SOUSA]; Portuguese Socialist

Party or PS [Jose SOCRATES Carvalho Pinto de Sousa]; Social

Democratic Party or PSD [Luis Manuel Goncalves Marques MENDES]; The

Left Bloc or BE [Franciso Anacleto LOUCA]; Unitarian Democratic

Coalition or CDU (includes PEV and PCP) [Jeronimo DE SOUSA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU,

ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA,

IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,

ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS

(observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI (observer), UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO,

WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Joao DE VALLERA

chancery: 2012 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 350-5400

FAX: [1] (202) 462-3726

consulate(s) general: Boston, New York, Newark (New Jersey), San

Francisco

consulate(s): New Bedford (Massachusetts), Providence (Rhode Island)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Alfred J. HOFFMAN Jr.

embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600-081 Lisbon

mailing address: Apartado 43033, 1601-301 Lisboa; PSC 83, APO AE

09726

telephone: [351] (21) 727-3300

FAX: [351] (21) 726-9109

consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores)

Flag description:

two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and red

(three-fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms centered on the

dividing line

Economy Portugal

Economy - overview:

Portugal has become a diversified and increasingly service-based

economy since joining the European Community in 1986. Over the past

two decades, successive governments have privatized many

state-controlled firms and liberalized key areas of the economy,

including the financial and telecommunications sectors. The country

qualified for the European Monetary Union (EMU) in 1998 and began

circulating the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU member

economies. Economic growth had been above the EU average for much of

the 1990s, but fell back in 2001-06. GDP per capita stands at

roughly 70% of the EU-25 average. A poor educational system, in

particular, has been an obstacle to greater productivity and growth.

Portugal has been increasingly overshadowed by lower-cost producers

in Central Europe and Asia as a target for foreign direct

investment. The budget deficit surged to an all-time high of 6% of

GDP in 2005 but was reduced to 4.6% in 2006. The government faces

tough choices in its attempts to boost Portugal's economic

competitiveness while keeping the budget deficit within the

eurozone's 3%-of-GDP ceiling.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$203.1 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$176.6 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

1.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$19,100 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6.6% industry: 28.6% services: 64.9% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 5.57 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 10% industry: 30% services: 60% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:

7.5% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 28.4% (1995 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

38.5 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.7% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

20.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $83.89 billion

expenditures: $93.09 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

65.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

grain, potatoes, tomatoes, olives, grapes; sheep, cattle, goats,

swine, poultry, dairy products; fish

Industries:

textiles and footwear; wood pulp, paper, and cork; metals and

metalworking; oil refining; chemicals; fish canning; rubber and

plastic products; ceramics; electronics and communications

equipment; rail transportation equipment; aerospace equipment; ship

construction and refurbishment; wine; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

0.9% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

42.52 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 64.5% hydro: 31.3% nuclear: 0% other: 4.1% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

46.05 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

2.1 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

8.6 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

3,849 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

332,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

28,830 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

357,300 bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

3.737 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

3.76 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-16.75 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$46.77 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

clothing and footwear, machinery, chemicals, cork and paper

products, hides

Exports - partners:

Spain 25.9%, France 13.1%, Germany 11.9%, UK 8%, US 5.4%, Italy

4.3% (2005)

Imports:

$67.74 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum, textiles,

agricultural products

Imports - partners:

Spain 29%, Germany 13.4%, France 8.5%, Italy 5.2%, Netherlands

4.3%, UK 4.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$10.7 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$310.8 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - donor:

ODA, $271 million (1995)

Currency (code):

euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the

euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of

member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole

currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:

EUR

Exchange rates:

euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),

0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Portugal

Telephones - main lines in use:

4.234 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

11.448 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: Portugal's telephone system has achieved a

state-of-the-art network with broadband, high-speed capabilities

domestic: integrated network of coaxial cables, open-wire, microwave

radio relay, and domestic satellite earth stations

international: country code - 351; 6 submarine cables; satellite

earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean),

NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to Azores; note - an earth station

for Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region) is planned

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 47, FM 172 (many are repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:

3.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 62 (plus 166 repeaters) note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands (1995)

Televisions:

3.31 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.pt

Internet hosts:

845,980 (2005)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

16 (2000)

Internet users:

7,782,700 (2006)

Transportation Portugal

Airports: 66 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 43 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 11 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 22 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 1,099 km; oil 8 km; refined products 174 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 2,850 km

broad gauge: 2,576 km 1.668-m gauge (623 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 274 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 78,470 km

paved: 67,484 km (including 2,002 km of expressways)

unpaved: 10,986 km (2004)

Waterways:

210 km (on Douro River from Porto) (2003)

Merchant marine:

total: 111 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,077,300 GRT/1,363,435 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 27, chemical tanker 15, container 7,

liquefied gas 11, passenger 9, passenger/cargo 10, petroleum tanker

8, roll on/roll off 4, vehicle carrier 9

foreign-owned: 82 (Australia 1, Belgium 8, Cyprus 1, Denmark 4,

Germany 17, Greece 4, Italy 12, Japan 9, Malta 1, Mexico 1,

Netherlands 1, Norway 4, Spain 15, Switzerland 3, US 1)

registered in other countries: 16 (Cyprus 2, Hong Kong 1, Malta 3,

Panama 10) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Leixoes, Lisbon, Setubal, Sines

Military Portugal

Military branches:

Army, Navy (Marinha Portuguesa; includes Marine Corps), Air Force

(Forca Aerea Portuguesa, FAP), National Republican Guard (Guarda

Nacional Republicana) (2005)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; compulsory military service was ended in 2004; women serve in the armed forces, on naval ships since 1993, but are prohibited from serving in some combatant specialties (2005)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 2,435,042

females age 18-49: 2,405,816 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,952,819

females age 18-49: 1,977,264 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 67,189

females age 18-49: 60,626 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$3,497.8 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.3% (2003)

Transnational Issues Portugal

Disputes - international:

Portugal does not recognize Spanish sovereignty over the territory

of Olivenza based on a difference of interpretation of the 1815

Congress of Vienna and the 1801 Treaty of Badajoz

Illicit drugs:

gateway country for Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian

heroin entering the European market (especially from Brazil);

transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Europe;

consumer of Southwest Asian heroin

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Puerto Rico

Introduction Puerto Rico

Background:

Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the island was

claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following COLUMBUS' second

voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400 years of colonial rule

that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and African

slave labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a result

of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US

citizenship in 1917. Popularly-elected governors have served since

1948. In 1952, a constitution was enacted providing for internal

self government. In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and 1998, voters

chose not to alter the existing political status.

Geography Puerto Rico

Location:

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic

Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic

Geographic coordinates:

18 15 N, 66 30 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 13,790 sq km

land: 8,870 sq km

water: 4,921 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

501 km

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

Climate:

tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:

mostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north; mountains

precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal

areas

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,339 m

Natural resources: some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil

Land use: arable land: 3.69% permanent crops: 5.59% other: 90.72% (2005)

Irrigated land:

400 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

periodic droughts; hurricanes

Environment - current issues:

erosion; occasional drought causing water shortages

Geography - note:

important location along the Mona Passage - a key shipping lane to

the Panama Canal; San Juan is one of the biggest and best natural

harbors in the Caribbean; many small rivers and high central

mountains ensure land is well watered; south coast relatively dry;

fertile coastal plain belt in north

People Puerto Rico

Population:

3,927,188 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 21.3% (male 428,610/female 409,484)

15-64 years: 65.8% (male 1,239,255/female 1,345,519)

65 years and over: 12.8% (male 218,045/female 286,275) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 34.7 years

male: 33 years

female: 36.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.4% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

12.77 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

7.65 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-1.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 9.14 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 10.32 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 7.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.4 years

male: 74.46 years

female: 82.54 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.75 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

7,397 (1997)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens)

adjective: Puerto Rican

Ethnic groups:

white (mostly Spanish origin) 80.5%, black 8%, Amerindian 0.4%,

Asian 0.2%, mixed and other 10.9%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%

Languages:

Spanish, English

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 94.1%

male: 93.9%

female: 94.4% (2002 est.)

Government Puerto Rico

Country name:

conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

conventional short form: Puerto Rico

Dependency status:

unincorporated, organized territory of the US with commonwealth

status; policy relations between Puerto Rico and the US conducted

under the jurisdiction of the Office of the President

Government type:

commonwealth

Capital:

name: San Juan

geographic coordinates: 18 28 N, 66 07 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (territory of the US with commonwealth status); there are no

first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US

Government, but there are 78 municipalities (municipios, singular -

municipio) at the second order; Adjuntas, Aguada, Aguadilla, Aguas

Buenas, Aibonito, Anasco, Arecibo, Arroyo, Barceloneta,

Barranquitas, Bayamon, Cabo Rojo, Caguas, Camuy, Canovanas,

Carolina, Catano, Cayey, Ceiba, Ciales, Cidra, Coamo, Comerio,

Corozal, Culebra, Dorado, Fajardo, Florida, Guanica, Guayama,

Guayanilla, Guaynabo, Gurabo, Hatillo, Hormigueros, Humacao,

Isabela, Jayuya, Juana Diaz, Juncos, Lajas, Lares, Las Marias, Las

Piedras, Loiza, Luquillo, Manati, Maricao, Maunabo, Mayaguez, Moca,

Morovis, Naguabo, Naranjito, Orocovis, Patillas, Penuelas, Ponce,

Quebradillas, Rincon, Rio Grande, Sabana Grande, Salinas, San

German, San Juan, San Lorenzo, San Sebastian, Santa Isabel, Toa

Alta, Toa Baja, Trujillo Alto, Utuado, Vega Alta, Vega Baja,

Vieques, Villalba, Yabucoa, Yauco

Independence:

none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)

National holiday:

US Independence Day, 4 July (1776); Puerto Rico Constitution Day,

25 July (1952)

Constitution:

ratified 3 March 1952, approved by US Congress 3 July 1952,

effective 25 July 1952

Legal system:

based on Spanish civil code and within the US Federal system of

justice

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal; island residents are US citizens but do

not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch:

chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20

January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January

2001)

head of government: Governor Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (since 2 January

2005)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the

legislature

elections: under the US Consitution, residents of unincorporated

territories, such as Puerto Rico, do not vote in elections for US

president and vice president; governor elected by popular vote for a

four-year term (no term limits); election last held 2 November 2004

(next to be held November 2008)

election results: Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (PPD) elected governor;

percent of vote - 48.4%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate (at least 27

seats - currently 29; members are directly elected by popular vote

to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (51

seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve

four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held

November 2008); House of Representatives - last held 2 November 2004

(next to be held November 2008)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PNP 43.4%, PPD

40.3%, PIP 9.4%; seats by party - PNP 17, PPD 9, PIP 1; House of

Representatives - percent of vote by party - PNP 46.3%, PPD 43.1%,

PIP 9.7%; seats by party - PNP 32, PPD 18, PIP 1

note: Puerto Rico elects, by popular vote, a resident commissioner

to serve a four-year term as a nonvoting representative in the US

House of Representatives; aside from not voting on the House floor,

he enjoys all the rights of a member of Congress; elections last

held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008); Luis FORTUNO

elected resident commissioner; results - percent of vote by party -

PNP 48.6%; seats by party - PNP 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Appellate Court; Court of First Instance composed of

two sections: a Superior Court and a Municipal Court (justices for

all these courts appointed by the governor with the consent of the

Senate)

Political parties and leaders:

National Democratic Party [Roberto PRATS]; National Republican

Party of Puerto Rico [Dr. Tiody FERRE]; New Progressive Party or PNP

(pro-US statehood) [Pedro ROSSELLO]; Popular Democratic Party or PPD

(pro-commonwealth) [Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA]; Puerto Rican Independence

Party or PIP (pro-independence) [Ruben BERRIOS Martinez]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Boricua Popular Army or EPB (a revolutionary group also known as

Los Macheteros); note - the following radical groups are considered

dormant by Federal law enforcement: Armed Forces for National

Liberation or FALN, Armed Forces of Popular Resistance, Volunteers

of the Puerto Rican Revolution

International organization participation:

Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ITUC, UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)

Flag description:

five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom) alternating

with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bears

a large, white, five-pointed star in the center; design initially

influenced by the US flag, but similar to the Cuban flag, with the

colors of the bands and triangle reversed

Economy Puerto Rico

Economy - overview:

Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean

region. A diverse industrial sector has far surpassed agriculture as

the primary locus of economic activity and income. Encouraged by

duty-free access to the US and by tax incentives, US firms have

invested heavily in Puerto Rico since the 1950s. US minimum wage

laws apply. Sugar production has lost out to dairy production and

other livestock products as the main source of income in the

agricultural sector. Tourism has traditionally been an important

source of income, with estimated arrivals of nearly 5 million

tourists in 2004. Growth fell off in 2001-03, largely due to the

slowdown in the US economy, recovered in 2004-05, but declined again

in 2006.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$74.89 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

NA (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

0.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$19,100 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 45% services: 54% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 1.3 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 3% industry: 20% services: 77% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

12% (2002)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6.5% (2003 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $6.7 billion

expenditures: $9.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(FY99/00)

Agriculture - products: sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas; livestock products, chickens

Industries:

pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

24.14 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.2% hydro: 0.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

22.45 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

721.8 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

234,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

680 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

680 million cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$46.9 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Exports - commodities:

chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage

concentrates, medical equipment

Exports - partners:

US 90.3%, UK 1.6%, Netherlands 1.4%, Dominican Republic 1.4% (2004)

Imports:

$29.1 billion c.i.f. (2001)

Imports - commodities:

chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food, fish, petroleum

products

Imports - partners:

US 55.0%, Ireland 23.7%, Japan 5.4% (2004)

Debt - external:

$NA

Economic aid - recipient:

$NA

Currency (code):

US dollar (USD)

Currency code:

USD

Exchange rates:

the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:

1 July - 30 June

Communications Puerto Rico

Telephones - main lines in use:

1,111,900 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2.682 million (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern system integrated with that of the US by

high-capacity submarine cable and Intelsat with high-speed data

capability

domestic: digital telephone system; cellular telephone service

international: country code - 1-787, 939; satellite earth station -

1 Intelsat; submarine cable to US

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 74, FM 53, shortwave 0 (2006)

Radios:

2.7 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

32 (2006)

Televisions:

1.021 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.pr

Internet hosts:

404 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

76 (2000)

Internet users:

1 million (2005)

Transportation Puerto Rico

Airports: 30 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 5 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 10 (2006)

Railways: total: 96 km narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 25,735 km

paved: 24,353 km (including 427 km of expressways)

unpaved: 1,382 km (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 3 ships (1000 GRT or over) 77,177 GRT/50,138 DWT

by type: roll on/roll off 3

foreign-owned: 3 (US 3)

registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Las Mareas, Mayaguez, San Juan

Military Puerto Rico

Military branches:

no regular indigenous military forces; paramilitary National Guard,

Police Force

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Puerto Rico

Disputes - international: increasing numbers of illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage to Puerto Rico each year looking for work

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Qatar

Introduction Qatar

Background:

Ruled by the al-Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar transformed

itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling

into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas

revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari economy

was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenues by

the amir, who had ruled the country since 1972. His son, the current

Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani, overthrew him in a bloodless coup

in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes

with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Oil and natural gas revenues

enable Qatar to have one of the highest per capita incomes in the

world.

Geography Qatar

Location:

Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:

25 30 N, 51 15 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 11,437 sq km

land: 11,437 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries: total: 60 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km

Coastline:

563 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or

the median line

Climate:

arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

Terrain:

mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, fish

Land use: arable land: 1.64% permanent crops: 0.27% other: 98.09% (2005)

Irrigated land:

130 sq km (2002)

Natural hazards:

haze, dust storms, sandstorms common

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities

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

Geography - note:

strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum

deposits

People Qatar

Population:

885,359 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 23.4% (male 105,546/female 101,371)

15-64 years: 73% (male 446,779/female 199,133)

65 years and over: 3.7% (male 24,059/female 8,471) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 31.7 years

male: 37.1 years

female: 22.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.5% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

15.56 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

4.72 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

14.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 2.24 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 2.84 male(s)/female

total population: 1.87 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 18.04 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 21.27 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 14.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.9 years

male: 71.37 years

female: 76.57 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.81 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.09% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Qatari(s)

adjective: Qatari

Ethnic groups:

Arab 40%, Indian 18%, Pakistani 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%

Religions:

Muslim 95%

Languages:

Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 89%

male: 89.1%

female: 88.6% (2004 est.)

Government Qatar

Country name:

conventional long form: State of Qatar

conventional short form: Qatar

local long form: Dawlat Qatar

local short form: Qatar

note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls

between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar

Government type:

traditional emirate

Capital:

name: Doha

geographic coordinates: 25 17 N, 51 32 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

10 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al

Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Jarayan

al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Sa'id, Umm Salal

Independence:

3 September 1971 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 3 September (1971)

Constitution:

ratified by public referendum on 29 April 2003, endorsed by the

amir on 8 June 2004, effective on 9 June 2005

Legal system:

discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil

codes are being implemented; Shari'a law dominates family and

personal matters

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani (since 27 June 1995

when, as crown prince, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin Hamad

al-Thani, in a bloodless coup); Crown Prince TAMIM bin Hamad bin

Khalifa al-Thani, fourth son of the monarch (selected Heir Apparent

by the monarch on 5 August 2003); note - Amir HAMAD also holds the

positions of Minister of Defense and Commander-in-chief of the Armed

Forces

head of government: Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Khalifa al-Thani,

brother of the monarch (since 30 October 1996); First Deputy Prime

Minister HAMAD bin Jasim bin Jabir al-Thani (since 16 September

2003, also Foreign Minister since 1992); Second Deputy Prime

Minister Abdallah bin Hamad al-ATIYAH (since 16 September 2003, also

Electricity and Water Minister since 1999 and Energy and Industry

Minister since 1992)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary

note: in April 2003, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member

Central Municipal Council (CMC), which has consultative powers aimed

at improving the provision of municipal services; the first election

for the CMC was held in March 1999

Legislative branch:

unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members

appointed)

note: no legislative elections have been held since 1970 when there

were partial elections to the body; Council members have had their

terms extended every four years since; the new constitution, which

came into force on 9 June 2005, provides for a 45-member

Consultative Council, or Majlis al-Shura; the public would elect

two-thirds of the Majlis al-Shura; the amir would appoint the

remaining members; preparations are underway to conduct elections to

the Majlis al-Shura in early 2007

Judicial branch:

Court of Appeal

note: under a judiciary law issued in 2003, the former two court

systems, civil and Islamic law, were merged under a higher court,

the Court of Cassation, established for appeals

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,

ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU,

LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UN

Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,

WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Nasir bin Hamad bin Mubarak al-KHALIFA

chancery: 2555 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037

telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 and 274-1603

FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061

consulate(s) general: Houston

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Chase UNTERMEYER

embassy: Al-Luqta District, 22 February Road, Doha

mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha

telephone: [974] 488 4101

FAX: [974] 488 4176

Flag description:

maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the

hoist side

Economy Qatar

Economy - overview:

Oil and gas account for more than 60% of GDP, roughly 85% of export

earnings, and 70% of government revenues. Oil and gas have given

Qatar a per capita GDP about 80% of that of the leading West

European industrial countries. Sustained high oil prices and

increased natural gas exports in recent years have helped build

Qatar's budget and trade surpluses and foreign reserves. Proved oil

reserves of more than 15 billion barrels should ensure continued

output at current levels for 23 years. Qatar's proved reserves of

natural gas exceed 25 trillion cubic meters, more than 5% of the

world total and third largest in the world. Qatar has permitted

substantial foreign investment in the development of its gas fields

during the last decade and is expected to become the world's top

liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter in 2007. Qatar is also trying

to attract foreign investment in the development of its non-energy

projects by further liberalizing the economy. Qatar has become one

of the world's fastest growing and highest per-capita income

countries.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$26.05 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$30.76 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7.1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$29,400 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0.1% industry: 77.2% services: 22.6% (2006 est.)

Labor force:

508,000 (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate:

3.2% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

7.2% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

33.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $22.51 billion

expenditures: $16.89 billion; including capital expenditures of $2.2

billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:

23.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish

Industries:

crude oil production and refining, ammonia, fertilizers,

petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement, commercial ship

repair

Industrial production growth rate:

10% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:

12.4 billion kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:

11.53 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

790,500 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

80,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves:

15.2 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

39.17 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

15.11 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

24.06 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

25.77 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$12.51 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$33.25 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

liquefied natural gas (LNG), petroleum products, fertilizers, steel

Exports - partners:

Japan 36.9%, South Korea 19.4%, Singapore 8.2% (2005)

Imports:

$12.36 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals

Imports - partners:

France 11.4%, Japan 10.4%, US 10.3%, Germany 8.3%, Saudi Arabia

7.2%, UK 6.9%, Italy 6.4%, South Korea 5.5%, UAE 4.8% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$5.755 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$25.7 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$NA

Currency (code):

Qatari rial (QAR)

Currency code:

QAR

Exchange rates:

Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.64 (2006), 3.64 (2005), 3.64 (2004),

3.64 (2003), 3.64 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications Qatar

Telephones - main lines in use:

205,400 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

854,900 (2006)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern system centered in Doha

domestic: NA

international: country code - 974; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain;

microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to

Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic

Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:

256,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (plus three repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:

230,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.qa

Internet hosts:

301 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

219,000 (2005)

Transportation Qatar

Airports: 5 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 3

over 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Heliports:

1 (2006)

Pipelines:

condensate 319 km; condensate/gas 209 km; gas 1,024 km; liquid

petroleum gas 87 km; oil 844 km (2006)

Roadways:

total: 1,230 km

paved: 1,107 km

unpaved: 123 km (1999)

Merchant marine:

total: 23 ships (1000 GRT or over) 750,669 GRT/1,177,673 DWT

by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 3, container 8, liquefied gas 2,

petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 8 (Kuwait 7, US 1)

registered in other countries: 4 (Honduras 1, Liberia 2, Panama 1)

(2006)

Ports and terminals:

Doha

Military Qatar

Military branches:

Qatari Amiri Land Force (QALF), Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN), Qatari

Amiri Air Force (QAAF)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; land forces enlisted personnel are largely unprofessional foreign nationals (2005)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 302,873

females age 18-49: 137,856 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 238,566

females age 18-49: 116,595 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 7,851

females age 18-49: 7,040 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$723 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

10% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Qatar

Disputes - international:

none

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Qatar is a destination country for men and women

from South and Southeast Asia who migrate willingly, but are

subsequently trafficked into involuntary servitude as domestic

workers and laborers; the problem of trafficking of foreign children

as camel jockeys was thoroughly addressed by government action in

2005, but independent confirmation of the problem's complete

elimination is not yet available

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Qatar has made noticeable progress

in rescuing and repatriating child camel jockeys, establishing a

shelter for abused domestic workers, and creating hotlines to

register complaints; however, Qatar is placed on the Tier 2 Watch

List for its failure to provide sufficient evidence of increasing

efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2005, particularly with

regard to labor exploitation

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Romania

Introduction Romania

Background:

The principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia - for centuries under

the suzerainty of the Turkish Ottoman Empire - secured their

autonomy in 1856; they united in 1859 and a few years later adopted

the new name of Romania. The country gained recognition of its

independence in 1878. It joined the Allied Powers in World War I and

acquired new territories - most notably Transylvania - following the

conflict. In 1940, Romania allied with the Axis powers and

participated in the 1941 German invasion of the USSR. Three years

later, overrun by the Soviets, Romania signed an armistice. The

post-war Soviet occupation led to the formation of a Communist

"people's republic" in 1947 and the abdication of the king. The

decades-long rule of dictator Nicolae CEAUSESCU, who took power in

1965, and his Securitate police state became increasingly oppressive

and draconian through the 1980s. CEAUSESCU was overthrown and

executed in late 1989. Former Communists dominated the government

until 1996 when they were swept from power. Romania joined NATO in

2004 and the EU in 2007.

Geography Romania

Location:

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and

Ukraine

Geographic coordinates:

46 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 237,500 sq km

land: 230,340 sq km

water: 7,160 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries:

total: 2,508 km

border countries: Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km,

Serbia 476 km, Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (east) 169 km

Coastline:

225 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny

summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms

Terrain:

central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain of Moldavia

on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated from the

Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Black Sea 0 m

highest point: Moldoveanu 2,544 m

Natural resources:

petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron

ore, salt, arable land, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 39.49% permanent crops: 1.92% other: 58.59% (2005)

Irrigated land:

30,770 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure

and climate promote landslides

Environment - current issues: soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta wetlands

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans,

Moldova, and Ukraine

People Romania

Population:

22,303,552 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 15.7% (male 1,799,072/female 1,708,030)

15-64 years: 69.6% (male 7,724,368/female 7,797,065)

65 years and over: 14.7% (male 1,347,392/female 1,927,625) (2006

est.)

Median age: total: 36.6 years male: 35.3 years female: 37.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.12% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

10.7 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

11.77 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 25.5 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 28.64 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 22.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71.63 years

male: 68.14 years

female: 75.34 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.37 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

6,500 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

350 (2001 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Romanian(s)

adjective: Romanian

Ethnic groups:

Romanian 89.5%, Hungarian 6.6%, Roma 2.5%, Ukrainian 0.3%, German

0.3%, Russian 0.2%, Turkish 0.2%, other 0.4% (2002 census)

Religions:

Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 86.8%,

Protestant (various denominations including Reformate and

Pentecostal) 7.5%, Roman Catholic 4.7%, other (mostly Muslim) and

unspecified 0.9%, none 0.1% (2002 census)

Languages:

Romanian (official), Hungarian, German

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.4%

male: 99.1%

female: 97.7% (2003 est.)

Government Romania

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Romania local long form: none local short form: Romania

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Bucharest

geographic coordinates: 44 26 N, 26 06 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

41 counties (judete, singular - judet) and 1 municipality*

(municipiu); Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor, Bistrita-Nasaud,

Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti (Bucharest)*, Buzau, Calarasi,

Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Covasna, Dimbovita, Dolj, Galati,

Gorj, Giurgiu, Harghita, Hunedoara, Ialomita, Iasi, Ilfov,

Maramures, Mehedinti, Mures, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Salaj, Satu Mare,

Sibiu, Suceava, Teleorman, Timis, Tulcea, Vaslui, Vilcea, Vrancea

Independence:

9 May 1877 (independence proclaimed from the Ottoman Empire;

independence recognized 13 July 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin;

kingdom proclaimed 26 March 1881); 30 December 1947 (republic

proclaimed)

National holiday:

Unification Day (of Romania and Transylvania), 1 December (1918)

Constitution:

8 December 1991; revision effective 29 October 2003

Legal system:

former mixture of civil law system and communist legal theory; is

now based on the constitution of France's Fifth Republic

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Traian BASESCU (since 20 December 2004)

head of government: Prime Minister Calin Popescu-TARICEANU (since 29

December 2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 28 November 2004,

with runoff between the top two candidates held 12 December 2004

(next to be held November-December 2009); prime minister appointed

by the president with the consent of the Parliament

election results: percent of vote - Traian BASESCU 51.23%, Adrian

NASTASE 48.77%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat

(137 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote on a

proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) and the

Chamber of Deputies or Camera Deputatilor (332 seats; members are

elected by direct, popular vote on a proportional representation

basis to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 28 November 2004 (next expected to be

held in November 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 28 November

2004 (next expected to be held November 2008)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by alliance/party -

PSD-PUR 37.1%, PNL-PD 31.8%, PRM 13.6%, UDMR 6.2%; seats by party -

PSD 44, PNL 30, PD 20, PRM 20, PC 11, UDMR 10, independents 2;

Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by alliance/party - PSD-PUR

36.8%, PNL-PD 31.5%, PRM 13%, UDMR 6.2%; seats by party - PSD 111,

PNL 66, PD 45, PRM 34, ex-PRM (Ciontu Group) 12, UDMR 22, PC 20, PIN

(GUSA Group) 3, independent 1, ethnic minorities 18

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Justice (comprised of 11 judges appointed for

three-year terms by the president in consultation with the Superior

Council of Magistrates, which is comprised of the minister of

justice, the prosecutor general, two civil society representatives

appointed by the Senate, and 14 judges and prosecutors elected by

their peers); a separate body, the Constitutional Court, validates

elections and makes decisions regarding the constitutionality of

laws, treaties, ordinances, and internal rules of the Parliament; it

is comprised of nine members serving nine-year terms, with three

members each appointed by the president, the Senate, and the Chamber

of Deputies

Political parties and leaders:

Conservative Party or PC [Dan VOICULESCU], formerly Humanist Party

or PUR; Democratic Party or PD [Emil BOC]; Democratic Union of

Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Bela MARKO]; National Liberal Party

or PNL [Calin Popescu-TARICEANU]; Romania Mare Party (Greater

Romanian Party) or PRM [Corneliu Vadim TUDOR]; Social Democratic

Party or PSD [Mircea Dan GEOANA], formerly Party of Social Democracy

in Romania or PDSR

Political pressure groups and leaders:

various human rights and professional associations

International organization participation:

ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ESA

(cooperating state), EU (new member), FAO, G- 9, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM

(guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG,

UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,

WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Daniela

GITMAN

chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851, 4852

FAX: [1] (202) 232-4748

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nicholas F. TAUBMAN embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest mailing address: American Embassy Bucharest, US Department of State, 5260 Bucharest Place, Washington, DC 20521-5260 (pouch) telephone: [40] (21) 200-3300 FAX: [40] (21) 200-3442 information office: Cluj-Napoca

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red;

the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the yellow

band has been removed; now similar to the flag of Chad, also

resembles the flags of Andorra and Moldova

Economy Romania

Economy - overview:

Romania began the transition from Communism in 1989 with a largely

obsolete industrial base and a pattern of output unsuited to the

country's needs. The country emerged in 2000 from a punishing

three-year recession thanks to strong demand in EU export markets.

Despite the global slowdown in 2001-02, strong domestic activity in

construction, agriculture, and consumption have kept GDP growth

above 4%. However, macroeconomic gains have only recently started to

spur creation of a middle class and address Romania's widespread

poverty, while corruption and red tape continue to handicap the

business environment. Romanian government confidence in continuing

disinflation was underscored by its currency revaluation in 2005,

making 10,000 "old" lei equal 1 "new" leu. The economy grew at 6.4%

in 2006, the strongest growth in the last decade. Romania joined the

European Union on 1 January 2007, and the IMF has praised the

country's recent reform efforts in preparation for EU accession.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$197.3 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$79.17 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$8,800 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10.1% industry: 34.7% services: 55.2% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 9.33 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 31.6% industry: 30.7% services: 37.7% (2004)

Unemployment rate:

6.1% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

25% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 27.6% (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

28.8 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6.8% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

25% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $36.89 billion

expenditures: $39.1 billion; including capital expenditures of $2.2

billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:

21.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes, grapes;

eggs, sheep

Industries:

textiles and footwear, light machinery and auto assembly, mining,

timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, food

processing, petroleum refining

Industrial production growth rate:

5.7% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

54.53 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 62.5% hydro: 27.6% nuclear: 9.9% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

49.62 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

3.7 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

2.6 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

119,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

212,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

163,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:

500 million bbl (yearend 2004)

Natural gas - production:

11.8 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

18 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

6.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

300 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-12.45 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$33 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

textiles and footwear, metals and metal products, machinery and

equipment, minerals and fuels, chemicals, agricultural products

Exports - partners:

Italy 19.4%, Germany 14%, Turkey 7.9%, France 7.4%, UK 5.5%,

Hungary 4.1%, US 4.1% (2005)

Imports:

$46.48 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, fuels and minerals, chemicals, textile and

products, basic metals, agricultural products

Imports - partners:

Italy 15.5%, Germany 14%, Russia 8.3%, France 6.8%, Turkey 4.9%,

China 4.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$27.88 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$42.76 billion (2006 est.)

Currency (code):

leu (ROL) is being phased out in 2006; "new" leu (RON) was

introduced in 2005 due to currency revaluation: 10,000 ROL = 1 RON

Currency code:

ROL

Exchange rates:

lei per US dollar - 2.84 (2006), 3 (2005), 3 (2004), 3 (2003), 3

(2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Romania

Telephones - main lines in use:

4.391 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

13.354 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: rapidly improving domestic and international

service, especially in wireless telephony

domestic: 90% of telephone network is automatic; liberalization in

2003 is transforming telecommunications; there has been 20% growth

in fixed lines with a penetration rate of 58% of households;

nation-wide wireless service is growing even faster with four major

providers and a penetration rate of 32%

international: country code - 40; satellite earth station - 10

(Intelsat 4); digital, international, direct-dial exchanges operate

in Bucharest (2005)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 40, FM 202, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios:

7.2 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

48 (plus 392 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:

5.25 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.ro

Internet hosts:

57,470 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

38 (2000)

Internet users:

4.94 million (2005)

Transportation Romania

Airports: 61 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 25

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 36

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 11

under 914 m: 23 (2006)

Heliports:

1 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 3,508 km; oil 2,427 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 11,385 km

standard gauge: 10,898 km 1.435-m gauge (3,888 km electrified)

broad gauge: 60 km 1.524-m gauge

narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 198,817 km

paved: 60,043 km (including 228 km of expressways)

unpaved: 138,774 km (2004)

Waterways:

1,731 km

note: includes 1,075 km on Danube River, 524 km on secondary

branches, and 132 km on canals (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 23 ships (1000 GRT or over) 198,767 GRT/246,732 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 15, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 2,

petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 1 (Italy 1)

registered in other countries: 48 (Georgia 11, North Korea 11, Malta

9, Panama 9, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Syria 3, unknown 4)

(2006)

Ports and terminals:

Braila, Constanta, Galati, Tulcea

Military Romania

Military branches:

Land Forces, Naval Forces, Romanian Air Force (Fortele Aerienne

Romane, FAR), Special Operations (2006)

Military service age and obligation: all military inductees (including women) are volunteers who contract for an initial five-year term of service; subsequent voluntary service contracts are for successive three-year terms until the age of 36; minimum age for voluntary military service is 18 (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 20-49: 5,061,984

females age 20-49: 4,975,427 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 20-49: 3,932,579

females age 20-49: 4,076,288 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 172,093

females age 20-49: 165,547 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$985 million (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.47% (2002)

Transnational Issues Romania

Disputes - international:

the ICJ gave Ukraine until December 2006 to reply and Romania until

June 2007 to issue a rejoinder in their dispute submitted in 2004

over Ukrainian-administered Zmiyinyy/Serpilor (Snake) Island and

Black Sea maritime boundary delimitation; Romania also opposes

Ukraine's reopening of a navigation canal from the Danube border

through Ukraine to the Black Sea

Illicit drugs:

major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the

Balkan route and small amounts of Latin American cocaine bound for

Western Europe; although not a significant financial center, role as

a narcotics conduit leaves it vulnerable to laundering which occurs

via the banking system, currency exchange houses, and casinos

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Russia

Introduction Russia

Background:

Founded in the 12th century, the Principality of Muscovy, was able

to emerge from over 200 years of Mongol domination (13th-15th

centuries) and to gradually conquer and absorb surrounding

principalities. In the early 17th century, a new Romanov Dynasty

continued this policy of expansion across Siberia to the Pacific.

Under PETER I (ruled 1682-1725), hegemony was extended to the Baltic

Sea and the country was renamed the Russian Empire. During the 19th

century, more territorial acquisitions were made in Europe and Asia.

Defeat in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 contributed to the

Revolution of 1905, which resulted in the formation of a parliament

and other reforms. Repeated devastating defeats of the Russian army

in World War I led to widespread rioting in the major cities of the

Russian Empire and to the overthrow in 1917 of the imperial

household. The Communists under Vladimir LENIN seized power soon

after and formed the USSR. The brutal rule of Iosif STALIN (1928-53)

strengthened Communist rule and Russian dominance of the Soviet

Union at a cost of tens of millions of lives. The Soviet economy and

society stagnated in the following decades until General Secretary

Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91) introduced glasnost (openness) and

perestroika (restructuring) in an attempt to modernize Communism,

but his initiatives inadvertently released forces that by December

1991 splintered the USSR into Russia and 14 other independent

republics. Since then, Russia has struggled in its efforts to build

a democratic political system and market economy to replace the

social, political, and economic controls of the Communist period.

While some progress has been made on the economic front, and

Russia's management of its windfall oil wealth has improved its

financial standing, recent years have seen a recentralization of

power under Vladimir PUTIN and democratic institutions remain weak.

Russia has severely disabled the Chechen rebel movement, although

sporadic violence still occurs throughout the North Caucusus.

Geography Russia

Location:

Northern Asia (the area west of the Urals is considered part of

Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North

Pacific Ocean

Geographic coordinates:

60 00 N, 100 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 17,075,200 sq km

land: 16,995,800 sq km

water: 79,400 sq km

Area - comparative:

approximately 1.8 times the size of the US

Land boundaries:

total: 20,096.5 km

border countries: Azerbaijan 284 km, Belarus 959 km, China

(southeast) 3,605 km, China (south) 40 km, Estonia 294 km, Finland

1,340 km, Georgia 723 km, Kazakhstan 6,846 km, North Korea 19 km,

Latvia 217 km, Lithuania (Kaliningrad Oblast) 280.5 km, Mongolia

3,485 km, Norway 196 km, Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast) 232 km, Ukraine

1,576 km

Coastline:

37,653 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in much

of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in the

polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to frigid

in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool along

Arctic coast

Terrain:

broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous forest

and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern border

regions

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m

highest point: Gora El'brus 5,633 m

Natural resources:

wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil, natural

gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, timber

note: formidable obstacles of climate, terrain, and distance hinder

exploitation of natural resources

Land use: arable land: 7.17% permanent crops: 0.11% other: 92.72% (2005)

Irrigated land:

46,000 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to

development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and

earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula; spring floods and

summer/autumn forest fires throughout Siberia and parts of European

Russia

Environment - current issues:

air pollution from heavy industry, emissions of coal-fired electric

plants, and transportation in major cities; industrial, municipal,

and agricultural pollution of inland waterways and seacoasts;

deforestation; soil erosion; soil contamination from improper

application of agricultural chemicals; scattered areas of sometimes

intense radioactive contamination; groundwater contamination from

toxic waste; urban solid waste management; abandoned stocks of

obsolete pesticides

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Sulfur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,

Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic

Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,

Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,

Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship

Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Geography - note:

largest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably

located in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite its

size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either

too cold or too dry) for agriculture; Mount El'brus is Europe's

tallest peak

People Russia

Population:

142,893,540 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 14.2% (male 10,441,151/female 9,921,102)

15-64 years: 71.3% (male 49,271,698/female 52,679,463)

65 years and over: 14.4% (male 6,500,814/female 14,079,312) (2006

est.)

Median age: total: 38.4 years male: 35.2 years female: 41.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.37% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

9.95 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

14.65 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.46 male(s)/female

total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 15.13 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 17.43 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 12.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 67.08 years

male: 60.45 years

female: 74.1 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.28 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

860,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

9,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Russian(s)

adjective: Russian

Ethnic groups:

Russian 79.8%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 2%, Bashkir 1.2%, Chuvash

1.1%, other or unspecified 12.1% (2002 census)

Religions:

Russian Orthodox 15-20%, Muslim 10-15%, other Christian 2% (2006

est.)

note: estimates are of practicing worshipers; Russia has large

populations of non-practicing believers and non-believers, a legacy

of over seven decades of Soviet rule

Languages:

Russian, many minority languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.6%

male: 99.7%

female: 99.5% (2003 est.)

Government Russia

Country name:

conventional long form: Russian Federation

conventional short form: Russia

local long form: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya

local short form: Rossiya

former: Russian Empire, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic

Government type:

federation

Capital:

name: Moscow

geographic coordinates: 55 45 N, 37 35 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

note: Russia is divided into eleven time zones

Administrative divisions:

48 oblasts (oblastey, singular - oblast), 21 republics (respublik,

singular - respublika), 7 autonomous okrugs (avtonomnykh okrugov,

singular - avtonomnyy okrug), 7 krays (krayev, singular - kray), 2

federal cities (goroda, singular - gorod), and 1 autonomous oblast

(avtonomnaya oblast')

oblasts: Amur (Blagoveshchensk), Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan', Belgorod,

Bryansk, Chelyabinsk, Chita, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Kaliningrad, Kaluga,

Kamchatka (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy), Kemerovo, Kirov, Kostroma,

Kurgan, Kursk, Leningrad, Lipetsk, Magadan, Moscow, Murmansk,

Nizhniy Novgorod, Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Orenburg, Orel,

Penza, Pskov, Rostov, Ryazan', Sakhalin (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk), Samara,

Saratov, Smolensk, Sverdlovsk (Yekaterinburg), Tambov, Tomsk, Tula,

Tver', Tyumen', Ul'yanovsk, Vladimir, Volgograd, Vologda, Voronezh,

Yaroslavl'

republics: Adygeya (Maykop), Altay (Gorno-Altaysk), Bashkortostan

(Ufa), Buryatiya (Ulan-Ude), Chechnya (Groznyy), Chuvashiya

(Cheboksary), Dagestan (Makhachkala), Ingushetiya (Magas),

Kabardino-Balkariya (Nal'chik), Kalmykiya (Elista),

Karachayevo-Cherkesiya (Cherkessk), Kareliya (Petrozavodsk),

Khakasiya (Abakan), Komi (Syktyvkar), Mariy-El (Yoshkar-Ola),

Mordoviya (Saransk), North Ossetia (Vladikavkaz), Sakha [Yakutiya]

(Yakutsk), Tatarstan (Kazan'), Tyva (Kyzyl), Udmurtiya (Izhevsk)

autonomous okrugs: Aga Buryat (Aginskoye), Chukotka (Anadyr'),

Khanty-Mansi, Koryak (Palana), Nenets (Nar'yan-Mar), Ust'-Orda

Buryat (Ust'-Ordynskiy), Yamalo-Nenets (Salekhard)

krays: Altay (Barnaul), Khabarovsk, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk,

Permskiy, Primorskiy (Vladivostok), Stavropol'

federal cities: Moscow (Moskva), Saint Petersburg (Sankt-Peterburg)

autonomous oblast: Yevrey [Jewish] (Birobidzhan)

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their

administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center

name following in parentheses)

Independence:

24 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Russia Day, 12 June (1990)

Constitution:

adopted 12 December 1993

Legal system:

based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN (acting

president 31 December 1999-6 May 2000, president since 7 May 2000)

head of government: Premier Mikhail Yefimovich FRADKOV (since 5

March 2004); First Deputy Premier Dmitriy Anatolyevich MEDVEDEV

(since 14 November 2005), Deputy Premiers Aleksandr Dmitriyevich

ZHUKOV (since 9 March 2004) and Sergey Borisovich IVANOV (since 14

November 2005)

cabinet: Ministries of the Government or "Government" composed of

the premier and his deputies, ministers, and selected other

individuals; all are appointed by the president

note: there is also a Presidential Administration (PA) that provides

staff and policy support to the president, drafts presidential

decrees, and coordinates policy among government agencies; a

Security Council also reports directly to the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 14 March 2004 (next

to be held March 2008); note - no vice president; if the president

dies in office, cannot exercise his powers because of ill health, is

impeached, or resigns, the premier serves as acting president until

a new presidential election is held, which must be within three

months; premier appointed by the president with the approval of the

Duma

election results: Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN reelected president;

percent of vote - Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN 71.2%, Nikolay

KHARITONOV 13.7%, other (no candidate above 5%) 15.1%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Federal Assembly or Federalnoye Sobraniye consists of the

Federation Council or Sovet Federatsii (178 seats; as of July 2000,

members appointed by the top executive and legislative officials in

each of the 88 federal administrative units - oblasts, krays,

republics, autonomous okrugs and oblasts, and the federal cities of

Moscow and Saint Petersburg; members serve four-year terms) and the

State Duma or Gosudarstvennaya Duma (450 seats; currently elected by

proportional representation from party lists winning at least 7% of

the vote; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve

four-year terms)

elections: State Duma - last held 7 December 2003 (next to be held

in December 2007)

election results: State Duma - percent of vote received by parties

clearing the 5% threshold entitling them to a proportional share of

the 225 party list seats - United Russia 37.1%, CPRF 12.7%, LDPR

11.6%, Motherland 9.1%; seats by party - United Russia 222, CPRF 53,

LDPR 38, Motherland 37, People's Party 19, Yabloko 4, SPS 2, other

7, independents 65, repeat election required 3; note - seats by

party as of 1 July 2006 - United Russia 309, CPRF 45, LDPR 35,

Motherland 29, People's Party 12, independents 18, vacant 2

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Supreme Arbitration Court;

judges for all courts are appointed for life by the Federation

Council on the recommendation of the president

Political parties and leaders:

A Just Russia or JR [Sergey MIRONOV] (formed from the merger of

three small political parties: Rodina (Motherland), Pensioners

Party, and Party of Life); Communist Party of the Russian Federation

or CPRF [Gennadiy Andreyevich ZYUGANOV]; Liberal Democratic Party of

Russia or LDPR [Vladimir Volfovich ZHIRINOVSKIY]; People's Party

[Gennadiy GUDKOV]; Union of Right Forces or SPS [Nikita BELYKH];

United Russia or UR [Boris Vyacheslavovich GRYZLOV]; Yabloko Party

[Grigoriy Alekseyevich YAVLINSKIY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, BSEC,

CBSS, CE, CERN (observer), CIS, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, G- 8, GCTU, IAEA,

IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,

IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA

(observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer),

OIC (observer), ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UN

Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE,

UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Yuriy Viktorovich USHAKOV chancery: 2650 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 298-5700, 5701, 5704, 5708 FAX: [1] (202) 298-5735 consulate(s) general: Houston, New York, San Francisco, Seattle

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William J. BURNS embassy: Bolshoy Deviatinskiy Pereulok No. 8, 121099 Moscow mailing address: PSC-77, APO AE 09721 telephone: [7] (495) 728-5000 FAX: [7] (495) 728-5090 consulate(s) general: Saint Petersburg, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red

Economy Russia

Economy - overview: Russia ended 2006 with its eighth straight year of growth, averaging 6.7% annually since the financial crisis of 1998. Although high oil prices and a relatively cheap ruble are important drivers of this economic rebound, since 2000 investment and consumer-driven demand have played a noticeably increasing role. Real fixed capital investments have averaged gains greater than 10% over the last five years, and real personal incomes have realized average increases over 12%. During this time, poverty has declined steadily and the middle class has continued to expand. Russia has also improved its international financial position since the 1998 financial crisis. Over the past several years, Russia has used its stabilization fund based on oil taxes to prepay all Soviet-era sovereign debt to Paris Club creditors and the IMF. Foreign debt has decreased to 39% of GDP, mainly due to decreasing state debt, while commercial debt to foreigners has risen strongly. Oil export earnings have allowed Russia to increase its foreign reserves from $12 billion in 1999 to some $315 billion at yearend 2006, the third largest reserves in the world. These achievements, along with a renewed government effort to advance structural reforms and fiscal restraint, have raised business and investor confidence in Russia's economic prospects. Russia's economy grew 6.6% in 2006 and inflation growth was below 10% for the first time in the past 10 years. Russia shows signs of increasing its ties to the global economy, having signed a bilateral market access agreement with the US as a prelude to possible WTO entry. Nevertheless, serious problems persist. Oil, natural gas, metals, and timber account for more than 80% of exports, leaving the country vulnerable to swings in world commodity prices. Russia's manufacturing base is dilapidated and must be replaced or modernized if the country is to achieve broad-based economic growth. The banking system, while growing at a high rate and increasing consumer lending, is still small relative to the banking sectors of Russia's emerging market peers. Domestic and foreign investor sentiment is tempered by political uncertainties ahead of elections, corruption, and widespread lack of trust in institutions. President PUTIN continues to grant more influence to forces within his government that desire to reassert state control over the economy. Government spending has increased and risks becoming populist, most notably in the form of the four "national projects" of agriculture, education, housing, and medicine. Russia has made little progress in building the rule of law, the bedrock of a modern market economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.723 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$733 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$12,100 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5.3% industry: 36.6% services: 58.2% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 73.88 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 10.8% industry: 29.1% services: 60.1% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

6.6% plus considerable underemployment (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

17.8% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 38.7% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

40.5 (2005)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

9.8% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

18.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $222.2 billion

expenditures: $157.3 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, vegetables, fruits; beef, milk

Industries:

complete range of mining and extractive industries producing coal,

oil, gas, chemicals, and metals; all forms of machine building from

rolling mills to high-performance aircraft and space vehicles;

defense industries including radar, missile production, and advanced

electronic components, shipbuilding; road and rail transportation

equipment; communications equipment; agricultural machinery,

tractors, and construction equipment; electric power generating and

transmitting equipment; medical and scientific instruments; consumer

durables, textiles, foodstuffs, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:

4.8% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

952.4 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 66.3% hydro: 17.2% nuclear: 16.4% other: 0.1% (2003)

Electricity - consumption:

940 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports:

22.3 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports:

9.9 billion kWh (2005)

Oil - production:

9.4 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

2.5 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:

7 million bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

100,000 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - proved reserves:

74.4 billion bbl (2005 est.)

Natural gas - production:

641 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

445.1 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

216.8 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

36.6 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

47.57 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$105.3 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$317.6 billion (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, wood and wood

products, metals, chemicals, and a wide variety of civilian and

military manufactures

Exports - partners:

Netherlands 10.3%, Germany 8.3%, Italy 7.9%, China 5.5%, Ukraine

5.2%, Turkey 4.5%, Switzerland 4.4% (2005)

Imports:

$171.5 billion (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, consumer goods, medicines, meat, sugar,

semifinished metal products

Imports - partners:

Germany 13.6%, Ukraine 8%, China 7.4%, Japan 6%, Belarus 4.7%, US

4.7%, Italy 4.6%, South Korea 4.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$314.5 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$287.4 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

in FY01 from US, $979 million (including $750 million in

non-proliferation subsidies); in 2001 from EU, $200 million (2000

est.)

Currency (code):

Russian ruble (RUR)

Currency code:

RUR

Exchange rates:

Russian rubles per US dollar - 27.5 (2006), 28.284 (2005), 28.814

(2004), 30.692 (2003), 31.349 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Russia

Telephones - main lines in use:

40.1 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

120 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: the telephone system is experiencing

significant changes; there are more than 1,000 companies licensed to

offer communication services; access to digital lines has improved,

particularly in urban centers; Internet and e-mail services are

improving; Russia has made progress toward building the

telecommunications infrastructure necessary for a market economy;

the estimated number of mobile subscribers jumped from fewer than 1

million in 1998 to 120 million in 2005; a large demand for main line

service remains unsatisfied, but fixed-line operators continue to

grow their services

domestic: cross-country digital trunk lines run from Saint

Petersburg to Khabarovsk, and from Moscow to Novorossiysk; the

telephone systems in 60 regional capitals have modern digital

infrastructures; cellular services, both analog and digital, are

available in many areas; in rural areas, the telephone services are

still outdated, inadequate, and low density

international: country code - 7; Russia is connected internationally

by three undersea fiber-optic cables; digital switches in several

cities provide more than 50,000 lines for international calls;

satellite earth stations provide access to Intelsat, Intersputnik,

Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Orbita systems

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 323, FM 1,500 est., shortwave 62 (2004)

Radios:

61.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

7,306 (1998)

Televisions:

60.5 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.ru; note - Russia also has responsibility for a legacy domain

".su" that was allocated to the Soviet Union, and whose legal status

and ownership are contested by the Russian Government, ICANN, and

several Russian commercial entities

Internet hosts:

1,979,924 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

300 (June 2000)

Internet users:

23.7 million (2005)

Transportation Russia

Airports: 1,623 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 616

over 3,047 m: 51

2,438 to 3,047 m: 198

1,524 to 2,437 m: 130

914 to 1,523 m: 100

under 914 m: 137 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1,007

over 3,047 m: 9

2,438 to 3,047 m: 16

1,524 to 2,437 m: 75

914 to 1,523 m: 127

under 914 m: 780 (2006)

Heliports:

52 (2006)

Pipelines:

condensate 122 km; gas 156,285 km; oil 72,283 km; refined products

13,658 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 87,157 km

broad gauge: 86,200 km 1.520-m gauge (40,300 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 957 km 1.067-m gauge (on Sakhalin Island)

note: an additional 30,000 km of non-common carrier lines serve

industries (2005)

Roadways:

total: 871,000 km

paved: 738,000 km (including 29,000 km of expressways)

unpaved: 133,000 km

note: includes public and departmental roads (2004)

Waterways:

102,000 km (including 33,000 km with guaranteed depth)

note: 72,000 km system in European Russia links Baltic Sea, White

Sea, Caspian Sea, Sea of Azov, and Black Sea (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 1,178 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,080,341 GRT/6,287,784 DWT

by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 46, cargo 743, chemical

tanker 25, combination ore/oil 38, container 13, passenger 12,

passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 219, refrigerated cargo 54, roll

on/roll off 15, specialized tanker 5

foreign-owned: 100 (Belgium 4, Canada 1, Cyprus 2, Estonia 1,

Germany 2, Greece 1, Latvia 2, Malta 4, Norway 1, Switzerland 7,

Turkey 63, Ukraine 11, US 1)

registered in other countries: 465 (Antigua and Barbuda 6, Bahamas

6, Belize 36, Bulgaria 1, Cambodia 105, Comoros 4, Cyprus 53,

Dominica 2, Finland 1, Georgia 28, North Korea 1, Liberia 77, Malta

70, Marshall Islands 1, Mongolia 13, Panama 7, Saint Kitts and Nevis

5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 29, Sierra Leone 1, Tuvalu 2,

Ukraine 1, Vanuatu 1, Venezuela 1, unknown 14) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Anapa, Kaliningrad, Murmansk, Nakhodka, Novorossiysk,

Rostov-na-Donu, Saint Petersburg, Taganrog, Vanino, Vostochnyy

Military Russia

Military branches:

Ground Forces (SV), Navy (VMF), Air Forces (VVS); Airborne Troops

(VDV), Strategic Rocket Troops (RVSN), and Space Troops (KV) are

independent "combat arms," not subordinate to any of the three

branches

Military service age and obligation: Russia has adopted a mixed conscript-contract force; 18-27 years of age; males are registered for the draft at 17 years of age; length of compulsory military service is two years; plans call for reduction in mandatory service to 18 months in 2007 and to one year by 2008; 30% of Russian army personnel were contract servicemen at the end of 2005; planning calls for volunteer servicemen to compose 70% of armed forces by 2010, with the remaining servicemen consisting of conscripts; as of November 2006, the Armed Forces had more than 60 units manned with contract personnel totalling over 78,000 contract privates and sergeants; 88 Ministry of Defense units have been designated as permanent readiness units and are expected to become all-volunteer by end 2007; these include most air force, naval, and nuclear arms units, as well as all airborne and naval infantry units, most motorized rifle brigades, and all special forces detachments (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 35,247,049

females age 18-49: 35,986,426 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 21,049,651

females age 18-49: 29,056,021 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 1,286,069

females age 18-49: 1,244,264 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

NA

Transnational Issues Russia

Disputes - international:

China and Russia have demarcated the once disputed islands at the

Amur and Ussuri confluence and in the Argun River in accordance with

the 2004 Agreement, ending their centuries-long border disputes; the

sovereignty dispute over the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri,

Shikotan, and the Habomai group, known in Japan as the "Northern

Territories" and in Russia as the "Southern Kurils," occupied by the

Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia, and claimed by

Japan, remains the primary sticking point to signing a peace treaty

formally ending World War II hostilities; Russia and Georgia agree

on delimiting all but small, strategic segments of the land boundary

and the maritime boundary; OSCE observers monitor volatile areas

such as the Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti region and the Kodori Gorge

in Abkhazia; Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia signed equidistance

boundaries in the Caspian seabed but the littoral states have no

consensus on dividing the water column; Russia and Norway dispute

their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights

beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty

zone; various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia

(Kareliya) and other areas ceded to the Soviet Union following the

Second World War but the Finnish Government asserts no territorial

demands; in May 2005, Russia recalled its signatures to the 1996

border agreements with Estonia (1996) and Latvia (1997), when the

two Baltic states announced issuance of unilateral declarations

referencing Soviet occupation and ensuing territorial losses; Russia

demands better treatment of ethnic Russians in Estonia and Latvia;

Estonian citizen groups continue to press for realignment of the

boundary based on the 1920 Tartu Peace Treaty that would bring the

now divided ethnic Setu people and parts of the Narva region within

Estonia; Lithuania and Russia committed to demarcating their

boundary in 2006 in accordance with the land and maritime treaty

ratified by Russia in May 2003 and by Lithuania in 1999; Lithuania

operates a simplified transit regime for Russian nationals traveling

from the Kaliningrad coastal exclave into Russia, while still

conforming, as an EU member state with an EU external border, where

strict Schengen border rules apply; preparations for the demarcation

delimitation of land boundary with Ukraine have commenced; the

dispute over the boundary between Russia and Ukraine through the

Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov remains unresolved despite a December

2003 framework agreement and on-going expert-level discussions;

Kazakhstan and Russia boundary delimitation was ratified on November

2005 and field demarcation should commence in 2007; Russian Duma has

not yet ratified 1990 Bering Sea Maritime Boundary Agreement with

the US

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 25,000-180,000 (displacement from Chechnya and North Ossetia)

(2006)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Russia is a source, transit, and destination

country for men, women, and children trafficked for various

purposes; it remains a significant source of women trafficked to

over 50 countries for commercial sexual exploitation; Russia is also

a transit and destination country for men and women trafficked from

Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and North Korea to Central and Western

Europe and the Middle East for purposes of forced labor and sexual

exploitation; internal trafficking remains a problem in Russia with

women trafficked from rural areas to urban centers for commercial

sexual exploitation, and men are trafficked internally and from

Central Asia for forced labor in the construction and agricultural

industries; debt bondage is common among trafficking victims, and

child sex tourism remains a concern

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Russia is placed on the Tier 2

Watch List for a third consecutive year for its continued failure to

show evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking,

particularly in the area of victim protection and assistance

Illicit drugs:

limited cultivation of illicit cannabis and opium poppy and

producer of methamphetamine, mostly for domestic consumption;

government has active illicit crop eradication program; used as

transshipment point for Asian opiates, cannabis, and Latin American

cocaine bound for growing domestic markets, to a lesser extent

Western and Central Europe, and occasionally to the US; major source

of heroin precursor chemicals; corruption and organized crime are

key concerns; heroin increasingly popular in domestic market

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Rwanda

Introduction Rwanda

Background:

In 1959, three years before independence from Belgium, the majority

ethnic group, the Hutus, overthrew the ruling Tutsi king. Over the

next several years, thousands of Tutsis were killed, and some

150,000 driven into exile in neighboring countries. The children of

these exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front

(RPF), and began a civil war in 1990. The war, along with several

political and economic upheavals, exacerbated ethnic tensions,

culminating in April 1994 in the genocide of roughly 800,000 Tutsis

and moderate Hutus. The Tutsi rebels defeated the Hutu regime and

ended the killing in July 1994, but approximately 2 million Hutu

refugees - many fearing Tutsi retribution - fled to neighboring

Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and the former Zaire. Since then, most of

the refugees have returned to Rwanda, but several thousand remain in

neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo and formed an extremist

insurgency bent on retaking Rwanda, much as the RPF tried in 1990.

Despite substantial international assistance and political reforms -

including Rwanda's first local elections in March 1999 and its first

post-genocide presidential and legislative elections in August and

September 2003 - the country continues to struggle to boost

investment and agricultural output, and ethnic reconciliation is

complicated by the real and perceived Tutsi political dominance.

Kigali's increasing centralization and intolerance of dissent, the

nagging Hutu extremist insurgency across the border, and Rwandan

involvement in two wars in recent years in the neighboring

Democratic Republic of the Congo continue to hinder Rwanda's efforts

to escape its bloody legacy.

Geography Rwanda

Location:

Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates:

2 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 26,338 sq km

land: 24,948 sq km

water: 1,390 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:

total: 893 km

border countries: Burundi 290 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo

217 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda 169 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to

January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible

Terrain:

mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous with

altitude declining from west to east

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Rusizi River 950 m

highest point: Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m

Natural resources:

gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane,

hydropower, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 45.56%

permanent crops: 10.25%

other: 44.19% (2005)

Irrigated land:

90 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the

northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo

Environment - current issues:

deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel;

overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion; widespread poaching

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,

Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

landlocked; most of the country is savanna grassland with the

population predominantly rural

People Rwanda

Population:

8,648,248

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 41.9% (male 1,817,998/female 1,802,134)

15-64 years: 55.6% (male 2,392,778/female 2,417,467)

65 years and over: 2.5% (male 87,325/female 130,546) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.6 years

male: 18.4 years

female: 18.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.43% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

40.37 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

16.09 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 89.61 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 94.71 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 84.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 47.3 years

male: 46.26 years

female: 48.38 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.43 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

5.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

250,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

22,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Rwandan(s)

adjective: Rwandan

Ethnic groups:

Hutu 84%, Tutsi 15%, Twa (Pygmoid) 1%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Muslim 4.6%,

indigenous beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001)

Languages:

Kinyarwanda (official) universal Bantu vernacular, French

(official), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used in

commercial centers

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 70.4%

male: 76.3%

female: 64.7% (2003 est.)

People - note:

Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa

Government Rwanda

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Rwanda

conventional short form: Rwanda

local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda

local short form: Rwanda

former: Ruanda, German East Africa

Government type:

republic; presidential, multiparty system

Capital:

name: Kigali

geographic coordinates: 1 57 S, 30 04 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

5 provinces (in French - provinces, singular - province; in

Kinyarwanda - prefigintara for singular and plural); East, Kigali,

North, South, West

Independence:

1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Constitution:

new constitution adopted 4 June 2003

Legal system:

based on German and Belgian civil law systems and customary law;

judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not

accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Paul KAGAME (since 22 April 2000)

head of government: Prime Minister Bernard MAKUZA (since 8 March

2000)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: President elected by popular vote for a seven-year term

(eligible for a second term); elections last held 25 August 2003

(next to be held in 2010)

election results: Paul KAGAME elected president in first direct

popular vote; Paul KAGAME 95.05%, Faustin TWAGIRAMUNGU 3.62%,

Jean-Nepomuscene NAYINZIRA 1.33%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of Senate (26 seats; 12 members

elected local councils, 8 appointed by the president, 4 by the

Political Organizations Forum, 2 represent institutions of higher

learning, to serve eight-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies (80

seats; 53 members elected by popular vote, 24 women elected by local

bodies, 3 selected by youth and disability organizations, to serve

five-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held NA, members appointed as part of the

transitional government (next to be held in 2011); Chamber of

Deputies - last held 29 September 2003 (next to be held in 2008)

election results: seats by party under the 2003 Constitution - RPF

40, PSD 7, PL 6, additional 27 members indirectly elected

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; High Courts of the Republic; Provincial Courts;

District Courts; mediation committees

Political parties and leaders:

Centrist Democratic Party or PDC [Alfred MUKEZAMFURA]; Democratic

Popular Union of Rwanda or UDPR [Adrien RANGIRA]; Democratic

Republican Movement or MDR [Celestin KABANDA] (officially banned);

Islamic Democratic Party or PDI [Andre BUMAYA]; Liberal Party or PL

[Prosper HIGIRO]; Party for Democratic Renewal (officially banned);

Rwandan Patriotic Front or RPF [Paul KAGAME]; Social Democratic

Party or PSD [Vincent BIRUTA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

IBUKA - association of genocide survivors

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,

IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO

(correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Zac NSENGA

chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 232-2882

FAX: [1] (202) 232-4544

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael ARIETTI embassy: 337 Boulevard de la Revolution, Kigali mailing address: B. P. 28, Kigali telephone: [250] 50 56 01 through 03 FAX: [250] 57 2128

Flag description:

three horizontal bands of sky blue (top, double width), yellow, and

green, with a golden sun with 24 rays near the fly end of the blue

band

Economy Rwanda

Economy - overview:

Rwanda is a poor rural country with about 90% of the population

engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture. It is the most densely

populated country in Africa and is landlocked with few natural

resources and minimal industry. Primary foreign exchange earners are

coffee and tea. The 1994 genocide decimated Rwanda's fragile

economic base, severely impoverished the population, particularly

women, and eroded the country's ability to attract private and

external investment. However, Rwanda has made substantial progress

in stabilizing and rehabilitating its economy to pre-1994 levels,

although poverty levels are higher now. GDP has rebounded and

inflation has been curbed. Despite Rwanda's fertile ecosystem, food

production often does not keep pace with population growth,

requiring food imports. Rwanda continues to receive substantial aid

money and obtained IMF-World Bank Heavily Indebted Poor Country

(HIPC) initiative debt relief in 2005. Kigali's high defense

expenditures have caused tension between the government and

international donors and lending agencies. Rwanda obtained debt

relief from the IMF and World Bank in 2006. Rwanda also received

Millennium Challenge Account Threshold status in 2006. Energy

shortages, instability in neighboring states, and lack of adequate

transportation linkages to other countries continue to handicap

growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$13.54 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.968 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 39.4% industry: 23.3% services: 37.3% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 4.6 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 90% industry and services: 10%

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

60% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.2% highest 10%: 24.2% (1985)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

28.9 (1985)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6.7% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

19.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $560.9 million

expenditures: $654 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums),

bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock

Industries:

cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap,

furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes

Industrial production growth rate:

7% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:

93 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 2.3% hydro: 97.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

196.5 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

10 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

120 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

5,400 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

56.63 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-104.1 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$135.4 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

coffee, tea, hides, tin ore

Exports - partners:

Germany 11%, China 6.5%, Belgium 4.5% (2005)

Imports:

$390.4 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum products,

cement and construction material

Imports - partners:

Kenya 21.5%, Uganda 6.4%, Belgium 5.7%, Germany 5.5%, Israel 4.1%

(2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$422.8 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.4 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$425 million (2003)

Currency (code):

Rwandan franc (RWF)

Currency code:

RWF

Exchange rates:

Rwandan francs per US dollar - 560 (2006), 610 (2005), 574.62

(2004), 537.66 (2003), 476.33 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Rwanda

Telephones - main lines in use:

23,000 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

290,000

note: Rwanda has mobile cellular service between Kigali and several

provincial capitals (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: telephone system primarily serves business and

government

domestic: the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the

provinces by microwave radio relay and, recently, by cellular

telephone service; much of the network depends on wire and HF

radiotelephone

international: country code - 250; international connections employ

microwave radio relay to neighboring countries and satellite

communications to more distant countries; satellite earth stations -

1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) in Kigali (includes telex and telefax

service)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 8 (two main FM programs are broadcast through a system of

repeaters, three international FM programs include the BBC, VOA, and

Deutchewelle), shortwave 1 (2005)

Radios:

601,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (2004)

Televisions:

NA; probably less than 1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.rw

Internet hosts:

1,590 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2002)

Internet users:

38,000 (2005)

Transportation Rwanda

Airports: 9 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 14,008 km

paved: 2,662 km

unpaved: 11,346 km (2004)

Waterways:

Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft (2005)

Ports and terminals:

Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye

Military Rwanda

Military branches:

Rwandan Defense Forces: Army, Air Force

Military service age and obligation:

16 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription

(2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,004,750

females age 16-49: 1,990,935 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,103,823

females age 16-49: 1,096,644 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$53.66 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.9% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Rwanda

Disputes - international:

fighting among ethnic groups - loosely associated political rebels,

armed gangs, and various government forces in Great Lakes region

transcending the boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the

Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda - abated substantially from a decade ago

due largely to UN peacekeeping, international mediation, and efforts

by local governments to create civil societies; nonetheless, 57,000

Rwandan refugees still reside in 21 African states, including

Zambia, Gabon, and 20,000 who fled to Burundi in 2005 and 2006 to

escape drought and recriminations from traditional courts

investigating the 1994 massacres; the 2005 DROC and Rwanda border

verification mechanism to stem rebel actions on both sides of the

border remains in place

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 41,403 (Democratic Republic of the

Congo), 4,400 (Burundi) (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Saint Helena

Introduction Saint Helena

Background:

Saint Helena is a British Overseas Territory consisting of Saint

Helena and Ascension Islands, and the island group of Tristan da

Cunha.

Saint Helena: Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in

1502, Saint Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th

century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's

exile, from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a

port of call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869.

During the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa, several thousand Boer

prisoners were confined on the island between 1900 and 1903.

Ascension Island: This barren and uninhabited island was discovered

and named by the Portuguese in 1503. The British garrisoned the

island in 1815 to prevent a rescue of Napoleon from Saint Helena and

it served as a provisioning station for the Royal Navy's West Africa

Squadron on anti-slavery patrol. The island remained under Admiralty

control until 1922, when it became a dependency of Saint Helena.

During World War II, the UK permitted the US to construct an

airfield on Ascension in support of trans-Atlantic flights to Africa

and anti-submarine operations in the South Atlantic. In the 1960s

the island became an important space tracking station for the US. In

1982, Ascension was an essential staging area for British forces

during the Falklands War, and it remains a critical refueling point

in the air-bridge from the UK to the South Atlantic.

Tristan da Cunha: The island group consists of the islands of

Tristan da Cunha, Nightingale, Inaccessible, and Gough. Tristan da

Cunha is named after its Portuguese discoverer (1506); it was

garrisoned by the British in 1816 to prevent any attempt to rescue

Napoleon from Saint Helena. Gough and Inaccessible Islands have been

designated World Heritage Sites. South Africa leases the site for a

meteorological station on Gough Island.

Geography Saint Helena

Location:

islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between South

America and Africa; Ascension Island lies 700 nm northwest of Saint

Helena; Tristan da Cunha lies 2300 nm southwest of Saint Helena

Geographic coordinates:

Saint Helena: 15 57 S, 5 42 W

Ascension Island: 7 57 S, 14 22 W

Tristan da Cunha island group: 37 15 S, 12 30 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 413 sq km

land: Saint Helena Island 122 sq km; Ascension Island 90 sq km;

Tristan da Cunha island group 201 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

Saint Helena: 60 km

Ascension Island: NA

Tristan da Cunha: 40 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

Saint Helena: tropical marine; mild, tempered by trade winds

Ascension Island: tropical marine; mild, semi-arid

Tristan da Cunha: temperate marine; mild, tempered by trade winds

(tends to be cooler than Saint Helena)

Terrain:

the islands of this group result from volcanic activity associated

with the Atlantic Mid-Ocean Ridge

Saint Helena: rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains

Ascension: surface covered by lava flows and cinder cones of 44

dormant volcanoes; ground rises to the east

Tristan da Cunha: sheer cliffs line the coastline of the nearly

circular island; the flanks of the central volcanic peak are deeply

dissected; narrow coastal plain lies between The Peak and the

coastal cliffs

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,062 m; Green

Mountain on Ascension Island 859 m; Mount Actaeon on Saint Helena

Island 818 m

Natural resources:

fish, lobster

Land use:

arable land: 12.9%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 87.1% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha, last eruption in 1961

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

Saint Helena harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere

else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles

and sooty terns; Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha is the

highest island mountain in the South Atlantic and a prominent

landmark on the sea lanes around southern Africa

People Saint Helena

Population:

7,502

note: only Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha islands are

inhabited (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 18.8% (male 717/female 692)

15-64 years: 71.2% (male 2,751/female 2,593)

65 years and over: 10% (male 342/female 407) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 36 years

male: 36.2 years

female: 35.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.56% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

12.13 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

6.53 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 18.34 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 21.96 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 14.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.93 years

male: 75.02 years

female: 80.98 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.55 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Saint Helenian(s)

adjective: Saint Helenian

note: referred to locally as "Saints"

Ethnic groups:

African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25%

Religions:

Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic

Languages:

English

Literacy:

definition: age 20 and over can read and write

total population: 97%

male: 97%

female: 98% (1987 est.)

Government Saint Helena

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Helena

Dependency status:

overseas territory of the UK

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Jamestown

geographic coordinates: 15 56 S, 5 44 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*, Saint

Helena, Tristan da Cunha*

Independence:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:

Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)

Constitution:

1 January 1989

Legal system:

British common law and statutes, supplemented by local statutes

Suffrage:

NA years of age

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)

head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief Michael CLANCY

(since 15 October 2004)

cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, three

ex-officio officers, and five elected members of the Legislative

Council

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by

the monarch

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Council (16 seats, including the speaker, 3

ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by popular

vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 31 August 2005 (next to be held NA 2009)

election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 12

Judicial branch:

Magistrate's Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:

blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and

the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag;

the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship

Economy Saint Helena

Economy - overview:

The economy depends largely on financial assistance from the UK,

which amounted to about $5 million in 1997 or almost one-half of

annual budgetary revenues. The local population earns income from

fishing, raising livestock, and sales of handicrafts. Because there

are few jobs, 25% of the work force has left to seek employment on

Ascension Island, on the Falklands, and in the UK.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$18 million (1998 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

NA

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,500 (1998 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Labor force: 2,486 note: 1,200 work offshore (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 6% industry: 48% services: 46% (1987 est.)

Unemployment rate:

14% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.2% (1997 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $11.2 million

expenditures: $11 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(FY92/93)

Agriculture - products:

coffee, corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, lobster (on

Tristan da Cunha)

Industries:

construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork),

fishing, philatelic sales

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

7 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

6.51 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

100 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$19 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), coffee,

handicrafts

Exports - partners:

Tanzania 37.7%, US 17.4%, Japan 15.2%, UK 8.4%, Nigeria 4.8%, Spain

4.5% (2005)

Imports:

$45 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building

materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts

Imports - partners:

UK 53.5%, South Africa 14.3%, Spain 10.3%, Tanzania 8.5%, US 4.6%

(2005)

Debt - external:

$NA

Economic aid - recipient:

$12.6 million (1995); note - $5.3 million from UK (1997)

Currency (code):

Saint Helenian pound (SHP)

Currency code:

SHP

Exchange rates:

Saint Helenian pounds per US dollar - 0.55 (2005), 0.5462 (2004),

0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), note, the Saint Helenian pound is on

par with the British pound

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications Saint Helena

Telephones - main lines in use:

2,200 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

NA

Telephone system:

general assessment: can communicate worldwide

domestic: automatic digital network

international: country code - 290; international direct dialing;

satellite voice and data communications; satellite earth stations -

5 (Ascension Island - 4, Saint Helena - 1)

Radio broadcast stations:

Saint Helena: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0

Ascension: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2005)

Radios:

3,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

0

note: three television channels are received in Saint Helena via

satellite and distributed by UHF (2005)

Televisions:

2,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.sh; note - the IANA has assigned .ac as the ccTLD for Ascension

Island

Internet hosts:

329 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

1,000 note - includes Ascension Island (2003)

Communications - note:

South Africa maintains a meteorological station on Gough Island

Transportation Saint Helena

Airports:

1

note: Wideawake Field on Ascension Island (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 198 km (Saint Helena 138 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da

Cunha 20 km)

paved: 168 km (Saint Helena 118km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha

10 km)

unpaved: 30 km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension 0 km, Tristan da Cunha

10 km) (2002)

Ports and terminals:

Saint Helena: Jamestown

Ascension Island: Georgetown

Tristan da Cunha: Calshot Harbor

Transportation - note:

there is no air connection to Saint Helena or Tristan da Cunha; an

international airport for Saint Helena is in development for 2010

Military Saint Helena

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Saint Helena

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Saint Kitts and Nevis

Introduction Saint Kitts and Nevis

Background:

First settled by the British in 1623, the islands became an

associated state with full internal autonomy in 1967. The island of

Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to secede in 1971. Saint Kitts and

Nevis achieved independence in 1983. In 1998, a vote in Nevis on a

referendum to separate from Saint Kitts fell short of the two-thirds

majority needed. Nevis continues in its efforts to try and separate

from Saint Kitts.

Geography Saint Kitts and Nevis

Location:

Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way

from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates:

17 20 N, 62 45 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 261 sq km (Saint Kitts 168 sq km; Nevis 93 sq km)

land: 261 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

135 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical, tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal

temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Terrain:

volcanic with mountainous interiors

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m

Natural resources: arable land

Land use: arable land: 19.44% permanent crops: 2.78% other: 77.78% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

hurricanes (July to October)

Environment - current issues:

NA

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone

Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

with coastlines in the shape of a baseball bat and ball, the two

volcanic islands are separated by a three-km-wide channel called The

Narrows; on the southern tip of long, baseball bat-shaped Saint

Kitts lies the Great Salt Pond; Nevis Peak sits in the center of its

almost circular namesake island and its ball shape complements that

of its sister island

People Saint Kitts and Nevis

Population:

39,129 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 27.5% (male 5,515/female 5,263)

15-64 years: 64.3% (male 12,605/female 12,572)

65 years and over: 8.1% (male 1,313/female 1,861) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 27.8 years

male: 27.1 years

female: 28.6 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.5% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

18.02 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

8.33 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-4.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 14.12 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 15.85 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 12.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 72.4 years

male: 69.56 years

female: 75.42 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.31 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality: noun: Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s) adjective: Kittitian, Nevisian

Ethnic groups:

predominantly black; some British, Portuguese, and Lebanese

Religions:

Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic

Languages:

English

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 97.8%

male: NA%

female: NA% (2003 est.)

Government Saint Kitts and Nevis

Country name:

conventional long form: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis

conventional short form: Saint Kitts and Nevis

former: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Basseterre

geographic coordinates: 17 18 N, 62 43 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

14 parishes; Christ Church Nichola Town, Saint Anne Sandy Point,

Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland, Saint James

Windward, Saint John Capesterre, Saint John Figtree, Saint Mary

Cayon, Saint Paul Capesterre, Saint Paul Charlestown, Saint Peter

Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle Island,

Trinity Palmetto Point

Independence:

19 September 1983 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 19 September (1983)

Constitution:

19 September 1983

Legal system:

based on English common law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),

represented by Governor General Cuthbert Montraville SEBASTIAN

(since 1 January 1996)

head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS (since 6 July

1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Sam CONDOR (since 6 July 1995)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general in consultation

with the prime minister

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is

appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the

leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is

usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy

prime minister appointed by the governor general

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (14 seats, 3 appointed and 11

popularly elected from single-member constituencies; members serve

five-year terms)

elections: last held 25 October 2004 (next to be held by 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

SKNLP 7, CCM 2, NRP 1, PAM 1

Judicial branch:

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of

the Supreme Court resides in Saint Kitts and Nevis)

Political parties and leaders:

Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Vance AMORY]; Nevis Reformation

Party or NRP [Joseph PARRY]; People's Action Movement or PAM

[Lindsay GRANT]; Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor Party or SKNLP [Dr.

Denzil DOUGLAS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,

IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS,

OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Izben Cordinal WILLIAMS chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 686-2636 FAX: [1] (202) 686-5740 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Saint Kitts and Nevis; the US

Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint Kitts and Nevis

Flag description:

divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a broad black band

bearing two white, five-pointed stars; the black band is edged in

yellow; the upper triangle is green, the lower triangle is red

Economy Saint Kitts and Nevis

Economy - overview:

Sugar was the traditional mainstay of the Saint Kitts economy until

the 1970s. The government closed the sugar industry following the

2005 harvest after decades of losses at the state-run sugar company.

To compensate, the government has embarked on a program to diversify

the agricultural sector and to stimulate other sectors of the

economy. Activities such as tourism, export-oriented manufacturing,

and offshore banking have assumed larger roles in the economy.

Tourism revenues are now the chief source of the islands' foreign

exchange; about 341,800 tourists visited Nevis in 2005. Additional

tourist facilities, including a second cruise ship pier, hotels, and

golf courses are under construction.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$339 million (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$453 million (2005)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.9% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$8,200 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.5% industry: 25.8% services: 70.7% (2001)

Labor force:

18,170 (June 1995)

Unemployment rate:

4.5% (1997)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

8.7% (2005 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $89.7 million

expenditures: $128.2 million; including capital expenditures of

$19.5 million (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products:

sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fish

Industries:

sugar processing, tourism, cotton, salt, copra, clothing, footwear,

beverages

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

125 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

116.3 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

800 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$70 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery, food, electronics, beverages, tobacco

Exports - partners:

US 61.3%, Canada 8.1%, UK 5.6% (2005)

Imports:

$405 million (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, manufactures, food, fuels

Imports - partners:

US 46.9%, Trinidad and Tobago 13.7%, UK 5.4%, France 4.5%, Japan

4.2% (2005)

Debt - external:

$314 million (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:

$-110,000 (2004)

Currency (code):

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:

XCD

Exchange rates:

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7

(2003), 2.7 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Saint Kitts and Nevis

Telephones - main lines in use:

25,000 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

10,000 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: good inter-island and international connections

domestic: inter-island links via Eastern Caribbean Fiber Optic

cable; construction of enhanced wireless infrastructure launched in

November 2004

international: country code - 1-869; international calls are carried

by submarine cable or Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:

28,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (plus three repeaters) (2004)

Televisions:

10,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.kn

Internet hosts:

50 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

16 (2000)

Internet users:

10,000 (2002)

Transportation Saint Kitts and Nevis

Airports:

2 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Railways:

total: 50 km

narrow gauge: 50 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts to serve sugarcane

plantations during harvest season and for tourists (2005)

Roadways:

total: 320 km

paved: 138 km

unpaved: 182 km (1999 est)

Merchant marine:

total: 50 ships (1000 GRT or over) 261,556 GRT/381,593 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 36, chemical tanker 5,

passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 1

foreign-owned: 41 (Greece 1, Monaco 1, Russia 5, Spain 2, Syria 3,

Tanzania 1, Turkey 6, UAE 19, Ukraine 3) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Basseterre, Charlestown

Military Saint Kitts and Nevis

Military branches:

Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force (includes Coast Guard), Royal

Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 9,196

females age 18-49: 9,236 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 7,119

females age 18-49: 7,645 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 357

females age 18-49: 347 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

NA

Transnational Issues Saint Kitts and Nevis

Disputes - international:

joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves

Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which

permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large

portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US

and Europe; some money-laundering activity

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Saint Lucia

Introduction Saint Lucia

Background:

The island, with its fine natural harbor at Castries, was contested

between England and France throughout the 17th and early 18th

centuries (changing possession 14 times); it was finally ceded to

the UK in 1814. Even after the abolition of slavery on its

plantations in 1834, Saint Lucia remained an agricultural island,

dedicated to producing tropical commodity crops. Self-government was

granted in 1967 and independence in 1979.

Geography Saint Lucia

Location:

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic

Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates:

13 53 N, 60 58 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 616 sq km

land: 606 sq km

water: 10 sq km

Area - comparative:

3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

158 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season January to

April, rainy season May to August

Terrain:

volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Gimie 950 m

Natural resources:

forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs,

geothermal potential

Land use: arable land: 6.45% permanent crops: 22.58% other: 70.97% (2005)

Irrigated land:

30 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

hurricanes and volcanic activity

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern region

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,

Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the twin Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton), striking cone-shaped

peaks south of Soufriere, are one of the scenic natural highlights

of the Caribbean

People Saint Lucia

Population:

168,458 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 29.8% (male 25,941/female 24,319)

15-64 years: 65% (male 53,916/female 55,582)

65 years and over: 5.2% (male 3,186/female 5,514) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 25.2 years

male: 24.4 years

female: 26.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.29% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

19.68 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

5.08 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-1.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 13.17 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 14.29 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 11.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.84 years

male: 70.29 years

female: 77.65 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.18 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality: noun: Saint Lucian(s) adjective: Saint Lucian

Ethnic groups:

black 90%, mixed 6%, East Indian 3%, white 1%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 67.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.5%, Pentecostal 5.7%,

Anglican 2%, Evangelical 2%, other Christian 5.1%, Rastafarian 2.1%,

other 1.1%, unspecified 1.5%, none 4.5% (2001 census)

Languages:

English (official), French patois

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 90.1%

male: 89.5%

female: 90.6% (2001 est.)

Government Saint Lucia

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Lucia

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Castries

geographic coordinates: 14 01 N, 61 00 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

11 quarters; Anse-la-Raye, Castries, Choiseul, Dauphin, Dennery,

Gros-Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux-Fort

Independence:

22 February 1979 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 22 February (1979)

Constitution:

22 February 1979

Legal system:

based on English common law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),

represented by Governor General Dame Pearlette LOUISY (since

September 1997)

head of government: Prime Minister Sir John COMPTON (since 15

December 2006) and Deputy Prime Minister Leonard MONTOUTE (since 15

December 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of

the prime minister

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is

appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the

leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition

is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy

prime minister appointed by the governor general

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats; 6 members

appointed on the advice of the prime minister, 3 on the advice of

the leader of the opposition, and 2 after consultation with

religious, economic, and social groups) and the House of Assembly

(17 seats; members are elected by popular vote from single-member

constituencies to serve five-year terms)

elections: House of Assembly - last held 11 December 2006 (next to

be held in December 2011)

election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - UWP

50%, SLP 46.9%; seats by party - UWP 11, SLP 6

Judicial branch:

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (jurisdiction extends to Anguilla,

Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada,

Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent

and the Grenadines)

Political parties and leaders:

National Alliance or NA [George ODLUM]; Saint Lucia Freedom Party

or SFP [Martinus FRANCOIS]; Saint Lucia Labor Party or SLP [Kenneth

ANTHONY]; Sou Tout Apwe Fete Fini or STAFF [Christopher HUNTE];

United Workers Party or UWP [Sir John COMPTON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt

(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sonia Merlyn JOHNNY chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6723 consulate(s) general: Miami, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Saint Lucia; the US Ambassador

to Barbados is accredited to Saint Lucia

Flag description:

blue, with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the

upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border

Economy Saint Lucia

Economy - overview:

Changes in the EU import preference regime and the increased

competition from Latin American bananas have made economic

diversification increasingly important in Saint Lucia. The island

nation has been able to attract foreign business and investment,

especially in its offshore banking and tourism industries. Tourism

is the main source of foreign exchange, with more than 700,000

arrivals in 2005. The manufacturing sector is the most diverse in

the Eastern Caribbean area, and the government is trying to

revitalize the banana industry. Economic fundamentals remain solid,

even though unemployment needs to be cut.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$866 million (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$825 million (2005)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.1% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,800 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 15% services: 80% (2005 est.)

Labor force: 43,800 (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 21.7% industry: 24.7% services: 53.6% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:

20% (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.9% (2005 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $141.2 million

expenditures: $146.7 million; including capital expenditures of

$25.1 million (2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:

bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus, root crops, cocoa

Industries:

clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated

cardboard boxes, tourism; lime processing, coconut processing

Industrial production growth rate:

-8.9% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:

290 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

269.7 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

2,800 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$82 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil

Exports - partners:

France 31.4%, US 18.7%, China 18.2%, UK 14% (2005)

Imports:

$410 million (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation

equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels

Imports - partners:

US 22.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 14.5%, Netherlands 13.6%, Argentina

6.6%, Venezuela 5.2%, UK 5.2%, France 4.5% (2005)

Debt - external:

$257 million (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:

$-21.5 million (2004)

Currency (code):

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:

XCD

Exchange rates:

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7

(2003), 2.7 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications Saint Lucia

Telephones - main lines in use:

51,100 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

93,000 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate system

domestic: system is automatically switched

international: country code - 1-758; direct microwave radio relay

link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines;

tropospheric scatter to Barbados; international calls beyond these

countries are carried by Intelsat from Martinique

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:

111,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (of which one is a commercial broadcast station and one is a community antenna television or CATV channel) (2004)

Televisions:

32,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.lc

Internet hosts:

21 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

15 (2000)

Internet users:

55,000 (2005)

Transportation Saint Lucia

Airports:

2 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 910 km

paved: 48 km

unpaved: 862 km (2000)

Ports and terminals:

Castries, Cul-de-Sac, Vieux-Fort

Military Saint Lucia

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Royal Saint Lucia Police Force

(includes Special Service Unit, Coast Guard) (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 42,742 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 33,539 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 1,651 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

NA

Transnational Issues Saint Lucia

Disputes - international:

joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves

Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which

permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large

portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:

transit point for South American drugs destined for the US and

Europe

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Introduction Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Background:

First settled by the French in the early 17th century, the islands

represent the sole remaining vestige of France's once vast North

American possessions.

Geography Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Location:

Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south

of Newfoundland (Canada)

Geographic coordinates:

46 50 N, 56 20 W

Map references:

North America

Area:

total: 242 sq km

land: 242 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the

Miquelon groups

Area - comparative:

1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

120 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy

Terrain:

mostly barren rock

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m

Natural resources: fish, deepwater ports

Land use: arable land: 12.5% permanent crops: 0% other: 87.5% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard

Environment - current issues: recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the environment

Geography - note: vegetation scanty

People Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Population:

7,026 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 23.5% (male 843/female 807)

15-64 years: 65.7% (male 2,342/female 2,272)

65 years and over: 10.8% (male 348/female 414) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 34.1 years

male: 33.7 years

female: 34.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.17% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

13.52 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

6.83 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-4.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 7.38 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 8.46 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.61 years

male: 76.27 years

female: 81.06 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.01 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)

adjective: French

Ethnic groups:

Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 99%

Languages:

French (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (1982 est.)

Government Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Country name:

conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre

and Miquelon

conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon

local long form: Departement de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon

local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon

Dependency status:

self-governing territorial overseas collectivity of France

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Saint-Pierre

geographic coordinates: 46 46 N, 56 11 W

time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends

first Sunday in November

Administrative divisions:

none (territorial overseas collectivity of France); note - there

are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US

Government, but there are two communes - Saint Pierre, Miquelon at

the second order

Independence:

none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French

control since 1763)

National holiday:

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:

French law with special adaptations for local conditions, such as

housing and taxation

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May

1995), represented by Prefect Yves FAUQUEUR (since 28 August 2006)

head of government: President of the General Council Marc

PLANTAGENEST (since NA)

cabinet: NA

elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year

term; election last held, 21 April 2002 (first round) and 5 May 2002

(second round) (next to be held in 2007); prefect appointed by the

French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior;

president of the General Council is elected by the members of the

council

Legislative branch:

unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats - 15 from

Saint Pierre and 4 from Miquelon; members are elected by popular

vote to serve six-year terms)

elections: elections last held 19 and 26 March 2000 (next to be held

in April 2006)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

PS 12, PRG 2, UDF-RPR 5

note: Saint Pierre and Miquelon elect 1 seat to the French Senate;

elections last held 26 September 2004 (next to be held in September

2013); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP

1; Saint Pierre and Miquelon also elects 1 seat to the French

National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 9 June 2002,

second round - 16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results -

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UDF 1

Judicial branch:

Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:

Left Radical Party or PRG; Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR

(now UMP); Socialist Party or PS; Union pour la Democratie Francaise

or UDF

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

UPU, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)

Flag description:

a yellow sailing ship facing the hoist side rides on a dark blue

background with yellow wavy lines under the ship; on the hoist side,

a vertical band is divided into three parts: the top part (called

ikkurina) is red with a green diagonal cross extending to the

corners overlaid by a white cross dividing the rectangle into four

sections; the middle part has a white background with an ermine

pattern; the third part has a red background with two stylized

yellow lions outlined in black, one above the other; these three

heraldic arms represent settlement by colonists from the Basque

Country (top), Brittany, and Normandy; the flag of France is used

for official occasions

Economy Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Economy - overview:

The inhabitants have traditionally earned their livelihood by

fishing and by servicing fishing fleets operating off the coast of

Newfoundland. The economy has been declining, however, because of

disputes with Canada over fishing quotas and a steady decline in the

number of ships stopping at Saint Pierre. In 1992, an arbitration

panel awarded the islands an exclusive economic zone of 12,348 sq km

to settle a longstanding territorial dispute with Canada, although

it represents only 25% of what France had sought. The islands are

heavily subsidized by France to the great betterment of living

standards. The government hopes an expansion of tourism will boost

economic prospects. Recent test drilling for oil may pave the way

for development of the energy sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$48.3 million

note: supplemented by annual payments from France of about $60

million (2003 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

NA

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$7,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Labor force: 3,261 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 18% industry: 41% services: 41% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate:

10.3% (1999)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.1% (1991-96 average)

Budget:

revenues: $70 million

expenditures: $60 million; including capital expenditures of $24

million (1996 est.)

Agriculture - products:

vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish

Industries:

fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

50 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

46.5 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$5.5 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:

fish and fish products, soybeans, animal feed, mollusks and

crustaceans, fox and mink pelts

Exports - partners:

Spain 33.6%, Belgium 21.8%, India 18.3%, France 9.4%, US 7.5% (2005)

Imports:

$68.2 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:

meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building

materials

Imports - partners:

France 51.3%, Canada 31.8%, Belgium 4.1% (2005)

Debt - external:

$NA

Economic aid - recipient:

approximately $60 million in annual grants from France

Currency (code):

euro (EUR)

Currency code:

EUR

Exchange rates:

euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),

0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Telephones - main lines in use:

4,800 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

NA

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate

domestic: NA

international: country code - 508; radiotelephone communication with

most countries in the world; 1 earth station in French domestic

satellite system

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

4,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 0 (there are, however, two repeaters which rebroadcast programs from France, Canada, and the US) (1997)

Televisions:

4,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.pm

Internet hosts:

0 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

NA

Transportation Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Airports:

2 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Saint-Pierre

Military Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Introduction Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Background:

Resistance by native Caribs prevented colonization on St. Vincent

until 1719. Disputed between France and the United Kingdom for most

of the 18th century, the island was ceded to the latter in 1783.

Between 1960 and 1962, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was a

separate administrative unit of the Federation of the West Indies.

Autonomy was granted in 1969 and independence in 1979.

Geography Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Location:

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic

Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates:

13 15 N, 61 12 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344 sq km)

land: 389 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

84 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May

to November)

Terrain:

volcanic, mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: La Soufriere 1,234 m

Natural resources:

hydropower, cropland

Land use:

arable land: 17.95%

permanent crops: 17.95%

other: 64.1% (2005)

Irrigated land:

10 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a

constant threat

Environment - current issues: pollution of coastal waters and shorelines from discharges by pleasure yachts and other effluents; in some areas, pollution is severe enough to make swimming prohibitive

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is

divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada; Saint

Vincent and the Grenadines is comprised of 32 islands and cays

People Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Population:

117,848 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 26.7% (male 16,007/female 15,426)

15-64 years: 66.9% (male 40,676/female 38,155)

65 years and over: 6.4% (male 3,315/female 4,269) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 26.9 years

male: 26.7 years

female: 27.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.26% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

16.18 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

5.98 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-7.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 14.4 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 15.67 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 13.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.85 years

male: 71.99 years

female: 75.77 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.83 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s)

adjective: Saint Vincentian or Vincentian

Ethnic groups:

black 66%, mixed 19%, East Indian 6%, Carib Amerindian 2%, other 7%

Religions:

Anglican 47%, Methodist 28%, Roman Catholic 13%, Hindu, Seventh-Day

Adventist, other Protestant

Languages:

English, French patois

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 96%

male: 96%

female: 96% (1970 est.)

Government Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Kingstown

geographic coordinates: 13 09 N, 61 14 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint

George, Saint Patrick

Independence:

27 October 1979 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 27 October (1979)

Constitution:

27 October 1979

Legal system:

based on English common law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),

represented by Governor General Sir Fredrick Nathaniel BALLANTYNE

(since 2 September 2002)

head of government: Prime Minister Ralph E. GONSALVES (since 29

March 2001)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of

the prime minister

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is

appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the

leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by

the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the

governor general on the advice of the prime minister

Legislative branch:

unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats, 15 elected representatives

and 6 appointed senators; representatives are elected by popular

vote from single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 7 December 2005 (next to be held 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - ULP 55.26%, NDP 44.68%;

seats by party - ULP 12, NDP 3

Judicial branch:

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of

the Supreme Court resides in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)

Political parties and leaders:

New Democratic Party or NDP [Arnhim EUSTACE]; Unity Labor Party or

ULP [Ralph GONSALVES] (formed by the coalition of Saint Vincent

Labor Party or SVLP and the Movement for National Unity or MNU)

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,

IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC,

MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,

WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ellsworth I. A. JOHN chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6730 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6736 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint

Vincent and the Grenadines

Flag description:

three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold (double width), and

green; the gold band bears three green diamonds arranged in a V

pattern

Economy Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Economy - overview:

Economic growth in this lower-middle-income country hinges upon

seasonal variations in the agricultural and tourism sectors.

Tropical storms wiped out substantial portions of crops in 1994,

1995, and 2002, and tourism in the Eastern Caribbean suffered low

arrivals in the immediate aftermath of 11 September 2001. The

islands had more than 160,000 tourist arrivals in 2005, mostly to

the Grenadines. Saint Vincent is home to a small offshore banking

sector and has moved to adopt international regulatory standards.

Saint Vincent is also a producer of marijuana and is being used as a

transshipment point for illegal narcotics from South America.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$342 million (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$428 million (2005)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.9% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$3,600 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10% industry: 26% services: 64% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 41,680 (1991 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 26% industry: 17% services: 57% (1980 est.)

Unemployment rate:

15% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1% (2005 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $94.6 million

expenditures: $85.8 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2000 est.)

Agriculture - products: bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, spices; small numbers of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats; fish

Industries:

food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch

Industrial production growth rate:

-0.9% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:

114 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 69.3% hydro: 30.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

106 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

1,400 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$37 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

bananas 39%, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch; tennis

racquets

Exports - partners:

UK 26.7%, Barbados 12.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 12.3%, Saint Lucia

10.9%, US 9.2%, Dominica 7.2%, Grenada 6.8%, Antigua and Barbuda

6.2% (2005)

Imports:

$225 million (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers,

minerals and fuels

Imports - partners:

US 33.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 23.6%, UK 9.4%, Japan 4.2% (2005)

Debt - external:

$223 million (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:

$10.5 million (1995); note - EU $34.5 million (2004)

Currency (code):

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:

XCD

Exchange rates:

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7

(2003), 2.7 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Telephones - main lines in use:

22,500 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

70,600 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate system

domestic: islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF

radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the

Grenadines

international: country code - 1-784; VHF/UHF radiotelephone from

Saint Vincent to Barbados; new SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and to

Saint Lucia; access to Intelsat earth station in Martinique through

Saint Lucia

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:

77,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (plus three repeaters) (2004)

Televisions:

18,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.vc

Internet hosts:

94 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

15 (2000)

Internet users:

8,000 (2005)

Transportation Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Airports: 6 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 829 km

paved: 580 km

unpaved: 249 km (2003)

Merchant marine:

total: 589 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,449,699 GRT/8,051,250 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 106, cargo 351, chemical tanker 5, container

20, liquefied gas 7, livestock carrier 1, passenger 5,

passenger/cargo 15, petroleum tanker 18, refrigerated cargo 38, roll

on/roll off 20, specialized tanker 3

foreign-owned: 529 (Bangladesh 1, Barbados 1, Belgium 3, Bulgaria

17, Canada 6, China 103, Croatia 9, Cyprus 1, Czech Republic

registered in other countries: 1 (Comoros 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Kingstown

Military Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Police Force (includes Special Service Unit), Coast Guard (2005)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 31,489 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 25,787 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 1,204 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

NA

Transnational Issues Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Disputes - international:

joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves

Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which

permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large

portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US

and Europe; small-scale cannabis cultivation

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Samoa

Introduction Samoa

Background:

New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa at

the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer the

islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962, when

the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish

independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the "Western"

from its name in 1997.

Geography Samoa

Location:

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about

one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:

13 35 S, 172 20 W

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 2,944 sq km

land: 2,934 sq km

water: 10 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

403 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to

October)

Terrain:

two main islands (Savaii, Upolu) and several smaller islands and

uninhabited islets; narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky,

rugged mountains in interior

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mauga Silisili (Savaii) 1,857 m

Natural resources: hardwood forests, fish, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 21.13% permanent crops: 24.3% other: 54.57% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

occasional typhoons; active volcanism

Environment - current issues:

soil erosion, deforestation, invasive species, overfishing

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: occupies an almost central position within Polynesia

People Samoa

Population:

176,908 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 26.1% (male 23,492/female 22,653)

15-64 years: 67.3% (male 74,202/female 44,894)

65 years and over: 6.6% (male 5,299/female 6,368) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 25.2 years

male: 28.1 years

female: 22 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.2% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

16.43 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

6.62 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-11.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.65 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

total population: 1.39 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 26.85 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 31.7 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 21.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71 years

male: 68.2 years

female: 73.94 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.94 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

12

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

3

Nationality:

noun: Samoan(s)

adjective: Samoan

Ethnic groups:

Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and Polynesian

blood), Europeans 0.4%

Religions:

Congregationalist 34.8%, Roman Catholic 19.6%, Methodist 15%,

Latter-Day Saints 12.7%, Assembly of God 6.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist

3.5%, other Christian 4.5%, Worship Centre 1.3%, other 1.7%,

unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)

Languages:

Samoan (Polynesian), English

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.7%

male: 99.6%

female: 99.7% (2003 est.)

Government Samoa

Country name:

conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa

conventional short form: Samoa

local long form: Malo Sa'oloto Tuto'atasi o Samoa

local short form: Samoa

former: Western Samoa

Government type:

mix of parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Apia

geographic coordinates: 13 50 S, 171 45W

time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga,

Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga,

Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano

Independence:

1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:

Independence Day Celebration, 1 June (1962); note - 1 January 1962

is the date of independence from the New Zealand-administered UN

trusteeship, however it is observed in June

Constitution:

1 January 1962

Legal system:

based on English common law and local customs; judicial review of

legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the citizen;

has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Malietoa TANUMAFILI II (cochief of state from 1

January 1962 until becoming sole chief of state 5 April 1963)

head of government: Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA

(since 1996); note - TUILA'EPA served as deputy prime minister from

1992 and assumed the duties of acting prime minister in 1996, when

former Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana resigned in poor health;

TUILA'EPA was confirmed as prime minister (November 1998) after

TOFILAU died; Deputy Prime Minister MISA Telefoni (since 2001)

cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 members, appointed by the chief of

state on the prime minister's advice

elections: upon the death of Malietoa TANUMAFILI II, a new chief of

state will be elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a

five-year term (no term limits); following legislative elections,

the leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister

by the chief of state with the approval of the Legislative Assembly

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats - 47 elected by

voters affiliated with traditional village-based electoral

districts, 2 elected by independent, mostly non-Samoan or

part-Samoan, voters who cannot, (or choose not to) establish a

village affiliation; only chiefs (matai) may stand for election to

the Fono from the 47 village-based electorates; members serve

five-year terms)

elections: election last held 31 March 2006 (next election to be

held not later than March 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

HRPP 35, SDUP 10, independents 4

Judicial branch:

Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; District Court; Land and Titles

Court

Political parties and leaders:

Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP [Sailele Malielegaoi

TUILA'EPA]; Samoa Christian Party or TCP [Tuala Tiresa MALIETOA];

Samoa Democratic United Party or SDUP [LE MAMEA Ropati]; Samoa Party

or SP [Su'a Rimoni Ah CHONG]; Samoa Progressive Political Party or

SPPP [Toeolesulusulu SIUEVA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,

IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OPCW, PIF,

Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

(observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Aliioaiga Feturi ELISAIA

chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017

telephone: [1] (212) 599-6196, 6197

FAX: [1] (212) 599-0797

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: US Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to

Samoa

embassy: Accident Compensation Board (ACB) Building, 5th Floor,

Beach Road, Apia

mailing address: P. O. Box 3430, Apia, 0815

telephone: [685] 21436/21452/21631/22696

FAX: [685] 22030

Flag description:

red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing

five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross

constellation

Economy Samoa

Economy - overview:

The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on

development aid, family remittances from overseas, agriculture, and

fishing. The country is vulnerable to devastating storms.

Agriculture employs two-thirds of the labor force, and furnishes 90%

of exports, featuring coconut cream, coconut oil, and copra. The

fish catch declined during the El Nino of 2002-03, but returned to

normal by mid-2005. The manufacturing sector mainly processes

agricultural products. One factory in the Foreign Trade Zone employs

3,000 people to make automobile electrical harnesses for an assembly

plant in Australia. Tourism is an expanding sector, accounting for

25% of GDP; about 100,000 tourists visited the islands in 2005. The

Samoan Government has called for deregulation of the financial

sector, encouragement of investment, and continued fiscal

discipline, while at the same time protecting the environment.

Observers point to the flexibility of the labor market as a basic

strength for future economic advances. Foreign reserves are in a

relatively healthy state, the external debt is stable, and inflation

is low.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1 billion (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$399 million (2005)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.5% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,100 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.4% industry: 58.4% services: 30.2% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 90,000 (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.3% (2005)

Budget:

revenues: $171.3 million

expenditures: $78.1 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(FY04/05 est.)

Agriculture - products:

coconuts, bananas, taro, yams, coffee, cocoa

Industries:

food processing, building materials, auto parts

Industrial production growth rate:

2.8% (2000)

Electricity - production:

108 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 58% hydro: 42% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

100.5 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

1,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-2.428 million (FY03/04)

Exports:

$94 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

fish, coconut oil and cream, copra, taro, automotive parts,

garments, beer

Exports - partners:

Australia 75.9%, American Samoa 13.6%, US 6.5% (2005)

Imports:

$285 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

NZ 31%, Australia 22.6%, US 13.5%, Japan 7.5%, Fiji 6%, China 4.6%

(2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$70.15 million (FY03/04)

Debt - external:

$177 million (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:

$30.8 million (2004)

Currency (code):

tala (SAT)

Currency code:

SAT (former WST code is still in wide use)

Exchange rates:

tala per US dollar - 2.7103 (2005), 2.7807 (2004), 2.9732 (2003),

3.3763 (2002)

Fiscal year:

June 1 - May 31

Communications Samoa

Telephones - main lines in use:

13,300 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

24,000 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate

domestic: NA

international: country code - 685; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:

174,849 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (2002)

Televisions:

8,634 (1999)

Internet country code:

.ws

Internet hosts:

10,680 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2000)

Internet users:

6,000 (2004)

Transportation Samoa

Airports:

4 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 2,337 km

paved: 332 km

unpaved: 2,005 km (2004)

Merchant marine:

total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 7,091 GRT/8,127 DWT

by type: cargo 1

foreign-owned: 1 (Germany 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Apia

Military Samoa

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Samoa Police Force (2005)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 58,722 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 45,294 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 2,306 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

NA

Military - note:

Samoa has no formal defense structure or regular armed forces;

informal defense ties exist with NZ, which is required to consider

any Samoan request for assistance under the 1962 Treaty of Friendship

Transnational Issues Samoa

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@San Marino

Introduction San Marino

Background:

The third smallest state in Europe (after the Holy See and Monaco),

San Marino also claims to be the world's oldest republic. According

to tradition, it was founded by a Christian stonemason named Marino

in A.D. 301. San Marino's foreign policy is aligned with that of

Italy; social and political trends in the republic also track

closely with those of its larger neighbor.

Geography San Marino

Location:

Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy

Geographic coordinates:

43 46 N, 12 25 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 61.2 sq km

land: 61.2 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 39 km border countries: Italy 39 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers

Terrain:

rugged mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Torrente Ausa 55 m highest point: Monte Titano 755 m

Natural resources: building stone

Land use: arable land: 16.67% permanent crops: 0% other: 83.33% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

NA

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution

Geography - note:

landlocked; smallest independent state in Europe after the Holy See

and Monaco; dominated by the Apennines

People San Marino

Population:

29,251 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 16.8% (male 2,534/female 2,372)

15-64 years: 66.2% (male 9,316/female 10,055)

65 years and over: 17% (male 2,149/female 2,825) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 40.6 years

male: 40.3 years

female: 41 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.26% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

10.02 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

8.17 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

10.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 5.63 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 6.06 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 81.71 years

male: 78.23 years

female: 85.5 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.34 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Sammarinese (singular and plural)

adjective: Sammarinese

Ethnic groups:

Sammarinese, Italian

Religions:

Roman Catholic

Languages:

Italian

Literacy:

definition: age 10 and over can read and write

total population: 96%

male: 97%

female: 95% (1976 est.)

Government San Marino

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of San Marino

conventional short form: San Marino

local long form: Repubblica di San Marino

local short form: San Marino

Government type:

independent republic

Capital:

name: San Marino

geographic coordinates: 43 56 N, 12 25 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

9 municipalities (castelli, singular - castello); Acquaviva, Borgo

Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano, Fiorentino,

Montegiardino, San Marino Citta, Serravalle

Independence:

3 September AD 301

National holiday:

Founding of the Republic, 3 September (AD 301)

Constitution:

8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some of the functions

of a constitution

Legal system:

based on civil law system with Italian law influences; has not

accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Cochiefs of State Captain Regent Antonio CARATTONI

and Captain Regent Roberto GIORGETTI (for the period 1 October

2006-31 March 2007)

head of government: Secretary of State for Foreign and Political

Affairs Fiorenzo STOLFI (since 27 July 2006)

cabinet: Congress of State elected by the Great and General Council

for a five-year term

elections: cochiefs of state (captains regent) elected by the Great

and General Council for a six-month term; election last held in

September 2006 (next to be held March 2007); secretary of state for

foreign and political affairs elected by the Great and General

Council for a five-year term; election last held 27 July 2006 (next

to be held NA)

election results: Antonio CARATTONI and Roberto GIORGETTI elected

captains regent; percent of legislative vote - NA; Fiorenzo STOLFI

elected secretary of state for foreign and political affairs;

percent of legislative vote - NA

note: the popularly elected parliament (Grand and General Council)

selects two of its members to serve as the Captains Regent

(co-chiefs of state) for a six-month period; they preside over

meetings of the Grand and General Council and its cabinet (Congress

of State), which has 10 other members, all selected by the Grand and

General Council; assisting the captains regent are 10 secretaries of

state; the secretary of state for Foreign Affairs has assumed some

prime ministerial roles

Legislative branch:

unicameral Grand and General Council or Consiglio Grande e Generale

(60 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve

five-year terms)

elections: last held 4 June 2006 (next to be held by June 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - PDCS 32.9%, Party of

Socialists and Democrats 31.9%, APDS 11.9%, United Left 8.7%, New

Socialist Party 5.4%; seats by party - PDCS 21, Party of Socialists

and Democrats 20, APDS 7, United Left 5, New Socialist Party 3,

other 4

Judicial branch:

Council of Twelve or Consiglio dei XII

Political parties and leaders:

Communist Refoundation or RC [Ivan FOSHI]; Ideas in Movement or IM

[Alessandro ROSSI]; National Alliance or AN [Glauco SANSOVINI]; New

Socialist Party [Augusto CASALI]; Party of Socialists and Democrats

[Claudio FELICI]; San Marino Christian Democratic Party or PDCS

[Pier Marino MENICUCCI]; San Marino Popular Alliance of Democrats or

APDS [Roberto GIORGETTI]; San Marino Socialist Party or PSS [Alberto

CECCHETTI]; Socialists for Reform or SR [Renzo GIARDI]; United Left

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

CE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNWTO, UPU, WHO, WIPO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

San Marino does not have an embassy in the US

honorary consulate(s) general: New York, Washington, DC

honorary consulate(s): Detroit, Honolulu

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in San Marino, but the ambassador

to Italy is accredited to San Marino

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue with the

national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the coat of arms

has a shield (featuring three towers on three peaks) flanked by a

wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the word LIBERTAS

(Liberty)

Economy San Marino

Economy - overview:

The tourist sector contributes over 50% of GDP. In 2006 more than

2.1 million tourists visited San Marino. The key industries are

banking, wearing apparel, electronics, and ceramics. Main

agricultural products are wine and cheeses. The per capita level of

output and standard of living are comparable to those of the most

prosperous regions of Italy, which supplies much of its food.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$940 million (2001 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$880 million (2002)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$34,600 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Labor force: 19,970 (2003)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 1% industry: 42% services: 57% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

2.6% (2001)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

-1.7% (2001)

Budget:

revenues: $400 million

expenditures: $400 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2000 est.)

Agriculture - products: wheat, grapes, corn, olives; cattle, pigs, horses, beef, cheese, hides

Industries:

tourism, banking, textiles, electronics, ceramics, cement, wine

Industrial production growth rate:

6% (1997 est.)

Exports:

trade data are included with the statistics for Italy

Exports - commodities: building stone, lime, wood, chestnuts, wheat, wine, baked goods, hides, ceramics

Imports:

trade data are included with the statistics for Italy

Imports - commodities:

wide variety of consumer manufactures, food

Debt - external:

$NA

Economic aid - recipient:

$NA

Currency (code):

euro (EUR)

Currency code:

EUR

Exchange rates:

euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),

0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications San Marino

Telephones - main lines in use:

20,600 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

16,800 (2002)

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate connections

domestic: automatic telephone system completely integrated into

Italian system

international: country code - 378; connected to Italian

international network

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

16,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (San Marino residents also receive broadcasts from Italy) (1997)

Televisions:

9,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.sm

Internet hosts:

3,140 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2000)

Internet users:

14,300 (2002)

Transportation San Marino

Roadways: total: 104 km paved: 104 km (2003)

Military San Marino

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Voluntary Military Force (Corpi

Militari Voluntar) performs ceremonial duties and limited police

functions (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 6,331 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 5,107 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 135 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$700,000 (FY00/01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

NA

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of Italy

Transnational Issues San Marino

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Sao Tome and Principe

Introduction Sao Tome and Principe

Background:

Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late 15th century, the

islands' sugar-based economy gave way to coffee and cocoa in the

19th century - all grown with plantation slave labor, a form of

which lingered into the 20th century. Although independence was

achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not instituted until the

late 1980s. Though the first free elections were held in 1991, the

political environment has been one of continued instability with

frequent changes in leadership and coup attempts in 1995 and 2003.

The recent discovery of oil in the Gulf of Guinea is likely to have

a significant impact on the country's economy.

Geography Sao Tome and Principe

Location:

Western Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, straddling the

Equator, west of Gabon

Geographic coordinates:

1 00 N, 7 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 1,001 sq km

land: 1,001 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

more than five times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

209 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)

Terrain:

volcanic, mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m

Natural resources: fish, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 8.33% permanent crops: 48.96% other: 42.71% (2005)

Irrigated land:

100 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the smallest country in Africa; the two main islands form part of a

chain of extinct volcanoes and both are fairly mountainous

People Sao Tome and Principe

Population:

193,413 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 47.5% (male 46,478/female 45,302)

15-64 years: 48.8% (male 45,631/female 48,661)

65 years and over: 3.8% (male 3,368/female 3,973) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 16.2 years

male: 15.6 years

female: 16.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

3.15% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

40.25 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

6.47 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-2.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 41.83 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 43.74 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 39.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 67.31 years

male: 65.73 years

female: 68.95 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.62 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Sao Tomean(s)

adjective: Sao Tomean

Ethnic groups:

mestico, angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), forros

(descendants of freed slaves), servicais (contract laborers from

Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children of servicais

born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese)

Religions:

Catholic 70.3%, Evangelical 3.4%, New Apostolic 2%, Adventist 1.8%,

other 3.1%, none 19.4% (2001 census)

Languages:

Portuguese (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 79.3%

male: 85%

female: 62% (1991 est.)

Government Sao Tome and Principe

Country name:

conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe

conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe

local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe

local short form: Sao Tome e Principe

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Sao Tome

geographic coordinates: 0 12 N, 6 39 E

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome note: Principe has had self-government since 29 April 1995

Independence:

12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

Constitution:

approved March 1990, effective 10 September 1990

Legal system:

based on Portuguese legal system and customary law; has not

accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Fradique DE MENEZES (since 3 September

2001)

head of government: Prime Minister Tome Soares da VERA CRUZ (since

21 April 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the

proposal of the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 30 July 2006 (next

to be held July 2011); prime minister chosen by the National

Assembly and approved by the president

election results: Fradique DE MENEZES elected president; percent of

vote - Fradique DE MENEZES 60%, Patrice TROVOADA 38.5%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats;

members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 26 March 2006 (next to be held March 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - MDFM-PCD 37.2%, MLSTP

28.9%, ADI 20.0%, NR 4.7%, other 9.2%; seats by party - MDFM-PCD 23,

MLSTP 19, ADI 12, NR 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Renovation Party [Armindo GRACA]; Force for Change

Democratic Movement or MDFM; Independent Democratic Action or ADI

[Carlos NEVES]; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and

Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Manuel Pinto Da

COSTA]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Aldo BANDEIRA];

Ue-Kedadji coalition; other small parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM,

IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU,

ITU, ITUC, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,

WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: First Secretary Domingos Augusto FERREIRA chancery: 400 Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10022 telephone: [1] (212) 317-0580 FAX: [1] (212) 935-7348 consulate(s): Atlanta

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the islands

Flag description:

three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double width), and

green with two black five-pointed stars placed side by side in the

center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the

hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Sao Tome and Principe

Economy - overview:

This small, poor island economy has become increasingly dependent

on cocoa since independence in 1975. Cocoa production has

substantially declined in recent years because of drought and

mismanagement, but strengthening prices helped boost export earnings

in 2003. Sao Tome has to import all fuels, most manufactured goods,

consumer goods, and a substantial amount of food. Over the years, it

has had difficulty servicing its external debt and has relied

heavily on concessional aid and debt rescheduling. Sao Tome

benefited from $200 million in debt relief in December 2000 under

the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program, which helped

bring down the country's $300 million debt burden. In August 2005,

Sao Tome signed on to a new 3-year IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth

Facility (PRGF) program worth $4.3 million. Considerable potential

exists for development of a tourist industry, and the government has

taken steps to expand facilities in recent years. The government

also has attempted to reduce price controls and subsidies. Sao Tome

is optimistic about the development of petroleum resources in its

territorial waters in the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea, which are being

jointly developed in a 60-40 split with Nigeria. The first

production licenses were sold in 2004, though a dispute over

licensing with Nigeria delayed Sao Tome's receipt of more than $20

million in signing bonuses for almost a year. Real GDP growth

exceeded 4% in 2006, as a result of increases in public expenditures

and oil-related capital investment.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$214 million (2003 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$71.38 million (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,200 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 16.6% industry: 15.3% services: 68.1% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 35,050 (1991)

Labor force - by occupation: note: population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing; shortages of skilled workers

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

54% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

15% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

35.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $102.1 million

expenditures: $61.43 million; including capital expenditures of $54

million (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products: cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans; poultry; fish

Industries:

light construction, textiles, soap, beer, fish processing, timber

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

18 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 41.2% hydro: 58.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

16.74 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

660 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-24.4 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$9.773 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

cocoa 80%, copra, coffee, palm oil

Exports - partners:

Netherlands 61.9%, Belgium 9.3%, Turkey 5.6%, South Korea 4.1%

(2005)

Imports:

$48.87 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum

products

Imports - partners:

Portugal 47.5%, US 17.3%, Malaysia 6.2%, Belgium 5.3% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$25.47 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$318 million (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:

$200 million in December 2000 under the HIPC program

Currency (code):

dobra (STD)

Currency code:

STD

Exchange rates:

dobras per US dollar - 12,134 (2006), 9,900.4 (2005), NA (2004),

9,347.6 (2003), 9,088.3 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Sao Tome and Principe

Telephones - main lines in use:

7,000 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

12,000 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate facilities

domestic: minimal system

international: country code - 239; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)

Radios:

38,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (2002)

Televisions:

23,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.st

Internet hosts:

735 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2002)

Internet users:

20,000 (2005)

Transportation Sao Tome and Principe

Airports:

2 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 320 km

paved: 218 km

unpaved: 102 km (1999)

Merchant marine:

total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 21,527 GRT/29,823 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 7

foreign-owned: 3 (Egypt 1, Greece 1, Lebanon 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Sao Tome

Military Sao Tome and Principe

Military branches:

Armed Forces of Sao Tome and Principe (FASTP): Army, Coast Guard,

Presidential Guard (2004)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 33,438

females age 18-49: 35,279 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 25,950

females age 18-49: 28,660 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$581,729 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0.8% (2005 est.)

Military - note:

Sao Tome and Principe's army is a tiny force with almost no

resources at its disposal and would be wholly ineffective operating

unilaterally; infantry equipment is considered simple to operate and

maintain but may require refurbishment or replacement after 25 years

in tropical climates; poor pay and conditions have been a problem in

the past, as has alleged nepotism in the promotion of officers, as

reflected in the 1995 and 2003 coups; these issues are being

addressed with foreign assistance as initial steps towards the

improvement of the army and its focus on realistic security

concerns; command is exercised from the president, through the

Minister of Defense, to the Chief of the Armed Forces staff (2005)

Transnational Issues Sao Tome and Principe

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Saudi Arabia

Introduction Saudi Arabia

Background:

Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and home to Islam's two

holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina, and the king's official title

is the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The modern Saudi state was

founded in 1932 by ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman AL SAUD (Ibn Saud)

after a 30-year campaign to unify most of the Arabian Peninsula. A

male descendent of Ibn Saud, his son ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz, rules

the country today as required by the country's 1992 Basic Law.

Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia accepted

the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000 refugees while allowing Western

and Arab troops to deploy on its soil for the liberation of Kuwait

the following year. The continuing presence of foreign troops on

Saudi soil after the liberation of Kuwait became a source of tension

between the royal family and the public until all operational US

troops left the country in 2003. Major terrorist attacks in May and

November 2003 spurred a strong on-going campaign against domestic

terrorism and extremism. King ABDALLAH has continued the cautious

reform program begun when he was crown prince. To promote increased

political participation, the government held elections nationwide

from February through April 2005 - for half the members of 179

municipal councils. In December 2005, King ABDALLAH completed the

process by appointing the remaining members of the advisory

municipal councils. The country remains a leading producer of oil

and natural gas and holds approximately 25% of the world's proven

oil reserves. The government continues to pursue economic reform and

diversification, particularly since Saudi Arabia's accession to the

WTO in December 2005, and promotes foreign investment in the

kingdom. A burgeoning population, aquifer depletion, and an economy

largely dependent on petroleum output and prices are all ongoing

governmental concerns.

Geography Saudi Arabia

Location:

Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of

Yemen

Geographic coordinates:

25 00 N, 45 00 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 2,149,690 sq km

land: 2,149,690 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US

Land boundaries:

total: 4,431 km

border countries: Iraq 814 km, Jordan 744 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman

676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km

Coastline:

2,640 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: not specified

Climate:

harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes

Terrain:

mostly uninhabited, sandy desert

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper

Land use: arable land: 1.67% permanent crops: 0.09% other: 98.24% (2005)

Irrigated land:

16,200 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

frequent sand and dust storms

Environment - current issues:

desertification; depletion of underground water resources; the lack

of perennial rivers or permanent water bodies has prompted the

development of extensive seawater desalination facilities; coastal

pollution from oil spills

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great

leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and

Suez Canal

People Saudi Arabia

Population: 27,019,731 note: includes 5,576,076 non-nationals (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 38.2% (male 5,261,530/female 5,059,041)

15-64 years: 59.4% (male 9,159,519/female 6,895,616)

65 years and over: 2.4% (male 342,020/female 302,005) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 21.4 years

male: 22.9 years

female: 19.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.18% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

29.34 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

2.58 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-4.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.33 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female

total population: 1.2 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 12.81 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 14.71 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 10.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 75.67 years

male: 73.66 years

female: 77.78 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.01% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Saudi(s)

adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian

Ethnic groups:

Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%

Religions:

Muslim 100%

Languages:

Arabic

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 78.8%

male: 84.7%

female: 70.8% (2003 est.)

Government Saudi Arabia

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

conventional short form: Saudi Arabia

local long form: Al Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah

local short form: Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah

Government type:

monarchy

Capital:

name: Riyadh

geographic coordinates: 24 38 N, 46 43 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

13 provinces (mintaqat, singular - mintaqah); Al Bahah, Al Hudud

ash Shamaliyah, Al Jawf, Al Madinah, Al Qasim, Ar Riyad, Ash

Sharqiyah (Eastern Province), 'Asir, Ha'il, Jizan, Makkah, Najran,

Tabuk

Independence:

23 September 1932 (unification of the kingdom)

National holiday:

Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932)

Constitution:

governed according to Shari'a law; the Basic Law that articulates

the government's rights and responsibilities was introduced in 1993

Legal system:

based on Shari'a law, several secular codes have been introduced;

commercial disputes handled by special committees; has not accepted

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

adult male citizens age 21 or older

note: voter registration began in November 2004 for partial

municipal council elections held nationwide from February through

April 2005

Executive branch:

chief of state: King and Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al

Saud (since 1 August 2005); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SULTAN bin

Abd al- Aziz Al Saud (half brother of the monarch, born 5 January

1928) note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: King and Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz

Al Saud (since 1 August 2005); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SULTAN bin

Abd al- Aziz Al Saud (half brother of the monarch, born 5 January

1928)

cabinet: Council of Ministers is appointed by the monarch every four

years and includes many royal family members

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; note - a new Allegiance

Commission created by royal decree in October 2006 established a

committee of Saudi princes that will play a role in selecting future

Saudi kings, but the new system will not take effect until after

Crown Prince Sultan becomes king

Legislative branch:

Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (120 members and a chairman

appointed by the monarch for four-year terms); note - in October

2003, Council of Ministers announced its intent to introduce

elections for half of the members of local and provincial assemblies

and a third of the members of the national Consultative Council or

Majlis al-Shura, incrementally over a period of four to five years;

in November 2004, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs

initiated voter registration for partial municipal council elections

held nationwide from February through April 2005

Judicial branch:

Supreme Council of Justice

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, BIS, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,

IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW,

OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Ambassador Designate Adil al-Ahmed al-JUBAYR chancery: 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 342-3800 FAX: [1] (202) 944-3113 consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James C. OBERWETTER embassy: Collector Road M, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh mailing address: American Embassy, Unit 61307, APO AE 09803-1307; International Mail: P. O. Box 94309, Riyadh 11693 telephone: [966] (1) 488-3800 FAX: [966] (1) 488-3989 consulate(s) general: Dhahran, Jiddah (Jeddah)

Flag description:

green, a traditional color in Islamic flags, with the Shahada or

Muslim creed in large white Arabic script (translated as "There is

no god but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God") above a white

horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist side); design dates to

the early twentieth century and is closely associated with the Al

Saud family which established the kingdom in 1932

Economy Saudi Arabia

Economy - overview:

This is an oil-based economy with strong government controls over

major economic activities. Saudi Arabia possesses 25% of the world's

proven petroleum reserves, ranks as the largest exporter of

petroleum, and plays a leading role in OPEC. The petroleum sector

accounts for roughly 75% of budget revenues, 45% of GDP, and 90% of

export earnings. About 40% of GDP comes from the private sector.

Roughly 5.5 million foreign workers play an important role in the

Saudi economy, particularly in the oil and service sectors. The

government is encouraging private sector growth to lessen the

kingdom's dependence on oil and increase employment opportunities

for the swelling Saudi population. The government is promoting

private sector and foreign participation in the power generation,

telecom, natural gas, and petrochemical industries. As part of its

effort to attract foreign investment and diversify the economy,

Saudi Arabia acceded to the WTO in December 2005 after many years of

negotiations. With high oil revenues enabling the government to post

large budget surpluses, Riyadh has been able to substantially boost

spending on job training and education, infrastructure development,

and government salaries.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$374 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$286.2 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$13,800 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 3.3%

industry: 67%

services: 29.8% (2006 est.)

Labor force:

7.125 million

note: more than 35% of the population in the 15-64 age group is

non-national (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 12%

industry: 25%

services: 63% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:

13% among Saudi males only (local bank estimate; some estimates

range as high as 25%) (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.9% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

16.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $189.2 billion

expenditures: $107.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

32.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton, chickens,

eggs, milk

Industries:

crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals;

ammonia, industrial gases, sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), cement,

fertilizer, plastics; metals, commercial ship repair, commercial

aircraft repair, construction

Industrial production growth rate:

1.9% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

155.2 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

144.4 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

9.475 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

1.845 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - exports:

7.92 million bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:

0 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves:

262.7 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

65.68 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

65.68 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

6.654 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$103.8 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$204.5 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum and petroleum products 90%

Exports - partners:

US 16.8%, Japan 16.5%, South Korea 9.3%, China 7.1%, Singapore

5.2%, Taiwan 4.3% (2005)

Imports:

$64.16 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles,

textiles

Imports - partners:

US 14.8%, Japan 9%, Germany 8.2%, China 7.4%, UK 4.7% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$31.63 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$47.39 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - donor:

pledged $100 million in 1993 to fund reconstruction of Lebanon;

since 2000, Saudi Arabia has committed $307 million for assistance

to the Palestinians; pledged $230 million to development in

Afghanistan; pledged $1 billion in export guarantees and soft loans

to Iraq; pledged $133 million in direct grant aid, $187 million in

concessional loans, and $153 million in export credits for Pakistan

earthquake relief

Currency (code):

Saudi riyal (SAR)

Currency code:

SAR

Exchange rates:

Saudi riyals per US dollar - 3.745 (2006), 3.747 (2005), 3.75

(2004), 3.75 (2003), 3.75 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 March - 28 February

Communications Saudi Arabia

Telephones - main lines in use:

4.5 million (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

13.3 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern system

domestic: extensive microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and

fiber-optic cable systems

international: country code - 966; microwave radio relay to Bahrain,

Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Yemen, and Sudan; coaxial cable to

Kuwait and Jordan; submarine cable to Djibouti, Egypt and Bahrain;

satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (3 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian

Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:

6.25 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

117 (1997)

Televisions:

5.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.sa

Internet hosts:

10,931 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

22 (2003)

Internet users:

3.2 million (2006)

Transportation Saudi Arabia

Airports: 208 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 73

over 3,047 m: 32

2,438 to 3,047 m: 13

1,524 to 2,437 m: 24

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 135

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 75

914 to 1,523 m: 40

under 914 m: 12 (2006)

Heliports:

6 (2006)

Pipelines:

condensate 212 km; gas 1,880 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,183 km; oil

4,531 km; refined products 1,150 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 1,392 km

standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and

sidings) (2005)

Roadways:

total: 152,044 km

paved: 45,461 km

unpaved: 106,583 km (2000)

Merchant marine:

total: 60 ships (1000 GRT or over) 837,272 GRT/1,064,377 DWT

by type: cargo 5, chemical tanker 15, container 4, passenger/cargo

8, petroleum tanker 18, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 9

foreign-owned: 9 (Egypt 2, Kuwait 5, Sudan 1, UAE 1)

registered in other countries: 55 (Bahamas 12, Comoros 3, Dominica

3, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 1, Liberia 24, Marshall

Islands 1, Norway 3, Panama 8) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Ad Dammam, Al Jubayl, Jiddah, Yanbu' al Sinaiyah

Military Saudi Arabia

Military branches:

Land Forces (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National

Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 7,648,999

females age 18-49: 5,417,922 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 6,592,709

females age 18-49: 4,659,347 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 247,334

females age 18-49: 234,500 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$18 billion (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

10% (2002)

Transnational Issues Saudi Arabia

Disputes - international:

Saudi Arabia has reinforced its concrete-filled security barrier

along sections of the now fully demarcated border with Yemen to stem

illegal cross-border activities; Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue

discussions on a maritime boundary with Iran

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 240,015 (Palestinian Territories)

(2006)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Saudi Arabia is a destination country for

workers from South and Southeast Asia who are subjected to

conditions that constitute involuntary servitude including being

subjected to physical and sexual abuse, non-payment of wages,

confinement, and withholding of passports as a restriction on their

movement; domestic workers are particularly vulnerable because some

are confined to the house in which they work, unable to seek help;

Saudi Arabia is also a destination country for Nigerian, Yemeni,

Pakistani, Afghan, Somali, Malian, and Sudanese children trafficked

for forced begging and involuntary servitude as street vendors; some

Nigerian women were reportedly trafficked into Saudi Arabia for

commercial sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 3 - Saudi Arabia does not fully comply with the

minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not

making significant efforts to do so

Illicit drugs:

death penalty for traffickers; increasing consumption of heroin,

cocaine, and hashish; improving anti-money-laundering legislation

and enforcement

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Senegal

Introduction Senegal

Background:

Independent from France in 1960, Senegal was ruled by the Socialist

Party for forty years until current President Abdoulaye WADE was

elected in 2000. Senegal joined with The Gambia to form the nominal

confederation of Senegambia in 1982, but the envisaged integration

of the two countries was never carried out, and the union was

dissolved in 1989. A southern separatist group sporadically has

clashed with government forces since 1982, but Senegal remains one

of the most stable democracies in Africa. Senegal has a long history

of participating in international peacekeeping.

Geography Senegal

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between

Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania

Geographic coordinates:

14 00 N, 14 00 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 196,190 sq km

land: 192,000 sq km

water: 4,190 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than South Dakota

Land boundaries:

total: 2,640 km

border countries: The Gambia 740 km, Guinea 330 km, Guinea-Bissau

338 km, Mali 419 km, Mauritania 813 km

Coastline:

531 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has strong

southeast winds; dry season (December to April) dominated by hot,

dry, harmattan wind

Terrain:

generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed feature near Nepen Diakha 581 m

Natural resources: fish, phosphates, iron ore

Land use: arable land: 12.51% permanent crops: 0.24% other: 87.25% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,200 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: wildlife populations threatened by poaching; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; overfishing

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

Geography - note:

westernmost country on the African continent; The Gambia is almost

an enclave within Senegal

People Senegal

Population:

11,987,121 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 40.8% (male 2,467,021/female 2,422,385)

15-64 years: 56.1% (male 3,346,756/female 3,378,518)

65 years and over: 3.1% (male 174,399/female 198,042) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 19.1 years

male: 18.9 years

female: 19.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.34% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

32.78 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

9.42 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 52.94 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 56.49 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 49.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 59.25 years

male: 57.7 years

female: 60.85 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.38 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.8% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

44,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

3,500 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, yellow fever, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, and Rift Valley fever are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Senegalese (singular and plural)

adjective: Senegalese

Ethnic groups:

Wolof 43.3%, Pular 23.8%, Serer 14.7%, Jola 3.7%, Mandinka 3%,

Soninke 1.1%, European and Lebanese 1%, other 9.4%

Religions:

Muslim 94%, Christian 5% (mostly Roman Catholic), indigenous

beliefs 1%

Languages:

French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 40.2%

male: 50%

female: 30.7% (2003 est.)

Government Senegal

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Senegal

conventional short form: Senegal

local long form: Republique du Senegal

local short form: Senegal

former: Senegambia (along with The Gambia); Mali Federation

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Dakar

geographic coordinates: 14 40 N, 17 26 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

11 regions (regions, singular - region); Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick,

Kaolack, Kolda, Louga, Matam, Saint-Louis, Tambacounda, Thies,

Ziguinchor

Independence:

4 April 1960 (from France); note - complete independence achieved

upon dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960

National holiday:

Independence Day, 4 April (1960)

Constitution:

new constitution adopted 7 January 2001

Legal system:

based on French civil law system; judicial review of legislative

acts in Constitutional Court; the Council of State audits the

government's accounting office; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,

with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Abdoulaye WADE (since 1 April 2000)

head of government: Prime Minister Macky SALL (since 21 April 2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in

consultation with the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term) under new constitution; election last

held under prior constitution (seven-year terms) 27 February and 19

March 2000 (next to be held 25 February 2007); prime minister

appointed by the president

election results: Abdoulaye WADE elected president; percent of vote

in the second round of voting - Abdoulaye WADE (PDS) 58.5%, Abdou

DIOUF (PS) 41.5%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats;

members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms)

note: the former National Assembly had 120 seats, but deputies in

late 2006 voted to expand the number of seats to 140

elections: last held 29 April 2001 (next to be held 25 February

2007) note - the National Assembly in December 2005 voted to

postpone legislative elections originally scheduled for 2006, they

will now coincide with presidential elections in 2007

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

SOPI Coalition 89, AFP 11, PS 10, other 10

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court; Council of State; Court of Final Appeals or

Cour de Cassation; Court of Appeals

Political parties and leaders:

African Party of Independence [Majhemout DIOP]; And-Jef/African

Party for Democracy and Socialism (also known as AJ/PADS) [Landing

SAVANE, secretary general]; Alliance of Forces of Progress or AFP

[Moustapha NIASSE]; Democratic and Patriotic Convention or CDP (also

known as Garab-Gi) [Dr. Iba Der THIAM]; Democratic League-Labor

Party Movement or LD-MPT [Dr. Abdoulaye BATHILY]; Front for

Socialism and Democracy or FSD [Cheikh Abdoulaye Bamba DIEYE];

Gainde Centrist Bloc or BGC [Jean-Paul DIAS]; Independence and Labor

Party or PIT [Amath DANSOKHO]; Jef-Jel [Talla SYLLA]; National

Democratic Rally or RND [Madior DIOUF]; People's Labor Party or PTP

[Elhadji DIOUF]; Reform Party or PR [Abdourahim AGNE]; Rewmi

[Idrissa SECK]; Senegalese Democratic Party or PDS [Abdoulaye WADE];

Socialist Party or PS [Ousmane Tanor DIENG]; SOPI Coalition

[Abdoulaye WADE] (a coalition led by the PDS); Union for Democratic

Renewal or URD [Djibo Leyti KA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

labor; Muslim brotherhoods; students; teachers

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA,

MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,

UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO,

WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Amadou Lamine BA

chancery: 2112 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 234-0540

FAX: [1] (202) 332-6315

consulate(s) general: Houston, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Janice L. JACOBS

embassy: Avenue Jean XXIII at the corner of Rue Kleber, Dakar

mailing address: B. P. 49, Dakar

telephone: [221] 823-4296

FAX: [221] 822-2991

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red

with a small green five-pointed star centered in the yellow band;

uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Senegal

Economy - overview:

In January 1994, Senegal undertook a bold and ambitious economic

reform program with the support of the international donor

community. This reform began with a 50% devaluation of Senegal's

currency, the CFA franc, which was linked at a fixed rate to the

French franc. Government price controls and subsidies have been

steadily dismantled. After seeing its economy contract by 2.1% in

1993, Senegal made an important turnaround, thanks to the reform

program, with real growth in GDP averaging over 5% annually during

1995-2006. Annual inflation had been pushed down to the low single

digits. As a member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union

(WAEMU), Senegal is working toward greater regional integration with

a unified external tariff and a more stable monetary policy. High

unemployment, however, continues to prompt illegal migrants to flee

Senegal in search of better job opportunities in Europe. Senegal was

also beset by an energy crisis that caused widespread blackouts in

2006. Senegal still relies heavily upon outside donor assistance.

Under the IMF's Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt relief

program, Senegal will benefit from eradication of two-thirds of its

bilateral, multilateral, and private-sector debt.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$22.01 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$8.562 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,800 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 18.3% industry: 19.2% services: 62.5% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 4.749 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 77% industry and services: 23% (1990 est.)

Unemployment rate:

48%; note - urban youth 40% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:

54% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 33.5% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

41.3 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

41% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $2.023 billion

expenditures: $2.377 billion; including capital expenditures of $357

million (2006 est.)

Public debt:

17.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

peanuts, millet, corn, sorghum, rice, cotton, tomatoes, green

vegetables; cattle, poultry, pigs; fish

Industries:

agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer

production, petroleum refining, construction materials, ship

construction and repair

Industrial production growth rate:

3.2% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

1.453 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

1.351 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

31,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:

50 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

50 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-895.2 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$1.478 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

fish, groundnuts (peanuts), petroleum products, phosphates, cotton

Exports - partners:

Mali 16.9%, India 13.1%, France 9.5%, Spain 6.1%, Italy 5.5%,

Gambia, The 4.6% (2005)

Imports:

$2.98 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

food and beverages, capital goods, fuels

Imports - partners:

France 22.8%, Nigeria 11.4%, Brazil 4.5%, Thailand 4.3%, US 4.2%,

UK 4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.18 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.628 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$449.6 million (2003 est.)

Currency (code):

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible

authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:

XOF

Exchange rates:

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

522.592 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99

(2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Senegal

Telephones - main lines in use:

266,600 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.73 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: good system

domestic: above-average urban system; microwave radio relay, coaxial

cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk system

international: country code - 221; 4 submarine cables; satellite

earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 8, FM 20, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:

1.24 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (1997)

Televisions:

361,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.sn

Internet hosts:

412 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2002)

Internet users:

540,000 (2005)

Transportation Senegal

Airports: 20 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 9

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 11

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 43 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 906 km

narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000 meter gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 13,576 km

paved: 3,972 km (including 7 km of expressways)

unpaved: 9,604 km (2003)

Waterways:

1,000 km (primarily on Senegal, Saloum, and Casamance rivers) (2005)

Ports and terminals:

Dakar

Military Senegal

Military branches:

Army, Senegalese Navy (Marine Senegalaise), Senegalese Air Force

(Armee de l'Air du Senegal) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;

conscript service obligation - two years (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 2,443,840

females age 18-49: 2,461,939 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,558,175

females age 18-49: 1,642,533 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 129,331

females age 18-49: 129,398 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$117.3 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.4% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Senegal

Disputes - international:

The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau attempt to stem separatist violence,

cross border raids, and arms smuggling into their countries from

Senegal's Casamance region, and in 2006, respectively accepted 6,000

and 10,000 Casamance residents fleeing the conflict; 2,500

Guinea-Bissau residents have fled into Senegal in 2006 to escape

armed confrontations along the border

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 19,712 (Mauritania)

IDPs: 22,400 (approximately 65 percent of the IDP population

returned in 2005 but new displacement is occurring due to clashes

between government troops and separatists in Casamance region) (2006)

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and

South American cocaine moving to Europe and North America; illicit

cultivator of cannabis

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Serbia

Introduction Serbia

Background: The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was formed in 1918; its name was changed to Yugoslavia in 1929. Various paramilitary bands resisted Nazi Germany's occupation and division of Yugoslavia from 1941 to 1945, but fought each other and ethnic opponents as much as the invaders. The military and political movement headed by Josip TITO (Partisans) took full control of Yugoslavia when German and Croatian separatist forces were defeated in 1945. Although Communist, Tito's new government and his successors (he died in 1980) managed to steer their own path between the Warsaw Pact nations and the West for the next four and a half decades. In 1989, Slobodan MILOSEVIC became president of the Serbian Republic and his ultranationalist calls for Serbian domination led to the violent breakup of Yugoslavia along ethnic lines. In 1991, Croatia, Slovenia, and Macedonia declared independence, followed by Bosnia in 1992. The remaining republics of Serbia and Montenegro declared a new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) in April 1992 and under MILOSEVIC's leadership, Serbia led various military campaigns to unite ethnic Serbs in neighboring republics into a "Greater Serbia." These actions led to Yugoslavia being ousted from the UN in 1992, but Serbia continued its - ultimately unsuccesful - campaign until signing the Dayton Peace Accords in 1995. MILOSEVIC kept tight control over Serbia and eventually became president of the FRY in 1997. In 1998, a small-scale ethnic Albanian insurgency in the formerly autonomous Serbian province of Kosovo provoked a Serbian counterinsurgency campaign that resulted in massacres and massive expulsions of ethnic Albanians living in Kosovo by FRY forces and Serb paramilitaries. The MILOSEVIC government's rejection of a proposed international settlement led to NATO's bombing of Serbia in the spring of 1999 and to the eventual withdrawal of Serbian military and police forces from Kosovo in June 1999. UNSC Resolution 1244 in June 1999 authorized the stationing of a NATO-led force (KFOR) in Kosovo to provide a safe and secure environment for the region's ethnic communities, created a UN Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) to foster self-governing institutions, and reserved the issue of Kosovo's final status for an unspecified date in the future. In 2001, UNMIK promulgated a constitutional framework that allowed Kosovo to establish institutions of self-government and led to Kosovo's first parliamentary election. FRY elections in September 2000 led to the ouster of MILOSEVIC and installed Vojislav KOSTUNICA as president. A broad coalition of democratic reformist parties known as DOS (the Democratic Opposition of Serbia) was subsequently elected to parliament in December 2000 and took control of the government. The arrest of MILOSEVIC by DOS in 2001 allowed for his subsequent transfer to the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague to be tried for crimes against humanity. (MILOSEVIC died at The Hague in March 2006 before the completion of his trial.) In 2001, the country's suspension from the UN was lifted, and it was once more accepted into UN organizations. In 2003, the FRY became Serbia and Montenegro, a loose federation of the two republics with a federal level parliament. Violent rioting in Kosovo in 2004 caused the international community to open negotiations on the future status of Kosovo in January 2006. In May 2006, Montenegro invoked its right under the Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro to hold a referendum on independence from the state union. The referendum was successful and Montenegro declared itself an independent nation on 3 June 2006. Two days later, Serbia declared that it was the successor state to the union of Serbia and Montenegro. In October 2006, the Serbian parliament unanimously approved - and a referendum confirmed - a new constitution for the country.

Geography Serbia

Location:

Southeastern Europe, between Macedonia and Hungary

Geographic coordinates:

44 00 N, 21 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 88,361 sq km

land: 88,361 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than South Carolina

Land boundaries:

total: 2,027 km

border countries: Albania 115 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina 302 km,

Bulgaria 318 km, Croatia 241 km, Hungary 151 km, Macedonia 221 km,

Montenegro 203 km, Romania 476 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

in the north, continental climate (cold winters and hot, humid

summers with well distributed rainfall); in other parts, continental

and Mediterranean climate (hot, dry summers and autumns and

relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall)

Terrain:

extremely varied; to the north, rich fertile plains; to the east,

limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast, ancient mountains and

hills

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: NA

highest point: Daravica 2,656 m

Natural resources:

oil, gas, coal, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, antimony, chromite,

nickel, gold, silver, magnesium, pyrite, limestone, marble, salt,

arable land

Land use:

arable land: NA

permanent crops: NA

other: NA

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

destructive earthquakes

Environment - current issues: air pollution around Belgrade and other industrial cities; water pollution from industrial wastes dumped into the Sava which flows into the Danube

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

controls one of the major land routes from Western Europe to Turkey

and the Near East

People Serbia

Population: 9,396,411 (2002 census)

Median age:

total: 40.4 years

male: 39.1 years

female: 41.7 years

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 74 years

male: 71 years

female: 76 years

Total fertility rate:

1.78 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Serb(s)

adjective: Serbian

Ethnic groups:

Serb 66%, Albanian 17%, Hungarian 3.5%, other 13.5% (1991)

Religions:

Serbian Orthodox, Muslim, Roman Catholic, Protestant

Languages:

Serbian (official nationwide); Romanian, Hungarian, Slovak,

Ukrainian, and Croatian (all official in Vojvodina); Albanian

(official in Kosovo)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.4%

male: 98.9%

female: 94.1% (2002 est.)

Government Serbia

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Serbia

conventional short form: Serbia

local long form: Republika Srbija

local short form: Srbija

former: People's Republic of Serbia, Socialist Republic of Serbia

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Belgrade

geographic coordinates: 44 50 N, 20 30 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

190 municipalites (opcinas, singular - opcina)

Serbia Proper: Beograd: Barajevo, Cukavica, Grocka, Lazarevac,

Mladnovac, Novi Beograd, Obrenovac, Palilula, Rakovica, Savski

Venac, Sopot, Stari Grad, Surcin, Vozdovac, Vracar, Zemun, Zrezdara

Borski Okrug: Bor, Kladovo, Majdanpek, Negotin; Branicevski Okrug:

Golubac, Kucevo, Malo Crnice, Petrovac, Pozarevac, Veliko Gradiste,

Zabari, Zagubica Jablanicki Okrug: Bojnik, Crna Trava, Lebane,

Leskovac, Medvedja, Vlasotince; Kolubarski Okrug: Lajkovac, Ljig,

Mionica, Osecina, Ub, Valjevo; Macvanski Okrug: Bogotic, Koceljeva,

Krupanj, Ljubovija, Loznica, Malizvornik, Sabac, Vladimirci;

Moravicki Okrug: Cacak, Gornkji Milanovac, Ivanjica, Lucani;

Nisavski Okrug: Aleksinac, Doljevac, Gadzin Han, Merosina, Nis,

Razanj, Svrljig; Pcinjski Okrug: Bosilegrad, Bujanovac, Presevo,

Surdulica, Trgoviste, Vladcin Han, Vranje; Pirotski Okrug:

Babusnica, Bela Palanka, Dimitrovgrad, Pirot; Podunavski Okrug:

Smederevo, Smederevskia Palanka, Velika Plana; Pomoravaki Okrug:

Cuprija, Despotovac, Jagodina, Paracin, Rckovac, Svilajnac; Rasinski

Okrug: Aleksandrovac, Brus, Cicevac, Krusevac, Trstenik, Varvarin;

Raski Okrug: Kraljevo, Novi Pazar, Raska, Tutin, Vrnjacka Banja;

Sumadijski Okrug: Arandjelovac, Batocina, Knic, Kragujevac, Lapovo,

Raca, Topola; Toplicki Okrug: Blace, Kursumlija, Prokuplje,

Zitoradja; Zajocarski Okrug: Boljevac, Knjazevac, Sokobanja,

Zalecar; Zlatiborski Okrug: Arilje, Bajina Basta, Cejetina,

Kosjevic, Nova Varos, Pozega, Priboj, Prijepolje, Sjenica, Uzice;

Vojvodina Autonomous Province: Juzno-Backi Okrug: Backi Petrovac,

Beocin, Novi Sad, Sremski Karlovci, Temerin, Titel, Zabalj; Juzno

Banatski Okrug: Alibunar, Bela Crkva, Kovacica, Kovin, Opovo,

Pancevo, Plandiste, Vrsac; Severno-Backi Okrug: Bacha Topola, Mali

Idjos, Subotica; Severno-Banatski Okrug: Ada, Coka, Kanjiza,

Kikinda, Novi Knezevac, Senta Srednjo-Banatski Okrug: Nova Crnja,

Novi Becej, Secanj, Zitiste, Zrenjanin; Sremski Okrug: Indjija,

Irig, Pecinci, Ruma, Sid, Sremska Mitrovica, Stara Pazova;

Zapadno-Backi Okrug: Apatin, Kula, Odzaci, Sombor

Kosovo and Metojia Autonomous Province: Kosovaki Okrug: Glogovac,

Kacanik, Kosovo Polje, Lipljan, Obilic, Podujevo, Pristina, Stimlje,

Strpce, Urosevac; Kosovsko-Mitrovacki Okrug: Kosovska Mitrovica,

Leposavic, Srbica, Vucitrn, Zubin Potok, Zvecan; Kosovsko-Pomoravski

Okrug: Gnjilane, Kosovska Kamenica, Novo Brdo, Vitina; Pecki Okrug:

Decani, Djakovica, Istok, Klina, Pec; Prizrenski Okrug: Gora i

Opolje, Orahovac, Prizren, Suva Reka

Independence:

5 June 2006 (from Serbia and Montenegro)

National holiday:

National Day, 15 February

Constitution:

10 November 2006

Legal system:

based on civil law system

Suffrage:

18 universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Boris TADIC (since 11 July 2004); Kosovo

- President Fatmir SEJDIU (since 10 February 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister Vojislav KOSTUNICA (since 3 March

2004) - in an acting capacity pending formation of new government

following January 2007 elections; Kosovo - Prime Minister Agim CEKU

(since 10 March 2006)

cabinet: Federal Ministries act as cabinet; Kosovo - ministry heads

act as cabinet; some ministry functions are controlled by the UNMIK

elections: president elected by direct vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 27 June 2004 (next

to be held in 2007 due to constitutional changes); prime minister

elected by the Assembly; Kosovo - president is elected by the

Assembly for a three-year term; prime minister and proposed cabinet

are elected by the Assembly

election results: Boris TADIC elected president in the second round

of voting; Boris TADIC received 53% of the vote

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (250 deputies elected by direct vote

for a four-year term); Kosovo - unicameral Assembly (120 deputies -

100 deputies elected by direct vote and 20 deputies from minority

community members; elected for a three-year term)

elections: last held 21 January 2007 (next to be held 2017); Kosovo

- last held 23 October 2004 (next to be held in 2007)

election results: SRS 81, DSS 64, DSS-NS 47, G17 Plus 19, SPS 16,

LDP Coaliton 15, SVM 3, KZS 2, URS 1, KAPD 1, RP 1; Kosovo - LDK 46,

PDK 30, AAK 9, SLKM 8, Ora 7, Bosniak Vakat coalition 4, KDTP 3,

other 13

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court, Supreme Court (to become court of cassation

under new constitution), appellate courts, district courts,

municipal courts; Kosovo: Supreme Court, district courts, municipal

courts, minor offense courts; note - Ministry of Justice was created

on 20 December 2004; UNMIK appoints all judges and prosecutors;

UNMIK is working on transferring competencies

Political parties and leaders:

Coalition of Albanians of the Presevo Valley or KAPD [Riza HALIMI];

Coalition for Sandzak or KZS [Sulejman UGLJANIN]; Democratic Party

of Serbia or DSS [Vojislav KOSTUNICA]; Democratic Party or DS [Boris

TADIC]; G17 Plus [Mladjan DINKIC]; League of Vojvodina Hungarians or

SVM [Jozsef KASZA]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Cedomir

JOVANOVIC]; New Serbia or NS [Velimir ILIC]; Roma Party or RP

[Srdjan SAJN]; Serbian Radical Party or SRS [Vojislav SESELJ

(currently on trial at The Hague), but Tomislav NIKOLIC is acting

leader]; Socialist Party of Serbia or SPS [Ivica DACIC]; Union of

Roma of Serbia or URS [Rajko DJURIC]; Kosovo Albanian Christian

Democatic Party or PShDK [Mark KRASNIQI]; Alliance for the Future of

Kosovo or AAK [Rmuch HARADINAJ]; Citizens' Initiative of Gora or GIG

[Rustem IBISI]; Democratic Ashkali Party of Kosovo or PDAK [Sabit

RRAHMANI]; Democratic League of Kosovo or LDK [Fatmir SEJDIU];

Democratic Party of Kosovo or PDK [Hashim THACI]; Justice Party or

PD [Sylejman CERKEZI]; Kosovo Democratic Turkish Party of KDTP

[Mahir YAGCILAR]; Liberal Party of Kosovo or PLK [Gjergi DEDAJ]; New

Democratic Initiative of Kosovo or IRDK [Xhevdet NEZIRAJ]; Ora

Citizens' List or Ora [Veton SURROI]; Party of Democratic Action or

SDA [Numan BALIC]; Popular Movement of Kosovo or LPK [Emrush

XHEMAJLI]; Serb List for Kosovo and Metohija or SLKM [Oliver

IVANOVIC]; Serb Democratic Party or SDS KiM [Slavisa PETKOVIC];

United Roma Partty of Kosovo or PREBK [Zylfi MERXHA]

International organization participation:

ABEDA, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, EBRD, FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,

ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD (suspended), IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM

(observer), OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP,

SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU,

WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ivan VUJACIC chancery: 2134 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-0333 FAX: [1] (202) 332-3933 consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael C. POLT embassy: Kneza Milosa 50, 11000 Belgrade mailing address: 5070 Belgrade Place, Washington, DC 20521-5070 telephone: [381] (11) 361-9344 FAX: [381] (11) 361-8230 note: there is a branch office in Pristina at 30 Nazim Hikmet 38000 Prstina, Kososvo; telephone: [381] (38) 549-516; FAX:[381] (38) 549-890

Flag description:

three equal horizontal stripes of red (top), blue, and white;

charged with the coat of arms of Serbia shifted slightly to the

hoist side

Economy Serbia

Economy - overview:

MILOSEVIC-era mismanagement of the economy, an extended period of

economic sanctions, and the damage to Yugoslavia's infrastructure

and industry during the NATO airstrikes in 1999 left the economy

only half the size it was in 1990. After the ousting of former

Federal Yugoslav President MILOSEVIC in October 2000, the Democratic

Opposition of Serbia (DOS) coalition government implemented

stabilization measures and embarked on a market reform program.

After renewing its membership in the IMF in December 2000, a

down-sized Yugoslavia continued to reintegrate into the

international community by rejoining the World Bank (IBRD) and the

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). A World

Bank-European Commission sponsored Donors' Conference held in June

2001 raised $1.3 billion for economic restructuring. In November

2001, the Paris Club agreed to reschedule the country's $4.5 billion

public debt and wrote off 66% of the debt. In July 2004, the London

Club of private creditors forgave $1.7 billion of debt, just over

half the total owed. Belgrade has made only minimal progress in

restructuring and privatizing its holdings in major sectors of the

economy, including energy and telecommunications. It has made

halting progress towards EU membership and is currently pursuing a

Stabilization and Association Agreement with Brussels. Serbia is

also pursuing membership in the World Trade Organization.

Unemployment remains an ongoing political and economic problem. The

Republic of Montenegro severed its economy from Serbia during the

MILOSEVIC era; therefore, the formal separation of Serbia and

Montenegro in June 2006 had little real impact on either economy.

Kosovo's economy continues to transition to a market-based system

and is largely dependent on the international community and the

diaspora for financial and technical assistance. The euro and the

Serbian dinar are both accepted currencies in Kosovo. While

maintaining ultimate oversight, UNMIK continues to work with the EU

and Kosovo's local provisional government to accelerate economic

growth, lower unemployment, and attract foreign investment to help

Kosovo integrate into regional economic structures. The complexity

of Serbia and Kosovo's political and legal relationships has created

uncertainty over property rights and hindered the privatization of

state-owned assets in Kosovo. Most of Kosovo's population lives in

rural towns outside of the largest city, Pristina. Inefficient,

near-subsistence farming is common.

note: economic data for Serbia currently reflects information for

the former Serbia and Montenegro, unless otherwise noted; data for

Serbia alone will be added when available

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$44.83 billion for Serbia (including Kosovo) (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$19.19 billion for Serbia alone (excluding Kosovo) (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.9% for Serbia alone (excluding Kosovo) (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,400 for Serbia (including Kosovo) (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 16.6% industry: 25.5% services: 57.9% (2005 est.)

Labor force: 2.961 million for Serbia (including Kosovo) (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 30% industry: 46% services: 24% note: excluding Kosovo and Montenegro (2002)

Unemployment rate:

31.6%

note: unemployment is approximately 50% in Kosovo (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:

30%

note: data covers the former Serbia and Montenegro (1999 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

15.5% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

14.2% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $11.45 billion

expenditures: $11.12 billion; including capital expenditures $NA;

note - figures are for Serbia and Montenegro; Serbian Statistical

Office indicates that for 2006 budget, Serbia will have revenues of

$7.08 billion (2005 est.)

Public debt:

53.1% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, maize, sugar beets, sunflower, beef, pork, milk

Industries:

sugar, agricultural machinery, electrical and communication

equipment, paper and pulp, lead, transportation equipment

Industrial production growth rate:

1.4% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

33.87 billion kWh (excluding Kosovo and Montenegro) (2004)

Electricity - consumption:

NA

Electricity - exports:

12.05 billion kWh (excluding Kosovo; exported to Montenegro) (2004)

Electricity - imports:

11.23 billion kWh (excluding Kosovo; imports from Montenegro) (2004)

Oil - production:

14,660 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - consumption:

85,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - proved reserves:

38.75 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

650 million cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

2.55 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports: 2.1 billion cu m note: includes Montenegro (2004)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

48.14 billion cu m (1 January 2005)

Current account balance:

$-2.451 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:

$4.553 billion (excluding Kosovo and Montenegro) (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:

manufactured goods, food and live animals, machinery and transport

equipment

Imports:

$10.58 billion (excluding Kosovo and Montenegro) (2005 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$5.35 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:

$15.43 billion (including Montenegro) (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$2 billion pledged in 2001 to Serbia and Montenegro (disbursements

to follow over several years; aid pledged by EU and US has been

placed on hold because of lack of cooperation by Serbia in handing

over General Ratko MLADIC to the criminal court in The Hague)

Currency (code):

Serbian Dinar (RSD)

Exchange rates:

Serbian dinars per US dollar - 58.6925

Communications Serbia

Telephones - main lines in use:

2,685,400 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

5.229 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modernization of the telecommunications network

has been slow as a result of damage stemming from the 1999 war and

transition to a competitive market-based system; network was only

65% digitalized in 2005

domestic: teledensity remains below the average for neighboring

states; GSM wireless service, available through two providers with

national coverage, is growing very rapidly; best telecommunications

service limited to urban centers

international: country code - 381

Radio broadcast stations:

153 (2001)

Internet country code:

.rs; note - former ccTLD .yu will remain in service until the end

of 2006

Internet hosts:

NA

Internet users:

1.4 million (2006)

Transportation Serbia

Airports: 39 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 16 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 23 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 12 (2006)

Heliports:

4 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 3,177 km; oil 393 km (2006)

Railways: total: 4,135 km standard guage: 4,135 km 1.435-m guage (electrified 1,195 km) (2005)

Roadways: total: 37,887 km paved: 23,937 km unpaved: 13,950 km (2002)

Waterways:

587 km - primarily on Danube and Sava rivers (2005)

Merchant marine:

note: see entry for Montenegro

Military Serbia

Military branches:

Serbian Armed Forces (Vojska Srbije, VS): Serbian Land Forces

(Kopnene Vojska, KoV), Air Force and Air Defense Force

(Vozduhoplostvo i Protivozduhoplovna Odbrana, ViPO), naval force to

be determined (2006)

Military service age and obligation: peacetime service obligation begins at age 17 and lasts until age 60 for men and 50 for women; under a state of war or impending war, the obligation can begin at age 16 and be extended beyond 60 (2006)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $14.85 million

Transnational Issues Serbia

Disputes - international:

as the final status of the Serbian province of Kosovo approaches

resolution through the six-nation contact group, the several

thousand peacekeepers from the UN Interim Administration Mission in

Kosovo (UNMIK) since 1999, continue to keep the peace between

Kosovar Albanians overwhelmingly supporting Kosovo independence and

the Serb minority in Kosovo and Serbian officials in Belgrade, who

oppose independence for the province; ethnic Albanians in Kosovo

oppose demarcation of the boundary with Macedonia based on the 2000

Macedonia-Serbia and Montenegro delimitation agreement; Serbia and

Montenegro delimited about half of the boundary with Bosnia and

Herzegovina, but sections with Serbia along the Drina River remain

in dispute

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 100,651 (Croatia), 46,951 (Bosnia and

Herzegovina)

IDPs: 228,000 (mostly ethnic Serbs and Roma who fled Kosovo in 1999)

(2006)

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin moving to Western

Europe on the Balkan route; economy vulnerable to money laundering

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Seychelles

Introduction Seychelles

Background:

A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for the islands

ended in 1814, when they were ceded to the latter. Independence came

in 1976. Socialist rule was brought to a close with a new

constitution and free elections in 1993. President France-Albert

RENE, who had served since 1977, was re-elected in 2001, but stepped

down in 2004. Vice President James MICHEL took over the presidency

and in July 2006 was elected to a new five-year term.

Geography Seychelles

Location:

archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates:

4 35 S, 55 40 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 455 sq km

land: 455 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

491 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon

(late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon

(March to May)

Terrain:

Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others

are coral, flat, elevated reefs

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m

Natural resources:

fish, copra, cinnamon trees

Land use:

arable land: 2.17%

permanent crops: 13.04%

other: 84.79% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short

droughts possible

Environment - current issues:

water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

41 granitic and about 75 coralline islands

People Seychelles

Population:

81,541 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 25.9% (male 10,667/female 10,440)

15-64 years: 68% (male 27,060/female 28,366)

65 years and over: 6.1% (male 1,607/female 3,401) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 28.1 years

male: 27 years

female: 29.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.43% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

16.03 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-5.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.47 male(s)/female

total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 15.14 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 19.16 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 10.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 72.08 years

male: 66.69 years

female: 77.63 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.74 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Seychellois (singular and plural)

adjective: Seychellois

Ethnic groups:

mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab

Religions:

Roman Catholic 82.3%, Anglican 6.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.1%,

other Christian 3.4%, Hindu 2.1%, Muslim 1.1%, other non-Christian

1.5%, unspecified 1.5%, none 0.6% (2002 census)

Languages:

Creole 91.8%, English 4.9% (official), other 3.1%, unspecified 0.2%

(2002 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 91.9%

male: 91.4%

female: 92.3% (2003 est.)

Government Seychelles

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles

conventional short form: Seychelles

local long form: Republic of Seychelles

local short form: Seychelles

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Victoria

geographic coordinates: 4 38 S, 55 27 E

time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

23 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins, Anse Boileau, Anse

Etoile, Anse Louis, Anse Royale, Baie Lazare, Baie Sainte Anne, Beau

Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand' Anse (on Mahe),

Grand' Anse (on Praslin), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont

Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La Rue, Port Glaud, Saint

Louis, Takamaka

Independence:

29 June 1976 (from UK)

National holiday:

Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June (1993)

Constitution:

18 June 1993

Legal system:

based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law

Suffrage:

17 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President James MICHEL (since 14 April 2004); note

- the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President James MICHEL (since 14 April 2004);

note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for two more terms); election last held 28-30 July 2006

(next to be held in 2011)

election results: President James MICHEL elected president; percent

of vote - James MICHEL (SPPF) 53.73%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (SNP) 45.71%,

Philippe BOULLE 0.56%; note - this was the first election in which

President James MICHEL participated; he was originally sworn in as

president after former president France Albert RENE stepped down in

April 2004

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34 seats - 25

elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a proportional basis to

parties winning at least 10% of the vote; members serve five-year

terms)

elections: last held 4-6 December 2002 (next to be held in December

2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 54.3%, SNP 42.6%,

DP 3.1%; seats by party - SPPF 23, SNP 11

Judicial branch:

Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are

appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM, Paul CHOW]; Seychelles

National Party or SNP [Wavel RAMKALAWAN] (formerly the United

Opposition or UO); Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF

[France Albert RENE, James MICHEL] (the governing party)

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Roman Catholic Church; trade unions

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jeremie BONNELAME chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785 FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador to

Mauritius is accredited to Seychelles

Flag description:

five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, and

green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side

Economy Seychelles

Economy - overview:

Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this Indian Ocean

archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the old

near-subsistence level. Growth has been led by the tourist sector,

which employs about 30% of the labor force and provides more than

70% of hard currency earnings, and by tuna fishing. In recent years

the government has encouraged foreign investment in order to upgrade

hotels and other services. At the same time, the government has

moved to reduce the dependence on tourism by promoting the

development of farming, fishing, and small-scale manufacturing.

Sharp drops illustrated the vulnerability of the tourist sector in

1991-92 due largely to the Gulf War, and once again following the 11

September 2001 terrorist attacks on the US. Growth slowed in

1998-2002, and fell in 2003, due to sluggish tourist and tuna

sectors, but resumed in 2004. Growth turned negative again in

2005-06. Tight controls on exchange rates and the scarcity of

foreign exchange have impaired short-term economic prospects. The

black-market value of the Seychelles rupee is half the official

exchange rate; without a devaluation of the currency, the tourist

sector may remain sluggish as vacationers seek cheaper destinations

such as Comoros, Mauritius, and Madagascar.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$626 million (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$712 million (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$7,800 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.2% industry: 30.1% services: 66.7% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 30,900 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 10% industry: 19% services: 71% (1989)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

0.7% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

44.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $371.1 million

expenditures: $376 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

166.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca),

bananas; poultry; tuna

Industries:

fishing, tourism, processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut

fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

208 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

193.4 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

5,600 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-78.59 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$365.1 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products

(reexports)

Exports - partners:

UK 23%, Spain 19.8%, France 11.4%, Japan 9.7%, Italy 7.4%, Germany

5.8%, Netherlands 5.4% (2005)

Imports:

$570.6 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Saudi Arabia 15.2%, South Africa 13.9%, Spain 13.6%, France 7.2%,

Singapore 6.9%, Italy 5.7% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$44.78 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$616.7 million (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$16.4 million (1995)

Currency (code):

Seychelles rupee (SCR)

Currency code:

SCR

Exchange rates:

Seychelles rupees per US dollar - 5.5 (2006), 5.5 (2005), 5.5

(2004), 5.4007 (2003), 5.48 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Seychelles

Telephones - main lines in use:

21,400 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

57,000 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: effective system

domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands in the

archipelago

international: country code - 248; direct radiotelephone

communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal

countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:

42,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:

11,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.sc

Internet hosts:

72 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

20,000 (2005)

Transportation Seychelles

Airports: 15 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 7

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 458 km

paved: 440 km

unpaved: 18 km (2003)

Merchant marine:

total: 5 ships (1000 GRT or over) 69,777 GRT/113,501 DWT

by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 4

foreign-owned: 1 (Nigeria 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Victoria

Military Seychelles

Military branches:

Seychelles Defense Force: Army, Coast Guard (includes Navy Wing,

Air Wing), National Guard (2005)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 21,612

females age 18-49: 22,459 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 16,122

females age 18-49: 18,777 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$14.85 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.1% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Seychelles

Disputes - international: together with Mauritius, Seychelles claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Sierra Leone

Introduction Sierra Leone

Background:

The government is slowly reestablishing its authority after the

1991 to 2002 civil war that resulted in tens of thousands of deaths

and the displacement of more than 2 million people (about one-third

of the population). The last UN peacekeepers withdrew in December

2005, leaving full responsibility for security with domestic forces,

but a new civilian UN office remains to support the government.

Mounting tensions related to planned 2007 elections, deteriorating

political and economic conditions in Guinea, and the tenuous

security situation in neighboring Liberia may present challenges to

continuing progress in Sierra Leone's stability.

Geography Sierra Leone

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea

and Liberia

Geographic coordinates:

8 30 N, 11 30 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 71,740 sq km

land: 71,620 sq km

water: 120 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries: total: 958 km border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km

Coastline: 402 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter

dry season (December to April)

Terrain:

coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland

plateau, mountains in east

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m

Natural resources:

diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite

Land use: arable land: 7.95% permanent crops: 1.05% other: 91% (2005)

Irrigated land:

300 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to

February); sandstorms, dust storms

Environment - current issues:

rapid population growth pressuring the environment; overharvesting

of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and-burn

agriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil exhaustion;

civil war depleting natural resources; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:

rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches) a year,

making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western Africa

People Sierra Leone

Population:

6,005,250 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 44.8% (male 1,321,563/female 1,370,721)

15-64 years: 52% (male 1,494,502/female 1,625,733)

65 years and over: 3.2% (male 90,958/female 101,773) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 17.4 years

male: 17.1 years

female: 17.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.3% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

45.76 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

23.03 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population

note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly

returning (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 160.39 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 177.47 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 142.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 40.22 years

male: 38.05 years

female: 42.46 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

6.08 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

170,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

11,000 (2001 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in

some locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Sierra Leonean(s)

adjective: Sierra Leonean

Ethnic groups:

20 African ethnic groups 90% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%, other 30%),

Creole (Krio) 10% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were

settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century), refugees

from Liberia's recent civil war, small numbers of Europeans,

Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians

Religions:

Muslim 60%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10%

Languages:

English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende

(principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in

the north), Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants of

freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area, a

lingua franca and a first language for 10% of the population but

understood by 95%)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende,

Temne, or Arabic

total population: 29.6%

male: 39.8%

female: 20.5% (2000 est.)

Government Sierra Leone

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Sierra Leone

conventional short form: Sierra Leone

local long form: Republic of Sierra Leone

local short form: Sierra Leone

Government type:

constitutional democracy

Capital:

name: Freetown

geographic coordinates: 8 30 N, 13 15 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, Southern, Western*

Independence:

27 April 1961 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 27 April (1961)

Constitution:

1 October 1991; subsequently amended several times

Legal system:

based on English law and customary laws indigenous to local tribes;

has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March 1996,

reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the chief of

state and head of government

head of government: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March

1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the

chief of state and head of government

cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president with the

approval of the House of Representatives; the cabinet is responsible

to the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 14 May 2002 (next

to be held 28 July 2007)

election results: Ahmad Tejan KABBAH reelected president; percent of

vote - Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (SLPP) 70.6%, Ernest Bai KOROMA (APC) 22.4%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament (124 seats - 112 elected by popular vote, 12

filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate elections; members

serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held 28 July 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - SLPP 70.06%, APC

22.35%, PLP 3%, others 4.59%; seats by party - SLPP 83, APC 27, PLP 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Appeals Court; High Court

Political parties and leaders:

All People's Congress or APC [Ernest Bai KOROMA]; Peace and

Liberation Party or PLP [Darlington MORRISON, interim chairman];

People's Movement for Democratic Change or PMDC [Charles MARGAI];

Sierra Leone People's Party or SLPP [Solomon BEREWA]; numerous others

Political pressure groups and leaders:

trade unions and student unions

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,

IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU,

ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,

WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Ibrahim M. KAMARA

chancery: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 939-9261 through 9263

FAX: [1] (202) 483-1793

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas N. HULL embassy: Corner of Walpole and Siaka Stevens Streets, Freetown mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [232] (22) 515 000 or [232] (76) 515 000 FAX: [232] (22) 225471

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of light green (top), white, and light

blue

Economy Sierra Leone

Economy - overview:

Sierra Leone is an extremely poor African nation with tremendous

inequality in income distribution. While it possesses substantial

mineral, agricultural, and fishery resources, its economic and

social infrastructure is not well developed, and serious social

disorders continue to hamper economic development. About two-thirds

of the working-age population engages in subsistence agriculture.

Manufacturing consists mainly of the processing of raw materials and

of light manufacturing for the domestic market. Alluvial diamond

mining remains the major source of hard currency earnings,

accounting for nearly half of Sierra Leone's exports. The fate of

the economy depends upon the maintenance of domestic peace and the

continued receipt of substantial aid from abroad, which is essential

to offset the severe trade imbalance and supplement government

revenues. The IMF has completed a Poverty Reduction and Growth

Facility program that helped stabilize economic growth and reduce

inflation. A recent increase in political stability has led to a

revival of economic activity, such as the rehabilitation of bauxite

and rutile mining.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$5.38 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.233 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$900 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 49% industry: 31% services: 21% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 1.369 million (1981 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

68% (1989 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 43.6% (1989)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

62.9 (1989)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1% (2002 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $96 million

expenditures: $351 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:

rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts; poultry,

cattle, sheep, pigs; fish

Industries:

diamond mining; small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles,

cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining, small commercial ship

repair

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

244 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

226.9 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

3.993 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

6,600 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$185 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish

Exports - partners:

Belgium 66%, Germany 13.4%, US 4.6% (2005)

Imports:

$531 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Germany 18.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 11.1%, UK 8.4%, US 6.8%, China 5.5%,

Netherlands 5.3% (2005)

Debt - external:

$1.61 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$297.4 million (2003 est.)

Currency (code):

leone (SLL)

Currency code:

SLL

Exchange rates:

leones per US dollar - 2,985.4 (2006), 2,889.6 (2005), 2,701.3

(2004), 2,347.9 (2003), 2,099 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Sierra Leone

Telephones - main lines in use:

24,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

113,200 (2003)

Telephone system:

general assessment: marginal telephone and telegraph service

domestic: the national microwave radio relay trunk system connects

Freetown to Bo and Kenema

international: country code - 232; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (1999)

Radios:

1.12 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (1999)

Televisions:

53,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.sl

Internet hosts:

20 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2001)

Internet users:

10,000 (2005)

Transportation Sierra Leone

Airports: 10 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 9

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Heliports:

2 (2006)

Roadways: total: 11,300 km paved: 904 km unpaved: 10,396 km (2002)

Waterways:

800 km (600 km year round) (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 54 ships (1000 GRT or over) 185,037 GRT/249,996 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 36, chemical tanker 3, combination

ore/oil 3, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger 1,

passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 2

foreign-owned: 14 (China 2, Cyprus 1, Egypt 1, Russia 1, Syria 1,

UAE 3, Ukraine 4, US 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Freetown, Pepel, Sherbro Islands

Military Sierra Leone

Military branches:

Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF): Army (includes Air

Wing, Maritime Wing)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,086,091 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 539,697 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$14.25 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.7% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Sierra Leone

Disputes - international:

domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups, warlords, and youth

gangs in Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone perpetuate

insurgencies, street violence, looting, arms trafficking, ethnic

conflicts, and refugees in border areas; UN Mission in Sierra Leone

(UNAMSIL) has maintained over 4,000 peacekeepers in Sierra Leone

since 1999; Sierra Leone considers excessive Guinea's definition of

the flood plain limits to define the left bank boundary of the

Makona and Moa rivers and protests Guinea's continued occupation of

these lands, including the hamlet of Yenga occupied since 1998

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 59,952 (Liberia) (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Singapore

Introduction Singapore

Background:

Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819. It

joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two years

later and became independent. Singapore subsequently became one of

the world's most prosperous countries with strong international

trading links (its port is one of the world's busiest in terms of

tonnage handled) and with per capita GDP equal to that of the

leading nations of Western Europe.

Geography Singapore

Location:

Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:

1 22 N, 103 48 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 692.7 sq km

land: 682.7 sq km

water: 10 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

193 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 3 nm

exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, as

defined in treaties and practice

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons -

Northeastern monsoon (December to March) and Southwestern monsoon

(June to September); inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and early

evening thunderstorms

Terrain:

lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water catchment

area and nature preserve

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m

highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m

Natural resources:

fish, deepwater ports

Land use:

arable land: 1.47%

permanent crops: 1.47%

other: 97.06% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water resources;

limited land availability presents waste disposal problems; seasonal

smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,

Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes

People Singapore

Population:

4,492,150 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 15.6% (male 362,329/female 337,964)

15-64 years: 76.1% (male 1,666,709/female 1,750,736)

65 years and over: 8.3% (male 165,823/female 208,589) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 37.3 years

male: 36.9 years

female: 37.6 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.42% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

9.34 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

4.28 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

9.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 2.29 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 81.71 years

male: 79.13 years

female: 84.49 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.06 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

4,100 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Singaporean(s)

adjective: Singapore

Ethnic groups:

Chinese 76.8%, Malay 13.9%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4% (2000 census)

Religions:

Buddhist 42.5%, Muslim 14.9%, Taoist 8.5%, Hindu 4%, Catholic 4.8%,

other Christian 9.8%, other 0.7%, none 14.8% (2000 census)

Languages:

Mandarin 35%, English 23%, Malay 14.1%, Hokkien 11.4%, Cantonese

5.7%, Teochew 4.9%, Tamil 3.2%, other Chinese dialects 1.8%, other

0.9% (2000 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.5%

male: 96.6%

female: 88.6% (2002)

Government Singapore

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Singapore

conventional short form: Singapore

local long form: Republic of Singapore

local short form: Singapore

Government type:

parliamentary republic

Capital:

name: Singapore

geographic coordinates: 1 17 N, 103 51 E

time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none

Independence:

9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)

National holiday:

National Day, 9 August (1965)

Constitution:

3 June 1959; amended 1965 (based on preindependence State of

Singapore Constitution)

Legal system:

based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction

Suffrage:

21 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: President S. R. NATHAN (since 1 September 1999)

note: uses S. R. NATHAN but his full name and the one used in formal

communications is Sellapan RAMANATHAN

head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 12 August

2004); Senior Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 12 August 2004);

Minister Mentor LEE Kuan Yew (since 12 August 2004); Deputy Prime

Minister Shunmugan JAYAKUMAR (since 12 August 2004); Deputy Prime

Minister WONG Kan Seng (since 1 September 2005)

cabinet: appointed by president, responsible to parliament

elections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term; last

appointed 17 August 2005 - see note (next election to be held by

August 2011); following legislative elections, leader of majority

party or leader of majority coalition is usually appointed prime

minister by president; deputy prime ministers appointed by president

election results: Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN appointed president

in August 2005 after Presidential Elections Committee disqualified

three other would-be candidates; scheduled election not held

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to

serve five-year terms); note - in addition, there are up to nine

nominated members; up to three losing opposition candidates who came

closest to winning seats may be appointed as "nonconstituency"

members

elections: last held 6 May 2006 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 66.6%, WP 16.3%,

SDA 13%, SDP 4.1%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SDA 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president with the

advice of the prime minister, other judges are appointed by the

president with the advice of the chief justice); Court of Appeals

Political parties and leaders:

People's Action Party or PAP [LEE Hsien Loong]; Singapore

Democratic Alliance or SDA [CHIAM See Tong]; Singapore Democratic

Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan]; Workers' Party or WP [Sylvia LIM Swee

Lian]

note: SDA includes National Solidarity Party or NSP, Singapore

Justice Party or SJP, Singapore National Malay Organization or PKMS,

Singapore People's Party or SPP

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,

IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL,

WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100 FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876 consulate(s) general: San Francisco consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia L. HERBOLD embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508 mailing address: FPO AP 96507-0001 telephone: [65] 6476-9100 FAX: [65] 6476-9340

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the hoist

side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent (closed

portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five white

five-pointed stars arranged in a circle

Economy Singapore

Economy - overview:

Singapore, a highly-developed and successful free-market economy,

enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stable

prices, and a per capita GDP equal to that of the four largest West

European countries. The economy depends heavily on exports,

particularly in consumer electronics and information technology

products. It was hard hit in 2001-03 by the global recession, by the

slump in the technology sector, and by an outbreak of Severe Acute

Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003, which curbed tourism and

consumer spending. Fiscal stimulus, low interest rates, a surge in

exports, and internal flexibility led to vigorous growth in 2004-06,

with real GDP growth averaging 7% annually. The government hopes to

establish a new growth path that will be less vulnerable to the

global demand cycle for information technology products - it has

attracted major investments in pharmaceuticals and medical

technology production - and will continue efforts to establish

Singapore as Southeast Asia's financial and high-tech hub.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$138.6 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$121.5 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$30,900 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0% industry: 33.8% services: 66.2% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 2.4 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: manufacturing 18%, construction 18%, transportation and communication 11%, financial, business, and other services 6%, other 26% (2003)

Unemployment rate:

3.1% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

42.5 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

21.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $19.71 billion

expenditures: $19.85 billion; including capital expenditures of $5.1

billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:

100.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

rubber, copra, fruit, orchids, vegetables; poultry, eggs; fish,

ornamental fish

Industries:

electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment,

petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber products, processed

food and beverages, ship repair, offshore platform construction,

life sciences, entrepot trade

Industrial production growth rate:

12.6% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

32.64 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

30.35 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

9,701 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

800,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

6.61 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports: 6.61 billion cu m note: from Indonesia and Malaysia (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$35.58 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$283.6 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and equipment (including electronics), consumer goods,

chemicals, mineral fuels

Exports - partners:

Malaysia 14.7%, US 11.5%, Indonesia 10.7%, Hong Kong 10.4%, China

9.5%, Japan 6%, Thailand 4.5%, Australia 4.1% (2005)

Imports:

$246.1 billion (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Malaysia 14.4%, US 12.4%, China 10.8%, Japan 10.1%, Indonesia 5.5%,

Saudi Arabia 4.7%, South Korea 4.5% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$134.6 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$24.3 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$NA

Currency (code):

Singapore dollar (SGD)

Currency code:

SGD

Exchange rates:

Singapore dollars per US dollar - 1.595 (2006), 1.6644 (2005),

1.6902 (2004), 1.7422 (2003), 1.7906 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications Singapore

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.848 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

4.385 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: excellent service

domestic: excellent domestic facilities; launched 3G wireless

service in February 2005

international: country code - 65; 9 submarine cables provide direct

connection to more than 100 countries; 4 satellite earth stations,

supplemented by VSAT coverage

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 17, shortwave 2 (2003)

Radios:

2.6 million (2000)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (broadcasting on six channels); additional reception of numerous UHF and VHF signals originating in Malaysia and Indonesia; note - digital TV for reception in public spaces and transportation is transmitted from 10 sites (2006)

Televisions:

1.33 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.sg

Internet hosts:

898,762 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

9 (2000)

Internet users:

2,421,800 (2005)

Transportation Singapore

Airports: 9 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 9 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Pipelines: gas 139 km; refined products 8 km (2006)

Roadways: total: 3,234 km paved: 3,234 km (including 150 km of expressways) (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 1,063 ships (1000 GRT or over) 31,033,735 GRT/49,715,650 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 155, cargo 87, chemical tanker 136, container

214, liquefied gas 53, livestock carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1,

petroleum tanker 353, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 2,

specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier 40

foreign-owned: 592 (Australia 7, Bangladesh 1, Belgium 12, China 23,

Denmark 52, Germany 9, Greece 9, Hong Kong 50, India 5, Indonesia

56, Italy 2, Japan 100, South Korea 17, Malaysia 35, Netherlands 2,

Norway 90, Philippines 5, Slovenia 1, Sweden 12, Taiwan 59, Thailand

22, UAE 7, UK 9, US 7)

registered in other countries: 285 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Bahamas

12, Belize 6, Bolivia 3, Cambodia 4, Cayman Islands 10, Cyprus 1,

Dominica 9, France 2, Honduras 11, Hong Kong 24, Indonesia 17, Isle

of Man 7, North Korea 1, Liberia 28, Malaysia 44, Marshall Islands

6, Mongolia 10, Nigeria 1, Panama 67, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines 5, Thailand 6, Tuvalu 6, US 2, unknown 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Singapore

Military Singapore

Military branches:

Singapore Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Republic of Singapore Air Force

(includes Air Defense) (2006)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; conscript service obligation reduced to 24 months beginning December 2004 (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,215,568 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 982,368 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$4.47 billion (FY01 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

4.9% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Singapore

Disputes - international:

disputes persist with Malaysia over deliveries of fresh water to

Singapore, Singapore's extensive land reclamation works, bridge

construction, maritime boundaries in the Johor and Singapore

Straits; in November 2007 the ICJ will hold public hearings as a

consequence of the Memorials and Countermemorials filed by the

parties in 2003 and 2005 over sovereignty of Pedra Branca

Island/Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge; Indonesia and

Singapore continue to work on finalization of their 1973 maritime

boundary agreement by defining unresolved areas north of Indonesia's

Batam Island ; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait

Illicit drugs:

as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore is

vulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, as a venue for

money laundering

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Slovakia

Introduction Slovakia

Background:

The dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the close of

World War I allowed the Slovaks to join the closely related Czechs

to form Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II,

Czechoslovakia became a Communist nation within Soviet-ruled Eastern

Europe. Soviet influence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once

more became free. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate

peacefully on 1 January 1993. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU

in the spring of 2004.

Geography Slovakia

Location:

Central Europe, south of Poland

Geographic coordinates:

48 40 N, 19 30 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 48,845 sq km

land: 48,800 sq km

water: 45 sq km

Area - comparative:

about twice the size of New Hampshire

Land boundaries:

total: 1,524 km

border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 677

km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 97 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Terrain:

rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in

the south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m

highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m

Natural resources:

brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper and

manganese ore; salt; arable land

Land use: arable land: 29.23% permanent crops: 2.67% other: 68.1% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,830 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human health

risks; acid rain damaging forests

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,

Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,

Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous; the

Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic lakes

and valleys

People Slovakia

Population:

5,439,448 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 16.7% (male 465,304/female 443,967)

15-64 years: 71.3% (male 1,929,448/female 1,947,735)

65 years and over: 12% (male 244,609/female 408,385) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 35.8 years

male: 34.2 years

female: 37.6 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.15% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

10.65 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

9.45 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 7.26 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 8.48 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 74.73 years

male: 70.76 years

female: 78.89 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.33 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Slovak(s)

adjective: Slovak

Ethnic groups:

Slovak 85.8%, Hungarian 9.7%, Roma 1.7%, Ruthenian/Ukrainian 1%,

other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 68.9%, Protestant 10.8%, Greek Catholic 4.1%, other

or unspecified 3.2%, none 13% (2001 census)

Languages:

Slovak (official) 83.9%, Hungarian 10.7%, Roma 1.8%, Ukrainian 1%,

other or unspecified 2.6% (2001 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.6%

male: 99.7%

female: 99.6% (2001 est.)

Government Slovakia

Country name:

conventional long form: Slovak Republic

conventional short form: Slovakia

local long form: Slovenska Republika

local short form: Slovensko

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Bratislava

geographic coordinates: 48 09 N, 17 07 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banskobystricky kraj,

Bratislavsky kraj, Kosicky kraj, Nitriansky kraj, Presovsky kraj,

Trenciansky kraj, Trnavsky kraj, Zilinsky kraj

Independence:

1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and

Slovakia)

National holiday:

Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)

Constitution:

ratified 1 September 1992, effective 1 January 1993; changed in

September 1998 to allow direct election of the president; amended

February 2001 to allow Slovakia to apply for NATO and EU membership

Legal system:

civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; accepts

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; legal code modified

to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and

Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal

theory

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Ivan GASPAROVIC (since 15 June 2004)

head of government: Prime Minister Robert FICO (since 4 July 2006);

Deputy Prime Ministers Dusan CAPLOVIC, Robert KALINAK, Stefan

HARABIN, Jan MIKOLAJ (since 4 July 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of

the prime minister

elections: president elected by direct, popular vote for a five-year

term (eligible for a second term); election last held 3 April and 17

April 2004 (next to be held April 2009); following National Council

elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a

majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the

president

election results: Ivan GASPAROVIC elected president in runoff;

percent of vote - Ivan GASPAROVIC 59.9%, Vladimir MECIAR 40.1%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or Narodna Rada

Slovenskej Republiky (150 seats; members are elected on the basis of

proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 17 June 2006 (next to be held 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - Smer 29.1%, SDKU 18.4%,

SNS 11.7%, SMK 11.7%, LS-HZDS 8.8%, KDH 8.3%; seats by party - Smer

50, SDKU 31, SNS 19, SMK 20, LS-HZDS 16, KDH 14

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Council);

Constitutional Court (judges appointed by president from group of

nominees approved by the National Council); Special Court (judges

elected by a council of judges and appointed by president)

Political parties and leaders:

Parties in the Parliament: Christian Democratic Movement or KDH

[Pavol HRUSOVSKY]; Direction-Social Democracy or Smer-SD [Robert

FICO]; Party of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK [Bela BUGAR];

People's Party - Movement for a Democratic Slovakia or LS-HZDS

[Vladimir MECIAR]; Slovak Democratic and Christian Union or SDKU-DS

[Mikulas DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or SNS [Jan SLOTA];

Parties outside the Parliament: Agrarian Party of the Provinces or

ASV [Jozef VASKEBA]; Civic Conservative Party or OKS [Peter TATAR];

Free Forum [Zuzana MARTINAKOVA]; Hope or NADEJ [Alexandra NOVOTNA];

Left-wing Bloc or LB [Jozef KALMAN]; Mission 21 - New Christian

Democracy or MISIA 21 [Ivan SIMKO]; Movement for Democracy or HZD

[Jozef GRAPA]; New Citizens Alliance or ANO [Pavol RUSKO]; Party of

the Democratic Left or SDL [Ladislav KOZMON]; Prosperita Slovenska

or PS [Frantisek A. ZVRSKOVEC]; Slovak Communist Party or KSS

[Vladimir DADO]; Slovak National Coalition or SLNKO [Vitazoslav

MORIC]; Slovak People's Party or SLS [Jozef SASIK]; Union of the

Workers of Slovakia or ZRS [Jan LUPTAK]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Federation of Employers' Associations of the Slovak Republic;

Association of Towns and Villages or ZMOS; Confederation of Trade

Unions or KOZ; National Union of Employers or RUZ; Slovak Chamber of

Commerce and Industry or SOPK; Entrepreneurs Association of Slovakia

or ZPS; The Business Alliance of Slovakia or PAS

International organization participation:

ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI,

CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM,

IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,

ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD,

OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council

(temporary), UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNTSO, UNWTO,

UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Rastislav KACER

chancery: 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 237-1054

FAX: [1] (202) 237-6438

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Rodolphe "Skip" M. VALLEE

embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava

mailing address: P.O. Box 309, 814 99 Bratislava

telephone: [421] (2) 5443-3338

FAX: [421] (2) 5443-0096

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red

superimposed with the coat of arms of Slovakia (consisting of a red

shield bordered in white and bearing a white Cross of Lorraine

surmounting three blue hills); the coat of arms is centered

vertically and offset slightly to the hoist side

Economy Slovakia

Economy - overview:

Slovakia has mastered much of the difficult transition from a

centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. The DZURINDA

government made excellent progress during 2001-04 in macroeconomic

stabilization and structural reform. Major privatizations are nearly

complete, the banking sector is almost completely in foreign hands,

and the government has helped facilitate a foreign investment boom

with business-friendly policies, such as labor market liberalization

and a 19% flat tax. Foreign investment in the automotive sector has

been strong. Slovakia's economic growth exceeded expectations in

2001-06, despite the general European slowdown. Unemployment, at an

unacceptable 18% in 2003-04, dropped to 10.2% in 2006, but remains

the economy's Achilles heel. Slovakia joined the EU on 1 May 2004.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$96.35 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$46.9 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$17,700 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.8% industry: 31.4% services: 64.8% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 2.629 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 5.8%, industry 5.8%, construction 9%, services 29.3% (2003)

Unemployment rate:

10.2% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

21% (2002)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 20.9% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

25.8 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.4% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

27.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $24.57 billion

expenditures: $26.14 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

36.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, cattle, poultry;

forest products

Industries:

metal and metal products; food and beverages; electricity, gas,

coke, oil, nuclear fuel; chemicals and manmade fibers; machinery;

paper and printing; earthenware and ceramics; transport vehicles;

textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products

Industrial production growth rate:

7.8% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

28.81 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 30.3% hydro: 16% nuclear: 53.6% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

24.2 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

10.4 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

7.8 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

11,480 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

74,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

2,160 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:

59,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:

9 million bbl (1 January 2006)

Natural gas - production:

165 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

6.719 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

1 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

6.948 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

15.01 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-3.781 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$39.64 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

vehicles 25.9%, machinery and electrical equipment 21.3%, base

metals 14.6%, chemicals and minerals 10.1%, plastics 5.4% (2004)

Exports - partners:

Germany 26.2%, Czech Republic 14.1%, Austria 7.1%, Italy 6.7%,

Poland 6.3%, Hungary 5.7% (2005)

Imports:

$41.84 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment 41.1%, intermediate manufactured

goods 19.3%, fuels 12.3%, chemicals 9.8%, miscellaneous manufactured

goods 10.2% (2003)

Imports - partners:

Germany 25.1%, Czech Republic 19.3%, Russia 10.5%, Austria 6.1%,

Poland 4.7%, Hungary 4.6%, Italy 4.5% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$15.75 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$31.5 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$12.67 billion in available EU structural adjustment and cohesion

funds (2007-13)

Currency (code):

Slovak koruna (SKK)

Currency code:

SKK

Exchange rates:

koruny per US dollar - 29.9315 (2006), 31.018 (2005), 32.257

(2004), 36.773 (2003), 45.327 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Slovakia

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.197 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

4.54 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: Slovakia has a modern telecommunications system

that has expanded dramatically in recent years with the growth in

cellular services

domestic: analog system is now receiving digital equipment and is

being enlarged with fiber-optic cable, especially in the larger

cities; three companies provide nationwide cellular services

international: country code - 421; three international exchanges

(one in Bratislava and two in Banska Bystrica) are available;

Slovakia is participating in several international

telecommunications projects that will increase the availability of

external services

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 15, FM 78, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:

3.12 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

6 national broadcasting, 7 regional, 67 local (2004)

Televisions:

2.62 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.sk

Internet hosts:

210,758 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

6 (2000)

Internet users:

2.5 million (2005)

Transportation Slovakia

Airports: 36 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 18 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 8 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 18 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 8 (2006)

Heliports:

1 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 6,769 km; oil 416 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 3,662 km

broad gauge: 100 km 1.520-m gauge

standard gauge: 3,512 km 1.435-m gauge (1,588 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 50 km (1.000-m or 0.750-m gauge) (2005)

Roadways:

total: 42,993 km

paved: 37,533 km (including 316 km of expressways)

unpaved: 5,460 km (2004)

Waterways:

172 km (on Danube River) (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 43 ships (1000 GRT or over) 217,819 GRT/309,049 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 36, chemical tanker 1

foreign-owned: 40 (Bulgaria 7, Estonia 1, Greece 4, Israel 7, Poland

2, Syria 2, Turkey 8, UK 1, Ukraine 8)

registered in other countries: 2 (Cyprus 1, Georgia 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Bratislava, Komarno

Military Slovakia

Military branches:

Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic (Ozbrojene Sily Slovenskej

Republiky): Land Forces (Pozemne Sily), Air Forces (Vzdusne Sily),

Training and Support Forces (Vycviku a Podpory Sily) (2005)

Military service age and obligation: complete transition to an all-volunteer professional force went into effect at the beginning of 2006 after 140 years of mandatory army service; volunteers include women, with minimum age of 17 years (2005)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,351,848

females age 18-49: 1,322,647 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,089,645

females age 18-49: 1,093,077 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 41,544

females age 18-49: 40,183 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$406 million (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.87% FY05 (2005)

Transnational Issues Slovakia

Disputes - international:

bilateral government, legal, technical and economic working group

negotiations continued in 2006 between Slovakia and Hungary over

Hungary's completion of its portion of the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros

hydroelectric dam project along the Danube ; as a member state that

forms part of the EU's external border, Slovakia must implement the

strict Schengen border rules

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western

Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for regional market

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Slovenia

Introduction Slovenia

Background:

The Slovene lands were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until

the latter's dissolution at the end of World War I. In 1918, the

Slovenes joined the Serbs and Croats in forming a new multinational

state, which was named Yugoslavia in 1929. After World War II,

Slovenia became a republic of the renewed Yugoslavia, which though

Communist, distanced itself from Moscow's rule. Dissatisfied with

the exercise of power by the majority Serbs, the Slovenes succeeded

in establishing their independence in 1991 after a short 10-day war.

Historical ties to Western Europe, a strong economy, and a stable

democracy have assisted in Slovenia's transformation to a modern

state. Slovenia acceded to both NATO and the EU in the spring of

2004.

Geography Slovenia

Location:

Central Europe, eastern Alps bordering the Adriatic Sea, between

Austria and Croatia

Geographic coordinates:

46 07 N, 14 49 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 20,273 sq km

land: 20,151 sq km

water: 122 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:

total: 1,382 km

border countries: Austria 330 km, Croatia 670 km, Hungary 102 km,

Italy 280 km

Coastline:

46.6 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:

Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate with mild

to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and valleys to the

east

Terrain:

a short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an alpine mountain region

adjacent to Italy and Austria, mixed mountains and valleys with

numerous rivers to the east

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m

highest point: Triglav 2,864 m

Natural resources:

lignite coal, lead, zinc, mercury, uranium, silver, hydropower,

forests

Land use: arable land: 8.53% permanent crops: 1.43% other: 90.04% (2005)

Irrigated land:

30 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

flooding and earthquakes

Environment - current issues: Sava River polluted with domestic and industrial waste; pollution of coastal waters with heavy metals and toxic chemicals; forest damage near Koper from air pollution (originating at metallurgical and chemical plants) and resulting acid rain

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:

despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country controls some

of Europe's major transit routes

People Slovenia

Population:

2,010,347 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 13.8% (male 143,079/female 135,050)

15-64 years: 70.5% (male 714,393/female 702,950)

65 years and over: 15.7% (male 121,280/female 193,595) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 40.6 years

male: 39 years

female: 42.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.05% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

8.98 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

10.31 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4.99 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.33 years

male: 72.63 years

female: 80.29 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.25 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

280 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Slovene(s)

adjective: Slovenian

Ethnic groups:

Slovene 83.1%, Serb 2%, Croat 1.8%, Bosniak 1.1%, other or

unspecified 12% (2002 census)

Religions:

Catholic 57.8%, Orthodox 2.3%, other Christian 0.9%, Muslim 2.4%,

unaffiliated 3.5%, other or unspecified 23%, none 10.1% (2002 census)

Languages:

Slovenian 91.1%, Serbo-Croatian 4.5%, other or unspecified 4.4%

(2002 census)

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 99.7% male: 99.7% female: 99.6%

Government Slovenia

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Slovenia

conventional short form: Slovenia

local long form: Republika Slovenija

local short form: Slovenija

former: People's Republic of Slovenia, Socialist Republic of Slovenia

Government type:

parliamentary republic

Capital:

name: Ljubljana

geographic coordinates: 46 03 N, 14 31 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

182 municipalities (obcine, singular - obcina) and 11 urban

municipalities* (mestne obcine, singular - mestna obcina )

Ajdovscina, Beltinci, Benedikt, Bistrica ob Sotli, Bled, Bloke,

Bohinj, Borovnica, Bovec, Braslovce, Brda, Brezice, Brezovica,

Cankova, Celje*, Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Cerknica, Cerkno,

Cerkvenjak, Crensovci, Crna na Koroskem, Crnomelj, Destrnik, Divaca,

Dobje, Dobrepolje, Dobrna, Dobrova-Horjul-Polhov Gradec,

Dobrovnik-Dobronak, Dolenjske Toplice, Dol pri Ljubljani, Domzale,

Dornava, Dravograd, Duplek, Gorenja Vas-Poljane, Gorisnica, Gornja

Radgona, Gornji Grad, Gornji Petrovci, Grad, Grosuplje, Hajdina,

Hoce-Slivnica, Hodos-Hodos, Horjul, Hrastnik, Hrpelje-Kozina,

Idrija, Ig, Ilirska Bistrica, Ivancna Gorica, Izola-Isola, Jesenice,

Jezersko, Jursinci, Kamnik, Kanal, Kidricevo, Kobarid, Kobilje,

Kocevje, Komen, Komenda, Koper-Capodistria*, Kostel, Kozje, Kranj*,

Kranjska Gora, Krizevci, Krsko, Kungota, Kuzma, Lasko, Lenart,

Lendava-Lendva, Litija, Ljubljana*, Ljubno, Ljutomer, Logatec, Loska

Dolina, Loski Potok, Lovrenc na Pohorju, Luce, Lukovica, Majsperk,

Maribor*, Markovci, Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica, Miklavz na

Dravskem Polju, Miren-Kostanjevica, Mirna Pec, Mislinja, Moravce,

Moravske Toplice, Mozirje, Murska Sobota*, Muta, Naklo, Nazarje,

Nova Gorica*, Novo Mesto*, Odranci, Oplotnica, Ormoz, Osilnica,

Pesnica, Piran-Pirano, Pivka, Podcetrtek, Podlehnik, Podvelka,

Polzela, Postojna, Prebold, Preddvor, Prevalje, Ptuj*, Puconci,

Race-Fram, Radece, Radenci, Radlje ob Dravi, Radovljica, Ravne na

Koroskem, Razkrizje, Ribnica, Ribnica na Pohorju, Rogasovci, Rogaska

Slatina, Rogatec, Ruse, Salovci, Selnica ob Dravi, Semic,

Sempeter-Vrtojba, Sencur, Sentilj, Sentjernej, Sentjur pri Celju,

Sevnica, Sezana, Skocjan, Skofja Loka, Skofljica, Slovenj Gradec*,

Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice, Smarje pri Jelsah, Smartno ob

Paki, Smartno pri Litiji, Sodrazica, Solcava, Sostanj, Starse,

Store, Sveta Ana, Sveti Andraz v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Jurij,

Tabor, Tisina, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trnovska Vas, Trzic,

Trzin, Turnisce, Velenje*, Velika Polana, Velike Lasce, Verzej,

Videm, Vipava, Vitanje, Vodice, Vojnik, Vransko, Vrhnika, Vuzenica,

Zagorje ob Savi, Zalec, Zavrc, Zelezniki, Zetale, Ziri, Zirovnica,

Zuzemberk, Zrece

note: there may be 45 more municipalities

Independence:

25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

National holiday:

Independence Day/Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)

Constitution:

adopted 23 December 1991

Legal system:

based on civil law system

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Janez DRNOVSEK (since 22 December 2002)

head of government: Prime Minister Janez JANSA (since 9 November

2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and

elected by the National Assembly

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 10 November and 1

December 2002 (next to be held in the fall of 2007); following

National Assembly elections, the leader of the majority party or the

leader of a majority coalition is usually nominated to become prime

minister by the president and elected by the National Assembly;

election last held 9 November 2004 (next National Assembly elections

to be held October 2008)

election results: Janez DRNOVSEK elected president; percent of vote

- Janez DRNOVSEK 56.5%, Barbara BREZIGAR 43.5%; Janez JANSA elected

prime minister; National Assembly vote - 57 to 27

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consisting of a National Assembly or Drzavni

Zbor (90 seats; 40 are directly elected and 50 are selected on a

proportional basis; note - the number of directly elected and

proportionally elected seats varies with each election; the

constitution mandates one seat each for Slovenia's Hungarian and

Italian minorities; members are elected by popular vote to serve

four-year terms) and the National Council or Drzavni Svet (40 seats;

this is primarily an advisory body with limited legislative powers;

it may propose laws, ask to review any National Assembly decisions,

and call national referenda; members - representing social,

economic, professional, and local interests - are indirectly elected

to five-year terms by an electoral college)

elections: National Assembly - last held 3 October 2004 (next to be

held October 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - SDS 29.1%, LDS 22.8%,

ZLSD 10.2%, NSi 9%, SLS 6.8%, SNS 6.3%, DeSUS 4.1%, other 11.7%;

seats by party - SDS 29, LDS 23, ZLSD 10, NSi 9, SLS 7, SNS 6, DeSUS

4, Hungarian and Italian minorities 1 each

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly on the

recommendation of the Judicial Council); Constitutional Court

(judges elected for nine-year terms by the National Assembly and

nominated by the president)

Political parties and leaders:

Liberal Democratic Party or LDS [Jelko KACIN]; New Slovenia or NSi

[Andrej BAJUK]; Slovenian Democratic Party or SDS [Janez JANSA];

Slovenian Democratic Pensioners' Party or DeSUS [Karl ERJAVEC];

Slovene National Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC]; Slovene People's

Party or SLS [Janez PODOBNIK]; Slovene Youth Party or SMS [Darko

KRANJC]; Social Democrats or SD [Borut PAHOR]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EIB,

EMU, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC,

IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA,

NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE,

PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU

(associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Samuel ZBOGAR chancery: 1525 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 667-5363 FAX: [1] (202) 667-4563 consulate(s) general: Cleveland, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas B. ROBERTSON embassy: Presernova 31, 1000 Ljubljana mailing address: American Embassy Ljubljana, US Department of State, 7140 Ljubljana Place, Washington, DC 20521-7140 telephone: [386] (1) 200-5500 FAX: [386] (1) 200-5555

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red, with

the Slovenian seal (a shield with the image of Triglav, Slovenia's

highest peak, in white against a blue background at the center;

beneath it are two wavy blue lines depicting seas and rivers, and

above it are three six-pointed stars arranged in an inverted

triangle, which are taken from the coat of arms of the Counts of

Celje, the great Slovene dynastic house of the late 14th and early

15th centuries); the seal is located in the upper hoist side of the

flag centered in the white and blue bands

Economy Slovenia

Economy - overview:

With a GDP per capita substantially greater than the other

transitioning economies of Central Europe, Slovenia is a model of

economic success and stability for its neighbors in the former

Yugoslavia. The country, which joined the EU in 2004 and joined the

eurozone on 1 January 2007, has excellent infrastructure, a

well-educated work force, and an excellent central location.

Privatization of the economy proceeded at an accelerated pace in

2002-05. Despite lackluster performance in Europe in 2001-05,

Slovenia maintained moderate growth. Structural reforms to improve

the business environment have allowed for greater foreign

participation in Slovenia's economy and have helped to lower

unemployment. In March 2004, Slovenia became the first transition

country to graduate from borrower status to donor partner at the

World Bank. Despite its economic success, Slovenia faces growing

challenges. Much of the economy remains in state hands and foreign

direct investment (FDI) in Slovenia is one of the lowest in the EU

on a per capita basis. Taxes are relatively high, the labor market

is often seen as inflexible, and legacy industries are losing sales

to more competitive firms in China, India, and elsewhere. The

current center-right government, elected in October 2004, has

pledged to accelerate privatization of a number of large state

holdings and is interested in increasing FDI in Slovenia. In late

2005, the government's new Committee for Economic Reforms was

elevated to cabinet-level status. The Committee's program includes

plans for lowering the tax burden, privatizing state-controlled

firms, improving the flexibility of the labor market, and increasing

the government's efficiency.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$46.08 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$37.64 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$22,900 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.3% industry: 34.7% services: 62.9% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 914,000 (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 4.8% industry: 39.1% services: 56.1% (2004)

Unemployment rate:

9.6% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

10%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 21.4% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

28.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.4% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

25% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $15.9 billion

expenditures: $16.35 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

29% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

potatoes, hops, wheat, sugar beets, corn, grapes; cattle, sheep,

poultry

Industries:

ferrous metallurgy and aluminum products, lead and zinc smelting;

electronics (including military electronics), trucks, electric power

equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools

Industrial production growth rate:

6% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

14.46 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 35.2% hydro: 27.3% nuclear: 36.8% other: 0.7% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

12.67 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

7.094 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

6.314 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

7.83 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

53,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

1.1 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

1.1 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-789.2 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$21.85 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals,

food

Exports - partners:

Germany 19.8%, Italy 12.7%, Croatia 9.3%, France 8.1%, Austria 8.1%

(2005)

Imports:

$23.59 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, chemicals,

fuels and lubricants, food

Imports - partners:

Germany 19.5%, Italy 18.6%, Austria 12%, France 7.1%, Croatia 4.2%

(2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$8.761 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$27.63 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

ODA, $484 million (2004-06)

Currency (code):

euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 2007, Slovenia's currency became the euro; both

the tolar and the euro were in circulation from 1 January until 15

January

Currency code:

SIT

Exchange rates:

tolars per US dollar - 190.465 (2006), 192.71 (2005), 192.38

(2004), 207.11 (2003), 240.25 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Slovenia

Telephones - main lines in use:

816,400 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.759 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: 100% digital (2000)

international: country code - 386

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 10, FM 230, shortwave 0 (2006)

Radios:

805,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

31 (2006)

Televisions:

710,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.si

Internet hosts:

61,735 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

11 (2000)

Internet users:

1.09 million (2005)

Transportation Slovenia

Airports: 14 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 8

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 2,526 km; oil 11 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 1,229 km

standard gauge: 1,229 km 1.435-m gauge (504 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:

total: 38,451 km

paved: 38,451 km (including 483 km of expressways) (2004)

Merchant marine:

registered in other countries: 26 (Antigua and Barbuda 6, Bahamas

1, Cyprus 4, Georgia 1, Liberia 2, Malta 3, Marshall Islands 3,

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5, Singapore 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Koper

Military Slovenia

Military branches:

Slovenian Army (includes air and naval forces)

Military service age and obligation:

17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription

abolished in 2003 (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 17-49: 496,929

females age 17-49: 483,959 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 17-49: 405,593

females age 17-49: 397,167 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 12,816

females age 17-49: 12,178 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$370 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.7% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Slovenia

Disputes - international:

the Croatia-Slovenia land and maritime boundary agreement, which

would have ceded most of Piran Bay and maritime access to Slovenia

and several villages to Croatia, remains unratified and in dispute;

Slovenia also protests Croatia's 2003 claim to an exclusive economic

zone in the Adriatic; as a member state that forms part of the EU's

external border, Slovenia must implement the strict Schengen border

rules to curb illegal migration and commerce through southeastern

Europe while encouraging close cross-border ties with Croatia

Illicit drugs:

minor transit point for cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin bound

for Western Europe, and for precursor chemicals

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Solomon Islands

Introduction Solomon Islands

Background:

The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the

1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II occurred on

this archipelago. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and

independence two years later. Ethnic violence, government

malfeasance, and endemic crime have undermined stability and civil

society. In June 2003, Prime Minister Sir Allen KEMAKEZA sought the

assistance of Australia in reestablishing law and order; the

following month, an Australian-led multinational force arrived to

restore peace and disarm ethnic militias. The Regional Assistance

Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) has been very effective in

restoring law and order and rebuilding government institutions.

Geography Solomon Islands

Location:

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua

New Guinea

Geographic coordinates:

8 00 S, 159 00 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 28,450 sq km

land: 27,540 sq km

water: 910 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

5,313 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather

Terrain:

mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m

Natural resources: fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel

Land use: arable land: 0.62% permanent crops: 2.04% other: 97.34% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with

frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs

are dead or dying

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the

Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer

Protection, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean,

the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea

People Solomon Islands

Population:

552,438 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 41.3% (male 116,370/female 111,834)

15-64 years: 55.4% (male 154,793/female 151,308)

65 years and over: 3.3% (male 8,696/female 9,437) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.9 years

male: 18.7 years

female: 19 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.61% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

30.01 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

3.92 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 20.63 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 23.54 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 17.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 72.91 years

male: 70.4 years

female: 75.55 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.91 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Solomon Islander(s)

adjective: Solomon Islander

Ethnic groups:

Melanesian 94.5%, Polynesian 3%, Micronesian 1.2%, other 1.1%,

unspecified 0.2% (1999 census)

Religions:

Church of Melanesia 32.8%, Roman Catholic 19%, South Seas

Evangelical 17%, Seventh-Day Adventist 11.2%, United Church 10.3%,

Christian Fellowship Church 2.4%, other Christian 4.4%, other 2.4%,

unspecified 0.3%, none 0.2% (1999 census)

Languages:

Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English

is official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population

note: 120 indigenous languages

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA male: NA female: NA

Government Solomon Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Solomon Islands

local long form: none

local short form: Solomon Islands

former: British Solomon Islands

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Honiara

geographic coordinates: 9 26 S, 159 57 E

time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul,

Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona,

Temotu, Western

Independence:

7 July 1978 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 7 July (1978)

Constitution:

7 July 1978

Legal system:

English common law, which is widely disregarded

Suffrage:

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),

represented by Governor General Nathaniel WAENA (since 7 July 2004)

head of government: Prime Minister Manasseh SOGAVARE (since 4 May

2006); note - Prime Minister Snyder RINI, elected on 18 April 2006

and sworn in on 20 April 2006, resigned on 26 April prior to no

confidence vote in parliament; SOGAVARE elected on 4 May

cabinet: Cabinet consists of 20 members appointed by the governor

general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members

of Parliament

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general

appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five

years (eligible for a second term); following legislative elections,

the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority

coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament; deputy

prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of

the prime minister from among the members of Parliament

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from

single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year

terms)

elections: last held 5 April 2006 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - National Party 6.9%,

SIPRA 6.3%, Democratic 4.9%, PAP 6.3%, LAFARI 2.8%, Liberal 5%,

SOCRED 4.3%, independents 60.3%; seats by party - National Party 4,

SIPRA 4, Democratic 3, PAP 3, LAFARI 2, Liberal 2, SOCRED 2,

independents 30

Judicial branch:

Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:

Association of Independent Members or AIM [Thomas CHAN]; Christian

Alliance Solomon Islands or CASI [Edward RONIA]; LAFARI Party [John

GARO]; National Party [Francis HILLY]; People's Alliance Party or

PAP [Sir Allan KEMAKEZA]; Social Credit Party or SOCRED [Manasseh

Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon First Party [David QUAN]; Solomon

Islands Democratic Party [Gabriel SURI]; Solomon Islands Labor Party

or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU]; Solomon Islands Liberal Party [Bartholomew

ULUFA'ALU]; Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement or SIPRA

[Job D. TAUSINGA]; United Party [Sir Peter KENILOREA]

note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid

coalitions

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Isatabu Freedom Movement (IFM); Malaita Eagle Force (MEF); note -

these rival armed ethnic factions crippled the Solomon Islands in a

wave of violence from 1999 to 2003

International organization participation:

ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM,

IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF,

Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Collin David BECK

chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017

telephone: [1] (212) 599-6192, 6193

FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands (embassy closed

July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the

Solomon Islands

Flag description:

divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the lower

hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue with five

white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the lower

triangle is green

Government - note:

June 2003 Prime Minister Sir Allan KEMAKEZA sought the intervention

of Australia to aid in restoring order; parliament approved the

request for intervention in July 2003; troops from Australia, NZ,

Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga arrived 24 July 2003; by 2006, the

Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) had been

scaled back to 259 police officers and 20 military, in addition to

civilian technical advisers; in response to rioting that broke out

in mid-April 2006, Australia dispatched an addtional 220 troops and

70 police officers to help restore order

Economy Solomon Islands

Economy - overview:

The bulk of the population depends on agriculture, fishing, and

forestry for at least part of its livelihood. Most manufactured

goods and petroleum products must be imported. The islands are rich

in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc, nickel, and

gold. Prior to the arrival of the Regional Assistance Mission to the

Solomon Islands (RAMSI), severe ethnic violence, the closing of key

businesses, and an empty government treasury culminated in economic

collapse. RAMSI's efforts to restore law and order and economic

stability have led to modest growth as the economy rebuilds.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$800 million (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$286 million (2005)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.4% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$600 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 42% industry: 11% services: 47% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 249,200 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 75% industry: 5% services: 20% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6.6% (2005 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $49.7 million

expenditures: $75.1 million; including capital expenditures of NA

(2003)

Agriculture - products: cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; timber; cattle, pigs; fish

Industries:

fish (tuna), mining, timber

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

55 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

51.15 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

1,280 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$171 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa

Exports - partners:

China 41.6%, South Korea 13.5%, Thailand 7%, Japan 6.4%,

Philippines 4.6%, Italy 4.2% (2005)

Imports:

$159 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Australia 26.2%, Singapore 25.7%, NZ 4.7%, Fiji 4.2%, Papua New

Guinea 4.1% (2005)

Debt - external:

$166 million (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:

$122 million annually, mainly from Australia (2004 est.)

Currency (code):

Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)

Currency code:

SBD

Exchange rates:

Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - 7.5299 (2005), 7.4847

(2004), 7.5059 (2003), 6.7488 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Solomon Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:

7,400 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

6,000 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2004)

Radios:

57,000 (1997)

Televisions:

3,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.sb

Internet hosts:

2,658 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

8,400 (2005)

Transportation Solomon Islands

Airports:

35 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 33 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 23 (2006)

Roadways: total: 1,360 km paved: 34 km unpaved: 1,326 km (1999)

Ports and terminals:

Honiara, Malloco Bay, Shortland Harbor, Viru Harbor, Yandina

Military Solomon Islands

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 114,253 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 92,796 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 6,033 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

NA

Transnational Issues Solomon Islands

Disputes - international:

since 2003, Australian Defense Force leads the Regional Assistance

Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) to maintain civil and

political order and reinforce regional security

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Somalia

Introduction Somalia

Background: Britain withdrew from British Somaliland in 1960 in order to allow its protectorate to join with Italian Somaliland and form the new nation of Somalia. In 1969, a coup headed by Mohamed SIAD Barre ushered in an authoritarian socialist rule that managed to impose a degree of stability in the country for a couple of decades. After the regime's overthrow early in 1991, Somalia descended into turmoil, factional fighting, and anarchy. In May of 1991, northern clans declared an independent Republic of Somaliland that now includes the administrative regions of Awdal, Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Although not recognized by any government, this entity has maintained a stable existence, aided by the overwhelming dominance of a ruling clan and economic infrastructure left behind by British, Russian, and American military assistance programs. The regions of Bari, Nugaal, and northern Mudug comprise a neighboring self-declared autonomous state of Puntland, which has been self-governing since 1998, but does not aim at independence; it has also made strides toward reconstructing a legitimate, representative government, but has suffered some civil strife. Puntland disputes its border with Somaliland as it also claims portions of eastern Sool and Sanaag. Beginning in 1993, a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in the south) was able to alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995, having suffered significant casualties, order still had not been restored. The mandate of the Transitional National Government (TNG), created in August 2000 in Arta, Djibouti, expired in August 2003. A two-year peace process, led by the Government of Kenya under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), concluded in October 2004 with the election of Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed as President of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia and the formation of a transitional government, known as the Somalia Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs). The Somalia TFIs include a 275-member parliamentary body, known as the Transitional Federal Assembly (TFA), a transitional Prime Minister, Ali Mohamed GEDI, and a 90-member cabinet. The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) has been deeply divided since just after its creation and until late December 2006 controlled only the town of Baidoa. In June 2006, a loose coalition of clerics, business leaders, and Islamic court militias ? known as the Supreme Council of Islamic Courts (SCIC) ? defeated powerful Mogadishu warlords and took control of the capital. The Courts continued to expand, spreading their influence throughout much of southern Somalia and threatening to overthrow the TFG in Baidoa. Ethiopian and TFG forces ? concerned over suspected links between some SCIC factions and al-Qa?ida ? in late December 2006 drove the SCIC from power, but the joint forces continue to fight remnants of SCIC militia in the southwestern corner of Somalia near the Kenyan border. The TFG, backed by Ethiopian forces, in late December 2006 moved into Mogadishu, but continues to struggle to exert control over the capital and to prevent the reemergence of warlord rule that typified Mogadishu before the rise of the SCIC.

Geography Somalia

Location:

Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean,

east of Ethiopia

Geographic coordinates:

10 00 N, 49 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 637,657 sq km

land: 627,337 sq km

water: 10,320 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries: total: 2,340 km border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km

Coastline:

3,025 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate:

principally desert; northeast monsoon (December to February),

moderate temperatures in north and very hot in south; southwest

monsoon (May to October), torrid in the north and hot in the south,

irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between

monsoons

Terrain:

mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m

Natural resources:

uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum,

bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves

Land use: arable land: 1.64% permanent crops: 0.04% other: 98.32% (2005)

Irrigated land:

2,000 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in

summer; floods during rainy season

Environment - current issues:

famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health

problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone

Layer Protection

Geography - note:

strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to

Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal

People Somalia

Population:

8,863,338

note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in

1975 by the Somali Government; population counting in Somalia is

complicated by the large number of nomads and by refugee movements

in response to famine and clan warfare (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 44.4% (male 1,973,294/female 1,961,083)

15-64 years: 53% (male 2,355,861/female 2,342,988)

65 years and over: 2.6% (male 97,307/female 132,805) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 17.6 years

male: 17.5 years

female: 17.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.85% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

45.13 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

16.63 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 114.89 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 124.18 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 105.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 48.47 years

male: 46.71 years

female: 50.28 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

6.76 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

43,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever are high risks in

some locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

animal contact disease: rabies (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Somali(s)

adjective: Somali

Ethnic groups:

Somali 85%, Bantu and other non-Somali 15% (including Arabs 30,000)

Religions:

Sunni Muslim

Languages:

Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 37.8%

male: 49.7%

female: 25.8% (2001 est.)

Government Somalia

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Somalia

local long form: Jamhuuriyada Demuqraadiga Soomaaliyeed

local short form: Soomaaliya

former: Somali Republic; Somali Democratic Republic

Government type:

no permanent national government; transitional, parliamentary

federal government

Capital:

name: Mogadishu

geographic coordinates: 2 04 N, 45 22 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

18 regions (plural - NA, singular - gobolka); Awdal, Bakool,

Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe,

Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe, Shabeellaha

Hoose, Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed

Independence:

1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which became

independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian Somaliland,

which became independent from the Italian-administered UN

trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)

National holiday:

Foundation of the Somali Republic, 1 July (1960); note - 26 June

(1960) in Somaliland

Constitution:

25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979

note: the formation of transitional governing institutions, known as

the Transitional Federal Government, is currently ongoing

Legal system:

no national system; Shari'a (Islamic) and secular courts based on

Somali customary law (xeer) are present in some localities; accepts

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Transitional Federal President Abdullahi YUSUF

Ahmed (since 14 October 2004); note - a transitional governing

entity with a five-year mandate, known as the Transitional Federal

Institutions (TFIs), was established in October 2004; the TFI

relocated to Somalia in June 2004, but its members remain divided

over clan and regional interests and the government continues to

struggle to establish effective governance in the country

head of government: Prime Minister Ali Mohamed GEDI (since 24

December 2004)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by the

Transitional Federal Assembly

election results: Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed, the former leader of the

semi-autonomous Puntland region of Somalia, was elected president by

the Transitional Federal Assembly

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly

note: fledgling parliament; a 275-member Transitional Federal

Assembly; the new parliament consists of 61 seats assigned to each

of four large clan groups (Darod, Digil-Mirifle, Dir, and Hawiye)

with the remaining 31 seats divided between minority clans

Judicial branch:

following the breakdown of the central government, most regions

have reverted to local forms of conflict resolution, either secular,

traditional Somali customary law, or Shari'a (Islamic) law with a

provision for appeal of all sentences

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

numerous clan and sub-clan factions are currently vying for power;

Supreme Council of Islamic Courts (SCIC)

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,

IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM

(observer), IPU, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,

UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased operations on 8

May 1991); note - the TFG and other factions have representatives in

Washington and at the United Nations

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Somalia; US interests are

represented by the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya at United Nations

Avenue, Nairobi; mailing address: Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831;

telephone: [254] (20) 363-6000; FAX [254] (20) 363-6157

Flag description:

light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; blue

field influenced by the flag of the UN

Government - note:

although an interim government was created in 2004, other regional

and local governing bodies continue to exist and control various

cities and regions of the country, including the self-declared

Republic of Somaliland in northwestern Somalia, the semi-autonomous

State of Puntland in northeastern Somalia, and traditional clan and

faction strongholds

Economy Somalia

Economy - overview:

Somalia's economic fortunes are driven by its deep political

divisions. The northwestern area has declared its independence as

the "Republic of Somaliland"; the northeastern region of Puntland is

a semi-autonomous state; and the remaining southern portion is

riddled with the struggles of rival factions. Economic life

continues, in part because much activity is local and relatively

easily protected. Agriculture is the most important sector, with

livestock normally accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of

export earnings, but Saudi Arabia's ban on Somali livestock, due to

Rift Valley Fever concerns, has severely hampered the sector. Nomads

and semi-nomads, who are dependent upon livestock for their

livelihood, make up a large portion of the population. Livestock,

hides, fish, charcoal, and bananas are Somalia's principal exports,

while sugar, sorghum, corn, qat, and machined goods are the

principal imports. Somalia's small industrial sector, based on the

processing of agricultural products, has largely been looted and

sold as scrap metal. Despite the seeming anarchy, Somalia's service

sector has managed to survive and grow. Telecommunication firms

provide wireless services in most major cities and offer the lowest

international call rates on the continent. In the absence of a

formal banking sector, money exchange services have sprouted

throughout the country, handling between $500 million and $1 billion

in remittances annually. Mogadishu's main market offers a variety of

goods from food to the newest electronic gadgets. The SCIC has

opened Mogadishu's main port and airport - closed for 15 years - and

now controls most of the ports and airfields in southern Somalia.

Hotels continue to operate, and militias provide security. The

ongoing civil disturbances and clan rivalries, however, have

interfered with any broad-based economic development and

international aid arrangements. Somalia's arrears to the IMF

continued to grow in 2006. Statistics on Somalia's GDP, growth, per

capita income, and inflation should be viewed skeptically. In late

December 2004, a major tsunami caused an estimated 150 deaths and

resulted in destruction of property in coastal areas.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$5.023 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.483 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$600 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 65% industry: 10% services: 25% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 3.7 million (very few skilled laborers)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 71% industry and services: 29%

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

NA%; note - businesses print their own money, so inflation rates

cannot be easily determined

Budget:

revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA

Agriculture - products:

bananas, sorghum, corn, coconuts, rice, sugarcane, mangoes, sesame

seeds, beans; cattle, sheep, goats; fish

Industries:

a few light industries, including sugar refining, textiles,

wireless communication

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

269 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

250.2 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

5,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Exports:

$241 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

livestock, bananas, hides, fish, charcoal, scrap metal

Exports - partners:

UAE 48.5%, Yemen 20.9%, Oman 5.8% (2005)

Imports:

$576 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

manufactures, petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction

materials, qat

Imports - partners:

Djibouti 29.7%, Kenya 14.4%, India 7.9%, Brazil 7.4%, Oman 5.2%,

UAE 4.9%, Yemen 4.8% (2005)

Debt - external:

$3 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$60 million (1999 est.)

Currency (code):

Somali shilling (SOS)

Currency code:

SOS

Exchange rates:

Somali shillings per US dollar - 11,000 (November 2000), 2,620

(January 1999), 7,500 (November 1997 est.), 7,000 (January 1996

est.), 5,000 (1 January 1995), note, the Republic of Somaliland, a

self-declared independent country not recognized by any foreign

government, issues its own currency, the Somaliland shilling

Fiscal year:

NA

Communications Somalia

Telephones - main lines in use:

100,000 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

500,000 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: the public telecommunications system was almost

completely destroyed or dismantled by the civil war factions;

private wireless companies offer service in most major cities and

charge the lowest international rates on the continent

domestic: local cellular telephone systems have been established in

Mogadishu and in several other population centers

international: country code - 252; international connections are

available from Mogadishu by satellite

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 11, shortwave 1 in Mogadishu; 1 FM in Puntland, 1 FM in

Somaliland (2001)

Radios:

470,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

4; note - two in Mogadishu; two in Hargeisa (2001)

Televisions:

135,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.so

Internet hosts:

3 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

3 (one each in Boosaaso, Hargeisa, and Mogadishu) (2000)

Internet users:

90,000 (2005)

Transportation Somalia

Airports: 65 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 7 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 58 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 6 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 22,100 km

paved: 2,608 km

unpaved: 19,492 km (1999)

Merchant marine:

total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 2,659 GRT/2,540 DWT

by type: cargo 1

foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Boosaaso, Berbera, Kismaayo, Merca, Mogadishu

Military Somalia

Military branches:

a Somali National Army was attempted under the interim government;

numerous factions and clans maintain independent militias, and the

Somaliland and Puntland regional governments maintain their own

security and police forces

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.) (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,787,727

females age 18-49: 1,714,792 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,022,360

females age 18-49: 1,038,697 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$22.34 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0.9% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Somalia

Disputes - international:

Ethiopian forces invade southern Somalia and rout Islamist courts

from Moghadishu in January 2007; "Somaliland" secessionists provide

port facilities in Berbera to landlocked Ethiopia and have

established commercial ties with other regional states; "Puntland"

and "Somaliland" "governments" seek international support in their

secessionist aspirations and overlapping border claims; the

undemarcated former British administrative line has little meaning

as a political separation to rival clans within Ethiopia's Ogaden

and southern Somalia's Oromo region; Kenya works hard to prevent the

clan and militia fighting in Somalia from spreading south across the

border, which has long been open to nomadic pastoralists

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 400,000 (civil war since 1988, clan-based competition for

resources) (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@South Africa

Introduction South Africa

Background:

After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many

of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found their own

republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred

wealth and immigration and intensified the subjugation of the native

inhabitants. The Boers resisted British encroachments, but were

defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902). The resulting Union of South

Africa operated under a policy of apartheid - the separate

development of the races. The 1990s brought an end to apartheid

politically and ushered in black majority rule.

Geography South Africa

Location:

Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa

Geographic coordinates:

29 00 S, 24 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 1,219,912 sq km

land: 1,219,912 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince

Edward Island)

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 4,862 km

border countries: Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491

km, Namibia 967 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km

Coastline:

2,798 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

Climate:

mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool

nights

Terrain:

vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal

plain

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m

Natural resources:

gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel,

phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium,

salt, natural gas

Land use:

arable land: 12.1%

permanent crops: 0.79%

other: 87.11% (2005)

Irrigated land:

14,980 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

prolonged droughts

Environment - current issues:

lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water

conservation and control measures; growth in water usage outpacing

supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban

discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion;

desertification

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living

Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate

Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine

Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands,

Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely

surrounds Swaziland

People South Africa

Population:

44,187,637

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 29.7% (male 6,603,220/female 6,525,810)

15-64 years: 65% (male 13,955,950/female 14,766,843)

65 years and over: 5.3% (male 905,870/female 1,429,944) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 24.1 years

male: 23.3 years

female: 25 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.4% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

18.2 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

22 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population

note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa

and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 60.66 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 64.31 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 56.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 42.73 years

male: 43.25 years

female: 42.19 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.2 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

21.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

5.3 million (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

370,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: South African(s)

adjective: South African

Ethnic groups:

black African 79%, white 9.6%, colored 8.9%, Indian/Asian 2.5%

(2001 census)

Religions:

Zion Christian 11.1%, Pentecostal/Charismatic 8.2%, Catholic 7.1%,

Methodist 6.8%, Dutch Reformed 6.7%, Anglican 3.8%, other Christian

36%, Islam 1.5%, other 2.3%, unspecified 1.4%, none 15.1% (2001

census)

Languages:

IsiZulu 23.8%, IsiXhosa 17.6%, Afrikaans 13.3%, Sepedi 9.4%,

English 8.2%, Setswana 8.2%, Sesotho 7.9%, Xitsonga 4.4%, other 7.2%

(2001 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 86.4%

male: 87%

female: 85.7% (2003 est.)

Government South Africa

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of South Africa

conventional short form: South Africa

former: Union of South Africa

abbreviation: RSA

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Pretoria (administrative capital)

geographic coordinates: 29 12 S, 28 10 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

note: Cape Town (legislative capital); Johannesburg(judicial capital)

Administrative divisions:

9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal,

Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape, Western Cape

Independence:

31 May 1910 (from UK); note - South Africa became a republic in

1961 following an October 1960 referendum

National holiday:

Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)

Constitution:

10 December 1996; this new constitution was certified by the

Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed by then

President MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on 3

February 1997; it is being implemented in phases

Legal system:

based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999);

Executive Deputy President Phumzile MLAMBO-NGCUKA (since 23 June

2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999);

Executive Deputy President Phumzile MLAMBO-NGCUKA (since 23 June

2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a

five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 24

April 2004 (next to be held April 2009)

election results: Thabo MBEKI elected president; percent of National

Assembly vote - 100% (by acclamation)

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consisting of the National Assembly (400

seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of

proportional representation to serve five-year terms) and the

National Council of Provinces (90 seats, 10 members elected by each

of the nine provincial legislatures for five-year terms; has special

powers to protect regional interests, including the safeguarding of

cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities); note -

following the implementation of the new constitution on 3 February

1997, the former Senate was disbanded and replaced by the National

Council of Provinces with essentially no change in membership and

party affiliations, although the new institution's responsibilities

have been changed somewhat by the new constitution

elections: National Assembly and National Council of Provinces -

last held 14 April 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)

election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC

69.7%, DA 12.4%, IFP 7%, UDM 2.3%, NNP 1.7%, ACDP 1.6%, other 5.3%;

seats by party - ANC 279, DA 50, IFP 28, UDM 9, NNP 7, ACDP 6, other

21; National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by party - NA%;

seats by party - NA

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts;

Magistrate Courts

Political parties and leaders:

African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE,

president]; African National Congress or ANC [Thabo MBEKI,

president]; Democratic Alliance or DA [Anthony LEON, president];

Freedom Front Plus or FF+ [Pieter MULDER, president]; Inkatha

Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI, president];

Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Motsoko PHEKO, president]; United

Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU [Zwelinzima VAVI,

general secretary]; South African Communist Party or SACP [Blade

NZIMANDE, general secretary]; South African National Civics

Organization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national president]; note

- COSATU and SACP are in a formal alliance with the ANC

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, BIS, C, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,

ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, NSG, ONUB, OPCW,

PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE,

UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara Joyce Mosima MASEKELA

chancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 232-4400

FAX: [1] (202) 265-1607

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Eric BOST

embassy: 877 Pretorius Street, Pretoria

mailing address: P. O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001

telephone: [27] (12) 342-1048

FAX: [27] (12) 342-2244

consulate(s) general: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg

Flag description:

two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue separated by

a central green band which splits into a horizontal Y, the arms of

which end at the corners of the hoist side; the Y embraces a black

isosceles triangle from which the arms are separated by narrow

yellow bands; the red and blue bands are separated from the green

band and its arms by narrow white stripes

Economy South Africa

Economy - overview:

South Africa is a middle-income, emerging market with an abundant

supply of natural resources; well-developed financial, legal,

communications, energy, and transport sectors; a stock exchange that

ranks among the 10 largest in the world; and a modern infrastructure

supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers

throughout the region. However, growth has not been strong enough to

lower South Africa's high unemployment rate, and daunting economic

problems remain from the apartheid era - especially poverty and lack

of economic empowerment among the disadvantaged groups. South

African economic policy is fiscally conservative, but pragmatic,

focusing on targeting inflation and liberalizing trade as means to

increase job growth and household income.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$576.4 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$200.5 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$13,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.6% industry: 30.3% services: 67.1% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 16.09 million economically active (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 30% industry: 25% services: 45% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:

25.5% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

50% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.1% highest 10%: 45.9% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

59.3 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

17.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $72.15 billion

expenditures: $75.93 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

32.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton,

wool, dairy products

Industries:

mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium),

automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textiles, iron and

steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs, commercial ship repair

Industrial production growth rate:

7.1% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

227.2 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 93.5% hydro: 1.1% nuclear: 5.5% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

207 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

12.4 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

8.026 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

229,900 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

502,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

398,000 bbl/day (2006)

Oil - proved reserves:

7.84 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

2.23 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

2.23 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

28.32 million cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-12.69 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$59.15 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and

equipment

Exports - partners:

Japan 9.9%, UK 9.7%, US 9.5%, Germany 6.5%, Netherlands 4.6% (2005)

Imports:

$61.53 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific

instruments, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Germany 14.2%, China 9.1%, US 7.9%, Japan 6.8%, Canada 6.3%, UK

5.6%, France 4.5%, Iran 4.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$23.74 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$55.47 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$487.5 million (2000)

Currency (code):

rand (ZAR)

Currency code:

ZAR

Exchange rates:

rand per US dollar - 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004),

7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications South Africa

Telephones - main lines in use:

4.729 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

33.96 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: the system is the best developed and most

modern in Africa

domestic: consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial

cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable,

radiotelephone communication stations, and wireless local loops; key

centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port

Elizabeth, and Pretoria

international: country code - 27; 2 submarine cables; satellite

earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:

17 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:

6 million (2000)

Internet country code:

.za

Internet hosts:

645,179 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

150 (2001)

Internet users:

5.1 million (2005)

Transportation South Africa

Airports: 731 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 146 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 51 914 to 1,523 m: 67 under 914 m: 13 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 585 1,524 to 2,437 m: 34 914 to 1,523 m: 302 under 914 m: 249 (2006)

Pipelines:

condensate 100 km; gas 1,062 km; oil 966 km; refined products 1,354

km (2006)

Railways:

total: 20,872 km

narrow gauge: 20,436 km 1.065-m gauge (8,868 km electrified); 436 km

0.610-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 362,099 km

paved: 73,506 km (including 239 km of expressways)

unpaved: 288,593 km (2002)

Merchant marine:

total: 3 ships (1000 GRT or over) 32,815 GRT/39,295 DWT

by type: container 1, petroleum tanker 2

foreign-owned: 1 (Denmark 1)

registered in other countries: 8 (Panama 3, UK 5) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Cape Town, Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay,

Saldanha Bay

Military South Africa

Military branches:

South African National Defense Force (SANDF): South African Army,

South African Navy (SAN), South African Air Force (SAAF), Joint

Operations Command, Joint Support Command, Military Intelligence,

Military Health Service (2005)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; women have a long history of military service in noncombat roles, dating back to World War I (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 10,354,769

females age 18-49: 10,626,550 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 4,927,757

females age 18-49: 4,609,071 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 512,407

females age 18-49: 506,078 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$3.55 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.5% (2005 est.)

Military - note:

with the end of apartheid and the establishment of majority rule,

former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forces

were integrated into the South African National Defense Force

(SANDF); as of 2003 the integration process was considered complete

Transnational Issues South Africa

Disputes - international:

South Africa has placed military along the border to apprehend the

thousands of Zimbabweans fleeing economic dysfunction and political

persecution; as of January 2007, South Africa also supports large

numbers of refugees and asylum seekers from the Democratic Republic

of the Congo (33,000), Somalia (20,000), Burundi (6,500) and other

states in Africa (26,000); managed dispute with Namibia over the

location of the boundary in the Orange River

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 10,609 (Democratic Republic of

Congo), 7,548 (Somalia), 5,764 (Angola) (2006)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: South Africa is a source, transit, and

destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for

forced labor and sexual exploitation; women and girls are trafficked

internally - and occasionally to European and Asian countries - for

sexual exploitation; women from other African countries are

trafficked to South Africa and, less frequently, onward to Europe

for sexual exploitation; men and boys are trafficked from

neighboring countries for forced agricultural labor; Asian and

Eastern European women are trafficked to South Africa for

debt-bonded sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - South Africa is placed on the Tier

2 Watch List for its failure to show increasing efforts to address

trafficking in 2005

Illicit drugs:

transshipment center for heroin, hashish, marijuana, and cocaine;

cocaine consumption on the rise; world's largest market for illicit

methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India through various

east African countries; illicit cultivation of marijuana; attractive

venue for money launderers given the increasing level of organized

criminal and narcotics activity in the region

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Southern Ocean

Background:

A large body of recent oceanographic research has shown that the

Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), an ocean current that flows

from west to east around Antarctica, plays a crucial role in global

ocean circulation. The region where the cold waters of the ACC meet

and mingle with the warmer waters of the north defines a distinct

border - the Antarctic Convergence - which fluctuates with the

seasons, but which encompasses a discrete body of water and a unique

ecologic region. The Convergence concentrates nutrients, which

promotes marine plant life, and which in turn allows for a greater

abundance of animal life. In the spring of 2000, the International

Hydrographic Organization decided to delimit the waters within the

Convergence as a fifth world ocean - the Southern Ocean - by

combining the southern portions of the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean,

and Pacific Ocean. The Southern Ocean extends from the coast of

Antarctica north to 60 degrees south latitude, which coincides with

the Antarctic Treaty Limit and which approximates the extent of the

Antarctic Convergence. As such, the Southern Ocean is now the fourth

largest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean,

Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean, but larger than the Arctic Ocean).

It should be noted that inclusion of the Southern Ocean does not

imply recognition of this feature as one of the world's primary

oceans by the US Government.

Geography Southern Ocean

Location:

body of water between 60 degrees south latitude and Antarctica

Geographic coordinates:

60 00 S, 90 00 E (nominally), but the Southern Ocean has the unique

distinction of being a large circumpolar body of water totally

encircling the continent of Antarctica; this ring of water lies

between 60 degrees south latitude and the coast of Antarctica and

encompasses 360 degrees of longitude

Map references:

Antarctic Region

Area:

total: 20.327 million sq km

note: includes Amundsen Sea, Bellingshausen Sea, part of the Drake

Passage, Ross Sea, a small part of the Scotia Sea, Weddell Sea, and

other tributary water bodies

Area - comparative:

slightly more than twice the size of the US

Coastline:

17,968 km

Climate:

sea temperatures vary from about 10 degrees Celsius to -2 degrees

Celsius; cyclonic storms travel eastward around the continent and

frequently are intense because of the temperature contrast between

ice and open ocean; the ocean area from about latitude 40 south to

the Antarctic Circle has the strongest average winds found anywhere

on Earth; in winter the ocean freezes outward to 65 degrees south

latitude in the Pacific sector and 55 degrees south latitude in the

Atlantic sector, lowering surface temperatures well below 0 degrees

Celsius; at some coastal points intense persistent drainage winds

from the interior keep the shoreline ice-free throughout the winter

Terrain:

the Southern Ocean is deep, 4,000 to 5,000 meters over most of its

extent with only limited areas of shallow water; the Antarctic

continental shelf is generally narrow and unusually deep, its edge

lying at depths of 400 to 800 meters (the global mean is 133

meters); the Antarctic icepack grows from an average minimum of 2.6

million square kilometers in March to about 18.8 million square

kilometers in September, better than a sixfold increase in area; the

Antarctic Circumpolar Current (21,000 km in length) moves

perpetually eastward; it is the world's largest ocean current,

transporting 130 million cubic meters of water per second - 100

times the flow of all the world's rivers

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: -7,235 m at the southern end of the South Sandwich

Trench

highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources:

probable large and possible giant oil and gas fields on the

continental margin, manganese nodules, possible placer deposits,

sand and gravel, fresh water as icebergs; squid, whales, and seals -

none exploited; krill, fishes

Natural hazards:

huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred meters; smaller

bergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5 to 1 meter

thick) with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and with large

annual and interannual variations; deep continental shelf floored by

glacial deposits varying widely over short distances; high winds and

large waves much of the year; ship icing, especially May-October;

most of region is remote from sources of search and rescue

Environment - current issues:

increased solar ultraviolet radiation resulting from the Antarctic

ozone hole in recent years, reducing marine primary productivity

(phytoplankton) by as much as 15% and damaging the DNA of some fish;

illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in recent years,

especially the landing of an estimated five to six times more

Patagonian toothfish than the regulated fishery, which is likely to

affect the sustainability of the stock; large amount of incidental

mortality of seabirds resulting from long-line fishing for toothfish

note: the now-protected fur seal population is making a strong

comeback after severe overexploitation in the 18th and 19th centuries

Environment - international agreements:

the Southern Ocean is subject to all international agreements

regarding the world's oceans; in addition, it is subject to these

agreements specific to the Antarctic region: International Whaling

Commission (prohibits commercial whaling south of 40 degrees south

[south of 60 degrees south between 50 degrees and 130 degrees

west]); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (limits

sealing); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living

Resources (regulates fishing)

note: many nations (including the US) prohibit mineral resource

exploration and exploitation south of the fluctuating Polar Front

(Antarctic Convergence) which is in the middle of the Antarctic

Circumpolar Current and serves as the dividing line between the very

cold polar surface waters to the south and the warmer waters to the

north

Geography - note:

the major chokepoint is the Drake Passage between South America and

Antarctica; the Polar Front (Antarctic Convergence) is the best

natural definition of the northern extent of the Southern Ocean; it

is a distinct region at the middle of the Antarctic Circumpolar

Current that separates the very cold polar surface waters to the

south from the warmer waters to the north; the Front and the Current

extend entirely around Antarctica, reaching south of 60 degrees

south near New Zealand and near 48 degrees south in the far South

Atlantic coinciding with the path of the maximum westerly winds

Economy Southern Ocean

Economy - overview:

Fisheries in 2003-04 landed 136,262 metric tons, of which 87%

(118,166 tons) was krill and 8% (11,182 tons) Patagonian toothfish,

compared to 142,555 tons in 2002-03 of which 83% (117,728 tons) was

krill and 12% (16,479 tons) Patagonian toothfish (estimated fishing

from the area covered by the Convention of the Conservation of

Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), which extends slightly

beyond the Southern Ocean area). International agreements were

adopted in late 1999 to reduce illegal, unreported, and unregulated

fishing, which in the 2000-01 season landed, by one estimate, 8,376

metric tons of Patagonian and Antarctic toothfish. In the 2004-05

Antarctic summer 28,202 tourists, most of them seaborne

(approximately 97%), visited the Southern Ocean and Antarctica,

compared to 14,762 in 1999-2000.

Transportation Southern Ocean

Ports and terminals:

McMurdo, Palmer, and offshore anchorages in Antarctica

note: few ports or harbors exist on southern side of Southern Ocean;

ice conditions limit use of most to short periods in midsummer; even

then some cannot be entered without icebreaker escort; most

Antarctic ports are operated by government research stations and,

except in an emergency, are not open to commercial or private

vessels; vessels in any port south of 60 degrees south are subject

to inspection by Antarctic Treaty observers (see Article 7); The

Hydrographic Committee on Antarctica (HCA), a special hydrographic

commission of International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), is

responsible for hydrographic surveying and nautical charting matters

in Antarctic Treaty area; it coordinates and facilitates provision

of accurate and appropriate charts and other aids to navigation in

support of safety of navigation in region; membership of HCA is open

to any IHO Member State whose government has acceded to the

Antarctic Treaty and which contributes resources and/or data to IHO

Chart coverage of the area; members of HCA are Argentina, Australia,

Chile, China, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, NZ, Norway,

Russia, South Africa, Spain, and the UK (2005)

Transportation - note:

Drake Passage offers alternative to transit through the Panama Canal

Transnational Issues Southern Ocean

Disputes - international:

Antarctic Treaty defers claims (see Antarctica entry), but

Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ, Norway, and UK assert

claims (some overlapping), including the continental shelf in the

Southern Ocean; several states have expressed an interest in

extending those continental shelf claims under the United Nations

Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to include undersea

ridges; the US and most other states do not recognize the land or

maritime claims of other states and have made no claims themselves

(the US and Russia have reserved the right to do so); no formal

claims exist in the waters in the sector between 90 degrees west and

150 degrees west

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@South Georgia and the South Sandwich

Introduction South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Background:

The islands, which have large bird and seal populations, lie

approximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islands and have been

under British administration since 1908 - except for a brief period

in 1982 when Argentina occupied them. Grytviken, on South Georgia,

was a 19th and early 20th century whaling station. Famed explorer

Ernest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route to his ill-fated

attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned some 20 months

later with a few companions in a small boat and arranged a

successful rescue for the rest of his crew, stranded off the

Antarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition and

is buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses scientists from

the British Antarctic Survey. Recognizing the importance of

preserving the marine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993,

extended the exclusive fishing zone from 12 nm to 200 nm around each

island.

Geography South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Location:

Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east

of the tip of South America

Geographic coordinates:

54 30 S, 37 00 W

Map references:

Antarctic Region

Area:

total: 3,903 sq km

land: 3,903 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South Georgia

Island, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consist

of eleven islands

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Rhode Island

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

NA km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year

interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as

snow

Terrain:

most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and

mountainous; South Georgia is largely barren and has steep,

glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of

volcanic origin with some active volcanoes

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m

Natural resources:

fish

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some

sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen) (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that

generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also

subject to active volcanism

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which

provide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in the 20th

century, live on South Georgia

People South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Population:

no indigenous inhabitants

note: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in March

2001, to be replaced by a permanent group of scientists of the

British Antarctic Survey, which also has a biological station on

Bird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited (July 2006

est.)

Government South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

conventional short form: none

abbreviation: SGSSI

Dependency status:

overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina;

administered from the Falkland Islands by a commissioner, who is

concurrently governor of the Falkland Islands, representing Queen

ELIZABETH II; Grytviken - formerly a whaling station on South

Georgia - is a scientific base

Legal system:

the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; the senior magistrate

from the Falkland Islands presides over the Magistrates Court

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Flag description:

blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and

the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands coat of arms

centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a

shield with a golden lion centered; the shield is supported by a fur

seal on the left and a penguin on the right; a reindeer appears

above the shield, and below it on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAM

PROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the Lion Protect its Own Land)

Economy South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Economy - overview:

Some fishing takes place in adjacent waters. There is a potential

source of income from harvesting finfish and krill. The islands

receive income from postage stamps produced in the UK, sale of

fishing licenses, and harbor and landing fees from tourist vessels.

Tourism from specialized cruise ships is increasing rapidly.

Communications South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken

Radio broadcast stations:

0 (2003)

Television broadcast stations:

0 (2003)

Internet country code:

.gs

Internet hosts:

271 (2006)

Transportation South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Ports and terminals:

Grytviken

Military South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Disputes - international:

Argentina, which claims the islands in its constitution and briefly

occupied the islands by force in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer

seek settlement by force

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Spain

Introduction Spain

Background:

Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries

ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent

failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused

the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic

and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II,

but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). A peaceful

transition to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco

FRANCO in 1975, and rapid economic modernization (Spain joined the

EU in 1986), have given Spain one of the most dynamic economies in

Europe and made it a global champion of freedom. Continuing

challenges include Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) terrorism and

relatively high unemployment.

Geography Spain

Location:

Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean

Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains, southwest of

France

Geographic coordinates:

40 00 N, 4 00 W

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 504,782 sq km

land: 499,542 sq km

water: 5,240 sq km

note: there are 2 autonomous cities - Ceuta and Melilla - and 17

autonomous communities including Balearic Islands and Canary

Islands, and three small Spanish possessions off the coast of

Morocco - Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez

de la Gomera

Area - comparative:

slightly more than twice the size of Oregon

Land boundaries:

total: 1,917.8 km

border countries: Andorra 63.7 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km,

Portugal 1,214 km, Morocco (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Morocco (Melilla) 9.6 km

Coastline:

4,964 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean)

Climate:

temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy

along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and

cool along coast

Terrain:

large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills;

Pyrenees in north

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m

Natural resources:

coal, lignite, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, uranium, tungsten,

mercury, pyrites, magnesite, fluorspar, gypsum, sepiolite, kaolin,

potash, hydropower, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 27.18%

permanent crops: 9.85%

other: 62.97% (2005)

Irrigated land:

37,800 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluents

from the offshore production of oil and gas; water quality and

quantity nationwide; air pollution; deforestation; desertification

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,

Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,

Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,

Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:

strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

People Spain

Population:

40,397,842 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 14.4% (male 3,000,686/female 2,821,325)

15-64 years: 67.8% (male 13,751,963/female 13,653,426)

65 years and over: 17.7% (male 2,993,496/female 4,176,946) (2006

est.)

Median age: total: 39.9 years male: 38.6 years female: 41.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.13% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

10.06 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

9.72 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.37 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4.76 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.65 years

male: 76.32 years

female: 83.2 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.28 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

140,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Spaniard(s) adjective: Spanish

Ethnic groups:

composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types

Religions:

Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%

Languages:

Castilian Spanish 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%; note -

Castilian is the official language nationwide; the other languages

are official regionally

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.9%

male: 98.7%

female: 97.2% (2003 est.)

Government Spain

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Spain

conventional short form: Spain

local long form: Reino de Espana

local short form: Espana

Government type:

parliamentary monarchy

Capital:

name: Madrid

geographic coordinates: 40 24 N, 3 41 W

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

note: Spain is divided into two time zones, including the Canary

Islands

Administrative divisions:

17 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular -

comunidad autonoma)and 2 autonomous cities* (ciudades autonomas,

singular - ciudad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Baleares

(Balearic Islands), Ceuta*, Canarias (Canary Islands), Cantabria,

Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna, Comunidad Valenciana,

Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Melilla*, Murcia, Navarra,

Pais Vasco (Basque Country)

note: the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla plus three small

islands of Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez

de la Gomera, administered directly by the Spanish central

government, are all located along the coast of Morocco and are

collectively referred to as Places of Sovereignty (Plazas de

Soberania)

Independence:

the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of independent

kingdoms prior to the Muslim occupation that began in the early 8th

century AD and lasted nearly seven centuries; the small Christian

redoubts of the north began the reconquest almost immediately,

culminating in the seizure of Granada in 1492; this event completed

the unification of several kingdoms and is traditionally considered

the forging of present-day Spain

National holiday:

National Day, 12 October

Constitution:

6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978

Legal system:

civil law system, with regional applications; accepts compulsory

ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975); Heir

Apparent Prince FELIPE, son of the monarch, born 30 January 1968

head of government: President of the Government (Prime Minister

equivalent) Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO (since 17 April 2004);

First Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister (and Minister of the

Presidency) Maria Teresa FERNANDEZ DE LA VEGA (since 18 April 2004)

and Second Vice President (and Minister of Economy and Finance)

Pedro SOLBES (since 18 April 2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers designated by the president

note: there is also a Council of State that is the supreme

consultative organ of the government, but its recommendations are

non-binding

elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative

elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the

majority coalition is usually proposed president by the monarch and

elected by the National Assembly; election last held 14 March 2004

(next to be held March 2008); vice presidents appointed by the

monarch on the proposal of the president

election results: Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO (PSOE) elected

president; percent of National Assembly vote - 52.29%

Legislative branch:

bicameral; General Courts or National Assembly or Las Cortes

Generales consists of the Senate or Senado (259 seats - 208 members

directly elected by popular vote and the other 51 appointed by the

regional legislatures to serve four-year terms) and the Congress of

Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats; members are

elected by popular vote on block lists by proportional

representation to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 14 March 2004 (next to be held March

2008); Congress of Deputies - last held 14 March 2004 (next to be

held March 2008)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PP 49%, PSOE

37.98%, Entesa Catalona de Progress 5.7%, CiU 1.99%, PNV 2.8%, CC

2.4%; seats by party - PP 102, PSOE 81, Entesa Catalona de Progress

12, CiU 4, PNV 6, CC 3; Congress of Deputies - percent of vote by

party - PSOE 43.3%, PP 37.8%, CiU 3.2%, ERC 2.5%, PNV 1.6%, IU 3.2%,

CC 0.9%; seats by party - PSOE 164, PP 148, CiU 10, ERC 8, PNV 7, IU

5, CC 3, other 5

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo

Political parties and leaders:

Aragonese Party or CHA [Bizen FUSTER]; Basque Nationalist Party or

PNV [Josu Jon IMAZ]; Basque Solidarity or EA [Begona ERRAZTI];

Canarian Coalition or CC (a coalition of five parties) [Paulino

RIVERO Baute]; Convergence and Union or CiU [Artur MAS i Gavarro] (a

coalition of the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia or CDC [Artur

MAS i Gavarro] and the Democratic Union of Catalonia or UDC [Josep

Antoni DURAN i LLEIDA]); Entesa Catalonia de Progress (a Senate

coalition grouping four Catalan parties - PSC, ERC, ICV, EUA);

Galician Nationalist Bloc or BNG [Anxo Manuel QUINTANA Gonzalez];

Initiative for Catalonia Greens or ICV [Joan SAURA i Laporta];

Navarra yes or Na Bai (a coalition of four Navarran parties) [Uxue

BARKOS Berruezo]; Popular Party or PP [Mariano RAJOY Brey];

Republican Left of Catalonia or ERC [Josep-Lluis CAROD-ROVIRA];

Spanish Socialist Workers Party or PSOE [Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ

ZAPATERO]; United Left or IU (a coalition of parties including the

PCE and other small parties) [Gaspar LLAMAZARES Trigo]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

business and landowning interests; Catholic Church; free labor

unions (authorized in April 1977); Socialist General Union of

Workers or UGT and the smaller independent Workers Syndical Union or

USO; university students; Trade Union Confederation of Workers'

Commissions or CC.OO.

International organization participation:

AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB,

EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,

IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,

ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO,

NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, SECI

(observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNRWA,

UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos WESTENDORP

chancery: 2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037

telephone: [1] (202) 452-0100, 728-2340

FAX: [1] (202) 833-5670

consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,

New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Eduardo AGUIRRE, Jr.

embassy: Serrano 75, 28006 Madrid

mailing address: PSC 61, APO AE 09642

telephone: [34] (91) 587-2200

FAX: [34] (91) 587-2303

consulate(s) general: Barcelona

Flag description:

three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width), and red

with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band;

the coat of arms includes the royal seal framed by the Pillars of

Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on

either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar

Economy Spain

Economy - overview:

The Spanish economy boomed from 1986 to 1990, averaging 5% annual

growth. After a European-wide recession in the early 1990s, the

Spanish economy resumed moderate growth starting in 1994. Spain's

mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP that on a per capita basis

is 80% that of the four leading West European economies. The

center-right government of former President AZNAR successfully

worked to gain admission to the first group of countries launching

the European single currency (the euro) on 1 January 1999. The AZNAR

administration continued to advocate liberalization, privatization,

and deregulation of the economy and introduced some tax reforms to

that end. Unemployment fell steadily under the AZNAR administration

but remains high at 8.7%. Growth averaging 3% annually during

2003-06 was satisfactory given the background of a faltering

European economy. The Socialist president, RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO, has

made mixed progress in carrying out key structural reforms, which

need to be accelerated and deepened to sustain Spain's strong

economic growth. Despite the economy's relative solid footing

significant downside risks remain, including Spain's continued loss

of competitiveness, the potential for a housing market collapse, the

country's changing demographic profile and a decline in EU

structural funds.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.07 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.081 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$27,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.9% industry: 29.4% services: 66.7% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 21.77 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 5.3% industry: 30.1% services: 64.6% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

8.7% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

19.8%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.2% (1990)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

32.5 (1990)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.5% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

29.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $488.2 billion

expenditures: $475.3 billion; including capital expenditures of

$12.8 billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:

39.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

grain, vegetables, olives, wine grapes, sugar beets, citrus; beef,

pork, poultry, dairy products; fish

Industries:

textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages,

metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles,

machine tools, tourism, clay and refractory products, footwear,

pharmaceuticals, medical equipment

Industrial production growth rate:

0.6% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

263.3 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 50.4% hydro: 18.2% nuclear: 27.2% other: 4.1% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

241.8 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

11.4 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

8.3 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

31,250 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

1.573 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

135,100 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

1.582 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

10.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

339 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

27.01 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

26.95 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

2.549 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-98.6 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$222.1 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, medicines,

other consumer goods

Exports - partners:

France 19.3%, Germany 11.4%, Portugal 9.6%, UK 8.4%, Italy 8.4%, US

4.1% (2005)

Imports:

$324.4 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods,

foodstuffs, consumer goods, measuring and medical control instruments

Imports - partners:

Germany 15.3%, France 14.7%, Italy 8.6%, UK 5.8%, Netherlands 5%,

China 4.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$17 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.591 trillion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - donor:

ODA, $1.33 billion (1999)

Currency (code):

euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the

euro as a common currency to be used by the financial institutions

of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole

currency for everyday transactions with the member countries

Currency code:

EUR

Exchange rates:

euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),

0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Spain

Telephones - main lines in use:

18.322 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

41.328 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: generally adequate, modern facilities;

teledensity is 45 main lines for each 100 persons

domestic: NA

international: country code - 34; 22 coaxial submarine cables;

satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian

Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to adjacent countries

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 208, FM 715, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:

13.1 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 224 (plus 2,105 repeaters) note: these figures include 11 television broadcast stations and 88 repeaters in the Canary Islands (1995)

Televisions:

16.2 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.es

Internet hosts:

2,520,711 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

56 (2000)

Internet users:

19,204,771 (2006)

Transportation Spain

Airports: 157 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 96 over 3,047 m: 16 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 26 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 61 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 44 (2006)

Heliports:

8 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 7,962 km; oil 622 km; refined products 3,447 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 14,873 km

broad gauge: 11,919 km 1.668-m gauge (6,950 km electrified)

standard gauge: 998 km 1.435-m gauge (998 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 1,928 km 1.000-m gauge (815 km electrified); 28 km

0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:

total: 666,292 km

paved: 659,629 km (including 12,009 km of expressways)

unpaved: 6,663 km (2003)

Waterways:

1,000 km (2003)

Merchant marine:

total: 169 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,902,839 GRT/1,874,161 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 13, chemical tanker 14, container 27,

liquefied gas 9, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 49, petroleum tanker

15, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 20, specialized tanker 2,

vehicle carrier 5

foreign-owned: 36 (Cuba 1, Denmark 1, Germany 12, Italy 2, Mexico 3,

Norway 7, UK 1, Uruguay 2, US 7)

registered in other countries: 112 (Bahamas 12, Belize 3, Brazil 4,

Cambodia 1, Cape Verde 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 7, Italy 1, Malta 6,

Marshall Islands 3, Nigeria 1, Panama 53, Portugal 15, Saint Kitts

and Nevis 2, UK 1, Venezuela 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Algeciras, Barcelona, Cartagena, Gijon, Huelva, La Coruna,

Tarragona, Valencia

Military Spain

Military branches:

Spanish Armed Forces: Army (Ejercito de Tierra), Spanish Navy

(Armada Espanola, AE; includes Marine Corps), Spanish Air Force

(Ejercito del Aire Espanola, EdA) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

20 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 20-49: 9,366,588

females age 20-49: 9,155,057 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 20-49: 7,623,356

females age 20-49: 7,434,465 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 233,384

females age 20-49: 221,805 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$9,906.5 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.2% (2003)

Transnational Issues Spain

Disputes - international:

in 2003, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to

remain a British colony and against a "total shared sovereignty"

arrangement while demanding participation in talks between the UK

and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater

autonomy; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves

of Ceuta, Melilla, and the islands of Penon de Velez de la Gomera,

Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters;

Morocco serves as the primary launching site of illegal migration

into Spain from North Africa; Portugal does not recognize Spanish

sovereignty over the territory of Olivenza based on a difference of

interpretation of the 1815 Congress of Vienna and the 1801 Treaty of

Badajoz

Illicit drugs:

key European gateway country and consumer for Latin American

cocaine and North African hashish entering the European market;

destination and minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian

heroin; money-laundering site for Colombian narcotics trafficking

organizations and organized crime

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Spratly Islands

Background:

The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or

reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially

by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their entirety by

China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia

and the Philippines. About 45 islands are occupied by relatively

small numbers of military forces from China, Malaysia, the

Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei has established a fishing

zone that overlaps a southern reef, but has not made any formal

claim.

Geography Spratly Islands

Location:

Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South China

Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the

southern Philippines

Geographic coordinates:

8 38 N, 111 55 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: less than 5 sq km

land: less than 5 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts

scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South

China Sea

Area - comparative:

NA

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

926 km

Maritime claims:

NA

Climate:

tropical

Terrain:

flat

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m

Natural resources: fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

typhoons; numerous reefs and shoals pose a serious maritime hazard

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the

central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls,

shoals, and coral reefs

People Spratly Islands

Population:

no indigenous inhabitants

note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several

claimant states (2004)

Government Spratly Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Spratly Islands

Economy Spratly Islands

Economy - overview:

Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity

to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the

potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely

unexplored. There are no reliable estimates of potential reserves.

Commercial exploitation has yet to be developed.

Transportation Spratly Islands

Airports: 3 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Ports and terminals:

none; offshore anchorage only

Military Spratly Islands

Military - note:

Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs, of

which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the

Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam

Transnational Issues Spratly Islands

Disputes - international:

all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and

Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines;

in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that

encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has not

publicly claimed the reef; claimants in November 2002 signed the

"Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,"

which has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code

of conduct"; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the

Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine

seismic activities in the Spratly Islands

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Sri Lanka

Introduction Sri Lanka

Background:

The Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century B.C.,

probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced beginning in

about the mid-third century B.C., and a great civilization developed

at the cities of Anuradhapura (kingdom from circa 200 B.C. to circa

A.D. 1000) and Polonnaruwa (from about 1070 to 1200). In the 14th

century, a south Indian dynasty seized power in the north and

established a Tamil kingdom. Occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th

century and by the Dutch in the 17th century, the island was ceded

to the British in 1796, became a crown colony in 1802, and was

united under British rule by 1815. As Ceylon, it became independent

in 1948; its name was changed to Sri Lanka in 1972. Tensions between

the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted into war in

1983. Tens of thousands have died in the ethnic conflict that

continues to fester. After two decades of fighting, the government

and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) formalized a cease-fire

in February 2002, with Norway brokering peace negotiations. Violence

between the LTTE and government forces intensified in 2006, but

neither side has formally withdrawn from the cease-fire.

Geography Sri Lanka

Location:

Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India

Geographic coordinates:

7 00 N, 81 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 65,610 sq km

land: 64,740 sq km

water: 870 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

1,340 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest

monsoon (June to October)

Terrain:

mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central

interior

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m

Natural resources:

limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay,

hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 13.96%

permanent crops: 15.24%

other: 70.8% (2005)

Irrigated land:

7,430 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

occasional cyclones and tornadoes

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by

poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from mining

activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being

polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air

pollution in Colombo

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes

People Sri Lanka

Population:

20,222,240

note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and

armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand

Tamil civilians have fled the island and more than 200,000 Tamils

have sought refuge in the West (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 24.1% (male 2,488,689/female 2,379,233)

15-64 years: 68.6% (male 6,727,399/female 7,140,751)

65 years and over: 7.3% (male 687,842/female 798,326) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 29.8 years

male: 28.7 years

female: 30.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.78% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

15.51 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

6.52 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 13.97 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 15.18 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 12.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.41 years

male: 70.83 years

female: 76.12 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.84 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

3,500 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Sri Lankan(s)

adjective: Sri Lankan

Ethnic groups:

Sinhalese 73.8%, Sri Lankan Moors 7.2%, Indian Tamil 4.6%, Sri

Lankan Tamil 3.9%, other 0.5%, unspecified 10% (2001 census

provisional data)

Religions:

Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%,

unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)

Languages:

Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national

language) 18%, other 8%

note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken

competently by about 10% of the population

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.3%

male: 94.8%

female: 90% (2003 est.)

Government Sri Lanka

Country name:

conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

conventional short form: Sri Lanka

local long form: Shri Lamka Prajatantrika Samajaya di

Janarajaya/Ilankai Jananayaka Choshalichak Kutiyarachu

local short form: Shri Lamka/Ilankai

former: Serendib, Ceylon

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Colombo

geographic coordinates: 6 56 N, 79 51 E

time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

note: Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital)

Administrative divisions:

8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North Western,

Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western

note: in 1998 the Government of Sri Lanka proposed a merger of the

former Northern and Eastern provinces; while this merger was never

ratified, the Government treats North Eastern Province as a de facto

singular administrative unit

Independence:

4 February 1948 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 4 February (1948)

Constitution:

adopted 16 August 1978, certified 31 August 1978

Legal system:

a highly complex mixture of English common law, Roman-Dutch,

Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory

ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Mahinda RAJAPAKSE (since 19 November

2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government; Ratnasiri WICKREMANAYAKE (since 21 November 2005) holds

the ceremonial title of prime minister

head of government: President Mahinda RAJAPAKSE (since 19 November

2005)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the

prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 17 November 2005

(next to be held 2011)

election results: Mahinda RAJAPAKSE elected president; percent of

vote - Mahinda RAJAPAKSE 50.3%, Ranil WICKREMESINGHE 48.4%, other

1.3%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by popular vote

on the basis of a modified proportional representation system by

district to serve six-year terms)

elections: last held 2 April 2004 (next to be held by 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party or electoral alliance -

SLFP and JVP (no longer in formal UPFA alliance) 45.6%, UNP 37.83%,

TNA 6.84%, JHU 5.97%, SLMC 2.02%, UPF 0.54%, EPDP 0.27%, others

0.93%; seats by party - UNP 68, SLFP 57, JVP 39, UNP dissident 1,

TNA 22, CWC 8, JHU 7, JHU dissidents 2, SLMC 6, SLMC dissidents 4,

Communist Party 2, LSSP 2, MEP 2, NUA 2, UPF 2, EPDP 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges for both courts are

appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders:

All Ceylon Tamil Congress or ACTC [KUMARGURUPARAM]; Ceylon Workers

Congress or CWC [Arumugam THONDAMAN]; Communist Party or CP [D.

GUNASEKERA]; Democratic United National (Lalith) Front or DUNLF

[Shrimani ATULATHMUDALI]; Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP

[Douglas DEVANANDA]; Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front

or EPRLF [Suresh PREMACHANDRAN]; Janatha Vimukthi Perumuna or JVP

[Somawansa AMARASINGHE]; Lanka Sama Samaja Party or LSSP; Mahajana

Eksath Peramuna (People's United Front) or MEP [D. GUNAWARDENE];

National Heritage Party or JHU [Tilak KARUNARATNE]; National Unity

Alliance or NUA [Ferial ASHRAFF]; People's Liberation Organization

of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE [D. SIDHARTHAN]; Sihala Urumaya or SU; Sri

Lanka Freedom Party or SLFP [Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA];

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or SLMC [Rauff HAKEEM]; Sri Lanka

Progressive Front or SLPF [P. Nelson PERERA]; Tamil Eelam Liberation

Organization or TELO [SABARATNAM]; Tamil National Alliance or TNA

[R. SAMPANTHAN]; Tamil United Liberation Front or TULF [V.

ANANDASANGAREE]; United National Party or UNP [Ranil

WICKREMASINGHE]; Up-country People's Front or UPF [P.

CHANDRASEKARAN]; several ethnic Tamil and Muslim parties,

represented in either Parliament or provincial councils

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Buddhist clergy; labor unions; Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or

LTTE [Velupillai PRABHAKARAN](insurgent group fighting for a

separate state); radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups such as the

National Movement Against Terrorism; Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups

International organization participation:

AsDB, BIMSTEC, C, CP, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,

ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,

IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS

(observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,

UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Bernard GOONETILLEKE chancery: 2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4025 (through 4028) FAX: [1] (202) 232-7181 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert O. BLAKE, Jr.

embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3

mailing address: P. O. Box 106, Colombo

telephone: [94] (11) 249-8500

FAX: [94] (11) 243-7345

Flag description:

yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal

vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is

a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and

there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears

as a border around the entire flag and extends between the two panels

Economy Sri Lanka

Economy - overview:

In 1977, Colombo abandoned statist economic policies and its import

substitution trade policy for more market-oriented policies,

export-oriented trade, and encouragement of foreign investment.

Recent changes in government have brought some policy reversals,

however. Currently, the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party has a more

statist economic approach which seeks to reduce poverty by steering

investment to disadvantaged areas, developing small and medium

enterprises, promoting agriculture, and expanding the already

enormous civil service. The government has halted most

privatizations. Although suffering a brutal civil war that began in

1983, Sri Lanka saw GDP growth average 4.5% in the last ten years,

with a brief interruption during the global downturn in 2001. In

late December 2004, a major tsunami took about 31,000 lives, left

more than 6,300 missing and 443,000 displaced, and destroyed an

estimated $1.5 billion worth of property. Growth, partly spurred by

reconstruction, reached 5% in 2005 and more than 6% in 2006. Sri

Lanka's most dynamic sectors now are food processing, textiles and

apparel, food and beverages, port contstruction, telecommunications,

and insurance and banking. In 2005, plantation crops made up only

about 15% of exports (compared with more than 90% in 1970), while

textiles and garments accounted for more than 60%. About 800,000 Sri

Lankans work abroad, 90% in the Middle East. They send home about $1

billion a year. The struggle by the Tamil Tigers of the north and

east for a largely independent homeland continues to cast a shadow

over the economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$93.33 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$23.52 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17.3% industry: 27.3% services: 55.3% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 8.214 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 38% industry: 17% services: 45% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate:

7.6% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

22% (1997 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.5% highest 10%: 28% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

34.4 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

12.1% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

28.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $4.762 billion

expenditures: $7.095 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

90.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea, rubber,

coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef; fish

Industries:

processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, tobacco and other agricultural

commodities; telecommunications, insurance, banking; clothing,

textiles; cement, petroleum refining

Industrial production growth rate:

7.1% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

7.714 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 51.7% hydro: 48.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

7.174 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

80,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-1.118 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$7.076 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

textiles and apparel, tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds, rubies;

coconut products, rubber manufactures, fish

Exports - partners:

US 31.1%, UK 12.2%, India 8.9%, Germany 4.3% (2005)

Imports:

$9.655 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

textile fabrics, mineral products, petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery

and transportation equipment

Imports - partners:

India 20.7%, Singapore 8.3%, Hong Kong 7.3%, China 7.1%, Iran 5.9%,

Malaysia 4.4%, Japan 4.3% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.81 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$12.23 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$577 million (1998)

Currency (code):

Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)

Currency code:

LKR

Exchange rates:

Sri Lankan rupees per US dollar - 102.987 (2006), 100.498 (2005),

101.194 (2004), 96.521 (2003), 95.662 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Sri Lanka

Telephones - main lines in use:

1,509,913 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

4,284,256 (2006)

Telephone system:

general assessment: telephone services have improved significantly

and are available in most parts of the country.

domestic: national trunk network consists mostly of digital

microwave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area

and two fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition

is strong in mobile cellular systems and mobile cellular

subscribership is increasing; telephone density remains low (2006)

international: country code - 94; submarine cables to Indonesia,

Djibouti, India and Maldives; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat

(Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM, FM, Shortwave combined 34 (2006)

Radios:

3.85 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

14 (2006)

Televisions:

1.53 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.lk

Internet hosts:

6,526 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

5 (2000)

Internet users:

280,000 (2005)

Transportation Sri Lanka

Airports: 16 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 2

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Railways:

total: 1,449 km

broad gauge: 1,449 km 1.676-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 97,287 km paved: 78,802 km unpaved: 18,485 km (2003)

Waterways:

160 km (primarily on rivers in southwest) (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 22 ships (1000 GRT or over) 144,066 GRT/196,418 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 17, container 2, petroleum tanker 2

foreign-owned: 7 (Germany 5, UAE 2)

registered in other countries: 5 (Panama 5) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Colombo, Galle

Military Sri Lanka

Military branches:

Sri Lankan Army, Sri Lankan Navy, Sri Lankan Air Force (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 4,933,217

females age 18-49: 5,153,597 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 3,789,627

females age 18-49: 4,281,043 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 174,049

females age 18-49: 167,201 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$606.2 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.6% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Sri Lanka

Disputes - international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 500,000-600,000 (both Tamils and non-Tamils displaced due to long-term Tamil conflict renewed in 2006) (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Sudan

Introduction Sudan

Background:

Military regimes favoring Islamic-oriented governments have

dominated national politics since independence from the UK in 1956.

Sudan was embroiled in two prolonged civil wars during most of the

remainder of the 20th century. These conflicts were rooted in

northern economic, political, and social domination of largely

non-Muslim, non-Arab southern Sudanese. The first civil war ended in

1972, but broke out again in 1983. The second war and famine-related

effects resulted in more than 4 million people displaced and,

according to rebel estimates, more than 2 million deaths over a

period of two decades. Peace talks gained momentum in 2002-04 with

the signing of several accords; a final Naivasha peace treaty of

January 2005 granted the southern rebels autonomy for six years,

after which a referendum for independence is scheduled to be held. A

separate conflict that broke out in the western region of Darfur in

2003 has resulted in at least 200,000 deaths and nearly 2 million

displaced; as of late 2005, peacekeeping troops were struggling to

stabilize the situation. Sudan also has faced large refugee influxes

from neighboring countries, primarily Ethiopia and Chad, and armed

conflict, poor transport infrastructure, and lack of government

support have chronically obstructed the provision of humanitarian

assistance to affected populations.

Geography Sudan

Location:

Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea

Geographic coordinates:

15 00 N, 30 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 2,505,810 sq km

land: 2.376 million sq km

water: 129,810 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than one-quarter the size of the US

Land boundaries:

total: 7,687 km

border countries: Central African Republic 1,165 km, Chad 1,360 km,

Democratic Republic of the Congo 628 km, Egypt 1,273 km, Eritrea 605

km, Ethiopia 1,606 km, Kenya 232 km, Libya 383 km, Uganda 435 km

Coastline:

853 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 18 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season varies by

region (April to November)

Terrain:

generally flat, featureless plain; mountains in far south,

northeast and west; desert dominates the north

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Red Sea 0 m

highest point: Kinyeti 3,187 m

Natural resources:

petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc,

tungsten, mica, silver, gold, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 6.78% permanent crops: 0.17% other: 93.05% (2005)

Irrigated land:

18,630 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

dust storms and periodic persistent droughts

Environment - current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife populations threatened by excessive hunting; soil erosion; desertification; periodic drought

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: largest country in Africa; dominated by the Nile and its tributaries

People Sudan

Population:

41,236,378 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 42.7% (male 8,993,483/female 8,614,022)

15-64 years: 54.9% (male 11,327,679/female 11,297,798)

65 years and over: 2.4% (male 536,754/female 466,642) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.3 years

male: 18.1 years

female: 18.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.55% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

34.53 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

8.97 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.15 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 61.05 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 61.88 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 60.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 58.92 years

male: 57.69 years

female: 60.21 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.72 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

2.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

400,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

23,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Sudanese (singular and plural)

adjective: Sudanese

Ethnic groups:

black 52%, Arab 39%, Beja 6%, foreigners 2%, other 1%

Religions:

Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), indigenous beliefs 25%, Christian 5%

(mostly in south and Khartoum)

Languages:

Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic,

Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, English

note: program of "Arabization" in process

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 61.1%

male: 71.8%

female: 50.5% (2003 est.)

Government Sudan

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of the Sudan

conventional short form: Sudan

local long form: Jumhuriyat as-Sudan

local short form: As-Sudan

former: Anglo-Egyptian Sudan

Government type:

Government of National Unity (GNU) - the National Congress Party

(NCP) and Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) formed a

power-sharing government under the 2005 Comprehensive Peace

Agreement (CPA); the NCP, which came to power by military coup in

1989, is the majority partner; the agreement stipulates national

elections for the 2008 - 2009 timeframe.

Capital:

name: Khartoum

geographic coordinates: 15 36 N, 32 32 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

25 states (wilayat, singular - wilayah); A'ali an Nil (Upper Nile),

Al Bahr al Ahmar (Red Sea), Al Buhayrat (Lakes), Al Jazirah (El

Gezira), Al Khartum (Khartoum), Al Qadarif (Gedaref), Al Wahdah

(Unity), An Nil al Abyad (White Nile), An Nil al Azraq (Blue Nile),

Ash Shamaliyah (Northern), Bahr al Jabal (Bahr al Jabal), Gharb al

Istiwa'iyah (Western Equatoria), Gharb Bahr al Ghazal (Western Bahr

al Ghazal), Gharb Darfur (Western Darfur), Janub Darfur (Southern

Darfur), Janub Kurdufan (Southern Kordofan), Junqali (Jonglei),

Kassala (Kassala), Nahr an Nil (Nile), Shamal Bahr al Ghazal

(Northern Bahr al Ghazal), Shamal Darfur (Northern Darfur), Shamal

Kurdufan (Northern Kordofan), Sharq al Istiwa'iyah (Eastern

Equatoria), Sinnar (Sinnar), Warab (Warab)

Independence:

1 January 1956 (from Egypt and UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 1 January (1956)

Constitution:

12 April 1973; suspended following coup of 6 April 1985; interim

constitution of 10 October 1985 suspended following coup of 30 June

1989; new constitution implemented on 30 June 1998 partially

suspended 12 December 1999 by President BASHIR; under the CPA,

Interim National Constitution ratified 5 July 2005; Constitution of

Southern Sudan signed December 2005

Legal system:

based on English common law and Shari'a law; as of 20 January 1991,

the now defunct Revolutionary Command Council imposed Shari'a law in

the northern states; Shari'a law applies to all residents of the

northern states regardless of their religion; some separate

religious courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with

reservations; the southern legal system is still developing under

the CPA following the civil war; Shari'a law will not apply to the

southern states

Suffrage:

17 years of age; universal, but noncompulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR (since 16

October 1993); First Vice President Salva KIIR (since 4 August

2005), Vice President Ali Osman TAHA (since 20 September 2005); note

- the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR (since 16

October 1993); First Vice President Salva KIIR (since 4 August

2005), Vice President Ali Osman TAHA (since 20 September 2005); note

- the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note - the

National Congress Party or NCP (formerly the National Islamic Front

or NIF) dominates al-BASHIR's cabinet

elections: election last held 13-23 December 2000; next to be held

no later than July 2009 under terms of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace

Agreement

election results: Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR reelected president;

percent of vote - Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR 86.5%, Ja'afar

Muhammed NUMAYRI 9.6%, three other candidates received a combined

vote of 3.9%; election widely viewed as rigged; all popular

opposition parties boycotted elections because of a lack of

guarantees for a free and fair election

note: al-BASHIR assumed power as chairman of Sudan's Revolutionary

Command Council for National Salvation (RCC) in June 1989 and served

concurrently as chief of state, chairman of the RCC, prime minister,

and minister of defense until mid-October 1993 when he was appointed

president by the RCC; he was elected president by popular vote for

the first time in March 1996

Legislative branch:

bi-cameral body comprising the National Assembly and Council of

States (replaced unicameral National Assembly of 360 seats); pending

elections and National Election Law, the Presidency appointed 450

members to the National Assembly according to the provisions of the

2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement: 52% NCP; 28% SPLM; 14% other

Northerners; 6% other Southerners; 2 representatives from every

state constitute the Council of States; terms in each chamber are

five years following the first elections

elections: last held 13-22 December 2000 (next to be held 2008-2009

timeframe)

election results: NCP 355, others 5; note - replaced by appointments

under the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court of nine justices; National Supreme Court;

National Courts of Appeal; other national courts; National Judicial

Service Commission will undertake overall management of the National

Judiciary

Political parties and leaders:

political parties in the Government of National Unity include:

National Congress Party or NCP [Ibrahim Ahmed OMAR]; Sudan People's

Liberation Movement or SPLM [Salva Mayardit KIIR]; and elements of

the National Democratic Alliance or NDA including factions of the

Democratic Union Party [Muhammad Uthman al-MIRGHANI] and Umma Party

[SADIQ Siddiq al-Mahdi]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Umma Party [Sadiq al-MAHDI]; Popular Congress Party or PCP [Hassan

al-TURABI]

International organization participation:

ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA,

IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,

IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA,

NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,

WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires, Ad

Interim Khidir HAROUN (since April 2001)

chancery: 2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 338-8565

FAX: [1] (202) 667-2406

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Cameron

HUME

embassy: Sharia Ali Abdul Latif Avenue, Khartoum

mailing address: P. O. Box 699, Khartoum; APO AE 09829

telephone: [249] (183) 774701

FAX: [249] (183) 774137

note: US Consul in Cairo is providing backup service for Khartoum;

consular services are being established in Juba (southern Sudan)

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with a

green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side

Economy Sudan

Economy - overview:

Sudan has turned around a struggling economy with sound economic

policies and infrastructure investments, but it still faces

formidable economic problems, starting from its low level of per

capita output. From 1997 to date, Sudan has been implementing IMF

macroeconomic reforms. In 1999, Sudan began exporting crude oil and

in the last quarter of 1999 recorded its first trade surplus, which,

along with monetary policy, has stabilized the exchange rate.

Increased oil production, revived light industry, and expanded

export processing zones helped sustain GDP growth at 10% in 2006.

Agricultural production remains Sudan's most important sector,

employing 80% of the work force, contributing 35% of GDP, and

accounting for most of GDP growth, but most farms remain rain-fed

and susceptible to drought. Chronic instability - resulting from the

long-standing civil war between the Muslim north and the

Christian/pagan south, adverse weather, and weak world agricultural

prices - ensure that much of the population will remain at or below

the poverty line for years.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$96.01 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$25.5 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

9.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,300 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 35.5% industry: 24.8% services: 39.7% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 7.415 million (1996 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 80% industry: 7% services: 13% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate:

18.7% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:

40% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

9% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

25.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $7.943 billion

expenditures: $10.1 billion; including capital expenditures of $304

million (2006 est.)

Public debt:

59.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

cotton, groundnuts (peanuts), sorghum, millet, wheat, gum arabic,

sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), mangos, papaya, bananas, sweet

potatoes, sesame; sheep, livestock

Industries:

oil, cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap

distilling, shoes, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals, armaments,

automobile/light truck assembly

Industrial production growth rate:

8.5% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:

3.845 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 52.1% hydro: 47.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

3.576 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

344,700 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

66,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

275,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:

1.6 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

84.95 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-4.51 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$7.505 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

oil and petroleum products; cotton, sesame, livestock, groundnuts,

gum arabic, sugar

Exports - partners:

China 71.1%, Japan 12%, Saudi Arabia 2.8% (2005)

Imports:

$8.693 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, manufactured goods, refinery and transport equipment,

medicines and chemicals, textiles, wheat

Imports - partners:

China 20.7%, Saudi Arabia 9.4%, UAE 5.9%, Egypt 5.5%, Japan 5.1%,

India 4.8% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$3.552 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$29.69 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$172 million (2001)

Currency (code):

Sudanese dinar (SDD)

Currency code:

SDD

Exchange rates:

Sudanese dinars per US dollar - 217.402 (2006), 243.61 (2005),

257.91 (2004), 260.98 (2003), 263.31 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Sudan

Telephones - main lines in use:

670,000 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.828 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: large, well-equipped system by regional

standards and being upgraded; cellular communications started in

1996 and have expanded substantially

domestic: consists of microwave radio relay, cable, radiotelephone

communications, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite

system with 14 earth stations

international: country code - 249; satellite earth stations - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:

7.55 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (1997)

Televisions:

2.38 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.sd

Internet hosts:

16 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2002)

Internet users:

2.8 million (2005)

Transportation Sudan

Airports: 88 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 73 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 37 under 914 m: 17 (2006)

Heliports:

1 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 156 km; oil 3,930 km; refined products 1,613 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 5,978 km

narrow gauge: 4,578 km 1.067-m gauge; 1,400 km 0.600-m gauge for

cotton plantations (2005)

Roadways:

total: 11,900 km

paved: 4,320 km

unpaved: 7,580 km (1999)

Waterways:

4,068 km (1,723 km open year round on White and Blue Nile rivers)

(2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 11,326 GRT/14,068 DWT

by type: cargo 1, livestock carrier 1

registered in other countries: 2 (Panama 1, Saudi Arabia 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Port Sudan

Military Sudan

Military branches:

Sudanese People's Armed Forces (SPAF): Army, Navy, Air Force,

Popular Defense Force

Military service age and obligation:

18-30 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript

service obligation - three years (August 2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 8,291,695

females age 18-49: 8,135,683 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 5,427,474

females age 18-49: 5,649,566 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 442,915

females age 18-49: 426,320 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$587 million (2001 est.) (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

3% (1999) (2004)

Transnational Issues Sudan

Disputes - international:

the effects of Sudan's almost constant ethnic and rebel militia

fighting since the mid-twentieth century have penetrated all of the

neighboring states; as of 2006, Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Central

African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda

provided shelter for over half a million Sudanese refugees, which

includes 240,000 Darfur residents driven from their homes by

Janjawid armed militia and the Sudanese military forces; Sudan, in

turn, hosted 20,000 Chadians, 122,000 Eritreans, 14,810 Ethiopians,

7,900 Ugandans and 5,000 Congolese as refugees; in February 2006,

Sudan and DROC signed an agreement to repatriate 13,300 Sudanese and

6,800 Congolese; Sudan accuses Eritrea of supporting Sudanese rebel

groups; efforts to demarcate the porous boundary with Ethiopia

proceed slowly due to civil and ethnic fighting in eastern Sudan;

the boundary that separates Kenya and Sudan's sovereignty is unclear

in the "Ilemi Triangle," which Kenya has administered since colonial

times; while Sudan claims to administer the Hala'ib Triangle north

of the 1899 Treaty boundary along the 22nd Parallel, both states

withdrew their military presence in the 1990s and Egypt has invested

in and effectively administers the area; periodic violent skirmishes

with Sudanese residents over water and grazing rights persist among

related pastoral populations from the Central African Republic along

the border

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 116,746 (Eritrea), 20,000 (Chad),

14,633 (Ethiopia), 7,901 (Uganda)

IDPs: 5,300,000 - 6,200,000 (internal conflict since 1980s; ongoing

genocide in Darfur region, IDP registration for return to South

Sudan started in 2005) (2006)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Sudan is a source country for men, women, and

children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual

exploitation; Sudan may also be a transit and destination country

for Ethiopian women trafficked for domestic servitude; boys are

trafficked to the Middle East, particularly Qatar and the United

Arab Emirates, for use as camel jockeys; small numbers of girls are

reportedly trafficked within Sudan for domestic servitude, as well

as for commercial sexual exploitation in small brothels in

internally displaced persons (IDP) camps; the terrorist rebel

organization "Lord's Resistance Army" (LRA) continues to abduct and

forcibly conscript small numbers of children in Southern Sudan for

use as cooks, porters, and combatants in its ongoing war against

Uganda; some of these children are then trafficked across borders

into Uganda or possibly the Democratic Republic of the Congo;

children are utilized by rebel groups and the Sudanese Armed Forces

and associated militias in the ongoing conflict in Darfur; during

the decades of civil war, thousands of Dinka women and children were

enslaved by members of Baggara tribes and subjected to various forms

of forced labor without remuneration, as well as physical and sexual

abuse; with the cessation of the North-South conflict and the

ongoing peace process, there were no known new abductions of Dinka

by Baggara tribes during 2005; however, inter-tribal abductions of a

different nature continue in Southern Sudan and warrant further

investigation

tier rating: Tier 3 - Sudan does not fully comply with the minimum

standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making

significant efforts to do so

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Suriname

Introduction Suriname

Background:

First explored by the Spaniards in the 16th century and then

settled by the English in the mid-17th century, Suriname became a

Dutch colony in 1667. With the abolition of slavery in 1863, workers

were brought in from India and Java. Independence from the

Netherlands was granted in 1975. Five years later the civilian

government was replaced by a military regime that soon declared a

socialist republic. It continued to exert control through a

succession of nominally civilian administrations until 1987, when

international pressure finally forced a democratic election. In

1990, the military overthrew the civilian leadership, but a

democratically elected government - a four-party New Front coalition

- returned to power in 1991 and has ruled since, expanding to eight

parties in 2005.

Geography Suriname

Location:

Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between

French Guiana and Guyana

Geographic coordinates:

4 00 N, 56 00 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 163,270 sq km

land: 161,470 sq km

water: 1,800 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Georgia

Land boundaries: total: 1,703 km border countries: Brazil 593 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km

Coastline: 386 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; moderated by trade winds

Terrain:

mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m

highest point: Juliana Top 1,230 m

Natural resources:

timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold, and small

amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore

Land use: arable land: 0.36% permanent crops: 0.06% other: 99.58% (2005)

Irrigated land:

510 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues: deforestation as timber is cut for export; pollution of inland waterways by small-scale mining activities

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,

Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

smallest independent country on South American continent; mostly

tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora and fauna that, for

the most part, is increasingly threatened by new development;

relatively small population, mostly along the coast

People Suriname

Population:

439,117 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 29% (male 65,412/female 62,069)

15-64 years: 64.7% (male 145,913/female 138,076)

65 years and over: 6.3% (male 12,223/female 15,424) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 26.5 years

male: 26 years

female: 26.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.2% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

18.02 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

7.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-8.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 23.02 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 26.89 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 18.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 69.01 years

male: 66.66 years

female: 71.47 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.32 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

5,200 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Surinamer(s)

adjective: Surinamese

Ethnic groups:

Hindustani (also known locally as "East Indians"; their ancestors

emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th

century) 37%, Creole (mixed white and black) 31%, Javanese 15%,

"Maroons" (their African ancestors were brought to the country in

the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior)

10%, Amerindian 2%, Chinese 2%, white 1%, other 2%

Religions:

Hindu 27.4%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian), Roman

Catholic 22.8%, Muslim 19.6%, indigenous beliefs 5%

Languages:

Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo

(Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is native language of

Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca

among others), Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 88%

male: 92.3%

female: 84.1% (2000 est.)

Government Suriname

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Suriname

conventional short form: Suriname

local long form: Republiek Suriname

local short form: Suriname

former: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana

Government type:

constitutional democracy

Capital:

name: Paramaribo

geographic coordinates: 5 50 N, 55 10 W

time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt); Brokopondo,

Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo,

Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica

Independence:

25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 25 November (1975)

Constitution:

ratified 30 September 1987

Legal system:

based on Dutch legal system incorporating French penal theory;

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12 August

2000); Vice President Ram SARDJOE (since 3 August 2005); note - the

president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12

August 2000); Vice President Ram SARDJOE (since 3 August 2005); note

- the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president and vice president elected by the National

Assembly or, if no presidential or vice presidential candidate

receives a two-thirds constitutional majority in the National

Assembly after two votes, by a simple majority in the larger United

People's Assembly (893 representatives from the national, local, and

regional councils), for five-year terms (no term limits); election

last held 25 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN reelected president;

percent of vote - Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN 62.9%, Rabin PARMESSAR

35.4%, other 1.7%; note - after two votes in the parliament failed

to secure a two-thirds majority for a candidate, the vote then went

to a special session of the United People's Assembly on 3 August 2005

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51 seats;

members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 25 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - NF 39.73%, NDP 22.2%,

VVV 13.79%, A-Com 7.21%, A-1 5.86%, other 7.42%; seats by party - NF

23, NDP 15, VVV 5, A-Com 5, A-1 3

Judicial branch:

Cantonal Courts and a Court of Justice as an appellate court

(justices are nominated for life)

Political parties and leaders:

Alternative-1 or A-1 (a coalition of Amazone Party of Suriname or

APS [Kenneth VAN GENDEREN], Democrats of the 21st Century or D-21

[Soewarto MOESTADJA], Nieuw Suriname or NS [Radjen Nanan PANDAY],

Political Wing of the FAL or PVF [Jiwan SITAL], Trefpunt 2000 or

T-2000 [Arti JESSURUN]); General Interior Development Party or ABOP

[Ronnie BRUNSWIJK]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Desire

BOUTERSE]; New Front for Democracy and Development or NF (a

coalition which includes A-Combination or A-Com [leader NA],

Democratic Alternative 1991 or DA-91 which split from the A-1 before

the elections of May 2005 and are an independent, business-oriented

party [Winston JESSURUN], National Party Suriname or NPS [Ronald

VENETIAAN], United Reform Party or VHP [Ram SARDJOE], Pertjaja Luhur

or PL [Salam Paul SOMOHARDJO], Surinamese Labor Party or SPA

[Siegfried GILDS]); Party for Democracy and Development in Unity or

DOE [Marten SCHALKWIJK]; People's Alliance for Progress or VVV (a

coalition of Democratic National Platform 2000 or DNP-2000 [Jules

WIJDENBOSCH], Grassroots Party for Renewal and Democracy or BVD

[Tjan GOBARDHAN], Party for National Unity and Solidarity of the

Highest Order or KTPI [Willy SOEMITA], Party for Progression,

Justice, and Perseverance or PPRS [Renee KAIMAN], Pendawalima or PL

[Raymond SAPOEN]); Progressive Laborers and Farmers Union or PALU

[Jim HOK]; Progressive Political Party or PPP [Surinder MUNGRA];

Seeka [Paul ABENA]; Union of Progressive Surinamers or UPS [Sheoradj

PANDAY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Association of Indigenous Village Chiefs [Ricardo PANE];

Association of Saramaccan Authorities or Maroon [Head Captain WASE];

Women's Parliament Forum or PVF [Iris GILLIAD]

International organization participation:

ACP, Caricom, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFAD,

IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU,

ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Henry Lothar ILLES chancery: Suite 460, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-7488 FAX: [1] (202) 244-5878 consulate(s) general: Miami

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lisa Bobbie SCHREIBER HUGHES embassy: Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo mailing address: US Department of State, 3390 Paramaribo Place, Washington, DC, 20521-3390 telephone: [597] 472-900 FAX: [597] 425-690

Flag description:

five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white, red

(quadruple width), white, and green (double width); there is a

large, yellow, five-pointed star centered in the red band

Economy Suriname

Economy - overview:

The economy is dominated by the mining industry, which accounts for

more than a third of GDP and subjects government revenues to mineral

price volatility. The short-term economic outlook depends on the

government's ability to control inflation and on the development of

projects in the bauxite and gold mining sectors. Suriname's economic

prospects for the medium term will depend on continued commitment to

responsible monetary and fiscal policies and to the introduction of

structural reforms to liberalize markets and promote competition.

The government of Ronald VENETIAAN, in his first term, implemented

an austerity program, raised taxes, and attempted to control

spending. Economic policies are likely to remain the same during

VENETIAAN's second term. Prospects for local onshore oil production

are good, as a drilling program is underway. Offshore oil drilling

was given a boost in 2004 when the State Oil Company (Staatsolie)

signed exploration agreements with Repsol, Mearsk, and Occidental.

Bidding on these new offshore blocks was completed in July 2006.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$3.098 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.398 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$7,100 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13% industry: 22% services: 65% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 156,700 (2004)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 8% industry: 14% services: 78%

Unemployment rate:

9.5% (2004)

Population below poverty line:

70% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

9.5% (2005 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $392.6 million

expenditures: $425.9 million (2004)

Agriculture - products:

paddy rice, bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains, peanuts;

beef, chickens; shrimp; forest products

Industries:

bauxite and gold mining, alumina production; oil, lumbering, food

processing, fishing

Industrial production growth rate:

6.5% (1994 est.)

Electricity - production:

1.509 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 25.2% hydro: 74.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

1.403 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

9,462 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

11,200 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

1,370 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:

1,644 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves:

150 million bbl (2005)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Exports:

$881 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

alumina, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas

Exports - partners:

Norway 23.6%, US 16.5%, Canada 16.1%, Belgium 9.7%, France 7.9%,

UAE 7.3% (2005)

Imports:

$750 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods

Imports - partners:

US 29.3%, Netherlands 17.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 12.7%, China 6.5%,

Japan 5.2%, Brazil 4.3% (2005)

Debt - external:

$504.3 million (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$46 million Netherlands provided $37 million for project and

program assistance, European Development Fund $4 million, Belgium $2

million (2003)

Currency (code):

Surinam dollar (SRD)

Currency code:

SRG

Exchange rates:

Surinamese dollars per US dollar - 2.7317 (2005), Surinamese

guilders per US dollar - 2.7336 (2004), 2.6013 (2003), 2.3468

(2002), note, during 1998, the exchange rate splintered into four

distinct rates; in January 1999 the government floated the guilder,

but subsequently fixed it when the black-market rate plunged; in

January 2004, the government introduced the Surinamese dollar as

replacement for the guilder, tied to a US dollar-dominated currency

basket

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Suriname

Telephones - main lines in use:

81,100 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

232,800 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: international facilities are good

domestic: microwave radio relay network

international: country code - 597; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 4, FM 13, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:

300,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (plus seven repeaters) (2000)

Televisions:

63,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.sr

Internet hosts:

126 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2000)

Internet users:

30,000 (2005)

Transportation Suriname

Airports: 47 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 42 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 36 (2006)

Pipelines: oil 51 km (2006)

Roadways: total: 4,304 km paved: 1,130 km unpaved: 3,174 km (2003)

Waterways:

1,200 km (most navigable by ships with drafts up to 7 m) (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,078 GRT/1,214 DWT

by type: cargo 1 (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Paramaribo

Military Suriname

Military branches:

National Army, Naval Element, Air Wing (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.); no conscription

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 111,582

females age 18-49: 103,769 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 77,793

females age 18-49: 72,943 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$7.5 million (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0.7% (2003 est.)

Transnational Issues Suriname

Disputes - international:

area claimed by French Guiana between Riviere Litani and Riviere

Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa); Suriname claims a triangle

of land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic

dispute over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks United

Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) arbitration to

resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over the axis of the

territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich waters

Illicit drugs:

growing transshipment point for South American drugs destined for

Europe via the Netherlands and Brazil; transshipment point for

arms-for-drugs dealing

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Svalbard

Introduction Svalbard

Background:

First discovered by the Norwegians in the 12th century, the islands

served as an international whaling base during the 17th and 18th

centuries. Norway's sovereignty was recognized in 1920; five years

later it officially took over the territory.

Geography Svalbard

Location:

Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea,

Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway

Geographic coordinates:

78 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:

Arctic Region

Area:

total: 61,020 sq km

land: 61,020 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island)

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

3,587 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 4 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm unilaterally claimed by Norway but

not recognized by Russia

Climate:

arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool summers, cold

winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and north coasts of

Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most of the year

Terrain:

wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west coast

clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and north

coasts

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 m

Natural resources:

coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, wildlife, fish

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (no trees, and the only bushes are crowberry and

cloudberry) (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a transit point for

coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts of the

northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main

islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area; site

of future seed repository under construction by the Global Crop

Diversity Trust and the Norwegian Government

People Svalbard

Population: 2,701 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.02% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

NA births/1,000 population

Death rate:

NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate:

NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Sex ratio:

NA

Infant mortality rate:

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Total fertility rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0% (2001)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

0 (2001)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

0 (2001)

Ethnic groups:

Norwegian 55.4%, Russian and Ukrainian 44.3%, other 0.3% (1998)

Languages:

Norwegian, Russian

Literacy:

NA

Government Svalbard

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Svalbard (sometimes referred to as

Spitzbergen)

Dependency status:

territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the

Ministry of Justice, through a governor (sysselmann) residing in

Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920) sovereignty

was awarded to Norway

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Longyearbyen

geographic coordinates: 78 13 N, 15 33 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Independence:

none (territory of Norway)

Legal system:

NA

Executive branch:

chief of state: King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January 1991)

head of government: Governor Per SEFLAND (since 1 October 2005) and

Assistant Governor Rune Baard HANSEN (since 2003)

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor and assistant

governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of

Justice

International organization participation:

none

Flag description:

the flag of Norway is used

Economy Svalbard

Economy - overview:

Coal mining is the major economic activity on Svalbard. The treaty

of 9 February 1920 gives the 41 signatories equal rights to exploit

mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although US, UK,

Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past, the only

companies still mining are Norwegian and Russian. The settlements on

Svalbard are essentially company towns. The Norwegian state-owned

coal company employs nearly 60% of the Norwegian population on the

island, runs many of the local services, and provides most of the

local infrastructure. There is also some hunting of seal, reindeer,

and fox.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$NA

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

Labor force:

NA

Budget:

revenues: $25.07 million

expenditures: $NA

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 57.9984% hydro: 42.0016% nuclear: 0% other: 0%

Exports:

$NA

Imports:

$NA

Economic aid - recipient:

$8.2 million from Norway (1998)

Currency (code):

Norwegian krone (NOK)

Currency code:

NOK

Exchange rates:

Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 6.4133 (2006), 6.4425 (2005),

6.7408 (2004), 7.0802 (2003), 7.9838 (2002)

Communications Svalbard

Telephones - main lines in use:

NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:

NA

Telephone system:

general assessment: probably adequate

domestic: local telephone service

international: country code - 47-790; satellite earth station - 1 of

unknown type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 1 (plus 2 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

NA

Television broadcast stations:

NA

Televisions:

NA

Internet country code:

.sj

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

13 (Svalbard and Jan Mayen) (2000)

Internet users:

NA

Transportation Svalbard

Airports:

4 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 2

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden

Military Svalbard

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$5.501 billion

Military - note:

demilitarized by treaty on 9 February 1920

Transnational Issues Svalbard

Disputes - international: despite recent discussions, Russia and Norway dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Swaziland

Introduction Swaziland

Background:

Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the

British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in 1968.

Student and labor unrest during the 1990s pressured King Mswati III,

the world's last absolute monarch, to grudgingly allow political

reform and greater democracy, although he has backslid on these

promises in recent years. Swaziland recently surpassed Botswana as

the country with the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS

infection.

Geography Swaziland

Location:

Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

Geographic coordinates:

26 30 S, 31 30 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 17,363 sq km

land: 17,203 sq km

water: 160 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries: total: 535 km border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

varies from tropical to near temperate

Terrain:

mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m

highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m

Natural resources:

asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold

and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc

Land use: arable land: 10.25% permanent crops: 0.81% other: 88.94% (2005)

Irrigated land:

500 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

drought

Environment - current issues:

limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being

depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil

degradation; soil erosion

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

People Swaziland

Population:

1,136,334

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 40.7% (male 233,169/female 229,103)

15-64 years: 55.8% (male 303,260/female 330,460)

65 years and over: 3.6% (male 16,071/female 24,271) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.5 years

male: 17.8 years

female: 19.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.23% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

27.41 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

29.74 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 71.85 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 75.25 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 68.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 32.62 years

male: 32.1 years

female: 33.17 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.53 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

38.8% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

220,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

17,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Swazi(s)

adjective: Swazi

Ethnic groups:

African 97%, European 3%

Religions:

Zionist 40% (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral

worship), Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, Anglican, Bahai,

Methodist, Mormon, Jewish and other 30%

Languages:

English (official, government business conducted in English),

siSwati (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 81.6%

male: 82.6%

female: 80.8% (2003 est.)

Government Swaziland

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland

conventional short form: Swaziland

local long form: Umbuso weSwatini

local short form: eSwatini

Government type:

monarchy

Capital:

name: Mbabane

geographic coordinates: 26 18 S, 31 06 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

note: Lobamba (royal and legislative capital)

Administrative divisions:

4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

Independence:

6 September 1968 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 6 September (1968)

Constitution:

the first constitution was signed into law in July 2005 and is

scheduled to be implemented in January 2006

Legal system:

based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts and

Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; accepts

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age

Executive branch:

chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)

head of government: Prime Minister Absolom Themba DLAMINI (since 14

November 2003)

cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by

the monarch

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed

by the monarch

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament or Libandla, an advisory body, consists of the

Senate (30 seats - 10 appointed by the House of Assembly and 20

appointed by the monarch; members serve five-year terms) and the

House of Assembly (65 seats - 10 appointed by the monarch and 55

elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)

elections: House of Assembly - last held 18 October 2003 (next to be

held October 2008)

election results: House of Assembly - balloting is done on a

nonparty basis; candidates for election are nominated by the local

council of each constituency and for each constituency the three

candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting are

narrowed to a single winner by a second round

Judicial branch:

High Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed

by the monarch

Political parties and leaders:

The status of political parties, previously banned, is unclear

under the new (2006)Constitution and currently being debated - the

following are considered political associations; Imbokodvo National

Movement or INM; Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC [Obed

DLAMINI, president]; People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO

[Mario MASUKU, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,

IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC,

MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO,

UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Ephraim Mandla HLOPHE

chancery: 1712 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 234-5002

FAX: [1] (202) 234-8254

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lewis LUCKE embassy: Central Bank Building, Mahlokahla Street, Mbabane mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane telephone: [268] 404-6441 through 404-6445 FAX: [268] 404-5959

Flag description:

three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue;

the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band is a large

black and white shield covering two spears and a staff decorated

with feather tassels, all placed horizontally

Economy Swaziland

Economy - overview:

In this small, landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies

more than 80% of the population. The manufacturing sector has

diversified since the mid-1980s. Sugar and wood pulp remain

important foreign exchange earners. Mining has declined in

importance in recent years with only coal and quarry stone mines

remaining active. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short

border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South

Africa from which it receives more than nine-tenths of its imports

and to which it sends 60% of its exports. Customs duties from the

Southern African Customs Union and worker remittances from South

Africa substantially supplement domestically earned income. The

government is trying to improve the atmosphere for foreign

investment. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and sometimes

floods persist as problems for the future. More than one-fourth of

the population needed emergency food aid in 2004-05 because of

drought, and nearly two-fifths of the adult population has been

infected by HIV/AIDS.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$5.91 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.212 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$5,200 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.8% industry: 51.4% services: 36.8% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 155,700 (2003)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

40% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:

69% (2005)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1%

highest 10%: 50.2% (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5.1% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

15.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $921.8 million

expenditures: $1.019 billion; including capital expenditures of $147

million (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples,

sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep

Industries:

mining (coal, raw asbestos), wood pulp, sugar, soft drink

concentrates, textile and apparel

Industrial production growth rate:

3.7% (FY95/96)

Electricity - production:

458 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 58% hydro: 42% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

1.123 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

697 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

3,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2004)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-23.13 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$2.201 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn,

refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit

Exports - partners:

South Africa 59.7%, EU 8.8%, US 8.8%, Mozambique 6.2% (2004)

Imports:

$2.274 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs,

petroleum products, chemicals

Imports - partners:

South Africa 95.6%, EU 0.9%, Japan 0.9%, Singapore 0.3% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$228.5 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$357 million (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$104 million (2001)

Currency (code):

lilangeni (SZL)

Currency code:

SZL

Exchange rates:

emalangeni per US dollar - 6.6 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597

(2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications Swaziland

Telephones - main lines in use:

35,000 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

200,000 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: a somewhat modern but not an advanced system

domestic: system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and

low-capacity, microwave radio relay

international: country code - 268; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 3, FM 2 plus 4 repeaters, shortwave 3 (2004)

Radios:

170,000 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:

12 (includes 7 relay stations) (2004)

Televisions:

23,000 (2000)

Internet country code:

.sz

Internet hosts:

2,472 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

5 (2002)

Internet users:

36,000 (2005)

Transportation Swaziland

Airports: 18 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 10 (2006)

Railways: total: 301 km narrow gauge: 301 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 3,594 km paved: 1,078 km unpaved: 2,516 km (2002)

Military Swaziland

Military branches:

Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (USDF): Ground Force (includes air

wing), Royal Swaziland Police Force (RSPF) (2005)

Military service age and obligation:

18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; both sexes are

eligible for military service (2005)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 227,617 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 89,609 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$41.6 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.4% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Swaziland

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Sweden

Introduction Sweden

Background:

A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not

participated in any war in almost two centuries. An armed neutrality

was preserved in both World Wars. Sweden's long-successful economic

formula of a capitalist system interlarded with substantial welfare

elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment and in

2000-02 by the global economic downturn, but fiscal discipline over

the past several years has allowed the country to weather economic

vagaries. Sweden joined the EU in 1995, but the public rejected the

introduction of the euro in a 2003 referendum.

Geography Sweden

Location:

Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia,

Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway

Geographic coordinates:

62 00 N, 15 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 449,964 sq km

land: 410,934 sq km

water: 39,030 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than California

Land boundaries: total: 2,233 km border countries: Finland 614 km, Norway 1,619 km

Coastline:

3,218 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm (adjustments made to return a portion of

straits to high seas)

exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly

cloudy summers; subarctic in north

Terrain:

mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near Kristianstad

-2.41 m

highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m

Natural resources:

iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten, uranium,

arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 5.93% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 94.06% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,150 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of

Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic

Environment - current issues:

acid rain damage to soils and lakes; pollution of the North Sea and

the Baltic Sea

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,

Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,

Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,

Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,

Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical

Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North

Seas

People Sweden

Population:

9,016,596 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 16.7% (male 775,433/female 732,773)

15-64 years: 65.7% (male 3,001,928/female 2,918,242)

65 years and over: 17.6% (male 689,756/female 898,464) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 40.9 years

male: 39.8 years

female: 42 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.16% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

10.27 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

10.31 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

1.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 2.76 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 2.92 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 80.51 years

male: 78.29 years

female: 82.87 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.66 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

3,600 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Swede(s)

adjective: Swedish

Ethnic groups:

indigenous population: Swedes with Finnish and Sami minorities;

foreign-born or first-generation immigrants: Finns, Yugoslavs,

Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks

Religions:

Lutheran 87%, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish,

Buddhist

Languages:

Swedish, small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government Sweden

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden

conventional short form: Sweden

local long form: Konungariket Sverige

local short form: Sverige

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Stockholm

geographic coordinates: 59 20 N, 18 03 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

21 counties (lan, singular and plural); Blekinge, Dalarnas,

Gavleborgs, Gotlands, Hallands, Jamtlands, Jonkopings, Kalmar,

Kronobergs, Norrbottens, Orebro, Ostergotlands, Skane,

Sodermanlands, Stockholms, Uppsala, Varmlands, Vasterbottens,

Vasternorrlands, Vastmanlands, Vastra Gotalands

Independence:

6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king)

National holiday:

National Day, 6 June

Constitution:

1 January 1975

Legal system:

civil law system influenced by customary law; accepts compulsory

ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 19 September 1973);

Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree, daughter of

the monarch (born 14 July 1977)

head of government: Prime Minister Fredrik REINFELDT (since 5

October 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister

elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative

elections, the prime minister is elected by the parliament; election

last held 17 September 2006 (next to be held in September 2010)

election results: Fredrik REINFELDT elected prime minister with 175

out of 349 votes

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; members are elected by

popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve

four-year terms)

elections: last held 17 September 2006 (next to be held September

2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democrats 37.2%,

Moderates 27.8%, Center Party 8.3%, People's Party 8.0%, Christian

Democrats 6.9%, Left Party 6.3%, Greens 5.4%; seats by party -

Social Democrats 130, Moderates 97, Center Party 29, People's Party

28, Christian Democrats 24, Left Party 22, Greens 19

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Hogsta Domstolen (judges are appointed by the

prime minister and the cabinet)

Political parties and leaders:

Center Party [Maud OLOFSSON]; Christian Democratic Party [Goran

HAGGLUND]; Environment Party the Greens [no formal leader but party

spokespersons are Maria WETTERSTRAND and Peter ERIKSSON]; Left Party

or V (formerly Communist) [Lars OHLY]; Moderate Party (conservative)

[Fredrik REINFELDT]; People's Party [Lars LEIJONBORG]; Social

Democratic Party [Goran PERSSON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

AfDB, Arctic Council, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN,

EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 6, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,

IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM

(guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris

Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL,

UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer),

WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Gunnar LUND chancery: 902 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 467-2600 FAX: [1] (202) 467-2699 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael M. WOOD embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Vag 31, SE-11589 Stockholm mailing address: American Embassy Stockholm, US Department of State, 5750 Stockholm Place, Washington, DC 20521-5750 (pouch) telephone: [46] (08) 783 53 00 FAX: [46] (08) 661 19 64

Flag description:

blue with a golden yellow cross extending to the edges of the flag;

the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the

style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy Sweden

Economy - overview:

Aided by peace and neutrality for the whole of the 20th century,

Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of living under a mixed

system of high-tech capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. It

has a modern distribution system, excellent internal and external

communications, and a skilled labor force. Timber, hydropower, and

iron ore constitute the resource base of an economy heavily oriented

toward foreign trade. Privately owned firms account for about 90% of

industrial output, of which the engineering sector accounts for 50%

of output and exports. Agriculture accounts for only 1% of GDP and

2% of employment. The government's commitment to fiscal discipline

resulted in a substantial budgetary surplus in 2001, which was cut

by more than half in 2002, due to the global economic slowdown,

declining revenue, and increased spending. The Swedish central bank

(the Riksbank) focuses on price stability with its inflation target

of 2%. Growth remained sluggish in 2003, but picked up during

2004-06. Presumably because of generous sick-leave benefits, Swedish

workers report in sick more often than other Europeans. In September

2003, Swedish voters turned down entry into the euro system,

concerned about the impact on the economy and sovereignty.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$285.1 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$371.5 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$31,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.1% industry: 28.1% services: 70.9% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 4.59 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 2% industry: 24% services: 74% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

5.6% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 20.1% (1992)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

25 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.4% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

17.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $222 billion

expenditures: $210.5 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

46.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

barley, wheat, sugar beets; meat, milk

Industries:

iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone

parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods,

motor vehicles

Industrial production growth rate:

4.3% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

150.5 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 4% hydro: 50.8% nuclear: 43% other: 2.3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

137.8 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

17.8 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

15.6 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

3,208 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

362,400 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

203,700 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

553,100 bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

979 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

979 million cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$28.61 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$173.9 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron

and steel products, chemicals

Exports - partners:

US 10.6%, Germany 10.2%, Norway 8.7%, UK 7.3%, Denmark 6.5%,

Finland 5.7%, France 4.9%, Netherlands 4.5%, Belgium 4.3% (2005)

Imports:

$151.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor

vehicles, iron and steel; foodstuffs, clothing

Imports - partners:

Germany 17.6%, Denmark 8.9%, Norway 7.8%, UK 6.6%, Netherlands

6.2%, Finland 5.8%, France 5% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$22.26 billion (August 2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$598.2 billion (30 June 2006)

Economic aid - donor:

ODA, $1.7 billion (1997)

Currency (code):

Swedish krona (SEK)

Currency code:

SEK

Exchange rates:

Swedish kronor per US dollar - 7.43321 (2006), 7.4731 (2005),

7.3489 (2004), 8.0863 (2003), 9.7371 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Sweden

Telephones - main lines in use:

6.447 million (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

8.436 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: excellent domestic and international

facilities; automatic system

domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most of the voice

traffic; parallel microwave radio relay systems carry some

additional telephone channels

international: country code - 46; 5 submarine coaxial cables;

satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat,

and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Sweden

shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries

(Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 265, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:

8.25 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

169 (plus 1,299 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:

4.6 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.se

Internet hosts:

2,958,435 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

29 (2000)

Internet users:

6.8 million (2005)

Transportation Sweden

Airports: 255 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 155 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 80 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 36 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 100 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 91 (2006)

Heliports:

2 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 798 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 11,481 km

standard gauge: 11,481 km 1.435-m gauge (9,400 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:

total: 424,947 km

paved: 129,651 km (including 1,591 km of expressways)

unpaved: 295,296 km (2004)

Waterways:

2,052 km (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 198 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,703,834 GRT/2,382,754 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 28, chemical tanker 47, container 5,

passenger 3, passenger/cargo 36, petroleum tanker 15, roll on/roll

off 31, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 21

foreign-owned: 37 (Belgium 2, Denmark 4, Finland 11, Germany 3,

Italy 7, Japan 2, Norway 7, US 1)

registered in other countries: 161 (Bahamas 6, Bermuda 14, Cayman

Islands 9, Cook Islands 3, Cyprus 3, Denmark 1, France 2, French

Southern and Antarctic Lands 9, Gibraltar 5, Isle of Man 1, Liberia

8, Malta 3, Netherlands 26, Netherlands Antilles 5, Norway 28,

Panama 5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Singapore 12, UK 15,

US 5) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Goteborg, Helsingborg, Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo, Oxelosund,

Stenungsund, Stockholm, Trelleborg

Military Sweden

Military branches:

Swedish Armed Forces (Forsvarsmakten): Army (Armen), Royal Swedish

Navy (Marinen), Swedish Air Force (Svenska Flygvapnet) (2006)

Military service age and obligation: 19 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 7-17 months depending on conscript role; after completing initial service, soldiers have a reserve commitment until age of 47 (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 19-49: 1,838,427

females age 19-49: 1,774,659 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 19-49: 1,493,668

females age 19-49: 1,441,257 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 58,724

females age 19-49: 55,954 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$5.51 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.5% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Sweden

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Switzerland

Introduction Switzerland

Background:

The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance

among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined

the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence

from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. Switzerland's sovereignty and

neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and

the country was not involved in either of the two World Wars. The

political and economic integration of Europe over the past half

century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international

organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its

neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN

member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and

international organizations, but retains a strong commitment to

neutrality.

Geography Switzerland

Location:

Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy

Geographic coordinates:

47 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 41,290 sq km

land: 39,770 sq km

water: 1,520 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries:

total: 1,852 km

border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km,

Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy

winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers

Terrain:

mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central

plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m

highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m

Natural resources:

hydropower potential, timber, salt

Land use: arable land: 9.91% permanent crops: 0.58% other: 89.51% (2005)

Irrigated land:

250 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

avalanches, landslides, flash floods

Environment - current issues:

air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid

rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural

fertilizers; loss of biodiversity

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,

Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,

Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life

Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical

Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with

southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria, has

the highest elevations in the Alps

People Switzerland

Population:

7,523,934 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 16.3% (male 637,585/female 591,297)

15-64 years: 68.1% (male 2,585,062/female 2,539,345)

65 years and over: 15.6% (male 480,198/female 690,447) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 40.1 years

male: 39 years

female: 41.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.43% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

9.71 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

8.49 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

3.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.34 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4.84 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 80.51 years

male: 77.69 years

female: 83.48 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.43 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

13,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Swiss (singular and plural)

adjective: Swiss

Ethnic groups:

German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 41.8%, Protestant 35.3%, Orthodox 1.8%, other

Christian 0.4%, Muslim 4.3%, other 1%, unspecified 4.3%, none 11.1%

(2000 census)

Languages:

German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 20.4%, Italian

(official) 6.5%, Serbo-Croatian 1.5%, Albanian 1.3%, Portuguese

1.2%, Spanish 1.1%, English 1%, Romansch 0.5%, other 2.8% (2000

census)

note: German, French, Italian, and Romansch are all national

languages, but only the first three are official languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government Switzerland

Country name:

conventional long form: Swiss Confederation

conventional short form: Switzerland

local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German);

Confederation Suisse (French); Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)

local short form: Schweiz (German); Suisse (French); Svizzera

(Italian)

Government type:

formally a confederation, but similar in structure to a federal

republic

Capital:

name: Bern

geographic coordinates: 46 57 N, 7 26 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular

- cantone in Italian; kantone, singular - kanton in German); Aargau,

Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft,

Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Jura,

Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen,

Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich

Independence:

1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation)

National holiday:

Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)

Constitution:

revision of Constitution of 1874 approved by the Federal Parliament

18 December 1998, adopted by referendum 18 April 1999, officially

entered into force 1 January 2000

Legal system:

civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial review of

legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees of general

obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with

reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Micheline CALMY-REY (since 1 January

2007); Vice President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January 2007); note

- the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Micheline CALMY-REY (since 1 January

2007); Vice President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January 2007)

cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal

(in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal

Assembly usually from among its own members for a four-year term

elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal

Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for a

one-year term (they may not serve consecutive terms); election last

held 13 December 2006 (next to be held December 2007)

election results: Micheline CALMY-REY elected president; percent of

Federal Assembly vote - 76.5%; Pascal COUCHEPIN elected vice

president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 86.5%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German),

Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian)

consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German), Conseil

des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats

- consists of two representatives from each canton and one from each

half canton; members serve four-year terms) and the National Council

or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio

Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats - members are elected by popular

vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year

terms)

elections: Council of States - last held in most cantons 19 October

2003 (each canton determines when the next election will be held);

National Council - last held 19 October 2003 (next to be held

October 2007)

election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party -

NA%; seats by party - CVP 15, FDP 14, SVP 8, SPS 6, other 3;

National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 26.6%, SPS 23.3%,

FDP 17.3%, CVP 14.4%, Greens 7.4%, other small parties all under 5%;

seats by party - SVP 55, SPS 54, FDP 36, CVP 28, Green Party 13,

other small parties 14

Judicial branch:

Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the

Federal Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:

Green Party (Gruene Partei der Schweiz or Grune, Parti Ecologiste

Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida

Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ruth GENNER]; Christian Democratic

People's Party (Christichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or

CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito

Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida

Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Christophe DARBELLAY,

president]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische

Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD,

Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Fulvio PELLI,

president]; Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der

Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialist Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista

Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS)

[Hans-Juerg FEHR, president]; Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische

Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione

Democratica de Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC)

[Ueli MAURER, president]; and other minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA,

ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA,

IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU,

ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS

(observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO,

UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Urs ZISWILER

chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900

FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New

York, San Francisco

consulate(s): Boston

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Peter R. CONEWAY embassy: Jubilaumsstrasse 93, CH-3005 Bern mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [41] (031) 357 70 11 FAX: [41] (031) 357 73 44

Flag description:

red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that

does not extend to the edges of the flag

Economy Switzerland

Economy - overview:

Switzerland is a peaceful, prosperous, and stable modern market

economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a

per capita GDP larger than that of the big Western European

economies. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic

practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their

international competitiveness. Switzerland remains a safehaven for

investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and

has kept up the franc's long-term external value. Reflecting the

anemic economic conditions of Europe, GDP growth stagnated during

the 2001-03 period, improved during 2004-05 to 1.8% annually and to

2.9% in 2006. Even so, unemployment has remained at less than half

the EU average.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$252.9 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$386.8 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$33,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.5% industry: 34% services: 64.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 3.81 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 4.6% industry: 26.3% services: 69.1% (1998)

Unemployment rate:

3.3% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 25.2% (1992)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

33.1 (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.2% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

21.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $141 billion

expenditures: $139.1 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

51% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs

Industries:

machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments

Industrial production growth rate:

6.5% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

61.97 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.3% hydro: 59.5% nuclear: 37.1% other: 2% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

56.93 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

27.8 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

27.1 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

2,241 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

268,100 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

10,420 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

289,500 bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

3.311 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

3.311 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$50.44 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$166.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products

Exports - partners:

Germany 19.4%, US 10.9%, Italy 9.1%, France 8.7%, UK 5.4%, Spain

4.1% (2005)

Imports:

$162.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products,

textiles

Imports - partners:

Germany 31.6%, Italy 10.5%, France 10%, US 5.6%, Netherlands 4.8%,

Austria 4.6%, UK 4.4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$38.29 billion (August 2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.077 trillion (30 June 2006)

Economic aid - donor:

ODA, $1.1 billion (1995)

Currency (code):

Swiss franc (CHF)

Currency code:

CHF

Exchange rates:

Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.2508 (2006), 1.2452 (2005), 1.2435

(2004), 1.3467 (2003), 1.5586 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Switzerland

Telephones - main lines in use:

5.123 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

6.847 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: excellent domestic and international services

domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks

international: country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low power stations), shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:

7.1 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:

3.31 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.ch

Internet hosts:

2,442,659 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

44 (Switzerland and Liechtenstein) (2000)

Internet users:

5,097,822 (2005)

Transportation Switzerland

Airports: 65 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 42 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 16 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 23 under 914 m: 23 (2006)

Heliports:

2 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 1,831 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 4,583 km

standard gauge: 3,234 km 1.435-m gauge (3,223 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 1,339 km 1.000-m gauge (1,338 km electrified); 10 km

0.800-m gauge (10 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:

total: 71,297 km

paved: 71,297 km (including 1,728 of expressways) (2004)

Waterways:

65 km (Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and

Schaffhausen-Bodensee) (2003)

Merchant marine:

total: 27 ships (1000 GRT or over) 492,434 GRT/810,559 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 10, chemical tanker 3, container 4,

specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 2 (Monaco 2)

registered in other countries: 320 (Antigua and Barbuda 4, Bahamas

2, Belize 1, Bermuda 2, Cyprus 4, France 2, French Southern and

Antarctic Lands 1, Germany 1, Indonesia 3, Liberia 7, Malta 21,

Marshall Islands 13, Mauritius 2, Morocco 1, Panama 226, Portugal 3,

Russia 7, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 13, Tonga 1, Turkey 1, UK

3, Vanuatu 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Basel

Military Switzerland

Military branches:

Swiss Armed Forces: Land Forces, Swiss Air Force (Schweizer

Luftwaffe); Switzerland has no navy, but maintains a fleet of

military patrol boats to patrol Swiss borders (2006)

Military service age and obligation: the Swiss Constitution states that "every Swiss male is obliged to do military service"; every Swiss male has to serve for at least 260 days in the armed forces; 19 years of age for compulsory military service; 17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscripts receive 15 weeks of compulsory training, followed by 10 intermittent recalls for training over the next 22 years; women are accepted on a voluntary basis but are not drafted (2005)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 19-49: 1,707,694

females age 19-49: 1,662,099 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 19-49: 1,375,889

females age 19-49: 1,342,945 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 46,319

females age 19-49: 43,829 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$2.548 billion (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Switzerland

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

a major international financial center vulnerable to the layering

and integration stages of money laundering; despite significant

legislation and reporting requirements, secrecy rules persist and

nonresidents are permitted to conduct business through offshore

entities and various intermediaries; transit country for and

consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Syria

Introduction Syria

Background:

Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War I,

France administered Syria until its independence in 1946. The

country lacked political stability, however, and experienced a

series of military coups during its first decades. Syria united with

Egypt in February 1958 to form the United Arab Republic, but in

September 1961 the two entities separated and the Syrian Arab

Republic was reestablished. In November 1970, Hafiz al-ASAD, a

member of the Socialist Ba'th Party and the minority Alawite sect,

seized power in a bloodless coup and brought political stability to

the country. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan

Heights to Israel, and during the 1990s Syria and Israel held

occasional peace talks over its return. Following the death of

President al-ASAD, his son, Bashar al-ASAD, was approved as

president by popular referendum in July 2000. Syrian troops -

stationed in Lebanon since 1976 in an ostensible peacekeeping role -

were withdrawn in April 2005. During the July-August 2006 conflict

between Israel and Hizballah, Syria placed its military forces on

alert but did not intervene directly on behalf of its ally Hizballah.

Geography Syria

Location:

Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and

Turkey

Geographic coordinates:

35 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 185,180 sq km

land: 184,050 sq km

water: 1,130 sq km

note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than North Dakota

Land boundaries:

total: 2,253 km

border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon

375 km, Turkey 822 km

Coastline:

193 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

Climate:

mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild,

rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with

snow or sleet periodically in Damascus

Terrain:

primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain;

mountains in west

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m

highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron

ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 24.8% permanent crops: 4.47% other: 70.73% (2005)

Irrigated land:

13,330 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water

pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes; inadequate

potable water

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:

there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the

Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 2005 est.)

People Syria

Population:

18,881,361

note: in addition, about 40,000 people live in the Israeli-occupied

Golan Heights - 20,000 Arabs (18,000 Druze and 2,000 Alawites) and

about 20,000 Israeli settlers (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 37% (male 3,592,915/female 3,384,722)

15-64 years: 59.7% (male 5,779,257/female 5,500,887)

65 years and over: 3.3% (male 296,070/female 327,510) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 20.7 years

male: 20.6 years

female: 20.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.3% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

27.76 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

4.81 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 28.61 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 28.85 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 28.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 70.32 years

male: 69.01 years

female: 71.7 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.4 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

less than 500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Syrian(s)

adjective: Syrian

Ethnic groups:

Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%

Religions:

Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%,

Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus,

Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)

Languages:

Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely

understood; French, English somewhat understood

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 76.9%

male: 89.7%

female: 64% (2003 est.)

Government Syria

Country name:

conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic

conventional short form: Syria

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah

local short form: Suriyah

former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)

Government type:

republic under an authoritarian, military-dominated regime

Capital:

name: Damascus

geographic coordinates: 33 30 N, 36 18 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins 1 April; ends 30 September

Administrative divisions:

14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al

Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az

Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus

Independence:

17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French

administration)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 17 April (1946)

Constitution:

13 March 1973

Legal system:

based on a combination of French and Ottoman civil law; religious

law is used in the family court system; has not accepted compulsory

ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000); Vice

President Farouk al-SHARA (since 11 February 2006) oversees foreign

policy; Vice President Najah al-ATTAR (since 23 March 2006) oversees

cultural policy

head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-UTRI (since 10

September 2003); Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdallah

al-DARDARI (since 14 June 2005)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president approved by popular referendum for a seven-year

term (no term limits); referendum last held 10 July 2000 after the

death of President Hafiz al-ASAD (next to be held July 2007); the

president appoints the vice presidents, prime minister and deputy

prime ministers

election results: Bashar al-ASAD approved as president; percent of

vote - Bashar al-ASAD 97.29%

note: Hafiz al-ASAD died on 10 June 2000; on 20 June, the Ba'th

Party nominated Bashar al-ASAD for president and presented his name

to the People's Council on 25 June; he was approved by a popular

referendum on 10 July

Legislative branch:

unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-Shaab (250 seats; members

elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 2-3 March 2003 (next to be held March 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - NPF 67%, independents

33%; seats by party - NPF 167, independents 83; note - the

constitution reserves half the seats for workers and peasants and

declares the Ba'th Party the leading party of the state and it holds

135 seats

Judicial branch:

Supreme Judicial Council (appoints and dismisses judges; headed by

the President); national level - Supreme Constitutional Court

(adjudicates electoral disputes and rules on constitutionality of

laws and decrees; justices appointed for four-year terms by the

President); Court of Cassation; Appeals Courts (Appeals Courts

represent an intermediate level between the Court of Cassation and

local level courts); local level - Magistrate Courts; Courts of

First Instance; Juvenile Courts; Customs Courts; specialized courts

- Economic Security Courts (hear cases related to economic crimes);

Supreme State Security Court (hear cases related to national

security); Personal Status Courts (religious; hear cases related to

marriage and divorce)

Political parties and leaders:

note - legal parties include: National Progressive Front or NPF

[President Bashar al-ASAD, Dr. Suleiman QADDAH, deputy] (includes

Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party [President Bashar al-ASAD,

secretary; Muhammad BAKHITAN, assistant secretary general]; Arab

Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party [President Bashar al-ASAD,

secretary general; Muhammad BAKHITAN, assistant secretary general];

Socialist Unionist Democratic Party [Fadlallah Nasr Al-DIN]; Syrian

Arab Socialist Union or ASU [Safwan QUDSI]; Syrian Communist Party

(two branches) [Wissal Farha BAKDASH, Yusuf Rashid FAYSAL]; Syrian

Social National Party [Jubran URAYJI]; Unionist Socialist Party

[Fayez ISMAIL]); illegal parties include: Kurdish Azadi Party [Khayr

al-Din MURAD]; Kurdish Democratic Alliance (includes four parties)

[Abd al-Hamid DARWISH, secretary general]; Kurdish Democratic Front

(includes three parties but no designated leader); Kurdish

Democratic Union Party or PYD [Ali MUHAMMAD]; Kurdish Future

Movement; Kurdish Yekiti Party [Hasan SALEH]; National Democratic

Front [Hassan Abd al-AZEM];

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Damascus Declaration [Riyad SEIF, secretary general] (a broad

alliance of opposition groups including: Committee for Revival of

Civil Society [Michel KILO, Riyad SEIF]; Kurdish Democratic

Alliance; Kurdish Democratic Front; National Democratic Front;

Syrian Human Rights Society or HRAS [Fawed FAWUZ]); National

Salvation Front (alliance between former Vice President Abd al-Halim

KHADDAM, the SMB, and other small opposition groups); Syrian Muslim

Brotherhood or SMB [Sadr al-Din al-BAYANUNI]; (operates in exile in

London; endorsed the Damascus Declaration but is not an official

member)

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,

ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,

IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Imad MUSTAFA

chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313

FAX: [1] (202) 234-9548

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Michael

CORBIN

embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansour Street, No. 2, Damascus

mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus

telephone: [963] (11) 333-1342

FAX: [963] (11) 224-7938

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black, colors

associated with the Arab Liberation flag; two small green

five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band;

former flag of the United Arab Republic where the two stars

represented the constituent states of Syria and Egypt; similar to

the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band, Iraq, which has

three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line

centered in the white band, and that of Egypt, which has a gold

Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band; the current design

dates to 1980

Economy Syria

Economy - overview:

The Syrian economy grew by an estimated 2.9% in real terms in 2006,

led by the petroleum and agricultural sectors, which together

account for about one-half of GDP. Higher crude oil prices countered

declining oil production and exports and led to higher budgetary and

export receipts. Total foreign assets of the Central Bank and

domestic banking system rose to about $20 billion in 2006, and the

government strengthened the private sector foreign exchange rate by

about 7 percent from the start of the year. The Government of Syria

has implemented modest economic reforms in the past few years,

including cutting interest rates, opening private banks,

consolidating some of the multiple exchange rates, and raising

prices on some subsidized foodstuffs. Nevertheless, the economy

remains highly controlled by the government. Long-run economic

constraints include declining oil production and exports, weak

investment, and increasing pressure on water supplies caused by

heavy use in agriculture, rapid population growth, industrial

expansion, and water pollution.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$75.1 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$27.23 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25.5% industry: 22.1% services: 52.4% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 5.505 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 26% industry: 14% services: 60% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:

8% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:

11% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

7% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

22.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $8.471 billion

expenditures: $9.42 billion; including capital expenditures of $3.82

billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:

38% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets;

beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk

Industries:

petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate

rock mining

Industrial production growth rate:

1.5% (2005)

Electricity - production:

29.64 billion kWh (2004 est.)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 57.6% hydro: 42.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

27.57 billion kWh (2004 est.)

Electricity - exports:

0.2 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

420,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

265,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

285,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves:

2.5 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

7.1 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

7.1 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

240.7 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-1.065 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:

$6.923 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

crude oil, petroleum products, fruits and vegetables, cotton fiber,

clothing, meat and live animals, wheat

Exports - partners:

Iraq 26.3%, Italy 9.9%, Germany 9.9%, Lebanon 9.1%, Egypt 5.1%,

France 4.9%, Saudi Arabia 4.6% (2005)

Imports:

$6.634 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, electric power machinery, food

and livestock, metal and metal products, chemicals and chemical

products, plastics, yarn, paper

Imports - partners:

Saudi Arabia 11.6%, China 6.1%, Egypt 5.9%, Italy 5.8%, UAE 5.7%,

Ukraine 4.6%, Germany 4.5%, Iran 4.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$5.5 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$8.355 billion; note - excludes military debt and debt to Russia

(2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$180 million (2002 est.)

Currency (code):

Syrian pound (SYP)

Currency code:

SYP

Exchange rates:

Syrian pounds per US dollar - (public sector rate): 50 (2006), 50

(2005), 48.5 (2004), (parallel market rate in 'Amman and Beirut): NA

(2005), NA (2004), 52.8 (2003), 52.4 (2002), 50.4 (2001), (official

rate for repaying loans): 11.25 (2004-06)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Syria

Telephones - main lines in use:

2.903 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

3,128,470 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: fair system currently undergoing significant

improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology

domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network

international: country code - 963; satellite earth stations - 1

Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region);

1 submarine cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq,

Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:

4.15 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:

1.05 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.sy

Internet hosts:

66 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

1.1 million (2005)

Transportation Syria

Airports: 92 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 26 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 66 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 54 (2006)

Heliports:

7 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 2,764 km; oil 2,000 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 2,711 km

standard gauge: 2,460 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 251 km 1.050-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 94,890 km

paved: 19,073 km

unpaved: 75,817 km (2004)

Waterways:

900 km (not economically significant) (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 108 ships (1000 GRT or over) 386,603 GRT/563,506 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 93, container 1, livestock carrier 4,

petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 11 (Lebanon 7, Romania 3, UAE 1)

registered in other countries: 130 (Cambodia 20, Comoros 4, Cyprus

3, Dominica 1, Georgia 43, Hong Kong 1, North Korea 14, Lebanon 1,

Malta 7, Mongolia 1, Panama 18, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint

Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Sierra Leone 1, Slovakia 2, unknown 5)

(2006)

Ports and terminals:

Baniyas, Latakia

Military Syria

Military branches:

Syrian Armed Forces: Syrian Arab Army (includes Syrian Arab Navy),

Syrian Arab Air and Air Defense Force (includes Air Defense Command)

(2005)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service

obligation - 30 months (18 months in the Syrian Arab Navy); women

are not conscripted but may volunteer to serve (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 4,356,413

females age 18-49: 4,123,339 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 3,453,888

females age 18-49: 3,421,558 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 225,113

females age 18-49: 211,829 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$858 million (FY00 est.); note - based on official budget data that

may understate actual spending

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

5.9% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Syria

Disputes - international:

Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied with the almost 1,000-strong UN

Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) patrolling a buffer zone since

1964; lacking a treaty or other documentation describing the

boundary, portions of the Lebanon-Syria boundary are unclear with

several sections in dispute; since 2000, Lebanon has claimed Shaba'a

farms in the Golan Heights; 2004 Agreement and pending demarcation

settles border dispute with Jordan; approximately two million Iraqis

have fled the conflict in Iraq, with the majority taking refuge in

Syria and Jordan

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 600,000 (Iraq), 434,896 (Palestinian

Refugees (UNRWA))

IDPs: 305,000 (most displaced from Golan Heights during 1967

Arab-Israeli War) (2006)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Syria is a destination country for women from

South and Southeast Asia and Africa for domestic servitude and from

Eastern Europe and Iraq for sexual exploitation; women are recruited

for work in Syria as domestic servants, but some face conditions of

exploitation and involuntary servitude including long hours,

non-payment of wages, withholding of passports and other

restrictions on movement, and physical and sexual abuse; Eastern

European women recruited for work in Syria as cabaret dancers are

not permitted to leave their work premises without permission and

have their passports withheld; some displaced Iraqi women and

children are reportedly forced into sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 3 - Syria does not fully comply with the minimum

standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making

significant efforts to do so

Illicit drugs:

a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for regional and

Western markets; weak anti-money-laundering controls and bank

privatization may leave it vulnerable to money-laundering

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Taiwan

Introduction Taiwan

Background:

In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to Japan.

Taiwan reverted to Chinese control after World War II. Following the

Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists

fled to Taiwan and established a government using the 1946

constitution drawn up for all of China. Over the next five decades,

the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the

local population within the governing structure. In 2000, Taiwan

underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist

to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this period, the

island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic "Tigers."

The dominant political issues continue to be the relationship

between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of eventual

unification - as well as domestic political and economic reform.

Geography Taiwan

Location:

Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea, Philippine Sea,

South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the Philippines, off

the southeastern coast of China

Geographic coordinates:

23 30 N, 121 00 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 35,980 sq km

land: 32,260 sq km

water: 3,720 sq km

note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

1,566.3 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to

August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year

Terrain:

eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling

plains in west

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m

Natural resources:

small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos

Land use:

arable land: 24%

permanent crops: 1%

other: 75% (2001)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

earthquakes and typhoons

Environment - current issues:

air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw

sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in

endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal

Environment - international agreements:

party to: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's

international status

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements because of

Taiwan's international status

Geography - note:

strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon

Strait

People Taiwan

Population:

23,036,087 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 19.4% (male 2,330,951/female 2,140,965)

15-64 years: 70.8% (male 8,269,421/female 8,040,169)

65 years and over: 9.8% (male 1,123,429/female 1,131,152) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 34.6 years

male: 34.1 years

female: 35 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.61% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

12.56 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

6.48 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 6.29 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 6.97 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.43 years

male: 74.67 years

female: 80.47 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.57 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Taiwan (singular and plural)

note: example - he or she is from Taiwan; they are from Taiwan

adjective: Taiwan

Ethnic groups:

Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2%

Religions:

mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%,

other 2.5%

Languages:

Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.1%

male: NA%

female: NA% (2003)

Government Taiwan

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Taiwan local long form: none local short form: T'ai-wan former: Formosa

Government type:

multiparty democracy

Capital:

name: Taipei

geographic coordinates: 25 03 N, 121 30 E

time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

includes main island of Taiwan plus smaller islands nearby and and

off coast of China's Fujian Province; Taiwan is divided into 18

counties (hsien, singular and plural), 5 municipalities (shih,

singular and plural), and 2 special municipalities (chuan-shih,

singular and plural)

note: Taiwan uses a variety of romanization systems; while the

Wade-Giles system still dominates, city of Taipei has adopted

standard Pinyin romanization for street and place names within its

boundaries; other local authorities use different romanization

systems; names for administrative divisions that follow are in

Wade-Giles system with Pinyin equivalents in parentheses

counties: Chang-hua (Changhua), Chia-i (Chiayi) [county], Hsin-chu

(Hsinchu), Hua-lien (Hualien), I-lan (Yilan), Kao-hsiung (Kaohsiung)

[county], Kin-men (Kinmen), Lien-chiang (Lienchiang, also Matsu),

Miao-li (Miaoli), Nan-t'ou (Nantou), P'eng-hu (Penghu), P'ing-tung

(Pingtung), T'ai-chung (Taichung), T'ai-nan (Tainan), T'ai-pei

(Taipei) [county], T'ai-tung (Taitung), T'ao-yuan (Taoyuan), and

Yun-lin (Yunlin)

municipalities: Chia-i (Chiayi) [city], Chi-lung (Keelung), Hsin-chu

(Hsinchu), T'ai-chung (Taichung), T'ai-nan (Tainan)

special municipalities: Kao-hsiung (Kaohsiung) [city], T'ai-pei

(Taipei) [city]

National holiday:

Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October

(1911)

Constitution:

25 December 1947; amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2005

note: constitution adopted on 25 December 1946; went into effect on

25 December 1947

Legal system:

based on civil law system

Suffrage:

20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President CHEN Shui-bian (since 20 May 2000) and

Vice President Annette LU (LU Hsiu-lien) (since 20 May 2000)

head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) SU

Tseng-chang (since 25 January 2006) and Vice Premier (Vice President

of the Executive Yuan) TSAI Ing-wen (since 25 January 2006)

cabinet: Executive Yuan - (ministers appointed by president on

recommendation of premier)

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket

by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term);

election last held 20 March 2004 (next to be held in March 2008);

premier appointed by the president; vice premiers appointed by the

president on the recommendation of the premier

election results: CHEN Shui-bian re-elected president; percent of

vote - CHEN Shui-bian (DPP) 50.1%, LIEN Chan (KMT) 49.9%

Legislative branch:

Legislative Yuan (225 seats - 168 elected by popular vote, 41

elected on basis of proportion of islandwide votes received by

participating political parties, eight elected from overseas Chinese

constituencies on basis of proportion of island-wide votes received

by participating political parties, eight elected by popular vote

among aboriginal populations; members serve three-year terms)

note: as a result of constitutional amendments approved by the now

defunct National Assembly in June 2005, number of seats in

legislature will be reduced from 225 to 113 beginning with election

in 2007; amendments also eliminated National Assembly thus giving

Taiwan a unicameral legislature

elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 11 December 2004 (next to be

held in December 2007)

election results: Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - DPP

38%, KMT 35%, PFP 15%, TSU 8%, other parties and independents 4%;

seats by party - DPP 89, KMT 79, PFP 34, TSU 12, other parties 7,

independents 4

Judicial branch:

Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with consent of

the Legislative Yuan)

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [YU Shyi-kun]; Kuomintang or

KMT (Nationalist Party) [MA Ying-jeou]; People First Party or PFP

[CHANG Chao-hsiung (acting)]; Taiwan Solidarity Union or TSU [HUANG

Kun-hui]; other minor parties including the Chinese New Party or NP

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Taiwan independence movement, various business and environmental

groups

note: debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the

mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization

and the increased representation of opposition parties in Taiwan's

legislature have opened public debate on the island's national

identity; a broad popular consensus has developed that the island

currently enjoys sovereign independence and - whatever the ultimate

outcome regarding reunification or independence - that Taiwan's

people must have the deciding voice; public opinion polls

consistently show a substantial majority of Taiwan people supports

maintaining Taiwan's status quo for the foreseeable future;

advocates of Taiwan independence oppose the stand that the island

will eventually unify with mainland China; goals of the Taiwan

independence movement include establishing a sovereign nation on

Taiwan and entering the UN; other organizations supporting Taiwan

independence include the World United Formosans for Independence and

the Organization for Taiwan Nation Building

International organization participation:

APEC, AsDB, ICC, ICRM, IFRCS, IOC, ITUC, WCL, WHO (observer), WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO), which has its headquarters in Taipei and in the US in Washington, DC; there are also branch offices called Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in 12 other US cities

Diplomatic representation from the US: none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people on Taiwan are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality - the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) - which has offices in the US and Taiwan; US office at 1700 N. Moore St., Suite 1700, Arlington, VA 22209-1996, telephone: [1] (703) 525-8474, FAX: [1] (703) 841-1385); Taiwan offices at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (2) 2162-2000, FAX: [886] (2) 2162-2251; #2 Chung Cheng 3rd Road, 5th Floor, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (7) 238-7744, FAX: [886] (7) 238-5237; and the American Trade Center, Room 3208 International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei, Taiwan 10548, telephone: [886] (2) 2720-1550, FAX: [886] (2) 2757-7162

Flag description:

red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner

bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays

Economy Taiwan

Economy - overview:

Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing

guidance of investment and foreign trade by government authorities.

In keeping with this trend, some large, government-owned banks and

industrial firms are being privatized. Exports have provided the

primary impetus for industrialization. The island runs a trade

surplus, and foreign reserves are the world's third largest. Despite

restrictions cross-strait links, China has overtaken the US to

become Taiwan's largest export market and, in 2006, its

second-largest source of imports after Japan. China is also the

island's number one destination for foreign direct investment.

Strong trade performance in 2006 pushed Taiwan's GDP growth rate

above 4%, and unemployment is below 4%. Consumer spending recovered

following a slowdown early in 2006, when banks tightened lending to

address a sharp increase in delinquent consumer debt.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$668.3 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$353.9 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$29,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.5% industry: 25.2% services: 73.3% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 10.46 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 5.5% industry: 36% services: 58.5% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

3.9% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

0.9% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 6.7% highest 10%: 41.1% (2002 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

18.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $67.33 billion

expenditures: $77.93 billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:

34.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish

Industries:

electronics, petroleum refining, armaments, chemicals, textiles,

iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing, vehicles,

consumer products, pharmaceuticals

Industrial production growth rate:

6.5% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

189.7 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 71.4% hydro: 6% nuclear: 22.6% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

175.3 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2005)

Oil - production:

7,755 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

965,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

0 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - proved reserves:

3 million bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

1.1 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

10.7 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2005)

Natural gas - imports:

9.6 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

76.46 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$9.7 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$215 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

computer products and electrical equipment, metals, textiles,

plastics and rubber products, chemicals (2002)

Exports - partners:

China 22.5%, Hong Kong 15.7%, US 15%, Japan 7.3% (2006 est.)

Imports:

$205.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and electrical equipment 44.5%, minerals, precision

instruments (2002)

Imports - partners:

Japan 23%, China 11.9%, US 10.9%, South Korea 7.2%, Saudi Arabia

4.9% (2006 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$280.6 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$93.06 billion (2006 est.)

Currency (code):

new Taiwan dollar (TWD)

Currency code:

TWD

Exchange rates:

new Taiwan dollars per US dollar - 32.19 (2006), 31.71 (2005),

34.418 (2004), 34.575 (2003), 33.8 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 July - 30 June (up to FY98/99); 1 July 1999 - 31 December 2000

for FY00; calendar year (after FY00)

Communications Taiwan

Telephones - main lines in use:

13.615 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

22.17 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: provides telecommunications service for every

business and private need

domestic: thoroughly modern; completely digitalized

international: country code - 886; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); submarine cables to

Japan (Okinawa), Philippines, Guam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia,

Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 218, FM 333, shortwave 50 (1999)

Radios:

16 million (1994)

Television broadcast stations:

29 (plus two repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:

8.8 million (1998)

Internet country code:

.tw

Internet hosts:

4,320,310 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

8 (2000)

Internet users:

13.21 million (2005)

Transportation Taiwan

Airports: 42 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 38 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Heliports:

3 (2006)

Pipelines:

condensate 25 km; gas 661 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 2,497 km

narrow gauge: 1,097 km 1.067-m gauge (685 km electrified)

note: 1,400 km .762-m gauge (belonging to the Taiwan Sugar

Corporation and to the Taiwan Forestry Bureau) used to carry

products and limited numbers of passengers (2005)

Roadways:

total: 37,299 km

paved: 35,621 km (including 789 km of expressways)

unpaved: 1,678 km (2002)

Merchant marine:

total: 112 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,798,992 GRT/4,652,921 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 35, cargo 22, chemical tanker 2, container 25,

passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 16, refrigerated cargo 7, roll

on/roll off 2

foreign-owned: 3 (Hong Kong 3)

registered in other countries: 463 (Bolivia 1, Cambodia 2, Honduras

2, Hong Kong 6, Italy 10, Liberia 69, Malta 2, Panama 308, Singapore

59, UK 1, US 1, unknown 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung

Military Taiwan

Military branches:

Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard

Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service

Forces Command, Armed Forces Police Command

Military service age and obligation:

19-35 years of age for military service; service obligation 16

months (to be shortened to 12 months in 2008); women in Air Force

service are restricted to noncombat roles (2005)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 19-49: 5,883,828

females age 19-49: 5,680,773 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 19-49: 4,749,537

females age 19-49: 4,644,607 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 174,173

females age 19-49: 163,683 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$7.93 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.4% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Taiwan

Disputes - international:

involved in complex dispute with China, Malaysia, Philippines,

Vietnam, and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands; the 2002

"Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has

eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of

conduct" desired by several of the disputants; Paracel Islands are

occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam; in 2003, China

and Taiwan became more vocal in rejecting both Japan's claims to the

uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's

unilaterally declared exclusive economic zone in the East China Sea

where all parties engage in hydrocarbon prospecting

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Taiwan is primarily a destination for men,

women, and children trafficked for forced labor and sexual

exploitation; women from China and Southeast Asian countries are

trafficked for sexual exploitation and forced labor; women and

children, primarily from Vietnam, are trafficked through the use of

fraudulent marriages, deceptive employment offers, and illegal

smuggling for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; a

significant share of foreign workers - primarily from Vietnam,

Thailand, and the Philippines - are recruited legally for

low-skilled jobs, and are subjected to forced labor or involuntary

servitude by labor agencies or employers upon arrival in Taiwan; to

a much lesser extent, there is internal trafficking of children for

sexual exploitation and trafficking of a small and declining number

of Taiwanese women to Japan for commercial sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Taiwan is placed on the Tier 2

Watch List for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts

over the past year to address trafficking, despite ample resources

to do so, particularly the serious level of forced labor and sexual

servitude among legally migrating Southeast Asian contract workers

and brides

Illicit drugs:

regional transit point for heroin and methamphetamine; major

problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin;

renewal of domestic methamphetamine production is a problem

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Tajikistan

Introduction Tajikistan

Background:

The Tajik people came under Russian rule in the 1860s and 1870s,

but Russia's hold on Central Asia weakened following the Revolution

of 1917. Bolshevik control of the area was fiercely contested and

not fully reestablished until 1925. Tajikistan became independent in

1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union, and it is now in the

process of strengthening its democracy and transitioning to a free

market economy after its 1992-1997 civil war. There have been no

major security incidents in recent years, although the country

remains the poorest in the former Soviet sphere. Attention by the

international community in the wake of the war in Afghanistan has

brought increased economic development assistance, which could

create jobs and increase stability in the long term. Tajikistan is

in the early stages of seeking World Trade Organization membership

and has joined NATO's Partnership for Peace.

Geography Tajikistan

Location:

Central Asia, west of China

Geographic coordinates:

39 00 N, 71 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 143,100 sq km

land: 142,700 sq km

water: 400 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Wisconsin

Land boundaries:

total: 3,651 km

border countries: Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870

km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to

polar in Pamir Mountains

Terrain:

Pamir and Alay Mountains dominate landscape; western Fergana Valley

in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Syr Darya (Sirdaryo) 300 m

highest point: Qullai Ismoili Somoni 7,495 m

Natural resources:

hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead,

zinc, antimony, tungsten, silver, gold

Land use: arable land: 6.52% permanent crops: 0.89% other: 92.59% (2005)

Irrigated land:

7,220 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

earthquakes and floods

Environment - current issues: inadequate sanitation facilities; increasing levels of soil salinity; industrial pollution; excessive pesticides

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; mountainous region dominated by the Trans-Alay Range in

the north and the Pamirs in the southeast; highest point, Qullai

Ismoili Somoni (formerly Communism Peak), was the tallest mountain

in the former USSR

People Tajikistan

Population:

7,320,815 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 37.9% (male 1,396,349/female 1,375,168)

15-64 years: 57.4% (male 2,091,476/female 2,108,889)

65 years and over: 4.8% (male 154,162/female 194,771) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 20 years

male: 19.7 years

female: 20.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.19% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

32.65 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

8.25 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-2.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 106.49 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 117.83 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 94.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 64.94 years

male: 62.03 years

female: 68 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Tajikistani(s)

adjective: Tajikistani

Ethnic groups:

Tajik 79.9%, Uzbek 15.3%, Russian 1.1%, Kyrgyz 1.1%, other 2.6%

(2000 census)

Religions:

Sunni Muslim 85%, Shi'a Muslim 5%, other 10% (2003 est.)

Languages:

Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and business

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.4%

male: 99.6%

female: 99.1% (2003 est.)

Government Tajikistan

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Tajikistan

conventional short form: Tajikistan

local long form: Jumhurii Tojikiston

local short form: Tojikiston

former: Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Dushanbe

geographic coordinates: 38 35 N, 68 48 E

time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 2 provinces (viloyatho, singular - viloyat) and 1 autonomous province* (viloyati mukhtor); Viloyati Khatlon (Qurghonteppa), Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni Badakhshon* [Gorno-Badakhshan] (Khorugh), Viloyati Sughd (Khujand) note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses

Independence:

9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Independence Day (or National Day), 9 September (1991)

Constitution:

6 November 1994

Legal system:

based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Emomali RAHMONOV (since 6 November 1994;

head of state and Supreme Assembly chairman since 19 November 1992)

head of government: Prime Minister Oqil OQILOV (since 20 January

1999)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved

by the Supreme Assembly

elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 6 November 2006

(next to be held November 2013); prime minister appointed by the

president

election results: Emomali RAHMONOV reelected president; percent of

vote - Emomali RAHMONOV 76.4%, Olimzon BOBOYEV 7.2%, other 16.4%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of the Assembly

of Representatives (lower chamber) or Majlisi Namoyandagon (63

seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

and the National Assembly (upper chamber) or Majlisi Milliy (34

seats; members are indirectly elected, 25 selected by local

deputies, 8 appointed by the president; 1 seat reserved for the

former president; all serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 27 February and 13 March 2005 for the Assembly

of Representatives (next to be held February 2010) and 25 March 2005

for the National Assembly (next to be held February 2010)

election results: Assembly of Representatives - percent of vote by

party - PDPT 74.9%, CPT 13.6%, Islamic Revival Party 8.9%, other

2.5%; seats by party - PDPT 51, CPT 5, Islamic Revival Party 2,

independents 5; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%;

seats by party - PDPT 29, CPT 2, independents 3

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders:

Agrarian Party of Tajikistan or APT [Amir KARAKULOV]; Democratic

Party or DPT [Mahmadruzi ISKANDAROV (imprisoned October 2005)];

Islamic Revival Party [Muhiddin KABIRI]; Party of Economic Reform or

PER [Olimjon BOBOYEV]; People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan or

PDPT [Emomali RAHMONOV]; Social Democratic Party or SDPT [Rahmatullo

ZOYIROV]; Socialist Party or SPT [Abdualim GHAFFOROV]; Tajik

Communist Party or CPT [Shodi SHABDOLOV]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

unregistered political parties: Agrarian Party [Hikmatullo

NASREDDINOV]; Party of Justice [Abdurahim KARIMOV]; People's Unity

Party [Abdumalik ABDULLOJONOV]; Progressive Party [Sulton QUVVATOV];

Socialist Party [Mirhuseyn NAZRIYEV]; note - this is the SPT that

was disbanded, another pro-government SPT (listed above under

political parties) replaced it; Unity Party [Hikmatullo SAIDOV]

International organization participation:

AsDB, CIS, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,

IOM, IPU, ITU, MIGA, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)

chancery: 1005 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037

telephone: [1] (202) 223-6090

FAX: [1] (202) 223-6091

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Tracey Ann JACOBSON embassy: 109-A Ismoili Somoni Ave., Dushanbe 734003 mailing address: 7090 Dushanbe Place, Dulles, VA 20189 telephone: [992] (37) 229-20-00 FAX: [992] (37) 229-20-50

Flag description:

three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of white, and

green; a gold crown surmounted by seven gold, five-pointed stars is

located in the center of the white stripe

Economy Tajikistan

Economy - overview:

Tajikistan has one of the lowest per capita GDPs among the 15

former Soviet republics. Only 6% of the land area is arable; cotton

is the most important crop. Mineral resources, varied but limited in

amount, include silver, gold, uranium, and tungsten. Industry

consists only of a large aluminum plant, hydropower facilities, and

small obsolete factories mostly in light industry and food

processing. The civil war (1992-97) severely damaged the already

weak economic infrastructure and caused a sharp decline in

industrial and agricultural production. While Tajikistan has

experienced steady economic growth since 1997, nearly two-thirds of

the population continue to live in abject poverty. Economic growth

reached 10.6% in 2004, but dropped to 8% in 2005, and to 7% in 2006.

Tajikistan's economic situation, however, remains fragile due to

uneven implementation of structural reforms, weak governance,

widespread unemployment, and the external debt burden. Continued

privatization of medium and large state-owned enterprises could

increase productivity. A debt restructuring agreement was reached

with Russia in December 2002, including a $250 million write-off of

Tajikistan's $300 million debt to Russia. Tajikistan ranks third in

the world in terms of water resources per head. A proposed

investment to finish the hydropower dams Rogun and Sangtuda I and II

would substantially add to electricity production, which could be

exported for profit. If finished, Rogun will be the world's tallest

dam. In 2006, Tajikistan was the recipient of substantial Shanghai

Cooperation Organization infrastructure development credits to

improve its roads and electricity transmission network.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$9.405 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.066 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,300 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 22.7% industry: 28.5% services: 48.8% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 3.7 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 67.2% industry: 7.5% services: 25.3% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

12% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:

64% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 25.2% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

34.7 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

7.5% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

19.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $527.5 million

expenditures: $622 million; including capital expenditures of $86

million (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats

Industries:

aluminum, zinc, lead; chemicals and fertilizers, cement, vegetable

oil, metal-cutting machine tools, refrigerators and freezers

Industrial production growth rate:

8.2% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:

16.5 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.9% hydro: 98.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

15.7 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

4.459 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

4.81 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

252.8 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

28,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

39 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

1.389 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

1.35 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-73.95 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$1.16 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

aluminum, electricity, cotton, fruits, vegetable oil, textiles

Exports - partners:

Netherlands 46.6%, Turkey 15.8%, Russia 9.1%, Uzbekistan 7.3%,

Latvia 4.9%, Iran 4% (2005)

Imports:

$1.513 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

electricity, petroleum products, aluminum oxide, machinery and

equipment, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Russia 19.3%, Kazakhstan 12.7%, Uzbekistan 11.5%, Azerbaijan 8.6%,

China 7%, Ukraine 6.2%, Romania 4.6%, Turkmenistan 4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$209.2 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$829 million (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$67 million from US (2005)

Currency (code):

somoni

Currency code:

TJS

Exchange rates:

Tajikistani somoni per US dollar - 3.2475 (2006), 3.1166 (2005),

2.9705 (2004), 3.0614 (2003), 2.7641 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Tajikistan

Telephones - main lines in use:

245,200 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

265,000 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: poorly developed and not well maintained; many

towns are not linked to the national network

domestic: the domestic telecommunications network has historically

been under-funded and poorly maintained; main line availability has

not changed significantly since 1998; cellular telephony is rare and

coverage remains limited.

international: country code - 992; linked by cable and microwave

radio relay to other CIS republics and by leased connections to the

Moscow international gateway switch; Dushanbe linked by Intelsat to

international gateway switch in Ankara (Turkey); satellite earth

stations - 1 Orbita and 2 Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 8, FM 10, shortwave 2 (2002)

Radios:

1.291 million (1991)

Television broadcast stations:

6 (2006)

Televisions:

820,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.tj

Internet hosts:

98 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

4 (2002)

Internet users:

5,000 (2005)

Transportation Tajikistan

Airports: 40 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 22 (2006)

Pipelines: gas 549 km; oil 38 km (2006)

Railways: total: 482 km broad gauge: 482 km 1.520-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 27,767 km (2000)

Waterways:

200 km (along Vakhsh River) (2006)

Military Tajikistan

Military branches:

Ground Troops, Air and Air Defense Troops, Mobile Troops (2005)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service

obligation - two years (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,556,415

females age 18-49: 1,568,780 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,244,941

females age 18-49: 1,297,891 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 87,846

females age 18-49: 85,869 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$35.4 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

3.9% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Tajikistan

Disputes - international:

in 2006, China and Tajikistan pledged to commence demarcation of

the revised boundary agreed to in the delimitation of 2002; talks

continue with Uzbekistan to delimit border and remove minefields;

disputes in Isfara Valley delay delimitation with Kyrgyzstan

Illicit drugs:

major transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and,

to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit

cultivation of opium poppy for domestic consumption; Tajikistan

seizes roughly 80% of all drugs captured in Central Asia and stands

third worldwide in seizures of opiates (heroin and raw opium)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Tanzania

Introduction Tanzania

Background:

Shortly after achieving independence from Britain in the early

1960s, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the nation of Tanzania

in 1964. One-party rule came to an end in 1995 with the first

democratic elections held in the country since the 1970s. Zanzibar's

semi-autonomous status and popular opposition have led to two

contentious elections since 1995, which the ruling party won despite

international observers' claims of voting irregularities.

Geography Tanzania

Location:

Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and

Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:

6 00 S, 35 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 945,087 sq km

land: 886,037 sq km

water: 59,050 sq km

note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than twice the size of California

Land boundaries:

total: 3,861 km

border countries: Burundi 451 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo

459 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217

km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km

Coastline:

1,424 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands

Terrain:

plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Kilimanjaro 5,895 m

Natural resources:

hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones,

gold, natural gas, nickel

Land use: arable land: 4.23% permanent crops: 1.16% other: 94.61% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,840 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought

Environment - current issues:

soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction of

coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent droughts affected

marginal agriculture; wildlife threatened by illegal hunting and

trade, especially for ivory

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa; bordered by three of the

largest lakes on the continent: Lake Victoria (the world's

second-largest freshwater lake) in the north, Lake Tanganyika (the

world's second deepest) in the west, and Lake Nyasa in the southwest

People Tanzania

Population:

37,445,392

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 43.7% (male 8,204,593/female 8,176,489)

15-64 years: 53.6% (male 9,906,446/female 10,178,066)

65 years and over: 2.6% (male 422,674/female 557,124) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 17.7 years

male: 17.5 years

female: 18 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.83% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

37.71 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

16.39 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-3.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 96.48 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 105.64 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 87.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 45.64 years

male: 44.93 years

female: 46.37 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.97 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

8.8% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

1.6 million (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

160,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria, Rift Valley fever and plague are high

risks in some locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Tanzanian(s)

adjective: Tanzanian

Ethnic groups:

mainland - African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu consisting of more

than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian, European, and

Arab); Zanzibar - Arab, African, mixed Arab and African

Religions:

mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 35%;

Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim

Languages:

Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguja (name for Swahili in

Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce,

administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in

Zanzibar), many local languages

note: Kiswahili (Swahili) is the mother tongue of the Bantu people

living in Zanzibar and nearby coastal Tanzania; although Kiswahili

is Bantu in structure and origin, its vocabulary draws on a variety

of sources, including Arabic and English, and it has become the

lingua franca of central and eastern Africa; the first language of

most people is one of the local languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili),

English, or Arabic

total population: 78.2%

male: 85.9%

female: 70.7% (2003 est.)

Government Tanzania

Country name:

conventional long form: United Republic of Tanzania

conventional short form: Tanzania

local long form: Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania

local short form: Tanzania

former: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Dar es Salaam

geographic coordinates: 6 48 S, 39 17 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

note: legislative offices have been transferred to Dodoma, which is

planned as the new national capital; the National Assembly now meets

there on a regular basis

Administrative divisions:

26 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kagera, Kigoma,

Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Manyara, Mara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza,

Pemba North, Pemba South, Pwani, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga, Singida,

Tabora, Tanga, Zanzibar Central/South, Zanzibar North, Zanzibar

Urban/West

Independence:

26 April 1964; Tanganyika became independent 9 December 1961 (from

UK-administered UN trusteeship); Zanzibar became independent 19

December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with Zanzibar 26 April

1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; renamed

United Republic of Tanzania 29 October 1964

National holiday:

Union Day (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 26 April (1964)

Constitution:

25 April 1977; major revisions October 1984

Legal system:

based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts

limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory

ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Jakaya KIKWETE (since 21 December 2005);

Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July 2001); note -

the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Jakaya KIKWETE (since 21 December

2005); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July 2001);

note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

note: Zanzibar elects a president who is head of government for

matters internal to Zanzibar; Amani Abeid KARUME was reelected to

that office on 30 October 2005

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members

of the National Assembly

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ballot

by popular vote for five-year terms (eligible for a second term);

election last held 14 December 2005(next to be held in December

2010); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Jakaya KIKWETE elected president; percent of vote

- Jakaya KIKWETE 80.3%, Ibrahim LIPUMBA 11.7%, Freeman MBOWE 5.9%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (274 seats - 232 elected by

popular vote, 37 allocated to women nominated by the president, 5 to

members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives; members serve

five-year terms); note - in addition to enacting laws that apply to

the entire United Republic of Tanzania, the Assembly enacts laws

that apply only to the mainland; Zanzibar has its own House of

Representatives to make laws especially for Zanzibar (the Zanzibar

House of Representatives has 50 seats, directly elected by universal

suffrage to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 14 December 2005 (next to be held in December

2010)

election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -

NA%; seats by party - CCM 206, CUF 19, CHADEMA 5, other 2, women

appointed by the president 37, Zanzibar representatives 5; Zanzibar

House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by

party - CCM 30, CUF 19; 1 seat was nullified with a rerun to take

place soon

Judicial branch:

Permanent Commission of Enquiry (official ombudsman); Court of

Appeal (consists of a chief justice and four judges); High Court

(consists of a Jaji Kiongozi and 29 judges appointed by the

president; holds regular sessions in all regions); District Courts;

Primary Courts (limited jurisdiction and appeals can be made to the

higher courts)

Political parties and leaders:

Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Party of Democracy and

Development) or CHADEMA [Bob MAKANI]; Chama Cha Mapinduzi or CCM

(Revolutionary Party) [Jakaya Mrisho KIKWETE]; Civic United Front or

CUF [Ibrahim LIPUMBA]; Democratic Party [Christopher MTIKLA]

(unregistered); Tanzania Labor Party or TLP [Augustine Lyatonga

MREME]; United Democratic Party or UDP [John CHEYO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, EADB, FAO, G-6, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,

ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,

IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN, UN Security

Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIS,

UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Andrew Mhando DARAJA chancery: 2139 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6125 FAX: [1] (202) 797-7408

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael L. RETZER embassy: 140 Msese Road, Kinondoni District, Dar es Salaam mailing address: P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam telephone: [255] (22) 2666-010 through 2666-015 FAX: [255] (22) 2666-701, 2668-501

Flag description:

divided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band from the lower

hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the

lower triangle is blue

Economy Tanzania

Economy - overview:

Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. The economy

depends heavily on agriculture, which accounts for almost half of

GDP, provides 85% of exports, and employs 80% of the work force.

Topography and climatic conditions, however, limit cultivated crops

to only 4% of the land area. Industry traditionally featured the

processing of agricultural products and light consumer goods. The

World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and bilateral donors

have provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania's out-of-date economic

infrastructure and to alleviate poverty. Long-term growth through

2005 featured a pickup in industrial production and a substantial

increase in output of minerals, led by gold. Recent banking reforms

have helped increase private-sector growth and investment. Continued

donor assistance and solid macroeconomic policies supported real GDP

growth of nearly 6% in 2006.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$29.25 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$13.13 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$800 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 43.3% industry: 17.7% services: 39% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 19.35 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 80% industry and services: 20% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

36% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 30.1% (1993)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

38.2 (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5.9% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

19% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $2.431 billion

expenditures: $3.001 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

30.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (insecticide made from

chrysanthemums), cashew nuts, tobacco, cloves, corn, wheat, cassava

(tapioca), bananas, fruits, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats

Industries:

agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal twine);

diamond, gold, and iron mining, salt, soda ash; cement, oil

refining, shoes, apparel, wood products, fertilizer

Industrial production growth rate:

8.4% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:

2.562 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 18.9% hydro: 81.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

2.383 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

23,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

22.65 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-906 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$1.831 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

gold, coffee, cashew nuts, manufactures, cotton

Exports - partners:

China 10.2%, Canada 8.7%, India 7.3%, Netherlands 5.2%, Japan 4.5%,

Kenya 4.4%, Germany 4.3% (2005)

Imports:

$3.18 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

consumer goods, machinery and transportation equipment, industrial

raw materials, crude oil

Imports - partners:

South Africa 13.1%, China 9.5%, India 7%, UAE 6%, Kenya 5.1%, UK

4.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.375 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$4.61 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$1.2 billion (2001)

Currency (code):

Tanzanian shilling (TZS)

Currency code:

TZS

Exchange rates:

Tanzanian shillings per US dollar - 1,259.54 (2006), 1,128.93

(2005), 1,089.33 (2004), 1,038.42 (2003), 966.58 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 July - 30 June

Communications Tanzania

Telephones - main lines in use:

148,400 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.942 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: fair system operating below capacity and being

modernized for better service; very small aperture terminal (VSAT)

system under construction

domestic: trunk service provided by open-wire, microwave radio

relay, tropospheric scatter, and fiber-optic cable; some links being

made digital

international: country code - 255; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 12, FM 11, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:

8.8 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (1999)

Televisions:

103,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.tz

Internet hosts:

8,609 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

6 (2000)

Internet users:

333,000 (2005)

Transportation Tanzania

Airports: 124 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 113 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 62 under 914 m: 33 (2006)

Pipelines: gas 254 km; oil 872 km (2006)

Railways: total: 3,690 km narrow gauge: 969 km 1.067-m gauge; 2,721 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 78,891 km paved: 6,808 km unpaved: 72,083 km (2003)

Waterways:

Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, and Lake Nyasa principal avenues of

commerce with neighboring countries; rivers not navigable (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 9 ships (1000 GRT or over) 24,801 GRT/31,507 DWT

by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 4

registered in other countries: 2 (Honduras 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis

1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Dar es Salaam, Mtwara, Zanzibar City

Military Tanzania

Military branches:

Tanzanian People's Defense Force (JWTZ): Army, Naval Wing, Air

Defense Command (includes air wing), National Service

Military service age and obligation: 15 years of age for voluntary military service; 18 years of age for compulsory military service upon graduation from secondary school; conscript service obligation - two years (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 7,422,869 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 3,879,630 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$21.2 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0.2% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Tanzania

Disputes - international:

Tanzania still hosts more than a half-million refugees, more than

any other African country, mainly from Burundi and the Democratic

Republic of the Congo, despite the international community's efforts

at repatriation; disputes with Malawi over the boundary in Lake

Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 393,611 (Burundi), 150,112

(Democratic Republic of the Congo) (2006)

Illicit drugs:

growing role in transshipment of Southwest and Southeast Asian

heroin and South American cocaine destined for South African,

European, and US markets and of South Asian methaqualone bound for

southern Africa; money laundering remains a problem

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Thailand

Introduction Thailand

Background:

A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th century.

Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand is the only Southeast Asian

country never to have been taken over by a European power. A

bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. In

alliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand became a US ally

following the conflict. Thailand is currently facing separatist

violence in its southern ethnic Malay-Muslim provinces.

Geography Thailand

Location:

Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of

Thailand, southeast of Burma

Geographic coordinates:

15 00 N, 100 00 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 514,000 sq km

land: 511,770 sq km

water: 2,230 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming

Land boundaries:

total: 4,863 km

border countries: Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km,

Malaysia 506 km

Coastline:

3,219 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to

September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March);

southern isthmus always hot and humid

Terrain:

central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m

highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m

Natural resources:

tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish,

gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land

Land use: arable land: 27.54% permanent crops: 6.93% other: 65.53% (2005)

Irrigated land:

49,860 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the

water table; droughts

Environment - current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note: controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore

People Thailand

Population:

64,631,595

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 22% (male 7,284,068/female 6,958,632)

15-64 years: 70% (male 22,331,312/female 22,880,588)

65 years and over: 8% (male 2,355,190/female 2,821,805) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 31.9 years

male: 31.1 years

female: 32.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.68% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

13.87 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

7.04 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 19.49 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 20.77 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 18.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 72.25 years

male: 69.95 years

female: 74.68 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.64 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

570,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

58,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, Japanese encephalitis,

and plague are high risks in some locations

animal contact disease: rabies

water contact disease: leptospirosis

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified

among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a

negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens

who have close contact with birds (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Thai (singular and plural)

adjective: Thai

Ethnic groups:

Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11%

Religions:

Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1% (2000

census)

Languages:

Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and

regional dialects

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.6%

male: 94.9%

female: 90.5% (2002)

Government Thailand

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand

conventional short form: Thailand

local long form: Ratcha Anachak Thai

local short form: Prathet Thai

former: Siam

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Bangkok

geographic coordinates: 13 45 N, 100 31 E

time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

76 provinces (changwat, singular and plural); Amnat Charoen, Ang

Thong, Buriram, Chachoengsao, Chai Nat, Chaiyaphum, Chanthaburi,

Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Chon Buri, Chumphon, Kalasin, Kamphaeng

Phet, Kanchanaburi, Khon Kaen, Krabi, Krung Thep Mahanakhon

(Bangkok), Lampang, Lamphun, Loei, Lop Buri, Mae Hong Son, Maha

Sarakham, Mukdahan, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Phanom,

Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nan,

Narathiwat, Nong Bua Lamphu, Nong Khai, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani,

Pattani, Phangnga, Phatthalung, Phayao, Phetchabun, Phetchaburi,

Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Phrae, Phuket,

Prachin Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ranong, Ratchaburi, Rayong, Roi

Et, Sa Kaeo, Sakon Nakhon, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Samut

Songkhram, Sara Buri, Satun, Sing Buri, Sisaket, Songkhla,

Sukhothai, Suphan Buri, Surat Thani, Surin, Tak, Trang, Trat, Ubon

Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Uthai Thani, Uttaradit, Yala, Yasothon

Independence:

1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)

National holiday:

Birthday of King PHUMIPHON, 5 December (1927)

Constitution:

constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October 1997; abrogated

on 19 September 2006 after coup; interim constitution promulgated on

1 October 2006; coup leaders have promised new constitution by mid

2007

Legal system:

based on civil law system, with influences of common law; has not

accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet (since 9 June 1946)

head of government: Interim Prime Minister SURAYUT Chulanon (since 1

October 2006); Interim Deputy Prime Ministers KHOSIT Panpiemras

(since 9 October 2006); PRIDIYATHORN Devakula (since 9 October 2006)

note: Prime Minister THAKSIN Chinnawat was overthrown on 19

September 2006 in a coup led by General SONTHI Boonyaratglin

cabinet: Council of Ministers

note: there is also a Privy Council

elections: none; monarch is hereditary; according to 1997

constitution, prime minister was designated from among members of

House of Representatives; following national elections for House of

Representatives, leader of party that could organize a majority

coalition usually was appointed prime minister by king

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consisted of the Senate

or Wuthisapha (200 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve

six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Sapha Phuthaen

Ratsadon (500 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve

four-year terms); after coup in September 2006, coup leaders

appointed an interim National Assembly with 250 members to act as

Senate and House of Representatives

elections: Senate - last held 19 April 2006; House of

Representatives - last valid election held 6 February 2005;

elections held on 2 April 2006 invalidated by court ruling; coup

leaders scheduled next general election by about October 2007

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - NA; House of Representatives - (2005 election) percent of

vote by party - NA; seats by party - TRT 376, DP 97, TNP 25, PP 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Sandika (judges appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:

Democrat Party or DP (Prachathipat Party) [ABHISIT Wetchachiwa];

People's Party or PP (Mahachon Party) [ANEK Laothamatas]; Thai

Nation Party or TNP (Chat Thai Party) [BARNHARN SILPA-ARCHA]; Thai

Rak Thai Party or TRT [CHATURON Chaisang]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, BIS, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77,

IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,

IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC,

MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC (observer), ONUB, OPCW, OSCE

(partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU,

WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador VIRASAK Futrakul

chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 401, Washington, DC

20007-3681

telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600

FAX: [1] (202) 944-3611

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph L. BOYCE

embassy: 120-122 Wireless Road, Bangkok 10330

mailing address: APO AP 96546

telephone: [66] (2) 205-4000

FAX: [66] (2) 254-2990, 205-4131

consulate(s) general: Chiang Mai

Flag description:

five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width),

white, and red

Economy Thailand

Economy - overview:

With a well-developed infrastructure, a free-enterprise economy,

and pro-investment policies, Thailand appears to have fully

recovered from the 1997-98 Asian Financial Crisis. The country was

one of East Asia's best performers in 2002-04. Boosted by increased

consumption and strong export growth, the Thai economy grew 6.9% in

2003 and 6.1% in 2004 despite a sluggish global economy. Bangkok has

pursued preferential trade agreements with a variety of partners in

an effort to boost exports and to maintain high growth. In late

December 2004, a major tsunami took 8,500 lives in Thailand and

caused massive destruction of property in the southern provinces of

Krabi, Phangnga, and Phuket. In 2006, investment stagnated as

investors, spooked by the Thaksin administration's political

problems, stayed on the sidelines. The military coup in September

brought in a new economic team, led by the former central bank

governor. In December, the Thai Board of Investment reported the

value of investment applications from January to November had

declined by 27% year-on-year. On the positive side, exports have

performed at record levels, rising nearly 17% in 2006.

Export-oriented manufacturing - in particular automobile production

- and farm output are driving these gains.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$585.9 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$196.6 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$9,100 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10% industry: 44.9% services: 45.2% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 36.41 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 49% industry: 14% services: 37% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

2.1% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

10% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

51.1 (2002)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5.1% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

28.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $40.31 billion

expenditures: $40.34 billion; including capital expenditures of $5

billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:

43.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans

Industries:

tourism, textiles and garments, agricultural processing, beverages,

tobacco, cement, light manufacturing such as jewelry and electric

appliances, computers and parts, integrated circuits, furniture,

plastics, automobiles and automotive parts; world's second-largest

tungsten producer and third-largest tin producer

Industrial production growth rate:

6% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

121.7 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 91.3% hydro: 6.4% nuclear: 0% other: 2.4% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

116.2 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

372 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

3.388 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

230,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

900,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

583 million bbl (November 2003)

Natural gas - production:

22.36 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

29.86 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

7.5 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

377.7 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-899.4 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$123.5 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

textiles and footwear, fishery products, rice, rubber, jewelry,

automobiles, computers and electrical appliances

Exports - partners:

US 15.4%, Japan 13.6%, China 8.3%, Singapore 6.9%, Hong Kong 5.6%,

Malaysia 5.2% (2005)

Imports:

$119.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials, consumer

goods, fuels

Imports - partners:

Japan 22%, China 9.4%, US 7.4%, Malaysia 6.8%, UAE 4.8%, Singapore

4.6% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$59.06 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$57.83 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$72 million (2002)

Currency (code):

baht (THB)

Currency code:

THB

Exchange rates:

baht per US dollar - 38.2472 (2006), 40.22 (2005), 40.222 (2004),

41.485 (2003), 42.96 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 October - 30 September

Communications Thailand

Telephones - main lines in use:

7.035 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

27.379 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: high quality system, especially in urban areas

like Bangkok; WTO requirement for privatization of telecom sector is

planned to be complete by 2006

domestic: fixed line system provided by both a government owned and

commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly and

outpacing fixed lines

international: country code - 66; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); landing country for

APCN submarine cable

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 204, FM 334, shortwave 6 (1999)

Radios:

13.96 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

111 (2006)

Televisions:

15.19 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.th

Internet hosts:

938,784 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

15 (2000)

Internet users:

8.42 million (2005)

Transportation Thailand

Airports: 108 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 66 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 5 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 42 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 26 (2006)

Heliports:

3 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 3,760 km; refined products 379 km (2006)

Railways: total: 4,071 km narrow gauge: 4,071 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 57,403 km paved: 56,542 km unpaved: 861 km (2000)

Waterways: 4,000 km note: 3,701 km navigable by boats with drafts up to 0.9 m (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 400 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,808,509 GRT/4,317,320 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 60, cargo 145, chemical tanker 14, container

21, liquefied gas 29, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum

tanker 91, refrigerated cargo 32, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 45 (China 1, Egypt 1, Indonesia 1, Japan 4, Norway

30, Singapore 6, UK 2)

registered in other countries: 34 (Bahamas 1, Mongolia 1, Panama 9,

Singapore 22, Tuvalu 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Prachuap Port, Si Racha

Military Thailand

Military branches:

Royal Thai Army (RTA), Royal Thai Navy (RTN, includes Royal Thai

Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air Force (Knogtap Agard Thai, RTAF) (2006)

Military service age and obligation: 21 years of age for compulsory military service; males are registered at 18 years of age; conscript service obligation - two years; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 21-49: 14,903,855

females age 21-49: 15,265,854 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 21-49: 10,396,032

females age 21-49: 11,487,690 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 526,276

females age 21-49: 514,396 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$1.775 billion (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.8% (2003)

Transnational Issues Thailand

Disputes - international:

separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim southern

provinces prompt border closures and controls with Malaysia to stem

terrorist activities; southeast Asian states have enhanced border

surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; talks continue on

completion of demarcation with Laos but disputes remain over several

islands in the Mekong River; despite continuing border committee

talks, Thailand must deal with Karen and other ethnic rebels,

refugees, and illegal cross-border activities, and as of 2006,

130,000 Karen, Hmong and other refugees and 15,000 asylum seekers

from Burma; Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections of historic

boundary with missing boundary markers; Cambodia claims Thai

encroachments into Cambodian territory and obstructing access to

Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in

1962; Thailand is studying the feasibility of jointly constructing

the Hatgyi Dam on the Salween river near the border with Burma; in

2004, international environmentalist pressure prompted China to halt

construction of 13 dams on the Salween River which flows through

China, Burma and Thailand

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 116,499 (Burma) (2006)

Illicit drugs:

a minor producer of opium, heroin, and marijuana; illicit transit

point for heroin en route to the international drug market from

Burma and Laos; eradication efforts have reduced the area of

cannabis cultivation and shifted some production to neighboring

countries; opium poppy cultivation has been reduced by eradication

efforts; also a drug money-laundering center; minor role in

methamphetamine production for regional consumption; major consumer

of methamphetamine since the 1990s

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Togo

Introduction Togo

Background:

French Togoland became Togo in 1960. Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA,

installed as military ruler in 1967, continued to rule well into the

21st century. Despite the facade of multiparty elections instituted

in the early 1990s, the government continued to be dominated by

President EYADEMA, whose Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) party

has maintained power almost continually since 1967. Togo has come

under fire from international organizations for human rights abuses

and is plagued by political unrest. While most bilateral and

multilateral aid to Togo remains frozen, the EU initiated a partial

resumption of cooperation and development aid to Togo in late 2004

based upon commitments by Togo to expand opportunities for political

opposition and liberalize portions of the economy. Upon his death in

February 2005, President EYADEMA was succeeded by his son Faure

GNASSINGBE. The succession, supported by the military and in

contravention of the nation's constitution, was challenged by

popular protest and a threat of sanctions from regional leaders.

GNASSINGBE succumbed to pressure and in April 2005 held elections

that legitimized his succession. Legislative elections are scheduled

for June 2007.

Geography Togo

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and

Ghana

Geographic coordinates:

8 00 N, 1 10 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 56,785 sq km

land: 54,385 sq km

water: 2,400 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total: 1,647 km border countries: Benin 644 km, Burkina Faso 126 km, Ghana 877 km

Coastline: 56 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 30 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Terrain:

gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau;

low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mont Agou 986 m

Natural resources:

phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land

Land use: arable land: 44.2% permanent crops: 2.11% other: 53.69% (2005)

Irrigated land:

70 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during

winter; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: deforestation attributable to slash-and-burn agriculture and the use of wood for fuel; water pollution presents health hazards and hinders the fishing industry; air pollution increasing in urban areas

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the country's length allows it to stretch through six distinct

geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna

People Togo

Population:

5,548,702

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 42.3% (male 1,177,141/female 1,169,321)

15-64 years: 55.1% (male 1,485,621/female 1,570,117)

65 years and over: 2.6% (male 59,870/female 86,632) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.3 years

male: 17.8 years

female: 18.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.72% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

37.01 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

9.83 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 60.63 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 68.17 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 52.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 57.42 years

male: 55.41 years

female: 59.49 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.96 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

4.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

110,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

10,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in

some locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Togolese (singular and plural)

adjective: Togolese

Ethnic groups:

African (37 tribes; largest and most important are Ewe, Mina, and

Kabre) 99%, European and Syrian-Lebanese less than 1%

Religions:

indigenous beliefs 51%, Christian 29%, Muslim 20%

Languages:

French (official and the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina (the

two major African languages in the south), Kabye (sometimes spelled

Kabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the north)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 60.9%

male: 75.4%

female: 46.9% (2003 est.)

Government Togo

Country name:

conventional long form: Togolese Republic

conventional short form: Togo

local long form: Republique togolaise

local short form: none

former: French Togoland

Government type:

republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule

Capital:

name: Lome

geographic coordinates: 6 08 N, 1 13 E

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

5 regions (regions, singular - region); Centrale, Kara, Maritime,

Plateaux, Savanes

Independence:

27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 27 April (1960)

Constitution:

multiparty draft constitution approved by High Council of the

Republic 1 July 1992, adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992

Legal system:

French-based court system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,

with reservations

Suffrage:

NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Faure GNASSINGBE (since 6 February 2005);

note - Gnassingbe EYADEMA died on 5 February 2005 and was succeeded

by his son, Faure GNASSINGBE; popular elections in April 2005

validated the succession

head of government: Prime Minister Yawovi AGBOYIBO (since 16

September 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and the

prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(no term limits); election last held 24 April 2005 (next to be held

NA); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Faure GNASSINGBE elected president; percent of

vote - Faure GNASSINGBE 60.2%, Emmanuel Akitani BOB 38.3%, Nicolas

LAWSON 1%, Harry OLYMPIO 0.5%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (81 seats; members are elected by

popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 27 October 2002 (next to be held 24 June 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

RPT 72, RSDD 3, UDPS 2, Juvento 2, MOCEP 1, independents 1

note: two opposition parties boycotted the election, the Union of

the Forces for Change and the Action Committee for Renewal

Judicial branch:

Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders:

Action Committee for Renewal or CAR [Yawovi AGBOYIBO]; Democratic

Convention of African Peoples or CDPA; Democratic Party for Renewal

or PDR; Juvento [Monsilia DJATO]; Movement of the Believers of Peace

and Equality or MOCEP; Pan-African Patriotic Convergence or CPP;

Rally for the Support for Development and Democracy or RSDD [Harry

OLYMPIO]; Rally of the Togolese People or RPT [Faure GNASSINGBE];

Socialist Pact for Renewal or PSR; Union for Democracy and Social

Progress or UDPS [Gagou KOKOU]; Union of Forces for a Change or UFC

[Gilchrist OLYMPIO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD,

ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA,

MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,

UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: [vacant] chancery: 2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4212 FAX: [1] (202) 232-3190

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador David B. DUNN embassy: Angle Rue Kouenou and Rue 15 Beniglato, Lome mailing address: B. P. 852, Lome telephone: [228] 221 29 91 through 221 29 94 FAX: [228] 221 79 52

Flag description:

five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom) alternating

with yellow; there is a white five-pointed star on a red square in

the upper hoist-side corner; uses the popular pan-African colors of

Ethiopia

Economy Togo

Economy - overview:

This small, sub-Saharan economy is heavily dependent on both

commercial and subsistence agriculture, which provides employment

for 65% of the labor force. Some basic foodstuffs must still be

imported. Cocoa, coffee, and cotton generate about 40% of export

earnings, with cotton being the most important cash crop. Togo is

the world's fourth-largest producer of phosphate. The government's

decade-long effort, supported by the World Bank and the IMF, to

implement economic reform measures, encourage foreign investment,

and bring revenues in line with expenditures has moved slowly.

Progress depends on follow-through on privatization, increased

openness in government financial operations, progress toward

legislative elections, and continued support from foreign donors.

Togo is working with donors to write a PRGF that could eventually

lead to a debt reduction plan.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$9.248 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.109 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,700 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 39.5% industry: 20.4% services: 40.1% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 1.302 million (1998)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 65% industry: 5% services: 30% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

32% (1989 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.8% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

22.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $260.2 million

expenditures: $311 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

coffee, cocoa, cotton, yams, cassava (tapioca), corn, beans, rice,

millet, sorghum; livestock; fish

Industries:

phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement, handicrafts,

textiles, beverages

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

286.2 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 98.7% hydro: 1.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

929.2 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

663 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by Ghana (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

14,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-261.9 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$868.4 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

reexports, cotton, phosphates, coffee, cocoa

Exports - partners:

Ghana 21.1%, Burkina Faso 18.2%, Benin 11.5%, Mali 7.3%, India

5.8%, Nigeria 4% (2005)

Imports:

$1.208 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products

Imports - partners:

France 17.8%, China 13.3%, Cote d'Ivoire 6.5%, Italy 4.5%, Spain

4.3% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$333.9 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$2 billion (2005)

Economic aid - recipient:

ODA, $80 million (2000 est.)

Currency (code):

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible

authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:

XOF

Exchange rates:

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

525.817 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99

(2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Togo

Telephones - main lines in use:

58,600 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

443,600 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: fair system based on a network of microwave

radio relay routes supplemented by open-wire lines and a mobile

cellular system

domestic: microwave radio relay and open-wire lines for conventional

system

international: country code - 228; satellite earth stations - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Symphonie

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:

940,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (plus two repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:

73,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.tg

Internet hosts:

520 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

3 (2001)

Internet users:

300,000 (2005)

Transportation Togo

Airports: 9 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 7

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Railways: total: 568 km narrow gauge: 568 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 7,520 km paved: 2,376 km unpaved: 5,144 km (1999)

Waterways:

50 km (seasonally on Mono River depending on rainfall) (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,918 GRT/3,852 DWT

by type: cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1 (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Kpeme, Lome

Military Togo

Military branches:

Togolese Armed Forces (FAT): Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie

(2005)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,102,661

females age 18-49: 1,124,463 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 696,933

females age 18-49: 707,821 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$29.98 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.6% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Togo

Disputes - international:

in 2001 Benin claimed Togo moved boundary monuments - joint

commission continues to resurvey the boundary; in 2006 14,000

Togolese refugees remain in Benin and Ghana out of the 40,000 who

fled there in 2005

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 8,000 (Ghana)

IDPs: 1,500 (2006)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Togo is a source, transit, and destination

country for children, women, and men trafficked for forced labor and

sexual exploitation; the majority of victims are children, and

trafficking within the country is more prevalent than international

trafficking; children are trafficked to work as domestic servants,

produce porters, roadside sellers, agricultural laborers, and for

sexual exploitation; Togolese women may be trafficked to Europe for

forced labor and sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Togo is placed on the Tier 2 Watch

List for failure to show evidence of increased efforts to combat

trafficking over the past year, particularly in the areas of

prosecution and protection

Illicit drugs:

transit hub for Nigerian heroin and cocaine traffickers; money

laundering not a significant problem

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Tokelau

Introduction Tokelau

Background:

Originally settled by Polynesian emigrants from surrounding island

groups, the Tokelau Islands were made a British protectorate in

1889. They were transferred to New Zealand administration in 1925.

Geography Tokelau

Location:

Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about

one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:

9 00 S, 172 00 W

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 10 sq km

land: 10 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

101 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)

Terrain:

low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Natural resources:

NEGL

Land use:

arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile)

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

lies in Pacific typhoon belt

Environment - current issues:

very limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to

emigration to New Zealand

Geography - note:

consists of three atolls, each with a lagoon surrounded by a number

of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over three

meters above sea level

People Tokelau

Population: 1,392 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42% 15-64 years: 53% 65 years and over: 5% (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.01% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

NA

Death rate:

NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate:

NA

Sex ratio:

NA

Infant mortality rate:

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Total fertility rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Tokelauan(s)

adjective: Tokelauan

Ethnic groups:

Polynesian

Religions:

Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%, other 2%

note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on

Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with

the Congregational Christian Church predominant

Languages:

Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English

Literacy:

NA

Government Tokelau

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Tokelau

Dependency status:

self-administering territory of New Zealand; note - Tokelau and New

Zealand have agreed to a draft constitution as Tokelau moves toward

free association with New Zealand; a UN sponsored referendum on

self-governance, in February 2006, did not produce the two thirds

majority vote necessary for changing the current political status

Government type:

NA

Capital:

none; each atoll has its own administrative center

time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (territory of New Zealand)

Independence:

none (territory of New Zealand)

National holiday:

Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty

over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Constitution:

administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948; amended in 1970

Legal system:

New Zealand and local statutes

Suffrage:

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),

represented by Governor General of New Zealand Anand SATYANAND

(since 23 August 2006); New Zealand is represented by Administrator

David PAYTON (since 17 October 2006)

head of government: Kolouei O'BRIEN (2006); note - position rotates

annually among the three Faipule (village leaders)

cabinet: the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau,

consisting of three Faipule (village leaders) and three Pulenuku

(village mayors), functions as a cabinet

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed

by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; the

head of government is chosen from the Council of Faipule and serves

a one-year term

Legislative branch:

unicameral General Fono (21 seats; based upon proportional

representation from the three islands elected by popular vote to

serve three-year terms; Nukunonu has 6 seats, Fakaofo has 7 seats,

Atafu has 8 seats); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers

limited legislative power on the General Fono

elections: last held January 2005 (next to be held January 2008)

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal

jurisdiction in Tokelau

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

PIF (observer), SPC, UNESCO (associate), UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (territory of New Zealand)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territory of New Zealand)

Flag description:

the flag of New Zealand is used

Economy Tokelau

Economy - overview:

Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack of

resources greatly restrain economic development and confine

agriculture to the subsistence level. The people rely heavily on aid

from New Zealand - about $4 million annually - to maintain public

services, with annual aid being substantially greater than GDP. The

principal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postage

stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to

families from relatives in New Zealand.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.5 million (1993 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

NA

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,000 (1993 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Labor force:

440 (2001)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

NA%

Budget:

revenues: $430,800

expenditures: $2.8 million; including capital expenditures of NA

(1987 est.)

Agriculture - products:

coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs, poultry,

goats; fish

Industries:

small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking, plaited

craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing

Electricity - production:

NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

NA kWh

Exports:

$0 f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:

stamps, copra, handicrafts

Exports - partners:

New Zealand (2004)

Imports:

$969,200 c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, building materials, fuel

Imports - partners:

New Zealand (2004)

Debt - external:

$0

Economic aid - recipient:

about $4 million annually from New Zealand

Currency (code):

New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code:

NZD

Exchange rates:

New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004),

1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications Tokelau

Telephones - main lines in use:

300 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

0 (2001)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern satellite-based communications system;

domestic: radiotelephone service between islands

international: country code - 690; radiotelephone service to Samoa;

government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok), with 3 satellite

earth stations

Radio broadcast stations:

AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

note: 1 radio station provides service to all islands (2002)

Radios:

1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.tk

Internet hosts:

298 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

NA

Transportation Tokelau

Ports and terminals: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Tokelau

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$66.72 million

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Transnational Issues Tokelau

Disputes - international: Tokelau included American Samoa's Swains Island (Olohega) in its 2006 draft constitution

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Tonga

Introduction Tonga

Background:

Tonga - unique among Pacific nations - never completely lost its

indigenous governance. The archipelagos of "The Friendly Islands"

were united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. Tonga became a

constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900;

it withdrew from the protectorate and joined the Commonwealth of

Nations in 1970. Tonga remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.

Geography Tonga

Location:

Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds

of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:

20 00 S, 175 00 W

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 748 sq km

land: 718 sq km

water: 30 sq km

Area - comparative:

four times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

419 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May),

cool season (May to December)

Terrain:

most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral

formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m

Natural resources:

fish, fertile soil

Land use:

arable land: 20%

permanent crops: 14.67%

other: 65.33% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on

Fonuafo'ou

Environment - current issues:

deforestation results as more and more land is being cleared for

agriculture and settlement; some damage to coral reefs from starfish

and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting threatens

native sea turtle populations

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the

Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited)

People Tonga

Population:

114,689 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 35.3% (male 20,679/female 19,843)

15-64 years: 60.5% (male 34,399/female 34,964)

65 years and over: 4.2% (male 2,059/female 2,745) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 20.7 years

male: 20.1 years

female: 21.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.01% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

25.37 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

5.28 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 12.3 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 13.63 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 10.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 69.82 years

male: 67.32 years

female: 72.45 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Tongan(s)

adjective: Tongan

Ethnic groups:

Polynesian, Europeans

Religions:

Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)

Languages:

Tongan, English

Literacy:

definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English

total population: 98.9%

male: 98.8%

female: 99% (1999 est.)

Government Tonga

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga

conventional short form: Tonga

local long form: Pule'anga Tonga

local short form: Tonga

former: Friendly Islands

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Nuku'alofa

geographic coordinates: 21 08 S, 175 12 W

time difference: UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u

Independence:

4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)

National holiday:

Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)

Constitution:

4 November 1875; revised 1 January 1967

Legal system:

based on English law

Suffrage:

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: King George TUPOU V (since 11 September 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Feleti SEVELE (since 11

February 2006); Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Viliami TANGI (since 16

May 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet currently consists of 14 members, 10 appointed by

the monarch for life; 4 appointed from among the elected members of

the Legislative Assembly, including 2 each from the nobles and

peoples representatives serving three year terms

note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch,

the cabinet, and two governors

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and

deputy prime minister appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (32 seats - 14

reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, 9 for nobles

selected by the country's 33 nobles, and 9 elected by popular vote;

members serve three-year terms)

elections: last held 21 March 2005 (next to be held in 2008)

election results: Peoples Representatives: percent of vote - HRDMT

70%; seats - HRDMT 7, independents 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch); Court of

Appeal (Chief Justice and high court justices from overseas chosen

and approved by Privy Council)

Political parties and leaders:

People's Democratic Party [Tesina FUKO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Human Rights and Democracy Movement Tonga or HRDMT [Rev. Simote

VEA, chairman]; Public Servant's Association [Finau TUTONE]

International organization participation:

ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,

IHO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC,

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Fekitamoeloa 'UTOIKAMANU chancery: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022 telephone: [1] (917) 369-1025 FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024 consulate(s) general: San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is

accredited to Tonga

Flag description:

red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper

hoist-side corner

Economy Tonga

Economy - overview:

Tonga, a small, open, South Pacific island economy, has a narrow

export base in agricultural goods. Squash, coconuts, bananas, and

vanilla beans are the main crops, and agricultural exports make up

two-thirds of total exports. The country must import a high

proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. The country remains

dependent on external aid and remittances from Tongan communities

overseas to offset its trade deficit. Tourism is the second-largest

source of hard currency earnings following remittances. The

government is emphasizing the development of the private sector,

especially the encouragement of investment, and is committing

increased funds for health and education. Tonga has a reasonably

sound basic infrastructure and well-developed social services. High

unemployment among the young, a continuing upturn in inflation,

pressures for democratic reform, and rising civil service

expenditures are major issues facing the government.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$178.5 million (2004 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$244 million (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.4% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,200 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 23% industry: 27% services: 50% (FY03/04 est.)

Labor force: 33,910 (2003)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 65% industry and services: 35% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:

13% (FY03/04 est.)

Population below poverty line:

24% (FY03/04)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

11.1% (2005 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $56.97 million

expenditures: $83.88 million; including capital expenditures of $1.9

million (FY04/05)

Agriculture - products: squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish

Industries:

tourism, fishing

Industrial production growth rate:

1% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:

41 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

38.13 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

900 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-4.321 million (FY04/05)

Exports:

$34 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops

Exports - partners:

Japan 41.8%, US 33.4%, NZ 6.3% (2005)

Imports:

$122 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners:

NZ 33.4%, Fiji 26.6%, Australia 10.5%, US 8.4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$40.83 million (yearend)

Debt - external:

$80.7 million (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:

$19.3 million Australia $5.5 million, New Zealand $2.3 million

(FY01/02) (2004)

Currency (code):

pa'anga (TOP)

Currency code:

TOP

Exchange rates:

pa'anga per US dollar - 1.96 (2005), 1.9716 (2004), 2.142 (2003),

2.1952 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 July - 30 June

Communications Tonga

Telephones - main lines in use:

11,200 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

16,400 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: competition between Tonga Telecommunications

Corporation (TCC) and Shoreline Communications Tonga (SCT) is

accelerating expansion of telecommunications; SCT recently granted

authority to develop high-speed digital service for telephone,

Internet, and television

domestic: fully automatic switched network

international: country code - 676; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2004)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2004)

Radios:

61,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (2004)

Televisions:

2,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.to

Internet hosts:

18,775 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2000)

Internet users:

3,000 (2004)

Transportation Tonga

Airports: 6 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 5

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 680 km

paved: 184 km

unpaved: 496 km (1999)

Merchant marine:

total: 16 ships (1000 GRT or over) 62,185 GRT/72,960 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 10, liquefied gas 1, livestock

carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo

1

foreign-owned: 4 (Australia 1, Norway 1, Switzerland 1, UK 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Nuku'alofa

Military Tonga

Military branches:

Tonga Defense Services: Land Force (Royal Guard), Naval Force

(includes Royal Marines, Air Wing) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 25,420

females ag3 18-49: 24,827 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 19,840

females age 18-49: 21,342 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males ag3 18-49: 1,586

females age 18-49: 1,538 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

NA

Transnational Issues Tonga

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Trinidad and Tobago

Introduction Trinidad and Tobago

Background:

First colonized by the Spanish, the islands came under British

control in the early 19th century. The islands' sugar industry was

hurt by the emancipation of the slaves in 1834. Manpower was

replaced with the importation of contract laborers from India

between 1845 and 1917, which boosted sugar production as well as the

cocoa industry. The discovery of oil on Trinidad in 1910 added

another important export. Independence was attained in 1962. The

country is one of the most prosperous in the Caribbean thanks

largely to petroleum and natural gas production and processing.

Tourism, mostly in Tobago, is targeted for expansion and is growing.

Geography Trinidad and Tobago

Location:

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic

Ocean, northeast of Venezuela

Geographic coordinates:

11 00 N, 61 00 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 5,128 sq km

land: 5,128 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Delaware

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

362 km

Maritime claims:

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental

margin

Climate:

tropical; rainy season (June to December)

Terrain:

mostly plains with some hills and low mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, asphalt

Land use: arable land: 14.62% permanent crops: 9.16% other: 76.22% (2005)

Irrigated land:

40 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms

Environment - current issues:

water pollution from agricultural chemicals, industrial wastes, and

raw sewage; oil pollution of beaches; deforestation; soil erosion

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,

Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

Pitch Lake, on Trinidad's southwestern coast, is the world's

largest natural reservoir of asphalt

People Trinidad and Tobago

Population:

1,065,842 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 20.1% (male 109,936/female 104,076)

15-64 years: 71.3% (male 398,657/female 361,093)

65 years and over: 8.6% (male 41,162/female 50,918) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 31.2 years

male: 30.8 years

female: 31.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.87% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

12.9 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

10.57 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-11.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female

total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 25.05 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 26.86 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 23.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 66.76 years

male: 65.71 years

female: 67.86 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.74 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

3.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

29,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

1,900 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s)

adjective: Trinidadian, Tobagonian

Ethnic groups:

Indian (South Asian) 40%, African 37.5%, mixed 20.5%, other 1.2%,

unspecified 0.8% (2000 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 26%, Hindu 22.5%, Anglican 7.8%, Baptist 7.2%,

Pentecostal 6.8%, other Christian 5.8%, Muslim 5.8%, Seventh Day

Adventist 4%, other 10.8%, unspecified 1.4%, none 1.9% (2000 census)

Languages:

English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish, Chinese

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.6%

male: 99.1%

female: 98% (2003 est.)

Government Trinidad and Tobago

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Port-of-Spain

geographic coordinates: 10 39 N, 61 31 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

9 regional corporations, 2 city corporations, 3 borough

corporations, 1 ward

regional corporations: Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo, Diego Martin,

Mayaro/Rio Claro, Penal/Debe, Princes Town, Sangre Grande, San

Juan/Laventille, Siparia, Tunapuna/Piarco

city corporations: Port-of-Spain, San Fernando

borough corporations: Arima, Chaguanas, Point Fortin

ward: Tobago

Independence:

31 August 1962 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 31 August (1962)

Constitution:

1 August 1976

Legal system:

based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in

the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President George Maxwell RICHARDS (since 17 March

2003)

head of government: Prime Minister Patrick MANNING (since 24

December 2001)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among the members of Parliament

elections: president elected by an electoral college, which consists

of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives, for a

five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 14

February 2003 (next to be held in by January 2008); the president

usually appoints as prime minister the leader of the majority party

in the House of Representatives

election results: George Maxwell RICHARDS elected president; percent

of electoral college vote - 43%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (31 seats; 16 members

appointed by the ruling party, 9 by the President, 6 by the

opposition party for a maximum term of five years) and the House of

Representatives (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote to

serve five-year terms)

elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 October 2002 (next

to be held by October 2007)

election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - PNM

55.5%, UNC 44.5%; seats by party - PNM 20, UNC 16

note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly with 12 members

serving four-year terms; last election held January 2005; seats by

party - PNM 11, DAC 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Judicature (comprised of the High Court of Justice

and the Court of Appeals; the chief justice is appointed by the

president after consultation with the prime minister and the leader

of the opposition; other justices are appointed by the president on

the advice of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission); High Court

of Justice; Caribbean Court of Appeals member; Court of Appeals; the

highest court of appeal is the Privy Council in London

Political parties and leaders:

Congress of the People [Winston Dookeran]; Democratic National

Alliance or DNA (coalition of NAR, DDPT, MND) [Gerald YETMING];

Movement for National Development or MND [Garvin NICHOLAS]; National

Alliance for Reconstruction or NAR [Dr. Carson CHARLES]; People's

National Movement or PNM [Patrick MANNING]; United National Congress

or UNC [Basdeo PANDAY]; Democratic Action Congress or DAC [Hochoy

CHARLES], note - only active in Tobago

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Jamaat-al Muslimeen [Yasin BAKR]

International organization participation:

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,

ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO,

ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Marina Annette VALERE

chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 467-6490

FAX: [1] (202) 785-3130

consulate(s) general: Miami, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Roy L. AUSTIN

embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain

mailing address: P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain

telephone: [1] (868) 622-6371 through 6376

FAX: [1] (868) 628-5462

Flag description:

red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist

side to the lower fly side

Economy Trinidad and Tobago

Economy - overview:

Trinidad and Tobago, the leading Caribbean producer of oil and gas,

has earned a reputation as an excellent investment site for

international businesses. Tourism is a growing sector, although not

proportionately as important as in many other Caribbean islands. The

economy benefits from a growing trade surplus. Economic growth in

2006 reached 12.6% as prices for oil, petrochemicals, and liquefied

natural gas remained high, and foreign direct investment continued

to grow to support expanded capacity in the energy sector. The

government is coping with a rise in violent crime.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$20.99 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$14.99 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

12.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$19,700 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0.7% industry: 57.7% services: 41.5% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 618,000 (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 9.5%, manufacturing, mining, and quarrying 9.5%, construction and utilities 12.4%, services 14% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:

7% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

21% (1992 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

8% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

19.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $6.591 billion

expenditures: $5.649 billion; including capital expenditures of

$117.3 million (2006 est.)

Public debt:

36.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

cocoa, rice, citrus, coffee, vegetables; poultry

Industries:

petroleum, chemicals, tourism, food processing, cement, beverage,

cotton textiles

Industrial production growth rate:

17% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

6.049 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.8% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0.2% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

5.626 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

150,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

34,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

990 million bbl (1 January 2004)

Natural gas - production:

28.09 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

14.15 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

13.94 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

733 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$3.259 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$12.5 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, steel products,

fertilizer, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus, flowers

Exports - partners:

US 68.6%, Jamaica 5.4%, Barbados 2.9% (2005)

Imports:

$8.798 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, live

animals

Imports - partners:

US 27.2%, Venezuela 13.1%, Brazil 13.1%, Japan 5.4%, Canada 4.1%

(2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$6.888 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$2.838 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$24 million (1999 est.)

Currency (code):

Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD)

Currency code:

TTD

Exchange rates:

Trinidad and Tobago dollars per US dollar - 6.2944 (2006), 6.2842

(2005), 6.299 (2004), 6.2951 (2003), 6.2487 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 October - 30 September

Communications Trinidad and Tobago

Telephones - main lines in use:

323,500 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

800,000 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: excellent international service; good local

service

domestic: NA

international: country code - 1-868; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Barbados and

Guyana

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 4, FM 18, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:

680,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

6 (2005)

Televisions:

425,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.tt

Internet hosts:

30,732 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

17 (2000)

Internet users:

160,000 (2005)

Transportation Trinidad and Tobago

Airports: 6 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Pipelines:

condensate 253 km; gas 1,278 km; oil 571 km (2006)

Roadways:

total: 8,320 km

paved: 4,252 km

unpaved: 4,068 km (1999)

Merchant marine:

total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 16,760 GRT/7,941 DWT

by type: liquefied gas 1, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum

tanker 2

foreign-owned: 1 (US 1)

registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Pointe-a-Pierre, Point Lisas, Port-of-Spain

Military Trinidad and Tobago

Military branches:

Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force: Ground Force, Coast Guard

(includes air wing) (2004)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription

(2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 290,715

females age 18-49: 258,410 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 202,958

females age 18-49: 173,797 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$66.72 million (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

0.6% (2003 est.)

Transnational Issues Trinidad and Tobago

Disputes - international:

In April 2006, the Permanent Court of Arbitration issues a decision

that delimits a maritime boundary with Trinidad and Tobago and

compels Barbados to enter a fishing agreement that limits Barbadian

fishermen's catches of flying fish in Trinidad and Tobago's

exclusive economic zone; in 2005, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago

agreed to compulsory international arbitration under UNCLOS

challenging whether the northern limit of Trinidad and Tobago's and

Venezuela's maritime boundary extends into Barbadian waters; Guyana

has also expressed its intention to include itself in the

arbitration as the Trinidad and Tobago-Venezuela maritime boundary

may extend into its waters as well

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US

and Europe; producer of cannabis

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Tunisia

Introduction Tunisia

Background:

Rivalry between French and Italian interests in Tunisia culminated

in a French invasion in 1881 and the creation of a protectorate.

Agitation for independence in the decades following World War I was

finally successful in getting the French to recognize Tunisia as an

independent state in 1956. The country's first president, Habib

BOURGUIBA, established a strict one-party state. He dominated the

country for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and

establishing rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation.

Tunisia has long taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in its foreign

relations. Domestically, it has sought to defuse rising pressure for

a more open political society.

Geography Tunisia

Location:

Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria

and Libya

Geographic coordinates:

34 00 N, 9 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 163,610 sq km

land: 155,360 sq km

water: 8,250 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Georgia

Land boundaries: total: 1,424 km border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km

Coastline: 1,148 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

Climate:

temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers;

desert in south

Terrain:

mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges

into the Sahara

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m

highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt

Land use:

arable land: 17.05%

permanent crops: 13.08%

other: 69.87% (2005)

Irrigated land:

3,940 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues: toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffective and poses health risks; water pollution from raw sewage; limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

strategic location in central Mediterranean; Malta and Tunisia are

discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf

between their countries, particularly for oil exploration

People Tunisia

Population:

10,175,014 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 24.6% (male 1,293,235/female 1,212,994)

15-64 years: 68.6% (male 3,504,283/female 3,478,268)

65 years and over: 6.7% (male 327,521/female 358,713) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 27.8 years

male: 27.3 years

female: 28.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.99% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

15.52 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

5.13 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 23.84 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 26.7 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 20.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 75.12 years

male: 73.4 years

female: 76.96 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.74 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

1,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: may be a significant risk in some locations during the transmission season (typically April through November) (2007)

Nationality: noun: Tunisian(s) adjective: Tunisian

Ethnic groups:

Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Religions:

Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Languages:

Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French

(commerce)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 74.3%

male: 83.4%

female: 65.3% (2004 est.)

Government Tunisia

Country name:

conventional long form: Tunisian Republic

conventional short form: Tunisia

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah

local short form: Tunis

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Tunis

geographic coordinates: 36 48 N, 10 11 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

24 governorates; Ariana (Aryanah), Beja (Bajah), Ben Arous (Bin

'Arus), Bizerte (Banzart), Gabes (Qabis), Gafsa (Qafsah), Jendouba

(Jundubah), Kairouan (Al Qayrawan), Kasserine (Al Qasrayn), Kebili

(Qibili), Kef (Al Kaf), Mahdia (Al Mahdiyah), Manouba (Manubah),

Medenine (Madanin), Monastir (Al Munastir), Nabeul (Nabul), Sfax

(Safaqis), Sidi Bou Zid (Sidi Bu Zayd), Siliana (Silyanah), Sousse

(Susah), Tataouine (Tatawin), Tozeur (Tawzar), Tunis, Zaghouan

(Zaghwan)

Independence:

20 March 1956 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 20 March (1956)

Constitution:

1 June 1959; amended 1988, 2002

Legal system:

based on French civil law system and Shari'a law; some judicial

review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session

Suffrage:

20 years of age; universal except for active duty military

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Zine el Abidine BEN ALI (since 7 November

1987)

head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed GHANNOUCHI (since 17

November 1999)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(no term limits); election last held 24 October 2004 (next to be

held October 2009); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI reelected for a

fourth term; percent of vote - Zine El Abidine BEN ALI 94.5%,

Mohamed BOUCHIHA 3.8%, Mohamed Ali HALOUANI 1%

Legislative branch:

bicameral system consists of the Chamber of Deputies or Majlis

al-Nuwaab (189 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve

five-year terms) and the Chamber of Advisors (126 seats; 85 members

elected by municipal counselors, deputies, mayors, and professional

associations and trade unions; 41 members are presidential

appointees; members serve six-year terms)

elections: Chamber of Deputies - last held 24 October 2004 (next to

be held October 2009); Chamber of Advisors - last held 3 July 2005

(next to be held July 2011)

election results: Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party -

NA; seats by party - RCD 152, MDS 14, PUP 11, UDU 7, Al-Tajdid 3,

PSL 2; Chamber of Advisors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - RCD 71 (14 trade union seats vacant (boycotted))

Judicial branch:

Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation

Political parties and leaders:

Al-Tajdid Movement [Ali HALOUANI]; Constitutional Democratic Rally

Party (Rassemblement Constitutionnel Democratique) or RCD [President

Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (official ruling party)]; Green Party for

Progress or PVP [Mongi KHAMASSI]; Liberal Social Party or PSL

[Mounir BEJI]; Movement of Socialist Democrats or MDS [Ismail

BOULAHYA]; Popular Unity Party or PUP [Mohamed BOUCHIHA];

Progressive Democratic Party [Nejib CHEBBI]; Unionist Democratic

Union or UDU [Ahmed INOUBLI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

18 October Group [collective leadership]; Democratic Forum for

Labor and Liberties or FDTL [Mustapha Ben JAFAAR]; Tunisian League

for Human Rights or LTDH [Mokhtar TRIFI]; note - the Islamic

fundamentalist party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is outlawed

International organization participation:

ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BSEC (observer), FAO, G-77,

IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,

IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MONUC,

NAM, OAPEC (suspended), OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE

(partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,

WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nejib HACHANA chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850 FAX: [1] (202) 862-1858

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador designate Robert F. GODEC embassy: Zone Nord-Est des Berges du Lac Nord de Tunis 1053 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [216] 71 107-000 FAX: [216] 71 107-090

Flag description:

red with a white disk in the center bearing a red crescent nearly

encircling a red five-pointed star; the crescent and star are

traditional symbols of Islam

Economy Tunisia

Economy - overview:

Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural, mining,

energy, tourism, and manufacturing sectors. Governmental control of

economic affairs while still heavy has gradually lessened over the

past decade with increasing privatization, simplification of the tax

structure, and a prudent approach to debt. Progressive social

policies also have helped raise living conditions in Tunisia

relative to the region. Real growth slowed to a 15-year low of 1.9%

in 2002 because of agricultural drought and lackluster tourism.

Increased rain helped to push GDP growth to an average rate of 5% in

2003-06. However, a recession in agriculture, weak expansion in the

tourism and textile sectors, and increasing import costs due to

rising world energy prices cut growth to 4% in 2006. Tunisia is

gradually removing barriers to trade with the EU. Broader

privatization, further liberalization of the investment code to

increase foreign investment, improvements in government efficiency,

and reduction of the trade deficit are among the challenges ahead.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$87.88 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$32.95 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$8,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 12.8% industry: 31% services: 56.2% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 3.502 million note: shortage of skilled labor (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 55% industry: 23% services: 22% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate:

13.9% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

7.4% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 31.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

40 (2005 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.6% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

22.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $7.728 billion

expenditures: $8.734 billion; including capital expenditures of $1.6

billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:

57.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

olives, olive oil, grain, tomatoes, citrus fruit, sugar beets,

dates, almonds; beef, dairy products

Industries:

petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism,

textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages

Industrial production growth rate:

4.7% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

11.81 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.5% hydro: 0.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

10.97 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

15 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

5 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

81,530 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

89,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

1.7 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

2.4 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

3.7 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

1.3 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

77.87 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-760 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$11.61 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

clothing, semi-finished goods and textiles, agricultural products,

mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, hydrocarbons

Exports - partners:

France 30.8%, Italy 21%, Germany 9.3%, Spain 5.5%, Libya 4.4% (2005)

Imports:

$13.89 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals,

foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

France 25.8%, Italy 23.1%, Germany 9.6%, Spain 5.6% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$6.646 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$18.37 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$328 million (2004)

Currency (code):

Tunisian dinar (TND)

Currency code:

TND

Exchange rates:

Tunisian dinars per US dollar - 1.31281 (2006), 1.2974 (2005),

1.2455 (2004), 1.2885 (2003), 1.4217 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Tunisia

Telephones - main lines in use:

1,257,500 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

5.681 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: above the African average and continuing to be

upgraded; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis; Internet

access available

domestic: trunk facilities consist of open-wire lines, coaxial

cable, and microwave radio relay

international: country code - 216; 5 submarine cables; satellite

earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; coaxial

cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria and Libya; participant in

Medarabtel; two international gateway digital switches

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 7, FM 20, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:

2.06 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:

920,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.tn

Internet hosts:

428 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

953,800 (2005)

Transportation Tunisia

Airports: 30 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 7 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 2,945 km; oil 1,227 km; refined products 351 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 2,153 km

standard gauge: 471 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 1,674 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified)

dual gauge: 8 km 1.435 m and 1.000-m gauges (three rails) (2005)

Roadways:

total: 19,232 km

paved: 12,655 km (including 262 km of expressways)

unpaved: 6,577 km (2004)

Merchant marine:

total: 9 ships (1000 GRT or over) 146,759 GRT/115,118 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 1, chemical tanker 3, passenger/cargo

4 (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Skhira

Military Tunisia

Military branches:

Army, Navy, Republic of Tunisia Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya

al-Jamahiriyah At'tunisia) (2006)

Military service age and obligation: 20 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 20-49: 2,441,741

females age 20-49: 2,406,362 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 20-49: 2,035,431

females age 20-49: 2,000,757 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 108,817

females age 20-49: 103,087 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$356 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.5% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Tunisia

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Turkey

Introduction Turkey

Background:

Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the Anatolian remnants of

the defeated Ottoman Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who was

later honored with the title Ataturk, or "Father of the Turks."

Under his authoritarian leadership, the country adopted wide-ranging

social, legal, and political reforms. After a period of one-party

rule, an experiment with multi-party politics led to the 1950

election victory of the opposition Democratic Party and the peaceful

transfer of power. Since then, Turkish political parties have

multiplied, but democracy has been fractured by periods of

instability and intermittent military coups (1960, 1971, 1980),

which in each case eventually resulted in a return of political

power to civilians. In 1997, the military again helped engineer the

ouster - popularly dubbed a "post-modern coup" - of the then

Islamic-oriented government. Turkey intervened militarily on Cyprus

in 1974 to prevent a Greek takeover of the island and has since

acted as patron state to the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,"

which only Turkey recognizes. A separatist insurgency begun in 1984

by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) - now known as the People's

Congress of Kurdistan or Kongra-Gel (KGK) - has dominated the

Turkish military's attention and claimed more than 30,000 lives.

After the capture of the group's leader in 1999, the insurgents

largely withdrew from Turkey, mainly to northern Iraq. In 2004, KGK

announced an end to its ceasefire and attacks attributed to the KGK

increased. Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and in 1952 it became a

member of NATO. In 1964, Turkey became an associate member of the

European Community; over the past decade, it has undertaken many

reforms to strengthen its democracy and economy, enabling it to

begin accession membership talks with the European Union.

Geography Turkey

Location:

Southeastern Europe and Southwestern Asia (that portion of Turkey

west of the Bosporus is geographically part of Europe), bordering

the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering the

Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria

Geographic coordinates:

39 00 N, 35 00 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 780,580 sq km

land: 770,760 sq km

water: 9,820 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 2,648 km

border countries: Armenia 268 km, Azerbaijan 9 km, Bulgaria 240 km,

Georgia 252 km, Greece 206 km, Iran 499 km, Iraq 352 km, Syria 822 km

Coastline:

7,200 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 6 nm in the Aegean Sea; 12 nm in Black Sea and in

Mediterranean Sea

exclusive economic zone: in Black Sea only: to the maritime boundary

agreed upon with the former USSR

Climate:

temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher in

interior

Terrain:

high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain; several

mountain ranges

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Ararat 5,166 m

Natural resources:

coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, antimony, mercury, gold, barite,

borate, celestite (strontium), emery, feldspar, limestone,

magnesite, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites (sulfur), clay, arable

land, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 29.81% permanent crops: 3.39% other: 66.8% (2005)

Irrigated land:

52,150 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc

extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van

Environment - current issues: water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation; concern for oil spills from increasing Bosporus ship traffic

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate

Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone

Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:

strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus, Sea

of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link Black and Aegean Seas; Mount

Ararat, the legendary landing place of Noah's Ark, is in the far

eastern portion of the country

People Turkey

Population:

70,413,958 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 25.5% (male 9,133,226/female 8,800,070)

15-64 years: 67.7% (male 24,218,277/female 23,456,761)

65 years and over: 6.8% (male 2,198,073/female 2,607,551) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 28.1 years

male: 27.9 years

female: 28.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.06% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

16.62 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

5.97 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 39.69 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 43.27 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 35.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 72.62 years

male: 70.18 years

female: 75.18 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.92 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% - note - no country specific models provided (2001

est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Turk(s)

adjective: Turkish

Ethnic groups:

Turkish 80%, Kurdish 20% (estimated)

Religions:

Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews)

Languages:

Turkish (official), Kurdish, Dimli (or Zaza), Azeri, Kabardian

note: there is also a substantial Gagauz population in the Europe

part of Turkey

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 86.5%

male: 94.3%

female: 78.7% (2003 est.)

Government Turkey

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Turkey

conventional short form: Turkey

local long form: Turkiye Cumhuriyeti

local short form: Turkiye

Government type:

republican parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Ankara

geographic coordinates: 39 56 N, 32 52 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

81 provinces (iller, singular - il); Adana, Adiyaman,

Afyonkarahisar, Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan,

Artvin, Aydin, Balikesir, Bartin, Batman, Bayburt, Bilecik, Bingol,

Bitlis, Bolu, Burdur, Bursa, Canakkale, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli,

Diyarbakir, Duzce, Edirne, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir,

Gaziantep, Giresun, Gumushane, Hakkari, Hatay, Icel (Mersin), Igdir,

Isparta, Istanbul, Izmir, Kahramanmaras, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars,

Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kilis, Kirikkale, Kirklareli, Kirsehir, Kocaeli,

Konya, Kutahya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mugla, Mus, Nevsehir,

Nigde, Ordu, Osmaniye, Rize, Sakarya, Samsun, Sanliurfa, Siirt,

Sinop, Sirnak, Sivas, Tekirdag, Tokat, Trabzon, Tunceli, Usak, Van,

Yalova, Yozgat, Zonguldak

Independence:

29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)

National holiday:

Republic Day, 29 October (1923)

Constitution:

7 November 1982

Legal system:

civil law system derived from various European continental legal

systems; note - member of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR),

although Turkey claims limited derogations on the ratified European

Convention on Human Rights

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Ahmet Necdet SEZER (since 16 May 2000)

head of government: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (14 March

2003)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the

nomination of the prime minister

elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a single

seven-year term; election last held 5 May 2000 (next to be held May

2007); prime minister appointed by the president from among members

of parliament

election results: Ahmed Necdet SEZER elected president on the third

ballot; percent of National Assembly vote - 60%

note: president must have a two-thirds majority of the National

Assembly on the first two ballots and a simple majority on the third

ballot

Legislative branch:

unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye Buyuk

Millet Meclisi (550 seats; members are elected by popular vote to

serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 3 November 2002 (next is scheduled to be held 4

November 2007); note - a special rerun of the General Election in

the province of Siirt on 9 March 2003 resulted in the election of

Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN to a seat in parliament, a prerequisite for

becoming prime minister, on 14 March 2003

election results: percent of vote by party - AKP 34.3%, CHP 19.4%,

DYP 9.6%, MHP 8.3%, GP 7.3%, Anavatan 5.1%, DSP 1.1%, and other;

seats by party - AKP 363, CHP 178, independents 9; note - parties

surpassing the 10% threshold are entitled to parliamentary seats;

seats by party as of 1 December 2006 - AKP 354, CHP 154, Anavatan

21, DYP 4, SHP 1, HYP 1, GP 1, independents 9, vacant 5

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court; High Court of Appeals (Yargitay); Council of

State (Danistay); Court of Accounts (Sayistay); Military High Court

of Appeals; Military High Administrative Court

Political parties and leaders:

Anavatan Partisi (Motherland Party) or Anavatan [Erkan MUMCU];

Democratic Left Party or DSP [Mehmet Zeki SEZER]; Democratic Society

Party or DTP [Ahmet TURK]; Felicity Party (sometimes translated as

Contentment Party) or SP [Recai KUTAN]; Justice and Development

Party or AKP [Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN]; Nationalist Action Party or MHP

(sometimes translated as Nationalist Movement Party) [Devlet

BAHCELI]; People's Rise Party (Halkin Yukselisi Partisi) or HYP

[Yasar Nuri OZTURK]; Republican People's Party or CHP [Deniz

BAYKAL]; Social Democratic People's Party or SHP [Murat KARAYALCIN];

True Path Party (sometimes translated as Correct Way Party) or DYP

[Mehmet AGAR]; Young Party or GP [Cem Cengiz UZAN]

note: the parties listed above are some of the more significant of

the 49 parties that Turkey had on 1 December 2004

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Confederation of Public Sector Unions or KESK [Ismail Hakki

TOMBUL]; Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions or DISK

[Suleyman CELEBI]; Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's

Association or MUSIAD [Omer BOLAT]; Moral Rights Workers Union or

Hak-Is [Salim USLU]; Turkish Confederation of Employers' Unions or

TISK [Tugurl KUDATGOBILIK]; Turkish Confederation of Labor or

Turk-Is [Salih KILIC]; Turkish Confederation of Tradesmen and

Craftsmen or TESK [Dervis GUNDAY]; Turkish Industrialists' and

Businessmen's Association or TUSIAD [Omer SABANCI]; Turkish Union of

Chambers of Commerce and Commodity Exchanges or TOBB [M. Rifat

HISARCIKLIOGLU]

International organization participation:

AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN (observer), EAPC, EBRD,

ECO, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB,

IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,

ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIC,

OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS,

UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO,

WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nabi SENSOY chancery: 2525 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 612-6700 FAX: [1] (202) 612-6744 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ross WILSON embassy: 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Kavaklidere, 06100 Ankara mailing address: PSC 93, Box 5000, APO AE 09823 telephone: [90] (312) 455-5555 FAX: [90] (312) 467-0019 consulate(s) general: Istanbul consulate(s): Adana; note - there is a Consular Agent in Izmir

Flag description:

red with a vertical white crescent (the closed portion is toward

the hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just outside

the crescent opening

Economy Turkey

Economy - overview:

Turkey's dynamic economy is a complex mix of modern industry and

commerce along with a traditional agriculture sector that still

accounts for more than 35% of employment. It has a strong and

rapidly growing private sector, yet the state still plays a major

role in basic industry, banking, transport, and communication. The

largest industrial sector is textiles and clothing, which accounts

for one-third of industrial employment; it faces stiff competition

in international markets with the end of the global quota system.

However, other sectors, notably the automotive and electronics

industries, are rising in importance within Turkey's export mix.

Real GNP growth has exceeded 6% in many years, but this strong

expansion has been interrupted by sharp declines in output in 1994,

1999, and 2001. The economy is turning around with the

implementation of economic reforms, and 2004 GDP growth reached 9%,

followed by roughly 5% annual growth in 2005-06. Inflation fell to

7.7% in 2005 - a 30-year low, but climbed back to 9.8% in 2006.

Despite the strong economic gains in 2002-06, which were largely due

to renewed investor interest in emerging markets, IMF backing, and

tighter fiscal policy, the economy is still burdened by a high

current account deficit and high debt. The public sector fiscal

deficit exceeds 6% of GDP - due in large part to high interest

payments, which accounted for about 37% of central government

spending in 2004. Prior to 2005, foreign direct investment (FDI) in

Turkey averaged less than $1 billion annually, but further economic

and judicial reforms and prospective EU membership are expected to

boost FDI. Privatization sales are currently approaching $21

billion. Oil began to flow through the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan pipeline

in May 2006, marking a major milestone that will bring up to 1

billion barrels per day from the Caspian to market.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$627.2 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$358.2 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$8,900 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.2% industry: 29.4% services: 59.4% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 24.8 million note: about 1.2 million Turks work abroad (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 35.9% industry: 22.8% services: 41.2% (3rd quarter)

Unemployment rate:

10.2% plus underemployment of 4% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

20% (2002)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 30.7% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

42 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

9.8% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

20.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $112.3 billion

expenditures: $121.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

64.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, pulse, citrus;

livestock

Industries:

textiles, food processing, autos, electronics, mining (coal,

chromite, copper, boron), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber,

paper

Industrial production growth rate:

5.5% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

143.3 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 79.3% hydro: 20.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0.3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

140.3 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports:

1.1 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

500 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

50,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

715,100 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:

46,110 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

616,500 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

288.4 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

688 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

22.6 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

21.73 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

8.495 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-25.99 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$85.21 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transport

equipment

Exports - partners:

Germany 12.9%, UK 8.1%, Italy 7.6%, US 6.7%, France 5.2%, Spain

4.1% (2005)

Imports:

$120.9 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, chemicals, semi-finished goods, fuels, transport

equipment

Imports - partners:

Germany 11.7%, Russia 11%, Italy 6.5%, China 5.9%, France 5%, US

4.6%, UK 4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$53.42 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$193.6 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

ODA, $635.8 million (2002)

Currency (code):

Turkish lira (YTL); old Turkish lira (TRL) before 1 January 2005

Currency code:

TRL, YTL

Exchange rates:

Turkish liras per US dollar - 1.44514 (2006), 1.3436 (2005), 1.4255

(2004), 1.5009 (2003), 1.5072 (2002), note, on 1 January 2005 the

old Turkish Lira (TRL) was converted to new Turkish Lira (YTL) at a

rate of 1,000,000 old to 1 new Turkish Lira

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Turkey

Telephones - main lines in use:

18.978 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

43.609 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: undergoing rapid modernization and expansion,

especially with cellular telephones

domestic: additional digital exchanges are permitting a rapid

increase in subscribers; the construction of a network of

technologically advanced intercity trunk lines, using both

fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay is facilitating

communication between urban centers; remote areas are reached by a

domestic satellite system; the number of subscribers to mobile

cellular telephone service is growing rapidly

international: country code - 90; international service is provided

by three submarine fiber-optic cables in the Mediterranean and Black

Seas, linking Turkey with Italy, Greece, Israel, Bulgaria, Romania,

and Russia; also by 12 Intelsat earth stations, and by 328 mobile

satellite terminals in the Inmarsat and Eutelsat systems (2002)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 16, FM 107, shortwave 6 (2001)

Radios:

11.3 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

635 (plus 2,934 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:

20.9 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.tr

Internet hosts:

1,313,135 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

50 (2001)

Internet users:

16 million (2005)

Transportation Turkey

Airports: 117 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 89 over 3,047 m: 15 2,438 to 3,047 m: 33 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 28 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 17 (2006)

Heliports:

18 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 4,621 km; oil 3,543 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 8,697 km

standard gauge: 8,697 km 1.435-m gauge (2,122 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:

total: 426,906 km

paved: 177,550 km (including 1,892 km of expressways)

unpaved: 249,356 km (2004)

Waterways:

1,200 km (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 545 ships (1000 GRT or over) 4,772,864 GRT/7,313,070 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 109, cargo 239, chemical tanker 50, container

24, liquefied gas 6, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 50, petroleum

tanker 36, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 24, specialized

tanker 2

foreign-owned: 7 (Cyprus 2, Germany 1, Italy 3, Switzerland 1)

registered in other countries: 411 (Albania 1, Antigua and Barbuda

8, Bahamas 8, Belize 11, Cambodia 26, Comoros 11, Dominica 3,

Georgia 30, Isle of Man 3, North Korea 4, Liberia 1, Libya 2, Malta

123, Marshall Islands 20, Netherlands Antilles 9, Panama 42, Russia

63, Saint Kitts and Nevis 6, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 25,

Slovakia 8, Tuvalu 2, UK 2, unknown 3) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Aliaga, Ambarli, Eregli, Haydarpasa, Istanbul, Izmir, Kocaeli

(Izmit), Toros

Military Turkey

Military branches:

Turkish Armed Forces (TSK): Land Forces, Turkish Naval Forces (Turk

Deniz Kuvvetleri, TDK; includes naval air and naval infantry),

Turkish Air Force (Turk Hava Kuvvetleri, THK) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

20 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 20-49: 16,756,323

females age 20-49: 16,051,706 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 20-49: 13,905,901

females age 20-49: 13,335,812 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 679,734

females age 20-49: 659,090 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$12.155 billion (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

5.3% (2003)

Military - note:

in the early 1990s, the Turkish Land Force was a large but badly

equipped infantry force; there were 14 infantry divisions, but only

one was mechanized, and out of 16 infantry brigades, only six were

mechanized; the overhaul that has taken place since has produced

highly mobile forces with greatly enhanced firepower in accordance

with NATO's new strategic concept (2005)

Transnational Issues Turkey

Disputes - international:

complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Greece in the

Aegean Sea; status of north Cyprus question remains; Syria and Iraq

protest Turkish hydrological projects to control upper Euphrates

waters; Turkey has expressed concern over the status of Kurds in

Iraq; border with Armenia remains closed over Nagorno-Karabakh

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 1-1.2 million (fighting 1984-99 between Kurdish PKK and

Turkish military; most IDPs in southeastern provinces) (2006)

Illicit drugs:

key transit route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western Europe and

- to a far lesser extent the US - via air, land, and sea routes;

major Turkish, Iranian, and other international trafficking

organizations operate out of Istanbul; laboratories to convert

imported morphine base into heroin are in remote regions of Turkey

and near Istanbul; government maintains strict controls over areas

of legal opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw

concentrate; lax enforcement of money-laundering controls

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Turkmenistan

Introduction Turkmenistan

Background:

Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan became a

Soviet republic in 1924. It achieved its independence upon the

dissolution of the USSR in 1991. President Saparmurat NIYAZOV

retains absolute control over the country and opposition is not

tolerated. Extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves could prove a

boon to this underdeveloped country if extraction and delivery

projects were to be expanded. The Turkmenistan Government is

actively seeking to develop alternative petroleum transportation

routes in order to break Russia's pipeline monopoly.

Geography Turkmenistan

Location:

Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan

Geographic coordinates:

40 00 N, 60 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 488,100 sq km

land: 488,100 sq km

water: NEGL

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:

total: 3,736 km

border countries: Afghanistan 744 km, Iran 992 km, Kazakhstan 379

km, Uzbekistan 1,621 km

Coastline:

0 km; note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

subtropical desert

Terrain:

flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to mountains in the

south; low mountains along border with Iran; borders Caspian Sea in

west

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Vpadina Akchanaya -81 m; note - Sarygamysh Koli is a

lake in northern Turkmenistan with a water level that fluctuates

above and below the elevation of Vpadina Akchanaya (the lake has

dropped as low as -110 m)

highest point: Gora Ayribaba 3,139 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt

Land use: arable land: 4.51% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 95.35% (2005)

Irrigated land:

18,000 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

contamination of soil and groundwater with agricultural chemicals,

pesticides; salination, water-logging of soil due to poor irrigation

methods; Caspian Sea pollution; diversion of a large share of the

flow of the Amu Darya into irrigation contributes to that river's

inability to replenish the Aral Sea; desertification

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; the western and central low-lying, desolate portions of

the country make up the great Garagum (Kara-Kum) desert, which

occupies over 80% of the country; eastern part is plateau

People Turkmenistan

Population:

5,042,920 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 35.2% (male 913,988/female 863,503)

15-64 years: 60.7% (male 1,501,486/female 1,557,155)

65 years and over: 4.1% (male 79,227/female 127,561) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 21.8 years

male: 20.9 years

female: 22.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.83% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

27.61 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

8.6 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 72.56 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 76.9 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 68 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 61.83 years

male: 58.43 years

female: 65.41 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.37 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 100 (2004 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Turkmen(s)

adjective: Turkmen

Ethnic groups:

Turkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, Russian 4%, other 6% (2003)

Religions:

Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%

Languages:

Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.8%

male: 99.3%

female: 98.3% (1999 est.)

Government Turkmenistan

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Turkmenistan

local long form: none

local short form: Turkmenistan

former: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power

outside the executive branch

Capital:

name: Ashgabat (Ashkhabad)

geographic coordinates: 37 57 N, 58 23 E

time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

5 provinces (welayatlar, singular - welayat): Ahal Welayaty

(Ashgabat), Balkan Welayaty (Balkanabat), Dashoguz Welayaty, Lebap

Welayaty (Turkmenabat), Mary Welayaty

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their

administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center

name following in parentheses)

Independence:

27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 27 October (1991)

Constitution:

adopted 18 May 1992

Legal system:

based on civil law system

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President (Acting) and Chairman of the Cabinet of

Ministers Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMMEDOV; note - President Saparmurat

NIYAZOV died in office 21 December 2006 and Gurbanguly

BERDIMUHAMMEDOV was named his temporary replacement; the president

is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President (Acting) and Chairman of the Cabinet

of Ministers Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMMEDOV

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;

election last held 21 June 1992; note - President NIYAZOV was

unanimously approved as president for life by the People's Council

on 28 December 1999; deputy chairmen of the Cabinet of Ministers are

appointed by the president

election results: Saparmurat NIYAZOV elected president without

opposition; percent of vote - Saparmurat NIYAZOV 99.5%

Legislative branch:

under the 1992 constitution, there are two parliamentary bodies, a

unicameral People's Council or Halk Maslahaty (supreme legislative

body of up to 2,500 delegates, some of whom are elected by popular

vote and some of whom are appointed; meets at least yearly) and a

unicameral Parliament or Mejlis (50 seats; members are elected by

popular vote to serve five-year terms); membership is scheduled to

be increased to 65 seats

elections: People's Council - last held in April 2003 (next to be

held December 2008); Mejlis - last held 19 December 2004 (next to be

held December 2008)

election results: Mejlis - DPT 100%; seats by party - DPT 50; note -

all 50 elected officials are members of the Democratic Party of

Turkmenistan and are preapproved by President NIYAZOV

note: in late 2003, a new law was adopted, reducing the powers of

the Mejlis and making the Halk Maslahaty the supreme legislative

organ; the Halk Maslahaty can now legally dissolve the Mejlis, and

the president is now able to participate in the Mejlis as its

supreme leader; the Mejlis can no longer adopt or amend the

constitution, or announce referendums or its elections; since the

president is both the "Chairman for Life" of the Halk Maslahaty and

the supreme leader of the Mejlis, the 2003 law has the effect of

making him the sole authority of both the executive and legislative

branches of government

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT [Saparmurat NIYAZOV]

note: formal opposition parties are outlawed; unofficial, small

opposition movements exist underground or in foreign countries; the

two most prominent opposition groups-in-exile have been National

Democratic Movement of Turkmenistan (NDMT) and the United Democratic

Party of Turkmenistan (UDPT); NDMT was led by former Foreign

Minister Boris SHIKHMURADOV until his arrest and imprisonment in the

wake of the 25 November 2002 assassination attempt on President

NIYAZOV; UDPT is led by former Foreign Minister Abdy KULIEV and is

based out of Moscow

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFC,

IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO

(correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Murad Bairamovich ORAZOV

chancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500

FAX: [1] (202) 588-0697

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jennifer

L. BRUSH

embassy: No. 9 1984 Street (formerly Pushkin Street), Ashgabat,

Turkmenistan 774000

mailing address: 7070 Ashgabat Place, Washington, DC 20521-7070

telephone: [9] (9312) 35-00-45

FAX: [9] (9312) 39-26-14

Flag description:

green field with a vertical red stripe near the hoist side,

containing five tribal guls (designs used in producing carpets)

stacked above two crossed olive branches similar to the olive

branches on the UN flag; a white crescent moon representing Islam

with five white stars representing the regions or velayats of

Turkmenistan appear in the upper corner of the field just to the fly

side of the red stripe

Economy Turkmenistan

Economy - overview:

Turkmenistan is a largely desert country with intensive agriculture

in irrigated oases and large gas and oil resources. One-half of its

irrigated land is planted in cotton; formerly it was the world's

tenth-largest producer. Poor harvests in recent years have led to an

almost 50% decline in cotton exports. With an authoritarian

ex-Communist regime in power and a tribally based social structure,

Turkmenistan has taken a cautious approach to economic reform,

hoping to use gas and cotton sales to sustain its inefficient

economy. Privatization goals remain limited. In 1998-2005,

Turkmenistan suffered from the continued lack of adequate export

routes for natural gas and from obligations on extensive short-term

external debt. At the same time, however, total exports rose by an

average of 15% per year in 2003-06, largely because of higher

international oil and gas prices. In 2006, Ashgabat raised its

natural gas export prices to its main customer, Russia, from $66 per

thousand cubic meters (tcm) to $100 per tcm. Overall prospects in

the near future are discouraging because of widespread internal

poverty, a poor educational system, government misuse of oil and gas

revenues, and Ashgabat's unwillingness to adopt market-oriented

reforms. Turkmenistan's economic statistics are state secrets, and

GDP and other figures are subject to wide margins of error. In

particular, the rate of GDP growth is uncertain.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$45.11 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$16.16 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: IMF estimate: 13% note: official government statistics show 21.4% growth, but these estimates are widely regarded as unreliable (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP): $8,900 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 24.4% industry: 33.9% services: 41.7% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 2.32 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 48.2% industry: 13.8% services: 37% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:

60% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:

58% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 31.7% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

40.8 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

11% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

28.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $1.803 billion

expenditures: $2.063 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

cotton, grain; livestock

Industries:

natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing

Industrial production growth rate:

22% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:

10.79 billion kWh (2004 est.)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.9% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

9.03 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

1 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

213,700 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

95,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

273 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

58.57 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

16.57 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

42 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

2.01 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$321.2 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$5.421 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

gas, crude oil, petrochemicals, cotton fiber, textiles

Exports - partners:

Ukraine 42.8%, Iran 14.8%, Hungary 5.3% (2005)

Imports:

$3.936 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

UAE 12.7%, Azerbaijan 11.1%, US 9.6%, Russia 9.1%, Ukraine 7.6%,

Turkey 7.3%, Iran 6.2%, Germany 5.4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$3.518 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$2.4 billion to $5 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$16 million from the US (2001)

Currency (code):

Turkmen manat (TMM)

Currency code:

TMM

Exchange rates:

11,100 (2006), in recent years the unofficial rate has hovered

around 24,000 to 25,000 Turkmen manats to the dollar; the official

rate has consistently been 5,200 manat to the dollar

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Turkmenistan

Telephones - main lines in use:

495,000 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

52,000 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: poorly developed

domestic: Turkmenistan's telecommunications network remains woefully

underdeveloped; Turkmentelekom, in cooperation with foreign

investors, is planning to upgrade the country's telephone exchanges

and install a new digital switching system

international: country code - 993; linked by cable and microwave

radio relay to other CIS republics and to other countries by leased

connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; a new

telephone link from Ashgabat to Iran has been established; a new

exchange in Ashgabat switches international traffic through Turkey

via Intelsat; satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 1 Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:

1.225 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

4 (government owned and programmed) (2004)

Televisions:

820,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.tm

Internet hosts:

585 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1

Internet users:

36,000 (2005)

Transportation Turkmenistan

Airports: 29 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 22 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Heliports:

1 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 6,441 km; oil 1,361 km (2006)

Railways: total: 2,440 km broad gauge: 2,440 km 1.520-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 24,000 km paved: 19,488 km unpaved: 4,512 km (1999)

Waterways:

1,300 km (Amu Darya and Kara Kum canal important inland waterways)

(2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 22,870 GRT/25,801 DWT

by type: cargo 4, combination ore/oil 1, petroleum tanker 2,

refrigerated cargo 1 (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Turkmenbasy

Military Turkmenistan

Military branches:

Ground Forces, Artillery and Rocket Forces, Navy, Air and Air

Defense Forces (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service

obligation - two years (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,132,833

females age 18-49: 1,162,569 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 759,978

females age 18-49: 940,179 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 56,532

females age 18-49: 55,413 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$90 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

3.4% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Turkmenistan

Disputes - international:

cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan creates

water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; field

demarcation of the boundaries with Kazakhstan commenced in 2005 but

Caspian seabed delimitation remains stalled with Azerbaijan, Iran

and Kazakhstan due to Turkmenistan's indecision over how to allocate

the sea's waters and seabed

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 11,173 (Tajikistan) (2006)

Illicit drugs:

transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and Western

European markets; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound

for Afghanistan

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Turks and Caicos Islands

Introduction Turks and Caicos Islands

Background:

The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican colony until 1962, when

they assumed the status of a separate crown colony upon Jamaica's

independence. The governor of The Bahamas oversaw affairs from 1965

to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the islands received a separate

governor in 1973. Although independence was agreed upon for 1982,

the policy was reversed and the islands remain a British overseas

territory.

Geography Turks and Caicos Islands

Location:

Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast

of The Bahamas, north of Haiti

Geographic coordinates:

21 45 N, 71 35 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 430 sq km

land: 430 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

389 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry

Terrain:

low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Blue Hills 49 m

Natural resources: spiny lobster, conch

Land use: arable land: 2.33% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.67% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

frequent hurricanes

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater

Geography - note: about 40 islands (eight inhabited)

People Turks and Caicos Islands

Population:

21,152 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 31.9% (male 3,432/female 3,312)

15-64 years: 64.4% (male 7,155/female 6,457)

65 years and over: 3.8% (male 362/female 434) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 27.5 years

male: 28.3 years

female: 26.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.82% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

21.84 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

4.21 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

10.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 15.18 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 17.55 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 12.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 74.73 years

male: 72.48 years

female: 77.08 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.05 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality: noun: none adjective: none

Ethnic groups:

black 90%, mixed, European, or North American 10%

Religions:

Baptist 40%, Anglican 18%, Methodist 16%, Church of God 12%, other

14% (1990)

Languages:

English (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 98%

male: 99%

female: 98% (1970 est.)

People - note:

destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound

for the Turks and Caicos Islands, The Bahamas, and US

Government Turks and Caicos Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands

abbreviation: TCI

Dependency status:

overseas territory of the UK

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Grand Turk (Cockburn Town)

geographic coordinates: 21 28 N, 71 08 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:

Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)

Constitution:

Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution Order 2006 (effective 9

August 2006)

Legal system:

based on laws of England and Wales, with a few adopted from Jamaica

and The Bahamas

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),

represented by Governor Richard TAUWHARE (since 11 July 2005)

head of government: Premier Michael Eugene MISICK (since 15 August

2003); note - the office of premier was created in the new

constitution

cabinet: Cabinet consists of the governor, the premier, six

ministers appointed by the governor from among the members of the

Legislative Council, and the attorney general

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by

the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the

majority party is appointed premier by the governor

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Council (21 seats of which 15 are popularly

elected; members serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 24 April 2003 (next to be held in 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 53.8%, PNP 46.2%;

seats by party - PDM 7, PNP 6; note - in by-elections held 7 August

2003, the PNP gained two seats for a majority of 8 seats; PDM now

has 5

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:

People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. TAYLOR]; Progressive

National Party or PNP [Michael Eugene MISICK]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:

blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and

the colonial shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the

shield is yellow and contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus

Economy Turks and Caicos Islands

Economy - overview:

The Turks and Caicos economy is based on tourism, offshore

financial services, and fishing. Most capital goods and food for

domestic consumption are imported. The US is the leading source of

tourists, accounting for more than three-quarters of the 175,000

visitors that arrived in 2004. Major sources of government revenue

also include fees from offshore financial activities and customs

receipts.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$216 million (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

NA

GDP - real growth rate:

4.9% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$11,500 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Labor force: 4,848 (1990 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: note: about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services

Unemployment rate:

10% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4% (1995)

Budget:

revenues: $47 million

expenditures: $33.6 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(1997-98 est.)

Agriculture - products:

corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish

Industries:

tourism, offshore financial services

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

7 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

6.51 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

80 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$169.2 million (2000)

Exports - commodities:

lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells

Exports - partners:

US, UK (2004)

Imports:

$175.6 million (2000)

Imports - commodities:

food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction

materials

Imports - partners:

US, UK (2004)

Debt - external:

$NA

Economic aid - recipient:

$4.1 million (1997)

Currency (code):

US dollar (USD)

Currency code:

USD

Exchange rates:

the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Turks and Caicos Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:

5,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1,700 (1999)

Telephone system:

general assessment: fully digital system with international direct

dialing

domestic: full range of services available; GSM wireless service

available

international: country code - 1-649; 2 submarine cables; satellite

earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:

8,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; 2 cable television

networks) (2004)

Televisions:

NA

Internet country code:

.tc

Internet hosts:

2,735 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

14 (2000)

Internet users:

NA

Transportation Turks and Caicos Islands

Airports: 8 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 2

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 121 km

paved: 24 km

unpaved: 97 km (2003)

Ports and terminals:

Grand Turk, Providenciales

Military Turks and Caicos Islands

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$192.8 million

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Turks and Caicos Islands

Disputes - international:

have received Haitians fleeing economic and civil disorder

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the

US and Europe

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Tuvalu

Introduction Tuvalu

Background:

In 1974, ethnic differences within the British colony of the

Gilbert and Ellice Islands caused the Polynesians of the Ellice

Islands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the Gilbert

Islands. The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separate

British colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. In 2000,

Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its Internet domain name ".tv"

for $50 million in royalties over a 12-year period.

Geography Tuvalu

Location:

Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the South

Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Geographic coordinates:

8 00 S, 178 00 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 26 sq km

land: 26 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

24 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November);

westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)

Terrain:

very low-lying and narrow coral atolls

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 66.67% other: 33.33% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

severe tropical storms are usually rare, but, in 1997, there were

three cyclones; low level of islands make them sensitive to changes

in sea level

Environment - current issues:

since there are no streams or rivers and groundwater is not

potable, most water needs must be met by catchment systems with

storage facilities (the Japanese Government has built one

desalination plant and plans to build one other); beachhead erosion

because of the use of sand for building materials; excessive

clearance of forest undergrowth for use as fuel; damage to coral

reefs from the spread of the Crown of Thorns starfish; Tuvalu is

concerned about global increases in greenhouse gas emissions and

their effect on rising sea levels, which threaten the country's

underground water table; in 2000, the government appealed to

Australia and New Zealand to take in Tuvaluans if rising sea levels

should make evacuation necessary

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,

Ship Pollution, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

one of the smallest and most remote countries on Earth; six of the

coral atolls - Nanumea, Nui, Vaitupu, Nukufetau, Funafuti, and

Nukulaelae - have lagoons open to the ocean; Nanumaya and Niutao

have landlocked lagoons; Niulakita does not have a lagoon

People Tuvalu

Population:

11,810 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 30.2% (male 1,819/female 1,752)

15-64 years: 64.7% (male 3,715/female 3,923)

65 years and over: 5.1% (male 228/female 373) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 24.6 years

male: 23.6 years

female: 26 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.51% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

22.18 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

7.11 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 19.47 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 22.27 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 16.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 68.32 years

male: 66.08 years

female: 70.66 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.98 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Tuvaluan(s)

adjective: Tuvaluan

Ethnic groups:

Polynesian 96%, Micronesian 4%

Religions:

Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist

1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%

Languages:

Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui)

Literacy:

NA

Government Tuvalu

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Tuvalu

local long form: none

local short form: Tuvalu

former: Ellice Islands

note: "Tuvalu" means "group of eight," referring to the country's

eight traditionally inhabited islands

Government type:

constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Funafuti

geographic coordinates: 8 30 S, 179 12 E

time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

note: administrative offices are located in Vaiaku Village on

Fongafale Islet

Administrative divisions:

none

Independence:

1 October 1978 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 1 October (1978)

Constitution:

1 October 1978

Legal system:

NA

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),

represented by Governor General Filoimea TELITO (since 15 April 2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Apisai IELEMIA (since 14 August

2006)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the

recommendation of the prime minister

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by

the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; prime

minister and deputy prime minister elected by and from the members

of Parliament; election last held 14 August 2006 (next to be held

following parliamentary elections in 2010)

election results: Apisai IELEMIA elected Prime Minister in a

Parliamentary election on 14 August 2006

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament or Fale I Fono, also called House of Assembly

(15 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 3 August 2006 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 15

Judicial branch:

High Court (a chief justice visits twice a year to preside over its

sessions; its rulings can be appealed to the Court of Appeal in

Fiji); eight Island Courts (with limited jurisdiction)

Political parties and leaders: there are no political parties but members of Parliament usually align themselves in informal groupings

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, IFRCS (observer), IMO, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca,

SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Tuvalu does not have an embassy in the US - the country's only diplomatic post is in Fiji - Tuvalu does, however, have a UN office located at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017, telephone: [1] (212) 490-0534

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Tuvalu; the US ambassador to

Fiji is accredited to Tuvalu

Flag description:

light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side

quadrant; the outer half of the flag represents a map of the country

with nine yellow five-pointed stars symbolizing the nine islands

Economy Tuvalu

Economy - overview:

Tuvalu consists of a densely populated, scattered group of nine

coral atolls with poor soil. The country has no known mineral

resources and few exports. Subsistence farming and fishing are the

primary economic activities. Fewer than 1,000 tourists, on average,

visit Tuvalu annually. Government revenues largely come from the

sale of stamps and coins and remittances from seamen on merchant

ships abroad. About 1,000 Tuvaluans are being repatriated from

Nauru, with the decline of phosphate resources there. Substantial

income is received annually from an international trust fund

established in 1987 by Australia, NZ, and the UK and supported also

by Japan and South Korea. Thanks to wise investments and

conservative withdrawals, this fund has grown from an initial $17

million to over $35 million in 1999. The US Government is also a

major revenue source for Tuvalu because of payments from a 1988

treaty on fisheries. In an effort to reduce its dependence on

foreign aid, the government is pursuing public sector reforms,

including privatization of some government functions and personnel

cuts of up to 7%. Tuvalu derives around $1.5 million per year from

the lease of its ".tv" Internet domain name. With merchandise

exports only a fraction of merchandise imports, continued reliance

must be placed on fishing and telecommunications license fees,

remittances from overseas workers, official transfers, and income

from overseas investments.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$14.94 million (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$14.94 million (2002)

GDP - real growth rate:

1.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,600 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 16.6% industry: 27.2% services: 56.2%

Labor force: 3,615 (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: note: people make a living mainly through exploitation of the sea, reefs, and atolls and from wages sent home by those abroad (mostly workers in the phosphate industry and sailors)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.9% (2005 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $22.78 million

expenditures: $14.23 million; including capital expenditures of $4.2

million (2002)

Agriculture - products:

coconuts; fish

Industries:

fishing, tourism, copra

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA hydro: NA nuclear: NA other: NA

Current account balance:

$2.323 million (1998)

Exports:

$1 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

copra, fish

Exports - partners:

Germany 60.5%, Italy 20.1%, Fiji 6.9% (2005)

Imports:

$9.186 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

food, animals, mineral fuels, machinery, manufactured goods

Imports - partners:

Fiji 46.1%, Japan 18.9%, China 18.2%, Australia 7.7%, NZ 4.1% (2005)

Debt - external:

$NA

Economic aid - recipient:

$13 million; note - major donors are Australia, Japan, and the US

(1999 est.)

Currency (code):

Australian dollar (AUD); note - there is also a Tuvaluan dollar

Currency code:

AUD

Exchange rates:

Tuvaluan dollars or Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095

(2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Tuvalu

Telephones - main lines in use:

700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

0 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: serves particular needs for internal

communications

domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands

international: country code - 688; international calls can be made

by satellite

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:

4,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

0 (2004)

Televisions:

800

Internet country code:

.tv

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

1,300 (2002)

Transportation Tuvalu

Airports:

1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 8 km

paved: 8 km (2002)

Merchant marine:

total: 52 ships (1000 GRT or over) 196,790 GRT/256,436 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 37, chemical tanker 1, container 2,

passenger 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 4, specialized

tanker 1

foreign-owned: 43 (China 23, Hong Kong 8, Kenya 1, Russia 2,

Singapore 6, Thailand 1, Turkey 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Funafuti

Military Tuvalu

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

NA

Transnational Issues Tuvalu

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Uganda

Introduction Uganda

Background:

The colonial boundaries created by Britain to delimit Uganda

grouped together a wide range of ethnic groups with different

political systems and cultures. These differences prevented the

establishment of a working political community after independence

was achieved in 1962. The dictatorial regime of Idi AMIN (1971-79)

was responsible for the deaths of some 300,000 opponents; guerrilla

war and human rights abuses under Milton OBOTE (1980-85) claimed at

least another 100,000 lives. The rule of Yoweri MUSEVENI since 1986

has brought relative stability and economic growth to Uganda. During

the 1990s, the government promulgated non-party presidential and

legislative elections.

Geography Uganda

Location:

Eastern Africa, west of Kenya

Geographic coordinates:

1 00 N, 32 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 236,040 sq km

land: 199,710 sq km

water: 36,330 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries:

total: 2,698 km

border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 765 km, Kenya 933

km, Rwanda 169 km, Sudan 435 km, Tanzania 396 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to

February, June to August); semiarid in northeast

Terrain:

mostly plateau with rim of mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m highest point: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m

Natural resources: copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land

Land use: arable land: 21.57% permanent crops: 8.92% other: 69.51% (2005)

Irrigated land:

90 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation;

overgrazing; soil erosion; water hyacinth infestation in Lake

Victoria; poaching is widespread

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,

Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:

landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and rivers

People Uganda

Population:

28,195,754

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 50% (male 7,091,763/female 6,996,385)

15-64 years: 47.8% (male 6,762,071/female 6,727,230)

65 years and over: 2.2% (male 266,931/female 351,374) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 15 years

male: 14.9 years

female: 15.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

3.37% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

47.35 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

12.24 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-1.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 66.15 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 69.51 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 62.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 52.67 years

male: 51.68 years

female: 53.69 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

6.71 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

4.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

530,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

78,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping

sickness) are high risks in some locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Ugandan(s)

adjective: Ugandan

Ethnic groups:

Baganda 17%, Ankole 8%, Basoga 8%, Iteso 8%, Bakiga 7%, Langi 6%,

Rwanda 6%, Bagisu 5%, Acholi 4%, Lugbara 4%, Batoro 3%, Bunyoro 3%,

Alur 2%, Bagwere 2%, Bakonjo 2%, Jopodhola 2%, Karamojong 2%, Rundi

2%, non-African (European, Asian, Arab) 1%, other 8%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%, Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs

18%

Languages:

English (official national language, taught in grade schools, used

in courts of law and by most newspapers and some radio broadcasts),

Ganda or Luganda (most widely used of the Niger-Congo languages,

preferred for native language publications in the capital and may be

taught in school), other Niger-Congo languages, Nilo-Saharan

languages, Swahili, Arabic

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 69.9%

male: 79.5%

female: 60.4% (2003 est.)

Government Uganda

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Uganda

conventional short form: Uganda

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Kampala

geographic coordinates: 0 19 N, 32 25 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

56 districts; Adjumani, Apac, Arua, Bugiri, Bundibugyo, Bushenyi,

Busia, Gulu, Hoima, Iganga, Jinja, Kabale, Kabarole, Kaberamaido,

Kalangala, Kampala, Kamuli, Kamwenge, Kanungu, Kapchorwa, Kasese,

Katakwi, Kayunga, Kibale, Kiboga, Kisoro, Kitgum, Kotido, Kumi,

Kyenjojo, Lira, Luwero, Masaka, Masindi, Mayuge, Mbale, Mbarara,

Moroto, Moyo, Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nakapiripirit, Nakasongola,

Nebbi, Ntungamo, Pader, Pallisa, Rakai, Rukungiri, Sembabule,

Sironko, Soroti, Tororo, Wakiso, Yumbe

note: as of a July 2005, 13 new districts were reportedly added

bringing the total up to 69; the new districts are Amolatar, Amuria,

Budaka, Butaleja, Ibanda, Kaabong, Kabingo, Kaliro, Kiruhura,

Koboko, Manafwa, Mityana, Nakaseke; a total of ten more districts

are in the process of being added

Independence:

9 October 1962 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 9 October (1962)

Constitution:

8 October 1995; in 2005 the constitution was amended removing

presidential term limits and legalizing a multiparty political system

Legal system:

in 1995, the government restored the legal system to one based on

English common law and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since

seizing power 26 January 1986); note - the president is both chief

of state and head of government

head of government: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since

seizing power 29 January 1986); Prime Minister Apollo NSIBAMBI

(since 5 April 1999); note - the president is both chief of state

and head of government; the prime minister assists the president in

the supervision of the cabinet

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among elected

legislators

elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term;

election last held 23 February 2006 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI elected president;

percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI 59.3%, Kizza

BESIGYE 37.4%, other 3.3%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (332 members - 215 directly elected by

popular vote, 104 nominated by legally established special interest

groups [women 79, army 10, disabled 5, youth 5, labor 5], 13 ex

officio members; members serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 23 February 2006 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

NRM 191, FDC 37, UPC 9, DP 8, CD 1, JEEMA 1, Independents 36, other

49

Judicial branch:

Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the president and approved

by the legislature); High Court (judges are appointed by the

president)

Political parties and leaders:

Conservative Party or CP [Ken LUKYAMUZI]; Democratic Party or DP

[Kizito SSEBAANA]; Forum for Democratic Change or FDC [Kizza

BESIGYE]; Justice Forum or JEEMA [Muhammad Kibirige MAYANJA];

National Democrats Forum [Chapaa KARUHANGA]; National Resistance

Movement or NRM [Yoweri MUSEVENI]; Ugandan People's Congress or UPC

[Miria OBOTE]

note: a national referendum in July 2005 opened the way for Uganda's

transition to a multi-party political system

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Popular Resistance Against a Life President or PRALP

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EADB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,

ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,

IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA,

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,

WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Perezi Karukubiro KAMUNANWIRE chancery: 5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-7100 through 7102, 0416 FAX: [1] (202) 726-1727

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Steven BROWNING embassy: 1577 Ggaba Rd., Kampala mailing address: P. O. Box 7007, Kampala telephone: [256] (41) 234-142 FAX: [256] (41) 258-451

Flag description:

six equal horizontal bands of black (top), yellow, red, black,

yellow, and red; a white disk is superimposed at the center and

depicts a red-crested crane (the national symbol) facing the hoist

side

Economy Uganda

Economy - overview:

Uganda has substantial natural resources, including fertile soils,

regular rainfall, and sizable mineral deposits of copper and cobalt.

Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy, employing

over 80% of the work force. Coffee accounts for the bulk of export

revenues. Since 1986, the government - with the support of foreign

countries and international agencies - has acted to rehabilitate and

stabilize the economy by undertaking currency reform, raising

producer prices on export crops, increasing prices of petroleum

products, and improving civil service wages. The policy changes are

especially aimed at dampening inflation and boosting production and

export earnings. During 1990-2001, the economy turned in a solid

performance based on continued investment in the rehabilitation of

infrastructure, improved incentives for production and exports,

reduced inflation, gradually improved domestic security, and the

return of exiled Indian-Ugandan entrepreneurs. In 2000, Uganda

qualified for enhanced Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt

relief worth $1.3 billion and Paris Club debt relief worth $145

million. These amounts combined with the original HIPC debt relief

added up to about $2 billion. Growth for 2001-02 was solid despite

continued decline in the price of coffee, Uganda's principal export.

Growth in 2003-06 reflected an upturn in Uganda's export markets.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$51.89 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$8.502 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,800 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 29.4% industry: 22.1% services: 48.5% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 13.76 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 82% industry: 5% services: 13% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

35% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 4%

highest 10%: 21% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

43 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

23.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $1.943 billion

expenditures: $1.994 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

29.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products: coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), potatoes, corn, millet, pulses, cut flowers; beef, goat meat, milk, poultry

Industries:

sugar, brewing, tobacco, cotton textiles; cement, steel production

Industrial production growth rate:

5.2% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

1.894 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.9% hydro: 99.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

1.596 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

165 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

10,890 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-423 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$961.7 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

coffee, fish and fish products, tea, cotton, flowers, horticultural

products; gold

Exports - partners:

Kenya 15.1%, Belgium 9.9%, Netherlands 9.6%, France 7.1%, Germany

5.1% (2005)

Imports:

$1.945 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

capital equipment, vehicles, petroleum, medical supplies; cereals

Imports - partners:

Kenya 32.6%, UAE 8.8%, South Africa 5.8%, India 5.8%, China 5.3%,

UK 4.5%, US 4.2%, Japan 4.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.4 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.456 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$959 million (2003)

Currency (code):

Ugandan shilling (UGX)

Currency code:

UGX

Exchange rates:

Ugandan shillings per US dollar - 1,855.59 (2006), 1,780.7 (2005),

1,810.3 (2004), 1,963.7 (2003), 1,797.6 (2002)

Fiscal year:

1 July - 30 June

Communications Uganda

Telephones - main lines in use:

100,800 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.525 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: seriously inadequate; two cellular systems have

been introduced, but a sharp increase in the number of main lines is

essential; e-mail and Internet services are available

domestic: intercity traffic by wire, microwave radio relay, and

radiotelephone communication stations, fixed and mobile cellular

systems for short-range traffic

international: country code - 256; satellite earth stations - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat; analog links to Kenya and

Tanzania

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 7, FM 33, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios:

5 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

8 (plus one low-power repeater) (2001)

Televisions:

500,000 (2001)

Internet country code:

.ug

Internet hosts:

1,365 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2000)

Internet users:

500,000 (2005)

Transportation Uganda

Airports: 31 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 26 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 8 (2006)

Railways: total: 1,244 km narrow gauge: 1,244 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 70,746 km paved: 16,272 km unpaved: 54,474 km (2003)

Waterways:

on Lake Victoria, 200 km on Lake Albert, Lake Kyoga, and parts of

Albert Nile (2005)

Ports and terminals:

Entebbe, Jinja, Port Bell

Military Uganda

Military branches:

Ugandan Peoples' Defense Force (UPDF): Army, Marine Unit, Air Wing

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military duty; the government has stated that recruitment below that age could occur with proper consent and that "no person under the apparent age of 13 years shall be enrolled in the armed forces"

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 5,012,620

females age 18-49: 4,855,858 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 2,889,808

females age 18-49: 2,780,135 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$192.8 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.2% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Uganda

Disputes - international:

Uganda is subject to armed fighting among hostile ethnic groups,

rebels, armed gangs, militias, and various government forces that

extend across its borders; Uganda hosts 209,860 Sudanese, 27,560

Congolese, and 19,710 Rwandan refugees, while Ugandan refugees as

well as members of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) seek shelter in

southern Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Garamba

National Park; LRA forces have also attacked Kenyan villages across

the border

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 212,857 (Sudan), 20,564 (Democratic Republic of Congo), 20,213 (Rwanda) IDPs: 1.2-1.7 million (350,000 IDPs returned in 2006 following ongoing peace talks between the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and Government of Uganda) (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Ukraine

Introduction Ukraine

Background:

Ukraine was the center of the first eastern Slavic state, Kyivan

Rus, which during the 10th and 11th centuries was the largest and

most powerful state in Europe. Weakened by internecine quarrels and

Mongol invasions, Kyivan Rus was incorporated into the Grand Duchy

of Lithuania and eventually into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

The cultural and religious legacy of Kyivan Rus laid the foundation

for Ukrainian nationalism through subsequent centuries. A new

Ukrainian state, the Cossack Hetmanate, was established during the

mid-17th century after an uprising against the Poles. Despite

continuous Muscovite pressure, the Hetmanate managed to remain

autonomous for well over 100 years. During the latter part of the

18th century, most Ukrainian ethnographic territory was absorbed by

the Russian Empire. Following the collapse of czarist Russia in

1917, Ukraine was able to bring about a short-lived period of

independence (1917-20), but was reconquered and forced to endure a

brutal Soviet rule that engineered two artificial famines (1921-22

and 1932-33) in which over 8 million died. In World War II, German

and Soviet armies were responsible for some 7 to 8 million more

deaths. Although final independence for Ukraine was achieved in 1991

with the dissolution of the USSR, democracy remained elusive as the

legacy of state control and endemic corruption stalled efforts at

economic reform, privatization, and civil liberties. A peaceful mass

protest "Orange Revolution" in the closing months of 2004 forced the

authorities to overturn a rigged presidential election and to allow

a new internationally monitored vote that swept into power a

reformist slate under Viktor YUSHCHENKO. Subsequent internal

squabbles in the YUSHCHENKO camp allowed his rival Viktor YANUKOVYCH

to stage a comeback in parliamentary elections and become prime

minister in August of 2006.

Geography Ukraine

Location:

Eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Poland, Romania,

and Moldova in the west and Russia in the east

Geographic coordinates:

49 00 N, 32 00 E

Map references:

Asia, Europe

Area:

total: 603,700 sq km

land: 603,700 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 4,663 km

border countries: Belarus 891 km, Hungary 103 km, Moldova 939 km,

Poland 526 km, Romania (south) 169 km, Romania (west) 362 km, Russia

1,576 km, Slovakia 97 km

Coastline:

2,782 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200-m or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

temperate continental; Mediterranean only on the southern Crimean

coast; precipitation disproportionately distributed, highest in west

and north, lesser in east and southeast; winters vary from cool

along the Black Sea to cold farther inland; summers are warm across

the greater part of the country, hot in the south

Terrain:

most of Ukraine consists of fertile plains (steppes) and plateaus,

mountains being found only in the west (the Carpathians), and in the

Crimean Peninsula in the extreme south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Black Sea 0 m

highest point: Hora Hoverla 2,061 m

Natural resources:

iron ore, coal, manganese, natural gas, oil, salt, sulfur,

graphite, titanium, magnesium, kaolin, nickel, mercury, timber,

arable land

Land use:

arable land: 53.8%

permanent crops: 1.5%

other: 44.7% (2005)

Irrigated land:

22,080 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

inadequate supplies of potable water; air and water pollution;

deforestation; radiation contamination in the northeast from 1986

accident at Chornobyl' Nuclear Power Plant

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Sulfur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,

Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,

Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine

Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic

Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic

Compounds

Geography - note:

strategic position at the crossroads between Europe and Asia;

second-largest country in Europe

People Ukraine

Population:

46,710,816 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 14.1% (male 3,377,868/female 3,203,738)

15-64 years: 69.3% (male 15,559,998/female 16,831,486)

65 years and over: 16.6% (male 2,635,651/female 5,102,075) (2006

est.)

Median age: total: 39.2 years male: 35.9 years female: 42.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.6% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

8.82 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

14.39 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.52 male(s)/female

total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 9.9 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 11.48 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 8.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 69.98 years

male: 64.71 years

female: 75.59 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.17 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.4% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

360,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

20,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Ukrainian(s)

adjective: Ukrainian

Ethnic groups:

Ukrainian 77.8%, Russian 17.3%, Belarusian 0.6%, Moldovan 0.5%,

Crimean Tatar 0.5%, Bulgarian 0.4%, Hungarian 0.3%, Romanian 0.3%,

Polish 0.3%, Jewish 0.2%, other 1.8% (2001 census)

Religions:

Ukrainian Orthodox - Kyiv Patriarchate 19%, Orthodox (no particular

jurisdiction) 16%, Ukrainian Orthodox - Moscow Patriarchate 9%,

Ukrainian Greek Catholic 6%, Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox 1.7%,

Protestant, Jewish, none 38% (2004 est.)

Languages:

Ukrainian (official) 67%, Russian 24%, small Romanian-, Polish-,

and Hungarian-speaking minorities

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.7%

male: 99.8%

female: 99.6% (2003 est.)

Government Ukraine

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Ukraine

local long form: none

local short form: Ukrayina

former: Ukrainian National Republic, Ukrainian State, Ukrainian

Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Kyiv (Kiev)

geographic coordinates: 50 26 N, 30 31 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

24 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast'), 1 autonomous republic*

(avtonomna respublika), and 2 municipalities (mista, singular -

misto) with oblast status**; Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Chernivtsi, Crimea

or Avtonomna Respublika Krym* (Simferopol'), Dnipropetrovs'k,

Donets'k, Ivano-Frankivs'k, Kharkiv, Kherson, Khmel'nyts'kyy,

Kirovohrad, Kyiv**, Kyiv, Luhans'k, L'viv, Mykolayiv, Odesa,

Poltava, Rivne, Sevastopol'**, Sumy, Ternopil', Vinnytsya, Volyn'

(Luts'k), Zakarpattya (Uzhhorod), Zaporizhzhya, Zhytomyr

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their

administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center

name following in parentheses)

Independence:

24 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 24 August (1991); 22 January (1918), the day

Ukraine first declared its independence (from Soviet Russia) and the

day the short-lived Western and Central Ukrainian republics united

(1919), is now celebrated as Unity Day

Constitution:

adopted 28 June 1996

Legal system:

based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Viktor A. YUSHCHENKO (since 23 January

2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Viktor YANUKOVYCH (since 4 August

2006); First Deputy Prime Minister - Mykola AZAROV (since 5 August

2006)

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers selected by the prime minister; the

only exceptions are the foreign and defense ministers, who are

chosen by the president

note: there is also a National Security and Defense Council or NSDC

originally created in 1992 as the National Security Council; the

NSDC staff is tasked with developing national security policy on

domestic and international matters and advising the president; a

Presidential Secretariat helps draft presidential edicts and

provides policy support to the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); note - a special repeat runoff

presidential election between Viktor YUSHCHENKO and Viktor

YANUKOVYCH took place on 26 December 2004 after the earlier 21

November 2004 contest - won by Mr. YANUKOVYCH - was invalidated by

the Ukrainian Supreme Court because of widespread and significant

violations; under constitutional reforms that went into effect 1

January 2006, the majority in parliament takes the lead in naming

the prime minister

election results: Viktor YUSHCHENKO elected president; percent of

vote - Viktor YUSHCHENKO 51.99%, Viktor YANUKOVYCH 44.2%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Supreme Council or Verkhovna Rada (450 seats; allocated

on a proportional basis to those parties that gain 3% or more of the

national electoral vote; members serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 26 March 2006 (next to be held March 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party/bloc in 2002 - Party of

Regions 32.1%, Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc 22.3%, Our Ukraine 13.9%, SPU

5.7%, CPU 3.7%; seats by party/bloc - Party of Regions 186, Yuliya

Tymoshenko Bloc 129, Our Ukraine 81, SPU 33, CPU 21

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders:

Communist Party of Ukraine or CPU [Petro SYMONENKO]; Fatherland

Party (Batkivshchyna) [Yuliya TYMOSHENKO]; People's Party Our

Ukraine [Viktor YUSHCHENKO]; Party of Industrialists and

Entrepreneurs [Anatoliy KINAKH]; People's Movement of Ukraine (Rukh)

[Borys TARASYUK]; People's Party [Volodymyr LYTVYN]; PORA! (It's

Time!) party [Vladyslav KASKIV]; Progressive Socialist Party

[Natalya VITRENKO]; Reforms and Order Party [Viktor PYNZENYK]; Party

of Regions [Viktor YANUKOVYCH]; Republican Party [Yuriy BOYKO];

Social Democratic Party (United) or SDPU(o) [Viktor MEDVEDCHUK];

Socialist Party of Ukraine or SPU [Oleksandr MOROZ, chairman];

Ukrainian People's Party [Yuriy KOSTENKO]; Viche [Inna BOHUSLOVSKA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Committee of Voters of Ukraine [Ihor POPOV]; Peoples' Self-Defense

[Yuriy LUTSENKO]; Ne Tak [Leonid KRAVCHUK]

International organization participation: Australia Group, BSEC, CBSS (observer), CE, CEI, CIS, EAEC (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Oleh V. SHAMSHUR

chancery: 3350 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 333-0606

FAX: [1] (202) 333-0817

consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador William B. TAYLOR

embassy: 10 Yurii Kotsiubynsky Street, 04053 Kyiv

mailing address: 5850 Kiev Place, Washington, DC 20521-5850

telephone: [380] (44) 490-4000

FAX: [380] (44) 490-4085

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of azure (top) and golden yellow

represent grain fields under a blue sky

Economy Ukraine

Economy - overview: After Russia, the Ukrainian republic was far and away the most important economic component of the former Soviet Union, producing about four times the output of the next-ranking republic. Its fertile black soil generated more than one-fourth of Soviet agricultural output, and its farms provided substantial quantities of meat, milk, grain, and vegetables to other republics. Likewise, its diversified heavy industry supplied the unique equipment (for example, large diameter pipes) and raw materials to industrial and mining sites (vertical drilling apparatus) in other regions of the former USSR. Ukraine depends on imports of energy, especially natural gas, to meet some 85% of its annual energy requirements. Shortly after independence was ratified in December 1991, the Ukrainian Government liberalized most prices and erected a legal framework for privatization, but widespread resistance to reform within the government and the legislature soon stalled reform efforts and led to some backtracking. Output by 1999 had fallen to less than 40% of the 1991 level. Loose monetary policies pushed inflation to hyperinflationary levels in late 1993. Ukraine's dependence on Russia for energy supplies and the lack of significant structural reform have made the Ukrainian economy vulnerable to external shocks. A dispute with Russia over pricing in late 2005 and early 2006 led to a temporary gas cut-off; Ukraine concluded a deal with Russia in January 2006 that almost doubled the price Ukraine pays for Russian gas, and could cost the Ukrainian economy $1.4-2.2 billion. Ukrainian Government officials eliminated most tax and customs privileges in a March 2005 budget law, bringing more economic activity out of Ukraine's large shadow economy, but more improvements are needed, including fighting corruption, developing capital markets, and improving the legislative framework for businesses. Reforms in the more politically sensitive areas of structural reform and land privatization are still lagging. Outside institutions - particularly the IMF - have encouraged Ukraine to quicken the pace and scope of reforms. GDP growth was 6% in 2006, up from 2.4% in 2005 mainly because of high steel prices worldwide and strong demand for Ukrainian goods. The privatization of the Kryvoryzhstal steelworks in late 2005 produced $4.8 billion in windfall revenue for the government. Some of the proceeds were used to finance the budget deficit, some to recapitalize two state banks, some to retire public debt, and the rest may be used to finance future deficits. Although the economy is likely to expand in 2007, long-term growth could be threatened by the government's plans to reinstate tax, trade, and customs privileges and to maintain restrictive grain export quotas.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$355.8 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$81.53 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$7,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17.5% industry: 42.7% services: 39.8% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 21.69 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 24% industry: 32% services: 44% (1996)

Unemployment rate:

2.9% officially registered; large number of unregistered or

underemployed workers; the International Labor Organization

calculates that Ukraine's real unemployment level is around 9-10%

(2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

29% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.4% highest 10%: 24.8% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

29 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

8.5% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

22.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $33.41 billion

expenditures: $35.6 billion; note - this is the consolidated budget

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

17.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

grain, sugar beets, sunflower seeds, vegetables; beef, milk

Industries:

coal, electric power, ferrous and nonferrous metals, machinery and

transport equipment, chemicals, food processing (especially sugar)

Industrial production growth rate:

6.3% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

177.3 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 48.6% hydro: 7.9% nuclear: 43.5% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

158.9 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

12 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

6 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

85,090 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

370,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - exports:

8,891 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:

444,600 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:

395 million bbl (9 November 2004)

Natural gas - production:

19.2 billion cu m (2004)

Natural gas - consumption:

86.4 billion cu m (2004)

Natural gas - exports:

3.9 billion cu m (2004)

Natural gas - imports:

67.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

1.121 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-1.933 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$39.12 billion (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

ferrous and nonferrous metals, fuel and petroleum products,

chemicals, machinery and transport equipment, food products

Exports - partners:

Russia 22.1%, Turkey 6%, Italy 5.6% (2005)

Imports:

$44.81 billion (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

energy, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Russia 35.5%, Germany 9.4%, Turkmenistan 7.4%, China 5% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$20.69 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$41.57 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $637.7 million (1995); IMF Extended Funds Facility $2.2 billion (1998)

Currency (code):

hryvnia (UAH)

Currency code:

UAH

Exchange rates:

hryvnia per US dollar - 5.05 (2006), 5.1247 (2005), 5.3192 (2004),

5.3327 (2003), 5.3266 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Ukraine

Telephones - main lines in use:

12.142 million (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

17.214 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: Ukraine's telecommunication development plan,

running through 2005, emphasizes improving domestic trunk lines,

international connections, and the mobile cellular system

domestic: at independence in December 1991, Ukraine inherited a

telephone system that was antiquated, inefficient, and in disrepair;

more than 3.5 million applications for telephones could not be

satisfied; telephone density is rising slowly and the domestic trunk

system is being improved; the mobile cellular telephone system is

expanding at a high rate

international: country code - 380; two new domestic trunk lines are

a part of the fiber-optic Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) system and three

Ukrainian links have been installed in the fiber-optic

Trans-European Lines (TEL) project that connects 18 countries;

additional international service is provided by the

Italy-Turkey-Ukraine-Russia (ITUR) fiber-optic submarine cable and

by earth stations in the Intelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik

satellite systems

Radio broadcast stations:

AM, FM, shortwave combined 524 (2006)

Radios:

45.05 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

at least 647 (2006)

Televisions:

18.05 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.ua

Internet hosts:

229,110 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

260 (2001)

Internet users:

5,278,100 (2005)

Transportation Ukraine

Airports: 499 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 193 over 3,047 m: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 55 1,524 to 2,437 m: 27 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 93 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 306 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 274 (2006)

Heliports:

10 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 19,951 km; oil 4,514 km; refined products 4,211 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 22,473 km

broad gauge: 22,473 km 1.524-m gauge (9,250 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:

total: 169,477 km

paved: 164,732 km (including 15 km of expressways)

unpaved: 4,745 km (2004)

Waterways:

2,253 km (most on Dnieper River) (2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 202 ships (1000 GRT or over) 782,456 GRT/911,201 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 151, container 4, passenger 6,

passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 11, roll

on/roll off 7, specialized tanker 2

foreign-owned: 1 (Russia 1)

registered in other countries: 160 (Belize 7, Cambodia 17, Comoros

14, Cyprus 4, Dominica 2, Georgia 22, Liberia 16, Malta 24, Moldova

3, Mongolia 1, Panama 8, Russia 11, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint

Vincent and the Grenadines 12, Sierra Leone 4, Slovakia 8, unknown

4) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Feodosiya, Kerch, Kherson, Mariupol', Mykolayiv, Odesa, Reni,

Yuzhnyy

Military Ukraine

Military branches:

Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air Forces (Viyskovo-Povitryani Syly),

Air Defense Forces (2002)

Military service age and obligation: 18-25 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months for Army and Air Force, 24 months for Navy (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 11,020,222

females age 18-49: 11,370,687 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 7,376,050

females age 18-49: 9,313,385 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 382,751

females age 18-49: 365,599 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$617.9 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.4% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Ukraine

Disputes - international:

1997 boundary delimitation treaty with Belarus remains un-ratified

due to unresolved financial claims, stalling demarcation and

reducing border security; delimitation of land boundary with Russia

is complete with preparations for demarcation underway; the dispute

over the boundary between Russia and Ukraine through the Kerch

Strait and Sea of Azov remains unresolved despite a December 2003

framework agreement and ongoing expert-level discussions; Moldova

and Ukraine operate joint customs posts to monitor transit of people

and commodities through Moldova's break-away Transnistria Region,

which remains under OSCE supervision; the ICJ gave Ukraine until

December 2006 to reply and Romania until June 2007 to rejoin in

their dispute submitted in 2004 over Ukrainian-administered

Zmiyinyy/Serpilor (Snake) Island and Black Sea maritime boundary;

Romania opposes Ukraine's reopening of a navigation canal from the

Danube border through Ukraine to the Black Sea

Illicit drugs:

limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS

consumption; some synthetic drug production for export to the West;

limited government eradication program; used as transshipment point

for opiates and other illicit drugs from Africa, Latin America, and

Turkey to Europe and Russia; Ukraine has improved

anti-money-laundering controls, resulting in its removal from the

Financial Action Task Force's (FATF's) Noncooperative Countries and

Territories List in February 2004; Ukraine's anti-money-laundering

regime continues to be monitored by FATF

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@United Arab Emirates

Introduction United Arab Emirates

Background:

The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast granted the UK control

of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th century treaties. In

1971, six of these states - Abu Zaby, 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash

Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to form the United

Arab Emirates (UAE). They were joined in 1972 by Ra's al Khaymah.

The UAE's per capita GDP is on par with those of leading West

European nations. Its generosity with oil revenues and its moderate

foreign policy stance have allowed the UAE to play a vital role in

the affairs of the region.

Geography United Arab Emirates

Location:

Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf,

between Oman and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:

24 00 N, 54 00 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 83,600 sq km

land: 83,600 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maine

Land boundaries: total: 867 km border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km

Coastline: 1,318 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

desert; cooler in eastern mountains

Terrain:

flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast

desert wasteland; mountains in east

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m

highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 0.77% permanent crops: 2.27% other: 96.96% (2005)

Irrigated land:

760 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

frequent sand and dust storms

Environment - current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a

vital transit point for world crude oil

People United Arab Emirates

Population:

2,602,713 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 24.9% (male 331,012/female 317,643)

15-64 years: 71.2% (male 1,125,286/female 726,689)

65 years and over: 3.9% (male 74,700/female 27,383)

note: 73.9% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national

(2006 est.)

Median age: total: 28.1 years male: 34.8 years female: 23.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.52% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

18.96 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

4.4 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.55 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 2.73 male(s)/female

total population: 1.43 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 14.09 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 16.57 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 11.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 75.44 years

male: 72.92 years

female: 78.08 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.88 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.18% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Emirati(s)

adjective: Emirati

Ethnic groups:

Emirati 19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South Asian 50%, other

expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians) 8% (1982)

note: less than 20% are UAE citizens (1982)

Religions:

Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4%

Languages:

Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 77.9%

male: 76.1%

female: 81.7% (2003 est.)

Government United Arab Emirates

Country name:

conventional long form: United Arab Emirates

conventional short form: none

local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah

local short form: none

former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States

abbreviation: UAE

Government type:

federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE federal

government and other powers reserved to member emirates

Capital:

name: Abu Dhabi

geographic coordinates: 24 28 N, 54 22 E

time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi),

'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al

Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn (Quwayn)

Independence:

2 December 1971 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 2 December (1971)

Constitution:

2 December 1971; made permanent in 1996

Legal system:

federal court system introduced in 1971; applies to all emirates

except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah, which are not fully

integrated into the federal judicial system; all emirates have

secular courts to adjudicate criminal, civil, and commercial matters

and Islamic courts to review family and religious disputes

Suffrage:

none

Executive branch:

chief of state: President KHALIFA bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 3

November 2004), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 4 November

2004); Vice President and Prime Minister MUHAMMAD bin Rashid

al-Maktum (since 5 January 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister and Vice President MUHAMMAD bin

Rashid al-Maktum (since 5 January 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers

SULTAN bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990) and HAMDAN bin

Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 20 October 2003)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the

seven emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutional

authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions

federal legislation; meets four times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi)

and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power

elections: president and vice president elected by the FSC for

five-year terms (no term limits); election last held 3 November 2004

upon the death of the UAE's Founding Father and first President

ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan (next to be held 2009); prime minister

and deputy prime minister appointed by the president

election results: KHALIFA bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan elected president by

a unanimous vote of the FSC; MUHAMMAD bin Rashid al-Maktum

unanimously reaffirmed vice president

Legislative branch:

unicameral Federal National Council (FNC) or Majlis al-Ittihad

al-Watani (40 seats; members appointed by the rulers of the

constituent states to serve two-year terms)

elections: elections for one half of the FNC (the other half remains

appointed) are scheduled for December 2006; a new electoral college

- a body of 6,689 Emiratis (including 1,189 women) appointed by the

rulers of the seven emirates - are the only eligible voters and

candidates; a total of 456 FNC electoral college members including

65 women are running for FNC seats

note: reviews legislation, but cannot change or veto

Judicial branch:

Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt

(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW,

OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Saqr Ghobash Said GHOBASH

chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC

20008

telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400

FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432

consulate(s): New York, Houston

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Michele J. SISON

embassy: Embassies District, Plot 38 Sector W59-02, Street No. 4,

Abu Dhabi

mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi

telephone: [971] (2) 414-2200

FAX: [971] (2) 414-2603

consulate(s) general: Dubai

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with

a wider vertical red band on the hoist side

Economy United Arab Emirates

Economy - overview:

The UAE has an open economy with a high per capita income and a

sizable annual trade surplus. Its wealth is based on oil and gas

output (about 30% of GDP), and the fortunes of the economy fluctuate

with the prices of those commodities. Since the discovery of oil in

the UAE more than 30 years ago, the UAE has undergone a profound

transformation from an impoverished region of small desert

principalities to a modern state with a high standard of living. The

government has increased spending on job creation and infrastructure

expansion and is opening up its utilities to greater private sector

involvement. In April 2004, the UAE signed a Trade and Investment

Framework Agreement (TIFA) with Washington and in November 2004

agreed to undertake negotiations toward a Free Trade Agreement (FTA)

with the US. Higher oil revenue, strong liquidity, and cheap credit

in 2005-06 led to a surge in asset prices (shares and real estate)

and consumer inflation. Rising prices are increasing the operating

costs for businesses in the UAE and degrading the UAE's allure to

foreign investors. Dependence on a large expatriate workforce and

oil are significant long-term challenges to the UAE's economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$129.4 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$110.6 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

10.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$49,700 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.3% industry: 61.9% services: 35.8% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 2.968 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 7% industry: 15% services: 78% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

2.4% (2001)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

10% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

24.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $57.85 billion

expenditures: $36.89 billion; including capital expenditures of $3.4

billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:

17.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish

Industries:

petroleum and petrochemicals; fishing, aluminum, cement,

fertilizers, commercial ship repair, construction materials, some

boat building, handicrafts, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:

4% (2000)

Electricity - production:

49.52 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

46.05 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

2.396 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

400,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

2.5 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:

97.8 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

46.29 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

40.31 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

7.18 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

1.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

6.006 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$26.89 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$137.1 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates

Exports - partners:

Japan 24.4%, South Korea 9.7%, Thailand 5.5%, India 4.3% (2005)

Imports:

$88.89 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food

Imports - partners:

UK 10%, China 9.7%, US 9.4%, India 9.2%, Germany 5.9%, Japan 5.4%,

France 4.7%, Singapore 4.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$25.51 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$39.1 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - donor:

since its founding in 1971, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development has

given about $5.2 billion in aid to 56 countries (2004)

Currency (code):

Emirati dirham (AED)

Currency code:

AED

Exchange rates:

Emirati dirhams per US dollar - 3.673 (2006), 3.6725 (2005), 3.6725

(2004), 3.6725 (2003), 3.6725 (2002), note, officially pegged to the

US dollar since February 2002

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications United Arab Emirates

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.237 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

4.535 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital

network with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephones; key

centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai

domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber optic and coaxial cable

international: country code - 971; satellite earth stations - 3

Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat;

submarine cables to Qatar, Bahrain, India, and Pakistan;

tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi

Arabia

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 13, FM 8, shortwave 2 (2004)

Radios:

820,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

15 (2004)

Televisions:

310,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.ae

Internet hosts:

337,092 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

1,397,200 (2005)

Transportation United Arab Emirates

Airports: 37 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 23

over 3,047 m: 10

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 14

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Heliports:

4 (2006)

Pipelines:

condensate 520 km; gas 2,580 km; liquid petroleum gas 300 km; oil

2,950 km; oil/gas/water 5 km; refined products 156 km (2006)

Roadways:

total: 1,088 km

paved: 1,088 km (including 253 km of expressways) (1999)

Merchant marine:

total: 58 ships (1000 GRT or over) 656,003 GRT/891,837 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 7, chemical tanker 5, container 6,

liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 20, roll

on/roll off 6, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 10 (Greece 2, Kuwait 8)

registered in other countries: 259 (Bahamas 16, Barbados 1, Belize

5, Cambodia 1, Comoros 6, Cyprus 11, Dominica 2, Georgia 1, Hong

Kong 2, India 6, Iran 1, Jordan 11, Kiribati 1, North Korea 6,

Liberia 18, Malta 5, Marshall Islands 3, Mexico 1, Mongolia 5,

Norway 1, Panama 105, Philippines 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 19, Saint

Vincent and the Grenadines 11, Saudi Arabia 1, Sierra Leone 3,

Singapore 7, Somalia 1, Sri Lanka 2, Syria 1, unknown 5) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Al Fujayrah, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal 'Ali, Mina' Rashid, Mina'

Saqr, Mina' Zayid, Sharjan

Military United Arab Emirates

Military branches:

Army, Navy (includes Marines and Coast Guard), Air and Air Defense

Force, paramilitary forces (includes Federal Police Force)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 653,181

females age 18-49: 497,394 (includes non-nationals; 2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 526,671

females age 18-49: 419,975 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males: 30,706

females age 18-49: 29,617 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$1.6 billion (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

3.1% (FY00)

Transnational Issues United Arab Emirates

Disputes - international:

boundary agreement was signed and ratified with Oman in 2003 for

entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah

enclaves, but contents of the agreement and detailed maps showing

the alignment have not been published; Iran and UAE dispute Tunb

Islands and Abu Musa Island, which Iran occupies

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: the United Arab Emirates is a destination

country for men, women, and children trafficked from South and East

Asia, Eastern Europe, Africa, and the Middle East for involuntary

servitude and for sexual exploitation; an estimated 10,000 women

from sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe, South and East Asia, Iraq,

Iran, and Morocco may be victims of sex trafficking in the UAE;

women also migrate from Africa, and South and Southeast Asia to work

as domestic servants, but may have their passports confiscated, be

denied permission to leave the place of employment in the home, or

face sexual or physical abuse by their employers; men from South

Asia come to the UAE to work in the construction industry, but may

be subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude as they are

coerced to pay off recruitment and travel costs, sometimes having

their wages denied for months at a time; victims of child camel

jockey trafficking may still remain in the UAE, despite a July 2005

law banning the practice; while all identified victims were

repatriated at the government's expense to their home countries,

questions persist as to the effectiveness of the ban and the true

number of victims

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - UAE is placed on the Tier 2 Watch

List for its failure to show increased efforts to combat trafficking

in 2005, particularly in its efforts to address the large-scale

trafficking of foreign girls and women for commercial sexual

exploitation

Illicit drugs:

the UAE is a drug transshipment point for traffickers given its

proximity to Southwest Asian drug producing countries; the UAE's

position as a major financial center makes it vulnerable to money

laundering; anti-money-laundering controls improving, but informal

banking remains unregulated

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@United Kingdom

Introduction United Kingdom

Background:

As the dominant industrial and maritime power of the 19th century,

the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland played a leading

role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing

literature and science. At its zenith, the British Empire stretched

over one-fourth of the earth's surface. The first half of the 20th

century saw the UK's strength seriously depleted in two World Wars

and the Irish republic withdraw from the union. The second half

witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself

into a modern and prosperous European nation. As one of five

permanent members of the UN Security Council, a founding member of

NATO, and of the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to

foreign policy; it currently is weighing the degree of its

integration with continental Europe. A member of the EU, it chose to

remain outside the Economic and Monetary Union for the time being.

Constitutional reform is also a significant issue in the UK. The

Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the

Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1999, but the latter

is suspended due to wrangling over the peace process.

Geography United Kingdom

Location:

Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth of the

island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North

Sea, northwest of France

Geographic coordinates:

54 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 244,820 sq km

land: 241,590 sq km

water: 3,230 sq km

note: includes Rockall and Shetland Islands

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: Ireland 360 km

Coastline:

12,429 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: as defined in continental shelf orders or in

accordance with agreed upon boundaries

Climate:

temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North

Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast

Terrain:

mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in

east and southeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: The Fens -4 m

highest point: Ben Nevis 1,343 m

Natural resources:

coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, tin,

limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica sand, slate,

arable land

Land use:

arable land: 23.23%

permanent crops: 0.2%

other: 76.57% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,700 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

winter windstorms; floods

Environment - current issues:

continues to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (has met Kyoto

Protocol target of a 12.5% reduction from 1990 levels and intends to

meet the legally binding target and move toward a domestic goal of a

20% cut in emissions by 2010); by 2005 the government aims to reduce

the amount of industrial and commercial waste disposed of in

landfill sites to 85% of 1998 levels and to recycle or compost at

least 25% of household waste, increasing to 33% by 2015; between

1998-99 and 1999-2000, household recycling increased from 8.8% to

10.3%

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,

Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,

Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine

Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship

Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:

lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km from France

and linked by tunnel under the English Channel; because of heavily

indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km from tidal waters

People United Kingdom

Population:

60,609,153 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 17.5% (male 5,417,663/female 5,161,714)

15-64 years: 66.8% (male 20,476,571/female 19,988,959)

65 years and over: 15.8% (male 4,087,020/female 5,477,226) (2006

est.)

Median age: total: 39.3 years male: 38.2 years female: 40.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.28% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

10.71 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

10.13 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

2.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 5.08 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5.67 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.54 years

male: 76.09 years

female: 81.13 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.66 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

51,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Briton(s), British (collective plural)

adjective: British

Ethnic groups:

white (of which English 83.6%, Scottish 8.6%, Welsh 4.9%, Northern

Irish 2.9%) 92.1%, black 2%, Indian 1.8%, Pakistani 1.3%, mixed

1.2%, other 1.6% (2001 census)

Religions:

Christian (Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist)

71.6%, Muslim 2.7%, Hindu 1%, other 1.6%, unspecified or none 23.1%

(2001 census)

Languages:

English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of Wales), Scottish

form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of

schooling

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government United Kingdom

Country name:

conventional long form: United Kingdom of Great Britain and

Northern Ireland; note - Great Britain includes England, Scotland,

and Wales

conventional short form: United Kingdom

abbreviation: UK

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: London

geographic coordinates: 51 30 N, 0 10 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

England: 47 boroughs, 36 counties, 29 London boroughs, 12 cities

and boroughs, 10 districts, 12 cities, 3 royal boroughs

boroughs: Barnsley, Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Bolton,

Bournemouth, Bracknell Forest, Brighton and Hove, Bury, Calderdale,

Darlington, Doncaster, Dudley, Gateshead, Halton, Hartlepool,

Kirklees, Knowsley, Luton, Medway, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes,

North Tyneside, Oldham, Poole, Reading, Redcar and Cleveland,

Rochdale, Rotherham, Sandwell, Sefton, Slough, Solihull,

Southend-on-Sea, South Tyneside, St. Helens, Stockport,

Stockton-on-Tees, Swindon, Tameside, Thurrock, Torbay, Trafford,

Walsall, Warrington, Wigan, Wirral, Wolverhampton

counties (or unitary authorities): Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire,

Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Cornwall, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon,

Dorset, Durham, East Sussex, Essex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire,

Herefordshire, Hertfordshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Lancashire,

Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, North Yorkshire,

Northamptonshire, Northumberland, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire,

Shropshire, Somerset, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Surrey, Warwickshire,

West Sussex, Wiltshire, Worcestershire

London boroughs: Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent,

Bromley, Camden, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney,

Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon,

Hounslow, Islington, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Newham, Redbridge,

Richmond upon Thames, Southwark, Sutton, Tower Hamlets, Waltham

Forest, Wandsworth

cities and boroughs: Birmingham, Bradford, Coventry, Leeds,

Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Salford, Sheffield,

Sunderland, Wakefield, Westminster

districts: Bath and North East Somerset, East Riding of Yorkshire,

North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, North Somerset,

Rutland, South Gloucestershire, Telford and Wrekin, West Berkshire,

Wokingham

cities: City of Bristol, Derby, City of Kingston upon Hull,

Leicester, City of London, Nottingham, Peterborough, Plymouth,

Portsmouth, Southampton, Stoke-on-Trent, York

royal boroughs: Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames,

Windsor and Maidenhead

Northern Ireland: 24 districts, 2 cities, 6 counties (historic)

districts: Antrim, Ards, Armagh, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Banbridge,

Carrickfergus, Castlereagh, Coleraine, Cookstown, Craigavon, Down,

Dungannon, Fermanagh, Larne, Limavady, Lisburn, Magherafelt, Moyle,

Newry and Mourne, Newtownabbey, North Down, Omagh, Strabane

cities: Belfast, Londonderry (Derry)

counties (historic): County Antrim, County Armagh, County Down,

County Fermanagh, County Londonderry, and County Tyrone are still

referred to in common parlance, but do not constitute a level of

administration

Scotland: 32 council areas: Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus,

Argyll and Bute, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee

City, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East

Renfrewshire, City of Edinburgh, Eilean Siar (Western Isles),

Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow City, Highland, Inverclyde, Midlothian,

Moray, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Orkney Islands, Perth and

Kinross, Renfrewshire, Shetland Islands, South Ayrshire, South

Lanarkshire, Stirling, The Scottish Borders, West Dunbartonshire,

West Lothian

Wales: 11 county boroughs, 9 counties, 2 cities and counties

county boroughs: Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Conwy,

Gwynedd, Merthyr Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Rhondda Cynon

Taff, Torfaen, Wrexham

counties: Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Denbighshire, Flintshire,

Isle of Anglesey, Monmouthshire, Pembrokeshire, Powys, The Vale of

Glamorgan

cities and counties: Cardiff, Swansea

Dependent areas:

Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin

Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat,

Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena and Ascension, South Georgia and the

South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands

Independence:

England has existed as a unified entity since the 10th century; the

union between England and Wales, begun in 1284 with the Statute of

Rhuddlan, was not formalized until 1536 with an Act of Union; in

another Act of Union in 1707, England and Scotland agreed to

permanently join as Great Britain; the legislative union of Great

Britain and Ireland was implemented in 1801, with the adoption of

the name the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; the

Anglo-Irish treaty of 1921 formalized a partition of Ireland; six

northern Irish counties remained part of the United Kingdom as

Northern Ireland and the current name of the country, the United

Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, was adopted in 1927

National holiday:

the UK does not celebrate one particular national holiday

Constitution:

unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Legal system:

common law tradition with early Roman and modern continental

influences; has nonbinding judicial review of Acts of Parliament

under the Human Rights Act of 1998; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Heir

Apparent Prince CHARLES (son of the queen, born 14 November 1948)

head of government: Prime Minister Anthony (Tony) BLAIR (since 2 May

1997)

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative

elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the

majority coalition is usually the prime minister

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament comprised of House of Lords (consists of

approximately 500 life peers, 92 hereditary peers and 26 clergy) and

House of Commons (646 seats since 2005 elections; members are

elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms unless the House is

dissolved earlier)

elections: House of Lords - no elections (note - in 1999, as

provided by the House of Lords Act, elections were held in the House

of Lords to determine the 92 hereditary peers who would remain

there; elections are held only as vacancies in the hereditary

peerage arise); House of Commons - last held 5 May 2005 (next to be

held by May 2010)

election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party -

Labor 35.2%, Conservative 32.3%, Liberal Democrats 22%, other 10.5%;

seats by party - Labor 356, Conservative 197, Liberal Democrat 62,

other 31; note - as of 10 February 2006 party by seat in the House

of Commons: Labor 353, Conservative 196, Liberal Democrat 63,

Scottish National Party/Plaid Cymru 9, Democratic Unionist 9, Sinn

Fein 5 (but refuse to vote), other 11

note: in 1998 elections were held for a Northern Ireland Assembly

(because of unresolved disputes among existing parties, the transfer

of power from London to Northern Ireland came only at the end of

1999 and has been suspended four times the latest occurring in

October 2002); in 1999 there were elections for a new Scottish

Parliament and a new Welsh Assembly

Judicial branch:

House of Lords (highest court of appeal; several Lords of Appeal in

Ordinary are appointed by the monarch for life); Supreme Courts of

England, Wales, and Northern Ireland (comprising the Courts of

Appeal, the High Courts of Justice, and the Crown Courts);

Scotland's Court of Session and Court of the Justiciary

Political parties and leaders:

Conservative and Unionist Party [David CAMERON]; Democratic

Unionist Party (Northern Ireland) [Rev. Ian PAISLEY]; Labor Party

[Anthony (Tony) BLAIR]; Liberal Democrats [Sir Menzies CAMPBELL];

Party of Wales (Plaid Cymru) [Ieuan Wyn JONES]; Scottish National

Party or SNP [Alex SALMOND]; Sinn Fein (Northern Ireland) [Gerry

ADAMS]; Social Democratic and Labor Party or SDLP (Northern Ireland)

[Mark DURKAN]; Ulster Unionist Party (Northern Ireland) [Sir Reg

EMPEY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament; Confederation of British

Industry; National Farmers' Union; Trades Union Congress

International organization participation:

AfDB, Arctic Council (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C,

CBSS (observer), CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 5,

G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA,

IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,

ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE,

Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SECI (observer), UN, UN Security

Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS,

UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador David G. MANNING; note - will be

replaced the Sir Nigel E. SHEINWALD in the autumn of 2007

chancery: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 588-6500

FAX: [1] (202) 588-7870

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los

Angeles, New York, San Francisco

consulate(s): Dallas, Denver, Miami, Orlando

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert Holmes TUTTLE embassy: 24 Grosvenor Square, London, W1A 1AE mailing address: PSC 801, Box 40, FPO AE 09498-4040 telephone: [44] (0) 20 7499-9000 FAX: [44] (0) 20 7629-9124 consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh

Flag description:

blue field with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of

England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of

Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland), which is superimposed on

the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland);

properly known as the Union Flag, but commonly called the Union

Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue Ensign) have been

the basis for a number of other flags including other Commonwealth

countries and their constituent states or provinces, and British

overseas territories

Economy United Kingdom

Economy - overview:

The UK, a leading trading power and financial center, is one of the

quintet of trillion dollar economies of Western Europe. Over the

past two decades, the government has greatly reduced public

ownership and contained the growth of social welfare programs.

Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by

European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with less than

2% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil

reserves; primary energy production accounts for 10% of GDP, one of

the highest shares of any industrial nation. Services, particularly

banking, insurance, and business services, account by far for the

largest proportion of GDP while industry continues to decline in

importance. GDP growth slipped in 2001-03 as the global downturn,

the high value of the pound, and the bursting of the "new economy"

bubble hurt manufacturing and exports. Output recovered in 2004, to

3.2% growth, then slowed to 1.7% in 2005 and 2.6% in 2006. The

economy is one of the strongest in Europe; inflation, interest

rates, and unemployment remain low. The relatively good economic

performance has complicated the BLAIR government's efforts to make a

case for Britain to join the European Economic and Monetary Union

(EMU). Critics point out that the economy is doing well outside of

EMU, and public opinion polls show a majority of Britons are opposed

to the euro. Meantime, the government has been speeding up the

improvement of education, transport, and health services, at a cost

in higher taxes and a widening public deficit.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.903 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.341 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$31,400 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 25.6% services: 73.4% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 30.4 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 1.5% industry: 19.1% services: 79.5% (2004)

Unemployment rate:

5.4% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

17% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 28.5% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

36.8 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.3% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

17.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $973 billion

expenditures: $1.04 trillion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

42.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, poultry; fish

Industries:

machine tools, electric power equipment, automation equipment,

railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and

parts, electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals,

coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food processing,

textiles, clothing, other consumer goods

Industrial production growth rate:

0% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

363.2 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 73.8% hydro: 0.9% nuclear: 23.7% other: 1.6% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

345.2 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

2.3 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

9.8 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

2.075 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

1.827 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

1.498 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

1.084 million bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves:

4.5 billion bbl (31 December 2004)

Natural gas - production:

95.97 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

98.47 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

9.8 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

12.3 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

589 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-57.68 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$468.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food, beverages, tobacco

Exports - partners:

US 15.1%, Germany 10.5%, France 8.9%, Ireland 7.3%, Netherlands

5.5%, Belgium 5%, Spain 4.4% (2005)

Imports:

$603 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

manufactured goods, machinery, fuels; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Germany 12.8%, US 8.7%, France 7.1%, Netherlands 6.6%, China 5%,

Norway 4.7%, Belgium 4.6%, Italy 4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$38.83 billion (August 2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$8.28 trillion (30 June 2006)

Economic aid - donor:

ODA, $7.9 billion (2004)

Currency (code):

British pound (GBP)

Currency code:

GBP

Exchange rates:

British pounds per US dollar - 0.54413 (2006), 0.55 (2005), 0.5462

(2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002)

Fiscal year:

6 April - 5 April

Communications United Kingdom

Telephones - main lines in use:

32.943 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

61.091 million (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: technologically advanced domestic and

international system

domestic: equal mix of buried cables, microwave radio relay, and

fiber-optic systems

international: country code - 44; 40 coaxial submarine cables;

satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3

Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Eutelsat;

at least 8 large international switching centers

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 219, FM 431, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios:

84.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

228 (plus 3,523 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:

30.5 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.uk

Internet hosts:

6,064,860 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

more than 400 (2000)

Internet users:

37.6 million (2005)

Transportation United Kingdom

Airports: 471 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 334 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 33 1,524 to 2,437 m: 149 914 to 1,523 m: 86 under 914 m: 58 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 137 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 112 (2006)

Heliports:

11 (2006)

Pipelines:

condensate 565 km; condensate/gas 6 km; gas 21,575 km; liquid

petroleum gas 59 km; oil 5,094 km; oil/gas/water 161 km; refined

products 4,444 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 17,156 km

standard gauge: 16,814 km 1.435-m gauge (5,384 km electrified)

broad gauge: 342 km 1.600-m gauge (in Northern Ireland) (2005)

Roadways: total: 388,008 km paved: 388,008 km (including 3,520 km of expressways) (2005)

Waterways:

3,200 km (620 km used for commerce) (2003)

Merchant marine:

total: 449 ships (1000 GRT or over) 11,049,317 GRT/11,731,680 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 24, cargo 54, chemical tanker 50, container

146, liquefied gas 17, passenger 9, passenger/cargo 65, petroleum

tanker 33, refrigerated cargo 17, roll on/roll off 26, vehicle

carrier 8

foreign-owned: 215 (Australia 3, Denmark 46, Finland 1, France 4,

Germany 76, Greece 7, Ireland 1, Italy 4, Netherlands 3, Norway 36,

NZ 1, South Africa 5, Spain 1, Sweden 15, Switzerland 3, Taiwan 1,

Turkey 2, US 6)

registered in other countries: 368 (Algeria 13, Antigua and Barbuda

7, Argentina 4, Australia 2, Bahamas 69, Barbados 5, Belgium 2,

Bermuda 9, Brazil 1, Brunei 8, Cape Verde 1, Cayman Islands 10,

Cyprus 6, Denmark 1, Finland 1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands

1, Georgia 4, Gibraltar 4, Greece 9, Hong Kong 43, India 1,

Indonesia 2, Italy 3, South Korea 2, Liberia 41, Malta 8, Marshall

Islands 12, Morocco 1, Netherlands 19, Netherlands Antilles 3,

Norway 6, Panama 37, Papua New Guinea 6, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines 13, Singapore 9, Slovakia 1, Spain 1, Thailand 2, Tonga

1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Hound Point, Immingham, Milford Haven, Liverpool, London,

Southampton, Sullom Voe, Teesport

Military United Kingdom

Military branches:

Army, Royal Navy (includes Royal Marines), Royal Air Force

Military service age and obligation: 16 years of age for voluntary military service; women serve in military services, but are excluded from ground combat positions and some naval postings (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 14,607,724

females age 16-49: 14,028,738 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 12,046,268

females age 16-49: 11,555,893 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$42,836.5 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.4% (2003)

Transnational Issues United Kingdom

Disputes - international:

in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to

reject any "shared sovereignty" arrangement between the UK and

Spain; the Government of Gibraltar insists on equal participation in

talks between the two countries; Spain disapproves of UK plans to

grant Gibraltar greater autonomy; Mauritius and Seychelles claim the

Chagos Archipelago (British Indian Ocean Territory), and its former

inhabitants since their eviction in 1965; most Chagossians reside in

Mauritius, and in 2001 were granted UK citizenship, where some have

since resettled; in May 2006, the High Court of London reversed the

UK Government's 2004 orders of council that banned habitation on the

islands; UK rejects sovereignty talks requested by Argentina, which

still claims the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia

and the South Sandwich Islands; territorial claim in Antarctica

(British Antarctic Territory) overlaps Argentine claim and partially

overlaps Chilean claim; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute

Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends

beyond 200 nm

Illicit drugs:

producer of limited amounts of synthetic drugs and synthetic

precursor chemicals; major consumer of Southwest Asian heroin, Latin

American cocaine, and synthetic drugs; money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@United States

Introduction United States

Background:

Britain's American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776

and were recognized as the new nation of the United States of

America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and

20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13 as the

nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a

number of overseas possessions. The two most traumatic experiences

in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65) and the Great

Depression of the 1930s. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II

and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world's most

powerful nation state. The economy is marked by steady growth, low

unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology.

Geography United States

Location:

North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the

North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico

Geographic coordinates:

38 00 N, 97 00 W

Map references:

North America

Area:

total: 9,826,630 sq km

land: 9,161,923 sq km

water: 664,707 sq km

note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia

Area - comparative:

about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of

Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly larger

than Brazil); slightly larger than China; almost two and a half

times the size of the European Union

Land boundaries:

total: 12,034 km

border countries: Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska),

Mexico 3,141 km

note: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is leased by the US and

is part of Cuba; the base boundary is 28 km

Coastline:

19,924 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: not specified

Climate:

mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in

Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River,

and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter

temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in

January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes

of the Rocky Mountains

Terrain:

vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in

east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged,

volcanic topography in Hawaii

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Death Valley -86 m

highest point: Mount McKinley 6,194 m

Natural resources:

coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium, bauxite, gold,

iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum,

natural gas, timber

Land use:

arable land: 18.01%

permanent crops: 0.21%

other: 81.78% (2005)

Irrigated land:

223,850 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around Pacific Basin;

hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes

in the midwest and southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires

in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major

impediment to development

Environment - current issues:

air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US and Canada; the

US is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning

of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and

fertilizers; limited natural fresh water resources in much of the

western part of the country require careful management;

desertification

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,

Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,

Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping,

Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic

Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity,

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes

Geography - note:

world's third-largest country by size (after Russia and Canada) and

by population (after China and India); Mt. McKinley is highest point

in North America and Death Valley the lowest point on the continent

People United States

Population:

298,444,215 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 20.4% (male 31,095,847/female 29,715,872)

15-64 years: 67.2% (male 100,022,845/female 100,413,484)

65 years and over: 12.5% (male 15,542,288/female 21,653,879) (2006

est.)

Median age: total: 36.5 years male: 35.1 years female: 37.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.91% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

14.14 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

8.26 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

3.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 6.43 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 7.09 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.85 years

male: 75.02 years

female: 80.82 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.09 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.6% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

950,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

14,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: American(s)

adjective: American

Ethnic groups:

white 81.7%, black 12.9%, Asian 4.2%, Amerindian and Alaska native

1%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.2% (2003 est.)

note: a separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the US

Census Bureau considers Hispanic to mean a person of Latin American

descent (including persons of Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican

origin) living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic group

(white, black, Asian, etc.)

Religions:

Protestant 52%, Roman Catholic 24%, Mormon 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim

1%, other 10%, none 10% (2002 est.)

Languages:

English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian and

Pacific island 2.7%, other 0.7% (2000 census)

note: Hawaiian is an official language in the state of Hawaii

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government United States

Country name:

conventional long form: United States of America

conventional short form: United States

abbreviation: US or USA

Government type:

Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic tradition

Capital:

name: Washington, DC (capital)

geographic coordinates: 38 53 N, 77 02 W

time difference: UTC-5 (during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends

first Sunday in November

note: the United States is divided into six time zones

Administrative divisions:

50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas,

California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia*,

Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,

Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan,

Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New

Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North

Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South

Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia,

Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Dependent areas:

American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island,

Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island,

Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin

Islands, Wake Island

note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered

the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; it entered into a

political relationship with all four political units: the Northern

Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with the US

(effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands

signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21

October 1986); the Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact

of Free Association with the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau

concluded a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 1

October 1994)

Independence:

4 July 1776 (from Great Britain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

Constitution:

17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789

Legal system:

federal court system based on English common law; each state has

its own unique legal system, of which all but one (Louisiana's) is

based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President George W. BUSH (since 20 January 2001);

Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001); note - the

president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President George W. BUSH (since 20 January

2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with Senate approval

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket

by a college of representatives who are elected directly from each

state; president and vice president serve four-year terms (eligible

for a second term); election last held 2 November 2004 (next to be

held 4 November 2008)

election results: George W. BUSH reelected president; percent of

popular vote - George W. BUSH (Republican Party) 50.9%, John KERRY

(Democratic Party) 48.1%, other 1.0%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats, one-third are

renewed every two years; 2 members are elected from each state by

popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of

Representatives (435 seats; members are directly elected by popular

vote to serve two-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held on

November 2008); House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2006

(next to be held on November 2008)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - Democratic Party 49, Republican Party 49, independent 2;

House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - Democratic Party 233, Republican Party 202

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (nine justices; nominated by the president and

confirmed with the advice and consent of the Senate; appointed to

serve for life); United States Courts of Appeal; United States

District Courts; State and County Courts

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Party [Howard DEAN]; Green Party; Libertarian Party

[Steve DAMERELL]; Republican Party [Ken MEHLMAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

AfDB, ANZUS, APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue

partner), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CE

(observer), CERN (observer), CP, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, G-5, G-7, G- 8,

G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,

IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,

MINUSTAH, NAFTA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club,

PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SECI (observer), SPC, UN, UN

Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL,

UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Flag description:

13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating

with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner

bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset

horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows

of five stars; the 50 stars represent the 50 states, the 13 stripes

represent the 13 original colonies; known as Old Glory; the design

and colors have been the basis for a number of other flags,

including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico

Economy United States

Economy - overview:

The US has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in

the world, with a per capita GDP of $43,500. In this market-oriented

economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the

decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods

and services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business

firms enjoy greater flexibility than their counterparts in Western

Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, to lay off

surplus workers, and to develop new products. At the same time, they

face higher barriers to enter their rivals' home markets than

foreign firms face entering US markets. US firms are at or near the

forefront in technological advances, especially in computers and in

medical, aerospace, and military equipment; their advantage has

narrowed since the end of World War II. The onrush of technology

largely explains the gradual development of a "two-tier labor

market" in which those at the bottom lack the education and the

professional/technical skills of those at the top and, more and

more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health insurance coverage,

and other benefits. Since 1975, practically all the gains in

household income have gone to the top 20% of households. The

response to the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 showed the

remarkable resilience of the economy. The war in March-April 2003

between a US-led coalition and Iraq, and the subsequent occupation

of Iraq, required major shifts in national resources to the

military. The rise in GDP in 2004-06 was undergirded by substantial

gains in labor productivity. Hurricane Katrina caused extensive

damage in the Gulf Coast region in August 2005, but had a small

impact on overall GDP growth for the year. Soaring oil prices in

2005 and 2006 threatened inflation and unemployment, yet the economy

continued to grow through year-end 2006. Imported oil accounts for

about two-thirds of US consumption. Long-term problems include

inadequate investment in economic infrastructure, rapidly rising

medical and pension costs of an aging population, sizable trade and

budget deficits, and stagnation of family income in the lower

economic groups.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$12.98 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$13.22 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$43,500 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0.9% industry: 20.4% services: 78.6% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 151.4 million (includes unemployed) (2006)

Labor force - by occupation: farming, forestry, and fishing 0.7%, manufacturing, extraction, transportation, and crafts 22.9%, managerial, professional, and technical 34.9%, sales and office 25%, other services 16.5% note: figures exclude the unemployed (2006)

Unemployment rate:

4.6% (2006)

Population below poverty line:

12% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 30.5% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

45 (2004)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.5% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

16.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $2.409 trillion

expenditures: $2.66 trillion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

64.7% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, corn, other grains, fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, pork,

poultry, dairy products; fish; forest products

Industries:

leading industrial power in the world, highly diversified and

technologically advanced; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles,

aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food

processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining

Industrial production growth rate:

4.2% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

3.979 trillion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 71.4% hydro: 5.6% nuclear: 20.7% other: 2.3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

3.717 trillion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

22.9 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

34.21 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

7.61 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

20.73 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

1.048 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:

13.15 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:

22.45 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:

531.1 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

635.1 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

24.18 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

120.6 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

5.451 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$-862.3 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$1.024 trillion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

agricultural products (soybeans, fruit, corn) 9.2%, industrial

supplies (organic chemicals) 26.8%, capital goods (transistors,

aircraft, motor vehicle parts, computers, telecommunications

equipment) 49.0%, consumer goods (automobiles, medicines) 15.0%

(2003)

Exports - partners:

Canada 23.4%, Mexico 13.3%, Japan 6.1%, China 4.6%, UK 4.3% (2005)

Imports:

$1.869 trillion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

agricultural products 4.9%, industrial supplies 32.9% (crude oil

8.2%), capital goods 30.4% (computers, telecommunications equipment,

motor vehicle parts, office machines, electric power machinery),

consumer goods 31.8% (automobiles, clothing, medicines, furniture,

toys) (2003)

Imports - partners:

Canada 16.9%, China 15%, Mexico 10%, Japan 8.2%, Germany 5% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$69.19 billion (August 2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$10.04 trillion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - donor:

ODA, $6.9 billion (1997)

Currency (code):

US dollar (USD)

Currency code:

USD

Exchange rates:

British pounds per US dollar - 0.5500 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125

(2003), 0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001); Canadian dollars per US dollar

- 1.2118 (2005), 1.3010 (2004), 1.4011 (2003), 1.5693 (2002), 1.5488

(2001); Japanese yen per US dollar - 110.22 (2005), 108.19 (2004),

115.93 (2003), 125.39 (2002), 121.53 (2001); euros per US dollar -

0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.8866 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175

(2001); Chinese yuan per US dollar - 8.1943 (2005), 8.2768 (2004),

8.2770 (2003), 8.2770 (2002), 8.2271 (2001)

Fiscal year:

1 October - 30 September

Communications United States

Telephones - main lines in use:

268 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

219.4 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: a large, technologically advanced, multipurpose

communications system

domestic: a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio

relay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries every form of

telephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries mobile

telephone traffic throughout the country

international: country code - 1; 24 ocean cable systems in use;

satellite earth stations - 61 Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16

Pacific Ocean), 5 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 4

Inmarsat (Pacific and Atlantic Ocean regions) (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 4,789, FM 8,961, shortwave 19 (2006)

Radios:

575 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

2,218 (2006)

Televisions:

219 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.us

Internet hosts:

195,138,696 (2005)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

7,000 (2002 est.)

Internet users:

205,326,680 (2005)

Transportation United States

Airports: 14,858 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 5,119

over 3,047 m: 189

2,438 to 3,047 m: 221

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1,426

914 to 1,523 m: 2,337

under 914 m: 946 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 9,739

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 157

914 to 1,523 m: 1,728

under 914 m: 7,847 (2006)

Heliports:

149 (2006)

Pipelines:

petroleum products 244,620 km; natural gas 548,665 km (2003)

Railways:

total: 226,605 km

standard gauge: 226,605 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Roadways:

total: 6,430,366 km

paved: 4,165,110 km (including 75,009 km of expressways)

unpaved: 2,265,256 km (2005)

Waterways:

41,009 km (19,312 km used for commerce)

note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint

Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with Canada (2004)

Merchant marine:

total: 465 ships (1000 GRT or over) 10,590,325 GRT/13,273,133 DWT

by type: barge carrier 7, bulk carrier 67, cargo 91, chemical tanker

20, container 76, passenger 19, passenger/cargo 58, petroleum tanker

76, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 27, specialized tanker 1,

vehicle carrier 20

foreign-owned: 51 (Australia 2, Canada 4, Denmark 24, Germany 2,

Greece 1, Malaysia 4, Netherlands 4, Norway 2, Singapore 2, Sweden

5, Taiwan 1)

registered in other countries: 700 (Antigua and Barbuda 7, Australia

3, Bahamas 121, Belize 5, Bermuda 27, Cambodia 8, Canada 2, Cayman

Islands 41, Comoros 2, Cyprus 7, Greece 1, Honduras 1, Hong Kong 21,

Ireland 2, Isle of Man 3, Italy 15, North Korea 3, South Korea 7,

Liberia 93, Luxembourg 3, Malta 3, Marshall Islands 143, Netherlands

13, Netherlands Antilles 1, Norway 13, Panama 94, Peru 1,

Philippines 8, Portugal 1, Puerto Rico 3, Qatar 1, Russia 1, Saint

Vincent and the Grenadines 21, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 7, Spain 7,

Sweden 1, Trinidad and Tobago 1, UK 6, Vanuatu 1, Wallis and Futuna

1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Corpus Christi, Duluth, Hampton Roads, Houston, Long Beach, Los

Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Tampa, Texas City

note: 13 ports north of New Orleans (South Louisiana Ports) on the

Mississippi River handle 290,000,000 tons of cargo annually

Military United States

Military branches:

Army, Navy and Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard; note -

Coast Guard administered in peacetime by the Department of Homeland

Security, but in wartime reports to the Department of the Navy

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age; 17 years of age with written parental consent

(2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 67,742,879

females age 18-49: 67,070,144 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 54,609,050

females age 18-49: 54,696,706 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 2,143,873

females age 18-49: 2,036,201 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$518.1 billion (FY04 est.) (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

4.06% (FY03 est.) (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues United States

Disputes - international:

the U.S. has intensified domestic security measures and is

collaborating closely with its neighbors, Canada and Mexico, to

monitor and control legal and illegal personnel, transport, and

commodities across the international borders; abundant rainfall in

recent years along much of the Mexico-US border region has

ameliorated periodically strained water-sharing arrangements; 1990

Maritime Boundary Agreement in the Bering Sea still awaits Russian

Duma ratification; managed maritime boundary disputes with Canada at

Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and around the

disputed Machias Seal Island and North Rock; The Bahamas and US have

not been able to agree on a maritime boundary; US Naval Base at

Guantanamo Bay is leased from Cuba and only mutual agreement or US

abandonment of the area can terminate the lease; Haiti claims

US-administered Navassa Island; US has made no territorial claim in

Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not

recognize the claims of any other states; Marshall Islands claims

Wake Island; Tokelau included American Samoa's Swains Island among

the islands listed in its 2006 draft constitution

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): the US admitted 62,643 refugees

during FY04/05 including, 10,586 (Somalia), 8,549 (Laos), 6,666

(Russia), 6,479 (Cuba), 3,100 (Haiti), 2,136 (Iran) (2006)

Illicit drugs:

world's largest consumer of cocaine, shipped from Colombia through

Mexico and the Caribbean; consumer of heroin, marijuana, and

increasingly methamphetamine from Mexico; consumer of high-quality

Southeast Asian heroin; illicit producer of cannabis, marijuana,

depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, and methamphetamine;

money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Introduction United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Background: The following US Pacific island territories constitute the Pacific Remote Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex and as such are managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of Interior. These remote refuges are the most widespread collection of marine- and terrestrial-life protected areas on the planet under a single country's jurisdiction. They protect many endemic species including corals, fish, shellfish, marine mammals, seabirds, water birds, land birds, insects, and vegetation not found elsewhere. Baker Island: The US took possession of the island in 1857, and its guano deposits were mined by US and British companies during the second half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at colonization began on this island but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned. The island was established as a National Wildlife Refuge in 1974. Howland Island: Discovered by the US early in the 19th century, the island was officially claimed by the US in 1857. Both US and British companies mined for guano until about 1890. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at colonization began on this island, similar to the effort on nearby Baker Island, but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned. The famed American aviatrix Amelia EARHART disappeared while seeking out Howland Island as a refueling stop during her 1937 round-the-world flight; Earhart Light, a day beacon near the middle of the west coast, was named in her memory. The island was established as a National Wildlife Refuge in 1974. Jarvis Island: First discovered by the British in 1821, the uninhabited island was annexed by the US in 1858, but abandoned in 1879 after tons of guano had been removed. The UK annexed the island in 1889, but never carried out plans for further exploitation. The US occupied and reclaimed the island in 1935 until it was abandoned in 1942 during World War II. The island was established as a National Wildlife Refuge in 1974. Johnston Atoll: Both the US and the Kingdom of Hawaii annexed Johnston Atoll in 1858, but it was the US that mined the guano deposits until the late 1880s. Johnston and Sand Islands were designated wildlife refuges in 1926. The US Navy took over the atoll in 1934, and subsequently the US Air Force assumed control in 1948. The site was used for high-altitude nuclear tests in the 1950s and 1960s, and until late in 2000 the atoll was maintained as a storage and disposal site for chemical weapons. Munitions destruction is now complete. Cleanup and closure of the facility was completed by May 2005. The Fish and Wildlife Service and the US Air Force are currently discussing future management options; in the interim, Johnston Atoll and the three-mile Naval Defensive Sea around it remain under the jurisdiction and administrative control of the US Air Force. Kingman Reef: The US annexed the reef in 1922. Its sheltered lagoon served as a way station for flying boats on Hawaii-to-American Samoa flights during the late 1930s. There are no terrestrial plants on the reef, which is frequently awash, but it does support abundant and diverse marine fauna and flora. In 2001, the waters surrounding the reef out to 12 nm were designated a US National Wildlife Refuge. Midway Islands: The US took formal possession of the islands in 1867. The laying of the trans-Pacific cable, which passed through the islands, brought the first residents in 1903. Between 1935 and 1947, Midway was used as a refueling stop for trans-Pacific flights. The US naval victory over a Japanese fleet off Midway in 1942 was one of the turning points of World War II. The islands continued to serve as a naval station until closed in 1993. Today the islands are a National Wildlife Refuge and are the site of the world's largest Laysan albatross colony. Palmyra Atoll: The Kingdom of Hawaii claimed the atoll in 1862, and the US included it among the Hawaiian Islands when it annexed the archipelago in 1898. The Hawaii Statehood Act of 1959 did not include Palmyra Atoll, which is now partly privately owned by the Nature Conservancy with the rest owned by the Federal government and managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. These organizations are managing the atoll as a wildlife refuge. The lagoons and surrounding waters within the 12 nm US territorial seas were transferred to the US Fish and Wildlife Service and designated as a National Wildlife Refuge in January 2001.

Geography United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Location:

Oceania

Baker Island: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 1,830 nm (3,389 km)

southwest of Honolulu, about half way between Hawaii and Australia

Howland Island: island in the North Pacific Ocean 1,815 nm (3,361

km) southwest of Honolulu, about half way between Hawaii and

Australia

Jarvis Island: island in the South Pacific Ocean 1,305 nm (2,417 km)

south of Honolulu, about half way between Hawaii and the Cook Islands

Johnston Atoll: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 717 nm (1,328 km)

southwest of Honolulu, about one-third of the way from Hawaii to the

Marshall Islands

Kingman Reef: reef in the North Pacific Ocean 930 nm (1,722 km)

south of Honolulu, about half way between Hawaii and American Samoa

Midway Islands: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 1,260 nm (2,334 km)

northwest of Honolulu near the end of the Hawaiian Archipelago,

about one-third of the way from Honolulu to Tokyo

Palmyra Atoll: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 960 nm (1,778 km)

south of Honolulu, about half way between Hawaii and American Samoa

Geographic coordinates:

Baker Island: 0 13 N, 176 28 W

Howland Island: 0 48 N, 176 38 W

Jarvis Island: 0 23 S, 160 01 W

Johnston Atoll: 16 45 N, 169 31 W

Kingman Reef: 6 23 N, 162 25 W

Midway Islands: 28 12 N, 177 22 W

Palmyra Atoll: 5 53 N, 162 05 W

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total - 6,959.41 sq km; emergent land - 22.41 sq km; submerged -

6,937 sq km

Baker Island: total - 129 sq km; emergent land - 2.1 sq km;

submerged - 127 sq km

Howland Island: total - 139 sq km; emergent land - 2.6 sq km;

submerged - 136 sq km

Jarvis Island: total - 152 sq km; emergent land - 5 sq km; submerged

- 147 sq km

Johnston Atoll: total - 276.6 sq km; emergent land - 2.6 sq km;

submerged - 274 sq km

Kingman Reef: total - 1,958.01 sq km; emergent land - 0.01 sq km;

submerged - 1,958 sq km

Midway Islands: total - 2,355.2 sq km; emergent land - 6.2 sq km;

submerged - 2,349 sq km

Palmyra Atoll: total - 1,949.9 sq km; emergent land - 3.9 sq km;

submerged - 1,946 sq km

Area - comparative:

Baker Island: about two and a half times the size of The Mall in

Washington, DC

Howland Island: about three times the size of The Mall in

Washington, DC

Jarvis Island: about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington,

DC

Johnston Atoll: about four and a half times the size of The Mall in

Washington, DC

Kingman Reef: a little more than one and a half times the size of

The Mall in Washington, DC

Midway Islands: about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington,

DC

Palmyra Atoll: about 20 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

none

Coastline:

Baker Island: 4.8 km

Howland Island: 6.4 km

Jarvis Island: 8 km

Johnston Atoll: 34 km

Kingman Reef: 3 km

Midway Islands: 15 km

Palmyra Atoll: 14.5 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: equatorial; scant rainfall,

constant wind, burning sun

Johnston Atoll and Kingman Reef: tropical, but generally dry;

consistent northeast trade winds with little seasonal temperature

variation

Midway Islands: subtropical with cool, moist winters (December to

February) and warm, dry summers (May to October); moderated by

prevailing easterly winds; most of the 1,067 mm (42 in) of annual

rainfall occurs during the winter

Palmyra Atoll: equatorial, hot; located within the low pressure area

of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) where the northeast and

southeast trade winds meet, it is extremely wet with between

4,000-5,000 mm (160-200 in) of rainfall each year

Terrain:

low and nearly level sandy coral islands with narrow fringing reefs

that have developed at the top of submerged volcanic mountains,

which in most cases rise steeply from the ocean floor

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Baker Island, unnamed location - 8 m; Howland Island,

unnamed location - 3 m; Jarvis Island, unnamed location - 7 m;

Johnston Atoll, Sand Island - 10 m; Kingman Reef, unnamed location -

less than 1 m; Midway Islands, unnamed location - 13 m; Palmyra

Atoll, unnamed location - 2 m

Natural resources:

terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Natural hazards:

Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: the narrow fringing reef

surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard

Kingman Reef: wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of

less than 1 m makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard

Midway Islands, Johnston, and Palmyra Atolls: NA

Environment - current issues:

Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands, and Johnston Atoll: no natural

fresh water resources

Kingman Reef: none

Midway Islands and Palmyra Atoll: NA

Geography - note:

Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: scattered vegetation consisting

of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a

nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds,

and marine wildlife

Johnston Atoll: Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands,

which have been expanded by coral dredging; North Island (Akau) and

East Island (Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging;

the egg-shaped reef is 34 km in circumference

Kingman Reef: barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; closed

to the public

Midway Islands: a coral atoll managed as a national wildlife refuge

and open to the public for wildlife-related recreation in the form

of wildlife observation and photography

Palmyra Atoll: the high rainfall and resulting lush vegetation make

the environment of this atoll unique among the US Pacific Island

territories; it supports one of the largest remaining undisturbed

stands of Pisonia beach forest in the Pacific

People United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Population:

no indigenous inhabitants

note: public entry is by special-use permit from US Fish and

Wildlife Service only and generally restricted to scientists and

educators; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife Service

Johnston Atoll: in previous years, an average of 1,100 US military

and civilian contractor personnel were present; as of May 2005 all

US government personnel had left the island

Midway Islands: approximately 40 people make up the staff of US Fish

and Wildlife Service and their services contractor living at the

atoll

Palmyra Atoll: four to 20 Nature Conservancy and US Fish and

Wildlife staff

Government United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Baker Island; Howland Island; Jarvis

Island; Johnston Atoll; Kingman Reef; Midway Islands; Palmyra Atoll

Dependency status:

unincorporated territories of the US; administered from Washington,

DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the

Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

note on Palmyra Atoll: incorporated Territory of the US; partly

privately owned and partly federally owned; administered from

Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US

Department of the Interior; the Office of Insular Affairs of the US

Department of the Interior continues to administer nine excluded

areas comprising certain tidal and submerged lands within the 12 nm

territorial sea or within the lagoon

Legal system:

the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:

the flag of the US is used

Economy United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Airports:

Baker Island: one abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m covered

with vegetation and unusable

Howland Island: airstrip constructed in 1937 for scheduled refueling

stop on the round-the-world flight of Amelia EARHART and Fred

NOONAN; the aviators left Lae, New Guinea, for Howland Island but

were never seen again; the airstrip is no longer serviceable

Johnston Atoll: 1 - closed and not maintained

Kingman Reef: lagoon was used as a halfway station between Hawaii

and American Samoa by Pan American Airways for flying boats in 1937

and 1938

Midway Islands: 3 - one operational (2,409 m paved); no fuel for

sale except emergencies

Palmyra Atoll: 1 - 1,846 m unpaved runway; privately owned (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands, and Kingman Reef: none;

offshore anchorage only

Johnston Atoll: Johnston Island

Midway Islands: Sand Island

Palmyra Atoll: West Lagoon

Military United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Uruguay

Introduction Uruguay

Background:

Montevideo, founded by the Spanish in 1726 as a military

stronghold, soon took advantage of its natural harbor to become an

important commercial center. Claimed by Argentina but annexed by

Brazil in 1821, Uruguay declared its independence four years later

and secured its freedom in 1828 after a three-year struggle. The

administrations of President Jose BATLLE in the early 20th century

established widespread political, social, and economic reforms that

established a statist tradition. A violent Marxist urban guerrilla

movement named the Tupamaros, launched in the late 1960s, led

Uruguay's president to cede control of the government to the

military in 1973. By yearend, the rebels had been crushed, but the

military continued to expand its hold over the government. Civilian

rule was not restored until 1985. In 2004, the left-of-center Frente

Amplio Coalition won national elections that effectively ended 170

years of political control previously held by the Colorado and

Blanco parties. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among

the freest on the continent.

Geography Uruguay

Location:

Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between

Argentina and Brazil

Geographic coordinates:

33 00 S, 56 00 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 176,220 sq km

land: 173,620 sq km

water: 2,600 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than the state of Washington

Land boundaries: total: 1,648 km border countries: Argentina 580 km, Brazil 1,068 km

Coastline: 660 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or edge of continental margin

Climate:

warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown

Terrain:

mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m

Natural resources: arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fisheries

Land use: arable land: 7.77% permanent crops: 0.24% other: 91.99% (2005)

Irrigated land:

2,100 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional

violent wind that blows north from the Argentine pampas), droughts,

floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as weather

barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes

from weather fronts

Environment - current issues: water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

second-smallest South American country (after Suriname); most of

the low-lying landscape (three-quarters of the country) is

grassland, ideal for cattle and sheep raising

People Uruguay

Population:

3,431,932 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 22.9% (male 399,409/female 386,136)

15-64 years: 63.9% (male 1,087,180/female 1,104,465)

65 years and over: 13.3% (male 185,251/female 269,491) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 32.7 years

male: 31.3 years

female: 34.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.46% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

13.91 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

9.05 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 11.61 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 12.9 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 10.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.33 years

male: 73.12 years

female: 79.65 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.89 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

6,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Uruguayan(s)

adjective: Uruguayan

Ethnic groups:

white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%, Amerindian (practically

nonexistent)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 66% (less than half of the adult population attends

church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, nonprofessing or other

31%

Languages:

Spanish, Portunol, or Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the

Brazilian frontier)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98%

male: 97.6%

female: 98.4% (2003 est.)

Government Uruguay

Country name:

conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay

conventional short form: Uruguay

local long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay

local short form: Uruguay

former: Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province

Government type:

constitutional republic

Capital:

name: Montevideo

geographic coordinates: 34 53 S, 56 11 W

time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in October; ends

second Sunday in March

Administrative divisions:

19 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Artigas,

Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno, Flores, Florida,

Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandu, Rio Negro, Rivera,

Rocha, Salto, San Jose, Soriano, Tacuarembo, Treinta y Tres

Independence:

25 August 1825 (from Brazil)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 25 August (1825)

Constitution:

27 November 1966, effective February 1967; suspended 27 June 1973,

new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980; two

constitutional reforms approved by plebiscite 26 November 1989 and 7

January 1997

Legal system:

based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Tabare VAZQUEZ Rosas (since 1 March 2005)

and Vice President Rodolfo NIN NOVOA (since 1 March 2005); note -

the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Tabare VAZQUEZ Rosas (since 1 March

2005) and Vice President Rodolfo NIN NOVOA (since 1 March 2005);

note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president with

parliamentary approval

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket

by popular vote for five-year terms (may not serve consecutive

terms); election last held 31 October 2004 (next to be held October

2009)

election results: Tabare VAZQUEZ elected president; percent of vote

- Tabare VAZQUEZ 50.5%, Jorge LARRANAGA 35.1%, Guillermo STIRLING

10.3%; other 4.1%

Legislative branch:

bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of Chamber

of Senators or Camara de Senadores (30 seats; members are elected by

popular vote to serve five-year terms; vice president has one vote

in the Senate) and Chamber of Representatives or Camara de

Representantes (99 seats; members are elected by popular vote to

serve five-year terms)

elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 31 October 2004 (next to

be held October 2009); Chamber of Representatives - last held 31

October 2004 (next to be held October 2009)

election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -

NA%; seats by party - EP-FA 16, Blanco 11, Colorado Party 3; Chamber

of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party

- EP-FA 52, Blanco 36, Colorado Party 10, Independent Party 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and elected

for 10-year terms by the General Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:

Broad Front Coalition (Frente Amplio) - formerly known as the

Progressive Encounter/Broad Front Coalition or EP-FA [Jorge

BROVETTO]; Colorado Party [Julio Maria SANGUINETTI]; Independent

Party (Partido Independiente) [Pablo MIERES]; Movement of Popular

Participation or MPP [Jose MUJICA]; National Party or Blanco [Jorge

LARRANAGA]; New Sector/Space Coalition (Nuevo Espacio) [Rafael

MICHELINI]; Broad Front Coalition (Frente Amplio) - formerly known

as the Progressive Encounter/Broad Front Coalition or EP-FA [Jorge

BROVETTO]; Uruguayan Assembly or Asamblea Uruguay [Danilo ASTORI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Architect's Society of Uruguay (professional organization);

Catholic Church; Chamber of Uruguayan Industries (manufacturer's

association); Chemist and Pharmaceutical Association (professional

organization); PIT-CNT (powerful federation of Uruguayan unions);

Rural Association of Uruguay (rancher's association); students;

Uruguayan Construction League

International organization participation:

CAN (associate), CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,

ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,

ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM

(observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP,

UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos Alberto GIANELLI Derois

chancery: 1913 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20006

telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313 through 1316

FAX: [1] (202) 331-8142

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York

consulate(s): San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Frank BAXTER embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo 11200 mailing address: APO AA 34035 telephone: [598] (2) 418-7777 FAX: [598] (2) 418-8611

Flag description:

nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom) alternating

with blue; there is a white square in the upper hoist-side corner

with a yellow sun bearing a human face known as the Sun of May with

16 rays that alternate between triangular and wavy

Economy Uruguay

Economy - overview:

Uruguay's well-to-do economy is characterized by an export-oriented

agricultural sector, a well-educated work force, and high levels of

social spending. After averaging growth of 5% annually during

1996-98, in 1999-2002 the economy suffered a major downturn,

stemming largely from the spillover effects of the economic problems

of its large neighbors, Argentina and Brazil. For instance, in

2001-02 Argentina made massive withdrawals of dollars deposited in

Uruguayan banks, which led to a plunge in the Uruguayan peso and a

massive rise in unemployment. Total GDP in these four years dropped

by nearly 20%, with 2002 the worst year due to the banking crisis.

The unemployment rate rose to nearly 20% in 2002, inflation surged,

and the burden of external debt doubled. Cooperation with the IMF

helped stem the damage. A debt swap with private-sector creditors in

2003 extended the maturity dates on nearly half of Uruguay's then

$11.3 billion of public debt and helped restore public confidence.

The economy grew about 12% in 2004 as a result of high commodity

prices for Uruguayan exports, a competitive peso, growth in the

region, and low international interest rates, and it continued to

grow nearly 7% annually in 2005 and 2006.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$36.56 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$14.3 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$10,700 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9.3% industry: 33.7% services: 57% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 1.27 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 14% industry: 16% services: 70%

Unemployment rate:

10.5% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

22% of households (2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 25.8% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

44.6 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6.5% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

13.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $5.203 billion

expenditures: $5.449 billion; including capital expenditures of $193

million (2006 est.)

Public debt:

70.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

rice, wheat, corn, barley; livestock; fish

Industries:

food processing, electrical machinery, transportation equipment,

petroleum products, textiles, chemicals, beverages

Industrial production growth rate:

12.6% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

8.183 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.7% hydro: 99.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0.3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

9.939 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

19 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

2.348 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

513.5 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

38,100 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

120 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

120 million cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-600 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$3.993 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

meat, rice, leather products, wool, fish, dairy products

Exports - partners:

US 23.2%, Brazil 13.5%, Argentina 7.8%, Germany 4.2%, Mexico 4.1%

(2005)

Imports:

$4.532 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, chemicals, road vehicles, crude petroleum

Imports - partners:

Brazil 21.3%, Argentina 20.3%, Russia 8%, US 6.7%, Venezuela 6.3%,

China 6.2%, Nigeria 5.9% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$3.594 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$10.37 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$NA

Currency (code):

Uruguayan peso (UYU)

Currency code:

UYU

Exchange rates:

Uruguayan pesos per US dollar - 23.9911 (2006), 24.479 (2005),

28.704 (2004), 28.209 (2003), 21.257 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Uruguay

Telephones - main lines in use:

1 million (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

600,000 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: fully digitalized

domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new

nationwide microwave radio relay network

international: country code - 598; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2002)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 93, FM 191, shortwave 7 (2005)

Radios:

1.97 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

62 (2005)

Televisions:

782,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.uy

Internet hosts:

145,774 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

14 (2001)

Internet users:

680,000 (2005)

Transportation Uruguay

Airports: 64 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 8 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 56 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 22 under 914 m: 31 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 257 km; oil 160 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 2,073 km

standard gauge: 2,073 km 1.435-m gauge

note: 461 km have been taken out of service and 460 km are in

partial use (2005)

Roadways: total: 77,732 km paved: 7,743 km unpaved: 69,989 km (2004)

Waterways:

1,600 km (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 13 ships (1000 GRT or over) 34,259 GRT/19,725 DWT

by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum

tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 4 (Argentina 3, Greece 1)

registered in other countries: 8 (Argentina 1, Bahamas 2, Liberia 3,

Spain 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Montevideo, Nueva Palmira, Fray Bentos, Colonia, Juan Lacaze

Military Uruguay

Military branches:

Army, Navy (includes naval air arm, Marines, Maritime Prefecture in

wartime), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Uruguaya, FAU) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 764,408

females age 18-49: 760,341 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 637,445

females age 18-49: 631,046 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$371.2 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.1% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Uruguay

Disputes - international:

in Jan 2007, ICJ provisionally ruled Uruguay may begin construction

of two paper mills on the Uruguay River, which forms the border with

Argentina, while the court examines further whether Argentina has

the legal right to stop such construction with potential

environmental implications to both countries; uncontested dispute

with Brazil over certain islands in the Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada

streams and the resulting tripoint with Argentina

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Uzbekistan

Introduction Uzbekistan

Background:

Russia conquered Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff

resistance to the Red Army after World War I was eventually

suppressed and a socialist republic set up in 1924. During the

Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain

led to overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies,

which have left the land poisoned and the Aral Sea and certain

rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country seeks to

gradually lessen its dependence on agriculture while developing its

mineral and petroleum reserves. Current concerns include terrorism

by Islamic militants, economic stagnation, and the curtailment of

human rights and democratization.

Geography Uzbekistan

Location:

Central Asia, north of Afghanistan

Geographic coordinates:

41 00 N, 64 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 447,400 sq km

land: 425,400 sq km

water: 22,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:

total: 6,221 km

border countries: Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakhstan 2,203 km,

Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km

Coastline:

0 km (doubly landlocked); note - Uzbekistan includes the southern

portion of the Aral Sea with a 420 km shoreline

Maritime claims:

none (doubly landlocked)

Climate:

mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters;

semiarid grassland in east

Terrain:

mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flat

intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya, Syr

Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east surrounded

by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Sariqarnish Kuli -12 m

highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m

Natural resources:

natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead

and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum

Land use: arable land: 10.51% permanent crops: 0.76% other: 88.73% (2005)

Irrigated land:

42,810 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

shrinkage of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing concentrations of

chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then

blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and contribute to

desertification; water pollution from industrial wastes and the

heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause of many human

health disorders; increasing soil salination; soil contamination

from buried nuclear processing and agricultural chemicals, including

DDT

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly landlocked

countries in the world

People Uzbekistan

Population:

27,307,134 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 32.9% (male 4,572,721/female 4,403,405)

15-64 years: 62.3% (male 8,420,174/female 8,594,478)

65 years and over: 4.8% (male 539,336/female 777,020) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 22.7 years

male: 22 years

female: 23.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.7% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

26.36 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

7.84 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 69.99 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 74.14 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 65.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 64.58 years

male: 61.19 years

female: 68.14 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.91 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

11,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Uzbekistani

adjective: Uzbekistani

Ethnic groups:

Uzbek 80%, Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazakh 3%, Karakalpak 2.5%,

Tatar 1.5%, other 2.5% (1996 est.)

Religions:

Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%

Languages:

Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.3%

male: 99.6%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government Uzbekistan

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Uzbekistan

conventional short form: Uzbekistan

local long form: Ozbekiston Respublikasi

local short form: Ozbekiston

former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power

outside the executive branch

Capital:

name: Tashkent (Toshkent)

geographic coordinates: 41 20 N, 69 18 E

time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

12 provinces (viloyatlar, singular - viloyat), 1 autonomous

republic* (respublika), and 1 city** (shahar); Andijon Viloyati,

Buxoro Viloyati, Farg'ona Viloyati, Jizzax Viloyati, Namangan

Viloyati, Navoiy Viloyati, Qashqadaryo Viloyati (Qarshi),

Qoraqalpog'iston Respublikasi* (Nukus), Samarqand Viloyati, Sirdaryo

Viloyati (Guliston), Surxondaryo Viloyati (Termiz), Toshkent

Shahri**, Toshkent Viloyati, Xorazm Viloyati (Urganch)

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their

administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center

name following in parentheses)

Independence:

1 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 1 September (1991)

Constitution:

new constitution adopted 8 December 1992

Legal system:

evolution of Soviet civil law; still lacks independent judicial

system

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Islom KARIMOV (since 24 March 1990, when

he was elected president by the then Supreme Soviet)

head of government: Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYAYEV (since 11

December 2003)

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with

approval of the Supreme Assembly

elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term

(eligible for a second term; previously was a five-year term,

extended by constitutional amendment in 2002); election last held 9

January 2000 (next to be held in 2007); prime minister, ministers,

and deputy ministers appointed by the president

election results: Islom KARIMOV reelected president; percent of vote

- Islom KARIMOV 91.9%, Abdulkhafiz JALALOV 4.2%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of an Upper

House or Senate (100 seats; 84 members are elected by regional

governing councils to serve five-year terms and 16 are appointed by

the president) and a Lower House or Legislative Chamber (120 seats;

elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 26 December 2004 and 9 January 2005 (next to be

held December 2009)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by

party - NA; Legislative Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%;

seats by party - LDPU 41, NDP 32, Fidokorlar 17, MTP 11, Adolat 9,

unaffiliated 10

note: all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President KARIMOV

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and confirmed

by the Supreme Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:

Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party [Dilorom TASHMUHAMMEDOVA,

chief]; Democratic National Rebirth Party (Milly Tiklanish) or MTP

[Hurshid DOSMUHAMMEDOV, chief]; Fidokorlar National Democratic Party

(Self-Sacrificers) [Ahtam TURSUNOV, chief]; Liberal Democratic Party

of Uzbekistan or LDPU [Adham SHADMANOV, chief]; People's Democratic

Party or NDP (formerly Communist Party) [Asliddin RUSTAMOV, first

secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Agrarian and Entrepreneurs' Party [Marat ZAHIDOV]; Birlik (Unity)

Movement [Abdurakhim POLAT, chairman]; Committee for the Protection

of Human Rights [Marat ZAHIDOV]; Erk (Freedom) Democratic Party

[Muhammad SOLIH, chairman] was banned 9 December 1992; Ezgulik Human

Rights Society [Vasila INOYATOVA]; Free Farmers' Party or Ozod

Dehqonlar [Nigora KHIDOYATOVA]; Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan

[Talib YAKUBOV, chairman]; Independent Human Rights Organization of

Uzbekistan [Mikhail ARDZINOV, chairman]; Mazlum; Sunshine Coalition

[Sanjar UMAROV, chairman]

International organization participation:

AsDB, CIS, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt

(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,

IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Abdulaziz KAMILOV chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 887-5300 FAX: [1] (202) 293-6804 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Jon PURNELL

embassy: 3 Moyqo'rq'on, 5th Block, Yunusobod District, Tashkent

100093

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [998] (71) 120-5450

FAX: [998] (71) 120-6335

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green

separated by red fimbriations with a white crescent moon and 12

white stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant

Economy Uzbekistan

Economy - overview:

Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of which 11% consists of

intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys. More than 60% of its

population lives in densely populated rural communities. Uzbekistan

is now the world's second-largest cotton exporter and fifth largest

producer; it relies heavily on cotton production as the major source

of export earnings. Other major export earners include gold, natural

gas, and oil. Following independence in September 1991, the

government sought to prop up its Soviet-style command economy with

subsidies and tight controls on production and prices. While aware

of the need to improve the investment climate, the government still

sponsors measures that often increase, not decrease, its control

over business decisions. A sharp increase in the inequality of

income distribution has hurt the lower ranks of society since

independence. In 2003, the government accepted the obligations of

Article VIII under the International Monetary Fund (IMF), providing

for full currency convertibility. However, strict currency controls

and tightening of borders have lessened the effects of

convertibility and have also led to some shortages that have further

stifled economic activity. The Central Bank often delays or

restricts convertibility, especially for consumer goods. Potential

investment by Russia and China in Uzbekistan's gas and oil industry

would increase economic growth prospects. In November 2005, Russian

President Vladimir PUTIN and Uzbekistan President KARIMOV signed an

"alliance" treaty, which included provisions for economic and

business cooperation. Russian businesses have shown increased

interest in Uzbekistan, especially in mining, telecom, and oil and

gas. In December 2005, the Russians opened a "Trade House" to

support and develop Russian-Uzbek business and economic ties.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$54.81 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$10.78 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 31.1% industry: 25.7% services: 43.2% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 14.44 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 44% industry: 20% services: 36% (1995)

Unemployment rate:

0.8% officially, plus another 20% underemployed (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

28% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 22% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

26.8 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

7.6% (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $3.145 billion

expenditures: $3.108 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

29.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock

Industries:

textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, gold,

petroleum, natural gas, chemicals

Industrial production growth rate:

7.7% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:

46.45 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 88.2% hydro: 11.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

48.2 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

6.8 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

11.8 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

142,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:

148,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:

600 million bbl (1 January 2005)

Natural gas - production:

59.86 billion cu m (2004)

Natural gas - consumption:

50.2 billion cu m (2004)

Natural gas - exports:

9.7 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

1.875 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$1.41 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$5.51 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

cotton 41.5%, gold 9.6%, energy products 9.6%, mineral fertilizers,

ferrous metals, textiles, food products, automobiles (1998)

Exports - partners:

Russia 23.8%, China 11.9%, Kazakhstan 6.9%, Turkey 6.9%, Ukraine

5.4%, Bangladesh 4.7%, Poland 4.2%, Tajikistan 4% (2005)

Imports:

$3.99 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment 49.8%, foodstuffs 16.4%, chemicals, metals

(1998)

Imports - partners:

Russia 26.6%, South Korea 15.3%, Germany 8.8%, Kazakhstan 7.1%,

China 7.1%, Turkey 4.7%, Ukraine 4.7% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.986 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$4.713 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$91.6 million from the US (2005)

Currency (code):

Uzbekistani soum (UZS)

Currency code:

UZS

Exchange rates:

Uzbekistani soum per US dollar - 1,219.58 (2006), 1,020 (2005),

971.265 (2004), 771.029 (2003), 423.832 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Uzbekistan

Telephones - main lines in use:

1,717,100 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.1 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: antiquated and inadequate; in serious need of

modernization

domestic: the main line telecommunications system is dilapidated;

the state owned telecom company, Uzbektelecom, is using a US$110

million loan from the Japanese government to improve main line

services; mobile services are growing swiftly, with the subscriber

base doubling in 2005 to 1.1 million; there are six main cellular

providers currently in operation

international: country code - 998; linked by landline or microwave

radio relay with CIS member states and to other countries by leased

connection via the Moscow international gateway switch; after the

completion of the Uzbek link to the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE)

fiber-optic cable, Uzbekistan will be independent of Russian

facilities for international communications; Inmarsat also provides

an international connection, albeit an expensive one; satellite

earth stations - NA (1998)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 4, FM 6, shortwave 3 (2006)

Radios:

10.8 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 8 1 cable rebroadcaster in Tashkent; approximately 20 stations in regional capitals (2003)

Televisions:

6.4 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.uz

Internet hosts:

9,058 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

42 (2000)

Internet users:

880,000 (2005)

Transportation Uzbekistan

Airports: 61 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 34 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 5 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 27 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 under 914 m: 25 (2006)

Pipelines: gas 9,594 km; oil 868 km (2006)

Railways: total: 3,950 km broad gauge: 3,950 km 1.520-m gauge (620 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways: total: 81,600 km paved: 71,237 km unpaved: 10,363 km (1999)

Waterways:

1,100 km (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Termiz (Amu Darya)

Military Uzbekistan

Military branches:

Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service

obligation - 12 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 6,340,220

females age 18-49: 6,432,072 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 4,609,621

females age 18-49: 5,383,233 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 324,722

females age 18-49: 317,062 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$200 million (FY97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2% (FY97)

Transnational Issues Uzbekistan

Disputes - international:

prolonged drought and cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and

Turkmenistan creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river

states; field demarcation of the boundaries with Kazakhstan

commenced in 2004; border delimitation of 130 km of border with

Kyrgyzstan is hampered by serious disputes around enclaves and other

areas

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 39,202 (Tajikistan)

IDPs: 3,400 (forced population transfers by government from villages

near Tajikistan border) (2006)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Uzbekistan is a source and, to a lesser extent,

a transit country for women trafficked to Asia and the Middle East

for the purpose of sexual exploitation; women from other Central

Asian countries and China are trafficked through Uzbekistan; men are

trafficked for purposes of forced labor in the construction and

agricultural industries to Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, and

Kyrgyzstan; men and women are also trafficked within the country

tier rating: Tier 3 - Uzbekistan is placed on Tier 3 because it

failed to fulfill commitments by the country to take additional

steps during 2005, including the adoption of comprehensive

anti-trafficking legislation, criminal code amendments to raise

trafficking penalties, support to the country's first trafficking

shelter, and approval of a national action plan

Illicit drugs:

transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to a

lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit cultivation

of cannabis and small amounts of opium poppy for domestic

consumption; poppy cultivation almost wiped out by government crop

eradication program; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals

bound for Afghanistan

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Vanuatu

Introduction Vanuatu

Background:

Multiple waves of colonizers, each speaking a distinct language,

migrated to the New Hebrides in the millennia preceeding European

exploration in the 18th century. This settlement pattern accounts

for the complex linguistic diversity found on the archipelago to

this day. The British and French, who settled the New Hebrides in

the 19th century, agreed in 1906 to an Anglo-French Condominium,

which administered the islands until independence in 1980, when the

new name of Vanuatu was adopted.

Geography Vanuatu

Location:

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about

three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Geographic coordinates:

16 00 S, 167 00 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 12,200 sq km

land: 12,200 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes more than 80 islands, about 65 of which are inhabited

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Connecticut

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

2,528 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds from May to October;

moderate rainfall from November to April; may be affected by

cyclones from December to April

Terrain:

mostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m

Natural resources: manganese, hardwood forests, fish

Land use: arable land: 1.64% permanent crops: 6.97% other: 91.39% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanic eruption

on Aoba (Ambae) island began 27 November 2005, volcanism also causes

minor earthquakes; tsunamis

Environment - current issues: a majority of the population does not have access to a reliable supply of potable water; deforestation

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller islands;

several of the islands have active volcanoes

People Vanuatu

Population:

208,869 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 32.6% (male 34,804/female 33,331)

15-64 years: 63.7% (male 67,919/female 65,138)

65 years and over: 3.7% (male 4,027/female 3,650) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 23 years

male: 23 years

female: 23 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.49% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

22.72 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

7.82 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.1 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 53.8 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 56.35 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 51.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 62.85 years

male: 61.34 years

female: 64.44 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.7 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural)

adjective: Ni-Vanuatu

Ethnic groups:

Ni-Vanuatu 98.5%, other 1.5% (1999 Census)

Religions:

Presbyterian 31.4%, Anglican 13.4%, Roman Catholic 13.1%,

Seventh-Day Adventist 10.8%, other Christian 13.8%, indigenous

beliefs 5.6% (including Jon Frum cargo cult), other 9.6%, none 1%,

unspecified 1.3% (1999 Census)

Languages:

local languages (more than 100) 72.6%, pidgin (known as Bislama or

Bichelama) 23.1%, English 1.9%, French 1.4%, other 0.3%, unspecified

0.7% (1999 Census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 74%

male: NA

female: NA

Government Vanuatu

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu

conventional short form: Vanuatu

local long form: Ripablik blong Vanuatu

local short form: Vanuatu

former: New Hebrides

Government type:

parliamentary republic

Capital:

name: Port-Vila (on Efate)

geographic coordinates: 17 44 S, 168 19 E

time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba

Independence:

30 July 1980 (from France and UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 30 July (1980)

Constitution:

30 July 1980

Legal system:

unified system being created from former dual French and British

systems

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Kalkot Matas KELEKELE (since 16 August

2004)

head of government: Prime Minister Ham LINI (since 11 December

2004); Deputy Prime Minister Sato KILMAN (since 11 December 2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister,

responsible to Parliament

elections: president elected for a five-year term by an electoral

college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional

councils; election for president last held 16 August 2004 (next to

be held in 2009); following legislative elections, the leader of the

majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime

minister by Parliament from among its members; election for prime

minister last held 29 July 2004 (next to be held following general

elections in 2008)

election results: Kalkot Matas KELEKELE elected president, with 49

votes out of 56, after several ballots on 16 August 2004

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular vote to

serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 6 July 2004 (next to be held 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

NUP 10, UMP 8, VP 8, VRP 4, MPP 3, VGP 3, other and independent 16;

note - political party associations are fluid

note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of culture

and language

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president after

consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the

opposition, three other justices are appointed by the president on

the advice of the Judicial Service Commission)

Political parties and leaders:

Jon Frum Movement [Song KEASPAI]; Melanesian Progressive Party or

MPP [Barak SOPE]; National United Party or NUP [Hem LINI]; Union of

Moderate Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR]; Vanua'aku Pati (Our Land

Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI]; Vanuatu Greens Party or VGP [Moana

CARCASSES]; Vanuatu Republican Party or VRP [Maxime Carlot KORMAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS,

ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca,

SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO

(observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

Vanuatu does not have an embassy in the US; it does, however, have

a Permanent Mission to the UN

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Vanuatu; the ambassador to Papua

New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a black

isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated by a

black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two

points of the Y face the hoist side and enclose the triangle);

centered in the triangle is a boar's tusk encircling two crossed

namele leaves, all in yellow

Economy Vanuatu

Economy - overview:

This South Pacific island economy is based primarily on small-scale

agriculture, which provides a living for 65% of the population.

Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with more than

60,000 visitors in 2005, are other mainstays of the economy. Mineral

deposits are negligible; the country has no known petroleum

deposits. A small light industry sector caters to the local market.

Tax revenues come mainly from import duties. Economic development is

hindered by dependence on relatively few commodity exports,

vulnerability to natural disasters, and long distances from main

markets and between constituent islands. GDP growth rose less than

3% on average in the 1990s. In response to foreign concerns, the

government has promised to tighten regulation of its offshore

financial center. In mid-2002 the government stepped up efforts to

boost tourism through improved air connections, resort development,

and cruise ship facilities. Agriculture, especially livestock

farming, is a second target for growth. Australia and New Zealand

are the main suppliers of tourists and foreign aid.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$276.3 million (2003 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$341 million (2005)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.8% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,900 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 26% industry: 12% services: 62% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 76,410 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 65% industry: 5% services: 30% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

1.7% (1999)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

-1.6% (2005 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $78.7 million

expenditures: $72.23 million (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:

copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, fruits, vegetables;

beef; fish

Industries:

food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning

Industrial production growth rate:

1% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:

43 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

39.99 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

620 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-28.35 million (2003)

Exports:

$34.11 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

copra, beef, cocoa, timber, kava, coffee

Exports - partners:

Thailand 46.5%, India 14.1%, Poland 7.9%, Turkey 7.7%, Japan 6.9%

(2005)

Imports:

$117.1 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, fuels

Imports - partners:

Australia 18.4%, Japan 16.7%, Singapore 14.7%, Poland 8.5%, NZ

7.2%, Fiji 6.3% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$40.54 million (2003)

Debt - external:

$81.2 million (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:

$37.8 million (2004)

Currency (code):

vatu (VUV)

Currency code:

VUV

Exchange rates:

vatu per US dollar - NA (2005), 111.79 (2004), 122.19 (2003), 139.2

(2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Vanuatu

Telephones - main lines in use:

6,800 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

12,700 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: country code - 678; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2004)

Radios:

67,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2004)

Televisions:

2,300 (1999)

Internet country code:

.vu

Internet hosts:

413 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

7,500 (2004)

Transportation Vanuatu

Airports:

31 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 28

914 to 1,523 m: 10

under 914 m: 18 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 1,070 km

paved: 256 km

unpaved: 814 km (1999)

Merchant marine:

total: 51 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,340,132 GRT/1,908,687 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 29, cargo 8, container 1, liquefied gas 2,

petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 2,

vehicle carrier 5

foreign-owned: 51 (Australia 2, Canada 5, Denmark 6, Estonia 1,

Japan 28, Poland 5, Russia 1, Switzerland 2, US 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)

Military Vanuatu

Military branches:

no regular military forces; security forces comprise the Vanuatu

Police Force (VPF) and paramilitary Vanuatu Mobile Force (VMF),

which includes Vanuatu's naval force, known as the Police Maritime

Wing (PMW); border security in Vanuatu is the joint responsibility

of the Customs and Inland Revenue Service, VPF, VMF, and PMW (2003)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 50,221 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 33,837 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

NA

Transnational Issues Vanuatu

Disputes - international: Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by Vanuatu and France

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Venezuela

Introduction Venezuela

Background:

Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse

of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and New Granada,

which became Colombia). For most of the first half of the 20th

century, Venezuela was ruled by generally benevolent military

strongmen, who promoted the oil industry and allowed for some social

reforms. Democratically elected governments have held sway since

1959. Hugo CHAVEZ, president since 1999, has promoted a

controversial policy of "democratic socialism," which purports to

alleviate social ills while at the same time attacking globalization

and undermining regional stability. Current concerns include: a

weakening of democratic institutions, political polarization, a

politicized military, drug-related violence along the Colombian

border, increasing internal drug consumption, overdependence on the

petroleum industry with its price fluctuations, and irresponsible

mining operations that are endangering the rain forest and

indigenous peoples.

Geography Venezuela

Location:

Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North

Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana

Geographic coordinates:

8 00 N, 66 00 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 912,050 sq km

land: 882,050 sq km

water: 30,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than twice the size of California

Land boundaries: total: 4,993 km border countries: Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km

Coastline: 2,800 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 15 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Terrain:

Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains

(llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals,

hydropower, diamonds

Land use: arable land: 2.85% permanent crops: 0.88% other: 96.27% (2005)

Irrigated land:

5,750 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: sewage pollution of Lago de Valencia; oil and urban pollution of Lago de Maracaibo; deforestation; soil degradation; urban and industrial pollution, especially along the Caribbean coast; threat to the rainforest ecosystem from irresponsible mining operations

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed but not ratified:: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

on major sea and air routes linking North and South America; Angel

Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world's highest waterfall

People Venezuela

Population:

25,730,435 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 29.1% (male 3,860,116/female 3,620,440)

15-64 years: 65.7% (male 8,494,944/female 8,410,874)

65 years and over: 5.2% (male 609,101/female 734,960) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 26 years

male: 25.4 years

female: 26.6 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.38% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

18.71 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

4.92 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 21.54 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 24.58 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 18.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 74.54 years

male: 71.49 years

female: 77.81 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.23 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.7% - note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

110,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

4,100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Venezuelan(s)

adjective: Venezuelan

Ethnic groups:

Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, indigenous

people

Religions:

nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%

Languages:

Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 93.4%

male: 93.8%

female: 93.1% (2003 est.)

Government Venezuela

Country name:

conventional long form: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

conventional short form: Venezuela

local long form: Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela

local short form: Venezuela

Government type:

federal republic

Capital:

name: Caracas

geographic coordinates: 10 30 N, 66 56 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

23 states (estados, singular - estado), 1 capital district*

(distrito capital), and 1 federal dependency** (dependencia

federal); Amazonas, Anzoategui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas, Bolivar,

Carabobo, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Dependencias Federales**, Distrito

Federal*, Falcon, Guarico, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas, Nueva

Esparta, Portuguesa, Sucre, Tachira, Trujillo, Vargas, Yaracuy, Zulia

note: the federal dependency consists of 11 federally controlled

island groups with a total of 72 individual islands

Independence:

5 July 1811 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 5 July (1811)

Constitution:

30 December 1999

Legal system:

open, adversarial court system

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February

1999); Vice President Jorge RODRIGUEZ Gomez (since 3 January 2007);

note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February

1999); Vice President Jorge RODRIGUEZ Gomez (since 3 January 2007)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 3 December 2006

(next to be held December 2012)

note: in 1999, a National Constituent Assembly drafted a new

constitution that increased the presidential term to six years; an

election was subsequently held on 30 July 2000 under the terms of

this new constitution

election results: Hugo CHAVEZ Frias reelected president; percent of

vote - Hugo CHAVEZ Frias 62.9%, Manuel ROSALES 36.9%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (167 seats;

members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; three

seats reserved for the indigenous peoples of Venezuela)

elections: last held 4 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

pro-government 167 (MVR 114, PODEMOS 15, PPT 11, indigenous 2, other

25), opposition 0

Judicial branch:

Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribuna Suprema de Justicia

(magistrates are elected by the National Assembly for a single

12-year term)

Political parties and leaders:

A New Time or UNT [Manuel ROSALES]; Christian Democrats or COPEI

[Cesar PEREZ Vivas]; Democratic Action or AD [Henry RAMOS Allup];

Fatherland for All or PPT [Jose ALBORNOZ]; Fifth Republic Movement

or MVR [Hugo CHAVEZ]; Justice First [Julio BORGES]; Movement Toward

Socialism or MAS [Hector MUJICA]; Venezuela Project or PV [Henrique

SALAS Romer]; We Can or PODEMOS [Ismael GARCIA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

FEDECAMARAS, a conservative business group; VECINOS groups;

Venezuelan Confederation of Workers or CTV (labor organization

dominated by the Democratic Action)

International organization participation:

CAN, CDB, CSN, FAO, G-3, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, NAM, OAS,

OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,

UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Bernardo ALVAREZ Herrera

chancery: 1099 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 342-2214

FAX: [1] (202) 342-6820

consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans,

New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador William R. BROWNFIELD

embassy: Calle F con Calle Suapure, Urbanizacion Colinas de Valle

Arriba, Caracas 1080

mailing address: P. O. Box 62291, Caracas 1060-A; APO AA 34037

telephone: [58] (212) 975-9234, 975-6411

FAX: [58] (212) 975-8991

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and red with

the coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band and an arc of

eight white five-pointed stars centered in the blue band

Economy Venezuela

Economy - overview:

Venezuela remains highly dependent on oil revenues, which account

for roughly 90% of export earnings, more than 50% of the federal

budget revenues, and around 30% of GDP. Tax collection-Venezuela's

primary source of non-oil revenue-is expected to surpass $23 billion

in 2006, exceeding the yearend collection goal by more than 20%. A

nationwide strike between December 2002 and February 2003 had

far-reaching economic consequences - real GDP declined by around 9%

in 2002 and 8% in 2003 - but economic output since then has

recovered strongly. Fueled by higher oil prices, record government

spending helped to boost GDP growth in 2004 and 2005 to

approximately 18% and 11%, respectively. Economic growth in 2006

reached around 9%. This spending, combined with recent minimum wage

hikes and improved access to domestic credit, has fueled a

consumption boom - car sales in 2006 increased by around 70% - but

has come at the cost of higher inflation. Despite government

attempts to withdraw liquidity from the economy, Venezuela's money

supply set a record in June 2006, approximately 70% higher than the

previous year. Imports have also jumped significantly.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$176.4 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$147.9 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

8.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$6,900 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.7% industry: 41% services: 55.3% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 12.5 million (November 2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 13% industry: 23% services: 64% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:

8.9% (October 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

37.9% (End 2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.8% highest 10%: 36.5% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

49.1 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

15.8% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

19.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $52.24 billion

expenditures: $52.9 billion; including capital expenditures of $2.6

billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:

28.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables, coffee; beef,

pork, milk, eggs; fish

Industries:

petroleum, construction materials, food processing, textiles; iron

ore mining, steel, aluminum; motor vehicle assembly

Industrial production growth rate:

7% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

93.03 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 31.7% hydro: 68.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

86.52 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

3.081 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

560,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

2.1 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - proved reserves:

75.27 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

27.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

27.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

4.276 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$31.82 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$69.23 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural

products, basic manufactures

Exports - partners:

US 50.9%, Netherlands Antilles 7.2%, Canada 2.4% (2005)

Imports:

$28.81 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment,

construction materials

Imports - partners:

US 31.6%, Colombia 11%, Brazil 9.1%, Mexico 6.9% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$35.95 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$35.63 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$74 million (2000)

Currency (code):

bolivar (VEB)

Currency code:

VEB

Exchange rates:

bolivares per US dollar - 2,147 (2006), 2,089.8 (2005), 1,891.3

(2004), 1,607 (2003), 1,161 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Venezuela

Telephones - main lines in use:

3,605,500 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

12.496 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern and expanding

domestic: domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations; recent

substantial improvement in telephone service in rural areas;

substantial increase in digitalization of exchanges and trunk lines;

installation of a national interurban fiber-optic network capable of

digital multimedia services

international: country code - 58; 3 submarine coaxial cables;

satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1

PanAmSat; participating with Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia in

the construction of an international fiber-optic network

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 201, FM NA (20 in Caracas), shortwave 11 (1998)

Radios:

10.75 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

66 (plus 45 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:

4.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.ve

Internet hosts:

51,968 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

16 (2000)

Internet users:

3.04 million (2005)

Transportation Venezuela

Airports: 375 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 129 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 34 914 to 1,523 m: 60 under 914 m: 19 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 246 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 90 under 914 m: 147 (2006)

Heliports:

1 (2006)

Pipelines:

extra heavy crude 992 km; gas 5,369 km; oil 7,607 km; refined

products 1,681 km; unknown (oil/water) 141 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 682 km

standard gauge: 682 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:

total: 96,155 km

paved: 32,308 km

unpaved: 63,847 km (1999)

Waterways:

7,100 km

note: Orinoco River and Lake de Maracaibo navigable by oceangoing

vessels, Orinoco for 400 km (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 56 ships (1000 GRT or over) 824,941 GRT/1,327,924 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 7, cargo 10, chemical tanker 2, container 1,

liquefied gas 6, passenger/cargo 12, petroleum tanker 18

foreign-owned: 13 (Denmark 3, Greece 3, India 1, Mexico 3, Panama 1,

Russia 1, Spain 1)

registered in other countries: 15 (Bahamas 1, Panama 14) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Amuay, La Guaira, Maracaibo, Puerto Cabello, Punta Cardon

Military Venezuela

Military branches:

National Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Nacionales or FAN): Ground

Forces or Army (Fuerzas Terrestres or Ejercito), Naval Forces

(Fuerzas Navales or Armada; includes Marines, Coast Guard), Air

Force (Fuerzas Aereas or Aviacion), Armed Forces of Cooperation or

National Guard (Fuerzas Armadas de Cooperacion or Guardia Nacional)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;

conscript service obligation - 30 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 6,236,012

females age 18-49: 6,137,622 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 4,907,947

females age 18-49: 5,151,843 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 252,396

females age 18-49: 237,300 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$1.61 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.2% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Venezuela

Disputes - international:

claims all of the area west of the Essequibo River in Guyana,

preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana has

expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims before

the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) that

Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into

their waters; dispute with Colombia over maritime boundary and

Venezuelan-administered Los Monjes islands near the Gulf of

Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics and paramilitary

activities penetrate Venezuela's shared border region; in 2006, an

estimated 139,000 Colombians seek protection in 150 communities

along the border in Venezuela; US, France, and the Netherlands

recognize Venezuela's granting full effect to Aves Island, thereby

claiming a Venezuelan EEZ/continental shelf extending over a large

portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea; Dominica, Saint Kitts and

Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines protest

Venezuela's full effect claim

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Venezuela is a source, transit, and destination

country for women and children trafficked for the purposes of sexual

exploitation and forced labor; women and children from Colombia,

China, Peru, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic are trafficked to

and through Venezuela and subjected to commercial sexual

exploitation or forced labor; Venezuelans are trafficked internally

and to Western Europe, particularly Spain and the Netherlands, and

to countries in the Caribbean region for commercial sexual

exploitation; Venezuela is a transit country for illegal migrants

from other countries in the region and for Asian nationals, some are

believed to be trafficking victims

tier rating: Tier 3 - Venezuela does not fully comply with the

minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not

making significant efforts to do so

Illicit drugs:

small-scale illicit producer of opium and coca for the processing

of opiates and coca derivatives; however, large quantities of

cocaine, heroin, and marijuana transit the country from Colombia

bound for US and Europe; significant narcotics-related

money-laundering activity, especially along the border with Colombia

and on Margarita Island; active eradication program primarily

targeting opium; increasing signs of drug-related activities by

Colombian insurgents on border

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Vietnam

Introduction Vietnam

Background:

The conquest of Vietnam by France began in 1858 and was completed

by 1884. It became part of French Indochina in 1887. Vietnam

declared independence after World War II, but France continued to

rule until its 1954 defeat by Communist forces under Ho Chi MINH.

Under the Geneva Accords of 1954, Vietnam was divided into the

Communist North and anti-Communist South. US economic and military

aid to South Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an attempt to bolster

the government, but US armed forces were withdrawn following a

cease-fire agreement in 1973. Two years later, North Vietnamese

forces overran the South reuniting the country under Communist rule.

Despite the return of peace, for over a decade the country

experienced little economic growth because of conservative

leadership policies. However, since the enactment of Vietnam's "doi

moi" (renovation) policy in 1986, Vietnamese authorities have

committed to increased economic liberalization and enacted

structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and to produce

more competitive, export-driven industries. The country continues to

experience protests from various groups - such as the Protestant

Montagnard ethnic minority population of the Central Highlands and

the Hoa Hao Buddhists in southern Vietnam over religious

persecution. Montagnard grievances also include the loss of land to

Vietnamese settlers.

Geography Vietnam

Location:

Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin,

and South China Sea, alongside China, Laos, and Cambodia

Geographic coordinates:

16 00 N, 106 00 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 329,560 sq km

land: 325,360 sq km

water: 4,200 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries: total: 4,639 km border countries: Cambodia 1,228 km, China 1,281 km, Laos 2,130 km

Coastline: 3,444 km (excludes islands)

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season (May

to September) and warm, dry season (October to March)

Terrain:

low, flat delta in south and north; central highlands; hilly,

mountainous in far north and northwest

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

highest point: Fan Si Pan 3,144 m

Natural resources:

phosphates, coal, manganese, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil and

gas deposits, forests, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 20.14% permanent crops: 6.93% other: 72.93% (2005)

Irrigated land:

30,000 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding,

especially in the Mekong River delta

Environment - current issues:

logging and slash-and-burn agricultural practices contribute to

deforestation and soil degradation; water pollution and overfishing

threaten marine life populations; groundwater contamination limits

potable water supply; growing urban industrialization and population

migration are rapidly degrading environment in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh

City

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

extending 1,650 km north to south, the country is only 50 km across

at its narrowest point

People Vietnam

Population:

84,402,966 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 27% (male 11,826,457/female 10,983,069)

15-64 years: 67.1% (male 28,055,941/female 28,614,553)

65 years and over: 5.8% (male 1,924,562/female 2,998,384) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 25.9 years

male: 24.8 years

female: 27.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.02% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

16.86 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

6.22 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 25.14 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 25.54 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 24.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 70.85 years

male: 68.05 years

female: 73.85 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.91 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.4% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

220,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

9,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, Japanese encephalitis,

and plague are high risks in some locations

animal contact disease: rabies

water contact disease: leptospirosis

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified

among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a

negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens

who have close contact with birds (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Vietnamese (singular and plural)

adjective: Vietnamese

Ethnic groups:

Kinh (Viet) 86.2%, Tay 1.9%, Thai 1.7%, Muong 1.5%, Khome 1.4%, Hoa

1.1%, Nun 1.1%, Hmong 1%, others 4.1% (1999 census)

Religions:

Buddhist 9.3%, Catholic 6.7%, Hoa Hao 1.5%, Cao Dai 1.1%,

Protestant 0.5%, Muslim 0.1%, none 80.8% (1999 census)

Languages:

Vietnamese (official), English (increasingly favored as a second

language), some French, Chinese, and Khmer; mountain area languages

(Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 90.3%

male: 93.9%

female: 86.9% (2002)

Government Vietnam

Country name:

conventional long form: Socialist Republic of Vietnam

conventional short form: Vietnam

local long form: Cong Hoa Xa Hoi Chu Nghia Viet Nam

local short form: Viet Nam

abbreviation: SRV

Government type:

Communist state

Capital:

name: Hanoi

geographic coordinates: 21 02 N, 105 51 E

time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

59 provinces (tinh, singular and plural) and 5 municipalities

(thanh pho, singular and plural)

provinces: An Giang, Bac Giang, Bac Kan, Bac Lieu, Bac Ninh, Ba

Ria-Vung Tau, Ben Tre, Binh Dinh, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Binh

Thuan, Ca Mau, Cao Bang, Dac Lak, Dac Nong, Dien Bien, Dong Nai,

Dong Thap, Gia Lai, Ha Giang, Ha Nam, Ha Tay, Ha Tinh, Hai Duong,

Hau Giang, Hoa Binh, Hung Yen, Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Kon Tum, Lai

Chau, Lam Dong, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Long An, Nam Dinh, Nghe An, Ninh

Binh, Ninh Thuan, Phu Tho, Phu Yen, Quang Binh, Quang Nam, Quang

Ngai, Quang Ninh, Quang Tri, Soc Trang, Son La, Tay Ninh, Thai Binh,

Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien-Hue, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, Tuyen

Quang, Vinh Long, Vinh Phuc, Yen Bai

municipalities: Can Tho, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh

Independence:

2 September 1945 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 2 September (1945)

Constitution:

15 April 1992

Legal system:

based on communist legal theory and French civil law system

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Nguyen Minh TRIET (since 27 June 2006);

Vice President Truong My HOA (since 25 July 2002)

head of government: Prime Minister Nguyen Tan DUNG (since 27 June

2006); Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh HUNG (since 28 June 2006),

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia KHIEM (since 28 June 2006), and

Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh TRONG (since 28 June 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president based on proposal of prime

minister and confirmed by National Assembly

elections: president elected by the National Assembly from among its

members for five-year term; election last held 27 June 2006; prime

minister appointed by the president from among the members of the

National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by the prime

minister; appointment of prime minister and deputy prime ministers

confirmed by National Assembly

election results: Nguyen Minh TRIET elected president; percent of

National Assembly vote - 94%; Nguyen Tan DUNG elected prime

minister; percent of National Assembly vote - 92%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Quoc Hoi (498 seats; members

elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 19 May 2002 (next to be held on 20 May 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - CPV 90%, other 10% (the

10% are not CPV members but are approved by the CPV to stand for

election); seats by party - CPV 447, CPV-approved 51

Judicial branch:

Supreme People's Court (chief justice is elected for a five-year

term by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president)

Political parties and leaders:

Communist Party of Vietnam or CPV [Nong Duc MANH]; other parties

proscribed

Political pressure groups and leaders:

8406 Bloc; Democratic Party of Vietnam or DPV; People's Democratic

Party Vietnam or PDP-VN; Alliance for Democracy; groups advocate for

democracy, are not recognized by government (2006)

International organization participation:

ACCT (observer), APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77,

IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW,

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,

WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Nguyen Tam CHIEN

chancery: 1233 20th Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 861-0737

FAX: [1] (202) 861-0917

consulate(s) general: San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael W. MARINE embassy: 7 Lang Ha Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi mailing address: PSC 461, Box 400, FPO AP 96521-0002 telephone: [84] (4) 772-1500 FAX: [84] (4) 772-1510 consulate(s) general: Ho Chi Minh City

Flag description: red with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center

Economy Vietnam

Economy - overview:

Vietnam is a densely-populated, developing country that in the last

30 years has had to recover from the ravages of war, the loss of

financial support from the old Soviet Bloc, and the rigidities of a

centrally-planned economy. Substantial progress was achieved from

1986 to 1997 in moving forward from an extremely low level of

development and significantly reducing poverty. Growth averaged

around 9% per year from 1993 to 1997. The 1997 Asian financial

crisis highlighted the problems in the Vietnamese economy and

temporarily allowed opponents of reform to slow progress toward a

market-oriented economy. GDP growth averaged 6.8% per year from 1997

to 2004 even against the background of the Asian financial crisis

and a global recession, and growth hit 8% in 2005 and 7.8% in 2006.

Since 2001, however, Vietnamese authorities have reaffirmed their

commitment to economic liberalization and international integration.

They have moved to implement the structural reforms needed to

modernize the economy and to produce more competitive, export-driven

industries. Vietnam's membership in the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA)

and entry into force of the US-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement in

December 2001 have led to even more rapid changes in Vietnam's trade

and economic regime. Vietnam's exports to the US doubled in 2002 and

again in 2003. Vietnam joined the World Trade Organization in

January 2007. This should provide an important boost to the economy

and should help to ensure the continuation of liberalizing reforms.

Among other benefits, accession will allow Vietnam to take advantage

of the phase out of the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, which

eliminated quotas on textiles and clothing for WTO partners on 1

January 2005. Agriculture's share of economic output has continued

to shrink, from about 25% in 2000 to 20% in 2006. Deep poverty,

defined as a percent of the population living under $1 per day, has

declined significantly and is now smaller than that of China, India,

and the Philippines. Vietnam is working to promote job creation to

keep up with the country's high population growth rate. However,

high levels of inflation have prompted Vietnamese authorities to

tighten monetary and fiscal policies. Hanoi is targeting an economic

growth rate between 7.5 and 8% over the next five years.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$258.6 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$48.26 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$3,100 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20.1% industry: 41.8% services: 38.1% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 44.58 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 56.8% industry: 37% services: 6.2% (July 2005)

Unemployment rate:

2% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

19.5% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 29.9% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

36.1 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

7.5% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

32.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $15.42 billion

expenditures: $16.63 billion; including capital expenditures of $1.8

billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:

47.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

paddy rice, coffee, rubber, cotton, tea, pepper, soybeans, cashews,

sugar cane, peanuts, bananas; poultry; fish, seafood

Industries:

food processing, garments, shoes, machine-building; mining, coal,

steel; cement, chemical fertilizer, glass, tires, oil, paper

Industrial production growth rate:

11.3% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

40.11 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 43.7% hydro: 56.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

37.3 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh

Oil - production:

400,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

230,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

2.5 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

6.342 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

6.342 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m

Natural gas - proved reserves:

192.6 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$1.029 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$39.92 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

crude oil, marine products, rice, coffee, rubber, tea, garments,

shoes

Exports - partners:

US 18.3%, Japan 13.6%, China 9%, Australia 7.9%, Singapore 5.6%

(2005)

Imports:

$39.16 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer, steel

products, raw cotton, grain, cement, motorcycles

Imports - partners:

China 15.6%, Singapore 12.4%, Taiwan 11.7%, Japan 11.1%, South

Korea 9.7%, Thailand 6.5% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$11.92 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$21.86 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $2.8 billion in credits and grants pledged by international donors for 2000 (2004)

Currency (code):

dong (VND)

Currency code:

VND

Exchange rates:

dong per US dollar - 16,037 (2006), 15,746 (2005), (2004), 15,510

(2003), 15,280 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Vietnam

Telephones - main lines in use:

15.845 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

9.593 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: Vietnam is putting considerable effort into

modernization and expansion of its telecommunication system, but its

performance continues to lag behind that of its more modern neighbors

domestic: all provincial exchanges are digitalized and connected to

Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City by fiber-optic cable or

microwave radio relay networks; main lines have been substantially

increased, and the use of mobile telephones is growing rapidly

international: country code - 84; satellite earth stations - 2

Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 65, FM 7, shortwave 29 (1999)

Radios:

8.2 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

6 (plus 61 provincial TV stations) (2006)

Televisions:

3.57 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.vn

Internet hosts:

12,114 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

5 (2000)

Internet users:

13.1 million (2006)

Transportation Vietnam

Airports: 32 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 26 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Pipelines:

condensate/gas 432 km; gas 163 km; oil 50 km; refined products 206

km (2006)

Railways:

total: 2,600 km

standard gauge: 178 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 2,169 km 1.000-m gauge

dual gauge: 253 km three-rail track combining 1.435 m and 1.000-m

gauges (2005)

Roadways: total: 222,179 km paved: 42,167 km unpaved: 180,012 km (2004)

Waterways:

17,702 km (5,000 km navigable by vessels up to 1.8 m draft) (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 267 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,423,936 GRT/2,191,858 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 23, cargo 202, chemical tanker 4, container 5,

liquefied gas 5, petroleum tanker 24, refrigerated cargo 2, roll

on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 1 (Denmark 1)

registered in other countries: 17 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Honduras

1, Mongolia 8, Panama 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, unknown

2) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City

Military Vietnam

Military branches:

People's Armed Forces: People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) (includes

People's Navy Command (with naval infantry, coast guard), Air and

Air Defense Force (Kon Quan Nhan Dan), Border Defense Command),

People's Public Security Forces, Militia Force, Self-Defense Forces

(2005)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (male) for compulsory military service; females may

volunteer for active duty military service; conscript service

obligation - 2 years (3-4 years in the navy); 18-45 years of age

(male) or 18-40 years of age (female) for Militia Force or Self

Defense Forces (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 21,341,813

females age 18-49: 21,430,808 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 16,032,358

females age 18-49: 17,921,241 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 915,572

females age 18-49: 864,161 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$650 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.5% (FY98)

Transnational Issues Vietnam

Disputes - international:

southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check

the spread of avian flu; Cambodia and Laos protest Vietnamese

squatters and armed encroachments along border; after years of

Cambodia claiming Vietnam had moved or destroyed boundary markers,

in 2005, after much domestic debate, Cambodia ratified an agreement

with Vietnam that settled all but a small portion of the land

boundary; establishment of a maritime boundary with Cambodia is

hampered by unresolved dispute over offshore islands; in 2004,

Laotian-Vietnamese boundary commission agrees to erect missing

markers in two adjoining provinces; demarcation of the China-Vietnam

boundary proceeds slowly and although the maritime boundary

delimitation and fisheries agreements were ratified in June 2004,

implementation has been delayed; China occupies Paracel Islands also

claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; involved in complex dispute with

China, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and possibly Brunei over the

Spratly Islands; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in

the South China Sea" has eased tensions but falls short of a legally

binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants;

Vietnam continues to expand construction of facilities in the

Spratly Islands; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China,

the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine

seismic activities in the Spratly Islands

Illicit drugs:

minor producer of opium poppy; probable minor transit point for

Southeast Asian heroin; government continues to face domestic

opium/heroin/methamphetamine addiction problems despite longstanding

crackdowns

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Virgin Islands

Introduction Virgin Islands

Background: During the 17th century, the archipelago was divided into two territorial units, one English and the other Danish. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish portion, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848.

Geography Virgin Islands

Location:

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic

Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates:

18 20 N, 64 50 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 1,910 sq km

land: 346 sq km

water: 1,564 sq km

Area - comparative:

twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

188 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low

humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season

September to November

Terrain:

mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Crown Mountain 475 m

Natural resources: sun, sand, sea, surf

Land use: arable land: 5.71% permanent crops: 2.86% other: 91.43% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts

and floods; occasional earthquakes

Environment - current issues:

lack of natural freshwater resources

Geography - note:

important location along the Anegada Passage - a key shipping lane

for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best natural

deepwater harbors in the Caribbean

People Virgin Islands

Population:

108,605 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 22.4% (male 12,261/female 12,056)

15-64 years: 66.4% (male 34,174/female 37,949)

65 years and over: 11.2% (male 5,385/female 6,780) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 37.1 years

male: 36.2 years

female: 38 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.12% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

13.96 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

6.43 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-8.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 7.86 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 8.93 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.05 years

male: 75.24 years

female: 83.09 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.17 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Virgin Islander(s) (US citizens)

adjective: Virgin Islander

Ethnic groups:

black 76.2%, white 13.1%, Asian 1.1%, other 6.1%, mixed 3.5% (2000

census)

Religions:

Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7%

Languages:

English 74.7%, Spanish or Spanish Creole 16.8%, French or French

Creole 6.6%, other 1.9% (2000 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 90-95% est.

male: NA%

female: NA% (2005 est.)

Government Virgin Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands

conventional short form: Virgin Islands

former: Danish West Indies

abbreviation: USVI

Dependency status:

organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations

between the Virgin Islands and the US under the jurisdiction of the

Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Charlotte Amalie

geographic coordinates: 18 21 N, 64 56 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative

divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three

islands at the second order; Saint Croix, Saint John, Saint Thomas

National holiday:

Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917)

Constitution:

Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954

Legal system:

based on US laws

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal; island residents are US citizens but do

not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch:

chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20

January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January

2001)

head of government: Governor John DeJONGH (since 1 January 2007)

cabinet: NA

elections: under the US Consitution, residents of unincorporated

territories, such as the Virgin Islands, do not vote in elections

for US president and vice president; governor and lieutenant

governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year

terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 7 and 21

November 2006 (next to be held November 2010)

election results: John DeJONGH elected governor; percent of vote -

John DeJONGH 57.3%, Kenneth MAPP 42.7%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to

serve two-year terms)

elections: last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

Democratic Party 8, ICM 4, independent 3

note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the

US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2006

(next to be held November 2008); results - Donna M. CHRISTENSEN

(Democrat) reelected

Judicial branch:

US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit

jurisdiction); Superior Court of the Virgin Islands (judges

appointed by the governor for 10-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens'

Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

IOC, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territory of the US)

Flag description:

white, with a modified US coat of arms in the center between the

large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows a yellow eagle

holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows in the other

with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white stripes below a

blue panel

Economy Virgin Islands

Economy - overview:

Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for 80% of GDP

and employment. The islands hosted 2.6 million visitors in 2005. The

manufacturing sector consists of petroleum refining, textiles,

electronics, pharmaceuticals, and watch assembly. One of the world's

largest petroleum refineries is at Saint Croix. The agricultural

sector is small, with most food being imported. International

business and financial services are small but growing components of

the economy. The islands are vulnerable to substantial damage from

storms. The government is working to improve fiscal discipline, to

support construction projects in the private sector, to expand

tourist facilities, to reduce crime, and to protect the environment.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.577 billion (2004 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

NA

GDP - real growth rate:

2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$14,500 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 19% services: 80% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 43,980 (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 1% industry: 19% services: 80% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:

6.2% (2004)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.2% (2003)

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA

Agriculture - products:

fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle

Industries:

tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling,

construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

980 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

911.4 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

17,110 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

115,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$4.234 billion (2001)

Exports - commodities:

refined petroleum products

Exports - partners:

US, Puerto Rico (2004)

Imports:

$4.609 billion (2001)

Imports - commodities:

crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials

Imports - partners:

US, Puerto Rico (2004)

Debt - external:

$NA

Economic aid - recipient:

$NA

Currency (code):

US dollar (USD)

Currency code:

USD

Exchange rates:

the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:

1 October - 30 September

Communications Virgin Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:

70,900 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

64,200 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern system with total digital switching,

uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay

domestic: full range of services available

international: country code - 1-340; 2 submarine cable connections

(Taino Carib, Americas-1); satellite earth stations - NA

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 6, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2006)

Radios:

107,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

5 (2006)

Televisions:

68,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.vi

Internet hosts:

3,855 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

50 (2000)

Internet users:

30,000 (2002)

Transportation Virgin Islands

Airports: 2 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 1,257 km (2004)

Ports and terminals:

Charlotte Amalie, Limetree Bay

Military Virgin Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Virgin Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Wake Island

Introduction Wake Island

Background:

The US annexed Wake Island in 1899 for a cable station. An

important air and naval base was constructed in 1940-41. In December

1941, the island was captured by the Japanese and held until the end

of World War II. In subsequent years, Wake was developed as a

stopover and refueling site for military and commercial aircraft

transiting the Pacific. Since 1974, the island's airstrip has been

used by the US military, as well as for emergency landings. All

operations on the island were suspended and all personnel evacuated

in August 2006 with the approach of super typhoon IOKE (category 5),

which struck the island with sustained winds of 250 kph and a 6 m

storm surge inflicting major damage. A US Air Force assessment and

repair team returned to the island in September and restored limited

function to the airfield and facilities. The future status of

activities on the island will be determined upon completion of the

survey and assessment.

Geography Wake Island

Location:

Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the

way from Hawaii to the Northern Mariana Islands

Geographic coordinates:

19 17 N, 166 39 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 6.5 sq km

land: 6.5 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

19.3 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical

Terrain:

atoll of three low coral islands, Peale, Wake, and Wilkes, built up

on an underwater volcano; central lagoon is former crater, islands

are part of the rim

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 6 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

occasional typhoons

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; emergency landing

location for transpacific flights

People Wake Island

Population:

no indigenous inhabitants

note: since super typhoon IOKE, a small military contingent along

with 75 contractor personnel have returned to the island to conduct

clean-up and restore basic operations on the island (July 2006 est.)

Government Wake Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Wake Island

Dependency status:

unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington,

DC, by the Department of the Interior; activities on the island are

conducted by the US Air Force

Legal system:

the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:

the flag of the US is used

Economy Wake Island

Economy - overview:

Economic activity is limited to providing services to military

personnel and contractors located on the island. All food and

manufactured goods must be imported.

Electricity - production:

NA kWh

Communications Wake Island

Telephone system:

general assessment: satellite communications; 2 DSN circuits off

the Overseas Telephone System (OTS)

domestic: NA

international: NA

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 0, shortwave 0

note: Armed Forces Radio/Television Service (AFRTS) radio service

provided by satellite (2005)

Television broadcast stations:

0

note: Armed Forces Radio/Television Service (AFRTS) radio service

provided by satellite (2005)

Transportation Wake Island

Airports: 1 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Ports and terminals:

none; two offshore anchorages for large ships

Transportation - note:

there are no commercial or civilian flights to and from Wake

Island, except in direct support of island missions; emergency

landing is available

Military Wake Island

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the US; the US Air Force is

responsible for overall administration and operation of the island;

the launch support facility is administered by the US Missile

Defense Agency (MDA)

Transnational Issues Wake Island

Disputes - international: claimed by Marshall Islands

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Wallis and Futuna

Introduction Wallis and Futuna

Background:

The Futuna island group was discovered by the Dutch in 1616 and

Wallis by the British in 1767, but it was the French who declared a

protectorate over the islands in 1842. In 1959, the inhabitants of

the islands voted to become a French overseas territory.

Geography Wallis and Futuna

Location:

Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of

the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:

13 18 S, 176 12 W

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 274 sq km

land: 274 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island),

Ile Alofi, and 20 islets

Area - comparative:

1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

129 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April); cool, dry season

(May to October); rains 2,500-3,000 mm per year (80% humidity);

average temperature 26.6 degrees C

Terrain:

volcanic origin; low hills

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mont Singavi 765 m

Natural resources:

NEGL

Land use:

arable land: 7.14%

permanent crops: 35.71%

other: 57.15% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

deforestation (only small portions of the original forests remain)

largely as a result of the continued use of wood as the main fuel

source; as a consequence of cutting down the forests, the

mountainous terrain of Futuna is particularly prone to erosion;

there are no permanent settlements on Alofi because of the lack of

natural fresh water resources

Geography - note:

both island groups have fringing reefs

People Wallis and Futuna

Population: 16,025 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

NA

Birth rate:

NA births/1,000 population

Death rate:

NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate:

NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New

Caledonia (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: NA years

male: NA years

female: NA years

Total fertility rate:

NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders

adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander

Ethnic groups:

Polynesian

Religions:

Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%

Languages:

Wallisian 58.9% (indigenous Polynesian language), Futunian 30.1%,

French 10.8%, other 0.2% (2003 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 50%

male: 50%

female: 50% (1969 est.)

Government Wallis and Futuna

Country name:

conventional long form: Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands

conventional short form: Wallis and Futuna

local long form: Territoire des Iles Wallis et Futuna

local short form: Wallis et Futuna

Dependency status:

overseas territory of France

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea)

geographic coordinates: 13 57 S, 171 56 W

time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order

administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there

are three kingdoms at the second order named Alo, Sigave, Wallis

Independence:

none (overseas territory of France)

National holiday:

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:

French legal system

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May

1995), represented by High Administrator Richard DIDIER (since 19

July 2006)

head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Patalione

KANIMOA (since January 2001)

cabinet: Council of the Territory consists of three kings and three

members appointed by the high administrator on the advice of the

Territorial Assembly

note: there are three traditional kings with limited powers

elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year

term; high administrator appointed by the French president on the

advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the

Territorial Government and the Territorial Assembly are elected by

the members of the assembly

Legislative branch:

unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (20

seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 11 March 2002 (next to be held March 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

RPR and affiliates 13, Socialists and affiliates 7

note: Wallis and Futuna elects one senator to the French Senate and

one deputy to the French National Assembly; French Senate -

elections last held 27 September 1998 (next to be held by September

2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats - RPR (now

UMP) 1; French National Assembly - elections last held 16 June 2002

(next to be held by in 2007); results - percent of vote by party -

NA; seats - RPR (UMP) 1

Judicial branch:

none; justice generally administered under French law by the high

administrator, but the three traditional kings administer customary

law and there is a magistrate in Mata-Utu

Political parties and leaders:

Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians); Mouvement des Radicaux de Gauche or

MRG; Rally for the Republic or RPR (UMP) [Clovis LOGOLOGOFOLAU];

Socialist Party or PS; Taumu'a Lelei [Soane Muni UHILA]; Union

Populaire Locale or UPL [Falakiko GATA]; Union Pour la Democratie

Francaise or UDF

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

SPC, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of France)

Flag description:

unofficial, local flag has a red field with four white isosceles

triangles in the middle, representing the three native kings of the

islands and the French administrator; the apexes of the triangles

are oriented inward and at right angles to each other; the flag of

France, outlined in white on two sides, is in the upper hoist

quadrant; the flag of France is the only official flag

Economy Wallis and Futuna

Economy - overview:

The economy is limited to traditional subsistence agriculture, with

about 80% of labor force earnings from agriculture (coconuts and

vegetables), livestock (mostly pigs), and fishing. About 4% of the

population is employed in government. Revenues come from French

Government subsidies, licensing of fishing rights to Japan and South

Korea, import taxes, and remittances from expatriate workers in New

Caledonia.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$60 million (2004 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

NA

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$3,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Labor force: 3,104 (2003)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 80% industry: 4% services: 16% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:

15.2% (2003)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.8% (2005)

Budget: revenues: $29,730 expenditures: $31,330 (2004)

Public debt:

5.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:

breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats; fish

Industries:

copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0%

Electricity - consumption:

NA kWh

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2002)

Exports:

$47,450 f.o.b. (2004)

Exports - commodities:

copra, chemicals, construction materials

Exports - partners:

Italy 40%, Croatia 15%, US 14%, Denmark 13% (2004)

Imports:

$61.17 million f.o.b. (2004)

Imports - commodities:

chemicals, machinery, passenger ships, consumer goods

Imports - partners:

France 97%, Australia 2%, NZ 1% (2004)

Debt - external:

$3.67 million (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:

assistance from France

Currency (code):

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Currency code:

XPF

Exchange rates:

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 95.01

(2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Wallis and Futuna

Telephones - main lines in use:

1,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

0 (1994)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: country code - 681

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000)

Radios:

NA

Television broadcast stations:

2 (2000)

Televisions:

NA

Internet country code:

.wf

Internet hosts:

1 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

900 (2002)

Transportation Wallis and Futuna

Airports: 2 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 110,428 GRT/56,830 DWT

by type: chemical tanker 1, passenger 7

foreign-owned: 8 (France 5, French Polynesia 2, US 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Leava, Mata-Utu

Military Wallis and Futuna

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Wallis and Futuna

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@West Bank

Background:

The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government

Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington in September 1993,

provided for a transitional period of Palestinian interim

self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. A transfer of

authority to the Palestinian Authority (PA) for the Gaza Strip and

Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4 May 1994 Cairo

Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and, in additional

areas of the West Bank, pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28 September 1995

Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997 Protocol

Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23 October 1998

Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm el-Sheikh

Agreement. Direct negotiations to determine the permanent status of

Gaza and the West Bank began in September 1999 after a three-year

hiatus, but were derailed by a second intifadah that broke out a

year later. In April 2003, the Quartet (US, EU, UN, and Russia)

presented a roadmap to a final settlement of the conflict by 2005

based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to two states,

Israel and a democratic Palestine. The proposed date for a permanent

status agreement has been postponed indefinitely due to violence and

accusations that both sides have not followed through on their

commitments. Following Palestinian leader Yasir ARAFAT's death in

late 2004, Mahmud ABBAS was elected PA president in January 2005. A

month later, Israel and the PA agreed to the Sharm el-Sheikh

Commitments in an effort to move the peace process forward. In

September 2005, Israel withdrew all its settlers and soldiers and

dismantled its military facilities in the Gaza Strip and four

northern West Bank settlements. Nonetheless, Israel controls

maritime, airspace, and most access to the Gaza Strip. A November

2005 PA-Israeli agreement authorized the reopening of the Rafah

border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt under joint PA and

Egyptian control. In January 2006, the Islamic Resistance Movement,

HAMAS, won control of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). The

international community has refused to accept the HAMAS-led

government because it does not recognize Israel, will not renounce

violence, and refuses to honor previous peace agreements between

Israel and the PA. Since March 2006, President Abbas has had little

success negotiating with HAMAS to present a political platform

acceptable to the international community so as to lift the economic

siege on Palestinians. The PLC was unable to convene in late 2006 as

a result of Israel's detention of many HAMAS PLC members and

Israeli-imposed travel restrictions on other PLC members.

Geography West Bank

Location:

Middle East, west of Jordan

Geographic coordinates:

32 00 N, 35 15 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 5,860 sq km

land: 5,640 sq km

water: 220 sq km

note: includes West Bank, Latrun Salient, and the northwest quarter

of the Dead Sea, but excludes Mt. Scopus; East Jerusalem and

Jerusalem No Man's Land are also included only as a means of

depicting the entire area occupied by Israel in 1967

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Delaware

Land boundaries: total: 404 km border countries: Israel 307 km, Jordan 97 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm

to hot summers, cool to mild winters

Terrain:

mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west, but barren

in east

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m

highest point: Tall Asur 1,022 m

Natural resources:

arable land

Land use: arable land: 16.9% permanent crops: 18.97% other: 64.13% (2001)

Irrigated land:

150 sq km; note - includes Gaza Strip (2003)

Natural hazards:

droughts

Environment - current issues:

adequacy of fresh water supply; sewage treatment

Geography - note:

landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel's coastal

aquifers; there are 242 West Bank settlements and 29 East Jerusalem

settlements in addition to at least 20 occupied outposts (August

2005 est.)

People West Bank

Population:

2,460,492

note: in addition, there are about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the

West Bank and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 42.9% (male 541,110/female 515,202)

15-64 years: 53.7% (male 676,427/female 644,347)

65 years and over: 3.4% (male 35,440/female 47,966) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.3 years

male: 18.2 years

female: 18.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

3.06% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

31.67 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

3.92 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

2.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 19.15 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 21.12 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 17.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.27 years

male: 71.5 years

female: 75.15 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.28 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: NA

adjective: NA

Ethnic groups:

Palestinian Arab and other 83%, Jewish 17%

Religions:

Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian and other 8%

Languages:

Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians),

English (widely understood)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 91.9%

male: 96.3%

female: 87.4% (2003 est.)

Government West Bank

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: West Bank

Economy West Bank

Economy - overview:

The West Bank - the larger of the two areas under the Palestinian

Authority (PA) - has experienced a general decline in economic

conditions since the second intifadah began in September 2000. The

downturn has been largely the result of Israeli closure policies -

the imposition of border closures in response to security incidents

in Israel - which disrupted labor and trading relationships. In

2001, and even more severely in 2002, Israeli military measures in

PA areas resulted in the destruction of capital, the disruption of

administrative structures, and widespread business closures.

International aid of at least $1.14 billion to the West Bank and

Gaza Strip in 2004 prevented the complete collapse of the economy

and allowed some reforms in the government's financial operations.

In 2005, high unemployment and limited trade opportunities - due to

continued closures both within the West Bank and externally -

stymied growth. Israel's and the international community's financial

embargo of the PA since HAMAS took office in March 2006 has

interrupted the provision of PA social services and the payment of

PA salaries.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$5.327 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$3.45 billion (2003)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.9% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,500 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8% industry: 18.2% services: 73.9% note: includes Gaza Strip (2005 est.)

Labor force: 568,000 (2005)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 16% industry: 29% services: 55% (2005)

Unemployment rate:

20.3% (includes Gaza Strip) (2005)

Population below poverty line:

45.7% including Gaza Strip (2005)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.9% (includes Gaza Strip) (2005)

Budget:

revenues: $1.23 billion

expenditures: $1.64 billion; including capital expenditures of $44

million ; note - these budget data include Gaza Strip (2005)

Agriculture - products:

olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products

Industries:

generally small family businesses that produce cement, textiles,

soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the

Israelis have established some small-scale, modern industries in the

settlements and industrial centers

Industrial production growth rate:

2.4%

Electricity - production:

NA kWh; note - most electricity imported from Israel; East

Jerusalem Electric Company buys and distributes electricity to

Palestinians in East Jerusalem and its concession in the West Bank;

the Israel Electric Company directly supplies electricity to most

Jewish residents and military facilities; some Palestinian

municipalities, such as Nablus and Janin, generate their own

electricity from small power plants

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

NA kWh

Electricity - imports:

NA kWh

Exports:

$313 million f.o.b.; note - includes Gaza Strip (2004)

Exports - commodities:

olives, fruit, vegetables, limestone

Exports - partners:

Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2004)

Imports:

$2.37 billion c.i.f.; note - includes Gaza Strip (2004)

Imports - commodities:

food, consumer goods, construction materials

Imports - partners:

Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2004)

Debt - external:

NA

Economic aid - recipient:

$1.14 billion; note - includes Gaza Strip (2004)

Currency (code):

new Israeli shekel (ILS); Jordanian dinar (JOD)

Currency code:

ILS; JOD

Exchange rates:

new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.4877 (2005), 4.482 (2004),

4.5541 (2003), 4.7378 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications West Bank

Telephones - main lines in use:

357,300 (includes Gaza Strip) (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.095 million (includes Gaza Strip) (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL

are responsible for fixed line services in the Gaza Strip; the

Palestinian JAWAL company provides cellular services

international: country code - 970

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 20, shortwave 0 (2005)

Radios:

NA; note - most Palestinian households have radios (1999)

Television broadcast stations:

8 (2005)

Televisions:

NA; note - many Palestinian households have televisions (1999)

Internet country code:

.ps

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

8 (1999)

Internet users:

243,000 (includes Gaza Strip) (2005)

Transportation West Bank

Airports:

3 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways: total: 4,996 km paved: 4,996 km note: includes Gaza Strip (2004)

Military West Bank

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

NA

Transnational Issues West Bank

Disputes - international:

West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status

subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent

status to be determined through further negotiation; Israel

continues construction of a "seam line" separation barrier along

parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; Israel withdrew

from four settlements in the northern West Bank in August 2005;

since 1948, about 350 peacekeepers from the UN Truce Supervision

Organization (UNTSO), headquartered in Jerusalem, monitor

ceasefires, supervise armistice agreements, prevent isolated

incidents from escalating, and assist other UN personnel in the

region

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 705,207 (Palestinian Refugees

(UNRWA)) (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Western Sahara

Background:

Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara

(formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in

1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the

Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991

UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on final status

has been repeatedly postponed.

Geography Western Sahara

Location:

Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between

Mauritania and Morocco

Geographic coordinates:

24 30 N, 13 00 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 266,000 sq km

land: 266,000 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about the size of Colorado

Land boundaries: total: 2,046 km border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km

Coastline:

1,110 km

Maritime claims:

contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue

Climate:

hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce

fog and heavy dew

Terrain:

mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces

rising to small mountains in south and northeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m

highest point: unnamed location 463 m

Natural resources:

phosphates, iron ore

Land use:

arable land: 0.02%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 99.98% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and

spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely

restricting visibility

Environment - current issues:

sparse water and lack of arable land

Environment - international agreements: party to: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas

People Western Sahara

Population: 273,008 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

NA

Birth rate:

NA births/1,000 population

Death rate:

NA deaths/1,000 population

Sex ratio:

NA

Infant mortality rate:

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: NA years

male: NA years

female: NA years

Total fertility rate:

NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: may be a significant risk in some locations during the transmission season (typically April through November) (2007)

Nationality: noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s) adjective: Sahrawi, Sahrawian, Sahraouian

Ethnic groups:

Arab, Berber

Religions:

Muslim

Languages:

Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic

Literacy:

NA

Government Western Sahara

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Western Sahara

former: Spanish Sahara

Government type:

legal status of territory and issue of sovereignty unresolved;

territory contested by Morocco and Polisario Front (Popular Front

for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro), which in

February 1976 formally proclaimed a government-in-exile of the

Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), led by President Mohamed

ABDELAZIZ; territory partitioned between Morocco and Mauritania in

April 1976, with Morocco acquiring northern two-thirds; Mauritania,

under pressure from Polisario guerrillas, abandoned all claims to

its portion in August 1979; Morocco moved to occupy that sector

shortly thereafter and has since asserted administrative control;

the Polisario's government-in-exile was seated as an Organization of

African Unity (OAU) member in 1984; guerrilla activities continued

sporadically, until a UN-monitored cease-fire was implemented 6

September 1991

Capital:

none

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (under de facto control of Morocco)

Suffrage:

none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed

Executive branch:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

none

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none

Economy Western Sahara

Economy - overview:

Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate

mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The

territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural

production, and most of the food for the urban population must be

imported. Incomes in Western Sahara are substantially below the

Moroccan level. The Moroccan Government controls all trade and other

economic activities in Western Sahara. Morocco and the European

Union signed a four-year agreement in July 2006 allowing European

vessels to fish off the coast of Morocco, including the disputed

waters off the coast of Western Sahara. Moroccan energy interests in

2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western

Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. However, in 2006, the

Polisario awarded similar exploration licenses in the disputed

territory, which would come into force if Morocco and the Polisario

resolve their dispute over Western Sahara.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$NA

GDP (official exchange rate):

NA

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$NA

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: 40%

Labor force: 12,000

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 50% industry and services: 50%

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

NA%

Budget:

revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA

Agriculture - products:

fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep,

goats (kept by nomads); fish

Industries:

phosphate mining, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

85 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

79.05 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

1,800 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:

$NA

Exports - commodities:

phosphates 62%

Exports - partners:

Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners

are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2006)

Imports:

$NA

Imports - commodities:

fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners

are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2006)

Debt - external:

$NA

Economic aid - recipient:

$NA

Currency (code):

Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Currency code:

MAD

Exchange rates:

Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (2004), 9.5744

(2003), 11.0206 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Western Sahara

Telephones - main lines in use:

about 2,000 (1999 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

0 (1999)

Telephone system:

general assessment: sparse and limited system

domestic: NA

international: country code - 212; tied into Morocco's system by

microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite;

satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to

Rabat, Morocco

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

56,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

NA

Televisions:

6,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.eh

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

NA

Transportation Western Sahara

Airports: 11 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 8

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun)

Military Western Sahara

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $992.2 million

Transnational Issues Western Sahara

Disputes - international:

Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose sovereignty

remains unresolved; UN-administered cease-fire has remained in

effect since September 1991, administered by the UN Mission for the

Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), but attempts to hold a

referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all

brokered proposals

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@World

Background:

Globally, the 20th century was marked by: (a) two devastating world

wars; (b) the Great Depression of the 1930s; (c) the end of vast

colonial empires; (d) rapid advances in science and technology, from

the first airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (US) to the

landing on the moon; (e) the Cold War between the Western alliance

and the Warsaw Pact nations; (f) a sharp rise in living standards in

North America, Europe, and Japan; (g) increased concerns about the

environment, including loss of forests, shortages of energy and

water, the decline in biological diversity, and air pollution; (h)

the onset of the AIDS epidemic; and (i) the ultimate emergence of

the US as the only world superpower. The planet's population

continues to explode: from 1 billion in 1820, to 2 billion in 1930,

3 billion in 1960, 4 billion in 1974, 5 billion in 1988, and 6

billion in 2000. For the 21st century, the continued exponential

growth in science and technology raises both hopes (e.g., advances

in medicine) and fears (e.g., development of even more lethal

weapons of war).

Geography World

Map references:

Physical Map of the World, Political Map of the World, Standard

Time Zones of the World

Area:

total: 510.072 million sq km

land: 148.94 million sq km

water: 361.132 million sq km

note: 70.8% of the world's surface is water, 29.2% is land

Area - comparative:

land area about 16 times the size of the US

Land boundaries:

the land boundaries in the world total 250,708 km (not counting

shared boundaries twice); two nations, China and Russia, each border

14 other countries

note: 44 nations and other areas are landlocked, these include:

Afghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan,

Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic,

Chad, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Holy See (Vatican City), Hungary,

Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,

Macedonia, Malawi, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal, Niger, Paraguay,

Rwanda, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Swaziland, Switzerland,

Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, West Bank, Zambia,

Zimbabwe; two of these, Liechtenstein and Uzbekistan, are doubly

landlocked

Coastline:

356,000 km

note: 98 nations and other entities are islands that border no other

countries, they include: American Samoa, Anguilla, Antigua and

Barbuda, Aruba, Ashmore and Cartier Islands, The Bahamas, Bahrain,

Baker Island, Barbados, Bassas da India, Bermuda, Bouvet Island,

British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cape Verde,

Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Clipperton Island, Cocos (Keeling)

Islands, Comoros, Cook Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Cuba, Cyprus,

Dominica, Europa Island, Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), Faroe

Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic

Lands, Glorioso Islands, Greenland, Grenada, Guam, Guernsey, Heard

Island and McDonald Islands, Howland Island, Iceland, Isle of Man,

Jamaica, Jan Mayen, Japan, Jarvis Island, Jersey, Johnston Atoll,

Juan de Nova Island, Kingman Reef, Kiribati, Madagascar, Maldives,

Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritius, Mayotte, Federated

States of Micronesia, Midway Islands, Montserrat, Nauru, Navassa

Island, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern

Mariana Islands, Palau, Palmyra Atoll, Paracel Islands, Philippines,

Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts

and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and

the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Singapore,

Solomon Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands,

Spratly Islands, Sri Lanka, Svalbard, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and

Tobago, Tromelin Island, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu,

Virgin Islands, Wake Island, Wallis and Futuna, Taiwan

Maritime claims:

a variety of situations exist, but in general, most countries make

the following claims measured from the mean low-tide baseline as

described in the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea:

territorial sea - 12 nm, contiguous zone - 24 nm, and exclusive

economic zone - 200 nm; additional zones provide for exploitation of

continental shelf resources and an exclusive fishing zone; boundary

situations with neighboring states prevent many countries from

extending their fishing or economic zones to a full 200nm

Climate:

a wide equatorial band of hot and humid tropical climates -

bordered north and south by subtropical temperate zones - that

separate two large areas of cold and dry polar climates

Terrain:

the greatest ocean depth is the Mariana Trench at 10,924 m in the

Pacific Ocean

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,540 m

note: in the oceanic realm, Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench is

the lowest point, lying -10,924 m below the surface of the Pacific

Ocean

highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m

Natural resources:

the rapid depletion of nonrenewable mineral resources, the

depletion of forest areas and wetlands, the extinction of animal and

plant species, and the deterioration in air and water quality

(especially in Eastern Europe, the former USSR, and China) pose

serious long-term problems that governments and peoples are only

beginning to address

Land use: arable land: 13.31% permanent crops: 4.71% other: 81.98% (2005)

Irrigated land:

2,770,980 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones), natural

disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions)

Environment - current issues: large areas subject to overpopulation, industrial disasters, pollution (air, water, acid rain, toxic substances), loss of vegetation (overgrazing, deforestation, desertification), loss of wildlife, soil degradation, soil depletion, erosion

Geography - note:

the world is now thought to be about 4.55 billion years old, just

about one-third of the 13-billion-year age estimated for the universe

People World

Population:

6,525,170,264 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 27.4% (male 919,219,446/female 870,242,271)

15-64 years: 65.2% (male 2,152,066,888/female 2,100,334,722)

65 years and over: 7.4% (male 213,160,216/female 270,146,721)

note: some countries do not maintain age structure information, thus

a slight discrepancy exists between the total world population and

the total for world age structure (2006 est.)

Median age: total: 27.6 years male: 27 years female: 28.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.14% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

20.05 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

8.67 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 48.87 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 50.98 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 46.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 64.77 years

male: 63.16 years

female: 66.47 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.59 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Religions:

Christians 33.03% (of which Roman Catholics 17.33%, Protestants

5.8%, Orthodox 3.42%, Anglicans 1.23%), Muslims 20.12%, Hindus

13.34%, Buddhists 5.89%, Sikhs 0.39%, Jews 0.23%, other religions

12.61%, non-religious 12.03%, atheists 2.36% (2004 est.)

Languages:

Mandarin Chinese 13.69%, Spanish 5.05%, English 4.84%, Hindi 2.82%,

Portuguese 2.77%, Bengali 2.68%, Russian 2.27%, Japanese 1.99%,

Standard German 1.49%, Wu Chinese 1.21% (2004 est.)

note: percents are for "first language" speakers only

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 82%

male: 87%

female: 77%

note: over two-thirds of the world's 785 million illiterate adults

are found in only eight countries (India, China, Bangladesh,

Pakistan, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Egypt); of all the

illiterate adults in the world, two-thirds are women; extremely low

literacy rates are concentrated in three regions, South and West

Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Arab states, where around

one-third of the men and half of all women are illiterate (2005 est.)

Government World

Administrative divisions:

268 nations, dependent areas, and other entities

Legal system:

all members of the UN are parties to the statute that established

the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or World Court

Economy World

Economy - overview: Global output rose by 4.4% in 2005, led by China (9.3%), India (7.6%), and Russia (5.9%). The other 14 successor nations of the USSR and the other old Warsaw Pact nations again experienced widely divergent growth rates; the three Baltic nations continued as strong performers, in the 7% range of growth. Growth results posted by the major industrial countries varied from no gain for Italy to a strong gain by the United States (3.5%). The developing nations also varied in their growth results, with many countries facing population increases that erode gains in output. Externally, the nation-state, as a bedrock economic-political institution, is steadily losing control over international flows of people, goods, funds, and technology. Internally, the central government often finds its control over resources slipping as separatist regional movements - typically based on ethnicity - gain momentum, e.g., in many of the successor states of the former Soviet Union, in the former Yugoslavia, in India, in Iraq, in Indonesia, and in Canada. Externally, the central government is losing decisionmaking powers to international bodies, notably the EU. In Western Europe, governments face the difficult political problem of channeling resources away from welfare programs in order to increase investment and strengthen incentives to seek employment. The addition of 80 million people each year to an already overcrowded globe is exacerbating the problems of pollution, desertification, underemployment, epidemics, and famine. Because of their own internal problems and priorities, the industrialized countries devote insufficient resources to deal effectively with the poorer areas of the world, which, at least from an economic point of view, are becoming further marginalized. The introduction of the euro as the common currency of much of Western Europe in January 1999, while paving the way for an integrated economic powerhouse, poses economic risks because of varying levels of income and cultural and political differences among the participating nations. The terrorist attacks on the US on 11 September 2001 accentuated a further growing risk to global prosperity, illustrated, for example, by the reallocation of resources away from investment to anti-terrorist programs. The opening of war in March 2003 between a US-led coalition and Iraq added new uncertainties to global economic prospects. After the coalition victory, the complex political difficulties and the high economic cost of establishing domestic order in Iraq became major global problems that continued through 2006.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

GWP (gross world product): $65 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$46.66 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$10,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 32% services: 64% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 3.001 billion (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 41%

industry: 20.7%

services: 38.4% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:

30% combined unemployment and underemployment in many

non-industrialized countries; developed countries typically 4%-12%

unemployment

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 29.9% (2002 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): developed countries 1% to 4% typically; developing countries 5% to 20% typically; national inflation rates vary widely in individual cases, from declining prices in Japan to hyperinflation in one Third World countries (Zimbabwe); inflation rates have declined for most countries for the last several years, held in check by increasing international competition from several low wage countries (2005 est.)

Industries:

dominated by the onrush of technology, especially in computers,

robotics, telecommunications, and medicines and medical equipment;

most of these advances take place in OECD nations; only a small

portion of non-OECD countries have succeeded in rapidly adjusting to

these technological forces; the accelerated development of new

industrial (and agricultural) technology is complicating already

grim environmental problems

Industrial production growth rate:

3% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:

17.15 trillion kWh (2004 est.)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA hydro: NA nuclear: NA other: NA

Electricity - consumption:

16.18 trillion kWh (2004 est.)

Electricity - exports:

562.2 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

568.5 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

83 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

82.59 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - proved reserves:

1.326 trillion bbl (1 January 2002 est.)

Natural gas - production:

2.824 trillion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

2.82 trillion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

810.9 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

828 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

172.2 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Exports:

$12.45 trillion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services

Exports - partners:

US 15.6%, Germany 7.4%, China 5.7%, France 4.9%, UK 4.7%, Japan

4.5% (2005)

Imports:

$12.08 trillion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services

Imports - partners:

China 9.3%, Germany 9%, US 9%, Japan 6.1%, France 4.2% (2005)

Debt - external:

$44.62 trillion

note: this figure is the sum total of all countries' external debt,

both public and private (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$154 billion official development assistance (ODA) (2004)

Communications World

Telephones - main lines in use:

1,263,367,600 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2,168,433,600 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: NA

Radio broadcast stations:

AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

Radios:

NA

Television broadcast stations:

NA

Televisions:

NA

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

10,350 (2000 est.)

Internet users:

1,018,057,389 (2005)

Transportation World

Airports:

49,024 (2006)

Heliports:

2,021 (2006)

Railways:

total: 1,115,205 km

broad gauge: 257,481 km

standard gauge: 671,413 km

narrow gauge: 186,311 km (2003)

Roadways: total: 32,345,165 km paved: 19,403,061 km unpaved: 12,942,104 km (2002)

Waterways:

671,886 km (2004)

Merchant marine:

total: 33,222 ships (1000 GRT or over) (2006)

Military World

Military expenditures - dollar figure: aggregate real expenditure on arms worldwide has increased in the beginning of the 21st century, with the largest increase in the US; a rough estimate for 2005 is $1.2 trillion (at puchasing power parity) (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: roughly 2% of gross world product (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues World

Disputes - international:

stretching over 250,000 km, the world's 329 international land

boundaries separate the 193 independent states and 73 dependencies,

areas of special sovereignty, and other miscellaneous entities;

ethnicity, culture, race, religion, and language have divided states

into separate political entities as much as history, physical

terrain, political fiat, or conquest, resulting in sometimes

arbitrary and imposed boundaries; maritime states have claimed

limits and have so far established over 130 maritime boundaries and

joint development zones to allocate ocean resources and to provide

for national security at sea; boundary, borderland/resource, and

territorial disputes vary in intensity from managed or dormant to

violent or militarized; most disputes over the alignment of

political boundaries are confined to short segments and are today

less common and less hostile than borderland, resource, and

territorial disputes; undemarcated, indefinite, porous, and

unmanaged boundaries, however, encourage illegal cross-border

activities, uncontrolled migration, and confrontation; territorial

disputes may evolve from historical and/or cultural claims, or they

may be brought on by resource competition; ethnic and cultural

clashes continue to be responsible for much of the territorial

fragmentation around the world; disputes over islands at sea or in

rivers frequently form the source of territorial and boundary

conflict; other sources of contention include access to water and

mineral (especially petroleum) resources, fisheries, and arable

land; nonetheless, most nations cooperate to clarify their

international boundaries and to resolve territorial and resource

disputes peacefully; regional discord today prevails not so much

between the armed forces of independent states as between stateless

armed entities that detract from the sustenance and welfare of local

populations, leaving the community of nations to cope with resultant

refugees, hunger, disease, impoverishment, and environmental

degradation

Refugees and internally displaced persons: the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated that in December 2005 there was a global population of 8.4 million registered refugees, the lowest number in 26 years, and as many as 23.7 million IDPs in more than 50 countries; the actual global population of refugees is probably closer to 10 million given the estimated 1.5 million Iraqi refugees displaced throughout the Middle East (2006)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: about 600,000 to 800,000 people, mostly women

and children, are trafficked annually across national borders, not

including millions trafficked within their own countries; at least

80% of the victims are female; 75% of all victims are trafficked

into commercial sexual exploitation; roughly two-thirds of the

global victims are trafficked intra-regionally within East Asia and

the Pacific (260,000 to 280,000 people) and Europe and Eurasia

(170,000 to 210,000 people)

Illicit drugs:

cocaine: worldwide coca cultivation in 2004 amounted to 166,200

hectares; Colombia produced slightly more than two-thirds of the

worldwide crop, followed by Peru and Bolivia; potential pure cocaine

production of 645 metric tons in 2004 marked the lowest level of

Andean cocaine production in the past 10 years; Colombia conducts

aggressive coca eradication campaign, but both Peruvian and Bolivian

Governments are hesitant to eradicate coca in key growing areas; 376

metric tons of export-quality cocaine are documented to have been

seized in 2003, and 26 metric tons disrupted (jettisoned or

destroyed); consumption of export quality cocaine is estimated to

have been 800 metric tons

opiates: worldwide illicit opium poppy cultivation reached 258,630

hectares in 2004; potential opium production of 5,444 metric tons

was highest total recorded since estimates began in mid-1980s;

Afghanistan is world's primary opium producer, accounting for 91% of

the global supply; Southeast Asia - responsible for 7% of global

opium - continued to diminish in importance in the world opium

market; Latin America produced 2% of global opium, but most refined

into heroin destined for United States; if all opium processed into

pure heroin, the potential global production would be 632 metric

tons of heroin in 2004

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Yemen

Introduction Yemen

Background:

North Yemen became independent of the Ottoman Empire in 1918. The

British, who had set up a protectorate area around the southern port

of Aden in the 19th century, withdrew in 1967 from what became South

Yemen. Three years later, the southern government adopted a Marxist

orientation. The massive exodus of hundreds of thousands of Yemenis

from the south to the north contributed to two decades of hostility

between the states. The two countries were formally unified as the

Republic of Yemen in 1990. A southern secessionist movement in 1994

was quickly subdued. In 2000, Saudi Arabia and Yemen agreed to a

delimitation of their border.

Geography Yemen

Location:

Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea,

between Oman and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:

15 00 N, 48 00 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 527,970 sq km

land: 527,970 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Perim, Socotra, the former Yemen Arab Republic (YAR

or North Yemen), and the former People's Democratic Republic of

Yemen (PDRY or South Yemen)

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming

Land boundaries: total: 1,746 km border countries: Oman 288 km, Saudi Arabia 1,458 km

Coastline: 1,906 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperate in western

mountains affected by seasonal monsoon; extraordinarily hot, dry,

harsh desert in east

Terrain:

narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and rugged

mountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slope into the

desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m

highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,760 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble; small deposits of coal, gold,

lead, nickel, and copper; fertile soil in west

Land use: arable land: 2.91% permanent crops: 0.25% other: 96.84% (2005)

Irrigated land:

5,500 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

sandstorms and dust storms in summer

Environment - current issues:

very limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of

potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

Protection

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location on Bab el Mandeb, the strait linking the Red Sea

and the Gulf of Aden, one of world's most active shipping lanes

People Yemen

Population:

21,456,188 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 46.4% (male 5,067,762/female 4,881,333)

15-64 years: 51% (male 5,568,078/female 5,375,263)

65 years and over: 2.6% (male 275,878/female 287,874) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 16.6 years

male: 16.6 years

female: 16.6 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

3.46% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

42.89 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

8.3 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 59.88 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 64.55 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 54.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 62.12 years

male: 60.23 years

female: 64.11 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

6.58 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

12,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality: noun: Yemeni(s) adjective: Yemeni

Ethnic groups:

predominantly Arab; but also Afro-Arab, South Asians, Europeans

Religions:

Muslim including Shaf'i (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shi'a), small numbers of

Jewish, Christian, and Hindu

Languages:

Arabic

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 50.2%

male: 70.5%

female: 30% (2003 est.)

Government Yemen

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Yemen

conventional short form: Yemen

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah

local short form: Al Yaman

former: Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and

People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen]

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Sanaa

geographic coordinates: 15 21 N, 44 12 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

19 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Abyan, 'Adan, Ad

Dali', Al Bayda', Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al Mahrah, Al Mahwit,

'Amran, Dhamar, Hadramawt, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Ma'rib, Sa'dah,

San'a', Shabwah, Ta'izz

note: for electoral and administrative purposes, the capital city of

Sanaa is treated as an additional governorate

Independence:

22 May 1990 (Republic of Yemen established with the merger of the

Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and the

Marxist-dominated People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen

(Aden) or South Yemen]); note - previously North Yemen had become

independent in November of 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and South

Yemen had become independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Unification Day, 22 May (1990)

Constitution:

16 May 1991; amended 29 September 1994 and February 2001

Legal system:

based on Islamic law, Turkish law, English common law, and local

tribal customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Ali Abdallah SALIH (since 22 May 1990,

the former president of North Yemen, assumed office upon the merger

of North and South Yemen); Vice President Maj. Gen. Abd al-Rab

Mansur al-HADI (since 3 October 1994)

head of government: Prime Minister Abd al-Qadir BA JAMAL; Deputy

Prime Ministers Rashid Muhammad al-ALIMI, Alawi Salah al-SALAMI,

Ahmad Muhammad Abdallah al-SUFAN

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the

advice of the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;

election last held 20 September 2006 (next to be held September

2013); vice president appointed by the president; prime minister and

deputy prime ministers appointed by the president

election results: Ali Abdallah SALIH elected president; percent of

vote - Ali Abdallah SALIH 77.2%, Faysal BIN SHAMLAN 21.8%

Legislative branch:

a new constitutional amendment ratified on 20 February 2001 created

a bicameral legislature consisting of a Shura Council (111 seats;

members appointed by the president) and a House of Representatives

(301 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)

elections: last held 27 April 2003 (next to be held in April 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

GPC 228, Islah 47, YSP 7, Nasserite Unionist Party 3, National Arab

Socialist Ba'th Party 2, independents 14

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:

there are more than 12 political parties active in Yemen, some of

the more prominent are: General People's Congress or GPC [President

Ali Abdallah SALIH]; Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah [Shaykh

Abdallah bin Husayn al-AHMAR]; Nasserite Unionist Party [Abdal Malik

al-MAKHLAFI]; National Arab Socialist Ba'th Party [Dr. Qasim SALAM];

Yemeni Socialist Party or YSP [Ali Salih MUQBIL]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),

ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,

IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer),

OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNOCI,

UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Abd al-Wahab Abdallah al-HAJRI chancery: 2319 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 965-4760 FAX: [1] (202) 337-2017

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas C. KRAJESKI

embassy: Sa'awan Street, Sanaa

mailing address: P. O. Box 22347, Sanaa

telephone: [967] (1) 755-2000 ext. 2153 or 2266

FAX: [967] (1) 303-182

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black;

similar to the flag of Syria, which has two green stars, and of

Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription), in a

horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag

of Egypt, which has a heraldic eagle centered in the white band

Economy Yemen

Economy - overview:

Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Arab world, reported

average annual growth of 3.5% from 2000 through 2006. Its economic

fortunes depend mostly on oil. Oil revenues probably increased in

2006 as a result of higher prices. Yemen was on an IMF-supported

structural adjustment program designed to modernize and streamline

the economy, which led to substantial foreign debt relief and

restructuring. However, government dedication to the program waned

in 2001 for political reasons. Yemen is struggling to control

excessive spending and rampant corruption. Yemen is dependent on

foreign aid to finance its budget deficits and development projects.

In November, Yemen secured $4.7 billion in assistance from Arabian

Gulf and Western donors.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$20.38 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$15.16 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$900 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 12.5% industry: 43.8% services: 43.7% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 5.759 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: note: most people are employed in agriculture and herding; services, construction, industry, and commerce account for less than one-fourth of the labor force

Unemployment rate:

35% (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line:

45.2% (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3%

highest 10%: 25.9% (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

33.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

14.8% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

15.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $7.314 billion

expenditures: $6.984 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

30% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

grain, fruits, vegetables, pulses, qat, coffee, cotton; dairy

products, livestock (sheep, goats, cattle, camels), poultry; fish

Industries:

crude oil production and petroleum refining; small-scale production

of cotton textiles and leather goods; food processing; handicrafts;

small aluminum products factory; cement; commercial ship repair

Industrial production growth rate:

3% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:

4.077 billion kWh (2004 est.)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

3.792 billion kWh (2004 est.)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

387,500 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

85,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

370,300 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:

3.72 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

478.6 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:

$1.69 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:

$8.214 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

crude oil, coffee, dried and salted fish

Exports - partners:

China 35.3%, India 16.2%, Thailand 11.9%, Japan 6.3%, South Korea

6.3%, Switzerland 5.5% (2005)

Imports:

$5.042 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

food and live animals, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners:

UAE 18.9%, Saudi Arabia 8.9%, Switzerland 8.6%, Kuwait 6.7%, China

6.1%, US 4.5% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$6.735 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$5.469 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$2.3 billion (2003-07 disbursements)

Currency (code):

Yemeni rial (YER)

Currency code:

YER

Exchange rates:

Yemeni rials per US dollar - 197.467 (2006), 192.67 (2005), 184.78

(2004), 183.45 (2003), 175.63 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Yemen

Telephones - main lines in use:

900,000 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2,074,846 (2006)

Telephone system:

general assessment: since unification in 1990, efforts have been

made to create a national telecommunications network

domestic: the national network consists of microwave radio relay,

cable, tropospheric scatter, and GSM cellular mobile telephone

systems

international: country code - 967; satellite earth stations - 3

Intelsat (2 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Intersputnik

(Atlantic Ocean region), and 2 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to

Saudi Arabia and Djibouti

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 6, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:

1.05 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

7 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:

470,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.ye

Internet hosts:

171 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

220,000 (2005)

Transportation Yemen

Airports: 46 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 16

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 8

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 30

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 11

under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Pipelines:

gas 71 km; liquid petroleum gas 22 km; oil 1,284 km (2006)

Roadways:

total: 71,300 km

paved: 6,200 km

unpaved: 65,100 km (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 4 ships (1000 GRT or over) 15,400 GRT/18,072 DWT

by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll

on/roll off 1

registered in other countries: 9 (Bolivia 1, Cambodia 3, North Korea

2, Panama 3) (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Aden, Nishtun

Military Yemen

Military branches:

Army (includes Special Forces), Navy (includes Marines), Unified

Yemen Air Force (includes Air Defense Force) (2006)

Military service age and obligation: in May 2001, Yemen's National Defense Council abolished compulsory military service and authorized a voluntary program for military service (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 4,058,223

females age 18-49: 3,868,112 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 2,790,705

females age 18-49: 2,792,406 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:

males age 18-49: 236,517

females age 18-49: 230,641 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$992.2 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

6.4% (2005 est.)

Military - note:

a Coast Guard was established in 2002

Transnational Issues Yemen

Disputes - international:

Yemen protests Eritrea fishing around the Hanish Islands awarded to

Yemen by the ICJ in 1999; Saudi Arabia still maintains the

concrete-filled pipe as a security barrier along sections of the

border with Yemen in 2004 to stem illegal cross-border activities;

Yemen protests Saudi erection of a concrete-filled pipe as a

security barrier in 2004 to stem illegal cross-border activities in

sections of the boundary

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 78,582 (Somalia) (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Zambia

Introduction Zambia

Background:

The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the

[British] South Africa Company from 1891 until it was taken over by

the UK in 1923. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining

spurred development and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia

upon independence in 1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper

prices and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991

brought an end to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996

saw blatant harassment of opposition parties. The election in 2001

was marked by administrative problems with three parties filing a

legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate

Levy MWANAWASA. The new president launched an anticorruption task

force in 2002, but the government has yet to make a prosecution. The

Zambian leader was reelected in 2006 in an election that was deemed

free and fair.

Geography Zambia

Location:

Southern Africa, east of Angola

Geographic coordinates:

15 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 752,614 sq km

land: 740,724 sq km

water: 11,890 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 5,664 km

border countries: Angola 1,110 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo

1,930 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia 233 km, Tanzania

338 km, Zimbabwe 797 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April)

Terrain:

mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m

highest point: unnamed location in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m

Natural resources:

copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium,

hydropower

Land use: arable land: 6.99% permanent crops: 0.04% other: 92.97% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,560 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

periodic drought, tropical storms (November to April)

Environment - current issues:

air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction and

refining region; chemical runoff into watersheds; poaching seriously

threatens rhinoceros, elephant, antelope, and large cat populations;

deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; lack of adequate water

treatment presents human health risks

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,

Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:

landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with

Zimbabwe

People Zambia

Population:

11,502,010

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 46.3% (male 2,673,891/female 2,656,268)

15-64 years: 51.3% (male 2,925,910/female 2,969,324)

65 years and over: 2.4% (male 117,877/female 158,740) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 16.5 years

male: 16.3 years

female: 16.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.11% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

41 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

19.93 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 86.84 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 94.08 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 79.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 40.03 years

male: 39.76 years

female: 40.31 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.39 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

16.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

920,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

89,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in some

locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Zambian(s)

adjective: Zambian

Ethnic groups:

African 98.7%, European 1.1%, other 0.2%

Religions:

Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 1%

Languages:

English (official), major vernaculars - Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda,

Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other indigenous languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write English

total population: 80.6%

male: 86.8%

female: 74.8% (2003 est.)

Government Zambia

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Zambia

conventional short form: Zambia

former: Northern Rhodesia

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Lusaka

geographic coordinates: 15 25 S, 28 17 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka,

Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western

Independence:

24 October 1964 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 24 October (1964)

Constitution:

24 August 1991; amended in 1996 to establish presidential term

limits

Legal system:

based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of

legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council; has not

accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January 2002);

Vice President Rupiah BANDA (since 9 October 2006); note - the

president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January 2002);

Vice President Rupiah BANDA (since 9 October 2006); note - the

president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members

of the National Assembly

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 28 September 2006

(next to be held 2011); vice president appointed by the president

election results: Levy MWANAWASA reelected president; percent of

vote - Levy MWANAWASA 43.0%, Michael SATA 29.4%, Hakainde HICHILEMA

25.3%, Godfrey MIYANDA 1.6%, Winright NGONDO 0.8%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (158 seats; 150 members are elected by

popular vote, eight members are appointed by the president, to serve

five-year terms)

elections: last held 28 September 2006 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

MMD 72, PF 44, UDA 27, ULP 2, NDF 1, independents 2; seats not

determined 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (the final court of appeal; justices are appointed by

the president); High Court (has unlimited jurisdiction to hear civil

and criminal cases)

Political parties and leaders:

Agenda for Zambia or AZ [Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA]; Forum for

Democracy and Development or FDD [Christon TEMBO]; Heritage Party or

HP [Godfrey MIYANDA]; Liberal Progressive Front or LPF [Roger

CHONGWE, president]; Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD [Levy

MWANAWASA, acting president]; National Leadership for Development or

NLD [Yobert SHAMAPANDE]; National Party or NP [Dr. Sam CHIPUNGU];

Patriotic Front or PF [Michael SATA]; Social Democratic Party or SDP

[Gwendoline KONIE]; United National Independence Party or UNIP

[Francis NKHOMA, president]; United Party for National Development

or UPND [Anderson MAZOKA]; Zambian Republican Party or ZRP [Benjamin

MWILA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,

IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO

(correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,

WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA chancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719 FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Carmen M. MARTINEZ embassy: corner of Independence and United Nations Avenues, Lusaka mailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka telephone: [260] (1) 250-955 FAX: [260] (1) 252-225

Flag description:

green with a panel of three vertical bands of red (hoist side),

black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the outer edge of

the flag

Economy Zambia

Economy - overview:

Despite progress in privatization and budgetary reform, Zambia's

economic growth in 2005-06 remained somewhat below the 6%-7% per

year needed to reduce poverty significantly. Privatization of

government-owned copper mines relieved the government from covering

mammoth losses generated by the industry and greatly improved the

chances for copper mining to return to profitability and spur

economic growth. Copper output has increased steadily since 2004,

due to higher copper prices and the opening of new mines. The maize

harvest was again good in 2005, helping boost GDP and agricultural

exports. Cooperation continues with international bodies on programs

to reduce poverty, including a new lending arrangement with the IMF

in the second quarter of 2004. A tighter monetary policy will help

cut inflation, but Zambia still has a serious problem with high

public debt.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$11.51 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$5.806 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 19.9% industry: 28.9% services: 51.2% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 4.903 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 85% industry: 6% services: 9%

Unemployment rate:

50% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:

86% (1993)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.1% highest 10%: 41% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

52.6 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

8.8% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

26.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $2.674 billion

expenditures: $2.99 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

65.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, vegetables, flowers,

tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), coffee; cattle,

goats, pigs, poultry, milk, eggs, hides

Industries:

copper mining and processing, construction, foodstuffs, beverages,

chemicals, textiles, fertilizer, horticulture

Industrial production growth rate:

10.1% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

9.962 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.5% hydro: 99.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

6.692 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

2.975 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

403 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

140 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

13,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:

NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-165.4 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$3.928 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

copper/cobalt 64%, cobalt, electricity; tobacco, flowers, cotton

Exports - partners:

Switzerland 28.7%, South Africa 18.6%, UK 14.4%, Democratic

Republic of the Congo 5.4%, Tanzania 5.1%, Zimbabwe 4.1% (2005)

Imports:

$3.092 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products,

electricity, fertilizer; foodstuffs, clothing

Imports - partners:

South Africa 47.6%, UK 12.6%, Zimbabwe 4.3% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.05 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$4.397 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$640.6 million (2002)

Currency (code):

Zambian kwacha (ZMK)

Currency code:

ZMK

Exchange rates:

Zambian kwacha per US dollar - 3,371.98 (2006), 4,463.5 (2005),

4,778.9 (2004), 4,733.3 (2003), 4,398.6 (2002)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Zambia

Telephones - main lines in use:

94,700 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

946,600 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: facilities are aging but still among the best

in Sub-Saharan Africa

domestic: high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger

towns and cities; several cellular telephone services in operation;

Internet service is widely available; very small aperture terminal

(VSAT) networks are operated by private firms

international: country code - 260; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 19, FM 5, shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios:

1.2 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

9 (2002)

Televisions:

277,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.zm

Internet hosts:

3,227 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

5 (2001)

Internet users:

231,000 (2005)

Transportation Zambia

Airports: 111 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 10

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 101

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 64

under 914 m: 32 (2006)

Pipelines:

oil 771 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 2,173 km

narrow gauge: 2,173 km 1.067-m gauge

note: includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority

(TAZARA) (2005)

Roadways:

total: 91,440 km

paved: 20,117 km

unpaved: 71,323 km (2001)

Waterways:

2,250 km (includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and Luapula

rivers) (2005)

Ports and terminals:

Mpulungu

Military Zambia

Military branches:

Zambian National Defense Force (ZNDF): Army, Air Force, Police,

National Service

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 2,219,739

females age 18-49: 2,159,688 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,043,702

females age 18-49: 953,328 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$121.7 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.8% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Zambia

Disputes - international:

in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to plans between Botswana and

Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto

recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia

boundary in the river

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 75,468 (Angola), 61,243 (Democratic

Republic of the Congo), 5,669 (Rwanda) (2006)

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for moderate amounts of methaqualone, small

amounts of heroin, and cocaine bound for Southern Africa and

possibly Europe; a poorly developed financial infrastructure coupled

with a government commitment to combating money laundering make it

an unattractive venue for money launderers

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Zimbabwe

Introduction Zimbabwe

Background:

The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the [British] South Africa

Company in 1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated that favored

whites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its

independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded more

complete voting rights for the black African majority in the country

(then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla uprising

finally led to free elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe)

in 1980. Robert MUGABE, the nation's first prime minister, has been

the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) and has dominated

the country's political system since independence. His chaotic land

redistribution campaign, which began in 2000, caused an exodus of

white farmers, crippled the economy, and ushered in widespread

shortages of basic commodities. Ignoring international condemnation,

MUGABE rigged the 2002 presidential election to ensure his

reelection. Opposition and labor strikes in 2003 were unsuccessful

in pressuring MUGABE to retire early; security forces continued

their brutal repression of regime opponents. The ruling ZANU-PF

party used fraud and intimidation to win a two-thirds majority in

the March 2005 parliamentary election, allowing it to amend the

constitution at will and recreate the Senate, which had been

abolished in the late 1980s. In April 2005, Harare embarked on

Operation Restore Order, ostensibly an urban rationalization

program, which resulted in the destruction of the homes or

businesses of 700,000 mostly poor supporters of the opposition,

according to UN estimates. ZANU-PF announced in December 2006 that

they would combine presidential and parliamentary elections in 2010

to ensure MUGABE remains in office.

Geography Zimbabwe

Location:

Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia

Geographic coordinates:

20 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 390,580 sq km

land: 386,670 sq km

water: 3,910 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Montana

Land boundaries:

total: 3,066 km

border countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa

225 km, Zambia 797 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March)

Terrain:

mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld);

mountains in east

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m

highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m

Natural resources:

coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore,

vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals

Land use: arable land: 8.24% permanent crops: 0.33% other: 91.43% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,740 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd - once the largest concentration of the species in the world - has been significantly reduced by poaching; poor mining practices have led to toxic waste and heavy metal pollution

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with

Zambia; in full flood (February-April) the massive Victoria Falls on

the river forms the world's largest curtain of falling water

People Zimbabwe

Population:

12,236,805

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 37.4% (male 2,307,170/female 2,265,298)

15-64 years: 59.1% (male 3,616,528/female 3,621,190)

65 years and over: 3.5% (male 199,468/female 227,151) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 19.9 years

male: 19.7 years

female: 20 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.62% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

28.01 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

21.84 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population

note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa

and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 51.71 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 54.5 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 48.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 39.29 years

male: 40.39 years

female: 38.16 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.13 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

24.6% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

1.8 million (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

170,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid

vectorborne disease: malaria

water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)

Nationality:

noun: Zimbabwean(s)

adjective: Zimbabwean

Ethnic groups:

African 98% (Shona 82%, Ndebele 14%, other 2%), mixed and Asian 1%,

white less than 1%

Religions:

syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%, Christian

25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%

Languages:

English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the Ndebele,

sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal dialects

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write English

total population: 90.7%

male: 94.2%

female: 87.2% (2003 est.)

Government Zimbabwe

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe

conventional short form: Zimbabwe

former: Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Harare

geographic coordinates: 17 50 S, 31 03 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial status; Bulawayo*,

Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East,

Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South,

Midlands

Independence:

18 April 1980 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 18 April (1980)

Constitution:

21 December 1979

Legal system:

mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31

December 1987); Vice President Joseph MSIKA (since December 1999)

and Vice President Joyce MUJURU (since 6 December 2004); note - the

president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since

31 December 1987); Vice President Joseph MSIKA (since December 1999)

and Vice President Joyce MUJURU (since 6 December 2004); note - the

president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to the

House of Assembly

elections: presidential candidates nominated with a nomination paper

signed by at least 10 registered voters (at least one from each

province) and elected by popular vote for a six-year term (no term

limits); election last held 9-11 March 2002 (next to be held March

2008); co-vice presidents appointed by the president

election results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent

of vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 56.2%, Morgan TSVANGIRAI 41.9%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of a House of Assembly (150 seats -

120 elected by popular vote for five-year terms, 12 nominated by the

president, 10 occupied by traditional chiefs chosen by their peers,

and eight occupied by provincial governors appointed by the

president) and a Senate (66 seats - 50 elected by popular vote for a

five-year term, six nominated by the president, 10 nominated by the

Council of Chiefs)

elections: House of Assembly last held 31 March 2005 (next to be

held in 2010), Senate last held 26 November 2005 (next to be held in

2010)

election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party -

ZANU-PF 59.6%, MDC 39.5%, other 0.9%; seats by party - ZANU-PF 78,

MDC 41, independents 1; Senate - percent of vote by party - ZANU-PF

73.7%, MDC 20.3%, other 4.4%, independents 1.6%; seats by party -

ZANU-PF 43, MDC 7

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; High Court

Political parties and leaders:

African National Party or ANP; Movement for Democratic Change or

MDC [Morgan TSVANGIRAI]; Peace Action is Freedom for All or PAFA;

United Parties [Abel MUZOREWA]; United People's Party [Daniel

SHUMBA]; Zimbabwe African National Union-Ndonga or ZANU-Ndonga

[Wilson KUMBULA]; Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or

ZANU-PF [Robert Gabriel MUGABE]; Zimbabwe African Peoples Union or

ZAPU [Agrippa MADLELA]; Zimbabwe Youth in Alliance or ZIYA

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition [Wellington CHIBEBE]; National

Constitutional Assembly or NCA [Lovemore MADHUKU]; Zimbabwe Congress

of Trade Unions or ZCTU [Lovemore MATOMBO]

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt

(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,

WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Machivenyika T. MAPURANGA chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100 FAX: [1] (202) 483-9326

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher W. DELL embassy: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare mailing address: P. O. Box 3340, Harare telephone: [263] (4) 250-593 and 250-594 FAX: [263] (4) 796-488

Flag description:

seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red,

yellow, and green with a white isosceles triangle edged in black

with its base on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird representing

the long history of the country is superimposed on a red

five-pointed star in the center of the triangle, which symbolizes

peace; green symbolizes agriculture, yellow - mineral wealth, red -

blood shed to achieve independence, and black stands for the native

people

Economy Zimbabwe

Economy - overview:

The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of difficult

economic problems as it struggles with an unsustainable fiscal

deficit, an overvalued exchange rate, soaring inflation, and bare

shelves. Its 1998-2002 involvement in the war in the Democratic

Republic of the Congo drained hundreds of millions of dollars from

the economy. The government's land reform program, characterized by

chaos and violence, has badly damaged the commercial farming sector,

the traditional source of exports and foreign exchange and the

provider of 400,000 jobs, turning Zimbabwe into a net importer of

food products. Badly needed support from the IMF has been suspended

because of the government's arrears on past loans, which it began

repaying in 2005. The official annual inflation rate rose from 32%

in 1998, to 133% in 2004, 585% in 2005, and approached 1000% in

2006, although private sector estimates put the figure much higher.

Meanwhile, the official exchange rate fell from approximately 1

(revalued) Zimbabwean dollar per US dollar in 2003 to 250 per US

dollar in August 2006.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$25.05 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$3.146 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-4.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17.7% industry: 22.9% services: 59.4% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 3.958 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 66% industry: 10% services: 24% (1996)

Unemployment rate:

80% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:

80% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2%

highest 10%: 40.4% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

56.8 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 976.4% official data; private sector estimates are much higher (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

16.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $1.411 billion

expenditures: $1.924 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Public debt:

108.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

corn, cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts; sheep,

goats, pigs

Industries:

mining (coal, gold, platinum, copper, nickel, tin, clay, numerous

metallic and nonmetallic ores), steel; wood products, cement,

chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages

Industrial production growth rate:

-1.8% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

9.412 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 47% hydro: 53% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

11 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:

2.25 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:

22,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports:

23,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:

$-264.6 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$1.766 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

cotton, tobacco, gold, ferroalloys, textiles/clothing

Exports - partners:

South Africa 27%, China 7.9%, Japan 6.8%, Zambia 5.6%, Netherlands

5.4%, US 4.9%, Italy 4.5%, Germany 4.4% (2005)

Imports:

$2.055 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, other manufactures, chemicals,

fuels

Imports - partners:

South Africa 52.5%, China 5.7%, Botswana 4.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$140 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$5.26 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$178 million; note - the EU and the US provide food aid on

humanitarian grounds (2000 est.)

Currency (code):

Zimbabwean dollar (ZWD)

Currency code:

ZWD

Exchange rates:

Zimbabwean dollars per US dollar - 195.107 (2006), 77.965 (2005),

5.729 (2004), 0.824 (2003), 0.055 (2002), note, these are official

exchange rates; non-official rates vary significantly

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Zimbabwe

Telephones - main lines in use:

328,000 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

699,000 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: system was once one of the best in Africa, but

now suffers from poor maintenance; more than 100,000 outstanding

requests for connection despite an equally large number of installed

but unused main lines

domestic: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines,

radiotelephone communication stations, fixed wireless local loop

installations, and a substantial mobile cellular network; Internet

connection is available in Harare and planned for all major towns

and for some of the smaller ones

international: country code - 263; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat; two international digital gateway exchanges (in Harare and

Gweru)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 7, FM 20 (plus 17 repeater stations), shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:

1.14 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

16 (1997)

Televisions:

370,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.zw

Internet hosts:

7,954 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

6 (2000)

Internet users:

1 million (2005)

Transportation Zimbabwe

Airports: 403 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 8 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 386 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 187 under 914 m: 194 (2006)

Pipelines: refined products 261 km (2006)

Railways: total: 3,077 km narrow gauge: 3,077 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways: total: 97,440 km paved: 18,514 km unpaved: 78,926 km (2002)

Waterways:

on Lake Kariba, length small (2005)

Ports and terminals:

Binga, Kariba

Military Zimbabwe

Military branches:

Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF): Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of

Zimbabwe (AFZ), Zimbabwe Republic Police (2005)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 18-49: 2,778,404

females age 18-49: 2,681,531 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 1,304,424

females age 18-49: 1,115,096 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$124.7 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

4% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Zimbabwe

Disputes - international:

Botswana has built electric fences and South Africa has placed

military along the border to stem the flow of thousands of

Zimbabweans fleeing to find work and escape political persecution;

Namibia has supported and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to

plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi

River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly

delimited Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 6,536 (Democratic Republic of Congo)

IDPs: 569,685 (MUGABE-led political violence, human rights

violations, land reform, and economic collapse) (2006)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Zimbabwe is a source, transit, and destination

country for women and children trafficked for forced labor and

sexual exploitation; children may be trafficked internally for

forced agricultural labor, domestic servitude, and sexual

exploitation; women and girls are lured out of the country to South

Africa, China, Egypt, and Zambia with false job or scholarship

promises that result in domestic servitude or commercial sexual

exploitation; there are reports of South African employers demanding

sex from undocumented Zimbabwean workers under threat of

deportation; women and children from Malawi, Zambia, and the

Democratic Republic of the Congo transit Zimbabwe en route to South

Africa; small numbers of South African girls are trafficked to

Zimbabwe for domestic labor

tier rating: Tier 3 - Zimbabwe does not fully comply with the

minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not

making significant efforts to do so

Illicit drugs:

transit point for African cannabis and South Asian heroin, mandrax,

and methamphetamines destined for the South African and European

markets

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2001 GDP (purchasing power parity)

Afghanistan

$21.5 billion (2004 est.)

Albania

$20.21 billion

note: Albania has a large gray economy that may be as large as 50%

of official GDP (2006 est.)

Algeria

$253.4 billion (2006 est.)

American Samoa

$510.1 million (2003 est.)

Andorra

$1.84 billion (2004)

Angola

$51.95 billion (2006 est.)

Anguilla

$108.9 million (2004 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

$750 million (2002 est.)

Argentina

$599.1 billion (2006 est.)

Armenia

$15.99 billion (2006 est.)

Aruba

$2.258 billion (2005 est.)

Australia

$666.3 billion (2006 est.)

Austria

$279.5 billion (2006 est.)

Azerbaijan

$58.1 billion (2006 est.)

Bahamas, The

$6.476 billion (2006 est.)

Bahrain

$17.7 billion (2006 est.)

Bangladesh

$330.8 billion (2006 est.)

Barbados

$5.108 billion (2006 est.)

Belarus

$80.74 billion (2006 est.)

Belgium

$330.4 billion (2006 est.)

Belize

$2.307 billion (2006 est.)

Benin

$8.931 billion (2006 est.)

Bermuda

$4.5 billion (2004 est.)

Bhutan

$2.9 billion (2003 est.)

Bolivia

$27.21 billion (2006 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

$24.8 billion

note: Bosnia has a large informal sector that could also be as much

as 50% of official GDP (2006 est.)

Botswana

$18.72 billion (2006 est.)

Brazil

$1.616 trillion (2006 est.)

British Virgin Islands

$853.4 million (2004 est.)

Brunei

$6.842 billion (2003 est.)

Bulgaria

$77.13 billion (2006 est.)

Burkina Faso

$17.87 billion (2006 est.)

Burma

$83.84 billion (2006 est.)

Burundi

$5.744 billion (2006 est.)

Cambodia

$36.78 billion (2006 est.)

Cameroon

$42.2 billion (2006 est.)

Canada

$1.165 trillion (2006 est.)

Cape Verde

$3.129 billion (2006 est.)

Cayman Islands

$1.939 billion (2004 est.)

Central African Republic

$4.913 billion (2006 est.)

Chad

$15.26 billion (2006 est.)

Chile

$203 billion (2006 est.)

China

$10 trillion (2006 est.)

Christmas Island

$NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

$NA

Colombia

$366.7 billion (2006 est.)

Comoros

$441 million (2002 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

$44.6 billion (2006 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

$4.958 billion (2006 est.)

Cook Islands

$183.2 million (2005 est.)

Costa Rica

$48.77 billion (2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

$28.47 billion (2006 est.)

Croatia

$59.41 billion (2006 est.)

Cuba

$44.54 billion (2006 est.)

Cyprus

Republic of Cyprus: $17.79 billion; north Cyprus: $4.54

billion (2006 est.)

Czech Republic

$221.4 billion (2006 est.)

Denmark

$198.5 billion (2006 est.)

Djibouti

$619 million (2002 est.)

Dominica

$384 million (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic

$73.74 billion (2006 est.)

East Timor

$370 million (2004 est.)

Ecuador

$60.48 billion (2006 est.)

Egypt

$328.1 billion (2006 est.)

El Salvador

$33.2 billion (2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

$25.69 billion (2005 est.)

Eritrea

$4.471 billion (2005 est.)

Estonia

$26 billion (2006 est.)

Ethiopia

$71.63 billion (2006 est.)

European Union

$12.82 trillion (2006 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

$75 million (2002 est.)

Faroe Islands

$1 billion (2001 est.)

Fiji

$5.504 billion (2006 est.)

Finland

$171.7 billion (2006 est.)

France

$1.871 trillion (2006 est.)

French Polynesia

$4.58 billion (2003 est.)

Gabon

$10.21 billion (2006 est.)

Gambia, The

$3.25 billion (2006 est.)

Gaza Strip

$5.327 billion (2005 est.)

Georgia

$17.79 billion (2006 est.)

Germany

$2.585 trillion (2006 est.)

Ghana

$59.15 billion (2006 est.)

Gibraltar

$769 million (2000 est.)

Greece

$251.7 billion (2006 est.)

Greenland

$1.1 billion (2001 est.)

Grenada

$440 million (2002 est.)

Guam

$2.5 billion (2005 est.)

Guatemala

$60.57 billion (2006 est.)

Guernsey

$2.742 billion (2005)

Guinea

$19.4 billion (2006 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

$1.244 billion (2006 est.)

Guyana

$3.62 billion (2006 est.)

Haiti

$14.56 billion (2006 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)

$NA

Honduras

$22.13 billion (2006 est.)

Hong Kong

$253.1 billion (2006 est.)

Hungary

$172.7 billion (2006 est.)

Iceland

$11.4 billion (2006 est.)

India

$4.042 trillion (2006 est.)

Indonesia

$935 billion (2006 est.)

Iran

$610.4 billion (2006 est.)

Iraq

$94.1 billion (2005 est.)

Ireland

$177.2 billion (2006 est.)

Isle of Man

$2.113 billion (2003 est.)

Israel

$166.3 billion (2006 est.)

Italy

$1.727 trillion (2006 est.)

Jamaica

$12.71 billion (2006 est.)

Japan

$4.22 trillion (2006 est.)

Jersey

$3.6 billion (2003 est.)

Jordan

$28.89 billion (2006 est.)

Kazakhstan

$138.7 billion (2006 est.)

Kenya

$40.77 billion (2006 est.)

Kiribati

$206.4 million (2004 est.)

Korea, North

$40 billion

note: North Korea does not publish any reliable National Income

Accounts data; the datum shown here is derived from purchasing power

parity (PPP) GDP estimates for North Korea that were made by Angus

Maddison in a study conducted for the OECD; his figure for 1999 was

extrapolated to 2005 using estimated real growth rates for North

Korea's GDP and an inflation factor based on the US GDP deflator;

the result was rounded to the nearest $10 billion (2006 est.)

Korea, South

$1.18 trillion (2006 est.)

Kuwait

$52.17 billion (2006 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

$10.49 billion (2006 est.)

Laos

$13.43 billion (2006 est.)

Latvia

$35.08 billion (2006 est.)

Lebanon

$21.45 billion (2006 est.)

Lesotho

$5.195 billion (2006 est.)

Liberia

$2.911 billion (2006 est.)

Libya

$74.97 billion (2006 est.)

Liechtenstein

$1.786 billion (2001 est.)

Lithuania

$54.03 billion (2006 est.)

Luxembourg

$32.6 billion (2006 est.)

Macau

$10 billion (2004)

Macedonia $16.91 billion note: Macedonia has a large informal sector (2006 est.)

Madagascar

$17.27 billion (2006 est.)

Malawi

$8.038 billion (2006 est.)

Malaysia

$308.8 billion (2006 est.)

Maldives

$1.25 billion (2002 est.)

Mali

$14.59 billion (2006 est.)

Malta

$8.122 billion (2006 est.)

Marshall Islands

$115 million (2001 est.)

Mauritania

$8.397 billion (2006 est.)

Mauritius

$16.72 billion (2006 est.)

Mayotte

$466.8 million (2003 est.)

Mexico

$1.134 trillion (2006 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of $277 million; note - supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100 million annually (2002 est.)

Moldova

$8.971 billion (2006 est.)

Monaco

$870 million

note: Monaco does not publish national income figures; the estimates

are extremely rough (2000 est.)

Mongolia

$5.781 billion (2006 est.)

Montenegro

$3.394 billion (2006 est.)

Montserrat

$29 million (2002 est.)

Morocco

$147 billion (2006 est.)

Mozambique

$29.32 billion (2006 est.)

Namibia

$15.04 billion (2006 est.)

Nauru

$60 million (2005 est.)

Nepal

$41.92 billion (2006 est.)

Netherlands

$512 billion (2006 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

$2.8 billion (2004 est.)

New Caledonia

$3.158 billion (2003 est.)

New Zealand

$106 billion (2006 est.)

Nicaragua

$16.83 billion (2006 est.)

Niger

$12.23 billion (2006 est.)

Nigeria

$188.5 billion (2006 est.)

Niue

$7.6 million (2000 est.)

Norfolk Island

$NA

Northern Mariana Islands $900 million note: GDP estimate includes US subsidy (2000 est.)

Norway

$207.3 billion (2006 est.)

Oman

$43.88 billion (2006 est.)

Pakistan

$427.3 billion (2006 est.)

Palau

$124.5 million; note - includes US subsidy (2004 est.)

Panama

$25.29 billion (2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea

$15.13 billion (2006 est.)

Paraguay

$30.64 billion (2006 est.)

Peru

$181.8 billion (2006 est.)

Philippines

$443.1 billion (2006 est.)

Pitcairn Islands

$NA

Poland

$542.6 billion (2006 est.)

Portugal

$203.1 billion (2006 est.)

Puerto Rico

$74.89 billion (2006 est.)

Qatar

$26.05 billion (2006 est.)

Romania

$197.3 billion (2006 est.)

Russia

$1.723 trillion (2006 est.)

Rwanda

$13.54 billion (2006 est.)

Saint Helena

$18 million (1998 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

$339 million (2002 est.)

Saint Lucia

$866 million (2002 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

$48.3 million

note: supplemented by annual payments from France of about $60

million (2003 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

$342 million (2002 est.)

Samoa

$1 billion (2002 est.)

San Marino

$940 million (2001 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe

$214 million (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia

$374 billion (2006 est.)

Senegal

$22.01 billion (2006 est.)

Serbia

$44.83 billion for Serbia (including Kosovo) (2006 est.)

Seychelles

$626 million (2002 est.)

Sierra Leone

$5.38 billion (2006 est.)

Singapore

$138.6 billion (2006 est.)

Slovakia

$96.35 billion (2006 est.)

Slovenia

$46.08 billion (2006 est.)

Solomon Islands

$800 million (2002 est.)

Somalia

$5.023 billion (2006 est.)

South Africa

$576.4 billion (2006 est.)

Spain

$1.07 trillion (2006 est.)

Sri Lanka

$93.33 billion (2006 est.)

Sudan

$96.01 billion (2006 est.)

Suriname

$3.098 billion (2006 est.)

Svalbard

$NA

Swaziland

$5.91 billion (2006 est.)

Sweden

$285.1 billion (2006 est.)

Switzerland

$252.9 billion (2006 est.)

Syria

$75.1 billion (2006 est.)

Taiwan

$668.3 billion (2006 est.)

Tajikistan

$9.405 billion (2006 est.)

Tanzania

$29.25 billion (2006 est.)

Thailand

$585.9 billion (2006 est.)

Togo

$9.248 billion (2006 est.)

Tokelau

$1.5 million (1993 est.)

Tonga

$178.5 million (2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

$20.99 billion (2006 est.)

Tunisia

$87.88 billion (2006 est.)

Turkey

$627.2 billion (2006 est.)

Turkmenistan

$45.11 billion (2006 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

$216 million (2002 est.)

Tuvalu

$14.94 million (2002 est.)

Uganda

$51.89 billion (2006 est.)

Ukraine

$355.8 billion (2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates

$129.4 billion (2006 est.)

United Kingdom

$1.903 trillion (2006 est.)

United States

$12.98 trillion (2006 est.)

Uruguay

$36.56 billion (2006 est.)

Uzbekistan

$54.81 billion (2006 est.)

Vanuatu

$276.3 million (2003 est.)

Venezuela

$176.4 billion (2006 est.)

Vietnam

$258.6 billion (2006 est.)

Virgin Islands

$1.577 billion (2004 est.)

Wallis and Futuna

$60 million (2004 est.)

West Bank

$5.327 billion (2005 est.)

Western Sahara

$NA

World

GWP (gross world product): $65 trillion (2006 est.)

Yemen

$20.38 billion (2006 est.)

Zambia

$11.51 billion (2006 est.)

Zimbabwe

$25.05 billion (2006 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2002 Population growth rate (%)

Afghanistan

2.67% (2006 est.)

Albania

0.52% (2006 est.)

Algeria

1.22% (2006 est.)

American Samoa

-0.19% (2006 est.)

Andorra

0.89% (2006 est.)

Angola

2.45% (2006 est.)

Anguilla

1.57% (2006 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

0.55% (2006 est.)

Argentina

0.96% (2006 est.)

Armenia

-0.19% (2006 est.)

Aruba

0.44% (2006 est.)

Australia

0.85% (2006 est.)

Austria

0.09% (2006 est.)

Azerbaijan

0.66% (2006 est.)

Bahamas, The

0.64% (2006 est.)

Bahrain

1.45% (2006 est.)

Bangladesh

2.09% (2006 est.)

Barbados

0.37% (2006 est.)

Belarus

-0.06% (2006 est.)

Belgium

0.13% (2006 est.)

Belize

2.31% (2006 est.)

Benin

2.73% (2006 est.)

Bermuda

0.61% (2006 est.)

Bhutan

2.1% (2006 est.)

Bolivia

1.45% (2006 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

1.35% (2006 est.)

Botswana

-0.04% (2006 est.)

Brazil

1.04% (2006 est.)

British Virgin Islands

1.97% (2006 est.)

Brunei

1.87% (2006 est.)

Bulgaria

-0.86% (2006 est.)

Burkina Faso

3% (2006 est.)

Burma

0.81% (2006 est.)

Burundi

3.7% (2006 est.)

Cambodia

1.78% (2006 est.)

Cameroon

2.04% (2006 est.)

Canada

0.88% (2006 est.)

Cape Verde

0.64% (2006 est.)

Cayman Islands

2.56% (2006 est.)

Central African Republic

1.53% (2006 est.)

Chad

2.93% (2006 est.)

Chile

0.94% (2006 est.)

China

0.59% (2006 est.)

Christmas Island

0% (2006 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

0% (2006 est.)

Colombia

1.46% (2006 est.)

Comoros

2.87% (2006 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

3.07% (2006 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

2.6% (2006 est.)

Cook Islands

-1.2% between 1996-2001 (2001 census)

Costa Rica

1.45% (2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

2.03% (2006 est.)

Croatia

-0.03% (2006 est.)

Cuba

0.31% (2006 est.)

Cyprus

0.53% (2006 est.)

Czech Republic

-0.06% (2006 est.)

Denmark

0.33% (2006 est.)

Djibouti

2.02% (2006 est.)

Dominica

-0.08% (2006 est.)

Dominican Republic

1.47% (2006 est.)

East Timor

2.08% (2006 est.)

Ecuador

1.5% (2006 est.)

Egypt

1.75% (2006 est.)

El Salvador

1.72% (2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

2.05% (2006 est.)

Eritrea

2.47% (2006 est.)

Estonia

-0.64% (2006 est.)

Ethiopia

2.31% (2006 est.)

European Union

0.15% (2006 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

2.44% (2006 est.)

Faroe Islands

0.58% (2006 est.)

Fiji

1.4% (2006 est.)

Finland

0.14% (2006 est.)

France

0.35% (2006 est.)

French Polynesia

1.48% (2006 est.)

Gabon

2.13% (2006 est.)

Gambia, The

2.84% (2006 est.)

Gaza Strip

3.71% (2006 est.)

Georgia

-0.34% (2006 est.)

Germany

-0.02% (2006 est.)

Ghana

2.07% (2006 est.)

Gibraltar

0.14% (2006 est.)

Greece

0.18% (2006 est.)

Greenland

-0.03% (2006 est.)

Grenada

0.26% (2006 est.)

Guam

1.43% (2006 est.)

Guatemala

2.27% (2006 est.)

Guernsey

0.26% (2006 est.)

Guinea

2.63% (2006 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

2.07% (2006 est.)

Guyana

0.25% (2006 est.)

Haiti

2.3% (2006 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)

0.01% (2006 est.)

Honduras

2.16% (2006 est.)

Hong Kong

0.59% (2006 est.)

Hungary

-0.25% (2006 est.)

Iceland

0.87% (2006 est.)

India

1.38% (2006 est.)

Indonesia

1.41% (2006 est.)

Iran

1.1% (2006 est.)

Iraq

2.66% (2006 est.)

Ireland

1.15% (2006 est.)

Isle of Man

0.52% (2006 est.)

Israel

1.18% (2006 est.)

Italy

0.04% (2006 est.)

Jamaica

0.8% (2006 est.)

Japan

0.02% (2006 est.)

Jersey

0.28% (2006 est.)

Jordan

2.49% (2006 est.)

Kazakhstan

0.33% (2006 est.)

Kenya

2.57% (2006 est.)

Kiribati

2.24% (2006 est.)

Korea, North

0.84% (2006 est.)

Korea, South

0.42% (2006 est.)

Kuwait

3.52%

note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of

expatriates (2006 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

1.32% (2006 est.)

Laos

2.39% (2006 est.)

Latvia

-0.67% (2006 est.)

Lebanon

1.23% (2006 est.)

Lesotho

-0.46% (2006 est.)

Liberia

4.91% (2006 est.)

Libya

2.3% (2006 est.)

Liechtenstein

0.78% (2006 est.)

Lithuania

-0.3% (2006 est.)

Luxembourg

1.23% (2006 est.)

Macau

0.86% (2006 est.)

Macedonia

0.26% (2006 est.)

Madagascar

3.03% (2006 est.)

Malawi

2.38% (2006 est.)

Malaysia

1.78% (2006 est.)

Maldives

2.78% (2006 est.)

Mali

2.63% (2006 est.)

Malta

0.42% (2006 est.)

Marshall Islands

2.25% (2006 est.)

Mauritania

2.88% (2006 est.)

Mauritius

0.82% (2006 est.)

Mayotte

3.77% (2006 est.)

Mexico

1.16% (2006 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of

-0.11% (2006 est.)

Moldova

0.28% (2006 est.)

Monaco

0.4% (2006 est.)

Mongolia

1.46% (2006 est.)

Montenegro

3.5% (2004)

Montserrat

1.05% (2006 est.)

Morocco

1.55% (2006 est.)

Mozambique

1.38% (2006 est.)

Namibia

0.59% (2006 est.)

Nauru

1.81% (2006 est.)

Nepal

2.17% (2006 est.)

Netherlands

0.49% (2006 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

0.79% (2006 est.)

New Caledonia

1.24% (2006 est.)

New Zealand

0.99% (2006 est.)

Nicaragua

1.89% (2006 est.)

Niger

2.92% (2006 est.)

Nigeria

2.38% (2006 est.)

Niue

0.01% (2006 est.)

Norfolk Island

-0.01% (2006 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands

2.54% (2006 est.)

Norway

0.38% (2006 est.)

Oman

3.28% (2006 est.)

Pakistan

2.09% (2006 est.)

Palau

1.31% (2006 est.)

Panama

1.6% (2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea

2.21% (2006 est.)

Paraguay

2.45% (2006 est.)

Peru

1.32% (2006 est.)

Philippines

1.8% (2006 est.)

Pitcairn Islands

-0.01% (2006 est.)

Poland

-0.05% (2006 est.)

Portugal

0.36% (2006 est.)

Puerto Rico

0.4% (2006 est.)

Qatar

2.5% (2006 est.)

Romania

-0.12% (2006 est.)

Russia

-0.37% (2006 est.)

Rwanda

2.43% (2006 est.)

Saint Helena

0.56% (2006 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

0.5% (2006 est.)

Saint Lucia

1.29% (2006 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

0.17% (2006 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

0.26% (2006 est.)

Samoa

-0.2% (2006 est.)

San Marino

1.26% (2006 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe

3.15% (2006 est.)

Saudi Arabia

2.18% (2006 est.)

Senegal

2.34% (2006 est.)

Seychelles

0.43% (2006 est.)

Sierra Leone

2.3% (2006 est.)

Singapore

1.42% (2006 est.)

Slovakia

0.15% (2006 est.)

Slovenia

-0.05% (2006 est.)

Solomon Islands

2.61% (2006 est.)

Somalia

2.85% (2006 est.)

South Africa

-0.4% (2006 est.)

Spain

0.13% (2006 est.)

Sri Lanka

0.78% (2006 est.)

Sudan

2.55% (2006 est.)

Suriname

0.2% (2006 est.)

Svalbard

-0.02% (2006 est.)

Swaziland

-0.23% (2006 est.)

Sweden

0.16% (2006 est.)

Switzerland

0.43% (2006 est.)

Syria

2.3% (2006 est.)

Taiwan

0.61% (2006 est.)

Tajikistan

2.19% (2006 est.)

Tanzania

1.83% (2006 est.)

Thailand

0.68% (2006 est.)

Togo

2.72% (2006 est.)

Tokelau

-0.01% (2006 est.)

Tonga

2.01% (2006 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

-0.87% (2006 est.)

Tunisia

0.99% (2006 est.)

Turkey

1.06% (2006 est.)

Turkmenistan

1.83% (2006 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

2.82% (2006 est.)

Tuvalu

1.51% (2006 est.)

Uganda

3.37% (2006 est.)

Ukraine

-0.6% (2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates

1.52% (2006 est.)

United Kingdom

0.28% (2006 est.)

United States

0.91% (2006 est.)

Uruguay

0.46% (2006 est.)

Uzbekistan

1.7% (2006 est.)

Vanuatu

1.49% (2006 est.)

Venezuela

1.38% (2006 est.)

Vietnam

1.02% (2006 est.)

Virgin Islands

-0.12% (2006 est.)

Wallis and Futuna

NA

West Bank

3.06% (2006 est.)

Western Sahara

NA

World

1.14% (2006 est.)

Yemen

3.46% (2006 est.)

Zambia

2.11% (2006 est.)

Zimbabwe

0.62% (2006 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2003 GDP - real growth rate (%)

Afghanistan

8.4% (2006 est.)

Albania

5% (2006 est.)

Algeria

5.6% (2006 est.)

American Samoa

3% (2003)

Andorra

4% (2004 est.)

Angola

14% (2006 est.)

Anguilla

10.2% (2004 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

3.8% (2005 est.)

Argentina

8.5% (2006 est.)

Armenia

10.5% (2006 est.)

Aruba

2.4% (2005 est.)

Australia

2.8% (2006 est.)

Austria

3.3% (2006 est.)

Azerbaijan

32.5% (2006 est.)

Bahamas, The

4% (2006 est.)

Bahrain

7.6% (2006 est.)

Bangladesh

6.1% (2006 est.)

Barbados

4% (2006 est.)

Belarus

8.3% (2006 est.)

Belgium

2.5% (2006 est.)

Belize

3.5% (2005 est.)

Benin

4% (2006 est.)

Bermuda

4.6% (2004 est.)

Bhutan

5.9% (2005 est.)

Bolivia

3.3% (2006 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

5.3% (2006 est.)

Botswana

4.7% (2006 est.)

Brazil

3.1% (2006 est.)

British Virgin Islands

1% (2002 est.)

Brunei

1.7% (2004 est.)

Bulgaria

5.5% (2006 est.)

Burkina Faso

5.2% (2006 est.)

Burma

2.6% (2006 est.)

Burundi

5% (2006 est.)

Cambodia

5.8% (2006 est.)

Cameroon

4.1% (2006 est.)

Canada

2.8% (2006 est.)

Cape Verde

5.5% (2005 est.)

Cayman Islands

0.9% (2004 est.)

Central African Republic

3% (2006 est.)

Chad

7% (2006 est.)

Chile

4.8% (2006 est.)

China

10.5% (official data) (2006 est.)

Colombia

5.4% (2006 est.)

Comoros

3% (2005 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

7.5% (2006 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

6% (2006 est.)

Cook Islands

0.1% (2005 est.)

Costa Rica

4.7% (2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

1.2% (2006 est.)

Croatia

4.4% (2006 est.)

Cuba

7.5% (2006 est.)

Cyprus

Republic of Cyprus: 3.7%; north Cyprus: 10.6% (2006 est.)

Czech Republic

6.2% (2006 est.)

Denmark

3% (2006 est.)

Djibouti

3.2% (2005 est.)

Dominica

3.1% (2005 est.)

Dominican Republic

7.2% (2006 est.)

East Timor

1.8% (2005 est.)

Ecuador

3.6% (2006 est.)

Egypt

5.7% (2006 est.)

El Salvador

4% (2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

18.6% (2005 est.)

Eritrea

2% (2005 est.)

Estonia

9.2% (2006 est.)

Ethiopia

8.5% (2006 est.)

European Union

2.8% (2006 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

NA%

Faroe Islands

10% (2001 est.)

Fiji

2.7% (2006 est.)

Finland

4.9% (2006 est.)

France

2.3% (2006 est.)

French Polynesia

NA% (2001 est.)

Gabon

2.8% (2006 est.)

Gambia, The

5% (2006 est.)

Gaza Strip

4.9% (2005 est.)

Georgia

8.8% (2006 est.)

Germany

2.2% (2006 est.)

Ghana

5.7% (2006 est.)

Gibraltar

NA%

Greece

3.6% (2006 est.)

Greenland

1.8% (2001 est.)

Grenada

0.9% (2005 est.)

Guam

NA%

Guatemala

3.9% (2006 est.)

Guernsey

3% (2005 est.)

Guinea

2% (2006 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

2.9% (2006 est.)

Guyana

3.2% (2006 est.)

Haiti

1.8% (2006 est.)

Honduras

5.2% (2006 est.)

Hong Kong

5.9% (2006 est.)

Hungary

3.8% (2006 est.)

Iceland

3.7% (2006 est.)

India

8.5% (2006 est.)

Indonesia

5.4% (2006 est.)

Iran

5% (2006 est.)

Iraq

3.1% (2006 est.)

Ireland

5.2% (2006 est.)

Isle of Man

6.3% (2003)

Israel

4.8% (2006 est.)

Italy

1.6% (2006 est.)

Jamaica

2.7% (2006 est.)

Japan

2.8% (2006 est.)

Jersey

NA%

Jordan

4.6% (2006 est.)

Kazakhstan

8.5% (2006 est.)

Kenya

5.5% (2006 est.)

Kiribati

0.3% (2005)

Korea, North

1% (2006 est.)

Korea, South

5.1% (2006 est.)

Kuwait

8% (2006 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

2% (2006 est.)

Laos

7.2% (2006 est.)

Latvia

9.3% (2006 est.)

Lebanon

-5% (2006 est.)

Lesotho

1.7% (2006 est.)

Liberia

6.7% (2006 est.)

Libya

8.1% (2006 est.)

Liechtenstein

11% (1999 est.)

Lithuania

7.2% (2006 est.)

Luxembourg

5.7% (2006 est.)

Macau

6.7% (2005)

Macedonia

4% (2006 est.)

Madagascar

5.5% (2006 est.)

Malawi

7% (2006 est.)

Malaysia

5.5% (2006 est.)

Maldives

-3.6% (2005 est.)

Mali

5.1% (2006 est.)

Malta

1.3% (2006 est.)

Marshall Islands

3.5% (2005 est.)

Mauritania

19.4% (2006 est.)

Mauritius

4.3% (2006 est.)

Mayotte

NA%

Mexico

4.5% (2006 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of

0.3% (2005 est.)

Moldova

4.6% (2006 est.)

Monaco

0.9% (2000 est.)

Mongolia

7.5% according to official estimate (2006 est.)

Montenegro

NA

Montserrat

-1% (2002 est.)

Morocco

6.7% (2006 est.)

Mozambique

9.8% (2006 est.)

Namibia

4.1% (2006 est.)

Nauru

NA%

Nepal

5% (2006 est.)

Netherlands

2.9% (2006 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

1% (2004 est.)

New Caledonia

NA%

New Zealand

1.9% (2006 est.)

Nicaragua

2.5% (2006 est.)

Niger

3.5% (2006 est.)

Nigeria

5.3% (2006 est.)

Niue

6.2% (2003 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands

NA%

Norway

3% (2006 est.)

Oman

6.5% (2006 est.)

Pakistan

6.5% (2006 est.)

Palau

5.5% (2005 est.)

Panama

6.3% (2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea

3.2% (2006 est.)

Paraguay

3.2% (2006 est.)

Peru

6.5% (2006 est.)

Philippines

5.3% (2006 est.)

Poland

5.3% (2006 est.)

Portugal

1.2% (2006 est.)

Puerto Rico

0.5% (2006 est.)

Qatar

7.1% (2006 est.)

Romania

6.4% (2006 est.)

Russia

6.6% (2006 est.)

Rwanda

5.8% (2006 est.)

Saint Helena

NA%

Saint Kitts and Nevis

4.9% (2005 est.)

Saint Lucia

5.1% (2005 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

NA%

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

4.9% (2005 est.)

Samoa

5.5% (2005 est.)

San Marino

2.3% (2002 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe

4.4% (2006 est.)

Saudi Arabia

5.9% (2006 est.)

Senegal

4.9% (2006 est.)

Serbia

5.9% for Serbia alone (excluding Kosovo) (2005 est.)

Seychelles

-1% (2006 est.)

Sierra Leone

6.8% (2006 est.)

Singapore

7.4% (2006 est.)

Slovakia

6.4% (2006 est.)

Slovenia

4.4% (2006 est.)

Solomon Islands

4.4% (2005 est.)

Somalia

2.6% (2006 est.)

South Africa

4.5% (2006 est.)

Spain

3.6% (2006 est.)

Sri Lanka

6.3% (2006 est.)

Sudan

9.6% (2006 est.)

Suriname

5% (2006 est.)

Svalbard

NA%

Swaziland

2% (2006 est.)

Sweden

4.2% (2006 est.)

Switzerland

2.9% (2006 est.)

Syria

2.9% (2006 est.)

Taiwan

4.4% (2006 est.)

Tajikistan

7% (2006 est.)

Tanzania

5.8% (2006 est.)

Thailand

4.4% (2006 est.)

Togo

3% (2006 est.)

Tokelau

NA%

Tonga

2.4% (2005 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

12.6% (2006 est.)

Tunisia

4% (2006 est.)

Turkey

5.2% (2006 est.)

Turkmenistan

IMF estimate: 13%

note: official government statistics show 21.4% growth, but these

estimates are widely regarded as unreliable (2006 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

4.9% (2000 est.)

Tuvalu

1.2% (2002 est.)

Uganda

5% (2006 est.)

Ukraine

6% (2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates

10.2% (2006 est.)

United Kingdom

2.7% (2006 est.)

United States

3.2% (2006 est.)

Uruguay

7% (2006 est.)

Uzbekistan

6.8% (2006 est.)

Vanuatu

6.8% (2005 est.)

Venezuela

8.8% (2006 est.)

Vietnam

7.8% (2006 est.)

Virgin Islands

2% (2002 est.)

Wallis and Futuna

NA%

West Bank

4.9% (2005 est.)

Western Sahara

NA%

World

5.1% (2006 est.)

Yemen

3.2% (2006 est.)

Zambia

6% (2006 est.)

Zimbabwe

-4.4% (2006 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2004 GDP - per capita (PPP)

Afghanistan

$800 (2004 est.)

Albania

$5,600 (2006 est.)

Algeria

$7,700 (2006 est.)

American Samoa

$5,800 (2005 est.)

Andorra

$24,000 (2004)

Angola

$4,300 (2006 est.)

Anguilla

$8,800 (2004 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

$10,900 (2005 est.)

Argentina

$15,000 (2006 est.)

Armenia

$5,400 (2006 est.)

Aruba

$21,800 (2004 est.)

Australia

$32,900 (2006 est.)

Austria

$34,100 (2006 est.)

Azerbaijan

$7,300 (2006 est.)

Bahamas, The

$21,300 (2006 est.)

Bahrain

$25,300 (2006 est.)

Bangladesh

$2,200 (2006 est.)

Barbados

$18,200 (2006 est.)

Belarus

$7,800 (2006 est.)

Belgium

$31,800 (2006 est.)

Belize

$8,400 (2006 est.)

Benin

$1,100 (2006 est.)

Bermuda

$69,900 (2004 est.)

Bhutan

$1,400 (2003 est.)

Bolivia

$3,000 (2006 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

$5,500 (2006 est.)

Botswana

$11,400 (2006 est.)

Brazil

$8,600 (2006 est.)

British Virgin Islands

$38,500 (2004 est.)

Brunei

$23,600 (2003 est.)

Bulgaria

$10,400 (2006 est.)

Burkina Faso

$1,300 (2006 est.)

Burma

$1,800 (2006 est.)

Burundi

$700 (2006 est.)

Cambodia

$2,600 (2006 est.)

Cameroon

$2,400 (2006 est.)

Canada

$35,200 (2006 est.)

Cape Verde

$6,000 (2006 est.)

Cayman Islands

$43,800 (2004 est.)

Central African Republic

$1,100 (2006 est.)

Chad

$1,500 (2006 est.)

Chile

$12,600 (2006 est.)

China

$7,600 (2006 est.)

Colombia

$8,400 (2006 est.)

Comoros

$600 (2005 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

$700 (2006 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

$1,300 (2006 est.)

Cook Islands

$9,100 (2005 est.)

Costa Rica

$12,000 (2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

$1,600 (2006 est.)

Croatia

$13,200 (2006 est.)

Cuba

$3,900 (2006 est.)

Cyprus

Republic of Cyprus: $22,700 (2005 est.); north Cyprus: $7,135

(2004 est.) (2006 est.)

Czech Republic

$21,600 (2006 est.)

Denmark

$37,000 (2006 est.)

Djibouti

$1,000 (2005 est.)

Dominica

$3,800 (2005 est.)

Dominican Republic

$8,000 (2006 est.)

East Timor

$800 (2005 est.)

Ecuador

$4,500 (2006 est.)

Egypt

$4,200 (2006 est.)

El Salvador

$4,900 (2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

$50,200 (2005 est.)

Eritrea

$1,000 (2005 est.)

Estonia

$19,600 (2006 est.)

Ethiopia

$1,000 (2006 est.)

European Union

$29,300 (2006 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

$25,000 (2002 est.)

Faroe Islands

$31,000 (2001 est.)

Fiji

$6,100 (2006 est.)

Finland

$32,800 (2006 est.)

France

$30,100 (2006 est.)

French Polynesia

$17,500 (2003 est.)

Gabon

$7,200 (2006 est.)

Gambia, The

$2,000 (2006 est.)

Gaza Strip

$1,500 (2003 est.)

Georgia

$3,800 (2006 est.)

Germany

$31,400 (2006 est.)

Ghana

$2,600 (2006 est.)

Gibraltar

$27,900 (2000 est.)

Greece

$23,500 (2006 est.)

Greenland

$20,000 (2001 est.)

Grenada

$3,900 (2005 est.)

Guam

$15,000 (2005 est.)

Guatemala

$4,900 (2006 est.)

Guernsey

$44,600 (2005)

Guinea

$2,000 (2006 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

$900 (2006 est.)

Guyana

$4,700 (2006 est.)

Haiti

$1,800 (2006 est.)

Honduras

$3,000 (2006 est.)

Hong Kong

$36,500 (2006 est.)

Hungary

$17,300 (2006 est.)

Iceland

$38,100 (2006 est.)

India

$3,700 (2006 est.)

Indonesia

$3,800 (2006 est.)

Iran

$8,900 (2006 est.)

Iraq

$1,900 (2006 est.)

Ireland

$43,600 (2006 est.)

Isle of Man

$27,800 (2003 est.)

Israel

$26,200 (2006 est.)

Italy

$29,700 (2006 est.)

Jamaica

$4,600 (2006 est.)

Japan

$33,100 (2006 est.)

Jersey

$40,000 (2003 est.)

Jordan

$4,900 (2006 est.)

Kazakhstan

$9,100 (2006 est.)

Kenya

$1,200 (2006 est.)

Kiribati

$2,700 (2004 est.)

Korea, North

$1,800 (2006 est.)

Korea, South

$24,200 (2006 est.)

Kuwait

$21,600 (2006 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

$2,000 (2006 est.)

Laos

$2,100 (2006 est.)

Latvia

$15,400 (2006 est.)

Lebanon

$5,500 (2006 est.)

Lesotho

$2,600 (2006 est.)

Liberia

$1,000 (2006 est.)

Libya

$12,700 (2006 est.)

Liechtenstein

$25,000 (1999 est.)

Lithuania

$15,100 (2006 est.)

Luxembourg

$68,800 (2006 est.)

Macau

$24,300 (2005)

Macedonia

$8,200 (2006 est.)

Madagascar

$900 (2006 est.)

Malawi

$600 (2006 est.)

Malaysia

$12,700 (2006 est.)

Maldives

$3,900 (2002 est.)

Mali

$1,200 (2006 est.)

Malta

$20,300 (2006 est.)

Marshall Islands

$2,900 (2005 est.)

Mauritania

$2,600 (2006 est.)

Mauritius

$13,500 (2006 est.)

Mayotte

$2,600 (2003 est.)

Mexico

$10,600 (2006 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of

$2,300 (2005 est.)

Moldova

$2,000 (2006 est.)

Monaco

$27,000 (2000 est.)

Mongolia

$2,000 (2006 est.)

Montenegro

$3,800 (2005 est.)

Montserrat

$3,400 (2002 est.)

Morocco

$4,400 (2006 est.)

Mozambique

$1,500 (2006 est.)

Namibia

$7,400 (2006 est.)

Nauru

$5,000 (2005 est.)

Nepal

$1,500 (2006 est.)

Netherlands

$31,700 (2006 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

$16,000 (2004 est.)

New Caledonia

$15,000 (2003 est.)

New Zealand

$26,000 (2006 est.)

Nicaragua

$3,000 (2006 est.)

Niger

$1,000 (2006 est.)

Nigeria

$1,400 (2006 est.)

Niue

$5,800 (2003 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands

$12,500 (2000 est.)

Norway

$47,800 (2006 est.)

Oman

$14,100 (2006 est.)

Pakistan

$2,600 (2006 est.)

Palau

$7,600 (2005 est.)

Panama

$7,900 (2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea

$2,700 (2006 est.)

Paraguay

$4,700 (2006 est.)

Peru

$6,400 (2006 est.)

Philippines

$5,000 (2006 est.)

Poland

$14,100 (2006 est.)

Portugal

$19,100 (2006 est.)

Puerto Rico

$19,100 (2006 est.)

Qatar

$29,400 (2006 est.)

Romania

$8,800 (2006 est.)

Russia

$12,100 (2006 est.)

Rwanda

$1,600 (2006 est.)

Saint Helena

$2,500 (1998 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

$8,200 (2005 est.)

Saint Lucia

$4,800 (2005 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

$7,000 (2001 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

$3,600 (2005 est.)

Samoa

$2,100 (2005 est.)

San Marino

$34,600 (2001 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe

$1,200 (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia

$13,800 (2006 est.)

Senegal

$1,800 (2006 est.)

Serbia

$4,400 for Serbia (including Kosovo) (2005 est.)

Seychelles

$7,800 (2002 est.)

Sierra Leone

$900 (2006 est.)

Singapore

$30,900 (2006 est.)

Slovakia

$17,700 (2006 est.)

Slovenia

$22,900 (2006 est.)

Solomon Islands

$600 (2005 est.)

Somalia

$600 (2006 est.)

South Africa

$13,000 (2006 est.)

Spain

$27,000 (2006 est.)

Sri Lanka

$4,600 (2006 est.)

Sudan

$2,300 (2006 est.)

Suriname

$7,100 (2006 est.)

Swaziland

$5,200 (2006 est.)

Sweden

$31,600 (2006 est.)

Switzerland

$33,600 (2006 est.)

Syria

$4,000 (2006 est.)

Taiwan

$29,000 (2006 est.)

Tajikistan

$1,300 (2006 est.)

Tanzania

$800 (2006 est.)

Thailand

$9,100 (2006 est.)

Togo

$1,700 (2006 est.)

Tokelau

$1,000 (1993 est.)

Tonga

$2,200 (2005 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

$19,700 (2006 est.)

Tunisia

$8,600 (2006 est.)

Turkey

$8,900 (2006 est.)

Turkmenistan

$8,900 (2006 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

$11,500 (2002 est.)

Tuvalu

$1,600 (2002 est.)

Uganda

$1,800 (2006 est.)

Ukraine

$7,600 (2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates

$49,700 (2006 est.)

United Kingdom

$31,400 (2006 est.)

United States

$43,500 (2006 est.)

Uruguay

$10,700 (2006 est.)

Uzbekistan

$2,000 (2006 est.)

Vanuatu

$2,900 (2003 est.)

Venezuela

$6,900 (2006 est.)

Vietnam

$3,100 (2006 est.)

Virgin Islands

$14,500 (2004 est.)

Wallis and Futuna

$3,800 (2004 est.)

West Bank

$1,500 (2005 est.)

Western Sahara

$NA

World

$10,000 (2006 est.)

Yemen

$900 (2006 est.)

Zambia

$1,000 (2006 est.)

Zimbabwe

$2,000 (2006 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2006 Dependency status

Akrotiri

overseas territory of UK; administered by an administrator

who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus

American Samoa

unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US;

administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the

Interior

Anguilla

overseas territory of the UK

Aruba

member country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full

autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from

the Netherlands Antilles; Dutch Government responsible for defense

and foreign affairs

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

territory of Australia; administered by

the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services

Baker Island

unincorporated territory of the US; administered from

Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US

Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge

system

Bassas da India

possession of France; administered by the

Administrateur Superieur of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Bermuda

overseas territory of the UK

Bouvet Island

territory of Norway; administered by the Polar

Department of the Ministry of Justice and Police from Oslo

British Indian Ocean Territory overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London

British Virgin Islands overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing

Cayman Islands

overseas territory of the UK

Christmas Island

non-self governing territory of Australia;

administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional

Services

Clipperton Island

possession of France; administered by France from

French Polynesia by a high commissioner of the Republic

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

non-self governing territory of Australia;

administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport

and Regional Services

Cook Islands

self-governing in free association with New Zealand;

Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand

retains responsibility for external affairs and defense, in

consultation with the Cook Islands

Coral Sea Islands

territory of Australia; administered from Canberra

by the Department of the Transport and Regional Services

Dhekelia

overseas territory of UK; administered by an administrator

who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus

Europa Island

possession of France; administered by the

Administrateur Superieur of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

overseas territory of the UK; also

claimed by Argentina

Faroe Islands

part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing

overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1948

French Polynesia

overseas lands of France; overseas territory of

France from 1946-2004

French Southern and Antarctic Lands overseas territory of France since 1955; administered from Paris by Administrateur Superieur Michel CHAMPON (since 20 December 2004), assisted by Secretary General Jean-Yves HERMOSO (since NA)

Gibraltar overseas territory of the UK

Glorioso Islands

possession of France; administered by the

Administrateur Superieur of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Greenland

part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas

administrative division of Denmark since 1979

Guam

organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy

relations between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the

Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Guernsey

British crown dependency

Heard Island and McDonald Islands territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Antarctic Division of the Department of the Environment and Heritage

Hong Kong

special administrative region of China

Howland Island

unincorporated territory of the US; administered from

Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US

Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge

system

Iles Eparses

possessions of France; administered by the Senior

Administrator of the Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic

Lands (TAAF), resident in Reunion

Isle of Man

British crown dependency

Jan Mayen

territory of Norway; since August 1994, administered from

Oslo through the county governor (fylkesmann) of Nordland; however,

authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian

Defense Communication Service

Jarvis Island

unincorporated territory of the US; administered from

Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US

Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge

system

Jersey

British crown dependency

Johnston Atoll

unincorporated territory of the US; administered from

Honolulu, HI, by Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, and the

Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as

part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

Juan de Nova Island

possession of France; administered by the

Administrateur Superieur of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Kingman Reef

unincorporated territory of the US; administered from

Washington, DC, by the US Fish and Wildlife Service of the

Department of the Interior

note: on 1 September 2000, the Department of the Interior accepted

restoration of its administrative jurisdiction over Kingman Reef

from the Department of the Navy; Executive Order 3223 signed 18

January 2001 established Kingman Reef National Wildlife Refuge to be

administered by the Director, US Fish and Wildlife Service; this

refuge is managed to protect the terrestrial and aquatic wildlife of

Kingman Reef out to the 12-nautical-mile territorial sea limit

Macau

special administrative region of China

Mayotte

departmental collectivity of France

Midway Islands

unincorporated territory of the US; formerly

administered from Washington, DC, by the US Navy; on 31 October

1996, through a presidential executive order, the jurisdiction and

control of the atoll was transferred to the Fish and Wildlife

Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National

Wildlife Refuge system

Montserrat

overseas territory of the UK

Navassa Island

unincorporated territory of the US; administered by

the Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department of the Interior, from

the Caribbean Islands National Wildlife Refuge in Boqueron, Puerto

Rico; in September 1996, the Coast Guard ceased operations and

maintenance of Navassa Island Light, a 46-meter-tall lighthouse on

the southern side of the island; there has also been a private claim

advanced against the island

Netherlands Antilles

an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the

Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954;

Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs

New Caledonia

territorial collectivity of France since 1998

Niue

self-governing in free association with New Zealand since 1974;

Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains

responsibility for external affairs and defense; however, these

responsibilities confer no rights of control and are only exercised

at the request of the Government of Niue

Norfolk Island

self governing territory of Australia; Canberra

administers Commonwealth responsibilities on Norfolk Island through

the Department of Transport and Regional Services

Northern Mariana Islands

commonwealth in political union with the

US; federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US

Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs

Palmyra Atoll

incorporated territory of the US; privately owned, but

administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service

of the US Department of the Interior; the Office of Insular Affairs

of the US Department of the Interior continues to administer nine

excluded areas comprising certain tidal and submerged lands within

the 12 nm territorial sea or within the lagoon

Pitcairn Islands

overseas territory of the UK

Puerto Rico

unincorporated, organized territory of the US with

commonwealth status; policy relations between Puerto Rico and the US

conducted under the jurisdiction of the Office of the President

Saint Helena

overseas territory of the UK

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

self-governing territorial overseas

collectivity of France

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

overseas territory of

the UK, also claimed by Argentina; administered from the Falkland

Islands by a commissioner, who is concurrently governor of the

Falkland Islands, representing Queen ELIZABETH II; Grytviken -

formerly a whaling station on South Georgia - is a scientific base

Svalbard

territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department

of the Ministry of Justice, through a governor (sysselmann) residing

in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920)

sovereignty was awarded to Norway

Tokelau

self-administering territory of New Zealand; note - Tokelau

and New Zealand have agreed to a draft constitution as Tokelau moves

toward free association with New Zealand; a UN sponsored referendum

on self-governance, in February 2006, did not produce the two thirds

majority vote necessary for changing the current political status

Tromelin Island

possession of France; administered by the

Administrateur Superieur of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Turks and Caicos Islands

overseas territory of the UK

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

unincorporated

territories of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish

and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of

the National Wildlife Refuge system

note on Palmyra Atoll: incorporated Territory of the US; partly

privately owned and partly federally owned; administered from

Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US

Department of the Interior; the Office of Insular Affairs of the US

Department of the Interior continues to administer nine excluded

areas comprising certain tidal and submerged lands within the 12 nm

territorial sea or within the lagoon

Virgin Islands

organized, unincorporated territory of the US with

policy relations between the Virgin Islands and the US under the

jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the

Interior

Wake Island

unincorporated territory of the US; administered from

Washington, DC, by the Department of the Interior; activities on the

island are conducted by the US Air Force

Wallis and Futuna

overseas territory of France

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2007 Diplomatic representation from the US

Afghanistan

chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald E. NEUMANN

embassy: The Great Masood Road, Kabul

mailing address: U.S. Embassy Kabul, APO, AE 09806

telephone: [00 93] (20) 230-0436

FAX: [00 93] (20) 230-1364

Akrotiri

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Albania

chief of mission: Ambassador Marcie B. RIES

embassy: Rruga e Elbasanit, Labinoti #103, Tirana

mailing address: US Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place, Dulles,

VA 20189-9510

telephone: [355] (4) 247285

FAX: [355] (4) 232222

Algeria

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert S. FORD

embassy: 04 Chemin Cheikh Bachir Ibrahimi El-Biar 16030, Algiers

mailing address: B. P. 408, Alger-Gare, 16030 Algiers

telephone: [213] (021) 69-12-55

FAX: [213] (021) 69-39-79

American Samoa

none (territory of the US)

Andorra

the US does not have an embassy in Andorra; the US

Ambassador to Spain is accredited to Andorra; US interests in

Andorra are represented by the Consulate General's office in

Barcelona (Spain); mailing address: Paseo Reina Elisenda de

Montcada, 23, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; telephone: [34] (3) 280-2227;

FAX: [34] (3) 205-5206

Angola

chief of mission: Ambassador Cynthia EFIRD

embassy: number 32 Rua Houari Boumedienne (in the Miramar area of

Luanda), Luanda

mailing address: international mail: Caixa Postal 6468, Luanda;

pouch: US Embassy Luanda,US Department of State, 2550 Luanda Place,

Washington, DC 20521-2550

telephone: [244] (222) 64-1000

FAX: [244] (222) 64-1232

Anguilla

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Antigua and Barbuda

the US does not have an embassy in Antigua and

Barbuda; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and

Barbuda

Argentina

chief of mission: Ambassador Earl Anthony WAYNE

embassy: Avenida Colombia 4300, C1425GMN Buenos Aires

mailing address: international mail: use street address; APO

address: Unit 4334, APO AA 34034

telephone: [54] (11) 5777-4533

FAX: [54] (11) 5777-4240

Armenia

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires

Anthony F. GODFREY

embassy: 1 American Ave., Yerevan 375082

mailing address: American Embassy Yerevan, US Department of State,

7020 Yerevan Place, Washington, DC 20521-7020

telephone: [374](10) 464-700

FAX: [374](10) 464-742

Aruba

the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General

to Netherlands Antilles is accredited to Aruba

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

none (territory of Australia)

Australia

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert D. McCALLUM, Jr.

embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital

Territory 2600

mailing address: APO AP 96549

telephone: [61] (02) 6214-5600

FAX: [61] (02) 6214-5970

consulate(s) general: Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Austria

chief of mission: Ambassador Susan R. McCAW

embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1090, Vienna

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [43] (1) 31339-0

FAX: [43] (1) 3100682

Azerbaijan

chief of mission: Ambassador Anne E. DERSE

embassy: 83 Azadliyg Prospecti, Baku AZ1007

mailing address: American Embassy Baku, US Department of State, 7050

Baku Place, Washington, DC 20521-7050

telephone: [994] (12) 4980-335 through 337

FAX: [994] (12) 4656-671

Bahamas, The

chief of mission: Ambassador John D. ROOD

embassy: 42 Queen Street, Nassau

mailing address: local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197,

Nassau; US Department of State, 3370 Nassau Place, Washington, DC

20521-3370

telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206 (after hours)

FAX: [1] (242) 356-0222

Bahrain

chief of mission: Ambassador William T. MONROE

embassy: Building #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club),

Block 331, Zinj District, Manama

mailing address: American Embassy Manama, PSC 451, FPO AE

09834-5100; international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama

telephone: [973] 1724-2700

FAX: [973] 1727-0547

Bangladesh

chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia A. BUTENIS

embassy: Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212

mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000

telephone: [880] (2) 885-5500

FAX: [880] (2) 882-3744

Barbados

chief of mission: Ambassador Mary M. OURISMAN

embassy: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street,

Bridgetown; (courier) ALICO Building-Cheapside, Bridgetown

mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; CMR 1014, APO AA 34055

telephone: [1] (246) 436-4950

FAX: [1] (246) 429-5246, 429-3379

Belarus

chief of mission: Ambassador Karen B. STEWART

embassy: 46 Starovilenskaya St., Minsk 220002

mailing address: PSC 78, Box B Minsk, APO 09723

telephone: [375] (17) 210-12-83, 217-7347, 217-7348

FAX: [375] (17) 234-7853

Belgium

chief of mission: Ambassador Tom C. KOROLOGOS; note -

Ambassador-designate Sam FOX may take his place in early 2007; must

face Senate confirmation hearing

embassy: Regentlaan 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels

mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710

telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111

FAX: [32] (2) 511-2725

Belize

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert J. DIETER

embassy: Floral Park Road, Belmopan City, Cayo District

mailing address: 3050 Belize Place, Washington DC 20521-3050

telephone: [501] 227-7161 through 7163

FAX: [501] 223-0802

Benin

chief of mission: Ambassador Gayleatha B. BROWN

embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou

mailing address: 01 B. P. 2012, Cotonou

telephone: [229] 30-06-50

FAX: [229] 30-06-70

Bermuda

chief of mission: Consul General Gregory W. SLAYTON

consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DVO3

mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate

General Hamilton, US Department of State, 5300 Hamilton Place,

Washington, DC 20520-5300

telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342

FAX: [1] (441) 295-1592, [1] (441) 296-9233

Bhutan

the US and Bhutan have no formal diplomatic relations,

although informal contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US

Embassy in New Delhi (India)

Bolivia

chief of mission: Ambassador Philip S. GOLDBERG

embassy: Avenida Arce 2780, La Paz

mailing address: P. O. Box 425, La Paz; APO AA 34032

telephone: [591] (2) 216-8000

FAX: [591] (2) 216-8111

Bosnia and Herzegovina

chief of mission: Ambassador Douglas L.

McELHANEY

embassy: Alipasina 43, 71000 Sarajevo

mailing address: use street address

telephone: [387] (33) 445-700

FAX: [387] (33) 659-722

branch office(s): Banja Luka, Mostar

Botswana

chief of mission: Ambassador Katherine H. CANAVAN

embassy: address NA, Gaborone

mailing address: Embassy Enclave, P. O. Box 90, Gaborone

telephone: [267] 353982

FAX: [267] 312782

Brazil

chief of mission: Ambassador Clifford M. SOBEL

embassy: Avenida das Nacoes, Quadra 801, Lote 3, Distrito Federal

Cep 70403-900, Brasilia

mailing address: Unit 3500, APO AA 34030

telephone: [55] (61) 3312-7000

FAX: [55] (61) 3225-9136

consulate(s) general: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo

consulate(s): Recife

British Indian Ocean Territory

none (overseas territory of the UK)

British Virgin Islands

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Brunei

chief of mission: Ambassador Emil SKODON

embassy: Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri

Begawan, BS8811

mailing address: PSC 470 (BSB), FPO AP 96507; P.O. Box 2991, Bandar

Seri Begawan BS8675, Negara Brunei Darussalam

telephone: [673] 222-0384

FAX: [673] 222-5293

Bulgaria

chief of mission: Ambassador John Ross BEYRLE

embassy: 16 Kozyak Street, Sofia 1407

mailing address: American Embassy Sofia, US Department of State,

5740 Sofia Place, Washington, DC 20521-5740

telephone: [359] (2) 937-5100

FAX: [359] (2) 937-5320

Burkina Faso

chief of mission: Ambassador Jeanine E. JACKSON

embassy: 602 Avenue Raoul Follereau, Koulouba, Secteur 4

mailing address: 01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou 01; pouch mail - US

Department of State, 2440 Ouagadougou Place, Washington, DC

20521-2440

telephone: [226] 50-30-67-23

FAX: [226] 50-30-38-90, 50-31-23-68

Burma

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Shari

VILLAROSA

embassy: 581 Merchant Street, Rangoon (GPO 521)

mailing address: Box B, APO AP 96546

telephone: [95] (1) 379-880, 379-881

FAX: [95] (1) 256-018

Burundi

chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia Newton MOLLER

embassy: Avenue des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura

mailing address: B. P. 1720, Bujumbura

telephone: [257] 223454

FAX: [257] 222926

Cambodia

chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph A. MUSSOMELI

embassy: #1, Street 96, Sangkat Wat Phnom, Khan Daun Penh, Phnom Penh

mailing address: Box P, APO AP 96546

telephone: [855] (23) 728-000

FAX: [855] (23) 728-600

Cameroon

chief of mission: Ambassador Niels MARQUARDT

embassy: Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde

mailing address: P. O. Box 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy, US

Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520

telephone: [237] 220 15 00; Consular: [237] 220 16 03

FAX: [237] 220 16 20; Consular FAX: [237] 220 17 52

branch office(s): Douala

Canada

chief of mission: Ambassador David H. WILKINS

embassy: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8

mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburgh, NY 13669-0430

telephone: [1] (613) 238-5335, 4470

FAX: [1] (613) 688-3082

consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto,

Vancouver, Winnipeg

Cape Verde

chief of mission: Ambassador Roger D. PIERCE

embassy: Rua Abilio Macedo n6, Praia

mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia

telephone: [238] 2-60-89-00

FAX: [238] 2-61-13-55

Cayman Islands

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Central African Republic chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires James PANOS embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui telephone: [236] 61 02 00 FAX: [236] 61 44 94 note: the embassy is currently operating with a minimal staff

Chad

chief of mission: Ambassador Marc M. WALL

embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena

mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena

telephone: [235] 516-211

FAX: [235] 515-654

Chile

chief of mission: Ambassador Craig A. KELLY

embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago

mailing address: APO AA 34033

telephone: [56] (2) 232-2600

FAX: [56] (2) 330-3710

China

chief of mission: Ambassador Clark T. RANDT, Jr.

embassy: Xiu Shui Bei Jie 3, 100600 Beijing

mailing address: PSC 461, Box 50, FPO AP 96521-0002

telephone: [86] (10) 6532-3831

FAX: [86] (10) 6532-3178

consulate(s) general: Chengdu, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Macau,

Shanghai, Shenyang

Christmas Island

none (territory of Australia)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

none (territory of Australia)

Colombia

chief of mission: Ambassador William B. WOOD

embassy: Calle 22D-BIS, numbers 47-51, Apartado Aereo 3831

mailing address: Carrera 45 #22D-45, Bogota, D.C., APO AA 34038

telephone: [57] (1) 315-0811

FAX: [57] (1) 315-2197

Comoros

the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador

to Madagascar is accredited to Comoros

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

chief of mission: Ambassador Roger

MEECE

embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa

mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828

telephone: [243] (88) 43608

FAX: [243] (88) 43467

Congo, Republic of the

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert WEISBERG

embassy: NA

mailing address: NA

telephone: [243] (88) 43608

note: the embassy is temporarily collocated with the US Embassy in

the Democratic Republic of the Congo (US Embassy Kinshasa, 310

Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa)

Cook Islands

none (self-governing in free association with New

Zealand)

Coral Sea Islands

none (territory of Australia)

Costa Rica

chief of mission: Ambassador Mark LANGDALE

embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose

mailing address: APO AA 34020

telephone: [506] 519-2000

FAX: [506] 519-2305

Cote d'Ivoire

chief of mission: Ambassador Aubrey HOOKS

embassy: Riviera Golf 01, Abidjan

mailing address: B. P. 1866, Abidjan 01

telephone: [225] 20 21 09 79

FAX: [225] 20 22 32 59

Croatia

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert A. BRADTKE

embassy: 2 Thomas Jefferson Street, 10010 Zagreb

mailing address: use street address

telephone: [385] (1) 661-2200

FAX: [385] (1) 661-2373

Cuba

none; note - the US has an Interests Section in the Swiss

Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Michael E. PARMLY; address:

USINT, Swiss Embassy, Calzada between L and M Streets, Vedado,

Havana; telephone: [53] (7) 833-3551 through 3559 (operator

assistance required); FAX: [53] (7) 833-3700; protecting power in

Cuba is Switzerland

Cyprus

chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald L. SCHLICHER

embassy: corner of Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets, 2407 Engomi,

Nicosia

mailing address: P. O. Box 24536, 1385 Nicosia

telephone: [357] (22) 393939

FAX: [357] (22) 780944

Czech Republic

chief of mission: Ambassador Richard W. GRABER

embassy: Trziste 15, 11801 Prague 1

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [420] 257 022 000

FAX: [420] 257 022 809

Denmark

chief of mission: Ambassador James P. CAIN

embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen

mailing address: PSC 73, APO AE 09716

telephone: [45] 33 41 71 00

FAX: [45] 35 43 02 23

Dhekelia

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Djibouti

chief of mission: Ambassador W. Stuart SYMINGTON

embassy: Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti

mailing address: B. P. 185, Djibouti

telephone: [253] 35 39 95

FAX: [253] 35 39 40

Dominica

the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; the US

Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Dominica

Dominican Republic

chief of mission: Ambassador Hans H. HERTELL

embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo

Navarro, Santo Domingo

mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500

telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171

FAX: [1] (809) 686-7437

East Timor

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires

William Gary GRAY

embassy: Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Conqueiros, Dili

mailing address: US Department of State, 8250 Dili Place,

Washington, DC 20521-8250

telephone: (670) 332-4684

FAX: (670) 331-3206

Ecuador

chief of mission: Ambassador Linda L. JEWELL

embassy: Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito

mailing address: APO AA 34039

telephone: [593] (2) 256-2890

FAX: [593] (2) 250-2052

consulate(s) general: Guayaquil

Egypt

chief of mission: Ambassador Francis J. RICCIARDONE, Jr.

embassy: 8 Kamal El Din Salah St., Garden City, Cairo

mailing address: Unit 64900, Box 15, APO AE 09839-4900

telephone: [20] (2) 797-3300

FAX: [20] (2) 797-3200

El Salvador

chief of mission: Ambassador H. Douglas BARCLAY

embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena Sur, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La

Libertad, San Salvador

mailing address: Unit 3116, APO AA 34023

telephone: [503] 2278-4444

FAX: [503] 2278-5522

Equatorial Guinea

chief of mission: Ambassador Donald C. JOHNSON

embassy: adjacent to the golf course at the base of Mont Febe; note

- relocated embassy is opened for limited functions; inquiries

should continue to be directed to the US Embassy in Yaounde, Cameroon

mailing address: B.P. 817, Yaounde, Cameroon; US Embassy Yaounde, US

Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520

telephone: [237] 220 15 00

FAX: [237] 220 16 20

Eritrea

chief of mission: Ambassador Scott H. DELISI

embassy: 179 Alaa Street, Asmara

mailing address: P. O. Box 211, Asmara

telephone: [291] (1) 120004

FAX: [291] (1) 127584

Estonia

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires

Jeffrey GOLDSTEIN

embassy: Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinn

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [372] 668-8100

FAX: [372] 668-8134

Ethiopia

chief of mission: Ambassador Donald Y. YAMAMOTO

embassy: Entoto Street, Addis Ababa

mailing address: P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa

telephone: [251] (1) 517-4000

FAX: [251] (1) 517-4888

European Union

chief of mission: Ambassador C. Boyden GRAY

embassy: 13 Zinnerstraat/Rue Zinner, B-1000 Brussels

mailing address: same as above

telephone: [32] (2) 508-2222

FAX: [32] (2) 512-5720

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

none (overseas territory of the

UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Faroe Islands

none (self-governing overseas administrative division

of Denmark)

Fiji

chief of mission: Ambassador Larry Miles DINGER

embassy: 31 Loftus Street, Suva

mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva

telephone: [679] 331-4466

FAX: [679] 330-0081

Finland

chief of mission: Ambassador Marilyn WARE

embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14B, 00140 Helsinki

mailing address: APO AE 09723

telephone: [358] (9) 616250

FAX: [358] (9) 6162 5800

France

chief of mission: Ambassador Craig R. STAPLETON

embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75382 Paris Cedex 08

mailing address: PSC 116, APO AE 09777

telephone: [33] (1) 43-12-22-22

FAX: [33] (1) 42 66 97 83

consulate(s) general: Marseille, Strasbourg

French Polynesia

none (overseas lands of France)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

none (overseas territory of

France)

Gabon

chief of mission: Ambassador Barrie R. WALKLEY

embassy: Boulevard du Bord de Mer, Libreville

mailing address: Centre Ville, B. P. 4000, Libreville

telephone: [241] 76 20 03 through 76 20 04, after hours - 74 34 92

FAX: [241] 74 55 07

Gambia, The

chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph D. STAFFORD, III

embassy: Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, Banjul

mailing address: P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul

telephone: [220] 439-2856, 437-6169, 437-6170

FAX: [220] 439-2475

Georgia

chief of mission: Ambassador John F. TEFFT

embassy: 11 George Balanchine St., T'bilisi 0131

mailing address: 7060 T'bilisi Place, Washington, DC 20521-7060

telephone: [995] (32) 27-70-00

FAX: [995] (32) 53-23-10

Germany

chief of mission: Ambassador William R. TIMKEN, Jr.

embassy: Neustaedtische Kirchstrasse 4-5, 10117 Berlin; note - a new

embassy will be built near the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin; ground

was broken in October 2004 and completion is scheduled for 2008

mailing address: PSC 120, Box 1000, APO AE 09265

telephone: [49] (030) 8305-0

FAX: [49] (030) 8305-1215

consulate(s) general: Duesseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg,

Leipzig, Munich

Ghana

chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela BRIDGEWATER

embassy: 6th and 10th Lanes, 798/1 Osu, Accra

mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra

telephone: [233] (21) 775-347, 775-348

FAX: [233] (21) 701-813

Gibraltar

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Greece

chief of mission: Ambassador Charles P. RIES

embassy: 91 Vasilisis Sophias Avenue, 10160 Athens

mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108

telephone: [30] (210) 721-2951

FAX: [30] (210) 645-6282

consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki

Greenland

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of

Denmark)

Grenada

chief of mission: the US Ambassador to Barbados is

accredited to Grenada

embassy: Lance-aux-Epines Stretch, Saint George's

mailing address: P. O. Box 54, Saint George's

telephone: [1] (473) 444-1173 through 1176

FAX: [1] (473) 444-4820

Guam

none (territory of the US)

Guatemala

chief of mission: Ambassador James M. DERHAM

embassy: 7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City

mailing address: APO AA 34024

telephone: [502] 2326-4000

FAX: [502] 2326-4654

Guernsey

none (British crown dependency)

Guinea

chief of mission: Ambassador Jackson C. MCDONALD

embassy: Koloma, Conakry, east of Hamdallaye Circle

mailing address: B. P. 603, Transversale No. 2, Centre Administratif

de Koloma, Commune de Ratoma, Conakry

telephone: [224] 30-42-08-61

FAX: [224] 30-42-08-73

Guinea-Bissau

the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998 in

the midst of violent conflict between forces loyal to then President

VIEIRA and military-led junta; the US Ambassador to Senegal is

accredited to Guinea-Bissau

Guyana

chief of mission: Ambassador David M. ROBINSON

embassy: 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown

mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown; US Embassy, 3170

Georgetown Place, Washington DC 20521-3170

telephone: [592] 225-4900 through 4909

FAX: [592] 225-8497

Haiti

chief of mission: Ambassador Janet A. SANDERSON

embassy: 5 Harry S Truman Boulevard, Bicentenaire-Port-au-Prince

mailing address: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince

telephone: [509] 222-0200

FAX: [509] 223-9038

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

none (territory of Australia)

Holy See (Vatican City)

chief of mission: Ambassador Francis ROONEY

embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome

mailing address: PSC 59, Box 66, APO AE 09624

telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428

FAX: [39] (06) 575-8346

Honduras

chief of mission: Ambassador Charles A. FORD

embassy: Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa

mailing address: American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa

telephone: [504] 236-9320, 238-5114

FAX: [504] 236-9037

Hong Kong

chief of mission: Consul General James B. CUNNINGHAM

consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong

mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006

telephone: [852] 2523-9011

FAX: [852] 2845-1598

Hungary

chief of mission: Ambassador April H. FOLEY

embassy: Szabadsag ter 12, H-1054 Budapest

mailing address: pouch: American Embassy Budapest, 5270 Budapest

Place, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5270

telephone: [36] (1) 475-4400

FAX: [36] (1) 475-4764

Iceland

chief of mission: Ambassador Carol VAN VOORST

embassy: Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik

mailing address: US Department of State, 5640 Reykjavik Place,

Washington, D.C. 20521-5640

telephone: [354] 562-9100

FAX: [354] 562-9118

India

chief of mission: Ambassador David C. MULFORD

embassy: Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [91] (11) 2419-8000

FAX: [91] (11) 2419-0017

consulate(s) general: Chennai (Madras), Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai

(Bombay)

Indonesia

chief of mission: Ambassador B. Lynn PASCOE

embassy: Jalan 1 Medan Merdeka Selatan 4-5, Jakarta 10110

mailing address: Unit 8129, Box 1, FPO AP 96520

telephone: [62] (21) 3435-9000

FAX: [62] (21) 3435-9922

consulate(s) general: Surabaya

consulate(s): Medan; Denpasar (consular agency)

Iran

none; note - protecting power in Iran is Switzerland

Iraq

chief of mission: Ambassador Zalmay KHALILZAD

embassy: Baghdad

mailing address: APO AE 09316

telephone: 00-1-240-553-0584 ext. 5340 or 5635; note - Consular

Section

FAX: NA

Ireland

chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas C. FOLEY

embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [353] (1) 668-8777

FAX: [353] (1) 668-9946

Isle of Man

none (British crown dependency)

Israel

chief of mission: Ambassador Richard H. JONES

embassy: 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv 63903

mailing address: PSC 98, Box 29, APO AE 09830

telephone: [972] (3) 519-7575

FAX: [972] (3) 516-4390

consulate(s) general: Jerusalem; note - an independent US mission,

established in 1928, whose members are not accredited to a foreign

government

Italy

chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald P. SPOGLI

embassy: Via Vittorio Veneto 121, 00187-Rome

mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100, APO AE 09624

telephone: [39] (06) 46741

FAX: [39] (06) 488-2672, 4674-2356

consulate(s) general: Florence, Milan, Naples

Jamaica

chief of mission: Ambassador Brenda LaGrange JOHNSON

embassy: Mutual Life Building, 2 Oxford Road, 3rd floor, Kingston 5

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [1] (876) 929-4850 through 4859

FAX: [1] (876) 935-6001

Japan

chief of mission: Ambassador J. Thomas SCHIEFFER

embassy: 1-10-5 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420

mailing address: Unit 45004, Box 258, APO AP 96337-5004

telephone: [81] (03) 3224-5000

FAX: [81] (03) 3505-1862

consulate(s) general: Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo

consulate(s): Fukuoka, Nagoya

Jersey

none (British crown dependency)

Jordan

chief of mission: Ambassador David M. HALE

embassy: Abdoun, Amman

mailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; Unit 70200, Box

5, APO AE 09892-0200

telephone: [962] (6) 590-6000

FAX: [962] (6) 592-0121

Kazakhstan

chief of mission: Ambassador John M. ORDWAY

embassy: Ak Bulak 4, Str. 23-22, Building #3, Astana 010010

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [7] (3172) 70-21-00

FAX: [7] (3172) 34-08-90

Kenya

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael RANNEBERGER

embassy: US Embassy, United Nations Ave., Gigiri; P. O. Box 606

Village Market Nairobi

mailing address: Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831

telephone: [254] (20) 537-800

FAX: [254] (20) 537-810

Kiribati

the US does not have an embassy in Kiribati; the ambassador

to Fiji is accredited to Kiribati

Korea, North

none; note - Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang represents

the US as consular protecting power

Korea, South

chief of mission: Ambassador Alexander VERSHBOW

embassy: 32 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710

mailing address: US Embassy Seoul, Unit 15550, APO AP 96205-5550

telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114

FAX: [82] (2) 738-8845

Kuwait

chief of mission: Ambassador Richard LEBARON

embassy: Bayan 36302, Area 14, Al-Masjed Al-Aqsa Street (near the

Bayan palace), Kuwait City

mailing address: P. O. Box 77 Safat 13001 Kuwait; or PSC 1280 APO AE

09880-9000

telephone: [965] 259-1001

FAX: [965] 538-0282

Kyrgyzstan

chief of mission: Ambassador Marie L. YOVANOVITCH

embassy: 171 Prospect Mira, Bishkek 720016

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [996] (312) 551-241, (517) 777-217

FAX: [996] (312) 551-264

Laos

chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia M. HASLACH

embassy: 19 Rue Bartholonie, That Dam Road, Vientiane

mailing address: American Embassy Vientiane, Box V, APO AP 96546

telephone: [856] 21-26 7000

FAX: [856] 21-26 7074

Latvia

chief of mission: Ambassador Catherine Todd BAILEY

embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510

mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE

09723

telephone: [371] 703-6200

FAX: [371] 782-0047

Lebanon

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Ambassador Designate

Antoine CHEDID

embassy: Awkar, Lebanon; (Akwar facing the Municipality)

mailing address: P. O. Box 70-840, Antelias, Lebanon; PSC 815, Box

2, FPO AE 09836-0002; from US: US Embassy Beirut, 6070 Beirut Place,

Washington, DC 20521-6070

telephone: [961] (4) 542600, 543600

FAX: [961] (4) 544136

Lesotho

chief of mission: Ambassador June Carter PERRY

embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section)

mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho

telephone: [266] 22 312666

FAX: [266] 22 310116

Liberia

chief of mission: Ambassador Donald E. BOOTH

embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 10-0098, Mamba Point,

1000 Monrovia, 10

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [231] 226-370 through 226-380

FAX: [231] 226-148

Libya

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad

Interim Charles O. CECIL

embassy: Corinthia Bab Africa Hotel, Souq At-Tlat Al-Qadim, Tripoli

mailing address: US Embassy, 8850 Tripoli Place, Washington, DC

20521-8850

telephone: [218] 21-335-1848

Liechtenstein

the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein, but

the US Ambassador to Switzerland is also accredited to Liechtenstein

Lithuania

chief of mission: Ambassador John A. CLOUD

embassy: Akmenu Gatve 6, Vilnius, LT-03106

mailing address: American Embassy, Akmenu Gatve 6, Vilnius LT-03106

telephone: [370] (5) 266 5500

FAX: [370] (5) 266 5510

Luxembourg

chief of mission: Ambassador Ann WAGNER

embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City

mailing address: American Embassy Luxembourg, Unit 1410, APO AE

09126-1410 (official mail); American Embassy Luxembourg, PSC 9, Box

9500, APO AE 09123 (personal mail)

telephone: [352] 46 01 23

FAX: [352] 46 14 01

Macau

the US has no offices in Macau; US interests are monitored by

the US Consulate General in Hong Kong

Macedonia

chief of mission: Ambassador Gillian A. MILOVANOVIC

embassy: Bul. Ilindenska bb, 1000 Skopje

mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, US Department of State,

7120 Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch)

telephone: [389] 2 311-6180

FAX: [389] 2 311-7103

Madagascar

chief of mission: Ambassador James D. MCGEE

embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo 101

mailing address: B. P. 620, Antsahavola, Antananarivo

telephone: [261] (20) 22-212-57, 22-212-73, 22-209-56

FAX: [261] (20) 22-345-39

Malawi

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires

David GILMOUR

embassy: Area 40, Plot 24, Kenyatta Road

mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi

telephone: [265] (1) 773 166

FAX: [265] (1) 770 471

Malaysia

chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher J. LAFLEUR

embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur 50440

mailing address: US Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152

telephone: [60] (3) 2168-5000

FAX: [60] (3) 2142-2207

Maldives

the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; the US

Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic

visits there

Mali

chief of mission: Ambassador Terrence P. MCCULLEY

embassy: Rue Rochester NY and Rue Mohamed V, Bamako

mailing address: B. P. 34, Bamako

telephone: [223] 222-5470

FAX: [223] 222-3712

Malta

chief of mission: Ambassador Molly BORDONARO

embassy: 3rd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana,

VLT 01

mailing address: P. O. Box 535, Valletta, CMR01

telephone: [356] 2561 4000

FAX: [356] 21 243229

Marshall Islands

chief of mission: Ambassador Greta N. MORRIS

embassy: Oceanside, Mejen Weto, Long Island, Majuro

mailing address: P. O. Box 1379, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall

Islands 96960-1379

telephone: [692] 247-4011

FAX: [692] 247-4012

Mauritania

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires

Charles H. Twining

embassy: 288 Rue Abdallaye (between Presidency building and Spanish

Embassy), Nouakchott

mailing address: BP 222, Nouakchott

telephone: [222] 525-2660/525-2663

FAX: [222] 525-1592

Mauritius

chief of mission: Ambassador John PRICE

embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis

mailing address: international mail: P. O. Box 544, Port Louis; US

mail: American Embassy, Port Louis, US Department of State,

Washington, DC 20521-2450

telephone: [230] 202-4400

FAX: [230] 208-9534

Mayotte

none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)

Mexico

chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio O. GARZA, Jr.

embassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, 06500 Mexico,

Distrito Federal

mailing address: P. O. Box 9000, Brownsville, TX 78520-9000

telephone: [52] (55) 5080-2000

FAX: [52] (55) 5511-9980

consulate(s) general: Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana

consulate(s): Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Nogales, Nuevo Laredo

Micronesia, Federated States of

chief of mission: Ambassador Suzanne

K. HALE

embassy: 101 Upper Pics Road, Kolonia

mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, 96941

telephone: [691] 320-2187

FAX: [691] 320-2186

Moldova

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael D. KIRBY

embassy: 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [373] (22) 40-8300

FAX: [373] (22) 23-3044

Monaco

the US does not have an embassy in Monaco; the US Ambassador

to France is accredited to Monaco; the US Consul General in

Marseille (France), under the authority of the US ambassador to

France, handles routine diplomatic and consular matters concerning

Monaco

Mongolia

chief of mission: Ambassador Mark C. MINTON

embassy: Big Ring Road, 11th Micro Region, Ulaanbaatar

mailing address: PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP 96521-0002; P.O. Box 1021,

Ulaanbaatar-13

telephone: [976] (11) 329095

FAX: [976] (11) 320776

Montenegro

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires

Arlene FERRILL

embassy: Ljubljanska bb, 82000 Podgorica, Montenegro

mailing address: (use street address)

telephone: [381] 81 225 417

FAX: [381] 81 241 358

Montserrat

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Morocco

chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas T. RILEY

embassy: 2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat

mailing address: PSC 74, Box 021, APO AE 09718

telephone: [212] (37) 76 22 65

FAX: [212] (37) 76 56 61

consulate(s) general: Casablanca

Mozambique

chief of mission: Ambassador Helen LA LIME

embassy: Avenida Kenneth Kuanda 193, Maputo

mailing address: P. O. Box 783, Maputo

telephone: [258] (1) 492797

FAX: [258] (1) 490448

Namibia

chief of mission: Ambassador Joyce BARR

embassy: Ausplan Building, 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek

mailing address: Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek

telephone: [264] (61) 221601

FAX: [264] (61) 229792

Nauru

the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to

Fiji is accredited to Nauru

Nepal

chief of mission: Ambassador James F. MORIARTY

embassy: Panipokhari, Kathmandu

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [977] (1) 411-1179

FAX: [977] (1) 441-9963

Netherlands

chief of mission: Ambassador Roland E. ARNALL

embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ, The Hague

mailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715

telephone: [31] (70) 310-2209

FAX: [31] (70) 361-4688

consulate(s) general: Amsterdam

Netherlands Antilles

chief of mission: Consul General Robert E.

SORENSON

consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad, Curacao

mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao

telephone: [599] (9) 4613066

FAX: [599] (9) 4616489

New Caledonia

none (overseas territory of France)

New Zealand

chief of mission: Ambassador William P. McCORMICK

embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington

mailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, APO AP

96531-1034

telephone: [64] (4) 462-6000

FAX: [64] (4) 499-0490

consulate(s) general: Auckland

Nicaragua

chief of mission: Ambassador Paul A. TRIVELLI

embassy: Kilometer 4.5 Carretera Sur, Managua

mailing address: P.O. Box 327

telephone: [505] 266-6010

FAX: [505] 266-3861

Niger

chief of mission: Ambassador Bernadette M. ALLEN

embassy: Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey

mailing address: B. P. 11201, Niamey

telephone: [227] 73 31 69

FAX: [227] 73 55 60

Nigeria

chief of mission: Ambassador John CAMPBELL

embassy: 7 Mambilla Drive, Abuja

mailing address: P. O. Box 554, Lagos

telephone: [234] (9) 523-0916/0906/5857/2235/2205

FAX: [234] (9) 523-0353

Niue

none (self-governing territory in free association with New

Zealand)

Norfolk Island

none (territory of Australia)

Norway

chief of mission: Ambassador Benson K. WHITNEY

embassy: Henrik Ibsens gate 48, 0244 Oslo; note - the embassy will

move to Huseby in the near future

mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707

telephone: [47] (22) 44 85 50

FAX: [47] (22) 44 33 63, 56 27 51

Oman

chief of mission: Ambassador Gary A. GRAPPO

embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat

mailing address: P. O. Box 202, P.C. 115, Madinat Sultan Qaboos,

Muscat

telephone: [968] 24-698989

FAX: [968] 24-699771

Pakistan

chief of mission: Ambassador Ryan CROCKER

embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad

mailing address: P. O. Box 1048, Unit 62200, APO AE 09812-2200

telephone: [92] (51) 208-0000

FAX: [92] (51) 2276427

consulate(s) general: Karachi

consulate(s): Lahore, Peshawar

Palau

chief of mission: US ambassador to the Philippines is

accredited to Palau

embassy: Koror (no street address)

mailing address: P. O. Box 6028, Republic of Palau 96940

telephone: [680] 488-2920, 2990

FAX: [680] 488-2911

Panama

chief of mission: Ambassador William A. EATON

embassy: Avenida Balboa and Calle 37, Apartado Postal 0816-02561,

Zona 5, Panama City 5

mailing address: American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945, APO AA 34002

telephone: [507] 207-7000

FAX: [507] 227-1964

Papua New Guinea

chief of mission: Ambassador Leslie V. ROWE

embassy: Douglas Street, Port Moresby

mailing address: 4240 Port Moresby PI, US Department of State,

Washington DC 20521-4240

telephone: [675] 321-1455

FAX: [675] 321-3423

Paraguay

Ambassador James C. CASON

embassy: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion

mailing address: Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001

telephone: [595] (21) 213-715

FAX: [595] (21) 213-728

Peru

chief of mission: Ambassador J. Curtis STRUBLE

embassy: Avenida La Encalada, Cuadra 17s/n, Surco, Lima 33

mailing address: P. O. Box 1995, Lima 1; American Embassy (Lima),

APO AA 34031-5000

telephone: [51] (1) 434-3000

FAX: [51] (1) 618-2397

Philippines

chief of mission: Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney

embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita 1000, Manila

mailing address: PSC 500, FPO AP 96515-1000

telephone: [63] (2) 528-6300

FAX: [63] (2) 522-4361

Pitcairn Islands

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Poland

chief of mission: Ambassador Victor ASHE

embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-540 Warsaw

mailing address: American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State,

Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch)

telephone: [48] (22) 504-2000

FAX: [48] (22) 504-2688

consulate(s) general: Krakow

Portugal

chief of mission: Ambassador Alfred J. HOFFMAN Jr.

embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600-081 Lisbon

mailing address: Apartado 43033, 1601-301 Lisboa; PSC 83, APO AE

09726

telephone: [351] (21) 727-3300

FAX: [351] (21) 726-9109

consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores)

Puerto Rico

none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)

Qatar

chief of mission: Ambassador Chase UNTERMEYER

embassy: Al-Luqta District, 22 February Road, Doha

mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha

telephone: [974] 488 4101

FAX: [974] 488 4176

Romania

chief of mission: Ambassador Nicholas F. TAUBMAN

embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest

mailing address: American Embassy Bucharest, US Department of State,

5260 Bucharest Place, Washington, DC 20521-5260 (pouch)

telephone: [40] (21) 200-3300

FAX: [40] (21) 200-3442

information office: Cluj-Napoca

Russia

chief of mission: Ambassador William J. BURNS

embassy: Bolshoy Deviatinskiy Pereulok No. 8, 121099 Moscow

mailing address: PSC-77, APO AE 09721

telephone: [7] (495) 728-5000

FAX: [7] (495) 728-5090

consulate(s) general: Saint Petersburg, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg

Rwanda

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael ARIETTI

embassy: 337 Boulevard de la Revolution, Kigali

mailing address: B. P. 28, Kigali

telephone: [250] 50 56 01 through 03

FAX: [250] 57 2128

Saint Helena

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

the US does not have an embassy in Saint Kitts

and Nevis; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint

Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

the US does not have an embassy in Saint Lucia; the US

Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint Lucia

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

none (territorial overseas collectivity of

France)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

the US does not have an embassy in

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the US Ambassador to Barbados is

accredited to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Samoa

chief of mission: US Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited

to Samoa

embassy: Accident Compensation Board (ACB) Building, 5th Floor,

Beach Road, Apia

mailing address: P. O. Box 3430, Apia, 0815

telephone: [685] 21436/21452/21631/22696

FAX: [685] 22030

San Marino

the US does not have an embassy in San Marino, but the

ambassador to Italy is accredited to San Marino

Sao Tome and Principe

the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome

and Principe; the Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and

Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the

islands

Saudi Arabia

chief of mission: Ambassador James C. OBERWETTER

embassy: Collector Road M, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh

mailing address: American Embassy, Unit 61307, APO AE 09803-1307;

International Mail: P. O. Box 94309, Riyadh 11693

telephone: [966] (1) 488-3800

FAX: [966] (1) 488-3989

consulate(s) general: Dhahran, Jiddah (Jeddah)

Senegal

chief of mission: Ambassador Janice L. JACOBS

embassy: Avenue Jean XXIII at the corner of Rue Kleber, Dakar

mailing address: B. P. 49, Dakar

telephone: [221] 823-4296

FAX: [221] 822-2991

Serbia

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael C. POLT

embassy: Kneza Milosa 50, 11000 Belgrade

mailing address: 5070 Belgrade Place, Washington, DC 20521-5070

telephone: [381] (11) 361-9344

FAX: [381] (11) 361-8230

note: there is a branch office in Pristina at 30 Nazim Hikmet 38000

Prstina, Kososvo; telephone: [381] (38) 549-516; FAX:[381] (38)

549-890

Seychelles

the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the

ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Seychelles

Sierra Leone

chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas N. HULL

embassy: Corner of Walpole and Siaka Stevens Streets, Freetown

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [232] (22) 515 000 or [232] (76) 515 000

FAX: [232] (22) 225471

Singapore

chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia L. HERBOLD

embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508

mailing address: FPO AP 96507-0001

telephone: [65] 6476-9100

FAX: [65] 6476-9340

Slovakia

chief of mission: Ambassador Rodolphe "Skip" M. VALLEE

embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava

mailing address: P.O. Box 309, 814 99 Bratislava

telephone: [421] (2) 5443-3338

FAX: [421] (2) 5443-0096

Slovenia

chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas B. ROBERTSON

embassy: Presernova 31, 1000 Ljubljana

mailing address: American Embassy Ljubljana, US Department of State,

7140 Ljubljana Place, Washington, DC 20521-7140

telephone: [386] (1) 200-5500

FAX: [386] (1) 200-5555

Solomon Islands

the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands

(embassy closed July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is

accredited to the Solomon Islands

Somalia

the US does not have an embassy in Somalia; US interests are

represented by the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya at United Nations

Avenue, Nairobi; mailing address: Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831;

telephone: [254] (20) 363-6000; FAX [254] (20) 363-6157

South Africa

chief of mission: Ambassador Eric BOST

embassy: 877 Pretorius Street, Pretoria

mailing address: P. O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001

telephone: [27] (12) 342-1048

FAX: [27] (12) 342-2244

consulate(s) general: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

none (overseas

territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Spain

chief of mission: Ambassador Eduardo AGUIRRE, Jr.

embassy: Serrano 75, 28006 Madrid

mailing address: PSC 61, APO AE 09642

telephone: [34] (91) 587-2200

FAX: [34] (91) 587-2303

consulate(s) general: Barcelona

Sri Lanka

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert O. BLAKE, Jr.

embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3

mailing address: P. O. Box 106, Colombo

telephone: [94] (11) 249-8500

FAX: [94] (11) 243-7345

Sudan

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires

Cameron HUME

embassy: Sharia Ali Abdul Latif Avenue, Khartoum

mailing address: P. O. Box 699, Khartoum; APO AE 09829

telephone: [249] (183) 774701

FAX: [249] (183) 774137

note: US Consul in Cairo is providing backup service for Khartoum;

consular services are being established in Juba (southern Sudan)

Suriname

chief of mission: Ambassador Lisa Bobbie SCHREIBER HUGHES

embassy: Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo

mailing address: US Department of State, 3390 Paramaribo Place,

Washington, DC, 20521-3390

telephone: [597] 472-900

FAX: [597] 425-690

Swaziland

chief of mission: Ambassador Lewis LUCKE

embassy: Central Bank Building, Mahlokahla Street, Mbabane

mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane

telephone: [268] 404-6441 through 404-6445

FAX: [268] 404-5959

Sweden

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael M. WOOD

embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Vag 31, SE-11589 Stockholm

mailing address: American Embassy Stockholm, US Department of State,

5750 Stockholm Place, Washington, DC 20521-5750 (pouch)

telephone: [46] (08) 783 53 00

FAX: [46] (08) 661 19 64

Switzerland

chief of mission: Ambassador Peter R. CONEWAY

embassy: Jubilaumsstrasse 93, CH-3005 Bern

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [41] (031) 357 70 11

FAX: [41] (031) 357 73 44

Syria

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires

Michael CORBIN

embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansour Street, No. 2, Damascus

mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus

telephone: [963] (11) 333-1342

FAX: [963] (11) 224-7938

Taiwan

none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the

people on Taiwan are maintained through an unofficial

instrumentality - the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) - which has

offices in the US and Taiwan; US office at 1700 N. Moore St., Suite

1700, Arlington, VA 22209-1996, telephone: [1] (703) 525-8474, FAX:

[1] (703) 841-1385); Taiwan offices at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road,

Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (2) 2162-2000, FAX:

[886] (2) 2162-2251; #2 Chung Cheng 3rd Road, 5th Floor, Kaohsiung,

Taiwan, telephone: [886] (7) 238-7744, FAX: [886] (7) 238-5237; and

the American Trade Center, Room 3208 International Trade Building,

Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei,

Taiwan 10548, telephone: [886] (2) 2720-1550, FAX: [886] (2)

2757-7162

Tajikistan

chief of mission: Ambassador Tracey Ann JACOBSON

embassy: 109-A Ismoili Somoni Ave., Dushanbe 734003

mailing address: 7090 Dushanbe Place, Dulles, VA 20189

telephone: [992] (37) 229-20-00

FAX: [992] (37) 229-20-50

Tanzania

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael L. RETZER

embassy: 140 Msese Road, Kinondoni District, Dar es Salaam

mailing address: P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam

telephone: [255] (22) 2666-010 through 2666-015

FAX: [255] (22) 2666-701, 2668-501

Thailand

chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph L. BOYCE

embassy: 120-122 Wireless Road, Bangkok 10330

mailing address: APO AP 96546

telephone: [66] (2) 205-4000

FAX: [66] (2) 254-2990, 205-4131

consulate(s) general: Chiang Mai

Togo

chief of mission: Ambassador David B. DUNN

embassy: Angle Rue Kouenou and Rue 15 Beniglato, Lome

mailing address: B. P. 852, Lome

telephone: [228] 221 29 91 through 221 29 94

FAX: [228] 221 79 52

Tokelau

none (territory of New Zealand)

Tonga

the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to

Fiji is accredited to Tonga

Trinidad and Tobago

chief of mission: Ambassador Roy L. AUSTIN

embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain

mailing address: P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain

telephone: [1] (868) 622-6371 through 6376

FAX: [1] (868) 628-5462

Tunisia

chief of mission: Ambassador designate Robert F. GODEC

embassy: Zone Nord-Est des Berges du Lac Nord de Tunis 1053

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [216] 71 107-000

FAX: [216] 71 107-090

Turkey

chief of mission: Ambassador Ross WILSON

embassy: 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Kavaklidere, 06100 Ankara

mailing address: PSC 93, Box 5000, APO AE 09823

telephone: [90] (312) 455-5555

FAX: [90] (312) 467-0019

consulate(s) general: Istanbul

consulate(s): Adana; note - there is a Consular Agent in Izmir

Turkmenistan

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge

d'Affaires Jennifer L. BRUSH

embassy: No. 9 1984 Street (formerly Pushkin Street), Ashgabat,

Turkmenistan 774000

mailing address: 7070 Ashgabat Place, Washington, DC 20521-7070

telephone: [9] (9312) 35-00-45

FAX: [9] (9312) 39-26-14

Turks and Caicos Islands

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Tuvalu

the US does not have an embassy in Tuvalu; the US ambassador

to Fiji is accredited to Tuvalu

Uganda

chief of mission: Ambassador Steven BROWNING

embassy: 1577 Ggaba Rd., Kampala

mailing address: P. O. Box 7007, Kampala

telephone: [256] (41) 234-142

FAX: [256] (41) 258-451

Ukraine

chief of mission: Ambassador William B. TAYLOR

embassy: 10 Yurii Kotsiubynsky Street, 04053 Kyiv

mailing address: 5850 Kiev Place, Washington, DC 20521-5850

telephone: [380] (44) 490-4000

FAX: [380] (44) 490-4085

United Arab Emirates

chief of mission: Ambassador Michele J. SISON

embassy: Embassies District, Plot 38 Sector W59-02, Street No. 4,

Abu Dhabi

mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi

telephone: [971] (2) 414-2200

FAX: [971] (2) 414-2603

consulate(s) general: Dubai

United Kingdom

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert Holmes TUTTLE

embassy: 24 Grosvenor Square, London, W1A 1AE

mailing address: PSC 801, Box 40, FPO AE 09498-4040

telephone: [44] (0) 20 7499-9000

FAX: [44] (0) 20 7629-9124

consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh

Uruguay

chief of mission: Ambassador Frank BAXTER

embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo 11200

mailing address: APO AA 34035

telephone: [598] (2) 418-7777

FAX: [598] (2) 418-8611

Uzbekistan

chief of mission: Ambassador Jon PURNELL

embassy: 3 Moyqo'rq'on, 5th Block, Yunusobod District, Tashkent

100093

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [998] (71) 120-5450

FAX: [998] (71) 120-6335

Vanuatu

the US does not have an embassy in Vanuatu; the ambassador

to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu

Venezuela

chief of mission: Ambassador William R. BROWNFIELD

embassy: Calle F con Calle Suapure, Urbanizacion Colinas de Valle

Arriba, Caracas 1080

mailing address: P. O. Box 62291, Caracas 1060-A; APO AA 34037

telephone: [58] (212) 975-9234, 975-6411

FAX: [58] (212) 975-8991

Vietnam

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael W. MARINE

embassy: 7 Lang Ha Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi

mailing address: PSC 461, Box 400, FPO AP 96521-0002

telephone: [84] (4) 772-1500

FAX: [84] (4) 772-1510

consulate(s) general: Ho Chi Minh City

Virgin Islands

none (territory of the US)

Wallis and Futuna

none (overseas territory of France)

Western Sahara

none

Yemen

chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas C. KRAJESKI

embassy: Sa'awan Street, Sanaa

mailing address: P. O. Box 22347, Sanaa

telephone: [967] (1) 755-2000 ext. 2153 or 2266

FAX: [967] (1) 303-182

Zambia

chief of mission: Ambassador Carmen M. MARTINEZ

embassy: corner of Independence and United Nations Avenues, Lusaka

mailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka

telephone: [260] (1) 250-955

FAX: [260] (1) 252-225

Zimbabwe

chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher W. DELL

embassy: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare

mailing address: P. O. Box 3340, Harare

telephone: [263] (4) 250-593 and 250-594

FAX: [263] (4) 796-488

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2008 Transportation - note

Arctic Ocean

sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes;

the Northwest Passage (North America) and Northern Sea Route

(Eurasia) are important seasonal waterways

Atlantic Ocean

Kiel Canal and Saint Lawrence Seaway are two

important waterways; significant domestic commercial and

recreational use of Intracoastal Waterway on central and south

Atlantic seaboard and Gulf of Mexico coast of US

Baker Island

there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast

Georgia

transportation network is in poor condition resulting from

ethnic conflict, criminal activities, and fuel shortages; network

lacks maintenance and repair

Howland Island

Earhart Light is a day beacon near the middle of the

west coast that was partially destroyed during World War II, but has

since been rebuilt; named in memory of famed aviatrix Amelia EARHART

Iles Eparses

aids to navigation - lighthouses: Europa Island 18m;

Juan de Nova Island (W side) 37m; Tromelin Island (NW point) 11m

Jarvis Island

there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast

Midway Islands

airfield serves as an emergency landing site for

commercial aircraft crossing the Pacific Ocean

Pacific Ocean

Inside Passage offers protected waters from southeast

Alaska to Puget Sound (Washington state)

Saint Helena

there is no air connection to Saint Helena or Tristan

da Cunha; an international airport for Saint Helena is in

development for 2010

Southern Ocean

Drake Passage offers alternative to transit through

the Panama Canal

Wake Island

there are no commercial or civilian flights to and from

Wake Island, except in direct support of island missions; emergency

landing is available

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2010 Age structure (%)

Afghanistan

0-14 years: 44.6% (male 7,095,117/female 6,763,759)

15-64 years: 53% (male 8,436,716/female 8,008,463)

65 years and over: 2.4% (male 366,642/female 386,300) (2006 est.)

Albania

0-14 years: 24.8% (male 464,954/female 423,003)

15-64 years: 66.3% (male 1,214,942/female 1,158,562)

65 years and over: 8.9% (male 148,028/female 172,166) (2006 est.)

Algeria

0-14 years: 28.1% (male 4,722,076/female 4,539,713)

15-64 years: 67.1% (male 11,133,802/female 10,964,502)

65 years and over: 4.8% (male 735,444/female 834,554) (2006 est.)

American Samoa

0-14 years: 34.7% (male 10,388/female 9,654)

15-64 years: 62.4% (male 18,698/female 17,350)

65 years and over: 2.9% (male 633/female 1,071) (2006 est.)

Andorra

0-14 years: 14.7% (male 5,456/female 4,994)

15-64 years: 71.4% (male 26,632/female 24,172)

65 years and over: 14% (male 4,918/female 5,029) (2006 est.)

Angola

0-14 years: 43.7% (male 2,678,185/female 2,625,933)

15-64 years: 53.5% (male 3,291,954/female 3,195,688)

65 years and over: 2.8% (male 148,944/female 186,367) (2006 est.)

Anguilla

0-14 years: 22.8% (male 1,557/female 1,510)

15-64 years: 70.4% (male 4,878/female 4,608)

65 years and over: 6.9% (male 412/female 512) (2006 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

0-14 years: 27.6% (male 9,716/female 9,375)

15-64 years: 68.5% (male 23,801/female 23,524)

65 years and over: 3.9% (male 1,020/female 1,672) (2006 est.)

Argentina

0-14 years: 25.2% (male 5,153,164/female 4,921,625)

15-64 years: 64.1% (male 12,804,376/female 12,798,731)

65 years and over: 10.6% (male 1,740,118/female 2,503,819) (2006

est.)

Armenia

0-14 years: 20.5% (male 322,189/female 286,944)

15-64 years: 68.4% (male 949,975/female 1,085,484)

65 years and over: 11.1% (male 133,411/female 198,369) (2006 est.)

Aruba

0-14 years: 19.5% (male 7,175/female 6,849)

15-64 years: 68.2% (male 23,894/female 25,140)

65 years and over: 12.3% (male 3,616/female 5,217) (2006 est.)

Australia

0-14 years: 19.6% (male 2,031,313/female 1,936,802)

15-64 years: 67.3% (male 6,881,863/female 6,764,709)

65 years and over: 13.1% (male 1,170,589/female 1,478,806) (2006

est.)

Austria

0-14 years: 15.4% (male 645,337/female 614,602)

15-64 years: 67.5% (male 2,782,712/female 2,749,620)

65 years and over: 17.1% (male 567,752/female 832,857) (2006 est.)

Azerbaijan

0-14 years: 25.8% (male 1,046,501/female 1,011,492)

15-64 years: 66.3% (male 2,573,134/female 2,706,275)

65 years and over: 7.8% (male 246,556/female 377,661) (2006 est.)

Bahamas, The

0-14 years: 27.5% (male 41,799/female 41,733)

15-64 years: 66.1% (male 98,847/female 102,074)

65 years and over: 6.4% (male 7,891/female 11,426) (2006 est.)

Bahrain

0-14 years: 27.4% (male 96,567/female 94,650)

15-64 years: 69.1% (male 280,272/female 202,451)

65 years and over: 3.5% (male 12,753/female 11,892) (2006 est.)

Bangladesh

0-14 years: 32.9% (male 24,957,997/female 23,533,894)

15-64 years: 63.6% (male 47,862,774/female 45,917,674)

65 years and over: 3.5% (male 2,731,578/female 2,361,435) (2006 est.)

Barbados

0-14 years: 20.1% (male 28,160/female 28,039)

15-64 years: 71.1% (male 97,755/female 101,223)

65 years and over: 8.8% (male 9,508/female 15,227) (2006 est.)

Belarus

0-14 years: 15.7% (male 825,823/female 791,741)

15-64 years: 69.7% (male 3,490,442/female 3,682,950)

65 years and over: 14.6% (male 498,976/female 1,003,079) (2006 est.)

Belgium

0-14 years: 16.7% (male 883,254/female 846,099)

15-64 years: 65.9% (male 3,450,879/female 3,389,565)

65 years and over: 17.4% (male 746,569/female 1,062,701) (2006 est.)

Belize

0-14 years: 39.5% (male 57,923/female 55,678)

15-64 years: 57% (male 82,960/female 81,046)

65 years and over: 3.5% (male 4,888/female 5,235) (2006 est.)

Benin

0-14 years: 44.1% (male 1,751,709/female 1,719,138)

15-64 years: 53.5% (male 2,067,248/female 2,138,957)

65 years and over: 2.4% (male 75,694/female 110,198) (2006 est.)

Bermuda

0-14 years: 18.6% (male 6,146/female 6,098)

15-64 years: 69.2% (male 22,562/female 22,954)

65 years and over: 12.2% (male 3,479/female 4,534) (2006 est.)

Bhutan

0-14 years: 38.9% (male 458,801/female 426,947)

15-64 years: 57.1% (male 671,057/female 631,078)

65 years and over: 4% (male 46,217/female 45,623) (2006 est.)

Bolivia

0-14 years: 35% (male 1,603,982/female 1,542,319)

15-64 years: 60.4% (male 2,660,806/female 2,771,807)

65 years and over: 4.6% (male 182,412/female 227,720) (2006 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

0-14 years: 15.5% (male 359,739/female

336,978)

15-64 years: 70.1% (male 1,590,923/female 1,564,665)

65 years and over: 14.4% (male 265,637/female 381,034) (2006 est.)

Botswana

0-14 years: 38.3% (male 319,531/female 309,074)

15-64 years: 57.9% (male 460,692/female 488,577)

65 years and over: 3.8% (male 23,374/female 38,585) (2006 est.)

Brazil

0-14 years: 25.8% (male 24,687,656/female 23,742,998)

15-64 years: 68.1% (male 63,548,331/female 64,617,539)

65 years and over: 6.1% (male 4,712,675/female 6,769,028) (2006 est.)

British Virgin Islands

0-14 years: 20.5% (male 2,403/female 2,331)

15-64 years: 74.3% (male 8,811/female 8,340)

65 years and over: 5.3% (male 636/female 577) (2006 est.)

Brunei

0-14 years: 28.1% (male 54,411/female 52,134)

15-64 years: 68.8% (male 138,129/female 123,017)

65 years and over: 3.1% (male 5,584/female 6,169) (2006 est.)

Bulgaria

0-14 years: 13.9% (male 527,881/female 502,334)

15-64 years: 68.7% (male 2,496,054/female 2,579,680)

65 years and over: 17.3% (male 527,027/female 752,391) (2006 est.)

Burkina Faso

0-14 years: 46.8% (male 3,267,202/female 3,235,190)

15-64 years: 50.7% (male 3,513,559/female 3,538,623)

65 years and over: 2.5% (male 140,083/female 208,315) (2006 est.)

Burma

0-14 years: 26.4% (male 6,335,236/female 6,181,216)

15-64 years: 68.5% (male 16,011,723/female 16,449,626)

65 years and over: 5.1% (male 1,035,853/female 1,368,979) (2006 est.)

Burundi

0-14 years: 46.3% (male 1,884,825/female 1,863,200)

15-64 years: 51.1% (male 2,051,451/female 2,082,017)

65 years and over: 2.6% (male 83,432/female 125,143) (2006 est.)

Cambodia

0-14 years: 35.6% (male 2,497,595/female 2,447,754)

15-64 years: 61% (male 4,094,946/female 4,370,159)

65 years and over: 3.4% (male 180,432/female 290,541) (2006 est.)

Cameroon

0-14 years: 41.2% (male 3,614,430/female 3,531,047)

15-64 years: 55.5% (male 4,835,453/female 4,796,276)

65 years and over: 3.2% (male 260,342/female 303,154) (2006 est.)

Canada

0-14 years: 17.6% (male 2,992,811/female 2,848,388)

15-64 years: 69% (male 11,482,452/female 11,368,286)

65 years and over: 13.3% (male 1,883,008/female 2,523,987) (2006

est.)

Cape Verde

0-14 years: 37.9% (male 80,594/female 79,126)

15-64 years: 55.3% (male 113,450/female 119,423)

65 years and over: 6.7% (male 10,542/female 17,844) (2006 est.)

Cayman Islands

0-14 years: 20.7% (male 4,708/female 4,700)

15-64 years: 70.9% (male 15,707/female 16,504)

65 years and over: 8.4% (male 1,793/female 2,024) (2006 est.)

Central African Republic

0-14 years: 41.9% (male 907,629/female

897,153)

15-64 years: 53.9% (male 1,146,346/female 1,173,268)

65 years and over: 4.2% (male 71,312/female 107,648) (2006 est.)

Chad

0-14 years: 47.9% (male 2,396,393/female 2,369,261)

15-64 years: 49.3% (male 2,355,940/female 2,550,535)

65 years and over: 2.7% (male 107,665/female 164,407) (2006 est.)

Chile

0-14 years: 24.7% (male 2,035,278/female 1,944,754)

15-64 years: 67.1% (male 5,403,525/female 5,420,497)

65 years and over: 8.2% (male 555,075/female 775,090) (2006 est.)

China

0-14 years: 20.8% (male 145,461,833/female 128,445,739)

15-64 years: 71.4% (male 482,439,115/female 455,960,489)

65 years and over: 7.7% (male 48,562,635/female 53,103,902) (2006

est.)

Christmas Island

0-14 years: NA

15-64 years: NA

65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

0-14 years: NA

15-64 years: NA

65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)

Colombia

0-14 years: 30.3% (male 6,683,079/female 6,528,563)

15-64 years: 64.5% (male 13,689,384/female 14,416,439)

65 years and over: 5.2% (male 996,022/female 1,279,548) (2006 est.)

Comoros

0-14 years: 42.7% (male 148,009/female 147,038)

15-64 years: 54.3% (male 185,107/female 190,139)

65 years and over: 3% (male 9,672/female 10,983) (2006 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

0-14 years: 47.4% (male

14,906,488/female 14,798,210)

15-64 years: 50.1% (male 15,597,353/female 15,793,350)

65 years and over: 2.5% (male 632,143/female 933,007) (2006 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

0-14 years: 46.4% (male 864,407/female

853,728)

15-64 years: 50.7% (male 930,390/female 945,545)

65 years and over: 2.9% (male 44,430/female 63,814) (2006 est.)

Cook Islands

0-14 years: 34.1% (male 2,718/female 2,388)

15-64 years: 59.5% (male 4,531/female 4,395)

65 years and over: 6.4% (male 489/female 469) (2001 census)

Costa Rica

0-14 years: 28.3% (male 590,261/female 563,196)

15-64 years: 66% (male 1,359,750/female 1,329,346)

65 years and over: 5.7% (male 108,041/female 124,667) (2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

0-14 years: 40.8% (male 3,546,674/female 3,653,990)

15-64 years: 56.4% (male 5,024,575/female 4,939,677)

65 years and over: 2.8% (male 238,793/female 251,134) (2006 est.)

Croatia

0-14 years: 16.2% (male 373,638/female 354,261)

15-64 years: 67% (male 1,497,958/female 1,515,314)

65 years and over: 16.8% (male 288,480/female 465,098) (2006 est.)

Cuba

0-14 years: 19.1% (male 1,117,677/female 1,058,512)

15-64 years: 70.3% (male 4,001,161/female 3,999,303)

65 years and over: 10.6% (male 554,148/female 652,019) (2006 est.)

Cyprus

0-14 years: 20.4% (male 81,776/female 78,272)

15-64 years: 68% (male 270,254/female 263,354)

65 years and over: 11.6% (male 39,536/female 51,109) (2006 est.)

Czech Republic

0-14 years: 14.4% (male 755,098/female 714,703)

15-64 years: 71.2% (male 3,656,021/female 3,629,036)

65 years and over: 14.5% (male 576,264/female 904,333) (2006 est.)

Denmark

0-14 years: 18.7% (male 523,257/female 496,697)

15-64 years: 66.1% (male 1,815,240/female 1,787,406)

65 years and over: 15.2% (male 355,656/female 472,405) (2006 est.)

Djibouti

0-14 years: 43.3% (male 105,760/female 105,068)

15-64 years: 53.3% (male 135,119/female 124,367)

65 years and over: 3.3% (male 8,183/female 8,033) (2006 est.)

Dominica

0-14 years: 26.1% (male 9,084/female 8,885)

15-64 years: 66% (male 23,419/female 22,079)

65 years and over: 7.9% (male 2,186/female 3,257) (2006 est.)

Dominican Republic

0-14 years: 32.6% (male 1,531,145/female

1,464,076)

15-64 years: 61.9% (male 2,902,098/female 2,782,608)

65 years and over: 5.5% (male 235,016/female 269,041) (2006 est.)

East Timor

0-14 years: 36.3% (male 196,293/female 189,956)

15-64 years: 60.6% (male 328,111/female 315,401)

65 years and over: 3.1% (male 16,072/female 16,944) (2006 est.)

Ecuador

0-14 years: 33% (male 2,281,499/female 2,195,551)

15-64 years: 61.9% (male 4,178,653/female 4,210,766)

65 years and over: 5% (male 319,719/female 361,322) (2006 est.)

Egypt

0-14 years: 32.6% (male 13,172,641/female 12,548,346)

15-64 years: 62.9% (male 25,102,754/female 24,519,698)

65 years and over: 4.5% (male 1,510,280/female 2,033,288) (2006 est.)

El Salvador

0-14 years: 36.3% (male 1,265,080/female 1,212,216)

15-64 years: 58.5% (male 1,900,372/female 2,092,251)

65 years and over: 5.2% (male 156,292/female 196,167) (2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

0-14 years: 41.7% (male 113,083/female 111,989)

15-64 years: 54.5% (male 141,914/female 152,645)

65 years and over: 3.8% (male 8,886/female 11,592) (2006 est.)

Eritrea

0-14 years: 44% (male 1,059,458/female 1,046,955)

15-64 years: 52.5% (male 1,244,153/female 1,268,189)

65 years and over: 3.5% (male 82,112/female 86,127) (2006 est.)

Estonia

0-14 years: 15.2% (male 103,367/female 97,587)

15-64 years: 67.6% (male 427,043/female 468,671)

65 years and over: 17.2% (male 75,347/female 152,318) (2006 est.)

Ethiopia

0-14 years: 43.7% (male 16,373,718/female 16,280,766)

15-64 years: 53.6% (male 19,999,482/female 20,077,014)

65 years and over: 2.7% (male 929,349/female 1,117,652) (2006 est.)

European Union

0-14 years: 16.03% (male 37,608,010/female 35,632,351)

15-64 years: 67.17% (male 154,439,536/female 152,479,619)

65 years and over: 16.81% (male 31,515,921/female 45,277,821) (2006

est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

0-14 years: NA

15-64 years: NA

65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)

Faroe Islands

0-14 years: 20.9% (male 4,940/female 4,952)

15-64 years: 65.1% (male 16,247/female 14,522)

65 years and over: 13.9% (male 2,976/female 3,609) (2006 est.)

Fiji

0-14 years: 31.1% (male 143,847/female 138,061)

15-64 years: 64.6% (male 293,072/female 292,312)

65 years and over: 4.3% (male 17,583/female 21,074) (2006 est.)

Finland

0-14 years: 17.1% (male 455,420/female 438,719)

15-64 years: 66.7% (male 1,766,674/female 1,724,858)

65 years and over: 16.2% (male 337,257/female 508,444) (2006 est.)

France

0-14 years: 18.3% (male 5,704,152/female 5,427,213)

15-64 years: 65.3% (male 19,886,228/female 19,860,506)

65 years and over: 16.4% (male 4,103,883/female 5,894,154) (2006

est.)

French Polynesia

0-14 years: 26.1% (male 36,541/female 34,999)

15-64 years: 67.9% (male 96,769/female 89,593)

65 years and over: 6.1% (male 8,428/female 8,248) (2006 est.)

Gabon

0-14 years: 42.1% (male 300,914/female 299,141)

15-64 years: 53.9% (male 383,137/female 384,876)

65 years and over: 4% (male 23,576/female 33,262) (2006 est.)

Gambia, The

0-14 years: 44.3% (male 365,157/female 361,821)

15-64 years: 53% (male 431,627/female 438,159)

65 years and over: 2.7% (male 22,889/female 21,911) (2006 est.)

Gaza Strip

0-14 years: 48.1% (male 351,642/female 335,060)

15-64 years: 49.4% (male 360,147/female 345,318)

65 years and over: 2.6% (male 15,231/female 21,359) (2006 est.)

Georgia

0-14 years: 17.3% (male 428,056/female 380,193)

15-64 years: 66.2% (male 1,482,908/female 1,602,064)

65 years and over: 16.5% (male 308,905/female 459,347) (2006 est.)

Germany

0-14 years: 14.1% (male 5,973,437/female 5,665,971)

15-64 years: 66.4% (male 27,889,936/female 26,874,858)

65 years and over: 19.4% (male 6,602,478/female 9,415,619) (2006

est.)

Ghana

0-14 years: 38.8% (male 4,395,744/female 4,288,720)

15-64 years: 57.7% (male 6,450,828/female 6,483,781)

65 years and over: 3.5% (male 371,428/female 419,071) (2006 est.)

Gibraltar

0-14 years: 17.5% (male 2,499/female 2,388)

15-64 years: 66% (male 9,443/female 8,999)

65 years and over: 16.5% (male 2,059/female 2,540) (2006 est.)

Greece

0-14 years: 14.3% (male 790,291/female 742,902)

15-64 years: 66.7% (male 3,562,251/female 3,566,097)

65 years and over: 19% (male 891,620/female 1,134,897) (2006 est.)

Greenland

0-14 years: 24.5% (male 7,072/female 6,740)

15-64 years: 68.9% (male 20,904/female 17,919)

65 years and over: 6.6% (male 1,768/female 1,958) (2006 est.)

Grenada

0-14 years: 33.4% (male 15,097/female 14,820)

15-64 years: 63.4% (male 30,106/female 26,764)

65 years and over: 3.3% (male 1,394/female 1,522) (2006 est.)

Guam

0-14 years: 29% (male 25,703/female 23,903)

15-64 years: 64.3% (male 56,020/female 53,894)

65 years and over: 6.7% (male 5,391/female 6,108) (2006 est.)

Guatemala

0-14 years: 41.1% (male 2,573,359/female 2,479,098)

15-64 years: 55.5% (male 3,353,630/female 3,468,184)

65 years and over: 3.4% (male 194,784/female 224,490) (2006 est.)

Guernsey

0-14 years: 15% (male 4,998/female 4,842)

15-64 years: 67.1% (male 21,752/female 22,170)

65 years and over: 17.8% (male 4,926/female 6,721) (2006 est.)

Guinea

0-14 years: 44.4% (male 2,171,733/female 2,128,027)

15-64 years: 52.5% (male 2,541,140/female 2,542,847)

65 years and over: 3.2% (male 134,239/female 172,236) (2006 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

0-14 years: 41.4% (male 297,623/female 298,942)

15-64 years: 55.6% (male 384,559/female 417,811)

65 years and over: 3% (male 18,048/female 25,046) (2006 est.)

Guyana

0-14 years: 26.2% (male 102,551/female 98,772)

15-64 years: 68.6% (male 265,193/female 260,892)

65 years and over: 5.2% (male 17,043/female 22,794) (2006 est.)

Haiti

0-14 years: 42.4% (male 1,770,523/female 1,749,853)

15-64 years: 54.2% (male 2,201,957/female 2,301,886)

65 years and over: 3.4% (male 125,298/female 158,987) (2006 est.)

Honduras

0-14 years: 39.9% (male 1,491,170/female 1,429,816)

15-64 years: 56.7% (male 2,076,727/female 2,077,975)

65 years and over: 3.4% (male 113,747/female 137,061) (2006 est.)

Hong Kong

0-14 years: 13.5% (male 488,607/female 445,593)

15-64 years: 73.7% (male 2,495,679/female 2,620,336)

65 years and over: 12.8% (male 413,031/female 477,186) (2006 est.)

Hungary

0-14 years: 15.6% (male 799,163/female 755,389)

15-64 years: 69.2% (male 3,403,375/female 3,505,640)

65 years and over: 15.2% (male 550,297/female 967,470) (2006 est.)

Iceland

0-14 years: 21.7% (male 33,021/female 32,021)

15-64 years: 66.5% (male 100,944/female 98,239)

65 years and over: 11.7% (male 15,876/female 19,287) (2006 est.)

India

0-14 years: 30.8% (male 173,478,760/female 163,852,827)

15-64 years: 64.3% (male 363,876,219/female 340,181,764)

65 years and over: 4.9% (male 27,258,020/female 26,704,405) (2006

est.)

Indonesia

0-14 years: 28.8% (male 35,995,919/female 34,749,582)

15-64 years: 65.8% (male 80,796,794/female 80,754,238)

65 years and over: 5.4% (male 5,737,473/female 7,418,733) (2006 est.)

Iran

0-14 years: 26.1% (male 9,204,785/female 8,731,429)

15-64 years: 69% (male 24,133,919/female 23,245,255)

65 years and over: 4.9% (male 1,653,827/female 1,719,218) (2006 est.)

Iraq

0-14 years: 39.7% (male 5,398,645/female 5,231,760)

15-64 years: 57.3% (male 7,776,257/female 7,576,726)

65 years and over: 3% (male 376,700/female 423,295) (2006 est.)

Ireland

0-14 years: 20.9% (male 437,903/female 409,774)

15-64 years: 67.6% (male 1,373,771/female 1,370,452)

65 years and over: 11.6% (male 207,859/female 262,476) (2006 est.)

Isle of Man

0-14 years: 17.3% (male 6,669/female 6,350)

15-64 years: 65.7% (male 24,884/female 24,678)

65 years and over: 17% (male 5,197/female 7,663) (2006 est.)

Israel

0-14 years: 26.3% (male 855,054/female 815,619)

15-64 years: 63.9% (male 2,044,135/female 2,016,647)

65 years and over: 9.8% (male 266,671/female 353,991) (2006 est.)

Italy

0-14 years: 13.8% (male 4,147,149/female 3,899,980)

15-64 years: 66.5% (male 19,530,512/female 19,105,841)

65 years and over: 19.7% (male 4,771,858/female 6,678,169) (2006

est.)

Jamaica

0-14 years: 33.1% (male 464,297/female 449,181)

15-64 years: 59.6% (male 808,718/female 835,394)

65 years and over: 7.3% (male 90,100/female 110,434) (2006 est.)

Japan

0-14 years: 14.2% (male 9,309,524/female 8,849,476)

15-64 years: 65.7% (male 42,158,122/female 41,611,754)

65 years and over: 20% (male 10,762,585/female 14,772,150) (2006

est.)

Jersey

0-14 years: 17.2% (male 8,139/female 7,552)

15-64 years: 67.1% (male 30,407/female 30,691)

65 years and over: 15.7% (male 6,299/female 7,996) (2006 est.)

Jordan

0-14 years: 33.8% (male 1,018,070/female 976,442)

15-64 years: 62.4% (male 1,966,794/female 1,716,255)

65 years and over: 3.9% (male 111,636/female 117,563) (2006 est.)

Kazakhstan

0-14 years: 23% (male 1,792,685/female 1,717,294)

15-64 years: 68.8% (male 5,122,027/female 5,357,819)

65 years and over: 8.2% (male 438,541/female 804,878) (2006 est.)

Kenya

0-14 years: 42.6% (male 7,454,765/female 7,322,130)

15-64 years: 55.1% (male 9,631,488/female 9,508,068)

65 years and over: 2.3% (male 359,354/female 432,012) (2006 est.)

Kiribati

0-14 years: 38.6% (male 20,608/female 20,060)

15-64 years: 58.1% (male 30,216/female 31,004)

65 years and over: 3.4% (male 1,517/female 2,027) (2006 est.)

Korea, North

0-14 years: 23.8% (male 2,788,944/female 2,708,331)

15-64 years: 68% (male 7,762,442/female 7,955,522)

65 years and over: 8.2% (male 667,792/female 1,229,988) (2006 est.)

Korea, South

0-14 years: 18.9% (male 4,844,083/female 4,368,139)

15-64 years: 71.9% (male 17,886,148/female 17,250,862)

65 years and over: 9.2% (male 1,818,677/female 2,678,914) (2006 est.)

Kuwait

0-14 years: 26.9% (male 331,768/female 319,895)

15-64 years: 70.3% (male 1,085,721/female 613,746)

65 years and over: 2.8% (male 42,460/female 24,803) (2006 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

0-14 years: 30.9% (male 821,976/female 789,687)

15-64 years: 62.9% (male 1,607,396/female 1,669,612)

65 years and over: 6.2% (male 126,847/female 198,380) (2006 est.)

Laos

0-14 years: 41.4% (male 1,324,207/female 1,313,454)

15-64 years: 55.4% (male 1,744,206/female 1,786,139)

65 years and over: 3.1% (male 89,451/female 111,024) (2006 est.)

Latvia

0-14 years: 14% (male 162,562/female 155,091)

15-64 years: 69.6% (male 769,004/female 815,042)

65 years and over: 16.4% (male 121,646/female 251,390) (2006 est.)

Lebanon

0-14 years: 26.5% (male 523,220/female 502,372)

15-64 years: 66.6% (male 1,235,915/female 1,342,540)

65 years and over: 7% (male 122,155/female 147,848) (2006 est.)

Lesotho

0-14 years: 36.8% (male 374,102/female 369,527)

15-64 years: 58.3% (male 572,957/female 606,846)

65 years and over: 4.9% (male 39,461/female 59,438) (2006 est.)

Liberia

0-14 years: 43.1% (male 656,016/female 653,734)

15-64 years: 54.2% (male 816,443/female 832,152)

65 years and over: 2.8% (male 40,591/female 43,068) (2006 est.)

Libya

0-14 years: 33.6% (male 1,012,748/female 969,978)

15-64 years: 62.2% (male 1,891,643/female 1,778,621)

65 years and over: 4.2% (male 121,566/female 126,198) (2006 est.)

Liechtenstein

0-14 years: 17.4% (male 2,922/female 2,988)

15-64 years: 70.2% (male 11,842/female 12,022)

65 years and over: 12.4% (male 1,773/female 2,440) (2006 est.)

Lithuania

0-14 years: 15.5% (male 284,888/female 270,458)

15-64 years: 69.1% (male 1,210,557/female 1,265,542)

65 years and over: 15.5% (male 190,496/female 363,965) (2006 est.)

Luxembourg

0-14 years: 18.9% (male 46,118/female 43,356)

15-64 years: 66.5% (male 159,498/female 156,075)

65 years and over: 14.6% (male 28,027/female 41,339) (2006 est.)

Macau

0-14 years: 16.2% (male 37,934/female 35,412)

15-64 years: 75.9% (male 163,975/female 179,830)

65 years and over: 7.9% (male 15,099/female 20,875) (2006 est.)

Macedonia

0-14 years: 20.1% (male 213,486/female 199,127)

15-64 years: 68.9% (male 711,853/female 701,042)

65 years and over: 11% (male 98,618/female 126,428) (2006 est.)

Madagascar

0-14 years: 44.8% (male 4,171,821/female 4,158,288)

15-64 years: 52.2% (male 4,809,173/female 4,900,675)

65 years and over: 3% (male 249,414/female 306,098) (2006 est.)

Malawi

0-14 years: 46.5% (male 3,056,522/female 3,000,493)

15-64 years: 50.8% (male 3,277,573/female 3,332,907)

65 years and over: 2.7% (male 139,953/female 206,478) (2006 est.)

Malaysia

0-14 years: 32.6% (male 4,093,859/female 3,862,730)

15-64 years: 62.6% (male 7,660,680/female 7,613,537)

65 years and over: 4.7% (male 509,260/female 645,792) (2006 est.)

Maldives

0-14 years: 43.4% (male 80,113/female 75,763)

15-64 years: 53.5% (male 98,040/female 94,029)

65 years and over: 3.1% (male 5,477/female 5,586) (2006 est.)

Mali

0-14 years: 48.2% (male 2,857,670/female 2,787,506)

15-64 years: 48.8% (male 2,804,344/female 2,910,097)

65 years and over: 3% (male 146,458/female 210,754) (2006 est.)

Malta

0-14 years: 17.1% (male 35,264/female 33,368)

15-64 years: 69.1% (male 139,890/female 136,767)

65 years and over: 13.7% (male 23,554/female 31,371) (2006 est.)

Marshall Islands

0-14 years: 38.1% (male 11,720/female 11,295)

15-64 years: 59.2% (male 18,305/female 17,445)

65 years and over: 2.7% (male 801/female 856) (2006 est.)

Mauritania

0-14 years: 45.6% (male 726,376/female 723,013)

15-64 years: 52.2% (male 818,408/female 839,832)

65 years and over: 2.2% (male 28,042/female 41,717) (2006 est.)

Mauritius

0-14 years: 23.9% (male 149,486/female 147,621)

15-64 years: 69.5% (male 430,288/female 431,753)

65 years and over: 6.6% (male 31,939/female 49,740) (2006 est.)

Mayotte

0-14 years: 46% (male 46,512/female 46,067)

15-64 years: 52.3% (male 56,899/female 48,274)

65 years and over: 1.7% (male 1,756/female 1,726) (2006 est.)

Mexico

0-14 years: 30.6% (male 16,770,957/female 16,086,172)

15-64 years: 63.6% (male 33,071,809/female 35,316,281)

65 years and over: 5.8% (male 2,814,707/female 3,389,599) (2006 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of 0-14 years: 36.6% (male 20,116/female 19,391) 15-64 years: 60.4% (male 32,620/female 32,659) 65 years and over: 3% (male 1,413/female 1,805) (2006 est.)

Moldova

0-14 years: 20% (male 455,673/female 438,934)

15-64 years: 69.7% (male 1,498,078/female 1,613,489)

65 years and over: 10.3% (male 170,456/female 290,076) (2006 est.)

Monaco

0-14 years: 15.2% (male 2,539/female 2,417)

15-64 years: 62.1% (male 9,959/female 10,266)

65 years and over: 22.6% (male 3,015/female 4,347) (2006 est.)

Mongolia

0-14 years: 27.9% (male 402,448/female 387,059)

15-64 years: 68.4% (male 967,546/female 969,389)

65 years and over: 3.7% (male 45,859/female 59,923) (2006 est.)

Montserrat

0-14 years: 23.3% (male 1,125/female 1,079)

15-64 years: 65.7% (male 2,957/female 3,245)

65 years and over: 10.9% (male 532/female 501) (2006 est.)

Morocco

0-14 years: 31.6% (male 5,343,976/female 5,145,019)

15-64 years: 63.4% (male 10,505,018/female 10,580,599)

65 years and over: 5% (male 725,116/female 941,531) (2006 est.)

Mozambique

0-14 years: 42.7% (male 4,229,802/female 4,177,235)

15-64 years: 54.5% (male 5,207,149/female 5,519,291)

65 years and over: 2.8% (male 230,616/female 322,412) (2006 est.)

Namibia

0-14 years: 38.2% (male 393,878/female 387,147)

15-64 years: 58.1% (male 596,557/female 591,350)

65 years and over: 3.7% (male 34,245/female 40,970) (2006 est.)

Nauru

0-14 years: 36.9% (male 2,507/female 2,391)

15-64 years: 61.2% (male 4,004/female 4,123)

65 years and over: 2% (male 139/female 123) (2006 est.)

Nepal

0-14 years: 38.7% (male 5,648,959/female 5,291,447)

15-64 years: 57.6% (male 8,365,526/female 7,925,941)

65 years and over: 3.7% (male 513,777/female 541,497) (2006 est.)

Netherlands

0-14 years: 18% (male 1,515,123/female 1,445,390)

15-64 years: 67.8% (male 5,656,448/female 5,525,481)

65 years and over: 14.2% (male 994,723/female 1,354,296) (2006 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

0-14 years: 23.9% (male 27,197/female 25,886)

15-64 years: 67.3% (male 71,622/female 77,710)

65 years and over: 8.7% (male 7,925/female 11,396) (2006 est.)

New Caledonia

0-14 years: 28.4% (male 31,818/female 30,503)

15-64 years: 64.9% (male 71,565/female 70,815)

65 years and over: 6.6% (male 6,773/female 7,772) (2006 est.)

New Zealand

0-14 years: 21.1% (male 439,752/female 419,174)

15-64 years: 67.1% (male 1,374,850/female 1,361,570)

65 years and over: 11.8% (male 210,365/female 270,429) (2006 est.)

Nicaragua

0-14 years: 36.4% (male 1,031,897/female 994,633)

15-64 years: 60.5% (male 1,677,633/female 1,691,353)

65 years and over: 3.1% (male 76,758/female 97,855) (2006 est.)

Niger

0-14 years: 46.9% (male 2,994,022/female 2,882,273)

15-64 years: 50.7% (male 3,262,114/female 3,083,522)

65 years and over: 2.4% (male 150,982/female 152,181) (2006 est.)

Nigeria

0-14 years: 42.3% (male 28,089,017/female 27,665,212)

15-64 years: 54.6% (male 36,644,885/female 35,405,915)

65 years and over: 3.1% (male 1,930,007/female 2,124,695) (2006 est.)

Niue

0-14 years: NA

15-64 years: NA

65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)

Norfolk Island

0-14 years: 20.2%

15-64 years: 63.9%

65 years and over: 15.9% (2006 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands

0-14 years: 19.4% (male 8,350/female 7,623)

15-64 years: 79% (male 26,715/female 38,442)

65 years and over: 1.6% (male 679/female 650) (2006 est.)

Norway

0-14 years: 19.3% (male 455,122/female 434,009)

15-64 years: 65.9% (male 1,542,439/female 1,496,745)

65 years and over: 14.8% (male 288,509/female 393,996) (2006 est.)

Oman

0-14 years: 42.7% (male 675,423/female 648,963)

15-64 years: 54.7% (male 1,001,917/female 695,578)

65 years and over: 2.6% (male 44,300/female 36,048) (2006 est.)

Pakistan

0-14 years: 39% (male 33,293,428/female 31,434,314)

15-64 years: 56.9% (male 48,214,298/female 46,062,933)

65 years and over: 4.1% (male 3,256,065/female 3,542,522) (2006 est.)

Palau

0-14 years: 26.3% (male 2,789/female 2,622)

15-64 years: 69.1% (male 7,664/female 6,549)

65 years and over: 4.6% (male 453/female 502) (2006 est.)

Panama

0-14 years: 30.3% (male 492,403/female 472,996)

15-64 years: 63.4% (male 1,025,898/female 998,926)

65 years and over: 6.3% (male 94,122/female 106,974) (2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea

0-14 years: 37.8% (male 1,090,879/female 1,054,743)

15-64 years: 58.3% (male 1,703,204/female 1,601,224)

65 years and over: 3.9% (male 103,054/female 117,440) (2006 est.)

Paraguay

0-14 years: 37.7% (male 1,245,149/female 1,204,970)

15-64 years: 57.5% (male 1,878,761/female 1,862,266)

65 years and over: 4.8% (male 145,899/female 169,419) (2006 est.)

Peru

0-14 years: 30.9% (male 4,456,195/female 4,300,233)

15-64 years: 63.7% (male 9,078,123/female 8,961,981)

65 years and over: 5.3% (male 709,763/female 796,308) (2006 est.)

Philippines

0-14 years: 35% (male 15,961,365/female 15,340,065)

15-64 years: 61% (male 27,173,919/female 27,362,736)

65 years and over: 4.1% (male 1,576,089/female 2,054,503) (2006 est.)

Pitcairn Islands

0-14 years: NA

15-64 years: NA

65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)

Poland

0-14 years: 15.9% (male 3,142,811/female 2,976,363)

15-64 years: 70.8% (male 13,585,306/female 13,704,763)

65 years and over: 13.3% (male 1,961,326/female 3,166,300) (2006

est.)

Portugal

0-14 years: 16.5% (male 915,604/female 839,004)

15-64 years: 66.3% (male 3,484,545/female 3,544,674)

65 years and over: 17.2% (male 751,899/female 1,070,144) (2006 est.)

Puerto Rico

0-14 years: 21.3% (male 428,610/female 409,484)

15-64 years: 65.8% (male 1,239,255/female 1,345,519)

65 years and over: 12.8% (male 218,045/female 286,275) (2006 est.)

Qatar

0-14 years: 23.4% (male 105,546/female 101,371)

15-64 years: 73% (male 446,779/female 199,133)

65 years and over: 3.7% (male 24,059/female 8,471) (2006 est.)

Romania

0-14 years: 15.7% (male 1,799,072/female 1,708,030)

15-64 years: 69.6% (male 7,724,368/female 7,797,065)

65 years and over: 14.7% (male 1,347,392/female 1,927,625) (2006

est.)

Russia

0-14 years: 14.2% (male 10,441,151/female 9,921,102)

15-64 years: 71.3% (male 49,271,698/female 52,679,463)

65 years and over: 14.4% (male 6,500,814/female 14,079,312) (2006

est.)

Rwanda

0-14 years: 41.9% (male 1,817,998/female 1,802,134)

15-64 years: 55.6% (male 2,392,778/female 2,417,467)

65 years and over: 2.5% (male 87,325/female 130,546) (2006 est.)

Saint Helena

0-14 years: 18.8% (male 717/female 692)

15-64 years: 71.2% (male 2,751/female 2,593)

65 years and over: 10% (male 342/female 407) (2006 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

0-14 years: 27.5% (male 5,515/female 5,263)

15-64 years: 64.3% (male 12,605/female 12,572)

65 years and over: 8.1% (male 1,313/female 1,861) (2006 est.)

Saint Lucia

0-14 years: 29.8% (male 25,941/female 24,319)

15-64 years: 65% (male 53,916/female 55,582)

65 years and over: 5.2% (male 3,186/female 5,514) (2006 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

0-14 years: 23.5% (male 843/female 807)

15-64 years: 65.7% (male 2,342/female 2,272)

65 years and over: 10.8% (male 348/female 414) (2006 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0-14 years: 26.7% (male 16,007/female 15,426) 15-64 years: 66.9% (male 40,676/female 38,155) 65 years and over: 6.4% (male 3,315/female 4,269) (2006 est.)

Samoa

0-14 years: 26.1% (male 23,492/female 22,653)

15-64 years: 67.3% (male 74,202/female 44,894)

65 years and over: 6.6% (male 5,299/female 6,368) (2006 est.)

San Marino

0-14 years: 16.8% (male 2,534/female 2,372)

15-64 years: 66.2% (male 9,316/female 10,055)

65 years and over: 17% (male 2,149/female 2,825) (2006 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe

0-14 years: 47.5% (male 46,478/female 45,302)

15-64 years: 48.8% (male 45,631/female 48,661)

65 years and over: 3.8% (male 3,368/female 3,973) (2006 est.)

Saudi Arabia

0-14 years: 38.2% (male 5,261,530/female 5,059,041)

15-64 years: 59.4% (male 9,159,519/female 6,895,616)

65 years and over: 2.4% (male 342,020/female 302,005) (2006 est.)

Senegal

0-14 years: 40.8% (male 2,467,021/female 2,422,385)

15-64 years: 56.1% (male 3,346,756/female 3,378,518)

65 years and over: 3.1% (male 174,399/female 198,042) (2006 est.)

Seychelles

0-14 years: 25.9% (male 10,667/female 10,440)

15-64 years: 68% (male 27,060/female 28,366)

65 years and over: 6.1% (male 1,607/female 3,401) (2006 est.)

Sierra Leone

0-14 years: 44.8% (male 1,321,563/female 1,370,721)

15-64 years: 52% (male 1,494,502/female 1,625,733)

65 years and over: 3.2% (male 90,958/female 101,773) (2006 est.)

Singapore

0-14 years: 15.6% (male 362,329/female 337,964)

15-64 years: 76.1% (male 1,666,709/female 1,750,736)

65 years and over: 8.3% (male 165,823/female 208,589) (2006 est.)

Slovakia

0-14 years: 16.7% (male 465,304/female 443,967)

15-64 years: 71.3% (male 1,929,448/female 1,947,735)

65 years and over: 12% (male 244,609/female 408,385) (2006 est.)

Slovenia

0-14 years: 13.8% (male 143,079/female 135,050)

15-64 years: 70.5% (male 714,393/female 702,950)

65 years and over: 15.7% (male 121,280/female 193,595) (2006 est.)

Solomon Islands

0-14 years: 41.3% (male 116,370/female 111,834)

15-64 years: 55.4% (male 154,793/female 151,308)

65 years and over: 3.3% (male 8,696/female 9,437) (2006 est.)

Somalia

0-14 years: 44.4% (male 1,973,294/female 1,961,083)

15-64 years: 53% (male 2,355,861/female 2,342,988)

65 years and over: 2.6% (male 97,307/female 132,805) (2006 est.)

South Africa

0-14 years: 29.7% (male 6,603,220/female 6,525,810)

15-64 years: 65% (male 13,955,950/female 14,766,843)

65 years and over: 5.3% (male 905,870/female 1,429,944) (2006 est.)

Spain

0-14 years: 14.4% (male 3,000,686/female 2,821,325)

15-64 years: 67.8% (male 13,751,963/female 13,653,426)

65 years and over: 17.7% (male 2,993,496/female 4,176,946) (2006

est.)

Sri Lanka

0-14 years: 24.1% (male 2,488,689/female 2,379,233)

15-64 years: 68.6% (male 6,727,399/female 7,140,751)

65 years and over: 7.3% (male 687,842/female 798,326) (2006 est.)

Sudan

0-14 years: 42.7% (male 8,993,483/female 8,614,022)

15-64 years: 54.9% (male 11,327,679/female 11,297,798)

65 years and over: 2.4% (male 536,754/female 466,642) (2006 est.)

Suriname

0-14 years: 29% (male 65,412/female 62,069)

15-64 years: 64.7% (male 145,913/female 138,076)

65 years and over: 6.3% (male 12,223/female 15,424) (2006 est.)

Svalbard

0-14 years: NA

15-64 years: NA

65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)

Swaziland

0-14 years: 40.7% (male 233,169/female 229,103)

15-64 years: 55.8% (male 303,260/female 330,460)

65 years and over: 3.6% (male 16,071/female 24,271) (2006 est.)

Sweden

0-14 years: 16.7% (male 775,433/female 732,773)

15-64 years: 65.7% (male 3,001,928/female 2,918,242)

65 years and over: 17.6% (male 689,756/female 898,464) (2006 est.)

Switzerland

0-14 years: 16.3% (male 637,585/female 591,297)

15-64 years: 68.1% (male 2,585,062/female 2,539,345)

65 years and over: 15.6% (male 480,198/female 690,447) (2006 est.)

Syria

0-14 years: 37% (male 3,592,915/female 3,384,722)

15-64 years: 59.7% (male 5,779,257/female 5,500,887)

65 years and over: 3.3% (male 296,070/female 327,510) (2006 est.)

Taiwan

0-14 years: 19.4% (male 2,330,951/female 2,140,965)

15-64 years: 70.8% (male 8,269,421/female 8,040,169)

65 years and over: 9.8% (male 1,123,429/female 1,131,152) (2006 est.)

Tajikistan

0-14 years: 37.9% (male 1,396,349/female 1,375,168)

15-64 years: 57.4% (male 2,091,476/female 2,108,889)

65 years and over: 4.8% (male 154,162/female 194,771) (2006 est.)

Tanzania

0-14 years: 43.7% (male 8,204,593/female 8,176,489)

15-64 years: 53.6% (male 9,906,446/female 10,178,066)

65 years and over: 2.6% (male 422,674/female 557,124) (2006 est.)

Thailand

0-14 years: 22% (male 7,284,068/female 6,958,632)

15-64 years: 70% (male 22,331,312/female 22,880,588)

65 years and over: 8% (male 2,355,190/female 2,821,805) (2006 est.)

Togo

0-14 years: 42.3% (male 1,177,141/female 1,169,321)

15-64 years: 55.1% (male 1,485,621/female 1,570,117)

65 years and over: 2.6% (male 59,870/female 86,632) (2006 est.)

Tokelau

0-14 years: 42%

15-64 years: 53%

65 years and over: 5% (2006 est.)

Tonga

0-14 years: 35.3% (male 20,679/female 19,843)

15-64 years: 60.5% (male 34,399/female 34,964)

65 years and over: 4.2% (male 2,059/female 2,745) (2006 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

0-14 years: 20.1% (male 109,936/female 104,076)

15-64 years: 71.3% (male 398,657/female 361,093)

65 years and over: 8.6% (male 41,162/female 50,918) (2006 est.)

Tunisia

0-14 years: 24.6% (male 1,293,235/female 1,212,994)

15-64 years: 68.6% (male 3,504,283/female 3,478,268)

65 years and over: 6.7% (male 327,521/female 358,713) (2006 est.)

Turkey

0-14 years: 25.5% (male 9,133,226/female 8,800,070)

15-64 years: 67.7% (male 24,218,277/female 23,456,761)

65 years and over: 6.8% (male 2,198,073/female 2,607,551) (2006 est.)

Turkmenistan

0-14 years: 35.2% (male 913,988/female 863,503)

15-64 years: 60.7% (male 1,501,486/female 1,557,155)

65 years and over: 4.1% (male 79,227/female 127,561) (2006 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

0-14 years: 31.9% (male 3,432/female 3,312)

15-64 years: 64.4% (male 7,155/female 6,457)

65 years and over: 3.8% (male 362/female 434) (2006 est.)

Tuvalu

0-14 years: 30.2% (male 1,819/female 1,752)

15-64 years: 64.7% (male 3,715/female 3,923)

65 years and over: 5.1% (male 228/female 373) (2006 est.)

Uganda

0-14 years: 50% (male 7,091,763/female 6,996,385)

15-64 years: 47.8% (male 6,762,071/female 6,727,230)

65 years and over: 2.2% (male 266,931/female 351,374) (2006 est.)

Ukraine

0-14 years: 14.1% (male 3,377,868/female 3,203,738)

15-64 years: 69.3% (male 15,559,998/female 16,831,486)

65 years and over: 16.6% (male 2,635,651/female 5,102,075) (2006

est.)

United Arab Emirates

0-14 years: 24.9% (male 331,012/female 317,643)

15-64 years: 71.2% (male 1,125,286/female 726,689)

65 years and over: 3.9% (male 74,700/female 27,383)

note: 73.9% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national

(2006 est.)

United Kingdom

0-14 years: 17.5% (male 5,417,663/female 5,161,714)

15-64 years: 66.8% (male 20,476,571/female 19,988,959)

65 years and over: 15.8% (male 4,087,020/female 5,477,226) (2006

est.)

United States

0-14 years: 20.4% (male 31,095,847/female 29,715,872)

15-64 years: 67.2% (male 100,022,845/female 100,413,484)

65 years and over: 12.5% (male 15,542,288/female 21,653,879) (2006

est.)

Uruguay

0-14 years: 22.9% (male 399,409/female 386,136)

15-64 years: 63.9% (male 1,087,180/female 1,104,465)

65 years and over: 13.3% (male 185,251/female 269,491) (2006 est.)

Uzbekistan

0-14 years: 32.9% (male 4,572,721/female 4,403,405)

15-64 years: 62.3% (male 8,420,174/female 8,594,478)

65 years and over: 4.8% (male 539,336/female 777,020) (2006 est.)

Vanuatu

0-14 years: 32.6% (male 34,804/female 33,331)

15-64 years: 63.7% (male 67,919/female 65,138)

65 years and over: 3.7% (male 4,027/female 3,650) (2006 est.)

Venezuela

0-14 years: 29.1% (male 3,860,116/female 3,620,440)

15-64 years: 65.7% (male 8,494,944/female 8,410,874)

65 years and over: 5.2% (male 609,101/female 734,960) (2006 est.)

Vietnam

0-14 years: 27% (male 11,826,457/female 10,983,069)

15-64 years: 67.1% (male 28,055,941/female 28,614,553)

65 years and over: 5.8% (male 1,924,562/female 2,998,384) (2006 est.)

Virgin Islands

0-14 years: 22.4% (male 12,261/female 12,056)

15-64 years: 66.4% (male 34,174/female 37,949)

65 years and over: 11.2% (male 5,385/female 6,780) (2006 est.)

Wallis and Futuna

0-14 years: NA

15-64 years: NA

65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)

West Bank

0-14 years: 42.9% (male 541,110/female 515,202)

15-64 years: 53.7% (male 676,427/female 644,347)

65 years and over: 3.4% (male 35,440/female 47,966) (2006 est.)

Western Sahara

0-14 years: NA

15-64 years: NA

65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)

World

0-14 years: 27.4% (male 919,219,446/female 870,242,271)

15-64 years: 65.2% (male 2,152,066,888/female 2,100,334,722)

65 years and over: 7.4% (male 213,160,216/female 270,146,721)

note: some countries do not maintain age structure information, thus

a slight discrepancy exists between the total world population and

the total for world age structure (2006 est.)

Yemen

0-14 years: 46.4% (male 5,067,762/female 4,881,333)

15-64 years: 51% (male 5,568,078/female 5,375,263)

65 years and over: 2.6% (male 275,878/female 287,874) (2006 est.)

Zambia

0-14 years: 46.3% (male 2,673,891/female 2,656,268)

15-64 years: 51.3% (male 2,925,910/female 2,969,324)

65 years and over: 2.4% (male 117,877/female 158,740) (2006 est.)

Zimbabwe

0-14 years: 37.4% (male 2,307,170/female 2,265,298)

15-64 years: 59.1% (male 3,616,528/female 3,621,190)

65 years and over: 3.5% (male 199,468/female 227,151) (2006 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2011 Geographic coordinates

Afghanistan

33 00 N, 65 00 E

Akrotiri

34 37 N, 32 58 E

Albania

41 00 N, 20 00 E

Algeria

28 00 N, 3 00 E

American Samoa

14 20 S, 170 00 W

Andorra

42 30 N, 1 30 E

Angola

12 30 S, 18 30 E

Anguilla

18 15 N, 63 10 W

Antarctica

90 00 S, 0 00 E

Antigua and Barbuda

17 03 N, 61 48 W

Arctic Ocean

90 00 N, 0 00 E

Argentina

34 00 S, 64 00 W

Armenia

40 00 N, 45 00 E

Aruba

12 30 N, 69 58 W

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

12 14 S, 123 05 E

Atlantic Ocean

0 00 N, 25 00 W

Australia

27 00 S, 133 00 E

Austria

47 20 N, 13 20 E

Azerbaijan

40 30 N, 47 30 E

Bahamas, The

24 15 N, 76 00 W

Bahrain

26 00 N, 50 33 E

Baker Island

0 13 N, 176 28 W

Bangladesh

24 00 N, 90 00 E

Barbados

13 10 N, 59 32 W

Bassas da India

21 30 S, 39 50 E

Belarus

53 00 N, 28 00 E

Belgium

50 50 N, 4 00 E

Belize

17 15 N, 88 45 W

Benin

9 30 N, 2 15 E

Bermuda

32 20 N, 64 45 W

Bhutan

27 30 N, 90 30 E

Bolivia

17 00 S, 65 00 W

Bosnia and Herzegovina

44 00 N, 18 00 E

Botswana

22 00 S, 24 00 E

Bouvet Island

54 26 S, 3 24 E

Brazil

10 00 S, 55 00 W

British Indian Ocean Territory 6 00 S, 71 30 E; note - Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 E

British Virgin Islands

18 30 N, 64 30 W

Brunei

4 30 N, 114 40 E

Bulgaria

43 00 N, 25 00 E

Burkina Faso

13 00 N, 2 00 W

Burma

22 00 N, 98 00 E

Burundi

3 30 S, 30 00 E

Cambodia

13 00 N, 105 00 E

Cameroon

6 00 N, 12 00 E

Canada

60 00 N, 95 00 W

Cape Verde

16 00 N, 24 00 W

Cayman Islands

19 30 N, 80 30 W

Central African Republic

7 00 N, 21 00 E

Chad

15 00 N, 19 00 E

Chile

30 00 S, 71 00 W

China

35 00 N, 105 00 E

Christmas Island

10 30 S, 105 40 E

Clipperton Island

10 17 N, 109 13 W

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

12 30 S, 96 50 E

Colombia

4 00 N, 72 00 W

Comoros

12 10 S, 44 15 E

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

0 00 N, 25 00 E

Congo, Republic of the

1 00 S, 15 00 E

Cook Islands

21 14 S, 159 46 W

Coral Sea Islands

18 00 S, 152 00 E

Costa Rica

10 00 N, 84 00 W

Cote d'Ivoire

8 00 N, 5 00 W

Croatia

45 10 N, 15 30 E

Cuba

21 30 N, 80 00 W

Cyprus

35 00 N, 33 00 E

Czech Republic

49 45 N, 15 30 E

Denmark

56 00 N, 10 00 E

Dhekelia

34 59 N, 33 45 E

Djibouti

11 30 N, 43 00 E

Dominica

15 25 N, 61 20 W

Dominican Republic

19 00 N, 70 40 W

East Timor

8 50 S, 125 55 E

Ecuador

2 00 S, 77 30 W

Egypt

27 00 N, 30 00 E

El Salvador

13 50 N, 88 55 W

Equatorial Guinea

2 00 N, 10 00 E

Eritrea

15 00 N, 39 00 E

Estonia

59 00 N, 26 00 E

Ethiopia

8 00 N, 38 00 E

Europa Island

22 20 S, 40 22 E

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

51 45 S, 59 00 W

Faroe Islands

62 00 N, 7 00 W

Fiji

18 00 S, 175 00 E

Finland

64 00 N, 26 00 E

France

46 00 N, 2 00 E

French Guiana: 4 00 N, 53 00 W

Guadeloupe: 16 15 N, 61 35 W

Martinique: 14 40 N, 61 00 W

Reunion: 21 06 S, 55 36 E

French Polynesia

15 00 S, 140 00 W

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

43 00 S, 67 00 E

Gabon

1 00 S, 11 45 E

Gambia, The

13 28 N, 16 34 W

Gaza Strip

31 25 N, 34 20 E

Georgia

42 00 N, 43 30 E

Germany

51 00 N, 9 00 E

Ghana

8 00 N, 2 00 W

Gibraltar

36 8 N, 5 21 W

Glorioso Islands

11 30 S, 47 20 E

Greece

39 00 N, 22 00 E

Greenland

72 00 N, 40 00 W

Grenada

12 07 N, 61 40 W

Guam

13 28 N, 144 47 E

Guatemala

15 30 N, 90 15 W

Guernsey

49 28 N, 2 35 W

Guinea

11 00 N, 10 00 W

Guinea-Bissau

12 00 N, 15 00 W

Guyana

5 00 N, 59 00 W

Haiti

19 00 N, 72 25 W

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

53 06 S, 72 31 E

Holy See (Vatican City)

41 54 N, 12 27 E

Honduras

15 00 N, 86 30 W

Hong Kong

22 15 N, 114 10 E

Howland Island

0 48 N, 176 38 W

Hungary

47 00 N, 20 00 E

Iceland

65 00 N, 18 00 W

Iles Eparses

Bassas da India: 21 30 S, 39 50 E

Europa Island: 22 20 S, 40 22 E

Glorioso Islands: 11 30 S, 47 20 E

Juan de Nova Island: 17 03 S, 42 45 E

Tromelin Island: 15 52 S, 54 25 E

India

20 00 N, 77 00 E

Indian Ocean

20 00 S, 80 00 E

Indonesia

5 00 S, 120 00 E

Iran

32 00 N, 53 00 E

Iraq

33 00 N, 44 00 E

Ireland

53 00 N, 8 00 W

Isle of Man

54 15 N, 4 30 W

Israel

31 30 N, 34 45 E

Italy

42 50 N, 12 50 E

Jamaica

18 15 N, 77 30 W

Jan Mayen

71 00 N, 8 00 W

Japan

36 00 N, 138 00 E

Jarvis Island

0 22 S, 160 01 W

Jersey

49 15 N, 2 10 W

Johnston Atoll

16 45 N, 169 31 W

Jordan

31 00 N, 36 00 E

Juan de Nova Island

17 03 S, 42 45 E

Kazakhstan

48 00 N, 68 00 E

Kenya

1 00 N, 38 00 E

Kingman Reef

6 24 N, 162 22 W

Kiribati

1 25 N, 173 00 E

Korea, North

40 00 N, 127 00 E

Korea, South

37 00 N, 127 30 E

Kuwait

29 30 N, 45 45 E

Kyrgyzstan

41 00 N, 75 00 E

Laos

18 00 N, 105 00 E

Latvia

57 00 N, 25 00 E

Lebanon

33 50 N, 35 50 E

Lesotho

29 30 S, 28 30 E

Liberia

6 30 N, 9 30 W

Libya

25 00 N, 17 00 E

Liechtenstein

47 16 N, 9 32 E

Lithuania

56 00 N, 24 00 E

Luxembourg

49 45 N, 6 10 E

Macau

22 10 N, 113 33 E

Macedonia

41 50 N, 22 00 E

Madagascar

20 00 S, 47 00 E

Malawi

13 30 S, 34 00 E

Malaysia

2 30 N, 112 30 E

Maldives

3 15 N, 73 00 E

Mali

17 00 N, 4 00 W

Malta

35 50 N, 14 35 E

Marshall Islands

9 00 N, 168 00 E

Mauritania

20 00 N, 12 00 W

Mauritius

20 17 S, 57 33 E

Mayotte

12 50 S, 45 10 E

Mexico

23 00 N, 102 00 W

Micronesia, Federated States of

6 55 N, 158 15 E

Midway Islands

28 12 N, 177 22 W

Moldova

47 00 N, 29 00 E

Monaco

43 44 N, 7 24 E

Mongolia

46 00 N, 105 00 E

Montenegro

42 30 N, 19 18 E

Montserrat

16 45 N, 62 12 W

Morocco

32 00 N, 5 00 W

Mozambique

18 15 S, 35 00 E

Namibia

22 00 S, 17 00 E

Nauru

0 32 S, 166 55 E

Navassa Island

18 25 N, 75 02 W

Nepal

28 00 N, 84 00 E

Netherlands

52 30 N, 5 45 E

Netherlands Antilles

12 15 N, 68 45 W

New Caledonia

21 30 S, 165 30 E

New Zealand

41 00 S, 174 00 E

Nicaragua

13 00 N, 85 00 W

Niger

16 00 N, 8 00 E

Nigeria

10 00 N, 8 00 E

Niue

19 02 S, 169 52 W

Norfolk Island

29 02 S, 167 57 E

Northern Mariana Islands

15 12 N, 145 45 E

Norway

62 00 N, 10 00 E

Oman

21 00 N, 57 00 E

Pacific Ocean

0 00 N, 160 00 W

Pakistan

30 00 N, 70 00 E

Palau

7 30 N, 134 30 E

Palmyra Atoll

5 52 N, 162 04 W

Panama

9 00 N, 80 00 W

Papua New Guinea

6 00 S, 147 00 E

Paracel Islands

16 30 N, 112 00 E

Paraguay

23 00 S, 58 00 W

Peru

10 00 S, 76 00 W

Philippines

13 00 N, 122 00 E

Pitcairn Islands

25 04 S, 130 06 W

Poland

52 00 N, 20 00 E

Portugal

39 30 N, 8 00 W

Puerto Rico

18 15 N, 66 30 W

Qatar

25 30 N, 51 15 E

Romania

46 00 N, 25 00 E

Russia

60 00 N, 100 00 E

Rwanda

2 00 S, 30 00 E

Saint Helena

Saint Helena: 15 57 S, 5 42 W

Ascension Island: 7 57 S, 14 22 W

Tristan da Cunha island group: 37 15 S, 12 30 W

Saint Kitts and Nevis

17 20 N, 62 45 W

Saint Lucia

13 53 N, 60 58 W

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

46 50 N, 56 20 W

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

13 15 N, 61 12 W

Samoa

13 35 S, 172 20 W

San Marino

43 46 N, 12 25 E

Sao Tome and Principe

1 00 N, 7 00 E

Saudi Arabia

25 00 N, 45 00 E

Senegal

14 00 N, 14 00 W

Serbia

44 00 N, 21 00 E

Seychelles

4 35 S, 55 40 E

Sierra Leone

8 30 N, 11 30 W

Singapore

1 22 N, 103 48 E

Slovakia

48 40 N, 19 30 E

Slovenia

46 07 N, 14 49 E

Solomon Islands

8 00 S, 159 00 E

Somalia

10 00 N, 49 00 E

South Africa

29 00 S, 24 00 E

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

54 30 S, 37 00 W

Southern Ocean

60 00 S, 90 00 E (nominally), but the Southern Ocean

has the unique distinction of being a large circumpolar body of

water totally encircling the continent of Antarctica; this ring of

water lies between 60 degrees south latitude and the coast of

Antarctica and encompasses 360 degrees of longitude

Spain

40 00 N, 4 00 W

Spratly Islands

8 38 N, 111 55 E

Sri Lanka

7 00 N, 81 00 E

Sudan

15 00 N, 30 00 E

Suriname

4 00 N, 56 00 W

Svalbard

78 00 N, 20 00 E

Swaziland

26 30 S, 31 30 E

Sweden

62 00 N, 15 00 E

Switzerland

47 00 N, 8 00 E

Syria

35 00 N, 38 00 E

Taiwan

23 30 N, 121 00 E

Tajikistan

39 00 N, 71 00 E

Tanzania

6 00 S, 35 00 E

Thailand

15 00 N, 100 00 E

Togo

8 00 N, 1 10 E

Tokelau

9 00 S, 172 00 W

Tonga

20 00 S, 175 00 W

Trinidad and Tobago

11 00 N, 61 00 W

Tromelin Island

15 52 S, 54 25 E

Tunisia

34 00 N, 9 00 E

Turkey

39 00 N, 35 00 E

Turkmenistan

40 00 N, 60 00 E

Turks and Caicos Islands

21 45 N, 71 35 W

Tuvalu

8 00 S, 178 00 E

Uganda

1 00 N, 32 00 E

Ukraine

49 00 N, 32 00 E

United Arab Emirates

24 00 N, 54 00 E

United Kingdom

54 00 N, 2 00 W

United States

38 00 N, 97 00 W

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Baker Island: 0 13 N,

176 28 W

Howland Island: 0 48 N, 176 38 W

Jarvis Island: 0 23 S, 160 01 W

Johnston Atoll: 16 45 N, 169 31 W

Kingman Reef: 6 23 N, 162 25 W

Midway Islands: 28 12 N, 177 22 W

Palmyra Atoll: 5 53 N, 162 05 W

Uruguay

33 00 S, 56 00 W

Uzbekistan

41 00 N, 64 00 E

Vanuatu

16 00 S, 167 00 E

Venezuela

8 00 N, 66 00 W

Vietnam

16 00 N, 106 00 E

Virgin Islands

18 20 N, 64 50 W

Wake Island

19 17 N, 166 39 E

Wallis and Futuna

13 18 S, 176 12 W

West Bank

32 00 N, 35 15 E

Western Sahara

24 30 N, 13 00 W

Yemen

15 00 N, 48 00 E

Zambia

15 00 S, 30 00 E

Zimbabwe

20 00 S, 30 00 E

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2012 GDP - composition by sector (%)

Afghanistan agriculture: 38% industry: 24% services: 38% note: data exclude opium production (2005 est.)

Albania

agriculture: 23.3%

industry: 18.8%

services: 57.9% (2006 est.)

Algeria

agriculture: 9.4%

industry: 58.1%

services: 32.5% (2006 est.)

American Samoa

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Andorra

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Angola

agriculture: 9.6%

industry: 65.8%

services: 24.6% (2005 est.)

Anguilla

agriculture: 4%

industry: 18%

services: 78% (2002 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

agriculture: 3.8%

industry: 22%

services: 74.3% (2002 est.)

Argentina

agriculture: 9.5%

industry: 35.8%

services: 54.7% (2005 est.)

Armenia

agriculture: 23.9%

industry: 32.8%

services: 43.3% (2006 est.)

Aruba

agriculture: 0.4%

industry: 33.3%

services: 66.3%

Australia

agriculture: 3.8%

industry: 26.2%

services: 70% (2005 est.)

Austria

agriculture: 1.8%

industry: 30.4%

services: 67.8% (2005 est.)

Azerbaijan

agriculture: 14.1%

industry: 45.7%

services: 40.2% (2002 est.)

Bahamas, The

agriculture: 3%

industry: 7%

services: 90% (2001 est.)

Bahrain

agriculture: 0.5%

industry: 38.7%

services: 60.8% (2005 est.)

Bangladesh

agriculture: 19.9%

industry: 20.6%

services: 59.5% (2006 est.)

Barbados

agriculture: 6%

industry: 16%

services: 78% (2000 est.)

Belarus

agriculture: 9.3%

industry: 31.6%

services: 59.1% (2005 est.)

Belgium

agriculture: 1%

industry: 24%

services: 74.9% (2005 est.)

Belize

agriculture: 22.5%

industry: 14.8%

services: 62.6% (2006 est.)

Benin

agriculture: 32.8%

industry: 13.7%

services: 53.5% (2006 est.)

Bermuda

agriculture: 1%

industry: 10%

services: 89% (2002 est.)

Bhutan

agriculture: 25.8%

industry: 37.9%

services: 36.3% (2004 est.)

Bolivia

agriculture: 12.8%

industry: 36.1%

services: 51.2% (2006 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

agriculture: 14.2%

industry: 30.8%

services: 55% (2002)

Botswana

agriculture: 2.4%

industry: 46.9% (including 36% mining)

services: 50.7% (2003 est.)

Brazil

agriculture: 8%

industry: 38%

services: 54% (2006 est.)

British Virgin Islands

agriculture: 1.8%

industry: 6.2%

services: 92% (1996 est.)

Brunei

agriculture: 3.6%

industry: 56.1%

services: 40.3% (2004 est.)

Bulgaria

agriculture: 8.9%

industry: 30.1%

services: 61% (2006 est.)

Burkina Faso

agriculture: 32.6%

industry: 19.7%

services: 47.7% (2006 est.)

Burma

agriculture: 54.7%

industry: 10.6%

services: 34.7% (2006 est.)

Burundi

agriculture: 44.9%

industry: 20.9%

services: 34.1% (2006 est.)

Cambodia

agriculture: 35%

industry: 30%

services: 35% (2004)

Cameroon

agriculture: 45.2%

industry: 16.1%

services: 38.7% (2006 est.)

Canada

agriculture: 2.3%

industry: 29.2%

services: 68.5% (2006 est.)

Cape Verde

agriculture: 12.1%

industry: 21.9%

services: 66% (2004 est.)

Cayman Islands

agriculture: 1.4%

industry: 3.2%

services: 95.4% (1994 est.)

Central African Republic

agriculture: 55%

industry: 20%

services: 25% (2001 est.)

Chad

agriculture: 32.5%

industry: 26.6%

services: 40.8% (2006 est.)

Chile

agriculture: 5.9%

industry: 49.3%

services: 44.7% (2006 est.)

China

agriculture: 11.9%

industry: 48.1%

services: 40%

note: industry includes construction (2006 est.)

Colombia

agriculture: 12%

industry: 35.2%

services: 52.7% (2006 est.)

Comoros

agriculture: 40%

industry: 4%

services: 56% (2001 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

agriculture: 55%

industry: 11%

services: 34% (2000 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

agriculture: 6.2%

industry: 55.3%

services: 38.5% (2006 est.)

Cook Islands

agriculture: 15.1%

industry: 9.6%

services: 75.3% (2004)

Costa Rica

agriculture: 8.6%

industry: 31%

services: 60.4% (2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

agriculture: 27%

industry: 18.5%

services: 54.5% (2006 est.)

Croatia

agriculture: 6.8%

industry: 30.9%

services: 62.3% (2006 est.)

Cuba

agriculture: 5.1%

industry: 27.2%

services: 67.6% (2006 est.)

Cyprus

Republic of Cyprus: agriculture 3.7%; industry 19.6%;

services 76.8% (2005 est.)

north Cyprus: agriculture 10.6%; industry 20.5%; services 68.9%

(2003 est.)

Czech Republic

agriculture: 2.8%

industry: 37.8%

services: 59.4% (2006 est.)

Denmark

agriculture: 1.4%

industry: 24.6%

services: 74% (2006 est.)

Djibouti

agriculture: 17.9%

industry: 22.5%

services: 59.6% (2003 est.)

Dominica

agriculture: 17.7%

industry: 32.8%

services: 49.5% (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic

agriculture: 11.2%

industry: 30.6%

services: 58.2% (2005 est.)

East Timor

agriculture: 8.5%

industry: 23.1%

services: 68.4% (2004)

Ecuador

agriculture: 6.3%

industry: 33.5%

services: 60.2% (2006 est.)

Egypt

agriculture: 14.7%

industry: 35.5%

services: 49.8% (2006 est.)

El Salvador

agriculture: 9.7%

industry: 29.6%

services: 60.7% (2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

agriculture: 2.8%

industry: 92.6%

services: 4.5% (2006 est.)

Eritrea

agriculture: 9.9%

industry: 25.4%

services: 64.6% (2006 est.)

Estonia

agriculture: 3.4%

industry: 28%

services: 68.6% (2006 est.)

Ethiopia

agriculture: 49.2%

industry: 9.1%

services: 41.7% (2006 est.)

European Union

agriculture: 2.1%

industry: 27.3%

services: 70.5% (2006 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

agriculture: 95%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Faroe Islands

agriculture: 27%

industry: 11%

services: 62% (1999)

Fiji

agriculture: 8.9%

industry: 13.5%

services: 77.6% (2004 est.)

Finland

agriculture: 2.7%

industry: 30.3%

services: 67% (2006 est.)

France

agriculture: 2.2%

industry: 20.6%

services: 77.2% (2006 est.)

French Polynesia

agriculture: 3.1%

industry: 19%

services: 76.9% (2005)

Gabon

agriculture: 5.9%

industry: 59.7%

services: 34.4% (2006 est.)

Gambia, The

agriculture: 30.5%

industry: 13.9%

services: 55.6% (2006 est.)

Gaza Strip

agriculture: 8%

industry: 18.2%

services: 73.9% (includes West Bank) (2005 est.)

Georgia

agriculture: 17.7%

industry: 27.5%

services: 54.8% (2006 est.)

Germany

agriculture: 0.9%

industry: 29.1%

services: 70% (2006 est.)

Ghana

agriculture: 37.3%

industry: 25.3%

services: 37.5% (2006 est.)

Gibraltar

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Greece

agriculture: 5.1%

industry: 20.6%

services: 74.4% (2006 est.)

Greenland

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Grenada

agriculture: 5.4%

industry: 18%

services: 76.6% (2003)

Guam

agriculture: NA

industry: NA

services: NA

Guatemala

agriculture: 22.5%

industry: 18.8%

services: 58.7% (2006 est.)

Guernsey

agriculture: 3%

industry: 10%

services: 87% (2000)

Guinea

agriculture: 23.7%

industry: 36.1%

services: 40.2% (2006 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

agriculture: 62%

industry: 12%

services: 26% (1999 est.)

Guyana

agriculture: 35.5%

industry: 19.3%

services: 45.2% (2006 est.)

Haiti

agriculture: 28%

industry: 20%

services: 52% (2004 est.)

Honduras

agriculture: 13.6%

industry: 31.4%

services: 55% (2006 est.)

Hong Kong

agriculture: 0.1%

industry: 9%

services: 90.9% (2006 est.)

Hungary

agriculture: 3.1%

industry: 32.1%

services: 64.8% (2006 est.)

Iceland

agriculture: 8.4%

industry: 15.6%

services: 76% (2006 est.)

India

agriculture: 19.9%

industry: 19.3%

services: 60.7% (2005 est.)

Indonesia

agriculture: 13.1%

industry: 46%

services: 41% (2006 est.)

Iran

agriculture: 11.2%

industry: 41.7%

services: 47.1% (2006 est.)

Iraq

agriculture: 7.3%

industry: 66.6%

services: 26.1% (2004 est.)

Ireland

agriculture: 5%

industry: 46%

services: 49% (2002 est.)

Isle of Man

agriculture: 1%

industry: 13%

services: 86% (2000 est.)

Israel

agriculture: 2.6%

industry: 30.8%

services: 66.6% (2006 est.)

Italy

agriculture: 2%

industry: 29.1%

services: 69% (2006 est.)

Jamaica

agriculture: 5.3%

industry: 33.9%

services: 60.8% (2006 est.)

Japan

agriculture: 1.6%

industry: 25.3%

services: 73.1% (2006 est.)

Jersey

agriculture: 5%

industry: 2%

services: 93% (1996)

Jordan

agriculture: 3.6%

industry: 30.5%

services: 65.9% (2006 est.)

Kazakhstan

agriculture: 6.3%

industry: 41.1%

services: 52.7% (2006 est.)

Kenya

agriculture: 16.3%

industry: 18.8%

services: 65% (2004 est.)

Kiribati

agriculture: 8.9%

industry: 24.2%

services: 66.8% (2004)

Korea, North

agriculture: 30%

industry: 34%

services: 36% (2002 est.)

Korea, South

agriculture: 3.3%

industry: 40.7%

services: 56% (2006 est.)

Kuwait

agriculture: 0.4%

industry: 48.3%

services: 51.3% (2006 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

agriculture: 34.5%

industry: 19.5%

services: 46.1% (2006 est.)

Laos

agriculture: 43.4%

industry: 30.6%

services: 26% (2006 est.)

Latvia

agriculture: 3.7%

industry: 26.3%

services: 70% (2006 est.)

Lebanon

agriculture: 7%

industry: 21%

services: 72% (2005)

Lesotho

agriculture: 16.1%

industry: 43%

services: 40.9% (2006 est.)

Liberia

agriculture: 76.9%

industry: 5.4%

services: 17.7% (2002 est.)

Libya

agriculture: 7.3%

industry: 51.3%

services: 41.4% (2006 est.)

Liechtenstein

agriculture: 6%

industry: 39%

services: 55% (2001)

Lithuania

agriculture: 5.5%

industry: 33.3%

services: 61.2% (2006 est.)

Luxembourg

agriculture: 1%

industry: 13%

services: 86% (2005 est.)

Macau

agriculture: 0.1%

industry: 7.2%

services: 92.7% (2002 est.)

Macedonia

agriculture: 13%

industry: 27.7%

services: 59.3% (2006 est.)

Madagascar

agriculture: 26.9%

industry: 16.5%

services: 56.6% (2006 est.)

Malawi

agriculture: 35.4%

industry: 17.6%

services: 47% (2006 est.)

Malaysia

agriculture: 8.3%

industry: 48.1%

services: 43.6% (2006 est.)

Maldives

agriculture: 20%

industry: 18%

services: 62% (2000 est.)

Mali

agriculture: 45%

industry: 17%

services: 38% (2001 est.)

Malta

agriculture: 3%

industry: 23%

services: 74% (2003 est.)

Marshall Islands

agriculture: 31.7%

industry: 14.9%

services: 53.4% (2004 est.)

Mauritania

agriculture: 25%

industry: 29%

services: 46% (2001 est.)

Mauritius

agriculture: 5.1%

industry: 25.2%

services: 69.7% (2006 est.)

Mayotte

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Mexico

agriculture: 3.9%

industry: 25.7%

services: 70.5% (2006 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of

agriculture: 28.9%

industry: 15.2%

services: 55.9% (2004 est.)

Moldova

agriculture: 21.5%

industry: 22%

services: 56.5% (2006 est.)

Monaco

agriculture: 0%

industry: 4.9%

services: 95.1% (2005)

Mongolia

agriculture: 20.6%

industry: 21.4%

services: 58% (2003 est.)

Montenegro

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Montserrat

agriculture: 1.2%

industry: 23.1%

services: 75.7% (1999 est.)

Morocco

agriculture: 13.3%

industry: 31.2%

services: 55.5% (2006 est.)

Mozambique

agriculture: 21.1%

industry: 30.9%

services: 48% (2006 est.)

Namibia

agriculture: 11.8%

industry: 30.2%

services: 58.1% (2006 est.)

Nauru

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Nepal

agriculture: 38%

industry: 21%

services: 41% (2005 est.)

Netherlands

agriculture: 2.1%

industry: 23.9%

services: 73.9% (2006 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

agriculture: 1%

industry: 15%

services: 84% (2000 est.)

New Caledonia

agriculture: 15%

industry: 8.8%

services: 76.2% (2003)

New Zealand

agriculture: 4.3%

industry: 26.9%

services: 68.8% (2006 est.)

Nicaragua

agriculture: 17.3%

industry: 25.8%

services: 56.8% (2006 est.)

Niger

agriculture: 39%

industry: 17%

services: 44% (2001)

Nigeria

agriculture: 17.3%

industry: 53.2%

services: 29.5% (2006 est.)

Niue

agriculture: 23.5%

industry: 26.9%

services: 49.5% (2003)

Northern Mariana Islands

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Norway

agriculture: 2.3%

industry: 41.4%

services: 56.3% (2006 est.)

Oman

agriculture: 2.6%

industry: 38.8%

services: 58.7% (2006 est.)

Pakistan

agriculture: 22%

industry: 26%

services: 52% (2006 est.)

Palau

agriculture: 6.2%

industry: 12%

services: 81.8%

Panama

agriculture: 7.2%

industry: 16.4%

services: 76.4% (2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea

agriculture: 35.7%

industry: 37.1%

services: 27.2% (2006 est.)

Paraguay

agriculture: 22.4%

industry: 18.4%

services: 59.2% (2006 est.)

Peru

agriculture: 8.5%

industry: 26.4%

services: 53.1% (2006 est.)

Philippines

agriculture: 14.3%

industry: 32.1%

services: 53.7% (2006 est.)

Poland

agriculture: 4.8%

industry: 31.2%

services: 64% (2006 est.)

Portugal

agriculture: 6.6%

industry: 28.6%

services: 64.9% (2006 est.)

Puerto Rico

agriculture: 1%

industry: 45%

services: 54% (2002 est.)

Qatar

agriculture: 0.1%

industry: 77.2%

services: 22.6% (2006 est.)

Romania

agriculture: 10.1%

industry: 34.7%

services: 55.2% (2006 est.)

Russia

agriculture: 5.3%

industry: 36.6%

services: 58.2% (2006 est.)

Rwanda

agriculture: 39.4%

industry: 23.3%

services: 37.3% (2006 est.)

Saint Helena

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Saint Kitts and Nevis

agriculture: 3.5%

industry: 25.8%

services: 70.7% (2001)

Saint Lucia

agriculture: 5%

industry: 15%

services: 80% (2005 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

agriculture: 10%

industry: 26%

services: 64% (2001 est.)

Samoa

agriculture: 11.4%

industry: 58.4%

services: 30.2% (2004 est.)

San Marino

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Sao Tome and Principe

agriculture: 16.6%

industry: 15.3%

services: 68.1% (2006 est.)

Saudi Arabia

agriculture: 3.3%

industry: 67%

services: 29.8% (2006 est.)

Senegal

agriculture: 18.3%

industry: 19.2%

services: 62.5% (2006 est.)

Serbia

agriculture: 16.6%

industry: 25.5%

services: 57.9% (2005 est.)

Seychelles

agriculture: 3.2%

industry: 30.1%

services: 66.7% (2006 est.)

Sierra Leone

agriculture: 49%

industry: 31%

services: 21% (2001 est.)

Singapore

agriculture: 0%

industry: 33.8%

services: 66.2% (2006 est.)

Slovakia

agriculture: 3.8%

industry: 31.4%

services: 64.8% (2006 est.)

Slovenia

agriculture: 2.3%

industry: 34.7%

services: 62.9% (2006 est.)

Solomon Islands

agriculture: 42%

industry: 11%

services: 47% (2000 est.)

Somalia

agriculture: 65%

industry: 10%

services: 25% (2000 est.)

South Africa

agriculture: 2.6%

industry: 30.3%

services: 67.1% (2006 est.)

Spain

agriculture: 3.9%

industry: 29.4%

services: 66.7% (2006 est.)

Sri Lanka

agriculture: 17.3%

industry: 27.3%

services: 55.3% (2006 est.)

Sudan

agriculture: 35.5%

industry: 24.8%

services: 39.7% (2006 est.)

Suriname

agriculture: 13%

industry: 22%

services: 65% (2001 est.)

Swaziland

agriculture: 11.8%

industry: 51.4%

services: 36.8% (2006 est.)

Sweden

agriculture: 1.1%

industry: 28.1%

services: 70.9% (2006 est.)

Switzerland

agriculture: 1.5%

industry: 34%

services: 64.5% (2003 est.)

Syria

agriculture: 25.5%

industry: 22.1%

services: 52.4% (2006 est.)

Taiwan

agriculture: 1.5%

industry: 25.2%

services: 73.3% (2006 est.)

Tajikistan

agriculture: 22.7%

industry: 28.5%

services: 48.8% (2006 est.)

Tanzania

agriculture: 43.3%

industry: 17.7%

services: 39% (2006 est.)

Thailand

agriculture: 10%

industry: 44.9%

services: 45.2% (2006 est.)

Togo

agriculture: 39.5%

industry: 20.4%

services: 40.1% (2003 est.)

Tokelau

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Tonga

agriculture: 23%

industry: 27%

services: 50% (FY03/04 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

agriculture: 0.7%

industry: 57.7%

services: 41.5% (2006 est.)

Tunisia

agriculture: 12.8%

industry: 31%

services: 56.2% (2006 est.)

Turkey

agriculture: 11.2%

industry: 29.4%

services: 59.4% (2006 est.)

Turkmenistan

agriculture: 24.4%

industry: 33.9%

services: 41.7% (2006 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Tuvalu

agriculture: 16.6%

industry: 27.2%

services: 56.2%

Uganda

agriculture: 29.4%

industry: 22.1%

services: 48.5% (2006 est.)

Ukraine

agriculture: 17.5%

industry: 42.7%

services: 39.8% (2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates

agriculture: 2.3%

industry: 61.9%

services: 35.8% (2006 est.)

United Kingdom

agriculture: 1%

industry: 25.6%

services: 73.4% (2006 est.)

United States

agriculture: 0.9%

industry: 20.4%

services: 78.6% (2006 est.)

Uruguay

agriculture: 9.3%

industry: 33.7%

services: 57% (2006 est.)

Uzbekistan

agriculture: 31.1%

industry: 25.7%

services: 43.2% (2006 est.)

Vanuatu

agriculture: 26%

industry: 12%

services: 62% (2000 est.)

Venezuela

agriculture: 3.7%

industry: 41%

services: 55.3% (2006 est.)

Vietnam

agriculture: 20.1%

industry: 41.8%

services: 38.1% (2006 est.)

Virgin Islands

agriculture: 1%

industry: 19%

services: 80% (2003 est.)

Wallis and Futuna

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

West Bank agriculture: 8% industry: 18.2% services: 73.9% note: includes Gaza Strip (2005 est.)

Western Sahara

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: 40%

World

agriculture: 4%

industry: 32%

services: 64% (2004 est.)

Yemen

agriculture: 12.5%

industry: 43.8%

services: 43.7% (2006 est.)

Zambia

agriculture: 19.9%

industry: 28.9%

services: 51.2% (2006 est.)

Zimbabwe

agriculture: 17.7%

industry: 22.9%

services: 59.4% (2006 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

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Afghanistan

AM 21, FM 5, shortwave 1 (broadcasts in Pashtu, Afghan

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Akrotiri

FM 1

note: British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1

and Radio 2 service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia (2006)

Albania

AM 13, FM 46 (3 national, 62 local), shortwave 1 (2005)

Algeria

AM 25, FM 1, shortwave 8 (1999)

American Samoa

AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2006)

Andorra

AM 0, FM 15, shortwave 0 (1998)

Angola

AM 21, FM 6, shortwave 7 (2000)

Anguilla

AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)

Antarctica

AM NA, FM 2, shortwave 1, note - information for US bases

only (2002)

Antigua and Barbuda

AM 4, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Argentina

AM 260 (including 10 inactive stations), FM NA (probably

more than 1,000, mostly unlicensed), shortwave 6 (1998)

Armenia

AM 9, FM 16, shortwave 1 (2006)

Aruba

AM 2, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2004)

Australia

AM 262, FM 345, shortwave 1 (1998)

Austria

AM 2, FM 65 (plus several hundred repeaters), shortwave 1

(2001)

Azerbaijan

AM 10, FM 17, shortwave 1 (1998)

Bahamas, The

AM 3, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2006)

Bahrain

AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Bangladesh

AM 15, FM 13, shortwave 2 (2006)

Barbados

AM 2, FM 6, shortwave 0 (2004)

Belarus

AM 28, FM 37, shortwave 11 (1998)

Belgium

FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998)

Belize

AM 1, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)

Benin

AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000)

Bermuda

AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005)

Bhutan

AM 0, FM 9, shortwave 1 (2006)

Bolivia

AM 171, FM 73, shortwave 77 (1999)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

AM 8, FM 16, shortwave 1 (1998)

Botswana

AM 8, FM 13, shortwave 4 (2001)

Brazil

AM 1,365, FM 296, shortwave 161 (of which 91 are collocated

with AM stations) (1999)

British Indian Ocean Territory

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

British Virgin Islands

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)

Brunei

AM 1, FM 2 (transmitting on 18 different frequencies),

shortwave 0

note: British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) station transmits

two FM signals with English and Nepali service (2006)

Bulgaria

AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001)

Burkina Faso

AM 3, FM 17, shortwave 3 (2002)

Burma

AM 1, FM 1 (2004)

Burundi

AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Cambodia

AM 2, FM 17 (2003)

Cameroon

AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (2002)

Canada

AM 245, FM 582, shortwave 6 (2004)

Cape Verde

AM 0, FM 22 (and 12 low power repeaters), shortwave 0

(2002)

Cayman Islands

AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2004)

Central African Republic

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)

Chad

AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 5 (2002)

Chile

AM 180 (eight inactive), FM 64, shortwave 17 (one inactive)

(1998)

China

AM 369, FM 259, shortwave 45 (1998)

Christmas Island

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2006)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2004)

Colombia

AM 454, FM 34, shortwave 27 (1999)

Comoros

AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2001)

Congo, Republic of the

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 3 (2001)

Cook Islands

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Costa Rica

AM 65, FM 51, shortwave 19 (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire

AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (1998)

Croatia

AM 16, FM 98, shortwave 5 (1999)

Cuba

AM 169, FM 55, shortwave 1 (1998)

Cyprus

area under government control: AM 5, FM 76, shortwave 0

area administered by Turkish Cyriots: AM 1, FM 20, shortwave 1 (2004)

Czech Republic

AM 31, FM 304, shortwave 17 (2000)

Denmark

AM 2, FM 355, shortwave 0 (1998)

Dhekelia

FM 1 (located in Akrotiri)

note: British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1

and Radio 2 service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia (2006)

Djibouti

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)

Dominica

AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2004)

Dominican Republic

AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998)

East Timor

AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

Ecuador

AM 392, FM 35, shortwave 29 (2001)

Egypt

AM 42 (plus 15 repeaters), FM 14, shortwave 3 (1999)

El Salvador

AM 61 (plus 24 repeaters), FM 30, shortwave 0 (1998)

Equatorial Guinea

AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 5 (2002)

Eritrea

AM 2, FM NA, shortwave 2 (2000)

Estonia

AM 0, FM 98, shortwave 0 (2001)

Ethiopia

AM 8, FM 0, shortwave 1 (2001)

European Union

AM 930, FM 13,655, shortwave 71 (1998); note - sum of

individual country radio broadcast stations; there is also a

European-wide station (Euroradio)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0

note: British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1

(FM) and Radio 2 (AM) service (2006)

Faroe Islands

AM 1, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Fiji

AM 13, FM 40, shortwave 0 (1998)

Finland

AM 2, FM 186, shortwave 1 (1998)

France

AM 41, FM about 3,500 (this figure is an approximation and

includes many repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)

French Polynesia

AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)

Gabon

AM 6, FM 7 (and 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001)

Gambia, The

AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)

Gaza Strip

AM 0, FM 8, shortwave 0 (2005)

Georgia

AM 7, FM 12, shortwave 4 (1998)

Germany

AM 51, FM 787, shortwave 4 (1998)

Ghana

AM 0, FM 49, shortwave 3 (2001)

Gibraltar

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Greece

AM 26, FM 88, shortwave 4 (1998)

Greenland

AM 5, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)

Grenada

AM 2, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Guam

AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2006)

Guatemala

AM 130, FM 487, shortwave 15 (2000)

Guernsey

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Guinea

AM 4 (one station is inactive), FM 1 (plus 7 repeaters),

shortwave 3 (2001)

Guinea-Bissau

AM 1 (transmitter out of service), FM 4, shortwave 0

(2002)

Guyana

AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)

Haiti

AM 41, FM 26, shortwave 0 (1999)

Holy See (Vatican City)

AM 4, FM 3, shortwave 2 (2004)

Honduras

AM 241, FM 53, shortwave 12 (1998)

Hong Kong

AM 5, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2004)

Hungary

AM 17, FM 57, shortwave 3 (1998)

Iceland

AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)

India

AM 153, FM 91, shortwave 68 (1998)

Indonesia

AM 678, FM 43, shortwave 82 (1998)

Iran

AM 72, FM 5, shortwave 5 (1998)

Iraq

after 17 months of unregulated media growth, there are

approximately 80 radio stations on the air inside Iraq (2004)

Ireland

AM 9, FM 106, shortwave 0 (1998)

Isle of Man

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Israel

AM 23, FM 15, shortwave 2 (1998)

Italy

AM about 100, FM about 4,600, shortwave 9 (1998)

Jamaica

AM 10, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Jan Mayen

AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

note: there is one radio and meteorological station (1998)

Japan

AM 215 plus 370 repeaters, FM 89 plus 485 repeaters, shortwave

21 (2001)

Jersey

AM NA, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Jordan

AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999)

Kazakhstan

AM 60, FM 17, shortwave 9 (1998)

Kenya

AM 24, FM 18, shortwave 6 (2001)

Kiribati

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1

note: the shortwave station may be inactive (2002)

Korea, North

AM 17 (including 11 stations of Korean Central

Broadcasting Station; North Korea has a "national intercom" cable

radio station wired throughout the country that is a significant

source of information for the average North Korean citizen; it is

wired into most residences and workplaces and carries news and

commentary), FM 14, shortwave 14 (2006)

Korea, South

AM 61, FM 150, shortwave 2 (2005)

Kuwait

AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998)

Kyrgyzstan

AM 12 (plus 10 repeater stations), FM 14, shortwave 2

(1998)

Laos

AM 7, FM 14, shortwave 2 (2007)

Latvia

AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998)

Lebanon

AM 20, FM 22, shortwave 4 (1998)

Lesotho

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)

Liberia

AM 0, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2001)

Libya

AM 16, FM 3, shortwave 3 (2002)

Liechtenstein

AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Lithuania

AM 29, FM 142, shortwave 1 (2001)

Luxembourg

AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)

Macau

AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Macedonia

AM 29, FM 20, shortwave 0 (1998)

Madagascar

AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9,

shortwave 6 (2001)

Malawi

AM 9, FM 5 (plus 15 repeater stations), shortwave 2 (plus a

third station held in standby status) (2001)

Malaysia

AM 35, FM 391, shortwave 15 (2001)

Maldives

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Mali

AM 1, FM 28, shortwave 1

note: the shortwave station in Bamako has seven frequencies and five

transmitters and relays broadcasts for China Radio International

(2001)

Malta

AM 1, FM 18, shortwave 6 (1999)

Marshall Islands

AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0

note: additionally, the US Armed Forces Radio and Television

Services (Central Pacific Network) operate one FM and one AM station

on Kwajalein (2005)

Mauritania

AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 1 (2001)

Mauritius

AM 4, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2002)

Mayotte

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001)

Mexico

AM 850, FM 545, shortwave 15 (2003)

Micronesia, Federated States of

AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Moldova

AM 2, FM 29 (2004)

Monaco

AM 1, FM NA, shortwave 8 (1998)

Mongolia

AM 7, FM 62, shortwave 3 (2004)

Montenegro

31 (2004)

Montserrat

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Morocco

AM 27, FM 25, shortwave 6 (1998)

Mozambique

AM 13, FM 17, shortwave 11 (2001)

Namibia

AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001)

Nauru

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Nepal

AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (January 2000)

Netherlands

AM 4, FM 246, shortwave 3 (2004)

Netherlands Antilles

AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 0 (2004)

New Caledonia

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

New Zealand

AM 124, FM 290, shortwave 4 (1998)

Nicaragua

AM 63, FM 32, shortwave 1 (1998)

Niger

AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 4 (2001)

Nigeria

AM 83, FM 36, shortwave 11 (2001)

Niue

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Norfolk Island

AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005)

Northern Mariana Islands

AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 1 (2006)

Norway

AM 5, FM at least 650, shortwave 1 (1998)

Oman

AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)

Pakistan

AM 27, FM 1, shortwave 21 (1998)

Palau

AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2002)

Panama

AM 101, FM 134, shortwave 0 (1998)

Papua New Guinea

AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 28 (1998)

Paraguay

AM 46, FM 27, shortwave 6 (three inactive) (1998)

Peru

AM 472, FM 198, shortwave 189 (1999)

Philippines

AM 375, FM 596, shortwave 4

note: each shortwave station operates on multiple frequencies in the

language of the target audience (2006)

Pitcairn Islands

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0, note - 15 Ham radio

operators (VP6) (2004)

Poland

AM 14, FM 777, shortwave 1 (1998)

Portugal

AM 47, FM 172 (many are repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)

Puerto Rico

AM 74, FM 53, shortwave 0 (2006)

Qatar

AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998)

Romania

AM 40, FM 202, shortwave 3 (1998)

Russia

AM 323, FM 1,500 est., shortwave 62 (2004)

Rwanda

AM 0, FM 8 (two main FM programs are broadcast through a

system of repeaters, three international FM programs include the

BBC, VOA, and Deutchewelle), shortwave 1 (2005)

Saint Helena

Saint Helena: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0

Ascension: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2005)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2004)

Saint Lucia

AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0 (2004)

Samoa

AM 2, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)

San Marino

AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Sao Tome and Principe

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)

Saudi Arabia

AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998)

Senegal

AM 8, FM 20, shortwave 1 (2001)

Serbia

153 (2001)

Seychelles

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)

Sierra Leone

AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (1999)

Singapore

AM 0, FM 17, shortwave 2 (2003)

Slovakia

AM 15, FM 78, shortwave 2 (1998)

Slovenia

AM 10, FM 230, shortwave 0 (2006)

Solomon Islands

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2004)

Somalia

AM 0, FM 11, shortwave 1 in Mogadishu; 1 FM in Puntland, 1

FM in Somaliland (2001)

South Africa

AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

0 (2003)

Spain

AM 208, FM 715, shortwave 1 (1998)

Sri Lanka

AM, FM, Shortwave combined 34 (2006)

Sudan

AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Suriname

AM 4, FM 13, shortwave 1 (1998)

Svalbard

AM 1, FM 1 (plus 2 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998)

Swaziland

AM 3, FM 2 plus 4 repeaters, shortwave 3 (2004)

Sweden

AM 1, FM 265, shortwave 1 (1998)

Switzerland

AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low power stations), shortwave 2

(1998)

Syria

AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)

Taiwan

AM 218, FM 333, shortwave 50 (1999)

Tajikistan

AM 8, FM 10, shortwave 2 (2002)

Tanzania

AM 12, FM 11, shortwave 2 (1998)

Thailand

AM 204, FM 334, shortwave 6 (1999)

Togo

AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998)

Tokelau

AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

note: 1 radio station provides service to all islands (2002)

Tonga

AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2004)

Trinidad and Tobago

AM 4, FM 18, shortwave 0 (2004)

Tunisia

AM 7, FM 20, shortwave 2 (1998)

Turkey

AM 16, FM 107, shortwave 6 (2001)

Turkmenistan

AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998)

Turks and Caicos Islands

AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)

Tuvalu

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Uganda

AM 7, FM 33, shortwave 2 (2001)

Ukraine

AM, FM, shortwave combined 524 (2006)

United Arab Emirates

AM 13, FM 8, shortwave 2 (2004)

United Kingdom

AM 219, FM 431, shortwave 3 (1998)

United States

AM 4,789, FM 8,961, shortwave 19 (2006)

Uruguay

AM 93, FM 191, shortwave 7 (2005)

Uzbekistan

AM 4, FM 6, shortwave 3 (2006)

Vanuatu

AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2004)

Venezuela

AM 201, FM NA (20 in Caracas), shortwave 11 (1998)

Vietnam

AM 65, FM 7, shortwave 29 (1999)

Virgin Islands

AM 6, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2006)

Wake Island

AM 0, FM 0, shortwave 0

note: Armed Forces Radio/Television Service (AFRTS) radio service

provided by satellite (2005)

Wallis and Futuna

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000)

West Bank

AM 1, FM 20, shortwave 0 (2005)

Western Sahara

AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

World

AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

Yemen

AM 6, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)

Zambia

AM 19, FM 5, shortwave 4 (2001)

Zimbabwe

AM 7, FM 20 (plus 17 repeater stations), shortwave 1 (1998)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2015 Television broadcast stations

Afghanistan

at least 7 (one government-run central television

station in Kabul and regional stations in nine of the 34 provinces;

the regional stations operate on a reduced schedule; also, in 1997,

there was a station in Mazar-e-Sharif reaching four northern

Afghanistan provinces) (2006)

Akrotiri

British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides

multi-channel satellite service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia

(2006)

Albania

65 (3 national, 62 local); note - 2 cable networks (2005)

Algeria

46 (plus 216 repeaters) (1995)

American Samoa

1 (Low Power TV); note - one cable TV station (2006)

Andorra

0 (1997)

Angola

6 (2000)

Anguilla

1 (1997)

Antarctica

1 (cable system with six channels; American Forces

Antarctic Network-McMurdo)

note: information for US bases only (2002)

Antigua and Barbuda

2 (1997)

Argentina

42 (plus 444 repeaters) (1997)

Armenia

40 (private television stations alongside two public

networks; major Russian channels widely available) (2006)

Aruba

1 (1997)

Australia

104 (1997)

Austria

10 (plus more than 1,000 repeaters) (2001)

Azerbaijan

2 (1997)

Bahamas, The

2 (2006)

Bahrain

4 (1997)

Bangladesh

15 (1999)

Barbados

1 (plus two cable channels) (2004)

Belarus

47 (plus 27 repeaters) (1995)

Belgium

25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997)

Belize

2 (1997)

Benin

1 (2001)

Bermuda

3 (2005)

Bhutan

1 (2006)

Bolivia

48 (1997)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

33 (plus 277 repeaters) (September 1995)

Botswana

1 (2001)

Brazil

138 (1997)

British Indian Ocean Territory

1 (1997)

British Virgin Islands

1 (plus one cable company) (1997)

Brunei

4; note - including two UHF stations broadcasting a

subscription service (2006)

Bulgaria

39 (plus 1,242 repeaters) (2001)

Burkina Faso

1 (2002)

Burma

2 (2004)

Burundi

1 (2001)

Cambodia

11 (including two TV relay stations with French and

Vietnamese broadcasts); 12 regional low power TV stations (2006)

Cameroon

1 (2002)

Canada

80 (plus many repeaters) (1997)

Cape Verde

1 (and 7 repeaters) (2002)

Cayman Islands

4 with cable system (2004)

Central African Republic

1 (2001)

Chad

1 (2002)

Chile

63 (plus 121 repeaters) (1997)

China

3,240 (of which 209 are operated by China Central Television,

31 are provincial TV stations, and nearly 3,000 are local city

stations) (1997)

Christmas Island

0; note - TV broadcasts received via satellite from

mainland Australia (2006)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

NA

Colombia

60 (includes seven low-power stations) (1997)

Comoros

NA

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

4 (2001)

Congo, Republic of the

1 (2002)

Cook Islands

1 (outer islands receive satellite broadcasts) (2004)

Costa Rica

20 (plus 43 repeaters) (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire

14 (1999)

Croatia

36 (plus 321 repeaters) (September 1995)

Cuba

58 (1997)

Cyprus

area under government control: 8

area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 2 (plus 4 relay) (2004)

Czech Republic

150 (plus 1,434 repeaters) (2000)

Denmark

26 (plus 51 repeaters) (1998)

Dhekelia

British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides

multi-channel satellite service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia

(2006)

Djibouti

1 (2002)

Dominica

1 (2004)

Dominican Republic

25 (2003)

East Timor

East Timor has a state-run media oversight authority,

which oversees at least one television and one radio station.

Ecuador

7 (plus 14 repeaters) (2001)

Egypt

98 (September 1995)

El Salvador

5 (1997)

Equatorial Guinea

1 (2002)

Eritrea

2 (2006)

Estonia

3 (2001)

Ethiopia

1 plus 24 repeaters (2002)

European Union

2,700 (1995); note - does not include repeaters; sum

of individual country television broadcast stations; there is also a

European-wide station (Eurovision)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 2 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to members of UK Forces as well as islanders) note: cable television is available in Stanley (2006)

Faroe Islands

3 (plus 43 low-power repeaters) (September 1995)

Fiji

NA

Finland

120 (plus 431 repeaters) (1999)

France

584 (plus 9,676 repeaters) (1995)

French Polynesia

7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Gabon

4 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)

Gambia, The

1 (government-owned) (1997)

Gaza Strip

1 (2005)

Georgia

12 (plus repeaters) (1998)

Germany

373 (plus 8,042 repeaters) (1995)

Ghana

10 (2001)

Gibraltar

1 (plus three low-power repeaters) (1997)

Greece

36 (plus 1,341 low-power repeaters); also two stations in the

US Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (1995)

Greenland

1 publicly-owned station, some local low-power stations,

and three AFRTS (US Air Force) stations (1997)

Grenada

2 (1997)

Guam

3; 6 (Low Power TV) (2006)

Guatemala

26 (plus 27 repeaters) (1997)

Guernsey

1 (1997)

Guinea

6 low-power stations (2001)

Guinea-Bissau

NA (2005)

Guyana

3 (one public station; two private stations which relay US

satellite services) (1997)

Haiti

2 (plus a cable TV service) (1997)

Holy See (Vatican City)

1 (2005)

Honduras

11 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997)

Hong Kong 55 low power stations note: two TV networks, each one broadcasting on two channels (2006)

Hungary

35 (plus 161 low-power repeaters) (1995)

Iceland

14 (plus 156 low-power repeaters) (1997)

India

562 (of which 82 stations have 1 kW or greater power and 480

stations have less than 1 kW of power) (1997)

Indonesia

54 local TV stations

note: 11 national TV networks; each with their own group of local,

often low power, transmitters (2006)

Iran

28 (plus 450 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Iraq

21 (2004)

Ireland

4 (many low-power repeaters) (2001)

Isle of Man

0 (receives broadcasts from the UK and satellite) (1999)

Israel

17 (plus 36 low-power repeaters) (1995)

Italy

358 (plus 4,728 repeaters) (1995)

Jamaica

7 (1997)

Japan

211 plus 7,341 repeaters

note: in addition, US Forces are served by 3 TV stations and 2 TV

cable services (1999)

Jersey

2 (1997)

Jordan

20 (plus 96 repeaters) (1995)

Kazakhstan

12 (plus nine repeaters) (1998)

Kenya

8 (2002)

Kiribati

1 (not reported to be active) (2002)

Korea, North

4 (includes Korean Central Television, Mansudae

Television, Korean Educational and Cultural Network, and Kaesong

Television targeting South Korea) (2003)

Korea, South

terrestrial stations 43; cable operators 59; relay

cable operators 190 (2005)

Kuwait

13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997)

Kyrgyzstan

7 (2006)

Laos

7; note - including one station relaying Vietnam Television

from Hanoi (2006)

Latvia

44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995)

Lebanon

15 (plus 5 repeaters) (1995)

Lesotho

1 (2000)

Liberia

1 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)

Libya

12 (plus one low-power repeater) (1999)

Liechtenstein

NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997)

Lithuania

27

note: Lithuania has approximately 27 broadcasting stations, but may

have as many as 100 transmitters, including repeater stations (2001)

Luxembourg

5 (1999)

Macau

1 (2006)

Macedonia

31 (plus 166 repeaters) (1995)

Madagascar

1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001)

Malawi

1 (2001)

Malaysia

mainland Malaysia 51; Sabah 16; Sarawak 21; note - many are

low power stations (2006)

Maldives

1 (2006)

Mali

1 (plus repeaters) (2001)

Malta

5 (2006)

Marshall Islands

2 (both are US military stations)

note: Marshalls Broadcasting Service (cable company) operates on

Majuro (2005)

Mauritania

1 (2002)

Mauritius

2 (plus several repeaters) (1997)

Mayotte

3 (2001)

Mexico

236 (plus repeaters) (1997)

Micronesia, Federated States of 3; note - cable TV also available (2004)

Moldova

40 (2004)

Monaco

5 (1998)

Mongolia

52 (plus 21 provincial repeaters and many low power

repeaters) (2004)

Montenegro

13 (2004)

Montserrat

1 (1997)

Morocco

35 (plus 66 repeaters) (1995)

Mozambique

1 (2001)

Namibia

8 (plus about 20 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Nauru

1 (1997)

Nepal

1 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998)

Netherlands

21 (plus 26 repeaters) (1995)

Netherlands Antilles

3 (there is also a cable service, which

supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and

four Venezuelan channels) (2004)

New Caledonia

6 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1997)

New Zealand

41 (plus 52 medium-power repeaters and over 650

low-power repeaters) (1997)

Nicaragua

3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)

Niger

3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (2002)

Nigeria

3 (the government controls 2 of the broadcasting stations

and 15 repeater stations) (2002)

Niue

1 (1997)

Norfolk Island

1 (local programming station plus two repeaters that

bring in Australian programs by satellite) (2005)

Northern Mariana Islands 1 (Low Power TV on Saipan; in addition, two cable services on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite networks) (2006)

Norway

360 (plus 2,729 repeaters) (1995)

Oman

13 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1999)

Pakistan

30 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (2006)

Palau

1 (cable) (2005)

Panama

38 (including repeaters) (1998)

Papua New Guinea

3 (all in the Port Moresby area)

note: additional stations at Mt. Hagen, Goroka, Lae, and Rabaul are

planned (2004)

Paraguay

5 (2003)

Peru

13 (plus 112 repeaters) (1997)

Philippines

233; note - 1480 CATV networks (2006)

Poland

40 (2006)

Portugal

62 (plus 166 repeaters)

note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands (1995)

Puerto Rico

32 (2006)

Qatar

1 (plus three repeaters) (2001)

Romania

48 (plus 392 repeaters) (1995)

Russia

7,306 (1998)

Rwanda

2 (2004)

Saint Helena

0

note: three television channels are received in Saint Helena via

satellite and distributed by UHF (2005)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

1 (plus three repeaters) (2004)

Saint Lucia

2 (of which one is a commercial broadcast station and

one is a community antenna television or CATV channel) (2004)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

0 (there are, however, two repeaters which

rebroadcast programs from France, Canada, and the US) (1997)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

1 (plus three repeaters) (2004)

Samoa

2 (2002)

San Marino

1 (San Marino residents also receive broadcasts from

Italy) (1997)

Sao Tome and Principe

2 (2002)

Saudi Arabia

117 (1997)

Senegal

1 (1997)

Seychelles

2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997)

Sierra Leone

2 (1999)

Singapore

1 (broadcasting on six channels); additional reception of

numerous UHF and VHF signals originating in Malaysia and Indonesia;

note - digital TV for reception in public spaces and transportation

is transmitted from 10 sites (2006)

Slovakia

6 national broadcasting, 7 regional, 67 local (2004)

Slovenia

31 (2006)

Somalia

4; note - two in Mogadishu; two in Hargeisa (2001)

South Africa

556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

0 (2003)

Spain

224 (plus 2,105 repeaters)

note: these figures include 11 television broadcast stations and 88

repeaters in the Canary Islands (1995)

Sri Lanka

14 (2006)

Sudan

3 (1997)

Suriname

3 (plus seven repeaters) (2000)

Svalbard

NA

Swaziland

12 (includes 7 relay stations) (2004)

Sweden

169 (plus 1,299 repeaters) (1995)

Switzerland

115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995)

Syria

44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995)

Taiwan

29 (plus two repeaters) (1997)

Tajikistan

6 (2006)

Tanzania

3 (1999)

Thailand

111 (2006)

Togo

3 (plus two repeaters) (1997)

Tonga

3 (2004)

Trinidad and Tobago

6 (2005)

Tunisia

26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995)

Turkey

635 (plus 2,934 repeaters) (1995)

Turkmenistan

4 (government owned and programmed) (2004)

Turks and Caicos Islands 0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; 2 cable television networks) (2004)

Tuvalu

0 (2004)

Uganda

8 (plus one low-power repeater) (2001)

Ukraine

at least 647 (2006)

United Arab Emirates

15 (2004)

United Kingdom

228 (plus 3,523 repeaters) (1995)

United States

2,218 (2006)

Uruguay

62 (2005)

Uzbekistan

8 1 cable rebroadcaster in Tashkent; approximately 20

stations in regional capitals (2003)

Vanuatu

1 (2004)

Venezuela

66 (plus 45 repeaters) (1997)

Vietnam

6 (plus 61 provincial TV stations) (2006)

Virgin Islands

5 (2006)

Wake Island

0

note: Armed Forces Radio/Television Service (AFRTS) radio service

provided by satellite (2005)

Wallis and Futuna

2 (2000)

West Bank

8 (2005)

Western Sahara

NA

World

NA

Yemen

7 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997)

Zambia

9 (2002)

Zimbabwe

16 (1997)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2018 Sex ratio (male(s)/female)

Afghanistan

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Albania

at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Algeria

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

American Samoa

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female

total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Andorra

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female

total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Angola

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Anguilla

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Argentina

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Armenia

at birth: 1.17 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.12 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female

total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Aruba

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Australia

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Austria

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Azerbaijan

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Bahamas, The

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Bahrain

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.38 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.07 male(s)/female

total population: 1.26 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Bangladesh

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.16 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Barbados

at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Belarus

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female

total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Belgium

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Belize

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Benin

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Bermuda

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Bhutan

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female

total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Bolivia

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Botswana

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Brazil

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

British Virgin Islands

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.1 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Brunei

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female

total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Bulgaria

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Burkina Faso

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Burma

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Burundi

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Cambodia

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Cameroon

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Canada

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Cape Verde

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Cayman Islands

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Central African Republic

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Chad

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Chile

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

China

at birth: 1.12 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female

total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Christmas Island

NA

Colombia

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Comoros

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Cook Islands

1.07 male(s)/female (2001 census)

Costa Rica

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Croatia

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female

total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Cuba

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Cyprus

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Czech Republic

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Denmark

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Djibouti

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Dominica

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Dominican Republic

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

East Timor

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Ecuador

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Egypt

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

El Salvador

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Eritrea

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Estonia

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female

total population: 0.84 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Ethiopia

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

European Union

at birth: NA

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female

Faroe Islands

at birth: 1 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Fiji

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Finland

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

France

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

French Polynesia

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female

total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Gabon

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Gambia, The

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.05 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Gaza Strip

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Georgia

at birth: 1.15 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female

total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Germany

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Ghana

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Gibraltar

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Greece

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Greenland

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.17 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female

total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Grenada

at birth: 1 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female

total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Guam

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Guatemala

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Guernsey

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Guinea

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Guyana

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Haiti

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Honduras

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Hong Kong

at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Hungary

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.57 male(s)/female

total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Iceland

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

India

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female

total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Indonesia

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Iran

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Iraq

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Ireland

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Isle of Man

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Israel

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Italy

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Jamaica

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Japan

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Jersey

at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Jordan

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.15 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female

total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Kazakhstan

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.55 male(s)/female

total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Kenya

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Kiribati

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Korea, North

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.54 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Korea, South

at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Kuwait

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.77 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.71 male(s)/female

total population: 1.52 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Laos

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Latvia

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female

total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Lebanon

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Lesotho

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Liberia

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Libya

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Liechtenstein

at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Lithuania

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.52 male(s)/female

total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Luxembourg

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Macau

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Macedonia

at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Madagascar

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Malawi

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Malaysia

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Maldives

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Mali

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Malta

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Marshall Islands

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Mauritania

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Mauritius

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Mayotte

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.18 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female

total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Mexico

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of

NA

Moldova

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female

total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Monaco

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Mongolia

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Montserrat

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Morocco

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Mozambique

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Namibia

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Nauru

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Nepal

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female

total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Netherlands

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

New Caledonia

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

New Zealand

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Nicaragua

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Niger

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Nigeria

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Niue

NA

Norfolk Island

NA

Northern Mariana Islands

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.7 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.05 male(s)/female

total population: 0.77 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Norway

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Oman

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.44 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.23 male(s)/female

total population: 1.25 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Pakistan

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Palau

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.17 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female

total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Panama

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Paraguay

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Peru

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Philippines

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Pitcairn Islands

NA

Poland

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Portugal

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Puerto Rico

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Qatar

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 2.24 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 2.84 male(s)/female

total population: 1.87 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Romania

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Russia

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.46 male(s)/female

total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Rwanda

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Saint Helena

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Saint Lucia

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Samoa

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.65 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

total population: 1.39 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

San Marino

at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Saudi Arabia

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.33 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female

total population: 1.2 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Senegal

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Seychelles

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.47 male(s)/female

total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Sierra Leone

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Singapore

at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Slovakia

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Slovenia

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Solomon Islands

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Somalia

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

South Africa

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Spain

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Sri Lanka

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Sudan

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.15 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Suriname

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Svalbard

NA

Swaziland

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Sweden

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Switzerland

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Syria

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Taiwan

at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Tajikistan

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Tanzania

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Thailand

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Togo

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Tokelau

NA

Tonga

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female

total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Tunisia

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Turkey

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Turkmenistan

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Tuvalu

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Uganda

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Ukraine

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.52 male(s)/female

total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.55 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 2.73 male(s)/female

total population: 1.43 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

United Kingdom

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

United States

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Uruguay

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Uzbekistan

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Vanuatu

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.1 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Venezuela

at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Vietnam

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Virgin Islands

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

West Bank

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Western Sahara

NA

World

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Yemen

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Zambia

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Zimbabwe

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2019 Heliports

Afghanistan

9 (2006)

Albania

1 (2006)

Algeria

1 (2006)

Antarctica

37

note: all 37 year-round and 15 seasonal stations operated by

National Antarctic Programs stations have restricted helicopter

landing facilities (helipads) (2006)

Australia

1 (2006)

Austria

1 (2006)

Azerbaijan

1 (2006)

Bahamas, The

1 (2006)

Bahrain

1 (2006)

Belarus

1 (2006)

Belgium

1 (2006)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

5 (2006)

Brazil

417 (2006)

Brunei

3 (2006)

Bulgaria

4 (2006)

Burma

1 (2006)

Cambodia

2 (2006)

Canada

12 (2006)

China

32 (2006)

Colombia

2 (2006)

Croatia

2 (2006)

Cyprus

10 (2006)

Czech Republic

2 (2006)

East Timor

9 (2006)

Ecuador

1 (2006)

Egypt

3 (2006)

El Salvador

1 (2006)

Estonia

1 (2006)

European Union

100 (2006)

France

3 (2006)

French Polynesia

1 (2006)

Gaza Strip

1 (2006)

Georgia

3 (2006)

Germany

32 (2006)

Greece

8 (2006)

Hong Kong

3 (2006)

Hungary

5 (2006)

India

28 (2006)

Indonesia

23 (2006)

Iran

15 (2006)

Iraq

8 (2006)

Israel

3 (2006)

Italy

5 (2006)

Japan

15 (2006)

Jordan

1 (2006)

Kazakhstan

4 (2006)

Korea, North

22 (2006)

Korea, South

540 (2006)

Kuwait

5 (2006)

Libya

2 (2006)

Luxembourg

1 (2006)

Malaysia

2 (2006)

Mexico

1 (2006)

Monaco

1 (2006)

Mongolia

2 (2006)

Morocco

1 (2006)

Netherlands

1 (2006)

New Caledonia

6 (2006)

Nigeria

1 (2006)

Northern Mariana Islands

1 (2006)

Norway

1 (2006)

Oman

1 (2006)

Pakistan

18 (2006)

Papua New Guinea

2 (2006)

Peru

1 (2006)

Philippines

2 (2006)

Poland

3 (2006)

Qatar

1 (2006)

Romania

1 (2006)

Russia

52 (2006)

Saudi Arabia

6 (2006)

Serbia

4 (2006)

Sierra Leone

2 (2006)

Slovakia

1 (2006)

Spain

8 (2006)

Sudan

1 (2006)

Sweden

2 (2006)

Switzerland

2 (2006)

Syria

7 (2006)

Taiwan

3 (2006)

Thailand

3 (2006)

Turkey

18 (2006)

Turkmenistan

1 (2006)

Ukraine

10 (2006)

United Arab Emirates

4 (2006)

United Kingdom

11 (2006)

United States

149 (2006)

Venezuela

1 (2006)

World

2,021 (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2020 Elevation extremes (m)

Afghanistan

lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m

highest point: Nowshak 7,485 m

Albania

lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m

highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m

Algeria

lowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m

highest point: Tahat 3,003 m

American Samoa

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Lata Mountain 964 m

Andorra

lowest point: Riu Runer 840 m

highest point: Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m

Angola

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Morro de Moco 2,620 m

Anguilla

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Crocus Hill 65 m

Antarctica

lowest point: Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,555 m

highest point: Vinson Massif 4,897 m

note: the lowest known land point in Antarctica is hidden in the

Bentley Subglacial Trench; at its surface is the deepest ice yet

discovered and the world's lowest elevation not under seawater

Antigua and Barbuda

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Boggy Peak 402 m

Arctic Ocean

lowest point: Fram Basin -4,665 m

highest point: sea level 0 m

Argentina

lowest point: Laguna del Carbon -105 m (located between

Puerto San Julian and Comandante Luis Piedra Buena in the province

of Santa Cruz)

highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,960 m (located in the northwestern

corner of the province of Mendoza)

Armenia

lowest point: Debed River 400 m

highest point: Aragats Lerrnagagat' 4,090 m

Aruba

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 3 m

Atlantic Ocean

lowest point: Milwaukee Deep in the Puerto Rico

Trench -8,605 m

highest point: sea level 0 m

Australia

lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m

highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m

Austria

lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m

highest point: Grossglockner 3,798 m

Azerbaijan

lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m

highest point: Bazarduzu Dagi 4,485 m

Bahamas, The

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m

Bahrain

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m

highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m

Baker Island

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 8 m

Bangladesh

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Keokradong 1,230 m

Barbados

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m

Bassas da India

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 2.4 m

Belarus

lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m

highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m

Belgium

lowest point: North Sea 0 m

highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m

Belize

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Victoria Peak 1,160 m

Benin

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m

Bermuda

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Town Hill 76 m

Bhutan

lowest point: Drangme Chhu 97 m

highest point: Kula Kangri 7,553 m

Bolivia

lowest point: Rio Paraguay 90 m

highest point: Nevado Sajama 6,542 m

Bosnia and Herzegovina

lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m

highest point: Maglic 2,386 m

Botswana

lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513

m

highest point: Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m

Bouvet Island

lowest point: South Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Olav Peak 935 m

Brazil

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Pico da Neblina 3,014 m

British Indian Ocean Territory

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m

British Virgin Islands

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Sage 521 m

Brunei

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m

Bulgaria

lowest point: Black Sea 0 m

highest point: Musala 2,925 m

Burkina Faso

lowest point: Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m

highest point: Tena Kourou 749 m

Burma

lowest point: Andaman Sea 0 m

highest point: Hkakabo Razi 5,881 m

Burundi

lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m

highest point: Heha 2,670 m

Cambodia

lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m

highest point: Phnum Aoral 1,810 m

Cameroon

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Fako 4,095 m (on Mt. Cameroon)

Canada

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m

Cape Verde

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island)

Cayman Islands

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: The Bluff (Cayman Brac) 43 m

Central African Republic

lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m

highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m

Chad

lowest point: Djourab Depression 160 m

highest point: Emi Koussi 3,415 m

Chile

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 m

China

lowest point: Turpan Pendi -154 m

highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m

Christmas Island

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Murray Hill 361 m

Clipperton Island

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Rocher Clipperton 29 m

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Colombia

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Pico Cristobal Colon 5,775 m

note: nearby Pico Simon Bolivar also has the same elevation

Comoros

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Le Kartala 2,360 m

Congo, Democratic Republic of the lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m

Congo, Republic of the

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m

Cook Islands

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Te Manga 652 m

Coral Sea Islands

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m

Costa Rica

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m

Cote d'Ivoire

lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 m

highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m

Croatia

lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m

highest point: Dinara 1,830 m

Cuba

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Pico Turquino 2,005 m

Cyprus

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Olympus 1,951 m

Czech Republic

lowest point: Elbe River 115 m

highest point: Snezka 1,602 m

Denmark

lowest point: Lammefjord -7 m

highest point: Yding Skovhoej 173 m

Djibouti

lowest point: Lac Assal -155 m

highest point: Moussa Ali 2,028 m

Dominica

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m

Dominican Republic

lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m

highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m

East Timor

lowest point: Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m

highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m

Ecuador

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m

Egypt

lowest point: Qattara Depression -133 m

highest point: Mount Catherine 2,629 m

El Salvador

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m

Equatorial Guinea

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m

Eritrea

lowest point: near Kulul within the Denakil depression -75 m

highest point: Soira 3,018 m

Estonia

lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m

highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m

Ethiopia

lowest point: Denakil Depression -125 m

highest point: Ras Dejen 4,620 m

Europa Island

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 24 m

European Union

lowest point: Lammefjord, Denmark -7 m;

Zuidplaspolder, Netherlands -7 m

highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m; note - situated on the border

between France and Italy

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m

Faroe Islands

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m

Fiji

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Tomanivi 1,324 m

Finland

lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m

highest point: Haltiatunturi 1,328 m

France

lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m

highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m

French Polynesia

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mont Ross on Iles Kerguelen 1,850 m

Gabon

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m

Gambia, The

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 53 m

Gaza Strip

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda) 105 m

Georgia

lowest point: Black Sea 0 m

highest point: Mt'a Shkhara 5,201 m

Germany

lowest point: Neuendorf bei Wilster -3.54 m

highest point: Zugspitze 2,963 m

Ghana

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m

Gibraltar

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m

Glorioso Islands

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 12 m

Greece

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m

Greenland

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m

Grenada

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Saint Catherine 840 m

Guam

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m

Guatemala

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m

Guernsey

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m

Guinea

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m

Guinea-Bissau

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location in the northeast corner of the

country 300 m

Guyana

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m

Haiti

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mawson Peak, on Big Ben 2,745 m

Holy See (Vatican City)

lowest point: unnamed location 19 m

highest point: unnamed location 75 m

Honduras

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m

Hong Kong

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m

Howland Island

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 3 m

Hungary

lowest point: Tisza River 78 m

highest point: Kekes 1,014 m

Iceland

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,110 m (at Vatnajokull glacier)

Iles Eparses

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Bassas da India 2.4 m; Europa Island 24 m; Glorioso

Islands 12 m; Juan de Nova Island 10 m; Tromelin Island 7 m (all

unnamed locations)

India

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Kanchenjunga 8,598 m

Indian Ocean

lowest point: Java Trench -7,258 m

highest point: sea level 0 m

Indonesia

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Puncak Jaya 5,030 m

Iran

lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m

highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m

Iraq

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m

highest point: unnamed peak; 3,611 m; note - this peak is not Gundah

Zhur 3,607 m or Kuh-e Hajji-Ebrahim 3,595 m

Ireland

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m

Isle of Man

lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m

highest point: Snaefell 621 m

Israel

lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m

highest point: Har Meron 1,208 m

Italy

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) de Courmayeur 4,748 m (a

secondary peak of Mont Blanc)

Jamaica

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m

Jan Mayen

lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m

highest point: Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg 2,277 m

Japan

lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m

highest point: Mount Fuji 3,776 m

Jarvis Island

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 7 m

Jersey

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 143 m

Johnston Atoll

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Summit Peak 5 m

Jordan

lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m

highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m

Juan de Nova Island

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 10 m

Kazakhstan

lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy -132 m

highest point: Khan Tangiri Shyngy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m

Kenya

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m

Kingman Reef

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 1 m

Kiribati

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Banaba 81 m

Korea, North

lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m

highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m

Korea, South

lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m

highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m

Kuwait

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 306 m

Kyrgyzstan

lowest point: Kara-Daryya (Karadar'ya) 132 m

highest point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy) 7,439 m

Laos

lowest point: Mekong River 70 m

highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m

Latvia

lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m

highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m

Lebanon

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

highest point: Qurnat as Sawda' 3,088 m

Lesotho

lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers

1,400 m

highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m

Liberia

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m

Libya

lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m

highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m

Liechtenstein

lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m

highest point: Vorder-Grauspitz 2,599 m

Lithuania

lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m

highest point: Juozapines Kalnas 293.6 m

Luxembourg

lowest point: Moselle River 133 m

highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 m

Macau

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

highest point: Coloane Alto 172.4 m

Macedonia

lowest point: Vardar River 50 m

highest point: Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,764 m

Madagascar

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m

Malawi

lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international

boundary with Mozambique 37 m

highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m

Malaysia

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m

Maldives

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu

Atoll 2.4 m

Mali

lowest point: Senegal River 23 m

highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m

Malta

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli)

Marshall Islands

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Likiep 10 m

Mauritania

lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m

highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m

Mauritius

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mont Piton 828 m

Mayotte

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Benara 660 m

Mexico

lowest point: Laguna Salada -10 m

highest point: Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,700 m

Micronesia, Federated States of

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m

Midway Islands

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 13 m

Moldova

lowest point: Dniester River 2 m

highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m

Monaco

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mont Agel 140 m

Mongolia

lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m

highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) 4,374 m

Montenegro

lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m

highest point: Bobotov Kuk 2,522 m

Montserrat

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: lava dome in English's Crater (in the Soufriere Hills

volcanic complex) estimated at over 930 m (2006)

Morocco

lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m

highest point: Jebel Toubkal 4,165 m

Mozambique

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Monte Binga 2,436 m

Namibia

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m

Nauru

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m

Navassa Island

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on southwest side 77 m

Nepal

lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m

highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m

Netherlands

lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m

highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m

Netherlands Antilles

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m

New Caledonia

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m

New Zealand

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m

Nicaragua

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m

Niger

lowest point: Niger River 200 m

highest point: Mont Bagzane 2,022 m

Nigeria

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m

Niue

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m

Norfolk Island

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Bates 319 m

Northern Mariana Islands

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m

Norway

lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m

highest point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m

Oman

lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m

highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m

Pacific Ocean

lowest point: Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench

-10,924 m

highest point: sea level 0 m

Pakistan

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m

Palau

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m

Palmyra Atoll

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 2 m

Panama

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Volcan de Chiriqui 3,475 m

Papua New Guinea

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m

Paracel Islands

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m

Paraguay

lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m

highest point: Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 m

Peru

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m

Philippines

lowest point: Philippine Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Apo 2,954 m

Pitcairn Islands

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Pawala Valley Ridge 347 m

Poland

lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m

highest point: Rysy 2,499 m

Portugal

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in

the Azores 2,351 m

Puerto Rico

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,339 m

Qatar

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m

highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m

Romania

lowest point: Black Sea 0 m

highest point: Moldoveanu 2,544 m

Russia

lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m

highest point: Gora El'brus 5,633 m

Rwanda

lowest point: Rusizi River 950 m

highest point: Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m

Saint Helena

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,062 m; Green

Mountain on Ascension Island 859 m; Mount Actaeon on Saint Helena

Island 818 m

Saint Kitts and Nevis

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m

Saint Lucia

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Gimie 950 m

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: La Soufriere 1,234 m

Samoa

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mauga Silisili (Savaii) 1,857 m

San Marino

lowest point: Torrente Ausa 55 m

highest point: Monte Titano 755 m

Sao Tome and Principe

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m

Saudi Arabia

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m

highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m

Senegal

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed feature near Nepen Diakha 581 m

Serbia

lowest point: NA

highest point: Daravica 2,656 m

Seychelles

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m

Sierra Leone

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m

Singapore

lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m

highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m

Slovakia

lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m

highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m

Slovenia

lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m

highest point: Triglav 2,864 m

Solomon Islands

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m

Somalia

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m

South Africa

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

lowest point: Atlantic

Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m

Southern Ocean

lowest point: -7,235 m at the southern end of the

South Sandwich Trench

highest point: sea level 0 m

Spain

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m

Spratly Islands

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m

Sri Lanka

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m

Sudan

lowest point: Red Sea 0 m

highest point: Kinyeti 3,187 m

Suriname

lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m

highest point: Juliana Top 1,230 m

Svalbard

lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 m

Swaziland

lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m

highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m

Sweden

lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near

Kristianstad -2.41 m

highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m

Switzerland

lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m

highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m

Syria

lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m

highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m

Taiwan

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m

Tajikistan

lowest point: Syr Darya (Sirdaryo) 300 m

highest point: Qullai Ismoili Somoni 7,495 m

Tanzania

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Kilimanjaro 5,895 m

Thailand

lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m

highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m

Togo

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mont Agou 986 m

Tokelau

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Tonga

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m

Trinidad and Tobago

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m

Tromelin Island

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 7 m

Tunisia

lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m

highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m

Turkey

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Ararat 5,166 m

Turkmenistan

lowest point: Vpadina Akchanaya -81 m; note -

Sarygamysh Koli is a lake in northern Turkmenistan with a water

level that fluctuates above and below the elevation of Vpadina

Akchanaya (the lake has dropped as low as -110 m)

highest point: Gora Ayribaba 3,139 m

Turks and Caicos Islands

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Blue Hills 49 m

Tuvalu

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Uganda

lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m

highest point: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m

Ukraine

lowest point: Black Sea 0 m

highest point: Hora Hoverla 2,061 m

United Arab Emirates

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m

highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m

United Kingdom

lowest point: The Fens -4 m

highest point: Ben Nevis 1,343 m

United States

lowest point: Death Valley -86 m

highest point: Mount McKinley 6,194 m

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

lowest point: Pacific

Ocean 0 m

highest point: Baker Island, unnamed location - 8 m; Howland Island,

unnamed location - 3 m; Jarvis Island, unnamed location - 7 m;

Johnston Atoll, Sand Island - 10 m; Kingman Reef, unnamed location -

less than 1 m; Midway Islands, unnamed location - 13 m; Palmyra

Atoll, unnamed location - 2 m

Uruguay

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m

Uzbekistan

lowest point: Sariqarnish Kuli -12 m

highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m

Vanuatu

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m

Venezuela

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m

Vietnam

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

highest point: Fan Si Pan 3,144 m

Virgin Islands

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Crown Mountain 475 m

Wake Island

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 6 m

Wallis and Futuna

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mont Singavi 765 m

West Bank

lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m

highest point: Tall Asur 1,022 m

Western Sahara

lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m

highest point: unnamed location 463 m

World

lowest point: Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,540 m

note: in the oceanic realm, Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench is

the lowest point, lying -10,924 m below the surface of the Pacific

Ocean

highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m

Yemen

lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m

highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,760 m

Zambia

lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m

highest point: unnamed location in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m

Zimbabwe

lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m

highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2021 Natural hazards

Afghanistan

damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains;

flooding; droughts

Albania

destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern

coast; floods; drought

Algeria

mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides

and floods in rainy season

American Samoa

typhoons common from December to March

Andorra

avalanches

Angola

locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau

Anguilla

frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to

October)

Antarctica

katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the

high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau;

cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the

coast; volcanism on Deception Island and isolated areas of West

Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak; large icebergs may

calve from ice shelf

Antigua and Barbuda

hurricanes and tropical storms (July to

October); periodic droughts

Arctic Ocean

ice islands occasionally break away from northern

Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland

and extreme northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually

ice locked from October to June; ships subject to superstructure

icing from October to May

Argentina

San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes

subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can

strike the pampas and northeast; heavy flooding

Armenia

occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts

Aruba

lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

surrounded by shoals and reefs that can

pose maritime hazards

Atlantic Ocean

icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and

the northwestern Atlantic Ocean from February to August and have

been spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands; ships

subject to superstructure icing in extreme northern Atlantic from

October to May; persistent fog can be a maritime hazard from May to

September; hurricanes (May to December)

Australia

cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires

Austria

landslides; avalanches; earthquakes

Azerbaijan

droughts

Bahamas, The

hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive

flood and wind damage

Bahrain

periodic droughts; dust storms

Baker Island

the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be

a maritime hazard

Bangladesh

droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely

inundated during the summer monsoon season

Barbados

infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides

Bassas da India

maritime hazard since it is usually under water

during high tide and surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic

cyclones

Belarus

NA

Belgium

flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed

coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes

Belize

frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and

coastal flooding (especially in south)

Benin

hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December

to March

Bermuda

hurricanes (June to November)

Bhutan

violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the

country's name, which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon;

frequent landslides during the rainy season

Bolivia

flooding in the northeast (March-April)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

destructive earthquakes

Botswana

periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the

west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure

visibility

Bouvet Island

NA

Brazil

recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost

in south

British Indian Ocean Territory

NA

British Virgin Islands

hurricanes and tropical storms (July to

October)

Brunei

typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare

Bulgaria

earthquakes, landslides

Burkina Faso

recurring droughts

Burma

destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides

common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts

Burundi

flooding, landslides, drought

Cambodia

monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional

droughts

Cameroon

volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases

from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes

Canada

continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to

development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a

result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and

North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and

snow east of the mountains

Cape Verde

prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces

obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active

Cayman Islands

hurricanes (July to November)

Central African Republic

hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect

northern areas; floods are common

Chad

hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic

droughts; locust plagues

Chile

severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis

China

frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and

eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts;

land subsidence

Christmas Island

the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can

be a maritime hazard

Clipperton Island

NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

cyclone season is October to April

Colombia

highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional

earthquakes; periodic droughts

Comoros

cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April);

Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano

Congo, Democratic Republic of the periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the east, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes

Congo, Republic of the

seasonal flooding

Cook Islands

typhoons (November to March)

Coral Sea Islands

occasional tropical cyclones

Costa Rica

occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast;

frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and

landslides; active volcanoes

Cote d'Ivoire

coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during

the rainy season torrential flooding is possible

Croatia

destructive earthquakes

Cuba

the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to November

(in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other

year); droughts are common

Cyprus

moderate earthquake activity; droughts

Czech Republic

flooding

Denmark

flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g.,

parts of Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland)

that are protected from the sea by a system of dikes

Djibouti

earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances

from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods

Dominica

flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes

can be expected during the late summer months

Dominican Republic

lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and

subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding;

periodic droughts

East Timor

floods and landslides are common; earthquakes, tsunamis,

tropical cyclones

Ecuador

frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods;

periodic droughts

Egypt

periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods,

landslides; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring;

dust storms, sandstorms

El Salvador

known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes

destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible

to hurricanes

Equatorial Guinea

violent windstorms, flash floods

Eritrea

frequent droughts; locust swarms

Estonia

sometimes flooding occurs in the spring

Ethiopia

geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to

earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts

Europa Island

NA

European Union

flooding along coasts; avalanches in mountainous

area; earthquakes in the south; volcanic eruptions in Italy;

periodic droughts in Spain; ice floes in the Baltic

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

strong winds persist throughout

the year

Faroe Islands

NA

Fiji

cyclonic storms can occur from November to January

Finland

NA

France

metropolitan France: flooding; avalanches; midwinter

windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean

overseas departments: hurricanes (cyclones), flooding, volcanic

activity (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion)

French Polynesia

occasional cyclonic storms in January

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul

are extinct volcanoes

Gabon

NA

Gambia, The

drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30

years)

Gaza Strip

droughts

Georgia

earthquakes

Germany

flooding

Ghana

dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to

March; droughts

Gibraltar

NA

Glorioso Islands

periodic cyclones

Greece

severe earthquakes

Greenland

continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the

island

Grenada

lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from

June to November

Guam

frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but

potentially very destructive typhoons (June - December)

Guatemala

numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent

earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and

other tropical storms

Guernsey

NA

Guinea

hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during

dry season

Guinea-Bissau

hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility

during dry season; brush fires

Guyana

flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons

Haiti

lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe

storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes;

periodic droughts

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is

on Heard Island

Holy See (Vatican City)

NA

Honduras

frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely

susceptible to damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean

coast

Hong Kong

occasional typhoons

Howland Island

the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can

be a maritime hazard

Iceland

earthquakes and volcanic activity

Iles Eparses

all islands subject to periodic cyclones

Bassas da India: maritime hazard since it is under water for a

period of three hours prior to and following the high tide and

surrounded by reefs

India

droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive

flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes

Indian Ocean

occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in

southern reaches

Indonesia

occasional floods, severe droughts, tsunamis, earthquakes,

volcanoes, forest fires

Iran

periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes

Iraq

dust storms, sandstorms, floods

Ireland

NA

Isle of Man

NA

Israel

sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts;

periodic earthquakes

Italy

regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches,

earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice

Jamaica

hurricanes (especially July to November)

Jan Mayen

dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg;

volcanic activity resumed in 1970

Japan

many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic

occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons

Jarvis Island

the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island poses

a maritime hazard

Jersey

NA

Johnston Atoll

NA

Jordan

droughts; periodic earthquakes

Juan de Nova Island

periodic cyclones

Kazakhstan

earthquakes in the south, mudslides around Almaty

Kenya

recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons

Kingman Reef

wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of

about 1 meter makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard

Kiribati

typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March;

occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them

very sensitive to changes in sea level

Korea, North

late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding;

occasional typhoons during the early fall

Korea, South

occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods;

low-level seismic activity common in southwest

Kuwait

sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring

heavy rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust

storms occur throughout the year, but are most common between March

and August

Kyrgyzstan

NA

Laos

floods, droughts

Latvia

NA

Lebanon

dust storms, sandstorms

Lesotho

periodic droughts

Liberia

dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to

March)

Libya

hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to

four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms

Liechtenstein

NA

Lithuania

NA

Luxembourg

NA

Macau

typhoons

Macedonia

high seismic risks

Madagascar

periodic cyclones, drought, and locust infestation

Malawi

NA

Malaysia

flooding, landslides, forest fires

Maldives

low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level

rise

Mali

hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons;

recurring droughts; occasional Niger River flooding

Malta

NA

Marshall Islands

infrequent typhoons

Mauritania

hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in

March and April; periodic droughts

Mauritius

cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded

by reefs that may pose maritime hazards

Mayotte

cyclones during rainy season

Mexico

tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive

earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific,

Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts

Micronesia, Federated States of

typhoons (June to December)

Midway Islands

NA

Moldova

landslides (57 cases in 1998)

Monaco

NA

Mongolia

dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and

"zud," which is harsh winter conditions

Montenegro

destructive earthquakes

Montserrat

severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions

(Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995)

Morocco

northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to

earthquakes; periodic droughts

Mozambique

severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods in

central and southern provinces

Namibia

prolonged periods of drought

Nauru

periodic droughts

Navassa Island

hurricanes

Nepal

severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and

famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the

summer monsoons

Netherlands

flooding

Netherlands Antilles

Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean

hurricane belt and are rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and

Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October

New Caledonia

cyclones, most frequent from November to March

New Zealand

earthquakes are common, though usually not severe;

volcanic activity

Nicaragua

destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely

susceptible to hurricanes

Niger

recurring droughts

Nigeria

periodic droughts; flooding

Niue

typhoons

Norfolk Island

typhoons (especially May to July)

Northern Mariana Islands active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November)

Norway

rockslides, avalanches

Oman

summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in

interior; periodic droughts

Pacific Ocean

surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and

earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of

Fire"; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east

Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October);

tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike

Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in

August and September); cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in

the equatorial Pacific, influencing weather in the Western

Hemisphere and the western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure

icing in extreme north from October to May; persistent fog in the

northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December

Pakistan

frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in

north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and

August)

Palau

typhoons (June to December)

Palmyra Atoll

NA

Panama

occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area

Papua New Guinea

active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Ring

of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe

earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis

Paracel Islands

typhoons

Paraguay

local flooding in southeast (early September to June);

poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)

Peru

earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic

activity

Philippines

astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck

by five to six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active

volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis

Pitcairn Islands

typhoons (especially November to March)

Poland

flooding

Portugal

Azores subject to severe earthquakes

Puerto Rico

periodic droughts; hurricanes

Qatar

haze, dust storms, sandstorms common

Romania

earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic

structure and climate promote landslides

Russia

permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to

development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and

earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula; spring floods and

summer/autumn forest fires throughout Siberia and parts of European

Russia

Rwanda

periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the

northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo

Saint Helena

active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha, last eruption in

1961

Saint Kitts and Nevis

hurricanes (July to October)

Saint Lucia

hurricanes and volcanic activity

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

persistent fog throughout the year can be

a maritime hazard

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on

the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat

Samoa

occasional typhoons; active volcanism

San Marino

NA

Sao Tome and Principe

NA

Saudi Arabia

frequent sand and dust storms

Senegal

lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts

Serbia

destructive earthquakes

Seychelles

lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare;

short droughts possible

Sierra Leone

dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara

(December to February); sandstorms, dust storms

Singapore

NA

Slovakia

NA

Slovenia

flooding and earthquakes

Solomon Islands

typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically

active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity

Somalia

recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains

in summer; floods during rainy season

South Africa

prolonged droughts

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

the South Sandwich

Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them

difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active

volcanism

Southern Ocean

huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred

meters; smaller bergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5

to 1 meter thick) with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and

with large annual and interannual variations; deep continental shelf

floored by glacial deposits varying widely over short distances;

high winds and large waves much of the year; ship icing, especially

May-October; most of region is remote from sources of search and

rescue

Spain

periodic droughts

Spratly Islands

typhoons; numerous reefs and shoals pose a serious

maritime hazard

Sri Lanka

occasional cyclones and tornadoes

Sudan

dust storms and periodic persistent droughts

Suriname

NA

Svalbard

ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a transit

point for coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts

of the northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic

Swaziland

drought

Sweden

ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf

of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic

Switzerland

avalanches, landslides, flash floods

Syria

dust storms, sandstorms

Taiwan

earthquakes and typhoons

Tajikistan

earthquakes and floods

Tanzania

flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season;

drought

Thailand

land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the

depletion of the water table; droughts

Togo

hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during

winter; periodic droughts

Tokelau

lies in Pacific typhoon belt

Tonga

cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity

on Fonuafo'ou

Trinidad and Tobago

outside usual path of hurricanes and other

tropical storms

Tromelin Island

NA

Tunisia

NA

Turkey

severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an

arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van

Turkmenistan

NA

Turks and Caicos Islands

frequent hurricanes

Tuvalu

severe tropical storms are usually rare, but, in 1997, there

were three cyclones; low level of islands make them sensitive to

changes in sea level

Uganda

NA

Ukraine

NA

United Arab Emirates

frequent sand and dust storms

United Kingdom

winter windstorms; floods

United States

tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around

Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico

coasts; tornadoes in the midwest and southeast; mud slides in

California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in

northern Alaska, a major impediment to development

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Baker, Howland, and

Jarvis Islands: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can

be a maritime hazard

Kingman Reef: wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of

less than 1 m makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard

Midway Islands, Johnston, and Palmyra Atolls: NA

Uruguay

seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and

occasional violent wind that blows north from the Argentine pampas),

droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as

weather barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid

changes from weather fronts

Uzbekistan

NA

Vanuatu

tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanic

eruption on Aoba (Ambae) island began 27 November 2005, volcanism

also causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis

Venezuela

subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts

Vietnam

occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive

flooding, especially in the Mekong River delta

Virgin Islands

several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and

severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes

Wake Island

occasional typhoons

Wallis and Futuna

NA

West Bank

droughts

Western Sahara

hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur

during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of

time, often severely restricting visibility

World

large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones),

natural disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic

eruptions)

Yemen

sandstorms and dust storms in summer

Zambia

periodic drought, tropical storms (November to April)

Zimbabwe

recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2022 People - note

Afghanistan

of the estimated 4 million refugees in October 2001, 2.3

million have returned

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

the landing of illegal immigrants from

Indonesia's Rote Island has become an ongoing problem

Cook Islands

2001 census counted a resident population of 15,017

Cuba

illicit migration is a continuing problem; Cubans attempt to

depart the island and enter the US using homemade rafts, alien

smugglers, direct flights, or falsified visas; Cubans also use

non-maritime routes to enter the US including direct flights to

Miami and over-land via the southwest border

Greece

women, men, and children are trafficked to and within Greece

for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor

Rwanda

Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa

Turks and Caicos Islands

destination and transit point for illegal

Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, The

Bahamas, and US

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2023 Area - comparative

Afghanistan

slightly smaller than Texas

Akrotiri

about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Albania

slightly smaller than Maryland

Algeria

slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas

American Samoa

slightly larger than Washington, DC

Andorra

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Angola

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Anguilla

about half the size of Washington, DC

Antarctica

slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US

Antigua and Barbuda

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Arctic Ocean

slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US

Argentina

slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US

Armenia

slightly smaller than Maryland

Aruba

slightly larger than Washington, DC

Ashmore and Cartier Islands about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Atlantic Ocean

slightly less than 6.5 times the size of the US

Australia

slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states

Austria

slightly smaller than Maine

Azerbaijan

slightly smaller than Maine

Bahamas, The

slightly smaller than Connecticut

Bahrain

3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Baker Island

about 2.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Bangladesh

slightly smaller than Iowa

Barbados

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Bassas da India

about one-third the size of The Mall in Washington,

DC

Belarus

slightly smaller than Kansas

Belgium

about the size of Maryland

Belize

slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Benin

slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Bermuda

about one-third the size of Washington, DC

Bhutan

about half the size of Indiana

Bolivia

slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Bosnia and Herzegovina

slightly smaller than West Virginia

Botswana

slightly smaller than Texas

Bouvet Island

about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Brazil

slightly smaller than the US

British Indian Ocean Territory land area is about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

British Virgin Islands

about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Brunei

slightly smaller than Delaware

Bulgaria

slightly larger than Tennessee

Burkina Faso

slightly larger than Colorado

Burma

slightly smaller than Texas

Burundi

slightly smaller than Maryland

Cambodia

slightly smaller than Oklahoma

Cameroon

slightly larger than California

Canada

somewhat larger than the US

Cape Verde

slightly larger than Rhode Island

Cayman Islands

1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Central African Republic

slightly smaller than Texas

Chad

slightly more than three times the size of California

Chile

slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana

China

slightly smaller than the US

Christmas Island

about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC

Clipperton Island

about 12 times the size of The Mall in Washington,

DC

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

about 24 times the size of The Mall in

Washington, DC

Colombia

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Comoros

slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC

Congo, Democratic Republic of the slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US

Congo, Republic of the

slightly smaller than Montana

Cook Islands

1.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Coral Sea Islands

NA

Costa Rica

slightly smaller than West Virginia

Cote d'Ivoire

slightly larger than New Mexico

Croatia

slightly smaller than West Virginia

Cuba

slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Cyprus

about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut

Czech Republic

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Denmark

slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts

Dhekelia

about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC

Djibouti

slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Dominica

slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC

Dominican Republic

slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire

East Timor

slightly larger than Connecticut

Ecuador

slightly smaller than Nevada

Egypt

slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico

El Salvador

slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Equatorial Guinea

slightly smaller than Maryland

Eritrea

slightly larger than Pennsylvania

Estonia

slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined

Ethiopia

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Europa Island

about 0.16 times the size of Washington, DC

European Union

less than one-half the size of the US

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

slightly smaller than Connecticut

Faroe Islands

eight times the size of Washington, DC

Fiji

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Finland

slightly smaller than Montana

France

slightly less than the size of Texas

French Polynesia

slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut

French Southern and Antarctic Lands slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Delaware

Gabon

slightly smaller than Colorado

Gambia, The

slightly less than twice the size of Delaware

Gaza Strip

slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Georgia

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Germany

slightly smaller than Montana

Ghana

slightly smaller than Oregon

Gibraltar

about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Glorioso Islands

about eight times the size of The Mall in

Washington, DC

Greece

slightly smaller than Alabama

Greenland

slightly more than three times the size of Texas

Grenada

twice the size of Washington, DC

Guam

three times the size of Washington, DC

Guatemala

slightly smaller than Tennessee

Guernsey

about one-half the size of Washington, DC

Guinea

slightly smaller than Oregon

Guinea-Bissau

slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut

Guyana

slightly smaller than Idaho

Haiti

slightly smaller than Maryland

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

slightly more than two times the

size of Washington, DC

Holy See (Vatican City)

about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in

Washington, DC

Honduras

slightly larger than Tennessee

Hong Kong

six times the size of Washington, DC

Howland Island

about three times the size of The Mall in Washington,

DC

Hungary

slightly smaller than Indiana

Iceland

slightly smaller than Kentucky

Iles Eparses

Bassas da India: land area about one-third the size of

The Mall in Washington, DC

Europa Island: about one-sixth the size of Washington, DC

Glorioso Islands: about eight times the size of The Mall in

Washington, DC

Juan de Nova Island: about seven times the size of The Mall in

Washington, DC

Tromelin Island: about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington,

DC

India

slightly more than one-third the size of the US

Indian Ocean

about 5.5 times the size of the US

Indonesia

slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Iran

slightly larger than Alaska

Iraq

slightly more than twice the size of Idaho

Ireland

slightly larger than West Virginia

Isle of Man

slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC

Israel

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Italy

slightly larger than Arizona

Jamaica

slightly smaller than Connecticut

Jan Mayen

slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Japan

slightly smaller than California

Jarvis Island

about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington,

DC

Jersey

about two-thirds the size of Washington, DC

Johnston Atoll

about 4.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Jordan

slightly smaller than Indiana

Juan de Nova Island

about seven times the size of The Mall in

Washington, DC

Kazakhstan

slightly less than four times the size of Texas

Kenya

slightly more than twice the size of Nevada

Kingman Reef

about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Kiribati

four times the size of Washington, DC

Korea, North

slightly smaller than Mississippi

Korea, South

slightly larger than Indiana

Kuwait

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Kyrgyzstan

slightly smaller than South Dakota

Laos

slightly larger than Utah

Latvia

slightly larger than West Virginia

Lebanon

about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut

Lesotho

slightly smaller than Maryland

Liberia

slightly larger than Tennessee

Libya

slightly larger than Alaska

Liechtenstein

about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Lithuania

slightly larger than West Virginia

Luxembourg

slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Macau

less than one-sixth the size of Washington, DC

Macedonia

slightly larger than Vermont

Madagascar

slightly less than twice the size of Arizona

Malawi

slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Malaysia

slightly larger than New Mexico

Maldives

about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Mali

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Malta

slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC

Marshall Islands

about the size of Washington, DC

Mauritania

slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico

Mauritius

almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC

Mayotte

slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Mexico

slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Micronesia, Federated States of

four times the size of Washington,

DC (land area only)

Midway Islands

about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington,

DC

Moldova

slightly larger than Maryland

Monaco

about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Mongolia

slightly smaller than Alaska

Montenegro

slightly smaller than Connecticut

Montserrat

about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC

Morocco

slightly larger than California

Mozambique

slightly less than twice the size of California

Namibia

slightly more than half the size of Alaska

Nauru

about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Navassa Island

about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington,

DC

Nepal

slightly larger than Arkansas

Netherlands

slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Netherlands Antilles

more than five times the size of Washington, DC

New Caledonia

slightly smaller than New Jersey

New Zealand

about the size of Colorado

Nicaragua

slightly smaller than the state of New York

Niger

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Nigeria

slightly more than twice the size of California

Niue

1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Norfolk Island

about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC

Northern Mariana Islands

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Norway

slightly larger than New Mexico

Oman

slightly smaller than Kansas

Pacific Ocean

about 15 times the size of the US; covers about 28% of

the global surface; larger than the total land area of the world

Pakistan

slightly less than twice the size of California

Palau

slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Palmyra Atoll

about 20 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Panama

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Papua New Guinea

slightly larger than California

Paracel Islands

NA

Paraguay

slightly smaller than California

Peru

slightly smaller than Alaska

Philippines

slightly larger than Arizona

Pitcairn Islands

about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Poland

slightly smaller than New Mexico

Portugal

slightly smaller than Indiana

Puerto Rico

slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island

Qatar

slightly smaller than Connecticut

Romania

slightly smaller than Oregon

Russia

approximately 1.8 times the size of the US

Rwanda

slightly smaller than Maryland

Saint Helena

slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Saint Kitts and Nevis

1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Saint Lucia

3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

twice the size of Washington, DC

Samoa

slightly smaller than Rhode Island

San Marino

about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Sao Tome and Principe

more than five times the size of Washington, DC

Saudi Arabia

slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US

Senegal

slightly smaller than South Dakota

Serbia

slightly larger than South Carolina

Seychelles

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Sierra Leone

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Singapore

slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Slovakia

about twice the size of New Hampshire

Slovenia

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Solomon Islands

slightly smaller than Maryland

Somalia

slightly smaller than Texas

South Africa

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

slightly larger than

Rhode Island

Southern Ocean

slightly more than twice the size of the US

Spain

slightly more than twice the size of Oregon

Spratly Islands

NA

Sri Lanka

slightly larger than West Virginia

Sudan

slightly more than one-quarter the size of the US

Suriname

slightly larger than Georgia

Svalbard

slightly smaller than West Virginia

Swaziland

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Sweden

slightly larger than California

Switzerland

slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Syria

slightly larger than North Dakota

Taiwan

slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined

Tajikistan

slightly smaller than Wisconsin

Tanzania

slightly larger than twice the size of California

Thailand

slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming

Togo

slightly smaller than West Virginia

Tokelau

about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Tonga

four times the size of Washington, DC

Trinidad and Tobago

slightly smaller than Delaware

Tromelin Island

about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington,

DC

Tunisia

slightly larger than Georgia

Turkey

slightly larger than Texas

Turkmenistan

slightly larger than California

Turks and Caicos Islands

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Tuvalu

0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Uganda

slightly smaller than Oregon

Ukraine

slightly smaller than Texas

United Arab Emirates

slightly smaller than Maine

United Kingdom

slightly smaller than Oregon

United States

about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the

size of Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly

larger than Brazil); slightly larger than China; almost two and a

half times the size of the European Union

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Baker Island: about

two and a half times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Howland Island: about three times the size of The Mall in

Washington, DC

Jarvis Island: about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington,

DC

Johnston Atoll: about four and a half times the size of The Mall in

Washington, DC

Kingman Reef: a little more than one and a half times the size of

The Mall in Washington, DC

Midway Islands: about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington,

DC

Palmyra Atoll: about 20 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Uruguay

slightly smaller than the state of Washington

Uzbekistan

slightly larger than California

Vanuatu

slightly larger than Connecticut

Venezuela

slightly more than twice the size of California

Vietnam

slightly larger than New Mexico

Virgin Islands

twice the size of Washington, DC

Wake Island

about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Wallis and Futuna

1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

West Bank

slightly smaller than Delaware

Western Sahara

about the size of Colorado

World

land area about 16 times the size of the US

Yemen

slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming

Zambia

slightly larger than Texas

Zimbabwe

slightly larger than Montana

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2024 Military service age and obligation (years of age)

Afghanistan

22 years of age; inductees are contracted into service

for a 4-year term (2005)

Albania

19 years of age (2004)

Algeria

19-30 years of age for compulsory military service;

conscript service obligation - 18 months (6 months basic training,

12 months civil projects) (2006)

Angola

17 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript

service obligation - two years plus time for training (2001)

Antigua and Barbuda

18 years of age (est.); no conscript military

service (2001)

Argentina

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no

conscription (2001)

Armenia

18 to 27 years of age for compulsory military service,

conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for

voluntary military service (2004)

Australia

16 years of age for voluntary service; women allowed to

serve in Army combat units in non-combat support roles (2001)

Austria

18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of

age for voluntary service; from 2007, at the earliest, compulsory

military service obligation will be reduced from eight months to six

(2005)

Azerbaijan

men between 18 and 35 are liable for military service; 18

years of age for voluntary military service; length of military

service is 18 months and 12 months for university graduates (2006)

Bahamas, The

18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Bahrain

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Bangladesh

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no

conscription (2005)

Barbados

18 years of age for voluntary military service; volunteers

at earlier age with parental consent; no conscription (2001)

Belarus

18-27 years of age for compulsory military service;

conscript service obligation - 18 months (2005)

Belgium

16 years of age for voluntary military service; women

comprise approx. 7% of the Belgian armed forces (2001)

Belize

18 years of age for voluntary military service; laws allow

for conscription only if volunteers are insufficient; conscription

has never been implemented; volunteers typically outnumber available

positions by 3:1 (2001)

Benin

21 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;

in practice, volunteers may be taken at the age of 18; both sexes

are eligible for military service; conscript tour of duty - 18

months (2004)

Bhutan

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no

conscription (2001)

Bolivia

18 years of age for voluntary military service; when annual

number of volunteers falls short of goal, compulsory recruitment is

effected, including conscription of boys as young as 14; one

estimate holds that 40% of the armed forces are under the age of 18,

with 50% of those under the age of 16; conscript tour of duty - 12

months (2002)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

18 years of age for compulsory military

service in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina; 16 years of age

in times of war; 18 years of age for Republika Srpska; 17 years of

age for voluntary military service in the Federation and in the

Republika Srpska; by law, military obligations cover all healthy men

between the ages of 18 and 60, and all women between the ages of 18

and 55; service obligation is four months (July 2004)

Botswana

18 is the apparent age of voluntary military service; the

official qualifications for determining minimum age are unknown

(2001)

Brazil

21-45 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript

service obligation - nine to 12 months; 17-45 years of age for

voluntary service; an increasing percentage of the ranks are

"long-service" volunteer professionals; women were allowed to serve

in the armed forces beginning in early 1980s when the Brazilian Army

became the first army in South America to accept women into career

ranks; women serve in Navy and Air Force only in Women's Reserve

Corps (2001)

Brunei

18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Bulgaria

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military

service; conscript service obligation - 9 months; as of May 2006,

67% of the Bulgarian Army comprised of professional soldiers;

conscription into the Army to end as of 1 January 2008; Air and Air

Defense Forces and Naval Forces will become fully professional by

end of 2006 (2006)

Burkina Faso

18 years of age for compulsory military service; 20

years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Burma

18 years of age for voluntary military service for both sexes

(2004)

Burundi

16 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military

service (2001)

Cambodia

conscription law made effective in October 2006 requires

all males between 18-30 to register for military service; service

obligation is 18 months (2006)

Cameroon

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no

conscription (1999)

Canada

16 years of age for voluntary military service; women

comprise approximately 11% of Canada's armed forces (2001)

Central African Republic

18 years of age for voluntary and

compulsory military service; conscript service obligation is two

years (2005)

Chad

20 years of age for conscripts, with three-year service

obligation; 18 years of age for volunteers; no minimum age

restriction for volunteers with consent from a guardian; women are

subject to one year of compulsory military or civic service at age

of 21 (2004)

Chile

all male citizens 18-45 are obligated to perform military

service; conscript service obligation - 12 months for Army, 24

months for Navy and Air Force (2004)

China

18-22 years of age for compulsory military service, with

24-month service obligation; no minimum age for voluntary service

(all officers are volunteers); 18-22 years of age for women who meet

requirements for specific military jobs (2006)

Colombia

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military

service; conscript service obligation - 24 months (2004)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

18-45 years of age for military

service

Congo, Republic of the

18 years of age for voluntary military

service (2001)

Costa Rica

18 years of age (2004)

Cote d'Ivoire

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military

service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Croatia

18 years of age for compulsory military service, with

six-month service obligation; 16 years of age with consent for

voluntary service (December 2004)

Cuba

17 years of age; both sexes are eligible for military service

(2004)

Cyprus

18 years of age (2004)

Czech Republic

18-50 years of age for voluntary military service;

on-going transformation of military service into a fully

professional, all-volunteer force no longer dependent on

conscription began in January 2004 and is scheduled to be completed

by 2007 (2005)

Denmark

18 years of age for compulsory and volunteer military

service; conscripts serve an initial training period that varies

from four to 12 months according to specialization; reservists are

assigned to mobilization units following completion of their

conscript service; women eligible to volunteer for military service

(2004)

Djibouti

18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Dominican Republic 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

East Timor

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Ecuador

20 years of age for conscript military service; 12-month

service obligation (2004)

Egypt

18 years of age for conscript military service; three-year

service obligation (2001)

El Salvador

18 years of age for compulsory military service, with

12-month service obligation; 16 years of age for volunteers (2002)

Equatorial Guinea

18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Eritrea

18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military

service; conscript service obligation - 16 months (2004)

Estonia

compulsory military service for men between 19 and 28;

conscription lasts 11 months for junior NCOs and reserve platoon

leaders; reserve officers and designated specialists have a

different conscript service obligation; Estonia has committed to

retaining conscription for men up to 2010 and, unlike Latvia and

Lithuania, has no plan to transition to a contract armed forces; 17

years of age for volunteers; reserve commitment up to the age of 60

(2006)

Ethiopia

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military

service (2001)

Fiji

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Finland

18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military

service (October 2004)

France

17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription

ended in the 1990s; women serve in non-combat military posts (2001)

Gabon

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service

(2001)

Gambia, The

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no

conscription (2001)

Georgia

18 to 34 years of age for compulsory and voluntary active

duty military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months

(2005)

Germany

18 years of age (conscripts serve a nine-month tour of

compulsory military service) (2004)

Ghana

18 years of age for compulsory and volunteer military service

(2001)

Greece

18 years of age for compulsory military service; during

wartime the law allows for recruitment beginning January of the year

of inductee's 18th birthday, thus including 17 year olds; 17 years

of age for volunteers; conscript service obligation - 12 months for

the Army, Air Force; 15 months for Navy; women are eligible for

military service (2005)

Guatemala

all male citizens between the ages of 18 and 50 are liable

for military service; conscript service obligation varies from 12 to

24 months (2005)

Guinea

18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript

service obligation - 24 months (2004)

Guinea-Bissau

18 years of age for compulsory military service (2001)

Haiti

18 years of age for voluntary recruitment into the police

force (2001)

Honduras

18 years of age for voluntary two-three year military

service (2004)

Hong Kong

18 years of age (2004)

Hungary

18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription

abolished in June 2004 (2004)

India

16 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Indonesia

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military

service; conscript service obligation - two years (2002)

Iran

18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of

age for volunteers; soldiers as young as 9 were recruited

extensively during the Iran-Iraq War; conscript service obligation -

18 months (2004)

Iraq

all volunteer force; the Iraqi Government is creating a new

professional Iraqi military force of men aged 18 to 40 to defend

Iraq from external threats and the current insurgency (2006)

Ireland

17 years of age for voluntary military service; enlistees

under the age of 17 can be recruited for specialist positions (2001)

Israel

17 years of age for compulsory (Jews, Druzes) and voluntary

(Christians, Muslims, Circassians) military service; both sexes are

eligible for military service; conscript service obligation - 36

months for men, 21 months for women (2004)

Italy

voluntary military service; conscription abolished January

2005 (2006)

Jamaica

18 years of age for voluntary military service; younger

recruits may be conscripted with parental consent (2001)

Japan

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Jordan

17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription

at age 18 was suspended in 1999, although all males under age 37 are

required to register; women not subject to conscription, but can

volunteer to serve in non-combat military positions (2004)

Kazakhstan

18 years of age for compulsory military service;

conscript service obligation - two years; minimum age for volunteers

NA (2004)

Kenya

18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Korea, North

17 years of age (2004)

Korea, South

20-30 years of age for compulsory military service;

conscript service obligation - 24-28 months, depending on the

military branch involved; 18 years of age for voluntary military

service; some 4,000 women serve as commissioned and noncommissioned

officers, approx. 2.3% of all officers; women, in service since

1950, are admitted to seven service branches, including infantry,

but excluded from artillery, armor, anti-air, and chaplaincy corps

(2005)

Kuwait

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military

service; 1 month annual training to age 40; women have served in

police forces since 1999 (2001)

Kyrgyzstan

18 years of age for compulsory military service (2001)

Laos

15 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript

service obligation - minimum 18 months (2004)

Latvia

19 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript

service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for volunteers;

plans are to phase out conscription, tentatively moving to an

all-professional force by 2007; under current law, every citizen is

entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2004)

Lebanon

18-30 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military

service; conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Lesotho

18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Liberia

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no

conscription (2001)

Libya

17 years of age (2004)

Lithuania

19-45 years of age for compulsory military service,

conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for

volunteers (2004)

Luxembourg

a 1967 law made the Army an all-volunteer force; 17 years

of age for voluntary military service; soldiers under 18 are not

deployed into combat or with peacekeeping missions (2004)

Macedonia

conscription to be phased out by 2007; current tour of

conscript duty is six months; 18 years of age for voluntary military

service (2005)

Madagascar

18-50 years of age; conscript service obligation - 18

months (either military or equivalent civil service) (2004)

Malawi

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no

conscription (2001)

Malaysia

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2005)

Maldives

18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Mali

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;

conscript service obligation - two years (2004)

Malta

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no

conscription (2001)

Mauritania

18 years of age (est.); conscript service obligation -

two years; majority of servicemen believed to be volunteers; service

in Air Force and Navy is voluntary (April 2005)

Mexico

18 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript

service obligation - 12 months; 16 years of age with consent for

voluntary enlistment (2004)

Moldova

18 years of age for compulsory military service; national

service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Mongolia

18-25 years of age for compulsory military service;

conscript service obligation - 12 months in land or air defense

forces or police; a small portion of Mongolian land forces (2.5

percent) is comprised of contract soldiers; women cannot be deployed

overseas for military operations (2006)

Montenegro

compulsory national military service abolished August 2006

Morocco

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military

service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Namibia

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Nepal

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Netherlands

20 years of age for an all-volunteer force (2004)

Netherlands Antilles

16 years of age for National Guard recruitment;

no conscription (2004)

New Zealand

17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers

cannot be deployed until the age of 18 (2001)

Nicaragua

17 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Niger

18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript

service obligation - two years (2004)

Nigeria

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2006)

Norway

18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of

age in wartime; 17 years of age for male volunteers; 18 years of age

for women; 16 years of age for volunteers to the Home Guard;

conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Oman

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Pakistan

16 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers

cannot be deployed for combat until age of 18; the Pakistani Air

Force and Pakistani Navy have inducted their first female pilots and

sailors (2006)

Papua New Guinea

18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Paraguay

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military

service; conscript service obligation - 12 months for Army, 24

months for Navy (2004)

Peru

18 years of age for compulsory military service (1999)

Philippines

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military

service (2001)

Poland

17 years of age for compulsory military service after January

1st of the year of 18th birthday; 17 years of age for voluntary

military service; in 2005, Poland plans to shorten the length of

conscript service obligation from 12 to 9 months; by 2008, plans

call for at least 60% of military personnel to be volunteers; only

soldiers who have completed their conscript service are allowed to

volunteer for professional service; as of April 2004, women are only

allowed to serve as officers and noncommissioned officers (2004)

Portugal

18 years of age for voluntary military service; compulsory

military service was ended in 2004; women serve in the armed forces,

on naval ships since 1993, but are prohibited from serving in some

combatant specialties (2005)

Qatar

18 years of age for voluntary military service; land forces

enlisted personnel are largely unprofessional foreign nationals

(2005)

Romania

all military inductees (including women) are volunteers who

contract for an initial five-year term of service; subsequent

voluntary service contracts are for successive three-year terms

until the age of 36; minimum age for voluntary military service is

18 (2006)

Russia

Russia has adopted a mixed conscript-contract force; 18-27

years of age; males are registered for the draft at 17 years of age;

length of compulsory military service is two years; plans call for

reduction in mandatory service to 18 months in 2007 and to one year

by 2008; 30% of Russian army personnel were contract servicemen at

the end of 2005; planning calls for volunteer servicemen to compose

70% of armed forces by 2010, with the remaining servicemen

consisting of conscripts; as of November 2006, the Armed Forces had

more than 60 units manned with contract personnel totalling over

78,000 contract privates and sergeants; 88 Ministry of Defense units

have been designated as permanent readiness units and are expected

to become all-volunteer by end 2007; these include most air force,

naval, and nuclear arms units, as well as all airborne and naval

infantry units, most motorized rifle brigades, and all special

forces detachments (2006)

Rwanda

16 years of age for voluntary military service; no

conscription (2001)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Sao Tome and Principe

18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Saudi Arabia

18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2004)

Senegal

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military

service; conscript service obligation - two years (2004)

Serbia

peacetime service obligation begins at age 17 and lasts until

age 60 for men and 50 for women; under a state of war or impending

war, the obligation can begin at age 16 and be extended beyond 60

(2006)

Seychelles

18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Sierra Leone

18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Singapore

18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years

of age for volunteers; conscript service obligation reduced to 24

months beginning December 2004 (2004)

Slovakia

complete transition to an all-volunteer professional force

went into effect at the beginning of 2006 after 140 years of

mandatory army service; volunteers include women, with minimum age

of 17 years (2005)

Slovenia

17 years of age for voluntary military service;

conscription abolished in 2003 (2004)

Somalia

18 years of age (est.) (2001)

South Africa

18 years of age for voluntary military service; women

have a long history of military service in noncombat roles, dating

back to World War I (2004)

Spain

20 years of age (2004)

Sri Lanka

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Sudan

18-30 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript

service obligation - three years (August 2004)

Suriname

18 years of age (est.); no conscription

Swaziland

18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; both

sexes are eligible for military service (2005)

Sweden

19 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript

service obligation - 7-17 months depending on conscript role; after

completing initial service, soldiers have a reserve commitment until

age of 47 (2004)

Switzerland

the Swiss Constitution states that "every Swiss male is

obliged to do military service"; every Swiss male has to serve for

at least 260 days in the armed forces; 19 years of age for

compulsory military service; 17 years of age for voluntary military

service; conscripts receive 15 weeks of compulsory training,

followed by 10 intermittent recalls for training over the next 22

years; women are accepted on a voluntary basis but are not drafted

(2005)

Syria

18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript

service obligation - 30 months (18 months in the Syrian Arab Navy);

women are not conscripted but may volunteer to serve (2004)

Taiwan

19-35 years of age for military service; service obligation

16 months (to be shortened to 12 months in 2008); women in Air Force

service are restricted to noncombat roles (2005)

Tajikistan

18 years of age for compulsory military service;

conscript service obligation - two years (2004)

Tanzania

15 years of age for voluntary military service; 18 years of

age for compulsory military service upon graduation from secondary

school; conscript service obligation - two years (2004)

Thailand

21 years of age for compulsory military service; males are

registered at 18 years of age; conscript service obligation - two

years; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2004)

Togo

18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service

(2001)

Tonga

18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Trinidad and Tobago

18 years of age for voluntary military service;

no conscription (2001)

Tunisia

20 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript

service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for voluntary

military service (2004)

Turkey

20 years of age (2004)

Turkmenistan

18 years of age for compulsory military service;

conscript service obligation - two years (2004)

Uganda

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military duty;

the government has stated that recruitment below that age could

occur with proper consent and that "no person under the apparent age

of 13 years shall be enrolled in the armed forces"

Ukraine

18-25 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military

service; conscript service obligation - 18 months for Army and Air

Force, 24 months for Navy (2004)

United Arab Emirates

18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

United Kingdom

16 years of age for voluntary military service; women

serve in military services, but are excluded from ground combat

positions and some naval postings (2004)

United States

18 years of age; 17 years of age with written parental

consent (2006)

Uruguay

18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military

service (2001)

Uzbekistan

18 years of age for compulsory military service;

conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Venezuela

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military

service; conscript service obligation - 30 months (2004)

Vietnam

18 years of age (male) for compulsory military service;

females may volunteer for active duty military service; conscript

service obligation - 2 years (3-4 years in the navy); 18-45 years of

age (male) or 18-40 years of age (female) for Militia Force or Self

Defense Forces (2006)

Yemen

in May 2001, Yemen's National Defense Council abolished

compulsory military service and authorized a voluntary program for

military service (2004)

Zambia

18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Zimbabwe

18 years of age (est.) (2004)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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@2025 Manpower fit for military service

Afghanistan

males age 22-49: 2,662,946

females age 22-49: 2,508,574 (2005 est.)

Albania

males age 19-49: 668,526

females age 19-49: 648,334 (2005 est.)

Algeria

males age 19-49: 6,590,079

females age 19-49: 6,711,285 (2005 est.)

Andorra

males age 18-49: 14,721 (2005 est.)

Angola

males age 17-49: 1,282,195

females age 17-49: 1,256,390 (2005 est.)

Anguilla

males age 18-49: 2,986 (2005 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

males age 18-49: 14,859

females age 18-49: 14,947 (2005 est.)

Argentina

males age 18-49: 7,316,038

females age 18-49: 7,442,589 (2005 est.)

Armenia

males age 18-49: 551,938

females age 18-49: 656,493 (2005 est.)

Aruba

males age 18-49: 13,219 (2005 est.)

Australia

males age 16-49: 4,092,717

females age 16-49: 3,983,447 (2005 est.)

Austria

males age 18-49: 1,550,441

females age 18-49: 1,515,365 (2005 est.)

Azerbaijan

males age 18-49: 1,314,955

females age 18-49: 1,676,408 (2005 est.)

Bahamas, The

males age 18-49: 44,309 (2005 est.)

Bahrain

males age 18-49: 161,372

females age 18-49: 125,488 (2005 est.)

Bangladesh

males age 18-49: 26,841,255 (2005 est.)

Barbados

males age 18-49: 54,510

females age 18-49: 54,889 (2005 est.)

Belarus

males age 18-49: 1,657,984

females age 18-49: 2,102,793 (2005 est.)

Belgium

males age 16-49: 1,998,003

females age 16-49: 1,940,918 (2005 est.)

Belize

males age 18-49: 44,238

females age 18-49: 43,633 (2005 est.)

Benin

males age 21-49: 749,774

females age 21-49: 751,329 (2005 est.)

Bermuda

males age 18-49: 12,165 (2005 est.)

Bhutan

males age 18-49: 314,975

females age 18-49: 296,833 (2005 est.)

Bolivia

males age 18-49: 1,311,414

females age 18-49: 1,502,177 (2005 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

males age 18-49: 910,539

females age 18-49: 881,446 (2005 est.)

Botswana

males age 18-49: 136,322

females age 18-49: 136,315 (2005 est.)

Brazil

males age 19-49: 33,119,098

females age 19-49: 38,079,722 (2005 est.)

British Virgin Islands

males age 18-49: 5,295 (2005 est.)

Brunei

males age 18-49: 85,045

females age 18-49: 77,436 (2005 est.)

Bulgaria

males age 18-49: 1,302,037

females age 18-49: 1,365,126 (2005 est.)

Burkina Faso

males age 18-49: 1,530,324 (2005 est.)

Burma

males age 18-49: 7,946,701

females age 18-49: 8,543,705 (2005 est.)

Burundi

males age 16-49: 955,616

females age 16-49: 932,767 (2005 est.)

Cambodia

males age 18-49: 1,955,141

females age 18-49: 2,048,611 (2005 est.)

Cameroon

males age 18-49: 1,946,767

females age 18-49: 1,834,600 (2005 est.)

Canada

males age 16-49: 6,740,490

females age 16-49: 6,580,868 (2005 est.)

Cape Verde

males age 18-49: 65,614

females age 18-49: 73,662 (2005 est.)

Cayman Islands

males age 18-49: 8,600 (2005 est.)

Central African Republic

males age 18-49: 416,091

females age 18-49: 383,056 (2005 est.)

Chad

males age 20-49: 794,988

females age 20-49: 849,500 (2005 est.)

Chile

males age 18-49: 3,123,281

females age 18-49: 3,128,277 (2005 est.)

China

males age 18-49: 281,240,272

females age 18-49: 269,025,517 (2005 est.)

Colombia

males age 18-49: 6,986,228

females age 18-49: 8,794,465 (2005 est.)

Comoros

males age 18-49: 98,792

females age 18-49: 106,415 (2005 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

males age 18-49: 6,464,223 (2005

est.)

Congo, Republic of the

males age 18-49: 406,016

females age 18-49: 394,745 (2005 est.)

Costa Rica

males age 18-49: 829,874

females age 18-49: 809,343 (2005 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

males age 18-49: 1,973,265

females age 18-49: 1,911,777 (2005 est.)

Croatia

males age 18-49: 725,914

females age 18-49: 823,611 (2005 est.)

Cuba

males age 17-49: 2,441,927

females age 17-49: 2,396,741 (2005 est.)

Cyprus

Greek Cyriot National Guard (GCNG):

males age 18-49: 150,750

females age 18-49: 144,344 (2005 est.)

Czech Republic

males age 18-49: 1,996,631

females age 18-49: 1,923,508 (2005 est.)

Denmark

males age 18-49: 955,168

females age 18-49: 935,643 (2005 est.)

Djibouti

males age 18-49: 46,020

females age 18-49: 42,181 (2005 est.)

Dominica

males age 18-49: 15,136 (2005 est.)

Dominican Republic

males age 18-49: 1,671,493

females age 18-49: 1,536,257 (2005 est.)

East Timor

males age 18-49: 179,422

females age 18-49: 184,533 (2005 est.)

Ecuador

males age 20-49: 2,338,428

females age 20-49: 2,380,327 (2005 est.)

Egypt

males age 18-49: 15,540,234

females age 18-49: 14,939,378 (2005 est.)

El Salvador

males age 18-49: 960,315

females age 18-49: 1,310,466 (2005 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

males age 18-49: 56,462

females age 18-49: 59,260 (2005 est.)

Eritrea

males age 18-49: 555,553

females age 18-49: 562,426 (2005)

Estonia

males age 18-49: 200,382 (in 2004, 51% of the young men

called up for service were determined to be unfit; main obstacles to

conscription were psychiatric and behavioral)

females age 18-49: 250,351 (2005 est.)

Ethiopia

males age 18-49: 8,072,755

females age 18-49: 7,902,660 (2005 est.)

Faroe Islands

males age 18-49: 8,852 (2005 est.)

Fiji

males age 18-49: 163,960

females age 18-49: 178,714 (2005 est.)

Finland

males age 18-49: 913,617

females age 18-49: 875,689 (2005 est.)

France

males age 17-49: 11,262,661

females age 17-49: 11,079,472 (2005 est.)

French Polynesia

males age 18-49: 55,305 (2005 est.)

Gabon

males age 18-49: 159,198

females age 18-49: 156,122 (2005 est.)

Gambia, The

males age 18-49: 183,057

females age 18-49: 194,551 (2005 est.)

Gaza Strip

males age 18-49: 221,530 (2005 est.)

Georgia

males age 18-49: 827,281

females age 18-49: 903,791 (2005 est.)

Germany

males age 18-49: 15,258,931

females age 18-49: 14,443,412 (2005 est.)

Ghana

males age 18-49: 3,011,081

females age 18-49: 2,991,551 (2005 est.)

Gibraltar

males age 18-49: 4,893 (2005 est.)

Greece

males age 18-49: 2,018,557

females age 18-49: 2,000,650 (2005 est.)

Greenland

males age 18-49: 10,199 (2005 est.)

Grenada

males age 18-49: 17,483 (2005 est.)

Guatemala

males age 18-49: 1,911,412

females age 18-49: 2,070,806 (2005 est.)

Guinea

males age 18-49: 1,034,006

females age 18-49: 1,032,885 (2005 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

males age 18-49: 152,681

females age 18-49: 161,033 (2005 est.)

Guyana

males age 18-49: 137,964 (2005 est.)

Haiti

males age 18-49: 948,320

females age 18-49: 931,972 (2005 est.)

Honduras

males age 18-49: 1,100,991

females age 18-49: 1,121,649 (2005 est.)

Hong Kong

males age 18-49: 1,403,088

females age 18-49: 1,527,278 (2005 est.)

Hungary

males age 18-49: 1,780,513

females age 18-49: 1,864,580 (2005 est.)

Iceland

males age 18-49: 56,777 (2005 est.)

India

males age 16-49: 219,471,999

females age 16-49: 209,917,553 (2005 est.)

Indonesia

males age 18-49: 48,687,234

females age 18-49: 50,252,911 (2005 est.)

Iran

males age 18-49: 15,665,725

females age 18-49: 15,005,597 (2005 est.)

Iraq

males age 18-49: 4,930,074

females age 18-49: 4,771,105 (2005 est.)

Ireland

males age 17-49: 814,768

females age 17-49: 813,981 (2005 est.)

Israel

males age 17-49: 1,255,902

females age 17-49: 1,212,394 (2005 est.)

Italy

males age 18-49: 10,963,513

females age 18-49: 10,452,189 (2005 est.)

Jamaica

males age 18-49: 478,761

females age 18-49: 504,541 (2005 est.)

Japan

males age 18-49: 22,234,663

females age 18-49: 21,494,947 (2005 est.)

Jordan

males age 17-49: 1,348,076

females age 17-49: 1,158,011 (2005 est.)

Kazakhstan

males age 18-49: 2,473,529

females age 18-49: 3,168,048 (2005 est.)

Kenya

males age 18-49: 3,963,532

females age 18-49: 3,471,926 (2005 est.)

Kiribati

males age 18-49: 14,231 (2005 est.)

Korea, North

males age 17-49: 4,810,831

females age 17-49: 4,853,270 (2005 est.)

Korea, South

males age 20-49: 10,115,817

females age 20-49: 9,721,914 (2005 est.)

Kuwait

males age 18-49: 737,292

females age 18-49: 405,207 (2005 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

males age 18-49: 871,493

females age 18-49: 1,024,568 (2005 est.)

Laos

males age 15-49: 954,816

females age 15-49: 1,006,082 (2005 est.)

Latvia

males age 19-49: 361,098

females age 19-49: 422,913 (2005 est.)

Lebanon

males age 18-49: 821,762

females age 18-49: 865,770 (2005 est.)

Lesotho

males age 18-49: 180,797

females age 18-49: 160,681 (2005 est.)

Liberia

males age 18-49: 267,430

females age 18-49: 286,231 (2005 est.)

Libya

males age 17-49: 1,291,624

females age 17-49: 1,230,824 (2005 est.)

Liechtenstein

males age 18-49: 6,250 (2005 est.)

Lithuania

males age 19-49: 590,606

females age 19-49: 676,102 (2005 est.)

Luxembourg

males age 17-49: 90,279

females age 17-49: 88,638 (2005 est.)

Macau

males age 18-49: 91,299 (2005 est.)

Macedonia

males age 18-49: 411,156

females age 18-49: 397,839 (2005 est.)

Madagascar

males age 18-49: 2,218,662

females age 18-49: 2,408,810 (2005 est.)

Malawi

males age 18-49: 1,226,802 (2005 est.)

Malaysia

males age 18-49: 4,574,854

females age 18-49: 4,613,321 (2005 est.)

Maldives

males age 18-49: 56,687

females age 18-49: 54,454 (2005 est.)

Mali

males age 18-49: 1,244,176

females age 18-49: 1,226,226 (2005 est.)

Malta

males age 18-49: 74,525

females age 18-49: 71,333 (2005 est.)

Marshall Islands

males age 18-49: 10,792 (2005 est.)

Mauritania

males age 18-49: 370,513

females age 18-49: 384,269 (2005 est.)

Mexico

males age 18-49: 19,058,337

females age 18-49: 21,966,796 (2005 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of

males age 18-49: 18,914 (2005 est.)

Moldova

males age 18-49: 693,913

females age 18-49: 911,568 (2005 est.)

Monaco

males age 18-49: 4,971 (2005 est.)

Mongolia

males age 18-49: 570,435

females age 18-49: 607,918 (2005 est.)

Montserrat

males age 18-49: 1,899 (2005 est.)

Morocco

males age 18-49: 6,484,787

females age 18-49: 6,675,729 (2005 est.)

Mozambique

males age 18-49: 1,751,223 (2005 est.)

Namibia

males age 18-49: 217,118 (2005 est.)

Nepal

males age 18-49: 4.193 million

females age 18-49: 3,853,102 (2005 est.)

Netherlands

males age 20-49: 2,856,691

females age 20-49: 2,786,495 (2005 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

males age 16-49: 45,273

females age 16-49: 47,166 (2005 est.)

New Caledonia

males age 18-49: 40,822 (2005 est.)

New Zealand

males age 17-49: 809,519

females age 17-49: 802,069 (2005 est.)

Nicaragua

males age 17-49: 1,051,425

females age 17-49: 1,129,649 (2005 est.)

Niger

males age 18-49: 1,349,863

females age 18-49: 1,256,569 (2005 est.)

Nigeria

males age 18-49: 15,052,914

females age 18-49: 13,860,806 (2005 est.)

Norway

males age 18-49: 827,016

females age 18-49: 801,358 (2005 est.)

Oman

males age 18-49: 581,444

females age 18-49: 435,107 (2005 est.)

Pakistan

males age 16-49: 29,428,747

females age 16-49: 28,391,887 (2005 est.)

Palau

males age 18-49: 4,087 (2005 est.)

Panama

males age 18-49: 591,604 (2005 est.)

Papua New Guinea

males age 18-49: 902,432

females age 18-49: 894,759 (2005 est.)

Paraguay

males age 18-49: 1,109,166

females age 18-49: 1,135,046 (2005 est.)

Peru

males age 18-49: 4,938,417

females age 18-49: 5,278,511 (2005 est.)

Philippines

males age 18-49: 15,170,096

females age 18-49: 16,931,191 (2005 est.)

Poland

males age 17-49: 7,739,472

females age 17-49: 7,859,165 (2005 est.)

Portugal

males age 18-49: 1,952,819

females age 18-49: 1,977,264 (2005 est.)

Qatar

males age 18-49: 238,566

females age 18-49: 116,595 (2005 est.)

Romania

males age 20-49: 3,932,579

females age 20-49: 4,076,288 (2005 est.)

Russia

males age 18-49: 21,049,651

females age 18-49: 29,056,021 (2005 est.)

Rwanda

males age 16-49: 1,103,823

females age 16-49: 1,096,644 (2005 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

males age 18-49: 7,119

females age 18-49: 7,645 (2005 est.)

Saint Lucia

males age 18-49: 33,539 (2005 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

males age 18-49: 25,787 (2005 est.)

Samoa

males age 18-49: 45,294 (2005 est.)

San Marino

males age 18-49: 5,107 (2005 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe

males age 18-49: 25,950

females age 18-49: 28,660 (2005 est.)

Saudi Arabia

males age 18-49: 6,592,709

females age 18-49: 4,659,347 (2005 est.)

Senegal

males age 18-49: 1,558,175

females age 18-49: 1,642,533 (2005 est.)

Seychelles

males age 18-49: 16,122

females age 18-49: 18,777 (2005 est.)

Sierra Leone

males age 18-49: 539,697 (2005 est.)

Singapore

males age 18-49: 982,368 (2005 est.)

Slovakia

males age 18-49: 1,089,645

females age 18-49: 1,093,077 (2005 est.)

Slovenia

males age 17-49: 405,593

females age 17-49: 397,167 (2005 est.)

Solomon Islands

males age 18-49: 92,796 (2005 est.)

Somalia

males age 18-49: 1,022,360

females age 18-49: 1,038,697 (2005 est.)

South Africa

males age 18-49: 4,927,757

females age 18-49: 4,609,071 (2005 est.)

Spain

males age 20-49: 7,623,356

females age 20-49: 7,434,465 (2005 est.)

Sri Lanka

males age 18-49: 3,789,627

females age 18-49: 4,281,043 (2005 est.)

Sudan

males age 18-49: 5,427,474

females age 18-49: 5,649,566 (2005 est.)

Suriname

males age 18-49: 77,793

females age 18-49: 72,943 (2005 est.)

Swaziland

males age 18-49: 89,609 (2005 est.)

Sweden

males age 19-49: 1,493,668

females age 19-49: 1,441,257 (2005 est.)

Switzerland

males age 19-49: 1,375,889

females age 19-49: 1,342,945 (2005 est.)

Syria

males age 18-49: 3,453,888

females age 18-49: 3,421,558 (2005 est.)

Taiwan

males age 19-49: 4,749,537

females age 19-49: 4,644,607 (2005 est.)

Tajikistan

males age 18-49: 1,244,941

females age 18-49: 1,297,891 (2005 est.)

Tanzania

males age 18-49: 3,879,630 (2005 est.)

Thailand

males age 21-49: 10,396,032

females age 21-49: 11,487,690 (2005 est.)

Togo

males age 18-49: 696,933

females age 18-49: 707,821 (2005 est.)

Tonga

males age 18-49: 19,840

females age 18-49: 21,342 (2005 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

males age 18-49: 202,958

females age 18-49: 173,797 (2005 est.)

Tunisia

males age 20-49: 2,035,431

females age 20-49: 2,000,757 (2005 est.)

Turkey

males age 20-49: 13,905,901

females age 20-49: 13,335,812 (2005 est.)

Turkmenistan

males age 18-49: 759,978

females age 18-49: 940,179 (2005 est.)

Uganda

males age 18-49: 2,889,808

females age 18-49: 2,780,135 (2005 est.)

Ukraine

males age 18-49: 7,376,050

females age 18-49: 9,313,385 (2005 est.)

United Arab Emirates

males age 18-49: 526,671

females age 18-49: 419,975 (2005 est.)

United Kingdom

males age 16-49: 12,046,268

females age 16-49: 11,555,893 (2005 est.)

United States

males age 18-49: 54,609,050

females age 18-49: 54,696,706 (2005 est.)

Uruguay

males age 18-49: 637,445

females age 18-49: 631,046 (2005 est.)

Uzbekistan

males age 18-49: 4,609,621

females age 18-49: 5,383,233 (2005 est.)

Vanuatu

males age 18-49: 33,837 (2005 est.)

Venezuela

males age 18-49: 4,907,947

females age 18-49: 5,151,843 (2005 est.)

Vietnam

males age 18-49: 16,032,358

females age 18-49: 17,921,241 (2005 est.)

Yemen

males age 18-49: 2,790,705

females age 18-49: 2,792,406 (2005 est.)

Zambia

males age 18-49: 1,043,702

females age 18-49: 953,328 (2005 est.)

Zimbabwe

males age 18-49: 1,304,424

females age 18-49: 1,115,096 (2005 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2026 Manpower reaching military service age annually

Afghanistan

males age 18-49: 275,362

females age 22-49: 259,935 (2005 est.)

Albania

males age 18-49: 37,407

females age 19-49: 34,587 (2005 est.)

Algeria

males age 18-49: 374,639

females age 19-49: 369,021 (2005 est.)

Andorra

males age 18-49: 369 (2005 est.)

Angola

males age 18-49: 126,694

females age 17-49: 123,586 (2005 est.)

Anguilla

males age 18-49: 120 (2005 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

males age 18-49: 507

females age 18-49: 494 (2005 est.)

Argentina

males age 18-49: 344,575

females age 18-49: 334,649 (2005 est.)

Armenia

males age 18-49: 31,774

females age 18-49: 31,182 (2005 est.)

Aruba

males age 18-49: 520 (2005 est.)

Australia

males age 18-49: 142,158

females age 16-49: 135,675 (2005 est.)

Austria

males age 18-49: 48,967

females age 18-49: 46,633 (2005 est.)

Azerbaijan

males age 18-49: 82,358

females age 18-49: 78,067 (2005 est.)

Bahamas, The

males age 18-49: 2,804 (2005 est.)

Bahrain

males age 18-49: 6,013

females age 18-49: 5,852 (2005 est.)

Belarus

males age 18-49: 85,202

females age 18-49: 82,037 (2005 est.)

Belgium

males age 18-49: 64,263

females age 16-49: 61,402 (2005 est.)

Belize

males age 18-49: 3,213

females age 18-49: 3,100 (2005 est.)

Benin

males age 18-49: 76,661

females: 75,068 (2005 est.)

Bermuda

males age 18-49: 408 (2005 est.)

Bhutan

males age 18-49: 23,939

females age 18-49: 21,979 (2005 est.)

Bolivia

males age 18-49: 101,101

females age 18-49: 98,671 (2005 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

males age 18-49: 32,942

females age 18-49: 31,466 (2005 est.)

Botswana

males age 18-49: 21,103

females age 18-49: 21,379 (2005 est.)

Brazil

males age 18-49: 1,785,930

females age 19-49: 1,731,648 (2005 est.)

British Virgin Islands

males age 18-49: 201 (2005 est.)

Brunei

males age 18-49: 3,478

females age 18-49: 3,342 (2005 est.)

Bulgaria

males age 18-49: 51,023

females age 18-49: 48,651 (2005 est.)

Burma

males age 18-49: 469,841

females: 455,689 (2005 est.)

Burundi

males age 18-49: 91,331

females age 16-49: 90,685 (2005 est.)

Cambodia

males age 18-49: 175,497

females age 18-49: 172,788 (2005 est.)

Cameroon

males age 18-49: 191,619

females age 18-49: 187,082 (2005 est.)

Canada

males age 18-49: 223,821

females age 16-49: 212,900 (2005 est.)

Cayman Islands

males age 18-49: 257 (2005 est.)

Chad

males age 18-49: 94,536

females age 20-49: 93,521 (2005 est.)

Chile

males age 18-49: 140,084

females age 18-49: 134,518 (2005 est.)

China

males age 18-49: 13,186,433

females age 18-49: 12,298,149 (2005 est.)

Colombia

males age 18-49: 389,735

females age 18-49: 383,146 (2005 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

males age 18-49: 38,464

females age 18-49: 38,082 (2005 est.)

Costa Rica

males age 18-49: 41,097

females age 18-49: 39,243

Cote d'Ivoire

males age 18-49: 189,354

females age 18-49: 192,600 (2005 est.)

Croatia

males age 18-49: 29,020

females age 18-49: 27,897 (2005 est.)

Cuba

males age 18-49: 91,901

females: 87,500 (2005 est.)

Cyprus

Greek Cyriot National Guard (GCNG):

males age 18-49: 6,578

females age 18-49: 6,200 (2005 est.)

Czech Republic

males age 18-49: 66,583

females age 18-49: 63,363 (2005 est.)

Denmark

males age 18-49: 31,317

females age 18-49: 29,558 (2005 est.)

Dominica

males age 18-49: 602 (2005 est.)

Dominican Republic

males age 18-49: 91,699

females age 18-49: 87,550 (2005 est.)

East Timor

males age 18-49: 12,740

females age 18-49: 12,438 (2005 est.)

Ecuador

males age 18-49: 133,922

females age 20-49: 129,758 (2005 est.)

Egypt

males age 18-49: 802,920

females age 18-49: 764,176 (2005 est.)

El Salvador

males age 18-49: 70,286

females age 18-49: 69,526 (2005 est.)

Eritrea

males age 18-49: 50,156

females age 18-49: 49,746 (2005 est.)

Estonia

males: 11,146

females age 18-49: 10,605 (2005 est.)

Ethiopia

males age 18-49: 803,777

females age 18-49: 801,789 (2005 est.)

Faroe Islands

males age 18-49: 366 (2005 est.)

Fiji

males age 18-49: 9,266

females age 18-49: 8,916 (2005 est.)

Finland

males age 18-49: 32,040

females age 18-49: 30,519 (2005 est.)

France

males age 17-49: 389,204

females age 17-49: 372,719 (2005 est.)

French Polynesia

males age 18-49: 2,747 (2005 est.)

Gabon

males age 18-49: 15,325

females age 18-49: 15,367 (2005 est.)

Gaza Strip

males age 18-49: 15,196 (2005 est.)

Georgia

males age 18-49: 38,857

females age 18-49: 38,238 (2005 est.)

Germany

males age 18-49: 497,048

females age 18-49: 470,537 (2005 est.)

Ghana

males age 18-49: 251,056

females age 18-49: 247,777 (2005 est.)

Gibraltar

males age 18-49: 187 (2005 est.)

Greece

males age 18-49: 58,399

females age 18-49: 55,571 (2005 est.)

Greenland

males age 18-49: 440 (2005 est.)

Grenada

males age 18-49: 1,274 (2005 est.)

Guatemala

males age 18-49: 134,032

females age 18-49: 130,641 (2005 est.)

Haiti

males age 18-49: 98,554

females age 18-49: 97,690 (2005 est.)

Honduras

males age 18-49: 82,105

females age 18-49: 78,971 (2005 est.)

Hong Kong

males age 18-49: 40,343

females age 18-49: 38,234 (2005 est.)

Hungary

males age 18-49: 63,847

females age 18-49: 61,037 (2005 est.)

India

males age 18-49: 11,446,452

females age 16-49: 10,665,877 (2005 est.)

Indonesia

males age 18-49: 2,201,047

females age 18-49: 2,139,573 (2005 est.)

Iran

males age 18-49: 862,056

females age 18-49: 808,044 (2005 est.)

Iraq

males age 18-49: 198,518

females age 18-49: 289,879 (2005 est.)

Ireland

males age 18-49: 29,327

females age 17-49: 28,139 (2005 est.)

Israel

males age 18-49: 53,760

females: 51,293 (2005 est.)

Italy

males age 18-49: 286,344

females age 18-49: 270,099 (2005 est.)

Jamaica

males age 18-49: 27,923

females age 18-49: 27,889 (2005 est.)

Japan

males age 18-49: 683,147

females age 18-49: 650,157 (2005 est.)

Jordan

males age 18-49: 60,625

females age 17-49: 58,218 (2005 est.)

Kazakhstan

males age 18-49: 173,129

females age 18-49: 168,697 (2005 est.)

Kiribati

males age 18-49: 1,128 (2005 est.)

Korea, North

males age 18-49: 194,605

females age 17-49: 187,846 (2005 est.)

Korea, South

males age 18-49: 344,943

females age 20-49: 312,720 (2005 est.)

Kuwait

males age 18-49: 18,743

females age 18-49: 20,065 (2005 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

males age 18-49: 61,091

females age 18-49: 59,784 (2005 est.)

Laos

males age 18-49: 73,167

females age 15-49: 71,432 (2005 est.)

Latvia

males age 18-49: 19,137

females age 19-49: 18,505 (2005 est.)

Libya

males age 18-49: 62,034

females age 17-49: 59,533 (2005 est.)

Liechtenstein

males age 18-49: 208 (2005 est.)

Lithuania

males age 18-49: 29,689

females age 19-49: 28,543 (2005 est.)

Luxembourg

males age 18-49: 2,775

females age 17-49: 2,703 (2005 est.)

Macedonia

males age 18-49: 16,686

females age 18-49: 15,664 (2005 est.)

Madagascar

males age 18-49: 187,000

females age 18-49: 184,833 (2005 est.)

Malaysia

males age 18-49: 244,418

females age 18-49: 231,896 (2005 est.)

Marshall Islands

males age 18-49: 726 (2005 est.)

Mexico

males age 18-49: 1,063,233

females age 18-49: 1,043,816 (2005 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of

males age 18-49: 1,305 (2005 est.)

Moldova

males age 18-49: 43,729

females age 18-49: 42,354 (2005 est.)

Monaco

males age 18-49: 148 (2005 est.)

Mongolia

males age 18-49: 34,674

females age 18-49: 34,251 (2005 est.)

Montserrat

males age 18-49: 84 (2005 est.)

Morocco

males age 18-49: 353,377

females age 18-49: 341,677 (2005 est.)

Mozambique

males age 18-49: 185,314 (2005 est.)

Nepal

males age 18-49: 308,031

females age 18-49: 286,604 (2005 est.)

Netherlands

males age 18-49: 99,934

females age 20-49: 95,818 (2005 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

males age 18-49: 1,720

females age 16-49: 1,657 (2005 est.)

New Caledonia

males age 18-49: 1,907 (2005 est.)

New Zealand

males age 18-49: 29,738

females age 17-49: 28,523 (2005 est.)

Nicaragua

males age 18-49: 65,170

females age 17-49: 63,133 (2005 est.)

Niger

males age 18-49: 129,045

females age 18-49: 121,230 (2005 est.)

Nigeria

males age 18-49: 1,353,180

females age 18-49: 1,329,267 (2005 est.)

Norway

males age 18-49: 29,179

females age 18-49: 28,023 (2005 est.)

Oman

males age 18-49: 26,391

females age 18-49: 25,466 (2005 est.)

Pakistan

males age 18-49: 1,969,055

females age 16-49: 1,849,254 (2005 est.)

Palau

males age 18-49: 142 (2005 est.)

Panama

males age 18-49: 29,724

Paraguay

males age 18-49: 63,058

females age 18-49: 62,217 (2005 est.)

Peru

males age 18-49: 277,105

females age 18-49: 269,799 (2005 est.)

Philippines

males age 18-49: 907,542

females age 18-49: 878,712 (2005 est.)

Poland

males age 18-49: 275,446

females age 17-49: 265,164 (2005 est.)

Portugal

males age 18-49: 67,189

females age 18-49: 60,626 (2005 est.)

Qatar

males age 18-49: 7,851

females age 18-49: 7,040 (2005 est.)

Romania

males age 18-49: 172,093

females age 20-49: 165,547 (2005 est.)

Russia

males age 18-49: 1,286,069

females age 18-49: 1,244,264 (2005 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

males age 18-49: 357

females age 18-49: 347 (2005 est.)

Saint Lucia

males age 18-49: 1,651 (2005 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

males age 18-49: 1,204 (2005 est.)

Samoa

males age 18-49: 2,306 (2005 est.)

San Marino

males age 18-49: 135 (2005 est.)

Saudi Arabia

males age 18-49: 247,334

females age 18-49: 234,500 (2005 est.)

Senegal

males age 18-49: 129,331

females age 18-49: 129,398 (2005 est.)

Slovakia

males age 18-49: 41,544

females age 18-49: 40,183 (2005 est.)

Slovenia

males age 18-49: 12,816

females age 17-49: 12,178 (2005 est.)

Solomon Islands

males age 18-49: 6,033 (2005 est.)

South Africa

males age 18-49: 512,407

females age 18-49: 506,078 (2005 est.)

Spain

males age 18-49: 233,384

females age 20-49: 221,805 (2005 est.)

Sri Lanka

males age 18-49: 174,049

females age 18-49: 167,201 (2005 est.)

Sudan

males age 18-49: 442,915

females age 18-49: 426,320 (2005 est.)

Sweden

males age 18-49: 58,724

females age 19-49: 55,954 (2005 est.)

Switzerland

males age 18-49: 46,319

females age 19-49: 43,829 (2005 est.)

Syria

males age 18-49: 225,113

females age 18-49: 211,829 (2005 est.)

Taiwan

males age 18-49: 174,173

females age 19-49: 163,683 (2005 est.)

Tajikistan

males age 18-49: 87,846

females age 18-49: 85,869 (2005 est.)

Thailand

males age 18-49: 526,276

females age 21-49: 514,396 (2005 est.)

Tonga

males ag3 18-49: 1,586

females age 18-49: 1,538 (2005 est.)

Tunisia

males age 18-49: 108,817

females age 20-49: 103,087 (2005 est.)

Turkey

males age 18-49: 679,734

females age 20-49: 659,090 (2005 est.)

Turkmenistan

males age 18-49: 56,532

females age 18-49: 55,413 (2005 est.)

Ukraine

males age 18-49: 382,751

females age 18-49: 365,599 (2005 est.)

United Arab Emirates

males: 30,706

females age 18-49: 29,617 (2005 est.)

United States

males age 18-49: 2,143,873

females age 18-49: 2,036,201 (2005 est.)

Uzbekistan

males age 18-49: 324,722

females age 18-49: 317,062 (2005 est.)

Venezuela

males age 18-49: 252,396

females age 18-49: 237,300 (2005 est.)

Vietnam

males age 18-49: 915,572

females age 18-49: 864,161 (2005 est.)

Yemen

males age 18-49: 236,517

females age 18-49: 230,641 (2005 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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@2028 Background

Afghanistan

Ahmad Shah DURRANI unified the Pashtun tribes and

founded Afghanistan in 1747. The country served as a buffer between

the British and Russian empires until it won independence from

notional British control in 1919. A brief experiment in democracy

ended in a 1973 coup and a 1978 Communist counter-coup. The Soviet

Union invaded in 1979 to support the tottering Afghan Communist

regime, touching off a long and destructive war. The USSR withdrew

in 1989 under relentless pressure by internationally supported

anti-Communist mujahedin rebels. Subsequently, a series of civil

wars saw Kabul finally fall in 1996 to the Taliban, a hardline

Pakistani-sponsored movement that emerged in 1994 to end the

country's civil war and anarchy. Following the 11 September 2001

terrorist attacks, a US, Allied, and anti-Taliban Northern Alliance

military action toppled the Taliban for sheltering Osama BIN LADIN.

The UN-sponsored Bonn Conference in 2001 established a process for

political reconstruction that included the adoption of a new

constitution and a presidential election in 2004, and National

Assembly elections in 2005. On 7 December 2004, Hamid KARZAI became

the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan. The

National Assembly was inaugurated on 19 December 2005.

Akrotiri

By terms of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment that created

the independent Republic of Cyprus, the UK retained full sovereignty

and jurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilometers -

Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The southernmost and smallest of these is the

Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as the

Western Sovereign Base Area.

Albania

Between 1990 and 1992 Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic

Communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The

transition has proven challenging as successive governments have

tried to deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, a

dilapidated physical infrastructure, powerful organized crime

networks, and combative political opponents. Albania has made

progress in its democratic development since first holding

multiparty elections in 1991, but deficiencies remain. International

observers judged elections to be largely free and fair since the

restoration of political stability following the collapse of pyramid

schemes in 1997. In the 2005 general elections, the Democratic Party

and its allies won a decisive victory on pledges of reducing crime

and corruption, promoting economic growth, and decreasing the size

of government. The election, and particularly the orderly transition

of power, was considered an important step forward. Although

Albania's economy continues to grow, the country is still one of the

poorest in Europe, hampered by a large informal economy and an

inadequate energy and transportation infrastructure. Albania has

played a largely helpful role in managing inter-ethnic tensions in

southeastern Europe, and is continuing to work toward joining NATO

and the EU. Albania, with troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, has been a

strong supporter of the global war on terrorism.

Algeria

After more than a century of rule by France, Algerians

fought through much of the 1950s to achieve independence in 1962.

Algeria's primary political party, the National Liberation Front

(FLN), has dominated politics ever since. Many Algerians in the

subsequent generation were not satisfied, however, and moved to

counter the FLN's centrality in Algerian politics. The surprising

first round success of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) in the

December 1991 balloting spurred the Algerian army to intervene and

postpone the second round of elections to prevent what the secular

elite feared would be an extremist-led government from assuming

power. The army began a crack down on the FIS that spurred FIS

supporters to begin attacking government targets. The government

later allowed elections featuring pro-government and moderate

religious-based parties, but did not appease the activists who

progressively widened their attacks. The fighting escalated into an

insurgency, which saw intense fighting between 1992-98 and which

resulted in over 100,000 deaths - many attributed to indiscriminate

massacres of villagers by extremists. The government gained the

upper hand by the late-1990s and FIS's armed wing, the Islamic

Salvation Army, disbanded in January 2000. However, small numbers of

armed militants persist in confronting government forces and

conducting ambushes and occasional attacks on villages. The army

placed Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA in the presidency in 1999 in a

fraudulent election but claimed neutrality in his 2004 landslide

reelection victory. Longstanding problems continue to face

BOUTEFLIKA in his second term, including the ethnic minority

Berbers' ongoing autonomy campaign, large-scale unemployment, a

shortage of housing, unreliable electrical and water supplies,

government inefficiencies and corruption, and the continuing -

although significantly degraded - activities of extremist militants.

Algeria must also diversify its petroleum-based economy, which has

yielded a large cash reserve but which has not been used to redress

Algeria's many social and infrastructure problems.

American Samoa

Settled as early as 1000 B.C., Samoa was "discovered"

by European explorers in the 18th century. International rivalries

in the latter half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899

treaty in which Germany and the US divided the Samoan archipelago.

The US formally occupied its portion - a smaller group of eastern

islands with the excellent harbor of Pago Pago - the following year.

Andorra

For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a

unique co-principality, ruled by French and Spanish leaders (from

1607 onward, the French chief of state and the Spanish bishop of

Urgel). In 1993, this feudal system was modified with the titular

heads of state retained, but the government transformed into a

parliamentary democracy. Long isolated and impoverished, mountainous

Andorra achieved considerable prosperity since World War II through

its tourist industry. Many immigrants (legal and illegal) are

attracted to the thriving economy with its lack of income taxes.

Angola

Angola is slowly rebuilding its country after the end of a

27-year civil war in 2002. Fighting between the Popular Movement for

the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), led by Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS, and

the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), led

by Jonas SAVIMBI, followed independence from Portugal in 1975. Peace

seemed imminent in 1992 when Angola held national elections, but

UNITA renewed fighting after being beaten by the MPLA at the polls.

Up to 1.5 million lives may have been lost - and 4 million people

displaced - in the quarter century of fighting. SAVIMBI's death in

2002 ended UNITA's insurgency and strengthened the MPLA's hold on

power. DOS SANTOS has pledged to hold legislative elections in 2007,

but 2008 may be more realistic.

Anguilla

Colonized by English settlers from Saint Kitts in 1650,

Anguilla was administered by Great Britain until the early 19th

century, when the island - against the wishes of the inhabitants -

was incorporated into a single British dependency, along with Saint

Kitts and Nevis. Several attempts at separation failed. In 1971, two

years after a revolt, Anguilla was finally allowed to secede; this

arrangement was formally recognized in 1980, with Anguilla becoming

a separate British dependency.

Antarctica

Speculation over the existence of a "southern land" was

not confirmed until the early 1820s when British and American

commercial operators and British and Russian national expeditions

began exploring the Antarctic Peninsula region and other areas south

of the Antarctic Circle. Not until 1840 was it established that

Antarctica was indeed a continent and not just a group of islands.

Several exploration "firsts" were achieved in the early 20th

century. Following World War II, there was an upsurge in scientific

research on the continent. A number of countries have set up

year-round research stations on Antarctica. Seven have made

territorial claims, but not all countries recognize these claims. In

order to form a legal framework for the activities of nations on the

continent, an Antarctic Treaty was negotiated that neither denies

nor gives recognition to existing territorial claims; signed in

1959, it entered into force in 1961.

Antigua and Barbuda

The Siboney were the first to inhabit the

islands of Antigua and Barbuda in 2400 B.C., but Arawak Indians

populated the islands when Columbus landed on his second voyage in

1493. Early settlements by the Spanish and French were succeeded by

the English who formed a colony in 1667. Slavery, established to run

the sugar plantations on Antigua, was abolished in 1834. The islands

became an independent state within the British Commonwealth of

Nations in 1981.

Arctic Ocean

The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world's five

oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and

the recently delimited Southern Ocean). The Northwest Passage (US

and Canada) and Northern Sea Route (Norway and Russia) are two

important seasonal waterways. A sparse network of air, ocean, river,

and land routes circumscribes the Arctic Ocean.

Argentina

In 1816, the United Provinces of the Rio Plata declared

their independence from Spain. Eventually, Bolivia, Paraguay, and

Uruguay went their own way, but the area that remained became

Argentina. The country's population and culture were subsequently

heavily shaped by immigrants from throughout Europe, but most

particularly Italy and Spain, which provided the largest percentage

of newcomers from 1860 to 1930. Up until about the mid-20th century,

much of Argentina's history was dominated by periods of internal

political conflict between Federalists and Unitarians and between

civilian and military factions. After World War II, an era of

Peronist authoritarian rule and interference in subsequent

governments was followed by a military junta that took power in

1976. Democracy returned in 1983, and has persisted despite numerous

challenges, the most formidable of which was a severe economic

crisis in 2001-02 that led to violent public protests and the

resignation of several interim presidents. The economy has since

recovered strongly since bottoming out in 2002. The government

renegotiated its public debt in 2005 and paid off its remaining

obligations to the IMF in early 2006.

Armenia

Armenia prides itself on being the first nation to formally

adopt Christianity (early 4th century). Despite periods of autonomy,

over the centuries Armenia came under the sway of various empires

including the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, and Ottoman. During

World War I in the western portion of Armenia, Ottoman Turkey

instituted a policy of forced resettlement coupled with other harsh

practices that resulted in an estimated 1 million Armenian deaths.

The eastern area of Armenia was ceded by the Ottomans to Russia in

1828; this portion declared its independence in 1918, but was

conquered by the Soviet Red Army in 1920. Armenian leaders remain

preoccupied by the long conflict with Muslim Azerbaijan over

Nagorno-Karabakh, a primarily Armenian-populated region, assigned to

Soviet Azerbaijan in the 1920s by Moscow. Armenia and Azerbaijan

began fighting over the area in 1988; the struggle escalated after

both countries attained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

By May 1994, when a cease-fire took hold, Armenian forces held not

only Nagorno-Karabakh but also a significant portion of Azerbaijan

proper. The economies of both sides have been hurt by their

inability to make substantial progress toward a peaceful resolution.

Turkey imposed an economic blockade on Armenia and closed the common

border because of the Armenian occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and

surrounding areas.

Aruba

Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired

by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by

three main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by

prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The

last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry.

Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a

separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in

1990.

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

These uninhabited islands came under

Australian authority in 1931; formal administration began two years

later. Ashmore Reef supports a rich and diverse avian and marine

habitat; in 1983, it became a National Nature Reserve. Cartier

Island, a former bombing range, is now a marine reserve.

Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the

world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, but larger than the

Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). The Kiel Canal

(Germany), Oresund (Denmark-Sweden), Bosporus (Turkey), Strait of

Gibraltar (Morocco-Spain), and the Saint Lawrence Seaway (Canada-US)

are important strategic access waterways. The decision by the

International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to

delimit a fifth world ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion

of the Atlantic Ocean south of 60 degrees south latitude.

Australia

Aboriginal settlers arrived on the continent from

Southeast Asia about 40,000 years before the first Europeans began

exploration in the 17th century. No formal territorial claims were

made until 1770, when Capt. James COOK took possession in the name

of Great Britain. Six colonies were created in the late 18th and

19th centuries; they federated and became the Commonwealth of

Australia in 1901. The new country took advantage of its natural

resources to rapidly develop agricultural and manufacturing

industries and to make a major contribution to the British effort in

World Wars I and II. In recent decades, Australia has transformed

itself into an internationally competitive, advanced market economy.

It boasted one of the OECD's fastest growing economies during the

1990s, a performance due in large part to economic reforms adopted

in the 1980s. Long-term concerns include pollution, particularly

depletion of the ozone layer, and management and conservation of

coastal areas, especially the Great Barrier Reef.

Austria

Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian

Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in

World War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and

subsequent occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's

status remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955

ended the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade

unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year

declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for

Soviet military withdrawal. The Soviet Union's collapse in 1991 and

Austria's entry into the European Union in 1995 have altered the

meaning of this neutrality. A prosperous, democratic country,

Austria entered the EU Economic Monetary Union in 1999.

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan - a nation with a Turkic and majority-Muslim

population - was briefly independent from 1918 to 1920; it regained

its independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Despite a 1994 cease-fire, Azerbaijan has yet to resolve its

conflict with Armenia over the Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh enclave

(largely Armenian populated). Azerbaijan has lost 16% of its

territory and must support some 528,000 internally displaced persons

as a result of the conflict. Corruption is ubiquitous, and the

promise of widespread wealth from Azerbaijan's undeveloped petroleum

resources remains largely unfulfilled.

Bahamas, The

Lucayan Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher

Columbus first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492.

British settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became

a colony in 1783. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973,

The Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking

and investment management. Because of its geography, the country is

a major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly

shipments to the US, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal

migrants into the US.

Bahrain

In 1782, the Al Khalifa family captured Bahrain from the

Persians. In order to secure these holdings, it entered into a

series of treaties with the UK during the 19th century that made

Bahrain a British protectorate. The archipelago attained its

independence in 1971. Bahrain's small size and central location

among Persian Gulf countries require it to play a delicate balancing

act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. Facing declining

oil reserves, Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and

refining and has transformed itself into an international banking

center. King HAMAD bin Isa Al Khalifa, after coming to power in

1999, pushed economic and political reforms to improve relations

with the Shia community and Shia political societies participated in

2006 parliamentary and municipal elections. Al Wifaq, the largest

Shia political society, won the largest number of seats in the

elected chamber of the legislature. However, Shia discontent has

resurfaced in recent years with street demonstrations and occasional

low-level violence.

Baker Island

The US took possession of the island in 1857, and its

guano deposits were mined by US and British companies during the

second half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at

colonization was begun on this island - as well as on nearby Howland

Island - but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned.

Presently the island is a National Wildlife Refuge run by the US

Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the middle

of the west coast.

Bangladesh

Europeans began to set up trading posts in the area of

Bangladesh in the 16th century; eventually the British came to

dominate the region and it became part of British India. In 1947,

West Pakistan and East Bengal (both primarily Muslim) separated from

India (largely Hindu) and jointly became the new country of

Pakistan. East Bengal became East Pakistan in 1955, but the awkward

arrangement of a two-part country with its territorial units

separated by 1,600 km left the Bengalis marginalized and

dissatisfied. East Pakistan seceded from its union with West

Pakistan in 1971 and was renamed Bangladesh. About a third of this

extremely poor country floods annually during the monsoon rainy

season, hampering economic development.

Barbados

The island was uninhabited when first settled by the

British in 1627. Slaves worked the sugar plantations established on

the island until 1834 when slavery was abolished. The economy

remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production

through most of the 20th century. The gradual introduction of social

and political reforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to complete

independence from the UK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and

manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance.

Bassas da India

This atoll is a volcanic rock surrounded by reefs

and is awash at high tide. A French possession since 1897, it was

placed under the administration of an Administrateur Superieur of

the French Southern and Antarctic Lands.

Belarus

After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR,

Belarus attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer

political and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former

Soviet republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state

union on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic

integration. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the

accord, serious implementation has yet to take place. Since his

election in July 1994 as the country's first president, Alexandr

LUKASHENKO has steadily consolidated his power through authoritarian

means. Government restrictions on freedom of speech and the press,

peaceful assembly, and religion continue.

Belgium

Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it

was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country

prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically

advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions

between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the

French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to

constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition

and autonomy.

Belize

Belize was the site of several Mayan city states until their

decline at the end of the first millennium A.D. The British and

Spanish disputed the region in the 17th and 18th centuries; it

formally became the colony of British Honduras in 1854. Territorial

disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of

Belize until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation

until 1992. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. Current

concerns include high unemployment, growing involvement in the South

American drug trade, and increasing urban crime.

Benin

Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey, a prominent West

African kingdom that rose in the 15th century. The territory became

a French Colony in 1872 and achieved independence on 1 August 1960,

as the Republic of Benin. A succession of military governments ended

in 1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the

establishment of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles.

A move to representative government began in 1989. Two years later,

free elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as

president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa

from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by

elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were

alleged. KEREKOU stepped down at the end of his second term in 2006

and was succeeded by Thomas YAYI BONI, a political outsider and

independent.

Bermuda

Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English

colonists headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North

American winters first developed in Victorian times. Tourism

continues to be important to the island's economy, although

international business has overtaken it in recent years. Bermuda has

developed into a highly successful offshore financial center.

Although a referendum on independence from the UK was soundly

defeated in 1995, the present government has reopened debate on the

issue.

Bhutan

In 1865, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu,

under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for

ceding some border land to British India. Under British influence, a

monarchy was set up in 1907; three years later, a treaty was signed

whereby the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal

affairs and Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs.

This role was assumed by independent India after 1947. Two years

later, a formal Indo-Bhutanese accord returned the areas of Bhutan

annexed by the British, formalized the annual subsidies the country

received, and defined India's responsibilities in defense and

foreign relations. A refugee issue of some 100,000 Bhutanese in

Nepal remains unresolved; 90% of the refugees are housed in seven

United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

camps. In March 2005, King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK unveiled the

government's draft constitution - which would introduce major

democratic reforms - and pledged to hold a national referendum for

its approval. A referendum date has yet to be named.

Bolivia

Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simon BOLIVAR,

broke away from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history

has consisted of a series of nearly 200 coups and countercoups.

Democratic civilian rule was established in 1982, but leaders have

faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty, social unrest, and

illegal drug production. In December 2005, Bolivians elected

Movement Toward Socialism leader Evo MORALES president - by the

widest margin of any leader since the restoration of civilian rule

in 1982 - after he ran on a promise to change the country's

traditional political class and empower the nation's poor majority.

However, since taking office, his controversial strategies have

exacerbated racial and economic tensions between the Amerindian

populations of the Andean west and the non-indigenous communities of

the eastern lowlands.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina's declaration of

sovereignty in October 1991 was followed by a declaration of

independence from the former Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992 after a

referendum boycotted by ethnic Serbs. The Bosnian Serbs - supported

by neighboring Serbia and Montenegro - responded with armed

resistance aimed at partitioning the republic along ethnic lines and

joining Serb-held areas to form a "Greater Serbia." In March 1994,

Bosniaks and Croats reduced the number of warring factions from

three to two by signing an agreement creating a joint Bosniak/Croat

Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 21 November 1995, in

Dayton, Ohio, the warring parties initialed a peace agreement that

brought to a halt three years of interethnic civil strife (the final

agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December 1995). The Dayton Peace

Accords retained Bosnia and Herzegovina's international boundaries

and created a joint multi-ethnic and democratic government charged

with conducting foreign, diplomatic, and fiscal policy. Also

recognized was a second tier of government comprised of two entities

roughly equal in size: the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and

Herzegovina and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska (RS). The

Federation and RS governments were charged with overseeing most

government functions. The Office of the High Representative (OHR)

was established to oversee the implementation of the civilian

aspects of the agreement. In 1995-96, a NATO-led international

peacekeeping force (IFOR) of 60,000 troops served in Bosnia to

implement and monitor the military aspects of the agreement. IFOR

was succeeded by a smaller, NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR)

whose mission was to deter renewed hostilities. European Union

peacekeeping troops (EUFOR) replaced SFOR in December 2004; their

mission is to maintain peace and stability throughout the country.

EUFOR plans to phase out its mission beginning in 2007.

Botswana

Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana

adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. Four decades of

uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and

significant capital investment have created one of the most dynamic

economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining,

dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due

to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature

preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of

HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and

comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.

Bouvet Island

This uninhabited volcanic island is almost entirely

covered by glaciers and is difficult to approach. It was discovered

in 1739 by a French naval officer after whom the island was named.

No claim was made until 1825, when the British flag was raised. In

1928, the UK waived its claim in favor of Norway, which had occupied

the island the previous year. In 1971, Bouvet Island and the

adjacent territorial waters were designated a nature reserve. Since

1977, Norway has run an automated meteorological station on the

island.

Brazil

Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil

became an independent nation in 1822 and a republic in 1889. By far

the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil

overcame more than half a century of military intervention in the

governance of the country when in 1985 the military regime

peacefully ceded power to civilian rulers. Brazil continues to

pursue industrial and agricultural growth and development of its

interior. Exploiting vast natural resources and a large labor pool,

it is today South America's leading economic power and a regional

leader. Highly unequal income distribution remains a pressing

problem.

British Indian Ocean Territory

Established as a territory of the UK

in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT)

islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained

independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the

six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The

largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a

joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are

uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the

islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the

Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court

ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded

them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of

Diego Garcia.

British Virgin Islands

First inhabited by Arawak and later by Carib

Indians, the Virgin Islands were settled by the Dutch in 1648 and

then annexed by the English in 1672. The islands were part of the

British colony of the Leeward Islands from 1872-1960; they were

granted autonomy in 1967. The economy is closely tied to the larger

and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is

the legal currency.

Brunei

The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked between the 15th

and 17th centuries when its control extended over coastal areas of

northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently

entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal

succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In

1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was

achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six

centuries. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas

fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in the

developing world.

Bulgaria

The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the

local Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first

Bulgarian state. In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with

the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the

end of the 14th century the country was overrun by the Ottoman

Turks. Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy in 1878 and all of

Bulgaria became independent from the Ottoman Empire in 1908. Having

fought on the losing side in both World Wars, Bulgaria fell within

the Soviet sphere of influence and became a People's Republic in

1946. Communist domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its

first multiparty election since World War II and began the

contentious process of moving toward political democracy and a

market economy while combating inflation, unemployment, corruption,

and crime. The country joined NATO in 2004 and the EU in 2007.

Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) achieved

independence from France in 1960. Repeated military coups during the

1970s and 1980s were followed by multiparty elections in the early

1990s. Current President Blaise COMPAORE came to power in a 1987

military coup and has won every election since then. Burkina Faso's

high population density and limited natural resources result in poor

economic prospects for the majority of its citizens. Recent unrest

in Cote d'Ivoire and northern Ghana has hindered the ability of

several hundred thousand seasonal Burkinabe farm workers to find

employment in neighboring countries.

Burma

Britain conquered Burma over a period of 62 years (1824-1886)

and incorporated it into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered

as a province of India until 1937 when it became a separate,

self-governing colony; independence from the Commonwealth was

attained in 1948. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to

1988, first as military ruler, then as self-appointed president, and

later as political kingpin. Despite multiparty legislative elections

in 1990 that resulted in the main opposition party - the National

League for Democracy (NLD) - winning a landslide victory, the ruling

junta refused to hand over power. NLD leader and Nobel Peace Prize

recipient AUNG SAN SUU KYI, who was under house arrest from 1989 to

1995 and 2000 to 2002, was imprisoned in May 2003 and subsequently

transferred to house arrest, where she remains virtually

incommunicado. In February 2006, the junta extended her detention

for another year. Her supporters, as well as all those who promote

democracy and improved human rights, are routinely harassed or

jailed.

Burundi

Burundi's first democratically elected president was

assassinated in October 1993 after only 100 days in office,

triggering widespread ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi

factions. Over 200,000 Burundians perished during the conflict that

spanned almost a dozen years. Hundreds of thousands of Burundians

were internally displaced or became refugees in neighboring

countries. An internationally brokered power-sharing agreement

between the Tutsi-dominated government and the Hutu rebels in 2003

paved the way for a transition process that led to an integrated

defense force, established a new constitution in 2005, and elected a

majority Hutu government in 2005. The new government, led by

President Pierre NKURUNZIZA, signed a South African brokered

ceasefire with the country's last rebel group in September of 2006

but still faces many challenges.

Cambodia

Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers,

descendants of the Angkor Empire that extended over much of

Southeast Asia and reached its zenith between the 10th and 13th

centuries. Attacks by the Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam)

weakened the empire ushering in a long period of decline. The king

placed the country under French protection in 1863. Cambodia became

part of French Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in

World War II, Cambodia gained full independence from France in 1953.

In April 1975, after a five-year struggle, Communist Khmer Rouge

forces captured Phnom Penh and evacuated all cities and towns. At

least 1.5 million Cambodians died from execution, forced hardships,

or starvation during the Khmer Rouge regime under POL POT. A

December 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the

countryside, began a 10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off

almost 13 years of civil war. The 1991 Paris Peace Accords mandated

democratic elections and a ceasefire, which was not fully respected

by the Khmer Rouge. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore

some semblance of normalcy under a coalition government. Factional

fighting in 1997 ended the first coalition government, but a second

round of national elections in 1998 led to the formation of another

coalition government and renewed political stability. The remaining

elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in early 1999. Some of the

remaining Khmer Rouge leaders are awaiting trial by a UN-sponsored

tribunal for crimes against humanity. Elections in July 2003 were

relatively peaceful, but it took one year of negotiations between

contending political parties before a coalition government was

formed.

Cameroon

The former French Cameroon and part of British Cameroon

merged in 1961 to form the present country. Cameroon has generally

enjoyed stability, which has permitted the development of

agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry.

Despite a slow movement toward democratic reform, political power

remains firmly in the hands of an ethnic oligarchy headed by

President Paul BIYA.

Canada

A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada

became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the

British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has

developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across

an unfortified border. Canada faces the political challenges of

meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care and

education services, as well as responding to separatist concerns in

predominantly francophone Quebec. Canada also aims to develop its

diverse energy resources while maintaining its commitment to the

environment.

Cape Verde

The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by

the Portuguese in the 15th century; Cape Verde subsequently became a

trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and

resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Following

independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in unification with

Guinea-Bissau, a one-party system was established and maintained

until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cape Verde continues

to exhibit one of Africa's most stable democratic governments.

Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused

significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result,

Cape Verde's expatriate population is greater than its domestic one.

Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents.

Cayman Islands

The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the

British during the 18th and 19th centuries, and were administered by

Jamaica after 1863. In 1959, the islands became a territory within

the Federation of the West Indies, but when the Federation dissolved

in 1962, the Cayman Islands chose to remain a British dependency.

Central African Republic

The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari

became the Central African Republic upon independence in 1960. After

three tumultuous decades of misrule - mostly by military governments

- civilian rule was established in 1993 and lasted for one decade.

President Ange-Felix PATASSE's civilian government was plagued by

unrest, and in March 2003 he was deposed in a military coup led by

General Francois BOZIZE, who established a transitional government.

Though the government has the tacit support of civil society groups

and the main parties, a wide field of candidates contested the

municipal, legislative, and presidential elections held in March and

May of 2005 in which General BOZIZE was affirmed as president. The

government still does not fully control the countryside, where

pockets of lawlessness persist.

Chad

Chad, part of France's African holdings until 1960, endured

three decades of civil warfare as well as invasions by Libya before

a semblance of peace was finally restored in 1990. The government

eventually drafted a democratic constitution, and held flawed

presidential elections in 1996 and 2001. In 1998, a rebellion broke

out in northern Chad, which sporadically flares up despite several

peace agreements between the government and the rebels. In 2005 new

rebel groups emerged in western Sudan and have made probing attacks

into eastern Chad. Power remains in the hands of an ethnic minority.

In June 2005, President Idriss DEBY held a referendum successfully

removing constitutional term limits.

Chile

Prior to the coming of the Spanish in the 16th century,

northern Chile was under Inca rule while Araucanian Indians

inhabited central and southern Chile; the latter were not completely

subjugated by Spain until the early 1880s. Although Chile declared

its independence in 1810, decisive victory over the Spanish was not

achieved until 1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-84), Chile

defeated Peru and Bolivia and won its present northern lands. A

three-year-old Marxist government of Salvador ALLENDE was overthrown

in 1973 by a dictatorial military regime led by Augusto PINOCHET,

who ruled until a freely elected president was installed in 1990.

Sound economic policies, maintained consistently since the 1980s,

have contributed to steady growth and have helped secure the

country's commitment to democratic and representative government.

Chile has increasingly assumed regional and international leadership

roles befitting its status as a stable, democratic nation.

China

For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing

the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and

early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major

famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War

II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established an autocratic

socialist system that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed

strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of

millions of people. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping and

other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by

2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living

standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal

choice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight.

Christmas Island

Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the

island was annexed and settlement began by the UK in 1888. Phosphate

mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to

Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared

a national park.

Clipperton Island

This isolated island was named for John

CLIPPERTON, a pirate who made it his hideout early in the 18th

century. Annexed by France in 1855, it was seized by Mexico in 1897.

Arbitration eventually awarded the island to France, which took

possession in 1935.

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

There are 27 coral islands in the group.

Captain William KEELING discovered the islands in 1609, but they

remained uninhabited until the 19th century. Annexed by the UK in

1857, they were transferred to the Australian Government in 1955.

The population on the two inhabited islands generally is split

between the ethnic Europeans on West Island and the ethnic Malays on

Home Island.

Colombia

Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from

the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and

Venezuela). A 40-year conflict between government forces and

anti-government insurgent groups and illegal paramilitary groups -

both heavily funded by the drug trade - escalated during the 1990s.

The insurgents lack the military or popular support necessary to

overthrow the government, and violence has been decreasing since

about 2002, but insurgents continue attacks against civilians and

large swaths of the countryside are under guerrilla influence.

Paramilitary groups challenge the insurgents for control of

territory and the drug trade. Most paramilitary members have

demobilized since 2002 in an ongoing peace process, although their

commitment to ceasing illicit activity is unclear. The Colombian

Government has stepped up efforts to reassert government control

throughout the country, and now has a presence in every one of its

municipalities. However, neighboring countries worry about the

violence spilling over their borders.

Comoros

Comoros has endured 19 coups or attempted coups since

gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of

Anjouan and Moheli declared independence from Comoros. In 1999,

military chief Col. AZALI seized power. He pledged to resolve the

secessionist crisis through a confederal arrangement named the 2000

Fomboni Accord. In December 2001, voters approved a new constitution

and presidential elections took place in the spring of 2002. Each

island in the archipelago elected its own president and a new union

president took office in May 2002.

Congo, Democratic Republic of the Established as a Belgian colony in 1908, the Republic of the Congo gained its independence in 1960, but its early years were marred by political and social instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized power and declared himself president in a November 1965 coup. He subsequently changed his name - to MOBUTU Sese Seko - as well as that of the country - to Zaire. MOBUTU retained his position for 32 years through several subsequent sham elections, as well as through the use of brutal force. Ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow of refugees in 1994 from fighting in Rwanda and Burundi, led in May 1997 to the toppling of the MOBUTU regime by a rebellion led by Laurent KABILA. He renamed the country the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but in August 1998 his regime was itself challenged by an insurrection backed by Rwanda and Uganda. Troops from Angola, Chad, Namibia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe intervened to support the Kinshasa regime. A cease-fire was signed in July 1999 by the DRC, Congolese armed rebel groups, Angola, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zimbabwe but sporadic fighting continued. Laurent KABILA was assassinated in January 2001 and his son, Joseph KABILA, was named head of state. In October 2002, the new president was successful in negotiating the withdrawal of Rwandan forces occupying eastern Congo; two months later, the Pretoria Accord was signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and establish a government of national unity. A transitional government was set up in July 2003; with Joseph KABILA as president and joined by four vice presidents representing the former government, former rebel groups, and the political opposition. The transitional government held a successful constitutional referendum in December 2005 and elections for the presidency, National Assembly, and provincial legislatures in 2006. KABILA was inaugurated president in December 2006.

Congo, Republic of the

Upon independence in 1960, the former French

region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter

century of experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a

democratically elected government took office in 1992. A brief civil

war in 1997 restored former Marxist President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO,

and ushered in a period of ethnic and political unrest.

Southern-based rebel groups agreed to a final peace accord in March

2003, but the calm is tenuous and refugees continue to present a

humanitarian crisis. The Republic of Congo was once one of Africa's

largest petroleum producers, but with declining production it will

need to hope for new offshore oil finds to sustain its oil earnings

over the long term.

Cook Islands

Named after Captain COOK, who sighted them in 1770, the

islands became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900,

administrative control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965

residents chose self-government in free association with New

Zealand. The emigration of skilled workers to New Zealand and

government deficits are continuing problems.

Coral Sea Islands

Scattered over more than three-quarters of a

million square kilometers of ocean, the Coral Sea Islands were

declared a territory of Australia in 1969. They are uninhabited

except for a small meteorological staff on the Willis Islets.

Automated weather stations, beacons, and a lighthouse occupy many

other islands and reefs.

Costa Rica

Although explored by the Spanish early in the 16th

century, initial attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved

unsuccessful due to a combination of factors, including: disease

from mosquito-infested swamps, brutal heat, resistance by natives,

and pirate raids. It was not until 1563 that a permanent settlement

of Cartago was established in the cooler, fertile central highlands.

The area remained a colony for some two and a half centuries. In

1821, Costa Rica became one of several Central American provinces

that jointly declared their independence from Spain. Two years later

it joined the United Provinces of Central America, but this

federation disintegrated in 1838, at which time Costa Rica

proclaimed its sovereignty and independence. Since the late 19th

century, only two brief periods of violence have marred the

country's democratic development. Although it still maintains a

large agricultural sector, Costa Rica has expanded its economy to

include strong technology and tourism industries. The standard of

living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread.

Cote d'Ivoire

Close ties to France since independence in 1960, the

development of cocoa production for export, and foreign investment

made Cote d'Ivoire one of the most prosperous of the tropical

African states, but did not protect it from political turmoil. In

December 1999, a military coup - the first ever in Cote d'Ivoire's

history - overthrew the government. Junta leader Robert GUEI

blatantly rigged elections held in late 2000 and declared himself

the winner. Popular protest forced him to step aside and brought

runner-up Laurent GBAGBO into power. Ivorian dissidents and

disaffected members of the military launched a failed coup attempt

in September 2002. Rebel forces claimed the northern half of the

country, and in January 2003 were granted ministerial positions in a

unity government under the auspices of the Linas-Marcoussis Peace

Accord. President GBAGBO and rebel forces resumed implementation of

the peace accord in December 2003 after a three-month stalemate, but

issues that sparked the civil war, such as land reform and grounds

for citizenship, remain unresolved. The central government has yet

to exert control over the northern regions and tensions remain high

between GBAGBO and opposition leaders. Several thousand French and

West African troops remain in Cote d'Ivoire to maintain peace and

facilitate the disarmament, demobilization, and rehabilitation

process.

Croatia

The lands that today comprise Croatia were part of the

Austro-Hungarian Empire until the close of World War I. In 1918, the

Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom known after 1929 as

Yugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia became a federal

independent Communist state under the strong hand of Marshal TITO.

Although Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991,

it took four years of sporadic, but often bitter, fighting before

occupying Serb armies were mostly cleared from Croatian lands. Under

UN supervision, the last Serb-held enclave in eastern Slavonia was

returned to Croatia in 1998.

Cuba

The native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline after

the European discovery of the island by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492

and following its development as a Spanish colony during the next

several centuries. Large numbers of African slaves were imported to

work the coffee and sugar plantations, and Havana became the

launching point for the annual treasure fleets bound for Spain from

Mexico and Peru. Spanish rule, marked initially by neglect, became

increasingly repressive, provoking an independence movement and

occasional rebellions that were harshly suppressed. It was US

intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898 that finally

overthrew Spanish rule. The subsequent Treaty of Paris established

Cuban independence, which was granted in 1902 after a three-year

transition period. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959;

his iron rule has held the regime together since then. Cuba's

Communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout

Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The

country is now slowly recovering from a severe economic recession in

1990, following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies, worth $4

billion to $6 billion annually. Cuba portrays its difficulties as

the result of the US embargo in place since 1961. Illicit migration

to the US - using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, air flights, or

via the southwest border - is a continuing problem. The US Coast

Guard intercepted 2,810 individuals attempting to cross the Straits

of Florida in fiscal year 2006.

Cyprus

A former British colony, Cyprus became independent in 1960

following years of resistance to British rule. Tensions between the

Greek Cypriot majority and Turkish Cypriot minority came to a head

in December 1963, when violence broke out in the capital of Nicosia.

Despite the deployment of UN peacekeepers in 1964, sporadic

intercommunal violence continued forcing most Turkish Cypriots into

enclaves throughout the island. In 1974, a Greek

Government-sponsored attempt to seize control of Cyprus was met by

military intervention from Turkey, which soon controlled more than a

third of the island. In 1983, the Turkish-held area declared itself

the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," but it is recognized only

by Turkey. The latest two-year round of UN-brokered talks - between

the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities to

reach an agreement to reunite the divided island - ended when the

Greek Cypriots rejected the UN settlement plan in an April 2004

referendum. The entire island entered the EU on 1 May 2004, although

the EU acquis - the body of common rights and obligations - applies

only to the areas under direct Republic of Cyprus control, and is

suspended in the areas administered by Turkish Cypriots. However,

individual Turkish Cypriots able to document their eligibility for

Republic of Cyprus citizenship legally enjoy the same rights

accorded to other citizens of European Union states. Nicosia

continues to oppose EU efforts to establish direct trade and

economic links to north Cyprus as a way of encouraging the Turkish

Cypriot community to continue to support reunification.

Czech Republic

Following the First World War, the closely related

Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to

form Czechoslovakia. During the interwar years, the new country's

leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the demands of

other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the

Sudeten Germans and the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). After World War II,

a truncated Czechoslovakia fell within the Soviet sphere of

influence. In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the

efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize Communist party rule

and create "socialism with a human face." Anti-Soviet demonstrations

the following year ushered in a period of harsh repression. With the

collapse of Soviet authority in 1989, Czechoslovakia regained its

freedom through a peaceful "Velvet Revolution." On 1 January 1993,

the country underwent a "velvet divorce" into its two national

components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic

joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004.

Denmark

Once the seat of Viking raiders and later a major north

European power, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation

that is participating in the general political and economic

integration of Europe. It joined NATO in 1949 and the EEC (now the

EU) in 1973. However, the country has opted out of certain elements

of the European Union's Maastricht Treaty, including the European

Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), European defense cooperation, and

issues concerning certain justice and home affairs.

Dhekelia

By terms of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment that created

the independent Republic of Cyprus, the UK retained full sovereignty

and jurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilometers -

Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The larger of these is the Dhekelia Sovereign

Base Area, which is also referred to as the Eastern Sovereign Base

Area.

Djibouti

The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became

Djibouti in 1977. Hassan Gouled APTIDON installed an authoritarian

one-party state and proceeded to serve as president until 1999.

Unrest among the Afars minority during the 1990s led to a civil war

that ended in 2001 following the conclusion of a peace accord

between Afar rebels and the Issa-dominated government. In 1999,

Djibouti's first multi-party presidential elections resulted in the

election of Ismail Omar GUELLEH; he was re-elected to a second and

final term in 2005. Djibouti occupies a strategic geographic

location at the mouth of the Red Sea and serves as an important

transshipment location for goods entering and leaving the east

African highlands. The present leadership favors close ties to

France, which maintains a significant military presence in the

country, but is also developing stronger ties with the US. Djibouti

hosts the only US military base in sub-Saharan Africa and is a

front-line state in the global war on terrorism.

Dominica

Dominica was the last of the Caribbean islands to be

colonized by Europeans due chiefly to the fierce resistance of the

native Caribs. France ceded possession to Great Britain in 1763,

which made the island a colony in 1805. In 1980, two years after

independence, Dominica's fortunes improved when a corrupt and

tyrannical administration was replaced by that of Mary Eugenia

CHARLES, the first female prime minister in the Caribbean, who

remained in office for 15 years. Some 3,000 Carib Indians still

living on Dominica are the only pre-Columbian population remaining

in the eastern Caribbean.

Dominican Republic

Explored and claimed by Christopher COLUMBUS on

his first voyage in 1492, the island of Hispaniola became a

springboard for Spanish conquest of the Caribbean and the American

mainland. In 1697, Spain recognized French dominion over the western

third of the island, which in 1804 became Haiti. The remainder of

the island, by then known as Santo Domingo, sought to gain its own

independence in 1821, but was conquered and ruled by the Haitians

for 22 years; it finally attained independence as the Dominican

Republic in 1844. In 1861, the Dominicans voluntarily returned to

the Spanish Empire, but two years later they launched a war that

restored independence in 1865. A legacy of unsettled, mostly

non-representative rule followed, capped by the dictatorship of

Rafael Leonidas TRUJILLO from 1930-1961. Juan BOSCH was elected

president in 1962, but was deposed in a military coup in 1963. In

1965, the United States led an intervention in the midst of a civil

war sparked by an uprising to restore BOSCH. In 1966, Joaquin

BALAGUER defeated BOSCH in an election to become president. BALAGUER

maintained a tight grip on power for most of the next 30 years when

international reaction to flawed elections forced him to curtail his

term in 1996. Since then, regular competitive elections have been

held in which opposition candidates have won the presidency. Former

President (1996-2000) Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna won election to a

second term in 2004 following a constitutional amendment allowing

presidents to serve more than one term.

East Timor

The Portuguese began to trade with the island of Timor in

the early 16th century and colonized it in mid-century. Skirmishing

with the Dutch in the region eventually resulted in an 1859 treaty

in which Portugal ceded the western portion of the island. Imperial

Japan occupied East Timor from 1942 to 1945, but Portugal resumed

colonial authority after the Japanese defeat in World War II. East

Timor declared itself independent from Portugal on 28 November 1975

and was invaded and occupied by Indonesian forces nine days later.

It was incorporated into Indonesia in July 1976 as the province of

East Timor. An unsuccessful campaign of pacification followed over

the next two decades, during which an estimated 100,000 to 250,000

individuals lost their lives. On 30 August 1999, in a UN-supervised

popular referendum, an overwhelming majority of the people of East

Timor voted for independence from Indonesia. Between the referendum

and the arrival of a multinational peacekeeping force in late

September 1999, anti-independence Timorese militias - organized and

supported by the Indonesian military - commenced a large-scale,

scorched-earth campaign of retribution. The militias killed

approximately 1,400 Timorese and forcibly pushed 300,000 people into

West Timor as refugees. The majority of the country's

infrastructure, including homes, irrigation systems, water supply

systems, and schools, and nearly 100% of the country's electrical

grid were destroyed. On 20 September 1999 the Australian-led

peacekeeping troops of the International Force for East Timor

(INTERFET) deployed to the country and brought the violence to an

end. On 20 May 2002, East Timor was internationally recognized as an

independent state. In March of 2006, a military strike led to

violence and a near breakdown of law and order. Over 2,000

Australian, New Zealand, and Portuguese police and peacekeepers

deployed to East Timor in late May. Although many of the

peacekeepers were replaced by UN police officers, 850 Australian

soldiers remained as of 1 January 2007.

Ecuador

What is now Ecuador formed part of the northern Inca Empire

until the Spanish conquest in 1533. Quito became a seat of Spanish

colonial government in 1563 and part of the Viceroyalty of New

Granada in 1717. The territories of the Viceroyalty - New Granada

(Colombia), Venezuela, and Quito - gained their independence by 1819

and formed a federation known as Gran Colombia. When Quito withdrew

in 1830, the traditional name was changed in favor of the "Republic

of the Equator." Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories in

a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peru

that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999. Although Ecuador marked 25

years of civilian governance in 2004, the period has been marred by

political instability. Protests in Quito have contributed to the

mid-term ouster of Ecuador's last three democratically elected

Presidents.

Egypt

The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood,

coupled with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and

west, allowed for the development of one of the world's great

civilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C., and a series

of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last

native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn were

replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs who

introduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and who

ruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, the

Mamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after the

conquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Following the

completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, Egypt became an important

world transportation hub, but also fell heavily into debt.

Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control of

Egypt's government in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the Ottoman

Empire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in

1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty following World War II. The

completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake

Nasser have altered the time-honored place of the Nile River in the

agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the

largest in the Arab world), limited arable land, and dependence on

the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. The

government has struggled to ready the economy for the new millennium

through economic reform and massive investment in communications and

physical infrastructure.

El Salvador

El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and

from the Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war,

which cost about 75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992 when

the government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for

military and political reforms.

Equatorial Guinea

Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968

after 190 years of Spanish rule. This tiny country, composed of a

mainland portion plus five inhabited islands, is one of the smallest

on the African continent. President Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO

has ruled the country since 1979 when he seized power in a coup.

Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996

and 2002 presidential elections - as well as the 1999 and 2004

legislative elections - were widely seen as flawed. The president

exerts almost total control over the political system and has

discouraged political opposition. Equatorial Guinea has experienced

rapid economic growth due to the discovery of large offshore oil

reserves, and in the last decade has become Sub-Saharan Africa's

third largest oil exporter. Despite the country's economic windfall

from oil production resulting in a massive increase in government

revenue in recent years, there have been few improvements in the

population's living standards.

Eritrea

Eritrea was awarded to Ethiopia in 1952 as part of a

federation. Ethiopia's annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years

later sparked a 30-year struggle for independence that ended in 1991

with Eritrean rebels defeating governmental forces; independence was

overwhelmingly approved in a 1993 referendum. A two-and-a-half-year

border war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 ended under UN

auspices in December 2000. Eritrea currently hosts a UN peacekeeping

operation that is monitoring a 25 km-wide Temporary Security Zone on

the border with Ethiopia. An international commission, organized to

resolve the border dispute, posted its findings in 2002 but final

demarcation is on hold due to Ethiopian objections.

Estonia

After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian

rule, Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated

into the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US - it

regained its freedom in 1991, with the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Since the last Russian troops left in 1994, Estonia has been free to

promote economic and political ties with Western Europe. It joined

both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Ethiopia

Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian

monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule with the

exception of the 1936-41 Italian occupation during World War II. In

1974, a military junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE

(who had ruled since 1930) and established a socialist state. Torn

by bloody coups, uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee

problems, the regime was finally toppled in 1991 by a coalition of

rebel forces, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front

(EPRDF). A constitution was adopted in 1994, and Ethiopia's first

multiparty elections were held in 1995. A border war with Eritrea

late in the 1990's ended with a peace treaty in December 2000. Final

demarcation of the boundary is currently on hold due to Ethiopian

objections to an international commission's finding requiring it to

surrender territory considered sensitive to Ethiopia.

Europa Island

A French possession since 1897, the island is heavily

wooded; it is the site of a small military garrison that staffs a

weather station.

European Union

Following the two devastating World Wars of the first

half of the 20th century, a number of European leaders in the late

1940s became convinced that the only way to establish a lasting

peace was to unite the two chief belligerent nations - France and

Germany - both economically and politically. In 1950, the French

Foreign Minister Robert SCHUMAN proposed an eventual union of all

Europe, the first step of which would be the integration of the coal

and steel industries of Western Europe. The following year the

European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was set up when six

members, Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the

Netherlands, signed the Treaty of Paris. The ECSC was so successful

that within a few years the decision was made to integrate other

parts of the countries' economies. In 1957, the Treaties of Rome

created the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European

Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), and the six member states

undertook to eliminate trade barriers among themselves by forming a

common market. In 1967, the institutions of all three communities

were formally merged into the European Community (EC), creating a

single Commission, a single Council of Ministers, and the European

Parliament. Members of the European Parliament were initially

selected by national parliaments, but in 1979 the first direct

elections were undertaken and they have been held every five years

since. In 1973, the first enlargement of the EC took place with the

addition of Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The 1980s saw

further membership expansion with Greece joining in 1981 and Spain

and Portugal in 1986. The 1992 Treaty of Maastricht laid the basis

for further forms of cooperation in foreign and defense policy, in

judicial and internal affairs, and in the creation of an economic

and monetary union - including a common currency. This further

integration created the European Union (EU). In 1995, Austria,

Finland, and Sweden joined the EU, raising the membership total to

15. A new currency, the euro, was launched in world money markets on

1 January 1999; it became the unit of exchange for all of the EU

states except the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Denmark. In 2002,

citizens of the 12 euro-area countries began using the euro

banknotes and coins. Ten new countries joined the EU in 2004 -

Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania,

Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia - and in 2007 Bulgaria and

Romania joined, bringing the current membership to 27. In order to

ensure that the EU can continue to function efficiently with an

expanded membership, the Treaty of Nice (in force as of 1 February

2003) set forth rules streamlining the size and procedures of EU

institutions. An EU Constitutional Treaty, signed in Rome on 29

October 2004, gave member states two years to ratify the document

before it was scheduled to take effect on 1 November 2006. Referenda

held in France and the Netherlands in May-June 2005 rejected the

proposed constitution. This development set back the ratification

effort and left the longer-term political integration of the EU in

limbo.

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Although first sighted by an

English navigator in 1592, the first landing (English) did not occur

until almost a century later in 1690, and the first settlement

(French) was not established until 1764. The colony was turned over

to Spain two years later and the islands have since been the subject

of a territorial dispute, first between Britain and Spain, then

between Britain and Argentina. The UK asserted its claim to the

islands by establishing a naval garrison there in 1833. Argentina

invaded the islands on 2 April 1982. The British responded with an

expeditionary force that landed seven weeks later and after fierce

fighting forced Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982.

Faroe Islands

The population of the Faroe Islands is largely

descended from Viking settlers who arrived in the 9th century. The

islands have been connected politically to Denmark since the 14th

century. A high degree of self government was attained in 1948.

Fiji

Fiji became independent in 1970, after nearly a century as a

British colony. Democratic rule was interrupted by two military

coups in 1987, caused by concern over a government perceived as

dominated by the Indian community (descendants of contract laborers

brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century). The

coups and a 1990 constitution that cemented native Melanesian

control of Fiji, led to heavy Indian emigration; the population loss

resulted in economic difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians

became the majority. A new constitution enacted in 1997 was more

equitable. Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a

government led by an Indo-Fijian, but a civilian-led coup in May

2000 ushered in a prolonged period of political turmoil.

Parliamentary elections held in August 2001 provided Fiji with a

democratically elected government led by Prime Minister Laisenia

QARASE. Re-elected in May 2006, QARASE was ousted in a December 2006

military coup led by Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA, who initially

appointed himself acting president. In January 2007, BAINIMARAMA was

appointed interim prime minister.

Finland

Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden

from the 12th to the 19th centuries and an autonomous grand duchy of

Russia after 1809. It won its complete independence in 1917. During

World War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom and

resist invasions by the Soviet Union - albeit with some loss of

territory. In the subsequent half century, the Finns made a

remarkable transformation from a farm/forest economy to a

diversified modern industrial economy; per capita income is now on

par with Western Europe. A member of the European Union since 1995,

Finland was the only Nordic state to join the euro system at its

initiation in January 1999.

France

Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France

suffered extensive losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, and rank

as a dominant nation-state. Nevertheless, France today is one of the

most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European

nations. Since 1958, it has constructed a presidential democracy

resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier parliamentary

democracies. In recent years, its reconciliation and cooperation

with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of

Europe, including the introduction of a common exchange currency,

the euro, in January 1999. At present, France is at the forefront of

efforts to develop the EU's military capabilities to supplement

progress toward an EU foreign policy.

French Polynesia

The French annexed various Polynesian island groups

during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up

widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll

after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January

1996. In recent years, French Polynesia's autonomy has been

considerably expanded.

French Southern and Antarctic Lands The Southern Lands consist of two archipelagos, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen, and two volcanic islands, Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul. They contain no permanent inhabitants and are visited only by researchers studying the native fauna. The Antarctic portion consists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice of the Antarctic continent discovered and claimed by the French in 1840.

Gabon

Only two autocratic presidents have ruled Gabon since

independence from France in 1960. The current president of Gabon, El

Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba - one of the longest-serving heads of state

in the world - has dominated the country's political scene for

almost four decades. President BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty

system and a new constitution in the early 1990s. However,

allegations of electoral fraud during local elections in 2002-03 and

the presidential elections in 2005 have exposed the weaknesses of

formal political structures in Gabon. Gabon's political opposition

remains weak, divided, and financially dependent on the current

regime. Despite political conditions, a small population, abundant

natural resources, and considerable foreign support have helped make

Gabon one of the more prosperous and stable African countries.

Gambia, The

The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965.

Geographically surrounded by Senegal, it formed a short-lived

federation of Senegambia between 1982 and 1989. In 1991 the two

nations signed a friendship and cooperation treaty, but tensions

have flared up intermittently since then. Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH led

a military coup in 1994 that overthrew the president and banned

political activity. A new constitution and presidential elections in

1996, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997, completed a

nominal return to civilian rule. JAMMEH has been elected president

in all subsequent elections, including most recently in late 2006.

Gaza Strip

The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim

Self-Government Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington in

September 1993, provided for a transitional period of Palestinian

interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. A

transfer of authority to the Palestinian Authority (PA) for the Gaza

Strip and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4 May 1994

Cairo Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and, in

additional areas of the West Bank, pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28

September 1995 Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997

Protocol Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23

October 1998 Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm

el-Sheikh Agreement. Direct negotiations to determine the permanent

status of Gaza and the West Bank began in September 1999 after a

three-year hiatus, but were derailed by a second intifadah that

broke out a year later. In April 2003, the Quartet (US, EU, UN, and

Russia) presented a roadmap to a final settlement of the conflict by

2005 based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to two

states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. The proposed date for a

permanent status agreement has been postponed indefinitely due to

violence and accusations that both sides have not followed through

on their commitments. Following Palestinian leader Yasir ARAFAT's

death in late 2004, Mahmud ABBAS was elected PA president in January

2005. A month later, Israel and the PA agreed to the Sharm el-Sheikh

Commitments in an effort to move the peace process forward. In

September 2005, Israel withdrew all its settlers and soldiers and

dismantled its military facilities in the Gaza Strip and four

northern West Bank settlements. Nonetheless, Israel controls

maritime, airspace, and most access to the Gaza Strip. A November

2005 PA-Israeli agreement authorized the reopening of the Rafah

border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt under joint PA and

Egyptian control. In January 2006, the Islamic Resistance Movement,

HAMAS, won control of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). The

international community has refused to accept the HAMAS-led

government because it does not recognize Israel, will not renounce

violence, and refuses to honor previous peace agreements between

Israel and the PA. Since March 2006, President Abbas has had little

success negotiating with HAMAS to present a political platform

acceptable to the international community so as to lift the economic

siege on Palestinians. The PLC was unable to convene in late 2006 as

a result of Israel's detention of many HAMAS PLC members and

Israeli-imposed travel restrictions on other PLC members.

Georgia

The region of present-day Georgia contained the ancient

kingdoms of Colchis and Kartli-Iberia. The area came under Roman

influence in the first centuries A.D. and Christianity became the

state religion in the 330s. Domination by Persians, Arabs, and Turks

was followed by a Georgian golden age (11th-13th centuries) that was

cut short by the Mongol invasion of 1236. Subsequently, the Ottoman

and Persian empires competed for influence in the region. Georgia

was absorbed into the Russian Empire in the 19th century.

Independent for three years (1918-1921) following the Russian

revolution, it was forcibly incorporated into the USSR until the

Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. An attempt by the incumbent Georgian

government to manipulate national legislative elections in November

2003 touched off widespread protests that led to the resignation of

Eduard SHEVARDNADZE, president since 1995. New elections in early

2004 swept Mikheil SAAKASHVILI into power along with his National

Movement Party. Progress on market reforms and democratization has

been made in the years since independence, but this progress has

been complicated by two civil conflicts in the breakaway regions of

Abkhazia and South Ossetia. These two territories remain outside the

control of the central government and are ruled by de facto,

unrecognized governments, supported by Russia. Russian-led

peacekeeping operations continue in both regions. The Georgian

Government put forward a new peace initiative for the peaceful

resolution of the status of South Ossetia in 2005.

Germany

As Europe's largest economy and second most populous nation,

Germany is a key member of the continent's economic, political, and

defense organizations. European power struggles immersed Germany in

two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th century and

left the country occupied by the victorious Allied powers of the US,

UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945. With the advent of the

Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the western Federal

Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German Democratic Republic

(GDR). The democratic FRG embedded itself in key Western economic

and security organizations, the EC, which became the EU, and NATO,

while the Communist GDR was on the front line of the Soviet-led

Warsaw Pact. The decline of the USSR and the end of the Cold War

allowed for German unification in 1990. Since then, Germany has

expended considerable funds to bring Eastern productivity and wages

up to Western standards. In January 1999, Germany and 10 other EU

countries introduced a common European exchange currency, the euro.

Ghana

Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast

and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first

sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. A

long series of coups resulted in the suspension of the constitution

in 1981 and a ban on political parties. A new constitution,

restoring multiparty politics, was approved in 1992. Lt. Jerry

RAWLINGS, head of state since 1981, won presidential elections in

1992 and 1996, but was constitutionally prevented from running for a

third term in 2000. John KUFUOR, who defeated former Vice President

John ATTA-MILLS in a free and fair election, succeeded him.

Gibraltar

Strategically important, Gibraltar was reluctantly ceded

to Great Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British

garrison was formally declared a colony in 1830. In a referendum

held in 1967, Gibraltarians voted overwhelmingly to remain a British

dependency. Although the current 1969 Constitution for Gibraltar

states that the British government will never allow the people of

Gibraltar to pass under the sovereignty of another state against

their freely and democratically expressed wishes, a series of talks

were held by the UK and Spain between 1997 and 2002 on establishing

temporary joint sovereignty over Gibraltar. In response to these

talks, the Gibraltarian Government set up a referendum in late 2002

in which a majority of the citizens voted overwhelmingly against any

sharing of sovereignty with Spain. Since the referendum, tripartite

talks have been held with Spain, the UK, and Gibraltar, and in

September 2006 a three-way agreement was signed. Spain agreed to

allow airlines other than British to serve Gibraltar, to speed up

customs procedures, and to add more telephone lines into Gibraltar.

Britain agreed to pay pensions to Spaniards who had been employed in

Gibraltar before the border closed in 1969. Spain will be allowed to

open a cultural institute from which the Spanish flag will fly.

Glorioso Islands

A French possession since 1892, the Glorioso

Islands are composed of two lushly vegetated coral islands (Ile

Glorieuse and Ile du Lys) and three rock islets. A military garrison

operates a weather and radio station on Ile Glorieuse.

Greece

Greece achieved independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1829.

During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the

20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and

territories, most with Greek-speaking populations. In World War II,

Greece was first invaded by Italy (1940) and subsequently occupied

by Germany (1941-44); fighting endured in a protracted civil war

between supporters of the king and Communist rebels. Following the

latter's defeat in 1949, Greece joined NATO in 1952. A military

dictatorship, which in 1967 suspended many political liberties and

forced the king to flee the country, lasted seven years. The 1974

democratic elections and a referendum created a parliamentary

republic and abolished the monarchy. In 1981 Greece joined the EC

(now the EU); it became the 12th member of the euro zone in 2001.

Greenland

Greenland, the world's largest island, is about 81%

ice-capped. Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from

Iceland; Danish colonization began in the 18th century, and

Greenland was made an integral part of Denmark in 1953. It joined

the European Community (now the EU) with Denmark in 1973, but

withdrew in 1985 over a dispute centered on stringent fishing

quotas. Greenland was granted self-government in 1979 by the Danish

parliament; the law went into effect the following year. Denmark

continues to exercise control of Greenland's foreign affairs in

consultation with Greenland's Home Rule Government.

Grenada

Carib Indians inhabited Grenada when COLUMBUS discovered the

island in 1498, but it remained uncolonized for more than a century.

The French settled Grenada in the 17th century, established sugar

estates, and imported large numbers of African slaves. Britain took

the island in 1762 and vigorously expanded sugar production. In the

19th century, cacao eventually surpassed sugar as the main export

crop; in the 20th century, nutmeg became the leading export. In

1967, Britain gave Grenada autonomy over its internal affairs. Full

independence was attained in 1974 making Grenada one of the smallest

independent countries in the Western Hemisphere. Grenada was seized

by a Marxist military council on 19 October 1983. Six days later the

island was invaded by US forces and those of six other Caribbean

nations, which quickly captured the ringleaders and their hundreds

of Cuban advisers. Free elections were reinstituted the following

year and have continued since that time. Hurricane Ivan struck

Grenada in September of 2004 causing severe damage.

Guam

Guam was ceded to the US by Spain in 1898. Captured by the

Japanese in 1941, it was retaken by the US three years later. The

military installation on the island is one of the most strategically

important US bases in the Pacific.

Guatemala

The Maya civilization flourished in Guatemala and

surrounding regions during the first millennium A.D. After almost

three centuries as a Spanish colony, Guatemala won its independence

in 1821. During the second half of the 20th century, it experienced

a variety of military and civilian governments, as well as a 36-year

guerrilla war. In 1996, the government signed a peace agreement

formally ending the conflict, which had left more than 100,000

people dead and had created some 1 million refugees.

Guernsey

Guernsey and the other Channel Islands represent the last

remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy, which held sway in

both France and England. The islands were the only British soil

occupied by German troops in World War II. Guernsey is a British

crown dependency, but is not part of the UK. However, the UK

Government is constitutionally responsible for defense and

international representation.

Guinea

Guinea has had only two presidents since gaining its

independence from France in 1958. Lansana CONTE came to power in

1984 when the military seized the government after the death of the

first president, Sekou TOURE. Guinea did not hold democratic

elections until 1993 when Gen. CONTE (head of the military

government) was elected president of the civilian government. He was

reelected in 1998 and again in 2003. Unrest in Sierra Leone and

Liberia has spilled over into Guinea on several occasions over the

past decade, threatening stability and creating humanitarian

emergencies. In 2006, declining economic conditions prompted two

massive strikes that sparked urban unrest in many Guinean cities.

Guinea-Bissau

Since independence from Portugal in 1974,

Guinea-Bissau has experienced considerable political and military

upheaval. In 1980, a military coup established authoritarian

dictator Joao Bernardo 'Nino' VIEIRA as president. Despite setting a

path to a market economy and multiparty system, VIEIRA's regime was

characterized by the suppression of political opposition and the

purging of political rivals. Several coup attempts through the 1980s

and early 1990s failed to unseat him. In 1994 VIEIRA was elected

president in the country's first free elections. A military mutiny

and resulting civil war in 1998 eventually led to VIEIRA's ouster in

May 1999. In February 2000, a transitional government turned over

power to opposition leader Kumba YALA, after he was elected

president in transparent polling. In September 2003, after only

three years in office, YALA was ousted by the military in a

bloodless coup, and businessman Henrique ROSA was sworn in as

interim president. In 2005, former President VIEIRA was re-elected

president pledging to pursue economic development and national

reconciliation.

Guyana

Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana

had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to

black settlement of urban areas and the importation of indentured

servants from India to work the sugar plantations. This

ethnocultural divide has persisted and has led to turbulent

politics. Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966, and

since then it has been ruled mostly by socialist-oriented

governments. In 1992, Cheddi JAGAN was elected president in what is

considered the country's first free and fair election since

independence. After his death five years later, his wife, Jane

JAGAN, became president but resigned in 1999 due to poor health. Her

successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was reelected in 2001 and again in 2006.

Haiti

The native Taino Amerindians - who inhabited the island of

Hispaniola when it was discovered by COLUMBUS in 1492 - were

virtually annihilated by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In the

early 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola,

and in 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the

island, which later became Haiti. The French colony, based on

forestry and sugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest

in the Caribbean, but only through the heavy importation of African

slaves and considerable environmental degradation. In the late 18th

century, Haiti's nearly half million slaves revolted under Toussaint

L'OUVERTURE. After a prolonged struggle, Haiti became the first

black republic to declare its independence in 1804. The poorest

country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti has been plagued by

political violence for most of its history. After an armed rebellion

led to the departure of President Jean-Betrand ARISTIDE in February

2004, an interim government took office to organize new elections

under the auspices of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in

Haiti (MINUSTAH). Continued violence and technical delays prompted

repeated postponements, but Haiti finally did inaugurate a

democratically elected president and parliament in May of 2006.

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

These uninhabited, barren,

sub-Antarctic islands were transferred from the UK to Australia in

1947. Populated by large numbers of seal and bird species, the

islands have been designated a nature preserve.

Holy See (Vatican City)

Popes in their secular role ruled portions

of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the

mid 19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the

newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were

further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between

a series of "prisoner" popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by

three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of

Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy.

In 1984, a concordat between the Holy See and Italy modified certain

of the earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman

Catholicism as the Italian state religion. Present concerns of the

Holy See include religious freedom, international development, the

Middle East, terrorism, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation,

and the application of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and

globalization. About 1 billion people worldwide profess the Catholic

faith.

Honduras

Once part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras

became an independent nation in 1821. After two and a half decades

of mostly military rule, a freely elected civilian government came

to power in 1982. During the 1980s, Honduras proved a haven for

anti-Sandinista contras fighting the Marxist Nicaraguan Government

and an ally to Salvadoran Government forces fighting leftist

guerrillas. The country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998,

which killed about 5,600 people and caused approximately $2 billion

in damage.

Hong Kong

Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded

by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later

in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and

the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special

Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In this

agreement, China has promised that, under its "one country, two

systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be

imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of

autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the

next 50 years.

Howland Island

Discovered by the US early in the 19th century, the

island was officially claimed by the US in 1857. Both US and British

companies mined for guano until about 1890. Earhart Light is a day

beacon near the middle of the west coast that was partially

destroyed during World War II, but has since been rebuilt; it is

named in memory of the famed aviatrix Amelia EARHART. The island is

administered by the US Department of the Interior as a National

Wildlife Refuge.

Hungary

Hungary was part of the polyglot Austro-Hungarian Empire,

which collapsed during World War I. The country fell under Communist

rule following World War II. In 1956, a revolt and announced

withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact were met with a massive military

intervention by Moscow. Under the leadership of Janos KADAR in 1968,

Hungary began liberalizing its economy, introducing so-called

"Goulash Communism." Hungary held its first multiparty elections in

1990 and initiated a free market economy. It joined NATO in 1999 and

the EU in 2004.

Iceland

Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish)

immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland

boasts the world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the

Althing, established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland

was subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja

volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused

widespread famine. Over the next quarter century, 20% of the

island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US. Limited

home rule from Denmark was granted in 1874 and complete independence

attained in 1944. Literacy, longevity, income, and social cohesion

are first-rate by world standards.

Iles Eparses

The Iles Eparses, or scattered islands, are a group of

five French entities - Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso

Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island - which on 1 April

1960 came under the authority of the Minister in charge of overseas

possessions. On 19 September 1960 by decree, the islands were

transferred to the charge of the Prefet of Reunion where they

remained until 3 January 2005 when they were transferred by another

decree to the Senior Administrator of the Territory of the French

Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF).

Bassas da India: A French possession since 1897, this atoll is a

volcanic seamount surrounded by reefs and awash at high tide.

Europa Island: A French possession since 1897, the island is heavily

wooded; it is the site of a small military garrison that staffs a

weather station.

Glorioso Islands: A French possession since 1892, the Glorioso

Islands are composed of two lushly vegetated coral islands (Ile

Glorieuse and Ile du Lys) and three rock islets. A military garrison

operates a weather and radio station on Ile Glorieuse.

Juan de Nova Island: Named after a famous 15th century Spanish

navigator and explorer, the island has been a French possession

since 1897. It has been exploited for its guano and phosphate.

Presently a small military garrison oversees a meteorological

station.

Tromelin Island: First explored by the French in 1776, the island

came under the jurisdiction of Reunion in 1814. At present, it

serves as a sea turtle sanctuary and is the site of an important

meteorological station.

India

The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world,

dates back at least 5,000 years. Aryan tribes from the northwest

infiltrated onto Indian lands about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the

earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture.

Arab incursions starting in the 8th century and Turkish in the 12th

were followed by those of European traders, beginning in the late

15th century. By the 19th century, Britain had assumed political

control of virtually all Indian lands. Indian armed forces in the

British army played a vital role in both World Wars. Nonviolent

resistance to British colonialism led by Mohandas GANDHI and

Jawaharlal NEHRU brought independence in 1947. The subcontinent was

divided into the secular state of India and the smaller Muslim state

of Pakistan. A third war between the two countries in 1971 resulted

in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. Despite

impressive gains in economic investment and output, India faces

pressing problems such as the ongoing dispute with Pakistan over

Kashmir, massive overpopulation, environmental degradation,

extensive poverty, and ethnic and religious strife.

Indian Ocean

The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's

five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger

than the Southern Ocean and Arctic Ocean). Four critically important

access waterways are the Suez Canal (Egypt), Bab el Mandeb

(Djibouti-Yemen), Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), and Strait of

Malacca (Indonesia-Malaysia). The decision by the International

Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth

ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Indian Ocean

south of 60 degrees south latitude.

Indonesia

The Dutch began to colonize Indonesia in the early 17th

century; the islands were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945.

Indonesia declared its independence after Japan's surrender, but it

required four years of intermittent negotiations, recurring

hostilities, and UN mediation before the Netherlands agreed to

relinquish its colony. Indonesia is the world's largest archipelagic

state and home to the world's largest Muslim population. Current

issues include: alleviating poverty, preventing terrorism,

consolidating democracy after four decades of authoritarianism,

implementing financial sector reforms, stemming corruption, and

holding the military and police accountable for human rights

violations. Indonesia was the nation worst hit by the December 2004

tsunami, which particularly affected Aceh province causing over

100,000 deaths and over $4 billion in damage. An additional

earthquake in March 2005 created heavy destruction on the island of

Nias. Reconstruction in these areas may take up to a decade. In

2005, Indonesia reached a historic peace agreement with armed

separatists in Aceh, but it continues to face a low intensity

separatist guerilla movement in Papua.

Iran

Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in

1979 after the ruling monarchy was overthrown and the shah was

forced into exile. Conservative clerical forces established a

theocratic system of government with ultimate political authority

nominally vested in a learned religious scholar. Iranian-US

relations have been strained since a group of Iranian students

seized the US Embassy in Tehran on 4 November 1979 and held it until

20 January 1981. During 1980-88, Iran fought a bloody, indecisive

war with Iraq that eventually expanded into the Persian Gulf and led

to clashes between US Navy and Iranian military forces between

1987-1988. Iran has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism for

its activities in Lebanon and elsewhere in the world and remains

subject to US economic sanctions and export controls because of its

continued involvement. Following the elections of a reformist

president and Majlis in the late 1990s, attempts to foster political

reform in response to popular dissatisfaction floundered as

conservative politicians prevented reform measures from being

enacted, increased repressive measures, and made electoral gains

against reformers. Parliamentary elections in 2004 and the August

2005 inauguration of a conservative stalwart as president, completed

the reconsolidation of conservative power in Iran's government.

Iraq

Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by

Britain during the course of World War I; in 1920, it was declared a

League of Nations mandate under UK administration. In stages over

the next dozen years, Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in

1932. A "republic" was proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series

of military strongmen ruled the country until 2003, the last was

SADDAM Husayn. Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive

and costly eight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990, Iraq seized

Kuwait, but was expelled by US-led, UN coalition forces during the

Gulf War of January-February 1991. Following Kuwait's liberation,

the UN Security Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap all weapons of

mass destruction and long-range missiles and to allow UN

verification inspections. Continued Iraqi noncompliance with UNSC

resolutions over a period of 12 years led to the US-led invasion of

Iraq in March 2003 and the ouster of the SADDAM Husayn regime.

Coalition forces remain in Iraq under a UNSC mandate, helping to

provide security and to support the freely elected government. The

Coalition Provisional Authority, which temporarily administered Iraq

after the invasion, transferred full governmental authority on 28

June 2004 to the Iraqi Interim Government, which governed under the

Transitional Administrative Law for Iraq (TAL). Under the TAL,

elections for a 275-member Transitional National Assembly (TNA) were

held in Iraq on 30 January 2005. Following these elections, the

Iraqi Transitional Government (ITG) assumed office. The TNA was

charged with drafting Iraq's permanent constitution, which was

approved in a 15 October 2005 constitutional referendum. An election

under the constitution for a 275-member Council of Representatives

(CoR) was held on 15 December 2005. The CoR approval in the

selection of most of the cabinet ministers on 20 May 2006 marked the

transition from the ITG to Iraq's first constitutional government in

nearly a half-century.

Ireland

Celtic tribes arrived on the island between 600-150 B.C.

Invasions by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were

finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014.

English invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than

seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions

and harsh repressions. A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched

off several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted in

independence from the UK for 26 southern counties; six northern

(Ulster) counties remained part of the UK. In 1948 Ireland withdrew

from the British Commonwealth; it joined the European Community in

1973. Irish governments have sought the peaceful unification of

Ireland and have cooperated with Britain against terrorist groups. A

peace settlement for Northern Ireland is being implemented with some

difficulties. In 2006, the Irish and British governments developed

and began working to implement the St. Andrew's Agreement, building

on the Good Friday Agreement approved in 1998.

Isle of Man

Part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until the

13th century when it was ceded to Scotland, the isle came under the

British crown in 1765. Current concerns include reviving the almost

extinct Manx Gaelic language. Isle of Man is a British crown

dependency, but is not part of the UK. However, the UK Government

remains constitutionally responsible for defense and international

representation.

Israel

Following World War II, the British withdrew from their

mandate of Palestine, and the UN partitioned the area into Arab and

Jewish states, an arrangement rejected by the Arabs. Subsequently,

the Israelis defeated the Arabs in a series of wars without ending

the deep tensions between the two sides. The territories Israel

occupied since the 1967 war are not included in the Israel country

profile, unless otherwise noted. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew

from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty.

Israel and Palestinian officials signed on 13 September 1993 a

Declaration of Principles (also known as the "Oslo Accords") guiding

an interim period of Palestinian self-rule. Outstanding territorial

and other disputes with Jordan were resolved in the 26 October 1994

Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace. In addition, on 25 May 2000, Israel

withdrew unilaterally from southern Lebanon, which it had occupied

since 1982. In keeping with the framework established at the Madrid

Conference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations were conducted

between Israel and Palestinian representatives and Syria to achieve

a permanent settlement. In April 2003, US President BUSH, working in

conjunction with the EU, UN, and Russia - the "Quartet" - took the

lead in laying out a roadmap to a final settlement of the conflict

by 2005, based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to two

states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. However, progress toward

a permanent status agreement was undermined by Israeli-Palestinian

violence between September 2003 and February 2005. An

Israeli-Palestinian agreement reached at Sharm al-Sheikh in February

2005, along with an internally-brokered Palestinian ceasefire,

significantly reduced the violence. In the summer of 2005, Israel

unilaterally disengaged from the Gaza Strip, evacuating settlers and

its military. The election of HAMAS in January 2006 to head the

Palestinian Legislative Council froze relations between Israel and

the Palestinian Authority. Ehud OLMERT became prime minister in

March 2006; following an Israeli military operation in Gaza in

June-July 2006, he shelved plans to unilaterally evacuate from most

of the West Bank. The kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers by Lebanese

Hizballah led to a 34-day conflict in Lebanon in June-August 2006.

Italy

Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the regional states

of the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under

King Victor EMMANUEL II. An era of parliamentary government came to

a close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a

Fascist dictatorship. His disastrous alliance with Nazi Germany led

to Italy's defeat in World War II. A democratic republic replaced

the monarchy in 1946 and economic revival followed. Italy was a

charter member of NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC). It

has been at the forefront of European economic and political

unification, joining the Economic and Monetary Union in 1999.

Persistent problems include illegal immigration, organized crime,

corruption, high unemployment, sluggish economic growth, and the low

incomes and technical standards of southern Italy compared with the

prosperous north.

Jamaica

The island - discovered by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1494 -

was settled by the Spanish early in the 16th century. The native

Taino Indians, who had inhabited Jamaica for centuries, were

gradually exterminated, replaced by African slaves. England siezed

the island in 1655 and a plantation economy - based on sugar, cocoa,

and coffee - was established. The abolition of slavery in 1834 freed

a quarter million slaves, many of which became small farmers.

Jamaica gradually obtained increasing independence from Britain, and

in 1958 it joined other British Caribbean colonies in forming the

Federation of the West Indies. Jamaica gained full independence when

it withdrew from the federation in 1962. Deteriorating economic

conditions during the 1970s led to recurrent violence as rival gangs

created by the major political parties evolved into powerful

organized crime networks involved in international drug smuggling

and money laundering. The cycle of violence, drugs, and poverty has

served to impoverish large sectors of the populace. Nonetheless,

many rural and resort areas remain relatively safe and contribute

substantially to the economy.

Jan Mayen

This desolate, mountainous island was named after a Dutch

whaling captain who indisputably discovered it in 1614 (earlier

claims are inconclusive). Visited only occasionally by seal hunters

and trappers over the following centuries, the island came under

Norwegian sovereignty in 1929. The long dormant Haakon VII

Toppen/Beerenberg volcano resumed activity in 1970; it is the

northernmost active volcano on earth.

Japan

In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered

in a long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to

secure its power. For 250 years this policy enabled Japan to enjoy

stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Following the

Treaty of Kanagawa with the US in 1854, Japan opened its ports and

began to intensively modernize and industrialize. During the late

19th and early 20th centuries, Japan became a regional power that

was able to defeat the forces of both China and Russia. It occupied

Korea, Formosa (Taiwan), and southern Sakhalin Island. In 1931-32

Japan occupied Manchuria, and in 1937 it launched a full-scale

invasion of China. Japan attacked US forces in 1941 - triggering

America's entry into World War II - and soon occupied much of East

and Southeast Asia. After its defeat in World War II, Japan

recovered to become an economic power and a staunch ally of the US.

While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity,

actual power rests in networks of powerful politicians, bureaucrats,

and business executives. The economy experienced a major slowdown

starting in the 1990s following three decades of unprecedented

growth, but Japan still remains a major economic power, both in Asia

and globally.

Jarvis Island

First discovered by the British in 1821, the

uninhabited island was annexed by the US in 1858, but abandoned in

1879 after tons of guano had been removed. The UK annexed the island

in 1889, but never carried out plans for further exploitation. The

US occupied and reclaimed the island in 1935. Abandoned after World

War II, the island is currently a National Wildlife Refuge

administered by the US Department of the Interior.

Jersey

Jersey and the other Channel Islands represent the last

remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy that held sway in both

France and England. These islands were the only British soil

occupied by German troops in World War II. Jersey is a British crown

dependency, but is not part of the UK. However, the UK Government is

constitutionally responsible for defense and international

representation.

Johnston Atoll

Both the US and the Kingdom of Hawaii annexed

Johnston Atoll in 1858, but it was the US that mined the guano

deposits until the late 1880s. Johnston and Sand Islands were

designated wildlife refuges in 1926. The US Navy took over the atoll

in 1934, and subsequently the US Air Force assumed control in 1948.

The site was used for high-altitude nuclear tests in the 1950s and

1960s, and until late in 2000 the atoll was maintained as a storage

and disposal site for chemical weapons. Munitions destruction is now

complete. Cleanup and closure of the facility was completed by May

2005.

Jordan

Following World War I and the dissolution of the Ottoman

Empire, the UK received a mandate to govern much of the Middle East.

Britain separated out a semi-autonomous region of Transjordan from

Palestine in the early 1920s, and the area gained its independence

in 1946; it adopted the name of Jordan in 1950. The country's

long-time ruler was King HUSSEIN (1953-99). A pragmatic leader, he

successfully navigated competing pressures from the major powers

(US, USSR, and UK), various Arab states, Israel, and a large

internal Palestinian population, despite several wars and coup

attempts. In 1989 he reinstituted parliamentary elections and

gradual political liberalization; in 1994 he signed a peace treaty

with Israel. King ABDALLAH II, the son of King HUSSEIN, assumed the

throne following his father's death in February 1999. Since then, he

has consolidated his power and undertaken an aggressive economic

reform program. Jordan acceded to the World Trade Organization in

2000, and began to participate in the European Free Trade

Association in 2001. After a two-year delay, parliamentary and

municipal elections took place in the summer of 2003. The prime

minister appointed in November 2005 stated the government would

focus on political reforms, improving conditions for the poor, and

fighting corruption.

Juan de Nova Island

Named after a famous 15th century Spanish

navigator and explorer, the island has been a French possession

since 1897. It has been exploited for its guano and phosphate.

Presently a small military garrison oversees a meteorological

station.

Kazakhstan

Native Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes

who migrated into the region in the 13th century, were rarely united

as a single nation. The area was conquered by Russia in the 18th

century, and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1936. During the

1950s and 1960s agricultural "Virgin Lands" program, Soviet citizens

were encouraged to help cultivate Kazakhstan's northern pastures.

This influx of immigrants (mostly Russians, but also some other

deported nationalities) skewed the ethnic mixture and enabled

non-Kazakhs to outnumber natives. Independence in 1991 caused many

of these newcomers to emigrate. Current issues include: developing a

cohesive national identity; expanding the development of the

country's vast energy resources and exporting them to world markets;

achieving a sustainable economic growth outside the oil, gas, and

mining sectors; and strengthening relations with neighboring states

and other foreign powers.

Kenya

Founding president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA

led Kenya from independence in 1963 until his death in 1978, when

President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI took power in a constitutional

succession. The country was a de facto one-party state from 1969

until 1982 when the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) made

itself the sole legal party in Kenya. MOI acceded to internal and

external pressure for political liberalization in late 1991. The

ethnically fractured opposition failed to dislodge KANU from power

in elections in 1992 and 1997, which were marred by violence and

fraud, but were viewed as having generally reflected the will of the

Kenyan people. President MOI stepped down in December 2002 following

fair and peaceful elections. Mwai KIBAKI, running as the candidate

of the multiethnic, united opposition group, the National Rainbow

Coalition (NARC), defeated KANU candidate Uhuru KENYATTA and assumed

the presidency following a campaign centered on an anticorruption

platform. KIBAKI's NARC coalition splintered in 2005 over the

constitutional review process. Government defectors joined with KANU

to form a new opposition coalition, the Orange Democratic Movement,

which defeated the government's draft constitution in a popular

referendum in November 2005.

Kingman Reef

The US annexed the reef in 1922. Its sheltered lagoon

served as a way station for flying boats on Hawaii-to-American Samoa

flights during the late 1930s. There are no terrestrial plants on

the reef, which is frequently awash, but it does support abundant

and diverse marine fauna and flora. In 2001, the waters surrounding

the reef out to 12 nm were designated a US National Wildlife Refuge.

Kiribati

The Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in

1971 and complete independence in 1979 under the new name of

Kiribati. The US relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited

Phoenix and Line Island groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with

Kiribati.

Korea, North An independent kingdom for much of its long history, Korea was occupied by Japan in 1905 following the Russo-Japanese War. Five years later, Japan formally annexed the entire peninsula. Following World War II, Korea was split with the northern half coming under Soviet-sponsored Communist domination. After failing in the Korean War (1950-53) to conquer the US-backed Republic of Korea (ROK) in the southern portion by force, North Korea (DPRK), under its founder President KIM Il-so'ng, adopted a policy of ostensible diplomatic and economic "self-reliance" as a check against excessive Soviet or Communist Chinese influence. The DPRK demonized the US as the ultimate threat to its social system through state-funded propaganda, and molded political, economic, and military policies around the core ideological objective of eventual unification of Korea under Pyongyang's control. KIM's son, the current ruler KIM Jong Il, was officially designated as his father's successor in 1980, assuming a growing political and managerial role until the elder KIM's death in 1994. After decades of economic mismanagement and resource misallocation, the DPRK since the mid-1990s has relied heavily on international aid to feed its population while continuing to expend resources to maintain an army of 1 million. North Korea's long-range missile development, as well as its nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons programs and massive conventional armed forces, are of major concern to the international community. In December 2002, following revelations that the DPRK was pursuing a nuclear weapons program based on enriched uranium in violation of a 1994 agreement with the US to freeze and ultimately dismantle its existing plutonium-based program, North Korea expelled monitors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In January 2003, it declared its withdrawal from the international Non-Proliferation Treaty. In mid-2003 Pyongyang announced it had completed the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel rods (to extract weapons-grade plutonium) and was developing a "nuclear deterrent." Since August 2003, North Korea has participated in the Six-Party Talks with China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, and the US designed to resolve the stalemate over its nuclear programs. The fourth round of Six-Party Talks were held in Beijing during July-September 2005. All parties agreed to a Joint Statement of Principles in which, among other things, the six parties unanimously reaffirmed the goal of verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner. In the Joint Statement, the DPRK committed to "abandoning all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs and returning, at an early date, to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and to IAEA safeguards." The Joint Statement also commits the US and other parties to certain actions as the DPRK denuclearizes. The US offered a security assurance, specifying that it had no nuclear weapons on ROK territory and no intention to attack or invade the DPRK with nuclear or other weapons. The US and DPRK will take steps to normalize relations, subject to the DPRK's implementing its denuclearization pledge and resolving other longstanding concerns. While the Joint Statement provides a vision of the end-point of the Six-Party process, much work lies ahead to implement the elements of the agreement.

Korea, South

An independent Korean state or collection of states has

existed almost continuously for several millennia. Between its

initial unification in the 7th century - from three predecessor

Korean states - until the 20th century, Korea existed as a single

independent country. In 1905, following the Russo-Japanese War,

Korea became a protectorate of imperial Japan, and in 1910 it was

annexed as a colony. Korea regained its independence following

Japan's surrender to the United States in 1945. After World War II,

a Republic of Korea (ROK) was set up in the southern half of the

Korean Peninsula while a Communist-style government was installed in

the north (the DPRK). During the Korean War (1950-53), US troops and

UN forces fought alongside soldiers from the ROK to defend South

Korea from DPRK attacks supported by China and the Soviet Union. An

armistice was signed in 1953, splitting the peninsula along a

demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. Thereafter, South

Korea achieved rapid economic growth with per capita income rising

to roughly 14 times the level of North Korea. In 1993, KIM Yo'ng-sam

became South Korea's first civilian president following 32 years of

military rule. South Korea today is a fully functioning modern

democracy. In June 2000, a historic first North-South summit took

place between the South's President KIM Tae-chung and the North's

leader KIM Jong Il.

Kuwait

Britain oversaw foreign relations and defense for the ruling

Kuwaiti AL-SABAH dynasty from 1899 until independence in 1961.

Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq on 2 August 1990. Following

several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led, UN coalition began a

ground assault on 23 February 1991 that liberated Kuwait in four

days. Kuwait spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure

damaged during 1990-91. The AL-SABAH family has ruled since

returning to power in 1991, and reestablished an elected legislature

that in recent years has become increasingly assertive.

Kyrgyzstan

A Central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and

proud nomadic traditions, Kyrgyzstan was annexed by Russia in 1864;

it achieved independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Nationwide

demonstrations in the spring of 2005 resulted in the ouster of

President Askar AKAYEV, who had run the country since 1990.

Subsequent presidential elections in July 2005 were won

overwhelmingly by former prime minister Kurmanbek BAKIYEV. The

political opposition organized demonstrations in Bishkek in in

April, May, and November 2006 resulting in the adoption of new

constitution that transfered some of the president's powers to

parliament and the government. Current concerns include:

privatization of state-owned enterprises, expansion of democracy and

political freedoms, reduction of corruption, improving interethnic

relations, and combating terrorism.

Laos

Modern-day Laos has its roots in the ancient Lao kingdom of Lan

Xang, established in the 14th Century under King FA NGUM. For three

hundred years Lan Xang included large parts of present-day Cambodia

and Thailand, as well as all of what is now Laos. After centuries of

gradual decline, Laos came under the control of Siam (Thailand) from

the late 18th century until the late 19th century when it became

part of French Indochina. The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined

the current Lao border with Thailand. In 1975, the Communist Pathet

Lao took control of the government ending a six-century-old monarchy

and instituting a strict socialist regime closely aligned to

Vietnam. A gradual return to private enterprise and the

liberalization of foreign investment laws began in 1986. Laos became

a member of ASEAN in 1997.

Latvia

After a brief period of independence between the two World

Wars, Latvia was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never

recognized by the US and many other countries. It reestablished its

independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union.

Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the

Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to

Moscow. Latvia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Lebanon

Following the capture of Syria from the Ottoman Empire by

Anglo-French forces in 1918, France received a mandate over this

territory and separated out a region of Lebanon in 1920. France

granted this area independence in 1943. A 15-year civil war

(1976-1991) devastated the country, but Lebanon has since made

progress toward rebuilding its political institutions. Under the

Ta'if Accord - the blueprint for national reconciliation - the

Lebanese established a more equitable political system, particularly

by giving Muslims a greater voice in the political process while

institutionalizing sectarian divisions in the government. Since the

end of the war, Lebanon has conducted several successful elections,

most militias have been disbanded, and the Lebanese Armed Forces

(LAF) have extended authority over about two-thirds of the country.

Hizballah, a radical Shi'a organization listed by the US State

Department as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, retains its weapons.

During Lebanon's civil war, the Arab League legitimized in the Ta'if

Accord Syria's troop deployment, numbering about 16,000 based mainly

east of Beirut and in the Bekaa Valley. Damascus justified its

continued military presence in Lebanon by citing Beirut's requests

and the failure of the Lebanese Government to implement all of the

constitutional reforms in the Ta'if Accord. Israel's withdrawal from

southern Lebanon in May 2000, however, encouraged some Lebanese

groups to demand that Syria withdraw its forces as well. The passage

of UNSCR 1559 in early October 2004 - a resolution calling for Syria

to withdraw from Lebanon and end its interference in Lebanese

affairs - further emboldened Lebanese groups opposed to Syria's

presence in Lebanon. The assassination of former Prime Minister

Rafiq HARIRI and 20 others in February 2005 led to massive

demonstrations in Beirut against the Syrian presence ("the Cedar

Revolution"). Syria finally withdrew the remainder of its military

forces from Lebanon in April 2005. In May-June 2005, Lebanon held

its first legislative elections since the end of the civil war free

of foreign interference, handing a majority to the bloc led by Saad

HARIRI, the slain prime minister's son. Hizballah kidnapped two

Israeli soldiers in July 2006 leading to a 34-day conflict with

Israel. UNSCR 1701, which passed in August 2006, called for the

disarmament of Hizballah.

Lesotho

Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon

independence from the UK in 1966. The Basuto National Party ruled

for the first two decades. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990, but

returned to Lesotho in 1992 and reinstated in 1995. Constitutional

government was restored in 1993 after 7 years of military rule. In

1998, violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious

election prompted a brief but bloody intervention by South African

and Botswanan military forces under the aegis of the Southern

African Development Community. Constitutional reforms have since

restored political stability; peaceful parliamentary elections were

held in 2002.

Liberia

Settlement of freed slaves from the US in what is today

Liberia began in 1822; by 1847, the Americo-Liberians were able to

establish a republic. William TUBMAN, president from 1944-71, did

much to promote foreign investment and to bridge the economic,

social, and political gaps between the descendents of the original

settlers and the inhabitants of the interior. In 1980, a military

coup led by Samuel DOE ushered in a decade of authoritarian rule. In

December 1989, Charles TAYLOR launched a rebellion against DOE's

regime that led to a prolonged civil war in which DOE himself was

killed. A period of relative peace in 1997 allowed for elections

that brought TAYLOR to power, but major fighting resumed in 2000. An

August 2003, peace agreement ended the war and prompted the

resignation of former president Charles TAYLOR, who was exiled to

Nigeria. After two years of rule by a transitional government,

democratic elections in late 2005 brought President Ellen JOHNSON

SIRLEAF to power. The UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), which maintains

a strong presence throughout the country, completed a disarmament

program for former combatants in late 2004, but the security

situation is still volatile and the process of rebuilding the social

and economic structure of this war-torn country remains sluggish.

Libya

The Italians supplanted the Ottoman Turks from the area around

Tripoli in 1911 and did not relinquish their hold until 1943 when

defeated in World War II. Libya then passed to UN administration and

achieved independence in 1951. Following a 1969 military coup, Col.

Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI began to espouse his own political

system, the Third Universal Theory. The system is a combination of

socialism and Islam derived in part from tribal practices and is

supposed to be implemented by the Libyan people themselves in a

unique form of "direct democracy." QADHAFI has always seen himself

as a revolutionary and visionary leader. He used oil funds during

the 1970s and 1980s to promote his ideology outside Libya,

supporting subversives and terrorists abroad to hasten the end of

Marxism and capitalism. In addition, beginning in 1973, he engaged

in military operations in northern Chad's Aozou Strip - to gain

access to minerals and to use as a base of influence in Chadian

politics - but was forced to retreat in 1987. UN sanctions in 1992

isolated QADHAFI politically following the downing of Pan AM Flight

103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. Libyan support for terrorism appeared

to have decreased after the imposition of sanctions. During the

1990s, QADHAFI also began to rebuild his relationships with Europe.

UN sanctions were suspended in April 1999 and finally lifted in

September 2003 after Libya resolved the Lockerbie case. In December

2003, Libya announced that it had agreed to reveal and end its

programs to develop weapons of mass destruction, and QADHAFI has

made significant strides in normalizing relations with western

nations since then. He has received various Western European leaders

as well as many working-level and commercial delegations, and made

his first trip to Western Europe in 15 years when he traveled to

Brussels in April 2004. QADHAFI also resolved in 2004 some of the

outstanding cases against his government for terrorist activities in

the 1980s by compensating some families of victims of the Pan Am

103, French airliner UTA, and La Belle disco bombings. The US

resumed full diplomatic relations with Libya in May 2006 and

rescinded Libya's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism in

June.

Liechtenstein

The Principality of Liechtenstein was established

within the Holy Roman Empire in 1719; it became a sovereign state in

1806. Until the end of World War I, it was closely tied to Austria,

but the economic devastation caused by that conflict forced

Liechtenstein to enter into a customs and monetary union with

Switzerland. Since World War II (in which Liechtenstein remained

neutral), the country's low taxes have spurred outstanding economic

growth. Shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight resulted in

concerns about the use of financial institutions for money

laundering. However, Liechtenstein implemented anti-money-laundering

legislation over the past several years and a Mutual Legal

Assistance Treaty with the US went into effect in 2003.

Lithuania

Independent between the two World Wars, Lithuania was

annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US.

On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the first of the Soviet republics

to declare its independence, but Moscow did not recognize this

proclamation until September of 1991 (following the abortive coup in

Moscow). The last Russian troops withdrew in 1993. Lithuania

subsequently restructured its economy for integration into Western

European institutions; it joined both NATO and the EU in the spring

of 2004.

Luxembourg

Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815

and an independent state under the Netherlands. It lost more than

half of its territory to Belgium in 1839, but gained a larger

measure of autonomy. Full independence was attained in 1867. Overrun

by Germany in both World Wars, it ended its neutrality in 1948 when

it entered into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO

the following year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six

founding countries of the European Economic Community (later the

European Union), and in 1999 it joined the euro currency area.

Macau

Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was the

first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an agreement

signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became the

Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 20 December

1999. China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems"

formula, China's socialist economic system will not be practiced in

Macau, and that Macau will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all

matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.

Macedonia

Macedonia gained its independence peacefully from

Yugoslavia in 1991, but Greece's objection to the new state's use of

what it considered a Hellenic name and symbols delayed international

recognition, which occurred under the provisional designation of

"the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia." In 1995, Greece lifted

a 20-month trade embargo and the two countries agreed to normalize

relations. The United States began referring to Macedonia by its

constitutional name, Republic of Macedonia, in 2004 and negotiations

continue between Greece and Macedonia to resolve the name issue.

Some ethnic Albanians, angered by perceived political and economic

inequities, launched an insurgency in 2001 that eventually won the

support of the majority of Macedonia's Albanian population and led

to the internationally-brokered Framework Agreement, which ended the

fighting by establishing a set of new laws enhancing the rights of

minorities. The undetermined status of neighboring Kosovo,

implementation of the Framework Agreement, and a weak economy

continue to be challenges for Macedonia.

Madagascar

Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a

French colony in 1896, but regained its independence in 1960. During

1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were

held, ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second

presidential race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and

1980s, was returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential

election was contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and

Marc RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country.

In April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA

the winner.

Malawi

Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland

became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades

of one-party rule under President Hastings Kamuzu BANDA the country

held multiparty elections in 1994, under a provisional constitution

which came into full effect the following year. Current President

Bingu wa MUTHARIKA, elected in May 2004 after a failed attempt by

the previous president to amend the constitution to permit another

term, has struggled to assert his authority against his predecessor,

who still leads their shared political party. MUTHARIKA's

anti-corruption efforts have led to several high-level arrests and

one prominent conviction. Increasing corruption, population growth,

increasing pressure on agricultural lands, and the spread of

HIV/AIDS pose major problems for the country.

Malaysia

During the late 18th and 19th centuries, Great Britain

established colonies and protectorates in the area of current

Malaysia; these were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. In 1948,

the British-ruled territories on the Malay Peninsula formed the

Federation of Malaya, which became independent in 1957. Malaysia was

formed in 1963 when the former British colonies of Singapore and the

East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of

Borneo joined the Federation. The first several years of the

country's history were marred by Indonesian efforts to control

Malaysia, Philippine claims to Sabah, and Singapore's secession from

the Federation in 1965. During the 22-year term of Prime Minister

MAHATHIR bin Mohamad (1981-2003), Malaysia was successful in

diversifying its economy from dependence on exports of raw

materials, to expansion in manufacturing, services, and tourism.

Maldives

The Maldives was long a sultanate, first under Dutch and

then under British protection. It became a republic in 1968, three

years after independence. Since 1978, President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM

- currently in his sixth term in office - has dominated the islands'

political scene. Following riots in the capital Male in August 2004,

the president and his government pledged to embark upon democratic

reforms, including a more representative political system and

expanded political freedoms. Progress has been slow, however, and

many promised reforms have been delayed indefinitely. Tourism and

fishing are being developed on the archipelago.

Mali

The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France

in 1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a

few months, what formerly made up the Sudanese Republic was renamed

Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 by a coup

that ushered in democratic government. President Alpha KONARE won

Mali's first democratic presidential election in 1992 and was

reelected in 1997. In keeping with Mali's two-term constitutional

limit, KONARE stepped down in 2002 and was succeeded by Amadou TOURE.

Malta

Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814.

The island staunchly supported the UK through both World Wars and

remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964. A

decade later Malta became a republic. Since about the mid-1980s, the

island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a

financial center, and a tourist destination. Malta became an EU

member in May 2004.

Marshall Islands

After almost four decades under US administration

as the easternmost part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific

Islands, the Marshall Islands attained independence in 1986 under a

Compact of Free Association. Compensation claims continue as a

result of US nuclear testing on some of the atolls between 1947 and

1962. The Marshall Islands hosts the US Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA)

Reagan Missile Test Site, a key installation in the US missile

defense network.

Mauritania

Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the

southern third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in

1976, but relinquished it after three years of raids by the

Polisario guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory.

Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA seized power in a coup in 1984.

Opposition parties were legalized and a new constitution approved in

1991. Two multiparty presidential elections since then were widely

seen as flawed, but October 2001 legislative and municipal elections

were generally free and open. A bloodless coup in August 2005

deposed President TAYA and ushered in a military council headed by

Col. Ely Ould Mohamed VALL, which declared it would remain in power

for up to two years while it created conditions for genuine

democratic institutions and organized elections. Accordingly,

parliamentary elections were held in December of 2006 and senatorial

and presidential elections will follow (January and March 2007

respectively). The newly-elected legislature is expected to assume

power following the inauguration of the new president. For now,

however, Mauritania remains an autocratic state, and the country

continues to experience ethnic tensions among its black population

and different Moor (Arab-Berber) communities.

Mauritius

Although known to Arab and Malay sailors as early as the

10th century, Mauritius was first explored by the Portuguese in

1505; it was subsequently held by the Dutch, French, and British

before independence was attained in 1968. A stable democracy with

regular free elections and a positive human rights record, the

country has attracted considerable foreign investment and has earned

one of Africa's highest per capita incomes. Recent poor weather and

declining sugar prices have slowed economic growth, leading to some

protests over standards of living in the Creole community.

Mayotte

Mayotte was ceded to France along with the other islands of

the Comoros group in 1843. It was the only island in the archipelago

that voted in 1974 to retain its link with France and forego

independence.

Mexico

The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, Mexico came

under Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence

early in the 19th century. A devaluation of the peso in late 1994

threw Mexico into economic turmoil, triggering the worst recession

in over half a century. The nation continues to make an impressive

recovery. Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real

wages, underemployment for a large segment of the population,

inequitable income distribution, and few advancement opportunities

for the largely Amerindian population in the impoverished southern

states. Elections held in July 2000 marked the first time since the

1910 Mexican Revolution that the opposition defeated the party in

government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). Vicente FOX

of the National Action Party (PAN) was sworn in on 1 December 2000

as the first chief executive elected in free and fair elections.

Micronesia, Federated States of

In 1979 the Federated States of

Micronesia, a UN Trust Territory under US administration, adopted a

constitution. In 1986 independence was attained under a Compact of

Free Association with the US, which was amended and renewed in 2004.

Present concerns include large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and

overdependence on US aid.

Midway Islands

The US took formal possession of the islands in 1867.

The laying of the trans-Pacific cable, which passed through the

islands, brought the first residents in 1903. Between 1935 and 1947,

Midway was used as a refueling stop for trans-Pacific flights. The

US naval victory over a Japanese fleet off Midway in 1942 was one of

the turning points of World War II. The islands continued to serve

as a naval station until closed in 1993. Today the islands are a

national wildlife refuge. From 1996 to 2001 the refuge was open to

the public; it is now temporarily closed.

Moldova

Formerly part of Romania, Moldova was incorporated into the

Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although independent from

the USSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan

territory east of the Dniester River supporting the Slavic majority

population, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have proclaimed a

"Transnistria" republic. The poorest nation in Europe, Moldova

became the first former Soviet state to elect a Communist as its

president in 2001.

Monaco

The Genoese built a fortress on the site of present-day

Monaco in 1215. The current ruling Grimaldi family secured control

in the late 13th century, and a principality was established in

1338. Economic development was spurred in the late 19th century with

a railroad linkup to France and the opening of a casino. Since then,

the principality's mild climate, splendid scenery, and gambling

facilities have made Monaco world famous as a tourist and recreation

center.

Mongolia

The Mongols gained fame in the 13th century when under

Chinggis KHAN they conquered a huge Eurasian empire. After his death

the empire was divided into several powerful Mongol states, but

these broke apart in the 14th century. The Mongols eventually

retired to their original steppe homelands and later came under

Chinese rule. Mongolia won its independence in 1921 with Soviet

backing. A Communist regime was installed in 1924. The ex-Communist

Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) won elections in 1990

and 1992, but was defeated by the Democratic Union Coalition (DUC)

in the 1996 parliamentary election. Since then, parliamentary

elections returned the MPRP overwhelmingly to power in 2000 and

produced a coalition government in 2004.

Montenegro

The use of the name Montenegro began in the 15th century

when the Crnojevic dynasty began to rule the Serbian principality of

Zeta; over subsequent centuries Montenegro was able to maintain its

independence from the Ottoman Empire. From the 16th to 19th

centuries, Montenegro became a theocracy ruled by a series of bishop

princes; in 1852, it was transformed into a secular principality.

After World War I, Montenegro was absorbed by the Kingdom of Serbs,

Croats, and Slovenes, which became the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in

1929; at the conclusion of World War II, it became a constituent

republic of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. When the

latter dissolved in 1992, Montenegro federated with Serbia, first as

the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and, after 2003, in a looser

union of Serbia and Montenegro. In May 2006, Montenegro invoked its

right under the Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro to

hold a referendum on independence from the state union. The vote for

severing ties with Serbia exceeded 55% - the threshold set by the EU

- allowing Montenegro to formally declare its independence on 3 June

2006.

Montserrat

English and Irish colonists from St. Kitts first settled

on Montserrat in 1632; the first African slaves arrived three

decades later. The British and French fought for possesion of the

island for most of the 18th century, but it finally was confirmed as

a British possession in 1783. The island's sugar plantation economy

was converted to small farm landholdings in the mid 19th century.

Much of this island was devastated and two-thirds of the population

fled abroad because of the eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano

that began on 18 July 1995. Montserrat has endured volcanic activity

since, with the last eruption occurring in July 2003.

Morocco

In 788, about a century after the Arab conquest of North

Africa, successive Moorish dynasties began to rule in Morocco. In

the 16th century, the Sa'adi monarchy, particularly under Ahmad

AL-MANSUR (1578-1603), repelled foreign invaders and inaugurated a

golden age. In 1860, Spain occupied northern Morocco and ushered in

a half century of trade rivalry among European powers that saw

Morocco's sovereignty steadily erode; in 1912, the French imposed a

protectorate over the country. A protracted independence struggle

with France ended successfully in 1956. The internationalized city

of Tangier and most Spanish possessions were turned over to the new

country that same year. Morocco virtually annexed Western Sahara

during the late 1970s, but final resolution on the status of the

territory remains unresolved. Gradual political reforms in the 1990s

resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legislature, which

first met in 1997. Lower house elections were last held held in

September 2002 and upper house elections were last held in September

2006.

Mozambique

Almost five centuries as a Portuguese colony came to a

close with independence in 1975. Large-scale emigration by whites,

economic dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a

prolonged civil war hindered the country's development. The ruling

Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) party formally

abandoned Marxism in 1989, and a new constitution the following year

provided for multiparty elections and a free market economy. A

UN-negotiated peace agreement between FRELIMO and rebel Mozambique

National Resistance (RENAMO) forces ended the fighting in 1992. In

December 2004, Mozambique underwent a delicate transition as Joaquim

CHISSANO stepped down after 18 years in office. His newly elected

successor, Armando Emilio GUEBUZA, has promised to continue the

sound economic policies that have encouraged foreign investment.

Namibia

South Africa occupied the German colony of South-West Africa

during World War I and administered it as a mandate until after

World War II, when it annexed the territory. In 1966 the Marxist

South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group

launched a war of independence for the area that was soon named

Namibia, but it was not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end

its administration in accordance with a UN peace plan for the entire

region. Namibia won its independence in 1990 and has been governed

by SWAPO since. Hifikepunye POHAMBA was elected president in

November 2004 in a landslide victory replacing Sam NUJOMA who led

the country during its first 14 years of self rule.

Nauru

The exact origins of the Nauruans are unclear, since their

language does not resemble any other in the Pacific. The island was

annexed by Germany in 1888 and its phosphate deposits began to be

mined early in the 20th century by a German-British consortium.

Nauru was occupied by Australian forces in World War I and

subsequently became a League of Nations mandate. After the Second

World War - and a brutal occupation by Japan - Nauru became a UN

trust territory. It achieved its independence in 1968 and joined the

UN in 1999 as the world's smallest independent republic.

Navassa Island

This uninhabited island was claimed by the US in 1857

for its guano. Mining took place between 1865 and 1898. The

lighthouse, built in 1917, was shut down in 1996 and administration

of Navassa Island transferred from the Coast Guard to the Department

of the Interior. A 1998 scientific expedition to the island

described it as a unique preserve of Caribbean biodiversity; the

following year it became a National Wildlife Refuge and annual

scientific expeditions have continued.

Nepal

In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of

rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of

government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy

within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. A Maoist

insurgency, launched in 1996, gained traction and threatened to

bring down the regime, especially after a negotiated cease-fire

between the Maoists and government forces broke down in August 2003.

In 2001, the crown prince massacred ten members of the royal family,

including the king and queen, and then took his own life. In October

2002, the new king dismissed the prime minister and his cabinet for

"incompetence" after they dissolved the parliament and were

subsequently unable to hold elections because of the ongoing

insurgency. While stopping short of reestablishing parliament, the

king in June 2004 reinstated the most recently elected prime

minister who formed a four-party coalition government. Citing

dissatisfaction with the government's lack of progress in addressing

the Maoist insurgency and corruption, the king in February 2005

dissolved the government, declared a state of emergency, imprisoned

party leaders, and assumed power. The king's government subsequently

released party leaders and officially ended the state of emergency

in May 2005, but the monarch retained absolute power until April

2006. After nearly three weeks of mass protests organized by the

seven-party opposition and the Maoists, the king allowed parliament

to reconvene on 28 April 2006. In November 2006, the government and

Maoists signed the Comprehensive Peace Accord to end the ten-year

insurgency.

Netherlands

The Dutch United Provinces declared their independence

from Spain in 1579; during the 17th century, they became a leading

seafaring and commercial power, with settlements and colonies around

the world. After a 20-year French occupation, a Kingdom of the

Netherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830 Belgium seceded and formed a

separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I,

but suffered invasion and occupation by Germany in World War II. A

modern, industrialized nation, the Netherlands is also a large

exporter of agricultural products. The country was a founding member

of NATO and the EEC (now the EU), and participated in the

introduction of the euro in 1999.

Netherlands Antilles

Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade,

the island of Curacao was hard hit by the abolition of slavery in

1863. Its prosperity (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in

the early 20th century with the construction of oil refineries to

service the newly discovered Venezuelan oil fields. The island of

Saint Martin is shared with France; its southern portion is named

Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles; its northern

portion is called Saint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe (France).

New Caledonia

Settled by both Britain and France during the first

half of the 19th century, the island was made a French possession in

1853. It served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864.

Agitation for independence during the 1980s and early 1990s ended in

the 1998 Noumea Accord, which over a period of 15 to 20 years will

transfer an increasing amount of governing responsibility from

France to New Caledonia. The agreement also commits France to

conduct as many as three referenda between 2013 and 2018, to decide

whether New Caledonia should assume full sovereignty and

independence.

New Zealand

The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D.

800. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain,

the Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen

Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year, the

British began the first organized colonial settlement. A series of

land wars between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native

peoples. The British colony of New Zealand became an independent

dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both World Wars.

New Zealand's full participation in a number of defense alliances

lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years, the government has sought to

address longstanding Maori grievances.

Nicaragua

The Pacific coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish

colony from Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from

Spain was declared in 1821 and the country became an independent

republic in 1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first

half of the 19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region

in subsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental

manipulation and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and

resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist

Sandinista guerrillas to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist

rebels in El Salvador caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista

contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990,

1996, and 2001, saw the Sandinistas defeated, but voting in 2006

announced the return of former Sandinista President Daniel ORTEGA

Saavedra. Nicaragua's infrastructure and economy - hard hit by the

earlier civil war and by Hurricane Mitch in 1998 - are slowly being

rebuilt.

Niger

Niger became independent from France in 1960 and experienced

single-party and military rule until 1991, when Gen. Ali SAIBOU was

forced by public pressure to allow multiparty elections, which

resulted in a democratic government in 1993. Political infighting

brought the government to a standstill and in 1996 led to a coup by

Col. Ibrahim BARE. In 1999 BARE was killed in a coup by military

officers who promptly restored democratic rule and held elections

that brought Mamadou TANDJA to power in December of that year.

TANDJA was reelected in 2004. Niger is one of the poorest countries

in the world with minimal government services and insufficient funds

to develop its resource base. The largely agrarian and

subsistence-based economy is frequently disrupted by extended

droughts common to the Sahel region of Africa.

Nigeria

British influence and control over what would become Nigeria

grew through the 19th century. A series of constitutions after World

War II granted Nigeria greater autonomy; independence came in 1960.

Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new constitution was

adopted in 1999, and a peaceful transition to civilian government

was completed. The president faces the daunting task of reforming a

petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have been squandered through

corruption and mismanagement, and institutionalizing democracy. In

addition, the OBASANJO administration must defuse longstanding

ethnic and religious tensions, if it is to build a sound foundation

for economic growth and political stability. Although the April 2003

elections were marred by some irregularities, Nigeria is currently

experiencing its longest period of civilian rule since independence.

The general elections set for April 2007 would mark the first

civilian-to-civilian transfer of power in the country's history.

Niue

Niue's remoteness, as well as cultural and linguistic

differences between its Polynesian inhabitants and those of the rest

of the Cook Islands, have caused it to be separately administered.

The population of the island continues to drop (from a peak of 5,200

in 1966 to about 2,166 in 2006), with substantial emigration to New

Zealand, 2,400 km to the southwest.

Norfolk Island

Two British attempts at establishing the island as a

penal colony (1788-1814 and 1825-55) were ultimately abandoned. In

1856, the island was resettled by Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of

the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions.

Northern Mariana Islands

Under US administration as part of the UN

Trust Territory of the Pacific, the people of the Northern Mariana

Islands decided in the 1970s not to seek independence but instead to

forge closer links with the US. Negotiations for territorial status

began in 1972. A covenant to establish a commonwealth in political

union with the US was approved in 1975, and came into force on 24

March 1976. A new government and constitution went into effect in

1978.

Norway

Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off

following the adoption of Christianity by King Olav TRYGGVASON in

994. Conversion of the Norwegian kingdom occurred over the next

several decades. In 1397, Norway was absorbed into a union with

Denmark that lasted more than four centuries. In 1814, Norwegians

resisted the cession of their country to Sweden and adopted a new

constitution. Sweden then invaded Norway but agreed to let Norway

keep its constitution in return for accepting the union under a

Swedish king. Rising nationalism throughout the 19th century led to

a 1905 referendum granting Norway independence. Although Norway

remained neutral in World War I, it suffered heavy losses to its

shipping. Norway proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of World

War II, but was nonetheless occupied for five years by Nazi Germany

(1940-45). In 1949, neutrality was abandoned and Norway became a

member of NATO. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the

late 1960s boosted Norway's economic fortunes. The current focus is

on containing spending on the extensive welfare system and planning

for the time when petroleum reserves are depleted. In referenda held

in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU.

Oman

The inhabitants of the area of Oman have long prospered on

Indian Ocean trade. In the late 18th century, a newly established

sultanate in Muscat signed the first in a series of friendship

treaties with Britain. Over time, Oman's dependence on British

political and military advisors increased, but it never became a

British colony. In 1970, QABOOS bin Said al-Said overthrew the

restrictive rule of his father; he has ruled as sultan ever since.

His extensive modernization program has opened the country to the

outside world while preserving the longstanding close ties with the

UK. Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to

maintain good relations with all Middle Eastern countries.

Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the world's five

oceans (followed by the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern

Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). Strategically important access waterways

include the La Perouse, Tsugaru, Tsushima, Taiwan, Singapore, and

Torres Straits. The decision by the International Hydrographic

Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the

Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Pacific Ocean south of 60

degrees south.

Pakistan

The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim

state of Pakistan (with two sections West and East) and largely

Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved, and India and

Pakistan fought two wars - in 1947-48 and 1965 - over the disputed

Kashmir territory. A third war between these countries in 1971 - in

which India capitalized on Islamabad's marginalization of Bengalis

in Pakistani politics - resulted in East Pakistan becoming the

separate nation of Bangladesh. In response to Indian nuclear weapons

testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998. The dispute over

the state of Kashmir is ongoing, but discussions and

confidence-building measures have led to decreased tensions since

2002.

Palau

After three decades as part of the UN Trust Territory of the

Pacific under US administration, this westernmost cluster of the

Caroline Islands opted for independence in 1978 rather than join the

Federated States of Micronesia. A Compact of Free Association with

the US was approved in 1986, but not ratified until 1993. It entered

into force the following year, when the islands gained independence.

Palmyra Atoll

The Kingdom of Hawaii claimed the atoll in 1862, and

the US included it among the Hawaiian Islands when it annexed the

archipelago in 1898. The Hawaii Statehood Act of 1959 did not

include Palmyra Atoll, which is now privately owned by the Nature

Conservancy. This organization is managing the atoll as a nature

preserve. The lagoons and surrounding waters within the 12 nautical

mile US territorial seas were transferred to the US Fish and

Wildlife Service and were designated a National Wildlife Refuge in

January 2001.

Panama

Explored and settled by the Spanish in the 16th century,

Panama broke with Spain in 1821 and joined a union of Colombia,

Venezuela, and Ecuador - named the Republic of Gran Colombia. When

the latter dissolved in 1830, Panama remained part of Colombia. With

US backing, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903 and promptly signed

a treaty with the US allowing for the construction of a canal and US

sovereignty over a strip of land on either side of the structure

(the Panama Canal Zone). The Panama Canal was built by the US Army

Corps of Engineers between 1904 and 1914. In 1977, an agreement was

signed for the complete transfer of the Canal from the US to Panama

by the end of the century. Certain portions of the Zone and

increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over in the

subsequent decades. With US help, dictator Manuel NORIEGA was

deposed in 1989. The entire Panama Canal, the area supporting the

Canal, and remaining US military bases were transfered to Panama by

the end of 1999. In October 2006, Panamanians approved an ambitious

plan to expand the Canal. The project, which is to begin in 2007 and

could double the Canal's capacity, is expected to be completed in

2014-15.

Papua New Guinea

The eastern half of the island of New Guinea -

second largest in the world - was divided between Germany (north)

and the UK (south) in 1885. The latter area was transferred to

Australia in 1902, which occupied the northern portion during World

War I and continued to administer the combined areas until

independence in 1975. A nine-year secessionist revolt on the island

of Bougainville ended in 1997 after claiming some 20,000 lives.

Paracel Islands

The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive

fishing grounds and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932,

French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on

Pattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam.

China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops

seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands.

The islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.

Paraguay

In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70),

Paraguay lost two-thirds of all adult males and much of its

territory. It stagnated economically for the next half century. In

the Chaco War of 1932-35, large, economically important areas were

won from Bolivia. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo

STROESSNER was overthrown in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in

political infighting in recent years, relatively free and regular

presidential elections have been held since then.

Peru

Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean

civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was

captured by the Spanish conquistadors in 1533. Peruvian independence

was declared in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces defeated in 1824.

After a dozen years of military rule, Peru returned to democratic

leadership in 1980, but experienced economic problems and the growth

of a violent insurgency. President Alberto FUJIMORI's election in

1990 ushered in a decade that saw a dramatic turnaround in the

economy and significant progress in curtailing guerrilla activity.

Nevertheless, the president's increasing reliance on authoritarian

measures and an economic slump in the late 1990s generated mounting

dissatisfaction with his regime, which led to his ouster in 2000. A

caretaker government oversaw new elections in the spring of 2001,

which ushered in Alejandro TOLEDO as the new head of government -

Peru's first democratically elected president of Native American

ethnicity. The presidential election of 2006 saw the return of Alan

GARCIA who, after a disappointing presidential term from 1985 to

1990, returned to the presidency with promises to improve social

conditions and maintain fiscal responsibility.

Philippines

The Philippine Islands became a Spanish colony during

the 16th century; they were ceded to the US in 1898 following the

Spanish-American War. In 1935 the Philippines became a

self-governing commonwealth. Manuel QUEZON was elected President and

was tasked with preparing the country for independence after a

10-year transition. In 1942 the islands fell under Japanese

occupation during WWII, and US forces and Filipinos fought together

during 1944-45 to regain control. On 4 July 1946 the Philippines

attained their independence. The 20-year rule of Ferdinand MARCOS

ended in 1986, when a widespread popular rebellion forced him into

exile and installed Corazon AQUINO as president. Her presidency was

hampered by several coup attempts, which prevented a return to full

political stability and economic development. Fidel RAMOS was

elected president in 1992 and his administration was marked by

greater stability and progress on economic reforms. In 1992, the US

closed its last military bases on the islands. Joseph ESTRADA was

elected president in 1998, but was succeeded by his vice-president,

Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, in January 2001 after ESTRADA's stormy

impeachment trial on corruption charges broke down and widespread

demonstrations led to his ouster. MACAPAGAL-ARROYO was elected to a

six-year term in May 2004. The Philippine Government faces threats

from an armed Communist insurgency and from Muslim separatists in

the south, as well as from impeachment attempts by political elites

and civil groups unhappy with the current administration.

Pitcairn Islands

Pitcairn Island was discovered in 1767 by the

British and settled in 1790 by the Bounty mutineers and their

Tahitian companions. Pitcairn was the first Pacific island to become

a British colony (in 1838) and today remains the last vestige of

that empire in the South Pacific. Outmigration, primarily to New

Zealand, has thinned the population from a peak of 233 in 1937 to

less than 50 today.

Poland

Poland is an ancient nation that was conceived near the

middle of the 10th century. Its golden age occurred in the 16th

century. During the following century, the strengthening of the

gentry and internal disorders weakened the nation. In a series of

agreements between 1772 and 1795, Russia, Prussia, and Austria

partitioned Poland amongst themselves. Poland regained its

independence in 1918 only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet

Union in World War II. It became a Soviet satellite state following

the war, but its government was comparatively tolerant and

progressive. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of the

independent trade union "Solidarity" that over time became a

political force and by 1990 had swept parliamentary elections and

the presidency. A "shock therapy" program during the early 1990s

enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most

robust in Central Europe, but Poland still faces the lingering

challenges of high unemployment, underdeveloped and dilapidated

infrastructure, and a poor rural underclass. Solidarity suffered a

major defeat in the 2001 parliamentary elections when it failed to

elect a single deputy to the lower house of Parliament, and the new

leaders of the Solidarity Trade Union subsequently pledged to reduce

the Trade Union's political role. Poland joined NATO in 1999 and the

European Union in 2004. With its transformation to a democratic,

market-oriented country largely completed, Poland is an increasingly

active member of Euro-Atlantic organizations.

Portugal

Following its heyday as a world power during the 15th and

16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the

destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the

Napoleonic Wars, and the independence in 1822 of Brazil as a colony.

A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six

decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a

left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The

following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African

colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC

(now the EU) in 1986.

Puerto Rico

Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the

island was claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following COLUMBUS'

second voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400 years of colonial

rule that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and

African slave labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a

result of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US

citizenship in 1917. Popularly-elected governors have served since

1948. In 1952, a constitution was enacted providing for internal

self government. In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and 1998, voters

chose not to alter the existing political status.

Qatar

Ruled by the al-Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar

transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for

pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural

gas revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari

economy was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum

revenues by the amir, who had ruled the country since 1972. His son,

the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani, overthrew him in a

bloodless coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its longstanding

border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Oil and natural

gas revenues enable Qatar to have one of the highest per capita

incomes in the world.

Romania

The principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia - for centuries

under the suzerainty of the Turkish Ottoman Empire - secured their

autonomy in 1856; they united in 1859 and a few years later adopted

the new name of Romania. The country gained recognition of its

independence in 1878. It joined the Allied Powers in World War I and

acquired new territories - most notably Transylvania - following the

conflict. In 1940, Romania allied with the Axis powers and

participated in the 1941 German invasion of the USSR. Three years

later, overrun by the Soviets, Romania signed an armistice. The

post-war Soviet occupation led to the formation of a Communist

"people's republic" in 1947 and the abdication of the king. The

decades-long rule of dictator Nicolae CEAUSESCU, who took power in

1965, and his Securitate police state became increasingly oppressive

and draconian through the 1980s. CEAUSESCU was overthrown and

executed in late 1989. Former Communists dominated the government

until 1996 when they were swept from power. Romania joined NATO in

2004 and the EU in 2007.

Russia

Founded in the 12th century, the Principality of Muscovy, was

able to emerge from over 200 years of Mongol domination (13th-15th

centuries) and to gradually conquer and absorb surrounding

principalities. In the early 17th century, a new Romanov Dynasty

continued this policy of expansion across Siberia to the Pacific.

Under PETER I (ruled 1682-1725), hegemony was extended to the Baltic

Sea and the country was renamed the Russian Empire. During the 19th

century, more territorial acquisitions were made in Europe and Asia.

Defeat in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 contributed to the

Revolution of 1905, which resulted in the formation of a parliament

and other reforms. Repeated devastating defeats of the Russian army

in World War I led to widespread rioting in the major cities of the

Russian Empire and to the overthrow in 1917 of the imperial

household. The Communists under Vladimir LENIN seized power soon

after and formed the USSR. The brutal rule of Iosif STALIN (1928-53)

strengthened Communist rule and Russian dominance of the Soviet

Union at a cost of tens of millions of lives. The Soviet economy and

society stagnated in the following decades until General Secretary

Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91) introduced glasnost (openness) and

perestroika (restructuring) in an attempt to modernize Communism,

but his initiatives inadvertently released forces that by December

1991 splintered the USSR into Russia and 14 other independent

republics. Since then, Russia has struggled in its efforts to build

a democratic political system and market economy to replace the

social, political, and economic controls of the Communist period.

While some progress has been made on the economic front, and

Russia's management of its windfall oil wealth has improved its

financial standing, recent years have seen a recentralization of

power under Vladimir PUTIN and democratic institutions remain weak.

Russia has severely disabled the Chechen rebel movement, although

sporadic violence still occurs throughout the North Caucusus.

Rwanda

In 1959, three years before independence from Belgium, the

majority ethnic group, the Hutus, overthrew the ruling Tutsi king.

Over the next several years, thousands of Tutsis were killed, and

some 150,000 driven into exile in neighboring countries. The

children of these exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan

Patriotic Front (RPF), and began a civil war in 1990. The war, along

with several political and economic upheavals, exacerbated ethnic

tensions, culminating in April 1994 in the genocide of roughly

800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. The Tutsi rebels defeated the

Hutu regime and ended the killing in July 1994, but approximately 2

million Hutu refugees - many fearing Tutsi retribution - fled to

neighboring Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and the former Zaire. Since

then, most of the refugees have returned to Rwanda, but several

thousand remain in neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo and

formed an extremist insurgency bent on retaking Rwanda, much as the

RPF tried in 1990. Despite substantial international assistance and

political reforms - including Rwanda's first local elections in

March 1999 and its first post-genocide presidential and legislative

elections in August and September 2003 - the country continues to

struggle to boost investment and agricultural output, and ethnic

reconciliation is complicated by the real and perceived Tutsi

political dominance. Kigali's increasing centralization and

intolerance of dissent, the nagging Hutu extremist insurgency across

the border, and Rwandan involvement in two wars in recent years in

the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo continue to hinder

Rwanda's efforts to escape its bloody legacy.

Saint Helena

Saint Helena is a British Overseas Territory consisting

of Saint Helena and Ascension Islands, and the island group of

Tristan da Cunha.

Saint Helena: Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in

1502, Saint Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th

century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's

exile, from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a

port of call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869.

During the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa, several thousand Boer

prisoners were confined on the island between 1900 and 1903.

Ascension Island: This barren and uninhabited island was discovered

and named by the Portuguese in 1503. The British garrisoned the

island in 1815 to prevent a rescue of Napoleon from Saint Helena and

it served as a provisioning station for the Royal Navy's West Africa

Squadron on anti-slavery patrol. The island remained under Admiralty

control until 1922, when it became a dependency of Saint Helena.

During World War II, the UK permitted the US to construct an

airfield on Ascension in support of trans-Atlantic flights to Africa

and anti-submarine operations in the South Atlantic. In the 1960s

the island became an important space tracking station for the US. In

1982, Ascension was an essential staging area for British forces

during the Falklands War, and it remains a critical refueling point

in the air-bridge from the UK to the South Atlantic.

Tristan da Cunha: The island group consists of the islands of

Tristan da Cunha, Nightingale, Inaccessible, and Gough. Tristan da

Cunha is named after its Portuguese discoverer (1506); it was

garrisoned by the British in 1816 to prevent any attempt to rescue

Napoleon from Saint Helena. Gough and Inaccessible Islands have been

designated World Heritage Sites. South Africa leases the site for a

meteorological station on Gough Island.

Saint Kitts and Nevis

First settled by the British in 1623, the

islands became an associated state with full internal autonomy in

1967. The island of Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to secede in

1971. Saint Kitts and Nevis achieved independence in 1983. In 1998,

a vote in Nevis on a referendum to separate from Saint Kitts fell

short of the two-thirds majority needed. Nevis continues in its

efforts to try and separate from Saint Kitts.

Saint Lucia

The island, with its fine natural harbor at Castries,

was contested between England and France throughout the 17th and

early 18th centuries (changing possession 14 times); it was finally

ceded to the UK in 1814. Even after the abolition of slavery on its

plantations in 1834, Saint Lucia remained an agricultural island,

dedicated to producing tropical commodity crops. Self-government was

granted in 1967 and independence in 1979.

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

First settled by the French in the early

17th century, the islands represent the sole remaining vestige of

France's once vast North American possessions.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Resistance by native Caribs

prevented colonization on St. Vincent until 1719. Disputed between

France and the United Kingdom for most of the 18th century, the

island was ceded to the latter in 1783. Between 1960 and 1962, Saint

Vincent and the Grenadines was a separate administrative unit of the

Federation of the West Indies. Autonomy was granted in 1969 and

independence in 1979.

Samoa

New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa

at the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer

the islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962,

when the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish

independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the "Western"

from its name in 1997.

San Marino

The third smallest state in Europe (after the Holy See

and Monaco), San Marino also claims to be the world's oldest

republic. According to tradition, it was founded by a Christian

stonemason named Marino in A.D. 301. San Marino's foreign policy is

aligned with that of Italy; social and political trends in the

republic also track closely with those of its larger neighbor.

Sao Tome and Principe

Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late

15th century, the islands' sugar-based economy gave way to coffee

and cocoa in the 19th century - all grown with plantation slave

labor, a form of which lingered into the 20th century. Although

independence was achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not

instituted until the late 1980s. Though the first free elections

were held in 1991, the political environment has been one of

continued instability with frequent changes in leadership and coup

attempts in 1995 and 2003. The recent discovery of oil in the Gulf

of Guinea is likely to have a significant impact on the country's

economy.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and home to

Islam's two holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina, and the king's

official title is the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The modern

Saudi state was founded in 1932 by ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman AL

SAUD (Ibn Saud) after a 30-year campaign to unify most of the

Arabian Peninsula. A male descendent of Ibn Saud, his son ABDALLAH

bin Abd al-Aziz, rules the country today as required by the

country's 1992 Basic Law. Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in

1990, Saudi Arabia accepted the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000

refugees while allowing Western and Arab troops to deploy on its

soil for the liberation of Kuwait the following year. The continuing

presence of foreign troops on Saudi soil after the liberation of

Kuwait became a source of tension between the royal family and the

public until all operational US troops left the country in 2003.

Major terrorist attacks in May and November 2003 spurred a strong

on-going campaign against domestic terrorism and extremism. King

ABDALLAH has continued the cautious reform program begun when he was

crown prince. To promote increased political participation, the

government held elections nationwide from February through April

2005 - for half the members of 179 municipal councils. In December

2005, King ABDALLAH completed the process by appointing the

remaining members of the advisory municipal councils. The country

remains a leading producer of oil and natural gas and holds

approximately 25% of the world's proven oil reserves. The government

continues to pursue economic reform and diversification,

particularly since Saudi Arabia's accession to the WTO in December

2005, and promotes foreign investment in the kingdom. A burgeoning

population, aquifer depletion, and an economy largely dependent on

petroleum output and prices are all ongoing governmental concerns.

Senegal

Independent from France in 1960, Senegal was ruled by the

Socialist Party for forty years until current President Abdoulaye

WADE was elected in 2000. Senegal joined with The Gambia to form the

nominal confederation of Senegambia in 1982, but the envisaged

integration of the two countries was never carried out, and the

union was dissolved in 1989. A southern separatist group

sporadically has clashed with government forces since 1982, but

Senegal remains one of the most stable democracies in Africa.

Senegal has a long history of participating in international

peacekeeping.

Serbia The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was formed in 1918; its name was changed to Yugoslavia in 1929. Various paramilitary bands resisted Nazi Germany's occupation and division of Yugoslavia from 1941 to 1945, but fought each other and ethnic opponents as much as the invaders. The military and political movement headed by Josip TITO (Partisans) took full control of Yugoslavia when German and Croatian separatist forces were defeated in 1945. Although Communist, Tito's new government and his successors (he died in 1980) managed to steer their own path between the Warsaw Pact nations and the West for the next four and a half decades. In 1989, Slobodan MILOSEVIC became president of the Serbian Republic and his ultranationalist calls for Serbian domination led to the violent breakup of Yugoslavia along ethnic lines. In 1991, Croatia, Slovenia, and Macedonia declared independence, followed by Bosnia in 1992. The remaining republics of Serbia and Montenegro declared a new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) in April 1992 and under MILOSEVIC's leadership, Serbia led various military campaigns to unite ethnic Serbs in neighboring republics into a "Greater Serbia." These actions led to Yugoslavia being ousted from the UN in 1992, but Serbia continued its - ultimately unsuccesful - campaign until signing the Dayton Peace Accords in 1995. MILOSEVIC kept tight control over Serbia and eventually became president of the FRY in 1997. In 1998, a small-scale ethnic Albanian insurgency in the formerly autonomous Serbian province of Kosovo provoked a Serbian counterinsurgency campaign that resulted in massacres and massive expulsions of ethnic Albanians living in Kosovo by FRY forces and Serb paramilitaries. The MILOSEVIC government's rejection of a proposed international settlement led to NATO's bombing of Serbia in the spring of 1999 and to the eventual withdrawal of Serbian military and police forces from Kosovo in June 1999. UNSC Resolution 1244 in June 1999 authorized the stationing of a NATO-led force (KFOR) in Kosovo to provide a safe and secure environment for the region's ethnic communities, created a UN Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) to foster self-governing institutions, and reserved the issue of Kosovo's final status for an unspecified date in the future. In 2001, UNMIK promulgated a constitutional framework that allowed Kosovo to establish institutions of self-government and led to Kosovo's first parliamentary election. FRY elections in September 2000 led to the ouster of MILOSEVIC and installed Vojislav KOSTUNICA as president. A broad coalition of democratic reformist parties known as DOS (the Democratic Opposition of Serbia) was subsequently elected to parliament in December 2000 and took control of the government. The arrest of MILOSEVIC by DOS in 2001 allowed for his subsequent transfer to the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague to be tried for crimes against humanity. (MILOSEVIC died at The Hague in March 2006 before the completion of his trial.) In 2001, the country's suspension from the UN was lifted, and it was once more accepted into UN organizations. In 2003, the FRY became Serbia and Montenegro, a loose federation of the two republics with a federal level parliament. Violent rioting in Kosovo in 2004 caused the international community to open negotiations on the future status of Kosovo in January 2006. In May 2006, Montenegro invoked its right under the Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro to hold a referendum on independence from the state union. The referendum was successful and Montenegro declared itself an independent nation on 3 June 2006. Two days later, Serbia declared that it was the successor state to the union of Serbia and Montenegro. In October 2006, the Serbian parliament unanimously approved - and a referendum confirmed - a new constitution for the country.

Seychelles

A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for

the islands ended in 1814, when they were ceded to the latter.

Independence came in 1976. Socialist rule was brought to a close

with a new constitution and free elections in 1993. President

France-Albert RENE, who had served since 1977, was re-elected in

2001, but stepped down in 2004. Vice President James MICHEL took

over the presidency and in July 2006 was elected to a new five-year

term.

Sierra Leone

The government is slowly reestablishing its authority

after the 1991 to 2002 civil war that resulted in tens of thousands

of deaths and the displacement of more than 2 million people (about

one-third of the population). The last UN peacekeepers withdrew in

December 2005, leaving full responsibility for security with

domestic forces, but a new civilian UN office remains to support the

government. Mounting tensions related to planned 2007 elections,

deteriorating political and economic conditions in Guinea, and the

tenuous security situation in neighboring Liberia may present

challenges to continuing progress in Sierra Leone's stability.

Singapore

Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819.

It joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two years

later and became independent. Singapore subsequently became one of

the world's most prosperous countries with strong international

trading links (its port is one of the world's busiest in terms of

tonnage handled) and with per capita GDP equal to that of the

leading nations of Western Europe.

Slovakia

The dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the close

of World War I allowed the Slovaks to join the closely related

Czechs to form Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II,

Czechoslovakia became a Communist nation within Soviet-ruled Eastern

Europe. Soviet influence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once

more became free. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate

peacefully on 1 January 1993. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU

in the spring of 2004.

Slovenia

The Slovene lands were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire

until the latter's dissolution at the end of World War I. In 1918,

the Slovenes joined the Serbs and Croats in forming a new

multinational state, which was named Yugoslavia in 1929. After World

War II, Slovenia became a republic of the renewed Yugoslavia, which

though Communist, distanced itself from Moscow's rule. Dissatisfied

with the exercise of power by the majority Serbs, the Slovenes

succeeded in establishing their independence in 1991 after a short

10-day war. Historical ties to Western Europe, a strong economy, and

a stable democracy have assisted in Slovenia's transformation to a

modern state. Slovenia acceded to both NATO and the EU in the spring

of 2004.

Solomon Islands

The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon

Islands in the 1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II

occurred on this archipelago. Self-government was achieved in 1976

and independence two years later. Ethnic violence, government

malfeasance, and endemic crime have undermined stability and civil

society. In June 2003, Prime Minister Sir Allen KEMAKEZA sought the

assistance of Australia in reestablishing law and order; the

following month, an Australian-led multinational force arrived to

restore peace and disarm ethnic militias. The Regional Assistance

Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) has been very effective in

restoring law and order and rebuilding government institutions.

Somalia Britain withdrew from British Somaliland in 1960 in order to allow its protectorate to join with Italian Somaliland and form the new nation of Somalia. In 1969, a coup headed by Mohamed SIAD Barre ushered in an authoritarian socialist rule that managed to impose a degree of stability in the country for a couple of decades. After the regime's overthrow early in 1991, Somalia descended into turmoil, factional fighting, and anarchy. In May of 1991, northern clans declared an independent Republic of Somaliland that now includes the administrative regions of Awdal, Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Although not recognized by any government, this entity has maintained a stable existence, aided by the overwhelming dominance of a ruling clan and economic infrastructure left behind by British, Russian, and American military assistance programs. The regions of Bari, Nugaal, and northern Mudug comprise a neighboring self-declared autonomous state of Puntland, which has been self-governing since 1998, but does not aim at independence; it has also made strides toward reconstructing a legitimate, representative government, but has suffered some civil strife. Puntland disputes its border with Somaliland as it also claims portions of eastern Sool and Sanaag. Beginning in 1993, a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in the south) was able to alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995, having suffered significant casualties, order still had not been restored. The mandate of the Transitional National Government (TNG), created in August 2000 in Arta, Djibouti, expired in August 2003. A two-year peace process, led by the Government of Kenya under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), concluded in October 2004 with the election of Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed as President of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia and the formation of a transitional government, known as the Somalia Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs). The Somalia TFIs include a 275-member parliamentary body, known as the Transitional Federal Assembly (TFA), a transitional Prime Minister, Ali Mohamed GEDI, and a 90-member cabinet. The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) has been deeply divided since just after its creation and until late December 2006 controlled only the town of Baidoa. In June 2006, a loose coalition of clerics, business leaders, and Islamic court militias ? known as the Supreme Council of Islamic Courts (SCIC) ? defeated powerful Mogadishu warlords and took control of the capital. The Courts continued to expand, spreading their influence throughout much of southern Somalia and threatening to overthrow the TFG in Baidoa. Ethiopian and TFG forces ? concerned over suspected links between some SCIC factions and al-Qa?ida ? in late December 2006 drove the SCIC from power, but the joint forces continue to fight remnants of SCIC militia in the southwestern corner of Somalia near the Kenyan border. The TFG, backed by Ethiopian forces, in late December 2006 moved into Mogadishu, but continues to struggle to exert control over the capital and to prevent the reemergence of warlord rule that typified Mogadishu before the rise of the SCIC.

South Africa

After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in

1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found

their own republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold

(1886) spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the

subjugation of the native inhabitants. The Boers resisted British

encroachments, but were defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902). The

resulting Union of South Africa operated under a policy of apartheid

- the separate development of the races. The 1990s brought an end to

apartheid politically and ushered in black majority rule.

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

The islands, which have

large bird and seal populations, lie approximately 1,000 km east of

the Falkland Islands and have been under British administration

since 1908 - except for a brief period in 1982 when Argentina

occupied them. Grytviken, on South Georgia, was a 19th and early

20th century whaling station. Famed explorer Ernest SHACKLETON

stopped there in 1914 en route to his ill-fated attempt to cross

Antarctica on foot. He returned some 20 months later with a few

companions in a small boat and arranged a successful rescue for the

rest of his crew, stranded off the Antarctic Peninsula. He died in

1922 on a subsequent expedition and is buried in Grytviken. Today,

the station houses scientists from the British Antarctic Survey.

Recognizing the importance of preserving the marine stocks in

adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993, extended the exclusive fishing

zone from 12 nm to 200 nm around each island.

Southern Ocean

A large body of recent oceanographic research has

shown that the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), an ocean current

that flows from west to east around Antarctica, plays a crucial role

in global ocean circulation. The region where the cold waters of the

ACC meet and mingle with the warmer waters of the north defines a

distinct border - the Antarctic Convergence - which fluctuates with

the seasons, but which encompasses a discrete body of water and a

unique ecologic region. The Convergence concentrates nutrients,

which promotes marine plant life, and which in turn allows for a

greater abundance of animal life. In the spring of 2000, the

International Hydrographic Organization decided to delimit the

waters within the Convergence as a fifth world ocean - the Southern

Ocean - by combining the southern portions of the Atlantic Ocean,

Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean. The Southern Ocean extends from the

coast of Antarctica north to 60 degrees south latitude, which

coincides with the Antarctic Treaty Limit and which approximates the

extent of the Antarctic Convergence. As such, the Southern Ocean is

now the fourth largest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific

Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean, but larger than the Arctic

Ocean). It should be noted that inclusion of the Southern Ocean does

not imply recognition of this feature as one of the world's primary

oceans by the US Government.

Spain

Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries

ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent

failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused

the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic

and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II,

but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). A peaceful

transition to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco

FRANCO in 1975, and rapid economic modernization (Spain joined the

EU in 1986), have given Spain one of the most dynamic economies in

Europe and made it a global champion of freedom. Continuing

challenges include Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) terrorism and

relatively high unemployment.

Spratly Islands

The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small

islands or reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and

potentially by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their

entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed

by Malaysia and the Philippines. About 45 islands are occupied by

relatively small numbers of military forces from China, Malaysia,

the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei has established a

fishing zone that overlaps a southern reef, but has not made any

formal claim.

Sri Lanka

The Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century

B.C., probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced

beginning in about the mid-third century B.C., and a great

civilization developed at the cities of Anuradhapura (kingdom from

circa 200 B.C. to circa A.D. 1000) and Polonnaruwa (from about 1070

to 1200). In the 14th century, a south Indian dynasty seized power

in the north and established a Tamil kingdom. Occupied by the

Portuguese in the 16th century and by the Dutch in the 17th century,

the island was ceded to the British in 1796, became a crown colony

in 1802, and was united under British rule by 1815. As Ceylon, it

became independent in 1948; its name was changed to Sri Lanka in

1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists

erupted into war in 1983. Tens of thousands have died in the ethnic

conflict that continues to fester. After two decades of fighting,

the government and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)

formalized a cease-fire in February 2002, with Norway brokering

peace negotiations. Violence between the LTTE and government forces

intensified in 2006, but neither side has formally withdrawn from

the cease-fire.

Sudan

Military regimes favoring Islamic-oriented governments have

dominated national politics since independence from the UK in 1956.

Sudan was embroiled in two prolonged civil wars during most of the

remainder of the 20th century. These conflicts were rooted in

northern economic, political, and social domination of largely

non-Muslim, non-Arab southern Sudanese. The first civil war ended in

1972, but broke out again in 1983. The second war and famine-related

effects resulted in more than 4 million people displaced and,

according to rebel estimates, more than 2 million deaths over a

period of two decades. Peace talks gained momentum in 2002-04 with

the signing of several accords; a final Naivasha peace treaty of

January 2005 granted the southern rebels autonomy for six years,

after which a referendum for independence is scheduled to be held. A

separate conflict that broke out in the western region of Darfur in

2003 has resulted in at least 200,000 deaths and nearly 2 million

displaced; as of late 2005, peacekeeping troops were struggling to

stabilize the situation. Sudan also has faced large refugee influxes

from neighboring countries, primarily Ethiopia and Chad, and armed

conflict, poor transport infrastructure, and lack of government

support have chronically obstructed the provision of humanitarian

assistance to affected populations.

Suriname

First explored by the Spaniards in the 16th century and

then settled by the English in the mid-17th century, Suriname became

a Dutch colony in 1667. With the abolition of slavery in 1863,

workers were brought in from India and Java. Independence from the

Netherlands was granted in 1975. Five years later the civilian

government was replaced by a military regime that soon declared a

socialist republic. It continued to exert control through a

succession of nominally civilian administrations until 1987, when

international pressure finally forced a democratic election. In

1990, the military overthrew the civilian leadership, but a

democratically elected government - a four-party New Front coalition

- returned to power in 1991 and has ruled since, expanding to eight

parties in 2005.

Svalbard

First discovered by the Norwegians in the 12th century, the

islands served as an international whaling base during the 17th and

18th centuries. Norway's sovereignty was recognized in 1920; five

years later it officially took over the territory.

Swaziland

Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed

by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in

1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s pressured King

Mswati III, the world's last absolute monarch, to grudgingly allow

political reform and greater democracy, although he has backslid on

these promises in recent years. Swaziland recently surpassed

Botswana as the country with the world's highest known rates of

HIV/AIDS infection.

Sweden

A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not

participated in any war in almost two centuries. An armed neutrality

was preserved in both World Wars. Sweden's long-successful economic

formula of a capitalist system interlarded with substantial welfare

elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment and in

2000-02 by the global economic downturn, but fiscal discipline over

the past several years has allowed the country to weather economic

vagaries. Sweden joined the EU in 1995, but the public rejected the

introduction of the euro in a 2003 referendum.

Switzerland

The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a

defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other

localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation

secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499.

Switzerland's sovereignty and neutrality have long been honored by

the major European powers, and the country was not involved in

either of the two World Wars. The political and economic integration

of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role

in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened

Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not

officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active

in many UN and international organizations, but retains a strong

commitment to neutrality.

Syria

Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War

I, France administered Syria until its independence in 1946. The

country lacked political stability, however, and experienced a

series of military coups during its first decades. Syria united with

Egypt in February 1958 to form the United Arab Republic, but in

September 1961 the two entities separated and the Syrian Arab

Republic was reestablished. In November 1970, Hafiz al-ASAD, a

member of the Socialist Ba'th Party and the minority Alawite sect,

seized power in a bloodless coup and brought political stability to

the country. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan

Heights to Israel, and during the 1990s Syria and Israel held

occasional peace talks over its return. Following the death of

President al-ASAD, his son, Bashar al-ASAD, was approved as

president by popular referendum in July 2000. Syrian troops -

stationed in Lebanon since 1976 in an ostensible peacekeeping role -

were withdrawn in April 2005. During the July-August 2006 conflict

between Israel and Hizballah, Syria placed its military forces on

alert but did not intervene directly on behalf of its ally Hizballah.

Taiwan

In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to

Japan. Taiwan reverted to Chinese control after World War II.

Following the Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million

Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government using the

1946 constitution drawn up for all of China. Over the next five

decades, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and

incorporated the local population within the governing structure. In

2000, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the

Nationalist to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this

period, the island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic

"Tigers." The dominant political issues continue to be the

relationship between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of

eventual unification - as well as domestic political and economic

reform.

Tajikistan

The Tajik people came under Russian rule in the 1860s and

1870s, but Russia's hold on Central Asia weakened following the

Revolution of 1917. Bolshevik control of the area was fiercely

contested and not fully reestablished until 1925. Tajikistan became

independent in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union, and

it is now in the process of strengthening its democracy and

transitioning to a free market economy after its 1992-1997 civil

war. There have been no major security incidents in recent years,

although the country remains the poorest in the former Soviet

sphere. Attention by the international community in the wake of the

war in Afghanistan has brought increased economic development

assistance, which could create jobs and increase stability in the

long term. Tajikistan is in the early stages of seeking World Trade

Organization membership and has joined NATO's Partnership for Peace.

Tanzania

Shortly after achieving independence from Britain in the

early 1960s, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the nation of

Tanzania in 1964. One-party rule came to an end in 1995 with the

first democratic elections held in the country since the 1970s.

Zanzibar's semi-autonomous status and popular opposition have led to

two contentious elections since 1995, which the ruling party won

despite international observers' claims of voting irregularities.

Thailand

A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th

century. Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand is the only Southeast

Asian country never to have been taken over by a European power. A

bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. In

alliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand became a US ally

following the conflict. Thailand is currently facing separatist

violence in its southern ethnic Malay-Muslim provinces.

Togo

French Togoland became Togo in 1960. Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA,

installed as military ruler in 1967, continued to rule well into the

21st century. Despite the facade of multiparty elections instituted

in the early 1990s, the government continued to be dominated by

President EYADEMA, whose Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) party

has maintained power almost continually since 1967. Togo has come

under fire from international organizations for human rights abuses

and is plagued by political unrest. While most bilateral and

multilateral aid to Togo remains frozen, the EU initiated a partial

resumption of cooperation and development aid to Togo in late 2004

based upon commitments by Togo to expand opportunities for political

opposition and liberalize portions of the economy. Upon his death in

February 2005, President EYADEMA was succeeded by his son Faure

GNASSINGBE. The succession, supported by the military and in

contravention of the nation's constitution, was challenged by

popular protest and a threat of sanctions from regional leaders.

GNASSINGBE succumbed to pressure and in April 2005 held elections

that legitimized his succession. Legislative elections are scheduled

for June 2007.

Tokelau

Originally settled by Polynesian emigrants from surrounding

island groups, the Tokelau Islands were made a British protectorate

in 1889. They were transferred to New Zealand administration in 1925.

Tonga

Tonga - unique among Pacific nations - never completely lost

its indigenous governance. The archipelagos of "The Friendly

Islands" were united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. Tonga became

a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in

1900; it withdrew from the protectorate and joined the Commonwealth

of Nations in 1970. Tonga remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.

Trinidad and Tobago

First colonized by the Spanish, the islands came

under British control in the early 19th century. The islands' sugar

industry was hurt by the emancipation of the slaves in 1834.

Manpower was replaced with the importation of contract laborers from

India between 1845 and 1917, which boosted sugar production as well

as the cocoa industry. The discovery of oil on Trinidad in 1910

added another important export. Independence was attained in 1962.

The country is one of the most prosperous in the Caribbean thanks

largely to petroleum and natural gas production and processing.

Tourism, mostly in Tobago, is targeted for expansion and is growing.

Tromelin Island

First explored by the French in 1776, the island

came under the jurisdiction of Reunion in 1814. At present, it

serves as a sea turtle sanctuary and is the site of an important

meteorological station.

Tunisia

Rivalry between French and Italian interests in Tunisia

culminated in a French invasion in 1881 and the creation of a

protectorate. Agitation for independence in the decades following

World War I was finally successful in getting the French to

recognize Tunisia as an independent state in 1956. The country's

first president, Habib BOURGUIBA, established a strict one-party

state. He dominated the country for 31 years, repressing Islamic

fundamentalism and establishing rights for women unmatched by any

other Arab nation. Tunisia has long taken a moderate, non-aligned

stance in its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to

defuse rising pressure for a more open political society.

Turkey

Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the Anatolian remnants

of the defeated Ottoman Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who

was later honored with the title Ataturk, or "Father of the Turks."

Under his authoritarian leadership, the country adopted wide-ranging

social, legal, and political reforms. After a period of one-party

rule, an experiment with multi-party politics led to the 1950

election victory of the opposition Democratic Party and the peaceful

transfer of power. Since then, Turkish political parties have

multiplied, but democracy has been fractured by periods of

instability and intermittent military coups (1960, 1971, 1980),

which in each case eventually resulted in a return of political

power to civilians. In 1997, the military again helped engineer the

ouster - popularly dubbed a "post-modern coup" - of the then

Islamic-oriented government. Turkey intervened militarily on Cyprus

in 1974 to prevent a Greek takeover of the island and has since

acted as patron state to the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,"

which only Turkey recognizes. A separatist insurgency begun in 1984

by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) - now known as the People's

Congress of Kurdistan or Kongra-Gel (KGK) - has dominated the

Turkish military's attention and claimed more than 30,000 lives.

After the capture of the group's leader in 1999, the insurgents

largely withdrew from Turkey, mainly to northern Iraq. In 2004, KGK

announced an end to its ceasefire and attacks attributed to the KGK

increased. Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and in 1952 it became a

member of NATO. In 1964, Turkey became an associate member of the

European Community; over the past decade, it has undertaken many

reforms to strengthen its democracy and economy, enabling it to

begin accession membership talks with the European Union.

Turkmenistan

Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan

became a Soviet republic in 1924. It achieved its independence upon

the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. President Saparmurat NIYAZOV

retains absolute control over the country and opposition is not

tolerated. Extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves could prove a

boon to this underdeveloped country if extraction and delivery

projects were to be expanded. The Turkmenistan Government is

actively seeking to develop alternative petroleum transportation

routes in order to break Russia's pipeline monopoly.

Turks and Caicos Islands

The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican

colony until 1962, when they assumed the status of a separate crown

colony upon Jamaica's independence. The governor of The Bahamas

oversaw affairs from 1965 to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the

islands received a separate governor in 1973. Although independence

was agreed upon for 1982, the policy was reversed and the islands

remain a British overseas territory.

Tuvalu

In 1974, ethnic differences within the British colony of the

Gilbert and Ellice Islands caused the Polynesians of the Ellice

Islands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the Gilbert

Islands. The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separate

British colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. In 2000,

Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its Internet domain name ".tv"

for $50 million in royalties over a 12-year period.

Uganda

The colonial boundaries created by Britain to delimit Uganda

grouped together a wide range of ethnic groups with different

political systems and cultures. These differences prevented the

establishment of a working political community after independence

was achieved in 1962. The dictatorial regime of Idi AMIN (1971-79)

was responsible for the deaths of some 300,000 opponents; guerrilla

war and human rights abuses under Milton OBOTE (1980-85) claimed at

least another 100,000 lives. The rule of Yoweri MUSEVENI since 1986

has brought relative stability and economic growth to Uganda. During

the 1990s, the government promulgated non-party presidential and

legislative elections.

Ukraine

Ukraine was the center of the first eastern Slavic state,

Kyivan Rus, which during the 10th and 11th centuries was the largest

and most powerful state in Europe. Weakened by internecine quarrels

and Mongol invasions, Kyivan Rus was incorporated into the Grand

Duchy of Lithuania and eventually into the Polish-Lithuanian

Commonwealth. The cultural and religious legacy of Kyivan Rus laid

the foundation for Ukrainian nationalism through subsequent

centuries. A new Ukrainian state, the Cossack Hetmanate, was

established during the mid-17th century after an uprising against

the Poles. Despite continuous Muscovite pressure, the Hetmanate

managed to remain autonomous for well over 100 years. During the

latter part of the 18th century, most Ukrainian ethnographic

territory was absorbed by the Russian Empire. Following the collapse

of czarist Russia in 1917, Ukraine was able to bring about a

short-lived period of independence (1917-20), but was reconquered

and forced to endure a brutal Soviet rule that engineered two

artificial famines (1921-22 and 1932-33) in which over 8 million

died. In World War II, German and Soviet armies were responsible for

some 7 to 8 million more deaths. Although final independence for

Ukraine was achieved in 1991 with the dissolution of the USSR,

democracy remained elusive as the legacy of state control and

endemic corruption stalled efforts at economic reform,

privatization, and civil liberties. A peaceful mass protest "Orange

Revolution" in the closing months of 2004 forced the authorities to

overturn a rigged presidential election and to allow a new

internationally monitored vote that swept into power a reformist

slate under Viktor YUSHCHENKO. Subsequent internal squabbles in the

YUSHCHENKO camp allowed his rival Viktor YANUKOVYCH to stage a

comeback in parliamentary elections and become prime minister in

August of 2006.

United Arab Emirates

The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast

granted the UK control of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th

century treaties. In 1971, six of these states - Abu Zaby, 'Ajman,

Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to

form the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They were joined in 1972 by

Ra's al Khaymah. The UAE's per capita GDP is on par with those of

leading West European nations. Its generosity with oil revenues and

its moderate foreign policy stance have allowed the UAE to play a

vital role in the affairs of the region.

United Kingdom

As the dominant industrial and maritime power of the

19th century, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland played

a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in

advancing literature and science. At its zenith, the British Empire

stretched over one-fourth of the earth's surface. The first half of

the 20th century saw the UK's strength seriously depleted in two

World Wars and the Irish republic withdraw from the union. The

second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK

rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous European nation. As

one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council, a founding

member of NATO, and of the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global

approach to foreign policy; it currently is weighing the degree of

its integration with continental Europe. A member of the EU, it

chose to remain outside the Economic and Monetary Union for the time

being. Constitutional reform is also a significant issue in the UK.

The Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the

Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1999, but the latter

is suspended due to wrangling over the peace process.

United States

Britain's American colonies broke with the mother

country in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation of the United

States of America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the

19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13

as the nation expanded across the North American continent and

acquired a number of overseas possessions. The two most traumatic

experiences in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65) and

the Great Depression of the 1930s. Buoyed by victories in World Wars

I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the

world's most powerful nation state. The economy is marked by steady

growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in

technology.

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges The following US Pacific island territories constitute the Pacific Remote Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex and as such are managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of Interior. These remote refuges are the most widespread collection of marine- and terrestrial-life protected areas on the planet under a single country's jurisdiction. They protect many endemic species including corals, fish, shellfish, marine mammals, seabirds, water birds, land birds, insects, and vegetation not found elsewhere. Baker Island: The US took possession of the island in 1857, and its guano deposits were mined by US and British companies during the second half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at colonization began on this island but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned. The island was established as a National Wildlife Refuge in 1974. Howland Island: Discovered by the US early in the 19th century, the island was officially claimed by the US in 1857. Both US and British companies mined for guano until about 1890. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at colonization began on this island, similar to the effort on nearby Baker Island, but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned. The famed American aviatrix Amelia EARHART disappeared while seeking out Howland Island as a refueling stop during her 1937 round-the-world flight; Earhart Light, a day beacon near the middle of the west coast, was named in her memory. The island was established as a National Wildlife Refuge in 1974. Jarvis Island: First discovered by the British in 1821, the uninhabited island was annexed by the US in 1858, but abandoned in 1879 after tons of guano had been removed. The UK annexed the island in 1889, but never carried out plans for further exploitation. The US occupied and reclaimed the island in 1935 until it was abandoned in 1942 during World War II. The island was established as a National Wildlife Refuge in 1974. Johnston Atoll: Both the US and the Kingdom of Hawaii annexed Johnston Atoll in 1858, but it was the US that mined the guano deposits until the late 1880s. Johnston and Sand Islands were designated wildlife refuges in 1926. The US Navy took over the atoll in 1934, and subsequently the US Air Force assumed control in 1948. The site was used for high-altitude nuclear tests in the 1950s and 1960s, and until late in 2000 the atoll was maintained as a storage and disposal site for chemical weapons. Munitions destruction is now complete. Cleanup and closure of the facility was completed by May 2005. The Fish and Wildlife Service and the US Air Force are currently discussing future management options; in the interim, Johnston Atoll and the three-mile Naval Defensive Sea around it remain under the jurisdiction and administrative control of the US Air Force. Kingman Reef: The US annexed the reef in 1922. Its sheltered lagoon served as a way station for flying boats on Hawaii-to-American Samoa flights during the late 1930s. There are no terrestrial plants on the reef, which is frequently awash, but it does support abundant and diverse marine fauna and flora. In 2001, the waters surrounding the reef out to 12 nm were designated a US National Wildlife Refuge. Midway Islands: The US took formal possession of the islands in 1867. The laying of the trans-Pacific cable, which passed through the islands, brought the first residents in 1903. Between 1935 and 1947, Midway was used as a refueling stop for trans-Pacific flights. The US naval victory over a Japanese fleet off Midway in 1942 was one of the turning points of World War II. The islands continued to serve as a naval station until closed in 1993. Today the islands are a National Wildlife Refuge and are the site of the world's largest Laysan albatross colony. Palmyra Atoll: The Kingdom of Hawaii claimed the atoll in 1862, and the US included it among the Hawaiian Islands when it annexed the archipelago in 1898. The Hawaii Statehood Act of 1959 did not include Palmyra Atoll, which is now partly privately owned by the Nature Conservancy with the rest owned by the Federal government and managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. These organizations are managing the atoll as a wildlife refuge. The lagoons and surrounding waters within the 12 nm US territorial seas were transferred to the US Fish and Wildlife Service and designated as a National Wildlife Refuge in January 2001.

Uruguay

Montevideo, founded by the Spanish in 1726 as a military

stronghold, soon took advantage of its natural harbor to become an

important commercial center. Claimed by Argentina but annexed by

Brazil in 1821, Uruguay declared its independence four years later

and secured its freedom in 1828 after a three-year struggle. The

administrations of President Jose BATLLE in the early 20th century

established widespread political, social, and economic reforms that

established a statist tradition. A violent Marxist urban guerrilla

movement named the Tupamaros, launched in the late 1960s, led

Uruguay's president to cede control of the government to the

military in 1973. By yearend, the rebels had been crushed, but the

military continued to expand its hold over the government. Civilian

rule was not restored until 1985. In 2004, the left-of-center Frente

Amplio Coalition won national elections that effectively ended 170

years of political control previously held by the Colorado and

Blanco parties. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among

the freest on the continent.

Uzbekistan

Russia conquered Uzbekistan in the late 19th century.

Stiff resistance to the Red Army after World War I was eventually

suppressed and a socialist republic set up in 1924. During the

Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain

led to overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies,

which have left the land poisoned and the Aral Sea and certain

rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country seeks to

gradually lessen its dependence on agriculture while developing its

mineral and petroleum reserves. Current concerns include terrorism

by Islamic militants, economic stagnation, and the curtailment of

human rights and democratization.

Vanuatu

Multiple waves of colonizers, each speaking a distinct

language, migrated to the New Hebrides in the millennia preceeding

European exploration in the 18th century. This settlement pattern

accounts for the complex linguistic diversity found on the

archipelago to this day. The British and French, who settled the New

Hebrides in the 19th century, agreed in 1906 to an Anglo-French

Condominium, which administered the islands until independence in

1980, when the new name of Vanuatu was adopted.

Venezuela

Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the

collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and New

Granada, which became Colombia). For most of the first half of the

20th century, Venezuela was ruled by generally benevolent military

strongmen, who promoted the oil industry and allowed for some social

reforms. Democratically elected governments have held sway since

1959. Hugo CHAVEZ, president since 1999, has promoted a

controversial policy of "democratic socialism," which purports to

alleviate social ills while at the same time attacking globalization

and undermining regional stability. Current concerns include: a

weakening of democratic institutions, political polarization, a

politicized military, drug-related violence along the Colombian

border, increasing internal drug consumption, overdependence on the

petroleum industry with its price fluctuations, and irresponsible

mining operations that are endangering the rain forest and

indigenous peoples.

Vietnam

The conquest of Vietnam by France began in 1858 and was

completed by 1884. It became part of French Indochina in 1887.

Vietnam declared independence after World War II, but France

continued to rule until its 1954 defeat by Communist forces under Ho

Chi MINH. Under the Geneva Accords of 1954, Vietnam was divided into

the Communist North and anti-Communist South. US economic and

military aid to South Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an attempt

to bolster the government, but US armed forces were withdrawn

following a cease-fire agreement in 1973. Two years later, North

Vietnamese forces overran the South reuniting the country under

Communist rule. Despite the return of peace, for over a decade the

country experienced little economic growth because of conservative

leadership policies. However, since the enactment of Vietnam's "doi

moi" (renovation) policy in 1986, Vietnamese authorities have

committed to increased economic liberalization and enacted

structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and to produce

more competitive, export-driven industries. The country continues to

experience protests from various groups - such as the Protestant

Montagnard ethnic minority population of the Central Highlands and

the Hoa Hao Buddhists in southern Vietnam over religious

persecution. Montagnard grievances also include the loss of land to

Vietnamese settlers.

Virgin Islands During the 17th century, the archipelago was divided into two territorial units, one English and the other Danish. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish portion, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848.

Wake Island

The US annexed Wake Island in 1899 for a cable station.

An important air and naval base was constructed in 1940-41. In

December 1941, the island was captured by the Japanese and held

until the end of World War II. In subsequent years, Wake was

developed as a stopover and refueling site for military and

commercial aircraft transiting the Pacific. Since 1974, the island's

airstrip has been used by the US military, as well as for emergency

landings. All operations on the island were suspended and all

personnel evacuated in August 2006 with the approach of super

typhoon IOKE (category 5), which struck the island with sustained

winds of 250 kph and a 6 m storm surge inflicting major damage. A US

Air Force assessment and repair team returned to the island in

September and restored limited function to the airfield and

facilities. The future status of activities on the island will be

determined upon completion of the survey and assessment.

Wallis and Futuna

The Futuna island group was discovered by the

Dutch in 1616 and Wallis by the British in 1767, but it was the

French who declared a protectorate over the islands in 1842. In

1959, the inhabitants of the islands voted to become a French

overseas territory.

West Bank

The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim

Self-Government Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington in

September 1993, provided for a transitional period of Palestinian

interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. A

transfer of authority to the Palestinian Authority (PA) for the Gaza

Strip and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4 May 1994

Cairo Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and, in

additional areas of the West Bank, pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28

September 1995 Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997

Protocol Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23

October 1998 Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm

el-Sheikh Agreement. Direct negotiations to determine the permanent

status of Gaza and the West Bank began in September 1999 after a

three-year hiatus, but were derailed by a second intifadah that

broke out a year later. In April 2003, the Quartet (US, EU, UN, and

Russia) presented a roadmap to a final settlement of the conflict by

2005 based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to two

states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. The proposed date for a

permanent status agreement has been postponed indefinitely due to

violence and accusations that both sides have not followed through

on their commitments. Following Palestinian leader Yasir ARAFAT's

death in late 2004, Mahmud ABBAS was elected PA president in January

2005. A month later, Israel and the PA agreed to the Sharm el-Sheikh

Commitments in an effort to move the peace process forward. In

September 2005, Israel withdrew all its settlers and soldiers and

dismantled its military facilities in the Gaza Strip and four

northern West Bank settlements. Nonetheless, Israel controls

maritime, airspace, and most access to the Gaza Strip. A November

2005 PA-Israeli agreement authorized the reopening of the Rafah

border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt under joint PA and

Egyptian control. In January 2006, the Islamic Resistance Movement,

HAMAS, won control of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). The

international community has refused to accept the HAMAS-led

government because it does not recognize Israel, will not renounce

violence, and refuses to honor previous peace agreements between

Israel and the PA. Since March 2006, President Abbas has had little

success negotiating with HAMAS to present a political platform

acceptable to the international community so as to lift the economic

siege on Palestinians. The PLC was unable to convene in late 2006 as

a result of Israel's detention of many HAMAS PLC members and

Israeli-imposed travel restrictions on other PLC members.

Western Sahara

Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of

Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of

the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A

guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's

sovereignty ended in a 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized

referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed.

World

Globally, the 20th century was marked by: (a) two devastating

world wars; (b) the Great Depression of the 1930s; (c) the end of

vast colonial empires; (d) rapid advances in science and technology,

from the first airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (US) to

the landing on the moon; (e) the Cold War between the Western

alliance and the Warsaw Pact nations; (f) a sharp rise in living

standards in North America, Europe, and Japan; (g) increased

concerns about the environment, including loss of forests, shortages

of energy and water, the decline in biological diversity, and air

pollution; (h) the onset of the AIDS epidemic; and (i) the ultimate

emergence of the US as the only world superpower. The planet's

population continues to explode: from 1 billion in 1820, to 2

billion in 1930, 3 billion in 1960, 4 billion in 1974, 5 billion in

1988, and 6 billion in 2000. For the 21st century, the continued

exponential growth in science and technology raises both hopes

(e.g., advances in medicine) and fears (e.g., development of even

more lethal weapons of war).

Yemen

North Yemen became independent of the Ottoman Empire in 1918.

The British, who had set up a protectorate area around the southern

port of Aden in the 19th century, withdrew in 1967 from what became

South Yemen. Three years later, the southern government adopted a

Marxist orientation. The massive exodus of hundreds of thousands of

Yemenis from the south to the north contributed to two decades of

hostility between the states. The two countries were formally

unified as the Republic of Yemen in 1990. A southern secessionist

movement in 1994 was quickly subdued. In 2000, Saudi Arabia and

Yemen agreed to a delimitation of their border.

Zambia

The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the

[British] South Africa Company from 1891 until it was taken over by

the UK in 1923. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining

spurred development and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia

upon independence in 1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper

prices and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991

brought an end to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996

saw blatant harassment of opposition parties. The election in 2001

was marked by administrative problems with three parties filing a

legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate

Levy MWANAWASA. The new president launched an anticorruption task

force in 2002, but the government has yet to make a prosecution. The

Zambian leader was reelected in 2006 in an election that was deemed

free and fair.

Zimbabwe

The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the [British] South

Africa Company in 1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated that

favored whites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally

declared its independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and

demanded more complete voting rights for the black African majority

in the country (then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla

uprising finally led to free elections in 1979 and independence (as

Zimbabwe) in 1980. Robert MUGABE, the nation's first prime minister,

has been the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) and has

dominated the country's political system since independence. His

chaotic land redistribution campaign, which began in 2000, caused an

exodus of white farmers, crippled the economy, and ushered in

widespread shortages of basic commodities. Ignoring international

condemnation, MUGABE rigged the 2002 presidential election to ensure

his reelection. Opposition and labor strikes in 2003 were

unsuccessful in pressuring MUGABE to retire early; security forces

continued their brutal repression of regime opponents. The ruling

ZANU-PF party used fraud and intimidation to win a two-thirds

majority in the March 2005 parliamentary election, allowing it to

amend the constitution at will and recreate the Senate, which had

been abolished in the late 1980s. In April 2005, Harare embarked on

Operation Restore Order, ostensibly an urban rationalization

program, which resulted in the destruction of the homes or

businesses of 700,000 mostly poor supporters of the opposition,

according to UN estimates. ZANU-PF announced in December 2006 that

they would combine presidential and parliamentary elections in 2010

to ensure MUGABE remains in office.

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2030 Airports - with paved runways

Afghanistan total: 11 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Albania total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2006)

Algeria

total: 52

over 3,047 m: 10

2,438 to 3,047 m: 27

1,524 to 2,437 m: 10

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

American Samoa

total: 2

over 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Angola

total: 31

over 3,047 m: 5

2,438 to 3,047 m: 8

1,524 to 2,437 m: 12

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Anguilla total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Antigua and Barbuda total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Argentina total: 154 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 26 1,524 to 2,437 m: 65 914 to 1,523 m: 50 under 914 m: 9 (2006)

Armenia

total: 11

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006)

Aruba total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Australia

total: 311

over 3,047 m: 10

2,438 to 3,047 m: 12

1,524 to 2,437 m: 133

914 to 1,523 m: 143

under 914 m: 13 (2006)

Austria

total: 25

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 5

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 15 (2006)

Azerbaijan

total: 27

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 13

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Bahamas, The

total: 29

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 14

914 to 1,523 m: 9

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Bahrain total: 3 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Bangladesh total: 15 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 5 (2006)

Barbados total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Belarus

total: 41

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 22

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 12 (2006)

Belgium

total: 25

over 3,047 m: 6

2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 7 (2006)

Belize

total: 5

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Benin

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Bermuda

total: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Bhutan

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Bolivia

total: 16

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

total: 8

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Botswana

total: 10

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 7

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Brazil

total: 714

over 3,047 m: 8

2,438 to 3,047 m: 24

1,524 to 2,437 m: 164

914 to 1,523 m: 464

under 914 m: 54 (2006)

British Indian Ocean Territory total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

British Virgin Islands total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Brunei total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Bulgaria

total: 132

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 19

1,524 to 2,437 m: 15

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 96 (2006)

Burkina Faso

total: 2

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Burma

total: 21

over 3,047 m: 8

2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Burundi total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Cambodia total: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)

Cameroon

total: 11

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Canada

total: 509

over 3,047 m: 18

2,438 to 3,047 m: 15

1,524 to 2,437 m: 151

914 to 1,523 m: 248

under 914 m: 77 (2006)

Cape Verde total: 7 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Cayman Islands total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006)

Central African Republic total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006)

Chad

total: 7

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Chile

total: 73

over 3,047 m: 5

2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 22

914 to 1,523 m: 22

under 914 m: 17 (2006)

China

total: 403

over 3,047 m: 56

2,438 to 3,047 m: 127

1,524 to 2,437 m: 138

914 to 1,523 m: 22

under 914 m: 60 (2006)

Christmas Island

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Colombia

total: 101

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 38

914 to 1,523 m: 40

under 914 m: 12 (2006)

Comoros total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the total: 25 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Congo, Republic of the total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006)

Cook Islands total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006)

Costa Rica total: 32 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 9 (2006)

Cote d'Ivoire total: 7 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2006)

Croatia

total: 23

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 9 (2006)

Cuba

total: 78

over 3,047 m: 7

2,438 to 3,047 m: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 18

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 37 (2006)

Cyprus

total: 13

2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Czech Republic

total: 46

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 10

1,524 to 2,437 m: 13

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 19 (2006)

Denmark

total: 28

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 12

under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Djibouti total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Dominica total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)

Dominican Republic total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

East Timor total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Ecuador

total: 98

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 19

914 to 1,523 m: 29

under 914 m: 43 (2006)

Egypt

total: 72

over 3,047 m: 13

2,438 to 3,047 m: 38

1,524 to 2,437 m: 16

under 914 m: 5 (2006)

El Salvador

total: 4

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)

Equatorial Guinea

total: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Eritrea

total: 4

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2006)

Estonia

total: 12

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006)

Ethiopia

total: 14

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 5

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

European Union

2,020 (2006)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

total: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Faroe Islands

total: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Fiji

total: 3

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Finland

total: 76

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 27

1,524 to 2,437 m: 10

914 to 1,523 m: 23

under 914 m: 14 (2006)

France

total: 292 (metropolitan France) 15 (overseas departments)

over 3,047 m: 13 (metropolitan France) 3 (overseas departments)

2,438 to 3,047 m: 28 (metropolitan France) 1 (overseas departments)

1,524 to 2,437 m: 96 (metropolitan France)

914 to 1,523 m: 81 (metropolitan France) 5 (overseas departments)

under 914 m: 74 (metropolitan France) 6 (overseas departments) (2006)

French Polynesia

total: 39

over 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 25

under 914 m: 7 (2006)

Gabon

total: 11

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 8

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Gambia, The

total: 1

over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Gaza Strip

total: 1

over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Georgia

total: 19

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Germany

total: 332

over 3,047 m: 13

2,438 to 3,047 m: 54

1,524 to 2,437 m: 58

914 to 1,523 m: 72

under 914 m: 135 (2006)

Ghana

total: 7

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)

Gibraltar

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Greece

total: 66

over 3,047 m: 5

2,438 to 3,047 m: 16

1,524 to 2,437 m: 19

914 to 1,523 m: 17

under 914 m: 9 (2006)

Greenland total: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 5 (2006)

Grenada

total: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Guam

total: 4

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Guatemala total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Guernsey total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Guinea

total: 5

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2006)

Guinea-Bissau

total: 3

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Guyana

total: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

under 914 m: 6 (2006)

Haiti

total: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006)

Honduras total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Hong Kong total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Hungary

total: 20

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 8

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Iceland total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

India

total: 243

over 3,047 m: 17

2,438 to 3,047 m: 51

1,524 to 2,437 m: 73

914 to 1,523 m: 81

under 914 m: 21 (2006)

Indonesia

total: 159

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 15

1,524 to 2,437 m: 49

914 to 1,523 m: 49

under 914 m: 42 (2006)

Iran

total: 129

over 3,047 m: 41

2,438 to 3,047 m: 26

1,524 to 2,437 m: 25

914 to 1,523 m: 31

under 914 m: 6 (2006)

Iraq

total: 77

over 3,047 m: 20

2,438 to 3,047 m: 37

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 6

under 914 m: 9 (2006)

Ireland

total: 15

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 6 (2006)

Isle of Man

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Israel

total: 30

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 8

914 to 1,523 m: 10

under 914 m: 6 (2006)

Italy

total: 98

over 3,047 m: 7

2,438 to 3,047 m: 30

1,524 to 2,437 m: 16

914 to 1,523 m: 31

under 914 m: 14 (2006)

Jamaica

total: 11

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 5 (2006)

Japan

total: 145

over 3,047 m: 7

2,438 to 3,047 m: 41

1,524 to 2,437 m: 39

914 to 1,523 m: 28

under 914 m: 30 (2006)

Jersey

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Johnston Atoll

total: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Jordan

total: 15

over 3,047 m: 7

2,438 to 3,047 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Kazakhstan

total: 67

over 3,047 m: 9

2,438 to 3,047 m: 27

1,524 to 2,437 m: 17

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 10 (2006)

Kenya

total: 15

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Kiribati total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2006)

Korea, North

total: 36

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 22

1,524 to 2,437 m: 8

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Korea, South

total: 69

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 21

1,524 to 2,437 m: 14

914 to 1,523 m: 11

under 914 m: 20 (2006)

Kuwait

total: 4

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Kyrgyzstan total: 18 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Laos

total: 9

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006)

Latvia

total: 24

2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 13 (2006)

Lebanon

total: 5

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Lesotho total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Liberia total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Libya

total: 60

over 3,047 m: 23

2,438 to 3,047 m: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 23

914 to 1,523 m: 6

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Lithuania

total: 34

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 7

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 20 (2006)

Luxembourg

total: 1

over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Macau

total: 1

over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Macedonia total: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 under 914 m: 8 (2006)

Madagascar total: 29 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Malawi

total: 6

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2006)

Malaysia

total: 37

over 3,047 m: 5

2,438 to 3,047 m: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 8

914 to 1,523 m: 8

under 914 m: 7 (2006)

Maldives

total: 2

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Mali

total: 9

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Malta total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Marshall Islands

total: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Mauritania

total: 8

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 (2006)

Mauritius

total: 2

over 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Mayotte

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Mexico

total: 228

over 3,047 m: 12

2,438 to 3,047 m: 28

1,524 to 2,437 m: 82

914 to 1,523 m: 77

under 914 m: 29 (2006)

Micronesia, Federated States of

total: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)

Midway Islands

total: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006)

Moldova

total: 6

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Mongolia total: 12 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Montenegro total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006)

Montserrat total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Morocco

total: 26

over 3,047 m: 11

2,438 to 3,047 m: 5

1,524 to 2,437 m: 7

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Mozambique

total: 22

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 10

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 5 (2006)

Namibia

total: 21

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 13

914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006)

Nauru

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Nepal

total: 10

over 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Netherlands

total: 20

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Netherlands Antilles

total: 5

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

New Caledonia total: 11 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

New Zealand total: 45 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Nicaragua total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Niger

total: 9

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Nigeria

total: 36

over 3,047 m: 6

2,438 to 3,047 m: 12

1,524 to 2,437 m: 10

914 to 1,523 m: 6

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Niue

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Norfolk Island

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Northern Mariana Islands

total: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Norway

total: 67

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 12

1,524 to 2,437 m: 12

914 to 1,523 m: 13

under 914 m: 29 (2006)

Oman

total: 6

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Pakistan

total: 91

over 3,047 m: 14

2,438 to 3,047 m: 21

1,524 to 2,437 m: 33

914 to 1,523 m: 15

under 914 m: 8 (2006)

Palau

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Panama

total: 53

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 18

under 914 m: 28 (2006)

Papua New Guinea total: 21 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Paracel Islands total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Paraguay total: 12 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2006)

Peru

total: 54

over 3,047 m: 6

2,438 to 3,047 m: 20

1,524 to 2,437 m: 14

914 to 1,523 m: 11

under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Philippines

total: 83

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 26

914 to 1,523 m: 36

under 914 m: 10 (2006)

Poland

total: 83

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 29

1,524 to 2,437 m: 40

914 to 1,523 m: 8

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Portugal

total: 43

over 3,047 m: 5

2,438 to 3,047 m: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 13

under 914 m: 11 (2006)

Puerto Rico total: 17 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 5 (2006)

Qatar

total: 3

over 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Romania total: 25 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 (2006)

Russia

total: 616

over 3,047 m: 51

2,438 to 3,047 m: 198

1,524 to 2,437 m: 130

914 to 1,523 m: 100

under 914 m: 137 (2006)

Rwanda

total: 4

over 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Saint Helena total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

total: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Saint Lucia

total: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

total: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

total: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Samoa

total: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Sao Tome and Principe

total: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Saudi Arabia total: 73 over 3,047 m: 32 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Senegal total: 9 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)

Serbia

total: 16

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Seychelles total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Sierra Leone total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Singapore

total: 9

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Slovakia

total: 18

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 8 (2006)

Slovenia

total: 6

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Solomon Islands total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Somalia total: 7 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

South Africa

total: 146

over 3,047 m: 10

2,438 to 3,047 m: 5

1,524 to 2,437 m: 51

914 to 1,523 m: 67

under 914 m: 13 (2006)

Spain

total: 96

over 3,047 m: 16

2,438 to 3,047 m: 10

1,524 to 2,437 m: 20

914 to 1,523 m: 24

under 914 m: 26 (2006)

Spratly Islands total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Sri Lanka

total: 14

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2006)

Sudan

total: 15

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2006)

Suriname

total: 5

over 3,047 m: 1

under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Svalbard

total: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Swaziland

total: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Sweden

total: 155

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 13

1,524 to 2,437 m: 80

914 to 1,523 m: 23

under 914 m: 36 (2006)

Switzerland

total: 42

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 11

914 to 1,523 m: 8

under 914 m: 16 (2006)

Syria

total: 26

over 3,047 m: 6

2,438 to 3,047 m: 15

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Taiwan

total: 38

over 3,047 m: 8

2,438 to 3,047 m: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 11

914 to 1,523 m: 8

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Tajikistan

total: 17

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Tanzania

total: 11

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Thailand

total: 66

over 3,047 m: 8

2,438 to 3,047 m: 11

1,524 to 2,437 m: 22

914 to 1,523 m: 20

under 914 m: 5 (2006)

Togo

total: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2006)

Tonga

total: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Trinidad and Tobago total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Tunisia

total: 14

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006)

Turkey

total: 89

over 3,047 m: 15

2,438 to 3,047 m: 33

1,524 to 2,437 m: 19

914 to 1,523 m: 18

under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Turkmenistan total: 22 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)

Turks and Caicos Islands

total: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Uganda

total: 5

over 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Ukraine

total: 193

over 3,047 m: 13

2,438 to 3,047 m: 55

1,524 to 2,437 m: 27

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 93 (2006)

United Arab Emirates

total: 23

over 3,047 m: 10

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 3 (2006)

United Kingdom

total: 334

over 3,047 m: 8

2,438 to 3,047 m: 33

1,524 to 2,437 m: 149

914 to 1,523 m: 86

under 914 m: 58 (2006)

United States

total: 5,119

over 3,047 m: 189

2,438 to 3,047 m: 221

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1,426

914 to 1,523 m: 2,337

under 914 m: 946 (2006)

Uruguay

total: 8

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Uzbekistan total: 34 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 5 (2006)

Vanuatu

total: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Venezuela total: 129 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 34 914 to 1,523 m: 60 under 914 m: 19 (2006)

Vietnam

total: 26

over 3,047 m: 8

2,438 to 3,047 m: 5

1,524 to 2,437 m: 11

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)

Virgin Islands total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Wake Island

total: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Wallis and Futuna

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

West Bank total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Western Sahara total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2006)

Yemen

total: 16

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 8

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Zambia

total: 10

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)

Zimbabwe

total: 17

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 8 (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2031 Airports - with unpaved runways

Afghanistan total: 35 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 9 (2006)

Albania

total: 8

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Algeria

total: 90

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 26

914 to 1,523 m: 39

under 914 m: 23 (2006)

American Samoa

total: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Angola

total: 213

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 5

1,524 to 2,437 m: 30

914 to 1,523 m: 95

under 914 m: 81 (2006)

Anguilla total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Antarctica total: 28 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 4 length unknown or variable: 4 (2006)

Antigua and Barbuda total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Argentina total: 1,227 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 49 914 to 1,523 m: 587 under 914 m: 587 (2006)

Armenia total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Australia

total: 144

1,524 to 2,437 m: 18

914 to 1,523 m: 111

under 914 m: 15 (2006)

Austria

total: 30

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 26 (2006)

Azerbaijan total: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 7 (2006)

Bahamas, The total: 35 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 22 (2006)

Bangladesh total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Belarus

total: 45

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 6

under 914 m: 35 (2006)

Belgium

total: 18

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 16 (2006)

Belize

total: 38

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 11

under 914 m: 26 (2006)

Benin

total: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)

Bhutan

total: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Bolivia

total: 1,068

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 60

914 to 1,523 m: 207

under 914 m: 797 (2006)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

total: 20

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 12 (2006)

Botswana

total: 75

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 55

under 914 m: 17 (2006)

Brazil

total: 3,562

1,524 to 2,437 m: 81

914 to 1,523 m: 1,634

under 914 m: 1,847 (2006)

British Virgin Islands

total: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Brunei

total: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Bulgaria

total: 85

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 11

under 914 m: 72 (2006)

Burkina Faso

total: 32

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 11

under 914 m: 18 (2006)

Burma

total: 64

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 13

914 to 1,523 m: 18

under 914 m: 32 (2006)

Burundi total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Cambodia

total: 14

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 11

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Cameroon

total: 36

1,524 to 2,437 m: 7

914 to 1,523 m: 20

under 914 m: 9 (2006)

Canada

total: 828

1,524 to 2,437 m: 66

914 to 1,523 m: 355

under 914 m: 407 (2006)

Cayman Islands total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Central African Republic total: 47 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 13 (2006)

Chad

total: 45

1,524 to 2,437 m: 14

914 to 1,523 m: 21

under 914 m: 10 (2006)

Chile

total: 290

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 11

914 to 1,523 m: 58

under 914 m: 216 (2006)

China

total: 83

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 13

914 to 1,523 m: 25

under 914 m: 39 (2006)

Colombia total: 883 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 35 914 to 1,523 m: 275 under 914 m: 572 (2006)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

total: 209

1,524 to 2,437 m: 18

914 to 1,523 m: 94

under 914 m: 97 (2006)

Congo, Republic of the

total: 28

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 11

under 914 m: 11 (2006)

Cook Islands

total: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Costa Rica total: 125 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 101 (2006)

Cote d'Ivoire

total: 28

1,524 to 2,437 m: 8

914 to 1,523 m: 15

under 914 m: 5 (2006)

Croatia

total: 45

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 37 (2006)

Cuba

total: 92

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 29

under 914 m: 62 (2006)

Cyprus

total: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Czech Republic total: 75 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 25 under 914 m: 49 (2006)

Denmark total: 64 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 61 (2006)

Djibouti

total: 10

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Dominican Republic

total: 19

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 10 (2006)

East Timor

total: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Ecuador

total: 261

914 to 1,523 m: 33

under 914 m: 228 (2006)

Egypt

total: 16

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 7 (2006)

El Salvador total: 71 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 56 (2006)

Equatorial Guinea total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Eritrea

total: 13

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Estonia

total: 12

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 5 (2006)

Ethiopia

total: 70

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 13

914 to 1,523 m: 28

under 914 m: 23 (2006)

Europa Island total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

European Union

1,373 (2006)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

total: 3

under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Fiji

total: 25

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 18 (2006)

Finland

total: 72

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 67 (2006)

France

total: 185 (metropolitan France) 9 (overseas departments)

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (metropolitan France)

914 to 1,523 m: 73 (metropolitan France) 2 (overseas departments)

under 914 m: 108 (metropolitan France) 7 (overseas departments)

(2006)

French Polynesia

total: 12

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 7 (2006)

Gabon

total: 45

1,524 to 2,437 m: 7

914 to 1,523 m: 15

under 914 m: 23 (2006)

Gaza Strip

total: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Georgia

total: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Germany

total: 222

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 33

under 914 m: 185 (2006)

Ghana

total: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Glorioso Islands total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Greece total: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 13 (2006)

Greenland total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Guam total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Guatemala total: 439 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 111 under 914 m: 319 (2006)

Guinea

total: 11

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Guinea-Bissau

total: 25

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 20 (2006)

Guyana

total: 81

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 14

under 914 m: 65 (2006)

Haiti

total: 8

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 7 (2006)

Honduras total: 105 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 84 (2006)

Hungary

total: 26

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 11

under 914 m: 10 (2006)

Iceland

total: 93

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 29

under 914 m: 61 (2006)

India

total: 98

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 7

914 to 1,523 m: 42

under 914 m: 48 (2006)

Indonesia total: 503 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 26 under 914 m: 471 (2006)

Iran

total: 192

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 8

914 to 1,523 m: 140

under 914 m: 43 (2006)

Iraq

total: 33

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 13

under 914 m: 10 (2006)

Ireland

total: 21

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 17 (2006)

Israel

total: 23

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 20 (2006)

Italy

total: 35

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 14

under 914 m: 19 (2006)

Jamaica total: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 22 (2006)

Jan Mayen total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Japan

total: 30

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 26 (2006)

Jordan

total: 2

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Juan de Nova Island

total: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Kazakhstan total: 83 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 53 (2006)

Kenya

total: 210

1,524 to 2,437 m: 11

914 to 1,523 m: 115

under 914 m: 84 (2006)

Kiribati

total: 16

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 11

under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Korea, North total: 41 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 7 (2006)

Korea, South

total: 38

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 35 (2006)

Kuwait

total: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Kyrgyzstan

total: 19

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 16 (2006)

Laos

total: 35

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 13

under 914 m: 21 (2006)

Latvia

total: 22

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 19 (2006)

Lebanon total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)

Lesotho total: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 21 (2006)

Liberia

total: 51

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 8

under 914 m: 38 (2006)

Libya

total: 81

over 3,047 m: 5

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 15

914 to 1,523 m: 41

under 914 m: 18 (2006)

Lithuania total: 57 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 53 (2006)

Luxembourg total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Macedonia total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Madagascar

total: 87

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 42

under 914 m: 43 (2006)

Malawi

total: 36

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 15

under 914 m: 20 (2006)

Malaysia

total: 80

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 72 (2006)

Maldives

total: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006)

Mali

total: 20

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 6

under 914 m: 8 (2006)

Marshall Islands total: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Mauritania total: 17 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Mauritius total: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Mexico

total: 1,611

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 68

914 to 1,523 m: 460

under 914 m: 1,081 (2006)

Midway Islands total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Moldova total: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Mongolia

total: 32

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 24

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Montenegro

total: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Morocco

total: 34

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 9

914 to 1,523 m: 12

under 914 m: 11 (2006)

Mozambique

total: 136

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 14

914 to 1,523 m: 34

under 914 m: 87 (2006)

Namibia

total: 116

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 22

914 to 1,523 m: 72

under 914 m: 20 (2006)

Nepal

total: 38

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 8

under 914 m: 29 (2006)

Netherlands

total: 7

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 4 (2006)

New Caledonia

total: 14

914 to 1,523 m: 8

under 914 m: 6 (2006)

New Zealand

total: 73

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 31

under 914 m: 40 (2006)

Nicaragua

total: 165

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 23

under 914 m: 141 (2006)

Niger

total: 19

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 15

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Nigeria

total: 33

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 13

under 914 m: 18 (2006)

Northern Mariana Islands

total: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Norway

total: 32

914 to 1,523 m: 6

under 914 m: 26 (2006)

Oman

total: 131

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 52

914 to 1,523 m: 35

under 914 m: 35 (2006)

Pakistan total: 48 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 23 (2006)

Palau

total: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006)

Palmyra Atoll

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Panama

total: 64

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 10

under 914 m: 53 (2006)

Papua New Guinea

total: 561

1,524 to 2,437 m: 11

914 to 1,523 m: 62

under 914 m: 488 (2006)

Paraguay

total: 869

1,524 to 2,437 m: 26

914 to 1,523 m: 325

under 914 m: 518 (2006)

Peru

total: 214

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 26

914 to 1,523 m: 63

under 914 m: 124 (2006)

Philippines total: 173 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 69 under 914 m: 99 (2006)

Poland

total: 39

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 13

under 914 m: 21 (2006)

Portugal total: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 22 (2006)

Puerto Rico total: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 10 (2006)

Qatar

total: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Romania

total: 36

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 11

under 914 m: 23 (2006)

Russia

total: 1,007

over 3,047 m: 9

2,438 to 3,047 m: 16

1,524 to 2,437 m: 75

914 to 1,523 m: 127

under 914 m: 780 (2006)

Rwanda

total: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

total: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Samoa

total: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Saudi Arabia total: 135 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 75 914 to 1,523 m: 40 under 914 m: 12 (2006)

Senegal

total: 11

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Serbia

total: 23

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 9

under 914 m: 12 (2006)

Seychelles

total: 7

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Sierra Leone

total: 9

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Slovakia

total: 18

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 9

under 914 m: 8 (2006)

Slovenia

total: 8

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Solomon Islands

total: 33

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 9

under 914 m: 23 (2006)

Somalia

total: 58

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 19

914 to 1,523 m: 29

under 914 m: 6 (2006)

South Africa

total: 585

1,524 to 2,437 m: 34

914 to 1,523 m: 302

under 914 m: 249 (2006)

Spain

total: 61

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 15

under 914 m: 44 (2006)

Spratly Islands

total: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Sri Lanka

total: 2

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Sudan

total: 73

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 18

914 to 1,523 m: 37

under 914 m: 17 (2006)

Suriname total: 42 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 36 (2006)

Svalbard total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Swaziland

total: 17

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 10 (2006)

Sweden

total: 100

914 to 1,523 m: 9

under 914 m: 91 (2006)

Switzerland

total: 23

under 914 m: 23 (2006)

Syria

total: 66

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 11

under 914 m: 54 (2006)

Taiwan

total: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Tajikistan

total: 23

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 22 (2006)

Tanzania

total: 113

1,524 to 2,437 m: 18

914 to 1,523 m: 62

under 914 m: 33 (2006)

Thailand

total: 42

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 15

under 914 m: 26 (2006)

Togo

total: 7

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Tonga

total: 5

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Trinidad and Tobago total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Tromelin Island total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Tunisia

total: 16

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 7 (2006)

Turkey

total: 28

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 8

under 914 m: 17 (2006)

Turkmenistan total: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Turks and Caicos Islands

total: 2

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Tuvalu

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Uganda

total: 26

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 11

under 914 m: 8 (2006)

Ukraine

total: 306

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 11

914 to 1,523 m: 18

under 914 m: 274 (2006)

United Arab Emirates total: 14 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 4 (2006)

United Kingdom total: 137 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 112 (2006)

United States total: 9,739 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 157 914 to 1,523 m: 1,728 under 914 m: 7,847 (2006)

Uruguay

total: 56

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 22

under 914 m: 31 (2006)

Uzbekistan

total: 27

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

under 914 m: 25 (2006)

Vanuatu

total: 28

914 to 1,523 m: 10

under 914 m: 18 (2006)

Venezuela

total: 246

1,524 to 2,437 m: 9

914 to 1,523 m: 90

under 914 m: 147 (2006)

Vietnam

total: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Wallis and Futuna total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Western Sahara total: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Yemen

total: 30

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 11

under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Zambia

total: 101

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 64

under 914 m: 32 (2006)

Zimbabwe total: 386 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 187 under 914 m: 194 (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2032 Environment - current issues

Afghanistan

limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate

supplies of potable water; soil degradation; overgrazing;

deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for

fuel and building materials); desertification; air and water

pollution

Akrotiri

shooting around the salt lake; note - breeding place for

loggerhead and green turtles; only remaining colony of griffon

vultures is on the base

Albania

deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial

and domestic effluents

Algeria

soil erosion from overgrazing and other poor farming

practices; desertification; dumping of raw sewage, petroleum

refining wastes, and other industrial effluents is leading to the

pollution of rivers and coastal waters; Mediterranean Sea, in

particular, becoming polluted from oil wastes, soil erosion, and

fertilizer runoff; inadequate supplies of potable water

American Samoa

limited natural fresh water resources; the water

division of the government has spent substantial funds in the past

few years to improve water catchments and pipelines

Andorra

deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes

to soil erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid waste

disposal

Angola

overuse of pastures and subsequent soil erosion attributable

to population pressures; desertification; deforestation of tropical

rain forest, in response to both international demand for tropical

timber and to domestic use as fuel, resulting in loss of

biodiversity; soil erosion contributing to water pollution and

siltation of rivers and dams; inadequate supplies of potable water

Anguilla

supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing

demand largely because of poor distribution system

Antarctica

in 1998, NASA satellite data showed that the Antarctic

ozone hole was the largest on record, covering 27 million square

kilometers; researchers in 1997 found that increased ultraviolet

light passing through the hole damages the DNA of icefish, an

Antarctic fish lacking hemoglobin; ozone depletion earlier was shown

to harm one-celled Antarctic marine plants; in 2002, significant

areas of ice shelves disintegrated in response to regional warming

Antigua and Barbuda

water management - a major concern because of

limited natural fresh water resources - is further hampered by the

clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall to

run off quickly

Arctic Ocean

endangered marine species include walruses and whales;

fragile ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from

disruptions or damage; thinning polar icepack

Argentina

environmental problems (urban and rural) typical of an

industrializing economy such as deforestation, soil degradation,

desertification, air pollution, and water pollution

note: Argentina is a world leader in setting voluntary greenhouse

gas targets

Armenia

soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; the energy

crisis of the 1990s led to deforestation when citizens scavenged for

firewood; pollution of Hrazdan (Razdan) and Aras Rivers; the

draining of Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan), a result of its use as a

source for hydropower, threatens drinking water supplies; restart of

Metsamor nuclear power plant in spite of its location in a

seismically active zone

Aruba

NA

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

NA

Atlantic Ocean

endangered marine species include the manatee, seals,

sea lions, turtles, and whales; drift net fishing is hastening the

decline of fish stocks and contributing to international disputes;

municipal sludge pollution off eastern US, southern Brazil, and

eastern Argentina; oil pollution in Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico,

Lake Maracaibo, Mediterranean Sea, and North Sea; industrial waste

and municipal sewage pollution in Baltic Sea, North Sea, and

Mediterranean Sea

Australia

soil erosion from overgrazing, industrial development,

urbanization, and poor farming practices; soil salinity rising due

to the use of poor quality water; desertification; clearing for

agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique

animal and plant species; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast

coast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by

increased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; limited

natural fresh water resources

Austria

some forest degradation caused by air and soil pollution;

soil pollution results from the use of agricultural chemicals; air

pollution results from emissions by coal- and oil-fired power

stations and industrial plants and from trucks transiting Austria

between northern and southern Europe

Azerbaijan

local scientists consider the Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron

Peninsula) (including Baku and Sumqayit) and the Caspian Sea to be

the ecologically most devastated area in the world because of severe

air, soil, and water pollution; soil pollution results from oil

spills, from the use of DDT as a pesticide, and from toxic

defoliants used in the production of cotton

Bahamas, The

coral reef decay; solid waste disposal

Bahrain

desertification resulting from the degradation of limited

arable land, periods of drought, and dust storms; coastal

degradation (damage to coastlines, coral reefs, and sea vegetation)

resulting from oil spills and other discharges from large tankers,

oil refineries, and distribution stations; lack of freshwater

resources, groundwater and seawater are the only sources for all

water needs

Baker Island

no natural fresh water resources

Bangladesh

many people are landless and forced to live on and

cultivate flood-prone land; water-borne diseases prevalent in

surface water; water pollution, especially of fishing areas, results

from the use of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by

naturally occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of

falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the

country; soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; severe

overpopulation

Barbados

pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships;

soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination

of aquifers

Bassas da India

NA

Belarus

soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of the

country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident

at Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine

Belgium

the environment is exposed to intense pressures from human

activities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry,

extensive animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water

pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries;

uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now

resolved) have slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges

Belize

deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial

effluents, agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal

Benin

inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens

wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification

Bermuda

sustainable development

Bhutan

soil erosion; limited access to potable water

Bolivia

the clearing of land for agricultural purposes and the

international demand for tropical timber are contributing to

deforestation; soil erosion from overgrazing and poor cultivation

methods (including slash-and-burn agriculture); desertification;

loss of biodiversity; industrial pollution of water supplies used

for drinking and irrigation

Bosnia and Herzegovina

air pollution from metallurgical plants;

sites for disposing of urban waste are limited; water shortages and

destruction of infrastructure because of the 1992-95 civil strife;

deforestation

Botswana

overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources

Bouvet Island

NA

Brazil

deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the habitat and

endangers a multitude of plant and animal species indigenous to the

area; there is a lucrative illegal wildlife trade; air and water

pollution in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and several other large

cities; land degradation and water pollution caused by improper

mining activities; wetland degradation; severe oil spills

British Indian Ocean Territory

NA

British Virgin Islands

limited natural fresh water resources (except

for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the

islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchments)

Brunei

seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

Bulgaria

air pollution from industrial emissions; rivers polluted

from raw sewage, heavy metals, detergents; deforestation; forest

damage from air pollution and resulting acid rain; soil

contamination from heavy metals from metallurgical plants and

industrial wastes

Burkina Faso

recent droughts and desertification severely affecting

agricultural activities, population distribution, and the economy;

overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation

Burma

deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water;

inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease

Burundi

soil erosion as a result of overgrazing and the expansion of

agriculture into marginal lands; deforestation (little forested land

remains because of uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel); habitat

loss threatens wildlife populations

Cambodia

illegal logging activities throughout the country and strip

mining for gems in the western region along the border with Thailand

have resulted in habitat loss and declining biodiversity (in

particular, destruction of mangrove swamps threatens natural

fisheries); soil erosion; in rural areas, most of the population

does not have access to potable water; declining fish stocks because

of illegal fishing and overfishing

Cameroon

waterborne diseases are prevalent; deforestation;

overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing

Canada

air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affecting

lakes and damaging forests; metal smelting, coal-burning utilities,

and vehicle emissions impacting on agricultural and forest

productivity; ocean waters becoming contaminated due to

agricultural, industrial, mining, and forestry activities

Cape Verde

soil erosion; deforestation due to demand for wood used

as fuel; desertification; environmental damage has threatened

several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand

extraction; overfishing

Cayman Islands

no natural fresh water resources; drinking water

supplies must be met by rainwater catchments

Central African Republic

tap water is not potable; poaching has

diminished the country's reputation as one of the last great

wildlife refuges; desertification; deforestation

Chad

inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal

in rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution;

desertification

Chile

widespread deforestation and mining threaten natural

resources; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions;

water pollution from raw sewage

China

air pollution (greenhouse gases, sulfur dioxide particulates)

from reliance on coal produces acid rain; water shortages,

particularly in the north; water pollution from untreated wastes;

deforestation; estimated loss of one-fifth of agricultural land

since 1949 to soil erosion and economic development;

desertification; trade in endangered species

Christmas Island

loss of rainforest; impact of phosphate mining

Clipperton Island

NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

fresh water resources are limited to

rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs

Colombia

deforestation; soil and water quality damage from overuse

of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle

emissions

Comoros

soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation

on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation

Congo, Democratic Republic of the poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation; refugees responsible for significant deforestation, soil erosion, and wildlife poaching; mining of minerals (coltan - a mineral used in creating capacitors, diamonds, and gold) causing environmental damage

Congo, Republic of the

air pollution from vehicle emissions; water

pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable;

deforestation

Cook Islands

NA

Coral Sea Islands

no permanent fresh water resources

Costa Rica

deforestation and land use change, largely a result of

the clearing of land for cattle ranching and agriculture; soil

erosion; coastal marine pollution; fisheries protection; solid waste

management; air pollution

Cote d'Ivoire

deforestation (most of the country's forests - once

the largest in West Africa - have been heavily logged); water

pollution from sewage and industrial and agricultural effluents

Croatia

air pollution (from metallurgical plants) and resulting acid

rain is damaging the forests; coastal pollution from industrial and

domestic waste; landmine removal and reconstruction of

infrastructure consequent to 1992-95 civil strife

Cuba

air and water pollution; biodiversity loss; deforestation

Cyprus

water resource problems (no natural reservoir catchments,

seasonal disparity in rainfall, sea water intrusion to island's

largest aquifer, increased salination in the north); water pollution

from sewage and industrial wastes; coastal degradation; loss of

wildlife habitats from urbanization

Czech Republic

air and water pollution in areas of northwest Bohemia

and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health risks; acid

rain damaging forests; efforts to bring industry up to EU code

should improve domestic pollution

Denmark

air pollution, principally from vehicle and power plant

emissions; nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of the North Sea;

drinking and surface water becoming polluted from animal wastes and

pesticides

Dhekelia

netting and trapping of small migrant songbirds in the

spring and autumn

Djibouti

inadequate supplies of potable water; limited arable land;

desertification; endangered species

Dominica

NA

Dominican Republic

water shortages; soil eroding into the sea

damages coral reefs; deforestation

East Timor

widespread use of slash and burn agriculture has led to

deforestation and soil erosion

Ecuador

deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water

pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically

sensitive areas of the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands

Egypt

agricultural land being lost to urbanization and windblown

sands; increasing soil salination below Aswan High Dam;

desertification; oil pollution threatening coral reefs, beaches, and

marine habitats; other water pollution from agricultural pesticides,

raw sewage, and industrial effluents; very limited natural fresh

water resources away from the Nile, which is the only perennial

water source; rapid growth in population overstraining the Nile and

natural resources

El Salvador

deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution;

contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes

Equatorial Guinea

tap water is not potable; deforestation

Eritrea

deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing;

loss of infrastructure from civil warfare

Estonia

air polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning

power plants in northeast; however, the amount of pollutants emitted

to the air have fallen steadily, the emissions of 2000 were 80% less

than in 1980; the amount of unpurified wastewater discharged to

water bodies in 2000 was one twentieth the level of 1980; in

connection with the start-up of new water purification plants, the

pollution load of wastewater decreased; Estonia has more than 1,400

natural and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural

areas need to be monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certain

locations

Ethiopia

deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification;

water shortages in some areas from water-intensive farming and poor

management

Europa Island

NA

European Union

NA

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) overfishing by unlicensed vessels is a problem; reindeer were introduced to the islands in 2001 for commercial reasons; this is the only commercial reindeer herd in the world unaffected by the Chornobyl disaster

Faroe Islands

NA

Fiji

deforestation; soil erosion

Finland

air pollution from manufacturing and power plants

contributing to acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes,

agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations

France

some forest damage from acid rain; air pollution from

industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes,

agricultural runoff

French Polynesia

NA

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

NA

Gabon

deforestation; poaching

Gambia, The

deforestation; desertification; water-borne diseases

prevalent

Gaza Strip

desertification; salination of fresh water; sewage

treatment; water-borne disease; soil degradation; depletion and

contamination of underground water resources

Georgia

air pollution, particularly in Rust'avi; heavy pollution of

Mtkvari River and the Black Sea; inadequate supplies of potable

water; soil pollution from toxic chemicals

Germany

emissions from coal-burning utilities and industries

contribute to air pollution; acid rain, resulting from sulfur

dioxide emissions, is damaging forests; pollution in the Baltic Sea

from raw sewage and industrial effluents from rivers in eastern

Germany; hazardous waste disposal; government established a

mechanism for ending the use of nuclear power over the next 15

years; government working to meet EU commitment to identify nature

preservation areas in line with the EU's Flora, Fauna, and Habitat

directive

Ghana

recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural

activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and

habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution;

inadequate supplies of potable water

Gibraltar

limited natural freshwater resources: large concrete or

natural rock water catchments collect rainwater (no longer used for

drinking water) and adequate desalination plant

Glorioso Islands

NA

Greece

air pollution; water pollution

Greenland

protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the

Inuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting

Grenada

NA

Guam

extirpation of native bird population by the rapid

proliferation of the brown tree snake, an exotic, invasive species

Guatemala

deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water

pollution

Guernsey

NA

Guinea

deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water;

desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing,

overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices have led to

environmental damage

Guinea-Bissau

deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing

Guyana

water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial

chemicals; deforestation

Haiti

extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land

is being cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion;

inadequate supplies of potable water

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

NA

Holy See (Vatican City)

NA

Honduras

urban population expanding; deforestation results from

logging and the clearing of land for agricultural purposes; further

land degradation and soil erosion hastened by uncontrolled

development and improper land use practices such as farming of

marginal lands; mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa (the

country's largest source of fresh water), as well as several rivers

and streams, with heavy metals

Hong Kong

air and water pollution from rapid urbanization

Howland Island

no natural fresh water resources

Hungary

the upgrading of Hungary's standards in waste management,

energy efficiency, and air, soil, and water pollution to meet EU

requirements will require large investments

Iceland

water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate

wastewater treatment

India

deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air

pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water

pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; tap

water is not potable throughout the country; huge and growing

population is overstraining natural resources

Indian Ocean

endangered marine species include the dugong, seals,

turtles, and whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf,

and Red Sea

Indonesia

deforestation; water pollution from industrial wastes,

sewage; air pollution in urban areas; smoke and haze from forest

fires

Iran

air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle

emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents;

deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the

Persian Gulf; wetland losses from drought; soil degradation

(salination); inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution

from raw sewage and industrial waste; urbanization

Iraq

government water control projects have drained most of the

inhabited marsh areas east of An Nasiriyah by drying up or diverting

the feeder streams and rivers; a once sizable population of Marsh

Arabs, who inhabited these areas for thousands of years, has been

displaced; furthermore, the destruction of the natural habitat poses

serious threats to the area's wildlife populations; inadequate

supplies of potable water; development of the Tigris and Euphrates

rivers system contingent upon agreements with upstream riparian

Turkey; air and water pollution; soil degradation (salination) and

erosion; desertification

Ireland

water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural

runoff

Isle of Man

waste disposal (both household and industrial);

transboundary air pollution

Israel

limited arable land and natural fresh water resources pose

serious constraints; desertification; air pollution from industrial

and vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and

domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides

Italy

air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulfur

dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and

agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate

industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities

Jamaica

heavy rates of deforestation; coastal waters polluted by

industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air

pollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions

Jan Mayen

NA

Japan

air pollution from power plant emissions results in acid rain;

acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality and

threatening aquatic life; Japan is one of the largest consumers of

fish and tropical timber, contributing to the depletion of these

resources in Asia and elsewhere

Jarvis Island

no natural fresh water resources

Jersey

NA

Johnston Atoll

no natural fresh water resources

Jordan

limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation;

overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Juan de Nova Island

NA

Kazakhstan

radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with

former defense industries and test ranges scattered throughout the

country pose health risks for humans and animals; industrial

pollution is severe in some cities; because the two main rivers

which flowed into the Aral Sea have been diverted for irrigation, it

is drying up and leaving behind a harmful layer of chemical

pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then picked up by

the wind and blown into noxious dust storms; pollution in the

Caspian Sea; soil pollution from overuse of agricultural chemicals

and salination from poor infrastructure and wasteful irrigation

practices

Kenya

water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation

of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers;

water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; deforestation; soil

erosion; desertification; poaching

Kingman Reef

none

Kiribati

heavy pollution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due to

heavy migration mixed with traditional practices such as lagoon

latrines and open-pit dumping; ground water at risk

Korea, North

water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water;

waterborne disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation

Korea, South

air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water

pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents;

drift net fishing

Kuwait

limited natural fresh water resources; some of world's

largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much

of the water; air and water pollution; desertification

Kyrgyzstan

water pollution; many people get their water directly

from contaminated streams and wells; as a result, water-borne

diseases are prevalent; increasing soil salinity from faulty

irrigation practices

Laos

unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; most of the

population does not have access to potable water

Latvia

Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service

industries after the country regained independence; the main

environmental priorities are improvement of drinking water quality

and sewage system, household, and hazardous waste management, as

well as reduction of air pollution; in 2001, Latvia closed the EU

accession negotiation chapter on environment committing to full

enforcement of EU environmental directives by 2010

Lebanon

deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution

in Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial

wastes; pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills

Lesotho

population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas

results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion;

desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and

redirects water to South Africa

Liberia

tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of

biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw

sewage

Libya

desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources;

the Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development

scheme in the world, is being built to bring water from large

aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities

Liechtenstein

NA

Lithuania

contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum

products and chemicals at military bases

Luxembourg

air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of

farmland

Macau

NA

Macedonia

air pollution from metallurgical plants

Madagascar

soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing;

desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and

other organic wastes; several endangered species of flora and fauna

unique to the island

Malawi

deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from

agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of

spawning grounds endangers fish populations

Malaysia

air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions;

water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from

Indonesian forest fires

Maldives

depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies;

global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching

Mali

deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; inadequate

supplies of potable water; poaching

Malta

very limited natural fresh water resources; increasing

reliance on desalination

Marshall Islands

inadequate supplies of potable water; pollution of

Majuro lagoon from household waste and discharges from fishing

vessels

Mauritania

overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated

by drought are contributing to desertification; very limited natural

fresh water resources away from the Senegal, which is the only

perennial river; locust infestation

Mauritius

water pollution, degradation of coral reefs

Mayotte

NA

Mexico

scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities; rural to

urban migration; natural fresh water resources scarce and polluted

in north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme

southeast; raw sewage and industrial effluents polluting rivers in

urban areas; deforestation; widespread erosion; desertification;

deteriorating agricultural lands; serious air and water pollution in

the national capital and urban centers along US-Mexico border; land

subsidence in Valley of Mexico caused by groundwater depletion

note: the government considers the lack of clean water and

deforestation national security issues

Micronesia, Federated States of

overfishing, climate change,

pollution

Midway Islands

NA

Moldova

heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned

pesticides such as DDT, has contaminated soil and groundwater;

extensive soil erosion from poor farming methods

Monaco

NA

Mongolia

limited natural fresh water resources in some areas; the

policies of former Communist regimes promoted rapid urbanization and

industrial growth that had negative effects on the environment; the

burning of soft coal in power plants and the lack of enforcement of

environmental laws severely polluted the air in Ulaanbaatar;

deforestation, overgrazing, and the converting of virgin land to

agricultural production increased soil erosion from wind and rain;

desertification and mining activities had a deleterious effect on

the environment

Montenegro

pollution of coastal waters from sewage outlets,

especially in tourist-related areas such as Kotor

Montserrat

land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for

cultivation

Morocco

land degradation/desertification (soil erosion resulting

from farming of marginal areas, overgrazing, destruction of

vegetation); water supplies contaminated by raw sewage; siltation of

reservoirs; oil pollution of coastal waters

Mozambique

a long civil war and recurrent drought in the hinterlands

have resulted in increased migration of the population to urban and

coastal areas with adverse environmental consequences;

desertification; pollution of surface and coastal waters; elephant

poaching for ivory is a problem

Namibia

very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification;

wildlife poaching; land degradation has led to few conservation areas

Nauru

limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks

collect rainwater, but mostly dependent on a single, aging

desalination plant; intensive phosphate mining during the past 90

years - mainly by a UK, Australia, and NZ consortium - has left the

central 90% of Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining

land resources

Navassa Island

NA

Nepal

deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of

alternatives); contaminated water (with human and animal wastes,

agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents); wildlife

conservation; vehicular emissions

Netherlands

water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic

compounds, and nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air

pollution from vehicles and refining activities; acid rain

Netherlands Antilles

NA

New Caledonia

erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires

New Zealand

deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna

hard-hit by invasive species

Nicaragua

deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution

Niger

overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification;

wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and

lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction

Nigeria

soil degradation; rapid deforestation; urban air and water

pollution; desertification; oil pollution - water, air, and soil;

has suffered serious damage from oil spills; loss of arable land;

rapid urbanization

Niue

increasing attention to conservationist practices to counter

loss of soil fertility from traditional slash and burn agriculture

Norfolk Island

NA

Northern Mariana Islands

contamination of groundwater on Saipan may

contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of

endangered species conflicts with development

Norway

water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely

affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle

emissions

Oman

rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very

limited natural fresh water resources

Pacific Ocean

endangered marine species include the dugong, sea

lion, sea otter, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in

Philippine Sea and South China Sea

Pakistan

water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and

agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh water resources; a

majority of the population does not have access to potable water;

deforestation; soil erosion; desertification

Palau

inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste; threats to

the marine ecosystem from sand and coral dredging, illegal fishing

practices, and overfishing

Palmyra Atoll

NA

Panama

water pollution from agricultural runoff threatens fishery

resources; deforestation of tropical rain forest; land degradation

and soil erosion threatens siltation of Panama Canal; air pollution

in urban areas; mining threatens natural resources

Papua New Guinea

rain forest subject to deforestation as a result of

growing commercial demand for tropical timber; pollution from mining

projects; severe drought

Paracel Islands

NA

Paraguay

deforestation; water pollution; inadequate means for waste

disposal pose health risks for many urban residents; loss of wetlands

Peru

deforestation (some the result of illegal logging); overgrazing

of the slopes of the costa and sierra leading to soil erosion;

desertification; air pollution in Lima; pollution of rivers and

coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes

Philippines

uncontrolled deforestation especially in watershed

areas; soil erosion; air and water pollution in major urban centers;

coral reef degradation; increasing pollution of coastal mangrove

swamps that are important fish breeding grounds

Pitcairn Islands

deforestation (only a small portion of the original

forest remains because of burning and clearing for settlement)

Poland

situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy

industry and increased environmental concern by post-Communist

governments; air pollution nonetheless remains serious because of

sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants, and the

resulting acid rain has caused forest damage; water pollution from

industrial and municipal sources is also a problem, as is disposal

of hazardous wastes; pollution levels should continue to decrease as

industrial establishments bring their facilities up to EU code, but

at substantial cost to business and the government

Portugal

soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and

vehicle emissions; water pollution, especially in coastal areas

Puerto Rico

erosion; occasional drought causing water shortages

Qatar

limited natural fresh water resources are increasing

dependence on large-scale desalination facilities

Romania

soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution

in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta

wetlands

Russia

air pollution from heavy industry, emissions of coal-fired

electric plants, and transportation in major cities; industrial,

municipal, and agricultural pollution of inland waterways and

seacoasts; deforestation; soil erosion; soil contamination from

improper application of agricultural chemicals; scattered areas of

sometimes intense radioactive contamination; groundwater

contamination from toxic waste; urban solid waste management;

abandoned stocks of obsolete pesticides

Rwanda

deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for

fuel; overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion; widespread poaching

Saint Helena

NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis

NA

Saint Lucia

deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the

northern region

Saint Pierre and Miquelon recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the environment

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines pollution of coastal waters and shorelines from discharges by pleasure yachts and other effluents; in some areas, pollution is severe enough to make swimming prohibitive

Samoa

soil erosion, deforestation, invasive species, overfishing

San Marino

NA

Sao Tome and Principe

deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion

Saudi Arabia

desertification; depletion of underground water

resources; the lack of perennial rivers or permanent water bodies

has prompted the development of extensive seawater desalination

facilities; coastal pollution from oil spills

Senegal

wildlife populations threatened by poaching; deforestation;

overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; overfishing

Serbia

air pollution around Belgrade and other industrial cities;

water pollution from industrial wastes dumped into the Sava which

flows into the Danube

Seychelles

water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater

Sierra Leone

rapid population growth pressuring the environment;

overharvesting of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and

slash-and-burn agriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil

exhaustion; civil war depleting natural resources; overfishing

Singapore

industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water

resources; limited land availability presents waste disposal

problems; seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in

Indonesia

Slovakia

air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human

health risks; acid rain damaging forests

Slovenia

Sava River polluted with domestic and industrial waste;

pollution of coastal waters with heavy metals and toxic chemicals;

forest damage near Koper from air pollution (originating at

metallurgical and chemical plants) and resulting acid rain

Solomon Islands

deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding

coral reefs are dead or dying

Somalia

famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human

health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion;

desertification

South Africa

lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires

extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water

usage outpacing supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff

and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil

erosion; desertification

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

NA

Southern Ocean

increased solar ultraviolet radiation resulting from

the Antarctic ozone hole in recent years, reducing marine primary

productivity (phytoplankton) by as much as 15% and damaging the DNA

of some fish; illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in recent

years, especially the landing of an estimated five to six times more

Patagonian toothfish than the regulated fishery, which is likely to

affect the sustainability of the stock; large amount of incidental

mortality of seabirds resulting from long-line fishing for toothfish

note: the now-protected fur seal population is making a strong

comeback after severe overexploitation in the 18th and 19th centuries

Spain

pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and

effluents from the offshore production of oil and gas; water quality

and quantity nationwide; air pollution; deforestation;

desertification

Spratly Islands

NA

Sri Lanka

deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations

threatened by poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from

mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources

being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste

disposal; air pollution in Colombo

Sudan

inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife populations

threatened by excessive hunting; soil erosion; desertification;

periodic drought

Suriname

deforestation as timber is cut for export; pollution of

inland waterways by small-scale mining activities

Svalbard

NA

Swaziland

limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations

being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil

degradation; soil erosion

Sweden

acid rain damage to soils and lakes; pollution of the North

Sea and the Baltic Sea

Switzerland

air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air

burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of

agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity

Syria

deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification;

water pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes;

inadequate potable water

Taiwan

air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw

sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in

endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal

Tajikistan

inadequate sanitation facilities; increasing levels of

soil salinity; industrial pollution; excessive pesticides

Tanzania

soil degradation; deforestation; desertification;

destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent

droughts affected marginal agriculture; wildlife threatened by

illegal hunting and trade, especially for ivory

Thailand

air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from

organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife

populations threatened by illegal hunting

Togo

deforestation attributable to slash-and-burn agriculture and

the use of wood for fuel; water pollution presents health hazards

and hinders the fishing industry; air pollution increasing in urban

areas

Tokelau

very limited natural resources and overcrowding are

contributing to emigration to New Zealand

Tonga

deforestation results as more and more land is being cleared

for agriculture and settlement; some damage to coral reefs from

starfish and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting

threatens native sea turtle populations

Trinidad and Tobago

water pollution from agricultural chemicals,

industrial wastes, and raw sewage; oil pollution of beaches;

deforestation; soil erosion

Tromelin Island

NA

Tunisia

toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffective and poses

health risks; water pollution from raw sewage; limited natural fresh

water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion;

desertification

Turkey

water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air

pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation; concern for

oil spills from increasing Bosporus ship traffic

Turkmenistan

contamination of soil and groundwater with agricultural

chemicals, pesticides; salination, water-logging of soil due to poor

irrigation methods; Caspian Sea pollution; diversion of a large

share of the flow of the Amu Darya into irrigation contributes to

that river's inability to replenish the Aral Sea; desertification

Turks and Caicos Islands

limited natural fresh water resources,

private cisterns collect rainwater

Tuvalu

since there are no streams or rivers and groundwater is not

potable, most water needs must be met by catchment systems with

storage facilities (the Japanese Government has built one

desalination plant and plans to build one other); beachhead erosion

because of the use of sand for building materials; excessive

clearance of forest undergrowth for use as fuel; damage to coral

reefs from the spread of the Crown of Thorns starfish; Tuvalu is

concerned about global increases in greenhouse gas emissions and

their effect on rising sea levels, which threaten the country's

underground water table; in 2000, the government appealed to

Australia and New Zealand to take in Tuvaluans if rising sea levels

should make evacuation necessary

Uganda

draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation;

overgrazing; soil erosion; water hyacinth infestation in Lake

Victoria; poaching is widespread

Ukraine

inadequate supplies of potable water; air and water

pollution; deforestation; radiation contamination in the northeast

from 1986 accident at Chornobyl' Nuclear Power Plant

United Arab Emirates

lack of natural freshwater resources

compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution

from oil spills

United Kingdom

continues to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (has met

Kyoto Protocol target of a 12.5% reduction from 1990 levels and

intends to meet the legally binding target and move toward a

domestic goal of a 20% cut in emissions by 2010); by 2005 the

government aims to reduce the amount of industrial and commercial

waste disposed of in landfill sites to 85% of 1998 levels and to

recycle or compost at least 25% of household waste, increasing to

33% by 2015; between 1998-99 and 1999-2000, household recycling

increased from 8.8% to 10.3%

United States

air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US

and Canada; the US is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide

from the burning of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff of

pesticides and fertilizers; limited natural fresh water resources in

much of the western part of the country require careful management;

desertification

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Baker, Howland, and

Jarvis Islands, and Johnston Atoll: no natural fresh water resources

Kingman Reef: none

Midway Islands and Palmyra Atoll: NA

Uruguay

water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry;

inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal

Uzbekistan

shrinkage of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing

concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these

substances are then blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and

contribute to desertification; water pollution from industrial

wastes and the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause

of many human health disorders; increasing soil salination; soil

contamination from buried nuclear processing and agricultural

chemicals, including DDT

Vanuatu

a majority of the population does not have access to a

reliable supply of potable water; deforestation

Venezuela

sewage pollution of Lago de Valencia; oil and urban

pollution of Lago de Maracaibo; deforestation; soil degradation;

urban and industrial pollution, especially along the Caribbean

coast; threat to the rainforest ecosystem from irresponsible mining

operations

Vietnam

logging and slash-and-burn agricultural practices contribute

to deforestation and soil degradation; water pollution and

overfishing threaten marine life populations; groundwater

contamination limits potable water supply; growing urban

industrialization and population migration are rapidly degrading

environment in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City

Virgin Islands

lack of natural freshwater resources

Wake Island

NA

Wallis and Futuna

deforestation (only small portions of the original

forests remain) largely as a result of the continued use of wood as

the main fuel source; as a consequence of cutting down the forests,

the mountainous terrain of Futuna is particularly prone to erosion;

there are no permanent settlements on Alofi because of the lack of

natural fresh water resources

West Bank

adequacy of fresh water supply; sewage treatment

Western Sahara

sparse water and lack of arable land

World

large areas subject to overpopulation, industrial disasters,

pollution (air, water, acid rain, toxic substances), loss of

vegetation (overgrazing, deforestation, desertification), loss of

wildlife, soil degradation, soil depletion, erosion

Yemen

very limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate

supplies of potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Zambia

air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral

extraction and refining region; chemical runoff into watersheds;

poaching seriously threatens rhinoceros, elephant, antelope, and

large cat populations; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification;

lack of adequate water treatment presents human health risks

Zimbabwe

deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and

water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd - once the largest

concentration of the species in the world - has been significantly

reduced by poaching; poor mining practices have led to toxic waste

and heavy metal pollution

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2033 Environment - international agreements

Afghanistan

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping

signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine

Life Conservation

Albania

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Algeria

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Andorra

party to: Hazardous Wastes, Biodiversity

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Angola

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law

of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Antigua and Barbuda

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine

Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Argentina

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,

Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic

Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Armenia

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes,

Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Australia

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,

Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic

Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the

Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,

Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Austria

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,

Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,

Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,

Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Azerbaijan

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Bahamas, The

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship

Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Bahrain

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Bangladesh

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone

Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Barbados

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Belarus

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Sulfur 85, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,

Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Belgium

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile

Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,

Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic

Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life

Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical

Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Belize

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Benin

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Bhutan

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Bolivia

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life

Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection

Bosnia and Herzegovina

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity,

Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life

Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Botswana

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Brazil

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine

Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,

Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,

Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship

Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Brunei

party to: Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Bulgaria

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,

Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental

Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty,

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Burkina Faso

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the

Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Burma

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone

Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical

Timber 94

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Burundi

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,

Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Cambodia

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,

Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Cameroon

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical

Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Canada

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,

Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,

Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic

Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,

Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,

Marine Life Conservation

Cape Verde

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,

Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Central African Republic

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer

Protection, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Chad

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection,

Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Chile

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine

Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,

Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,

Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship

Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

China

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the

Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Colombia

party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,

Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Comoros

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Congo, Democratic Republic of the party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Congo, Republic of the

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection,

Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Cook Islands

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the

Sea

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Costa Rica

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine

Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Cote d'Ivoire

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the

Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Croatia

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94,

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic

Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Cuba

party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine

Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Cyprus

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic

Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,

Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Czech Republic

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen

Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air

Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile

Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone

Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Denmark

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,

Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,

Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,

Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Djibouti

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship

Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Dominica

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone

Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Dominican Republic

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone

Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

East Timor

NA

Ecuador

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic

Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,

Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Egypt

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,

Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical

Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

El Salvador

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Equatorial Guinea

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ship Pollution,

Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Eritrea

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Estonia

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,

Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution,

Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Ethiopia

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

European Union

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen

Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air

Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,

Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

Protection, Tropical Timber 82, Tropical Timber 94

signed but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

Faroe Islands

party to: Marine Dumping -associate member to the

London Convention

Fiji

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea,

Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber

83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Finland

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,

Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,

Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,

Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,

Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

France

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,

Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,

Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,

Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life

Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical

Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Gabon

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,

Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Gambia, The

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship

Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Georgia

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship

Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Germany

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,

Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,

Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,

Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine

Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,

Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Ghana

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,

Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Greece

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,

Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,

Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,

Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship

Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic

Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

Grenada

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone

Layer Protection, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Guatemala

party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine

Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Guinea

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Guinea-Bissau

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Guyana

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber

83, Tropical Timber 94

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Haiti

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law

of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer

Protection

signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes

Holy See (Vatican City)

party to: none of the selected agreements

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification

Honduras

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,

Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Hong Kong

party to: Marine Dumping (associate member)

Hungary

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,

Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty,

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Iceland

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic

Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,

Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Transboundary Air Pollution, Wetlands,

Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life

Conservation

India

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine

Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone

Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical

Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Indonesia

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone

Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical

Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Iran

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer

Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the

Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Iraq

party to: Biodiversity, Law of the Sea

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Ireland

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine

Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,

Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic

Pollutants, Marine Life Conservation

Israel

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,

Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Italy

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile

Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,

Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic

Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,

Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Jamaica

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Japan

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine

Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,

Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,

Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship

Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

Jordan

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Kazakhstan

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Kenya

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Kiribati

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the

Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Korea, North

party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate

Change, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship

Pollution

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Korea, South

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,

Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,

Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,

Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship

Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Kuwait

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,

Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping

Kyrgyzstan

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes,

Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Laos

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Latvia

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic

Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,

Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Lebanon

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship

Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life

Conservation

Lesotho

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,

Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Liberia

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,

Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical

Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the

Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Libya

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer

Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Liechtenstein

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen

Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air

Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile

Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Lithuania

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,

Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Luxembourg

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,

Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur

85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic

Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Macau

party to: Marine Dumping -associate member to the London

Convention

Macedonia

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,

Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Madagascar

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone

Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Malawi

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone

Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Malaysia

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone

Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical

Timber 94, Wetlands

Maldives

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

Protection

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Mali

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Malta

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Marshall Islands

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the

Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Mauritania

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Mauritius

party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity,

Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,

Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,

Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Mexico

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Micronesia, Federated States of

party to: Biodiversity, Climate

Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous

Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Moldova

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic

Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,

Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Monaco

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic

Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone

Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Mongolia

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone

Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Montenegro

party to: Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping

Morocco

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,

Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands,

Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

Mozambique

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Namibia

party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity,

Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Nauru

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine

Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Nepal

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Netherlands

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,

Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur

85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic

Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living

Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of

the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,

Wetlands, Whaling

New Zealand

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,

Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,

Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,

Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship

Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Antarctic Seals, Marine Life Conservation

Nicaragua

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship

Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Niger

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Nigeria

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer

Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Niue

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Norway

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,

Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,

Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,

Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine

Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,

Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Oman

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine

Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Pakistan

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine

Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Palau

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,

Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Panama

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Papua New Guinea

party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate

Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the

Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Paraguay

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Peru

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine

Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship

Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Philippines

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,

Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Poland

party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,

Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic

Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,

Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,

Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Portugal

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life

Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical

Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic

Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Environmental

Modification

Qatar

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Romania

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic

Pollutants, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone

Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Russia

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Sulfur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,

Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic

Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,

Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,

Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship

Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Rwanda

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,

Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Saint Kitts and Nevis

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the

Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Saint Lucia

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine

Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

party to: Biodiversity, Climate

Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the

Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Samoa

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone

Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

San Marino

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,

Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution

Sao Tome and Principe

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law

of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Saudi Arabia

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer

Protection

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Senegal

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship

Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

Serbia

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine

Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship

Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Seychelles

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sierra Leone

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life

Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Singapore

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Slovakia

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,

Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,

Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Slovenia

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94,

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the

Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Solomon Islands

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification,

Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone

Layer Protection, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Somalia

party to: Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea,

Ozone Layer Protection

South Africa

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,

Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic

Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the

Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Southern Ocean

the Southern Ocean is subject to all international

agreements regarding the world's oceans; in addition, it is subject

to these agreements specific to the Antarctic region: International

Whaling Commission (prohibits commercial whaling south of 40 degrees

south [south of 60 degrees south between 50 degrees and 130 degrees

west]); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (limits

sealing); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living

Resources (regulates fishing)

note: many nations (including the US) prohibit mineral resource

exploration and exploitation south of the fluctuating Polar Front

(Antarctic Convergence) which is in the middle of the Antarctic

Circumpolar Current and serves as the dividing line between the very

cold polar surface waters to the south and the warmer waters to the

north

Spain

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,

Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,

Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,

Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Sri Lanka

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone

Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Sudan

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Suriname

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Swaziland

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Sweden

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,

Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,

Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,

Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,

Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical

Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Switzerland

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,

Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur

85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic

Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine

Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical

Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Syria

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship

Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Taiwan

party to: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's

international status

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements because of

Taiwan's international status

Tajikistan

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,

Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Tanzania

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Thailand

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,

Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Togo

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone

Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical

Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Tonga

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law

of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Trinidad and Tobago

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life

Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical

Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Tunisia

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,

Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Turkey

party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,

Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous

Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Turkmenistan

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone

Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Tuvalu

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,

Ship Pollution, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Uganda

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law

of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,

Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Ukraine

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

Pollution-Sulfur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,

Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,

Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine

Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic

Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic

Compounds

United Arab Emirates

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

United Kingdom

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen

Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic

Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living

Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate

Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered

Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the

Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,

Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

United States

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen

Oxides, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living

Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change,

Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,

Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,

Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands,

Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic

Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity,

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes

Uruguay

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine

Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone

Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

Uzbekistan

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer

Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Vanuatu

party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity,

Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Venezuela

party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,

Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,

Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed but not ratified:: none of the selected agreements

Vietnam

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Western Sahara

party to: none of the selected agreements

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Yemen

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

Protection

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Zambia

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Zimbabwe

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2034 Military expenditures - percent of GDP (%)

Afghanistan

1.7% (2005 est.)

Albania

1.49% (FY02)

Algeria

3.2% (2005 est.)

Angola

8.8% (2005 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

NA

Argentina

1.3% (FY00)

Armenia

6.5% (FY01)

Australia

2.7% (2005 est.)

Austria

0.9% (2004)

Azerbaijan

2.6% (FY99)

Bahamas, The

NA

Bahrain

4.9% (2005 est.)

Bangladesh

1.8% (2005 est.)

Barbados

NA

Belarus

1.4% (FY02)

Belgium

1.3% (2003)

Belize

1.7% (2005 est.)

Benin

2.3% (2005 est.)

Bermuda

0.11% (FY00/01)

Bhutan

1% (2005 est.)

Bolivia

1.4% (2005 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

4.5% (FY02)

Botswana

3.4% (2005 est.)

Brazil

1.3% (2005 est.)

Brunei

5.1% (2003 est.)

Bulgaria

2.6% (2003)

Burkina Faso

1.3% (2005 est.)

Burma

2.1% (FY97)

Burundi

5.6% (2005 est.)

Cambodia

3% (FY01 est.)

Cameroon

1.5% (2005 est.)

Canada

1.1% (2003)

Cape Verde

0.7% (2005 est.)

Central African Republic

1% (2005 est.)

Chad

1% (2005 est.)

Chile

3.5% (2005 est.)

China

4.3% (2005 est.)

Colombia

3.4% (FY01)

Comoros

3% (2005 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

1.5% (2005 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

1.4% (2005 est.)

Costa Rica

0.4% (2005 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

1.6% (2005 est.)

Croatia

2.39% (2002 est.)

Cuba

1.8% (2005 est.)

Cyprus

3.8% (FY02)

Czech Republic

1.81% FY05

Denmark

1.5% (2004)

Djibouti

4.3% (2005 est.)

Dominica

NA

Dominican Republic

0% (2002 est.)

East Timor

NA

Ecuador

2% (2005 est.)

Egypt

3.4% (2004)

El Salvador

1% (2005 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

2.1% (2005 est.)

Eritrea

17.7% (2005 est.)

Estonia

2% (2002 est.)

Ethiopia

3.4% (2005 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

NA

Faroe Islands

NA

Fiji

2.2% (FY02)

Finland

2% (FY98/99)

France

2.6% FY06 (2005 est.)

Gabon

3.4% (2005 est.)

Gambia, The

0.4% (2005 est.)

Gaza Strip

NA

Georgia

0.59% (FY00)

Germany

1.5% (2003)

Ghana

0.8% (2005 est.)

Greece

4.3% (2003)

Grenada

NA

Guatemala

0.5% (2005 est.)

Guinea

2.9% (2005 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

3.1% (2005 est.)

Guyana

0.9% (2003 est.)

Haiti

0.9% (2003 est.)

Honduras

2.55% (2005 est.)

Hong Kong

NA

Hungary

1.75% (2002 est.)

Iceland

0%

India

2.5% (2005 est.)

Indonesia

3% (2004)

Iran

3.3% (2003 est.)

Iraq

NA

Ireland

0.9% (FY00/01)

Israel

7.7% (2005 est.)

Italy

1.8% (2004)

Jamaica

0.4% (2003 est.)

Japan

1% (2005 est.)

Jordan

11.4% (2005 est.)

Kazakhstan

0.9% (Ministry of Defense expenditures) (FY02)

Kenya

1.6% (2005 est.)

Kiribati

NA

Korea, North

NA

Korea, South

2.6% FY05 (2005 est.)

Kuwait

4.2% (2005 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

1.4% (FY01)

Laos

0.4% (2005 est.)

Latvia

1.2% (FY01)

Lebanon

3.1% (2004)

Lesotho

2.1% (2005 est.)

Liberia

7.5% (2005 est.)

Libya

3.9% (FY99)

Lithuania

1.9% (FY01)

Luxembourg

0.9% (2003)

Macedonia

6% (FY01/02 est.)

Madagascar

7.2% (2005 est.)

Malawi

0.8% (2005 est.)

Malaysia

2.03% (FY00)

Maldives

5.5% (2005 est.)

Mali

1.9% (2005 est.)

Malta

1% (2005 est.)

Marshall Islands

NA

Mauritania

1.4% (2005 est.)

Mauritius

0.2% (2005 est.)

Mexico

0.8% (2005 est.)

Moldova

0.4% (FY02)

Mongolia

2.2% (FY02)

Morocco

5% (2003 est.)

Mozambique

1.3% (2005 est.)

Namibia

2.3% (2005 est.)

Nauru

NA

Nepal

1.5% (2005 est.)

Netherlands

1.6% (2004)

New Caledonia

NA

New Zealand

1% (FY02)

Nicaragua

0.7% (2005 est.)

Niger

1.4% (2005 est.)

Nigeria

0.8% (2005 est.)

Norway

1.9% (2003)

Oman

11.4% (2003)

Pakistan

3.9% (2005 est.)

Palau

NA

Panama

1% (2005 est.)

Papua New Guinea

1.4% (FY02)

Paraguay

0.9% (2003 est.)

Peru

1.4% (2003 est.)

Philippines

0.9% (2005 est.)

Poland

1.71% (2002)

Portugal

2.3% (2003)

Qatar

10% (FY00)

Romania

2.47% (2002)

Russia

NA

Rwanda

2.9% (2005 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

NA

Saint Lucia

NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

NA

Samoa

NA

San Marino

NA

Sao Tome and Principe

0.8% (2005 est.)

Saudi Arabia

10% (2002)

Senegal

1.4% (2005 est.)

Seychelles

2.1% (2005 est.)

Sierra Leone

1.7% (2005 est.)

Singapore

4.9% (FY01)

Slovakia

1.87% FY05 (2005)

Slovenia

1.7% (FY00)

Solomon Islands

NA

Somalia

0.9% (2005 est.)

South Africa

1.5% (2005 est.)

Spain

1.2% (2003)

Sri Lanka

2.6% (2005 est.)

Sudan

3% (1999) (2004)

Suriname

0.7% (2003 est.)

Swaziland

1.4% (2005 est.)

Sweden

1.5% (2005 est.)

Switzerland

1% (FY01)

Syria

5.9% (FY00)

Taiwan

2.4% (2005 est.)

Tajikistan

3.9% (FY01)

Tanzania

0.2% (2005 est.)

Thailand

1.8% (2003)

Togo

1.6% (2005 est.)

Tonga

NA

Trinidad and Tobago

0.6% (2003 est.)

Tunisia

1.5% (FY99)

Turkey

5.3% (2003)

Turkmenistan

3.4% (FY99)

Tuvalu

NA

Uganda

2.2% (2005 est.)

Ukraine

1.4% (FY02)

United Arab Emirates

3.1% (FY00)

United Kingdom

2.4% (2003)

United States

4.06% (FY03 est.) (2005 est.)

Uruguay

2.1% (2005 est.)

Uzbekistan

2% (FY97)

Vanuatu

NA

Venezuela

1.2% (2005 est.)

Vietnam

2.5% (FY98)

West Bank

NA

World

roughly 2% of gross world product (2005 est.)

Yemen

6.4% (2005 est.)

Zambia

1.8% (2005 est.)

Zimbabwe

4% (2005 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2038 Electricity - production (kWh)

Afghanistan

734.3 million kWh (2004)

Albania

5.434 billion kWh (2004)

Algeria

29.39 billion kWh (2004 est.)

American Samoa

128 million kWh (2004)

Andorra

NA kWh

Angola

2.194 billion kWh (2004)

Anguilla

NA kWh

Antigua and Barbuda

105 million kWh (2004)

Argentina

93.94 billion kWh (2004)

Armenia

6.317 billion kWh (2005)

Aruba

770 million kWh (2004)

Australia

225.3 billion kWh (2004)

Austria

65.56 billion kWh (2004)

Azerbaijan

20.35 billion kWh (2004)

Bahamas, The

1.795 billion kWh (2004)

Bahrain

7.794 billion kWh (2004)

Bangladesh

18.09 billion kWh (2004)

Barbados

896 million kWh (2004)

Belarus

29.33 billion kWh (2004)

Belgium

80.22 billion kWh (2004)

Belize

175 million kWh (2004)

Benin

82 million kWh (2004)

Bermuda

682.5 million kWh (2005)

Bhutan

2.05 billion kWh (2004)

Bolivia

4.472 billion kWh (2004)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

12.98 billion kWh (2004)

Botswana

823 million kWh (2004)

Brazil

380.9 billion kWh (2004)

British Indian Ocean Territory

NA kWh; note - electricity supplied

by the US military

British Virgin Islands

42 million kWh (2004)

Brunei

2.806 billion kWh (2004)

Bulgaria

41.96 billion kWh (2004)

Burkina Faso

400 million kWh (2004)

Burma

6.31 billion kWh (2004)

Burundi

137 million kWh (2004)

Cambodia

131 million kWh (2004)

Cameroon

3.924 billion kWh (2004)

Canada

573 billion kWh (2004)

Cape Verde

44 million kWh (2004)

Cayman Islands

400 million kWh (2004)

Central African Republic

109 million kWh (2004)

Chad

94 million kWh (2004)

Chile

50.91 billion kWh (2004)

China

2.5 trillion kWh (2005)

Colombia

46.93 billion kWh (2004)

Comoros

19 million kWh (2004)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

353 million kWh (2004)

Congo, Republic of the

6.847 billion kWh (2004)

Cook Islands

28 million kWh (2004)

Costa Rica

8.4 billion kWh (2004)

Cote d'Ivoire

4.625 billion kWh (2004)

Croatia

12.95 billion kWh (2004)

Cuba

15.34 billion kWh (2005)

Cyprus

Republic of Cyprus: 3.926 billion kWh; north Cyprus: NA kWh

(2004)

Czech Republic

79.14 billion kWh (2004)

Denmark

38.02 billion kWh (2004)

Djibouti

200 million kWh (2004)

Dominica

83.88 million kWh (2004)

Dominican Republic

15.02 billion kWh (2004)

East Timor

NA kWh (2004)

Ecuador

12.2 billion kWh (2004)

Egypt

91.72 billion kWh (2004)

El Salvador

4.174 billion kWh (2004)

Equatorial Guinea

26 million kWh (2004)

Eritrea

276.1 million kWh (2004)

Estonia

9.29 billion kWh (2004)

Ethiopia

2.294 billion kWh (2004)

European Union

2.98 trillion kWh (2004 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

16 million kWh (2004)

Faroe Islands

292.6 million kWh (2004)

Fiji

817 million kWh (2004)

Finland

81.6 billion kWh (2004)

France

540.6 billion kWh (2004)

French Polynesia

477 million kWh (2004)

Gabon

1.543 billion kWh (2004)

Gambia, The

145 million kWh (2004)

Gaza Strip

140,000 kWh

Georgia

6.804 billion kWh (2004)

Germany

566.9 billion kWh (2004)

Ghana

6.489 billion kWh (2004)

Gibraltar

131.2 million kWh (2004)

Greece

55.51 billion kWh (2004)

Greenland

295 million kWh (2004)

Grenada

171.3 million kWh (2004)

Guam

1.764 billion kWh (2004)

Guatemala

7.604 billion kWh (2004)

Guernsey

NA kWh

Guinea

790 million kWh (2004)

Guinea-Bissau

58.02 million kWh (2004)

Guyana

818.8 million kWh (2004)

Haiti

536.2 million kWh (2004)

Holy See (Vatican City)

NA kWh

Honduras

4.805 billion kWh (2004)

Hong Kong

38.45 billion kWh (2005)

Hungary

31.83 billion kWh (2004)

Iceland

8.474 billion kWh (2004)

India

630.6 billion kWh (2004)

Indonesia

112.6 billion kWh (2004)

Iran

155.7 billion kWh (2004)

Iraq

31.7 billion kWh (2005)

Ireland

23.26 billion kWh (2004)

Israel

46.07 billion kWh (2004)

Italy

277.6 billion kWh (2004)

Jamaica

6.913 billion kWh (2004)

Japan

974.4 billion kWh (2004)

Jordan

8.431 billion kWh (2004)

Kazakhstan

63.26 billion kWh (2004)

Kenya

5.709 billion kWh (2004)

Kiribati

13 million kWh (2004)

Korea, North

21.71 billion kWh (2004)

Korea, South

345.2 billion kWh (2004)

Kuwait

40.37 billion kWh (2004)

Kyrgyzstan

14.06 billion kWh (2004)

Laos

3.936 billion kWh (2004)

Latvia

4.55 billion kWh (2004)

Lebanon

9.762 billion kWh (2004)

Lesotho

250 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa

(2004)

Liberia

325 million kWh (2004)

Libya

19.44 billion kWh (2004)

Lithuania

17.8 billion kWh (2004)

Luxembourg

3.203 billion kWh (2005 est.)

Macau

2.027 billion kWh (2005)

Macedonia

6.271 billion kWh (2005)

Madagascar

984 million kWh (2004)

Malawi

1.293 billion kWh (2004)

Malaysia

78.24 billion kWh (2004)

Maldives

149.9 million kWh (2004)

Mali

410 million kWh (2004)

Malta

2.291 billion kWh (2004)

Mauritania

176.7 million kWh (2004)

Mauritius

2.107 billion kWh (2004)

Mayotte

NA kWh

Mexico

242.4 billion kWh (2004)

Micronesia, Federated States of

192 million kWh (2002)

Moldova

3.506 billion kWh (2004)

Mongolia

3.24 billion kWh (2005 est.)

Montenegro

2.864 billion kWh 2.864 billion kWh (2005 est.)

Montserrat

2 million kWh (2003)

Morocco

18.48 billion kWh (2004)

Mozambique

11.58 billion kWh (2004)

Namibia

1.397 billion kWh (2004)

Nauru

30 million kWh (2004)

Nepal

2.565 billion kWh (2005)

Netherlands

92.7 billion kWh (2004)

Netherlands Antilles

1.005 billion kWh (2004)

New Caledonia

1.675 billion kWh (2004)

New Zealand

41.1 billion kWh (2004)

Nicaragua

2.766 billion kWh (2004)

Niger

232 million kWh (2004)

Nigeria

19.06 billion kWh (2004)

Niue

3 million kWh (2004)

Norfolk Island

NA kWh

Northern Mariana Islands

NA kWh

Norway

108.9 billion kWh (2004)

Oman

14.33 billion kWh (2004)

Pakistan

80.24 billion kWh (2004)

Panama

7.545 billion kWh (2004)

Papua New Guinea

3.358 billion kWh (2004)

Paraguay

51.77 billion kWh (2004)

Peru

23.99 billion kWh (2004 est.)

Philippines

53.13 billion kWh (2004)

Pitcairn Islands

NA kWh; note - electric power is provided by a

small diesel-powered generator

Poland

143.5 billion kWh (2004)

Portugal

42.52 billion kWh (2004)

Puerto Rico

24.14 billion kWh (2004)

Qatar

12.4 billion kWh (2004)

Romania

54.53 billion kWh (2004)

Russia

952.4 billion kWh (2005)

Rwanda

93 million kWh (2004)

Saint Helena

7 million kWh (2004)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

125 million kWh (2004)

Saint Lucia

290 million kWh (2004)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

50 million kWh (2004)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

114 million kWh (2004)

Samoa

108 million kWh (2004)

Sao Tome and Principe

18 million kWh (2004)

Saudi Arabia

155.2 billion kWh (2004)

Senegal

1.453 billion kWh (2004)

Serbia

33.87 billion kWh (excluding Kosovo and Montenegro) (2004)

Seychelles

208 million kWh (2004)

Sierra Leone

244 million kWh (2004)

Singapore

32.64 billion kWh (2004)

Slovakia

28.81 billion kWh (2004)

Slovenia

14.46 billion kWh (2004)

Solomon Islands

55 million kWh (2004)

Somalia

269 million kWh (2004)

South Africa

227.2 billion kWh (2004)

Spain

263.3 billion kWh (2004)

Sri Lanka

7.714 billion kWh (2004)

Sudan

3.845 billion kWh (2004)

Suriname

1.509 billion kWh (2004)

Swaziland

458 million kWh (2004)

Sweden

150.5 billion kWh (2004)

Switzerland

61.97 billion kWh (2004)

Syria

29.64 billion kWh (2004 est.)

Taiwan

189.7 billion kWh (2005)

Tajikistan

16.5 billion kWh (2004)

Tanzania

2.562 billion kWh (2004)

Thailand

121.7 billion kWh (2004)

Togo

286.2 million kWh (2004)

Tokelau

NA kWh

Tonga

41 million kWh (2004)

Trinidad and Tobago

6.049 billion kWh (2004)

Tunisia

11.81 billion kWh (2004)

Turkey

143.3 billion kWh (2004)

Turkmenistan

10.79 billion kWh (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

7 million kWh (2004)

Uganda

1.894 billion kWh (2004)

Ukraine

177.3 billion kWh (2004)

United Arab Emirates

49.52 billion kWh (2004)

United Kingdom

363.2 billion kWh (2004)

United States

3.979 trillion kWh (2004)

Uruguay

8.183 billion kWh (2004)

Uzbekistan

46.45 billion kWh (2004)

Vanuatu

43 million kWh (2004)

Venezuela

93.03 billion kWh (2004)

Vietnam

40.11 billion kWh (2004)

Virgin Islands

980 million kWh (2004)

Wake Island

NA kWh

Wallis and Futuna

NA kWh

West Bank

NA kWh; note - most electricity imported from Israel; East

Jerusalem Electric Company buys and distributes electricity to

Palestinians in East Jerusalem and its concession in the West Bank;

the Israel Electric Company directly supplies electricity to most

Jewish residents and military facilities; some Palestinian

municipalities, such as Nablus and Janin, generate their own

electricity from small power plants

Western Sahara

85 million kWh (2004)

World

17.15 trillion kWh (2004 est.)

Yemen

4.077 billion kWh (2004 est.)

Zambia

9.962 billion kWh (2004)

Zimbabwe

9.412 billion kWh (2004)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2042 Electricity - consumption (kWh)

Afghanistan

782.9 million kWh (2004)

Albania

5.231 billion kWh (2004)

Algeria

27.4 billion kWh (2004 est.)

American Samoa

119 million kWh (2004)

Andorra

NA kWh

Angola

2.04 billion kWh (2004)

Anguilla

42.6 million kWh

Antigua and Barbuda

97.65 million kWh (2004)

Argentina

90.93 billion kWh (2004)

Armenia

4.374 billion kWh (2005)

Aruba

716.1 million kWh (2004)

Australia

209.5 billion kWh (2004)

Austria

64.07 billion kWh (2004)

Azerbaijan

20.57 billion kWh (2004)

Bahamas, The

1.669 billion kWh (2004)

Bahrain

7.248 billion kWh (2004)

Bangladesh

16.82 billion kWh (2004)

Barbados

833.3 million kWh (2004)

Belarus

31.05 billion kWh (2004)

Belgium

82.41 billion kWh (2004)

Belize

162.8 million kWh (2004)

Benin

576.3 million kWh (2004)

Bermuda

616.7 million kWh (2005)

Bhutan

526.5 million kWh (2004)

Bolivia

4.168 billion kWh (2004)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

11.03 billion kWh (2004)

Botswana

2.464 billion kWh (2004)

Brazil

391.7 billion kWh (2004)

British Indian Ocean Territory

NA kWh

British Virgin Islands

39.06 million kWh (2004)

Brunei

2.609 billion kWh (2004)

Bulgaria

35.23 billion kWh (2004)

Burkina Faso

372 million kWh (2004)

Burma

5.869 billion kWh (2004)

Burundi

157.4 million kWh (2004)

Cambodia

121.8 million kWh (2004)

Cameroon

3.649 billion kWh (2004)

Canada

522.4 billion kWh (2004)

Cape Verde

40.92 million kWh (2004)

Cayman Islands

372 million kWh (2004)

Central African Republic

101.4 million kWh (2004)

Chad

87.42 million kWh (2004)

Chile

49.09 billion kWh (2004)

China

2.494 trillion kWh (2005)

Colombia

42.01 billion kWh (2004)

Comoros

17.67 million kWh (2004)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

658.3 million kWh (2004)

Congo, Republic of the

5.127 billion kWh (2004)

Cook Islands

26.04 million kWh (2004 est.)

Costa Rica

7.574 billion kWh (2004)

Cote d'Ivoire

3.202 billion kWh (2004)

Croatia

16.53 billion kWh (2004)

Cuba

14.1 billion kWh (2004)

Cyprus

Republic of Cyprus: 3.651 billion kWh (2004); north Cyprus:

NA kWh (2004)

Czech Republic

58.8 billion kWh (2004)

Denmark

32.56 billion kWh (2004)

Djibouti

186 million kWh (2004)

Dominica

78.01 million kWh (2004)

Dominican Republic

13.96 billion kWh (2004)

East Timor

NA kWh (2004)

Ecuador

12.95 billion kWh (2004)

Egypt

84.49 billion kWh (2004)

El Salvador

4.229 billion kWh (2004)

Equatorial Guinea

24.18 million kWh (2004)

Eritrea

256.7 million kWh (2004)

Estonia

6.846 billion kWh (2004)

Ethiopia

2.133 billion kWh (2004)

European Union

2.77 trillion kWh (2004 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

14.88 million kWh (2004)

Faroe Islands

272.1 million kWh (2004)

Fiji

759.8 million kWh (2004)

Finland

80.79 billion kWh (2004)

France

440.6 billion kWh (2004)

French Polynesia

443.6 million kWh (2004)

Gabon

1.435 billion kWh (2004)

Gambia, The

134.9 million kWh (2004)

Gaza Strip

230,000 kWh

Georgia

8.528 billion kWh (2004)

Germany

524.6 billion kWh (2004)

Ghana

7.095 billion kWh (2004)

Gibraltar

122 million kWh (2004)

Greece

53.5 billion kWh (2005 est.)

Greenland

274.4 million kWh (2004)

Grenada

159.3 million kWh (2004)

Guam

1.641 billion kWh (2004)

Guatemala

6.649 billion kWh (2004)

Guernsey

NA kWh

Guinea

734.7 million kWh (2004)

Guinea-Bissau

53.96 million kWh (2004)

Guyana

761.5 million kWh (2004)

Haiti

498.6 million kWh (2004)

Holy See (Vatican City)

NA kWh

Honduras

4.824 billion kWh (2004)

Hong Kong

44.55 billion kWh (2005)

Hungary

37.1 billion kWh (2004)

Iceland

7.881 billion kWh (2004)

India

587.9 billion kWh (2004)

Indonesia

104.7 billion kWh (2004)

Iran

145.1 billion kWh (2004)

Iraq

33.3 billion kWh (2005)

Ireland

23.23 billion kWh (2004)

Israel

41.38 billion kWh (2004)

Italy

303.8 billion kWh (2004)

Jamaica

6.429 billion kWh (2004)

Japan

906.2 billion kWh (2004)

Jersey

630.1 million kWh (2004 est.)

Jordan

8.387 billion kWh (2004)

Kazakhstan

58.3 billion kWh (2004)

Kenya

5.459 billion kWh (2004)

Kiribati

12.09 million kWh (2004)

Korea, North

20.19 billion kWh (2004)

Korea, South

321 billion kWh (2004)

Kuwait

37.54 billion kWh (2004)

Kyrgyzstan

6.777 billion kWh (2004)

Laos

3.26 billion kWh (2004)

Latvia

6.329 billion kWh (2004)

Lebanon

9.529 billion kWh (2004)

Lesotho

244.5 million kWh (2004)

Liberia

302.3 million kWh (2004)

Libya

18.08 billion kWh (2004)

Lithuania

9.358 billion kWh (2004)

Luxembourg

6.14 billion kWh (2005 est.)

Macau

2.159 billion kWh (2005)

Macedonia

7.933 billion kWh (2005)

Madagascar

915.1 million kWh (2004)

Malawi

1.202 billion kWh (2004)

Malaysia

72.71 billion kWh (2004)

Maldives

139.4 million kWh (2004)

Mali

381.3 million kWh (2004)

Malta

2.13 billion kWh (2004)

Mauritania

164.3 million kWh (2004)

Mauritius

1.96 billion kWh (2004)

Mayotte

87.79 million kWh (2001)

Mexico

224.6 billion kWh (2004)

Micronesia, Federated States of

178.6 million kWh (2002)

Moldova

6.731 billion kWh (2004)

Monaco

NA kWh

Mongolia

3.37 billion kWh (2005 est.)

Montenegro

18.6 million kWh

Montserrat

1.86 million kWh (2003)

Morocco

18.89 billion kWh (2004)

Mozambique

9.592 billion kWh (2004)

Namibia

2.819 billion kWh (2004)

Nauru

27.9 million kWh (2004)

Nepal

1.85 billion kWh (2005)

Netherlands

102.4 billion kWh (2004)

Netherlands Antilles

934.7 million kWh (2004)

New Caledonia

1.558 billion kWh (2004)

New Zealand

38.22 billion kWh (2004)

Nicaragua

2.573 billion kWh (2004)

Niger

415.8 million kWh (2004)

Nigeria

17.71 billion kWh (2004)

Niue

2.79 million kWh (2004)

Norfolk Island

NA kWh

Northern Mariana Islands

NA kWh

Norway

112.8 billion kWh (2004)

Oman

13.33 billion kWh (2004)

Pakistan

74.62 billion kWh (2004)

Panama

6.888 billion kWh (2004)

Papua New Guinea

3.123 billion kWh (2004)

Paraguay

3.133 billion kWh (2004)

Peru

22.31 billion kWh (2004)

Philippines

49.41 billion kWh (2004)

Poland

124.1 billion kWh (2004)

Portugal

46.05 billion kWh (2004)

Puerto Rico

22.45 billion kWh (2004)

Qatar

11.53 billion kWh (2004)

Romania

49.62 billion kWh (2004)

Russia

940 billion kWh (2005)

Rwanda

196.5 million kWh (2004)

Saint Helena

6.51 million kWh (2004)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

116.3 million kWh (2004)

Saint Lucia

269.7 million kWh (2004)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

46.5 million kWh (2004)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

106 million kWh (2004)

Samoa

100.5 million kWh (2004)

Sao Tome and Principe

16.74 million kWh (2004)

Saudi Arabia

144.4 billion kWh (2004)

Senegal

1.351 billion kWh (2004)

Serbia

NA

Seychelles

193.4 million kWh (2004)

Sierra Leone

226.9 million kWh (2004)

Singapore

30.35 billion kWh (2004)

Slovakia

24.2 billion kWh (2004)

Slovenia

12.67 billion kWh (2004)

Solomon Islands

51.15 million kWh (2004)

Somalia

250.2 million kWh (2004)

South Africa

207 billion kWh (2004)

Spain

241.8 billion kWh (2004)

Sri Lanka

7.174 billion kWh (2004)

Sudan

3.576 billion kWh (2004)

Suriname

1.403 billion kWh (2004)

Swaziland

1.123 billion kWh (2004)

Sweden

137.8 billion kWh (2004)

Switzerland

56.93 billion kWh (2004)

Syria

27.57 billion kWh (2004 est.)

Taiwan

175.3 billion kWh (2005)

Tajikistan

15.7 billion kWh (2004)

Tanzania

2.383 billion kWh (2004)

Thailand

116.2 billion kWh (2004)

Togo

929.2 million kWh (2004)

Tokelau

NA kWh

Tonga

38.13 million kWh (2004)

Trinidad and Tobago

5.626 billion kWh (2004)

Tunisia

10.97 billion kWh (2004)

Turkey

140.3 billion kWh (2005)

Turkmenistan

9.03 billion kWh (2004)

Turks and Caicos Islands

6.51 million kWh (2004)

Uganda

1.596 billion kWh (2004)

Ukraine

158.9 billion kWh (2004)

United Arab Emirates

46.05 billion kWh (2004)

United Kingdom

345.2 billion kWh (2004)

United States

3.717 trillion kWh (2004)

Uruguay

9.939 billion kWh (2004)

Uzbekistan

48.2 billion kWh (2004)

Vanuatu

39.99 million kWh (2004)

Venezuela

86.52 billion kWh (2004)

Vietnam

37.3 billion kWh (2004)

Virgin Islands

911.4 million kWh (2004)

Wallis and Futuna

NA kWh

West Bank

NA kWh

Western Sahara

79.05 million kWh (2004)

World

16.18 trillion kWh (2004 est.)

Yemen

3.792 billion kWh (2004 est.)

Zambia

6.692 billion kWh (2004)

Zimbabwe

11 billion kWh (2004)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2043 Electricity - imports (kWh)

Afghanistan

100 million kWh (2004)

Albania

567 million kWh (2004 est.)

Algeria

300 million kWh (2004 est.)

American Samoa

0 kWh (2004)

Andorra

NA kWh; note - most electricity supplied by Spain and

France; Andorra generates a small amount of hydropower

Angola

0 kWh (2004)

Antigua and Barbuda

0 kWh (2004)

Argentina

7.7 billion kWh (2004)

Armenia

260 million kWh; note - imports an unknown quantity from

Iran (2004)

Aruba

0 kWh (2004)

Australia

0 kWh (2004)

Austria

16.6 billion kWh (2004)

Azerbaijan

2.15 billion kWh (2004)

Bahamas, The

0 kWh (2004)

Bahrain

0 kWh (2004)

Bangladesh

0 kWh (2004)

Barbados

0 kWh (2004)

Belarus

8.5 billion kWh (2004)

Belgium

14.6 billion kWh (2004)

Belize

0 kWh (2004)

Benin

500 million kWh (2004)

Bermuda

0 kWh (2004)

Bhutan

20 million kWh (2004)

Bolivia

9 million kWh (2004)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

2 billion kWh (2004)

Botswana

1.699 billion kWh (2004)

Brazil

39 billion kWh; note - supplied by Paraguay (2005)

British Virgin Islands

0 kWh (2004)

Brunei

0 kWh (2004)

Bulgaria

1.2 billion kWh (2004)

Burkina Faso

0 kWh (2004)

Burma

0 kWh (2004)

Burundi

30 million kWh; note - supplied by the Democratic Republic

of the Congo (2004)

Cambodia

0 kWh (2004)

Cameroon

0 kWh (2004)

Canada

22.48 billion kWh (2004)

Cape Verde

0 kWh (2004)

Cayman Islands

0 kWh (2004)

Central African Republic

0 kWh (2004)

Chad

0 kWh (2004)

Chile

1.744 billion kWh (2004)

China

5 billion kWh (2005)

Colombia

48 million kWh (2004)

Comoros

0 kWh (2004)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

330 million kWh (2004)

Congo, Republic of the

9 million kWh (2004)

Cook Islands

0 kWh (2004)

Costa Rica

202 million kWh (2004)

Cote d'Ivoire

0 kWh (2004)

Croatia

5.086 billion kWh (2004)

Cuba

0 kWh (2004)

Cyprus

0 kWh (2004)

Czech Republic

9.8 billion kWh (2004)

Denmark

8.7 billion kWh (2004)

Djibouti

0 kWh (2004)

Dominica

0 kWh (2004)

Dominican Republic

0 kWh (2004)

East Timor

0 kWh (2004)

Ecuador

1.642 billion kWh (2004)

Egypt

200 million kWh (2004)

El Salvador

456 million kWh (2004)

Equatorial Guinea

0 kWh (2004)

Eritrea

0 kWh (2004)

Estonia

347 million kWh (2004)

Ethiopia

0 kWh (2004)

European Union

277.1 billion kWh

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

0 kWh (2004)

Faroe Islands

0 kWh (2004)

Fiji

0 kWh (2004)

Finland

11.7 billion kWh (2004)

France

6.5 billion kWh (2004)

French Polynesia

0 kWh (2004)

Gabon

0 kWh (2004)

Gambia, The

0 kWh (2004)

Gaza Strip

90,000 kWh; note - from Israeli Electric Company (2005)

Georgia

2.4 billion kWh (2004)

Germany

48.2 billion kWh (2004)

Ghana

1.96 billion kWh (2004)

Gibraltar

0 kWh (2004)

Greece

3.4 billion kWh (2004)

Greenland

0 kWh (2004)

Grenada

0 kWh (2004)

Guam

0 kWh (2004)

Guatemala

41 million kWh (2004)

Guernsey

0 kWh (2002)

Guinea

0 kWh (2004)

Guinea-Bissau

0 kWh (2004)

Guyana

0 kWh (2004)

Haiti

0 kWh (2004)

Holy See (Vatican City)

NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy

Honduras

356 million kWh (2004)

Hong Kong

10.39 billion kWh (2005)

Hungary

13.8 billion kWh (2004)

Iceland

0 kWh (2004)

India

1.5 billion kWh (2004)

Indonesia

0 kWh (2004)

Iran

2.17 billion kWh (2004)

Iraq

2.02 billion kWh (2005)

Ireland

1.6 billion kWh (2004)

Israel

0 kWh (2004)

Italy

46.4 billion kWh (2004)

Jamaica

0 kWh (2004)

Japan

0 kWh (2004)

Jersey

NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France

Jordan

550 million kWh (2004)

Kazakhstan

4.37 billion kWh (2004)

Kenya

150 million kWh (2004)

Kiribati

0 kWh (2004)

Korea, North

0 kWh (2004)

Korea, South

0 kWh (2004)

Kuwait

0 kWh (2004)

Kyrgyzstan

100 million kWh (2004)

Laos

200 million kWh (2004)

Latvia

2.733 billion kWh (2004)

Lebanon

450 million kWh (2004)

Lesotho

12 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa

(2004)

Liberia

0 kWh (2004)

Libya

0 kWh (2004)

Lithuania

4.293 billion kWh (2004)

Luxembourg

5.287 billion kWh (2005 est.)

Macau

340.8 million kWh (2005)

Macedonia

1.662 billion kWh (2005)

Madagascar

0 kWh (2004)

Malawi

0 kWh (2004)

Malaysia

0 kWh (2004)

Maldives

0 kWh (2004)

Mali

0 kWh (2004)

Malta

0 kWh (2004)

Mauritania

0 kWh (2004)

Mauritius

0 kWh (2004)

Mexico

416 million kWh (2004)

Micronesia, Federated States of

0 kWh (2002)

Moldova

3.6 billion kWh (2004)

Monaco

NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France

Mongolia

130 million kWh (2005 est.)

Montserrat

0 kWh (2003)

Morocco

1.7 billion kWh (2004)

Mozambique

7.576 billion kWh (2004)

Namibia

1.6 billion kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa

(2004)

Nauru

0 kWh (2004)

Nepal

241 million kWh (2005)

Netherlands

21.4 billion kWh (2004)

Netherlands Antilles

0 kWh (2004)

New Caledonia

0 kWh (2004)

New Zealand

0 kWh (2004)

Nicaragua

23 million kWh (2004)

Niger

200 million kWh (2004)

Nigeria

0 kWh (2004)

Niue

0 kWh (2004)

Northern Mariana Islands

0 kWh

Norway

15.3 billion kWh (2004)

Oman

0 kWh (2004)

Pakistan

0 kWh (2004)

Panama

78 million kWh (2004)

Papua New Guinea

0 kWh (2004)

Paraguay

0 kWh (2004)

Peru

0 kWh (2004)

Philippines

0 kWh (2006)

Poland

5.3 billion kWh (2004)

Portugal

8.6 billion kWh (2004)

Puerto Rico

0 kWh (2004)

Qatar

0 kWh (2004)

Romania

2.6 billion kWh (2004)

Russia

9.9 billion kWh (2005)

Rwanda

120 million kWh (2004)

Saint Helena

0 kWh (2004)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

0 kWh (2004)

Saint Lucia

0 kWh (2004)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

0 kWh (2004)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

0 kWh (2004)

Samoa

0 kWh (2004)

Sao Tome and Principe

0 kWh (2004)

Saudi Arabia

0 kWh (2004)

Senegal

0 kWh (2004)

Serbia

11.23 billion kWh (excluding Kosovo; imports from Montenegro)

(2004)

Seychelles

0 kWh (2004)

Sierra Leone

0 kWh (2004)

Singapore

0 kWh (2004)

Slovakia

7.8 billion kWh (2004)

Slovenia

6.314 billion kWh (2004)

Solomon Islands

0 kWh (2004)

Somalia

0 kWh (2004)

South Africa

8.026 billion kWh (2004)

Spain

8.3 billion kWh (2004)

Sri Lanka

0 kWh (2004)

Sudan

0 kWh (2004)

Suriname

0 kWh (2004)

Swaziland

697 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South

Africa (2004)

Sweden

15.6 billion kWh (2004)

Switzerland

27.1 billion kWh (2004)

Syria

0 kWh (2004)

Taiwan

0 kWh (2005)

Tajikistan

4.81 billion kWh (2004)

Tanzania

0 kWh (2004)

Thailand

3.388 billion kWh (2004)

Togo

663 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by Ghana (2004)

Tonga

0 kWh (2004)

Trinidad and Tobago

0 kWh (2004)

Tunisia

5 million kWh (2004)

Turkey

500 million kWh (2004)

Turkmenistan

0 kWh (2004)

Turks and Caicos Islands

0 kWh (2004)

Uganda

0 kWh (2004)

Ukraine

6 billion kWh (2004)

United Arab Emirates

0 kWh (2004)

United Kingdom

9.8 billion kWh (2004)

United States

34.21 billion kWh (2004)

Uruguay

2.348 billion kWh (2004)

Uzbekistan

11.8 billion kWh (2004)

Vanuatu

0 kWh (2004)

Venezuela

0 kWh (2004)

Vietnam

0 kWh

Virgin Islands

0 kWh (2004)

Wallis and Futuna

0 kWh (2002)

West Bank

NA kWh

Western Sahara

0 kWh (2004)

World

568.5 billion kWh (2004)

Yemen

0 kWh (2004)

Zambia

403 million kWh (2004)

Zimbabwe

2.25 billion kWh (2004)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2044 Electricity - exports (kWh)

Afghanistan

0 kWh (2004)

Albania

390 million kWh (2004)

Algeria

230 million kWh (2004 est.)

American Samoa

0 kWh (2004)

Andorra

NA kWh

Angola

0 kWh (2004)

Antigua and Barbuda

0 kWh (2004)

Argentina

4.143 billion kWh (2004)

Armenia

1.012 billion kWh; note - exports an unknown quantity to

Georgia; includes exports to Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan

(2004)

Aruba

0 kWh (2004)

Australia

0 kWh (2004)

Austria

13.5 billion kWh (2004)

Azerbaijan

510 million kWh (2004)

Bahamas, The

0 kWh (2004)

Bahrain

0 kWh (2004)

Bangladesh

0 kWh (2004)

Barbados

0 kWh (2004)

Belarus

4.723 billion kWh (2004)

Belgium

6.8 billion kWh (2004)

Belize

0 kWh (2004)

Benin

0 kWh (2004)

Bermuda

0 kWh (2005)

Bhutan

1.4 billion kWh (2004)

Bolivia

0 kWh (2004)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

3.05 billion kWh (2004)

Botswana

0 kWh (2004)

Brazil

7 million kWh (2004)

British Virgin Islands

0 kWh (2004)

Brunei

0 kWh (2004)

Bulgaria

5 billion kWh (2004)

Burkina Faso

0 kWh (2004)

Burma

0 kWh (2004)

Burundi

0 kWh (2004)

Cambodia

0 kWh (2004)

Cameroon

0 kWh (2004)

Canada

33.01 billion kWh (2004)

Cape Verde

0 kWh (2004)

Cayman Islands

0 kWh (2004)

Central African Republic

0 kWh (2004)

Chad

0 kWh (2004)

Chile

0 kWh (2004)

China

11.2 billion kWh (2005)

Colombia

1.682 billion kWh (2004)

Comoros

0 kWh (2004)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

0 kWh (2004)

Congo, Republic of the

1.25 billion kWh (2004)

Cook Islands

0 kWh (2004)

Costa Rica

440 million kWh (2004)

Cote d'Ivoire

1.1 billion kWh (2004)

Croatia

600 million kWh (2004)

Cuba

0 kWh (2004)

Cyprus

0 kWh (2004)

Czech Republic

24.6 billion kWh (2004)

Denmark

11.5 billion kWh (2004)

Djibouti

0 kWh (2004)

Dominica

0 kWh (2004)

Dominican Republic

0 kWh (2004)

East Timor

0 kWh (2004)

Ecuador

35 million kWh (2004)

Egypt

1 billion kWh (2004)

El Salvador

109 million kWh (2004)

Equatorial Guinea

0 kWh (2004)

Eritrea

0 kWh (2004)

Estonia

2.141 billion kWh (2004)

Ethiopia

0 kWh (2004)

European Union

278.7 billion kWh

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

0 kWh (2004)

Faroe Islands

0 kWh (2004)

Fiji

0 kWh (2004)

Finland

6.8 billion kWh (2004)

France

68.6 billion kWh (2004)

French Polynesia

0 kWh (2004)

Gabon

0 kWh (2004)

Gambia, The

0 kWh (2004)

Gaza Strip

0 kWh

Georgia

200 million kWh (2004)

Germany

50.8 billion kWh (2004)

Ghana

900 million kWh (2004)

Gibraltar

0 kWh (2004)

Greece

1.5 billion kWh (2004)

Greenland

0 kWh (2004)

Grenada

0 kWh (2004)

Guam

0 kWh (2004)

Guatemala

464 million kWh (2004)

Guernsey

0 kWh (2002)

Guinea

0 kWh (2004)

Guinea-Bissau

0 kWh (2004)

Guyana

0 kWh (2004)

Haiti

0 kWh (2004)

Holy See (Vatican City)

0 kWh

Honduras

0 kWh (2004)

Hong Kong

4.497 billion kWh (2005)

Hungary

6.3 billion kWh (2004)

Iceland

0 kWh (2004)

India

60 million kWh (2004)

Indonesia

0 kWh (2004)

Iran

1.837 billion kWh (2004)

Iraq

0 kWh (2005)

Ireland

0 kWh (2004)

Israel

1.47 billion kWh (2004)

Italy

800 million kWh (2004)

Jamaica

0 kWh (2004)

Japan

0 kWh (2004)

Jordan

4 million kWh (2004)

Kazakhstan

4.9 billion kWh (2004)

Kenya

0 kWh (2004)

Kiribati

0 kWh (2004)

Korea, North

0 kWh (2004)

Korea, South

0 kWh (2004)

Kuwait

0 kWh (2004)

Kyrgyzstan

6.4 billion kWh (2004)

Laos

600 million kWh (2004)

Latvia

636 million kWh (2004)

Lebanon

0 kWh (2004)

Lesotho

0 kWh (2004)

Liberia

0 kWh (2004)

Libya

0 kWh (2004)

Lithuania

11.49 billion kWh (2004)

Luxembourg

2.346 billion kWh (2005 est.)

Macau

1 million kWh (2004)

Macedonia

0 kWh (2005)

Madagascar

0 kWh (2004)

Malawi

0 kWh (2004)

Malaysia

50 million kWh (2004)

Maldives

0 kWh (2004)

Mali

0 kWh; note - recent hydropower developments may be providing

electricity to Senegal and Mauritania (2004)

Malta

0 kWh (2004)

Mauritania

0 kWh (2004)

Mauritius

0 kWh (2004)

Mexico

1.203 billion kWh (2004)

Micronesia, Federated States of

0 kWh (2002)

Moldova

130 million kWh (2004)

Mongolia

18 million kWh (2005 est.)

Montserrat

0 kWh (2003)

Morocco

0 kWh (2004)

Mozambique

8.75 billion kWh (2004)

Namibia

80 million kWh (2004)

Nauru

0 kWh (2004)

Nepal

111 million kWh (2005)

Netherlands

5.2 billion kWh (2004)

Netherlands Antilles

0 kWh (2004)

New Caledonia

0 kWh (2004)

New Zealand

0 kWh (2004)

Nicaragua

22 million kWh (2004)

Niger

0 kWh (2004)

Nigeria

20 million kWh (2004)

Niue

0 kWh (2004)

Northern Mariana Islands

0 kWh

Norway

3.8 billion kWh (2004)

Oman

0 kWh (2004)

Pakistan

0 kWh (2004)

Panama

207 million kWh (2004)

Papua New Guinea

0 kWh (2004)

Paraguay

45.01 billion kWh (2004)

Peru

0 kWh (2004)

Philippines

0 kWh (2006)

Poland

14.6 billion kWh (2004)

Portugal

2.1 billion kWh (2004)

Puerto Rico

0 kWh (2004)

Qatar

0 kWh (2004)

Romania

3.7 billion kWh (2004)

Russia

22.3 billion kWh (2005)

Rwanda

10 million kWh (2004)

Saint Helena

0 kWh (2004)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

0 kWh (2004)

Saint Lucia

0 kWh (2004)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

0 kWh (2004)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

0 kWh (2004)

Samoa

0 kWh (2004)

Sao Tome and Principe

0 kWh (2004)

Saudi Arabia

0 kWh (2004)

Senegal

0 kWh (2004)

Serbia

12.05 billion kWh (excluding Kosovo; exported to Montenegro)

(2004)

Seychelles

0 kWh (2004)

Sierra Leone

0 kWh (2004)

Singapore

0 kWh (2004)

Slovakia

10.4 billion kWh (2004)

Slovenia

7.094 billion kWh (2004)

Solomon Islands

0 kWh (2004)

Somalia

0 kWh (2004)

South Africa

12.4 billion kWh (2004)

Spain

11.4 billion kWh (2004)

Sri Lanka

0 kWh (2004)

Sudan

0 kWh (2004)

Suriname

0 kWh (2004)

Swaziland

0 kWh (2004)

Sweden

17.8 billion kWh (2004)

Switzerland

27.8 billion kWh (2004)

Syria

0.2 kWh (2004)

Taiwan

0 kWh (2005)

Tajikistan

4.459 billion kWh (2004)

Tanzania

0 kWh (2004)

Thailand

372 million kWh (2004)

Togo

0 kWh (2004)

Tonga

0 kWh (2004)

Trinidad and Tobago

0 kWh (2004)

Tunisia

15 million kWh (2004)

Turkey

1.1 billion kWh (2004)

Turkmenistan

1 billion kWh (2004)

Turks and Caicos Islands

0 kWh (2004)

Uganda

165 million kWh (2004)

Ukraine

12 billion kWh (2004)

United Arab Emirates

0 kWh (2004)

United Kingdom

2.3 billion kWh (2004)

United States

22.9 billion kWh (2004)

Uruguay

19 million kWh (2004)

Uzbekistan

6.8 billion kWh (2004)

Vanuatu

0 kWh (2004)

Venezuela

0 kWh (2004)

Vietnam

0 kWh

Virgin Islands

0 kWh (2004)

Wallis and Futuna

0 kWh (2002)

Western Sahara

0 kWh (2004)

World

562.2 billion kWh (2004)

Yemen

0 kWh (2004)

Zambia

2.975 billion kWh (2004)

Zimbabwe

0 kWh (2004)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2046 Population below poverty line (%)

Afghanistan

53% (2003)

Albania

25% (2004 est.)

Algeria

25% (2005 est.)

American Samoa

NA%

Andorra

NA%

Angola

70% (2003 est.)

Anguilla

23% (2002)

Antigua and Barbuda

NA%

Argentina

31.4% (June 2006)

Armenia

43% (2003 est.)

Aruba

NA%

Australia

NA%

Austria

5.9% (2004)

Azerbaijan

49% (2002 est.)

Bahamas, The

9.3% (2004)

Bahrain

NA%

Bangladesh

45% (2004 est.)

Barbados

NA%

Belarus

27.1% (2003 est.)

Belgium

4% (1989 est.)

Belize

33.5% (2002 est.)

Benin

33% (2001 est.)

Bermuda

19% (2000)

Bhutan

31.7% (2003)

Bolivia

64% (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

25% (2004 est.)

Botswana

30.3% (2003)

Brazil

31% (2005)

British Virgin Islands

NA%

Brunei

NA%

Bulgaria

4% (2003 est.)

Burkina Faso

45% (2003 est.)

Burma

25% (2000 est.)

Burundi

68% (2002 est.)

Cambodia

40% (2004 est.)

Cameroon

48% (2000 est.)

Canada

15.9%; note - this figure is the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO), a

calculation that results in higher figures than found in many

comparable economies; Canada does not have an official poverty line

(2003)

Cape Verde

30% (2000)

Cayman Islands

NA%

Central African Republic

NA%

Chad

80% (2001 est.)

Chile

18.2% (2005)

China

10% (2004 est.)

Colombia

49.2% (2005)

Comoros

60% (2002 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

NA%

Congo, Republic of the

NA%

Cook Islands

NA%

Costa Rica

18% (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

37% (1995)

Croatia

11% (2003)

Cuba

NA%

Cyprus

NA%

Czech Republic

NA%

Denmark

NA%

Djibouti

50% (2001 est.)

Dominica

30% (2002 est.)

Dominican Republic

25%

East Timor

42% (2003 est.)

Ecuador

41% (2003)

Egypt

20% (2005 est.)

El Salvador

36.1% (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

NA%

Eritrea

50% (2004 est.)

Estonia

5% (2003)

Ethiopia

50% (2004 est.)

European Union

see individual country listings

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

NA%

Faroe Islands

NA%

Fiji

25.5% (1990-91)

Finland

NA%

France

6.5% (2000)

French Polynesia

NA%

Gabon

NA%

Gambia, The

NA%

Gaza Strip

81% (2004 est.)

Georgia

54% (2001 est.)

Germany

NA%

Ghana

31.4% (1992 est.)

Gibraltar

NA%

Greece

NA%

Greenland

NA%

Grenada

32% (2000)

Guam

23% (2001 est.)

Guatemala

75% (2004 est.)

Guernsey

NA%

Guinea

40% (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

NA%

Guyana

NA%

Haiti

80% (2003 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)

NA%

Honduras

53% (1993 est.)

Hong Kong

NA%

Hungary

8.6%

Iceland

NA%

India

25% (2002 est.)

Indonesia

17.8% (2006)

Iran

40% (2002 est.)

Iraq

NA%

Ireland

10% (1997 est.)

Isle of Man

NA%

Israel

22.6% (2005)

Italy

NA%

Jamaica

19.1% (2003 est.)

Japan

NA%

Jersey

NA%

Jordan

30% (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan

19% (2004 est.)

Kenya

50% (2000 est.)

Kiribati

NA%

Korea, North

NA%

Korea, South

15% (2003 est.)

Kuwait

NA%

Kyrgyzstan

40% (2004 est.)

Laos

34% (2005 est.)

Latvia

NA%

Lebanon

28% (1999 est.)

Lesotho

49% (1999)

Liberia

80%

Libya

7.4%

Liechtenstein

NA%

Lithuania

4%

Luxembourg

NA%

Macau

NA%

Macedonia

29.6% (2004 est.)

Madagascar

50% (2004 est.)

Malawi

55% (2004 est.)

Malaysia

8% (1998 est.)

Maldives

21% (2004)

Mali

64% (2001 est.)

Malta

NA%

Marshall Islands

NA%

Mauritania

40% (2004 est.)

Mauritius

10% (2001 est.)

Mayotte

NA%

Mexico

40% (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of

26.7%

Moldova

80% (2001 est.)

Monaco

NA%

Mongolia

36.1% (2004 est.)

Montenegro

12.2% (2003)

Montserrat

NA%

Morocco

19% (2005 est.)

Mozambique

70% (2001 est.)

Namibia

the UNDP's 2005 Human Development Report indicated that

34.9% of the population live on $1 per day and 55.8% live on $2 per

day

Nauru

NA%

Nepal

31% (2003-2004)

Netherlands

10.5% (1999)

Netherlands Antilles

NA%

New Caledonia

NA%

New Zealand

NA%

Nicaragua

50% (2001 est.)

Niger

63% (1993 est.)

Nigeria

60% (2000 est.)

Niue

NA%

Northern Mariana Islands

NA%

Norway

NA%

Oman

NA%

Pakistan

24% (FY05/06 est.)

Palau

NA%

Panama

37% (1999 est.)

Papua New Guinea

37% (2002 est.)

Paraguay

32% (2005 est.)

Peru

54% (2003 est.)

Philippines

40% (2001 est.)

Poland

17% (2003 est.)

Portugal

NA%

Puerto Rico

NA%

Qatar

NA%

Romania

25% (2005 est.)

Russia

17.8% (2004 est.)

Rwanda

60% (2001 est.)

Saint Helena

NA%

Saint Kitts and Nevis

NA%

Saint Lucia

NA%

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

NA%

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

NA%

Samoa

NA%

San Marino

NA%

Sao Tome and Principe

54% (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia

NA%

Senegal

54% (2001 est.)

Serbia

30%

note: data covers the former Serbia and Montenegro (1999 est.)

Seychelles

NA%

Sierra Leone

68% (1989 est.)

Singapore

NA%

Slovakia

21% (2002)

Slovenia

10%

Solomon Islands

NA%

Somalia

NA%

South Africa

50% (2000 est.)

Spain

19.8%

Sri Lanka

22% (1997 est.)

Sudan

40% (2004 est.)

Suriname

70% (2002 est.)

Swaziland

69% (2005)

Sweden

NA%

Switzerland

NA%

Syria

11% (2004 est.)

Taiwan

0.9% (2006 est.)

Tajikistan

64% (2004 est.)

Tanzania

36% (2002 est.)

Thailand

10% (2004 est.)

Togo

32% (1989 est.)

Tokelau

NA%

Tonga

24% (FY03/04)

Trinidad and Tobago

21% (1992 est.)

Tunisia

7.4% (2005 est.)

Turkey

20% (2002)

Turkmenistan

58% (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

NA%

Tuvalu

NA%

Uganda

35% (2001 est.)

Ukraine

29% (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates

NA%

United Kingdom

17% (2002 est.)

United States

12% (2004 est.)

Uruguay

22% of households (2004)

Uzbekistan

28% (2004 est.)

Vanuatu

NA%

Venezuela

37.9% (End 2005 est.)

Vietnam

19.5% (2004 est.)

Virgin Islands

NA%

Wallis and Futuna

NA%

West Bank

45.7% including Gaza Strip (2005)

Western Sahara

NA%

Yemen

45.2% (2003)

Zambia

86% (1993)

Zimbabwe

80% (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2047 Household income or consumption by percentage share (%)

Afghanistan

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Albania

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Algeria

lowest 10%: 2.8%

highest 10%: 26.8% (1995)

American Samoa

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Andorra

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Angola

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Anguilla

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Antigua and Barbuda

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Argentina

lowest 10%: 1%

highest 10%: 35%

Armenia

lowest 10%: 1.6%

highest 10%: 41.3% (2004)

Aruba

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Australia

lowest 10%: 2%

highest 10%: 25.4% (1994)

Austria

lowest 10%: 3.3%

highest 10%: 22.5% (2004)

Azerbaijan

lowest 10%: 2.8%

highest 10%: 27.8% (1995)

Bahamas, The

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: 27%

Bahrain

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Bangladesh

lowest 10%: 3.9%

highest 10%: 28.6% (1995-96 est.)

Barbados

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Belarus

lowest 10%: 5.1%

highest 10%: 20% (1998)

Belgium

lowest 10%: 3.2%

highest 10%: 23% (1996)

Belize

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Benin

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Bermuda

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Bhutan

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Bolivia

lowest 10%: 1.3%

highest 10%: 32% (1999)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Botswana

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Brazil

lowest 10%: 0.7%

highest 10%: 31.27% (2002)

British Virgin Islands

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Brunei

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Bulgaria

lowest 10%: 3.4%

highest 10%: 23.9% (2003)

Burkina Faso

lowest 10%: 2%

highest 10%: 46.8% (1994)

Burma

lowest 10%: 2.8%

highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)

Burundi

lowest 10%: 1.8%

highest 10%: 32.9% (1998)

Cambodia

lowest 10%: 2.9%

highest 10%: 33.8% (1997)

Cameroon

lowest 10%: 1.9%

highest 10%: 36.6% (1996)

Canada

lowest 10%: 2.8%

highest 10%: 23.8% (1994)

Cape Verde

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Cayman Islands

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Central African Republic

lowest 10%: 0.7%

highest 10%: 47.7% (1993)

Chad

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Chile

lowest 10%: 1.2%

highest 10%: 47% (2000)

China

lowest 10%: 1.8%

highest 10%: 33.1% (2001)

Colombia

lowest 10%: 7.9%

highest 10%: 34.3% (2004)

Comoros

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Congo, Republic of the

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Cook Islands

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Costa Rica

lowest 10%: 1.1%

highest 10%: 36.8% (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire

lowest 10%: 3.1%

highest 10%: 28.8% (1995)

Croatia

lowest 10%: 3.4%

highest 10%: 24.5% (2003 est.)

Cuba

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Cyprus

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Czech Republic

lowest 10%: 4.3%

highest 10%: 22.4% (1996)

Denmark

lowest 10%: 2%

highest 10%: 24% (2000 est.)

Djibouti

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Dominica

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Dominican Republic

lowest 10%: 2.1%

highest 10%: 37.9% (1998)

East Timor

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Ecuador

lowest 10%: 2%

highest 10%: 32%

note: data for urban households only (October 2003)

Egypt

lowest 10%: 4.4%

highest 10%: 25% (1995)

El Salvador

lowest 10%: 1.4%

highest 10%: 39.3% (2001)

Equatorial Guinea

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Eritrea

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Estonia

lowest 10%: 1.9%

highest 10%: 28.5% (2000)

Ethiopia

lowest 10%: 3%

highest 10%: 33.7% (1995)

European Union

lowest 10%: 2.8%

highest 10%: 25.4% (1995 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Faroe Islands

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Fiji

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Finland

lowest 10%: 4.2%

highest 10%: 21.6% (1991)

France

lowest 10%: 2.8%

highest 10%: 25.1% (1995)

French Polynesia

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Gabon

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Gambia, The

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Gaza Strip

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Georgia

lowest 10%: 2.3%

highest 10%: 27.9% (1996)

Germany

lowest 10%: 3.6%

highest 10%: 25.1% (1997)

Ghana

lowest 10%: 2.2%

highest 10%: 30.1% (1999)

Gibraltar

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Greece

lowest 10%: 3%

highest 10%: 28.3% (1998 est.)

Greenland

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Grenada

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Guam

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Guatemala

lowest 10%: 1.6%

highest 10%: 46% (1998)

Guernsey

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Guinea

lowest 10%: 2.6%

highest 10%: 32% (1994)

Guinea-Bissau

lowest 10%: 0.5%

highest 10%: 42.4% (1991)

Guyana

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Haiti

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Honduras

lowest 10%: 0.6%

highest 10%: 42.7% (1998)

Hong Kong

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Hungary

lowest 10%: 4.1%

highest 10%: 22.2% (2002)

Iceland

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

India

lowest 10%: 3.5%

highest 10%: 33.5% (1997)

Indonesia

lowest 10%: 3.6%

highest 10%: 28.5% (2002)

Iran

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Iraq

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Ireland

lowest 10%: 2%

highest 10%: 27.3% (1997)

Isle of Man

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Israel

lowest 10%: 1.4%

highest 10%: 32% (2004)

Italy

lowest 10%: 2.1%

highest 10%: 26.6% (2000)

Jamaica

lowest 10%: 2.7%

highest 10%: 30.3% (2000)

Japan

lowest 10%: 4.8%

highest 10%: 21.7% (1993)

Jersey

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Jordan

lowest 10%: 3.3%

highest 10%: 29.8% (1997)

Kazakhstan

lowest 10%: 3.3%

highest 10%: 26.5% (2004 est.)

Kenya

lowest 10%: 2%

highest 10%: 37.2% (2000)

Kiribati

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Korea, North

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Korea, South

lowest 10%: 2.9%

highest 10%: 25% (2005 est.)

Kuwait

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Kyrgyzstan

lowest 10%: 3.9%

highest 10%: 23.3% (2001)

Laos

lowest 10%: 3.2%

highest 10%: 30.6% (1997)

Latvia

lowest 10%: 2.8%

highest 10%: 26.1% (1998)

Lebanon

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Lesotho

lowest 10%: 0.9%

highest 10%: 43.4%

Liberia

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Libya

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Liechtenstein

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Lithuania

lowest 10%: 3.2%

highest 10%: 24.9% (2000)

Luxembourg

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Macau

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Macedonia

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Madagascar

lowest 10%: 3%

highest 10%: 29% (1999)

Malawi

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Malaysia

lowest 10%: 1.4%

highest 10%: 39.2% (2003 est.)

Maldives

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Mali

lowest 10%: 1.8%

highest 10%: 40.4% (1994)

Malta

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Marshall Islands

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Mauritania

lowest 10%: 2.5%

highest 10%: 30.2% (2000)

Mauritius

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Mayotte

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Mexico

lowest 10%: 1.6%

highest 10%: 35.6% (2002)

Micronesia, Federated States of

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Moldova

lowest 10%: 2.2%

highest 10%: 30.7% (1997)

Monaco

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Mongolia

lowest 10%: 2.1%

highest 10%: 37% (1995)

Montserrat

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Morocco

lowest 10%: 2.6%

highest 10%: 30.9% (1998-99)

Mozambique

lowest 10%: 2.5%

highest 10%: 31.7% (1997)

Namibia

lowest 10%: 0.5%

highest 10%: 64.5%

Nauru

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Nepal

lowest 10%: 2.6%

highest 10%: 39.1% (2003-2004)

Netherlands

lowest 10%: 2.5%

highest 10%: 22.9% (1999)

Netherlands Antilles

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

New Caledonia

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

New Zealand

lowest 10%: NA

highest 10%: NA (1991 est.)

Nicaragua

lowest 10%: 1.2%

highest 10%: 45% (2001)

Niger

lowest 10%: 0.8%

highest 10%: 35.4% (1995)

Nigeria

lowest 10%: 1.6%

highest 10%: 40.8% (1996-97)

Niue

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Northern Mariana Islands

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Norway

lowest 10%: 4.1%

highest 10%: 21.8% (1995)

Oman

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Pakistan

lowest 10%: 4.1%

highest 10%: 27.6% (FY96/97)

Palau

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Panama

lowest 10%: 1.2%

highest 10%: 35.7% (1997)

Papua New Guinea

lowest 10%: 1.7%

highest 10%: 40.5% (1996)

Paraguay

lowest 10%: 0.5%

highest 10%: 43.8% (1998)

Peru

lowest 10%: 0.8%

highest 10%: 37.2% (2000)

Philippines

lowest 10%: 2.3%

highest 10%: 31.9% (2003)

Poland

lowest 10%: 3.1%

highest 10%: 26.7% (2002)

Portugal

lowest 10%: 3.1%

highest 10%: 28.4% (1995 est.)

Puerto Rico

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Qatar

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Romania

lowest 10%: 2.4%

highest 10%: 27.6% (2003)

Russia

lowest 10%: 1.7%

highest 10%: 38.7% (1998)

Rwanda

lowest 10%: 4.2%

highest 10%: 24.2% (1985)

Saint Helena

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Saint Kitts and Nevis

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Saint Lucia

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Samoa

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

San Marino

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Sao Tome and Principe

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Saudi Arabia

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Senegal

lowest 10%: 2.6%

highest 10%: 33.5% (1995)

Seychelles

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Sierra Leone

lowest 10%: 0.5%

highest 10%: 43.6% (1989)

Singapore

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Slovakia

lowest 10%: 3.1%

highest 10%: 20.9% (1996)

Slovenia

lowest 10%: 3.6%

highest 10%: 21.4% (1998)

Solomon Islands

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Somalia

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

South Africa

lowest 10%: 1.1%

highest 10%: 45.9% (1994)

Spain

lowest 10%: 2.8%

highest 10%: 25.2% (1990)

Sri Lanka

lowest 10%: 3.5%

highest 10%: 28% (1995)

Sudan

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Suriname

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Swaziland

lowest 10%: 1%

highest 10%: 50.2% (1995)

Sweden

lowest 10%: 3.7%

highest 10%: 20.1% (1992)

Switzerland

lowest 10%: 2.6%

highest 10%: 25.2% (1992)

Syria

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Taiwan

lowest 10%: 6.7%

highest 10%: 41.1% (2002 est.)

Tajikistan

lowest 10%: 3.2%

highest 10%: 25.2% (1998)

Tanzania

lowest 10%: 2.8%

highest 10%: 30.1% (1993)

Thailand

lowest 10%: 2.8%

highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)

Togo

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Tonga

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Trinidad and Tobago

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Tunisia

lowest 10%: 2.3%

highest 10%: 31.8% (1995)

Turkey

lowest 10%: 2.3%

highest 10%: 30.7% (2000)

Turkmenistan

lowest 10%: 2.6%

highest 10%: 31.7% (1998)

Turks and Caicos Islands

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Tuvalu

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Uganda

lowest 10%: 4%

highest 10%: 21% (2000)

Ukraine

lowest 10%: 3.4%

highest 10%: 24.8% (2005)

United Arab Emirates

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

United Kingdom

lowest 10%: 2.1%

highest 10%: 28.5% (1999)

United States

lowest 10%: 1.8%

highest 10%: 30.5% (1997)

Uruguay

lowest 10%: 3.7%

highest 10%: 25.8% (1997)

Uzbekistan

lowest 10%: 3.6%

highest 10%: 22% (2000)

Vanuatu

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Venezuela

lowest 10%: 0.8%

highest 10%: 36.5% (1998)

Vietnam

lowest 10%: 3.6%

highest 10%: 29.9% (1998)

Virgin Islands

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Wallis and Futuna

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

West Bank

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Western Sahara

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

World

lowest 10%: 2.5%

highest 10%: 29.9% (2002 est.)

Yemen

lowest 10%: 3%

highest 10%: 25.9% (2003)

Zambia

lowest 10%: 1.1%

highest 10%: 41% (1998)

Zimbabwe

lowest 10%: 2%

highest 10%: 40.4% (1995)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2048 Labor force - by occupation (%)

Afghanistan

agriculture: 80%

industry: 10%

services: 10% (2004 est.)

Albania

agriculture: 58%

industry: 19%

services: 23% (2004 est.)

Algeria

agriculture 14%, industry 14%, construction and public works

10%, trade 13.4%, government 32%, other 10% (2003 est.)

American Samoa

agriculture: 34%

industry: 33%

services: 33% (1990)

Andorra

agriculture: 0.3%

industry: 19.6%

services: 80% (2004)

Angola

agriculture: 85%

industry and services: 15% (2003 est.)

Anguilla

agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining 4%, manufacturing 4%,

construction 18%, transportation and utilities 3%, commerce 36%,

services 18% (2000 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

agriculture: 7%

industry: 11%

services: 82% (1983)

Argentina

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Armenia

agriculture: 45%

industry: 25%

services: 30% (2002 est.)

Aruba

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

note: most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair,

followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining

Australia

agriculture: 3.6%

industry: 21.2%

services: 75.2% (2004 est.)

Austria

agriculture: 3%

industry: 27%

services: 70% (2005 est.)

Azerbaijan

agriculture: 41%

industry: 7%

services: 52% (2001)

Bahamas, The

agriculture 5%, industry 5%, tourism 50%, other

services 5% (2005 est.)

Bahrain

agriculture: 1%

industry: 79%

services: 20% (1997 est.)

Bangladesh

agriculture: 63%

industry: 11%

services: 26% (FY95/96)

Barbados

agriculture: 10%

industry: 15%

services: 75% (1996 est.)

Belarus

agriculture: 14%

industry: 34.7%

services: 51.3% (2003 est.)

Belgium

agriculture: 1.3%

industry: 24.5%

services: 74.2% (2003 est.)

Belize

agriculture: 27%

industry: 18%

services: 55% (2001 est.)

Bermuda

agriculture and fishing 3%, laborers 3%, clerical 19%,

professional and technical 17%, administrative and managerial 15%,

sales 19%, services 19% (2004 est.)

Bhutan

agriculture: 93%

industry: 2%

services: 5%

Bolivia

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Bosnia and Herzegovina

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Botswana

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Brazil

agriculture: 20%

industry: 14%

services: 66% (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands

agriculture: 0.6%

industry: 40%

services: 59.4%

Brunei

agriculture: 2.9%

industry: 61.1%

services: 36% (2003 est.)

Bulgaria

agriculture: 11%

industry: 32.7%

services: 56.3% (3rd qtr. 2004 est.)

Burkina Faso

agriculture: 90%

industry and services: 10% (2000 est.)

Burma

agriculture: 70%

industry: 7%

services: 23% (2001 est.)

Burundi

agriculture: 93.6%

industry: 2.3%

services: 4.1% (2002 est.)

Cambodia

agriculture: 75%

industry: NA%

services: NA% (2004 est.)

Cameroon

agriculture: 70%

industry: 13%

services: 17%

Canada

agriculture 2%, manufacturing 14%, construction 5%, services

75%, other 3% (2004)

Cayman Islands

agriculture: 1.4%

industry: 12.6%

services: 86% (1995)

Chad

agriculture: 80% (subsistence farming, herding, and fishing)

industry and services: 20%

Chile

agriculture: 13.6%

industry: 23.4%

services: 63% (2003)

China

agriculture: 45%

industry: 24%

services: 31% (2005 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

note: the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society

Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage

workers; tourism employs others

Colombia

agriculture: 22.7%

industry: 18.7%

services: 58.5% (2000 est.)

Comoros agriculture: 80% industry and services: 20%

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Cook Islands

agriculture: 29%

industry: 15%

services: 56% (1995)

Costa Rica

agriculture: 20%

industry: 22%

services: 58% (1999 est.)

Croatia

agriculture: 2.7%

industry: 32.8%

services: 64.5% (2004)

Cuba

agriculture: 20%

industry: 19.4%

services: 60.6% (2005)

Cyprus

Republic of Cyprus: agriculture 7.4%, industry 38.2%,

services 54.4% (2004 est.)

north Cyprus: agriculture 14.5%, industry 29%, services 56.5% (2004

est.)

Czech Republic

agriculture: 4.1%

industry: 37.6%

services: 58.3% (2003)

Denmark

agriculture: 3%

industry: 21%

services: 76% (2004 est.)

Djibouti

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Dominica

agriculture: 40%

industry: 32%

services: 28%

Dominican Republic

agriculture: 17%

industry: 24.3%

services: 58.7% (1998 est.)

East Timor

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Ecuador

agriculture: 8%

industry: 24%

services: 68% (2001)

Egypt

agriculture: 32%

industry: 17%

services: 51% (2001 est.)

El Salvador

agriculture: 17.1%

industry: 17.1%

services: 65.8% (2003 est.)

Eritrea agriculture: 80% industry and services: 20%

Estonia

agriculture: 11%

industry: 20%

services: 69% (1999 est.)

Ethiopia

agriculture: 80%

industry: 8%

services: 12% (1985)

European Union agriculture: 4.4% industry: 27.3% services: 67% note: the remainder is in miscellaneous public and private sector industries and services (2002 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

agriculture: 95% (mostly

sheepherding and fishing)

industry and services: 5%

Faroe Islands

agriculture: 33%

industry: 33%

services: 34%

Fiji

agriculture: 70%

industry and services: 30% (2001 est.)

Finland

agriculture and forestry 4.4%, industry 4.4%, construction

6%, commerce 17.5%, finance, insurance, and business services 12%,

transport and communications 6%, public services 30.2%

France

agriculture: 4.1%

industry: 24.4%

services: 71.5% (1999)

French Polynesia

agriculture: 13%

industry: 19%

services: 68% (2002)

Gabon

agriculture: 60%

industry: 15%

services: 25%

Gambia, The

agriculture: 75%

industry: 19%

services: 6%

Gaza Strip

agriculture: 12%

industry: 18%

services: 70% (2005)

Georgia

agriculture: 40%

industry: 20%

services: 40% (1999 est.)

Germany

agriculture: 2.8%

industry: 33.4%

services: 63.8% (1999)

Ghana

agriculture: 60%

industry: 15%

services: 25% (1999 est.)

Gibraltar

agriculture: negligible

industry: 40%

services: 60%

Greece

agriculture: 12%

industry: 20%

services: 68% (2004 est.)

Grenada

agriculture: 24%

industry: 14%

services: 62% (1999 est.)

Guam

agriculture: 26%

industry: 10%

services: 64% (2004 est.)

Guatemala

agriculture: 50%

industry: 15%

services: 35% (1999 est.)

Guinea

agriculture: 80%

industry and services: 20% (2000 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

agriculture: 82%

industry and services: 18% (2000 est.)

Guyana

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Haiti

agriculture: 66%

industry: 9%

services: 25%

Holy See (Vatican City)

note: essentially services with a small

amount of industry; dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000

lay workers live outside the Vatican

Honduras

agriculture: 34%

industry: 23%

services: 43% (2003 est.)

Hong Kong

manufacturing 7.5%, construction 7.5%, wholesale and

retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 43.9%, financing, insurance,

and real estate 2.9%, transport and communications 7.1%, community

and social services 43.9%

note: above data exclude public sector (2005 est.)

Hungary

agriculture: 5.5%

industry: 33.3%

services: 61.2% (2003)

Iceland

agriculture: 5.1%

industry: 23%

services: 71.4% (2005)

India

agriculture: 60%

industry: 12%

services: 28% (2003)

Indonesia

agriculture: 43.3%

industry: 18%

services: 38.7% (2004 est.)

Iran

agriculture: 30%

industry: 25%

services: 45% (2001 est.)

Iraq

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Ireland

agriculture: 8%

industry: 29%

services: 64% (2002 est.)

Isle of Man

agriculture, forestry and fishing 3%, manufacturing 3%,

construction 10%, transport and communication 11%, wholesale and

retail distribution 11%, professional and scientific services 10%,

public administration 6%, banking and finance 18%, tourism 2%,

entertainment and catering 3%, miscellaneous services 10%

Israel

agriculture, forestry, and fishing 1.8%, manufacturing 1.8%,

construction 5.3%, wholesale and retail trade 15.7%, transport,

storage, and communications 6.3%, finance and business 5.3%,

personal and other services 11.5%, public services 28.6% (1996)

Italy

agriculture: 5%

industry: 32%

services: 63% (2001)

Jamaica

agriculture: 19.3%

industry: 16.6%

services: 64.1% (2004)

Japan

agriculture: 4.6%

industry: 27.8%

services: 67.7% (2004)

Jordan

agriculture: 5%

industry: 12.5%

services: 82.5% (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan

agriculture: 20%

industry: 30%

services: 50% (2002 est.)

Kenya

agriculture: 75%

industry and services: 25% (2003 est.)

Kiribati agriculture: 2.7% industry: 32% services: 65.3%

Korea, North agriculture: 36% industry and services: 64%

Korea, South

agriculture: 6.4%

industry: 26.4%

services: 67.2% (2005 est.)

Kuwait

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Kyrgyzstan

agriculture: 55%

industry: 15%

services: 30% (2000 est.)

Laos

agriculture: 80%

industry and services: 20% (2005 est.)

Latvia

agriculture: 15%

industry: 25%

services: 60% (2000 est.)

Lebanon

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Lesotho

agriculture: 86% of resident population engaged in

subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners

work in South Africa

industry and services: 14%

Liberia

agriculture: 70%

industry: 8%

services: 22% (2000 est.)

Libya

agriculture: 17%

industry: 23%

services: 59% (2004 est.)

Liechtenstein

agriculture: 2%

industry: 47%

services: 51% (31 December 2001 est.)

Lithuania

agriculture: 15.8%

industry: 28.2%

services: 56% (2004)

Luxembourg

agriculture: 1%

industry: 13%

services: 86% (2004 est.)

Macau

manufacturing 13.7%, construction 13.7%, transport and

communications 5.9%, wholesale and retail trade 10.5%, restaurants

and hotels 10.3%, gambling 5.9%, public sector 7.8%, other services

and agriculture 19.3% (2005 est.)

Macedonia agriculture: 21.7% industry: 32.6% services: 45.7% (September 2006)

Malawi agriculture: 90% industry and services: 10% (2003 est.)

Malaysia

agriculture: 14.5%

industry: 36%

services: 49.5% (2000 est.)

Maldives

agriculture: 22%

industry: 18%

services: 60% (1995)

Mali

agriculture: 80%

industry and services: 20% (2001 est.)

Malta

agriculture: 3%

industry: 22%

services: 75% (2005 est.)

Marshall Islands

agriculture: 21.4%

industry: 20.9%

services: 57.7%

Mauritania

agriculture: 50%

industry: 10%

services: 40% (2001 est.)

Mauritius

agriculture and fishing 14%, construction and industry

14%, transportation and communication 7%, trade, restaurants, hotels

36%, finance 3%, other services 7% (1995)

Mexico

agriculture: 18%

industry: 24%

services: 58% (2003)

Micronesia, Federated States of note: 0.9% two-thirds are government employees, 34.4%, 64.7%

Moldova agriculture: 40% industry: 14% services: 46% (1998)

Mongolia

herding/agriculture 42%, mining 42%, manufacturing 6%,

trade 4%, services 29%, public sector 6% (2003)

Montenegro

agriculture: 2%

industry: 30%

services: 68% (2004 est.)

Morocco

agriculture: 40%

industry: 15%

services: 45% (2003 est.)

Mozambique

agriculture: 81%

industry: 6%

services: 13% (1997 est.)

Namibia

agriculture: 47%

industry: 20%

services: 33% (1999 est.)

Nauru

note: 0.1% employed in mining phosphates, public

administration, education, and transportation

Nepal

agriculture: 76%

industry: 6%

services: 18%

Netherlands

agriculture: 2%

industry: 19%

services: 79% (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

agriculture: 1%

industry: 20%

services: 79% (2005 est.)

New Caledonia

agriculture: 20%

industry: 20%

services: 60% (2002)

New Zealand

agriculture: 10%

industry: 25%

services: 65% (1995)

Nicaragua

agriculture: 30.5%

industry: 17.3%

services: 52.2% (2003 est.)

Niger

agriculture: 90%

industry: 6%

services: 4%

Nigeria

agriculture: 70%

industry: 10%

services: 20% (1999 est.)

Niue

note: most work on family plantations; paid work exists only in

government service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board

Norfolk Island

agriculture: 10%

industry and services: 90%

Northern Mariana Islands

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Norway

agriculture: 4%

industry: 22%

services: 74% (1995)

Oman

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Pakistan

agriculture: 42%

industry: 20%

services: 38% (2004 est.)

Palau

agriculture: 20%

industry: NA%

services: NA% (1990)

Panama

agriculture: 20.8%

industry: 18%

services: 61.2% (1995 est.)

Papua New Guinea

agriculture: 85%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Paraguay

agriculture: 45%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Peru

agriculture: 9%

industry: 18%

services: 73% (2001)

Philippines

agriculture: 36%

industry: 16%

services: 48% (2004 est.)

Pitcairn Islands

note: no business community in the usual sense;

some public works; subsistence farming and fishing

Poland

agriculture: 16.1%

industry: 29%

services: 54.9% (2002)

Portugal

agriculture: 10%

industry: 30%

services: 60% (1999 est.)

Puerto Rico

agriculture: 3%

industry: 20%

services: 77% (2000 est.)

Romania

agriculture: 31.6%

industry: 30.7%

services: 37.7% (2004)

Russia

agriculture: 10.8%

industry: 29.1%

services: 60.1% (2005 est.)

Rwanda agriculture: 90% industry and services: 10%

Saint Helena

agriculture: 6%

industry: 48%

services: 46% (1987 est.)

Saint Lucia

agriculture: 21.7%

industry: 24.7%

services: 53.6% (2002 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

agriculture: 18%

industry: 41%

services: 41% (1996 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

agriculture: 26%

industry: 17%

services: 57% (1980 est.)

Samoa

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

San Marino

agriculture: 1%

industry: 42%

services: 57% (2000 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe note: population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing; shortages of skilled workers

Saudi Arabia agriculture: 12% industry: 25% services: 63% (1999 est.)

Senegal agriculture: 77% industry and services: 23% (1990 est.)

Serbia

agriculture: 30%

industry: 46%

services: 24%

note: excluding Kosovo and Montenegro (2002)

Seychelles

agriculture: 10%

industry: 19%

services: 71% (1989)

Sierra Leone

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Singapore

manufacturing 18%, construction 18%, transportation and

communication 11%, financial, business, and other services 6%, other

26% (2003)

Slovakia

agriculture 5.8%, industry 5.8%, construction 9%, services

29.3% (2003)

Slovenia

agriculture: 4.8%

industry: 39.1%

services: 56.1% (2004)

Solomon Islands

agriculture: 75%

industry: 5%

services: 20% (2000 est.)

Somalia agriculture: 71% industry and services: 29%

South Africa

agriculture: 30%

industry: 25%

services: 45% (1999 est.)

Spain

agriculture: 5.3%

industry: 30.1%

services: 64.6% (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka

agriculture: 38%

industry: 17%

services: 45% (1998 est.)

Sudan

agriculture: 80%

industry: 7%

services: 13% (1998 est.)

Suriname

agriculture: 8%

industry: 14%

services: 78%

Swaziland

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Sweden

agriculture: 2%

industry: 24%

services: 74% (2000 est.)

Switzerland

agriculture: 4.6%

industry: 26.3%

services: 69.1% (1998)

Syria

agriculture: 26%

industry: 14%

services: 60% (2003 est.)

Taiwan

agriculture: 5.5%

industry: 36%

services: 58.5% (2005 est.)

Tajikistan

agriculture: 67.2%

industry: 7.5%

services: 25.3% (2000 est.)

Tanzania agriculture: 80% industry and services: 20% (2002 est.)

Thailand

agriculture: 49%

industry: 14%

services: 37% (2000 est.)

Togo

agriculture: 65%

industry: 5%

services: 30% (1998 est.)

Tonga

agriculture: 65%

industry and services: 35% (1997 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

agriculture 9.5%, manufacturing, mining, and

quarrying 9.5%, construction and utilities 12.4%, services 14% (1997

est.)

Tunisia

agriculture: 55%

industry: 23%

services: 22% (1995 est.)

Turkey

agriculture: 35.9%

industry: 22.8%

services: 41.2% (3rd quarter)

Turkmenistan

agriculture: 48.2%

industry: 13.8%

services: 37% (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

note: about 33% in government and 20% in

agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial,

and other services

Tuvalu

note: people make a living mainly through exploitation of the

sea, reefs, and atolls and from wages sent home by those abroad

(mostly workers in the phosphate industry and sailors)

Uganda

agriculture: 82%

industry: 5%

services: 13% (1999 est.)

Ukraine

agriculture: 24%

industry: 32%

services: 44% (1996)

United Arab Emirates

agriculture: 7%

industry: 15%

services: 78% (2000 est.)

United Kingdom

agriculture: 1.5%

industry: 19.1%

services: 79.5% (2004)

United States

farming, forestry, and fishing 0.7%, manufacturing,

extraction, transportation, and crafts 22.9%, managerial,

professional, and technical 34.9%, sales and office 25%, other

services 16.5%

note: figures exclude the unemployed (2006)

Uruguay

agriculture: 14%

industry: 16%

services: 70%

Uzbekistan

agriculture: 44%

industry: 20%

services: 36% (1995)

Vanuatu

agriculture: 65%

industry: 5%

services: 30% (2000 est.)

Venezuela

agriculture: 13%

industry: 23%

services: 64% (1997 est.)

Vietnam

agriculture: 56.8%

industry: 37%

services: 6.2% (July 2005)

Virgin Islands

agriculture: 1%

industry: 19%

services: 80% (2003 est.)

Wallis and Futuna

agriculture: 80%

industry: 4%

services: 16% (2001 est.)

West Bank

agriculture: 16%

industry: 29%

services: 55% (2005)

Western Sahara

agriculture: 50%

industry and services: 50%

World

agriculture: 41%

industry: 20.7%

services: 38.4% (2002 est.)

Yemen

note: most people are employed in agriculture and herding;

services, construction, industry, and commerce account for less than

one-fourth of the labor force

Zambia

agriculture: 85%

industry: 6%

services: 9%

Zimbabwe

agriculture: 66%

industry: 10%

services: 24% (1996)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2049 Exports - commodities

Afghanistan

opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton,

hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems

Albania

textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores,

crude oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco

Algeria

petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97%

American Samoa

canned tuna 93% (2004 est.)

Andorra

tobacco products, furniture

Angola

crude oil, diamonds, refined petroleum products, gas, coffee,

sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton

Anguilla

lobster, fish, livestock, salt, concrete blocks, rum

Antigua and Barbuda

petroleum products 48%, manufactures 23%,

machinery and transport equipment 17%, food and live animals 4%,

other 8%

Argentina

edible oils, fuels and energy, cereals, feed, motor

vehicles

Armenia

diamonds, mineral products, foodstuffs, energy

Aruba

live animals and animal products, art and collectibles,

machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment

Australia

coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron ore, wheat,

machinery and transport equipment

Austria

machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, paper and

paperboard, metal goods, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles,

foodstuffs

Azerbaijan

oil and gas 90%, machinery, cotton, foodstuffs

Bahamas, The

mineral products and salt, animal products, rum,

chemicals, fruit and vegetables

Bahrain

petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles

Bangladesh

garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and

seafood (2001)

Barbados

sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages,

chemicals, electrical components

Belarus

machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals,

metals, textiles, foodstuffs

Belgium

machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and

metal products, foodstuffs

Belize

sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses,

wood

Benin

cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa

Bermuda

reexports of pharmaceuticals

Bhutan

electricity (to India), cardamom, gypsum, timber,

handicrafts, cement, fruit, precious stones, spices

Bolivia

natural gas, soybeans and soy products, crude petroleum,

zinc ore, tin

Bosnia and Herzegovina

metals, clothing, wood products

Botswana

diamonds, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles

Brazil

transport equipment, iron ore, soybeans, footwear, coffee,

autos

British Virgin Islands

rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand

Brunei

crude oil, natural gas, refined products

Bulgaria

clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and

equipment, fuels

Burkina Faso

cotton, livestock, gold

Burma

clothing, gas, wood products, pulses, beans, fish, rice

Burundi

coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, hides

Cambodia

clothing, timber, rubber, rice, fish, tobacco, footwear

Cameroon

crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans,

aluminum, coffee, cotton

Canada

motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft,

telecommunications equipment; chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood

pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum

Cape Verde

fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides

Cayman Islands

turtle products, manufactured consumer goods

Central African Republic

diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco

Chad

cotton, cattle, gum arabic, oil

Chile

copper, fruit, fish products, paper and pulp, chemicals, wine

China

machinery and equipment, plastics, optical and medical

equipment, iron and steel

Christmas Island

phosphate

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

copra

Colombia

petroleum, coffee, coal, nickel, emeralds, apparel,

bananas, cut flowers

Comoros

vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), cloves, copra

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

diamonds, copper, crude oil,

coffee, cobalt

Congo, Republic of the

petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa,

coffee, diamonds

Cook Islands

copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee;

fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing

Costa Rica

coffee, bananas, sugar, pineapples; textiles, electronic

components, medical equipment

Cote d'Ivoire

cocoa, coffee, timber, petroleum, cotton, bananas,

pineapples, palm oil, fish

Croatia

transport equipment, textiles, chemicals, foodstuffs, fuels

Cuba

sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee

Cyprus

Republic of Cyprus: citrus, potatoes, pharmaceuticals,

cement, clothing and cigarettes; north Cyprus: citrus, potatoes,

textiles

Czech Republic

machinery and transport equipment 52%, chemicals 5%,

raw materials and fuel 9% (2003)

Denmark

machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, dairy

products, fish, chemicals, furniture, ships, windmills

Djibouti

reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit)

Dominica

bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges

Dominican Republic

ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa,

tobacco, meats, consumer goods

East Timor

coffee, sandalwood, marble; note - potential for oil and

vanilla exports

Ecuador

petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp

Egypt

crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal

products, chemicals

El Salvador

offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, shrimp,

textiles, chemicals, electricity

Equatorial Guinea

petroleum, methanol, timber, cocoa

Eritrea

livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small manufactures (2000)

Estonia

machinery and equipment 33%, wood and paper 15%, textiles

14%, food products 8%, furniture 7%, metals, chemical products (2001)

Ethiopia

coffee, qat, gold, leather products, live animals, oilseeds

European Union

machinery, motor vehicles, aircraft, plastics,

pharmaceuticals and other chemicals, fuels, iron and steel,

nonferrous metals, wood pulp and paper products, textiles, meat,

dairy products, fish, alcoholic beverages.

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

wool, hides, meat

Faroe Islands

fish and fish products 94%, stamps, ships (1999)

Fiji

sugar, garments, gold, timber, fish, molasses, coconut oil

Finland

machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper,

pulp (1999)

France

machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics,

chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages

French Polynesia

cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl,

vanilla, shark meat

Gabon

crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001)

Gambia, The

peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels,

re-exports

Gaza Strip

citrus, flowers, textiles

Georgia

scrap metal, machinery, chemicals; fuel reexports; citrus

fruits, tea, wine

Germany

machinery, vehicles, chemicals, metals and manufactures,

foodstuffs, textiles

Ghana

gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore,

diamonds

Gibraltar

(principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods

41%, other 8%

Greece

food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products,

chemicals, textiles

Greenland

fish and fish products 94% (prawns 63%)

Grenada

bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, fruit and vegetables, clothing, mace

Guam

mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products;

construction materials, fish, food and beverage products

Guatemala

coffee, sugar, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and

vegetables, cardamom

Guernsey

tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other

vegetables

Guinea

bauxite, alumina, gold, diamonds, coffee, fish, agricultural

products

Guinea-Bissau

cashew nuts, shrimp, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn lumber

Guyana

sugar, gold, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum,

timber

Haiti

manufactures, coffee, oils, cocoa, mangoes

Honduras

coffee, shrimp, bananas, gold, palm oil, fruit, lobster,

lumber

Hong Kong

electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel,

footwear, watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones,

printed material

Hungary

machinery and equipment 61.1%, other manufactures 28.7%,

food products 6.5%, raw materials 2%, fuels and electricity 1.6%

(2003)

Iceland

fish and fish products 70%, aluminum, animal products,

ferrosilicon, diatomite

India

textile goods, gems and jewelry, engineering goods, chemicals,

leather manufactures

Indonesia

oil and gas, electrical appliances, plywood, textiles,

rubber

Iran

petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and

nuts, carpets

Iraq

crude oil 84%, crude materials excluding fuels 8%, food and

live animals 5%

Ireland

machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals,

pharmaceuticals; live animals, animal products

Isle of Man

tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb

Israel

machinery and equipment, software, cut diamonds, agricultural

products, chemicals, textiles and apparel

Italy

engineering products, textiles and clothing, production

machinery, motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; food,

beverages and tobacco; minerals, and nonferrous metals

Jamaica

alumina, bauxite, sugar, bananas, rum, coffee, yams,

beverages, chemicals, wearing apparel, mineral fuels

Japan

transport equipment, motor vehicles, semiconductors,

electrical machinery, chemicals

Jersey

light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles

Jordan

clothing, pharmaceuticals, potash, phosphates, fertilizers,

vegetables, manufactures

Kazakhstan

oil and oil products 58%, ferrous metals 24%, chemicals

5%, machinery 3%, grain, wool, meat, coal (2001)

Kenya

tea, horticultural products, coffee, petroleum products, fish,

cement

Kiribati

copra 62%, coconuts, seaweed, fish

Korea, North

minerals, metallurgical products, manufactures

(including armaments), textiles, fishery products

Korea, South

semiconductors, wireless telecommunications equipment,

motor vehicles, computers, steel, ships, petrochemicals

Kuwait

oil and refined products, fertilizers

Kyrgyzstan

cotton, wool, meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium,

natural gas, hydropower; machinery; shoes

Laos

garments, wood products, coffee, electricity, tin

Latvia

wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals,

textiles, foodstuffs

Lebanon

authentic jewelry, inorganic chemicals, miscellaneous

consumer goods, fruit, tobacco, construction minerals, electric

power machinery and switchgear, textile fibers, paper

Lesotho

manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool

and mohair, food and live animals (2000)

Liberia

rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee

Libya

crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas, chemicals

Liechtenstein

small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and

video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared

foodstuffs, electronic equipment, optical products

Lithuania

mineral products 23%, textiles and clothing 16%, machinery

and equipment 11%, chemicals 6%, wood and wood products 5%,

foodstuffs 5% (2001)

Luxembourg

machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals,

rubber products, glass

Macau

clothing, textiles, footwear, toys, electronics, machinery and

parts

Macedonia

food, beverages, tobacco; textiles, miscellaneous

manufactures, iron and steel

Madagascar

coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar, cotton cloth,

chromite, petroleum products

Malawi

tobacco 60%, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood

products, apparel

Malaysia

electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas,

wood and wood products, palm oil, rubber, textiles, chemicals

Maldives

fish

Mali

cotton, gold, livestock

Malta

machinery and transport equipment, manufactures

Marshall Islands

copra cake, coconut oil, handicrafts, fish

Mauritania

iron ore, fish and fish products, gold

Mauritius

clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses

Mayotte

ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts,

coffee, cinnamon

Mexico

manufactured goods, oil and oil products, silver, fruits,

vegetables, coffee, cotton

Micronesia, Federated States of

fish, garments, bananas, black pepper

Moldova

foodstuffs, textiles, machinery

Mongolia

copper, apparel, livestock, animal products, cashmere,

wool, hides, fluorspar, other nonferrous metals

Montserrat

electronic components, plastic bags, apparel; hot

peppers, limes, live plants; cattle

Morocco

clothing, fish, inorganic chemicals, transistors, crude

minerals, fertilizers (including phosphates), petroleum products,

fruits, vegetables

Mozambique

aluminum, prawns, cashews, cotton, sugar, citrus, timber;

bulk electricity

Namibia

diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle,

processed fish, karakul skins

Nauru

phosphates

Nepal

carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain

Netherlands

machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs

Netherlands Antilles

petroleum products

New Caledonia

ferronickels, nickel ore, fish

New Zealand

dairy products, meat, wood and wood products, fish,

machinery

Nicaragua

coffee, beef, shrimp and lobster, tobacco, sugar, gold,

peanuts

Niger

uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas, onions

Nigeria

petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber

Niue

canned coconut cream, copra, honey, vanilla, passion fruit

products, pawpaws, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts

Norfolk Island

postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and

Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados

Northern Mariana Islands

garments

Norway

petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment,

metals, chemicals, ships, fish

Oman

petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles

Pakistan

textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, yarn), rice,

leather goods, sports goods, chemicals, manufactures, carpets and

rugs

Palau

shellfish, tuna, copra, garments

Panama

bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing

Papua New Guinea

oil, gold, copper ore, logs, palm oil, coffee,

cocoa, crayfish, prawns

Paraguay

soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils, electricity,

wood, leather

Peru

copper, gold, zinc, crude petroleum and petroleum products,

coffee, potatoes, asparagus, textiles, guinea pigs

Philippines

electronic equipment, machinery and transport equipment,

garments, optical instruments, coconut products, fruits and nuts,

copper products, chemicals

Pitcairn Islands

fruits, vegetables, curios, stamps

Poland

machinery and transport equipment 37.8%, intermediate

manufactured goods 23.7%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 17.1%,

food and live animals 7.6% (2003)

Portugal

clothing and footwear, machinery, chemicals, cork and paper

products, hides

Puerto Rico

chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum,

beverage concentrates, medical equipment

Qatar

liquefied natural gas (LNG), petroleum products, fertilizers,

steel

Romania

textiles and footwear, metals and metal products, machinery

and equipment, minerals and fuels, chemicals, agricultural products

Russia

petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, wood and wood

products, metals, chemicals, and a wide variety of civilian and

military manufactures

Rwanda

coffee, tea, hides, tin ore

Saint Helena

fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna),

coffee, handicrafts

Saint Kitts and Nevis

machinery, food, electronics, beverages,

tobacco

Saint Lucia

bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits,

coconut oil

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

fish and fish products, soybeans, animal

feed, mollusks and crustaceans, fox and mink pelts

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

bananas 39%, eddoes and dasheen

(taro), arrowroot starch; tennis racquets

Samoa

fish, coconut oil and cream, copra, taro, automotive parts,

garments, beer

San Marino

building stone, lime, wood, chestnuts, wheat, wine, baked

goods, hides, ceramics

Sao Tome and Principe

cocoa 80%, copra, coffee, palm oil

Saudi Arabia

petroleum and petroleum products 90%

Senegal

fish, groundnuts (peanuts), petroleum products, phosphates,

cotton

Serbia

manufactured goods, food and live animals, machinery and

transport equipment

Seychelles

canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum

products (reexports)

Sierra Leone

diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish

Singapore

machinery and equipment (including electronics), consumer

goods, chemicals, mineral fuels

Slovakia

vehicles 25.9%, machinery and electrical equipment 21.3%,

base metals 14.6%, chemicals and minerals 10.1%, plastics 5.4% (2004)

Slovenia

manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment,

chemicals, food

Solomon Islands

timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa

Somalia

livestock, bananas, hides, fish, charcoal, scrap metal

South Africa

gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals,

machinery and equipment

Spain

machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals,

medicines, other consumer goods

Sri Lanka

textiles and apparel, tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds,

rubies; coconut products, rubber manufactures, fish

Sudan

oil and petroleum products; cotton, sesame, livestock,

groundnuts, gum arabic, sugar

Suriname

alumina, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas

Swaziland

soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn,

refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit

Sweden

machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood,

iron and steel products, chemicals

Switzerland

machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural

products

Syria

crude oil, petroleum products, fruits and vegetables, cotton

fiber, clothing, meat and live animals, wheat

Taiwan

computer products and electrical equipment, metals, textiles,

plastics and rubber products, chemicals (2002)

Tajikistan

aluminum, electricity, cotton, fruits, vegetable oil,

textiles

Tanzania

gold, coffee, cashew nuts, manufactures, cotton

Thailand

textiles and footwear, fishery products, rice, rubber,

jewelry, automobiles, computers and electrical appliances

Togo

reexports, cotton, phosphates, coffee, cocoa

Tokelau

stamps, copra, handicrafts

Tonga

squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops

Trinidad and Tobago

petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals,

steel products, fertilizer, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus, flowers

Tunisia

clothing, semi-finished goods and textiles, agricultural

products, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, hydrocarbons

Turkey

apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transport

equipment

Turkmenistan

gas, crude oil, petrochemicals, cotton fiber, textiles

Turks and Caicos Islands

lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells

Tuvalu

copra, fish

Uganda

coffee, fish and fish products, tea, cotton, flowers,

horticultural products; gold

Ukraine

ferrous and nonferrous metals, fuel and petroleum products,

chemicals, machinery and transport equipment, food products

United Arab Emirates

crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried

fish, dates

United Kingdom

manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food,

beverages, tobacco

United States

agricultural products (soybeans, fruit, corn) 9.2%,

industrial supplies (organic chemicals) 26.8%, capital goods

(transistors, aircraft, motor vehicle parts, computers,

telecommunications equipment) 49.0%, consumer goods (automobiles,

medicines) 15.0% (2003)

Uruguay

meat, rice, leather products, wool, fish, dairy products

Uzbekistan

cotton 41.5%, gold 9.6%, energy products 9.6%, mineral

fertilizers, ferrous metals, textiles, food products, automobiles

(1998)

Vanuatu

copra, beef, cocoa, timber, kava, coffee

Venezuela

petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals,

agricultural products, basic manufactures

Vietnam

crude oil, marine products, rice, coffee, rubber, tea,

garments, shoes

Virgin Islands

refined petroleum products

Wallis and Futuna

copra, chemicals, construction materials

West Bank

olives, fruit, vegetables, limestone

Western Sahara

phosphates 62%

World

the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and

services

Yemen

crude oil, coffee, dried and salted fish

Zambia

copper/cobalt 64%, cobalt, electricity; tobacco, flowers,

cotton

Zimbabwe

cotton, tobacco, gold, ferroalloys, textiles/clothing

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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@2050 Exports - partners (%)

Afghanistan

US 25.8%, India 21.2%, Pakistan 20.3%, Finland 4.1%

(2005)

Albania

Italy 72.4%, Greece 10.5%, Serbia and Montenegro 5% (2005)

Algeria

US 22.6%, Italy 16%, Spain 10.5%, France 10%, Canada 7.9%,

Brazil 6.5%, Belgium 4.3%, Germany 4.2% (2005)

American Samoa

Indonesia 28.2%, India 22.3%, Australia 15.3%, Japan

11.2%, NZ 7.1% (2005)

Andorra

Spain 59.5%, France 17.0% (2005)

Angola

US 39.8%, China 29.6%, France 7.8%, Chile 5.4%, Taiwan 4.4%

(2005)

Anguilla

UK, US, Puerto Rico, Saint-Martin (2004)

Antigua and Barbuda

Spain 34%, Germany 20.7%, Italy 7.7%, Singapore

5.8%, UK 4.9% (2005)

Argentina

Brazil 15.8%, US 11.4%, Chile 11.2%, China 7.9% (2005)

Armenia

Germany 15.6%, Netherlands 13.7%, Belgium 12.8%, Russia

12.2%, Israel 11.5%, US 11.2%, Georgia 4.8% (2005)

Aruba

Netherlands 33.5%, Panama 16.7%, Colombia 11.9%, US 11.3%,

Venezuela 10.1%, Netherlands Antilles 9% (2005)

Australia

Japan 20.3%, China 11.5%, South Korea 7.9%, US 6.7%, NZ

6.5%, India 5% (2005)

Austria

Germany 31.2%, Italy 8.7%, US 5.8%, Switzerland 5.2%, France

4.2% (2005)

Azerbaijan

Italy 30.3%, France 9.4%, Russia 6.6%, Turkey 6.3%,

Turkmenistan 6.3%, Georgia 4.8%, Israel 4.5%, Croatia 4.1% (2005)

Bahamas, The

Spain 31.8%, US 30%, Poland 9%, Germany 5.4% (2005)

Bahrain

Saudi Arabia 3.3%, US 2.6%, UAE 2.3% (2005)

Bangladesh

US 23.6%, Germany 13.5%, UK 9.4%, France 6.4% (2005)

Barbados

US 18.6%, Trinidad and Tobago 15%, UK 12.1%, Saint Lucia

8.4%, Jamaica 7.9%, Grenada 4.6%, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

4.6% (2005)

Belarus

Russia 35.8%, Netherlands 15.1%, UK 7%, Ukraine 5.7%, Poland

5.3%, Germany 4.4% (2005)

Belgium

Germany 19.4%, France 17.3%, Netherlands 11.7%, UK 8.2%, US

6.4%, Italy 5.3% (2005)

Belize

US 30.6%, UK 25%, France 4.8% (2005)

Benin

China 31.3%, Indonesia 8.1%, India 7.4%, Niger 6%, Togo 4.8%,

Thailand 4.8%, Nigeria 4.6% (2005)

Bermuda

France 65.9%, Spain 11.8%, US 4.5% (2005)

Bhutan

Japan 32.3%, Germany 13.2%, France 13.1%, South Korea 7.6%,

US 7.5%, Thailand 5.6%, Italy 5% (2005)

Bolivia

Brazil 44.2%, US 12.5%, Argentina 10.9%, Colombia 7.8%, Peru

4.8% (2005)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Croatia 18.4%, Italy 17.1%, Slovenia 14.7%,

Germany 12.8%, Austria 6.5%, Hungary 5.2%, China 4.2% (2005)

Botswana

European Free Trade Association (EFTA) 87%, Southern

African Customs Union (SACU) 7%, Zimbabwe 4% (2004)

Brazil

US 19.2%, Argentina 8.4%, China 5.8%, Netherlands 4.5%,

Germany 4.2% (2005)

British Virgin Islands

Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US (2004)

Brunei

Japan 36.8%, Indonesia 19.3%, South Korea 12.7%, US 9.5%,

Australia 9.3% (2005)

Bulgaria

Italy 12%, Turkey 10.5%, Germany 9.8%, Greece 9.5%, Belgium

5.9%, France 4.6% (2005)

Burkina Faso

China 39.8%, Singapore 13.1%, Thailand 5.9%, Ghana

5.4%, Taiwan 4.6%, Niger 4% (2005)

Burma

Thailand 43.8%, India 12.1%, China 6.7%, Japan 5% (2005)

Burundi

Germany 24.6%, Belgium 11.2%, Netherlands 8.1%, Switzerland

5.9%, US 4.7% (2005)

Cambodia

US 48.6%, Hong Kong 24.4%, Germany 5.6%, Canada 4.6% (2005)

Cameroon

Spain 17.4%, Italy 13.8%, France 9.5%, South Korea 8.1%, UK

8.1%, Netherlands 7.9%, Belgium 4.9%, US 4.3% (2005)

Canada

US 84.2%, Japan 2.1%, UK 1.8% (2005)

Cape Verde

Spain 38.2%, Portugal 33.3%, US 9.2%, Morocco 5.4% (2005)

Cayman Islands

mostly US (2004)

Central African Republic

Belgium 34.9%, France 9.6%, Spain 8.7%,

Italy 8.1%, China 7.1%, Indonesia 6.3%, Democratic Republic of the

Congo 4.7%, US 4.5%, Turkey 4.5% (2005)

Chad

US 78.1%, China 9.9%, Taiwan 4.1% (2005)

Chile

US 15.8%, Japan 11.5%, China 11.1%, Netherlands 5.8%, South

Korea 5.5%, Brazil 4.4%, Italy 4.2%, Mexico 4% (2005)

China

US 21.4%, Hong Kong 16.3%, Japan 11%, South Korea 4.6%,

Germany 4.3% (2005)

Christmas Island

Australia, NZ (2004)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Australia (2004)

Colombia

US 41.8%, Venezuela 9.9%, Ecuador 6.3% (2005)

Comoros

France 26.9%, Singapore 16.3%, Japan 14.6%, Germany 13.2%,

US 5.6%, Netherlands 5% (2005)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Belgium 38.1%, US 17.8%, China

11.6%, France 8%, Finland 7.7%, Chile 4.3% (2005)

Congo, Republic of the

China 38.4%, US 28.6%, Taiwan 11.6%, South

Korea 7.1% (2005)

Cook Islands

Australia 34%, Japan 27%, New Zealand 25%, US 8% (2004)

Costa Rica

US 42.6%, Hong Kong 6.9%, Netherlands 6.4%, Guatemala

4.2% (2005)

Cote d'Ivoire

France 18.3%, US 14.1%, Netherlands 11%, Nigeria 8%,

Panama 4.4% (2005)

Croatia

Italy 21.8%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 14.7%, Germany 10.7%,

Slovenia 8.1%, Austria 7.3% (2005)

Cuba

Netherlands 25.7%, Canada 21%, China 9.9%, Spain 6.8% (2005)

Cyprus

France 18.8%, UK 18.1%, Greece 13%, Germany 6% (2005)

Czech Republic

Germany 33.5%, Slovakia 8.7%, Austria 5.5%, Poland

5.5%, France 5.3%, UK 4.6%, Italy 4.3% (2005)

Denmark

Germany 17.6%, Sweden 13.2%, UK 8.7%, US 6.4%, France 5.5%,

Netherlands 5.3%, Norway 5.1% (2005)

Djibouti

Somalia 66.3%, Ethiopia 21.5%, Yemen 3.4% (2005)

Dominica

UK 26.8%, Jamaica 10%, South Korea 8.9%, Antigua and

Barbuda 8.8%, Guyana 7.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.8%, US 4%, Saint

Lucia 4% (2005)

Dominican Republic

US 78.9%, Netherlands 2.4%, Mexico 1.9% (2005)

East Timor

Indonesia 100% (2005)

Ecuador

US 50.6%, Peru 7.9%, Germany 4.3%, Colombia 4.3% (2005)

Egypt

US 13%, Italy 9.2%, Spain 7.7%, Syria 5.5%, France 4.9%,

Germany 4.8%, Saudi Arabia 4.7%, UK 4% (2005)

El Salvador

US 61%, Guatemala 12.1%, Honduras 7.4%, Nicaragua 4.2%

(2005)

Equatorial Guinea

US 24.6%, China 21.8%, Spain 10.9%, Canada 7.3%,

Taiwan 7.2%, Portugal 5.5%, Netherlands 5.2%, Brazil 4.6%, France 4%

(2005)

Eritrea

Italy 36.4%, US 13.8%, Belarus 6.8%, Germany 5.3%, UK 4.6%

(2005)

Estonia

Finland 26.3%, Sweden 13.2%, Latvia 8.8%, Russia 6.5%,

Germany 6.2%, Lithuania 4.6% (2005)

Ethiopia

Germany 15.5%, China 10.5%, Japan 8.5%, Saudi Arabia 6.9%,

Djibouti 6.8%, Switzerland 6.4%, Italy 5.9%, US 5.5%, Netherlands

4.2% (2005)

European Union

US 23.3%, Switzerland 7.6%, Russia 5.2%, China 4.8%

(2005)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Spain 81.9%, US 6%, UK 4.5% (2005)

Faroe Islands

Denmark 38%, UK 29.4%, Nigeria 8.9%, Norway 6.1%,

Netherlands 4.3% (2005)

Fiji

US 19.7%, Australia 17%, UK 12.3%, Japan 5.4%, Samoa 4.1% (2005)

Finland

Russia 11.2%, Sweden 10.7%, Germany 10.5%, UK 6.6%, US 6.2%,

Netherlands 4.8% (2005)

France

Germany 14.7%, Spain 9.7%, Italy 8.7%, UK 8.3%, Belgium 7.1%,

US 7.1% (2005)

French Polynesia

France 46.3%, Japan 20.8%, Niger 12.8%, US 12.5%

(2005)

Gabon

US 52.6%, France 6.3%, China 6.2% (2005)

Gambia, The

India 29.6%, Kenya 28.4%, UK 13.3%, Indonesia 6.1% (2005)

Gaza Strip

Israel, Egypt, West Bank

Georgia

Russia 18.1%, Turkey 14.3%, Azerbaijan 9.8%, Turkmenistan

8.9%, Bulgaria 5%, Armenia 4.7%, Ukraine 4.4%, Canada 4.2% (2005)

Germany

France 10.2%, US 8.8%, UK 7.9%, Italy 6.9%, Netherlands

6.1%, Belgium 5.6%, Austria 5.4%, Spain 5.1% (2005)

Ghana

Netherlands 12.5%, UK 8.3%, US 6.7%, Belgium 5.8%, France

5.6%, Germany 4.4% (2005)

Gibraltar

UK 30.8%, Spain 22.7%, Germany 13.7%, Turkmenistan 10.4%,

Switzerland 8.3%, Italy 6.7% (2005)

Greece

Germany 12.4%, Italy 10.4%, UK 6.7%, Bulgaria 5.9%, US 5.3%,

Cyprus 5.2%, Turkey 5.1%, France 4.2% (2005)

Greenland

Denmark 61.7%, Japan 12.2%, China 5.2%, Spain 4.6% (2005)

Grenada

Saint Lucia 12.2%, US 11.4%, Antigua and Barbuda 8.3%,

Germany 8%, Netherlands 7.9%, Saint Kitts & Nevis 7.4%, Dominica

7.4%, UK 6.8%, France 4.2% (2005)

Guam

Japan 67.2%, Singapore 11.6%, UK 4.8% (2005)

Guatemala

US 50.1%, El Salvador 12.1%, Honduras 7.3%, Mexico 4%

(2005)

Guernsey

UK; note - regarded as internal trade (2004)

Guinea

Russia 14.6%, South Korea 11.3%, Spain 10.2%, Ukraine 7.9%,

US 6.1%, Ireland 6%, France 5.7%, Germany 5%, Belgium 4.5% (2005)

Guinea-Bissau

India 71.9%, Nigeria 17.1%, Ecuador 4% (2005)

Guyana

Canada 18.9%, US 18.9%, UK 11.8%, Portugal 8.1%, Jamaica

5.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.2% (2005)

Haiti

US 80.9%, Dominican Republic 6.9%, Canada 4% (2005)

Honduras

US 73.3%, Guatemala 2.9%, El Salvador 2.9% (2005)

Hong Kong

China 45%, US 16.1%, Japan 5.3% (2005)

Hungary

Germany 30.2%, Italy 5.7%, Austria 5.6%, France 5.3%, UK

5.1% (2005)

Iceland

UK 17.9%, Germany 16.4%, Netherlands 13%, US 8.1%, Spain

7.7%, Denmark 4.3% (2005)

India

US 16.7%, UAE 8.5%, China 6.6%, Singapore 5.3%, UK 4.9%, Hong

Kong 4.4% (2005)

Indonesia

Japan 21.1%, US 11.5%, Singapore 9.2%, South Korea 8.3%,

China 7.8%, Malaysia 4% (2005)

Iran

Japan 16.9%, China 11.2%, Italy 5.9%, South Korea 5.8%, Turkey

5.7%, Netherlands 4.6%, France 4.4%, South Africa 4.1%, Taiwan 4.1%

(2005)

Iraq

US 49.7%, Italy 10.4%, Spain 6.3%, Canada 5.6% (2005)

Ireland

US 18.7%, UK 17.4%, Belgium 15.2%, Germany 7.4%, France

6.4%, Netherlands 4.8% (2005)

Isle of Man

UK (2004)

Israel

US 36.5%, Belgium 8.7%, Hong Kong 5.6% (2005)

Italy

Germany 13.1%, France 12.3%, US 8.1%, Spain 7.4%, UK 6.4%

(2005)

Jamaica

US 25.8%, Canada 19.3%, UK 10.7%, Netherlands 8.6%, China

7%, Norway 6.4%, Germany 5.6% (2005)

Japan

US 22.9%, China 13.4%, South Korea 7.8%, Taiwan 7.3%, Hong

Kong 6.1% (2005)

Jersey

UK (2004)

Jordan

US 26.2%, Iraq 17.1%, India 8.1%, Saudi Arabia 5.9%, Syria

4.7% (2005)

Kazakhstan

Russia 12.4%, Germany 12%, China 11.2%, Italy 8.8%,

France 8.6%, Romania 5.1%, US 4.5% (2005)

Kenya

Uganda 14.2%, UK 10.8%, US 9.7%, Netherlands 8.3%, Egypt 5.2%,

Pakistan 4.8%, Tanzania 4.8% (2005)

Kiribati

US 22.8%, Belgium 21.5%, Japan 14.3%, Samoa 7.8%, Australia

7.5%, Malaysia 6.7%, Taiwan 5.6%, Denmark 4.6% (2005)

Korea, North

China 35%, South Korea 24%, Thailand 9%, Japan 9% (2005)

Korea, South

China 21.8%, US 14.6%, Japan 8.5%, Hong Kong 5.5% (2005)

Kuwait

Japan 19.7%, South Korea 15.4%, US 11.9%, Taiwan 11.1%,

Singapore 9.5%, Netherlands 4.7% (2005)

Kyrgyzstan

UAE 35.6%, Russia 18.6%, China 13.4%, Kazakhstan 13%

(2005)

Laos

Thailand 29.4%, Vietnam 12.5%, France 6%, Germany 4.5% (2005)

Latvia

Lithuania 11%, Estonia 10.8%, Germany 10.2%, UK 10.2%, Russia

7.9%, Sweden 7.8%, Denmark 5.3%, Poland 5.3% (2005)

Lebanon

Syria 25.3%, UAE 11.4%, Switzerland 8.1%, Turkey 6%, Saudi

Arabia 5.4% (2005)

Lesotho

Hong Kong 41.8%, China 33.9%, Germany 7.9% (2005)

Liberia

Belgium 40.7%, Spain 15.2%, US 8.9%, Malaysia 5.4%, Thailand

4.5%, Poland 4.5%, Germany 4.3% (2005)

Libya

Italy 37.7%, Germany 15.1%, Spain 9.3%, Turkey 6.2%, France

6.2%, US 5.2% (2005)

Liechtenstein

EU 62.6% (Germany 24.3%, Austria 9.5%, France 8.9%,

Italy 6.6%, UK 4.6%), US 18.9%, Switzerland 15.7% (2004)

Lithuania

Russia 10.4%, Latvia 10.2%, Germany 9.4%, France 7.1%,

Estonia 5.9%, Poland 5.5%, Sweden 5%, US 4.7%, UK 4.7%, Denmark 4.3%

(2005)

Luxembourg

Germany 21%, France 16.3%, Belgium 9.2%, UK 8.3%, Italy

7.5%, Spain 6.6%, Netherlands 4.3% (2005)

Macau

US 48.7%, China 14.9%, Hong Kong 9.8%, Germany 5.9% (2005)

Macedonia

Serbia and Montenegro 22.5%, Germany 17.8%, Greece 15.3%,

Italy 8.3% (2005)

Madagascar

France 31.5%, US 31%, Germany 8.8% (2005)

Malawi

US 17.9%, South Africa 11.2%, Egypt 7.6%, Germany 7%,

Netherlands 6.9%, Japan 4.8%, Russia 4.6%, Mozambique 4.3%, UK 4.2%

(2005)

Malaysia

US 19.7%, Singapore 15.6%, Japan 9.3%, China 6.6%, Hong

Kong 5.8%, Thailand 5.4% (2005)

Maldives

Japan 22.8%, Thailand 22.7%, Sri Lanka 16.4%, UK 12.6%,

Singapore 5.8%, Germany 4.8%, France 4.3% (2005)

Mali

China 29.3%, Thailand 10.1%, Taiwan 7.7%, Italy 5.3%,

Bangladesh 4.5%, France 4.4% (2005)

Malta

France 15.4%, US 14.4%, Singapore 12.3%, UK 11.3%, Germany

11.2%, Italy 5.1%, Libya 4.2% (2005)

Marshall Islands

US, Japan, Australia, China (2004)

Mauritania

Italy 14.8%, Japan 12.2%, France 11.9%, Belgium 8.5%,

Germany 8.2%, Cote d'Ivoire 7.1%, Spain 7.1%, Russia 5%, Netherlands

4.4% (2005)

Mauritius

UK 32%, France 17%, US 9.7%, UAE 8.6%, Madagascar 5.7%,

Italy 5.7% (2005)

Mayotte

France 80%, Comoros 15%, Reunion (2004)

Mexico

US 85.7%, Canada 2%, Spain 1.4% (2005)

Micronesia, Federated States of

Japan, US, Guam (2004)

Moldova

Russia 32.9%, Italy 12.7%, Romania 10.6%, Ukraine 9.5%,

Belarus 6.7%, Germany 4.5% (2005)

Mongolia

China 48.1%, US 14.2%, Canada 11.6%, UK 8.3%, South Korea

6.2% (2005)

Montenegro

Switzerland 83.9%, Italy 6.1%, Bosnia and Herzegovina

1.3% (2003)

Montserrat

US, Antigua and Barbuda (2004)

Morocco

France 30.3%, Spain 18%, UK 6.2%, Italy 5.2%, India 4.1%

(2005)

Mozambique

Netherlands 59.7%, South Africa 16.2%, Zimbabwe 2.9%

(2005)

Namibia

South Africa 33.4%, US 4% (2004)

Nauru

South Africa 63.7%, South Korea 7.6%, Canada 6.6% (2005)

Nepal

India 53.7%, US 17.4%, Germany 7.1% (2005)

Netherlands

Germany 24.9%, Belgium 13%, France 9.4%, UK 9.2%, Italy

5.7%, US 4.3%, Spain 4.1% (2005)

Netherlands Antilles

US 29.4%, Panama 14.4%, Mexico 8.8%, Haiti

5.6%, Venezuela 4.9%, Bahamas, The 4.4% (2005)

New Caledonia

Japan 21.1%, France 17.2%, Taiwan 11.3%, South Korea

10%, Spain 8.9%, China 7.2%, Belgium 4.5%, South Africa 4.4% (2005)

New Zealand

Australia 21.4%, US 14.1%, Japan 10.6%, China 5.1%, UK

4.7% (2005)

Nicaragua

US 34.1%, El Salvador 14.3%, Honduras 7.9%, Costa Rica

6.1%, Guatemala 5.2%, Mexico 5.1%, Spain 4.2% (2005)

Niger

France 47.9%, Nigeria 21.4%, US 20.3% (2005)

Nigeria

US 52.5%, Spain 8.2%, Brazil 6.1% (2005)

Niue

New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia (2004)

Norfolk Island

Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia,

Europe (2004)

Northern Mariana Islands

US (2004)

Norway

UK 25.5%, Germany 12.6%, Netherlands 9.9%, France 9.1%, US

6.7%, Sweden 6.5% (2005)

Oman

China 21.6%, South Korea 19.3%, Japan 14.2%, Thailand 12.6%,

UAE 7.1%, Taiwan 4.1% (2005)

Pakistan

US 24.8%, UAE 7.8%, Afghanistan 6.6%, UK 5.7%, Germany 4.5%

(2005)

Palau

US, Japan, Singapore (2004)

Panama

US 44.9%, Spain 8.9%, Sweden 5.6%, Netherlands 4.9%, Costa

Rica 4% (2005)

Papua New Guinea

Australia 28.8%, Japan 8.6%, China 5.4% (2005)

Paraguay

Uruguay 28.4%, Brazil 19.3%, Argentina 6.4%, Russia 6%,

China 4.1% (2005)

Peru

US 31.1%, China 10.8%, Chile 6.6%, Canada 5.9%, Switzerland

4.6% (2005)

Philippines

US 18%, Japan 17.5%, China 9.9%, Netherlands 9.8%, Hong

Kong 8.1%, Singapore 6.6%, Malaysia 6%, Taiwan 4.6% (2005)

Poland

Germany 28.2%, France 6.2%, Italy 6.1%, UK 5.6%, Czech

Republic 4.6%, Russia 4.4%, Netherlands 4.2% (2005)

Portugal

Spain 25.9%, France 13.1%, Germany 11.9%, UK 8%, US 5.4%,

Italy 4.3% (2005)

Puerto Rico

US 90.3%, UK 1.6%, Netherlands 1.4%, Dominican Republic

1.4% (2004)

Qatar

Japan 36.9%, South Korea 19.4%, Singapore 8.2% (2005)

Romania

Italy 19.4%, Germany 14%, Turkey 7.9%, France 7.4%, UK 5.5%,

Hungary 4.1%, US 4.1% (2005)

Russia

Netherlands 10.3%, Germany 8.3%, Italy 7.9%, China 5.5%,

Ukraine 5.2%, Turkey 4.5%, Switzerland 4.4% (2005)

Rwanda

Germany 11%, China 6.5%, Belgium 4.5% (2005)

Saint Helena

Tanzania 37.7%, US 17.4%, Japan 15.2%, UK 8.4%, Nigeria

4.8%, Spain 4.5% (2005)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

US 61.3%, Canada 8.1%, UK 5.6% (2005)

Saint Lucia

France 31.4%, US 18.7%, China 18.2%, UK 14% (2005)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Spain 33.6%, Belgium 21.8%, India 18.3%,

France 9.4%, US 7.5% (2005)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

UK 26.7%, Barbados 12.7%, Trinidad

and Tobago 12.3%, Saint Lucia 10.9%, US 9.2%, Dominica 7.2%, Grenada

6.8%, Antigua and Barbuda 6.2% (2005)

Samoa

Australia 75.9%, American Samoa 13.6%, US 6.5% (2005)

Sao Tome and Principe

Netherlands 61.9%, Belgium 9.3%, Turkey 5.6%,

South Korea 4.1% (2005)

Saudi Arabia

US 16.8%, Japan 16.5%, South Korea 9.3%, China 7.1%,

Singapore 5.2%, Taiwan 4.3% (2005)

Senegal

Mali 16.9%, India 13.1%, France 9.5%, Spain 6.1%, Italy

5.5%, Gambia, The 4.6% (2005)

Seychelles

UK 23%, Spain 19.8%, France 11.4%, Japan 9.7%, Italy

7.4%, Germany 5.8%, Netherlands 5.4% (2005)

Sierra Leone

Belgium 66%, Germany 13.4%, US 4.6% (2005)

Singapore

Malaysia 14.7%, US 11.5%, Indonesia 10.7%, Hong Kong

10.4%, China 9.5%, Japan 6%, Thailand 4.5%, Australia 4.1% (2005)

Slovakia

Germany 26.2%, Czech Republic 14.1%, Austria 7.1%, Italy

6.7%, Poland 6.3%, Hungary 5.7% (2005)

Slovenia

Germany 19.8%, Italy 12.7%, Croatia 9.3%, France 8.1%,

Austria 8.1% (2005)

Solomon Islands

China 41.6%, South Korea 13.5%, Thailand 7%, Japan

6.4%, Philippines 4.6%, Italy 4.2% (2005)

Somalia

UAE 48.5%, Yemen 20.9%, Oman 5.8% (2005)

South Africa

Japan 9.9%, UK 9.7%, US 9.5%, Germany 6.5%, Netherlands

4.6% (2005)

Spain

France 19.3%, Germany 11.4%, Portugal 9.6%, UK 8.4%, Italy

8.4%, US 4.1% (2005)

Sri Lanka

US 31.1%, UK 12.2%, India 8.9%, Germany 4.3% (2005)

Sudan

China 71.1%, Japan 12%, Saudi Arabia 2.8% (2005)

Suriname

Norway 23.6%, US 16.5%, Canada 16.1%, Belgium 9.7%, France

7.9%, UAE 7.3% (2005)

Swaziland

South Africa 59.7%, EU 8.8%, US 8.8%, Mozambique 6.2%

(2004)

Sweden

US 10.6%, Germany 10.2%, Norway 8.7%, UK 7.3%, Denmark 6.5%,

Finland 5.7%, France 4.9%, Netherlands 4.5%, Belgium 4.3% (2005)

Switzerland

Germany 19.4%, US 10.9%, Italy 9.1%, France 8.7%, UK

5.4%, Spain 4.1% (2005)

Syria

Iraq 26.3%, Italy 9.9%, Germany 9.9%, Lebanon 9.1%, Egypt

5.1%, France 4.9%, Saudi Arabia 4.6% (2005)

Taiwan

China 22.5%, Hong Kong 15.7%, US 15%, Japan 7.3% (2006 est.)

Tajikistan

Netherlands 46.6%, Turkey 15.8%, Russia 9.1%, Uzbekistan

7.3%, Latvia 4.9%, Iran 4% (2005)

Tanzania

China 10.2%, Canada 8.7%, India 7.3%, Netherlands 5.2%,

Japan 4.5%, Kenya 4.4%, Germany 4.3% (2005)

Thailand

US 15.4%, Japan 13.6%, China 8.3%, Singapore 6.9%, Hong

Kong 5.6%, Malaysia 5.2% (2005)

Togo

Ghana 21.1%, Burkina Faso 18.2%, Benin 11.5%, Mali 7.3%, India

5.8%, Nigeria 4% (2005)

Tokelau

New Zealand (2004)

Tonga

Japan 41.8%, US 33.4%, NZ 6.3% (2005)

Trinidad and Tobago

US 68.6%, Jamaica 5.4%, Barbados 2.9% (2005)

Tunisia

France 30.8%, Italy 21%, Germany 9.3%, Spain 5.5%, Libya

4.4% (2005)

Turkey

Germany 12.9%, UK 8.1%, Italy 7.6%, US 6.7%, France 5.2%,

Spain 4.1% (2005)

Turkmenistan

Ukraine 42.8%, Iran 14.8%, Hungary 5.3% (2005)

Turks and Caicos Islands

US, UK (2004)

Tuvalu

Germany 60.5%, Italy 20.1%, Fiji 6.9% (2005)

Uganda

Kenya 15.1%, Belgium 9.9%, Netherlands 9.6%, France 7.1%,

Germany 5.1% (2005)

Ukraine

Russia 22.1%, Turkey 6%, Italy 5.6% (2005)

United Arab Emirates

Japan 24.4%, South Korea 9.7%, Thailand 5.5%,

India 4.3% (2005)

United Kingdom

US 15.1%, Germany 10.5%, France 8.9%, Ireland 7.3%,

Netherlands 5.5%, Belgium 5%, Spain 4.4% (2005)

United States

Canada 23.4%, Mexico 13.3%, Japan 6.1%, China 4.6%, UK

4.3% (2005)

Uruguay

US 23.2%, Brazil 13.5%, Argentina 7.8%, Germany 4.2%, Mexico

4.1% (2005)

Uzbekistan

Russia 23.8%, China 11.9%, Kazakhstan 6.9%, Turkey 6.9%,

Ukraine 5.4%, Bangladesh 4.7%, Poland 4.2%, Tajikistan 4% (2005)

Vanuatu

Thailand 46.5%, India 14.1%, Poland 7.9%, Turkey 7.7%, Japan

6.9% (2005)

Venezuela

US 50.9%, Netherlands Antilles 7.2%, Canada 2.4% (2005)

Vietnam

US 18.3%, Japan 13.6%, China 9%, Australia 7.9%, Singapore

5.6% (2005)

Virgin Islands

US, Puerto Rico (2004)

Wallis and Futuna

Italy 40%, Croatia 15%, US 14%, Denmark 13% (2004)

West Bank

Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2004)

Western Sahara

Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so

trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2006)

World

US 15.6%, Germany 7.4%, China 5.7%, France 4.9%, UK 4.7%,

Japan 4.5% (2005)

Yemen

China 35.3%, India 16.2%, Thailand 11.9%, Japan 6.3%, South

Korea 6.3%, Switzerland 5.5% (2005)

Zambia

Switzerland 28.7%, South Africa 18.6%, UK 14.4%, Democratic

Republic of the Congo 5.4%, Tanzania 5.1%, Zimbabwe 4.1% (2005)

Zimbabwe

South Africa 27%, China 7.9%, Japan 6.8%, Zambia 5.6%,

Netherlands 5.4%, US 4.9%, Italy 4.5%, Germany 4.4% (2005)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2051 Administrative divisions

Afghanistan

34 provinces (velayat, singular - velayat); Badakhshan,

Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamian, Daykondi, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni,

Ghowr, Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabol, Kandahar, Kapisa, Khowst,

Konar, Kondoz, Laghman, Lowgar, Nangarhar, Nimruz, Nurestan,

Oruzgan, Paktia, Paktika, Panjshir, Parvan, Samangan, Sar-e Pol,

Takhar, Vardak, Zabol

Albania

12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Qarku i Beratit, Qarku

i Dibres, Qarku i Durresit, Qarku i Elbasanit, Qarku i Fierit, Qarku

i Gjirokastres, Qarku i Korces, Qarku i Kukesit, Qarku i Lezhes,

Qarku i Shkodres, Qarku i Tiranes, Qarku i Vlores

Algeria

48 provinces (wilayat, singular - wilaya); Adrar, Ain Defla,

Ain Temouchent, Alger, Annaba, Batna, Bechar, Bejaia, Biskra, Blida,

Bordj Bou Arreridj, Bouira, Boumerdes, Chlef, Constantine, Djelfa,

El Bayadh, El Oued, El Tarf, Ghardaia, Guelma, Illizi, Jijel,

Khenchela, Laghouat, Mascara, Medea, Mila, Mostaganem, M'Sila,

Naama, Oran, Ouargla, Oum el Bouaghi, Relizane, Saida, Setif, Sidi

Bel Abbes, Skikda, Souk Ahras, Tamanghasset, Tebessa, Tiaret,

Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen

American Samoa

none (territory of the US); there are no first-order

administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there

are three districts and two islands* at the second order; Eastern,

Manu'a, Rose Island*, Swains Island*, Western

Andorra

7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia); Andorra la

Vella, Canillo, Encamp, Escaldes-Engordany, La Massana, Ordino, Sant

Julia de Loria

Angola

18 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Bengo,

Benguela, Bie, Cabinda, Cuando Cubango, Cuanza Norte, Cuanza Sul,

Cunene, Huambo, Huila, Luanda, Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Malanje,

Moxico, Namibe, Uige, Zaire

Anguilla

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Antigua and Barbuda

6 parishes and 2 dependencies*; Barbuda*,

Redonda*, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mary, Saint Paul, Saint

Peter, Saint Philip

Argentina

23 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1

autonomous city* (distrito federal); Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires

Capital Federal*, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, Cordoba, Corrientes,

Entre Rios, Formosa, Jujuy, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Misiones,

Neuquen, Rio Negro, Salta, San Juan, San Luis, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe,

Santiago del Estero, Tierra del Fuego - Antartida e Islas del

Atlantico Sur, Tucuman

note: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica

Armenia

11 provinces (marzer, singular - marz); Aragatsotn, Ararat,

Armavir, Geghark'unik', Kotayk', Lorri, Shirak, Syunik', Tavush,

Vayots' Dzor, Yerevan

Aruba

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Australia

6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital

Territory*, New South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South

Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Austria

9 states (Bundeslaender, singular - Bundesland); Burgenland,

Kaernten (Carinthia), Niederoesterreich (Lower Austria),

Oberoesterreich (Upper Austria), Salzburg, Steiermark (Styria),

Tirol, Vorarlberg, Wien (Vienna)

Azerbaijan

59 rayons (rayonlar; rayon - singular), 11 cities

(saharlar; sahar - singular), 1 autonomous republic (muxtar

respublika)

rayons: Abseron Rayonu, Agcabadi Rayonu, Agdam Rayonu, Agdas Rayonu,

Agstafa Rayonu, Agsu Rayonu, Astara Rayonu, Balakan Rayonu, Barda

Rayonu, Beylaqan Rayonu, Bilasuvar Rayonu, Cabrayil Rayonu,

Calilabad Rayonu, Daskasan Rayonu, Davaci Rayonu, Fuzuli Rayonu,

Gadabay Rayonu, Goranboy Rayonu, Goycay Rayonu, Haciqabul Rayonu,

Imisli Rayonu, Ismayilli Rayonu, Kalbacar Rayonu, Kurdamir Rayonu,

Lacin Rayonu, Lankaran Rayonu, Lerik Rayonu, Masalli Rayonu,

Neftcala Rayonu, Oguz Rayonu, Qabala Rayonu, Qax Rayonu, Qazax

Rayonu, Qobustan Rayonu, Quba Rayonu, Qubadli Rayonu, Qusar Rayonu,

Saatli Rayonu, Sabirabad Rayonu, Saki Rayonu, Salyan Rayonu, Samaxi

Rayonu, Samkir Rayonu, Samux Rayonu, Siyazan Rayonu, Susa Rayonu,

Tartar Rayonu, Tovuz Rayonu, Ucar Rayonu, Xacmaz Rayonu, Xanlar

Rayonu, Xizi Rayonu, Xocali Rayonu, Xocavand Rayonu, Yardimli

Rayonu, Yevlax Rayonu, Zangilan Rayonu, Zaqatala Rayonu, Zardab

Rayonu

cities: Ali Bayramli Sahari, Baki Sahari, Ganca Sahari, Lankaran

Sahari, Mingacevir Sahari, Naftalan Sahari, Saki Sahari, Sumqayit

Sahari, Susa Sahari, Xankandi Sahari, Yevlax Sahari

autonomous republic: Naxcivan Muxtar Respublikasi

Bahamas, The

21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat

Island, Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour, Green

Turtle Cay, Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long

Island, Marsh Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nichollstown and

Berry Islands, Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador

and Rum Cay

Bahrain

5 governorates; Asamah, Janubiyah, Muharraq, Shamaliyah,

Wasat

note: each governorate administered by an appointed governor

Bangladesh

6 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna,

Rajshahi, Sylhet

Barbados

11 parishes and 1 city*; Bridgetown*, Christ Church, Saint

Andrew, Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint

Lucy, Saint Michael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas

Belarus

6 provinces (voblastsi, singular - voblasts') and 1

municipality* (horad); Brest, Homyel', Horad Minsk*, Hrodna,

Mahilyow, Minsk, Vitsyebsk

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their

administrative centers

Belgium

10 provinces (French: provinces, singular - province; Dutch:

provincies, singular - provincie) and 3 regions* (French: regions;

Dutch: gewesten); Brussels* (Bruxelles) capital region; Flanders*

region (five provinces): Antwerpen (Antwerp), Limburg,

Oost-Vlaanderen (East Flanders), Vlaams-Brabant (Flemish Brabant),

West-Vlaanderen (West Flanders); Wallonia* region (five provinces):

Brabant Wallon (Walloon Brabant), Hainaut, Liege, Luxembourg, Namur

note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered

devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of

government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a

complex division of responsibilities

Belize

6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek,

Toledo

Benin

12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou,

Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou

Bermuda

9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire, Hamilton,

Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George's, Sandys,

Smith's, Southampton, Warwick

Bhutan

18 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang,

Chhukha, Chirang, Dagana, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar, Paro,

Pemagatsel, Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang,

Thimphu, Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang

note: there may be two new districts named Gasa and Yangtse

Bolivia

9 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);

Beni, Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, La Paz, Oruro, Pando, Potosi, Santa

Cruz, Tarija

Bosnia and Herzegovina

2 first-order administrative divisions and 1

internationally supervised district* - Brcko district (Brcko

Distrikt)*, the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

(Federacija Bosna i Hercegovina) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika

Srpska; note - Brcko district is in northeastern Bosnia and is an

administrative unit under the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina;

the district remains under international supervision

Botswana

9 districts and 5 town councils*; Central, Francistown*,

Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Jwaneng*, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*,

Northeast, Northwest, Selebi-Pikwe*, Southeast, Southern

Brazil

26 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal

district* (distrito federal); Acre, Alagoas, Amapa, Amazonas, Bahia,

Ceara, Distrito Federal*, Espirito Santo, Goias, Maranhao, Mato

Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Para, Paraiba, Parana,

Pernambuco, Piaui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande

do Sul, Rondonia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo, Sergipe,

Tocantins

British Virgin Islands

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Brunei

4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait,

Brunei and Muara, Temburong, Tutong

Bulgaria

28 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast); Blagoevgrad,

Burgas, Dobrich, Gabrovo, Khaskovo, Kurdzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech,

Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Ruse, Shumen,

Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofiya, Sofiya-Grad, Stara Zagora,

Turgovishte, Varna, Veliko Turnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Yambol

Burkina Faso

45 provinces; Bale, Bam, Banwa, Bazega, Bougouriba,

Boulgou, Boulkiemde, Comoe, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Ioba,

Kadiogo, Kenedougou, Komondjari, Kompienga, Kossi, Koulpelogo,

Kouritenga, Kourweogo, Leraba, Loroum, Mouhoun, Nahouri, Namentenga,

Nayala, Noumbiel, Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Sanguie,

Sanmatenga, Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Tuy, Yagha, Yatenga,

Ziro, Zondoma, Zoundweogo

Burma

7 divisions (taing-myar, singular - taing) and 7 states (pyi

ne-myar, singular - pyi ne)

divisions: Ayeyarwady, Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Sagaing, Tanintharyi,

Yangon

states: Chin State, Kachin State, Kayah State, Kayin State, Mon

State, Rakhine State, Shan State

Burundi

17 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura Mairie, Bujumbura Rurale,

Bururi, Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo,

Makamba, Muramvya, Muyinga, Mwaro, Ngozi, Rutana, Ruyigi

Cambodia

20 provinces (khaitt, singular and plural) and 4

municipalities* (krong, singular and plural)

provinces: Banteay Mean Cheay, Batdambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong

Chhnang, Kampong Spoe, Kampong Thum, Kampot, Kandal, Kaoh Kong,

Krachen, Mondol Kiri, Otdar Mean Cheay, Pouthisat, Preah Vihear,

Prey Veng, Rotanah Kiri, Siem Reab, Stoeng Treng, Svay Rieng, Takev

municipalities: Keb, Pailin, Phnum Penh (Phnom Penh), Preah Seihanu

(Sihanoukville)

Cameroon

10 provinces; Adamaoua, Centre, Est, Extreme-Nord,

Littoral, Nord, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Ouest

Canada

10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia,

Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest

Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island,

Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*

Cape Verde

17 municipalities (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa

Vista, Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira

Grande, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao Filipe,

Sao Miguel, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal

Cayman Islands

8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town,

Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western

Central African Republic

14 prefectures (prefectures, singular -

prefecture), 2 economic prefectures* (prefectures economiques,

singular - prefecture economique), and 1 commune**;

Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui**, Basse-Kotto, Haute-Kotto, Haut-Mbomou,

Kemo, Lobaye, Mambere-Kadei, Mbomou, Nana-Grebizi*, Nana-Mambere,

Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham, Ouham-Pende, Sangha-Mbaere*, Vakaga

Chad

14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture); Batha,

Biltine, Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti, Chari-Baguirmi, Guera, Kanem, Lac,

Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mayo-Kebbi, Moyen-Chari,

Ouaddai, Salamat, Tandjile

note: instead of 14 prefectures, there may be a new administrative

structure of 28 departments (departments, singular - department) and

1 city*; Assongha, Baguirmi, Bahr El Gazal, Bahr Koh, Batha

Oriental, Batha Occidental, Biltine, Borkou, Dababa, Ennedi, Guera,

Hadjer Lamis, Kabia, Kanem, Lac, Lac Iro, Logone Occidental, Logone

Oriental, Mandoul, Mayo-Boneye, Mayo-Dallah, Monts de Lam,

N'Djamena*, Ouaddai, Salamat, Sila, Tandjile Oriental, Tandjile

Occidental, Tibesti

Chile

13 regions (regiones, singular - region); Aisen del General

Carlos Ibanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania, Atacama, Bio-Bio,

Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los Lagos,

Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena, Maule, Region Metropolitana

(Santiago), Tarapaca, Valparaiso

note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica

China

23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous

regions (zizhiqu, singular and plural), and 4 municipalities (shi,

singular and plural)

provinces: Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei,

Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin,

Liaoning, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan,

Zhejiang; (see note on Taiwan)

autonomous regions: Guangxi, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Xinjiang, Xizang

(Tibet)

municipalities: Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, Tianjin

note: China considers Taiwan its 23rd province; see separate entries

for the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau

Christmas Island

none (territory of Australia)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

none (territory of Australia)

Colombia

32 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and

1 capital district* (distrito capital); Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca,

Atlantico, Bogota*, Bolivar, Boyaca, Caldas, Caqueta, Casanare,

Cauca, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba, Cundinamarca, Guainia, Guaviare,

Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Narino, Norte de Santander,

Putumayo, Quindio, Risaralda, San Andres y Providencia, Santander,

Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes, Vichada

Comoros

3 islands and 4 municipalities*; Grande Comore (Njazidja),

Anjouan (Nzwani), Domoni*, Fomboni*, Moheli (Mwali), Moroni*,

Moutsamoudou*

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 10 provinces (provinces, singular - province) and 1 city* (ville); Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Equateur, Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental, Katanga, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Orientale, Sud-Kivu note: According to the Constitution adopted in December 2005, the current administrative divisions will be subdivided into 26 new provinces

Congo, Republic of the

10 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1

commune*; Bouenza, Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou,

Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha

Cook Islands

none

Costa Rica

7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela,

Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose

Cote d'Ivoire

19 regions; Agneby, Bafing, Bas-Sassandra, Denguele,

Dix-Huit Montagnes, Fromager, Haut-Sassandra, Lacs, Lagunes,

Marahoue, Moyen-Cavally, Moyen-Comoe, N'zi-Comoe, Savanes,

Sud-Bandama, Sud-Comoe, Vallee du Bandama, Worodougou, Zanzan

Croatia

20 counties (zupanije, zupanija - singular) and 1 city*

(grad - singular); Bjelovarsko-Bilogorska Zupanija, Brodsko-Posavska

Zupanija, Dubrovacko-Neretvanska Zupanija, Istarska Zupanija,

Karlovacka Zupanija, Koprivnicko-Krizevacka Zupanija,

Krapinsko-Zagorska Zupanija, Licko-Senjska Zupanija, Medimurska

Zupanija, Osjecko-Baranjska Zupanija, Pozesko-Slavonska Zupanija,

Primorsko-Goranska Zupanija, Sibensko-Kninska Zupanija,

Sisacko-Moslavacka Zupanija, Splitsko-Dalmatinska Zupanija,

Varazdinska Zupanija, Viroviticko-Podravska Zupanija,

Vukovarsko-Srijemska Zupanija, Zadarska Zupanija, Zagreb*,

Zagrebacka Zupanija

Cuba

14 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 special

municipality* (municipio especial); Camaguey, Ciego de Avila,

Cienfuegos, Ciudad de La Habana, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla

de la Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio,

Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara

Cyprus

6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia,

Paphos; note - Turkish Cypriot area's administrative divisions

include Kyrenia, all but a small part of Famagusta, and small parts

of Lefkosia (Nicosia) and Larnaca

Czech Republic

13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and 1 capital

city* (hlavni mesto); Jihocesky Kraj, Jihomoravsky Kraj, Karlovarsky

Kraj, Kralovehradecky Kraj, Liberecky Kraj, Moravskoslezsky Kraj,

Olomoucky Kraj, Pardubicky Kraj, Plzensky Kraj, Praha (Prague)*,

Stredocesky Kraj, Ustecky Kraj, Vysocina, Zlinsky Kraj

Denmark

metropolitan Denmark - 14 counties (amter, singular - amt)

and 2 boroughs* (amtskommuner, singular - amtskommune); Arhus,

Bornholm, Frederiksberg*, Frederiksborg, Fyn, Kobenhavn, Kobenhavn

(Copenhagen)*, Nordjylland, Ribe, Ringkobing, Roskilde,

Sonderjylland, Storstrom, Vejle, Vestsjalland, Viborg

note: as a result of an extensive 2005 local government reform, with

2006 being a transition year, 271 municipalities will be merged to

98 by 1 January 2007, and the 14 counties will be reorganized into

five regions

Djibouti

6 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); Ali Sabieh, Arta,

Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjourah

Dominica

10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint

John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint

Paul, Saint Peter

Dominican Republic

31 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia)

and 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabon,

Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, El Seibo, Elias Pina, Espaillat, Hato

Mayor, Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria

Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata,

Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata, Salcedo, Samana, San Cristobal,

San Jose de Ocoa, San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Sanchez Ramirez,

Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez, Santo Domingo, Valverde

East Timor

13 administrative districts; Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau,

Bobonaro (Maliana), Cova-Lima (Suai), Dili, Ermera, Lautem (Los

Palos), Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oecussi (Ambeno),

Viqueque

Ecuador

22 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Azuay,

Bolivar, Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas,

Galapagos, Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabi,

Morona-Santiago, Napo, Orellana, Pastaza, Pichincha, Sucumbios,

Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe

Egypt

26 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ad

Daqahliyah, Al Bahr al Ahmar, Al Buhayrah, Al Fayyum, Al Gharbiyah,

Al Iskandariyah, Al Isma'iliyah, Al Jizah, Al Minufiyah, Al Minya,

Al Qahirah, Al Qalyubiyah, Al Wadi al Jadid, As Suways, Ash

Sharqiyah, Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf, Bur Sa'id, Dumyat, Janub

Sina', Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh, Qina, Shamal Sina', Suhaj

El Salvador

14 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);

Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz,

La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, San Vicente, Santa Ana,

Sonsonate, Usulutan

Equatorial Guinea

7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia);

Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral,

Wele-Nzas

Eritrea

6 regions (zobatat, singular - zoba); Anseba, Debub

(Southern), Debubawi K'eyih Bahri (Southern Red Sea), Gash Barka,

Ma'akel (Central), Semenawi Keyih Bahri (Northern Red Sea)

Estonia

15 counties (maakonnad, singular - maakond): Harjumaa

(Tallinn), Hiiumaa (Kardla), Ida-Virumaa (Johvi), Jarvamaa (Paide),

Jogevamaa (Jogeva), Laanemaa (Haapsalu), Laane-Virumaa (Rakvere),

Parnumaa (Parnu), Polvamaa (Polva), Raplamaa (Rapla), Saaremaa

(Kuressaare), Tartumaa (Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa

(Viljandi), Vorumaa (Voru)

note: counties have the administrative center name following in

parentheses

Ethiopia

9 ethnically-based states (kililoch, singular - kilil) and

2 self-governing administrations* (astedaderoch, singular -

astedader); Adis Abeba* (Addis Ababa), Afar, Amara (Amhara),

Binshangul Gumuz, Dire Dawa*, Gambela Hizboch (Gambela Peoples),

Hareri Hizb (Harari People), Oromiya (Oromia), Sumale (Somali),

Tigray, Ye Debub Biheroch Bihereseboch na Hizboch (Southern Nations,

Nationalities and Peoples)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

none (overseas territory of the

UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Faroe Islands

none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing

overseas administrative division of Denmark); there are no

first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US

Government, but there are 34 municipalities

Fiji

4 divisions and 1 dependency*; Central, Eastern, Northern,

Rotuma*, Western

Finland

6 provinces (laanit, singular - laani); Aland, Etela-Suomen

Laani, Ita-Suomen Laani, Lansi-Suomen Laani, Lappi, Oulun Laani

France

26 regions (regions, singular - region); Alsace, Aquitaine,

Auvergne, Basse-Normandie (Lower Normandy), Bourgogne, Bretagne

(Brittany), Centre, Champagne-Ardenne, Corse (Corsica),

Franche-Comte, Guadeloupe, Guyane (French Guiana), Haute-Normandie

(Upper Normandy), Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin,

Lorraine, Martinique, Reunion, Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais,

Pays de la Loire, Picardie, Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote

d'Azur, Rhone-Alpes

note: France is divided into 22 metropolitan regions (including the

"territorial collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and 4 overseas

regions and is subdivided into 96 metropolitan departments and 4

overseas departments

French Polynesia

none (overseas lands of France); there are no

first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US

Government, but there are five archipelagic divisions named Archipel

des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du

Vent, Iles Sous-le-Vent

note: Clipperton Island is administered by France from French

Polynesia

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

none (overseas territory of

France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as

defined by the US Government, but there are three districts named

Ile Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, Iles Saint-Paul et Amsterdam; excludes

"Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US

Gabon

9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie,

Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem

Gambia, The

5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Central River, Lower

River, North Bank, Upper River, Western

Georgia

9 regions (mkharebi, singular - mkhare), 9 cities

(k'alak'ebi, singular - k'alak'i), and 2 autonomous republics

(avtomnoy respubliki, singular - avtom respublika)

regions: Guria, Imereti, Kakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti,

Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti,

Samtskhe-Javakheti, Shida Kartli

cities: Chiat'ura, Gori, K'ut'aisi, P'ot'i, Rust'avi, Tbilisi,

Tqibuli, Tsqaltubo, Zugdidi

autonomous republics: Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri

Respublika (Sokhumi), Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika

(Bat'umi)

note: the administrative centers of the two autonomous republics are

shown in parentheses

Germany

16 states (Laender, singular - Land); Baden-Wuerttemberg,

Bayern (Bavaria), Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen,

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania),

Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony), Nordrhein-Westfalen (North

Rhine-Westphalia), Rheinland-Pfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate), Saarland,

Sachsen (Saxony), Sachsen-Anhalt (Saxony-Anhalt),

Schleswig-Holstein, Thueringen (Thuringia); note - Bayern, Sachsen,

and Thueringen refer to themselves as free states (Freistaaten,

singular - Freistaat)

Ghana

10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater

Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western

Gibraltar

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Greece

51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos) and 1 autonomous

region*; Achaia, Agion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Aitolia kai Akarnania,

Argolis, Arkadia, Arta, Attiki, Chalkidiki, Chanion, Chios,

Dodekanisos, Drama, Evros, Evrytania, Evvoia, Florina, Fokidos,

Fthiotis, Grevena, Ileia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Karditsa,

Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani,

Kyklades, Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lefkas, Lesvos, Magnisia,

Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Preveza, Rethynnis, Rodopi, Samos, Serrai,

Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakynthos

Greenland

3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu

(Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland)

note: there are 18 municipalities in Greenland

Grenada

6 parishes and 1 dependency*; Carriacou and Petit

Martinique*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John,

Saint Mark, Saint Patrick

Guam

none (territory of the US)

Guatemala

22 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);

Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso,

Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten,

Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San Marcos, Santa

Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez, Totonicapan, Zacapa

Guernsey

none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order

administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there

are 10 parishes including Castel, Forest, Saint Andrew, Saint

Martin, Saint Peter Port, Saint Pierre du Bois, Saint Sampson, Saint

Saviour, Torteval, Vale

Guinea

33 prefectures and 1 special zone (zone special)*; Beyla,

Boffa, Boke, Conakry*, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba, Dinguiraye, Dubreka,

Faranah, Forecariah, Fria, Gaoual, Gueckedou, Kankan, Kerouane,

Kindia, Kissidougou, Koubia, Koundara, Kouroussa, Labe, Lelouma,

Lola, Macenta, Mali, Mamou, Mandiana, Nzerekore, Pita, Siguiri,

Telimele, Tougue, Yomou

Guinea-Bissau

9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata,

Biombo, Bissau, Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali; note -

Bolama may have been renamed Bolama/Bijagos

Guyana

10 regions; Barima-Waini, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Demerara-Mahaica,

East Berbice-Corentyne, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara,

Mahaica-Berbice, Pomeroon-Supenaam, Potaro-Siparuni, Upper

Demerara-Berbice, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo

Haiti

10 departments (departements, singular - departement);

Artibonite, Centre, Grand 'Anse, Nippes, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest,

Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est

Holy See (Vatican City)

none

Honduras

18 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);

Atlantida, Choluteca, Colon, Comayagua, Copan, Cortes, El Paraiso,

Francisco Morazan, Gracias a Dios, Intibuca, Islas de la Bahia, La

Paz, Lempira, Ocotepeque, Olancho, Santa Barbara, Valle, Yoro

Hong Kong

none (special administrative region of China)

Hungary

19 counties (megyek, singular - megye), 22 urban counties

(singular - megyei varos), and 1 capital city (fovaros)

counties: Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen,

Csongrad, Fejer, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves,

Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Komarom-Esztergom, Nograd, Pest, Somogy,

Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Zala

urban counties: Bekescsaba, Debrecen, Dunaujvaros, Eger, Gyor,

Hodmezovasarhely, Kaposvar, Kecskemet, Miskolc, Nagykanizsa,

Nyiregyhaza, Pecs, Salgotarjan, Sopron, Szeged, Szekesfehervar,

Szekszard, Szolnok, Szombathely, Tatabanya, Veszprem, Zalaegerszeg

capital city: Budapest

Iceland

8 regions; Austurland, Hofudhborgarsvaedhi, Nordhurland

Eystra, Nordhurland Vestra, Sudhurland, Sudhurnes, Vestfirdhir,

Vesturland

India

28 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar

Islands*, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar,

Chandigarh*, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu*,

Delhi*, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir,

Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh,

Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa,

Puducherry*, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar

Pradesh, Uttaranchal, West Bengal

Indonesia

30 provinces (propinsi-propinsi, singular - propinsi), 2

special regions* (daerah-daerah istimewa, singular - daerah

istimewa), and 1 special capital city district** (daerah khusus

ibukota); Aceh*, Bali, Banten, Bengkulu, Gorontalo, Irian Jaya

Barat, Jakarta Raya**, Jambi, Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur,

Kalimantan Barat, Kalimantan Selatan, Kalimantan Tengah, Kalimantan

Timur, Kepulauan Bangka Belitung, Kepulauan Riau, Lampung, Maluku,

Maluku Utara, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Papua, Riau,

Sulawesi Barat, Sulawesi Selatan, Sulawesi Tengah, Sulawesi

Tenggara, Sulawesi Utara, Sumatera Barat, Sumatera Selatan, Sumatera

Utara, Yogyakarta*

note: following the implementation of decentralization beginning on

1 January 2001, the 440 districts or regencies have become the key

administrative units responsible for providing most government

services

Iran

30 provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan); Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e

Gharbi, Azarbayjan-e Sharqi, Bushehr, Chahar Mahall va Bakhtiari,

Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman,

Kermanshah, Khorasan-e Janubi, Khorasan-e Razavi, Khorasan-e

Shemali, Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh va Buyer Ahmad, Kordestan, Lorestan,

Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan,

Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan

Iraq

18 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Anbar, Al

Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf, Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah,

At Ta'mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar, Diyala, Karbala', Maysan,

Ninawa, Salah ad Din, Wasit

Ireland

26 counties; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin,

Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick,

Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo,

Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow

note: Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan are part of Ulster Province

Isle of Man

none; there are no first-order administrative divisions

as defined by the US Government, but there are 24 local authorities

each with its own elections

Israel

6 districts (mehozot, singular - mehoz); Central, Haifa,

Jerusalem, Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv

Italy

15 regions (regioni, singular - regione) and 5 autonomous

regions* (regioni autonome, singular - regione autonoma); Abruzzo,

Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia

Giulia*, Lazio (Latium), Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise,

Piemonte (Piedmont), Puglia (Apulia), Sardegna* (Sardinia),

Sicilia*, Toscana (Tuscany), Trentino-Alto Adige* (Trentino-South

Tyrol), Umbria, Valle d'Aosta* (Aosta Valley), Veneto

Jamaica

14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester,

Portland, Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth,

Saint James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland

note: for local government purposes, Kingston and Saint Andrew were

amalgamated in 1923 into the present single corporate body known as

the Kingston and Saint Andrew Corporation

Japan

47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui,

Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gifu, Gunma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Hyogo,

Ibaraki, Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi,

Kumamoto, Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara,

Niigata, Oita, Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga,

Shimane, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama,

Wakayama, Yamagata, Yamaguchi, Yamanashi

Jersey

none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order

administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there

are 12 parishes including Grouville, Saint Brelade, Saint Clement,

Saint Helier, Saint John, Saint Lawrence, Saint Martin, Saint Mary,

Saint Quen, Saint Peter, Saint Saviour, and Trinity

Jordan

12 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ajlun, Al

'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, Az

Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba

Kazakhstan

14 provinces (oblystar, singular - oblys) and 3 cities*

(qala, singular - qalasy); Almaty Oblysy, Almaty Qalasy*, Aqmola

Oblysy (Astana), Aqtobe Oblysy, Astana Qalasy*, Atyrau Oblysy, Batys

Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oral), Bayqongyr Qalasy*, Mangghystau Oblysy

(Aqtau), Ongtustik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Shymkent), Pavlodar Oblysy,

Qaraghandy Oblysy, Qostanay Oblysy, Qyzylorda Oblysy, Shyghys

Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oskemen), Soltustik Qazaqstan Oblysy

(Petropavlovsk), Zhambyl Oblysy (Taraz)

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their

administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center

name following in parentheses); in 1995, the Governments of

Kazakhstan and Russia entered into an agreement whereby Russia would

lease for a period of 20 years an area of 6,000 sq km enclosing the

Baykonur space launch facilities and the city of Bayqongyr

(Baykonur, formerly Leninsk); in 2004, a new agreement extended the

lease to 2050

Kenya

7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi

Area*, North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western

Kiribati

3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands;

note - in addition, there are 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts,

Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) and 21

island councils - one for each of the inhabited islands (Abaiang,

Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton,

Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa,

Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina)

Korea, North

9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 4

municipalities (si, singular and plural)

provinces: Chagang-do (Chagang), Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong),

Hamgyong-namdo (South Hamgyong), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae),

Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae), Kangwon-do (Kangwon),

P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan), P'yongan-namdo (South P'yongan),

Yanggang-do (Yanggang)

municipalites: Kaesong-si (Kaesong), Najin Sonbong-si (Najin),

Namp'o-si (Namp'o), P'yongyang-si (Pyongyang)

Korea, South

9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 7

metropolitan cities (gwangyoksi, singular and plural)

provinces: Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto (North Cholla), Cholla-namdo

(South Cholla), Ch'ungch'ong-bukto (North Ch'ungch'ong),

Ch'ungch'ong-namdo (South Ch'ungch'ong), Kangwon-do, Kyonggi-do,

Kyongsang-bukto (North Kyongsang), Kyongsang-namdo (South Kyongsang)

metropolitan cities: Inch'on-gwangyoksi (Inch'on),

Kwangju-gwangyoksi (Kwangju), Pusan-gwangyoksi (Pusan),

Soul-t'ukpyolsi (Seoul), Taegu-gwangyoksi (Taegu), Taejon-gwangyoksi

(Taejon), Ulsan-gwangyoksi (Ulsan)

Kuwait

6 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi,

Al 'Asimah, Al Farwaniyah, Al Jahra', Hawalli, Mubarak Al Kabir

Kyrgyzstan

7 provinces (oblastlar, singular - oblasty) and 1 city*

(shaar); Batken Oblasty, Bishkek Shaary*, Chuy Oblasty (Bishkek),

Jalal-Abad Oblasty, Naryn Oblasty, Osh Oblasty, Talas Oblasty,

Ysyk-Kol Oblasty (Karakol)

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their

administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center

name following in parentheses)

Laos

16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural), 1 municipality*

(kampheng nakhon, singular and plural), and 1 special zone**

(khetphiset, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai,

Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphrabang,

Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan (Vientiane)*,

Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xaisomboun**, Xekong, Xiangkhoang

Latvia

26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities*:

Aizkraukles Rajons, Aluksnes Rajons, Balvu Rajons, Bauskas Rajons,

Cesu Rajons, Daugavpils*, Daugavpils Rajons, Dobeles Rajons,

Gulbenes Rajons, Jekabpils Rajons, Jelgava*, Jelgavas Rajons,

Jurmala*, Kraslavas Rajons, Kuldigas Rajons, Liepaja*, Liepajas

Rajons, Limbazu Rajons, Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons,

Preilu Rajons, Rezekne*, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga*, Rigas Rajons,

Saldus Rajons, Talsu Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras

Rajons, Ventspils*, Ventspils Rajons

Lebanon

8 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Aakkar,

Baalbek-Hermel, Beyrouth, Beqaa, Liban-Nord, Liban-Sud, Mont-Liban,

Nabatiye

Lesotho

10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru,

Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka

Liberia

15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape

Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado,

Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe

Libya

25 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ajdabiya,

Al 'Aziziyah, Al Fatih, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jufrah, Al Khums, Al

Kufrah, An Nuqat al Khams, Ash Shati', Awbari, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi,

Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Misratah, Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt,

Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Yafran, Zlitan; note - the 25

municipalities may have been replaced by 13 regions

Liechtenstein

11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers,

Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg,

Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz

Lithuania

10 counties (apskritys, singular - apskritis); Alytaus,

Kauno, Klaipedos, Marijampoles, Panevezio, Siauliu, Taurages,

Telsiu, Utenos, Vilniaus

Luxembourg

3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg

Macau

none (special administrative region of China)

Macedonia

85 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina); Aerodrom

(Skopje), Aracinovo, Berovo, Bitola, Bogdanci, Bogovinje, Bosilovo,

Brvenica, Butel (Skopje), Cair (Skopje), Caska, Centar (Skopje),

Centar Zupa, Cesinovo, Cucer-Sandevo, Debar, Debartsa, Delcevo,

Demir Hisar, Demir Kapija, Dojran, Dolneni, Drugovo, Gazi Baba

(Skopje), Gevgelija, Gjorce Petrov (Skopje), Gostivar, Gradsko,

Ilinden, Jegunovce, Karbinci, Karpos (Skopje), Kavadarci, Kicevo,

Kisela Voda (Skopje), Kocani, Konce, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka,

Krivogastani, Krusevo, Kumanovo, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Makedonska

Kamenica, Makedonski Brod, Mavrovo i Rastusa, Mogila, Negotino,

Novaci, Novo Selo, Ohrid, Oslomej, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica,

Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman, Saraj

(Skopje), Skopje, Sopiste, Staro Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica,

Studenicani, Suto Orizari (Skopje), Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo,

Valandovo, Vasilevo, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica, Vranestica, Vrapciste,

Zajas, Zelenikovo, Zelino, Zrnovci

note: the ten municipalities followed by Skopje in parentheses

collectively constitute the larger Skopje Municipality

Madagascar

6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana,

Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Malawi

27 districts; Balaka, Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu,

Chitipa, Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Likoma, Lilongwe, Machinga

(Kasupe), Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Ntcheu, Nkhata

Bay, Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Phalombe, Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo,

Zomba

Malaysia

13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri) Johor, Kedah,

Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau

Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, and Terengganu; and one federal

territory (wilayah persekutuan) with three components, city of Kuala

Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya

Maldives

19 atolls (atholhu, singular and plural) and the capital

city*; Alifu, Baa, Dhaalu, Faafu, Gaafu Alifu, Gaafu Dhaalu,

Gnaviyani, Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Kaafu, Laamu, Lhaviyani, Maale*

(Male), Meemu, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Vaavu

Mali

8 regions (regions, singular - region); Gao, Kayes, Kidal,

Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou

Malta

none (administered directly from Valletta); note - local

councils carry out administrative orders

Marshall Islands

33 municipalities; Ailinginae, Ailinglaplap, Ailuk,

Arno, Aur, Bikar, Bikini, Bokak, Ebon, Enewetak, Erikub, Jabat,

Jaluit, Jemo, Kili, Kwajalein, Lae, Lib, Likiep, Majuro, Maloelap,

Mejit, Mili, Namorik, Namu, Rongelap, Rongrik, Toke, Ujae, Ujelang,

Utirik, Wotho, Wotje

Mauritania

12 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 capital

district*; Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol,

Guidimaka, Hodh Ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott*,

Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza

Mauritius

9 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega Islands*, Black

River, Cargados Carajos Shoals*, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka,

Pamplemousses, Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart,

Rodrigues*, Savanne

Mayotte

none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)

Mexico

31 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal

district* (distrito federal); Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja

California Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza,

Colima, Distrito Federal*, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo,

Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacan de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon,

Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro de Arteaga, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi,

Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz-Llave,

Yucatan, Zacatecas

Micronesia, Federated States of

4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae

(Kosaie), Pohnpei (Ponape), Yap

Moldova

32 raions (raioane, singular - raionul), 3 municipalities

(municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala

autonoma), and 1 territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala)

raions: Anenii Noi, Basarabeasca, Briceni, Cahul, Cantemir,

Calarasi, Causeni, Cimislia, Criuleni, Donduseni, Drochia, Dubasari,

Edinet, Falesti, Floresti, Glodeni, Hincesti, Ialoveni, Leova,

Nisporeni, Ocnita, Orhei, Rezina, Riscani, Singerei, Soldanesti,

Soroca, Stefan-Voda, Straseni, Taraclia, Telenesti, Ungheni

municipalities: Balti, Bender, Chisinau

autonomous territorial unit: Gagauzia

territorial unit: Stinga Nistrului

Monaco

none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as

defined by the US Government, but there are four quarters

(quartiers, singular - quartier); Fontvieille, La Condamine,

Monaco-Ville, Monte-Carlo

Mongolia

21 provinces (aymguud, singular - aymag) and 1

municipality* (singular - hot); Arhangay, Bayanhongor, Bayan-Olgiy,

Bulgan, Darhan-Uul, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan,

Govi-Altay, Govisumber, Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Orhon,

Ovorhangay, Selenge, Suhbaatar, Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs

Montenegro

21 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina);

Andrijevia, Bar, Berane, Bijelo Polje, Budva, Cetinje, Danilovgrad,

Herceg Novi, Kolasin, Kotor, Mojkovac, Niksic, Plav, Pluzine,

Pljevlja, Podgornica, Rozaje, Savnik, Tivat, Ulcinj, Zabljak

Montserrat

3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter

Morocco

15 regions; Grand Casablanca, Chaouia-Ouardigha,

Doukkala-Abda, Fes-Boulemane, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Guelmim-Es

Smara, Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra, Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz,

Meknes-Tafilalet, Oriental, Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer,

Souss-Massa-Draa, Tadla-Azilal, Tanger-Tetouan, Taza-Al

Hoceima-Taounate

note: Morocco claims the territory of Western Sahara, the political

status of which is considered undetermined by the US Government;

portions of the regions Guelmim-Es Smara and Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia

El Hamra as claimed by Morocco lie within Western Sahara; Morocco

claims another region, Oued Eddahab-Lagouira, which falls entirely

within Western Sahara

Mozambique

10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), 1 city

(cidade)*; Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Cidade de

Maputo*, Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia

Namibia

n13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene,

Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa

Nauru

14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe,

Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren

Nepal

14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri,

Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali,

Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti

Netherlands

12 provinces (provincies, singular - provincie);

Drenthe, Flevoland, Friesland (Fryslan), Gelderland, Groningen,

Limburg, Noord-Brabant (North Brabant), Noord-Holland (North

Holland), Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland, Zuid-Holland (South Holland)

Netherlands Antilles

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

note: each island has its own government

New Caledonia

none (overseas territory of France); there are no

first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US

Government, but there are 3 provinces named Province des Iles,

Province Nord, and Province Sud

New Zealand

16 regions and 1 territory*; Auckland, Bay of Plenty,

Canterbury, Chatham Islands*, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay,

Manawatu-Wanganui, Marlborough, Nelson, Northland, Otago, Southland,

Taranaki, Tasman, Waikato, Wellington, West Coast

Nicaragua

15 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento)

and 2 autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular - region

autonomista); Atlantico Norte*, Atlantico Sur*, Boaco, Carazo,

Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz,

Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas

Niger

8 regions (regions, singular - region) includes 1 capital

district* (communite urbaine); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi,

Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder

Nigeria

36 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom,

Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi,

Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Federal Capital Territory*, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa,

Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nassarawa, Niger,

Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara

Niue

none; note - there are no first-order administrative divisions

as defined by the US Government, but there are 14 villages at the

second order

Norfolk Island

none (territory of Australia)

Northern Mariana Islands

none (commonwealth in political union with

the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as

defined by the US Government, but there are four municipalities at

the second order: Northern Islands, Rota, Saipan, Tinian

Norway

19 counties (fylker, singular - fylke); Akershus, Aust-Agder,

Buskerud, Finnmark, Hedmark, Hordaland, More og Romsdal, Nordland,

Nord-Trondelag, Oppland, Oslo, Ostfold, Rogaland, Sogn og Fjordane,

Sor-Trondelag, Telemark, Troms, Vest-Agder, Vestfold

Oman

5 regions (manatiq, singular - mintaqat) and 4 governorates*

(muhafazat, singular - muhafazat) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al

Buraymi*, Al Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat*, Musandam*,

Zufar (Dhofar)*

Pakistan

4 provinces, 1 territory*, and 1 capital territory**;

Balochistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas*, Islamabad Capital

Territory**, North-West Frontier Province, Punjab, Sindh

note: the Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and

Kashmir region consists of two administrative entities: Azad Kashmir

and Northern Areas

Palau

16 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatohobei, Kayangel,

Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong, Ngardmau, Ngatpang,

Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsorol

Panama

9 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1

territory* (comarca); Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon,

Darien, Herrera, Los Santos, Panama, San Blas*(Kuna Yala), and

Veraguas

Papua New Guinea

20 provinces; Bougainville, Central, Chimbu,

Eastern Highlands, East New Britain, East Sepik, Enga, Gulf, Madang,

Manus, Milne Bay, Morobe, National Capital, New Ireland, Northern,

Sandaun, Southern Highlands, Western, Western Highlands, West New

Britain

Paraguay

17 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and

1 capital city*; Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Asuncion*,

Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concepcion,

Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari,

Presidente Hayes, San Pedro

Peru

25 regions (regiones, singular - region) and 1 province*

(provincia); Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho,

Cajamarca, Callao, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huanuco, Ica, Junin, La

Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Lima*, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua,

Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali

Philippines

79 provinces and 117 chartered cities

provinces: Abra, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay,

Antique, Apayao, Aurora, Basilan, Bataan, Batanes, Batangas,

Biliran, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Cagayan, Camarines

Norte, Camarines Sur, Camiguin, Capiz, Catanduanes, Cavite, Cebu,

Compostela, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Eastern

Samar, Guimaras, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Isabela,

Kalinga, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, La Union, Leyte,

Maguindanao, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro

Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain Province,

Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, North Cotabato, Northern Samar,

Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Palawan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Quezon,

Quirino, Rizal, Romblon, Samar, Sarangani, Siquijor, Sorsogon, South

Cotabato, Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Surigao del Norte,

Surigao del Sur, Tarlac, Tawi-Tawi, Zambales, Zamboanga del Norte,

Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay

chartered cities: Alaminos, Angeles, Antipolo, Bacolod, Bago,

Baguio, Bais, Balanga, Batangas, Bayawan, Bislig, Butuan,

Cabanatuan, Cadiz, Cagayan de Oro, Calamba, Calapan, Calbayog,

Candon, Canlaon, Cauayan, Cavite, Cebu, Cotabato, Dagupan, Danao,

Dapitan, Davao, Digos, Dipolog, Dumaguete, Escalante, Gapan, General

Santos, Gingoog, Himamaylan, Iligan, Iloilo, Isabela, Iriga,

Kabankalan, Kalookan, Kidapawan, Koronadal, La Carlota, Laoag,

Lapu-Lapu, Las Pinas, Legazpi, Ligao, Lipa, Lucena, Maasin, Makati,

Malabon, Malaybalay, Malolos, Mandaluyong, Mandaue, Manila, Marawi,

Markina, Masbate, Muntinlupa, Munoz, Naga, Olongapo, Ormoc,

Oroquieta, Ozamis, Pagadian, Palayan, Panabo, Paranaque, Pasay,

Pasig, Passi, Puerto Princesa, Quezon, Roxas, Sagay, Samal, San

Carlos (in Negros Occidental), San Carlos (in Pangasinan), San

Fernando (in La Union), San Fernando (in Pampanga), San Jose, San

Jose del Monte, San Pablo, Santa Rosa, Santiago, Silay, Sipalay,

Sorsogon, Surigao, Tabaco, Tacloban, Tacurong, Tagaytay, Tagbilaran,

Taguig, Tagum, Talisay (in Cebu), Talisay (in Negros Oriental),

Tanauan, Tangub, Tanjay, Tarlac, Toledo, Tuguegarao, Trece Martires,

Urdaneta, Valencia, Valenzuela, Victorias, Vigan, Zamboanga

Pitcairn Islands

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Poland

16 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo);

Dolnoslaskie wojewodztwo, Kujawsko-Pomorskie wojewodztwo, Lodzkie

wojewodztwo, Lubelskie wojewodztwo, Lubuskie wojewodztwo,

Malopolskie wojewodztwo, Mazowieckie wojewodztwo, Opolskie

wojewodztwo, Podkarpackie wojewodztwo, Podlaskie wojewodztwo,

Pomorskie wojewodztwo, Slaskie wojewodztwo, Swietokrzyskie

wojewodztwo, Warminsko-Mazurskie wojewodztwo, Wielkopolskie

wojewodztwo, Zachodniopomorskie wojewodztwo

Portugal

18 districts (distritos, singular - distrito) and 2

autonomous regions* (regioes autonomas, singular - regiao autonoma);

Aveiro, Acores (Azores)*, Beja, Braga, Braganca, Castelo Branco,

Coimbra, Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisboa, Madeira*, Portalegre,

Porto, Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu

Puerto Rico

none (territory of the US with commonwealth status);

there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the

US Government, but there are 78 municipalities (municipios, singular

- municipio) at the second order; Adjuntas, Aguada, Aguadilla, Aguas

Buenas, Aibonito, Anasco, Arecibo, Arroyo, Barceloneta,

Barranquitas, Bayamon, Cabo Rojo, Caguas, Camuy, Canovanas,

Carolina, Catano, Cayey, Ceiba, Ciales, Cidra, Coamo, Comerio,

Corozal, Culebra, Dorado, Fajardo, Florida, Guanica, Guayama,

Guayanilla, Guaynabo, Gurabo, Hatillo, Hormigueros, Humacao,

Isabela, Jayuya, Juana Diaz, Juncos, Lajas, Lares, Las Marias, Las

Piedras, Loiza, Luquillo, Manati, Maricao, Maunabo, Mayaguez, Moca,

Morovis, Naguabo, Naranjito, Orocovis, Patillas, Penuelas, Ponce,

Quebradillas, Rincon, Rio Grande, Sabana Grande, Salinas, San

German, San Juan, San Lorenzo, San Sebastian, Santa Isabel, Toa

Alta, Toa Baja, Trujillo Alto, Utuado, Vega Alta, Vega Baja,

Vieques, Villalba, Yabucoa, Yauco

Qatar

10 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad

Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar

Rayyan, Jarayan al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Sa'id, Umm Salal

Romania

41 counties (judete, singular - judet) and 1 municipality*

(municipiu); Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor, Bistrita-Nasaud,

Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti (Bucharest)*, Buzau, Calarasi,

Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Covasna, Dimbovita, Dolj, Galati,

Gorj, Giurgiu, Harghita, Hunedoara, Ialomita, Iasi, Ilfov,

Maramures, Mehedinti, Mures, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Salaj, Satu Mare,

Sibiu, Suceava, Teleorman, Timis, Tulcea, Vaslui, Vilcea, Vrancea

Russia

48 oblasts (oblastey, singular - oblast), 21 republics

(respublik, singular - respublika), 7 autonomous okrugs (avtonomnykh

okrugov, singular - avtonomnyy okrug), 7 krays (krayev, singular -

kray), 2 federal cities (goroda, singular - gorod), and 1 autonomous

oblast (avtonomnaya oblast')

oblasts: Amur (Blagoveshchensk), Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan', Belgorod,

Bryansk, Chelyabinsk, Chita, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Kaliningrad, Kaluga,

Kamchatka (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy), Kemerovo, Kirov, Kostroma,

Kurgan, Kursk, Leningrad, Lipetsk, Magadan, Moscow, Murmansk,

Nizhniy Novgorod, Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Orenburg, Orel,

Penza, Pskov, Rostov, Ryazan', Sakhalin (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk), Samara,

Saratov, Smolensk, Sverdlovsk (Yekaterinburg), Tambov, Tomsk, Tula,

Tver', Tyumen', Ul'yanovsk, Vladimir, Volgograd, Vologda, Voronezh,

Yaroslavl'

republics: Adygeya (Maykop), Altay (Gorno-Altaysk), Bashkortostan

(Ufa), Buryatiya (Ulan-Ude), Chechnya (Groznyy), Chuvashiya

(Cheboksary), Dagestan (Makhachkala), Ingushetiya (Magas),

Kabardino-Balkariya (Nal'chik), Kalmykiya (Elista),

Karachayevo-Cherkesiya (Cherkessk), Kareliya (Petrozavodsk),

Khakasiya (Abakan), Komi (Syktyvkar), Mariy-El (Yoshkar-Ola),

Mordoviya (Saransk), North Ossetia (Vladikavkaz), Sakha [Yakutiya]

(Yakutsk), Tatarstan (Kazan'), Tyva (Kyzyl), Udmurtiya (Izhevsk)

autonomous okrugs: Aga Buryat (Aginskoye), Chukotka (Anadyr'),

Khanty-Mansi, Koryak (Palana), Nenets (Nar'yan-Mar), Ust'-Orda

Buryat (Ust'-Ordynskiy), Yamalo-Nenets (Salekhard)

krays: Altay (Barnaul), Khabarovsk, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk,

Permskiy, Primorskiy (Vladivostok), Stavropol'

federal cities: Moscow (Moskva), Saint Petersburg (Sankt-Peterburg)

autonomous oblast: Yevrey [Jewish] (Birobidzhan)

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their

administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center

name following in parentheses)

Rwanda

5 provinces (in French - provinces, singular - province; in

Kinyarwanda - prefigintara for singular and plural); East, Kigali,

North, South, West

Saint Helena

1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*,

Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha*

Saint Kitts and Nevis

14 parishes; Christ Church Nichola Town, Saint

Anne Sandy Point, Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland,

Saint James Windward, Saint John Capesterre, Saint John Figtree,

Saint Mary Cayon, Saint Paul Capesterre, Saint Paul Charlestown,

Saint Peter Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle

Island, Trinity Palmetto Point

Saint Lucia

11 quarters; Anse-la-Raye, Castries, Choiseul, Dauphin,

Dennery, Gros-Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux-Fort

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

none (territorial overseas collectivity of

France); note - there are no first-order administrative divisions as

defined by the US Government, but there are two communes - Saint

Pierre, Miquelon at the second order

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines,

Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick

Samoa

11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga,

Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga,

Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano

San Marino

9 municipalities (castelli, singular - castello);

Acquaviva, Borgo Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano,

Fiorentino, Montegiardino, San Marino Citta, Serravalle

Sao Tome and Principe

2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome

note: Principe has had self-government since 29 April 1995

Saudi Arabia

13 provinces (mintaqat, singular - mintaqah); Al Bahah,

Al Hudud ash Shamaliyah, Al Jawf, Al Madinah, Al Qasim, Ar Riyad,

Ash Sharqiyah (Eastern Province), 'Asir, Ha'il, Jizan, Makkah,

Najran, Tabuk

Senegal

11 regions (regions, singular - region); Dakar, Diourbel,

Fatick, Kaolack, Kolda, Louga, Matam, Saint-Louis, Tambacounda,

Thies, Ziguinchor

Serbia

190 municipalites (opcinas, singular - opcina)

Serbia Proper: Beograd: Barajevo, Cukavica, Grocka, Lazarevac,

Mladnovac, Novi Beograd, Obrenovac, Palilula, Rakovica, Savski

Venac, Sopot, Stari Grad, Surcin, Vozdovac, Vracar, Zemun, Zrezdara

Borski Okrug: Bor, Kladovo, Majdanpek, Negotin; Branicevski Okrug:

Golubac, Kucevo, Malo Crnice, Petrovac, Pozarevac, Veliko Gradiste,

Zabari, Zagubica Jablanicki Okrug: Bojnik, Crna Trava, Lebane,

Leskovac, Medvedja, Vlasotince; Kolubarski Okrug: Lajkovac, Ljig,

Mionica, Osecina, Ub, Valjevo; Macvanski Okrug: Bogotic, Koceljeva,

Krupanj, Ljubovija, Loznica, Malizvornik, Sabac, Vladimirci;

Moravicki Okrug: Cacak, Gornkji Milanovac, Ivanjica, Lucani;

Nisavski Okrug: Aleksinac, Doljevac, Gadzin Han, Merosina, Nis,

Razanj, Svrljig; Pcinjski Okrug: Bosilegrad, Bujanovac, Presevo,

Surdulica, Trgoviste, Vladcin Han, Vranje; Pirotski Okrug:

Babusnica, Bela Palanka, Dimitrovgrad, Pirot; Podunavski Okrug:

Smederevo, Smederevskia Palanka, Velika Plana; Pomoravaki Okrug:

Cuprija, Despotovac, Jagodina, Paracin, Rckovac, Svilajnac; Rasinski

Okrug: Aleksandrovac, Brus, Cicevac, Krusevac, Trstenik, Varvarin;

Raski Okrug: Kraljevo, Novi Pazar, Raska, Tutin, Vrnjacka Banja;

Sumadijski Okrug: Arandjelovac, Batocina, Knic, Kragujevac, Lapovo,

Raca, Topola; Toplicki Okrug: Blace, Kursumlija, Prokuplje,

Zitoradja; Zajocarski Okrug: Boljevac, Knjazevac, Sokobanja,

Zalecar; Zlatiborski Okrug: Arilje, Bajina Basta, Cejetina,

Kosjevic, Nova Varos, Pozega, Priboj, Prijepolje, Sjenica, Uzice;

Vojvodina Autonomous Province: Juzno-Backi Okrug: Backi Petrovac,

Beocin, Novi Sad, Sremski Karlovci, Temerin, Titel, Zabalj; Juzno

Banatski Okrug: Alibunar, Bela Crkva, Kovacica, Kovin, Opovo,

Pancevo, Plandiste, Vrsac; Severno-Backi Okrug: Bacha Topola, Mali

Idjos, Subotica; Severno-Banatski Okrug: Ada, Coka, Kanjiza,

Kikinda, Novi Knezevac, Senta Srednjo-Banatski Okrug: Nova Crnja,

Novi Becej, Secanj, Zitiste, Zrenjanin; Sremski Okrug: Indjija,

Irig, Pecinci, Ruma, Sid, Sremska Mitrovica, Stara Pazova;

Zapadno-Backi Okrug: Apatin, Kula, Odzaci, Sombor

Kosovo and Metojia Autonomous Province: Kosovaki Okrug: Glogovac,

Kacanik, Kosovo Polje, Lipljan, Obilic, Podujevo, Pristina, Stimlje,

Strpce, Urosevac; Kosovsko-Mitrovacki Okrug: Kosovska Mitrovica,

Leposavic, Srbica, Vucitrn, Zubin Potok, Zvecan; Kosovsko-Pomoravski

Okrug: Gnjilane, Kosovska Kamenica, Novo Brdo, Vitina; Pecki Okrug:

Decani, Djakovica, Istok, Klina, Pec; Prizrenski Okrug: Gora i

Opolje, Orahovac, Prizren, Suva Reka

Seychelles

23 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins, Anse Boileau,

Anse Etoile, Anse Louis, Anse Royale, Baie Lazare, Baie Sainte Anne,

Beau Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand' Anse (on

Mahe), Grand' Anse (on Praslin), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont

Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La Rue, Port Glaud, Saint

Louis, Takamaka

Sierra Leone

3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, Southern,

Western*

Singapore

none

Slovakia

8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banskobystricky kraj,

Bratislavsky kraj, Kosicky kraj, Nitriansky kraj, Presovsky kraj,

Trenciansky kraj, Trnavsky kraj, Zilinsky kraj

Slovenia

182 municipalities (obcine, singular - obcina) and 11 urban

municipalities* (mestne obcine, singular - mestna obcina )

Ajdovscina, Beltinci, Benedikt, Bistrica ob Sotli, Bled, Bloke,

Bohinj, Borovnica, Bovec, Braslovce, Brda, Brezice, Brezovica,

Cankova, Celje*, Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Cerknica, Cerkno,

Cerkvenjak, Crensovci, Crna na Koroskem, Crnomelj, Destrnik, Divaca,

Dobje, Dobrepolje, Dobrna, Dobrova-Horjul-Polhov Gradec,

Dobrovnik-Dobronak, Dolenjske Toplice, Dol pri Ljubljani, Domzale,

Dornava, Dravograd, Duplek, Gorenja Vas-Poljane, Gorisnica, Gornja

Radgona, Gornji Grad, Gornji Petrovci, Grad, Grosuplje, Hajdina,

Hoce-Slivnica, Hodos-Hodos, Horjul, Hrastnik, Hrpelje-Kozina,

Idrija, Ig, Ilirska Bistrica, Ivancna Gorica, Izola-Isola, Jesenice,

Jezersko, Jursinci, Kamnik, Kanal, Kidricevo, Kobarid, Kobilje,

Kocevje, Komen, Komenda, Koper-Capodistria*, Kostel, Kozje, Kranj*,

Kranjska Gora, Krizevci, Krsko, Kungota, Kuzma, Lasko, Lenart,

Lendava-Lendva, Litija, Ljubljana*, Ljubno, Ljutomer, Logatec, Loska

Dolina, Loski Potok, Lovrenc na Pohorju, Luce, Lukovica, Majsperk,

Maribor*, Markovci, Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica, Miklavz na

Dravskem Polju, Miren-Kostanjevica, Mirna Pec, Mislinja, Moravce,

Moravske Toplice, Mozirje, Murska Sobota*, Muta, Naklo, Nazarje,

Nova Gorica*, Novo Mesto*, Odranci, Oplotnica, Ormoz, Osilnica,

Pesnica, Piran-Pirano, Pivka, Podcetrtek, Podlehnik, Podvelka,

Polzela, Postojna, Prebold, Preddvor, Prevalje, Ptuj*, Puconci,

Race-Fram, Radece, Radenci, Radlje ob Dravi, Radovljica, Ravne na

Koroskem, Razkrizje, Ribnica, Ribnica na Pohorju, Rogasovci, Rogaska

Slatina, Rogatec, Ruse, Salovci, Selnica ob Dravi, Semic,

Sempeter-Vrtojba, Sencur, Sentilj, Sentjernej, Sentjur pri Celju,

Sevnica, Sezana, Skocjan, Skofja Loka, Skofljica, Slovenj Gradec*,

Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice, Smarje pri Jelsah, Smartno ob

Paki, Smartno pri Litiji, Sodrazica, Solcava, Sostanj, Starse,

Store, Sveta Ana, Sveti Andraz v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Jurij,

Tabor, Tisina, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trnovska Vas, Trzic,

Trzin, Turnisce, Velenje*, Velika Polana, Velike Lasce, Verzej,

Videm, Vipava, Vitanje, Vodice, Vojnik, Vransko, Vrhnika, Vuzenica,

Zagorje ob Savi, Zalec, Zavrc, Zelezniki, Zetale, Ziri, Zirovnica,

Zuzemberk, Zrece

note: there may be 45 more municipalities

Solomon Islands

9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central,

Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell

and Bellona, Temotu, Western

Somalia

18 regions (plural - NA, singular - gobolka); Awdal, Bakool,

Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe,

Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe, Shabeellaha

Hoose, Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed

South Africa

9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng,

KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape,

Western Cape

Spain

17 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular -

comunidad autonoma)and 2 autonomous cities* (ciudades autonomas,

singular - ciudad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Baleares

(Balearic Islands), Ceuta*, Canarias (Canary Islands), Cantabria,

Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna, Comunidad Valenciana,

Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Melilla*, Murcia, Navarra,

Pais Vasco (Basque Country)

note: the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla plus three small

islands of Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez

de la Gomera, administered directly by the Spanish central

government, are all located along the coast of Morocco and are

collectively referred to as Places of Sovereignty (Plazas de

Soberania)

Sri Lanka

8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North

Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western

note: in 1998 the Government of Sri Lanka proposed a merger of the

former Northern and Eastern provinces; while this merger was never

ratified, the Government treats North Eastern Province as a de facto

singular administrative unit

Sudan

25 states (wilayat, singular - wilayah); A'ali an Nil (Upper

Nile), Al Bahr al Ahmar (Red Sea), Al Buhayrat (Lakes), Al Jazirah

(El Gezira), Al Khartum (Khartoum), Al Qadarif (Gedaref), Al Wahdah

(Unity), An Nil al Abyad (White Nile), An Nil al Azraq (Blue Nile),

Ash Shamaliyah (Northern), Bahr al Jabal (Bahr al Jabal), Gharb al

Istiwa'iyah (Western Equatoria), Gharb Bahr al Ghazal (Western Bahr

al Ghazal), Gharb Darfur (Western Darfur), Janub Darfur (Southern

Darfur), Janub Kurdufan (Southern Kordofan), Junqali (Jonglei),

Kassala (Kassala), Nahr an Nil (Nile), Shamal Bahr al Ghazal

(Northern Bahr al Ghazal), Shamal Darfur (Northern Darfur), Shamal

Kurdufan (Northern Kordofan), Sharq al Istiwa'iyah (Eastern

Equatoria), Sinnar (Sinnar), Warab (Warab)

Suriname

10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt); Brokopondo,

Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo,

Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica

Swaziland

4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

Sweden

21 counties (lan, singular and plural); Blekinge, Dalarnas,

Gavleborgs, Gotlands, Hallands, Jamtlands, Jonkopings, Kalmar,

Kronobergs, Norrbottens, Orebro, Ostergotlands, Skane,

Sodermanlands, Stockholms, Uppsala, Varmlands, Vasterbottens,

Vasternorrlands, Vastmanlands, Vastra Gotalands

Switzerland

26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French;

cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; kantone, singular - kanton

in German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden,

Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus,

Graubunden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt

Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri,

Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich

Syria

14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al

Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az

Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus

Taiwan

includes main island of Taiwan plus smaller islands nearby

and and off coast of China's Fujian Province; Taiwan is divided into

18 counties (hsien, singular and plural), 5 municipalities (shih,

singular and plural), and 2 special municipalities (chuan-shih,

singular and plural)

note: Taiwan uses a variety of romanization systems; while the

Wade-Giles system still dominates, city of Taipei has adopted

standard Pinyin romanization for street and place names within its

boundaries; other local authorities use different romanization

systems; names for administrative divisions that follow are in

Wade-Giles system with Pinyin equivalents in parentheses

counties: Chang-hua (Changhua), Chia-i (Chiayi) [county], Hsin-chu

(Hsinchu), Hua-lien (Hualien), I-lan (Yilan), Kao-hsiung (Kaohsiung)

[county], Kin-men (Kinmen), Lien-chiang (Lienchiang, also Matsu),

Miao-li (Miaoli), Nan-t'ou (Nantou), P'eng-hu (Penghu), P'ing-tung

(Pingtung), T'ai-chung (Taichung), T'ai-nan (Tainan), T'ai-pei

(Taipei) [county], T'ai-tung (Taitung), T'ao-yuan (Taoyuan), and

Yun-lin (Yunlin)

municipalities: Chia-i (Chiayi) [city], Chi-lung (Keelung), Hsin-chu

(Hsinchu), T'ai-chung (Taichung), T'ai-nan (Tainan)

special municipalities: Kao-hsiung (Kaohsiung) [city], T'ai-pei

(Taipei) [city]

Tajikistan

2 provinces (viloyatho, singular - viloyat) and 1

autonomous province* (viloyati mukhtor); Viloyati Khatlon

(Qurghonteppa), Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni Badakhshon*

[Gorno-Badakhshan] (Khorugh), Viloyati Sughd (Khujand)

note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses

Tanzania

26 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kagera,

Kigoma, Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Manyara, Mara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mtwara,

Mwanza, Pemba North, Pemba South, Pwani, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga,

Singida, Tabora, Tanga, Zanzibar Central/South, Zanzibar North,

Zanzibar Urban/West

Thailand

76 provinces (changwat, singular and plural); Amnat

Charoen, Ang Thong, Buriram, Chachoengsao, Chai Nat, Chaiyaphum,

Chanthaburi, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Chon Buri, Chumphon, Kalasin,

Kamphaeng Phet, Kanchanaburi, Khon Kaen, Krabi, Krung Thep

Mahanakhon (Bangkok), Lampang, Lamphun, Loei, Lop Buri, Mae Hong

Son, Maha Sarakham, Mukdahan, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon

Phanom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nan,

Narathiwat, Nong Bua Lamphu, Nong Khai, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani,

Pattani, Phangnga, Phatthalung, Phayao, Phetchabun, Phetchaburi,

Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Phrae, Phuket,

Prachin Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ranong, Ratchaburi, Rayong, Roi

Et, Sa Kaeo, Sakon Nakhon, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Samut

Songkhram, Sara Buri, Satun, Sing Buri, Sisaket, Songkhla,

Sukhothai, Suphan Buri, Surat Thani, Surin, Tak, Trang, Trat, Ubon

Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Uthai Thani, Uttaradit, Yala, Yasothon

Togo

5 regions (regions, singular - region); Centrale, Kara,

Maritime, Plateaux, Savanes

Tokelau

none (territory of New Zealand)

Tonga

3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u

Trinidad and Tobago

9 regional corporations, 2 city corporations, 3

borough corporations, 1 ward

regional corporations: Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo, Diego Martin,

Mayaro/Rio Claro, Penal/Debe, Princes Town, Sangre Grande, San

Juan/Laventille, Siparia, Tunapuna/Piarco

city corporations: Port-of-Spain, San Fernando

borough corporations: Arima, Chaguanas, Point Fortin

ward: Tobago

Tunisia

24 governorates; Ariana (Aryanah), Beja (Bajah), Ben Arous

(Bin 'Arus), Bizerte (Banzart), Gabes (Qabis), Gafsa (Qafsah),

Jendouba (Jundubah), Kairouan (Al Qayrawan), Kasserine (Al Qasrayn),

Kebili (Qibili), Kef (Al Kaf), Mahdia (Al Mahdiyah), Manouba

(Manubah), Medenine (Madanin), Monastir (Al Munastir), Nabeul

(Nabul), Sfax (Safaqis), Sidi Bou Zid (Sidi Bu Zayd), Siliana

(Silyanah), Sousse (Susah), Tataouine (Tatawin), Tozeur (Tawzar),

Tunis, Zaghouan (Zaghwan)

Turkey

81 provinces (iller, singular - il); Adana, Adiyaman,

Afyonkarahisar, Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan,

Artvin, Aydin, Balikesir, Bartin, Batman, Bayburt, Bilecik, Bingol,

Bitlis, Bolu, Burdur, Bursa, Canakkale, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli,

Diyarbakir, Duzce, Edirne, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir,

Gaziantep, Giresun, Gumushane, Hakkari, Hatay, Icel (Mersin), Igdir,

Isparta, Istanbul, Izmir, Kahramanmaras, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars,

Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kilis, Kirikkale, Kirklareli, Kirsehir, Kocaeli,

Konya, Kutahya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mugla, Mus, Nevsehir,

Nigde, Ordu, Osmaniye, Rize, Sakarya, Samsun, Sanliurfa, Siirt,

Sinop, Sirnak, Sivas, Tekirdag, Tokat, Trabzon, Tunceli, Usak, Van,

Yalova, Yozgat, Zonguldak

Turkmenistan

5 provinces (welayatlar, singular - welayat): Ahal

Welayaty (Ashgabat), Balkan Welayaty (Balkanabat), Dashoguz

Welayaty, Lebap Welayaty (Turkmenabat), Mary Welayaty

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their

administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center

name following in parentheses)

Turks and Caicos Islands

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Tuvalu

none

Uganda

56 districts; Adjumani, Apac, Arua, Bugiri, Bundibugyo,

Bushenyi, Busia, Gulu, Hoima, Iganga, Jinja, Kabale, Kabarole,

Kaberamaido, Kalangala, Kampala, Kamuli, Kamwenge, Kanungu,

Kapchorwa, Kasese, Katakwi, Kayunga, Kibale, Kiboga, Kisoro, Kitgum,

Kotido, Kumi, Kyenjojo, Lira, Luwero, Masaka, Masindi, Mayuge,

Mbale, Mbarara, Moroto, Moyo, Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nakapiripirit,

Nakasongola, Nebbi, Ntungamo, Pader, Pallisa, Rakai, Rukungiri,

Sembabule, Sironko, Soroti, Tororo, Wakiso, Yumbe

note: as of a July 2005, 13 new districts were reportedly added

bringing the total up to 69; the new districts are Amolatar, Amuria,

Budaka, Butaleja, Ibanda, Kaabong, Kabingo, Kaliro, Kiruhura,

Koboko, Manafwa, Mityana, Nakaseke; a total of ten more districts

are in the process of being added

Ukraine

24 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast'), 1 autonomous

republic* (avtonomna respublika), and 2 municipalities (mista,

singular - misto) with oblast status**; Cherkasy, Chernihiv,

Chernivtsi, Crimea or Avtonomna Respublika Krym* (Simferopol'),

Dnipropetrovs'k, Donets'k, Ivano-Frankivs'k, Kharkiv, Kherson,

Khmel'nyts'kyy, Kirovohrad, Kyiv**, Kyiv, Luhans'k, L'viv,

Mykolayiv, Odesa, Poltava, Rivne, Sevastopol'**, Sumy, Ternopil',

Vinnytsya, Volyn' (Luts'k), Zakarpattya (Uzhhorod), Zaporizhzhya,

Zhytomyr

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their

administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center

name following in parentheses)

United Arab Emirates

7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu

Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah),

Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn (Quwayn)

United Kingdom

England: 47 boroughs, 36 counties, 29 London

boroughs, 12 cities and boroughs, 10 districts, 12 cities, 3 royal

boroughs

boroughs: Barnsley, Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Bolton,

Bournemouth, Bracknell Forest, Brighton and Hove, Bury, Calderdale,

Darlington, Doncaster, Dudley, Gateshead, Halton, Hartlepool,

Kirklees, Knowsley, Luton, Medway, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes,

North Tyneside, Oldham, Poole, Reading, Redcar and Cleveland,

Rochdale, Rotherham, Sandwell, Sefton, Slough, Solihull,

Southend-on-Sea, South Tyneside, St. Helens, Stockport,

Stockton-on-Tees, Swindon, Tameside, Thurrock, Torbay, Trafford,

Walsall, Warrington, Wigan, Wirral, Wolverhampton

counties (or unitary authorities): Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire,

Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Cornwall, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon,

Dorset, Durham, East Sussex, Essex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire,

Herefordshire, Hertfordshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Lancashire,

Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, North Yorkshire,

Northamptonshire, Northumberland, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire,

Shropshire, Somerset, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Surrey, Warwickshire,

West Sussex, Wiltshire, Worcestershire

London boroughs: Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent,

Bromley, Camden, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney,

Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon,

Hounslow, Islington, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Newham, Redbridge,

Richmond upon Thames, Southwark, Sutton, Tower Hamlets, Waltham

Forest, Wandsworth

cities and boroughs: Birmingham, Bradford, Coventry, Leeds,

Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Salford, Sheffield,

Sunderland, Wakefield, Westminster

districts: Bath and North East Somerset, East Riding of Yorkshire,

North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, North Somerset,

Rutland, South Gloucestershire, Telford and Wrekin, West Berkshire,

Wokingham

cities: City of Bristol, Derby, City of Kingston upon Hull,

Leicester, City of London, Nottingham, Peterborough, Plymouth,

Portsmouth, Southampton, Stoke-on-Trent, York

royal boroughs: Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames,

Windsor and Maidenhead

Northern Ireland: 24 districts, 2 cities, 6 counties (historic)

districts: Antrim, Ards, Armagh, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Banbridge,

Carrickfergus, Castlereagh, Coleraine, Cookstown, Craigavon, Down,

Dungannon, Fermanagh, Larne, Limavady, Lisburn, Magherafelt, Moyle,

Newry and Mourne, Newtownabbey, North Down, Omagh, Strabane

cities: Belfast, Londonderry (Derry)

counties (historic): County Antrim, County Armagh, County Down,

County Fermanagh, County Londonderry, and County Tyrone are still

referred to in common parlance, but do not constitute a level of

administration

Scotland: 32 council areas: Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus,

Argyll and Bute, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee

City, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East

Renfrewshire, City of Edinburgh, Eilean Siar (Western Isles),

Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow City, Highland, Inverclyde, Midlothian,

Moray, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Orkney Islands, Perth and

Kinross, Renfrewshire, Shetland Islands, South Ayrshire, South

Lanarkshire, Stirling, The Scottish Borders, West Dunbartonshire,

West Lothian

Wales: 11 county boroughs, 9 counties, 2 cities and counties

county boroughs: Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Conwy,

Gwynedd, Merthyr Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Rhondda Cynon

Taff, Torfaen, Wrexham

counties: Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Denbighshire, Flintshire,

Isle of Anglesey, Monmouthshire, Pembrokeshire, Powys, The Vale of

Glamorgan

cities and counties: Cardiff, Swansea

United States

50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona,

Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of

Columbia*, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,

Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,

Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska,

Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North

Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode

Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah,

Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Uruguay

19 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);

Artigas, Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno, Flores, Florida,

Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandu, Rio Negro, Rivera,

Rocha, Salto, San Jose, Soriano, Tacuarembo, Treinta y Tres

Uzbekistan

12 provinces (viloyatlar, singular - viloyat), 1

autonomous republic* (respublika), and 1 city** (shahar); Andijon

Viloyati, Buxoro Viloyati, Farg'ona Viloyati, Jizzax Viloyati,

Namangan Viloyati, Navoiy Viloyati, Qashqadaryo Viloyati (Qarshi),

Qoraqalpog'iston Respublikasi* (Nukus), Samarqand Viloyati, Sirdaryo

Viloyati (Guliston), Surxondaryo Viloyati (Termiz), Toshkent

Shahri**, Toshkent Viloyati, Xorazm Viloyati (Urganch)

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their

administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center

name following in parentheses)

Vanuatu

6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba

Venezuela

23 states (estados, singular - estado), 1 capital

district* (distrito capital), and 1 federal dependency**

(dependencia federal); Amazonas, Anzoategui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas,

Bolivar, Carabobo, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Dependencias Federales**,

Distrito Federal*, Falcon, Guarico, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas,

Nueva Esparta, Portuguesa, Sucre, Tachira, Trujillo, Vargas,

Yaracuy, Zulia

note: the federal dependency consists of 11 federally controlled

island groups with a total of 72 individual islands

Vietnam

59 provinces (tinh, singular and plural) and 5

municipalities (thanh pho, singular and plural)

provinces: An Giang, Bac Giang, Bac Kan, Bac Lieu, Bac Ninh, Ba

Ria-Vung Tau, Ben Tre, Binh Dinh, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Binh

Thuan, Ca Mau, Cao Bang, Dac Lak, Dac Nong, Dien Bien, Dong Nai,

Dong Thap, Gia Lai, Ha Giang, Ha Nam, Ha Tay, Ha Tinh, Hai Duong,

Hau Giang, Hoa Binh, Hung Yen, Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Kon Tum, Lai

Chau, Lam Dong, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Long An, Nam Dinh, Nghe An, Ninh

Binh, Ninh Thuan, Phu Tho, Phu Yen, Quang Binh, Quang Nam, Quang

Ngai, Quang Ninh, Quang Tri, Soc Trang, Son La, Tay Ninh, Thai Binh,

Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien-Hue, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, Tuyen

Quang, Vinh Long, Vinh Phuc, Yen Bai

municipalities: Can Tho, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh

Virgin Islands

none (territory of the US); there are no first-order

administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there

are three islands at the second order; Saint Croix, Saint John,

Saint Thomas

Wallis and Futuna

none (overseas territory of France); there are no

first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US

Government, but there are three kingdoms at the second order named

Alo, Sigave, Wallis

Western Sahara

none (under de facto control of Morocco)

World

268 nations, dependent areas, and other entities

Yemen

19 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Abyan,

'Adan, Ad Dali', Al Bayda', Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al Mahrah, Al

Mahwit, 'Amran, Dhamar, Hadramawt, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Ma'rib,

Sa'dah, San'a', Shabwah, Ta'izz

note: for electoral and administrative purposes, the capital city of

Sanaa is treated as an additional governorate

Zambia

9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka,

Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western

Zimbabwe

8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial status;

Bulawayo*, Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland

East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland

South, Midlands

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2052 Agriculture - products

Afghanistan

opium, wheat, fruits, nuts; wool, mutton, sheepskins,

lambskins

Albania

wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets,

grapes; meat, dairy products

Algeria

wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits; sheep,

cattle

American Samoa

bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit,

yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock

Andorra

small quantities of rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables;

sheep

Angola

bananas, sugarcane, coffee, sisal, corn, cotton, manioc

(tapioca), tobacco, vegetables, plantains; livestock; forest

products; fish

Anguilla

small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising

Antigua and Barbuda

cotton, fruits, vegetables, bananas, coconuts,

cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane; livestock

Argentina

sunflower seeds, lemons, soybeans, grapes, corn, tobacco,

peanuts, tea, wheat; livestock

Armenia

fruit (especially grapes), vegetables; livestock

Aruba

aloes; livestock; fish

Australia

wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits, cattle, sheep, poultry

Austria

grains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine, fruit; dairy products,

cattle, pigs, poultry; lumber

Azerbaijan

cotton, grain, rice, grapes, fruit, vegetables, tea,

tobacco; cattle, pigs, sheep, goats

Bahamas, The

citrus, vegetables; poultry

Bahrain

fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish

Bangladesh

rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco,

pulses, oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry

Barbados

sugarcane, vegetables, cotton

Belarus

grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk

Belgium

sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef,

veal, pork, milk

Belize

bananas, coca, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber;

garments

Benin

cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil,

peanuts; livestock

Bermuda

bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products, honey

Bhutan

rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products,

eggs

Bolivia

soybeans, coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice,

potatoes; timber

Bosnia and Herzegovina

wheat, corn, fruits, vegetables; livestock

Botswana

livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers,

groundnuts

Brazil

coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa,

citrus; beef

British Virgin Islands

fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish

Brunei

rice, vegetables, fruits; chickens, water buffalo, eggs

Bulgaria

vegetables, fruits, tobacco, wine, wheat, barley,

sunflowers, sugar beets; livestock

Burkina Faso

cotton, peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, sorghum, millet,

corn, rice; livestock

Burma

rice, pulses, beans, sesame, groundnuts, sugarcane; hardwood;

fish and fish products

Burundi

coffee, cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas,

manioc (tapioca); beef, milk, hides

Cambodia

rice, rubber, corn, vegetables, cashews, tapioca

Cameroon

coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains,

root starches; livestock; timber

Canada

wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy

products; forest products; fish

Cape Verde

bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee,

peanuts; fish

Cayman Islands

vegetables, fruit; livestock; turtle farming

Central African Republic

cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca),

yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber

Chad

cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc

(tapioca); cattle, sheep, goats, camels

Chile

grapes, apples, pears, onions, wheat, corn, oats, peaches,

garlic, asparagus, beans; beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber

China

rice, wheat, potatoes, corn, peanuts, tea, millet, barley,

apples, cotton, oilseed; pork; fish

Christmas Island

NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts

Colombia

coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn,

sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseed, vegetables; forest products; shrimp

Comoros

vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas,

cassava (tapioca)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products

Congo, Republic of the

cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn,

peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products

Cook Islands

copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws,

bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry

Costa Rica

coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans,

potatoes; beef; timber

Cote d'Ivoire

coffee, cocoa beans, bananas, palm kernels, corn,

rice, manioc (tapioca), sweet potatoes, sugar, cotton, rubber; timber

Croatia

wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, barley, alfalfa,

clover, olives, citrus, grapes, soybeans, potatoes; livestock, dairy

products

Cuba

sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; livestock

Cyprus

citrus, vegetables, barley, grapes, olives, vegetables;

poultry, pork, lamb; dairy, cheese

Czech Republic

wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs,

poultry

Denmark

barley, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets; pork, dairy products;

fish

Djibouti

fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels, animal hides

Dominica

bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts, cocoa;

forest and fishery potential not exploited

Dominican Republic

sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice,

beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef,

eggs

East Timor

coffee, rice, corn, cassava, sweet potatoes, soybeans,

cabbage, mangoes, bananas, vanilla

Ecuador

bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca),

plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy

products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp

Egypt

cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle,

water buffalo, sheep, goats

El Salvador

coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton,

sorghum; beef, dairy products; shrimp

Equatorial Guinea

coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca),

bananas, palm oil nuts; livestock; timber

Eritrea

sorghum, lentils, vegetables, corn, cotton, tobacco, coffee,

sisal; livestock, goats; fish

Estonia

potatoes, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish

Ethiopia

cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, cotton, sugarcane,

potatoes, qat, cut flowers; hides, cattle, sheep, goats; fish

European Union

wheat, barley, oilseeds, sugar beets, wine, grapes;

dairy products, cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry; fish

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

fodder and vegetable crops; sheep,

dairy products

Faroe Islands

milk, potatoes, vegetables; sheep; salmon, other fish

Fiji

sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes,

bananas; cattle, pigs, horses, goats; fish

Finland

barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish

France

wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef,

dairy products; fish

French Polynesia

fish; coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits,

coffee; poultry, beef, dairy products

Gabon

cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a

tropical softwood); fish

Gambia, The

rice, millet, sorghum, peanuts, corn, sesame, cassava

(tapioca), palm kernels; cattle, sheep, goats

Gaza Strip

olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products

Georgia

citrus, grapes, tea, hazelnuts, vegetables; livestock

Germany

potatoes, wheat, barley, sugar beets, fruit, cabbages;

cattle, pigs, poultry

Ghana

cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea

nuts, bananas; timber

Gibraltar

none

Greece

wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine,

tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products

Greenland

forage crops, garden and greenhouse vegetables; sheep,

reindeer; fish

Grenada

bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, mace, citrus, avocados, root crops,

sugarcane, corn, vegetables

Guam

fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef

Guatemala

sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle,

sheep, pigs, chickens

Guernsey

tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant,

fruit; Guernsey cattle

Guinea

rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca),

bananas, sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber

Guinea-Bissau

rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts,

peanuts, palm kernels, cotton; timber; fish

Guyana

sugarcane, rice, wheat, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry,

dairy products; fish, shrimp

Haiti

coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum; wood

Honduras

bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp

Hong Kong

fresh vegetables; poultry, pork; fish

Hungary

wheat, corn, sunflower seed, potatoes, sugar beets; pigs,

cattle, poultry, dairy products

Iceland

potatoes, green vegetables; mutton, dairy products; fish

India

rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes;

cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, poultry; fish

Indonesia

rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, rubber, cocoa, coffee,

palm oil, copra; poultry, beef, pork, eggs

Iran

wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton;

dairy products, wool; caviar

Iraq

wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep,

poultry

Ireland

turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy

products

Isle of Man

cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry

Israel

citrus, vegetables, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products

Italy

fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans,

grain, olives; beef, dairy products; fish

Jamaica

sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, yams, ackees,

vegetables; poultry, goats, milk; crustaceans, mollusks

Japan

rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit; pork, poultry, dairy

products, eggs; fish

Jersey

potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products

Jordan

wheat, barley, citrus, tomatoes, melons, olives; sheep,

goats, poultry

Kazakhstan

grain (mostly spring wheat), cotton; livestock

Kenya

tea, coffee, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables; dairy

products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs

Kiribati

copra, taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; fish

Korea, North

rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; cattle, pigs,

pork, eggs

Korea, South

rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle,

pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish

Kuwait

practically no crops; fish

Kyrgyzstan

tobacco, cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and

berries; sheep, goats, cattle, wool

Laos

sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco,

cotton, tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry

Latvia

grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk,

eggs; fish

Lebanon

citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes,

olives, tobacco; sheep, goats

Lesotho

corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock

Liberia

rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil,

sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber

Libya

wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts,

soybeans; cattle

Liechtenstein

wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy

products

Lithuania

grain, potatoes, sugar beets, flax, vegetables; beef,

milk, eggs; fish

Luxembourg

wine, grapes, barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits;

dairy products, livestock products

Macau

only 2% of land area is cultivated, mainly by vegetable

growers; fishing, mostly for crustaceans, is important; some of the

catch is exported to Hong Kong

Macedonia

grapes, wine, tobacco, vegetables; milk, eggs

Madagascar

coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava

(tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products

Malawi

tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava

(tapioca), sorghum, pulses, groundnuts, Macadamia nuts; cattle, goats

Malaysia

Peninsular Malaysia - rubber, palm oil, cocoa, rice; Sabah

- subsistence crops, rubber, timber, coconuts, rice; Sarawak -

rubber, pepper, timber

Maldives

coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish

Mali

cotton, millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; cattle, sheep,

goats

Malta

potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes,

citrus, cut flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs

Marshall Islands

coconuts, tomatoes, melons, taro, breadfruit,

fruits; pigs, chickens

Mauritania

dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn; cattle, sheep

Mauritius

sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle,

goats; fish

Mayotte

vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra

Mexico

corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, beans, cotton, coffee, fruit,

tomatoes; beef, poultry, dairy products; wood products

Micronesia, Federated States of

black pepper, tropical fruits and

vegetables, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), betel nuts, sweet potatoes;

pigs, chickens; fish

Moldova

vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower

seed, tobacco; beef, milk

Monaco

none

Mongolia

wheat, barley, vegetables, forage crops; sheep, goats,

cattle, camels, horses

Montenegro

grains, tobacco, potatoes, citrus fruits, olives, grapes;

sheepherding; commercial fishing negligible

Montserrat

cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers;

livestock products

Morocco

barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock

Mozambique

cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, cassava (tapioca),

corn, coconuts, sisal, citrus and tropical fruits, potatoes,

sunflowers; beef, poultry

Namibia

millet, sorghum, peanuts, grapes; livestock; fish

Nauru

coconuts

Nepal

rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops; milk, water buffalo

meat

Netherlands

grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables;

livestock

Netherlands Antilles

aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical

fruit

New Caledonia

vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products; fish

New Zealand

wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables;

wool, beef, lamb and mutton, dairy products; fish

Nicaragua

coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco,

sesame, soya, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products;

shrimp, lobsters

Niger

cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (tapioca),

rice; cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses, poultry

Nigeria

cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, corn, rice, sorghum, millet,

cassava (tapioca), yams, rubber; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; timber;

fish

Niue

coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, taro, yams, cassava

(tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle

Norfolk Island

Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals,

vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry

Northern Mariana Islands

coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle

Norway

barley, wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish

Oman

dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish

Pakistan

cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk,

beef, mutton, eggs

Palau

coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; fish

Panama

bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables;

livestock; shrimp

Papua New Guinea

coffee, cocoa, copra, palm kernels, tea, sugar,

rubber, sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables, vanilla; shell fish,

poultry, pork

Paraguay

cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava

(tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber

Peru

asparagus, coffee, cotton, sugarcane, rice, potatoes, corn,

plantains, grapes, oranges, coca; poultry, beef, dairy products;

fish, guinea pigs

Philippines

sugarcane, coconuts, rice, corn, bananas, cassavas,

pineapples, mangoes; pork, eggs, beef; fish

Pitcairn Islands

honey; wide variety of fruits and vegetables;

goats, chickens

Poland

potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork,

dairy

Portugal

grain, potatoes, tomatoes, olives, grapes; sheep, cattle,

goats, swine, poultry, dairy products; fish

Puerto Rico

sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas;

livestock products, chickens

Qatar

fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish

Romania

wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes,

grapes; eggs, sheep

Russia

grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, vegetables, fruits; beef,

milk

Rwanda

coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from

chrysanthemums), bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock

Saint Helena

coffee, corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish,

lobster (on Tristan da Cunha)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas;

fish

Saint Lucia

bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus, root crops, cocoa

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs;

fish

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes,

spices; small numbers of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats; fish

Samoa

coconuts, bananas, taro, yams, coffee, cocoa

San Marino

wheat, grapes, corn, olives; cattle, pigs, horses, beef,

cheese, hides

Sao Tome and Principe

cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra,

cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans; poultry; fish

Saudi Arabia

wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton,

chickens, eggs, milk

Senegal

peanuts, millet, corn, sorghum, rice, cotton, tomatoes,

green vegetables; cattle, poultry, pigs; fish

Serbia

wheat, maize, sugar beets, sunflower, beef, pork, milk

Seychelles

coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava

(tapioca), bananas; poultry; tuna

Sierra Leone

rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts;

poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish

Singapore

rubber, copra, fruit, orchids, vegetables; poultry, eggs;

fish, ornamental fish

Slovakia

grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, cattle,

poultry; forest products

Slovenia

potatoes, hops, wheat, sugar beets, corn, grapes; cattle,

sheep, poultry

Solomon Islands

cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes,

vegetables, fruit; timber; cattle, pigs; fish

Somalia

bananas, sorghum, corn, coconuts, rice, sugarcane, mangoes,

sesame seeds, beans; cattle, sheep, goats; fish

South Africa

corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef,

poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products

Spain

grain, vegetables, olives, wine grapes, sugar beets, citrus;

beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish

Sri Lanka

rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea,

rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef; fish

Sudan

cotton, groundnuts (peanuts), sorghum, millet, wheat, gum

arabic, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), mangos, papaya, bananas, sweet

potatoes, sesame; sheep, livestock

Suriname

paddy rice, bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains,

peanuts; beef, chickens; shrimp; forest products

Swaziland

sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus,

pineapples, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep

Sweden

barley, wheat, sugar beets; meat, milk

Switzerland

grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs

Syria

wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar

beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk

Taiwan

rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef,

milk; fish

Tajikistan

cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables; cattle, sheep,

goats

Tanzania

coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (insecticide made

from chrysanthemums), cashew nuts, tobacco, cloves, corn, wheat,

cassava (tapioca), bananas, fruits, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats

Thailand

rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts,

soybeans

Togo

coffee, cocoa, cotton, yams, cassava (tapioca), corn, beans,

rice, millet, sorghum; livestock; fish

Tokelau

coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs,

poultry, goats; fish

Tonga

squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa,

coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish

Trinidad and Tobago

cocoa, rice, citrus, coffee, vegetables; poultry

Tunisia

olives, olive oil, grain, tomatoes, citrus fruit, sugar

beets, dates, almonds; beef, dairy products

Turkey

tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, pulse, citrus;

livestock

Turkmenistan

cotton, grain; livestock

Turks and Caicos Islands corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish

Tuvalu

coconuts; fish

Uganda

coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), potatoes,

corn, millet, pulses, cut flowers; beef, goat meat, milk, poultry

Ukraine

grain, sugar beets, sunflower seeds, vegetables; beef, milk

United Arab Emirates

dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs,

dairy products; fish

United Kingdom

cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables; cattle,

sheep, poultry; fish

United States

wheat, corn, other grains, fruits, vegetables, cotton;

beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish; forest products

Uruguay

rice, wheat, corn, barley; livestock; fish

Uzbekistan

cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock

Vanuatu

copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, fruits,

vegetables; beef; fish

Venezuela

corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables,

coffee; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish

Vietnam

paddy rice, coffee, rubber, cotton, tea, pepper, soybeans,

cashews, sugar cane, peanuts, bananas; poultry; fish, seafood

Virgin Islands

fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle

Wallis and Futuna

breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats; fish

West Bank

olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products

Western Sahara

fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases);

camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads); fish

Yemen

grain, fruits, vegetables, pulses, qat, coffee, cotton; dairy

products, livestock (sheep, goats, cattle, camels), poultry; fish

Zambia

corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, vegetables,

flowers, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), coffee;

cattle, goats, pigs, poultry, milk, eggs, hides

Zimbabwe

corn, cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts;

sheep, goats, pigs

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2053 Airports

Afghanistan

46 (2006)

Albania

11 (2006)

Algeria

142 (2006)

American Samoa

3 (2006)

Angola

244 (2006)

Anguilla

3 (2006)

Antarctica

20

note: there are no developed public access airports or landing

facilities; 28 stations or remote field locations, operated by 11

National Antarctic Programs from nations party to the Antarctic

Treaty, have restricted aircraft landing facilities comprising a

total of 11 runways and 22 skiways for fixed-wing aircraft; some

stations have both runways and skiways; commercial enterprises

operate two aircraft landing facilities at one station; helicopter

pads are available at all 37 year-round and 15 seasonal stations

operated by National Antarctic Programs; the 11 runways are suitable

for wheeled, fixed-wing aircraft: three are gravel, four blue-ice,

two sea-ice and two compacted snow; of these, five are 3 km in

length, two are between 2 km and 3 km in length, three are between 1

km and 2 km in length and one is less than 1 km in length; the 22

snow surface skiways are limited to use by ski-equipped, fixed-wing

aircraft; of these, three are equal to or greater than 3 km in

length, one is between 2 km and 3 km in length, nine are between 1

km and 2 km in length, five are less than 1 km in length, and four

are of unknown or variable length; snow surface skiways are

generally prepared and maintained during specific periods only and

during summer; all aircraft landing facilities subject to severe

restrictions and limitations resulting from extreme seasonal and

geographic conditions; aircraft landing facilities do not meet ICAO

standards; advance approval from the respective governmental or

nongovernmental operating organization required for using their

facilities; landed aircraft are subject to inspection in accordance

with Article 7, Antarctic Treaty; guidelines for the operation of

aircraft near concentrations of birds in Antarctica were adopted in

2004; relevant legal instruments and authorization procedures

adopted by states party to the Antarctic Treaty regulating access to

the Antarctic Treaty area, that is to all areas between 60 and 90

degrees of latitude South, have to be complied with (see information

under "Legal System"); an Antarctic Flight Information Manual (AFIM)

providing up-to-date details of Antarctic air facilities and

procedures is maintained and published by the Council of Managers of

National Antarctic Programs (2006)

Antigua and Barbuda

3 (2006)

Argentina

1,381 (2006)

Armenia

13 (2006)

Aruba

1 (2006)

Australia

455 (2006)

Austria

55 (2006)

Azerbaijan

36 (2006)

Bahamas, The

64 (2006)

Bahrain

3 (2006)

Baker Island

one abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m covered

with vegetation and unusable (2006)

Bangladesh

16 (2006)

Barbados

1 (2006)

Belarus

86 (2006)

Belgium

43 (2006)

Belize

43 (2006)

Benin

5 (2006)

Bermuda

1 (2006)

Bhutan

2 (2006)

Bolivia

1,084 (2006)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

28 (2006)

Botswana

85 (2006)

Brazil

4,276 (2006)

British Indian Ocean Territory

1 (2006)

British Virgin Islands

3 (2006)

Brunei

2 (2006)

Bulgaria

217 (2006)

Burkina Faso

34 (2006)

Burma

85 (2006)

Burundi

8 (2006)

Cambodia

20 (2006)

Cameroon

47 (2006)

Canada

1,337 (2006)

Cape Verde

7 (2006)

Cayman Islands

3 (2006)

Central African Republic

50 (2006)

Chad

52 (2006)

Chile

363 (2006)

China

486 (2006)

Christmas Island

1 (2006)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

1 (2006)

Colombia

984 (2006)

Comoros

4 (2006)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

234 (2006)

Congo, Republic of the

32 (2006)

Cook Islands

9 (2006)

Costa Rica

157 (2006)

Cote d'Ivoire

35 (2006)

Croatia

68 (2006)

Cuba

170 (2006)

Cyprus

16 (2006)

Czech Republic

121 (2006)

Denmark

92 (2006)

Djibouti

13 (2006)

Dominica

2 (2006)

Dominican Republic

33 (2006)

East Timor

8 (2006)

Ecuador

359 (2006)

Egypt

88 (2006)

El Salvador

75 (2006)

Equatorial Guinea

4 (2006)

Eritrea

17 (2006)

Estonia

24 (2006)

Ethiopia

84 (2006)

Europa Island

1 (2006)

European Union

3,393 (2006)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

5 (2006)

Faroe Islands

1 (2006)

Fiji

28 (2006)

Finland

148 (2006)

France total: 501 metropolitan France: 477 (2006)

French Polynesia

51 (2006)

Gabon

56 (2006)

Gambia, The

1 (2006)

Gaza Strip

2

note: includes Gaza International Airport closed since its runway

was destroyed by the Israeli Defense Forces in December 2001 (2006)

Georgia

23 (2006)

Germany

554 (2006)

Ghana

12 (2006)

Gibraltar

1 (2006)

Glorioso Islands

1 (2006)

Greece

82 (2006)

Greenland

14 (2006)

Grenada

3 (2006)

Guam

5 (2006)

Guatemala

450 (2006)

Guernsey

2 (one on Alderney) (2006)

Guinea

16 (2006)

Guinea-Bissau

28 (2006)

Guyana

90 (2006)

Haiti

12 (2006)

Honduras

116 (2006)

Hong Kong

3 (2006)

Howland Island

one airstrip constructed in 1937 for scheduled

refueling stop on the round-the-world flight of Amelia EARHART and

Fred NOONAN - they left Lae, New Guinea, for Howland Island, but

were never seen again; the airstrip is no longer serviceable (2006)

Hungary

46 (2006)

Iceland

98 (2006)

Iles Eparses

4 (2006)

India

341 (2006)

Indonesia

662 (2006)

Iran

321 (2006)

Iraq

110 (2006)

Ireland

36 (2006)

Isle of Man

1 (2006)

Israel

53 (2006)

Italy

133 (2006)

Jamaica

35 (2006)

Jan Mayen

1 (2006)

Japan

175 (2006)

Jersey

1 (2006)

Johnston Atoll

1

note: non-operational (2006)

Jordan

17 (2006)

Juan de Nova Island

1 (2006)

Kazakhstan

150 (2006)

Kenya

225 (2006)

Kingman Reef

lagoon was used as a halfway station between Hawaii and

American Samoa by Pan American Airways for flying boats in 1937 and

1938 (2006)

Kiribati

19 (2006)

Korea, North

77 (2006)

Korea, South

107 (2006)

Kuwait

7 (2006)

Kyrgyzstan

37 (2006)

Laos

44 (2006)

Latvia

46 (2006)

Lebanon

7 (2006)

Lesotho

28 (2006)

Liberia

53 (2006)

Libya

141 (2006)

Lithuania

91 (2006)

Luxembourg

2 (2006)

Macau

1 (2006)

Macedonia

17 (2006)

Madagascar

116 (2006)

Malawi

42 (2006)

Malaysia

117 (2006)

Maldives

5 (2006)

Mali

29 (2006)

Malta

1 (2006)

Marshall Islands

15 (2006)

Mauritania

25 (2006)

Mauritius

6 (2006)

Mayotte

1 (2006)

Mexico

1,839 (2006)

Micronesia, Federated States of

6 (2006)

Midway Islands

3; note - only one operational (2006)

Moldova

12 (2006)

Mongolia

44 (2006)

Montenegro

5 (2006)

Montserrat

2 (2006)

Morocco

60 (2006)

Mozambique

158 (2006)

Namibia

137 (2006)

Nauru

1 (2006)

Nepal

48 (2006)

Netherlands

27 (2006)

Netherlands Antilles

5 (2006)

New Caledonia

25 (2006)

New Zealand

118 (2006)

Nicaragua

176 (2006)

Niger

28 (2006)

Nigeria

69 (2006)

Niue

1 (2006)

Norfolk Island

1 (2006)

Northern Mariana Islands

5 (2006)

Norway

99 (2006)

Oman

137 (2006)

Pakistan

139 (2006)

Palau

3 (2006)

Palmyra Atoll

1 (2006)

Panama

117 (2006)

Papua New Guinea

582 (2006)

Paracel Islands

1 (2006)

Paraguay

881 (2006)

Peru

268 (2006)

Philippines

256 (2006)

Poland

122 (2006)

Portugal

66 (2006)

Puerto Rico

30 (2006)

Qatar

5 (2006)

Romania

61 (2006)

Russia

1,623 (2006)

Rwanda

9 (2006)

Saint Helena

1

note: Wideawake Field on Ascension Island (2006)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

2 (2006)

Saint Lucia

2 (2006)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

2 (2006)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

6 (2006)

Samoa

4 (2006)

Sao Tome and Principe

2 (2006)

Saudi Arabia

208 (2006)

Senegal

20 (2006)

Serbia

39 (2006)

Seychelles

15 (2006)

Sierra Leone

10 (2006)

Singapore

9 (2006)

Slovakia

36 (2006)

Slovenia

14 (2006)

Solomon Islands

35 (2006)

Somalia

65 (2006)

South Africa

731 (2006)

Spain

157 (2006)

Spratly Islands

3 (2006)

Sri Lanka

16 (2006)

Sudan

88 (2006)

Suriname

47 (2006)

Svalbard

4 (2006)

Swaziland

18 (2006)

Sweden

255 (2006)

Switzerland

65 (2006)

Syria

92 (2006)

Taiwan

42 (2006)

Tajikistan

40 (2006)

Tanzania

124 (2006)

Thailand

108 (2006)

Togo

9 (2006)

Tonga

6 (2006)

Trinidad and Tobago

6 (2006)

Tromelin Island

1 (2006)

Tunisia

30 (2006)

Turkey

117 (2006)

Turkmenistan

29 (2006)

Turks and Caicos Islands

8 (2006)

Tuvalu

1 (2006)

Uganda

31 (2006)

Ukraine

499 (2006)

United Arab Emirates

37 (2006)

United Kingdom

471 (2006)

United States

14,858 (2006)

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Baker Island: one

abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m covered with vegetation and

unusable

Howland Island: airstrip constructed in 1937 for scheduled refueling

stop on the round-the-world flight of Amelia EARHART and Fred

NOONAN; the aviators left Lae, New Guinea, for Howland Island but

were never seen again; the airstrip is no longer serviceable

Johnston Atoll: 1 - closed and not maintained

Kingman Reef: lagoon was used as a halfway station between Hawaii

and American Samoa by Pan American Airways for flying boats in 1937

and 1938

Midway Islands: 3 - one operational (2,409 m paved); no fuel for

sale except emergencies

Palmyra Atoll: 1 - 1,846 m unpaved runway; privately owned (2006)

Uruguay

64 (2006)

Uzbekistan

61 (2006)

Vanuatu

31 (2006)

Venezuela

375 (2006)

Vietnam

32 (2006)

Virgin Islands

2 (2006)

Wake Island

1 (2006)

Wallis and Futuna

2 (2006)

West Bank

3 (2006)

Western Sahara

11 (2006)

World

49,024 (2006)

Yemen

46 (2006)

Zambia

111 (2006)

Zimbabwe

403 (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2054 Birth rate (births/1,000 population)

Afghanistan

46.6 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Albania

15.11 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Algeria

17.14 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

American Samoa

22.46 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Andorra

8.71 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Angola

45.11 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Anguilla

14.17 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

16.93 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Argentina

16.73 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Armenia

12.07 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Aruba

11.03 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Australia

12.14 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Austria

8.74 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Azerbaijan

20.74 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bahamas, The

17.57 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bahrain

17.8 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bangladesh

29.8 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Barbados

12.71 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Belarus

11.16 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Belgium

10.38 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Belize

28.84 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Benin

38.85 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bermuda

11.4 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bhutan

33.65 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bolivia

23.3 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

8.77 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Botswana

23.08 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Brazil

16.56 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

British Virgin Islands

14.89 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Brunei

18.79 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bulgaria

9.65 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Burkina Faso

45.62 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Burma

17.91 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Burundi

42.22 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Cambodia

26.9 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Cameroon

33.89 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Canada

10.78 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Cape Verde

24.87 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Cayman Islands

12.74 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Central African Republic

33.91 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Chad

45.73 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Chile

15.23 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

China

13.25 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Christmas Island

NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

NA

Colombia

20.48 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Comoros

36.93 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 43.69 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

42.57 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Cook Islands

21 births/1,000 population (2001 census)

Costa Rica

18.32 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

35.11 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Croatia

9.61 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Cuba

11.89 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Cyprus

12.56 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Czech Republic

9.02 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Denmark

11.13 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Djibouti

39.53 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Dominica

15.27 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Dominican Republic

23.22 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

East Timor

26.99 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Ecuador

22.29 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Egypt

22.94 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

El Salvador

26.61 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

35.59 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Eritrea

34.33 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Estonia

10.04 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Ethiopia

37.98 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

European Union

10 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

NA births/1,000 population (2006

est.)

Faroe Islands

14.05 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Fiji

22.55 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Finland

10.45 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

France

11.99 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

French Polynesia

16.68 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Gabon

36.16 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Gambia, The

39.37 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Gaza Strip

39.45 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Georgia

10.41 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Germany

8.25 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Ghana

30.52 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Gibraltar

10.74 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Greece

9.68 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Greenland

15.93 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Grenada

22.08 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Guam

18.79 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Guatemala

29.88 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Guernsey

8.81 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Guinea

41.76 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

37.22 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Guyana

18.28 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Haiti

36.44 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Honduras

28.24 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Hong Kong

7.29 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Hungary

9.72 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Iceland

13.64 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

India

22.01 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Indonesia

20.34 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Iran

17 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Iraq

31.98 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Ireland

14.45 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Isle of Man

11.05 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Israel

17.97 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Italy

8.72 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Jamaica

20.82 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Japan

9.37 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Jersey

9.3 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Jordan

21.25 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Kazakhstan

16 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Kenya

39.72 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Kiribati

30.65 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Korea, North

15.54 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Korea, South

10 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Kuwait

21.94 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

22.8 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Laos

35.49 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Latvia

9.24 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Lebanon

18.52 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Lesotho

24.75 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Liberia

44.77 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Libya

26.49 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Liechtenstein

10.21 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Lithuania

8.75 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Luxembourg

11.94 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Macau

8.48 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Macedonia

12.02 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Madagascar

41.41 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Malawi

43.13 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Malaysia

22.86 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Maldives

34.81 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Mali

49.82 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Malta

10.22 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Marshall Islands

33.05 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Mauritania

40.99 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Mauritius

15.43 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Mayotte

40.95 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Mexico

20.69 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of 24.68 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Moldova

15.7 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Monaco

9.19 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Mongolia

21.59 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Montenegro

12.6 births/1,000 population (2004)

Montserrat

17.59 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Morocco

21.98 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Mozambique

35.18 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Namibia

24.32 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Nauru

24.76 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Nepal

30.98 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Netherlands

10.9 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

14.78 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

New Caledonia

18.11 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

New Zealand

13.76 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Nicaragua

24.51 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Niger

50.73 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Nigeria

40.43 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Niue

NA births/1,000 population

Norfolk Island

NA

Northern Mariana Islands

19.43 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Norway

11.46 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oman

36.24 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Pakistan

29.74 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Palau

18.03 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Panama

21.74 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea

29.36 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Paraguay

29.1 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Peru

20.48 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Philippines

24.89 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Pitcairn Islands

NA

Poland

9.85 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Portugal

10.72 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Puerto Rico

12.77 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Qatar

15.56 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Romania

10.7 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Russia

9.95 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Rwanda

40.37 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Saint Helena

12.13 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

18.02 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Saint Lucia

19.68 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

13.52 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 16.18 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Samoa

16.43 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

San Marino

10.02 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe

40.25 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Saudi Arabia

29.34 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Senegal

32.78 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Seychelles

16.03 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sierra Leone

45.76 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Singapore

9.34 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Slovakia

10.65 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Slovenia

8.98 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Solomon Islands

30.01 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Somalia

45.13 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

South Africa

18.2 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Spain

10.06 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sri Lanka

15.51 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sudan

34.53 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Suriname

18.02 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Svalbard

NA births/1,000 population

Swaziland

27.41 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sweden

10.27 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Switzerland

9.71 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Syria

27.76 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Taiwan

12.56 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Tajikistan

32.65 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Tanzania

37.71 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Thailand

13.87 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Togo

37.01 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Tokelau

NA

Tonga

25.37 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

12.9 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Tunisia

15.52 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Turkey

16.62 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Turkmenistan

27.61 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

21.84 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Tuvalu

22.18 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Uganda

47.35 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Ukraine

8.82 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates

18.96 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

United Kingdom

10.71 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

United States

14.14 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Uruguay

13.91 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Uzbekistan

26.36 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Vanuatu

22.72 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Venezuela

18.71 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Vietnam

16.86 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Virgin Islands

13.96 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Wallis and Futuna

NA births/1,000 population

West Bank

31.67 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Western Sahara

NA births/1,000 population

World

20.05 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Yemen

42.89 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Zambia

41 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Zimbabwe

28.01 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2055 Military branches

Afghanistan

Afghan National Army (includes Afghan Air Force) (2006)

Albania

General Staff Headquarters, Land Forces Command (Army),

Naval Forces Command, Air Defense Command, Logistics Command,

Training and Doctrine Command

Algeria

National Popular Army (ANP; includes Land Forces), Algerian

National Navy (MRA), Air Force (QJJ), Territorial Air Defense Force

(2005)

Andorra

no regular military forces, Police Service of Andorra

Angola

Army, Navy (Marinha de Guerra, MdG), Air and Air Defense

Forces (FANA) (2006)

Antigua and Barbuda

Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force (2006)

Argentina

Argentine Army, Navy of the Argentine Republic (includes

naval aviation and naval infantry), Argentine Air Force (Fuerza

Aerea Argentina, FAA) (2005)

Armenia

Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Nagorno-Karabakh Self Defense

Force (NKSDF), Air Force, Air Defense Force (2006)

Aruba

no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Netherlands Navy

and Marines, Coast Guard

Australia

Australian Defense Force (ADF): Australian Army, Royal

Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, Special Operations

Command (2006)

Austria

Land Forces (KdoLdSK), Air Forces (KdoLuSK)

Azerbaijan

Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces

Bahamas, The

Royal Bahamian Defense Force: Marines, Air Wing (2006)

Bahrain

Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air

Defense), Navy, Air Force, National Guard

Bangladesh

Bangladesh Defense Force: Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh

Navy, Bangladesh Air Force (Bangladesh Biman Bahini, BAF) (2006)

Barbados

Royal Barbados Defense Force: Troops Command, Coast Guard

(2005)

Belarus

Belarus Armed Forces: Land Force, Air and Air Defense Force

(2006)

Belgium

Belgian Armed Forces: Land, Naval, and Air Operations

Commands (2005)

Belize

Belize Defense Force (BDF): Army, Maritime Wing, Air Wing,

and Volunteer Guard

Benin

Army, Navy, Air Force

Bermuda

no regular military forces

Bhutan

Royal Bhutan Army: Royal Bodyguard, Royal Bhutan Police (2005)

Bolivia

Bolivian Armed Forces: Bolivian Army (Ejercito Boliviano),

Bolivian Navy (Armada Boliviana; includes marines), Bolivian Air

Force (Fuerza Aerea Boliviana, FAB) (2006)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

VF Army (the air and air defense forces are

subordinate commands within the Army), VRS Army (the air and air

defense forces are subordinate commands within the Army)

Botswana

Botswana Defense Force (includes an air wing) (2006)

Brazil

Brazilian Army, Brazilian Navy (Marinha do Brasil (MB),

includes Naval Air and Marine Corps (Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais)),

Brazilian Air Force (Forca Aerea Brasileira, FAB) (2006)

Brunei

Royal Brunei Armed Forces: Royal Brunei Land Forces, Royal

Brunei Navy, Royal Brunei Air Force (Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei)

(2005)

Bulgaria

Bulgarian Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Naval Forces,

Bulgarian Air Forces (Bulgarski Voennovazdyshni Sily, BVVS) (2006)

Burkina Faso

Army, Air Force of Burkina Faso (Force Aerienne de

Burkina Faso), National Gendarmerie (2006)

Burma

Myanmar Armed Forces (Tatmadaw): Army, Navy, Air Force (2005)

Burundi

National Defense Force (Forces de Defense Nationales, FDN):

Army (includes Naval Detachment and Air Wing), National Gendarmerie

(being disbanded) (2006)

Cambodia

Royal Cambodian Armed Forces: Royal Cambodian Army, Royal

Khmer Navy, Royal Cambodian Air Force (2005)

Cameroon

Cameroon Armed Forces: Army, Navy (includes naval

infantry), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC) (2006)

Canada

Canadian Forces: Land Forces Command, Maritime Command, Air

Command, Canada Command (homeland security) (2006)

Cape Verde

People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARP): Army, Coast

Guard (includes maritime air wing)

Cayman Islands

no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands

Police Force

Central African Republic

Central African Armed Forces (FACA): Ground

Forces, Military Air Service; General Directorate of Gendarmerie

Inspection (DGIG), Republican Guard, National Police (2006)

Chad

Chadian National Army (Armee Nationale Tchadienne, ANT), Air

Force, Gendarmerie (2004)

Chile

Army of the Nation, National Navy (Armada de Chile, includes

naval air, marine corps, and Maritime Territory and Merchant Marine

Directorate (Directemar)), Chilean Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Chile,

FACh), Chilean Carabineros (National Police) (2006)

China

People's Liberation Army (PLA): Ground Forces, Navy (includes

marines and naval aviation), Air Force (includes airborne forces),

and Second Artillery Corps (strategic missile force); People's Armed

Police (PAP); Reserve and Militia Forces (2006)

Colombia

Army (Ejercito Nacional), National Navy (Armada Nacional,

includes naval aviation, marines, and coast guard), Colombian Air

Force (Fuerza Aerea de Colombia, FAC) (2006)

Comoros

Comoran Defense Force: Comoran Security Force (includes

Gendarmerie and Army), Comoran Federal Police (2006)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Army, Navy, Air Force

Congo, Republic of the

Congolese Armed Forces (FAC): Army, Congolese

Air Force (Armee de l'Air Congolaise), Navy, Gendarmerie, Republican

Guard (2005)

Cook Islands

no regular military forces; Ministry of Police and

Disaster Management (2005)

Costa Rica

no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security,

Government, and Police (2006)

Cote d'Ivoire

Cote d'Ivoire Defense and Security Forces (FDSC):

Army, Navy, Air Force (2006)

Croatia

Ground Forces (Hrvatska Kopnena Vojska, HKoV), Naval Forces

(Hrvatska Ratna Mornarica, HRM), Air and Air Defense Forces

(Hrvatsko Ratno Zrakoplovstvo i Protuzrakoplovna Obrana, HRZiPZO),

Joint Education and Training Command, Logistics Command; Military

Police Force supports each of the three Croatian military forces

(2006)

Cuba

Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR): Revolutionary Army (ER),

Revolutionary Navy (Marina de Guerra Revolucionaria, MGR),

Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Force (DAAFAR), Youth Labor Army

(EJT) (2005)

Cyprus

Republic of Cyprus: Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG;

includes air and naval elements); north Cyprus: Turkish Cypriot

Security Force (GKK)

Czech Republic

Army of the Czech Republic (ACR): Joint Forces

Command (includes air forces), Support and Training Forces Command

(2006)

Denmark

Defense Command: Army Operational Command, Admiral Danish

Fleet, Tactical Air Command (2006)

Djibouti

Djibouti National Army (includes Navy and Air Force)

Dominica

no regular military forces; Commonwealth of Dominica Police

Force (includes coast guard)

Dominican Republic

Army, Navy, Air Force

East Timor

East Timor Defense Force (Forcas de Defesa de

Timor-L'este, FDTL): Army, Navy (Armada) (2005)

Ecuador

Army, Navy (includes naval infantry, naval aviation, coast

guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana, FAE)

Egypt

Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command

El Salvador

Salvadoran Army (ES), Salvadoran Navy (FNES), Salvadoran

Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Salvadorena, FAS) (2006)

Equatorial Guinea

Army, Navy, Air Force (2005)

Eritrea

Army, Navy, Air Force

Estonia

Estonian Defense Forces: Land Force, Navy, Air Force,

Volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit, KL) (2006)

Ethiopia

Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF): Ground Forces,

Ethiopian Air Force

note: Ethiopia is landlocked and has no navy; following the

secession of Eritrea, Ethiopian naval facilities remained in

Eritrean possession

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

no regular military forces

Faroe Islands

no regular military forces

Fiji

Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF): Land Forces, Naval

Forces (2006)

Finland

Finnish Defense Forces: Army, Navy (includes coastal defense

forces), Air Force (2003)

France

Army (includes marines, Foreign Legion, light aviation), Navy

(includes naval air), Air Force (includes air defense), National

Gendarmerie

French Polynesia

no regular military forces; Gendarmerie and

National Police Force

Gabon

Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police

Gambia, The

Gambian National Army (GNA), Gambian Navy (GN),

Presidential Guard, National Guard

Gaza Strip

in accordance with the peace agreement, the Palestinian

Authority is not permitted conventional military forces; there are,

however, public security forces (2002)

Georgia

Ground Forces (includes National Guard), Air and Air Defense

Forces, Navy (2006)

Germany

Federal Armed Forces (Bundeswehr): Army (Heer), Navy

(Deutsche Marine, includes naval air arm), Air Force (Luftwaffe),

Joint Service Support Command (Streitkraeftebasis), Central Medical

Service (Zentraler Sanitaetsdienst) (2006)

Ghana

Ghanaian Army, Ghanaian Navy, Ghanaian Air Force (2006)

Gibraltar

Royal Gibraltar Regiment

Greece

Hellenic Army (Ellinikos Stratos, ES), Hellenic Navy

(Ellinikos Polemiko Navtiko, EPN), Hellenic Air Force (Elliniki

Polimiki Aeroporia, EPA) (2006)

Grenada

no regular military forces; Royal Grenada Police Force

Guatemala

Army, Navy (includes marines), Air Force

Guinea

Army, Navy, Air Force, Presidential Guard (2006)

Guinea-Bissau

People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP; includes

Army, Navy, and Air Force), paramilitary force

Guyana

Guyana Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Corps

(2006)

Haiti

the regular Haitian Armed Forces (FAdH) - Army, Navy, and Air

Force - have been demobilized but still exist on paper unless they

are constitutionally abolished

Holy See (Vatican City)

Pontifical Swiss Guard (Corpo della Guardia

Svizzera Pontificia)

Honduras

Army, Navy (includes naval infantry), Honduran Air Force

(Fuerza Aerea Hondurena, FAH) (2006)

Hong Kong

no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison

of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) includes elements of the

PLA Ground Forces, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are

under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in

Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou

Military Region

Hungary

Ground Forces, Hungarian Air Force (Magyar Legiero, ML)

(2006)

Iceland

no regular armed forces; Icelandic National Police,

Icelandic Coast Guard (Islenska Landhelgisgaeslan) subordinate to

Ministry of Justice, Icelandic Crisis Response Unit (2006)

India

Army, Navy (includes naval air arm), Air Force, Coast Guard,

various security or paramilitary forces (includes Border Security

Force, Assam Rifles, National Security Guards, Indo-Tibetan Border

Police, Special Frontier Force, Central Reserve Police Force,

Central Industrial Security Force, Railway Protection Force, and

Defense Security Corps)

Indonesia

Indonesia Armed Forces (Tentara Nasional Indonesia, TNI):

Army (TNI-AD), Navy (TNI-AL, includes marines, naval air arm), Air

Force (TNI-AU)

note: the TNI is directly subordinate to the president but the

government is making efforts to incorporate it into the Department

of Defense

Iran

Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh): Ground

Forces, Navy, Air Force (Niruye Havayi Jomhuriye Islamiye Iran;

includes air defense); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah-e

Pasdaran-e Enqelab-e Eslami, IRGC): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force,

Qods Force (special operations), and Basij Force (Popular

Mobilization Army); Law Enforcement Forces (2006)

Iraq

Iraqi Armed Forces: Iraqi Regular Army (includes Iraqi Special

Operations Force, Iraqi Intervention Force), Iraqi Navy (former

Iraqi Coastal Defense Force), Iraqi Air Force (former Iraqi Army Air

Corps) (2005)

Ireland

Irish Defense Forces (Oglaigh na h-Eireann): Army (includes

Naval Service and Air Corps) (2006)

Israel

Israel Defense Forces (IDF): Army Headquarters, Israel Navy,

Israeli Air and Space Force (ISAF, includes air defense forces);

historically there have been no separate Israeli military services

(2005)

Italy

Army (Esercito Italiano, EI), Navy (Marina Militare Italiana,

MMI), Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana, AMI), Carabinieri

Corps (Corpo dei Carabinieri, CC) (2005)

Jamaica

Jamaica Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Wing

Japan

Japanese Defense Agency (JDA): Ground Self-Defense Force

(Rikujou Jietai, GSDF), Maritime Self-Defense Force (Kaijou Jietai,

MSDF), Air Self-Defense Force (Nihon Koku-Jieitai, ASDF) (2006)

Jordan

Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF): Royal Jordanian Land Force,

Royal Jordanian Navy, Royal Jordanian Air Force (Al-Quwwat

al-Jawwiya al-Malakiya al-Urduniya), Special Operations Command

(Socom); Public Security Directorate (normally falls under Ministry

of Interior, but comes under JAF in wartime or crisis situations)

(2006)

Kazakhstan

Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Naval Force,

Republican Guard

Kenya

Kenyan Army, Kenyan Navy, Kenyan Air Force (2006)

Kiribati

no regular military forces; Police Force (carries out law

enforcement functions and paramilitary duties; small police posts

are on all islands)

Korea, North

North Korean People's Army: Ground Force, Navy, Air

Force; civil security forces (2005)

Korea, South

Army, Navy, Republic of Korea Air Force (Han-guk Kong

Goon), Marine Corps, National Maritime Police (coast guard) (2006)

Kuwait

Land Forces, Kuwaiti Navy, Kuwaiti Air Force (Al-Quwwat

al-Jawwiya al-Kuwaitiya), National Guard (2006)

Kyrgyzstan

Army, Air Force, National Guard (2005)

Laos

Lao People's Army (LPA; includes Riverine Force), Air Force

Latvia

Latvian Republic Defense Force: Ground Forces, Navy, Air

Force, Border Guard, Home Guard (Zemessardze) (2005)

Lebanon

Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF): Army, Navy, and Air Force

Lesotho

Lesotho Defense Force (LDF): Army and Air Wing

Liberia

Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Navy, Air Force

Libya

Armed Peoples on Duty (APOD, Army), Libyan Arab Navy, Libyan

Arab Air Force (LAAF) (2006)

Lithuania

Ground Forces, Naval Force, Lithuanian Military Air

Forces, National Defense Volunteer Forces (2005)

Luxembourg

Army

Macau

no regular military forces

Macedonia

Army of the Republic of Macedonia (ARM): Joint Operational

Command, with subordinate Air Wing (Makedonsko Voeno

Vozduhoplovstvo, MVV), Special Force Command (2006)

Madagascar

People's Armed Forces: Intervention Force, Development

Force, and Aeronaval Force (navy and air); National Gendarmerie

Malawi

Malawi Armed Forces: Army (includes Air Wing and Naval

Detachment), Police (includes Mobile Force Unit)

Malaysia

Malaysian Armed Forces (Angkatan Tentera Malaysia, ATM):

Malaysian Army (Tentera Darat Malaysia), Royal Malaysian Navy

(Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia, TLDM), Royal Malaysian Air Force

(Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia, TUDM) (2006)

Maldives

National Security Service: Security Branch (ground forces),

Air Element, Coast Guard

Mali

Army, Air Force, National Guard

Malta

Armed Forces of Malta (AFM; includes air and maritime

elements) (2005)

Marshall Islands

no regular military forces; Marshall Islands Police

Mauritania

Mauritanian Armed Forces: Army, Navy (Marine

Mauritanienne; includes naval infantry), Air Force (Force Aerienne

Islamique de Mauritanie, FAIM) (2005)

Mauritius

no regular military forces; National Police Force, Special

Mobile Force, National Coast Guard

Mexico

Secretariat of National Defense (Secretaria de Defensa

Nacional, Sedena): Army (Ejercito), Mexican Air Force (Fuerza Aerea

Mexicana, FAM); Secretariat of the Navy (Secretaria de Marina,

Semar): Mexican Navy (Armada de Mexico, ARM, includes Naval Air

Force (FAN) and Marines) (2006)

Micronesia, Federated States of

no ministry of defense and no

standing armed forces; the paramilitary Maritime Wing, a small

maritime law enforcement unit, is responsible to the Division of

Maritime Surveillance within the Office of the Attorney General

(2003)

Moldova

National Army: Ground Forces, Rapid Reaction Forces, Air and

Air Defense Forces (2006)

Mongolia

Mongolian People's Army (MPA), Mongolian People's Air Force

(MPAF); there is no navy (2005)

Montserrat

no regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Police Force

(2005)

Morocco

Royal Armed Forces (Forces Armees Royales, FAR): Royal

Moroccan Army (includes Air Defense), Navy (includes Marines), Royal

Moroccan Air Force (Force Aerienne Royale Marocaine) (2006)

Mozambique

Mozambique Armed Defense Forces (FADM): Mozambique Army,

Mozambique Navy (Marinha Mocambique, MM), Mozambique Air Force

(Forca Aerea de Mocambique, FAM) (2006)

Namibia

Namibian Defense Force: Army, Air Wing, Navy (2006)

Nauru

no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force (2005)

Nepal

Royal Nepalese Army (includes Royal Nepalese Army Air

Service); Nepalese Police Force

Netherlands

Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (includes

Naval Air Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force

(Koninklijke Luchtmacht, KLu), Royal Military Police, Defense

Interservice Command (DICO) (2006)

Netherlands Antilles

no regular military forces; National Guard,

Police Force (2005)

New Caledonia

no regular indigenous military forces; French Armed

Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force

New Zealand

New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF): New Zealand Army,

Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force (2006)

Nicaragua

Army (includes Navy, Air Force)

Niger

Nigerien Armed Forces (Forces Armees Nigeriennes, FAN): Army,

National Air Force (2005)

Nigeria

Nigerian Armed Forces (Forces Armees Nigeriennes, FAN):

Army, Niger Air Force (2006)

Niue

no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force

Norway

Norwegian Army (Haeren), Royal Norwegian Navy (Kongelige

Norske Sjoeforsvaret, RNoN; includes Coastal Rangers and Coast Guard

(Kystvakt)), Royal Norwegian Air Force (Kongelige Norske

Luftforsvaret, RNoAF), Home Guard (Heimevernet, HV) (2006)

Oman

Royal Omani Armed Forces: Royal Army of Oman, Royal Navy of

Oman, Royal Air Force of Oman (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Sultanat

Oman, RAFO) (2006)

Pakistan

Army (includes National Guard), Navy (includes Marines),

Pakistan Air Force (Pakistan Fiza'ya) (2006)

Palau

no regular military forces; Palau National Police (2006)

Panama

an amendment to the Constitution abolished the armed forces,

but there are security forces (Panamanian Public Forces or PPF

includes the Panamanian National Police, National Maritime Service,

and National Air Service)

Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea Defense Force (includes Maritime

Operations Element, Air Operations Element)

Paraguay

Army, National Navy (Armada Nacional, includes Naval

Aviation, Marine Corps, General Naval Prefecture), Air Force (Fuerza

Aerea Paraguay, FAP) (2006)

Peru

Peruvian Army (Ejercito Peruano), Peruvian Navy (Marina de

Guerra del Peru; includes naval air, naval infantry, and coast

guard), Peruvian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea del Peru, FAP)

Philippines

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP): Army, Navy

(includes Marine Corps), Philippine Air Force (Hukbomg Himpapawid ng

Pilipinas) (2006)

Poland

Polish Armed Forces: Land Forces (includes Navy (Marynarka

Wojenna, MW)), Polish Air Force (Sily Powietrzenje Rzeczypospolitej

Polskiej, SPRP) (2006)

Portugal

Army, Navy (Marinha Portuguesa; includes Marine Corps), Air

Force (Forca Aerea Portuguesa, FAP), National Republican Guard

(Guarda Nacional Republicana) (2005)

Puerto Rico

no regular indigenous military forces; paramilitary

National Guard, Police Force

Qatar

Qatari Amiri Land Force (QALF), Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN),

Qatari Amiri Air Force (QAAF)

Romania

Land Forces, Naval Forces, Romanian Air Force (Fortele

Aerienne Romane, FAR), Special Operations (2006)

Russia

Ground Forces (SV), Navy (VMF), Air Forces (VVS); Airborne

Troops (VDV), Strategic Rocket Troops (RVSN), and Space Troops (KV)

are independent "combat arms," not subordinate to any of the three

branches

Rwanda

Rwandan Defense Forces: Army, Air Force

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force (includes

Coast Guard), Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force

Saint Lucia

no regular military forces; Royal Saint Lucia Police

Force (includes Special Service Unit, Coast Guard) (2006)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

no regular military forces; Royal

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (includes Special

Service Unit), Coast Guard (2005)

Samoa

no regular military forces; Samoa Police Force (2005)

San Marino

no regular military forces; Voluntary Military Force

(Corpi Militari Voluntar) performs ceremonial duties and limited

police functions (2006)

Sao Tome and Principe

Armed Forces of Sao Tome and Principe (FASTP):

Army, Coast Guard, Presidential Guard (2004)

Saudi Arabia

Land Forces (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force,

National Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary)

Senegal

Army, Senegalese Navy (Marine Senegalaise), Senegalese Air

Force (Armee de l'Air du Senegal) (2006)

Serbia

Serbian Armed Forces (Vojska Srbije, VS): Serbian Land Forces

(Kopnene Vojska, KoV), Air Force and Air Defense Force

(Vozduhoplostvo i Protivozduhoplovna Odbrana, ViPO), naval force to

be determined (2006)

Seychelles

Seychelles Defense Force: Army, Coast Guard (includes

Navy Wing, Air Wing), National Guard (2005)

Sierra Leone

Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF): Army

(includes Air Wing, Maritime Wing)

Singapore

Singapore Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Republic of Singapore

Air Force (includes Air Defense) (2006)

Slovakia

Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic (Ozbrojene Sily

Slovenskej Republiky): Land Forces (Pozemne Sily), Air Forces

(Vzdusne Sily), Training and Support Forces (Vycviku a Podpory Sily)

(2005)

Slovenia

Slovenian Army (includes air and naval forces)

Solomon Islands

no regular military forces; Royal Solomon Islands

Police (RSIP)

Somalia

a Somali National Army was attempted under the interim

government; numerous factions and clans maintain independent

militias, and the Somaliland and Puntland regional governments

maintain their own security and police forces

South Africa

South African National Defense Force (SANDF): South

African Army, South African Navy (SAN), South African Air Force

(SAAF), Joint Operations Command, Joint Support Command, Military

Intelligence, Military Health Service (2005)

Spain

Spanish Armed Forces: Army (Ejercito de Tierra), Spanish Navy

(Armada Espanola, AE; includes Marine Corps), Spanish Air Force

(Ejercito del Aire Espanola, EdA) (2006)

Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan Army, Sri Lankan Navy, Sri Lankan Air Force

(2006)

Sudan

Sudanese People's Armed Forces (SPAF): Army, Navy, Air Force,

Popular Defense Force

Suriname

National Army, Naval Element, Air Wing (2006)

Swaziland

Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (USDF): Ground Force

(includes air wing), Royal Swaziland Police Force (RSPF) (2005)

Sweden

Swedish Armed Forces (Forsvarsmakten): Army (Armen), Royal

Swedish Navy (Marinen), Swedish Air Force (Svenska Flygvapnet) (2006)

Switzerland

Swiss Armed Forces: Land Forces, Swiss Air Force

(Schweizer Luftwaffe); Switzerland has no navy, but maintains a

fleet of military patrol boats to patrol Swiss borders (2006)

Syria

Syrian Armed Forces: Syrian Arab Army (includes Syrian Arab

Navy), Syrian Arab Air and Air Defense Force (includes Air Defense

Command) (2005)

Taiwan

Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard

Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service

Forces Command, Armed Forces Police Command

Tajikistan

Ground Troops, Air and Air Defense Troops, Mobile Troops

(2005)

Tanzania

Tanzanian People's Defense Force (JWTZ): Army, Naval Wing,

Air Defense Command (includes air wing), National Service

Thailand

Royal Thai Army (RTA), Royal Thai Navy (RTN, includes Royal

Thai Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air Force (Knogtap Agard Thai, RTAF)

(2006)

Togo

Togolese Armed Forces (FAT): Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie

(2005)

Tonga

Tonga Defense Services: Land Force (Royal Guard), Naval Force

(includes Royal Marines, Air Wing) (2006)

Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force: Ground Force,

Coast Guard (includes air wing) (2004)

Tunisia

Army, Navy, Republic of Tunisia Air Force (Al-Quwwat

al-Jawwiya al-Jamahiriyah At'tunisia) (2006)

Turkey

Turkish Armed Forces (TSK): Land Forces, Turkish Naval Forces

(Turk Deniz Kuvvetleri, TDK; includes naval air and naval infantry),

Turkish Air Force (Turk Hava Kuvvetleri, THK) (2006)

Turkmenistan

Ground Forces, Artillery and Rocket Forces, Navy, Air

and Air Defense Forces (2006)

Tuvalu

no regular military forces; Police Force

Uganda

Ugandan Peoples' Defense Force (UPDF): Army, Marine Unit, Air

Wing

Ukraine

Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air Forces (Viyskovo-Povitryani

Syly), Air Defense Forces (2002)

United Arab Emirates

Army, Navy (includes Marines and Coast Guard),

Air and Air Defense Force, paramilitary forces (includes Federal

Police Force)

United Kingdom

Army, Royal Navy (includes Royal Marines), Royal Air

Force

United States

Army, Navy and Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast

Guard; note - Coast Guard administered in peacetime by the

Department of Homeland Security, but in wartime reports to the

Department of the Navy

Uruguay

Army, Navy (includes naval air arm, Marines, Maritime

Prefecture in wartime), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Uruguaya, FAU) (2006)

Uzbekistan

Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard

Vanuatu

no regular military forces; security forces comprise the

Vanuatu Police Force (VPF) and paramilitary Vanuatu Mobile Force

(VMF), which includes Vanuatu's naval force, known as the Police

Maritime Wing (PMW); border security in Vanuatu is the joint

responsibility of the Customs and Inland Revenue Service, VPF, VMF,

and PMW (2003)

Venezuela

National Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Nacionales or FAN):

Ground Forces or Army (Fuerzas Terrestres or Ejercito), Naval Forces

(Fuerzas Navales or Armada; includes Marines, Coast Guard), Air

Force (Fuerzas Aereas or Aviacion), Armed Forces of Cooperation or

National Guard (Fuerzas Armadas de Cooperacion or Guardia Nacional)

Vietnam

People's Armed Forces: People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN)

(includes People's Navy Command (with naval infantry, coast guard),

Air and Air Defense Force (Kon Quan Nhan Dan), Border Defense

Command), People's Public Security Forces, Militia Force,

Self-Defense Forces (2005)

Yemen

Army (includes Special Forces), Navy (includes Marines),

Unified Yemen Air Force (includes Air Defense Force) (2006)

Zambia

Zambian National Defense Force (ZNDF): Army, Air Force,

Police, National Service

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF): Zimbabwe National Army, Air

Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ), Zimbabwe Republic Police (2005)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2056 Budget

Afghanistan

revenues: $269 million

expenditures: $561 million; including capital expenditures of $41.7

million

note: Afghanistan has also received $273 million from the

Reconstruction Trust Fund and $63 million from the Law and Order

Trust Fund (FY04-05 budget est.)

Albania

revenues: $2.323 billion

expenditures: $2.587 billion; including capital expenditures of $500

million (2006 est.)

Algeria

revenues: $59.26 billion

expenditures: $49.14 billion; including capital expenditures of $5.8

billion (2006 est.)

American Samoa

revenues: $121 million (37% in local revenue and 63%

in US grants)

expenditures: $127 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(FY96/97)

Andorra

revenues: $373.5 million

expenditures: $373.5 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2004)

Angola

revenues: $10.98 billion

expenditures: $9.7 billion; including capital expenditures of $963

million (2006 est.)

Anguilla

revenues: $22.8 million

expenditures: $22.5 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2000 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

revenues: $123.7 million

expenditures: $145.9 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2000 est.)

Argentina

revenues: $52.1 billion

expenditures: $47.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $5.4

billion (2006 est.)

Armenia

revenues: $1.004 billion

expenditures: $1.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Aruba

revenues: $507.9 million

expenditures: $577.9 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2005 est.)

Australia

revenues: $267 billion

expenditures: $258 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Austria

revenues: $155.9 billion

expenditures: $161.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Azerbaijan

revenues: $6.008 billion

expenditures: $5.804 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Bahamas, The

revenues: $1.03 billion

expenditures: $1.03 billion; including capital expenditures of $130

million (FY04/05)

Bahrain

revenues: $5.582 billion

expenditures: $4.197 billion; including capital expenditures of $700

million (2006 est.)

Bangladesh

revenues: $6.389 billion

expenditures: $8.694 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Barbados

revenues: $847 million (including grants)

expenditures: $886 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2000 est.)

Belarus

revenues: $6.578 billion

expenditures: $7.164 billion; including capital expenditures of $180

million (2006 est.)

Belgium

revenues: $195.7 billion

expenditures: $195.5 billion; including capital expenditures of

$1.56 billion (2006 est.)

Belize

revenues: $302.5 million

expenditures: $357.5 million; including capital expenditures of $70

million (2006 est.)

Benin

revenues: $836.8 million

expenditures: $1.064 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Bermuda

revenues: $738 million

expenditures: $665 million (FY04/05)

Bhutan

revenues: $346.6 million

expenditures: including capital expenditures of $NA

note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of

Bhutan's budget expenditures (2004)

Bolivia

revenues: $4.153 billion

expenditures: $3.619 billion; including capital expenditures of $741

million (2006 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

revenues: $5.643 billion

expenditures: $5.677 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Botswana

revenues: $4.256 billion

expenditures: $3.968 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Brazil

revenues: $140.6 billion

expenditures: $172.4 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2004)

British Virgin Islands

revenues: $204.7 million

expenditures: $180.4 million; including capital expenditures of

$33.8 million (2004)

Brunei

revenues: $3.765 billion

expenditures: $4.815 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2004 est.)

Bulgaria

revenues: $13.28 billion

expenditures: $12.16 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Burkina Faso

revenues: $1.158 billion

expenditures: $1.714 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Burma

revenues: $494.1 million

expenditures: $947.3 million; including capital expenditures of NA

(2006 est.)

Burundi

revenues: $239.9 million

expenditures: $297 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Cambodia

revenues: $731 million

expenditures: $931.8 million; including capital expenditures of $291

million (2006 est.)

Cameroon

revenues: $3.339 billion

expenditures: $3.157 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Canada

revenues: $183.5 billion

expenditures: $181.8 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2005 est.)

Cape Verde

revenues: $324.6 million

expenditures: $370.4 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Cayman Islands

revenues: $423.8 million

expenditures: $392.6 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2004)

Central African Republic

revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA

Chad

revenues: $617.3 million

expenditures: $877.6 million; including capital expenditures of $146

million (2006 est.)

Chile

revenues: $36.71 billion

expenditures: $26.68 billion; including capital expenditures of

$3.33 billion (2006 est.)

China

revenues: $446.6 billion

expenditures: $489.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Christmas Island

revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA

Colombia

revenues: $50.7 billion

expenditures: $52.29 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Comoros

revenues: $27.6 million

expenditures: $NA (2001 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

revenues: $700 million

expenditures: $750 million; including capital expenditures of $24

million (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

revenues: $2.985 billion

expenditures: $1.664 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Cook Islands

revenues: $70.95 million

expenditures: $69.05 million; including capital expenditures of

$5.744 million (FY05/06)

Costa Rica

revenues: $3.134 billion

expenditures: $3.475 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

revenues: $2.837 billion

expenditures: $3.154 billion; including capital expenditures of $420

million (2006 est.)

Croatia

revenues: $17.78 billion

expenditures: $19.06 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Cuba

revenues: $35.07 billion

expenditures: $36.41 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Cyprus

revenues: Republic of Cyprus - $7.395 billion (2005 est.)

expenditures: Republic of Cyprus - $7.695 billion (2005 est.)

revenues: $685.7 million; north Cyprus - $231.3 million (2003 est.)

expenditures: north Cyprus - $432.8 million (2003 est.)

Czech Republic

revenues: $57.88 billion

expenditures: $62.53 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Denmark

revenues: $147 billion

expenditures: $138.9 billion; including capital expenditures of $4.6

billion (2006 est.)

Djibouti

revenues: $135 million

expenditures: $182 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(1999 est.)

Dominica

revenues: $73.9 million

expenditures: $84.4 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2001)

Dominican Republic

revenues: $5.852 billion

expenditures: $5.947 billion; including capital expenditures of $1.1

billion (2006 est.)

East Timor

revenues: $107.7 million

expenditures: $73 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2004 est.)

Ecuador

revenues: $11.5 billion

expenditures: planned $10.46 billion; including capital expenditures

of $1.6 billion (2006 est.)

Egypt

revenues: $21.32 billion

expenditures: $31.83 billion; including capital expenditures of $2.7

billion (2006 est.)

El Salvador

revenues: $356.6 million

expenditures: $384.5 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

revenues: $2.752 billion

expenditures: $1.424 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Eritrea

revenues: $257.6 million

expenditures: $424 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Estonia

revenues: $5.994 billion

expenditures: $5.718 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Ethiopia

revenues: $2.565 billion

expenditures: $3.165 billion; including capital expenditures of $788

million (2006 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

revenues: $66.2 million

expenditures: $67.9 million; including capital expenditures of $23.2

million (FY98/99 est.)

Faroe Islands

revenues: $488 million

expenditures: $484 million; including capital expenditures of $21

million (1999)

Fiji

revenues: $720.5 million

expenditures: $728.3 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2005)

Finland

revenues: $105.6 billion

expenditures: $101 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

France

revenues: $1.15 trillion

expenditures: $1.211 trillion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

French Polynesia

revenues: $865 million

expenditures: $644.1 million; including capital expenditures of $185

million (1999)

Gabon

revenues: $3.1 billion

expenditures: $2.181 billion; including capital expenditures of $325

million (2006 est.)

Gambia, The

revenues: $112.7 million

expenditures: $155.1 million; including capital expenditures of $4.1

million (2006 est.)

Gaza Strip

revenues: $1.23 billion

expenditures: $1.64 billion; including capital expenditures of $44

million; note - these budget data include West Bank (2005)

Georgia

revenues: $1.726 billion

expenditures: $1.879 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Germany

revenues: $1.277 trillion

expenditures: $1.344 trillion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Ghana

revenues: $3.616 billion

expenditures: $3.947 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Gibraltar

revenues: $307 million

expenditures: $284 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(FY00/01 est.)

Greece

revenues: $99.16 billion

expenditures: $106.7 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Greenland

revenues: $646 million

expenditures: $629 million; including capital expenditures of $85

million (1999)

Grenada

revenues: $85.8 million

expenditures: $102.1 million; including capital expenditures of $28

million (1997)

Guam

revenues: $319.6 million

expenditures: $427.8 million (2002 est.)

Guatemala

revenues: $3.894 billion

expenditures: $4.828 billion; including capital expenditures of $750

million (2006 est.)

Guernsey

revenues: $563.6 million

expenditures: $530.9 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2005 est.)

Guinea

revenues: $288.2 million

expenditures: $556.7 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA

Guyana

revenues: $359.9 million

expenditures: $430.3 million; including capital expenditures of

$93.4 million (2006 est.)

Haiti

revenues: $385 million

expenditures: $807.7 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)

revenues: $247 million

expenditures: $243 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2005)

Honduras

revenues: $2.002 billion

expenditures: $2.028 billion; including capital expenditures of $106

million (2006 est.)

Hong Kong

revenues: $35.16 billion

expenditures: $33.02 billion; including capital expenditures of $5.9

billion (2006 est.)

Hungary

revenues: $48.73 billion

expenditures: $59.62 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Iceland

revenues: $7.345 billion

expenditures: $6.655 billion; including capital expenditures of $467

million (2006 est.)

India

revenues: $109.4 billion

expenditures: $143.8 billion; including capital expenditures of $15

billion (2006 est.)

Indonesia

revenues: $75.58 billion

expenditures: $79.45 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Iran

revenues: $104.6 billion

expenditures: $100.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $7.6

billion (2006 est.)

Iraq

revenues: $30.8 billion

expenditures: $34.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $5

billion (2006 est.)

Ireland

revenues: $74.49 billion

expenditures: $73.05 billion; including capital expenditures of $5.5

billion (2006 est.)

Isle of Man

revenues: $485 million

expenditures: $463 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(FY00/01 est.)

Israel

revenues: $47.57 billion

expenditures: $49.57 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Italy

revenues: $832.9 billion

expenditures: $925 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Jamaica

revenues: $3.302 billion

expenditures: $3.564 billion; including capital expenditures of

$180.4 million (2006 est.)

Japan

revenues: $1.411 trillion

expenditures: $1.639 trillion; including capital expenditures

(public works only) of about $71 billion (2006 est.)

Jersey

revenues: $601 million

expenditures: $588 million; including capital expenditures of $98

million (2000 est.)

Jordan

revenues: $4.191 billion

expenditures: $5.305 billion; including capital expenditures of

$1.092 billion (2006 est.)

Kazakhstan

revenues: $18.48 billion

expenditures: $18.09 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Kenya

revenues: $4.448 billion

expenditures: $5.377 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Kiribati

revenues: $55.52 million

expenditures: $59.71 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(FY05)

Korea, North

revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA

Korea, South

revenues: $218 billion

expenditures: $209.5 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Kuwait

revenues: $59.58 billion

expenditures: $33.62 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

revenues: $498.3 million

expenditures: $544.8 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Laos

revenues: $400 million

expenditures: $537.4 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Latvia

revenues: $6.172 billion

expenditures: $6.45 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Lebanon

revenues: $4.444 billion

expenditures: $7.429 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Lesotho

revenues: $778.9 million

expenditures: $734.7 million; including capital expenditures of NA

(2006 est.)

Liberia

revenues: $85.4 million

expenditures: $90.5 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2000 est.)

Libya

revenues: $33.34 billion

expenditures: $19.3 billion; including capital expenditures of $5.6

billion (2006 est.)

Liechtenstein

revenues: $424.2 million

expenditures: $414.1 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(1998 est.)

Lithuania

revenues: $9.415 billion

expenditures: $9.761 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Luxembourg

revenues: $19.07 billion

expenditures: $19.79 billion; including capital expenditures of

$975.5 million (2006 est.)

Macau

revenues: $3.16 billion

expenditures: $3.16 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(FY05/06)

Macedonia

revenues: $2.113 billion

expenditures: $2.149 billion; including capital expenditures of $114

million (2006 est.)

Madagascar

revenues: $879.9 million

expenditures: $1.147 billion; including capital expenditures of $331

million (2006 est.)

Malawi

revenues: $818.4 million

expenditures: $895.9 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Malaysia

revenues: $31.63 billion

expenditures: $37 billion; including capital expenditures of $9.4

billion (2006 est.)

Maldives

revenues: $508 million (including foreign grants)

expenditures: $671 million (2006 est.)

Mali

revenues: $764 million

expenditures: $828 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2002 est.)

Malta

revenues: $2.503 billion

expenditures: $2.703 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2005 est.)

Marshall Islands

revenues: $42 million

expenditures: $40 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(1999)

Mauritania

revenues: $421 million

expenditures: $378 million; including capital expenditures of $154

million (2002 est.)

Mauritius

revenues: $1.475 billion

expenditures: $1.854 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Mayotte

revenues: $NA

expenditures: $73 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(1991 est.)

Mexico

revenues: $196.5 billion

expenditures: $196.2 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of revenues: $127.3 million ($69 million less grants) expenditures: $144.2 million; including capital expenditures of $17.9 million (FY05 est.)

Moldova

revenues: $1.318 billion

expenditures: $1.335 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Monaco

revenues: $719.2 million

expenditures: $864.1 million; including capital expenditures of

$283.1 million (2004 est.)

Mongolia

revenues: $702 million

expenditures: $651 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2005 est.)

Montenegro

revenues: NA

expenditures: NA

Montserrat

revenues: $31.4 million

expenditures: $31.6 million; including capital expenditures of $8.4

million (1997 est.)

Morocco

revenues: $15.85 billion

expenditures: $20.39 billion; including capital expenditures of

$2.19 billion (2006 est.)

Mozambique

revenues: $1.391 billion

expenditures: $1.822 billion (2006 est.)

Namibia

revenues: $2.233 billion

expenditures: $2.214 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Nauru

revenues: $13.5 million

expenditures: $13.5 million (2005)

Nepal

revenues: $1.153 billion

expenditures: $1.789 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(FY05/06)

Netherlands

revenues: $304.3 billion

expenditures: $306.5 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

revenues: $757.9 million

expenditures: $949.5 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2004)

New Caledonia

revenues: $856.3 million

expenditures: $836.5 million (2001 est.)

New Zealand

revenues: $41.51 billion

expenditures: $36.99 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Nicaragua

revenues: $945.3 million

expenditures: $1.254 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Niger

revenues: $320 million - including $134 million from foreign

sources

expenditures: $320 million; including capital expenditures of $178

million (2002 est.)

Nigeria

revenues: $17.86 billion

expenditures: $19.05 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Niue

revenues: $15.07 million

expenditures: $16.33 million; including capital expenditures of

$123,700 (FY0405)

Norfolk Island

revenues: $4.6 million

expenditures: $4.8 million; including capital expenditures of $2

million (FY99/00)

Northern Mariana Islands

revenues: $193 million

expenditures: $223 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(FY01/02 est.)

Norway

revenues: $195.8 billion

expenditures: $133.1 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Oman

revenues: $14.33 billion

expenditures: $12.81 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Pakistan

revenues: $20.55 billion

expenditures: $25.65 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Palau

revenues: $72.07 million

expenditures: $72.43 million; including capital expenditures of

$12.98 million (FY04/05 est.)

Panama

revenues: $4.157 billion

expenditures: $4.489 billion; including capital expenditures of $471

million (2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea

revenues: $2.155 billion

expenditures: $2.166 billion; including capital expenditures of $344

million (2006 est.)

Paraguay

revenues: $1.773 billion

expenditures: $1.733 billion; including capital expenditures of $700

million (2006 est.)

Peru

revenues: $25.5 billion

expenditures: $25.18 billion; including capital expenditures of $1.8

billion for general government, but excluding private enterprises

(2006 est.)

Philippines

revenues: $19.44 billion

expenditures: $21.38 billion; including capital expenditures of NA

(2006 est.)

Pitcairn Islands

revenues: $746,000

expenditures: $1.028 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(FY04/05)

Poland

revenues: $62 billion

expenditures: $71.25 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Portugal

revenues: $83.89 billion

expenditures: $93.09 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Puerto Rico

revenues: $6.7 billion

expenditures: $9.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(FY99/00)

Qatar

revenues: $22.51 billion

expenditures: $16.89 billion; including capital expenditures of $2.2

billion (2006 est.)

Romania

revenues: $36.89 billion

expenditures: $39.1 billion; including capital expenditures of $2.2

billion (2006 est.)

Russia

revenues: $222.2 billion

expenditures: $157.3 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Rwanda

revenues: $560.9 million

expenditures: $654 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Saint Helena

revenues: $11.2 million

expenditures: $11 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(FY92/93)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

revenues: $89.7 million

expenditures: $128.2 million; including capital expenditures of

$19.5 million (2003 est.)

Saint Lucia

revenues: $141.2 million

expenditures: $146.7 million; including capital expenditures of

$25.1 million (2000 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

revenues: $70 million

expenditures: $60 million; including capital expenditures of $24

million (1996 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

revenues: $94.6 million

expenditures: $85.8 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2000 est.)

Samoa

revenues: $171.3 million

expenditures: $78.1 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(FY04/05 est.)

San Marino

revenues: $400 million

expenditures: $400 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2000 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe

revenues: $102.1 million

expenditures: $61.43 million; including capital expenditures of $54

million (2006 est.)

Saudi Arabia

revenues: $189.2 billion

expenditures: $107.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Senegal

revenues: $2.023 billion

expenditures: $2.377 billion; including capital expenditures of $357

million (2006 est.)

Serbia

revenues: $11.45 billion

expenditures: $11.12 billion; including capital expenditures $NA;

note - figures are for Serbia and Montenegro; Serbian Statistical

Office indicates that for 2006 budget, Serbia will have revenues of

$7.08 billion (2005 est.)

Seychelles

revenues: $371.1 million

expenditures: $376 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Sierra Leone

revenues: $96 million

expenditures: $351 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2000 est.)

Singapore

revenues: $19.71 billion

expenditures: $19.85 billion; including capital expenditures of $5.1

billion (2006 est.)

Slovakia

revenues: $24.57 billion

expenditures: $26.14 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Slovenia

revenues: $15.9 billion

expenditures: $16.35 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Solomon Islands

revenues: $49.7 million

expenditures: $75.1 million; including capital expenditures of NA

(2003)

Somalia

revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA

South Africa

revenues: $72.15 billion

expenditures: $75.93 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Spain

revenues: $488.2 billion

expenditures: $475.3 billion; including capital expenditures of

$12.8 billion (2006 est.)

Sri Lanka

revenues: $4.762 billion

expenditures: $7.095 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Sudan

revenues: $7.943 billion

expenditures: $10.1 billion; including capital expenditures of $304

million (2006 est.)

Suriname

revenues: $392.6 million

expenditures: $425.9 million (2004)

Svalbard

revenues: $25.07 million

expenditures: $NA

Swaziland

revenues: $921.8 million

expenditures: $1.019 billion; including capital expenditures of $147

million (2006 est.)

Sweden

revenues: $222 billion

expenditures: $210.5 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Switzerland

revenues: $141 billion

expenditures: $139.1 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Syria

revenues: $8.471 billion

expenditures: $9.42 billion; including capital expenditures of $3.82

billion (2006 est.)

Taiwan

revenues: $67.33 billion

expenditures: $77.93 billion (2006 est.)

Tajikistan

revenues: $527.5 million

expenditures: $622 million; including capital expenditures of $86

million (2006 est.)

Tanzania

revenues: $2.431 billion

expenditures: $3.001 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Thailand

revenues: $40.31 billion

expenditures: $40.34 billion; including capital expenditures of $5

billion (2006 est.)

Togo

revenues: $260.2 million

expenditures: $311 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Tokelau

revenues: $430,800

expenditures: $2.8 million; including capital expenditures of NA

(1987 est.)

Tonga

revenues: $56.97 million

expenditures: $83.88 million; including capital expenditures of $1.9

million (FY04/05)

Trinidad and Tobago

revenues: $6.591 billion

expenditures: $5.649 billion; including capital expenditures of

$117.3 million (2006 est.)

Tunisia

revenues: $7.728 billion

expenditures: $8.734 billion; including capital expenditures of $1.6

billion (2006 est.)

Turkey

revenues: $112.3 billion

expenditures: $121.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Turkmenistan

revenues: $1.803 billion

expenditures: $2.063 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

revenues: $47 million

expenditures: $33.6 million; including capital expenditures of $NA

(1997-98 est.)

Tuvalu

revenues: $22.78 million

expenditures: $14.23 million; including capital expenditures of $4.2

million (2002)

Uganda

revenues: $1.943 billion

expenditures: $1.994 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Ukraine

revenues: $33.41 billion

expenditures: $35.6 billion; note - this is the consolidated budget

(2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates

revenues: $57.85 billion

expenditures: $36.89 billion; including capital expenditures of $3.4

billion (2006 est.)

United Kingdom

revenues: $973 billion

expenditures: $1.04 trillion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

United States

revenues: $2.409 trillion

expenditures: $2.66 trillion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Uruguay

revenues: $5.203 billion

expenditures: $5.449 billion; including capital expenditures of $193

million (2006 est.)

Uzbekistan

revenues: $3.145 billion

expenditures: $3.108 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Vanuatu

revenues: $78.7 million

expenditures: $72.23 million (2005 est.)

Venezuela

revenues: $52.24 billion

expenditures: $52.9 billion; including capital expenditures of $2.6

billion (2006 est.)

Vietnam

revenues: $15.42 billion

expenditures: $16.63 billion; including capital expenditures of $1.8

billion (2006 est.)

Virgin Islands

revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA

Wallis and Futuna

revenues: $29,730

expenditures: $31,330 (2004)

West Bank

revenues: $1.23 billion

expenditures: $1.64 billion; including capital expenditures of $44

million ; note - these budget data include Gaza Strip (2005)

Western Sahara

revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA

Yemen

revenues: $7.314 billion

expenditures: $6.984 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Zambia

revenues: $2.674 billion

expenditures: $2.99 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

Zimbabwe

revenues: $1.411 billion

expenditures: $1.924 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA

(2006 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2057 Capital

Afghanistan

name: Kabul

geographic coordinates: 34 31 N, 69 12 E

time difference: UTC+4.5 (9.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Akrotiri

name: Episkopi Cantonment; also serves as capital of

Dhekelia

geographic coordinates: 34 40 N, 32 51 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Albania

name: Tirana (Tirane)

geographic coordinates: 41 20 N, 19 50 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Algeria

name: Algiers

geographic coordinates: 36 47 N, 2 03 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

American Samoa

name: Pago Pago

geographic coordinates: 14 16 S, 170 42 W

time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Andorra

name: Andorra la Vella

geographic coordinates: 42 30 N, 1 30 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Angola

name: Luanda

geographic coordinates: 8 48 S, 13 14 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Anguilla

name: The Valley

geographic coordinates: 18 13 N, 63 04 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Antigua and Barbuda

name: Saint John's

geographic coordinates: 17 06 N, 61 51 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Argentina

name: Buenos Aires

geographic coordinates: 34 36 S, 58 27 W

time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Armenia

name: Yerevan

geographic coordinates: 40 11 N, 44 30 E

time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Aruba

name: Oranjestad

geographic coordinates: 12 33 N, 70 06 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Australia

name: Canberra

geographic coordinates: 35 17 S, 149 08 E

time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in October; ends last

Sunday in March

note: Australia is divided into three time zones

Austria

name: Vienna

geographic coordinates: 48 12 N, 16 22 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Azerbaijan

name: Baku (Baki, Baky)

geographic coordinates: 40 23 N, 49 51 E

time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Bahamas, The

name: Nassau

geographic coordinates: 25 05 N, 77 21 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last

Sunday in October

Bahrain

name: Manama

geographic coordinates: 26 13 N, 50 35 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Bangladesh

name: Dhaka

geographic coordinates: 23 43 N, 90 25 E

time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Barbados

name: Bridgetown

geographic coordinates: 13 06 N, 59 37 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Belarus

name: Minsk

geographic coordinates: 53 54 N, 27 34 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Belgium

name: Brussels

geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 20 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Belize

name: Belmopan

geographic coordinates: 17 15 N, 88 46 W

time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

Benin

name: Porto-Novo (official capital)

geographic coordinates: 6 29 N, 2 37 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

note: Cotonou (seat of government)

Bermuda

name: Hamilton

geographic coordinates: 32 17 N, 64 46 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last

Sunday in October

Bhutan

name: Thimphu

geographic coordinates: 27 28 N, 89 39 E

time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Bolivia

name: La Paz (administrative capital)

geographic coordinates: 16 30 S, 68 09 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

note: Sucre (constitutional capital)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

name: Sarajevo

geographic coordinates: 43 52 N, 18 25 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Botswana

name: Gaborone

geographic coordinates: 24 45 S, 25 55 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Brazil

name: Brasilia

geographic coordinates: 15 47 S, 47 55 W

time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins third Sunday in October; ends

third Sunday in February

note: Brazil is divided into four time zones, including one for the

Fernando de Noronha islands

British Virgin Islands

name: Road Town

geographic coordinates: 18 27 N, 64 37 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Brunei

name: Bandar Seri Begawan

geographic coordinates: 4 52 S, 114 55 E

time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Bulgaria

name: Sofia

geographic coordinates: 42 41 N, 23 19 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Burkina Faso

name: Ouagadougou

geographic coordinates: 12 22 N, 1 31 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Burma

name: Rangoon (Yangon)

geographic coordinates: 16 47 N, 96 10 E

time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

note: Nay Pyi Taw is administrative capital

Burundi

name: Bujumbura

geographic coordinates: 3 23 S, 29 22 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Cambodia

name: Phnom Penh

geographic coordinates: 11 33 N, 104 55 E

time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Cameroon

name: Yaounde

geographic coordinates: 3 52 N, 11 31 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Canada

name: Ottawa

geographic coordinates: 45 25 N, 75 40 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends

first Sunday in November

note: Canada is divided into six time zones

Cape Verde

name: Praia

geographic coordinates: 14 55 N, 23 31 W

time difference: UTC-1 (4 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Cayman Islands

name: George Town (on Grand Cayman)

geographic coordinates: 19 20 N, 81 23 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

Central African Republic

name: Bangui

geographic coordinates: 4 22 N, 18 35 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Chad

name: N'Djamena

geographic coordinates: 12 07 N, 15 03 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Chile

name: Santiago

geographic coordinates: 33 27 S, 70 40 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in October; ends

second Sunday in March

China

name: Beijing

geographic coordinates: 39 56 N, 116 24 E

time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

note: despite its size, all of China falls within one time zone

Christmas Island

name: The Settlement

geographic coordinates: 18 44 N, 64 19 W

time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

name: West Island

geographic coordinates: 12 10 S, 96 55 E

time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Colombia

name: Bogota

geographic coordinates: 4 36 N, 74 05 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

Comoros

name: Moroni

geographic coordinates: 11 41 S, 43 16 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

name: Kinshasa

geographic coordinates: 4 18 S, 15 18 E

time difference: UTC+1 (six hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Congo, Republic of the

name: Brazzaville

geographic coordinates: 4 16 S, 15 17 E

time difference: UTC+1 (six hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Cook Islands

name: Avarua

geographic coordinates: 21 12 S, 159 46 W

time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Costa Rica

name: San Jose

geographic coordinates: 9 56 N, 84 05 W

time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

Cote d'Ivoire

name: Yamoussoukro

geographic coordinates: 5 19 N, 4 02 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

note: although Yamoussoukro has been the official capital since

1983, Abidjan remains the commercial and administrative center; the

US, like other countries, maintains its Embassy in Abidjan

Croatia

name: Zagreb

geographic coordinates: 45 48 N, 15 58 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Cuba

name: Havana

geographic coordinates: 23 08 N, 82 22 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Cyprus

name: Nicosia (Lefkosia)

geographic coordinates: 35 10 N, 33 22 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Czech Republic

name: Prague

geographic coordinates: 40 55 N, 21 00 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Denmark

name: Copenhagen

geographic coordinates: 55 40 N, 12 35 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Dhekelia

name: Episkopi Cantonment; located in Akrotiri

geographic coordinates: 34 40 N, 32 51 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Djibouti

name: Djibouti

geographic coordinates: 11 30 N, 43 15 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Dominica

name: Roseau

geographic coordinates: 15 18 N, 61 24 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Dominican Republic

name: Santo Domingo

geographic coordinates: 18 28 N, 69 54 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

East Timor

name: Dili

geographic coordinates: 8 35 S, 125 36 E

time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Ecuador

name: Quito

geographic coordinates: 0 13 S, 78 30 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

Egypt

name: Cairo

geographic coordinates: 30 03 N, 31 15 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Friday in April; ends last

Thursday in September

El Salvador

name: San Salvador

geographic coordinates: 13 42 N, 89 12 W

time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

Equatorial Guinea

name: Malabo

geographic coordinates: 3 45 N, 8 47 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Eritrea

name: Asmara (Asmera)

geographic coordinates: 15 20 N, 38 53 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Estonia

name: Tallinn

geographic coordinates: 59 25 N, 24 45 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Ethiopia

name: Addis Ababa

geographic coordinates: 9 02 N, 38 42 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

European Union

name: Brussels (Belgium), Strasbourg (France),

Luxembourg

geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 20 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

note: the Council of the European Union meets in Brussels, the

European Parliament meets in Brussels and Strasbourg, France, and

the Court of Justice of the European Communities meets in Luxembourg

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

name: Stanley

geographic coordinates: 51 42 S, 57 41 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in September; ends

third Sunday in April

Faroe Islands

name: Torshavn

geographic coordinates: 62 01 N, 6 46 W

time difference: UTC (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Fiji

name: Suva (on Viti Levu)

geographic coordinates: 18 08 S, 178 25 E

time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Finland

name: Helsinki

geographic coordinates: 60 10 N, 24 58 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

France

name: Paris

geographic coordinates: 48 52 N, 2 20 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

French Polynesia

name: Papeete

geographic coordinates: 17 32 S, 149 34 W

time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Gabon

name: Libreville

geographic coordinates: 0 23 N, 9 27 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Gambia, The

name: Banjul

geographic coordinates: 12 28 N, 16 39 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Georgia

name: T'bilisi

geographic coordinates: 41 43 N, 44 49 E

time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Germany

name: Berlin

geographic coordinates: 52 31 N, 13 24 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Ghana

name: Accra

geographic coordinates: 5 33 N, 0 13 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Gibraltar

name: Gibraltar

geographic coordinates: 39 11 N, 5 22 W

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Greece

name: Athens

geographic coordinates: 37 59 N, 23 44 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Greenland

name: Nuuk (Godthab)

geographic coordinates: 64 11 N, 51 44 W

time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

note: Greenland is divided into four time zones

Grenada

name: Saint George's

geographic coordinates: 12 03 N, 61 45 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Guam

name: Hagatna (Agana)

geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 144 45 E

time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Guatemala

name: Guatemala

geographic coordinates: 14 38 N, 90 31 W

time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in April; ends last

Friday in September; note - there is no DST planned for 2007-2009

Guernsey

name: Saint Peter Port

geographic coordinates: 49 27 N, 2 32 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Guinea

name: Conakry

geographic coordinates: 9 31 N, 13 43 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Guinea-Bissau

name: Bissau

geographic coordinates: 11 51 N, 15 35 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Guyana

name: Georgetown

geographic coordinates: 6 48 N, 58 10 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Haiti

name: Port-au-Prince

geographic coordinates: 18 32 N, 72 20 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last

Sunday in October

Holy See (Vatican City)

name: Vatican City

geographic coordinates: 41 54 N, 12 27 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Honduras

name: Tegucigalpa

geographic coordinates: 14 06 N, 87 13 W

time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends

first Sunday in November; note - these new dates become effective in

2007

Hungary

name: Budapest

geographic coordinates: 47 30 N, 19 05 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Iceland

name: Reykjavik

geographic coordinates: 64 09 N, 21 57 W

time difference: UTC (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

India

name: New Delhi

geographic coordinates: 28 36 N, 77 12 E

time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Indonesia

name: Jakarta

geographic coordinates: 6 10 S, 106 48 E

time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

note: Indonesia is divided into three time zones

Iran

name: Tehran

geographic coordinates: 35 40 N, 51 26 E

time difference: UTC+3.5 (8.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Iraq

name: Baghdad

geographic coordinates: 33 21 N, 44 25 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins 1 April; ends 1 October

Ireland

name: Dublin

geographic coordinates: 53 20 N, 6 15 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Isle of Man

name: Douglas

geographic coordinates: 54 09 N, 4 28 W

time difference: UTC 0 (five hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Israel

name: Jerusalem

geographic coordinates: 32 05 N, 34 48 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Friday in March; ends the

Sunday between the holidays of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur

note: Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital in 1950, but the

US, like nearly all other countries, maintains its Embassy in Tel

Aviv

Italy

name: Rome

geographic coordinates: 41 54 N, 12 29 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Jamaica

name: Kingston

geographic coordinates: 18 00 N, 76 48 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

Japan

name: Tokyo

geographic coordinates: 35 42 N, 139 46 E

time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Jersey

name: Saint Helier

geographic coordinates: 49 12 N, 2 07 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Jordan

name: Amman

geographic coordinates: 31 57 N, 35 56 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Thursday in March; ends last

Friday in September

Kazakhstan

name: Astana

geographic coordinates: 51 10 N, 71 30 E

time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

note: Kazakhstan is divided into three time zones

Kenya

name: Nairobi

geographic coordinates: 1 17 S, 36 49 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Kiribati

name: Tarawa

geographic coordinates: 1 25 N, 173 00 E

time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Korea, North

name: Pyongyang

geographic coordinates: 39 01 N, 125 45 E

time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Korea, South

name: Seoul

geographic coordinates: 37 34 N, 127 00 E

time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Kuwait

name: Kuwait

geographic coordinates: 29 20 N, 47 59 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Kyrgyzstan

name: Bishkek

geographic coordinates: 42 54 N, 74 36 E

time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Laos

name: Vientiane

geographic coordinates: 17 58 N, 102 36 E

time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Latvia

name: Riga

geographic coordinates: 56 57 N, 24 06 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Lebanon

name: Beirut

geographic coordinates: 33 53 N, 35 30 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Lesotho

name: Maseru

geographic coordinates: 29 28 S, 27 30 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Liberia

name: Monrovia

geographic coordinates: 6 18 N, 10 47 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Libya

name: Tripoli

geographic coordinates: 32 54 N, 13 11 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Liechtenstein

name: Vaduz

geographic coordinates: 47 09 N, 9 31 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Lithuania

name: Vilnius

geographic coordinates: 54 41 N, 25 19 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Luxembourg

name: Luxembourg

geographic coordinates: 49 45 N, 6 10 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Macedonia

name: Skopje

geographic coordinates: 41 59 N, 21 26 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Madagascar

name: Antananarivo

geographic coordinates: 18 52 S, 47 30 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Malawi

name: Lilongwe

geographic coordinates: 13 59 S, 33 44 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Malaysia

name: Kuala Lumpur

geographic coordinates: 3 10 N, 101 42 E

time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

note: Putrajaya is referred to as administrative center not capital;

Parliament meets in Kuala Lumpur

Maldives

name: Male

geographic coordinates: 4 10 N, 73 31 E

time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Mali

name: Bamako

geographic coordinates: 12 39 N, 8 00 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Malta

name: Valletta

geographic coordinates: 35 54 N, 14 31 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Marshall Islands

name: Majuro

geographic coordinates: 7 05 N, 171 08 E

time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Mauritania

name: Nouakchott

geographic coordinates: 18 06 N, 15 57 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Mauritius

name: Port Louis

geographic coordinates: 20 10 S, 57 30 E

time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Mayotte

name: Mamoudzou

geographic coordinates: 12 47 S, 45 14 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Mexico

name: Mexico (Distrito Federal)

geographic coordinates: 19 24 N, 99 09 W

time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last

Sunday in October

note: Mexico is divided into four time zones

Micronesia, Federated States of

name: Palikir

geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 158 08 E

time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Moldova

name: Chisinau (Kishinev)

geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 28 50 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Monaco

name: Monaco

geographic coordinates: 43 44 N, 7 25 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Mongolia

name: Ulaanbaatar

geographic coordinates: 47 55 N, 106 53 E

time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Saturday in March; ends last

Saturday in September

Montenegro

name: Podgorica (administrative capital)

geographic coordinates: 42 26 N, 19 16 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1 hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

note: Cetinje (capital city)

Montserrat

name: Plymouth

geographic coordinates: 16 44 N, 62 14 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

note: Plymouth was abandoned in 1997 due to volcanic activity;

interim government buildings have been built at Brades Estate, in

the Carr's Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat

Morocco

name: Rabat

geographic coordinates: 34 02 N, 6 51 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Mozambique

name: Maputo

geographic coordinates: 25 58 S, 32 35 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Namibia

name: Windhoek

geographic coordinates: 22 34 S, 17 06 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in September; ends

first Sunday in April

Nauru

no official capital; government offices in Yaren District

time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Nepal

name: Kathmandu

geographic coordinates: 27 43 N, 85 19 E

time difference: UTC+5.75 (10.75 hours ahead of Washington, DC

during Standard Time)

Netherlands

name: Amsterdam

geographic coordinates: 52 23 N, 4 54 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

note: The Hague (seat of government)

Netherlands Antilles

name: Willemstad (on Curacao)

geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 68 56 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

New Caledonia

name: Noumea

geographic coordinates: 22 16 S, 166 27 E

time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

New Zealand

name: Wellington

geographic coordinates: 41 28 S, 174 51 E

time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in October; ends

third Sunday in March

note: New Zealand is divided into two time zones, including Chatham

Island

Nicaragua

name: Managua

geographic coordinates: 12 09 N, 86 17 W

time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

Niger

name: Niamey

geographic coordinates: 13 31 N, 2 07 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Nigeria

name: Abuja

geographic coordinates: 9 12 N, 7 11 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Niue

name: Alofi

geographic coordinates: 19 01 S, 169 55 W

time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Norfolk Island

name: Kingston

geographic coordinates: 29 03 S, 167 58 E

time difference: UTC+11.5 (16.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Northern Mariana Islands

name: Saipan

geographic coordinates: 15 12 N, 145 45 E

time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Norway

name: Oslo

geographic coordinates: 59 55 N, 10 45 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Oman

name: Muscat

geographic coordinates: 23 37 N, 58 35 E

time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Pakistan

name: Islamabad

geographic coordinates: 33 42 N, 73 10 E

time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Palau

name: Melekeok

geographic coordinates: 7 29 N, 134 38 E

time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Panama

name: Panama

geographic coordinates: 8 58 N, 79 32 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

Papua New Guinea

name: Port Moresby

geographic coordinates: 9 30 S, 147 10 E

time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Paraguay

name: Asuncion

geographic coordinates: 25 16 S, 57 40 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Peru

name: Lima

geographic coordinates: 12 03 S, 77 03 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

Philippines

name: Manila

geographic coordinates: 14 35 N, 121 00 E

time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Pitcairn Islands

name: Adamstown

geographic coordinates: 25 04 S, 130 05 W

time difference: UTC-9 (4 hours behind Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Poland

name: Warsaw

geographic coordinates: 52 15 N, 21 00 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Portugal

name: Lisbon

geographic coordinates: 38 43 N, 9 08 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Puerto Rico

name: San Juan

geographic coordinates: 18 28 N, 66 07 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Qatar

name: Doha

geographic coordinates: 25 17 N, 51 32 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Romania

name: Bucharest

geographic coordinates: 44 26 N, 26 06 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Russia

name: Moscow

geographic coordinates: 55 45 N, 37 35 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

note: Russia is divided into eleven time zones

Rwanda

name: Kigali

geographic coordinates: 1 57 S, 30 04 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Saint Helena

name: Jamestown

geographic coordinates: 15 56 S, 5 44 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

name: Basseterre

geographic coordinates: 17 18 N, 62 43 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Saint Lucia

name: Castries

geographic coordinates: 14 01 N, 61 00 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

name: Saint-Pierre

geographic coordinates: 46 46 N, 56 11 W

time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends

first Sunday in November

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

name: Kingstown

geographic coordinates: 13 09 N, 61 14 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Samoa

name: Apia

geographic coordinates: 13 50 S, 171 45W

time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

San Marino

name: San Marino

geographic coordinates: 43 56 N, 12 25 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Sao Tome and Principe

name: Sao Tome

geographic coordinates: 0 12 N, 6 39 E

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Saudi Arabia

name: Riyadh

geographic coordinates: 24 38 N, 46 43 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Senegal

name: Dakar

geographic coordinates: 14 40 N, 17 26 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Serbia

name: Belgrade

geographic coordinates: 44 50 N, 20 30 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Seychelles

name: Victoria

geographic coordinates: 4 38 S, 55 27 E

time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Sierra Leone

name: Freetown

geographic coordinates: 8 30 N, 13 15 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Singapore

name: Singapore

geographic coordinates: 1 17 N, 103 51 E

time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Slovakia

name: Bratislava

geographic coordinates: 48 09 N, 17 07 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Slovenia

name: Ljubljana

geographic coordinates: 46 03 N, 14 31 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Solomon Islands

name: Honiara

geographic coordinates: 9 26 S, 159 57 E

time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Somalia

name: Mogadishu

geographic coordinates: 2 04 N, 45 22 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

South Africa

name: Pretoria (administrative capital)

geographic coordinates: 29 12 S, 28 10 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

note: Cape Town (legislative capital); Johannesburg(judicial capital)

Spain

name: Madrid

geographic coordinates: 40 24 N, 3 41 W

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

note: Spain is divided into two time zones, including the Canary

Islands

Sri Lanka

name: Colombo

geographic coordinates: 6 56 N, 79 51 E

time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

note: Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital)

Sudan

name: Khartoum

geographic coordinates: 15 36 N, 32 32 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Suriname

name: Paramaribo

geographic coordinates: 5 50 N, 55 10 W

time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Svalbard

name: Longyearbyen

geographic coordinates: 78 13 N, 15 33 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Swaziland

name: Mbabane

geographic coordinates: 26 18 S, 31 06 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

note: Lobamba (royal and legislative capital)

Sweden

name: Stockholm

geographic coordinates: 59 20 N, 18 03 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Switzerland

name: Bern

geographic coordinates: 46 57 N, 7 26 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Syria

name: Damascus

geographic coordinates: 33 30 N, 36 18 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins 1 April; ends 30 September

Taiwan

name: Taipei

geographic coordinates: 25 03 N, 121 30 E

time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Tajikistan

name: Dushanbe

geographic coordinates: 38 35 N, 68 48 E

time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Tanzania

name: Dar es Salaam

geographic coordinates: 6 48 S, 39 17 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

note: legislative offices have been transferred to Dodoma, which is

planned as the new national capital; the National Assembly now meets

there on a regular basis

Thailand

name: Bangkok

geographic coordinates: 13 45 N, 100 31 E

time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Togo

name: Lome

geographic coordinates: 6 08 N, 1 13 E

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Tokelau

none; each atoll has its own administrative center

time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Tonga

name: Nuku'alofa

geographic coordinates: 21 08 S, 175 12 W

time difference: UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Trinidad and Tobago

name: Port-of-Spain

geographic coordinates: 10 39 N, 61 31 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Tunisia

name: Tunis

geographic coordinates: 36 48 N, 10 11 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Turkey

name: Ankara

geographic coordinates: 39 56 N, 32 52 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

Turkmenistan

name: Ashgabat (Ashkhabad)

geographic coordinates: 37 57 N, 58 23 E

time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Turks and Caicos Islands

name: Grand Turk (Cockburn Town)

geographic coordinates: 21 28 N, 71 08 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard

Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last

Sunday in October

Tuvalu

name: Funafuti

geographic coordinates: 8 30 S, 179 12 E

time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

note: administrative offices are located in Vaiaku Village on

Fongafale Islet

Uganda

name: Kampala

geographic coordinates: 0 19 N, 32 25 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Ukraine

name: Kyiv (Kiev)

geographic coordinates: 50 26 N, 30 31 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

United Arab Emirates

name: Abu Dhabi

geographic coordinates: 24 28 N, 54 22 E

time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

United Kingdom

name: London

geographic coordinates: 51 30 N, 0 10 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last

Sunday in October

United States

name: Washington, DC (capital)

geographic coordinates: 38 53 N, 77 02 W

time difference: UTC-5 (during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends

first Sunday in November

note: the United States is divided into six time zones

Uruguay

name: Montevideo

geographic coordinates: 34 53 S, 56 11 W

time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in October; ends

second Sunday in March

Uzbekistan

name: Tashkent (Toshkent)

geographic coordinates: 41 20 N, 69 18 E

time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Vanuatu

name: Port-Vila (on Efate)

geographic coordinates: 17 44 S, 168 19 E

time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Venezuela

name: Caracas

geographic coordinates: 10 30 N, 66 56 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Vietnam

name: Hanoi

geographic coordinates: 21 02 N, 105 51 E

time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Virgin Islands

name: Charlotte Amalie

geographic coordinates: 18 21 N, 64 56 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Wallis and Futuna

name: Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea)

geographic coordinates: 13 57 S, 171 56 W

time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Western Sahara

none

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Yemen

name: Sanaa

geographic coordinates: 15 21 N, 44 12 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Zambia

name: Lusaka

geographic coordinates: 15 25 S, 28 17 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Zimbabwe

name: Harare

geographic coordinates: 17 50 S, 31 03 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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@2058 Imports - commodities

Afghanistan

capital goods, food, textiles, petroleum products

Albania

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals

Algeria

capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods

American Samoa

materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum

products 7%, machinery and parts 6% (2004 est.)

Andorra

consumer goods, food, electricity

Angola

machinery and electrical equipment, vehicles and spare parts;

medicines, food, textiles, military goods

Anguilla

fuels, foodstuffs, manufactures, chemicals, trucks, textiles

Antigua and Barbuda

food and live animals, machinery and transport

equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil

Argentina

machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal

manufactures, plastics

Armenia

natural gas, petroleum, tobacco products, foodstuffs,

diamonds

Aruba

machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and

reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs

Australia

machinery and transport equipment, computers and office

machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and

petroleum products

Austria

machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal

goods, oil and oil products; foodstuffs

Azerbaijan

machinery and equipment, oil products, foodstuffs,

metals, chemicals

Bahamas, The

machinery and transport equipment, manufactures,

chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals

Bahrain

crude oil, machinery, chemicals

Bangladesh

machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel,

textiles, foodstuffs, petroleum products, cement (2000)

Barbados

consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction

materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components

Belarus

mineral products, machinery and equipment, chemicals,

foodstuffs, metals

Belgium

machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds,

pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products

Belize

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels,

chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco

Benin

foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products

Bermuda

clothing, fuels, machinery and transport equipment,

construction materials, chemicals, food and live animals

Bhutan

fuel and lubricants, grain, aircraft, machinery and parts,

vehicles, fabrics, rice

Bolivia

petroleum products, plastics, paper, aircraft and aircraft

parts, prepared foods, automobiles, insecticides, soybeans

Bosnia and Herzegovina

machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels,

foodstuffs

Botswana

foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport

equipment, textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper

products, metal and metal products

Brazil

machinery, electrical and transport equipment, chemical

products, oil

British Virgin Islands

building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs,

machinery

Brunei

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food,

chemicals

Bulgaria

machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and

plastics; fuels, minerals, and raw materials

Burkina Faso

capital goods, foodstuffs, petroleum

Burma

fabric, petroleum products, plastics, machinery, transport

equipment, construction materials, crude oil; food products

Burundi

capital goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs

Cambodia

petroleum products, cigarettes, gold, construction

materials, machinery, motor vehicles, pharmaceutical products

Cameroon

machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel,

food

Canada

machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, crude oil,

chemicals, electricity, durable consumer goods

Cape Verde

foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment,

fuels

Cayman Islands

foodstuffs, manufactured goods

Central African Republic

food, textiles, petroleum products,

machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals,

pharmaceuticals

Chad

machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods,

foodstuffs, textiles

Chile

petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, electrical and

telecommunications equipment, industrial machinery, vehicles,

natural gas

China

machinery and equipment, oil and mineral fuels, plastics,

optical and medical equipment, organic chemicals, iron and steel

Christmas Island

consumer goods

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

foodstuffs

Colombia

industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer

goods, chemicals, paper products, fuels, electricity

Comoros

rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum

products, cement, transport equipment

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

foodstuffs, mining and other

machinery, transport equipment, fuels

Congo, Republic of the

capital equipment, construction materials,

foodstuffs

Cook Islands

foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods

Costa Rica

raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment,

petroleum

Cote d'Ivoire

fuel, capital equipment, foodstuffs

Croatia

machinery, transport and electrical equipment; chemicals,

fuels and lubricants; foodstuffs

Cuba

petroleum, food, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Cyprus

Republic of Cyprus: consumer goods, petroleum and lubricants,

intermediate goods, machinery, transport equipment; north Cyprus:

vehicles, fuel, cigarettes, food, minerals, chemicals, machinery

Czech Republic

machinery and transport equipment 46%, raw materials

and fuels 15%, chemicals 10% (2003)

Denmark

machinery and equipment, raw materials and semimanufactures

for industry, chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, consumer goods

Djibouti

foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum

products

Dominica

manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals

Dominican Republic foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals

East Timor

food, gasoline, kerosene, machinery

Ecuador

vehicles, medicinal products, telecommunications equipment,

electricity

Egypt

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products,

fuels

El Salvador

raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels,

foodstuffs, petroleum, electricity

Equatorial Guinea

petroleum sector equipment, other equipment

Eritrea

machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

(2000)

Estonia

machinery and equipment 33.5%, chemical products 11.6%,

textiles 10.3%, foodstuffs 9.4%, transportation equipment 8.9% (2001)

Ethiopia

food and live animals, petroleum and petroleum products,

chemicals, machinery, motor vehicles, cereals, textiles

European Union

machinery, vehicles, aircraft, plastics, crude oil,

chemicals, textiles, metals, foodstuffs, clothing

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

fuel, food and drink, building

materials, clothing

Faroe Islands

consumer goods 36%, raw materials and

semi-manufactures 32%, machinery and transport equipment 29%, fuels,

fish, salt (1999)

Fiji

manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment,

petroleum products, food, chemicals

Finland

foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals,

transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and

fabrics, grains

France

machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft,

plastics, chemicals

French Polynesia

fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment

Gabon

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction

materials

Gambia, The

foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and transport

equipment

Gaza Strip

food, consumer goods, construction materials

Georgia

fuels, machinery and parts, transport equipment, grain and

other foods, pharmaceuticals

Germany

machinery, vehicles, chemicals, foodstuffs, textiles, metals

Ghana

capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs

Gibraltar

fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs

Greece

machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Greenland

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods,

food, petroleum products

Grenada

food, manufactured goods, machinery, chemicals, fuel

Guam

petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

Guatemala

fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction

materials, grain, fertilizers, electricity

Guernsey

coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment

Guinea

petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment,

textiles, grain and other foodstuffs

Guinea-Bissau

foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment,

petroleum products

Guyana

manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food

Haiti

food, manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment,

fuels, raw materials

Honduras

machinery and transport equipment, industrial raw

materials, chemical products, fuels, foodstuffs (2000)

Hong Kong

raw materials and semi-manufactures, consumer goods,

capital goods, foodstuffs, fuel (most is re-exported)

Hungary

machinery and equipment 51.6%, other manufactures 35.7%,

fuels and electricity 7.7%, food products 3.1%, raw materials 2.0%

(2003)

Iceland

machinery and equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs,

textiles

India

crude oil, machinery, gems, fertilizer, chemicals

Indonesia

machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs

Iran

industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods,

foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services, military

supplies

Iraq

food, medicine, manufactures

Ireland

data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment,

chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing

Isle of Man

timber, fertilizers, fish

Israel

raw materials, military equipment, investment goods, rough

diamonds, fuels, grain, consumer goods

Italy

engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energy

products, minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing;

food, beverages, and tobacco

Jamaica

food and other consumer goods, industrial supplies, fuel,

parts and accessories of capital goods, machinery and transport

equipment, construction materials

Japan

machinery and equipment, fuels, foodstuffs, chemicals,

textiles, raw materials (2001)

Jersey

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods,

foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals

Jordan

crude oil, textile fabrics, machinery, transport equipment,

manufactured goods

Kazakhstan

machinery and equipment 41%, metal products 28%,

foodstuffs 8% (2001)

Kenya

machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products,

motor vehicles, iron and steel, resins and plastics

Kiribati

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous

manufactured goods, fuel

Korea, North

petroleum, coking coal, machinery and equipment,

textiles, grain

Korea, South

machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil,

steel, transport equipment, organic chemicals, plastics

Kuwait

food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing

Kyrgyzstan

oil and gas, machinery and equipment, chemicals,

foodstuffs

Laos

machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods

Latvia

machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles

Lebanon

petroleum products, cars, medicinal products, clothing, meat

and live animals, consumer goods, paper, textile fabrics, tobacco

Lesotho

food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines,

petroleum products (2000)

Liberia

fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment,

manufactured goods; foodstuffs

Libya

machinery, semi-finished goods, food, transport equipment,

consumer products

Liechtenstein

agricultural products, raw materials, machinery, metal

goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles

Lithuania

mineral products, machinery and equipment, transport

equipment, chemicals, textiles and clothing, metals

Luxembourg

minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods

Macau

raw materials and semi-manufactured goods, consumer goods

(foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco), capital goods, mineral fuels and

oils

Macedonia

machinery and equipment, automobiles, chemicals, fuels,

food products

Madagascar

capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food

Malawi

food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods,

transportation equipment

Malaysia

electronics, machinery, petroleum products, plastics,

vehicles, iron and steel products, chemicals

Maldives

petroleum products, ships, foodstuffs, clothing,

intermediate and capital goods

Mali

petroleum, machinery and equipment, construction materials,

foodstuffs, textiles

Malta

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured and

semi-manufactured goods; food, drink, tobacco

Marshall Islands

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels,

beverages and tobacco

Mauritania

machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital

goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods

Mauritius

manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs,

petroleum products, chemicals

Mayotte

food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment,

metals, chemicals

Mexico

metalworking machines, steel mill products, agricultural

machinery, electrical equipment, car parts for assembly, repair

parts for motor vehicles, aircraft, and aircraft parts

Micronesia, Federated States of

food, manufactured goods, machinery

and equipment, beverages

Moldova

mineral products and fuel, machinery and equipment,

chemicals, textiles (2000)

Mongolia

machinery and equipment, fuel, cars, food products,

industrial consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea

Montserrat

machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs,

manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials

Morocco

crude petroleum, textile fabric, telecommunications

equipment, wheat, gas and electricity, transistors, plastics

Mozambique

machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, chemicals, metal

products, foodstuffs, textiles

Namibia

foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and

equipment, chemicals

Nauru

food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery

Nepal

gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer

Netherlands

machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels,

foodstuffs, clothing

Netherlands Antilles

crude petroleum, food, manufactures

New Caledonia

machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs

New Zealand

machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft,

petroleum, electronics, textiles, plastics

Nicaragua

consumer goods, machinery and equipment, raw materials,

petroleum products

Niger

foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals

Nigeria

machinery, chemicals, transport equipment, manufactured

goods, food and live animals

Niue

food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels,

lubricants, chemicals, drugs

Norfolk Island

NA

Northern Mariana Islands food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products

Norway

machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs

Oman

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food,

livestock, lubricants

Pakistan

petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics,

transportation equipment, edible oils, paper and paperboard, iron

and steel, tea

Palau

machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs

Panama

capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals

Papua New Guinea

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured

goods, food, fuels, chemicals

Paraguay

road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products,

electrical machinery

Peru

petroleum and petroleum products, plastics, machinery,

vehicles, iron and steel, wheat, paper

Philippines

raw materials, machinery and equipment, fuels, vehicles

and vehicle parts, plastic, chemicals, grains

Pitcairn Islands

fuel oil, machinery, building materials, flour,

sugar, other foodstuffs

Poland

machinery and transport equipment 38%, intermediate

manufactured goods 21%, chemicals 14.8%, minerals, fuels,

lubricants, and related materials 9.1% (2003)

Portugal

machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum,

textiles, agricultural products

Puerto Rico

chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food,

fish, petroleum products

Qatar

machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals

Romania

machinery and equipment, fuels and minerals, chemicals,

textile and products, basic metals, agricultural products

Russia

machinery and equipment, consumer goods, medicines, meat,

sugar, semifinished metal products

Rwanda

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum

products, cement and construction material

Saint Helena

food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed,

building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts

Saint Kitts and Nevis

machinery, manufactures, food, fuels

Saint Lucia

food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery and

transportation equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

meat, clothing, fuel, electrical

equipment, machinery, building materials

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

foodstuffs, machinery and

equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels

Samoa

machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs

San Marino

wide variety of consumer manufactures, food

Sao Tome and Principe

machinery and electrical equipment, food

products, petroleum products

Saudi Arabia

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor

vehicles, textiles

Senegal

food and beverages, capital goods, fuels

Seychelles

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products,

chemicals

Sierra Leone

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and

lubricants, chemicals

Singapore

machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals,

foodstuffs

Slovakia

machinery and transport equipment 41.1%, intermediate

manufactured goods 19.3%, fuels 12.3%, chemicals 9.8%, miscellaneous

manufactured goods 10.2% (2003)

Slovenia

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods,

chemicals, fuels and lubricants, food

Solomon Islands

food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods,

fuels, chemicals

Somalia

manufactures, petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction

materials, qat

South Africa

machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products,

scientific instruments, foodstuffs

Spain

machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods,

foodstuffs, consumer goods, measuring and medical control instruments

Sri Lanka

textile fabrics, mineral products, petroleum, foodstuffs,

machinery and transportation equipment

Sudan

foodstuffs, manufactured goods, refinery and transport

equipment, medicines and chemicals, textiles, wheat

Suriname

capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer

goods

Swaziland

motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment,

foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals

Sweden

machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor

vehicles, iron and steel; foodstuffs, clothing

Switzerland

machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural

products, textiles

Syria

machinery and transport equipment, electric power machinery,

food and livestock, metal and metal products, chemicals and chemical

products, plastics, yarn, paper

Taiwan

machinery and electrical equipment 44.5%, minerals, precision

instruments (2002)

Tajikistan

electricity, petroleum products, aluminum oxide,

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs

Tanzania

consumer goods, machinery and transportation equipment,

industrial raw materials, crude oil

Thailand

capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials,

consumer goods, fuels

Togo

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products

Tokelau

foodstuffs, building materials, fuel

Tonga

foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Trinidad and Tobago

machinery, transportation equipment,

manufactured goods, food, live animals

Tunisia

textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals,

foodstuffs

Turkey

machinery, chemicals, semi-finished goods, fuels, transport

equipment

Turkmenistan

machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs

Turks and Caicos Islands food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials

Tuvalu

food, animals, mineral fuels, machinery, manufactured goods

Uganda

capital equipment, vehicles, petroleum, medical supplies;

cereals

Ukraine

energy, machinery and equipment, chemicals

United Arab Emirates machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food

United Kingdom

manufactured goods, machinery, fuels; foodstuffs

United States

agricultural products 4.9%, industrial supplies 32.9%

(crude oil 8.2%), capital goods 30.4% (computers, telecommunications

equipment, motor vehicle parts, office machines, electric power

machinery), consumer goods 31.8% (automobiles, clothing, medicines,

furniture, toys) (2003)

Uruguay

machinery, chemicals, road vehicles, crude petroleum

Uzbekistan

machinery and equipment 49.8%, foodstuffs 16.4%,

chemicals, metals (1998)

Vanuatu

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, fuels

Venezuela

raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport

equipment, construction materials

Vietnam

machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer,

steel products, raw cotton, grain, cement, motorcycles

Virgin Islands

crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building

materials

Wallis and Futuna

chemicals, machinery, passenger ships, consumer

goods

West Bank

food, consumer goods, construction materials

Western Sahara

fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs

World

the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and

services

Yemen

food and live animals, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Zambia

machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products,

electricity, fertilizer; foodstuffs, clothing

Zimbabwe

machinery and transport equipment, other manufactures,

chemicals, fuels

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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@2059 Climate

Afghanistan

arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers

Akrotiri

temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool

winters

Albania

mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry

summers; interior is cooler and wetter

Algeria

arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers

along coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high

plateau; sirocco is a hot, dust/sand-laden wind especially common in

summer

American Samoa

tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds;

annual rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season (November to

April), dry season (May to October); little seasonal temperature

variation

Andorra

temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers

Angola

semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool,

dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)

Anguilla

tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds

Antarctica

severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation,

and distance from the ocean; East Antarctica is colder than West

Antarctica because of its higher elevation; Antarctic Peninsula has

the most moderate climate; higher temperatures occur in January

along the coast and average slightly below freezing

Antigua and Barbuda

tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature

variation

Arctic Ocean

polar climate characterized by persistent cold and

relatively narrow annual temperature ranges; winters characterized

by continuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and

clear skies; summers characterized by continuous daylight, damp and

foggy weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow

Argentina

mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in

southwest

Armenia

highland continental, hot summers, cold winters

Aruba

tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

tropical

Atlantic Ocean

tropical cyclones (hurricanes) develop off the coast

of Africa near Cape Verde and move westward into the Caribbean Sea;

hurricanes can occur from May to December, but are most frequent

from August to November

Australia

generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east;

tropical in north

Austria

temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent

rain and some snow in lowlands and snow in mountains; moderate

summers with occasional showers

Azerbaijan

dry, semiarid steppe

Bahamas, The

tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream

Bahrain

arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

Baker Island

equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Bangladesh

tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid

summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)

Barbados

tropical; rainy season (June to October)

Bassas da India

tropical

Belarus

cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between

continental and maritime

Belgium

temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy

Belize

tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November);

dry season (February to May)

Benin

tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Bermuda

subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in

winter

Bhutan

varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot

summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in

Himalayas

Bolivia

varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid

Bosnia and Herzegovina

hot summers and cold winters; areas of high

elevation have short, cool summers and long, severe winters; mild,

rainy winters along coast

Botswana

semiarid; warm winters and hot summers

Bouvet Island

antarctic

Brazil

mostly tropical, but temperate in south

British Indian Ocean Territory

tropical marine; hot, humid,

moderated by trade winds

British Virgin Islands

subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by

trade winds

Brunei

tropical; hot, humid, rainy

Bulgaria

temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers

Burkina Faso

tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Burma

tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest

monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild

temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon,

December to April)

Burundi

equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude

variation (772 m to 2,670 m above sea level); average annual

temperature varies with altitude from 23 to 17 degrees centigrade

but is generally moderate as the average altitude is about 1,700 m;

average annual rainfall is about 150 cm; two wet seasons (February

to May and September to November), and two dry seasons (June to

August and December to January)

Cambodia

tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November); dry

season (December to April); little seasonal temperature variation

Cameroon

varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid

and hot in north

Canada

varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in

north

Cape Verde

temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and

very erratic

Cayman Islands

tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October)

and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April)

Central African Republic

tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot,

wet summers

Chad

tropical in south, desert in north

Chile

temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region;

cool and damp in south

China

extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north

Christmas Island

tropical with a wet and dry season; heat and

humidity moderated by trade winds; wet season (December to April)

Clipperton Island

tropical; humid, average temperature 20-32 degrees

C, wet season (May to October)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

tropical with high humidity, moderated by

the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year

Colombia

tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands

Comoros

tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season (April to October), dry season (December to February); south of Equator - wet season (November to March), dry season (April to October)

Congo, Republic of the

tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry

season (June to October); persistent high temperatures and humidity;

particularly enervating climate astride the Equator

Cook Islands

tropical oceanic; moderated by trade winds; a dry

season from April to November and a more humid season from December

to March

Coral Sea Islands

tropical

Costa Rica

tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April);

rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands

Cote d'Ivoire

tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three

seasons - warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to

May), hot and wet (June to October)

Croatia

Mediterranean and continental; continental climate

predominant with hot summers and cold winters; mild winters, dry

summers along coast

Cuba

tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to

April); rainy season (May to October)

Cyprus

temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool

winters

Czech Republic

temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Denmark

temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool

summers

Dhekelia

temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool

winters

Djibouti

desert; torrid, dry

Dominica

tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall

Dominican Republic tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall

East Timor

tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons

Ecuador

tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher

elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands

Egypt

desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters

El Salvador

tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season

(November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands

Equatorial Guinea

tropical; always hot, humid

Eritrea

hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter

in the central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually, heaviest

June to September); semiarid in western hills and lowlands

Estonia

maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers

Ethiopia

tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation

Europa Island

tropical

European Union

cold temperate; potentially subarctic in the north to

temperate; mild wet winters; hot dry summers in the south

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 24 inches in Stanley; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but does not accumulate

Faroe Islands

mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy,

windy

Fiji

tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation

Finland

cold temperate; potentially subarctic but comparatively mild

because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current,

Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes

France

generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and

hot summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry,

north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral

French Guiana: tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature

variation

Guadeloupe and Martinique: subtropical tempered by trade winds;

moderately high humidity; rainy season (June to October); vulnerable

to devasting cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on average

Reunion: tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool

and dry (May to November), hot and rainy (November to April)

French Polynesia

tropical, but moderate

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

antarctic

Gabon

tropical; always hot, humid

Gambia, The

tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler,

dry season (November to May)

Gaza Strip

temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers

Georgia

warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast

Germany

temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers;

occasional warm mountain (foehn) wind

Ghana

tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast;

hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north

Gibraltar

Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers

Glorioso Islands

tropical

Greece

temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

Greenland

arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

Grenada

tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds

Guam

tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by

northeast trade winds; dry season (January to June), rainy season

(July to December); little seasonal temperature variation

Guatemala

tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

Guernsey

temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of

days are overcast

Guinea

generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to

November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May)

with northeasterly harmattan winds

Guinea-Bissau

tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type

rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season

(December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds

Guyana

tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two

rainy seasons (May to August, November to January)

Haiti

tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

antarctic

Holy See (Vatican City)

temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to

May) with hot, dry summers (May to September)

Honduras

subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains

Hong Kong

subtropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and

rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall

Howland Island

equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Hungary

temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers

Iceland

temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy

winters; damp, cool summers

Iles Eparses

tropical

India

varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north

Indian Ocean

northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest

monsoon (June to October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June

and October/November in the northern Indian Ocean and

January/February in the southern Indian Ocean

Indonesia

tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Iran

mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast

Iraq

mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless

summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish

borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that

melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in

central and southern Iraq

Ireland

temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild

winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the

time

Isle of Man

temperate; cool summers and mild winters; overcast about

one-third of the time

Israel

temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas

Italy

predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in

south

Jamaica

tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior

Jan Mayen

arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog

Japan

varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north

Jarvis Island

tropical; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Jersey

temperate; mild winters and cool summers

Johnston Atoll

tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast

trade winds with little seasonal temperature variation

Jordan

mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)

Juan de Nova Island

tropical

Kazakhstan

continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and

semiarid

Kenya

varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior

Kingman Reef

tropical; moderated by prevailing winds

Kiribati

tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds

Korea, North

temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer

Korea, South

temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter

Kuwait

dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters

Kyrgyzstan

dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan; subtropical

in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone

Laos

tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season

(December to April)

Latvia

maritime; wet, moderate winters

Lebanon

Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry

summers; Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows

Lesotho

temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Liberia

tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to

cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers

Libya

Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior

Liechtenstein

continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow

or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers

Lithuania

transitional, between maritime and continental; wet,

moderate winters and summers

Luxembourg

modified continental with mild winters, cool summers

Macau

subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers

Macedonia

warm, dry summers and autumns; relatively cold winters

with heavy snowfall

Madagascar

tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

Malawi

sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May

to November)

Malaysia

tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast

(October to February) monsoons

Maldives

tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to

March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)

Mali

subtropical to arid; hot and dry (February to June); rainy,

humid, and mild (June to November); cool and dry (November to

February)

Malta

Mediterranean; mild, rainy winters; hot, dry summers

Marshall Islands

tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to

November; islands border typhoon belt

Mauritania

desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty

Mauritius

tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry

winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)

Mayotte

tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during

northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to

November)

Mexico

varies from tropical to desert

Micronesia, Federated States of tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with occasionally severe damage

Midway Islands

subtropical; moderated by prevailing easterly winds

Moldova

moderate winters, warm summers

Monaco

Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers

Mongolia

desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature

ranges)

Montenegro

Mediterranean climate, hot dry summers and autumns and

relatively cold winters with heavy snowfalls inland

Montserrat

tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation

Morocco

Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior

Mozambique

tropical to subtropical

Namibia

desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

Nauru

tropical with a monsoonal pattern; rainy season (November to

February)

Navassa Island

marine, tropical

Nepal

varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to

subtropical summers and mild winters in south

Netherlands

temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters

Netherlands Antilles

tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds

New Caledonia

tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid

New Zealand

temperate with sharp regional contrasts

Nicaragua

tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands

Niger

desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south

Nigeria

varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in

north

Niue

tropical; modified by southeast trade winds

Norfolk Island

subtropical; mild, little seasonal temperature

variation

Northern Mariana Islands

tropical marine; moderated by northeast

trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season

December to June, rainy season July to October

Norway

temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current;

colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers;

rainy year-round on west coast

Oman

dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong

southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south

Pacific Ocean

planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind

patterns exhibit remarkable uniformity in the south and east; trade

winds and westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by

seasonal fluctuations; tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south

of Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central

America; continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be much

less pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same

latitude in the North Pacific Ocean; the western Pacific is

monsoonal - a rainy season occurs during the summer months, when

moisture-laden winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry

season during the winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian

landmass back to the ocean; tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike

southeast and east Asia from May to December

Pakistan

mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in

north

Palau

tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November

Palmyra Atoll

equatorial, hot, and very rainy

Panama

tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season

(May to January), short dry season (January to May)

Papua New Guinea

tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March),

southeast monsoon (May to October); slight seasonal temperature

variation

Paracel Islands

tropical

Paraguay

subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the

eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west

Peru

varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west; temperate

to frigid in Andes

Philippines

tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April);

southwest monsoon (May to October)

Pitcairn Islands

tropical; hot and humid; modified by southeast

trade winds; rainy season (November to March)

Poland

temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with

frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and

thundershowers

Portugal

maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and

drier in south

Puerto Rico

tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature

variation

Qatar

arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

Romania

temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog;

sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms

Russia

ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in

much of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in

the polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to

frigid in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool

along Arctic coast

Rwanda

temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to

January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible

Saint Helena

Saint Helena: tropical marine; mild, tempered by trade

winds

Ascension Island: tropical marine; mild, semi-arid

Tristan da Cunha: temperate marine; mild, tempered by trade winds

(tends to be cooler than Saint Helena)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

tropical, tempered by constant sea breezes;

little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Saint Lucia

tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season

January to April, rainy season May to August

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

cold and wet, with much mist and fog;

spring and autumn are windy

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

tropical; little seasonal

temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Samoa

tropical; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to

October)

San Marino

Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers

Sao Tome and Principe

tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season

(October to May)

Saudi Arabia

harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes

Senegal

tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has

strong southeast winds; dry season (December to April) dominated by

hot, dry, harmattan wind

Serbia

in the north, continental climate (cold winters and hot,

humid summers with well distributed rainfall); in other parts,

continental and Mediterranean climate (hot, dry summers and autumns

and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall)

Seychelles

tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast

monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest

monsoon (March to May)

Sierra Leone

tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to

December); winter dry season (December to April)

Singapore

tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons

- Northeastern monsoon (December to March) and Southwestern monsoon

(June to September); inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and early

evening thunderstorms

Slovakia

temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Slovenia

Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate

with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and

valleys to the east

Solomon Islands

tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and

weather

Somalia

principally desert; northeast monsoon (December to

February), moderate temperatures in north and very hot in south;

southwest monsoon (May to October), torrid in the north and hot in

the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili)

between monsoons

South Africa

mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny

days, cool nights

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

variable, with mostly

westerly winds throughout the year interspersed with periods of

calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow

Southern Ocean

sea temperatures vary from about 10 degrees Celsius

to -2 degrees Celsius; cyclonic storms travel eastward around the

continent and frequently are intense because of the temperature

contrast between ice and open ocean; the ocean area from about

latitude 40 south to the Antarctic Circle has the strongest average

winds found anywhere on Earth; in winter the ocean freezes outward

to 65 degrees south latitude in the Pacific sector and 55 degrees

south latitude in the Atlantic sector, lowering surface temperatures

well below 0 degrees Celsius; at some coastal points intense

persistent drainage winds from the interior keep the shoreline

ice-free throughout the winter

Spain

temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and

cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy

and cool along coast

Spratly Islands

tropical

Sri Lanka

tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March);

southwest monsoon (June to October)

Sudan

tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season varies

by region (April to November)

Suriname

tropical; moderated by trade winds

Svalbard

arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool

summers, cold winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and

north coasts of Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most

of the year

Swaziland

varies from tropical to near temperate

Sweden

temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly

cloudy summers; subarctic in north

Switzerland

temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy,

rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with

occasional showers

Syria

mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and

mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather

with snow or sleet periodically in Damascus

Taiwan

tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June

to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year

Tajikistan

midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters;

semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains

Tanzania

varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands

Thailand

tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to

September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March);

southern isthmus always hot and humid

Togo

tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Tokelau

tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)

Tonga

tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to

May), cool season (May to December)

Trinidad and Tobago

tropical; rainy season (June to December)

Tromelin Island

tropical

Tunisia

temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry

summers; desert in south

Turkey

temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher

in interior

Turkmenistan

subtropical desert

Turks and Caicos Islands

tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds;

sunny and relatively dry

Tuvalu

tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to

November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)

Uganda

tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to

February, June to August); semiarid in northeast

Ukraine

temperate continental; Mediterranean only on the southern

Crimean coast; precipitation disproportionately distributed, highest

in west and north, lesser in east and southeast; winters vary from

cool along the Black Sea to cold farther inland; summers are warm

across the greater part of the country, hot in the south

United Arab Emirates

desert; cooler in eastern mountains

United Kingdom

temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds

over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are

overcast

United States

mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida,

arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the

Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low

winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in

January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes

of the Rocky Mountains

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Baker, Howland, and

Jarvis Islands: equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning

sun

Johnston Atoll and Kingman Reef: tropical, but generally dry;

consistent northeast trade winds with little seasonal temperature

variation

Midway Islands: subtropical with cool, moist winters (December to

February) and warm, dry summers (May to October); moderated by

prevailing easterly winds; most of the 1,067 mm (42 in) of annual

rainfall occurs during the winter

Palmyra Atoll: equatorial, hot; located within the low pressure area

of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) where the northeast and

southeast trade winds meet, it is extremely wet with between

4,000-5,000 mm (160-200 in) of rainfall each year

Uruguay

warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown

Uzbekistan

mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild

winters; semiarid grassland in east

Vanuatu

tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds from May to

October; moderate rainfall from November to April; may be affected

by cyclones from December to April

Venezuela

tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Vietnam

tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season

(May to September) and warm, dry season (October to March)

Virgin Islands

subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds,

relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation;

rainy season September to November

Wake Island

tropical

Wallis and Futuna

tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April);

cool, dry season (May to October); rains 2,500-3,000 mm per year

(80% humidity); average temperature 26.6 degrees C

West Bank

temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with

altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters

Western Sahara

hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air

currents produce fog and heavy dew

World

a wide equatorial band of hot and humid tropical climates -

bordered north and south by subtropical temperate zones - that

separate two large areas of cold and dry polar climates

Yemen

mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperate in

western mountains affected by seasonal monsoon; extraordinarily hot,

dry, harsh desert in east

Zambia

tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to

April)

Zimbabwe

tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to

March)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2060 Coastline (km)

Afghanistan

0 km (landlocked)

Akrotiri

56.3 km

Albania

362 km

Algeria

998 km

American Samoa

116 km

Andorra

0 km (landlocked)

Angola

1,600 km

Anguilla

61 km

Antarctica

17,968 km

Antigua and Barbuda

153 km

Arctic Ocean

45,389 km

Argentina

4,989 km

Armenia

0 km (landlocked)

Aruba

68.5 km

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

74.1 km

Atlantic Ocean

111,866 km

Australia

25,760 km

Austria

0 km (landlocked)

Azerbaijan

0 km (landlocked); note - Azerbaijan borders the Caspian

Sea (800 km est.)

Bahamas, The

3,542 km

Bahrain

161 km

Baker Island

4.8 km

Bangladesh

580 km

Barbados

97 km

Bassas da India

35.2 km

Belarus

0 km (landlocked)

Belgium

66.5 km

Belize

386 km

Benin

121 km

Bermuda

103 km

Bhutan

0 km (landlocked)

Bolivia

0 km (landlocked)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

20 km

Botswana

0 km (landlocked)

Bouvet Island

29.6 km

Brazil

7,491 km

British Indian Ocean Territory

698 km

British Virgin Islands

80 km

Brunei

161 km

Bulgaria

354 km

Burkina Faso

0 km (landlocked)

Burma

1,930 km

Burundi

0 km (landlocked)

Cambodia

443 km

Cameroon

402 km

Canada

202,080 km

Cape Verde

965 km

Cayman Islands

160 km

Central African Republic

0 km (landlocked)

Chad

0 km (landlocked)

Chile

6,435 km

China

14,500 km

Christmas Island

138.9 km

Clipperton Island

11.1 km

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

26 km

Colombia

3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448

km)

Comoros

340 km

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

37 km

Congo, Republic of the

169 km

Cook Islands

120 km

Coral Sea Islands

3,095 km

Costa Rica

1,290 km

Cote d'Ivoire

515 km

Croatia

5,835 km (mainland 1,777 km, islands 4,058 km)

Cuba

3,735 km

Cyprus

648 km

Czech Republic

0 km (landlocked)

Denmark

7,314 km

Dhekelia

27.5 km

Djibouti

314 km

Dominica

148 km

Dominican Republic

1,288 km

East Timor

706 km

Ecuador

2,237 km

Egypt

2,450 km

El Salvador

307 km

Equatorial Guinea

296 km

Eritrea

2,234 km (mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km, islands in Red Sea

1,083 km)

Estonia

3,794 km

Ethiopia

0 km (landlocked)

Europa Island

22.2 km

European Union

65,992.9 km

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

1,288 km

Faroe Islands

1,117 km

Fiji

1,129 km

Finland

1,250 km

France total: 4,668 km metropolitan France: 3,427 km

French Polynesia

2,525 km

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

1,232 km

Gabon

885 km

Gambia, The

80 km

Gaza Strip

40 km

Georgia

310 km

Germany

2,389 km

Ghana

539 km

Gibraltar

12 km

Glorioso Islands

35.2 km

Greece

13,676 km

Greenland

44,087 km

Grenada

121 km

Guam

125.5 km

Guatemala

400 km

Guernsey

50 km

Guinea

320 km

Guinea-Bissau

350 km

Guyana

459 km

Haiti

1,771 km

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

101.9 km

Holy See (Vatican City)

0 km (landlocked)

Honduras

820 km

Hong Kong

733 km

Howland Island

6.4 km

Hungary

0 km (landlocked)

Iceland

4,970 km

Iles Eparses

Bassas da India: 35.2 km

Europa Island: 22.2 km

Glorioso Islands: 35.2 km

Juan de Nova Island: 24.1 km

Tromelin Island: 3.7 km

India

7,000 km

Indian Ocean

66,526 km

Indonesia

54,716 km

Iran

2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)

Iraq

58 km

Ireland

1,448 km

Isle of Man

160 km

Israel

273 km

Italy

7,600 km

Jamaica

1,022 km

Jan Mayen

124.1 km

Japan

29,751 km

Jarvis Island

8 km

Jersey

70 km

Johnston Atoll

34 km

Jordan

26 km

Juan de Nova Island

24.1 km

Kazakhstan

0 km (landlocked); note - Kazakhstan borders the Aral

Sea, now split into two bodies of water (1,070 km), and the Caspian

Sea (1,894 km)

Kenya

536 km

Kingman Reef

3 km

Kiribati

1,143 km

Korea, North

2,495 km

Korea, South

2,413 km

Kuwait

499 km

Kyrgyzstan

0 km (landlocked)

Laos

0 km (landlocked)

Latvia

531 km

Lebanon

225 km

Lesotho

0 km (landlocked)

Liberia

579 km

Libya

1,770 km

Liechtenstein

0 km (doubly landlocked)

Lithuania

90 km

Luxembourg

0 km (landlocked)

Macau

41 km

Macedonia

0 km (landlocked)

Madagascar

4,828 km

Malawi

0 km (landlocked)

Malaysia

4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607

km)

Maldives

644 km

Mali

0 km (landlocked)

Malta

196.8 km (does not include 56.01 km for the island of Gozo)

Marshall Islands

370.4 km

Mauritania

754 km

Mauritius

177 km

Mayotte

185.2 km

Mexico

9,330 km

Micronesia, Federated States of

6,112 km

Midway Islands

15 km

Moldova

0 km (landlocked)

Monaco

4.1 km

Mongolia

0 km (landlocked)

Montenegro

293.5 km

Montserrat

40 km

Morocco

1,835 km

Mozambique

2,470 km

Namibia

1,572 km

Nauru

30 km

Navassa Island

8 km

Nepal

0 km (landlocked)

Netherlands

451 km

Netherlands Antilles

364 km

New Caledonia

2,254 km

New Zealand

15,134 km

Nicaragua

910 km

Niger

0 km (landlocked)

Nigeria

853 km

Niue

64 km

Norfolk Island

32 km

Northern Mariana Islands

1,482 km

Norway

25,148 km (includes mainland 2,650 km, as well as long

fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 22,498 km;

length of island coastlines 58,133 km)

Oman

2,092 km

Pacific Ocean

135,663 km

Pakistan

1,046 km

Palau

1,519 km

Palmyra Atoll

14.5 km

Panama

2,490 km

Papua New Guinea

5,152 km

Paracel Islands

518 km

Paraguay

0 km (landlocked)

Peru

2,414 km

Philippines

36,289 km

Pitcairn Islands

51 km

Poland

491 km

Portugal

1,793 km

Puerto Rico

501 km

Qatar

563 km

Romania

225 km

Russia

37,653 km

Rwanda

0 km (landlocked)

Saint Helena

Saint Helena: 60 km

Ascension Island: NA

Tristan da Cunha: 40 km

Saint Kitts and Nevis

135 km

Saint Lucia

158 km

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

120 km

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

84 km

Samoa

403 km

San Marino

0 km (landlocked)

Sao Tome and Principe

209 km

Saudi Arabia

2,640 km

Senegal

531 km

Serbia

0 km (landlocked)

Seychelles

491 km

Sierra Leone

402 km

Singapore

193 km

Slovakia

0 km (landlocked)

Slovenia

46.6 km

Solomon Islands

5,313 km

Somalia

3,025 km

South Africa

2,798 km

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

NA km

Southern Ocean

17,968 km

Spain

4,964 km

Spratly Islands

926 km

Sri Lanka

1,340 km

Sudan

853 km

Suriname

386 km

Svalbard

3,587 km

Swaziland

0 km (landlocked)

Sweden

3,218 km

Switzerland

0 km (landlocked)

Syria

193 km

Taiwan

1,566.3 km

Tajikistan

0 km (landlocked)

Tanzania

1,424 km

Thailand

3,219 km

Togo

56 km

Tokelau

101 km

Tonga

419 km

Trinidad and Tobago

362 km

Tromelin Island

3.7 km

Tunisia

1,148 km

Turkey

7,200 km

Turkmenistan

0 km; note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea

(1,768 km)

Turks and Caicos Islands

389 km

Tuvalu

24 km

Uganda

0 km (landlocked)

Ukraine

2,782 km

United Arab Emirates

1,318 km

United Kingdom

12,429 km

United States

19,924 km

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Baker Island: 4.8 km

Howland Island: 6.4 km

Jarvis Island: 8 km

Johnston Atoll: 34 km

Kingman Reef: 3 km

Midway Islands: 15 km

Palmyra Atoll: 14.5 km

Uruguay

660 km

Uzbekistan

0 km (doubly landlocked); note - Uzbekistan includes the

southern portion of the Aral Sea with a 420 km shoreline

Vanuatu

2,528 km

Venezuela

2,800 km

Vietnam

3,444 km (excludes islands)

Virgin Islands

188 km

Wake Island

19.3 km

Wallis and Futuna

129 km

West Bank

0 km (landlocked)

Western Sahara

1,110 km

World

356,000 km

note: 98 nations and other entities are islands that border no other

countries, they include: American Samoa, Anguilla, Antigua and

Barbuda, Aruba, Ashmore and Cartier Islands, The Bahamas, Bahrain,

Baker Island, Barbados, Bassas da India, Bermuda, Bouvet Island,

British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cape Verde,

Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Clipperton Island, Cocos (Keeling)

Islands, Comoros, Cook Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Cuba, Cyprus,

Dominica, Europa Island, Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), Faroe

Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic

Lands, Glorioso Islands, Greenland, Grenada, Guam, Guernsey, Heard

Island and McDonald Islands, Howland Island, Iceland, Isle of Man,

Jamaica, Jan Mayen, Japan, Jarvis Island, Jersey, Johnston Atoll,

Juan de Nova Island, Kingman Reef, Kiribati, Madagascar, Maldives,

Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritius, Mayotte, Federated

States of Micronesia, Midway Islands, Montserrat, Nauru, Navassa

Island, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern

Mariana Islands, Palau, Palmyra Atoll, Paracel Islands, Philippines,

Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts

and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and

the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Singapore,

Solomon Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands,

Spratly Islands, Sri Lanka, Svalbard, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and

Tobago, Tromelin Island, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu,

Virgin Islands, Wake Island, Wallis and Futuna, Taiwan

Yemen

1,906 km

Zambia

0 km (landlocked)

Zimbabwe

0 km (landlocked)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2061 Imports - partners (%)

Afghanistan

Pakistan 38.6%, US 9.5%, Germany 5.5%, India 5.2%,

Turkey 4.1%, Turkmenistan 4% (2005)

Albania

Italy 29.3%, Greece 16.4%, Turkey 7.5%, China 6.6%, Germany

5.4%, Russia 4% (2005)

Algeria

France 28.1%, Italy 7.8%, Spain 7.2%, China 6.6%, Germany

6.3%, US 5.5% (2005)

American Samoa

Australia 66%, Samoa 13.8%, NZ 10.8% (2005)

Andorra

Spain 53.2%, France 21.1% (2005)

Angola

South Korea 20.5%, Portugal 13.4%, US 12.5%, South Africa

7.4%, Brazil 7%, France 5.1%, China 5% (2005)

Anguilla

US, Puerto Rico, UK (2004)

Antigua and Barbuda

US 21.1%, China 16.4%, Germany 13.3%, Singapore

12.7%, Spain 6.5% (2005)

Argentina

Brazil 35.9%, US 14.1%, China 7.8%, Germany 4.5% (2005)

Armenia

Russia 13.5%, Belgium 8%, Germany 7.9%, Ukraine 7%,

Turkmenistan 6.3%, US 6.2%, Israel 5.8%, Iran 5%, Romania 4.2% (2005)

Aruba

US 55.9%, Netherlands 12.9%, UK 3.8% (2005)

Australia

US 13.9%, China 13.7%, Japan 11%, Singapore 5.6%, Germany

5.6% (2005)

Austria

Germany 45.9%, Italy 6.6%, Switzerland 4.5% (2005)

Azerbaijan

Russia 17%, UK 9.1%, Singapore 9.1%, Turkey 7.4%, Germany

6.1%, Turkmenistan 5.8%, Ukraine 5.4%, China 4.1% (2005)

Bahamas, The

US 20.1%, South Korea 18%, Brazil 16.9%, Spain 7%,

Italy 5.8%, Germany 4.8% (2005)

Bahrain

Saudi Arabia 36.5%, Japan 6.6%, Germany 6.4%, US 5.4%, UK

5%, UAE 4.1% (2005)

Bangladesh

India 14.1%, China 13.5%, Kuwait 8.5%, Singapore 6.2%,

Japan 4.1%, Hong Kong 4.1% (2005)

Barbados

US 37.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 22.1%, UK 5.5%, Japan 5.2%

(2005)

Belarus

Russia 60.6%, Germany 6.7%, Ukraine 5.4% (2005)

Belgium

Netherlands 17.8%, Germany 17.2%, France 11.4%, UK 6.8%,

Ireland 6.5%, US 5.4% (2005)

Belize

US 31%, Mexico 11.6%, Russia 8.8%, Cuba 6%, Guatemala 5.6%,

China 4.6%, Spain 4.5% (2005)

Benin

France 21.8%, Ghana 7.1%, Cote d'Ivoire 7%, China 6.7%, UK

5.2%, Belgium 4.9%, Togo 4.5%, Thailand 4.2%, Nigeria 4% (2005)

Bermuda

France 38.9%, South Korea 20.9%, US 15.5% (2005)

Bhutan

Hong Kong 66.6%, Mexico 20.2%, France 3.8% (2005)

Bolivia

Brazil 21.9%, Argentina 16.7%, US 13.8%, Chile 6.9%, Peru

6.5%, Japan 6.1%, China 5.8% (2005)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Croatia 24.7%, Germany 13.6%, Slovenia 13%,

Italy 11%, Austria 6.9%, Hungary 5.5% (2005)

Botswana

Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 74%, EFTA 17%,

Zimbabwe 4% (2004)

Brazil

US 17.5%, Argentina 8.5%, Germany 8.4%, China 7.3%, Japan

4.6% (2005)

British Virgin Islands

Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US (2004)

Brunei

Singapore 32.7%, Malaysia 23.3%, Japan 6.9%, UK 5.3%,

Thailand 4.5%, South Korea 4% (2005)

Bulgaria

Russia 15.6%, Germany 13.6%, Italy 9%, Turkey 6.1%, Greece

5%, France 4.7% (2005)

Burkina Faso

France 23.9%, Cote d'Ivoire 23.3%, Togo 6.7% (2005)

Burma

China 28.8%, Thailand 21.8%, Singapore 18.4%, Malaysia 7.6%

(2005)

Burundi

Kenya 12.9%, Tanzania 10.5%, Belgium 10.4%, Italy 8.1%,

France 5.4%, Uganda 5.3%, China 5%, India 4.1% (2005)

Cambodia

Hong Kong 16.1%, China 13.6%, France 12.1%, Thailand 11.2%,

Taiwan 10.2%, South Korea 7.5%, Vietnam 7.1%, Singapore 4.9%, Japan

4.1% (2005)

Cameroon

France 24%, Nigeria 12%, Belgium 6.3%, China 5.6%, US 5.1%,

Thailand 4.5%, Germany 4.2% (2005)

Canada

US 56.7%, China 7.8%, Mexico 3.8% (2005)

Cape Verde

Portugal 40.9%, Italy 7.8%, Netherlands 7.2%, Spain 5.5%,

Brazil 5.3%, France 4.7%, Belgium 4.6% (2005)

Cayman Islands

US, Netherlands Antilles, Japan (2004)

Central African Republic

France 16.6%, Netherlands 10.3%, Cameroon

9.7%, US 7.3% (2005)

Chad

France 21.2%, Cameroon 15.5%, US 12.1%, Belgium 6.8%, Portugal

4.6%, Saudi Arabia 4.3%, Netherlands 4.1% (2005)

Chile

Argentina 14.8%, US 14.6%, Brazil 11.7%, China 7.8%, South

Korea 4.8%, Yemen 4.4% (2005)

China

Japan 15.2%, South Korea 11.6%, Taiwan 11.2%, US 7.4%, Germany

4.6% (2005)

Christmas Island

principally Australia (2004)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Australia (2004)

Colombia

US 28.5%, Mexico 8.3%, China 7.6%, Brazil 6.5%, Venezuela

5.7% (2005)

Comoros

France 19.2%, Kenya 18.2%, UAE 8.5%, South Africa 6.3%,

Pakistan 5.6%, Belgium 4% (2005)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

South Africa 18%, Belgium 15.6%,

France 8.8%, Zambia 6.7%, Kenya 6.2%, Germany 4.5%, US 4.4%, Cote

d'Ivoire 4.2%, Netherlands 4% (2005)

Congo, Republic of the

France 23.2%, China 10.2%, US 7.3%, India

7.2%, Italy 6.7%, Belgium 4.6% (2005)

Cook Islands

New Zealand 61%, Fiji 19%, US 9%, Australia 6%, Japan

2% (2004)

Costa Rica

US 41.3%, Japan 5.6%, Venezuela 4.8%, Mexico 4.8%,

Ireland 4.3%, Brazil 4.2%, China 4.2% (2005)

Cote d'Ivoire

France 27.7%, Nigeria 24.5%, Singapore 6.6% (2005)

Croatia

Italy 15.9%, Germany 14.9%, Russia 9.1%, Slovenia 6.8%,

Austria 5.8%, China 4.7%, France 4.2% (2005)

Cuba

China 14.5%, Spain 13.7%, Canada 8.4%, US 8.3%, Germany 7.2%,

Brazil 5.6%, Italy 5.6%, Mexico 5.1%, Japan 4% (2005)

Cyprus

Greece 17.3%, Italy 10.3%, UK 9%, Germany 8.4%, Israel 7.1%

(2005)

Czech Republic

Germany 30%, Russia 5.7%, Slovakia 5.4%, China 5.1%,

Poland 5%, Italy 4.8%, France 4.5%, Netherlands 4% (2005)

Denmark

Germany 20.5%, Sweden 13.8%, Norway 6.6%, Netherlands 6.5%,

UK 5.9%, China 4.7%, France 4.2%, Italy 4.1% (2005)

Djibouti

Saudi Arabia 21.9%, India 18.7%, China 10.1%, Ethiopia

4.8%, France 4.7%, US 4.3%, Japan 4.2% (2005)

Dominica

US 25.5%, China 20.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 12.4%, South

Korea 7.1%, Japan 4.7%, UK 4.4% (2005)

Dominican Republic

US 50%, Colombia 6.2%, Mexico 5.8% (2005)

Ecuador

US 22.1%, Colombia 14.8%, Venezuela 7.7%, Brazil 7.2%, China

5.2% (2005)

Egypt

US 10.5%, Germany 7%, China 6.4%, France 6.3%, Italy 5.7%,

Saudi Arabia 4.8% (2005)

El Salvador

US 43.4%, Guatemala 8.2%, Mexico 7.8% (2005)

Equatorial Guinea

US 24.5%, Italy 20.5%, France 12.1%, Spain 10.8%,

Cote d'Ivoire 8.6%, UK 6.9% (2005)

Eritrea

Germany 21.3%, Italy 19.5%, France 15.3%, US 12.3%, Ireland

7.9%, Jordan 5.5% (2005)

Estonia

Finland 19.8%, Germany 13.9%, Russia 9.2%, Sweden 8.9%,

Lithuania 6%, Latvia 4.7% (2005)

Ethiopia

Saudi Arabia 14.7%, China 12.6%, US 12.4%, India 6.7%,

Italy 4.6% (2005)

European Union

US 13.8%, China 13.4%, Russia 8.2%, Japan 6.2% (2005)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

UK 72.5%, US 15.1%, Netherlands

8.5% (2005)

Faroe Islands

Denmark 47.4%, Norway 18.7%, Germany 8.4%, Spain 7.8%,

Iceland 4.9% (2005)

Fiji

Singapore 27.5%, Australia 23.7%, NZ 19%, Thailand 4.5% (2005)

Finland

Germany 16.2%, Sweden 14.1%, Russia 13.9%, Netherlands 6.2%,

Denmark 4.6%, UK 4.3%, China 4.2% (2005)

France

Germany 18.9%, Belgium 10.7%, Italy 8.3%, Spain 7%,

Netherlands 6.6%, UK 5.9%, US 5.1% (2005)

French Polynesia

France 52.7%, Singapore 14.9%, NZ 6.8%, US 6.6%

(2005)

Gabon

France 40.5%, US 6.4%, Cameroon 4.2% (2005)

Gambia, The

China 21.5%, Senegal 11.4%, Cote d'Ivoire 8.5%, Brazil

5.6%, US 5.3%, UK 5.2%, Netherlands 4.1% (2005)

Gaza Strip

Israel, Egypt, West Bank (2004)

Georgia

Russia 15.4%, Turkey 11.4%, Azerbaijan 9.4%, Ukraine 8.8%,

Germany 8.3%, US 6% (2005)

Germany

France 8.7%, Netherlands 8.5%, US 6.6%, China 6.4%, UK 6.3%,

Italy 5.7%, Belgium 5%, Austria 4% (2005)

Ghana

Nigeria 15.2%, China 12.5%, US 6.3%, UK 5.2%, South Africa

4.5%, Brazil 4.1%, Netherlands 4% (2005)

Gibraltar

Spain 23.4%, Russia 12.3%, Italy 12%, UK 9%, France 8.9%,

Netherlands 6.8%, US 4.7% (2005)

Greece

Germany 12.7%, Italy 12.4%, Russia 7.8%, France 5.7%,

Netherlands 5.5%, Saudi Arabia 4.1% (2005)

Greenland

Denmark 67.1%, Sweden 19.2%, Ireland 3.5% (2005)

Grenada

Trinidad and Tobago 27.6%, US 26.8%, UK 5.9% (2005)

Guam

Singapore 50%, South Korea 21.4%, Japan 14%, Hong Kong 4.6%

(2005)

Guatemala

US 38.1%, Mexico 7.6%, El Salvador 4.8%, South Korea 4.8%,

Panama 4.4% (2005)

Guernsey

UK; note - regarded as internal trade (2004)

Guinea

China 8.5%, US 7.3%, France 7.2%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.2%, Italy

4.7%, Belgium 4.1% (2005)

Guinea-Bissau

Italy 24.8%, Senegal 18.2%, Portugal 15.4%, Cote

d'Ivoire 4.2% (2005)

Guyana

US 26.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 23.9%, Cuba 6.6%, UK 5%, China

4.1% (2005)

Haiti

US 48.7%, Netherlands Antilles 11.9%, Brazil 3.3% (2005)

Honduras

US 52.6%, Guatemala 6.4%, El Salvador 4.1% (2005)

Hong Kong

China 45%, Japan 11%, Taiwan 7.2%, Singapore 5.8%, US

5.1%, South Korea 4.4% (2005)

Hungary

Germany 27.5%, Russia 7.4%, China 7.1%, Austria 6.6%, France

4.9%, Italy 4.9%, Netherlands 4.3% (2005)

Iceland

Germany 13.4%, US 9.1%, Sweden 8.6%, Denmark 7.3%, Norway

7.2%, UK 5.9%, China 5.3%, Netherlands 5%, Japan 4.7% (2005)

India

China 7.3%, US 5.6%, Switzerland 4.7% (2005)

Indonesia

Singapore 16.4%, Japan 12%, China 10.1%, US 6.7%, Thailand

6%, South Korea 5%, Saudi Arabia 4.7%, Australia 4.4% (2005)

Iran

Germany 13.9%, UAE 8.4%, China 8.3%, Italy 7.1%, France 6.3%,

South Korea 5.4%, Russia 4.9% (2005)

Iraq

Turkey 23.3%, Syria 23%, US 11.6%, Jordan 6.2% (2005)

Ireland

UK 37.1%, US 13.8%, Germany 9.2%, Netherlands 4.5% (2005)

Isle of Man

UK (2004)

Israel

US 13.4%, Belgium 10.1%, Germany 6.4%, UK 5.7%, Switzerland

5.5%, China 4.2% (2005)

Italy

Germany 17.2%, France 9.9%, Netherlands 5.7%, China 4.6%,

Belgium 4.5%, Spain 4.2% (2005)

Jamaica

US 41.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 14%, Venezuela 5.5%, Japan

4.6% (2005)

Japan

China 21%, US 12.7%, Saudi Arabia 5.5%, UAE 4.9%, Australia

4.7%, South Korea 4.7%, Indonesia 4% (2005)

Jersey

UK (2004)

Jordan

Saudi Arabia 23.6%, China 9.2%, Germany 8%, US 5.6% (2005)

Kazakhstan

Russia 35.7%, China 21.3%, Germany 7.1% (2005)

Kenya

UAE 20.9%, US 9.2%, India 7.7%, South Africa 6.7%, China 6.6%,

Saudi Arabia 6.5%, UK 5.1% (2005)

Kiribati

Australia 33%, Fiji 27.1%, Japan 18.1%, NZ 6.9% (2005)

Korea, North

China 42%, South Korea 28%, Russia 9%, Thailand 8%

(2005)

Korea, South

Japan 18.5%, China 14.8%, US 11.8%, Saudi Arabia 6.2%

(2005)

Kuwait

US 14.1%, Germany 10.8%, Japan 8.4%, Saudi Arabia 6.2%, UK

5.7%, France 4.8%, China 4.5% (2005)

Kyrgyzstan

China 43%, Russia 19.7%, Kazakhstan 12.1%, Turkey 4.4%

(2005)

Laos

Thailand 66.8%, China 9.1%, Vietnam 5.8% (2005)

Latvia

Germany 13.9%, Lithuania 13.6%, Russia 8.6%, Estonia 7.9%,

Poland 6.4%, Finland 5.9%, Belarus 5.8%, Sweden 5.1% (2005)

Lebanon

Italy 11.1%, Syria 10.7%, France 9.2%, Germany 6.4%, China

5.4%, US 5.3%, UK 4.4%, Saudi Arabia 4.3% (2005)

Lesotho

US 83.9%, Belgium 12.7%, Canada 2.4% (2005)

Liberia

South Korea 38.1%, Japan 21.2%, Singapore 14.2%, Croatia

4.7% (2005)

Libya

Italy 21.2%, Germany 10.3%, Tunisia 5.6%, Turkey 4.8%, UK

4.8%, France 4.7%, South Korea 4.6%, China 4.5% (2005)

Liechtenstein

EU, Switzerland (2004)

Lithuania

Russia 27.9%, Germany 15.1%, Poland 8.3% (2005)

Luxembourg

Belgium 28.2%, Germany 21.8%, China 12.8%, France 9.6%,

Netherlands 5.1% (2005)

Macau

China 43.1%, Japan 10.9%, Hong Kong 10%, Singapore 5.2%, US

4.1%, Taiwan 4% (2005)

Macedonia

Russia 13.2%, Germany 10.4%, Greece 9.2%, Serbia and

Montenegro 8.2%, Bulgaria 7.3%, Italy 6% (2005)

Madagascar

France 16.7%, China 10.6%, Iran 8%, Mauritius 6.6%, Hong

Kong 5%, South Africa 4.9% (2005)

Malawi

South Africa 36.9%, Zambia 9.2%, Zimbabwe 7.7%, Mozambique

7.1%, India 6.8%, Tanzania 4.9%, US 4% (2005)

Malaysia

Japan 14.6%, US 13%, Singapore 11.8%, China 11.6%, Taiwan

5.6%, Thailand 5.3%, South Korea 5%, Germany 4.5% (2005)

Maldives

Singapore 24.1%, UAE 15.7%, India 11.3%, Malaysia 7.2%, Sri

Lanka 5.7%, UK 4.5% (2005)

Mali

France 13%, Senegal 13%, Cote d'Ivoire 8.5% (2005)

Malta

Italy 32.3%, UK 11.5%, France 9.6%, Germany 8%, US 5.5%,

Singapore 4.1% (2005)

Marshall Islands

US, Japan, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Fiji, China,

Philippines (2004)

Mauritania

France 18.2%, UK 7.1%, US 6.9%, China 6%, Spain 5%,

Belgium 4.3% (2005)

Mauritius

China 9.8%, South Africa 8.6%, France 7.6%, India 6.9%,

Bahrain 5.2%, Finland 4.8%, Germany 4.1% (2005)

Mayotte

France 66%, Africa 14%, Southeast Asia 11% (2004)

Mexico

US 53.4%, China 8%, Japan 5.9% (2005)

Micronesia, Federated States of

US, Japan, Hong Kong (2004)

Moldova

Ukraine 20.9%, Russia 11.7%, Romania 11.2%, Germany 8.3%,

Italy 6.6%, Turkey 4.1% (2005)

Mongolia

Russia 34.5%, China 27.4%, Japan 7.1%, South Korea 5.3%

(2005)

Montenegro

Greece 10.2%, Italy 10.2%, Germany 9.6%, Bosnia and

Herzegovina 9.2% (2003)

Montserrat

US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada (2004)

Morocco

France 18.2%, Spain 11%, Saudi Arabia 6.8%, Russia 6.8%,

Italy 6.1%, China 5.2%, Germany 4.7% (2005)

Mozambique

South Africa 42.9%, Netherlands 11.5%, Portugal 3.6%

(2005)

Namibia

South Africa 85.2%, US (2004)

Nauru

South Korea 43.8%, Australia 36.2%, US 5.9%, Germany 4.3%

(2005)

Nepal

India 47.7%, UAE 11.2%, China 10.8%, Saudi Arabia 4.9%, Kuwait

4.2% (2005)

Netherlands

Germany 16.6%, Belgium 9.3%, China 8.8%, US 7.6%, UK

5.8%, France 4.7%, Russia 4.4% (2005)

Netherlands Antilles

Venezuela 50.7%, US 20.8%, Italy 4.8%,

Netherlands 4.5% (2005)

New Caledonia

France 39.3%, Singapore 17.5%, Australia 13.1%, NZ

5.3% (2005)

New Zealand

Australia 20.9%, US 11%, Japan 11%, China 10.9%, Germany

4.9% (2005)

Nicaragua

US 20.1%, Venezuela 11.9%, Costa Rica 8.9%, Mexico 8.3%,

Guatemala 7%, El Salvador 5.1%, Japan 4.5%, Ecuador 4.2% (2005)

Niger

France 14.5%, US 10.7%, French Polynesia 7.6%, Nigeria 7.5%,

Italy 6.8%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.1%, Belgium 4.6%, Germany 4.5%, China

4.5% (2005)

Nigeria

China 10.4%, US 7.3%, UK 6.7%, Netherlands 6%, France 5.9%,

Brazil 4.3%, Germany 4.2% (2005)

Niue

New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Australia, US (2004)

Norfolk Island

Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia,

Europe (2004)

Northern Mariana Islands

US, Japan (2004)

Norway

Sweden 14.6%, Germany 13.6%, Denmark 7.3%, UK 6.8%, China

5.5%, US 5%, France 4% (2005)

Oman

UAE 22.4%, Japan 15.7%, UK 7.7%, US 6.7%, Germany 5.8%, India

4.2% (2005)

Pakistan

Saudi Arabia 11.1%, UAE 10.3%, China 9.2%, Japan 6.4%, US

6%, Kuwait 5%, Germany 4.5% (2005)

Palau

US, Singapore, Japan, South Korea (2004)

Panama

US 27.5%, Netherlands Antilles 11.4%, Costa Rica 4.7%, Japan

4.5% (2005)

Papua New Guinea

Australia 54.7%, Singapore 13.4%, Japan 4.3%,

Malaysia 4.2% (2005)

Paraguay

Brazil 27.2%, China 20.5%, Argentina 19.7%, US 5.3%,

Switzerland 4.2% (2005)

Peru

US 18.2%, China 8.5%, Brazil 8%, Ecuador 7.4%, Colombia 6.1%,

Argentina 5.1%, Chile 5.1%, Venezuela 4.1% (2005)

Philippines

US 19.2%, Japan 17%, Singapore 7.9%, Taiwan 7.5%, China

6.3%, South Korea 4.8%, Saudi Arabia 4.6%, Hong Kong 4.1% (2005)

Poland

Germany 29.6%, Russia 8.7%, Italy 6.6%, Netherlands 5.9%,

France 5.7% (2005)

Portugal

Spain 29%, Germany 13.4%, France 8.5%, Italy 5.2%,

Netherlands 4.3%, UK 4.2% (2005)

Puerto Rico

US 55.0%, Ireland 23.7%, Japan 5.4% (2004)

Qatar

France 11.4%, Japan 10.4%, US 10.3%, Germany 8.3%, Saudi

Arabia 7.2%, UK 6.9%, Italy 6.4%, South Korea 5.5%, UAE 4.8% (2005)

Romania

Italy 15.5%, Germany 14%, Russia 8.3%, France 6.8%, Turkey

4.9%, China 4.1% (2005)

Russia

Germany 13.6%, Ukraine 8%, China 7.4%, Japan 6%, Belarus

4.7%, US 4.7%, Italy 4.6%, South Korea 4.1% (2005)

Rwanda

Kenya 21.5%, Uganda 6.4%, Belgium 5.7%, Germany 5.5%, Israel

4.1% (2005)

Saint Helena

UK 53.5%, South Africa 14.3%, Spain 10.3%, Tanzania

8.5%, US 4.6% (2005)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

US 46.9%, Trinidad and Tobago 13.7%, UK 5.4%,

France 4.5%, Japan 4.2% (2005)

Saint Lucia

US 22.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 14.5%, Netherlands 13.6%,

Argentina 6.6%, Venezuela 5.2%, UK 5.2%, France 4.5% (2005)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

France 51.3%, Canada 31.8%, Belgium 4.1%

(2005)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

US 33.3%, Trinidad and Tobago

23.6%, UK 9.4%, Japan 4.2% (2005)

Samoa

NZ 31%, Australia 22.6%, US 13.5%, Japan 7.5%, Fiji 6%, China

4.6% (2005)

Sao Tome and Principe

Portugal 47.5%, US 17.3%, Malaysia 6.2%,

Belgium 5.3% (2005)

Saudi Arabia

US 14.8%, Japan 9%, Germany 8.2%, China 7.4%, UK 4.7%

(2005)

Senegal

France 22.8%, Nigeria 11.4%, Brazil 4.5%, Thailand 4.3%, US

4.2%, UK 4% (2005)

Seychelles

Saudi Arabia 15.2%, South Africa 13.9%, Spain 13.6%,

France 7.2%, Singapore 6.9%, Italy 5.7% (2005)

Sierra Leone

Germany 18.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 11.1%, UK 8.4%, US 6.8%,

China 5.5%, Netherlands 5.3% (2005)

Singapore

Malaysia 14.4%, US 12.4%, China 10.8%, Japan 10.1%,

Indonesia 5.5%, Saudi Arabia 4.7%, South Korea 4.5% (2005)

Slovakia

Germany 25.1%, Czech Republic 19.3%, Russia 10.5%, Austria

6.1%, Poland 4.7%, Hungary 4.6%, Italy 4.5% (2005)

Slovenia

Germany 19.5%, Italy 18.6%, Austria 12%, France 7.1%,

Croatia 4.2% (2005)

Solomon Islands

Australia 26.2%, Singapore 25.7%, NZ 4.7%, Fiji

4.2%, Papua New Guinea 4.1% (2005)

Somalia

Djibouti 29.7%, Kenya 14.4%, India 7.9%, Brazil 7.4%, Oman

5.2%, UAE 4.9%, Yemen 4.8% (2005)

South Africa

Germany 14.2%, China 9.1%, US 7.9%, Japan 6.8%, Canada

6.3%, UK 5.6%, France 4.5%, Iran 4.2% (2005)

Spain

Germany 15.3%, France 14.7%, Italy 8.6%, UK 5.8%, Netherlands

5%, China 4.2% (2005)

Sri Lanka

India 20.7%, Singapore 8.3%, Hong Kong 7.3%, China 7.1%,

Iran 5.9%, Malaysia 4.4%, Japan 4.3% (2005)

Sudan

China 20.7%, Saudi Arabia 9.4%, UAE 5.9%, Egypt 5.5%, Japan

5.1%, India 4.8% (2005)

Suriname

US 29.3%, Netherlands 17.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 12.7%,

China 6.5%, Japan 5.2%, Brazil 4.3% (2005)

Swaziland

South Africa 95.6%, EU 0.9%, Japan 0.9%, Singapore 0.3%

(2004)

Sweden

Germany 17.6%, Denmark 8.9%, Norway 7.8%, UK 6.6%,

Netherlands 6.2%, Finland 5.8%, France 5% (2005)

Switzerland

Germany 31.6%, Italy 10.5%, France 10%, US 5.6%,

Netherlands 4.8%, Austria 4.6%, UK 4.4% (2005)

Syria

Saudi Arabia 11.6%, China 6.1%, Egypt 5.9%, Italy 5.8%, UAE

5.7%, Ukraine 4.6%, Germany 4.5%, Iran 4.2% (2005)

Taiwan

Japan 23%, China 11.9%, US 10.9%, South Korea 7.2%, Saudi

Arabia 4.9% (2006 est.)

Tajikistan

Russia 19.3%, Kazakhstan 12.7%, Uzbekistan 11.5%,

Azerbaijan 8.6%, China 7%, Ukraine 6.2%, Romania 4.6%, Turkmenistan

4% (2005)

Tanzania

South Africa 13.1%, China 9.5%, India 7%, UAE 6%, Kenya

5.1%, UK 4.1% (2005)

Thailand

Japan 22%, China 9.4%, US 7.4%, Malaysia 6.8%, UAE 4.8%,

Singapore 4.6% (2005)

Togo

France 17.8%, China 13.3%, Cote d'Ivoire 6.5%, Italy 4.5%,

Spain 4.3% (2005)

Tokelau

New Zealand (2004)

Tonga

NZ 33.4%, Fiji 26.6%, Australia 10.5%, US 8.4% (2005)

Trinidad and Tobago

US 27.2%, Venezuela 13.1%, Brazil 13.1%, Japan

5.4%, Canada 4.1% (2005)

Tunisia

France 25.8%, Italy 23.1%, Germany 9.6%, Spain 5.6% (2005)

Turkey

Germany 11.7%, Russia 11%, Italy 6.5%, China 5.9%, France 5%,

US 4.6%, UK 4% (2005)

Turkmenistan

UAE 12.7%, Azerbaijan 11.1%, US 9.6%, Russia 9.1%,

Ukraine 7.6%, Turkey 7.3%, Iran 6.2%, Germany 5.4% (2005)

Turks and Caicos Islands

US, UK (2004)

Tuvalu

Fiji 46.1%, Japan 18.9%, China 18.2%, Australia 7.7%, NZ 4.1%

(2005)

Uganda

Kenya 32.6%, UAE 8.8%, South Africa 5.8%, India 5.8%, China

5.3%, UK 4.5%, US 4.2%, Japan 4.1% (2005)

Ukraine

Russia 35.5%, Germany 9.4%, Turkmenistan 7.4%, China 5%

(2005)

United Arab Emirates

UK 10%, China 9.7%, US 9.4%, India 9.2%,

Germany 5.9%, Japan 5.4%, France 4.7%, Singapore 4.1% (2005)

United Kingdom

Germany 12.8%, US 8.7%, France 7.1%, Netherlands

6.6%, China 5%, Norway 4.7%, Belgium 4.6%, Italy 4% (2005)

United States

Canada 16.9%, China 15%, Mexico 10%, Japan 8.2%,

Germany 5% (2005)

Uruguay

Brazil 21.3%, Argentina 20.3%, Russia 8%, US 6.7%, Venezuela

6.3%, China 6.2%, Nigeria 5.9% (2005)

Uzbekistan

Russia 26.6%, South Korea 15.3%, Germany 8.8%, Kazakhstan

7.1%, China 7.1%, Turkey 4.7%, Ukraine 4.7% (2005)

Vanuatu

Australia 18.4%, Japan 16.7%, Singapore 14.7%, Poland 8.5%,

NZ 7.2%, Fiji 6.3% (2005)

Venezuela

US 31.6%, Colombia 11%, Brazil 9.1%, Mexico 6.9% (2005)

Vietnam

China 15.6%, Singapore 12.4%, Taiwan 11.7%, Japan 11.1%,

South Korea 9.7%, Thailand 6.5% (2005)

Virgin Islands

US, Puerto Rico (2004)

Wallis and Futuna

France 97%, Australia 2%, NZ 1% (2004)

West Bank

Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2004)

Western Sahara

Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so

trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2006)

World

China 9.3%, Germany 9%, US 9%, Japan 6.1%, France 4.2% (2005)

Yemen

UAE 18.9%, Saudi Arabia 8.9%, Switzerland 8.6%, Kuwait 6.7%,

China 6.1%, US 4.5% (2005)

Zambia

South Africa 47.6%, UK 12.6%, Zimbabwe 4.3% (2005)

Zimbabwe

South Africa 52.5%, China 5.7%, Botswana 4.1% (2005)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2062 Economic aid - donor

Australia

ODA, $894 million (FY99/00)

Austria

ODA, $681 million (2004)

Belgium

ODA, $1.072 billion (2002)

Canada

ODA, $2.6 billion (2004)

Denmark

ODA, $2 billion (2004)

Finland

ODA, $850,536,746.4905 (2005)

France

ODA, $5.4 billion (2002)

Germany

ODA, $5.6 billion (1998)

Iceland

$6.7 million (2004)

Ireland

ODA, $607 million (2004)

Italy

ODA, $1 billion (2002 est.)

Japan

ODA, $8.9 billion (2004)

Korea, South

ODA, $423.3 million (2004)

Lesotho

ODA, $4.4 million

Luxembourg

ODA, $235.59 million (2004)

Netherlands

ODA, $4 billion (2003 est.)

New Zealand

ODA, $276 million

Norway

ODA, $1.4 billion (1998)

Portugal

ODA, $271 million (1995)

Saudi Arabia

pledged $100 million in 1993 to fund reconstruction of

Lebanon; since 2000, Saudi Arabia has committed $307 million for

assistance to the Palestinians; pledged $230 million to development

in Afghanistan; pledged $1 billion in export guarantees and soft

loans to Iraq; pledged $133 million in direct grant aid, $187

million in concessional loans, and $153 million in export credits

for Pakistan earthquake relief

Spain

ODA, $1.33 billion (1999)

Sweden

ODA, $1.7 billion (1997)

Switzerland

ODA, $1.1 billion (1995)

United Arab Emirates

since its founding in 1971, the Abu Dhabi Fund

for Development has given about $5.2 billion in aid to 56 countries

(2004)

United Kingdom

ODA, $7.9 billion (2004)

United States

ODA, $6.9 billion (1997)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2063 Constitution

Afghanistan

new constitution drafted 14 December 2003-4 January

2004; signed 16 January 2004

Akrotiri

Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in

Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960

Albania

adopted by popular referendum on 28 November 1998

Algeria

8 September 1963; revised 19 November 1976, effective 22

November 1976; revised 3 November 1988, 23 February 1989, and 28

November 1996

American Samoa

ratified 2 June 1966, effective 1 July 1967

Andorra

Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991,

approved by referendum 14 March 1993, effective 4 May 1993

Angola

adopted by People's Assembly 25 August 1992

Anguilla

Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990

Antigua and Barbuda

1 November 1981

Argentina

1 May 1853; revised August 1994

Armenia

adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995; amendments

adopted through a nationwide referendum 27 November 2005

Aruba

1 January 1986

Australia

9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901

Austria

1920; revised 1929 (reinstated 1 May 1945)

Azerbaijan

adopted 12 November 1995

Bahamas, The

10 July 1973

Bahrain

new constitution 14 February 2002

Bangladesh

4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972; suspended

following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986; amended

many times

Barbados

30 November 1966

Belarus

15 March 1994; revised by national referendum of 24 November

1996 giving the presidency greatly expanded powers and became

effective 27 November 1996; revised again 17 October 2004 removing

presidential term limits

Belgium

7 February 1831; amended many times; revised 14 July 1993 to

create a federal state

Belize

21 September 1981

Benin

adopted by referendum 2 December 1990

Bermuda

8 June 1968; amended 1989 and 2003

Bhutan

no written constitution or bill of rights; note - in 2001,

the king commissioned the drafting of a constitution, and in March

2005 publicly unveiled it; is awaiting national referendum

Bolivia

2 February 1967; revised in August 1994

Bosnia and Herzegovina

the Dayton Agreement, signed 14 December

1995, included a new constitution now in force; note - each of the

entities also has its own constitution

Botswana

March 1965, effective 30 September 1966

Brazil

5 October 1988

British Virgin Islands

1 June 1977, amended in 2000

Brunei

29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of

Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1

January 1984)

Bulgaria

adopted 12 July 1991

Burkina Faso

2 June 1991 approved by referendum, 11 June 1991

formally adopted; amended April 2000 and January 2002

Burma

3 January 1974; suspended since 18 September 1988; national

convention convened in 1993 to draft a new constitution but

collapsed in 1996; reconvened in 2004 but does not include

participation of democratic opposition

Burundi

28 February 2005; ratified by popular referendum

Cambodia

promulgated 21 September 1993

Cameroon

20 May 1972 approved by referendum, 2 June 1972 formally

adopted; revised January 1996

Canada

made up of unwritten and written acts, customs, judicial

decisions, and traditions; the written part of the constitution

consists of the Constitution Act of 29 March 1867, which created a

federation of four provinces, and the Constitution Act of 17 April

1982, which transferred formal control over the constitution from

Britain to Canada, and added a Canadian Charter of Rights and

Freedoms as well as procedures for constitutional amendments

Cape Verde

new constitution came into force 25 September 1992;

underwent a major revision on 23 November 1995, substantially

increasing the powers of the president; a 1999 revision created the

position of national ombudsman (Provedor de Justica)

Cayman Islands

1959; revised 1962, 1972, and 1994

Central African Republic

ratified by popular referendum 5 December

2004; effective 27 December 2004

Chad

passed by referendum 31 March 1996; a June 2005 referendum

removed constitutional term limits

Chile

11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981; amended 1989,

1991, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, and 2005

China

most recent promulgation 4 December 1982

Christmas Island

Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) as

amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23

November 1955) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992

Colombia

5 July 1991

Comoros

23 December 2001

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

18 February 2006

Congo, Republic of the

approved by referendum 20 January 2002

Cook Islands

4 August 1965

Costa Rica

7 November 1949

Cote d'Ivoire

approved by referendum 23 July 2000

Croatia

adopted on 22 December 1990; revised 2000, 2001

Cuba

24 February 1976; amended July 1992 and June 2002

Cyprus

16 August 1960; from December 1963, the Turkish Cypriots no

longer participated in the government; negotiations to create the

basis for a new or revised constitution to govern the island and for

better relations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been held

intermittently since the mid-1960s; in 1975, following the 1974

Turkish intervention, Turkish Cypriots created their own

constitution and governing bodies within the "Turkish Federated

State of Cyprus," which became the "Turkish Republic of Northern

Cyprus" when the Turkish Cypriots declared their independence in

1983; a new constitution for the "TRNC" passed by referendum on 5

May 1985, although the "TRNC" remains unrecognized by any country

other than Turkey

Czech Republic

ratified 16 December 1992, effective 1 January 1993

Denmark

5 June 1849 adoption of original constitution; a major

overhaul of 5 June 1953 allowed for a unicameral legislature and a

female chief of state

Dhekelia

Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in

Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960

Djibouti

multiparty constitution approved by referendum 4 September

1992

Dominica

3 November 1978

Dominican Republic

28 November 1966; amended 25 July 2002

East Timor

22 March 2002 (based on the Portuguese model)

Ecuador

10 August 1998

Egypt

11 September 1971; amended 22 May 1980 and 25 May 2005

El Salvador

23 December 1983

Equatorial Guinea

approved by national referendum 17 November 1991;

amended January 1995

Eritrea

a transitional constitution, decreed on 19 May 1993, was

replaced by a new constitution adopted on 23 May 1997, but not yet

implemented

Estonia

adopted 28 June 1992

Ethiopia

ratified December 1994, effective 22 August 1995

European Union

based on a series of treaties: the Treaty of Paris,

which set up the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1951;

the Treaties of Rome, which set up the European Economic Community

(EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) in 1957;

the Single European Act in 1986; the Treaty on European Union

(Maastricht) in 1992; the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1997; and the

Treaty of Nice in 2003; note - a new draft Constitutional Treaty,

signed on 29 October 2004 in Rome, gave member states two years for

ratification either by parliamentary vote or national referendum

before it was scheduled to take effect on 1 November 2006; defeat in

French and Dutch referenda in May-June 2005 dealt a severe setback

to the ratification process, though it has continued more slowly

with Finland ratifying in December 2006; as of January 2007, 18

countries have ratified the Constitutional Treaty; Germany has made

revival of the EU Constitution a goal of its EU Presidency in 2007

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 1998

Faroe Islands

5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Fiji

enacted on 25 July 1997 to encourage multiculturalism and make

multiparty government mandatory; effective 28 July 1998

Finland

1 March 2000

France

adopted by referendum 28 September 1958, effective 4 October

1958; amended concerning election of president in 1962; amended to

comply with provisions of 1992 EC Maastricht Treaty, 1996 Amsterdam

Treaty, 2000 Treaty of Nice; amended to tighten immigration laws in

1993; amended in 2000 to change the seven-year presidential term to

a five-year term; amended in 2005 to make the EU constitutional

treaty compatible with the Constitution of France and to ensure that

the decision to ratify EU accession treaties would be made by

referendum

French Polynesia

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Gabon

adopted 14 March 1991

Gambia, The

24 April 1970; suspended July 1994; rewritten and

approved by national referendum 8 August 1996; reestablished January

1997

Georgia

adopted 24 August 1995

Germany

23 May 1949, known as Basic Law; became constitution of the

united Germany 3 October 1990

Ghana

approved 28 April 1992

Gibraltar

30 May 1969

Greece

11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001

Greenland

5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Grenada

19 December 1973

Guam

Organic Act of Guam, 1 August 1950

Guatemala

31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; note - suspended

25 May 1993 by former President Jorge SERRANO; reinstated 5 June

1993 following ouster of president; amended November 1993

Guernsey

unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Guinea

23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)

Guinea-Bissau

16 May 1984; amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26

February 1993, 9 June 1993, NA 1996

Guyana

6 October 1980

Haiti

approved March 1987; suspended June 1988 with most articles

reinstated March 1989; constitutional government ousted in a

military coup in September 1991, although in October 1991, military

government claimed to be observing the constitution; returned to

constitutional rule in October 1994; constitution, while technically

in force between 2004-2006, was not enforced; returned to

constitutional rule in May 2006

Holy See (Vatican City) new Fundamental Law promulgated by Pope JOHN PAUL II on 26 November 2000, effective 22 February 2001 (replaces the first Fundamental Law of 1929)

Honduras

11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982; amended 1995

Hong Kong

Basic Law, approved in March 1990 by China's National

People's Congress, is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution"

Hungary

18 August 1949, effective 20 August 1949; revised 19 April

1972; 18 October 1989 revision ensured legal rights for individuals

and constitutional checks on the authority of the prime minister and

also established the principle of parliamentary oversight; 1997

amendment streamlined the judicial system

Iceland

16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944; amended many times

India

26 January 1950; amended many times

Indonesia

August 1945; abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949 and

Provisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959; series of

amemdments concluded in 2002

Iran

2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the

presidency and eliminate the prime ministership

Iraq

ratified on 15 October 2005 (subject to review by the

Constitutional Review Committee and a possible public referendum in

2007)

Ireland

adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite; effective 29 December 1937

Isle of Man

unwritten; note - The Isle of Man Constitution Act of

1961 does not embody the unwritten Manx Constitution

Israel

no formal constitution; some of the functions of a

constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948),

the Basic Laws of the parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli

citizenship law

Italy

passed 11 December 1947, effective 1 January 1948; amended

many times

Jamaica

6 August 1962

Japan

3 May 1947

Jersey

unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Jordan

1 January 1952; amended 1954, 1955, 1958, 1960, 1965, 1973,

1974, 1976, 1984

Kazakhstan

first post-independence constitution adopted 28 January

1993; new constitution adopted by national referendum 30 August 1995

Kenya

12 December 1963; amended as a republic 1964; reissued with

amendments 1979, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1997, 2001; note - a

new draft constitution was defeated by popular referendum in 2005

Kiribati

12 July 1979

Korea, North

adopted 1948; completely revised 27 December 1972,

revised again in April 1992, and September 1998

Korea, South

29 October 1987

Kuwait

approved and promulgated 11 November 1962

Kyrgyzstan

adopted 5 May 1993; note - amendment proposed by

President Askar AKAYEV and passed in a national referendum on 2

February 2003 significantly expanded the powers of the president at

the expense of the legislature; during large-scale demonstrations in

November 2006, President BAKIYEV and the opposition negotiated a new

constitution granting greater powers to the parliament and the

government

Laos

promulgated 14 August 1991

Latvia

15 February 1922; restored to force by the Constitutional Law

of the Republic of Latvia adopted by the Supreme Council on 21

August 1991; multiple amendments since

Lebanon

23 May 1926; amended a number of times, most recently

Charter of Lebanese National Reconciliation (Ta'if Accord) of

October 1989

Lesotho

2 April 1993

Liberia

6 January 1986

Libya

none; note - following the September 1969 military overthrow

of the Libyan government, the Revolutionary Command Council replaced

the existing constitution with the Constitutional Proclamation in

December 1969; in March 1977, Libya adopted the Declaration of the

Establishment of the People's Authority

Liechtenstein

5 October 1921

Lithuania

adopted 25 October 1992

Luxembourg

17 October 1868; occasional revisions

Macau

Basic Law, approved in March 1993 by China's National People's

Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution"

Macedonia

adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991;

amended November 2001 by a series of new constitutional amendments

strengthening minority rights and in 2005 with amendments related to

the judiciary

Madagascar

19 August 1992 by national referendum

Malawi

18 May 1994

Malaysia

31 August 1957; amended 16 September 1963

Maldives

adopted 1 January 1998

Mali

adopted 12 January 1992

Malta

1964 constitution; amended many times

Marshall Islands

1 May 1979

Mauritania

12 July 1991

Mauritius

12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992

Mayotte

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Mexico

5 February 1917

Micronesia, Federated States of

10 May 1979

Moldova

new constitution adopted 29 July 1994, effective 27 August

1994; replaced old Soviet constitution of 1979

Monaco

17 December 1962

Mongolia

12 February 1992

Montenegro

12 October 1992 (was approved by the Assembly); note -

Montenegro is currently writing a new constitution set to be

presented to Parliament in spring 2007

Montserrat

effective 19 December 1989

Morocco

10 March 1972; revised 4 September 1992, amended (to create

bicameral legislature) September 1996

Mozambique

30 November 1990

Namibia

ratified 9 February 1990, effective 12 March 1990

Nauru

29 January 1968; amended 17 May 1968 (Constitution Day)

Nepal

9 November 1990; the government began working on an interim

constitution in May 2006

Netherlands

adopted 1815; amended many times, most recently in 2002

Netherlands Antilles

29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the

Netherlands, as amended

New Caledonia

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

New Zealand

consists of a series of legal documents, including

certain acts of the UK and New Zealand Parliaments, as well as The

Constitution Act 1986, which is the principal formal charter;

adopted 1 January 1987, effective 1 January 1987

Nicaragua

9 January 1987; reforms in 1995 and 2000

Niger

new constitution adopted 18 July 1999

Nigeria

new constitution adopted May 1999

Niue

19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)

Norfolk Island

Norfolk Island Act of 1979, as amended in 2005

Northern Mariana Islands

Constitution of the Commonwealth of the

Northern Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978; Covenant

Agreement fully effective 4 November 1986

Norway

17 May 1814; amended many times

Oman

none; note - on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal

decree promulgating a basic law considered by the government to be a

constitution which, among other things, clarifies the royal

succession, provides for a prime minister, bars ministers from

holding interests in companies doing business with the government,

establishes a bicameral legislature, and guarantees basic civil

liberties for Omani citizens

Pakistan

12 April 1973; suspended 5 July 1977, restored with

amendments 30 December 1985; suspended 15 October 1999, restored in

stages in 2002; amended 31 December 2003

Palau

1 January 1981

Panama

11 October 1972; major reforms adopted 1978, 1983, 1994, and

2004

Papua New Guinea

16 September 1975

Paraguay

promulgated 20 June 1992

Peru

31 December 1993

Philippines

2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987

Pitcairn Islands

30 November 1838; reformed 1904 with additional

reforms in 1940; further refined by the Local Government Ordinance

of 1964

Poland

adopted by the National Assembly 2 April 1997, passed by

national referendum 25 May 1997, effective 17 October 1997

Portugal

25 April 1976; revised many times

Puerto Rico

ratified 3 March 1952, approved by US Congress 3 July

1952, effective 25 July 1952

Qatar

ratified by public referendum on 29 April 2003, endorsed by

the amir on 8 June 2004, effective on 9 June 2005

Romania

8 December 1991; revision effective 29 October 2003

Russia

adopted 12 December 1993

Rwanda

new constitution adopted 4 June 2003

Saint Helena

1 January 1989

Saint Kitts and Nevis

19 September 1983

Saint Lucia

22 February 1979

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

27 October 1979

Samoa

1 January 1962

San Marino

8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some of the

functions of a constitution

Sao Tome and Principe

approved March 1990, effective 10 September

1990

Saudi Arabia

governed according to Shari'a law; the Basic Law that

articulates the government's rights and responsibilities was

introduced in 1993

Senegal

new constitution adopted 7 January 2001

Serbia

10 November 2006

Seychelles

18 June 1993

Sierra Leone

1 October 1991; subsequently amended several times

Singapore

3 June 1959; amended 1965 (based on preindependence State

of Singapore Constitution)

Slovakia

ratified 1 September 1992, effective 1 January 1993;

changed in September 1998 to allow direct election of the president;

amended February 2001 to allow Slovakia to apply for NATO and EU

membership

Slovenia

adopted 23 December 1991

Solomon Islands

7 July 1978

Somalia

25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979

note: the formation of transitional governing institutions, known as

the Transitional Federal Government, is currently ongoing

South Africa

10 December 1996; this new constitution was certified

by the Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed by then

President MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on 3

February 1997; it is being implemented in phases

Spain

6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978

Sri Lanka

adopted 16 August 1978, certified 31 August 1978

Sudan

12 April 1973; suspended following coup of 6 April 1985;

interim constitution of 10 October 1985 suspended following coup of

30 June 1989; new constitution implemented on 30 June 1998 partially

suspended 12 December 1999 by President BASHIR; under the CPA,

Interim National Constitution ratified 5 July 2005; Constitution of

Southern Sudan signed December 2005

Suriname

ratified 30 September 1987

Swaziland

the first constitution was signed into law in July 2005

and is scheduled to be implemented in January 2006

Sweden

1 January 1975

Switzerland

revision of Constitution of 1874 approved by the Federal

Parliament 18 December 1998, adopted by referendum 18 April 1999,

officially entered into force 1 January 2000

Syria

13 March 1973

Taiwan

25 December 1947; amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000,

2005

note: constitution adopted on 25 December 1946; went into effect on

25 December 1947

Tajikistan

6 November 1994

Tanzania

25 April 1977; major revisions October 1984

Thailand

constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October 1997;

abrogated on 19 September 2006 after coup; interim constitution

promulgated on 1 October 2006; coup leaders have promised new

constitution by mid 2007

Togo

multiparty draft constitution approved by High Council of the

Republic 1 July 1992, adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992

Tokelau

administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948; amended

in 1970

Tonga

4 November 1875; revised 1 January 1967

Trinidad and Tobago

1 August 1976

Tunisia

1 June 1959; amended 1988, 2002

Turkey

7 November 1982

Turkmenistan

adopted 18 May 1992

Turks and Caicos Islands

Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution Order

2006 (effective 9 August 2006)

Tuvalu

1 October 1978

Uganda

8 October 1995; in 2005 the constitution was amended removing

presidential term limits and legalizing a multiparty political system

Ukraine

adopted 28 June 1996

United Arab Emirates

2 December 1971; made permanent in 1996

United Kingdom

unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and

practice

United States

17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789

Uruguay

27 November 1966, effective February 1967; suspended 27 June

1973, new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980; two

constitutional reforms approved by plebiscite 26 November 1989 and 7

January 1997

Uzbekistan

new constitution adopted 8 December 1992

Vanuatu

30 July 1980

Venezuela

30 December 1999

Vietnam

15 April 1992

Virgin Islands

Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954

Wallis and Futuna

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Yemen

16 May 1991; amended 29 September 1994 and February 2001

Zambia

24 August 1991; amended in 1996 to establish presidential

term limits

Zimbabwe

21 December 1979

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2064 Economic aid - recipient

Afghanistan

international pledges made by more than 60 countries and

international financial institutions at the Berlin Donors Conference

for Afghan reconstruction in March 2004 reached $8.9 billion for

2004-09

Albania

ODA: $366 million (top donors were Italy, EU, Germany) (2003

est.)

Algeria

$313 million (2004 est.)

American Samoa

important financial support from the US, more than

$40 million in 1994

Andorra

none

Angola

$383.5 million (1999)

Anguilla

$9 million (2004 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

$1.65 million (2004)

Argentina

$0 (2002)

Armenia

ODA, $254 million (2004)

Aruba

$-11.3 million (2004)

Azerbaijan

ODA, $140 million (2000 est.)

Bahamas, The

$5 million (2004)

Bahrain

$150 million; note - $50 million annually since 1992 from

the UAE and Kuwait (2002)

Bangladesh

$1.575 billion (2000 est.)

Barbados

$9.1 million (1995)

Belarus

$194.3 million (1995)

Belize

$NA

Benin

$342.6 million (2000)

Bermuda

$NA

Bhutan

$78 million substantial aid from India and other nations

(2004)

Bolivia

$221 million (2005 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

$650 million (2001 est.)

Botswana

$73 million (1995)

Brazil

$30 billion (2002)

British Virgin Islands

$NA

Brunei

$770,000 (2004)

Bulgaria

$475 million (2004-06 est.)

Burkina Faso

$468.4 million (2003)

Burma

$127 million (2001 est.)

Burundi

$105.5 million (2003)

Cambodia

$504 million pledged in grants and concessional loans for

2005 by international donors

Cameroon

in January 2001, the Paris Club agreed to reduce Cameroon's

debt of $1.3 billion by $900 million; debt relief now totals $1.26

billion

Cape Verde

$136 million (1999)

Cayman Islands

$390,000 (2004)

Central African Republic

ODA, $59.8 million; note - traditional

budget subsidies from France (2002 est.)

Chad

$238.3 million received; note - $125 million committed by

Taiwan (August 1997); $30 million committed by African Development

Bank; ODA $246.9 million (2003 est.)

Chile

$0 (2002)

China

$NA

Christmas Island

$NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

$NA

Colombia

$NA

Comoros

$24 million (2003 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

$2.2 billion (FY03/04)

Congo, Republic of the

$159.1 million (1995)

Cook Islands

$13.1 million; note - New Zealand continues to furnish

the greater part (1995)

Cote d'Ivoire

ODA, $1 billion (1996 est.)

Croatia

ODA, $166.5 million (2002)

Cuba

$68.2 million (1997 est.)

Cyprus

Republic of Cyprus - $NA; north Cyprus - $700 million from

Turkey in grants and loans, which are usually forgiven (2003-06)

Czech Republic

$2.4 billion in available EU structural adjustment

and cohesion funds (2004-06)

Djibouti

$64.1 million (2004)

Dominica

$29.2 million (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic

$571.6 million (2004)

East Timor

$153 million (2004 est.)

Ecuador

$216 million (2002)

Egypt

ODA, $1.12 billion (2002)

El Salvador

$125 million of which, $53 million from US (2003)

Equatorial Guinea

$NA

Eritrea

$77 million (1999)

Estonia

$108 million (2000)

Ethiopia

$308 million (FY00/01)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

$0 (1997 est.)

Faroe Islands

$135 million (annual subsidy from Denmark) (1998)

Fiji

$63.9 million (2004)

French Polynesia

$580 million (2004)

Gabon

$331 million (1995)

Gambia, The

$59.8 million (2003)

Gaza Strip

$1.14 billion; note - includes West Bank (2004 est.)

Georgia

ODA, $150 million (2000 est.)

Ghana

$6.9 billion

Gibraltar

$NA

Greece

$8 billion from EU (2000-06)

Greenland

$380 million subsidy from Denmark (1997)

Grenada

$15.4 million (2004)

Guam

Guam receives large transfer payments from the US Federal

Treasury ($143 million in 1997) into which Guamanians pay no income

or excise taxes; under the provisions of a special law of Congress,

the Guam Treasury, rather than the US Treasury, receives federal

income taxes paid by military and civilian Federal employees

stationed in Guam (2001 est.)

Guatemala

$250 million (2000 est.)

Guernsey

$NA

Guinea

$237.5 million (2003)

Guinea-Bissau

$115.4 million (1995)

Guyana

$84 million (1995), Heavily Indebted Poor Country Initiative

(HIPC) $253 million (1997)

Haiti

$153 million (FY05 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)

$0

Honduras

$557.8 million (1999)

Hungary

$3.4 billion in available EU structural adjustment and

cohesion funds (2004-06)

India

$2.9 billion (FY98/99)

Indonesia

$43 billion (2002 est.)

note: Indonesia finished its IMF program in December 2003 but still

receives bilateral aid through the Consultative Group on Indonesia

(CGI), which pledged $2.8 billion in grants and loans for 2004 and

again in 2005; nearly $5 billion in aid money pledged by a variety

bilateral, multilateral, and non-governmental organization (NGO)

donors following the 2004 tsunami; money is slated for use in relief

and rebuilding efforts in Aceh

Iran

$408 million (2002 est.)

Iraq

more than $33 billion in foreign aid pledged for 2004-07 (2004)

Isle of Man

$NA

Israel

$240 million from US (FY06)

Jamaica

$18.5 million; note - US aid only (2004)

Jersey

$0

Jordan

ODA, $752 million (2005 est.)

Kazakhstan

$74.2 million in US assistance programs, 1992-2000

(FY2004)

Kenya

$453 million (1997)

Kiribati

$16.7 million largely from UK and Japan (2004)

Korea, North

$NA; note - approximately 350,000 metric tons in food

aid, worth approximately $118 million, through the World Food

Program appeal in 2004, plus additional aid from bilateral donors

and non-governmental organizations

Kuwait

$NA (2001)

Kyrgyzstan

$50 million from the US (2001)

Laos

$243 million (2001 est.)

Latvia

$96.2 million

Lebanon

$2.2 billion received (2003), out of the $4.2 billion in

soft loans pledged at the November 2002 Paris II Aid Conference

Lesotho

$41.5 million (2000)

Liberia

$94 million (1999)

Libya

ODA, $18 million (2004 est.)

Liechtenstein

$0

Lithuania

$1.6 billion (1995)

Macau

$NA

Macedonia

NA

Madagascar

$354 million (2001)

Malawi

$401.5 million (2001)

Maldives

$27.9 million (2004)

Mali

$472.1 million (2002)

Malta

$NA

Marshall Islands

$51.1 million more than $1 billion from the US,

1986-2002 (2004)

Mauritania

$305.7 million (2002)

Mauritius

$42 million (1997)

Mayotte

$208 million; note - extensive French financial assistance

(2004)

Mexico

$1.166 billion (1995)

Micronesia, Federated States of $86.3 million under terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US pledged $1.3 billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001; the level of aid has been subsequently reduced (2004)

Moldova

$100 million (2000)

Monaco

$NA

Mongolia

$215 million (2003)

Montenegro

NA

Montserrat

Country Policy Plan (2001) is a three-year program for

spending $122.8 million in British budgetary assistance (2002 est.)

Morocco

ODA, $706 million (2004)

Mozambique

$632.8 million (2001)

Namibia

ODA, $160 million (2000 est.)

Nauru

$20 million mostly from Australia (2005)

Nepal

$424 million (FY00/01)

Netherlands Antilles $21.5 million IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the Netherlands continued its support with $40 million (2004)

New Caledonia

$525 million annual subsidy from France (2004)

Nicaragua

$419.5 million (2005 est.)

Niger

$453.3 million (2003)

Nigeria

$250 million

Niue

$2.6 million from New Zealand (2002)

Norfolk Island

$NA

Northern Mariana Islands

extensive funding from US

Oman

$76.4 million (1995)

Pakistan

$2.4 billion (FY01/02)

Palau

$19.6 million; note - the Compact of Free Association with the

US, entered into after the end of the UN trusteeship on 1 October

1994, provides Palau with up to $700 million in US aid over 15 years

in return for furnishing military facilities (2004)

Panama

$197.1 million (1995)

Papua New Guinea

$NA

Paraguay

$NA

Peru

$491 million (2002)

Philippines

ODA commitments, $2 billion (2004)

Pitcairn Islands

$3.465 million (2004)

Poland

$13.9 billion in available EU structural adjustment and

cohesion funds (2004-06)

Puerto Rico

$NA

Qatar

$NA

Russia

in FY01 from US, $979 million (including $750 million in

non-proliferation subsidies); in 2001 from EU, $200 million (2000

est.)

Rwanda

$425 million (2003)

Saint Helena

$12.6 million (1995); note - $5.3 million from UK (1997)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

$-110,000 (2004)

Saint Lucia

$-21.5 million (2004)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

approximately $60 million in annual grants

from France

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

$10.5 million (1995); note - EU

$34.5 million (2004)

Samoa

$30.8 million (2004)

San Marino

$NA

Sao Tome and Principe $200 million in December 2000 under the HIPC program

Senegal

$449.6 million (2003 est.)

Serbia

$2 billion pledged in 2001 to Serbia and Montenegro

(disbursements to follow over several years; aid pledged by EU and

US has been placed on hold because of lack of cooperation by Serbia

in handing over General Ratko MLADIC to the criminal court in The

Hague)

Seychelles

$16.4 million (1995)

Sierra Leone

$297.4 million (2003 est.)

Singapore

$NA

Slovakia

$12.67 billion in available EU structural adjustment and

cohesion funds (2007-13)

Slovenia

ODA, $484 million (2004-06)

Solomon Islands

$122 million annually, mainly from Australia (2004

est.)

Somalia

$60 million (1999 est.)

South Africa

$487.5 million (2000)

Sri Lanka

$577 million (1998)

Sudan

$172 million (2001)

Suriname

$46 million Netherlands provided $37 million for project

and program assistance, European Development Fund $4 million,

Belgium $2 million (2003)

Svalbard

$8.2 million from Norway (1998)

Swaziland

$104 million (2001)

Syria

$180 million (2002 est.)

Tajikistan

$67 million from US (2005)

Tanzania

$1.2 billion (2001)

Thailand

$72 million (2002)

Togo

ODA, $80 million (2000 est.)

Tokelau

about $4 million annually from New Zealand

Tonga

$19.3 million Australia $5.5 million, New Zealand $2.3 million

(FY01/02) (2004)

Trinidad and Tobago

$24 million (1999 est.)

Tunisia

$328 million (2004)

Turkey

ODA, $635.8 million (2002)

Turkmenistan

$16 million from the US (2001)

Turks and Caicos Islands

$4.1 million (1997)

Tuvalu

$13 million; note - major donors are Australia, Japan, and

the US (1999 est.)

Uganda

$959 million (2003)

Ukraine

$637.7 million (1995); IMF Extended Funds Facility $2.2

billion (1998)

Uruguay

$NA

Uzbekistan

$91.6 million from the US (2005)

Vanuatu

$37.8 million (2004)

Venezuela

$74 million (2000)

Vietnam

$2.8 billion in credits and grants pledged by international

donors for 2000 (2004)

Virgin Islands

$NA

Wallis and Futuna

assistance from France

West Bank

$1.14 billion; note - includes Gaza Strip (2004)

Western Sahara

$NA

World

$154 billion official development assistance (ODA) (2004)

Yemen

$2.3 billion (2003-07 disbursements)

Zambia

$640.6 million (2002)

Zimbabwe

$178 million; note - the EU and the US provide food aid on

humanitarian grounds (2000 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2065 Currency (code)

Afghanistan

afghani (AFA)

Akrotiri

Cypriot pound (CYP)

Albania

lek (ALL)

note: the plural of lek is leke

Algeria

Algerian dinar (DZD)

American Samoa

US dollar (USD)

Andorra

euro (EUR)

Angola

kwanza (AOA)

Anguilla

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Antigua and Barbuda

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Argentina

Argentine peso (ARS)

Armenia

dram (AMD)

Aruba

Aruban guilder/florin (AWG)

Australia

Australian dollar (AUD)

Austria

euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the

euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of

member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole

currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani manat (AZM)

Bahamas, The

Bahamian dollar (BSD)

Bahrain

Bahraini dinar (BHD)

Bangladesh

taka (BDT)

Barbados

Barbadian dollar (BBD)

Belarus

Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR)

Belgium

euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the

euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of

member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole

currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Belize

Belizean dollar (BZD)

Benin

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -

responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Bermuda

Bermudian dollar (BMD)

Bhutan

ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR)

Bolivia

boliviano (BOB)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

marka (BAM)

Botswana

pula (BWP)

Brazil

real (BRL)

British Indian Ocean Territory

both the British Pound (GBP) and the

US Dollar (USD) are accepted

British Virgin Islands

US dollar (USD)

Brunei

Bruneian dollar (BND)

Bulgaria

lev (BGL)

Burkina Faso

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -

responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Burma

kyat (MMK)

Burundi

Burundi franc (BIF)

Cambodia

riel (KHR)

Cameroon

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note -

responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Canada

Canadian dollar (CAD)

Cape Verde

Cape Verdean escudo (CVE)

Cayman Islands

Caymanian dollar (KYD)

Central African Republic

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc

(XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central

African States

Chad

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible

authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Chile

Chilean peso (CLP)

China

yuan (CNY); note - also referred to as the Renminbi (RMB)

Christmas Island

Australian dollar (AUD)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Australian dollar (AUD)

Colombia

Colombian peso (COP)

Comoros

Comoran franc (KMF)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Congolese franc (CDF)

Congo, Republic of the

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF);

note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African

States

Cook Islands

New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Costa Rica

Costa Rican colon (CRC)

Cote d'Ivoire

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -

responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Croatia

kuna (HRK)

Cuba

Cuban peso (CUP) and Convertible peso (CUC)

Cyprus

Republic of Cyprus: Cypriot pound (CYP); Turkish Cypriot

area: Turkish New lira (YTL)

Czech Republic

Czech koruna (CZK)

Denmark

Danish krone (DKK)

Dhekelia

Cypriot pound (CYP)

Djibouti

Djiboutian franc (DJF)

Dominica

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Dominican Republic

Dominican peso (DOP)

East Timor

US dollar (USD)

Ecuador

US dollar (USD)

Egypt

Egyptian pound (EGP)

El Salvador

US dollar (USD)

Equatorial Guinea

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note

- responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Eritrea

nakfa (ERN)

Estonia

Estonian kroon (EEK)

Ethiopia

birr (ETB)

European Union

euro, British pound, Bulgarian lev, Cypriot pound,

Czech koruna, Danish krone, Estonian kroon, Hungarian forint,

Latvian lat, Lithuanian litas, Maltese lira, Polish zloty, Romanian

leu, Slovak koruna, Swedish krona; Romanian leu and Bulgarian lev

added, beginning in 2007

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Falkland pound (FKP)

Faroe Islands

Danish krone (DKK)

Fiji

Fijian dollar (FJD)

Finland

euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the

euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of

member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole

currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

France

euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the

euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of

member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole

currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

French Polynesia

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Gabon

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note -

responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Gambia, The

dalasi (GMD)

Gaza Strip

new Israeli shekel (ILS)

Georgia

lari (GEL)

Germany

euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the

euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of

member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole

currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Ghana

cedi (GHC)

Gibraltar

Gibraltar pound (GIP)

Greece

euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the

euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of

member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole

currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Greenland

Danish krone (DKK)

Grenada

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Guam

US dollar (USD)

Guatemala

quetzal (GTQ), US dollar (USD), others allowed

Guernsey

British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Guernsey pound

Guinea

Guinean franc (GNF)

Guinea-Bissau

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -

responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Guyana

Guyanese dollar (GYD)

Haiti

gourde (HTG)

Holy See (Vatican City)

euro (EUR)

Honduras

lempira (HNL)

Hong Kong

Hong Kong dollar (HKD)

Hungary

forint (HUF)

Iceland

Icelandic krona (ISK)

India

Indian rupee (INR)

Indonesia

Indonesian rupiah (IDR)

Iran

Iranian rial (IRR)

Iraq

New Iraqi dinar (NID) as of 22 January 2004

Ireland

euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the

euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of

member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole

currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Isle of Man

British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Manx pound

Israel

new Israeli shekel (ILS); note - NIS is the currency

abbreviation; ILS is the International Organization for

Standardization (ISO) code for the NIS

Italy

euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the

euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of

member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole

currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Jamaica

Jamaican dollar (JMD)

Japan

yen (JPY)

Jersey

British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Jersey pound

Jordan

Jordanian dinar (JOD)

Kazakhstan

tenge (KZT)

Kenya

Kenyan shilling (KES)

Kiribati

Australian dollar (AUD)

Korea, North

North Korean won (KPW)

Korea, South

South Korean won (KRW)

Kuwait

Kuwaiti dinar (KD)

Kyrgyzstan

som (KGS)

Laos

kip (LAK)

Latvia

Latvian lat (LVL)

Lebanon

Lebanese pound (LBP)

Lesotho

loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR)

Liberia

Liberian dollar (LRD)

Libya

Libyan dinar (LYD)

Liechtenstein

Swiss franc (CHF)

Lithuania

litas (LTL)

Luxembourg

euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the

euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of

member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole

currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Macau

pataca (MOP)

Macedonia

Macedonian denar (MKD)

Madagascar

Madagascar ariary (MGA)

Malawi

Malawian kwacha (MWK)

Malaysia

ringgit (MYR)

Maldives

rufiyaa (MVR)

Mali

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible

authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Malta

Maltese lira (MTL)

Marshall Islands

US dollar (USD)

Mauritania

ouguiya (MRO)

Mauritius

Mauritian rupee (MUR)

Mayotte

euro (EUR)

Mexico

Mexican peso (MXN)

Micronesia, Federated States of

US dollar (USD)

Moldova

Moldovan leu (MDL)

Monaco

euro (EUR)

Mongolia

togrog/tugrik (MNT)

Montenegro

euro (EUR)

Montserrat

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Morocco

Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Mozambique

metical (MZM)

Namibia

Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand (ZAR)

Nauru

Australian dollar (AUD)

Nepal

Nepalese rupee (NPR)

Netherlands

euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the

euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of

member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole

currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Netherlands Antilles

Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG)

New Caledonia

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

New Zealand

New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Nicaragua

gold cordoba (NIO)

Niger

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -

responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

(BCEAO)

Nigeria

naira (NGN)

Niue

New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Norfolk Island

Australian dollar (AUD)

Northern Mariana Islands

US dollar (USD)

Norway

Norwegian krone (NOK)

Oman

Omani rial (OMR)

Pakistan

Pakistani rupee (PKR)

Palau

US dollar (USD)

Panama

balboa (PAB); US dollar (USD)

Papua New Guinea

kina (PGK)

Paraguay

guarani (PYG)

Peru

nuevo sol (PEN)

Philippines

Philippine peso (PHP)

Pitcairn Islands

New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Poland

zloty (PLN)

Portugal

euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the

euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of

member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole

currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Puerto Rico

US dollar (USD)

Qatar

Qatari rial (QAR)

Romania

leu (ROL) is being phased out in 2006; "new" leu (RON) was

introduced in 2005 due to currency revaluation: 10,000 ROL = 1 RON

Russia

Russian ruble (RUR)

Rwanda

Rwandan franc (RWF)

Saint Helena

Saint Helenian pound (SHP)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Saint Lucia

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

euro (EUR)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Samoa

tala (SAT)

San Marino

euro (EUR)

Sao Tome and Principe

dobra (STD)

Saudi Arabia

Saudi riyal (SAR)

Senegal

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -

responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Serbia

Serbian Dinar (RSD)

Seychelles

Seychelles rupee (SCR)

Sierra Leone

leone (SLL)

Singapore

Singapore dollar (SGD)

Slovakia

Slovak koruna (SKK)

Slovenia

euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 2007, Slovenia's currency became the euro; both

the tolar and the euro were in circulation from 1 January until 15

January

Solomon Islands

Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)

Somalia

Somali shilling (SOS)

South Africa

rand (ZAR)

Spain

euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the

euro as a common currency to be used by the financial institutions

of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole

currency for everyday transactions with the member countries

Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)

Sudan

Sudanese dinar (SDD)

Suriname

Surinam dollar (SRD)

Svalbard

Norwegian krone (NOK)

Swaziland

lilangeni (SZL)

Sweden

Swedish krona (SEK)

Switzerland

Swiss franc (CHF)

Syria

Syrian pound (SYP)

Taiwan

new Taiwan dollar (TWD)

Tajikistan

somoni

Tanzania

Tanzanian shilling (TZS)

Thailand

baht (THB)

Togo

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible

authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Tokelau

New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Tonga

pa'anga (TOP)

Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD)

Tunisia

Tunisian dinar (TND)

Turkey

Turkish lira (YTL); old Turkish lira (TRL) before 1 January

2005

Turkmenistan

Turkmen manat (TMM)

Turks and Caicos Islands

US dollar (USD)

Tuvalu

Australian dollar (AUD); note - there is also a Tuvaluan

dollar

Uganda

Ugandan shilling (UGX)

Ukraine

hryvnia (UAH)

United Arab Emirates

Emirati dirham (AED)

United Kingdom

British pound (GBP)

United States

US dollar (USD)

Uruguay

Uruguayan peso (UYU)

Uzbekistan

Uzbekistani soum (UZS)

Vanuatu

vatu (VUV)

Venezuela

bolivar (VEB)

Vietnam

dong (VND)

Virgin Islands

US dollar (USD)

Wallis and Futuna

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

West Bank

new Israeli shekel (ILS); Jordanian dinar (JOD)

Western Sahara

Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Yemen

Yemeni rial (YER)

Zambia

Zambian kwacha (ZMK)

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwean dollar (ZWD)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2066 Death rate (deaths/1,000 population)

Afghanistan

20.34 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Albania

5.22 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Algeria

4.61 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

American Samoa

3.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Andorra

6.25 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Angola

24.2 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Anguilla

5.34 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

5.37 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Argentina

7.55 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Armenia

8.23 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Aruba

6.68 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Australia

7.51 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Austria

9.76 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Azerbaijan

9.75 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bahamas, The

9.05 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bahrain

4.14 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bangladesh

8.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Barbados

8.67 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Belarus

14.02 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Belgium

10.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Belize

5.72 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Benin

12.22 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bermuda

7.74 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bhutan

12.7 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bolivia

7.53 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

8.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Botswana

29.5 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Brazil

6.17 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

British Virgin Islands

4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Brunei

3.45 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bulgaria

14.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Burkina Faso

15.6 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Burma

9.83 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Burundi

13.46 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Cambodia

9.06 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Cameroon

13.47 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Canada

7.8 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Cape Verde

6.55 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Cayman Islands

4.89 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Central African Republic

18.65 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Chad

16.38 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Chile

5.81 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

China

6.97 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Christmas Island

NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

NA deaths/1,000 population

Colombia

5.58 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Comoros

8.2 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 13.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

12.93 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Cook Islands

NA deaths/1,000 population

Costa Rica

4.36 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

14.84 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Croatia

11.48 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Cuba

7.22 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Cyprus

7.68 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Czech Republic

10.59 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Denmark

10.36 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Djibouti

19.31 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Dominica

6.73 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Dominican Republic

5.73 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

East Timor

6.24 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Ecuador

4.23 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Egypt

5.23 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

El Salvador

5.78 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

15.06 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Eritrea

9.6 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Estonia

13.25 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Ethiopia

14.86 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

European Union

10.1 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

NA deaths/1,000 population

Faroe Islands

8.7 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Fiji

5.65 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Finland

9.86 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

France

9.14 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

French Polynesia

4.69 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Gabon

12.25 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Gambia, The

12.25 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Gaza Strip

3.8 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Georgia

9.23 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Germany

10.62 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Ghana

9.72 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Gibraltar

9.31 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Greece

10.24 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Greenland

7.84 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Grenada

6.88 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Guam

4.48 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Guatemala

5.2 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Guernsey

10.01 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Guinea

15.48 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

16.53 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Guyana

8.28 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Haiti

12.17 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Honduras

5.28 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Hong Kong

6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Hungary

13.11 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Iceland

6.72 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

India

8.18 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Indonesia

6.25 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Iran

5.55 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Iraq

5.37 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Ireland

7.82 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Isle of Man

11.19 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Israel

6.18 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Italy

10.4 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Jamaica

6.52 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Japan

9.16 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Jersey

9.28 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Jordan

2.65 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Kazakhstan

9.42 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Kenya

14.02 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Kiribati

8.26 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Korea, North

7.13 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Korea, South

5.85 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Kuwait

2.41 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

7.08 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Laos

11.55 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Latvia

13.66 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Lebanon

6.21 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Lesotho

28.71 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Liberia

23.1 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Libya

3.48 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Liechtenstein

7.18 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Lithuania

10.98 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Luxembourg

8.41 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Macau

4.47 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Macedonia

8.77 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Madagascar

11.11 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Malawi

19.33 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Malaysia

5.05 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Maldives

7.06 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Mali

16.89 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Malta

8.1 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Marshall Islands

4.78 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Mauritania

12.16 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Mauritius

6.86 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Mayotte

7.7 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Mexico

4.74 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of 4.75 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Moldova

12.64 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Monaco

12.91 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Mongolia

6.95 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Montenegro

9.2 deaths/1,000 population (2004)

Montserrat

7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Morocco

5.58 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Mozambique

21.35 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Namibia

18.86 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Nauru

6.7 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Nepal

9.31 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Netherlands

8.68 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

6.45 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

New Caledonia

5.69 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

New Zealand

7.53 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Nicaragua

4.45 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Niger

20.91 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Nigeria

16.94 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Niue

NA deaths/1,000 population

Norfolk Island

NA deaths/1,000 population

Northern Mariana Islands

2.29 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Norway

9.4 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oman

3.81 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Pakistan

8.23 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Palau

6.8 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Panama

5.36 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea

7.25 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Paraguay

4.49 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Peru

6.23 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Philippines

5.41 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Pitcairn Islands

NA deaths/1,000 population

Poland

9.89 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Portugal

10.5 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Puerto Rico

7.65 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Qatar

4.72 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Romania

11.77 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Russia

14.65 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Rwanda

16.09 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Saint Helena

6.53 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

8.33 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Saint Lucia

5.08 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

6.83 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5.98 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Samoa

6.62 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

San Marino

8.17 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe

6.47 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Saudi Arabia

2.58 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Senegal

9.42 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Seychelles

6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sierra Leone

23.03 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Singapore

4.28 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Slovakia

9.45 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Slovenia

10.31 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Solomon Islands

3.92 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Somalia

16.63 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

South Africa

22 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Spain

9.72 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sri Lanka

6.52 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sudan

8.97 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Suriname

7.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Svalbard

NA deaths/1,000 population

Swaziland

29.74 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sweden

10.31 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Switzerland

8.49 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Syria

4.81 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Taiwan

6.48 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Tajikistan

8.25 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Tanzania

16.39 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Thailand

7.04 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Togo

9.83 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Tokelau

NA deaths/1,000 population

Tonga

5.28 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

10.57 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Tunisia

5.13 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Turkey

5.97 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Turkmenistan

8.6 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

4.21 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Tuvalu

7.11 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Uganda

12.24 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Ukraine

14.39 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates

4.4 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

United Kingdom

10.13 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

United States

8.26 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Uruguay

9.05 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Uzbekistan

7.84 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Vanuatu

7.82 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Venezuela

4.92 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Vietnam

6.22 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Virgin Islands

6.43 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Wallis and Futuna

NA deaths/1,000 population

West Bank

3.92 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Western Sahara

NA deaths/1,000 population

World

8.67 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Yemen

8.3 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Zambia

19.93 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Zimbabwe

21.84 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2068 Dependent areas

Australia

Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos

(Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald

Islands, Norfolk Island, Macquarie Island

France

Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island, French

Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Glorioso Islands,

Juan de Nova Island, New Caledonia, Tromelin Island, Wallis and

Futuna

note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica; New Caledonia

has been considered a "sui generis" collectivity of France since

1999, a unique status falling between that of an independent country

and a French overseas deparment

Netherlands

Aruba, Netherlands Antilles

New Zealand

Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau

Norway

Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard

United Kingdom

Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory,

British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar,

Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena and Ascension, South

Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands

United States

American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island,

Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa

Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin

Islands, Wake Island

note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered

the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; it entered into a

political relationship with all four political units: the Northern

Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with the US

(effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands

signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21

October 1986); the Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact

of Free Association with the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau

concluded a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 1

October 1994)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2070 Disputes - international

Afghanistan

most Afghan refugees in Pakistan have been repatriated,

but thousands still remain in Iran, many at their own choosing;

Coalition and Pakistani forces continue to patrol remote tribal

areas to control the borders and stem organized terrorist and other

illegal cross-border activities; regular meetings between Pakistani

and Coalition allies aim to resolve periodic claims of boundary

encroachments; regional conflicts over water-sharing arrangements

with Amu Darya and Helmand River states

Albania

the Albanian Government calls for the protection of the

rights of ethnic Albanians in neighboring countries, and the

peaceful resolution of interethnic disputes; some ethnic Albanian

groups in neighboring countries advocate for a "greater Albania,"

but the idea has little appeal among Albanian nationals; thousands

of unemployed Albanians emigrate annually to nearby Italy and other

developed countries

Algeria

Algeria supports the exiled Sahrawi Polisario Front and

rejects Moroccan administration of Western Sahara; most of the

approximately 102,000 Western Saharan Sahrawi refugees are sheltered

in camps in Tindouf, Algeria; Algeria's border with Morocco remains

an irritant to bilateral relations, each nation accusing the other

of harboring militants and arms smuggling; in an attempt to improve

relations, Morocco, in mid-2004, unilaterally lifted the requirement

that Algerians visiting Morocco possess entry visas - a gesture not

reciprocated by Algeria; Algeria remains concerned about armed

bandits operating throughout the Sahel who sometimes destabilize

southern Algerian towns; dormant disputes include Libyan claims of

about 32,000 sq km still reflected on its maps of southeastern

Algeria and the FLN's assertions of a claim to Chirac Pastures in

southeastern Morocco

American Samoa

none

Andorra

none

Angola

many Cabinda exclave secessionists have sought shelter in

neighboring states

Anguilla

none

Antarctica

Antarctic Treaty freezes claims (see Antarctic Treaty

Summary in government type entry); Argentina, Australia, Chile,

France, NZ, Norway, and UK claim land and maritime sectors (some

overlapping) for a large portion of the continent; the US and many

other states do not recognize these territorial claims and have made

no claims themselves (the US and Russia reserve the right to do so);

no claims have been made in the sector between 90 degrees west and

150 degrees west; several states with territorial claims in

Antarctica have expressed their intention to submit data to the UN

Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf to extend their

continental shelf claims to adjoining undersea ridges

Antigua and Barbuda

none

Arctic Ocean

some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

Argentina

Argentina continues to assert its claims to the

UK-administered Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia

and the South Sandwich Islands in its constitution, forcibly

occupying the Falklands in 1982, but in 1995 agreed no longer to

seek settlement by force; territorial claim in Antarctica partially

overlaps UK and Chilean claims (see Antarctic disputes); unruly

region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus

of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics

trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations;

uncontested dispute between Brazil and Uruguay over Braziliera

Island in the Quarai/Cuareim River leaves the tripoint with

Argentina in question; action by the joint boundary commission,

established by Chile and Argentina in 2001, for mapping and

demarcating the disputed boundary in the Andean Southern Ice Field

(Campo de Hielo Sur) remains pending

Armenia

Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in

Nagorno-Karabakh and since the early 1990s, has militarily occupied

16% of Azerbaijan - Organization for Security and Cooperation in

Europe (OSCE) continues to mediate dispute; over 800,000 mostly

ethnic Azerbaijanis were driven from the occupied lands and Armenia;

about 230,000 ethnic Armenians were driven from their homes in

Azerbaijan into Armenia; Azerbaijan seeks transit route through

Armenia to connect to Naxcivan exclave; border with Turkey remains

closed over Nagorno-Karabakh dispute; ethnic Armenian groups in

Javakheti region of Georgia seek greater autonomy; tens of thousands

of Armenians emigrate, primarily to Russia, to seek employment

Aruba

none

Ashmore and Cartier Islands Indonesian groups challenge Australia's claim to Ashmore Reef; Australia has closed the surrounding waters to Indonesian traditional fishing and created a national park in the region while continuing to prospect for hydrocarbons in the vicinity

Atlantic Ocean

some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

Australia

East Timor and Australia agreed in 2005 to defer the

disputed portion of the boundary for fifty years and to split

hydrocarbon revenues evenly outside the Joint Petroleum Development

Area covered by the 2002 Timor Sea Treaty; East Timor dispute

hampers creation of a revised maritime boundary with Indonesia (see

also Ashmore and Cartier Islands dispute); regional states express

concern over Australia's 2004 declaration of a 1,000-nautical

mile-wide maritime identification zone; Australia asserts land and

maritime claims to Antarctica (see Antarctica); in 2004 Australia

submitted its claims to UN Commission on the Limits of the

Continental Shelf (CLCS) to extend its continental margin from both

its mainland and Antarctic claims

Austria

Austrian anti-nuclear activists have revived blockades of

the Czech-Austrian border to protest operation of the Temelin

nuclear power plant in the Czech Republic

Azerbaijan

Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in

Nagorno-Karabakh and since the early 1990s has militarily occupied

16% of Azerbaijan; over 800,000 mostly ethnic Azerbaijanis were

driven from the occupied lands and Armenia; about 230,000 ethnic

Armenians were driven from their homes in Azerbaijan into Armenia;

Azerbaijan seeks transit route through Armenia to connect to

Naxcivan exclave; Organization for Security and Cooperation in

Europe (OSCE) continues to mediate dispute; Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan,

and Russia ratify Caspian seabed delimitation treaties based on

equidistance, while Iran continues to insist on an even one-fifth

allocation and challenges Azerbaijan's hydrocarbon exploration in

disputed waters; bilateral talks continue with Turkmenistan on

dividing the seabed and contested oilfields in the middle of the

Caspian; Azerbaijan and Georgia continue to discuss the alignment of

their boundary at certain crossing areas

Bahamas, The

disagrees with the US on the alignment of the maritime

boundary; continues to monitor and interdict Haitian refugees

fleeing economic privation and political instability

Bahrain

none

Baker Island

none

Bangladesh

discussions with India remain stalled to delimit a small

section of river boundary, exchange 162 miniscule enclaves in both

countries, allocate divided villages, and stop illegal cross-border

trade, migration, violence, and transit of terrorists through the

porous border; Bangladesh resists India's attempts to fence or wall

off high-traffic sections of the porous boundary; a joint

Bangladesh-India boundary inspection in 2005 revealed 92 pillars are

missing; dispute with India over New Moore/South Talpatty/Purbasha

Island in the Bay of Bengal deters maritime boundary delimitation;

Burmese Muslim refugees strain Bangladesh's meager resources

Barbados

in 2005, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago agreed to

compulsory international arbitration that will result in a binding

award challenging whether the northern limit of Trinidad and

Tobago's and Venezuela's maritime boundary extends into Barbadian

waters and the southern limit of Barbadian traditional fishing;

joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves

Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under the UN

Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which permits Venezuela

to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the

Caribbean Sea

Bassas da India

claimed by Madagascar

Belarus

1997 boundary treaty with Ukraine remains unratified over

unresolved financial claims, preventing demarcation and diminishing

border security; the whole boundary with Latvia and more than half

the boundary with Lithuania remains undemarcated; discussions toward

economic and political union with Russia proceed slowly

Belgium

none

Belize

Guatemalan squatters continue to settle in the largely

uninhabited rain forests of Belize's border region; OAS seeks to

revive the 2002 failed Belize-Guatemala Differendum that created a

small adjustment to land boundary, a Guatemalan maritime corridor in

Caribbean, joint ecological park for disputed Sapodilla Cays, and

substantial US-UK financial package

Benin

Benin and Burkina Faso military clash in 2006 over sections of

riverine boundary involving disputed villages and squatters; much of

Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria, remains

undemarcated; in 2005, Nigeria ceded thirteen villages to Benin as a

consequence of a 2004 joint task force to resolve maritime and land

boundary disputes, but clashes among rival gangs along the border

persist; a joint boundary commission continues to resurvey the

boundary with Togo to verify Benin's claim that Togo moved boundary

stones

Bermuda

none

Bhutan

approximately 105,000 Bhutanese have lived decades as

refugees in Nepal, 90% of whom reside in seven UN Office of the High

Commissioner for Refugees camps; Bhutan cooperates with India to

expel Indian separatists

Bolivia

Chile rebuffs Bolivia's reactivated claim to restore the

Atacama corridor, ceded to Chile in 1884, offering instead

unrestricted but not sovereign maritime access through Chile for

Bolivian natural gas and other commodities

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia and

Montenegro have delimited most of their boundary, but sections along

the Drina River remain in dispute; discussions continue with Croatia

on several small disputed sections of the boundary related to

maritime access that hinder ratification of the 1999 border agreement

Botswana

commission established with Namibia has yet to resolve

small residual disputes along the Caprivi Strip, including the

Situngu marshlands along the Linyanti River; downstream Botswana

residents protest Namibia's planned construction of the Okavango

hydroelectric dam at Popavalle (Popa Falls); Botswana has built

electric fences to stem the thousands of Zimbabweans who flee to

find work and escape political persecution; Namibia has long

supported and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to plans between

Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River,

thereby de facto recognizing their short, but not clearly delimited

Botswana-Zambia boundary

Bouvet Island

none

Brazil

unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay

borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal

narcotics trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations;

uncontested dispute with Uruguay over certain islands in the

Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada boundary streams and the resulting

tripoint with Argentina; in 2004 Brazil submitted its claims to the

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to extend

its maritime continental margin

British Indian Ocean Territory

Mauritius and Seychelles claim the

Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia; in 2001 the former

inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago, evicted in 1965 and now

residing chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK citizenship and the

right to repatriation; the UK resists the Chagossians' demand for an

immediate return to the islands; repatriation is complicated by the

exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that restricts access to

the largest island in the chain;

British Virgin Islands

none

Brunei

in 2003 Brunei and Malaysia ceased gas and oil exploration in

their disputed offshore and deepwater seabeds and negotiations have

stalemated prompting consideration of international legal

adjudication; Malaysia's land boundary with Brunei around Limbang is

in dispute; Brunei established an exclusive economic fishing zone

encompassing Louisa Reef in southern Spratly Islands in 1984 but

makes no public territorial claim to the offshore reefs; the 2002

"Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has

eased tensions in the Spratly Islands but falls short of a legally

binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants

Bulgaria

none

Burkina Faso

two villages are in dispute along the border with

Benin; Benin accuses Burkina Faso of moving boundary pillars;

Burkina Faso border regions remain a staging area for Liberia and

Cote d'Ivoire rebels and an asylum for refugees caught in local

fighting; the Ivoirian Government accuses Burkina Faso of sheltering

Ivoirian rebels

Burma

over half of Burma's population consists of diverse ethnic

groups with substantial numbers of kin beyond its borders; despite

continuing border committee talks, significant differences remain

with Thailand over boundary alignment and the handling of ethnic

rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border activities; ethnic Karens

flee into Thailand to escape fighting between Karen rebels and

Burmese troops; in 2005 Thailand sheltered about 121,000 Burmese

refugees; Karens also protest Thai support for a Burmese

hydroelectric dam on the Salween River near the border;

environmentalists in Burma and Thailand continue to voice concern

over China's construction of hydroelectric dams upstream on the

Nujiang/Salween River in Yunnan Province; India seeks cooperation

from Burma to keep Indian Nagaland separatists from hiding in remote

Burmese uplands

Burundi

Tutsi, Hutu, other conflicting ethnic groups, associated

political rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces

continue fighting in the Great Lakes region, transcending the

boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and

Uganda in an effort to gain control over populated and natural

resource areas; government heads pledge to end conflict, but

localized violence continues despite the presence of about 6,000

peacekeepers from the UN Operation in Burundi (ONUB) since 2004;

although some 150,000 Burundian refugees have been repatriated, as

of February 2005, Burundian refugees still reside in camps in

western Tanzania as well as the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Cambodia

Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to

check the spread of avian flu; Cambodia and Thailand dispute

sections of boundary with missing boundary markers and Thai

encroachments into Cambodian territory; maritime boundary with

Vietnam is hampered by unresolved dispute over offshore islands;

Cambodia accuses Thailand of obstructing access to Preah Vihear

temple ruins awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962; in 2004,

Cambodian-Laotian and Laotian-Vietnamese boundary commissions

re-erected missing markers completing most of their demarcations

Cameroon

ICJ ruled in 2002 on the entire Cameroon-Nigeria land and

maritime boundary but the parties formed a Joint Border Commission,

which continues to meet regularly to resolve differences bilaterally

and have commenced with demarcation in less-contested sections of

the boundary, starting in Lake Chad in the north; implementation of

the ICJ ruling on the Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime

boundary in the Gulf of Guinea is impeded by imprecisely defined

coordinates and a sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and

Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River; Nigeria

initially rejected cession of the Bakassi Peninsula, then agreed,

but much of the indigenous population opposes cession; only Nigeria

and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to

ratify the delimitation treaty which also includes the Chad-Niger

and Niger-Nigeria boundaries

Canada

managed maritime boundary disputes with the US at Dixon

Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and around the

disputed Machias Seal Island and North Rock; working toward greater

cooperation with US in monitoring people and commodities crossing

the border; uncontested sovereignty dispute with Denmark over Hans

Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland

Cape Verde

none

Cayman Islands

none

Central African Republic

about 30,000 refugees fleeing the 2002

civil conflict in the CAR still reside in southern Chad; periodic

skirmishes over water and grazing rights among related pastoral

populations along the border with southern Sudan persist

Chad

since the expulsions of residents from Darfur in 2003 by

Janjawid armed militia and Sudanese military, about 200,000 refugees

remain in eastern Chad; Chad remains an important mediator in the

Sudanese civil conflict, reducing tensions with Sudan arising from

cross-border banditry; Chadian Aozou rebels reside in southern

Libya; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad

Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty, which

also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries

Chile

Chile rebuffs Bolivia's reactivated claim to restore the

Atacama corridor, ceded to Chile in 1884, offering instead

unrestricted but not sovereign maritime access through Chile to

Bolivian gas and other commodities; Peru proposes changing its

latitudinal maritime boundary with Chile to an equidistance line

with a southwestern axis; territorial claim in Antarctica (Chilean

Antarctic Territory) partially overlaps Argentine and British

claims; action by the joint boundary commission, established by

Chile and Argentina in 2001, for mapping and demarcating the

disputed boundary in the Andean Southern Ice Field (Campo de Hielo

Sur) remains pending

China

in 2005, China and India began drafting principles to resolve

all aspects of their extensive boundary and territorial disputes

together with a security and foreign policy dialogue to consolidate

discussions related to the boundary, regional nuclear proliferation,

and other matters; recent talks and confidence-building measures

have begun to defuse tensions over Kashmir, site of the world's

largest and most militarized territorial dispute with portions under

the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and

Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); India does

not recognize Pakistan's ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in

1964; about 90,000 ethnic Tibetan exiles reside primarily in India

as well as Nepal and Bhutan; China asserts sovereignty over the

Spratly Islands together with Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan,

Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct

of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions in the

Spratlys but is not the legally binding "code of conduct" sought by

some parties; Vietnam and China continue to expand construction of

facilities in the Spratlys and in March 2005, the national oil

companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint

accord on marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; China

occupies some of the Paracel Islands also claimed by Vietnam and

Taiwan; China and Taiwan have become more vocal in rejecting both

Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu

Tai) and Japan's unilaterally declared equidistance line in the East

China Sea, the site of intensive hydrocarbon prospecting; certain

islands in the Yalu and Tumen rivers are in an uncontested dispute

with North Korea and a section of boundary around Mount Paektu is

considered indefinite; China seeks to stem illegal migration of tens

of thousands of North Koreans; China and Russia prepare to demarcate

the boundary agreed to in October 2004 between the long-disputed

islands at the Amur and Ussuri; demarcation of the China-Vietnam

boundary proceeds slowly and although the maritime boundary

delimitation and fisheries agreements were ratified in June 2004,

implementation has been delayed; environmentalists in Burma and

Thailand remain concerned about China's construction of

hydroelectric dams upstream on the Nujiang/Salween River in Yunnan

Province

Christmas Island

none

Clipperton Island

none

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

none

Colombia

Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in 1999 and

against Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over disputed maritime boundary

involving 50,000 sq km in the Caribbean Sea, including the

Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank;

dispute with Venezuela over maritime boundary and Los Monjes Islands

near the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics,

guerrilla, and paramilitary activities penetrate all of its

neighbors' borders and have created a serious refugee crisis with

over 300,000 persons having fled the country, mostly into

neighboring states

Comoros

claims French-administered Mayotte

Congo, Democratic Republic of the heads of the Great Lakes states and UN pledge to end conflict but unchecked tribal, rebel, and militia fighting continues unabated in the northeastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, drawing in the neighboring states of Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda; the UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) has maintained over 14,000 peacekeepers in the region since 1999; thousands of Ituri refugees from the Congo continue to flee the fighting primarily into Uganda; 90,000 Angolan refugees were repatriated by 2004 with the remainder in the DRC expected to return in 2005; in 2005, DRC and Rwanda established a border verification mechanism to address accusations of Rwandan military supporting Congolese rebels and the DRC providing rebel Rwandan "Interhamwe" forces the means and bases to attack Rwandan forces; the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with the Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area

Congo, Republic of the

about 7,000 Congolese refugees fleeing

internal civil conflicts since the mid-1990s still reside in the

Democratic Republic of the Congo; the location of the boundary in

the broad Congo River with the Democratic Republic of the Congo is

indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area

Cook Islands

none

Coral Sea Islands

none

Costa Rica

in September 2005, Costa Rica took its case before the

ICJ to advocate the navigation, security, and commercial rights of

Costa Rican vessels using the Rio San Juan over which Nicaragua

retains sovereignty

Cote d'Ivoire

rebel and ethnic fighting against the central

government in 2002 has spilled into neighboring states, driven out

foreign cocoa workers from nearby countries, and, in 2004, resulted

in 6,000 peacekeepers deployed as part of UN Operation in Cote

d'Ivoire (UNOCI) assisting 4,000 French troops already in-country;

the Ivorian Government accuses Burkina Faso and Liberia of

supporting Ivorian rebels

Croatia

discussions continue with Bosnia and Herzegovina over

several small disputed sections of the boundary related to maritime

access that hinders ratification of the 1999 border agreement; the

Croatia-Slovenia land and maritime boundary agreement, which would

have ceded most of Pirin Bay and maritime access to Slovenia and

several villages to Croatia, remains un-ratified and in dispute; as

a European Union peripheral state, neighboring Slovenia must conform

to the strict Schengen border rules to curb illegal migration and

commerce through southeastern Europe while encouraging close

cross-border ties with Croatia

Cuba

US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual

agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease

Cyprus

hostilities in 1974 divided the island into two de facto

autonomous entities, the internationally recognized Cypriot

Government and a Turkish-Cypriot community (north Cyprus); the

1,000-strong UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) has served in

Cyprus since 1964 and maintains the buffer zone between north and

south; March 2003 reunification talks failed, but Turkish-Cypriots

later opened their borders to temporary visits by Greek Cypriots; on

24 April 2004, the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities

voted in simultaneous and parallel referenda on whether to approve

the UN-brokered Annan Plan that would have ended the 30-year

division of the island by establishing a new "United Cyprus

Republic," a majority of Greek Cypriots voted "no"; on 1 May 2004,

Cyprus entered the European Union still divided, with the EU's body

of legislation and standards (acquis communitaire) suspended in the

north

Czech Republic

in February 2005, the ICJ refused to rule on the

restitution of Liechtenstein's land and property assets in the Czech

Republic confiscated in 1945 as German property; individual Sudeten

Germans seek restitution for property confiscated in connection with

their expulsion from Czechoslovakia after World War II; Austrian

anti-nuclear activists have revived blockades of the Czech-Austrian

border to protest operation of the Temelin nuclear power plant in

the Czech Republic

Denmark

Iceland disputes the Faroe Islands' fisheries median line;

Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe

Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm; Faroese continue

to study proposals for full independence; uncontested sovereignty

dispute with Canada over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between

Ellesmere Island and Greenland

Djibouti

Djibouti maintains economic ties and border accords with

"Somaliland" leadership while maintaining some political ties to

various factions in Somalia; thousands of Somali refugees await

repatriation in UNHCR camps in Djibouti

Dominica

Dominica is the only Caribbean state to challenge

Venezuela's sovereignty claim over Aves Island and joins the other

island nations in challenging whether the feature sustains human

habitation, a criterion under the UN Convention on the Law of the

Sea (UNCLOS), which permits Venezuela to extend its Exclusive

Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf claims over a large

portion of the Caribbean Sea

Dominican Republic

increasing numbers of illegal migrants from the

Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage each year to Puerto Rico

to find work

East Timor

UN Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) has

maintained about 1,000 peacekeepers in East Timor since 2002; East

Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee continues to meet, survey, and

delimit the land boundary, but several sections of the boundary

especially around the Oekussi enclave remain unresolved; Indonesia

and East Timor contest the sovereignty of the uninhabited coral

island of Pulau Batek/Fatu Sinai, which prevents delimitation of the

northern maritime boundaries; many refugees who left East Timor in

2003 still reside in Indonesia and refuse repatriation; Australia

and East Timor agreed in 2005 to defer the disputed portion of the

boundary for 50 years and to split hydrocarbon revenues evenly

outside the Joint Petroleum Development Area covered by the 2002

Timor Sea Treaty; dispute with Australia has hampered creation of a

southern maritime boundary with Indonesia

Ecuador

organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia penetrate

across Ecuador's shared border and caused over 20,000 refugees to

flee into Ecuador in 2004

Egypt

Egypt and Sudan retain claims to administer the two triangular

areas that extend north and south of the 1899 Treaty boundary along

the 22nd Parallel, but have withdrawn their military presence; Egypt

is developing the Hala'ib Triangle north of the Treaty line; since

the attack on Taba and other Egyptian resort towns on the Red Sea in

October 2004, Egypt vigilantly monitors the Sinai and borders with

Israel and the Gaza Strip; Egypt does not extend domestic asylum to

some 70,000 persons who identify themselves as Palestinians but who

largely lack UNRWA assistance and, until recently, UNHCR recognition

as refugees

El Salvador

in 1992, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled

on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El

Salvador-Honduras boundary, but despite Organization of American

States (OAS) intervention and a further ICJ ruling in 2003, full

demarcation of the border remains stalled; the 1992 ICJ ruling

advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf

of Fonseca advocating Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador

continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not identified in the ICJ

decision, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca

Equatorial Guinea

in 2002, ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement

of Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf

of Guinea, but a dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over

an island at the mouth of the Ntem River, imprecisely defined

maritime coordinates in the ICJ decision, and the unresolved Bakasi

allocation contribute to the delay in implementation; UN has been

pressing Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to pledge to resolve the

sovereignty dispute over Gabon-occupied Mbane Island and create a

maritime boundary in the hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay

Eritrea

Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by 2002

Ethiopia-Eritrea Boundary Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision,

but despite international intervention, mutual animosities,

accusations, and armed posturing have prevented demarcation;

Ethiopia refuses to withdraw to the delimited boundary until claimed

technical errors made by the EEBC that ignored "human geography" are

addressed, including the award of Badme, the focus of the 1998-2000

war; Eritrea insists that the EEBC decision be implemented

immediately without modifications; in 2005 Eritrea began severely

restricting the operations of the UN Peacekeeping Mission to

Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) monitoring the 25km-wide Temporary

Security Zone in Eritrea since 2000; Sudan sustains over 110,000

Eritrean refugees and accuses Eritrea of supporting Sudanese rebel

groups

Estonia

in 2005, Russia refuses to sign the 1996 technical border

agreement with Estonia when Estonia prepares a unilateral

declaration referencing Soviet occupation and territorial losses;

Russia demands better accommodation of Russian-speaking population

in Estonia; Estonian citizen groups continue to press for

realignment of the boundary based on the 1920 Tartu Peace Treaty

that would bring the now divided ethnic Setu people and parts of the

Narva region within Estonia; as a member state that forms part of

the EU's external border, Estonia must implement the strict Schengen

border rules

Ethiopia

Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by the 2002

Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision,

but mutual animosities, accusations, and armed posturing prevail,

preventing demarcation despite international intervention; Ethiopia

refuses to withdraw to the delimited boundary until technical errors

made by the EEBC that ignored "human geography" are addressed,

including the award of Badme, the focus of the 1998-2000 war;

Eritrea insists that the EEBC decision be implemented immediately

without modifications; Ethiopia has only an administrative line and

no international border with the Oromo region of southern Somalia

where it maintains alliances with local clans in opposition to the

unrecognized Somali Interim Government in Mogadishu; "Somaliland"

secessionists provide port facilities and trade ties to landlocked

Ethiopia; efforts to demarcate the porous boundary with Sudan have

been delayed by civil war

Europa Island

claimed by Madagascar

European Union

as a political union, the EU has no border disputes

with neighboring countries, but Estonia and Latvia have no land

boundary agreements with Russia, Slovenia disputes its land and

maritime boundaries with Croatia, and Spain has territorial and

maritime disputes with Morocco; the EU has set up a Schengen area -

consisting of 13 EU member states that have signed the convention

implementing the Schengen agreements (1985 and 1990) on the free

movement of persons and the harmonization of border controls in

Europe; the Schengen agreements ("acquis") became incorporated into

EU law with the implementation of the 1997 Treaty of Amsterdam on 1

May 1999; member states are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland,

France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal,

Spain, and Sweden; in addition, non-EU states Iceland and Norway (as

part of the Nordic Union) have been included in the Schengen area

since 1996 (full members in 2001), bringing the total current

membership to 15; the UK (since 2000) and Ireland (since 2002) take

part in some aspects of the Schengen area, especially with respect

to police and criminal matters; the 12 new member states that joined

the EU in 2004 and 2007 eventually are expected to participate in

Schengen, following a transition period to upgrade their border

controls and procedures

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Argentina, which claims the

islands in its constitution and briefly occupied them by force in

1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek settlement by force; UK

continues to reject Argentine requests for sovereignty talks

Faroe Islands

because anticipated offshore hydrocarbon resources

have not been realized, earlier Faroese proposals for full

independence have been deferred; Iceland disputes the Faroe Islands'

fisheries median line boundary; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute

Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends

beyond 200 nm

Fiji

none

Finland

various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia

and other areas ceded to the Soviet Union, but the Finnish

Government asserts no territorial demands

France

Madagascar claims the French territories of Bassas da India,

Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island; Comoros

claims Mayotte; Mauritius claims Tromelin Island; territorial

dispute between Suriname and the French overseas department of

French Guiana; France asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica

(Adelie Land); France and Vanuatu claim Matthew and Hunter Islands,

east of New Caledonia

French Polynesia

none

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

French claim to "Adelie Land" in

Antarctica is not recognized by the US

Gabon

UN presses Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to resolve the

sovereignty dispute over Gabon-occupied Mbane Island and to

establish a maritime boundary in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay; only

a few hundred out of the 20,000 Republic of the Congo refugees who

fled militia fighting in 2000 remain in Gabon

Gambia, The

attempts to stem refugees, cross-border raids, arms

smuggling, and other illegal activities by separatists from southern

Senegal's Casamance region, as well as from conflicts in other west

African states

Gaza Strip

West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with

current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement

- permanent status to be determined through further negotiation;

Israel removed settlers and military personnel from the Gaza Strip

in August 2005

Georgia

Russia and Georgia agree on delimiting 80% of their common

border, leaving certain small, strategic segments and the maritime

boundary unresolved; OSCE observers monitor volatile areas such as

the Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti region and the Argun Gorge in

Abkhazia; UN Observer Mission in Georgia has maintained a

peacekeeping force in Georgia since 1993; Meshkheti Turks scattered

throughout the former Soviet Union seek to return to Georgia;

boundary with Armenia remains undemarcated; ethnic Armenian groups

in Javakheti region of Georgia seek greater autonomy from the

Georgian government; Azerbaijan and Georgia continue to discuss the

alignment of their boundary at certain crossing areas

Germany

none

Ghana

Ghana struggles to accommodate returning nationals who worked

in the cocoa plantations and escaped fighting in Cote d'Ivoire

Gibraltar

in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by

referendum to reject any "shared sovereignty" arrangement; the

government of Gibraltar insists on equal participation in talks

between the UK and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant

Gibraltar even greater autonomy

Glorioso Islands

claimed by Madagascar

Greece

Greece and Turkey continue discussions to resolve their

complex maritime, air, territorial, and boundary disputes in the

Aegean Sea; Cyprus question with Turkey; Greece rejects the use of

the name Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia

Greenland

managed dispute between Canada and Denmark over Hans

Island in the Kennedy Channel between Canada's Ellesmere Island and

Greenland

Grenada

none

Guam

none

Guatemala

Guatemalan squatters continue to settle in the rain

forests of Belize's border region; Organization of American States

(OAS) is attempting to revive the 2002 failed Differendum that

created a small adjustment to land boundary, a Guatemalan maritime

corridor in Caribbean, a joint ecological park for the disputed

Sapodilla Cays, and a substantial US-UK financial package;

Guatemalans enter Mexico illegally seeking work or transit to the US

Guernsey

none

Guinea

conflicts among rebel groups, warlords, and youth gangs in

neighboring states have spilled over into Guinea, resulting in

domestic instability; Sierra Leone has pressured Guinea to remove

its forces from the town of Yenga, occupied since 1998

Guinea-Bissau

attempts to stem refugees and cross-border raids, arms

smuggling, and political instability from a separatist movement in

Senegal's Casamance region

Guyana

all of the area west of the Essequibo (river) is claimed by

Venezuela preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana

has expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims

before UNCLOS that Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with

Venezuela extends into their waters; Suriname claims a triangle of

land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic dispute

over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks arbitration

under provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)

to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over the axis of

the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich waters

Haiti

since 2004, about 8,000 peacekeepers from the UN Stabilization

Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) maintain civil order in Haiti; despite

efforts to control illegal migration, Haitians fleeing economic

privation and civil unrest continue to cross into the Dominican

Republic and sail to neighboring countries; Haiti claims

US-administered Navassa Island

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

none

Holy See (Vatican City)

none

Honduras

in 1992, International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on the

delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El

Salvador-Honduras border, but despite Organization of American

States (OAS) intervention and a further ICJ ruling in 2003, full

demarcation of the border remains stalled; the 1992 ICJ ruling

advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf

of Fonseca with consideration of Honduran access to the Pacific; El

Salvador continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not mentioned in the

ICJ ruling, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca; Honduras claims

Sapodilla Cays off the coast of Belize, but agreed to creation of a

joint ecological park and Guatemalan corridor in the Caribbean in

the failed 2002 Belize-Guatemala Differendum, which the OAS is

attempting to revive; Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in

1999 and against Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over a complex dispute

over islands and maritime boundaries in the Caribbean Sea

Hong Kong

none

Howland Island

none

Hungary

in 2004, Hungary amended the status law extending special

social and cultural benefits - and voted down a referendum to extend

dual citizenship - to ethnic Hungarians living in neighboring

states, which have objected to such measures; consultations continue

between Slovakia and Hungary over Hungary's completion of its

portion the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros hydroelectric dam project along the

Danube; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external

border, Hungary must implement the strict Schengen border rules

Iceland

Iceland disputes Denmark's alignment of the Faroe Islands'

fisheries median line; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute

Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends

beyond 200 nm

Iles Eparses

Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan

de Nova Island: claimed by Madagascar

Tromelin Island: claimed by Mauritius

India

since China and India launched a security and foreign policy

dialogue in 2005, consolidated discussions related to the dispute

over most of their rugged, militarized boundary, regional nuclear

proliferation, Indian claims that China transferred missiles to

Pakistan, and other matters continue; various talks and

confidence-building measures have cautiously begun to defuse

tensions over Kashmir, particularly since the October 2005

earthquake in the region; Kashmir nevertheless remains the site of

the world's largest and most militarized territorial dispute with

portions under the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin),

India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern

Areas); in 2004, India and Pakistan instituted a cease fire in

Kashmir and in 2005, restored bus service across the highly

militarized Line of Control; Pakistan has taken its dispute on the

impact and benefits of India's building the Baglihar Dam on the

Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir to the World Bank for arbitration;

UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) has

maintained a small group of peacekeepers since 1949; India does not

recognize Pakistan's ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964;

disputes persist with Pakistan over Indus River water sharing; to

defuse tensions and prepare for discussions on a maritime boundary,

in 2004, India and Pakistan resurveyed a portion of the disputed

boundary in Sir Creek estuary at the mouth of the Rann of Kutch;

Pakistani maps continue to show its Junagadh claim in Indian Gujarat

State; discussions with Bangladesh remain stalled to delimit a small

section of river boundary, to exchange 162 miniscule enclaves in

both countries, to allocate divided villages, and to stop illegal

cross-border trade, migration, violence, and transit of terrorists

through the porous border; Bangladesh protests India's attempts to

fence off high-traffic sections of the border; dispute with

Bangladesh over New Moore/South Talpatty/Purbasha Island in the Bay

of Bengal deters maritime boundary delimitation; India seeks

cooperation from Bhutan and Burma to keep Indian Nagaland and Assam

separatists from hiding in remote areas along the borders; Joint

Border Committee with Nepal continues to demarcate minor disputed

boundary sections; India maintains a strict border regime to keep

out Maoist insurgents and control illegal cross-border activities

from Nepal

Indian Ocean

some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

Indonesia

East Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee continues to meet,

survey, and delimit land boundary, but several sections of the

boundary remain unresolved; many East Timorese refugees who left in

2003 still reside in Indonesia and refuse repatriation; Indonesia

and East Timor contest the sovereignty of the uninhabited coral

island of Pulau Batek/Fatu Sinai, which hinders a decision on a

northern maritime boundary; a 1997 treaty between Indonesia and

Australia settled some parts of their maritime boundary but

outstanding issues remain; ICJ's award of Sipadan and Ligitan

islands to Malaysia in 2002 left maritime boundary in the

hydrocarbon-rich Celebes Sea in dispute, culminating in hostile

confrontations in March 2005 over concessions to the Ambalat oil

block; the ICJ decision has prompted Indonesia to assert claims to

and to establish a presence on its smaller outer islands; Indonesia

and Singapore pledged in 2005 to finalize their 1973 maritime

boundary agreement by defining unresolved areas north of Batam

Island; Indonesian secessionists, squatters, and illegal migrants

create repatriation problems for Papua New Guinea; piracy remains a

problem in the Malacca Strait

Iran

Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed tributaries

to the Helmand River in periods of drought; Iraq's lack of a

maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the

mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Iran and UAE dispute

Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island, which are occupied by Iran; Iran

stands alone among littoral states in insisting upon a division of

the Caspian Sea into five equal sectors

Iraq

coalition forces assist Iraqis in monitoring boundary security;

Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction

disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf;

Turkey has expressed concern over the status of Kurds in Iraq

Ireland

Ireland, Iceland, and the UK dispute Denmark's claim that

the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm

Isle of Man

none

Israel

West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current

status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement -

permanent status to be determined through further negotiation;

Israel continues construction of a "seam line" separation barrier

along parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; Israel

withdrew its settlers and military from the Gaza Strip and from four

settlements in the West Bank in August 2005; Golan Heights is

Israeli-occupied (Lebanon claims the Shab'a Farms area of Golan

Heights); since 1948, about 350 peacekeepers from the UN Truce

Supervision Organization (UNTSO) headquartered in Jerusalem monitor

ceasefires, supervise armistice agreements, prevent isolated

incidents from escalating, and assist other UN personnel in the

region

Italy

Italy's long coastline and developed economy entices tens of

thousands of illegal immigrants from southeastern Europe and

northern Africa

Jamaica

none

Jan Mayen

none

Japan

the sovereignty dispute over the islands of Etorofu,

Kunashiri, and Shikotan, and the Habomai group, known in Japan as

the "Northern Territories" and in Russia as the "Southern Kuril

Islands," occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by

Russia and claimed by Japan, remains the primary sticking point to

signing a peace treaty formally ending World War II hostilities;

Japan and South Korea claim Liancourt Rocks (Take-shima/Tok-do)

occupied by South Korea since 1954; China and Taiwan dispute both

Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto

(Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's unilaterally declared exclusive economic

zone in the East China Sea, the site of intensive hydrocarbon

prospecting

Jarvis Island

none

Jersey

none

Johnston Atoll

none

Jordan

2004 Agreement settles border dispute with Syria pending

demarcation

Juan de Nova Island

claimed by Madagascar

Kazakhstan

in 2005, Kazakhstan agreed with Russia, Turkmenistan, and

Uzbekistan to commence demarcating their boundaries; delimitation

with Kyrgyzstan is complete; creation of a seabed boundary with

Turkmenistan in the Caspian Sea remains unresolved; equidistant

seabed treaties have been ratified with Azerbaijan and Russia in the

Caspian Sea, but no resolution has been made on dividing the water

column among any of the littoral states

Kenya

Kenya served as an important mediator in brokering Sudan's

north-south separation in February 2005; Kenya provides shelter to

approximately a quarter of a million refugees including Ugandans who

flee across the border periodically to seek protection from Lord's

Resistance Army (LRA) rebels; the Kenya-Somalia border is open to

pastoralists and is susceptible to cross-border clan insurgencies;

Kenya's administrative limits extend beyond the treaty border into

the Sudan, creating the Ilemi Triangle

Kingman Reef

none

Kiribati

none

Korea, North

China seeks to stem illegal migration of tens of

thousands of North Koreans escaping famine, economic privation, and

political oppression; North Korea and China dispute the sovereignty

of certain islands in Yalu and Tumen rivers and a section of

boundary around Paektu-san (mountain) is indefinite; Military

Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has

separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic maritime

disputes with South over the Northern Limit Line; North Korea

supports South Korea in rejecting Japan's claim to Liancourt Rocks

(Tok-do/Take-shima)

Korea, South

Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide

Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953;

periodic maritime disputes with North Korea over the Northern Limit

Line; South Korea and Japan claim Liancourt Rocks

(Tok-do/Take-shima), occupied by South Korea since 1954

Kuwait

Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue negotiating a joint maritime

boundary with Iran; no maritime boundary exists with Iraq in the

Persian Gulf

Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgystan has yet to ratify the 2001 boundary

delimitation with Kazakhstan; disputes in Isfara Valley delay

completion of delimitation with Tajikistan; delimitation of 130 km

of border with Uzbekistan is hampered by serious disputes around

enclaves and other areas

Laos

Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to

check the spread of avian flu; talks continue on completion of

demarcation with Thailand but disputes remain over islands in the

Mekong River; concern among Mekong Commission members that China's

construction of dams on the Mekong River will affect water levels

Latvia

Russia refuses to sign the 1997 boundary treaty due to

Latvian insistence on a unilateral clarificatory declaration

referencing Soviet occupation of Latvia and territorial losses;

Russia demands better Latvian treatment of ethnic Russians in

Latvia; as of January 2007, ground demarcation of the boundary with

Belarus was complete and mapped with final ratification

documentation in preparation; the Latvian parliament has not

ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily

due to concerns over oil exploration rights; as a member state that

forms part of the EU's external border, Latvia must implement the

strict Schengen border rules with Russia

Lebanon

Lacking a treaty or other documentation describing the

boundary, portions of the Lebanon-Syria boundary are unclear with

several sections in dispute; since 2000, Lebanon has claimed Shab'a

Farms area in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights ; the roughly

2,000-strong UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has been in place

since 1978

Lesotho

none

Liberia

although civil unrest continues to abate with the assistance

of 18,000 UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) peacekeepers, as of January

2007, 22,000 Liberian refugees still remain in both Guinea and Cote

d'Ivoire, 38,500 in Sierra Leone, and 39,690 in Ghana; Liberia, in

turn, shelters 12,580 refugees fleeing turmoil in Cote d'Ivoire and

3,600 from Sierra Leone; despite the presence of over 9000 UN forces

(UNOCI) in Cote d'Ivoire since 2004, ethnic conflict continues to

spread into neighboring states who can no longer send their migrant

workers to Ivorian cocoa plantations; UN sanctions ban Liberia from

exporting diamonds and timber

Libya

Libya has claimed more than 32,000 sq km in southeastern

Algeria and about 25,000 sq km in the Tommo region of Niger in a

currently dormant dispute; various Chadian rebels from the Aozou

region reside in southern Libya

Liechtenstein

none

Lithuania

Lithuania and Russia committed to demarcating their

boundary in 2006 in accordance with the land and maritime treaty

ratified by Russia in May 2003 and by Lithuania in 1999; Lithuania

operates a simplified transit regime for Russian nationals traveling

from the Kaliningrad coastal exclave into Russia, while still

conforming, as a EU member state having an external border with a

non-EU member, to strict Schengen border rules; the Latvian

parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with

Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over potential hydrocarbons; as

of January 2007, ground demarcation of the boundary with Belarus was

complete and mapped with final ratification documents in preparation

Luxembourg

none

Macau

none

Macedonia

ethnic Albanians in Kosovo object to demarcation of the

boundary with Serbia in accordance with the 2000 Macedonia-Serbia

and Montenegro delimitation agreement; Greece continues to reject

the use of the name Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia

Madagascar

claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands,

and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France)

Malawi

disputes with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake

Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant

Malaysia

Malaysia has asserted sovereignty over the Spratly Islands

together with China, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly

Brunei; while the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the

South China Sea" has eased tensions over the Spratly Islands, it is

not the legally binding "code of conduct" sought by some parties;

Malaysia was not party to the March 2005 joint accord among the

national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam on

conducting marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands;

disputes continue over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore,

Singapore's land reclamation, bridge construction, and maritime

boundaries in the Johor and Singapore Straits; in November 2007 the

ICJ will hold public hearings in response to the Memorials and

Countermemorials filed by the parties in 2003 and 2005 over

sovereignty of Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks

and South Ledge; ICJ awarded Ligitan and Sipadan islands, also

claimed by Indonesia and Philippines, to Malaysia but left maritime

boundary and sovereignty of Unarang rock in the hydrocarbon-rich

Celebes Sea in dispute; separatist violence in Thailand's

predominantly Muslim southern provinces prompts measures to close

and monitor border with Malaysia to stem terrorist activities;

Philippines retains a dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in

northern Borneo; Brunei and Malaysia are still considering

international adjudication over their disputed offshore and

deepwater seabeds, where hydrocarbon exploration was terminated in

2003; Malaysia's land boundary with Brunei around Limbang is in

dispute; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait

Maldives

none

Mali

none

Malta

none

Marshall Islands

claims US territory of Wake Island

Mauritania

Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara remain dormant

Mauritius

Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered

British Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants, who

reside chiefly in Mauritius; claims French-administered Tromelin

Island

Mayotte

claimed by Comoros

Mexico

Abundant rainfall in recent years along much of the Mexico-US

border region has ameliorated periodically strained water-sharing

arrangements; the US has intensified security measures to monitor

and control legal and illegal personnel, transport, and commodities

across its border with Mexico; Mexico must deal with thousands of

impoverished Guatemalans and other Central Americans who cross the

porous border looking for work in Mexico and the United States

Micronesia, Federated States of

none

Midway Islands

none

Moldova

Moldova and Ukraine operate joint customs posts to monitor

the transit of people and commodities through Moldova's break-away

Transnistria region which remains under OSCE supervision

Monaco

none

Mongolia

none

Montenegro

none

Montserrat

none

Morocco

claims and administers Western Sahara whose sovereignty

remains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in

effect since September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have

failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals;

Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta,

Melilla, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de

Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; discussions

have not progressed on a comprehensive maritime delimitation setting

limits on resource exploration and refugee interdiction since

Morocco's 2002 rejection of Spain's unilateral designation of a

median line from the Canary Islands; Morocco serves as one of the

primary launching areas of illegal migration into Spain from North

Africa

Mozambique

none

Namibia

concerns from international experts and local populations

over the Okavango Delta ecology in Botswana and human displacement

scuttled Namibian plans to construct a hydroelectric dam on Popa

Falls along the Angola-Namibia border; managed dispute with South

Africa over the location of the boundary in the Orange River;

Namibia has supported and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to

plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi

River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly

delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river

Nauru

none

Navassa Island

claimed by Haiti, source of subsistence fishing

Nepal

joint border commission continues to work on contested

sections of boundary with India, including the 400 square kilometer

dispute over the source of the Kalapani River; India has instituted

a stricter border regime to restrict transit of Maoist insurgents

and illegal cross-border activities; approximately 103,000 Bhutanese

Lhotshampas (Hindus) have been confined in refugee camps in

southeastern Nepal since 1990

Netherlands

none

Netherlands Antilles

none

New Caledonia

Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia

claimed by France and Vanuatu

New Zealand

asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross

Dependency) [see Antarctica]

Nicaragua

Memorials and countermemorials were filed by the parties

in Nicaragua's 1999 and 2001 proceedings against Honduras and

Colombia at the ICJ over the maritime boundary and territorial

claims in the western Caribbean Sea, final public hearings are

scheduled for 2007; the 1992 ICJ ruling for El Salvador and Honduras

advised a tripartite resolution to establish a maritime boundary in

the Gulf of Fonseca, which considers Honduran access to the Pacific;

legal dispute over navigational rights of San Juan River on border

with Costa Rica

Niger

Libya claims about 25,000 sq km in a currently dormant dispute

in the Tommo region; much of Benin-Niger boundary, including

tripoint with Nigeria, remains undemarcated; only Nigeria and

Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify

the delimitation treaty which also includes the Chad-Niger and

Niger-Nigeria boundaries

Nigeria

Joint Border Commission with Cameroon reviewed 2002 ICJ

ruling on the entire boundary and bilaterally resolved differences,

including June 2006 Greentree Agreement that immediately cedes

sovereignty of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon with a phase-out of

Nigerian control within two years while resolving patriation issues;

the ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of Cameroon-Equatorial

Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea, but

imprecisely defined coordinates in the ICJ decision and a

sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an

island at the mouth of the Ntem River all contribute to the delay in

implementation; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad

Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty which also

includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries

Niue

none

Norfolk Island

none

Northern Mariana Islands

none

Norway

Norway asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud

Land and its continental shelf); despite dialogue, Russia and Norway

continue to dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and

Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within

the Svalbard Treaty zone

Oman

boundary agreement reportedly signed and ratified with UAE in

2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al

Madhah exclave, but details of the alignment have not been made

public

Pacific Ocean

some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

Pakistan

various talks and confidence-building measures cautiously

have begun to defuse tensions over Kashmir, particularly since the

October 2005 earthquake in the region; Kashmir nevertheless remains

the site of the world's largest and most militarized territorial

dispute with portions under the de facto administration of China

(Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir

and Northern Areas); UN Military Observer Group in India and

Pakistan (UNMOGIP) has maintained a small group of peacekeepers

since 1949; India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding historic

Kashmir lands to China in 1964; India and Pakistan have maintained

their 2004 cease fire in Kashmir and initiated discussions on

defusing the armed stand-off in the Siachen glacier region; Pakistan

protests India's fencing the highly militarized Line of Control and

construction of the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River in Jammu and

Kashmir, which is part of the larger dispute on water sharing of the

Indus River and its tributaries; to defuse tensions and prepare for

discussions on a maritime boundary, India and Pakistan seek

technical resolution of the disputed boundary in Sir Creek estuary

at the mouth of the Rann of Kutch in the Arabian Sea; Pakistani maps

continue to show the Junagadh claim in India's Gujarat State; by

2005, Pakistan, with UN assistance, repatriated 2.3 million Afghan

refugees leaving slightly less than a million, many of whom remain

at their own choosing; Pakistan has proposed and Afghanistan

protests construction of a fence and laying of mines along portions

of their porous border; Pakistan has sent troops into remote tribal

areas to monitor and control the border with Afghanistan and stem

terrorist or other illegal activities

Palau

maritime delineation negotiations continue with Philippines,

Indonesia

Palmyra Atoll

none

Panama

organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia operate

within the remote border region with Panama

Papua New Guinea

relies on assistance from Australia to keep out

illegal cross-border activities from primarily Indonesia, including

goods smuggling, illegal narcotics trafficking, and squatters and

secessionists

Paracel Islands

occupied by China, also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam

Paraguay

unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay

borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal

narcotics trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations

Peru

Chile and Ecuador rejected Peru's November 2005 unilateral

legislation to shift the axis of their joint treaty-defined maritime

boundaries along the parallels of latitude to equidistance lines

which favor Peru; organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia

have penetrated Peru's shared border; Peru rejects Bolivia's claim

to restore maritime access through a sovereign corridor through

Chile along the Peruvian border

Philippines

Philippines claims sovereignty over certain of the

Spratly Islands, known locally as the Kalayaan (Freedom) Islands,

also claimed by China, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam; the 2002

"Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," has

eased tensions in the Spratly Islands but falls short of a legally

binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants; in

March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines,

and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic

activities in the Spratly Islands; Philippines retains a dormant

claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in northern Borneo based on the

Sultanate of Sulu's granting the Philippines Government power of

attorney to pursue a sovereignty claim on his behalf; maritime

delimitation negotiations continue with Palau

Pitcairn Islands

none

Poland

as a member state that forms part of the EU's external

border, Poland must implement the strict Schengen border rules to

restrict illegal immigration and trade along its eastern borders

with Belarus and Ukraine

Portugal

Portugal does not recognize Spanish sovereignty over the

territory of Olivenza based on a difference of interpretation of the

1815 Congress of Vienna and the 1801 Treaty of Badajoz

Puerto Rico

increasing numbers of illegal migrants from the

Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage to Puerto Rico each year

looking for work

Qatar

none

Romania

the ICJ gave Ukraine until December 2006 to reply and

Romania until June 2007 to issue a rejoinder in their dispute

submitted in 2004 over Ukrainian-administered Zmiyinyy/Serpilor

(Snake) Island and Black Sea maritime boundary delimitation; Romania

also opposes Ukraine's reopening of a navigation canal from the

Danube border through Ukraine to the Black Sea

Russia

China and Russia have demarcated the once disputed islands at

the Amur and Ussuri confluence and in the Argun River in accordance

with the 2004 Agreement, ending their centuries-long border

disputes; the sovereignty dispute over the islands of Etorofu,

Kunashiri, Shikotan, and the Habomai group, known in Japan as the

"Northern Territories" and in Russia as the "Southern Kurils,"

occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia,

and claimed by Japan, remains the primary sticking point to signing

a peace treaty formally ending World War II hostilities; Russia and

Georgia agree on delimiting all but small, strategic segments of the

land boundary and the maritime boundary; OSCE observers monitor

volatile areas such as the Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti region and

the Kodori Gorge in Abkhazia; Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia

signed equidistance boundaries in the Caspian seabed but the

littoral states have no consensus on dividing the water column;

Russia and Norway dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea

and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits

within the Svalbard Treaty zone; various groups in Finland advocate

restoration of Karelia (Kareliya) and other areas ceded to the

Soviet Union following the Second World War but the Finnish

Government asserts no territorial demands; in May 2005, Russia

recalled its signatures to the 1996 border agreements with Estonia

(1996) and Latvia (1997), when the two Baltic states announced

issuance of unilateral declarations referencing Soviet occupation

and ensuing territorial losses; Russia demands better treatment of

ethnic Russians in Estonia and Latvia; Estonian citizen groups

continue to press for realignment of the boundary based on the 1920

Tartu Peace Treaty that would bring the now divided ethnic Setu

people and parts of the Narva region within Estonia; Lithuania and

Russia committed to demarcating their boundary in 2006 in accordance

with the land and maritime treaty ratified by Russia in May 2003 and

by Lithuania in 1999; Lithuania operates a simplified transit regime

for Russian nationals traveling from the Kaliningrad coastal exclave

into Russia, while still conforming, as an EU member state with an

EU external border, where strict Schengen border rules apply;

preparations for the demarcation delimitation of land boundary with

Ukraine have commenced; the dispute over the boundary between Russia

and Ukraine through the Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov remains

unresolved despite a December 2003 framework agreement and on-going

expert-level discussions; Kazakhstan and Russia boundary

delimitation was ratified on November 2005 and field demarcation

should commence in 2007; Russian Duma has not yet ratified 1990

Bering Sea Maritime Boundary Agreement with the US

Rwanda

fighting among ethnic groups - loosely associated political

rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces in Great Lakes

region transcending the boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic

of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda - abated substantially from a

decade ago due largely to UN peacekeeping, international mediation,

and efforts by local governments to create civil societies;

nonetheless, 57,000 Rwandan refugees still reside in 21 African

states, including Zambia, Gabon, and 20,000 who fled to Burundi in

2005 and 2006 to escape drought and recriminations from traditional

courts investigating the 1994 massacres; the 2005 DROC and Rwanda

border verification mechanism to stem rebel actions on both sides of

the border remains in place

Saint Helena

none

Saint Kitts and Nevis

joins other Caribbean states to counter

Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a

criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its

EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean

Sea

Saint Lucia

joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's

claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under

UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf

over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

none

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea

Samoa

none

San Marino

none

Sao Tome and Principe

none

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has reinforced its concrete-filled

security barrier along sections of the now fully demarcated border

with Yemen to stem illegal cross-border activities; Kuwait and Saudi

Arabia continue discussions on a maritime boundary with Iran

Senegal

The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau attempt to stem separatist

violence, cross border raids, and arms smuggling into their

countries from Senegal's Casamance region, and in 2006, respectively

accepted 6,000 and 10,000 Casamance residents fleeing the conflict;

2,500 Guinea-Bissau residents have fled into Senegal in 2006 to

escape armed confrontations along the border

Serbia

as the final status of the Serbian province of Kosovo

approaches resolution through the six-nation contact group, the

several thousand peacekeepers from the UN Interim Administration

Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) since 1999, continue to keep the peace

between Kosovar Albanians overwhelmingly supporting Kosovo

independence and the Serb minority in Kosovo and Serbian officials

in Belgrade, who oppose independence for the province; ethnic

Albanians in Kosovo oppose demarcation of the boundary with

Macedonia based on the 2000 Macedonia-Serbia and Montenegro

delimitation agreement; Serbia and Montenegro delimited about half

of the boundary with Bosnia and Herzegovina, but sections with

Serbia along the Drina River remain in dispute

Seychelles

together with Mauritius, Seychelles claims the Chagos

Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory)

Sierra Leone

domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups,

warlords, and youth gangs in Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, and

Sierra Leone perpetuate insurgencies, street violence, looting, arms

trafficking, ethnic conflicts, and refugees in border areas; UN

Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) has maintained over 4,000

peacekeepers in Sierra Leone since 1999; Sierra Leone considers

excessive Guinea's definition of the flood plain limits to define

the left bank boundary of the Makona and Moa rivers and protests

Guinea's continued occupation of these lands, including the hamlet

of Yenga occupied since 1998

Singapore

disputes persist with Malaysia over deliveries of fresh

water to Singapore, Singapore's extensive land reclamation works,

bridge construction, maritime boundaries in the Johor and Singapore

Straits; in November 2007 the ICJ will hold public hearings as a

consequence of the Memorials and Countermemorials filed by the

parties in 2003 and 2005 over sovereignty of Pedra Branca

Island/Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge; Indonesia and

Singapore continue to work on finalization of their 1973 maritime

boundary agreement by defining unresolved areas north of Indonesia's

Batam Island ; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait

Slovakia

bilateral government, legal, technical and economic working

group negotiations continued in 2006 between Slovakia and Hungary

over Hungary's completion of its portion of the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros

hydroelectric dam project along the Danube ; as a member state that

forms part of the EU's external border, Slovakia must implement the

strict Schengen border rules

Slovenia

the Croatia-Slovenia land and maritime boundary agreement,

which would have ceded most of Piran Bay and maritime access to

Slovenia and several villages to Croatia, remains unratified and in

dispute; Slovenia also protests Croatia's 2003 claim to an exclusive

economic zone in the Adriatic; as a member state that forms part of

the EU's external border, Slovenia must implement the strict

Schengen border rules to curb illegal migration and commerce through

southeastern Europe while encouraging close cross-border ties with

Croatia

Solomon Islands

since 2003, Australian Defense Force leads the

Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) to

maintain civil and political order and reinforce regional security

Somalia

Ethiopian forces invade southern Somalia and rout Islamist

courts from Moghadishu in January 2007; "Somaliland" secessionists

provide port facilities in Berbera to landlocked Ethiopia and have

established commercial ties with other regional states; "Puntland"

and "Somaliland" "governments" seek international support in their

secessionist aspirations and overlapping border claims; the

undemarcated former British administrative line has little meaning

as a political separation to rival clans within Ethiopia's Ogaden

and southern Somalia's Oromo region; Kenya works hard to prevent the

clan and militia fighting in Somalia from spreading south across the

border, which has long been open to nomadic pastoralists

South Africa

South Africa has placed military along the border to

apprehend the thousands of Zimbabweans fleeing economic dysfunction

and political persecution; as of January 2007, South Africa also

supports large numbers of refugees and asylum seekers from the

Democratic Republic of the Congo (33,000), Somalia (20,000), Burundi

(6,500) and other states in Africa (26,000); managed dispute with

Namibia over the location of the boundary in the Orange River

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Argentina, which claims

the islands in its constitution and briefly occupied the islands by

force in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek settlement by force

Southern Ocean

Antarctic Treaty defers claims (see Antarctica

entry), but Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ, Norway, and UK

assert claims (some overlapping), including the continental shelf in

the Southern Ocean; several states have expressed an interest in

extending those continental shelf claims under the United Nations

Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to include undersea

ridges; the US and most other states do not recognize the land or

maritime claims of other states and have made no claims themselves

(the US and Russia have reserved the right to do so); no formal

claims exist in the waters in the sector between 90 degrees west and

150 degrees west

Spain

in 2003, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by

referendum to remain a British colony and against a "total shared

sovereignty" arrangement while demanding participation in talks

between the UK and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant

Gibraltar greater autonomy; Morocco protests Spain's control over

the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and the islands of Penon de

Velez de la Gomera, Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and

surrounding waters; Morocco serves as the primary launching site of

illegal migration into Spain from North Africa; Portugal does not

recognize Spanish sovereignty over the territory of Olivenza based

on a difference of interpretation of the 1815 Congress of Vienna and

the 1801 Treaty of Badajoz

Spratly Islands

all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China,

Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the

Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone

that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has

not publicly claimed the reef; claimants in November 2002 signed the

"Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,"

which has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code

of conduct"; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the

Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine

seismic activities in the Spratly Islands

Sri Lanka

none

Sudan

the effects of Sudan's almost constant ethnic and rebel

militia fighting since the mid-twentieth century have penetrated all

of the neighboring states; as of 2006, Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya,

Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo and

Uganda provided shelter for over half a million Sudanese refugees,

which includes 240,000 Darfur residents driven from their homes by

Janjawid armed militia and the Sudanese military forces; Sudan, in

turn, hosted 20,000 Chadians, 122,000 Eritreans, 14,810 Ethiopians,

7,900 Ugandans and 5,000 Congolese as refugees; in February 2006,

Sudan and DROC signed an agreement to repatriate 13,300 Sudanese and

6,800 Congolese; Sudan accuses Eritrea of supporting Sudanese rebel

groups; efforts to demarcate the porous boundary with Ethiopia

proceed slowly due to civil and ethnic fighting in eastern Sudan;

the boundary that separates Kenya and Sudan's sovereignty is unclear

in the "Ilemi Triangle," which Kenya has administered since colonial

times; while Sudan claims to administer the Hala'ib Triangle north

of the 1899 Treaty boundary along the 22nd Parallel, both states

withdrew their military presence in the 1990s and Egypt has invested

in and effectively administers the area; periodic violent skirmishes

with Sudanese residents over water and grazing rights persist among

related pastoral populations from the Central African Republic along

the border

Suriname

area claimed by French Guiana between Riviere Litani and

Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa); Suriname claims a

triangle of land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a

historic dispute over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) arbitration

to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over the axis of

the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich waters

Svalbard

despite recent discussions, Russia and Norway dispute their

maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights

beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone

Swaziland

none

Sweden

none

Switzerland

none

Syria

Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied with the almost 1,000-strong

UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) patrolling a buffer zone

since 1964; lacking a treaty or other documentation describing the

boundary, portions of the Lebanon-Syria boundary are unclear with

several sections in dispute; since 2000, Lebanon has claimed Shaba'a

farms in the Golan Heights; 2004 Agreement and pending demarcation

settles border dispute with Jordan; approximately two million Iraqis

have fled the conflict in Iraq, with the majority taking refuge in

Syria and Jordan

Taiwan

involved in complex dispute with China, Malaysia,

Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands;

the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China

Sea" has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code

of conduct" desired by several of the disputants; Paracel Islands

are occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam; in 2003,

China and Taiwan became more vocal in rejecting both Japan's claims

to the uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and

Japan's unilaterally declared exclusive economic zone in the East

China Sea where all parties engage in hydrocarbon prospecting

Tajikistan

in 2006, China and Tajikistan pledged to commence

demarcation of the revised boundary agreed to in the delimitation of

2002; talks continue with Uzbekistan to delimit border and remove

minefields; disputes in Isfara Valley delay delimitation with

Kyrgyzstan

Tanzania

Tanzania still hosts more than a half-million refugees,

more than any other African country, mainly from Burundi and the

Democratic Republic of the Congo, despite the international

community's efforts at repatriation; disputes with Malawi over the

boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River

remain dormant

Thailand

separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim

southern provinces prompt border closures and controls with Malaysia

to stem terrorist activities; southeast Asian states have enhanced

border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; talks continue

on completion of demarcation with Laos but disputes remain over

several islands in the Mekong River; despite continuing border

committee talks, Thailand must deal with Karen and other ethnic

rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border activities, and as of

2006, 130,000 Karen, Hmong and other refugees and 15,000 asylum

seekers from Burma; Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections of

historic boundary with missing boundary markers; Cambodia claims

Thai encroachments into Cambodian territory and obstructing access

to Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in

1962; Thailand is studying the feasibility of jointly constructing

the Hatgyi Dam on the Salween river near the border with Burma; in

2004, international environmentalist pressure prompted China to halt

construction of 13 dams on the Salween River which flows through

China, Burma and Thailand

Togo

in 2001 Benin claimed Togo moved boundary monuments - joint

commission continues to resurvey the boundary; in 2006 14,000

Togolese refugees remain in Benin and Ghana out of the 40,000 who

fled there in 2005

Tokelau

Tokelau included American Samoa's Swains Island (Olohega) in

its 2006 draft constitution

Tonga

none

Trinidad and Tobago

In April 2006, the Permanent Court of

Arbitration issues a decision that delimits a maritime boundary with

Trinidad and Tobago and compels Barbados to enter a fishing

agreement that limits Barbadian fishermen's catches of flying fish

in Trinidad and Tobago's exclusive economic zone; in 2005, Barbados

and Trinidad and Tobago agreed to compulsory international

arbitration under UNCLOS challenging whether the northern limit of

Trinidad and Tobago's and Venezuela's maritime boundary extends into

Barbadian waters; Guyana has also expressed its intention to include

itself in the arbitration as the Trinidad and Tobago-Venezuela

maritime boundary may extend into its waters as well

Tromelin Island

claimed by Mauritius

Tunisia

none

Turkey

complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Greece

in the Aegean Sea; status of north Cyprus question remains; Syria

and Iraq protest Turkish hydrological projects to control upper

Euphrates waters; Turkey has expressed concern over the status of

Kurds in Iraq; border with Armenia remains closed over

Nagorno-Karabakh

Turkmenistan

cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan

creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; field

demarcation of the boundaries with Kazakhstan commenced in 2005 but

Caspian seabed delimitation remains stalled with Azerbaijan, Iran

and Kazakhstan due to Turkmenistan's indecision over how to allocate

the sea's waters and seabed

Turks and Caicos Islands have received Haitians fleeing economic and civil disorder

Tuvalu

none

Uganda

Uganda is subject to armed fighting among hostile ethnic

groups, rebels, armed gangs, militias, and various government forces

that extend across its borders; Uganda hosts 209,860 Sudanese,

27,560 Congolese, and 19,710 Rwandan refugees, while Ugandan

refugees as well as members of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) seek

shelter in southern Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo's

Garamba National Park; LRA forces have also attacked Kenyan villages

across the border

Ukraine

1997 boundary delimitation treaty with Belarus remains

un-ratified due to unresolved financial claims, stalling demarcation

and reducing border security; delimitation of land boundary with

Russia is complete with preparations for demarcation underway; the

dispute over the boundary between Russia and Ukraine through the

Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov remains unresolved despite a December

2003 framework agreement and ongoing expert-level discussions;

Moldova and Ukraine operate joint customs posts to monitor transit

of people and commodities through Moldova's break-away Transnistria

Region, which remains under OSCE supervision; the ICJ gave Ukraine

until December 2006 to reply and Romania until June 2007 to rejoin

in their dispute submitted in 2004 over Ukrainian-administered

Zmiyinyy/Serpilor (Snake) Island and Black Sea maritime boundary;

Romania opposes Ukraine's reopening of a navigation canal from the

Danube border through Ukraine to the Black Sea

United Arab Emirates

boundary agreement was signed and ratified with

Oman in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula

and Al Madhah enclaves, but contents of the agreement and detailed

maps showing the alignment have not been published; Iran and UAE

dispute Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island, which Iran occupies

United Kingdom

in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by

referendum to reject any "shared sovereignty" arrangement between

the UK and Spain; the Government of Gibraltar insists on equal

participation in talks between the two countries; Spain disapproves

of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater autonomy; Mauritius and

Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago (British Indian Ocean

Territory), and its former inhabitants since their eviction in 1965;

most Chagossians reside in Mauritius, and in 2001 were granted UK

citizenship, where some have since resettled; in May 2006, the High

Court of London reversed the UK Government's 2004 orders of council

that banned habitation on the islands; UK rejects sovereignty talks

requested by Argentina, which still claims the Falkland Islands

(Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands;

territorial claim in Antarctica (British Antarctic Territory)

overlaps Argentine claim and partially overlaps Chilean claim;

Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe

Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm

United States

the U.S. has intensified domestic security measures

and is collaborating closely with its neighbors, Canada and Mexico,

to monitor and control legal and illegal personnel, transport, and

commodities across the international borders; abundant rainfall in

recent years along much of the Mexico-US border region has

ameliorated periodically strained water-sharing arrangements; 1990

Maritime Boundary Agreement in the Bering Sea still awaits Russian

Duma ratification; managed maritime boundary disputes with Canada at

Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and around the

disputed Machias Seal Island and North Rock; The Bahamas and US have

not been able to agree on a maritime boundary; US Naval Base at

Guantanamo Bay is leased from Cuba and only mutual agreement or US

abandonment of the area can terminate the lease; Haiti claims

US-administered Navassa Island; US has made no territorial claim in

Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not

recognize the claims of any other states; Marshall Islands claims

Wake Island; Tokelau included American Samoa's Swains Island among

the islands listed in its 2006 draft constitution

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

none

Uruguay

in Jan 2007, ICJ provisionally ruled Uruguay may begin

construction of two paper mills on the Uruguay River, which forms

the border with Argentina, while the court examines further whether

Argentina has the legal right to stop such construction with

potential environmental implications to both countries; uncontested

dispute with Brazil over certain islands in the Quarai/Cuareim and

Invernada streams and the resulting tripoint with Argentina

Uzbekistan

prolonged drought and cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan

and Turkmenistan creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya

river states; field demarcation of the boundaries with Kazakhstan

commenced in 2004; border delimitation of 130 km of border with

Kyrgyzstan is hampered by serious disputes around enclaves and other

areas

Vanuatu

Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by

Vanuatu and France

Venezuela

claims all of the area west of the Essequibo River in

Guyana, preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana has

expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims before

the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) that

Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into

their waters; dispute with Colombia over maritime boundary and

Venezuelan-administered Los Monjes islands near the Gulf of

Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics and paramilitary

activities penetrate Venezuela's shared border region; in 2006, an

estimated 139,000 Colombians seek protection in 150 communities

along the border in Venezuela; US, France, and the Netherlands

recognize Venezuela's granting full effect to Aves Island, thereby

claiming a Venezuelan EEZ/continental shelf extending over a large

portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea; Dominica, Saint Kitts and

Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines protest

Venezuela's full effect claim

Vietnam

southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to

check the spread of avian flu; Cambodia and Laos protest Vietnamese

squatters and armed encroachments along border; after years of

Cambodia claiming Vietnam had moved or destroyed boundary markers,

in 2005, after much domestic debate, Cambodia ratified an agreement

with Vietnam that settled all but a small portion of the land

boundary; establishment of a maritime boundary with Cambodia is

hampered by unresolved dispute over offshore islands; in 2004,

Laotian-Vietnamese boundary commission agrees to erect missing

markers in two adjoining provinces; demarcation of the China-Vietnam

boundary proceeds slowly and although the maritime boundary

delimitation and fisheries agreements were ratified in June 2004,

implementation has been delayed; China occupies Paracel Islands also

claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; involved in complex dispute with

China, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and possibly Brunei over the

Spratly Islands; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in

the South China Sea" has eased tensions but falls short of a legally

binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants;

Vietnam continues to expand construction of facilities in the

Spratly Islands; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China,

the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine

seismic activities in the Spratly Islands

Virgin Islands

none

Wake Island

claimed by Marshall Islands

Wallis and Futuna

none

West Bank

West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current

status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement -

permanent status to be determined through further negotiation;

Israel continues construction of a "seam line" separation barrier

along parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; Israel

withdrew from four settlements in the northern West Bank in August

2005; since 1948, about 350 peacekeepers from the UN Truce

Supervision Organization (UNTSO), headquartered in Jerusalem,

monitor ceasefires, supervise armistice agreements, prevent isolated

incidents from escalating, and assist other UN personnel in the

region

Western Sahara

Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose

sovereignty remains unresolved; UN-administered cease-fire has

remained in effect since September 1991, administered by the UN

Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), but attempts

to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected

all brokered proposals

World

stretching over 250,000 km, the world's 329 international land

boundaries separate the 193 independent states and 73 dependencies,

areas of special sovereignty, and other miscellaneous entities;

ethnicity, culture, race, religion, and language have divided states

into separate political entities as much as history, physical

terrain, political fiat, or conquest, resulting in sometimes

arbitrary and imposed boundaries; maritime states have claimed

limits and have so far established over 130 maritime boundaries and

joint development zones to allocate ocean resources and to provide

for national security at sea; boundary, borderland/resource, and

territorial disputes vary in intensity from managed or dormant to

violent or militarized; most disputes over the alignment of

political boundaries are confined to short segments and are today

less common and less hostile than borderland, resource, and

territorial disputes; undemarcated, indefinite, porous, and

unmanaged boundaries, however, encourage illegal cross-border

activities, uncontrolled migration, and confrontation; territorial

disputes may evolve from historical and/or cultural claims, or they

may be brought on by resource competition; ethnic and cultural

clashes continue to be responsible for much of the territorial

fragmentation around the world; disputes over islands at sea or in

rivers frequently form the source of territorial and boundary

conflict; other sources of contention include access to water and

mineral (especially petroleum) resources, fisheries, and arable

land; nonetheless, most nations cooperate to clarify their

international boundaries and to resolve territorial and resource

disputes peacefully; regional discord today prevails not so much

between the armed forces of independent states as between stateless

armed entities that detract from the sustenance and welfare of local

populations, leaving the community of nations to cope with resultant

refugees, hunger, disease, impoverishment, and environmental

degradation

Yemen

Yemen protests Eritrea fishing around the Hanish Islands

awarded to Yemen by the ICJ in 1999; Saudi Arabia still maintains

the concrete-filled pipe as a security barrier along sections of the

border with Yemen in 2004 to stem illegal cross-border activities;

Yemen protests Saudi erection of a concrete-filled pipe as a

security barrier in 2004 to stem illegal cross-border activities in

sections of the boundary

Zambia

in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to plans between Botswana

and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de

facto recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited,

Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river

Zimbabwe

Botswana has built electric fences and South Africa has

placed military along the border to stem the flow of thousands of

Zimbabweans fleeing to find work and escape political persecution;

Namibia has supported and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to

plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi

River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly

delimited Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2075 Ethnic groups (%)

Afghanistan

Pashtun 42%, Tajik 27%, Hazara 9%, Uzbek 9%, Aimak 4%,

Turkmen 3%, Baloch 2%, other 4%

Albania

Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Roma (Gypsy), Serb,

Macedonian, Bulgarian) (1989 est.)

note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from

1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization)

Algeria

Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%

note: almost all Algerians are Berber in origin, not Arab; the

minority who identify themselves as Berber live mostly in the

mountainous region of Kabylie east of Algiers; the Berbers are also

Muslim but identify with their Berber rather than Arab cultural

heritage; Berbers have long agitated, sometimes violently, for

autonomy; the government is unlikely to grant autonomy but has

offered to begin sponsoring teaching Berber language in schools

American Samoa

native Pacific islander 92.9%, Asian 2.9%, white

1.2%, mixed 2.8%, other 0.2% (2000 census)

Andorra

Spanish 43%, Andorran 33%, Portuguese 11%, French 7%, other

6% (1998)

Angola

Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, mestico (mixed

European and native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22%

Anguilla

black (predominant) 90.1%, mixed, mulatto 4.6%, white 3.7%,

other 1.5% (2001 Census)

Antigua and Barbuda

black, British, Portuguese, Lebanese, Syrian

Argentina

white (mostly Spanish and Italian) 97%, mestizo (mixed

white and Amerindian ancestry), Amerindian, or other non-white

groups 3%

Armenia

Armenian 97.9%, Yezidi (Kurd) 1.3%, Russian 0.5%, other 0.3%

(2001 census)

Aruba

mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%

Australia

Caucasian 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%

Austria

Austrians 91.1%, former Yugoslavs 4% (includes Croatians,

Slovenes, Serbs, and Bosniaks), Turks 1.6%, German 0.9%, other or

unspecified 2.4% (2001 census)

Azerbaijan

Azeri 90.6%, Dagestani 2.2%, Russian 1.8%, Armenian 1.5%,

other 3.9% (1999 census)

note: almost all Armenians live in the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh

region

Bahamas, The

black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3%

Bahrain

Bahraini 62.4%, non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census)

Bangladesh

Bengali 98%, tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims (1998)

Barbados

black 90%, white 4%, Asian and mixed 6%

Belarus

Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish 3.9%, Ukrainian

2.4%, other 1.1% (1999 census)

Belgium

Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11%

Belize

mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other

9.7%

Benin

African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja,

Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500

Bermuda

black 54.8%, white 34.1%, mixed 6.4%, other races 4.3%,

unspecified 0.4% (2000 census)

Bhutan

Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35% (includes Lhotsampas - one of

several Nepalese ethnic groups), indigenous or migrant tribes 15%

Bolivia

Quechua 30%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry)

30%, Aymara 25%, white 15%

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosniak 48%, Serb 37.1%, Croat 14.3%, other

0.6% (2000)

note: Bosniak has replaced Muslim as an ethnic term in part to avoid

confusion with the religious term Muslim - an adherent of Islam

Botswana

Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other,

including Kgalagadi and white 7%

Brazil

white 53.7%, mulatto (mixed white and black) 38.5%, black

6.2%, other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian) 0.9%, unspecified

0.7% (2000 census)

British Virgin Islands

black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed

Brunei

Malay 67%, Chinese 15%, indigenous 6%, other 12%

Bulgaria

Bulgarian 83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2% (including

Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (2001 census)

Burkina Faso

Mossi over 40%, Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande,

Fulani

Burma

Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian

2%, Mon 2%, other 5%

Burundi

Hutu (Bantu) 85%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 14%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%,

Europeans 3,000, South Asians 2,000

Cambodia

Khmer 90%, Vietnamese 5%, Chinese 1%, other 4%

Cameroon

Cameroon Highlanders 31%, Equatorial Bantu 19%, Kirdi 11%,

Fulani 10%, Northwestern Bantu 8%, Eastern Nigritic 7%, other

African 13%, non-African less than 1%

Canada

British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European

15%, Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed

background 26%

Cape Verde

Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%

Cayman Islands

mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of

various ethnic groups 20%

Central African Republic

Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%,

Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%, Yakoma 4%, other 2%

Chad

200 distinct groups; in the north and center: Arabs, Gorane

(Toubou, Daza, Kreda), Zaghawa, Kanembou, Ouaddai, Baguirmi,

Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko, Hausa, Boulala, and Maba, most of whom are

Muslim; in the south: Sara (Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye), Moundang,

Moussei, Massa, most of whom are Christian or animist; about 1,000

French citizens live in Chad

Chile

white and white-Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2%

China

Han Chinese 91.9%, Zhuang, Uygur, Hui, Yi, Tibetan, Miao,

Manchu, Mongol, Buyi, Korean, and other nationalities 8.1%

Christmas Island

Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%

note: no indigenous population (2001)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Europeans, Cocos Malays

Colombia

mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed

black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1%

Comoros

Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

over 200 African ethnic groups of

which the majority are Bantu; the four largest tribes - Mongo, Luba,

Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about

45% of the population

Congo, Republic of the

Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%,

Europeans and other 3%

Cook Islands

Cook Island Maori (Polynesian) 87.7%, part Cook Island

Maori 5.8%, other 6.5% (2001 census)

Costa Rica

white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%,

Chinese 1%, other 1%

Cote d'Ivoire

Akan 42.1%, Voltaiques or Gur 17.6%, Northern Mandes

16.5%, Krous 11%, Southern Mandes 10%, other 2.8% (includes 130,000

Lebanese and 14,000 French) (1998)

Croatia

Croat 89.6%, Serb 4.5%, other 5.9% (including Bosniak,

Hungarian, Slovene, Czech, and Roma) (2001 census)

Cuba

mulatto 51%, white 37%, black 11%, Chinese 1%

Cyprus

Greek 77%, Turkish 18%, other 5% (2001)

Czech Republic

Czech 90.4%, Moravian 3.7%, Slovak 1.9%, other 4%

(2001 census)

Denmark

Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian,

Somali

Djibouti

Somali 60%, Afar 35%, French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian

5%

Dominica

black, mixed black and European, European, Syrian, Carib

Amerindian

Dominican Republic

mixed 73%, white 16%, black 11%

East Timor

Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese

minority

Ecuador

mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%,

Spanish and others 7%, black 3%

Egypt

Egyptian 98%, Berber, Nubian, Bedouin, and Beja 1%, Greek,

Armenian, other European (primarily Italian and French) 1%

El Salvador

mestizo 90%, white 9%, Amerindian 1%

Equatorial Guinea

Bioko (primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos), Rio Muni

(primarily Fang), Europeans less than 1,000, mostly Spanish

Eritrea

Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho (Red Sea

coast dwellers) 3%, other 3%

Estonia

Estonian 67.9%, Russian 25.6%, Ukrainian 2.1%, Belarusian

1.3%, Finn 0.9%, other 2.2% (2000 census)

Ethiopia

Oromo 40%, Amhara and Tigre 32%, Sidamo 9%, Shankella 6%,

Somali 6%, Afar 4%, Gurage 2%, other 1%

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

British

Faroe Islands

Scandinavian

Fiji

Fijian 51% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian

admixture), Indian 44%, European, other Pacific Islanders, overseas

Chinese, and other 5% (1998 est.)

Finland

Finn 93.4%, Swede 5.7%, Russian 0.4%, Estonian 0.2%, Roma

0.2%, Sami 0.1%

France

Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African,

Indochinese, Basque minorities

overseas departments: black, white, mulatto, East Indian, Chinese,

Amerindian

French Polynesia

Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%,

metropolitan French 4%

Gabon

Bantu tribes, including four major tribal groupings (Fang,

Bapounou, Nzebi, Obamba); other Africans and Europeans, 154,000,

including 10,700 French and 11,000 persons of dual nationality

Gambia, The

African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola

10%, Serahuli 9%, other 4%), non-African 1%

Gaza Strip

Palestinian Arab and other 99.4%, Jewish 0.6%

Georgia

Georgian 83.8%, Azeri 6.5%, Armenian 5.7%, Russian 1.5%,

other 2.5% (2002 census)

Germany

German 91.5%, Turkish 2.4%, other 6.1% (made up largely of

Greek, Italian, Polish, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish)

Ghana

African 98.5% (includes Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%,

Ga 8%, Gurma 3%, Yoruba 1%), European and other 1.5% (1998)

Gibraltar

Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, German,

North Africans

Greece

Greek 98%, Turkish and other 2%

note: the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in

Greece

Greenland

Greenlander 88% (Inuit and Greenland-born whites), Danish

and others 12% (2000)

Grenada

black 82%, mixed black and European 13%, European and East

Indian 5%, and trace of Arawak/Carib Amerindian

Guam

Chamorro 37.1%, Filipino 26.3%, other Pacific islander 11.3%,

white 6.9%, other Asian 6.3%, other ethnic origin or race 2.3%,

mixed 9.8% (2000 census)

Guatemala

Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish - in local Spanish

called Ladino) and European 59.4%, K'iche 9.1%, Kaqchikel 8.4%, Mam

7.9%, Q'eqchi 6.3%, other Mayan 8.6%, indigenous non-Mayan 0.2%,

other 0.1% (2001 census)

Guernsey

UK and Norman-French descent with small percentages from

other European countries

Guinea

Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic groups 10%

Guinea-Bissau

African 99% (includes Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca

14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1%

Guyana

East Indian 50%, black 36%, Amerindian 7%, white, Chinese,

and mixed 7%

Haiti

black 95%, mulatto and white 5%

Holy See (Vatican City)

Italians, Swiss, other

Honduras

mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%,

black 2%, white 1%

Hong Kong

Chinese 95%, other 5%

Hungary

Hungarian 92.3%, Roma 1.9%, other or unknown 5.8% (2001

census)

Iceland

homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%,

population of foreign origin 6%

India

Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% (2000)

Indonesia

Javanese 45%, Sundanese 14%, Madurese 7.5%, coastal Malays

7.5%, other 26%

Iran

Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%,

Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%

Iraq

Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5%

Ireland

Celtic, English

Isle of Man

Manx (Norse-Celtic descent), Briton

Israel

Jewish 76.4% (of which Israel-born 67.1%, Europe/America-born

22.6%, Africa-born 5.9%, Asia-born 4.2%), non-Jewish 23.6% (mostly

Arab) (2004)

Italy

Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and

Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and

Greek-Italians in the south)

Jamaica

black 90.9%, East Indian 1.3%, white 0.2%, Chinese 0.2%,

mixed 7.3%, other 0.1%

Japan

Japanese 99%, others 1% (Korean 511,262, Chinese 244,241,

Brazilian 182,232, Filipino 89,851, other 237,914)

note: up to 230,000 Brazilians of Japanese origin migrated to Japan

in the 1990s to work in industries; some have returned to Brazil

(2004)

Jersey

Jersey 51.1%, British 34.8%, Irish, French, and other white

6.6%, Portuguese/Madeiran 6.4%, other 1.1% (2001 census)

Jordan

Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%

Kazakhstan

Kazakh (Qazaq) 53.4%, Russian 30%, Ukrainian 3.7%, Uzbek

2.5%, German 2.4%, Tatar 1.7%, Uygur 1.4%, other 4.9% (1999 census)

Kenya

Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii

6%, Meru 6%, other African 15%, non-African (Asian, European, and

Arab) 1%

Kiribati

Micronesian 98.8%, other 1.2% (2000 census)

Korea, North

racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese

community and a few ethnic Japanese

Korea, South

homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)

Kuwait

Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%,

other 7%

Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyz 64.9%, Uzbek 13.8%, Russian 12.5%, Dungan 1.1%,

Ukrainian 1%, Uygur 1%, other 5.7% (1999 census)

Laos

Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung

(highland) including the Hmong and the Yao 9%, ethnic

Vietnamese/Chinese 1%

Latvia

Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian

2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002)

Lebanon

Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%

note: many Christian Lebanese do not identify themselves as Arab but

rather as descendents of the ancient Canaanites and prefer to be

called Phoenicians

Lesotho

Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,

Liberia

indigenous African 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru,

Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella,

Mandingo, and Mende), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of

immigrants from the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5%

(descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves)

Libya

Berber and Arab 97%, Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians,

Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, Tunisians

Liechtenstein

Alemannic 86%, Italian, Turkish, and other 14%

Lithuania

Lithuanian 83.4%, Polish 6.7%, Russian 6.3%, other or

unspecified 3.6% (2001 census)

Luxembourg

Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese,

Italian, Slavs (from Montenegro, Albania, and Kosovo) and European

(guest and resident workers)

Macau

Chinese 95.7%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry)

1%, other 3.3% (2001 census)

Macedonia

Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.9%, Roma 2.7%,

Serb 1.8%, other 2.2% (2002 census)

Madagascar

Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers

(mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry -

Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian,

Creole, Comoran

Malawi

Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni,

Ngonde, Asian, European

Malaysia

Malay 50.4%, Chinese 23.7%, Indigenous 11%, Indian 7.1%,

others 7.8% (2004 est.)

Maldives

South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs

Mali

Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Soninke), Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%,

Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5%

Malta

Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians,

with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock)

Marshall Islands

Micronesian

Mauritania

mixed Maur/black 40%, Moor 30%, black 30%

Mauritius

Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%,

Franco-Mauritian 2%

Mayotte

NA

Mexico

mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predominantly

Amerindian 30%, white 9%, other 1%

Micronesia, Federated States of

nine ethnic Micronesian and

Polynesian groups

Moldova

Moldovan/Romanian 78.2%, Ukrainian 8.4%, Russian 5.8%,

Gagauz 4.4%, Bulgarian 1.9%, other 1.3% (2004 census)

note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region

Monaco

French 47%, Monegasque 16%, Italian 16%, other 21%

Mongolia

Mongol (mostly Khalkha) 94.9%, Turkic (mostly Kazakh) 5%,

other (including Chinese and Russian) 0.1% (2000)

Montenegro

Montenegrin 43%, Serbian 32%, Bosniak 8%, Albanian 5%,

other (Muslims, Croats, Roma) 12%

Montserrat

black, white

Morocco

Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2%

Mozambique

African 99.66% (Makhuwa, Tsonga, Lomwe, Sena, and

others), Europeans 0.06%, Euro-Africans 0.2%, Indians 0.08%

Namibia

black 87.5%, white 6%, mixed 6.5%

note: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9%

to the Kavangos tribe; other ethnic groups includes Herero 7%,

Damara 7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%

Nauru

Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European

8%

Nepal

Chhettri 15.5%, Brahman-Hill 12.5%, Magar 7%, Tharu 6.6%,

Tamang 5.5%, Newar 5.4%, Muslim 4.2%, Kami 3.9%, Yadav 3.9%, other

32.7%, unspecified 2.8% (2001 census)

Netherlands

Dutch 83%, other 17% (of which 9% are non-Western origin

mainly Turks, Moroccans, Antilleans, Surinamese, and Indonesians)

(1999 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East

Asian

New Caledonia

Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%,

Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3%

New Zealand

European 69.8%, Maori 7.9%, Asian 5.7%, Pacific islander

4.4%, other 0.5%, mixed 7.8%, unspecified 3.8% (2001 census)

Nicaragua

mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black

9%, Amerindian 5%

Niger

Hausa 56%, Djerma 22%, Fula 8.5%, Tuareg 8%, Beri Beri

(Kanouri) 4.3%, Arab, Toubou, and Gourmantche 1.2%, about 1,200

French expatriates

Nigeria

Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, is composed of more

than 250 ethnic groups; the following are the most populous and

politically influential: Hausa and Fulani 29%, Yoruba 21%, Igbo

(Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Ibibio 3.5%, Tiv 2.5%

Niue

Niuen 78.2%, Pacific islander 10.2%, European 4.5%, mixed 3.9%,

Asian 0.2%, unspecified 3% (2001 census)

Norfolk Island

descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New

Zealander, Polynesian

Northern Mariana Islands

Asian 56.3%, Pacific islander 36.3%,

Caucasian 1.8%, other 0.8%, mixed 4.8% (2000 census)

Norway

Norwegian, Sami 20,000

Oman

Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan,

Bangladeshi), African

Pakistan

Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir

(immigrants from India at the time of partition and their

descendants)

Palau

Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures)

69.9%, Filipino 15.3%, Chinese 4.9%, other Asian 2.4%, white 1.9%,

Carolinian 1.4%, other Micronesian 1.1%, other or unspecified 3.2%

(2000 census)

Panama

mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and

mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6%

Papua New Guinea

Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian

Paraguay

mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%, other 5%

Peru

Amerindian 45%, mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 37%, white

15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3%

Philippines

Tagalog 28.1%, Cebuano 13.1%, Ilocano 9%,

Bisaya/Binisaya 7.6%, Hiligaynon Ilonggo 7.5%, Bikol 6%, Waray 3.4%,

other 25.3% (2000 census)

Pitcairn Islands

descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their

Tahitian wives

Poland

Polish 96.7%, German 0.4%, Belarusian 0.1%, Ukrainian 0.1%,

other and unspecified 2.7% (2002 census)

Portugal

homogeneous Mediterranean stock; citizens of black African

descent who immigrated to mainland during decolonization number less

than 100,000; since 1990 East Europeans have entered Portugal

Puerto Rico

white (mostly Spanish origin) 80.5%, black 8%,

Amerindian 0.4%, Asian 0.2%, mixed and other 10.9%

Qatar

Arab 40%, Indian 18%, Pakistani 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%

Romania

Romanian 89.5%, Hungarian 6.6%, Roma 2.5%, Ukrainian 0.3%,

German 0.3%, Russian 0.2%, Turkish 0.2%, other 0.4% (2002 census)

Russia

Russian 79.8%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 2%, Bashkir 1.2%,

Chuvash 1.1%, other or unspecified 12.1% (2002 census)

Rwanda

Hutu 84%, Tutsi 15%, Twa (Pygmoid) 1%

Saint Helena

African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25%

Saint Kitts and Nevis predominantly black; some British, Portuguese, and Lebanese

Saint Lucia

black 90%, mixed 6%, East Indian 3%, white 1%

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

black 66%, mixed 19%, East Indian

6%, Carib Amerindian 2%, other 7%

Samoa

Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and

Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4%

San Marino

Sammarinese, Italian

Sao Tome and Principe

mestico, angolares (descendants of Angolan

slaves), forros (descendants of freed slaves), servicais (contract

laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children

of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese)

Saudi Arabia

Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%

Senegal

Wolof 43.3%, Pular 23.8%, Serer 14.7%, Jola 3.7%, Mandinka

3%, Soninke 1.1%, European and Lebanese 1%, other 9.4%

Serbia

Serb 66%, Albanian 17%, Hungarian 3.5%, other 13.5% (1991)

Seychelles

mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab

Sierra Leone

20 African ethnic groups 90% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%,

other 30%), Creole (Krio) 10% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves

who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century),

refugees from Liberia's recent civil war, small numbers of

Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians

Singapore

Chinese 76.8%, Malay 13.9%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4% (2000

census)

Slovakia

Slovak 85.8%, Hungarian 9.7%, Roma 1.7%,

Ruthenian/Ukrainian 1%, other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)

Slovenia

Slovene 83.1%, Serb 2%, Croat 1.8%, Bosniak 1.1%, other or

unspecified 12% (2002 census)

Solomon Islands

Melanesian 94.5%, Polynesian 3%, Micronesian 1.2%,

other 1.1%, unspecified 0.2% (1999 census)

Somalia

Somali 85%, Bantu and other non-Somali 15% (including Arabs

30,000)

South Africa

black African 79%, white 9.6%, colored 8.9%,

Indian/Asian 2.5% (2001 census)

Spain

composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types

Sri Lanka

Sinhalese 73.8%, Sri Lankan Moors 7.2%, Indian Tamil 4.6%,

Sri Lankan Tamil 3.9%, other 0.5%, unspecified 10% (2001 census

provisional data)

Sudan

black 52%, Arab 39%, Beja 6%, foreigners 2%, other 1%

Suriname

Hindustani (also known locally as "East Indians"; their

ancestors emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the

19th century) 37%, Creole (mixed white and black) 31%, Javanese 15%,

"Maroons" (their African ancestors were brought to the country in

the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior)

10%, Amerindian 2%, Chinese 2%, white 1%, other 2%

Svalbard

Norwegian 55.4%, Russian and Ukrainian 44.3%, other 0.3%

(1998)

Swaziland

African 97%, European 3%

Sweden

indigenous population: Swedes with Finnish and Sami

minorities; foreign-born or first-generation immigrants: Finns,

Yugoslavs, Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks

Switzerland

German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other

6%

Syria

Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%

Taiwan

Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%,

aborigine 2%

Tajikistan

Tajik 79.9%, Uzbek 15.3%, Russian 1.1%, Kyrgyz 1.1%,

other 2.6% (2000 census)

Tanzania

mainland - African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu consisting

of more than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian, European,

and Arab); Zanzibar - Arab, African, mixed Arab and African

Thailand

Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11%

Togo

African (37 tribes; largest and most important are Ewe, Mina,

and Kabre) 99%, European and Syrian-Lebanese less than 1%

Tokelau

Polynesian

Tonga

Polynesian, Europeans

Trinidad and Tobago

Indian (South Asian) 40%, African 37.5%, mixed

20.5%, other 1.2%, unspecified 0.8% (2000 census)

Tunisia

Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Turkey

Turkish 80%, Kurdish 20% (estimated)

Turkmenistan

Turkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, Russian 4%, other 6% (2003)

Turks and Caicos Islands

black 90%, mixed, European, or North

American 10%

Tuvalu

Polynesian 96%, Micronesian 4%

Uganda

Baganda 17%, Ankole 8%, Basoga 8%, Iteso 8%, Bakiga 7%, Langi

6%, Rwanda 6%, Bagisu 5%, Acholi 4%, Lugbara 4%, Batoro 3%, Bunyoro

3%, Alur 2%, Bagwere 2%, Bakonjo 2%, Jopodhola 2%, Karamojong 2%,

Rundi 2%, non-African (European, Asian, Arab) 1%, other 8%

Ukraine

Ukrainian 77.8%, Russian 17.3%, Belarusian 0.6%, Moldovan

0.5%, Crimean Tatar 0.5%, Bulgarian 0.4%, Hungarian 0.3%, Romanian

0.3%, Polish 0.3%, Jewish 0.2%, other 1.8% (2001 census)

United Arab Emirates

Emirati 19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South

Asian 50%, other expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians)

8% (1982)

note: less than 20% are UAE citizens (1982)

United Kingdom

white (of which English 83.6%, Scottish 8.6%, Welsh

4.9%, Northern Irish 2.9%) 92.1%, black 2%, Indian 1.8%, Pakistani

1.3%, mixed 1.2%, other 1.6% (2001 census)

United States

white 81.7%, black 12.9%, Asian 4.2%, Amerindian and

Alaska native 1%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.2%

(2003 est.)

note: a separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the US

Census Bureau considers Hispanic to mean a person of Latin American

descent (including persons of Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican

origin) living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic group

(white, black, Asian, etc.)

Uruguay

white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%, Amerindian (practically

nonexistent)

Uzbekistan

Uzbek 80%, Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazakh 3%, Karakalpak

2.5%, Tatar 1.5%, other 2.5% (1996 est.)

Vanuatu

Ni-Vanuatu 98.5%, other 1.5% (1999 Census)

Venezuela

Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African,

indigenous people

Vietnam

Kinh (Viet) 86.2%, Tay 1.9%, Thai 1.7%, Muong 1.5%, Khome

1.4%, Hoa 1.1%, Nun 1.1%, Hmong 1%, others 4.1% (1999 census)

Virgin Islands

black 76.2%, white 13.1%, Asian 1.1%, other 6.1%,

mixed 3.5% (2000 census)

Wallis and Futuna

Polynesian

West Bank

Palestinian Arab and other 83%, Jewish 17%

Western Sahara

Arab, Berber

Yemen

predominantly Arab; but also Afro-Arab, South Asians, Europeans

Zambia

African 98.7%, European 1.1%, other 0.2%

Zimbabwe

African 98% (Shona 82%, Ndebele 14%, other 2%), mixed and

Asian 1%, white less than 1%

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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@2076 Exchange rates

Afghanistan

afghanis per US dollar - 541 (2005), 48 (2004), 49

(2003), 41 (2002), note, in 2002, the afghani was revalued and the

currency stabilized at about 50 afghanis to the dollar; before 2002,

the market rate varied widely from the official rate

Akrotiri

Cypriot pounds per US dollar - 0.46019 (2006), 0.4641

(2005), 0.4686 (2004), 0.5174 (2003), 0.6107 (2002)

Albania

leke per US dollar - 98.5927 (2006), 102.649 (2005), 102.78

(2004), 121.863 (2003), 140.155 (2002)

Algeria

Algerian dinars per US dollar - 73.2 (2006), 73.276 (2005),

72.061 (2004), 77.395 (2003), 79.682 (2002)

American Samoa

the US dollar is used

Andorra

euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054

(2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Angola

kwanza per US dollar - 80.3 (2006), 88.6 (2005), 83.541

(2004), 74.606 (2003), 43.53 (2002)

Anguilla

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7

(2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), note, fixed rate since 1976

Antigua and Barbuda

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7

(2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), note, fixed rate since

1976

Argentina

Argentine pesos per US dollar - 3.05999 (2006), 2.9037

(2005), 2.9233 (2004), 2.9006 (2003), 3.0633 (2002)

Armenia

drams per US dollar - 436.8 (2006), 457.69 (2005), 533.45

(2004), 578.76 (2003), 573.35 (2002)

Aruba

Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - 1.79 (2005), 1.79

(2004), 1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002)

Australia

Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3382 (2006), 1.3095

(2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002)

Austria

euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054

(2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani manats per US dollar - 0.89131 (2006),

4,727.1 (2005), 4,913.48 (2004), 4,910.73 (2003), 4,860.82 (2002)

note: on 1 January 2006 Azerbaijan revalued its currency, with 5,000

old manats equal to 1 new manat

Bahamas, The

Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1 (2005), 1 (2004), 1

(2003), 1 (2002)

Bahrain

Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.376 (2006), 0.376 (2005),

0.376 (2004), 0.376 (2003), 0.376 (2002)

Bangladesh

taka per US dollar - 70.235 (2006), 64.328 (2005), 59.513

(2004), 58.15 (2003), 57.888 (2002)

Barbados

Barbadian dollars per US dollar - 2 (2005), 2 (2004), 2

(2003), 2 (2002)

Belarus

Belarusian rubles per US dollar - 2,220 (2006), 2,150

(2005), 2,160.26 (2004), 2,051.27 (2003), 1,790.92 (2002)

Belgium

euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054

(2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Belize

Belizean dollars per US dollar - 2 (2006), 2 (2005), 2

(2004), 2 (2003), 2 (2002)

Benin

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

513.168 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99

(2002)

Bermuda

Bermudian dollar per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate pegged

to the US dollar)

Bhutan

ngultrum per US dollar - 44.101 (2006), 44.101 (2005), 45.317

(2004), 46.583 (2003), 48.61 (2002)

note: the ngultrum is pegged to the Indian rupee

Bolivia

bolivianos per US dollar - 8.01039 (2006), 8.0661 (2005),

7.9363 (2004), 7.6592 (2003), 7.17 (2002)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

marka per US dollar - 1.55818 (2006), 1.5727

(2005), 1.5752 (2004), 1.7329 (2003), 2.0782 (2002)

note: the marka is pegged to the euro

Botswana

pulas per US dollar - 5.90646 (2006), 5.1104 (2005), 4.6929

(2004), 4.9499 (2003), 6.3278 (2002)

Brazil

reals per US dollar - 2.19132 (2006), 2.4344 (2005), 2.9251

(2004), 3.0771 (2003), 2.9208 (2002)

British Virgin Islands

the US dollar is used

Brunei

Bruneian dollars per US dollar - 1.6644 (2005), 1.6902

(2004), 1.7422 (2003), 1.7906 (2002)

Bulgaria

leva per US dollar - 1.56441 (2006), 1.5741 (2005), 1.5751

(2004), 1.7327 (2003), 2.077 (2002)

Burkina Faso

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US

dollar - 523.721 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003),

696.99 (2002)

Burma

kyats per US dollar - 1,310 (2006), 5.761 (2005), 5.7459

(2004), 6.0764 (2003), 6.5734 (2002), note, these are official

exchange rates; unofficial exchange rates ranged in 2004 from 815

kyat/US dollar to nearly 970 kyat/US dollar, and by year-end 2005,

the unofficial exchange rate was 1,075 kyat/US dollar

Burundi

Burundi francs per US dollar - 1,170 (2006), 1,138 (2005),

1,100.91 (2004), 1,082.62 (2003), 930.75 (2002)

Cambodia

riels per US dollar - 4,119 (2006), 4,092.5 (2005),

4,016.25 (2004), 3,973.33 (2003), 3,912.08 (2002)

Cameroon

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar

- 522.592 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99

(2002)

Canada

Canadian dollars per US dollar - 1.13186 (2006), 1.2118

(2005), 1.301 (2004), 1.4011 (2003), 1.5693 (2002)

Cape Verde

Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - 86.2664

(2006), 88.67 (2005), 88.808 (2004), 97.703 (2003), 117.168 (2002)

Cayman Islands

Caymanian dollars per US dollar - 0.82 (29 October

2001), 0.83 (3 November 1995), 0.85 (22 November 1993)

Central African Republic

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs

(XAF) per US dollar - 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003),

696.99 (2002)

Chad

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar -

508.494 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99

(2002)

Chile

Chilean pesos per US dollar - 532.115 (2006), 560.09 (2005),

609.37 (2004), 691.43 (2003), 688.94 (2002)

China

yuan per US dollar - 7.97 (2006), 8.1943 (2005), 8.2768

(2004), 8.277 (2003), 8.277 (2002)

Christmas Island

Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005),

1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095

(2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002)

Colombia

Colombian pesos per US dollar - 2,382.9 (2006), 2,320.75

(2005), 2,628.61 (2004), 2,877.65 (2003), 2,504.24 (2002)

Comoros

Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 395.6 (2005), 396.21

(2004), 435.9 (2003), 522.74 (2002), note, the Comoran franc is

pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677 Comoran francs per euro

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Congolese francs per US dollar -

437.86 (2005), 401.04 (2004), 405.34 (2003), 346.49 (2002)

Congo, Republic of the

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF)

per US dollar - 513.168 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2

(2003), 696.99 (2002)

Cook Islands

New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.4203 (2005),

1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002)

Costa Rica

Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 513.302 (2006),

477.79 (2005), 437.91 (2004), 398.66 (2003), 359.82 (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US

dollar - 522.592 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003),

696.99 (2002)

Croatia

kuna per US dollar - 5.85506 (2006), 5.9473 (2005), 6.0358

(2004), 6.7035 (2003), 7.8687 (2002)

Cuba

Convertible pesos per US dollar - 0.93 (2006), note, Cuba has

three currencies in circulation: the Cuban peso (CUP), the

convertible peso (CUC), and the US dollar (USD), although the dollar

is being withdrawn from circulation; in April 2005 the official

exchange rate changed from $1 per CUC to $1.08 per CUC (0.93 CUC per

$1), both for individuals and enterprises; individuals can buy 24

Cuban pesos (CUP) for each CUC sold, or sell 25 Cuban pesos for each

CUC bought; enterprises, however, must exchange CUP and CUC at a 1:1

ratio.

Cyprus

Cypriot pounds per US dollar - 0.46019 (2006), 0.4641 (2005),

0.4686 (2004), 0.5174 (2003), 0.6107 (2002), Turkish lira per US

dollar - 1.44514 (2006), 1.3436 (2005), 1.426 million (2004), 1.501

million (2003), 1.507 million (2002), 1.226 million (2001)

Czech Republic

koruny per US dollar - 22.3072 (2006), 23.957 (2005),

25.7 (2004), 28.209 (2003), 32.739 (2002)

Denmark

Danish kroner per US dollar - 5.93667 (2006), 5.9969 (2005),

5.9911 (2004), 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947 (2002)

Dhekelia

Cypriot pounds per US dollar - 0.46019 (2006), 0.4641

(2005), 0.4686 (2004), 0.5174 (2003), 0.6107 (2002)

Djibouti

Djiboutian francs per US dollar - 177.72 (2005), 177.72

(2004), 177.72 (2003), 177.72 (2002)

Dominica

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7

(2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002)

Dominican Republic

Dominican pesos per US dollar - 33.6046 (2006),

30.409 (2005), 42.12 (2004), 30.831 (2003), 18.61 (2002)

East Timor

the US dollar is used

Ecuador

1 (2006), 25,000 (2005), 25,000 (2004), 25,000 (2003),

25,000 (2002)

Egypt

Egyptian pounds per US dollar - 5.75 (2006), 5.78 (2005),

6.1962 (2004), 5.8509 (2003), 4.4997 (2002)

El Salvador

8.75 (2006), the US dollar became El Salvador's currency

in 2001

Equatorial Guinea

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per

US dollar - 522.594 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2

(2003), 696.99 (2002)

Eritrea

nakfa (ERN) per US dollar - 14 (2006), 14.5 (2005), 13.788

(2004), 13.878 (2003), 13.958 (2002)

Estonia

krooni per US dollar - 12.5153 (2006), 12.584 (2005), 12.596

(2004), 13.856 (2003), 16.612 (2002), note - the krooni is pegged to

the euro

Ethiopia

birr per US dollar - 8.69 (2006), 8.68 (2005), 8.6356

(2004), 8.5997 (2003), 8.5678 (2002), note, since 24 October 2001

exchange rates are determined on a daily basis via interbank

transactions regulated by the Central Bank

European Union

euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005),

0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Falkland pounds per US dollar -

0.55 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), note, the

Falkland pound is at par with the British pound

Faroe Islands

Danish kroner per US dollar - 5.93667 (2006), 5.9969

(2005), 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947 (2002)

Fiji

Fijian dollars per US dollar - 1.691 (2005), 1.7331 (2004),

1.8958 (2003), 2.1869 (2002)

Finland

euros per US dollar - 0.79987 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054

(2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

France

euros per US dollar - 0.7967 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054

(2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

French Polynesia

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US

dollar - 95.01 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003),

126.71 (2002)

note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro

Gabon

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar -

522.592 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99

(2002)

Gambia, The

dalasi per US dollar - 30 (2006), 30.38 (2005), 30.03

(2004), 27.306 (2004), 19.918 (2003), 15.687 (2002), 15.687 (2001)

Gaza Strip

new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.4877 (2005), 4.482

(2004), 4.5541 (2003), 4.7378 (2002)

Georgia

lari per US dollar - 1.79 (2006), 1.8127 (2005), 1.9167

(2004), 2.1457 (2003), 2.1957 (2002)

Germany

euros per US dollar - 0.7967 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054

(2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Ghana

cedis per US dollar - 9,178.85 (2006), 9,072.5 (2005), 9,004.6

(2004), 8,677.4 (2003), 7,932.7 (2002)

Gibraltar

Gibraltar pounds per US dollar - 0.54413 (2006), 0.55

(2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), note, the

Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound

Greece

euros per US dollar - 0.79987 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054

(2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Greenland

Danish kroner per US dollar - 5.93667 (2006), 5.9969

(2005), 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947 (2002)

Grenada

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7

(2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002)

Guam

the US dollar is used

Guatemala

quetzales per US dollar - 7.60102 (2006), 7.6339 (2005),

7.9465 (2004), 7.9409 (2003), 7.8217 (2002)

Guernsey

Guernsey pounds per US dollar - 0.5441 (2006), 0.55 (2005),

0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), note, the Guernsey

pound is at par with the British pound

Guinea

Guinean francs per US dollar - 5,555 (2006), 3,644.3 (2005),

2,225 (2004), 1,984.9 (2003), 1,975.8 (2002)

Guinea-Bissau

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US

dollar - 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002),

note, since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc has been pegged to the

euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro

Guyana

Guyanese dollars per US dollar - 200.281 (2006), 200.79

(2005), 198.31 (2004), 193.88 (2003), 190.67 (2002)

Haiti

gourdes per US dollar - 45.189 (2006), 40.449 (2005), 38.352

(2004), 42.367 (2003), 29.251 (2002)

Holy See (Vatican City)

euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041

(2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Honduras

lempiras per US dollar - 18.9278 (2006), 18.92 (2005),

18.206 (2004), 17.345 (2003), 16.433 (2002)

Hong Kong

Hong Kong dollars per US dollar - 7.77367 (2006), 7.7773

(2005), 7.788 (2004), 7.7868 (2003), 7.7989 (2002)

Hungary

forints per US dollar - 215.105 (2006), 199.58 (2005),

202.75 (2004), 224.31 (2003), 257.89 (2002)

Iceland

Icelandic kronur per US dollar - 69.5108 (2006), 62.982

(2005), 70.192 (2004), 76.709 (2003), 91.662 (2002)

India

Indian rupees per US dollar - 45.5 (2006), 44.101 (2005),

45.317 (2004), 46.583 (2003), 48.61 (2002)

Indonesia

Indonesian rupiah per US dollar - 9,207.18 (2006), 9,704.7

(2005), 8,938.9 (2004), 8,577.1 (2003), 9,311.2 (2002)

Iran

rials per US dollar - 9,246.94 (2006), 8,964 (2005), 8,614

(2004), 8,193.9 (2003), 6,907 (2002), note, Iran has been using a

managed floating exchange rate regime since unifying multiple

exchange rates in March 2002

Iraq

New Iraqi dinars per US dollar - 1,477.17 (2006), 1,475 (2005),

1,890 (second half, 2003), 0.3109 (2001)

Ireland

euros per US dollar - 0.79987 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054

(2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Isle of Man

Manx pounds per US dollar - 0.54413 (2006), 0.55 (2005),

0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002)

Israel

new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.5 (2006), 4.4877

(2005), 4.482 (2004), 4.5541 (2003), 4.7378 (2002)

Italy

euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054

(2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Jamaica

Jamaican dollars per US dollar - 65.9329 (2006), 62.51

(2005), 61.197 (2004), 57.741 (2003), 48.416 (2002)

Japan

yen per US dollar - 116.175 (2006), 110.22 (2005), 108.19

(2004), 115.93 (2003), 125.39 (2002)

Jersey

Jersey pounds per US dollar - 0.54413 (2006), 0.55 (2005),

0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), note, the Jersey pound

is at par with the British pound

Jordan

Jordanian dinars per US dollar - 0.709 (2006), 0.709 (2005),

0.709 (2004), 0.709 (2003), 0.709 (2002)

Kazakhstan

tenge per US dollar - 125.556 (2006), 132.88 (2005),

136.04 (2004), 149.58 (2003), 153.28 (2002)

Kenya

Kenyan shillings per US dollar - 72.7649 (2006), 75.554

(2005), 79.174 (2004), 75.936 (2003), 78.749 (2002)

Kiribati

Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598

(2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002)

Korea, North

official: North Korean won per US dollar - 141 (2006),

170 (December 2004), 150 (December 2002), 2.15 (December 2001);

market: North Korean won per US dollar - 2,500-3,000 (December 2006)

Korea, South

South Korean won per US dollar - 952 (2006), 1,024.1

(2005), 1,145.3 (2004), 1,191.6 (2003), 1,251.1 (2002)

Kuwait

Kuwaiti dinars per US dollar - 0.29 (2006), 0.292 (2005),

0.2947 (2004), 0.298 (2003), 0.3039 (2002)

Kyrgyzstan

soms per US dollar - 40.673 (2006), 41.012 (2005), 42.65

(2004), 43.648 (2003), 46.937 (2002)

Laos

kips per US dollar - 10,235 (2006), 10,820 (2005), 10,585.5

(2004), 10,569 (2003), 10,056.3 (2002)

Latvia

lati per US dollar - 0.55991 (2006), - 0.5647 (2005), 0.5402

(2004), 0.5715 (2003), 0.6182 (2002)

Lebanon

Lebanese pounds per US dollar - 1,507.5 (2006), 1,507.5

(2005), 1,507.5 (2004), 1,507.5 (2003), 1,507.5 (2002)

Lesotho

maloti per US dollar - 6.6 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597

(2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002)

Liberia

Liberian dollars per US dollar - NA (2005), 54.906 (2004),

59.379 (2003), 61.754 (2002)

Libya

Libyan dinars per US dollar - 1.315 (2006), 1.3084 (2005),

1.305 (2004), 1.2929 (2003), 1.2707 (2002)

Liechtenstein

Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.2508 (2006), 1.2452

(2005), 1.2435 (2004), 1.3467 (2003), 1.5586 (2002)

Lithuania

litai per US dollar - 2.7508 (2006), 2.774 (2005), 2.7806

(2004), 3.0609 (2003), 3.677 (2002)

Luxembourg

euros per US dollar - 0.79987 (2006), 0.8041 (2005),

0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Macau

patacas per US dollar - 8.011 (2005), 8.022 (2004), 8.021

(2003), 8.033 (2002)

Macedonia

Macedonian denars per US dollar - 48.9962 (2006), 48.92

(2005), 49.41 (2004), 54.322 (2003), 64.35 (2002)

Madagascar

Malagasy ariary per US dollar - 2,167.5 (2006), 2,003

(2005), 1,868.9 (2004), 1,238.3 (2003), 1,366.4 (2002)

Malawi

Malawian kwachas per US dollar - 139.786 (2006), 108.894

(2005), 108.898 (2004), 97.433 (2003), 76.687 (2002)

Malaysia

ringgits per US dollar - 3.67 (2006), 3.8 (2005), 3.8

(2004), 3.8 (2003), 3.8 (2002)

Maldives

rufiyaa per US dollar - 12.8 (2006), 12.8 (2005), 12.8

(2004), 12.8 (2003), 12.8 (2002)

Mali

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002)

Malta

Maltese liri per US dollar - 0.37 (2006), 0.34578 (2005),

0.34466 (2004), 0.37723 (2003), 0.43362 (2002)

Marshall Islands

the US dollar is used

Mauritania

ouguiyas per US dollar - NA (2005), NA (2004), 263.03

(2003), 271.74 (2002)

Mauritius

Mauritian rupees per US dollar - 31.4607 (2006), 29.496

(2005), 27.499 (2004), 27.902 (2003), 29.962 (2002)

Mayotte

euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054

(2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Mexico

Mexican pesos per US dollar - 11.024 (2006), 10.898 (2005),

11.286 (2004), 10.789 (2003), 9.656 (2002)

Micronesia, Federated States of

the US dollar is used

Moldova

lei per US dollar - 13.1571 (2006), 12.6 (2005), 12.33

(2004), 13.945 (2003), 13.571 (2002)

Monaco

euros per US dollar - 0.7967 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054

(2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Mongolia

togrogs/tugriks per US dollar - 1,187.17 (2005), 1,185.3

(2004), 1,146.5 (2003), 1,110.3 (2002)

Montenegro

euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005),

0.8089 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Montserrat

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7

(2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), note, fixed rate since 1976

Morocco

Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.77508 (2006), 8.865

(2005), 8.868 (2004), 9.574 (2003), 11.021 (2002)

Mozambique

meticais per US dollar - 24.9245 (2006), 23,061 (2005),

22,581 (2004), 23,782 (2003), 23,678 (2002)

Namibia

Namibian dollars per US dollar - 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005),

6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002)

Nauru

Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598

(2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002)

Nepal

Nepalese rupees per US dollar - 71.368 (2005), 73.674 (2004),

76.141 (2003), 77.877 (2002)

Netherlands

euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005),

0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Netherlands Antilles

Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar -

1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002)

New Caledonia

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US

dollar - 95.01 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003),

126.71 (2002)

New Zealand

New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.55677 (2006),

1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002)

Nicaragua

gold cordobas per US dollar - 17.5815 (2006), 16.733

(2005), 15.937 (2004), 15.105 (2003), 14.251 (2002)

Niger

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002)

Nigeria

nairas per US dollar - 127.573 (2006), 132.59 (2005), 132.89

(2004), 129.22 (2003), 120.58 (2002)

Niue

New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087

(2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002)

Norfolk Island

Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005),

1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002)

Northern Mariana Islands

the US dollar is used

Norway

Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 6.41332 (2006), 6.4425

(2005), 6.7408 (2004), 7.0802 (2003), 7.9838 (2002)

Oman

Omani rials per US dollar - 0.3845 (2006), 0.3845 (2005),

0.3845 (2004), 0.3845 (2003), 0.3845 (2002)

Pakistan

Pakistani rupees per US dollar - 60.5 (2006), 59.515

(2005), 58.258 (2004), 57.752 (2003), 59.724 (2002)

Palau

the US dollar is used

Panama

balboas per US dollar - 1 (2006), 1 (2005), 1 (2004), 1

(2003), 1 (2002)

Papua New Guinea

kina per US dollar - 3.08 (2006), 3.08 (2005),

3.2225 (2004), 3.5635 (2003), 3.8952 (2002)

Paraguay

guarani per US dollar - 5,680.71 (2006), 6,178 (2005),

5,974.6 (2004), 6,424.3 (2003), 5,716.3 (2002)

Peru

nuevo sol per US dollar - 3.28069 (2006), 3.2958 (2005), 3.4132

(2004), 3.4785 (2003), 3.5165 (2002)

Philippines

Philippine pesos per US dollar - 51.5747 (2006), 55.086

(2005), 56.04 (2004), 54.203 (2003), 51.604 (2002)

Pitcairn Islands

New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.4203 (2005),

1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002)

Poland

zlotych per US dollar - 3.11 (2006), 3.2355 (2005), 3.6576

(2004), 3.8891 (2003), 4.08 (2002), note, zlotych is the plural form

of zloty

Portugal

euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054

(2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Puerto Rico

the US dollar is used

Qatar

Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.64 (2006), 3.64 (2005), 3.64

(2004), 3.64 (2003), 3.64 (2002)

Romania

lei per US dollar - 2.84 (2006), 3 (2005), 3 (2004), 3

(2003), 3 (2002)

Russia

Russian rubles per US dollar - 27.5 (2006), 28.284 (2005),

28.814 (2004), 30.692 (2003), 31.349 (2002)

Rwanda

Rwandan francs per US dollar - 560 (2006), 610 (2005), 574.62

(2004), 537.66 (2003), 476.33 (2002)

Saint Helena

Saint Helenian pounds per US dollar - 0.55 (2005),

0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), note, the Saint

Helenian pound is on par with the British pound

Saint Kitts and Nevis

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7

(2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002)

Saint Lucia

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7

(2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006),

0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

East Caribbean dollars per US

dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002)

Samoa

tala per US dollar - 2.7103 (2005), 2.7807 (2004), 2.9732

(2003), 3.3763 (2002)

San Marino

euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005),

0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Sao Tome and Principe

dobras per US dollar - 12,134 (2006), 9,900.4

(2005), NA (2004), 9,347.6 (2003), 9,088.3 (2002)

Saudi Arabia

Saudi riyals per US dollar - 3.745 (2006), 3.747

(2005), 3.75 (2004), 3.75 (2003), 3.75 (2002)

Senegal

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

522.592 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99

(2002)

Serbia

Serbian dinars per US dollar - 58.6925

Seychelles

Seychelles rupees per US dollar - 5.5 (2006), 5.5 (2005),

5.5 (2004), 5.4007 (2003), 5.48 (2002)

Sierra Leone

leones per US dollar - 2,985.4 (2006), 2,889.6 (2005),

2,701.3 (2004), 2,347.9 (2003), 2,099 (2002)

Singapore

Singapore dollars per US dollar - 1.595 (2006), 1.6644

(2005), 1.6902 (2004), 1.7422 (2003), 1.7906 (2002)

Slovakia

koruny per US dollar - 29.9315 (2006), 31.018 (2005),

32.257 (2004), 36.773 (2003), 45.327 (2002)

Slovenia

tolars per US dollar - 190.465 (2006), 192.71 (2005),

192.38 (2004), 207.11 (2003), 240.25 (2002)

Solomon Islands

Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - 7.5299

(2005), 7.4847 (2004), 7.5059 (2003), 6.7488 (2002)

Somalia

Somali shillings per US dollar - 11,000 (November 2000),

2,620 (January 1999), 7,500 (November 1997 est.), 7,000 (January

1996 est.), 5,000 (1 January 1995), note, the Republic of

Somaliland, a self-declared independent country not recognized by

any foreign government, issues its own currency, the Somaliland

shilling

South Africa

rand per US dollar - 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597

(2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002)

Spain

euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054

(2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan rupees per US dollar - 102.987 (2006), 100.498

(2005), 101.194 (2004), 96.521 (2003), 95.662 (2002)

Sudan

Sudanese dinars per US dollar - 217.402 (2006), 243.61 (2005),

257.91 (2004), 260.98 (2003), 263.31 (2002)

Suriname

Surinamese dollars per US dollar - 2.7317 (2005),

Surinamese guilders per US dollar - 2.7336 (2004), 2.6013 (2003),

2.3468 (2002), note, during 1998, the exchange rate splintered into

four distinct rates; in January 1999 the government floated the

guilder, but subsequently fixed it when the black-market rate

plunged; in January 2004, the government introduced the Surinamese

dollar as replacement for the guilder, tied to a US dollar-dominated

currency basket

Svalbard

Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 6.4133 (2006), 6.4425

(2005), 6.7408 (2004), 7.0802 (2003), 7.9838 (2002)

Swaziland

emalangeni per US dollar - 6.6 (2006), 6.3593 (2005),

6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002)

Sweden

Swedish kronor per US dollar - 7.43321 (2006), 7.4731 (2005),

7.3489 (2004), 8.0863 (2003), 9.7371 (2002)

Switzerland

Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.2508 (2006), 1.2452

(2005), 1.2435 (2004), 1.3467 (2003), 1.5586 (2002)

Syria

Syrian pounds per US dollar - (public sector rate): 50 (2006),

50 (2005), 48.5 (2004), (parallel market rate in 'Amman and Beirut):

NA (2005), NA (2004), 52.8 (2003), 52.4 (2002), 50.4 (2001),

(official rate for repaying loans): 11.25 (2004-06)

Taiwan

new Taiwan dollars per US dollar - 32.19 (2006), 31.71

(2005), 34.418 (2004), 34.575 (2003), 33.8 (2002)

Tajikistan

Tajikistani somoni per US dollar - 3.2475 (2006), 3.1166

(2005), 2.9705 (2004), 3.0614 (2003), 2.7641 (2002)

Tanzania

Tanzanian shillings per US dollar - 1,259.54 (2006),

1,128.93 (2005), 1,089.33 (2004), 1,038.42 (2003), 966.58 (2002)

Thailand

baht per US dollar - 38.2472 (2006), 40.22 (2005), 40.222

(2004), 41.485 (2003), 42.96 (2002)

Togo

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

525.817 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99

(2002)

Tokelau

New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087

(2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002)

Tonga

pa'anga per US dollar - 1.96 (2005), 1.9716 (2004), 2.142

(2003), 2.1952 (2002)

Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago dollars per US dollar -

6.2944 (2006), 6.2842 (2005), 6.299 (2004), 6.2951 (2003), 6.2487

(2002)

Tunisia

Tunisian dinars per US dollar - 1.31281 (2006), 1.2974

(2005), 1.2455 (2004), 1.2885 (2003), 1.4217 (2002)

Turkey

Turkish liras per US dollar - 1.44514 (2006), 1.3436 (2005),

1.4255 (2004), 1.5009 (2003), 1.5072 (2002), note, on 1 January 2005

the old Turkish Lira (TRL) was converted to new Turkish Lira (YTL)

at a rate of 1,000,000 old to 1 new Turkish Lira

Turkmenistan

11,100 (2006), in recent years the unofficial rate has

hovered around 24,000 to 25,000 Turkmen manats to the dollar; the

official rate has consistently been 5,200 manat to the dollar

Turks and Caicos Islands

the US dollar is used

Tuvalu

Tuvaluan dollars or Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095

(2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002)

Uganda

Ugandan shillings per US dollar - 1,855.59 (2006), 1,780.7

(2005), 1,810.3 (2004), 1,963.7 (2003), 1,797.6 (2002)

Ukraine

hryvnia per US dollar - 5.05 (2006), 5.1247 (2005), 5.3192

(2004), 5.3327 (2003), 5.3266 (2002)

United Arab Emirates

Emirati dirhams per US dollar - 3.673 (2006),

3.6725 (2005), 3.6725 (2004), 3.6725 (2003), 3.6725 (2002), note,

officially pegged to the US dollar since February 2002

United Kingdom

British pounds per US dollar - 0.54413 (2006), 0.55

(2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002)

United States

British pounds per US dollar - 0.5500 (2005), 0.5462

(2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001); Canadian

dollars per US dollar - 1.2118 (2005), 1.3010 (2004), 1.4011 (2003),

1.5693 (2002), 1.5488 (2001); Japanese yen per US dollar - 110.22

(2005), 108.19 (2004), 115.93 (2003), 125.39 (2002), 121.53 (2001);

euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.8866 (2003),

1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001); Chinese yuan per US dollar - 8.1943

(2005), 8.2768 (2004), 8.2770 (2003), 8.2770 (2002), 8.2271 (2001)

Uruguay

Uruguayan pesos per US dollar - 23.9911 (2006), 24.479

(2005), 28.704 (2004), 28.209 (2003), 21.257 (2002)

Uzbekistan

Uzbekistani soum per US dollar - 1,219.58 (2006), 1,020

(2005), 971.265 (2004), 771.029 (2003), 423.832 (2002)

Vanuatu

vatu per US dollar - NA (2005), 111.79 (2004), 122.19

(2003), 139.2 (2002)

Venezuela

bolivares per US dollar - 2,147 (2006), 2,089.8 (2005),

1,891.3 (2004), 1,607 (2003), 1,161 (2002)

Vietnam

dong per US dollar - 16,037 (2006), 15,746 (2005), (2004),

15,510 (2003), 15,280 (2002)

Virgin Islands

the US dollar is used

Wallis and Futuna

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per

US dollar - 95.01 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003),

126.71 (2002)

West Bank

new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.4877 (2005), 4.482

(2004), 4.5541 (2003), 4.7378 (2002)

Western Sahara

Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.865 (2005), 8.868

(2004), 9.5744 (2003), 11.0206 (2002)

Yemen

Yemeni rials per US dollar - 197.467 (2006), 192.67 (2005),

184.78 (2004), 183.45 (2003), 175.63 (2002)

Zambia

Zambian kwacha per US dollar - 3,371.98 (2006), 4,463.5

(2005), 4,778.9 (2004), 4,733.3 (2003), 4,398.6 (2002)

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwean dollars per US dollar - 195.107 (2006), 77.965

(2005), 5.729 (2004), 0.824 (2003), 0.055 (2002), note, these are

official exchange rates; non-official rates vary significantly

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2077 Executive branch

Afghanistan

chief of state: President of the Islamic Republic of

Afghanistan Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); Vice Presidents

Ahmad Zia MASOOD and Abdul Karim KHALILI (since 7 December 2004);

note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government; former King ZAHIR Shah holds the honorific, "Father of

the Country," and presides symbolically over certain occasions, but

lacks any governing authority; the honorific is not hereditary

head of government: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); Vice Presidents Ahmad Zia

MASOOD and Abdul Karim KHALILI (since 7 December 2004)

cabinet: 25 ministers; note - under the new constitution, ministers

are appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly

elections: the president and two vice presidents are elected by

direct vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); if no

candidate receives 50% or more of the vote in the first round of

voting, the two candidates with the most votes will participate in a

second round; a president can only be elected for two terms;

election last held 9 October 2004 (next to be held in 2009)

election results: Hamid KARZAI elected president; percent of vote -

Hamid KARZAI 55.4%, Yunus QANUNI 16.3%, Ustad Mohammad MOHAQQEQ

11.6%, Abdul Rashid DOSTAM 10.0%, Abdul Latif PEDRAM 1.4%, Masooda

JALAL 1.2%

Akrotiri

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)

head of government: Administrator Air Vice-Marshal Richard LACEY

(since 26 April 2006); note - reports to the British Ministry of

Defence

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is

appointed by the monarch

Albania

chief of state: President of the Republic Alfred MOISIU

(since 24 June 2002)

head of government: Prime Minister Sali BERISHA (since 10 September

2005)

cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister,

nominated by the president, and approved by parliament

elections: president elected by the People's Assembly for a

five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 24

June 2002 (next to be held June 2007); prime minister appointed by

the president

election results: Alfred MOISIU elected president; People's Assembly

vote by number - total votes 134: for 97, against 19, abstained 14,

invalid votes 4

Algeria

chief of state: President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since 28

April 1999)

head of government: Prime Minister Abdelaziz BELKHADEM

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 8 April 2004 (next

to be held in April 2009); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA reelected president for

second term; percent of vote - Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA 85%, Ali BENFLIS

6.4%, Abdellah DJABALLAH 5%

American Samoa

chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US

(since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20

January 2001)

head of government: Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 7 April 2003)

cabinet: Cabinet made up of 12 department directors

elections: under the US Consitution, residents of unincorporated

territories, such as American Samoa, do not vote in elections for US

president and vice president; governor and lieutenant governor

elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms

(eligible for a second term); election last held 2 and 16 November

2004 (next to be held November 2008)

election results: Togiola TULAFONO elected governor; percent of vote

- Togiola TULAFONO 55.7%, Afoa Moega LUTU 44.3%

Andorra

chief of state: French Coprince Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May

1995), represented by Philippe MASSONI (since 26 July 2002); Spanish

Coprince Bishop Joan Enric VIVES i SICILIA (since 12 May 2003),

represented by Nemesi MARQUES i OSTE (since NA)

head of government: Executive Council President Albert PINTAT

SANTOLARIA (since 27 May 2005)

cabinet: Executive Council or Govern designated by the Executive

Council president

elections: Executive Council president elected by the General

Council and formally appointed by the coprinces for a four-year

term; election last held 24 April 2005 (next to be held April-May

2009)

election results: Albert PINTAT SANTOLARIA elected executive council

president; percent of General Council vote - NA

Angola

chief of state: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21

September 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and

head of government

head of government: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21

September 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and

head of government; Fernando de Piedade Dias DOS SANTOS was

appointed Prime Minister on 6 December 2002

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by universal ballot for a five-year

term (eligible for a second consecutive or discontinuous term) under

the 1992 constitution; President DOS SANTOS originally elected (in

1979) without opposition under a one-party system and stood for

reelection in Angola's first multiparty elections 29-30 September

1992 (next to be held in 2009)

election results: Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS 49.6%, Jonas SAVIMBI

40.1%, making a run-off election necessary; the run-off was not held

and SAVIMBI's National Union for the Total Independence of Angola

(UNITA) repudiated the results of the first election; the civil war

resumed leaving DOS SANTOS in his current position as the president

Anguilla

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);

represented by Governor Andrew N. GEORGE (since 10 July 2006)

head of government: Chief Minister Osbourne FLEMING (since 3 March

2000)

cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from among the

elected members of the House of Assembly

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by

the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the

majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually

appointed chief minister by the governor

Antigua and Barbuda

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6

February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir James B.

CARLISLE (since 10 June 1993)

head of government: Prime Minister Winston Baldwin SPENCER (since 24

March 2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on

the advice of the prime minister

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general chosen

by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following

legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the

leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister

by the governor general

Argentina

chief of state: President Nestor KIRCHNER (since 25 May

2003); Vice President Daniel SCIOLI (since 25 May 2003); note - the

president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Nestor KIRCHNER (since 25 May 2003);

Vice President Daniel SCIOLI (since 25 May 2003); note - the

president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket

by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term);

election last held 27 April 2003 (next election to be held in 2007)

election results: results of the presidential election of 27 April

2003: Carlos Saul MENEM 24.3%, Nestor KIRCHNER 22%, Ricardo Lopez

MURPHY 16.4%, Adolfo Rodriguez SAA 14.4%, Elisa CARRIO 14.2%, other

8.7%; the subsequent runoff election slated for 25 May 2003 was

awarded to KIRCHNER by default after MENEM withdrew his candidacy on

the eve of the election

Armenia

chief of state: President Robert KOCHARIAN (since 30 March

1998)

head of government: Prime Minister Andranik MARGARYAN (since 12 May

2000)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 19 February and 5

March 2003 (next to be held in 2008); prime minister appointed by

the president and confirmed with the majority support of the

National Assembly; the prime minister and Council of Ministers must

resign if the National Assembly refuses to accept their program

election results: Robert KOCHARIAN reelected president; percent of

vote - Robert KOCHARIAN 67.5%, Stepan DEMIRCHYAN 32.5%

Aruba

chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30

April 1980), represented by Governor General Fredis REFUNJOL (since

11 May 2004)

head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30

October 2001)

cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed for

a six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime

minister elected by the Staten for four-year terms; election last

held 2005 (next to be held by 2009)

election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent

of legislative vote - NA

Australia

chief of state: Queen of Australia ELIZABETH II (since 6

February 1952), represented by Governor General Maj. Gen. (Ret.)

Michael JEFFERY (since 11 August 2003)

head of government: Prime Minister John Winston HOWARD (since 11

March 1996); Deputy Prime Minister Mark VAILE (since 6 July 2005)

cabinet: prime minister nominates, from among members of Parliament,

candidates who are subsequently sworn in by the governor general to

serve as government ministers

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general

appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime

minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the

majority party or leader of a majority coalition is sworn in as

prime minister by the governor general

note: government coalition - Liberal Party and National Party

Austria

chief of state: President Heinz FISCHER (since 8 July 2004)

head of government: Chancellor Alfred GUSENBAUER (SPOe) (since 11

January 2007); Vice Chancellor Wilhelm MOLTERE (OeVP) (since 11

January 2007)

cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice

of the chancellor

elections: president elected by direct popular vote for a six-year

term (eligible for a second term); presidential election last held

25 April 2004 (next to be held April 2010); chancellor formally

chosen by the president but determined by the coalition parties

forming a parliamentary majority; vice chancellor chosen by the

president on the advice of the chancellor

election results: Heinz FISCHER elected president; percent of vote -

Heinz FISCHER (SPOe) 52.4%, Benita FERRERO-WALDNER (OeVP) 47.6%

note: government coalition - SPOe and OeVP

Azerbaijan

chief of state: President Ilham ALIYEV (since 31 October

2003)

head of government: Prime Minister Artur RASIZADE (since 4 November

2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Abbas ABBASOV (since 10 November

2003)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and

confirmed by the National Assembly

elections: president elected by popular vote to a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 15 October 2003

(next to be held October 2008); prime minister and first deputy

prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the

National Assembly

election results: Ilham ALIYEV elected president; percent of vote -

Ilham ALIYEV 76.8%, Isa GAMBAR 14%

Bahamas, The

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February

1952), represented by Governor General Arthur D. HANNA (since 1

February 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister Perry CHRISTIE (since 3 May 2002)

and Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia PRATT (since 7 May 2002)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime

minister's recommendation

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general

appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the

leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition

is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the

prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Bahrain

chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa al-Khalifa (since 6 March

1999); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad (son of the

monarch, born 21 October 1969)

head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman al-Khalifa

(since 1971); Deputy Prime Ministers ALI bin Khalifa bin Salman

al-Khalifa, MUHAMMAD bin Mubarak al-Khalifa, Jawad al-ARAIDH

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch

elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister

appointed by the monarch

Bangladesh

chief of state: President Iajuddin AHMED (since 6

September 2002); note - the president's duties are normally

ceremonial, but with the 13th amendment to the constitution

("Caretaker Government Amendment"), the president's role becomes

significant at times when Parliament is dissolved and a caretaker

government is installed - at presidential direction - to supervise

the elections

head of government: Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA (since 10 October

2001)

cabinet: Cabinet selected by the prime minister and appointed by the

president

elections: president elected by National Parliament for a five-year

term (eligible for a second term); election scheduled for 16

September 2002 was not held since Iajuddin AHMED was the only

presidential candidate; he was sworn in on 6 September 2002 (next

election to be held by 2007); following legislative elections, the

leader of the party that wins the most seats is usually appointed

prime minister by the president

election results: Iajuddin AHMED declared by the Election Commission

elected unopposed as president; percent of National Parliament vote

- NA

Barbados

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),

represented by Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS

(since 1 June 1996)

head of government: Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 7

September 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Mia MOTTLEY (since 26 May

2003)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of

the prime minister

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general

appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the

leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition

is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the

prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Belarus

chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20

July 1994)

head of government: Prime Minister Sergei SIDORSKIY (since 19

December 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir SEMASHKO (since

December 2003)

cabinet: Council of Ministers

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;

first election took place 23 June and 10 July 1994; according to the

1994 constitution, the next election should have been held in 1999,

however, Aleksandr LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001 via a

November 1996 referendum; subsequent election held 9 September 2001;

an October 2004 referendum ended presidential term limits and

allowed the president to run in a third election, which was held on

19 March 2006; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed

by the president

election results: Aleksandr LUKASHENKO reelected president; percent

of vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 82.6%, Aleksandr MILINKEVICH 6%,

Aleksandr KOZULIN 2.3%; note - election marred by electoral fraud

Belgium

chief of state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir

Apparent Prince PHILIPPE, son of the monarch

head of government: Prime Minister Guy VERHOFSTADT (since 13 July

1999)

cabinet: Council of Ministers formally appointed by the monarch

elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary and constitutional;

following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or

the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime

minister by the monarch and then approved by parliament

note: government coalition - VLD, MR, PS, SP.A-Spirit

Belize

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),

represented by Governor General Sir Colville YOUNG, Sr. (since 17

November 1993)

head of government: Prime Minister Said Wilbert MUSA (since 28

August 1998); Deputy Prime Minister John BRICENO (since 1 September

1998)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of

the prime minister

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general

appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the

leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition

is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; prime

minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Benin

chief of state: President Thomas YAYI Boni (since 6 April

2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Thomas YAYI Boni (since 6 April 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); runoff election held 19 March 2006

(next to be held March 2011)

election results: Thomas YAYI Boni elected president; percent of

vote - Thomas YAYI Boni 74.5%, Adrien HOUNGBEDJI 25.5%

Bermuda

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),

represented by Governor Sir John VEREKER (since 11 April 2002)

head of government: Premier Ewart BROWN (since 30 October 2006);

Deputy Premier Paula COX

cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by

the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the

majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually

appointed premier by the governor

Bhutan

chief of state: King Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK (since 14

December 2006); note - King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK abdicated the

throne on 14 December 2006 and his son immediately succeeded him

head of government: Prime Minister Khandu WANGCHUK (since 7

September 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) nominated by the

monarch, approved by the National Assembly; members serve fixed,

five-year terms; note - there is also a Royal Advisory Council

(Lodoi Tsokde), members nominated by the monarch

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary, but democratic reforms

in July 1998 grant the National Assembly authority to remove the

monarch with two-thirds vote

Bolivia

chief of state: President Juan Evo MORALES Ayma (since 22

January 2006); Vice President Alvaro GARCIA Linera (since 22 January

2006); note - the president is both chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Juan Evo MORALES Ayma (since 22

January 2006); Vice President Alvaro GARCIA Linera (since 22 January

2006); note - the president is both chief of state and head of

government

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket

by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 18

December 2005 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: Juan Evo MORALES Ayma elected president; percent

of vote - Juan Evo MORALES Ayma 53.7%; Jorge Fernando QUIROGA

Ramirez 28.6%; Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana 7.8%; Michiaki NAGATANI

Morishit 6.5%; Felipe QUISPE Huanca 2.2%; Guildo ANGULA Cabrera 0.7%

Bosnia and Herzegovina

chief of state: Chairman of the Presidency

Nebojsa RADMANOVIC (chairman since 6 November 2006; presidency

member since 1 October 2006 - Serb); other members of the

three-member presidency rotating (every eight months): Zeljko KOMSIC

(since 1 October 2006 - Croat) and Haris SILAJDZIC (since 1 October

2006 - Bosniak)

head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Nikola

SPIRIC (since 4 January 2007)

cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the council chairman;

approved by the National House of Representatives

elections: the three members of the presidency (one Bosniak, one

Croat, one Serb) are elected by popular vote for a four-year term

(eligible for a second term, but then ineligible for four years);

the member with the most votes becomes the chairman unless he or she

was the incumbent chairman at the time of the election, but the

chairmanship rotates every eight months; election last held 1

October 2006 (next to be held in 2010); the chairman of the Council

of Ministers is appointed by the presidency and confirmed by the

National House of Representatives

election results: percent of vote - Nebojsa RADMANOVIC with 53.3% of

the votes for the Serb seat; Zeljko KOMSIC received 39.6% of the

votes for the Croat seat; Haris SILAJDZIC received 62.8% of the

votes for the Bosniak seat

note: current government is caretaker in the Federation of Bosnia

and Herzegovina; President of the Federation of Bosnia and

Herzegovina: Niko LOZANCIC (since 27 January 2003); Vice Presidents

Sahbaz DZIHANOVIC (since in 2003) and Desnica RADIVOJEVIC (since in

2003); new government will be appointed in coming months; President

of the Republika Srpska: Milan JELIC (since 9 November 2006)

Botswana

chief of state: President Festus G. MOGAE (since 1 April

1998) and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998);

note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Festus G. MOGAE (since 1 April 1998)

and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note -

the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president indirectly elected for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 20 October 2004

(next to be held in 2009); vice president appointed by the president

election results: Festus G. MOGAE elected president; percent of

National Assembly vote - 52%

Brazil

chief of state: President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1

January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003);

note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1

January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket

by popular vote for a single four-year term; election last held 1

October 2006 with runoff 29 October 2006 (next to be held 3 October

2010 and, if necessary, 31 October 2010)

election results: Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (PT) reelected president

- 60.83%, Geraldo ALCKMIN (PSDB) 39.17%

British Indian Ocean Territory

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II

(since 6 February 1952)

head of government: Commissioner Tony CROMBIE (since January 2004);

Administrator Tony HUMPHRIES (since February 2005); note - both

reside in the UK

cabinet: NA

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and

administrator appointed by the monarch

British Virgin Islands

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6

February 1952), represented by Governor David PEAREY (since 18 April

2006)

head of government: Chief Minister Dr. Orlando D. SMITH (since 17

June 2003)

cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of

the Legislative Council

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by

the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the

majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually

appointed chief minister by the governor

Brunei

chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL

Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief

of state and head of government

head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah

(since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief of

state and head of government

cabinet: Council of Cabinet Ministers appointed and presided over by

the monarch; deals with executive matters; note - there is also a

Religious Council (members appointed by the monarch) that advises on

religious matters, a Privy Council (members appointed by the

monarch) that deals with constitutional matters, and the Council of

Succession (members appointed by the monarch) that determines the

succession to the throne if the need arises

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary

Bulgaria

chief of state: President Georgi PURVANOV (since 22 January

2002); Vice President Angel MARIN (since 22 January 2002)

head of government: Prime Minister Sergei STANISHEV (since 16 August

2005); Deputy Prime Ministers Ivaylo KALFIN, Daniel VULCHEV, and

Emel ETEM (since 16 August 2005)

cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and

elected by the National Assembly

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket

by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term);

election last held 22 and 29 October 2006 (next to be held in 2011);

chairman of the Council of Ministers (prime minister) nominated by

the president and elected by the National Assembly; deputy prime

ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the

National Assembly

election results: Georgi PURVANOV reelected president; percent of

vote - Georgi PURVANOV 77.3%, Volen SIDEROV 22.7%; Sergei STANISHEV

elected prime minister, result of legislative vote - 168 to 67

Burkina Faso

chief of state: President Blaise COMPAORE (since 15

October 1987)

head of government: Prime Minister Paramanga Ernest YONLI (since 6

November 2000)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the

recommendation of the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 13 November 2005

(next to be held in 2010); in April 2000, the constitution was

amended reducing the presidential term from seven to five years,

enforceable as of 2005; prime minister appointed by the president

with the consent of the legislature

election results: Blaise COMPAORE reelected president; percent of

popular vote - Blaise COMPAORE 80.3%, Benewende Stanislas SANKARA

4.9%

Burma

chief of state: Chairman of the State Peace and Development

Council (SPDC) Sr. Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992)

head of government: Prime Minister, Gen SOE WIN (since 19 October

2004)

cabinet: Cabinet is overseen by SPDC; military junta, so named 15

November 1997, assumed power 18 September 1988 under name State Law

and Order Restoration Council (SLORC)

elections: none

Burundi

chief of state: President Pierre NKURUNZIZA (since 26 August

2005); First Vice President Martin NDUWIMANA - Tutsi (since 29

August 2005); Second Vice President Marina BARAMPAMA - Hutu (since 8

September 2006)

head of government: President Pierre NKURUNZIZA (since 26 August

2005); First Vice President Martin NDUWIMANA - Tutsi (since 29

August 2005); Second Vice President Marina BARAMPAMA - Hutu (since 8

September 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president

elections: the president is elected by popular vote to a five-year

term (eligible for a second term); note - the constitution adopted

in February 2005 permits the post-transition president to be elected

by a two-thirds majority of the parliament; vice presidents

nominated by the president, endorsed by parliament

election results: Pierre NKURUNZIZA was elected president by the

parliament by a vote of 151 to 9; note - the constitution adopted in

February 2005 permits the post-transition president to be elected by

a two-thirds majority of the legislature

Cambodia

chief of state: King Norodom SIHAMONI (since 29 October

2004)

head of government: Prime Minister HUN SEN (since 14 January 1985)

and Deputy Prime Ministers SAR KHENG (since 3 February 1992); SOK

AN, LU LAY SRENG, TEA BANH, HOR NAMHONG, NHEK BUNCHHAY (since 16

July 2004); KEV PUT REAKSMEI (since 24 October 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers in theory appointed by the monarch; in

practice named by the prime minister

elections: none; the monarch is chosen by a Royal Throne Council;

following legislative elections, a member of the majority party or

majority coalition is named prime minister by the Chairman of the

National Assembly and appointed by the king

Cameroon

chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)

head of government: Prime Minister Ephraim INONI (since 8 December

2004)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from proposals submitted

by the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 11 October 2004

(next to be held by October 2011); prime minister appointed by the

president

election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote -

Paul BIYA 70.9%, John FRU NDI 17.4%, Adamou Ndam NJOYA 4.5%, Garga

Haman ADJI 3.7%

Canada

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),

represented by Governor General Michaelle JEAN (since 27 September

2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Stephen HARPER (since 6 February

2006)

cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister usually from

among the members of his own party sitting in Parliament

elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor general

appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a

five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the

majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House

of Commons is automatically designated prime minister by the

governor general

Cape Verde

chief of state: President Pedro Verona PIRES (since 22

March 2001)

head of government: Prime Minister Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 1

February 2001)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the

recommendation of the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 12 February 2006

(next to be held February 2011); prime minister nominated by the

National Assembly and appointed by the president

election results: Pedro PIRES reelected president; percent of vote -

Pedro PIRES (PAICV) 51.2%, Carlos VIEGA (MPD) 48.8%

Cayman Islands

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February

1952); Governor Stuart JACK (since 23 November 2005)

head of government: Leader of Government Business Kurt TIBBETTS

(since 18 May 2005)

cabinet: Executive Council (three members appointed by the governor,

four members elected by the Legislative Assembly)

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor is

appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the

leader of the majority party or coalition is appointed by the

governor Leader of Government Business

Central African Republic

chief of state: President Francois BOZIZE

(since 15 March 2003 coup)

head of government: Prime Minister Elie DOTE (since 13 June 2005);

note - Celestin GAOMBALET resigned 11 June 2005

cabinet: Council of Ministers

elections: under the new constitution, the president elected to a

five-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held 13

March and 8 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010); prime minister

appointed by the political party with a parliamentary majority

election results: Francois BOZIZE elected president; percent of

second round balloting - Francois BOZIZE (KNK) 64.6%, Martin ZIGUELE

(MLPC) 35.4%

Chad

chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno (since 4

December 1990)

head of government: Prime Minister Pascal YOADIMNADJI (since 3

February 2005)

cabinet: Council of State, members appointed by the president on the

recommendation of the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote to serve five-year

term; if no candidate receives at least 50% of the total vote, the

two candidates receiving the most votes must stand for a second

round of voting; last held 3 May 2006 (next to be held by May 2011);

prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno reelected president;

percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY 64.7%, Delwa Kassire

COUMAKOYE 15.1%, Albert Pahimi PADACKE 7.8%, Mahamat ABDOULAYE 7.1%,

Brahim KOULAMALLAH 5.3%; note - a June 2005 national referendum

altered the constitution removing presidential term limits and

permitting Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno to run for reelection

Chile

chief of state: President Michelle BACHELET Jeria (since 11

March 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and

head of government

head of government: President Michelle BACHELET Jeria (since 11

March 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a single four-year

term; election last held 11 December 2005, with runoff election held

15 January 2006 (next to be held December 2009)

election results: Michelle BACHELET Jeria elected president; percent

of vote - Michelle BACHELET Jeria 53.5%; Sebastian PINERA Echenique

46.5%

China

chief of state: President HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003) and

Vice President ZENG Qinghong (since 15 March 2003)

head of government: Premier WEN Jiabao (since 16 March 2003);

Executive Vice Premier HUANG Ju (since 17 March 2003), Vice Premiers

WU Yi (17 March 2003), ZENG Peiyan (since 17 March 2003), and HUI

Liangyu (since 17 March 2003)

cabinet: State Council appointed by the National People's Congress

(NPC)

elections: president and vice president elected by the National

People's Congress for a five-year term (eligible for a second term);

elections last held 15-17 March 2003 (next to be held mid-March

2008); premier nominated by the president, confirmed by the National

People's Congress

election results: HU Jintao elected president by the 10th National

People's Congress with a total of 2,937 votes (four delegates voted

against him, four abstained, and 38 did not vote); ZENG Qinghong

elected vice president by the 10th National People's Congress with a

total of 2,578 votes (177 delegates voted against him, 190

abstained, and 38 did not vote); two seats were vacant

Christmas Island

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6

February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general

head of government: Administrator Neil LUCAS (since 30 January 2006)

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed

by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and

Australia

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6

February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general

head of government: Administrator (nonresident) Neil LUCAS (since 30

January 2006)

cabinet: NA

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed

by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and

Australia

Colombia

chief of state: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7

August 2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002);

note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August

2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002)

cabinet: Cabinet consists of a coalition of the three largest

parties that supported President URIBE's reelection - the PSUN, PC,

and CR - and independents

elections: president and vice president elected by popular vote for

a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 28

May 2006 (next to be held in May 2010)

election results: President Alvaro URIBE Velez reelected president;

percent of vote - Alvaro URIBE Velez 62%, Carlos GAVIRIA Diaz 22%,

Horacio SERPA Uribe 12%, other 4%

Comoros

chief of state: President Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI (since 26 May

2006);

head of government: President Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI (since 26 May

2006);

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: as defined by the 2001 constitution, the presidency

rotates every four years among the elected presidents from the three

main islands in the Union; election last held 14 May 2006 (next to

be held by May 2010); prime minister appointed by the president;

note - the post of Prime Minister has been vacant since May 2002

election results: Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI elected president; percent of

vote - Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI 58.0%, Ibrahim HALIDI 28.3%, Mohamed

DJAANFAMI 13.7%

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

chief of state: President Joseph

KABILA (since 26 January 2001); note - following the assassination

of his father, Laurent Desire KABILA, on 16 January 2001, Joseph

KABILA succeeded to the presidency, his presidency was reconfirmed

by the October 2006 elections; the president is both the chief of

state and head of government

head of government: President Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001);

note - following the assassination of his father, Laurent Desire

KABILA, on 16 January 2001, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the

presidency, his presidency was reconfirmed by the October 2006

elections; the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the president

elections: under the new constitution the president is elected by

popular vote to a five-year term (eligible for a second term);

elections last held 30 July 2006 with a second round held on 29

October 2006 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: results of 29 October 2006 elections (second

round); Joseph KABILA 58%, Jean-Pierre BEMBA Gombo 42%

note: Joseph KABILA succeeded his father, Laurent Desire KABILA,

following the latter's assassination in January 2001; negotiations

with rebel leaders led to the establishment of a transitional

government in July 2003 with free elections held on 30 July 2006 and

29 October 2006 where the poplar vote confirmed Joseph KABILA as

president

Congo, Republic of the

chief of state: President Denis

SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October 1997, following the civil war in

which he toppled elected president Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the

president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October

1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president

Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of state

and head of government

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 10 March 2002 (next

to be held in 2009)

election results: Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO reelected president; percent

of vote - Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO 89.4%, Joseph Kignoumbi Kia MBOUNGOU

2.7%

Cook Islands

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February

1952), represented by Frederick GOODWIN (since 9 February 2001); New

Zealand High Commissioner John BRYAN (since 6 September 2005),

representative of New Zealand

head of government: Prime Minister Jim MARURAI (since 14 December

2004); Deputy Prime Minister Terepai MAOATE (since 9 August 2005)

cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively

responsible to Parliament

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the UK representative is

appointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner is

appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative

elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the

majority coalition usually becomes prime minister

Coral Sea Islands

administered from Canberra by the Department of

the Environment, Sport, and Territories

Costa Rica

chief of state: President Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (since 8

May 2006); First Vice President Laura CHINCHILLA (since 8 May 2006);

Second Vice President Kevin CASAS Zamora (since 8 May 2006); note -

the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (since 8 May

2006); First Vice President Laura CHINCHILLA (since 8 May 2006);

Second Vice President Kevin CASAS Zamora (since 8 May 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president

elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket

by popular vote for a single four-year term; election last held 5

February 2006 (next to be held February 2010)

election results: Oscar ARIAS Sanchez elected president; percent of

vote - Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (PLN) 40.9%; Otton SOLIS (PAC) 39.8%,

Otto GUEVARA Guth (PML) 8%, Ricardo TOLEDO (PUSC) 3%

Cote d'Ivoire

chief of state: President Laurent GBAGBO (since 26

October 2000)

head of government: Prime Minister Charles Konan BANNY (since 7

December 2005)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note -

under the current power-sharing agreement Prime Minister BANNY and

President GBAGBO share the authority to appoint ministers

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(no term limits); election last held 26 October 2000 (next to be

held by October 2007, after the government postponed elections in

2005 and 2006); prime minister appointed by the president (current

Prime Minister BANNY was appointed by African Union mediators as

part of the existing power-sharing agreement)

election results: Laurent GBAGBO elected president; percent of vote

- Laurent GBAGBO 59.4%, Robert GUEI 32.7%, Francis WODIE 5.7%, other

2.2%

Croatia

chief of state: President Stjepan (Stipe) MESIC (since 18

February 2000)

head of government: Prime Minister Ivo SANADER (since 9 December

2003); Deputy Prime Ministers Jadranka KOSOR (since 23 December

2003) and Damir POLANCEC (since 15 February 2005)

cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and

approved by the parliamentary Assembly

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 16 January 2005

(next to be held January 2010); the leader of the majority party or

the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime

minister by the president and then approved by the Assembly

election results: Stjepan MESIC reelected president; percent of vote

- Stjepan MESIC 66%, Jadranka KOSOR (HDZ) 34% in the second round

Cuba

chief of state: President of the Council of State and President

of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from

February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished;

president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the

Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of

Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note - the

president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President of the Council of State and President

of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from

February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished;

president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the

Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of

Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976)

cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president of the

Council of State and appointed by the National Assembly or the

31-member Council of State, elected by the Assembly to act on its

behalf when it is not in session

elections: president and vice presidents elected by the National

Assembly for a term of five years; election last held 6 March 2003

(next to be held in 2008)

election results: Fidel CASTRO Ruz reelected president; percent of

legislative vote - 100%; Raul CASTRO Ruz elected vice president;

percent of legislative vote - 100%

note: due to an ongoing health problem, Fidel CASTRO Ruz

provisionally transferred power to his brother Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz

on 31 July 2006, in accordance with the Cuban Constitution; CASTRO

has not yet reclaimed control of the government

Cyprus

chief of state: President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since 1 March

2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the

1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot

head of government: President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since 1 March

2003); note - post of vice president is currently vacant; under the

1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed jointly by the president and

vice president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;

election last held 16 February 2003 (next to be held February 2008)

election results: Tassos PAPADOPOULOS elected president; percent of

vote - Tassos PAPADOPOULOS 51.5%, Glafkos KLIRIDIS 38.8%, Alekos

MARKIDIS 6.6%

note: Mehmet Ali TALAT became "president" of the "TRNC", 24 April

2005, after "presidential" elections on 17 April 2005; results -

Mehmet Ali TALAT 55.6%, Dervis EROGLU 22.7%; Ferdi Sabit SOYER is

"TRNC prime minister" and heads the Council of Ministers (cabinet)

in coalition with "Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister"

Turgay AVCI

Czech Republic

chief of state: President Vaclav KLAUS (since 7 March

2003)

head of government: Prime Minister Mirek TOPOLANEK (since 9 January

2007), Deputy Prime Minister Petr NECAS (since 9 January 2007),

Deputy Prime Minister Jiri CUNEK (since 9 January 2007), Deputy

Prime Minister Martin BURSIK (since 9 January 2007), and Deputy

Prime Minister Alexandr VONDRA (since 9 January 2007)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of

the prime minister

elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); last successful election held 28

February 2003 (after earlier elections held 15 and 24 January 2003

were inconclusive; next election to be held January 2008); prime

minister appointed by the president

election results: Vaclav KLAUS elected president on 28 February

2003; Vaclav KLAUS 142 votes, Jan SOKOL 124 votes (third round;

combined votes of both chambers of parliament)

Denmark

chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972);

Heir Apparent Crown Prince FREDERIK, elder son of the monarch (born

26 May 1968)

head of government: Prime Minister Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN (since 27

November 2001)

cabinet: Council of State appointed by the monarch

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative

elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the

majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch

Dhekelia

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)

head of government: Administrator Air Vice-Marshal Richard LACEY

(since 26 April 2006); note - reports to the British Ministry of

Defence

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is

appointed by the monarch

Djibouti

chief of state: President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May

1999)

head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed Dileita DILEITA (since 4

March 2001)

cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 8 April 2005 (next

to be held by April 2011); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Ismail Omar GUELLEH reelected president; percent

of vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH 100%

Dominica

chief of state: President Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (since

October 2003)

head of government: Prime Minister Roosevelt SKERRIT (since 8

January 2004)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the

prime minister

elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for a

five-year term; election last held 1 October 2003 (next to be held

October 2008); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Nicholas LIVERPOOL elected president; percent of

legislative vote - NA%

Dominican Republic

chief of state: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna

(since 16 August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro

(since 16 August 2004); note - the president is both the chief of

state and head of government

head of government: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16

August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16

August 2004)

cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket

by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second

consecutive term); election last held 16 May 2004 (next to be held

in May 2008)

election results: Leonel FERNANDEZ elected president; percent of

vote - Leonel FERNANDEZ (PLD) 57.1%, Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez

(PRD) 33.7%, Eduardo ESTRELLA (PRSC) 8.7%

East Timor

chief of state: President Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO (since

20 May 2002); note - the president plays a largely symbolic role but

is able to veto legislation, dissolve parliament, and call national

elections; he formerly used the name Jose Alexandre GUSMAO

head of government: Prime Minister Jose RAMOS-HORTA (since 10 July

2006); First Deputy Prime Minister Estanlislau Maria Alexio da SILVA

(since 10 July 2006); Second Deputy Prime Minister Rui Maria do

ARAUJO (since 10 July 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 14 April 2002 (next

to be held 9 April 2007)

election results: Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO elected president; percent

of vote - Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO 82.7%, Francisco Xavier do AMARAL

17.3%

Ecuador

chief of state: President Rafael CORREA Delgado (since 15

January 2007); Vice President Lenin MORENO (since 15 January 2007);

note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Rafael CORREA Delgado (since 15

January 2007); Vice President Lenin MORENO (since 15 January 2007)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: the president and vice president are elected on the same

ticket by popular vote for a four-year term (may not serve

consecutive terms); election last held 15 October 2006 with a runoff

election on 26 November 2006 (next to be held October 2010)

election results: Rafael CORREA Delgado elected president; percent

of vote - Rafael CORREA Delgado 56.7%; Alvaro NOBOA 43.3%

Egypt

chief of state: President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (since 14

October 1981)

head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed NAZIF (since 9 July 2004)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term (no

term limits); note - a national referendum in May 2005 approved a

constitutional amendment that changed the presidential election to a

multicandidate popular vote; previously the president was nominated

by the People's Assembly and the nomination was validated by a

national, popular referendum; last referendum held 26 September

1999; first election under terms of constitutional amendment held 7

September 2005; next election scheduled for 2011

election results: Hosni MUBARAK reelected president; percent of vote

- Hosni MUBARAK 88.6%, Ayman NOUR 7.6%, Noman GOMAA 2.9%

El Salvador

chief of state: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez

(since 1 June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma DE ESCOBAR (since 1

June 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head

of government

head of government: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1

June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket

by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 21

March 2004 (next to be held March 2009)

election results: Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez elected president;

percent of vote - Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (ARENA) 57.7%, Schafik

HANDAL (FMLN) 35.6%, Hector SILVA (CDU-PDC) 3.9%, other 2.8%

Equatorial Guinea

chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.)

Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979 when he seized

power in a military coup)

head of government: Prime Minister Ricardo Mangue Obama NFUBEA

(since 14 August 2006); First Deputy Prime Minister Mercelino Oyono

NTUTUMU (since 15 June 2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term

(no term limits); election last held 15 December 2002 (next to be

held December 2009); prime minister and deputy prime ministers

appointed by the president

election results: Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO reelected president;

percent of vote - Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO 97.1%, Celestino

Bonifacio BACALE 2.2%; elections marred by widespread fraud

Eritrea

chief of state: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June

1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly

head of government: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993);

note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly

cabinet: State Council is the collective executive authority;

members appointed by the president

elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a

five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 8

June 1993 (next election date uncertain as the National Assembly did

not hold a presidential election in December 2001 as anticipated)

election results: ISAIAS Afworki elected president; percent of

National Assembly vote - ISAIAS Afworki 95%

Estonia

chief of state: President Toomas Hendrik ILVES (since 9

October 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister Andrus ANSIP (since 12 April 2005)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister,

approved by Parliament

elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); if a candidate does not secure

two-thirds of the votes after three rounds of balloting in the

Parliament, then an electoral assembly (made up of Parliament plus

members of local governments) elects the president, choosing between

the two candidates with the largest percentage of votes; election

last held 23 September 2006 (next to be held fall of 2011); prime

minister nominated by the president and approved by Parliament

election results: Toomas Hendrik ILVES elected president on 23

September 2006 by a 345-member electoral assembly; ILVES received

174 votes to incumbent Arnold RUUTEL's 162; remaining 9 ballots left

blank or invalid

Ethiopia

chief of state: President GIRMA Woldegiorgis (since 8

October 2001)

head of government: Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since NA August

1995)

cabinet: Council of Ministers as provided for in the December 1994

constitution; ministers are selected by the prime minister and

approved by the House of People's Representatives

elections: president elected by the House of People's

Representatives for a six-year term (eligible for a second term);

election last held 8 October 2001 (next to be held October 2007);

prime minister designated by the party in power following

legislative elections

election results: GIRMA Woldegiorgis elected president; percent of

vote by the House of People's Representatives - 100%

European Union

chief of union: President of the European Commission

Jose Manuel DURAO BARROSO (since 22 November 2004)

cabinet: European Commission (composed of 27 members, one from each

member country; each commissioner responsible for one or more policy

areas)

elections: the president of the European Commission is designated by

member governments and is confirmed by the European Parliament;

working from member state recommendations, the Commission president

then assembles a "college" of Commission members; the European

Parliament confirms the entire Commission for a five-year term; the

last confirmation process was held 18 November 2004 (next to be held

2009)

election results: European Parliament approved the European

Commission by an approval vote of 449 to 149 with 82 abstentions

note: the European Council brings together heads of state and

government and the president of the European Commission and meets at

least four times a year; its aim is to provide the impetus for the

major political issues relating to European integration and to issue

general policy guidelines

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Governor Alan HUCKLE (since 25 August 2006); Chief Executive Chris SIMPKINS (since March 2003); Financial Secretary Derek F. HOWATT (since NA) cabinet: Executive Council; three members elected by the Legislative Council, two ex officio members (chief executive and the financial secretary), and the governor elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch

Faroe Islands

chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since

14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Birgit KLEIS,

chief administrative officer (since 1 November 2001)

head of government: Prime Minister Joannes EIDESGAARD (since 3

February 2004)

cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister

elections: the monarch is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by

the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the

majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually

elected prime minister by the Faroese Parliament; election last held

20 January 2004 (next to be held no later than January 2008)

election results: Joannes EIDESGAARD elected prime minister; percent

of parliamentary vote - NA

Fiji

chief of state: President Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda

(since 18 July 2000); note - ILOILOVATU was reaffirmed as president

by the Great Council of Chiefs in a statement issued on 22 December,

and reappointed by the coup leader Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA in

January 2007

head of government: Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since 10

September 2000); note - although QARASE is still the legal prime

minister, he has been confined to his home island; the president

appointed Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA interim prime minister under

the military regime

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the

members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament; note - coup

leader Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA has appointed an interim cabinet

elections: president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a

five-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister

appointed by the president; election last held 8 March 2006

election results: Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda elected president

by the Great Council of Chiefs; percent of vote - NA

Finland

chief of state: President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000)

head of government: Prime Minister Matti VANHANEN (since 24 June

2003) and Deputy Prime Minister Eero HEINALUOMA (since 24 September

2005)

cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the

president, responsible to parliament

elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 15 January 2006

(next to be held January 2012); the president appoints the prime

minister and deputy prime minister from the majority party or the

majority coalition after parliamentary elections and the parliament

must approve the appointment

election results: percent of vote - Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 46.3%, Sauli

NIINISTO (Kok) 24.1%, Matti Vanhanen (Kesk) 18.6%, Heidi HAUTALA

(VIHR) 3.5%; a runoff election between HALONEN and NIINISTO was held

29 January 2006 - HOLONEN 51.8%, NIINISTO 48.2%

note: government coalition - Kesk, SDP, and SFP

France

chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995)

head of government: Prime Minister Dominique DE VILLEPIN (since 31

May 2005)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the

suggestion of the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(changed from seven-year term in October 2000); election last held

21 April and 5 May 2002 (next to be held, first round 22 April 2007,

second round 6 May 2007); prime minister nominated by the National

Assembly majority and appointed by the president

election results: Jacques CHIRAC reelected president; percent of

vote, second ballot - Jacques CHIRAC (RPR) 81.96%, Jean-Marie LE PEN

(FN) 18.04%

French Polynesia

chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France

(since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner of the

Republic Anne BOQUET (since September 2005)

head of government: President of French Polynesia Gaston TONG SANG

(since 14 December 2006); President of the Territorial Assembly

Antony GEROS (since 9 May 2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members

of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as

ministers

elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year

term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the

advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the

territorial government and the president of the Territorial Assembly

are elected by the members of the assembly for five-year terms (no

term limits)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

chief of state: President

Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Senior

Administrator Michel CHAMPON

Gabon

chief of state: President El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba (since 2

December 1967)

head of government: Prime Minister Jean Eyeghe NDONG (since 20

January 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in

consultation with the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term

(no term limits); election last held 27 November 2005 (next to be

held in 2012); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: President El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba reelected;

percent of vote - El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba 79.2%, Pierre

MAMBOUNDOU 13.6%, Zacharie MYBOTO 6.6%

Gambia, The

chief of state: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since

18 October 1996); note - from 1994 to 1996 he was chairman of the

Junta); Vice President Isatou NJIE-SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note

- the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18

October 1996); note - from 1994 to 1996 he was chairman of the

Junta); Vice President Isatou NJIE-SAIDY (since 20 March 1997)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(no term limits); election last held 22 September 2006 (next to be

held in 2011)

election results: Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH reelected president; percent

of vote - Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH 67.3%, Ousainou DARBOE 26.6%, Halifa

SALLAH 6.0%

Georgia

chief of state: President Mikheil SAAKASHVILI (since 25

January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and

head of government for the power ministries: state security

(includes interior) and defense

head of government: President Mikheil SAAKASHVILI (since 25 January

2004); Prime Minister Zurab NOGHAIDELI (since 17 February 2005);

note - the president is the chief of state and head of government

for the power ministries: state security (includes interior) and

defense; the prime minister is head of the remaining ministries of

government

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 4 January 2004

(next to be held in late 2008)

election results: Mikheil SAAKASHVILI elected president; percent of

vote - Mikheil SAAKASHVILI 96.3%, Temur SHASHIASHVILI 1.9%

Germany

chief of state: President Horst KOEHLER (since 1 July 2004)

head of government: Chancellor Angela MERKEL (since 22 November 2005)

cabinet: Cabinet or Bundesminister (Federal Ministers) appointed by

the president on the recommendation of the chancellor

elections: president elected for a five-year term (eligible for a

second term) by a Federal Convention, including all members of the

Federal Assembly and an equal number of delegates elected by the

state parliaments; election last held 23 May 2004 (next to be held

23 May 2009); chancellor elected by an absolute majority of the

Federal Assembly for a four-year term; Bundestag election last held

22 November 2005 (next to be held November 2009)

election results: Horst KOEHLER elected president; received 604

votes of the Federal Convention against 589 for Gesine SCHWAN;

Angela MERKEL elected chancellor; vote by Federal Assembly 397 to

202 with 12 abstentions

Ghana

chief of state: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January

2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001);

note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January

2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001);

note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

cabinet: Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject

to approval by Parliament

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket

by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term);

election last held 7 December 2004 (next to be held December 2008)

election results: John Agyekum KUFUOR reelected president in

election; percent of vote - John KUFUOR 53.4%, John ATTA-MILLS 43.7%

Gibraltar

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February

1952), represented by Governor Sir Robert FULTON (since 27 October

2006)

head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 15 elected

members of the House of Assembly by the governor in consultation

with the chief minister

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by

the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the

majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually

appointed chief minister by the governor

Greece

chief of state: President Karolos PAPOULIAS (since 12 March

2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos (Kostas) KARAMANLIS

(since 7 March 2004)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of

the prime minister

elections: president elected by parliament for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 8 February 2005

(next to be held by February 2010); according to the Greek

Constitution, presidents may only serve two terms; president

appoints leader of the party securing plurality of vote in election

to become prime minister and form a government

election results: Karolos PAPOULIAS elected president; number of

parlimentary votes, 279 out of 300

Greenland

chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14

January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Soren MOLLER (since

April 2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Hans ENOKSEN (since 14 December

2002)

cabinet: Home Rule Government is elected by the parliament

(Landstinget) on the basis of the strength of parties

elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed

by the monarch; prime minister is elected by parliament (usually the

leader of the majority party); election last held 3 December 2002

(next to be held December 2006)

election results: Hans ENOKSEN elected prime minister

note: government coalition - Siumut and Inuit Ataqatigiit

Grenada

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),

represented by Governor General Daniel WILLIAMS (since 9 August 1996)

head of government: Prime Minister Keith MITCHELL (since 22 June

1995)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of

the prime minister

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general

appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the

leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition

is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general

Guam

chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20

January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January

2001)

head of government: Governor Felix P. CAMACHO (since 6 January 2003)

and Lieutenant Governor Dr. Michael W. CRUZ (since 1 January 2007)

cabinet: heads of executive departments; appointed by the governor

with the consent of the Guam legislature

elections: under the US Consitution, residents of unincorporated

territories, such as Guam, do not vote in elections for US president

and vice president; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the

same ticket by popular vote for four-year term (can serve two

consecutive terms, then must wait a full term before running again);

election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2010)

election results: Felix P. CAMACHO reelected governor; Dr. Michael

W. CRUZ elected lieutenant governor; percent of vote - NA

Guatemala

chief of state: President Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER Perdomo

(since 14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo STEIN Barillas

(since 14 January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of

state and head of government

head of government: President Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER Perdomo

(since 14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo STEIN Barillas

(since 14 January 2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term

(may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 9 November

2003; runoff held 28 December 2003 (next to be held September 2007)

election results: Oscar BERGER Perdomo elected president; percent of

vote - Oscar BERGER Perdomo (GANA) 54.1%, Alvarado COLOM (UNE) 45.9%

Guernsey

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),

represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir Fabian MALBON (since 28

October 2005)

head of government: Chief Minister Laurie MORGAN (since 1 May 2004)

cabinet: Policy Council elected by the States of Deliberation

elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed

by the monarch; chief minister is elected by States of Delibertion

election results: Laurie MORGAN elected chief minister, percent of

vote of the States of Deliberation NA

Guinea

chief of state: President Lansana CONTE (head of military

government since 5 April 1984, elected president 19 December 1993)

head of government: vacant; note - Prime Minister Cellou Dalein

DIALLO was dismissed on 5 April 2006

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term

(no term limits); candidate must receive a majority of the votes

cast to be elected president; election last held 21 December 2003

(next to be held December 2010); the prime minister is appointed by

the president

election results: Lansana CONTE reelected president; percent of vote

- Lansana CONTE (PUP) 95.3%, Mamadou Boye BARRY (UPR) 4.6%

Guinea-Bissau

chief of state: President Joao Bernardo 'Nino' VIEIRA

(since 1 October 2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Aristides GOMES (since 2 November

2005)

cabinet: NA

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(no term limits); election last held 24 July 2005 (next to be held

in 2010); prime minister appointed by the president after

consultation with party leaders in the legislature

election results: Joao Bernardo VIEIRA elected president; percent of

vote, second ballot - Joao Bernardo VIEIRA 52.4%, Malam Bacai SANHA

47.6%

Guyana

chief of state: President Bharrat JAGDEO (since 11 August

1999); note - assumed presidency after resignation of President

Janet JAGAN and reelected in 2001, and again in 2006

head of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since October 1992,

except for a period as chief of state after the death of President

Cheddi JAGAN on 6 March 1997)

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president,

responsible to the legislature

elections: president elected by popular vote as leader of a party

list in parliamentary elections, which must be held at least every

five years (no term limits); elections last held 28 August 2006

(next to be held by August 2011); prime minister appointed by the

president

election results: President Bharrat JAGDEO reelected; percent of

vote 54.6%

Haiti

chief of state: President Rene PREVAL (since 14 May 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister Jacques-Edouard ALEXIS (since 30

May 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with

the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 7 February

2006 (next to be held in 2010); prime minister appointed by the

president, ratified by the National Assembly

election results: Rene PREVAL elected president; percent of vote -

Rene PREVAL 51%

Holy See (Vatican City)

chief of state: Pope BENEDICT XVI (since 19

April 2005)

head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio BERTONE

(since 15 September 2006)

cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope

elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals;

election last held 19 April 2005 (next to be held after the death of

the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope

election results: Joseph RATZINGER elected Pope BENEDICT XVI

Honduras

chief of state: President Manuel ZELAYA Rosales (since 27

January 2006); First Vice President Elvin Ernesto SANTOS Ordonez

(since 27 January 2006); Second Vice President (vacant); Third Vice

President (vacant); note - the president is both the chief of state

and head of government

head of government: President Manuel ZELAYA Rosales (since 27

January 2006); First Vice President Elvin Ernesto SANTOS Ordonez

(since 27 January 2006); Second Vice President (vacant); Third Vice

President (vacant)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;

election last held 27 November 2005 (next to be held November 2009)

election results: Manuel ZELAYA Rosales (PL) elected president -

49.8%, Porfirio "Pepe" LOBO Sosa (PN) 46.1%, other 4.1%

Hong Kong

chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15

March 2003)

head of government: Chief Executive Donald TSANG (since 24 June 2005)

cabinet: Executive Council consists of 14 official members and 15

non-official members

elections: previous chief executive TUNG Chee-hwa was elected to

second five-year term in March 2002 by 800-member election committee

dominated by pro-Beijing forces, resignation accepted 12 March 2005;

Donald TSANG acted as chief executive between 12 March 2005 and 25

May 2005; Henry TANG acted as chief executive between 25 May 2005

and 24 June 2005; TSANG was elected on 16 June 2005 to fill final

two years of TUNG's term (next election to be held in March 2007)

Hungary

chief of state: Laszlo SOLYOM (since 5 August 2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Ferenc GYURCSANY (since 29

September 2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the National Assembly on

the recommendation of the president

elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a

five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 6-7

June 2005 (next to be held by June 2010); prime minister elected by

the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president;

election last held 29 September 2004

election results: Laszlo SOLYOM elected president by a simple

majority in the third round of voting, 185 to 182; Ferenc GYURCSANY

elected prime minister; result of legislative vote - 197 to 12

note: to be elected, the president must win two-thirds of

legislative vote in the first two rounds or a simple majority in the

third round

Iceland

chief of state: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1

August 1996)

head of government: Prime Minister Geir H. HAARDE (since 7 June 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister

elections: president, largely a ceremonial post, is elected by

popular vote for a four-year term (no term limits); election last

held 26 June 2004 (next to be held June 2008); following legislative

elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the

majority coalition is usually the prime minister

election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON 85.6%, Baldur AGUSTSSON

12.5%, Astthor MAGNUSSON 1.9%

Iles Eparses

chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France

(since 17 May 1995), represented by Senior Administrator Michel

CHAMPON

India

chief of state: President A.P.J. Abdul KALAM (since 25 July

2002); Vice President Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT (since 19 August 2002)

head of government: Prime Minister Manmohan SINGH (since 22 May 2004)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of

the prime minister

elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of

elected members of both houses of Parliament and the legislatures of

the states for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held

July 2002 (next to be held 18 July 2007); vice president elected by

both houses of Parliament for a five-year term; election last held

12 August 2002 (next to be held August 2007); prime minister chosen

by parliamentary members of the majority party following legislative

elections; election last held April - May 2004 (next to be held May

2009)

election results: Abdul KALAM elected president; percent of

electoral college vote - 89.6%; Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT elected vice

president; percent of Parliament vote - 59.8%

Indonesia

chief of state: President Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO (since

20 October 2004) and Vice President Muhammad Yusuf KALLA (since 20

October 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and

head of government

head of government: President Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO (since 20

October 2004) and Vice President Muhammad Yusuf KALLA (since 20

October 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and

head of government

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president and vice president were elected for five-year

terms (eligible for a second term) by direct vote of the citizenry;

last held 20 September 2004 (next to be held in 2009)

election results: Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO elected president

receiving 60.6% of vote; MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri received 39.4%

Iran

chief of state: Supreme Leader Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4

June 1989)

head of government: President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD (since 3 August

2005); First Vice President Parviz DAVUDI (since 11 September 2005)

cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with

legislative approval; the Supreme Leader has some control over

appointments to the more sensitive ministries

note: also considered part of the Executive branch of government are

three oversight bodies: 1) Assembly of Experts, a popularly elected

body of 86 religious scholars constitutionally charged with

determining the succession of the Supreme Leader, reviewing his

performance, and deposing him if deemed necessary; 2) Expediency

Council or Council for the Discernment of Expediency is a policy

advisory and implementation board consisting of permanent and

temporary members representing all major government factions, some

of whom are appointed by the Supreme Leader; the Council exerts

supervisory authority over the executive, judicial, and legislative

branches and resolves legislative issues on which the Majles and the

Council of Guardians disagree; 3) Council of Guardians or Council of

Guardians of the Constitution is a 12-member board of clerics and

jurists serving six-year terms that determines whether proposed

legislation is both constitutional and faithful to Islamic law; the

Council also vets candidates for suitability and supervises national

elections

elections: Supreme Leader appointed for life by the Assembly of

Experts; president elected by popular vote for a four-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 17 June 2005 with a

two-candidate runoff on 24 June 2005 (next to be held in 2009)

election results: Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD elected president; percent of

vote - Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD 62%, Ali Akbar Hashemi RAFSANJANI 36%

Iraq

chief of state: President Jalal TALABANI (since 6 April 2005);

Vice Presidents Adil ABD AL-MAHDI and Tariq al-HASHIMI (since 22

April 2006); note - the president and vice presidents comprise the

Presidency Council)

head of government: Prime Minister Nuri al-MALIKI (since 20 May

2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Barham SALIH and Salam al-ZUBAI (since

20 May 2006)

cabinet: 37 ministers appointed by the Presidency Council, plus

Prime Minister Nuri al-MALIKI, and Deputy Prime Ministers Barham

SALIH and Salam al-ZUBAI

elections: held 15 December 2005 to elect a 275-member Council of

Representatives

Ireland

chief of state: President Mary MCALEESE (since 11 November

1997)

head of government: Prime Minister Bertie AHERN (since 26 June 1997)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with previous nomination

by the prime minister and approval of the House of Representatives

elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 31 October 1997

(next scheduled for October 2011); note - Mary MCALEESE appointed to

a second term when no other candidate qualified for the 2004

presidential election; prime minister (taoiseach) nominated by the

House of Representatives and appointed by the president

election results: Mary MCALEESE elected president; percent of vote -

Mary MCALEESE 44.8%, Mary BANOTTI 29.6%

note: government coalition - Fianna Fail and the Progressive

Democrats

Isle of Man

chief of state: Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6

February 1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir Paul K.

HADDACKS (since 17 October 2005)

head of government: Chief Minister Tony BROWN (since 14 December

2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers

elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed

by the monarch for a five-year term; the chief minister is elected

by the Tynwald; election last held 14 December 2006 (next to be held

December 2008)

election results: House of Keys speaker Tony BROWN elected chief

minister by the Tynwald

Israel

chief of state: President Moshe KATZAV (since 31 July 2000)

head of government: Prime Minister Ehud OLMERT (since May 2006);

Deputy Prime Minister Tzipora "Tzipi" LIVNI (since May 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet selected by prime minister and approved by the

Knesset

elections: president is largely a ceremonial role and is elected by

the Knesset for a seven-year term (no term limits); election last

held 28 March 2006 (next to be held in 2010, but can be called

earlier); following legislative elections, the president assigns a

Knesset member - traditionally the leader of the largest party - the

task of forming a governing coalition

election results: Moshe KATZAV elected president by the 120-member

Knesset with a total of 60 votes, other candidate, Shimon PERES,

received 57 votes (there were three abstentions); Ehud OLMERT won

the right to lead the government when his Kadima Party won 29 seats

in elections held on 28 March 2006; in May 2006 OLMERT formed a

coalition government with the Labor, GIL (Pensioners), and SHAS

parties. In October 2006 the Yisrael Beiteinu party joined the

government

Italy

chief of state: President Giorgio NAPOLITANO (since 15 May

2006)

head of government: Prime Minister (referred to in Italy as the

president of the Council of Ministers) Romano PRODI (since 17 May

2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and

approved by the president

elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of

both houses of parliament and 58 regional representatives for a

seven-year term (no term limits); election last held 10 May 2006

(next to be held May 2013); prime minister appointed by the

president and confirmed by parliament

election results: Giorgio NAPOLITANO elected president on the fourth

round of voting; electoral college vote - 543

Jamaica

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),

represented by Governor General Kenneth O. HALL (since 15 February

2006)

head of government: Prime Minister Portia SIMPSON-MILLER (since 30

March 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of

the prime minister

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general

appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime

minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the

majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House

of Representatives is appointed prime minister by the governor

general; the deputy prime minister is recommended by the prime

minister

Japan

chief of state: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989)

head of government: Prime Minister Shinzo ABE (since 26 September

2006)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister

elections: Diet designates prime minister; constitution requires

that prime minister commands parliamentary majority; following

legislative elections, leader of majority party or leader of

majority coalition in House of Representatives usually becomes prime

minister; monarch is hereditary

election results: ABE was elected prime minister with 339 of 476

votes cast in the House of Representatives and 136 of 240 votes cast

in the House of Councilors.

Jersey

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);

represented by Lieutenant Governor Andrew RIDGEWAY (since 14 June

2006)

head of government: Chief Minister Frank WALKER (since December

2005); Bailiff Philip Martin BAILHACHE (since February 1995)

cabinet: Cabinet (since December 2005)

elections: ministers of the Cabinet including the chief minister are

elected by the Assembly of States; the monarch is hereditary;

lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the monarch

Jordan

chief of state: King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999);

Prince HUSSEIN (born 1994), eldest son of King ABDALLAH, is first in

line to inherit the throne

head of government: Prime Minister Marouf al-BAKHIT (since 24

November 2005); Deputy Prime Minister Ziad FARIZ (since 24 November

2005)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation

with the monarch

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed

by the monarch

Kazakhstan

chief of state: President Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV

(chairman of the Supreme Soviet from 22 February 1990, elected

president 1 December 1991)

head of government: Prime Minister Karim MASIMOV (since 10 January

2007); Deputy Prime Minister Aslan MUSIN (since 11 January 2007)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term

(two term limit); election last held 4 December 2005 (next to be

held in 2012); prime minister and first deputy prime minister

appointed by the president

election results: Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV reelected president;

percent of vote - Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV 91.1%, Zharmakhan A.

TUYAKBAI 6.6%, Alikhan M. BAIMENOV 1.6%

note: President NAZARBAYEV arranged a referendum in 1995 that

extended his term of office and expanded his presidential powers:

only he can initiate constitutional amendments, appoint and dismiss

the government, dissolve Parliament, call referenda at his

discretion, and appoint administrative heads of regions and cities

Kenya

chief of state: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December

2002); Vice President Moody AWORI (since 25 September 2003); note -

the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002);

Vice President Moody AWORI (since 25 September 2003); note - the

president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); in addition to receiving the largest

number of votes in absolute terms, the presidential candidate must

also win 25% or more of the vote in at least five of Kenya's seven

provinces and one area to avoid a runoff; election last held 27

December 2002 (next to be held December 2007); vice president

appointed by the president

election results: President Mwai KIBAKI elected; percent of vote -

Mwai KIBAKI 63%, Uhuru KENYATTA 30%

Kiribati

chief of state: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003);

Vice President Teima ONORIO; note - the president is both the chief

of state and head of government

head of government: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice

President Teima ONORIO

cabinet: 12-member cabinet appointed by the president from among the

members of the House of Parliament

elections: the House of Parliament chooses the presidential

candidates from among its members and then those candidates compete

in a general election; president is elected by popular vote for a

four-year term (eligible for two more terms); election last held 4

July 2003 (next to be held not later than July 2007); vice president

appointed by the president

election results: Anote TONG 47.4%, Harry TONG 43.5%, Banuera BERINA

9.1%

Korea, North

chief of state: KIM Jong Il (since July 1994); note -

on 3 September 2003, rubberstamp Supreme People's Assembly (SPA)

reelected KIM Jong Il chairman of the National Defense Commission, a

position accorded nation's "highest administrative authority"; SPA

reelected KIM Yong Nam president of its Presidium also with

responsibility of representing state and receiving diplomatic

credentials; SPA appointed PAK Pong Ju premier

head of government: Premier PAK Pong Ju (since 3 September 2003);

Vice Premiers KWAK Pom Gi (since 5 September 1998), JON Sung Hun

(since 3 September 2003), RO Tu Chol (since 3 September 2003)

cabinet: Naegak (cabinet) members, except for Minister of People's

Armed Forces, are appointed by SPA

elections: last held in September 2003 (next to be held in September

2008)

election results: KIM Jong Il and KIM Yong Nam were only nominees

for positions and ran unopposed

Korea, South

chief of state: President ROH Moo-hyun (since 25

February 2003)

head of government: Prime Minister HAN Myeong-sook (since 20 April

2006); Deputy Prime Ministers KIM Woo-sik (since 10 February 2006);

KWON O-kyu (since 18 July 2006); KIM Shin-il (since 20 September

2006)

cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime

minister's recommendation

elections: president elected by popular vote for a single five-year

term; election last held 19 December 2002 (next to be held on 19

December 2007); prime minister appointed by president with consent

of National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by president

on prime minister's recommendation

election results: ROH Moo-hyun elected president; percent of vote -

ROH Moo-hyun (MDP) 48.9%; LEE Hoi-chang (GNP) 46.6%; other 4.5%

Kuwait

chief of state: Amir SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since

29 January 2006); Crown Prince NAWAF al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah

head of government: Prime Minister NASIR al-Muhammad al-Ahmad

al-Sabah (since 7 February 2006) First Deputy Prime Minister JABIR

Mubarak al-Hamad al-Sabah (since 9 February 2006); Deputy Prime

Ministers MUHAMMAD al-Sabah al-Salim al-Sabah (since 9 February

2006) and Ismail al-SHATTI (since 10 July 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and

approved by the amir

elections: none; the amir is hereditary; the amir appoints the prime

minister and deputy prime ministers

Kyrgyzstan

chief of state: President Kurmanbek BAKIYEV (since 14

August 2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Azim ISABEKOV (since 29 January

2007); First Deputy Prime Minister Daniyar USENOV (since 10 May 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president on the

recommendation of the prime minister; note - the new constitution of

November 2006 calls for the legislature to appoint the prime

minister and members of the Cabinet after the elections of 2010

elections: Kurmanbek BAKIYEV elected by popular vote for a five-year

term (eligible for a second term); election last held 10 July 2005

(next scheduled for 2010); prime minister nominated by the president

for approval by Parliament; note - the new constitution of November

2006 calls for the legislature to appoint the prime minister and

members of the Cabinet after the elections of 2010

election results: Kurmanbek BAKIYEV elected president; percent of

vote - Kurmanbek BAKIYEV 88.6%, Tursunbai BAKIR-UULU 3.9%, other

candidates 7.5%; Azim ISABEKOV approved as prime minister 57-4

Laos

chief of state: President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 8

June 2006) and Vice President BOUN-GNANG Volachit (since 8 June 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister BOUASONE Bouphavanh (since 8 June

2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since May

2002), Maj. Gen. DOUANGCHAI Phichit (since 8 June 2006), SOMSAVAT

Lengsavat (since 26 February 1998), and THONGLOUN Sisoulit (since 27

March 2001)

cabinet: Ministers appointed by president, approved by National

Assembly

elections: president and vice president elected by National Assembly

for five-year terms; election last held 8 June 2006 (next to be held

in 2011); prime minister nominated by president and elected by

National Assembly for five-year term

election results: CHOUMMALI Saignason elected president; BOUN-GNANG

Volachit elected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote -

100%; BOUASONE Bouphavanh elected prime minister; percent of

National Assembly vote - 97%

Latvia

chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July

1999)

head of government: Prime Minister Aigars KALVITIS (since 2 December

2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and

appointed by the Parliament

elections: president reelected by Parliament for a four-year term

(no term limits); election last held 20 June 2003 (next to be held

by July 2007); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA reelected president;

parliamentary vote - Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA 88 of 94 votes cast

Lebanon

chief of state: President Emile LAHUD (since 24 November

1998)

head of government: Prime Minister Fuad SINIORA (since 30 June

2005); Deputy Prime Minister Elias MURR (since April 2005)

cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with

the president and members of the National Assembly

elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a six-year

term (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 15

October 1998 (next to be held in 2007 based on three-year

extension); note - on 3 September 2004 the National Assembly voted

96 to 29 to extend Emile LAHUD's six-year term by three years; the

prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president

in consultation with the National Assembly; by agreement, the

president is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a Sunni

Muslim, and the speaker of the National Assembly is a Shi'a Muslim

election results: for 15 October 1998 election: Emile LAHUD elected

president; National Assembly vote - 118 votes in favor, 0 against,

10 abstentions

Lesotho

chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996);

note - King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November

1990 to February 1995, while his father was in exile

head of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May

1998)

cabinet: Cabinet

elections: none - according to the constitution, the leader of the

majority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister;

the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution,

which came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is

a "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative

powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to

depose the monarch, determine who is next in the line of succession,

or who shall serve as regent in the event that the successor is not

of mature age

Liberia

chief of state: President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16

January 2006); note - the President is both the chief of state and

head of government

head of government: President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16

January 2006); note - the President is both the chief of state and

head of government

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the

Senate

elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 8 November 2005

(next to be held in 2011)

election results: Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF elected president; percent

of vote, second round - Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (UP) 59.6%, George

WEAH (CDC) 40.4%

Libya

chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar

al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969); note - holds no official title,

but is de facto chief of state

head of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee

(Prime Minister) al-Baghdadi Ali al-MAHMUDI (since 5 March 2006)

cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General

People's Congress

elections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of

people's committees; head of government elected by the General

People's Congress; election last held March 2006 (next to be held NA)

election results: NA

Liechtenstein

chief of state: Prince HANS ADAM II (since 13 November

1989, assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince

ALOIS, son of the monarch (born 11 June 1968); note - on 15 August

2004, HANS ADAM transferred the official duties of the ruling prince

to ALOIS, but HANS ADAM retains status of chief of state

head of government: Head of Government Ottmar HASLER (since 5 April

2001) and Deputy Head of Government Klaus TSCHUETSCHER (since 21

April 2005)

cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed by the monarch

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative

elections, the leader of the majority party in the Landtag is

usually appointed the head of government by the monarch and the

leader of the largest minority party in the Landtag is usually

appointed the deputy head of government by the monarch if there is a

coalition government

Lithuania

chief of state: President Valdas ADAMKUS (since 12 July

2004)

head of government: Prime Minister Gediminas KIRKILAS (since 4 July

2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the

nomination of the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 13 and 27 June 2004

(next to be held June 2009); prime minister appointed by the

president on the approval of the Parliament

election results: Valdas ADAMKUS elected president; percent of vote

- Valdas ADAMKUS 52.2%, Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE 47.8%; Gediminas

KIRKILAS approved by Parliament 85-13, with 5 abstentions

Luxembourg

chief of state: Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000);

Heir Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch, born 11 November

1981)

head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 1

January 1995) and Vice Prime Minister Jean ASSELBORN (since 31 July

2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister and

appointed by the monarch

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following popular

elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the leader of the majority

party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed

prime minister by the monarch; the deputy prime minister is

appointed by the monarch; they are responsible to the Chamber of

Deputies

note: government coalition - CSV and LSAP

Macau

chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March

2003)

head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20

December 1999)

cabinet: Executive Council consists of one government secretary,

three legislators, four businessmen, one pro-Beijing unionist, and

one pro-Beijing educator

elections: chief executive chosen by a 300-member Election Committee

for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last

held 29 August 2004 (next to be held in 2009)

election results: Edmund HO Hau-wah reelected received 296 votes;

three members submitted blank ballots; one member was absent

Macedonia

chief of state: President Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 12 May

2004)

head of government: Prime Minister Nikola GRUEVSKI (since 26 August

2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the majority vote of all

the deputies in the Assembly; note - current cabinet formed by the

government coalition parties VMRO/DPMNE, NSDP, PDSh/DPA, and several

small parties

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); two-round election last held 14 April

and 28 April 2004 (next to be held by April 2009); prime minister

elected by the Assembly following legislative elections

election results: Branko CRVENKOVSKI elected president on

second-round ballot; percent of vote - Branko CRVENKOVSKI 62.7%,

Sasko KEDEV 37.3%

Madagascar

chief of state: President Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6 May

2002)

head of government: Prime Minister Jacques SYLLA (27 May 2002)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 3 December 2006

(next to be held December 2011); prime minister appointed by the

president

election results: percent of vote - Marc RAVALOMANANA (TIM) 54.8%,

Jean LAHINIRIKO 11.7%, Roland RATSIRAKA 10.1%, Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO

(LEADER-Fanilo) 9.1%, Norbert RATSIRAHONANA (AVI) 4.2%, Ny Hasina

ANDRIAMANJATO 4.2%, Elia RAVELOMANANTSOA 2.6%, Pety RAKOTONIAINA

1.7%, other 1.6%

Malawi

chief of state: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May

2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May

2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

cabinet: 46-member Cabinet named by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 20 May 2004 (next

to be held May 2009)

election results: Bingu wa MUTHARIKA elected president; percent of

vote - Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (UDF) 35.9%, John TEMBO (MCP) 27.1%,

Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA (MC) 25.7%, Brown MPINGANJIRA (NDA) 8.7%,

Justin MALEWEZI (independent) 2.5%

Malaysia

chief of state: Paramount Ruler Sultan MIZAN Zainal Abidin

(since 13 December 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi (since

31 October 2003); Deputy Prime Minister Mohamed NAJIB bin Abdul

Razak (since 7 January 2004)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the

members of Parliament with consent of the paramount ruler

elections: paramount ruler elected by and from the hereditary rulers

of nine of the states for five-year terms; election last held 3

November 2006 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister designated

from among the members of the House of Representatives; following

legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins a plurality

of seats in the House of Representatives becomes prime minister

election results: Sultan MIZAN Zainal Abidin elected paramount ruler

Maldives

chief of state: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11

November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and

head of government

head of government: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11

November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and

head of government

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president nominated by the Majlis and then the nomination

must be ratified by a national referendum (at least a 51% approval

margin is required); president elected for a five-year term;

election last held 17 October 2003 (next to be held NA 2008)

election results: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected in

referendum held 17 October 2003; percent of popular vote - Maumoon

Abdul GAYOOM 90.3%

Mali

chief of state: President Amadou Toumani TOURE (since 8 June

2002)

head of government: Prime Minister Ousmane Issoufi MAIGA (since 30

April 2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 12 May 2002 (next

to be held April 2007); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Amadou Toumani TOURE elected president; percent of

vote - Amadou Toumani TOURE 64.4%, Soumaila CISSE 35.6%

Malta

chief of state: President Edward FENECH ADAMI (since 4 April

2004)

head of government: Prime Minister Lawrence GONZI (since 23 March

2004)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the

prime minister

elections: president elected by the House of Representatives for a

five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 29

March 2004 (next to be held by April 2009); following legislative

elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority

coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president for a

five-year term; the deputy prime minister is appointed by the

president on the advice of the prime minister

election results: Eddie FENECH ADAMI elected president; House of

Representatives vote - 33 out of 65 votes

Marshall Islands

chief of state: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 5

January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and

head of government

head of government: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 5 January 2004)

cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president from among the members of

the legislature

elections: president elected by Parliament from among its own

members for a four-year term; election last held 17 November 2003

(next to be held November 2007)

election results: Kessai Hesa NOTE elected president; percent of

Parliament vote - 100%

Mauritania

chief of state: Col. Ely Ould Mohamed VALL, whose

Military Council for Justice and Democracy deposed longtime

President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA in a coup on 3 August 2005

head of government: Prime Minister Sidi Mohamed Ould BOUBAKAR (since

8 August 2005)

cabinet: Council of Ministers

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second consecutive term); note - passage of a

constitutional reform referendum in July 2006 limits president to

two five-year terms; election last held 7 November 2003 (next to be

held 11 March 2007); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA reelected

for a third term with 60.8% of the vote

Mauritius

chief of state: President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 7

October 2003) and Vice President Abdool Raouf BUNDHUN (since 25

February 2002)

head of government: Prime Minister Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM (since 5

July 2005)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the

recommendation of the prime minister

elections: president and vice president elected by the National

Assembly for five-year terms (eligible for a second term); election

last held 25 February 2002 (next to be held in February 2007); prime

minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president,

responsible to the National Assembly

election results: Karl OFFMANN elected president and Raouf BUNDHUN

elected vice president; percent of vote by the National Assembly -

NA%; note - Karl OFFMANN stepped down on 30 September 2003

Mayotte

chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17

May 1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Paul KIHL (since 17 January

2005)

head of government: President of the General Council Said Omar OILI

(since 8 April 2004)

cabinet: NA

elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year

term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the

French Ministry of the Interior; president of the General Council

elected by the members of the General Council for a six-year term;

next election to be held in 2010

Mexico

chief of state: President Felipe de Jesus CALDERON Hinojosa

(since 1 December 2006); note - the president is both the chief of

state and head of government

head of government: President Felipe de Jesus CALDERON Hinojosa

(since 1 December 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; note - appointment of

attorney general requires consent of the Senate

elections: president elected by popular vote for a single six-year

term; election last held 2 July 2006 (next to be held 1 July 2012)

election results: Felipe CALDERON elected president; percent of vote

- Felipe CALDERON (PAN) 35.89%, Andres Manuel Lopez OBRADOR (PRD)

35.31%, Roberto MADRAZO (PRI) 22.26%, other 6.54%

Micronesia, Federated States of

chief of state: President Joseph J.

URUSEMAL (since 11 May 2003); Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May

2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May

2003); Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May 2003)

cabinet: Cabinet includes the vice president and the heads of the

eight executive departments

elections: president and vice president elected by Congress from

among the four senators at large for a four-year term (eligible for

a second term); election last held 11 May 2003 (next to be held May

2007); note - a proposed constitutional amendment to establish

popular elections for president and vice president failed

election results: Joseph J. URUSEMAL elected president; percent of

Congress vote - NA%; Redley KILLION elected vice president; percent

of Congress vote - NA%

Moldova

chief of state: President Vladimir VORONIN (since 4 April

2001)

head of government: Prime Minister Vasile TARLEV (since 15 April

2001), First Deputy Prime Minister Zinaida GRECIANII (since 10

October 2005)

cabinet: Cabinet selected by president, subject to approval of

Parliament

elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 4 April 2005 (next

to be held in 2009); note - prime minister designated by the

president, upon consultation with Parliament; within 15 days from

designation, the prime minister-designate must request a vote of

confidence from the Parliament regarding his/her work program and

entire cabinet; prime minister designated 15 April 2001, cabinet

received a vote of confidence 19 April 2001

election results: Vladimir VORONIN reelected president;

parliamentary votes - Vladimir VORONIN 75, Gheorghe DUCA 1; Vasile

TARLEV designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of confidence

- 75 of 101

Monaco

chief of state: Prince ALBERT II (since 6 April 2005)

head of government: Minister of State Jean-Paul PROUST (since 1 June

2005)

cabinet: Council of Government is under the authority of the monarch

elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; minister of state

appointed by the monarch from a list of three French national

candidates presented by the French Government

Mongolia

chief of state: President Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR (since 24 June

2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Miegombyn ENKHBOLD (since 25

January 2006); Deputy Prime Minister Mendsaikhan ENKHSAIKHAN (since

28 January 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister in consultation

with the president and confirmed by the State Great Hural

(parliament)

elections: presidential candidates nominated by political parties

represented in State Great Hural and elected by popular vote for a

four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 22

May 2005 (next to be held in May 2009); following legislative

elections, leader of majority party or majority coalition is usually

elected prime minister by State Great Hural

election results: Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR elected president; percent of

vote - Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR (MPRP) 53.44%, Mendsaikhanin ENKHSAIKHAN

(DP) 20.05%, Bazarsadyn JARGALSAIKHAN (MRP) 13.92%, Badarchyn

ERDENEBAT (M-MNSDP) 12.59%; Miegombyn ENKHBOLD elected prime

minister by the State Great Hural 56 to 10

Montenegro

chief of state: President Filip VUJANOVIC (since 11 May

2003)

head of government: Prime Minister Zeljko STURANOVIC (since 13

November 2006)

cabinet: Ministries act as cabinet

elections: president elected by direct vote for five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 11 May 2003 (next

to be held in 2008); prime minister proposed by president, accepted

by Assembly

election results: Filip VUJANOVIC elected on the third round; Filip

VUJANOVIC 63.3%, Miodrag ZIVKOVIC 30.8%

Montserrat

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February

1952), represented by Governor Deborah BARNES-JONES (since 10 May

2004)

head of government: Chief Minister Lowell LEWIS (since 2 June 2006)

cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief

minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the

finance secretary

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the

monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority

party usually becomes chief minister

Morocco

chief of state: King MOHAMED VI (since 30 July 1999)

head of government: Prime Minister Driss JETTOU (since 9 October

2002)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed

by the monarch following legislative elections

Mozambique

chief of state: President Armando GUEBUZA (since 2

February 2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Luisa DIOGO (since 17 February

2004)

cabinet: Cabinet

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 1-2 December 2004

(next to be held December 2009); prime minister appointed by the

president

election results: Armando GUEBUZA elected president; percent of vote

- Armando GUEBUZA 63.7%, Afonso DHLAKAMA 31.7%

Namibia

chief of state: President Hifikepunye POHAMBA (since 21

March 2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Nahas ANGULA (since 21 March 2005)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members

of the National Assembly

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 15 November 2004

(next to be held November 2009)

election results: Hifikepunye POHAMBA elected president; percent of

vote - Hifikepunye POHAMBA 76.4%, Den ULENGA 7.3%, Katuutire KAURA

5.1%, Kuaima RIRUAKO 4.2%, Justus GAROEB 3.8%, other 3.2%

Nauru

chief of state: President Ludwig SCOTTY (since 22 June 2004);

note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Ludwig SCOTTY (since 22 June 2004)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members

of Parliament

elections: president elected by Parliament for a three-year term;

election last held 23 October 2004 (next to be held NA 2007)

election results: Ludwig SCOTTY was unopposed in the parliamentary

elections for president

Nepal

chief of state: Girija Prasad KOIRALA (since 30 April 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister Girija Prasad KOIRALA (since 30

April 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Khadga Prasad OLI (since 2 May

2006) and Amik SHERCHAN since June 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet historically appointed by the monarch on the

recommendation of the prime minister; note - the prime minister

selected the Cabinet in May 2006 in consultation with the political

parties

elections: following legislative elections, the leader of the

majority party or leader of a majority coalition historically has

been appointed prime minister by the monarch

Netherlands

chief of state: Queen BEATRIX (since 30 April 1980);

Heir Apparent WILLEM-ALEXANDER (born 27 April 1967), son of the

monarch

head of government: Prime Minister Jan Peter BALKENENDE (since 22

July 2002) and Deputy Prime Ministers Gerrit ZALM (since 27 May

2003) and Laurens Jan BRINKHORST (since 31 March 2005)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch

elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following Second

Chamber elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a

majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the

monarch; vice prime ministers appointed by the monarch

note: there is also a Council of State composed of the monarch, heir

apparent, and councilors that provides consultations to the cabinet

on legislative and administrative policy

Netherlands Antilles

chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the

Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General

Frits GOEDGEDRAG (since 1 July 2002)

head of government: Prime Minister Emily de JONGH-ELHAGE (since 26

March 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten (legislature)

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by

the monarch for a six-year term; following legislative elections,

the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister

by the Staten; election last held 27 January 2006 (next to be held

by 2007)

note: government coalition - PAR, PNP, DP St. Maarten, UP Bonaire,

WIPM Saba, DP Statia

New Caledonia

chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC

(since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner Michel MATHIEU

(since 15 July 2005)

head of government: President of the Government Marie-Noelle

THEMEREAU (since 10 June 2004)

cabinet: Consultative Committee consists of eight members chosen

from leading figures on the island to advise the High Commissioner

elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year

term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the

advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the

government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress for a

five-year term (no term limits); note - last election held 29 June

2004 when Marie-Noelle THEMEREAU was elected on the third vote with

8 votes for and 3 abstentions

New Zealand

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February

1952), represented by Governor General Anand SATYANAND (since 23

August 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister Helen CLARK (since 10 December

1999) and Deputy Prime Minister Michael CULLEN (since NA July 2002)

cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the

recommendation of the prime minister

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general

appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the

leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition

is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy

prime minister appointed by the governor general

Nicaragua

chief of state: President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 15

January 2007); Vice President Jaime MORALES Carazo (since 10 January

2007); note - the president is both chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 15

January 2007); Vice President Jaime MORALES Carazo (since 10 January

2007)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket

by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term so

long as it is not consecutive); election last held 5 November 2006

(next to be held by November 2011)

election results: Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) elected president -

38.07%, Eduardo MONTEALEGRE (ALN) 29%, Jose RIZO (PLC) 26.21%,

Edmundo JARQUIN (MRS) 6.44%

Niger

chief of state: President Mamadou TANDJA (since 22 December

1999); note - the president is both chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Mamadou TANDJA (since 22 December

1999); Prime Minister Hama AMADOU (since 31 December 1999) was

appointed by the president and shares some executive

responsibilities with the president

cabinet: 26-member Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); second round last held 4 December 2004

(next to be held December 2009)

election results: Mamadou TANDJA reelected president; percent of

vote - Mamadou TANDJA 65.5%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 34.5%

Nigeria

chief of state: President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May

1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May 1999);

note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

cabinet: Federal Executive Council

elections: president is elected by popular vote for a four-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 19 April 2003 (next

to be held 21 April 2007)

election results: Olusegun OBASANJO elected president; percent of

vote - Olusegun OBASANJO (PDP) 61.9%, Muhammadu BUHARI (ANPP) 31.2%,

Chukwuemeka Odumegwu OJUKWU (APGA) 3.3%, other 3.6%

Niue

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),

represented by Governor General of New Zealand Anand SATYANAND

(since 23 August 2006); the UK and New Zealand are represented by

New Zealand High Commissioner John BRYAN (since NA May 2000)

head of government: Premier Young VIVIAN (since 1 May 2002)

cabinet: Cabinet consists of the premier and three ministers

elections: the monarch is hereditary; premier elected by the

Legislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held 12

May 2005 (next to be held May 2008)

election results: Young VIVIAN reelected premier; percent of

Legislative Assembly vote - Young VIVIAN (NPP) 85%, O'Love JACOBSEN

(independent) 15%

Norfolk Island

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February

1952); represented by the Australian governor general

head of government: Administrator Grant TAMBLING (since 1 November

2003)

cabinet: Executive Council is made up of four of the nine members of

the Legislative Assembly; the council devises government policy and

acts as an advisor to the administrator

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed

by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and

Australia

Northern Mariana Islands

chief of state: President George W. BUSH of

the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY

(since 20 January 2001)

head of government: Governor Benigno R. FITIAL (since 9 January

2006); Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. VILLAGOMEZ (since 9 January

2006)

cabinet: the cabinet consists of the heads of the 10 principal

departments under the executive branch who are appointed by the

governor with the advice and consent of the Senate; other members

include Special Assistants to the governor and office heads

appointed by and reporting directly to the governor

elections: under the US Consitution, residents of unincorporated

territories, such as the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana

Islands, do not vote in elections for US president and vice

president; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same

ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second

term); election last held 5 November 2005 (next to be held November

2009)

election results: Benigno R. FITIAL elected governor in a four-way

race; percent of vote - Benigno R. FITIAL (Covenant Party) 28.07%,

Heinz HOFSCHNEIDER (Independent) 27.34%, Juan BABAUTA (Republican)

26.6%, Froilan TENORIO (Democrat) 17.99%

Norway

chief of state: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir

Apparent Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS, son of the monarch (born 20

July 1973)

head of government: Prime Minister Jens STOLTENBERG (since 17

October 2005)

cabinet: State Council appointed by the monarch with the approval of

parliament

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following parliamentary

elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the

majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the

monarch with the approval of the parliament

Oman

chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said

al-Said (sultan since 23 July 1970 and prime minister since 23 July

1972); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said

al-Said (sultan since 23 July 1970 and prime minister since 23 July

1972); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of

government

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary

Pakistan

note: following a military takeover on 12 October 1999,

Chief of Army Staff and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Committee, General Pervez MUSHARRAF, suspended Pakistan's

Constitution and assumed the additional title of Chief Executive; on

12 May 2000, Pakistan's Supreme Court unanimously validated the

October 1999 coup and granted MUSHARRAF executive and legislative

authority for three years from the coup date; on 20 June 2001,

MUSHARRAF named himself as president and was sworn in, replacing

Mohammad Rafiq TARAR; in a referendum held on 30 April 2002,

MUSHARRAF's presidency was extended by five more years; on 1 January

2004, MUSHARRAF won a vote of confidence in the Senate, National

Assembly, and four provincial assemblies

chief of state: President General Pervez MUSHARRAF (since 20 June

2001)

head of government: Prime Minister Shaukat AZIZ (since 28 August

2004)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister

elections: the president is elected by an electoral college drawn

from the national parliament and provincial assemblies for a

five-year term; note - Musharraf was last sworn in as President in

November 2002; the prime minister is selected by the National

Assembly (next elections to be held in 2007)

election results: AZIZ elected by the National Assembly on 27 August

2004

Palau

chief of state: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since

19 January 2001) and Vice President Camsek CHIN (since 1 January

2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19

January 2001) and Vice President Camsek CHIN (since 1 January 2005)

cabinet: NA

elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets

by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term);

election last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008)

election results: Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. reelected president;

percent of vote - Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. 64%, Polycarp BASILIUS

33%; Elias Camsek CHIN elected vice president; percent of vote -

Elias Camsek CHIN 70%, Sandra PIERANTOZZI 29%

Panama

chief of state: President Martin TORRIJOS Espino (since 1

September 2004); First Vice President Samuel LEWIS Navarro (since 1

September 2004); Second Vice President Ruben AROSEMENA Valdes (since

1 September 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state

and head of government

head of government: President Martin TORRIJOS Espino (since 1

September 2004); First Vice President Samuel LEWIS Navarro (since 1

September 2004); Second Vice President Ruben AROSEMENA Valdes (since

1 September 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state

and head of government

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket

by popular vote for five-year terms (eligible for two more terms);

election last held 2 May 2004 (next to be held 3 May 2009); note -

beginning in 2009, Panama will have only one vice president.

election results: Martin TORRIJOS Espino elected president; percent

of vote - Martin TORRIJOS Espino 47.5%, Guillermo ENDARA Galimany

30.6%, Jose Miguel ALEMAN 17%, Ricardo MARTINELLI 4.9%

note: government coalition - PRD (Democratic Revolutionary Party),

PP (Popular Party)

Papua New Guinea

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6

February 1952), represented by governor general Sir Paulius MATANE

(since 29 June 2004)

head of government: Prime Minister Sir Michael SOMARE (since 2

August 2002); deputy prime minister Don Polye (since 5 July 2006)

cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the governor

general on the recommendation of the prime minister

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general

appointed by the National Executive Council; following legislative

elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the

majority coalition usually is appointed prime minister by the

governor general

Paraguay

chief of state: President Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS (since 15

August 2003); Vice President Luis CASTIGLIONI Joria (since 15 August

2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS (since 15 August

2003); Vice President Luis CASTIGLIONI Joria (since 15 August 2003)

cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the president

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket

by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 27

April 2003 (next to be held April 2008)

election results: Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS elected president; percent

of vote - Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS 37.1%, Julio Cesar Ramon FRANCO

Gomez 23.9%, Pedro Nicolas Maraa FADUL Niella 21.3%, Guillermo

SANCHEZ Guffanti 13.5%, other 4.2%

Peru

chief of state: President Alan GARCIA Perez (since 28 July

2006); First Vice President Luis GIAMPIETRI Rojas; Second Vice

President Lourdes MENDOZA del Solar (since 28 July 2006); note - the

president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Alan GARCIA Perez (since 28 July

2006); First Vice President Luis GIAMPIETRI Rojas; Second Vice

President Lourdes MENDOZA del Solar (since 28 July 2006)

note: Prime Minister Jorge DEL CASTILLO Galvez (since 28 August

2006) does not exercise executive power; this power is in the hands

of the president

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); presidential and congressional

elections held 9 April 2006, with runoff election held 4 June 2006;

next to be held April 2011

election results: Alan GARCIA elected president in runoff election;

percent of vote - Alan GARCIA 52.5%, Ollanta HUMALA Tasso 47.5%

Philippines

chief of state: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since

20 January 2001); note - president is both chief of state and head

of government

head of government: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20

January 2001); note - president is both chief of state and head of

government

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with consent of

Commission of Appointments

elections: president and vice president (Manuel "Noli" DE CASTRO)

elected on separate tickets by popular vote for a single six-year

term; election last held 10 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2010)

election results: results of the election - Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

elected president; percent of vote - Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO 40%,

Fernando POE 37%, three others 23%

Pitcairn Islands

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6

February 1952), represented by UK High Commissioner to New Zealand

and Governor (nonresident) of the Pitcairn Islands George FERGUSSON

(since April 2006); Commissioner (nonresident) Leslie JAQUES (since

September 2003) serves as liaison between the governor and the

Island Council

head of government: Governor George FERGUSSON (since April 2006);

Mayor and Chairman of the Island Council Jay WARREN (since 15

December 2004)

cabinet: NA

elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor and commissioner

appointed by the monarch; island mayor elected by popular vote for a

three-year term; election last held December 2004 (next to be held

December 2007)

election results: Jay WARREN elected mayor and chairman of the

Island Council

Poland

chief of state: President Lech KACZYNSKI (since 23 December

2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI (since 10 July

2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Ludwik DORN (since 23 November 2005),

Roman GIERTYCH (since 5 May 2006), Zyta GILOWSKA (since 22 September

2006), Andrzej LEPPER (since 16 October 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the prime minister and

the Sejm; the prime minister proposes, the president appoints, and

the Sejm approves the Council of Ministers

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 9 and 23 October

2005 (next to be held fall 2010); prime minister and deputy prime

ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm

election results: Lech KACZYNSKI elected president; percent of

popular vote - Lech KACZYNSKI 54%, Donald Tusk 46%

Portugal

chief of state: President Anibal CAVACO SILVA (since 9

March 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister Jose SOCRATES Carvalho Pinto de

Sousa (since 12 March 2005)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the

recommendation of the prime minister

note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative

body to the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 22 January 2006

(next to be held January 2011); following legislative elections, the

leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is

usually appointed prime minister by the president

election results: Anibal CAVACO SILVA elected president; percent of

vote - Anibal CAVACO SILVA 50.6%, Manuel ALEGRE 20.7%, Mario Alberto

Nobre Lopes SOARES 14.3%, Jeronimo DE SOUSA 8.5%, Franciso LOUCA 5.3%

Puerto Rico

chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US

(since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20

January 2001)

head of government: Governor Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (since 2 January

2005)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the

legislature

elections: under the US Consitution, residents of unincorporated

territories, such as Puerto Rico, do not vote in elections for US

president and vice president; governor elected by popular vote for a

four-year term (no term limits); election last held 2 November 2004

(next to be held November 2008)

election results: Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (PPD) elected governor;

percent of vote - 48.4%

Qatar

chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani (since 27 June

1995 when, as crown prince, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin

Hamad al-Thani, in a bloodless coup); Crown Prince TAMIM bin Hamad

bin Khalifa al-Thani, fourth son of the monarch (selected Heir

Apparent by the monarch on 5 August 2003); note - Amir HAMAD also

holds the positions of Minister of Defense and Commander-in-chief of

the Armed Forces

head of government: Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Khalifa al-Thani,

brother of the monarch (since 30 October 1996); First Deputy Prime

Minister HAMAD bin Jasim bin Jabir al-Thani (since 16 September

2003, also Foreign Minister since 1992); Second Deputy Prime

Minister Abdallah bin Hamad al-ATIYAH (since 16 September 2003, also

Electricity and Water Minister since 1999 and Energy and Industry

Minister since 1992)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary

note: in April 2003, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member

Central Municipal Council (CMC), which has consultative powers aimed

at improving the provision of municipal services; the first election

for the CMC was held in March 1999

Romania

chief of state: President Traian BASESCU (since 20 December

2004)

head of government: Prime Minister Calin Popescu-TARICEANU (since 29

December 2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 28 November 2004,

with runoff between the top two candidates held 12 December 2004

(next to be held November-December 2009); prime minister appointed

by the president with the consent of the Parliament

election results: percent of vote - Traian BASESCU 51.23%, Adrian

NASTASE 48.77%

Russia

chief of state: President Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN

(acting president 31 December 1999-6 May 2000, president since 7 May

2000)

head of government: Premier Mikhail Yefimovich FRADKOV (since 5

March 2004); First Deputy Premier Dmitriy Anatolyevich MEDVEDEV

(since 14 November 2005), Deputy Premiers Aleksandr Dmitriyevich

ZHUKOV (since 9 March 2004) and Sergey Borisovich IVANOV (since 14

November 2005)

cabinet: Ministries of the Government or "Government" composed of

the premier and his deputies, ministers, and selected other

individuals; all are appointed by the president

note: there is also a Presidential Administration (PA) that provides

staff and policy support to the president, drafts presidential

decrees, and coordinates policy among government agencies; a

Security Council also reports directly to the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 14 March 2004 (next

to be held March 2008); note - no vice president; if the president

dies in office, cannot exercise his powers because of ill health, is

impeached, or resigns, the premier serves as acting president until

a new presidential election is held, which must be within three

months; premier appointed by the president with the approval of the

Duma

election results: Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN reelected president;

percent of vote - Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN 71.2%, Nikolay

KHARITONOV 13.7%, other (no candidate above 5%) 15.1%

Rwanda

chief of state: President Paul KAGAME (since 22 April 2000)

head of government: Prime Minister Bernard MAKUZA (since 8 March

2000)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: President elected by popular vote for a seven-year term

(eligible for a second term); elections last held 25 August 2003

(next to be held in 2010)

election results: Paul KAGAME elected president in first direct

popular vote; Paul KAGAME 95.05%, Faustin TWAGIRAMUNGU 3.62%,

Jean-Nepomuscene NAYINZIRA 1.33%

Saint Helena

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February

1952)

head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief Michael CLANCY

(since 15 October 2004)

cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, three

ex-officio officers, and five elected members of the Legislative

Council

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by

the monarch

Saint Kitts and Nevis

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6

February 1952), represented by Governor General Cuthbert Montraville

SEBASTIAN (since 1 January 1996)

head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS (since 6 July

1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Sam CONDOR (since 6 July 1995)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general in consultation

with the prime minister

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is

appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the

leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is

usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy

prime minister appointed by the governor general

Saint Lucia

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February

1952), represented by Governor General Dame Pearlette LOUISY (since

September 1997)

head of government: Prime Minister Sir John COMPTON (since 15

December 2006) and Deputy Prime Minister Leonard MONTOUTE (since 15

December 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of

the prime minister

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is

appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the

leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition

is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy

prime minister appointed by the governor general

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC

of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Yves FAUQUEUR

(since 28 August 2006)

head of government: President of the General Council Marc

PLANTAGENEST (since NA)

cabinet: NA

elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year

term; election last held, 21 April 2002 (first round) and 5 May 2002

(second round) (next to be held in 2007); prefect appointed by the

French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior;

president of the General Council is elected by the members of the

council

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II

(since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir

Fredrick Nathaniel BALLANTYNE (since 2 September 2002)

head of government: Prime Minister Ralph E. GONSALVES (since 29

March 2001)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of

the prime minister

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is

appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the

leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by

the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the

governor general on the advice of the prime minister

Samoa

chief of state: Malietoa TANUMAFILI II (cochief of state from

1 January 1962 until becoming sole chief of state 5 April 1963)

head of government: Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA

(since 1996); note - TUILA'EPA served as deputy prime minister from

1992 and assumed the duties of acting prime minister in 1996, when

former Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana resigned in poor health;

TUILA'EPA was confirmed as prime minister (November 1998) after

TOFILAU died; Deputy Prime Minister MISA Telefoni (since 2001)

cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 members, appointed by the chief of

state on the prime minister's advice

elections: upon the death of Malietoa TANUMAFILI II, a new chief of

state will be elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a

five-year term (no term limits); following legislative elections,

the leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister

by the chief of state with the approval of the Legislative Assembly

San Marino

chief of state: Cochiefs of State Captain Regent Antonio

CARATTONI and Captain Regent Roberto GIORGETTI (for the period 1

October 2006-31 March 2007)

head of government: Secretary of State for Foreign and Political

Affairs Fiorenzo STOLFI (since 27 July 2006)

cabinet: Congress of State elected by the Great and General Council

for a five-year term

elections: cochiefs of state (captains regent) elected by the Great

and General Council for a six-month term; election last held in

September 2006 (next to be held March 2007); secretary of state for

foreign and political affairs elected by the Great and General

Council for a five-year term; election last held 27 July 2006 (next

to be held NA)

election results: Antonio CARATTONI and Roberto GIORGETTI elected

captains regent; percent of legislative vote - NA; Fiorenzo STOLFI

elected secretary of state for foreign and political affairs;

percent of legislative vote - NA

note: the popularly elected parliament (Grand and General Council)

selects two of its members to serve as the Captains Regent

(co-chiefs of state) for a six-month period; they preside over

meetings of the Grand and General Council and its cabinet (Congress

of State), which has 10 other members, all selected by the Grand and

General Council; assisting the captains regent are 10 secretaries of

state; the secretary of state for Foreign Affairs has assumed some

prime ministerial roles

Sao Tome and Principe

chief of state: President Fradique DE MENEZES

(since 3 September 2001)

head of government: Prime Minister Tome Soares da VERA CRUZ (since

21 April 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the

proposal of the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 30 July 2006 (next

to be held July 2011); prime minister chosen by the National

Assembly and approved by the president

election results: Fradique DE MENEZES elected president; percent of

vote - Fradique DE MENEZES 60%, Patrice TROVOADA 38.5%

Saudi Arabia

chief of state: King and Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin

Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 1 August 2005); Heir Apparent Crown

Prince SULTAN bin Abd al- Aziz Al Saud (half brother of the monarch,

born 5 January 1928) note - the monarch is both the chief of state

and head of government

head of government: King and Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz

Al Saud (since 1 August 2005); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SULTAN bin

Abd al- Aziz Al Saud (half brother of the monarch, born 5 January

1928)

cabinet: Council of Ministers is appointed by the monarch every four

years and includes many royal family members

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; note - a new Allegiance

Commission created by royal decree in October 2006 established a

committee of Saudi princes that will play a role in selecting future

Saudi kings, but the new system will not take effect until after

Crown Prince Sultan becomes king

Senegal

chief of state: President Abdoulaye WADE (since 1 April 2000)

head of government: Prime Minister Macky SALL (since 21 April 2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in

consultation with the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term) under new constitution; election last

held under prior constitution (seven-year terms) 27 February and 19

March 2000 (next to be held 25 February 2007); prime minister

appointed by the president

election results: Abdoulaye WADE elected president; percent of vote

in the second round of voting - Abdoulaye WADE (PDS) 58.5%, Abdou

DIOUF (PS) 41.5%

Serbia

chief of state: President Boris TADIC (since 11 July 2004);

Kosovo - President Fatmir SEJDIU (since 10 February 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister Vojislav KOSTUNICA (since 3 March

2004) - in an acting capacity pending formation of new government

following January 2007 elections; Kosovo - Prime Minister Agim CEKU

(since 10 March 2006)

cabinet: Federal Ministries act as cabinet; Kosovo - ministry heads

act as cabinet; some ministry functions are controlled by the UNMIK

elections: president elected by direct vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 27 June 2004 (next

to be held in 2007 due to constitutional changes); prime minister

elected by the Assembly; Kosovo - president is elected by the

Assembly for a three-year term; prime minister and proposed cabinet

are elected by the Assembly

election results: Boris TADIC elected president in the second round

of voting; Boris TADIC received 53% of the vote

Seychelles

chief of state: President James MICHEL (since 14 April

2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President James MICHEL (since 14 April 2004);

note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for two more terms); election last held 28-30 July 2006

(next to be held in 2011)

election results: President James MICHEL elected president; percent

of vote - James MICHEL (SPPF) 53.73%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (SNP) 45.71%,

Philippe BOULLE 0.56%; note - this was the first election in which

President James MICHEL participated; he was originally sworn in as

president after former president France Albert RENE stepped down in

April 2004

Sierra Leone

chief of state: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29

March 1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both

the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March

1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the

chief of state and head of government

cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president with the

approval of the House of Representatives; the cabinet is responsible

to the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 14 May 2002 (next

to be held 28 July 2007)

election results: Ahmad Tejan KABBAH reelected president; percent of

vote - Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (SLPP) 70.6%, Ernest Bai KOROMA (APC) 22.4%

Singapore

chief of state: President S. R. NATHAN (since 1 September

1999)

note: uses S. R. NATHAN but his full name and the one used in formal

communications is Sellapan RAMANATHAN

head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 12 August

2004); Senior Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 12 August 2004);

Minister Mentor LEE Kuan Yew (since 12 August 2004); Deputy Prime

Minister Shunmugan JAYAKUMAR (since 12 August 2004); Deputy Prime

Minister WONG Kan Seng (since 1 September 2005)

cabinet: appointed by president, responsible to parliament

elections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term; last

appointed 17 August 2005 - see note (next election to be held by

August 2011); following legislative elections, leader of majority

party or leader of majority coalition is usually appointed prime

minister by president; deputy prime ministers appointed by president

election results: Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN appointed president

in August 2005 after Presidential Elections Committee disqualified

three other would-be candidates; scheduled election not held

Slovakia

chief of state: President Ivan GASPAROVIC (since 15 June

2004)

head of government: Prime Minister Robert FICO (since 4 July 2006);

Deputy Prime Ministers Dusan CAPLOVIC, Robert KALINAK, Stefan

HARABIN, Jan MIKOLAJ (since 4 July 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of

the prime minister

elections: president elected by direct, popular vote for a five-year

term (eligible for a second term); election last held 3 April and 17

April 2004 (next to be held April 2009); following National Council

elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a

majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the

president

election results: Ivan GASPAROVIC elected president in runoff;

percent of vote - Ivan GASPAROVIC 59.9%, Vladimir MECIAR 40.1%

Slovenia

chief of state: President Janez DRNOVSEK (since 22 December

2002)

head of government: Prime Minister Janez JANSA (since 9 November

2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and

elected by the National Assembly

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 10 November and 1

December 2002 (next to be held in the fall of 2007); following

National Assembly elections, the leader of the majority party or the

leader of a majority coalition is usually nominated to become prime

minister by the president and elected by the National Assembly;

election last held 9 November 2004 (next National Assembly elections

to be held October 2008)

election results: Janez DRNOVSEK elected president; percent of vote

- Janez DRNOVSEK 56.5%, Barbara BREZIGAR 43.5%; Janez JANSA elected

prime minister; National Assembly vote - 57 to 27

Solomon Islands

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February

1952), represented by Governor General Nathaniel WAENA (since 7 July

2004)

head of government: Prime Minister Manasseh SOGAVARE (since 4 May

2006); note - Prime Minister Snyder RINI, elected on 18 April 2006

and sworn in on 20 April 2006, resigned on 26 April prior to no

confidence vote in parliament; SOGAVARE elected on 4 May

cabinet: Cabinet consists of 20 members appointed by the governor

general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members

of Parliament

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general

appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five

years (eligible for a second term); following legislative elections,

the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority

coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament; deputy

prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of

the prime minister from among the members of Parliament

Somalia

chief of state: Transitional Federal President Abdullahi

YUSUF Ahmed (since 14 October 2004); note - a transitional governing

entity with a five-year mandate, known as the Transitional Federal

Institutions (TFIs), was established in October 2004; the TFI

relocated to Somalia in June 2004, but its members remain divided

over clan and regional interests and the government continues to

struggle to establish effective governance in the country

head of government: Prime Minister Ali Mohamed GEDI (since 24

December 2004)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by the

Transitional Federal Assembly

election results: Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed, the former leader of the

semi-autonomous Puntland region of Somalia, was elected president by

the Transitional Federal Assembly

South Africa

chief of state: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June

1999); Executive Deputy President Phumzile MLAMBO-NGCUKA (since 23

June 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head

of government

head of government: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999);

Executive Deputy President Phumzile MLAMBO-NGCUKA (since 23 June

2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a

five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 24

April 2004 (next to be held April 2009)

election results: Thabo MBEKI elected president; percent of National

Assembly vote - 100% (by acclamation)

Spain

chief of state: King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975);

Heir Apparent Prince FELIPE, son of the monarch, born 30 January 1968

head of government: President of the Government (Prime Minister

equivalent) Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO (since 17 April 2004);

First Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister (and Minister of the

Presidency) Maria Teresa FERNANDEZ DE LA VEGA (since 18 April 2004)

and Second Vice President (and Minister of Economy and Finance)

Pedro SOLBES (since 18 April 2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers designated by the president

note: there is also a Council of State that is the supreme

consultative organ of the government, but its recommendations are

non-binding

elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative

elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the

majority coalition is usually proposed president by the monarch and

elected by the National Assembly; election last held 14 March 2004

(next to be held March 2008); vice presidents appointed by the

monarch on the proposal of the president

election results: Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO (PSOE) elected

president; percent of National Assembly vote - 52.29%

Sri Lanka

chief of state: President Mahinda RAJAPAKSE (since 19

November 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and

head of government; Ratnasiri WICKREMANAYAKE (since 21 November

2005) holds the ceremonial title of prime minister

head of government: President Mahinda RAJAPAKSE (since 19 November

2005)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the

prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 17 November 2005

(next to be held 2011)

election results: Mahinda RAJAPAKSE elected president; percent of

vote - Mahinda RAJAPAKSE 50.3%, Ranil WICKREMESINGHE 48.4%, other

1.3%

Sudan

chief of state: President Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR (since

16 October 1993); First Vice President Salva KIIR (since 4 August

2005), Vice President Ali Osman TAHA (since 20 September 2005); note

- the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR (since 16

October 1993); First Vice President Salva KIIR (since 4 August

2005), Vice President Ali Osman TAHA (since 20 September 2005); note

- the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note - the

National Congress Party or NCP (formerly the National Islamic Front

or NIF) dominates al-BASHIR's cabinet

elections: election last held 13-23 December 2000; next to be held

no later than July 2009 under terms of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace

Agreement

election results: Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR reelected president;

percent of vote - Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR 86.5%, Ja'afar

Muhammed NUMAYRI 9.6%, three other candidates received a combined

vote of 3.9%; election widely viewed as rigged; all popular

opposition parties boycotted elections because of a lack of

guarantees for a free and fair election

note: al-BASHIR assumed power as chairman of Sudan's Revolutionary

Command Council for National Salvation (RCC) in June 1989 and served

concurrently as chief of state, chairman of the RCC, prime minister,

and minister of defense until mid-October 1993 when he was appointed

president by the RCC; he was elected president by popular vote for

the first time in March 1996

Suriname

chief of state: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since

12 August 2000); Vice President Ram SARDJOE (since 3 August 2005);

note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12

August 2000); Vice President Ram SARDJOE (since 3 August 2005); note

- the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president and vice president elected by the National

Assembly or, if no presidential or vice presidential candidate

receives a two-thirds constitutional majority in the National

Assembly after two votes, by a simple majority in the larger United

People's Assembly (893 representatives from the national, local, and

regional councils), for five-year terms (no term limits); election

last held 25 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN reelected president;

percent of vote - Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN 62.9%, Rabin PARMESSAR

35.4%, other 1.7%; note - after two votes in the parliament failed

to secure a two-thirds majority for a candidate, the vote then went

to a special session of the United People's Assembly on 3 August 2005

Svalbard

chief of state: King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January

1991)

head of government: Governor Per SEFLAND (since 1 October 2005) and

Assistant Governor Rune Baard HANSEN (since 2003)

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor and assistant

governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of

Justice

Swaziland

chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)

head of government: Prime Minister Absolom Themba DLAMINI (since 14

November 2003)

cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by

the monarch

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed

by the monarch

Sweden

chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 19 September

1973); Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree,

daughter of the monarch (born 14 July 1977)

head of government: Prime Minister Fredrik REINFELDT (since 5

October 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister

elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative

elections, the prime minister is elected by the parliament; election

last held 17 September 2006 (next to be held in September 2010)

election results: Fredrik REINFELDT elected prime minister with 175

out of 349 votes

Switzerland

chief of state: President Micheline CALMY-REY (since 1

January 2007); Vice President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January

2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Micheline CALMY-REY (since 1 January

2007); Vice President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January 2007)

cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal

(in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal

Assembly usually from among its own members for a four-year term

elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal

Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for a

one-year term (they may not serve consecutive terms); election last

held 13 December 2006 (next to be held December 2007)

election results: Micheline CALMY-REY elected president; percent of

Federal Assembly vote - 76.5%; Pascal COUCHEPIN elected vice

president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 86.5%

Syria

chief of state: President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000);

Vice President Farouk al-SHARA (since 11 February 2006) oversees

foreign policy; Vice President Najah al-ATTAR (since 23 March 2006)

oversees cultural policy

head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-UTRI (since 10

September 2003); Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdallah

al-DARDARI (since 14 June 2005)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president approved by popular referendum for a seven-year

term (no term limits); referendum last held 10 July 2000 after the

death of President Hafiz al-ASAD (next to be held July 2007); the

president appoints the vice presidents, prime minister and deputy

prime ministers

election results: Bashar al-ASAD approved as president; percent of

vote - Bashar al-ASAD 97.29%

note: Hafiz al-ASAD died on 10 June 2000; on 20 June, the Ba'th

Party nominated Bashar al-ASAD for president and presented his name

to the People's Council on 25 June; he was approved by a popular

referendum on 10 July

Taiwan

chief of state: President CHEN Shui-bian (since 20 May 2000)

and Vice President Annette LU (LU Hsiu-lien) (since 20 May 2000)

head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) SU

Tseng-chang (since 25 January 2006) and Vice Premier (Vice President

of the Executive Yuan) TSAI Ing-wen (since 25 January 2006)

cabinet: Executive Yuan - (ministers appointed by president on

recommendation of premier)

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket

by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term);

election last held 20 March 2004 (next to be held in March 2008);

premier appointed by the president; vice premiers appointed by the

president on the recommendation of the premier

election results: CHEN Shui-bian re-elected president; percent of

vote - CHEN Shui-bian (DPP) 50.1%, LIEN Chan (KMT) 49.9%

Tajikistan

chief of state: President Emomali RAHMONOV (since 6

November 1994; head of state and Supreme Assembly chairman since 19

November 1992)

head of government: Prime Minister Oqil OQILOV (since 20 January

1999)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved

by the Supreme Assembly

elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 6 November 2006

(next to be held November 2013); prime minister appointed by the

president

election results: Emomali RAHMONOV reelected president; percent of

vote - Emomali RAHMONOV 76.4%, Olimzon BOBOYEV 7.2%, other 16.4%

Tanzania

chief of state: President Jakaya KIKWETE (since 21 December

2005); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July 2001);

note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Jakaya KIKWETE (since 21 December

2005); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July 2001);

note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

note: Zanzibar elects a president who is head of government for

matters internal to Zanzibar; Amani Abeid KARUME was reelected to

that office on 30 October 2005

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members

of the National Assembly

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ballot

by popular vote for five-year terms (eligible for a second term);

election last held 14 December 2005(next to be held in December

2010); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Jakaya KIKWETE elected president; percent of vote

- Jakaya KIKWETE 80.3%, Ibrahim LIPUMBA 11.7%, Freeman MBOWE 5.9%

Thailand

chief of state: King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet (since 9 June 1946)

head of government: Interim Prime Minister SURAYUT Chulanon (since 1

October 2006); Interim Deputy Prime Ministers KHOSIT Panpiemras

(since 9 October 2006); PRIDIYATHORN Devakula (since 9 October 2006)

note: Prime Minister THAKSIN Chinnawat was overthrown on 19

September 2006 in a coup led by General SONTHI Boonyaratglin

cabinet: Council of Ministers

note: there is also a Privy Council

elections: none; monarch is hereditary; according to 1997

constitution, prime minister was designated from among members of

House of Representatives; following national elections for House of

Representatives, leader of party that could organize a majority

coalition usually was appointed prime minister by king

Togo

chief of state: President Faure GNASSINGBE (since 6 February

2005); note - Gnassingbe EYADEMA died on 5 February 2005 and was

succeeded by his son, Faure GNASSINGBE; popular elections in April

2005 validated the succession

head of government: Prime Minister Yawovi AGBOYIBO (since 16

September 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and the

prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(no term limits); election last held 24 April 2005 (next to be held

NA); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Faure GNASSINGBE elected president; percent of

vote - Faure GNASSINGBE 60.2%, Emmanuel Akitani BOB 38.3%, Nicolas

LAWSON 1%, Harry OLYMPIO 0.5%

Tokelau

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),

represented by Governor General of New Zealand Anand SATYANAND

(since 23 August 2006); New Zealand is represented by Administrator

David PAYTON (since 17 October 2006)

head of government: Kolouei O'BRIEN (2006); note - position rotates

annually among the three Faipule (village leaders)

cabinet: the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau,

consisting of three Faipule (village leaders) and three Pulenuku

(village mayors), functions as a cabinet

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed

by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; the

head of government is chosen from the Council of Faipule and serves

a one-year term

Tonga

chief of state: King George TUPOU V (since 11 September 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Feleti SEVELE (since 11

February 2006); Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Viliami TANGI (since 16

May 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet currently consists of 14 members, 10 appointed by

the monarch for life; 4 appointed from among the elected members of

the Legislative Assembly, including 2 each from the nobles and

peoples representatives serving three year terms

note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch,

the cabinet, and two governors

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and

deputy prime minister appointed by the monarch

Trinidad and Tobago

chief of state: President George Maxwell

RICHARDS (since 17 March 2003)

head of government: Prime Minister Patrick MANNING (since 24

December 2001)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among the members of Parliament

elections: president elected by an electoral college, which consists

of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives, for a

five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 14

February 2003 (next to be held in by January 2008); the president

usually appoints as prime minister the leader of the majority party

in the House of Representatives

election results: George Maxwell RICHARDS elected president; percent

of electoral college vote - 43%

Tunisia

chief of state: President Zine el Abidine BEN ALI (since 7

November 1987)

head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed GHANNOUCHI (since 17

November 1999)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(no term limits); election last held 24 October 2004 (next to be

held October 2009); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI reelected for a

fourth term; percent of vote - Zine El Abidine BEN ALI 94.5%,

Mohamed BOUCHIHA 3.8%, Mohamed Ali HALOUANI 1%

Turkey

chief of state: President Ahmet Necdet SEZER (since 16 May

2000)

head of government: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (14 March

2003)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the

nomination of the prime minister

elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a single

seven-year term; election last held 5 May 2000 (next to be held May

2007); prime minister appointed by the president from among members

of parliament

election results: Ahmed Necdet SEZER elected president on the third

ballot; percent of National Assembly vote - 60%

note: president must have a two-thirds majority of the National

Assembly on the first two ballots and a simple majority on the third

ballot

Turkmenistan

chief of state: President (Acting) and Chairman of the

Cabinet of Ministers Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMMEDOV; note - President

Saparmurat NIYAZOV died in office 21 December 2006 and Gurbanguly

BERDIMUHAMMEDOV was named his temporary replacement; the president

is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President (Acting) and Chairman of the Cabinet

of Ministers Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMMEDOV

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;

election last held 21 June 1992; note - President NIYAZOV was

unanimously approved as president for life by the People's Council

on 28 December 1999; deputy chairmen of the Cabinet of Ministers are

appointed by the president

election results: Saparmurat NIYAZOV elected president without

opposition; percent of vote - Saparmurat NIYAZOV 99.5%

Turks and Caicos Islands

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6

February 1952), represented by Governor Richard TAUWHARE (since 11

July 2005)

head of government: Premier Michael Eugene MISICK (since 15 August

2003); note - the office of premier was created in the new

constitution

cabinet: Cabinet consists of the governor, the premier, six

ministers appointed by the governor from among the members of the

Legislative Council, and the attorney general

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by

the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the

majority party is appointed premier by the governor

Tuvalu

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),

represented by Governor General Filoimea TELITO (since 15 April 2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Apisai IELEMIA (since 14 August

2006)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the

recommendation of the prime minister

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by

the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; prime

minister and deputy prime minister elected by and from the members

of Parliament; election last held 14 August 2006 (next to be held

following parliamentary elections in 2010)

election results: Apisai IELEMIA elected Prime Minister in a

Parliamentary election on 14 August 2006

Uganda

chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI

(since seizing power 26 January 1986); note - the president is both

chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since

seizing power 29 January 1986); Prime Minister Apollo NSIBAMBI

(since 5 April 1999); note - the president is both chief of state

and head of government; the prime minister assists the president in

the supervision of the cabinet

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among elected

legislators

elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term;

election last held 23 February 2006 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI elected president;

percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI 59.3%, Kizza

BESIGYE 37.4%, other 3.3%

Ukraine

chief of state: President Viktor A. YUSHCHENKO (since 23

January 2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Viktor YANUKOVYCH (since 4 August

2006); First Deputy Prime Minister - Mykola AZAROV (since 5 August

2006)

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers selected by the prime minister; the

only exceptions are the foreign and defense ministers, who are

chosen by the president

note: there is also a National Security and Defense Council or NSDC

originally created in 1992 as the National Security Council; the

NSDC staff is tasked with developing national security policy on

domestic and international matters and advising the president; a

Presidential Secretariat helps draft presidential edicts and

provides policy support to the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); note - a special repeat runoff

presidential election between Viktor YUSHCHENKO and Viktor

YANUKOVYCH took place on 26 December 2004 after the earlier 21

November 2004 contest - won by Mr. YANUKOVYCH - was invalidated by

the Ukrainian Supreme Court because of widespread and significant

violations; under constitutional reforms that went into effect 1

January 2006, the majority in parliament takes the lead in naming

the prime minister

election results: Viktor YUSHCHENKO elected president; percent of

vote - Viktor YUSHCHENKO 51.99%, Viktor YANUKOVYCH 44.2%

United Arab Emirates

chief of state: President KHALIFA bin Zayid

al-Nuhayyan (since 3 November 2004), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi)

(since 4 November 2004); Vice President and Prime Minister MUHAMMAD

bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 5 January 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister and Vice President MUHAMMAD bin

Rashid al-Maktum (since 5 January 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers

SULTAN bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990) and HAMDAN bin

Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 20 October 2003)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the

seven emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutional

authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions

federal legislation; meets four times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi)

and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power

elections: president and vice president elected by the FSC for

five-year terms (no term limits); election last held 3 November 2004

upon the death of the UAE's Founding Father and first President

ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan (next to be held 2009); prime minister

and deputy prime minister appointed by the president

election results: KHALIFA bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan elected president by

a unanimous vote of the FSC; MUHAMMAD bin Rashid al-Maktum

unanimously reaffirmed vice president

United Kingdom

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February

1952); Heir Apparent Prince CHARLES (son of the queen, born 14

November 1948)

head of government: Prime Minister Anthony (Tony) BLAIR (since 2 May

1997)

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative

elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the

majority coalition is usually the prime minister

United States

chief of state: President George W. BUSH (since 20

January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January

2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President George W. BUSH (since 20 January

2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with Senate approval

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket

by a college of representatives who are elected directly from each

state; president and vice president serve four-year terms (eligible

for a second term); election last held 2 November 2004 (next to be

held 4 November 2008)

election results: George W. BUSH reelected president; percent of

popular vote - George W. BUSH (Republican Party) 50.9%, John KERRY

(Democratic Party) 48.1%, other 1.0%

Uruguay

chief of state: President Tabare VAZQUEZ Rosas (since 1

March 2005) and Vice President Rodolfo NIN NOVOA (since 1 March

2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: President Tabare VAZQUEZ Rosas (since 1 March

2005) and Vice President Rodolfo NIN NOVOA (since 1 March 2005);

note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president with

parliamentary approval

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket

by popular vote for five-year terms (may not serve consecutive

terms); election last held 31 October 2004 (next to be held October

2009)

election results: Tabare VAZQUEZ elected president; percent of vote

- Tabare VAZQUEZ 50.5%, Jorge LARRANAGA 35.1%, Guillermo STIRLING

10.3%; other 4.1%

Uzbekistan

chief of state: President Islom KARIMOV (since 24 March

1990, when he was elected president by the then Supreme Soviet)

head of government: Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYAYEV (since 11

December 2003)

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with

approval of the Supreme Assembly

elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term

(eligible for a second term; previously was a five-year term,

extended by constitutional amendment in 2002); election last held 9

January 2000 (next to be held in 2007); prime minister, ministers,

and deputy ministers appointed by the president

election results: Islom KARIMOV reelected president; percent of vote

- Islom KARIMOV 91.9%, Abdulkhafiz JALALOV 4.2%

Vanuatu

chief of state: President Kalkot Matas KELEKELE (since 16

August 2004)

head of government: Prime Minister Ham LINI (since 11 December

2004); Deputy Prime Minister Sato KILMAN (since 11 December 2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister,

responsible to Parliament

elections: president elected for a five-year term by an electoral

college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional

councils; election for president last held 16 August 2004 (next to

be held in 2009); following legislative elections, the leader of the

majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime

minister by Parliament from among its members; election for prime

minister last held 29 July 2004 (next to be held following general

elections in 2008)

election results: Kalkot Matas KELEKELE elected president, with 49

votes out of 56, after several ballots on 16 August 2004

Venezuela

chief of state: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3

February 1999); Vice President Jorge RODRIGUEZ Gomez (since 3

January 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and

head of government

head of government: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February

1999); Vice President Jorge RODRIGUEZ Gomez (since 3 January 2007)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 3 December 2006

(next to be held December 2012)

note: in 1999, a National Constituent Assembly drafted a new

constitution that increased the presidential term to six years; an

election was subsequently held on 30 July 2000 under the terms of

this new constitution

election results: Hugo CHAVEZ Frias reelected president; percent of

vote - Hugo CHAVEZ Frias 62.9%, Manuel ROSALES 36.9%

Vietnam

chief of state: President Nguyen Minh TRIET (since 27 June

2006); Vice President Truong My HOA (since 25 July 2002)

head of government: Prime Minister Nguyen Tan DUNG (since 27 June

2006); Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh HUNG (since 28 June 2006),

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia KHIEM (since 28 June 2006), and

Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh TRONG (since 28 June 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president based on proposal of prime

minister and confirmed by National Assembly

elections: president elected by the National Assembly from among its

members for five-year term; election last held 27 June 2006; prime

minister appointed by the president from among the members of the

National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by the prime

minister; appointment of prime minister and deputy prime ministers

confirmed by National Assembly

election results: Nguyen Minh TRIET elected president; percent of

National Assembly vote - 94%; Nguyen Tan DUNG elected prime

minister; percent of National Assembly vote - 92%

Virgin Islands

chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US

(since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20

January 2001)

head of government: Governor John DeJONGH (since 1 January 2007)

cabinet: NA

elections: under the US Consitution, residents of unincorporated

territories, such as the Virgin Islands, do not vote in elections

for US president and vice president; governor and lieutenant

governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year

terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 7 and 21

November 2006 (next to be held November 2010)

election results: John DeJONGH elected governor; percent of vote -

John DeJONGH 57.3%, Kenneth MAPP 42.7%

Wallis and Futuna

chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France

(since 17 May 1995), represented by High Administrator Richard

DIDIER (since 19 July 2006)

head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Patalione

KANIMOA (since January 2001)

cabinet: Council of the Territory consists of three kings and three

members appointed by the high administrator on the advice of the

Territorial Assembly

note: there are three traditional kings with limited powers

elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year

term; high administrator appointed by the French president on the

advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the

Territorial Government and the Territorial Assembly are elected by

the members of the assembly

Western Sahara

none

Yemen

chief of state: President Ali Abdallah SALIH (since 22 May

1990, the former president of North Yemen, assumed office upon the

merger of North and South Yemen); Vice President Maj. Gen. Abd

al-Rab Mansur al-HADI (since 3 October 1994)

head of government: Prime Minister Abd al-Qadir BA JAMAL; Deputy

Prime Ministers Rashid Muhammad al-ALIMI, Alawi Salah al-SALAMI,

Ahmad Muhammad Abdallah al-SUFAN

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the

advice of the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;

election last held 20 September 2006 (next to be held September

2013); vice president appointed by the president; prime minister and

deputy prime ministers appointed by the president

election results: Ali Abdallah SALIH elected president; percent of

vote - Ali Abdallah SALIH 77.2%, Faysal BIN SHAMLAN 21.8%

Zambia

chief of state: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January

2002); Vice President Rupiah BANDA (since 9 October 2006); note -

the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January 2002);

Vice President Rupiah BANDA (since 9 October 2006); note - the

president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members

of the National Assembly

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

(eligible for a second term); election last held 28 September 2006

(next to be held 2011); vice president appointed by the president

election results: Levy MWANAWASA reelected president; percent of

vote - Levy MWANAWASA 43.0%, Michael SATA 29.4%, Hakainde HICHILEMA

25.3%, Godfrey MIYANDA 1.6%, Winright NGONDO 0.8%

Zimbabwe

chief of state: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE

(since 31 December 1987); Vice President Joseph MSIKA (since

December 1999) and Vice President Joyce MUJURU (since 6 December

2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government

head of government: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since

31 December 1987); Vice President Joseph MSIKA (since December 1999)

and Vice President Joyce MUJURU (since 6 December 2004); note - the

president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to the

House of Assembly

elections: presidential candidates nominated with a nomination paper

signed by at least 10 registered voters (at least one from each

province) and elected by popular vote for a six-year term (no term

limits); election last held 9-11 March 2002 (next to be held March

2008); co-vice presidents appointed by the president

election results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent

of vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 56.2%, Morgan TSVANGIRAI 41.9%

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2078 Exports

Afghanistan

$471 million; note - not including illicit exports or

reexports (2005 est.)

Albania

$763.2 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Algeria

$55.6 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

American Samoa

$445.6 million (FY04 est.)

Andorra

$145 million f.o.b. (2004)

Angola

$35.53 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Anguilla

$14.56 million (2005 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

$46.81 million (2004 est.)

Argentina

$46 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Armenia

$1.056 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Aruba

$80 million f.o.b.; note - includes oil reexports (2004 est.)

Australia

$117 billion (2006 est.)

Austria

$144.4 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Azerbaijan

$12.51 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Bahamas, The

$469.3 million (2004 est.)

Bahrain

$12.62 billion (2006 est.)

Bangladesh

$11.17 billion (2006 est.)

Barbados

$209 million (2004 est.)

Belarus

$19.61 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Belgium

$335.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Belize

$359.5 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Benin

$563.1 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Bermuda

$1.469 billion (2004 est.)

Bhutan

$154 million f.o.b. (2000 est.)

Bolivia

$3.668 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

$3.5 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Botswana

$4.836 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Brazil

$138 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

British Virgin Islands

$25.3 million (2002)

Brunei

$4.514 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Bulgaria

$14.6 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Burkina Faso

$543.5 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Burma

$5.289 billion f.o.b.

note: official export figures are grossly underestimated due to the

value of timber, gems, narcotics, rice, and other products smuggled

to Thailand, China, and Bangladesh (2006 est.)

Burundi

$55.68 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Cambodia

$3.331 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Cameroon

$4.318 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Canada

$405 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Cape Verde

$96.71 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Cayman Islands

$2.52 million (2004)

Central African Republic

$131 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Chad

$4.342 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Chile

$58.21 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

China

$974 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Christmas Island

$NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

$NA

Colombia

$24.86 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Comoros

$34 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

$1.108 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

$5.996 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Cook Islands

$5.222 million (2005)

Costa Rica

$7.931 billion (2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

$7.832 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Croatia

$11.17 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Cuba

$2.956 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Cyprus

Republic of Cyprus: $1.34 billion f.o.b.; north Cyprus: $69

million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Czech Republic

$89.34 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Denmark

$93.93 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Djibouti

$250 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Dominica

$74 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic

$6.495 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

East Timor

$10 million; note - excludes oil (2005 est.)

Ecuador

$12.56 billion (2006 est.)

Egypt

$24.22 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

El Salvador

$3.686 billion (2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

$8.961 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Eritrea

$17.65 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Estonia

$9.68 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Ethiopia

$1.085 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

European Union

$1.33 trillion; note - external exports, excluding

intra-EU trade (2005)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

$125 million (2004 est.)

Faroe Islands

$533 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Fiji

$719.6 million f.o.b. (2005)

Finland

$84.72 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

France

$490 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

French Polynesia

$211 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Gabon

$6.677 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Gambia, The

$130.5 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Gaza Strip

$313 million f.o.b.; note - includes West Bank (2004)

Georgia

$1.761 billion (2006 est.)

Germany

$1.133 trillion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Ghana

$3.286 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Gibraltar

$271 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Greece

$24.42 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Greenland

$480 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Grenada

$40 million (2004 est.)

Guam

$45 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Guatemala

$4.097 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Guernsey

$NA

Guinea

$615.1 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

$116 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Guyana

$621.6 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Haiti

$443.7 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Honduras

$1.947 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Hong Kong

$611.6 billion f.o.b., including reexports (2006 est.)

Hungary

$67.99 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Iceland

$3.587 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

India

$112 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Indonesia

$102.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Iran

$63.18 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Iraq

$32.19 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Ireland

$119.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Isle of Man

$NA

Israel

$42.86 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Italy

$450.1 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Jamaica

$2.087 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Japan

$590.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Jersey

$NA

Jordan

$4.798 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Kazakhstan

$35.55 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Kenya

$3.614 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Kiribati

$17 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Korea, North

$1.4 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Korea, South

$327.9 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Kuwait

$56.06 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

$701.8 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Laos

$593.6 million (2006 est.)

Latvia

$6.98 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Lebanon

$1.881 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Lesotho

$779.1 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Liberia

$910 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Libya

$37.02 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Liechtenstein

$2.47 billion (1996)

Lithuania

$14.64 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Luxembourg

$19.55 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Macau

$3.156 billion f.o.b.; note - includes reexports (2005)

Macedonia

$2.341 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Madagascar

$993.5 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Malawi

$513.1 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Malaysia

$158.7 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Maldives

$123 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Mali

$323 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Malta

$2.425 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Marshall Islands

$9.1 million f.o.b. (2000)

Mauritania

$784 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Mauritius

$2.318 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Mayotte

$4.85 million f.o.b. (2004)

Mexico

$248.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of

$14 million (f.o.b.) (2004 est.)

Moldova

$1.02 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Monaco

$656.5 million

note: full customs integration with France, which collects and

rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market

system through customs union with France (2004)

Mongolia

$852 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Montenegro

$171.3 million (2003)

Montserrat

$700,000 (2001)

Morocco

$11.72 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Mozambique

$2.429 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Namibia

$2.321 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Nauru

$64,000 f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Nepal

$822 million f.o.b.; note - does not include unrecorded border

trade with India (2005 est.)

Netherlands

$413.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

$2.076 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

New Caledonia

$999 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

New Zealand

$23.69 billion (2006 est.)

Nicaragua

$1.714 billion f.o.b.; note - includes free trade zones

(2006 est.)

Niger

$222 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Nigeria

$59.01 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Niue

$201,400 (2004)

Norfolk Island

$1.5 million f.o.b. (FY91/92)

Northern Mariana Islands

$NA

Norway

$122.6 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Oman

$24.73 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Pakistan

$19.24 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Palau

$5.882 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Panama

$8.087 billion f.o.b.; note - includes the Colon Free Zone

(2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea

$4.096 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Paraguay

$1.69 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Peru

$22.69 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Philippines

$44.2 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Pitcairn Islands

$NA

Poland

$110.7 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Portugal

$46.77 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Puerto Rico

$46.9 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Qatar

$33.25 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Romania

$33 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Russia

$317.6 billion (2006 est.)

Rwanda

$135.4 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Saint Helena

$19 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

$70 million (2004 est.)

Saint Lucia

$82 million (2004 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

$5.5 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

$37 million (2004 est.)

Samoa

$94 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

San Marino

trade data are included with the statistics for Italy

Sao Tome and Principe

$9.773 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Saudi Arabia

$204.5 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Senegal

$1.478 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Serbia

$4.553 billion (excluding Kosovo and Montenegro) (2005 est.)

Seychelles

$365.1 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Sierra Leone

$185 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Singapore

$283.6 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Slovakia

$39.64 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Slovenia

$21.85 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Solomon Islands

$171 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Somalia

$241 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

South Africa

$59.15 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Spain

$222.1 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Sri Lanka

$7.076 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Sudan

$7.505 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Suriname

$881 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Svalbard

$NA

Swaziland

$2.201 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Sweden

$173.9 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Switzerland

$166.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Syria

$6.923 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Taiwan

$215 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Tajikistan

$1.16 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Tanzania

$1.831 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Thailand

$123.5 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Togo

$868.4 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Tokelau

$0 f.o.b. (2002)

Tonga

$34 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

$12.5 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Tunisia

$11.61 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Turkey

$85.21 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Turkmenistan

$5.421 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

$169.2 million (2000)

Tuvalu

$1 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Uganda

$961.7 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Ukraine

$39.12 billion (2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates

$137.1 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

United Kingdom

$468.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

United States

$1.024 trillion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Uruguay

$3.993 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Uzbekistan

$5.51 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Vanuatu

$34.11 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Venezuela

$69.23 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Vietnam

$39.92 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Virgin Islands

$4.234 billion (2001)

Wallis and Futuna

$47,450 f.o.b. (2004)

West Bank

$313 million f.o.b.; note - includes Gaza Strip (2004)

Western Sahara

$NA

World

$12.45 trillion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Yemen

$8.214 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Zambia

$3.928 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Zimbabwe

$1.766 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2079 Debt - external

Afghanistan

$8 billion in bilateral debt, mostly to Russia;

Afghanistan has $500 million in debt to Multilateral Development

Banks (2004)

Albania

$1.55 billion (2004)

Algeria

$5 billion (2006 est.)

American Samoa

$NA

Andorra

$NA

Angola

$11.24 billion (2006 est.)

Anguilla

$8.8 million (1998)

Antigua and Barbuda $427.3 million; note - data are for public external debt, not total external debt (2000)

Argentina

$106.8 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Armenia

$1.936 billion (30 June 2006)

Aruba

$478.6 million (2005 est.)

Australia

$585.1 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Austria

$593.9 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Azerbaijan

$2.483 billion (2006 est.)

Bahamas, The

$342.6 million (2004 est.)

Bahrain

$7.267 billion (2006 est.)

Bangladesh

$22.55 billion (2006 est.)

Barbados

$668 million (2003)

Belarus

$5.498 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Belgium

$1.053 trillion (30 June 2006 est.)

Belize

$1.362 billion (June 2004 est.)

Benin

$1.6 billion (2000)

Bermuda

$160 million (FY99/00)

Bhutan

$593 million (2004)

Bolivia

$5.916 billion (2006 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

$3.927 billion (2006 est.)

Botswana

$520 million (2006 est.)

Brazil

$177.7 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

British Virgin Islands

$36.1 million (1997)

Brunei

$0

Bulgaria

$21.1 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Burkina Faso

$1.85 billion (2003)

Burma

$7.162 billion (2006 est.)

Burundi

$1.2 billion (2003)

Cambodia

$3.664 billion (2006 est.)

Cameroon

$3.657 billion (2006 est.)

Canada

$684.7 billion (30 June 2006)

Cape Verde

$325 million (2002)

Cayman Islands

$70 million (1996)

Central African Republic

$1.06 billion (2002 est.)

Chad

$1.5 billion (2003 est.)

Chile

$47.6 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

China

$305.6 billion (2006 est.)

Colombia

$37.21 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Comoros

$232 million (2000 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

$10.6 billion (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

$5 billion (2000 est.)

Cook Islands

$141 million (1996 est.)

Costa Rica

$6.42 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

$11.96 billion (2006 est.)

Croatia

$33.09 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Cuba

$15.15 billion (convertible currency); another $15-20 billion

owed to Russia (2006 est.)

Cyprus

Republic of Cyprus: $12.63 billion; north Cyprus: $NA (2006

est.)

Czech Republic

$50.2 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Denmark

$405 billion (30 June 2006)

Djibouti

$394 million (2004 est.)

Dominica

$213 million (2004)

Dominican Republic

$8.634 billion (2006 est.)

East Timor

$0

Ecuador

$18.1 billion (2006 est.)

Egypt

$29.59 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

El Salvador

$8.841 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

$289 million (2006 est.)

Eritrea

$311 million (2000 est.)

Estonia

$13.94 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Ethiopia

$2.789 billion (2006 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

$NA

Faroe Islands

$64 million (1999)

Fiji

$127 million (2004 est.)

Finland

$251.9 billion (30 June 2006)

France

$3.461 trillion (30 June 2006)

French Polynesia

$NA

Gabon

$3.971 billion (2006 est.)

Gambia, The

$628.8 million (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip

NA (2002)

Georgia

$2.04 billion (2004)

Germany

$3.904 trillion (30 June 2006)

Ghana

$3.546 billion (2006 est.)

Gibraltar

$NA (2000 est.)

Greece

$301.9 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Greenland

$25 million (1999)

Grenada

$347 million (2004)

Guam

$NA

Guatemala

$6.169 billion (2006 est.)

Guernsey

$NA

Guinea

$3.46 billion (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

$941.5 million (2000 est.)

Guyana

$1.2 billion (2002)

Haiti

$1.309 billion (2006 est.)

Honduras

$5.587 billion (2006 est.)

Hong Kong

$472.9 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Hungary

$107.3 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Iceland

$3.073 billion (2002)

India

$132.1 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Indonesia

$130.4 billion (2006 est.)

Iran

$14.8 billion (2006 est.)

Iraq

$81.48 billion (2006 est.)

Ireland

$1.392 trillion (30 June 2006)

Isle of Man

$NA

Israel

$81.98 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Italy

$1.957 trillion (30 June 2006 est.)

Jamaica

$7.384 billion (2006 est.)

Japan

$1.547 trillion (30 June 2006)

Jersey

$NA

Jordan

$9.071 billion (2006 est.)

Kazakhstan

$53.89 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Kenya

$6.675 billion (2006 est.)

Kiribati

$10 million (1999 est.)

Korea, North

$12 billion (1996 est.)

Korea, South

$229.3 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Kuwait

$19.7 billion (2006 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

$2.483 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Laos

$2.49 billion (2001)

Latvia

$18.9 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Lebanon

$31.1 billion (2006 est.)

Lesotho

$735 million (2002)

Liberia

$3.2 billion (2005 est.)

Libya

$4.492 billion (2006 est.)

Liechtenstein

$0 (2001)

Lithuania

$15.12 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Luxembourg

$NA

Macau

$3.1 billion (2004)

Macedonia

$2.138 billion (2006 est.)

Madagascar

$4.6 billion (2002)

Malawi

$982.4 million (2006 est.)

Malaysia

$57.77 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Maldives

$304 million (2004 est.)

Mali

$2.8 billion (2002)

Malta

$188.8 million (2005)

Marshall Islands

$86.5 million (FY99/00 est.)

Mauritania

$2.5 billion (2000)

Mauritius

$2.834 billion (2006 est.)

Mayotte

$NA

Mexico

$178.3 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of

$60.8 million (FY05 est.)

Moldova

$2.142 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Monaco

$18 billion (2000 est.)

Mongolia

$1.36 billion (2004)

Montenegro

NA

Montserrat

$8.9 million (1997)

Morocco

$17.9 billion (2006 est.)

Mozambique

$2.392 billion (2006 est.)

Namibia

$887 million (2006 est.)

Nauru

$33.3 million (2002)

Nepal

$3.34 billion (March 2005)

Netherlands

$1.899 trillion (30 June 2006)

Netherlands Antilles

$2.68 billion (2004)

New Caledonia

$79 million (1998 est.)

New Zealand

$47 billion (2006 est.)

Nicaragua

$3.763 billion (2006 est.)

Niger

$2.1 billion (2003 est.)

Nigeria

$6.278 billion (2006 est.)

Niue

$418,000 (2002 est.)

Norfolk Island

$NA

Northern Mariana Islands

$NA

Norway

$350.3 billion; note - Norway is a net external creditor (30

June 2006)

Oman

$4.259 billion (2006 est.)

Pakistan

$42.38 billion (2006 est.)

Palau

$0 (FY99/00)

Panama

$9.993 billion (2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea

$1.801 billion (2006 est.)

Paraguay

$3.722 billion (2006 est.)

Peru

$27.93 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Philippines

$61.49 billion (2006 est.)

Poland

$147.3 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Portugal

$310.8 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Puerto Rico

$NA

Qatar

$25.7 billion (2006 est.)

Romania

$42.76 billion (2006 est.)

Russia

$287.4 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Rwanda

$1.4 billion (2004 est.)

Saint Helena

$NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis

$314 million (2004)

Saint Lucia

$257 million (2004)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

$NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

$223 million (2004)

Samoa

$177 million (2004)

San Marino

$NA

Sao Tome and Principe

$318 million (2002)

Saudi Arabia

$47.39 billion (2006 est.)

Senegal

$1.628 billion (2006 est.)

Serbia

$15.43 billion (including Montenegro) (2005 est.)

Seychelles

$616.7 million (2006 est.)

Sierra Leone

$1.61 billion (2003 est.)

Singapore

$24.3 billion (2006 est.)

Slovakia

$31.5 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Slovenia

$27.63 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Solomon Islands

$166 million (2004)

Somalia

$3 billion (2001 est.)

South Africa

$55.47 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Spain

$1.591 trillion (30 June 2006 est.)

Sri Lanka

$12.23 billion (2006 est.)

Sudan

$29.69 billion (2006 est.)

Suriname

$504.3 million (2005 est.)

Swaziland

$357 million (2003 est.)

Sweden

$598.2 billion (30 June 2006)

Switzerland

$1.077 trillion (30 June 2006)

Syria

$8.355 billion; note - excludes military debt and debt to

Russia (2006 est.)

Taiwan

$93.06 billion (2006 est.)

Tajikistan

$829 million (2006 est.)

Tanzania

$4.61 billion (2006 est.)

Thailand

$57.83 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Togo

$2 billion (2005)

Tokelau

$0

Tonga

$80.7 million (2004)

Trinidad and Tobago

$2.838 billion (2006 est.)

Tunisia

$18.37 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Turkey

$193.6 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Turkmenistan

$2.4 billion to $5 billion (2001 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

$NA

Tuvalu

$NA

Uganda

$1.456 billion (2006 est.)

Ukraine

$41.57 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates

$39.1 billion (2006 est.)

United Kingdom

$8.28 trillion (30 June 2006)

United States

$10.04 trillion (30 June 2006 est.)

Uruguay

$10.37 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Uzbekistan

$4.713 billion (2006 est.)

Vanuatu

$81.2 million (2004)

Venezuela

$35.63 billion (2006 est.)

Vietnam

$21.86 billion (2006 est.)

Virgin Islands

$NA

Wallis and Futuna

$3.67 million (2004)

West Bank

NA

Western Sahara

$NA

World

$44.62 trillion

note: this figure is the sum total of all countries' external debt,

both public and private (2004 est.)

Yemen

$5.469 billion (2006 est.)

Zambia

$4.397 billion (2006 est.)

Zimbabwe

$5.26 billion (2006 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2080 Fiscal year

Afghanistan

21 March - 20 March

Albania

calendar year

Algeria

calendar year

American Samoa

1 October - 30 September

Andorra

calendar year

Angola

calendar year

Anguilla

1 April - 31 March

Antigua and Barbuda

1 April - 31 March

Argentina

calendar year

Armenia

calendar year

Aruba

calendar year

Australia

1 July - 30 June

Austria

calendar year

Azerbaijan

calendar year

Bahamas, The

1 July - 30 June

Bahrain

calendar year

Bangladesh

1 July - 30 June

Barbados

1 April - 31 March

Belarus

calendar year

Belgium

calendar year

Belize

1 April - 31 March

Benin

calendar year

Bermuda

1 April - 31 March

Bhutan

1 July - 30 June

Bolivia

calendar year

Bosnia and Herzegovina

calendar year

Botswana

1 April - 31 March

Brazil

calendar year

British Virgin Islands

1 April - 31 March

Brunei

calendar year

Bulgaria

calendar year

Burkina Faso

calendar year

Burma

1 April - 31 March

Burundi

calendar year

Cambodia

calendar year

Cameroon

1 July - 30 June

Canada

1 April - 31 March

Cape Verde

calendar year

Cayman Islands

1 April - 31 March

Central African Republic

calendar year

Chad

calendar year

Chile

calendar year

China

calendar year

Christmas Island

1 July - 30 June

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

1 July - 30 June

Colombia

calendar year

Comoros

calendar year

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

calendar year

Congo, Republic of the

calendar year

Cook Islands

1 April - 31 March

Costa Rica

calendar year

Cote d'Ivoire

calendar year

Croatia

calendar year

Cuba

calendar year

Cyprus

calendar year

Czech Republic

calendar year

Denmark

calendar year

Djibouti

calendar year

Dominica

1 July - 30 June

Dominican Republic

calendar year

East Timor

1 July - 30 June

Ecuador

calendar year

Egypt

1 July - 30 June

El Salvador

calendar year

Equatorial Guinea

calendar year

Eritrea

calendar year

Estonia

calendar year

Ethiopia

8 July - 7 July

European Union

NA

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

1 April - 31 March

Faroe Islands

calendar year

Fiji

calendar year

Finland

calendar year

France

calendar year

French Polynesia

calendar year

Gabon

calendar year

Gambia, The

calendar year

Gaza Strip

calendar year

Georgia

calendar year

Germany

calendar year

Ghana

calendar year

Gibraltar

1 July - 30 June

Greece

calendar year

Greenland

calendar year

Grenada

calendar year

Guam

1 October - 30 September

Guatemala

calendar year

Guernsey

calendar year

Guinea

calendar year

Guinea-Bissau

calendar year

Guyana

calendar year

Haiti

1 October - 30 September

Holy See (Vatican City)

calendar year

Honduras

calendar year

Hong Kong

1 April - 31 March

Hungary

calendar year

Iceland

calendar year

India

1 April - 31 March

Indonesia

calendar year; note - previously was 1 April - 31 March,

but starting with 2001, has been changed to calendar year

Iran

21 March - 20 March

Iraq

calendar year

Ireland

calendar year

Isle of Man

1 April - 31 March

Israel

calendar year

Italy

calendar year

Jamaica

1 April - 31 March

Japan

1 April - 31 March

Jersey

1 April - 31 March

Jordan

calendar year

Kazakhstan

calendar year

Kenya

1 July - 30 June

Kiribati

NA

Korea, North

calendar year

Korea, South

calendar year

Kuwait

1 April - 31 March

Kyrgyzstan

calendar year

Laos

1 October - 30 September

Latvia

calendar year

Lebanon

calendar year

Lesotho

1 April - 31 March

Liberia

calendar year

Libya

calendar year

Liechtenstein

calendar year

Lithuania

calendar year

Luxembourg

calendar year

Macau

calendar year

Macedonia

calendar year

Madagascar

calendar year

Malawi

1 July - 30 June

Malaysia

calendar year

Maldives

calendar year

Mali

calendar year

Malta

calendar year

Marshall Islands

1 October - 30 September

Mauritania

calendar year

Mauritius

1 July - 30 June

Mayotte

calendar year

Mexico

calendar year

Micronesia, Federated States of

1 October - 30 September

Moldova

calendar year

Monaco

calendar year

Mongolia

calendar year

Montenegro

calendar year

Montserrat

1 April - 31 March

Morocco

calendar year

Mozambique

calendar year

Namibia

1 April - 31 March

Nauru

1 July - 30 June

Nepal

16 July - 15 July

Netherlands

calendar year

Netherlands Antilles

calendar year

New Caledonia

calendar year

New Zealand

1 July - 30 June

Nicaragua

calendar year

Niger

calendar year

Nigeria

calendar year

Niue

1 April - 31 March

Norfolk Island

1 July - 30 June

Northern Mariana Islands

1 October - 30 September

Norway

calendar year

Oman

calendar year

Pakistan

1 July - 30 June

Palau

1 October - 30 September

Panama

calendar year

Papua New Guinea

calendar year

Paraguay

calendar year

Peru

calendar year

Philippines

calendar year

Pitcairn Islands

1 April - 31 March

Poland

calendar year

Portugal

calendar year

Puerto Rico

1 July - 30 June

Qatar

1 April - 31 March

Romania

calendar year

Russia

calendar year

Rwanda

calendar year

Saint Helena

1 April - 31 March

Saint Kitts and Nevis

calendar year

Saint Lucia

1 April - 31 March

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

calendar year

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

calendar year

Samoa

June 1 - May 31

San Marino

calendar year

Sao Tome and Principe

calendar year

Saudi Arabia

1 March - 28 February

Senegal

calendar year

Seychelles

calendar year

Sierra Leone

calendar year

Singapore

1 April - 31 March

Slovakia

calendar year

Slovenia

calendar year

Solomon Islands

calendar year

Somalia

NA

South Africa

1 April - 31 March

Spain

calendar year

Sri Lanka

calendar year

Sudan

calendar year

Suriname

calendar year

Swaziland

1 April - 31 March

Sweden

calendar year

Switzerland

calendar year

Syria

calendar year

Taiwan

1 July - 30 June (up to FY98/99); 1 July 1999 - 31 December

2000 for FY00; calendar year (after FY00)

Tajikistan

calendar year

Tanzania

1 July - 30 June

Thailand

1 October - 30 September

Togo

calendar year

Tokelau

1 April - 31 March

Tonga

1 July - 30 June

Trinidad and Tobago

1 October - 30 September

Tunisia

calendar year

Turkey

calendar year

Turkmenistan

calendar year

Turks and Caicos Islands

calendar year

Tuvalu

calendar year

Uganda

1 July - 30 June

Ukraine

calendar year

United Arab Emirates

calendar year

United Kingdom

6 April - 5 April

United States

1 October - 30 September

Uruguay

calendar year

Uzbekistan

calendar year

Vanuatu

calendar year

Venezuela

calendar year

Vietnam

calendar year

Virgin Islands

1 October - 30 September

Wallis and Futuna

calendar year

West Bank

calendar year

Western Sahara

calendar year

Yemen

calendar year

Zambia

calendar year

Zimbabwe

calendar year

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2081 Flag description

Afghanistan

three equal vertical bands of black (hoist), red, and

green, with a gold emblem centered on the red band; the emblem

features a temple-like structure encircled by a wreath on the left

and right and by a bold Islamic inscription above

Akrotiri

the flag of the UK is used

Albania

red with a black two-headed eagle in the center

Algeria

two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and white; a

red, five-pointed star within a red crescent centered over the

two-color boundary; the crescent, star, and color green are

traditional symbols of Islam (the state religion)

American Samoa

blue, with a white triangle edged in red that is

based on the outer side and extends to the hoist side; a brown and

white American bald eagle flying toward the hoist side is carrying

two traditional Samoan symbols of authority, a staff and a war club

Andorra

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and

red with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; the

coat of arms features a quartered shield; similar to the flags of

Chad and Romania, which do not have a national coat of arms in the

center, and the flag of Moldova, which does bear a national emblem

Angola

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and black with a

centered yellow emblem consisting of a five-pointed star within half

a cogwheel crossed by a machete (in the style of a hammer and sickle)

Anguilla

blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side

quadrant and the Anguillan coat of arms centered in the outer half

of the flag; the coat of arms depicts three orange dolphins in an

interlocking circular design on a white background with blue wavy

water below

Antigua and Barbuda

red, with an inverted isosceles triangle based

on the top edge of the flag; the triangle contains three horizontal

bands of black (top), light blue, and white, with a yellow rising

sun in the black band

Argentina

three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white,

and light blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun

with a human face known as the Sun of May

Armenia

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and orange

Aruba

blue, with two narrow, horizontal, yellow stripes across the

lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the

upper hoist-side corner

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

the flag of Australia is used

Australia

blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side

quadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side

quadrant known as the Commonwealth or Federation Star, representing

the federation of the colonies of Australia in 1901; the star

depicts one point for each of the six original states and one

representing all of Australia's internal and external territories;

on the fly half is a representation of the Southern Cross

constellation in white with one small five-pointed star and four

larger, seven-pointed stars

Austria

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red

Azerbaijan

three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and

green; a crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered in

red band

Bahamas, The

three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold,

and aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist

side

Bahrain

red, the traditional color for flags of Persian Gulf states,

with a white serrated band (five white points) on the hoist side;

the five points represent the five pillars of Islam

Baker Island

the flag of the US is used

Bangladesh

green field with a large red disk shifted slightly to the

hoist side of center; the red disk represents the rising sun and the

sacrifice to achieve independence; the green field symbolizes the

lush vegetation of Bangladesh

Barbados

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and

blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the

trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the

colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)

Bassas da India

the flag of France is used

Belarus

red horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-half

the width of the red band; a white vertical stripe on the hoist side

bears Belarusian national ornamentation in red

Belgium

three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow,

and red; the design was based on the flag of France

Belize

blue with a narrow red stripe along the top and the bottom

edges; centered is a large white disk bearing the coat of arms; the

coat of arms features a shield flanked by two workers in front of a

mahogany tree with the related motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I Flourish in

the Shade) on a scroll at the bottom, all encircled by a green

garland

Benin

two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom)

with a vertical green band on the hoist side

Bermuda

red, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side

quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (white and green shield with

a red lion holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship

Sea Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the

flag

Bhutan

divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the

upper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centered

along the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing

away from the hoist side

Bolivia

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green

with the coat of arms centered on the yellow band; similar to the

flag of Ghana, which has a large black five-pointed star centered in

the yellow band

Bosnia and Herzegovina

a wide medium blue vertical band on the fly

side with a yellow isosceles triangle abutting the band and the top

of the flag; the remainder of the flag is medium blue with seven

full five-pointed white stars and two half stars top and bottom

along the hypotenuse of the triangle

Botswana

light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in

the center

Bouvet Island

the flag of Norway is used

Brazil

green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a

blue celestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars (one for each

state and the Federal District) arranged in the same pattern as the

night sky over Brazil; the globe has a white equatorial band with

the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress)

British Indian Ocean Territory white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag

British Virgin Islands

blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper

hoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in

the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked

on either side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll

bearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful)

Brunei

yellow with two diagonal bands of white (top, almost double

width) and black starting from the upper hoist side; the national

emblem in red is superimposed at the center; the emblem includes a

swallow-tailed flag on top of a winged column within an upturned

crescent above a scroll and flanked by two upraised hands

Bulgaria

three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and

red; note - the national emblem, formerly on the hoist side of the

white stripe, has been removed

Burkina Faso

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with

a yellow five-pointed star in the center; uses the popular

pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Burma

red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner

bearing, 14 white five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel

containing a stalk of rice; the 14 stars represent the seven

administrative divisions and seven states

Burundi

divided by a white diagonal cross into red panels (top and

bottom) and green panels (hoist side and fly side) with a white disk

superimposed at the center bearing three red six-pointed stars

outlined in green arranged in a triangular design (one star above,

two stars below)

Cambodia

three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (double width),

and blue with a white three-towered temple representing Angkor Wat

outlined in black in the center of the red band; only national flag

to incorporate an actual building in its design

Cameroon

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and

yellow with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band;

uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Canada

two vertical bands of red (hoist and fly side, half width),

with white square between them; an 11-pointed red maple leaf is

centered in the white square; the official colors of Canada are red

and white

Cape Verde

three horizontal bands of light blue (top, double width),

white (with a horizontal red stripe in the middle third), and light

blue; a circle of 10 yellow five-pointed stars is centered on the

hoist end of the red stripe and extends into the upper and lower

blue bands

Cayman Islands

blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side

quadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms centered on the outer half

of the flag; the coat of arms includes a pineapple and turtle above

a shield with three stars (representing the three islands) and a

scroll at the bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE

SEAS

Central African Republic

four equal horizontal bands of blue (top),

white, green, and yellow with a vertical red band in center; there

is a yellow five-pointed star on the hoist side of the blue band

Chad

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and

red; similar to the flag of Romania; also similar to the flags of

Andorra and Moldova, both of which have a national coat of arms

centered in the yellow band; design was based on the flag of France

Chile

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; there is a

blue square the same height as the white band at the hoist-side end

of the white band; the square bears a white five-pointed star in the

center representing a guide to progress and honor; blue symbolizes

the sky, white is for the snow-covered Andes, and red stands for the

blood spilled to achieve independence; design was influenced by the

US flag

China

red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller

yellow five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the

middle of the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner

Christmas Island

territorial flag; divided diagonally from upper

hoist to lower fly; the upper triangle is green with a yellow image

of the Golden Bosun Bird superimposed, while the lower triangle is

blue with the Southern Cross constellation, representing Australia,

superimposed; a centered yellow disk displays a green map of the

island; the flag of Australia is used for official purposes

Clipperton Island

the flag of France is used

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

the flag of Australia is used

Colombia

three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue,

and red; similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is longer and bears

the Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center

Comoros

four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, and

blue with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist; centered

within the triangle is a white crescent with the convex side facing

the hoist and four white, five-pointed stars placed vertically in a

line between the points of the crescent; the horizontal bands and

the four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago -

Mwali, Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mayotte (a territorial collectivity of

France, but claimed by Comoros); the crescent, stars, and color

green are traditional symbols of Islam

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

sky blue field divided diagonally

from the lower hoist corner to upper fly corner by a red stripe

bordered by two narrow yellow stripes; a yellow, five-pointed star

appears in the upper hoist corner

Congo, Republic of the

divided diagonally from the lower hoist side

by a yellow band; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the

lower triangle is red; uses the popular pan-African colors of

Ethiopia

Cook Islands

blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side

quadrant and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for

every island) centered in the outer half of the flag

Coral Sea Islands

the flag of Australia is used

Costa Rica

five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double

width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical

disk on the hoist side of the red band; above the coat of arms a

light blue ribbon contains the words, AMERICA CENTRAL, and just

below it near the top of the coat of arms is a white ribbon with the

words, REPUBLICA COSTA RICA

Cote d'Ivoire

three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side),

white, and green; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer

and has the colors reversed - green (hoist side), white, and orange;

also similar to the flag of Italy, which is green (hoist side),

white, and red; design was based on the flag of France

Croatia

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue

superimposed by the Croatian coat of arms (red and white checkered)

Cuba

five equal horizontal bands of blue (top, center, and bottom)

alternating with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the

hoist side bears a white, five-pointed star in the center

Cyprus

white with a copper-colored silhouette of the island (the

name Cyprus is derived from the Greek word for copper) above two

green crossed olive branches in the center of the flag; the branches

symbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation between the Greek

and Turkish communities

note: the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" flag has a white

field with narrow horizontal red stripes positioned a small distance

from the top and bottom edges between which is centered a red

crescent and red five-pointd star

Czech Republic

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red

with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side (identical to

the flag of the former Czechoslovakia)

Denmark

red with a white cross that extends to the edges of the

flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side,

and that design element of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) was

subsequently adopted by the other Nordic countries of Finland,

Iceland, Norway, and Sweden

Dhekelia

the flag of the UK is used

Djibouti

two equal horizontal bands of light blue (top) and light

green with a white isosceles triangle based on the hoist side

bearing a red five-pointed star in the center

Dominica

green, with a centered cross of three equal bands - the

vertical part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white and the

horizontal part is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in

the center of the cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrot

encircled by 10 green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10

stars represent the 10 administrative divisions (parishes)

Dominican Republic

a centered white cross that extends to the edges

divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist

side) and red, and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a

small coat of arms featuring a shield supported by an olive branch

(left) and a palm branch (right) is at the center of the cross;

above the shield a blue ribbon displays the motto, DIOS, PATRIA,

LIBERTAD (God, Fatherland, Liberty), and below the shield, REPUBLICA

DOMINICANA appears on a red ribbon

East Timor

red, with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist

side) superimposed on a slightly longer yellow arrowhead that

extends to the center of the flag; there is a white star in the

center of the black triangle

Ecuador

three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue,

and red with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the

flag; similar to the flag of Colombia, which is shorter and does not

bear a coat of arms

Egypt

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black;

the national emblem (a gold Eagle of Saladin facing the hoist side

with a shield superimposed on its chest above a scroll bearing the

name of the country in Arabic) centered in the white band; design is

based on the Arab Liberation flag and similar to the flag of Syria,

which has two green stars, Iraq, which has three green stars (plus

an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white

band, and Yemen, which has a plain white band

El Salvador

three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and

blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the

coat of arms features a round emblem encircled by the words

REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; similar to the flag

of Nicaragua, which has a different coat of arms centered in the

white band - it features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA

DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; also similar

to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X

pattern centered in the white band

Equatorial Guinea

three equal horizontal bands of green (top),

white, and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist

side and the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of

arms has six yellow six-pointed stars (representing the mainland and

five offshore islands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton

tree and below which is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ,

JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice)

Eritrea

red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) dividing

the flag into two right triangles; the upper triangle is green, the

lower one is blue; a gold wreath encircling a gold olive branch is

centered on the hoist side of the red triangle

Estonia

pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three

equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white

Ethiopia

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and

red with a yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from

the angles between the points on a light blue disk centered on the

three bands; Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa,

and the three main colors of her flag were so often adopted by other

African countries upon independence that they became known as the

pan-African colors

Europa Island

the flag of France is used

European Union

on a blue field, 12 five-pointed gold stars arranged

in a circle, representing the union of the peoples of Europe; the

number of stars is fixed

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising was once the major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose crew discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto DESIRE THE RIGHT

Faroe Islands

white with a red cross outlined in blue extending to

the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted

toward the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Fiji

light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side

quadrant and the Fijian shield centered on the outer half of the

flag; the shield depicts a yellow lion above a white field quartered

by the cross of Saint George featuring stalks of sugarcane, a palm

tree, bananas, and a white dove

Finland

white with a blue cross extending to the edges of the flag;

the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the

style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

France

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and

red; known as the "Le drapeau tricolore" (French Tricolor), the

origin of the flag dates to 1790 and the French Revolution; the

design and/or colors are similar to a number of other flags,

including those of Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote d'Ivoire,

Luxembourg, and Netherlands; the official flag for all French

dependent areas

French Polynesia

two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white

band; centered on the white band is a disk with blue and white wave

pattern on the lower half and gold and white ray pattern on the

upper half; a stylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wave

pattern; the French flag is used for official occasions

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

the flag of France is used

Gabon

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue

Gambia, The

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with

white edges, and green

Georgia

white rectangle, in its central portion a red cross

connecting all four sides of the flag; in each of the four corners

is a small red bolnur-katskhuri cross; the five-cross flag appears

to date back to the 14th century

Germany

three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and gold

Ghana

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green

with a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band;

uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag

of Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band

Gibraltar

two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red

with a three-towered red castle in the center of the white band;

hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band

Glorioso Islands

the flag of France is used

Greece

nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white;

there is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a

white cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established

religion of the country

Greenland

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a

large disk slightly to the hoist side of center - the top half of

the disk is red, the bottom half is white

Grenada

a rectangle divided diagonally into yellow triangles (top

and bottom) and green triangles (hoist side and outer side), with a

red border around the flag; there are seven yellow, five-pointed

stars with three centered in the top red border, three centered in

the bottom red border, and one on a red disk superimposed at the

center of the flag; there is also a symbolic nutmeg pod on the

hoist-side triangle (Grenada is the world's second-largest producer

of nutmeg, after Indonesia); the seven stars represent the seven

administrative divisions

Guam

territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all

four sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse

containing a beach scene, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree

with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is the

national flag

Guatemala

three equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist side),

white, and light blue with the coat of arms centered in the white

band; the coat of arms includes a green and red quetzal (the

national bird) and a scroll bearing the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE

SEPTIEMBRE DE 1821 (the original date of independence from Spain)

all superimposed on a pair of crossed rifles and a pair of crossed

swords and framed by a wreath

Guernsey

white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of

England) extending to the edges of the flag and a yellow equal-armed

cross of William the Conqueror superimposed on the Saint George cross

Guinea

three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and

green; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Guinea-Bissau

two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green

with a vertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black

five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the popular

pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Guyana

green, with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist

side) superimposed on a long, yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow,

black border between the red and yellow, and a narrow, white border

between the yellow and the green

Haiti

two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a

centered white rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a

palm tree flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing

the motto L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

the flag of Australia is used

Holy See (Vatican City)

two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side)

and white with the arms of the Holy See, consisting of the crossed

keys of Saint Peter surmounted by the three-tiered papal tiara,

centered in the white band

Honduras

three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue

with five blue, five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern centered

in the white band; the stars represent the members of the former

Federal Republic of Central America - Costa Rica, El Salvador,

Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; similar to the flag of El

Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words

REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white

band; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which features a

triangle encircled by the word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and

AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band

Hong Kong

red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in

the center

Howland Island

the flag of the US is used

Hungary

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green

Iceland

blue with a red cross outlined in white extending to the

edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the

hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Iles Eparses

the flag of France is used

India

three equal horizontal bands of saffron (subdued orange)

(top), white, and green with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel)

centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Niger, which has

a small orange disk centered in the white band

Indonesia

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar

to the flag of Monaco, which is shorter; also similar to the flag of

Poland, which is white (top) and red

Iran

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red;

the national emblem (a stylized representation of the word Allah in

the shape of a tulip, a symbol of martyrdom) in red is centered in

the white band; ALLAH AKBAR (God is Great) in white Arabic script is

repeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and 11

times along the top edge of the red band

Iraq

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black

with three green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in

the white band; the phrase ALLAHU AKBAR (God is Great) in green

Arabic script - Allahu to the right of the middle star and Akbar to

the left of the middle star - was added in January 1991 during the

Persian Gulf crisis; similar to the flag of Syria, which has two

stars but no script, Yemen, which has a plain white band, and that

of Egypt which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the white

band; design is based upon the Arab Liberation colors

Ireland

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and

orange; similar to the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and

has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green;

also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors

of green (hoist side), white, and red

Isle of Man

red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (Trinacria), in

the center; the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the

knee; in order to have the toes pointing clockwise on both sides of

the flag, a two-sided emblem is used

Israel

white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as

the Magen David (Shield of David) centered between two equal

horizontal blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag

Italy

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and

red; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and is green

(hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the

Cote d'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side),

white, and green

note: inspired by the French flag brought to Italy by Napoleon in

1797

Jamaica

diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles -

green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side)

Jan Mayen

the flag of Norway is used

Japan

white with a large red disk (representing the sun without

rays) in the center

Jarvis Island

the flag of the US is used

Jersey

white with a diagonal red cross extending to the corners of

the flag; in the upper quadrant, surmounted by a yellow crown, a red

shield with the three lions of England in yellow

Johnston Atoll

the flag of the US is used

Jordan

three equal horizontal bands of black (top), representing the

Abbassid Caliphate, white, representing the Ummayyad Caliphate, and

green, representing the Fatimid Caliphate; a red isosceles triangle

on the hoist side, representing the Great Arab Revolt of 1916, and

bearing a small white seven-pointed star symbolizing the seven

verses of the opening Sura (Al-Fatiha) of the Holy Koran; the seven

points on the star represent faith in One God, humanity, national

spirit, humility, social justice, virtue, and aspirations; design is

based on the Arab Revolt flag of World War I

Juan de Nova Island

the flag of France is used

Kazakhstan

sky blue background representing the endless sky and a

gold sun with 32 rays soaring above a golden steppe eagle in the

center; on the hoist side is a "national ornamentation" in gold

Kenya

three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green;

the red band is edged in white; a large warrior's shield covering

crossed spears is superimposed at the center

Kingman Reef

the flag of the US is used

Kiribati

the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying

over a yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three

horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the ocean

Korea, North

three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple

width), and blue; the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side

of the red band is a white disk with a red five-pointed star

Korea, South

white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the

center; there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching

(Book of Changes) in each corner of the white field

Kuwait

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red

with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side; design, which dates

to 1961, based on the Arab revolt flag of World War I

Kyrgyzstan

red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays

representing the 40 Kyrgyz tribes; on the obverse side the rays run

counterclockwise, on the reverse, clockwise; in the center of the

sun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines, a stylized

representation of the roof of the traditional Kyrgyz yurt

Laos

three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and

red with a large white disk centered in the blue band

Latvia

three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width),

and maroon

Lebanon

three horizontal bands consisting of red (top), white

(middle, double width), and red (bottom) with a green cedar tree

centered in the white band

Lesotho

three horizontal stripes of blue (top), white, and green in

the proportions of 3:4:3; the colors represent rain, peace, and

prosperity respectively; centered in the white stripe is a black

Basotho hat representing the indigenous people; the flag was

unfurled in October 2006 to celebrate 40 years of independence

Liberia

11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom)

alternating with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue

square in the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the

US flag

Libya

plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the

state religion)

Liechtenstein

two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with

a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band

Lithuania

three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and

red

Luxembourg

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and

light blue; similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which uses a

darker blue and is shorter; design was based on the flag of France

Macau

light green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and

water in white, beneath an arc of five gold, five-pointed stars: one

large in center of arc and four smaller

Macedonia

a yellow sun with eight broadening rays extending to the

edges of the red field

Madagascar

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a

vertical white band of the same width on hoist side

Malawi

three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green

with a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band

Malaysia

14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with

white (bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side

corner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow 14-pointed star; the

crescent and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design

was based on the flag of the US

Maldives

red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a

vertical white crescent; the closed side of the crescent is on the

hoist side of the flag

Mali

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and

red; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Malta

two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the

upper hoist-side corner is a representation of the George Cross,

edged in red

Marshall Islands

blue with two stripes radiating from the lower

hoist-side corner - orange (top) and white; there is a white star

with four large rays and 20 small rays on the hoist side above the

two stripes

Mauritania

green with a yellow five-pointed star above a yellow,

horizontal crescent; the closed side of the crescent is down; the

crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

Mauritius

four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow,

and green

Mayotte

unofficial, local flag with the coat of arms of Mayotte

centered on a white field, above which the name of the island

appears in red capital letters; the main elements of the coat of

arms, flanked on either side by a seahorse, appear above a scroll

with the motto RA HACHIRI (We are Vigilant); the only official flag

is the national flag of France

Mexico

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and

red; the coat of arms (an eagle perched on a cactus with a snake in

its beak) is centered in the white band

Micronesia, Federated States of

light blue with four white

five-pointed stars centered; the stars are arranged in a diamond

pattern

Midway Islands

the flag of the US is used

Moldova

same color scheme as Romania - three equal vertical bands of

blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; emblem in center of flag is of a

Roman eagle of gold outlined in black with a red beak and talons

carrying a yellow cross in its beak and a green olive branch in its

right talons and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on its breast

is a shield divided horizontally red over blue with a stylized ox

head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow

Monaco

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to

the flag of Indonesia which is longer and the flag of Poland which

is white (top) and red

Mongolia

three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), blue, and

red; centered on the hoist-side red band in yellow is the national

emblem ("soyombo" - a columnar arrangement of abstract and geometric

representation for fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and the yin-yang

symbol)

Montenegro

a red field bordered by a narrow golden-yellow stripe

with the Montenegrin coat of arms centered

Montserrat

blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side

quadrant and the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer

half of the flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside

a yellow harp with her arm around a black cross

Morocco

red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known

as Sulayman's (Solomon's) seal in the center of the flag; red and

green are traditional colors in Arab flags, although the use of red

is more commonly associated with the Arab states of the Persian

gulf; design dates to 1912

Mozambique

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), black, and

yellow with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; the

black band is edged in white; centered in the triangle is a yellow

five-pointed star bearing a crossed rifle and hoe in black

superimposed on an open white book

Namibia

a large blue triangle with a yellow sunburst fills the upper

left section and an equal green triangle (solid) fills the lower

right section; the triangles are separated by a red stripe that is

contrasted by two narrow white-edge borders

Nauru

blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the

center and a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the

hoist side; the star indicates the country's location in relation to

the Equator (the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12

original tribes of Nauru

Navassa Island

the flag of the US is used

Nepal

red with a blue border around the unique shape of two

overlapping right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a

white stylized moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white

12-pointed sun

Netherlands

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and

blue; similar to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue

and is longer; one of the oldest flags in constant use, originating

with WILLIAM I, Prince of Orange, in the latter half of the 16th

century

Netherlands Antilles

white, with a horizontal blue stripe in the

center superimposed on a vertical red band, also centered; five

white, five-pointed stars are arranged in an oval pattern in the

center of the blue band; the five stars represent the five main

islands of Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten

New Caledonia

the flag of France is used

New Zealand

blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side

quadrant with four red five-pointed stars edged in white centered in

the outer half of the flag; the stars represent the Southern Cross

constellation

Nicaragua

three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and

blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the

coat of arms features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE

NICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; similar to

the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by

the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in

the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five

blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band

Niger

three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green

with a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in the

white band; similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked

wheel centered in the white band

Nigeria

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and

green

Niue

yellow with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side

quadrant; the flag of the UK bears five yellow five-pointed stars -

a large one on a blue disk in the center and a smaller one on each

arm of the bold red cross

Norfolk Island

three vertical bands of green (hoist side), white,

and green with a large green Norfolk Island pine tree centered in

the slightly wider white band

Northern Mariana Islands

blue, with a white, five-pointed star

superimposed on the gray silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional

foundation stone used in building) in the center, surrounded by a

wreath

Norway

red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the

edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the

hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Oman

three horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal width

with a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national

emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed

swords in scabbards) in white is centered near the top of the

vertical band

Pakistan

green with a vertical white band (symbolizing the role of

religious minorities) on the hoist side; a large white crescent and

star are centered in the green field; the crescent, star, and color

green are traditional symbols of Islam

Palau

light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon)

shifted slightly to the hoist side

Palmyra Atoll

the flag of the US is used

Panama

divided into four, equal rectangles; the top quadrants are

white (hoist side) with a blue five-pointed star in the center and

plain red; the bottom quadrants are plain blue (hoist side) and

white with a red five-pointed star in the center

Papua New Guinea

divided diagonally from upper hoist-side corner;

the upper triangle is red with a soaring yellow bird of paradise

centered; the lower triangle is black with five, white, five-pointed

stars of the Southern Cross constellation centered

Paraguay

three equal, horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue

with an emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in that the

emblem is different on each side; the obverse (hoist side at the

left) bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed star

within a green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY,

all within two circles); the reverse (hoist side at the right) bears

the seal of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty

and the words Paz y Justicia (Peace and Justice) capped by the words

REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles)

Peru

three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), white, and red

with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms

features a shield bearing a vicuna, cinchona tree (the source of

quinine), and a yellow cornucopia spilling out gold coins, all

framed by a green wreath

Philippines

two equal horizontal bands of blue (top; representing

peace and justice) and red (representing courage); a white

equilateral triangle based on the hoist side represents equality;

the center of the triangle displays a yellow sun with eight primary

rays, each representing one of the first eight provinces that sought

independence from Spain; each corner of the triangle contains a

small, yellow, five-pointed star representing the three major

geographical divisions of the country: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao;

the design of the flag dates to 1897; in wartime the flag is flown

upside down with the red band at the top

Pitcairn Islands

blue with the flag of the UK in the upper

hoist-side quadrant and the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered

on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms is yellow, green,

and light blue with a shield featuring a yellow anchor

Poland

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar to

the flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white

Portugal

two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and

red (three-fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms centered on the

dividing line

Puerto Rico

five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom)

alternating with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist

side bears a large, white, five-pointed star in the center; design

initially influenced by the US flag, but similar to the Cuban flag,

with the colors of the bands and triangle reversed

Qatar

maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on

the hoist side

Romania

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and

red; the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the

yellow band has been removed; now similar to the flag of Chad, also

resembles the flags of Andorra and Moldova

Russia

three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red

Rwanda

three horizontal bands of sky blue (top, double width),

yellow, and green, with a golden sun with 24 rays near the fly end

of the blue band

Saint Helena

blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side

quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of

the flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted

sailing ship

Saint Kitts and Nevis

divided diagonally from the lower hoist side

by a broad black band bearing two white, five-pointed stars; the

black band is edged in yellow; the upper triangle is green, the

lower triangle is red

Saint Lucia

blue, with a gold isosceles triangle below a black

arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

a yellow sailing ship facing the hoist

side rides on a dark blue background with yellow wavy lines under

the ship; on the hoist side, a vertical band is divided into three

parts: the top part (called ikkurina) is red with a green diagonal

cross extending to the corners overlaid by a white cross dividing

the rectangle into four sections; the middle part has a white

background with an ermine pattern; the third part has a red

background with two stylized yellow lions outlined in black, one

above the other; these three heraldic arms represent settlement by

colonists from the Basque Country (top), Brittany, and Normandy; the

flag of France is used for official occasions

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

three vertical bands of blue (hoist

side), gold (double width), and green; the gold band bears three

green diamonds arranged in a V pattern

Samoa

red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant

bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern

Cross constellation

San Marino

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue

with the national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the coat

of arms has a shield (featuring three towers on three peaks) flanked

by a wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the word

LIBERTAS (Liberty)

Sao Tome and Principe

three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow

(double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed

side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles

triangle based on the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African

colors of Ethiopia

Saudi Arabia

green, a traditional color in Islamic flags, with the

Shahada or Muslim creed in large white Arabic script (translated as

"There is no god but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God") above a

white horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist side); design

dates to the early twentieth century and is closely associated with

the Al Saud family which established the kingdom in 1932

Senegal

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow,

and red with a small green five-pointed star centered in the yellow

band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Serbia

three equal horizontal stripes of red (top), blue, and white;

charged with the coat of arms of Serbia shifted slightly to the

hoist side

Seychelles

five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red,

white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side

Sierra Leone

three equal horizontal bands of light green (top),

white, and light blue

Singapore

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near

the hoist side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent

(closed portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five

white five-pointed stars arranged in a circle

Slovakia

three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red

superimposed with the coat of arms of Slovakia (consisting of a red

shield bordered in white and bearing a white Cross of Lorraine

surmounting three blue hills); the coat of arms is centered

vertically and offset slightly to the hoist side

Slovenia

three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red,

with the Slovenian seal (a shield with the image of Triglav,

Slovenia's highest peak, in white against a blue background at the

center; beneath it are two wavy blue lines depicting seas and

rivers, and above it are three six-pointed stars arranged in an

inverted triangle, which are taken from the coat of arms of the

Counts of Celje, the great Slovene dynastic house of the late 14th

and early 15th centuries); the seal is located in the upper hoist

side of the flag centered in the white and blue bands

Solomon Islands

divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the

lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue

with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the

lower triangle is green

Somalia

light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the

center; blue field influenced by the flag of the UN

South Africa

two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue

separated by a central green band which splits into a horizontal Y,

the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side; the Y

embraces a black isosceles triangle from which the arms are

separated by narrow yellow bands; the red and blue bands are

separated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

blue, with the flag of

the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the South Georgia and

the South Sandwich Islands coat of arms centered on the outer half

of the flag; the coat of arms features a shield with a golden lion

centered; the shield is supported by a fur seal on the left and a

penguin on the right; a reindeer appears above the shield, and below

it on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAM PROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the

Lion Protect its Own Land)

Spain

three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width),

and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the

yellow band; the coat of arms includes the royal seal framed by the

Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and

Ceuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar

Sri Lanka

yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has

two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other

panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a

sword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow

field appears as a border around the entire flag and extends between

the two panels

Sudan

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black

with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side

Suriname

five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white,

red (quadruple width), white, and green (double width); there is a

large, yellow, five-pointed star centered in the red band

Svalbard

the flag of Norway is used

Swaziland

three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width),

and blue; the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band

is a large black and white shield covering two spears and a staff

decorated with feather tassels, all placed horizontally

Sweden

blue with a golden yellow cross extending to the edges of the

flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in

the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Switzerland

red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the

center that does not extend to the edges of the flag

Syria

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black,

colors associated with the Arab Liberation flag; two small green

five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band;

former flag of the United Arab Republic where the two stars

represented the constituent states of Syria and Egypt; similar to

the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band, Iraq, which has

three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line

centered in the white band, and that of Egypt, which has a gold

Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band; the current design

dates to 1980

Taiwan

red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner

bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays

Tajikistan

three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of

white, and green; a gold crown surmounted by seven gold,

five-pointed stars is located in the center of the white stripe

Tanzania

divided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band from the

lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green

and the lower triangle is blue

Thailand

five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double

width), white, and red

Togo

five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom)

alternating with yellow; there is a white five-pointed star on a red

square in the upper hoist-side corner; uses the popular pan-African

colors of Ethiopia

Tokelau

the flag of New Zealand is used

Tonga

red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper

hoist-side corner

Trinidad and Tobago

red with a white-edged black diagonal band from

the upper hoist side to the lower fly side

Tromelin Island

the flag of France is used

Tunisia

red with a white disk in the center bearing a red crescent

nearly encircling a red five-pointed star; the crescent and star are

traditional symbols of Islam

Turkey

red with a vertical white crescent (the closed portion is

toward the hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just

outside the crescent opening

Turkmenistan

green field with a vertical red stripe near the hoist

side, containing five tribal guls (designs used in producing

carpets) stacked above two crossed olive branches similar to the

olive branches on the UN flag; a white crescent moon representing

Islam with five white stars representing the regions or velayats of

Turkmenistan appear in the upper corner of the field just to the fly

side of the red stripe

Turks and Caicos Islands

blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper

hoist-side quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the outer

half of the flag; the shield is yellow and contains a conch shell,

lobster, and cactus

Tuvalu

light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side

quadrant; the outer half of the flag represents a map of the country

with nine yellow five-pointed stars symbolizing the nine islands

Uganda

six equal horizontal bands of black (top), yellow, red,

black, yellow, and red; a white disk is superimposed at the center

and depicts a red-crested crane (the national symbol) facing the

hoist side

Ukraine

two equal horizontal bands of azure (top) and golden yellow

represent grain fields under a blue sky

United Arab Emirates

three equal horizontal bands of green (top),

white, and black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side

United Kingdom

blue field with the red cross of Saint George (patron

saint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red

cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland), which is

superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron

saint of Scotland); properly known as the Union Flag, but commonly

called the Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue

Ensign) have been the basis for a number of other flags including

other Commonwealth countries and their constituent states or

provinces, and British overseas territories

United States

13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom)

alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper

hoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars

arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and

bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent

the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies;

known as Old Glory; the design and colors have been the basis for a

number of other flags, including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and

Puerto Rico

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

the flag of the US is

used

Uruguay

nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom)

alternating with blue; there is a white square in the upper

hoist-side corner with a yellow sun bearing a human face known as

the Sun of May with 16 rays that alternate between triangular and

wavy

Uzbekistan

three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and

green separated by red fimbriations with a white crescent moon and

12 white stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant

Vanuatu

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a

black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated by

a black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two

points of the Y face the hoist side and enclose the triangle);

centered in the triangle is a boar's tusk encircling two crossed

namele leaves, all in yellow

Venezuela

three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and

red with the coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band and

an arc of eight white five-pointed stars centered in the blue band

Vietnam

red with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center

Virgin Islands

white, with a modified US coat of arms in the center

between the large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows a

yellow eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows

in the other with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white

stripes below a blue panel

Wake Island

the flag of the US is used

Wallis and Futuna

unofficial, local flag has a red field with four

white isosceles triangles in the middle, representing the three

native kings of the islands and the French administrator; the apexes

of the triangles are oriented inward and at right angles to each

other; the flag of France, outlined in white on two sides, is in the

upper hoist quadrant; the flag of France is the only official flag

Yemen

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black;

similar to the flag of Syria, which has two green stars, and of

Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription), in a

horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag

of Egypt, which has a heraldic eagle centered in the white band

Zambia

green with a panel of three vertical bands of red (hoist

side), black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the outer

edge of the flag

Zimbabwe

seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black,

red, yellow, and green with a white isosceles triangle edged in

black with its base on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird

representing the long history of the country is superimposed on a

red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle, which

symbolizes peace; green symbolizes agriculture, yellow - mineral

wealth, red - blood shed to achieve independence, and black stands

for the native people

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2085 Roadways (km)

Afghanistan

total: 34,782 km

paved: 8,229 km

unpaved: 26,553 km (2004)

Albania

total: 18,000 km

paved: 7,020 km

unpaved: 10,980 km (2002)

Algeria

total: 108,302 km

paved: 76,028 km

unpaved: 32,274 km (2004)

American Samoa

total: 185 km (2004)

Andorra

total: 269 km

paved: 198 km

unpaved: 71 km

Angola

total: 51,429 km

paved: 5,349 km

unpaved: 46,080 km (2001)

Anguilla

total: 175 km

paved: 82 km

unpaved: 93 km (2004)

Antigua and Barbuda

total: 1,165 km

paved: 384 km

unpaved: 781 km (2002)

Argentina

total: 229,144 km

paved: 68,809 km (including 734 km of expressways)

unpaved: 160,335 km (2004)

Armenia

total: 7,633 km

paved: 7,633 km (includes 1,561 km of expressways) (2003)

Aruba

total: 800 km

paved: 513 km

unpaved: 287 km

Australia

total: 810,641 km

paved: 336,962 km

unpaved: 473,679 km (2004)

Austria total: 133,718 km paved: 133,718 km (including 1,677 km of expressways) (2003)

Azerbaijan

total: 59,141 km

paved: 29,210 km

unpaved: 29,931 km (2004)

Bahamas, The

total: 2,693 km

paved: 1,546 km

unpaved: 1,147 km (1999)

Bahrain

total: 3,498 km

paved: 2,768 km

unpaved: 730 km (2003)

Bangladesh

total: 239,226 km

paved: 22,726 km

unpaved: 216,500 km (2003)

Barbados

total: 1,600 km

paved: 1,600 km (2004)

Belarus

total: 93,310 km

paved: 81,180 km

unpaved: 12,130 km (2004)

Belgium

total: 150,567 km

paved: 117,442 km (including 1,747 km of expressways)

unpaved: 33,125 km (2004)

Belize

total: 2,872 km

paved: 488 km

unpaved: 2,384 km (1999)

Benin

total: 16,000 km

paved: 1,400 km

unpaved: 14,600 km (2005)

Bermuda

total: 447 km

paved: 447 km

note: public roads - 225 km; private roads - 222 km (2002)

Bhutan

total: 8,050 km

paved: 4,991 km

unpaved: 3,059 km (2003)

Bolivia

total: 62,479 km

paved: 3,749 km

unpaved: 56,730 km (2004)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

total: 21,846 km

paved: 11,425 km (4,686 km of interurban roads)

unpaved: 10,421 km (2005)

Botswana

total: 24,455 km

paved: 8,914 km

unpaved: 15,441 km (2004)

Brazil

total: 1,751,868 km

paved: 96,353 km

unpaved: 1,655,515 km (2004)

British Indian Ocean Territory

total: NA

paved: short section of paved road between port and airfield on

Diego Garcia

British Virgin Islands

total: 177 km

paved: 177 km (2002)

Brunei

total: 2,525 km

paved: 2,338 km

unpaved: 187 km (2000)

Bulgaria

total: 44,033 km

paved: 43,593 km (including 333 km of expressways)

unpaved: 440 km (2004)

Burkina Faso

total: 15,272 km

paved: 4,766 km

unpaved: 10,506 km (2004)

Burma

total: 27,000 km

paved: 3,200 km

unpaved: 23,800 km (2005)

Burundi

total: 12,322 km

paved: 1,286 km

unpaved: 11,036 km (2004)

Cambodia

total: 38,257 km

paved: 2,406 km

unpaved: 35,851 km (2004)

Cameroon

total: 50,000 km

paved: 5,000 km

unpaved: 45,000 km (2004)

Canada

total: 1,042,300 km

paved: 415,600 km (including 17,000 km of expressways)

unpaved: 626,700 km (2005)

Cape Verde

total: 1,350 km

paved: 932 km

unpaved: 418 km (2000)

Cayman Islands total: 785 km paved: 785 km (2002)

Central African Republic

total: 23,810 km (1999)

Chad

total: 33,400 km

paved: 267 km

unpaved: 33,133 km (1999)

Chile

total: 79,605 km

paved: 16,080 km (including 407 km of expressways)

unpaved: 63,525 km (2001)

China

total: 1,870,661 km

paved: 1,515,797 km (with at least 34,288 km of expressways)

unpaved: 354,864 km (2004)

Christmas Island

total: 142 km

paved: 32 km

unpaved: 110 km (2006)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

total: 22 km

paved: 10 km

unpaved: 12 km (2006)

Colombia

total: 112,988 km

paved: 16,270 km

unpaved: 96,718 km (2004)

Comoros

total: 880 km

paved: 673 km

unpaved: 207 km (1999)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

total: 153,497 km

paved: 2,794 km

unpaved: 150,703 km (2004)

Congo, Republic of the

total: 17,289 km

paved: 864 km

unpaved: 16,425 km (2004)

Cook Islands

total: 320 km

paved: 33 km

unpaved: 287 km (2003)

Costa Rica

total: 35,330 km

paved: 8,621 km

unpaved: 26,709 km (2004)

Cote d'Ivoire

total: 80,000 km

paved: 6,500 km

unpaved: 73,500 km

note: includes intercity and urban roads; another 20,000 km of dirt

roads are in poor condition and 150,000 km of dirt roads are

impassable (2006)

Croatia

total: 28,344 km

paved: 24,186 km (including 742 km of expressways)

unpaved: 4,158 km (2004)

Cuba

total: 60,858 km

paved: 29,820 km (including 638 km of expressway)

unpaved: 31,038 km (1999)

Cyprus

total: 14,496 km (area under government control: 12,146 km;

area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 2,350 km)

paved: area under government control: 7,845 km (including 276 km of

expressways); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 1,370 km

unpaved: area under government control: 4,301 km; area administered

by Turkish Cypriots: 980 km (2005/1996 est.)

Czech Republic

total: 127,747 km

paved: 127,747 km (including 518 km of expressways) (2003)

Denmark

total: 72,257 km

paved: 72,257 km (including 1,032 km of expressways) (2005)

Djibouti

total: 2,890 km

paved: 364 km

unpaved: 2,526 km (1999)

Dominica

total: 780 km

paved: 393 km

unpaved: 387 km (1999)

Dominican Republic

total: 12,600 km

paved: 6,224 km

unpaved: 6,376 km (1999)

East Timor

total: 5,000 km

paved: 2,500 km

unpaved: 2,500 km (2005)

Ecuador

total: 43,197 km

paved: 6,467 km

unpaved: 36,730 km (2004)

Egypt

total: 92,370 km

paved: 74,820 km

unpaved: 17,550 km (2004)

El Salvador

total: 10,029 km

paved: 1,986 km

unpaved: 8,043 km (1999)

Equatorial Guinea

total: 2,880 km (1999)

Eritrea

total: 4,010 km

paved: 874 km

unpaved: 3,136 km (1999)

Estonia

total: 56,856 km

paved: 13,384 km (including 99 km of expressways)

unpaved: 43,472 km (2004)

Ethiopia

total: 36,469 km

paved: 6,980 km

unpaved: 29,489 km (2004)

European Union total: 2,294,641 km (including 61,522 km of expressways) paved: 1,809,821 km unpaved: 584,820 km (2005)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) total: 440 km paved: 50 km unpaved: 390 km (2003)

Faroe Islands total: 458 km note: no roads between towns (2003)

Fiji

total: 3,440 km

paved: 1,692 km

unpaved: 1,748 km (1999)

Finland

total: 78,189 km

paved: 50,633 km (including 653 km of expressways)

unpaved: 27,556 km (2006)

France

total: 956,303 km (including 5,083 km of roads in the

overseas departments)

paved: 951,220 km (metropolitan France; including 10,490 km of

expressways) (2004)

French Polynesia

total: 2,590 km

paved: 1,735 km

unpaved: 855 km (1999)

Gabon

total: 9,170 km

paved: 937 km

unpaved: 8,233 km (2004)

Gambia, The

total: 3,742 km

paved: 723 km

unpaved: 3,019 km (2004)

Gaza Strip

note: see entry for West Bank

Georgia total: 20,247 km paved: 7,973 km unpaved: 12,274 km (2004)

Germany total: 231,581 km paved: 231,581 km (including 12,200 km of expressways) (2005)

Ghana

total: 42,623 km

paved: 3,267 km

unpaved: 39,356 km (2004)

Gibraltar

total: 29 km

paved: 29 km (2002)

Greece

total: 114,931 km

paved: 105,507 km (including 880 km of expressways)

unpaved: 9,424 km (2004)

Greenland

total: NA

note: while there are short roads in towns, there are no roads

between towns; inter-town transport takes place either by sea or air

(2005)

Grenada total: 1,127 km paved: 687 km unpaved: 440 km (1999)

Guam

total: 977 km (2004)

Guatemala

total: 14,095 km

paved: 4,863 km (including 75 km of expressways)

unpaved: 9,232 km (1999)

Guernsey

total: NA

Guinea

total: 44,348 km

paved: 4,342 km

unpaved: 40,006 km (2003)

Guinea-Bissau

total: 3,455 km

paved: 965 km

unpaved: 2,490 km (2002)

Guyana

total: 7,970 km

paved: 590 km

unpaved: 7,380 km (1999)

Haiti

total: 4,160 km

paved: 1,011 km

unpaved: 3,149 km (1999)

Honduras

total: 13,603 km

paved: 2,775 km

unpaved: 10,828 km (1999)

Hong Kong

total: 1,955 km

paved: 1,955 km (2005)

Hungary

total: 159,568 km

paved: 70,050 km (30,874 km of interurban roads including 626 km of

expressways)

unpaved: 89,518 km (2005)

Iceland

total: 13,028 km

paved/oiled gravel: 4,241 km (does not include urban roads)

unpaved: 8,787 km (2005)

India

total: 3,383,344 km

paved: 1,603,705 km

unpaved: 1,779,639 km (2002)

Indonesia

total: 368,360 km

paved: 213,649 km

unpaved: 154,711 km (2002)

Iran

total: 179,388 km

paved: 120,782 km (including 878 km of expressways)

unpaved: 58,606 km (2003)

Iraq

total: 45,550 km

paved: 38,399 km

unpaved: 7,151 km (1999)

Ireland

total: 96,602 km

paved: 96,602 km (including 200 km of expressways) (2003)

Isle of Man

total: 800 km

paved: 800 km (1999)

Israel

total: 17,446 km

paved: 17,446 km (including 144 km of expressways) (2004)

Italy

total: 484,688 km

paved: 484,688 km (including 6,621 km of expressways) (2004)

Jamaica

total: 20,996 km

paved: 15,386 km (including 33 km of expressways)

unpaved: 5,610 km (2004)

Japan

total: 1.183 million km

paved: 925,000 km (including 6,946 km of expressways)

unpaved: 258,000 km (2003)

Jersey

total: 577 km

Jordan total: 7,500 km paved: 7,500 km (2004)

Kazakhstan total: 90,018 km paved: 84,104 km unpaved: 5,914 km (2004)

Kenya

total: 63,265 km (interurban roads)

paved: 8,933 km

unpaved: 54,332 km

note: there also are 100,000 km of rural roads and 14,500 km of

urban roads for a national total of 177,765 km (2004)

Kiribati

total: 670 km (1999)

Korea, North

total: 31,200 km

paved: 1,997 km

unpaved: 29,203 km (1999 est.)

Korea, South

total: 100,279 km

paved: 87,032 km (including 3,060 km of expressways)

unpaved: 13,247 km (2004)

Kuwait

total: 5,749 km

paved: 4,887 km

unpaved: 862 km (2004)

Kyrgyzstan

total: 18,500 km

paved: 16,854 km

unpaved: 1,646 km (1999)

Laos

total: 31,210 km

paved: 4,494 km

unpaved: 26,716 km (2003)

Latvia total: 69,532 km paved: 69,532 km (2004)

Lebanon

total: 7,300 km

paved: 6,198 km

unpaved: 1,102 km (1999)

Lesotho

total: 5,940 km

paved: 1,087 km

unpaved: 4,853 km (1999)

Liberia

total: 10,600 km

paved: 657 km

unpaved: 9,943 km (1999)

Libya

total: 83,200 km

paved: 47,590 km

unpaved: 35,610 km (1999)

Liechtenstein

total: 380 km

paved: 380 km (2006)

Lithuania

total: 79,497 km

paved: 70,549 km (including 417 km of expressways)

unpaved: 8,948 km (2005)

Luxembourg

total: 5,227 km

paved: 5,227 km (including 147 km of expressways) (2004)

Macau

total: 368 km

paved: 368 km (2005)

Macedonia

total: 8,684 km

paved: 5,540 km

unpaved: 3,144 km (1999)

Madagascar

total: 49,827 km

paved: 5,780 km

unpaved: 44,047 km (1999)

Malawi

total: 15,451 km

paved: 6,956 km

unpaved: 8,495 km (2003)

Malaysia

total: 98,721 km

paved: 80,280 km (including 1,821 km of expressways)

unpaved: 18,441 km (2004)

Maldives

total: 88 km

paved roads: 88 km - 60 km in Male; 14 km on Addu Atolis; 14 km on

Laamu

note: village roads are mainly compacted coral (2006)

Mali

total: 18,709 km

paved: 3,368 km

unpaved: 15,341 km (2004)

Malta

total: 2,227 km

paved: 2,014 km

unpaved: 213 km (2004)

Marshall Islands total: 64.5 km paved: 64.5 km note: paved roads on major islands (Majuro, Kwajalein), otherwise stone-, coral-, or laterite-surfaced roads and tracks (2002)

Mauritania total: 7,660 km paved: 866 km unpaved: 6,794 km (1999)

Mauritius total: 2,020 km paved: 2,020 km (including 75 km of expressways) (2005)

Mayotte

total: 93 km

paved: 72 km

unpaved: 21 km

Mexico

total: 235,670 km

paved: 116,751 km (including 6,144 km of expressways)

unpaved: 118,919 km (2004)

Micronesia, Federated States of

total: 240 km

paved: 42 km

unpaved: 198 km (1999)

Midway Islands

total: NA

Moldova

total: 12,733 km

paved: 10,976 km

unpaved: 1,757 km (2004)

Monaco total: 50 km paved: 50 km (1999)

Mongolia

total: 49,250 km

paved: 1,724 km

unpaved: 47,526 km (2002)

Montenegro

total: 7,353 km

paved: 4,274 km

unpaved: 3,079 km (2005)

Montserrat

total: 227 km

note: volcanic eruptions that began in 1995 destroyed most of the

road system (2003)

Morocco

total: 57,493 km

paved: 32,716 km (including 507 km of expressways)

unpaved: 24,777 km (2004)

Mozambique

total: 30,400 km

paved: 5,685 km

unpaved: 24,715 km (1999)

Namibia

total: 42,237 km

paved: 5,406 km

unpaved: 36,831 km (2002)

Nauru

total: 30 km

paved: 24 km

unpaved: 6 km (1999 est.)

Nepal

total: 17,380 km

paved: 9,886 km

unpaved: 7,494 km (2004)

Netherlands

total: 134,000 km (including 3,270 km of expressways)

(2004)

New Caledonia

total: 5,432 km (2000)

New Zealand

total: 92,931 km

paved: 59,783 km (including 171 km of expressways)

unpaved: 33,148 km (2003)

Nicaragua

total: 19,036 km

paved: 2,299 km

unpaved: 16,737 km (2005)

Niger

total: 14,565 km

paved: 3,641 km

unpaved: 10,924 km (2004)

Nigeria

total: 194,394 km

paved: 60,068 km

unpaved: 134,326 km (1999)

Niue

total: 234 km

paved: 86 km

unpaved: 148 km (2001)

Norfolk Island

total: 80 km

paved: 53 km

unpaved: 27 km (2002)

Northern Mariana Islands

total: 536 km (2004)

Norway

total: 92,513 km

paved: 71,832 km (including 664 km of expressways)

unpaved: 20,681 km (2005)

Oman

total: 34,965 km

paved: 9,673 km (including 550 km of expressways)

unpaved: 25,292 km (2001)

Pakistan

total: 258,340 km

paved: 167,146 km (including 711 km of expressways)

unpaved: 91,194 km (2004)

Palau

total: 61 km

paved: 36 km

unpaved: 25 km

Panama

total: 11,643 km

paved: 4,028 km

unpaved: 7,615 km (2000)

Papua New Guinea

total: 19,600 km

paved: 686 km

unpaved: 18,914 km (1999)

Paraguay

total: 29,500 km

paved: 14,986 km

unpaved: 14,514 km (1999)

Peru

total: 78,829 km

paved: 11,351 km (including 276 km of expressways)

unpaved: 67,478 km (2004)

Philippines

total: 200,037 km

paved: 19,804 km

unpaved: 180,233 km (2003)

Pitcairn Islands

total: 6 km

unpaved: 6 km (dirt roads)

Poland

total: 423,997 km

paved: 295,356 km (including 484 km of expressways)

unpaved: 128,641 km (2004)

Portugal

total: 78,470 km

paved: 67,484 km (including 2,002 km of expressways)

unpaved: 10,986 km (2004)

Puerto Rico

total: 25,735 km

paved: 24,353 km (including 427 km of expressways)

unpaved: 1,382 km (2005)

Qatar

total: 1,230 km

paved: 1,107 km

unpaved: 123 km (1999)

Romania

total: 198,817 km

paved: 60,043 km (including 228 km of expressways)

unpaved: 138,774 km (2004)

Russia

total: 871,000 km

paved: 738,000 km (including 29,000 km of expressways)

unpaved: 133,000 km

note: includes public and departmental roads (2004)

Rwanda

total: 14,008 km

paved: 2,662 km

unpaved: 11,346 km (2004)

Saint Helena

total: 198 km (Saint Helena 138 km, Ascension 40 km,

Tristan da Cunha 20 km)

paved: 168 km (Saint Helena 118km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha

10 km)

unpaved: 30 km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension 0 km, Tristan da Cunha

10 km) (2002)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

total: 320 km

paved: 138 km

unpaved: 182 km (1999 est)

Saint Lucia

total: 910 km

paved: 48 km

unpaved: 862 km (2000)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

total: 829 km

paved: 580 km

unpaved: 249 km (2003)

Samoa

total: 2,337 km

paved: 332 km

unpaved: 2,005 km (2004)

San Marino total: 104 km paved: 104 km (2003)

Sao Tome and Principe

total: 320 km

paved: 218 km

unpaved: 102 km (1999)

Saudi Arabia

total: 152,044 km

paved: 45,461 km

unpaved: 106,583 km (2000)

Senegal

total: 13,576 km

paved: 3,972 km (including 7 km of expressways)

unpaved: 9,604 km (2003)

Serbia

total: 37,887 km

paved: 23,937 km

unpaved: 13,950 km (2002)

Seychelles

total: 458 km

paved: 440 km

unpaved: 18 km (2003)

Sierra Leone

total: 11,300 km

paved: 904 km

unpaved: 10,396 km (2002)

Singapore

total: 3,234 km

paved: 3,234 km (including 150 km of expressways) (2005)

Slovakia

total: 42,993 km

paved: 37,533 km (including 316 km of expressways)

unpaved: 5,460 km (2004)

Slovenia total: 38,451 km paved: 38,451 km (including 483 km of expressways) (2004)

Solomon Islands

total: 1,360 km

paved: 34 km

unpaved: 1,326 km (1999)

Somalia

total: 22,100 km

paved: 2,608 km

unpaved: 19,492 km (1999)

South Africa

total: 362,099 km

paved: 73,506 km (including 239 km of expressways)

unpaved: 288,593 km (2002)

Spain

total: 666,292 km

paved: 659,629 km (including 12,009 km of expressways)

unpaved: 6,663 km (2003)

Sri Lanka

total: 97,287 km

paved: 78,802 km

unpaved: 18,485 km (2003)

Sudan

total: 11,900 km

paved: 4,320 km

unpaved: 7,580 km (1999)

Suriname

total: 4,304 km

paved: 1,130 km

unpaved: 3,174 km (2003)

Swaziland

total: 3,594 km

paved: 1,078 km

unpaved: 2,516 km (2002)

Sweden

total: 424,947 km

paved: 129,651 km (including 1,591 km of expressways)

unpaved: 295,296 km (2004)

Switzerland

total: 71,297 km

paved: 71,297 km (including 1,728 of expressways) (2004)

Syria

total: 94,890 km

paved: 19,073 km

unpaved: 75,817 km (2004)

Taiwan

total: 37,299 km

paved: 35,621 km (including 789 km of expressways)

unpaved: 1,678 km (2002)

Tajikistan

total: 27,767 km (2000)

Tanzania

total: 78,891 km

paved: 6,808 km

unpaved: 72,083 km (2003)

Thailand

total: 57,403 km

paved: 56,542 km

unpaved: 861 km (2000)

Togo

total: 7,520 km

paved: 2,376 km

unpaved: 5,144 km (1999)

Tonga

total: 680 km

paved: 184 km

unpaved: 496 km (1999)

Trinidad and Tobago

total: 8,320 km

paved: 4,252 km

unpaved: 4,068 km (1999)

Tunisia

total: 19,232 km

paved: 12,655 km (including 262 km of expressways)

unpaved: 6,577 km (2004)

Turkey

total: 426,906 km

paved: 177,550 km (including 1,892 km of expressways)

unpaved: 249,356 km (2004)

Turkmenistan

total: 24,000 km

paved: 19,488 km

unpaved: 4,512 km (1999)

Turks and Caicos Islands

total: 121 km

paved: 24 km

unpaved: 97 km (2003)

Tuvalu

total: 8 km

paved: 8 km (2002)

Uganda

total: 70,746 km

paved: 16,272 km

unpaved: 54,474 km (2003)

Ukraine

total: 169,477 km

paved: 164,732 km (including 15 km of expressways)

unpaved: 4,745 km (2004)

United Arab Emirates

total: 1,088 km

paved: 1,088 km (including 253 km of expressways) (1999)

United Kingdom

total: 388,008 km

paved: 388,008 km (including 3,520 km of expressways) (2005)

United States

total: 6,430,366 km

paved: 4,165,110 km (including 75,009 km of expressways)

unpaved: 2,265,256 km (2005)

Uruguay

total: 77,732 km

paved: 7,743 km

unpaved: 69,989 km (2004)

Uzbekistan

total: 81,600 km

paved: 71,237 km

unpaved: 10,363 km (1999)

Vanuatu

total: 1,070 km

paved: 256 km

unpaved: 814 km (1999)

Venezuela

total: 96,155 km

paved: 32,308 km

unpaved: 63,847 km (1999)

Vietnam

total: 222,179 km

paved: 42,167 km

unpaved: 180,012 km (2004)

Virgin Islands

total: 1,257 km (2004)

West Bank

total: 4,996 km

paved: 4,996 km

note: includes Gaza Strip (2004)

World

total: 32,345,165 km

paved: 19,403,061 km

unpaved: 12,942,104 km (2002)

Yemen

total: 71,300 km

paved: 6,200 km

unpaved: 65,100 km (2005)

Zambia

total: 91,440 km

paved: 20,117 km

unpaved: 71,323 km (2001)

Zimbabwe

total: 97,440 km

paved: 18,514 km

unpaved: 78,926 km (2002)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2086 Illicit drugs

Afghanistan

world's largest producer of opium; cultivation dropped

48% to 107,400 hectares in 2005; better weather and lack of

widespread disease returned opium yields to normal levels, meaning

potential opium production declined by only 10% to 4,475 metric

tons; if the entire poppy crop were processed, it is estimated that

526 metric tons of heroin could be processed; source of hashish;

many narcotics-processing labs throughout the country; drug trade

source of instability and some antigovernment groups profit from the

trade; 80-90% of the heroin consumed in Europe comes from Afghan

opium; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering through informal

financial networks

Albania

increasingly active transshipment point for Southwest Asian

opiates, hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan route and - to

a far lesser extent - cocaine from South America destined for

Western Europe; limited opium and growing cannabis production;

ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking organizations active and expanding

in Europe; vulnerable to money laundering associated with regional

trafficking in narcotics, arms, contraband, and illegal aliens

Angola

used as a transshipment point for cocaine destined for

Western Europe and other African states

Anguilla

transshipment point for South American narcotics destined

for the US and Europe

Antigua and Barbuda

considered a minor transshipment point for

narcotics bound for the US and Europe; more significant as an

offshore financial center

Argentina

used as a transshipment country for cocaine headed for

Europe; some money-laundering activity, especially in the Tri-Border

Area; domestic consumption of drugs in urban centers is increasing

Armenia

illicit cultivation of small amount of cannabis for domestic

consumption; minor transit point for illicit drugs - mostly opium

and hashish - moving from Southwest Asia to Russia and to a lesser

extent the rest of Europe

Aruba

transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some

accompanying money-laundering activity

Australia

Tasmania is one of the world's major suppliers of licit

opiate products; government maintains strict controls over areas of

opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate

Austria

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and South

American cocaine destined for Western Europe

Azerbaijan

limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy,

mostly for CIS consumption; small government eradication program;

transit point for Southwest Asian opiates bound for Russia and to a

lesser extent the rest of Europe

Bahamas, The

transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for

US and Europe; offshore financial center

Bangladesh

transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring

countries

Barbados

one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics

bound for Europe and the US; offshore financial center

Belarus

limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for

the domestic market; transshipment point for illicit drugs to and

via Russia, and to the Baltics and Western Europe; a small and

lightly regulated financial center; new anti-money-laundering

legislation does not meet international standards; few

investigations or prosecutions of money-laundering activities

Belgium

growing producer of synthetic drugs; transit point for

US-bound ecstasy; source of precursor chemicals for South American

cocaine processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin,

hashish, and marijuana entering Western Europe; despite a

strengthening of legislation, the country remains vulnerable to

money laundering related to narcotics, automobiles, alcohol, and

tobacco

Belize

transshipment point for cocaine; small-scale illicit producer

of cannabis for the international drug trade; money-laundering

activity related to narcotics trafficking and offshore sector

Benin

transshipment point for narcotics associated with Nigerian

trafficking organizations and most commonly destined for Western

Europe and the US; vulnerable to money laundering due to a poorly

regulated financial infrastructure

Bolivia

world's third-largest cultivator of coca (after Colombia and

Peru) with an estimated 26,500 hectares under cultivation in August

2005, an 8% increase from 2004; intermediate coca products and

cocaine exported mostly to or through Brazil, Argentina, and Chile

to European drug markets; cultivation steadily increasing despite

eradication and alternative crop programs; money-laundering activity

related to narcotics trade, especially along the borders with Brazil

and Paraguay

Bosnia and Herzegovina

minor transit point for marijuana and opiate

trafficking routes to Western Europe; remains highly vulnerable to

money-laundering activity given a primarily cash-based and

unregulated economy, weak law enforcement, and instances of

corruption

Brazil

illicit producer of cannabis; trace amounts of coca

cultivation in the Amazon region, used for domestic consumption;

government has a large-scale eradication program to control

cannabis; important transshipment country for Bolivian, Colombian,

and Peruvian cocaine headed for Europe; also used by traffickers as

a way station for narcotics air transshipments between Peru and

Colombia; upsurge in drug-related violence and weapons smuggling;

important market for Colombian, Bolivian, and Peruvian cocaine;

illicit narcotics proceeds earned in Brazil are often laundered

through the financial system; significant illicit financial activity

in the Tri-Border Area

British Virgin Islands

transshipment point for South American

narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial

center makes it vulnerable to money laundering

Brunei

drug trafficking and illegally importing controlled

substances are serious offenses in Brunei and carry a mandatory

death penalty

Bulgaria

major European transshipment point for Southwest Asian

heroin and, to a lesser degree, South American cocaine for the

European market; limited producer of precursor chemicals; some money

laundering of drug-related proceeds through financial institutions

Burma

remains world's second largest producer of illicit opium

(estimated production in 2004 - 292 metric tons, down 40% from 2003

due to eradication efforts and drought; cultivation in 2004 - 30,900

hectares, a 34% decline from 2003); lack of government will to take

on major narcotrafficking groups and lack of serious commitment

against money laundering continues to hinder the overall antidrug

effort; major source of methamphetamine and heroin for regional

consumption; currently under Financial Action Task Force

countermeasures due to continued failure to address its inadequate

money-laundering controls (2005)

Cambodia

narcotics-related corruption reportedly involving some in

the government, military, and police; possible small-scale heroin

and methamphetamine production; vulnerable to money laundering due

to its cash-based economy and porous borders

Canada

illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market and

export to US; use of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant

large quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors; transit point

for ecstasy entering the US market; vulnerable to narcotics money

laundering because of its mature financial services sector

Cape Verde

used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs moving

from Latin America and Asia destined for Western Europe; the lack of

a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a

money-laundering center

Cayman Islands

offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug

transshipment to the US and Europe

Chile

important transshipment country for cocaine destined for

Europe; economic prosperity and increasing trade have made Chile

more attractive to traffickers seeking to launder drug profits,

especially through the Iquique Free Trade Zone, but a new

anti-money-laundering law improves controls; imported precursors

passed on to Bolivia; domestic cocaine consumption is rising

China

major transshipment point for heroin produced in the Golden

Triangle; growing domestic drug abuse problem; source country for

chemical precursors and methamphetamine

Colombia

illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis;

world's leading coca cultivator (cultivation of coca in 2004 was

114,100 hectares, virtually unchanged from 2003, but down one-third

from its peak of 169,800 ha); producing a potential of 430 mt of

pure cocaine; the world's largest producer of coca derivatives;

supplying most of the US market and the great majority of cocaine to

other international drug markets; important supplier of heroin to

the US market; opium poppy cultivation fell 50% between 2003 and

2004 to 2,100 hectares yielding a potential 3.8 metric tons of pure

heroin, mostly for the US market; in 2004, aerial eradication

treated over 130,000 hectares of coca but aggressive replanting on

the part of growers means Colombia remains a key producer; a

significant portion of non-US narcotics proceeds are either

laundered or invested in Colombia through the black market peso

exchange

Congo, Democratic Republic of the illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for domestic consumption; while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leaves the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center

Costa Rica

transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South

America; illicit production of cannabis on small, scattered plots;

domestic cocaine consumption, particularly crack cocaine, is rising

Cote d'Ivoire

illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for local

consumption; transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian

heroin to Europe and occasionally to the US, and for Latin American

cocaine destined for Europe and South Africa; while rampant

corruption and inadequate supervision leave the banking system

vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a developed financial

system limits the country's utility as a major money-laundering

center

Croatia

transit point along the Balkan route for Southwest Asian

heroin to Western Europe; has been used as a transit point for

maritime shipments of South American cocaine bound for Western Europe

Cuba

territorial waters and air space serve as transshipment zone

for US and European-bound drugs; established the death penalty for

certain drug-related crimes in 1999

Cyprus

minor transit point for heroin and hashish via air routes and

container traffic to Europe, especially from Lebanon and Turkey;

some cocaine transits as well; despite a strengthening of

anti-money-laundering legislation, remains vulnerable to money

laundering; reporting of suspicious transactions in offshore sector

remains weak

Czech Republic

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and

minor transit point for Latin American cocaine to Western Europe;

producer of synthetic drugs for local and regional markets;

susceptible to money laundering related to drug trafficking,

organized crime

Dominica

transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and

Europe; minor cannabis producer; anti-money-laundering enforcement

is weak, making the country particularly vulnerable to money

laundering

Dominican Republic

transshipment point for South American drugs

destined for the US and Europe; has become a transshipment point for

ecstasy from the Netherlands and Belgium destined for US and Canada;

substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics

traffickers favor the Dominican Republic for illicit financial

transactions

East Timor

NA

Ecuador

significant transit country for cocaine originating in

Colombia and Peru; importer of precursor chemicals used in

production of illicit narcotics; attractive location for

cash-placement by drug traffickers laundering money because of

dollarization and weak anti-money-laundering regime; increased

activity on the northern frontier by trafficking groups and

Colombian insurgents

Egypt

transit point for Southwest Asian and Southeast Asian heroin

and opium moving to Europe, Africa, and the US; transit stop for

Nigerian couriers; concern as money-laundering site due to lax

enforcement of financial regulations

El Salvador

transshipment point for cocaine; small amounts of

marijuana produced for local consumption; domestic cocaine abuse on

the rise

Estonia

transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Southwest

Asia and the Caucasus via Russia, cocaine from Latin America to

Western Europe and Scandinavia, and synthetic drugs from Western

Europe to Scandinavia; increasing domestic drug abuse problem;

possible precursor manufacturing and/or trafficking; potential money

laundering related to organized crime and drug trafficking is a

concern, as is possible use of the gambling sector to launder funds

Ethiopia

transit hub for heroin originating in Southwest and

Southeast Asia and destined for Europe and North America, as well as

cocaine destined for markets in southern Africa; cultivates qat

(khat) for local use and regional export, principally to Djibouti

and Somalia (legal in all three countries); the lack of a

well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a

money-laundering center

France

metropolitan France: transshipment point for and consumer of

South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and European

synthetics

French Guiana: small amount of marijuana grown for local

consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe

Martinique: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for

the US and Europe

Georgia

limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for

domestic consumption; used as transshipment point for opiates via

Central Asia to Western Europe and Russia

Germany

source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine

processors; transshipment point for and consumer of Southwest Asian

heroin, Latin American cocaine, and European-produced synthetic

drugs; major financial center

Ghana

illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade;

major transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and, to a

lesser extent, South American cocaine destined for Europe and the

US; widespread crime and money laundering problem, but the lack of a

well-developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility

as a money-laundering center

Greece

a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis and

heroin from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and

precursor chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine

transits or is consumed in Greece; money laundering related to drug

trafficking and organized crime

Grenada

small-scale cannabis cultivation; lesser transshipment point

for marijuana and cocaine to US

Guatemala

major transit country for cocaine and heroin; in 2004,

reemerged as a potential source of opium, growing 330 hectares of

opium poppy, with potential pure heroin production of 1.4 metric

tons; 76% of opium poppy cultivation in western highlands along

Mexican border; marijuana cultivation for mostly domestic

consumption; proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging

area for drugs (particularly for cocaine); money laundering is a

serious problem; corruption is a major problem

Guyana

transshipment point for narcotics from South America -

primarily Venezuela - to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis;

rising money laundering related to drug trafficking and human

smuggling

Haiti

Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to the US

and Europe; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian

narcotics traffickers favor Haiti for illicit financial

transactions; pervasive corruption

Honduras

transshipment point for drugs and narcotics; illicit

producer of cannabis, cultivated on small plots and used principally

for local consumption; corruption is a major problem; some

money-laundering activity

Hong Kong

makes strenuous law enforcement efforts, but faces

difficult challenges in controlling transit of heroin and

methamphetamine to regional and world markets; modern banking system

provides conduit for money laundering; rising indigenous use of

synthetic drugs, especially among young people

Hungary

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and cannabis

and for South American cocaine destined for Western Europe; limited

producer of precursor chemicals, particularly for amphetamine and

methamphetamine; improving, but remains vulnerable to money

laundering related to organized crime and drug trafficking

India

world's largest producer of licit opium for the pharmaceutical

trade, but an undetermined quantity of opium is diverted to illicit

international drug markets; transit point for illicit narcotics

produced in neighboring countries; illicit producer of methaqualone;

vulnerable to narcotics money laundering through the hawala system

Indonesia

illicit producer of cannabis largely for domestic use;

producer of methamphetamine and ecstasy

Iran

despite substantial interdiction efforts, Iran remains a key

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe; domestic

narcotics consumption remains a persistent problem and according to

official Iranian statistics there are at least 2 million drug users

in the country; lacks anti-money-laundering laws

Ireland

transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North

Africa to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic

drugs; minor transshipment point for heroin and cocaine destined for

Western Europe; despite recent legislation, narcotics-related money

laundering - using bureaux de change, trusts, and shell companies

involving the offshore financial community - remains a concern

Israel

increasingly concerned about cocaine and heroin abuse; drugs

arrive in country from Lebanon and, increasingly, from Jordan;

money-laundering center

Italy

important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine

and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market; money

laundering by organized crime and from smuggling

Jamaica

transshipment point for cocaine from South America to North

America and Europe; illicit cultivation of cannabis; government has

an active manual cannabis eradication program; corruption is a major

concern; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics

traffickers favor Jamaica for illicit financial transactions

Kazakhstan

significant illicit cultivation of cannabis for CIS

markets, as well as limited cultivation of opium poppy and ephedra

(for the drug ephedrine); limited government eradication of illicit

crops; transit point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia

and the rest of Europe

Kenya

widespread harvesting of small plots of marijuana; transit

country for South Asian heroin destined for Europe and North

America; Indian methaqualone also transits on way to South Africa;

significant potential for money-laundering activity given the

country's status as a regional financial center; massive corruption,

and relatively high levels of narcotics-associated activities

Korea, North

for years, from the 1970s into the 2000s, citizens of

the Democratic People's Republic of (North) Korea (DPRK), many of

them diplomatic employees of the government, were apprehended abroad

while trafficking in narcotics, including two in Turkey in December

2004; police investigations in Taiwan and Japan in recent years have

linked North Korea to large illicit shipments of heroin and

methamphetamine, including an attempt by the North Korean merchant

ship Pong Su to deliver 150 kg of heroin to Australia in April 2003

Kyrgyzstan

limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy

for CIS markets; limited government eradication of illicit crops;

transit point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia and the

rest of Europe

Laos

estimated cultivation in 2004 - 10,000 hectares, a 45% decrease

from 2003; estimated potential production in 2004 - 49 metric tons,

a significant decrease from 200 metric tons in 2003 (2005)

Latvia

transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Central and

Southwest Asia to Western Europe and Scandinavia and Latin American

cocaine and some synthetics from Western Europe to CIS; despite

improved legislation, vulnerable to money laundering due to nascent

enforcement capabilities and comparatively weak regulation of

offshore companies and the gaming industry; CIS organized crime

(including counterfeiting, corruption, extortion, stolen cars, and

prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds

Lebanon

cannabis cultivation dramatically reduced to 2,500 hectares

in 2002; opium poppy cultivation minimal; small amounts of Latin

American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin transit country on way

to European markets and for Middle Eastern consumption

Liberia

transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin

and South American cocaine for the European and US markets;

corruption, criminal activity, arms-dealing, and diamond trade

provide significant potential for money laundering, but the lack of

well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a

major money-laundering center

Liechtenstein

has strengthened money-laundering controls, but money

laundering remains a concern due to Liechtenstein's sophisticated

offshore financial services sector

Lithuania

transshipment point for opiates and other illicit drugs

from Southwest Asia, Latin America, and Western Europe to Western

Europe and Scandinavia; limited production of methamphetamine and

ecstasy; susceptible to money laundering despite changes to banking

legislation

Macedonia

major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and

hashish; minor transit point for South American cocaine destined for

Europe; although not a financial center and most criminal activity

is thought to be domestic, money laundering is a problem due to a

mostly cash-based economy and weak enforcement (no arrests or

prosecutions for money laundering to date)

Madagascar

illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild

varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point

for heroin

Malaysia

regional transit point for some illicit drugs; drug

trafficking prosecuted vigorously and carries severe penalties

Malta

minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to

Western Europe

Mauritius

minor consumer and transshipment point for heroin from

South Asia; small amounts of cannabis produced and consumed locally;

significant offshore financial industry creates potential for money

laundering, but corruption levels are relatively low and the

government appears generally to be committed to regulating its

banking industry

Mexico

major drug-producing nation; cultivation of opium poppy in

2004 amounted to 3,500 hectares, but opium cultivation stayed within

the range - between 3,500 and 5,500 hectares - observed in nine of

the last 12 years; potential production of 9 metric tons of pure

heroin, or 23 metric tons of "black tar" heroin, the dominant form

of Mexican heroin in the western United States; marijuana

cultivation decreased 23% to 5,800 hectares in 2004 after

decade-high cultivation peak in 2003; potential production of 10,400

metric tons of marijuana in 2004; government conducts the largest

independent illicit-crop eradication program in the world; major

supplier of heroin and largest foreign supplier of marijuana and

methamphetamine to the US market; continues as the primary

transshipment country for US-bound cocaine from South America,

accounting for about 90% of estimated annual cocaine movement to the

US; major drug syndicates control majority of drug trafficking

throughout the country; producer and distributor of ecstasy;

significant money-laundering center

Moldova

limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for

CIS consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs from

Southwest Asia via Central Asia to Russia, Western Europe, and

possibly the US; widespread crime and underground economic activity

Montserrat

transshipment point for South American narcotics destined

for the US and Europe

Morocco

illicit producer of hashish; shipments of hashish mostly

directed to Western Europe; transit point for cocaine from South

America destined for Western Europe

Mozambique

Southern African transit point for South Asian hashish

and heroin, and South American cocaine probably destined for the

European and South African markets; producer of cannabis (for local

consumption) and methaqualone (for export to South Africa);

corruption and poor regulatory capability makes the banking system

vulnerable to money laundering, but the lack of a well-developed

financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a

money-laundering center

Nepal

illicit producer of cannabis and hashish for the domestic and

international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast

Asia to the West

Netherlands

major European producer of ecstasy, illicit

amphetamines, and other synthetic drugs; important gateway for

cocaine, heroin, and hashish entering Europe; major source of

US-bound ecstasy; large financial sector vulnerable to money

laundering

Netherlands Antilles

transshipment point for South American drugs

bound for the US and Europe; money-laundering center

Nicaragua

transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US and

transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing

Nigeria

a transit point for heroin and cocaine intended for

European, East Asian, and North American markets; safehaven for

Nigerian narcotraffickers operating worldwide; major

money-laundering center; massive corruption and criminal activity;

Nigeria has improved some anti-money-laundering controls, resulting

in its removal from the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF's)

Noncooperative Countries and Territories List in June 2006;

Nigeria's anti-money-laundering regime continues to be monitored by

FATF

Pakistan

opium poppy cultivation declined 58% to 3,147 hectares in

2005; federal and provincial authorities continue to conduct

anti-poppy campaigns that force eradication - fines and arrests will

take place if the ban on poppy cultivation is not observed; key

transit point for Afghan drugs, including heroin, opium, morphine,

and hashish, bound for Western markets, the Gulf States, and Africa;

financial crimes related to drug trafficking, terrorism, corruption,

and smuggling remain problems

Panama

major cocaine transshipment point and primary

money-laundering center for narcotics revenue; money-laundering

activity is especially heavy in the Colon Free Zone; offshore

financial center; negligible signs of coca cultivation; monitoring

of financial transactions is improving; official corruption remains

a major problem

Paraguay

major illicit producer of cannabis, most or all of which is

consumed in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile; transshipment country for

Andean cocaine headed for Brazil, other Southern Cone markets, and

Europe; corruption and some money-laundering activity, especially in

the Tri-Border Area; weak anti-money-laundering laws and enforcement

Peru

until 1996 the world's largest coca leaf producer; cultivation

of coca in Peru fell 15% to 31,150 hectares between 2002 and the end

of 2003; much of the cocaine base is shipped to neighboring Colombia

for processing into cocaine, while finished cocaine is shipped out

from Pacific ports to the international drug market; increasing

amounts of base and finished cocaine, however, are being moved to

Brazil and Bolivia for use in the Southern Cone or transshipped to

Europe and Africa

Philippines

domestic methamphetamine production has been a growing

problem in recent years; longstanding marijuana producer

Poland

major illicit producer of synthetic drugs for the

international market; minor transshipment point for Asian and Latin

American illicit drugs to Western Europe

Portugal

gateway country for Latin American cocaine and Southwest

Asian heroin entering the European market (especially from Brazil);

transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Europe;

consumer of Southwest Asian heroin

Romania

major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin

transiting the Balkan route and small amounts of Latin American

cocaine bound for Western Europe; although not a significant

financial center, role as a narcotics conduit leaves it vulnerable

to laundering which occurs via the banking system, currency exchange

houses, and casinos

Russia

limited cultivation of illicit cannabis and opium poppy and

producer of methamphetamine, mostly for domestic consumption;

government has active illicit crop eradication program; used as

transshipment point for Asian opiates, cannabis, and Latin American

cocaine bound for growing domestic markets, to a lesser extent

Western and Central Europe, and occasionally to the US; major source

of heroin precursor chemicals; corruption and organized crime are

key concerns; heroin increasingly popular in domestic market

Saint Kitts and Nevis

transshipment point for South American drugs

destined for the US and Europe; some money-laundering activity

Saint Lucia

transit point for South American drugs destined for the

US and Europe

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

transshipment point for South

American drugs destined for the US and Europe; small-scale cannabis

cultivation

Saudi Arabia

death penalty for traffickers; increasing consumption

of heroin, cocaine, and hashish; improving anti-money-laundering

legislation and enforcement

Senegal

transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin

and South American cocaine moving to Europe and North America;

illicit cultivator of cannabis

Serbia

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin moving to

Western Europe on the Balkan route; economy vulnerable to money

laundering

Singapore

as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore

is vulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, as a venue for

money laundering

Slovakia

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for

Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for regional market

Slovenia

minor transit point for cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin

bound for Western Europe, and for precursor chemicals

South Africa

transshipment center for heroin, hashish, marijuana,

and cocaine; cocaine consumption on the rise; world's largest market

for illicit methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India

through various east African countries; illicit cultivation of

marijuana; attractive venue for money launderers given the

increasing level of organized criminal and narcotics activity in the

region

Spain

key European gateway country and consumer for Latin American

cocaine and North African hashish entering the European market;

destination and minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian

heroin; money-laundering site for Colombian narcotics trafficking

organizations and organized crime

Suriname

growing transshipment point for South American drugs

destined for Europe via the Netherlands and Brazil; transshipment

point for arms-for-drugs dealing

Switzerland

a major international financial center vulnerable to the

layering and integration stages of money laundering; despite

significant legislation and reporting requirements, secrecy rules

persist and nonresidents are permitted to conduct business through

offshore entities and various intermediaries; transit country for

and consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin

Syria

a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for regional and

Western markets; weak anti-money-laundering controls and bank

privatization may leave it vulnerable to money-laundering

Taiwan

regional transit point for heroin and methamphetamine; major

problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin;

renewal of domestic methamphetamine production is a problem

Tajikistan

major transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for

Russian and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited

illicit cultivation of opium poppy for domestic consumption;

Tajikistan seizes roughly 80% of all drugs captured in Central Asia

and stands third worldwide in seizures of opiates (heroin and raw

opium)

Tanzania

growing role in transshipment of Southwest and Southeast

Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for South African,

European, and US markets and of South Asian methaqualone bound for

southern Africa; money laundering remains a problem

Thailand

a minor producer of opium, heroin, and marijuana; illicit

transit point for heroin en route to the international drug market

from Burma and Laos; eradication efforts have reduced the area of

cannabis cultivation and shifted some production to neighboring

countries; opium poppy cultivation has been reduced by eradication

efforts; also a drug money-laundering center; minor role in

methamphetamine production for regional consumption; major consumer

of methamphetamine since the 1990s

Togo

transit hub for Nigerian heroin and cocaine traffickers; money

laundering not a significant problem

Trinidad and Tobago

transshipment point for South American drugs

destined for the US and Europe; producer of cannabis

Turkey

key transit route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western

Europe and - to a far lesser extent the US - via air, land, and sea

routes; major Turkish, Iranian, and other international trafficking

organizations operate out of Istanbul; laboratories to convert

imported morphine base into heroin are in remote regions of Turkey

and near Istanbul; government maintains strict controls over areas

of legal opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw

concentrate; lax enforcement of money-laundering controls

Turkmenistan

transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian

and Western European markets; transit point for heroin precursor

chemicals bound for Afghanistan

Turks and Caicos Islands

transshipment point for South American

narcotics destined for the US and Europe

Ukraine

limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for

CIS consumption; some synthetic drug production for export to the

West; limited government eradication program; used as transshipment

point for opiates and other illicit drugs from Africa, Latin

America, and Turkey to Europe and Russia; Ukraine has improved

anti-money-laundering controls, resulting in its removal from the

Financial Action Task Force's (FATF's) Noncooperative Countries and

Territories List in February 2004; Ukraine's anti-money-laundering

regime continues to be monitored by FATF

United Arab Emirates

the UAE is a drug transshipment point for

traffickers given its proximity to Southwest Asian drug producing

countries; the UAE's position as a major financial center makes it

vulnerable to money laundering; anti-money-laundering controls

improving, but informal banking remains unregulated

United Kingdom

producer of limited amounts of synthetic drugs and

synthetic precursor chemicals; major consumer of Southwest Asian

heroin, Latin American cocaine, and synthetic drugs;

money-laundering center

United States

world's largest consumer of cocaine, shipped from

Colombia through Mexico and the Caribbean; consumer of heroin,

marijuana, and increasingly methamphetamine from Mexico; consumer of

high-quality Southeast Asian heroin; illicit producer of cannabis,

marijuana, depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, and

methamphetamine; money-laundering center

Uzbekistan

transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian

and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit

cultivation of cannabis and small amounts of opium poppy for

domestic consumption; poppy cultivation almost wiped out by

government crop eradication program; transit point for heroin

precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan

Venezuela

small-scale illicit producer of opium and coca for the

processing of opiates and coca derivatives; however, large

quantities of cocaine, heroin, and marijuana transit the country

from Colombia bound for US and Europe; significant narcotics-related

money-laundering activity, especially along the border with Colombia

and on Margarita Island; active eradication program primarily

targeting opium; increasing signs of drug-related activities by

Colombian insurgents on border

Vietnam

minor producer of opium poppy; probable minor transit point

for Southeast Asian heroin; government continues to face domestic

opium/heroin/methamphetamine addiction problems despite longstanding

crackdowns

World

cocaine: worldwide coca cultivation in 2004 amounted to

166,200 hectares; Colombia produced slightly more than two-thirds of

the worldwide crop, followed by Peru and Bolivia; potential pure

cocaine production of 645 metric tons in 2004 marked the lowest

level of Andean cocaine production in the past 10 years; Colombia

conducts aggressive coca eradication campaign, but both Peruvian and

Bolivian Governments are hesitant to eradicate coca in key growing

areas; 376 metric tons of export-quality cocaine are documented to

have been seized in 2003, and 26 metric tons disrupted (jettisoned

or destroyed); consumption of export quality cocaine is estimated to

have been 800 metric tons

opiates: worldwide illicit opium poppy cultivation reached 258,630

hectares in 2004; potential opium production of 5,444 metric tons

was highest total recorded since estimates began in mid-1980s;

Afghanistan is world's primary opium producer, accounting for 91% of

the global supply; Southeast Asia - responsible for 7% of global

opium - continued to diminish in importance in the world opium

market; Latin America produced 2% of global opium, but most refined

into heroin destined for United States; if all opium processed into

pure heroin, the potential global production would be 632 metric

tons of heroin in 2004

Zambia

transshipment point for moderate amounts of methaqualone,

small amounts of heroin, and cocaine bound for Southern Africa and

possibly Europe; a poorly developed financial infrastructure coupled

with a government commitment to combating money laundering make it

an unattractive venue for money launderers

Zimbabwe

transit point for African cannabis and South Asian heroin,

mandrax, and methamphetamines destined for the South African and

European markets

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2087 Imports

Afghanistan

$3.87 billion (2005 est.)

Albania

$2.901 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Algeria

$27.6 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

American Samoa

$308.8 million (FY04 est.)

Andorra

$1.077 billion (1998)

Angola

$10.21 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Anguilla

$129.9 million (2005 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

$378 million (2004 est.)

Argentina

$31.69 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Armenia

$1.684 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Aruba

$875 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Australia

$127.7 billion (2006 est.)

Austria

$138.6 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Azerbaijan

$5.176 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Bahamas, The

$1.82 billion (2004 est.)

Bahrain

$9.036 billion (2006 est.)

Bangladesh

$13.77 billion (2006 est.)

Barbados

$1.476 billion (2004 est.)

Belarus

$21.12 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Belgium

$333.5 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Belize

$543 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Benin

$927.3 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Bermuda

$982 million (2004 est.)

Bhutan

$196 million c.i.f. (2000 est.)

Bolivia

$2.934 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

$8.25 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Botswana

$3.034 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Brazil

$95.83 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

British Virgin Islands

$187 million (2002 est.)

Brunei

$1.641 billion c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Bulgaria

$20.69 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Burkina Faso

$1.016 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Burma

$2.049 billion f.o.b.

note: import figures are grossly underestimated due to the value of

consumer goods, diesel fuel, and other products smuggled in from

Thailand, China, Malaysia, and India (2006 est.)

Burundi

$207.3 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Cambodia

$4.477 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Cameroon

$3.083 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Canada

$353.2 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Cape Verde

$495.1 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Cayman Islands

$866.9 million (2004)

Central African Republic

$203 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Chad

$823.1 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Chile

$35.37 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

China

$777.9 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Christmas Island

$NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

$NA

Colombia

$24.33 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Comoros

$115 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

$1.319 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

$1.964 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Cook Islands

$81.04 million (2005)

Costa Rica

$10.88 billion (2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

$5.548 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Croatia

$21.79 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Cuba

$9.51 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Cyprus

Republic of Cyprus: $5.8 billion f.o.b.; north Cyprus: $415.2

million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Czech Republic

$87.7 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Denmark

$89.32 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Djibouti

$987 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Dominica

$234 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic

$11.39 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

East Timor

$202 million (2004 est.)

Ecuador

$10.81 billion (2006 est.)

Egypt

$35.86 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

El Salvador

$7.326 billion (2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

$2.543 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Eritrea

$701.8 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Estonia

$12.03 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Ethiopia

$4.105 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

European Union

$1.466 trillion; note - external imports, excluding

intra-EU trade (2005)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

$90 million (2004 est.)

Faroe Islands

$639 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Fiji

$1.462 billion c.i.f. (2005)

Finland

$71.69 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

France

$529.1 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

French Polynesia

$1.706 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Gabon

$1.607 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Gambia, The

$212.2 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Gaza Strip

$1.37 billion c.i.f.; note - includes West Bank (2004)

Georgia

$3.32 billion (2006 est.)

Germany

$916.4 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Ghana

$5.666 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Gibraltar

$2.967 billion c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Greece

$59.12 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Greenland

$601 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Grenada

$276 million (2004 est.)

Guam

$701 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Guatemala

$9.118 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Guernsey

$NA

Guinea

$730 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

$176 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Guyana

$706.9 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Haiti

$1.721 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Honduras

$4.86 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Hong Kong

$329.8 billion (2006 est.)

Hungary

$69.75 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Iceland

$5.189 billion (2006 est.)

India

$187.9 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Indonesia

$77.73 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Iran

$45.48 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Iraq

$20.76 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Ireland

$87.36 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Isle of Man

$NA

Israel

$47.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Italy

$445.6 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Jamaica

$4.682 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Japan

$524.1 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Jersey

$NA

Jordan

$10.42 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Kazakhstan

$22 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Kenya

$6.602 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Kiribati

$62 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Korea, North

$2.6 billion c.i.f. (2005 est.)

Korea, South

$300.4 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Kuwait

$19.12 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

$1.177 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Laos

$1.092 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Latvia

$10.33 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Lebanon

$9.34 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Lesotho

$1.401 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Liberia

$4.839 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Libya

$14.47 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Liechtenstein

$917.3 million (1996)

Lithuania

$18.25 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Luxembourg

$24.22 billion c.i.f. (2006 est.)

Macau

$3.912 billion c.i.f. (2005)

Macedonia

$3.631 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Madagascar

$1.544 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Malawi

$767.9 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Malaysia

$127.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Maldives

$567 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Mali

$1.858 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Malta

$4.077 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Marshall Islands

$54.7 million f.o.b. (2000)

Mauritania

$1.124 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Mauritius

$3.391 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Mayotte

$256.7 million f.o.b. (2004)

Mexico

$253.1 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of

$132.7 million f.o.b. (2004)

Moldova

$2.65 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Monaco

$636.6 million

note: full customs integration with France, which collects and

rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market

system through customs union with France (2004)

Mongolia

$1.011 billion c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Montenegro

$601.7 million (2003)

Montserrat

$17 million (2001)

Morocco

$21.22 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Mozambique

$2.815 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Namibia

$2.456 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Nauru

$20 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Nepal

$2 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Netherlands

$373.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

$4.383 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

New Caledonia

$1.636 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

New Zealand

$25.23 billion (2006 est.)

Nicaragua

$3.202 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Niger

$588 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Nigeria

$25.1 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Niue

$9.038 million (2004)

Norfolk Island

$17.9 million c.i.f. (FY91/92)

Northern Mariana Islands

$214.4 million (2001)

Norway

$59.9 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Oman

$10.29 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Pakistan

$26.79 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Palau

$107.3 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Panama

$9.365 billion f.o.b. (includes the Colon Free Zone) (2006

est.)

Papua New Guinea

$1.686 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Paraguay

$4.5 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Peru

$15.38 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Philippines

$48.76 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Pitcairn Islands

$NA

Poland

$113.2 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Portugal

$67.74 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Puerto Rico

$29.1 billion c.i.f. (2001)

Qatar

$12.36 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Romania

$46.48 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Russia

$171.5 billion (2006 est.)

Rwanda

$390.4 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Saint Helena

$45 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

$405 million (2004 est.)

Saint Lucia

$410 million (2004 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

$68.2 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

$225 million (2004 est.)

Samoa

$285 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

San Marino

trade data are included with the statistics for Italy

Sao Tome and Principe

$48.87 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Saudi Arabia

$64.16 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Senegal

$2.98 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Serbia

$10.58 billion (excluding Kosovo and Montenegro) (2005 est.)

Seychelles

$570.6 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Sierra Leone

$531 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Singapore

$246.1 billion (2006 est.)

Slovakia

$41.84 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Slovenia

$23.59 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Solomon Islands

$159 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Somalia

$576 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

South Africa

$61.53 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Spain

$324.4 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Sri Lanka

$9.655 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Sudan

$8.693 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Suriname

$750 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Svalbard

$NA

Swaziland

$2.274 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Sweden

$151.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Switzerland

$162.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Syria

$6.634 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Taiwan

$205.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Tajikistan

$1.513 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Tanzania

$3.18 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Thailand

$119.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Togo

$1.208 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Tokelau

$969,200 c.i.f. (2002)

Tonga

$122 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

$8.798 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Tunisia

$13.89 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Turkey

$120.9 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Turkmenistan

$3.936 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

$175.6 million (2000)

Tuvalu

$9.186 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Uganda

$1.945 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Ukraine

$44.81 billion (2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates

$88.89 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

United Kingdom

$603 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

United States

$1.869 trillion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Uruguay

$4.532 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Uzbekistan

$3.99 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Vanuatu

$117.1 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Venezuela

$28.81 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Vietnam

$39.16 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Virgin Islands

$4.609 billion (2001)

Wallis and Futuna

$61.17 million f.o.b. (2004)

West Bank

$2.37 billion c.i.f.; note - includes Gaza Strip (2004)

Western Sahara

$NA

World

$12.08 trillion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Yemen

$5.042 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Zambia

$3.092 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Zimbabwe

$2.055 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2088 Independence

Afghanistan

19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign

affairs)

Albania

28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)

Algeria

5 July 1962 (from France)

American Samoa

none (territory of the US)

Andorra

1278 (formed under the joint suzerainty of the French count

of Foix and the Spanish bishop of Urgel)

Angola

11 November 1975 (from Portugal)

Anguilla

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Antigua and Barbuda

1 November 1981 (from UK)

Argentina

9 July 1816 (from Spain)

Armenia

21 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Aruba

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Australia

1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)

Austria

976 (Margravate of Austria established); 17 September 1156

(Duchy of Austria founded); 11 August 1804 (Austrian Empire

proclaimed); 12 November 1918 (republic proclaimed)

Azerbaijan

30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Bahamas, The

10 July 1973 (from UK)

Bahrain

15 August 1971 (from UK)

Bangladesh

16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan); note - 26 March

1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December

1971 is known as Victory Day and commemorates the official creation

of the state of Bangladesh

Barbados

30 November 1966 (from UK)

Belarus

25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Belgium

4 October 1830 (a provisional government declares

independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King Leopold I

ascends to the throne)

Belize

21 September 1981 (from UK)

Benin

1 August 1960 (from France)

Bermuda

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Bhutan

8 August 1949 (from India)

Bolivia

6 August 1825 (from Spain)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia; referendum for

independence was completed 1 March 1992; independence was declared 3

March 1992)

Botswana

30 September 1966 (from UK)

Brazil

7 September 1822 (from Portugal)

British Virgin Islands

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Brunei

1 January 1984 (from UK)

Bulgaria

3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the

Ottoman Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the

Ottoman Empire)

Burkina Faso

5 August 1960 (from France)

Burma

4 January 1948 (from UK)

Burundi

1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian

administration)

Cambodia

9 November 1953 (from France)

Cameroon

1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

Canada

1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11

December 1931 (independence recognized)

Cape Verde

5 July 1975 (from Portugal)

Cayman Islands

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Central African Republic

13 August 1960 (from France)

Chad

11 August 1960 (from France)

Chile

18 September 1810 (from Spain)

China

221 BC (unification under the Qin or Ch'in Dynasty); 1 January

1912 (Manchu Dynasty replaced by a Republic); 1 October 1949

(People's Republic established)

Christmas Island

none (territory of Australia)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

none (territory of Australia)

Colombia

20 July 1810 (from Spain)

Comoros

6 July 1975 (from France)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

30 June 1960 (from Belgium)

Congo, Republic of the

15 August 1960 (from France)

Cook Islands

none (became self-governing in free association with

New Zealand on 4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move

to full independence by unilateral action)

Costa Rica

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Cote d'Ivoire

7 August 1960 (from France)

Croatia

25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

Cuba

20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the

US from 1898 to 1902)); not acknowledged by the Cuban Government as

a day of independence

Cyprus

16 August 1960 (from UK); note - Turkish Cypriots proclaimed

self-rule on 13 February 1975 and independence in 1983, but these

proclamations are only recognized by Turkey

Czech Republic

1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech

Republic and Slovakia)

Denmark

first organized as a unified state in 10th century; in 1849

became a constitutional monarchy

Djibouti

27 June 1977 (from France)

Dominica

3 November 1978 (from UK)

Dominican Republic

27 February 1844 (from Haiti)

East Timor

28 November 1975 (date of proclamation of independence

from Portugal); note - 20 May 2002 is the official date of

international recognition of East Timor's independence from Indonesia

Ecuador

24 May 1822 (from Spain)

Egypt

28 February 1922 (from UK)

El Salvador

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Equatorial Guinea

12 October 1968 (from Spain)

Eritrea

24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)

Estonia

20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Ethiopia

oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest

in the world - at least 2,000 years

European Union

7 February 1992 (Maastricht Treaty signed

establishing the EU); 1 November 1993 (Maastricht Treaty entered

into force)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

none (overseas territory of the

UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Faroe Islands

none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing

overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Fiji

10 October 1970 (from UK)

Finland

6 December 1917 (from Russia)

France

486 (unified by Clovis)

French Polynesia

none (overseas lands of France)

Gabon

17 August 1960 (from France)

Gambia, The

18 February 1965 (from UK)

Georgia

9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Germany

18 January 1871 (German Empire unification); divided into

four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and later, France) in 1945

following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West

Germany) proclaimed 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and

French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany)

proclaimed 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone;

unification of West Germany and East Germany took place 3 October

1990; all four powers formally relinquished rights 15 March 1991

Ghana

6 March 1957 (from UK)

Gibraltar

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Greece

1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)

Greenland

none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; foreign affairs is

the responsibility of Denmark, but Greenland actively participates

in international agreements relating to Greenland)

Grenada

7 February 1974 (from UK)

Guam

none (territory of the US)

Guatemala

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Guernsey

none (British crown dependency)

Guinea

2 October 1958 (from France)

Guinea-Bissau

24 September 1973 (unilaterally declared by

Guinea-Bissau); 10 September 1974 (recognized by Portugal)

Guyana

26 May 1966 (from UK)

Haiti

1 January 1804 (from France)

Holy See (Vatican City)

11 February 1929 (from Italy); note - the

three treaties signed with Italy on 11 February 1929 acknowledged,

among other things, the full sovereignty of the Vatican and

established its territorial extent; however, the origin of the Papal

States, which over the years have varied considerably in extent, may

be traced back to the 8th century

Honduras

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Hong Kong

none (special administrative region of China)

Hungary

1001 (unification by King Stephen I)

Iceland

1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish

Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)

India

15 August 1947 (from UK)

Indonesia

17 August 1945 (independence proclaimed); 27 December 1949

(Netherlands recognizes Indonesian independence)

Iran

1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)

Iraq

3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British

administration); note - on 28 June 2004 the Coalition Provisional

Authority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi Interim Government

Ireland

6 December 1921 (from UK by treaty)

Isle of Man

none (British crown dependency)

Israel

14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British

administration)

Italy

17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not

finally unified until 1870)

Jamaica

6 August 1962 (from UK)

Japan

660 B.C. (traditional founding by Emperor JIMMU)

Jersey

none (British crown dependency)

Jordan

25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British

administration)

Kazakhstan

16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

Kenya

12 December 1963 (from UK)

Kiribati

12 July 1979 (from UK)

Korea, North

15 August 1945 (from Japan)

Korea, South

15 August 1945 (from Japan)

Kuwait

19 June 1961 (from UK)

Kyrgyzstan

31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Laos

19 July 1949 (from France)

Latvia

18 November 1918 (from Soviet Russia)

Lebanon

22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under

French administration)

Lesotho

4 October 1966 (from UK)

Liberia

26 July 1847

Libya

24 December 1951 (from UN trusteeship)

Liechtenstein

23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein

established); 12 July 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire)

Lithuania

11 March 1990 (independence declared from Soviet Union); 6

September 1991 (Soviet Union recognizes Lithuania's independence)

Luxembourg

1839 (from the Netherlands)

Macau

none (special administrative region of China)

Macedonia

8 September 1991 (referendum by registered voters

endorsing independence from Yugoslavia)

Madagascar

26 June 1960 (from France)

Malawi

6 July 1964 (from UK)

Malaysia

31 August 1957 (from UK)

Maldives

26 July 1965 (from UK)

Mali

22 September 1960 (from France)

Malta

21 September 1964 (from UK)

Marshall Islands 21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)

Mauritania

28 November 1960 (from France)

Mauritius

12 March 1968 (from UK)

Mayotte

none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)

Mexico

16 September 1810 (from Spain)

Micronesia, Federated States of

3 November 1986 (from the

US-administered UN Trusteeship)

Moldova

27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Monaco

1419 (beginning of the rule by the House of Grimaldi)

Mongolia

11 July 1921 (from China)

Montenegro

3 June 2006 (from Serbia and Montenegro)

Montserrat

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Morocco

2 March 1956 (from France)

Mozambique

25 June 1975 (from Portugal)

Namibia

21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)

Nauru

31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered

UN trusteeship)

Nepal

1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah)

Netherlands

23 January 1579 (the northern provinces of the Low

Countries conclude the Union of Utrecht breaking with Spain; on 26

July 1581 they formally declared their independence with an Act of

Abjuration; however, it was not until 30 January 1648 and the Peace

of Westphalia that Spain recognized this independence)

Netherlands Antilles

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

New Caledonia

none (overseas territory of France); note - a

referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new

referendum is scheduled for 2014

New Zealand

26 September 1907 (from UK)

Nicaragua

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Niger

3 August 1960 (from France)

Nigeria

1 October 1960 (from UK)

Niue

on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing parliamentary

government in free association with New Zealand

Norfolk Island

none (territory of Australia)

Northern Mariana Islands

none (commonwealth in political union with

the US)

Norway

7 June 1905 (Norway declared the union with Sweden

dissolved); 26 October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the

union)

Oman

1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)

Pakistan

14 August 1947 (from UK)

Palau

1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)

Panama

3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain

28 November 1821)

Papua New Guinea

16 September 1975 (from the Australian-administered

UN trusteeship)

Paraguay

14 May 1811 (from Spain)

Peru

28 July 1821 (from Spain)

Philippines

12 June 1898 (from Spain)

Pitcairn Islands

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Poland

11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed)

Portugal

1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 5 October 1910

(independent republic proclaimed)

Puerto Rico

none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)

Qatar

3 September 1971 (from UK)

Romania

9 May 1877 (independence proclaimed from the Ottoman Empire;

independence recognized 13 July 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin;

kingdom proclaimed 26 March 1881); 30 December 1947 (republic

proclaimed)

Russia

24 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Rwanda

1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)

Saint Helena

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

19 September 1983 (from UK)

Saint Lucia

22 February 1979 (from UK)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French control since 1763)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

27 October 1979 (from UK)

Samoa

1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)

San Marino

3 September AD 301

Sao Tome and Principe

12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

Saudi Arabia

23 September 1932 (unification of the kingdom)

Senegal

4 April 1960 (from France); note - complete independence

achieved upon dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960

Serbia

5 June 2006 (from Serbia and Montenegro)

Seychelles

29 June 1976 (from UK)

Sierra Leone

27 April 1961 (from UK)

Singapore

9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)

Slovakia

1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech

Republic and Slovakia)

Slovenia

25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

Solomon Islands

7 July 1978 (from UK)

Somalia

1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which

became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian

Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered

UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)

South Africa

31 May 1910 (from UK); note - South Africa became a

republic in 1961 following an October 1960 referendum

Spain

the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of

independent kingdoms prior to the Muslim occupation that began in

the early 8th century AD and lasted nearly seven centuries; the

small Christian redoubts of the north began the reconquest almost

immediately, culminating in the seizure of Granada in 1492; this

event completed the unification of several kingdoms and is

traditionally considered the forging of present-day Spain

Sri Lanka

4 February 1948 (from UK)

Sudan

1 January 1956 (from Egypt and UK)

Suriname

25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)

Svalbard

none (territory of Norway)

Swaziland

6 September 1968 (from UK)

Sweden

6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king)

Switzerland

1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation)

Syria

17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French

administration)

Tajikistan

9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Tanzania

26 April 1964; Tanganyika became independent 9 December

1961 (from UK-administered UN trusteeship); Zanzibar became

independent 19 December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with

Zanzibar 26 April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and

Zanzibar; renamed United Republic of Tanzania 29 October 1964

Thailand

1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)

Togo

27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

Tokelau

none (territory of New Zealand)

Tonga

4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)

Trinidad and Tobago

31 August 1962 (from UK)

Tunisia

20 March 1956 (from France)

Turkey

29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)

Turkmenistan

27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

Turks and Caicos Islands

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Tuvalu

1 October 1978 (from UK)

Uganda

9 October 1962 (from UK)

Ukraine

24 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

United Arab Emirates

2 December 1971 (from UK)

United Kingdom

England has existed as a unified entity since the

10th century; the union between England and Wales, begun in 1284

with the Statute of Rhuddlan, was not formalized until 1536 with an

Act of Union; in another Act of Union in 1707, England and Scotland

agreed to permanently join as Great Britain; the legislative union

of Great Britain and Ireland was implemented in 1801, with the

adoption of the name the United Kingdom of Great Britain and

Ireland; the Anglo-Irish treaty of 1921 formalized a partition of

Ireland; six northern Irish counties remained part of the United

Kingdom as Northern Ireland and the current name of the country, the

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, was adopted in

1927

United States

4 July 1776 (from Great Britain)

Uruguay

25 August 1825 (from Brazil)

Uzbekistan

1 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Vanuatu

30 July 1980 (from France and UK)

Venezuela

5 July 1811 (from Spain)

Vietnam

2 September 1945 (from France)

Wallis and Futuna

none (overseas territory of France)

Yemen

22 May 1990 (Republic of Yemen established with the merger of

the Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and the

Marxist-dominated People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen

(Aden) or South Yemen]); note - previously North Yemen had become

independent in November of 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and South

Yemen had become independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)

Zambia

24 October 1964 (from UK)

Zimbabwe

18 April 1980 (from UK)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2089 Industrial production growth rate (%)

Afghanistan

NA%

Albania

3.1% (2004 est.)

Algeria

10% (2006 est.)

American Samoa

NA%

Andorra

NA%

Angola

13.5% (2004)

Anguilla

3.1% (1997 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

NA

Argentina

8.2% (2006 est.)

Armenia

7.5% (2005 est.)

Aruba

NA%

Australia

-3.5% (2006 est.)

Austria

5.7% (2006 est.)

Azerbaijan

50% (2006 est.)

Bahamas, The

NA%

Bahrain

2% (2000 est.)

Bangladesh

7.2% (2006 est.)

Barbados

-3.2% (2000 est.)

Belarus

15.6% (2005 est.)

Belgium

3% (2006 est.)

Belize

4.6% (1999)

Benin

8.3% (2001 est.)

Bermuda

NA%

Bhutan

9.3% (1996 est.)

Bolivia

5.7% (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

5.5% (2003 est.)

Botswana

6.3% (2006 est.)

Brazil

3.4% (2006 est.)

British Virgin Islands

NA%

Brunei

7.3% (2003 est.)

Bulgaria

5% (2006 est.)

Burkina Faso

14% (2001 est.)

Burma

NA%

Burundi

18% (2001)

Cambodia

22% (2002 est.)

Cameroon

4.2% (1999 est.)

Canada

0.7% (2006 est.)

Cape Verde

NA%

Cayman Islands

NA%

Central African Republic

3% (2002)

Chad

5% (1995)

Chile

5% (2006 est.)

China

22.9% (2006 est.)

Colombia

5.8% (2006 est.)

Comoros

-2% (1999 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

NA%

Congo, Republic of the

0% (2002 est.)

Cook Islands

1% (2002)

Costa Rica

8.4% (2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

15% (1998 est.)

Croatia

5% (2006 est.)

Cuba

17.6% (2006 est.)

Cyprus

Republic of Cyprus: 2.4% (2005 est.); north Cyprus: -0.3%

(2002 est.) (2006 est.)

Czech Republic

9.5% (2006 est.)

Denmark

2.5% (2006 est.)

Djibouti

3% (1996 est.)

Dominica

-10% (1997 est.)

Dominican Republic

2% (2001 est.)

East Timor

8.5%

Ecuador

5% (2006 est.)

Egypt

5.1% (2006 est.)

El Salvador

2% (2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

30% (2002 est.)

Eritrea

NA%

Estonia

8% (2006 est.)

Ethiopia

6.7% (2001 est.)

European Union

2.8% (2006 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

NA%

Faroe Islands

8% (1999 est.)

Fiji

NA%

Finland

3% (2006 est.)

France

1.5% (2006 est.)

French Polynesia

NA%

Gabon

1.6% (2002 est.)

Gambia, The

NA%

Gaza Strip

2.4%

Georgia

3% (2000)

Germany

4.4% (2006 est.)

Ghana

3.8% (2000 est.)

Gibraltar

NA%

Greece

2% (2006 est.)

Greenland

NA%

Grenada

0.7% (1997 est.)

Guam

NA%

Guatemala

4.1% (1999)

Guernsey

NA%

Guinea

NA

Guinea-Bissau

4.7% (2003 est.)

Guyana

NA%

Haiti

NA%

Honduras

7.7% (2003 est.)

Hong Kong

4% (2006 est.)

Hungary

9.5% (2006 est.)

Iceland

5% (2006 est.)

India

7.5% (2006 est.)

Indonesia

2.6% (2006 est.)

Iran

3.2% excluding oil (2006 est.)

Iraq

NA%

Ireland

5% (2006 est.)

Isle of Man

3.2% (FY96/97)

Israel

4.7% (2006 est.)

Italy

1.5% (2006 est.)

Jamaica

-2% (2000 est.)

Japan

3.3% (2006 est.)

Jersey

NA%

Jordan

6% (2006 est.)

Kazakhstan

7.7% (2006 est.)

Kenya

6.3% (2006 est.)

Kiribati

0.7% (1991 est.)

Korea, North

NA%

Korea, South

10% (2006 est.)

Kuwait

13.1% (2005 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

-4.5% (2006 est.)

Laos

13% (2005 est.)

Latvia

8.5% (2006 est.)

Lebanon

NA%

Lesotho

15.5% (1999)

Liberia

NA%

Libya

NA%

Liechtenstein

NA%

Lithuania

7% (2006 est.)

Luxembourg

4.3% (2006 est.)

Macau

NA%

Macedonia

3.5% (2006 est.)

Madagascar

3% (2000 est.)

Malawi

6.4% (2006 est.)

Malaysia

5.8% (2006 est.)

Maldives

-0.9% (2004 est.)

Mali

NA%

Malta

NA%

Marshall Islands

NA%

Mauritania

2% (2000 est.)

Mauritius

8% (2000 est.)

Mayotte

NA%

Mexico

3.6% (2006 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of

NA%

Moldova

17% (2003 est.)

Monaco

NA%

Mongolia

4.1% (2002 est.)

Montserrat

NA%

Morocco

4% (2004 est.)

Mozambique

3.4% (2000)

Namibia

NA%

Nauru

NA%

Nepal

3.8% (FY04/05)

Netherlands

2.3% (2006 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

NA%

New Caledonia

-0.6% (1996)

New Zealand

1.2% (2006 est.)

Nicaragua

2.4% (2005 est.)

Niger

5.1% (2003 est.)

Nigeria

-1.6% (2006 est.)

Niue

NA%

Northern Mariana Islands

NA%

Norway

1.8% (2006 est.)

Oman

5.9% (2006 est.)

Pakistan

6% (2006 est.)

Palau

NA%

Panama

3% (2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea

NA%

Paraguay

0% (2000 est.)

Peru

7% (2006 est.)

Philippines

2% (2006 est.)

Poland

10.2% (2006 est.)

Portugal

0.9% (2006 est.)

Puerto Rico

NA%

Qatar

10% (2003 est.)

Romania

5.7% (2006 est.)

Russia

4.8% (2006 est.)

Rwanda

7% (2001 est.)

Saint Helena

NA%

Saint Kitts and Nevis

NA%

Saint Lucia

-8.9% (1997 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

NA%

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

-0.9% (1997 est.)

Samoa

2.8% (2000)

San Marino

6% (1997 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe

NA%

Saudi Arabia

1.9% (2006 est.)

Senegal

3.2% (2006 est.)

Serbia

1.4% (2006 est.)

Seychelles

NA%

Sierra Leone

NA%

Singapore

12.6% (2006 est.)

Slovakia

7.8% (2006 est.)

Slovenia

6% (2006 est.)

Solomon Islands

NA%

Somalia

NA%

South Africa

7.1% (2006 est.)

Spain

0.6% (2006 est.)

Sri Lanka

7.1% (2006 est.)

Sudan

8.5% (1999 est.)

Suriname

6.5% (1994 est.)

Swaziland

3.7% (FY95/96)

Sweden

4.3% (2006 est.)

Switzerland

6.5% (2006 est.)

Syria

1.5% (2005)

Taiwan

6.5% (2006 est.)

Tajikistan

8.2% (2002 est.)

Tanzania

8.4% (1999 est.)

Thailand

6% (2006 est.)

Togo

NA%

Tonga

1% (2003 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

17% (2006 est.)

Tunisia

4.7% (2006 est.)

Turkey

5.5% (2006 est.)

Turkmenistan

22% (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

NA%

Tuvalu

NA%

Uganda

5.2% (2006 est.)

Ukraine

6.3% (2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates

4% (2000)

United Kingdom

0% (2006 est.)

United States

4.2% (2006 est.)

Uruguay

12.6% (2006 est.)

Uzbekistan

7.7% (2005 est.)

Vanuatu

1% (1997 est.)

Venezuela

7% (2006 est.)

Vietnam

11.3% (2006 est.)

Virgin Islands

NA%

Wallis and Futuna

NA%

West Bank

2.4%

Western Sahara

NA%

World

3% (2003 est.)

Yemen

3% (2003 est.)

Zambia

10.1% (2006 est.)

Zimbabwe

-1.8% (2006 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2090 Industries

Afghanistan

small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture,

shoes, fertilizer, cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal,

copper

Albania

food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement,

chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower

Algeria

petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining,

electrical, petrochemical, food processing

American Samoa

tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing

vessels), handicrafts

Andorra

tourism (particularly skiing), cattle raising, timber,

banking, tobacco, furniture

Angola

petroleum; diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, feldspar, bauxite,

uranium, and gold; cement; basic metal products; fish processing;

food processing, brewing, tobacco products, sugar; textiles; ship

repair

Anguilla

tourism, boat building, offshore financial services

Antigua and Barbuda

tourism, construction, light manufacturing

(clothing, alcohol, household appliances)

Argentina

food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables,

textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel

Armenia

diamond-processing, metal-cutting machine tools,

forging-pressing machines, electric motors, tires, knitted wear,

hosiery, shoes, silk fabric, chemicals, trucks, instruments,

microelectronics, jewelry manufacturing, software development, food

processing, brandy

Aruba

tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining

Australia

mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food

processing, chemicals, steel

Austria

construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, metals,

chemicals, lumber and wood processing, paper and paperboard,

communications equipment, tourism

Azerbaijan

petroleum and natural gas, petroleum products, oilfield

equipment; steel, iron ore; cement; chemicals and petrochemicals;

textiles

Bahamas, The

tourism, banking, cement, oil transshipment, salt, rum,

aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe

Bahrain

petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron

pelletization, fertilizers, offshore banking, ship repairing, tourism

Bangladesh

cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper

newsprint, cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar

Barbados

tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for

export

Belarus

metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers,

motorcycles, televisions, chemical fibers, fertilizer, textiles,

radios, refrigerators

Belgium

engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly,

transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and

beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum

Belize

garment production, food processing, tourism, construction

Benin

textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement

Bermuda

international business, tourism, light manufacturing

Bhutan

cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages,

calcium carbide, tourism

Bolivia

mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverages, tobacco,

handicrafts, clothing

Bosnia and Herzegovina

steel, coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, manganese,

bauxite, vehicle assembly, textiles, tobacco products, wooden

furniture, tank and aircraft assembly, domestic appliances, oil

refining

Botswana

diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock

processing; textiles

Brazil

textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin,

steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and

equipment

British Virgin Islands

tourism, light industry, construction, rum,

concrete block, offshore financial center

Brunei

petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas,

construction

Bulgaria

electricity, gas, water; food, beverages, tobacco;

machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke,

refined petroleum, nuclear fuel

Burkina Faso

cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap,

cigarettes, textiles, gold

Burma

agricultural processing; knit and woven apparel; wood and wood

products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; construction materials;

pharmaceuticals; fertilizer; cement; natural gas

Burundi

light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap; assembly

of imported components; public works construction; food processing

Cambodia

tourism, garments, rice milling, fishing, wood and wood

products, rubber, cement, gem mining, textiles

Cameroon

petroleum production and refining, aluminum production,

food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber, ship repair

Canada

transportation equipment, chemicals, processed and

unprocessed minerals, food products, wood and paper products, fish

products, petroleum and natural gas

Cape Verde

food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments,

salt mining, ship repair

Cayman Islands

tourism, banking, insurance and finance,

construction, construction materials, furniture

Central African Republic

gold and diamond mining, logging, brewing,

textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles

Chad

oil, cotton textiles, meatpacking, beer brewing, natron (sodium

carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials

Chile

copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and

steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles

China

mining and ore processing, iron, steel, aluminum, and other

metals, coal; machine building; armaments; textiles and apparel;

petroleum; cement; chemicals; fertilizers; consumer products,

including footwear, toys, and electronics; food processing;

transportation equipment, including automobiles, rail cars and

locomotives, ships, and aircraft; telecommunications equipment,

commercial space launch vehicles, satellites

Christmas Island

tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

copra products and tourism

Colombia

textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear,

beverages, chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds

Comoros

fishing, tourism, perfume distillation

Congo, Democratic Republic of the mining (diamonds, copper, zinc), mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement, commercial ship repair

Congo, Republic of the

petroleum extraction, cement, lumber,

brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes

Cook Islands

fruit processing, tourism, fishing, clothing,

handicrafts

Costa Rica

microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing,

construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products

Cote d'Ivoire

foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining,

truck and bus assembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials,

electricity, ship construction and repair

Croatia

chemicals and plastics, machine tools, fabricated metal,

electronics, pig iron and rolled steel products, aluminum, paper,

wood products, construction materials, textiles, shipbuilding,

petroleum and petroleum refining, food and beverages, tourism

Cuba

sugar, petroleum, tobacco, construction, nickel, steel, cement,

agricultural machinery, pharmaceuticals

Cyprus

tourism, food and beverage processing, cement and gypsum

production, ship repair and refurbishment, textiles, light

chemicals, metal products, wood, paper, stone, and clay products

Czech Republic

metallurgy, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles,

glass, armaments

Denmark

iron, steel, nonferrous metals, chemicals, food processing,

machinery and transportation equipment, textiles and clothing,

electronics, construction, furniture and other wood products,

shipbuilding and refurbishment, windmills, pharmaceuticals, medical

equipment

Dhekelia

none

Djibouti

construction, agricultural processing

Dominica

soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement

blocks, shoes

Dominican Republic

tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold

mining, textiles, cement, tobacco

East Timor

printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth

Ecuador

petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products,

chemicals

Egypt

textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals,

pharmaceuticals, hydrocarbons, construction, cement, metals, light

manufactures

El Salvador

food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals,

fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals

Equatorial Guinea

petroleum, fishing, sawmilling, natural gas

Eritrea

food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles, light

manufacturing, salt, cement, commercial ship repair

Estonia

engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textile;

information technology, telecommunications

Ethiopia

food processing, beverages, textiles, leather, chemicals,

metals processing, cement

European Union

among the world's largest and most technologically

advanced, the European Union industrial base includes: ferrous and

non-ferrous metal production and processing, metal products,

petroleum, coal, cement, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, rail

transportation equipment, passenger and commercial vehicles,

construction equipment, industrial equipment, shipbuilding,

electrical power equipment, machine tools and automated

manufacturing systems, electronics and telecommunications equipment,

fishing, food and beverage processing, furniture, paper, textiles,

tourism

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

fish and wool processing; tourism

Faroe Islands

fishing, fish processing, small ship repair and

refurbishment, handicrafts

Fiji

tourism, sugar, clothing, copra, gold, silver, lumber, small

cottage industries

Finland

metals and metal products, electronics, machinery and

scientific instruments, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, foodstuffs,

chemicals, textiles, clothing

France

machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft,

electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism

French Polynesia

tourism, pearls, agricultural processing,

handicrafts, phosphates

Gabon

petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, gold; chemicals,

ship repair, food and beverages, textiles, lumbering and plywood,

cement

Gambia, The

processing peanuts, fish, and hides; tourism, beverages,

agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking, clothing

Gaza Strip

generally small family businesses that produce textiles,

soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the

Israelis have established some small-scale modern industries in an

industrial center, but operations ceased prior to Israel's

evacuation of Gaza Strip settlements

Georgia

steel, aircraft, machine tools, electrical appliances,

mining (manganese and copper), chemicals, wood products, wine

Germany

among the world's largest and most technologically advanced

producers of iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery,

vehicles, machine tools, electronics, food and beverages,

shipbuilding, textiles

Ghana

mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting,

food processing, cement, small commercial ship building

Gibraltar

tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco

Greece

tourism, food and tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals,

metal products; mining, petroleum

Greenland

fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut);

gold, niobium, tantalite, uranium, iron and diamond mining;

handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards

Grenada

food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations,

tourism, construction

Guam

US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services,

concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles

Guatemala

sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals,

petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism

Guernsey

tourism, banking

Guinea

bauxite, gold, diamonds; alumina refining; light

manufacturing and agricultural processing industries

Guinea-Bissau

agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks

Guyana

bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining

Haiti

sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, light

assembly industries based on imported parts

Holy See (Vatican City) printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps; a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities

Honduras

sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products

Hong Kong

textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping,

electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks

Hungary

mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods,

textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles

Iceland

fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production;

geothermal power, tourism

India

textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation

equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery, software

Indonesia

petroleum and natural gas, textiles, apparel, footwear,

mining, cement, chemical fertilizers, plywood, rubber, food, tourism

Iran

petroleum, petrochemicals, fertilizers, caustic soda, textiles,

cement and other construction materials, food processing

(particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), ferrous

and non-ferrous metal fabrication, armaments

Iraq

petroleum, chemicals, textiles, leather, construction

materials, food processing, fertilizer, metal fabrication/processing

Ireland

steel, lead, zinc, silver, aluminum, barite, and gypsum

mining processing; food products, brewing, textiles, clothing;

chemicals, pharmaceuticals; machinery, rail transportation

equipment, passenger and commercial vehicles, ship construction and

refurbishment; glass and crystal; software, tourism

Isle of Man

financial services, light manufacturing, tourism

Israel

high-technology projects (including aviation, communications,

computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics, fiber

optics), wood and paper products, potash and phosphates, food,

beverages, and tobacco, caustic soda, cement, construction, metals

products, chemical products, plastics, diamond cutting, textiles,

footwear

Italy

tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food

processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics

Jamaica

tourism, bauxite/alumina, agro processing, light

manufactures, rum, cement, metal, paper, chemical products,

telecommunications

Japan

among world's largest and technologically advanced producers

of motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and

nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals, textiles, processed foods

Jersey

tourism, banking and finance, dairy, electronics

Jordan

textiles, phosphate mining, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals,

petroleum refining, cement, potash, inorganic chemicals, light

manufacturing, tourism

Kazakhstan

oil, coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, lead, zinc,

copper, titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur, iron

and steel; tractors and other agricultural machinery, electric

motors, construction materials

Kenya

small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries,

textiles, clothing, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products,

horticulture, oil refining; aluminum, steel, lead; cement,

commercial ship repair, tourism

Kiribati

fishing, handicrafts

Korea, North

military products; machine building, electric power,

chemicals; mining (coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper,

zinc, lead, and precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food

processing; tourism

Korea, South

electronics, telecommunications, automobile production,

chemicals, shipbuilding, steel

Kuwait

petroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair,

desalination, food processing, construction materials

Kyrgyzstan

small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement,

shoes, sawn logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold,

rare earth metals

Laos

copper, tin, and gypsum mining; timber, electric power,

agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism, cement

Latvia

buses, vans, street and railroad cars; synthetic fibers,

agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios,

electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; note -

dependent on imports for energy and raw materials

Lebanon

banking, tourism, food processing, jewelry, cement,

textiles, mineral and chemical products, wood and furniture

products, oil refining, metal fabricating

Lesotho

food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts,

construction, tourism

Liberia

rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds

Libya

petroleum, iron and steel, food processing, textiles,

handicrafts, cement

Liechtenstein

electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products,

ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments,

tourism, optical instruments

Lithuania

metal-cutting machine tools, electric motors, television

sets, refrigerators and freezers, petroleum refining, shipbuilding

(small ships), furniture making, textiles, food processing,

fertilizers, agricultural machinery, optical equipment, electronic

components, computers, amber jewelry

Luxembourg

banking and financial services, iron and steel,

information technology, telecommunications, cargo transportation,

food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires,

glass, aluminum, tourism

Macau

tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear,

toys

Macedonia

food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, iron,

steel, cement, energy, pharmaceuticals

Madagascar

meat processing, seafood, soap, breweries, tanneries,

sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant,

paper, petroleum, tourism

Malawi

tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods

Malaysia

Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing and

manufacturing, light manufacturing industry, electronics, tin mining

and smelting, logging, timber processing; Sabah - logging, petroleum

production; Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleum production

and refining, logging

Maldives

fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut

processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand

mining

Mali

food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining

Malta

tourism, electronics, ship building and repair, construction,

food and beverages, textiles, footwear, clothing, tobacco

Marshall Islands

copra, tuna processing, tourism, craft items from

seashells, wood, and pearls

Mauritania

fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum

Mauritius

food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles,

clothing, mining, chemicals, metal products, transport equipment,

nonelectrical machinery, tourism

Mayotte

newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction

Mexico

food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel,

petroleum, mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer

durables, tourism

Micronesia, Federated States of

tourism, construction; fish

processing, specialized aquaculture; craft items from shell, wood,

and pearls

Moldova

sugar, vegetable oil, food processing, agricultural

machinery; foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing

machines; hosiery, shoes, textiles

Monaco

tourism, construction, small-scale industrial and consumer

products

Mongolia

construction and construction materials; mining (coal,

copper, molybdenum, fluorspar, tin, tungsten, and gold); oil; food

and beverages; processing of animal products, cashmere and natural

fiber manufacturing

Montenegro

steelmaking, agricultural processing, consumer goods,

tourism

Montserrat

tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances

Morocco

phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing,

leather goods, textiles, construction, tourism

Mozambique

food, beverages, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints),

aluminum, petroleum products, textiles, cement, glass, asbestos,

tobacco

Namibia

meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining

(diamonds, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)

Nauru

phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products

Nepal

tourism, carpet, textile; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed

mills; cigarettes, cement and brick production

Netherlands

agroindustries, metal and engineering products,

electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum,

construction, microelectronics, fishing

Netherlands Antilles

tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire),

petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities

(Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao)

New Caledonia

nickel mining and smelting

New Zealand

food processing, wood and paper products, textiles,

machinery, transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism,

mining

Nicaragua

food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products,

textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages,

footwear, wood

Niger

uranium mining, cement, brick, soap, textiles, food

processing, chemicals, slaughterhouses

Nigeria

crude oil, coal, tin, columbite; palm oil, peanuts, cotton,

rubber, wood; hides and skins, textiles, cement and other

construction materials, food products, footwear, chemicals,

fertilizer, printing, ceramics, steel, small commercial ship

construction and repair

Niue

tourism, handicrafts, food processing

Norfolk Island

tourism, light industry, ready mixed concrete

Northern Mariana Islands

tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts

Norway

petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and

paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing

Oman

crude oil production and refining, natural and liquefied

natural gas (LNG) production; construction, cement, copper, steel,

chemicals, optic fiber

Pakistan

textiles and apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals,

construction materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp

Palau

tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), construction,

garment making

Panama

construction, brewing, cement and other construction

materials, sugar milling

Papua New Guinea

copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood

production, wood chip production; mining of gold, silver, and

copper; crude oil production, petroleum refining; construction,

tourism

Paraguay

sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products, steel,

metallurgic, electric power

Peru

mining and refining of minerals; steel, metal fabrication;

petroleum extraction and refining, natural gas; fishing and fish

processing, textiles, clothing, food processing

Philippines

electronics assembly, garments, footwear,

pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood products, food processing,

petroleum refining, fishing

Pitcairn Islands

postage stamps, handicrafts, beekeeping, honey

Poland

machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals,

shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles

Portugal

textiles and footwear; wood pulp, paper, and cork; metals

and metalworking; oil refining; chemicals; fish canning; rubber and

plastic products; ceramics; electronics and communications

equipment; rail transportation equipment; aerospace equipment; ship

construction and refurbishment; wine; tourism

Puerto Rico

pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products,

tourism

Qatar

crude oil production and refining, ammonia, fertilizers,

petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement, commercial ship

repair

Romania

textiles and footwear, light machinery and auto assembly,

mining, timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, food

processing, petroleum refining

Russia

complete range of mining and extractive industries producing

coal, oil, gas, chemicals, and metals; all forms of machine building

from rolling mills to high-performance aircraft and space vehicles;

defense industries including radar, missile production, and advanced

electronic components, shipbuilding; road and rail transportation

equipment; communications equipment; agricultural machinery,

tractors, and construction equipment; electric power generating and

transmitting equipment; medical and scientific instruments; consumer

durables, textiles, foodstuffs, handicrafts

Rwanda

cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap,

furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes

Saint Helena

construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy

woodwork), fishing, philatelic sales

Saint Kitts and Nevis

sugar processing, tourism, cotton, salt,

copra, clothing, footwear, beverages

Saint Lucia

clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages,

corrugated cardboard boxes, tourism; lime processing, coconut

processing

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

fish processing and supply base for

fishing fleets; tourism

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

food processing, cement, furniture,

clothing, starch

Samoa

food processing, building materials, auto parts

San Marino

tourism, banking, textiles, electronics, ceramics,

cement, wine

Sao Tome and Principe

light construction, textiles, soap, beer, fish

processing, timber

Saudi Arabia

crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic

petrochemicals; ammonia, industrial gases, sodium hydroxide (caustic

soda), cement, fertilizer, plastics; metals, commercial ship repair,

commercial aircraft repair, construction

Senegal

agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining,

fertilizer production, petroleum refining, construction materials,

ship construction and repair

Serbia

sugar, agricultural machinery, electrical and communication

equipment, paper and pulp, lead, transportation equipment

Seychelles

fishing, tourism, processing of coconuts and vanilla,

coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture;

beverages

Sierra Leone

diamond mining; small-scale manufacturing (beverages,

textiles, cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining, small

commercial ship repair

Singapore

electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling

equipment, petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber

products, processed food and beverages, ship repair, offshore

platform construction, life sciences, entrepot trade

Slovakia

metal and metal products; food and beverages; electricity,

gas, coke, oil, nuclear fuel; chemicals and manmade fibers;

machinery; paper and printing; earthenware and ceramics; transport

vehicles; textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products

Slovenia

ferrous metallurgy and aluminum products, lead and zinc

smelting; electronics (including military electronics), trucks,

electric power equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals,

machine tools

Solomon Islands

fish (tuna), mining, timber

Somalia

a few light industries, including sugar refining, textiles,

wireless communication

South Africa

mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold,

chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textiles,

iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs, commercial ship

repair

Spain

textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages,

metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles,

machine tools, tourism, clay and refractory products, footwear,

pharmaceuticals, medical equipment

Sri Lanka

processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, tobacco and other

agricultural commodities; telecommunications, insurance, banking;

clothing, textiles; cement, petroleum refining

Sudan

oil, cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar,

soap distilling, shoes, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals,

armaments, automobile/light truck assembly

Suriname

bauxite and gold mining, alumina production; oil,

lumbering, food processing, fishing

Swaziland

mining (coal, raw asbestos), wood pulp, sugar, soft drink

concentrates, textile and apparel

Sweden

iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and

telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed

foods, motor vehicles

Switzerland

machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision

instruments

Syria

petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco,

phosphate rock mining

Taiwan

electronics, petroleum refining, armaments, chemicals,

textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing,

vehicles, consumer products, pharmaceuticals

Tajikistan

aluminum, zinc, lead; chemicals and fertilizers, cement,

vegetable oil, metal-cutting machine tools, refrigerators and

freezers

Tanzania

agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal

twine); diamond, gold, and iron mining, salt, soda ash; cement, oil

refining, shoes, apparel, wood products, fertilizer

Thailand

tourism, textiles and garments, agricultural processing,

beverages, tobacco, cement, light manufacturing such as jewelry and

electric appliances, computers and parts, integrated circuits,

furniture, plastics, automobiles and automotive parts; world's

second-largest tungsten producer and third-largest tin producer

Togo

phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement, handicrafts,

textiles, beverages

Tokelau

small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking,

plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing

Tonga

tourism, fishing

Trinidad and Tobago

petroleum, chemicals, tourism, food processing,

cement, beverage, cotton textiles

Tunisia

petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore),

tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages

Turkey

textiles, food processing, autos, electronics, mining (coal,

chromite, copper, boron), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber,

paper

Turkmenistan

natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food

processing

Turks and Caicos Islands

tourism, offshore financial services

Tuvalu

fishing, tourism, copra

Uganda

sugar, brewing, tobacco, cotton textiles; cement, steel

production

Ukraine

coal, electric power, ferrous and nonferrous metals,

machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food processing

(especially sugar)

United Arab Emirates

petroleum and petrochemicals; fishing,

aluminum, cement, fertilizers, commercial ship repair, construction

materials, some boat building, handicrafts, textiles

United Kingdom

machine tools, electric power equipment, automation

equipment, railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor

vehicles and parts, electronics and communications equipment,

metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food

processing, textiles, clothing, other consumer goods

United States

leading industrial power in the world, highly

diversified and technologically advanced; petroleum, steel, motor

vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics,

food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining

Uruguay

food processing, electrical machinery, transportation

equipment, petroleum products, textiles, chemicals, beverages

Uzbekistan

textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy,

gold, petroleum, natural gas, chemicals

Vanuatu

food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning

Venezuela

petroleum, construction materials, food processing,

textiles; iron ore mining, steel, aluminum; motor vehicle assembly

Vietnam

food processing, garments, shoes, machine-building; mining,

coal, steel; cement, chemical fertilizer, glass, tires, oil, paper

Virgin Islands

tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum

distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics

Wallis and Futuna

copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber

West Bank

generally small family businesses that produce cement,

textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs;

the Israelis have established some small-scale, modern industries in

the settlements and industrial centers

Western Sahara

phosphate mining, handicrafts

World

dominated by the onrush of technology, especially in

computers, robotics, telecommunications, and medicines and medical

equipment; most of these advances take place in OECD nations; only a

small portion of non-OECD countries have succeeded in rapidly

adjusting to these technological forces; the accelerated development

of new industrial (and agricultural) technology is complicating

already grim environmental problems

Yemen

crude oil production and petroleum refining; small-scale

production of cotton textiles and leather goods; food processing;

handicrafts; small aluminum products factory; cement; commercial

ship repair

Zambia

copper mining and processing, construction, foodstuffs,

beverages, chemicals, textiles, fertilizer, horticulture

Zimbabwe

mining (coal, gold, platinum, copper, nickel, tin, clay,

numerous metallic and nonmetallic ores), steel; wood products,

cement, chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs,

beverages

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2091 Infant mortality rate (deaths/1,000 live births)

Afghanistan

total: 160.23 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 164.77 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 155.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Albania

total: 20.75 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 21.2 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 20.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Algeria

total: 29.87 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 33.62 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 25.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

American Samoa

total: 9.07 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 9.66 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 8.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Andorra

total: 4.04 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4.38 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Angola

total: 185.36 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 197.56 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 172.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Anguilla

total: 20.32 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 26.67 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 13.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

total: 18.86 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 22.71 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 14.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Argentina

total: 14.73 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 16.58 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 12.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Armenia

total: 22.47 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 27.59 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 16.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Aruba

total: 5.79 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 6.6 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Australia

total: 4.63 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5.02 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Austria

total: 4.6 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5.65 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Azerbaijan

total: 79 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 81.08 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 76.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Bahamas, The

total: 24.68 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 30.29 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 18.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Bahrain

total: 16.8 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 19.65 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 13.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Bangladesh

total: 60.83 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 61.87 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 59.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Barbados

total: 11.77 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 13.38 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 10.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Belarus

total: 13 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 13.92 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 12.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Belgium

total: 4.62 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5.2 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Belize

total: 24.89 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 28.07 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 21.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Benin

total: 79.56 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 84.09 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 74.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Bermuda

total: 8.3 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 9.85 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Bhutan

total: 98.41 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 96.14 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 100.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Bolivia

total: 51.77 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 55.31 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 48.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

total: 9.82 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 11.26 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 8.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Botswana

total: 53.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 54.92 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 52.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Brazil

total: 28.6 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 32.3 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 24.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

British Virgin Islands

total: 16.72 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 19.5 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 13.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Brunei

total: 12.25 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 15.46 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 8.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Bulgaria

total: 19.85 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 23.52 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 15.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Burkina Faso

total: 91.35 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 99.17 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 83.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Burma

total: 61.85 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 72.68 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 50.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Burundi

total: 63.13 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 70.26 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 55.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Cambodia

total: 68.78 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 77.35 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 59.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Cameroon

total: 63.52 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 67.38 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 59.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Canada

total: 4.69 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5.15 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Cape Verde

total: 46.52 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 51.63 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 41.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Cayman Islands

total: 8 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 9.16 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Central African Republic

total: 85.63 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 92.44 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 78.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Chad

total: 91.45 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 100.12 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 82.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Chile

total: 8.58 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 9.32 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 7.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

China

total: 23.12 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 20.6 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 25.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Christmas Island

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Colombia

total: 20.35 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 24.25 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 16.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Comoros

total: 72.85 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 81.27 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 64.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

total: 88.62 deaths/1,000 live

births

male: 96.9 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 80.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

total: 85.29 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 91 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 79.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Cook Islands

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Costa Rica

total: 9.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 10.58 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 8.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

total: 89.11 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 105.73 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 71.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Croatia

total: 6.72 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 6.7 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Cuba

total: 6.22 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 6.99 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Cyprus

total: 7.04 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 8.74 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Czech Republic

total: 3.89 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4.24 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Denmark

total: 4.51 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4.54 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Djibouti

total: 102.44 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 110.07 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 94.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Dominica

total: 13.71 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 18.09 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 9.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Dominican Republic

total: 28.25 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 30.58 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 25.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

East Timor

total: 45.89 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 52.03 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 39.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Ecuador

total: 22.87 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 27.42 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 18.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Egypt

total: 31.33 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 32.04 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 30.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

El Salvador

total: 24.39 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 27.27 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 21.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

total: 89.21 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 95.22 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 83.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Eritrea

total: 46.3 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 52.22 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 40.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Estonia

total: 7.73 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 8.91 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Ethiopia

total: 93.62 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 103.43 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 83.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

European Union

total: 5.1 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5.6 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Faroe Islands

total: 6.12 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Fiji

total: 12.3 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 13.63 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 10.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Finland

total: 3.55 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 3.86 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

France

total: 4.21 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4.71 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

French Polynesia

total: 8.29 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 9.55 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Gabon

total: 54.51 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 63.65 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 45.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Gambia, The

total: 71.58 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 78.06 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 64.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Gaza Strip

total: 22.4 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 23.48 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 21.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Georgia

total: 17.97 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 20.06 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 15.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Germany

total: 4.12 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4.56 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Ghana

total: 55.02 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 59.56 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 50.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Gibraltar

total: 5.06 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5.63 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Greece

total: 5.43 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5.97 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Greenland

total: 15.4 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 16.73 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 14.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Grenada

total: 14.27 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 13.87 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 14.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Guam

total: 6.81 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 7.48 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Guatemala

total: 30.94 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 33.55 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 28.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Guernsey

total: 4.65 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5.19 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Guinea

total: 90 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 95.16 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 84.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

total: 105.21 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 115.53 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 94.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Guyana

total: 32.19 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 35.8 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 28.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Haiti

total: 71.65 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 78.01 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 65.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Honduras

total: 25.82 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 29 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 22.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Hong Kong

total: 2.95 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 3.13 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Hungary

total: 8.39 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 9.09 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 7.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Iceland

total: 3.29 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 3.43 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

India

total: 54.63 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 55.18 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 54.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Indonesia

total: 34.39 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 39.36 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 29.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Iran

total: 40.3 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 40.49 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 40.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Iraq

total: 48.64 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 54.39 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 42.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Ireland

total: 5.31 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5.82 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Isle of Man

total: 5.82 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Israel

total: 6.89 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 7.61 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Italy

total: 5.83 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 6.42 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Jamaica

total: 15.98 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 16.66 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 15.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Japan

total: 3.24 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 3.5 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Jersey

total: 5.16 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5.52 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Jordan

total: 16.76 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 20.04 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 13.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Kazakhstan

total: 28.3 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 32.88 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 23.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Kenya

total: 59.26 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 61.92 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 56.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Kiribati

total: 47.27 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 52.34 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 41.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Korea, North

total: 23.29 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 24.97 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 21.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Korea, South

total: 6.16 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 6.54 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Kuwait

total: 9.71 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 10.72 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 8.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

total: 34.49 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 39.72 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 28.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Laos

total: 83.31 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 92.95 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 73.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Latvia

total: 9.35 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 11.31 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 7.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Lebanon

total: 23.72 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 26.34 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 20.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Lesotho

total: 87.24 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 92.04 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 82.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Liberia

total: 155.76 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 171.96 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 139.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Libya

total: 23.71 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 25.99 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 21.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Liechtenstein

total: 4.64 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 6.24 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Lithuania

total: 6.78 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 8.12 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Luxembourg

total: 4.74 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4.73 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Macau

total: 4.35 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4.54 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Macedonia

total: 9.81 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 9.94 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 9.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Madagascar

total: 75.21 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 83.34 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 66.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Malawi

total: 94.37 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 98.66 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 89.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Malaysia

total: 17.16 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 19.87 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 14.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Maldives

total: 54.89 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 54.01 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 55.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Mali

total: 107.58 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 117.32 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 97.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Malta

total: 3.86 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4.34 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Marshall Islands

total: 28.43 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 31.93 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 24.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Mauritania

total: 69.48 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 72.44 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 66.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Mauritius

total: 14.59 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 17.23 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 11.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Mayotte

total: 60.76 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 66.76 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 54.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Mexico

total: 20.26 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 22.19 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 18.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of

total: 29.16 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 32.17 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 26.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Moldova

total: 38.38 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 41.44 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 35.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Monaco

total: 5.35 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 6.19 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Mongolia

total: 52.12 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 55.51 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 48.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Montserrat

total: 7.19 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 8.35 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Morocco

total: 40.24 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 43.99 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 36.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Mozambique

total: 129.24 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 134.31 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 124.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Namibia

total: 48.1 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 51.99 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 44.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Nauru

total: 9.78 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 12.29 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 7.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Nepal

total: 65.32 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 63.56 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 67.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Netherlands

total: 4.96 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5.52 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

total: 9.76 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 10.54 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 8.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

New Caledonia

total: 7.57 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 8.27 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

New Zealand

total: 5.76 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 6.59 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Nicaragua

total: 28.11 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 31.51 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 24.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Niger

total: 118.25 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 122.29 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 114.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Nigeria

total: 97.14 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 104.05 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 90.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Niue

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Norfolk Island

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Northern Mariana Islands

total: 6.98 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 6.92 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 7.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Norway

total: 3.67 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4.03 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Oman

total: 18.89 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 21.65 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 16 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Pakistan

total: 70.45 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 70.84 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 70.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Palau

total: 14.46 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 16.19 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 12.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Panama

total: 16.37 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 17.75 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 14.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea

total: 49.96 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 54.08 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 45.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Paraguay

total: 24.78 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 29.4 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 19.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Peru

total: 30.94 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 33.49 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 28.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Philippines

total: 22.81 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 25.59 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 19.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Pitcairn Islands

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Poland

total: 7.22 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 7.95 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Portugal

total: 4.98 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5.45 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Puerto Rico

total: 9.14 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 10.32 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 7.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Qatar

total: 18.04 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 21.27 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 14.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Romania

total: 25.5 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 28.64 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 22.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Russia

total: 15.13 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 17.43 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 12.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Rwanda

total: 89.61 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 94.71 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 84.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Saint Helena

total: 18.34 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 21.96 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 14.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

total: 14.12 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 15.85 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 12.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Saint Lucia

total: 13.17 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 14.29 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 11.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

total: 7.38 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 8.46 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

total: 14.4 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 15.67 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 13.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Samoa

total: 26.85 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 31.7 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 21.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

San Marino

total: 5.63 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 6.06 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe

total: 41.83 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 43.74 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 39.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Saudi Arabia

total: 12.81 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 14.71 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 10.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Senegal

total: 52.94 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 56.49 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 49.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Seychelles

total: 15.14 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 19.16 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 10.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Sierra Leone

total: 160.39 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 177.47 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 142.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Singapore

total: 2.29 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Slovakia

total: 7.26 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 8.48 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Slovenia

total: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4.99 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Solomon Islands

total: 20.63 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 23.54 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 17.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Somalia

total: 114.89 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 124.18 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 105.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

South Africa

total: 60.66 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 64.31 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 56.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Spain

total: 4.37 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4.76 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Sri Lanka

total: 13.97 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 15.18 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 12.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Sudan

total: 61.05 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 61.88 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 60.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Suriname

total: 23.02 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 26.89 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 18.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Svalbard

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Swaziland

total: 71.85 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 75.25 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 68.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Sweden

total: 2.76 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 2.92 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Switzerland

total: 4.34 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4.84 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Syria

total: 28.61 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 28.85 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 28.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Taiwan

total: 6.29 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 6.97 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Tajikistan

total: 106.49 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 117.83 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 94.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Tanzania

total: 96.48 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 105.64 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 87.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Thailand

total: 19.49 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 20.77 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 18.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Togo

total: 60.63 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 68.17 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 52.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Tokelau

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Tonga

total: 12.3 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 13.63 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 10.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

total: 25.05 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 26.86 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 23.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Tunisia

total: 23.84 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 26.7 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 20.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Turkey

total: 39.69 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 43.27 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 35.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Turkmenistan

total: 72.56 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 76.9 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 68 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

total: 15.18 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 17.55 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 12.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Tuvalu

total: 19.47 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 22.27 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 16.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Uganda

total: 66.15 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 69.51 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 62.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Ukraine

total: 9.9 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 11.48 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 8.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates

total: 14.09 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 16.57 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 11.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

United Kingdom

total: 5.08 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5.67 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

United States

total: 6.43 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 7.09 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Uruguay

total: 11.61 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 12.9 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 10.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Uzbekistan

total: 69.99 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 74.14 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 65.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Vanuatu

total: 53.8 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 56.35 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 51.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Venezuela

total: 21.54 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 24.58 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 18.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Vietnam

total: 25.14 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 25.54 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 24.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Virgin Islands

total: 7.86 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 8.93 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Wallis and Futuna

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA

West Bank

total: 19.15 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 21.12 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 17.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Western Sahara

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA

World

total: 48.87 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 50.98 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 46.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Yemen

total: 59.88 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 64.55 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 54.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Zambia

total: 86.84 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 94.08 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 79.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Zimbabwe

total: 51.71 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 54.5 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 48.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2092 Inflation rate (consumer prices) (%)

Afghanistan

16.3% (2005 est.)

Albania

2.8% (2006 est.)

Algeria

3% (2006 est.)

American Samoa

NA%

Andorra

3.4% (2004)

Angola

13.2% (2006 est.)

Anguilla

5.3% (2006 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

0.9% (2005 est.)

Argentina

10% (November 2006 est.)

Armenia

1.1% (2006 est.)

Aruba

3.4% (2005)

Australia

3.8% (2006 est.)

Austria

1.6% (2006 est.)

Azerbaijan

8% (2006 est.)

Bahamas, The

1.2% (2004)

Bahrain

3.5% (2006 est.)

Bangladesh

7.2% (2006 est.)

Barbados

-0.5% (2003 est.)

Belarus

9.5% (2006 est.)

Belgium

2.1% (2006 est.)

Belize

3% (2006 est.)

Benin

3% (2006 est.)

Bermuda

2.8% (November 2005)

Bhutan

7% (2005 est.)

Bolivia

4.3% (2006 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

8.2% (2006 est.)

Botswana

11.4% (2006 est.)

Brazil

4.2% (2006 est.)

British Virgin Islands

2% (2005)

Brunei

0.9% (2004)

Bulgaria

7.2% (2006 est.)

Burkina Faso

4% (2006 est.)

Burma

21.4% (2006 est.)

Burundi

11% (2006 est.)

Cambodia

5% (2006 est.)

Cameroon

2.4% (2006 est.)

Canada

2% (2006 est.)

Cape Verde

4.7% (2006 est.)

Cayman Islands

4.4% (2004)

Central African Republic

3.6% (2001 est.)

Chad

4% (2006 est.)

Chile

2.1% (2006 est.)

China

1.5% (2006 est.)

Colombia

4.3% (2006 est.)

Comoros

3% (2005 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

9% (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

2.6% (2006 est.)

Cook Islands

2.1% (2005 est.)

Costa Rica

12.1% (2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

3.2% (2006 est.)

Croatia

3.4% (2006 est.)

Cuba

5% (2006 est.)

Cyprus

Republic of Cyprus: 2.8% (2005 est.); north Cyprus: 9.1%

(2004 est.)

Czech Republic

2.7% (2006 est.)

Denmark

1.8% (2006 est.)

Djibouti

3% (2005 est.)

Dominica

-0.1% (2005 est.)

Dominican Republic

8.2% (2006 est.)

East Timor

1.4% (2005)

Ecuador

3.4% (2006 est.)

Egypt

6.5% (2006 est.)

El Salvador

4.3% (2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

5.2% (2006 est.)

Eritrea

14% (2006 est.)

Estonia

4.4% (2006 est.)

Ethiopia

10.5% (2006 est.)

European Union

2.2% (2006 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

3.6% (1998)

Faroe Islands

5.1% (1999)

Fiji

3% (2005)

Finland

1.7% (2006 est.)

France

2% (2006 est.)

French Polynesia

1.1% (2006 est.)

Gabon

2.2% (2006 est.)

Gambia, The

14% (2006 est.)

Gaza Strip

1.2% (includes West Bank) (2005)

Georgia

10% (2006 est.)

Germany

1.7% (2006 est.)

Ghana

10.9% (2006 est.)

Gibraltar

1.5% (1998)

Greece

3.3% (2006 est.)

Greenland

1.6% (1999 est.)

Grenada

3% (2005 est.)

Guam

2.5% (2005 est.)

Guatemala

6.6% (2006 est.)

Guernsey

3.4% (June 2006)

Guinea

27% (2006 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

4% (2002 est.)

Guyana

6% (2006 est.)

Haiti

14.4% (2006 est.)

Honduras

5.7% (2006 est.)

Hong Kong

2.2% (2006 est.)

Hungary

3.7% (2006 est.)

Iceland

6.8% (2006 est.)

India

5.3% (2006 est.)

Indonesia

13.2% (2006 est.)

Iran

15.8% (2006 est.)

Iraq

50% (2006 est.)

Ireland

3.9% (2006 est.)

Isle of Man

2.7% (2003 est.)

Israel

1.9% (2006 est.)

Italy

2.3% (2006 est.)

Jamaica

9.1% (2006 est.)

Japan

0.4% (2006 est.)

Jersey

5.3% (2004)

Jordan

4.6% (2006 est.)

Kazakhstan

8.6% (2006 est.)

Kenya

10.5% (2006 est.)

Kiribati

0.5% (2005 est.)

Korea, North

NA%

Korea, South

3% (2006 est.)

Kuwait

3% (2006 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

6.4% (2006 est.)

Laos

5.9% (2006 est.)

Latvia

6.3% (2006 est.)

Lebanon

4.8% (2006 est.)

Lesotho

5% (2006 est.)

Liberia

15% (2003 est.)

Libya

3.1% (2006 est.)

Liechtenstein

1% (2001)

Lithuania

3.6% (2006 est.)

Luxembourg

2.6% (2006 est.)

Macau

4.4% (2005)

Macedonia

3% (2006 est.)

Madagascar

12% (2006 est.)

Malawi

15.1% (2006 est.)

Malaysia

3.8% (2006 est.)

Maldives

6% (2005 est.)

Mali

4.5% (2002 est.)

Malta

3.3% (2006 est.)

Marshall Islands

3% (2005 est.)

Mauritania

7% (2003 est.)

Mauritius

8.9% (2006 est.)

Mayotte

NA%

Mexico

3.4% (2006 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of

2.2% (2005)

Moldova

12.8% (2006 est.)

Monaco

1.9% (2000)

Mongolia

9.5% (2005 est.)

Montenegro

3.4% (2004)

Montserrat

2.6% (2002 est.)

Morocco

2.8% (2006 est.)

Mozambique

12.8% (2006 est.)

Namibia

5% (2006 est.)

Nauru

-3.6% (1993)

Nepal

7.8% (October 2005 est.)

Netherlands

1.4% (2006 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

2.1% (2003 est.)

New Caledonia

-0.6% (2000 est.)

New Zealand

3.8% (2006 est.)

Nicaragua

9.4% (2006 est.)

Niger

0.2% (2004 est.)

Nigeria

10.5% (2006 est.)

Niue

4% (2005)

Northern Mariana Islands

-0.8% (2000)

Norway

2.3% (2006 est.)

Oman

2% (2006 est.)

Pakistan

7.9% (2006 est.)

Palau

2.7% (2005 est.)

Panama

2.6% (2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea

2.5% (2006 est.)

Paraguay

9% (2006 est.)

Peru

2.1% (2006 est.)

Philippines

6.6% (2006 est.)

Poland

1.3% (2006 est.)

Portugal

2.7% (2006 est.)

Puerto Rico

6.5% (2003 est.)

Qatar

7.2% (2006 est.)

Romania

6.8% (2006 est.)

Russia

9.8% (2006 est.)

Rwanda

6.7% (2006 est.)

Saint Helena

3.2% (1997 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

8.7% (2005 est.)

Saint Lucia

2.9% (2005 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

2.1% (1991-96 average)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

1% (2005 est.)

Samoa

3.3% (2005)

San Marino

-1.7% (2001)

Sao Tome and Principe

15% (2006 est.)

Saudi Arabia

1.9% (2006 est.)

Senegal

2% (2006 est.)

Serbia

15.5% (2005 est.)

Seychelles

0.7% (2006 est.)

Sierra Leone

1% (2002 est.)

Singapore

1% (2006 est.)

Slovakia

4.4% (2006 est.)

Slovenia

2.4% (2006 est.)

Solomon Islands

6.6% (2005 est.)

Somalia

NA%; note - businesses print their own money, so inflation

rates cannot be easily determined

South Africa

5% (2006 est.)

Spain

3.5% (2006 est.)

Sri Lanka

12.1% (2006 est.)

Sudan

9% (2006 est.)

Suriname

9.5% (2005 est.)

Swaziland

5.1% (2006 est.)

Sweden

1.4% (2006 est.)

Switzerland

1.2% (2006 est.)

Syria

7% (2006 est.)

Taiwan

1% (2006 est.)

Tajikistan

7.5% (2006 est.)

Tanzania

5.9% (2006 est.)

Thailand

5.1% (2006 est.)

Togo

2.8% (2006 est.)

Tokelau

NA%

Tonga

11.1% (2005 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

8% (2006 est.)

Tunisia

4.6% (2006 est.)

Turkey

9.8% (2006 est.)

Turkmenistan

11% (2006 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

4% (1995)

Tuvalu

3.9% (2005 est.)

Uganda

6% (2006 est.)

Ukraine

8.5% (2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates

10% (2006 est.)

United Kingdom

2.3% (2006 est.)

United States

2.5% (2006 est.)

Uruguay

6.5% (2006 est.)

Uzbekistan

7.6% (2006 est.)

Vanuatu

-1.6% (2005 est.)

Venezuela

15.8% (2006 est.)

Vietnam

7.5% (2006 est.)

Virgin Islands

2.2% (2003)

Wallis and Futuna

2.8% (2005)

West Bank

2.9% (includes Gaza Strip) (2005)

Western Sahara

NA%

World

developed countries 1% to 4% typically; developing countries

5% to 20% typically; national inflation rates vary widely in

individual cases, from declining prices in Japan to hyperinflation

in one Third World countries (Zimbabwe); inflation rates have

declined for most countries for the last several years, held in

check by increasing international competition from several low wage

countries (2005 est.)

Yemen

14.8% (2006 est.)

Zambia

8.8% (2006 est.)

Zimbabwe

976.4% official data; private sector estimates are much

higher (2006 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2093 Waterways (km)

Afghanistan

1,200 km (chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to

500 DWT) (2005)

Albania

43 km (2006)

Angola

1,300 km (2005)

Argentina

11,000 km (2005)

Australia

2,000 km (mainly used for recreation on Murray and

Murray-Darling river systems) (2002)

Austria

358 km (2003)

Bangladesh

8,372 km

note: includes 5,635 km main cargo routes; network reduced to 5,200

km in dry season (2005)

Belarus

2,500 km (use limited by location on perimeter of country

and by shallowness) (2003)

Belgium

2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2003)

Belize

825 km (navigable only by small craft) (2005)

Benin

150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2005)

Bolivia

10,000 km (commercially navigable) (2005)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Sava River (northern border) open to shipping

but use limited (2006)

Brazil

50,000 km (most in areas remote from industry and population)

(2005)

Brunei

209 km (navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m) (2005)

Bulgaria

470 km (2006)

Burma

12,800 km (2005)

Burundi

mainly on Lake Tanganyika (2003)

Cambodia

2,400 km (mainly on Mekong River) (2005)

Cameroon

navigation mainly on Benue River; limited during rainy

season (2005)

Canada

631 km

note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint

Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with United States (2003)

Central African Republic

2,800 km (primarily on the Oubangui and

Sangha rivers) (2005)

Chad

Chari and Legone rivers are navigable only in wet season (2002)

China

123,964 km (2003)

Colombia

18,000 km (2005)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

15,000 km (2005)

Congo, Republic of the

4,385 km (on Congo and Oubanqui rivers) (2005)

Costa Rica

730 km (seasonally navigable by small craft) (2005)

Cote d'Ivoire

980 km (navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal

lagoons) (2005)

Croatia

785 km (2006)

Cuba

240 km (2005)

Czech Republic

664 km (principally on Elbe as well as Vltava and

Oder rivers) (2005)

Denmark

400 km (2001)

Ecuador

1,500 km (most inaccessible) (2005)

Egypt

3,500 km

note: includes Nile River, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway,

and numerous smaller canals in delta; Suez Canal (193.5 km including

approaches) navigable by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 17.68 m

(2005)

El Salvador

Rio Lempa partially navigable (2004)

Estonia

500 km (2005)

European Union

52,332 km (2006)

Fiji

203 km

note: 122 km navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges

(2004)

Finland

7,842 km

note: includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part leased

from Russia (2005)

France

metropolitan France: 8,500 km (1,686 km accessible to craft

of 3,000 metric tons)

French Guiana: 3,760 km (460 km navigable by small oceangoing

vessels and coastal and river steamers, 3,300 km by native craft)

(2000)

Gabon

1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2005)

Gambia, The

390 km (on River Gambia; small ocean-going vessels can

reach 190 km) (2004)

Germany

7,467 km

note: Rhine River carries most goods; Main-Danube Canal links North

Sea and Black Sea (2005)

Ghana

1,293 km

note: 168 km for launches and lighters on Volta, Ankobra, and Tano

rivers; 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways on Lake Volta

(2005)

Greece

6 km

note: Corinth Canal (6 km) crosses the Isthmus of Corinth; shortens

sea voyage by 325 km (2006)

Guatemala

990 km

note: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable

during high-water season (2004)

Guinea

1,300 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft) (2005)

Guinea-Bissau

four largest rivers are navigable for some distance;

many inlets and creeks give shallow-water access to much of interior

(2006)

Guyana

Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers are navigable by

oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km respectively (2005)

Honduras

465 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2005)

Hungary

1,622 km (most on Danube River) (2006)

India

14,500 km

note: 5,200 km on major rivers and 485 km on canals suitable for

mechanized vessels (2005)

Indonesia

21,579 km (2005)

Iran

850 km (850 km on Karun River; additional service on Lake

Urmia) (2006)

Iraq

5,279 km

note: Euphrates River (2,815 km), Tigris River (1,899 km), and Third

River (565 km) are principal waterways (2004)

Ireland

753 km (pleasure craft only) (2005)

Italy

2,400 km

note: used for commercial traffic; of limited overall value compared

to road and rail (2004)

Japan

1,770 km (seagoing vessels use inland seas) (2006)

Kazakhstan

4,000 km (on the Ertis (Irtysh) (80%) and Syr Darya

(Syrdariya) rivers) (2005)

Kenya

part of Lake Victoria system is within boundaries of Kenya

(2003)

Kiribati

5 km (small network of canals in Line Islands) (2003)

Korea, North

2,250 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2006)

Korea, South

1,608 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2006)

Kyrgyzstan

600 km (2006)

Laos

4,600 km

note: primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional km are

intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m (2005)

Latvia

300 km (2005)

Liechtenstein

28 km (2005)

Lithuania

425 km (2005)

Luxembourg

37 km (on Moselle River) (2003)

Madagascar

600 km (2005)

Malawi

700 km (on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire River) (2006)

Malaysia

7,200 km

note: Peninsular Malaysia 3,200 km, Sabah 1,500 km, Sarawak 2,500 km

(2005)

Mali

1,815 km (2005)

Mexico

2,900 km (navigable rivers and coastal canals) (2005)

Moldova

424 km (on Dniester River) (2005)

Mongolia

580 km

note: only waterway in operation is Lake Hovsgol (135 km); Selenge

River (270 km) and Orhon River (175 km) are navigable but carry

little traffic; lakes and rivers freeze in winter, are open from May

to September (2004)

Mozambique

460 km (Zambezi River navigable to Tete and along Cahora

Bassa Lake) (2002)

Netherlands

6,183 km (navigable for ships of 50 tons) (2005)

Nicaragua

2,220 km (including lakes Managua and Nicaragua) (2005)

Niger

300 km (the Niger, the only major river, is navigable to Gaya

between September and March) (2005)

Nigeria

8,600 km (Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers and

creeks) (2005)

Norway

1,577 km (2002)

Panama

800 km (includes 82 km Panama Canal) (2005)

Papua New Guinea

10,940 km (2003)

Paraguay

3,100 km (2005)

Peru

8,808 km

note: 8,600 km of navigable tributaries of Amazon system and 208 km

of Lago Titicaca (2005)

Philippines

3,219 km (limited to vessels with draft less than 1.5 m)

(2005)

Poland

3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2005)

Portugal

210 km (on Douro River from Porto) (2003)

Romania

1,731 km

note: includes 1,075 km on Danube River, 524 km on secondary

branches, and 132 km on canals (2005)

Russia

102,000 km (including 33,000 km with guaranteed depth)

note: 72,000 km system in European Russia links Baltic Sea, White

Sea, Caspian Sea, Sea of Azov, and Black Sea (2005)

Rwanda

Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft

(2005)

Senegal

1,000 km (primarily on Senegal, Saloum, and Casamance

rivers) (2005)

Serbia

587 km - primarily on Danube and Sava rivers (2005)

Sierra Leone

800 km (600 km year round) (2005)

Slovakia

172 km (on Danube River) (2005)

Spain

1,000 km (2003)

Sri Lanka

160 km (primarily on rivers in southwest) (2005)

Sudan

4,068 km (1,723 km open year round on White and Blue Nile

rivers) (2005)

Suriname

1,200 km (most navigable by ships with drafts up to 7 m)

(2005)

Sweden

2,052 km (2005)

Switzerland

65 km (Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and

Schaffhausen-Bodensee) (2003)

Syria

900 km (not economically significant) (2005)

Tajikistan

200 km (along Vakhsh River) (2006)

Tanzania

Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, and Lake Nyasa principal

avenues of commerce with neighboring countries; rivers not navigable

(2005)

Thailand 4,000 km note: 3,701 km navigable by boats with drafts up to 0.9 m (2005)

Togo

50 km (seasonally on Mono River depending on rainfall) (2005)

Turkey

1,200 km (2005)

Turkmenistan

1,300 km (Amu Darya and Kara Kum canal important inland

waterways) (2006)

Uganda

on Lake Victoria, 200 km on Lake Albert, Lake Kyoga, and

parts of Albert Nile (2005)

Ukraine

2,253 km (most on Dnieper River) (2006)

United Kingdom

3,200 km (620 km used for commerce) (2003)

United States

41,009 km (19,312 km used for commerce)

note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint

Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with Canada (2004)

Uruguay

1,600 km (2005)

Uzbekistan

1,100 km (2006)

Venezuela

7,100 km

note: Orinoco River and Lake de Maracaibo navigable by oceangoing

vessels, Orinoco for 400 km (2005)

Vietnam

17,702 km (5,000 km navigable by vessels up to 1.8 m draft)

(2005)

World

671,886 km (2004)

Zambia

2,250 km (includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and

Luapula rivers) (2005)

Zimbabwe

on Lake Kariba, length small (2005)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2094 Judicial branch

Afghanistan

the constitution establishes a nine-member Stera Mahkama

or Supreme Court (its nine justices are appointed for 10-year terms

by the president with approval of the Wolesi Jirga) and subordinate

High Courts and Appeals Courts; there is also a minister of justice;

a separate Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission established by

the Bonn Agreement is charged with investigating human rights abuses

and war crimes

Albania

Constitutional Court, Supreme Court (chairman is elected by

the People's Assembly for a four-year term), and multiple appeals

and district courts

Algeria

Supreme Court

American Samoa

High Court (chief justice and associate justices are

appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior)

Andorra

Tribunal of Judges or Tribunal de Batlles; Tribunal of the

Courts or Tribunal de Corts; Supreme Court of Justice of Andorra or

Tribunal Superior de Justicia d'Andorra; Supreme Council of Justice

or Consell Superior de la Justicia; Fiscal Ministry or Ministeri

Fiscal; Constitutional Tribunal or Tribunal Constitucional

Angola

Supreme Court and separate provincial courts (judges are

appointed by the president)

Anguilla

High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme

Court)

Antigua and Barbuda

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint

Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands

and presides over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction); member

Caribbean Court of Justice

Argentina

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (the nine Supreme Court

judges are appointed by the president with approval by the Senate)

note: the Supreme Court currently has two unfilled vacancies, and

the Argentine Congress is considering a bill to reduce the number of

Supreme Court judges to five

Armenia

Constitutional Court; Court of Cassation (Appeals Court)

Aruba

Common Court of Justice of Aruba (judges are appointed by the

monarch)

Australia

High Court (the chief justice and six other justices are

appointed by the governor general)

Austria

Supreme Judicial Court or Oberster Gerichtshof;

Administrative Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof; Constitutional Court

or Verfassungsgerichtshof

Azerbaijan

Supreme Court

Bahamas, The

Privy Council (London); Courts of Appeal; Supreme

(lower) Court; magistrates courts

Bahrain

High Civil Appeals Court

Bangladesh

Supreme Court (the chief justices and other judges are

appointed by the president)

Barbados

Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the

Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Services); Caribbean

Court of Justice is the highest court of appeal

Belarus

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president);

Constitutional Court (half of the judges appointed by the president

and half appointed by the Chamber of Representatives)

Belgium

Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) or

Cour de Cassation (in French) (judges are appointed for life by the

government; candidacies have to be submitted by the High Justice

Council)

Belize

Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor

general on the advice of the prime minister)

Benin

Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court

or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice

Bermuda

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts

Bhutan

Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges

appointed by the monarch)

Bolivia

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges appointed for 10-year

terms by National Congress); District Courts (one in each

department); provincial and local courts (to try minor cases)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

BH Constitutional Court (consists of nine

members: four members are selected by the Bosniak/Croat Federation's

House of Representatives, two members by the Republika Srpska's

National Assembly, and three non-Bosnian members by the president of

the European Court of Human Rights); BH State Court (consists of

nine judges and three divisions - Administrative, Appellate and

Criminal - having jurisdiction over cases related to state-level law

and appellate jurisdiction over cases initiated in the entities);

note - a War Crimes Chamber opened in March 2005

note: the entities each have a Supreme Court; each entity also has a

number of lower courts; there are 10 cantonal courts in the

Federation, plus a number of municipal courts; the Republika Srpska

has five municipal courts

Botswana

High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates' Courts (one in

each district)

Brazil

Supreme Federal Tribunal (11 ministers are appointed for life

by the president and confirmed by the Senate); Higher Tribunal of

Justice; Regional Federal Tribunals (judges are appointed for life);

note - though appointed "for life," judges, like all federal

employees, have a mandatory retirement age of 70

British Virgin Islands

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting

of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal (one judge of

the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the

High Court); Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court; Court of Summary

Jurisdiction

Brunei

Supreme Court - chief justice and judges are sworn in by

monarch for three-year terms; Judicial Committee of Privy Council in

London is final court of appeal for civil cases; Shariah courts deal

with Islamic laws (2006)

Bulgaria

Supreme Administrative Court; Supreme Court of Cassation;

Constitutional Court (12 justices appointed or elected for nine-year

terms); Supreme Judicial Council (consists of the chairmen of the

two Supreme Courts, the Chief Prosecutor, and 22 other members;

responsible for appointing the justices, prosecutors, and

investigating magistrates in the justice system; members of the

Supreme Judicial Council elected for five-year terms, 11 elected by

the National Assembly and 11 by bodies of the judiciary)

Burkina Faso

Supreme Court; Appeals Court

Burma

remnants of the British-era legal system are in place, but

there is no guarantee of a fair public trial; the judiciary is not

independent of the executive

Burundi

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court; Courts

of Appeal (there are three in separate locations); Tribunals of

First Instance (17 at the province level and 123 small local

tribunals)

Cambodia

Supreme Council of the Magistracy (provided for in the

constitution and formed in December 1997); Supreme Court (and lower

courts) exercises judicial authority

Cameroon

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); High

Court of Justice (consists of nine judges and six substitute judges,

elected by the National Assembly)

Canada

Supreme Court of Canada (judges are appointed by the prime

minister through the governor general); Federal Court of Canada;

Federal Court of Appeal; Provincial Courts (these are named

variously Court of Appeal, Court of Queens Bench, Superior Court,

Supreme Court, and Court of Justice)

Cape Verde

Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia

Cayman Islands

Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of

Appeal

Central African Republic

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme;

Constitutional Court (3 judges appointed by the president, 3 by the

president of the National Assembly, and 3 by fellow judges); Court

of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Inferior Courts

Chad

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Magistrate

Courts

Chile

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by the

president and ratified by the Senate from lists of candidates

provided by the court itself; the president of the Supreme Court is

elected every three years by the 20-member court); Constitutional

Tribunal

China

Supreme People's Court (judges appointed by the National

People's Congress); Local People's Courts (comprise higher,

intermediate, and local courts); Special People's Courts (primarily

military, maritime, and railway transport courts)

Christmas Island

Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court

Colombia

four roughly coequal, supreme judicial organs; Supreme

Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (highest court of

criminal law; judges are selected by their peers from the nominees

of the Superior Judicial Council for eight-year terms); Council of

State (highest court of administrative law; judges are selected from

the nominees of the Superior Judicial Council for eight-year terms);

Constitutional Court (guards integrity and supremacy of the

constitution; rules on constitutionality of laws, amendments to the

constitution, and international treaties); Superior Judicial Council

(administers and disciplines the civilian judiciary; resolves

jurisdictional conflicts arising between other courts; members are

elected by three sister courts and Congress for eight-year terms)

Comoros

Supreme Court or Cour Supremes (two members appointed by the

president, two members elected by the Federal Assembly, one elected

by the Council of each island, and others are former presidents of

the republic)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Congo, Republic of the

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Cook Islands

High Court

Costa Rica

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected

for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)

Cote d'Ivoire

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consists of four

chambers: Judicial Chamber for criminal cases, Audit Chamber for

financial cases, Constitutional Chamber for judicial review cases,

and Administrative Chamber for civil cases; there is no legal limit

to the number of members

Croatia

Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; judges for both courts

appointed for eight-year terms by the Judicial Council of the

Republic, which is elected by the Assembly

Cuba

People's Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo Popular (president,

vice president, and other judges are elected by the National

Assembly)

Cyprus

Supreme Court (judges are appointed jointly by the president

and vice president)

note: there is also a Supreme Court in the area administered by

Turkish Cyriots

Czech Republic

Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; chairman and

deputy chairmen are appointed by the president for a 10-year term

Denmark

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch for life)

Djibouti

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Dominica

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the Court of

Appeal and the High Court (located in Saint Lucia; one of the six

judges must reside in Dominica and preside over the Court of Summary

Jurisdiction)

Dominican Republic

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are

appointed by the National Judicial Council comprised of the

president, the leaders of both chambers of congress, the president

of the Supreme Court, and an additional non-governing party

congressional representative)

East Timor

Supreme Court of Justice - constitution calls for one

judge to be appointed by National Parliament and rest appointed by

Superior Council for Judiciary; note - until Supreme Court is

established, Court of Appeals is highest court

Ecuador

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (according to the

Constitution, new justices are elected by the full Supreme Court; in

December 2004, however, Congress successfully replaced the entire

court via a simple-majority resolution)

Egypt

Supreme Constitutional Court

El Salvador

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are selected by

the Legislative Assembly)

Equatorial Guinea

Supreme Tribunal

Eritrea

High Court - regional, subregional, and village courts; also

have military and special courts

Estonia

National Court (chairman appointed by Parliament for life)

Ethiopia

Federal Supreme Court (the president and vice president of

the Federal Supreme Court are recommended by the prime minister and

appointed by the House of People's Representatives; for other

federal judges, the prime minister submits to the House of People's

Representatives for appointment candidates selected by the Federal

Judicial Administrative Council)

European Union

Court of Justice of the European Communities (ensures

that the treaties are interpreted and applied uniformly throughout

the EU; resolve constitutional issues among the EU institutions) -

27 justices (one from each member state) appointed for a six-year

term; note - for the sake of efficiency, the court can sit with 13

justices known as the "Grand Chamber"; Court of First Instance - 27

justices appointed for a six-year term

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Supreme Court (chief justice is a nonresident); Magistrates Court (senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions); Court of Summary Jurisdiction

Faroe Islands

none

Fiji

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); Court of

Appeal; High Court; Magistrates' Courts

Finland

Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the

president)

France

Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (judges are

appointed by the president from nominations of the High Council of

the Judiciary); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel

(three members appointed by the president, three appointed by the

president of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the

president of the Senate); Council of State or Conseil d'Etat

French Polynesia

Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First

Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative

Law or Tribunal Administratif

Gabon

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consisting of three chambers -

Judicial, Administrative, and Accounts; Constitutional Court; Courts

of Appeal; Court of State Security; County Courts

Gambia, The

Supreme Court

Georgia

Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council on the

president's or chairman of the Supreme Court's recommendation);

Constitutional Court; first and second instance courts

Germany

Federal Constitutional Court or Bundesverfassungsgericht

(half the judges are elected by the Bundestag and half by the

Bundesrat)

Ghana

Supreme Court

Gibraltar

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Greece

Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges

appointed for life by the president after consultation with a

judicial council

Greenland

High Court or Landsret (appeals can be made to the Ostre

Landsret or Eastern Division of the High Court or Supreme Court in

Copenhagen)

Grenada

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of a court of

Appeal and a High Court of Justice (a High Court judge is assigned

to and resides in Grenada)

Guam

Federal District Court (judge is appointed by the president);

Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms by

the governor)

Guatemala

Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitutcionalidad is

Guatemala's highest court (five judges are elected for concurrent

five-year terms by Congress, each serving one year as president of

the Constitutional Court; one is elected by Congress, one elected by

the Supreme Court of Justice, one appointed by the president, one

elected by Superior Counsel of Universidad San Carlos de Guatemala,

and one by Colegio de Abogados); Supreme Court of Justice or Corte

Suprema de Justicia (13 members serve concurrent five-year terms and

elect a president of the Court each year from among their number;

the president of the Supreme Court of Justice also supervises trial

judges around the country, who are named to five-year terms)

Guernsey

Royal Court

Guinea

Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Guinea-Bissau

Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica (consists

of nine justices appointed by the president and serve at his

pleasure; final court of appeals in criminal and civil cases);

Regional Courts (one in each of nine regions; first court of appeals

for Sectoral Court decisions; hear all felony cases and civil cases

valued at over $1,000); 24 Sectoral Courts (judges are not

necessarily trained lawyers; they hear civil cases under $1,000 and

misdemeanor criminal cases)

Guyana

Supreme Court of Judicature, consisting of the High Court and

the Judicial Court of Appeal, with right of final appeal to the

Caribbean Court of Justice

Haiti

Supreme Court or Cour de Cassation

Holy See (Vatican City)

there are three tribunals responsible for

civil and criminal matters within Vatican City; three other

tribunals rule on issues pertaining to the Holy See

note: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of Pope

PIUS XII on 1 May 1946

Honduras

Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia

(judges are elected for seven-year terms by the National Congress)

Hong Kong

Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special

Administrative Region

Hungary

Constitutional Court (judges are elected by the National

Assembly for nine-year terms)

Iceland

Supreme Court or Haestirettur (justices are appointed for

life by the Minister of Justice); eight district courts (justices

are appointed for life by the Minister of Justice)

India

Supreme Court (one chief justice and 25 associate justices are

appointed by the president and remain in office until they reach the

age of 65 or are removed for "proved misbehavior")

Indonesia

Supreme Court or Mahkamah Agung (justices appointed by the

president from a list of candidates approved by the legislature); a

separate Constitutional Court or Mahkamah Konstitusi was invested by

the president on 16 August 2003; in March 2004 the Supreme Court

assumed administrative and financial responsibility for the lower

court system from the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights; Labor

Court under supervision of Supreme Court began functioning in

January 2006

Iran

Supreme Court - above a special clerical court, a revolutionary

court, and a special administrative court

Iraq

the Iraq Constitution calls for the Federal Judicial Authority,

comprised of the Higher Juridical Council, Supreme Federal Court,

Federal Court of Cassation, Public Prosecution Department, Judiciary

Oversight Commission and other federal courts that are regulated in

accordance with the law

Ireland

Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the

advice of the prime minister and cabinet)

Isle of Man

High Court of Justice (justices are appointed by the

Lord Chancellor of England on the nomination of the lieutenant

governor)

Israel

Supreme Court (justices appointed by Judicial Selection

Committee - made up of all three branches of the government;

mandatory retirement age is 70)

Italy

Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale (composed of 15

judges: one-third appointed by the president, one-third elected by

parliament, one-third elected by the ordinary and administrative

Supreme Courts)

Jamaica

Supreme Court (judges appointed by the governor general on

the advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal

Japan

Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the monarch after

designation by the cabinet; all other justices are appointed by the

cabinet)

Jersey

Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the

bailiff)

Jordan

Court of Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final appeal)

Kazakhstan

Supreme Court (44 members); Constitutional Council (7

members)

Kenya

Court of Appeal (chief justice is appointed by the president);

High Court

Kiribati

Court of Appeal; High Court; 26 Magistrates' courts; judges

at all levels are appointed by the president

Korea, North

Central Court (judges are elected by the Supreme

People's Assembly)

Korea, South

Supreme Court (justices appointed by president with

consent of National Assembly); Constitutional Court (justices

appointed by president based partly on nominations by National

Assembly and Chief Justice of the court)

Kuwait

High Court of Appeal

Kyrgyzstan

Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (judges of both the

Supreme and Constitutional Courts are appointed for 10-year terms by

the Jorgorku Kenesh on the recommendation of the president); Higher

Court of Arbitration; Local Courts (judges appointed by the

president on the recommendation of the National Council on Legal

Affairs for a probationary period of five years, then 10 years)

Laos

People's Supreme Court (the president of the People's Supreme

Court is elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of

the National Assembly Standing Committee; the vice president of the

People's Supreme Court and the judges are appointed by the National

Assembly Standing Committee)

Latvia

Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by

Parliament); Constitutional Court (judges' appointments are

confirmed by Parliament)

Lebanon

four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and

commercial cases and one court for criminal cases); Constitutional

Council (called for in Ta'if Accord - rules on constitutionality of

laws); Supreme Council (hears charges against the president and

prime minister as needed)

Lesotho

High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch acting on

the advice of the Prime Minister); Court of Appeal; Magistrate

Courts; customary or traditional court

Liberia

Supreme Court

Libya

Supreme Court

Liechtenstein

Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal

or Obergericht

Lithuania

Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal;

judges for all courts appointed by the President

Luxembourg

judicial courts and tribunals (3 Justices of the Peace, 2

district courts, and 1 Supreme Court of Appeals); administrative

courts and tribunals (State Prosecutor's Office, administrative

courts and tribunals, and the Constitutional Court); judges for all

courts are appointed for life by the monarch

Macau

Court of Final Appeal in Macau Special Administrative Region

Macedonia

Supreme Court - the Assembly appoints the judges;

Constitutional Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Republican

Judicial Council - the Assembly appoints the judges

Madagascar

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court

or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle

Malawi

Supreme Court of Appeal; High Court (chief justice appointed

by the president, puisne judges appointed on the advice of the

Judicial Service Commission); magistrate's courts

Malaysia

Federal Court (judges appointed by the paramount ruler on

the advice of the prime minister)

Maldives

High Court

Mali

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Malta

Constitutional Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts

are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister

Marshall Islands

Supreme Court; High Court; Traditional Rights Court

Mauritania

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower

courts

Mauritius

Supreme Court

Mayotte

Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

Mexico

Supreme Court of Justice or Suprema Corte de Justicia

Nacional (justices or ministros are appointed by the president with

consent of the Senate)

Micronesia, Federated States of

Supreme Court

Moldova

Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for

constitutional judicature)

Monaco

Supreme Court or Tribunal Supreme (judges appointed by the

monarch on the basis of nominations by the National Council)

Mongolia

Supreme Court (serves as appeals court for people's and

provincial courts but rarely overturns verdicts of lower courts;

judges are nominated by the General Council of Courts and approved

by the president)

Montenegro

Constitutional Court (five judges with nine-year terms);

Supreme Court (judges have life tenure)

Montserrat

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia,

one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and

presides over the High Court)

Morocco

Supreme Court (judges are appointed on the recommendation of

the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the monarch)

Mozambique

Supreme Court (the court of final appeal; some of its

professional judges are appointed by the president and some are

elected by the Assembly); other courts include an Administrative

Court, customs courts, maritime courts, courts marshal, labor courts

note: although the constitution provides for a separate

Constitutional Court, one has never been established; in its absence

the Supreme Court reviews constitutional cases

Namibia

Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the

recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission)

Nauru

Supreme Court

Nepal

Supreme Court or Sarbochha Adalat (chief justice is appointed

by the monarch on recommendation of the Constitutional Council; the

other judges are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of

the Judicial Council)

Netherlands

Supreme Court or Hoge Raad (justices are nominated for

life by the monarch)

Netherlands Antilles

Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed

by the monarch)

New Caledonia

Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint

Commerce Tribunal Court; Children's Court

New Zealand

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; High Court; note -

Judges appointed by the Governor-General

Nicaragua

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (16 judges elected for

five-year terms by the National Assembly)

Niger

State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel

Nigeria

Supreme Court (judges appointed by the President); Federal

Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the federal government on

the advice of the Advisory Judicial Committee)

Niue

Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue

Norfolk Island

Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions

Northern Mariana Islands

Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court;

Federal District Court

Norway

Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (justices appointed by the

monarch)

Oman

Supreme Court

note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has

judges who practice secular and Shari'a law

Pakistan

Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president);

Federal Islamic or Shari'a Court

Palau

Supreme Court; National Court; Court of Common Pleas

Panama

Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (nine

judges appointed for 10-year terms); five superior courts; three

courts of appeal

Papua New Guinea

Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by

the governor general on the proposal of the National Executive

Council after consultation with the minister responsible for

justice; other judges are appointed by the Judicial and Legal

Services Commission)

Paraguay

Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia

(judges appointed on the proposal of the Council of Magistrates or

Consejo de la Magistratura)

Peru

Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges

are appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary)

Philippines

Supreme Court (15 justices are appointed by the

president on the recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council and

serve until 70 years of age); Court of Appeals; Sandigan-bayan

(special court for hearing corruption cases of government officials)

Pitcairn Islands

Magistrate's Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal;

Judicial Officers are appointed by the Governor

Poland

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president on the

recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary for an

indefinite period); Constitutional Tribunal (judges are chosen by

the Sejm for nine-year terms)

Portugal

Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (judges

appointed for life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura)

Puerto Rico

Supreme Court; Appellate Court; Court of First Instance

composed of two sections: a Superior Court and a Municipal Court

(justices for all these courts appointed by the governor with the

consent of the Senate)

Qatar

Court of Appeal

note: under a judiciary law issued in 2003, the former two court

systems, civil and Islamic law, were merged under a higher court,

the Court of Cassation, established for appeals

Romania

Supreme Court of Justice (comprised of 11 judges appointed

for three-year terms by the president in consultation with the

Superior Council of Magistrates, which is comprised of the minister

of justice, the prosecutor general, two civil society

representatives appointed by the Senate, and 14 judges and

prosecutors elected by their peers); a separate body, the

Constitutional Court, validates elections and makes decisions

regarding the constitutionality of laws, treaties, ordinances, and

internal rules of the Parliament; it is comprised of nine members

serving nine-year terms, with three members each appointed by the

president, the Senate, and the Chamber of Deputies

Russia

Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Supreme Arbitration

Court; judges for all courts are appointed for life by the

Federation Council on the recommendation of the president

Rwanda

Supreme Court; High Courts of the Republic; Provincial

Courts; District Courts; mediation committees

Saint Helena

Magistrate's Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on

Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Kitts

and Nevis)

Saint Lucia

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (jurisdiction extends to

Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica,

Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint

Vincent and the Grenadines)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal

Superieur d'Appel

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court

(based on Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court resides in

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)

Samoa

Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; District Court; Land and

Titles Court

San Marino

Council of Twelve or Consiglio dei XII

Sao Tome and Principe

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the

National Assembly)

Saudi Arabia

Supreme Council of Justice

Senegal

Constitutional Court; Council of State; Court of Final

Appeals or Cour de Cassation; Court of Appeals

Serbia

Constitutional Court, Supreme Court (to become court of

cassation under new constitution), appellate courts, district

courts, municipal courts; Kosovo: Supreme Court, district courts,

municipal courts, minor offense courts; note - Ministry of Justice

was created on 20 December 2004; UNMIK appoints all judges and

prosecutors; UNMIK is working on transferring competencies

Seychelles

Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts

are appointed by the president

Sierra Leone

Supreme Court; Appeals Court; High Court

Singapore

Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president

with the advice of the prime minister, other judges are appointed by

the president with the advice of the chief justice); Court of Appeals

Slovakia

Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Council);

Constitutional Court (judges appointed by president from group of

nominees approved by the National Council); Special Court (judges

elected by a council of judges and appointed by president)

Slovenia

Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly

on the recommendation of the Judicial Council); Constitutional Court

(judges elected for nine-year terms by the National Assembly and

nominated by the president)

Solomon Islands

Court of Appeal

Somalia

following the breakdown of the central government, most

regions have reverted to local forms of conflict resolution, either

secular, traditional Somali customary law, or Shari'a (Islamic) law

with a provision for appeal of all sentences

South Africa

Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High

Courts; Magistrate Courts

Spain

Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo

Sri Lanka

Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges for both courts

are appointed by the president

Sudan

Constitutional Court of nine justices; National Supreme Court;

National Courts of Appeal; other national courts; National Judicial

Service Commission will undertake overall management of the National

Judiciary

Suriname

Cantonal Courts and a Court of Justice as an appellate

court (justices are nominated for life)

Swaziland

High Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are

appointed by the monarch

Sweden

Supreme Court or Hogsta Domstolen (judges are appointed by

the prime minister and the cabinet)

Switzerland

Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms

by the Federal Assembly)

Syria

Supreme Judicial Council (appoints and dismisses judges;

headed by the President); national level - Supreme Constitutional

Court (adjudicates electoral disputes and rules on constitutionality

of laws and decrees; justices appointed for four-year terms by the

President); Court of Cassation; Appeals Courts (Appeals Courts

represent an intermediate level between the Court of Cassation and

local level courts); local level - Magistrate Courts; Courts of

First Instance; Juvenile Courts; Customs Courts; specialized courts

- Economic Security Courts (hear cases related to economic crimes);

Supreme State Security Court (hear cases related to national

security); Personal Status Courts (religious; hear cases related to

marriage and divorce)

Taiwan

Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with

consent of the Legislative Yuan)

Tajikistan

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Tanzania

Permanent Commission of Enquiry (official ombudsman); Court

of Appeal (consists of a chief justice and four judges); High Court

(consists of a Jaji Kiongozi and 29 judges appointed by the

president; holds regular sessions in all regions); District Courts;

Primary Courts (limited jurisdiction and appeals can be made to the

higher courts)

Thailand

Supreme Court or Sandika (judges appointed by the monarch)

Togo

Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Tokelau

Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal

jurisdiction in Tokelau

Tonga

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch); Court of

Appeal (Chief Justice and high court justices from overseas chosen

and approved by Privy Council)

Trinidad and Tobago

Supreme Court of Judicature (comprised of the

High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeals; the chief justice is

appointed by the president after consultation with the prime

minister and the leader of the opposition; other justices are

appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial and Legal

Service Commission); High Court of Justice; Caribbean Court of

Appeals member; Court of Appeals; the highest court of appeal is the

Privy Council in London

Tunisia

Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation

Turkey

Constitutional Court; High Court of Appeals (Yargitay);

Council of State (Danistay); Court of Accounts (Sayistay); Military

High Court of Appeals; Military High Administrative Court

Turkmenistan

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Turks and Caicos Islands

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Tuvalu

High Court (a chief justice visits twice a year to preside

over its sessions; its rulings can be appealed to the Court of

Appeal in Fiji); eight Island Courts (with limited jurisdiction)

Uganda

Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the president and

approved by the legislature); High Court (judges are appointed by

the president)

Ukraine

Supreme Court; Constitutional Court

United Arab Emirates

Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by

the president)

United Kingdom

House of Lords (highest court of appeal; several

Lords of Appeal in Ordinary are appointed by the monarch for life);

Supreme Courts of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland (comprising

the Courts of Appeal, the High Courts of Justice, and the Crown

Courts); Scotland's Court of Session and Court of the Justiciary

United States

Supreme Court (nine justices; nominated by the

president and confirmed with the advice and consent of the Senate;

appointed to serve for life); United States Courts of Appeal; United

States District Courts; State and County Courts

Uruguay

Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and

elected for 10-year terms by the General Assembly)

Uzbekistan

Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and

confirmed by the Supreme Assembly)

Vanuatu

Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president

after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the

opposition, three other justices are appointed by the president on

the advice of the Judicial Service Commission)

Venezuela

Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribuna Suprema de Justicia

(magistrates are elected by the National Assembly for a single

12-year term)

Vietnam

Supreme People's Court (chief justice is elected for a

five-year term by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the

president)

Virgin Islands

US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third

Circuit jurisdiction); Superior Court of the Virgin Islands (judges

appointed by the governor for 10-year terms)

Wallis and Futuna

none; justice generally administered under French

law by the high administrator, but the three traditional kings

administer customary law and there is a magistrate in Mata-Utu

Yemen

Supreme Court

Zambia

Supreme Court (the final court of appeal; justices are

appointed by the president); High Court (has unlimited jurisdiction

to hear civil and criminal cases)

Zimbabwe

Supreme Court; High Court

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2095 Labor force

Afghanistan

15 million (2004 est.)

Albania

1.09 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers) (2004

est.)

Algeria

9.31 million (2006 est.)

American Samoa

17,630 (2005)

Andorra

48,740 (2004)

Angola

6.393 million (2006 est.)

Anguilla

6,049 (2001)

Antigua and Barbuda

30,000

Argentina

15.35 million (2006 est.)

Armenia

1.2 million (2005)

Aruba

41,500 (2004 est.)

Australia

10.66 million (2006 est.)

Austria

3.52 million (2006 est.)

Azerbaijan

5.191 million (2006 est.)

Bahamas, The

176,300 (2004)

Bahrain

352,000

note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national

(2006 est.)

Bangladesh

68 million

note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman,

Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances estimated at $1.71 billion

in 1998-99 (2006 est.)

Barbados

128,500 (2001 est.)

Belarus

4.3 million (31 December 2005)

Belgium

4.89 million (2006 est.)

Belize

90,000

note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel

(2001 est.)

Benin

3.211 million (1996)

Bermuda

38,360 (2004)

Bhutan

NA

note: major shortage of skilled labor

Bolivia

4.3 million (2006 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

1.026 million (2001)

Botswana

288,400 formal sector employees (2004)

Brazil

96.34 million (2006 est.)

British Virgin Islands

12,770 (2004)

Brunei

146,300

note: includes foreign workers and military personnel; temporary

residents make up about 40% of labor force (2003 est.)

Bulgaria

3.45 million (2006 est.)

Burkina Faso

5 million

note: a large part of the male labor force migrates annually to

neighboring countries for seasonal employment (2003)

Burma

28.49 million (2006 est.)

Burundi

2.99 million (2002)

Cambodia

7 million (2003 est.)

Cameroon

6.394 million (2006 est.)

Canada

17.59 million (2006 est.)

Cape Verde

120,600 (1990)

Cayman Islands

23,450 (2004)

Central African Republic

NA

Chad

2.719 million (1993)

Chile

6.94 million (2006 est.)

China

798 million (2006 est.)

Christmas Island

NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

NA

Colombia

20.81 million (2006 est.)

Comoros

144,500 (1996 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

14.51 million (1993 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

NA

Cook Islands

6,820 (2001)

Costa Rica

1.866 million (2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

6.738 million (68% agricultural) (2006 est.)

Croatia

1.72 million (2006 est.)

Cuba

4.82 million

note: state sector 78%, non-state sector 22% (2006 est.)

Cyprus

Republic of Cyprus: 380,000, north Cyprus: 95,025 (2006 est.)

Czech Republic

5.31 million (2006 est.)

Denmark

2.91 million (2006 est.)

Djibouti

282,000 (2000)

Dominica

25,000 (1999 est.)

Dominican Republic

3.896 million (2006 est.)

East Timor

NA

Ecuador

4.57 million (urban) (2006 est.)

Egypt

21.8 million (2006 est.)

El Salvador

2.856 million (2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

NA

Eritrea

NA

Estonia

673,000 (2006 est.)

Ethiopia

27.27 million (1999)

European Union

221.5 million (2005 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

1,724 (est.) (1996)

Faroe Islands

24,250 (October 2000)

Fiji

137,000 (1999)

Finland

2.62 million (2006 est.)

France

27.88 million (2006 est.)

French Polynesia

65,870 (December 2005)

Gabon

581,000 (2006 est.)

Gambia, The

400,000 (1996)

Gaza Strip

259,000 (2005)

Georgia

2.04 million (2004 est.)

Germany

43.66 million (2006 est.)

Ghana

10.87 million (2006 est.)

Gibraltar

12,690 (including non-Gibraltar laborers) (2001)

Greece

4.88 million (2006 est.)

Greenland

24,500 (1999 est.)

Grenada

42,300 (1996)

Guam

62,050 (2002 est.)

Guatemala

3.85 million (2006 est.)

Guernsey

31,470 (March 2006)

Guinea

3 million (1999)

Guinea-Bissau

480,000 (1999)

Guyana

418,000 (2001 est.)

Haiti

3.6 million

note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1995)

Holy See (Vatican City)

NA

Honduras

2.589 million (2006 est.)

Hong Kong

3.63 million (2006 est.)

Hungary

4.2 million (2006 est.)

Iceland

173,000 (2006 est.)

India

509.3 million (2006 est.)

Indonesia

108.2 million (2006 est.)

Iran

24.36 million

note: shortage of skilled labor (2006 est.)

Iraq

7.4 million (2004 est.)

Ireland

2.12 million (2006 est.)

Isle of Man

39,690 (2001)

Israel

2.6 million (2006 est.)

Italy

24.63 million (2006 est.)

Jamaica

1.197 million (2006 est.)

Japan

66.44 million (2006 est.)

Jersey

52,790 (2004)

Jordan

1.512 million (2006 est.)

Kazakhstan

7.834 million (2006 est.)

Kenya

1.955 million (2006 est.)

Kiribati

7,870 economically active, not including subsistence

farmers (2001 est.)

Korea, North

9.6 million

Korea, South

23.88 million (2006 est.)

Kuwait 1.136 million note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 80% of the labor force (2006 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

2.7 million (2000)

Laos

2.8 million (2002 est.)

Latvia

1.136 million (2006 est.)

Lebanon

1.5 million

note: in addition, there are as many as 1 million foreign workers

(2005 est.)

Lesotho

838,000 (2000)

Libya

1.787 million (2006 est.)

Liechtenstein

29,500 of whom 13,900 commute from Austria,

Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (31 December 2001)

Lithuania

1.617 million (2006 est.)

Luxembourg

203,000 of whom 121,600 are foreign cross-border workers

commuting primarily from France, Belgium, and Germany (2006 est.)

Macau

248,000 (2005)

Macedonia

880,000 (2006 est.)

Madagascar

7.3 million (2000)

Malawi

4.5 million (2001 est.)

Malaysia

10.73 million (2006 est.)

Maldives

88,000 (2000)

Mali

3.93 million (2001 est.)

Malta

160,000 (2005 est.)

Marshall Islands

14,680 (2000)

Mauritania

786,000 (2001)

Mauritius

555,000 (2006 est.)

Mayotte

44,560 (2002)

Mexico

38.09 million (2006 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of

37,410 (2000)

Moldova

1.339 million (2006 est.)

Monaco 41,110 note: includes workers from all foreign countries (2004)

Mongolia

1.488 million (2003)

Montenegro

259,100 (2004)

Montserrat 4,521 note: lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity (2000 est.)

Morocco

11.25 million (2006 est.)

Mozambique

9.4 million (2006 est.)

Namibia

653,000 (2006 est.)

Nepal 10.4 million note: severe lack of skilled labor (2004 est.)

Netherlands

7.6 million (2006 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

83,600 (2005)

New Caledonia

78,990 (including 11,300 unemployed) (2004)

New Zealand

2.18 million (2006 est.)

Nicaragua

2.261 million (2006 est.)

Niger

70,000 salaried workers, 60% of whom are employed in the

public sector (2002 est.)

Nigeria

48.99 million (2006 est.)

Niue

663 (2001)

Norfolk Island

1,345

Northern Mariana Islands 44,470 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717 foreign workers (2000)

Norway

2.42 million (2006 est.)

Oman

920,000 (2002 est.)

Pakistan

48.29 million

note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use

of child labor (2006 est.)

Palau

9,777 (2005)

Panama

1.441 million

note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled

labor (2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea

3.477 million (2006 est.)

Paraguay

2.742 million (2006 est.)

Peru

9.21 million (2006 est.)

Philippines

36.65 million (2006 est.)

Pitcairn Islands

15 able-bodied men (2004)

Poland

17.26 million (2006 est.)

Portugal

5.57 million (2006 est.)

Puerto Rico

1.3 million (2000)

Qatar

508,000 (2006 est.)

Romania

9.33 million (2006 est.)

Russia

73.88 million (2006 est.)

Rwanda

4.6 million (2000)

Saint Helena 2,486 note: 1,200 work offshore (1998 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

18,170 (June 1995)

Saint Lucia

43,800 (2001 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

3,261 (1999)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

41,680 (1991 est.)

Samoa

90,000 (2000 est.)

San Marino

19,970 (2003)

Sao Tome and Principe

35,050 (1991)

Saudi Arabia

7.125 million

note: more than 35% of the population in the 15-64 age group is

non-national (2006 est.)

Senegal

4.749 million (2006 est.)

Serbia

2.961 million for Serbia (including Kosovo) (2002 est.)

Seychelles

30,900 (1996)

Sierra Leone

1.369 million (1981 est.)

Singapore

2.4 million (2006 est.)

Slovakia

2.629 million (2006 est.)

Slovenia

914,000 (2006 est.)

Solomon Islands

249,200 (1999)

Somalia

3.7 million (very few skilled laborers)

South Africa

16.09 million economically active (2006 est.)

Spain

21.77 million (2006 est.)

Sri Lanka

8.214 million (2006 est.)

Sudan

7.415 million (1996 est.)

Suriname

156,700 (2004)

Svalbard

NA

Swaziland

155,700 (2003)

Sweden

4.59 million (2006 est.)

Switzerland

3.81 million (2006 est.)

Syria

5.505 million (2006 est.)

Taiwan

10.46 million (2006 est.)

Tajikistan

3.7 million (2003)

Tanzania

19.35 million (2006 est.)

Thailand

36.41 million (2006 est.)

Togo

1.302 million (1998)

Tokelau

440 (2001)

Tonga

33,910 (2003)

Trinidad and Tobago

618,000 (2006 est.)

Tunisia

3.502 million

note: shortage of skilled labor (2006 est.)

Turkey

24.8 million

note: about 1.2 million Turks work abroad (2006 est.)

Turkmenistan

2.32 million (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

4,848 (1990 est.)

Tuvalu

3,615 (2004 est.)

Uganda

13.76 million (2006 est.)

Ukraine

21.69 million (2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates

2.968 million (2006 est.)

United Kingdom

30.4 million (2006 est.)

United States

151.4 million (includes unemployed) (2006)

Uruguay

1.27 million (2006 est.)

Uzbekistan

14.44 million (2006 est.)

Vanuatu

76,410 (1999)

Venezuela

12.5 million (November 2006 est.)

Vietnam

44.58 million (2006 est.)

Virgin Islands

43,980 (2004 est.)

Wallis and Futuna

3,104 (2003)

West Bank

568,000 (2005)

Western Sahara

12,000

World

3.001 billion (2005 est.)

Yemen

5.759 million (2006 est.)

Zambia

4.903 million (2006 est.)

Zimbabwe

3.958 million (2006 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2096 Land boundaries (km)

Afghanistan

total: 5,529 km

border countries: China 76 km, Iran 936 km, Pakistan 2,430 km,

Tajikistan 1,206 km, Turkmenistan 744 km, Uzbekistan 137 km

Akrotiri

total: 47.4 km

border countries: Cyprus 47.4 km

Albania

total: 720 km

border countries: Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Montenegro 172

km, Serbia 115 km

Algeria

total: 6,343 km

border countries: Libya 982 km, Mali 1,376 km, Mauritania 463 km,

Morocco 1,559 km, Niger 956 km, Tunisia 965 km, Western Sahara 42 km

American Samoa

0 km

Andorra

total: 120.3 km

border countries: France 56.6 km, Spain 63.7 km

Angola

total: 5,198 km

border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,511 km (of

which 225 km is the boundary of discontiguous Cabinda Province),

Republic of the Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km, Zambia 1,110 km

Anguilla

0 km

Antarctica 0 km note: see entry on Disputes - international

Antigua and Barbuda

0 km

Argentina

total: 9,861 km

border countries: Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,261 km, Chile 5,308 km,

Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 580 km

Armenia

total: 1,254 km

border countries: Azerbaijan-proper 566 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan

exclave 221 km, Georgia 164 km, Iran 35 km, Turkey 268 km

Aruba

0 km

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

0 km

Australia

0 km

Austria

total: 2,562 km

border countries: Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366

km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 35 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 330

km, Switzerland 164 km

Azerbaijan

total: 2,013 km

border countries: Armenia (with Azerbaijan-proper) 566 km, Armenia

(with Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave) 221 km, Georgia 322 km, Iran

(with Azerbaijan-proper) 432 km, Iran (with Azerbaijan-Naxcivan

exclave) 179 km, Russia 284 km, Turkey 9 km

Bahamas, The

0 km

Bahrain

0 km

Baker Island

0 km

Bangladesh total: 4,246 km border countries: Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km

Barbados

0 km

Bassas da India

0 km

Belarus

total: 2,900 km

border countries: Latvia 141 km, Lithuania 502 km, Poland 407 km,

Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km

Belgium

total: 1,385 km

border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km,

Netherlands 450 km

Belize

total: 516 km

border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km

Benin

total: 1,989 km

border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km,

Togo 644 km

Bermuda

0 km

Bhutan

total: 1,075 km

border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km

Bolivia

total: 6,940 km

border countries: Argentina 832 km, Brazil 3,423 km, Chile 860 km,

Paraguay 750 km, Peru 1,075 km

Bosnia and Herzegovina

total: 1,459 km

border countries: Croatia 932 km, Montenegro 225 km, Serbia 302 km

Botswana

total: 4,013 km

border countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe

813 km

Bouvet Island

0 km

Brazil

total: 16,885 km

border countries: Argentina 1,261 km, Bolivia 3,423 km, Colombia

1,644 km, French Guiana 730.4 km, Guyana 1,606 km, Paraguay 1,365

km, Peru 2,995 km, Suriname 593 km, Uruguay 1,068 km, Venezuela

2,200 km

British Indian Ocean Territory

0 km

British Virgin Islands

0 km

Brunei

total: 381 km

border countries: Malaysia 381 km

Bulgaria

total: 1,808 km

border countries: Greece 494 km, Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km,

Serbia 318 km, Turkey 240 km

Burkina Faso

total: 3,193 km

border countries: Benin 306 km, Cote d'Ivoire 584 km, Ghana 549 km,

Mali 1,000 km, Niger 628 km, Togo 126 km

Burma

total: 5,876 km

border countries: Bangladesh 193 km, China 2,185 km, India 1,463 km,

Laos 235 km, Thailand 1,800 km

Burundi

total: 974 km

border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 233 km, Rwanda

290 km, Tanzania 451 km

Cambodia

total: 2,572 km

border countries: Laos 541 km, Thailand 803 km, Vietnam 1,228 km

Cameroon

total: 4,591 km

border countries: Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km,

Republic of the Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298

km, Nigeria 1,690 km

Canada total: 8,893 km border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)

Cape Verde

0 km

Cayman Islands

0 km

Central African Republic

total: 5,203 km

border countries: Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic

Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan

1,165 km

Chad

total: 5,968 km

border countries: Cameroon 1,094 km, Central African Republic 1,197

km, Libya 1,055 km, Niger 1,175 km, Nigeria 87 km, Sudan 1,360 km

Chile

total: 6,339 km

border countries: Argentina 5,308 km, Bolivia 860 km, Peru 171 km

China

total: 22,117 km

border countries: Afghanistan 76 km, Bhutan 470 km, Burma 2,185 km,

India 3,380 km, Kazakhstan 1,533 km, North Korea 1,416 km,

Kyrgyzstan 858 km, Laos 423 km, Mongolia 4,677 km, Nepal 1,236 km,

Pakistan 523 km, Russia (northeast) 3,605 km, Russia (northwest) 40

km, Tajikistan 414 km, Vietnam 1,281 km

regional borders: Hong Kong 30 km, Macau 0.34 km

Christmas Island

0 km

Clipperton Island

0 km

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

0 km

Colombia

total: 6,309 km

border countries: Brazil 1,644 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km,

Peru 1,800 km, Venezuela 2,050 km

Comoros

0 km

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

total: 10,730 km

border countries: Angola 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary

of Angola's discontiguous Cabinda Province), Burundi 233 km, Central

African Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda

217 km, Sudan 628 km, Tanzania 459 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km

Congo, Republic of the

total: 5,504 km

border countries: Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African

Republic 467 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Gabon

1,903 km

Cook Islands

0 km

Coral Sea Islands

0 km

Costa Rica

total: 639 km

border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km

Cote d'Ivoire

total: 3,110 km

border countries: Burkina Faso 584 km, Ghana 668 km, Guinea 610 km,

Liberia 716 km, Mali 532 km

Croatia

total: 2,197 km

border countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km, Hungary 329 km,

Serbia 241 km, Montenegro 25 km, Slovenia 670 km

Cuba

total: 29 km

border countries: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 29 km

note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and remains part of

Cuba

Cyprus

total: NA; note - boundary with Dhekelia is being resurveyed

border countries: Akrotiri 47.4 km, Dhekelia NA

Czech Republic

total: 2,290.2 km

border countries: Austria 466.3 km, Germany 810.3 km, Poland 761.8

km, Slovakia 251.8 km

Denmark total: 68 km border countries: Germany 68 km

Dhekelia total: NA; note - boundary with Cyprus is being resurveyed

Djibouti total: 516 km border countries: Eritrea 109 km, Ethiopia 349 km, Somalia 58 km

Dominica 0 km

Dominican Republic

total: 360 km

border countries: Haiti 360 km

East Timor

total: 228 km

border countries: Indonesia 228 km

Ecuador

total: 2,010 km

border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km

Egypt

total: 2,665 km

border countries: Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 266 km, Libya 1,115 km,

Sudan 1,273 km

El Salvador

total: 545 km

border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km

Equatorial Guinea

total: 539 km

border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km

Eritrea

total: 1,626 km

border countries: Djibouti 109 km, Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km

Estonia

total: 633 km

border countries: Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km

Ethiopia

total: 5,328 km

border countries: Djibouti 349 km, Eritrea 912 km, Kenya 861 km,

Somalia 1,600 km, Sudan 1,606 km

Europa Island

0 km

European Union

total: 12,440.8 km

border countries: Albania 282 km, Andorra 120.3 km, Belarus 1,050

km, Croatia 999 km, Holy See 3.2 km, Liechtenstein 34.9 km,

Macedonia 394 km, Moldova 450 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Norway 2,348 km,

Russia 2,257 km, San Marino 39 km, Serbia 945 km, Switzerland 1,811

km, Turkey 446 km, Ukraine 1,257 km

note: data for European Continent only

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

0 km

Faroe Islands

0 km

Fiji

0 km

Finland

total: 2,681 km

border countries: Norway 727 km, Sweden 614 km, Russia 1,340 km

France

metropolitan France - total: 2,889 km

border countries: Andorra 56.6 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany 451 km,

Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Spain 623 km,

Switzerland 573 km

Guadeloupe - total: 10.2 km

border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 10.2 km

French Guiana - total: 1,183 km

border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km

French Polynesia

0 km

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

0 km

Gabon

total: 2,551 km

border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km,

Equatorial Guinea 350 km

Gambia, The

total: 740 km

border countries: Senegal 740 km

Gaza Strip

total: 62 km

border countries: Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km

Georgia

total: 1,461 km

border countries: Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km,

Turkey 252 km

Germany

total: 3,621 km

border countries: Austria 784 km, Belgium 167 km, Czech Republic 646

km, Denmark 68 km, France 451 km, Luxembourg 138 km, Netherlands 577

km, Poland 456 km, Switzerland 334 km

Ghana

total: 2,094 km

border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo

877 km

Gibraltar total: 1.2 km border countries: Spain 1.2 km

Glorioso Islands

0 km

Greece

total: 1,228 km

border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km,

Macedonia 246 km

Greenland

0 km

Grenada

0 km

Guam

0 km

Guatemala

total: 1,687 km

border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256

km, Mexico 962 km

Guernsey

0 km

Guinea

total: 3,399 km

border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km,

Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km

Guinea-Bissau

total: 724 km

border countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km

Guyana

total: 2,949 km

border countries: Brazil 1,606 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km

Haiti

total: 360 km

border countries: Dominican Republic 360 km

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

0 km

Holy See (Vatican City)

total: 3.2 km

border countries: Italy 3.2 km

Honduras

total: 1,520 km

border countries: Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua

922 km

Hong Kong total: 30 km regional border: China 30 km

Howland Island

0 km

Hungary

total: 2,171 km

border countries: Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km,

Serbia 151 km, Slovakia 677 km, Slovenia 102 km, Ukraine 103 km

Iceland

0 km

Iles Eparses

none

India

total: 14,103 km

border countries: Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463

km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km

Indonesia

total: 2,830 km

border countries: East Timor 228 km, Malaysia 1,782 km, Papua New

Guinea 820 km

Iran

total: 5,440 km

border countries: Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35 km,

Azerbaijan-proper 432 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 179 km, Iraq

1,458 km, Pakistan 909 km, Turkey 499 km, Turkmenistan 992 km

Iraq

total: 3,650 km

border countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 240 km, Saudi

Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 352 km

Ireland total: 360 km border countries: UK 360 km

Isle of Man

0 km

Israel

total: 1,017 km

border countries: Egypt 266 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km,

Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km

Italy

total: 1,932.2 km

border countries: Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (Vatican

City) 3.2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 232 km, Switzerland 740 km

Jamaica

0 km

Jan Mayen

0 km

Japan

0 km

Jarvis Island

0 km

Jersey

0 km

Johnston Atoll

0 km

Jordan

total: 1,635 km

border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km,

Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km

Juan de Nova Island

0 km

Kazakhstan

total: 12,012 km

border countries: China 1,533 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,051 km, Russia 6,846

km, Turkmenistan 379 km, Uzbekistan 2,203 km

Kenya

total: 3,477 km

border countries: Ethiopia 861 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km,

Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km

Kingman Reef

0 km

Kiribati

0 km

Korea, North

total: 1,673 km

border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km

Korea, South

total: 238 km

border countries: North Korea 238 km

Kuwait

total: 462 km

border countries: Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km

Kyrgyzstan

total: 3,878 km

border countries: China 858 km, Kazakhstan 1,051 km, Tajikistan 870

km, Uzbekistan 1,099 km

Laos

total: 5,083 km

border countries: Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km,

Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km

Latvia

total: 1,368 km

border countries: Belarus 167 km, Estonia 343 km, Lithuania 576 km,

Russia 282 km

Lebanon

total: 454 km

border countries: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km

Lesotho

total: 909 km

border countries: South Africa 909 km

Liberia

total: 1,585 km

border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone

306 km

Libya

total: 4,348 km

border countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km,

Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km

Liechtenstein

total: 76 km

border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km

Lithuania

total: 1,613 km

border countries: Belarus 653.5 km, Latvia 588 km, Poland 103.7 km,

Russia (Kaliningrad) 267.8 km

Luxembourg

total: 359 km

border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km

Macau

total: 0.34 km

regional border: China 0.34 km

Macedonia

total: 766 km

border countries: Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 246 km,

Serbia 221 km

Madagascar

0 km

Malawi

total: 2,881 km

border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km

Malaysia

total: 2,669 km

border countries: Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km

Maldives

0 km

Mali

total: 7,243 km

border countries: Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina Faso 1,000 km, Guinea

858 km, Cote d'Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km,

Senegal 419 km

Malta

0 km

Marshall Islands

0 km

Mauritania

total: 5,074 km

border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km,

Western Sahara 1,561 km

Mauritius

0 km

Mayotte

0 km

Mexico total: 4,353 km border countries: Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,141 km

Micronesia, Federated States of

0 km

Midway Islands

0 km

Moldova

total: 1,389 km

border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km

Monaco

total: 4.4 km

border countries: France 4.4 km

Mongolia

total: 8,220 km

border countries: China 4,677 km, Russia 3,543 km

Montenegro

total: 625 km

border countries: Albania 172 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina 225 km,

Croatia 25 km, Serbia 203 km

Montserrat

0 km

Morocco

total: 2,017.9 km

border countries: Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km, Spain

(Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km

Mozambique

total: 4,571 km

border countries: Malawi 1,569 km, South Africa 491 km, Swaziland

105 km, Tanzania 756 km, Zambia 419 km, Zimbabwe 1,231 km

Namibia

total: 3,936 km

border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa

967 km, Zambia 233 km

Nauru

0 km

Navassa Island

0 km

Nepal

total: 2,926 km

border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km

Netherlands

total: 1,027 km

border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km

Netherlands Antilles

total: 15 km

border countries: Guadeloupe (Saint-Martin) 15 km

New Caledonia

0 km

New Zealand

0 km

Nicaragua

total: 1,231 km

border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km

Niger

total: 5,697 km

border countries: Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina Faso 628 km,

Chad 1,175 km, Libya 354 km, Mali 821 km, Nigeria 1,497 km

Nigeria

total: 4,047 km

border countries: Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger

1,497 km

Niue

0 km

Norfolk Island

0 km

Northern Mariana Islands

0 km

Norway

total: 2,542 km

border countries: Finland 727 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 196 km

Oman

total: 1,374 km

border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km

Pakistan

total: 6,774 km

border countries: Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912

km, Iran 909 km

Palau

0 km

Palmyra Atoll

0 km

Panama

total: 555 km

border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km

Papua New Guinea

total: 820 km

border countries: Indonesia 820 km

Paracel Islands

0 km

Paraguay

total: 3,995 km

border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,365 km

Peru

total: 7,461 km

border countries: Bolivia 1,075 km, Brazil 2,995 km, Chile 171 km,

Colombia 1,800 km, Ecuador 1,420 km

Philippines

0 km

Pitcairn Islands

0 km

Poland

total: 3,056 km

border countries: Belarus 416 km, Czech Republic 790 km, Germany 467

km, Lithuania 103 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 210 km, Slovakia

541 km, Ukraine 529 km

Portugal total: 1,214 km border countries: Spain 1,214 km

Puerto Rico 0 km

Qatar total: 60 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km

Romania

total: 2,508 km

border countries: Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km,

Serbia 476 km, Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (east) 169 km

Russia

total: 20,096.5 km

border countries: Azerbaijan 284 km, Belarus 959 km, China

(southeast) 3,605 km, China (south) 40 km, Estonia 294 km, Finland

1,340 km, Georgia 723 km, Kazakhstan 6,846 km, North Korea 19 km,

Latvia 217 km, Lithuania (Kaliningrad Oblast) 280.5 km, Mongolia

3,485 km, Norway 196 km, Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast) 232 km, Ukraine

1,576 km

Rwanda

total: 893 km

border countries: Burundi 290 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo

217 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda 169 km

Saint Helena

0 km

Saint Kitts and Nevis

0 km

Saint Lucia

0 km

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

0 km

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

0 km

Samoa

0 km

San Marino total: 39 km border countries: Italy 39 km

Sao Tome and Principe

0 km

Saudi Arabia

total: 4,431 km

border countries: Iraq 814 km, Jordan 744 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman

676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km

Senegal

total: 2,640 km

border countries: The Gambia 740 km, Guinea 330 km, Guinea-Bissau

338 km, Mali 419 km, Mauritania 813 km

Serbia

total: 2,027 km

border countries: Albania 115 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina 302 km,

Bulgaria 318 km, Croatia 241 km, Hungary 151 km, Macedonia 221 km,

Montenegro 203 km, Romania 476 km

Seychelles

0 km

Sierra Leone total: 958 km border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km

Singapore

0 km

Slovakia

total: 1,524 km

border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 677

km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 97 km

Slovenia

total: 1,382 km

border countries: Austria 330 km, Croatia 670 km, Hungary 102 km,

Italy 280 km

Solomon Islands

0 km

Somalia

total: 2,340 km

border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km

South Africa

total: 4,862 km

border countries: Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491

km, Namibia 967 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

0 km

Spain

total: 1,917.8 km

border countries: Andorra 63.7 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km,

Portugal 1,214 km, Morocco (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Morocco (Melilla) 9.6 km

Spratly Islands

0 km

Sri Lanka

0 km

Sudan

total: 7,687 km

border countries: Central African Republic 1,165 km, Chad 1,360 km,

Democratic Republic of the Congo 628 km, Egypt 1,273 km, Eritrea 605

km, Ethiopia 1,606 km, Kenya 232 km, Libya 383 km, Uganda 435 km

Suriname total: 1,703 km border countries: Brazil 593 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km

Svalbard 0 km

Swaziland

total: 535 km

border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km

Sweden

total: 2,233 km

border countries: Finland 614 km, Norway 1,619 km

Switzerland

total: 1,852 km

border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km,

Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km

Syria

total: 2,253 km

border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon

375 km, Turkey 822 km

Taiwan

0 km

Tajikistan

total: 3,651 km

border countries: Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870

km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km

Tanzania

total: 3,861 km

border countries: Burundi 451 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo

459 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217

km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km

Thailand

total: 4,863 km

border countries: Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km,

Malaysia 506 km

Togo

total: 1,647 km

border countries: Benin 644 km, Burkina Faso 126 km, Ghana 877 km

Tokelau

0 km

Tonga

0 km

Trinidad and Tobago

0 km

Tromelin Island

0 km

Tunisia

total: 1,424 km

border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km

Turkey

total: 2,648 km

border countries: Armenia 268 km, Azerbaijan 9 km, Bulgaria 240 km,

Georgia 252 km, Greece 206 km, Iran 499 km, Iraq 352 km, Syria 822 km

Turkmenistan

total: 3,736 km

border countries: Afghanistan 744 km, Iran 992 km, Kazakhstan 379

km, Uzbekistan 1,621 km

Turks and Caicos Islands

0 km

Tuvalu

0 km

Uganda

total: 2,698 km

border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 765 km, Kenya 933

km, Rwanda 169 km, Sudan 435 km, Tanzania 396 km

Ukraine

total: 4,663 km

border countries: Belarus 891 km, Hungary 103 km, Moldova 939 km,

Poland 526 km, Romania (south) 169 km, Romania (west) 362 km, Russia

1,576 km, Slovakia 97 km

United Arab Emirates

total: 867 km

border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km

United Kingdom

total: 360 km

border countries: Ireland 360 km

United States

total: 12,034 km

border countries: Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska),

Mexico 3,141 km

note: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is leased by the US and

is part of Cuba; the base boundary is 28 km

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

none

Uruguay

total: 1,648 km

border countries: Argentina 580 km, Brazil 1,068 km

Uzbekistan

total: 6,221 km

border countries: Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakhstan 2,203 km,

Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km

Vanuatu

0 km

Venezuela

total: 4,993 km

border countries: Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km

Vietnam

total: 4,639 km

border countries: Cambodia 1,228 km, China 1,281 km, Laos 2,130 km

Virgin Islands

0 km

Wake Island

0 km

Wallis and Futuna

0 km

West Bank

total: 404 km

border countries: Israel 307 km, Jordan 97 km

Western Sahara

total: 2,046 km

border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km

World

the land boundaries in the world total 250,708 km (not

counting shared boundaries twice); two nations, China and Russia,

each border 14 other countries

note: 44 nations and other areas are landlocked, these include:

Afghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan,

Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic,

Chad, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Holy See (Vatican City), Hungary,

Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,

Macedonia, Malawi, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal, Niger, Paraguay,

Rwanda, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Swaziland, Switzerland,

Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, West Bank, Zambia,

Zimbabwe; two of these, Liechtenstein and Uzbekistan, are doubly

landlocked

Yemen

total: 1,746 km

border countries: Oman 288 km, Saudi Arabia 1,458 km

Zambia

total: 5,664 km

border countries: Angola 1,110 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo

1,930 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia 233 km, Tanzania

338 km, Zimbabwe 797 km

Zimbabwe

total: 3,066 km

border countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa

225 km, Zambia 797 km

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2097 Land use (%)

Afghanistan

arable land: 12.13%

permanent crops: 0.21%

other: 87.66% (2005)

Albania

arable land: 20.1%

permanent crops: 4.21%

other: 75.69% (2005)

Algeria

arable land: 3.17%

permanent crops: 0.28%

other: 96.55% (2005)

American Samoa

arable land: 10%

permanent crops: 15%

other: 75% (2005)

Andorra

arable land: 2.13%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 97.87% (2005)

Angola

arable land: 2.65%

permanent crops: 0.23%

other: 97.12% (2005)

Anguilla

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (mostly rock with sparse scrub oak, few trees, some

commercial salt ponds) (2005)

Antarctica

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (ice 98%, barren rock 2%) (2005)

Antigua and Barbuda

arable land: 18.18%

permanent crops: 4.55%

other: 77.27% (2005)

Argentina

arable land: 10.03%

permanent crops: 0.36%

other: 89.61% (2005)

Armenia

arable land: 16.78%

permanent crops: 2.01%

other: 81.21% (2005)

Aruba

arable land: 10.53%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 89.47% (2005)

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (all grass and sand) (2005)

Australia

arable land: 6.15% (includes about 27 million hectares of

cultivated grassland)

permanent crops: 0.04%

other: 93.81% (2005)

Austria

arable land: 16.59%

permanent crops: 0.85%

other: 82.56% (2005)

Azerbaijan

arable land: 20.62%

permanent crops: 2.61%

other: 76.77% (2005)

Bahamas, The

arable land: 0.58%

permanent crops: 0.29%

other: 99.13% (2005)

Bahrain

arable land: 2.82%

permanent crops: 5.63%

other: 91.55% (2005)

Baker Island

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Bangladesh

arable land: 55.39%

permanent crops: 3.08%

other: 41.53% (2005)

Barbados

arable land: 37.21%

permanent crops: 2.33%

other: 60.46% (2005)

Bassas da India

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (all rock) (2005)

Belarus

arable land: 26.77%

permanent crops: 0.6%

other: 72.63% (2005)

Belgium

arable land: 27.42%

permanent crops: 0.69%

other: 71.89%

note: includes Luxembourg (2005)

Belize

arable land: 3.05%

permanent crops: 1.39%

other: 95.56% (2005)

Benin

arable land: 23.53%

permanent crops: 2.37%

other: 74.1% (2005)

Bermuda

arable land: 20%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 80% (55% developed, 45% rural/open space) (2005)

Bhutan

arable land: 2.3%

permanent crops: 0.43%

other: 97.27% (2005)

Bolivia

arable land: 2.78%

permanent crops: 0.19%

other: 97.03% (2005)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

arable land: 19.61%

permanent crops: 1.89%

other: 78.5% (2005)

Botswana

arable land: 0.65%

permanent crops: 0.01%

other: 99.34% (2005)

Bouvet Island

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (93% ice) (2005)

Brazil

arable land: 6.93%

permanent crops: 0.89%

other: 92.18% (2005)

British Indian Ocean Territory

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

British Virgin Islands

arable land: 20%

permanent crops: 6.67%

other: 73.33% (2005)

Brunei

arable land: 2.08%

permanent crops: 0.87%

other: 97.05% (2005)

Bulgaria

arable land: 29.94%

permanent crops: 1.9%

other: 68.16% (2005)

Burkina Faso

arable land: 17.66%

permanent crops: 0.22%

other: 82.12% (2005)

Burma

arable land: 14.92%

permanent crops: 1.31%

other: 83.77% (2005)

Burundi

arable land: 35.57%

permanent crops: 13.12%

other: 51.31% (2005)

Cambodia

arable land: 20.44%

permanent crops: 0.59%

other: 78.97% (2005)

Cameroon

arable land: 12.54%

permanent crops: 2.52%

other: 84.94% (2005)

Canada

arable land: 4.57%

permanent crops: 0.65%

other: 94.78% (2005)

Cape Verde

arable land: 11.41%

permanent crops: 0.74%

other: 87.85% (2005)

Cayman Islands

arable land: 3.85%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 96.15% (2005)

Central African Republic

arable land: 3.1%

permanent crops: 0.15%

other: 96.75% (2005)

Chad

arable land: 2.8%

permanent crops: 0.02%

other: 97.18% (2005)

Chile

arable land: 2.62%

permanent crops: 0.43%

other: 96.95% (2005)

China

arable land: 14.86%

permanent crops: 1.27%

other: 83.87% (2005)

Christmas Island arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park) (2005)

Clipperton Island

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (all coral) (2005)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Colombia

arable land: 2.01%

permanent crops: 1.37%

other: 96.62% (2005)

Comoros

arable land: 35.87%

permanent crops: 23.32%

other: 40.81% (2005)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

arable land: 2.86%

permanent crops: 0.47%

other: 96.67% (2005)

Congo, Republic of the

arable land: 1.45%

permanent crops: 0.15%

other: 98.4% (2005)

Cook Islands

arable land: 16.67%

permanent crops: 8.33%

other: 75% (2005)

Coral Sea Islands

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (2005)

Costa Rica

arable land: 4.4%

permanent crops: 5.87%

other: 89.73% (2005)

Cote d'Ivoire

arable land: 10.23%

permanent crops: 11.16%

other: 78.61% (2005)

Croatia

arable land: 25.82%

permanent crops: 2.19%

other: 71.99% (2005)

Cuba

arable land: 27.63%

permanent crops: 6.54%

other: 65.83% (2005)

Cyprus

arable land: 10.81%

permanent crops: 4.32%

other: 84.87% (2005)

Czech Republic

arable land: 38.82%

permanent crops: 3%

other: 58.18% (2005)

Denmark

arable land: 52.59%

permanent crops: 0.19%

other: 47.22% (2005)

Djibouti

arable land: 0.04%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 99.96% (2005)

Dominica

arable land: 6.67%

permanent crops: 21.33%

other: 72% (2005)

Dominican Republic

arable land: 22.49%

permanent crops: 10.26%

other: 67.25% (2005)

East Timor

arable land: 8.2%

permanent crops: 4.57%

other: 87.23% (2005)

Ecuador

arable land: 5.71%

permanent crops: 4.81%

other: 89.48% (2005)

Egypt

arable land: 2.92%

permanent crops: 0.5%

other: 96.58% (2005)

El Salvador

arable land: 31.37%

permanent crops: 11.88%

other: 56.75% (2005)

Equatorial Guinea

arable land: 4.63%

permanent crops: 3.57%

other: 91.8% (2005)

Eritrea

arable land: 4.78%

permanent crops: 0.03%

other: 95.19% (2005)

Estonia

arable land: 12.05%

permanent crops: 0.35%

other: 87.6% (2005)

Ethiopia

arable land: 10.01%

permanent crops: 0.65%

other: 89.34% (2005)

Europa Island

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (mangrove forests and woodlands) (2005)

European Union

arable land: NA%

permanent crops: NA%

other: NA%

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (99% permanent pastures, 1% other) (2005)

Faroe Islands

arable land: 2.14%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 97.86% (2005)

Fiji

arable land: 10.95%

permanent crops: 4.65%

other: 84.4% (2005)

Finland

arable land: 6.54%

permanent crops: 0.02%

other: 93.44% (2005)

France

arable land: 33.46%

permanent crops: 2.03%

other: 64.51%

note: French Guiana - arable land 0.13%, permanent crops 0.04%,

other 99.83% (90% forest, 10% other); Guadeloupe - arable land

11.70%, permanent crops 2.92%, other 85.38%; Martinique - arable

land 9.09%, permanent crops 10.0%, other 80.91%; Reunion - arable

land 13.94%, permanent crops 1.59%, other 84.47% (2005)

French Polynesia

arable land: 0.75%

permanent crops: 5.5%

other: 93.75% (2005)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Gabon

arable land: 1.21%

permanent crops: 0.64%

other: 98.15% (2005)

Gambia, The

arable land: 27.88%

permanent crops: 0.44%

other: 71.68% (2005)

Gaza Strip

arable land: 29%

permanent crops: 21%

other: 50% (2002)

Georgia

arable land: 11.51%

permanent crops: 3.79%

other: 84.7% (2005)

Germany

arable land: 33.13%

permanent crops: 0.6%

other: 66.27% (2005)

Ghana

arable land: 17.54%

permanent crops: 9.22%

other: 73.24% (2005)

Gibraltar

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Glorioso Islands

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (all lush vegetation and coconut palms) (2005)

Greece

arable land: 20.45%

permanent crops: 8.59%

other: 70.96% (2005)

Greenland

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Grenada

arable land: 5.88%

permanent crops: 29.41%

other: 64.71% (2005)

Guam

arable land: 3.64%

permanent crops: 18.18%

other: 78.18% (2005)

Guatemala

arable land: 13.22%

permanent crops: 5.6%

other: 81.18% (2005)

Guernsey

arable land: NA%

permanent crops: NA%

other: NA%

Guinea

arable land: 4.47%

permanent crops: 2.64%

other: 92.89% (2005)

Guinea-Bissau

arable land: 8.31%

permanent crops: 6.92%

other: 84.77% (2005)

Guyana

arable land: 2.23%

permanent crops: 0.14%

other: 97.63% (2005)

Haiti

arable land: 28.11%

permanent crops: 11.53%

other: 60.36% (2005)

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Holy See (Vatican City)

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (urban area) (2005)

Honduras

arable land: 9.53%

permanent crops: 3.21%

other: 87.26% (2005)

Hong Kong

arable land: 5.05%

permanent crops: 1.01%

other: 93.94% (2001)

Howland Island

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2001)

Hungary

arable land: 49.58%

permanent crops: 2.06%

other: 48.36% (2005)

Iceland

arable land: 0.07%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 99.93% (2005)

Iles Eparses

Bassas da India - 100% rock, coral reef, and sand;

Europa Island - 100% mangrove swamp and dry woodlands; Glorioso

Islands - 100% lush vegetation and coconut palms; Juan de Nova

Island - 90% forest, 10% other; Tromelin Island - 100% grasses and

scattered brush

India

arable land: 48.83%

permanent crops: 2.8%

other: 48.37% (2005)

Indonesia

arable land: 11.03%

permanent crops: 7.04%

other: 81.93% (2005)

Iran

arable land: 9.78%

permanent crops: 1.29%

other: 88.93% (2005)

Iraq

arable land: 13.12%

permanent crops: 0.61%

other: 86.27% (2005)

Ireland

arable land: 16.82%

permanent crops: 0.03%

other: 83.15% (2005)

Isle of Man

arable land: 9%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 91% (permanent pastures, forests, mountain, and heathland)

(2002)

Israel

arable land: 15.45%

permanent crops: 3.88%

other: 80.67% (2005)

Italy

arable land: 26.41%

permanent crops: 9.09%

other: 64.5% (2005)

Jamaica

arable land: 15.83%

permanent crops: 10.01%

other: 74.16% (2005)

Jan Mayen

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Japan

arable land: 11.64%

permanent crops: 0.9%

other: 87.46% (2005)

Jarvis Island

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Jersey

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Johnston Atoll

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Jordan

arable land: 3.32%

permanent crops: 1.18%

other: 95.5% (2005)

Juan de Nova Island

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (90% forest) (2005)

Kazakhstan

arable land: 8.28%

permanent crops: 0.05%

other: 91.67% (2005)

Kenya

arable land: 8.01%

permanent crops: 0.97%

other: 91.02% (2005)

Kingman Reef

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Kiribati

arable land: 2.74%

permanent crops: 47.95%

other: 49.31% (2005)

Korea, North

arable land: 22.4%

permanent crops: 1.66%

other: 75.94% (2005)

Korea, South

arable land: 16.58%

permanent crops: 2.01%

other: 81.41% (2005)

Kuwait

arable land: 0.84%

permanent crops: 0.17%

other: 98.99% (2005)

Kyrgyzstan

arable land: 6.55%

permanent crops: 0.28%

other: 93.17%

note: Kyrgyzstan has the world's largest natural growth walnut

forest (2005)

Laos

arable land: 4.01%

permanent crops: 0.34%

other: 95.65% (2005)

Latvia

arable land: 28.19%

permanent crops: 0.45%

other: 71.36% (2005)

Lebanon

arable land: 16.35%

permanent crops: 13.75%

other: 69.9% (2005)

Lesotho

arable land: 10.87%

permanent crops: 0.13%

other: 89% (2005)

Liberia

arable land: 3.43%

permanent crops: 1.98%

other: 94.59% (2005)

Libya

arable land: 1.03%

permanent crops: 0.19%

other: 98.78% (2005)

Liechtenstein

arable land: 25%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 75% (2005)

Lithuania

arable land: 44.81%

permanent crops: 0.9%

other: 54.29% (2005)

Luxembourg

arable land: 23.94%

permanent crops: 0.39%

other: 75.67% (includes Belgium) (2005)

Macau

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Macedonia

arable land: 22.01%

permanent crops: 1.79%

other: 76.2% (2005)

Madagascar

arable land: 5.03%

permanent crops: 1.02%

other: 93.95% (2005)

Malawi

arable land: 20.68%

permanent crops: 1.18%

other: 78.14% (2005)

Malaysia

arable land: 5.46%

permanent crops: 17.54%

other: 77% (2005)

Maldives

arable land: 13.33%

permanent crops: 30%

other: 56.67% (2005)

Mali

arable land: 3.76%

permanent crops: 0.03%

other: 96.21% (2005)

Malta

arable land: 31.25%

permanent crops: 3.13%

other: 65.62% (2005)

Marshall Islands

arable land: 11.11%

permanent crops: 44.44%

other: 44.45% (2005)

Mauritania

arable land: 0.2%

permanent crops: 0.01%

other: 99.79% (2005)

Mauritius

arable land: 49.02%

permanent crops: 2.94%

other: 48.04% (2005)

Mayotte

arable land: NA%

permanent crops: NA%

other: NA%

Mexico

arable land: 12.66%

permanent crops: 1.28%

other: 86.06% (2005)

Micronesia, Federated States of

arable land: 5.71%

permanent crops: 45.71%

other: 48.58% (2005)

Midway Islands

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Moldova

arable land: 54.52%

permanent crops: 8.81%

other: 36.67% (2005)

Monaco

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (urban area) (2005)

Mongolia

arable land: 0.76%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 99.24% (2005)

Montenegro

arable land: 13.7%

permanent crops: 1%

other: 85.3%

Montserrat

arable land: 20%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 80% (2005)

Morocco

arable land: 19%

permanent crops: 2%

other: 79% (2005)

Mozambique

arable land: 5.43%

permanent crops: 0.29%

other: 94.28% (2005)

Namibia

arable land: 0.99%

permanent crops: 0.01%

other: 99% (2005)

Nauru

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Navassa Island

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Nepal

arable land: 16.07%

permanent crops: 0.85%

other: 83.08% (2005)

Netherlands

arable land: 21.96%

permanent crops: 0.77%

other: 77.27% (2005)

Netherlands Antilles

arable land: 10%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 90% (2005)

New Caledonia

arable land: 0.32%

permanent crops: 0.22%

other: 99.46% (2005)

New Zealand

arable land: 5.54%

permanent crops: 6.92%

other: 87.54% (2005)

Nicaragua

arable land: 14.81%

permanent crops: 1.82%

other: 83.37% (2005)

Niger

arable land: 11.43%

permanent crops: 0.01%

other: 88.56% (2005)

Nigeria

arable land: 33.02%

permanent crops: 3.14%

other: 63.84% (2005)

Niue

arable land: 11.54%

permanent crops: 15.38%

other: 73.08% (2005)

Norfolk Island

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Northern Mariana Islands

arable land: 13.04%

permanent crops: 4.35%

other: 82.61% (2005)

Norway

arable land: 2.7%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 97.3% (2005)

Oman

arable land: 0.12%

permanent crops: 0.14%

other: 99.74% (2005)

Pakistan

arable land: 24.44%

permanent crops: 0.84%

other: 74.72% (2005)

Palau

arable land: 8.7%

permanent crops: 4.35%

other: 86.95% (2005)

Palmyra Atoll

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (forests and woodlands) (2005)

Panama

arable land: 7.26%

permanent crops: 1.95%

other: 90.79% (2005)

Papua New Guinea

arable land: 0.49%

permanent crops: 1.4%

other: 98.11% (2005)

Paracel Islands

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Paraguay

arable land: 7.47%

permanent crops: 0.24%

other: 92.29% (2005)

Peru

arable land: 2.88%

permanent crops: 0.47%

other: 96.65% (2005)

Philippines

arable land: 19%

permanent crops: 16.67%

other: 64.33% (2005)

Pitcairn Islands

arable land: NA%

permanent crops: NA%

other: NA%

Poland

arable land: 40.25%

permanent crops: 1%

other: 58.75% (2005)

Portugal

arable land: 17.29%

permanent crops: 7.84%

other: 74.87% (2005)

Puerto Rico

arable land: 3.69%

permanent crops: 5.59%

other: 90.72% (2005)

Qatar

arable land: 1.64%

permanent crops: 0.27%

other: 98.09% (2005)

Romania

arable land: 39.49%

permanent crops: 1.92%

other: 58.59% (2005)

Russia

arable land: 7.17%

permanent crops: 0.11%

other: 92.72% (2005)

Rwanda

arable land: 45.56%

permanent crops: 10.25%

other: 44.19% (2005)

Saint Helena

arable land: 12.9%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 87.1% (2005)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

arable land: 19.44%

permanent crops: 2.78%

other: 77.78% (2005)

Saint Lucia

arable land: 6.45%

permanent crops: 22.58%

other: 70.97% (2005)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

arable land: 12.5%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 87.5% (2005)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

arable land: 17.95%

permanent crops: 17.95%

other: 64.1% (2005)

Samoa

arable land: 21.13%

permanent crops: 24.3%

other: 54.57% (2005)

San Marino

arable land: 16.67%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 83.33% (2005)

Sao Tome and Principe

arable land: 8.33%

permanent crops: 48.96%

other: 42.71% (2005)

Saudi Arabia

arable land: 1.67%

permanent crops: 0.09%

other: 98.24% (2005)

Senegal

arable land: 12.51%

permanent crops: 0.24%

other: 87.25% (2005)

Serbia

arable land: NA

permanent crops: NA

other: NA

Seychelles

arable land: 2.17%

permanent crops: 13.04%

other: 84.79% (2005)

Sierra Leone

arable land: 7.95%

permanent crops: 1.05%

other: 91% (2005)

Singapore

arable land: 1.47%

permanent crops: 1.47%

other: 97.06% (2005)

Slovakia

arable land: 29.23%

permanent crops: 2.67%

other: 68.1% (2005)

Slovenia

arable land: 8.53%

permanent crops: 1.43%

other: 90.04% (2005)

Solomon Islands

arable land: 0.62%

permanent crops: 2.04%

other: 97.34% (2005)

Somalia

arable land: 1.64%

permanent crops: 0.04%

other: 98.32% (2005)

South Africa

arable land: 12.1%

permanent crops: 0.79%

other: 87.11% (2005)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some

sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen) (2005)

Spain

arable land: 27.18%

permanent crops: 9.85%

other: 62.97% (2005)

Spratly Islands

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Sri Lanka

arable land: 13.96%

permanent crops: 15.24%

other: 70.8% (2005)

Sudan

arable land: 6.78%

permanent crops: 0.17%

other: 93.05% (2005)

Suriname

arable land: 0.36%

permanent crops: 0.06%

other: 99.58% (2005)

Svalbard

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (no trees, and the only bushes are crowberry and

cloudberry) (2005)

Swaziland

arable land: 10.25%

permanent crops: 0.81%

other: 88.94% (2005)

Sweden

arable land: 5.93%

permanent crops: 0.01%

other: 94.06% (2005)

Switzerland

arable land: 9.91%

permanent crops: 0.58%

other: 89.51% (2005)

Syria

arable land: 24.8%

permanent crops: 4.47%

other: 70.73% (2005)

Taiwan

arable land: 24%

permanent crops: 1%

other: 75% (2001)

Tajikistan

arable land: 6.52%

permanent crops: 0.89%

other: 92.59% (2005)

Tanzania

arable land: 4.23%

permanent crops: 1.16%

other: 94.61% (2005)

Thailand

arable land: 27.54%

permanent crops: 6.93%

other: 65.53% (2005)

Togo

arable land: 44.2%

permanent crops: 2.11%

other: 53.69% (2005)

Tokelau

arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile)

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Tonga

arable land: 20%

permanent crops: 14.67%

other: 65.33% (2005)

Trinidad and Tobago

arable land: 14.62%

permanent crops: 9.16%

other: 76.22% (2005)

Tromelin Island

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (grasses; scattered bushes) (2005)

Tunisia

arable land: 17.05%

permanent crops: 13.08%

other: 69.87% (2005)

Turkey

arable land: 29.81%

permanent crops: 3.39%

other: 66.8% (2005)

Turkmenistan

arable land: 4.51%

permanent crops: 0.14%

other: 95.35% (2005)

Turks and Caicos Islands

arable land: 2.33%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 97.67% (2005)

Tuvalu

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 66.67%

other: 33.33% (2005)

Uganda

arable land: 21.57%

permanent crops: 8.92%

other: 69.51% (2005)

Ukraine

arable land: 53.8%

permanent crops: 1.5%

other: 44.7% (2005)

United Arab Emirates

arable land: 0.77%

permanent crops: 2.27%

other: 96.96% (2005)

United Kingdom

arable land: 23.23%

permanent crops: 0.2%

other: 76.57% (2005)

United States

arable land: 18.01%

permanent crops: 0.21%

other: 81.78% (2005)

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Uruguay

arable land: 7.77%

permanent crops: 0.24%

other: 91.99% (2005)

Uzbekistan

arable land: 10.51%

permanent crops: 0.76%

other: 88.73% (2005)

Vanuatu

arable land: 1.64%

permanent crops: 6.97%

other: 91.39% (2005)

Venezuela

arable land: 2.85%

permanent crops: 0.88%

other: 96.27% (2005)

Vietnam

arable land: 20.14%

permanent crops: 6.93%

other: 72.93% (2005)

Virgin Islands

arable land: 5.71%

permanent crops: 2.86%

other: 91.43% (2005)

Wake Island

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Wallis and Futuna

arable land: 7.14%

permanent crops: 35.71%

other: 57.15% (2005)

West Bank

arable land: 16.9%

permanent crops: 18.97%

other: 64.13% (2001)

Western Sahara

arable land: 0.02%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 99.98% (2005)

World

arable land: 13.31%

permanent crops: 4.71%

other: 81.98% (2005)

Yemen

arable land: 2.91%

permanent crops: 0.25%

other: 96.84% (2005)

Zambia

arable land: 6.99%

permanent crops: 0.04%

other: 92.97% (2005)

Zimbabwe

arable land: 8.24%

permanent crops: 0.33%

other: 91.43% (2005)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2098 Languages (%)

Afghanistan

Afghan Persian or Dari (official) 50%, Pashtu (official)

35%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor

languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism

Akrotiri

English, Greek

Albania

Albanian (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek,

Vlach, Romani, Slavic dialects

Algeria

Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects

American Samoa

Samoan 90.6% (closely related to Hawaiian and other

Polynesian languages), English 2.9%, Tongan 2.4%, other Pacific

islander 2.1%, other 2%

note: most people are bilingual (2000 census)

Andorra

Catalan (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese

Angola

Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages

Anguilla

English (official)

Antigua and Barbuda

English (official), local dialects

Argentina

Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French

Armenia

Armenian 97.7%, Yezidi 1%, Russian 0.9%, other 0.4% (2001

census)

Aruba

Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch,

English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish

Australia

English 79.1%, Chinese 2.1%, Italian 1.9%, other 11.1%,

unspecified 5.8% (2001 Census)

Austria

German (official nationwide), Slovene (official in

Carinthia), Croatian (official in Burgenland), Hungarian (official

in Burgenland)

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani (Azeri) 89%, Russian 3%, Armenian 2%, other

6% (1995 est.)

Bahamas, The

English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

Bahrain

Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu

Bangladesh

Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English

Barbados

English

Belarus

Belarusian, Russian, other

Belgium

Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German

(official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)

Belize

English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib), Creole

Benin

French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in

south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)

Bermuda

English (official), Portuguese

Bhutan

Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects,

Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects

Bolivia

Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara (official)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian

Botswana

Setswana 78.2%, Kalanga 7.9%, Sekgalagadi 2.8%, English

2.1% (official), other 8.6%, unspecified 0.4% (2001 census)

Brazil

Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French

British Virgin Islands

English (official)

Brunei

Malay (official), English, Chinese

Bulgaria

Bulgarian 84.5%, Turkish 9.6%, Roma 4.1%, other and

unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)

Burkina Faso

French (official), native African languages belonging

to Sudanic family spoken by 90% of the population

Burma

Burmese, minority ethnic groups have their own languages

Burundi

Kirundi (official), French (official), Swahili (along Lake

Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area)

Cambodia

Khmer (official) 95%, French, English

Cameroon

24 major African language groups, English (official),

French (official)

Canada

English (official) 59.3%, French (official) 23.2%, other 17.5%

Cape Verde

Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West

African words)

Cayman Islands

English

Central African Republic

French (official), Sangho (lingua franca

and national language), tribal languages

Chad

French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more

than 120 different languages and dialects

Chile

Spanish

China

Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing

dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghaiese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan

(Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages

(see Ethnic groups entry)

Christmas Island

English (official), Chinese, Malay

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Malay (Cocos dialect), English

Colombia

Spanish

Comoros

Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of

Swahili and Arabic)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

French (official), Lingala (a

lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or

Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba

Congo, Republic of the

French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba

(lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects

(of which Kikongo is the most widespread)

Cook Islands

English (official), Maori

Costa Rica

Spanish (official), English

Cote d'Ivoire

French (official), 60 native dialects with Dioula the

most widely spoken

Croatia

Croatian 96.1%, Serbian 1%, other and undesignated 2.9%

(including Italian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and German) (2001

census)

Cuba

Spanish

Cyprus

Greek, Turkish, English

Czech Republic

Czech

Denmark

Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German

(small minority)

note: English is the predominant second language

Dhekelia

English, Greek

Djibouti

French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar

Dominica

English (official), French patois

Dominican Republic

Spanish

East Timor

Tetum (official), Portuguese (official), Indonesian,

English

note: there are about 16 indigenous languages; Tetum, Galole,

Mambae, and Kemak are spoken by significant numbers of people

Ecuador

Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)

Egypt

Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by

educated classes

El Salvador

Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)

Equatorial Guinea

Spanish (official), French (official), pidgin

English, Fang, Bubi, Ibo

Eritrea

Afar, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic

languages

Estonia

Estonian (official) 67.3%, Russian 29.7%, other 2.3%,

unknown 0.7% (2000 census)

Ethiopia

Amharic, Tigrinya, Oromigna, Guaragigna, Somali, Arabic,

other local languages, English (major foreign language taught in

schools)

European Union

Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian,

Finnish, French, Gaelic, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian,

Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovene,

Spanish, Swedish; note - only official languages are listed

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

English

Faroe Islands

Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish

Fiji

English (official), Fijian (official), Hindustani

Finland

Finnish 92% (official), Swedish 5.6% (official), other 2.4%

(small Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities) (2003)

France

French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and

languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque,

Flemish)

overseas departments: French, Creole patois

French Polynesia

French 61.1% (official), Polynesian 31.4%

(official), Asian languages 1.2%, other 0.3%, unspecified 6% (2002

census)

Gabon

French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira,

Bandjabi

Gambia, The

English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other

indigenous vernaculars

Gaza Strip

Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by many Palestinians), English

(widely understood)

Georgia

Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%,

other 7%

note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia

Germany

German

Ghana

English (official), African languages (including Akan,

Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga)

Gibraltar

English (used in schools and for official purposes),

Spanish, Italian, Portuguese

Greece

Greek 99% (official), English, French

Greenland

Greenlandic (East Inuit), Danish, English

Grenada

English (official), French patois

Guam

English 38.3%, Chamorro 22.2%, Philippine languages 22.2%,

other Pacific island languages 6.8%, Asian languages 7%, other

languages 3.5% (2000 census)

Guatemala

Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially

recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel,

Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca)

Guernsey

English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country

districts

Guinea

French (official); note - each ethnic group has its own

language

Guinea-Bissau

Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages

Guyana

English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Hindi, Urdu

Haiti

French (official), Creole (official)

Holy See (Vatican City)

Italian, Latin, French, various other

languages

Honduras

Spanish, Amerindian dialects

Hong Kong

Chinese (Cantonese), English; both are official

Hungary

Hungarian 93.6%, other or unspecified 6.4% (2001 census)

Iceland

Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken

India

English enjoys associate status but is the most important

language for national, political, and commercial communication;

Hindi is the national language and primary tongue of 30% of the

people; there are 14 other official languages: Bengali, Telugu,

Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi,

Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Sanskrit; Hindustani is a popular

variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India but is

not an official language

Indonesia

Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay),

English, Dutch, local dialects, the most widely spoken of which is

Javanese

Iran

Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects

26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%

Iraq

Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian,

Armenian

Ireland

English (official) is the language generally used, Irish

(official) (Gaelic or Gaeilge) spoken mainly in areas located along

the western seaboard

Isle of Man

English, Manx Gaelic

Israel

Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority,

English most commonly used foreign language

Italy

Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige

region are predominantly German speaking), French (small

French-speaking minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene

(Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area)

Jamaica

English, patois English

Japan

Japanese

Jersey

English 94.5% (official), Portuguese 4.6%, other 0.9% (2001

census)

Jordan

Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and

middle classes

Kazakhstan

Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official,

used in everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic

communication") 95% (2001 est.)

Kenya

English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous

languages

Kiribati

I-Kiribati, English (official)

Korea, North

Korean

Korea, South

Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high

school

Kuwait

Arabic (official), English widely spoken

Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyz (official), Russian (official)

Laos

Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages

Latvia

Latvian (official) 58.2%, Russian 37.5%, Lithuanian and other

4.3% (2000 census)

Lebanon

Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian

Lesotho

Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa

Liberia

English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of

which a few can be written and are used in correspondence

Libya

Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the

major cities

Liechtenstein

German (official), Alemannic dialect

Lithuania

Lithuanian (official) 82%, Russian 8%, Polish 5.6%, other

and unspecified 4.4% (2001 census)

Luxembourg

Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative

language), French (administrative language)

Macau

Cantonese 87.9%, Hokkien 4.4%, Mandarin 1.6%, other Chinese

dialects 3.1%, other 3% (2001 census)

Macedonia

Macedonian 66.5%, Albanian 25.1%, Turkish 3.5%, Roma 1.9%,

Serbian 1.2%, other 1.8% (2002 census)

Madagascar

French (official), Malagasy (official)

Malawi

Chichewa 57.2% (official), Chinyanja 12.8%, Chiyao 10.1%,

Chitumbuka 9.5%, Chisena 2.7%, Chilomwe 2.4%, Chitonga 1.7%, other

3.6% (1998 census)

Malaysia

Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese,

Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu,

Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai

note: in East Malaysia there are several indigenous languages; most

widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan

Maldives

Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from

Arabic), English spoken by most government officials

Mali

French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages

Malta

Maltese (official), English (official)

Marshall Islands

Marshallese 98.2%, other languages 1.8% (1999

census)

note: English widely spoken as a second language; both Marshallese

and English are official languages

Mauritania

Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, French, Hassaniya,

Wolof

Mauritius

Creole 80.5%, Bhojpuri 12.1%, French 3.4%, English

(official; spoken by less than 1% of the population), other 3.7%,

unspecified 0.3% (2000 census)

Mayotte

Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language)

spoken by 35% of the population

Mexico

Spanish, various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional

indigenous languages

Micronesia, Federated States of

English (official and common

language), Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Kosrean, Ulithian, Woleaian,

Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi

Moldova

Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian

language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)

Monaco

French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque

Mongolia

Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian (1999)

Montenegro

Serbian (Ijekavian dialect - official), Bosnian,

Albanian, Croatian

Montserrat

English

Morocco

Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the

language of business, government, and diplomacy

Mozambique

Emakhuwa 26.1%, Xichangana 11.3%, Portuguese 8.8%

(official; spoken by 27% of population as a second language), Elomwe

7.6%, Cisena 6.8%, Echuwabo 5.8%, other Mozambican languages 32%,

other foreign languages 0.3%, unspecified 1.3% (1997 census)

Namibia

English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of

the population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%,

indigenous languages (Oshivambo, Herero, Nama)

Nauru

Nauruan (official, a distinct Pacific Island language),

English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and

commercial purposes

Nepal

Nepali 47.8%, Maithali 12.1%, Bhojpuri 7.4%, Tharu

(Dagaura/Rana) 5.8%, Tamang 5.1%, Newar 3.6%, Magar 3.3%, Awadhi

2.4%, other 10%, unspecified 2.5% (2001 census)

note: many in government and business also speak English

Netherlands

Dutch (official), Frisian (official)

Netherlands Antilles

Papiamento 65.4% (a

Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect), English 15.9% (widely

spoken), Dutch 7.3% (official), Spanish 6.1%, Creole 1.6%, other

1.9%, unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)

New Caledonia

French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

New Zealand

English (official), Maori (official), Sign Language

(official)

Nicaragua

Spanish 97.5% (official), Miskito 1.7%, other 0.8% (1995

census)

note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast

Niger

French (official), Hausa, Djerma

Nigeria

English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani

Niue

Niuean, a Polynesian language closely related to Tongan and

Samoan; English

Norfolk Island

English (official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century

English and ancient Tahitian

Northern Mariana Islands

Philippine languages 24.4%, Chinese 23.4%,

Chamorro 22.4%, English 10.8%, other Pacific island languages 9.5%,

other 9.6% (2000 census)

Norway

Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official),

small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities; note - Sami is official

in six municipalities

Oman

Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects

Pakistan

Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%,

Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%,

English (official and lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most

government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%

Palau

Palauan 64.7% official in all islands except Sonsoral

(Sonsoralese and English are official), Tobi (Tobi and English are

official), and Angaur (Angaur, Japanese, and English are official),

Filipino 13.5%, English 9.4%, Chinese 5.7%, Carolinian 1.5%,

Japanese 1.5%, other Asian 2.3%, other languages 1.5% (2000 census)

Panama

Spanish (official), English 14%; note - many Panamanians

bilingual

Papua New Guinea

Melanesian Pidgin serves as the lingua franca,

English spoken by 1%-2%, Motu spoken in Papua region

note: 820 indigenous languages spoken (over one-tenth of the world's

total)

Paraguay

Spanish (official), Guarani (official)

Peru

Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara, and a large

number of minor Amazonian languages

Philippines

two official languages - Filipino (based on Tagalog) and

English; eight major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano,

Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinan

Pitcairn Islands

English (official), Pitcairnese (mixture of an 18th

century English dialect and a Tahitian dialect)

Poland

Polish 97.8%, other and unspecified 2.2% (2002 census)

Portugal

Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official - but locally

used)

Puerto Rico

Spanish, English

Qatar

Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language

Romania

Romanian (official), Hungarian, German

Russia

Russian, many minority languages

Rwanda

Kinyarwanda (official) universal Bantu vernacular, French

(official), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used in

commercial centers

Saint Helena

English

Saint Kitts and Nevis

English

Saint Lucia

English (official), French patois

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

French (official)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

English, French patois

Samoa

Samoan (Polynesian), English

San Marino

Italian

Sao Tome and Principe

Portuguese (official)

Saudi Arabia

Arabic

Senegal

French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka

Serbia

Serbian (official nationwide); Romanian, Hungarian, Slovak,

Ukrainian, and Croatian (all official in Vojvodina); Albanian

(official in Kosovo)

Seychelles

Creole 91.8%, English 4.9% (official), other 3.1%,

unspecified 0.2% (2002 census)

Sierra Leone

English (official, regular use limited to literate

minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne

(principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole,

spoken by the descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled

in the Freetown area, a lingua franca and a first language for 10%

of the population but understood by 95%)

Singapore

Mandarin 35%, English 23%, Malay 14.1%, Hokkien 11.4%,

Cantonese 5.7%, Teochew 4.9%, Tamil 3.2%, other Chinese dialects

1.8%, other 0.9% (2000 census)

Slovakia

Slovak (official) 83.9%, Hungarian 10.7%, Roma 1.8%,

Ukrainian 1%, other or unspecified 2.6% (2001 census)

Slovenia

Slovenian 91.1%, Serbo-Croatian 4.5%, other or unspecified

4.4% (2002 census)

Solomon Islands

Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua

franca; English is official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the

population

note: 120 indigenous languages

Somalia

Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English

South Africa

IsiZulu 23.8%, IsiXhosa 17.6%, Afrikaans 13.3%, Sepedi

9.4%, English 8.2%, Setswana 8.2%, Sesotho 7.9%, Xitsonga 4.4%,

other 7.2% (2001 census)

Spain

Castilian Spanish 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%;

note - Castilian is the official language nationwide; the other

languages are official regionally

Sri Lanka

Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil

(national language) 18%, other 8%

note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken

competently by about 10% of the population

Sudan

Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of

Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, English

note: program of "Arabization" in process

Suriname

Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo

(Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is native language of

Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca

among others), Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese

Svalbard

Norwegian, Russian

Swaziland

English (official, government business conducted in

English), siSwati (official)

Sweden

Swedish, small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Switzerland

German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 20.4%,

Italian (official) 6.5%, Serbo-Croatian 1.5%, Albanian 1.3%,

Portuguese 1.2%, Spanish 1.1%, English 1%, Romansch 0.5%, other 2.8%

(2000 census)

note: German, French, Italian, and Romansch are all national

languages, but only the first three are official languages

Syria

Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian

widely understood; French, English somewhat understood

Taiwan

Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects

Tajikistan

Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and

business

Tanzania

Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguja (name for Swahili

in Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce,

administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in

Zanzibar), many local languages

note: Kiswahili (Swahili) is the mother tongue of the Bantu people

living in Zanzibar and nearby coastal Tanzania; although Kiswahili

is Bantu in structure and origin, its vocabulary draws on a variety

of sources, including Arabic and English, and it has become the

lingua franca of central and eastern Africa; the first language of

most people is one of the local languages

Thailand

Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and

regional dialects

Togo

French (official and the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina

(the two major African languages in the south), Kabye (sometimes

spelled Kabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the

north)

Tokelau

Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English

Tonga

Tongan, English

Trinidad and Tobago

English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish,

Chinese

Tunisia

Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce),

French (commerce)

Turkey

Turkish (official), Kurdish, Dimli (or Zaza), Azeri, Kabardian

note: there is also a substantial Gagauz population in the Europe

part of Turkey

Turkmenistan

Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%

Turks and Caicos Islands

English (official)

Tuvalu

Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui)

Uganda

English (official national language, taught in grade schools,

used in courts of law and by most newspapers and some radio

broadcasts), Ganda or Luganda (most widely used of the Niger-Congo

languages, preferred for native language publications in the capital

and may be taught in school), other Niger-Congo languages,

Nilo-Saharan languages, Swahili, Arabic

Ukraine

Ukrainian (official) 67%, Russian 24%, small Romanian-,

Polish-, and Hungarian-speaking minorities

United Arab Emirates

Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu

United Kingdom

English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of

Wales), Scottish form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland)

United States

English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European

3.8%, Asian and Pacific island 2.7%, other 0.7% (2000 census)

note: Hawaiian is an official language in the state of Hawaii

Uruguay

Spanish, Portunol, or Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on

the Brazilian frontier)

Uzbekistan

Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%

Vanuatu

local languages (more than 100) 72.6%, pidgin (known as

Bislama or Bichelama) 23.1%, English 1.9%, French 1.4%, other 0.3%,

unspecified 0.7% (1999 Census)

Venezuela

Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects

Vietnam

Vietnamese (official), English (increasingly favored as a

second language), some French, Chinese, and Khmer; mountain area

languages (Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian)

Virgin Islands

English 74.7%, Spanish or Spanish Creole 16.8%,

French or French Creole 6.6%, other 1.9% (2000 census)

Wallis and Futuna

Wallisian 58.9% (indigenous Polynesian language),

Futunian 30.1%, French 10.8%, other 0.2% (2003 census)

West Bank

Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many

Palestinians), English (widely understood)

Western Sahara

Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic

World

Mandarin Chinese 13.69%, Spanish 5.05%, English 4.84%, Hindi

2.82%, Portuguese 2.77%, Bengali 2.68%, Russian 2.27%, Japanese

1.99%, Standard German 1.49%, Wu Chinese 1.21% (2004 est.)

note: percents are for "first language" speakers only

Yemen

Arabic

Zambia

English (official), major vernaculars - Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi,

Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other indigenous languages

Zimbabwe

English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the

Ndebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal

dialects

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2100 Legal system

Afghanistan

according to the new constitution, no law should be

"contrary to Islam"; the state is obliged to create a prosperous and

progressive society based on social justice, protection of human

dignity, protection of human rights, realization of democracy, and

to ensure national unity and equality among all ethnic groups and

tribes; the state shall abide by the UN charter, international

treaties, international conventions that Afghanistan signed, and the

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Akrotiri

the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

Albania

has a civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction; has accepted jurisdiction of the International

Criminal Court for its citizens

Algeria

socialist, based on French and Islamic law; judicial review

of legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of

various public officials, including several Supreme Court justices;

has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

American Samoa

NA

Andorra

based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review

of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Angola

based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law;

recently modified to accommodate political pluralism and increased

use of free markets

Anguilla

based on English common law

Antarctica

Antarctica is administered through meetings of the

consultative member nations; decisions from these meetings are

carried out by these member nations (with respect to their own

nationals and operations) in accordance with their own national

laws; US law, including certain criminal offenses by or against US

nationals, such as murder, may apply extraterritorially; some US

laws directly apply to Antarctica; for example, the Antarctic

Conservation Act, 16 U.S.C. section 2401 et seq., provides civil and

criminal penalties for the following activities, unless authorized

by regulation of statute: the taking of native mammals or birds; the

introduction of nonindigenous plants and animals; entry into

specially protected areas; the discharge or disposal of pollutants;

and the importation into the US of certain items from Antarctica;

violation of the Antarctic Conservation Act carries penalties of up

to $10,000 in fines and one year in prison; the National Science

Foundation and Department of Justice share enforcement

responsibilities; Public Law 95-541, the US Antarctic Conservation

Act of 1978, as amended in 1996, requires expeditions from the US to

Antarctica to notify, in advance, the Office of Oceans, Room 5805,

Department of State, Washington, DC 20520, which reports such plans

to other nations as required by the Antarctic Treaty; for more

information, contact Permit Office, Office of Polar Programs,

National Science Foundation, Arlington, Virginia 22230; telephone:

(703) 292-8030, or visit their website at www.nsf.gov; more

generally, access to the Antarctic Treaty area, that is to all areas

between 60 and 90 degrees south latitude, is subject to a number of

relevant legal instruments and authorization procedures adopted by

the states party to the Antarctic Treaty

Antigua and Barbuda

based on English common law

Argentina

mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not

accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Armenia

based on civil law system

Aruba

based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law

influence

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

the laws of the Commonwealth of

Australia and the laws of the Northern Territory of Australia, where

applicable, apply

Australia

based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Austria

civil law system with Roman law origin; judicial review of

legislative acts by the Constitutional Court; separate

administrative and civil/penal supreme courts; accepts compulsory

ICJ jurisdiction

Azerbaijan

based on civil law system

Bahamas, The

based on English common law

Bahrain

based on Islamic law and English common law

Baker Island

the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Bangladesh

based on English common law

Barbados

English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts;

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Bassas da India

the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Belarus

based on civil law system

Belgium

civil law system influenced by English constitutional

theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Belize

English law

Benin

based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Bermuda

English law

Bhutan

based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Bolivia

based on Spanish law and Napoleonic Code; has not accepted

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Bosnia and Herzegovina

based on civil law system

Botswana

based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial

review limited to matters of interpretation; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Bouvet Island

the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply

Brazil

based on Roman codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction

British Indian Ocean Territory

the laws of the UK, where applicable,

apply

British Virgin Islands

English law

Brunei

based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic Shari'a law

supersedes civil law in a number of areas

Bulgaria

civil law and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Burkina Faso

based on French civil law system and customary law

Burma

has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Burundi

based on German and Belgian civil codes and customary law;

has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Cambodia

primarily a civil law mixture of French-influenced codes

from the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC)

period, royal decrees, and acts of the legislature, with influences

of customary law and remnants of communist legal theory; increasing

influence of common law in recent years; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Cameroon

based on French civil law system, with common law

influence; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Canada

based on English common law, except in Quebec, where civil

law system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Cape Verde

derived from the legal system of Portugal

Cayman Islands

British common law and local statutes

Central African Republic

based on French law

Chad

based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; has

not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Chile

based on Code of 1857 derived from Spanish law and subsequent

codes influenced by French and Austrian law; judicial review of

legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory

ICJ jurisdiction; note - in June 2005, Chile completed overhaul of

its criminal justice system to a new, US-style adversarial system

China

based on civil law system; derived from Soviet and continental

civil code legal principles; legislature retains power to interpret

statutes; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislation;

has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Christmas Island

under the authority of the governor general of

Australia and Australian law

Clipperton Island

the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

based upon the laws of Australia and local

laws

Colombia

based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US

procedures was enacted into law in 2004 and is gradually being

implemented; judicial review of executive and legislative acts

Comoros

French and Sharia (Islamic) law in a new consolidated code

Congo, Democratic Republic of the a new constitution was adopted by referendum 18 December 2005; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Congo, Republic of the based on French civil law system and customary law

Cook Islands

based on New Zealand law and English common law

Coral Sea Islands

the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply

Costa Rica

based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of

legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction

Cote d'Ivoire

based on French civil law system and customary law;

judicial review in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court;

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Croatia

based on civil law system

Cuba

based on Spanish civil law and influenced by American legal

concepts, with large elements of Communist legal theory; has not

accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Cyprus

based on common law, with civil law modifications; accepts

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Czech Republic

civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has

not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to

bring it in line with Organization on Security and Cooperation in

Europe (OSCE) obligations and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal

theory

Denmark

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts;

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Dhekelia

the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

Djibouti

based on French civil law system, traditional practices,

and Islamic law

Dominica

based on English common law

Dominican Republic

based on French civil codes; Criminal Procedures

Code modified in 2004 to include important elements of an accusatory

system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

East Timor

UN-drafted legal system based on Indonesian law remains

in place but are to be replaced by civil and penal codes based on

Portuguese law; these have passed but have not been promulgated

Ecuador

based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction

Egypt

based on English common law, Islamic law, and Napoleonic

codes; judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State

(oversees validity of administrative decisions); accepts compulsory

ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

El Salvador

based on civil and Roman law with traces of common law;

judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court

Equatorial Guinea

partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom

Eritrea

primary basis is the Ethiopian legal code of 1957, with

revisions; new civil, commercial, and penal codes have not yet been

promulgated; also relies on customary and post-independence-enacted

laws and, for civil cases involving Muslims, Sharia law

Estonia

based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative

acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Ethiopia

currently transitional mix of national and regional courts

Europa Island

the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

English common law

Faroe Islands

Danish

Fiji

based on British system

Finland

civil law system based on Swedish law; the president may

request the Supreme Court to review laws; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

France

civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of

administrative but not legislative acts

French Polynesia

based on French system

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

the laws of France, where

applicable, apply

Gabon

based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial

review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme

Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Gambia, The

based on a composite of English common law, Koranic law,

and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with

reservations

Georgia

based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction

Germany

civil law system with indigenous concepts; judicial review

of legislative acts in the Federal Constitutional Court; has not

accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Ghana

based on English common law and customary law; has not

accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Gibraltar

English law

Glorioso Islands

the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Greece

based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil,

criminal, and administrative courts; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Greenland

Danish

Grenada

based on English common law

Guam

modeled on US; US federal laws apply

Guatemala

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has

not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Guernsey

English law and local statutes; justice is administered by

the Royal Court

Guinea

based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree;

legal codes currently being revised; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Guinea-Bissau

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Guyana

based on English common law with certain admixtures of

Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Haiti

based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

the laws of Australia, where

applicable, apply

Holy See (Vatican City)

based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to

it

Honduras

rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law with increasing

influence of English common law; recent judicial reforms include

abandoning Napoleonic legal codes in favor of the oral adversarial

system; accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Hong Kong

based on English common law

Howland Island

the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Hungary

rule of law based on Western model; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Iceland

civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Iles Eparses

the laws of France, where applicable, apply

India

based on English common law; judicial review of legislative

acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations;

separate personal law codes apply to Muslims, Christians, and Hindus

Indonesia

based on Roman-Dutch law, substantially modified by

indigenous concepts and by new criminal procedures and election

codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Iran

the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government

Iraq

based on European civil and Islamic law under the framework

outlined in the Iraqi Constitution

Ireland

based on English common law, substantially modified by

indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme

Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Isle of Man

English common law and Manx statute

Israel

mixture of English common law, British Mandate regulations,

and, in personal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal

systems; in December 1985, Israel informed the UN Secretariat that

it would no longer accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Italy

based on civil law system; appeals treated as new trials;

judicial review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court;

has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Jamaica

based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction

Jan Mayen

the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply

Japan

modeled after European civil law system with English-American

influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court;

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Jarvis Island

the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Jersey

English law and local statute; justice is administered by the

Royal Court

Johnston Atoll

the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Jordan

based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of

legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not

accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Juan de Nova Island

the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Kazakhstan

based on civil law system

Kenya

based on Kenyan statutory law, Kenyan and English common law,

tribal law, and Islamic law; judicial review in High Court; accepts

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; constitutional

amendment of 1982 making Kenya a de jure one-party state repealed in

1991

Kingman Reef

the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Kiribati

NA

Korea, North

based on Prussian civil law system with Japanese

influences and Communist legal theory; no judicial review of

legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Korea, South

combines elements of continental European civil law

systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought

Kuwait

civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal

matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Kyrgyzstan

based on civil law system

Laos

based on traditional customs, French legal norms and

procedures, and socialist practice

Latvia

based on civil law system

Lebanon

mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and

civil law; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Lesotho

based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial

review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal;

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Liberia

dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common

law for the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten

tribal practices for indigenous sector; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Libya

based on Italian civil law system and Islamic law; separate

religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review of

legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Liechtenstein

local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Lithuania

based on civil law system; legislative acts can be

appealed to the constitutional court

Luxembourg

based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction

Macau

based on Portuguese civil law system

Macedonia

based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative

acts

Madagascar

based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy

law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Malawi

based on English common law and customary law; judicial

review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal; accepts

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Malaysia

based on English common law; judicial review of legislative

acts in the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the

federation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; Islamic

law is applied to Muslims in matters of family law and religion

Maldives

based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law

primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction

Mali

based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial

review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court (which was

formally established on 9 March 1994); has not accepted compulsory

ICJ jurisdiction

Malta

based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Marshall Islands

based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the

legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws

Mauritania

a combination of Shari'a (Islamic law) and French civil

law

Mauritius

based on French civil law system with elements of English

common law in certain areas; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,

with reservations

Mayotte

French law

Mexico

mixture of US constitutional theory and civil law system;

judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Micronesia, Federated States of based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws

Midway Islands

the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Moldova

based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews

legality of legislative acts and governmental decisions of

resolution; accepts many UN and Organization for Security and

Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) documents

Monaco

based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction

Mongolia

blend of Soviet, German, and US systems that combine

"continental" or "civil" code and case-precedent; constitution

ambiguous on judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Montenegro

based on civil law system

Montserrat

English common law and statutory law

Morocco

based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law

system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional

Chamber of Supreme Court

Mozambique

based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law

Namibia

based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution

Nauru

acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law; accepts

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Navassa Island

the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Nepal

based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not

accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Netherlands

civil law system incorporating French penal theory;

constitution does not permit judicial review of acts of the States

General; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Netherlands Antilles

based on Dutch civil law system with some

English common law influence

New Caledonia

the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy

to the islands; formerly under French law

New Zealand

based on English law, with special land legislation and

land courts for the Maori; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with

reservations

Nicaragua

civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative

acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Niger

based on French civil law system and customary law; has not

accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Nigeria

based on English common law, Islamic Shariah law (in 12

northern states), and traditional law; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Niue

English common law; note - Niue is self-governing, with the

power to make its own laws

Norfolk Island

based on the laws of Australia, local ordinances and

acts; English common law applies in matters not covered by either

Australian or Norfolk Island law

Northern Mariana Islands

based on US system, except for customs,

wages, immigration laws, and taxation

Norway

mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common law

traditions; Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to legislature

when asked; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Oman

based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to

the monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Pakistan

based on English common law with provisions to accommodate

Pakistan's status as an Islamic state; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Palau

based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature,

municipal, common, and customary laws

Palmyra Atoll

the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Panama

based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative

acts in the Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Papua New Guinea

based on English common law

Paraguay

based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes;

judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice;

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Peru

based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,

with reservations

Philippines

based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Pitcairn Islands

local island by-laws

Poland

mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and holdover

Communist legal theory; changes being gradually introduced as part

of broader democratization process; limited judicial review of

legislative acts, but rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are

final; court decisions can be appealed to the European Court of

Justice in Strasbourg; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with

reservations

Portugal

civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the

constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Puerto Rico

based on Spanish civil code and within the US Federal

system of justice

Qatar

discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although

civil codes are being implemented; Shari'a law dominates family and

personal matters

Romania

former mixture of civil law system and communist legal

theory; is now based on the constitution of France's Fifth Republic

Russia

based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Rwanda

based on German and Belgian civil law systems and customary

law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has

not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Saint Helena

British common law and statutes, supplemented by local

statutes

Saint Kitts and Nevis

based on English common law

Saint Lucia

based on English common law

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

French law with special adaptations for

local conditions, such as housing and taxation

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

based on English common law

Samoa

based on English common law and local customs; judicial review

of legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the

citizen; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

San Marino

based on civil law system with Italian law influences;

has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Sao Tome and Principe

based on Portuguese legal system and customary

law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Saudi Arabia

based on Shari'a law, several secular codes have been

introduced; commercial disputes handled by special committees; has

not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Senegal

based on French civil law system; judicial review of

legislative acts in Constitutional Court; the Council of State

audits the government's accounting office; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Serbia

based on civil law system

Seychelles

based on English common law, French civil law, and

customary law

Sierra Leone

based on English law and customary laws indigenous to

local tribes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Singapore

based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory

ICJ jurisdiction

Slovakia

civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; accepts

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; legal code modified

to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and

Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal

theory

Slovenia

based on civil law system

Solomon Islands

English common law, which is widely disregarded

Somalia

no national system; Shari'a (Islamic) and secular courts

based on Somali customary law (xeer) are present in some localities;

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

South Africa

based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

the laws of the UK,

where applicable, apply; the senior magistrate from the Falkland

Islands presides over the Magistrates Court

Spain

civil law system, with regional applications; accepts

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Sri Lanka

a highly complex mixture of English common law,

Roman-Dutch, Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Sudan

based on English common law and Shari'a law; as of 20 January

1991, the now defunct Revolutionary Command Council imposed Shari'a

law in the northern states; Shari'a law applies to all residents of

the northern states regardless of their religion; some separate

religious courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with

reservations; the southern legal system is still developing under

the CPA following the civil war; Shari'a law will not apply to the

southern states

Suriname

based on Dutch legal system incorporating French penal

theory; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Svalbard

NA

Swaziland

based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts

and Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; accepts

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Sweden

civil law system influenced by customary law; accepts

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Switzerland

civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial

review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees

of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction, with reservations

Syria

based on a combination of French and Ottoman civil law;

religious law is used in the family court system; has not accepted

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Taiwan

based on civil law system

Tajikistan

based on civil law system; no judicial review of

legislative acts

Tanzania

based on English common law; judicial review of legislative

acts limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted

compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Thailand

based on civil law system, with influences of common law;

has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Togo

French-based court system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,

with reservations

Tokelau

New Zealand and local statutes

Tonga

based on English law

Trinidad and Tobago

based on English common law; judicial review of

legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory

ICJ jurisdiction

Tromelin Island

the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Tunisia

based on French civil law system and Shari'a law; some

judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint

session

Turkey

civil law system derived from various European continental

legal systems; note - member of the European Court of Human Rights

(ECHR), although Turkey claims limited derogations on the ratified

European Convention on Human Rights

Turkmenistan

based on civil law system

Turks and Caicos Islands

based on laws of England and Wales, with a

few adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas

Tuvalu

NA

Uganda

in 1995, the government restored the legal system to one

based on English common law and customary law; accepts compulsory

ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Ukraine

based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative

acts

United Arab Emirates

federal court system introduced in 1971;

applies to all emirates except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah,

which are not fully integrated into the federal judicial system; all

emirates have secular courts to adjudicate criminal, civil, and

commercial matters and Islamic courts to review family and religious

disputes

United Kingdom

common law tradition with early Roman and modern

continental influences; has nonbinding judicial review of Acts of

Parliament under the Human Rights Act of 1998; accepts compulsory

ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

United States

federal court system based on English common law; each

state has its own unique legal system, of which all but one

(Louisiana's) is based on English common law; judicial review of

legislative acts

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

the laws of the US,

where applicable, apply

Uruguay

based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction

Uzbekistan

evolution of Soviet civil law; still lacks independent

judicial system

Vanuatu

unified system being created from former dual French and

British systems

Venezuela

open, adversarial court system

Vietnam

based on communist legal theory and French civil law system

Virgin Islands

based on US laws

Wake Island

the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Wallis and Futuna

French legal system

World

all members of the UN are parties to the statute that

established the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or World Court

Yemen

based on Islamic law, Turkish law, English common law, and

local tribal customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ

jurisdiction

Zambia

based on English common law and customary law; judicial

review of legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council; has

not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Zimbabwe

mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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@2101 Legislative branch

Afghanistan

the bicameral National Assembly consists of the Wolesi

Jirga or House of People (no more than 249 seats), directly elected

for five-year terms, and the Meshrano Jirga or House of Elders (102

seats, one-third elected from provincial councils for four-year

terms, one-third elected from local district councils for three-year

terms

note: on rare occasions the government may convene a Loya Jirga

(Grand Council) on issues of independence, national sovereignty, and

territorial integrity; it can amend the provisions of the

constitution and prosecute the president; it is made up of members

of the National Assembly and chairpersons of the provincial and

district councils

elections: last held 18 September 2005 (next to be held for the

Wolesi Jirga by September 2009; next to be held for the provincial

councils to the Meshrano Jirga by September 2008)

election results: the single non-transferable vote (SNTV) system

used in the election did not make use of political party slates;

most candidates ran as independents

Albania

unicameral Assembly or Kuvendi (140 seats; 100 are elected

by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote for four-year

terms)

elections: last held 3 July 2005 (next to be held in 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PD

56, PS 42, PR 11, PSD 7, LSI 5, other 19

Algeria

bicameral Parliament consisting of the National People's

Assembly or Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani (389 seats - formerly 380

seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and

the Council of Nations (Senate) (144 seats; one-third of the members

appointed by the president, two-thirds elected by indirect vote;

members serve six-year terms; the constitution requires half the

council to be renewed every three years)

elections: National People's Assembly - last held 30 May 2002 (next

to be held in 2007); Council of Nations (Senate) - last held 30

December 2003 (next to be held in 2006)

election results: National People's Assembly - percent of vote by

party - NA; seats by party - FLN 199, RND 47, Islah 43, MSP 38, PT

21, FNA 8, EnNahda 1, PRA 1, MEN 1, independents 30; Council of

Nations - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party NA

American Samoa

bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of

the House of Representatives (21 seats - 20 of which are elected by

popular vote and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains

Island; members serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18 seats;

members are elected from local chiefs and serve four-year terms)

elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2006

(next to be held November 2008); Senate - last held 2 November 2004

(next to be held November 2008)

election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by

party - NA; seats by party - NA; Senate - percent of vote by party -

NA; seats by party - independents 18

note: American Samoa elects one nonvoting representative to the US

House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2006 (next

to be held November 2008); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA

(Democrat) reelected as delegate

Andorra

unicameral General Council of the Valleys or Consell General

de las Valls (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote,

14 from a single national constituency and 14 to represent each of

the seven parishes; members serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 24 April 2005 (next to be held March-April 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - PLA 41.2%, PS 38.1%,

CDA-S21 11%, other 9.7%; seats by party - PLA 14, PS 12, CDA-S21 2

Angola

unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (220

seats; members elected by proportional vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 29-30 September 1992 (next to be held September

2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - MPLA 54%, UNITA 34%,

other 12%; seats by party - MPLA 129, UNITA 70, PRS 6, FNLA 5, PLD

3, other 7

Anguilla

unicameral House of Assembly (11 seats total, 7 elected by

direct popular vote, 2 ex officio members, and 2 appointed; members

serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 21 February 2005 (next to be held 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - AUF 38.9%, ANSA 19.2%,

AUM 19.4%, APP 9.5%, independents 13%; seats by party - AUF 4, ANSA

2, AUM 1

Antigua and Barbuda

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate

(17-member body appointed by the governor general) and the House of

Representatives (17 seats; members are elected by proportional

representation to serve five-year terms)

elections: House of Representatives - last held 23 March 2004 (next

to be held in 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

ALP 4, UPP 13

Argentina

bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists

of the Senate (72 seats; members are elected by direct vote;

presently one-third of the members elected every two years to a

six-year term) and the Chamber of Deputies (257 seats; members are

elected by direct vote; one-half of the members elected every two

years to a four-year term)

elections: Senate - last held 23 October 2005 (next to be held in

2007); Chamber of Deputies - last held last held 23 October 2005

(next to be held in 2007)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by bloc or party - FV

45.1%, FJ 17.2%, UCR 7.5%, other 30.2%; seats by bloc or party - FV

14, FJ 3, UCR 2, other 5; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by

bloc or party - FV 29.9%, UCR 8.9%, ARI 7.2%, PJ 6.7%, PRO 6.2%, FJ

3.9%, other 37.2%; seats by bloc or party - FV 50, UCR 10, ARI 8, PJ

9, PRO 9, FJ 7, other 34

Armenia

unicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov

(131 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year

terms; 90 members elected by party list, 41 by direct vote)

elections: last held 25 May 2003 (next to be held in the spring of

2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - Republican Party 23.5%,

Justice Bloc 13.6%, Rule of Law 12.3%, ARF (Dashnak) 11.4%, National

Unity Party 8.8%, United Labor Party 5.7%; seats by faction -

Republican Party 39, Rule of Law 20, Justice Bloc 14, ARF (Dashnak)

11, National Unity 7, United Labor 6, People's Deputy Group 16,

independent (not in faction or group) 18; note - as of 10 March

2006; voting blocs in the legislature are more properly termed

factions and can be composed of members of several parties; seats by

faction change frequently as deputies switch parties or announce

themselves independent

Aruba

unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by

direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 23 September 2005 (next to be held by in 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 43%, AVP 32%, MPA

7%, RED 7%, PDR 6%, OLA 4%, PPA 2%; seats by party - MEP 11, AVP 8,

MPA 1, RED 1

Australia

bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76

seats - 12 from each of the six states and 2 from each of the two

mainland territories; one-half of state members are elected every

three years by popular vote to serve six-year terms while all

territory members are elected every three years) and the House of

Representatives (150 seats; members elected by popular preferential

voting to serve terms of up to three-years; no state can have fewer

than 5 representatives)

elections: Senate - last held 9 October 2004 (next to be held no

later than June 2008); House of Representatives - last held 9

October 2004 (next to be called no later than November 2007)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by

party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 39, Australian Labor

Party 28, Democrats 4, Australian Greens 4, Family First Party 1;

House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by

party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 87, Australian Labor

Party 60, independents 3

Austria

bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung consists of

Federal Council or Bundesrat (62 members; members chosen by state

parliaments with each state receiving 3 to 12 members according to

its population; members serve a five- or six-year term) and the

National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members elected by

direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: National Council - last held 1 October 2006 (next

scheduled for the fall of 2010)

election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - SPOe

35.3%, OeVP 34.3%, Greens 11.1%, FPOe 11.0%, BZOe 4.1%; seats by

party - SPOe 68, OeVP 66, Greens 21, FPOe 21, BZOe 7

Azerbaijan

unicameral National Assembly or Milli Mejlis (125 seats;

members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 6 November 2005 (next to be held in November

2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

Yeni 58, Azadliq coalition 8, CSP 2, YES 2, Motherland 2, other

parties with single seats 7, independents 42, undetermined 4

Bahamas, The

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16-member

body appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime

minister and the opposition leader for five-year terms) and the

House of Assembly (40 seats; members elected by direct popular vote

to serve five-year terms); the government may dissolve the

Parliament and call elections at any time

elections: last held 1 May 2002 (next to be held by May 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 50.8%, FNM 41.1%,

independents 5.2%; seats by party - PLP 29, FNM 7, independents 4

Bahrain

bicameral legislature consists of Shura Council (40 members

appointed by the King) and House of Deputies (40 members directly

elected to serve four-year terms)

elections: House of Deputies - last held November-December 2006

(next election to be held NA)

election results: House of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA;

seats by party - Sunni Islamists 18, Al Wifaq (Shia) 17, other

groupings and independents 5

note: first elections since 7 December 1973; unicameral National

Assembly dissolved 26 August 1975; National Action Charter created

bicameral legislature on 23 December 2000; approved by referendum 14

February 2001; first legislative term held from December 2002 to

December 2006

Bangladesh

unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad; 300

seats elected by popular vote from single territorial constituencies

(the constitutional amendment reserving 30 seats for women over and

above the 300 regular parliament seats expired in May 2001); members

serve five-year terms

elections: last held 1 October 2001 (next to be held no later than

January 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - BNP and alliance

partners 41%, AL 40%; seats by party - BNP 193, AL 58, JI 17, JP

(Ershad faction) 14, IOJ 2, JP (Manzur) 4, other 12; note - the

election of October 2001 brought a majority BNP government aligned

with three other smaller parties - JI, IOJ, and Jatiya Party (Manzur)

Barbados

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (21-member body

appointed by the governor general) and the House of Assembly (30

seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year

terms)

elections: House of Assembly - last held 21 May 2003 (next to be

held by May 2008)

election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;

seats by party - BLP 23, DLP 7

Belarus

bicameral National Assembly or Natsionalnoye Sobranie

consists of the Council of the Republic or Soviet Respubliki (64

seats; 56 members elected by regional councils and 8 members

appointed by the president, all for four-year terms) and the Chamber

of Representatives or Palata Predstaviteley (110 seats; members

elected by universal adult suffrage to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 17 and 31 October 2004; international observers

widely denounced the elections as flawed and undemocratic, based on

massive government falsification; pro-LUKASHENKO candidates won

every seat, after many opposition candidates were disqualified for

technical reasons

election results: Soviet Respubliki - percent of vote by party - NA;

seats by party - NA; Palata Predstaviteley - percent of vote by

party - NA; seats by party - NA

Belgium

bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat in

Dutch, Senat in French (71 seats; 40 members are directly elected by

popular vote, 31 are indirectly elected; members serve four-year

terms) and a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van

Volksvertegenwoordigers in Dutch, Chambre des Representants in

French (150 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on

the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies - last held 18 May 2003

(next to be held 10 June 2007)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - SP.A-Spirit

15.5%, VLD 15.4%, CD & V 12.7%, PS 12.8%, MR 12.1%, VB 9.4%, CDH

5.6%; seats by party - SP.A-Spirit 7, VLD 7, CD & V 6, PS 6, MR 5,

VB 5, CDH 2, other 2 (note - there are also 31 indirectly elected

senators); Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - VLD

15.4%, SP.A-Spirit 14.9%, CD & V 13.3%, PS 13.0%, VB 11.6%, MR

11.4%, CDH 5.5%, Ecolo 3.1%; seats by party - VLD 25, SP.A-Spirit

23, CD & V 21, PS 25, VB 18, MR 24, CDH 8, Ecolo 4, other 2

note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered

devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of

government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a

complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six

governments each with its own legislative assembly

Belize

bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (12

members appointed by the governor general - 6 on the advice of the

prime minister, 3 on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and

1 each on the advice of the Belize Council of Churches and

Evangelical Association of Churches, the Belize Chamber of Commerce

and Industry and the Belize Better Business Bureau, and the National

Trade Union Congress and the Civil Society Steering Committee;

members are appointed for five-year terms) and the House of

Representatives (29 seats; members are elected by direct popular

vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: House of Representatives - last held 5 March 2003 (next

to be held March 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

PUP 21, UDP 8

Benin

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats;

members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 30 March 2003 (next to be held 25 March 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

Presidential Movement (UBF, MADEP, FC, Alliance MDC-PC-CPP, IPD,

AFP, MDS, RDP) 52, opposition (PRB, PRD, E'toile, and 5 other small

parties) 31

Bermuda

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (an 11-member

body appointed by the governor, the premier, and the opposition) and

the House of Assembly (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote

to serve up to five-year terms)

elections: last general election held 24 July 2003 (next to be held

not later than July 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 51.7%, UBP 48%;

seats by party - PLP 22, UBP 14

Bhutan

unicameral National Assembly or Tshogdu (150 seats; 105

elected from village constituencies, 10 represent religious bodies,

and 35 are designated by the monarch to represent government and

other secular interests; members serve three-year terms)

elections: local elections last held August 2005 (next to be held in

2008)

election results: NA

Bolivia

bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of

Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (27 seats; members are

elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve

five-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130

seats; 70 are directly elected from their districts and 60 are

elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve

five-year terms)

elections: Chamber of Senators and Chamber of Deputies - last held

18 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -

NA%; seats by party - PODEMOS 13, MAS 12, UN 1, MNR 1; Chamber of

Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - MAS 73,

PODEMOS 43, UN 8, MNR 6

Bosnia and Herzegovina

bicameral Parliamentary Assembly or Skupstina

consists of the national House of Representatives or Predstavnicki

Dom (42 seats - elected by proportional representation, 28 seats

allocated from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 14 seats

from the Republika Srpska; members elected by popular vote to serve

four-year terms); and the House of Peoples or Dom Naroda (15 seats -

5 Bosniak, 5 Croat, 5 Serb; members elected by the Bosniak/Croat

Federation's House of Representatives and the Republika Srpska's

National Assembly to serve four-year terms); note - Bosnia's

election law specifies four-year terms for the state and first-order

administrative division entity legislatures

elections: national House of Representatives - elections last held 1

October 2006 (next to be held in 2010); House of Peoples - last

constituted in January 2003 (next to be constituted in 2007)

election results: national House of Representatives - percent of

vote by party/coalition - NA%; seats by party/coalition - SDA 9,

SBiH 8, SNSD 7, SDP 5, SDS 3, HDZ-BH 3, HDZ 1990 2, other 5; House

of Peoples - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by

party/coalition - NA

note: the Bosniak/Croat Federation has a bicameral legislature that

consists of a House of Representatives (98 seats; members elected by

popular vote to serve four-year terms); elections last held 1

October 2006 (next to be held in October 2010); percent of vote by

party - NA; seats by party/coalition - SDA 28, SBiH 24, SDP 17,

HDZ-BH 8, HDZ100 7, other 14; and a House of Peoples (58 seats - 17

Bosniak, 17 Croat, 1i7 Serb, 7 other); last constituted December

2002; the Republika Srpska has a National Assembly (83 seats;

members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); elections

last held 1 October 2006 (next to be held in the fall of 2010);

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party/coalition - SNSD 41,

SDS 17, PDP 8, DNS 4, SBH 4, SPRS 3, SDA 3, other 3; as a result of

the 2002 constitutional reform process, a 28-member Republika Srpska

Council of Peoples (COP) was established in the Republika Srpska

National Assembly including eight Croats, eight Bosniaks, eight

Serbs, and four members of the smaller communities

Botswana

bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Chiefs (a

largely advisory 15-member body with 8 permanent members consisting

of the chiefs of the principal tribes, and 7 non-permanent members

serving 5-year terms, consisting of 4 elected subchiefs and 3

members selected by the other 12 members) and the National Assembly

(63 seats, 57 members are directly elected by popular vote, 4 are

appointed by the majority party, and 2, the President and

Attorney-General, serve as ex-officio members; members serve

five-year terms)

elections: National Assembly elections last held 30 October 2004

(next to be held October 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - BDP 51.7%, BNF 26.1%,

BCP 16.6%, other 5%; seats by party - BDP 44, BNF 12, BCP 1

Brazil

bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional consists of

the Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats; 3 members from each

state and federal district elected according to the principle of

majority to serve eight-year terms; one-third elected after a

four-year period, two-thirds elected after the next four-year

period) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara dos Deputados (513

seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve

four-year terms)

elections: Federal Senate - last held 1 October 2006 for one-third

of the Senate (next to be held October 2010 for two-thirds of the

Senate); Chamber of Deputies - last held 1 October 2006 (next to be

held October 2010)

election results: Federal Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%;

seats by party - PFL 6, PSDB 5, PMDB 4, PTB 3, PT 2, PDT 1, PSB 1,

PL 1, PPS 1, PRTB 1, PP 1, PCdoB 1; total seats following election -

PFL 18, PMDB 15, PSDB 15, PT 10, PDT 5, PTB 4, PSB 3, PL 3, PCdoB 2,

PRB 2, PPS 1, PRTB 1, PP 1, PSOL 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of

vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PMDB 89, PT 83, PFL 65, PSDB

65, PP 42, PSB 27, PDT 24, PL 23, PTB 22, PPS 21, PCdoB 13, PV 13,

PSC 9, other 17

British Virgin Islands

unicameral Legislative Council (13 seats;

members are elected by direct popular vote, 1 member from each of

nine electoral districts, 4 at-large members; members serve

four-year terms)

elections: last held 16 May 2003 (next to be held in 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

NDP 8, VIP 5

Brunei

Legislative Council met on 25 September 2004 for first time

in 20 years with 21 members appointed by the Sultan; passed

constitutional amendments calling for a 45-seat council with 15

elected members; Sultan dissolved council on 1 September 2005 and

appointed a new council with 29 members as of 2 September 2005

elections: last held in March 1962 (date of next election NA)

Bulgaria

unicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sobranie (240

seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 25 June 2005 (next to be held June 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - CfB 31.1%, NMS2 19.9%,

MRF 12.7%, ATAKA 8.2%, UDF 7.7%, DSB 6.5%, BPU 5.2%; seats by party

- CfB 83, NMS2 53, MRF 33, UDF 20, ATAKA 17, DSB 17, BPU 13,

independents 4

Burkina Faso

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale

(111 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year

terms)

elections: National Assembly election last held 5 May 2002 (next to

be held May 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

CDP 57, RDA-ADF 17, PDP/PS 10, CFD 5, PAI 5, other 17

Burma

unicameral People's Assembly or Pyithu Hluttaw (485 seats;

members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 27 May 1990, but Assembly never allowed by

junta to convene

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

NLD 392 (opposition), SNLD 23 (opposition), NUP 10 (pro-government),

other 60

Burundi

bicameral Parliament or Parlement, consists of a National

Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (minimum 100 seats - 60% Hutu and

40% Tutsi with at least 30% being women; additional seats appointed

by a National Independent Electoral Commission to ensure ethnic

representation; members are elected by popular vote to serve

five-year terms) and a Senate (54 seats; 34 by indirect vote to

serve five year terms, with remaining seats assigned to ethnic

groups and former chiefs of state)

elections: National Assembly - last held 4 July 2005 (next to be

held in 2010); Senate - last held 29 July 2005 (next to be held in

2010)

election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -

CNDD-FDD 58.6%, FRODEBU 21.7%, UPRONA 7.2%, CNDD 4.1%,

MRC-Rurenzangemero 2.1%, others 6.2%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 59,

FRODEBU 25, UPRONA 10, CNDD 4, MRC-Rurenzangemero 2; Senate -

percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 30,

FRODEBU 3, CNDD 1

Cambodia

bicameral, consists of the National Assembly (123 seats;

members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the

Senate (61 seats; 2 members appointed by the monarch, 2 elected by

the National Assembly, and 57 elected by parliamentarians and

commune councils; members serve five-year terms)

elections: National Assembly - last held 27 July 2003 (next to be

held in July 2008); Senate - last held 22 January 2006 (next to be

held in January 2011)

election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CPP

47%, SRP 22%, FUNCINPEC 21%, other 10%; seats by party - CPP 73,

FUNCINPEC 26, SRP 24; Senate - percent of vote by party - CPP 69%,

FUNCINPEC 21%, SRP 10%; seats by party - CPP 45, FUNCINPEC 10, SRP 2

(January 2006)

Cameroon

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (180

seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year

terms); note - the president can either lengthen or shorten the term

of the legislature

elections: last held 23 June 2002 (next to be held in June 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

RDCP 133, SDF 21, UDC 5, other 21

note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for the

legislature, to be called a Senate, but it has yet to be established

Canada

bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or

Senat (members appointed by the governor general with the advice of

the prime minister and serve until reaching 75 years of age; its

normal limit is 105 senators) and the House of Commons or Chambre

des Communes (308 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to

serve for up to five-year terms)

elections: House of Commons - last held 23 January 2006 (next to be

held in 2011)

election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party -

Conservative Party 36.3%, Liberal Party 30.2%, New Democratic Party

17.5%, Bloc Quebecois 10.5%, Greens 4.5%, other 1%; seats by party -

Conservative Party 124, Liberal Party 102, New Democratic Party 29,

Bloc Quebecois 51, other 2; seats by party as of February 2007 -

Conservative Party 125, Liberal Party 100, New Democratic Party 29,

Bloc Quebecois 51, other 2

Cape Verde

unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72

seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 22 January 2006 (next to be held in January

2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - PAICV 52.3%, MPD 44%,

UCID 2.7%; seats by party - PAICV 41, MPD 29, ADM 2

Cayman Islands

unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats, 3

appointed members from the Executive Council and 15 elected by

popular vote; members serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 11 May 2005 (next to be held in 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

PPM 9, UDP 5, independent 1

Central African Republic

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee

Nationale (109 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve

five-year terms)

elections: last held 13 March 2005 and 8 May 2005 (next to be held

NA 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - MLPC 43%, RDC 18%, MDD

9%, FPP 6%, PSD 5%, ADP 4%, PUN 3%, FODEM 2%, PLD 2%, UPR 1%, FC 1%,

independents 6%; seats by party - MLPC 47, RDC 20, MDD 8, FPP 7, PSD

6, ADP 5, PUN 3, FODEM 2, PLD 2, UPR 1, FC 1, independents 7

Chad

bicameral according to constitution, consists of a National

Assembly (155 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve

four-year terms) and a Senate (not yet created and size unspecified,

members to serve six-year terms, one-third of membership renewable

every two years)

elections: National Assembly - last held 21 April 2002 (next to be

held by April 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

MPS 110, RDP 12, FAR 9, RNDP 5, URD 5, UNDR 3, other 11

Chile

bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of

the Senate or Senado (38 seats elected by popular vote; members

serve eight-year terms - one-half elected every four years) and the

Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (120 seats; members are

elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 11 December 2005 (next to be held

December 2009); Chamber of Deputies - last held 11 December 2005

(next to be held December 2009)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - CPD 20 (PDC 6, PS 8, PPD 3, PRSD 3), APC 17 (UDI 9, RN 8),

independent 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA;

seats by party - CPD 65 (PDC 21, PPD 22, PS 15, PRSD 7), APC 54 (UDI

34, RN 20), independent 1

China

unicameral National People's Congress or Quanguo Renmin

Daibiao Dahui (2,985 seats; members elected by municipal, regional,

and provincial people's congresses to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held December 2002-February 2003 (next to be held

late 2007-February 2008)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - NA

Christmas Island

unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats;

members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: held every two years with half the members standing for

election; last held in May 2005 (next to be held in May 2007)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire

Council (7 seats)

elections: held every two years with half the members standing for

election; last held in May 2005 (next to be held in May 2007)

Colombia

bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Senate or

Senado (102 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve

four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de

Representantes (166 seats; members are elected by popular vote to

serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 12 March 2006 (next to be held in

March 2010); House of Representatives - last held 12 March 2006

(next to be held in March 2010)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - PSUN 20, PC 18, PL 18, CR 15, PDI 10, other parties 21;

House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - PL 35, PSUN 33, PC 29, CR 20, PDA 8, other parties 41

Comoros

unicameral Assembly of the Union (33 seats; 15 deputies are

selected by the individual islands' local assemblies and the 18 by

universal suffrage; deputies serve for five years);

elections: last held 18 and 25 April 2004 (next to be held in 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

CdIA 12, CRC 6; note - 15 additional seats are filled by deputies

from local island assemblies

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

bicameral legislature consists of

a National Assembly (500 seats; 60 members elected by majority vote

in single-member constituencies 440 members elected by open list

proportional-representation in multi-member constituencies; members

serve 5-year terms) and a Senate (108 seats; members elected by

provincial assemblies to serve 5-year terms)

elections: National Assembly - last held 30 July 2006 (next to be

held in 2011)

election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;

seats by party - PPRD 111, MLC 64, PALU 34, MSR 27, FR 26, RCD 15,

Independents 63, others 160 (includes 63 political parties that won

fewer than 10 seats)

Congo, Republic of the

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate

(66 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year

terms) and the National Assembly (137 seats; members are elected by

popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 11 July 2002 (next to be held July

2007); National Assembly - last held 27 May and 26 June 2002 (next

to be held by May 2007)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - FDP 56, other 10; National Assembly - percent of vote by

party - NA; seats by party - FDP 83, UDR 6, UPADS 3, other 45

Cook Islands

bicameral Parliament consisting of a lower house or

Legislative Assembly with 25 seats (24 seats representing districts

of the Cook Islands and one seat representing Cook Islanders living

overseas; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

and an upper house or House of Ariki made up of traditional leaders

elections: last held 26 September 2006 (next to be held by 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - Demo 51.9%, CIP 45.5%,

independent 2.7%; seats by party - Demo 15, CIP 8, independent 1

note: the House of Ariki advises on traditional matters and

maintains considerable influence, but has no legislative powers

Costa Rica

unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa

(57 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve

four-year terms)

elections: last held 5 February 2006 (next to be held February 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

PLN 25, PAC 17, PML 6, PUSC 5, other 4

Cote d'Ivoire

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale

(225 seats; members are elected in single- and multi-district

elections by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: elections last held 10 December 2000 with by-elections on

14 January 2001 (next to be held by October 2007, after the

government postponed the elections in 2005 and 2006)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

FPI 96, PDCI-RDA 94, RDR 5, PIT 4, other 2, independents 22, vacant 2

note: a Senate is scheduled to be created in the next full election

in 2006

Croatia

unicameral Assembly or Sabor (152 seats; note - one seat was

added in the November 2003 parliamentary elections; members elected

from party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 23 November 2003 (next to be held in 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; number of seats by

party - HDZ 63, SDP 34, HNS 11, HSS 9, HSP 7, IDS 4, HDSSB 3, HSLS

3, HSU 3, SDSS 3, other 12

note: minority government coalition - HDZ, DC, HSLS, HSU, SDSS; note

- the Democratic Center party or DC withdrew from the government in

Febuary 2006

Cuba

unicameral National Assembly of People's Power or Asemblea

Nacional del Poder Popular (609 seats, elected directly from slates

approved by special candidacy commissions; members serve five-year

terms)

elections: last held 19 January 2003 (next to be held in 2008)

election results: percent of vote - PCC 97.6%; seats - PCC 609

Cyprus

unicameral - area under government control: House of

Representatives or Vouli Antiprosopon (80 seats; 56 assigned to the

Greek Cypriots, 24 to Turkish Cypriots; note - only those assigned

to Greek Cypriots are filled; members are elected by popular vote to

serve five-year terms); area administered by Turkish Cypriots:

Assembly of the Republic or Cumhuriyet Meclisi (50 seats; members

are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: area under government control: last held 21 May 2006

(next to be held 2011); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: last

held 14 December 2003 (next to be held in 2008)

election results: area under government control: House of

Representatives - percent of vote by party - AKEL 31.13%, DISY

30.34%, DIKO 17.92%, KISOS 6.51%, EDEK 8.91%, EURO.KO 5.75%, Greens

1.95%; seats by party - AKEL (Communist) 18, DISY 18, DIKO 11, KISOS

4, EDEK 4, EURO.KO 4, Greens 1; area administered by Turkish

Cypriots: Assembly of the Republic - percent of vote by party - CTP

35.8%, UBP 32.3%, Peace and Democratic Movement 13.4%, DP 12.3%;

seats by party - CTP 19, UBP 18, Peace and Democratic Movement 6, DP

7; note - "TRNC" seats by party as of September 2006 - CTP 25, OP 3,

UBP 13, DP 6, BDH 1, independents 2

Czech Republic

bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the

Senate or Senat (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to

serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the

Chamber of Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members are

elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held in two rounds 20-21 and 27-28 October

2006 (next to be held October 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held

2-3 June 2006 (next to be held by June 2010)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - ODS 41, CSSD 12, KDU-CSL 10, others 15, independents 2;

Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - ODS 35.4%, CSSD

32.3%, KSCM 12.8%, KDU-CSL 7.2%, Greens 6.3%, other 6%; seats by

party - ODS 81, CSSD 74, KSCM 26, KDU-CSL 13, Greens 6

Denmark

unicameral People's Assembly or Folketinget (179 seats,

including 2 from Greenland and 2 from the Faroe Islands; members are

elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation

to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 8 February 2005 (next to be held February 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 29%,

Social Democrats 25.9%, Danish People's Party 13.2%, Conservative

Party 10.3%, Social Liberal Party 9.2%, Socialist People's Party 6%,

Unity List 3.4%; seats by party - Liberal Party 52, Social Democrats

47, Danish People's Party 24, Conservative Party 18, Social Liberal

Party 17, Socialist People's Party 11, Unity List 6; note - does not

include the 2 seats from Greenland and the 2 seats from the Faroe

Islands

Djibouti

unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (65

seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)

elections: last held 10 January 2003 (next to be held January 2008)

election results: percent of vote - RPP 62.2%, FRUD 36.9%; seats -

RPP 65, FRUD 0; note - RPP (the ruling party) dominated the election

Dominica

unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats, 9 appointed

senators, 21 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 5 May 2005 (next to be held by 5 August 2010);

note - tradition dictates that the election will be held within five

years of the last election, but technically it is five years from

the first seating of parliament (12 May 2005) plus a 90-day grace

period

election results: percent of vote by party - DLP 52.07%, UWP 43.6%,

DFP 3.15%; seats by party - DLP 12, UWP 8, independent 1

Dominican Republic

bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional

consists of the Senate or Senado (32 seats; members are elected by

popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of

Representatives or Camara de Diputados (178 seats; members are

elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 16 May 2006 (next to be held in May

2008); House of Representatives - last held 16 May 2006 (next to be

held in May 2008)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - PLD 22, PRD 6, PRSC 4; House of Representatives - percent of

vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLD 96, PRD 60, PRSC 22

East Timor

unicameral National Parliament (number of seats can vary,

minimum requirement of 52 and a maximum of 65 seats; members elected

by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - for its first term

of office, the National Parliament is comprised of 88 members on an

exceptional basis

elections: (next to be held in May 2007); direct elections for

national parliament were never held; elected delegates to the

national convention adopted a constitution and named themselves

legislators instead of having elections; hence the exceptional

numbers for this term of the national parliament

election results: percent of vote by party - FRETILIN 57.37%, PD

8.72%, PSD 8.18%, ASDT 7.84%, UDT 2.36%, PNT 2.21%, KOTA 2.13%, PPT

2.01%, PDC 1.98%, PST 1.78%, independents/other 5.42%; seats by

party - FRETILIN 55, PD 7, PSD 6, ASDT 6, PDC 2, UDT 2, KOTA 2, PNT

2, PPT 2, UDC/PDC 1, PST 1, PL 1, independent 1

Ecuador

unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (100

seats; members are elected through a party-list proportional

representation system to serve 4-year terms)

elections: last held 15 October 2006 (next to be held October 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

PRIAN 28; PSP 24; PSC 13; ID 7; PRE 6; MUPP-NP 6; RED 5; UDC 5;

other 6; note - defections by members of National Congress are

commonplace, resulting in frequent changes in the numbers of seats

held by the various parties

Egypt

bicameral system consists of the People's Assembly or Majlis

al-Sha'b (454 seats; 444 elected by popular vote, 10 appointed by

the president; members serve five-year terms) and the Advisory

Council or Majlis al-Shura - which functions only in a consultative

role (264 seats; 176 elected by popular vote, 88 appointed by the

president; members serve six-year terms; mid-term elections for half

of the elected members)

elections: People's Assembly - three-phase voting - last held 7 and

20 November, 1 December 2005;(next to be held November-December

2010); Advisory Council - last held May-June 2004 (next to be held

May-June 2007)

election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;

seats by party - NDP 311, NWP 6, Tagammu 2, Tomorrow Party 1,

independents 112 (12 seats to be determined by rerun elections, 10

seats appointed by President); Advisory Council - percent of vote by

party - NA; seats by party - NA

El Salvador

unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa

(84 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve

three-year terms)

elections: last held 12 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

ARENA 34, FMLN 32, PCN 10, PDC 6, CD 2

Equatorial Guinea

unicameral House of People's Representatives or

Camara de Representantes del Pueblo (100 seats; members directly

elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 25 April 2004 (next to be held in 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

PDGE 98, CPDS 2

note: Parliament has little power since the constitution vests all

executive authority in the president

Eritrea

unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; term limits not

established)

elections: in May 1997, following the adoption of the new

constitution, 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the old

Central Committee of the EPLF), 60 members of the 527-member

Constituent Assembly, that had been established in 1997 to discuss

and ratify the new constitution, and 15 representatives of Eritreans

living abroad were formed into a Transitional National Assembly to

serve as the country's legislative body until countrywide elections

to a National Assembly were held; although only 75 of 150 members of

the Transitional National Assembly were elected, the constitution

stipulates that once past the transition stage, all members of the

National Assembly will be elected by secret ballot of all eligible

voters; National Assembly elections scheduled for December 2001 were

postponed indefinitely

Estonia

unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are

elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 2 March 2003 (next to be held March 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - Center Party of Estonia

25.4%, Res Publica 24.6%, Estonian Reform Party 17.7%, Estonian

People's Union 13%, Pro Patria Union (Fatherland League) 7.3%

People's Party Moodukad 7%; seats by party - Res Publica 26, Center

Party 20, Reform Party 19, Estonian People's Union 13, Pro Patria

Union 7, Social Democrats (formerly People's Party Moodukad) 6,

non-affiliated (Social Liberals and independents) 10

Ethiopia

bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Federation or

upper chamber (108 seats; members are chosen by state assemblies to

serve five-year terms) and the House of People's Representatives or

lower chamber (547 seats; members are directly elected by popular

vote from single-member districts to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 15 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by party - EPRDF 327,

CUD 109, UEDF 52, SPDP 23, OFDM 11, BGPDUF 8, ANDP 8, independent 1,

others 6, undeclared 2

note: irregularities at some polling stations necessitated the

rescheduling of voting in certain constituencies

European Union

Council of the European Union (27 member-state

ministers having 345 votes; the number of votes is roughly

proportional to member-states' population); note - the Council is

the main decision-making body of the EU; European Parliament (785

seats (as of 1 January 2007); seats allocated among member states by

proportion to population); members elected by direct universal

suffrage for a five-year term

elections: last held 10-13 June 2004 (next to be held June 2009)

election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by party - EPP-ED

268, PES 202, ALDE 88, Greens/EFA 42, EUL/NGL 41, IND/DEM 36, UEN

27, independents 28; note - seats by party as of 1 January 2007 -

EPP-ED 277, PES 218, ALDE 106, UEN 44, Greens/EFA 42, EUL/NGL 41,

IND/DEM 23, ITS 20, independents 14

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) unicameral Legislative Council (10 seats - two ex officio, eight elected by popular vote, members serve four-year terms); presided over by the governor elections: last held 17 November 2005 (next to be held November 2009) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 8

Faroe Islands

unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (32 seats;

members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis from the

seven constituencies to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 20 January 2004 (next to be held no later than

January 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - Union Party 23.7%,

Social Democratic Party 21.8%, Republican Party 21.7%, People's

Party 20.6%, Center Party 5.2%, Independence Party 4.6%; seats by

party - Union Party 7, Social Democratic Party 7, Republican Party

8, People's Party 7, Center Party 2, Independence Party 1

note: election of two seats to the Danish Parliament was last held

on 8 February 2005 (next to be held February 2009); results -

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 1,

People's Party 1

Fiji

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (32 seats; 14

appointed by the president on the advice of the Great Council of

Chiefs, 9 appointed by the president on the advice of the Prime

Minister, 8 on the advice of the Opposition Leader, and 1 appointed

on the advice of the council of Rotuma) and the House of

Representatives (71 seats; 23 reserved for ethnic Fijians, 19

reserved for ethnic Indians, 3 reserved for other ethnic groups, 1

reserved for the council of Rotuma constituency encompassing the

whole of Fiji, and 25 open seats; members serve five-year terms)

elections: House of Representatives - last held 6-13 May 2006 (next

to be held 2011)

election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by

party - SDL 44.59%, FLP 39.18%, UPP .84%, independents 4.89%; seats

by party - SDL 36, FLP 31, UPP 2, independents 2

Finland

unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members are

elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve four-year

terms)

elections: last held 16 March 2003 (next to be held March 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - Kesk 24.7%, SDP 24.5%,

Kok 18.5%, VAS 9.9%, VIHR 8%, KD 5.3%, SFP 4.6%; seats by party -

Kesk 55, SDP 53, Kok 40, VAS 19, VIHR 14, KD 7, SFP 8, other 4

France

bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or

Senat (331 seats - 305 for metropolitan France, 9 for overseas

departments, 5 for dependencies, and 12 for French nationals abroad;

members are indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve

nine-year terms; elected by thirds every three years); note -

between 2006 and 2010, 15 new seats will be added to the Senate for

a total of 346 seats - 326 for metropolitan France and overseas

departments, 2 for New Caledonia, 2 for Mayotte, 1 for Saint-Pierre

and Miquelon, 3 for overseas territories, and 12 for French

nationals abroad; starting in 2008, members will be indirectly

elected by an electoral college to serve six-year terms, with

one-half the seats being renewed every three years; and the National

Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats - 555 for metropolitan

France, 15 for overseas departments, 7 for dependencies; members are

elected by popular vote under a single-member majority system to

serve five-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 26 September 2004 (next to be held

September 2008); National Assembly - last held 8-16 June 2002 (next

to be held on 10 and 17 June 2007)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - UMP 156, PS 97, UDF 33, PCF 23, RDSE 15, other 7; National

Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 355,

PS 140, UDF 29, PCF 21, Left Radical Party 7, Greens 3, other 22

French Polynesia

unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee

Territoriale (57 seats - changed from 49 seats for May 2004

election; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year

terms)

elections: last held 23 May 2004 (next to be held May 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 28, Union for Democracy

27, New Star 1, This Country is Yours 1; after by-elections of 13

February 2005 seating was as follows: People's Rally for the

Republic 27, Union for Democracy 27, and Alliance for a New

Democracy 3

note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998

(next to be held September 2007); results - percent of vote by party

- NA; seats by party - NA; two seats were elected to the French

National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007);

results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1,

UMP 1

Gabon

bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (91 seats;

members elected by members of municipal councils and departmental

assemblies to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly or

Assemblee Nationale (120 seats; members are elected by direct,

popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 26 January and 9 February 2003 (next

to be held by January 2009); National Assembly - last held 17 and 24

December 2006 (next to be held December 2011)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - PDG 53, RNB 20, PGP 4, ADERE 3, RDP 1, CLR 1, independents

9; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party

- PDG 82, RPG 8, UPG 8, UGDD 4, ADERE 3, CLR 2, PGP-Ndaot 2, PSD 2,

independents 4, others 5

Gambia, The

unicameral National Assembly (53 seats; 48 elected by

popular vote, 5 appointed by the president; members serve five-year

terms)

elections: last held 17 January 2002 (next to be held 25 January

2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

APRC 45, PDOIS 2, NRP 1,

Georgia

unicameral Supreme Council (commonly referred to as

Parliament) or Umaghiesi Sabcho (235 seats - 150 elected by party

lists); members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held spring 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - National

Movement-Democratic Front 67.6%, Rightist Opposition 7.6%, all other

parties received less than 7% each; seats by party - National

Movement-Democratic Front 135, Rightist Opposition 15

Germany

bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Federal

Assembly or Bundestag (614 seats; elected by popular vote under a

system combining direct and proportional representation; a party

must win 5% of the national vote or three direct mandates to gain

proportional representation and caucus recogntion; members serve

four-year terms) and the Federal Council or Bundesrat (69 votes;

state governments are directly represented by votes; each has three

to six votes depending on population and are required to vote as a

block)

elections: Federal Assembly - last held 18 September 2005 (next to

be held September 2009); note - there are no elections for the

Bundesrat; composition is determined by the composition of the

state-level governments; the composition of the Bundesrat has the

potential to change any time one of the 16 states holds an election

election results: Federal Assembly - percent of vote by party -

CDU/CSU 35.2%, SPD 34.3%, FDP 9.8%, Left 8.7%, Greens 8.1%; seats by

party - CDU/CSU 225, SPD 222, FDP 61, Left 53, Greens 51, and

independents 2

Ghana

unicameral Parliament (230 seats; note - increased from 200

seats in last election; members are elected by direct, popular vote

to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 7 December 2004 (next to be held December 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

NPP 128, NDC 92, other 10

Gibraltar

unicameral House of Assembly (18 seats - 15 elected by

popular vote, 1 appointed for the Speaker, and 2 ex officio members;

members serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 27 November 2003 (next to be held not later

than February 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - GSD 58%, GSLP 41%;

seats by party - GSD 8, GSLP 7

Greece

unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats;

members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: elections last held 7 March 2004 (next to be held by

March 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - ND 45.4%, PASOK 40.6%,

KKE 5.9%, Synaspismos 3.3%; seats by party - ND 165, PASOK 117, KKE

12, Synaspismos 6; note - seats by party as of December 2006 - ND

164, PASOK 113, KKE 12, Synaspismos 6, independents 5, other 6

Greenland

unicameral Parliament or Landstinget (31 seats; members

are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional

representation to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held on 15 November 2005 (next to be held by

December 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut 30.7%,

Demokratiit 22.8%, Inuit Ataqatigiit 22.6%, Atassut Party 19.1%;

Katusseqatigiit 4.1%, other 0.7%; seats by party - Siumut 10,

Demokratiit 7, Inuit Ataqatigiit 7, Atassut 6, Katusseqatigiit 1

note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or

Folketing on 8 February 2005 (next to be held February 2009);

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Siumut 1, Inuit

Ataqatigiit 1

Grenada

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 13-member

body, 10 appointed by the government and 3 by the leader of the

opposition) and the House of Representatives (15 seats; members are

elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held on 27 November 2003 (next to be held by

November 2008)

election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by

party - NNP 46.65%, NDC 44.12%; seats by party - NNP 8, NDC 7

Guam

unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by

popular vote to serve two-year terms)

elections: last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

Republican Party 8, Democratic Party 7

note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of

Representatives; election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held

November 2008); results - Madeleine BORDALLO (Democratic Party) was

reelected as delegate; percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party

- Democratic Party 1

Guatemala

unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la

Republica (158 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve

four-year terms)

elections: last held 9 November 2003 (next to be held September 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

GANA 49, FRG 41, UNE 33, PAN 17, other 18

note: for the 9 November 2003 election, the number of congressional

seats increased from 113 to 158

Guernsey

unicameral States of Deliberation (45 seats; members are

elected by popular vote for four years); note - Alderney and Sark

have their own parliaments

elections: last held 21 April 2004 (next to be held in 2008)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents

Guinea

unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale

Populaire (114 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to

serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 30 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - PUP 61.6%, UPR 26.6%,

other 11.8%; seats by party - PUP 85, UPR 20, other 9

Guinea-Bissau

unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia

Nacional Popular (100 seats; members are elected by popular vote to

serve a maximum of four years)

elections: last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held in 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - PAIGC 31.5%, PRS 24.8%,

PUSD 16.1%, UE 4.1%, APU 1.3%, 13 other parties 22.2%; seats by

party - PAIGC 45, PRS 35, PUSD 17, UE 2, APU 1

Guyana

unicameral National Assembly (65 members elected by popular

vote, also not more than four non-elected non-voting ministers and

two non-elected non-voting parliamentary secretaries appointed by

the president; members serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 28 August 2006 (next to be held by August 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - PPP/C 54.6%, PNC/R 34%,

AFC 8.1%, other 3.3%; seats by party - PPP/C 36, PNC/R 22, AFC 5,

other 2

Haiti

bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of

the Senate (30 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve

six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber

of Deputies (99 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve

four-year terms); note - in reestablishing the Senate, the candidate

in each department receiving the most votes in the last election

serves six years, the candidate with the second most votes serves

four years, and the candidate with the third most votes serves two

years

elections: Senate - last held 21 April 2006, with run-off elections

on 3 December 2006 (next regular election, for one third of seats,

to be held in 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 21 April 2006,

with run-off elections on 3 December 2006 (next regular election to

be held in 2010)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - L'ESPWA 11, OPL 4, FL 3, FUSION 5, LAAA 2, UNCRH 2, ALYANS

1, PONT 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA;

seats by party - L'ESPWA 21, FUSION 15, ALYANS 11, OPL 8, FL 6,

UNCRH 6, MPH 4, RDNP 4, LAAA 4,KONBA 3, FRN 2, MOCHRENHA 1, MRN 1,

Tet-Ansanm 1, MIRN 1, JPDN 1, UNITE 1, PLH 1; results for six other

seats contested on 3 December 2006 remain unknown

Holy See (Vatican City)

unicameral Pontifical Commission

Honduras

unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (128

seats; members are elected proportionally to the number of votes

their party's presidential candidate receives to serve four-year

terms)

elections: last held 27 November 2005 (next to be held November 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PL

62, PN 55, PUD 5, PDC 4, PINU 2

Hong Kong

unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; in 2004

30 seats indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 30 elected

by popular vote; members serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 12 September 2004 (next to be held in September

2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - pro-democracy group

62%; seats by party - (pro-Beijing 34) DAB 12, Liberal Party 10,

independents 11, FTU 1; (pro-democracy 25) independents 11,

Democratic Party 9, CTU 2, ADPL 1, Frontier Party 1, NWSC 1;

non-voting LEGCO president 1

Hungary

unicameral National Assembly or Orszaggyules (386 seats;

members are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional

and direct representation to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 9 and 23 April 2006 (next to be held April 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party (5% or more of the vote

required for parliamentary representation in the first round) - MSzP

43.2%, Fidesz-KDNP 42%, SzDSz 6.5%, MDF 5%, other 3.3%; seats by

party - MSzP 190, Fidesz 141, KDNP 23, SzDSz 20, MDF 11, independent

1

Iceland

unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are

elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 10 May 2003 (next to be held by May 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - Independence Party

33.7%, Social Democratic Alliance 31%, Progressive Party 17.7%,

Left-Green Movement 8.8%, Liberal Party 7.4%; seats by party -

Independence Party 22, Social Democratic Alliance 20, Progressive

Party 12, Left-Green Alliance 5, Liberal Party 4

India

bicameral Parliament or Sansad consists of the Council of

States or Rajya Sabha (a body consisting of not more than 250

members, up to 12 of whom are appointed by the president, the

remainder are chosen by the elected members of the state and

territorial assemblies; members serve six-year terms) and the

People's Assembly or Lok Sabha (545 seats; 543 elected by popular

vote, 2 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)

elections: People's Assembly - last held 20 April through 10 May

2004 (next must be held before May 2009)

election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;

seats by party - INC 147, BJP 129, CPI(M) 43, SP 38, RJD 23, DMK 16,

BSP 15, SS 12, BJD 11, CPI 10, NCP 10, JD(U) 8, SAD 8, PMK 6, JMM 5,

LJSP 4, MDMK 4, TDP 4, TRS 4, independent 6, other 29, vacant 13;

note - party seat composition as of December 2006

Indonesia

House of Representatives or Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR)

(550 seats; members elected to serve five-year terms); House of

Regional Representatives (Dewan Perwakilan Daerah or DPD),

constitutionally mandated role includes providing legislative input

to DPR on issues affecting regions; People's Consultative Assembly

(Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat or MPR) has role in inaugurating and

impeaching president and in amending constitution; consists of

popularly-elected members in DPR and DPD; MPR does not formulate

national policy

elections: last held 5 April 2004 (next to be held in 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - Golkar 21.6%, PDI-P

18.5%, PKB 10.6%, PPP 8.2%, PD 7.5%, PKS 7.3%, PAN 6.4%, others

19.9%; seats by party - Golkar 128, PDI-P 109, PPP 58, PD 55, PAN

53, PKB 52, PKS 45, others 50

note: because of election rules, the number of seats won does not

always follow the percentage of votes received by parties

Iran

unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or

Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami (290 seats - formerly 270 seats; members

elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 20 February 2004 with a runoff held 7 May 2004

(by-elections next to be held in December 2006; general election to

be held in February 2008)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats by party -

conservatives/Islamists 190, reformers 50, independents 43,

religious minorities 5, and 2 seats unaccounted for

Iraq

bicameral Council of Representatives (consisting of 275 members

elected by a closed-list, proportional representation system) and a

Federation Council (membership not established and authorities

undefined)

elections: held 15 December 2005 to elect a 275-member Council of

Representatives; the Council of Representatives elected the

Presidency Council and approved the Prime Minister

election results: Council of Representatives - percent of vote by

party - Unified Iraqi Alliance 41%, Kurdistan Alliance 22%, Tawafuq

Coalition 15%, Iraqi National List 8%, Iraqi Front for National

Dialogue 4%, others 10%; number of seats by party - Unified Iraqi

Alliance 128, Kurdistan Alliance 53, Tawafuq Coalition 44, Iraqi

National List 25, Iraqi Front for National Dialogue 11, others 14

Ireland

bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of the Senate or

Seanad Eireann (60 seats - 49 elected by the universities and from

candidates put forward by five vocational panels, 11 are nominated

by the prime minister; members serve five-year terms) and the House

of Representatives or Dail Eireann (166 seats; members are elected

by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve

five-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 16 and 17 July 2002 (next to be held

by July 2007); House of Representatives - last held 17 May 2002

(next to be held by May 2007)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - Fianna Fail 30, Fine Gael 15, Labor Party 5, Progressive

Democrats 4, independents and other 6; House of Representatives -

percent of vote by party - Fianna Fail 41.5%, Fine Gael 22.5%, Labor

Party 10.8%, Sinn Fein 6.5%, Progressive Democrats 4.0%, Green Party

3.8%, other 10.9%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 81, Fine Gael 31,

Labor Party 21, Sinn Fein 5, Progressive Democrats 8, Green Party 6,

other 14

Isle of Man

bicameral Tynwald consists of the Legislative Council

(an 11-member body composed of the President of Tynwald, the Lord

Bishop of Sodor and Man, a nonvoting attorney general, and eight

others named by the House of Keys) and the House of Keys (24 seats;

members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: House of Keys - last held 23 November 2006 (next to be

held November 2011)

election results: House of Keys - percent of vote by party - NA;

seats by party - Liberal Vannin Party 2, Man Labor Party 1,

independents 21

Israel

unicameral Knesset (120 seats; members elected by popular

vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 28 March 2006 (next scheduled to be held in

2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - Kadima 22%, Labor

15.1%, Likud 9%, SHAS 9.5%, Yisrael Beiteinu 9%, NU/NRP 7.1%, GIL

5.9%, Torah and Shabbat Judaism 4.7%, Meretz-YAHAD 3.8%, United Arab

List 3%, Balad 2.3%, HADASH 2.7%; seats by party - Kadima 29, Labor

19, Likud 12, SHAS 12, Yisrael Beiteinu 11, NU/NRP 9, GIL 7, Torah

and Shabbat Judaism 6, Meretz-YAHAD 5, United Arab List 4, Balad 3,

HADASH 3

Italy

bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of the Senate or

Senato della Repubblica (315 seats; elected by proportional vote

with the winning coalition in each region receiving 55% of seats

from that region; members serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of

Deputies or Camera dei Deputati (630 seats; elected by popular vote

with the winning national coalition receiving 54% of chamber seats;

members serve five-year terms); note - electoral vote reform passed

in December 2005

elections: Senate - last held 10 April 2006 (next to be held in

2011); Chamber of Deputies - last held 10 April 2006 (next to be

held May 2011)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - The Union 158 (DS 62, DL 39, RC 27, Together with the Union

11, other 19), House of Freedoms 154 (FI 79, AN 41, UDC 21, LEGA

13), other 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA;

seats by party - The Union 348 (DS 220, RC 41, Rose in the Fist 18,

Italy of Values 17, PdCI 16, Greens Federation 15, UDEUR 10, other

11), House of Freedoms 276 (FI 140, AN 71, Union of Christian and

Center Democrats 39, LEGA 26), other 6

Jamaica

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 21-member

body appointed by the governor general on the recommendations of the

prime minister and the leader of the opposition; ruling party is

allocated 13 seats, and the opposition is allocated eight seats) and

the House of Representatives (60 seats; members are elected by

popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 16 October 2002 (next to be held no later than

October 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - PNP 52%, JLP 47.3%;

seats by party - PNP 34, JLP 26

Japan

bicameral Diet or Kokkai consists of the House of Councillors

or Sangi-in (242 seats - members elected for six-year terms; half

reelected every three years; 146 members in multi-seat

constituencies and 96 by proportional representation) and the House

of Representatives or Shugi-in (480 seats - members elected for

four-year terms; 300 in single-seat constituencies; 180 members by

proportional representation in 11 regional blocs)

elections: House of Councillors - last held 11 July 2004 (next to be

held in July 2007); House of Representatives - last held 11

September 2005 (next election by September 2009)

election results: House of Councillors - percent of vote by party -

NA; seats by party - LDP 115, DPJ 82, Komeito 24, JCP 9, SDP 5,

others 7; distribution of seats as of December 2006 - LDP 111, DPJ

82, Komeito 24, JCP 9, SDP 6, others 10

House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - LDP 47.8%, DPJ

36.4%, others 15.8%; seats by party - LDP 296, DPJ 113, Komeito 31,

JCP 9, SDP 7, others 24; note - seats by party as of December 2006 -

LDP 305, DPJ 113, Komeito 31, JCP 9, SDP 7, others 15 (2006)

Jersey

unicameral Assembly of the States of Jersey (55 voting

members - 12 senators (elected for six-year terms), 12 constables or

heads of parishes (elected for three-year terms), 29 deputies

(elected for three-year terms); the bailiff and the deputy bailiff;

and three non-voting members - the Dean of Jersey, the Attorney

General, and the Solicitor General all appointed by the monarch)

elections: last held 19 October 2005 for senators and 23 November

2005 for deputies (next to be held in 2008)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 55

Jordan

bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of

the Senate, also called the House of Notables (Majlis al-Ayan) (55

seats; members appointed by the monarch from designated categories

of public figures; members serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of

Deputies, also called the House of Representatives (Majlis

al-Nuwaab) (110 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis

of proportional representation to serve four-year terms); note - six

seats are reserved for women and are allocated by a special

electoral panel if no women are elected

elections: Chamber of Deputies - last held 17 June 2003 (next to be

held in 2007)

election results: Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party -

independents and other 84.6%, IAF 15.4%; seats by party -

independents and other 88, IAF 16; note - six women were appointed

to fill the woman's quota seats, including one female member of the

IAF; two IAF members were expelled from the Chamber of Deputies in

2006

Kazakhstan

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (39 seats; 7

senators are appointed by the president; other members are elected

by local government bodies, 2 from each of the 14 oblasts, the

capital of Astana, and the city of Almaty, to serve six-year terms;

note - formerly composed of 47 seats) and the Mazhilis (77 seats; 10

out of the 77 Mazhilis members are elected from the winning party's

lists; members are popularly elected to serve five-year terms)

elections: Senate - (indirect) last held December 2005; next to be

held in 2011; Mazhilis - last held 19 September and 3 October 2004

(next to be held in September 2009)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - NA; candidates nominated by local councils; Mazhilis -

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Otan 42, AIST 11,

ASAR (All Together) 4, Aq Zhol (Bright Path) 1, Democratic Party 1

(party refused to take the seat due to criticism of the election and

seat remained unoccupied), independent 18; note - most independent

candidates are affiliated with parastatal enterprises and other

pro-government institutions

Kenya

unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (224 seats; 210 members

elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms, 12 so-called

"nominated" members who are appointed by the president but selected

by the parties in proportion to their parliamentary vote totals, 2

ex-officio members)

elections: last held 27 December 2002 (next to be held December 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

NARC 125, KANU 64, FORD-P 14, other 7; ex-officio 2; seats appointed

by the president - NARC 7, KANU 4, FORD-P 1

Kiribati

unicameral House of Parliament or Maneaba Ni Maungatabu (42

seats; 39 elected by popular vote, 1 ex officio member - the

attorney general, 1 appointed to represent Banaba, and 1 other;

members serve four-year terms)

elections: legislative elections were held in two rounds - the first

round on 9 May 2003 and the second round on 14 May 2003 (next to be

held by November 2006)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

BTK 17, MTM 16, independents 7, other 2 (includes attorney general)

Korea, North

unicameral Supreme People's Assembly or Ch'oego Inmin

Hoeui (687 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year

terms)

elections: last held 3 August 2003 (next to be held in August 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

NA; ruling party approves a list of candidates who are elected

without opposition; some seats are held by minor parties

Korea, South

unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (299 seats -

members elected for four-year terms; 243 in single-seat

constituencies, 56 by proportional representation)

elections: last held 15 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2008;

byelections held to fill vacant seats)

election results: percent of vote by party - Uri 51%, GNP 41%, DLP

3%, DP 3%, others 2%; seats by party - Uri 141, GNP 127, DP 12, DLP

9, PFP 5, independents 5

note: percent of vote is for 2004 general election; seats by party

reflect results of 2005 and 2006 byelections; MDP became DP in May

2005; United Liberal Democrats (ULD) merged with GNP in February 2006

Kuwait

unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats;

members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; all

cabinet ministers are also ex officio voting members of the National

Assembly)

elections: last held 29 June 2006 (next election to be held in 2010)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - NA

Kyrgyzstan

unicameral Supreme Council or Jorgorku Kenesh (75 seats;

members are elected by popular vote to serve five year terms); note

- the November 2006 constitution calls for 90 seats

elections: elections for the new unicameral body or Jorgorku Kenesh

were held 27 February 2005, but the vast majority of positions

remained undecided and were contested in a runoff election on 13

March 2005; election irregularities caused widespread protests that

resulted in the president being forced to flee the country

election results: Supreme Council - percent of vote by party - NA;

seats by party - NA

Laos

unicameral National Assembly (115 seats; members elected by

popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 30 April 2006 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

LPRP 113, independents 2

Latvia

unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are

elected by proportional representation from party lists across five

districts through direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 7 October 2006 (next to be held October 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - TP 19.5%, ZZS 16.7%, JL

16.4%, SC 14.4%; LPP/LC 8.6%; TB/LNNK 7%; PCTVL 6%; seats by party -

TP 23, ZZS 18, JL 18, SC 17, LPP/LC 10, TB/LNNK 8, PCTVL 6

Lebanon

unicameral National Assembly or Majlis Alnuwab (Arabic) or

Assemblee Nationale (French) (128 seats; members elected by popular

vote on the basis of sectarian proportional representation to serve

four-year terms); note - Nahib BERRI is the National Assembly

Speaker (since 1992)

elections: last held in four rounds on 29 May, 5, 12, 19 June 2005

(next to be held 2009)

election results: percent of vote by group - NA; seats by group (as

of December 2006) - Future Movement Bloc 36; Democratic Gathering

15; Development and Resistance Bloc 15; Loyalty to the Resistance

14; Free Patriotic Movement 15; Lebanese Forces 5; Qornet Shewan 6;

Popular Bloc 4; Tripoli Independent Bloc 3; Syrian National

Socialist Party 2; Kataeb Reform Movement 2; Tachnaq Party 2;

Democratic Renewal Movement 1; Democratic Left 1; Nasserite Popular

Movement 1; Ba'th Party 1; Kataeb Party 1; independent 4

Lesotho

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22

principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party)

and the Assembly (120 seats, 80 by direct popular vote and 40 by

proportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-year

terms); note - number of seats in the Assembly rose from 80 to 120

in the May 2002 election

elections: last held 25 May 2002 (next to be held 17 February 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - LCD 54.9%, BNP 22.4%,

LPC 5.8%, NIP 5.5% other 11.5%; seats by party - LCD 77, BNP 21, LPC

5, NIP 5, other 10

Liberia

bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (30 seats

- number of seats changed in 11 October 2005 elections; members

elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and the House of

Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve

six-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 11 October 2005 (next to be held in

2011); House of Representatives - last held 11 October 2005 (next to

be held in 2011)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by

party - COTOL 7, NPP 4, CDC 3, LP 3, UP 3, APD 3, other 7; House of

Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

CDC 15, LP 9, UP 8, COTOL 8, APD 5, NPP 4, other 15

note: junior senators - those who received the second most votes in

each county in the 11 October 2005 election - will only serve a

six-year first term because the Liberian constitution mandates

staggered Senate elections to ensure continuity of government; all

senators will be eligible for nine-year terms thereafter

Libya

unicameral General People's Congress (NA seats; members

elected indirectly through a hierarchy of people's committees)

Liechtenstein

unicameral Parliament or Landtag (25 seats; members

are elected by direct, popular vote under proportional

representation to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 11 and 13 March 2005 (next to be held by NA

2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - FBP 48.7%, VU 38.2%, FL

13%; seats by party - FBP 12, VU 10, FL 3

Lithuania

unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats, 71 members are

directly elected by popular vote, 70 are elected by proportional

representation; members serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 10 and 24 October 2004 (next to be held October

2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - Labor 28.6%, Working

for Lithuania (Social Democrats and Social Liberals) 20.7%, TS

14.6%, For Order and Justice (Liberal Democrats and Lithuanian

People's Union) 11.4%, Liberal and Center Union 9.1%, Farmers and

New Democracy Union 6.6%, other 9%; seats by faction - Labor 29,

Homeland Union 26, Social Democrats 23, Civil Democracy (split from

Labor) 11, Liberal Movement (formerly Liberal Political Group) 11,

National Farmer's Union (formerly Farmers and New Democracy Union)

11, Social Liberal 10, Liberal Democrats 9, Liberal and Center Union

8, independents 3 (as of late-July 2006)

Luxembourg

unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60

seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year

terms)

elections: last held 13 June 2004 (next to be held by June 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 36.1%, LSAP 23.4%,

DP 16.1%, Green Party 11.6%, ADR 10%; seats by party - CSV 24, LSAP

14, DP 10, Green Party 7, ADR 5

note: there is also a Council of State that serves as an advisory

body to the Chamber of Deputies; the Council of State has 21 members

appointed by the Grand Duke on the advice of the prime minister

Macau

unicameral Legislative Assembly (29 seats; 12 elected by

popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the chief

executive; members serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 25 September 2005 (next in September 2009)

election results: percent of vote - New Democratic Macau Association

18.2%, Macau United Citizens' Association 16%, Development Union

12.8%, Macau Development Alliance 9%, others NA; seats by political

group - New Democratic Macau Association 2, Macau United Citizens'

Association 2, Development Union 2, Macau Development Alliance 1,

New Hope 1, United Forces 2, others 2; 10 seats filled by

professional and business groups; seven members appointed by chief

executive

Macedonia

unicameral Assembly or Sobranie (120 seats - members

elected by popular vote from party lists based on the percentage of

the overall vote the parties gain in each of six electoral

districts; all serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 5 July 2006 (next to be held by July 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - VMRO-DPMNE 33%, SDSM

22%, BDI/DUI 12%, PDSh/DPA 7%, NSDP 6%, VMRO-Narodna 6%; seats by

party - VMRO-DPMNE 45, SDSM 32, BDI/DUI 17, PDSh/DPA 11, NSDP 7,

VMRO-Narodna 6, other 2

Madagascar

bicameral legislature consists of a National Assembly or

Assemblee Nationale (160 seats; members are directly elected by

popular vote to serve four-year terms) and a Senate or Senat (100

seats; two-thirds of the seats filled by regional assemblies whose

members will be elected by popular vote; the remaining one-third of

the seats appointed by the president; all members will serve

four-year terms)

elections: National Assembly - last held 15 December 2002 (next to

be held in 2007)

election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -

NA%; seats by party - TIM 103, FP 22, AREMA 3, LEADER/Fanilo 2, RPSD

5, others 3, independents 22

Malawi

unicameral National Assembly (193 seats; members elected by

popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 20 May 2004 (next to be held May 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

UDF 74, MCP 60, Independents 24, RP 16, others 18, vacancies 1

Malaysia

bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of the Senate or

Dewan Negara (70 seats; 44 appointed by the paramount ruler, 26

appointed by the state legislatures) and the House of

Representatives or Dewan Rakyat (219 seats; members elected by

popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: House of Representatives - last held 21 March 2004 (next

must be held by 2009)

election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by

party - BN 91%, DAP 5%, PAS 3%, other 1%; seats by party - BN 199,

DAP 12, PAS 6, PKR 1, independent 1

Maldives

unicameral People's Council or Majlis (50 seats; 42 elected

by popular vote, 8 appointed by the president; members serve

five-year terms)

elections: last held 22 January 2005 (next to be held NA 2010)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 50

Mali

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats;

members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 14 and 28 July 2002 (next to be held July 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

Hope 2002 coalition 66 (including RPM 42, CNID 10, and MPR 3), ADEMA

51, other 30

Malta

unicameral House of Representatives (usually 65 seats; note -

additional seats are given to the party with the largest popular

vote to ensure a legislative majority; members are elected by

popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve

five-year terms)

elections: last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held by August 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - PN 51.79%, MLP 47.51%,

AD 0.68%; seats by party - PN 34, MLP 31

Marshall Islands

unicameral legislature or Nitijela (33 seats;

members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 17 November 2003 (next to be held by November

2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA

note: the Council of Chiefs or Ironij is a 12-member body comprised

of tribal chiefs that advises on matters affecting customary law and

practice

Mauritania

bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis

al-Shuyukh (56 seats; a portion of seats up for election every two

years; members elected by municipal leaders to serve six-year terms)

and the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (95 seats; members

elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 9 and 16 April 2004 (next to be held

21 January 2007); National Assembly - last held 19 November and 3

December 2006

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats

by party - CFCD 41 (including RFD 16, United Forces for Progress

(UDP) 9, APP 5, Islamists 5, HATEM-PMUC 3, RD 2, FP 1), RNI

(coalition of independent candidates) 38, PRDR 7, Union for

Democracy and Progress (UDP) 3, RDU 3, Alternative (Al-Badil) 1,

RNDLE 1, UCD 1

Mauritius

unicameral National Assembly (70 seats; 62 elected by

popular vote, 8 appointed by the election commission to give

representation to various ethnic minorities; members serve five-year

terms)

elections: last held on 3 July 2005 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - AS

38, MSM/MMM 22, OPR 2; appointed seats - AS 4, MSM/MMM 2, OPR 2

Mayotte

unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats;

members are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)

elections: last held 21 and 28 March 2004 (next to be held in 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - MDM 23.3%, UMP 22.8%,

PS 10.2%, MRC 8.9%, FRAP 6.5%, MPM 1.2%; seats by party - MDM 6, UMP

9, MRC 2, MPM 1, diverse left 1

note: Mayotte elects one member of the French Senate; elections last

held 24 September 2001 (next to be held September 2007); results -

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Mayotte also

elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last

held 16 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007); results - percent of

vote by party - UMP-RPR 55.08%, UDF 44.92%; seats by party - UMP-RPR

1

Mexico

bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union consists

of the Senate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; 96 are elected by

popular vote to serve six-year terms, and 32 are allocated on the

basis of each party's popular vote) and the Federal Chamber of

Deputies or Camara Federal de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members are

directly elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms;

remaining 200 members are allocated on the basis of each party's

popular vote, also for three-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 2 July 2006 for all of the seats (next

to be held 1 July 2012); Chamber of Deputies - last held 2 July 2006

(next to be held 5 July 2009)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by

party - PAN 52, PRI 33, PRD 29, PVEM 6, CD 5, PT 2, PNA 1; Chamber

of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PAN

206, PRD 127, PRI 103, PVEM 18, CD 17, PT 16, other 13

Micronesia, Federated States of unicameral Congress (14 seats; 4 - one elected from each state to serve four-year terms and 10 - elected from single-member districts delineated by population to serve two-year terms; members elected by popular vote) elections: elections for four-year term seats last held 4 March 2003 (next to be held March 2007); elections for two-year term seats last held 8 March 2005 (next to be held March 2007) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 14

Moldova

unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; parties and

electoral blocs elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 6 March 2005 (next to be held in 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - PCRM 46.1%, Democratic

Moldova Bloc 28.4%, PPCD 9.1%, other parties 16.4%; seats by party -

PCRM 56, Democratic Moldova Bloc 34, PPCD 11

Monaco

unicameral National Council or Conseil National (24 seats; 16

members elected by list majority system, 8 by proportional

representation; to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 9 February 2003 (next to be held February 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

UNAM 21, UND 3

Mongolia

unicameral State Great Hural 76 seats; members elected by

popular vote to serve four-year terms

elections: last held 27 June 2004 (next to be held in June 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - MPRP 48.78%, MDC 44.8%,

independents 3.5%, Republican Party 1.5%, others 1.42%; seats by

party - MPRP 36, MDC 34, others 4; note - following June 2004

election MDC collapsed; note - seats by party as of 1 December 2005

- MPRP 38, DP 25, M-MNSDP 6, CWRP 2, MRP 1, PP 1, independents 3

Montenegro

unicameral Assembly (81 seats, elected by direct vote for

four-year terms; changed from 74 seats in 2006)

elections: last held 10 September 2006 (next to be held 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

Coalition for a European Montenegro 41, SNS 12, Coalition SPP/NS/DSS

11, PZP 11, Liberals and Bosniaks 3, Democratic League-Democratic

Prosperity 1, Democratic Union of Albanians 1, Albanian Alternative 1

Montserrat

unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly

elected; members serve five-year terms)

note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney

general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members

elections: last held 31 May 2006 (next to be held by 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - MCAP 36.1%, NPLM 29.4%,

MDP 24.4%, independents 10.1%; seats by party - MCAP 4, NPLM 3, MDP

1, independents 1

note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a single

constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast

ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council

Morocco

bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Chamber

of Counselors (270 seats; members elected indirectly by local

councils, professional organizations, and labor syndicates for

nine-year terms; one-third of the members are renewed every three

years) and a lower house or Chamber of Representatives (325 seats;

295 by multi-seat constituencies and 30 from national lists of

women; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)

elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held 6 October 2003 (next to

be held in 2006); Chamber of Representatives - last held 27

September 2002 (next to be held in 2007)

election results: Chamber of Counselors - percent of vote by party -

NA; seats by party - RNI 42, MDS 33, UC 28, MP 27, PND 21, PI 21,

USFP 16, MNP 15, PA 13, FFD 12, other 42; Chamber of Representatives

- percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - USFP 50, PI 48,

PJD 42, RNI 41, MP 27, MNP 18, UC 16, PND 12, PPS 11, UD 10, other 50

Mozambique

unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da

Republica (250 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote

on a secret ballot to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 1-2 December 2004 (next to be held December

2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - FRELIMO 62%, RENAMO

29.7%; seats by party - FRELIMO 160, RENAMO 90

Namibia

bicameral legislature consists of the National Council (26

seats; 2 members are chosen from each regional council to serve

six-year terms) and the National Assembly (72 seats; members are

elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: National Council - elections for regional councils, to

determine members of the National Council, held 29-30 November 2004

(next to be held November 2010); National Assembly - last held 15-16

November 2004 (next to be held November 2009)

election results: National Council - percent of vote by party -

SWAPO 89.7%, UDF 4.7%, NUDO 2.8%, DTA 1.9%; seats by party - SWAPO

24, UDF 1, DTA 1; National Assembly - percent of vote by party -

SWAPO 76.1%, COD 7.3%, DTA 5.1%, NUDO 4.2%, UDF 3.6%, RP 1.9%, MAG

0.8%, other 1.0%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 5, DTA 4, NUDO 3,

UDF 3, RP 1, MAG 1

note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body

Nauru

unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular

vote to serve three-year terms)

elections: last held 23 October 2004 (next to be held not later than

2007)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - Nauru First Party 3,

independents 15

note: the president dissolved parliament on 30 September 2004 and

set new elections for 23 October 2004

Nepal

bicameral Parliament consists of the National Council (60

seats; 35 appointed by the House of Representatives, 10 by the king,

and 15 elected by an electoral college; one-third of the members

elected every two years to serve six-year terms) and the House of

Representatives (205 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve

five-year terms)

elections: House of Representatives - last held in May 1999; note -

Parliament was dissolved in May 2002 but was finally reconvened in

April 2006 with most of the members that were elected in 1999

election results: House of Representatives (for 1999 parliament) -

percent of vote by party - NC 37.3%, CPN/UML 31.6%, NDP (RPP) 10.4%,

NSP 3.2%, Rastriya Jana Morcha 1.4%, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 0.8%,

NWPP 0.5%, others 14.8%; seats by party - NC 113, CPN/UML 69, NDP

11, NSP 5, Rastriya Jana Morcha 5, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 1, NWPP

1; note - NC, NSP, and NDP have since each split into two parties

Netherlands

bicameral States General or Staten Generaal consists of

the First Chamber or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly

elected by the country's 12 provincial councils for four-year terms)

and the Second Chamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members directly

elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: First Chamber - last held 25 May 2003 (next to be held

May 2007); Second Chamber - last held 22 November 2006 (next to be

held by early 2011)

election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%;

seats by party - CDA 23, PvdA 19, VVD 15, Green Party 5, Socialist

Party 4, D66 3, other 6; Second Chamber - percent of vote by party -

CDA 26.5%, PvdA 21.2%, Socialist Party 16.6%, VVD 14.6%, Party for

Freedom 5.9%, Green Party 4.6%, Christian Union 4.0%; seats by party

- CDA 41, PvdA 33, Socialist Party 25, VVD 22, Party for Freedom 9,

Green Party 7, Christian Union 6, other 7

Netherlands Antilles

unicameral States or Staten (22 seats - Curacao

14, Bonaire 3, St. Maarten 3, St. Eustatius 1, Saba 1; members are

elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 27 January 2006 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

PAR 5, MAN 3, FOL 2, Forsa Korsou 2, National Alliance 2, PNP 2, UPB

2, DP St. E 1, DP St. M 1, BDP 1, WIPM 1

note: the government of Prime Minister Emily de JONGH-ELHAGE is a

coalition of several parties

New Caledonia

unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres du

territoire (54 seats; members belong to the three Provincial

Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to

serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 9 May 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

RPCR-UMP 16, AE 16, UNI-FLNKS 8, UC 7, FN 4, others 3

note: New Caledonia currently holds 1 seat in the French Senate; by

2010, New Caledonia will gain a second seat in the French Senate;

elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held not later

than September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats

by party - UMP 1; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French

National Assembly; elections last held 9 and 16 June 2002 (next to

be held in June 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA;

seats by party - UMP 2

New Zealand

unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called

Parliament (120 seats; 69 members elected by popular vote in

single-member constituencies including seven Maori constituencies,

and 51 proportional seats chosen from party lists, all to serve

three-year terms)

elections: last held 17 September 2005 (next to be held not later

than 15 November 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - NZLP 41.1%, NP 39.1%,

NZFP 5.72%, Green Party 5.3%, Maori 2.12%, UF 2.67%, ACT New Zealand

1.51%, Progressive 1.16%; seats by party - NZLP 50, NP 48, NZFP 7,

Green Party 6, Maori 4, UF 3, ACT New Zealand 2, Progressive 1

note: results of 2005 election saw the total number of seats

increase to 121 because the Maori Party won one more electorate seat

than its entitlement under the party vote

Nicaragua

unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (92

seats; members are elected by proportional representation and party

lists to serve five-year terms; 1 seat for the previous president, 1

seat for the runner-up in previous presidential election)

elections: last held 5 November 2006 (next to be held by November

2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

FSLN 38, PLC 25, ALN 23 (22 plus one for presidential candidate

Eduardo MONTEALEGRE, runner-up in the 2006 presidential election),

MRS 5, APRE 1 (outgoing President Enrique BOLANOS)

Niger

unicameral National Assembly (113 seats; note - expanded from

83 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)

elections: last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

MNSD 47, CDS 22, PNDS 25, RSD 7, RDP 6, ANDP 5, PSDN 1

Nigeria

bicameral National Assembly consists of Senate (109 seats -

3 from each state plus 1 from Abuja, members elected by popular vote

to serve four-year terms) and House of Representatives (360 seats,

members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held 21

April 2007); House of Representatives - last held 12 April 2003

(next to be held 21 April 2007)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PDP 53.7%,

ANPP 27.9%, AD 9.7%; seats by party - PDP 76, ANPP 27, AD 6; House

of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDP 54.5%, ANPP

27.4%, AD 8.8%, other 9.3%; seats by party - PDP 223, ANPP 96, AD

34, other 6; note - one seat is vacant

Niue

unicameral Legislative Assembly (20 seats; members elected by

popular vote to serve three-year terms; 6 elected from a common roll

and 14 are village representatives)

elections: last held 30 April 2005 (next to be held April 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA

Norfolk Island

unicameral Legislative Assembly (9 seats; members

elected by electors who have nine equal votes each but only four

votes can be given to any one candidate; members serve three-year

terms)

elections: last held 20 October 2004 (next to be held by December

2007)

election results: seats - independents 9 (note - no political

parties)

Northern Mariana Islands

bicameral Legislature consists of the

Senate (9 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve

four-year staggered terms) and the House of Representatives (18

seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 5 November 2005 (next to be held

November 2009); House of Representatives - last held 5 November 2005

(next to be held November 2007)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by

party - Covenant Party 3, Republican Party 3, Democratic Party 2,

independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party -

NA%; seats by party - Covenant Party 7, Republican Party 7,

Democratic Party 2, independent 2

note: the Northern Mariana Islands does not have a nonvoting

delegate in the US Congress; instead, it has an elected official or

"resident representative" located in Washington, DC; seats by party

- Republican Party 1 (Pedro A. TENORIO)

Norway

modified unicameral Parliament or Storting (169 seats - will

be 165 seats next election; members are elected by popular vote by

proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 12 September 2005 (next to be held September

2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - Labor Party 32.7%,

Progress Party 22.1%, Conservative Party 14.1%, Socialist Left Party

8.8%, Christian People's Party 6.8%, Center Party 6.5%, Liberal

Party 5.9%, Red Electoral Alliance 1.2%, other 1.9%; seats by party

- Labor Party 61, Progress Party 38, Conservative Party 23,

Socialist Left Party 15, Christian People's Party 11, Center Party

11, Liberal Party 10

note: for certain purposes, the parliament divides itself into two

chambers and elects one-fourth of its membership in the Lagting and

three-forths of its membership in the Odelsting

Oman

bicameral Majlis Oman consists of an upper chamber or Majlis

al-Dawla (58 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory

powers only) and a lower chamber or Majlis al-Shura (83 seats;

members elected by popular vote for four-year terms; body has some

limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise has only

advisory powers)

elections: last held 4 October 2003 (next to be held October 2007)

election results: NA

Pakistan

bicameral Parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of the

Senate (100 seats; members indirectly elected by provincial

assemblies and the territories' representatives in the National

Assembly to serve six-year terms; half of the Senate's seats turn

over every three years) and the National Assembly (342 seats; 272

seats filled by popular vote; 60 seats reserved for women; 10 seats

reserved for non-Muslims; members serve five-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held in March 2006 (next to be held in

March 2009); National Assembly - last held 10 October 2002 (next to

be held in 2007)

election results: Senate results - percent of vote by party - NA;

seats by party - PML 39, MMA 18, PPPP 9, MQM 6, PML/N 4, PkMAP 3,

PPP 3, ANP 2, BNP-Awami 1, BNP/M 1, JWP 1, PML/F 1, independents 12;

National Assembly results - percent of votes by party - NA; seats by

party - PML/Q 126, PPPP 81, MMA 63, PML/N 19, MQM 17, NA 16, PML/F

5, PML/J 3, PPP/S 2, BNP 1, JWP 1, MQM-H 1, PAT 1, PkMAP 1, PML/Z 1,

PTI 1, independents 3

Palau

bicameral Parliament or Olbiil Era Kelulau (OEK) consists of

the Senate (9 seats; members elected by popular vote on a population

basis to serve four-year terms) and the House of Delegates (16

seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held

November 2008); House of Delegates - last held 2 November 2004 (next

to be held November 2008)

election results: Senate - percent of vote - NA%; seats -

independents 9 (four new members elected); House of Delegates -

percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 16 (one new member

elected)

Panama

unicameral National Assembly (formerly called Legislative

Assembly) or Asamblea Nacional (78 seats; members are elected by

popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - in 2009, the number

of seats will change to 71

elections: last held 2 May 2004 (next to be held 3 May 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

PRD 41, PA 17, PS 9, MOLIRENA 4, CD 3, PLN 3, PP 1

note: as of January 2006, the composition of the legislature is as

follows: seats by party - PRD 42, PA 16, PS 9, MOLIRENA 4, CD 3, PLN

3, PP 1; note - legislators from outlying rural districts are chosen

on a plurality basis while districts located in more populous towns

and cities elect multiple legislators by means of a proportion-based

formula

Papua New Guinea

unicameral National Parliament - sometimes referred

to as the House of Assembly (109 seats, 89 elected from open

electorates and 20 from provincial electorates; members elected by

popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 15-29 June 2002 and April and May 2003;

completed in May 2003 (voting in the Southern Highlands was not

completed during the June 2002 election period); next to be held not

later than June 2007

election results: percent of vote by party - National Alliance 18%,

URP 13%, PDM 12%, PPP 8%, Pangu 6%, PAP 5%, PLP 4%, others 34%;

seats by party - National Alliance 19, URP 14, PDM 13, PPP 8, PANGU

6, PAP 5, PLP 4, others 40; note - seats by party as of January 2006

- National Alliance 25, URP 10, PNGP 9, PPP 9, PANGU 6, PAP 12, PLP

4, others 34

note: association with political parties is fluid

Paraguay

bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Chamber of

Senators or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members are elected by

popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies

or Camara de Diputados (80 seats; members are elected by popular

vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 27 April 2003 (next to be

held April 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 27 April 2003

(next to be held April 2008)

election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -

NA; seats by party - ANR 16, PLRA 12, UNACE 7, PQ 7, PPS 2, PEN 1;

Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party

- ANR 37, PLRA 21, UNACE 10, PQ 10, PPS 2

note: as of January 2006, changes in party affiliation has led to

the composition of the legislature as follows: Chamber of Senators -

seats by party - ANR 18, PLRA 12, UNACE 5, PQ 7, PPS 2, PEN 1;

Chamber of Deputies - seats by party - ANR 39, PLRA 21, UNACE 8, PQ

10, PPS 2

Peru

unicameral Congress of the Republic of Peru or Congreso de la

Republica del Peru (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote

to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 9 April 2006 (next to be held April 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - UPP 21.2%, PAP 20.6%,

UN 15.3%, AF 13.1%, FC 7.1%, PP 4.1%, RN 4.0%; seats by party - UPP

45, PAP 36, UN 17, AF 13, FC 5, PP 2, RN 2

Philippines

bicameral Congress or Kongreso consists of the Senate or

Senado (24 seats - one-half elected every three years; members

elected at large by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the

House of Representatives or Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan (212 members

representing districts plus 24 sectoral party-list members; members

elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; note - the

Constitution prohibits the House of Representatives from having more

than 250 members)

elections: Senate - last held 10 May 2004 (next to be held 14 May

2007); House of Representatives - elections last held 10 May 2004

(next to be held 14 May 2007)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - Lakas 30%, LP

13%, KNP 13%, independents 17%, others 27%; seats by party - Lakas

7, LP 3, KNP (coalition) 3, independents 4, others 6; note - there

are 23 rather than 24 sitting senators because one senator was

elected vice president; House of Representatives - percent of vote

by party - NA; seats by party - Lakas 93, NPC 53, LP 34, LDP 11,

others 20; party-listers 24 (2004)

Pitcairn Islands

unicameral Island Council (10 seats - 5 elected by

popular vote, 1 nominated by the 5 elected members, 2 appointed by

the governor including 1 seat for the Island Secretary, the Island

Mayor, and a commissioner liaising between the governor and council;

elected members serve one-year terms)

elections: last held in 24 December 2005 (next to be held December

2006)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents

Poland

bicameral legislature consisting of an upper house, the

Senate or Senat (100 seats; members are elected by a majority vote

on a provincial basis to serve four-year terms), and a lower house,

the Sejm (460 seats; members are elected under a complex system of

proportional representation to serve four-year terms); the

designation of National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe is only

used on those rare occasions when the two houses meet jointly

elections: Senate - last held 25 September 2005 (next to be held by

September 2009); Sejm elections last held 25 September 2005 (next to

be held by September 2009)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by

party - PiS 49, PO 34, LPR 7, SO 3, PSL 2, independents 5; Sejm -

percent of vote by party - PiS 27%, PO 24.1%, SO 11.4%, SLD 11.3%,

LPR 8%, PSL 7%, other 11.2%; seats by party - PiS 155, PO 133, SO

56, SLD 55, LPR 34, PSL 25, German minorities 2

note: two seats are assigned to ethnic minority parties in the Sejm

only

Portugal

unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da

Republica (230 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve

four-year terms)

elections: last held 20 February 2005 (next to be held February 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - PS 45.1%, PSD 28.7%,

CDU 7.6%, PP 7.3%, BE 6.4%; seats by party - PS 121, PSD 75, CDU 14,

PP 12, BE 8

Puerto Rico

bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate

(at least 27 seats - currently 29; members are directly elected by

popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of

Representatives (51 seats; members are directly elected by popular

vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held

November 2008); House of Representatives - last held 2 November 2004

(next to be held November 2008)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PNP 43.4%, PPD

40.3%, PIP 9.4%; seats by party - PNP 17, PPD 9, PIP 1; House of

Representatives - percent of vote by party - PNP 46.3%, PPD 43.1%,

PIP 9.7%; seats by party - PNP 32, PPD 18, PIP 1

note: Puerto Rico elects, by popular vote, a resident commissioner

to serve a four-year term as a nonvoting representative in the US

House of Representatives; aside from not voting on the House floor,

he enjoys all the rights of a member of Congress; elections last

held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008); Luis FORTUNO

elected resident commissioner; results - percent of vote by party -

PNP 48.6%; seats by party - PNP 1

Qatar

unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats;

members appointed)

note: no legislative elections have been held since 1970 when there

were partial elections to the body; Council members have had their

terms extended every four years since; the new constitution, which

came into force on 9 June 2005, provides for a 45-member

Consultative Council, or Majlis al-Shura; the public would elect

two-thirds of the Majlis al-Shura; the amir would appoint the

remaining members; preparations are underway to conduct elections to

the Majlis al-Shura in early 2007

Romania

bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or

Senat (137 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote on a

proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) and the

Chamber of Deputies or Camera Deputatilor (332 seats; members are

elected by direct, popular vote on a proportional representation

basis to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 28 November 2004 (next expected to be

held in November 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 28 November

2004 (next expected to be held November 2008)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by alliance/party -

PSD-PUR 37.1%, PNL-PD 31.8%, PRM 13.6%, UDMR 6.2%; seats by party -

PSD 44, PNL 30, PD 20, PRM 20, PC 11, UDMR 10, independents 2;

Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by alliance/party - PSD-PUR

36.8%, PNL-PD 31.5%, PRM 13%, UDMR 6.2%; seats by party - PSD 111,

PNL 66, PD 45, PRM 34, ex-PRM (Ciontu Group) 12, UDMR 22, PC 20, PIN

(GUSA Group) 3, independent 1, ethnic minorities 18

Russia

bicameral Federal Assembly or Federalnoye Sobraniye consists

of the Federation Council or Sovet Federatsii (178 seats; as of July

2000, members appointed by the top executive and legislative

officials in each of the 88 federal administrative units - oblasts,

krays, republics, autonomous okrugs and oblasts, and the federal

cities of Moscow and Saint Petersburg; members serve four-year

terms) and the State Duma or Gosudarstvennaya Duma (450 seats;

currently elected by proportional representation from party lists

winning at least 7% of the vote; members are elected by direct,

popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: State Duma - last held 7 December 2003 (next to be held

in December 2007)

election results: State Duma - percent of vote received by parties

clearing the 5% threshold entitling them to a proportional share of

the 225 party list seats - United Russia 37.1%, CPRF 12.7%, LDPR

11.6%, Motherland 9.1%; seats by party - United Russia 222, CPRF 53,

LDPR 38, Motherland 37, People's Party 19, Yabloko 4, SPS 2, other

7, independents 65, repeat election required 3; note - seats by

party as of 1 July 2006 - United Russia 309, CPRF 45, LDPR 35,

Motherland 29, People's Party 12, independents 18, vacant 2

Rwanda

bicameral Parliament consists of Senate (26 seats; 12 members

elected local councils, 8 appointed by the president, 4 by the

Political Organizations Forum, 2 represent institutions of higher

learning, to serve eight-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies (80

seats; 53 members elected by popular vote, 24 women elected by local

bodies, 3 selected by youth and disability organizations, to serve

five-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held NA, members appointed as part of the

transitional government (next to be held in 2011); Chamber of

Deputies - last held 29 September 2003 (next to be held in 2008)

election results: seats by party under the 2003 Constitution - RPF

40, PSD 7, PL 6, additional 27 members indirectly elected

Saint Helena

unicameral Legislative Council (16 seats, including the

speaker, 3 ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by

popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 31 August 2005 (next to be held NA 2009)

election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 12

Saint Kitts and Nevis

unicameral National Assembly (14 seats, 3

appointed and 11 popularly elected from single-member

constituencies; members serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 25 October 2004 (next to be held by 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

SKNLP 7, CCM 2, NRP 1, PAM 1

Saint Lucia

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats; 6

members appointed on the advice of the prime minister, 3 on the

advice of the leader of the opposition, and 2 after consultation

with religious, economic, and social groups) and the House of

Assembly (17 seats; members are elected by popular vote from

single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms)

elections: House of Assembly - last held 11 December 2006 (next to

be held in December 2011)

election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - UWP

50%, SLP 46.9%; seats by party - UWP 11, SLP 6

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

unicameral General Council or Conseil

General (19 seats - 15 from Saint Pierre and 4 from Miquelon;

members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)

elections: elections last held 19 and 26 March 2000 (next to be held

in April 2006)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

PS 12, PRG 2, UDF-RPR 5

note: Saint Pierre and Miquelon elect 1 seat to the French Senate;

elections last held 26 September 2004 (next to be held in September

2013); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP

1; Saint Pierre and Miquelon also elects 1 seat to the French

National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 9 June 2002,

second round - 16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results -

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UDF 1

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats, 15 elected representatives and 6 appointed senators; representatives are elected by popular vote from single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 7 December 2005 (next to be held 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - ULP 55.26%, NDP 44.68%; seats by party - ULP 12, NDP 3

Samoa

unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats - 47 elected

by voters affiliated with traditional village-based electoral

districts, 2 elected by independent, mostly non-Samoan or

part-Samoan, voters who cannot, (or choose not to) establish a

village affiliation; only chiefs (matai) may stand for election to

the Fono from the 47 village-based electorates; members serve

five-year terms)

elections: election last held 31 March 2006 (next election to be

held not later than March 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

HRPP 35, SDUP 10, independents 4

San Marino

unicameral Grand and General Council or Consiglio Grande

e Generale (60 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to

serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 4 June 2006 (next to be held by June 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - PDCS 32.9%, Party of

Socialists and Democrats 31.9%, APDS 11.9%, United Left 8.7%, New

Socialist Party 5.4%; seats by party - PDCS 21, Party of Socialists

and Democrats 20, APDS 7, United Left 5, New Socialist Party 3,

other 4

Sao Tome and Principe

unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia

Nacional (55 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to

serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 26 March 2006 (next to be held March 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - MDFM-PCD 37.2%, MLSTP

28.9%, ADI 20.0%, NR 4.7%, other 9.2%; seats by party - MDFM-PCD 23,

MLSTP 19, ADI 12, NR 1

Saudi Arabia

Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (120 members

and a chairman appointed by the monarch for four-year terms); note -

in October 2003, Council of Ministers announced its intent to

introduce elections for half of the members of local and provincial

assemblies and a third of the members of the national Consultative

Council or Majlis al-Shura, incrementally over a period of four to

five years; in November 2004, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural

Affairs initiated voter registration for partial municipal council

elections held nationwide from February through April 2005

Senegal

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120

seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve

five-year terms)

note: the former National Assembly had 120 seats, but deputies in

late 2006 voted to expand the number of seats to 140

elections: last held 29 April 2001 (next to be held 25 February

2007) note - the National Assembly in December 2005 voted to

postpone legislative elections originally scheduled for 2006, they

will now coincide with presidential elections in 2007

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

SOPI Coalition 89, AFP 11, PS 10, other 10

Serbia

unicameral National Assembly (250 deputies elected by direct

vote for a four-year term); Kosovo - unicameral Assembly (120

deputies - 100 deputies elected by direct vote and 20 deputies from

minority community members; elected for a three-year term)

elections: last held 21 January 2007 (next to be held 2017); Kosovo

- last held 23 October 2004 (next to be held in 2007)

election results: SRS 81, DSS 64, DSS-NS 47, G17 Plus 19, SPS 16,

LDP Coaliton 15, SVM 3, KZS 2, URS 1, KAPD 1, RP 1; Kosovo - LDK 46,

PDK 30, AAK 9, SLKM 8, Ora 7, Bosniak Vakat coalition 4, KDTP 3,

other 13

Seychelles

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34

seats - 25 elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a proportional

basis to parties winning at least 10% of the vote; members serve

five-year terms)

elections: last held 4-6 December 2002 (next to be held in December

2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 54.3%, SNP 42.6%,

DP 3.1%; seats by party - SPPF 23, SNP 11

Sierra Leone

unicameral Parliament (124 seats - 112 elected by

popular vote, 12 filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate

elections; members serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held 28 July 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - SLPP 70.06%, APC

22.35%, PLP 3%, others 4.59%; seats by party - SLPP 83, APC 27, PLP 2

Singapore

unicameral Parliament (84 seats; members elected by

popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - in addition, there

are up to nine nominated members; up to three losing opposition

candidates who came closest to winning seats may be appointed as

"nonconstituency" members

elections: last held 6 May 2006 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 66.6%, WP 16.3%,

SDA 13%, SDP 4.1%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SDA 1

Slovakia

unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or

Narodna Rada Slovenskej Republiky (150 seats; members are elected on

the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 17 June 2006 (next to be held 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - Smer 29.1%, SDKU 18.4%,

SNS 11.7%, SMK 11.7%, LS-HZDS 8.8%, KDH 8.3%; seats by party - Smer

50, SDKU 31, SNS 19, SMK 20, LS-HZDS 16, KDH 14

Slovenia

bicameral Parliament consisting of a National Assembly or

Drzavni Zbor (90 seats; 40 are directly elected and 50 are selected

on a proportional basis; note - the number of directly elected and

proportionally elected seats varies with each election; the

constitution mandates one seat each for Slovenia's Hungarian and

Italian minorities; members are elected by popular vote to serve

four-year terms) and the National Council or Drzavni Svet (40 seats;

this is primarily an advisory body with limited legislative powers;

it may propose laws, ask to review any National Assembly decisions,

and call national referenda; members - representing social,

economic, professional, and local interests - are indirectly elected

to five-year terms by an electoral college)

elections: National Assembly - last held 3 October 2004 (next to be

held October 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - SDS 29.1%, LDS 22.8%,

ZLSD 10.2%, NSi 9%, SLS 6.8%, SNS 6.3%, DeSUS 4.1%, other 11.7%;

seats by party - SDS 29, LDS 23, ZLSD 10, NSi 9, SLS 7, SNS 6, DeSUS

4, Hungarian and Italian minorities 1 each

Solomon Islands

unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members

elected from single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve

four-year terms)

elections: last held 5 April 2006 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - National Party 6.9%,

SIPRA 6.3%, Democratic 4.9%, PAP 6.3%, LAFARI 2.8%, Liberal 5%,

SOCRED 4.3%, independents 60.3%; seats by party - National Party 4,

SIPRA 4, Democratic 3, PAP 3, LAFARI 2, Liberal 2, SOCRED 2,

independents 30

Somalia

unicameral National Assembly

note: fledgling parliament; a 275-member Transitional Federal

Assembly; the new parliament consists of 61 seats assigned to each

of four large clan groups (Darod, Digil-Mirifle, Dir, and Hawiye)

with the remaining 31 seats divided between minority clans

South Africa

bicameral Parliament consisting of the National

Assembly (400 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a

system of proportional representation to serve five-year terms) and

the National Council of Provinces (90 seats, 10 members elected by

each of the nine provincial legislatures for five-year terms; has

special powers to protect regional interests, including the

safeguarding of cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic

minorities); note - following the implementation of the new

constitution on 3 February 1997, the former Senate was disbanded and

replaced by the National Council of Provinces with essentially no

change in membership and party affiliations, although the new

institution's responsibilities have been changed somewhat by the new

constitution

elections: National Assembly and National Council of Provinces -

last held 14 April 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)

election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC

69.7%, DA 12.4%, IFP 7%, UDM 2.3%, NNP 1.7%, ACDP 1.6%, other 5.3%;

seats by party - ANC 279, DA 50, IFP 28, UDM 9, NNP 7, ACDP 6, other

21; National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by party - NA%;

seats by party - NA

Spain

bicameral; General Courts or National Assembly or Las Cortes

Generales consists of the Senate or Senado (259 seats - 208 members

directly elected by popular vote and the other 51 appointed by the

regional legislatures to serve four-year terms) and the Congress of

Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats; members are

elected by popular vote on block lists by proportional

representation to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 14 March 2004 (next to be held March

2008); Congress of Deputies - last held 14 March 2004 (next to be

held March 2008)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PP 49%, PSOE

37.98%, Entesa Catalona de Progress 5.7%, CiU 1.99%, PNV 2.8%, CC

2.4%; seats by party - PP 102, PSOE 81, Entesa Catalona de Progress

12, CiU 4, PNV 6, CC 3; Congress of Deputies - percent of vote by

party - PSOE 43.3%, PP 37.8%, CiU 3.2%, ERC 2.5%, PNV 1.6%, IU 3.2%,

CC 0.9%; seats by party - PSOE 164, PP 148, CiU 10, ERC 8, PNV 7, IU

5, CC 3, other 5

Sri Lanka

unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by

popular vote on the basis of a modified proportional representation

system by district to serve six-year terms)

elections: last held 2 April 2004 (next to be held by 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party or electoral alliance -

SLFP and JVP (no longer in formal UPFA alliance) 45.6%, UNP 37.83%,

TNA 6.84%, JHU 5.97%, SLMC 2.02%, UPF 0.54%, EPDP 0.27%, others

0.93%; seats by party - UNP 68, SLFP 57, JVP 39, UNP dissident 1,

TNA 22, CWC 8, JHU 7, JHU dissidents 2, SLMC 6, SLMC dissidents 4,

Communist Party 2, LSSP 2, MEP 2, NUA 2, UPF 2, EPDP 1

Sudan

bi-cameral body comprising the National Assembly and Council

of States (replaced unicameral National Assembly of 360 seats);

pending elections and National Election Law, the Presidency

appointed 450 members to the National Assembly according to the

provisions of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement: 52% NCP; 28%

SPLM; 14% other Northerners; 6% other Southerners; 2 representatives

from every state constitute the Council of States; terms in each

chamber are five years following the first elections

elections: last held 13-22 December 2000 (next to be held 2008-2009

timeframe)

election results: NCP 355, others 5; note - replaced by appointments

under the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement

Suriname

unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51

seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 25 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - NF 39.73%, NDP 22.2%,

VVV 13.79%, A-Com 7.21%, A-1 5.86%, other 7.42%; seats by party - NF

23, NDP 15, VVV 5, A-Com 5, A-1 3

Swaziland

bicameral Parliament or Libandla, an advisory body,

consists of the Senate (30 seats - 10 appointed by the House of

Assembly and 20 appointed by the monarch; members serve five-year

terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats - 10 appointed by the

monarch and 55 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year

terms)

elections: House of Assembly - last held 18 October 2003 (next to be

held October 2008)

election results: House of Assembly - balloting is done on a

nonparty basis; candidates for election are nominated by the local

council of each constituency and for each constituency the three

candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting are

narrowed to a single winner by a second round

Sweden

unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; members are

elected by popular vote on a proportional representation basis to

serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 17 September 2006 (next to be held September

2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democrats 37.2%,

Moderates 27.8%, Center Party 8.3%, People's Party 8.0%, Christian

Democrats 6.9%, Left Party 6.3%, Greens 5.4%; seats by party -

Social Democrats 130, Moderates 97, Center Party 29, People's Party

28, Christian Democrats 24, Left Party 22, Greens 19

Switzerland

bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in

German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in

Italian) consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German),

Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian)

(46 seats - consists of two representatives from each canton and one

from each half canton; members serve four-year terms) and the

National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in

French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats - members are

elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation

to serve four-year terms)

elections: Council of States - last held in most cantons 19 October

2003 (each canton determines when the next election will be held);

National Council - last held 19 October 2003 (next to be held

October 2007)

election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party -

NA%; seats by party - CVP 15, FDP 14, SVP 8, SPS 6, other 3;

National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 26.6%, SPS 23.3%,

FDP 17.3%, CVP 14.4%, Greens 7.4%, other small parties all under 5%;

seats by party - SVP 55, SPS 54, FDP 36, CVP 28, Green Party 13,

other small parties 14

Syria

unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-Shaab (250 seats;

members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 2-3 March 2003 (next to be held March 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - NPF 67%, independents

33%; seats by party - NPF 167, independents 83; note - the

constitution reserves half the seats for workers and peasants and

declares the Ba'th Party the leading party of the state and it holds

135 seats

Taiwan

Legislative Yuan (225 seats - 168 elected by popular vote, 41

elected on basis of proportion of islandwide votes received by

participating political parties, eight elected from overseas Chinese

constituencies on basis of proportion of island-wide votes received

by participating political parties, eight elected by popular vote

among aboriginal populations; members serve three-year terms)

note: as a result of constitutional amendments approved by the now

defunct National Assembly in June 2005, number of seats in

legislature will be reduced from 225 to 113 beginning with election

in 2007; amendments also eliminated National Assembly thus giving

Taiwan a unicameral legislature

elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 11 December 2004 (next to be

held in December 2007)

election results: Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - DPP

38%, KMT 35%, PFP 15%, TSU 8%, other parties and independents 4%;

seats by party - DPP 89, KMT 79, PFP 34, TSU 12, other parties 7,

independents 4

Tajikistan

bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of the

Assembly of Representatives (lower chamber) or Majlisi Namoyandagon

(63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year

terms) and the National Assembly (upper chamber) or Majlisi Milliy

(34 seats; members are indirectly elected, 25 selected by local

deputies, 8 appointed by the president; 1 seat reserved for the

former president; all serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 27 February and 13 March 2005 for the Assembly

of Representatives (next to be held February 2010) and 25 March 2005

for the National Assembly (next to be held February 2010)

election results: Assembly of Representatives - percent of vote by

party - PDPT 74.9%, CPT 13.6%, Islamic Revival Party 8.9%, other

2.5%; seats by party - PDPT 51, CPT 5, Islamic Revival Party 2,

independents 5; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%;

seats by party - PDPT 29, CPT 2, independents 3

Tanzania

unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (274 seats - 232

elected by popular vote, 37 allocated to women nominated by the

president, 5 to members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives;

members serve five-year terms); note - in addition to enacting laws

that apply to the entire United Republic of Tanzania, the Assembly

enacts laws that apply only to the mainland; Zanzibar has its own

House of Representatives to make laws especially for Zanzibar (the

Zanzibar House of Representatives has 50 seats, directly elected by

universal suffrage to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 14 December 2005 (next to be held in December

2010)

election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -

NA%; seats by party - CCM 206, CUF 19, CHADEMA 5, other 2, women

appointed by the president 37, Zanzibar representatives 5; Zanzibar

House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by

party - CCM 30, CUF 19; 1 seat was nullified with a rerun to take

place soon

Thailand

bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consisted of the

Senate or Wuthisapha (200 seats; members elected by popular vote to

serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Sapha

Phuthaen Ratsadon (500 seats; members elected by popular vote to

serve four-year terms); after coup in September 2006, coup leaders

appointed an interim National Assembly with 250 members to act as

Senate and House of Representatives

elections: Senate - last held 19 April 2006; House of

Representatives - last valid election held 6 February 2005;

elections held on 2 April 2006 invalidated by court ruling; coup

leaders scheduled next general election by about October 2007

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - NA; House of Representatives - (2005 election) percent of

vote by party - NA; seats by party - TRT 376, DP 97, TNP 25, PP 2

Togo

unicameral National Assembly (81 seats; members are elected by

popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 27 October 2002 (next to be held 24 June 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

RPT 72, RSDD 3, UDPS 2, Juvento 2, MOCEP 1, independents 1

note: two opposition parties boycotted the election, the Union of

the Forces for Change and the Action Committee for Renewal

Tokelau

unicameral General Fono (21 seats; based upon proportional

representation from the three islands elected by popular vote to

serve three-year terms; Nukunonu has 6 seats, Fakaofo has 7 seats,

Atafu has 8 seats); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers

limited legislative power on the General Fono

elections: last held January 2005 (next to be held January 2008)

Tonga

unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (32 seats - 14

reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, 9 for nobles

selected by the country's 33 nobles, and 9 elected by popular vote;

members serve three-year terms)

elections: last held 21 March 2005 (next to be held in 2008)

election results: Peoples Representatives: percent of vote - HRDMT

70%; seats - HRDMT 7, independents 2

Trinidad and Tobago

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (31

seats; 16 members appointed by the ruling party, 9 by the President,

6 by the opposition party for a maximum term of five years) and the

House of Representatives (36 seats; members are elected by popular

vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 October 2002 (next

to be held by October 2007)

election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - PNM

55.5%, UNC 44.5%; seats by party - PNM 20, UNC 16

note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly with 12 members

serving four-year terms; last election held January 2005; seats by

party - PNM 11, DAC 1

Tunisia

bicameral system consists of the Chamber of Deputies or

Majlis al-Nuwaab (189 seats; members elected by popular vote to

serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Advisors (126 seats; 85

members elected by municipal counselors, deputies, mayors, and

professional associations and trade unions; 41 members are

presidential appointees; members serve six-year terms)

elections: Chamber of Deputies - last held 24 October 2004 (next to

be held October 2009); Chamber of Advisors - last held 3 July 2005

(next to be held July 2011)

election results: Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party -

NA; seats by party - RCD 152, MDS 14, PUP 11, UDU 7, Al-Tajdid 3,

PSL 2; Chamber of Advisors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - RCD 71 (14 trade union seats vacant (boycotted))

Turkey

unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye Buyuk

Millet Meclisi (550 seats; members are elected by popular vote to

serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 3 November 2002 (next is scheduled to be held 4

November 2007); note - a special rerun of the General Election in

the province of Siirt on 9 March 2003 resulted in the election of

Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN to a seat in parliament, a prerequisite for

becoming prime minister, on 14 March 2003

election results: percent of vote by party - AKP 34.3%, CHP 19.4%,

DYP 9.6%, MHP 8.3%, GP 7.3%, Anavatan 5.1%, DSP 1.1%, and other;

seats by party - AKP 363, CHP 178, independents 9; note - parties

surpassing the 10% threshold are entitled to parliamentary seats;

seats by party as of 1 December 2006 - AKP 354, CHP 154, Anavatan

21, DYP 4, SHP 1, HYP 1, GP 1, independents 9, vacant 5

Turkmenistan

under the 1992 constitution, there are two

parliamentary bodies, a unicameral People's Council or Halk

Maslahaty (supreme legislative body of up to 2,500 delegates, some

of whom are elected by popular vote and some of whom are appointed;

meets at least yearly) and a unicameral Parliament or Mejlis (50

seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year

terms); membership is scheduled to be increased to 65 seats

elections: People's Council - last held in April 2003 (next to be

held December 2008); Mejlis - last held 19 December 2004 (next to be

held December 2008)

election results: Mejlis - DPT 100%; seats by party - DPT 50; note -

all 50 elected officials are members of the Democratic Party of

Turkmenistan and are preapproved by President NIYAZOV

note: in late 2003, a new law was adopted, reducing the powers of

the Mejlis and making the Halk Maslahaty the supreme legislative

organ; the Halk Maslahaty can now legally dissolve the Mejlis, and

the president is now able to participate in the Mejlis as its

supreme leader; the Mejlis can no longer adopt or amend the

constitution, or announce referendums or its elections; since the

president is both the "Chairman for Life" of the Halk Maslahaty and

the supreme leader of the Mejlis, the 2003 law has the effect of

making him the sole authority of both the executive and legislative

branches of government

Turks and Caicos Islands

unicameral Legislative Council (21 seats of

which 15 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 24 April 2003 (next to be held in 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 53.8%, PNP 46.2%;

seats by party - PDM 7, PNP 6; note - in by-elections held 7 August

2003, the PNP gained two seats for a majority of 8 seats; PDM now

has 5

Tuvalu

unicameral Parliament or Fale I Fono, also called House of

Assembly (15 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve

four-year terms)

elections: last held 3 August 2006 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 15

Uganda

unicameral National Assembly (332 members - 215 directly

elected by popular vote, 104 nominated by legally established

special interest groups [women 79, army 10, disabled 5, youth 5,

labor 5], 13 ex officio members; members serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 23 February 2006 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

NRM 191, FDC 37, UPC 9, DP 8, CD 1, JEEMA 1, Independents 36, other

49

Ukraine

unicameral Supreme Council or Verkhovna Rada (450 seats;

allocated on a proportional basis to those parties that gain 3% or

more of the national electoral vote; members serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 26 March 2006 (next to be held March 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party/bloc in 2002 - Party of

Regions 32.1%, Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc 22.3%, Our Ukraine 13.9%, SPU

5.7%, CPU 3.7%; seats by party/bloc - Party of Regions 186, Yuliya

Tymoshenko Bloc 129, Our Ukraine 81, SPU 33, CPU 21

United Arab Emirates

unicameral Federal National Council (FNC) or

Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; members appointed by the

rulers of the constituent states to serve two-year terms)

elections: elections for one half of the FNC (the other half remains

appointed) are scheduled for December 2006; a new electoral college

- a body of 6,689 Emiratis (including 1,189 women) appointed by the

rulers of the seven emirates - are the only eligible voters and

candidates; a total of 456 FNC electoral college members including

65 women are running for FNC seats

note: reviews legislation, but cannot change or veto

United Kingdom

bicameral Parliament comprised of House of Lords

(consists of approximately 500 life peers, 92 hereditary peers and

26 clergy) and House of Commons (646 seats since 2005 elections;

members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms unless

the House is dissolved earlier)

elections: House of Lords - no elections (note - in 1999, as

provided by the House of Lords Act, elections were held in the House

of Lords to determine the 92 hereditary peers who would remain

there; elections are held only as vacancies in the hereditary

peerage arise); House of Commons - last held 5 May 2005 (next to be

held by May 2010)

election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party -

Labor 35.2%, Conservative 32.3%, Liberal Democrats 22%, other 10.5%;

seats by party - Labor 356, Conservative 197, Liberal Democrat 62,

other 31; note - as of 10 February 2006 party by seat in the House

of Commons: Labor 353, Conservative 196, Liberal Democrat 63,

Scottish National Party/Plaid Cymru 9, Democratic Unionist 9, Sinn

Fein 5 (but refuse to vote), other 11

note: in 1998 elections were held for a Northern Ireland Assembly

(because of unresolved disputes among existing parties, the transfer

of power from London to Northern Ireland came only at the end of

1999 and has been suspended four times the latest occurring in

October 2002); in 1999 there were elections for a new Scottish

Parliament and a new Welsh Assembly

United States

bicameral Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats,

one-third are renewed every two years; 2 members are elected from

each state by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of

Representatives (435 seats; members are directly elected by popular

vote to serve two-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held on

November 2008); House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2006

(next to be held on November 2008)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - Democratic Party 49, Republican Party 49, independent 2;

House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by

party - Democratic Party 233, Republican Party 202

Uruguay

bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of

Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (30 seats; members are

elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; vice president has

one vote in the Senate) and Chamber of Representatives or Camara de

Representantes (99 seats; members are elected by popular vote to

serve five-year terms)

elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 31 October 2004 (next to

be held October 2009); Chamber of Representatives - last held 31

October 2004 (next to be held October 2009)

election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -

NA%; seats by party - EP-FA 16, Blanco 11, Colorado Party 3; Chamber

of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party

- EP-FA 52, Blanco 36, Colorado Party 10, Independent Party 1

Uzbekistan

bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of an

Upper House or Senate (100 seats; 84 members are elected by regional

governing councils to serve five-year terms and 16 are appointed by

the president) and a Lower House or Legislative Chamber (120 seats;

elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 26 December 2004 and 9 January 2005 (next to be

held December 2009)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by

party - NA; Legislative Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%;

seats by party - LDPU 41, NDP 32, Fidokorlar 17, MTP 11, Adolat 9,

unaffiliated 10

note: all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President KARIMOV

Vanuatu

unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular

vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 6 July 2004 (next to be held 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

NUP 10, UMP 8, VP 8, VRP 4, MPP 3, VGP 3, other and independent 16;

note - political party associations are fluid

note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of culture

and language

Venezuela

unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (167

seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms;

three seats reserved for the indigenous peoples of Venezuela)

elections: last held 4 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

pro-government 167 (MVR 114, PODEMOS 15, PPT 11, indigenous 2, other

25), opposition 0

Vietnam

unicameral National Assembly or Quoc Hoi (498 seats; members

elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 19 May 2002 (next to be held on 20 May 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - CPV 90%, other 10% (the

10% are not CPV members but are approved by the CPV to stand for

election); seats by party - CPV 447, CPV-approved 51

Virgin Islands

unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by

popular vote to serve two-year terms)

elections: last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

Democratic Party 8, ICM 4, independent 3

note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the

US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2006

(next to be held November 2008); results - Donna M. CHRISTENSEN

(Democrat) reelected

Wallis and Futuna

unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee

Territoriale (20 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve

five-year terms)

elections: last held 11 March 2002 (next to be held March 2007)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

RPR and affiliates 13, Socialists and affiliates 7

note: Wallis and Futuna elects one senator to the French Senate and

one deputy to the French National Assembly; French Senate -

elections last held 27 September 1998 (next to be held by September

2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats - RPR (now

UMP) 1; French National Assembly - elections last held 16 June 2002

(next to be held by in 2007); results - percent of vote by party -

NA; seats - RPR (UMP) 1

Yemen

a new constitutional amendment ratified on 20 February 2001

created a bicameral legislature consisting of a Shura Council (111

seats; members appointed by the president) and a House of

Representatives (301 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve

six-year terms)

elections: last held 27 April 2003 (next to be held in April 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

GPC 228, Islah 47, YSP 7, Nasserite Unionist Party 3, National Arab

Socialist Ba'th Party 2, independents 14

Zambia

unicameral National Assembly (158 seats; 150 members are

elected by popular vote, eight members are appointed by the

president, to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 28 September 2006 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

MMD 72, PF 44, UDA 27, ULP 2, NDF 1, independents 2; seats not

determined 2

Zimbabwe

bicameral Parliament consists of a House of Assembly (150

seats - 120 elected by popular vote for five-year terms, 12

nominated by the president, 10 occupied by traditional chiefs chosen

by their peers, and eight occupied by provincial governors appointed

by the president) and a Senate (66 seats - 50 elected by popular

vote for a five-year term, six nominated by the president, 10

nominated by the Council of Chiefs)

elections: House of Assembly last held 31 March 2005 (next to be

held in 2010), Senate last held 26 November 2005 (next to be held in

2010)

election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party -

ZANU-PF 59.6%, MDC 39.5%, other 0.9%; seats by party - ZANU-PF 78,

MDC 41, independents 1; Senate - percent of vote by party - ZANU-PF

73.7%, MDC 20.3%, other 4.4%, independents 1.6%; seats by party -

ZANU-PF 43, MDC 7

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2102 Life expectancy at birth (years)

Afghanistan

total population: 43.34 years

male: 43.16 years

female: 43.53 years (2006 est.)

Albania

total population: 77.43 years

male: 74.78 years

female: 80.34 years (2006 est.)

Algeria

total population: 73.26 years

male: 71.68 years

female: 74.92 years (2006 est.)

American Samoa

total population: 76.05 years

male: 72.48 years

female: 79.82 years (2006 est.)

Andorra

total population: 83.51 years

male: 80.61 years

female: 86.61 years (2006 est.)

Angola

total population: 38.62 years

male: 37.47 years

female: 39.83 years (2006 est.)

Anguilla

total population: 77.28 years

male: 74.35 years

female: 80.3 years (2006 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

total population: 72.16 years

male: 69.78 years

female: 74.66 years (2006 est.)

Argentina

total population: 76.12 years

male: 72.38 years

female: 80.05 years (2006 est.)

Armenia

total population: 71.84 years

male: 68.25 years

female: 76.02 years (2006 est.)

Aruba

total population: 79.28 years

male: 75.95 years

female: 82.78 years (2006 est.)

Australia

total population: 80.5 years

male: 77.64 years

female: 83.52 years (2006 est.)

Austria

total population: 79.07 years

male: 76.17 years

female: 82.11 years (2006 est.)

Azerbaijan

total population: 63.85 years

male: 59.78 years

female: 68.13 years (2006 est.)

Bahamas, The

total population: 65.6 years

male: 62.24 years

female: 69.03 years (2006 est.)

Bahrain

total population: 74.45 years

male: 71.97 years

female: 77 years (2006 est.)

Bangladesh

total population: 62.46 years

male: 62.47 years

female: 62.45 years (2006 est.)

Barbados

total population: 72.79 years

male: 70.79 years

female: 74.82 years (2006 est.)

Belarus

total population: 69.08 years

male: 63.47 years

female: 74.98 years (2006 est.)

Belgium

total population: 78.77 years

male: 75.59 years

female: 82.09 years (2006 est.)

Belize

total population: 68.3 years

male: 66.43 years

female: 70.26 years (2006 est.)

Benin

total population: 53.04 years

male: 51.9 years

female: 54.22 years (2006 est.)

Bermuda

total population: 77.96 years

male: 75.85 years

female: 80.1 years (2006 est.)

Bhutan

total population: 54.78 years

male: 55.02 years

female: 54.53 years (2006 est.)

Bolivia

total population: 65.84 years

male: 63.21 years

female: 68.61 years (2006 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

total population: 78 years

male: 74.39 years

female: 81.88 years (2006 est.)

Botswana

total population: 33.74 years

male: 33.9 years

female: 33.56 years (2006 est.)

Brazil

total population: 71.97 years

male: 68.02 years

female: 76.12 years (2006 est.)

British Virgin Islands

total population: 76.68 years

male: 75.56 years

female: 77.84 years (2006 est.)

Brunei

total population: 75.01 years

male: 72.57 years

female: 77.59 years (2006 est.)

Bulgaria

total population: 72.3 years

male: 68.68 years

female: 76.13 years (2006 est.)

Burkina Faso

total population: 48.85 years

male: 47.33 years

female: 50.42 years (2006 est.)

Burma

total population: 60.97 years

male: 58.07 years

female: 64.03 years (2006 est.)

Burundi

total population: 50.81 years

male: 50.07 years

female: 51.58 years (2006 est.)

Cambodia

total population: 59.29 years

male: 57.35 years

female: 61.32 years (2006 est.)

Cameroon

total population: 51.16 years

male: 50.98 years

female: 51.34 years (2006 est.)

Canada

total population: 80.22 years

male: 76.86 years

female: 83.74 years (2006 est.)

Cape Verde

total population: 70.73 years

male: 67.41 years

female: 74.15 years (2006 est.)

Cayman Islands

total population: 80.07 years

male: 77.45 years

female: 82.74 years (2006 est.)

Central African Republic

total population: 43.54 years

male: 43.46 years

female: 43.62 years (2006 est.)

Chad

total population: 47.52 years

male: 45.88 years

female: 49.21 years (2006 est.)

Chile

total population: 76.77 years

male: 73.49 years

female: 80.21 years (2006 est.)

China

total population: 72.58 years

male: 70.89 years

female: 74.46 years (2006 est.)

Christmas Island

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Colombia

total population: 71.99 years

male: 68.15 years

female: 75.96 years (2006 est.)

Comoros

total population: 62.33 years

male: 60 years

female: 64.72 years (2006 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

total population: 51.46 years

male: 50.01 years

female: 52.94 years (2006 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

total population: 52.8 years

male: 51.65 years

female: 53.98 years (2006 est.)

Cook Islands

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Costa Rica

total population: 77.02 years

male: 74.43 years

female: 79.74 years (2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

total population: 48.82 years

male: 46.24 years

female: 51.48 years (2006 est.)

Croatia

total population: 74.68 years

male: 71.03 years

female: 78.53 years (2006 est.)

Cuba

total population: 77.41 years

male: 75.11 years

female: 79.85 years (2006 est.)

Cyprus

total population: 77.82 years

male: 75.44 years

female: 80.31 years (2006 est.)

Czech Republic

total population: 76.22 years

male: 72.94 years

female: 79.69 years (2006 est.)

Denmark

total population: 77.79 years

male: 75.49 years

female: 80.22 years (2006 est.)

Djibouti

total population: 43.17 years

male: 41.86 years

female: 44.52 years (2006 est.)

Dominica

total population: 74.87 years

male: 71.95 years

female: 77.93 years (2006 est.)

Dominican Republic

total population: 71.73 years

male: 70.21 years

female: 73.33 years (2006 est.)

East Timor

total population: 66.26 years

male: 63.96 years

female: 68.67 years (2006 est.)

Ecuador

total population: 76.42 years

male: 73.55 years

female: 79.43 years (2006 est.)

Egypt

total population: 71.29 years

male: 68.77 years

female: 73.93 years (2006 est.)

El Salvador

total population: 71.49 years

male: 67.88 years

female: 75.28 years (2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

total population: 49.54 years

male: 48 years

female: 51.13 years (2006 est.)

Eritrea

total population: 59.03 years

male: 57.44 years

female: 60.66 years (2006 est.)

Estonia

total population: 72.04 years

male: 66.58 years

female: 77.83 years (2006 est.)

Ethiopia

total population: 49.03 years

male: 47.86 years

female: 50.24 years (2006 est.)

European Union

total population: 78.3 years

male: 75.1 years

female: 81.6 years (2006 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Faroe Islands

total population: 79.35 years

male: 75.91 years

female: 82.8 years (2006 est.)

Fiji

total population: 69.82 years

male: 67.32 years

female: 72.45 years (2006 est.)

Finland

total population: 78.5 years

male: 74.99 years

female: 82.17 years (2006 est.)

France

total population: 79.73 years

male: 76.1 years

female: 83.54 years (2006 est.)

French Polynesia

total population: 76.1 years

male: 73.69 years

female: 78.63 years (2006 est.)

Gabon

total population: 54.49 years

male: 53.21 years

female: 55.81 years (2006 est.)

Gambia, The

total population: 54.14 years

male: 52.3 years

female: 56.03 years (2006 est.)

Gaza Strip

total population: 71.97 years

male: 70.67 years

female: 73.34 years (2006 est.)

Georgia

total population: 76.09 years

male: 72.8 years

female: 79.87 years (2006 est.)

Germany

total population: 78.8 years

male: 75.81 years

female: 81.96 years (2006 est.)

Ghana

total population: 58.87 years

male: 58.07 years

female: 59.69 years (2006 est.)

Gibraltar

total population: 79.8 years

male: 76.92 years

female: 82.83 years (2006 est.)

Greece

total population: 79.24 years

male: 76.72 years

female: 81.91 years (2006 est.)

Greenland

total population: 69.94 years

male: 66.36 years

female: 73.6 years (2006 est.)

Grenada

total population: 64.87 years

male: 63.06 years

female: 66.68 years (2006 est.)

Guam

total population: 78.58 years

male: 75.52 years

female: 81.83 years (2006 est.)

Guatemala

total population: 69.38 years

male: 67.65 years

female: 71.18 years (2006 est.)

Guernsey

total population: 80.42 years

male: 77.41 years

female: 83.53 years (2006 est.)

Guinea

total population: 49.5 years

male: 48.34 years

female: 50.7 years (2006 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

total population: 46.87 years

male: 45.05 years

female: 48.75 years (2006 est.)

Guyana

total population: 65.86 years

male: 63.21 years

female: 68.65 years (2006 est.)

Haiti

total population: 53.23 years

male: 51.89 years

female: 54.6 years (2006 est.)

Honduras

total population: 69.33 years

male: 67.75 years

female: 70.98 years (2006 est.)

Hong Kong

total population: 81.59 years

male: 78.9 years

female: 84.5 years (2006 est.)

Hungary

total population: 72.66 years

male: 68.45 years

female: 77.14 years (2006 est.)

Iceland

total population: 80.31 years

male: 78.23 years

female: 82.48 years (2006 est.)

India

total population: 64.71 years

male: 63.9 years

female: 65.57 years (2006 est.)

Indonesia

total population: 69.87 years

male: 67.42 years

female: 72.45 years (2006 est.)

Iran

total population: 70.26 years

male: 68.86 years

female: 71.74 years (2006 est.)

Iraq

total population: 69.01 years

male: 67.76 years

female: 70.31 years (2006 est.)

Ireland

total population: 77.73 years

male: 75.11 years

female: 80.52 years (2006 est.)

Isle of Man

total population: 78.49 years

male: 75.14 years

female: 82.02 years (2006 est.)

Israel

total population: 79.46 years

male: 77.33 years

female: 81.7 years (2006 est.)

Italy

total population: 79.81 years

male: 76.88 years

female: 82.94 years (2006 est.)

Jamaica

total population: 73.24 years

male: 71.54 years

female: 75.03 years (2006 est.)

Japan

total population: 81.25 years

male: 77.96 years

female: 84.7 years (2006 est.)

Jersey

total population: 79.38 years

male: 76.89 years

female: 82.05 years (2006 est.)

Jordan

total population: 78.4 years

male: 75.9 years

female: 81.05 years (2006 est.)

Kazakhstan

total population: 66.89 years

male: 61.56 years

female: 72.52 years (2006 est.)

Kenya

total population: 48.93 years

male: 49.78 years

female: 48.07 years (2006 est.)

Kiribati

total population: 62.08 years

male: 59.06 years

female: 65.24 years (2006 est.)

Korea, North

total population: 71.65 years

male: 68.92 years

female: 74.51 years (2006 est.)

Korea, South

total population: 77.04 years

male: 73.61 years

female: 80.75 years (2006 est.)

Kuwait

total population: 77.2 years

male: 76.13 years

female: 78.31 years (2006 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

total population: 68.49 years

male: 64.48 years

female: 72.7 years (2006 est.)

Laos

total population: 55.49 years

male: 53.45 years

female: 57.61 years (2006 est.)

Latvia

total population: 71.33 years

male: 66.08 years

female: 76.85 years (2006 est.)

Lebanon

total population: 72.88 years

male: 70.41 years

female: 75.48 years (2006 est.)

Lesotho

total population: 34.4 years

male: 35.55 years

female: 33.21 years (2006 est.)

Liberia

total population: 39.65 years

male: 37.99 years

female: 41.35 years (2006 est.)

Libya

total population: 76.69 years

male: 74.46 years

female: 79.02 years (2006 est.)

Liechtenstein

total population: 79.68 years

male: 76.1 years

female: 83.28 years (2006 est.)

Lithuania

total population: 74.2 years

male: 69.2 years

female: 79.49 years (2006 est.)

Luxembourg

total population: 78.89 years

male: 75.6 years

female: 82.38 years (2006 est.)

Macau

total population: 82.19 years

male: 79.36 years

female: 85.17 years (2006 est.)

Macedonia

total population: 73.97 years

male: 71.51 years

female: 76.62 years (2006 est.)

Madagascar

total population: 57.34 years

male: 54.93 years

female: 59.82 years (2006 est.)

Malawi

total population: 41.7 years

male: 41.93 years

female: 41.45 years (2006 est.)

Malaysia

total population: 72.5 years

male: 69.8 years

female: 75.38 years (2006 est.)

Maldives

total population: 64.41 years

male: 63.08 years

female: 65.8 years (2006 est.)

Mali

total population: 49 years

male: 47.05 years

female: 51.01 years (2006 est.)

Malta

total population: 79.01 years

male: 76.83 years

female: 81.31 years (2006 est.)

Marshall Islands

total population: 70.31 years

male: 68.33 years

female: 72.39 years (2006 est.)

Mauritania

total population: 53.12 years

male: 50.88 years

female: 55.42 years (2006 est.)

Mauritius

total population: 72.63 years

male: 68.66 years

female: 76.66 years (2006 est.)

Mayotte

total population: 61.76 years

male: 59.57 years

female: 64.02 years (2006 est.)

Mexico

total population: 75.41 years

male: 72.63 years

female: 78.33 years (2006 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of

total population: 70.05 years

male: 68.24 years

female: 71.95 years (2006 est.)

Moldova

total population: 65.65 years

male: 61.61 years

female: 69.88 years (2006 est.)

Monaco

total population: 79.69 years

male: 75.85 years

female: 83.74 years (2006 est.)

Mongolia

total population: 64.89 years

male: 62.64 years

female: 67.25 years (2006 est.)

Montserrat

total population: 78.85 years

male: 76.67 years

female: 81.14 years (2006 est.)

Morocco

total population: 70.94 years

male: 68.62 years

female: 73.37 years (2006 est.)

Mozambique

total population: 39.82 years

male: 39.53 years

female: 40.13 years (2006 est.)

Namibia

total population: 43.39 years

male: 44.46 years

female: 42.29 years (2006 est.)

Nauru

total population: 63.08 years

male: 59.5 years

female: 66.84 years (2006 est.)

Nepal

total population: 60.18 years

male: 60.43 years

female: 59.91 years (2006 est.)

Netherlands

total population: 78.96 years

male: 76.39 years

female: 81.67 years (2006 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

total population: 76.03 years

male: 73.76 years

female: 78.41 years (2006 est.)

New Caledonia

total population: 74.27 years

male: 71.29 years

female: 77.39 years (2006 est.)

New Zealand

total population: 78.81 years

male: 75.82 years

female: 81.93 years (2006 est.)

Nicaragua

total population: 70.63 years

male: 68.55 years

female: 72.81 years (2006 est.)

Niger

total population: 43.76 years

male: 43.8 years

female: 43.73 years (2006 est.)

Nigeria

total population: 47.08 years

male: 46.52 years

female: 47.66 years (2006 est.)

Niue

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Norfolk Island

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Northern Mariana Islands

total population: 76.09 years

male: 73.5 years

female: 78.83 years (2006 est.)

Norway

total population: 79.54 years

male: 76.91 years

female: 82.31 years (2006 est.)

Oman

total population: 73.37 years

male: 71.14 years

female: 75.72 years (2006 est.)

Pakistan

total population: 63.39 years

male: 62.4 years

female: 64.44 years (2006 est.)

Palau

total population: 70.42 years

male: 67.26 years

female: 73.77 years (2006 est.)

Panama

total population: 75.22 years

male: 72.68 years

female: 77.87 years (2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea

total population: 65.28 years

male: 63.08 years

female: 67.58 years (2006 est.)

Paraguay

total population: 75.1 years

male: 72.56 years

female: 77.78 years (2006 est.)

Peru

total population: 69.84 years

male: 68.05 years

female: 71.71 years (2006 est.)

Philippines

total population: 70.21 years

male: 67.32 years

female: 73.24 years (2006 est.)

Pitcairn Islands

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Poland

total population: 74.97 years

male: 70.95 years

female: 79.23 years (2006 est.)

Portugal

total population: 77.7 years

male: 74.43 years

female: 81.2 years (2006 est.)

Puerto Rico

total population: 78.4 years

male: 74.46 years

female: 82.54 years (2006 est.)

Qatar

total population: 73.9 years

male: 71.37 years

female: 76.57 years (2006 est.)

Romania

total population: 71.63 years

male: 68.14 years

female: 75.34 years (2006 est.)

Russia

total population: 67.08 years

male: 60.45 years

female: 74.1 years (2006 est.)

Rwanda

total population: 47.3 years

male: 46.26 years

female: 48.38 years (2006 est.)

Saint Helena

total population: 77.93 years

male: 75.02 years

female: 80.98 years (2006 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

total population: 72.4 years

male: 69.56 years

female: 75.42 years (2006 est.)

Saint Lucia

total population: 73.84 years

male: 70.29 years

female: 77.65 years (2006 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

total population: 78.61 years

male: 76.27 years

female: 81.06 years (2006 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

total population: 73.85 years

male: 71.99 years

female: 75.77 years (2006 est.)

Samoa

total population: 71 years

male: 68.2 years

female: 73.94 years (2006 est.)

San Marino

total population: 81.71 years

male: 78.23 years

female: 85.5 years (2006 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe

total population: 67.31 years

male: 65.73 years

female: 68.95 years (2006 est.)

Saudi Arabia

total population: 75.67 years

male: 73.66 years

female: 77.78 years (2006 est.)

Senegal

total population: 59.25 years

male: 57.7 years

female: 60.85 years (2006 est.)

Serbia

total population: 74 years

male: 71 years

female: 76 years

Seychelles

total population: 72.08 years

male: 66.69 years

female: 77.63 years (2006 est.)

Sierra Leone

total population: 40.22 years

male: 38.05 years

female: 42.46 years (2006 est.)

Singapore

total population: 81.71 years

male: 79.13 years

female: 84.49 years (2006 est.)

Slovakia

total population: 74.73 years

male: 70.76 years

female: 78.89 years (2006 est.)

Slovenia

total population: 76.33 years

male: 72.63 years

female: 80.29 years (2006 est.)

Solomon Islands

total population: 72.91 years

male: 70.4 years

female: 75.55 years (2006 est.)

Somalia

total population: 48.47 years

male: 46.71 years

female: 50.28 years (2006 est.)

South Africa

total population: 42.73 years

male: 43.25 years

female: 42.19 years (2006 est.)

Spain

total population: 79.65 years

male: 76.32 years

female: 83.2 years (2006 est.)

Sri Lanka

total population: 73.41 years

male: 70.83 years

female: 76.12 years (2006 est.)

Sudan

total population: 58.92 years

male: 57.69 years

female: 60.21 years (2006 est.)

Suriname

total population: 69.01 years

male: 66.66 years

female: 71.47 years (2006 est.)

Svalbard

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Swaziland

total population: 32.62 years

male: 32.1 years

female: 33.17 years (2006 est.)

Sweden

total population: 80.51 years

male: 78.29 years

female: 82.87 years (2006 est.)

Switzerland

total population: 80.51 years

male: 77.69 years

female: 83.48 years (2006 est.)

Syria

total population: 70.32 years

male: 69.01 years

female: 71.7 years (2006 est.)

Taiwan

total population: 77.43 years

male: 74.67 years

female: 80.47 years (2006 est.)

Tajikistan

total population: 64.94 years

male: 62.03 years

female: 68 years (2006 est.)

Tanzania

total population: 45.64 years

male: 44.93 years

female: 46.37 years (2006 est.)

Thailand

total population: 72.25 years

male: 69.95 years

female: 74.68 years (2006 est.)

Togo

total population: 57.42 years

male: 55.41 years

female: 59.49 years (2006 est.)

Tokelau

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Tonga

total population: 69.82 years

male: 67.32 years

female: 72.45 years (2006 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

total population: 66.76 years

male: 65.71 years

female: 67.86 years (2006 est.)

Tunisia

total population: 75.12 years

male: 73.4 years

female: 76.96 years (2006 est.)

Turkey

total population: 72.62 years

male: 70.18 years

female: 75.18 years (2006 est.)

Turkmenistan

total population: 61.83 years

male: 58.43 years

female: 65.41 years (2006 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

total population: 74.73 years

male: 72.48 years

female: 77.08 years (2006 est.)

Tuvalu

total population: 68.32 years

male: 66.08 years

female: 70.66 years (2006 est.)

Uganda

total population: 52.67 years

male: 51.68 years

female: 53.69 years (2006 est.)

Ukraine

total population: 69.98 years

male: 64.71 years

female: 75.59 years (2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates

total population: 75.44 years

male: 72.92 years

female: 78.08 years (2006 est.)

United Kingdom

total population: 78.54 years

male: 76.09 years

female: 81.13 years (2006 est.)

United States

total population: 77.85 years

male: 75.02 years

female: 80.82 years (2006 est.)

Uruguay

total population: 76.33 years

male: 73.12 years

female: 79.65 years (2006 est.)

Uzbekistan

total population: 64.58 years

male: 61.19 years

female: 68.14 years (2006 est.)

Vanuatu

total population: 62.85 years

male: 61.34 years

female: 64.44 years (2006 est.)

Venezuela

total population: 74.54 years

male: 71.49 years

female: 77.81 years (2006 est.)

Vietnam

total population: 70.85 years

male: 68.05 years

female: 73.85 years (2006 est.)

Virgin Islands

total population: 79.05 years

male: 75.24 years

female: 83.09 years (2006 est.)

Wallis and Futuna

total population: NA years

male: NA years

female: NA years

West Bank

total population: 73.27 years

male: 71.5 years

female: 75.15 years (2006 est.)

Western Sahara

total population: NA years

male: NA years

female: NA years

World

total population: 64.77 years

male: 63.16 years

female: 66.47 years (2006 est.)

Yemen

total population: 62.12 years

male: 60.23 years

female: 64.11 years (2006 est.)

Zambia

total population: 40.03 years

male: 39.76 years

female: 40.31 years (2006 est.)

Zimbabwe

total population: 39.29 years

male: 40.39 years

female: 38.16 years (2006 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2103 Literacy (%)

Afghanistan

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 36%

male: 51%

female: 21% (1999 est.)

Albania

definition: age 9 and over can read and write

total population: 86.5%

male: 93.3%

female: 79.5% (2003 est.)

Algeria

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 70%

male: 78.8%

female: 61% (2003 est.)

American Samoa

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97%

male: 98%

female: 97% (1980 est.)

Andorra

definition: NA

total population: 100%

male: 100%

female: 100%

Angola

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 66.8%

male: 82.1%

female: 53.8% (2001 est.)

Anguilla

definition: age 12 and over can read and write

total population: 95%

male: 95%

female: 95% (1984 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

definition: age 15 and over has completed five

or more years of schooling

total population: 85.8%

male: NA%

female: NA% (2003 est.)

Argentina

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.1%

male: 97.1%

female: 97.1% (2003 est.)

Armenia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.6%

male: 99.4%

female: 98% (2003 est.)

Aruba

definition: NA

total population: 97%

male: NA%

female: NA%

Australia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Austria

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98%

male: NA

female: NA

Azerbaijan

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.8%

male: 99.5%

female: 98.2% (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 95.6%

male: 94.7%

female: 96.5% (2003 est.)

Bahrain

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 89.1%

male: 91.9%

female: 85% (2003 est.)

Bangladesh

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 43.1%

male: 53.9%

female: 31.8% (2003 est.)

Barbados

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 99.7%

male: 99.7%

female: 99.7% (2002 est.)

Belarus

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.6%

male: 99.8%

female: 99.5% (2003 est.)

Belgium

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Belize

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 94.1%

male: 94.1%

female: 94.1% (2003 est.)

Benin

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 33.6%

male: 46.4%

female: 22.6% (2002 est.)

Bermuda

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98%

male: 98%

female: 99% (2005 est.)

Bhutan

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 47%

male: 60%

female: 34% (2003 est.)

Bolivia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 87.2%

male: 93.1%

female: 81.6% (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 94.6%

male: 98.4%

female: 91.1% (2000 est.)

Botswana

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 79.8%

male: 76.9%

female: 82.4% (2003 est.)

Brazil

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 86.4%

male: 86.1%

female: 86.6% (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.8% (1991 est.)

male: NA%

female: NA%

Brunei

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 93.9%

male: 96.3%

female: 91.4% (2002)

Bulgaria

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.6%

male: 99.1%

female: 98.2% (2003 est.)

Burkina Faso

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 26.6%

male: 36.9%

female: 16.6% (2003 est.)

Burma

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 85.3%

male: 89.2%

female: 81.4% (2002)

Burundi

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 51.6%

male: 58.5%

female: 45.2% (2003 est.)

Cambodia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 73.6%

male: 84.7%

female: 64.1% (2004 est.)

Cameroon

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 79%

male: 84.7%

female: 73.4% (2003 est.)

Canada

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Cape Verde

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 76.6%

male: 85.8%

female: 69.2% (2003 est.)

Cayman Islands

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 98%

male: 98%

female: 98% (1970 est.)

Central African Republic

definition: age 15 and over can read and

write

total population: 51%

male: 63.3%

female: 39.9% (2003 est.)

Chad

definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic

total population: 47.5%

male: 56%

female: 39.3% (2003 est.)

Chile

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.2%

male: 96.4%

female: 96.1% (2003 est.)

China

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 90.9%

male: 95.1%

female: 86.5% (2002)

Christmas Island

NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

NA

Colombia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.5%

male: 92.4%

female: 92.6% (2003 est.)

Comoros

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 56.5%

male: 63.6%

female: 49.3% (2003 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

definition: age 15 and over can

read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba

total population: 65.5%

male: 76.2%

female: 55.1% (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 83.8%

male: 89.6%

female: 78.4% (2003 est.)

Cook Islands

definition: NA

total population: 95%

male: NA%

female: NA%

Costa Rica

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96%

male: 95.9%

female: 96.1% (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 50.9%

male: 57.9%

female: 43.6% (2003 est.)

Croatia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.5%

male: 99.4%

female: 97.8% (2003 est.)

Cuba

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97%

male: 97.2%

female: 96.9% (2003 est.)

Cyprus

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.6%

male: 98.9%

female: 96.3% (2003 est.)

Czech Republic

definition: NA

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Denmark

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Djibouti

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 67.9%

male: 78%

female: 58.4% (2003 est.)

Dominica

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 94%

male: 94%

female: 94% (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 84.7%

male: 84.6%

female: 84.8% (2003 est.)

East Timor

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 58.6%

male: NA%

female: NA% (2002)

Ecuador

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.5%

male: 94%

female: 91% (2003 est.)

Egypt

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 57.7%

male: 68.3%

female: 46.9% (2003 est.)

El Salvador

definition: age 10 and over can read and write

total population: 80.2%

male: 82.8%

female: 77.7% (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 85.7%

male: 93.3%

female: 78.4% (2003 est.)

Eritrea

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 58.6%

male: 69.9%

female: 47.6% (2003 est.)

Estonia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.8%

male: 99.8%

female: 99.8% (2003 est.)

Ethiopia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 42.7%

male: 50.3%

female: 35.1% (2003 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

NA

Faroe Islands definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% note: probably 100%, the same as Denmark proper

Fiji

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 93.7%

male: 95.5%

female: 91.9% (2003 est.)

Finland

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 100%

male: 100%

female: 100% (2000 est.)

France

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

French Polynesia

definition: age 14 and over can read and write

total population: 98%

male: 98%

female: 98% (1977 est.)

Gabon

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 63.2%

male: 73.7%

female: 53.3% (1995 est.)

Gambia, The

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 40.1%

male: 47.8%

female: 32.8% (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 91.9%

male: 96.3%

female: 87.4% (2003 est.)

Georgia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 100%

male: 100%

female: 100% (2004 est.)

Germany

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Ghana

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 74.8%

male: 82.7%

female: 67.1% (2003 est.)

Gibraltar

definition: NA

total population: above 80%

male: NA

female: NA

Greece

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.5%

male: 98.6%

female: 96.5% (2003 est.)

Greenland

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 100%

male: 100%

female: 100% (2001 est.)

Grenada

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96%

male: NA%

female: NA% (2003 est.)

Guam

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (1990 est.)

Guatemala

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 70.6%

male: 78%

female: 63.3% (2003 est.)

Guernsey

definition: NA

total population: NA%

male: NA%

female: NA%

Guinea

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 35.9%

male: 49.9%

female: 21.9% (1995 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 42.4%

male: 58.1%

female: 27.4% (2003 est.)

Guyana

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 98.8%

male: 99.1%

female: 98.5% (2003 est.)

Haiti

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 52.9%

male: 54.8%

female: 51.2% (2003 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)

definition: NA

total population: 100%

male: 100%

female: 100%

Honduras

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 76.2%

male: 76.1%

female: 76.3% (2003 est.)

Hong Kong

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 93.5%

male: 96.9%

female: 89.6% (2002)

Hungary

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.4%

male: 99.5%

female: 99.3% (2003 est.)

Iceland

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

India

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 59.5%

male: 70.2%

female: 48.3% (2003 est.)

Indonesia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 87.9%

male: 92.5%

female: 83.4% (2002 est.)

Iran

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 79.4%

male: 85.6%

female: 73% (2003 est.)

Iraq

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 40.4%

male: 55.9%

female: 24.4% (2003 est.)

Ireland

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Isle of Man

definition: NA

total population: NA%

male: NA%

female: NA%

Israel

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 95.4%

male: 97.3%

female: 93.6% (2003 est.)

Italy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.6%

male: 99%

female: 98.3% (2003 est.)

Jamaica

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 87.9%

male: 84.1%

female: 91.6% (2003 est.)

Japan

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2002)

Jersey

definition: NA

total population: NA%

male: NA%

female: NA%

Jordan

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 91.3%

male: 95.9%

female: 86.3% (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.4%

male: 99.1%

female: 97.7% (1999 est.)

Kenya

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 85.1%

male: 90.6%

female: 79.7% (2003 est.)

Kiribati

definition: NA

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Korea, North

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99%

Korea, South

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.9%

male: 99.2%

female: 96.6% (2002)

Kuwait

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 83.5%

male: 85.1%

female: 81.7% (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.7%

male: 99.3%

female: 98.1% (1999 est.)

Laos

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 66.4%

male: 77.4%

female: 55.5% (2002)

Latvia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.8%

male: 99.8%

female: 99.8% (2003 est.)

Lebanon

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 87.4%

male: 93.1%

female: 82.2% (2003 est.)

Lesotho

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 84.8%

male: 74.5%

female: 94.5% (2003 est.)

Liberia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 57.5%

male: 73.3%

female: 41.6% (2003 est.)

Libya

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 82.6%

male: 92.4%

female: 72% (2003 est.)

Liechtenstein

definition: age 10 and over can read and write

total population: 100%

male: 100%

female: 100%

Lithuania

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.6%

male: 99.7%

female: 99.6% (2003 est.)

Luxembourg

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 100%

male: 100%

female: 100% (2000 est.)

Macau

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 94.5%

male: 97.2%

female: 92% (2003 est.)

Macedonia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.1%

male: 98.2%

female: 94.1% (2002 est.)

Madagascar

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 68.9%

male: 75.5%

female: 62.5% (2003 est.)

Malawi

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 62.7%

male: 76.1%

female: 49.8% (2003 est.)

Malaysia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 88.7%

male: 92%

female: 85.4% (2002)

Maldives

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.2%

male: 97.1%

female: 97.3% (2003 est.)

Mali

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 46.4%

male: 53.5%

female: 39.6% (2003 est.)

Malta

definition: age 10 and over can read and write

total population: 92.8%

male: 92%

female: 93.6% (2003 est.)

Marshall Islands

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 93.7%

male: 93.6%

female: 93.7% (1999)

Mauritania

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 41.7%

male: 51.8%

female: 31.9% (2003 est.)

Mauritius

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 85.6%

male: 88.6%

female: 82.7% (2003 est.)

Mayotte

definition: NA

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Mexico

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.2%

male: 94%

female: 90.5% (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of

definition: age 15 and over can read

and write

total population: 89%

male: 91%

female: 88% (1980 est.)

Moldova

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.1%

male: 99.6%

female: 98.7% (2003 est.)

Monaco

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Mongolia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.8%

male: 98%

female: 97.5% (2002)

Montserrat

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 97%

male: 97%

female: 97% (1970 est.)

Morocco

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 51.7%

male: 64.1%

female: 39.4% (2003 est.)

Mozambique

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 47.8%

male: 63.5%

female: 32.7% (2003 est.)

Namibia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 84%

male: 84.4%

female: 83.7% (2003 est.)

Nauru

definition: NA

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Nepal

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 48.6%

male: 62.7%

female: 34.9% (2000-2004 est.)

Netherlands

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.7%

male: 96.7%

female: 96.8% (2003 est.)

New Caledonia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 91%

male: 92%

female: 90% (1976 est.)

New Zealand

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Nicaragua

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 67.5%

male: 67.2%

female: 67.8% (2003 est.)

Niger

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 17.6%

male: 25.8%

female: 9.7% (2003 est.)

Nigeria

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 68%

male: 75.7%

female: 60.6% (2003 est.)

Niue

definition: NA

total population: 95%

male: NA

female: NA

Norfolk Island

NA

Northern Mariana Islands

definition: age 15 and over can read and

write

total population: 97%

male: 97%

female: 96% (1980 est.)

Norway

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 100%

male: 100%

female: 100%

Oman

definition: NA

total population: 75.8%

male: 83.1%

female: 67.2%

Pakistan

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 48.7%

male: 61.7%

female: 35.2% (2004 est.)

Palau

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92%

male: 93%

female: 90% (1980 est.)

Panama

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.6%

male: 93.2%

female: 91.9% (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 64.6%

male: 71.1%

female: 57.7% (2002)

Paraguay

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 94%

male: 94.9%

female: 93% (2003 est.)

Peru

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 87.7%

male: 93.5%

female: 82.1% (2004 est.)

Philippines

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.6%

male: 92.5%

female: 92.7% (2002)

Pitcairn Islands

NA

Poland

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.8%

male: 99.8%

female: 99.7% (2003 est.)

Portugal

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 93.3%

male: 95.5%

female: 91.3% (2003 est.)

Puerto Rico

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 94.1%

male: 93.9%

female: 94.4% (2002 est.)

Qatar

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 89%

male: 89.1%

female: 88.6% (2004 est.)

Romania

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.4%

male: 99.1%

female: 97.7% (2003 est.)

Russia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.6%

male: 99.7%

female: 99.5% (2003 est.)

Rwanda

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 70.4%

male: 76.3%

female: 64.7% (2003 est.)

Saint Helena

definition: age 20 and over can read and write

total population: 97%

male: 97%

female: 98% (1987 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended

school

total population: 97.8%

male: NA%

female: NA% (2003 est.)

Saint Lucia

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 90.1%

male: 89.5%

female: 90.6% (2001 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

definition: age 15 and over can read and

write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (1982 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

definition: age 15 and over has

ever attended school

total population: 96%

male: 96%

female: 96% (1970 est.)

Samoa

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.7%

male: 99.6%

female: 99.7% (2003 est.)

San Marino

definition: age 10 and over can read and write

total population: 96%

male: 97%

female: 95% (1976 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 79.3%

male: 85%

female: 62% (1991 est.)

Saudi Arabia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 78.8%

male: 84.7%

female: 70.8% (2003 est.)

Senegal

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 40.2%

male: 50%

female: 30.7% (2003 est.)

Serbia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.4%

male: 98.9%

female: 94.1% (2002 est.)

Seychelles

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 91.9%

male: 91.4%

female: 92.3% (2003 est.)

Sierra Leone

definition: age 15 and over can read and write English,

Mende, Temne, or Arabic

total population: 29.6%

male: 39.8%

female: 20.5% (2000 est.)

Singapore

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.5%

male: 96.6%

female: 88.6% (2002)

Slovakia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.6%

male: 99.7%

female: 99.6% (2001 est.)

Slovenia

definition: NA

total population: 99.7%

male: 99.7%

female: 99.6%

Solomon Islands

definition: NA

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Somalia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 37.8%

male: 49.7%

female: 25.8% (2001 est.)

South Africa

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 86.4%

male: 87%

female: 85.7% (2003 est.)

Spain

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.9%

male: 98.7%

female: 97.2% (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.3%

male: 94.8%

female: 90% (2003 est.)

Sudan

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 61.1%

male: 71.8%

female: 50.5% (2003 est.)

Suriname

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 88%

male: 92.3%

female: 84.1% (2000 est.)

Svalbard

NA

Swaziland

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 81.6%

male: 82.6%

female: 80.8% (2003 est.)

Sweden

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Switzerland

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Syria

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 76.9%

male: 89.7%

female: 64% (2003 est.)

Taiwan

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.1%

male: NA%

female: NA% (2003)

Tajikistan

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.4%

male: 99.6%

female: 99.1% (2003 est.)

Tanzania

definition: age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili

(Swahili), English, or Arabic

total population: 78.2%

male: 85.9%

female: 70.7% (2003 est.)

Thailand

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.6%

male: 94.9%

female: 90.5% (2002)

Togo

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 60.9%

male: 75.4%

female: 46.9% (2003 est.)

Tokelau

NA

Tonga

definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English

total population: 98.9%

male: 98.8%

female: 99% (1999 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.6%

male: 99.1%

female: 98% (2003 est.)

Tunisia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 74.3%

male: 83.4%

female: 65.3% (2004 est.)

Turkey

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 86.5%

male: 94.3%

female: 78.7% (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.8%

male: 99.3%

female: 98.3% (1999 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

definition: age 15 and over has ever

attended school

total population: 98%

male: 99%

female: 98% (1970 est.)

Tuvalu

NA

Uganda

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 69.9%

male: 79.5%

female: 60.4% (2003 est.)

Ukraine

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.7%

male: 99.8%

female: 99.6% (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 77.9%

male: 76.1%

female: 81.7% (2003 est.)

United Kingdom

definition: age 15 and over has completed five or

more years of schooling

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

United States

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Uruguay

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98%

male: 97.6%

female: 98.4% (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.3%

male: 99.6%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Vanuatu

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 74%

male: NA

female: NA

Venezuela

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 93.4%

male: 93.8%

female: 93.1% (2003 est.)

Vietnam

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 90.3%

male: 93.9%

female: 86.9% (2002)

Virgin Islands

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 90-95% est.

male: NA%

female: NA% (2005 est.)

Wallis and Futuna

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 50%

male: 50%

female: 50% (1969 est.)

West Bank

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 91.9%

male: 96.3%

female: 87.4% (2003 est.)

Western Sahara

NA

World

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 82%

male: 87%

female: 77%

note: over two-thirds of the world's 785 million illiterate adults

are found in only eight countries (India, China, Bangladesh,

Pakistan, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Egypt); of all the

illiterate adults in the world, two-thirds are women; extremely low

literacy rates are concentrated in three regions, South and West

Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Arab states, where around

one-third of the men and half of all women are illiterate (2005 est.)

Yemen

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 50.2%

male: 70.5%

female: 30% (2003 est.)

Zambia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write English

total population: 80.6%

male: 86.8%

female: 74.8% (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe

definition: age 15 and over can read and write English

total population: 90.7%

male: 94.2%

female: 87.2% (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2105 Manpower available for military service

Afghanistan

males age 22-49: 4,952,812

females age 22-49: 4,663,963 (2005 est.)

Albania

males age 19-49: 809,524

females age 19-49: 784,199 (2005 est.)

Algeria

males age 19-49: 8,033,049

females age 19-49: 7,926,351 (2005 est.)

Andorra

males age 18-49: 18,418 (2005 est.)

Angola

males age 17-49: 2,548,455

females age 17-49: 2,462,601 (2005 est.)

Anguilla

males age 18-49: 3,614 (2005 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

males age 18-49: 18,952

females age 18-49: 18,360 (2005 est.)

Argentina

males age 18-49: 8,981,886

females age 18-49: 8,883,756 (2005 est.)

Armenia

males age 18-49: 722,836

females age 18-49: 795,084 (2005 est.)

Aruba

males age 18-49: 16,278 (2005 est.)

Australia

males age 18-49: 4,943,676

females age 18-49: 4,821,264

Austria

males age 18-49: 1,914,800

females age 18-49: 1,870,134 (2005 est.)

Azerbaijan

males age 18-49: 1,961,973

females age 18-49: 2,033,186 (2005 est.)

Bahamas, The

males age 18-49: 73,121 (2005 est.)

Bahrain

males age 18-49: 202,126

females age 18-49: 151,734 (2005 est.)

Bangladesh

males age 18-49: 35,170,019 (2005 est.)

Barbados

males age 18-49: 71,524

females age 18-49: 72,302 (2005 est.)

Belarus

males age 18-49: 2,520,644

females age 18-49: 2,564,696 (2005 est.)

Belgium

males age 16-49: 2,436,736

females age 16-49: 2,369,463 (2005 est.)

Belize

males age 18-49: 61,201

females age 18-49: 60,048 (2005 est.)

Benin

males age 21-49: 1,295,230

females age 21-49: 1,301,936 (2005 est.)

Bermuda

males age 18-49: 15,151 (2005 est.)

Bhutan

males age 18-49: 483,860

females age 18-49: 453,683 (2005 est.)

Bolivia

males age 18-49: 1,923,234

females age 18-49: 2,007,315 (2005 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

males age 18-49: 1,119,508

females age 18-49: 1,079,435 (2005 est.)

Botswana

males age 18-49: 350,649

females age 18-49: 361,642 (2005 est.)

Brazil

males age 19-49: 45,586,036

females age 19-49: 45,728,704 (2005 est.)

British Virgin Islands

males age 18-49: 6,410 (2005 est.)

Brunei

males age 18-49: 103,885

females age 18-49: 93,024 (2005 est.)

Bulgaria

males age 18-49: 1,661,211

females age 18-49: 1,660,982 (2005 est.)

Burkina Faso

males age 18-49: 2,651,687 (2005 est.)

Burma

males age 18-49: 12,268,850

females age 18-49: 12,469,771 (2005 est.)

Burundi

males age 16-49: 1,676,855

females age 16-49: 1,656,366 (2005 est.)

Cambodia

males age 18-49: 3,002,718

females age 18-49: 3,108,254 (2005 est.)

Cameroon

males age 18-49: 3,525,307

females age 18-49: 3,461,406 (2005 est.)

Canada

males age 16-49: 8,216,510

females age 16-49: 8,034,939 (2005 est.)

Cape Verde

males age 18-49: 84,641

females age 18-49: 87,310 (2005 est.)

Cayman Islands

males age 18-49: 10,703 (2005 est.)

Central African Republic

males age 18-49: 853,760

females age 18-49: 835,426 (2005 est.)

Chad

males age 20-49: 1,527,580

females age 20-49: 1,629,510 (2005 est.)

Chile

males age 18-49: 3,815,761

females age 18-49: 3,780,864 (2005 est.)

China

males age 18-49: 342,956,265

females age 18-49: 324,701,244 (2005 est.)

Colombia

males age 18-49: 10,212,456

females age 18-49: 10,561,562 (2005 est.)

Comoros

males age 18-49: 138,940

females age 18-49: 139,491 (2005 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

males age 18-49: 11,365,610 (2005

est.)

Congo, Republic of the

males age 18-49: 688,628

females age 18-49: 685,388 (2005 est.)

Costa Rica

males age 18-49: 997,690

females age 18-49: 968,290 (2005 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

males age 18-49: 3,696,106

females age 18-49: 3,569,967 (2005 est.)

Croatia

males age 18-49: 1,005,058

females age 18-49: 1,008,511 (2005 est.)

Cuba

males age 17-49: 2,967,865

females age 17-49: 2,913,559 (2005 est.)

Cyprus

Greek Cyriot National Guard (GCNG):

males age 18-49: 184,352

females age 18-49: 175,567 (2005 est.)

Czech Republic

males age 18-49: 2,414,728

females age 18-49: 2,329,412 (2005 est.)

Denmark

males age 18-49: 1,175,108

females age 18-49: 1,150,627 (2005 est.)

Djibouti

males age 18-49: 95,328

females age 18-49: 87,795 (2005 est.)

Dominica

males age 18-49: 18,227 (2005 est.)

Dominican Republic

males age 18-49: 2,133,142

females age 18-49: 2,032,840 (2005 est.)

East Timor

males age 18-49: 235,198

females age 18-49: 223,069 (2005 est.)

Ecuador

males age 20-49: 2,792,770

females age 20-49: 2,849,519 (2005 est.)

Egypt

males age 18-49: 18,347,560

females age 18-49: 17,683,904 (2005 est.)

El Salvador

males age 18-49: 1,391,278

females age 18-49: 1,542,323 (2005 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

males age 18-49: 104,563

females age 18-49: 109,923 (2005 est.)

Eritrea

males age 18-49: 893,361

females age 18-49: 891,662 (2005 est.)

Estonia

males age 18-49: 291,696

females age 18-49: 304,961 (2005 est.)

Ethiopia

males age 18-49: 14,568,277

females age 18-49: 14,482,885 (2005 est.)

Faroe Islands

males age 18-49: 10,695 (2005 est.)

Fiji

males age 18-49: 215,104

females age 18-49: 212,739 (2005 est.)

Finland

males age 18-49: 1,121,275

females age 18-49: 1,076,684 (2005 est.)

France

males age 17-49: 13,676,509

females age 17-49: 13,504,539 (2005 est.)

French Polynesia

males age 18-49: 69,679 (2005 est.)

Gabon

males age 18-49: 278,826

females age 18-49: 279,865 (2005 est.)

Gambia, The

males age 18-49: 311,025

females age 18-49: 316,214 (2005 est.)

Gaza Strip

males age 18-49: 260,855 (2005 est.)

Georgia

males age 18-49: 1,038,736

females age 18-49: 1,105,910 (2005 est.)

Germany

males age 18-49: 18,917,537

females age 18-49: 17,913,113 (2005 est.)

Ghana

males age 18-49: 4,808,451

females age 18-49: 4,762,459 (2005 est.)

Gibraltar

males age 18-49: 5,959 (2005 est.)

Greece

males age 18-49: 2,459,988

females age 18-49: 2,442,818 (2005 est.)

Greenland

males age 18-49: 14,653 (2005 est.)

Grenada

males age 18-49: 24,031 (2005 est.)

Guatemala

males age 18-49: 2,429,033

females age 18-49: 2,503,482 (2005 est.)

Guinea

males age 18-49: 1,852,534

females age 18-49: 1,827,560 (2005 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

males age 18-49: 287,542

females age 18-49: 297,295 (2005 est.)

Guyana

males age 18-49: 206,098 (2005 est.)

Haiti

males age 18-49: 1,626,491

females age 18-49: 1,637,657 (2005 est.)

Honduras

males age 18-49: 1,537,232

females age 18-49: 1,515,120 (2005 est.)

Hong Kong

males age 18-49: 1,743,972

females age 18-49: 1,904,967 (2005 est.)

Hungary

males age 18-49: 2,303,116

females age 18-49: 2,265,463 (2005 est.)

Iceland

males age 18-49: 69,038 (2005 est.)

India

males age 16-49: 287,551,111

females age 16-49: 268,524,835 (2005 est.)

Indonesia

males age 18-49: 60,543,028

females age 18-49: 59,981,730 (2005 est.)

Iran

males age 18-49: 18,319,545

females age 18-49: 17,541,037 (2005 est.)

Iraq

males age 18-49: 5,870,640

females age 18-49: 5,642,073 (2005 est.)

Ireland

males age 17-49: 977,092

females age 17-49: 978,465 (2005 est.)

Israel

males age 17-49: 1,492,125

females age 17-49: 1,443,916 (2005 est.)

Italy

males age 18-49: 13,491,260

females age 18-49: 12,886,033 (2005 est.)

Jamaica

males age 18-49: 592,018

females age 18-49: 616,500 (2005 est.)

Japan

males age 18-49: 27,003,112

females age 18-49: 26,153,482 (2005 est.)

Jordan

males age 17-49: 1,573,995

females age 17-49: 1,346,642 (2005 est.)

Kazakhstan

males age 18-49: 3,758,255

females age 18-49: 3,822,845 (2005 est.)

Kenya

males age 18-49: 7,303,153

females age 18-49: 7,083,726 (2005 est.)

Kiribati

males age 18-49: 21,938 (2005 est.)

Korea, North

males age 17-49: 5,851,801

females age 17-49: 5,850,733 (2005 est.)

Korea, South

males age 20-49: 12,483,677

females age 20-49: 12,014,462 (2005 est.)

Kuwait

males age 18-49: 864,745

females age 18-49: 467,120 (2005 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

males age 18-49: 1,193,529

females age 18-49: 1,219,080 (2005 est.)

Laos

males age 15-49: 1,500,625

females age 15-49: 1,521,116 (2005 est.)

Latvia

males age 19-49: 517,713

females age 19-49: 519,631 (2005 est.)

Lebanon

males age 18-49: 974,363

females age 18-49: 1,024,273 (2005 est.)

Lesotho

males age 18-49: 428,982

females age 18-49: 440,102 (2005 est.)

Liberia

males age 18-49: 575,384

females age 18-49: 588,780 (2005 est.)

Libya

males age 17-49: 1,505,675

females age 17-49: 1,429,152 (2005 est.)

Liechtenstein

males age 18-49: 7,736 (2005 est.)

Lithuania

males age 19-49: 830,368

females age 19-49: 830,524 (2005 est.)

Luxembourg

males age 17-49: 110,867

females age 17-49: 108,758 (2005 est.)

Macau

males age 18-49: 112,744 (2005 est.)

Macedonia

males age 18-49: 498,259

females age 18-49: 481,317 (2005 est.)

Madagascar

males age 18-49: 3,542,797

females age 18-49: 3,551,447 (2005 est.)

Malawi

males age 18-49: 2,430,514 (2005 est.)

Malaysia

males age 18-49: 5,584,231

females age 18-49: 5,510,345 (2005 est.)

Maldives

males age 18-49: 71,774

females age 18-49: 69,229 (2005 est.)

Mali

males age 18-49: 2,094,432

females age 18-49: 2,027,352 (2005 est.)

Malta

males age 18-49: 90,651

females age 18-49: 87,047 (2005 est.)

Marshall Islands

males age 18-49: 13,465 (2005 est.)

Mauritania males age 18-49: 606,463 females age 18-49: 607,955 (2005 est.)

Mauritius

males age 18-49: 313,271 (2005 est.)

Mexico

males age 18-49: 24,488,008

females age 18-49: 26,128,046 (2005 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of

males age 18-49: 23,816 (2005 est.)

Moldova

males age 18-49: 1,066,459

females age 18-49: 1,117,070 (2005 est.)

Monaco

males age 18-49: 6,256 (2005 est.)

Mongolia

males age 18-49: 736,182

females age 18-49: 734,679 (2005 est.)

Montserrat

males age 18-49: 2,298 (2005 est.)

Morocco

males age 18-49: 7,908,864

females age 18-49: 7,882,879 (2005 est.)

Mozambique

males age 18-49: 3,793,373 (2005 est.)

Namibia

males age 18-49: 441,293 (2005 est.)

Nauru

males age 18-49: 2,874 (2005 est.)

Nepal

males age 18-49: 6,107,091

females age 18-49: 5,744,989 (2005 est.)

Netherlands

males age 20-49: 3,557,918

females age 20-49: 3,470,377 (2005 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

males age 16-49: 54,200

females age 16-49: 56,868 (2005 est.)

New Caledonia

males age 18-49: 50,874 (2005 est.)

New Zealand

males age 17-49: 984,700

females age 17-49: 965,170 (2005 est.)

Nicaragua

males age 17-49: 1,309,970

females age 17-49: 1,315,186 (2005 est.)

Niger

males age 18-49: 2,367,828

females age 18-49: 2,217,568 (2005 est.)

Nigeria

males age 18-49: 26,802,678

females age 18-49: 25,668,446 (2005 est.)

Norway

males age 18-49: 1,014,592

females age 18-49: 982,734 (2005 est.)

Oman

males age 18-49: 719,871

females age 18-49: 508,621 (2005 est.)

Pakistan

males age 16-49: 39,028,014

females age 16-49: 36,779,584 (2005 est.)

Palau

males age 18-49: 5,694 (2005 est.)

Panama

males age 18-49: 751,065 (2005 est.)

Papua New Guinea

males age 18-49: 1,264,728

females age 18-49: 1,167,188 (2005 est.)

Paraguay

males age 18-49: 1,345,022

females age 18-49: 1,342,725 (2005 est.)

Peru

males age 18-49: 6,647,874

females age 18-49: 6,544,408 (2005 est.)

Philippines

males age 18-49: 20,131,179

females age 18-49: 20,009,526 (2005 est.)

Poland

males age 17-49: 9,681,703

females age 17-49: 9,480,641 (2005 est.)

Portugal

males age 18-49: 2,435,042

females age 18-49: 2,405,816 (2005 est.)

Qatar

males age 18-49: 302,873

females age 18-49: 137,856 (2005 est.)

Romania

males age 20-49: 5,061,984

females age 20-49: 4,975,427 (2005 est.)

Russia

males age 18-49: 35,247,049

females age 18-49: 35,986,426 (2005 est.)

Rwanda

males age 16-49: 2,004,750

females age 16-49: 1,990,935 (2005 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

males age 18-49: 9,196

females age 18-49: 9,236 (2005 est.)

Saint Lucia

males age 18-49: 42,742 (2005 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

males age 18-49: 31,489 (2005 est.)

Samoa

males age 18-49: 58,722 (2005 est.)

San Marino

males age 18-49: 6,331 (2005 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe

males age 18-49: 33,438

females age 18-49: 35,279 (2005 est.)

Saudi Arabia

males age 18-49: 7,648,999

females age 18-49: 5,417,922 (2005 est.)

Senegal

males age 18-49: 2,443,840

females age 18-49: 2,461,939 (2005 est.)

Seychelles

males age 18-49: 21,612

females age 18-49: 22,459 (2005 est.)

Sierra Leone

males age 18-49: 1,086,091 (2005 est.)

Singapore

males age 18-49: 1,215,568 (2005 est.)

Slovakia

males age 18-49: 1,351,848

females age 18-49: 1,322,647 (2005 est.)

Slovenia

males age 17-49: 496,929

females age 17-49: 483,959 (2005 est.)

Solomon Islands

males age 18-49: 114,253 (2005 est.)

Somalia

males age 18-49: 1,787,727

females age 18-49: 1,714,792 (2005 est.)

South Africa

males age 18-49: 10,354,769

females age 18-49: 10,626,550 (2005 est.)

Spain

males age 20-49: 9,366,588

females age 20-49: 9,155,057 (2005 est.)

Sri Lanka

males age 18-49: 4,933,217

females age 18-49: 5,153,597 (2005 est.)

Sudan

males age 18-49: 8,291,695

females age 18-49: 8,135,683 (2005 est.)

Suriname

males age 18-49: 111,582

females age 18-49: 103,769 (2005 est.)

Swaziland

males age 18-49: 227,617 (2005 est.)

Sweden

males age 19-49: 1,838,427

females age 19-49: 1,774,659 (2005 est.)

Switzerland

males age 19-49: 1,707,694

females age 19-49: 1,662,099 (2005 est.)

Syria

males age 18-49: 4,356,413

females age 18-49: 4,123,339 (2005 est.)

Taiwan

males age 19-49: 5,883,828

females age 19-49: 5,680,773 (2005 est.)

Tajikistan

males age 18-49: 1,556,415

females age 18-49: 1,568,780 (2005 est.)

Tanzania

males age 18-49: 7,422,869 (2005 est.)

Thailand

males age 21-49: 14,903,855

females age 21-49: 15,265,854 (2005 est.)

Togo

males age 18-49: 1,102,661

females age 18-49: 1,124,463 (2005 est.)

Tonga

males age 18-49: 25,420

females ag3 18-49: 24,827 (2005 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

males age 18-49: 290,715

females age 18-49: 258,410 (2005 est.)

Tunisia

males age 20-49: 2,441,741

females age 20-49: 2,406,362 (2005 est.)

Turkey

males age 20-49: 16,756,323

females age 20-49: 16,051,706 (2005 est.)

Turkmenistan

males age 18-49: 1,132,833

females age 18-49: 1,162,569 (2005 est.)

Uganda

males age 18-49: 5,012,620

females age 18-49: 4,855,858 (2005 est.)

Ukraine

males age 18-49: 11,020,222

females age 18-49: 11,370,687 (2005 est.)

United Arab Emirates

males age 18-49: 653,181

females age 18-49: 497,394 (includes non-nationals; 2005 est.)

United Kingdom

males age 16-49: 14,607,724

females age 16-49: 14,028,738 (2005 est.)

United States

males age 18-49: 67,742,879

females age 18-49: 67,070,144 (2005 est.)

Uruguay

males age 18-49: 764,408

females age 18-49: 760,341 (2005 est.)

Uzbekistan

males age 18-49: 6,340,220

females age 18-49: 6,432,072 (2005 est.)

Vanuatu

males age 18-49: 50,221 (2005 est.)

Venezuela

males age 18-49: 6,236,012

females age 18-49: 6,137,622 (2005 est.)

Vietnam

males age 18-49: 21,341,813

females age 18-49: 21,430,808 (2005 est.)

Yemen

males age 18-49: 4,058,223

females age 18-49: 3,868,112 (2005 est.)

Zambia

males age 18-49: 2,219,739

females age 18-49: 2,159,688 (2005 est.)

Zimbabwe

males age 18-49: 2,778,404

females age 18-49: 2,681,531 (2005 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2106 Maritime claims

Afghanistan

none (landlocked)

Albania

territorial sea: 12 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Algeria

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 nm

American Samoa

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Andorra

none (landlocked)

Angola

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Anguilla

territorial sea: 3 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Antarctica

Australia, Chile, and Argentina claim Exclusive Economic

Zone (EEZ) rights or similar over 200 nm extensions seaward from

their continental claims, but like the claims themselves, these

zones are not accepted by other countries; 21 of 28 Antarctic

consultative nations have made no claims to Antarctic territory

(although Russia and the US have reserved the right to do so) and do

not recognize the claims of the other nations; also see the Disputes

- international entry

Antigua and Barbuda

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Argentina

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Armenia

none (landlocked)

Aruba

territorial sea: 12 nm

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Australia

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Austria

none (landlocked)

Azerbaijan

none (landlocked)

Bahamas, The

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Bahrain

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined

Baker Island

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Bangladesh

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 18 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin

Barbados

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Bassas da India

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Belarus

none (landlocked)

Belgium

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit

continental shelf: median line with neighbors

Belize

territorial sea: 12 nm in the north, 3 nm in the south; note

- from the mouth of the Sarstoon River to Ranguana Cay, Belize's

territorial sea is 3 nm; according to Belize's Maritime Areas Act,

1992, the purpose of this limitation is to provide a framework for

negotiating a definitive agreement on territorial differences with

Guatemala

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Benin

territorial sea: 200 nm

Bermuda

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Bhutan

none (landlocked)

Bolivia

none (landlocked)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

no data available

Botswana

none (landlocked)

Bouvet Island

territorial sea: 4 nm

Brazil

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

British Indian Ocean Territory

territorial sea: 3 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

British Virgin Islands

territorial sea: 3 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Brunei

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to median line

Bulgaria

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Burkina Faso

none (landlocked)

Burma

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Burundi

none (landlocked)

Cambodia

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm

Cameroon

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

Canada

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Cape Verde

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Cayman Islands territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Central African Republic

none (landlocked)

Chad

none (landlocked)

Chile

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200/350 nm

China

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Christmas Island territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Clipperton Island

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Colombia

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Comoros

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighbors

Congo, Republic of the

territorial sea: 200 nm

Cook Islands territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Coral Sea Islands territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Costa Rica

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm

Cote d'Ivoire

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm

Croatia

territorial sea: 12 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Cuba

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Cyprus

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Czech Republic

none (landlocked)

Denmark

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Djibouti

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Dominica

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Dominican Republic territorial sea: 6 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

East Timor territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Ecuador

territorial sea: 200 nm

continental shelf: 100 nm from 2,500 meter isobath

Egypt

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

El Salvador territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Equatorial Guinea territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Eritrea

territorial sea: 12 nm

Estonia

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: limits fixed in coordination with

neighboring states

Ethiopia

none (landlocked)

Europa Island

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

European Union

NA

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

territorial sea: 12 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Faroe Islands

territorial sea: 3 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

Fiji

measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation;

rectilinear shelf claim added

Finland

territorial sea: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 nm)

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm; extends to continental shelf boundary

with Sweden

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

France

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (does not apply to the Mediterranean)

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

French Polynesia territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm from Iles Kerguelen (does not

include the rest of French Southern and Antarctic Lands)

Gabon

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Gambia, The

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 18 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: not specified

Gaza Strip

Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the

Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be

determined through further negotiation

Georgia

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Germany

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Ghana

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm

Gibraltar

territorial sea: 3 nm

Glorioso Islands

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Greece

territorial sea: 12 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Greenland

territorial sea: 3 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

Grenada

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Guam

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Guatemala

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Guernsey

territorial sea: 3 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Guinea

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Guinea-Bissau

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Guyana

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental

margin

Haiti

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: to depth of exploitation

Heard Island and McDonald Islands territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Holy See (Vatican City)

none (landlocked)

Honduras

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 nm

Hong Kong

territorial sea: 3 nm

Howland Island territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Hungary

none (landlocked)

Iceland

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Iles Eparses

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; note - Juan de Nova Island and

Tromelin Island claim a continental shelf of 200-m depth or to the

depth of exploitation

India

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Indonesia

measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Iran

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median lines in the

Persian Gulf

continental shelf: natural prolongation

Iraq

territorial sea: 12 nm

continental shelf: not specified

Ireland

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Isle of Man

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Israel

territorial sea: 12 nm

continental shelf: to depth of exploitation

Italy

territorial sea: 12 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Jamaica

measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

Jan Mayen

territorial sea: 4 nm

contiguous zone: 10 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Japan

territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the

international straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and

Eastern and Western Channels of the Korea or Tsushima Strait

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Jarvis Island

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Jersey

territorial sea: 3 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Johnston Atoll

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Jordan

territorial sea: 3 nm

Juan de Nova Island territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Kazakhstan

none (landlocked)

Kenya

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Kingman Reef

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Kiribati

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Korea, North

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

note: military boundary line 50 nm in the Sea of Japan and the

exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign

vessels and aircraft without permission are banned

Korea, South

territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the

Korea Strait

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: not specified

Kuwait

territorial sea: 12 nm

Kyrgyzstan

none (landlocked)

Laos

none (landlocked)

Latvia

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Lebanon

territorial sea: 12 nm

Lesotho

none (landlocked)

Liberia

territorial sea: 200 nm

Libya

territorial sea: 12 nm

note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north

exclusive fishing zone: 62 nm

Liechtenstein

none (landlocked)

Lithuania

territorial sea: 12 nm

Luxembourg

none (landlocked)

Macau

not specified

Macedonia

none (landlocked)

Madagascar

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m deep isobath

Malawi

none (landlocked)

Malaysia

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation;

specified boundary in the South China Sea

Maldives

measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Mali

none (landlocked)

Malta

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm

Marshall Islands

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Mauritania

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Mauritius

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Mayotte

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Mexico

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Micronesia, Federated States of

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Midway Islands

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Moldova

none (landlocked)

Monaco

territorial sea: 12 nm

Mongolia

none (landlocked)

Montenegro

territorial sea: 12 nm

continental shelf: defined by treaty

Montserrat

territorial sea: 3 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Morocco

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Mozambique

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Namibia

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Nauru

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Navassa Island territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Nepal none (landlocked)

Netherlands

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Netherlands Antilles

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

New Caledonia

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

New Zealand

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Nicaragua

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

continental shelf: natural prolongation

Niger

none (landlocked)

Nigeria

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Niue

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Norfolk Island

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Northern Mariana Islands

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Norway

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 10 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm

Oman

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Pakistan

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Palau

territorial sea: 3 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Palmyra Atoll

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Panama

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or edge of continental margin

Papua New Guinea

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

territorial sea: 12 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Paracel Islands

NA

Paraguay

none (landlocked)

Peru

territorial sea: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm

Philippines

territorial sea: irregular polygon extending up to 100

nm from coastline as defined by 1898 treaty; since late 1970s has

also claimed polygonal-shaped area in South China Sea up to 285 nm

in breadth

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: to depth of exploitation

Pitcairn Islands

territorial sea: 3 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Poland

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties

Portugal

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Puerto Rico

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Qatar

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or

the median line

Romania

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Russia

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Rwanda

none (landlocked)

Saint Helena territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Saint Kitts and Nevis

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Saint Lucia

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Saint Pierre and Miquelon territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm

Samoa

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

San Marino

none (landlocked)

Sao Tome and Principe

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Saudi Arabia

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 18 nm

continental shelf: not specified

Senegal

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Serbia

none (landlocked)

Seychelles

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Sierra Leone

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm

Singapore

territorial sea: 3 nm

exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, as

defined in treaties and practice

Slovakia

none (landlocked)

Slovenia

territorial sea: 12 nm

Solomon Islands measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm

Somalia territorial sea: 200 nm

South Africa territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Spain

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean)

Spratly Islands

NA

Sri Lanka

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Sudan

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 18 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Suriname

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Svalbard

territorial sea: 4 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm unilaterally claimed by Norway but

not recognized by Russia

Swaziland

none (landlocked)

Sweden

territorial sea: 12 nm (adjustments made to return a portion

of straits to high seas)

exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Switzerland

none (landlocked)

Syria

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

Taiwan

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Tajikistan

none (landlocked)

Tanzania

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Thailand

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Togo

territorial sea: 30 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Tokelau

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Tonga

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Trinidad and Tobago measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin

Tromelin Island territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Tunisia

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

Turkey

territorial sea: 6 nm in the Aegean Sea; 12 nm in Black Sea

and in Mediterranean Sea

exclusive economic zone: in Black Sea only: to the maritime boundary

agreed upon with the former USSR

Turkmenistan

none (landlocked)

Turks and Caicos Islands

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Tuvalu

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Uganda

none (landlocked)

Ukraine

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200-m or to the depth of exploitation

United Arab Emirates

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

United Kingdom

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: as defined in continental shelf orders or in

accordance with agreed upon boundaries

United States

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: not specified

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Uruguay

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or edge of continental margin

Uzbekistan

none (doubly landlocked)

Vanuatu

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Venezuela

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 15 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Vietnam

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Virgin Islands

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Wake Island

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Wallis and Futuna

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

West Bank

none (landlocked)

Western Sahara

contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue

World

a variety of situations exist, but in general, most countries

make the following claims measured from the mean low-tide baseline

as described in the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea:

territorial sea - 12 nm, contiguous zone - 24 nm, and exclusive

economic zone - 200 nm; additional zones provide for exploitation of

continental shelf resources and an exclusive fishing zone; boundary

situations with neighboring states prevent many countries from

extending their fishing or economic zones to a full 200nm

Yemen

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Zambia

none (landlocked)

Zimbabwe

none (landlocked)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2107 International organization participation

Afghanistan

AsDB, CP, ECO, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,

IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO

(correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SACEP,

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,

WTO (observer)

Albania

BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,

ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,

IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE,

PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Algeria

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BIS, FAO, G-15, G-24,

G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD,

IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU,

ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW,

OPEC, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE,

UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

American Samoa

Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC, UPU

Andorra

CE, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, OIF,

OIF (associate member), OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNWTO, WCO,

WHO, WIPO, WTO (observer)

Angola

ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt

(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS

(observer), SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Anguilla

Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS

(associate), UPU

Antigua and Barbuda

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,

ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO

(subscriber), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Argentina

ABEDA, AfDB, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CAN (associate),

CSN, FAO, G-6, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,

ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,

IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH,

NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security Council

(temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMOVIC, UNTSO,

UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Armenia

ACCT (observer), AsDB, BSEC, CE, CIS, EAEC (observer), EAPC,

EBRD, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA,

IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA,

NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Aruba

ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITUC, UNESCO (associate), UNWTO

(associate), UPU, WCL, WMO

Australia

ANZUS, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner),

Australia Group, BIS, C, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,

ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NEA,

NSG, OECD, OPCW, Paris Club, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,

WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Austria

ACCT (observer), AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC

(observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9,

IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,

ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,

MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF

(observer), OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, SECI (observer), UN,

UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNOMIG, UNTSO,

UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Azerbaijan

AsDB, BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, GUAM,

IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS

(observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Bahamas, The

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt

(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOM,

IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Bahrain

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt

(signatory), ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Bangladesh

ARF, AsDB, BIMSTEC, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,

IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO,

MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,

UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,

WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Barbados

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,

ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU,

ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,

WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Belarus

BSEC (observer), CEI, CIS, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, GCTU, IAEA,

IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,

ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Belgium

ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN,

EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,

IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NATO,

NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club,

PCA, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL,

UNITAR, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO,

WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Belize

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,

IOM, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Benin

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA,

IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA,

MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL,

UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Bermuda

Caricom (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ITUC, UPU,

WCO

Bhutan

AsDB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC,

IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM,

OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO,

WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Bolivia

CAN, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,

IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO

(correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA,

MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMISET, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,

WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Bosnia and Herzegovina

BIS, CE, CEI, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS

(observer), OIC (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNWTO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Botswana

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,

IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA,

NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU,

WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Brazil

AfDB, BIS, CAN (associate), CSN, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB,

IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,

IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA,

Mercosur, MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW,

PCA, RG, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,

UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,

WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

British Virgin Islands

Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol

(subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate), UPU

Brunei

APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, C, EAS, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,

IDB, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM,

OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Bulgaria

ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC,

EBRD, EU (new member), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFC,

IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,

NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI,

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,

WCO, WEU (associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Burkina Faso

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77,

IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,

IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA,

MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,

UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,

WIPO, WMO, WTO

Burma

APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA,

IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Burundi

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,

ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM

(observer), IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW,

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Cambodia

ACCT, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, EAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,

ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,

IOM, IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,

WTO

Cameroon

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, C, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA,

IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,

ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM,

OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,

WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Canada

ACCT, AfDB, APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue

partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CDB, CE (observer), EAPC, EBRD,

ESA (cooperating state), FAO, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,

IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC,

NAFTA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE,

Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SECI (observer), UN, UNAMSIL,

UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMOVIC, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU,

WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Cape Verde

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt

(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Cayman Islands

Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC,

UNESCO (associate), UPU

Central African Republic

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ,

G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,

Interpol, IOC, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC (observer), OIF, OPCW, OPCW

(signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO,

WIPO, WMO, WTO

Chad

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,

IOC, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Chile

APEC, BIS, CAN (associate), CSN, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA,

IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,

ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA,

Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA,

RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU,

WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

China

AfDB, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BCIE,

BIS, CDB, EAS, FAO, G-24 (observer), G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,

ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM

(observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC,

NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC

(observer), SCO, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,

UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNTSO,

UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Christmas Island

none

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

none

Colombia

BCIE, CAN, CDB, CSN, FAO, G-3, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB,

IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,

IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA,

Mercosur (associate), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,

WMO, WTO

Comoros

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AMF, AU, COMESA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,

ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC,

Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW (signatory), UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL,

COMESA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,

IFC, IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,

ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Congo, Republic of the

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ,

G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW

(signatory), UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Cook Islands

ACP, AsDB, FAO, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IOC, ITUC,

OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Costa Rica

BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,

ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,

ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS,

OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,

WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Cote d'Ivoire

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24,

G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,

IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM,

OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WADB

(regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Croatia

ACCT (observer), BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD,

FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,

IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,

MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIF

(observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP,

UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Cuba

ACP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,

IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM,

OAS (excluded from formal participation since 1962), OPANAL, OPCW,

PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,

WIPO, WMO, WTO

Cyprus

Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICC, ICCt, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,

IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE,

PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Czech Republic

ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC

(observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA (cooperating state),

EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IEA,

IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC,

MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF

(observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR,

UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Denmark

AfDB, Arctic Council, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE,

CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NATO,

NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club,

PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,

UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU

(observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Djibouti

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD,

ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, ITUC, LAS, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW (signatory),

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Dominica

ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, ICRM,

IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO

(subscriber), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW,

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Dominican Republic

ACP, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt

(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF,

IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, LAES,

LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG,

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,

WIPO, WMO, WTO

East Timor

ACP, ARF, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFAD,

IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PIF

(observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO

Ecuador

CAN, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,

ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,

IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA,

MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,

WIPO, WMO, WTO

Egypt

ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, BSEC (observer), CAEU,

COMESA, EBRD, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt

(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM,

OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, ONUB, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNRWA,

UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

El Salvador

BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,

ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,

ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (observer),

OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS,

UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Equatorial Guinea

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77,

IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO (observer)

Eritrea

ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt

(signatory), IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA,

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Estonia

Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU,

FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO,

NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Ethiopia

ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM

(observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

European Union

European Union: ASEAN (dialogue member), ARF

(dialogue member), IDA, OAS (observer), UN (observer), WTO

European Community: Australian Group, CBSS, CERN, FAO, EBRD, G-10,

NAM (observer), NSG (observer), OECD, UNRWA, ZC (observer)

European Central Bank: BIS

European Investment Bank: EBRD, WADB (nonregional member)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

ICFTU, UPU

Faroe Islands

Arctic Council, IMO (associate), NC, NIB, UPU

Fiji

ACP, AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,

IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC,

MIGA, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,

UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Finland

AfDB, Arctic Council, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE,

CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,

IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NC,

NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA,

PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS,

UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO,

ZC

France

ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, Arctic Council (observer), AsDB, Australia

Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC,

EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FZ, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB,

IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IFTU,

IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA,

MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF,

OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SECI (observer), SPC,

UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL,

UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO,

UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

French Polynesia

FZ, ITUC, PIF (observer), SPC, UPU, WMO

Gabon

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA,

IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO,

WTO

Gambia, The

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,

ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,

IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Georgia

ACCT (observer), BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM,

IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,

IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA,

OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI (observer),

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Germany

AfDB, Arctic Council (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS,

BSEC (observer), CBSS, CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU,

FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,

ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,

IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS

(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, SECI (observer), UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG,

UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,

WTO, ZC

Ghana

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS

(observer), OIF, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,

UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Gibraltar

Interpol (subbureau), UPU

Greece

Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU,

EU, FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,

IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU,

ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),

OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UN Security Council

(temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIS, UNOMIG,

UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Greenland

Arctic Council, NC, NIB, UPU

Grenada

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,

IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber),

ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO

Guam

IOC, SPC, UPU

Guatemala

BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,

ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,

IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA,

MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,

WIPO, WMO, WTO

Guernsey

UPU

Guinea

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,

ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,

IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC,

OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO,

UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Guinea-Bissau

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD,

ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,

IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM,

OIC, OIF, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,

WADB (regional), WAEMU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Guyana

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,

ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM

(observer), ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC,

OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO,

WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Haiti

ACCT, ACP, Caricom, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt

(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IOM, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW

(signatory), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,

WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Holy See (Vatican City)

CE (observer), IAEA, IOM (observer), ITU,

ITUC, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer),

UNCTAD, UNHCR, UNWTO (observer), UPU, WIPO, WTO (observer)

Honduras

BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,

IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO

(subscriber), ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM,

OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,

WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Hong Kong

APEC, AsDB, BIS, ICC, IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), IOC, ISO

(correspondent), ITUC, UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO, WTO

Hungary

ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC,

EBRD, EIB, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,

IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA,

NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI,

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,

WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Iceland

Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD,

EFTA, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,

IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO,

NC, NEA, NIB, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO,

WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

India

AfDB, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIMSTEC, BIS, C,

CERN (observer), CP, EAS, FAO, G- 6, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC,

NAM, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC, SACEP,

SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL,

UNMEE, UNMIS, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Indonesia

APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, CP, EAS, FAO, G-15,

G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,

ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC,

MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PIF (partner), UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,

WMO, WTO

Iran

ABEDA, CP, ECO, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,

ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,

IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC,

PCA, SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNWTO,

UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Iraq

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,

IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU,

LAS, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO,

UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Ireland

AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA,

EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,

IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA,

MINURSO, MONUC, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris

Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL,

UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Isle of Man

UPU

Israel

BIS, BSEC (observer), CERN (observer), EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA,

IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OAS (observer), OPCW

(signatory), OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,

UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Italy

AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS

(observer), CDB, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO,

G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA,

IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,

ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA,

NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, SECI

(observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMOGIP,

UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Jamaica

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW,

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Japan

AfDB, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner),

Australia Group, BIS, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP, EAS, EBRD,

FAO, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA,

IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,

ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA, MIGA, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW,

OSCE (partner), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer),

SECI (observer), UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNDOF,

UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOVIC, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,

WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Jordan

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,

ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, OIC,

ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,

UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Kazakhstan

AsDB, CIS, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer),

OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,

WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Kenya

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EADB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM,

ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL,

UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Kiribati

ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,

ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Korea, North

ARF, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, IOC,

IPU, ISO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WFTU,

WHO, WIPO, WMO

Korea, South

AfDB, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner),

Australia Group, BIS, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA, MIGA, NEA, NSG, OAS

(observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, PIF (partner),

SAARC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS,

UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Kuwait

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA,

IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,

IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA,

NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR,

UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Kyrgyzstan

AsDB, CIS, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM

(observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Laos

ACCT, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,

ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU,

MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,

WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Latvia

Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO,

IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO,

NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Lebanon

ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,

IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, PCA, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,

WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Lesotho

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,

IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU,

MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,

UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Liberia

ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,

ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,

ITU, ITUC, NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,

WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Libya

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, COMESA, FAO, G-77,

IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW,

OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Liechtenstein

CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol,

IOC, IPU, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO, WTO

Lithuania

ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC,

EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS,

ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU,

ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate

partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Luxembourg

ACCT, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, CE, EAPC, EBRD,

EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA,

IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU,

ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE,

PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Macau

IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO

(associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WTO

Macedonia

BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,

ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM

(observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP,

SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO,

WMO, WTO

Madagascar

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,

InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA,

NAM, OIF, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,

WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Malawi

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,

ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO

(correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, SADC, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Malaysia

APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, FAO, G-15,

G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,

ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO,

MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,

WMO, WTO

Maldives

AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,

IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC,

SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO,

WTO

Mali

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,

IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC,

OIF, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO,

UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Malta

Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,

IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Marshall Islands

ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA,

IFC, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO

Mauritania

ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, FAO,

G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,

IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW,

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Mauritius

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA,

SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,

WIPO, WMO, WTO

Mayotte

UPU

Mexico

APEC, BCIE, BIS, CAN (observer), CDB, CE (observer), CSN

(observer), EBRD, FAO, G-3, G-6, G-15, G-24, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, NAFTA, NAM

(observer), NEA, OAS, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOVIC, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Micronesia, Federated States of

ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,

ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca,

SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO

Moldova

ACCT, BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAEC (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO,

GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), IDA, IFAD, IFC,

IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent),

ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Monaco

ACCT, CE, FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM,

IFRCS, IHO, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Mongolia

ARF, AsDB, CP, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,

ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO,

ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SCO

(observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU,

WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Montenegro

CEI, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICCt, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Montserrat

Caricom, CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU

Morocco

ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA,

IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,

IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAS,

MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE

(partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNOCI,

UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Mozambique

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt

(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC,

MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF (observer), OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,

WTO

Namibia

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,

IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU,

ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO,

UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Nauru

ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF,

Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Nepal

AsDB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA,

IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IOM (observer),

IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM,

ONUB, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE,

UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,

WMO, WTO

Netherlands

AfDB, Arctic Council (observer), AsDB, Australia Group,

Benelux, BIS, CBSS (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA,

EU, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA,

IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,

ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),

OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,

WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Netherlands Antilles

ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate),

UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO

New Caledonia

ITUC, PIF (observer), SPC, UPU, WFTU, WMO

New Zealand

ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11

August 1986), APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia

Group, BIS, C, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,

ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,

IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OECD, OPCW, PCA, PIF,

Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNTSO, UPU,

WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Nicaragua

BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,

IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO

(correspondent), ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS,

OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,

WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Niger

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA,

IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MONUC, NAM,

OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI,

UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,

WTO

Nigeria

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,

IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC,

NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNWTO,

UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Niue

ACP, FAO, IFAD, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Norfolk Island

UPU

Northern Mariana Islands

Interpol (subbureau), SPC, UPU

Norway

AfDB, Arctic Council, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE,

CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,

ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,

IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB,

NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO,

WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Oman

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt

(signatory), IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,

ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,

UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Pakistan

ARF, AsDB, C (reinstated 2004), CP, ECO, FAO, G-24, G-77,

IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,

IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO,

MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, SAARC,

SACEP, SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR,

UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,

WMO, WTO

Palau

ACP, AsDB, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF,

IOC, IPU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO

Panama

CAN (observer), CSN (observer), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer),

MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,

UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Papua New Guinea

ACP, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (observer), C, CP, FAO,

G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA,

NAM, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO,

UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Paraguay

CAN (associate), CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,

IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur,

MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG,

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU,

WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Peru

APEC, CAN, CSN, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA,

Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW,

PCA, RG, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,

UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,

WMO, WTO

Philippines

APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, CP, EAS, FAO, G-24,

G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,

IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC,

MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, PIF (partner), UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,

WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Pitcairn Islands

SPC, UPU

Poland

ACCT (observer), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group,

BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO,

IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,

IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC,

NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW,

OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE,

UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate),

WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Portugal

AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,

EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM,

IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,

IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA,

NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI (observer),

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Puerto Rico

Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ITUC, UNWTO (associate), UPU,

WCL, WFTU

Qatar

ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,

ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU,

LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UN

Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,

WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Romania

ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ESA

(cooperating state), EU (new member), FAO, G- 9, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM

(guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG,

UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,

WTO, ZC

Russia

APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS,

BSEC, CBSS, CE, CERN (observer), CIS, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, G- 8, GCTU,

IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,

ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC,

LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS

(observer), OIC (observer), ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP,

SCO, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR,

UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,

WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), ZC

Rwanda

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,

ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO

(correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Saint Helena

UPU

Saint Kitts and Nevis

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,

ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,

ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,

UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO

Saint Lucia

ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt

(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

UPU, WFTU

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77,

IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL,

OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTO

Samoa

ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,

IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OPCW, PIF,

Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

(observer)

San Marino

CE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, OSCE, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNWTO, UPU, WHO, WIPO

Sao Tome and Principe

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,

ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ITU, ITUC, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Saudi Arabia

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, BIS, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA,

IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer),

OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU,

WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Senegal

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-15, G-77, IAEA,

IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,

IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA,

MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,

UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO,

WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Serbia

ABEDA, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, EBRD, FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD (suspended), IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,

IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM

(observer), OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP,

SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU,

WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Seychelles

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC,

Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW,

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

(observer)

Sierra Leone

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IOM, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Singapore

APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, G-77, IAEA,

IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN,

UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Slovakia

ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE,

CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,

ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,

ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),

OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council

(temporary), UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNTSO, UNWTO,

UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Slovenia

ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD,

EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,

IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU,

MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW,

OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,

WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Solomon Islands

ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt

(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU,

MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO,

WMO, WTO

Somalia

ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,

ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

South Africa

ACP, AfDB, AU, BIS, C, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, NSG,

ONUB, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,

UNITAR, UNMEE, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Spain

AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,

EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM,

IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,

IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest),

NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA,

SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE,

UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Sri Lanka

AsDB, BIMSTEC, C, CP, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH,

MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Sudan

ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU, COMESA, FAO, G-77,

IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,

IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS,

MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO,

UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Suriname

ACP, Caricom, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB,

IFAD, IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU,

ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Svalbard

none

Swaziland

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,

IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent),

ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Sweden

AfDB, Arctic Council, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE,

CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 6, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA,

IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,

IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM

(guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris

Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL,

UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer),

WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Switzerland

ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC,

EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM,

IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,

ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG,

OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO,

UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Syria

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,

IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC,

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,

WMO

Taiwan

APEC, AsDB, ICC, ICRM, IFRCS, IOC, ITUC, WCL, WHO (observer),

WTO

Tajikistan

AsDB, CIS, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,

IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, MIGA, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD,

UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Tanzania

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, EADB, FAO, G-6, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN, UN

Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE,

UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Thailand

APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, BIS, CP, EAS, FAO,

G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,

IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC,

MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC (observer), ONUB, OPCW, OSCE

(partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU,

WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Togo

ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77,

IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA,

MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,

UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Tokelau

PIF (observer), SPC, UNESCO (associate), UPU

Tonga

ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,

IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca,

SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

(observer)

Trinidad and Tobago

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB,

IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW,

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Tunisia

ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BSEC (observer),

FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,

IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAS,

MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC (suspended), OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, ONUB,

OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE,

UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Turkey

AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN (observer), EAPC,

EBRD, ECO, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA,

IDB, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,

IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD,

OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS,

UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO,

WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Turkmenistan

AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,

ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer),

ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Turks and Caicos Islands

Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol

(subbureau), UPU

Tuvalu

ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, IFRCS (observer), IMO, ITU, OPCW, PIF,

Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Uganda

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EADB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, Interpol,

IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW,

PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,

WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Ukraine

Australia Group, BSEC, CBSS (observer), CE, CEI, CIS, EAEC

(observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt

(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM

(observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA,

PFP, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL,

UNMIS, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,

WTO (observer), ZC

United Arab Emirates

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,

ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC,

OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO,

WMO, WTO

United Kingdom

AfDB, Arctic Council (observer), AsDB, Australia

Group, BIS, C, CBSS (observer), CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA,

EU, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,

ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,

IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),

OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SECI (observer),

UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO,

UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU, WHO,

WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

United States

AfDB, ANZUS, APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN

(dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS

(observer), CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP, EAPC, EBRD, FAO,

G-5, G-7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IEA,

IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,

ITUC, MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAFTA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE,

Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SECI (observer),

SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNMEE,

UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO,

WTO, ZC

Uruguay

CAN (associate), CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,

IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO,

MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNOMIG,

UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Uzbekistan

AsDB, CIS, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD,

ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,

Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO,

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,

WTO (observer)

Vanuatu

ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC,

IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PIF,

Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WFTU, WHO,

WMO, WTO (observer)

Venezuela

CAN, CDB, CSN, FAO, G-3, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA,

IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA,

NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,

UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Vietnam

ACCT (observer), APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, EAS, FAO,

G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW,

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,

WMO, WTO

Virgin Islands

IOC, UPU

Wallis and Futuna

SPC, UPU

Western Sahara

none

Yemen

AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt

(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA,

NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,

UNIDO, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

(observer)

Zambia

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,

ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO

(correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,

WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Zimbabwe

ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,

Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC,

UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,

WIPO, WMO, WTO

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2108 Merchant marine

Albania

total: 24 ships (1000 GRT or over) 52,987 GRT/79,863 DWT

by type: cargo 23, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 1 (Turkey 1)

registered in other countries: 1 (Georgia 1) (2006)

Algeria

total: 41 ships (1000 GRT or over) 744,406 GRT/766,764 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 7, cargo 10, chemical tanker 2, liquefied gas

9, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 5, roll on/roll off 3,

specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 13 (UK 13) (2006)

Angola

total: 4 ships (1000 GRT or over) 4,343 GRT/4,643 DWT

by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1

registered in other countries: 5 (Bahamas 5) (2006)

Anguilla

registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2006)

Antigua and Barbuda

total: 1,011 ships (1000 GRT or over) 7,452,503

GRT/9,783,309 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 40, cargo 596, chemical tanker 7, container

321, liquefied gas 11, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1,

refrigerated cargo 12, roll on/roll off 21

foreign-owned: 984 (Australia 1, Bangladesh 4, Belgium 4, Colombia

2, Denmark 14, Estonia 12, France 1, Germany 858, Iceland 8, Isle of

Man 2, Latvia 5, Lebanon 1, Lithuania 3, Netherlands 14, Norway 11,

NZ 1, Poland 3, Russia 6, Singapore 1, Slovenia 6, Switzerland 4,

Turkey 8, UK 7, US 7, Vietnam 1) (2006)

Argentina

total: 41 ships (1000 GRT or over) 435,969 GRT/707,767 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 10, chemical tanker 1, passenger 1,

passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 21, refrigerated cargo 2, roll

on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 11 (Chile 6, UK 4, Uruguay 1)

registered in other countries: 24 (Bolivia 1, Chile 1, Liberia 7,

Panama 9, Paraguay 3, Uruguay 3) (2006)

Australia

total: 53 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,361,000 GRT/1,532,874

DWT

by type: bulk carrier 17, cargo 4, chemical tanker 3, container 1,

liquefied gas 4, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 6,

roll on/roll off 5

foreign-owned: 17 (Canada 1, France 3, Germany 3, Japan 1,

Netherlands 2, Norway 1, Philippines 1, UK 2, US 3)

registered in other countries: 34 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Bahamas 2,

Bermuda 3, Fiji 1, Hong Kong 1, Liberia 2, Marshall Islands 2,

Netherlands 1, NZ 2, Panama 3, Portugal 1, Singapore 7, Tonga 1, UK

3, US 2, Vanuatu 2) (2006)

Austria

total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 34,072 GRT/44,437 DWT

by type: cargo 6, container 2

foreign-owned: 2 (Netherlands 2)

registered in other countries: 14 (Liberia 13, Malta 1) (2006)

Azerbaijan

total: 84 ships (1000 GRT or over) 405,395 GRT/436,666 DWT

by type: cargo 26, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 8, petroleum tanker

43, roll on/roll off 2, specialized tanker 3

registered in other countries: 4 (Georgia 2, Malta 2) (2006)

Bahamas, The

total: 1,177 ships (1000 GRT or over) 37,743,270

GRT/50,918,747 DWT

by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 253, cargo 250, chemical

tanker 64, container 79, liquefied gas 35, livestock carrier 2,

passenger 115, passenger/cargo 34, petroleum tanker 175,

refrigerated cargo 114, roll on/roll off 20, specialized tanker 5,

vehicle carrier 30

foreign-owned: 1,093 (Angola 5, Australia 2, Belgium 13, Canada 18,

China 3, Cuba 1, Cyprus 13, Denmark 59, Estonia 1, Finland 8, France

37, Germany 22, Greece 232, Hong Kong 8, Iceland 1, India 1,

Indonesia 4, Ireland 2, Israel 1, Italy 5, Japan 51, Jordan 2, Kenya

1, Latvia 1, Malaysia 12, Monaco 17, Montenegro 2, Netherlands 24,

Nigeria 2, Norway 259, Philippines 1, Poland 15, Reunion 1, Russia

6, Saudi Arabia 12, Singapore 12, Slovenia 1, Spain 12, Sweden 6,

Switzerland 2, Thailand 1, Turkey 8, UAE 16, UK 69, Uruguay 2, US

121, Venezuela 1)

registered in other countries: 4 (Barbados 1, Liberia 1, Panama 2)

(2006)

Bahrain

total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 235,449 GRT/339,728 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 1, container 2, petroleum tanker 1

foreign-owned: 3 (Kuwait 3) (2006)

Bangladesh

total: 42 ships (1000 GRT or over) 341,733 GRT/485,840 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 29, container 6, passenger/cargo 1,

petroleum tanker 3

foreign-owned: 1 (China 1)

registered in other countries: 10 (Antigua and Barbuda 4, Comoros 1,

Malta 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Singapore 1) (2006)

Barbados

total: 58 ships (1000 GRT or over) 433,390 GRT/664,998 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 32, chemical tanker 7, passenger 1,

passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 2,

specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 57 (Bahamas, The 1, Canada 8, Greece 11, Lebanon 1,

Monaco 1, Norway 29, UAE 1, UK 5)

registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

1) (2006)

Belgium

total: 66 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,952,159 GRT/6,521,645

DWT

by type: bulk carrier 19, cargo 4, chemical tanker 2, container 10,

liquefied gas 15, petroleum tanker 12, roll on/roll off 4

foreign-owned: 10 (Denmark 4, Greece 4, UK 2)

registered in other countries: 113 (Antigua and Barbuda 4, Bahamas

13, Bermuda 4, Cyprus 1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 6,

Georgia 1, Gibraltar 2, Greece 12, Hong Kong 3, Luxembourg 9, Malta

10, Mozambique 2, Netherlands 2, Netherlands Antilles 4, Panama 11,

Portugal 8, Russia 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Singapore

12, Sweden 2) (2006)

Belize

total: 285 ships (1000 GRT or over) 985,464 GRT/1,322,629 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 36, cargo 203, chemical tanker 7, container 4,

passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 13, refrigerated cargo 12, roll

on/roll off 6, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 225 (China 103, Croatia 1, Cyprus 2, Estonia 3,

Germany 3, Greece 2, Hong Kong 8, Iceland 2, Indonesia 2, Italy 4,

Japan 2, North Korea 2, South Korea 4, Latvia 6, Lithuania 1,

Malaysia 1, Mexico 1, Norway 2, Poland 2, Russia 36, Singapore 6,

Spain 3, Switzerland 1, Turkey 11, UAE 5, Ukraine 7, US 5) (2006)

Bermuda

total: 132 ships (1000 GRT or over) 7,873,728 GRT/8,688,692

DWT

by type: bulk carrier 25, cargo 1, container 24, liquefied gas 23,

passenger 19, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 16, refrigerated

cargo 13, roll on/roll off 5

foreign-owned: 116 (Australia 3, Belgium 4, France 1, Germany 21,

Greece 2, Hong Kong 10, Indonesia 1, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Monaco 2,

Nigeria 11, Norway 5, Sweden 14, Switzerland 2, UK 9, US 27)

registered in other countries: 6 (Liberia 1, Marshall Islands 4,

Panama 1) (2006)

Bolivia

total: 24 ships (1000 GRT or over) 127,297 GRT/198,525 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 8, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo

3, petroleum tanker 10

foreign-owned: 10 (Argentina 1, China 1, Egypt 2, Iran 1, Singapore

3, Taiwan 1, Yemen 1) (2006)

Brazil

total: 137 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,038,923 GRT/3,057,820

DWT

by type: bulk carrier 21, cargo 21, chemical tanker 8, container 8,

liquefied gas 12, passenger/cargo 12, petroleum tanker 47, roll

on/roll off 8

foreign-owned: 15 (Chile 1, Germany 7, Norway 2, Spain 4, UK 1)

registered in other countries: 5 (Ghana 1, Liberia 3, Marshall

Islands 1) (2006)

British Virgin Islands

registered in other countries: 1 (North Korea

1) (2006)

Brunei

total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 465,937 GRT/413,393 DWT

by type: liquefied gas 8

foreign-owned: 8 (UK 8) (2006)

Bulgaria

total: 75 ships (1000 GRT or over) 872,653 GRT/1,294,877 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 40, cargo 17, chemical tanker 4, container 6,

passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 4

foreign-owned: 2 (Germany 1, Russia 1)

registered in other countries: 41 (Cambodia 1, Comoros 1, Malta 13,

Panama 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 17, Slovakia 7, unknown

1) (2006)

Burma

total: 34 ships (1000 GRT or over) 402,699 GRT/620,642 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 20, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3,

specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 9 (Germany 5, Japan 4) (2006)

Cambodia

total: 544 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,777,907 GRT/2,529,708

DWT

by type: bulk carrier 41, cargo 443, chemical tanker 11, container

10, livestock carrier 3, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 9,

refrigerated cargo 19, roll on/roll off 2, specialized tanker 1,

vehicle carrier 1

foreign-owned: 407 (Bulgaria 1, Canada 6, China 128, Cyprus 12,

Egypt 8, Gabon 1, Greece 8, Hong Kong 15, Indonesia 1, Japan 4,

South Korea 23, Latvia 2, Lebanon 6, Nigeria 2, Norway 1,

Philippines 1, Russia 105, Singapore 4, Spain 1, Syria 20, Taiwan 2,

Turkey 26, UAE 1, Ukraine 17, US 8, Yemen 3, unknown 1) (2006)

Cameroon

total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 38,613 GRT/68,820 DWT

by type: petroleum tanker 1

foreign-owned: 1 (France 1) (2006)

Canada

total: 173 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,129,243 GRT/2,716,340

DWT

by type: bulk carrier 62, cargo 10, chemical tanker 9, container 2,

passenger 6, passenger/cargo 63, petroleum tanker 13, roll on/roll

off 8

foreign-owned: 7 (Germany 3, Netherlands 1, Norway 1, US 2)

registered in other countries: 111 (Australia 1, Bahamas 18,

Barbados 8, Cambodia 6, Cyprus 2, Denmark 1, Honduras 1, Hong Kong

28, Liberia 2, Malta 18, Marshall Islands 6, Panama 4, Russia 1,

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, US 4, Vanuatu 5) (2006)

Cape Verde

total: 7 ships (1000 GRT or over) 12,300 GRT/7,726 DWT

by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 4

foreign-owned: 2 (Spain 1, UK 1) (2006)

Cayman Islands

total: 132 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,746,290

GRT/4,366,790 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 32, cargo 14, chemical tanker 42, liquefied

gas 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 14, refrigerated cargo 23, roll

on/roll off 3, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1

foreign-owned: 130 (Denmark 5, Germany 13, Greece 21, Italy 12,

Japan 1, Malaysia 1, Netherlands 4, Norway 2, Philippines 1,

Singapore 10, Sweden 9, UK 10, US 41) (2006)

Chile

total: 46 ships (1000 GRT or over) 649,091 GRT/898,110 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 6, chemical tanker 10, container 1,

liquefied gas 2, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 7,

roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 3

foreign-owned: 1 (Argentina 1)

registered in other countries: 17 (Argentina 6, Brazil 1, Marshall

Islands 1, Panama 9) (2006)

China

total: 1,723 ships (1000 GRT or over) 21,405,633

GRT/32,411,260 DWT

by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 387, cargo 695, chemical

tanker 45, combination ore/oil 1, container 152, liquefied gas 31,

passenger 8, passenger/cargo 83, petroleum tanker 261, refrigerated

cargo 30, roll on/roll off 8, specialized tanker 6, vehicle carrier

14

foreign-owned: 13 (Hong Kong 7, Japan 3, South Korea 2, Norway 1)

registered in other countries: 1,191 (Bahamas 3, Bangladesh 1,

Belize 103, Bolivia 1, Cambodia 128, Cyprus 11, Georgia 2, Honduras

3, Hong Kong 274, India 2, North Korea 1, Liberia 35, Malaysia 1,

Malta 14, Mongolia 4, Norway 3, Panama 420, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines 103, Sierra Leone 2, Singapore 23, Thailand 1, Tuvalu 23,

unknown 33) (2006)

Colombia

total: 17 ships (1000 GRT or over) 42,413 GRT/58,737 DWT

by type: cargo 13, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 3

registered in other countries: 7 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Panama 5)

(2006)

Comoros

total: 121 ships (1000 GRT or over) 564,882 GRT/801,238 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 85, chemical tanker 1, container 1,

livestock carrier 1, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum

tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 5, specialized

tanker 1

foreign-owned: 72 (Bangladesh 1, Bulgaria 1, Greece 10, India 1,

Kenya 1, Kuwait 1, Lebanon 6, Nigeria 2, Norway 1, Pakistan 2,

Philippines 1, Russia 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Saudi

Arabia 3, Syria 4, Turkey 11, UAE 6, Ukraine 14, US 2) (2006)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,004 GRT/1,640 DWT by type: petroleum tanker 1 foreign-owned: 1 (Congo, Republic of the 1) (2006)

Congo, Republic of the

registered in other countries: 1 (Congo,

Democratic Republic of the 1) (2006)

Cook Islands

total: 6 ships (1000 GRT or over) 48,422 GRT/51,900 DWT

by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3

foreign-owned: 5 (Norway 1, NZ 1, Sweden 3) (2006)

Costa Rica

total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,308 GRT/743 DWT

by type: passenger/cargo 2 (2006)

Croatia

total: 72 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,079,286 GRT/1,724,698

DWT

by type: bulk carrier 22, cargo 11, chemical tanker 3,

passenger/cargo 27, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll

on/roll off 3

registered in other countries: 36 (Belize 1, Cyprus 2, Liberia 7,

Malta 10, Marshall Islands 2, Panama 5, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines 9) (2006)

Cuba

total: 11 ships (1000 GRT or over) 33,932 GRT/48,791 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger 1,

petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 2

foreign-owned: 1 (Spain 1)

registered in other countries: 17 (Bahamas 1, Cyprus 2, Netherlands

Antilles 1, Panama 11, Spain 1, unknown 1) (2006)

Cyprus

total: 884 ships (1000 GRT or over) 19,477,944 GRT/31,157,473

DWT

by type: bulk carrier 354, cargo 210, chemical tanker 44, container

145, liquefied gas 8, passenger 7, passenger/cargo 23, petroleum

tanker 64, refrigerated cargo 15, roll on/roll off 9, vehicle

carrier 5

foreign-owned: 777 (Belgium 1, Canada 2, China 11, Croatia 2, Cuba

2, Denmark 1, Estonia 6, Germany 214, Greece 337, Greenland 1, Hong

Kong 1, India 5, Iran 2, Ireland 3, Israel 3, Italy 2, Japan 17,

South Korea 1, Latvia 4, Netherlands 18, Norway 16, Philippines 1,

Poland 20, Portugal 2, Russia 53, Singapore 1, Slovakia 1, Slovenia

4, Spain 7, Sweden 3, Switzerland 4, Syria 3, UAE 11, UK 6, Ukraine

4, US 7, unknown 1)

registered in other countries: 87 (Bahamas 13, Belize 2, Cambodia

12, Georgia 1, Gibraltar 1, Greece 1, Isle of Man 1, Liberia 3,

Malta 15, Marshall Islands 15, Norway 2, Panama 14, Portugal 1,

Russia 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Sierra Leone 1, Turkey

2) (2006)

Czech Republic

registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and

the Grenadines 1) (2006)

Denmark

total: 293 ships (1000 GRT or over) 7,986,735 GRT/9,936,431

DWT

by type: bulk carrier 7, cargo 63, chemical tanker 48, container 86,

liquefied gas 4, livestock carrier 2, passenger 1, passenger/cargo

40, petroleum tanker 23, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 8,

specialized tanker 4

foreign-owned: 25 (Canada 1, Germany 13, Greece 5, Greenland 1,

Norway 3, Sweden 1, UK 1)

registered in other countries: 409 (Antigua and Barbuda 14, Bahamas

59, Belgium 4, Cayman Islands 5, Cyprus 1, Egypt 1, Estonia 2,

France 1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 2, Gibraltar 1, Hong

Kong 6, Isle of Man 53, North Korea 1, Liberia 8, Lithuania 10,

Malta 6, Marshall Islands 1, Mexico 2, Netherlands 9, Netherlands

Antilles 1, Norway 32, Panama 34, Portugal 4, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines 14, Singapore 52, South Africa 1, Spain 1, Sweden 4, UK

46, US 24, Vanuatu 6, Venezuela 3, Vietnam 1) (2006)

Djibouti

total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,369 GRT/3,030 DWT

by type: cargo 1 (2006)

Dominica

total: 48 ships (1000 GRT or over) 634,668 GRT/1,100,558 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 24, chemical tanker 4, container 2,

petroleum tanker 6, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 1,

vehicle carrier 1

foreign-owned: 45 (Estonia 11, Germany 1, Greece 5, Latvia 1, Norway

1, NZ 4, Russia 2, Saudi Arabia 3, Singapore 9, Syria 1, Turkey 3,

UAE 2, Ukraine 2) (2006)

Dominican Republic

total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,587 GRT/1,165

DWT

by type: cargo 1 (2006)

Ecuador

total: 31 ships (1000 GRT or over) 184,819 GRT/300,339 DWT

by type: chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 1, passenger 7, petroleum

tanker 21, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 2 (Norway 1, Paraguay 1)

registered in other countries: 1 (Georgia 1) (2006)

Egypt

total: 76 ships (1000 GRT or over) 987,524 GRT/1,467,139 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 14, cargo 33, container 2, passenger/cargo 5,

petroleum tanker 13, roll on/roll off 9

foreign-owned: 9 (Denmark 1, Greece 6, Lebanon 2)

registered in other countries: 49 (Bolivia 2, Cambodia 8, Georgia 8,

Honduras 4, North Korea 2, Panama 16, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines 3, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Saudi Arabia 2, Sierra Leone

1, Thailand 1, unknown 1) (2006)

Equatorial Guinea

total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,745 GRT/3,434

DWT

by type: cargo 1 (2006)

Eritrea

total: 6 ships (1000 GRT or over) 19,506 GRT/23,649 DWT

by type: cargo 3, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll

off 1 (2006)

Estonia

total: 35 ships (1000 GRT or over) 388,723 GRT/98,393 DWT

by type: cargo 7, passenger/cargo 26, petroleum tanker 2

foreign-owned: 4 (Denmark 2, Norway 2)

registered in other countries: 72 (Antigua and Barbuda 12, Bahamas

1, Belize 3, Cyprus 6, Dominica 11, Isle of Man 2, Liberia 1, Malta

4, Norway 1, Panama 3, Russia 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

25, Slovakia 1, Vanuatu 1) (2006)

Ethiopia

total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 79,441 GRT/97,669 DWT

by type: cargo 6, roll on/roll off 2 (2006)

Faroe Islands

total: 18 ships (1000 GRT or over) 19,265 GRT/9,171 DWT

by type: cargo 10, container 2, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 2

foreign-owned: 8 (Iceland 4, Norway 4) (2006)

Fiji

total: 7 ships (1000 GRT or over) 15,867 GRT/8,432 DWT

by type: passenger 3, passenger/cargo 2, roll on/roll off 2

foreign-owned: 1 (Australia 1) (2006)

Finland

total: 87 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,250,600 GRT/952,072 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 22, chemical tanker 6, container 1,

passenger 5, passenger/cargo 20, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll

off 25

foreign-owned: 3 (Norway 1, Russia 1, UK 1)

registered in other countries: 48 (Bahamas 8, Germany 2, Gibraltar

3, Luxembourg 4, Marshall Islands 2, Netherlands 13, Norway 4,

Sweden 11, UK 1) (2006)

France

total: 61 ships (1000 GRT or over) 875,777 GRT/1,318,605 DWT

by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 3, container 5, liquefied gas 6,

passenger 3, passenger/cargo 32, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll

off 1

foreign-owned: 13 (Denmark 1, Hong Kong 1, Italy 2, Monaco 1, Norway

1, NZ 1, Singapore 2, Sweden 2, Switzerland 2)

registered in other countries: 154 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Australia

3, Bahamas 37, Bermuda 1, Cameroon 1, French Polynesia 1, French

Southern and Antarctic Lands 36, Gibraltar 1, Indonesia 1, Isle of

Man 2, Italy 1, South Korea 12, Liberia 3, Luxembourg 14, Malta 6,

Mexico 1, Morocco 1, Panama 15, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 8,

UK 4, Wallis and Futuna 5)

note: Reunion owns one ship registered in the Bahamas (2006)

French Polynesia

total: 13 ships (1000 GRT or over) 23,684

GRT/17,291 DWT

by type: cargo 4, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 5, refrigerated cargo

1, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 1 (France 1)

registered in other countries: 2 (Wallis and Futuna 2) (2006)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands total: 77 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,432,833 GRT/5,345,291 DWT by type: bulk carrier 2, chemical tanker 27, container 18, liquefied gas 5, petroleum tanker 15, roll on/roll off 6, vehicle carrier 4 foreign-owned: 76 (Belgium 6, Denmark 2, France 36, Germany 2, Hong Kong 2, Japan 4, Norway 12, Saudi Arabia 1, Sweden 9, Switzerland 1, UK 1) (2006)

Gabon

registered in other countries: 2 (Cambodia 1, Panama 1) (2006)

Gambia, The

total: 5 ships (1000 GRT or over) 32,064 GRT/9,751 DWT

by type: passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 1 (2006)

Georgia

total: 222 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,059,386 GRT/1,538,746

DWT

by type: bulk carrier 27, cargo 176, container 4, liquefied gas 1,

passenger 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated

cargo 4, roll on/roll off 2, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 188 (Albania 1, Azerbaijan 2, Belgium 1, China 2,

Cyprus 1, Ecuador 1, Egypt 8, Germany 1, Greece 8, Indonesia 1,

South Korea 1, Lebanon 7, Monaco 13, Romania 11, Russia 28, Slovakia

1, Slovenia 1, Syria 43, Turkey 30, UAE 1, UK 4, Ukraine 22) (2006)

Germany

total: 394 ships (1000 GRT or over) 11,017,754

GRT/13,091,194 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 60, chemical tanker 13, container

273, liquefied gas 3, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 25, petroleum

tanker 10, roll on/roll off 3

foreign-owned: 4 (Finland 2, Italy 1, Switzerland 1)

registered in other countries: 2,491 (Antigua and Barbuda 858,

Australia 3, Bahamas 22, Belize 3, Bermuda 21, Brazil 7, Bulgaria 1,

Burma 5, Canada 3, Cayman Islands 13, Cyprus 214, Denmark 13,

Dominica 1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 2, Georgia 1,

Gibraltar 108, Guyana 1, Hong Kong 6, Indonesia 1, Ireland 2, Isle

of Man 56, Jamaica 3, Liberia 587, Luxembourg 10, Malaysia 2, Malta

64, Marshall Islands 194, Morocco 2, Netherlands 56, Netherlands

Antilles 60, NZ 1, Panama 35, Portugal 17, Russia 2, Saint Vincent

and the Grenadines 8, Samoa 1, Singapore 9, Spain 12, Sri Lanka 5,

Sweden 3, Turkey 1, UK 76, US 2) (2006)

Ghana

total: 4 ships (1000 GRT or over) 6,308 GRT/9,418 DWT

by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2

foreign-owned: 1 (Brazil 1) (2006)

Gibraltar

total: 180 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,129,379

GRT/1,437,754 DWT

by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 1, cargo 105, chemical tanker

26, container 26, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 11, roll on/roll off

6, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 165 (Belgium 2, Cyprus 1, Denmark 1, Finland 3,

France 1, Germany 108, Greece 7, Iceland 1, Ireland 1, Italy 6,

Latvia 2, Netherlands 5, Norway 18, Sweden 5, UK 4) (2006)

Greece

total: 817 ships (1000 GRT or over) 31,895,832 GRT/54,341,584

DWT

by type: bulk carrier 270, cargo 61, chemical tanker 47, container

47, liquefied gas 5, passenger 11, passenger/cargo 114, petroleum

tanker 244, roll on/roll off 17, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 24 (Belgium 12, Cyprus 1, Hong Kong 1, UK 9, US 1)

registered in other countries: 2,363 (Bahamas 232, Barbados 11,

Belgium 4, Belize 2, Bermuda 2, Cambodia 8, Cayman Islands 21,

Comoros 10, Cyprus 337, Denmark 5, Dominica 5, Egypt 6, Georgia 8,

Gibraltar 7, Honduras 3, Hong Kong 27, Isle of Man 45, Italy 6,

Jamaica 6, North Korea 1, Lebanon 3, Liberia 267, Malta 495,

Marshall Islands 199, Norway 1, Panama 524, Philippines 5, Portugal

4, Russia 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines 82, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Singapore 9, Slovakia 4, UAE

2, UK 7, Uruguay 1, US 1, Venezuela 3, unknown 7) (2006)

Greenland

total: 3 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,540 GRT/2,540 DWT

by type: cargo 1, passenger 2

registered in other countries: 2 (Cyprus 1, Denmark 1) (2006)

Guyana

total: 7 ships (1000 GRT or over) 12,461 GRT/15,155 DWT

by type: cargo 5, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1

foreign-owned: 1 (Germany 1)

registered in other countries: 4 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

3, unknown 1) (2006)

Honduras

total: 136 ships (1000 GRT or over) 405,984 GRT/557,179 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 61, chemical tanker 5, container 1,

liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger 5, passenger/cargo

9, petroleum tanker 29, refrigerated cargo 8, roll on/roll off 4,

specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 43 (Canada 1, China 3, Egypt 4, Greece 3, Hong Kong

2, Israel 1, Japan 4, South Korea 6, Lebanon 1, Mexico 1, Qatar 1,

Singapore 11, Taiwan 2, Tanzania 1, US 1, Vietnam 1) (2006)

Hong Kong

total: 924 ships (1000 GRT or over) 30,838,025

GRT/51,957,682 DWT

by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 495, cargo 121, chemical

tanker 44, container 133, liquefied gas 22, passenger 6,

passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 76, roll on/roll off 3,

specialized tanker 7, vehicle carrier 8

foreign-owned: 562 (Australia 1, Belgium 3, Canada 28, China 274,

Denmark 6, Germany 6, Greece 27, Indonesia 4, Japan 67, South Korea

6, Norway 26, Philippines 16, Portugal 1, Singapore 24, Syria 1,

Taiwan 6, UAE 2, UK 43, US 21)

registered in other countries: 417 (Bahamas 8, Belize 8, Bermuda 10,

Cambodia 15, China 7, Cyprus 1, France 1, French Southern and

Antarctic Lands 2, Greece 1, Honduras 2, India 1, Liberia 37,

Malaysia 14, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 7, Norway 55, Panama 169,

Philippines 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Singapore 50,

Taiwan 3, Tuvalu 8, unknown 7) (2006)

Iceland

total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 3,354 GRT/480 DWT

by type: passenger/cargo 1

registered in other countries: 34 (Antigua and Barbuda 8, Bahamas 1,

Belize 2, Faroe Islands 4, Gibraltar 1, Malta 4, Norway 4, Saint

Vincent and the Grenadines 10) (2006)

India

total: 316 ships (1000 GRT or over) 7,772,313 GRT/13,310,858

DWT

by type: bulk carrier 96, cargo 72, chemical tanker 13, container 8,

liquefied gas 17, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 10, petroleum tanker

96, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 10 (China 2, Hong Kong 1, UAE 6, UK 1)

registered in other countries: 46 (Bahamas 1, Comoros 1, Cyprus 5,

North Korea 1, Liberia 3, Malta 1, Mauritius 2, Panama 19, Saint

Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Singapore 5, Venezuela 1, unknown 1)

(2006)

Indonesia

total: 824 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,773,771

GRT/4,887,614 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 43, cargo 451, chemical tanker 21, container

50, liquefied gas 7, livestock carrier 1, passenger 41,

passenger/cargo 58, petroleum tanker 132, refrigerated cargo 2, roll

on/roll off 12, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 2

foreign-owned: 30 (France 1, Germany 1, Japan 3, South Korea 1,

Norway 1, Philippines 1, Singapore 17, Switzerland 3, UK 2)

registered in other countries: 122 (Bahamas 4, Belize 2, Bermuda 1,

Cambodia 1, Georgia 1, Hong Kong 4, Liberia 1, Panama 50, Singapore

56, Thailand 1, unknown 1) (2006)

Iran

total: 141 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,086,702 GRT/8,878,829 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 39, cargo 45, chemical tanker 4, container 12,

liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker

30, roll on/roll off 3

foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1)

registered in other countries: 22 (Bolivia 1, Cyprus 2, Malta 14,

Panama 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2006)

Iraq

total: 13 ships (1000 GRT or over) 67,796 GRT/101,317 DWT

by type: cargo 11, petroleum tanker 2 (2006)

Ireland

total: 23 ships (1000 GRT or over) 103,589 GRT/145,044 DWT

by type: cargo 19, chemical tanker 2, container 1, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 4 (Germany 2, US 2)

registered in other countries: 21 (Bahamas 2, Bermuda 1, Cyprus 3,

Gibraltar 1, Netherlands 10, Panama 2, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines 1, UK 1) (2006)

Isle of Man

total: 305 ships (1000 GRT or over) 8,266,229

GRT/13,792,927 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 38, cargo 65, chemical tanker 53, container

16, liquefied gas 38, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 74,

refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 9, specialized tanker 1,

vehicle carrier 5

foreign-owned: 213 (Cyprus 1, Denmark 53, Estonia 2, France 2,

Germany 56, Greece 45, Italy 5, Japan 4, Monaco 3, Netherlands 1,

Norway 27, Singapore 7, Sweden 1, Turkey 3, US 3)

registered in other countries: 9 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Liberia 5,

Marshall Islands 1, NZ 1) (2006)

Israel

total: 18 ships (1000 GRT or over) 716,382 GRT/845,053 DWT

by type: cargo 2, container 16

registered in other countries: 51 (Bahamas 1, Bermuda 3, Cyprus 3,

Honduras 1, Liberia 5, Malta 23, Panama 6, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines 2, Slovakia 7) (2006)

Italy

total: 591 ships (1000 GRT or over) 11,737,175 GRT/12,573,225

DWT

by type: bulk carrier 52, cargo 45, chemical tanker 136, container

25, liquefied gas 37, livestock carrier 3, passenger 16,

passenger/cargo 150, petroleum tanker 49, refrigerated cargo 4, roll

on/roll off 33, specialized tanker 13, vehicle carrier 28

foreign-owned: 36 (France 1, Greece 6, Spain 1, Taiwan 10, UK 3, US

15)

registered in other countries: 152 (Bahamas 5, Belize 4, Cayman

Islands 12, Cyprus 2, France 2, Germany 1, Gibraltar 6, Isle of Man

5, Jamaica 1, Liberia 16, Malta 29, Marshall Islands 1, Norway 4,

Panama 15, Portugal 12, Romania 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

18, Singapore 2, Spain 2, Sweden 7, Turkey 3, UK 4) (2006)

Jamaica

total: 10 ships (1000 GRT or over) 124,323 GRT/184,247 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll

off 2

foreign-owned: 10 (Germany 3, Greece 6, Italy 1) (2006)

Japan

total: 683 ships (1000 GRT or over) 10,415,892 GRT/11,765,038

DWT

by type: bulk carrier 134, cargo 30, chemical tanker 20, container

11, liquefied gas 59, passenger 14, passenger/cargo 149, petroleum

tanker 156, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 51, vehicle

carrier 56

registered in other countries: 2,459 (Australia 1, Bahamas 51,

Belize 2, Burma 4, Cambodia 4, Cayman Islands 1, China 3, Cyprus 17,

French Southern and Antarctic Lands 4, Honduras 4, Hong Kong 67,

Indonesia 3, Isle of Man 4, South Korea 1, Liberia 102, Malaysia 4,

Malta 1, Marshall Islands 7, Mongolia 1, Norway 1, Panama 2007,

Philippines 26, Portugal 9, Singapore 100, Sweden 2, Thailand 4,

Vanuatu 28, unknown 1) (2006)

Jordan

total: 25 ships (1000 GRT or over) 346,698 GRT/501,060 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 9, container 2, passenger/cargo 6,

petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 4

foreign-owned: 11 (UAE 11)

registered in other countries: 15 (Bahamas 2, Panama 13) (2006)

Kazakhstan

total: 6 ships (1000 GRT or over) 27,173 GRT/43,475 DWT

by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 1

foreign-owned: 2 (Oman 2) (2006)

Kenya

total: 3 ships (1000 GRT or over) 6,049 GRT/7,082 DWT

by type: passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1

registered in other countries: 6 (Bahamas 1, Comoros 1, Saint

Vincent and the Grenadines 2, Tuvalu 1, unknown 1) (2006)

Kiribati

total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,749 GRT/3,911 DWT

by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1

foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1) (2006)

Korea, North

total: 232 ships (1000 GRT or over) 983,182

GRT/1,370,104 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 14, cargo 176, chemical tanker 1, container 4,

livestock carrier 3, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 17,

refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 8, vehicle carrier 1

foreign-owned: 60 (British Virgin Islands 1, China 1, Denmark 1,

Egypt 2, Greece 1, India 1, Lebanon 6, Lithuania 1, Marshall Islands

1, Pakistan 3, Romania 11, Russia 1, Singapore 1, Syria 14, Turkey

4, UAE 6, US 3, Yemen 2)

registered in other countries: 5 (Belize 2, Mongolia 3) (2006)

Korea, South

total: 669 ships (1000 GRT or over) 8,634,188

GRT/13,733,624 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 157, cargo 193, chemical tanker 98, container

81, liquefied gas 22, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 24, petroleum

tanker 57, refrigerated cargo 17, roll on/roll off 6, specialized

tanker 3, vehicle carrier 6

foreign-owned: 22 (France 12, Japan 1, UK 2, US 7)

registered in other countries: 365 (Belize 4, Cambodia 23, China 2,

Cyprus 1, Georgia 1, Honduras 6, Hong Kong 6, Indonesia 1, Liberia

3, Malaysia 1, Malta 6, Marshall Islands 1, Panama 291, Singapore

17, unknown 2) (2006)

Kuwait

total: 38 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,424,983 GRT/3,996,755 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 1, container 6, liquefied gas 5,

livestock carrier 3, petroleum tanker 21

registered in other countries: 28 (Bahrain 3, Comoros 1, Liberia 1,

Libya 1, Panama 2, Qatar 7, Saudi Arabia 5, UAE 8) (2006)

Laos

total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT

by type: cargo 1 (2006)

Latvia

total: 21 ships (1000 GRT or over) 250,559 GRT/336,136 DWT

by type: cargo 7, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 2,

passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 1

registered in other countries: 105 (Antigua and Barbuda 5, Bahamas

1, Belize 6, Cambodia 2, Cyprus 4, Dominica 1, Gibraltar 2, Liberia

14, Malta 40, Marshall Islands 7, Panama 3, Russia 2, Saint Vincent

and the Grenadines 18) (2006)

Lebanon

total: 39 ships (1000 GRT or over) 150,598 GRT/178,295 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 18, livestock carrier 10,

refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 3, vehicle carrier 3

foreign-owned: 4 (Greece 3, Syria 1)

registered in other countries: 59 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Barbados

1, Cambodia 6, Comoros 6, Egypt 2, Georgia 7, Honduras 1, North

Korea 6, Liberia 2, Malta 10, Mongolia 1, Panama 2, Saint Vincent

and the Grenadines 4, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Syria 7, unknown 2)

(2006)

Liberia

total: 1,687 ships (1000 GRT or over) 62,522,787

GRT/96,776,521 DWT

by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 322, cargo 83, chemical

tanker 199, combination ore/oil 2, container 477, liquefied gas 75,

passenger 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 397, refrigerated

cargo 76, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier

35

foreign-owned: 1,611 (Argentina 7, Australia 2, Austria 13, Bahamas,

The 1, Bermuda 1, Brazil 3, Canada 2, China 35, Croatia 7, Cyprus 3,

Denmark 8, Estonia 1, France 3, Germany 587, Greece 267, Hong Kong

37, India 3, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 5, Israel 5, Italy 16, Japan

102, South Korea 3, Kuwait 1, Latvia 14, Lebanon 2, Mexico 1, Monaco

10, Netherlands 29, Norway 38, Poland 14, Qatar 2, Russia 77, Saudi

Arabia 24, Singapore 28, Slovenia 2, Sweden 8, Switzerland 7, Taiwan

69, Turkey 1, UAE 18, UK 41, Ukraine 16, Uruguay 3, US 93, unknown

1) (2006)

Libya

total: 18 ships (1000 GRT or over) 86,034 GRT/89,820 DWT

by type: cargo 10, liquefied gas 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum

tanker 2, roll on/roll off 2

foreign-owned: 4 (Kuwait 1, Norway 1, Turkey 2) (2006)

Lithuania

total: 49 ships (1000 GRT or over) 353,094 GRT/352,883 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 20, chemical tanker 1, container 1,

passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 14, roll

on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 10 (Denmark 10)

registered in other countries: 17 (Antigua and Barbuda 3, Belize 1,

North Korea 1, Norway 1, Panama 5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

3, unknown 3) (2006)

Luxembourg

total: 42 ships (1000 GRT or over) 557,636 GRT/792,069 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 6, chemical tanker 16, container 7, liquefied

gas 2, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 5

foreign-owned: 42 (Belgium 9, Finland 4, France 14, Germany 10,

Netherlands 2, US 3) (2006)

Madagascar

total: 9 ships (1000 GRT or over) 13,896 GRT/18,466 DWT

by type: cargo 5, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 2 (2006)

Malaysia

total: 312 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,542,727 GRT/7,544,154

DWT

by type: bulk carrier 19, cargo 99, chemical tanker 38, container

48, liquefied gas 27, livestock carrier 1, passenger/cargo 8,

petroleum tanker 61, roll on/roll off 5, vehicle carrier 6

foreign-owned: 66 (China 1, Germany 2, Hong Kong 14, Japan 4, South

Korea 1, Singapore 44)

registered in other countries: 68 (Bahamas 12, Belize 1, Cayman

Islands 1, Mongolia 1, Panama 13, Philippines 1, Singapore 35, US 4)

(2006)

Maldives

total: 17 ships (1000 GRT or over) 67,149 GRT/87,220 DWT

by type: cargo 13, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 2

registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2006)

Malta

total: 1,220 ships (1000 GRT or over) 23,917,414

GRT/38,685,924 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 434, cargo 344, chemical tanker 105,

combination ore/oil 1, container 59, liquefied gas 7, livestock

carrier 1, passenger 15, passenger/cargo 14, petroleum tanker 146,

refrigerated cargo 43, roll on/roll off 33, specialized tanker 2,

vehicle carrier 16

foreign-owned: 1,162 (Austria 1, Azerbaijan 2, Bangladesh 3, Belgium

10, Bulgaria 13, Canada 18, China 14, Croatia 10, Cyprus 15, Denmark

6, Estonia 4, France 6, Germany 64, Greece 495, Hong Kong 2, Iceland

4, India 1, Iran 14, Israel 23, Italy 29, Japan 1, South Korea 6,

Latvia 40, Lebanon 10, Monaco 1, Netherlands 6, Norway 49, Pakistan

1, Poland 27, Portugal 3, Romania 9, Russia 70, Slovenia 3, Spain 6,

Sweden 3, Switzerland 21, Syria 7, Taiwan 2, Turkey 123, UAE 5, UK

8, Ukraine 24, US 3)

registered in other countries: 8 (Panama 3, Portugal 1, Russia 4)

(2006)

Marshall Islands

total: 795 ships (1000 GRT or over) 30,772,611

GRT/50,987,293 DWT

by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 178, cargo 53, chemical

tanker 133, container 147, liquefied gas 25, passenger 7, petroleum

tanker 234, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 7, specialized

tanker 2, vehicle carrier 5

foreign-owned: 730 (Australia 2, Bermuda 4, Brazil 1, Canada 6,

Chile 1, Croatia 2, Cyprus 15, Denmark 1, Finland 2, Germany 194,

Greece 199, Hong Kong 7, Isle of Man 1, Italy 1, Japan 7, South

Korea 1, Latvia 7, Monaco 8, Netherlands 1, Norway 65, Russia 1,

Saudi Arabia 1, Singapore 6, Slovenia 3, Spain 3, Switzerland 13,

Turkey 20, UAE 3, UK 12, US 143)

registered in other countries: 1 (North Korea 1) (2006)

Mauritius

total: 6 ships (1000 GRT or over) 22,386 GRT/23,214 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 2, passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 2

foreign-owned: 4 (India 2, Switzerland 2) (2006)

Mexico

total: 56 ships (1000 GRT or over) 751,607 GRT/1,129,234 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 6, chemical tanker 6, liquefied gas

4, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 25, roll on/roll off 4

foreign-owned: 5 (Denmark 2, France 1, Norway 1, UAE 1)

registered in other countries: 15 (Belize 1, Honduras 1, Liberia 1,

Panama 5, Portugal 1, Spain 3, Venezuela 3) (2006)

Micronesia, Federated States of

total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over)

2,423 GRT/1,551 DWT

by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2006)

Moldova

total: 7 ships (1000 GRT or over) 13,831 GRT/15,003 DWT

by type: cargo 7

foreign-owned: 3 (Ukraine 3) (2006)

Monaco

registered in other countries: 77 (Bahamas 17, Barbados 1,

Bermuda 2, France 1, Georgia 13, Isle of Man 3, Liberia 10, Malta 1,

Marshall Islands 8, Norway 4, Panama 9, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1,

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4, Switzerland 2, unknown 1) (2006)

Mongolia

total: 61 ships (1000 GRT or over) 319,053 GRT/479,190 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 49, passenger/cargo 1, roll on/roll

off 3

foreign-owned: 49 (China 4, Japan 1, North Korea 3, Lebanon 1,

Malaysia 1, Russia 13, Singapore 10, Syria 1, Thailand 1, UAE 5,

Ukraine 1, Vietnam 8) (2006)

Montenegro

total: 4 ships (1000 GRT or over) 9,458 GRT/10,172 DWT

by type: cargo 4

registered in other countries: 4 (Bahamas 2, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines 2) (2006)

Morocco

total: 41 ships (1000 GRT or over) 382,781 GRT/285,435 DWT

by type: cargo 5, chemical tanker 6, container 9, passenger/cargo

13, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 5

foreign-owned: 5 (France 1, Germany 2, Switzerland 1, UK 1)

registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2006)

Mozambique

total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,964 GRT/5,324 DWT

by type: cargo 2

foreign-owned: 2 (Belgium 2) (2006)

Namibia

total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 2,265 GRT/3,605 DWT

by type: cargo 1 (2006)

Netherlands

total: 558 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,042,775

GRT/5,016,265 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 29, cargo 345, chemical tanker 29, container

59, liquefied gas 12, passenger 14, passenger/cargo 14, petroleum

tanker 16, refrigerated cargo 19, roll on/roll off 18, specialized

tanker 3

foreign-owned: 157 (Australia 1, Belgium 2, Denmark 9, Finland 13,

Germany 56, Ireland 10, Netherlands Antilles 1, Norway 7, Sweden 26,

UK 19, US 13)

registered in other countries: 222 (Antigua and Barbuda 14,

Australia 2, Austria 2, Bahamas 24, Canada 1, Cayman Islands 4,

Cyprus 18, Gibraltar 5, Isle of Man 1, Liberia 29, Luxembourg 2,

Malta 6, Marshall Islands 1, Netherlands Antilles 54, Norway 3,

Panama 21, Philippines 19, Portugal 1, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines 5, Singapore 2, UK 3, US 4, unknown 1) (2006)

Netherlands Antilles

total: 152 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,289,462

GRT/1,671,649 DWT

by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 13, cargo 68, chemical tanker

3, container 19, liquefied gas 4, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3,

petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 28, roll on/roll off 4,

specialized tanker 3

foreign-owned: 143 (Belgium 4, Cuba 1, Denmark 1, Germany 60,

Netherlands 54, Norway 5, Sweden 5, Turkey 9, UK 3, US 1)

registered in other countries: 1 (Netherlands 1) (2006)

New Caledonia

total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,566 GRT/2,543 DWT

by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2006)

New Zealand

total: 13 ships (1000 GRT or over) 136,361 GRT/124,972

DWT

by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum

tanker 2, roll on/roll off 2

foreign-owned: 4 (Australia 2, Germany 1, Isle of Man 1)

registered in other countries: 8 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Cook

Islands 1, Dominica 4, France 1, UK 1) (2006)

Nigeria

total: 52 ships (1000 GRT or over) 277,709 GRT/475,414 DWT

by type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 5, combination ore/oil 1,

liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 36, specialized

tanker 2

foreign-owned: 4 (Norway 1, Pakistan 1, Singapore 1, Spain 1)

registered in other countries: 28 (Bahamas 2, Bermuda 11, Cambodia

2, Comoros 2, Panama 7, Poland 1, Seychelles 1, unknown 2) (2006)

Norway

total: 724 ships (1000 GRT or over) 14,472,103 GRT/20,245,353

DWT

by type: bulk carrier 67, cargo 153, chemical tanker 150, container

2, liquefied gas 79, passenger/cargo 121, petroleum tanker 75,

refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 19, specialized tanker 2,

vehicle carrier 47

foreign-owned: 168 (China 3, Cyprus 2, Denmark 32, Estonia 1,

Finland 4, Greece 1, Hong Kong 55, Iceland 4, Italy 4, Japan 1,

Lithuania 1, Monaco 4, Netherlands 3, Poland 2, Saudi Arabia 3,

Sweden 28, UAE 1, UK 6, US 13)

registered in other countries: 861 (Antigua and Barbuda 11,

Australia 1, Bahamas 259, Barbados 29, Belize 2, Bermuda 5, Brazil

2, Cambodia 1, Canada 1, Cayman Islands 2, China 1, Comoros 1, Cook

Islands 1, Cyprus 16, Denmark 3, Dominica 1, Ecuador 1, Estonia 2,

Faroe Islands 4, Finland 1, France 1, French Southern and Antarctic

Lands 12, Gibraltar 18, Hong Kong 26, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 27,

Liberia 38, Libya 1, Malta 49, Marshall Islands 65, Mexico 1,

Netherlands 7, Netherlands Antilles 5, Nigeria 1, Panama 66,

Philippines 3, Portugal 4, Russia 1, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines 16, Singapore 90, Spain 7, Sweden 7, Thailand 30, Tonga

1, UK 36, US 2, unknown 2) (2006)

Oman

total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 10,797 GRT/5,040 DWT

by type: passenger 1

registered in other countries: 2 (Kazakhstan 2) (2006)

Pakistan

total: 16 ships (1000 GRT or over) 397,740 GRT/657,656 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 10, container 1, petroleum tanker 4

registered in other countries: 11 (Comoros 2, North Korea 3, Malta

1, Nigeria 1, Panama 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2006)

Panama

total: 5,473 ships (1000 GRT or over) 146,511,342

GRT/219,940,567 DWT

by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 1,776, cargo 992, chemical

tanker 476, combination ore/oil 2, container 663, liquefied gas 193,

livestock carrier 7, passenger 49, passenger/cargo 77, petroleum

tanker 518, refrigerated cargo 299, roll on/roll off 123,

specialized tanker 23, vehicle carrier 274

foreign-owned: 4,922 (Anguilla 1, Argentina 9, Australia 3, Bahamas,

The 2, Belgium 11, Bermuda 1, Bulgaria 1, Canada 4, Chile 9, China

420, Colombia 5, Croatia 5, Cuba 11, Cyprus 14, Denmark 34, Egypt

16, Estonia 3, France 15, Gabon 1, Germany 35, Greece 524, Hong Kong

169, India 19, Indonesia 50, Iran 4, Ireland 2, Israel 6, Italy 15,

Japan 2007, Jordan 13, South Korea ( ( (291, Kuwait 2, Latvia 3,

Lebanon 2, Lithuania 5, Malaysia 13, Maldives 1, Malta 3, Mexico 5,

Monaco 9, Morocco 1, Netherlands 21, Nigeria 7, Norway 66, Pakistan

3, Peru 15, Philippines 13, Poland 15, Portugal 10, Qatar 1, Romania

9, Russia 7, Saudi Arabia 8, Singapore 67, South Africa 3, Spain 53,

Sri Lanka 5, Sudan 1, Sweden 5, Switzerland 226, Syria 18, Taiwan

308, Thailand 9, Trinidad and Tobago 1, Turkey 42, UAE 105, UK 37,

Ukraine 8, US 94, Venezuela 14, Vietnam 4, Yemen 3)

registered in other countries: 1 (Venezuela 1) (2006)

Papua New Guinea

total: 24 ships (1000 GRT or over) 55,532

GRT/72,240 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 18, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum

tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 6 (UK 6) (2006)

Paraguay

total: 21 ships (1000 GRT or over) 34,749 GRT/39,280 DWT

by type: cargo 15, livestock carrier 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo

1, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 3 (Argentina 3)

registered in other countries: 1 (Ecuador 1) (2006)

Peru

total: 4 ships (1000 GRT or over) 38,954 GRT/62,255 DWT

by type: cargo 3, petroleum tanker 1

foreign-owned: 1 (US 1)

registered in other countries: 15 (Panama 15) (2006)

Philippines

total: 403 ships (1000 GRT or over) 4,661,285

GRT/6,426,183 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 82, cargo 115, chemical tanker 13, container

6, liquefied gas 5, livestock carrier 17, passenger 9,

passenger/cargo 73, petroleum tanker 42, refrigerated cargo 15, roll

on/roll off 13, vehicle carrier 13

foreign-owned: 66 (Greece 5, Hong Kong 3, Japan 26, Malaysia 1,

Netherlands 19, Norway 3, UAE 1, US 8)

registered in other countries: 41 (Australia 1, Bahamas 1, Cambodia

1, Cayman Islands 1, Comoros 1, Cyprus 1, Hong Kong 16, Indonesia 1,

Panama 13, Singapore 5) (2006)

Poland

total: 11 ships (1000 GRT or over) 55,701 GRT/45,082 DWT

by type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 2, passenger/cargo 1, roll on/roll

off 1, vehicle carrier 1

foreign-owned: 1 (Nigeria 1)

registered in other countries: 106 (Antigua and Barbuda 3, Bahamas

15, Belize 2, Cyprus 20, Liberia 14, Malta 27, Norway 2, Panama 15,

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Slovakia 2, Vanuatu 5) (2006)

Portugal

total: 111 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,077,300 GRT/1,363,435

DWT

by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 27, chemical tanker 15, container 7,

liquefied gas 11, passenger 9, passenger/cargo 10, petroleum tanker

8, roll on/roll off 4, vehicle carrier 9

foreign-owned: 82 (Australia 1, Belgium 8, Cyprus 1, Denmark 4,

Germany 17, Greece 4, Italy 12, Japan 9, Malta 1, Mexico 1,

Netherlands 1, Norway 4, Spain 15, Switzerland 3, US 1)

registered in other countries: 16 (Cyprus 2, Hong Kong 1, Malta 3,

Panama 10) (2006)

Puerto Rico

total: 3 ships (1000 GRT or over) 77,177 GRT/50,138 DWT

by type: roll on/roll off 3

foreign-owned: 3 (US 3)

registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

1) (2006)

Qatar

total: 23 ships (1000 GRT or over) 750,669 GRT/1,177,673 DWT

by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 3, container 8, liquefied gas 2,

petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 8 (Kuwait 7, US 1)

registered in other countries: 4 (Honduras 1, Liberia 2, Panama 1)

(2006)

Romania

total: 23 ships (1000 GRT or over) 198,767 GRT/246,732 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 15, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 2,

petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 1 (Italy 1)

registered in other countries: 48 (Georgia 11, North Korea 11, Malta

9, Panama 9, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Syria 3, unknown 4)

(2006)

Russia

total: 1,178 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,080,341 GRT/6,287,784

DWT

by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 46, cargo 743, chemical

tanker 25, combination ore/oil 38, container 13, passenger 12,

passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 219, refrigerated cargo 54, roll

on/roll off 15, specialized tanker 5

foreign-owned: 100 (Belgium 4, Canada 1, Cyprus 2, Estonia 1,

Germany 2, Greece 1, Latvia 2, Malta 4, Norway 1, Switzerland 7,

Turkey 63, Ukraine 11, US 1)

registered in other countries: 465 (Antigua and Barbuda 6, Bahamas

6, Belize 36, Bulgaria 1, Cambodia 105, Comoros 4, Cyprus 53,

Dominica 2, Finland 1, Georgia 28, North Korea 1, Liberia 77, Malta

70, Marshall Islands 1, Mongolia 13, Panama 7, Saint Kitts and Nevis

5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 29, Sierra Leone 1, Tuvalu 2,

Ukraine 1, Vanuatu 1, Venezuela 1, unknown 14) (2006)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

total: 50 ships (1000 GRT or over) 261,556

GRT/381,593 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 36, chemical tanker 5,

passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 1

foreign-owned: 41 (Greece 1, Monaco 1, Russia 5, Spain 2, Syria 3,

Tanzania 1, Turkey 6, UAE 19, Ukraine 3) (2006)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines total: 589 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,449,699 GRT/8,051,250 DWT by type: bulk carrier 106, cargo 351, chemical tanker 5, container 20, liquefied gas 7, livestock carrier 1, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 15, petroleum tanker 18, refrigerated cargo 38, roll on/roll off 20, specialized tanker 3 foreign-owned: 529 (Bangladesh 1, Barbados 1, Belgium 3, Bulgaria 17, Canada 6, China 103, Croatia 9, Cyprus 1, Czech Republic registered in other countries: 1 (Comoros 1) (2006)

Samoa

total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 7,091 GRT/8,127 DWT

by type: cargo 1

foreign-owned: 1 (Germany 1) (2006)

Sao Tome and Principe

total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 21,527

GRT/29,823 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 7

foreign-owned: 3 (Egypt 1, Greece 1, Lebanon 1) (2006)

Saudi Arabia

total: 60 ships (1000 GRT or over) 837,272

GRT/1,064,377 DWT

by type: cargo 5, chemical tanker 15, container 4, passenger/cargo

8, petroleum tanker 18, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 9

foreign-owned: 9 (Egypt 2, Kuwait 5, Sudan 1, UAE 1)

registered in other countries: 55 (Bahamas 12, Comoros 3, Dominica

3, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 1, Liberia 24, Marshall

Islands 1, Norway 3, Panama 8) (2006)

Serbia

note: see entry for Montenegro

Seychelles

total: 5 ships (1000 GRT or over) 69,777 GRT/113,501 DWT

by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 4

foreign-owned: 1 (Nigeria 1) (2006)

Sierra Leone

total: 54 ships (1000 GRT or over) 185,037 GRT/249,996

DWT

by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 36, chemical tanker 3, combination

ore/oil 3, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger 1,

passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 2

foreign-owned: 14 (China 2, Cyprus 1, Egypt 1, Russia 1, Syria 1,

UAE 3, Ukraine 4, US 1) (2006)

Singapore

total: 1,063 ships (1000 GRT or over) 31,033,735

GRT/49,715,650 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 155, cargo 87, chemical tanker 136, container

214, liquefied gas 53, livestock carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1,

petroleum tanker 353, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 2,

specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier 40

foreign-owned: 592 (Australia 7, Bangladesh 1, Belgium 12, China 23,

Denmark 52, Germany 9, Greece 9, Hong Kong 50, India 5, Indonesia

56, Italy 2, Japan 100, South Korea 17, Malaysia 35, Netherlands 2,

Norway 90, Philippines 5, Slovenia 1, Sweden 12, Taiwan 59, Thailand

22, UAE 7, UK 9, US 7)

registered in other countries: 285 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Bahamas

12, Belize 6, Bolivia 3, Cambodia 4, Cayman Islands 10, Cyprus 1,

Dominica 9, France 2, Honduras 11, Hong Kong 24, Indonesia 17, Isle

of Man 7, North Korea 1, Liberia 28, Malaysia 44, Marshall Islands

6, Mongolia 10, Nigeria 1, Panama 67, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines 5, Thailand 6, Tuvalu 6, US 2, unknown 2) (2006)

Slovakia

total: 43 ships (1000 GRT or over) 217,819 GRT/309,049 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 36, chemical tanker 1

foreign-owned: 40 (Bulgaria 7, Estonia 1, Greece 4, Israel 7, Poland

2, Syria 2, Turkey 8, UK 1, Ukraine 8)

registered in other countries: 2 (Cyprus 1, Georgia 1) (2006)

Slovenia

registered in other countries: 26 (Antigua and Barbuda 6,

Bahamas 1, Cyprus 4, Georgia 1, Liberia 2, Malta 3, Marshall Islands

3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5, Singapore 1) (2006)

Somalia

total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 2,659 GRT/2,540 DWT

by type: cargo 1

foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1) (2006)

South Africa

total: 3 ships (1000 GRT or over) 32,815 GRT/39,295 DWT

by type: container 1, petroleum tanker 2

foreign-owned: 1 (Denmark 1)

registered in other countries: 8 (Panama 3, UK 5) (2006)

Spain

total: 169 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,902,839 GRT/1,874,161 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 13, chemical tanker 14, container 27,

liquefied gas 9, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 49, petroleum tanker

15, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 20, specialized tanker 2,

vehicle carrier 5

foreign-owned: 36 (Cuba 1, Denmark 1, Germany 12, Italy 2, Mexico 3,

Norway 7, UK 1, Uruguay 2, US 7)

registered in other countries: 112 (Bahamas 12, Belize 3, Brazil 4,

Cambodia 1, Cape Verde 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 7, Italy 1, Malta 6,

Marshall Islands 3, Nigeria 1, Panama 53, Portugal 15, Saint Kitts

and Nevis 2, UK 1, Venezuela 1) (2006)

Sri Lanka

total: 22 ships (1000 GRT or over) 144,066 GRT/196,418 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 17, container 2, petroleum tanker 2

foreign-owned: 7 (Germany 5, UAE 2)

registered in other countries: 5 (Panama 5) (2006)

Sudan

total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 11,326 GRT/14,068 DWT

by type: cargo 1, livestock carrier 1

registered in other countries: 2 (Panama 1, Saudi Arabia 1) (2006)

Suriname

total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,078 GRT/1,214 DWT

by type: cargo 1 (2006)

Sweden

total: 198 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,703,834 GRT/2,382,754

DWT

by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 28, chemical tanker 47, container 5,

passenger 3, passenger/cargo 36, petroleum tanker 15, roll on/roll

off 31, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 21

foreign-owned: 37 (Belgium 2, Denmark 4, Finland 11, Germany 3,

Italy 7, Japan 2, Norway 7, US 1)

registered in other countries: 161 (Bahamas 6, Bermuda 14, Cayman

Islands 9, Cook Islands 3, Cyprus 3, Denmark 1, France 2, French

Southern and Antarctic Lands 9, Gibraltar 5, Isle of Man 1, Liberia

8, Malta 3, Netherlands 26, Netherlands Antilles 5, Norway 28,

Panama 5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Singapore 12, UK 15,

US 5) (2006)

Switzerland

total: 27 ships (1000 GRT or over) 492,434 GRT/810,559

DWT

by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 10, chemical tanker 3, container 4,

specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 2 (Monaco 2)

registered in other countries: 320 (Antigua and Barbuda 4, Bahamas

2, Belize 1, Bermuda 2, Cyprus 4, France 2, French Southern and

Antarctic Lands 1, Germany 1, Indonesia 3, Liberia 7, Malta 21,

Marshall Islands 13, Mauritius 2, Morocco 1, Panama 226, Portugal 3,

Russia 7, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 13, Tonga 1, Turkey 1, UK

3, Vanuatu 2) (2006)

Syria

total: 108 ships (1000 GRT or over) 386,603 GRT/563,506 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 93, container 1, livestock carrier 4,

petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 11 (Lebanon 7, Romania 3, UAE 1)

registered in other countries: 130 (Cambodia 20, Comoros 4, Cyprus

3, Dominica 1, Georgia 43, Hong Kong 1, North Korea 14, Lebanon 1,

Malta 7, Mongolia 1, Panama 18, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint

Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Sierra Leone 1, Slovakia 2, unknown 5)

(2006)

Taiwan

total: 112 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,798,992 GRT/4,652,921

DWT

by type: bulk carrier 35, cargo 22, chemical tanker 2, container 25,

passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 16, refrigerated cargo 7, roll

on/roll off 2

foreign-owned: 3 (Hong Kong 3)

registered in other countries: 463 (Bolivia 1, Cambodia 2, Honduras

2, Hong Kong 6, Italy 10, Liberia 69, Malta 2, Panama 308, Singapore

59, UK 1, US 1, unknown 2) (2006)

Tanzania

total: 9 ships (1000 GRT or over) 24,801 GRT/31,507 DWT

by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 4

registered in other countries: 2 (Honduras 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis

1) (2006)

Thailand

total: 400 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,808,509 GRT/4,317,320

DWT

by type: bulk carrier 60, cargo 145, chemical tanker 14, container

21, liquefied gas 29, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum

tanker 91, refrigerated cargo 32, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 45 (China 1, Egypt 1, Indonesia 1, Japan 4, Norway

30, Singapore 6, UK 2)

registered in other countries: 34 (Bahamas 1, Mongolia 1, Panama 9,

Singapore 22, Tuvalu 1) (2006)

Togo

total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,918 GRT/3,852 DWT

by type: cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1 (2006)

Tonga

total: 16 ships (1000 GRT or over) 62,185 GRT/72,960 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 10, liquefied gas 1, livestock

carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo

1

foreign-owned: 4 (Australia 1, Norway 1, Switzerland 1, UK 1) (2006)

Trinidad and Tobago

total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 16,760

GRT/7,941 DWT

by type: liquefied gas 1, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum

tanker 2

foreign-owned: 1 (US 1)

registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2006)

Tunisia

total: 9 ships (1000 GRT or over) 146,759 GRT/115,118 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 1, chemical tanker 3, passenger/cargo

4 (2006)

Turkey

total: 545 ships (1000 GRT or over) 4,772,864 GRT/7,313,070

DWT

by type: bulk carrier 109, cargo 239, chemical tanker 50, container

24, liquefied gas 6, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 50, petroleum

tanker 36, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 24, specialized

tanker 2

foreign-owned: 7 (Cyprus 2, Germany 1, Italy 3, Switzerland 1)

registered in other countries: 411 (Albania 1, Antigua and Barbuda

8, Bahamas 8, Belize 11, Cambodia 26, Comoros 11, Dominica 3,

Georgia 30, Isle of Man 3, North Korea 4, Liberia 1, Libya 2, Malta

123, Marshall Islands 20, Netherlands Antilles 9, Panama 42, Russia

63, Saint Kitts and Nevis 6, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 25,

Slovakia 8, Tuvalu 2, UK 2, unknown 3) (2006)

Turkmenistan

total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 22,870 GRT/25,801 DWT

by type: cargo 4, combination ore/oil 1, petroleum tanker 2,

refrigerated cargo 1 (2006)

Tuvalu

total: 52 ships (1000 GRT or over) 196,790 GRT/256,436 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 37, chemical tanker 1, container 2,

passenger 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 4, specialized

tanker 1

foreign-owned: 43 (China 23, Hong Kong 8, Kenya 1, Russia 2,

Singapore 6, Thailand 1, Turkey 2) (2006)

Ukraine

total: 202 ships (1000 GRT or over) 782,456 GRT/911,201 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 151, container 4, passenger 6,

passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 11, roll

on/roll off 7, specialized tanker 2

foreign-owned: 1 (Russia 1)

registered in other countries: 160 (Belize 7, Cambodia 17, Comoros

14, Cyprus 4, Dominica 2, Georgia 22, Liberia 16, Malta 24, Moldova

3, Mongolia 1, Panama 8, Russia 11, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint

Vincent and the Grenadines 12, Sierra Leone 4, Slovakia 8, unknown

4) (2006)

United Arab Emirates

total: 58 ships (1000 GRT or over) 656,003

GRT/891,837 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 7, chemical tanker 5, container 6,

liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 20, roll

on/roll off 6, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 10 (Greece 2, Kuwait 8)

registered in other countries: 259 (Bahamas 16, Barbados 1, Belize

5, Cambodia 1, Comoros 6, Cyprus 11, Dominica 2, Georgia 1, Hong

Kong 2, India 6, Iran 1, Jordan 11, Kiribati 1, North Korea 6,

Liberia 18, Malta 5, Marshall Islands 3, Mexico 1, Mongolia 5,

Norway 1, Panama 105, Philippines 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 19, Saint

Vincent and the Grenadines 11, Saudi Arabia 1, Sierra Leone 3,

Singapore 7, Somalia 1, Sri Lanka 2, Syria 1, unknown 5) (2006)

United Kingdom

total: 449 ships (1000 GRT or over) 11,049,317

GRT/11,731,680 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 24, cargo 54, chemical tanker 50, container

146, liquefied gas 17, passenger 9, passenger/cargo 65, petroleum

tanker 33, refrigerated cargo 17, roll on/roll off 26, vehicle

carrier 8

foreign-owned: 215 (Australia 3, Denmark 46, Finland 1, France 4,

Germany 76, Greece 7, Ireland 1, Italy 4, Netherlands 3, Norway 36,

NZ 1, South Africa 5, Spain 1, Sweden 15, Switzerland 3, Taiwan 1,

Turkey 2, US 6)

registered in other countries: 368 (Algeria 13, Antigua and Barbuda

7, Argentina 4, Australia 2, Bahamas 69, Barbados 5, Belgium 2,

Bermuda 9, Brazil 1, Brunei 8, Cape Verde 1, Cayman Islands 10,

Cyprus 6, Denmark 1, Finland 1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands

1, Georgia 4, Gibraltar 4, Greece 9, Hong Kong 43, India 1,

Indonesia 2, Italy 3, South Korea 2, Liberia 41, Malta 8, Marshall

Islands 12, Morocco 1, Netherlands 19, Netherlands Antilles 3,

Norway 6, Panama 37, Papua New Guinea 6, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines 13, Singapore 9, Slovakia 1, Spain 1, Thailand 2, Tonga

1) (2006)

United States

total: 465 ships (1000 GRT or over) 10,590,325

GRT/13,273,133 DWT

by type: barge carrier 7, bulk carrier 67, cargo 91, chemical tanker

20, container 76, passenger 19, passenger/cargo 58, petroleum tanker

76, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 27, specialized tanker 1,

vehicle carrier 20

foreign-owned: 51 (Australia 2, Canada 4, Denmark 24, Germany 2,

Greece 1, Malaysia 4, Netherlands 4, Norway 2, Singapore 2, Sweden

5, Taiwan 1)

registered in other countries: 700 (Antigua and Barbuda 7, Australia

3, Bahamas 121, Belize 5, Bermuda 27, Cambodia 8, Canada 2, Cayman

Islands 41, Comoros 2, Cyprus 7, Greece 1, Honduras 1, Hong Kong 21,

Ireland 2, Isle of Man 3, Italy 15, North Korea 3, South Korea 7,

Liberia 93, Luxembourg 3, Malta 3, Marshall Islands 143, Netherlands

13, Netherlands Antilles 1, Norway 13, Panama 94, Peru 1,

Philippines 8, Portugal 1, Puerto Rico 3, Qatar 1, Russia 1, Saint

Vincent and the Grenadines 21, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 7, Spain 7,

Sweden 1, Trinidad and Tobago 1, UK 6, Vanuatu 1, Wallis and Futuna

1) (2006)

Uruguay

total: 13 ships (1000 GRT or over) 34,259 GRT/19,725 DWT

by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum

tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 4 (Argentina 3, Greece 1)

registered in other countries: 8 (Argentina 1, Bahamas 2, Liberia 3,

Spain 2) (2006)

Vanuatu

total: 51 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,340,132 GRT/1,908,687

DWT

by type: bulk carrier 29, cargo 8, container 1, liquefied gas 2,

petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 2,

vehicle carrier 5

foreign-owned: 51 (Australia 2, Canada 5, Denmark 6, Estonia 1,

Japan 28, Poland 5, Russia 1, Switzerland 2, US 1) (2006)

Venezuela

total: 56 ships (1000 GRT or over) 824,941 GRT/1,327,924

DWT

by type: bulk carrier 7, cargo 10, chemical tanker 2, container 1,

liquefied gas 6, passenger/cargo 12, petroleum tanker 18

foreign-owned: 13 (Denmark 3, Greece 3, India 1, Mexico 3, Panama 1,

Russia 1, Spain 1)

registered in other countries: 15 (Bahamas 1, Panama 14) (2006)

Vietnam

total: 267 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,423,936 GRT/2,191,858

DWT

by type: bulk carrier 23, cargo 202, chemical tanker 4, container 5,

liquefied gas 5, petroleum tanker 24, refrigerated cargo 2, roll

on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 1 (Denmark 1)

registered in other countries: 17 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Honduras

1, Mongolia 8, Panama 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, unknown

2) (2006)

Wallis and Futuna total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 110,428 GRT/56,830 DWT by type: chemical tanker 1, passenger 7 foreign-owned: 8 (France 5, French Polynesia 2, US 1) (2006)

World

total: 33,222 ships (1000 GRT or over) (2006)

Yemen

total: 4 ships (1000 GRT or over) 15,400 GRT/18,072 DWT

by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll

on/roll off 1

registered in other countries: 9 (Bolivia 1, Cambodia 3, North Korea

2, Panama 3) (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2109 National holiday

Afghanistan

Independence Day, 19 August (1919)

Albania

Independence Day, 28 November (1912)

Algeria

Revolution Day, 1 November (1954)

American Samoa

Flag Day, 17 April (1900)

Andorra

Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278)

Angola

Independence Day, 11 November (1975)

Anguilla

Anguilla Day, 30 May

Antigua and Barbuda

Independence Day (National Day), 1 November

(1981)

Argentina

Revolution Day, 25 May (1810)

Armenia

Independence Day, 21 September (1991)

Aruba

Flag Day, 18 March

Australia

Australia Day, 26 January (1788); ANZAC Day (commemorated

as the anniversary of the 1915 landing of troops of the Australian

and New Zealand Army Corps during World War I at Gallipoli, Turkey),

25 April

Austria

National Day, 26 October (1955); note - commemorates the

passage of the law on permanent neutrality

Azerbaijan

Founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan, 28 May

(1918)

Bahamas, The

Independence Day, 10 July (1973)

Bahrain

National Day, 16 December (1971); note - 15 August 1971 is

the date of independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 is the date

of independence from British protection

Bangladesh

Independence Day, 26 March (1971); note - 26 March 1971

is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is

Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of

Bangladesh

Barbados

Independence Day, 30 November (1966)

Belarus

Independence Day, 3 July (1944); note - 3 July 1944 was the

date Minsk was liberated from German troops, 25 August 1991 was the

date of independence from the Soviet Union

Belgium

21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King Leopold I

Belize

Independence Day, 21 September (1981)

Benin

National Day, 1 August (1960)

Bermuda

Bermuda Day, 24 May

Bhutan

National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king),

17 December (1907)

Bolivia

Independence Day, 6 August (1825)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

National Day, 25 November (1943)

Botswana

Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966)

Brazil

Independence Day, 7 September (1822)

British Virgin Islands

Territory Day, 1 July

Brunei

National Day, 23 February (1984); note - 1 January 1984 was

the date of independence from the UK, 23 February 1984 was the date

of independence from British protection

Bulgaria

Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)

Burkina Faso

Republic Day, 11 December (1958)

Burma

Independence Day, 4 January (1948); Union Day, 12 February

(1947)

Burundi

Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Cambodia

Independence Day, 9 November (1953)

Cameroon

Republic Day (National Day), 20 May (1972)

Canada

Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

Cape Verde

Independence Day, 5 July (1975)

Cayman Islands

Constitution Day, first Monday in July

Central African Republic

Republic Day, 1 December (1958)

Chad

Independence Day, 11 August (1960)

Chile

Independence Day, 18 September (1810)

China

Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China,

1 October (1949)

Christmas Island

Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Colombia

Independence Day, 20 July (1810)

Comoros

Independence Day, 6 July (1975)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Independence Day, 30 June (1960)

Congo, Republic of the

Independence Day, 15 August (1960)

Cook Islands

Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965)

Costa Rica

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Cote d'Ivoire

Independence Day, 7 August (1960)

Croatia

Independence Day, 8 October (1991); note - 25 June 1991 is

the day the Croatian Parliament voted for independence; following a

three-month moratorium to allow the European Community to solve the

Yugoslav crisis peacefully, Parliament adopted a decision on 8

October 1991 to sever constitutional relations with Yugoslavia

Cuba

Triumph of the Revolution, 1 January (1959)

Cyprus

Independence Day, 1 October (1960); note - Turkish Cypriots

celebrate 15 November (1983) as Independence Day

Czech Republic

Czech Founding Day, 28 October (1918)

Denmark

none designated; Constitution Day, 5 June (1849) is

generally viewed as the National Day

Djibouti

Independence Day, 27 June (1977)

Dominica

Independence Day, 3 November (1978)

Dominican Republic

Independence Day, 27 February (1844)

East Timor

Independence Day, 28 November (1975)

Ecuador

Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809)

Egypt

Revolution Day, 23 July (1952)

El Salvador

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Equatorial Guinea

Independence Day, 12 October (1968)

Eritrea

Independence Day, 24 May (1993)

Estonia

Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February

1918 is the date Estonia declared its independence from Soviet

Russia; 20 August 1991 is the date it declared its independence from

the Soviet Union

Ethiopia

National Day (defeat of MENGISTU regime), 28 May (1991)

European Union

Europe Day 9 May (1950); note - a Union-wide holiday,

the day that Robert SCHUMAN proposed the creation of the European

Coal and Steel Community to achieve an organized Europe

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)

Faroe Islands

Olaifest (Olavasoka), 29 July

Fiji

Independence Day, second Monday of October (1970)

Finland

Independence Day, 6 December (1917)

France

Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note - although often

incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, the celebration actually

commemorates the holiday held on the first anniversary of the

storming of the Bastille (on 14 July 1789) and the establishment of

a constitutional monarchy; other names for the holiday are Fete

Nationale (National Holiday) and quatorze juillet (14th of July)

French Polynesia

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Gabon

Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), 12 March

(1968)

Gambia, The

Independence Day, 18 February (1965)

Georgia

Independence Day, 26 May (1918); note - 26 May 1918 is the

date of independence from Soviet Russia, 9 April 1991 is the date of

independence from the Soviet Union

Germany

Unity Day, 3 October (1990)

Ghana

Independence Day, 6 March (1957)

Gibraltar

National Day, 10 September (1967); note - day of the

national referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or go

with Spain

Greece

Independence Day, 25 March (1821)

Greenland

June 21 (longest day)

Grenada

Independence Day, 7 February (1974)

Guam

Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521)

Guatemala

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Guernsey

Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Guinea

Independence Day, 2 October (1958)

Guinea-Bissau

Independence Day, 24 September (1973)

Guyana

Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

Haiti

Independence Day, 1 January (1804)

Holy See (Vatican City)

Coronation Day of Pope BENEDICT XVI, 24

April (2005)

Honduras

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Hong Kong

National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's

Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July 1997 is

celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment

Day

Hungary

Saint Stephen's Day, 20 August

Iceland

Independence Day, 17 June (1944)

India

Republic Day, 26 January (1950)

Indonesia

Independence Day, 17 August (1945)

Iran

Republic Day, 1 April (1979)

note: additional holidays celebrated widely in Iran include

Revolution Day, 11 February (1979); Noruz (New Year's Day), 21

March; Constitutional Monarchy Day, 5 August (1925); and various

Islamic observances that change in accordance with the lunar-based

hejira calendar

Iraq

Revolution Day, 17 July (1968); note - this holiday was

celebrated under the SADDAM Husayn regime; the Government of Iraq

has yet to declare a new national holiday

Ireland

Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March

Isle of Man

Tynwald Day, 5 July

Israel

Independence Day, 14 May (1948); note - Israel declared

independence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and

the holiday may occur in April or May

Italy

Republic Day, 2 June (1946)

Jamaica

Independence Day, 6 August (1962)

Japan

Birthday of Emperor AKIHITO, 23 December (1933)

Jersey

Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Jordan

Independence Day, 25 May (1946)

Kazakhstan

Independence Day, 16 December (1991)

Kenya

Independence Day, 12 December (1963)

Kiribati

Independence Day, 12 July (1979)

Korea, North

Founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea

(DPRK), 9 September (1948)

Korea, South

Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)

Kuwait

National Day, 25 February (1950)

Kyrgyzstan

Independence Day, 31 August (1991)

Laos

Republic Day, 2 December (1975)

Latvia

Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918

is the date Latvia declared itself independent from Soviet Russia; 4

May 1990 is when it declared the renewal of independence; 21 August

1991 is the date of de facto independence from the Soviet Union

Lebanon

Independence Day, 22 November (1943)

Lesotho

Independence Day, 4 October (1966)

Liberia

Independence Day, 26 July (1847)

Libya

Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)

Liechtenstein

Assumption Day, 15 August

Lithuania

Independence Day, 16 February (1918); note - 16 February

1918 is the date Lithuania declared its independence from Soviet

Russia and established its statehood; 11 March 1990 is the date it

declared its independence from the Soviet Union

Luxembourg

National Day (Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte) 23 June

Macau

National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's

Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 20 December 1999 is

celebrated as Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

Macedonia

Ilinden Uprising Day, 2 August (1903); note - also known

as Saint Elijah's Day

Madagascar

Independence Day, 26 June (1960)

Malawi

Independence Day (Republic Day), 6 July (1964)

Malaysia

Independence Day/Malaysia Day, 31 August (1957)

Maldives

Independence Day, 26 July (1965)

Mali

Independence Day, 22 September (1960)

Malta

Independence Day, 21 September (1964)

Marshall Islands

Constitution Day, 1 May (1979)

Mauritania

Independence Day, 28 November (1960)

Mauritius

Independence Day, 12 March (1968)

Mayotte

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Mexico

Independence Day, 16 September (1810)

Micronesia, Federated States of

Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)

Moldova

Independence Day, 27 August (1991)

Monaco

National Day (Prince of Monaco Holiday), 19 November

Mongolia

Independence Day/Revolution Day, 11 July (1921)

Montenegro

National Day, 13 July

Montserrat

Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June

(1926)

Morocco

Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMED VI to the throne), 30

July (1999)

Mozambique

Independence Day, 25 June (1975)

Namibia

Independence Day, 21 March (1990)

Nauru

Independence Day, 31 January (1968)

Nepal

note - in 2006 Parliament abolished the birthday of King

GYANENDRA (7 July) and Constitution Day (9 November) as national

holidays

Netherlands

Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909

and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980),

30 April

Netherlands Antilles

Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA

in 1909 and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX

in 1980), 30 April

New Caledonia

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

New Zealand

Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British

sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840); ANZAC Day

(commemorated as the anniversary of the 1915 landing of troops of

the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during World War I at

Gallipoli, Turkey), 25 April

Nicaragua

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Niger

Republic Day, 18 December (1958)

Nigeria

Independence Day (National Day), 1 October (1960)

Niue

Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British

sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Norfolk Island

Bounty Day (commemorates the arrival of Pitcairn

Islanders), 8 June (1856)

Northern Mariana Islands

Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)

Norway

Constitution Day, 17 May (1814)

Oman

Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940)

Pakistan

Republic Day, 23 March (1956)

Palau

Constitution Day, 9 July (1979)

Panama

Independence Day, 3 November (1903)

Papua New Guinea

Independence Day, 16 September (1975)

Paraguay

Independence Day, 14 May 1811 (observed 15 May annually)

Peru

Independence Day, 28 July (1821)

Philippines

Independence Day, 12 June (1898); note - 12 June 1898

was date of declaration of independence from Spain; 4 July 1946 was

date of independence from US

Pitcairn Islands

Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in

June (1926)

Poland

Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)

Portugal

Portugal Day (Day of Portugal), 10 June (1580); note - also

called Camoes Day, the day that revered national poet Luis de Camoes

(1524-80) died

Puerto Rico

US Independence Day, 4 July (1776); Puerto Rico

Constitution Day, 25 July (1952)

Qatar

Independence Day, 3 September (1971)

Romania

Unification Day (of Romania and Transylvania), 1 December

(1918)

Russia

Russia Day, 12 June (1990)

Rwanda

Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Saint Helena

Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June

(1926)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Independence Day, 19 September (1983)

Saint Lucia

Independence Day, 22 February (1979)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Independence Day, 27 October (1979)

Samoa

Independence Day Celebration, 1 June (1962); note - 1 January

1962 is the date of independence from the New Zealand-administered

UN trusteeship, however it is observed in June

San Marino

Founding of the Republic, 3 September (AD 301)

Sao Tome and Principe

Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

Saudi Arabia

Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932)

Senegal

Independence Day, 4 April (1960)

Serbia

National Day, 15 February

Seychelles

Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June (1993)

Sierra Leone

Independence Day, 27 April (1961)

Singapore

National Day, 9 August (1965)

Slovakia

Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)

Slovenia

Independence Day/Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)

Solomon Islands

Independence Day, 7 July (1978)

Somalia

Foundation of the Somali Republic, 1 July (1960); note - 26

June (1960) in Somaliland

South Africa

Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)

Spain

National Day, 12 October

Sri Lanka

Independence Day, 4 February (1948)

Sudan

Independence Day, 1 January (1956)

Suriname

Independence Day, 25 November (1975)

Swaziland

Independence Day, 6 September (1968)

Sweden

National Day, 6 June

Switzerland

Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)

Syria

Independence Day, 17 April (1946)

Taiwan

Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10

October (1911)

Tajikistan

Independence Day (or National Day), 9 September (1991)

Tanzania

Union Day (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 26 April (1964)

Thailand

Birthday of King PHUMIPHON, 5 December (1927)

Togo

Independence Day, 27 April (1960)

Tokelau

Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British

sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Tonga

Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)

Trinidad and Tobago

Independence Day, 31 August (1962)

Tunisia

Independence Day, 20 March (1956)

Turkey

Republic Day, 29 October (1923)

Turkmenistan

Independence Day, 27 October (1991)

Turks and Caicos Islands

Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)

Tuvalu

Independence Day, 1 October (1978)

Uganda

Independence Day, 9 October (1962)

Ukraine

Independence Day, 24 August (1991); 22 January (1918), the

day Ukraine first declared its independence (from Soviet Russia) and

the day the short-lived Western and Central Ukrainian republics

united (1919), is now celebrated as Unity Day

United Arab Emirates

Independence Day, 2 December (1971)

United Kingdom

the UK does not celebrate one particular national

holiday

United States

Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

Uruguay

Independence Day, 25 August (1825)

Uzbekistan

Independence Day, 1 September (1991)

Vanuatu

Independence Day, 30 July (1980)

Venezuela

Independence Day, 5 July (1811)

Vietnam

Independence Day, 2 September (1945)

Virgin Islands

Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917)

Wallis and Futuna

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Yemen

Unification Day, 22 May (1990)

Zambia

Independence Day, 24 October (1964)

Zimbabwe

Independence Day, 18 April (1980)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2110 Nationality

Afghanistan

noun: Afghan(s)

adjective: Afghan

Albania

noun: Albanian(s)

adjective: Albanian

Algeria

noun: Algerian(s)

adjective: Algerian

American Samoa

noun: American Samoan(s) (US nationals)

adjective: American Samoan

Andorra

noun: Andorran(s)

adjective: Andorran

Angola

noun: Angolan(s)

adjective: Angolan

Anguilla

noun: Anguillan(s)

adjective: Anguillan

Antigua and Barbuda

noun: Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s)

adjective: Antiguan, Barbudan

Argentina

noun: Argentine(s)

adjective: Argentine

Armenia

noun: Armenian(s)

adjective: Armenian

Aruba

noun: Aruban(s)

adjective: Aruban; Dutch

Australia

noun: Australian(s)

adjective: Australian

Austria

noun: Austrian(s)

adjective: Austrian

Azerbaijan

noun: Azerbaijani(s), Azeri(s)

adjective: Azerbaijani, Azeri

Bahamas, The

noun: Bahamian(s)

adjective: Bahamian

Bahrain

noun: Bahraini(s)

adjective: Bahraini

Bangladesh

noun: Bangladeshi(s)

adjective: Bangladeshi

Barbados

noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)

adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)

Belarus

noun: Belarusian(s)

adjective: Belarusian

Belgium

noun: Belgian(s)

adjective: Belgian

Belize

noun: Belizean(s)

adjective: Belizean

Benin

noun: Beninese (singular and plural)

adjective: Beninese

Bermuda

noun: Bermudian(s)

adjective: Bermudian

Bhutan

noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural)

adjective: Bhutanese

Bolivia

noun: Bolivian(s)

adjective: Bolivian

Bosnia and Herzegovina

noun: Bosnian(s), Herzegovinian(s)

adjective: Bosnian, Herzegovinian

Botswana

noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

Brazil

noun: Brazilian(s)

adjective: Brazilian

British Virgin Islands

noun: British Virgin Islander(s)

adjective: British Virgin Islander

Brunei

noun: Bruneian(s)

adjective: Bruneian

Bulgaria

noun: Bulgarian(s)

adjective: Bulgarian

Burkina Faso

noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural)

adjective: Burkinabe

Burma

noun: Burmese (singular and plural)

adjective: Burmese

Burundi

noun: Burundian(s)

adjective: Burundian

Cambodia

noun: Cambodian(s)

adjective: Cambodian

Cameroon

noun: Cameroonian(s)

adjective: Cameroonian

Canada

noun: Canadian(s)

adjective: Canadian

Cape Verde

noun: Cape Verdean(s)

adjective: Cape Verdean

Cayman Islands

noun: Caymanian(s)

adjective: Caymanian

Central African Republic

noun: Central African(s)

adjective: Central African

Chad

noun: Chadian(s)

adjective: Chadian

Chile

noun: Chilean(s)

adjective: Chilean

China

noun: Chinese (singular and plural)

adjective: Chinese

Christmas Island

noun: Christmas Islander(s)

adjective: Christmas Island

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

noun: Cocos Islander(s)

adjective: Cocos Islander

Colombia

noun: Colombian(s)

adjective: Colombian

Comoros

noun: Comoran(s)

adjective: Comoran

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

noun: Congolese (singular and

plural)

adjective: Congolese or Congo

Congo, Republic of the

noun: Congolese (singular and plural)

adjective: Congolese or Congo

Cook Islands

noun: Cook Islander(s)

adjective: Cook Islander

Costa Rica

noun: Costa Rican(s)

adjective: Costa Rican

Cote d'Ivoire

noun: Ivoirian(s)

adjective: Ivoirian

Croatia

noun: Croat(s), Croatian(s)

adjective: Croatian

Cuba

noun: Cuban(s)

adjective: Cuban

Cyprus

noun: Cypriot(s)

adjective: Cypriot

Czech Republic

noun: Czech(s)

adjective: Czech

Denmark

noun: Dane(s)

adjective: Danish

Djibouti

noun: Djiboutian(s)

adjective: Djiboutian

Dominica

noun: Dominican(s)

adjective: Dominican

Dominican Republic

noun: Dominican(s)

adjective: Dominican

East Timor

noun: Timorese

adjective: Timorese

Ecuador

noun: Ecuadorian(s)

adjective: Ecuadorian

Egypt

noun: Egyptian(s)

adjective: Egyptian

El Salvador

noun: Salvadoran(s)

adjective: Salvadoran

Equatorial Guinea

noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s)

adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean

Eritrea

noun: Eritrean(s)

adjective: Eritrean

Estonia

noun: Estonian(s)

adjective: Estonian

Ethiopia

noun: Ethiopian(s)

adjective: Ethiopian

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

noun: Falkland Islander(s)

adjective: Falkland Island

Faroe Islands

noun: Faroese (singular and plural)

adjective: Faroese

Fiji

noun: Fijian(s)

adjective: Fijian

Finland

noun: Finn(s)

adjective: Finnish

France

noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)

adjective: French

French Polynesia

noun: French Polynesian(s)

adjective: French Polynesian

Gabon

noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)

adjective: Gabonese

Gambia, The

noun: Gambian(s)

adjective: Gambian

Gaza Strip

noun: NA

adjective: NA

Georgia

noun: Georgian(s)

adjective: Georgian

Germany

noun: German(s)

adjective: German

Ghana

noun: Ghanaian(s)

adjective: Ghanaian

Gibraltar

noun: Gibraltarian(s)

adjective: Gibraltar

Greece

noun: Greek(s)

adjective: Greek

Greenland

noun: Greenlander(s)

adjective: Greenlandic

Grenada

noun: Grenadian(s)

adjective: Grenadian

Guam

noun: Guamanian(s) (US citizens)

adjective: Guamanian

Guatemala

noun: Guatemalan(s)

adjective: Guatemalan

Guernsey

noun: Channel Islander(s)

adjective: Channel Islander

Guinea

noun: Guinean(s)

adjective: Guinean

Guinea-Bissau

noun: Guinean(s)

adjective: Guinean

Guyana

noun: Guyanese (singular and plural)

adjective: Guyanese

Haiti

noun: Haitian(s)

adjective: Haitian

Holy See (Vatican City)

noun: none

adjective: none

Honduras

noun: Honduran(s)

adjective: Honduran

Hong Kong

noun: Chinese/Hong Konger

adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong

Hungary

noun: Hungarian(s)

adjective: Hungarian

Iceland

noun: Icelander(s)

adjective: Icelandic

India

noun: Indian(s)

adjective: Indian

Indonesia

noun: Indonesian(s)

adjective: Indonesian

Iran

noun: Iranian(s)

adjective: Iranian

Iraq

noun: Iraqi(s)

adjective: Iraqi

Ireland

noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective

plural)

adjective: Irish

Isle of Man

noun: Manxman (men), Manxwoman (women)

adjective: Manx

Israel

noun: Israeli(s)

adjective: Israeli

Italy

noun: Italian(s)

adjective: Italian

Jamaica

noun: Jamaican(s)

adjective: Jamaican

Japan

noun: Japanese (singular and plural)

adjective: Japanese

Jersey

noun: Channel Islander(s)

adjective: Channel Islander

Jordan

noun: Jordanian(s)

adjective: Jordanian

Kazakhstan

noun: Kazakhstani(s)

adjective: Kazakhstani

Kenya

noun: Kenyan(s)

adjective: Kenyan

Kiribati

noun: I-Kiribati (singular and plural)

adjective: I-Kiribati

Korea, North

noun: Korean(s)

adjective: Korean

Korea, South

noun: Korean(s)

adjective: Korean

Kuwait

noun: Kuwaiti(s)

adjective: Kuwaiti

Kyrgyzstan

noun: Kyrgyzstani(s)

adjective: Kyrgyzstani

Laos

noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)

adjective: Lao or Laotian

Latvia

noun: Latvian(s)

adjective: Latvian

Lebanon

noun: Lebanese (singular and plural)

adjective: Lebanese

Lesotho

noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)

adjective: Basotho

Liberia

noun: Liberian(s)

adjective: Liberian

Libya

noun: Libyan(s)

adjective: Libyan

Liechtenstein

noun: Liechtensteiner(s)

adjective: Liechtenstein

Lithuania

noun: Lithuanian(s)

adjective: Lithuanian

Luxembourg

noun: Luxembourger(s)

adjective: Luxembourg

Macau

noun: Chinese

adjective: Chinese

Macedonia

noun: Macedonian(s)

adjective: Macedonian

Madagascar

noun: Malagasy (singular and plural)

adjective: Malagasy

Malawi

noun: Malawian(s)

adjective: Malawian

Malaysia

noun: Malaysian(s)

adjective: Malaysian

Maldives

noun: Maldivian(s)

adjective: Maldivian

Mali

noun: Malian(s)

adjective: Malian

Malta

noun: Maltese (singular and plural)

adjective: Maltese

Marshall Islands

noun: Marshallese (singular and plural)

adjective: Marshallese

Mauritania

noun: Mauritanian(s)

adjective: Mauritanian

Mauritius

noun: Mauritian(s)

adjective: Mauritian

Mayotte

noun: Mahorais (singular and plural)

adjective: Mahoran

Mexico

noun: Mexican(s)

adjective: Mexican

Micronesia, Federated States of

noun: Micronesian(s)

adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese

Moldova

noun: Moldovan(s)

adjective: Moldovan

Monaco

noun: Monegasque(s) or Monacan(s)

adjective: Monegasque or Monacan

Mongolia

noun: Mongolian(s)

adjective: Mongolian

Montenegro

noun: Montenegrin(s)

adjective: Montenegrin

Montserrat

noun: Montserratian(s)

adjective: Montserratian

Morocco

noun: Moroccan(s)

adjective: Moroccan

Mozambique

noun: Mozambican(s)

adjective: Mozambican

Namibia

noun: Namibian(s)

adjective: Namibian

Nauru

noun: Nauruan(s)

adjective: Nauruan

Nepal

noun: Nepalese (singular and plural)

adjective: Nepalese

Netherlands

noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women)

adjective: Dutch

Netherlands Antilles

noun: Dutch Antillean(s)

adjective: Dutch Antillean

New Caledonia

noun: New Caledonian(s)

adjective: New Caledonian

New Zealand

noun: New Zealander(s)

adjective: New Zealand

Nicaragua

noun: Nicaraguan(s)

adjective: Nicaraguan

Niger

noun: Nigerien(s)

adjective: Nigerien

Nigeria

noun: Nigerian(s)

adjective: Nigerian

Niue

noun: Niuean(s)

adjective: Niuean

Norfolk Island

noun: Norfolk Islander(s)

adjective: Norfolk Islander(s)

Northern Mariana Islands

noun: NA (US citizens)

adjective: NA

Norway

noun: Norwegian(s)

adjective: Norwegian

Oman

noun: Omani(s)

adjective: Omani

Pakistan

noun: Pakistani(s)

adjective: Pakistani

Palau

noun: Palauan(s)

adjective: Palauan

Panama

noun: Panamanian(s)

adjective: Panamanian

Papua New Guinea

noun: Papua New Guinean(s)

adjective: Papua New Guinean

Paraguay

noun: Paraguayan(s)

adjective: Paraguayan

Peru

noun: Peruvian(s)

adjective: Peruvian

Philippines

noun: Filipino(s)

adjective: Philippine

Pitcairn Islands

noun: Pitcairn Islander(s)

adjective: Pitcairn Islander

Poland

noun: Pole(s)

adjective: Polish

Portugal

noun: Portuguese (singular and plural)

adjective: Portuguese

Puerto Rico

noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens)

adjective: Puerto Rican

Qatar

noun: Qatari(s)

adjective: Qatari

Romania

noun: Romanian(s)

adjective: Romanian

Russia

noun: Russian(s)

adjective: Russian

Rwanda

noun: Rwandan(s)

adjective: Rwandan

Saint Helena noun: Saint Helenian(s) adjective: Saint Helenian note: referred to locally as "Saints"

Saint Kitts and Nevis

noun: Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s)

adjective: Kittitian, Nevisian

Saint Lucia

noun: Saint Lucian(s)

adjective: Saint Lucian

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)

adjective: French

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

noun: Saint Vincentian(s) or

Vincentian(s)

adjective: Saint Vincentian or Vincentian

Samoa

noun: Samoan(s)

adjective: Samoan

San Marino

noun: Sammarinese (singular and plural)

adjective: Sammarinese

Sao Tome and Principe

noun: Sao Tomean(s)

adjective: Sao Tomean

Saudi Arabia

noun: Saudi(s)

adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian

Senegal

noun: Senegalese (singular and plural)

adjective: Senegalese

Serbia

noun: Serb(s)

adjective: Serbian

Seychelles

noun: Seychellois (singular and plural)

adjective: Seychellois

Sierra Leone

noun: Sierra Leonean(s)

adjective: Sierra Leonean

Singapore

noun: Singaporean(s)

adjective: Singapore

Slovakia

noun: Slovak(s)

adjective: Slovak

Slovenia

noun: Slovene(s)

adjective: Slovenian

Solomon Islands

noun: Solomon Islander(s)

adjective: Solomon Islander

Somalia

noun: Somali(s)

adjective: Somali

South Africa

noun: South African(s)

adjective: South African

Spain

noun: Spaniard(s)

adjective: Spanish

Sri Lanka

noun: Sri Lankan(s)

adjective: Sri Lankan

Sudan

noun: Sudanese (singular and plural)

adjective: Sudanese

Suriname

noun: Surinamer(s)

adjective: Surinamese

Swaziland

noun: Swazi(s)

adjective: Swazi

Sweden

noun: Swede(s)

adjective: Swedish

Switzerland

noun: Swiss (singular and plural)

adjective: Swiss

Syria

noun: Syrian(s)

adjective: Syrian

Taiwan

noun: Taiwan (singular and plural)

note: example - he or she is from Taiwan; they are from Taiwan

adjective: Taiwan

Tajikistan

noun: Tajikistani(s)

adjective: Tajikistani

Tanzania

noun: Tanzanian(s)

adjective: Tanzanian

Thailand

noun: Thai (singular and plural)

adjective: Thai

Togo

noun: Togolese (singular and plural)

adjective: Togolese

Tokelau

noun: Tokelauan(s)

adjective: Tokelauan

Tonga

noun: Tongan(s)

adjective: Tongan

Trinidad and Tobago

noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s)

adjective: Trinidadian, Tobagonian

Tunisia

noun: Tunisian(s)

adjective: Tunisian

Turkey

noun: Turk(s)

adjective: Turkish

Turkmenistan

noun: Turkmen(s)

adjective: Turkmen

Turks and Caicos Islands

noun: none

adjective: none

Tuvalu

noun: Tuvaluan(s)

adjective: Tuvaluan

Uganda

noun: Ugandan(s)

adjective: Ugandan

Ukraine

noun: Ukrainian(s)

adjective: Ukrainian

United Arab Emirates

noun: Emirati(s)

adjective: Emirati

United Kingdom

noun: Briton(s), British (collective plural)

adjective: British

United States

noun: American(s)

adjective: American

Uruguay

noun: Uruguayan(s)

adjective: Uruguayan

Uzbekistan

noun: Uzbekistani

adjective: Uzbekistani

Vanuatu

noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural)

adjective: Ni-Vanuatu

Venezuela

noun: Venezuelan(s)

adjective: Venezuelan

Vietnam

noun: Vietnamese (singular and plural)

adjective: Vietnamese

Virgin Islands

noun: Virgin Islander(s) (US citizens)

adjective: Virgin Islander

Wallis and Futuna noun: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander

West Bank

noun: NA

adjective: NA

Western Sahara

noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)

adjective: Sahrawi, Sahrawian, Sahraouian

Yemen

noun: Yemeni(s)

adjective: Yemeni

Zambia

noun: Zambian(s)

adjective: Zambian

Zimbabwe

noun: Zimbabwean(s)

adjective: Zimbabwean

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2111 Natural resources

Afghanistan

natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc,

barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and

semiprecious stones

Albania

petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper,

iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower

Algeria

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead,

zinc

American Samoa

pumice, pumicite

Andorra

hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead

Angola

petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar,

gold, bauxite, uranium

Anguilla

salt, fish, lobster

Antarctica

iron ore, chromium, copper, gold, nickel, platinum and

other minerals, and coal and hydrocarbons have been found in small

uncommercial quantities; none presently exploited; krill, finfish,

and crab have been taken by commercial fisheries

Antigua and Barbuda

NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism

Arctic Ocean

sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits,

polymetallic nodules, oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals

(seals and whales)

Argentina

fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper,

iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium

Armenia

small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, alumina

Aruba

NEGL; white sandy beaches

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

fish

Atlantic Ocean

oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and

whales), sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic

nodules, precious stones

Australia

bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver,

uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds,

natural gas, petroleum

Austria

oil, coal, lignite, timber, iron ore, copper, zinc,

antimony, magnesite, tungsten, graphite, salt, hydropower

Azerbaijan

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals,

alumina

Bahamas, The

salt, aragonite, timber, arable land

Bahrain

oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls

Baker Island

guano (deposits worked until 1891), terrestrial and

aquatic wildlife

Bangladesh

natural gas, arable land, timber, coal

Barbados

petroleum, fish, natural gas

Bassas da India

none

Belarus

forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural

gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay

Belgium

construction materials, silica sand, carbonates

Belize

arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower

Benin

small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

Bermuda

limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism

Bhutan

timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbonate

Bolivia

tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten, antimony,

silver, iron, lead, gold, timber, hydropower

Bosnia and Herzegovina

coal, iron ore, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc,

chromite, cobalt, manganese, nickel, clay, gypsum, salt, sand,

forests, hydropower

Botswana

diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal,

iron ore, silver

Bouvet Island

none

Brazil

bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates,

platinum, tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber

British Indian Ocean Territory

coconuts, fish, sugarcane

British Virgin Islands

NEGL

Brunei

petroleum, natural gas, timber

Bulgaria

bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land

Burkina Faso

manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold,

phosphates, pumice, salt

Burma

petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten,

lead, coal, some marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas,

hydropower

Burundi

nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper,

platinum, vanadium, arable land, hydropower, niobium, tantalum,

gold, tin, tungsten, kaolin, limestone

Cambodia

oil and gas, timber, gemstones, some iron ore, manganese,

phosphates, hydropower potential

Cameroon

petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower

Canada

iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum,

potash, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum,

natural gas, hydropower

Cape Verde

salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum

Cayman Islands

fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism

Central African Republic

diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil,

hydropower

Chad

petroleum, uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad), gold,

limestone, sand and gravel, salt

Chile

copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals,

molybdenum, hydropower

China

coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, mercury, tin,

tungsten, antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite,

aluminum, lead, zinc, uranium, hydropower potential (world's largest)

Christmas Island

phosphate, beaches

Clipperton Island

fish

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

fish

Colombia

petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold,

copper, emeralds, hydropower

Comoros

NEGL

Congo, Democratic Republic of the cobalt, copper, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal, hydropower, timber

Congo, Republic of the petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, gold, magnesium, natural gas, hydropower

Cook Islands

NEGL

Coral Sea Islands

NEGL

Costa Rica

hydropower

Cote d'Ivoire

petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore,

cobalt, bauxite, copper, gold, nickel, tantalum, silica sand, clay,

cocoa beans, coffee, palm oil, hydropower

Croatia

oil, some coal, bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium,

gypsum, natural asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt, hydropower

Cuba

cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber,

silica, petroleum, arable land

Cyprus

copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay

earth pigment

Czech Republic

hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber

Denmark

petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone, chalk, stone,

gravel and sand

Djibouti

geothermal areas, gold, clay, granite, limestone, marble,

salt, diatomite, gypsum, pumice, petroleum

Dominica

timber, hydropower, arable land

Dominican Republic

nickel, bauxite, gold, silver

East Timor

gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble

Ecuador

petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower

Egypt

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese,

limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc

El Salvador

hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land

Equatorial Guinea

petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite,

diamonds, tantalum, sand and gravel, clay

Eritrea

gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural

gas, fish

Estonia

oil shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand,

dolomite, arable land, sea mud

Ethiopia

small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural

gas, hydropower

Europa Island

NEGL

European Union

iron ore, natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, lead,

zinc, bauxite, uranium, potash, salt, hydropower, arable land,

timber, fish

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss

Faroe Islands

fish, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

Fiji

timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower

Finland

timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel,

gold, silver, limestone

France

coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic,

potash, feldspar, fluorospar, gypsum, timber, fish

French Guiana: gold deposits, petroleum, kaolin, niobium, tantalum,

clay

French Polynesia

timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

fish, crayfish

Gabon

petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium,

gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower

Gambia, The

fish, titanium (rutile and ilmenite), tin, zircon,

silica sand, clay, petroleum

Gaza Strip

arable land, natural gas

Georgia

forests, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper,

minor coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for

important tea and citrus growth

Germany

coal, lignite, natural gas, iron ore, copper, nickel,

uranium, potash, salt, construction materials, timber, arable land

Ghana

gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish,

rubber, hydropower, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone

Gibraltar

none

Glorioso Islands

guano, coconuts

Greece

lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel,

magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential

Greenland

coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum, gold, platinum,

uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

Grenada

timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors

Guam

fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan)

Guatemala

petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower

Guernsey

cropland

Guinea

bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish,

salt

Guinea-Bissau

fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, clay, granite,

limestone, unexploited deposits of petroleum

Guyana

bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish

Haiti

bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

fish

Holy See (Vatican City)

none

Honduras

timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore,

antimony, coal, fish, hydropower

Hong Kong

outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar

Howland Island

guano (deposits worked until late 1800s), terrestrial

and aquatic wildlife

Hungary

bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land

Iceland

fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite

Iles Eparses

Bassas da India and Europa Island: none

Glorioso Islands and Juan de Nova Island: guano, phosphates; coconuts

Tromelin Island: fish

India

coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore,

manganese, mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas,

diamonds, petroleum, limestone, arable land

Indian Ocean

oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel

aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules

Indonesia

petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite,

copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver

Iran

petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead,

manganese, zinc, sulfur

Iraq

petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur

Ireland

natural gas, peat, copper, lead, zinc, silver, barite,

gypsum, limestone, dolomite

Isle of Man

none

Israel

timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock,

magnesium bromide, clays, sand

Italy

coal, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice,

fluorospar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oil

reserves, fish, arable land

Jamaica

bauxite, gypsum, limestone

Jan Mayen

none

Japan

negligible mineral resources, fish

Jarvis Island

guano (deposits worked until late 1800s), terrestrial

and aquatic wildlife

Jersey

arable land

Johnston Atoll

guano deposits worked until depletion about 1890,

terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Jordan

phosphates, potash, shale oil

Juan de Nova Island

guano deposits and other fertilizers

Kazakhstan

major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore,

manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead,

zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium

Kenya

limestone, soda ash, salt, gemstones, fluorspar, zinc,

diatomite, gypsum, wildlife, hydropower

Kingman Reef

terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Kiribati

phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)

Korea, North

coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron

ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower

Korea, South

coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower

potential

Kuwait

petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas

Kyrgyzstan

abundant hydropower; significant deposits of gold and

rare earth metals; locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas;

other deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc

Laos

timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones

Latvia

peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable

land

Lebanon

limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a

water-deficit region, arable land

Lesotho

water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay,

building stone

Liberia

iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower

Libya

petroleum, natural gas, gypsum

Liechtenstein

hydroelectric potential, arable land

Lithuania

peat, arable land, amber

Luxembourg

iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land

Macau

NEGL

Macedonia

low-grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite,

manganese, nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber,

arable land

Madagascar

graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar

sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower

Malawi

limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of

uranium, coal, and bauxite

Malaysia

tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas,

bauxite

Maldives

fish

Mali

gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, gypsum,

granite, hydropower

note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are

known but not exploited

Malta

limestone, salt, arable land

Marshall Islands

coconut products, marine products, deep seabed

minerals

Mauritania

iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil,

fish

Mauritius

arable land, fish

Mayotte

NEGL

Mexico

petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas,

timber

Micronesia, Federated States of

forests, marine products,

deep-seabed minerals, phosphate

Midway Islands

wildlife, terrestrial and aquatic

Moldova

lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone

Monaco

none

Mongolia

oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin,

nickel, zinc, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron

Montenegro

bauxite, hydroelectricity

Montserrat

NEGL

Morocco

phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt

Mozambique

coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum,

graphite

Namibia

diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium,

cadmium, zinc, salt, hydropower, fish

note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore

Nauru

phosphates, fish

Navassa Island

guano

Nepal

quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small

deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore

Netherlands

natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and

gravel, arable land

Netherlands Antilles

phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)

New Caledonia

nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold,

lead, copper

New Zealand

natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower,

gold, limestone

Nicaragua

gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish

Niger

uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, molybdenum,

gypsum, salt, petroleum

Nigeria

natural gas, petroleum, tin, iron ore, coal, limestone,

niobium, lead, zinc, arable land

Niue

fish, arable land

Norfolk Island

fish

Northern Mariana Islands

arable land, fish

Norway

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc,

titanium, pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropower

Oman

petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium,

gypsum, natural gas

Pacific Ocean

oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and

gravel aggregates, placer deposits, fish

Pakistan

land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum,

poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone

Palau

forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products,

deep-seabed minerals

Palmyra Atoll

terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Panama

copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower

Papua New Guinea

gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil,

fisheries

Paracel Islands

none

Paraguay

hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone

Peru

copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal,

phosphate, potash, hydropower, natural gas

Philippines

timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt,

copper

Pitcairn Islands

miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish

note: manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been

discovered offshore

Poland

coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber,

arable land

Portugal

fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin,

tungsten, silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable

land, hydropower

Puerto Rico

some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and

offshore oil

Qatar

petroleum, natural gas, fish

Romania

petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal,

iron ore, salt, arable land, hydropower

Russia

wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil,

natural gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, timber

note: formidable obstacles of climate, terrain, and distance hinder

exploitation of natural resources

Rwanda

gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore),

methane, hydropower, arable land

Saint Helena

fish, lobster

Saint Kitts and Nevis

arable land

Saint Lucia

forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral

springs, geothermal potential

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

fish, deepwater ports

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

hydropower, cropland

Samoa

hardwood forests, fish, hydropower

San Marino

building stone

Sao Tome and Principe

fish, hydropower

Saudi Arabia

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper

Senegal

fish, phosphates, iron ore

Serbia

oil, gas, coal, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, antimony,

chromite, nickel, gold, silver, magnesium, pyrite, limestone,

marble, salt, arable land

Seychelles

fish, copra, cinnamon trees

Sierra Leone

diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold,

chromite

Singapore

fish, deepwater ports

Slovakia

brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper

and manganese ore; salt; arable land

Slovenia

lignite coal, lead, zinc, mercury, uranium, silver,

hydropower, forests

Solomon Islands

fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead,

zinc, nickel

Somalia

uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin,

gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves

South Africa

gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese,

nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper,

vanadium, salt, natural gas

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

fish

Southern Ocean

probable large and possible giant oil and gas fields

on the continental margin, manganese nodules, possible placer

deposits, sand and gravel, fresh water as icebergs; squid, whales,

and seals - none exploited; krill, fishes

Spain

coal, lignite, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, uranium,

tungsten, mercury, pyrites, magnesite, fluorspar, gypsum, sepiolite,

kaolin, potash, hydropower, arable land

Spratly Islands

fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas

potential

Sri Lanka

limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates,

clay, hydropower

Sudan

petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore,

zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, gold, hydropower

Suriname

timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold,

and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore

Svalbard

coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, wildlife, fish

Swaziland

asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests,

small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc

Sweden

iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten,

uranium, arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydropower

Switzerland

hydropower potential, timber, salt

Syria

petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt,

iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower

Taiwan

small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and

asbestos

Tajikistan

hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal,

lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten, silver, gold

Tanzania

hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds,

gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel

Thailand

tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead,

fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land

Togo

phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land

Tokelau

NEGL

Tonga

fish, fertile soil

Trinidad and Tobago

petroleum, natural gas, asphalt

Tromelin Island

fish

Tunisia

petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt

Turkey

coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, antimony, mercury, gold,

barite, borate, celestite (strontium), emery, feldspar, limestone,

magnesite, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites (sulfur), clay, arable

land, hydropower

Turkmenistan

petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt

Turks and Caicos Islands

spiny lobster, conch

Tuvalu

fish

Uganda

copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land

Ukraine

iron ore, coal, manganese, natural gas, oil, salt, sulfur,

graphite, titanium, magnesium, kaolin, nickel, mercury, timber,

arable land

United Arab Emirates

petroleum, natural gas

United Kingdom

coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc,

gold, tin, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica

sand, slate, arable land

United States

coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium,

bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten,

zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Uruguay

arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fisheries

Uzbekistan

natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver,

copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum

Vanuatu

manganese, hardwood forests, fish

Venezuela

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other

minerals, hydropower, diamonds

Vietnam

phosphates, coal, manganese, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil

and gas deposits, forests, hydropower

Virgin Islands

sun, sand, sea, surf

Wake Island

none

Wallis and Futuna

NEGL

West Bank

arable land

Western Sahara

phosphates, iron ore

World

the rapid depletion of nonrenewable mineral resources, the

depletion of forest areas and wetlands, the extinction of animal and

plant species, and the deterioration in air and water quality

(especially in Eastern Europe, the former USSR, and China) pose

serious long-term problems that governments and peoples are only

beginning to address

Yemen

petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble; small deposits of coal,

gold, lead, nickel, and copper; fertile soil in west

Zambia

copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver,

uranium, hydropower

Zimbabwe

coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron

ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2112 Net migration rate (migrant(s)/1,000 population)

Afghanistan

0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Albania

-4.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Algeria

-0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

American Samoa

-21.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Andorra

6.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Angola

3.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Anguilla

6.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

-6.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Argentina

0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Armenia

-5.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Aruba

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Australia

3.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Austria

1.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Azerbaijan

-4.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bahamas, The

-2.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bahrain

0.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bangladesh

-0.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Barbados

-0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Belarus

2.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Belgium

1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Belize

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Benin

0.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bermuda

2.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bhutan

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bolivia

-1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

13.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Botswana

6.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population

note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa

and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2006 est.)

Brazil

-0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

British Virgin Islands

9.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Brunei

3.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bulgaria

-4.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Burkina Faso

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Burma

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Burundi

8.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Cambodia

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Cameroon

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Canada

5.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Cape Verde

-11.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Cayman Islands

17.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population

note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2006

est.)

Central African Republic

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Chad

-0.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Chile

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

China

-0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Christmas Island

NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

NA

Colombia

-0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Comoros

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: fighting between the Congolese Government and Uganda- and Rwanda-backed Congolese rebels spawned a regional war in DRC in August 1998, which left 2.33 million Congolese internally displaced and caused 412,000 Congolese refugees to flee to surrounding countries (2006 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

-3.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Costa Rica

0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Croatia

1.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Cuba

-1.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Cyprus

0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Czech Republic

0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Denmark

2.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Djibouti

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Dominica

-9.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Dominican Republic

-2.79 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

East Timor

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Ecuador

-3.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Egypt

-0.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

El Salvador

-3.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Eritrea

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Estonia

-3.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Ethiopia

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population

note: repatriation of Ethiopian refugees residing in Sudan is

expected to continue for several years; some Sudanese, Somali, and

Eritrean refugees, who fled to Ethiopia from the fighting or famine

in their own countries, continue to return to their homes (2006 est.)

European Union

1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

(2006 est.)

Faroe Islands

0.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Fiji

-2.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Finland

0.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

France

0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

French Polynesia

2.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Gabon

-2.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Gambia, The

1.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Gaza Strip

1.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Georgia

-4.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Germany

2.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Ghana

-0.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Gibraltar

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Greece

2.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Greenland

-8.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Grenada

-12.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Guam

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Guatemala

-1.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Guernsey

3.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Guinea

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population

note: as a result of conflict in neighboring countries, Guinea is

host to approximately 141,500 refugees from Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia,

and Sierra Leone (2006 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Guyana

-7.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Haiti

-1.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Honduras

-1.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Hong Kong

4.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Hungary

0.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Iceland

1.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

India

-0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Indonesia

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Iran

-0.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Iraq

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Ireland

4.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Isle of Man

5.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Israel

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Italy

2.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Jamaica

-6.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Japan

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Jersey

2.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Jordan

6.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Kazakhstan

-3.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Kenya

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population

note: according to the UNHCR, by the end of 2005 Kenya was host to

233,778 refugees from neighboring countries, including Somalia

153,627, Sudan 67,556, Ethiopia 12,595 (2006 est.)

Kiribati

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Korea, North

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Korea, South

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Kuwait

15.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

-2.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Laos

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Latvia

-2.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Lebanon

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Lesotho

-0.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Liberia

27.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population

note: at least 238,500 Liberian refugees are in surrounding

countries; the uncertain security situation has hindered their

ability to return (2006 est.)

Libya

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Liechtenstein

4.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Lithuania

-0.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Luxembourg

8.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Macau

4.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Macedonia

-0.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Madagascar

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Malawi

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Malaysia

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population

note: does not reflect net flow of an unknown number of illegal

immigrants from other countries in the region (2006 est.)

Maldives

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Mali

-6.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Malta

2.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Marshall Islands

-5.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Mauritania

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Mauritius

-0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Mayotte

4.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Mexico

-4.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of -21.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Moldova

-0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Monaco

7.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Mongolia

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Montserrat

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Morocco

-0.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Mozambique

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Namibia

0.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Nauru

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Nepal

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Netherlands

2.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

-0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

New Caledonia

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population

note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New

Caledonia (2006 est.)

New Zealand

3.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Nicaragua

-1.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Niger

-0.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Nigeria

0.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Niue

NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Norfolk Island

NA

Northern Mariana Islands

8.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Norway

1.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oman

0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Pakistan

-0.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Palau

1.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Panama

-0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Paraguay

-0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Peru

-1.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Philippines

-1.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Pitcairn Islands

NA

Poland

-0.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Portugal

3.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Puerto Rico

-1.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Qatar

14.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Romania

-0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Russia

1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Rwanda

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Saint Helena

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

-4.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Saint Lucia

-1.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

-4.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006

est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

-7.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population

(2006 est.)

Samoa

-11.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

San Marino

10.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe

-2.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Saudi Arabia

-4.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Senegal

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Seychelles

-5.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sierra Leone

0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population

note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly

returning (2006 est.)

Singapore

9.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Slovakia

0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Slovenia

0.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Solomon Islands

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Somalia

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

South Africa

-0.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population

note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa

and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2006 est.)

Spain

0.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sri Lanka

-1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sudan

-0.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Suriname

-8.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Svalbard

NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Swaziland

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sweden

1.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Switzerland

3.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Syria

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Taiwan

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Tajikistan

-2.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Tanzania

-3.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Thailand

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Togo

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Tokelau

NA

Tonga

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

-11.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Tunisia

-0.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Turkey

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Turkmenistan

-0.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands 10.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Tuvalu

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Uganda

-1.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Ukraine

-0.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates

0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

United Kingdom

2.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

United States

3.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Uruguay

-0.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Uzbekistan

-1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Vanuatu

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Venezuela

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Vietnam

-0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Virgin Islands

-8.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Wallis and Futuna

NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New

Caledonia (2006 est.)

West Bank

2.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Yemen

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Zambia

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Zimbabwe

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population

note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa

and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2006 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2113 Geography - note

Afghanistan

landlocked; the Hindu Kush mountains that run northeast

to southwest divide the northern provinces from the rest of the

country; the highest peaks are in the northern Vakhan (Wakhan

Corridor)

Akrotiri

British extraterritorial rights also extended to several

small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus

Albania

strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic

Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)

Algeria

second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)

American Samoa

Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater

harbors in the South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from rough

seas and protected by peripheral mountains from high winds;

strategic location in the South Pacific Ocean

Andorra

landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in

the Pyrenees

Angola

the province of Cabinda is an exclave, separated from the

rest of the country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Anguilla

the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser

Antilles

Antarctica

the coldest, windiest, highest (on average), and driest

continent; during summer, more solar radiation reaches the surface

at the South Pole than is received at the Equator in an equivalent

period; mostly uninhabitable

Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with

many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a very large western

harbor

Arctic Ocean

major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern

access to the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); strategic

location between North America and Russia; shortest marine link

between the extremes of eastern and western Russia; floating

research stations operated by the US and Russia; maximum snow cover

in March or April about 20 to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean;

snow cover lasts about 10 months

Argentina

second-largest country in South America (after Brazil);

strategic location relative to sea lanes between the South Atlantic

and the South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel,

Drake Passage); diverse geophysical landscapes range from tropical

climates in the north to tundra in the far south; Cerro Aconcagua is

the Western Hemisphere's tallest mountain, while Laguna del Carbon

is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere

Armenia

landlocked in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains; Sevana Lich

(Lake Sevan) is the largest lake in this mountain range

Aruba

a flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches;

its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the

Atlantic Ocean; the temperature is almost constant at about 27

degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit)

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve

established in August 1983

Atlantic Ocean

major chokepoints include the Dardanelles, Strait of

Gibraltar, access to the Panama and Suez Canals; strategic straits

include the Strait of Dover, Straits of Florida, Mona Passage, The

Sound (Oresund), and Windward Passage; the Equator divides the

Atlantic Ocean into the North Atlantic Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean

Australia

world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country;

population concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts;

the invigorating sea breeze known as the "Fremantle Doctor" affects

the city of Perth on the west coast, and is one of the most

consistent winds in the world

Austria

landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of central

Europe with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys; major

river is the Danube; population is concentrated on eastern lowlands

because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere

Azerbaijan

both the main area of the country and the Naxcivan

exclave are landlocked

Bahamas, The

strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive

island chain of which 30 are inhabited

Bahrain

close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic

location in Persian Gulf, through which much of the Western world's

petroleum must transit to reach open ocean

Baker Island

treeless, sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting

of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a

nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds,

and marine wildlife

Bangladesh

most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers

flowing from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main

channel of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually

empty into the Bay of Bengal

Barbados

easternmost Caribbean island

Bassas da India

the islands emerge from a circular reef that sits

atop a long-extinct, submerged volcano

Belarus

landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of

Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes

Belgium

crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European

capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European

Union and NATO

Belize

only country in Central America without a coastline on the

North Pacific Ocean

Benin

sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural

harbors, river mouths, or islands

Bermuda

consists of about 138 coral islands and islets with ample

rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land was leased by

US Government from 1941 to 1995

Bhutan

landlocked; strategic location between China and India;

controls several key Himalayan mountain passes

Bolivia

landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest

navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru

Bosnia and Herzegovina

within Bosnia and Herzegovina's recognized

borders, the country is divided into a joint Bosniak/Croat

Federation (about 51% of the territory) and the Bosnian Serb-led

Republika Srpska or RS (about 49% of the territory); the region

called Herzegovina is contiguous to Croatia and Serbia and

Montenegro (Montenegro), and traditionally has been settled by an

ethnic Croat majority in the west and an ethnic Serb majority in the

east

Botswana

landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the

country

Bouvet Island

covered by glacial ice; declared a nature reserve

Brazil

largest country in South America; shares common boundaries

with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador

British Indian Ocean Territory archipelago of 55 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility

British Virgin Islands

strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and

Puerto Rico

Brunei

close to vital sea lanes through South China Sea linking

Indian and Pacific Oceans; two parts physically separated by

Malaysia; almost an enclave within Malaysia

Bulgaria

strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land

routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia

Burkina Faso

landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of

the Black, Red, and White Voltas

Burma

strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes

Burundi

landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed; the

Kagera, which drains into Lake Victoria, is the most remote

headstream of the White Nile

Cambodia

a land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong River

and Tonle Sap

Cameroon

sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa; throughout

the country there are areas of thermal springs and indications of

current or prior volcanic activity; Mount Cameroon, the highest

mountain in Sub-Saharan west Africa, is an active volcano

Canada

second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic

location between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately

90% of the population is concentrated within 160 km of the US border

Cape Verde

strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near

major north-south sea routes; important communications station;

important sea and air refueling site

Cayman Islands

important location between Cuba and Central America

Central African Republic

landlocked; almost the precise center of

Africa

Chad

landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the

Sahel

Chile

strategic location relative to sea lanes between Atlantic and

Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage);

Atacama Desert is one of world's driest regions

China

world's fourth largest country (after Russia, Canada, and US);

Mount Everest on the border with Nepal is the world's tallest peak

Christmas Island

located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean

Clipperton Island

reef 12 km in circumference

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

islands are thickly covered with coconut

palms and other vegetation

Colombia

only South American country with coastlines on both the

North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea

Comoros

important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel

Congo, Democratic Republic of the straddles equator; has very narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands

Congo, Republic of the

about 70% of the population lives in

Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them

Cook Islands

the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely

populated, coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands, where most of

the population lives, consist of eight elevated, fertile, volcanic

isles, including the largest, Rarotonga, at 67 sq km

Coral Sea Islands

important nesting area for birds and turtles

Costa Rica

four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital

of San Jose in the center of the country; one of the volcanoes,

Irazu, erupted destructively in 1963-65

Cote d'Ivoire

most of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastal

region; apart from the capital area, the forested interior is

sparsely populated

Croatia

controls most land routes from Western Europe to Aegean Sea

and Turkish Straits; the vast majority of Adriatic Sea islands lie

off the coast of Croatia - some 1,200 islands, islets, ridges, and

rocks

Cuba

largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the

Greater Antilles

Cyprus

the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after

Sicily and Sardinia)

Czech Republic

landlocked; strategically located astride some of

oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is

a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and

the Danube in central Europe

Denmark

controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking

Baltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in

greater Copenhagen

Dhekelia

British extraterritorial rights also extended to several

small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus

Djibouti

strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and

close to Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia;

mostly wasteland; Lac Assal (Lake Assal) is the lowest point in

Africa

Dominica

known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to its

spectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protected

by an extensive natural park system; the most mountainous of the

Lesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters and

include Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake in

the world

Dominican Republic

shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti

East Timor

Timor comes from the Malay word for "East"; the island of

Timor is part of the Malay Archipelago and is the largest and

easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands

Ecuador

Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world

Egypt

controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and

remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, a sea link

between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; size, and juxtaposition

to Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics;

dependence on upstream neighbors; dominance of Nile basin issues;

prone to influxes of refugees

El Salvador

smallest Central American country and only one without a

coastline on Caribbean Sea

Equatorial Guinea

insular and continental regions widely separated

Eritrea

strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest

shipping lanes; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia

along the Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 24 May

1993

Estonia

the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded;

offshore lie more than 1,500 islands

Ethiopia

landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost

with the de jure independence of Eritrea on 24 May 1993; the Blue

Nile, the chief headstream of the Nile by water volume, rises in

T'ana Hayk (Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopia; three major crops are

believed to have originated in Ethiopia: coffee, grain sorghum, and

castor bean

Europa Island

wildlife sanctuary

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

deeply indented coast provides

good natural harbors; short growing season

Faroe Islands

archipelago of 17 inhabited islands and one

uninhabited island, and a few uninhabited islets; strategically

located along important sea lanes in northeastern Atlantic;

precipitous terrain limits habitation to small coastal lowlands

Fiji

includes 332 islands; approximately 110 are inhabited

Finland

long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national

capital on European continent; population concentrated on small

southwestern coastal plain

France

largest West European nation

French Polynesia

includes five archipelagoes (4 volcanic, 1 coral);

Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock

islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island)

in Kiribati and Nauru

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

islands component is widely

scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian Ocean

Gabon

a small population and oil and mineral reserves have helped

Gabon become one of Africa's wealthier countries; in general, these

circumstances have allowed the country to maintain and conserve its

pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity

Gambia, The

almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the

continent of Africa

Gaza Strip

strategic strip of land along Mideast-North African trade

routes has experienced an incredibly turbulent history; the town of

Gaza itself has been besieged countless times in its history

Georgia

strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia

controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them

Germany

strategic location on North European Plain and along the

entrance to the Baltic Sea

Ghana

Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake

Gibraltar

strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the

North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea

Glorioso Islands

the islands and rocks are surrounded by an

extensive reef system

Greece

strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern

approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an

archipelago of about 2,000 islands

Greenland

dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and

Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast,

but close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital,

Nuuk; world's second largest ice cap

Grenada

the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is

divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada

Guam

largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands

archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean

Guatemala

no natural harbors on west coast

Guernsey

large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

Guinea

the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their

sources in the Guinean highlands

Guinea-Bissau

this small country is swampy along its western coast

and low-lying further inland

Guyana

the third-smallest country in South America after Suriname

and Uruguay; substantial portions of its western and eastern

territories are claimed by Venezuela and Suriname respectively

Haiti

shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western

one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)

Holy See (Vatican City)

landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world's

smallest state; beyond the territorial boundary of Vatican City, the

Lateran Treaty of 1929 grants the Holy See extraterritorial

authority over 23 sites in Rome and five outside of Rome, including

the Pontifical Palace at Castel Gandolfo (the Pope's summer

residence)

Honduras

has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean

shoreline, including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast

Hong Kong

more than 200 islands

Howland Island

almost totally covered with grasses, prostrate vines,

and low-growing shrubs; small area of trees in the center; primarily

a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds,

and marine wildlife

Hungary

landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes

between Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between

Ukraine and Mediterranean basin; the north-south flowing Duna

(Danube) and Tisza Rivers divide the country into three large regions

Iceland

strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost

European country; Reykjavik is the northernmost national capital in

the world; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental

Europe

Iles Eparses

Bassas da India: the atoll is a circular reef that sits

atop a long-extinct, submerged volcano

Europa Island and Juan de Nova Island: wildlife sanctuary for

seabirds and sea turtles

Glorioso Islands: the islands and rocks are surrounded by an

extensive reef system

Tromelin Island: climatologically important location for forecasting

cyclones in the western Indian Ocean; wildlife sanctuary (seabirds,

tortoises)

India

dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian

Ocean trade routes; Kanchenjunga, third tallest mountain in the

world, lies on the border with Nepal

Indian Ocean

major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of

Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and

the Lombok Strait

Indonesia

archipelago of 17,508 islands (6,000 inhabited); straddles

equator; strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from

Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean

Iran

strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz,

which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport

Iraq

strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of

the Persian Gulf

Ireland

strategic location on major air and sea routes between North

America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides

within 100 km of Dublin

Isle of Man

one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the southwest,

and is a bird sanctuary

Israel

there are 242 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites

in the West Bank, 42 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 0 in the

Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (August 2005 est.); Sea of

Galilee is an important freshwater source

Italy

strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as

southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe

Jamaica

strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica

Channel, the main sea lanes for the Panama Canal

Jan Mayen

barren volcanic island with some moss and grass

Japan

strategic location in northeast Asia

Jarvis Island

sparse bunch grass, prostrate vines, and low-growing

shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for

seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife

Jersey

largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of

population concentrated in Saint Helier

Johnston Atoll

strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean;

Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands, which have been

expanded by coral dredging; North Island (Akau) and East Island

(Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging; the

egg-shaped reef is 34 km in circumference; closed to the public; a

former US nuclear weapons test site; site of now-closed Johnston

Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System (JACADS); most facilities

dismantled and cleanup complete in 2004; some low-growing vegetation

Jordan

strategic location at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba and as

the Arab country that shares the longest border with Israel and the

occupied West Bank

Juan de Nova Island

wildlife sanctuary

Kazakhstan

landlocked; Russia leases approximately 6,000 sq km of

territory enclosing the Baykonur Cosmodrome; in January 2004,

Kazakhstan and Russia extended the lease to 2050

Kenya

the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful

agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers are found on

Mount Kenya, Africa's second highest peak; unique physiography

supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic

value

Kingman Reef

barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; closed to

the public

Kiribati

21 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean Island)

in Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the

Pacific Ocean - the others are Makatea in French Polynesia, and Nauru

Korea, North

strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and

Russia; mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated

Korea, South

strategic location on Korea Strait

Kuwait

strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

Kyrgyzstan

landlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien

Shan range; many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes

Laos

landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly

forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western

boundary with Thailand

Latvia

most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains,

with some hills in the east

Lebanon

Nahr el Litani is the only major river in Near East not

crossing an international boundary; rugged terrain historically

helped isolate, protect, and develop numerous factional groups based

on religion, clan, and ethnicity

Lesotho

landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa;

mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea

level

Liberia

facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by

lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland

grassy plateau supports limited agriculture

Libya

more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert

Liechtenstein

along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly

landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic

variations based on elevation

Lithuania

fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that

are ancient glacial deposits

Luxembourg

landlocked; the only Grand Duchy in the world

Macau

essentially urban; an area of land reclaimed from the sea

measuring 5.2 sq km and known as Cotai now connects the islands of

Coloane and Taipa; the island area is connected to the mainland

peninsula by three bridges

Macedonia

landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and

Central Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe

Madagascar

world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along

Mozambique Channel

Malawi

landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's

most prominent physical feature

Malaysia

strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern

South China Sea

Maldives

1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited

islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); archipelago with

strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean

Mali

landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern,

cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and the

northern, arid Saharan

Malta

the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three

largest islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino)

being inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors; Malta and

Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the

continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil

exploration

Marshall Islands

Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test

sites; Kwajalein, the famous World War II battleground, is used as a

US missile test range; island city of Ebeye is the second largest

settlement in the Marshall Islands, after the capital of Majuro, and

one of the most densely populated locations in the Pacific

Mauritania

most of the population concentrated in the cities of

Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the

southern part of the country

Mauritius

the main island, from which the country derives its name,

is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral

reefs

Mayotte

part of Comoro Archipelago; 18 islands

Mexico

strategic location on southern border of US; corn (maize),

one of the world's major grain crops, is thought to have originated

in Mexico

Micronesia, Federated States of

four major island groups totaling

607 islands

Midway Islands

a coral atoll managed as a national wildlife refuge

and open to the public for wildlife-related recreation in the form

of wildlife observation and photography, sport fishing, snorkeling,

and scuba diving; the refuge is temporarily closed for

reorganization at present (2004)

Moldova

landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and

minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone

Monaco

second-smallest independent state in the world (after Holy

See); almost entirely urban

Mongolia

landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia

Montenegro

strategic location along the Adriatic coast

Montserrat

the island is entirely volcanic in origin and comprised

of three major volcanic centers of differing ages

Morocco

strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar

Mozambique

the Zambezi flows through the north-central and most

fertile part of the country

Namibia

first country in the world to incorporate the protection of

the environment into its constitution; some 14% of the land is

protected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip

Nauru

Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the

Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and

Makatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator

Navassa Island

strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base

at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock but with enough

grassland to support goat herds; dense stands of fig-like trees,

scattered cactus

Nepal

landlocked; strategic location between China and India;

contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest

and Kanchenjunga - the world's tallest and third tallest - on the

borders with China and India respectively

Netherlands

located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine,

Maas or Meuse, and Schelde)

Netherlands Antilles

the five islands of the Netherlands Antilles

are divided geographically into the Leeward Islands (northern) group

(Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten) and the Windward Islands

(southern) group (Bonaire and Curacao)

New Caledonia

consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of

the largest in the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute,

and numerous small, sparsely populated islands and atolls

New Zealand

about 80% of the population lives in cities; Wellington

is the southernmost national capital in the world

Nicaragua

largest country in Central America; contains the largest

freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua

Niger

landlocked; one of the hottest countries in the world;

northern four-fifths is desert, southern one-fifth is savanna,

suitable for livestock and limited agriculture

Nigeria

the Niger enters the country in the northwest and flows

southward through tropical rain forests and swamps to its delta in

the Gulf of Guinea

Niue

one of world's largest coral islands

Norfolk Island

most of the 32 km coastline consists of almost

inaccessible cliffs, but the land slopes down to the sea in one

small southern area on Sydney Bay, where the capital of Kingston is

situated

Northern Mariana Islands

strategic location in the North Pacific

Ocean

Norway

about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much

indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air

routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and longest coastlines

in the world

Oman

strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of

Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

Pacific Ocean

the major chokepoints are the Bering Strait, Panama

Canal, Luzon Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator divides

the Pacific Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific

Ocean; dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in

the southwestern Pacific Ocean

Pakistan

controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion

routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent

Palau

westernmost archipelago in the Caroline chain, consists of six

island groups totaling more than 300 islands; includes World War II

battleground of Beliliou (Peleliu) and world-famous rock islands

Palmyra Atoll

about 50 islets covered with dense vegetation, coconut

trees, and balsa-like trees up to 30 meters tall

Panama

strategic location on eastern end of isthmus forming land

bridge connecting North and South America; controls Panama Canal

that links North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific

Ocean

Papua New Guinea

shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of

world's largest swamps along southwest coast

Paracel Islands

composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs

divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent

Group

Paraguay

landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil;

population concentrated in southern part of country

Peru

shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable

lake, with Bolivia; a remote slope of Nevado Mismi, a 5,316 m peak,

is the ultimate source of the Amazon River

Philippines

the Philippine archipelago is made up of 7,107 islands;

favorably located in relation to many of Southeast Asia's main water

bodies: the South China Sea, Philippine Sea, Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea,

and Luzon Strait

Pitcairn Islands

Britain's most isolated dependency; only the larger

island of Pitcairn is inhabited but it has no port or natural

harbor; supplies must be transported by rowed longboat from larger

ships stationed offshore

Poland

historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and

the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain

Portugal

Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along

western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

Puerto Rico

important location along the Mona Passage - a key

shipping lane to the Panama Canal; San Juan is one of the biggest

and best natural harbors in the Caribbean; many small rivers and

high central mountains ensure land is well watered; south coast

relatively dry; fertile coastal plain belt in north

Qatar

strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major

petroleum deposits

Romania

controls most easily traversable land route between the

Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine

Russia

largest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably

located in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite its

size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either

too cold or too dry) for agriculture; Mount El'brus is Europe's

tallest peak

Rwanda

landlocked; most of the country is savanna grassland with the

population predominantly rural

Saint Helena

Saint Helena harbors at least 40 species of plants

unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground

for sea turtles and sooty terns; Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da

Cunha is the highest island mountain in the South Atlantic and a

prominent landmark on the sea lanes around southern Africa

Saint Kitts and Nevis

with coastlines in the shape of a baseball bat

and ball, the two volcanic islands are separated by a three-km-wide

channel called The Narrows; on the southern tip of long, baseball

bat-shaped Saint Kitts lies the Great Salt Pond; Nevis Peak sits in

the center of its almost circular namesake island and its ball shape

complements that of its sister island

Saint Lucia

the twin Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton), striking

cone-shaped peaks south of Soufriere, are one of the scenic natural

highlights of the Caribbean

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

vegetation scanty

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is comprised of 32 islands and cays

Samoa

occupies an almost central position within Polynesia

San Marino

landlocked; smallest independent state in Europe after

the Holy See and Monaco; dominated by the Apennines

Sao Tome and Principe

the smallest country in Africa; the two main

islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both are

fairly mountainous

Saudi Arabia

extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea

provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through

Persian Gulf and Suez Canal

Senegal

westernmost country on the African continent; The Gambia is

almost an enclave within Senegal

Serbia

controls one of the major land routes from Western Europe to

Turkey and the Near East

Seychelles

41 granitic and about 75 coralline islands

Sierra Leone

rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches)

a year, making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western

Africa

Singapore

focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes

Slovakia

landlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous;

the Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic

lakes and valleys

Slovenia

despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country

controls some of Europe's major transit routes

Solomon Islands

strategic location on sea routes between the South

Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea

Somalia

strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern

approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal

South Africa

South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost

completely surrounds Swaziland

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

the north coast of

South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage;

reindeer, introduced early in the 20th century, live on South Georgia

Southern Ocean

the major chokepoint is the Drake Passage between

South America and Antarctica; the Polar Front (Antarctic

Convergence) is the best natural definition of the northern extent

of the Southern Ocean; it is a distinct region at the middle of the

Antarctic Circumpolar Current that separates the very cold polar

surface waters to the south from the warmer waters to the north; the

Front and the Current extend entirely around Antarctica, reaching

south of 60 degrees south near New Zealand and near 48 degrees south

in the far South Atlantic coinciding with the path of the maximum

westerly winds

Spain

strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

Spratly Islands

strategically located near several primary shipping

lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small

islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs

Sri Lanka

strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes

Sudan

largest country in Africa; dominated by the Nile and its

tributaries

Suriname

smallest independent country on South American continent;

mostly tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora and fauna

that, for the most part, is increasingly threatened by new

development; relatively small population, mostly along the coast

Svalbard

northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of

nine main islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total

area; site of future seed repository under construction by the

Global Crop Diversity Trust and the Norwegian Government

Swaziland

landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

Sweden

strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and

North Seas

Switzerland

landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe;

along with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern

Austria, has the highest elevations in the Alps

Syria

there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites

in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 2005 est.)

Taiwan

strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the

Luzon Strait

Tajikistan

landlocked; mountainous region dominated by the

Trans-Alay Range in the north and the Pamirs in the southeast;

highest point, Qullai Ismoili Somoni (formerly Communism Peak), was

the tallest mountain in the former USSR

Tanzania

Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa; bordered by three

of the largest lakes on the continent: Lake Victoria (the world's

second-largest freshwater lake) in the north, Lake Tanganyika (the

world's second deepest) in the west, and Lake Nyasa in the southwest

Thailand

controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore

Togo

the country's length allows it to stretch through six distinct

geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna

Tokelau

consists of three atolls, each with a lagoon surrounded by a

number of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over

three meters above sea level

Tonga

archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited)

Trinidad and Tobago

Pitch Lake, on Trinidad's southwestern coast, is

the world's largest natural reservoir of asphalt

Tromelin Island

climatologically important location for forecasting

cyclones; wildlife sanctuary (seabirds, tortoises)

Tunisia

strategic location in central Mediterranean; Malta and

Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the

continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil

exploration

Turkey

strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus,

Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link Black and Aegean Seas; Mount

Ararat, the legendary landing place of Noah's Ark, is in the far

eastern portion of the country

Turkmenistan

landlocked; the western and central low-lying, desolate

portions of the country make up the great Garagum (Kara-Kum) desert,

which occupies over 80% of the country; eastern part is plateau

Turks and Caicos Islands

about 40 islands (eight inhabited)

Tuvalu

one of the smallest and most remote countries on Earth; six

of the coral atolls - Nanumea, Nui, Vaitupu, Nukufetau, Funafuti,

and Nukulaelae - have lagoons open to the ocean; Nanumaya and Niutao

have landlocked lagoons; Niulakita does not have a lagoon

Uganda

landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and

rivers

Ukraine

strategic position at the crossroads between Europe and

Asia; second-largest country in Europe

United Arab Emirates

strategic location along southern approaches to

Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

United Kingdom

lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km

from France and linked by tunnel under the English Channel; because

of heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km from

tidal waters

United States

world's third-largest country by size (after Russia

and Canada) and by population (after China and India); Mt. McKinley

is highest point in North America and Death Valley the lowest point

on the continent

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Baker, Howland, and

Jarvis Islands: scattered vegetation consisting of grasses,

prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting,

roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine

wildlife

Johnston Atoll: Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands,

which have been expanded by coral dredging; North Island (Akau) and

East Island (Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging;

the egg-shaped reef is 34 km in circumference

Kingman Reef: barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; closed

to the public

Midway Islands: a coral atoll managed as a national wildlife refuge

and open to the public for wildlife-related recreation in the form

of wildlife observation and photography

Palmyra Atoll: the high rainfall and resulting lush vegetation make

the environment of this atoll unique among the US Pacific Island

territories; it supports one of the largest remaining undisturbed

stands of Pisonia beach forest in the Pacific

Uruguay

second-smallest South American country (after Suriname);

most of the low-lying landscape (three-quarters of the country) is

grassland, ideal for cattle and sheep raising

Uzbekistan

along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly

landlocked countries in the world

Vanuatu

a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller

islands; several of the islands have active volcanoes

Venezuela

on major sea and air routes linking North and South

America; Angel Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world's highest

waterfall

Vietnam

extending 1,650 km north to south, the country is only 50 km

across at its narrowest point

Virgin Islands

important location along the Anegada Passage - a key

shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best

natural deepwater harbors in the Caribbean

Wake Island

strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; emergency

landing location for transpacific flights

Wallis and Futuna

both island groups have fringing reefs

West Bank

landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel's

coastal aquifers; there are 242 West Bank settlements and 29 East

Jerusalem settlements in addition to at least 20 occupied outposts

(August 2005 est.)

Western Sahara

the waters off the coast are particularly rich

fishing areas

World

the world is now thought to be about 4.55 billion years old,

just about one-third of the 13-billion-year age estimated for the

universe

Yemen

strategic location on Bab el Mandeb, the strait linking the

Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, one of world's most active shipping

lanes

Zambia

landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary

with Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe

landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary

with Zambia; in full flood (February-April) the massive Victoria

Falls on the river forms the world's largest curtain of falling water

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2115 Political pressure groups and leaders

Afghanistan

Albania

Citizens Advocacy Office [Kreshnik SPAHIU]; Confederation of

Trade Unions of Albania or KSSH [Kastriot MUCO]; Front for Albanian

National Unification or FBKSH [Gafur ADILI]; Mjaft Movement [Erion

VELIAJ]; Omonia [Jani JANI]; Union of Independent Trade Unions of

Albania or BSPSH [Gezim KALAJA]

Algeria

The Algerian Human Rights League or LADH or LADDH [Yahia Ali

ABDENOUR]; SOS Disparus [Nacera DUTOUR]; Somoud [Ali MERABET]

American Samoa

NA

Andorra

NA

Angola

Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda or FLEC

[N'zita Henriques TIAGO, Antonio Bento BEMBE]

note: FLEC's small-scale, highly factionalized armed struggle for

the independence of Cabinda Province has largely ended

Anguilla

NA

Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua Trades and Labor Union or ATLU [William

ROBINSON]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Hugh MARSHALL]

Argentina

Argentine Association of Pharmaceutical Labs (CILFA);

Argentine Industrial Union (manufacturers' association); Argentine

Rural Confederation or CRA (small to medium landowners'

association); Argentine Rural Society (large landowners'

association); business organizations; Central of Argentine Workers

or CTA (a radical union for employed and unemployed workers);

General Confederation of Labor or CGT (Peronist-leaning umbrella

labor organization); Peronist-dominated labor movement; Piquetero

groups (popular protest organizations that can be either pro or

anti-government); Roman Catholic Church; students

Armenia

Yerkrapah Union [Manvel GRIGORIAN]

Aruba

NA

Austria

Austrian Trade Union Federation (nominally independent but

primarily Social Democratic) or OeGB; Federal Economic Chamber;

OeVP-oriented Association of Austrian Industrialists or IV; Roman

Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization, Catholic

Action; three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party or

OeVP representing business, labor, and farmers and other

non-government organizations in the areas of environment and human

rights

Azerbaijan

Sadval, Lezgin movement; self-proclaimed Armenian

Nagorno-Karabakh Republic; Talysh independence movement; Union of

Pro-Azerbaijani Forces (UPAF); Karabakh Liberation Organization

Bahamas, The

NA

Bahrain

Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically in 1994-97 and

have recently engaged in protests and sporadic violence, demanding

more power for the elected Council of Deputies to decrease

unemployment; Sunni Islamist legislators support a greater role for

shari'a in daily life; several small leftist and Islamic

fundamentalist groups are active

Bangladesh

NA

Barbados

Barbados Secondary Teachers' Union or BSTU [Patrick FROST];

Barbados Union of Teachers or BUT [Herbert GITTENS]; Congress of

Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados or CTUSAB, which

includes the BWU, NUPW, BUT, and BSTU [Leroy TROTMAN]; Barbados

Workers Union or BWU [Leroy TROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor Union

[David COMISSIONG]; National Union of Public Workers [Joseph GODDARD]

Belarus

Assembly of Pro-Democratic NGOs [Sergey MATSKEVICH];

Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions [Alyaksandr

YAROSHUK]; Belarusian Helsinki Committee [Tatiana PROTKO];

Belarusian Organization of Working Women [Irina ZHIKHAR]; Charter 97

[Andrey SANNIKOV]; Lenin Communist Union of Youth (youth wing of the

Belarusian Party of Communists or PKB); National Strike Committee of

Entrepreneurs [Aleksandr VASILYEV, Valery LEVONEVSKY]; Partnership

NGO [Nikolay ASTREYKA]; Perspektiva kiosk watchdog NGO [Anatol

SHUMCHENKO]; Vyasna [Ales BYALATSKY]; Women's Independent Democratic

Movement [Ludmila PETINA]; Youth Front (Malady Front) [Dzmitryy

DASHKEVICH, Syarhey BAKHUN]; Zubr youth group [Vladimir KOBETS]

Belgium

Christian, Socialist, and Liberal Trade Unions; Federation

of Belgian Industries; numerous other associations representing

bankers, manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the legal and

medical professions; various organizations represent the cultural

interests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such as Pax

Christi and groups representing immigrants

Belize

Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR

[Adele CATZIM]

Benin

NA

Bermuda

Bermuda Employer's Union [Eddie SAINTS]; Bermuda Industrial

Union or BIU [Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services Union or

BPSU [Ed BALL]; Bermuda Union of Teachers [Michael CHARLES]

Bhutan

Buddhist clergy; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading

militant antigovernment campaign; Indian merchant community; United

Front for Democracy (exiled)

Bolivia

Cocalero groups; indigenous organizations; labor unions;

Sole Confederation of Campesino Workers of Bolivia or CSUTCB [Roman

LOAYZA]

Bosnia and Herzegovina

NA

Botswana

NA

Brazil

Landless Worker's Movement; labor unions and federations;

large farmers' associations; religious groups including evangelical

Christian churches and the Catholic Church

British Virgin Islands

NA

Brunei

NA

Bulgaria

Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria or

CITUB; Podkrepa Labor Confederation; numerous regional, ethnic, and

national interest groups with various agendas

Burkina Faso

Burkinabe General Confederation of Labor or CGTB;

Burkinabe Movement for Human Rights or MBDHP; Group of 14 February;

National Confederation of Burkinabe Workers or CNTB; National

Organization of Free Unions or ONSL; watchdog/political action

groups throughout the country in both organizations and communities

Burma

Ethnic Nationalities Council or ENC (based in Thailand);

Federation of Trade Unions-Burma or FTUB (exile trade union and

labor advocates); National Coalition Government of the Union of

Burma or NCGUB (self-proclaimed government in exile) ["Prime

Minister" Dr. SEIN WIN] consists of individuals, some legitimately

elected to the People's Assembly in 1990 (the group fled to a border

area and joined insurgents in December 1990 to form parallel

government in exile); Kachin Independence Organization or KIO; Karen

National Union or KNU; Karenni National People's Party or KNPP;

National Council-Union of Burma or NCUB (exile coalition of

opposition groups); several Shan factions; United Wa State Army or

UWSA; Union Solidarity and Development Association or USDA

(pro-regime, a social and political mass-member organization) [HTAY

OO, general secretary]; 88 Generation Students (pro-democracy

movement) [MIN KO]

Burundi

none

Cambodia

NA

Cameroon

Southern Cameroon National Council [Ayamba Ette OTUN];

Human Rights Defense Group [Albert MUKONG, president]

Canada

NA

Cape Verde

NA

Cayman Islands

NA

Central African Republic

NA

Chad

NA

Chile

revitalized university student federations at all major

universities; Roman Catholic Church; United Labor Central or CUT

includes trade unionists from the country's five largest labor

confederations

China

no substantial political opposition groups exist, although the

government has identified the Falungong spiritual movement and the

China Democracy Party as subversive groups

Christmas Island

none

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

none

Colombia

two largest insurgent groups active in Colombia -

Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC and National

Liberation Army or ELN

Comoros

NA

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

NA

Congo, Republic of the

Congolese Trade Union Congress or CSC;

General Union of Congolese Pupils and Students or UGEEC;

Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women or URFC; Union of Congolese

Socialist Youth or UJSC

Cook Islands

NA

Costa Rica

Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD

(Communist Party affiliate); Chamber of Coffee Growers; Confederated

Union of Workers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate); Costa Rican

Confederation of Democratic Workers or CCTD (Liberation Party

affiliate); Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP; National

Association for Economic Development or ANFE; National Association

of Educators or ANDE; Rerum Novarum or CTRN (PLN affiliate) [Gilbert

BROWN]

Cote d'Ivoire

Federation of University and High School Students of

Cote d'Ivoire or FESCI [Serges KOFFI]; Rally of Houphouetists for

Democracy and Peace or RHDP [Alphonse DJEDJE MADY]; Young Patriots

[Charles BLE GOUDE]

Croatia

NA

Cuba

NA

Cyprus

Confederation of Cypriot Workers or SEK (pro-West);

Confederation of Revolutionary Labor Unions or Dev-Is; Federation of

Turkish Cypriot Labor Unions or Turk-Sen; Pan-Cyprian Labor

Federation or PEO (Communist controlled)

Czech Republic

Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions or CMKOS

[Milan STECH]

Denmark

NA

Djibouti

Union for Presidential Majority UMP (coalition includes

RPP, FRUD, PPSD and PND); Union for Democratic Changeover or UAD

(opposition coalition includes ARD, MRDD, UDJ, and PDD) [Ahmed Dini

AHMED]

Dominica

Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party)

Dominican Republic

Citizen Participation Group (Participacion

Ciudadania); Collective of Popular Organizations or COP; Foundation

for Institution-Building and Justice (FINJUS)

Ecuador

Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador or

CONAIE [Luis MACAS, president]; Coordinator of Social Movements or

CMS [F. Napoleon SANTOS]; Federation of Indigenous Evangelists of

Ecuador or FEINE [Marco MURILLO, president]; National Federation of

Indigenous Afro-Ecuatorianos and Peasants or FENOCIN [Pedro DE LA

CRUZ, president]

Egypt

despite a constitutional ban against religious-based parties,

the technically illegal Muslim Brotherhood constitutes Hosni

MUBARAK's potentially most significant political opposition; MUBARAK

tolerated limited political activity by the Brotherhood for his

first two terms, but moved more aggressively since then to block its

influence; civic society groups are sanctioned, but constrained in

practical terms; trade unions and professional associations are

officially sanctioned

El Salvador

labor organizations - Electrical Industry Union of El

Salvador or SIES; Federation of the Construction Industry, Similar

Transport and other activities, or FESINCONTRANS; National

Confederation of Salvadoran Workers or CNTS; National Union of

Salvadoran Workers or UNTS; Port Industry Union of El Salvador or

SIPES; Salvadoran Union of Ex-Petrolleros and Peasant Workers or

USEPOC; Salvadoran Workers Central or CTS; Workers Union of

Electrical Corporation or STCEL; business organizations - National

Association of Small Enterprise or ANEP; Salvadoran Assembly

Industry Association or ASIC; Salvadoran Industrial Association or

ASI

Equatorial Guinea

NA

Eritrea

Eritrean Islamic Jihad or EIJ (also including Eritrean

Islamic Jihad Movement or EIJM (also known as the Abu Sihel

Movement)); Eritrean Islamic Salvation or EIS (also known as the

Arafa Movement); Eritrean Liberation Front or ELF [ABDULLAH

Muhammed]; Eritrean National Alliance or ENA (a coalition including

EIJ, EIS, ELF, and a number of ELF factions) [HERUY Tedla Biru];

Eritrean Public Forum or EPF [ARADOM Iyob]

Estonia

NA

Ethiopia

Ethiopian People's Patriotic Front or EPPF; Ogaden National

Liberation Front or ONLF; Oromo Liberation Front or OLF [DAOUD Ibsa]

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

none

Faroe Islands

NA

Fiji

NA

France

historically-Communist labor union (Confederation Generale du

Travail) or CGT, approximately 700,000 members (claimed);

left-leaning labor union (Confederation Francaise Democratique du

Travail) or CFDT, approximately 889,000 members (claimed);

independent labor union (Confederation Generale du Travail - Force

Ouvriere) or FO, 300,000 members (est.); independent white-collar

union (Confederation Generale des Cadres) or CGC, 196,000 members

(claimed); employers' union (Mouvement des Entreprises de France) or

MEDEF, 750,000 companies as members (claimed)

French Guiana: NA

Guadeloupe: Christian Movement for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or

KLPG; General Federation of Guadeloupe Workers or CGT-G; General

Union of Guadeloupe Workers or UGTG; Movement of Independent

Guadeloupe or MPGI; The Socialist Renewal Movement

Martinique: Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance or ARC; Central Union

for Martinique Workers or CSTM [Marc PULVAR]; Frantz Fanon Circle;

League of Workers and Peasants; Proletarian Action Group or GAP

Reunion: NA

French Polynesia

NA

Gabon

NA

Gambia, The

NA

Georgia

Georgian independent deputies from Abkhaz government in

exile; separatists in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South

Ossetia

Germany

business associations and employers' organizations;

religious, trade unions, immigrant, expellee, and veterans groups

Ghana

NA

Gibraltar

Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives

Organization; Women's Association

Greece

General Confederation of Greek Workers or GSEE [Khristos

POLYZOGOPOULOS]; Federation of Greek Industries or SEV [Odysseas

KYRIAKOPOULOS]; Civil Servants Confederation or ADEDY [Spyros

PAPASPYROS]

Greenland

NA

Grenada

NA

Guam

NA

Guatemala

Agrarian Owners Group or UNAGRO; Alliance Against Impunity

or AAI; Committee for Campesino Unity or CUC; Coordinating Committee

of Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations

or CACIF; Mutual Support Group or GAM

Guernsey

none

Guinea

Labor Union of Guinean Workers - National Confederation of

Guinean Workers or USTG-NCTG Alliance [Ibrahima FOFANA]; Student and

teacher unions

Guinea-Bissau

NA

Guyana

Amerindian People's Association; Guyana Citizens Initiative;

Guyana Bar Association; Guyana Human Rights Association; Guyana

Public Service Union or GPSU; Private Sector Commission; Trades

Union Congress

Haiti

Autonomous Organizations of Haitian Workers or CATH [Fignole

ST-CYR]; Confederation of Haitian Workers or CTH; Federation of

Workers Trade Unions or FOS; General Organization of Independent

Haitian Workers [Patrick NUMAS]; Grand-Anse Resistance Committee, or

KOREGA; National Popular Assembly or APN; Papaye Peasants Movement

or MPP [Chavannes JEAN-BAPTISTE]; Popular Organizations Gathering

Power or PROP; Roman Catholic Church; Protestant Federation of Haiti

Holy See (Vatican City)

none (exclusive of influence exercised by

church officers)

Honduras

Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras or

CODEH; Confederation of Honduran Workers or CTH; Coordinating

Committee of Popular Organizations or CCOP; General Workers

Confederation or CGT; Honduran Council of Private Enterprise or

COHEP; National Association of Honduran Campesinos or ANACH;

National Union of Campesinos or UNC; Popular Bloc or BP; United

Confederation of Honduran Workers or CUTH

Hong Kong

Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese

Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Confederation of Trade

Unions or CTU (pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek, president; LEE

Cheuk-yan, general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries;

Federation of Trade Unions or FTU (pro-China) [CHENG Yiu-tong,

executive councilor]; Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic

Democratic Movement in China [Szeto WAH, chairman]; Hong Kong and

Kowloon Trade Union Council (pro-Taiwan); Hong Kong General Chamber

of Commerce; Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union [CHEUNG

Man-kwong, president]; Neighborhood and Workers' Service Center or

NWSC (pro-democracy); The Alliance [Bernard CHAN, exco member]

Hungary

NA

Iceland

NA

India

numerous religious or militant/chauvinistic organizations,

including Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, and Rashtriya

Swayamsevak Sangh; various separatist groups seeking greater

communal and/or regional autonomy, including the All Parties

Hurriyat Conference in the Kashmir Valley and the National Socialist

Council of Nagaland in the Northeast

Indonesia

NA

Iran

political pressure groups conduct most of Iran's political

activities; groups that generally support the Islamic Republic

include Ansar-e Hizballah, Muslim Students Following the Line of the

Imam, Tehran Militant Clergy Association (Ruhaniyat), Islamic

Coalition Party (Motalefeh), and Islamic Engineers Society; active

pro-reform student groups include the Office of Strengthening Unity

(OSU); opposition groups include Freedom Movement of Iran, the

National Front, Marz-e Por Gohar, and various ethnic and Monarchist

organizations; armed political groups that have been almost

completely repressed by the government include Mujahidin-e Khalq

Organization (MEK), People's Fedayeen, Democratic Party of Iranian

Kurdistan, and Komala

Iraq

an insurgency against the Government of Iraq and Coalition

forces is primarily concentrated in Baghdad and in areas north,

northeast, and west of the capital; the diverse, multigroup

insurgency consists principally of Sunni Arabs whose only common

denominator is a shared desire to oust the Coalition and end US

influence in Iraq; a number of predominantly Shia militias, some of

which are associated with political parties, challenge governmental

authority in Baghdad and southern Iraq

Ireland

NA

Isle of Man

none

Israel

Israeli nationalists advocating Jewish settlement on the West

Bank and Gaza Strip; Peace Now [Yariv OPPENHEIMER, Secretary

General]supports territorial concessions in the West Bank and Gaza

Strip; Yesha Council of Settlements [Bentzi LIEBERMAN, Chairman]

promotes settler interests and opposes territorial compromise;

B'Tselem monitors human rights abuses

Italy

Italian manufacturers and merchants associations

(Confindustria, Confcommercio); organized farm groups

(Confcoltivatori, Confagricoltura); Roman Catholic Church; three

major trade union confederations (Confederazione Generale Italiana

del Lavoro or CGIL [Guglielmo EPIFANI] which is left wing,

Confederazione Italiana dei Sindacati Lavoratori or CISL [Savino

PEZZOTTA], which is Roman Catholic centrist, and Unione Italiana del

Lavoro or UIL [Luigi ANGELETTI] which is lay centrist)

Jamaica

New Beginnings Movement or NBM; Rastafarians (black

religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists)

Japan

NA

Jersey

none

Jordan

Anti-Normalization Committee [Ali Abu SUKKAR, president vice

chairman]; Jordan Bar Association [Hussein Mujalli, chairman];

Jordanian Press Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president]; Muslim

Brotherhood [Salem AL-FALAHAT, controller general]

Kazakhstan

Adil-Soz [Tamara KALEYEVA]; Almaty Helsinki Group [Ninel

FOKINA]; Confederation of Free Trade Unions [Sergei BELKIN]; For a

Just Kazakhstan [Bolat ABILOV]; For Fair Elections [Yevgeniy

ZHOVTIS, Sabit ZHUSUPOV, Sergey DUVANOV, Ibrash NUSUPBAYEV];

Kazakhstan International Bureau on Human Rights [Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS,

executive director]; Pan-National Social Democratic Party of

Kazakhstan [Zharmakhan TUYAKBAI]; Pensioners Movement or Pokoleniye

[Irina SAVOSTINA, chairwoman]; Republican Network of International

Monitors [Dos KUSHIM]; Transparency International [Sergei ZLOTNIKOV]

Kenya

human rights groups; labor unions; Muslim organizations;

National Convention Executive Council or NCEC, a proreform coalition

of political parties and nongovernment organizations [Ndung'u

WAINANA]; Protestant National Council of Churches of Kenya or NCCK

[Mutava MUSYIMI]; Roman Catholic and other Christian churches;

Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims or SUPKEM [Shaykh Abdul Gafur

al-BUSAIDY]

Kiribati

NA

Korea, North

none

Korea, South

Federation of Korean Industries; Federation of Korean

Trade Unions; Korean Confederation of Trade Unions; Korean National

Council of Churches; Korean Traders Association; Korean Veterans'

Association; National Council of Labor Unions; National Democratic

Alliance of Korea; National Federation of Farmers' Associations;

National Federation of Student Associations

Kuwait

a number of political groups act as de facto parties; several

legislative blocs operate in the National Assembly: tribal groups,

merchants, Shi'a activists, Islamists, and secular liberals; in

mid-2006, a coalition of Islamists, liberals, and Shia campaigned

successfully for electoral reform to reduce corruption

Kyrgyzstan

Adilet Legal Clinic [Cholpon JAKUPOVA]; Coalition for

Democracy and Civil Society [Edil BAISALOV]; For Reforms [Omurbek

TEKEBAYEV and Almazbek ATAMBAYEV]; Interbilim [Asiya SASYKBAYEVA]

Laos

noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition

leaders fled the country in 1975

Latvia

Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools (SHTAB)

[Aleksandr KAZAKOV]

Lebanon

none

Lesotho

NA

Liberia

Demobilized former military officers

Libya

various Arab nationalist movements with almost negligible

memberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as some

Islamic elements; an anti-QADHAFI Libyan exile movement exists,

primarily based in London, but has little influence

Liechtenstein

NA

Lithuania

NA

Luxembourg

ABBL (bankers' association); ALEBA (financial sector

trade union); Centrale Paysanne (federation of agricultural

producers); CEP (professional sector chamber); CGFP (trade union

representing civil service); Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of

Commerce); Chambre des Metiers (Chamber of Artisans); FEDIL

(federation of industrialists); Greenpeace (environment protection);

LCGP (center-right trade union); Mouvement Ecologique (protection of

ecology); OGBL (center-left trade union)

Macau

NA

Macedonia

Federation of Free Trade Unions [Svetlana PETROVIC];

Federation of Trade Unions [Vanco MURATOVSKI]; World Macedonian

Congress [Todor PETROV]

Madagascar

Committee for the Defense of Truth and Justice or KMMR;

Committee for National Reconciliation or CRN [Albert Zafy]; National

Council of Christian Churches or FFKM

Malawi

NA

Malaysia

NA

Maldives

various unregistered political parties

Mali

Alliance for Democratic Change or ACD; Patriotic Movement of

the Ghanda Koye or MPGK; United Movement and Fronts of Azawad or MFUA

Malta

NA

Marshall Islands

NA

Mauritania

Arab nationalists; Ba'thists; General Confederation of

Mauritanian Workers or CGTM [Abdallahi Ould MOHAMED, secretary

general]; Independent Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CLTM

[Samory Ould BEYE]; Islamists; Mauritanian Workers Union or UTM

[Mohamed Ely Ould BRAHIM, secretary general]

Mauritius

various labor unions

Mayotte

NA

Mexico

Broad Progressive Front or FAP; Businessman's Coordinating

Council or CCE; Confederation of Employers of the Mexican Republic

or COPARMEX; Confederation of Industrial Chambers or CONCAMIN;

Confederation of Mexican Workers or CTM; Confederation of National

Chambers of Commerce or CONCANACO; Coordinator for Foreign Trade

Business Organizations or COECE; Federation of Unions Providing

Goods and Services or FESEBES; National Chamber of Transformation

Industries or CANACINTRA; National Peasant Confederation or CNC;

National Small Business Chamber or CANACOPE; National Syndicate of

Education Workers or SNTE; National Union of Workers or UNT; Popular

Assembly of the People of Oaxaca or APPO; Roman Catholic Church

Moldova

NA

Monaco

NA

Mongolia

NA

Montserrat

NA

Morocco

Democratic Confederation of Labor or CDT [Noubir AMAOUI];

General Union of Moroccan Workers or UGTM [Abderrazzak AFILAL];

Moroccan Employers Association or CGEM [Hassan CHAMI]; National

Labor Union of Morocco or UNMT [Abdelslam MAATI]; Union of Moroccan

Workers or UMT [Mahjoub BENSEDDIK]

Mozambique

Institute for Peace and Democracy (Instituto para Paz e

Democracia) or IPADE [Raul DOMINGOS, president]; Etica [Abdul CARIMO

Issa, chairman]; Movement for Peace and Citizenship (Movimento para

Paz e Cidadania); Mozambican League of Human Rights (Liga

Mocambicana dos Direitos Humanos) or LDH [Alice MABOTE, president];

Human Rights and Development (Direitos Humanos e Desenvolvimento) or

DHD [Artemisia FRANCO, secretary general]

Namibia

NA

Nauru

NA

Nepal

Maoist guerrilla-based insurgency [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL, a.k.a.

PRACHANDA, chairman; Dr. Baburam BHATTARAI, deputy]; numerous small,

left-leaning student groups in the capital; several small, radical

Nepalese antimonarchist groups

Netherlands

Netherlands Trade Union Federation or FNV (consisting of

a merger of Socialist and Catholic trade unions); Christian Trade

Union Federation or CNV; Trade Union Federation of Middle and High

Personnel or MHP; Federation of Catholic and Protestant Employers

Associations; Interchurch Peace Council or IKV; large multinational

firms; the nondenominational Federation of Netherlands Enterprises

Netherlands Antilles

Unions (AVBO) and Employers Association (VBC)

New Caledonia

NA

New Zealand

NA

Nicaragua

National Workers Front or FNT is a Sandinista umbrella

group of eight labor unions including - Farm Workers Association or

ATC, Health Workers Federation or FETASALUD, Heroes and Martyrs

Confederation of Professional Associations or CONAPRO, National

Association of Educators of Nicaragua or ANDEN, National Union of

Employees or UNE, National Union of Farmers and Ranchers or UNAG,

Sandinista Workers Central or CST, and Union of Journalists of

Nicaragua or UPN; Permanent Congress of Workers or CPT is an

umbrella group of four non-Sandinista labor unions including -

Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers Central or CTN-A, Confederation of

Labor Unification or CUS, Independent General Confederation of Labor

or CGT-I, and Labor Action and Unity Central or CAUS; Nicaraguan

Workers' Central or CTN is an independent labor union; Superior

Council of Private Enterprise or COSEP is a confederation of

business groups

Niger

Coalition Against a High Cost of Living [Nouhou ARZIKA]

Nigeria

NA

Niue

NA

Norfolk Island

none

Northern Mariana Islands

NA

Norway

NA

Oman

none

Pakistan

military remains most important political force; ulema

(clergy), landowners, industrialists, and small merchants also

influential

Palau

NA

Panama

Chamber of Commerce; National Civic Crusade; National Council

of Organized Workers or CONATO; National Council of Private

Enterprise or CONEP; National Union of Construction and Similar

Workers (SUNTRACS); Panamanian Association of Business Executives or

APEDE; Panamanian Industrialists Society or SIP; Workers

Confederation of the Republic of Panama or CTRP

Papua New Guinea

NA

Paraguay

Ahorristas Estafados or AE; National Coordinating Board of

Campesino Organizations or MCNOC [Luis AGUAYO]; National Federation

of Campesinos or FNC [Odilon ESPINOLA]; National Workers Central or

CNT [Secretary General Juan TORRALES]; Paraguayan Workers

Confederation or CPT; Roman Catholic Church; Unitary Workers Central

or CUT [Jorge Guzman ALVARENGA Malgarejo]

Peru

leftist guerrilla groups include Shining Path [Abimael GUZMAN

Reynoso (imprisoned), Gabriel MACARIO (top leader at-large)]; Tupac

Amaru Revolutionary Movement or MRTA [Victor POLAY (imprisoned),

Hugo AVALLENEDA Valdez (top leader at-large)]

Philippines

AKBAYAN [Reps. Etta ROSALES, Mario AGUJA, and Risa

HONTIVEROS-BARAQUIEL]; ALAGAD [Rep. Rodante MARROLITA]; ALIF [Rep.

Acmad TOMAWIS]; An Waray [Rep. Horencio NOEL]; Anak Mindanao [Mujiv

HATAMIN]; ANAKPAWIS [Reps. Crispin BELTRAN and Rafael MARIANO]; APEC

[Reps. Ernesto PABLO, Edgar VALDEZ]; Association of Philippine

Electric Cooperatives (APEC) [Reps. Edgar VALDEZ, Ernesto PABLO, and

Sunny Rose MADAMBA]; AVE [Rep. Eulogio MAGSAYSAY]; Bayan Muna [Reps.

Satur OCAMPO, Joel VIRADOR, and Teodoro CASINO, Jr.]; BUHAY [Reps.

Rene VELARDE and Hans Christian SENERES]; BUTIL [Rep. Benjamin

CRUZ]; CIBAC [Rep. Emmanuel Joel VILLANUEVA]; COOP-NATCO [Rep.

Guillermo CUA]; GABRIELA [Rep. Liza MAZA]; Partido Ng Manggagawa

[Rep. Renato MAGTUBO]; Veterans Federation of the Philippines [Rep.

Ernesto GIDAYA] (2006)

Pitcairn Islands

none

Poland

All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ (trade union) [Jan

GUZ]; Roman Catholic Church [Cardinal Jozef GLEMP]; Solidarity Trade

Union [Janusz SNIADEK]

Portugal

NA

Puerto Rico

Boricua Popular Army or EPB (a revolutionary group also

known as Los Macheteros); note - the following radical groups are

considered dormant by Federal law enforcement: Armed Forces for

National Liberation or FALN, Armed Forces of Popular Resistance,

Volunteers of the Puerto Rican Revolution

Qatar

none

Romania

various human rights and professional associations

Russia

NA

Rwanda

IBUKA - association of genocide survivors

Saint Helena

none

Saint Kitts and Nevis

NA

Saint Lucia

NA

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

NA

Samoa

NA

San Marino

NA

Sao Tome and Principe

NA

Saudi Arabia

none

Senegal

labor; Muslim brotherhoods; students; teachers

Seychelles

Roman Catholic Church; trade unions

Sierra Leone

trade unions and student unions

Singapore

NA

Slovakia

Federation of Employers' Associations of the Slovak

Republic; Association of Towns and Villages or ZMOS; Confederation

of Trade Unions or KOZ; National Union of Employers or RUZ; Slovak

Chamber of Commerce and Industry or SOPK; Entrepreneurs Association

of Slovakia or ZPS; The Business Alliance of Slovakia or PAS

Slovenia

NA

Solomon Islands

Isatabu Freedom Movement (IFM); Malaita Eagle Force

(MEF); note - these rival armed ethnic factions crippled the Solomon

Islands in a wave of violence from 1999 to 2003

Somalia

numerous clan and sub-clan factions are currently vying for

power; Supreme Council of Islamic Courts (SCIC)

South Africa

Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU

[Zwelinzima VAVI, general secretary]; South African Communist Party

or SACP [Blade NZIMANDE, general secretary]; South African National

Civics Organization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national

president]; note - COSATU and SACP are in a formal alliance with the

ANC

Spain

business and landowning interests; Catholic Church; free labor

unions (authorized in April 1977); Socialist General Union of

Workers or UGT and the smaller independent Workers Syndical Union or

USO; university students; Trade Union Confederation of Workers'

Commissions or CC.OO.

Sri Lanka

Buddhist clergy; labor unions; Liberation Tigers of Tamil

Eelam or LTTE [Velupillai PRABHAKARAN](insurgent group fighting for

a separate state); radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups such as the

National Movement Against Terrorism; Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups

Sudan

Umma Party [Sadiq al-MAHDI]; Popular Congress Party or PCP

[Hassan al-TURABI]

Suriname

Association of Indigenous Village Chiefs [Ricardo PANE];

Association of Saramaccan Authorities or Maroon [Head Captain WASE];

Women's Parliament Forum or PVF [Iris GILLIAD]

Swaziland

NA

Sweden

NA

Switzerland

NA

Syria

Damascus Declaration [Riyad SEIF, secretary general] (a broad

alliance of opposition groups including: Committee for Revival of

Civil Society [Michel KILO, Riyad SEIF]; Kurdish Democratic

Alliance; Kurdish Democratic Front; National Democratic Front;

Syrian Human Rights Society or HRAS [Fawed FAWUZ]); National

Salvation Front (alliance between former Vice President Abd al-Halim

KHADDAM, the SMB, and other small opposition groups); Syrian Muslim

Brotherhood or SMB [Sadr al-Din al-BAYANUNI]; (operates in exile in

London; endorsed the Damascus Declaration but is not an official

member)

Taiwan

Taiwan independence movement, various business and

environmental groups

note: debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the

mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization

and the increased representation of opposition parties in Taiwan's

legislature have opened public debate on the island's national

identity; a broad popular consensus has developed that the island

currently enjoys sovereign independence and - whatever the ultimate

outcome regarding reunification or independence - that Taiwan's

people must have the deciding voice; public opinion polls

consistently show a substantial majority of Taiwan people supports

maintaining Taiwan's status quo for the foreseeable future;

advocates of Taiwan independence oppose the stand that the island

will eventually unify with mainland China; goals of the Taiwan

independence movement include establishing a sovereign nation on

Taiwan and entering the UN; other organizations supporting Taiwan

independence include the World United Formosans for Independence and

the Organization for Taiwan Nation Building

Tajikistan

unregistered political parties: Agrarian Party

[Hikmatullo NASREDDINOV]; Party of Justice [Abdurahim KARIMOV];

People's Unity Party [Abdumalik ABDULLOJONOV]; Progressive Party

[Sulton QUVVATOV]; Socialist Party [Mirhuseyn NAZRIYEV]; note - this

is the SPT that was disbanded, another pro-government SPT (listed

above under political parties) replaced it; Unity Party [Hikmatullo

SAIDOV]

Tanzania

NA

Thailand

NA

Togo

NA

Tokelau

none

Tonga

Human Rights and Democracy Movement Tonga or HRDMT [Rev.

Simote VEA, chairman]; Public Servant's Association [Finau TUTONE]

Trinidad and Tobago

Jamaat-al Muslimeen [Yasin BAKR]

Tunisia

18 October Group [collective leadership]; Democratic Forum

for Labor and Liberties or FDTL [Mustapha Ben JAFAAR]; Tunisian

League for Human Rights or LTDH [Mokhtar TRIFI]; note - the Islamic

fundamentalist party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is outlawed

Turkey

Confederation of Public Sector Unions or KESK [Ismail Hakki

TOMBUL]; Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions or DISK

[Suleyman CELEBI]; Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's

Association or MUSIAD [Omer BOLAT]; Moral Rights Workers Union or

Hak-Is [Salim USLU]; Turkish Confederation of Employers' Unions or

TISK [Tugurl KUDATGOBILIK]; Turkish Confederation of Labor or

Turk-Is [Salih KILIC]; Turkish Confederation of Tradesmen and

Craftsmen or TESK [Dervis GUNDAY]; Turkish Industrialists' and

Businessmen's Association or TUSIAD [Omer SABANCI]; Turkish Union of

Chambers of Commerce and Commodity Exchanges or TOBB [M. Rifat

HISARCIKLIOGLU]

Turkmenistan

NA

Turks and Caicos Islands

NA

Tuvalu

none

Uganda

Popular Resistance Against a Life President or PRALP

Ukraine

Committee of Voters of Ukraine [Ihor POPOV]; Peoples'

Self-Defense [Yuriy LUTSENKO]; Ne Tak [Leonid KRAVCHUK]

United Arab Emirates

NA

United Kingdom

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament; Confederation of

British Industry; National Farmers' Union; Trades Union Congress

United States

NA

Uruguay

Architect's Society of Uruguay (professional organization);

Catholic Church; Chamber of Uruguayan Industries (manufacturer's

association); Chemist and Pharmaceutical Association (professional

organization); PIT-CNT (powerful federation of Uruguayan unions);

Rural Association of Uruguay (rancher's association); students;

Uruguayan Construction League

Uzbekistan

Agrarian and Entrepreneurs' Party [Marat ZAHIDOV]; Birlik

(Unity) Movement [Abdurakhim POLAT, chairman]; Committee for the

Protection of Human Rights [Marat ZAHIDOV]; Erk (Freedom) Democratic

Party [Muhammad SOLIH, chairman] was banned 9 December 1992; Ezgulik

Human Rights Society [Vasila INOYATOVA]; Free Farmers' Party or Ozod

Dehqonlar [Nigora KHIDOYATOVA]; Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan

[Talib YAKUBOV, chairman]; Independent Human Rights Organization of

Uzbekistan [Mikhail ARDZINOV, chairman]; Mazlum; Sunshine Coalition

[Sanjar UMAROV, chairman]

Vanuatu

NA

Venezuela

FEDECAMARAS, a conservative business group; VECINOS

groups; Venezuelan Confederation of Workers or CTV (labor

organization dominated by the Democratic Action)

Vietnam

8406 Bloc; Democratic Party of Vietnam or DPV; People's

Democratic Party Vietnam or PDP-VN; Alliance for Democracy; groups

advocate for democracy, are not recognized by government (2006)

Virgin Islands

NA

Wallis and Futuna

NA

Western Sahara

none

Yemen

NA

Zambia

NA

Zimbabwe

Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition [Wellington CHIBEBE]; National

Constitutional Assembly or NCA [Lovemore MADHUKU]; Zimbabwe Congress

of Trade Unions or ZCTU [Lovemore MATOMBO]

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2116 Economy - overview

Afghanistan

Afghanistan's economy is recovering from decades of

conflict. The economy has improved significantly since the fall of

the Taliban regime in 2001 largely because of the infusion of

international assistance, the recovery of the agricultural sector,

and service sector growth. Real GDP growth probably exceeded 8% in

2006. Despite the progress of the past few years, Afghanistan is

extremely poor, landlocked, and highly dependent on foreign aid,

agriculture, and trade with neighboring countries. Much of the

population continues to suffer from shortages of housing, clean

water, electricity, medical care, and jobs. Criminality, insecurity,

and the Afghan Government's inability to extend rule of law to all

parts of the country pose challenges to future economic growth. It

will probably take the remainder of the decade and continuing donor

aid and attention to significantly raise Afghanistan's living

standards from its current status, among the lowest in the world.

While the international community remains committed to Afghanistan's

development, pledging over $24 billion at three donors' conferences

since 2002, Kabul will need to overcome a number of challenges.

Expanding poppy cultivation and a growing opium trade generate

roughly $3 billion in illicit economic activity and looms as one of

Kabul's most serious policy concerns. Other long-term challenges

include: budget sustainability, job creation, corruption, government

capacity, and rebuilding war torn infrastructure.

Akrotiri

Economic activity is limited to providing services to the

military and their families located in Akrotiri. All food and

manufactured goods must be imported.

Albania

Lagging behind its Balkan neighbors, Albania is making the

difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. The

government has taken measures to curb violent crime and reduce the

large grey economy. The economy is bolstered by annual remittances

from abroad of $600-$800 million, mostly from Albanians residing in

Greece and Italy; this helps offset the towering trade deficit.

Agriculture, which accounts for about one-quarter of GDP, is held

back because of lack of modern equipment, unclear property rights,

and the prevalence of small, inefficient plots of land. Energy

shortages and antiquated and inadequate infrastructure contribute to

Albania's poor business environment, which make it difficult to

attract and sustain foreign investment. The planned construction of

a new thermal power plant near Vlore and improved transmission and

distribution facilities eventually will help relieve the energy

shortages. Also, the government is moving slowly to improve the poor

national road and rail network, a long-standing barrier to sustained

economic growth. On the positive side: growth was strong in 2003-06

and inflation is low and stable.

Algeria

The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the economy,

accounting for roughly 60% of budget revenues, 30% of GDP, and over

95% of export earnings. Algeria has the seventh-largest reserves of

natural gas in the world and is the second-largest gas exporter; it

ranks 14th in oil reserves. Sustained high oil prices in recent

years, along with macroeconomic policy reforms supported by the IMF,

have helped improve Algeria's financial and macroeconomic

indicators. Algeria is running substantial trade surpluses and

building up record foreign exchange reserves. Algeria has decreased

its external debt to less than 10% of GDP after repaying its Paris

Club and London Club debt in 2006. Real GDP has risen due to higher

oil output and increased government spending. The government's

continued efforts to diversify the economy by attracting foreign and

domestic investment outside the energy sector, however, has had

little success in reducing high unemployment and improving living

standards. Structural reform within the economy, such as development

of the banking sector and the construction of infrastructure, moves

ahead slowly hampered by corruption and bureaucratic resistance.

American Samoa

American Samoa has a traditional Polynesian economy

in which more than 90% of the land is communally owned. Economic

activity is strongly linked to the US with which American Samoa

conducts most of its foreign trade. Tuna fishing and tuna processing

plants are the backbone of the private sector, with canned tuna the

primary export. Transfers from the US Government add substantially

to American Samoa's economic well being. Attempts by the government

to develop a larger and broader economy are restrained by Samoa's

remote location, its limited transportation, and its devastating

hurricanes. Tourism is a promising developing sector.

Andorra

Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do economy,

accounts for more than 80% of GDP. An estimated 11.6 million

tourists visit annually, attracted by Andorra's duty-free status and

by its summer and winter resorts. Andorra's comparative advantage

has recently eroded as the economies of neighboring France and Spain

have been opened up, providing broader availability of goods and

lower tariffs. The banking sector, with its partial "tax haven"

status, also contributes substantially to the economy. Agricultural

production is limited - only 2% of the land is arable - and most

food has to be imported. The principal livestock activity is sheep

raising. Manufacturing output consists mainly of cigarettes, cigars,

and furniture. Andorra is a member of the EU Customs Union and is

treated as an EU member for trade in manufactured goods (no tariffs)

and as a non-EU member for agricultural products.

Angola

Angola's high growth rate is driven by its oil sector, with

record oil prices and rising petroleum production. Oil production

and its supporting activities contribute about half of GDP and 90%

of exports. Increased oil production supported 12% growth in 2004,

19% growth in 2005, and nearly 17% growth in 2006. A postwar

reconstruction boom and resettlement of displaced persons has led to

high rates of growth in construction and agriculture as well. Much

of the country's infrastructure is still damaged or undeveloped from

the 27-year-long civil war. Remnants of the conflict such as

widespread land mines still mar the countryside even though an

apparently durable peace was established after the death of rebel

leader Jonas SAVIMBI in February 2002. Subsistence agriculture

provides the main livelihood for half of the population, but half of

the country's food must still be imported. In 2005, the government

started using a $2 billion line of credit from China to rebuild

Angola's public infrastructure, and several large-scale projects

were completed in 2006. The central bank in 2003 implemented an

exchange rate stabilization program using foreign exchange reserves

to buy kwanzas out of circulation, a policy that was more

sustainable in 2005 because of strong oil export earnings, and has

significantly reduced inflation. Consumer inflation declined from

325% in 2000 to about 13% in 2006, but the stabilization policy

places pressure on international net liquidity. To fully take

advantage of its rich national resources - gold, diamonds, extensive

forests, Atlantic fisheries, and large oil deposits - Angola will

need to continue reforming government policies and to reduce

corruption. The government has made little progress on reforms

recommended by the IMF such as promoting greater transparency in

government spending and continues to be without a formal monitoring

agreement with the institution. Corruption, especially in the

extractive sectors, is a major challenge facing Angola.

Anguilla

Anguilla has few natural resources, and the economy depends

heavily on luxury tourism, offshore banking, lobster fishing, and

remittances from emigrants. Increased activity in the tourism

industry, which has spurred the growth of the construction sector,

has contributed to economic growth. Anguillan officials have put

substantial effort into developing the offshore financial sector,

which is small, but growing. In the medium term, prospects for the

economy will depend largely on the tourism sector and, therefore, on

revived income growth in the industrialized nations as well as on

favorable weather conditions.

Antarctica

Fishing off the coast and tourism, both based abroad,

account for Antarctica's limited economic activity. Antarctic

fisheries in 2003-04 (1 July-30 June) reported landing 136,262

metric tons (estimated fishing from the area covered by the

Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources

(CCAMLR), which extends slightly beyond the Antarctic Treaty area).

Unregulated fishing, particularly of Patagonian toothfish, is a

serious problem. The CCAMLR determines the recommended catch limits

for marine species. A total of 23,175 tourists visited in the

2004-05 Antarctic summer, up from the 19,486 visitors the previous

year. Nearly all of them were passengers on commercial

(nongovernmental) ships and several yachts that make trips during

the summer. Most tourist trips last approximately two weeks.

Antigua and Barbuda

Tourism continues to dominate the economy,

accounting for more than half of GDP. Weak tourist arrival numbers

since early 2000 have slowed the economy and pressed the government

into a tight fiscal corner. The dual-island nation's agricultural

production is focused on the domestic market and constrained by a

limited water supply and a labor shortage stemming from the lure of

higher wages in tourism and construction. Manufacturing comprises

enclave-type assembly for export with major products being bedding,

handicrafts, and electronic components. Prospects for economic

growth in the medium term will continue to depend on income growth

in the industrialized world, especially in the US, which accounts

for slightly more than one-third of tourist arrivals.

Arctic Ocean

Economic activity is limited to the exploitation of

natural resources, including petroleum, natural gas, fish, and seals.

Argentina

Argentina benefits from rich natural resources, a highly

literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a

diversified industrial base. Although one of the world's wealthiest

countries 100 years ago, Argentina suffered during most of the

twentieth century from recurring economic crises, persistent fiscal

and current account deficits, high inflation, mounting external

debt, and capital flight. Beginning in 1998, with external debt

equivalent to more than 400 percent of annual exports, economic

growth slowed and ultimately fell into a full-blown depression, as

investors' fears grew in the wake of Russia's debt default,

political discord caused by then-President Carlos MENEM's unpopular

efforts to run for a constitutionally prohibited third term, and

Brazil's devaluation. The government of Fernando DE LA RUA, elected

President in late 1999, tried several measures to cut the fiscal

deficit and instill confidence and received large IMF credit

facilities, but nothing worked to revive the economy. Depositors

began withdrawing money from the banks in late 2001, and the

government responded with strict limits on withdrawals. When street

protests turned deadly, DE LA RUA was forced to resign in December

2001. Interim President Adolfo Rodriguez SAA declared a default, the

largest in history, on Argentina's foreign debt, but he stepped down

only a few days later when he failed to garner political support

from the country's governors. Eduardo DUHALDE became President in

January 2002 and announced an end to the peso's decade-long 1-to-1

peg to the US dollar. When the peso depreciated and inflation rose,

DUHALDE's government froze utility tariffs indefinitely, curtailed

creditors' rights, and imposed high taxes on exports. The economy

rebounded strongly from the crisis, inflation started falling, and

DUHALDE called for special elections. Nestor KIRCHNER was elected

President, taking office in May 2003, and continued the restrictions

imposed by DUHALDE. With the reemergence of double-digit inflation

in 2005, the KIRCHNER administration pressured businesses into a

series of agreements to hold down prices. The government also

restructured its defaulted debt in 2005, convincing most bondholders

to accept a large cut on the value of their holdings, and paid off

its IMF obligations from reserves in full in early 2006, both of

which have reduced Argentina's external debt burden. Real GDP has

continued growing strongly, averaging 9 percent during the period

2003-2006, bolstering government revenues and keeping the fiscal

accounts-a key vulnerability in the past-in surplus.

Armenia

Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia had

developed a modern industrial sector, supplying machine tools,

textiles, and other manufactured goods to sister republics in

exchange for raw materials and energy. Since the implosion of the

USSR in December 1991, Armenia has switched to small-scale

agriculture away from the large agroindustrial complexes of the

Soviet era. The agricultural sector has long-term needs for more

investment and updated technology. The privatization of industry has

been at a slower pace, but has been given renewed emphasis by the

current administration. Armenia is a food importer, and its mineral

deposits (copper, gold, bauxite) are small. The ongoing conflict

with Azerbaijan over the ethnic Armenian-dominated region of

Nagorno-Karabakh and the breakup of the centrally directed economic

system of the former Soviet Union contributed to a severe economic

decline in the early 1990s. By 1994, however, the Armenian

Government had launched an ambitious IMF-sponsored economic

liberalization program that resulted in positive growth rates in

1995-2006. Armenia joined the WTO in January 2003. Armenia also has

managed to slash inflation, stabilize its currency, and privatize

most small- and medium-sized enterprises. Armenia's unemployment

rate, however, remains high, despite strong economic growth. The

chronic energy shortages Armenia suffered in the early and mid-1990s

have been offset by the energy supplied by one of its nuclear power

plants at Metsamor. Armenia is now a net energy exporter, although

it does not have sufficient generating capacity to replace Metsamor,

which is under international pressure to close. The electricity

distribution system was privatized in 2002 and bought by Russia's

RAO-UES in 2005. Armenia's severe trade imbalance has been offset

somewhat by international aid, remittances from Armenians working

abroad, and foreign direct investment. Economic ties with Russia

remain close, especially in the energy sector. The government made

some improvements in tax and customs administration in 2005, but

anti-corruption measures will be more difficult to implement.

Construction of a natural gas pipeline between Iran and Armenia has

been completed and it is scheduled to be commissioned by April 2007.

Investment in the construction and industrial sectors is expected to

continue in 2007 and will help to ensure annual average real GDP

growth of more than 10%.

Aruba

Tourism is the mainstay of the small, open Aruban economy,

with offshore banking and oil refining and storage also important.

The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has

resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Over 1.5

million tourists per year visit Aruba, with 75% of those from the

US. Construction continues to boom, with hotel capacity five times

the 1985 level. In addition, the reopening of the country's oil

refinery in 1993, a major source of employment and foreign exchange

earnings, has further spurred growth. Tourist arrivals have

rebounded strongly following a dip after the 11 September 2001

attacks. The island experiences only a brief low season, and hotel

occupancy in 2004 averaged 80%, compared to 68% throughout the rest

of the Caribbean. The government has made cutting the budget and

trade deficits a high priority.

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

no economic activity

Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean provides some of the world's most

heavily trafficked sea routes, between and within the Eastern and

Western Hemispheres. Other economic activity includes the

exploitation of natural resources, e.g., fishing, dredging of

aragonite sands (The Bahamas), and production of crude oil and

natural gas (Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and North Sea).

Australia

Australia has an enviable Western-style capitalist economy

with a per capita GDP on par with the four dominant West European

economies. Rising output in the domestic economy, robust business

and consumer confidence, and high export prices for raw materials

and agricultural products are fueling the economy. Australia's

emphasis on reforms, low inflation, and growing ties with China are

other key factors behind the economy's strength. The impact of

drought and strong import demand pushed the trade deficit up in

recent years, although the trade balance improved in 2006. Housing

prices probably peaked in 2005, diminishing the prospect that

interest rates would be raised to prevent a speculative bubble.

Conservative fiscal policies have kept Australia's budget in surplus

since 2002.

Austria

Austria, with its well-developed market economy and high

standard of living, is closely tied to other EU economies,

especially Germany's. The Austrian economy also benefits greatly

from strong commercial relations, especially in the banking and

insurance sectors, with central, eastern, and southeastern Europe.

The economy features a large service sector, a sound industrial

sector, and a small, but highly developed agricultural sector.

Membership in the EU has drawn an influx of foreign investors

attracted by Austria's access to the single European market and

proximity to the new EU economies. The outgoing government has

successfully pursued a comprehensive economic reform program, aimed

at streamlining government, creating a more competitive business

environment, further strengthening Austria's attractiveness as an

investment location, and implementing effective pension reforms;

however, lower taxes in 2005-2006 have lead to a small budget

deficit in 2006. Weak domestic consumption and slow growth in Europe

have held the economy to growth rates below 3% in 2002-05. Due to

higher growth across Europe, Austrian grew 3.3 percent in 2006. To

meet increased competition from both EU and Central European

countries, particularly the new EU members, Austria will need to

continue restructuring, emphasizing knowledge-based sectors of the

economy, and encouraging greater labor flexibility and greater labor

participation by its aging population.

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan's number one export is oil. Azerbaijan's oil

production declined through 1997, but has registered an increase

every year since. Negotiation of production-sharing arrangements

(PSAs) with foreign firms, which have thus far committed $60 billion

to long-term oilfield development, should generate the funds needed

to spur future industrial development. Oil production under the

first of these PSAs, with the Azerbaijan International Operating

Company, began in November 1997. A consortium of Western oil

companies began pumping 1 million barrels a day from a large

offshore field in early 2006, through a $4 billion pipeline it built

from Baku to Turkey's Mediterranean port of Ceyhan. Economists

estimate that by 2010 revenues from this project will double the

country's current GDP. Azerbaijan shares all the formidable problems

of the former Soviet republics in making the transition from a

command to a market economy, but its considerable energy resources

brighten its long-term prospects. Baku has only recently begun

making progress on economic reform, and old economic ties and

structures are slowly being replaced. Several other obstacles impede

Azerbaijan's economic progress: the need for stepped up foreign

investment in the non-energy sector, the continuing conflict with

Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, and the pervasive

corruption. Trade with Russia and the other former Soviet republics

is declining in importance while trade is building with Turkey and

the nations of Europe. Long-term prospects will depend on world oil

prices, the location of new pipelines in the region, and

Azerbaijan's ability to manage its oil wealth.

Bahamas, The

The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an

economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism

together with tourism-driven construction and manufacturing accounts

for approximately 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs half

of the archipelago's labor force. Steady growth in tourism receipts

and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences

had led to solid GDP growth in recent years, but the slowdown in the

US economy and the attacks of 11 September 2001 held back growth in

these sectors in 2001-03. The current government has presided over a

period of economic recovery and an upturn in large-scale private

sector investments in tourism. Financial services constitute the

second-most important sector of the Bahamian economy, accounting for

about 15% of GDP. However, since December 2000, when the government

enacted new regulations on the financial sector, many international

businesses have left The Bahamas. Manufacturing and agriculture

together contribute approximately a tenth of GDP and show little

growth, despite government incentives aimed at those sectors.

Overall growth prospects in the short run rest heavily on the

fortunes of the tourism sector, which depends on growth in the US,

the source of more than 80% of the visitors.

Bahrain

With its highly developed communication and transport

facilities, Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms with

business in the Gulf. Petroleum production and refining account for

about 60% of Bahrain's export receipts, 70% of government revenues,

and 20% of GDP, underpinning Bahrain's strong economic growth in

recent years. The financial and construction sectors have also

bolstered GDP growth. Bahrain is actively pursuing the

diversification and privatization of its economy to reduce the

country's dependence on oil. As part of this effort, Bahrain and the

US in August 2006 implemented a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the

first FTA between the US and a Gulf state. Unemployment, especially

among the young, and the depletion of oil and underground water

resources are major long-term economic problems.

Baker Island

no economic activity

Bangladesh

Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to

improve economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains a

poor, overpopulated, and inefficiently-governed nation. Although

more than half of GDP is generated through the service sector,

nearly two-thirds of Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture

sector, with rice as the single-most-important product. Major

impediments to growth include frequent cyclones and floods,

inefficient state-owned enterprises, inadequate port facilities, a

rapidly growing labor force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture,

delays in exploiting energy resources (natural gas), insufficient

power supplies, and slow implementation of economic reforms. Reform

is stalled in many instances by political infighting and corruption

at all levels of government. Progress also has been blocked by

opposition from the bureaucracy, public sector unions, and other

vested interest groups. The BNP government, led by Prime Minister

Khaleda ZIA, has the parliamentary strength to push through needed

reforms, but the party's political will to do so has been lacking in

key areas. On an encouraging note, growth has been a steady 5-6% for

the past several years.

Barbados

Historically, the Barbadian economy had been dependent on

sugarcane cultivation and related activities, but production in

recent years has diversified into light industry and tourism.

Offshore finance and information services are important foreign

exchange earners. The government continues its efforts to reduce

unemployment, to encourage direct foreign investment, and to

privatize remaining state-owned enterprises. The economy contracted

in 2002-03 mainly due to a decline in tourism. Growth was positive

in 2005-06, as economic conditions in the US and Europe moderately

improved.

Bassas da India

no economic activity

Belarus

Belarus's economy in 2006 posted more than 8% growth. The

government has succeeded in lowering inflation over the past several

years. Trade with Russia - by far its largest single trade partner -

decreased in 2006, largely as a result of a change in the way the

Value Added Tax (VAT) on trade was collected. Trade with European

countries increased. Belarus has seen little structural reform since

1995, when President LUKASHENKO launched the country on the path of

"market socialism." In keeping with this policy, LUKASHENKO

reimposed administrative controls over prices and currency exchange

rates and expanded the state's right to intervene in the management

of private enterprises. Since 2005, the government has

re-nationalized a number of private companies. In addition,

businesses have been subject to pressure by central and local

governments, e.g., arbitrary changes in regulations, numerous

rigorous inspections, retroactive application of new business

regulations, and arrests of "disruptive" businessmen and factory

owners. A wide range of redistributive policies has helped those at

the bottom of the ladder; the Gini coefficient is among the lowest

in the world. Because of these restrictive economic policies,

Belarus has had trouble attracting foreign investment, which remains

low. Growth has been strong in recent years, despite the roadblocks

in a tough, centrally directed economy with a high, but decreasing,

rate of inflation. Belarus receives heavily discounted oil and

natural gas from Russia and much of Belarus' growth can be

attributed to the re-export of Russian oil at market prices. This

growth will be threatened in 2007, however, when Russia raises

energy prices closer to world market prices for Belarus. Russia is

planning to increase Belarusian gas prices from $47 per thousand

cubic meters (tcm) to $200 per tcm and introduce a first-time export

duty of $180 per ton on oil shipped to Belarus.

Belgium

This modern, private-enterprise economy has capitalized on

its central geographic location, highly developed transport network,

and diversified industrial and commercial base. Industry is

concentrated mainly in the populous Flemish area in the north. With

few natural resources, Belgium must import substantial quantities of

raw materials and export a large volume of manufactures, making its

economy unusually dependent on the state of world markets. Roughly

three-quarters of its trade is with other EU countries. Public debt

is more than 90% of GDP. On the positive side, the government has

succeeded in balancing its budget, and income distribution is

relatively equal. Belgium began circulating the euro currency in

January 2002. Economic growth in 2001-03 dropped sharply because of

the global economic slowdown, with moderate recovery in 2004-06.

Belize

In this small, essentially private-enterprise economy the

tourism industry is the number one foreign exchange earner followed

by marine products, citrus, cane sugar, bananas, and garments. The

government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in

September 1998, led to sturdy GDP growth averaging nearly 4% in

1999-2006. Major concerns continue to be the sizable trade deficit

and unsustainable foreign debt. The government in 2006 announced it

would seek a restructuring of its sovereign debt and has been

negotiating with international creditors to find an acceptable

formula for doing so. A key short-term objective remains the

reduction of poverty with the help of international donors.

Benin

The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on

subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade.

Growth in real output has averaged around 5% in the past six years,

but rapid population growth has offset much of this increase.

Inflation has subsided over the past several years. In order to

raise growth still further, Benin plans to attract more foreign

investment, place more emphasis on tourism, facilitate the

development of new food processing systems and agricultural

products, and encourage new information and communication

technology. Many of these proposals were included in Benin's $307

million Millennium Challenge Account grant signed in February 2006.

The 2001 privatization policy continues in telecommunications,

water, electricity, and agriculture in spite of government

reluctance. The Paris Club and bilateral creditors have eased the

external debt situation, with Benin benefiting from a G8 debt

reduction announced in July 2005, while pressing for more rapid

structural reforms. Benin continues to be hurt by Nigerian trade

protection that bans imports of a growing list of products from

Benin and elsewhere, which has resulted in increased smuggling and

criminality in the border region.

Bermuda

Bermuda enjoys the highest per capita income in the world,

more than 50% higher than that of the US. Its economy is primarily

based on providing financial services for international business and

luxury facilities for tourists. A number of reinsurance companies

relocated to the island following 11 September 2001 and again after

Hurricane Katrina, contributing to the expansion of an already

robust international business sector. Bermuda's tourism industry -

which derives over 80% of its visitors from the US - continues to

struggle but remains the island's number two industry. Most capital

equipment and food must be imported. Bermuda's industrial sector is

small, although construction continues to be important; the average

cost of a house in June 2003 had risen to $976,000. Agriculture is

limited with only 20% of the land being arable.

Bhutan

The economy, one of the world's smallest and least developed,

is based on agriculture and forestry, which provide the main

livelihood for more than 80% of the population. Agriculture consists

largely of subsistence farming and animal husbandry. Rugged

mountains dominate the terrain and make the building of roads and

other infrastructure difficult and expensive. The economy is closely

aligned with India's through strong trade and monetary links and

dependence on India's financial assistance. The industrial sector is

technologically backward, with most production of the cottage

industry type. Most development projects, such as road construction,

rely on Indian migrant labor. Bhutan's hydropower potential and its

attraction for tourists are key resources. Model education, social,

and environment programs are underway with support from multilateral

development organizations. Each economic program takes into account

the government's desire to protect the country's environment and

cultural traditions. For example, the government, in its cautious

expansion of the tourist sector, encourages visits by upscale,

environmentally conscientious tourists. Detailed controls and

uncertain policies in areas like industrial licensing, trade, labor,

and finance continue to hamper foreign investment.

Bolivia

Bolivia, long one of the poorest and least developed Latin

American countries, reformed its economy after suffering a

disastrous economic crisis in the early 1980s. The reforms spurred

real GDP growth, which averaged 4% in the 1990s, and poverty rates

fell. Economic growth, however, lagged again beginning in 1999

because of a global slowdown and homegrown factors such as political

turmoil, civil unrest, and soaring fiscal deficits, all of which

hurt investor confidence. In 2003, violent protests against the

pro-foreign investment economic policies of President SANCHEZ DE

LOZADA led to his resignation and the cancellation of plans to

export Bolivia's newly discovered natural gas reserves to large

northern hemisphere markets. In 2005, the government passed a

controversial natural gas law that imposes on the oil and gas firms

significantly higher taxes as well as new contracts that give the

state control of their operations. Bolivian officials are in the

process of implementing the law; meanwhile, foreign investors have

stopped investing and have taken the first legal steps to secure

their investments. Real GDP growth in 2003-06 - helped by increased

demand for natural gas in neighboring Brazil - was positive, but

still below the levels seen during the 1990s. Bolivia's fiscal

position has improved in recent years, but the country remains

dependent on foreign aid from multilateral lenders and foreign

governments to meet budget shortfalls. In 2005, the G8 announced a

$2 billion debt-forgiveness plan over the next few decades that

should help reduce some fiscal pressures on the government in the

near term.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina ranked next to

Macedonia as the poorest republic in the old Yugoslav federation.

Although agriculture is almost all in private hands, farms are small

and inefficient, and the republic traditionally is a net importer of

food. Industry remains greatly overstaffed, a holdover from the

socialist economic structure of Yugoslavia. TITO had pushed the

development of military industries in the republic with the result

that Bosnia was saddled with a host of industrial firms with little

commercial potential. The interethnic warfare in Bosnia caused

production to plummet by 80% from 1992 to 1995 and unemployment to

soar. With an uneasy peace in place, output recovered in 1996-99 at

high percentage rates from a low base; but output growth slowed in

2000-02. Part of the lag in output was made up in 2003-06.

National-level statistics are limited and do not capture the large

share of black market activity. The konvertibilna marka (convertible

mark or BAM)- the national currency introduced in 1998 - is pegged

to the euro, and confidence in the currency and the banking sector

has increased. Implementation of privatization, however, has been

slow, and local entities only reluctantly support national-level

institutions. Banking reform accelerated in 2001 as all the

Communist-era payments bureaus were shut down; foreign banks,

primarily from Western Europe, now control most of the banking

sector. A sizeable current account deficit and high unemployment

rate remain the two most serious economic problems. The country

receives substantial amounts of reconstruction assistance and

humanitarian aid from the international community but will have to

prepare for an era of declining assistance.

Botswana

Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest economic

growth rates since independence in 1966. Through fiscal discipline

and sound management, Botswana has transformed itself from one of

the poorest countries in the world to a middle-income country with a

per capita GDP of $11,200 in 2006. Two major investment services

rank Botswana as the best credit risk in Africa. Diamond mining has

fueled much of the expansion and currently accounts for more than

one-third of GDP and for 70-80% of export earnings. Tourism,

financial services, subsistence farming, and cattle raising are

other key sectors. On the downside, the government must deal with

high rates of unemployment and poverty. Unemployment officially was

23.8% in 2004, but unofficial estimates place it closer to 40%.

HIV/AIDS infection rates are the second highest in the world and

threaten Botswana's impressive economic gains. An expected leveling

off in diamond mining production overshadows long-term prospects.

Bouvet Island

no economic activity; declared a nature reserve

Brazil

Characterized by large and well-developed agricultural,

mining, manufacturing, and service sectors, Brazil's economy

outweighs that of all other South American countries and is

expanding its presence in world markets. From 2001-03 real wages

fell and Brazil's economy grew, on average only 2.2% per year, as

the country absorbed a series of domestic and international economic

shocks. That Brazil absorbed these shocks without financial collapse

is a tribute to the resiliency of the Brazilian economy and the

economic program put in place by former President CARDOSO and

strengthened by President LULA DA SILVA. Since 2004, Brazil has

enjoyed more robust growth that yielded increases in employment and

real wages. The three pillars of the economic program are a floating

exchange rate, an inflation-targeting regime, and tight fiscal

policy, all reinforced by a series of IMF programs. The currency

depreciated sharply in 2001 and 2002, which contributed to a

dramatic current account adjustment; from 2003 to 2006, Brazil ran

record trade surpluses and recorded its first current account

surpluses since 1992. Productivity gains - particularly in

agriculture - also contributed to the surge in exports. While

economic management has been good, there remain important economic

vulnerabilities. The most significant are debt-related: the

government's largely domestic debt increased steadily from 1994 to

2003 - straining government finances - before falling as a

percentage of GDP in 2005. Brazil has improved its debt profile over

the past year by shifting its debt burden toward real denominated

and domestically held instruments. LULA DA SILVA restated his

commitment to fiscal austerity by maintaining the country's primary

surplus during the 2006 election and plans to pass a package of

further economic reforms upon entering office for his second term.

Another challenge is maintaining economic growth over a period of

time to generate employment and make the government debt burden more

manageable.

British Indian Ocean Territory

All economic activity is concentrated

on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense

facilities are located. Construction projects and various services

needed to support the military installations are done by military

and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and

the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the

islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane

production and fishing. The country makes money by selling fishing

licenses and postage stamps.

British Virgin Islands

The economy, one of the most stable and

prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism,

generating an estimated 45% of the national income. An estimated

350,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 1998.

Tourism suffered in 2002 because of the lackluster US economy. In

the mid-1980s, the government began offering offshore registration

to companies wishing to incorporate in the islands, and

incorporation fees now generate substantial revenues. Roughly

400,000 companies were on the offshore registry by yearend 2000. The

adoption of a comprehensive insurance law in late 1994, which

provides a blanket of confidentiality with regulated statutory

gateways for investigation of criminal offenses, made the British

Virgin Islands even more attractive to international business.

Livestock raising is the most important agricultural activity; poor

soils limit the islands' ability to meet domestic food requirements.

Because of traditionally close links with the US Virgin Islands, the

British Virgin Islands has used the US dollar as its currency since

1959.

Brunei

This small, well-to-do economy encompasses a mixture of

foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation,

welfare measures, and village tradition. Crude oil and natural gas

production account for nearly half of GDP and more than 90% of

government revenues. Per capita GDP is far above most other Third

World countries, and substantial income from overseas investment

supplements income from domestic production. The government provides

for all medical services and free education through the university

level and subsidizes rice and housing. Brunei's leaders are

concerned that steadily increased integration in the world economy

will undermine internal social cohesion. Plans for the future

include upgrading the labor force, reducing unemployment,

strengthening the banking and tourist sectors, and, in general,

further widening the economic base beyond oil and gas.

Bulgaria

Bulgaria, a former communist country that entered the

European Union on 1 January 2007, has experienced macroeconomic

stability and strong growth since a major economic downturn in 1996

led to the fall of the then socialist government. As a result, the

government became committed to economic reform and responsible

fiscal planning. Minerals, including coal, copper, and zinc, play an

important role in industry. In 1997, macroeconomic stability was

reinforced by the imposition of a fixed exchange rate of the lev

against the German D-mark - the currency is now fixed against the

euro - and the negotiation of an IMF standby agreement. Low

inflation and steady progress on structural reforms improved the

business environment; Bulgaria has averaged 5.1% growth since 2000

and has begun to attract significant amounts of foreign direct

investment. Corruption in the public administration, a weak

judiciary, and the presence of organized crime remain the largest

challenges for Bulgaria.

Burkina Faso

One of the poorest countries in the world, landlocked

Burkina Faso has few natural resources and a weak industrial base.

About 90% of the population is engaged in subsistence agriculture,

which is vulnerable to periodic drought. Cotton is the main cash

crop and the government has joined with three other cotton producing

countries in the region - Mali, Niger, and Chad - to lobby for

improved access to Western markets. GDP growth has largely been

driven by increases in world cotton prices. Industry remains

dominated by unprofitable government-controlled corporations.

Following the CFA franc currency devaluation in January 1994, the

government updated its development program in conjunction with

international agencies; exports and economic growth have increased.

The government devolved macroeconomic policy and inflation targeting

to the West African regional central bank (BCEAO), but maintains

control over fiscal and microeconomic policies, including

implementing reforms to encourage private investment. The bitter

internal crisis in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire continues to hurt trade

and industrial prospects and deepens the need for international

assistance. Burkina Faso is eligible for a Millenium Challenge

Account grant, which would increase investment in the country's

human capital.

Burma

Burma, a resource-rich country, suffers from pervasive

government controls, inefficient economic policies, and rural

poverty. The junta took steps in the early 1990s to liberalize the

economy after decades of failure under the "Burmese Way to

Socialism," but those efforts stalled, and some of the

liberalization measures were rescinded. Lacking monetary or fiscal

stability, the economy suffers from serious macroeconomic imbalances

- including inflation, multiple official exchange rates that

overvalue the Burmese kyat, and a distorted interest rate regime.

Most overseas development assistance ceased after the junta began to

suppress the democracy movement in 1988 and subsequently refused to

honor the results of the 1990 legislative elections. In response to

the government of Burma's attack in May 2003 on AUNG SAN SUU KYI and

her convoy, the US imposed new economic sanctions against Burma -

including a ban on imports of Burmese products and a ban on

provision of financial services by US persons. A poor investment

climate further slowed the inflow of foreign exchange. The most

productive sectors will continue to be in extractive industries,

especially oil and gas, mining, and timber. Other areas, such as

manufacturing and services, are struggling with inadequate

infrastructure, unpredictable import/export policies, deteriorating

health and education systems, and corruption. A major banking crisis

in 2003 shuttered the country's 20 private banks and disrupted the

economy. As of 2006, the largest private banks operate under tight

restrictions limiting the private sector's access to formal credit.

Official statistics are inaccurate. Published statistics on foreign

trade are greatly understated because of the size of the black

market and unofficial border trade - often estimated to be as large

as the official economy. Burma's trade with Thailand, China, and

India is rising. Though the Burmese government has good economic

relations with its neighbors, better investment and business

climates and an improved political situation are needed to promote

foreign investment, exports, and tourism.

Burundi

Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country with an

underdeveloped manufacturing sector. The economy is predominantly

agricultural with more than 90% of the population dependent on

subsistence agriculture. Economic growth depends on coffee and tea

exports, which account for 90% of foreign exchange earnings. The

ability to pay for imports, therefore, rests primarily on weather

conditions and international coffee and tea prices. The Tutsi

minority, 14% of the population, dominates the government and the

coffee trade at the expense of the Hutu majority, 85% of the

population. An ethnic-based war that lasted for over a decade

resulted in more than 200,000 deaths, forced more than 48,000

refugees into Tanzania, and displaced 140,000 others internally.

Only one in two children go to school, and approximately one in 10

adults has HIV/AIDS. Food, medicine, and electricity remain in short

supply. Political stability and the end of the civil war have

improved aid flows and economic activity has increased, but

underlying weaknesses - a high poverty rate, poor education rates, a

weak legal system, and low administrative capacity - risk

undermining planned economic reforms. Burundi grew about 5 percent

in 2006. Delayed disbursements of funds from the World Bank may add

to budget pressures in 2007. Burundi will continue to remain heavily

dependent on aid from bilateral and multilateral donors.

Cambodia

In 1999, the first full year of peace in 30 years, the

government made progress on economic reforms. The US and Cambodia

signed a Bilateral Textile Agreement, which gave Cambodia a

guaranteed quota of US textile imports and established a bonus for

improving working conditions and enforcing Cambodian labor laws and

international labor standards in the industry. From 2001 to 2004,

the economy grew at an average rate of 6.4%, driven largely by an

expansion in the garment sector and tourism. With the January 2005

expiration of a WTO Agreement on Textiles and Clothing,

Cambodia-based textile producers were forced to compete directly

with lower-priced producing countries such as China and India.

Better-than-expected garment sector performance led to about 6%

growth per year in 2005-06. Faced with the possibility that its

vibrant garment industry, with more than 200,000 jobs, could be in

serious danger, the Cambodian government has committed itself to a

policy of continued support for high labor standards in an attempt

to maintain favor with buyers. The tourism industry continues to

grow rapidly, with foreign visitors surpassing 1 million for per

year beginning in 2005. In 2005, exploitable oil and natural gas

deposits were found beneath Cambodia's territorial waters,

representing a new revenue stream for the government once commercial

extraction begins in the coming years. Mining also is attracting

significant investor interest, particularly in the northeastern

parts of the country. The long-term development of the economy

remains a daunting challenge. The Cambodian government is working

with bilateral and multilateral donors, including the World Bank and

IMF, to address the country's many pressing needs. The major

economic challenge for Cambodia over the next decade will be

fashioning an economic environment in which the private sector can

create enough jobs to handle Cambodia's demographic imbalance. More

than 50% of the population is less than 21 years old. The population

lacks education and productive skills, particularly in the

poverty-ridden countryside, which suffers from an almost total lack

of basic infrastructure.

Cameroon

Because of its modest oil resources and favorable

agricultural conditions, Cameroon has one of the best-endowed

primary commodity economies in sub-Saharan Africa. Still, it faces

many of the serious problems facing other underdeveloped countries,

such as a top-heavy civil service and a generally unfavorable

climate for business enterprise. Since 1990, the government has

embarked on various IMF and World Bank programs designed to spur

business investment, increase efficiency in agriculture, improve

trade, and recapitalize the nation's banks. In June 2000, the

government completed an IMF-sponsored, three-year structural

adjustment program; however, the IMF is pressing for more reforms,

including increased budget transparency, privatization, and poverty

reduction programs. International oil and cocoa prices have a

significant impact on the economy.

Canada

As an affluent, high-tech industrial society in the trillion

dollar class, Canada resembles the US in its market-oriented

economic system, pattern of production, and affluent living

standards. Since World War II, the impressive growth of the

manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed the

nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial

and urban. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the

1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which includes

Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase in trade and economic

integration with the US. Given its great natural resources, skilled

labor force, and modern capital plant, Canada enjoys solid economic

prospects. Top-notch fiscal management has produced consecutive

balanced budgets since 1997, although public debate continues over

how to manage the rising cost of the publicly funded healthcare

system. Exports account for roughly a third of GDP. Canada enjoys a

substantial trade surplus with its principal trading partner, the

US, which absorbs about 85% of Canadian exports. Canada is the US'

largest foreign supplier of energy, including oil, gas, uranium, and

electric power.

Cape Verde

This island economy suffers from a poor natural resource

base, including serious water shortages exacerbated by cycles of

long-term drought. The economy is service-oriented, with commerce,

transport, tourism, and public services accounting for 66% of GDP.

Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the

share of food production in GDP in 2004 was only 12%, of which

fishing accounted for 1.5%. About 82% of food must be imported. The

fishing potential, mostly lobster and tuna, is not fully exploited.

Cape Verde annually runs a high trade deficit, financed by foreign

aid and remittances from emigrants; remittances supplement GDP by

more than 20%. Economic reforms are aimed at developing the private

sector and attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy.

Future prospects depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, the

encouragement of tourism, remittances, and the momentum of the

government's development program. Cape Verde has been exploring

European Union membership in recent years.

Cayman Islands

With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving

offshore financial center. More than 68,000 companies were

registered in the Cayman Islands as of 2003, including almost 500

banks, 800 insurers, and 5000 mutual funds. A stock exchange was

opened in 1997. Tourism is also a mainstay, accounting for about 70%

of GDP and 75% of foreign currency earnings. The tourist industry is

aimed at the luxury market and caters mainly to visitors from North

America. Total tourist arrivals exceeded 2.1 million in 2003, with

about half from the US. About 90% of the islands' food and consumer

goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest

outputs per capita and one of the highest standards of living in the

world.

Central African Republic

Subsistence agriculture, together with

forestry, remains the backbone of the economy of the Central African

Republic (CAR), with more than 70% of the population living in

outlying areas. The agricultural sector generates more than half of

GDP. Timber has accounted for about 16% of export earnings and the

diamond industry, for 40%. Important constraints to economic

development include the CAR's landlocked position, a poor

transportation system, a largely unskilled work force, and a legacy

of misdirected macroeconomic policies. Factional fighting between

the government and its opponents remains a drag on economic

revitalization. Distribution of income is extraordinarily unequal.

Grants from France and the international community can only

partially meet humanitarian needs.

Chad

Chad's primarily agricultural economy will continue to be

boosted by major foreign direct investment projects in the oil

sector that began in 2000. Over 80% of Chad's population relies on

subsistence farming and livestock raising for its livelihood. Chad's

economy has long been handicapped by its landlocked position, high

energy costs, and a history of instability. Chad relies on foreign

assistance and foreign capital for most public and private sector

investment projects. A consortium led by two US companies has been

investing $3.7 billion to develop oil reserves - estimated at 1

billion barrels - in southern Chad. The nation's total oil reserves

has been estimated to be 2 billion barrels. Oil production came on

stream in late 2003. Chad began to export oil in 2004. Cotton,

cattle, and gum arabic provide the bulk of Chad's non-oil export

earnings.

Chile

Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high

level of foreign trade. During the early 1990s, Chile's reputation

as a role model for economic reform was strengthened when the

democratic government of Patricio AYLWIN - which took over from the

military in 1990 - deepened the economic reform initiated by the

military government. Growth in real GDP averaged 8% during 1991-97,

but fell to half that level in 1998 because of tight monetary

policies implemented to keep the current account deficit in check

and because of lower export earnings - the latter a product of the

global financial crisis. A severe drought exacerbated the recession

in 1999, reducing crop yields and causing hydroelectric shortfalls

and electricity rationing, and Chile experienced negative economic

growth for the first time in more than 15 years. Despite the effects

of the recession, Chile maintained its reputation for strong

financial institutions and sound policy that have given it the

strongest sovereign bond rating in South America. By the end of

1999, exports and economic activity had begun to recover, and growth

rebounded to 4.2% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.1% in 2001 and 2.1%

in 2002, largely due to lackluster global growth and the devaluation

of the Argentine peso. Chile's economy began a slow recovery in

2003, growing 3.2%, and accelerated to about 5% per year in 2004-06,

while Chile maintained a low rate of inflation. GDP growth benefited

from high copper prices, solid export earnings (particularly

forestry, fishing, and mining), and stepped-up foreign direct

investment. Unemployment has exhibited a downward trend over the

past year, but remains fairly high. Chile deepened its longstanding

commitment to trade liberalization with the signing of a free trade

agreement with the US, which took effect on 1 January 2004. Chile

signed a free trade agreement with China in November 2005, and it

already has several trade deals signed with other nations and blocs,

including the European Union, Mercosur, South Korea, and Mexico.

Record-high copper prices helped to strengthen the peso to a 6 1/2-year

high, as of December 2006, and added investment in the mining sector

will boost GDP in 2007.

China China's economy during the last quarter century has changed from a centrally planned system that was largely closed to international trade to a more market-oriented economy that has a rapidly growing private sector and is a major player in the global economy. Reforms started in the late 1970s with the phasing out of collectivized agriculture, and expanded to include the gradual liberalization of prices, fiscal decentralization, increased autonomy for state enterprises, the foundation of a diversified banking system, the development of stock markets, the rapid growth of the non-state sector, and the opening to foreign trade and investment. China has generally implemented reforms in a gradualist or piecemeal fashion, including the sale of equity in China's largest state banks to foreign investors and refinements in foreign exchange and bond markets in 2005. The restructuring of the economy and resulting efficiency gains have contributed to a more than tenfold increase in GDP since 1978. Measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis, China in 2006 stood as the second-largest economy in the world after the US, although in per capita terms the country is still lower middle-income and 130 million Chinese fall below international poverty lines. Economic development has generally been more rapid in coastal provinces than in the interior, and there are large disparities in per capita income between regions. The government has struggled to: (a) sustain adequate job growth for tens of millions of workers laid off from state-owned enterprises, migrants, and new entrants to the work force; (b) reduce corruption and other economic crimes; and (c) contain environmental damage and social strife related to the economy's rapid transformation. From 100 to 150 million surplus rural workers are adrift between the villages and the cities, many subsisting through part-time, low-paying jobs. One demographic consequence of the "one child" policy is that China is now one of the most rapidly aging countries in the world. Another long-term threat to growth is the deterioration in the environment - notably air pollution, soil erosion, and the steady fall of the water table, especially in the north. China continues to lose arable land because of erosion and economic development. China has benefited from a huge expansion in computer Internet use, with more than 100 million users at the end of 2005. Foreign investment remains a strong element in China's remarkable expansion in world trade and has been an important factor in the growth of urban jobs. In July 2005, China revalued its currency by 2.1% against the US dollar and moved to an exchange rate system that references a basket of currencies. In 2006 China had the largest current account surplus - nearly $180 billion - in the world. More power generating capacity came on line in 2006 as large scale investments were completed. Thirteen years in construction at a cost of $24 billion, the immense Three Gorges Dam across the Yangtze River was essentially completed in 2006 and will revolutionize electrification and flood control in the area. The 11th Five-Year Program (2006-10), approved by the National People's Congress in March 2006, calls for a 20% reduction in energy consumption per unit of GDP by 2010 and an estimated 45% increase in GDP by 2010. The plan states that conserving resources and protecting the environment are basic goals, but it lacks details on the policies and reforms necessary to achieve these goals.

Christmas Island

Phosphate mining had been the only significant

economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government

closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of

the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino

closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support

the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island,

projected to begin operations in the near future.

Clipperton Island

Although 115 species of fish have been identified

in the territorial waters of Clipperton Island, the only economic

activity is tuna fishing.

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are

the sole cash crop. Small local gardens and fishing contribute to

the food supply, but additional food and most other necessities must

be imported from Australia. There is a small tourist industry.

Colombia

Colombia's economy has experienced positive growth over the

past three years despite a serious armed conflict. The economy

continues to improve in part because of austere government budgets,

focused efforts to reduce public debt levels, an export-oriented

growth strategy, an improved security situation in the country, and

high commodity prices. Ongoing economic problems facing President

URIBE range from reforming the pension system to reducing high

unemployment, and to achieving congressional passage of a fiscal

transfers reform. New exploration is needed to offset declining oil

production. International and domestic financial analysts note with

concern the growing central government deficit, which hovers at 5%

of GDP. However, the government's economic policy and democratic

security strategy have engendered a growing sense of confidence in

the economy, particularly within the business sector.

Comoros

One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of

three islands that have inadequate transportation links, a young and

rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low

educational level of the labor force contributes to a subsistence

level of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy

dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture,

including fishing, hunting, and forestry, contributes 40% to GDP,

employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports.

The country is not self-sufficient in food production; rice, the

main staple, accounts for the bulk of imports. The government -

which is hampered by internal political disputes - is struggling to

upgrade education and technical training, privatize commercial and

industrial enterprises, improve health services, diversify exports,

promote tourism, and reduce the high population growth rate.

Increased foreign support is essential if the goal of 4% annual GDP

growth is to be met. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans abroad help

supplement GDP.

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

The economy of the Democratic

Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast potential wealth

- has declined drastically since the mid-1980s. The war, which began

in August 1998, dramatically reduced national output and government

revenue, increased external debt, and resulted in the deaths of

perhaps 3.5 million people from violence, famine, and disease.

Foreign businesses curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the

outcome of the conflict, lack of infrastructure, and the difficult

operating environment. Conditions improved in late 2002 with the

withdrawal of a large portion of the invading foreign troops. The

transitional government has reopened relations with international

financial institutions and international donors, and President

KABILA has begun implementing reforms. Much economic activity lies

outside the GDP data. Economic stability improved in 2003-06,

although an uncertain legal framework, corruption, and a lack of

openness in government policy continues to hamper growth. In

2005-06, renewed activity in the mining sector, the source of most

exports, boosted Kinshasa's fiscal position and GDP growth. Business

and economic prospects are expected to improve once a new government

is installed after elections.

Congo, Republic of the

The economy is a mixture of village

agriculture and handicrafts, an industrial sector based largely on

oil, support services, and a government characterized by budget

problems and overstaffing. Oil has supplanted forestry as the

mainstay of the economy, providing a major share of government

revenues and exports. In the early 1980s, rapidly rising oil

revenues enabled the government to finance large-scale development

projects with GDP growth averaging 5% annually, one of the highest

rates in Africa. The government has mortgaged a substantial portion

of its oil earnings through oil-backed loans that have contributed

to a growing debt burden and chronic revenue shortfalls. Economic

reform efforts have been undertaken with the support of

international organizations, notably the World Bank and the IMF.

However, the reform program came to a halt in June 1997 when civil

war erupted. Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, who returned to power when the

war ended in October 1997, publicly expressed interest in moving

forward on economic reforms and privatization and in renewing

cooperation with international financial institutions. Economic

progress was badly hurt by slumping oil prices and the resumption of

armed conflict in December 1998, which worsened the republic's

budget deficit. The current administration presides over an uneasy

internal peace and faces difficult economic challenges of

stimulating recovery and reducing poverty. Recovery of oil prices

has boosted the economy's GDP and near-term prospects. In March

2006, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF)

approved Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) treatment for Congo.

Cook Islands

Like many other South Pacific island nations, the Cook

Islands' economic development is hindered by the isolation of the

country from foreign markets, the limited size of domestic markets,

lack of natural resources, periodic devastation from natural

disasters, and inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture, employing

about 70% of the working population, provides the economic base with

major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit. Black pearls are

the Cook Island's leading export. Manufacturing activities are

limited to fruit processing, clothing, and handicrafts. Trade

deficits are offset by remittances from emigrants and by foreign

aid, overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In the 1980s and 1990s, the

country lived beyond its means, maintaining a bloated public service

and accumulating a large foreign debt. Subsequent reforms, including

the sale of state assets, the strengthening of economic management,

the encouragement of tourism, and a debt restructuring agreement,

have rekindled investment and growth.

Coral Sea Islands

no economic activity

Costa Rica

Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism,

agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has been substantially

reduced over the past 15 years, and a strong social safety net has

been put into place. Foreign investors remain attracted by the

country's political stability and high education levels, and tourism

continues to bring in foreign exchange. The government continues to

grapple with its large internal and external deficits and sizable

internal debt. The reduction of inflation remains a difficult

problem because of rising import prices, labor market rigidities,

and fiscal deficits. The country also needs to reform its tax system

and its pattern of public expenditure. The current administration

has made it a priority to pass the necessary reforms to implement

the US-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). CAFTA

implementation would result in an improved investment climate.

Cote d'Ivoire

Cote d'Ivoire is among the world's largest producers

and exporters of coffee, cocoa beans, and palm oil. Consequently,

the economy is highly sensitive to fluctuations in international

prices for these products and weather conditions. Despite government

attempts to diversify the economy, it is still heavily dependent on

agriculture and related activities, engaging roughly 68% of the

population. Growth was negative in 2000-03 because of the difficulty

of meeting the conditions of international donors, continued low

prices of key exports, foreign divestment and civil war. Political

turmoil has continued to damage the economy since 2004, with a

rising risk premium associated with doing business in the country,

foreign investment shriveling, transportation costs increasing,

French businesses fleeing, and criminal elements that traffic in

weapons and diamonds gaining ground. The government will continue to

survive financially off of the sale of cocoa, which represents 90%

of foreign exchange earnings, but the government will probably lose

between 10% and 20% of its cocoa harvest to northern rebels who

smuggle the cocoa they control to neighboring countries where cocoa

prices are higher. The government remains hopeful that ongoing

exploration of Cote d'Ivoire's offshore oil reserves will result in

significant production that could boost daily crude output from

roughly 33,000 barrels per day (b/d) to more than 200,000 b/d by the

end of the decade.

Croatia

Before the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the Republic of

Croatia, after Slovenia, was the most prosperous and industrialized

area with a per capita output perhaps one-third above the Yugoslav

average. The economy emerged from a mild recession in 2000 with

tourism, banking, and public investments leading the way.

Unemployment remains high, at about 17%, with structural factors

slowing its decline. While macroeconomic stabilization has largely

been achieved, structural reforms lag because of deep resistance on

the part of the public and lack of strong support from politicians.

Growth, while impressive at about 3% to 4% for the last several

years, has been stimulated, in part, through high fiscal deficits

and rapid credit growth. The EU accession process should accelerate

fiscal and structural reform.

Cuba

The government continues to balance the need for economic

loosening against a desire for firm political control. It has rolled

back limited reforms undertaken in the 1990s to increase enterprise

efficiency and alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer goods,

and services. The average Cuban's standard of living remains at a

lower level than before the downturn of the 1990s, which was caused

by the loss of Soviet aid and domestic inefficiencies. In 2006, high

metals prices continued to boost Cuban earnings from nickel and

cobalt production. Havana continued to invest in the country's

energy sector to mitigate electrical blackouts that have plagued the

country since 2004.

Cyprus

The Republic of Cyprus has a market economy dominated by the

service sector, which accounts for 76% of GDP. Tourism and financial

services are the most important sectors; erratic growth rates over

the past decade reflect the economy's reliance on tourism, which

often fluctuates with political instability in the region and

economic conditions in Western Europe. Nevertheless, the economy

grew a healthy 3.7% per year in 2004 and 2005, well above the EU

average. Cyprus joined the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM2)

in May 2005. The government has initiated an aggressive austerity

program, which has cut the budget deficit to below 3% but continued

fiscal discipline is necessary if Cyprus is to meet its goal of

adopting the euro on 1 January 2008. As in the area administered by

Turkish Cypriots, water shortages are a perennial problem; a few

desalination plants are now on line. After 10 years of drought, the

country received substantial rainfall from 2001-03 alleviating

immediate concerns. The Turkish Cypriot economy has roughly

one-third of the per capita GDP of the south, and economic growth

tends to be volatile, given north Cyprus's relative isolation,

bloated public sector, reliance on the Turkish lira, and small

market size. The Turkish Cypriot economy grew 15.4% in 2004, fueled

by growth in the construction and education sectors, as well as

increased employment of Turkish Cypriots in the Republic of Cyprus.

The Turkish Cypriots are heavily dependent on transfers from the

Turkish Government. Under the 2003-06 economic protocol, Ankara

planned to provide around $700 million to the "TRNC." Agriculture

and services, together, employ more than half of the work force.

Czech Republic

The Czech Republic is one of the most stable and

prosperous of the post-Communist states of Central and Eastern

Europe. Growth in 2000-05 was supported by exports to the EU,

primarily to Germany, and a strong recovery of foreign and domestic

investment. Domestic demand is playing an ever more important role

in underpinning growth as interest rates drop and the availability

of credit cards and mortgages increases. The current account deficit

has declined to around 3% of GDP as demand for Czech products in the

European Union has increased. Inflation is under control. Recent

accession to the EU gives further impetus and direction to

structural reform. In early 2004 the government passed increases in

the Value Added Tax (VAT) and tightened eligibility for social

benefits with the intention to bring the public finance gap down to

4% of GDP by 2006, but more difficult pension and healthcare reforms

will have to wait until after the next elections. Privatization of

the state-owned telecommunications firm Cesky Telecom took place in

2005. Intensified restructuring among large enterprises,

improvements in the financial sector, and effective use of available

EU funds should strengthen output growth.

Denmark

The Danish economy is undergoing strong expansion fueled by

private consumption growth, low unemployment, rising real wages, and

a strong increase in house prices. This thoroughly modern market

economy features high-tech agriculture, up-to-date small-scale and

corporate industry, extensive government welfare measures,

comfortable living standards, a stable currency, and high dependence

on foreign trade. Denmark is a net exporter of food and energy and

enjoys a comfortable balance of payments surplus. Government

objectives include streamlining the bureaucracy and further

privatization of state assets. The government has been successful in

meeting, and even exceeding, the economic convergence criteria for

participating in the third phase (a common European currency) of the

European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), but Denmark has decided

not to join 12 other EU members in the euro. Nonetheless, the Danish

krone remains pegged to the euro. Economic growth gained momentum in

2004 and the upturn continued through 2006. Because of high GDP per

capita, welfare benefits, a low Gini index, and political stability,

the Danish people enjoy living standards topped by no other nation.

A major long-term issue will be the sharp decline in the ratio of

workers to retirees.

Dhekelia

Economic activity is limited to providing services to the

military and their families located in Dhekelia. All food and

manufactured goods must be imported.

Djibouti

The economy is based on service activities connected with

the country's strategic location and status as a free trade zone in

northeast Africa. Two-thirds of the inhabitants live in the capital

city; the remainder are mostly nomadic herders. Scanty rainfall

limits crop production to fruits and vegetables, and most food must

be imported. Djibouti provides services as both a transit port for

the region and an international transshipment and refueling center.

Djibouti has few natural resources and little industry. The nation

is, therefore, heavily dependent on foreign assistance to help

support its balance of payments and to finance development projects.

An unemployment rate of at least 50% continues to be a major

problem. While inflation is not a concern, due to the fixed tie of

the Djiboutian franc to the US dollar, the artificially high value

of the Djiboutian franc adversely affects Djibouti's balance of

payments. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% over the

last seven years because of recession, civil war, and a high

population growth rate (including immigrants and refugees). Faced

with a multitude of economic difficulties, the government has fallen

in arrears on long-term external debt and has been struggling to

meet the stipulations of foreign aid donors.

Dominica

The Dominican economy depends on agriculture, primarily

bananas, and remains highly vulnerable to climatic conditions and

international economic developments. Tourism has increased as the

government seeks to promote Dominica as an "ecotourism" destination.

Development of the tourism industry remains difficult, however,

because of the rugged coastline, lack of beaches, and the absence of

an international airport. The government began a comprehensive

restructuring of the economy in 2003 - including elimination of

price controls, privatization of the state banana company, and tax

increases - to address Dominica's economic crisis and to meet IMF

targets. In order to diversify the island's production base, the

government is attempting to develop an offshore financial sector and

is planning to construct an oil refinery on the eastern part of the

island.

Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean

representative democracy that enjoyed strong GDP growth until 2003.

Although the country has long been viewed primarily as an exporter

of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, in recent years the service sector

has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer due to

growth in tourism and free trade zones. Growth turned negative in

2003 with reduced tourism, a major bank fraud, and limited growth in

the US economy (the source of about 80% of export revenues), but

recovered in 2004-06. With the help of strict fiscal targets agreed

in the 2004 renegotiation of an IMF standby loan, President

FERNANDEZ has stabilized the country's financial situation. Although

the economy continues to grow at a respectable rate, high

unemployment and inflation remain important challenges. The country

suffers from marked income inequality; the poorest half of the

population receives less than one-fifth of GNP, while the richest

10% enjoys nearly 40% of national income. The Dominican Republic's

development prospects improved with the ratification of the Central

America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) in

September 2005.

East Timor

In late 1999, about 70% of the economic infrastructure of

East Timor was laid waste by Indonesian troops and anti-independence

militias, and 300,000 people fled westward. Over the next three

years, however, a massive international program, manned by 5,000

peacekeepers (8,000 at peak) and 1,300 police officers, led to

substantial reconstruction in both urban and rural areas. By the end

of 2005, all refugees either returned or resettled in Indonesia. The

country faces great challenges in continuing the rebuilding of

infrastructure, strengthening the infant civil administration, and

generating jobs for young people entering the work force. The

development of oil and gas resources in nearby waters has begun to

supplement government revenues ahead of schedule and above

expectations - the result of high petroleum prices - but the

technology-intensive industry does little to create jobs for the

unemployed, because there are no production facilities in Timor and

the gas is piped to Australia. The parliament in June 2005

unanimously approved the creation of a Petroleum Fund to serve as a

repository for all petroleum revenues and preserve the value of East

Timor's petroleum wealth for future generations.

Ecuador

Ecuador has substantial petroleum resources, which have

accounted for 40% of the country's export earnings and one-third of

central government budget revenues in recent years. Consequently,

fluctuations in world market prices can have a substantial domestic

impact. In the late 1990s, Ecuador suffered its worst economic

crisis, with natural disasters and sharp declines in world petroleum

prices driving Ecuador's economy into free fall in 1999. Real GDP

contracted by more than 6%, with poverty worsening significantly.

The banking system also collapsed, and Ecuador defaulted on its

external debt later that year. The currency depreciated by some 70%

in 1999, and, on the brink of hyperinflation, the MAHAUD government

announced it would dollarize the economy. A coup, however, ousted

MAHAUD from office in January 2000, and after a short-lived junta

failed to garner military support, Vice President Gustavo NOBOA took

over the presidency. In March 2000, Congress approved a series of

structural reforms that also provided the framework for the adoption

of the US dollar as legal tender. Dollarization stabilized the

economy, and growth returned to its pre-crisis levels in the years

that followed. Under the administration of Lucio GUTIERREZ - January

2003 to April 2005 - Ecuador benefited from higher world petroleum

prices. However, the government under Alfredo PALACIO has reversed

economic reforms that reduced Ecuador's vulnerability to petroleum

price swings and financial crises, allowing the central government

greater access to oil windfalls and disbursing surplus retirement

funds.

Egypt

Occupying the northeast corner of the African continent, Egypt

is bisected by the highly fertile Nile valley, where most economic

activity takes place. In the last 30 years, the government has

reformed the highly centralized economy it inherited from President

NASSER. In 2005, Prime Minister Ahmed NAZIF reduced personal and

corporate tax rates, reduced energy subsidies, and privatized

several enterprises. The stock market boomed, and GDP grew about 5%

per year in 2005-06. Despite these achievements, the government has

failed to raise living standards for the average Egyptian, and has

had to continue providing subsidies for basic necessities. The

subsidies have contributed to a growing budget deficit - more than

10% of GDP each year - and represent a significant drain on the

economy. Foreign direct investment remains low. To achieve higher

GDP growth the NAZIF government will need to continue its aggressive

pursuit of reform, especially in the energy sector. Egypt's export

sectors - particularly natural gas - have bright prospects.

El Salvador

The smallest country in Central America, El Salvador has

the third largest economy, but growth has been minimal in recent

years. Hoping to stimulate the sluggish economy, the government is

striving to open new export markets, encourage foreign investment,

and modernize the tax and healthcare systems. Implementation in 2006

of the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement,

which El Salvador was the first to ratify, has strenthened an

already positive export trend. The trade deficit has been offset by

annual remittances from Salvadorans living abroad - equivalent to

more than 15% of GDP - and external aid. With the adoption of the US

dollar as its currency in 2001, El Salvador has lost control over

monetary policy and must concentrate on maintaining a disciplined

fiscal policy. The current government has pursued economic

diversification, with some success in promoting textile production,

international port services, and tourism. It is committed to opening

the economy to trade and investment, and has embarked on a wave of

privatizations extending to telecom, electricity distribution,

banking, and pension funds.

Equatorial Guinea

The discovery and exploitation of large oil

reserves have contributed to dramatic economic growth in recent

years. Forestry, farming, and fishing are also major components of

GDP. Subsistence farming predominates. Although pre-independence

Equatorial Guinea counted on cocoa production for hard currency

earnings, the neglect of the rural economy under successive regimes

has diminished potential for agriculture-led growth (the government

has stated its intention to reinvest some oil revenue into

agriculture). A number of aid programs sponsored by the World Bank

and the IMF have been cut off since 1993, because of corruption and

mismanagement. No longer eligible for concessional financing because

of large oil revenues, the government has been trying to agree on a

"shadow" fiscal management program with the World Bank and IMF.

Businesses, for the most part, are owned by government officials and

their family members. Undeveloped natural resources include

titanium, iron ore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold. Growth

remained strong in 2006, led by oil. Equatorial Guinea now has the

third highest per capita income in the world, after Luxembourg and

Bermuda.

Eritrea

Since independence from Ethiopia in 1993, Eritrea has faced

the economic problems of a small, desperately poor country. Like the

economies of many African nations, the economy is largely based on

subsistence agriculture, with 80% of the population involved in

farming and herding. The Ethiopian-Eritrea war in 1998-2000 severely

hurt Eritrea's economy. GDP growth fell to zero in 1999 and to

-12.1% in 2000. The May 2000 Ethiopian offensive into northern

Eritrea caused some $600 million in property damage and loss,

including losses of $225 million in livestock and 55,000 homes. The

attack prevented planting of crops in Eritrea's most productive

region, causing food production to drop by 62%. Even during the war,

Eritrea developed its transportation infrastructure, asphalting new

roads, improving its ports, and repairing war-damaged roads and

bridges. Since the war ended, the government has maintained a firm

grip on the economy, expanding the use of the military and

party-owned businesses to complete Eritrea's development agenda.

Erratic rainfall and the delayed demobilization of agriculturalists

from the military kept cereal production well below normal, holding

down growth in 2002-06. Eritrea's economic future depends upon its

ability to master social problems such as illiteracy, unemployment,

and low skills, as well as the willingness to open its economy to

private enterprise so that the diaspora's money and expertise can

foster economic growth.

Estonia

Estonia, as a new member of the World Trade Organization and

the European Union, has transitioned effectively to a modern market

economy with strong ties to the West, including the pegging of its

currency to the euro. The economy benefits from strong electronics

and telecommunications sectors and is greatly influenced by

developments in Finland, Sweden, and Germany, three major trading

partners. The current account deficit remains high; however, the

state budget is essentially in balance, and public debt is low.

Ethiopia

Ethiopia's poverty-stricken economy is based on

agriculture, accounting for half of GDP, 60% of exports, and 80% of

total employment. The agricultural sector suffers from frequent

drought and poor cultivation practices. Coffee is critical to the

Ethiopian economy with exports of some $156 million in 2002, but

historically low prices have seen many farmers switching to qat to

supplement income. The war with Eritrea in 1998-2000 and recurrent

drought have buffeted the economy, in particular coffee production.

In November 2001, Ethiopia qualified for debt relief from the Highly

Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, and in December 2005 the

International Monetary Fund voted to forgive Ethiopia's debt to the

body. Under Ethiopia's land tenure system, the government owns all

land and provides long-term leases to the tenants; the system

continues to hamper growth in the industrial sector as entrepreneurs

are unable to use land as collateral for loans. Drought struck again

late in 2002, leading to a 2% decline in GDP in 2003. Normal weather

patterns helped agricultural and GDP growth recover in 2004-06.

Europa Island

no economic activity

European Union

Internally, the European Union attempts to lower

trade barriers, adopt a common currency, and move toward convergence

of living standards. Internationally, the EU aims to bolster

Europe's trade position and its political and economic power.

Because of the great differences in per capita income among member

states (from $8,000 to $61,000) and historic national animosities,

the European Union faces difficulties in devising and enforcing

common policies. For example, since 2003 Germany and France have

flouted the member states' treaty obligation to prevent their

national budgets from running more than a 3% deficit. In 2004 and

2007, the EU admitted 10 and two countries, respectively, that are,

in general, less advanced technologically and economically than the

other 15. Twelve established EU member states introduced the euro as

their common currency on 1 January 1999, but the UK, Sweden, and

Denmark chose not to participate. Of the 12 most recent member

states, only Slovenia has adopted the euro (1 January 2007); the

remaining eleven are legally required to adopt the currency upon

meeting EU's fiscal and monetary convergence criteria.

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) The economy was formerly based on agriculture, mainly sheep farming, but today fishing contributes the bulk of economic activity. In 1987 the government began selling fishing licenses to foreign trawlers operating within the Falkland Islands' exclusive fishing zone. These license fees total more than $40 million per year, which goes to support the island's health, education, and welfare system. Squid accounts for 75% of the fish taken. Dairy farming supports domestic consumption; crops furnish winter fodder. Exports feature shipments of high-grade wool to the UK and the sale of postage stamps and coins. The islands are now self-financing except for defense. The British Geological Survey announced a 200-mile oil exploration zone around the islands in 1993, and early seismic surveys suggest substantial reserves capable of producing 500,000 barrels per day; to date, no exploitable site has been identified. An agreement between Argentina and the UK in 1995 seeks to defuse licensing and sovereignty conflicts that would dampen foreign interest in exploiting potential oil reserves. Tourism, especially eco-tourism, is increasing rapidly, with about 30,000 visitors in 2001. Another large source of income is interest paid on money the government has in the bank. The British military presence also provides a sizeable economic boost.

Faroe Islands

The Faroese economy has had a strong performance since

1994, mostly as a result of increasing fish landings and high and

stable export prices. Unemployment is minimal and there are signs of

labor shortages in several sectors. The positive economic

development has helped the Faroese Home Rule Government produce

increasing budget surpluses, which in turn have helped reduce the

large public debt, most of it owed to Denmark. However, the total

dependence on fishing makes the Faroese economy extremely

vulnerable, and the present fishing efforts appear in excess of what

is a sustainable level of fishing in the long term. Oil finds close

to the Faroese area give hope for deposits in the immediate Faroese

area, which may eventually lay the basis for a more diversified

economy and thus lessen dependence on Danish economic assistance.

Aided by a substantial annual subsidy (about 15% of GDP) from

Denmark, the Faroese have a standard of living not far below the

Danes and other Scandinavians.

Fiji

Fiji, endowed with forest, mineral, and fish resources, is one

of the most developed of the Pacific island economies, though still

with a large subsistence sector. Sugar exports, remittances from

Fijians working abroad, and a growing tourist industry - with

300,000 to 400,000 tourists annually - are the major sources of

foreign exchange. Fiji's sugar has special access to European Union

markets, but will be harmed by the EU's decision to cut sugar

subsidies. Sugar processing makes up one-third of industrial

activity but is not efficient. Fiji's tourism industry was damaged

by the 2006 coup and is facing an uncertain recovery time. Long-term

problems include low investment, uncertain land ownership rights,

and the government's ability to manage its budget. Overseas

remittances from Fijians working in Kuwait and Iraq have increased

significantly.

Finland

Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market

economy with per capita output roughly that of the UK, France,

Germany, and Italy. Its key economic sector is manufacturing -

principally the wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and

electronics industries. Trade is important; exports equal two-fifths

of GDP. Finland excels in high-tech exports, e.g., mobile phones.

Except for timber and several minerals, Finland depends on imports

of raw materials, energy, and some components for manufactured

goods. Because of the climate, agricultural development is limited

to maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products. Forestry, an

important export earner, provides a secondary occupation for the

rural population. High unemployment remains a persistent problem.

France

France is in the midst of transition from a well-to-do modern

economy that has featured extensive government ownership and

intervention to one that relies more on market mechanisms. The

government has partially or fully privatized many large companies,

banks, and insurers. It retains controlling stakes in several

leading firms, including Air France, France Telecom, Renault, and

Thales, and is dominant in some sectors, particularly power, public

transport, and defense industries. The telecommunications sector is

gradually being opened to competition. France's leaders remain

committed to a capitalism in which they maintain social equity by

means of laws, tax policies, and social spending that reduce income

disparity and the impact of free markets on public health and

welfare. The government in 2006 focused on introducing measures that

attempt to boost employment through increased labor market

flexibility; however, the population has remained opposed to labor

reforms, hampering the government's ability to revitalize the

economy. The tax burden remains one of the highest in Europe (nearly

50% of GDP in 2005). The lingering economic slowdown and inflexible

budget items probably pushed the budget deficit above the eurozone's

3%-of-GDP limit in 2006; unemployment hovers near 9%.

French Polynesia

Since 1962, when France stationed military

personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a

subsistence agricultural economy to one in which a high proportion

of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the

tourist industry. With the halt of French nuclear testing in 1996,

the military contribution to the economy fell sharply. Tourism

accounts for about one-fourth of GDP and is a primary source of hard

currency earnings. Other sources of income are pearl farming and

deep-sea commercial fishing. The small manufacturing sector

primarily processes agricultural products. The territory benefits

substantially from development agreements with France aimed

principally at creating new businesses and strengthening social

services.

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Economic activity is limited to

servicing meteorological and geophysical research stations and

French and other fishing fleets. The fish catches landed on Iles

Kerguelen by foreign ships are exported to France and Reunion.

Gabon

Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most of

sub-Saharan African nations. This has supported a sharp decline in

extreme poverty; yet, because of high income inequality, a large

proportion of the population remains poor. Gabon depended on timber

and manganese until oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s.

The oil sector now accounts for 50% of GDP. Gabon continues to face

fluctuating prices for its oil, timber, and manganese exports.

Despite the abundance of natural wealth, poor fiscal management

hobbles the economy. Devaluation of its currency by 50% in January

1994 sparked a one-time inflationary surge, to 35%; the rate dropped

to 6% in 1996. The IMF provided a one-year standby arrangement in

1994-95, a three-year Enhanced Financing Facility (EFF) at near

commercial rates beginning in late 1995, and stand-by credit of $119

million in October 2000. Those agreements mandated progress in

privatization and fiscal discipline. France provided additional

financial support in January 1997 after Gabon met IMF targets for

mid-1996. In 1997, an IMF mission to Gabon criticized the government

for overspending on off-budget items, overborrowing from the central

bank, and slipping on its schedule for privatization and

administrative reform. The rebound of oil prices in 1999-2000 helped

growth, but drops in production hampered Gabon from fully realizing

potential gains. In December 2000, Gabon signed a new agreement with

the Paris Club to reschedule its official debt. A follow-up

bilateral repayment agreement with the US was signed in December

2001. Gabon signed a 14-month Stand-By Arrangement with the IMF in

May 2004, and received Paris Club debt rescheduling later that year.

Short-term progress depends on an upbeat world economy and fiscal

and other adjustments in line with IMF policies.

Gambia, The

The Gambia has no confirmed mineral or natural resource

deposits and has a limited agricultural base. About 75% of the

population depends on crops and livestock for its livelihood.

Small-scale manufacturing activity features the processing of

peanuts, fish, and hides. Reexport trade normally constitutes a

major segment of economic activity, but a 1999 government-imposed

preshipment inspection plan, and instability of the Gambian dalasi

(currency) have drawn some of the reexport trade away from The

Gambia. The Gambia's natural beauty and proximity to Europe has made

it one of the larger markets for tourism in West Africa. The

government's 1998 seizure of the private peanut firm Alimenta

eliminated the largest purchaser of Gambian groundnuts. Despite an

announced program to begin privatizing key parastatals, no plans

have been made public that would indicate that the government

intends to follow through on its promises. Unemployment and

underemployment rates remain extremely high; short-run economic

progress depends on sustained bilateral and multilateral aid, on

responsible government economic management, on continued technical

assistance from the IMF and bilateral donors, and on expected growth

in the construction sector.

Gaza Strip

High population density, limited land access, and strict

internal and external security controls have kept economic

conditions in the Gaza Strip - the smaller of the two areas under

the Palestinian Authority (PA)- even more degraded than in the West

Bank. The beginning of the second intifadah in September 2000

sparked an economic downturn, largely the result of Israeli closure

policies; these policies, which were imposed to address security

concerns in Israel, disrupted labor and trade access to and from the

Gaza Strip. In 2001, and even more severely in 2003, Israeli

military measures in PA areas resulted in the destruction of

capital, the disruption of administrative structures, and widespread

business closures. The Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in

September 2005 offered some medium-term opportunities for economic

growth, which have not yet been realized due to Israeli military

activities in the Gaza Strip in 2006, continued crossings closures,

and the international community's financial embargo of the PA after

HAMAS took office in March 2006.

Georgia

Georgia's main economic activities include the cultivation

of agricultural products such as grapes, citrus fruits, and

hazelnuts; mining of manganese and copper; and output of a small

industrial sector producing alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages,

metals, machinery, and chemicals. The country imports the bulk of

its energy needs, including natural gas and oil products. It has

sizeable but underdeveloped hydropower capacity. Despite the severe

damage the economy has suffered due to civil strife, Georgia, with

the help of the IMF and World Bank, has made substantial economic

gains since 2000, achieving positive GDP growth and curtailing

inflation. Georgia had suffered from a chronic failure to collect

tax revenues; however, the new government is making progress and has

reformed the tax code, improved tax administration, increased tax

enforcement, and cracked down on corruption. In addition, the

reinvigorated privatization process has met with success,

supplementing government expenditures on infrastructure, defense,

and poverty reduction. Despite customs and financial (tax)

enforcement improvements, smuggling is a drain on the economy.

Georgia also suffers from energy shortages due to aging and badly

maintained infrastructure, as well as poor management. Due to

concerted reform efforts, collection rates have improved

considerably to roughly 60%, both in T'bilisi and throughout the

regions. Continued reform in the management of state-owned power

entities is essential to successful privatization and onward

sustainability in this sector. The country is pinning its hopes for

long-term growth on its role as a transit state for pipelines and

trade. The construction on the Baku-T'bilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and

the Baku-T'bilisi-Erzerum gas pipeline have brought much-needed

investment and job opportunities. Nevertheless, high energy prices

have compounded the pressure on the country's inefficient energy

sector. Restructuring the sector and finding energy supply

alternatives to Russia remain major challenges.

Germany

Germany's affluent and technologically powerful economy -

the fifth largest in the world - has become one of the slowest

growing economies in the euro zone. A quick turnaround is not in the

offing in the foreseeable future; however, stronger growth this year

has improved employment considerably. Growth in 2001-03 fell short

of 1%, rising to 1.7% in 2004, falling back to 0.9% in 2005, and

increasing to 2.2% in 2006. Unemployment fell to 7.1% in October

2006, based on the Internation Labor Organization's measurement. The

modernization and integration of the eastern German economy

continues to be a costly long-term process, with annual transfers

from west to east amounting to roughly $70 billion. Germany's aging

population, combined with high chronic unemployment, has pushed

social security outlays to a level exceeding contributions from

workers. Structural rigidities in the labor market - including

strict regulations on laying off workers and the setting of wages on

a national basis - and a lack of competition in the sevice sectors

have made slow growth a chronic problem. Corporate restructuring and

growing capital markets are setting the foundations that could help

Germany meet the long-term challenges of European economic

integration and globalization; however, the current government has

failed to pass meaningful economic reform that would improve growth

prospects. Higher government revenues from the cyclical upturn in

2006 reduced Germany's budget deficit to within the EU's 3% debt

limit.

Ghana

Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has roughly twice

the per capita output of the poorest countries in West Africa. Even

so, Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial and

technical assistance. Gold, timber, and cocoa production are major

sources of foreign exchange. The domestic economy continues to

revolve around subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 34% of

GDP and employs 60% of the work force, mainly small landholders.

Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country

(HIPC) program in 2002, but was included in a G-8 debt relief

program decided upon at the Gleneagles Summit in July 2005.

Priorities under its current $38 million Poverty Reduction and

Growth Facility (PRGF) include tighter monetary and fiscal policies,

accelerated privatization, and improvement of social services.

Receipts from the gold sector helped sustain GDP growth in 2006

along with record high prices for Ghana's largest cocoa crop to

date. Ghana received a Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) grant

in 2006, which aims to assist in transforming Ghana's agricultural

export sector.

Gibraltar

Self-sufficient Gibraltar benefits from an extensive

shipping trade, offshore banking, and its position as an

international conference center. The British military presence has

been sharply reduced and now contributes about 7% to the local

economy, compared with 60% in 1984. The financial sector, tourism

(almost 5 million visitors in 1998), shipping services fees, and

duties on consumer goods also generate revenue. The financial

sector, the shipping sector, and tourism each contribute 25%-30% of

GDP. Telecommunications accounts for another 10%. In recent years,

Gibraltar has seen major structural change from a public to a

private sector economy, but changes in government spending still

have a major impact on the level of employment.

Glorioso Islands

no economic activity

Greece

Greece has a capitalist economy with the public sector

accounting for about 40% of GDP and with per capita GDP at least 75%

of the leading euro-zone economies. Tourism provides 15% of GDP.

Immigrants make up nearly one-fifth of the work force, mainly in

menial jobs. Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about

3.3% of annual GDP. The Greek economy grew by nearly 4.0% per year

between 2003 and 2006, largely because of an investment boom and

infrastructure upgrades for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Greece

has not met the EU's Growth and Stability Pact budget deficit

criteria of 3% of GDP since 2000. Public debt, inflation, and

unemployment are above the euro-zone average. To overcome these

challenges, the Greek Government is expected to continue cutting

government spending, reducing the size of the public sector, and

reforming the labor and pension systems, despite vocal opposition

from the country's powerful labor unions and the general public.

Greenland

The economy remains critically dependent on exports of

fish and substantial support from the Danish Government, which

supplies about half of government revenues. The public sector,

including publicly-owned enterprises and the municipalities, plays

the dominant role in the economy. Despite several interesting

hydrocarbon and mineral exploration activities, it will take a

number of years before production can materialize. Tourism is the

only sector offering any near-term potential, and even this is

limited due to a short season and high costs.

Grenada

Grenada relies on tourism as its main source of foreign

exchange, especially since the construction of an international

airport in 1985. Strong performances in construction and

manufacturing, together with the development of an offshore

financial industry, have also contributed to growth in national

output.

Guam

The economy depends largely on US military spending and

tourism. Total US grants, wage payments, and procurement outlays

amounted to $1.3 billion in 2004. Over the past 30 years, the

tourist industry has grown to become the largest income source

following national defense. The Guam economy continues to experience

expansion in both its tourism and military sectors.

Guatemala

Guatemala is the largest and most populous of the Central

American countries with a GDP per capita roughly one-half that of

Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. The agricultural sector accounts for

about one-fourth of GDP, two-fifths of exports, and half of the

labor force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main products. The

1996 signing of peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war,

removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, and Guatemala since

then has pursued important reforms and macroeconomic stabilization.

The distribution of income remains highly unequal with about 75% of

the population below the poverty line. Other ongoing challenges

include increasing government revenues, negotiating further

assistance from international donors, upgrading both government and

private financial operations, curtailing drug trafficking, and

narrowing the trade deficit. Remittances from a large expatriate

community that moved to the United States during the war have become

an important source of foreign exchange.

Guernsey

Financial services - banking, fund management, insurance -

account for about 23% of employment and 32% of total income in this

tiny, prosperous Channel Island economy. Tourism, manufacturing, and

horticulture, mainly tomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining.

Financial services, construction, retail, and the public sector have

been growing. Light tax and death duties make Guernsey a popular tax

haven. The evolving economic integration of the EU nations is

changing the environment under which Guernsey operates.

Guinea

Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural

resources, yet remains an underdeveloped nation. The country

possesses almost half of the world's bauxite reserves and is the

second-largest bauxite producer. The mining sector accounts for over

70% of exports. Long-run improvements in government fiscal

arrangements, literacy, and the legal framework are needed if the

country is to move out of poverty. Fighting along the Sierra Leonean

and Liberian borders, as well as refugee movements, have caused

major economic disruptions, aggravating a loss in investor

confidence. Panic buying has created food shortages and inflation

and caused riots in local markets. Guinea is trying to reengage with

the IMF and World Bank, which cut off most assistance in 2003.

Growth rose slightly in 2006, primarily due to increases in global

demand and commodity prices on world markets, but the standard of

living fell. The Guinea franc depreciated sharply as the prices for

basic necessities like food and fuel rose beyond the reach of most

Guineans. Dissatisfaction with economic conditions prompted

nationwide strikes in February and June 2006.

Guinea-Bissau

One of the 10 poorest countries in the world,

Guinea-Bissau depends mainly on farming and fishing. Cashew crops

have increased remarkably in recent years, and the country now ranks

sixth in cashew production. Guinea-Bissau exports fish and seafood

along with small amounts of peanuts, palm kernels, and timber. Rice

is the major crop and staple food. However, intermittent fighting

between Senegalese-backed government troops and a military junta

destroyed much of the country's infrastructure and caused widespread

damage to the economy in 1998; the civil war led to a 28% drop in

GDP that year, with partial recovery in 1999-2002. Before the war,

trade reform and price liberalization were the most successful part

of the country's structural adjustment program under IMF

sponsorship. The tightening of monetary policy and the development

of the private sector had also begun to reinvigorate the economy.

Because of high costs, the development of petroleum, phosphate, and

other mineral resources is not a near-term prospect. However,

offshore oil prospecting has begun and could lead to much-needed

revenue in the long run. The inequality of income distribution is

one of the most extreme in the world. The government and

international donors continue to work out plans to forward economic

development from a lamentably low base. In December 2003, the World

Bank, IMF, and UNDP were forced to step in to provide emergency

budgetary support in the amount of $107 million for 2004,

representing over 80% of the total national budget. Government drift

and indecision, however, have resulted in continued low growth in

2002-06.

Guyana

The Guyanese economy exhibited moderate economic growth in

2001-02, based on expansion in the agricultural and mining sectors,

a more favorable atmosphere for business initiatives, a more

realistic exchange rate, fairly low inflation, and the continued

support of international organizations. Chronic problems include a

shortage of skilled labor and a deficient infrastructure. The

government is juggling a sizable external debt against the urgent

need for expanded public investment. The InterAmerican Development

Bank in November 2006 canceled Guyana's nearly $400 million debt

with the Bank. The bauxite mining sector should benefit in the near

term from restructuring and partial privatization. Export earnings

from agriculture and mining have fallen sharply, while the import

bill has risen, driven by higher energy prices. Guyana's entrance

into the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) in January 2006

will broaden the country's export market, primarily in the raw

materials sector.

Haiti

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with

80% of the population living under the poverty line and 54% in

abject poverty. Two-thirds of all Haitians depend on the agriculture

sector, mainly small-scale subsistence farming, and remain

vulnerable to damage from frequent natural disasters, exacerbated by

the country's widespread deforestation. A macroeconomic program

developed in 2005 with the help of the International Monetary Fund

helped the economy grow 1.8% in 2006, the highest growth rate since

1999. Haiti suffers from higher inflation than similar low-income

countries, a lack of investment, and a severe trade deficit. In

2005, Haiti paid its arrears to the World Bank, paving the way for

reengagement with the Bank. The government relies on formal

international economic assistance for fiscal sustainability. In

2006, Haiti held a successful donors conference in which the total

aid pledged exceeded Haiti's request. Remittances are the primary

source of foreign exchange, equaling nearly a quarter of GDP.

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

No indigenous economic activity,

but the Australian Government allows limited fishing around the

islands.

Holy See (Vatican City)

This unique, noncommercial economy is

supported financially by an annual contribution from Roman Catholic

dioceses throughout the world (known as Peter's Pence); by the sale

of postage stamps, coins, medals, and tourist mementos; by fees for

admission to museums; and by the sale of publications. Investments

and real estate income also account for a sizable portion of

revenue. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are

comparable to those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome.

Honduras

Honduras, the second poorest country in Central America and

one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, with an

extraordinarily unequal distribution of income and massive

unemployment, is banking on expanded trade under the US-Central

America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and on debt relief under the

Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. The country has

met most of its macroeconomic targets, and began a three-year IMF

Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PGRF) program in February

2004. The economy relies heavily on a narrow range of exports,

notably bananas and coffee, making it vulnerable to natural

disasters and shifts in commodity prices, but in recent years has

experienced a rapid rise in exports of light manufacturers. Growth

remains dependent on the economy of the US, its largest trading

partner, and on reduction of the high crime rate, as a means of

attracting and maintaining investment.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong has a free market economy highly dependent on

international trade. The territory has become more closely linked to

mainland China over the past few years. Even before Hong Kong

reverted to Chinese administration on 1 July 1997, it had extensive

trade and investment ties with China. Hong Kong's service industry

over the past decade has grown rapidly as its manufacturing industry

has moved to the mainland. Hong Kong also has stepped up its efforts

to gain approval to offer more mainland financial services in a bid

to remain competitive with China's growing financial centers. Hong

Kong's natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials

must be imported. Gross imports and exports (i.e., including

reexports to and from third countries) each exceed GDP in dollar

value. Per capita GDP exceeds that of the four big economies of

Western Europe. GDP growth averaged a strong 5% from 1989 to 2006,

but Hong Kong suffered two recessions in the past eight years

because of the Asian financial crisis in 1997-1998 and the global

downturn in 2001-2002. Although the Severe Acute Respiratory

Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003 also battered Hong Kong's economy,

a solid rise in exports, a boom in tourism from the mainland because

of China's easing of travel restrictions, and a return of consumer

confidence resulted in the resumption of strong growth from late

2003 through 2006. Moreover, several large initial public offerings

of Chinese companies on the Hong Kong stock exchange since late 2005

have helped to boost Hong Kong's status as a financial hub and have

contributed to the improved performance of the market in late 2006.

Howland Island

no economic activity

Hungary

Hungary has made the transition from a centrally planned to

a market economy, with a per capita income nearly two-thirds that of

the EU-25 average. Hungary continues to demonstrate strong economic

growth and acceded to the EU in May 2004. The private sector

accounts for over 80% of GDP. Foreign ownership of and investment in

Hungarian firms are widespread, with cumulative foreign direct

investment totaling more than $60 billion since 1989. Hungarian

sovereign debt was upgraded in 2000 - together with the Czech

Republic, Hungary holds the highest rating among the Central

European transition economies. Rating agencies, however, have

expressed concerns over Hungary's fiscal and current account

deficits. Inflation has declined from 14% in 1998 to 3.7% in 2006.

Unemployment has persisted above 6%. Hungary's labor force

participation rate of 57% is one of the lowest in the Organization

for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Germany is by far

Hungary's largest economic partner. Policy challenges include

cutting the public sector deficit to 3% of GDP by 2008, from about

6.5% in 2006, and orchestrating an orderly interest rate reduction

without sparking capital outflows.

Iceland

Iceland's Scandinavian-type economy is basically

capitalistic, yet with an extensive welfare system (including

generous housing subsidies), low unemployment, and remarkably even

distribution of income. In the absence of other natural resources

(except for abundant geothermal power), the economy depends heavily

on the fishing industry, which provides nearly 60% of export

earnings and employs 6% of the work force. The economy remains

sensitive to declining fish stocks as well as to fluctuations in

world prices for its main exports: fish and fish products, aluminum,

and ferrosilicon. Government policies include reducing the current

account deficit, limiting foreign borrowing, containing inflation,

revising agricultural and fishing policies, and diversifying the

economy. The government remains opposed to EU membership, primarily

because of Icelanders' concern about losing control over their

fishing resources. Iceland's economy has been diversifying into

manufacturing and service industries in the last decade, and new

developments in software production, biotechnology, and financial

services are taking place. The tourism sector is also expanding,

with the recent trends in ecotourism and whale watching. Since 2000

growth has varied from a -1% in 2002 to 8% in 2004.

Iles Eparses

no economic activity

India

India's diverse economy encompasses traditional village

farming, modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern

industries, and a multitude of services. Services are the major

source of economic growth, accounting for more than half of India's

output with less than one quarter of its labor force. About

three-fifths of the work force is in agriculture, leading the UPA

government to articulate an economic reform program that includes

developing basic infrastructure to improve the lives of the rural

poor and boost economic performance. The government has reduced

controls on foreign trade and investment. Tariffs averaged 12.5% on

non-agricultural items in 2006. Higher limits on foreign direct

investment were permitted in a few key sectors, such as

telecommunications. However, tariff spikes in sensitive categories,

including agriculture, and incremental progress on economic reforms

still hinder foreign access to India's vast and growing market.

Privatization of government-owned industries remained stalled in

2006, and continues to generate political debate; populist pressure

from within the UPA government and from its Left Front allies

continues to restrain needed initiatives. The economy has posted an

average growth rate of more than 7% in the decade since 1996,

reducing poverty by about 10 percentage points. India achieved 8.5%

GDP growth in 2006, significantly expanding manufacturing. India is

capitalizing on its large numbers of well-educated people skilled in

the English language to become a major exporter of software services

and software workers. Economic expansion has helped New Delhi

continue to make progress in reducing its federal fiscal deficit.

However, strong growth - more than 8 percent growth in each of the

last three years - combined with easy consumer credit and a real

estate boom is fueling inflation concerns. The huge and growing

population is the fundamental social, economic, and environmental

problem.

Indian Ocean

The Indian Ocean provides major sea routes connecting

the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and the Americas.

It carries a particularly heavy traffic of petroleum and petroleum

products from the oilfields of the Persian Gulf and Indonesia. Its

fish are of great and growing importance to the bordering countries

for domestic consumption and export. Fishing fleets from Russia,

Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan also exploit the Indian Ocean, mainly

for shrimp and tuna. Large reserves of hydrocarbons are being tapped

in the offshore areas of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and western

Australia. An estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil production

comes from the Indian Ocean. Beach sands rich in heavy minerals and

offshore placer deposits are actively exploited by bordering

countries, particularly India, South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka,

and Thailand.

Indonesia

Indonesia, a vast polyglot nation, has struggled to

overcome the Asian financial crisis, and still grapples with high

poverty and unemployment, inadequate infrastructure, endemic

corruption, a fragile banking sector, a poor investment climate, and

unequal resource distribution among regions. The country continues

the slow work of rebuilding from the devastating December 2004

tsunami and from an earthquake in central Java in May 2006 that

caused over $3 billion in damage and losses. Declining oil

production and lack of new exploration investment turned Indonesia

into a net oil importer in 2004. The cost of subsidizing domestic

fuel placed increasing strain on the budget in 2005, and combined

with indecisive monetary policy, contributed to a run on the

currency in August, prompting the government to enact a 126% average

fuel price hike in October. The resulting inflation and interest

rate hikes dampened growth through mid-2006, while large increases

in rice prices pushed millions more people under the national

poverty line. Economic reformers introduced three policy packages in

2006 to improve the investment climate, infrastructure, and the

financial sector, but translating them into reality has not been

easy. Keys to future growth remain internal reform, building up the

confidence of international and domestic investors, and strong

global economic growth.

Iran

Iran's economy is marked by a bloated, inefficient state

sector, over reliance on the oil sector, and statist policies that

create major distortions throughout. Most economic activity is

controlled by the state. Private sector activity is typically

small-scale - workshops, farming, and services. President Mahmud

AHMADI-NEJAD has continued to follow the market reform plans of

former President RAFSANJANI, with limited progress. Relatively high

oil prices in recent years have enabled Iran to amass nearly $60

billion in foreign exchange reserves, but have not eased economic

hardships such as high unemployment and inflation. The proportion of

the economy devoted to the development of weapons of mass

destruction remains a contentious issue with leading Western nations.

Iraq

Iraq's economy is dominated by the oil sector, which has

traditionally provided about 95% of foreign exchange earnings.

Iraq's seizure of Kuwait in August 1990, subsequent international

economic sanctions, and damage from military action by an

international coalition beginning in January 1991 drastically

reduced economic activity. Although government policies supporting

large military and internal security forces and allocating resources

to key supporters of the regime hurt the economy, implementation of

the UN's oil-for-food program, which began in December 1996, helped

improve conditions for the average Iraqi citizen. Iraq was allowed

to export limited amounts of oil in exchange for food, medicine, and

some infrastructure spare parts. In December 1999, the UN Security

Council authorized Iraq to export under the program as much oil as

required to meet humanitarian needs. The military victory of the

US-led coalition in March-April 2003 resulted in the shutdown of

much of the central economic administrative structure. Although a

comparatively small amount of capital plant was damaged during the

hostilities, looting, insurgent attacks, and sabotage have

undermined efforts to rebuild the economy. Attacks on key economic

facilities - especially oil pipelines and infrastructure - have

prevented Iraq from reaching projected export volumes, but total

government revenues have been higher than anticipated due to high

oil prices. Despite political uncertainty, Iraq is making some

progress in building the institutions needed to implement economic

policy and has concluded a debt reduction agreement with the Paris

Club and a Standby Arrangement with the IMF. Iraq's economic

prospects will depend on the government's ability to control

inflation, to implement structural reforms such as bank

restructuring, and to develop the private sector.

Ireland

Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with

growth averaging 6% in 1995-2006. Agriculture, once the most

important sector, is now dwarfed by industry and services. Industry

accounts for 46% of GDP, about 80% of exports, and 29% of the labor

force. Although exports remain the primary engine for Ireland's

growth, the economy has also benefited from a rise in consumer

spending, construction, and business investment. Per capita GDP is

10% above that of the four big European economies and the second

highest in the EU behind Luxembourg. Over the past decade, the Irish

Government has implemented a series of national economic programs

designed to curb price and wage inflation, reduce government

spending, increase labor force skills, and promote foreign

investment. Ireland joined in circulating the euro on 1 January 2002

along with 11 other EU nations.

Isle of Man

Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism are key

sectors of the economy. The government offers incentives to

high-technology companies and financial institutions to locate on

the island; this has paid off in expanding employment opportunities

in high-income industries. As a result, agriculture and fishing,

once the mainstays of the economy, have declined in their shares of

GDP. The Isle of Man also attracts online gambling sites and the

film industry. Trade is mostly with the UK. The Isle of Man enjoys

free access to EU markets.

Israel

Israel has a technologically advanced market economy with

substantial, though diminishing, government participation. It

depends on imports of crude oil, grains, raw materials, and military

equipment. Despite limited natural resources, Israel has intensively

developed its agricultural and industrial sectors over the past 20

years. Israel imports substantial quantities of grain, but is

largely self-sufficient in other agricultural products. Cut

diamonds, high-technology equipment, and agricultural products

(fruits and vegetables) are the leading exports. Israel usually

posts sizable trade deficits, which are covered by large transfer

payments from abroad and by foreign loans. Roughly half of the

government's external debt is owed to the US, which is its major

source of economic and military aid. The bitter Israeli-Palestinian

conflict; difficulties in the high-technology, construction, and

tourist sectors; and fiscal austerity in the face of growing

inflation led to small declines in GDP in 2001 and 2002. The economy

rebounded in 2003-05, growing at a 4% rate each year, as the

government tightened fiscal policy and implemented structural

reforms to boost competition and efficiency in the markets. The

conflict with Lebanon in summer 2006 dampened slightly GDP growth

estimates for the year, but continuing strong foreign investment,

tax revenue, and private consumption levels helped the economy

recover quickly.

Italy

Italy has a diversified industrial economy with roughly the

same total and per capita output as France and the UK. This

capitalistic economy remains divided into a developed industrial

north, dominated by private companies, and a less-developed,

welfare-dependent, agricultural south, with 20% unemployment. Most

raw materials needed by industry and more than 75% of energy

requirements are imported. Over the past decade, Italy has pursued a

tight fiscal policy in order to meet the requirements of the

Economic and Monetary Unions and has benefited from lower interest

and inflation rates. The current government has enacted numerous

short-term reforms aimed at improving competitiveness and long-term

growth. Italy has moved slowly, however, on implementing needed

structural reforms, such as lightening the high tax burden and

overhauling Italy's rigid labor market and over-generous pension

system, because of the current economic slowdown and opposition from

labor unions. But the leadership faces a severe economic constraint:

the budget deficit has breached the 3% EU ceiling. The economy

experienced low growth in 2006, and unemployment remained at a high

level.

Jamaica

The Jamaican economy is heavily dependent on services, which

now account for 60% of GDP. The country continues to derive most of

its foreign exchange from remittances, tourism, and bauxite/alumina.

Jamaica's economy, already saddled with a record of relatively low

growth, was hit hard by Hurricane Ivan in late 2004, and is making a

gradual recovery. But the economy faces serious long-term problems:

high interest rates, increased foreign competition, exchange rate

instability, a sizable merchandise trade deficit, large-scale

unemployment and underemployment, and a high debt burden - the

result of government bailouts to ailing sectors of the economy, most

notably the financial sector in the mid-1990s. Following a strategy

begun in 2004, Jamaica has reduced its public debt to 130% of GDP.

Inflation has declined to 9%. Uncertain economic conditions have led

to increased civil unrest, including gang violence fueled by the

drug trade. The government faces the difficult prospect of having to

achieve fiscal discipline in order to maintain debt payments while

simultaneously attacking a serious and growing crime problem that is

hampering economic growth.

Jan Mayen

Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no exploitable natural

resources. Economic activity is limited to providing services for

employees of Norway's radio and meteorological stations on the

island.

Japan

Government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery

of high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (1%

of GDP) helped Japan advance with extraordinary rapidity to the rank

of second most technologically powerful economy in the world after

the US and the third-largest economy in the world after the US and

China, measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis. One

notable characteristic of the economy is how manufacturers,

suppliers, and distributors work together in closely-knit groups

called keiretsu. A second basic feature has been the guarantee of

lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor

force. Both features are now eroding. Japan's industrial sector is

heavily dependent on imported raw materials and fuels. The tiny

agricultural sector is highly subsidized and protected, with crop

yields among the highest in the world. Usually self sufficient in

rice, Japan must import about 60% of its food on a caloric basis.

Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and

accounts for nearly 15% of the global catch. For three decades,

overall real economic growth had been spectacular - a 10% average in

the 1960s, a 5% average in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s.

Growth slowed markedly in the 1990s, averaging just 1.7%, largely

because of the after effects of overinvestment during the late 1980s

and contractionary domestic policies intended to wring speculative

excesses from the stock and real estate markets and to force a

restructuring of the economy. From 2000 to 2003, government efforts

to revive economic growth met with little success and were further

hampered by the slowing of the US, European, and Asian economies. In

2004-06, growth improved and the lingering fears of deflation in

prices and economic activity lessened. Japan's huge government debt,

which totals 175% of GDP, and the aging of the population are two

major long-run problems. Some fear that a rise in taxes could

endanger the current economic recovery. Internal conflict over the

proper way to reform the financial system will continue as Japan

Post's banking, insurance, and delivery services undergo

privatization between 2007 and 2017.

Jarvis Island

no economic activity

Jersey

Jersey's economy is based on international financial

services, agriculture, and tourism. In 2005 the finance sector

accounted for about 50% of the island's output. Potatoes,

cauliflower, tomatoes, and especially flowers are important export

crops, shipped mostly to the UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle is

known worldwide and represents an important export income earner.

Milk products go to the UK and other EU countries. Tourism accounts

for one-quarter of GDP. In recent years, the government has

encouraged light industry to locate in Jersey, with the result that

an electronics industry has developed alongside the traditional

manufacturing of knitwear. All raw material and energy requirements

are imported, as well as a large share of Jersey's food needs. Light

taxes and death duties make the island a popular tax haven. Living

standards come close to those of the UK.

Johnston Atoll

no economic activity

Jordan

Jordan is a small Arab country with insufficient supplies of

water, oil, and other natural resources. Debt, poverty, and

unemployment are fundamental problems, but King ABDALLAH, since

assuming the throne in 1999, has undertaken some broad economic

reforms in a long-term effort to improve living standards. Since

Jordan's graduation from its most recent IMF program in 2002, Amman

has continued to follow IMF guidelines, practicing careful monetary

policy, and making substantial headway with privatization. The

government also has liberalized the trade regime sufficiently to

secure Jordan's membership in the WTO (2000), a free trade accord

with the US (2001), and an association agreement with the EU (2001).

These measures have helped improve productivity and have put Jordan

on the foreign investment map. Jordan imported most of its oil from

Iraq, but the US-led war in Iraq in 2003 made Jordan more dependent

on oil from other Gulf nations, and has forced the Jordanian

Government to raise retail petroleum product prices and the sales

tax base. Jordan's export market, which is heavily dependent on

exports to Iraq, was also affected by the war but recovered quickly

while contributing to the Iraq recovery effort. The main challenges

facing Jordan are reducing dependence on foreign grants, reducing

the budget deficit, and creating investment incentives to promote

job creation.

Juan de Nova Island

Up to 12,000 tons of guano are mined per year.

Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan, the largest of the former Soviet republics in

territory, excluding Russia, possesses enormous fossil fuel reserves

and plentiful supplies of other minerals and metals. It also has a

large agricultural sector featuring livestock and grain.

Kazakhstan's industrial sector rests on the extraction and

processing of these natural resources and also on a growing

machine-building sector specializing in construction equipment,

tractors, agricultural machinery, and some defense items. The

breakup of the USSR in December 1991 and the collapse in demand for

Kazakhstan's traditional heavy industry products resulted in a

short-term contraction of the economy, with the steepest annual

decline occurring in 1994. In 1995-97, the pace of the government

program of economic reform and privatization quickened, resulting in

a substantial shifting of assets into the private sector. Kazakhstan

enjoyed double-digit growth in 2000-01 - 8% or more per year in

2002-06 - thanks largely to its booming energy sector, but also to

economic reform, good harvests, and foreign investment. The opening

of the Caspian Consortium pipeline in 2001, from western

Kazakhstan's Tengiz oilfield to the Black Sea, substantially raised

export capacity. Kazakhstan in 2006 completed the Atasu-Alashankou

portion of an oil pipeline to China that is planned to extend from

the country's Caspian coast eastward to the Chinese border in future

construction. The country has embarked upon an industrial policy

designed to diversify the economy away from overdependence on the

oil sector by developing light industry. The policy aims to reduce

the influence of foreign investment and foreign personnel. The

government has engaged in several disputes with foreign oil

companies over the terms of production agreements; tensions

continue. Upward pressure on the local currency continued in 2006

due to massive oil-related foreign-exchange inflows.

Kenya

The regional hub for trade and finance in East Africa, Kenya

has been hampered by corruption and by reliance upon several primary

goods whose prices have remained low. In 1997, the IMF suspended

Kenya's Enhanced Structural Adjustment Program due to the

government's failure to maintain reforms and curb corruption. A

severe drought from 1999 to 2000 compounded Kenya's problems,

causing water and energy rationing and reducing agricultural output.

As a result, GDP contracted by 0.2% in 2000. The IMF, which had

resumed loans in 2000 to help Kenya through the drought, again

halted lending in 2001 when the government failed to institute

several anticorruption measures. Despite the return of strong rains

in 2001, weak commodity prices, endemic corruption, and low

investment limited Kenya's economic growth to 1.2%. Growth lagged at

1.1% in 2002 because of erratic rains, low investor confidence,

meager donor support, and political infighting up to the elections.

In the key December 2002 elections, Daniel Arap MOI's 24-year-old

reign ended, and a new opposition government took on the formidable

economic problems facing the nation. In 2003, progress was made in

rooting out corruption and encouraging donor support. Since then,

however, the KIBAKI government has been rocked by high-level graft

scandals. The World Bank suspended aid for most of 2006, and the IMF

has delayed loans pending further action by the government on

corruption. The scandals have not seemed to affect growth, with GDP

growing more than 5% in 2006.

Kingman Reef

no economic activity

Kiribati

A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls, Kiribati has

few natural resources. Commercially viable phosphate deposits were

exhausted at the time of independence from the UK in 1979. Copra and

fish now represent the bulk of production and exports. The economy

has fluctuated widely in recent years. Economic development is

constrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak infrastructure,

and remoteness from international markets. Tourism provides more

than one-fifth of GDP. The financial sector is at an early stage of

development as is the expansion of private sector initiatives.

Foreign financial aid from UK, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and

China equals more than 10% of GDP. Remittances from seamen on

merchant ships abroad account for more than $5 million each year.

Kiribati receives around $15 million annually for the government

budget from an Australian trust fund.

Korea, North

North Korea, one of the world's most centrally planned

and isolated economies, faces desperate economic conditions.

Industrial capital stock is nearly beyond repair as a result of

years of underinvestment and shortages of spare parts. Industrial

and power output have declined in parallel. Due in part to severe

summer flooding followed by dry weather conditions in the fall of

2006, the nation has suffered its 12th year of food shortages

because of on-going systemic problems, including a lack of arable

land, collective farming practices, and chronic shortages of

tractors and fuel. Massive international food aid deliveries have

allowed the people of North Korea to escape mass starvation since

famine threatened in 1995, but the population continues to suffer

from prolonged malnutrition and poor living conditions. Large-scale

military spending eats up resources needed for investment and

civilian consumption. In 2004, the regime formalized an arrangement

whereby private "farmers markets" were allowed to begin selling a

wider range of goods. It also permitted some private farming on an

experimental basis in an effort to boost agricultural output. In

October 2005, the regime reversed some of these policies by

forbidding private sales of grains and reinstituting a centralized

food rationing system. By December 2005, the regime terminated most

international humanitarian assistance operations in the DPRK

(calling instead for developmental assistance only) and restricted

the activities of remaining international and non-governmental aid

organizations such as the World Food Program. Firm political control

remains the Communist government's overriding concern, which will

likely inhibit the loosening of economic regulations.

Korea, South

Since the 1960s, South Korea has achieved an incredible

record of growth and integration into the high-tech modern world

economy. Four decades ago, GDP per capita was comparable with levels

in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. In 2004, South Korea

joined the trillion dollar club of world economies. Today its GDP

per capita is equal to the lesser economies of the EU. This success

was achieved by a system of close government/business ties,

including directed credit, import restrictions, sponsorship of

specific industries, and a strong labor effort. The government

promoted the import of raw materials and technology at the expense

of consumer goods and encouraged savings and investment over

consumption. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-99 exposed

longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development model,

including high debt/equity ratios, massive foreign borrowing, and an

undisciplined financial sector. GDP plunged by 6.9% in 1998, then

recovered 9.5% in 1999 and 8.5% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.3% in

2001 because of the slowing global economy, falling exports, and the

perception that much-needed corporate and financial reforms had

stalled. Led by consumer spending and exports, growth in 2002 was an

impressive 7%, despite anemic global growth. Between 2003 and 2006,

growth moderated to about 4-5%. A downturn in consumer spending was

offset by rapid export growth. Moderate inflation, low unemployment,

an export surplus, and fairly equal distribution of income

characterize this solid economy.

Kuwait

Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with

self-reported crude oil reserves of about 96 billion barrels - 10%

of world reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 95% of

export revenues, and 80% of government income. Kuwait's climate

limits agricultural development. Consequently, with the exception of

fish, it depends almost wholly on food imports. About 75% of potable

water must be distilled or imported. Kuwait continues its

discussions with foreign oil companies to develop fields in the

northern part of the country. High oil prices in recent years have

helped build Kuwait's budget and trade surpluses and foreign

reserves. As a result of this positive fiscal situation, the need

for economic reforms is less urgent and the government has not

earnestly pushed through new initiatives.

Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan is a poor, mountainous country with a

predominantly agricultural economy. Cotton, tobacco, wool, and meat

are the main agricultural products, although only tobacco and cotton

are exported in any quantity. Industrial exports include gold,

mercury, uranium, natural gas, and electricity. Following

independence Kyrgyzstan was progressive in carrying out market

reforms, such as an improved regulatory system and land reform, but

political instability during 2005-06 has undercut the investment

climate. Kyrgyzstan was the first CIS country to be accepted into

the World Trade Organization. Much of the government's stock in

enterprises has been sold. Drops in production had been severe after

the breakup of the Soviet Union in December 1991, but by mid-1995,

production began to recover and exports began to increase. The

economy is heavily weighted toward gold export and a drop in output

at the main Kumtor gold mine sparked a 0.5% decline in GDP in 2002,

but GDP growth bounced back the following year. In 2005 Kyrgyzstan

again experienced a decline in GDP, this time 0.6%. The government

has made steady strides in controlling its substantial fiscal

deficit, virtually balancing revenues and expenditures in 2006. The

government and international financial institutions have been

engaged in a comprehensive medium-term poverty reduction and

economic growth strategy; in 2005 Bishkek agreed to pursue

much-needed tax reform and in 2006 became eligible for the heavily

indebted poor countries (HIPC) initiative. Progress fighting

corruption, further restructuring of domestic industry, and success

in attracting foreign investment are keys to future growth.

Laos

The government of Laos, one of the few remaining official

Communist states, began decentralizing control and encouraging

private enterprise in 1986. The results, starting from an extremely

low base, were striking - growth averaged 6% per year in 1988-2006

except during the short-lived drop caused by the Asian financial

crisis beginning in 1997. Despite this high growth rate, Laos

remains a country with a primitive infrastructure. It has no

railroads, a rudimentary road system, and limited external and

internal telecommunications, though the government is sponsoring

major improvements in the road system with possible support from

Japan. Electricity is available in only a few urban areas.

Subsistence agriculture, dominated by rice, accounts for about half

of GDP and provides 80% of total employment. The economy will

continue to benefit from aid by the IMF and other international

sources and from new foreign investment in hydropower and mining.

Construction will be another strong economic driver, especially as

hydroelectric dam and road projects gain steam. Several policy

changes since 2004 may help spur growth. In late 2004, Laos gained

Normal Trade Relations status with the US, allowing Laos-based

producers to benefit from lower tariffs on exports. Laos is taking

steps to join the World Trade Organization in the next few years;

the resulting trade policy reforms will improve the business

environment. On the fiscal side, a value-added tax (VAT) regime,

slated to begin in 2008, will streamline the government's

inefficient tax system.

Latvia

Latvia's transitional economy recovered from the 1998 Russian

financial crisis, largely due to the government's budget stringency

and a gradual reorientation of exports toward EU countries,

lessening Latvia's trade dependency on Russia. The majority of

companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized, although the

state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises. Latvia

officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999. EU

membership, a top foreign policy goal, came in May 2004. The current

account deficit - 15.7% of GDP in 2006 - remains a major concern.

The perception that many of Latvia's banks facilitate illicit

activity could damage the country's vibrant financial sector.

Lebanon

The 1975-91 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's economic

infrastructure, cut national output by half, and all but ended

Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and banking hub. In

the years since, Lebanon has rebuilt much of its war-torn physical

and financial infrastructure by borrowing heavily - mostly from

domestic banks. In an attempt to reduce the ballooning national

debt, the Rafiq HARIRI government began an austerity program,

reining in government expenditures, increasing revenue collection,

and privatizing state enterprises, but economic and financial reform

initiatives stalled and public debt continued to grow despite

receipt of more than $2 billion in bilateral assistance at the Paris

II Donors Conference. The Israeli-Hizballah conflict caused an

estimated $3.6 billion in infrastructure damage in July and August

2006, and internal Lebanese political tension continues to hamper

economic activity.

Lesotho

Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on

remittances from miners employed in South Africa and customs duties

from the Southern Africa Customs Union for the majority of

government revenue. However, the government has recently

strengthened its tax system to reduce dependency on customs duties.

Completion of a major hydropower facility in January 1998 now

permits the sale of water to South Africa, also generating royalties

for Lesotho. As the number of mineworkers has declined steadily over

the past several years, a small manufacturing base has developed

based on farm products that support the milling, canning, leather,

and jute industries, as well as a rapidly expanding apparel-assembly

sector. The latter has grown significantly, mainly due to Lesotho

qualifying for the trade benefits contained in the Africa Growth and

Opportunity Act. The economy is still primarily based on subsistence

agriculture, especially livestock, although drought has decreased

agricultural activity. The extreme inequality in the distribution of

income remains a major drawback. Lesotho has signed an Interim

Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF.

Liberia

Civil war and government mismanagement have destroyed much

of Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around

Monrovia. Many businessmen have fled the country, taking capital and

expertise with them. Some have returned, but many will not. Richly

endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate

favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a producer and exporter

of basic products - primarily raw timber and rubber. Local

manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope.

President JOHNSON SIRLEAF, a Harvard-trained economist, has taken

steps to reduce corruption, build support from international donors,

and encourage private investment. An embargo on timber exports has

been lifted, opening a source of revenue for the government, but

diamonds remain under UN sanctions. The reconstruction of

infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy

will largely depend on generous financial support and technical

assistance from donor countries.

Libya

The Libyan economy depends primarily upon revenues from the

oil sector, which contribute about 95% of export earnings, about

one-quarter of GDP, and 60% of public sector wages. Substantial

revenues from the energy sector coupled with a small population give

Libya one of the highest per capita GDPs in Africa, but little of

this income flows down to the lower orders of society. Libyan

officials in the past four years have made progress on economic

reforms as part of a broader campaign to reintegrate the country

into the international fold. This effort picked up steam after UN

sanctions were lifted in September 2003 and as Libya announced in

December 2003 that it would abandon programs to build weapons of

mass destruction. Almost all US unilateral sanctions against Libya

were removed in April 2004, helping Libya attract more foreign

direct investment, mostly in the energy sector. Libyan oil and gas

licensing rounds continue to draw high international interest. Libya

faces a long road ahead in liberalizing the socialist-oriented

economy, but initial steps - including applying for WTO membership,

reducing some subsidies, and announcing plans for privatization -

are laying the groundwork for a transition to a more market-based

economy. The non-oil manufacturing and construction sectors, which

account for more than 20% of GDP, have expanded from processing

mostly agricultural products to include the production of

petrochemicals, iron, steel, and aluminum. Climatic conditions and

poor soils severely limit agricultural output, and Libya imports

about 75% of its food.

Liechtenstein

Despite its small size and limited natural resources,

Liechtenstein has developed into a prosperous, highly

industrialized, free-enterprise economy with a vital financial

service sector and living standards on a par with its large European

neighbors. The Liechtenstein economy is widely diversified with a

large number of small businesses. Low business taxes - the maximum

tax rate is 20% - and easy incorporation rules have induced many

holding or so-called letter box companies to establish nominal

offices in Liechtenstein, providing 30% of state revenues. The

country participates in a customs union with Switzerland and uses

the Swiss franc as its national currency. It imports more than 90%

of its energy requirements. Liechtenstein has been a member of the

European Economic Area (an organization serving as a bridge between

the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the EU) since May

1995. The government is working to harmonize its economic policies

with those of an integrated Europe.

Lithuania

Lithuania, the Baltic state that has conducted the most

trade with Russia, has slowly rebounded from the 1998 Russian

financial crisis. Unemployment dropped from 11% in 2003 to 4.5% in

2006. Growing domestic consumption and increased investment have

furthered recovery. Trade has been increasingly oriented toward the

West. Lithuania has gained membership in the World Trade

Organization and joined the EU in May 2004. Privatization of the

large, state-owned utilities, particularly in the energy sector, is

nearing completion. Overall, more than 80% of enterprises have been

privatized. Foreign government and business support have helped in

the transition from the old command economy to a market economy.

Luxembourg

This stable, high-income economy - benefitting from its

proximity to France, Belgium, and Germany - features solid growth,

low inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial sector,

initially dominated by steel, has become increasingly diversified to

include chemicals, rubber, and other products. Growth in the

financial sector, which now accounts for about 28% of GDP, has more

than compensated for the decline in steel. Most banks are

foreign-owned and have extensive foreign dealings. Agriculture is

based on small family-owned farms. The economy depends on foreign

and cross-border workers for about 60% of its labor force. Although

Luxembourg, like all EU members, has suffered from the global

economic slump, the country enjoys an extraordinarily high standard

of living - GDP per capita ranks first in the world.

Macau

Macau's well-to-do economy has remained one of the most open

in the world since its reversion to China in 1999. Apparel exports

and tourism are mainstays of the economy. Although the territory was

hit hard by the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis and the global

downturn in 2001, its economy grew 10.1% in 2002, 14.2% in 2003, and

28.6% in 2004 before slowing to 6.7% in 2005. The economic boom was

powered by gambling, tourism, and the construction necessary to

support such endeavours. China's decision to ease travel

restrictions led to a rapid rise in the number of mainland visitors.

The opening of Macau's gaming industry to foreign access in 2001

spurred an increase in public works expenditures. The budget also

returned to surplus in 2002 because of the surge in visitors from

China and a hike in taxes on gambling profits, which generated about

70% of government revenue. Much of Macau's textile industry may move

to the mainland due to the termination in 2005 of the Multi-Fiber

Agreement, which provided a near guarantee of export markets,

leaving the territory more dependant on gambling and trade-related

services to generate growth. The Closer Economic Partnership

Agreement (CEPA) between Macau and mainland China that came into

effect on 1 January 2004 offers many Macau-made products tariff-free

access to the mainland. The range of products covered by CEPA was

expanded on 1 January 2005.

Macedonia

At independence in September 1991, Macedonia was the least

developed of the Yugoslav republics, producing a mere 5% of the

total federal output of goods and services. The collapse of

Yugoslavia ended transfer payments from the central government and

eliminated advantages from inclusion in a de facto free trade area.

An absence of infrastructure, UN sanctions on the downsized

Yugoslavia, and a Greek economic embargo over a dispute about the

country's constitutional name and flag hindered economic growth

until 1996. GDP subsequently rose each year through 2000. However,

the leadership's commitment to economic reform, free trade, and

regional integration was undermined by the ethnic Albanian

insurgency of 2001. The economy shrank 4.5% because of decreased

trade, intermittent border closures, increased deficit spending on

security needs, and investor uncertainty. Growth barely recovered in

2002 to 0.9%, then averaged 4% per year during 2003-06. Macedonia

has maintained macroeconomic stability with low inflation, but it

has lagged the region in attracting foreign investment and job

growth has been anemic. Macedonia has an extensive grey market,

estimated to be more than 20 percent of GDP, that falls outside

official statistics.

Madagascar

Having discarded past socialist economic policies,

Madagascar has since the mid 1990s followed a World Bank- and

IMF-led policy of privatization and liberalization. This strategy

placed the country on a slow and steady growth path from an

extremely low level. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is

a mainstay of the economy, accounting for more than one-fourth of

GDP and employing 80% of the population. Exports of apparel have

boomed in recent years primarily due to duty-free access to the

United States. Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by the use of

firewood as the primary source of fuel, are serious concerns.

President RAVALOMANANA has worked aggressively to revive the economy

following the 2002 political crisis, which triggered a 12% drop in

GDP that year. Poverty reduction and combating corruption will be

the centerpieces of economic policy for the next few years.

Malawi

Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's least developed

countries. The economy is predominately agricultural, with about 90%

of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounted for

nearly 36% of GDP and 80% of export revenues in 2005. The

performance of the tobacco sector is key to short-term growth as

tobacco accounts for over 60% of exports. The economy depends on

substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World

Bank, and individual donor nations. In late 2000, Malawi was

approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC)

program. The government faces strong challenges, including

developing a market economy, improving educational facilities,

facing up to environmental problems, dealing with the rapidly

growing problem of HIV/AIDS, and satisfying foreign donors that

fiscal discipline is being tightened. In 2005, President MUTHARIKA

championed an anticorruption campaign. Malawi's recent fiscal policy

performance has been very strong, but a serious drought in 2005 and

2006 heightened pressure on the government to increase spending.

Malaysia

Malaysia, a middle-income country, transformed itself from

1971 through the late 1990s from a producer of raw materials into an

emerging multi-sector economy. Growth was almost exclusively driven

by exports - particularly of electronics. As a result, Malaysia was

hard hit by the global economic downturn and the slump in the

information technology (IT) sector in 2001 and 2002. GDP in 2001

grew only 0.5% because of an estimated 11% contraction in exports,

but a substantial fiscal stimulus package equal to US $1.9 billion

mitigated the worst of the recession, and the economy rebounded in

2002 with a 4.1% increase. The economy grew 4.9% in 2003,

notwithstanding a difficult first half, when external pressures from

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and the Iraq War led to

caution in the business community. Growth topped 7% in 2004 and 5%

per year in 2005-06. As an oil and gas exporter, Malaysia has

profited from higher world energy prices, although the rising cost

of domestic gasoline and diesel fuel forced Kuala Lumpur to reduce

government subsidies, contributing to higher inflation. Malaysia

"unpegged" the ringgit from the US dollar in 2005 and the currency

appreciated 6% against the dollar in 2006. Healthy foreign exchange

reserves and a small external debt greatly reduce the risk that

Malaysia will experience a financial crisis over the near term

similar to the one in 1997. The economy remains dependent on

continued growth in the US, China, and Japan - top export

destinations and key sources of foreign investment.

Maldives

Tourism, Maldives' largest industry, accounts for 28% of

GDP and more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts.

Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and

tourism-related taxes. Fishing is the second leading sector.

Agriculture and manufacturing continue to play a lesser role in the

economy, constrained by the limited availability of cultivable land

and the shortage of domestic labor. Most staple foods must be

imported. Industry, which consists mainly of garment production,

boat building, and handicrafts, accounts for about 7% of GDP. The

Maldivian Government began an economic reform program in 1989

initially by lifting import quotas and opening some exports to the

private sector. Subsequently, it has liberalized regulations to

allow more foreign investment. Real GDP growth averaged over 7.5%

per year for more than a decade. In late December 2004, a major

tsunami left more than 100 dead, 12,000 displaced, and property

damage exceeding $300 million. As a result of the tsunami, the GDP

contracted by about 3.6% in 2005. A rebound in tourism, post-tsunami

reconstruction, and development of new resorts helped boost GDP by

nearly 18 percent in 2006. The trade deficit has expanded sharply as

a result of high oil prices and imports of construction material.

Diversifying beyond tourism and fishing is the major challenge

facing the government. Over the longer term Maldivian authorities

worry about the impact of erosion and possible global warming on

their low-lying country; 80% of the area is one meter or less above

sea level.

Mali

Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with 65% of

its land area desert or semidesert and with a highly unequal

distribution of income. Economic activity is largely confined to the

riverine area irrigated by the Niger. About 10% of the population is

nomadic and some 80% of the labor force is engaged in farming and

fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm

commodities. Mali is heavily dependent on foreign aid and vulnerable

to fluctuations in world prices for cotton, its main export, along

with gold. The government has continued its successful

implementation of an IMF-recommended structural adjustment program

that is helping the economy grow, diversify, and attract foreign

investment. Mali's adherence to economic reform and the 50%

devaluation of the CFA franc in January 1994 have pushed up economic

growth to a sturdy 5% average in 1996-2006. Worker remittances and

external trade routes for the landlocked country have been

jeopardized by continued unrest in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire.

Malta

Major resources are limestone, a favorable geographic

location, and a productive labor force. Malta produces only about

20% of its food needs, has limited fresh water supplies, and has few

domestic energy sources. The economy is dependent on foreign trade,

manufacturing (especially electronics and textiles), and tourism.

Continued sluggishness in the European economy is holding back

exports, tourism, and overall growth.

Marshall Islands

US Government assistance is the mainstay of this

tiny island economy. Agricultural production, primarily subsistence,

is concentrated on small farms; the most important commercial crops

are coconuts and breadfruit. Small-scale industry is limited to

handicrafts, tuna processing, and copra. The tourist industry, now a

small source of foreign exchange employing less than 10% of the

labor force, remains the best hope for future added income. The

islands have few natural resources, and imports far exceed exports.

Under the terms of the Amended Compact of Free Association, the US

will provide millions of dollars per year to the Marshall Islands

(RMI) through 2023, at which time a Trust Fund made up of US and RMI

contributions will begin perpetual annual payouts. Government

downsizing, drought, a drop in construction, the decline in tourism,

and less income from the renewal of fishing vessel licenses have

held GDP growth to an average of 1% over the past decade.

Mauritania

Half the population still depends on agriculture and

livestock for a livelihood, even though many of the nomads and

subsistence farmers were forced into the cities by recurrent

droughts in the 1970s and 1980s. Mauritania has extensive deposits

of iron ore, which account for nearly 40% of total exports. The

nation's coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the

world, but overexploitation by foreigners threatens this key source

of revenue. The country's first deepwater port opened near

Nouakchott in 1986. In the past, drought and economic mismanagement

resulted in a buildup of foreign debt which now stands at more than

three times the level of annual exports. In February 2000,

Mauritania qualified for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor

Countries (HIPC) initiative and in December 2001 received strong

support from donor and lending countries at a triennial Consultative

Group review. A new investment code approved in December 2001

improved the opportunities for direct foreign investment. Ongoing

negotiations with the IMF involve problems of economic reforms and

fiscal discipline. In 2001, exploratory oil wells in tracts 80 km

offshore indicated potential extraction at current world oil prices.

Mauritania has an estimated 1 billion barrels of proved reserves.

Substantial oil production and exports began in early 2006 and

averaged 75,000 barrels per day for the year. Meantime the

government emphasizes reduction of poverty, improvement of health

and education, and promoting privatization of the economy.

Mauritius

Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a

low-income, agriculturally based economy to a middle-income

diversified economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist

sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been in the order

of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in more

equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered

infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure. Sugarcane is

grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 25%

of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on

expanding local financial institutions and building a domestic

information telecommunications industry. Mauritius has attracted

more than 9,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India

and South Africa, and investment in the banking sector alone has

reached over $1 billion. Mauritius, with its strong textile sector,

has been well poised to take advantage of the Africa Growth and

Opportunity Act (AGOA).

Mayotte

Economic activity is based primarily on the agricultural

sector, including fishing and livestock raising. Mayotte is not

self-sufficient and must import a large portion of its food

requirements, mainly from France. The economy and future development

of the island are heavily dependent on French financial assistance,

an important supplement to GDP. Mayotte's remote location is an

obstacle to the development of tourism.

Mexico

Mexico has a free market economy that recently entered the

trillion dollar class. It contains a mixture of modern and outmoded

industry and agriculture, increasingly dominated by the private

sector. Recent administrations have expanded competition in

seaports, railroads, telecommunications, electricity generation,

natural gas distribution, and airports. Per capita income is

one-fourth that of the US; income distribution remains highly

unequal. Trade with the US and Canada has tripled since the

implementation of NAFTA in 1994. Mexico has 12 free trade agreements

with over 40 countries including, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador,

the European Free Trade Area, and Japan, putting more than 90% of

trade under free trade agreements. The new Felipe CALDERON

administration that took office in December 2006 faces many of the

same challenges that former President FOX tried to tackle, including

the need to upgrade infrastructure, modernize the tax system and

labor laws, and allow private investment in the energy sector.

CALDERON has stated that his top priorities include reducing poverty

and creating jobs. The success of his economic agenda will depend on

his ability to garner support from the opposition.

Micronesia, Federated States of Economic activity consists primarily of subsistence farming and fishing. The islands have few mineral deposits worth exploiting, except for high-grade phosphate. The potential for a tourist industry exists, but the remote location, a lack of adequate facilities, and limited air connections hinder development. The Amended Compact of Free Association with the US guarantees the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) millions of dollars in annual aid through 2023, and establishes a Trust Fund into which the US and the FSM make annual contributions in order to provide annual payouts to the FSM in perpetuity after 2023. The country's medium-term economic outlook appears fragile due not only to the reduction in US assistance but also to the slow growth of the private sector.

Midway Islands

The economy is based on providing support services

for the national wildlife refuge activities located on the islands.

All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

Moldova

Moldova remains one of the poorest countries in Europe

despite recent progress from its small economic base. It enjoys a

favorable climate and good farmland but has no major mineral

deposits. As a result, the economy depends heavily on agriculture,

featuring fruits, vegetables, wine, and tobacco. Moldova must import

almost all of its energy supplies. Moldova's dependence on Russian

energy was underscored at the end of 2005, when a Russian-owned

electrical station in Moldova's separatist Transnistria region cut

off power to Moldova and Russia's Gazprom cut off natural gas to

Moldova in disputes over pricing. The economy achieved six percent

or more GDP growth every year from 2000-2005, though this was based

largely on consumption fueled by remittances received from Moldovans

working abroad. Russia's decision to ban Moldovan wine and

agricultural products, coupled with its decision to double the price

Moldova paid for Russian natural gas, slowed GDP growth in 2006 and

greatly exacerbated Moldova's economic troubles. Economic reforms

have been slow because of corruption and strong political forces

backing government controls; nevertheless, the government's primary

goal of EU integration has resulted in some market-oriented

progress. The economy remains vulnerable to higher fuel prices, poor

agricultural weather, and the skepticism of foreign investors. Also,

the presence of an illegal separatist regime in Moldova's

Transnistria region continues to be a drag on the Moldovan economy.

Monaco

Monaco, bordering France on the Mediterranean coast, is a

popular resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant

climate. In 2001, a major construction project extended the pier

used by cruise ships in the main harbor. The principality has

successfully sought to diversify into services and small,

high-value-added, nonpolluting industries. The state has no income

tax and low business taxes and thrives as a tax haven both for

individuals who have established residence and for foreign companies

that have set up businesses and offices. The state retains

monopolies in a number of sectors, including tobacco, the telephone

network, and the postal service. Living standards are high, roughly

comparable to those in prosperous French metropolitan areas.

Mongolia

Economic activity in Mongolia has traditionally been based

on herding and agriculture. Mongolia has extensive mineral deposits.

Copper, coal, molybdenum, tin, tungsten and gold account for a large

part of industrial production. Soviet assistance, at its height

one-third of GDP, disappeared almost overnight in 1990 and 1991 at

the time of the dismantlement of the USSR. The following decade saw

Mongolia endure both deep recession due to political inaction and

natural disasters, as well as economic growth because of

reform-embracing, free-market economics and extensive privatization

of the formerly state-run economy. Severe winters and summer

droughts in 2000-2002 resulted in massive livestock die-off and zero

or negative GDP growth. This was compounded by falling prices for

Mongolia's primary sector exports and widespread opposition to

privatization. Growth was 10.6% in 2004, 5.5% in 2005, and 7.5% in

2006, largely because of high copper prices and new gold production.

Mongolia's economy continues to be heavily influenced by its

neighbors. For example, Mongolia purchases 80% of its petroleum

products and a substantial amount of electric power from Russia,

leaving it vulnerable to price increases. China is Mongolia's chief

export partner and a main source of the "shadow" or "grey" economy.

The World Bank and other international financial institutions

estimate the grey economy to be at least equal to that of the

official economy, but the former's actual size is difficult to

calculate since the money does not pass through the hands of tax

authorities or the banking sector. Remittances from Mongolians

working abroad both legally and illegally are sizeable, and money

laundering is a growing concern. Mongolia settled its $11 billion

debt with Russia at the end of 2003 on favorable terms. Mongolia,

which joined the World Trade Organization in 1997, seeks to expand

its participation and integration into Asian regional economic and

trade regimes.

Montenegro

The republic of Montenegro severed its economy from

federal control and from Serbia during the MILOSEVIC era and

continues to maintain its own central bank, uses the euro instead of

the Yugoslav dinar as official currency, collects customs tariffs,

and manages its own budget. The dissolution of the loose political

union between Serbia and Montenegro in 2006 led to separate

membership in several international financial institutions, such as

the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. On January 18,

2007, Montenegro joined the World Bank and IMF. Montenegro is

pursuing its own membership in the World Trade Organization as well

as negotiating a Stabilization and Association agreement with the

European Union in anticipation of eventual membership. Severe

unemployment remains a key political and economic problem for this

entire region. Montenegro has privatized its large aluminum complex

- the dominant industry - as well as most of its financial sector,

and has begun to attract foreign direct investment in the tourism

sector.

Montserrat

Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has

put a damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in

June 1997 closed the airports and seaports, causing further economic

and social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled

the island. Some began to return in 1998, but lack of housing

limited the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected

by the lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of

crops. Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in

relation to the volcanic activity and on public sector construction

activity. The UK has launched a three-year $122.8 million aid

program to help reconstruct the economy. Half of the island is

expected to remain uninhabitable for another decade.

Morocco

Moroccan economic policies brought macroeconomic stability

to the country in the early 1990s but have not spurred growth

sufficient to reduce unemployment that nears 20% in urban areas.

Poverty has increased due to the volatile nature of GDP, Morocco's

continued dependence on foreign energy, and its inability to promote

the growth of small and medium size enterprises. However, GDP growth

rebounded to 6.7% in 2006 due to high rainfall, which resulted in a

strong second harvest. Despite structural adjustment programs

supported by the IMF, the World Bank, and the Paris Club, the dirham

is only fully convertible for current account transactions and

Morocco's financial sector is rudimentary. Moroccan authorities

understand that reducing poverty and providing jobs is key to

domestic security and development. In 2004, Moroccan authorities

instituted measures to boost foreign direct investment and trade by

signing a free trade agreement with the US, which entered into force

in January 2006, and sold government shares in the state

telecommunications company and in the largest state-owned bank.

Long-term challenges include preparing the economy for freer trade

with the US and European Union, improving education and job

prospects for Morocco's youth, and raising living standards, which

the government hopes to achieve by increasing tourist arrivals and

boosting competitiveness in textiles.

Mozambique

At independence in 1975, Mozambique was one of the

world's poorest countries. Socialist mismanagement and a brutal

civil war from 1977-92 exacerbated the situation. In 1987, the

government embarked on a series of macroeconomic reforms designed to

stabilize the economy. These steps, combined with donor assistance

and with political stability since the multi-party elections in

1994, have led to dramatic improvements in the country's growth

rate. Inflation was reduced to single digits during the late 1990s

although it returned to double digits in 2000-06. Fiscal reforms,

including the introduction of a value-added tax and reform of the

customs service, have improved the government's revenue collection

abilities. In spite of these gains, Mozambique remains dependent

upon foreign assistance for much of its annual budget, and the

majority of the population remains below the poverty line.

Subsistence agriculture continues to employ the vast majority of the

country's work force. A substantial trade imbalance persists

although the opening of the Mozal aluminum smelter, the country's

largest foreign investment project to date, has increased export

earnings. In late 2005, and after years of negotiations, the

government signed an agreement to gain Portugal's majority share of

the Cahora Bassa Hydroelectricity (HCB) company, a dam that was not

transferred to Mozambique at independence because of the ensuing

civil war and unpaid debts. More power is needed for additional

investment projects in titanium extraction and processing and

garment manufacturing that could further close the import/export

gap. Mozambique's once substantial foreign debt has been reduced

through forgiveness and rescheduling under the IMF's Heavily

Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and Enhanced HIPC initiatives, and is

now at a manageable level.

Namibia

The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and

processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 20% of GDP.

Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for

gem-quality diamonds. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of

nonfuel minerals in Africa, the world's fifth-largest producer of

uranium, and the producer of large quantities of lead, zinc, tin,

silver, and tungsten. The mining sector employs only about 3% of the

population while about half of the population depends on subsistence

agriculture for its livelihood. Namibia normally imports about 50%

of its cereal requirements; in drought years food shortages are a

major problem in rural areas. A high per capita GDP, relative to the

region, hides the world's worst inequality of income distribution.

The Namibian economy is closely linked to South Africa with the

Namibian dollar pegged one-to-one to the South African rand.

Privatization of several enterprises in coming years may stimulate

long-run foreign investment. Increased fish production and mining of

zinc, copper, uranium, and silver spurred growth in 2003-06.

Nauru

Revenues of this tiny island have traditionally come from

exports of phosphates, now significantly depleted. An Australian

company in 2005 entered into an agreement intended to exploit

remaining supplies. Few other resources exist with most necessities

being imported, mainly from Australia, its former occupier and later

major source of support. The rehabilitation of mined land and the

replacement of income from phosphates are serious long-term

problems. In anticipation of the exhaustion of Nauru's phosphate

deposits, substantial amounts of phosphate income were invested in

trust funds to help cushion the transition and provide for Nauru's

economic future. As a result of heavy spending from the trust funds,

the government faces virtual bankruptcy. To cut costs the government

has frozen wages and reduced overstaffed public service departments.

In 2005, the deterioration in housing, hospitals, and other capital

plant continued, and the cost to Australia of keeping the government

and economy afloat continued to climb. Few comprehensive statistics

on the Nauru economy exist, with estimates of Nauru's GDP varying

widely.

Navassa Island

Subsistence fishing and commercial trawling occur

within refuge waters.

Nepal

Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in

the world with almost one-third of its population living below the

poverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing

a livelihood for three-fourths of the population and accounting for

38% of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of

agricultural produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain.

Security concerns relating to the Maoist conflict have led to a

decrease in tourism, a key source of foreign exchange. Nepal has

considerable scope for exploiting its potential in hydropower and

tourism, areas of recent foreign investment interest. Prospects for

foreign trade or investment in other sectors will remain poor,

however, because of the small size of the economy, its technological

backwardness, its remoteness, its landlocked geographic location,

its civil strife, and its susceptibility to natural disaster.

Netherlands

The Netherlands has a prosperous and open economy, which

depends heavily on foreign trade. The economy is noted for stable

industrial relations, moderate unemployment and inflation, a sizable

current account surplus, and an important role as a European

transportation hub. Industrial activity is predominantly in food

processing, chemicals, petroleum refining, and electrical machinery.

A highly mechanized agricultural sector employs no more than 2% of

the labor force but provides large surpluses for the food-processing

industry and for exports. The Netherlands, along with 11 of its EU

partners, began circulating the euro currency on 1 January 2002. The

country continues to be one of the leading European nations for

attracting foreign direct investment. Economic growth slowed

considerably in 2001-06, as part of the global economic slowdown,

but for the four years before that, annual growth averaged nearly

4%, well above the EU average.

Netherlands Antilles

Tourism, petroleum refining, and offshore

finance are the mainstays of this small economy, which is closely

tied to the outside world. Although GDP has declined or grown

slightly in each of the past eight years, the islands enjoy a high

per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure compared with

other countries in the region. Almost all consumer and capital goods

are imported, the US and Mexico being the major suppliers. Poor

soils and inadequate water supplies hamper the development of

agriculture. Budgetary problems hamper reform of the health and

pension systems of an aging population.

New Caledonia

New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's known

nickel resources. Only a small amount of the land is suitable for

cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition

to nickel, substantial financial support from France - equal to more

than 15% of GDP - and tourism are keys to the health of the economy.

Substantial new investment in the nickel industry, combined with the

recovery of global nickel prices, brightens the economic outlook for

the next several years.

New Zealand

Over the past 20 years the government has transformed

New Zealand from an agrarian economy dependent on concessionary

British market access to a more industrialized, free market economy

that can compete globally. This dynamic growth has boosted real

incomes (but left behind many at the bottom of the ladder),

broadened and deepened the technological capabilities of the

industrial sector, and contained inflationary pressures. Per capita

income has risen for eight consecutive years and was more than

$25,500 in 2006 in purchasing power parity terms. Consumer and

government spending have driven growth in recent years, and exports

picked up in 2006 after struggling for several years. Exports are

equal to about 28% of GDP, down from 33 percent of GDP in 2001. Thus

far the economy has been resilient, and the Labor Government

promises that expenditures on health, education, and pensions will

increase proportionately to output.

Nicaragua

Nicaragua, the second poorest country in the Western

Hemisphere, has low per capita income and widespread

underemployment. Distribution of income is one of the most unequal

on the globe. While the country has progressed toward macroeconomic

stability in the past few years, GDP annual growth has been far too

low to meet the country's needs, forcing the country to rely on

international economic assistance to meet fiscal and debt financing

obligations. Nicaragua qualified in early 2004 for some $4.5 billion

in foreign debt reduction under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries

(HIPC) initiative and in November 2006 obtained over $800 million in

debt relief from the Inter-American Development Bank. In October

2005, Nicaragua ratified the US-Central America Free Trade Agreement

(CAFTA), which will provide an opportunity for Nicaragua to attract

investment, create jobs, and deepen economic development. Energy

shortages, however, are a serious bottleneck to growth.

Niger

Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranking

last on the United Nations Development Fund index of human

development. It is a landlocked, Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy

centers on subsistence crops, livestock, and some of the world's

largest uranium deposits. Drought cycles, desertification, and a

2.9% population growth rate, have undercut the economy. Niger shares

a common currency, the CFA franc, and a common central bank, the

Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), with seven other

members of the West African Monetary Union. In December 2000, Niger

qualified for enhanced debt relief under the International Monetary

Fund program for Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and concluded

an agreement with the Fund on a Poverty Reduction and Growth

Facility (PRGF). Debt relief provided under the enhanced HIPC

initiative significantly reduces Niger's annual debt service

obligations, freeing funds for expenditures on basic health care,

primary education, HIV/AIDS prevention, rural infrastructure, and

other programs geared at poverty reduction. In December 2005, Niger

received 100% multilateral debt relief from the IMF, which

translates into the forgiveness of approximately $86 million USD in

debts to the IMF, excluding the remaining assistance under HIPC.

Nearly half of the government's budget is derived from foreign donor

resources. Future growth may be sustained by exploitation of oil,

gold, coal, and other mineral resources. Uranium prices have

increased sharply in the last few years. A drought and locust

infestation in 2005 led to food shortages for as many as 2.5 million

Nigeriens.

Nigeria

Oil-rich Nigeria, long hobbled by political instability,

corruption, inadequate infrastructure, and poor macroeconomic

management, is undertaking some reforms under a new reform-minded

administration. Nigeria's former military rulers failed to diversify

the economy away from its overdependence on the capital-intensive

oil sector, which provides 20% of GDP, 95% of foreign exchange

earnings, and about 65% of budgetary revenues. The largely

subsistence agricultural sector has failed to keep up with rapid

population growth - Nigeria is Africa's most populous country - and

the country, once a large net exporter of food, now must import

food. Following the signing of an IMF stand-by agreement in August

2000, Nigeria received a debt-restructuring deal from the Paris Club

and a $1 billion credit from the IMF, both contingent on economic

reforms. Nigeria pulled out of its IMF program in April 2002, after

failing to meet spending and exchange rate targets, making it

ineligible for additional debt forgiveness from the Paris Club. In

the last year the government has begun showing the political will to

implement the market-oriented reforms urged by the IMF, such as to

modernize the banking system, to curb inflation by blocking

excessive wage demands, and to resolve regional disputes over the

distribution of earnings from the oil industry. In 2003, the

government began deregulating fuel prices, announced the

privatization of the country's four oil refineries, and instituted

the National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy, a

domestically designed and run program modeled on the IMF's Poverty

Reduction and Growth Facility for fiscal and monetary management. In

November 2005, Abuja won Paris Club approval for a debt-relief deal

that eliminated $18 billion of debt in exchange for $12 billion in

payments-a total package worth $30 billion of Nigeria's total $37

billion external debt. The deal requires Nigeria to be subject to

stringent IMF reviews. GDP rose strongly in 2006, based largely on

increased oil exports and high global crude prices.

Niue

The economy suffers from the typical Pacific island problems of

geographic isolation, few resources, and a small population.

Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, and the shortfall

is made up by critically needed grants from New Zealand that are

used to pay wages to public employees. Niue has cut government

expenditures by reducing the public service by almost half. The

agricultural sector consists mainly of subsistence gardening,

although some cash crops are grown for export. Industry consists

primarily of small factories to process passion fruit, lime oil,

honey, and coconut cream. The sale of postage stamps to foreign

collectors is an important source of revenue. The island in recent

years has suffered a serious loss of population because of

emigration to New Zealand. Efforts to increase GDP include the

promotion of tourism and a financial services industry, although the

International Banking Repeal Act of 2002 resulted in the termination

of all offshore banking licenses. Economic aid from New Zealand in

2002 was about US$2 million. Niue suffered a devastating typhoon in

January 2004, which decimated nascent economic programs. While in

the process of rebuilding, Niue has been dependent on foreign aid.

Norfolk Island

Tourism, the primary economic activity, has steadily

increased over the years and has brought a level of prosperity

unusual among inhabitants of the Pacific islands. The agricultural

sector has become self-sufficient in the production of beef,

poultry, and eggs.

Northern Mariana Islands

The economy benefits substantially from

financial assistance from the US. The rate of funding has declined

as locally generated government revenues have grown. The key tourist

industry employs about 50% of the work force and accounts for

roughly one-fourth of GDP. Japanese tourists predominate. Annual

tourist entries have exceeded one-half million in recent years, but

financial difficulties in Japan have caused a temporary slowdown.

The agricultural sector is made up of cattle ranches and small farms

producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment

production is by far the most important industry with the employment

of 17,500 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US

under duty and quota exemptions.

Norway

The Norwegian economy is a prosperous bastion of welfare

capitalism, featuring a combination of free market activity and

government intervention. The government controls key areas such as

the vital petroleum sector (through large-scale state enterprises).

The country is richly endowed with natural resources - petroleum,

hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals - and is highly dependent on

its oil production and international oil prices, with oil and gas

accounting for one-third of exports. Only Saudi Arabia and Russia

export more oil than Norway. Norway opted to stay out of the EU

during a referendum in November 1994; nonetheless, it contributes

sizably to the EU budget. The government has moved ahead with

privatization. Although Norwegian oil production peaked in 2000,

natural gas production is still rising. Norwegians realize that once

their gas production peaks they will eventually face declining oil

and gas revenues; accordingly, Norway has been saving its

oil-and-gas-boosted budget surpluses in a Government Petroleum Fund,

which is invested abroad and now is valued at more than $250

billion. After lackluster growth of less than 1% in 2002-03, GDP

growth picked up to 3-4% in 2004-06. Norway's economy remains

buoyant. Domestic economic activity is, and will continue to be, the

main driver of growth, supported by high consumer confidence and

strong investment spending in the offshore oil and gas sector.

Oman

Oman is a middle-income economy in the Middle East with notable

oil and gas resources, a substantial trade surplus, and low

inflation. Sustained high oil prices in recent years have helped

build Oman's budget and trade surpluses and foreign reserves. Oman

joined the World Trade Organization in November 2000 and continues

to liberalize its markets. To reduce unemployment and limit

dependence on foreign labor, the government is encouraging the

replacement of foreign expatriate workers with local workers. Oman

actively seeks private foreign investors, especially in the

industrial, information technology, tourism, and higher education

fields. Industrial development plans focus on gas resources, metal

manufacturing, petrochemicals, and international transshipment ports.

Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the world

economy and particularly to those nations its waters directly touch.

It provides low-cost sea transportation between East and West,

extensive fishing grounds, offshore oil and gas fields, minerals,

and sand and gravel for the construction industry. In 1996, over 60%

of the world's fish catch came from the Pacific Ocean. Exploitation

of offshore oil and gas reserves is playing an ever-increasing role

in the energy supplies of the US, Australia, NZ, China, and Peru.

The high cost of recovering offshore oil and gas, combined with the

wide swings in world prices for oil since 1985, has led to

fluctuations in new drillings.

Pakistan

Pakistan, an impoverished and underdeveloped country, has

suffered from decades of internal political disputes, low levels of

foreign investment, and a costly, ongoing confrontation with

neighboring India. However, IMF-approved government policies,

bolstered by generous foreign assistance and renewed access to

global markets since 2001, have generated solid macroeconomic

recovery the last five years. The government has made substantial

macroeconomic reforms since 2000, most notably privatizing the

banking sector. Poverty levels have decreased by 10 percent since

2001, and Islamabad has steadily raised development spending in

recent years, including a 52-percent real increase in the budget

allocation for development in fiscal year 2007, a necessary step

toward reversing the broad underdevelopment of its social sector.

The fiscal deficit - the result of chronically low tax collection

and increased spending, including reconstruction costs from the

October 2005 earthquake - appears manageable for now. GDP growth,

spurred by gains in the industrial and service sectors, remained in

the 6-8% range in 2004-06. Inflation remains the biggest threat to

the economy, jumping to more than 9% in 2005 before easing to 7.9%

in 2006. The central bank is pursuing tighter monetary policy -

raising interest rates in 2006 - while trying to preserve growth.

Foreign exchange reserves are bolstered by steady worker

remittances, but a growing current account deficit - driven by a

widening trade gap as import growth outstrips export expansion -

could draw down reserves and dampen GDP growth in the medium term.

Palau

The economy consists primarily of tourism, subsistence

agriculture, and fishing. The government is the major employer of

the work force, relying heavily on financial assistance from the US.

Business and tourist arrivals numbered 63,000 in 2003. The

population enjoys a per capita income twice that of the Philippines

and much of Micronesia. Long-run prospects for the key tourist

sector have been greatly bolstered by the expansion of air travel in

the Pacific, the rising prosperity of leading East Asian countries,

and the willingness of foreigners to finance infrastructure

development.

Palmyra Atoll

no economic activity

Panama

Panama's dollarised economy rests primarily on a

well-developed services sector that accounts for three-fourths of

GDP. Services include operating the Panama Canal, banking, the Colon

Free Zone, insurance, container ports, flagship registry, and

tourism. A slump in the Colon Free Zone and agricultural exports,

the global slowdown, and the withdrawal of US military forces held

back economic growth in 2000-03; growth picked up in 2004-06 led by

export-oriented services and a construction boom stimulated by tax

incentives. The government has implemented tax reforms, as well as

social security reforms, and backs regional trade agreements and

development of tourism. Unemployment remains high. In October 2006,

voters passed a referendum to expand the Panama Canal to accommodate

ships that are now too large to cross the transoceanic crossway. Not

a CAFTA signatory, Panama in December 2006 independently negotiated

a free trade agreement with the United States, which, when

implemented, will help promote the country's economic growth.

Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural

resources, but exploitation has been hampered by rugged terrain and

the high cost of developing infrastructure. Agriculture provides a

subsistence livelihood for 85% of the population. Mineral deposits,

including oil, copper, and gold, account for nearly two-thirds of

export earnings. The economy has improved over the past three years

because of high commodity prices following a prolonged period of

instability. The government of Prime Minister SOMARE has expended

much of its energy remaining in power and should be the first

government in decades to serve a full five-year term. The government

has also brought stability to the national budget thus far, largely

through expenditure control. Numerous challenges still face the

government including regaining investor confidence, restoring

integrity to state institutions, promoting economic efficiency by

privatizing moribund state institutions, and balancing relations

with Australia, the former colonial ruler. Other socio-cultural

challenges could upend the economy including a worsening HIV/Aids

epidemic and chronic law and order and land tenure issues. Australia

annually supplies $240 million in aid, which accounts for nearly 20%

of the national budget.

Paracel Islands

China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands

for tourism.

Paraguay

Landlocked Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large

informal sector. This sector features both reexport of imported

consumer goods to neighboring countries, as well as the activities

of thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors. Because

of the importance of the informal sector, accurate economic measures

are difficult to obtain. A large percentage of the population

derives its living from agricultural activity, often on a

subsistence basis. The formal economy grew by an average of about 3%

annually in 1995-97, but averaged near-zero growth in 1998-2001 and

contracted by 2.3 percent in 2002, in response to regional contagion

and an outbreak of hoof-and-mouth disease. On a per capita basis,

real income has stagnated at 1980 levels. Most observers attribute

Paraguay's poor economic performance to political uncertainty,

corruption, lack of progress on structural reform, substantial

internal and external debt, and deficient infrastructure. Aided by a

firmer exchange rate and perhaps a greater confidence in the

economic policy of the DUARTE FRUTOS administration, the economy

rebounded between 2003 and 2006, posting modest growth each year.

Peru

Peru's economy reflects its varied geography - an arid coastal

region, the Andes further inland, and tropical lands bordering

Colombia and Brazil. Abundant mineral resources are found in the

mountainous areas, and Peru's coastal waters provide excellent

fishing grounds. However, overdependence on minerals and metals

subjects the economy to fluctuations in world prices, and a lack of

infrastructure deters trade and investment. After several years of

inconsistent economic performance, the Peruvian economy grew by more

than 4 percent per year during the period 2002-2006, with a stable

exchange rate and low inflation. Risk premiums on Peruvian bonds on

secondary markets reached historically low levels in late 2004,

reflecting investor optimism regarding the government's prudent

fiscal policies and openness to trade and investment. Despite the

strong macroeconomic performance, underemployment and poverty have

stayed persistently high. Economic growth continues to be driven by

the Camisea natural gas megaproject and by exports of minerals,

textiles, and agricultural products. Upon taking office, President

GARCIA announced the formation of Sierria Exportadora, a program

aimed at promoting economic growth in Southern Peru and the

highlands.

Philippines

The Philippines was less severely affected by the Asian

financial crisis of 1998 than its neighbors, aided in part by its

high level of annual remittances from overseas workers, and no

sustained runup in asset prices or foreign borrowing prior to the

crisis. From a 0.6% decline in 1998, GDP expanded by 2.4% in 1999,

and 4.4% in 2000, but slowed to 3.2% in 2001 in the context of a

global economic slowdown, an export slump, and political and

security concerns. GDP growth accelerated to about 5% between 2002

and 2006 reflecting the continued resilience of the service sector,

and improved exports and agricultural output. Nonetheless, it will

take a higher, sustained growth path to make appreciable progress in

the alleviation of poverty given the Philippines' high annual

population growth rate and unequal distribution of income. The

Philippines also faces higher oil prices, higher interest rates on

its dollar borrowings, and higher inflation. Fiscal constraints

limit Manila's ability to finance infrastructure and social

spending. The Philippines' consistently large budget deficit has

produced a high debt level, and this situation has forced Manila to

spend a large portion of the national government budget on debt

service. Large unprofitable public enterprises, especially in the

energy sector, contribute to the government's debt because of slow

progress on privatization. Credit rating agencies have at times

expressed concern about the Philippines' ability to service the

debt, though central bank reserves appear adequate and large

remittance inflows appear stable. The implementation of the expanded

Value Added Tax (VAT) in November 2005 boosted confidence in the

government's fiscal capacity and helped to strengthen the peso,

making it East Asia's best performing currency in 2005-06. Investors

and credit rating institutions will continue to look for effective

implementation of the new VAT and continued improvement in the

government's overall fiscal capacity in the coming year.

Pitcairn Islands

The inhabitants of this tiny isolated economy exist

on fishing, subsistence farming, handicrafts, and postage stamps.

The fertile soil of the valleys produces a wide variety of fruits

and vegetables, including citrus, sugarcane, watermelons, bananas,

yams, and beans. Bartering is an important part of the economy. The

major sources of revenue are the sale of postage stamps to

collectors and the sale of handicrafts to passing ships. In October

2004, more than one-quarter of Pitcairn's small labor force was

arrested, putting the economy in a bind, since their services were

required as lighter crew to load or unload passing ships.

Poland

Poland has steadfastly pursued a policy of economic

liberalization since 1990 and today stands out as a success story

among transition economies. Even so, much remains to be done,

especially in bringing down the unemployment rate - still the

highest in the EU despite recent improvement. The privatization of

small- and medium-sized state-owned companies and a liberal law on

establishing new firms has encouraged the development of the private

business sector, but legal and bureaucratic obstacles alongside

persistent corruption are hampering its further development.

Poland's agricultural sector remains handicapped by surplus labor,

inefficient small farms, and lack of investment. Restructuring and

privatization of "sensitive sectors" (e.g., coal, steel, railroads,

and energy), while recently initiated, have stalled. Reforms in

health care, education, the pension system, and state administration

have resulted in larger-than-expected fiscal pressures. Further

progress in public finance depends mainly on reducing losses in

Polish state enterprises, restraining entitlements, and overhauling

the tax code to incorporate the growing gray economy and farmers,

most of whom pay no tax. The previous Socialist-led government

introduced a package of social and administrative spending cuts to

reduce public spending by about $17 billion through 2007, but full

implementation of the plan was trumped by election-year politics in

2005. The right-wing Law and Justice party won parliamentary

elections in September, and Lech KACZYNSKI won the presidential

election in October 2005, running on a state-interventionist fiscal

and monetary platform. Poland joined the EU in May 2004, and surging

exports to the EU contributed to Poland's strong growth in 2004,

though its competitiveness could be threatened by the zloty's

appreciation. GDP per capita roughly equals that of the three Baltic

states. Poland benefited from nearly $23.2 billion in EU funds,

which were available through 2006. Farmers have already begun to

reap the rewards of membership via booming exports, higher food

prices, and EU agricultural subsidies.

Portugal

Portugal has become a diversified and increasingly

service-based economy since joining the European Community in 1986.

Over the past two decades, successive governments have privatized

many state-controlled firms and liberalized key areas of the

economy, including the financial and telecommunications sectors. The

country qualified for the European Monetary Union (EMU) in 1998 and

began circulating the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU

member economies. Economic growth had been above the EU average for

much of the 1990s, but fell back in 2001-06. GDP per capita stands

at roughly 70% of the EU-25 average. A poor educational system, in

particular, has been an obstacle to greater productivity and growth.

Portugal has been increasingly overshadowed by lower-cost producers

in Central Europe and Asia as a target for foreign direct

investment. The budget deficit surged to an all-time high of 6% of

GDP in 2005 but was reduced to 4.6% in 2006. The government faces

tough choices in its attempts to boost Portugal's economic

competitiveness while keeping the budget deficit within the

eurozone's 3%-of-GDP ceiling.

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the

Caribbean region. A diverse industrial sector has far surpassed

agriculture as the primary locus of economic activity and income.

Encouraged by duty-free access to the US and by tax incentives, US

firms have invested heavily in Puerto Rico since the 1950s. US

minimum wage laws apply. Sugar production has lost out to dairy

production and other livestock products as the main source of income

in the agricultural sector. Tourism has traditionally been an

important source of income, with estimated arrivals of nearly 5

million tourists in 2004. Growth fell off in 2001-03, largely due to

the slowdown in the US economy, recovered in 2004-05, but declined

again in 2006.

Qatar

Oil and gas account for more than 60% of GDP, roughly 85% of

export earnings, and 70% of government revenues. Oil and gas have

given Qatar a per capita GDP about 80% of that of the leading West

European industrial countries. Sustained high oil prices and

increased natural gas exports in recent years have helped build

Qatar's budget and trade surpluses and foreign reserves. Proved oil

reserves of more than 15 billion barrels should ensure continued

output at current levels for 23 years. Qatar's proved reserves of

natural gas exceed 25 trillion cubic meters, more than 5% of the

world total and third largest in the world. Qatar has permitted

substantial foreign investment in the development of its gas fields

during the last decade and is expected to become the world's top

liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter in 2007. Qatar is also trying

to attract foreign investment in the development of its non-energy

projects by further liberalizing the economy. Qatar has become one

of the world's fastest growing and highest per-capita income

countries.

Romania

Romania began the transition from Communism in 1989 with a

largely obsolete industrial base and a pattern of output unsuited to

the country's needs. The country emerged in 2000 from a punishing

three-year recession thanks to strong demand in EU export markets.

Despite the global slowdown in 2001-02, strong domestic activity in

construction, agriculture, and consumption have kept GDP growth

above 4%. However, macroeconomic gains have only recently started to

spur creation of a middle class and address Romania's widespread

poverty, while corruption and red tape continue to handicap the

business environment. Romanian government confidence in continuing

disinflation was underscored by its currency revaluation in 2005,

making 10,000 "old" lei equal 1 "new" leu. The economy grew at 6.4%

in 2006, the strongest growth in the last decade. Romania joined the

European Union on 1 January 2007, and the IMF has praised the

country's recent reform efforts in preparation for EU accession.

Russia

Russia ended 2006 with its eighth straight year of growth,

averaging 6.7% annually since the financial crisis of 1998. Although

high oil prices and a relatively cheap ruble are important drivers

of this economic rebound, since 2000 investment and consumer-driven

demand have played a noticeably increasing role. Real fixed capital

investments have averaged gains greater than 10% over the last five

years, and real personal incomes have realized average increases

over 12%. During this time, poverty has declined steadily and the

middle class has continued to expand. Russia has also improved its

international financial position since the 1998 financial crisis.

Over the past several years, Russia has used its stabilization fund

based on oil taxes to prepay all Soviet-era sovereign debt to Paris

Club creditors and the IMF. Foreign debt has decreased to 39% of

GDP, mainly due to decreasing state debt, while commercial debt to

foreigners has risen strongly. Oil export earnings have allowed

Russia to increase its foreign reserves from $12 billion in 1999 to

some $315 billion at yearend 2006, the third largest reserves in the

world. These achievements, along with a renewed government effort to

advance structural reforms and fiscal restraint, have raised

business and investor confidence in Russia's economic prospects.

Russia's economy grew 6.6% in 2006 and inflation growth was below

10% for the first time in the past 10 years. Russia shows signs of

increasing its ties to the global economy, having signed a bilateral

market access agreement with the US as a prelude to possible WTO

entry. Nevertheless, serious problems persist. Oil, natural gas,

metals, and timber account for more than 80% of exports, leaving the

country vulnerable to swings in world commodity prices. Russia's

manufacturing base is dilapidated and must be replaced or modernized

if the country is to achieve broad-based economic growth. The

banking system, while growing at a high rate and increasing consumer

lending, is still small relative to the banking sectors of Russia's

emerging market peers. Domestic and foreign investor sentiment is

tempered by political uncertainties ahead of elections, corruption,

and widespread lack of trust in institutions. President PUTIN

continues to grant more influence to forces within his government

that desire to reassert state control over the economy. Government

spending has increased and risks becoming populist, most notably in

the form of the four "national projects" of agriculture, education,

housing, and medicine. Russia has made little progress in building

the rule of law, the bedrock of a modern market economy.

Rwanda

Rwanda is a poor rural country with about 90% of the

population engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture. It is the

most densely populated country in Africa and is landlocked with few

natural resources and minimal industry. Primary foreign exchange

earners are coffee and tea. The 1994 genocide decimated Rwanda's

fragile economic base, severely impoverished the population,

particularly women, and eroded the country's ability to attract

private and external investment. However, Rwanda has made

substantial progress in stabilizing and rehabilitating its economy

to pre-1994 levels, although poverty levels are higher now. GDP has

rebounded and inflation has been curbed. Despite Rwanda's fertile

ecosystem, food production often does not keep pace with population

growth, requiring food imports. Rwanda continues to receive

substantial aid money and obtained IMF-World Bank Heavily Indebted

Poor Country (HIPC) initiative debt relief in 2005. Kigali's high

defense expenditures have caused tension between the government and

international donors and lending agencies. Rwanda obtained debt

relief from the IMF and World Bank in 2006. Rwanda also received

Millennium Challenge Account Threshold status in 2006. Energy

shortages, instability in neighboring states, and lack of adequate

transportation linkages to other countries continue to handicap

growth.

Saint Helena

The economy depends largely on financial assistance

from the UK, which amounted to about $5 million in 1997 or almost

one-half of annual budgetary revenues. The local population earns

income from fishing, raising livestock, and sales of handicrafts.

Because there are few jobs, 25% of the work force has left to seek

employment on Ascension Island, on the Falklands, and in the UK.

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Sugar was the traditional mainstay of the

Saint Kitts economy until the 1970s. The government closed the sugar

industry following the 2005 harvest after decades of losses at the

state-run sugar company. To compensate, the government has embarked

on a program to diversify the agricultural sector and to stimulate

other sectors of the economy. Activities such as tourism,

export-oriented manufacturing, and offshore banking have assumed

larger roles in the economy. Tourism revenues are now the chief

source of the islands' foreign exchange; about 341,800 tourists

visited Nevis in 2005. Additional tourist facilities, including a

second cruise ship pier, hotels, and golf courses are under

construction.

Saint Lucia

Changes in the EU import preference regime and the

increased competition from Latin American bananas have made economic

diversification increasingly important in Saint Lucia. The island

nation has been able to attract foreign business and investment,

especially in its offshore banking and tourism industries. Tourism

is the main source of foreign exchange, with more than 700,000

arrivals in 2005. The manufacturing sector is the most diverse in

the Eastern Caribbean area, and the government is trying to

revitalize the banana industry. Economic fundamentals remain solid,

even though unemployment needs to be cut.

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

The inhabitants have traditionally earned

their livelihood by fishing and by servicing fishing fleets

operating off the coast of Newfoundland. The economy has been

declining, however, because of disputes with Canada over fishing

quotas and a steady decline in the number of ships stopping at Saint

Pierre. In 1992, an arbitration panel awarded the islands an

exclusive economic zone of 12,348 sq km to settle a longstanding

territorial dispute with Canada, although it represents only 25% of

what France had sought. The islands are heavily subsidized by France

to the great betterment of living standards. The government hopes an

expansion of tourism will boost economic prospects. Recent test

drilling for oil may pave the way for development of the energy

sector.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Economic growth in this

lower-middle-income country hinges upon seasonal variations in the

agricultural and tourism sectors. Tropical storms wiped out

substantial portions of crops in 1994, 1995, and 2002, and tourism

in the Eastern Caribbean suffered low arrivals in the immediate

aftermath of 11 September 2001. The islands had more than 160,000

tourist arrivals in 2005, mostly to the Grenadines. Saint Vincent is

home to a small offshore banking sector and has moved to adopt

international regulatory standards. Saint Vincent is also a producer

of marijuana and is being used as a transshipment point for illegal

narcotics from South America.

Samoa

The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on

development aid, family remittances from overseas, agriculture, and

fishing. The country is vulnerable to devastating storms.

Agriculture employs two-thirds of the labor force, and furnishes 90%

of exports, featuring coconut cream, coconut oil, and copra. The

fish catch declined during the El Nino of 2002-03, but returned to

normal by mid-2005. The manufacturing sector mainly processes

agricultural products. One factory in the Foreign Trade Zone employs

3,000 people to make automobile electrical harnesses for an assembly

plant in Australia. Tourism is an expanding sector, accounting for

25% of GDP; about 100,000 tourists visited the islands in 2005. The

Samoan Government has called for deregulation of the financial

sector, encouragement of investment, and continued fiscal

discipline, while at the same time protecting the environment.

Observers point to the flexibility of the labor market as a basic

strength for future economic advances. Foreign reserves are in a

relatively healthy state, the external debt is stable, and inflation

is low.

San Marino

The tourist sector contributes over 50% of GDP. In 2006

more than 2.1 million tourists visited San Marino. The key

industries are banking, wearing apparel, electronics, and ceramics.

Main agricultural products are wine and cheeses. The per capita

level of output and standard of living are comparable to those of

the most prosperous regions of Italy, which supplies much of its

food.

Sao Tome and Principe

This small, poor island economy has become

increasingly dependent on cocoa since independence in 1975. Cocoa

production has substantially declined in recent years because of

drought and mismanagement, but strengthening prices helped boost

export earnings in 2003. Sao Tome has to import all fuels, most

manufactured goods, consumer goods, and a substantial amount of

food. Over the years, it has had difficulty servicing its external

debt and has relied heavily on concessional aid and debt

rescheduling. Sao Tome benefited from $200 million in debt relief in

December 2000 under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC)

program, which helped bring down the country's $300 million debt

burden. In August 2005, Sao Tome signed on to a new 3-year IMF

Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) program worth $4.3

million. Considerable potential exists for development of a tourist

industry, and the government has taken steps to expand facilities in

recent years. The government also has attempted to reduce price

controls and subsidies. Sao Tome is optimistic about the development

of petroleum resources in its territorial waters in the oil-rich

Gulf of Guinea, which are being jointly developed in a 60-40 split

with Nigeria. The first production licenses were sold in 2004,

though a dispute over licensing with Nigeria delayed Sao Tome's

receipt of more than $20 million in signing bonuses for almost a

year. Real GDP growth exceeded 4% in 2006, as a result of increases

in public expenditures and oil-related capital investment.

Saudi Arabia

This is an oil-based economy with strong government

controls over major economic activities. Saudi Arabia possesses 25%

of the world's proven petroleum reserves, ranks as the largest

exporter of petroleum, and plays a leading role in OPEC. The

petroleum sector accounts for roughly 75% of budget revenues, 45% of

GDP, and 90% of export earnings. About 40% of GDP comes from the

private sector. Roughly 5.5 million foreign workers play an

important role in the Saudi economy, particularly in the oil and

service sectors. The government is encouraging private sector growth

to lessen the kingdom's dependence on oil and increase employment

opportunities for the swelling Saudi population. The government is

promoting private sector and foreign participation in the power

generation, telecom, natural gas, and petrochemical industries. As

part of its effort to attract foreign investment and diversify the

economy, Saudi Arabia acceded to the WTO in December 2005 after many

years of negotiations. With high oil revenues enabling the

government to post large budget surpluses, Riyadh has been able to

substantially boost spending on job training and education,

infrastructure development, and government salaries.

Senegal

In January 1994, Senegal undertook a bold and ambitious

economic reform program with the support of the international donor

community. This reform began with a 50% devaluation of Senegal's

currency, the CFA franc, which was linked at a fixed rate to the

French franc. Government price controls and subsidies have been

steadily dismantled. After seeing its economy contract by 2.1% in

1993, Senegal made an important turnaround, thanks to the reform

program, with real growth in GDP averaging over 5% annually during

1995-2006. Annual inflation had been pushed down to the low single

digits. As a member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union

(WAEMU), Senegal is working toward greater regional integration with

a unified external tariff and a more stable monetary policy. High

unemployment, however, continues to prompt illegal migrants to flee

Senegal in search of better job opportunities in Europe. Senegal was

also beset by an energy crisis that caused widespread blackouts in

2006. Senegal still relies heavily upon outside donor assistance.

Under the IMF's Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt relief

program, Senegal will benefit from eradication of two-thirds of its

bilateral, multilateral, and private-sector debt.

Serbia

MILOSEVIC-era mismanagement of the economy, an extended

period of economic sanctions, and the damage to Yugoslavia's

infrastructure and industry during the NATO airstrikes in 1999 left

the economy only half the size it was in 1990. After the ousting of

former Federal Yugoslav President MILOSEVIC in October 2000, the

Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) coalition government

implemented stabilization measures and embarked on a market reform

program. After renewing its membership in the IMF in December 2000,

a down-sized Yugoslavia continued to reintegrate into the

international community by rejoining the World Bank (IBRD) and the

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). A World

Bank-European Commission sponsored Donors' Conference held in June

2001 raised $1.3 billion for economic restructuring. In November

2001, the Paris Club agreed to reschedule the country's $4.5 billion

public debt and wrote off 66% of the debt. In July 2004, the London

Club of private creditors forgave $1.7 billion of debt, just over

half the total owed. Belgrade has made only minimal progress in

restructuring and privatizing its holdings in major sectors of the

economy, including energy and telecommunications. It has made

halting progress towards EU membership and is currently pursuing a

Stabilization and Association Agreement with Brussels. Serbia is

also pursuing membership in the World Trade Organization.

Unemployment remains an ongoing political and economic problem. The

Republic of Montenegro severed its economy from Serbia during the

MILOSEVIC era; therefore, the formal separation of Serbia and

Montenegro in June 2006 had little real impact on either economy.

Kosovo's economy continues to transition to a market-based system

and is largely dependent on the international community and the

diaspora for financial and technical assistance. The euro and the

Serbian dinar are both accepted currencies in Kosovo. While

maintaining ultimate oversight, UNMIK continues to work with the EU

and Kosovo's local provisional government to accelerate economic

growth, lower unemployment, and attract foreign investment to help

Kosovo integrate into regional economic structures. The complexity

of Serbia and Kosovo's political and legal relationships has created

uncertainty over property rights and hindered the privatization of

state-owned assets in Kosovo. Most of Kosovo's population lives in

rural towns outside of the largest city, Pristina. Inefficient,

near-subsistence farming is common.

note: economic data for Serbia currently reflects information for

the former Serbia and Montenegro, unless otherwise noted; data for

Serbia alone will be added when available

Seychelles

Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this

Indian Ocean archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the old

near-subsistence level. Growth has been led by the tourist sector,

which employs about 30% of the labor force and provides more than

70% of hard currency earnings, and by tuna fishing. In recent years

the government has encouraged foreign investment in order to upgrade

hotels and other services. At the same time, the government has

moved to reduce the dependence on tourism by promoting the

development of farming, fishing, and small-scale manufacturing.

Sharp drops illustrated the vulnerability of the tourist sector in

1991-92 due largely to the Gulf War, and once again following the 11

September 2001 terrorist attacks on the US. Growth slowed in

1998-2002, and fell in 2003, due to sluggish tourist and tuna

sectors, but resumed in 2004. Growth turned negative again in

2005-06. Tight controls on exchange rates and the scarcity of

foreign exchange have impaired short-term economic prospects. The

black-market value of the Seychelles rupee is half the official

exchange rate; without a devaluation of the currency, the tourist

sector may remain sluggish as vacationers seek cheaper destinations

such as Comoros, Mauritius, and Madagascar.

Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone is an extremely poor African nation with

tremendous inequality in income distribution. While it possesses

substantial mineral, agricultural, and fishery resources, its

economic and social infrastructure is not well developed, and

serious social disorders continue to hamper economic development.

About two-thirds of the working-age population engages in

subsistence agriculture. Manufacturing consists mainly of the

processing of raw materials and of light manufacturing for the

domestic market. Alluvial diamond mining remains the major source of

hard currency earnings, accounting for nearly half of Sierra Leone's

exports. The fate of the economy depends upon the maintenance of

domestic peace and the continued receipt of substantial aid from

abroad, which is essential to offset the severe trade imbalance and

supplement government revenues. The IMF has completed a Poverty

Reduction and Growth Facility program that helped stabilize economic

growth and reduce inflation. A recent increase in political

stability has led to a revival of economic activity, such as the

rehabilitation of bauxite and rutile mining.

Singapore

Singapore, a highly-developed and successful free-market

economy, enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment,

stable prices, and a per capita GDP equal to that of the four

largest West European countries. The economy depends heavily on

exports, particularly in consumer electronics and information

technology products. It was hard hit in 2001-03 by the global

recession, by the slump in the technology sector, and by an outbreak

of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003, which curbed

tourism and consumer spending. Fiscal stimulus, low interest rates,

a surge in exports, and internal flexibility led to vigorous growth

in 2004-06, with real GDP growth averaging 7% annually. The

government hopes to establish a new growth path that will be less

vulnerable to the global demand cycle for information technology

products - it has attracted major investments in pharmaceuticals and

medical technology production - and will continue efforts to

establish Singapore as Southeast Asia's financial and high-tech hub.

Slovakia

Slovakia has mastered much of the difficult transition from

a centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. The DZURINDA

government made excellent progress during 2001-04 in macroeconomic

stabilization and structural reform. Major privatizations are nearly

complete, the banking sector is almost completely in foreign hands,

and the government has helped facilitate a foreign investment boom

with business-friendly policies, such as labor market liberalization

and a 19% flat tax. Foreign investment in the automotive sector has

been strong. Slovakia's economic growth exceeded expectations in

2001-06, despite the general European slowdown. Unemployment, at an

unacceptable 18% in 2003-04, dropped to 10.2% in 2006, but remains

the economy's Achilles heel. Slovakia joined the EU on 1 May 2004.

Slovenia

With a GDP per capita substantially greater than the other

transitioning economies of Central Europe, Slovenia is a model of

economic success and stability for its neighbors in the former

Yugoslavia. The country, which joined the EU in 2004 and joined the

eurozone on 1 January 2007, has excellent infrastructure, a

well-educated work force, and an excellent central location.

Privatization of the economy proceeded at an accelerated pace in

2002-05. Despite lackluster performance in Europe in 2001-05,

Slovenia maintained moderate growth. Structural reforms to improve

the business environment have allowed for greater foreign

participation in Slovenia's economy and have helped to lower

unemployment. In March 2004, Slovenia became the first transition

country to graduate from borrower status to donor partner at the

World Bank. Despite its economic success, Slovenia faces growing

challenges. Much of the economy remains in state hands and foreign

direct investment (FDI) in Slovenia is one of the lowest in the EU

on a per capita basis. Taxes are relatively high, the labor market

is often seen as inflexible, and legacy industries are losing sales

to more competitive firms in China, India, and elsewhere. The

current center-right government, elected in October 2004, has

pledged to accelerate privatization of a number of large state

holdings and is interested in increasing FDI in Slovenia. In late

2005, the government's new Committee for Economic Reforms was

elevated to cabinet-level status. The Committee's program includes

plans for lowering the tax burden, privatizing state-controlled

firms, improving the flexibility of the labor market, and increasing

the government's efficiency.

Solomon Islands

The bulk of the population depends on agriculture,

fishing, and forestry for at least part of its livelihood. Most

manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. The

islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead,

zinc, nickel, and gold. Prior to the arrival of the Regional

Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI), severe ethnic

violence, the closing of key businesses, and an empty government

treasury culminated in economic collapse. RAMSI's efforts to restore

law and order and economic stability have led to modest growth as

the economy rebuilds.

Somalia

Somalia's economic fortunes are driven by its deep political

divisions. The northwestern area has declared its independence as

the "Republic of Somaliland"; the northeastern region of Puntland is

a semi-autonomous state; and the remaining southern portion is

riddled with the struggles of rival factions. Economic life

continues, in part because much activity is local and relatively

easily protected. Agriculture is the most important sector, with

livestock normally accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of

export earnings, but Saudi Arabia's ban on Somali livestock, due to

Rift Valley Fever concerns, has severely hampered the sector. Nomads

and semi-nomads, who are dependent upon livestock for their

livelihood, make up a large portion of the population. Livestock,

hides, fish, charcoal, and bananas are Somalia's principal exports,

while sugar, sorghum, corn, qat, and machined goods are the

principal imports. Somalia's small industrial sector, based on the

processing of agricultural products, has largely been looted and

sold as scrap metal. Despite the seeming anarchy, Somalia's service

sector has managed to survive and grow. Telecommunication firms

provide wireless services in most major cities and offer the lowest

international call rates on the continent. In the absence of a

formal banking sector, money exchange services have sprouted

throughout the country, handling between $500 million and $1 billion

in remittances annually. Mogadishu's main market offers a variety of

goods from food to the newest electronic gadgets. The SCIC has

opened Mogadishu's main port and airport - closed for 15 years - and

now controls most of the ports and airfields in southern Somalia.

Hotels continue to operate, and militias provide security. The

ongoing civil disturbances and clan rivalries, however, have

interfered with any broad-based economic development and

international aid arrangements. Somalia's arrears to the IMF

continued to grow in 2006. Statistics on Somalia's GDP, growth, per

capita income, and inflation should be viewed skeptically. In late

December 2004, a major tsunami caused an estimated 150 deaths and

resulted in destruction of property in coastal areas.

South Africa

South Africa is a middle-income, emerging market with

an abundant supply of natural resources; well-developed financial,

legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors; a stock

exchange that ranks among the 10 largest in the world; and a modern

infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to

major urban centers throughout the region. However, growth has not

been strong enough to lower South Africa's high unemployment rate,

and daunting economic problems remain from the apartheid era -

especially poverty and lack of economic empowerment among the

disadvantaged groups. South African economic policy is fiscally

conservative, but pragmatic, focusing on targeting inflation and

liberalizing trade as means to increase job growth and household

income.

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Some fishing takes

place in adjacent waters. There is a potential source of income from

harvesting finfish and krill. The islands receive income from

postage stamps produced in the UK, sale of fishing licenses, and

harbor and landing fees from tourist vessels. Tourism from

specialized cruise ships is increasing rapidly.

Southern Ocean

Fisheries in 2003-04 landed 136,262 metric tons, of

which 87% (118,166 tons) was krill and 8% (11,182 tons) Patagonian

toothfish, compared to 142,555 tons in 2002-03 of which 83% (117,728

tons) was krill and 12% (16,479 tons) Patagonian toothfish

(estimated fishing from the area covered by the Convention of the

Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), which

extends slightly beyond the Southern Ocean area). International

agreements were adopted in late 1999 to reduce illegal, unreported,

and unregulated fishing, which in the 2000-01 season landed, by one

estimate, 8,376 metric tons of Patagonian and Antarctic toothfish.

In the 2004-05 Antarctic summer 28,202 tourists, most of them

seaborne (approximately 97%), visited the Southern Ocean and

Antarctica, compared to 14,762 in 1999-2000.

Spain

The Spanish economy boomed from 1986 to 1990, averaging 5%

annual growth. After a European-wide recession in the early 1990s,

the Spanish economy resumed moderate growth starting in 1994.

Spain's mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP that on a per capita

basis is 80% that of the four leading West European economies. The

center-right government of former President AZNAR successfully

worked to gain admission to the first group of countries launching

the European single currency (the euro) on 1 January 1999. The AZNAR

administration continued to advocate liberalization, privatization,

and deregulation of the economy and introduced some tax reforms to

that end. Unemployment fell steadily under the AZNAR administration

but remains high at 8.7%. Growth averaging 3% annually during

2003-06 was satisfactory given the background of a faltering

European economy. The Socialist president, RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO, has

made mixed progress in carrying out key structural reforms, which

need to be accelerated and deepened to sustain Spain's strong

economic growth. Despite the economy's relative solid footing

significant downside risks remain, including Spain's continued loss

of competitiveness, the potential for a housing market collapse, the

country's changing demographic profile and a decline in EU

structural funds.

Spratly Islands

Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing.

The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins

suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is

largely unexplored. There are no reliable estimates of potential

reserves. Commercial exploitation has yet to be developed.

Sri Lanka

In 1977, Colombo abandoned statist economic policies and

its import substitution trade policy for more market-oriented

policies, export-oriented trade, and encouragement of foreign

investment. Recent changes in government have brought some policy

reversals, however. Currently, the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party

has a more statist economic approach which seeks to reduce poverty

by steering investment to disadvantaged areas, developing small and

medium enterprises, promoting agriculture, and expanding the already

enormous civil service. The government has halted most

privatizations. Although suffering a brutal civil war that began in

1983, Sri Lanka saw GDP growth average 4.5% in the last ten years,

with a brief interruption during the global downturn in 2001. In

late December 2004, a major tsunami took about 31,000 lives, left

more than 6,300 missing and 443,000 displaced, and destroyed an

estimated $1.5 billion worth of property. Growth, partly spurred by

reconstruction, reached 5% in 2005 and more than 6% in 2006. Sri

Lanka's most dynamic sectors now are food processing, textiles and

apparel, food and beverages, port contstruction, telecommunications,

and insurance and banking. In 2005, plantation crops made up only

about 15% of exports (compared with more than 90% in 1970), while

textiles and garments accounted for more than 60%. About 800,000 Sri

Lankans work abroad, 90% in the Middle East. They send home about $1

billion a year. The struggle by the Tamil Tigers of the north and

east for a largely independent homeland continues to cast a shadow

over the economy.

Sudan

Sudan has turned around a struggling economy with sound

economic policies and infrastructure investments, but it still faces

formidable economic problems, starting from its low level of per

capita output. From 1997 to date, Sudan has been implementing IMF

macroeconomic reforms. In 1999, Sudan began exporting crude oil and

in the last quarter of 1999 recorded its first trade surplus, which,

along with monetary policy, has stabilized the exchange rate.

Increased oil production, revived light industry, and expanded

export processing zones helped sustain GDP growth at 10% in 2006.

Agricultural production remains Sudan's most important sector,

employing 80% of the work force, contributing 35% of GDP, and

accounting for most of GDP growth, but most farms remain rain-fed

and susceptible to drought. Chronic instability - resulting from the

long-standing civil war between the Muslim north and the

Christian/pagan south, adverse weather, and weak world agricultural

prices - ensure that much of the population will remain at or below

the poverty line for years.

Suriname

The economy is dominated by the mining industry, which

accounts for more than a third of GDP and subjects government

revenues to mineral price volatility. The short-term economic

outlook depends on the government's ability to control inflation and

on the development of projects in the bauxite and gold mining

sectors. Suriname's economic prospects for the medium term will

depend on continued commitment to responsible monetary and fiscal

policies and to the introduction of structural reforms to liberalize

markets and promote competition. The government of Ronald VENETIAAN,

in his first term, implemented an austerity program, raised taxes,

and attempted to control spending. Economic policies are likely to

remain the same during VENETIAAN's second term. Prospects for local

onshore oil production are good, as a drilling program is underway.

Offshore oil drilling was given a boost in 2004 when the State Oil

Company (Staatsolie) signed exploration agreements with Repsol,

Mearsk, and Occidental. Bidding on these new offshore blocks was

completed in July 2006.

Svalbard

Coal mining is the major economic activity on Svalbard. The

treaty of 9 February 1920 gives the 41 signatories equal rights to

exploit mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although

US, UK, Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past,

the only companies still mining are Norwegian and Russian. The

settlements on Svalbard are essentially company towns. The Norwegian

state-owned coal company employs nearly 60% of the Norwegian

population on the island, runs many of the local services, and

provides most of the local infrastructure. There is also some

hunting of seal, reindeer, and fox.

Swaziland

In this small, landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture

occupies more than 80% of the population. The manufacturing sector

has diversified since the mid-1980s. Sugar and wood pulp remain

important foreign exchange earners. Mining has declined in

importance in recent years with only coal and quarry stone mines

remaining active. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short

border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South

Africa from which it receives more than nine-tenths of its imports

and to which it sends 60% of its exports. Customs duties from the

Southern African Customs Union and worker remittances from South

Africa substantially supplement domestically earned income. The

government is trying to improve the atmosphere for foreign

investment. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and sometimes

floods persist as problems for the future. More than one-fourth of

the population needed emergency food aid in 2004-05 because of

drought, and nearly two-fifths of the adult population has been

infected by HIV/AIDS.

Sweden

Aided by peace and neutrality for the whole of the 20th

century, Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of living under a

mixed system of high-tech capitalism and extensive welfare benefits.

It has a modern distribution system, excellent internal and external

communications, and a skilled labor force. Timber, hydropower, and

iron ore constitute the resource base of an economy heavily oriented

toward foreign trade. Privately owned firms account for about 90% of

industrial output, of which the engineering sector accounts for 50%

of output and exports. Agriculture accounts for only 1% of GDP and

2% of employment. The government's commitment to fiscal discipline

resulted in a substantial budgetary surplus in 2001, which was cut

by more than half in 2002, due to the global economic slowdown,

declining revenue, and increased spending. The Swedish central bank

(the Riksbank) focuses on price stability with its inflation target

of 2%. Growth remained sluggish in 2003, but picked up during

2004-06. Presumably because of generous sick-leave benefits, Swedish

workers report in sick more often than other Europeans. In September

2003, Swedish voters turned down entry into the euro system,

concerned about the impact on the economy and sovereignty.

Switzerland

Switzerland is a peaceful, prosperous, and stable modern

market economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force,

and a per capita GDP larger than that of the big Western European

economies. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic

practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their

international competitiveness. Switzerland remains a safehaven for

investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and

has kept up the franc's long-term external value. Reflecting the

anemic economic conditions of Europe, GDP growth stagnated during

the 2001-03 period, improved during 2004-05 to 1.8% annually and to

2.9% in 2006. Even so, unemployment has remained at less than half

the EU average.

Syria

The Syrian economy grew by an estimated 2.9% in real terms in

2006, led by the petroleum and agricultural sectors, which together

account for about one-half of GDP. Higher crude oil prices countered

declining oil production and exports and led to higher budgetary and

export receipts. Total foreign assets of the Central Bank and

domestic banking system rose to about $20 billion in 2006, and the

government strengthened the private sector foreign exchange rate by

about 7 percent from the start of the year. The Government of Syria

has implemented modest economic reforms in the past few years,

including cutting interest rates, opening private banks,

consolidating some of the multiple exchange rates, and raising

prices on some subsidized foodstuffs. Nevertheless, the economy

remains highly controlled by the government. Long-run economic

constraints include declining oil production and exports, weak

investment, and increasing pressure on water supplies caused by

heavy use in agriculture, rapid population growth, industrial

expansion, and water pollution.

Taiwan

Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually

decreasing guidance of investment and foreign trade by government

authorities. In keeping with this trend, some large,

government-owned banks and industrial firms are being privatized.

Exports have provided the primary impetus for industrialization. The

island runs a trade surplus, and foreign reserves are the world's

third largest. Despite restrictions cross-strait links, China has

overtaken the US to become Taiwan's largest export market and, in

2006, its second-largest source of imports after Japan. China is

also the island's number one destination for foreign direct

investment. Strong trade performance in 2006 pushed Taiwan's GDP

growth rate above 4%, and unemployment is below 4%. Consumer

spending recovered following a slowdown early in 2006, when banks

tightened lending to address a sharp increase in delinquent consumer

debt.

Tajikistan

Tajikistan has one of the lowest per capita GDPs among

the 15 former Soviet republics. Only 6% of the land area is arable;

cotton is the most important crop. Mineral resources, varied but

limited in amount, include silver, gold, uranium, and tungsten.

Industry consists only of a large aluminum plant, hydropower

facilities, and small obsolete factories mostly in light industry

and food processing. The civil war (1992-97) severely damaged the

already weak economic infrastructure and caused a sharp decline in

industrial and agricultural production. While Tajikistan has

experienced steady economic growth since 1997, nearly two-thirds of

the population continue to live in abject poverty. Economic growth

reached 10.6% in 2004, but dropped to 8% in 2005, and to 7% in 2006.

Tajikistan's economic situation, however, remains fragile due to

uneven implementation of structural reforms, weak governance,

widespread unemployment, and the external debt burden. Continued

privatization of medium and large state-owned enterprises could

increase productivity. A debt restructuring agreement was reached

with Russia in December 2002, including a $250 million write-off of

Tajikistan's $300 million debt to Russia. Tajikistan ranks third in

the world in terms of water resources per head. A proposed

investment to finish the hydropower dams Rogun and Sangtuda I and II

would substantially add to electricity production, which could be

exported for profit. If finished, Rogun will be the world's tallest

dam. In 2006, Tajikistan was the recipient of substantial Shanghai

Cooperation Organization infrastructure development credits to

improve its roads and electricity transmission network.

Tanzania

Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. The

economy depends heavily on agriculture, which accounts for almost

half of GDP, provides 85% of exports, and employs 80% of the work

force. Topography and climatic conditions, however, limit cultivated

crops to only 4% of the land area. Industry traditionally featured

the processing of agricultural products and light consumer goods.

The World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and bilateral

donors have provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania's out-of-date

economic infrastructure and to alleviate poverty. Long-term growth

through 2005 featured a pickup in industrial production and a

substantial increase in output of minerals, led by gold. Recent

banking reforms have helped increase private-sector growth and

investment. Continued donor assistance and solid macroeconomic

policies supported real GDP growth of nearly 6% in 2006.

Thailand

With a well-developed infrastructure, a free-enterprise

economy, and pro-investment policies, Thailand appears to have fully

recovered from the 1997-98 Asian Financial Crisis. The country was

one of East Asia's best performers in 2002-04. Boosted by increased

consumption and strong export growth, the Thai economy grew 6.9% in

2003 and 6.1% in 2004 despite a sluggish global economy. Bangkok has

pursued preferential trade agreements with a variety of partners in

an effort to boost exports and to maintain high growth. In late

December 2004, a major tsunami took 8,500 lives in Thailand and

caused massive destruction of property in the southern provinces of

Krabi, Phangnga, and Phuket. In 2006, investment stagnated as

investors, spooked by the Thaksin administration's political

problems, stayed on the sidelines. The military coup in September

brought in a new economic team, led by the former central bank

governor. In December, the Thai Board of Investment reported the

value of investment applications from January to November had

declined by 27% year-on-year. On the positive side, exports have

performed at record levels, rising nearly 17% in 2006.

Export-oriented manufacturing - in particular automobile production

- and farm output are driving these gains.

Togo

This small, sub-Saharan economy is heavily dependent on both

commercial and subsistence agriculture, which provides employment

for 65% of the labor force. Some basic foodstuffs must still be

imported. Cocoa, coffee, and cotton generate about 40% of export

earnings, with cotton being the most important cash crop. Togo is

the world's fourth-largest producer of phosphate. The government's

decade-long effort, supported by the World Bank and the IMF, to

implement economic reform measures, encourage foreign investment,

and bring revenues in line with expenditures has moved slowly.

Progress depends on follow-through on privatization, increased

openness in government financial operations, progress toward

legislative elections, and continued support from foreign donors.

Togo is working with donors to write a PRGF that could eventually

lead to a debt reduction plan.

Tokelau

Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack

of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine

agriculture to the subsistence level. The people rely heavily on aid

from New Zealand - about $4 million annually - to maintain public

services, with annual aid being substantially greater than GDP. The

principal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postage

stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to

families from relatives in New Zealand.

Tonga

Tonga, a small, open, South Pacific island economy, has a

narrow export base in agricultural goods. Squash, coconuts, bananas,

and vanilla beans are the main crops, and agricultural exports make

up two-thirds of total exports. The country must import a high

proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. The country remains

dependent on external aid and remittances from Tongan communities

overseas to offset its trade deficit. Tourism is the second-largest

source of hard currency earnings following remittances. The

government is emphasizing the development of the private sector,

especially the encouragement of investment, and is committing

increased funds for health and education. Tonga has a reasonably

sound basic infrastructure and well-developed social services. High

unemployment among the young, a continuing upturn in inflation,

pressures for democratic reform, and rising civil service

expenditures are major issues facing the government.

Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago, the leading Caribbean

producer of oil and gas, has earned a reputation as an excellent

investment site for international businesses. Tourism is a growing

sector, although not proportionately as important as in many other

Caribbean islands. The economy benefits from a growing trade

surplus. Economic growth in 2006 reached 12.6% as prices for oil,

petrochemicals, and liquefied natural gas remained high, and foreign

direct investment continued to grow to support expanded capacity in

the energy sector. The government is coping with a rise in violent

crime.

Tromelin Island

no economic activity

Tunisia

Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural,

mining, energy, tourism, and manufacturing sectors. Governmental

control of economic affairs while still heavy has gradually lessened

over the past decade with increasing privatization, simplification

of the tax structure, and a prudent approach to debt. Progressive

social policies also have helped raise living conditions in Tunisia

relative to the region. Real growth slowed to a 15-year low of 1.9%

in 2002 because of agricultural drought and lackluster tourism.

Increased rain helped to push GDP growth to an average rate of 5% in

2003-06. However, a recession in agriculture, weak expansion in the

tourism and textile sectors, and increasing import costs due to

rising world energy prices cut growth to 4% in 2006. Tunisia is

gradually removing barriers to trade with the EU. Broader

privatization, further liberalization of the investment code to

increase foreign investment, improvements in government efficiency,

and reduction of the trade deficit are among the challenges ahead.

Turkey

Turkey's dynamic economy is a complex mix of modern industry

and commerce along with a traditional agriculture sector that still

accounts for more than 35% of employment. It has a strong and

rapidly growing private sector, yet the state still plays a major

role in basic industry, banking, transport, and communication. The

largest industrial sector is textiles and clothing, which accounts

for one-third of industrial employment; it faces stiff competition

in international markets with the end of the global quota system.

However, other sectors, notably the automotive and electronics

industries, are rising in importance within Turkey's export mix.

Real GNP growth has exceeded 6% in many years, but this strong

expansion has been interrupted by sharp declines in output in 1994,

1999, and 2001. The economy is turning around with the

implementation of economic reforms, and 2004 GDP growth reached 9%,

followed by roughly 5% annual growth in 2005-06. Inflation fell to

7.7% in 2005 - a 30-year low, but climbed back to 9.8% in 2006.

Despite the strong economic gains in 2002-06, which were largely due

to renewed investor interest in emerging markets, IMF backing, and

tighter fiscal policy, the economy is still burdened by a high

current account deficit and high debt. The public sector fiscal

deficit exceeds 6% of GDP - due in large part to high interest

payments, which accounted for about 37% of central government

spending in 2004. Prior to 2005, foreign direct investment (FDI) in

Turkey averaged less than $1 billion annually, but further economic

and judicial reforms and prospective EU membership are expected to

boost FDI. Privatization sales are currently approaching $21

billion. Oil began to flow through the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan pipeline

in May 2006, marking a major milestone that will bring up to 1

billion barrels per day from the Caspian to market.

Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan is a largely desert country with intensive

agriculture in irrigated oases and large gas and oil resources.

One-half of its irrigated land is planted in cotton; formerly it was

the world's tenth-largest producer. Poor harvests in recent years

have led to an almost 50% decline in cotton exports. With an

authoritarian ex-Communist regime in power and a tribally based

social structure, Turkmenistan has taken a cautious approach to

economic reform, hoping to use gas and cotton sales to sustain its

inefficient economy. Privatization goals remain limited. In

1998-2005, Turkmenistan suffered from the continued lack of adequate

export routes for natural gas and from obligations on extensive

short-term external debt. At the same time, however, total exports

rose by an average of 15% per year in 2003-06, largely because of

higher international oil and gas prices. In 2006, Ashgabat raised

its natural gas export prices to its main customer, Russia, from $66

per thousand cubic meters (tcm) to $100 per tcm. Overall prospects

in the near future are discouraging because of widespread internal

poverty, a poor educational system, government misuse of oil and gas

revenues, and Ashgabat's unwillingness to adopt market-oriented

reforms. Turkmenistan's economic statistics are state secrets, and

GDP and other figures are subject to wide margins of error. In

particular, the rate of GDP growth is uncertain.

Turks and Caicos Islands

The Turks and Caicos economy is based on

tourism, offshore financial services, and fishing. Most capital

goods and food for domestic consumption are imported. The US is the

leading source of tourists, accounting for more than three-quarters

of the 175,000 visitors that arrived in 2004. Major sources of

government revenue also include fees from offshore financial

activities and customs receipts.

Tuvalu

Tuvalu consists of a densely populated, scattered group of

nine coral atolls with poor soil. The country has no known mineral

resources and few exports. Subsistence farming and fishing are the

primary economic activities. Fewer than 1,000 tourists, on average,

visit Tuvalu annually. Government revenues largely come from the

sale of stamps and coins and remittances from seamen on merchant

ships abroad. About 1,000 Tuvaluans are being repatriated from

Nauru, with the decline of phosphate resources there. Substantial

income is received annually from an international trust fund

established in 1987 by Australia, NZ, and the UK and supported also

by Japan and South Korea. Thanks to wise investments and

conservative withdrawals, this fund has grown from an initial $17

million to over $35 million in 1999. The US Government is also a

major revenue source for Tuvalu because of payments from a 1988

treaty on fisheries. In an effort to reduce its dependence on

foreign aid, the government is pursuing public sector reforms,

including privatization of some government functions and personnel

cuts of up to 7%. Tuvalu derives around $1.5 million per year from

the lease of its ".tv" Internet domain name. With merchandise

exports only a fraction of merchandise imports, continued reliance

must be placed on fishing and telecommunications license fees,

remittances from overseas workers, official transfers, and income

from overseas investments.

Uganda

Uganda has substantial natural resources, including fertile

soils, regular rainfall, and sizable mineral deposits of copper and

cobalt. Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy,

employing over 80% of the work force. Coffee accounts for the bulk

of export revenues. Since 1986, the government - with the support of

foreign countries and international agencies - has acted to

rehabilitate and stabilize the economy by undertaking currency

reform, raising producer prices on export crops, increasing prices

of petroleum products, and improving civil service wages. The policy

changes are especially aimed at dampening inflation and boosting

production and export earnings. During 1990-2001, the economy turned

in a solid performance based on continued investment in the

rehabilitation of infrastructure, improved incentives for production

and exports, reduced inflation, gradually improved domestic

security, and the return of exiled Indian-Ugandan entrepreneurs. In

2000, Uganda qualified for enhanced Highly Indebted Poor Countries

(HIPC) debt relief worth $1.3 billion and Paris Club debt relief

worth $145 million. These amounts combined with the original HIPC

debt relief added up to about $2 billion. Growth for 2001-02 was

solid despite continued decline in the price of coffee, Uganda's

principal export. Growth in 2003-06 reflected an upturn in Uganda's

export markets.

Ukraine After Russia, the Ukrainian republic was far and away the most important economic component of the former Soviet Union, producing about four times the output of the next-ranking republic. Its fertile black soil generated more than one-fourth of Soviet agricultural output, and its farms provided substantial quantities of meat, milk, grain, and vegetables to other republics. Likewise, its diversified heavy industry supplied the unique equipment (for example, large diameter pipes) and raw materials to industrial and mining sites (vertical drilling apparatus) in other regions of the former USSR. Ukraine depends on imports of energy, especially natural gas, to meet some 85% of its annual energy requirements. Shortly after independence was ratified in December 1991, the Ukrainian Government liberalized most prices and erected a legal framework for privatization, but widespread resistance to reform within the government and the legislature soon stalled reform efforts and led to some backtracking. Output by 1999 had fallen to less than 40% of the 1991 level. Loose monetary policies pushed inflation to hyperinflationary levels in late 1993. Ukraine's dependence on Russia for energy supplies and the lack of significant structural reform have made the Ukrainian economy vulnerable to external shocks. A dispute with Russia over pricing in late 2005 and early 2006 led to a temporary gas cut-off; Ukraine concluded a deal with Russia in January 2006 that almost doubled the price Ukraine pays for Russian gas, and could cost the Ukrainian economy $1.4-2.2 billion. Ukrainian Government officials eliminated most tax and customs privileges in a March 2005 budget law, bringing more economic activity out of Ukraine's large shadow economy, but more improvements are needed, including fighting corruption, developing capital markets, and improving the legislative framework for businesses. Reforms in the more politically sensitive areas of structural reform and land privatization are still lagging. Outside institutions - particularly the IMF - have encouraged Ukraine to quicken the pace and scope of reforms. GDP growth was 6% in 2006, up from 2.4% in 2005 mainly because of high steel prices worldwide and strong demand for Ukrainian goods. The privatization of the Kryvoryzhstal steelworks in late 2005 produced $4.8 billion in windfall revenue for the government. Some of the proceeds were used to finance the budget deficit, some to recapitalize two state banks, some to retire public debt, and the rest may be used to finance future deficits. Although the economy is likely to expand in 2007, long-term growth could be threatened by the government's plans to reinstate tax, trade, and customs privileges and to maintain restrictive grain export quotas.

United Arab Emirates

The UAE has an open economy with a high per

capita income and a sizable annual trade surplus. Its wealth is

based on oil and gas output (about 30% of GDP), and the fortunes of

the economy fluctuate with the prices of those commodities. Since

the discovery of oil in the UAE more than 30 years ago, the UAE has

undergone a profound transformation from an impoverished region of

small desert principalities to a modern state with a high standard

of living. The government has increased spending on job creation and

infrastructure expansion and is opening up its utilities to greater

private sector involvement. In April 2004, the UAE signed a Trade

and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) with Washington and in

November 2004 agreed to undertake negotiations toward a Free Trade

Agreement (FTA) with the US. Higher oil revenue, strong liquidity,

and cheap credit in 2005-06 led to a surge in asset prices (shares

and real estate) and consumer inflation. Rising prices are

increasing the operating costs for businesses in the UAE and

degrading the UAE's allure to foreign investors. Dependence on a

large expatriate workforce and oil are significant long-term

challenges to the UAE's economy.

United Kingdom

The UK, a leading trading power and financial center,

is one of the quintet of trillion dollar economies of Western

Europe. Over the past two decades, the government has greatly

reduced public ownership and contained the growth of social welfare

programs. Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient

by European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with less

than 2% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and

oil reserves; primary energy production accounts for 10% of GDP, one

of the highest shares of any industrial nation. Services,

particularly banking, insurance, and business services, account by

far for the largest proportion of GDP while industry continues to

decline in importance. GDP growth slipped in 2001-03 as the global

downturn, the high value of the pound, and the bursting of the "new

economy" bubble hurt manufacturing and exports. Output recovered in

2004, to 3.2% growth, then slowed to 1.7% in 2005 and 2.6% in 2006.

The economy is one of the strongest in Europe; inflation, interest

rates, and unemployment remain low. The relatively good economic

performance has complicated the BLAIR government's efforts to make a

case for Britain to join the European Economic and Monetary Union

(EMU). Critics point out that the economy is doing well outside of

EMU, and public opinion polls show a majority of Britons are opposed

to the euro. Meantime, the government has been speeding up the

improvement of education, transport, and health services, at a cost

in higher taxes and a widening public deficit.

United States

The US has the largest and most technologically

powerful economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $43,500. In

this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms

make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments

buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private

marketplace. US business firms enjoy greater flexibility than their

counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand

capital plant, to lay off surplus workers, and to develop new

products. At the same time, they face higher barriers to enter their

rivals' home markets than foreign firms face entering US markets. US

firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances,

especially in computers and in medical, aerospace, and military

equipment; their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War

II. The onrush of technology largely explains the gradual

development of a "two-tier labor market" in which those at the

bottom lack the education and the professional/technical skills of

those at the top and, more and more, fail to get comparable pay

raises, health insurance coverage, and other benefits. Since 1975,

practically all the gains in household income have gone to the top

20% of households. The response to the terrorist attacks of 11

September 2001 showed the remarkable resilience of the economy. The

war in March-April 2003 between a US-led coalition and Iraq, and the

subsequent occupation of Iraq, required major shifts in national

resources to the military. The rise in GDP in 2004-06 was

undergirded by substantial gains in labor productivity. Hurricane

Katrina caused extensive damage in the Gulf Coast region in August

2005, but had a small impact on overall GDP growth for the year.

Soaring oil prices in 2005 and 2006 threatened inflation and

unemployment, yet the economy continued to grow through year-end

2006. Imported oil accounts for about two-thirds of US consumption.

Long-term problems include inadequate investment in economic

infrastructure, rapidly rising medical and pension costs of an aging

population, sizable trade and budget deficits, and stagnation of

family income in the lower economic groups.

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

no economic activity

Uruguay

Uruguay's well-to-do economy is characterized by an

export-oriented agricultural sector, a well-educated work force, and

high levels of social spending. After averaging growth of 5%

annually during 1996-98, in 1999-2002 the economy suffered a major

downturn, stemming largely from the spillover effects of the

economic problems of its large neighbors, Argentina and Brazil. For

instance, in 2001-02 Argentina made massive withdrawals of dollars

deposited in Uruguayan banks, which led to a plunge in the Uruguayan

peso and a massive rise in unemployment. Total GDP in these four

years dropped by nearly 20%, with 2002 the worst year due to the

banking crisis. The unemployment rate rose to nearly 20% in 2002,

inflation surged, and the burden of external debt doubled.

Cooperation with the IMF helped stem the damage. A debt swap with

private-sector creditors in 2003 extended the maturity dates on

nearly half of Uruguay's then $11.3 billion of public debt and

helped restore public confidence. The economy grew about 12% in 2004

as a result of high commodity prices for Uruguayan exports, a

competitive peso, growth in the region, and low international

interest rates, and it continued to grow nearly 7% annually in 2005

and 2006.

Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of which 11%

consists of intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys. More than

60% of its population lives in densely populated rural communities.

Uzbekistan is now the world's second-largest cotton exporter and

fifth largest producer; it relies heavily on cotton production as

the major source of export earnings. Other major export earners

include gold, natural gas, and oil. Following independence in

September 1991, the government sought to prop up its Soviet-style

command economy with subsidies and tight controls on production and

prices. While aware of the need to improve the investment climate,

the government still sponsors measures that often increase, not

decrease, its control over business decisions. A sharp increase in

the inequality of income distribution has hurt the lower ranks of

society since independence. In 2003, the government accepted the

obligations of Article VIII under the International Monetary Fund

(IMF), providing for full currency convertibility. However, strict

currency controls and tightening of borders have lessened the

effects of convertibility and have also led to some shortages that

have further stifled economic activity. The Central Bank often

delays or restricts convertibility, especially for consumer goods.

Potential investment by Russia and China in Uzbekistan's gas and oil

industry would increase economic growth prospects. In November 2005,

Russian President Vladimir PUTIN and Uzbekistan President KARIMOV

signed an "alliance" treaty, which included provisions for economic

and business cooperation. Russian businesses have shown increased

interest in Uzbekistan, especially in mining, telecom, and oil and

gas. In December 2005, the Russians opened a "Trade House" to

support and develop Russian-Uzbek business and economic ties.

Vanuatu

This South Pacific island economy is based primarily on

small-scale agriculture, which provides a living for 65% of the

population. Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with

more than 60,000 visitors in 2005, are other mainstays of the

economy. Mineral deposits are negligible; the country has no known

petroleum deposits. A small light industry sector caters to the

local market. Tax revenues come mainly from import duties. Economic

development is hindered by dependence on relatively few commodity

exports, vulnerability to natural disasters, and long distances from

main markets and between constituent islands. GDP growth rose less

than 3% on average in the 1990s. In response to foreign concerns,

the government has promised to tighten regulation of its offshore

financial center. In mid-2002 the government stepped up efforts to

boost tourism through improved air connections, resort development,

and cruise ship facilities. Agriculture, especially livestock

farming, is a second target for growth. Australia and New Zealand

are the main suppliers of tourists and foreign aid.

Venezuela

Venezuela remains highly dependent on oil revenues, which

account for roughly 90% of export earnings, more than 50% of the

federal budget revenues, and around 30% of GDP. Tax

collection-Venezuela's primary source of non-oil revenue-is expected

to surpass $23 billion in 2006, exceeding the yearend collection

goal by more than 20%. A nationwide strike between December 2002 and

February 2003 had far-reaching economic consequences - real GDP

declined by around 9% in 2002 and 8% in 2003 - but economic output

since then has recovered strongly. Fueled by higher oil prices,

record government spending helped to boost GDP growth in 2004 and

2005 to approximately 18% and 11%, respectively. Economic growth in

2006 reached around 9%. This spending, combined with recent minimum

wage hikes and improved access to domestic credit, has fueled a

consumption boom - car sales in 2006 increased by around 70% - but

has come at the cost of higher inflation. Despite government

attempts to withdraw liquidity from the economy, Venezuela's money

supply set a record in June 2006, approximately 70% higher than the

previous year. Imports have also jumped significantly.

Vietnam

Vietnam is a densely-populated, developing country that in

the last 30 years has had to recover from the ravages of war, the

loss of financial support from the old Soviet Bloc, and the

rigidities of a centrally-planned economy. Substantial progress was

achieved from 1986 to 1997 in moving forward from an extremely low

level of development and significantly reducing poverty. Growth

averaged around 9% per year from 1993 to 1997. The 1997 Asian

financial crisis highlighted the problems in the Vietnamese economy

and temporarily allowed opponents of reform to slow progress toward

a market-oriented economy. GDP growth averaged 6.8% per year from

1997 to 2004 even against the background of the Asian financial

crisis and a global recession, and growth hit 8% in 2005 and 7.8% in

2006. Since 2001, however, Vietnamese authorities have reaffirmed

their commitment to economic liberalization and international

integration. They have moved to implement the structural reforms

needed to modernize the economy and to produce more competitive,

export-driven industries. Vietnam's membership in the ASEAN Free

Trade Area (AFTA) and entry into force of the US-Vietnam Bilateral

Trade Agreement in December 2001 have led to even more rapid changes

in Vietnam's trade and economic regime. Vietnam's exports to the US

doubled in 2002 and again in 2003. Vietnam joined the World Trade

Organization in January 2007. This should provide an important boost

to the economy and should help to ensure the continuation of

liberalizing reforms. Among other benefits, accession will allow

Vietnam to take advantage of the phase out of the Agreement on

Textiles and Clothing, which eliminated quotas on textiles and

clothing for WTO partners on 1 January 2005. Agriculture's share of

economic output has continued to shrink, from about 25% in 2000 to

20% in 2006. Deep poverty, defined as a percent of the population

living under $1 per day, has declined significantly and is now

smaller than that of China, India, and the Philippines. Vietnam is

working to promote job creation to keep up with the country's high

population growth rate. However, high levels of inflation have

prompted Vietnamese authorities to tighten monetary and fiscal

policies. Hanoi is targeting an economic growth rate between 7.5 and

8% over the next five years.

Virgin Islands

Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting

for 80% of GDP and employment. The islands hosted 2.6 million

visitors in 2005. The manufacturing sector consists of petroleum

refining, textiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and watch

assembly. One of the world's largest petroleum refineries is at

Saint Croix. The agricultural sector is small, with most food being

imported. International business and financial services are small

but growing components of the economy. The islands are vulnerable to

substantial damage from storms. The government is working to improve

fiscal discipline, to support construction projects in the private

sector, to expand tourist facilities, to reduce crime, and to

protect the environment.

Wake Island

Economic activity is limited to providing services to

military personnel and contractors located on the island. All food

and manufactured goods must be imported.

Wallis and Futuna

The economy is limited to traditional subsistence

agriculture, with about 80% of labor force earnings from agriculture

(coconuts and vegetables), livestock (mostly pigs), and fishing.

About 4% of the population is employed in government. Revenues come

from French Government subsidies, licensing of fishing rights to

Japan and South Korea, import taxes, and remittances from expatriate

workers in New Caledonia.

West Bank

The West Bank - the larger of the two areas under the

Palestinian Authority (PA) - has experienced a general decline in

economic conditions since the second intifadah began in September

2000. The downturn has been largely the result of Israeli closure

policies - the imposition of border closures in response to security

incidents in Israel - which disrupted labor and trading

relationships. In 2001, and even more severely in 2002, Israeli

military measures in PA areas resulted in the destruction of

capital, the disruption of administrative structures, and widespread

business closures. International aid of at least $1.14 billion to

the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 2004 prevented the complete collapse

of the economy and allowed some reforms in the government's

financial operations. In 2005, high unemployment and limited trade

opportunities - due to continued closures both within the West Bank

and externally - stymied growth. Israel's and the international

community's financial embargo of the PA since HAMAS took office in

March 2006 has interrupted the provision of PA social services and

the payment of PA salaries.

Western Sahara

Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing,

and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the

population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable

agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban

population must be imported. Incomes in Western Sahara are

substantially below the Moroccan level. The Moroccan Government

controls all trade and other economic activities in Western Sahara.

Morocco and the European Union signed a four-year agreement in July

2006 allowing European vessels to fish off the coast of Morocco,

including the disputed waters off the coast of Western Sahara.

Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for

oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the

Polisario. However, in 2006, the Polisario awarded similar

exploration licenses in the disputed territory, which would come

into force if Morocco and the Polisario resolve their dispute over

Western Sahara.

World

Global output rose by 4.4% in 2005, led by China (9.3%), India

(7.6%), and Russia (5.9%). The other 14 successor nations of the

USSR and the other old Warsaw Pact nations again experienced widely

divergent growth rates; the three Baltic nations continued as strong

performers, in the 7% range of growth. Growth results posted by the

major industrial countries varied from no gain for Italy to a strong

gain by the United States (3.5%). The developing nations also varied

in their growth results, with many countries facing population

increases that erode gains in output. Externally, the nation-state,

as a bedrock economic-political institution, is steadily losing

control over international flows of people, goods, funds, and

technology. Internally, the central government often finds its

control over resources slipping as separatist regional movements -

typically based on ethnicity - gain momentum, e.g., in many of the

successor states of the former Soviet Union, in the former

Yugoslavia, in India, in Iraq, in Indonesia, and in Canada.

Externally, the central government is losing decisionmaking powers

to international bodies, notably the EU. In Western Europe,

governments face the difficult political problem of channeling

resources away from welfare programs in order to increase investment

and strengthen incentives to seek employment. The addition of 80

million people each year to an already overcrowded globe is

exacerbating the problems of pollution, desertification,

underemployment, epidemics, and famine. Because of their own

internal problems and priorities, the industrialized countries

devote insufficient resources to deal effectively with the poorer

areas of the world, which, at least from an economic point of view,

are becoming further marginalized. The introduction of the euro as

the common currency of much of Western Europe in January 1999, while

paving the way for an integrated economic powerhouse, poses economic

risks because of varying levels of income and cultural and political

differences among the participating nations. The terrorist attacks

on the US on 11 September 2001 accentuated a further growing risk to

global prosperity, illustrated, for example, by the reallocation of

resources away from investment to anti-terrorist programs. The

opening of war in March 2003 between a US-led coalition and Iraq

added new uncertainties to global economic prospects. After the

coalition victory, the complex political difficulties and the high

economic cost of establishing domestic order in Iraq became major

global problems that continued through 2006.

Yemen

Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Arab world,

reported average annual growth of 3.5% from 2000 through 2006. Its

economic fortunes depend mostly on oil. Oil revenues probably

increased in 2006 as a result of higher prices. Yemen was on an

IMF-supported structural adjustment program designed to modernize

and streamline the economy, which led to substantial foreign debt

relief and restructuring. However, government dedication to the

program waned in 2001 for political reasons. Yemen is struggling to

control excessive spending and rampant corruption. Yemen is

dependent on foreign aid to finance its budget deficits and

development projects. In November, Yemen secured $4.7 billion in

assistance from Arabian Gulf and Western donors.

Zambia

Despite progress in privatization and budgetary reform,

Zambia's economic growth in 2005-06 remained somewhat below the

6%-7% per year needed to reduce poverty significantly. Privatization

of government-owned copper mines relieved the government from

covering mammoth losses generated by the industry and greatly

improved the chances for copper mining to return to profitability

and spur economic growth. Copper output has increased steadily since

2004, due to higher copper prices and the opening of new mines. The

maize harvest was again good in 2005, helping boost GDP and

agricultural exports. Cooperation continues with international

bodies on programs to reduce poverty, including a new lending

arrangement with the IMF in the second quarter of 2004. A tighter

monetary policy will help cut inflation, but Zambia still has a

serious problem with high public debt.

Zimbabwe

The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of

difficult economic problems as it struggles with an unsustainable

fiscal deficit, an overvalued exchange rate, soaring inflation, and

bare shelves. Its 1998-2002 involvement in the war in the Democratic

Republic of the Congo drained hundreds of millions of dollars from

the economy. The government's land reform program, characterized by

chaos and violence, has badly damaged the commercial farming sector,

the traditional source of exports and foreign exchange and the

provider of 400,000 jobs, turning Zimbabwe into a net importer of

food products. Badly needed support from the IMF has been suspended

because of the government's arrears on past loans, which it began

repaying in 2005. The official annual inflation rate rose from 32%

in 1998, to 133% in 2004, 585% in 2005, and approached 1000% in

2006, although private sector estimates put the figure much higher.

Meanwhile, the official exchange rate fell from approximately 1

(revalued) Zimbabwean dollar per US dollar in 2003 to 250 per US

dollar in August 2006.

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2117 Pipelines (km)

Afghanistan

gas 466 km (2006)

Albania

gas 339 km; oil 207 km (2006)

Algeria

condensate 1,344 km; gas 85,946 km; liquid petroleum gas

2,213 km; oil 6,496 km (2005)

Angola

gas 235 km; liquid petroleum gas 122 km; oil 867 km;

oil/gas/water 5 km (2006)

Argentina

gas 29,804 km; liquid petroleum gas 41 km; oil 10,373 km;

refined products 8,540 km; unknown (oil/water) 13 km (2006)

Armenia

gas 2,002 km (2006)

Australia

condensate/gas 546 km; gas 31,323 km; liquid petroleum gas

240 km; oil 4,808 km; oil/gas/water 110 km (2006)

Austria

gas 2,722 km; oil 663 km; refined products 149 km (2006)

Azerbaijan

gas 3,190 km; oil 2,436 km (2006)

Bahrain

gas 20 km; oil 52 km (2006)

Bangladesh

gas 2,604 km (2006)

Belarus

gas 5,223 km; oil 2,321 km; refined products 1,686 km (2006)

Belgium

gas 1,561 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2006)

Bolivia

gas 4,860 km; liquid petroleum gas 47 km; oil 2,475 km;

refined products 1,589 km; unknown (oil/water) 247 km (2006)

Brazil

condensate/gas 244 km; gas 11,669 km; liquid petroleum gas

341 km; oil 5,212 km; refined products 4,755 km (2006)

Brunei

gas 672 km; oil 463 km (2006)

Bulgaria

gas 2,505 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2006)

Burma

gas 2,224 km; oil 558 km (2006)

Cameroon

gas 70 km; liquid petroleum gas 9 km; oil 1,107 km (2006)

Canada

crude and refined oil 23,564 km; liquid petroleum gas 74,980

km (2005)

Chad

oil 205 km (2006)

Chile

gas 2,567 km; gas/lpg 42 km; liquid petroleum gas 539 km; oil

1,003 km; refined products 757 km; unknown (oil/water) 97 km (2006)

China

gas 22,664 km; oil 15,256 km; refined products 6,106 km (2006)

Colombia

gas 4,360 km; oil 6,140 km; refined products 3,158 km (2006)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

gas 54 km; oil 78 km (2006)

Congo, Republic of the gas 89 km; liquid petroleum gas 4 km; oil 744 km (2006)

Costa Rica

refined products 242 km (2006)

Cote d'Ivoire

condensate 109 km; gas 240 km; oil 112 km (2006)

Croatia

gas 1,340 km; oil 583 km (2006)

Cuba

gas 49 km; oil 230 km (2006)

Czech Republic

gas 7,010 km; oil 547 km; refined products 94 km

(2006)

Denmark

condensate 12 km; gas 3,931 km; oil 626 km; oil/gas/water 2

km (2006)

Ecuador

extra heavy crude 578 km; gas 71 km; oil 1,386 km; refined

products 1,185 km (2006)

Egypt

condensate 464 km; condensate/gas 94 km; gas 6,021 km; liquid

petroleum gas 897 km; oil 5,120 km; oil/gas/water 36 km; refined

products 897 km (2006)

Equatorial Guinea condensate 46 km; condensate/gas 5 km; gas 47 km; oil 31 km (2006)

Estonia

gas 859 km (2006)

Finland

gas 694 km (2006)

France

gas 14,588 km; oil 3,024 km; refined products 4,889 km (2006)

Gabon

gas 272 km; oil 1,354 km (2006)

Georgia

gas 1,349 km; oil 1,010 km (2006)

Germany

condensate 37 km; gas 25,035 km; oil 3,546 km; refined

products 3,827 km (2006)

Ghana

oil 13 km; refined products 316 km (2006)

Greece

gas 1,166 km; oil 94 km (2006)

Guatemala

oil 480 km (2006)

Hungary

gas 4,397 km; oil 990 km; refined products 335 km (2006)

India

condensate/gas 8 km; gas 5,184 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,993

km; oil 6,500 km; refined products 6,152 km (2006)

Indonesia

condensate 944 km; condensate/gas 135 km; gas 9,175 km;

oil 7,684 km; oil/gas/water 89 km; refined products 1,367 km (2006)

Iran

condensate 7 km; condensate/gas 397 km; gas 17,099 km; liquid

petroleum gas 570 km; oil 8,521 km; refined products 7,808 km (2006)

Iraq

gas 2,228 km; liquid petroleum gas 918 km; oil 5,506 km;

refined products 1,637 km (2006)

Ireland

gas 1,728 km (2006)

Israel

gas 193 km; oil 442 km; refined products 261 km (2006)

Italy

gas 17,589 km; oil 1,136 km (2006)

Japan

gas 8,015 km; oil 170 km; oil/gas/water 60 km (2006)

Jordan

gas 426 km; oil 49 km (2006)

Kazakhstan

condensate 658 km; gas 11,019 km; oil 10,338 km; refined

products 1,095 km (2006)

Kenya

refined products 894 km (2006)

Korea, North

oil 154 km (2006)

Korea, South

gas 1,482 km; refined products 827 km (2006)

Kuwait

gas 269 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2006)

Kyrgyzstan

gas 254 km; oil 16 km (2006)

Laos

refined products 540 km (2006)

Latvia

gas 1,097 km; oil 82 km; refined products 415 km (2006)

Lebanon

gas 43 km (2006)

Libya

condensate 882 km; gas 3,481 km; oil 6,916 km (2006)

Liechtenstein

gas 20 km (2006)

Lithuania

gas 1,696 km; oil 228 km; refined products 121 km (2006)

Luxembourg

gas 155 km (2006)

Macedonia

gas 268 km; oil 120 km (2006)

Malaysia

condensate 282 km; gas 5,372 km; oil 1,715 km;

oil/gas/water 19 km; refined products 114 km (2006)

Mexico

gas 22,705 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,875 km; oil 8,688 km;

oil/gas/water 228 km; refined products 6,520 km (2006)

Moldova

gas 606 km (2006)

Morocco

gas 715 km; oil 285 km (2006)

Mozambique

gas 918 km; refined products 294 km (2006)

Netherlands

condensate 81 km; gas 7,229 km; oil 578 km; refined

products 716 km (2006)

New Zealand

condensate 224 km; gas 1,693 km; liquid petroleum gas 45

km; oil 280 km; refined products 288 km (2006)

Nicaragua

oil 54 km (2006)

Nigeria

condensate 126 km; gas 2,812 km; liquid petroleum gas 125

km; oil 4,278 km; refined products 3,517 km (2006)

Norway

condensate 508 km; gas 5,910 km; oil 2,557 km; oil/gas/water

746 km (2006)

Oman

gas 4,072 km; oil 3,405 km (2006)

Pakistan

gas 10,257 km; oil 2,001 km (2006)

Papua New Guinea

oil 264 km (2006)

Peru

gas 983 km; gas/lpg 61 km; liquid natural gas 106 km; liquid

petroleum gas 517 km; oil 1,754 km; refined products 13 km (2006)

Philippines

gas 565 km; oil 135 km; refined products 105 km (2006)

Poland

gas 13,552 km; oil 1,384 km; refined products 777 km (2006)

Portugal

gas 1,099 km; oil 8 km; refined products 174 km (2006)

Qatar

condensate 319 km; condensate/gas 209 km; gas 1,024 km; liquid

petroleum gas 87 km; oil 844 km (2006)

Romania

gas 3,508 km; oil 2,427 km (2006)

Russia

condensate 122 km; gas 156,285 km; oil 72,283 km; refined

products 13,658 km (2006)

Saudi Arabia

condensate 212 km; gas 1,880 km; liquid petroleum gas

1,183 km; oil 4,531 km; refined products 1,150 km (2006)

Senegal

gas 43 km (2006)

Serbia

gas 3,177 km; oil 393 km (2006)

Singapore

gas 139 km; refined products 8 km (2006)

Slovakia

gas 6,769 km; oil 416 km (2006)

Slovenia

gas 2,526 km; oil 11 km (2006)

South Africa

condensate 100 km; gas 1,062 km; oil 966 km; refined

products 1,354 km (2006)

Spain

gas 7,962 km; oil 622 km; refined products 3,447 km (2006)

Sudan

gas 156 km; oil 3,930 km; refined products 1,613 km (2006)

Suriname

oil 51 km (2006)

Sweden

gas 798 km (2006)

Switzerland

gas 1,831 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2006)

Syria

gas 2,764 km; oil 2,000 km (2006)

Taiwan

condensate 25 km; gas 661 km (2006)

Tajikistan

gas 549 km; oil 38 km (2006)

Tanzania

gas 254 km; oil 872 km (2006)

Thailand

gas 3,760 km; refined products 379 km (2006)

Trinidad and Tobago condensate 253 km; gas 1,278 km; oil 571 km (2006)

Tunisia

gas 2,945 km; oil 1,227 km; refined products 351 km (2006)

Turkey

gas 4,621 km; oil 3,543 km (2006)

Turkmenistan

gas 6,441 km; oil 1,361 km (2006)

Ukraine

gas 19,951 km; oil 4,514 km; refined products 4,211 km (2006)

United Arab Emirates

condensate 520 km; gas 2,580 km; liquid

petroleum gas 300 km; oil 2,950 km; oil/gas/water 5 km; refined

products 156 km (2006)

United Kingdom

condensate 565 km; condensate/gas 6 km; gas 21,575

km; liquid petroleum gas 59 km; oil 5,094 km; oil/gas/water 161 km;

refined products 4,444 km (2006)

United States

petroleum products 244,620 km; natural gas 548,665 km

(2003)

Uruguay

gas 257 km; oil 160 km (2006)

Uzbekistan

gas 9,594 km; oil 868 km (2006)

Venezuela

extra heavy crude 992 km; gas 5,369 km; oil 7,607 km;

refined products 1,681 km; unknown (oil/water) 141 km (2006)

Vietnam

condensate/gas 432 km; gas 163 km; oil 50 km; refined

products 206 km (2006)

Yemen

gas 71 km; liquid petroleum gas 22 km; oil 1,284 km (2006)

Zambia

oil 771 km (2006)

Zimbabwe

refined products 261 km (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2118 Political parties and leaders

Afghanistan

note - includes only political parties approved by the

Ministry of Justice; De Afghan Watan Islami Gond [Mohammad Osman

SALEKZADA]; De Afghanistan De Mili Mubarizeeno Islami Gond [Amanat

NINGARHAREE]; De Afghanistan De Mili Wahdat Wolesi Tahreek [Abdul

Hakim NOORZAI]; De Afghanistan De Solay Ghorzang Gond [Shahnawaz

TANAI]; De Afghanistan De Solay Mili Islami Gond [Shah Mohammood

Popal ZAI]; Hezb-e Esteqlal-e-Mili Afghanistan [Taj Mohammad

WARDAK]; Hezb-e Hambastagee Mili Aqwam-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Zarif

NASERI]; Hezb-e Harakat-e-Islami-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Ali JAWID];

Hezb-e Jamihat-e-Islami [Ustad RABBANI]; Hezb-e Paiwand Mihahani

Afghanistan [Sayed Kamal SADAT];

Hezb-e-Aarman-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Ilhaj Saraj-u-din ZAFAREE];

Hezb-e-Aazaadi Khwahan Maihan [Abdul Hadi DABEER]; Hezb-e-Aazadee

Khwahan Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Feda Mohammad EHSAS];

Hezb-e-Adalat-e-Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Kabir MARZBAN];

Hezb-e-Afghan Melat [Anwarul Haq AHADI]; Hezb-e-Afghanistan-e-Naween

[Mohammad Yunis QANUNI]; Hezb-e-Afghanistan-e-Wahid [Mohammad Wasil

RAHIMEE]; Hezb-e-Azadee-e-Afghanistan [Ilaj Abdul MALEK];

Hezb-e-Democracy Afghanistan [Tawos ARAB];

Hezb-e-Domcrat-e-Afghanistan [Abdul Kabir RANJBAR];

Hezb-e-Eatedal-e-Mili Islami-e-Afghanistan [Qara Bik Eized YAAR];

Hezb-e-Eqtedar-e-Mili [Sayed Mustafa KAZEMI];

Hezb-e-Falah-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Ustad Mohammad ZAREEF];

Hezb-e-Hambastagee Mili Jawanan-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Jamil

KARZAI]; Hezb-e-Hambastagee-e-Afghanistan [Abdul Khaleq NEMAT];

Hezb-e-Harakat-e-Islami Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Ilhaj Said Hussain

ANWARY]; Hezb-e-Harakat-e-Mili Wahdat-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Nadir

AATASH]; Hezb-e-Ifazat Az Uqooq-e-Bashar Wa Inkishaf-e-Afghanistan

[Baryalai NASRATI]; Hezb-e-Islami-e-Afghanistan-e-Jawan [Sayed Jawad

HUSSINEE]; Hezb-e-Isteqlal-e-Afghanistan [Dr. Ghulam Farooq

NEJRABEE]; Hezb-e-Jamahat-ul-Dawat ilal Quran-wa-Sunat-e-Afghanistan

[Mawlawee Samiullah NAJEEBEE]; Hezb-e-Jamhoree Khwahane-Afghanistan

[Sebghatullah SANJAR]; Hezb-e-Junbish Democracy Mardom-e-Afghanistan

[Sharif NAZARI]; Hezb-e-Junbish Mili Islami-e-Afghanistan [Sayed

NOORULLAH]; Hezb-e-Kangra-e-Mili-e-Afghanistan [Abdul Latif PEDRAM];

Hezb-e-Kar Wa Tawsiha-e-Afghanistan [Zulfiqar OMID];

Hezb-e-Lebral-e-Aazadee Khwa-e-Afghanistan [Ajmal SUHAIL];

Hezb-e-Majmeh Mili Faleen-Sulh-e-Afghanistan [Shamsul Haq Noor

SHAMS]; Hezb-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Ahmad Shah ASAR];

Hezb-e-Mardom-e-Mosalman-e-Afghanistan [Besmellah JOYAN];

Hezb-e-Mili Afghanistan [Abdul Rashid ARYAN]; Hezb-e-Mili Heward

[GHULAM MOHAMMAD]; Hezb-e-Mili Islami-e-Afghanistan [Rohullah

LOUDIN]; Hezb-e-Mili Wahdat-e-Aqwam-e-Islami-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad

Shah KHOGYANI]; Hezb-e-Mutahed Mili [Noorul Haq ULOOMI];

Hezb-e-Nahzat-e-Aazadee Wa Democracy-e-Afghanistan [Abdul Raqib

Jawid KOHISTANEE]; Hezb-e-Nahzat-e-Hambastagee Mili-e-Afghanistan

[Pir Sayed Eshaq GAILANEE]; Hezb-e-Nakhbagan-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan

[Abdul Hamid JAWAD]; Hezb-e-Paiwand Mili Afghanistan [Sayed Mansoor

NADREEI]; Hezb-e-Rastakhaiz-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Sayed Zahir

Qayed Omul BELADI]; Hezb-e-Refah-e-Afghanistan [Meer Asef ZAEEFI];

Hezb-e-Refah-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Mia Gul WASIQ];

Hezb-e-Refah-e-Mili Afghanistan [Mohammad Hassan JAHFAREE];

Hezb-e-Resalat-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Noor Aqa ROEENE];

Hezb-e-Sahadat-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Zubair PAIROZ];

Hezb-e-Sahadat-e-Mili Islami-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Osman

SALEKZADA]; Hezb-e-Subat-e-Mili Islami-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Same

KHAROTI]; Hezb-e-Sulh Wa Wahdat-e-Mili-e-Afghanistan [Gulabuddin

Shir ZAEE]; Hezb-e-Sulh-e-Mili Islami Aqwam-e-Afghanistan [Abdul

Qaher SHARIATEE]; Hezb-e-Tafahum Wa Democracy-e-Afghanistan [Ahamad

SHAHEEN]; Hezb-e-Tahreek Wahdat-e-Mili-e-Afghanistan [Sultan

Mohammad GHAZI]; Hezb-e-Tahreek Wahdat-ul-Musimeen Afghanistan

[Wazir Mohammad WAHDAT]; Hezb-e-Tanzim Jabha Mili

Nejat-e-Afghanistan [Seghatullah MOJADDEDI]; Hezb-e-Taraqee Democrat

Afghanistan [Wali ARYA]; Hezb-e-Taraqee Mili Afghanistan [Dr. Aref

BAKTASH]; Hezb-e-Umat-e-Islam-e-Afghanistan [Toran Noor Aqa Ahmad

ZAI]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Ustad Mohammad

MOHAQQEQ]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Karim

KHALILI]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami-e-Melat-e-Afghanistan [Qurban Ali

URFANI]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Mili Afghanistan [Abdul Rashid JALILI];

Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Mili Islami-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad AKBAREE];

Mahaz-e-Mili Islami Afghanistan [Pir Sayed Ahmad GAILANEE]; Mili

Dreez Gong [Habibullah JANBDAD];

Nahzat-e-Hakemyat-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Hayatullah SUBHANEE];

Nahzat-e-Mili Afghanistan [Ahmad Wali MASOOUD]; Tanzim

Daawat-e-Islami-e-Afghanistan [Abdul Rasoul SAYYAF]; (20 August 2005)

Albania

Agrarian Environmentalist Party or PAA [Lufter XHUVELI];

Christian Democratic Party or PDK [Nard NDOKA]; Communist Party of

Albania or PKSH [Hysni MILLOSHI]; Democratic Alliance Party or AD

[Neritan CEKA]; Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; Legality

Movement Party or PLL [Ekrem SPAHIU]; Liberal Union Party or BLD

[Arjan STAROVA]; National Front Party (Balli Kombetar) or PBK

[Adriatik ALIMADHI]; New Democratic Party or PDR [Genc POLLO]; Party

of National Unity or PUK [Idajet BEQIRI]; Renewed Democratic Party

or PDRN [Dashamir SHEHI]; Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU];

Social Democracy Party of Albania or PDSSh [Paskal MILO]; Social

Democratic Party or PSD [Skender GJINUSHI]; Socialist Movement for

Integration or LSI [Ilir META]; Socialist Party or PS [Edi RAMA];

Union for Human Rights Party or PBDNj [Vangjel DULE]

Algeria

Algerian National Front or FNA [Moussa TOUATI]; National

Democratic Rally (Rassemblement National Democratique) or RND [Ahmed

OUYAHIA, secretary general]; Islamic Salvation Front or FIS

(outlawed April 1992) [Ali BELHADJ, Dr. Abassi MADANI, Rabeh KEBIR];

National Entente Movement or MEN [Ali BOUKHAZNA]; National

Liberation Front or FLN [Abdelaziz BELKHADEM, secretary general];

National Reform Movement or Islah (formerly MRN) [Abdellah

DJABALLAH]; National Renewal Party or PRA [Yacine TERKMANE];

Progressive Republican Party [Khadir DRISS]; Rally for Culture and

Democracy or RCD [Said SADI]; Renaissance Movement or EnNahda

Movement [Fatah RABEI]; Socialist Forces Front or FFS [Hocine Ait

AHMED, secretary general]; Social Liberal Party or PSL [Ahmed

KHELIL]; Society of Peace Movement or MSP [Boudjerra SOLTANI];

Workers Party or PT [Louisa HANOUN]

note: a law banning political parties based on religion was enacted

in March 1997

American Samoa

Democratic Party [Oreta M. TOGAFAU]; Republican Party

[Tautai A. F. FAALEVAO]

Andorra

Andorran Democratic Center Party or CDA (formerly Democratic

Party or PD); Century 21 or S21 [Enric TARRADO]; Liberal Party of

Andorra or PLA (formerly Liberal Union or UL) [Albert PINTAT

SANTOLARIA]; Social Democratic Party or PS (formerly part of

National Democratic Group or AND) [Jaume BARTUMEU CASSANY]

Angola

Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Analia de Victoria PEREIRA];

National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA [disputed

leadership: Lucas NGONDA, Holden ROBERTO]; National Union for the

Total Independence of Angola or UNITA [Isaias SAMAKUVA] (largest

opposition party); Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or

MPLA [Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS] (ruling party in power since 1975);

Social Renewal Party or PRS [disputed leadership: Eduardo KUANGANA,

Antonio MUACHICUNGO]

note: about a dozen minor parties participated in the 1992 elections

but only won a few seats; they and the other 115 smaller parties

have little influence in the National Assembly

Anguilla

Anguilla United Movement or AUM [Hubert HUGHES]; The

Anguilla United Front or AUF [Osbourne FLEMING, Victor BANKS], a

coalition of the Anguilla Democratic Party or ADP and the Anguilla

National Alliance or ANA; Anguilla Progressive Party or APP [Roy

ROGERS]; Anguilla Strategic Alternative or ANSA [Edison BAIRD]

Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua Labor Party or ALP [Lester Bryant BIRD];

Barbudans for a Better Barbuda [Ordrick SAMUEL]; Barbuda People's

Movement or BPM [Thomas H. FRANK]; Barbuda People's Movement for

Change [Arthur NIBBS]; National Democratic Congress [Tillman

THOMAS]; United Progressive Party or UPP [Baldwin SPENCER] (a

coalition of three parties - Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement

or ACLM, Progressive Labor Movement or PLM, United National

Democratic Party or UNDP)

Argentina

Affirmation for an Egalitarian Republic or ARI [Elisa

CARRIO]; Front for Victory or FV [Nestor KIRCHNER]; Interbloque

Federal or IF (a broad coalition of approximately 12 parties

including PRO); Justicialist Front or FJ [leader NA]; Justicialist

Party or PJ (Peronist umbrella political organization); Radical

Civic Union or UCR [Gerardo MORALES]; Republican Proposal or PRO

(including Federal Recreate Movement or RECREAR [Ricardo LOPEZ

MURPHY] and Commitment for Change or CPC [Mauricio MACRI]);

Socialist Party or PS [Ruben GIUSTINIANI]; Union For All [Patricia

BULLRICH]; several provincial parties

Armenia

Agro-Industrial Party [Vladimir BADALYAN]; Armenia Party

(Hayastan) [Myasnik MALKHASYAN]; Armenian National Movement or ANM

[Artashes ZURABYAN]; Armenian Ramkavar Liberal Party or HRAK

[Harutyun MIRZAKHANYAN, chairman]; Armenian Revolutionary Federation

("Dashnak" Party) or ARF [Hrant MARKARYAN]; Democratic Party [Aram

SARKISYAN]; Justice Bloc (comprised of the Democratic Party,

National Democratic Party, National Democratic Union, the People's

Party, and the Republic Party) [Stepan DEMIRCHYAN]; National

Democratic Party [Shavarsh KOCHARIAN]; National Democratic Union or

NDU [Vazgen MANUKIAN]; National Revival Party [Albert BAZEYAN];

National Unity Party [Artashes GEGHAMYAN, chairman]; People's Party

of Armenia [Stepan DEMIRCHYAN]; Republic Party [Aram SARKISYAN,

chairman]; Republican Party or RPA [Andranik MARGARYAN]; Rule of Law

Party [Artur BAGHDASARYAN]; Union of Constitutional Rights [Hrant

KHACHATURYAN]; United Labor Party [Gurgen ARSENYAN]

Aruba

Aliansa/Aruban Social Movement or MSA [Robert WEVER]; Aruban

Liberal Organization or OLA [Glenbert CROES]; Aruban Patriotic

Movement or MPA [Monica ARENDS-KOCK]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA

[Benny NISBET]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Mike EMAN]; People's

Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson O. ODUBER]; Real Democracy

or PDR [Andin BIKKER]; RED [Rudy LAMPE]; Workers Political Platform

or PTT [Gregorio WOLFF]

Australia

Australian Democrats [Lyn ALLISON]; Australian Greens [Bob

BROWN]; Australian Labor Party [Kevin RUDD]; Country Liberal Party

[Jodeen CARNEY]; Family First Party [Steve FIELDING]; Liberal Party

[John Winston HOWARD]; The Nationals [Mark VAILE]

Austria

Alliance for the Future of Austria or BZOe [Peter

WESENTHALER]; Austrian People's Party or OeVP [Wilhelm MOLTERE];

Freedom Party of Austria or FPOe [Heinz Christian STRACHE]; Social

Democratic Party of Austria or SPOe [Alfred GUSENBAUER]; The Greens

[Alexander VAN DER BELLEN]

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan Popular Front or APF [Ali KARIMLI, leader of

"Reform" faction; Mirmahmud MIRALI-OGLU, leader of "Classic"

faction]; Civic Solidarity Party or CSP [Sabir RUSTAMKHANLY]; Civic

Union Party [Ayaz MUTALIBOV]; Communist Party of Azerbaijan or CPA

[Ramiz AHMADOV]; Compatriot Party [Mais SAFARLI]; Democratic Party

for Azerbaijan or DPA [Rasul QULIYEV, chairman]; Justice Party

[Ilyas ISMAILOV]; Liberal Party of Azerbaijan [Lala Shovkat

HACIYEVA]; Motherland Party; Musavat [Isa GAMBAR, chairman]; Yeni

Azerbaijan Party; Party for National Independence of Azerbaijan or

PNIA [Etibar MAMMADLI, chairman]; Social Democratic Party of

Azerbaijan or SDP [Araz ALIZADE]

note: opposition parties regularly factionalize and form new parties

Bahamas, The

Free National Movement or FNM [Hubert INGRAHAM];

Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]

Bahrain

political parties prohibited but political societies were

legalized per a July 2005 law

Bangladesh

Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]; Bangladesh Communist

Party or BCP [Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK]; Bangladesh Nationalist Party

or BNP [Khaleda ZIA]; Islami Oikya Jote or IOJ [Mufti Fazlul Haq

AMINI]; Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh or JIB [Motiur Rahman NIZAMI];

Jatiya Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD];

Jatiya Party (Manzur faction) [Naziur Rahman MANZUR]; Liberal

Democratic Party or LDP [Badrudozza CHOWDHURY and Oli AHMED]

Barbados

Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; Democratic Labor

Party or DLP [David THOMPSON]; People's Empowerment Party or PEP

[David COMISSIONG]

Belarus

pro-government parties: Agrarian Party or AP [Mikhail

SHIMANSKY]; Belarusian Communist Party or KPB; Belarusian Patriotic

Movement (Belarusian Patriotic Party) or BPR [Nikolai ULAKHOVICH,

chairman]; Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus [Sergei GAYDUKEVICH];

Party of Labor and Justice [Viktor SOKOLOV]; Social-Sports Party

[Vladimir ALEXANDROVICH]

opposition parties: 10 Plus Coalition [Alyaksandr MILINKEVICH],

includes: Belarusian Party of Communists or PKB [Syarhey KALYAKIN];

Belarusian Party of Labor (unregistered) [Aleksandr BUKHVOSTOV,

Leonid LEMESHONAK]; Belarusian Popular Front or BPF [Vintsyuk

VYACHORKA]; Belarusian Social-Democratic Gramada [Stanislav

SHUSHKEVICH]; Green Party [Oleg GROMYKO]; Party of Freedom and

Progress (unregistered) [Vladimir NOVOSYAD]; United Civic Party or

UCP [Anatol LYABEDKA]; Women's Party "Nadezhda" [Valentina

MATUSEVICH, chairperson]

other opposition includes: Belarusian Social-Democratic Party

Nardonaya Hromada or BSDP NH [Alyaksandr KOZULIN, chairman];

Christian Conservative BPF [Zyanon PAZNIAK]; Ecological Party of

Greens [Mikhail KARTASH]; Party of Popular Accord [Sergei YERMAKK];

Republican Party [Vladimir BELAZOR]

Belgium

Flemish parties: Christian Democrats and Flemish or CD & V

[Jo VANDEURZEN]; Flemish Liberal and Democrats or VLD [Bart SOMERS];

GROEN! (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens) [Vera DUA]; New Flemish

Alliance or NVA [Bart DE WEVER]; Social Progressive Alternative or

SP.A [Johan Vande LANOTTE]; Spirit [Geert LAMBERT] (new party now

associated with SP.A); Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [Frank

VANHECKE]

Francophone parties: Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUX,

Isabelle DURANT, Claude BROUIR]; Humanist and Democratic Center of

CDH [Joelle MILQUET]; National Front or FN [Daniel FERET]; Reform

Movement or MR [Didier REYNDERS]; Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI

RUPO]; other minor parties

Belize

People's United Party or PUP [Said MUSA]; United Democratic

Party or UDP [Dean BARROW, party leader; Douglas SINGH, party

chairman]

Benin

Alliance of Progress Forces or AFP; African Movement for

Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]; Democratic

Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Impulse for Progress and

Democracy or IPD; Key Force or FC; Movement for Development and

Solidarity or MDS; Movement for Development by the Culture-Salute

Party-Congress of People for Progress Alliance or Alliance

MDC-PS-CPP; New Alliance or NA; Rally for Democracy and Progress or

RDP; Renaissance Party du Benin or RB [Nicephore SOGLO]; The Star

Alliance (Alliance E'toile) [Sacca LAFIA]; Union of Tomorrow's Benin

or UBF [Bruno AMOUSSOU]

note: approximately 20 additional minor parties

Bermuda

Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Ewart BROWN]; United Bermuda

Party or UBP [Wayne FURBERT]

Bhutan

no legal parties

Bolivia

Bolivian Socialist Falange or FSB [Romel PANTOJA]; Civic

Solidarity Union or UCS [Johnny FERNANDEZ]; Free Bolivia Movement or

MBL [Franz BARRIOS]; Marshal of Ayacucho Institutional Vanguard or

VIMA [Freddy ZABALA]; Movement of the Revolutionary Left or MIR

[Jaime PAZ Zamora]; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Juan Evo

MORALES Ayma]; Movement Without Fear or MSM [Juan DEL GRANADO];

National Revolutionary Movement or MNR [Gonzalo SANCHEZ DE LOZADA];

New Republican Force or NFR [Manfred REYES-VILLA]; Pachakuti

Indigenous Movement or MIP [Felipe QUISPE Huanca]; Poder Democratico

Nacional or PODEMOS [Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez]; Socialist

Party or PS [Jeres JUSTINIANO]

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Alliance of Independent Social Democrats or

SNSD [Milorad DODIK]; Bosnian Party or BOSS [Mirnes AJANOVIC]; Civic

Democratic Party or GDS [Ibrahim SPAHIC]; Croat Christian Democratic

Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HKDU [Marin TOPIC]; Croat Party

of Rights or HSP [Zvonko JURISIC]; Croat Peasants Party or HSS

[Marko TADIC]; Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina

or HDZ-BH [Dragan COVIC]; Croatian Democratic Union 1990 or HDZ1990

[Bozo LJUBIC]; Croatian Peoples Union [Milenko BRKIC]; Democratic

National Union or DNZ [Rifet DOLIC]; Democratic Peoples Alliance or

DNS [Marko PAVIC]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDS [Rasim KADIC];

New Croat Initiative or NHI [Kresimir ZUBAK]; Party for Bosnia and

Herzegovina or SBiH [Haris SILAJDZIC]; Party for Democratic Action

or SDA [Sulejman TIHIC]; Party of Democratic Progress or PDP [Mladen

IVANIC]; Serb Democratic Party or SDS [Mladen BOSIC]; Serb Radical

Party of the Republika Srpska or SRS-RS [Milanko MIHAJLICA]; Serb

Radical Party-Dr. Vojislav Seselj or SRS-VS [Radislav KANJERIC];

Social Democratic Party of BIH or SDP [Zlatko LAGUMDZIJA]; Social

Democratic Union or SDU [Sejfudin TOKIC]; Socialist Party of

Republika Srpska or SPRS [Petar DJOKIC]

Botswana

Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM [Ephraim Lepetu

SETSHWAELO]; Botswana Congress Party or BCP [Otlaadisa KOOSALETSE];

Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Festus G. MOGAE]; Botswana

National Front or BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO]; Botswana Peoples Party or

BPP; MELS Movement of Botswana or MELS; New Democratic Front or NDF

note: a number of minor parties joined forces in 1999 to form the

BAM but did not capture any parliamentary seats - includes the

United Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]; the Independence

Freedom Party or IFP [Motsamai MPHO]; the Botswana Progressive Union

[D. K. KWELE]

Brazil

Brazilian Democratic Movement Party or PMDB [Federal Deputy

Michel TEMER]; Brazilian Labor Party or PTB [Flavio de CASTRO

MARTINEZ]; Brazilian Renewal Labor Party or PRTB [Jose Levy Fidelix

DA CRUZ]; Brazilian Republican Party or PRB [Vitor Paulo Araujo DOS

SANTOS]; Brazilian Social Democracy Party or PSDB [Senator Tasso

JEREISSATI]; Brazilian Socialist Party or PSB [Federal Deputy

Eduardo Henrique Accioly CAMPOS]; Communist Party of Brazil or PCdoB

[Jose Renato RABELO]; Democratic Labor Party or PDT [Carlos Roberto

LUPI]; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [Luis Marques MENDES];

Green Party or PV [Jose Luiz de Franca PENNA]; Humanist Party of

Solidarity or PHS [leader NA]; Liberal Party or PL [Federal Deputy

Valdemar COSTA Neto]; National Order Reconstruction Party or PRONA

[Federal Deputy Dr. Eneas Ferreira CARNEIRO]; Partido Municipalista

Renovador or PMR [Natal Wellington Rodrigues FURUCHO]; Popular

Socialist Party or PPS [Federal Deputy Roberto FREIRE]; Progressive

Party or PP [Federal Deputy Pedro CORREA]; Social Christian Party or

PSC [Vitor Jorge ABDALA NOSSEIS]; Workers' Party or PT [Ricardo Jose

Ribeiro BERZOINI]

British Virgin Islands

Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Ethlyn

SMITH]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH]; United

Party or UP [Gregory MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T.

O'NEAL]

Brunei

Brunei Solidarity National Party (PPKB) [Haji Mohd HATTA bin

Haji Zainal Abidin]; National Development Party (NDP) [YASSIN

Affendi]; People's Awareness Party (PAKAR) [Awang Haji MAIDIN bin

Haji Ahmad]

note: parties are small and have limited activity (2005)

Bulgaria

ATAKA (Attack Coalition) (coalition of parties headed by

the Attack National Union); Attack National Union [Volen SIDEROV];

Bulgarian Agrarian National Union-People's Union or BANU [Anastasia

MOZER]; Bulgarian People's Union or BPU (coalition of UFD, IMRO, and

BANU); Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP [Sergei STANISHEV];

Coalition for Bulgaria or CfB (coalition of parties dominated by

BSP) [Sergei STANISHEV]; Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria or DSB

[Ivan KOSTOV]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization or

IMRO [Krasimir KARAKACHANOV]; Movement for Rights and Freedoms or

MRF [Ahmed DOGAN]; National Movement for Simeon II or NMS2 [Simeon

SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA]; New Time [Emil KOSHLUKOV]; Union of Democratic

Forces or UDF [Petar STOYANOV]; Union of Free Democrats or UFD

[Stefan SOFIYANSKI]; United Democratic Forces or UtDF (a coalition

of center-right parties dominated by UDF)

Burkina Faso

African Democratic Rally-Alliance for Democracy and

Federation or ADF-RDA [Gilbert OUEDRAOGO]; Confederation for

Federation and Democracy or CFD [Amadou Diemdioda DICKO]; Congress

for Democracy and Progress or CDP [Roch Marc-Christian KABORE];

Movement for Tolerance and Progress or MTP [Nayabtigungou Congo

KABORE]; Party for African Independence or PAI [Philippe OUEDRAOGO];

Party for Democracy and Progress/Socialist Party or PDP/PS [Ali

LANKOANDE]; Rally of Ecologists of Burkina Faso or RDEB [Ram

OUEDRAGO]; Republican Party for Integration and Solidarity or PARIS

[Cyril GOUNGOUNGA]; Union for the Republic or UPR [Toussaint Abel

COULIBALY]

Burma

National League for Democracy or NLD [AUNG SHWE, chairman,

AUNG SAN SUU KYI, general secretary]; National Unity Party or NUP

(pro-regime) [TUN YE]; Shan Nationalities League for Democracy or

SNLD [HKUN HTUN OO]; and other smaller parties

Burundi

the three national, mainstream, governing parties are:

Burundi Democratic Front or FRODEBU [Leonce NGENDAKUMANA,

president]; National Council for the Defense of Democracy, Front for

the Defense of Democracy or CNDD-FDD [Hussein RADJABU, president];

Unity for National Progress or UPRONA [Aloys RUBUKA, president]

note: a multiparty system was introduced after 1998, included are:

National Council for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD; National

Resistance Movement for the Rehabilitation of the Citizen or

MRC-Rurenzangemero [Epitace BANYAGANAKANDI]; Party for National

Redress or PARENA [Jean-Baptiste BAGAZA]

Cambodia

Cambodian People's Party or CPP [CHEA SIM]; National United

Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative

Cambodia or FUNCINPEC [KEV PUT REAKSMEI]; Norodom Ranariddh Party or

NRP [Norodom RANARIDDH]; Sam Rangsi Party or SRP [SAM RANGSI]

Cameroon

Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou Ndam NJOYA];

Cameroon People's Democratic Movement or CPDM [Paul BIYA]; Movement

for the Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA]; Movement

for the Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC [Marcel

YONDO]; Movement for the Youth of Cameroon or MYC [Dieudonne TINA];

National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari BELLO

BOUBA]; Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU NDI]; Union of

Peoples of Cameroon or UPC [Augustin Frederic KODOCK]

Canada

Bloc Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE]; Conservative Party of Canada

(a merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative

Party) [Stephen HARPER]; Green Party [Elizabeth MAY]; Liberal Party

[Stephane DION]; New Democratic Party [Jack LAYTON]

Cape Verde

African Party for Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV

[Jose Maria Pereira NEVES, chairman]; Democratic Alliance for Change

or ADM [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO] (a coalition of PCD, PTS, and UCID);

Democratic Christian Party or PDC [Manuel RODRIGUES, chairman];

Democratic Renovation Party or PRD [Victor FIDALGO, president];

Democratic and Independent Cape Verdean Union or UCID [Antonio

MONTEIRO]; Movement for Democracy or MPD [Agostinho LOPES,

president]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico

MONTEIRO, president]; Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS [Isaias

RODRIGUES, president]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM,

president]

Cayman Islands

no national teams (loose groupings of political

organizations) were formed for the 2000 elections; United Democratic

Party or UDP [leader McKeeva BUSH]; People's Progressive Movement or

PPM [leader Kurt TIBBETTS]

Central African Republic

Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP

[Jacques MBOLIEDAS]; Central African Democratic Assembly or RDC

[Andre KOLINGBA]; Civic Forum or FC [Gen. Timothee MALENDOMA];

Democratic Forum for Modernity or FODEM [Charles MASSI]; Liberal

Democratic Party or PLD [Nestor KOMBO-NAGUEMON]; Movement for

Democracy and Development or MDD [David DACKO]; Movement for the

Liberation of the Central African People or MLPC [Ange-Felix

PATASSE] (the party of deposed president); National Convergence or

KNK; Patriotic Front for Progress or FPP [Abel GOUMBA]; People's

Union for the Republic or UPR [Pierre Sammy MAKFOY]; National Unity

Party or PUN [Jean-Paul NGOUPANDE]; Social Democratic Party or PSD

[Enoch LAKOUE]

Chad

Federation Action for the Republic or FAR [Ngarledjy YORONGAR];

National Rally for Development and Progress or RNDP [Delwa Kassire

COUMAKOYE]; National Union for Democracy and Renewal or UNDR [Saleh

KEBZABO]; Party for Liberty and Development or PLD [Ibni Oumar

Mahamat SALEH]; Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS [Mahamat Saleh

AHMAT, chairman]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Lol

Mahamat CHOUA]; Union for Democracy and Republic or UDR [Jean

ALINGUE]; Union for Renewal and Democracy or URD [Gen. Wadal

Abdelkader KAMOUGUE]

Chile

Alliance for Chile ("Alianza") or APC (including National

Renewal or RN [Carlos LARRAIN Pena] and Independent Democratic Union

or UDI [Hernan LARRAIN Fernandez]); Coalition of Parties for

Democracy ("Concertacion") or CPD (including Christian Democratic

Party or PDC [Soledad ALVEAR], Socialist Party or PS [Camilo

ESCALONA], Party for Democracy or PPD [Sergio BITAR Chacra], Radical

Social Democratic Party or PRSD [Jose Antonio GOMEZ Urrutia]);

Communist Party or PC [Guillermo TEILLIER]

China

Chinese Communist Party or CCP [HU Jintao]; eight registered

small parties controlled by CCP

Christmas Island

none

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

none

Colombia

Colombian Conservative Party or PC [Julio MANZUR Abdala];

Alternative Democratic Pole or PDA [Samuel MORENO Rojas]; Liberal

Party or PL [Cesar GAVIRIA Trujillo]; Social National Unity Party or

PSUN [Carlos GARCIA]; Radical Change or CR [German VARGAS Lleras]

note: Colombia has 15 formally recognized political parties, and

numerous unofficial parties that did not meet the vote threshold in

the March 2006 legislative elections required for recognition

Comoros

Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros [AZALI Assowmani];

Camp of the Autonomous Islands (a coalition of parties organized by

the island Presidents in opposition to the Union President); Front

National pour la Justice or FNJ [Ahmed RACHID] (Islamic party in

opposition); Mouvement pour la Democratie et le Progress or MDP-NGDC

[Abbas DJOUSSOUF]; Parti Comorien pour la Democratie et le Progress

or PCDP [Ali MROUDJAE]; Rassemblement National pour le Development

or RND [Omar TAMOU, Abdoulhamid AFFRAITANE]

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Congolese Rally for Democracy or

RCD [Azaria RUBERWA]; Forces for Renovation for Union and Solidarity

or FONUS [Joseph OLENGHANKOY]; Forces of Renewal or FR [Mbusa

NYAMWISI]; Movement for the Liberation of the Congo or MLC

[Jean-Pierre BEMBA]; National Congolese Lumumbist Movement or MNC

[Francois LUMUMBA]; People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy

or PPRD [Joseph Kabila]; Social Movement for Renewal or MSR; Unified

Lumumbast Party or PALU [Antoine GIZENGA]; Union for Democracy and

Social Progress or UDPS [Etienne TSHISEKEDI wa Mulumba]

Congo, Republic of the

the most important of the many parties are

the Democratic and Patriotic Forces or FDP [Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO,

president] (an alliance of Convention for Alternative Democracy,

Congolese Labor Party or PCT, Liberal Republican Party, National

Union for Democracy and Progress, Patriotic Union for the National

Reconstruction, and Union for the National Renewal); Congolese

Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or MCDDI [Michel

MAMPOUYA]; Pan-African Union for Social Development or UPADS [Martin

MBERI]; Rally for Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-Pierre

Thystere TCHICAYA, president]; Rally for Democracy and the Republic

or RDR [Raymond Damasge NGOLLO]; Union for Democracy and Republic or

UDR; Union of Democratic Forces or UFD [Sebastian EBAO]

Cook Islands

Cook Islands Party or CIP [Henry PUNA]; Democratic

Party or Demo [Dr. Terepai MAOATE]

Costa Rica

Authentic Member from Heredia [Jose SALAS]; Citizen

Action Party or PAC [Otton SOLIS]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or

PRC [Gerardo Justo OROZCO Alvarez]; Democratic Force Party or PFD

[Vladimir DE LA CRUZ]; General Union Party or PUGEN [Carlos Alberto

FERNANDEZ Vega]; Homeland First or PP [Juan Jose VARGAS Fallas];

Independent Worker Party or PIO [Jose Alberto CUBERO Carmona];

Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA Guth]; National

Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Juan Carlos CHAVEZ Mora]; National

Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]; National

Liberation Party or PLN [Francisco Antonio PACHECO]; National

Patriotic Party or PPN [Daniel Enrique REYNOLDS Vargas]; National

Restoration Party or PRN [Carlos AVENDANO]; Nationalist Democratic

Alliance or ADN [Jose Miguel VILLALOBOS Umana]; Patriotic Union or

UP [Humberto ARCE Salas]; Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Luis

FILMAN]; Union for Change Party or UPC [Antonio ALVAREZ Desanti];

United Leftist Coalition or IU [Humberto VARGAS Carbonel]

Cote d'Ivoire

Citizen's Democratic Union or UDCY [Theodore MEL EG];

Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire-African Democratic Rally or

PDCI-RDA [Henri Konan BEDIE]; Ivorian Popular Front or FPI [Laurent

GBAGBO]; Ivorian Worker's Party or PIT [Francis WODIE]; Opposition

Movement of the Future or MFA [Anaky KOBENAN]; Rally of the

Republicans or RDR [Alassane OUATTARA]; Union for Democracy and

Peace in Cote d'Ivoire or UDPCI [Mabri TOIKEUSE]; over 20 smaller

parties

Croatia

Croatian Bloc or HB [Ivic PASALIC]; Croatian Christian

Democratic Union or HKDU [Anto KOVACEVIC]; Croatian Democratic

Congress of Slavonia and Baranja or HDSSB [Branimir GLAVAS];

Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ [Ivo SANADER]; Croatian Party of

Rights or HSP [Anto DJAPIC]; Croatian Peasant Party or HSS [Josip

FRISCIC]; Croatian Pensioner Party or HSU [Vladimir JORDAN];

Croatian People's Party or HNS [Vesna PUSIC] (in 2005 party merged

with Libra to become Croatian People's Party-Liberal Democrats or

NS-LD [Vesna PUSIC]); Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS [Djurdja

ADLESIC]; Croatian True Revival Party or HIP [Miroslav TUDJMAN];

Democratic Centre or DC [Vesna SKARE-OZBOLT]; Independent Democratic

Serb Party or SDSS [Vojislav STANIMIROVIC]; Istrian Democratic

Assembly or IDS [Ivan JAKOVCIC]; Social Democratic Party of Croatia

or SDP [Ivica RACAN]

Cuba

only party - Cuban Communist Party or PCC [Fidel CASTRO Ruz,

first secretary]

Cyprus

area under government control: Democratic Party or DIKO

[Marios KAROYIAN]; Democratic Rally or DISY [Nikos ANASTASIADHIS];

European Democracy or EURO.DI [Prodromos PRODROMOU] (evolved from

For Europe which merged with New Horizons); European Party or

EURO.KO [Demetris SYLLOURIS]; Fighting Democratic Movement or ADIK

[Dinos MIKHAILIDIS]; Green Party of Cyprus [George PERDIKIS];

Movement for Social Democrats or EDEK [Yannakis OMIROU]; Political

Movement of Hunters [Michalis PAFITANIS]; Progressive Party of the

Working People or AKEL (Communist Party) [Dimitrios CHRISTOFIAS];

United Democrats or EDI [Michalis PAPAPETROU]; area administered by

Turkish Cypriots: Communal Liberation Party or TKP [Huseyin

ANGOLEMLI]; Cyprus Socialist Party or KSP [Kazim ONGEN]; Democratic

Party or DP [Serder DENKTASH]; Freedom and Reform Party or OP

[Turgay AVCI]; National Unity Party or UBP [Tahsin ERTUGRULOGLU];

Nationalist Justice Party or MAP [Ata TEPE]; New Party or YP

[Huseyin TURAN]; Our Party or BP [Okyay SADIKOGLU]; Patriotic Unity

Movement or YBH [Oguz OZEN]; Peace and Democratic Movement or BDH

[Mustafa AKINCI]; Renewal Progress Party or YAP [Ertugrul

HASIPOGLU]; Republican Turkish Party or CTP [Ferdi Sabit SOYER];

United Cyprus Party or BKP [Isset IZCAN]

Czech Republic

Association of Independent Candidates-European

Democrats or SNK-ED [Jana Hybaskova, chairman]; Christian Democratic

Union-Czechoslovak People's Party or KDU-CSL [Jiri CUNEK, chairman];

Civic Democratic Alliance or ODA [Jirina NOVAKOVA, chairwoman];

Civic Democratic Party or ODS [Mirek TOPOLANEK, chairman]; Communist

Party of Bohemia and Moravia or KSCM [Vojtech FILIP, chairman];

Czech Social Democratic Party or CSSD [Jiri PAROUBEK, chairman];

Freedom Union-Democratic Union or US-DEU [Jan HADRAVA, chairman];

Green Party [Martin BURSIK, chairman]; Independent Democrats

(NEZDEM) [Vladimir ZELEZNY, chairman]; Party of Open Society (SOS)

[Pavel NOVACEK, chairman]; Path of Change [Jiri LOBKOWITZ, chairman]

Denmark

Christian Democrats (was Christian People's Party) [Bodil

KORNBEK]; Conservative Party (sometimes known as Conservative

People's Party) [Bendt BENDTSEN]; Danish People's Party [Pia

KJAERSGAARD]; Liberal Party [Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN]; Red-Green Unity

List (bloc includes Left Socialist Party, Communist Party of

Denmark, Socialist Workers' Party) [collective leadership]; Social

Democratic Party [Helle THORNING-SCHMIDT]; Social Liberal Party

(sometimes called the Radical Left) [Marianne JELVED, leader; Soren

BALD, chairman]; Socialist People's Party [Villy SOEVNDAL]

Djibouti

Democratic National Party or PND [ADEN Robleh Awaleh];

Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Abdillahi HAMARITEH]; Djibouti

Development Party or PDD [Mohamed Daoud CHEHEM]; Front pour la

Restauration de l'Unite Democratique or FRUD [Ali Mohamed DAOUD];

People's Progress Assembly or RPP [Ismail Omar GUELLEH] (governing

party); Peoples Social Democratic Party or PPSD [Moumin Bahdon

FARAH]; Republican Alliance for Democracy or ARD [Ahmed Dini AHMED];

Union for Democracy and Justice or UDJ

Dominica

Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Charles SAVARIN]; Dominica

Labor Party or DLP [Roosevelt SKERRIT]; Dominica United Workers

Party or UWP [Earl WILLIAMS]

Dominican Republic

Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel

FERNANDEZ Reyna]; Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Ramon

ALBURQUERQUE]; National Progressive Front [Vincent CASTILLO,

Pelegrin CASTILLO]; Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC

[Enrique ANTUN]

East Timor

Associacao Social-Democrata Timorense or ASDT [Francisco

Xavier do AMARAL]; Christian Democratic Party of Timor or PDC

[Antonio XIMENES]; Christian Democratic Union of Timor or UDC

[Vicente da Silva GUTERRES]; Democratic Party or PD [Fernando de

ARAUJO]; People's Party of Timor or PPT [Jacob XAVIER];

Revolutionary Front of Independent East Timor or FRETILIN [Francisco

Guterres Lu OLO]; Social Democrat Party of East Timor or PSD [Mario

CARRASCALAO]; Socialist Party of Timor or PST [Pedro da COSTA]; Sons

of the Mountain Warriors (also known as Association of Timorese

Heroes) or KOTA [Clementino dos Reis AMARAL]; Timor Democratic Union

or UDT [Joao CARRASCALAO]; Timor Labor Party or PTT [Paulo Freitas

DA SILVA]; Timorese Nationalist Party or PNT [Abilio ARAUJO]

Ecuador

Concentration of Popular Forces or CFP [Averroes BUCARAM];

Democratic Left or ID [Guillermo LANDAZURI]; Ethical and Democratic

Network or RED [Leon ROLDOS]; National Action Institutional Renewal

Party or PRIAN [Alvaro NOBOA]; Pachakutik Plurinational Unity

Movement - New Country or MUPP-NP [Gilberto TALAHUA]; Patriotic

Society Party or PSP [Lucio GUTIERREZ Borbua]; Popular Democracy or

DP [Dr. Juan Manuel FUERTES]; Popular Democratic Movement or MPD

[Gustavo TERAN Acosta]; Radical Alfarista Front or FRA [Fabian

ALARCON, director]; Roldosist Party or PRE [Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz,

director]; Social Christian Party or PSC [Leon FEBRES CORDERO];

Socialist Party - Broad Front or PS-FA [Victor GRANDA]

Egypt

National Democratic Party or NDP [Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK

(governing party)]; National Progressive Unionist Grouping or

Tagammu [Rifaat EL-SAID]; New Wafd Party or NWP [Mahmoud ABAZA];

Tomorrow Party [Naji AL-GHATRIFI]

note: formation of political parties must be approved by the

government

El Salvador

Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER,

secretary general]; Democratic Convergence or CD (formerly United

Democratic Center or CDU) [Ruben ZAMORA, secretary general];

Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Medardo GONZALEZ,

coordinator general]; National Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ

ZEPEDA, president]; National Republican Alliance or ARENA [Elias

Antonio SACA Gonzalez]; Popular Social Christian Party or PPSC [Rene

AGUILUZ]; Revolutionary Democratic Front or FDR [Julio Cesar

HERNANDEZ Carcamo, coordinator general]

Equatorial Guinea

Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS

[Placido MIKO Abogo]; Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE

[Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO] (ruling party); Party for Progress

of Equatorial Guinea or PPGE [Severo MOTO]; Popular Action of

Equatorial Guinea or APGE [Miguel Esono EMAN]; Popular Union or UP

Eritrea

People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, the only

party recognized by the government [ISAIAS Afworki]; note - a

National Assembly committee drafted a law on political parties in

January 2001, but the full National Assembly has not yet debated or

voted on it

Estonia

Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) [Edgar SAVISAAR,

chairman]; Estonian People's Union (Rahvaliit) [Villu REILJAN,

chairman]; Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond) [Andrus ANSIP];

Estonian United Russian People's Party or EUVRP [Yevgeniy TOMBERG,

chairman]; Social Democratic Party (formerly People's Party Moodukad

or Moderates) [Ivari PADAR, chairman]; Social Liberals (group of

eight parliamentarians, former Center Party members) [Peeter

KREITZBERG]; Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica (Isamaa je Res

Publica Liit) [Tonis LUKAS and Taavi VESKIMAGI, co-chairman]

Ethiopia

Afar National Democratic Party or ANDP; Benishangul Gumuz

People's Democratic Unity Front or BGPDUF [Mulualem BESSE];

Coalition for Unity and Democracy or CUD [HAILU Shawel]; Ethiopian

People's Revolutionary Democratic Front or EPRDF [MELES Zenawi] (an

alliance of Amhara National Democratic Movement or ANDM, Oromo

People's Democratic Organization or OPDO, the South Ethiopean

People's Democratic Front or SEPDF, and TigrAyan Peoples' Liberation

Front or TPLF); Gurage Nationalities' Democratic Movement or GNDM;

Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement or OFDM [BULCHA Demeksa];

Somali People's Democratic Party or SPDP; United Ethopian Democratic

Forces or UEDF [BEYENE Petros]; dozens of small parties

European Union

Confederal Group of the European United Left-Nordic

Green Left or EUL/NGL [Francis WURTZ]; European People's

Party-European Democrats or EPP-ED [Joseph DAUL]; Group of the

Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe or ALDE [Graham R.

WATSON]; Group of Greens/European Free Alliance or Greens/EFA

[Monica FRASSONI and Daniel Marc COHN-BENDIT]; Identity, Tradition,

Sovereignty Group [Bruno GOLLNISCH]; Independence/Democracy Group or

IND/DEM [Jens-Peter BONDE and Nigel FARAGE]; Socialist Group in the

European Parliament or PES [Martin SCHULZ]; Union for Europe of the

Nations Group or UEN [Brian CROWLEY and Cristiana MUSCARDINI]

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

none; all independents

Faroe Islands

Center Party [Jenis A. RANA]; Independence Party [Kari

P. HOJGAARD]; People's Party [Anfinn KALLSBERG]; Republican Party

[Hogni HOYDAL]; Social Democratic Party [Joannes EIDESGAARD]; Union

Party [Kaj Leo JOHANNESEN]

Fiji

Dodonu Ni Taukei Party or DNT [Fereti S. DEWA]; Fiji Democratic

Party or FDP [Filipe BOLE] (a merger of the Christian Democrat

Alliance or VLV [Poesci Waqalevu BUNE], Fijian Association Party or

FAP, Fijian Political Party or SVT (primarily Fijian) [Sitiveni

RABUKA], and New Labor Unity Party or NLUP [Ofa SWANN]); Fiji Labor

Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDHRY]; General Voters Party or GVP

(became part of United General Party); Girmit Heritage Party or GHP;

Justice and Freedom Party or AIM; Lio 'On Famor Rotuma Party or LFR;

National Federation Party or NFP (primarily Indian) [Pramond RAE];

Nationalist Vanua Takolavo Party or NVTLP [Saula TELAWA]; Party of

National Unity or PANU [Ponipate LESAVUA]; Party of the Truth or

POTT; United Fiji Party/Sogosogo Duavata ni Lewenivanua or SDL

[Laisenia QARASE]; United Peoples Party or UPP [Millis Mick BEDDOES]

Finland

Center Party or Kesk [Matti VANHANEN]; Christian Democrats

or KD [Paivi RASANEN]; Green League or VIHR [Tarja CRONBERG]; Left

Alliance or VAS composed of People's Democratic League and

Democratic Alternative [Martti KORHONEN]; National Coalition

(conservative) Party or Kok [Jyrki KATAINEN]; Social Democratic

Party or SDP [Eero HEINALUOMA]; Swedish People's Party or SFP

[Stefan WALLIN]

France

Citizen and Republican Movement or MRC [Jean Pierre

CHEVENEMENT]; Democratic and European Social Rally or RDSE (mainly

Radical Republican and Socialist Parties, and PRG) [Jacques

PELLETIER]; French Communist Party or PCF [Marie-George BUFFET];

Greens [Yann WEHRLING, national secretary]; Left Radical Party or

PRG (previously Radical Socialist Party or PRS and the Left Radical

Movement or MRG) [Jean-Michel BAYLET]; Movement for France or MPF

[Philippe DE VILLIERS]; National Front or FN [Jean-Marie LE PEN];

Rally for France or RPF [Charles PASQUA]; Socialist Party or PS

[Francois HOLLANDE]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Francois

BAYROU]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP [Nicolas SARKOZY]

French Polynesia

Alliance for a New Democracy or ADN [Nicole BOUTEAU

and Philip SCHYLE](includes the parties The New Star and This

Country is Yours); Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia

(Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api)

[Emile VERNAUDON]; People's Rally for the Republic of Polynesia or

RPR (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; Union for Democracy or

UPD [Oscar TEMARU]

Gabon

Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR [General Jean Boniface

ASSELE]; Congress for Democracy and Justice or CDJ [Jules Aristide

Bourdes OGOULIGUENDE]; Democratic and Republican Alliance or ADERE

[Divungui-di-Ndinge DIDJOB]; Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG

[Simplice Nguedet MANZELA] (former sole party); Gabonese Party for

Progress or PGP [Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE]; Gabonese Union for

Democracy and Development or UGDD [Zacherie MYBOTO]; National Rally

of Woodcutters or RNB; National Rally of Woodcutters-Rally for Gabon

or RNB-RPG (Bucherons) [Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE]; People's Unity

Party or PUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA]; Rally for Democracy and Progress

or RDP [Pierre EMBONI]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Pierre

Claver MAGANGA-MOUSSAVOU]; Union for Democracy and Social

Integration or UDIS; Union of Gabonese Patriots or UPG [Pierre

MAMBOUNDOU]

Gambia, The

Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or

APRC [Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH] (the ruling party); Gambia People's

Democratic Party or GPDP [Henry GOMEZ]; National Alliance for

Democracy and Development or NADD [Halifa SALLAH]; National

Convention Party or NCP [Sheriff DIBBA]; National Reconciliation

Party or NRP [Hamat N. K. BAH]; People's Democratic Organization for

Independence and Socialism or PDOIS [Sidia JATTA]; United Democratic

Party or UDP [Ousainou DARBOE]

Georgia

Burjanadze-Democrats [Nino BURJANADZE]; Georgian People's

Front [Nodar NATADZE]; Georgian United Communist Party or UCPG

[Panteleimon GIORGADZE]; Georgia's Way Party [Salome ZOURABICHVILI];

Greens [Giorgi GACHECHILADZE]; Industry Will Save Georgia

(Industrialists) or IWSG [Georgi TOPADZE]; Labor Party [Shalva

NATELASHVILI]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Bachuki KARDAVA];

National Movement Democratic Front [Mikheil SAAKASHVILI] bloc

composed of National Movement and Burjanadze-Democrats; National

Movement [Mikheil SAAKASHVILI]; New Rights [David GAMKRELIDZE];

Republican Party [David USUPASHVILI]; Rightist Opposition [David

GAMKRELIDZE] bloc composed of Industrialists and New Right Party;

Socialist Party or SPG [Irakli MINDELI]; Traditionalists [Akaki

ASATIANI]; Union of National Forces-Conservatives [Koba DAVITASHVILI

and Zviad DZIDZIGURI]

Germany

Alliance '90/Greens [Claudia ROTH and Reinhard BUETIKOFER];

Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Angela MERKEL]; Christian Social

Union or CSU [Edmund STOIBER, chairman]; Free Democratic Party or

FDP [Guido WESTERWELLE, chairman]; Left Party.PDS (Linkspartei.PDS)

[Lothar BISKY]; note - a merger with the Electoral Alternative-Work

and Social Justice or WASG [Klaus ERNST] is planned for summer 2007;

Social Democratic Party or SPD [Kurt BECK]

Ghana

Convention People's Party or CPP [Nii Noi DOWUONA, general

secretary]; Democratic Freedom Party or DFP [Obed ASAMOAH,

chairman]; Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere or EGLE [Owuraku AMOFA,

chairman]; Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP [Dan LARTY];

National Convention Party or NCP [Sarpong KUMA-KUMA]; National

Democratic Congress or NDC [Dr. Huudu YAHAYA, general secretary];

New Patriotic Party or NPP [Samuel Arthur ODOI-SYKES]; People's

Convention Party or PCP [P. K. DONKOH-AYIFI, acting chairman];

People's Heritage Party or PHP [Emmanuel Alexander ERSKINE];

People's National Convention or PNC [Edward MAHAMA]; Reform Party

[Kyeretwie OPUKU, general secretary]; United Renaissance Party or

URP [Charles Wayo, chairman]

Gibraltar

Gibraltar Liberal Party [Joseph GARCIA]; Gibraltar Social

Democrats or GSD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or

GSLP [Joseph John BOSSANO]

Greece

Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) [Alekos

ALAVANOS]; Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; New

Democracy or ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS];

Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Yiorgos PAPANDREOU];

Popular Orthodox Rally or LAOS [Yeoryios KARATZAFERIS]

Greenland

Atassut Party (Solidarity, a conservative party favoring

continuing close relations with Denmark) [Finn KARLSEN]; Demokratiit

[Per BERTHELSEN]; Inuit Ataqatigiit or IA (Eskimo Brotherhood, a

leftist party favoring complete independence from Denmark rather

than home rule) [Josef MOTZFELDT]; Kattusseqatigiit (Candidate List,

an independent right-of-center party with no official platform;

Siumut (Forward Party, a social democratic party advocating more

distinct Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from Denmark)

[Hans ENOKSEN]

Grenada

Grenada United Labor Party or GULP [Gloria Payne BANFIELD];

National Democratic Congress or NDC [Tillman THOMAS]; New National

Party or NNP [Keith MITCHELL]

Guam

Democratic Party [leader Michael PHILLIPS]; Republican Party

(controls the legislature) [leader Philip J. FLORES]

Guatemala

Authentic Integral Development or DIA [Eduardo SUGER];

Grand National Alliance or GANA [Fraterno VILLA, secretary general];

Guatemalan Christian Democracy or DCG [Vinicio CEREZO Arevalo];

Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG [Alba ESTELA

Maldonado, secretary general]; Guatemalan Republican Front or FRG

[Efrain RIOS Montt]; Movement for Guatemalan Unity or MGU [Jacobo

ARBENZ Villanueva]; Movement for Principles and Values or MPV

[Francisco BIANCHI]; National Advancement Party or PAN [Leonel LOPEZ

Rodas, secretary general]; National Unity for Hope or UNE [Alvaro

COLOM Caballeros]; New Nation Alliance or ANN (formed by an alliance

of DIA, URNG, and several splinter groups most of whom subsequently

defected) [Pablo MONSANTO]; Patriot Party or PP [Ret. Gen. Otto

PEREZ Molina]; Reform Movement or MR [Alfredo SKINNER-KLEE,

secretary general]; Unionista Party [Fritz GARCIA]

Guernsey

none; all independents

Guinea

Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally or

PDG-RDA [El Hadj Ismael Mohamed Gassim GUSHEIN]; Dyama; National

Union for Progress or UPN [Mamadou Bhoye BARRY]; Party for Unity and

Progress or PUP [Lansana CONTE] (the governing party); People's

Party of Guinea or PPG [Charles Pascal TOLNO]; Rally for the Guinean

People or RPG [Alpha CONDE]; Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea or

UFDG [Mamadou BAH]; Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE];

Union for Progress of Guinea or UPG [Jean-Marie DORE,

secretary-general]; Union for Progress and Renewal or UPR [Ousmane

BAH]

Guinea-Bissau

African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau

and Cape Verde or PAIGC [Carlos GOMES Junior]; Broad Republican

Front or FRA (coalition formed by PAIGC, UM, PST, UPG, FCGSD, UE,

PP, PDG, PDSG, PRP, and the International League for Ecological

Protection); Democratic Social Front or FDS; Electoral Union or UE;

Guinea-Bissau Civic Forum/Social Democracy or FCGSD [Antonieta Rosa

GOMES]; Guinea-Bissau Democratic Party or PDG; Guinea-Bissau

Socialist Democratic Party or PDSG [Serifo BALDE]; Labor and

Solidarity Party or PST [Iancuba INDJAI]; Party for Democratic

Convergence or PCD; Party for Renewal and Progress or PRP; Party for

Social Renewal or PRS [Kumba YALA]; Progress Party or PP; Union for

Change or UM [Amine SAAD]; Union of Guinean Patriots or UPG

[Francisca VAZ]; United Platform or UP (coalition formed by PCD,

FDS, FLING, and RGB-MB); United Popular Alliance or APU; United

Social Democratic Party or PUSD

Guyana

Alliance for Change or AFC [Raphael TROTMAN and Khemraj

RAMJATTAN]; Guyana Action Party or GAP [Paul HARDY]; Justice for All

Party [C.N. SHARMA]; People's National Congress/Reform or PNC/R

[Robert Herman Orlando CORBIN]; People's Progressive Party/Civic or

PPP/C [Bharrat JAGDEO]; Rise, Organize, and Rebuild or ROAR [Ravi

DEV]; The United Force or TUF [Manzoor NADIR]; The Unity Party [Joey

JAGAN]; Vision Guyana [Peter RAMSAROOP]; Working People's Alliance

or WPA [Rupert ROOPNARAINE]

Haiti

Artibonite in Action or LAAA [Youri LATORTUE]; Assembly of

Progressive National Democrats or RDNP [Leslie MANIGAT]; Convention

for Democratic Unity or KID [Evans PAUL]; Cooperative Action to

Build Haiti or KONBA [Evans LESCOUFALIR]; Democratic Alliance or

ALYANS (coalition composed of KID and PPRH) [Evans PAUL]; Effort and

Solidarity to Create an Alternative for the People or ESKAMP [Joseph

JASME]; For Us All or PONT [Jean-Marie CHERESTAL]; Front for Hope or

LESPWA (alliance of ESKAMP, PLB, and grass-roots organizations

Grand-Anse Resistance Committee, the Central Plateau Peasants'

Group, and Kombit Sudest) [Rene PREVAL]; Haitian Christian

Democratic Party or PDCH [Osner FEVRY and Marie-Denise CLAUDE];

Haitian Democratic and Reform Movement or MODEREH [Dany TOUSSAINT

and Pierre Soncon PRINCE]; Heads Together or Tet-Ansanm [Dr. Gerard

BLOT]; Independent Movement for National Reconciliation or MIRN [Luc

FLEURINORD]; Justice for Peace and National Development or JPDN

[Rigaud DUPLAN]; Fanmi Lavalas or FL [Rudy HERIVEAUX]; Liberal Party

of Haiti or PLH [Gehy MICHEL]; Merging of Haitian Social Democratic

Parties or FUSION or FPSDH (coalition of Ayiti Capable, Haitian

National Revolutionary Party, and National Congress of Democratic

Movements) [Serge GILLES]; Mobilization for Haiti's Development or

MPH [Samir MOURRA]; Mobilization for National Development or MDN

[Hubert de RONCERAY]; Movement for National Reconstruction or MRN

[Jean Henold BUTEAU]; Movement for the Installation of Democracy in

Haiti or MIDH [Marc BAZIN]; National Christian Union for the

Reconstruction of Haiti or UNCRH [Marie Claude GERMAIN]; National

Front for the Reconstruction of Haiti or FRN [Guy PHILIPPE]; New

Christian Movement for a New Haiti or MOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU]; Open

the Gate Party or PLB [Anes LUBIN]; Popular Party for the Renewal of

Haiti or PPRH [Claude ROMAIN]; Struggling People's Organization or

OPL [Edgard LEBLANC]; Union of Nationalist and Progressive Haitians

or UNITE [Edouard FRANCISQUE]

Holy See (Vatican City)

none

Honduras

Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Arturo CORRALES];

Democratic Unification Party or PUD [Matias FUNES]; Liberal Party or

PL [Patricia RODAS]; National Innovation and Unity Party or PINU

[Olban F. VALLADARES]; National Party of Honduras or PN [Porfirio

LOBO]

Hong Kong

Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood or ADPL

[Frederick FUNG Kin-kee]; Citizens Party [Alex CHAN Kai-chung];

Civic Party [KUAN Hsin-chi]; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment

and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [MA Lik]; Democratic Party [Albert

HO]; Frontier Party [Emily LAU Wai-hing]; Liberal Party [James TIEN

Pei-chun]

note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - ADPL, Democratic

Party, Frontier Party; pro-Beijing - DAB, Liberal Party

Hungary

Alliance of Free Democrats or SzDSz [Gabor KUNCZE];

Christian Democratic People's Party or KDNP [Zsolt SEMJEN];

Hungarian Civic Alliance or Fidesz [Viktor ORBAN, chairman];

Hungarian Democratic Forum or MDF [Ibolya DAVID]; Hungarian

Socialist Party or MSzP [Istvan HILLER, chairman]

Iceland

Independence Party or IP [Geir H. HAARDE]; Left-Green

Movement or LGM [Steingrimur SIGFUSSON]; Liberal Party or LP [Gudjon

KRISTJANSSON]; Progressive Party or PP [Jon SIGURDSSON]; Social

Democratic Alliance (includes People's Alliance or PA, Social

Democratic Party or SDP, Women's List) or SDA [Ingibjorg Solrun

GISLADOTTIR]

India

note - India has dozens of national and regional political

parties; only parties with four or more seats in the People's

Assembly are listed; Bahujan Samaj Party or BSP [MAYAWATI];

Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP [Rajnath SINGH]; Biju Janata Dal or

BJD [Naveen PATNAIK]; Communist Party of India or CPI [Ardhendu

Bhushan BARDHAN]; Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI (M)

[Prakash KARAT]; Dravida Munnetra Kazagham or DMK [M. KARUNANIDHI];

Indian National Congress or INC [Sonia GANDHI]; Janata Dal (United)

or JD(U) [Sharad YADEV]; Jharkhand Mukti Morcha or JMM [Shibu

SOREN]; Lok Jan Shakti Party or LJSP [Ram Vilas PASWAN];

Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or MDMK [VAIKU]; Nationalist

Congress Party or NCP [Sharad PAWAR]; Pattali Makkal Katchi or PMK

[S. RAMADOSS]; Rashtriya Janata Dal or RJD [Laloo Prasad YADAV];

Samajwadi Party or SP [Mulayam Singh YADAV]; Shiromani Akali Dal or

SAD [Prakash Singh BADAL]; Shiv Sena or SS [Bal THACKERAY];

Telangana Rashtra Samithi or TRS [K. Chandrasekhar RAO]; Telugu

Desam Party or TDP [Chandrababu NAIDU]

Indonesia

Crescent Moon and Star Party or PBB [MS KABAN]; Democratic

Party or PD [Hadi UTOMO]; Functional Groups Party or Golkar [Yusuf

KALLA]; Indonesia Democratic Party-Struggle or PDI-P [MEGAWATI

Sukarnoputri]; National Awakening Party or PKB [MUHAIMIN Iskander];

National Mandate Party or PAN [Sutrisno BACHIR]; Prosperous Justice

Party or PKS [Tifatul SEMBIRING]; United Development Party or PPP

[Hamzah HAZ]

Iran

formal political parties are a relatively new phenomenon in

Iran and most conservatives still prefer to work through political

pressure groups rather than parties; a loose pro-reform coalition

called the 2nd Khordad Front, which includes political parties as

well as less formal pressure groups and organizations, achieved

considerable success at elections to the sixth Majles in early 2000;

groups in the coalition include: Islamic Iran Participation Front

(IIPF), Executives of Construction Party (Kargozaran), Solidarity

Party, Islamic Labor Party, Mardom Salari, Mojahedin of the Islamic

Revolution Organization (MIRO), and Militant Clerics Society

(Ruhaniyun); the coalition participated in the seventh Majles

elections in early 2004; following his defeat in the 2005

presidential elections, former MCS Secretary General Mehdi KARRUBI

formed the National Trust Party; a new apparently conservative

group, the Builders of Islamic Iran, took a leading position in the

new Majles after winning a majority of the seats in February 2004

Iraq

Assyrian Democratic Movement [Yunadim KANNA]; Badr Organization

[Hadi al-AMIRI]; Constitutional Monarchy Movement or CMM [Sharif Ali

Bin al-HUSAYN]; Da'wa al-Islamiyya Party [Ibrahim al-JA'FARI];

General Conference of Iraqi People [Adnan al-DULAYMI]; Independent

Iraqi Alliance or IIA [Falah al-NAQIB]; Iraqi Communist Party [Hamid

al-MUSA]; Iraqi Front for National Dialogue [Salih al-MUTLAQ]; Iraqi

Hizballah [Karim Mahmud al-MUHAMMADAWI]; Iraqi Independent Democrats

or IID [Adnan PACHACHI, Mahdi al-HAFIZ]; Iraqi Islamic Party or IIP

[Tariq al-HASHIMI]; Iraqi National Accord or INA [Ayad ALLAWI];

Iraqi National Congress or INC [Ahmad CHALABI]; Iraqi National

Council for Dialogue or INCD [Khalaf Ulayan al-Khalifawi

al-DULAYMI]; Iraqi National Unity Movement or INUM [Ahmad

al-KUBAYSI, chairman]; Islamic Action Organization or IAO [Ayatollah

Muhammad al-MUDARRISI]; Jama'at al Fadilah or JAF [Muhammad Ali

al-YAQUBI]; Kurdistan Democratic Party or KDP [Masud BARZANI];

Kurdistan Islamic Union [Salah ad-Din Muhammad BAHA al-DIN];

National Reconciliation and Liberation Party [Mishan al-JABBURI];

Patriotic Union of Kurdistan or PUK [Jalal TALABANI]; Sadrist Trend

[Muqtada al-SADR] (not an organized political party, but it fields

independent candidates affiliated with Muqtada al-SADR); Supreme

Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq or SCIRI [Abd al-Aziz

al-HAKIM]

note: the Kurdistan Alliance, Iraqi National List, Tawafuq

Coalition, Iraqi Front for National Dialogue, and Unified Iraqi

Alliance were only electoral slates consisting of the

representatives from the various Iraqi political parties

Ireland

Fianna Fail [Bertie AHERN]; Fine Gael [Enda KENNY]; Green

Party [Trevor SARGENT]; Labor Party [Pat RABBITTE]; Progressive

Democrats [Michael McDOWELL]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Socialist

Party [Joe HIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Sean GARLAND]

Isle of Man

Alliance for Progressive Government; Liberal Vannin

Party [Peter KARRAN]; Man Labor Party; Man Nationalist Party (Mec

Vannin) (branch of the British National Party)

note: most members sit as independents

Israel

Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (HADASH) [Muhammad

BARAKA]; GIL (Pensioners) [Rafael EITAN]; Kadima [Ehud OLMERT];

Labor Party [Amir PERETZ]; Likud Party [Binyamin NETANYAHU];

Meretz-YAHAD [Yossi BEILIN]; National Democratic Assembly (Balad)

[Azmi BISHARA]; National Union (NU)/National Religious Party (NRP)

[Binyamin ELON]; SHAS [Eliyahu YISHAI]; Torah and Shabbat Judaism

[Yaakov LITZMAN]; United Arab List [Ibrahim SARSOUR]; Yisrael

Beiteinu [Avigdor LIEBERMAN]

Italy

Center-Left Union Coalition [Romano PRODI]: Ulivo Alliance

(including Democrats of the Left or DS [Piero FASSINO];

Daisy-Democracy is Freedom or DL [Francesco RUTELLI]); Rose in the

Fist (including Italian Social Democrats or SDI [Enrico BOSELLI];

Italian Radical Party [Emma BONINO]); Italian Communist Party or

PdCI [Oliviero DILIBERTO]; Green Federation [Alfonso PECORARO

SCANIO]; Communist Renewal or RC [Fausto BERTINOTTI]; Italy of

Values or IdV [Antonio DI PIETRO]; Union of Democrats for Europe or

UDEUR [Clemente MASTELLA]; Republican European Movement or MRE

[Luciana SBARBATI]

Center-Right Freedom House Coalition [Silvio BERLUSCONI]: Forza

Italia or FI [Silvio BERLUSCONI]; National Alliance or AN

[Gianfranco FINI]; Union of Christian Democrats of the Center or UDC

[Pier Ferdinando CASINI]; Northern League or LEGA [Umberto BOSSI];

Christian Democracy (Per la Autonomie) [Gianfranco ROTONDI]

other non-allied parties: New Italian Socialist Party or New PSI

[Gianni DE MICHELIS]; Italian Republican Party or PRI [Giorgio LA

MALFA]; Social Alternative [Alessandra MUSSOLINI]; Social

Movement-Tricolor Flame or MSI-Fiamma [Luca ROMAGNOLI]; Social Idea

Movement with Rauti or MIS [Pino RAUTI]; South Tyrol People's Party

or SVP (German speakers) [Elmar Pichler ROLLE]; Union of Valley

Aosta Region or UV [Guido CESAL]

Jamaica

Jamaica Labor Party or JLP [Bruce GOLDING]; People's

National Party or PNP [Portia SIMPSON-MILLER]

Japan

Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ [Ichiro OZAWA]; Japan

Communist Party or JCP [Kazuo SHII]; Komeito [Akihoro OTA]; Liberal

Democratic Party or LDP [Shinzo ABE]; Social Democratic Party or SDP

[Mizuho FUKUSHIMA]

Jersey

two declared parties: Centre Party; Jersey Democratic Alliance

note: all senators and deputies elected in 2005 were independents

Jordan

al-Ahd Party; Arab Islamic Democratic Movement [Yusuf ABU

BAKR, president]; Arab Land Party [Dr. Ayishah Salih HIJAZAYN,

secretary general]; Arab Socialist Ba'th Party [Taysir al-HIMSI,

secretary general]; Ba'th Arab Progressive Party [Fu'ad DABBUR,

secretary general]; Freedom Party; Future Party; Islamic Action

Front or IAF [Zaki Sa'ed BANI IRSHEID, secretary general]; Islamic

Center Party [Marwan al-FAURI, secretary general]; Jordanian Arab

Ansar Party; Jordanian Arab New Dawn Party; Jordanian Arab Party;

Jordanian Citizens' Rights Movement; Jordanian Communist Party

[Munir HAMARINAH, secretary general]; Jordanian Communist Workers

Party; Jordanian Democratic Left Party [Musa MA'AYTEH, secretary

general]; Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'id Dhiyab Ali

MUSTAFA, secretary general]; Jordanian Generations Party [Muhammad

KHALAYLEH, secretary general]; Jordanian Green Party [Muhammad

BATAYNEH, secretary general]; Jordanian Labor Party [Dr. Mazin

Sulayman Jiryis HANNA, secretary general]; Jordanian Peace Party;

Jordanian People's Committees Movement; Jordanian People's

Democratic Party (Hashd) [Ahmad YUSUF, secretary general]; Jordanian

Rafah Party; Jordanian Renaissance Party; Mission Party; Nation

Party [Ahmad al-HANANDEH, secretary general]; National Action Party

(Haqq) [Tariq al-KAYYALI, secretary general]; National

Constitutional Party [Abdul Hadi MAJALI, secretary general];

National Popular Democratic Movement [Mahmud al-NUWAYHI, secretary

general]; Progressive Party [Fawwaz al-ZUBI, secretary general]

Kazakhstan

Adilet (Justice) [Maksut NARIKBAYEV, co-chair, Zeynulla

ALSHIMBAYEV, co-chair, Bakhytbek AKHMETZHAN, co-chair, Yerkin

ONGARBAYEV, co-chair, Tolegan SYDYKOV, co-chair] (formerly

Democratic Party of Kazakhstan); Aq Zhol Party (Bright Path)

[Alikhan BAIMENOV, chairman]; AUL (Village) [Gani KALIYEV,

chairman]; Communist Party of Kazakhstan or KPK [Serikbolsyn

ABDILDIN, first secretary]; Communist People's Party of Kazakhstan

[Vladislav KOSAREV, first secretary]; Otan [Bakhytzhan ZHUMAGULOV,

acting chairman] (the Agrarian, Asar, and Civic parties merged with

Otan); Patriots' Party [Gani KASYMOV, chairman]; Rukhaniyat

(Spirituality) [Altynshash ZHAGANOVA, chairwoman]

Kenya

Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Kenya or FORD-Kenya

[Musikari KOMBO or Soita SHITANDA, disputed]; Forum for the

Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-People [Simeon NYACHAE];

Kenya African National Union or KANU [Nicholas BIWOTT or Uhuru

KENYATTA, disputed]; National Rainbow Coalition-Kenya or NARC-K

[Mwai KIBAKI, unofficially, since the break-up of Kibaki's original

coalition]; Orange Democratic Movement-Kenya or ODM-Kenya [Raila

ODINGA, unofficially]

Kiribati

Boutokaan Te Koaua Party or BTK [Taberannang TIMEON];

Maneaban Te Mauri Party or MTM [Teburoro TITO]; Maurin Kiribati Pati

or MKP; National Progressive Party or NPP [Dr. Harry TONG]

note: there is no tradition of formally organized political parties

in Kiribati; they more closely resemble factions or interest groups

because they have no party headquarters, formal platforms, or party

structures

Korea, North

major party - Korean Workers' Party or KWP [KIM Jong

Il]; minor parties - Chondoist Chongu Party [RYU Mi Yong] (under KWP

control), Social Democratic Party [KIM Yong Dae] (under KWP control)

Korea, South

Democratic Labor Party or DLP [MOON Seong-hyun];

Democratic Party or DP [HAHN Hwa-kap]; Grand National Party or GNP

[KANG Jae-sup]; People-First Party or PFP [SHIN Kook-hwan and SIM

Dae-pyung]; Uri Party [KIM Geun-tae]

Kuwait

none; formation of political parties is illegal

Kyrgyzstan

Ar-Namys (Dignity) Party [Emil ALIYEV]; Asaba (Banner

National Revival Party) [Azimbek BEKNAZAROV and Roza OTUNBAYEVA];

Ata-Meken (Fatherland) [Omurbek TEKEBAYEV]; Democratic Movement of

Kyrgyzstan or DDK [Viktor TCHETRNOMORETS]; Erkindik (Freedom) Party

[Topchubek TURGUNALIYEV]; Moya Strana (My Country Party of Action)

[Medet SADYRKULOV]; Party of Communists of Kyrgyzstan or KCP [Ishak

MASALIYEV]; Party of Justice and Progress [Muratbek IMANALIEV];

Party of Peasants [Esengul ISAKOV]; Republican Party of Labor and

Unity [Tabaldy OROZALIYEV]; Sanjira (Tree of Life) [Ednan

KARABAYEV]; Social Democratic Party [Almaz ATAMBAYEV]; Sodruzhestvo

(Cooperation) [Alisher SABIROV]; Union of Democratic Forces

[Kubatbek BAIBOLOV]

Laos

Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [CHOUMMALI Saignason];

other parties proscribed

Latvia

First Party of Latvia or LPP [Ainars SLESERS]; For Human

Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Jakovs PLINERS]; For the

Fatherland and Freedom/Latvian National Independence Movement or

TB/LNNK [Roberts ZILE, Maris GRINBLATS]; Harmony Center or SC [Janis

URBANOVICS, Nils USAKOVS]; Latvian Farmer's Union or LZS [Augusts

BRIGMANIS]; Latvian Social Democratic Workers Party (Social

Democrats) or LSDSP [Juris BOJARS]; Latvian Socialist Party or LSP

[Alfreds RUBIKS]; Latvia's Way or LC [Ivars GODMANIS, Ainars

BERZINS]; New Democrats or JD [Maris GULBIS]; New Era Party or JL

[Einars REPSE, Krisjanis KARINS]; People's Party or TP [Aigars

KALVITIS]; The Union of Latvian Greens and Farmers Party or ZZS

[Indulis EMSIS]

Lebanon

note - organized in three major political blocs; 14 March

Coalition (bloc includes Democratic Gathering [Walid JUNBLATT,

leader of Progressive Socialist Party]; Democratic Left [Ilyas

ATALLAH]; Democratic Renewal Movement [Nassib LAHUD]; Future

Movement Bloc [Sa'ad HARIRI]; Kataeb Reform Movement [Amine

GEMAYEL]; Lebanese Forces [Samir JA'JA]; Nasserite Popular Movement

[Ussama SAAD]; Qornet Shewan Gathering (a grouping composed of

political parties and independent members of the National Assembly

[no individual leader]; Tripoli Independent Bloc); Change and Reform

Alliance (bloc includes Free Patriotic Movement [Michel AWN]; Metn

Bloc [Michel MURR]; Popular Bloc [Elias SKAFF]; Tachnaq); Hizballah

and Amal Alliance (bloc includes Ba'th Party [Muhammad

MUHAMMADIYAH]; Development and Resistance Bloc [Nabih BERRI, leader

of Amal Movement]; Kataeb Party [Karim PAKRADONI]; Loyalty to the

Resistance [Mohammad RA'AD]; Syrian National Socialist Party [Ali

QANSU])

Lesotho

All Basotho Convention or ABC [Thomas THABANE]; Basotholand

African Congress or BAC [Khauhelo RALITAPOLE]; Basotho Congress

Party or BCP [Ntsukunyane MPHANYA]; Basotho National Party or BNP

[Maj. Gen. Justin Metsing LEKHANYA]; Kopanang Basotho Party or KPB

[Pheelo MOSALA]; Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD [Pakalitha

MOSISILI] (the governing party); Lesotho Education Party or LEP

[Thabo PITSO]; Lesotho People's Congress or LPC [Kelebone MAOPE];

Lesotho Workers Party or LWP [Macaefa BILLY]; Marematlou Freedom

Party or MFP [Vincent MALEBO]; National Democratic Party [J.S.

Bereng]; National Independent Party or NIP [Anthony MANYELI];

National Progressive Party or NPP [Chief Peete Nkoebe PEETE]; New

Lesotho Freedom Party or NLFP [Manapo MAJARA]; Popular Front for

Democracy or PFD [Lekhetho RAKUOANE]; Sefate Democratic Union or SDU

[Bofihla NKUEBE]; Social Democratic Party of SDP [Masitise SELESO];

United Democratic Party or UDP [C.D. MOFELI]; United Party or UP

[Makara SEKAUTU]

Liberia

Alliance for Peace and Democracy or APD [Togba-na TIPOTEH];

Coalition for the Transformation of Liberia or COTOL; Congress for

Democratic Change or CDC [George WEAH]; Liberian Action Party or LAP

[H. Varney SHERMAN]; Liberty Party or LP [Charles BRUMSKINE];

National Patriotic Party or NPP [Cyril ALLEN]; Unity Party or UP

[Charles CLARKE]

Libya

none

Liechtenstein

Patriotic Union (was Fatherland Union) or VU [Adolf

HEEB]; Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Otmar HASLER]; The Free

List or FL [Claudia HEEB-FLECK and Egon MATT]

Lithuania

Civil Democracy Party [Viktor MUNTIANAS, chairman];

Electoral Action of Lithuanian Poles [Valdemar TOMASZEVSKI,

chairman]; National Farmer's Union [Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE,

chairwoman]; Homeland Union/Conservative Party or TS [Andrius

KUBILIUS, chairman]; Labor Party [Kestutis DAUKSYS, chairman];

Liberal and Center Union [Arturas ZUOKAS, chairman]; Liberal

Democratic Party [Rolandas PAKSAS, chairman]; Liberal Movement

[Petras AUSTREVICIUS, chairman]; Lithuanian Christian Democrats or

LKD [Valentinas STUNDYS, chairman]; Lithuanian People's Union for a

Fair Lithuania [Julius VESELKA, chairman]; Lithuanian Social

Democratic Party [Algirdas BRAZAUSKAS, chairman]; Social Liberal/New

Union [Arturas PAULAUSKAS, chairman]; Social Union of Christian

Conservatives [Gediminas VAGNORIUS, chairman]; Young Lithuania and

New Nationalists [Stanislovas BUSKEVICIUS, chairman]

Luxembourg

Action Committee for Democracy and Justice or ADR [Gast

GIBERYEN]; Christian Social People's Party or CSV (also known as

Christian Social Party or PCS) [Francois BILTGEN]; Democratic Party

or DP [Claude MEISCH]; Green Party [Francois BAUSCH]; Luxembourg

Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP [Alex BODRY]; Marxist and Reformed

Communist Party dei Lenk/la Gauche (the Left) [no formal

leadership]; other minor parties

Macau

Civil Service Union [Jose Maria Pereira COUTINHO]; Development

Union [KWAN Tsui-hang]; Macau Development Alliance [Angela LEONG

On-kei]; Macau United Citizens' Association [CHAN Meng-kam]; New

Democratic Macau Association [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong]; United Forces

Macedonia

Democratic Alliance [Pavle TRAJANOV]; Democratic League of

the Bosniaks [Rafet MUMINOVIC]; Democratic Party of Albanians or

PDSh/DPA [Arben XHAFERI]; Democratic Party of Serbs [Ivan

STOILJKOVIC]; Democratic Party of Turks [Kenan HASIPI]; Democratic

Renewal of Macedonia [Liljana POPOVSKA]; Democratic Union of Vlachs

for Macedonia [Mitko KOSTOV]; Democratic Union for Integration or

BDI/DUI [Ali AHMETI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary

Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or

VMRO-DPMNE [Nikola GRUEVSKI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary

Organization-People's Party or VMRO-Narodna [Vesna JANEVSKA]; League

for Democracy [Gjorgi MARJANOVIC]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP

[Risto PENOV]; Liberal Party [Stojan ANDOV]; National Alternative

[Harun ALIU]; National Democratic Party-New Democratic Forces or

PDK-FRO [Hysni SHAQIR]; New Social Democratic Party or NSDP [Tito

PETKOVSKI]; Party for Democratic Future [Alajdin DEMIRI]; Party for

Democratic Prosperity or PPD/PDP [Abduljhadi VEJSELI]; Party for

European Future or PEI [Fijat CANOSKI]; Social Democratic Alliance

of Macedonia or SDSM [Radmila SEKERINSKA]; Socialist Party of

Macedonia or SP [Ljubisav IVANOV-ZINGO]; Union of Romas or SR [Saliu

SHABAN]; United Party for Emancipation or OPE [Nezdet MUSTAFA]

Madagascar

Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA

[Pierrot RAJAONARIVO]; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for

National Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO]; Fihaonana

Party or FP [Guy-Willy RAZANAMASY]; I Love Madagascar or TIM [Marc

RAVALOMANANA]; Renewal of the Social Democratic Party or RPSD

[Evariste MARSON]

Malawi

Alliance for Democracy or AFORD [Chakufwa CHIHANA]; Congress

for National Unity or CONU; Democratic Progressive Party or DPP

[Bingu wa MUTHARIKA]; Malawi Congress Party or MCP [John TEMBO];

Malawi Democratic Party or MDP [Kampelo KALUA]; Malawi Forum for

Unity and Development or MAFUNDE [George MNESA]; Mgwirizano

Coalition or MC [Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA] (coalition of MAFUNDE, MDP,

MGODE, NUP, PETRA, PPM, RP); Movement for Genuine Democratic Change

or MGODE [Sam Kandodo BANDA]; National Democratic Alliance or NDA

[Brown MPINGANJIRA]; National Unity Party or NUP [Harry CHIUME];

People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Aleke BANDA]; People's

Transformation Movement or PETRA [Kamuzu CHIBAMBO]; Republican Party

or RP [Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA]; United Democratic Front or UDF

Malaysia

ruling-coalition National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN,

consisting of the following parties: Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Party

or PGRM [LIM Keng Yaik]; Liberal Democratic Party (Parti Liberal

Demokratik - Sabah) or LDP [LIEW Vui Keong]; Malaysian Chinese

Association (Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [ONG Ka Ting];

Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongresi India Malaysia) or MIC [S. Samy

VELLU]; Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah or PBRS [Joseph KURUP]; Parti

Bersatu Sabah or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan]; Parti Pesaka

Bumiputera Bersatu or PBB [Patinggi Haji Abdul TAIB Mahmud]; Parti

Rakyat Sarawak or PRS [James MASING]; Sabah Progressive Party (Parti

Progresif Sabah) or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee]; Sarawak United People's

Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak) or SUPP [George CHAN Hong Nam];

United Malays National Organization or UMNO [ABDULLAH bin Ahmad

Badawi]; United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization

(Pertubuhan Pasko Momogun Kadazan Dusun Bersatu) or UPKO [Bernard

DOMPOK]; People's Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Penduduk

Malaysia) or PPP [M.Keyveas]; Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party

or SPDP [William MAWANI]; opposition parties: Democratic Action

Party (Parti Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [KARPAL Singh]; Islamic

Party of Malaysia (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI

Awang]; People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [WAN

AZIZAH Wan Ismael]; Sarawak National Party or SNAP [Edwin DUNDANG];

opposition coalition Alternative Front (Barisan Alternatif) or BA -

consists of PAS and PKR

Maldives

political parties were allowed to register in June 2005;

the first entrants are: Adhaalath (Justice) Party or AP [Abdul

Majeed Abdul BARI]; Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (Maldivian People's

Party) or DRP [Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM]; Islamic Democratic Party or

IDP [Omar NASEER]; Maldivian Democratic Party or MDP [Mohamed

NASHEED]

Mali

Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP (a coalition of 14

political parties including ADEMA and URD formed in December 2006 to

support the presidential candidacy of Amadou TOURE); Alliance for

Democracy or ADEMA [Diounconda TRAORE, party chairman]; Convergence

2007 [Soumeylou Boubeye MAIGA]; Hope 2002 (a coalition of CNID, MPR,

RDT, and RPM); National Congress for Democratic Initiative or CNID

[Mountaga TALL, chairman]; Party for Democracy and Progress or PDP

[Me Idrissa TRAORE]; Party for National Renewal or PARENA [Tiebile

DRAME, secretary general]; Patriotic Movement for Renewal or MPR

[Choguel MAIGA]; Rally for Democracy and Labor or RDT; Rally for

Mali or RPM [Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA, chairman]; Sudanese

Union/African Democratic Rally or US/RDA [Mamadou Bamou TOURE,

secretary general]; Union for Democracy and Development or UDD

[Moussa Balla COULIBALY]; Union for Republic and Democracy or URD

[Soumaila CISSE]

Malta

Alternativa Demokratika/Alliance for Social Justice or AD

[Harry VASSALLO]; Malta Labor Party or MLP [Alfred SANT];

Nationalist Party or PN [Lawrence GONZI]

Marshall Islands

traditionally there have been no formally organized

political parties; what has existed more closely resembles factions

or interest groups because they do not have party headquarters,

formal platforms, or party structures; the following two "groupings"

have competed in legislative balloting in recent years - Aelon Kein

Ad Party [Michael KABUA] and United Democratic Party or UDP [Litokwa

TOMEING]

Mauritania

Alternative or Al-Badil; Coalition for Forces for

Democratic Change or CFCD (coalition of political parties including

RFD, United Forces of Progress or UDP, APP, Islamists, HATEM-PMUC,

RD, UDC); Democratic Renewal or RD; Islamists (Centrist Reformists);

Mauritanian Party for Unity and Change or HATEM-PMUC; National Rally

for Freedom, Democracy and Equality or RNDLE; Popular Front or FP

[Ch'bih Ould CHEIKH MALAININE]; Popular Progressive Alliance or APP

[Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR]; Rally of Democratic Forces or RFD [Ahmed

Ould DADDAH]; Rally for Democracy and Unity or RDU [Ahmed Ould SIDI

BABA]; Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal or PRDR (formerly

ruling Democratic and Social Republican Party or PRDS) [Boullah Ould

MOGUEYA]; Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint

MOUKNASS]; Union of Democratic Centre or UCD

Mauritius

Alliance Sociale or AS; Hizbullah [Cehl Mohamed

FAKEEMEEAH]; Mauritian Labor Party or MLP [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM];

Mauritian Militant Movement or MMM [Paul BERENGER] (in coalition

with MSM); Mauritian Social Democrat Party or PMSD [Charles

Xavier-Luc DUVAL]; Militant Socialist Movement or MSM [Pravind

JUGNAUTH] (the governing party); Rodrigues Movement or MR [Joseph

(Nicholas) Von MALLY]; Rodrigues Peoples Organization or OPR [Serge

CLAIR]

Mayotte

Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Mahoran Popular

Movement or MPM [Ahmed MADI]; Federation of Mahorans or RPR (UMP)

[Mansour KAMARDINE]; Force of the Rally and the Alliance for

Democracy or FRAP; Movement for Department Status Mayotte or MDM

[Mouhoutar SALIM]; Renewed Communist Party of Mayotte or MRC [Omar

SIMBA]; Socialist Party or PS (local branch of French Parti

Socialiste) [Ibrahim ABUBACAR]; Union for French Democracy or UDF

[Henri JEAN-BAPTISTE]

Mexico

Convergence for Democracy or CD [Luis MALDONADO Venegas];

Institutional Revolutionary Party or PRI [Mariano PALACIOS Alcocer];

Labor Party or PT [Alberto ANAYA Gutierrez]; Mexican Green

Ecological Party or PVEM [Jorge Emilio GONZALEZ Martinez]; National

Action Party (Partido Accion Nacional) or PAN [Manuel ESPINO

Barrientos]; New Alliance Party (Partido Nueva Alianza) or PNA

[Miguel Angel JIMENEZ Godinez]; Party of the Democratic Revolution

(Partido de la Revolucion Democratica) or PRD [Leonel COTA Montano];

Social Democratic and Peasant Alternative Party (Partido Alternativa

Socialdemocrata y Campesina) or Alternativa [Alberto BEGNE Guerra]

Micronesia, Federated States of

no formal parties

Moldova

Christian Democratic People's Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA];

Communist Party of the Republic of Moldova or PCRM [Vladimir

VORONIN, first chairman]; Democratic Party or PD [Dumitru DIACOV];

National Liberal Party or NLP [Vitalia PAVLICENKO]; Our Moldova

Alliance or AMN [Serafim URECHEAN]; Party for Social Democracy or

PSD [Dumitru BRAGHIS]; Social Liberal Party or PSL [Oleg SEREBRIAN]

Monaco

National and Democratic Union or UND [Guy MAGNAN]; Union for

Monaco or UPM (including National Union for the Future of Monaco or

UNAM)

Mongolia

Citizens' Will Republican Party or CWRP (also called Civil

Courage Republican Party or CCRP) [Sanjaasurengiin OYUN]; Democratic

Party or DP [Tsakhiagiyn ELBEGDORJ]; Motherland-Mongolian New

Socialist Democratic Party or M-MNSDP [Badarchyn ERDENEBAT];

Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Miegombyn ENKHBOLD];

Mongolian Republican Party or MRP [Bazarsadyn JARGALSAIKHAN];

People's Party or PP [Lamjav GUNDALAI]

note: DP and M-MNSDP formed Motherland-Democracy Coalition (MDC) in

2003 and with CWRP contested June 2004 elections as single party;

MDC's leadership dissolved coalition in December 2004

Montenegro

Albanian Alternative or AA [Vesel SINISHTAJ]; Bosniak

Party or BS [Rafet HUSOVIC]; Democratic League-Party of Democratic

Prosperity or SPP [Mehmet BARHDI]; Democratic Party of Socialists or

DPS [Milo DJUKANOVIC]; Democratic Serbian Party of Montenegro or DSS

[Ranko KADIC]; Democratic Union of Albanians or DUA [Ferhat DINOSA];

Liberal Party of Montenegro or LP [Miodrag ZIVKOVIC]; Movement for

Changes or PZP [Nebojsa MEDOJEVIC]; Party of Serb Radicals or SSR

[Dusko SEKULIC]; People's Party of Montenegro or NS [Predrag

POPOVIC]; People's Socialist Party or NSS [Emilo LABUDOVIC]; Serbian

People's Party of Montenegro or SNS [Andrija MANDIC]; Social

Democratic Party or SDP [Ranko KRIVOKAPIC]; Socialist People's Party

or SNP [Srdjan MILIC]

Montserrat

Montserrat Democratic Party or MDP [Lowell LEWIS];

Movement for Change and Prosperity or MCAP [Roselyn CASSELL-SEALY];

New People's Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE]

Morocco

Action Party or PA [Muhammad EL IDRISSI]; Alliance of

Liberties or ADL [Ali BELHAJ]; Annahj Addimocrati or Annahj

[Abdellah EL HARIF]; Avant Garde Social Democratic Party or PADS

[Ahmed BENJELLOUN]; Citizen Forces or FC [Abderrahman LAHJOUJI];

Citizen's Initiatives for Development [Mohamed BENHAMOU];

Constitutional Union or UC [Mohamed ABIED (interim)]; Democratic and

Independence Party or PDI [Abdelwahed MAACH]; Democratic and Social

Movement or MDS [Mahmoud ARCHANE]; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD

[Aissa OUARDIGHI]; Democratic Union or UD [Bouazza IKKEN];

Environment and Development Party or PED [Ahmed EL ALAMI]; Front of

Democratic Forces or FFD [Thami EL KHYARI]; Istiqlal Party

(Independence Party) or PI [Abbas El FASSI]; Justice and Development

Party or PJD [Saad Eddine El OTHMANI]; Moroccan Liberal Party or PML

[Mohamed ZIANE]; National Democratic Party or PND [Abdallah KADIRI];

National Ittihadi Congress Party or CNI [Abdelmajid BOUZOUBAA];

National Popular Movement or MNP [Mahjoubi AHERDANE]; National Rally

of Independents or RNI [Ahmed OSMAN]; National Union of Popular

Forces or UNFP [Abdellah IBRAHIM]; Parti Al Ahd or Al Ahd [Najib EL

OUAZZANI, chairman]; Party of Progress and Socialism or PPS [Ismail

ALAOUI]; Party of Renewal and Equity or PRE [Chakir ACHABAR]; Party

of the Unified Socialist Left or GSU [Mohamed Ben Said AIT IDDER];

Popular Movement Union or UMP [Mohamed LAENSER]; Reform and

Development Party or PRD [Abderrahmane EL KOUHEN]; Social Center

Party or PSC [Lahcen MADIH]; Socialist Union of Popular Forces or

USFP [Mohammed El-YAZGHI]

Mozambique

Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frente de

Liberatacao de Mocambique) or FRELIMO [Armando Emilio GUEBUZA,

president]; Mozambique National Resistance-Electoral Union

(Resistencia Nacional Mocambicana-Uniao Eleitoral) or RENAMO-UE

[Afonso DHLAKAMA, president]

Namibia

Congress of Democrats or COD [Ben ULENGA]; Democratic

Turnhalle Alliance of Namibia or DTA [Katuutire KAURA, president];

Monitor Action Group or MAG [Jurie VILJOEN]; National Democratic

Movement for Change or NamDMC; National Unity Democratic

Organization or NUDO [Kuaima RIRUAKO]; Republican Party or RP [Henk

MUDGE]; South West Africa National Union or SWANU [Rihupisa

KANDANDO]; South West Africa People's Organization or SWAPO [Sam

Shafishuna NUJOMA]; United Democratic Front or UDF [Justus GAROEB]

Nauru

loose multiparty system; Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG];

Nauru Party (informal); Nauru First (Naoero Amo) Party

Nepal

Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML

[Madhav Kumar NEPAL, general secretary]; National Democratic Party

or NDP (also called Rastriya Prajantra Party or RPP) [Pashupati

Shumsher RANA, chairman]; Nepali Congress-Democratic [Sher Bahadur

DEUBA, president]; Nepali Congress or NC [Girija Prasad KOIRALA,

party president, Sushil KOIRALA, vice president]; Nepal Sadbhavana

(Goodwill) Party or NSP - Mandal [Bhadri Prasad MANDAL, party

president]; Nepal Sadbhavana Party - Ananda Devi [Ananda DEVI,

president]; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan Man

BIJUKCHHE, party chairman]; People's Front Nepal (Rastriya Jana

Morcha) [Amik SHERCHAN, chairman]; Rastriya Janashakti Party or RJP

[Surya Bahadur THAPA, chairman]; note - split from RPP in March

2005; Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal [leader NA]; note - merged with

People's Front Nepal or PFN in 2002

Netherlands

Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Jan Peter

BALKENENDE]; Christian Union Party [Andre ROUVOET]; Democrats 66 or

D66 [Alexander PECHTOLD]; Green Left Party [Femke HALSEMA]; Labor

Party or PvdA [Wouter BOS]; List Pim Fortuyn [Olaf STUGER]; Party

for Freedom [Geert WILDERS]; People's Party for Freedom and

Democracy (Liberal) or VVD [Mark RUTTE]; Socialist Party [Jan

MARIJNISSEN]; Party for Freedom or PVV [Geert WILDERS]; Party for

the Animals or PvdD [Marianne THIEME]; Reformed Political Party of

SGP [Bas VAN DER VLIES]; plus a few minor parties

Netherlands Antilles

Bonaire: Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB

[Jopi ABRAHAM]; Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UPB [Ramonsito BOOI]

Curacao: Ban Vota [Norbert GEORGE]; C-93 [Stanley BROWN]; Democratic

Party of Curacao or DP [Errol HERNANDEZ]; E Mayoria [Aurelio PEDRO];

Forsa Korsou [Nelson NAVARRO]; Liste Ni'un Paso Atras [Nelson

PIERRE]; Movemiento Patriotiko Korsou [Reginald LAK]; New Antilles

Movement or MAN [Charles COOPER]; Partido Akshon Pa Prosperidat I

Seguridat [Sonja BERKEMEYER]; Partido Laboral Krusada Popular or

PLKP [Errol COVA]; Party for the Restructured Antilles or PAR [Emily

de JONGH-ELHAGE]; People's National Party or PNP [Ersilia DE

LANNOOY]; Pidjin [Jasmin PINEDO]; Pueblo Soberano [Herman WIELS];

Workers' Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT]

Saba: Saba Labor Party [Akilah LEVENSTONE]; Windward Islands

People's Movement or WIPM [Ray HASSELL]

Sint Eustatius: Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E

[Julian WOODLEY]; Progressive Labor Party [Clyde VAN PUTTEN]; St.

Eustatius Alliance [Ingrid HOUTMAN-WHITFIELD]

Sint Maarten: Democratic Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [Sarah

WESCOTT-WILLIAMS]; Freedom Slate of National Democratic Party

[Theophilus PRIEST]; National Alliance or NA [William MARLIN];

People's Progressive Alliance or PPA [Gracita ARRINDELL]; St.

Maarten People's Party [Johan LEONARD]; United People's Labor Party

[Bienvenido RICHARDSON]

note: political parties are indigenous to each island

New Caledonia

Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX];

Caledonian Union or UC; Federation des Comites de Coordination des

Independantistes or FCCI [Francois BURCK]; Front National or FN [Guy

GEORGE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Kanak

Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS [leader NA]

(includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation Kanak or

PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE]; Rally for Caledonia in

the Republic (anti independent) or RPCR-UMP [Jacques LAFLEUR]; The

Future Together or AE [Harold MARTIN]; Union Nationale pour

l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; note - may no longer exist,

but Paul NEAOUTYINE has since become a president of Parti de

Liberation Kanak or PALIKA; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM

[Victor TUTUGORO]

New Zealand

ACT New Zealand [Rodney HIDE]; Green Party [Jeanette

FITZSIMONS]; Maori Party [Whatarangi WINIATA]; National Party or NP

[John KEY]; New Zealand First Party or NZFP [Winston PETERS]; New

Zealand Labor Party or NZLP [Helen CLARK]; Progressive Party [James

(Jim) ANDERTON]; United Future or UF [Peter DUNNE]

Nicaragua

Alliance for the Republic or APRE [Miguel LOPEZ Baldizon];

Central American Unionist Party or PUCA [Blanca ROJAS]; Christian

Alternative Party or AC [Orlando TARDENCILLA Espinoza]; Conservative

Party or PC [Azalia AVILES Salmeron]; Independent Liberal Party or

PLI [Anibal MARTINEZ Nunez, Pedro REYES Vallejos]; Independent

Liberal Party for National Unity or PLIUN [Carlos GUERRA Gallardo];

Liberal Constitutional Party or PLC [Jorge CASTILLO Quant]; Liberal

Salvation Movement or MSL [Eliseo NUNEZ Hernandez]; New Liberal

Party or PALI [Adolfo GARCIA Esquivel]; Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance

or ALN [Eduardo MONTEALEGRE]; Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Path

or PCCN [Guillermo OSORNO Molina]; Nicaraguan Resistance Party or

PRN [Salvador TALAVERA]; Sandinista National Liberation Front or

FSLN [Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra]; Sandinista Renovation Movement or MRS

[Dora Maria TELLEZ]; Unity Alliance or AU

Niger

Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama

[Mahamane OUSMANE]; National Movement for a Developing

Society-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara [Hama AMADOU]; Niger Social

Democratic Party or PSDN; Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Social

Progress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDP-Zaman Lahiya [Moumouni DJERMAKOYE];

Nigerien Party for Autonomy or PNA-Alouma'a [Sanousi JACKOU];

Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism or PNDS-Tarrayya [Issifou

MAHAMADOU]; Nigerien Progressive Party or PPN-RDA [Abdoulaye DIORI];

Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP-jama'a [Hamid ALGABID];

Social and Democratic Rally or RSD-Gaskiyya [Cheiffou AMADOU]

Nigeria

Action Congress or AC [Bise Akande]; Advanced Congress of

Demorats or ACD [Alex Anielo]; Alliance for Democracy or AD

[Mojisoluwa AKINFENWA]; All Nigeria Peoples' Party or ANPP [Edwin

UME-EZEOKE]; All Progressives Grand Alliance or APGA [disputed

leadership]; Democratic People's Party or DPP [Jerry Useni]; Fresh

Democratic Party [Chris OKOTIE]; Movement for the Restoration and

Defense of Democracy or MRDD [Mohammed Gambo JIMETA]; National

Democratic Party or NDP [Aliyu Habu FARI]; Peoples Democratic Party

or PDP [Dr. Ahmadu ALI]; Peoples Redemption Party or PRP [Abdulkadir

Balarabe MUSA]; Peoples Salvation Party or PSP [Lawal MAITURARE];

United Nigeria Peoples Party or UNPP [disputed leadership]

Niue

Alliance of Independents or AI; Niue People's Action Party or

NPP [Young VIVIAN]

Norfolk Island

none

Northern Mariana Islands

Covenant Party [Benigno R. FITIAL];

Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO]; Republican Party [Juan S.

REYES]

Norway

Center Party [Aslaug Marie HAGA]; Christian People's Party

[Dagfinn HOYBRATEN]; Coastal Party [Roy WAAGE]; Conservative Party

[Erna SOLBERG]; Labor Party [Jens STOLTENBERG]; Liberal Party [Lars

SPONHEIM]; Progress Party [Siv JENSEN]; Red Electoral Alliance

[Torstein DAHLE]; Socialist Left Party [Kristin HALVORSEN]

Oman

none

Pakistan

Awami National Party or ANP [Asfandyar Wali KHAN];

Balochistan National Party/Hayee Group or BNP/H [Dr. Hayee BALUCH];

Baluch National Party/Awami or BNP/Awami [Moheem Khan BALOCH];

Baluch National Party-Mengal or BNP/M [Sardar Ataullah MENGAL];

Jamhoori Watan Party or JWP; Jamiat-al-Hadith or JAH [Sajid MIR];

Jamiat-i-Islami or JI [Qazi Hussain AHMED]; Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam,

Fazlur Rehman faction or JUI/F [Fazlur REHMAN]; Jamiat

Ulema-i-Islam, Sami ul-HAQ faction or JUI/S [Sami ul-HAQ]; Jamiat

Ulema-i-Pakistan or JUP [Shah Faridul HAQ]; Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal

or MMA [Qazi Hussain AHMED]; Muttahida Qaumi Movement, or MQM [Altaf

HUSSAIN]; National Alliance or NA [Ghulam Mustapha JATOI] (merged

with PML); Pakhtun Khwa Milli Awami Party or PkMAP [Mahmood Khan

ACHAKZAI]; Pakistan Awami Tehrik or PAT [Tahir ul QADRI]; Pakistan

Muslim League, Functional Group or PML/F [Pir PAGARO]; Pakistan

Muslim League, Nawaz Sharif faction or PML/N [Nawaz SHARIF];

Pakistan Muslim League or PML [Chaudhry Shujaat HUSSAIN]; note - as

of May 2004, the PML/Q changed its name to PML and absorbed the

PML/J, PML/Z, and NA; Pakistan People's Party or PPP [Aftab Ahmed

Khan SHERPAO]; Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians or PPPP

[Benazir BHUTTO]; Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf or PTI [Imran KHAN];

Tehrik-i-Islami [Allama Sajid NAQVI]

note: political alliances in Pakistan can shift frequently

Palau

none

Panama

Democratic Change or CD [Ricardo MARTINELLI]; Democratic

Revolutionary Party or PRD [Hugo GUIRAUD]; Liberal Party or PL

[Joaquin F. Franco VASQUEZ]; Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement

or MOLIRENA [Gisela CHUNG]; Panamenista Party or PA (formerly the

Arnulfista Party) [Juan Carlos VARELA]; Patriotic Union Party or PUP

[Jose Raul MULINO and Anibal GALINDO]; Popular Party or PP (formerly

Christian Democratic Party or PDC) [Rene ORILLAC]

Papua New Guinea

Christian Democratic Party [Dr. Banare BUN];

Melanesian Alliance Party or MAP [Sir Moi AVEL]; National Alliance

Party or NA [Michael SOMARE]; National Party; Papua and Niugini

Union Party or PANGU [Rabbie NAMALIU]; Papua New Guinea First Party

[Cecilking DORUBA]; Papua New Guinea Labor Party [Bob DANAYA]; Papua

New Guinea Party or PNGP (was People's Democratic Movement or PDM)

[Sir Mekere MORAUTA]; People's Action Party or PAP [Moses MALADINA];

People's Labor Party or PLP [Ekis ROPENU]; People's National

Congress or PNC [Peter O'NEILL]; People's Progress Party or PPP

[Byron CHAN]; Pipol First Party [Luther WENGE]; United Party [Bire

KIMASOPA]; United Resources Party or URP [Tim NEVILLE] (2007)

Paraguay

Asociacion Nacional Republicana - Colorado Party or ANR

[Jose A. ALDERETE, interim president]; Movimiento Union Nacional de

Ciudadanos Eticos or UNACE [Enrique GONZALEZ Quintana, acting

chairman]; Patria Querida (Beloved Fatherland Party) or PQ [Pedro

Nicolas Maraa FADUL Niella]; Partido Encuentro Nacional or PEN [Luis

TORALES Kennedy]; Partido Liberal Radical Autentico or PLRA [Blas

LLANO]; Partido Pais Solidario or PPS [Carlos Alberto FILIZZOLA

Pallares]

note: Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS on leave as party leader of the Colorado

Party or ANR while serving as President of Paraguay; Lino Cesar

OVIEDO Silva, leader of UNACE, is currently serving a ten-year

prison term

Peru

Alliance For Progress (Alianza Para El Progreso) [Cesar ACUNA

Peralta]; Alliance For The Future (Alianza Por El Futuro) or AF - a

coalition of pro-FUJIMORI parties including Cambio 90, Nueva

Mayoria, and Si Cumple [Martha CHAVEZ Cossio]; Centrist Front

(Frente Del Centro) or FC - a coalition of Accion Popular, Somos

Peru, and Coordinadora Nacional de Independientes [Drago KISIC];

Independent Moralizing Front (Frente Independiente Moralizador) or

FIM [Fernando OLIVERA Vega]; Nationalist Party Uniting Peru (Partido

Nacionalista Uniendo al Peru) or UPP - a coalition of Union for Peru

(UPP) and Peruvian Nationalist Party (PNP) [Ollanta HUMALA Tasso];

National Restoration (Restauracion Nacional) or RN [Humberto LAY

Sun]; National Unity (Unidad Nacional) or UN [Lourdes FLORES Nano];

Peru Possible (Peru Posible) or PP [David WAISMAN]; Peruvian Aprista

Party (Partido Aprista Peruano) or PAP - also referred to by its

original name Alianza Popular Revolucionaria Americana or APRA [Alan

GARCIA]

Philippines

Kabalikat Ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) [Ronaldo PUNO];

Laban Ng Demokratikong Pilipino (Struggle of Filipino Democrats) or

LDP [Edgardo ANGARA]; Lakas Ng Edsa (National Union of Christian

Democrats) or Lakas [Jose DE VENECIA]; Liberal Party or LP [Franklin

DRILON/Eli QUINTO]; Nacionalista [Manuel VILLAR]; National People's

Coalition or NPC [Frisco SAN JUAN]; PDP-Laban [Aquilino PIMENTEL];

People's Reform Party [Miriam Defensor SANTIAGO]; PROMDI [Emilio

OSMENA]; Pwersa Ng Masang Pilipino (Party of the Philippine Masses)

or PMP [Joseph ESTRADA]; Reporma [Renato DE VILLA]

Pitcairn Islands

none

Poland

Catholic-National Movement or RKN [Antoni MACIEREWICZ]; Civic

Platform or PO [Donald TUSK]; Conservative Peasants Party or SKL

[Artur BALASZ]; Democratic Left Alliance or SLD [Wojciech

OLEJNICZAK]; Democratic Party or PD [Janusz ONYSZKIEWICZ]; Dom

Ojczysty (Fatherland Home); German Minority of Lower Silesia or MNSO

[Henryk KROLL]; Law and Justice or PiS [Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI]; League

of Polish Families or LPR [Roman GIERTYCH]; Peasant-Democratic Party

or PLD [Roman JAGIELINSKI]; Polish Accord or PP [Jan LOPUSZANSKI];

Polish Peasant Party or PSL [Waldemar PAWLAK]; Ruch Patriotyczny or

RP [Jan OLSZEWSKI]; Samoobrona or SO [Andrzej LEPPER]; Social

Democratic Party of Poland or SDPL [Marek BOROWSKI]; Social Movement

or RS [Krzysztof PIESIEWICZ]; Union of Labor or UP [Andrzej

SPYCHALSKI]

Portugal

Green Ecologist Party or PEV [Heloisa Augusta Baiao de

Brito APOLONIA]; Popular Party or PP [Jose Ribeiro e CASTRO];

Portuguese Communist Party or PCP [Jeronimo DE SOUSA]; Portuguese

Socialist Party or PS [Jose SOCRATES Carvalho Pinto de Sousa];

Social Democratic Party or PSD [Luis Manuel Goncalves Marques

MENDES]; The Left Bloc or BE [Franciso Anacleto LOUCA]; Unitarian

Democratic Coalition or CDU (includes PEV and PCP) [Jeronimo DE

SOUSA]

Puerto Rico

National Democratic Party [Roberto PRATS]; National

Republican Party of Puerto Rico [Dr. Tiody FERRE]; New Progressive

Party or PNP (pro-US statehood) [Pedro ROSSELLO]; Popular Democratic

Party or PPD (pro-commonwealth) [Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA]; Puerto Rican

Independence Party or PIP (pro-independence) [Ruben BERRIOS Martinez]

Qatar

none

Romania

Conservative Party or PC [Dan VOICULESCU], formerly Humanist

Party or PUR; Democratic Party or PD [Emil BOC]; Democratic Union of

Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Bela MARKO]; National Liberal Party

or PNL [Calin Popescu-TARICEANU]; Romania Mare Party (Greater

Romanian Party) or PRM [Corneliu Vadim TUDOR]; Social Democratic

Party or PSD [Mircea Dan GEOANA], formerly Party of Social Democracy

in Romania or PDSR

Russia

A Just Russia or JR [Sergey MIRONOV] (formed from the merger

of three small political parties: Rodina (Motherland), Pensioners

Party, and Party of Life); Communist Party of the Russian Federation

or CPRF [Gennadiy Andreyevich ZYUGANOV]; Liberal Democratic Party of

Russia or LDPR [Vladimir Volfovich ZHIRINOVSKIY]; People's Party

[Gennadiy GUDKOV]; Union of Right Forces or SPS [Nikita BELYKH];

United Russia or UR [Boris Vyacheslavovich GRYZLOV]; Yabloko Party

[Grigoriy Alekseyevich YAVLINSKIY]

Rwanda

Centrist Democratic Party or PDC [Alfred MUKEZAMFURA];

Democratic Popular Union of Rwanda or UDPR [Adrien RANGIRA];

Democratic Republican Movement or MDR [Celestin KABANDA] (officially

banned); Islamic Democratic Party or PDI [Andre BUMAYA]; Liberal

Party or PL [Prosper HIGIRO]; Party for Democratic Renewal

(officially banned); Rwandan Patriotic Front or RPF [Paul KAGAME];

Social Democratic Party or PSD [Vincent BIRUTA]

Saint Helena

none

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Vance

AMORY]; Nevis Reformation Party or NRP [Joseph PARRY]; People's

Action Movement or PAM [Lindsay GRANT]; Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor

Party or SKNLP [Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS]

Saint Lucia

National Alliance or NA [George ODLUM]; Saint Lucia

Freedom Party or SFP [Martinus FRANCOIS]; Saint Lucia Labor Party or

SLP [Kenneth ANTHONY]; Sou Tout Apwe Fete Fini or STAFF [Christopher

HUNTE]; United Workers Party or UWP [Sir John COMPTON]

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Left Radical Party or PRG; Rassemblement

pour la Republique or RPR (now UMP); Socialist Party or PS; Union

pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

New Democratic Party or NDP [Arnhim

EUSTACE]; Unity Labor Party or ULP [Ralph GONSALVES] (formed by the

coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party or SVLP and the Movement for

National Unity or MNU)

Samoa

Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP [Sailele Malielegaoi

TUILA'EPA]; Samoa Christian Party or TCP [Tuala Tiresa MALIETOA];

Samoa Democratic United Party or SDUP [LE MAMEA Ropati]; Samoa Party

or SP [Su'a Rimoni Ah CHONG]; Samoa Progressive Political Party or

SPPP [Toeolesulusulu SIUEVA]

San Marino

Communist Refoundation or RC [Ivan FOSHI]; Ideas in

Movement or IM [Alessandro ROSSI]; National Alliance or AN [Glauco

SANSOVINI]; New Socialist Party [Augusto CASALI]; Party of

Socialists and Democrats [Claudio FELICI]; San Marino Christian

Democratic Party or PDCS [Pier Marino MENICUCCI]; San Marino Popular

Alliance of Democrats or APDS [Roberto GIORGETTI]; San Marino

Socialist Party or PSS [Alberto CECCHETTI]; Socialists for Reform or

SR [Renzo GIARDI]; United Left

Sao Tome and Principe

Democratic Renovation Party [Armindo GRACA];

Force for Change Democratic Movement or MDFM; Independent Democratic

Action or ADI [Carlos NEVES]; Movement for the Liberation of Sao

Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Manuel Pinto

Da COSTA]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Aldo BANDEIRA];

Ue-Kedadji coalition; other small parties

Saudi Arabia

none

Senegal

African Party of Independence [Majhemout DIOP];

And-Jef/African Party for Democracy and Socialism (also known as

AJ/PADS) [Landing SAVANE, secretary general]; Alliance of Forces of

Progress or AFP [Moustapha NIASSE]; Democratic and Patriotic

Convention or CDP (also known as Garab-Gi) [Dr. Iba Der THIAM];

Democratic League-Labor Party Movement or LD-MPT [Dr. Abdoulaye

BATHILY]; Front for Socialism and Democracy or FSD [Cheikh Abdoulaye

Bamba DIEYE]; Gainde Centrist Bloc or BGC [Jean-Paul DIAS];

Independence and Labor Party or PIT [Amath DANSOKHO]; Jef-Jel [Talla

SYLLA]; National Democratic Rally or RND [Madior DIOUF]; People's

Labor Party or PTP [Elhadji DIOUF]; Reform Party or PR [Abdourahim

AGNE]; Rewmi [Idrissa SECK]; Senegalese Democratic Party or PDS

[Abdoulaye WADE]; Socialist Party or PS [Ousmane Tanor DIENG]; SOPI

Coalition [Abdoulaye WADE] (a coalition led by the PDS); Union for

Democratic Renewal or URD [Djibo Leyti KA]

Serbia

Coalition of Albanians of the Presevo Valley or KAPD [Riza

HALIMI]; Coalition for Sandzak or KZS [Sulejman UGLJANIN];

Democratic Party of Serbia or DSS [Vojislav KOSTUNICA]; Democratic

Party or DS [Boris TADIC]; G17 Plus [Mladjan DINKIC]; League of

Vojvodina Hungarians or SVM [Jozsef KASZA]; Liberal Democratic Party

or LDP [Cedomir JOVANOVIC]; New Serbia or NS [Velimir ILIC]; Roma

Party or RP [Srdjan SAJN]; Serbian Radical Party or SRS [Vojislav

SESELJ (currently on trial at The Hague), but Tomislav NIKOLIC is

acting leader]; Socialist Party of Serbia or SPS [Ivica DACIC];

Union of Roma of Serbia or URS [Rajko DJURIC]; Kosovo Albanian

Christian Democatic Party or PShDK [Mark KRASNIQI]; Alliance for the

Future of Kosovo or AAK [Rmuch HARADINAJ]; Citizens' Initiative of

Gora or GIG [Rustem IBISI]; Democratic Ashkali Party of Kosovo or

PDAK [Sabit RRAHMANI]; Democratic League of Kosovo or LDK [Fatmir

SEJDIU]; Democratic Party of Kosovo or PDK [Hashim THACI]; Justice

Party or PD [Sylejman CERKEZI]; Kosovo Democratic Turkish Party of

KDTP [Mahir YAGCILAR]; Liberal Party of Kosovo or PLK [Gjergi

DEDAJ]; New Democratic Initiative of Kosovo or IRDK [Xhevdet

NEZIRAJ]; Ora Citizens' List or Ora [Veton SURROI]; Party of

Democratic Action or SDA [Numan BALIC]; Popular Movement of Kosovo

or LPK [Emrush XHEMAJLI]; Serb List for Kosovo and Metohija or SLKM

[Oliver IVANOVIC]; Serb Democratic Party or SDS KiM [Slavisa

PETKOVIC]; United Roma Partty of Kosovo or PREBK [Zylfi MERXHA]

Seychelles

Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM, Paul CHOW];

Seychelles National Party or SNP [Wavel RAMKALAWAN] (formerly the

United Opposition or UO); Seychelles People's Progressive Front or

SPPF [France Albert RENE, James MICHEL] (the governing party)

Sierra Leone

All People's Congress or APC [Ernest Bai KOROMA]; Peace

and Liberation Party or PLP [Darlington MORRISON, interim chairman];

People's Movement for Democratic Change or PMDC [Charles MARGAI];

Sierra Leone People's Party or SLPP [Solomon BEREWA]; numerous others

Singapore

People's Action Party or PAP [LEE Hsien Loong]; Singapore

Democratic Alliance or SDA [CHIAM See Tong]; Singapore Democratic

Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan]; Workers' Party or WP [Sylvia LIM Swee

Lian]

note: SDA includes National Solidarity Party or NSP, Singapore

Justice Party or SJP, Singapore National Malay Organization or PKMS,

Singapore People's Party or SPP

Slovakia

Parties in the Parliament: Christian Democratic Movement or

KDH [Pavol HRUSOVSKY]; Direction-Social Democracy or Smer-SD [Robert

FICO]; Party of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK [Bela BUGAR];

People's Party - Movement for a Democratic Slovakia or LS-HZDS

[Vladimir MECIAR]; Slovak Democratic and Christian Union or SDKU-DS

[Mikulas DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or SNS [Jan SLOTA];

Parties outside the Parliament: Agrarian Party of the Provinces or

ASV [Jozef VASKEBA]; Civic Conservative Party or OKS [Peter TATAR];

Free Forum [Zuzana MARTINAKOVA]; Hope or NADEJ [Alexandra NOVOTNA];

Left-wing Bloc or LB [Jozef KALMAN]; Mission 21 - New Christian

Democracy or MISIA 21 [Ivan SIMKO]; Movement for Democracy or HZD

[Jozef GRAPA]; New Citizens Alliance or ANO [Pavol RUSKO]; Party of

the Democratic Left or SDL [Ladislav KOZMON]; Prosperita Slovenska

or PS [Frantisek A. ZVRSKOVEC]; Slovak Communist Party or KSS

[Vladimir DADO]; Slovak National Coalition or SLNKO [Vitazoslav

MORIC]; Slovak People's Party or SLS [Jozef SASIK]; Union of the

Workers of Slovakia or ZRS [Jan LUPTAK]

Slovenia

Liberal Democratic Party or LDS [Jelko KACIN]; New Slovenia

or NSi [Andrej BAJUK]; Slovenian Democratic Party or SDS [Janez

JANSA]; Slovenian Democratic Pensioners' Party or DeSUS [Karl

ERJAVEC]; Slovene National Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC]; Slovene

People's Party or SLS [Janez PODOBNIK]; Slovene Youth Party or SMS

[Darko KRANJC]; Social Democrats or SD [Borut PAHOR]

Solomon Islands

Association of Independent Members or AIM [Thomas

CHAN]; Christian Alliance Solomon Islands or CASI [Edward RONIA];

LAFARI Party [John GARO]; National Party [Francis HILLY]; People's

Alliance Party or PAP [Sir Allan KEMAKEZA]; Social Credit Party or

SOCRED [Manasseh Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon First Party [David

QUAN]; Solomon Islands Democratic Party [Gabriel SURI]; Solomon

Islands Labor Party or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU]; Solomon Islands

Liberal Party [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; Solomon Islands Party for

Rural Advancement or SIPRA [Job D. TAUSINGA]; United Party [Sir

Peter KENILOREA]

note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid

coalitions

Somalia

none

South Africa

African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth

MESHOE, president]; African National Congress or ANC [Thabo MBEKI,

president]; Democratic Alliance or DA [Anthony LEON, president];

Freedom Front Plus or FF+ [Pieter MULDER, president]; Inkatha

Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI, president];

Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Motsoko PHEKO, president]; United

Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]

Spain

Aragonese Party or CHA [Bizen FUSTER]; Basque Nationalist

Party or PNV [Josu Jon IMAZ]; Basque Solidarity or EA [Begona

ERRAZTI]; Canarian Coalition or CC (a coalition of five parties)

[Paulino RIVERO Baute]; Convergence and Union or CiU [Artur MAS i

Gavarro] (a coalition of the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia or

CDC [Artur MAS i Gavarro] and the Democratic Union of Catalonia or

UDC [Josep Antoni DURAN i LLEIDA]); Entesa Catalonia de Progress (a

Senate coalition grouping four Catalan parties - PSC, ERC, ICV,

EUA); Galician Nationalist Bloc or BNG [Anxo Manuel QUINTANA

Gonzalez]; Initiative for Catalonia Greens or ICV [Joan SAURA i

Laporta]; Navarra yes or Na Bai (a coalition of four Navarran

parties) [Uxue BARKOS Berruezo]; Popular Party or PP [Mariano RAJOY

Brey]; Republican Left of Catalonia or ERC [Josep-Lluis

CAROD-ROVIRA]; Spanish Socialist Workers Party or PSOE [Jose Luis

RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO]; United Left or IU (a coalition of parties

including the PCE and other small parties) [Gaspar LLAMAZARES Trigo]

Sri Lanka

All Ceylon Tamil Congress or ACTC [KUMARGURUPARAM]; Ceylon

Workers Congress or CWC [Arumugam THONDAMAN]; Communist Party or CP

[D. GUNASEKERA]; Democratic United National (Lalith) Front or DUNLF

[Shrimani ATULATHMUDALI]; Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP

[Douglas DEVANANDA]; Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front

or EPRLF [Suresh PREMACHANDRAN]; Janatha Vimukthi Perumuna or JVP

[Somawansa AMARASINGHE]; Lanka Sama Samaja Party or LSSP; Mahajana

Eksath Peramuna (People's United Front) or MEP [D. GUNAWARDENE];

National Heritage Party or JHU [Tilak KARUNARATNE]; National Unity

Alliance or NUA [Ferial ASHRAFF]; People's Liberation Organization

of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE [D. SIDHARTHAN]; Sihala Urumaya or SU; Sri

Lanka Freedom Party or SLFP [Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA];

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or SLMC [Rauff HAKEEM]; Sri Lanka

Progressive Front or SLPF [P. Nelson PERERA]; Tamil Eelam Liberation

Organization or TELO [SABARATNAM]; Tamil National Alliance or TNA

[R. SAMPANTHAN]; Tamil United Liberation Front or TULF [V.

ANANDASANGAREE]; United National Party or UNP [Ranil

WICKREMASINGHE]; Up-country People's Front or UPF [P.

CHANDRASEKARAN]; several ethnic Tamil and Muslim parties,

represented in either Parliament or provincial councils

Sudan

political parties in the Government of National Unity include:

National Congress Party or NCP [Ibrahim Ahmed OMAR]; Sudan People's

Liberation Movement or SPLM [Salva Mayardit KIIR]; and elements of

the National Democratic Alliance or NDA including factions of the

Democratic Union Party [Muhammad Uthman al-MIRGHANI] and Umma Party

[SADIQ Siddiq al-Mahdi]

Suriname

Alternative-1 or A-1 (a coalition of Amazone Party of

Suriname or APS [Kenneth VAN GENDEREN], Democrats of the 21st

Century or D-21 [Soewarto MOESTADJA], Nieuw Suriname or NS [Radjen

Nanan PANDAY], Political Wing of the FAL or PVF [Jiwan SITAL],

Trefpunt 2000 or T-2000 [Arti JESSURUN]); General Interior

Development Party or ABOP [Ronnie BRUNSWIJK]; National Democratic

Party or NDP [Desire BOUTERSE]; New Front for Democracy and

Development or NF (a coalition which includes A-Combination or A-Com

[leader NA], Democratic Alternative 1991 or DA-91 which split from

the A-1 before the elections of May 2005 and are an independent,

business-oriented party [Winston JESSURUN], National Party Suriname

or NPS [Ronald VENETIAAN], United Reform Party or VHP [Ram SARDJOE],

Pertjaja Luhur or PL [Salam Paul SOMOHARDJO], Surinamese Labor Party

or SPA [Siegfried GILDS]); Party for Democracy and Development in

Unity or DOE [Marten SCHALKWIJK]; People's Alliance for Progress or

VVV (a coalition of Democratic National Platform 2000 or DNP-2000

[Jules WIJDENBOSCH], Grassroots Party for Renewal and Democracy or

BVD [Tjan GOBARDHAN], Party for National Unity and Solidarity of the

Highest Order or KTPI [Willy SOEMITA], Party for Progression,

Justice, and Perseverance or PPRS [Renee KAIMAN], Pendawalima or PL

[Raymond SAPOEN]); Progressive Laborers and Farmers Union or PALU

[Jim HOK]; Progressive Political Party or PPP [Surinder MUNGRA];

Seeka [Paul ABENA]; Union of Progressive Surinamers or UPS [Sheoradj

PANDAY]

Swaziland

The status of political parties, previously banned, is

unclear under the new (2006)Constitution and currently being debated

- the following are considered political associations; Imbokodvo

National Movement or INM; Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or

NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's United Democratic Movement

or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]

Sweden

Center Party [Maud OLOFSSON]; Christian Democratic Party

[Goran HAGGLUND]; Environment Party the Greens [no formal leader but

party spokespersons are Maria WETTERSTRAND and Peter ERIKSSON]; Left

Party or V (formerly Communist) [Lars OHLY]; Moderate Party

(conservative) [Fredrik REINFELDT]; People's Party [Lars

LEIJONBORG]; Social Democratic Party [Goran PERSSON]

Switzerland

Green Party (Gruene Partei der Schweiz or Grune, Parti

Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I

Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ruth GENNER];

Christian Democratic People's Party (Christichdemokratische

Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or

PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida

Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Christophe DARBELLAY,

president]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische

Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD,

Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Fulvio PELLI,

president]; Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der

Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialist Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista

Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS)

[Hans-Juerg FEHR, president]; Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische

Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione

Democratica de Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC)

[Ueli MAURER, president]; and other minor parties

Syria

note - legal parties include: National Progressive Front or

NPF [President Bashar al-ASAD, Dr. Suleiman QADDAH, deputy]

(includes Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party [President Bashar

al-ASAD, secretary; Muhammad BAKHITAN, assistant secretary general];

Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party [President Bashar al-ASAD,

secretary general; Muhammad BAKHITAN, assistant secretary general];

Socialist Unionist Democratic Party [Fadlallah Nasr Al-DIN]; Syrian

Arab Socialist Union or ASU [Safwan QUDSI]; Syrian Communist Party

(two branches) [Wissal Farha BAKDASH, Yusuf Rashid FAYSAL]; Syrian

Social National Party [Jubran URAYJI]; Unionist Socialist Party

[Fayez ISMAIL]); illegal parties include: Kurdish Azadi Party [Khayr

al-Din MURAD]; Kurdish Democratic Alliance (includes four parties)

[Abd al-Hamid DARWISH, secretary general]; Kurdish Democratic Front

(includes three parties but no designated leader); Kurdish

Democratic Union Party or PYD [Ali MUHAMMAD]; Kurdish Future

Movement; Kurdish Yekiti Party [Hasan SALEH]; National Democratic

Front [Hassan Abd al-AZEM];

Taiwan

Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [YU Shyi-kun]; Kuomintang

or KMT (Nationalist Party) [MA Ying-jeou]; People First Party or PFP

[CHANG Chao-hsiung (acting)]; Taiwan Solidarity Union or TSU [HUANG

Kun-hui]; other minor parties including the Chinese New Party or NP

Tajikistan

Agrarian Party of Tajikistan or APT [Amir KARAKULOV];

Democratic Party or DPT [Mahmadruzi ISKANDAROV (imprisoned October

2005)]; Islamic Revival Party [Muhiddin KABIRI]; Party of Economic

Reform or PER [Olimjon BOBOYEV]; People's Democratic Party of

Tajikistan or PDPT [Emomali RAHMONOV]; Social Democratic Party or

SDPT [Rahmatullo ZOYIROV]; Socialist Party or SPT [Abdualim

GHAFFOROV]; Tajik Communist Party or CPT [Shodi SHABDOLOV]

Tanzania

Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Party of Democracy and

Development) or CHADEMA [Bob MAKANI]; Chama Cha Mapinduzi or CCM

(Revolutionary Party) [Jakaya Mrisho KIKWETE]; Civic United Front or

CUF [Ibrahim LIPUMBA]; Democratic Party [Christopher MTIKLA]

(unregistered); Tanzania Labor Party or TLP [Augustine Lyatonga

MREME]; United Democratic Party or UDP [John CHEYO]

Thailand

Democrat Party or DP (Prachathipat Party) [ABHISIT

Wetchachiwa]; People's Party or PP (Mahachon Party) [ANEK

Laothamatas]; Thai Nation Party or TNP (Chat Thai Party) [BARNHARN

SILPA-ARCHA]; Thai Rak Thai Party or TRT [CHATURON Chaisang]

Togo

Action Committee for Renewal or CAR [Yawovi AGBOYIBO];

Democratic Convention of African Peoples or CDPA; Democratic Party

for Renewal or PDR; Juvento [Monsilia DJATO]; Movement of the

Believers of Peace and Equality or MOCEP; Pan-African Patriotic

Convergence or CPP; Rally for the Support for Development and

Democracy or RSDD [Harry OLYMPIO]; Rally of the Togolese People or

RPT [Faure GNASSINGBE]; Socialist Pact for Renewal or PSR; Union for

Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Gagou KOKOU]; Union of Forces

for a Change or UFC [Gilchrist OLYMPIO]

Tokelau

none

Tonga

People's Democratic Party [Tesina FUKO]

Trinidad and Tobago

Congress of the People [Winston Dookeran];

Democratic National Alliance or DNA (coalition of NAR, DDPT, MND)

[Gerald YETMING]; Movement for National Development or MND [Garvin

NICHOLAS]; National Alliance for Reconstruction or NAR [Dr. Carson

CHARLES]; People's National Movement or PNM [Patrick MANNING];

United National Congress or UNC [Basdeo PANDAY]; Democratic Action

Congress or DAC [Hochoy CHARLES], note - only active in Tobago

Tunisia

Al-Tajdid Movement [Ali HALOUANI]; Constitutional Democratic

Rally Party (Rassemblement Constitutionnel Democratique) or RCD

[President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (official ruling party)]; Green

Party for Progress or PVP [Mongi KHAMASSI]; Liberal Social Party or

PSL [Mounir BEJI]; Movement of Socialist Democrats or MDS [Ismail

BOULAHYA]; Popular Unity Party or PUP [Mohamed BOUCHIHA];

Progressive Democratic Party [Nejib CHEBBI]; Unionist Democratic

Union or UDU [Ahmed INOUBLI]

Turkey

Anavatan Partisi (Motherland Party) or Anavatan [Erkan

MUMCU]; Democratic Left Party or DSP [Mehmet Zeki SEZER]; Democratic

Society Party or DTP [Ahmet TURK]; Felicity Party (sometimes

translated as Contentment Party) or SP [Recai KUTAN]; Justice and

Development Party or AKP [Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN]; Nationalist Action

Party or MHP (sometimes translated as Nationalist Movement Party)

[Devlet BAHCELI]; People's Rise Party (Halkin Yukselisi Partisi) or

HYP [Yasar Nuri OZTURK]; Republican People's Party or CHP [Deniz

BAYKAL]; Social Democratic People's Party or SHP [Murat KARAYALCIN];

True Path Party (sometimes translated as Correct Way Party) or DYP

[Mehmet AGAR]; Young Party or GP [Cem Cengiz UZAN]

note: the parties listed above are some of the more significant of

the 49 parties that Turkey had on 1 December 2004

Turkmenistan

Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT [Saparmurat

NIYAZOV]

note: formal opposition parties are outlawed; unofficial, small

opposition movements exist underground or in foreign countries; the

two most prominent opposition groups-in-exile have been National

Democratic Movement of Turkmenistan (NDMT) and the United Democratic

Party of Turkmenistan (UDPT); NDMT was led by former Foreign

Minister Boris SHIKHMURADOV until his arrest and imprisonment in the

wake of the 25 November 2002 assassination attempt on President

NIYAZOV; UDPT is led by former Foreign Minister Abdy KULIEV and is

based out of Moscow

Turks and Caicos Islands

People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek

H. TAYLOR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Michael Eugene MISICK]

Tuvalu

there are no political parties but members of Parliament

usually align themselves in informal groupings

Uganda

Conservative Party or CP [Ken LUKYAMUZI]; Democratic Party or

DP [Kizito SSEBAANA]; Forum for Democratic Change or FDC [Kizza

BESIGYE]; Justice Forum or JEEMA [Muhammad Kibirige MAYANJA];

National Democrats Forum [Chapaa KARUHANGA]; National Resistance

Movement or NRM [Yoweri MUSEVENI]; Ugandan People's Congress or UPC

[Miria OBOTE]

note: a national referendum in July 2005 opened the way for Uganda's

transition to a multi-party political system

Ukraine

Communist Party of Ukraine or CPU [Petro SYMONENKO];

Fatherland Party (Batkivshchyna) [Yuliya TYMOSHENKO]; People's Party

Our Ukraine [Viktor YUSHCHENKO]; Party of Industrialists and

Entrepreneurs [Anatoliy KINAKH]; People's Movement of Ukraine (Rukh)

[Borys TARASYUK]; People's Party [Volodymyr LYTVYN]; PORA! (It's

Time!) party [Vladyslav KASKIV]; Progressive Socialist Party

[Natalya VITRENKO]; Reforms and Order Party [Viktor PYNZENYK]; Party

of Regions [Viktor YANUKOVYCH]; Republican Party [Yuriy BOYKO];

Social Democratic Party (United) or SDPU(o) [Viktor MEDVEDCHUK];

Socialist Party of Ukraine or SPU [Oleksandr MOROZ, chairman];

Ukrainian People's Party [Yuriy KOSTENKO]; Viche [Inna BOHUSLOVSKA]

United Arab Emirates

none

United Kingdom

Conservative and Unionist Party [David CAMERON];

Democratic Unionist Party (Northern Ireland) [Rev. Ian PAISLEY];

Labor Party [Anthony (Tony) BLAIR]; Liberal Democrats [Sir Menzies

CAMPBELL]; Party of Wales (Plaid Cymru) [Ieuan Wyn JONES]; Scottish

National Party or SNP [Alex SALMOND]; Sinn Fein (Northern Ireland)

[Gerry ADAMS]; Social Democratic and Labor Party or SDLP (Northern

Ireland) [Mark DURKAN]; Ulster Unionist Party (Northern Ireland)

[Sir Reg EMPEY]

United States

Democratic Party [Howard DEAN]; Green Party;

Libertarian Party [Steve DAMERELL]; Republican Party [Ken MEHLMAN]

Uruguay

Broad Front Coalition (Frente Amplio) - formerly known as

the Progressive Encounter/Broad Front Coalition or EP-FA [Jorge

BROVETTO]; Colorado Party [Julio Maria SANGUINETTI]; Independent

Party (Partido Independiente) [Pablo MIERES]; Movement of Popular

Participation or MPP [Jose MUJICA]; National Party or Blanco [Jorge

LARRANAGA]; New Sector/Space Coalition (Nuevo Espacio) [Rafael

MICHELINI]; Broad Front Coalition (Frente Amplio) - formerly known

as the Progressive Encounter/Broad Front Coalition or EP-FA [Jorge

BROVETTO]; Uruguayan Assembly or Asamblea Uruguay [Danilo ASTORI]

Uzbekistan

Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party [Dilorom

TASHMUHAMMEDOVA, chief]; Democratic National Rebirth Party (Milly

Tiklanish) or MTP [Hurshid DOSMUHAMMEDOV, chief]; Fidokorlar

National Democratic Party (Self-Sacrificers) [Ahtam TURSUNOV,

chief]; Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan or LDPU [Adham

SHADMANOV, chief]; People's Democratic Party or NDP (formerly

Communist Party) [Asliddin RUSTAMOV, first secretary]

Vanuatu

Jon Frum Movement [Song KEASPAI]; Melanesian Progressive

Party or MPP [Barak SOPE]; National United Party or NUP [Hem LINI];

Union of Moderate Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR]; Vanua'aku Pati (Our

Land Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI]; Vanuatu Greens Party or VGP

[Moana CARCASSES]; Vanuatu Republican Party or VRP [Maxime Carlot

KORMAN]

Venezuela

A New Time or UNT [Manuel ROSALES]; Christian Democrats or

COPEI [Cesar PEREZ Vivas]; Democratic Action or AD [Henry RAMOS

Allup]; Fatherland for All or PPT [Jose ALBORNOZ]; Fifth Republic

Movement or MVR [Hugo CHAVEZ]; Justice First [Julio BORGES];

Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Hector MUJICA]; Venezuela Project

or PV [Henrique SALAS Romer]; We Can or PODEMOS [Ismael GARCIA]

Vietnam

Communist Party of Vietnam or CPV [Nong Duc MANH]; other

parties proscribed

Virgin Islands

Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent

Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary

SPRAUVE]

Wallis and Futuna

Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians); Mouvement des Radicaux

de Gauche or MRG; Rally for the Republic or RPR (UMP) [Clovis

LOGOLOGOFOLAU]; Socialist Party or PS; Taumu'a Lelei [Soane Muni

UHILA]; Union Populaire Locale or UPL [Falakiko GATA]; Union Pour la

Democratie Francaise or UDF

Yemen

there are more than 12 political parties active in Yemen, some

of the more prominent are: General People's Congress or GPC

[President Ali Abdallah SALIH]; Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah

[Shaykh Abdallah bin Husayn al-AHMAR]; Nasserite Unionist Party

[Abdal Malik al-MAKHLAFI]; National Arab Socialist Ba'th Party [Dr.

Qasim SALAM]; Yemeni Socialist Party or YSP [Ali Salih MUQBIL]

Zambia

Agenda for Zambia or AZ [Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA]; Forum

for Democracy and Development or FDD [Christon TEMBO]; Heritage

Party or HP [Godfrey MIYANDA]; Liberal Progressive Front or LPF

[Roger CHONGWE, president]; Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD

[Levy MWANAWASA, acting president]; National Leadership for

Development or NLD [Yobert SHAMAPANDE]; National Party or NP [Dr.

Sam CHIPUNGU]; Patriotic Front or PF [Michael SATA]; Social

Democratic Party or SDP [Gwendoline KONIE]; United National

Independence Party or UNIP [Francis NKHOMA, president]; United Party

for National Development or UPND [Anderson MAZOKA]; Zambian

Republican Party or ZRP [Benjamin MWILA]

Zimbabwe

African National Party or ANP; Movement for Democratic

Change or MDC [Morgan TSVANGIRAI]; Peace Action is Freedom for All

or PAFA; United Parties [Abel MUZOREWA]; United People's Party

[Daniel SHUMBA]; Zimbabwe African National Union-Ndonga or

ZANU-Ndonga [Wilson KUMBULA]; Zimbabwe African National

Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Robert Gabriel MUGABE]; Zimbabwe

African Peoples Union or ZAPU [Agrippa MADLELA]; Zimbabwe Youth in

Alliance or ZIYA

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2119 Population

Afghanistan

31,056,997 (July 2006 est.)

Akrotiri

no indigenous inhabitants

note: approximately 1,300 military personnel are on the base; there

are another 5,000 British citizens who are families of military

personnel or civilian staff on both Akrotiri and Dhekelia; Cyprus

citizens work on the base, but do not live there

Albania

3,581,655 (July 2006 est.)

Algeria

32,930,091 (July 2006 est.)

American Samoa

57,794 (July 2006 est.)

Andorra

71,201 (July 2006 est.)

Angola

12,127,071 (July 2006 est.)

Anguilla

13,477 (July 2006 est.)

Antarctica

no indigenous inhabitants, but there are both permanent

and summer-only staffed research stations

note: 26 nations, all signatory to the Antarctic Treaty, operate

through their National Antarctic Program a number of seasonal-only

(summer) and year-round research stations on the continent and its

nearby islands south of 60 degrees south latitude (the region

covered by the Antarctic Treaty); these stations' population of

persons doing and supporting science or engaged in the management

and protection of the Antarctic region varies from approximately

4,000 in summer to 1,000 in winter; in addition, approximately 1,000

personnel, including ship's crew and scientists doing onboard

research, are present in the waters of the treaty region; peak

summer (December-February) population - 3,822 total; Argentina 417,

Australia 213, Brazil 40, Bulgaria 15, Chile 224, China 70, Ecuador

22, Finland 20, France 123, Germany 78, India 65, Italy 112, Japan

150, South Korea 60, NZ 85, Norway 44, Peru 28, Poland 40, Russia

429, South Africa 80, Spain 28, Sweden 20, Ukraine 24, UK 205, US

1,170, Uruguay 60 (2005-2006); winter (June-August) station

population - 1,028 total; Argentina 176, Australia 62, Brazil 12,

Chile 88, China 29, France 37, Germany 9, India 25, Italy 2, Japan

40, South Korea 15, NZ 10, Norway 7, Poland 12, Russia 148, South

Africa 10, Ukraine 12, UK 37, US 288, Uruguay 9 (2005); research

stations operated within the Antarctic Treaty area (south of 60

degrees south latitude) by members of the Council of Managers of

National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP): year-round stations - 37

total; Argentina 6, Australia 3, Brazil 1, Chile 3, China 2, France

1, Germany 1, India 1, Japan 1, South Korea 1, NZ 1, Norway 1,

Poland 1, Russia 5, South Africa 1, Ukraine 1, UK 2, US 3, Uruguay

1, Italy and France jointly 1 (2005); seasonal-only (summer)

stations - 15 total; Australia 1, Bulgaria 1, Chile 1, Ecuador 1,

Finland 1, Germany 1, Italy 1, Japan 1, Norway 1, Peru 1, Russia 1,

Spain 2, Sweden 1, UK 1 (2005-2006); in addition, during the austral

summer some nations have numerous occupied locations such as tent

camps, summer-long temporary facilities, and mobile traverses in

support of research

Antigua and Barbuda

69,108 (July 2006 est.)

Argentina

39,921,833 (July 2006 est.)

Armenia

2,976,372 (July 2006 est.)

Aruba

71,891 (July 2006 est.)

Ashmore and Cartier Islands no indigenous inhabitants note: Indonesian fishermen are allowed access to the lagoon and fresh water at Ashmore Reef's West Island (July 2006 est.)

Australia

20,264,082 (July 2006 est.)

Austria

8,192,880 (July 2006 est.)

Azerbaijan

7,961,619 (July 2006 est.)

Bahamas, The

303,770

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Bahrain

698,585

note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2006 est.)

Baker Island

uninhabited

note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and

naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during

World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by

special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and

generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and

remnants of structures from early settlement are located near the

middle of the west coast; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife

Service (2005 est.)

Bangladesh

147,365,352 (July 2006 est.)

Barbados

279,912 (July 2006 est.)

Bassas da India

uninhabited (July 2006 est.)

Belarus

10,293,011 (July 2006 est.)

Belgium

10,379,067 (July 2006 est.)

Belize

287,730 (July 2006 est.)

Benin

7,862,944

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Bermuda

65,773 (July 2006 est.)

Bhutan 2,279,723 note: other estimates range as low as 810,000 (July 2006 est.)

Bolivia

8,989,046 (July 2006 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

4,498,976 (July 2006 est.)

Botswana

1,639,833

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Bouvet Island

uninhabited (July 2006 est.)

Brazil

188,078,227

note: Brazil conducted a census in August 2000, which reported a

population of 169,799,170; that figure was about 3.3% lower than

projections by the US Census Bureau, and is close to the implied

underenumeration of 4.6% for the 1991 census; estimates for this

country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality

due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant

mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and

changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would

otherwise be expected (July 2006 est.)

British Indian Ocean Territory

no indigenous inhabitants

note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in

the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois,

were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s and

1970s; in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a

British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in

November 2004, there were approximately 4,000 UK and US military

personnel and civilian contractors living on the island of Diego

Garcia (July 2006 est.)

British Virgin Islands

23,098 (July 2006 est.)

Brunei

379,444 (July 2006 est.)

Bulgaria

7,385,367 (July 2006 est.)

Burkina Faso

13,902,972

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Burma

47,382,633

note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of

excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life

expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Burundi

8,090,068

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Cambodia

13,881,427

note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of

excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life

expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Cameroon

17,340,702

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Canada

33,098,932 (July 2006 est.)

Cape Verde

420,979 (July 2006 est.)

Cayman Islands

45,436

note: most of the population lives on Grand Cayman (July 2006 est.)

Central African Republic

4,303,356

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Chad

9,944,201 (July 2006 est.)

Chile

16,134,219 (July 2006 est.)

China

1,313,973,713 (July 2006 est.)

Christmas Island

1,493 (July 2006 est.)

Clipperton Island

uninhabited (July 2006 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

574 (July 2006 est.)

Colombia

43,593,035 (July 2006 est.)

Comoros

690,948 (July 2006 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

62,660,551

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

3,702,314

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Cook Islands

21,388 (July 2006 est.)

Coral Sea Islands

no indigenous inhabitants

note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological

station (2005 est.)

Costa Rica

4,075,261 (July 2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

17,654,843

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Croatia

4,494,749 (July 2006 est.)

Cuba

11,382,820 (July 2006 est.)

Cyprus

784,301 (July 2006 est.)

Czech Republic

10,235,455 (July 2006 est.)

Denmark

5,450,661 (July 2006 est.)

Dhekelia

no indigenous personnel

note: approximately 2,200 military personnel are on the base; there

are another 5,000 British citizens who are families of military

personnel or civilian staff on both the bases of Akrotiri and

Dhekelia; Cyprus citizens work on the base, but do not live there

Djibouti

486,530 (July 2006 est.)

Dominica

68,910 (July 2006 est.)

Dominican Republic

9,183,984 (July 2006 est.)

East Timor 1,062,777 note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 (July 2006 est.)

Ecuador

13,547,510 (July 2006 est.)

Egypt

78,887,007 (July 2006 est.)

El Salvador

6,822,378 (July 2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

540,109 (July 2006 est.)

Eritrea

4,786,994 (July 2006 est.)

Estonia

1,324,333 (July 2006 est.)

Ethiopia

74,777,981

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Europa Island

no indigenous inhabitants

note: there is a small French military garrison and a few

meteorologists; visited by scientists (July 2006 est.)

European Union

486,642,177 (July 2006 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

2,967 (July 2006 est.)

Faroe Islands

47,246 (July 2006 est.)

Fiji

905,949 (July 2006 est.)

Finland

5,231,372 (July 2006 est.)

France

total: 62,752,136

note: 60,876,136 in metropolitan France (July 2006 est.)

French Polynesia

274,578 (July 2006 est.)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

no indigenous inhabitants

note: in 2002, there were 145 researchers whose numbers vary from

winter (July) to summer (January) (July 2006 est.)

Gabon

1,424,906

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Gambia, The

1,641,564 (July 2006 est.)

Gaza Strip

1,428,757 (July 2006 est.)

Georgia

4,661,473 (July 2006 est.)

Germany

82,422,299 (July 2006 est.)

Ghana

22,409,572

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Gibraltar

27,928 (July 2006 est.)

Glorioso Islands

no indigenous inhabitants

note: there is a small French military garrison along with a few

meteorologists; visited by scientists (July 2006 est.)

Greece

10,688,058 (July 2006 est.)

Greenland

56,361 (July 2006 est.)

Grenada

89,703 (July 2006 est.)

Guam

171,019 (July 2006 est.)

Guatemala

12,293,545 (July 2006 est.)

Guernsey

65,409 (July 2006 est.)

Guinea

9,690,222 (July 2006 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

1,442,029 (July 2006 est.)

Guyana

767,245

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Haiti

8,308,504

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

uninhabited (July 2006 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)

932 (July 2006 est.)

Honduras

7,326,496

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Hong Kong

6,940,432 (July 2006 est.)

Howland Island

uninhabited

note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and

naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during

World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by

special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and

generally restricted to scientists and educators; visited annually

by US Fish and Wildlife Service (July 2006 est.)

Hungary

9,981,334 (July 2006 est.)

Iceland

299,388 (July 2006 est.)

Iles Eparses

Bassas da India: uninhabitable

Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island: a small French

military garrison and a few meteorologists on each possession;

visited by scientists

Tromelin Island: uninhabited, except for visits by scientists

India

1,095,351,995 (July 2006 est.)

Indonesia

245,452,739 (July 2006 est.)

Iran

68,688,433 (July 2006 est.)

Iraq

26,783,383 (July 2006 est.)

Ireland

4,062,235 (July 2006 est.)

Isle of Man

75,441 (July 2006 est.)

Israel

6,352,117

note: includes about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank,

about 20,000 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, and fewer than

177,000 in East Jerusalem (July 2006 est.)

Italy

58,133,509 (July 2006 est.)

Jamaica

2,758,124 (July 2006 est.)

Jan Mayen

no indigenous inhabitants

note: personnel operate the Long Range Navigation (Loran-C) base and

the weather and coastal services radio station (July 2006 est.)

Japan

127,463,611 (July 2006 est.)

Jarvis Island

uninhabited

note: Millersville settlement on western side of island occasionally

used as a weather station from 1935 until World War II, when it was

abandoned; reoccupied in 1957 during the International Geophysical

Year by scientists who left in 1958; public entry is by special-use

permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and generally

restricted to scientists and educators; visited annually by US Fish

and Wildlife Service (July 2006 est.)

Jersey

91,084 (July 2006 est.)

Johnston Atoll

uninhabited

note: in previous years, there was an average of 1,100 US military

and civilian contractor personnel present; as of September 2001,

population had decreased significantly when US Army Chemical

Activity Pacific (USACAP) departed; as of May 2005 all US government

personnel had left the island (July 2006 est.)

Jordan

5,906,760 (July 2006 est.)

Juan de Nova Island no indigenous inhabitants note: there is a small French military garrison along with a few meteorologists; occasionally visited by scientists (July 2006 est.)

Kazakhstan

15,233,244 (July 2006 est.)

Kenya

34,707,817

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Kingman Reef

uninhabited (July 2006 est.)

Kiribati

105,432 (July 2006 est.)

Korea, North

23,113,019 (July 2006 est.)

Korea, South

48,846,823 (July 2006 est.)

Kuwait 2,418,393 note: includes 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2006 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

5,213,898 (July 2006 est.)

Laos

6,368,481 (July 2006 est.)

Latvia

2,274,735 (July 2006 est.)

Lebanon

3,874,050 (July 2006 est.)

Lesotho

2,022,331

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Liberia

3,042,004 (July 2006 est.)

Libya 5,900,754 note: includes 166,510 non-nationals (July 2006 est.)

Liechtenstein

33,987 (July 2006 est.)

Lithuania

3,585,906 (July 2006 est.)

Luxembourg

474,413 (July 2006 est.)

Macau

453,125 (July 2006 est.)

Macedonia

2,050,554 (July 2006 est.)

Madagascar

18,595,469 (July 2006 est.)

Malawi

13,013,926

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Malaysia

24,385,858 (July 2006 est.)

Maldives

359,008 (July 2006 est.)

Mali

11,716,829 (July 2006 est.)

Malta

400,214 (July 2006 est.)

Marshall Islands

60,422 (July 2006 est.)

Mauritania

3,177,388 (July 2006 est.)

Mauritius

1,240,827 (July 2006 est.)

Mayotte

201,234 (July 2006 est.)

Mexico

107,449,525 (July 2006 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of

108,004 (July 2006 est.)

Midway Islands

no indigenous inhabitants; approximately 40 people

make up the staff of US Fish and Wildlife Service and their services

contractor living at the atoll (July 2006 est.)

Moldova

4,466,706 (July 2006 est.)

Monaco

32,543 (July 2006 est.)

Mongolia

2,832,224 (July 2006 est.)

Montenegro

630,548 (2004)

Montserrat

9,439

note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the

resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned

(July 2006 est.)

Morocco

33,241,259 (July 2006 est.)

Mozambique

19,686,505

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected; the 1997

Mozambican census reported a population of 16,099,246 (July 2006

est.)

Namibia

2,044,147

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Nauru

13,287 (July 2006 est.)

Navassa Island

uninhabited

note: transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island

(July 2006 est.)

Nepal

28,287,147 (July 2006 est.)

Netherlands

16,491,461 (July 2006 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

221,736 (July 2006 est.)

New Caledonia

219,246 (July 2006 est.)

New Zealand

4,076,140 (July 2006 est.)

Nicaragua

5,570,129 (July 2006 est.)

Niger

12,525,094 (July 2006 est.)

Nigeria

131,859,731

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Niue

2,166 (July 2006 est.)

Norfolk Island

1,828 (July 2006 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands

82,459 (July 2006 est.)

Norway

4,610,820 (July 2006 est.)

Oman 3,102,229 note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2006 est.)

Pakistan

165,803,560 (July 2006 est.)

Palau

20,579 (July 2006 est.)

Palmyra Atoll

no indigenous inhabitants; 4 to 20 Nature Conservancy

staff, US Fish and Wildlife staff (July 2006 est.)

Panama

3,191,319 (July 2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea

5,670,544 (July 2006 est.)

Paracel Islands no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons

Paraguay

6,506,464 (July 2006 est.)

Peru

28,302,603 (July 2006 est.)

Philippines

89,468,677 (July 2006 est.)

Pitcairn Islands

45 (July 2006 est.)

Poland

38,536,869 (July 2006 est.)

Portugal

10,605,870 (July 2006 est.)

Puerto Rico

3,927,188 (July 2006 est.)

Qatar

885,359 (July 2006 est.)

Romania

22,303,552 (July 2006 est.)

Russia

142,893,540 (July 2006 est.)

Rwanda

8,648,248

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Saint Helena

7,502

note: only Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha islands are

inhabited (July 2006 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

39,129 (July 2006 est.)

Saint Lucia

168,458 (July 2006 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

7,026 (July 2006 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

117,848 (July 2006 est.)

Samoa

176,908 (July 2006 est.)

San Marino

29,251 (July 2006 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe

193,413 (July 2006 est.)

Saudi Arabia 27,019,731 note: includes 5,576,076 non-nationals (July 2006 est.)

Senegal

11,987,121 (July 2006 est.)

Serbia

9,396,411 (2002 census)

Seychelles

81,541 (July 2006 est.)

Sierra Leone

6,005,250 (July 2006 est.)

Singapore

4,492,150 (July 2006 est.)

Slovakia

5,439,448 (July 2006 est.)

Slovenia

2,010,347 (July 2006 est.)

Solomon Islands

552,438 (July 2006 est.)

Somalia

8,863,338

note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in

1975 by the Somali Government; population counting in Somalia is

complicated by the large number of nomads and by refugee movements

in response to famine and clan warfare (July 2006 est.)

South Africa

44,187,637

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

no indigenous

inhabitants

note: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in March

2001, to be replaced by a permanent group of scientists of the

British Antarctic Survey, which also has a biological station on

Bird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited (July 2006

est.)

Spain

40,397,842 (July 2006 est.)

Spratly Islands

no indigenous inhabitants

note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several

claimant states (2004)

Sri Lanka

20,222,240

note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and

armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand

Tamil civilians have fled the island and more than 200,000 Tamils

have sought refuge in the West (July 2006 est.)

Sudan

41,236,378 (July 2006 est.)

Suriname

439,117 (July 2006 est.)

Svalbard

2,701 (July 2006 est.)

Swaziland

1,136,334

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Sweden

9,016,596 (July 2006 est.)

Switzerland

7,523,934 (July 2006 est.)

Syria

18,881,361

note: in addition, about 40,000 people live in the Israeli-occupied

Golan Heights - 20,000 Arabs (18,000 Druze and 2,000 Alawites) and

about 20,000 Israeli settlers (July 2006 est.)

Taiwan

23,036,087 (July 2006 est.)

Tajikistan

7,320,815 (July 2006 est.)

Tanzania

37,445,392

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Thailand

64,631,595

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Togo

5,548,702

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Tokelau

1,392 (July 2006 est.)

Tonga

114,689 (July 2006 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

1,065,842 (July 2006 est.)

Tromelin Island

uninhabited, except for visits by scientists (July

2006 est.)

Tunisia

10,175,014 (July 2006 est.)

Turkey

70,413,958 (July 2006 est.)

Turkmenistan

5,042,920 (July 2006 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

21,152 (July 2006 est.)

Tuvalu

11,810 (July 2006 est.)

Uganda

28,195,754

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Ukraine

46,710,816 (July 2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates

2,602,713 (July 2006 est.)

United Kingdom

60,609,153 (July 2006 est.)

United States

298,444,215 (July 2006 est.)

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

no indigenous

inhabitants

note: public entry is by special-use permit from US Fish and

Wildlife Service only and generally restricted to scientists and

educators; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife Service

Johnston Atoll: in previous years, an average of 1,100 US military

and civilian contractor personnel were present; as of May 2005 all

US government personnel had left the island

Midway Islands: approximately 40 people make up the staff of US Fish

and Wildlife Service and their services contractor living at the

atoll

Palmyra Atoll: four to 20 Nature Conservancy and US Fish and

Wildlife staff

Uruguay

3,431,932 (July 2006 est.)

Uzbekistan

27,307,134 (July 2006 est.)

Vanuatu

208,869 (July 2006 est.)

Venezuela

25,730,435 (July 2006 est.)

Vietnam

84,402,966 (July 2006 est.)

Virgin Islands

108,605 (July 2006 est.)

Wake Island

no indigenous inhabitants

note: since super typhoon IOKE, a small military contingent along

with 75 contractor personnel have returned to the island to conduct

clean-up and restore basic operations on the island (July 2006 est.)

Wallis and Futuna

16,025 (July 2006 est.)

West Bank

2,460,492

note: in addition, there are about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the

West Bank and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (July 2004 est.)

Western Sahara

273,008 (July 2006 est.)

World

6,525,170,264 (July 2006 est.)

Yemen

21,456,188 (July 2006 est.)

Zambia

11,502,010

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

Zimbabwe

12,236,805

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower

life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower

population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of

population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July

2006 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2120 Ports and terminals

Afghanistan

Kheyrabad, Shir Khan

Albania

Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore

Algeria

Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Djendjene, Jijel,

Mostaganem, Oran, Skikda

American Samoa

Pago Pago

Angola

Cabinda, Luanda, Soyo

Anguilla

Blowing Point, Road Bay

Antarctica

there are no developed ports and harbors in Antarctica;

most coastal stations have offshore anchorages, and supplies are

transferred from ship to shore by small boats, barges, and

helicopters; a few stations have a basic wharf facility; US coastal

stations include McMurdo (77 51 S, 166 40 E), and Palmer (64 43 S,

64 03 W); government use only except by permit (see Permit Office

under "Legal System"); all ships at port are subject to inspection

in accordance with Article 7, Antarctic Treaty; offshore anchorage

is sparse and intermittent; relevant legal instruments and

authorization procedures adopted by the states parties to the

Antarctic Treaty regulating access to the Antarctic Treaty area, to

all areas between 60 and 90 degrees of latitude south, have to be

complied with (see "Legal System"); The Hydrographic Committee on

Antarctica (HCA), a special hydrographic commission of International

Hydrographic Organization (IHO), is responsible for hydrographic

surveying and nautical charting matters in Antarctic Treaty area; it

coordinates and facilitates provision of accurate and appropriate

charts and other aids to navigation in support of safety of

navigation in region; membership of HCA is open to any IHO Member

State whose government has acceded to the Antarctic Treaty and which

contributes resources and/or data to IHO Chart coverage of the area;

members of HCA are Argentina, Australia, Chile, China, France,

Germany, Greece, India, Italy, NZ, Norway, Russia, South Africa,

Spain, and the UK (2005)

Antigua and Barbuda

Saint John's

Arctic Ocean

Churchill (Canada), Murmansk (Russia), Prudhoe Bay (US)

Argentina

Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, Concepcion del Uruguay, La

Plata, Punta Colorada, Rosario, San Lorenzo-San Martin, San Nicolas

Aruba

Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

none; offshore anchorage only

Atlantic Ocean

Alexandria (Egypt), Algiers (Algeria), Antwerp

(Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Casablanca

(Morocco), Colon (Panama), Copenhagen (Denmark), Dakar (Senegal),

Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg (Germany), Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas

(Canary Islands, Spain), Le Havre (France), Lisbon (Portugal),

London (UK), Marseille (France), Montevideo (Uruguay), Montreal

(Canada), Naples (Italy), New Orleans (US), New York (US), Oran

(Algeria), Oslo (Norway), Peiraiefs or Piraeus (Greece), Rio de

Janeiro (Brazil), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Saint Petersburg

(Russia), Stockholm (Sweden)

Australia

Brisbane, Dampier, Fremantle, Gladstone, Hay Point,

Melbourne, Newcastle, Port Hedland, Port Kembla, Port Walcott, Sydney

Austria

Enns, Krems, Linz, Vienna

Azerbaijan

Baku (Baki)

Bahamas, The

Freeport, Nassau, South Riding Point

Bahrain

Mina' Salman, Sitrah

Baker Island

none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one

small boat landing area along the middle of the west coast

Bangladesh

Chittagong, Mongla Port

Barbados

Bridgetown

Bassas da India

none; offshore anchorage only

Belarus

Mazyr

Belgium

Antwerp, Brussels, Gent, Liege, Oostende, Zeebrugge

Belize

Belize City

Benin

Cotonou

Bermuda

Hamilton, Saint George

Bolivia

Puerto Aguirre (on the Paraguay/Parana waterway, at the

Bolivia/Brazil border); also, Bolivia has free port privileges in

maritime ports in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosanska Gradiska, Bosanski Brod, Bosanski

Samac, and Brcko (all inland waterway ports on the Sava), Orasje

Bouvet Island

none; offshore anchorage only

Brazil

Gebig, Itaqui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, San Sebasttiao,

Santos, Sepetiba Terminal, Tubarao, Vitoria

British Indian Ocean Territory

Diego Garcia

British Virgin Islands

Road Town

Brunei

Lumut, Muara, Seria

Bulgaria

Burgas, Varna

Burma

Moulmein, Rangoon, Sittwe

Burundi

Bujumbura

Cambodia

Phnom Penh, Preah Seihanu (Sihanoukville)

Cameroon

Douala, Limboh Terminal

Canada

Fraser River Port, Halifax, Montreal, Port Cartier, Quebec,

Saint John's (Newfoundland), Sept Isles, Vancouver

Cape Verde

Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal

Cayman Islands

Cayman Brac, George Town

Central African Republic

Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga

Chile

Antofagasta, Arica, Huasco, Iquique, Lirquen, San Antonio, San

Vicente, Valparaiso

China

Dalian, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Ningbo, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao,

Shanghai

Christmas Island

Flying Fish Cove

Clipperton Island

none; offshore anchorage only

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Port Refuge

Colombia

Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Muelles El Bosque,

Puerto Bolivar, Santa Marta, Turbo

Comoros

Mayotte, Moutsamoudou

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Banana, Boma, Bukavu, Bumba, Goma,

Kalemie, Kindu, Kinshasa, Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka

Congo, Republic of the

Brazzaville, Djeno, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo,

Pointe-Noire

Cook Islands

Avatiu

Coral Sea Islands

none; offshore anchorage only

Costa Rica

Caldera, Puerto Limon

Cote d'Ivoire

Abidjan, Aboisso, Dabou, San-Pedro

Croatia

Omisalj, Ploce, Rijeka, Sibenik, Vukovar (on Danube)

Cuba

Cienfuegos, Havana, Matanzas

Cyprus

Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Vasilikos

Czech Republic

Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem

Denmark

Aalborg, Aarhus, Asnaesvaerkets, Copenhagen, Elsinore,

Ensted, Esbjerg, Fredericia, Frederikshavn, Kalundborg, Odense,

Roenne

Djibouti

Djibouti

Dominica

Portsmouth, Roseau

Dominican Republic

Boca Chica, Puerto Plata, Rio Haina, Santo Domingo

East Timor

Dili

Ecuador

Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar

Egypt

Alexandria, Damietta, El Dekheila, Port Said, Suez, Zeit

El Salvador

Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco

Equatorial Guinea

Malabo

Eritrea

Assab, Massawa

Estonia

Kopli, Kuivastu, Muuga, Tallinn, Virtsu

Ethiopia

Ethiopia is landlocked and uses the port of Djibouti

Europa Island

none; offshore anchorage only

European Union

Antwerp (Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Braila

(Romania), Bremen (Germany), Burgas (Bulgaria), Constanta (Romania),

Copenhagen (Denmark), Galati (Romania), Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg

(Germany), Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas (Canary Islands, Spain),

Le Havre (France), Lisbon (Portugal), London (UK), Marseille

(France), Naples (Italy), Peiraiefs or Piraeus (Greece), Riga

(Latvia), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Stockholm (Sweden), Talinn

(Estonia), Tulcea (Romania), Varna (Bulgaria)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Stanley

Faroe Islands

Torshavn

Fiji

Lambasa, Lautoka, Suva

Finland

Hamina, Hanko, Helsinki, Kotka, Naantali, Pori, Porvoo,

Raahe, Rauma, Turku

France

Basse-Terre (Guadeloupe), Bordeaux, Calais, Degrad de Cannes

(French Guiana), Dunkerque, Fort-de-France (Martinique), Gustavia

(Guadeloupe), La Pallice, La Trinite (Martinique), Le Havre, Le Port

(Reunion), Marin (Martinique), Marseille, Nantes, Paris,

Pointe-a-Pitre (Guadeloupe), Rouen, Strasbourg

French Polynesia

Papeete

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

none; offshore anchorage only

Gabon

Gamba, Libreville, Lucinda, Owendo, Port-Gentil

Gambia, The

Banjul

Gaza Strip

Gaza

Georgia

Bat'umi, P'ot'i

Germany

Bremen, Bremerhaven, Brunsbuttel, Duisburg, Frankfurt,

Hamburg, Karlsruhe, Mainz, Rostock, Wilhemshaven

Ghana

Takoradi, Tema

Gibraltar

Gibraltar

Glorioso Islands

none; offshore anchorage only

Greece

Agioitheodoroi, Aspropyrgos, Irakleion, Pachi, Piraeus,

Thessaloniki

Greenland

Sisimiut

Grenada

Saint George's

Guam

Apra Harbor

Guatemala

Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla

Guernsey

Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson

Guinea

Kamsar

Guinea-Bissau

Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim

Guyana

Georgetown

Haiti

Cap-Haitien

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

none; offshore anchorage only

Honduras

Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo, Tela

Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Howland Island

none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one

small boat landing area along the middle of the west coast

Hungary

Budapest, Dunaujvaros, Gyor-Gonyu, Csepel, Baja, Mohacs

(2003)

Iceland

Grundartangi, Hafnarfjordur, Hornafjordhur, Reykjavik,

Seydhisfjordhur

Iles Eparses

none; offshore anchorage only

India

Chennai, Haldia, Jawaharal Nehru, Kandla, Kolkata (Calcutta),

Mumbai (Bombay), New Mangalore, Vishakhapatnam

Indian Ocean

Chennai (Madras; India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban

(South Africa), Jakarta (Indonesia), Kolkata (Calcutta; India)

Melbourne (Australia), Mumbai (Bombay; India), Richards Bay (South

Africa)

Indonesia

Banjarmasin, Belawan, Ciwandan, Krueg Geukueh, Palembang,

Panjang, Sungai Pakning, Tanjung Perak, Tanjung Priok

Iran

Assaluyeh, Bushehr

Iraq

Al Basrah, Khawr az Zubayr, Umm Qasr

Ireland

Cork, Dublin, New Ross, Shannon Foynes, Waterford

Isle of Man

Castletown, Douglas, Ramsey

Israel

Ashdod, Elat (Eilat), Hadera, Haifa

Italy

Augusta, Genoa, Livorno, Melilli Oil Terminal, Ravenna,

Taranto, Trieste, Venice

Jamaica

Kingston, Port Esquivel, Port Kaiser, Port Rhoades, Rocky

Point

Jan Mayen

none; offshore anchorage only

Japan

Chiba, Kawasaki, Kiire, Kisarazu, Kobe, Mizushima, Nagoya,

Osaka, Tokyo, Yohohama

Jarvis Island

none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one

small boat landing area in the middle of the west coast and another

near the southwest corner of the island

Jersey

Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier

Johnston Atoll

Johnston Island

Jordan

Al 'Aqabah

Juan de Nova Island

none; offshore anchorage only

Kazakhstan

Aqtau (Shevchenko), Atyrau (Gur'yev), Oskemen

(Ust-Kamenogorsk), Pavlodar, Semey (Semipalatinsk)

Kenya

Mombasa

Kingman Reef

none; offshore anchorage only

Kiribati

Betio

Korea, North

Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek, Kosong,

Najin, Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang,

Wonsan

Korea, South

Inch'on, Masan, P'ohang, Pusan, Ulsan

Kuwait

Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Az Zawr (Mina' Sa'ud), Mina'

'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi

Kyrgyzstan

Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye)

Latvia

Riga, Ventspils

Lebanon

Beirut, Chekka, Jounie, Tripoli

Liberia

Buchanan, Monrovia

Libya

As Sidrah, Az Zuwaytinah, Marsa al Burayqah, Ra's Lanuf,

Tripoli, Zawiyah

Liechtenstein

none

Lithuania

Klaipeda

Luxembourg

Mertert

Macau

Macau

Madagascar

Antsiranana, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Malawi

Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba

Malaysia

Bintulu, Johor, Labuan, Lahad Datu, Lumut, Miri, George

Town (Penang), Port Kelang, Tanjung Pelepas

Maldives

Male

Mali

Koulikoro

Malta

Marsaxlokk, Valletta

Marshall Islands

Majuro

Mauritania

Nouadhibou, Nouakchott

Mauritius

Port Louis

Mayotte

Dzaoudzi

Mexico

Altamira, Manzanillo, Morro Redondo, Salina Cruz, Tampico,

Topolobampo, Veracruz

Micronesia, Federated States of

Tomil Harbor

Midway Islands

Sand Island

Monaco

Monaco

Montenegro

Bar

Montserrat

Plymouth

Morocco

Agadir, Casablanca, Mohammedia, Nador, Safi, Tangier

Mozambique

Beira, Maputo, Nacala

Namibia

Luderitz, Walvis Bay

Nauru

Nauru

Navassa Island

none; offshore anchorage only

Netherlands

Amsterdam, Groningen, IJmuiden, Rotterdam, Terneuzen,

Vlissingen, Zaanstad

Netherlands Antilles

Bopec Terminal, Fuik Bay, Kralendijk, Willemstad

New Caledonia

Noumea

New Zealand

Auckland, Lyttelton, Tauranga, Wellington, Whangarei

Nicaragua

Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff

Niger

none

Nigeria

Bonny Inshore Terminal, Calabar, Lagos, Port Harcourt

Niue

none; offshore anchorage only

Norfolk Island

none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade

Northern Mariana Islands

Saipan, Tinian

Norway

Borg Havn, Bergen, Mo i Rana, Molde, Mongstad, Narvik, Oslo,

Sture

Oman

Mina' Qabus, Salalah

Pacific Ocean

Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong (China), Kao-hsiung

(Taiwan), Los Angeles (US), Manila (Philippines), Pusan (South

Korea), San Francisco (US), Seattle (US), Shanghai (China),

Singapore, Sydney (Australia), Vladivostok (Russia), Wellington

(NZ), Yokohama (Japan)

Pakistan

Karachi, Port Muhammad Bin Qasim

Palau

Koror

Palmyra Atoll

West Lagoon

Panama

Balboa, Colon, Cristobal

Papua New Guinea

Kimbe, Lae, Rabaul

Paracel Islands

small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and

Duncan Island being expanded

Paraguay

Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion

Peru

Callao, Iquitos, Matarani, Pucallpa, Yurimaguas; note -

Iquitos, Pucallpa, and Yurimaguas are on the upper reaches of the

Amazon and its tributaries

Philippines

Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Iligan, Iloilo, Manila,

Surigao

Pitcairn Islands

Adamstown (on Bounty Bay)

Poland

Gdansk, Gdynia, Swinoujscie, Szczecin

Portugal

Leixoes, Lisbon, Setubal, Sines

Puerto Rico

Las Mareas, Mayaguez, San Juan

Qatar

Doha

Romania

Braila, Constanta, Galati, Tulcea

Russia

Anapa, Kaliningrad, Murmansk, Nakhodka, Novorossiysk,

Rostov-na-Donu, Saint Petersburg, Taganrog, Vanino, Vostochnyy

Rwanda

Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye

Saint Helena

Saint Helena: Jamestown

Ascension Island: Georgetown

Tristan da Cunha: Calshot Harbor

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Basseterre, Charlestown

Saint Lucia

Castries, Cul-de-Sac, Vieux-Fort

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Saint-Pierre

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Kingstown

Samoa

Apia

Sao Tome and Principe

Sao Tome

Saudi Arabia

Ad Dammam, Al Jubayl, Jiddah, Yanbu' al Sinaiyah

Senegal

Dakar

Seychelles

Victoria

Sierra Leone

Freetown, Pepel, Sherbro Islands

Singapore

Singapore

Slovakia

Bratislava, Komarno

Slovenia

Koper

Solomon Islands

Honiara, Malloco Bay, Shortland Harbor, Viru Harbor,

Yandina

Somalia

Boosaaso, Berbera, Kismaayo, Merca, Mogadishu

South Africa

Cape Town, Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth,

Richards Bay, Saldanha Bay

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Grytviken

Southern Ocean

McMurdo, Palmer, and offshore anchorages in Antarctica

note: few ports or harbors exist on southern side of Southern Ocean;

ice conditions limit use of most to short periods in midsummer; even

then some cannot be entered without icebreaker escort; most

Antarctic ports are operated by government research stations and,

except in an emergency, are not open to commercial or private

vessels; vessels in any port south of 60 degrees south are subject

to inspection by Antarctic Treaty observers (see Article 7); The

Hydrographic Committee on Antarctica (HCA), a special hydrographic

commission of International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), is

responsible for hydrographic surveying and nautical charting matters

in Antarctic Treaty area; it coordinates and facilitates provision

of accurate and appropriate charts and other aids to navigation in

support of safety of navigation in region; membership of HCA is open

to any IHO Member State whose government has acceded to the

Antarctic Treaty and which contributes resources and/or data to IHO

Chart coverage of the area; members of HCA are Argentina, Australia,

Chile, China, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, NZ, Norway,

Russia, South Africa, Spain, and the UK (2005)

Spain

Algeciras, Barcelona, Cartagena, Gijon, Huelva, La Coruna,

Tarragona, Valencia

Spratly Islands

none; offshore anchorage only

Sri Lanka

Colombo, Galle

Sudan

Port Sudan

Suriname

Paramaribo

Svalbard

Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden

Sweden

Goteborg, Helsingborg, Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo, Oxelosund,

Stenungsund, Stockholm, Trelleborg

Switzerland

Basel

Syria

Baniyas, Latakia

Taiwan

Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung

Tanzania

Dar es Salaam, Mtwara, Zanzibar City

Thailand

Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Prachuap Port, Si Racha

Togo

Kpeme, Lome

Tokelau

none; offshore anchorage only

Tonga

Nuku'alofa

Trinidad and Tobago

Pointe-a-Pierre, Point Lisas, Port-of-Spain

Tromelin Island

none; offshore anchorage only

Tunisia

Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Skhira

Turkey

Aliaga, Ambarli, Eregli, Haydarpasa, Istanbul, Izmir, Kocaeli

(Izmit), Toros

Turkmenistan

Turkmenbasy

Turks and Caicos Islands

Grand Turk, Providenciales

Tuvalu

Funafuti

Uganda

Entebbe, Jinja, Port Bell

Ukraine

Feodosiya, Kerch, Kherson, Mariupol', Mykolayiv, Odesa,

Reni, Yuzhnyy

United Arab Emirates

Al Fujayrah, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal 'Ali,

Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid, Sharjan

United Kingdom

Hound Point, Immingham, Milford Haven, Liverpool,

London, Southampton, Sullom Voe, Teesport

United States

Corpus Christi, Duluth, Hampton Roads, Houston, Long

Beach, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Tampa,

Texas City

note: 13 ports north of New Orleans (South Louisiana Ports) on the

Mississippi River handle 290,000,000 tons of cargo annually

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Baker, Howland, and

Jarvis Islands, and Kingman Reef: none; offshore anchorage only

Johnston Atoll: Johnston Island

Midway Islands: Sand Island

Palmyra Atoll: West Lagoon

Uruguay

Montevideo, Nueva Palmira, Fray Bentos, Colonia, Juan Lacaze

Uzbekistan

Termiz (Amu Darya)

Vanuatu

Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)

Venezuela

Amuay, La Guaira, Maracaibo, Puerto Cabello, Punta Cardon

Vietnam

Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City

Virgin Islands

Charlotte Amalie, Limetree Bay

Wake Island

none; two offshore anchorages for large ships

Wallis and Futuna

Leava, Mata-Utu

Western Sahara

Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun)

Yemen

Aden, Nishtun

Zambia

Mpulungu

Zimbabwe

Binga, Kariba

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2121 Railways (km)

Albania total: 447 km standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)

Algeria

total: 3,973 km

standard gauge: 2,888 km 1.435-m gauge (283 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 1,085 km 1.055-m gauge (2005)

Angola

total: 2,761 km

narrow gauge: 2,638 km 1.067-m gauge; 123 km 0.600-m gauge (2005)

Argentina

total: 31,902 km

broad gauge: 20,858 km 1.676-m gauge (141 km electrified)

standard gauge: 2,885 km 1.435-m gauge (26 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 7,922 km 1.000-m gauge; 237 km 0.750-m gauge (2005)

Armenia

total: 845 km

broad gauge: 845 km 1.520-m gauge (828 km electrified)

note: some lines are out of service (2005)

Australia

total: 47,738 km

broad gauge: 4,015 km 1.600-m gauge

standard gauge: 28,662 km 1.435-m gauge (1,397 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 14,831 km 1.067-m gauge (2,462 km electrified)

dual gauge: 230 km dual gauge (2005)

Austria

total: 6,011 km

standard gauge: 5,568 km 1.435-m gauge (3,427 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 21 km 1.000-m gauge; 422 km 0.760-m gauge (109 km

electrified) (2005)

Azerbaijan

total: 2,957 km

broad gauge: 2,957 km 1.520-m gauge (1,278 km electrified) (2005)

Bangladesh

total: 2,768 km

broad gauge: 946 km 1.676-m gauge

narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Belarus

total: 5,512 km

broad gauge: 5,497 km 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified)

standard gauge: 15 km 1.435 m (2005)

Belgium

total: 3,521 km

standard gauge: 3,521 km 1.435-m gauge (2,927 km electrified) (2005)

Benin

total: 578 km

narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Bolivia

total: 3,519 km

narrow gauge: 3,519 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

total: 608 km (777 km electrified)

standard gauge: 608 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)

Botswana

total: 888 km

narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)

Brazil

total: 29,252 km

broad gauge: 4,877 km 1.600-m gauge (939 km electrified)

standard gauge: 194 km 1.440-m gauge

narrow gauge: 23,785 km 1.000-m gauge (581 km electrified)

dual gauge: 396 km 1.000 m and 1.600-m gauges (three rails) (78 km

electrified) (2005)

Bulgaria

total: 4,294 km

standard gauge: 4,049 km 1.435-m gauge (2,710 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 245 km 0.760-m gauge (2005)

Burkina Faso

total: 622 km

narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge

note:: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote D'Ivoire

(2005)

Burma

total: 3,955 km

narrow gauge: 3,955 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Cambodia

total: 602 km

narrow gauge: 602 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Cameroon

total: 987 km

narrow gauge: 987 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Canada

total: 48,467 km

standard gauge: 48,467 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)

Chile

total: 6,585 km

broad gauge: 2,831 km 1.676-m gauge (1,317 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 3,754 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

China

total: 74,408 km

standard gauge: 74,408 km 1.435-m gauge (19,303 km electrified)

(2004)

Colombia

total: 3,304 km

standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (2005)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

total: 5,138 km

narrow gauge: 3,987 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km

1.000-m gauge; 1,026 km 0.600-m gauge (2005)

Congo, Republic of the

total: 894 km

narrow gauge: 894 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)

Costa Rica

total: 278 km

narrow gauge: 278 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)

Cote d'Ivoire

total: 660 km

narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000 meter gauge

note: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina

Faso (2005)

Croatia

total: 2,726 km

standard gauge: 2,726 km 1.435-m gauge (1,199 km electrified) (2005)

Cuba

total: 4,226 km

standard gauge: 4,226 km 1.435-m gauge (140 km electrified)

note: an additional 7,742 km of track is used by sugar plantations;

about 65% of this track is standard gauge; the rest is narrow gauge

(2005)

Czech Republic

total: 9,572 km

standard gauge: 9,473 km 1.435-m gauge (2,951 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 99 km 0.760-m gauge (2005)

Denmark

total: 2,673 km

standard gauge: 2,673 km 1.435-m gauge (601 km electrified) (2005)

Djibouti

total: 100 km (Djibouti segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti

railway)

narrow gauge: 100 km 1.000-m gauge

note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2005)

Dominican Republic

total: 517 km

standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge

note: additional 1,226 km operated by sugar companies in 1.076 m,

0.889 m, and 0.762-m gauges (2005)

Ecuador

total: 966 km

narrow gauge: 966 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)

Egypt

total: 5,063 km

standard gauge: 5,063 km 1.435-m gauge (62 km electrified) (2005)

El Salvador

total: 283 km

narrow gauge: 283 km 0.914-m gauge

note: length of operational route reduced from 562 km to 283 km by

disuse and lack of maintenance (2005)

Eritrea

total: 306 km

narrow gauge: 306 km 0.950-m gauge (2005)

Estonia

total: 958 km

broad gauge: 958 km 1.520 m/1.524-m gauge (2005)

Ethiopia

total: 681 km (Ethiopian segment of the Addis

Ababa-Djibouti railroad)

narrow gauge: 681 km 1.000-m gauge

note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2005)

European Union total: 235,199 km broad gauge: 28,327 km standard gauge: 198,913 km narrow gauge: 7,936 km other: 23 km (2005)

Fiji

total: 597 km

narrow gauge: 597 km 0.600-m gauge

note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation; used

to haul sugarcane during harvest season (May to December) (2005)

Finland

total: 5,741 km

broad gauge: 5,741 km 1.524-m gauge (2,619 km electrified) (2005)

France

total: 29,085 km

standard gauge: 28,918 km 1.435-m gauge (14,481 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Gabon

total: 814 km

standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)

Georgia

total: 1,612 km

broad gauge: 1,575 km 1.520-m gauge (1,575 electrified)

narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge (37 electrified) (2005)

Germany

total: 47,201 km

standard gauge: 46,948 km 1.435-m gauge (19,674 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 229 km 1.000-m gauge (16 km electrified); 24 km

0.750-m gauge (2005)

Ghana

total: 953 km

narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)

Greece

total: 2,571 km

standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (764 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge

dual gauge: 23 km combined 1.435 m and 1.000-m gauges (three rail

system) (2005)

Guatemala

total: 886 km

narrow gauge: 886 km 0.914-m gauge (2005)

Guinea

total: 837 km

standard gauge: 175 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 662 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Guyana

total: 187 km

standard gauge: 139 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 48 km 0.914-m gauge

note: all dedicated to ore transport (2001 est.)

Honduras

total: 699 km

narrow gauge: 279 km 1.067-m gauge; 420 km 0.914-m gauge (2005)

Hungary

total: 7,937 km

broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge

standard gauge: 7,682 km 1.435-m gauge (2,628 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 219 km 0.760-m gauge (2005)

India

total: 63,230 km

broad gauge: 45,718 km 1.676-m gauge (16,528 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 14,406 km 1.000-m gauge (165 km electrified); 3,106 km

0.762-m gauge and 0.610-m gauge (2005)

Indonesia

total: 6,458 km

narrow gauge: 5,961 km 1.067-m gauge (125 km electrified); 497 km

0.750-m gauge (2005)

Iran

total: 7,256 km

broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge

standard gauge: 7,162 km 1.435-m gauge (186 km electrified) (2005)

Iraq

total: 2,200 km

standard gauge: 2,200 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)

Ireland

total: 3,312 km

broad gauge: 1,947 km 1.600-m gauge (46 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 1,365 km 0.914-m gauge (operated by the Irish Peat

Board to transport peat to power stations and briquetting plants)

(2005)

Isle of Man

total: 65 km

standard guage: 7 km 1.067-m guage (7 km electrified)

narrow guage: 58 km 0.914-m guage (29 km electrified)

note: primarily summer tourist attractions (2006)

Israel

total: 853 km

standard gauge: 853 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)

Italy

total: 19,459 km

standard gauge: 18,037 km 1.435-m gauge (11,354 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 123 km 1.000-m gauge (122 km electrified); 1,299 km

0.950-m gauge (161 km electrified) (2005)

Jamaica

total: 272 km

standard gauge: 272 km 1.435-m gauge

note: 207 of these km belonging to the Jamaica Railway Corporation

had been in common carrier service until 1992 but are no longer

operational; 57 km of the remaining track is privately owned and

used by ALCAN to transport bauxite (2003)

Japan

total: 23,556 km

standard gauge: 3,204 km 1.435-m gauge (3,204 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 77 km 1.372-m gauge (77 km electrified); 20,264 km

1.067-m gauge (13,280 km electrified); 11 km 0.762-m gauge (11 km

electrified) (2005)

Jordan

total: 505 km

narrow gauge: 505 km 1.050-m gauge (2005)

Kazakhstan

total: 13,700 km

broad gauge: 13,700 km 1.520-m gauge (3,700 km electrified) (2005)

Kenya

total: 2,778 km

narrow gauge: 2,778 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Korea, North

total: 5,214 km

standard gauge: 5,214 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified) (2005)

Korea, South

total: 3,472 km

standard gauge: 3,472 km 1.435-m gauge (1,361 km electrified) (2005)

Kyrgyzstan

total: 470 km

broad gauge: 470 km 1.520-m gauge (2005)

Latvia

total: 2,303 km

broad gauge: 2,270 km 1.520-m gauge (257 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2005)

Lebanon

total: 401 km

standard gauge: 319 km 1.435 m

narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050 m

note: rail system became unusable because of damage done during

fighting in the 1980s and in 2006 (2006)

Liberia

total: 490 km

standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge

note: railway is inoperable because of damage suffered during the

civil war (2005)

Libya

0 km

note: Libya is working on seven lines totaling 2,757 km of 1.435-m

gauge track; it hopes to have trains running by 2008 (2005)

Liechtenstein

9 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified)

note: belongs to the Austrian Railway System connecting Austria and

Switzerland (2006)

Lithuania

total: 1,771 km

broad gauge: 1,749 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified)

standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)

Luxembourg

total: 274 km

standard gauge: 274 km 1.435-m gauge (262 km electrified) (2005)

Macedonia

total: 699 km

standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (233 km electrified) (2005)

Madagascar

total: 854 km

narrow gauge: 854 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Malawi

total: 797 km

narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)

Malaysia

total: 1,890 km

standard gauge: 57 km 1.435-m gauge (57 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 1,833 km 1.000-m gauge (150 km electrified) (2005)

Mali

total: 729 km

narrow gauge: 729 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Mauritania

717 km

standard gauge: 717 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)

Mexico

total: 17,562 km

standard gauge: 17,562 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)

Moldova

total: 1,138 km

broad gauge: 1,124 km 1.520-m gauge

standard gauge: 14 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)

Mongolia

total: 1,810 km

broad gauge: 1,810 km 1.524-m gauge (2005)

Montenegro

total: 250 km

standard gauge: 250 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified 169 km) (2005)

Morocco

total: 1,907 km

standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified) (2005)

Mozambique

total: 3,123 km

narrow gauge: 2,983 km 1.067-m gauge; 140 km 0.762-m gauge (2005)

Namibia

total: 2,382 km

narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)

Nepal

total: 59 km

narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2005)

Netherlands

total: 2,808 km

standard gauge: 2,808 km 1.435-m gauge (2,061 km electrified) (2005)

New Zealand

total: 4,128 km

narrow gauge: 4,128 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2005)

Nicaragua

total: 6 km

narrow gauge: 6 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)

Nigeria

total: 3,505 km

narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)

Norway

total: 4,077 km

standard gauge: 4,077 km 1.435-m gauge (2,680 km electrified) (2005)

Pakistan

total: 8,163 km

broad gauge: 7,718 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 445 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Panama

total: 355 km

standard gauge: 77 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 278 km 0.914-m gauge (2005)

Paraguay

total: 36 km

standard gauge: 36 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)

Peru

total: 3,462 km

standard gauge: 2,962 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 500 km 0.914-m gauge (2005)

Philippines

total: 897 km

narrow gauge: 897 km 1.067-m gauge (492 km are in operation) (2005)

Poland

total: 23,072 km

broad gauge: 629 km 1.524-m gauge

standard gauge: 22,443 km 1.435-m gauge (20,555 km operational;

11,910 km electrified) (2005)

Portugal

total: 2,850 km

broad gauge: 2,576 km 1.668-m gauge (623 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 274 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Puerto Rico

total: 96 km

narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Romania

total: 11,385 km

standard gauge: 10,898 km 1.435-m gauge (3,888 km electrified)

broad gauge: 60 km 1.524-m gauge

narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (2005)

Russia

total: 87,157 km

broad gauge: 86,200 km 1.520-m gauge (40,300 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 957 km 1.067-m gauge (on Sakhalin Island)

note: an additional 30,000 km of non-common carrier lines serve

industries (2005)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

total: 50 km

narrow gauge: 50 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts to serve sugarcane

plantations during harvest season and for tourists (2005)

Saudi Arabia

total: 1,392 km

standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and

sidings) (2005)

Senegal

total: 906 km

narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000 meter gauge (2005)

Serbia

total: 4,135 km

standard guage: 4,135 km 1.435-m guage (electrified 1,195 km) (2005)

Slovakia

total: 3,662 km

broad gauge: 100 km 1.520-m gauge

standard gauge: 3,512 km 1.435-m gauge (1,588 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 50 km (1.000-m or 0.750-m gauge) (2005)

Slovenia

total: 1,229 km

standard gauge: 1,229 km 1.435-m gauge (504 km electrified) (2005)

South Africa

total: 20,872 km

narrow gauge: 20,436 km 1.065-m gauge (8,868 km electrified); 436 km

0.610-m gauge (2005)

Spain

total: 14,873 km

broad gauge: 11,919 km 1.668-m gauge (6,950 km electrified)

standard gauge: 998 km 1.435-m gauge (998 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 1,928 km 1.000-m gauge (815 km electrified); 28 km

0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified) (2005)

Sri Lanka

total: 1,449 km

broad gauge: 1,449 km 1.676-m gauge (2005)

Sudan

total: 5,978 km

narrow gauge: 4,578 km 1.067-m gauge; 1,400 km 0.600-m gauge for

cotton plantations (2005)

Swaziland

total: 301 km

narrow gauge: 301 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)

Sweden

total: 11,481 km

standard gauge: 11,481 km 1.435-m gauge (9,400 km electrified) (2005)

Switzerland

total: 4,583 km

standard gauge: 3,234 km 1.435-m gauge (3,223 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 1,339 km 1.000-m gauge (1,338 km electrified); 10 km

0.800-m gauge (10 km electrified) (2005)

Syria

total: 2,711 km

standard gauge: 2,460 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 251 km 1.050-m gauge (2005)

Taiwan

total: 2,497 km

narrow gauge: 1,097 km 1.067-m gauge (685 km electrified)

note: 1,400 km .762-m gauge (belonging to the Taiwan Sugar

Corporation and to the Taiwan Forestry Bureau) used to carry

products and limited numbers of passengers (2005)

Tajikistan

total: 482 km

broad gauge: 482 km 1.520-m gauge (2005)

Tanzania

total: 3,690 km

narrow gauge: 969 km 1.067-m gauge; 2,721 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Thailand

total: 4,071 km

narrow gauge: 4,071 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Togo

total: 568 km

narrow gauge: 568 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Tunisia

total: 2,153 km

standard gauge: 471 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 1,674 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified)

dual gauge: 8 km 1.435 m and 1.000-m gauges (three rails) (2005)

Turkey

total: 8,697 km

standard gauge: 8,697 km 1.435-m gauge (2,122 km electrified) (2005)

Turkmenistan

total: 2,440 km

broad gauge: 2,440 km 1.520-m gauge (2005)

Uganda

total: 1,244 km

narrow gauge: 1,244 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Ukraine

total: 22,473 km

broad gauge: 22,473 km 1.524-m gauge (9,250 km electrified) (2005)

United Kingdom

total: 17,156 km

standard gauge: 16,814 km 1.435-m gauge (5,384 km electrified)

broad gauge: 342 km 1.600-m gauge (in Northern Ireland) (2005)

United States

total: 226,605 km

standard gauge: 226,605 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Uruguay

total: 2,073 km

standard gauge: 2,073 km 1.435-m gauge

note: 461 km have been taken out of service and 460 km are in

partial use (2005)

Uzbekistan

total: 3,950 km

broad gauge: 3,950 km 1.520-m gauge (620 km electrified) (2005)

Venezuela

total: 682 km

standard gauge: 682 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)

Vietnam

total: 2,600 km

standard gauge: 178 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 2,169 km 1.000-m gauge

dual gauge: 253 km three-rail track combining 1.435 m and 1.000-m

gauges (2005)

World

total: 1,115,205 km

broad gauge: 257,481 km

standard gauge: 671,413 km

narrow gauge: 186,311 km (2003)

Zambia

total: 2,173 km

narrow gauge: 2,173 km 1.067-m gauge

note: includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority

(TAZARA) (2005)

Zimbabwe total: 3,077 km narrow gauge: 3,077 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified) (2005)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2122 Religions (%)

Afghanistan

Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi'a Muslim 19%, other 1%

Albania

Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10%

note: percentages are estimates; there are no available current

statistics on religious affiliation; all mosques and churches were

closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November

1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice

Algeria

Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%

American Samoa

Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%,

Protestant and other 30%

Andorra

Roman Catholic (predominant)

Angola

indigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15%

(1998 est.)

Anguilla

Anglican 29%, Methodist 23.9%, other Protestant 30.2%,

Roman Catholic 5.7%, other Christian 1.7%, other 5.2%, none or

unspecified 4.3% (2001 Census)

Antigua and Barbuda

Christian (predominantly Anglican with other

Protestant, and some Roman Catholic)

Argentina

nominally Roman Catholic 92% (less than 20% practicing),

Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 4%

Armenia

Armenian Apostolic 94.7%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi

(monotheist with elements of nature worship) 1.3%

Aruba

Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian,

Jewish

Australia

Catholic 26.4%, Anglican 20.5%, other Christian 20.5%,

Buddhist 1.9%, Muslim 1.5%, other 1.2%, unspecified 12.7%, none

15.3% (2001 Census)

Austria

Roman Catholic 73.6%, Protestant 4.7%, Muslim 4.2%, other

3.5%, unspecified 2%, none 12% (2001 census)

Azerbaijan

Muslim 93.4%, Russian Orthodox 2.5%, Armenian Orthodox

2.3%, other 1.8% (1995 est.)

note: religious affiliation is still nominal in Azerbaijan;

percentages for actual practicing adherents are much lower

Bahamas, The

Baptist 35.4%, Anglican 15.1%, Roman Catholic 13.5%,

Pentecostal 8.1%, Church of God 4.8%, Methodist 4.2%, other

Christian 15.2%, none or unspecified 2.9%, other 0.8% (2000 census)

Bahrain

Muslim (Shi'a and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8%

(2001 census)

Bangladesh

Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998)

Barbados

Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%,

other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12%

Belarus

Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic,

Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)

Belgium

Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%

Belize

Roman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Pentecostal 7.4%,

Anglican 5.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%, Mennonite 4.1%, Methodist

3.5%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%), other 14%, none 9.4% (2000)

Benin

indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%

Bermuda

Anglican 23%, Roman Catholic 15%, African Methodist

Episcopal 11%, other Protestant 18%, other 12%, unaffiliated 6%,

unspecified 1%, none 14% (2000 census)

Bhutan

Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced

Hinduism 25%

Bolivia

Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist) 5%

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Muslim 40%, Orthodox 31%, Roman Catholic 15%,

other 14%

Botswana

Christian 71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4%, unspecified 0.4%,

none 20.6% (2001 census)

Brazil

Roman Catholic (nominal) 73.6%, Protestant 15.4%,

Spiritualist 1.3%, Bantu/voodoo 0.3%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.2%,

none 7.4% (2000 census)

British Virgin Islands

Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%,

Church of God 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's

Witnesses 2%, other 15%), Roman Catholic 10%, none 2%, other 2%

(1991)

Brunei

Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%,

indigenous beliefs and other 10%

Bulgaria

Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other Christian

1.2%, other 4% (2001 census)

Burkina Faso

Muslim 50%, indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian (mainly

Roman Catholic) 10%

Burma

Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%),

Muslim 4%, animist 1%, other 2%

Burundi

Christian 67% (Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 5%),

indigenous beliefs 23%, Muslim 10%

Cambodia

Theravada Buddhist 95%, other 5%

Cameroon

indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

Canada

Roman Catholic 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including United

Church 9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other

Christian 4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and unspecified 11.8%, none 16%

(2001 census)

Cape Verde

Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs);

Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene)

Cayman Islands

United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational),

Anglican, Baptist, Church of God, other Protestant, Roman Catholic

Central African Republic

indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%,

Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%

note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the

Christian majority

Chad

Muslim 51%, Christian 35%, animist 7%, other 7%

Chile

Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish NEGL%

China

Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Christian 3%-4%, Muslim 1%-2%

note: officially atheist (2002 est.)

Christmas Island

Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21%

(1997)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.)

Colombia

Roman Catholic 90%, other 10%

Comoros

Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant

20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other syncretic sects and

indigenous beliefs 10%

Congo, Republic of the

Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%

Cook Islands

Cook Islands Christian Church 55.9%, Roman Catholic

16.8%, Seventh-Day Adventists 7.9%, Church of Latter Day Saints

3.8%, other Protestant 5.8%, other 4.2%, unspecified 2.6%, none 3%

(2001 census)

Costa Rica

Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's

Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%

Cote d'Ivoire

Muslim 35-40%, indigenous 25-40%, Christian 20-30%

(2001)

note: the majority of foreigners (migratory workers) are Muslim

(70%) and Christian (20%)

Croatia

Roman Catholic 87.8%, Orthodox 4.4%, other Christian 0.4%,

Muslim 1.3%, other and unspecified 0.9%, none 5.2% (2001 census)

Cuba

nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power;

Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also

represented

Cyprus

Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, Maronite, Armenian Apostolic,

and other 4%

Czech Republic

Roman Catholic 26.8%, Protestant 2.1%, other 3.3%,

unspecified 8.8%, unaffiliated 59% (2001 census)

Denmark

Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Protestant and Roman

Catholic 3%, Muslim 2%

Djibouti

Muslim 94%, Christian 6%

Dominica

Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%,

Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%),

other 6%, none 2%

Dominican Republic

Roman Catholic 95%

East Timor

Roman Catholic 98%, Muslim 1%, Protestant 1% (2005)

Ecuador

Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%

Egypt

Muslim (mostly Sunni) 90%, Coptic 9%, other Christian 1%

El Salvador

Roman Catholic 83%, other 17%

note: there is extensive activity by Protestant groups throughout

the country; by the end of 1992, there were an estimated 1 million

Protestant evangelicals in El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea

nominally Christian and predominantly Roman

Catholic, pagan practices

Eritrea

Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant

Estonia

Evangelical Lutheran 13.6%, Orthodox 12.8%, other Christian

(including Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic,

Pentecostal) 1.4%, unaffiliated 34.1%, other and unspecified 32%,

none 6.1% (2000 census)

Ethiopia

Muslim 45%-50%, Ethiopian Orthodox 35%-40%, animist 12%,

other 3%-8%

European Union

Roman Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

primarily Anglican, Roman

Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist Church, Jehovah's

Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist

Faroe Islands

Evangelical Lutheran

Fiji

Christian 52% (Methodist 37%, Roman Catholic 9%), Hindu 38%,

Muslim 8%, other 2%

note: Fijians are mainly Christian, Indians are Hindu, and there is

a Muslim minority

Finland

Lutheran National Church 84.2%, Greek Orthodox in Finland

1.1%, other Christian 1.1%, other 0.1%, none 13.5% (2003)

France

Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim

5%-10%, unaffiliated 4%

overseas departments: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Hindu, Muslim,

Buddhist, pagan

French Polynesia

Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no

religion 6%

Gabon

Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%

Gambia, The

Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1%

Gaza Strip

Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 98.7%, Christian 0.7%,

Jewish 0.6%

Georgia

Orthodox Christian 83.9%, Muslim 9.9%, Armenian-Gregorian

3.9%, Catholic 0.8%, other 0.8%, none 0.7% (2002 census)

Germany

Protestant 34%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 3.7%,

unaffiliated or other 28.3%

Ghana

Christian 63%, Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs 21%

Gibraltar

Roman Catholic 78.1%, Church of England 7%, other

Christian 3.2%, Muslim 4%, Jewish 2.1%, Hindu 1.8%, other or

unspecified 0.9%, none 2.9% (2001 census)

Greece

Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%

Greenland

Evangelical Lutheran

Grenada

Roman Catholic 53%, Anglican 13.8%, other Protestant 33.2%

Guam

Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.)

Guatemala

Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs

Guernsey

Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist,

Congregational, Methodist

Guinea

Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%

Guinea-Bissau

indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5%

Guyana

Christian 50%, Hindu 35%, Muslim 10%, other 5%

Haiti

Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal

4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3%

note: roughly half of the population practices Voodoo

Holy See (Vatican City)

Roman Catholic

Honduras

Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant 3%

Hong Kong

eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%

Hungary

Roman Catholic 51.9%, Calvinist 15.9%, Lutheran 3%, Greek

Catholic 2.6%, other Christian 1%, other or unspecified 11.1%,

unaffiliated 14.5% (2001 census)

Iceland

Lutheran Church of Iceland 85.5%, Reykjavik Free Church

2.1%, Roman Catholic Church 2%, Hafnarfjorour Free Church 1.5%,

other Christian 2.7%, other or unspecified 3.8%, unaffiliated 2.4%

(2004)

India

Hindu 80.5%, Muslim 13.4%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other

1.8%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)

Indonesia

Muslim 88%, Protestant 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 2%,

Buddhist 1%, other 1% (1998)

Iran

Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 9%, Zoroastrian, Jewish,

Christian, and Baha'i 2%

Iraq

Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%

Ireland

Roman Catholic 88.4%, Church of Ireland 3%, other Christian

1.6%, other 1.5%, unspecified 2%, none 3.5% (2002 census)

Isle of Man

Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist,

Presbyterian, Society of Friends

Israel

Jewish 76.4%, Muslim 16%, Arab Christians 1.7%, other

Christian 0.4%, Druze 1.6%, unspecified 3.9% (2004)

Italy

approximately 90% Roman Catholic (about one-third regularly

attend services); mature Protestant and Jewish communities and a

growing Muslim immigrant community

Jamaica

Protestant 61.3% (Church of God 21.2%, Seventh-Day Adventist

9%, Baptist 8.8%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Anglican 5.5%, Methodist 2.7%,

United Church 2.7%, Jehovah's Witness 1.6%, Brethren 1.1%, Moravian

1.1%), Roman Catholic 4%, other including some spiritual cults 34.7%

Japan

observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including

Christian 0.7%)

Jersey

Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church,

Methodist, Presbyterian

Jordan

Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but

some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox,

Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several

small Shi'a Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan

Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%

Kenya

Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, indigenous beliefs 10%,

Muslim 10%, other 2%

note: a large majority of Kenyans are Christian, but estimates for

the percentage of the population that adheres to Islam or indigenous

beliefs vary widely

Kiribati

Roman Catholic 52%, Protestant (Congregational) 40%, some

Seventh-Day Adventist, Muslim, Baha'i, Latter-day Saints, Church of

God (1999)

Korea, North

traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian

and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way)

note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent;

government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of

religious freedom

Korea, South

no affiliation 46%, Christian 26%, Buddhist 26%,

Confucianist 1%, other 1%

Kuwait

Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shi'a 30%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi,

and other 15%

Kyrgyzstan

Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5%

Laos

Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various

Christian denominations 1.5%)

Latvia

Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox

Lebanon

Muslim 59.7% (Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or

Nusayri), Christian 39% (Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Melkite

Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic,

Syrian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Chaldean, Assyrian, Copt,

Protestant), other 1.3%

note: 17 religious sects recognized

Lesotho

Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%

Liberia

indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

Libya

Sunni Muslim 97%

Liechtenstein

Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%,

other 6.2% (June 2002)

Lithuania

Roman Catholic 79%, Russian Orthodox 4.1%, Protestant

(including Lutheran and Evangelical Christian Baptist) 1.9%, other

or unspecified 5.5%, none 9.5% (2001 census)

Luxembourg

87% Roman Catholic, 13% Protestants, Jews, and Muslims

(2000)

Macau

Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997

est.)

Macedonia

Macedonian Orthodox 64.7%, other Christian 0.37%, Muslim

33.3%, other and unspecified 1.63% (2002 census)

Madagascar

indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%

Malawi

Christian 79.9%, Muslim 12.8%, other 3%, none 4.3% (1998

census)

Malaysia

Muslim, Buddhist, Daoist, Hindu, Christian, Sikh; note - in

addition, Shamanism is practiced in East Malaysia

Maldives

Sunni Muslim

Mali

Muslim 90%, indigenous beliefs 9%, Christian 1%

Malta

Roman Catholic 98%

Marshall Islands

Protestant 54.8%, Assembly of God 25.8%, Roman

Catholic 8.4%, Bukot nan Jesus 2.8%, Mormon 2.1%, other Christian

3.6%, other 1%, none 1.5% (1999 census)

Mauritania

Muslim 100%

Mauritius

Hindu 48%, Roman Catholic 23.6%, other Christian 8.6%,

Muslim 16.6%, other 2.5%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.4% (2000 census)

Mayotte

Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic)

Mexico

nominally Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%, other 5%

Micronesia, Federated States of

Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%,

other 3%

Moldova

Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5%

(2000)

Monaco

Roman Catholic 90%

Mongolia

Buddhist Lamaist 50%, none 40%, Shamanist and Christian 6%,

Muslim 4% (2004)

Montenegro

Orthodox, Muslim, Roman Catholic

Montserrat

Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal,

Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations

Morocco

Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%

Mozambique

Catholic 23.8%, Muslim 17.8%, Zionist Christian 17.5%,

other 17.8%, none 23.1% (1997 census)

Namibia

Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous

beliefs 10% to 20%

Nauru

Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic)

Nepal

Hindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%, Kirant 3.6%, other

0.9% (2001 census)

note: only official Hindu state in the world

Netherlands

Roman Catholic 31%, Dutch Reformed 13%, Calvinist 7%,

Muslim 5.5%, other 2.5%, none 41% (2002)

Netherlands Antilles

Roman Catholic 72%, Pentecostal 4.9%,

Protestant 3.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.1%, Methodist 2.9%,

Jehovah's Witnesses 1.7%, other Christian 4.2%, Jewish 1.3%, other

or unspecified 1.2%, none 5.2% (2001 census)

New Caledonia

Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%

New Zealand

Anglican 14.9%, Roman Catholic 12.4%, Presbyterian

10.9%, Methodist 2.9%, Pentecostal 1.7%, Baptist 1.3%, other

Christian 9.4%, other 3.3%, unspecified 17.2%, none 26% (2001 census)

Nicaragua

Roman Catholic 72.9%, Evangelical 15.1%, Moravian 1.5%,

Episcopal 0.1%, other 1.9%, none 8.5% (1995 census)

Niger

Muslim 80%, remainder indigenous beliefs and Christian

Nigeria

Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%

Niue

Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church - a Protestant church closely

related to the London Missionary Society) 61.1%, Latter-Day Saints

8.8%, Roman Catholic 7.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2.4%, Seventh-Day

Adventist 1.4%, other 8.4%, unspecified 8.7%, none 1.9% (2001 census)

Norfolk Island

Anglican 34.9%, Roman Catholic 11.7%, Uniting Church

in Australia 11.2%, Seventh-Day Adventist 2.8%, Australian Christian

2.4%, Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, other 2.7%, unspecified 15.3%, none

18.1% (2001 census)

Northern Mariana Islands

Christian (Roman Catholic majority,

although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found)

Norway

Church of Norway 85.7%, Pentecostal 1%, Roman Catholic 1%,

other Christian 2.4%, Muslim 1.8%, other 8.1% (2004)

Oman

Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu

Pakistan

Muslim 97% (Sunni 77%, Shi'a 20%), Christian, Hindu, and

other 3%

Palau

Roman Catholic 41.6%, Protestant 23.3%, Modekngei 8.8%

(indigenous to Palau), Seventh-Day Adventist 5.3%, Jehovah's Witness

0.9%, Latter-Day Saints 0.6%, other religion 3.1%, unspecified or

none 16.4% (2000 census)

Panama

Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%

Papua New Guinea

Roman Catholic 22%, Lutheran 16%,

Presbyterian/Methodist/London Missionary Society 8%, Anglican 5%,

Evangelical Alliance 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1%, other Protestant

10%, indigenous beliefs 34%

Paraguay

Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite and other Protestant 10%

Peru

Roman Catholic 81%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.4%, other Christian

0.7%, other 0.6%, unspecified or none 16.3% (2003 est.)

Philippines

Roman Catholic 80.9%, Evangelical 2.8%, Iglesia ni

Kristo 2.3%, Aglipayan 2%, other Christian 4.5%, Muslim 5%, other

1.8%, unspecified 0.6%, none 0.1% (2000 census)

Pitcairn Islands

Seventh-Day Adventist 100%

Poland

Roman Catholic 89.8% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox

1.3%, Protestant 0.3%, other 0.3%, unspecified 8.3% (2002)

Portugal

Roman Catholic 94%, Protestant (1995)

Puerto Rico

Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%

Qatar

Muslim 95%

Romania

Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 86.8%,

Protestant (various denominations including Reformate and

Pentecostal) 7.5%, Roman Catholic 4.7%, other (mostly Muslim) and

unspecified 0.9%, none 0.1% (2002 census)

Russia

Russian Orthodox 15-20%, Muslim 10-15%, other Christian 2%

(2006 est.)

note: estimates are of practicing worshipers; Russia has large

populations of non-practicing believers and non-believers, a legacy

of over seven decades of Soviet rule

Rwanda

Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Muslim

4.6%, indigenous beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001)

Saint Helena

Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist,

Roman Catholic

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic

Saint Lucia

Roman Catholic 67.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.5%,

Pentecostal 5.7%, Anglican 2%, Evangelical 2%, other Christian 5.1%,

Rastafarian 2.1%, other 1.1%, unspecified 1.5%, none 4.5% (2001

census)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Roman Catholic 99%

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Anglican 47%, Methodist 28%, Roman

Catholic 13%, Hindu, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Protestant

Samoa

Congregationalist 34.8%, Roman Catholic 19.6%, Methodist 15%,

Latter-Day Saints 12.7%, Assembly of God 6.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist

3.5%, other Christian 4.5%, Worship Centre 1.3%, other 1.7%,

unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)

San Marino

Roman Catholic

Sao Tome and Principe

Catholic 70.3%, Evangelical 3.4%, New

Apostolic 2%, Adventist 1.8%, other 3.1%, none 19.4% (2001 census)

Saudi Arabia

Muslim 100%

Senegal

Muslim 94%, Christian 5% (mostly Roman Catholic), indigenous

beliefs 1%

Serbia

Serbian Orthodox, Muslim, Roman Catholic, Protestant

Seychelles

Roman Catholic 82.3%, Anglican 6.4%, Seventh Day

Adventist 1.1%, other Christian 3.4%, Hindu 2.1%, Muslim 1.1%, other

non-Christian 1.5%, unspecified 1.5%, none 0.6% (2002 census)

Sierra Leone

Muslim 60%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10%

Singapore

Buddhist 42.5%, Muslim 14.9%, Taoist 8.5%, Hindu 4%,

Catholic 4.8%, other Christian 9.8%, other 0.7%, none 14.8% (2000

census)

Slovakia

Roman Catholic 68.9%, Protestant 10.8%, Greek Catholic

4.1%, other or unspecified 3.2%, none 13% (2001 census)

Slovenia

Catholic 57.8%, Orthodox 2.3%, other Christian 0.9%, Muslim

2.4%, unaffiliated 3.5%, other or unspecified 23%, none 10.1% (2002

census)

Solomon Islands

Church of Melanesia 32.8%, Roman Catholic 19%, South

Seas Evangelical 17%, Seventh-Day Adventist 11.2%, United Church

10.3%, Christian Fellowship Church 2.4%, other Christian 4.4%, other

2.4%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.2% (1999 census)

Somalia

Sunni Muslim

South Africa

Zion Christian 11.1%, Pentecostal/Charismatic 8.2%,

Catholic 7.1%, Methodist 6.8%, Dutch Reformed 6.7%, Anglican 3.8%,

other Christian 36%, Islam 1.5%, other 2.3%, unspecified 1.4%, none

15.1% (2001 census)

Spain

Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%

Sri Lanka

Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%,

unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)

Sudan

Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), indigenous beliefs 25%, Christian

5% (mostly in south and Khartoum)

Suriname

Hindu 27.4%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian),

Roman Catholic 22.8%, Muslim 19.6%, indigenous beliefs 5%

Swaziland

Zionist 40% (a blend of Christianity and indigenous

ancestral worship), Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, Anglican, Bahai,

Methodist, Mormon, Jewish and other 30%

Sweden

Lutheran 87%, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim,

Jewish, Buddhist

Switzerland

Roman Catholic 41.8%, Protestant 35.3%, Orthodox 1.8%,

other Christian 0.4%, Muslim 4.3%, other 1%, unspecified 4.3%, none

11.1% (2000 census)

Syria

Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%,

Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus,

Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)

Taiwan

mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian

4.5%, other 2.5%

Tajikistan

Sunni Muslim 85%, Shi'a Muslim 5%, other 10% (2003 est.)

Tanzania

mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs

35%; Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim

Thailand

Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1%

(2000 census)

Togo

indigenous beliefs 51%, Christian 29%, Muslim 20%

Tokelau

Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%,

other 2%

note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on

Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with

the Congregational Christian Church predominant

Tonga

Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)

Trinidad and Tobago

Roman Catholic 26%, Hindu 22.5%, Anglican 7.8%,

Baptist 7.2%, Pentecostal 6.8%, other Christian 5.8%, Muslim 5.8%,

Seventh Day Adventist 4%, other 10.8%, unspecified 1.4%, none 1.9%

(2000 census)

Tunisia

Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Turkey

Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians

and Jews)

Turkmenistan

Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%

Turks and Caicos Islands

Baptist 40%, Anglican 18%, Methodist 16%,

Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990)

Tuvalu

Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day

Adventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%

Uganda

Roman Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%, Muslim 16%, indigenous

beliefs 18%

Ukraine

Ukrainian Orthodox - Kyiv Patriarchate 19%, Orthodox (no

particular jurisdiction) 16%, Ukrainian Orthodox - Moscow

Patriarchate 9%, Ukrainian Greek Catholic 6%, Ukrainian

Autocephalous Orthodox 1.7%, Protestant, Jewish, none 38% (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates

Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and

other 4%

United Kingdom

Christian (Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian,

Methodist) 71.6%, Muslim 2.7%, Hindu 1%, other 1.6%, unspecified or

none 23.1% (2001 census)

United States

Protestant 52%, Roman Catholic 24%, Mormon 2%, Jewish

1%, Muslim 1%, other 10%, none 10% (2002 est.)

Uruguay

Roman Catholic 66% (less than half of the adult population

attends church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, nonprofessing

or other 31%

Uzbekistan

Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%

Vanuatu

Presbyterian 31.4%, Anglican 13.4%, Roman Catholic 13.1%,

Seventh-Day Adventist 10.8%, other Christian 13.8%, indigenous

beliefs 5.6% (including Jon Frum cargo cult), other 9.6%, none 1%,

unspecified 1.3% (1999 Census)

Venezuela

nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%

Vietnam

Buddhist 9.3%, Catholic 6.7%, Hoa Hao 1.5%, Cao Dai 1.1%,

Protestant 0.5%, Muslim 0.1%, none 80.8% (1999 census)

Virgin Islands

Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%,

other 7%

Wallis and Futuna

Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%

West Bank

Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian

and other 8%

Western Sahara

Muslim

World

Christians 33.03% (of which Roman Catholics 17.33%,

Protestants 5.8%, Orthodox 3.42%, Anglicans 1.23%), Muslims 20.12%,

Hindus 13.34%, Buddhists 5.89%, Sikhs 0.39%, Jews 0.23%, other

religions 12.61%, non-religious 12.03%, atheists 2.36% (2004 est.)

Yemen

Muslim including Shaf'i (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shi'a), small

numbers of Jewish, Christian, and Hindu

Zambia

Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous

beliefs 1%

Zimbabwe

syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%,

Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2123 Suffrage

Afghanistan

18 years of age; universal

Albania

18 years of age; universal

Algeria

18 years of age; universal

American Samoa

18 years of age; universal

Andorra

18 years of age; universal

Angola

18 years of age; universal

Anguilla

18 years of age; universal

Antigua and Barbuda

18 years of age; universal

Argentina

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Armenia

18 years of age; universal

Aruba

18 years of age; universal

Australia

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Austria

18 years of age; universal

Azerbaijan

18 years of age; universal

Bahamas, The

18 years of age; universal

Bahrain

18 years of age; universal

Bangladesh

18 years of age; universal

Barbados

18 years of age; universal

Belarus

18 years of age; universal

Belgium

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Belize

18 years of age; universal

Benin

18 years of age; universal

Bermuda

18 years of age; universal

Bhutan

each family has one vote in village-level elections; note -

in late 2003 Bhutan's legislature passed a new election law

Bolivia

18 years of age, universal and compulsory (married); 21

years of age, universal and compulsory (single)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

18 years of age, universal

Botswana

18 years of age; universal

Brazil

voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70;

compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age; note - military

conscripts do not vote

British Virgin Islands

18 years of age; universal

Brunei

none

Bulgaria

18 years of age; universal

Burkina Faso

universal

Burma

18 years of age; universal

Burundi

NA years of age; universal adult

Cambodia

18 years of age; universal

Cameroon

20 years of age; universal

Canada

18 years of age; universal

Cape Verde

18 years of age; universal

Cayman Islands

18 years of age; universal

Central African Republic

21 years of age; universal

Chad

18 years of age; universal

Chile

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

China

18 years of age; universal

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

NA

Colombia

18 years of age; universal

Comoros

18 years of age; universal

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Congo, Republic of the

18 years of age; universal

Cook Islands

NA years of age; universal adult

Costa Rica

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Cote d'Ivoire

18 years of age; universal

Croatia

18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Cuba

16 years of age; universal

Cyprus

18 years of age; universal

Czech Republic

18 years of age; universal

Denmark

18 years of age; universal

Djibouti

18 years of age; universal adult

Dominica

18 years of age; universal

Dominican Republic 18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age note: members of the armed forces and national police cannot vote

East Timor

17 years of age; universal

Ecuador

18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons

ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters

Egypt

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

El Salvador

18 years of age; universal

Equatorial Guinea

18 years of age; universal adult

Eritrea

18 years of age; universal

Estonia

18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens

Ethiopia

18 years of age; universal

European Union

18 years of age; universal

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

18 years of age; universal

Faroe Islands

18 years of age; universal

Fiji

21 years of age; universal

Finland

18 years of age; universal

France

18 years of age; universal

French Polynesia

18 years of age; universal

Gabon

21 years of age; universal

Gambia, The

18 years of age; universal

Georgia

18 years of age; universal

Germany

18 years of age; universal

Ghana

18 years of age; universal

Gibraltar

18 years of age; universal, plus other British citizens

who have been residents six months or more

Greece

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Greenland

18 years of age; universal

Grenada

18 years of age; universal

Guam

18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US

presidential elections

Guatemala

18 years of age; universal (active duty members of the

armed forces may not vote and are restricted to their barracks on

election day)

Guernsey

18 years of age; universal

Guinea

18 years of age; universal

Guinea-Bissau

18 years of age; universal

Guyana

18 years of age; universal

Haiti

18 years of age; universal

Holy See (Vatican City)

limited to cardinals less than 80 years old

Honduras

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Hong Kong

direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent

residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven

years; indirect election limited to about 200,000 members of

functional constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn

from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central

government bodies

Hungary

18 years of age; universal

Iceland

18 years of age; universal

India

18 years of age; universal

Indonesia

17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless

of age

Iran

15 years of age; universal

Iraq

18 years of age; universal

Ireland

18 years of age; universal

Isle of Man

16 years of age; universal

Israel

18 years of age; universal

Italy

18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections,

where minimum age is 25)

Jamaica

18 years of age; universal

Japan

20 years of age; universal

Jersey

18 years of age; universal

Jordan

18 years of age; universal

Kazakhstan

18 years of age; universal

Kenya

18 years of age; universal

Kiribati

18 years of age; universal

Korea, North

17 years of age; universal

Korea, South

19 years of age; universal

Kuwait

adult males who are not in the military forces, and adult

females (as of 16 May 2005); all voters must have been citizens for

20 years

Kyrgyzstan

18 years of age; universal

Laos

18 years of age; universal

Latvia

18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens

Lebanon

21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for

women at age 21 with elementary education

Lesotho

18 years of age; universal

Liberia

18 years of age; universal

Libya

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Liechtenstein

18 years of age; universal

Lithuania

18 years of age; universal

Luxembourg

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Macau

direct election 18 years of age, universal for permanent

residents living in Macau for the past seven years; indirect

election limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters"

(257 are currently registered) and a 300-member Election Committee

drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and

central government bodies

Macedonia

18 years of age; universal

Madagascar

18 years of age; universal

Malawi

18 years of age; universal

Malaysia

21 years of age; universal

Maldives

21 years of age; universal

Mali

18 years of age; universal

Malta

18 years of age; universal

Marshall Islands

18 years of age; universal

Mauritania

18 years of age; universal

Mauritius

18 years of age; universal

Mayotte

18 years of age; universal

Mexico

18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)

Micronesia, Federated States of

18 years of age; universal

Moldova

18 years of age; universal

Monaco

18 years of age; universal

Mongolia

18 years of age; universal

Montenegro

18 years of age; universal

Montserrat

18 years of age; universal

Morocco

18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003)

Mozambique

18 years of age; universal

Namibia

18 years of age; universal

Nauru

20 years of age; universal and compulsory

Nepal

18 years of age; universal

Netherlands

18 years of age; universal

Netherlands Antilles

18 years of age; universal

New Caledonia

18 years of age; universal

New Zealand

18 years of age; universal

Nicaragua

16 years of age; universal

Niger

18 years of age; universal

Nigeria

18 years of age; universal

Niue

18 years of age; universal

Norfolk Island

18 years of age; universal

Northern Mariana Islands 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Norway

18 years of age; universal

Oman

in Oman's most recent Majlis al-Shura elections in 2003,

suffrage was universal for all Omanis over age 21 except for members

of the military and security forces; the next Majlis al-Shura

elections are scheduled for 2007

Pakistan

18 years of age; universal; joint electorates and reserved

parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims

Palau

18 years of age; universal

Panama

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Papua New Guinea

18 years of age; universal

Paraguay

18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75

Peru

18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70;

note - for the first time in recent elections, members of the

military and national police were eligible to vote in the 2006

elections

Philippines

18 years of age; universal

Pitcairn Islands 18 years of age; universal with three years residency

Poland

18 years of age; universal

Portugal

18 years of age; universal

Puerto Rico

18 years of age; universal; island residents are US

citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Qatar

18 years of age; universal

Romania

18 years of age; universal

Russia

18 years of age; universal

Rwanda

18 years of age; universal adult

Saint Helena

NA years of age

Saint Kitts and Nevis

18 years of age; universal

Saint Lucia

18 years of age; universal

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

18 years of age; universal

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

18 years of age; universal

Samoa

21 years of age; universal

San Marino

18 years of age; universal

Sao Tome and Principe

18 years of age; universal

Saudi Arabia

adult male citizens age 21 or older

note: voter registration began in November 2004 for partial

municipal council elections held nationwide from February through

April 2005

Senegal

18 years of age; universal

Serbia

18 universal

Seychelles

17 years of age; universal

Sierra Leone

18 years of age; universal

Singapore

21 years of age; universal and compulsory

Slovakia

18 years of age; universal

Slovenia

18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Solomon Islands

21 years of age; universal

Somalia

18 years of age; universal

South Africa

18 years of age; universal

Spain

18 years of age; universal

Sri Lanka

18 years of age; universal

Sudan

17 years of age; universal, but noncompulsory

Suriname

18 years of age; universal

Swaziland

18 years of age

Sweden

18 years of age; universal

Switzerland

18 years of age; universal

Syria

18 years of age; universal

Taiwan

20 years of age; universal

Tajikistan

18 years of age; universal

Tanzania

18 years of age; universal

Thailand

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Togo

NA years of age; universal adult

Tokelau

21 years of age; universal

Tonga

21 years of age; universal

Trinidad and Tobago

18 years of age; universal

Tunisia

20 years of age; universal except for active duty military

Turkey

18 years of age; universal

Turkmenistan

18 years of age; universal

Turks and Caicos Islands

18 years of age; universal

Tuvalu

18 years of age; universal

Uganda

18 years of age; universal

Ukraine

18 years of age; universal

United Arab Emirates

none

United Kingdom

18 years of age; universal

United States

18 years of age; universal

Uruguay

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Uzbekistan

18 years of age; universal

Vanuatu

18 years of age; universal

Venezuela

18 years of age; universal

Vietnam

18 years of age; universal

Virgin Islands

18 years of age; universal; island residents are US

citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Wallis and Futuna

18 years of age; universal

Western Sahara

none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign

not yet completed

Yemen

18 years of age; universal

Zambia

18 years of age; universal

Zimbabwe

18 years of age; universal

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2124 Telephone system

Afghanistan

general assessment: very limited telephone and telegraph

service; many Afghans utilize growing cellular phone coverage in

major cities

domestic: telephone service is improving with the licensing of

several wireless telephone service providers in 2005 and 2006;

approximately 4 in 100 Afghans own a wireless telephone; telephone

main lines remain limited.

international: country code - 93; five VSAT's installed in Kabul,

Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, Kandahar, and Jalalabad provide international

and domestic voice and data connectivity

Albania

general assessment: despite new investment in fixed lines,

the density of main lines remains the lowest in Europe with roughly

seven lines per 100 people; however, cellular telephone use is

widespread and generally effective

domestic: offsetting the shortage of fixed line capacity, mobile

phone service has been available since 1996; by 2003 two companies

were providing mobile services at a greater density than some of

Albania's Balkan neighbors

international: country code - 355; inadequate fixed main lines;

adequate cellular connections; international traffic carried by

fiber optic cable and, when necessary, by microwave radio relay from

the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece (2003)

Algeria

general assessment: telephone density in Algeria is very

low, not exceeding five telephones per 100 persons; the number of

fixed main lines increased in the last few years to nearly 2.6

million, but only about two-thirds of these have subscribers; much

of the infrastructure is outdated and inefficient

domestic: good service in north but sparse in south; domestic

satellite system with 12 earth stations (20 additional domestic

earth stations are planned)

international: country code - 213; submarine cables - 5; microwave

radio relay to Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial

cable to Morocco and Tunisia; participant in Medarabtel; satellite

earth stations - 51 (Intelsat, Intersputnik, and Arabsat) (2005)

American Samoa

general assessment: NA

domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephone

services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station

international: country code - 684; satellite earth station - 1

(Intelsat-Pacific Ocean)

Andorra

general assessment: NA

domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections

between exchanges

international: country code - 376; landline circuits to France and

Spain

Angola

general assessment: telephone service limited mostly to

government and business use; HF radiotelephone used extensively for

military links

domestic: limited system of wire, microwave radio relay, and

tropospheric scatter

international: country code - 244; satellite earth stations - 29;

fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to

Europe and Asia (2005)

Anguilla

general assessment: NA

domestic: modern internal telephone system

international: country code - 1-264; microwave radio relay to island

of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles)

Antarctica

general assessment: local systems at some research

stations

domestic: commercial cellular networks operating in a small number

of locations

international: country code - 672; via satellite (including mobile

Inmarsat and Iridium systems) from all research stations, ships,

aircraft, and most field parties

Antigua and Barbuda

general assessment: NA

domestic: good automatic telephone system

international: country code - 1-268; 1 coaxial submarine cable;

satellite earth station - 2; tropospheric scatter to Saba

(Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe

Argentina

general assessment: by opening the telecommunications

market to competition and foreign investment with the

"Telecommunications Liberalization Plan of 1998," Argentina

encouraged the growth of modern telecommunications technology;

fiber-optic cable trunk lines are being installed between all major

cities; the major networks are entirely digital and the availability

of telephone service is improving; however, telephone density is

presently minimal, and making telephone service universally

available will take time

domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber-optic cable, and a domestic

satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network;

more than 110,000 pay telephones are installed and mobile telephone

use is rapidly expanding

international: country code - 54; satellite earth stations - 112;

Atlantis II and Unisur submarine cables; two international gateways

near Buenos Aires (2005)

Armenia

general assessment: system inadequate; now 90% privately

owned and undergoing modernization and expansion

domestic: the majority of subscribers and the most modern equipment

are in Yerevan (this includes paging and mobile cellular service)

international: country code - 374; Yerevan is connected to the

Trans-Asia-Europe fiber-optic cable through Iran; additional

international service is available by microwave radio relay and

landline connections to the other countries of the Commonwealth of

Independent States and through the Moscow international switch and

by satellite to the rest of the world; satellite earth stations - 3

(2005)

Aruba

general assessment: modern fully automatic telecommunications

system

domestic: increased competition through privatization; 3 wireless

service providers are now licensed

international: country code - 297; 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten

(Netherlands Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay

links

Australia

general assessment: excellent domestic and international

service

domestic: domestic satellite system; much use of radiotelephone in

areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellular

telephones

international: country code - 61; submarine cables to New Zealand,

Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia; satellite earth stations - 19 (10

Intelsat - 4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean, 2 Inmarsat - Indian

and Pacific Ocean regions, 2 Globalstar, 5 other) (2005)

Austria

general assessment: highly developed and efficient

domestic: there are 45 main lines for every 100 persons; the fiber

optic net is very extensive; all telephone applications and Internet

services are available

international: country code - 43; satellite earth stations - 15; in

addition, there are about 600 VSAT (very small aperture terminals)

(2005)

Azerbaijan

general assessment: inadequate; requires considerable

expansion and modernization; teledensity of 14 main lines per 100

persons is low (2002)

domestic: the majority of telephones are in Baku and other

industrial centers - about 700 villages still without public

telephone service; satellite service connects Baku to a modern

switch in its exclave of Naxcivan

international: country code - 994; the old Soviet system of cable

and microwave is still serviceable; satellite earth stations - 2

(2005)

Bahamas, The

general assessment: modern facilities

domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed

international: country code - 1-242; tropospheric scatter and

submarine cable to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite

earth station - 2 (2005)

Bahrain

general assessment: modern system

domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network

with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephones

international: country code - 973; tropospheric scatter to Qatar and

UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to

Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 1 (1997)

Bangladesh

general assessment: totally inadequate for a modern

country

domestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems

include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some

fiber-optic cable in cities

international: country code - 880; satellite earth stations - 6;

international radiotelephone communications and landline service to

neighboring countries (2005)

Barbados

general assessment: NA

domestic: island-wide automatic telephone system

international: country code - 1-246; satellite earth stations - 1

(Intelsat -Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and

Saint Lucia

Belarus

general assessment: Belarus lags behind its neighbors in

upgrading telecommunications infrastructure; state-owned Beltelcom,

is the sole provider of fixed line local and long distance service;

modernization of the network to digital switching progressing slowly

domestic: fixed line penetration is improving although rural areas

continue to be underserved; four GSM wireless networks are

experiencing rapid growth; strict government controls on

telecommunications technologies

international: country code - 375; Belarus is a member of the

Trans-European Line (TEL), Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line,

and has access to the Trans-Siberia Line (TSL); three fiber-optic

segments provide connectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, and

Ukraine; worldwide service is available to Belarus through this

infrastructure; additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat,

Eutelsat, and Intersputnik earth stations

Belgium

general assessment: highly developed, technologically

advanced, and completely automated domestic and international

telephone and telegraph facilities

domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable

network; limited microwave radio relay network

international: country code - 32; submarine cables - 5; satellite

earth stations - 7 (Intelsat - 3) (2005)

Belize

general assessment: above-average system

domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay

international: country code - 501; satellite earth station - 8

(Intelsat - 2, unknown - 6) (2005)

Benin

general assessment: NA

domestic: fair system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, and

cellular connections

international: country code - 229; satellite earth station - 7

(Intelsat-Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)

provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Bermuda

general assessment: good

domestic: fully automatic digital telephone system; fiber optic

trunk lines

international: country code - 1-441; submarine cables - 3 (fiber

optic); satellite earth stations - 3 (2005)

Bhutan

general assessment: telecommunications facilities are poor

domestic: very low teledensity; domestic service is very poor

especially in rural areas; wireless service available since 2003

international: country code - 975; international telephone and

telegraph service via landline and microwave relay through India;

satellite earth station - 1 (2005)

Bolivia

general assessment: new subscribers face bureaucratic

difficulties; most telephones are concentrated in La Paz and other

cities; mobile cellular telephone use expanding rapidly

domestic: primary trunk system, which is being expanded, employs

digital microwave radio relay; some areas are served by fiber-optic

cable; mobile cellular systems are being expanded

international: country code - 591; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

general assessment: telephone and telegraph

network needs modernization and expansion; many urban areas are

below average as contrasted with services in other former Yugoslav

republics

domestic: NA

international: country code - 387; no satellite earth stations

Botswana

general assessment: the system is expanding with the growth

of mobile cellular service and participation in regional development

domestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay

links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations; mobile

cellular service is growing fast

international: country code - 267; two international exchanges;

digital microwave radio relay links to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Brazil

general assessment: good working system

domestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic

satellite system with 64 earth stations

international: country code - 55; 3 coaxial submarine cables;

satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat

(Atlantic Ocean region east), connected by microwave relay system to

Mercosur Brazilsat B3 satellite earth station

British Indian Ocean Territory general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)

British Virgin Islands

general assessment: worldwide telephone

service

domestic: NA

international: country code - 1-284; submarine cable to Bermuda

Brunei

general assessment: service throughout the country is

excellent; international service is good to Southeast Asia, Middle

East, Western Europe, and the US

domestic: every service available

international: country code - 673; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); digital submarine

cable links to Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore (2006)

Bulgaria

general assessment: extensive but antiquated

domestic: more than two-thirds of the lines are residential;

telephone service is available in most villages; a fairly modern

digital cable trunk line now connects switching centers in most of

the regions, the others are connected by digital microwave radio

relay

international: country code - 359; direct dialing to 58 countries;

satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 2

Intelsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions)

Burkina Faso

general assessment: all services only fair

domestic: microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone

communication stations

international: country code - 226; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Burma

general assessment: barely meets minimum requirements for

local and intercity service for business and government;

international service is fair

domestic: NA

international: country code - 95; satellite earth station - 2,

Intelsat (Indian Ocean), and ShinSat

Burundi

general assessment: primitive system

domestic: sparse system of open-wire, radiotelephone communications,

and low-capacity microwave radio relay

international: country code - 257; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Cambodia

general assessment: adequate landline and/or cellular

service in Phnom Penh and other provincial cities; mobile phone

coverage is rapidly expanding in rural areas

domestic: NA

international: country code - 855; adequate but expensive landline

and cellular service available to all countries from Phnom Penh and

major provincial cities; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik

(Indian Ocean region)

Cameroon

general assessment: available only to business and

government

domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter

international: country code - 237; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)

provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Canada

general assessment: excellent service provided by modern

technology

domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations

international: country code - 1-xxx; 5 coaxial submarine cables;

satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Atlantic Ocean and 1

Pacific Ocean) and 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Cape Verde

general assessment: effective system, extensive

modernization from 1996-2000 following partial privatization in 1995

domestic: major service provider is Cabo Verde Telecom (CVT); fiber

optic ring, completed in 2001, links all islands providing Internet

access and ISDN services; cellular service introduced in 1998

international: country code - 238; 2 coaxial submarine cables; HF

radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station

- 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Cayman Islands

general assessment: reasonably good system

domestic: liberalization of telecom market in 2003 reflected in

falling prices and improving services

international: country code - 1-345; 2 submarine fiber optic cables

(Maya-1, Cayman-Jamaica); satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat

(Atlantic Ocean)

Central African Republic

general assessment: fair system

domestic: network consists principally of microwave radio relay and

low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communication

international: country code - 236; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Chad

general assessment: primitive system

domestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stations

international: country code - 235; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Chile

general assessment: modern system based on extensive microwave

radio relay facilities

domestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellite

system with three earth stations

international: country code - 56; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

China

general assessment: domestic and international services are

increasingly available for private use; unevenly distributed

domestic system serves principal cities, industrial centers, and

many towns; China continues to develop its telecommunications

infrastructure, and is partnering with foreign providers to expand

its global reach; three of China's six major telecommunications

operators are part of an international consortium which, in December

2006, signed an agreement with Verizon Business to build the first

next-generation optical cable system directly linking the US

mainland and China

domestic: interprovincial fiber-optic trunk lines and cellular

telephone systems have been installed; mobile cellular

subscribership is increasing rapidly; a domestic satellite system

with 55 earth stations is in place

international: country code - 86; satellite earth stations - 5

Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik

(Indian Ocean region) and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean

regions); several international fiber-optic links to Japan, South

Korea, Hong Kong, Russia, and Germany (2000)

Christmas Island

general assessment: service provided by the

Australian network

domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system

in February 2005

international: country code - 61-8; satellite earth stations - one

INTELSAT earth station provides telephone and telex service (2005)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

general assessment: connected within

Australia's telecommunication system

domestic: NA

international: country code - 61; telephone, telex, and facsimile

communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1

INTELSAT satellite earth station

Colombia

general assessment: modern system in many respects

domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic

satellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking

50 cities

international: country code - 57; satellite earth stations - 6

Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat; 3 fully digitalized international switching

centers; 8 submarine cables

Comoros

general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay

and HF radiotelephone communication stations

domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay

international: country code - 269; HF radiotelephone communications

to Madagascar and Reunion

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

general assessment: poor

domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in

and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth

stations

international: country code - 243; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Congo, Republic of the

general assessment: services barely adequate

for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire,

and Loubomo; intercity lines frequently out of order

domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and

coaxial cable

international: country code - 242; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Cook Islands

general assessment: Telecom Cook Islands offers

international direct dialing, Internet, email, fax, and Telex

domestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination of

satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF

radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small

exchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, and

fiber-optic cable

international: country code - 682; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Costa Rica

general assessment: good domestic telephone service in

terms of breadth of coverage; restricted cellular telephone service

domestic: point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave,

fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is

available

international: country code - 506; connected to Central American

Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic

Ocean); two submarine cables (1999)

Cote d'Ivoire

general assessment: well developed by African

standards but operating well below capacity

domestic: open-wire lines and microwave radio relay; 90% digitalized

international: country code - 225; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); 2 submarine cables

(June 1999)

Croatia

general assessment: NA

domestic: reconstruction plan calls for replacement of all analog

circuits with digital and enlarging the network; a backup will be

included in the plan for the main trunk

international: country code - 385; digital international service is

provided through the main switch in Zagreb; Croatia participates in

the Trans-Asia-Europe (TEL) fiber-optic project, which consists of

two fiber-optic trunk connections with Slovenia and a fiber-optic

trunk line from Rijeka to Split and Dubrovnik; Croatia is also

investing in ADRIA 1, a joint fiber-optic project with Germany,

Albania, and Greece

Cuba

general assessment: greater investment beginning in 1994 and

the establishment of a new Ministry of Information Technology and

Communications in 2000 has resulted in improvements in the system;

wireless service is expensive and remains restricted to foreigners

and regime elites, many Cubans procure wireless service illegally

with the help of foreigners

domestic: national fiber-optic system under development; 85% of

switches digitized by end of 2004; telephone line density remains

low, at less than 10 per 100 inhabitants; domestic cellular service

expanding

international: country code - 53; fiber-optic cable laid to but not

linked to US network; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik

(Atlantic Ocean region)

Cyprus

general assessment: excellent in both area under government

control and area administered by Turkish Cypriots

domestic: open-wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay

international: country code - 357 (area administered by Turkish

Cypriots uses the country code of Turkey - 90); tropospheric

scatter; 3 coaxial and 5 fiber-optic submarine cables; satellite

earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 2

Eutelsat, 2 Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat

Czech Republic

general assessment: privatization and modernization

of the Czech telecommunication system got a late start but is

advancing steadily; growth in the use of mobile cellular telephones

is particularly vigorous

domestic: 86% of exchanges now digital; existing copper subscriber

systems now being enhanced with Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line

(ADSL) equipment to accommodate Internet and other digital signals;

trunk systems include fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay

international: country code - 420; satellite earth stations - 2

Intersputnik (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Intelsat, 1

Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar

Denmark

general assessment: excellent telephone and telegraph

services

domestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form

trunk network, 4 cellular mobile communications systems

international: country code - 45; 18 submarine fiber-optic cables

linking Denmark with Canada, Faroe Islands, Germany, Iceland,

Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and UK; satellite earth

stations - 6 Intelsat, 10 Eutelsat, 1 Orion, 1 Inmarsat

(Blaavand-Atlantic-East); note - the Nordic countries (Denmark,

Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) share the Danish earth station

and the Eik, Norway, station for worldwide Inmarsat access (1997)

Djibouti

general assessment: telephone facilities in the city of

Djibouti are adequate, as are the microwave radio relay connections

to outlying areas of the country

domestic: microwave radio relay network

international: country code - 253; submarine cable to Jiddah, Suez,

Sicily, Marseille, Colombo, and Singapore; satellite earth stations

- 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; Medarabtel regional

microwave radio relay telephone network

Dominica

general assessment: NA

domestic: fully automatic network

international: country code - 1-767; microwave radio relay and SHF

radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF

radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia

Dominican Republic

general assessment: NA

domestic: relatively efficient system based on island-wide microwave

radio relay network

international: country code - 1-809; 1 coaxial submarine cable;

satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

East Timor

NA

Ecuador

general assessment: generally elementary but being expanded

domestic: facilities generally inadequate and unreliable

international: country code - 593; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Egypt

general assessment: large system; underwent extensive

upgrading during 1990s and is reasonably modern; Internet access and

cellular service are available

domestic: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah,

Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and

microwave radio relay

international: country code - 20; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1

Inmarsat; 5 coaxial submarine cables; tropospheric scatter to Sudan;

microwave radio relay to Israel; a participant in Medarabtel

El Salvador

general assessment: NA

domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system

international: country code - 503; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave

System

Equatorial Guinea

general assessment: poor system with adequate

government services

domestic: NA

international: country code - 240; international communications from

Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earth

station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Eritrea

general assessment: inadequate

domestic: inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; government is

seeking international tenders to improve the system (2002)

international: country code - 291; note - international connections

exist

Estonia

general assessment: foreign investment in the form of joint

business ventures greatly improved telephone service; substantial

fiber-optic cable systems carry telephone, TV, and radio traffic in

the digital mode; Internet services are available throughout most of

the country

domestic: a wide range of high quality voice, data, and Internet

services is available throughout the country

international: country code - 372; fiber-optic cables to Finland,

Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet-switched

service; two international switches are located in Tallinn (2001)

Ethiopia

general assessment: adequate for government use

domestic: open-wire; microwave radio relay; radio communication in

the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; two domestic satellites provide

the national trunk service

international: country code - 251; open-wire to Sudan and Djibouti;

microwave radio relay to Kenya and Djibouti; satellite earth

stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean)

European Union

note - see individual country entries of member states

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

general assessment: NA

domestic: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB

radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all

points on both islands

international: country code - 500; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other

countries

Faroe Islands

general assessment: good international communications;

good domestic facilities

domestic: digitalization was completed in 1998; both NMT (analog)

and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installed

international: country code - 298; satellite earth stations - 1

Orion; 1 fiber-optic submarine cable to the Shetland Islands,

linking the Faroe Islands with Denmark and Iceland; fiber-optic

submarine cable connection to Canada-Europe cable

Fiji

general assessment: modern local, interisland, and

international (wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose

telephone, telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio

communications center

domestic: NA

international: country code - 679; access to important cable links

between US and Canada as well as between NZ and Australia; 2

satellite earth stations - 2 INMARSAT (Pacific Ocean)

Finland

general assessment: modern system with excellent service

domestic: digital fiber-optic fixed-line network and an extensive

cellular network provide domestic needs

international: country code - 358; 1 submarine cable (Finland

Estonia Connection); satellite earth stations - access to Intelsat

transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station, 1

Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Finland shares

the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark,

Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)

France

general assessment: highly developed

domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive

introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system

international: country code - 33; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (with total of 5 antennas - 2 for Indian Ocean and 3 for

Atlantic Ocean), NA Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region); HF

radiotelephone communications with more than 20 countries

overseas departments: country codes: French Guiana - 594; Guadeloupe

- 590; Martinique - 596; Reunion - 262

French Polynesia

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Gabon

general assessment: adequate service by African standards and

improving with the help of the growing mobile cell system

domestic: adequate system of cable, microwave radio relay,

tropospheric scatter, radiotelephone communication stations, and a

domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations

international: country code - 241; satellite earth stations - 3

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)

provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Gambia, The

general assessment: adequate; a packet switched data

network is available

domestic: adequate network of microwave radio relay and open-wire

international: country code - 220; microwave radio relay links to

Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat

(Atlantic Ocean)

Gaza Strip

general assessment: NA

domestic: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL

are responsible for fixed line services in the Gaza Strip; the

Palestinian JAWAL company provides cellular services

international: country code - 970

Georgia

general assessment: NA

domestic: local - T'bilisi, K'ut'aisi, and Batumi have cellular

telephone networks; urban telephone density is about 20 per 100

people; rural telephone density is about 4 per 100 people; intercity

facilities include a fiber-optic line between T'bilisi and

K'ut'aisi; nationwide pager service is available

international: country code - 995; Georgia and Russia are working on

a fiber-optic line between P'ot'i and Sochi (Russia); present

international service is available by microwave, landline, and

satellite through the Moscow switch; international electronic mail

and telex service are available

Germany

general assessment: Germany has one of the world's most

technologically advanced telecommunications systems; as a result of

intensive capital expenditures since reunification, the formerly

backward system of the eastern part of the country, dating back to

World War II, has been modernized and integrated with that of the

western part

domestic: Germany is served by an extensive system of automatic

telephone exchanges connected by modern networks of fiber-optic

cable, coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, and a domestic

satellite system; cellular telephone service is widely available,

expanding rapidly, and includes roaming service to many foreign

countries

international: country code - 49; Germany's international service is

excellent worldwide, consisting of extensive land and undersea cable

facilities as well as earth stations in the Inmarsat, Intelsat,

Eutelsat, and Intersputnik satellite systems (2001)

Ghana

general assessment: poor to fair system; Internet accessible;

many rural communities not yet connected; expansion of services is

underway

domestic: primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has

been installed

international: country code - 233; satellite earth stations - 4

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel

system connects Ghana to its neighbors; fiber optic submarine cable

(SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Gibraltar

general assessment: adequate, automatic domestic system

and adequate international facilities

domestic: automatic exchange facilities

international: country code - 350; radiotelephone; microwave radio

relay; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Greece

general assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all

areas; good mobile telephone and international service

domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open-wire

connections; submarine cable to offshore islands

international: country code - 30; tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine

cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and

1 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)

Greenland

general assessment: adequate domestic and international

service provided by satellite, cables and microwave radio relay;

totally digitalized in 1995

domestic: microwave radio relay and satellite

international: country code - 299; satellite earth stations - 12

Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2 Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean)

Grenada

general assessment: automatic, islandwide telephone system

domestic: interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links

international: country code - 1-473; new SHF radiotelephone links to

Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to

Trinidad

Guam

general assessment: modern system, integrated with US

facilities for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers

domestic: modern digital system, including cellular mobile service

and local access to the Internet

international: country code - 1-671; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan (Guam is

a trans-Pacific communications hub for MCI, Sprint, AT&T, IT&E, and

GTE, linking the US and Asia)

Guatemala

general assessment: fairly modern network centered in the

city of Guatemala

domestic: NA

international: country code - 502; connected to Central American

Microwave System; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic

Ocean)

Guernsey

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: 1 submarine cable

Guinea

general assessment: poor to fair system of open-wire lines,

small radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio

relay system

domestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communication

international: country code - 224; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Guinea-Bissau

general assessment: small system

domestic: combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines,

radiotelephone, and cellular communications

international: country code - 245

Guyana

general assessment: fair system for long-distance service

domestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk lines

international: country code - 592; tropospheric scatter to Trinidad;

satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Haiti

general assessment: domestic facilities barely adequate;

international facilities slightly better

domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk service

international: country code - 509; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Holy See (Vatican City)

general assessment: automatic digital

exchange

domestic: connected via fiber optic cable to Telecom Italia network

international: country code - 39; uses Italian system

Honduras

general assessment: inadequate system

domestic: NA

international: country code - 504; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave

System

Hong Kong

general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent

domestic and international services

domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic

network

international: country code - 852; satellite earth stations - 3

Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to

Guangzhou, China; access to 5 international submarine cables

providing connections to ASEAN member nations, Japan, Taiwan,

Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe

Hungary

general assessment: the telephone system has been modernized

and is capable of satisfying all requests for telecommunication

service

domestic: the system is digitalized and highly automated; trunk

services are carried by fiber-optic cable and digital microwave

radio relay; a program for fiber-optic subscriber connections was

initiated in 1996; heavy use is made of mobile cellular telephones

international: country code - 36; Hungary has fiber-optic cable

connections with all neighboring countries; the international switch

is in Budapest; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic

Ocean and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Inmarsat, 1 very small aperture

terminal (VSAT) system of ground terminals

Iceland

general assessment: extensive domestic service

domestic: the trunk network consists of coaxial and fiber-optic

cables and microwave radio relay links

international: country code - 354; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean

regions); note - Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the

other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden)

India

general assessment: recent deregulation and liberalization of

telecommunications laws and policies have prompted rapid growth;

local and long distance service provided throughout all regions of

the country, with services primarily concentrated in the urban

areas; steady improvement is taking place with the recent admission

of private and private-public investors, but telephone density

remains low at about ten for each 100 persons nationwide and only

one per 100 persons in rural areas; there remains a national waiting

list of over 1.7 million; fastest growth is in cellular service with

modest growth in fixed lines

domestic: expansion of domestic service, although still weak in

rural areas, resulted from increased competition and dramatic

reductions in price led in large part by wireless service; mobile

cellular service (both CDMA and GSM) introduced in 1994 and

organized nationwide into four metropolitan cities and 19 telecom

circles each with about three private service providers and one

state-owned service provider; in recent years significant trunk

capacity added in the form of fiber-optic cable and one of the

world's largest domestic satellite systems, the Indian National

Satellite system (INSAT), with six satellites supporting 33,000 very

small aperture terminals (VSAT)

international: country code - 91; nine satellite earth stations - 8

Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region); nine

gateway exchanges operating from Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi, Kolkata

(Calcutta), Chennai (Madras), Jalandhar, Kanpur, Gandhinagar,

Hyderabad, and Ernakulam; 6 submarine cables, including Sea-Me-We-3

with landing sites at Cochin and Mumbai (Bombay), Sea-Me-We-4 with

landing site at Chennai, Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG)

with landing site at Mumbai (Bombay), South Africa - Far East (SAFE)

with landing site at Cochin, i2icn linking to Singapore with landing

sites at Mumbai (Bombay) and Chennai (Madras), and Tata Indicom

linking Singapore and Chennai (Madras), provide a significant

increase in the bandwidth available for both voice and data traffic

(2006)

Indonesia

general assessment: domestic service fair, international

service good

domestic: interisland microwave system and HF radio police net;

domestic satellite communications system

international: country code - 62; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)

Iran

general assessment: inadequate, but currently being modernized

and expanded with the goal of not only improving the efficiency and

increasing the volume of the urban service but also bringing

telephone service to several thousand villages, not presently

connected

domestic: the addition of new fiber cables and modern switching and

exchange systems installed by Iran's state owned telecom company

have improved and expanded the main line network greatly; main line

availability has more than doubled to 19 million lines since 1995;

additionally, mobile service has increased dramatically serving some

8.5 million subscribers in 2005

international: country code - 98; HF radio and microwave radio relay

to Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Syria,

Kuwait, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; submarine fiber-optic cable to

UAE with access to Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG);

Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line runs from Azerbaijan

through the northern portion of Iran to Turkmenistan with expansion

to Georgia and Azerbaijan; satellite earth stations - 9 Intelsat and

4 Inmarsat

Iraq

general assessment: the aftermath of the liberation of Iraq in

2003 severely disrupted telecommunications throughout Iraq including

international connections; USAID repaired switching capabilities and

constructed a mobile and satellite communication facility; landlines

now exceed pre-war levels

domestic: repairs to switches and lines destroyed during 2003 have

been completed, but sabotage remains a problem; additional switching

capacity is improving access; cellular service is widely available

in major cities and centered on three regional GSM networks,

improving country-wide connectivity. There are currently 8.7 million

users of cellular services.

international: country code - 964; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik

(Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Arabsat (inoperative); coaxial cable

and microwave radio relay to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey;

despite a new satellite gateway, international calls outside of

Baghdad are sometimes problematic

Ireland

general assessment: modern digital system using cable and

microwave radio relay

domestic: microwave radio relay

international: country code - 353; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Isle of Man

general assessment: NA

domestic: landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone system

international: fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, satellite

earth station, submarine cable

Israel

general assessment: most highly developed system in the

Middle East although not the largest

domestic: good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay;

all systems are digital

international: country code - 972; 3 submarine cables; satellite

earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Italy

general assessment: modern, well developed, fast; fully

automated telephone, telex, and data services

domestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks

international: country code - 39; satellite earth stations - 3

Intelsat (with a total of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2

for Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and NA

Eutelsat; 21 submarine cables

Jamaica

general assessment: fully automatic domestic telephone

network

domestic: NA

international: country code - 1-876; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); 3 coaxial submarine cables

Japan

general assessment: excellent domestic and international

service

domestic: high level of modern technology and excellent service of

every kind

international: country code - 81; satellite earth stations - 5

Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik

(Indian Ocean region), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean

regions); submarine cables to China, Philippines, Russia, and US

(via Guam) (1999)

Jersey

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: 3 submarine cables

Jordan

general assessment: service has improved recently with

increased use of digital switching equipment, but better access to

the telephone system is needed in the rural areas and easier access

to pay telephones is needed by the urban public

domestic: microwave radio relay transmission and coaxial and

fiber-optic cable are employed on trunk lines; considerable use of

mobile cellular systems; Internet service is available

international: country code - 962; satellite earth stations - 3

Intelsat, 1 Arabsat, and 29 land and maritime Inmarsat terminals;

fiber-optic cable to Saudi Arabia and microwave radio relay link

with Egypt and Syria; connection to international submarine cable

FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); participant in MEDARABTEL;

international links total about 4,000

Kazakhstan

general assessment: service is poor; equipment antiquated

domestic: intercity by landline and microwave radio relay; mobile

cellular systems are available in most of Kazakhstan

international: country code - 7; international traffic with other

former Soviet republics and China carried by landline and microwave

radio relay and with other countries by satellite and by the

Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable; satellite earth stations

- 2 Intelsat

Kenya

general assessment: unreliable; little attempt to modernize

except for service to business

domestic: trunks are primarily microwave radio relay; business data

commonly transferred by a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system

international: country code - 254; satellite earth stations - 4

Intelsat

Kiribati

general assessment: generally good quality national and

international service

domestic: wire line service available on Tarawa and Kiritimati

(Christmas Island); connections to outer islands by HF/VHF

radiotelephone; wireless service available in Tarawa since 1999

international: country code - 686; Kiribati is being linked to the

Pacific Ocean Cooperative Telecommunications Network, which should

improve telephone service; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat

(Pacific Ocean)

Korea, North

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: country code - 850; satellite earth stations - 1

Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Russian (Indian Ocean region); other

international connections through Moscow and Beijing

Korea, South

general assessment: excellent domestic and

international services

domestic: NA

international: country code - 82; 10 fiber-optic submarine cables -

1 Korea-Russia-Japan, 1 Korea-Japan-Hong Kong, 3 Korea-Japan-China,

1 Korea-Japan-China-Europe, 1 Korea-Japan-China-US-Taiwan, 1

Korea-Japan-China, 1 Korea-Japan-Hong Kong-Taiwan, 1 Korea-Japan;

satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian

Ocean) and 3 Inmarsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean)

Kuwait

general assessment: the quality of service is excellent

domestic: new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new

subscribers; trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay,

coaxial cable, and open-wire and fiber-optic cable; a cellular

telephone system operates throughout Kuwait, and the country is well

supplied with pay telephones

international: country code - 965; coaxial cable and microwave radio

relay to Saudi Arabia; linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the

Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG) cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat

(1 Atlantic Ocean, 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean), and

2 Arabsat

Kyrgyzstan

general assessment: development of telecommunications

infrastructure is slow; fixed line penetration remains low and

concentrated in Bishkek

domestic: mobile cellular subscribership has risen sharply since

2000 reaching 541,700 in 2005 as three companies compete for the

rapidly expanding market; main line availability has been virtually

flat over the same timeframe; four major providers compete for

shares of the main line market

international: country code - 996; connections with other CIS

countries by landline or microwave radio relay and with other

countries by leased connections with Moscow international gateway

switch and by satellite; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik

and 1 Intelsat; connected internationally by the Trans-Asia-Europe

(TAE) fiber-optic line

Laos

general assessment: service to general public is poor but

improving; the government relies on a radiotelephone network to

communicate with remote areas

domestic: radiotelephone communications

international: country code - 856; satellite earth station - 1

Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Latvia

general assessment: recent efforts focused on bringing

competition to the telecommunications sector, beginning in 2003; the

number of fixed lines is decreasing as wireless telephony expands

domestic: two wireless service providers in addition to Lattelekom,

the incumbent monopoly

international: country code - 371; the Latvian network is now

connected via fiber optic cable to Estonia, Finland, and Sweden

Lebanon

general assessment: repair of the telecommunications system,

severely damaged during the civil war, now complete

domestic: two commercial wireless networks provide good service;

political instability hampers privatization and deployment of new

technologies

international: country code - 961; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) (erratic operations);

coaxial cable to Syria; 3 submarine coaxial cables

Lesotho

general assessment: rudimentary system

domestic: consists of a modest but growing number of landlines, a

small microwave radio relay system, and a minor radiotelephone

communication system; a cellular mobile telephone system is growing

international: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Liberia

general assessment: the limited services available are found

almost exclusively in the capital Monrovia

domestic: fully automatic system with very low density of .23 fixed

main lines per 100 persons; limited wireless service available

international: country code - 231; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Libya

general assessment: telecommunications system is being

modernized; mobile cellular telephone system became operational in

1996

domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, cellular,

tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth

stations

international: country code - 218; satellite earth stations - 4

Intelsat, NA Arabsat, and NA Intersputnik; submarine cables to

France and Italy; microwave radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt;

tropospheric scatter to Greece; participant in Medarabtel (1999)

Liechtenstein

general assessment: automatic telephone system

domestic: NA

international: country code - 423; linked to Swiss networks by cable

and microwave radio relay

Lithuania

general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to

provide an improved international capability and better residential

access

domestic: a national, fiber-optic cable, interurban, trunk system is

nearing completion; rural exchanges are being improved and expanded;

mobile cellular systems are being installed; access to the Internet

is available; still many unsatisfied telephone subscriber

applications

international: country code - 370; landline connections to Latvia

and Poland; major international connections to Denmark, Sweden, and

Norway by submarine cable for further transmission by satellite

Luxembourg

general assessment: highly developed, completely

automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables

domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; buried cable

international: country code - 352; 3 channels leased on TAT-6

coaxial submarine cable (Europe to North America)

Macau

general assessment: fairly modern communication facilities

maintained for domestic and international services

domestic: NA

international: country code - 853; HF radiotelephone communication

facility; access to international communications carriers provided

via Hong Kong and China; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat

(Indian Ocean)

Macedonia

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: country code - 389

Madagascar

general assessment: system is above average for the region

domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay,

and tropospheric scatter links connect regions

international: country code - 261; submarine cable to Bahrain;

satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1

Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Malawi

general assessment: NA

domestic: system employs open-wire lines, microwave radio relay

links, and radiotelephone communications stations

international: country code - 265; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Malaysia

general assessment: modern system; international service

excellent

domestic: good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysia

mainly by microwave radio relay; adequate intercity microwave radio

relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; domestic

satellite system with 2 earth stations

international: country code - 60; submarine cables to India, Hong

Kong, and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian

Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) (2001)

Maldives

general assessment: Telephone services have improved; each

island now has at least one public telephone, and there are mobile

cellular networks with expanding subscribership

domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all

inhabited islands and resorts are connected with telephone and fax

service

international: country code - 960; satellite earth station - 3

Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Mali

general assessment: domestic system unreliable but improving;

provides only minimal service

domestic: network consists of microwave radio relay, open-wire, and

radiotelephone communications stations; expansion of microwave radio

relay in progress

international: country code - 223; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Malta

general assessment: automatic system satisfies normal

requirements

domestic: submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands

international: country code - 356; 2 submarine cables; satellite

earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Marshall Islands

general assessment: digital switching equipment;

modern services include telex, cellular, internet, international

calling, caller ID, and leased data circuits

domestic: Majuro Atoll and Ebeye and Kwajalein islands have regular,

seven-digit, direct-dial telephones; other islands interconnected by

high frequency radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes)

and mini-satellite telephones

international: country code - 692; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications

system on Kwajalein (2001)

Mauritania

general assessment: limited system of cable and open-wire

lines, minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone

communications stations (improvements being made)

domestic: mostly cable and open-wire lines; a recently completed

domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with

regional capitals

international: country code - 222; satellite earth stations - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 2 Arabsat

Mauritius

general assessment: small system with good service

domestic: primarily microwave radio relay trunk system

international: country code - 230; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF

radiotelephone links to several countries; fiber optic submarine

cable (SAT-3/WASC/SAFE) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Mayotte

general assessment: small system administered by French

Department of Posts and Telecommunications

domestic: NA

international: country code - 269; microwave radio relay and HF

radiotelephone communications to Comoros

Mexico

general assessment: low telephone density with about 18 main

lines per 100 persons; privatized in December 1990; the opening to

competition in January 1997 improved prospects for development, but

Telmex remains dominant

domestic: adequate telephone service for business and government,

but the population is poorly served; mobile subscribers far

outnumber fixed-line subscribers; domestic satellite system with 120

earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network;

considerable use of fiber-optic cable and coaxial cable

international: country code - 52; satellite earth stations - 32

Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad (giving Mexico improved access to South

America, Central America, and much of the US as well as enhancing

domestic communications), 1 Panamsat, numerous Inmarsat mobile earth

stations; linked to Central American Microwave System of trunk

connections; high capacity Columbus-2 fiber-optic submarine cable

with access to the US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Morocco,

Spain, and Italy (2005)

Micronesia, Federated States of general assessment: adequate system domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes), satellite (Intelsat) ground stations, and some coaxial and fiber-optic cable; cellular service available on Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap international: country code - 691; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002)

Moldova

general assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service

outside Chisinau; some modernization is under way

domestic: depending on location, new subscribers may face long wait

for service; two private operators of GSM mobile cellular telephone

service are operating; GPRS system is being introduced; license for

one CDMA mobile telephone network currently being tendered.

international: country code - 373; service through Romania and

Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - Intelsat, Eutelsat,

and Intersputnik

Monaco

general assessment: modern automatic telephone system

domestic: NA

international: country code - 377; no satellite earth stations;

connected by cable into the French communications system

Mongolia

general assessment: network is improving with international

direct dialing available in many areas

domestic: very low density of about 5.5 main lines per 100 persons;

two wireless providers cover all but two provinces

international: country code - 976; satellite earth station - 1

Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region)

Montenegro

general assessment: modern telecommunications system with

access to European satellites

domestic: GSM wireless service, available through two providers with

national coverage, is growing rapidly

international: country code - 382 (the old code of 381 used by

Serbia and Montenegro will also remain in use until Feb 2007); two

international switches connect the national system

Montserrat

general assessment: modern and fully digitalized

domestic: NA

international: country code - 1-664

Morocco

general assessment: modern system with all important

capabilities; however, density is low with only 4 main lines

available for each 100 persons

domestic: good system composed of open-wire lines, cables, and

microwave radio relay links; Internet available but expensive;

principal switching centers are Casablanca and Rabat; national

network nearly 100% digital using fiber-optic links; improved rural

service employs microwave radio relay

international: country code - 212; 7 submarine cables; satellite

earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat;

microwave radio relay to Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara;

coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria; participant in

Medarabtel; fiber-optic cable link from Agadir to Algeria and

Tunisia (1998)

Mozambique

general assessment: fair system but not available

generally (extremely low density with less than 1 main line per 100

persons)

domestic: the system consists of open-wire lines and trunk

connection by microwave radio relay and tropospheric scatter

international: country code - 258; satellite earth stations - 5

Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean)

Namibia

general assessment: good system; about 6 telephones for each

100 persons

domestic: good urban services; fair rural service; microwave radio

relay links major towns; connections to other populated places are

by open wire; 100% digital

international: country code - 264; fiber-optic cable to South

Africa, microwave radio relay link to Botswana, direct links to

other neighboring countries; connected to Africa ONE and South

African Far East (SAFE) submarine cables through South Africa;

satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (2002)

Nauru

general assessment: adequate local and international

radiotelephone communication provided via Australian facilities

domestic: NA

international: country code - 674; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Nepal

general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair

radiotelephone communication service and mobile cellular telephone

network

domestic: NA

international: country code - 977; radiotelephone communications;

microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat

(Indian Ocean)

Netherlands

general assessment: highly developed and well maintained

domestic: extensive fixed-line fiber-optic network; cellular

telephone system is one of the largest in Europe with five major

network operators utilizing the third generation of the Global

System for Mobile Communications (GSM)

international: country code - 31; 9 submarine cables; satellite

earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean), 1

Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (2004)

Netherlands Antilles

general assessment: generally adequate

facilities

domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links

international: country code - 599; submarine cables - 2; satellite

earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

New Caledonia

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

New Zealand

general assessment: excellent domestic and international

systems

domestic: NA

international: country code - 64; submarine cables to Australia and

Fiji; 8 satellite earth stations - 1 InMarSat (Pacific Ocean), 7

other

Nicaragua

general assessment: inadequate system being upgraded by

foreign investment

domestic: low-capacity microwave radio relay and wire system being

expanded; connected to Central American Microwave System

international: country code - 505; satellite earth stations - 1

Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Niger

general assessment: small system of wire, radio telephone

communications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in the

southwestern area of Niger

domestic: wire, radiotelephone communications, and microwave radio

relay; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned

international: country code - 227; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Nigeria

general assessment: expansion and modernization of the

fixed-line telephone network has been slow due to faltering efforts

at privatization

domestic: the addition of a second fixed-line provider in 2002

resulted in faster growth in this service; wireless telephony has

grown rapidly, in part responding to the shortcomings of the

fixed-line network; four wireless (GSM) service providers operate

nationally; the combined growth resulted in a sharp increase in

teledensity reported to be over 18% in March 2006

international: country code - 234; satellite earth stations - 3

Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); fiber optic

submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Niue

domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on

island

international: country code - 683

Norfolk Island

general assessment: adequate

domestic: free local calls

international: country code - 672; undersea coaxial cable links with

Australia, New Zealand, and Canada; satellite earth station

Northern Mariana Islands

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: country code - 1-670; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Norway

general assessment: modern in all respects; one of the most

advanced telecommunications networks in Europe

domestic: Norway has a domestic satellite system; moreover, the

prevalence of rural areas encourages the wide use of cellular mobile

systems instead of fixed-wire systems

international: country code - 47; 2 buried coaxial cable systems; 4

coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - NA Eutelsat, NA

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean

regions); note - Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with the

other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden) (1999)

Oman

general assessment: modern system consisting of open-wire,

microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited

coaxial cable

domestic: open-wire, microwave, radiotelephone communications, and a

domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations

international: country code - 968; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat

Pakistan

general assessment: the telecom infrastructure is improving

dramatically with foreign and domestic investments into fixed-line

and mobile networks; mobile cellular subscribership has skyrocketed,

approaching 50 million in late 2006, up from only about 300,000 in

2000; fiber systems are being constructed throughout the country to

aid in network growth; main line availability has risen only

marginally over the same period and there are still difficulties

getting main line service to rural areas.

domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable,

cellular, and satellite networks

international: country code - 92; satellite earth stations - 3

Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational

international gateway exchanges (1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad);

microwave radio relay to neighboring countries (2006)

Palau

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: country code - 680; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Panama

general assessment: domestic and international facilities

well developed

domestic: NA

international: country code - 507; 1 coaxial submarine cable;

satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to

the Central American Microwave System

Papua New Guinea

general assessment: services are adequate;

facilities provide radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio,

aeronautical radio, and international radio communication services

domestic: mostly radiotelephone

international: country code - 675; submarine cables to Australia and

Guam; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean);

international radio communication service

Paraguay

general assessment: meager telephone service; principal

switching center is in Asuncion

domestic: fair microwave radio relay network

international: country code - 595; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Peru

general assessment: adequate for most requirements

domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system and a domestic

satellite system with 12 earth stations

international: country code - 51; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); Pan American submarine cable

Philippines

general assessment: good international radiotelephone

and submarine cable services; domestic and inter-island service

adequate

domestic: domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations; cellular

communications now dominate the industry with roughly 10 mobile

cellular subscribers for every fixed-line subscriber

international: country code - 63; 11 international gateways;

submarine cables to Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan,

Brunei, and Malaysia among others

Pitcairn Islands

general assessment: satellite phone services

domestic: domestic communication via radio (CB)

international: country code - 872; satellite earth station (Inmarsat)

Poland

general assessment: modernization of the telecommunications

network has accelerated with market based competition finalized in

2003; fixed-line service, dominated by the former state-owned

company, is dwarfed by the growth in wireless telephony

domestic: wireless service, available since 1993 (GSM service

available since 1996) and provided by three nation-wide networks,

has grown rapidly in response to the weak fixed-line coverage; third

generation UMTS service available in urban areas; cellular coverage

is generally good with more gaps in the east; fixed-line service is

growing slowly and still lags in rural areas

international: country code - 48; international direct dialing with

automated exchanges; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsat,

Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik)

Portugal

general assessment: Portugal's telephone system has

achieved a state-of-the-art network with broadband, high-speed

capabilities

domestic: integrated network of coaxial cables, open-wire, microwave

radio relay, and domestic satellite earth stations

international: country code - 351; 6 submarine cables; satellite

earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean),

NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to Azores; note - an earth station

for Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region) is planned

Puerto Rico

general assessment: modern system integrated with that

of the US by high-capacity submarine cable and Intelsat with

high-speed data capability

domestic: digital telephone system; cellular telephone service

international: country code - 1-787, 939; satellite earth station -

1 Intelsat; submarine cable to US

Qatar

general assessment: modern system centered in Doha

domestic: NA

international: country code - 974; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain;

microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to

Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic

Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat

Romania

general assessment: rapidly improving domestic and

international service, especially in wireless telephony

domestic: 90% of telephone network is automatic; liberalization in

2003 is transforming telecommunications; there has been 20% growth

in fixed lines with a penetration rate of 58% of households;

nation-wide wireless service is growing even faster with four major

providers and a penetration rate of 32%

international: country code - 40; satellite earth station - 10

(Intelsat 4); digital, international, direct-dial exchanges operate

in Bucharest (2005)

Russia

general assessment: the telephone system is experiencing

significant changes; there are more than 1,000 companies licensed to

offer communication services; access to digital lines has improved,

particularly in urban centers; Internet and e-mail services are

improving; Russia has made progress toward building the

telecommunications infrastructure necessary for a market economy;

the estimated number of mobile subscribers jumped from fewer than 1

million in 1998 to 120 million in 2005; a large demand for main line

service remains unsatisfied, but fixed-line operators continue to

grow their services

domestic: cross-country digital trunk lines run from Saint

Petersburg to Khabarovsk, and from Moscow to Novorossiysk; the

telephone systems in 60 regional capitals have modern digital

infrastructures; cellular services, both analog and digital, are

available in many areas; in rural areas, the telephone services are

still outdated, inadequate, and low density

international: country code - 7; Russia is connected internationally

by three undersea fiber-optic cables; digital switches in several

cities provide more than 50,000 lines for international calls;

satellite earth stations provide access to Intelsat, Intersputnik,

Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Orbita systems

Rwanda

general assessment: telephone system primarily serves

business and government

domestic: the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the

provinces by microwave radio relay and, recently, by cellular

telephone service; much of the network depends on wire and HF

radiotelephone

international: country code - 250; international connections employ

microwave radio relay to neighboring countries and satellite

communications to more distant countries; satellite earth stations -

1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) in Kigali (includes telex and telefax

service)

Saint Helena

general assessment: can communicate worldwide

domestic: automatic digital network

international: country code - 290; international direct dialing;

satellite voice and data communications; satellite earth stations -

5 (Ascension Island - 4, Saint Helena - 1)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

general assessment: good inter-island and

international connections

domestic: inter-island links via Eastern Caribbean Fiber Optic

cable; construction of enhanced wireless infrastructure launched in

November 2004

international: country code - 1-869; international calls are carried

by submarine cable or Intelsat

Saint Lucia

general assessment: adequate system

domestic: system is automatically switched

international: country code - 1-758; direct microwave radio relay

link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines;

tropospheric scatter to Barbados; international calls beyond these

countries are carried by Intelsat from Martinique

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

general assessment: adequate

domestic: NA

international: country code - 508; radiotelephone communication with

most countries in the world; 1 earth station in French domestic

satellite system

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

general assessment: adequate system

domestic: islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF

radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the

Grenadines

international: country code - 1-784; VHF/UHF radiotelephone from

Saint Vincent to Barbados; new SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and to

Saint Lucia; access to Intelsat earth station in Martinique through

Saint Lucia

Samoa

general assessment: adequate

domestic: NA

international: country code - 685; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

San Marino

general assessment: adequate connections

domestic: automatic telephone system completely integrated into

Italian system

international: country code - 378; connected to Italian

international network

Sao Tome and Principe

general assessment: adequate facilities

domestic: minimal system

international: country code - 239; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Saudi Arabia

general assessment: modern system

domestic: extensive microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and

fiber-optic cable systems

international: country code - 966; microwave radio relay to Bahrain,

Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Yemen, and Sudan; coaxial cable to

Kuwait and Jordan; submarine cable to Djibouti, Egypt and Bahrain;

satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (3 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian

Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)

Senegal

general assessment: good system

domestic: above-average urban system; microwave radio relay, coaxial

cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk system

international: country code - 221; 4 submarine cables; satellite

earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Serbia

general assessment: modernization of the telecommunications

network has been slow as a result of damage stemming from the 1999

war and transition to a competitive market-based system; network was

only 65% digitalized in 2005

domestic: teledensity remains below the average for neighboring

states; GSM wireless service, available through two providers with

national coverage, is growing very rapidly; best telecommunications

service limited to urban centers

international: country code - 381

Seychelles

general assessment: effective system

domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands in the

archipelago

international: country code - 248; direct radiotelephone

communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal

countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Sierra Leone

general assessment: marginal telephone and telegraph

service

domestic: the national microwave radio relay trunk system connects

Freetown to Bo and Kenema

international: country code - 232; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Singapore

general assessment: excellent service

domestic: excellent domestic facilities; launched 3G wireless

service in February 2005

international: country code - 65; 9 submarine cables provide direct

connection to more than 100 countries; 4 satellite earth stations,

supplemented by VSAT coverage

Slovakia

general assessment: Slovakia has a modern

telecommunications system that has expanded dramatically in recent

years with the growth in cellular services

domestic: analog system is now receiving digital equipment and is

being enlarged with fiber-optic cable, especially in the larger

cities; three companies provide nationwide cellular services

international: country code - 421; three international exchanges

(one in Bratislava and two in Banska Bystrica) are available;

Slovakia is participating in several international

telecommunications projects that will increase the availability of

external services

Slovenia

general assessment: NA

domestic: 100% digital (2000)

international: country code - 386

Solomon Islands

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Somalia

general assessment: the public telecommunications system was

almost completely destroyed or dismantled by the civil war factions;

private wireless companies offer service in most major cities and

charge the lowest international rates on the continent

domestic: local cellular telephone systems have been established in

Mogadishu and in several other population centers

international: country code - 252; international connections are

available from Mogadishu by satellite

South Africa

general assessment: the system is the best developed

and most modern in Africa

domestic: consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial

cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable,

radiotelephone communication stations, and wireless local loops; key

centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port

Elizabeth, and Pretoria

international: country code - 27; 2 submarine cables; satellite

earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken

Spain

general assessment: generally adequate, modern facilities;

teledensity is 45 main lines for each 100 persons

domestic: NA

international: country code - 34; 22 coaxial submarine cables;

satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian

Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to adjacent countries

Sri Lanka

general assessment: telephone services have improved

significantly and are available in most parts of the country.

domestic: national trunk network consists mostly of digital

microwave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area

and two fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition

is strong in mobile cellular systems and mobile cellular

subscribership is increasing; telephone density remains low (2006)

international: country code - 94; submarine cables to Indonesia,

Djibouti, India and Maldives; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat

(Indian Ocean)

Sudan

general assessment: large, well-equipped system by regional

standards and being upgraded; cellular communications started in

1996 and have expanded substantially

domestic: consists of microwave radio relay, cable, radiotelephone

communications, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite

system with 14 earth stations

international: country code - 249; satellite earth stations - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (2000)

Suriname

general assessment: international facilities are good

domestic: microwave radio relay network

international: country code - 597; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Svalbard

general assessment: probably adequate

domestic: local telephone service

international: country code - 47-790; satellite earth station - 1 of

unknown type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only)

Swaziland

general assessment: a somewhat modern but not an advanced

system

domestic: system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and

low-capacity, microwave radio relay

international: country code - 268; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Sweden

general assessment: excellent domestic and international

facilities; automatic system

domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most of the voice

traffic; parallel microwave radio relay systems carry some

additional telephone channels

international: country code - 46; 5 submarine coaxial cables;

satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat,

and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Sweden

shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries

(Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway)

Switzerland

general assessment: excellent domestic and international

services

domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks

international: country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)

Syria

general assessment: fair system currently undergoing

significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic

technology

domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network

international: country code - 963; satellite earth stations - 1

Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region);

1 submarine cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq,

Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel

Taiwan

general assessment: provides telecommunications service for

every business and private need

domestic: thoroughly modern; completely digitalized

international: country code - 886; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); submarine cables to

Japan (Okinawa), Philippines, Guam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia,

Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe (1999)

Tajikistan

general assessment: poorly developed and not well

maintained; many towns are not linked to the national network

domestic: the domestic telecommunications network has historically

been under-funded and poorly maintained; main line availability has

not changed significantly since 1998; cellular telephony is rare and

coverage remains limited.

international: country code - 992; linked by cable and microwave

radio relay to other CIS republics and by leased connections to the

Moscow international gateway switch; Dushanbe linked by Intelsat to

international gateway switch in Ankara (Turkey); satellite earth

stations - 1 Orbita and 2 Intelsat

Tanzania

general assessment: fair system operating below capacity

and being modernized for better service; very small aperture

terminal (VSAT) system under construction

domestic: trunk service provided by open-wire, microwave radio

relay, tropospheric scatter, and fiber-optic cable; some links being

made digital

international: country code - 255; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Thailand

general assessment: high quality system, especially in

urban areas like Bangkok; WTO requirement for privatization of

telecom sector is planned to be complete by 2006

domestic: fixed line system provided by both a government owned and

commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly and

outpacing fixed lines

international: country code - 66; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); landing country for

APCN submarine cable

Togo

general assessment: fair system based on a network of microwave

radio relay routes supplemented by open-wire lines and a mobile

cellular system

domestic: microwave radio relay and open-wire lines for conventional

system

international: country code - 228; satellite earth stations - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Symphonie

Tokelau

general assessment: modern satellite-based communications

system;

domestic: radiotelephone service between islands

international: country code - 690; radiotelephone service to Samoa;

government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok), with 3 satellite

earth stations

Tonga

general assessment: competition between Tonga

Telecommunications Corporation (TCC) and Shoreline Communications

Tonga (SCT) is accelerating expansion of telecommunications; SCT

recently granted authority to develop high-speed digital service for

telephone, Internet, and television

domestic: fully automatic switched network

international: country code - 676; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2004)

Trinidad and Tobago

general assessment: excellent international

service; good local service

domestic: NA

international: country code - 1-868; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Barbados and

Guyana

Tunisia

general assessment: above the African average and continuing

to be upgraded; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis;

Internet access available

domestic: trunk facilities consist of open-wire lines, coaxial

cable, and microwave radio relay

international: country code - 216; 5 submarine cables; satellite

earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; coaxial

cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria and Libya; participant in

Medarabtel; two international gateway digital switches

Turkey

general assessment: undergoing rapid modernization and

expansion, especially with cellular telephones

domestic: additional digital exchanges are permitting a rapid

increase in subscribers; the construction of a network of

technologically advanced intercity trunk lines, using both

fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay is facilitating

communication between urban centers; remote areas are reached by a

domestic satellite system; the number of subscribers to mobile

cellular telephone service is growing rapidly

international: country code - 90; international service is provided

by three submarine fiber-optic cables in the Mediterranean and Black

Seas, linking Turkey with Italy, Greece, Israel, Bulgaria, Romania,

and Russia; also by 12 Intelsat earth stations, and by 328 mobile

satellite terminals in the Inmarsat and Eutelsat systems (2002)

Turkmenistan

general assessment: poorly developed

domestic: Turkmenistan's telecommunications network remains woefully

underdeveloped; Turkmentelekom, in cooperation with foreign

investors, is planning to upgrade the country's telephone exchanges

and install a new digital switching system

international: country code - 993; linked by cable and microwave

radio relay to other CIS republics and to other countries by leased

connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; a new

telephone link from Ashgabat to Iran has been established; a new

exchange in Ashgabat switches international traffic through Turkey

via Intelsat; satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 1 Intelsat

Turks and Caicos Islands

general assessment: fully digital system

with international direct dialing

domestic: full range of services available; GSM wireless service

available

international: country code - 1-649; 2 submarine cables; satellite

earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Tuvalu

general assessment: serves particular needs for internal

communications

domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands

international: country code - 688; international calls can be made

by satellite

Uganda

general assessment: seriously inadequate; two cellular

systems have been introduced, but a sharp increase in the number of

main lines is essential; e-mail and Internet services are available

domestic: intercity traffic by wire, microwave radio relay, and

radiotelephone communication stations, fixed and mobile cellular

systems for short-range traffic

international: country code - 256; satellite earth stations - 1

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat; analog links to Kenya and

Tanzania

Ukraine

general assessment: Ukraine's telecommunication development

plan, running through 2005, emphasizes improving domestic trunk

lines, international connections, and the mobile cellular system

domestic: at independence in December 1991, Ukraine inherited a

telephone system that was antiquated, inefficient, and in disrepair;

more than 3.5 million applications for telephones could not be

satisfied; telephone density is rising slowly and the domestic trunk

system is being improved; the mobile cellular telephone system is

expanding at a high rate

international: country code - 380; two new domestic trunk lines are

a part of the fiber-optic Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) system and three

Ukrainian links have been installed in the fiber-optic

Trans-European Lines (TEL) project that connects 18 countries;

additional international service is provided by the

Italy-Turkey-Ukraine-Russia (ITUR) fiber-optic submarine cable and

by earth stations in the Intelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik

satellite systems

United Arab Emirates

general assessment: modern fiber-optic

integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of

mobile cellular telephones; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai

domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber optic and coaxial cable

international: country code - 971; satellite earth stations - 3

Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat;

submarine cables to Qatar, Bahrain, India, and Pakistan;

tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi

Arabia

United Kingdom

general assessment: technologically advanced domestic

and international system

domestic: equal mix of buried cables, microwave radio relay, and

fiber-optic systems

international: country code - 44; 40 coaxial submarine cables;

satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3

Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Eutelsat;

at least 8 large international switching centers

United States

general assessment: a large, technologically advanced,

multipurpose communications system

domestic: a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio

relay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries every form of

telephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries mobile

telephone traffic throughout the country

international: country code - 1; 24 ocean cable systems in use;

satellite earth stations - 61 Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16

Pacific Ocean), 5 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 4

Inmarsat (Pacific and Atlantic Ocean regions) (2000)

Uruguay

general assessment: fully digitalized

domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new

nationwide microwave radio relay network

international: country code - 598; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2002)

Uzbekistan

general assessment: antiquated and inadequate; in serious

need of modernization

domestic: the main line telecommunications system is dilapidated;

the state owned telecom company, Uzbektelecom, is using a US$110

million loan from the Japanese government to improve main line

services; mobile services are growing swiftly, with the subscriber

base doubling in 2005 to 1.1 million; there are six main cellular

providers currently in operation

international: country code - 998; linked by landline or microwave

radio relay with CIS member states and to other countries by leased

connection via the Moscow international gateway switch; after the

completion of the Uzbek link to the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE)

fiber-optic cable, Uzbekistan will be independent of Russian

facilities for international communications; Inmarsat also provides

an international connection, albeit an expensive one; satellite

earth stations - NA (1998)

Vanuatu

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: country code - 678; satellite earth station - 1

Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Venezuela

general assessment: modern and expanding

domestic: domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations; recent

substantial improvement in telephone service in rural areas;

substantial increase in digitalization of exchanges and trunk lines;

installation of a national interurban fiber-optic network capable of

digital multimedia services

international: country code - 58; 3 submarine coaxial cables;

satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1

PanAmSat; participating with Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia in

the construction of an international fiber-optic network

Vietnam

general assessment: Vietnam is putting considerable effort

into modernization and expansion of its telecommunication system,

but its performance continues to lag behind that of its more modern

neighbors

domestic: all provincial exchanges are digitalized and connected to

Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City by fiber-optic cable or

microwave radio relay networks; main lines have been substantially

increased, and the use of mobile telephones is growing rapidly

international: country code - 84; satellite earth stations - 2

Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Virgin Islands

general assessment: modern system with total digital

switching, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay

domestic: full range of services available

international: country code - 1-340; 2 submarine cable connections

(Taino Carib, Americas-1); satellite earth stations - NA

Wake Island

general assessment: satellite communications; 2 DSN

circuits off the Overseas Telephone System (OTS)

domestic: NA

international: NA

Wallis and Futuna

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: country code - 681

West Bank

general assessment: NA

domestic: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL

are responsible for fixed line services in the Gaza Strip; the

Palestinian JAWAL company provides cellular services

international: country code - 970

Western Sahara

general assessment: sparse and limited system

domestic: NA

international: country code - 212; tied into Morocco's system by

microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite;

satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to

Rabat, Morocco

World

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: NA

Yemen

general assessment: since unification in 1990, efforts have

been made to create a national telecommunications network

domestic: the national network consists of microwave radio relay,

cable, tropospheric scatter, and GSM cellular mobile telephone

systems

international: country code - 967; satellite earth stations - 3

Intelsat (2 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Intersputnik

(Atlantic Ocean region), and 2 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to

Saudi Arabia and Djibouti

Zambia

general assessment: facilities are aging but still among the

best in Sub-Saharan Africa

domestic: high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger

towns and cities; several cellular telephone services in operation;

Internet service is widely available; very small aperture terminal

(VSAT) networks are operated by private firms

international: country code - 260; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Zimbabwe

general assessment: system was once one of the best in

Africa, but now suffers from poor maintenance; more than 100,000

outstanding requests for connection despite an equally large number

of installed but unused main lines

domestic: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines,

radiotelephone communication stations, fixed wireless local loop

installations, and a substantial mobile cellular network; Internet

connection is available in Harare and planned for all major towns

and for some of the smaller ones

international: country code - 263; satellite earth stations - 2

Intelsat; two international digital gateway exchanges (in Harare and

Gweru)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2125 Terrain

Afghanistan

mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest

Albania

mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast

Algeria

mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow,

discontinuous coastal plain

American Samoa

five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited

coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)

Andorra

rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys

Angola

narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau

Anguilla

flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone

Antarctica

about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren rock,

with average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain

ranges up to nearly 5,000 meters; ice-free coastal areas include

parts of southern Victoria Land, Wilkes Land, the Antarctic

Peninsula area, and parts of Ross Island on McMurdo Sound; glaciers

form ice shelves along about half of the coastline, and floating ice

shelves constitute 11% of the area of the continent

Antigua and Barbuda

mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands,

with some higher volcanic areas

Arctic Ocean

central surface covered by a perennial drifting polar

icepack that, on average, is about 3 meters thick, although pressure

ridges may be three times that thickness; clockwise drift pattern in

the Beaufort Gyral Stream, but nearly straight-line movement from

the New Siberian Islands (Russia) to Denmark Strait (between

Greenland and Iceland); the icepack is surrounded by open seas

during the summer, but more than doubles in size during the winter

and extends to the encircling landmasses; the ocean floor is about

50% continental shelf (highest percentage of any ocean) with the

remainder a central basin interrupted by three submarine ridges

(Alpha Cordillera, Nansen Cordillera, and Lomonosov Ridge)

Argentina

rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to

rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western

border

Armenia

Armenian Highland with mountains; little forest land; fast

flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley

Aruba

flat with a few hills; scant vegetation

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

low with sand and coral

Atlantic Ocean

surface usually covered with sea ice in Labrador Sea,

Denmark Strait, and coastal portions of the Baltic Sea from October

to June; clockwise warm-water gyre (broad, circular system of

currents) in the northern Atlantic, counterclockwise warm-water gyre

in the southern Atlantic; the ocean floor is dominated by the

Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a rugged north-south centerline for the entire

Atlantic basin

Australia

mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast

Austria

in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the

eastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping

Azerbaijan

large, flat Kur-Araz Ovaligi (Kura-Araks Lowland) (much

of it below sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains to the north,

Qarabag Yaylasi (Karabakh Upland) in west; Baku lies on Abseron

Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) that juts into Caspian Sea

Bahamas, The

long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills

Bahrain

mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central

escarpment

Baker Island

low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow

fringing reef

Bangladesh

mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast

Barbados

relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region

Bassas da India

volcanic rock

Belarus

generally flat and contains much marshland

Belgium

flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills,

rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast

Belize

flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south

Benin

mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

Bermuda

low hills separated by fertile depressions

Bhutan

mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna

Bolivia

rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano),

hills, lowland plains of the Amazon Basin

Bosnia and Herzegovina

mountains and valleys

Botswana

predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari

Desert in southwest

Bouvet Island

volcanic; coast is mostly inaccessible

Brazil

mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills,

mountains, and narrow coastal belt

British Indian Ocean Territory

flat and low (most areas do not

exceed two meters in elevation)

British Virgin Islands

coral islands relatively flat; volcanic

islands steep, hilly

Brunei

flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland

in west

Bulgaria

mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast

Burkina Faso

mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in

west and southeast

Burma

central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands

Burundi

hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some

plains

Cambodia

mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north

Cameroon

diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau

in center, mountains in west, plains in north

Canada

mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast

Cape Verde

steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

Cayman Islands

low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs

Central African Republic

vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau;

scattered hills in northeast and southwest

Chad

broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in

northwest, lowlands in south

Chile

low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in

east

China

mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains,

deltas, and hills in east

Christmas Island

steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central

plateau

Clipperton Island

coral atoll

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

flat, low-lying coral atolls

Colombia

flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes

Mountains, eastern lowland plains

Comoros

volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low

hills

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

vast central basin is a low-lying

plateau; mountains in east

Congo, Republic of the

coastal plain, southern basin, central

plateau, northern basin

Cook Islands

low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in

south

Coral Sea Islands

sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)

Costa Rica

coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including

over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes

Cote d'Ivoire

mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in

northwest

Croatia

geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border,

low mountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands

Cuba

mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains

in the southeast

Cyprus

central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered

but significant plains along southern coast

Czech Republic

Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains,

hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east

consists of very hilly country

Denmark

low and flat to gently rolling plains

Djibouti

coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains

Dominica

rugged mountains of volcanic origin

Dominican Republic rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed

East Timor

mountainous

Ecuador

coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands

(sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)

Egypt

vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta

El Salvador

mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central

plateau

Equatorial Guinea

coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are

volcanic

Eritrea

dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending

highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the

northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling

plains

Estonia

marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south

Ethiopia

high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great

Rift Valley

Europa Island

low and flat

European Union

fairly flat along the Baltic and Atlantic coast;

mountainous in the central and southern areas

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

rocky, hilly, mountainous with

some boggy, undulating plains

Faroe Islands

rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of

coast

Fiji

mostly mountains of volcanic origin

Finland

mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes

and low hills

France

mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west;

remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east

French Guiana: low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small

mountains

Guadeloupe: Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior

mountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the

seven other islands are volcanic in origin

Martinique: mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano

Reunion: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast

French Polynesia

mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with

reefs

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

volcanic

Gabon

narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south

Gambia, The

flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills

Gaza Strip

flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain

Georgia

largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the

north and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhet'is Dablobi

(Kolkhida Lowland) opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari River

Basin in the east; good soils in river valley flood plains,

foothills of Kolkhida Lowland

Germany

lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south

Ghana

mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area

Gibraltar

a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar

Glorioso Islands

low and flat

Greece

mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as

peninsulas or chains of islands

Greenland

flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow,

mountainous, barren, rocky coast

Grenada

volcanic in origin with central mountains

Guam

volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat

coralline limestone plateau (source of most fresh water), with steep

coastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low hills in

center, mountains in south

Guatemala

mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling

limestone plateau

Guernsey

mostly level with low hills in southwest

Guinea

generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior

Guinea-Bissau

mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east

Guyana

mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south

Haiti

mostly rough and mountainous

Heard Island and McDonald Islands Heard Island - 80% ice-covered, bleak and mountainous, dominated by a large massif (Big Ben) and an active volcano (Mawson Peak); McDonald Islands - small and rocky

Holy See (Vatican City)

urban; low hill

Honduras

mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

Hong Kong

hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north

Howland Island

low-lying, nearly level, sandy, coral island

surrounded by a narrow fringing reef; depressed central area

Hungary

mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on

the Slovakian border

Iceland

mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields;

coast deeply indented by bays and fiords

Iles Eparses

Bassas da India: atoll, awash at high tide; shallow (15

m) lagoon

Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island: low, flat, and

sandy

Tromelin Island: low, flat, sandy; likely volcanic seamount

India

upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain

along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north

Indian Ocean

surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad,

circular system of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; unique

reversal of surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; low

atmospheric pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer

air results in the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast

winds and currents, while high pressure over northern Asia from

cold, falling, winter air results in the northeast monsoon and

northeast-to-southwest winds and currents; ocean floor is dominated

by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian

Ocean Ridge, Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninetyeast Ridge

Indonesia

mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior

mountains

Iran

rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts,

mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts

Iraq

mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in

south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran

and Turkey

Ireland

mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged

hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast

Isle of Man

hills in north and south bisected by central valley

Israel

Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central

mountains; Jordan Rift Valley

Italy

mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands

Jamaica

mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

Jan Mayen

volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers

Japan

mostly rugged and mountainous

Jarvis Island

sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing

reef

Jersey

gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast

Johnston Atoll

mostly flat

Jordan

mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great

Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River

Juan de Nova Island

low and flat

Kazakhstan

extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from

the plains in western Siberia to oases and desert in Central Asia

Kenya

low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift

Valley; fertile plateau in west

Kingman Reef

low and nearly level

Kiribati

mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs

Korea, North

mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow

valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east

Korea, South

mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west

and south

Kuwait

flat to slightly undulating desert plain

Kyrgyzstan

peaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basins

encompass entire nation

Laos

mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus

Latvia

low plain

Lebanon

narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates

Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains

Lesotho

mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains

Liberia

mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling

plateau and low mountains in northeast

Libya

mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions

Liechtenstein

mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western

third

Lithuania

lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil

Luxembourg

mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow

valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope

down to Moselle flood plain in the southeast

Macau

generally flat

Macedonia

mountainous territory covered with deep basins and

valleys; three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country

bisected by the Vardar River

Madagascar

narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

Malawi

narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills,

some mountains

Malaysia

coastal plains rising to hills and mountains

Maldives

flat, with white sandy beaches

Mali

mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna

in south, rugged hills in northeast

Malta

mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal

cliffs

Marshall Islands

low coral limestone and sand islands

Mauritania

mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central

hills

Mauritius

small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains

encircling central plateau

Mayotte

generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic

peaks

Mexico

high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus;

desert

Micronesia, Federated States of islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk

Midway Islands

low, nearly level

Moldova

rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea

Monaco

hilly, rugged, rocky

Mongolia

vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains

in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central

Montenegro

highly indented coastline with narrow coastal plain

backed by rugged high limestone mountains and plateaus

Montserrat

volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal

lowland

Morocco

northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas

of bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains

Mozambique

mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus

in northwest, mountains in west

Namibia

mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari

Desert in east

Nauru

sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs

with phosphate plateau in center

Navassa Island

raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to

undulating; ringed by vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high)

Nepal

Tarai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill

region, rugged Himalayas in north

Netherlands

mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders);

some hills in southeast

Netherlands Antilles

generally hilly, volcanic interiors

New Caledonia

coastal plains with interior mountains

New Zealand

predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains

Nicaragua

extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central

interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by

volcanoes

Niger

predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling

plains in south; hills in north

Nigeria

southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus;

mountains in southeast, plains in north

Niue

steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau

Norfolk Island

volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains

Northern Mariana Islands

southern islands are limestone with level

terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic

Norway

glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken

by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply

indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north

Oman

central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south

Pacific Ocean

surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated

by a clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents)

and in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre;

in the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of

Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica

reaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in the

eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the

western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Mariana

Trench, which is the world's deepest

Pakistan

flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest;

Balochistan plateau in west

Palau

varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of

Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier

reefs

Palmyra Atoll

very low

Panama

interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland

plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills

Papua New Guinea

mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling

foothills

Paracel Islands

mostly low and flat

Paraguay

grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran

Chaco region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the

river, and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere

Peru

western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center

(sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)

Philippines

mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal

lowlands

Pitcairn Islands

rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with

cliffs

Poland

mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border

Portugal

mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in

south

Puerto Rico

mostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north;

mountains precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most

coastal areas

Qatar

mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and

gravel

Romania

central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain of

Moldavia on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated from

the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps

Russia

broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous

forest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern

border regions

Rwanda

mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous with

altitude declining from west to east

Saint Helena

the islands of this group result from volcanic activity

associated with the Atlantic Mid-Ocean Ridge

Saint Helena: rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains

Ascension: surface covered by lava flows and cinder cones of 44

dormant volcanoes; ground rises to the east

Tristan da Cunha: sheer cliffs line the coastline of the nearly

circular island; the flanks of the central volcanic peak are deeply

dissected; narrow coastal plain lies between The Peak and the

coastal cliffs

Saint Kitts and Nevis

volcanic with mountainous interiors

Saint Lucia

volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

mostly barren rock

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

volcanic, mountainous

Samoa

two main islands (Savaii, Upolu) and several smaller islands

and uninhabited islets; narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky,

rugged mountains in interior

San Marino

rugged mountains

Sao Tome and Principe

volcanic, mountainous

Saudi Arabia

mostly uninhabited, sandy desert

Senegal

generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in

southeast

Serbia

extremely varied; to the north, rich fertile plains; to the

east, limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast, ancient

mountains and hills

Seychelles

Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky,

hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs

Sierra Leone

coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country,

upland plateau, mountains in east

Singapore

lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water

catchment area and nature preserve

Slovakia

rugged mountains in the central and northern part and

lowlands in the south

Slovenia

a short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an alpine mountain

region adjacent to Italy and Austria, mixed mountains and valleys

with numerous rivers to the east

Solomon Islands

mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls

Somalia

mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north

South Africa

vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow

coastal plain

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

most of the islands,

rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; South

Georgia is largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains;

the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active

volcanoes

Southern Ocean

the Southern Ocean is deep, 4,000 to 5,000 meters

over most of its extent with only limited areas of shallow water;

the Antarctic continental shelf is generally narrow and unusually

deep, its edge lying at depths of 400 to 800 meters (the global mean

is 133 meters); the Antarctic icepack grows from an average minimum

of 2.6 million square kilometers in March to about 18.8 million

square kilometers in September, better than a sixfold increase in

area; the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (21,000 km in length) moves

perpetually eastward; it is the world's largest ocean current,

transporting 130 million cubic meters of water per second - 100

times the flow of all the world's rivers

Spain

large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills;

Pyrenees in north

Spratly Islands

flat

Sri Lanka

mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in

south-central interior

Sudan

generally flat, featureless plain; mountains in far south,

northeast and west; desert dominates the north

Suriname

mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

Svalbard

wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west

coast clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and

north coasts

Swaziland

mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

Sweden

mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west

Switzerland

mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with

a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes

Syria

primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain;

mountains in west

Taiwan

eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently

rolling plains in west

Tajikistan

Pamir and Alay Mountains dominate landscape; western

Fergana Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest

Tanzania

plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north,

south

Thailand

central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains

elsewhere

Togo

gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern

plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes

Tokelau

low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons

Tonga

most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral

formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base

Trinidad and Tobago

mostly plains with some hills and low mountains

Tromelin Island

low, flat, and sandy; likely volcanic

Tunisia

mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south

merges into the Sahara

Turkey

high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain;

several mountain ranges

Turkmenistan

flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to

mountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran;

borders Caspian Sea in west

Turks and Caicos Islands low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps

Tuvalu

very low-lying and narrow coral atolls

Uganda

mostly plateau with rim of mountains

Ukraine

most of Ukraine consists of fertile plains (steppes) and

plateaus, mountains being found only in the west (the Carpathians),

and in the Crimean Peninsula in the extreme south

United Arab Emirates

flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling

sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east

United Kingdom

mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to

rolling plains in east and southeast

United States

vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low

mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in

Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

low and nearly level

sandy coral islands with narrow fringing reefs that have developed

at the top of submerged volcanic mountains, which in most cases rise

steeply from the ocean floor

Uruguay

mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland

Uzbekistan

mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad,

flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya,

Syr Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east

surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral

Sea in west

Vanuatu

mostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrow

coastal plains

Venezuela

Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest;

central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast

Vietnam

low, flat delta in south and north; central highlands;

hilly, mountainous in far north and northwest

Virgin Islands

mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little

level land

Wake Island

atoll of three low coral islands, Peale, Wake, and

Wilkes, built up on an underwater volcano; central lagoon is former

crater, islands are part of the rim

Wallis and Futuna

volcanic origin; low hills

West Bank

mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west,

but barren in east

Western Sahara

mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or

sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast

World

the greatest ocean depth is the Mariana Trench at 10,924 m in

the Pacific Ocean

Yemen

narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and rugged

mountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slope into the

desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula

Zambia

mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains

Zimbabwe

mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high

veld); mountains in east

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2127 Total fertility rate (children born/woman)

Afghanistan

6.69 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Albania

2.03 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Algeria

1.89 children born/woman (2006 est.)

American Samoa

3.16 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Andorra

1.3 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Angola

6.35 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Anguilla

1.73 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

2.24 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Argentina

2.16 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Armenia

1.33 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Aruba

1.79 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Australia

1.76 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Austria

1.36 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Azerbaijan

2.46 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Bahamas, The

2.18 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Bahrain

2.6 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Bangladesh

3.11 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Barbados

1.65 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Belarus

1.43 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Belgium

1.64 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Belize

3.6 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Benin

5.2 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Bermuda

1.89 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Bhutan

4.74 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Bolivia

2.85 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

1.22 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Botswana

2.79 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Brazil

1.91 children born/woman (2006 est.)

British Virgin Islands

1.72 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Brunei

2.28 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Bulgaria

1.38 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Burkina Faso

6.47 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Burma

1.98 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Burundi

6.55 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Cambodia

3.37 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Cameroon

4.39 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Canada

1.61 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Cape Verde

3.38 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Cayman Islands

1.9 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Central African Republic

4.41 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Chad

6.25 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Chile

2 children born/woman (2006 est.)

China

1.73 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Christmas Island

NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

NA

Colombia

2.54 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Comoros

5.03 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 6.45 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

6.07 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Cook Islands

3.1 children born/woman (2001 census)

Costa Rica

2.24 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

4.5 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Croatia

1.4 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Cuba

1.66 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Cyprus

1.82 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Czech Republic

1.21 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Denmark

1.74 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Djibouti

5.31 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Dominica

1.94 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Dominican Republic

2.83 children born/woman (2006 est.)

East Timor

3.53 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Ecuador

2.68 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Egypt

2.83 children born/woman (2006 est.)

El Salvador

3.12 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

4.55 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Eritrea

5.08 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Estonia

1.4 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Ethiopia

5.22 children born/woman (2006 est.)

European Union

1.47 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

NA children born/woman

Faroe Islands

2.17 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Fiji

2.73 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Finland

1.73 children born/woman (2006 est.)

France

1.84 children born/woman (2006 est.)

French Polynesia

2.01 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Gabon

4.74 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Gambia, The

5.3 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Gaza Strip

5.78 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Georgia

1.42 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Germany

1.39 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Ghana

3.99 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Gibraltar

1.65 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Greece

1.34 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Greenland

2.4 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Grenada

2.34 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Guam

2.58 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Guatemala

3.82 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Guernsey

1.39 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Guinea

5.79 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

4.86 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Guyana

2.04 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Haiti

4.94 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Honduras

3.59 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Hong Kong

0.95 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Hungary

1.32 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Iceland

1.92 children born/woman (2006 est.)

India

2.73 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Indonesia

2.4 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Iran

1.8 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Iraq

4.18 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Ireland

1.86 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Isle of Man

1.65 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Israel

2.41 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Italy

1.28 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Jamaica

2.41 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Japan

1.4 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Jersey

1.58 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Jordan

2.63 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Kazakhstan

1.89 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Kenya

4.91 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Kiribati

4.16 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Korea, North

2.1 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Korea, South

1.27 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Kuwait

2.91 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

2.69 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Laos

4.68 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Latvia

1.27 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Lebanon

1.9 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Lesotho

3.28 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Liberia

6.02 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Libya

3.28 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Liechtenstein

1.51 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Lithuania

1.2 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Luxembourg

1.78 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Macau

1.02 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Macedonia

1.57 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Madagascar

5.62 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Malawi

5.92 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Malaysia

3.04 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Maldives

4.9 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Mali

7.42 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Malta

1.5 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Marshall Islands

3.85 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Mauritania

5.86 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Mauritius

1.95 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Mayotte

5.79 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Mexico

2.42 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of

3.16 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Moldova

1.85 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Monaco

1.76 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Mongolia

2.25 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Montserrat

1.77 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Morocco

2.68 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Mozambique

4.62 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Namibia

3.06 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Nauru

3.11 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Nepal

4.1 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Netherlands

1.66 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

1.99 children born/woman (2006 est.)

New Caledonia

2.28 children born/woman (2006 est.)

New Zealand

1.79 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Nicaragua

2.75 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Niger

7.46 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Nigeria

5.49 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Niue

NA

Norfolk Island

NA

Northern Mariana Islands

1.24 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Norway

1.78 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Oman

5.77 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Pakistan

4 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Palau

2.46 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Panama

2.68 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea

3.88 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Paraguay

3.89 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Peru

2.51 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Philippines

3.11 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Pitcairn Islands

NA

Poland

1.25 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Portugal

1.47 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Puerto Rico

1.75 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Qatar

2.81 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Romania

1.37 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Russia

1.28 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Rwanda

5.43 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Saint Helena

1.55 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

2.31 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Saint Lucia

2.18 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

2.01 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

1.83 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Samoa

2.94 children born/woman (2006 est.)

San Marino

1.34 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe

5.62 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Saudi Arabia

4 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Senegal

4.38 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Serbia

1.78 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Seychelles

1.74 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Sierra Leone

6.08 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Singapore

1.06 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Slovakia

1.33 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Slovenia

1.25 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Solomon Islands

3.91 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Somalia

6.76 children born/woman (2006 est.)

South Africa

2.2 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Spain

1.28 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Sri Lanka

1.84 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Sudan

4.72 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Suriname

2.32 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Svalbard

NA

Swaziland

3.53 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Sweden

1.66 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Switzerland

1.43 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Syria

3.4 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Taiwan

1.57 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Tajikistan

4 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Tanzania

4.97 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Thailand

1.64 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Togo

4.96 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Tokelau

NA

Tonga

3 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

1.74 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Tunisia

1.74 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Turkey

1.92 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Turkmenistan

3.37 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

3.05 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Tuvalu

2.98 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Uganda

6.71 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Ukraine

1.17 children born/woman (2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates

2.88 children born/woman (2006 est.)

United Kingdom

1.66 children born/woman (2006 est.)

United States

2.09 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Uruguay

1.89 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Uzbekistan

2.91 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Vanuatu

2.7 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Venezuela

2.23 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Vietnam

1.91 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Virgin Islands

2.17 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Wallis and Futuna

NA children born/woman

West Bank

4.28 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Western Sahara

NA children born/woman

World

2.59 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Yemen

6.58 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Zambia

5.39 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Zimbabwe

3.13 children born/woman (2006 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2128 Government type

Afghanistan

Islamic republic

Albania

emerging democracy

Algeria

republic

American Samoa

NA

Andorra

parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains as

its chiefs of state a coprincipality; the two princes are the

president of France and bishop of Seo de Urgel, Spain, who are

represented locally by coprinces' representatives

Angola

republic; multiparty presidential regime

Anguilla

NA

Antarctica Antarctic Treaty Summary - the Antarctic Treaty, signed on 1 December 1959 and entered into force on 23 June 1961, establishes the legal framework for the management of Antarctica; the 28th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was held in Stockholm, Sweden in June 2005; at these periodic meetings, decisions are made by consensus (not by vote) of all consultative member nations; at the end of 2005, there were 45 treaty member nations: 28 consultative and 17 non-consultative; consultative (decision-making) members include the seven nations that claim portions of Antarctica as national territory (some claims overlap) and 21 non-claimant nations; the US and Russia have reserved the right to make claims; the US does not recognize the claims of others; Antarctica is administered through meetings of the consultative member nations; decisions from these meetings are carried out by these member nations (with respect to their own nationals and operations) in accordance with their own national laws; the years in parentheses indicate when a consultative member-nation acceded to the Treaty and when it was accepted as a consultative member, while no date indicates the country was an original 1959 treaty signatory; claimant nations are - Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ, Norway, and the UK. Nonclaimant consultative nations are - Belgium, Brazil (1975/1983), Bulgaria (1978/1998) China (1983/1985), Ecuador (1987/1990), Finland (1984/1989), Germany (1979/1981), India (1983/1983), Italy (1981/1987), Japan, South Korea (1986/1989), Netherlands (1967/1990), Peru (1981/1989), Poland (1961/1977), Russia, South Africa, Spain (1982/1988), Sweden (1984/1988), Ukraine (1992/2004), Uruguay (1980/1985), and the US; non-consultative members, with year of accession in parentheses, are - Austria (1987), Canada (1988), Colombia (1989), Cuba (1984), Czech Republic (1962/1993), Denmark (1965), Estonia (2001), Greece (1987), Guatemala (1991), Hungary (1984), North Korea (1987), Papua New Guinea (1981), Romania (1971), Slovakia (1962/1993), Switzerland (1990), Turkey (1996), and Venezuela (1999); note - Czechoslovakia acceded to the Treaty in 1962 and separated into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993; Article 1 - area to be used for peaceful purposes only; military activity, such as weapons testing, is prohibited, but military personnel and equipment may be used for scientific research or any other peaceful purpose; Article 2 - freedom of scientific investigation and cooperation shall continue; Article 3 - free exchange of information and personnel, cooperation with the UN and other international agencies; Article 4 - does not recognize, dispute, or establish territorial claims and no new claims shall be asserted while the treaty is in force; Article 5 - prohibits nuclear explosions or disposal of radioactive wastes; Article 6 - includes under the treaty all land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees 00 minutes south and reserves high seas rights; Article 7 - treaty-state observers have free access, including aerial observation, to any area and may inspect all stations, installations, and equipment; advance notice of all expeditions and of the introduction of military personnel must be given; Article 8 - allows for jurisdiction over observers and scientists by their own states; Article 9 - frequent consultative meetings take place among member nations; Article 10 - treaty states will discourage activities by any country in Antarctica that are contrary to the treaty; Article 11 - disputes to be settled peacefully by the parties concerned or, ultimately, by the ICJ; Articles 12, 13, 14 - deal with upholding, interpreting, and amending the treaty among involved nations; other agreements - some 200 recommendations adopted at treaty consultative meetings and ratified by governments include - Agreed Measures for Fauna and Flora (1964) which were later incorporated into the Environmental Protocol; Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (1972); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (1980); a mineral resources agreement was signed in 1988 but remains unratified; the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty was signed 4 October 1991 and entered into force 14 January 1998; this agreement provides for the protection of the Antarctic environment through six specific annexes: 1) environmental impact assessment, 2) conservation of Antarctic fauna and flora, 3) waste disposal and waste management, 4) prevention of marine pollution, 5) area protection and management and 6) liability arising from environmental emergencies; it prohibits all activities relating to mineral resources except scientific research; a permanent Antarctic Treaty Secretariat was established in 2004 in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Antigua and Barbuda

constitutional parliamentary democracy

Argentina

republic

Armenia

republic

Aruba

parliamentary democracy

Australia

federal parliamentary democracy

Austria

federal republic

Azerbaijan

republic

Bahamas, The

constitutional parliamentary democracy

Bahrain

constitutional hereditary monarchy

Bangladesh

parliamentary democracy

Barbados

parliamentary democracy

Belarus

republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship

Belgium

federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional

monarchy

Belize

parliamentary democracy

Benin

republic

Bermuda

parliamentary; self-governing territory

Bhutan

monarchy; special treaty relationship with India

Bolivia

republic

Bosnia and Herzegovina

emerging federal democratic republic

Botswana

parliamentary republic

Brazil

federative republic

British Virgin Islands

NA

Brunei

constitutional sultanate

Bulgaria

parliamentary democracy

Burkina Faso

parliamentary republic

Burma

military junta

Burundi

republic

Cambodia

multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy

Cameroon

republic; multiparty presidential regime

Canada

constitutional monarchy that is also a parliamentary

democracy and a federation

Cape Verde

republic

Cayman Islands

British crown colony

Central African Republic

republic

Chad

republic

Chile

republic

China

Communist state

Christmas Island

NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

NA

Colombia

republic; executive branch dominates government structure

Comoros

republic

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

transitional government

Congo, Republic of the

republic

Cook Islands

self-governing parliamentary democracy

Costa Rica

democratic republic

Cote d'Ivoire

republic; multiparty presidential regime established

1960

note: the government is currently operating under a power-sharing

agreement mandated by international mediators

Croatia

presidential/parliamentary democracy

Cuba

Communist state

Cyprus

republic

note: a separation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting the

island began following the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this

separation was further solidified after the Turkish intervention in

July 1974 that followed a Greek junta-supported coup attempt gave

the Turkish Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots

control the only internationally recognized government; on 15

November 1983 Turkish Cypriot "President" Rauf DENKTASH declared

independence and the formation of a "Turkish Republic of Northern

Cyprus" (TRNC), which is recognized only by Turkey

Czech Republic

parliamentary democracy

Denmark

constitutional monarchy

Djibouti

republic

Dominica

parliamentary democracy

Dominican Republic

representative democracy

East Timor

republic

Ecuador

republic

Egypt

republic

El Salvador

republic

Equatorial Guinea

republic

Eritrea

transitional government

note: following a successful referendum on independence for the

Autonomous Region of Eritrea on 23-25 April 1993, a National

Assembly, composed entirely of the People's Front for Democracy and

Justice or PFDJ, was established as a transitional legislature; a

Constitutional Commission was also established to draft a

constitution; ISAIAS Afworki was elected president by the

transitional legislature; the constitution, ratified in May 1997,

did not enter into effect, pending parliamentary and presidential

elections; parliamentary elections had been scheduled in December

2001, but were postponed indefinitely; currently the sole legal

party is the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ)

Estonia

parliamentary republic

Ethiopia

federal republic

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

NA

Faroe Islands

NA

Fiji

republic

Finland

republic

France

republic

French Polynesia

NA

Gabon

republic; multiparty presidential regime

Gambia, The

republic

Georgia

republic

Germany

federal republic

Ghana

constitutional democracy

Gibraltar

NA

Greece

parliamentary republic

Greenland

parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy

Grenada

parliamentary democracy

Guam

NA

Guatemala

constitutional democratic republic

Guernsey

parliamentary democracy

Guinea

republic

Guinea-Bissau

republic

Guyana

republic

Haiti

elected government

Holy See (Vatican City)

ecclesiastical

Honduras

democratic constitutional republic

Hong Kong

limited democracy

Hungary

parliamentary democracy

Iceland

constitutional republic

India

federal republic

Indonesia

republic

Iran

theocratic republic

Iraq

parliamentary democracy

Ireland

republic, parliamentary democracy

Isle of Man

parliamentary democracy

Israel

parliamentary democracy

Italy

republic

Jamaica

constitutional parliamentary democracy

Japan

constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government

Jersey

parliamentary democracy

Jordan

constitutional monarchy

Kazakhstan

republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little

power outside the executive branch

Kenya

republic

Kiribati

republic

Korea, North

Communist state one-man dictatorship

Korea, South

republic

Kuwait

constitutional hereditary emirate

Kyrgyzstan

republic

Laos

Communist state

Latvia

parliamentary democracy

Lebanon

republic

Lesotho

parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Liberia

republic

Libya

Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the

populace through local councils; in practice, an authoritarian state

Liechtenstein

constitutional monarchy

Lithuania

parliamentary democracy

Luxembourg

constitutional monarchy

Macau

limited democracy

Macedonia

parliamentary democracy

Madagascar

republic

Malawi

multiparty democracy

Malaysia

constitutional monarchy

note: nominally headed by paramount ruler and a bicameral Parliament

consisting of a nonelected upper house and an elected lower house;

all Peninsular Malaysian states have hereditary rulers except Melaka

and Pulau Pinang (Penang); those two states along with Sabah and

Sarawak in East Malaysia have governors appointed by government;

powers of state governments are limited by federal constitution;

under terms of federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain

constitutional prerogatives (e.g., right to maintain their own

immigration controls); Sabah holds 25 seats in House of

Representatives; Sarawak holds 28 seats in House of Representatives

Maldives

republic

Mali

republic

Malta

republic

Marshall Islands

constitutional government in free association with

the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21

October 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force in May 2004

Mauritania

republic

Mauritius

parliamentary democracy

Mayotte

NA

Mexico

federal republic

Micronesia, Federated States of constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force May 2004

Moldova

republic

Monaco

constitutional monarchy

Mongolia

mixed parliamentary/presidential

Montenegro

republic

Montserrat

NA

Morocco

constitutional monarchy

Mozambique

republic

Namibia

republic

Nauru

republic

Nepal

parliamentary democracy

Netherlands

constitutional monarchy

Netherlands Antilles

parliamentary

New Caledonia

NA

New Zealand

parliamentary democracy

Nicaragua

republic

Niger

republic

Nigeria

federal republic

Niue

self-governing parliamentary democracy

Norfolk Island

NA

Northern Mariana Islands commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature

Norway

constitutional monarchy

Oman

monarchy

Pakistan

federal republic

Palau

constitutional government in free association with the US; the

Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994

Panama

constitutional democracy

Papua New Guinea

constitutional parliamentary democracy

Paraguay

constitutional republic

Peru

constitutional republic

Philippines

republic

Pitcairn Islands

NA

Poland

republic

Portugal

parliamentary democracy

Puerto Rico

commonwealth

Qatar

traditional emirate

Romania

republic

Russia

federation

Rwanda

republic; presidential, multiparty system

Saint Helena

NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis

parliamentary democracy

Saint Lucia

parliamentary democracy

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

parliamentary democracy

Samoa

mix of parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy

San Marino

independent republic

Sao Tome and Principe

republic

Saudi Arabia

monarchy

Senegal

republic

Serbia

republic

Seychelles

republic

Sierra Leone

constitutional democracy

Singapore

parliamentary republic

Slovakia

parliamentary democracy

Slovenia

parliamentary republic

Solomon Islands

parliamentary democracy

Somalia

no permanent national government; transitional,

parliamentary federal government

South Africa

republic

Spain

parliamentary monarchy

Sri Lanka

republic

Sudan

Government of National Unity (GNU) - the National Congress

Party (NCP) and Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) formed a

power-sharing government under the 2005 Comprehensive Peace

Agreement (CPA); the NCP, which came to power by military coup in

1989, is the majority partner; the agreement stipulates national

elections for the 2008 - 2009 timeframe.

Suriname

constitutional democracy

Svalbard

NA

Swaziland

monarchy

Sweden

constitutional monarchy

Switzerland

formally a confederation, but similar in structure to a

federal republic

Syria

republic under an authoritarian, military-dominated regime

Taiwan

multiparty democracy

Tajikistan

republic

Tanzania

republic

Thailand

constitutional monarchy

Togo

republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule

Tokelau

NA

Tonga

constitutional monarchy

Trinidad and Tobago

parliamentary democracy

Tunisia

republic

Turkey

republican parliamentary democracy

Turkmenistan

republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little

power outside the executive branch

Turks and Caicos Islands

NA

Tuvalu

constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy

Uganda

republic

Ukraine

republic

United Arab Emirates

federation with specified powers delegated to

the UAE federal government and other powers reserved to member

emirates

United Kingdom

constitutional monarchy

United States

Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic

tradition

Uruguay

constitutional republic

Uzbekistan

republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little

power outside the executive branch

Vanuatu

parliamentary republic

Venezuela

federal republic

Vietnam

Communist state

Virgin Islands

NA

Wallis and Futuna

NA

Western Sahara

legal status of territory and issue of sovereignty

unresolved; territory contested by Morocco and Polisario Front

(Popular Front for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de

Oro), which in February 1976 formally proclaimed a

government-in-exile of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR),

led by President Mohamed ABDELAZIZ; territory partitioned between

Morocco and Mauritania in April 1976, with Morocco acquiring

northern two-thirds; Mauritania, under pressure from Polisario

guerrillas, abandoned all claims to its portion in August 1979;

Morocco moved to occupy that sector shortly thereafter and has since

asserted administrative control; the Polisario's government-in-exile

was seated as an Organization of African Unity (OAU) member in 1984;

guerrilla activities continued sporadically, until a UN-monitored

cease-fire was implemented 6 September 1991

Yemen

republic

Zambia

republic

Zimbabwe

parliamentary democracy

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2129 Unemployment rate (%)

Afghanistan

40% (2005 est.)

Albania

14.3% official rate, but may exceed 30% due to preponderance

of near-subsistence farming (2005 est.)

Algeria

15.7% (2006 est.)

American Samoa

29.8% (2005)

Andorra

0% (1996 est.)

Angola

extensive unemployment and underemployment affecting more

than half the population (2001 est.)

Anguilla

8% (2002)

Antigua and Barbuda

11% (2001 est.)

Argentina

10.2% (3rd quarter)

Armenia

7.6% (2004 est.)

Aruba

6.9% (2005 est.)

Australia

4.9% (2006 est.)

Austria

4.9% (2006 est.)

Azerbaijan

1.2% official rate (2006 est.)

Bahamas, The

10.2% (2005 est.)

Bahrain

15% (2005 est.)

Bangladesh

2.5% (includes underemployment) (2006 est.)

Barbados

10.7% (2003 est.)

Belarus

1.6% officially registered unemployed; large number of

underemployed workers (2005)

Belgium

8.1% (2006 est.)

Belize

12.9% (2003)

Benin

NA%

Bermuda

2.1% (2004 est.)

Bhutan

Bolivia 7.8% in urban areas; widespread underemployment (2006 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina 45.5% official rate; grey economy may reduce actual unemployment to 25-30% (31 December 2004 est.)

Botswana

23.8% (2004)

Brazil

9.6% (2006 est.)

British Virgin Islands

3.6% (1997)

Brunei

4.8% (2004)

Bulgaria

9.6% (2006 est.)

Burkina Faso

NA%

Burma

10.2% (2006 est.)

Burundi

NA%

Cambodia

2.5% (2000 est.)

Cameroon

30% (2001 est.)

Canada

6.4% (2006 est.)

Cape Verde

21% (2000 est.)

Cayman Islands

4.4% (2004)

Central African Republic

8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.)

Chad

NA%

Chile

8.3% (2006 est.)

China

4.2% official registered unemployment in urban areas in 2005;

substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

60% (2000 est.)

Colombia

11.1% (2006 est.)

Comoros

20% (1996 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

NA%

Congo, Republic of the

NA%

Cook Islands

13.1% (2005)

Costa Rica

6.6% (2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

13% in urban areas (1998)

Croatia

17.2% official rate; labor force surveys indicate

unemployment around 14% (2006 est.)

Cuba

1.9% (2006 est.)

Cyprus

Republic of Cyprus: 5.5% (2005 est.); north Cyprus: 5.6%

(2004 est.)

Czech Republic

8.4% (2006 est.)

Denmark

4.5% (2006 est.)

Djibouti

50% (2004 est.)

Dominica

23% (2000 est.)

Dominican Republic

16% (2006 est.)

East Timor

50% estimated; note - unemployment in urban areas reached

20%; data do not include underemployed (2001 est.)

Ecuador

10.6% official rate; but underemployment of 47% (2006 est.)

Egypt

10.3% (2006 est.)

El Salvador

6% official rate; but the economy has much

underemployment (2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

30% (1998 est.)

Eritrea

NA%

Estonia

5.8% (2006 est.)

Ethiopia

NA%

European Union

8.8% (2005 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) full employment; labor shortage (2001)

Faroe Islands

1% (October 2000)

Fiji

7.6% (1999)

Finland

7% (2006 est.)

France

9.1% (2006 est.)

French Polynesia

11.8%

Gabon

21% (1997 est.)

Gambia, The

NA%

Gaza Strip

31% (includes West Bank) (January-September 2005 avg.)

Georgia

12.6% (2004 est.)

Germany

7.1%

note: this is the International Labor Organization's estimated rate

for international comparisons; Germany's Federal Employment Office

estimated a seasonally adjusted rate of 9.8% (2006 est.)

Ghana

20% (1997 est.)

Gibraltar

2% (2001 est.)

Greece

9.2% (2006 est.)

Greenland

10% (2000 est.)

Grenada

12.5% (2000)

Guam

11.4% (2002 est.)

Guatemala

7.5% (2003 est.)

Guernsey

0.9% (March 2006 est.)

Guinea

NA%

Guinea-Bissau

NA%

Guyana

9.1% (understated) (2000)

Haiti

widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than

two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs (2002 est.)

Honduras

27.9% (2006 est.)

Hong Kong

4.9% (2006 est.)

Hungary

7.4% (2006 est.)

Iceland

1.3% (2006 est.)

India

7.8% (2006 est.)

Indonesia

12.5% (2006 est.)

Iran

11.2% (2004 est.)

Iraq

25% to 30% (2005 est.)

Ireland

4.3% (2006 est.)

Isle of Man

0.6% (2004 est.)

Israel

8.5% (2006 est.)

Italy

7% (2006 est.)

Jamaica

11% (2006 est.)

Japan

4.1% (2006 est.)

Jersey

0.9% (2004 est.)

Jordan

15% official rate; unofficial rate is approximately 30% (2006

est.)

Kazakhstan

7.4% (2006 est.)

Kenya

40% (2001 est.)

Kiribati

2% official rate; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)

Korea, North

NA%

Korea, South

3.6% (2006 est.)

Kuwait

2.2% (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

18% (2004 est.)

Laos

2.4% (2005 est.)

Latvia

6.7% (2006 est.)

Lebanon

20% (2006 est.)

Lesotho

45% (2002)

Liberia

85% (2003 est.)

Libya

30% (2004 est.)

Liechtenstein

1.3% (September 2002)

Lithuania

4.5% (2006 est.)

Luxembourg

4.1% (2006 est.)

Macau

4.1% (2005)

Macedonia

35% (2006 est.)

Malawi

NA%

Malaysia

3.5% (2006 est.)

Maldives

NEGL% (2003 est.)

Mali

14.6% (2001 est.)

Malta

7.8% (2005 est.)

Marshall Islands

30.9% (2000 est.)

Mauritania

20% (2004 est.)

Mauritius

9.4% (2006 est.)

Mayotte

32.8% (2003)

Mexico

3.2% plus underemployment of perhaps 25% (2006 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of

22% (2000 est.)

Moldova

8%; note - roughly 25% of working age Moldovans are employed

abroad (2002 est.)

Monaco

22% (1999)

Mongolia

6.7% (2003)

Montenegro

27.7% (2005)

Montserrat

6% (1998 est.)

Morocco

7.7% (2006 est.)

Mozambique

21% (1997 est.)

Namibia

5.3% (2006 est.)

Nauru

90% (2004 est.)

Nepal

42% (2004 est.)

Netherlands

5.5% (2006 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

17% (2002 est.)

New Caledonia

17.1% (2004)

New Zealand

8.3% (2006 est.)

Nicaragua

3.8% plus underemployment of 46.5% (2006 est.)

Niger

NA%

Nigeria

5.8% (2006 est.)

Niue

12% (2001)

Norfolk Island

0%

Northern Mariana Islands

3.9% (2001)

Norway

3.5% (2006 est.)

Oman

15% (2004 est.)

Pakistan

6.5% plus substantial underemployment (2006 est.)

Palau

4.2% (2005 est.)

Panama

8.8% (2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea

2% up to 80% in urban areas (2004)

Paraguay

9.4% (2005 est.)

Peru

7.2% in metropolitan Lima; widespread underemployment (2006

est.)

Philippines

8.4% (2006 est.)

Poland

14.9% (November 2006 est.)

Portugal

7.5% (2006 est.)

Puerto Rico

12% (2002)

Qatar

3.2% (2006 est.)

Romania

6.1% (2006 est.)

Russia

6.6% plus considerable underemployment (2006 est.)

Rwanda

NA%

Saint Helena

14% (1998 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

4.5% (1997)

Saint Lucia

20% (2003 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

10.3% (1999)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

15% (2001 est.)

Samoa

NA%

San Marino

2.6% (2001)

Sao Tome and Principe

NA%

Saudi Arabia

13% among Saudi males only (local bank estimate; some

estimates range as high as 25%) (2004 est.)

Senegal

48%; note - urban youth 40% (2001 est.)

Serbia

31.6%

note: unemployment is approximately 50% in Kosovo (2005 est.)

Seychelles

NA%

Sierra Leone

NA%

Singapore

3.1% (2006 est.)

Slovakia

10.2% (2006 est.)

Slovenia

9.6% (2006 est.)

Solomon Islands

NA%

Somalia

NA%

South Africa

25.5% (2006 est.)

Spain

8.7% (2006 est.)

Sri Lanka

7.6% (2006 est.)

Sudan

18.7% (2002 est.)

Suriname

9.5% (2004)

Swaziland

40% (2005 est.)

Sweden

5.6% (2006 est.)

Switzerland

3.3% (2006 est.)

Syria

8% (2005 est.)

Taiwan

3.9% (2006 est.)

Tajikistan

12% (2004 est.)

Tanzania

NA%

Thailand

2.1% (2006 est.)

Togo

NA%

Tokelau

NA%

Tonga

13% (FY03/04 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

7% (2006 est.)

Tunisia

13.9% (2006 est.)

Turkey

10.2% plus underemployment of 4% (2006 est.)

Turkmenistan

60% (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

10% (1997 est.)

Tuvalu

NA%

Uganda

NA%

Ukraine

2.9% officially registered; large number of unregistered or

underemployed workers; the International Labor Organization

calculates that Ukraine's real unemployment level is around 9-10%

(2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates

2.4% (2001)

United Kingdom

5.4% (2006 est.)

United States

4.6% (2006)

Uruguay

10.5% (2006 est.)

Uzbekistan

0.8% officially, plus another 20% underemployed (2006

est.)

Vanuatu

1.7% (1999)

Venezuela

8.9% (October 2006 est.)

Vietnam

2% (2006 est.)

Virgin Islands

6.2% (2004)

Wallis and Futuna

15.2% (2003)

West Bank

20.3% (includes Gaza Strip) (2005)

Western Sahara

NA%

World

30% combined unemployment and underemployment in many

non-industrialized countries; developed countries typically 4%-12%

unemployment

Yemen

35% (2003 est.)

Zambia

50% (2000 est.)

Zimbabwe

80% (2005 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2137 Military - note

Akrotiri

Akrotiri has a full RAF base, Headquarters for British

Forces on Cyprus, and Episkopi Support Unit

American Samoa

defense is the responsibility of the US

Andorra

defense is the responsibility of France and Spain

Anguilla

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Antarctica

the Antarctic Treaty prohibits any measures of a military

nature, such as the establishment of military bases and

fortifications, the carrying out of military maneuvers, or the

testing of any type of weapon; it permits the use of military

personnel or equipment for scientific research or for any other

peaceful purposes

Argentina

the Argentine military is a well-organized force

constrained by the country's prolonged economic hardship; the

country has recently experienced a strong recovery, and the military

is now implementing "Plan 2000," aimed at making the ground forces

lighter and more responsive (2005)

Aruba

defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

defense is the responsibility of

Australia; periodic visits by the Royal Australian Navy and Royal

Australian Air Force

Baker Island

defense is the responsibility of the US; visited

annually by the US Coast Guard

Barbados

the Royal Barbados Defense Force includes a land-based

Troop Command and a small Coast Guard; the primary role of the land

element is to defend the island against external aggression; the

Command consists of a single, part-time battalion with a small

regular cadre that is deployed throughout the island; it

increasingly supports the police in patrolling the coastline to

prevent smuggling and other illicit activities (2005)

Bassas da India

defense is the responsibility of France

Bermuda

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Bouvet Island

defense is the responsibility of Norway

British Indian Ocean Territory

defense is the responsibility of the

UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016

British Virgin Islands

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Cayman Islands

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Christmas Island

defense is the responsibility of Australia

Clipperton Island

defense is the responsibility of France

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

defense is the responsibility of Australia;

the territory has a five-person police force

Cook Islands

defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in

consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request

Coral Sea Islands

defense is the responsibility of Australia;

visited regularly by the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has

control over the activities of visitors

Cuba

Moscow, for decades the key military supporter and supplier of

Cuba, cut off almost all military aid by 1993

Dhekelia

includes Dhekelia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station

connected by a roadway

Europa Island

defense is the responsibility of France

European Union

In November 2004, the European Union heads of

government signed a "Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe"

that offers possibilities - with some limits - for increased defense

and security cooperation. If ratified, in a process that may take

some two years, this treaty will in effect make operational the

European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) approved in the 2000

Nice Treaty. Despite limits of cooperation for some EU members,

development of a European military planning unit is likely to

continue. So is creation of a rapid-reaction military force and a

humanitarian aid system, which the planning unit will support.

France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Italy

continue to press for wider coordination. The five-nation Eurocorps

- created in 1992 by France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Luxembourg

- has already deployed troops and police on peacekeeping missions to

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, and the Democratic Republic of

Congo and assumed command of the International Security Assistance

Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan in August 2004. Eurocorps directly

commands the 5,000-man Franco-German Brigade, the Multinational

Command Support Brigade, and EUFOR, which took over from SFOR in

Bosnia in December 2004. Other troop contributions are under

national command - commitments to provide 67,100 troops were made at

the Helsinki EU session in 2000. Some 56,000 EU troops were actually

deployed in 2003. In August 2004, the new European Defense Agency,

tasked with promoting cooperative European defense capabilities,

began operations. In November 2004, the EU Council of Ministers

formally committed to creating thirteen 1,500-man "battle groups" by

the end of 2007, to respond to international crises on a rotating

basis. Twenty-two of the EU's 25 nations have agreed to supply

troops. France, Italy, and the UK are to form the first three battle

groups in 2005, with Spain to follow. In May 2005, Norway, Sweden,

and Finland agreed to establish one of the battle groups, possibly

to include Estonian forces. The remaining groups are to be formed by

2007. (2005)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) defense is the responsibility of the UK

Faroe Islands

defense is the responsibility of Denmark

French Polynesia

defense is the responsibility of France

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

defense is the responsibility of

France

Georgia

a CIS peacekeeping force of Russian troops is deployed in

the Abkhazia region of Georgia together with a UN military observer

group; a Russian peacekeeping battalion is deployed in South Ossetia

Gibraltar

defense is the responsibility of the UK; the last British

regular infantry forces left Gibraltar in 1992, replaced by the

Royal Gibraltar Regiment

Glorioso Islands

defense is the responsibility of France

Greenland

defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Guam

defense is the responsibility of the US

Guernsey

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

defense is the responsibility of

Australia; Australia conducts fisheries patrols

Holy See (Vatican City) defense is the responsibility of Italy; ceremonial and limited security duties performed by Pontifical Swiss Guard

Hong Kong

defense is the responsibility of China

Howland Island

defense is the responsibility of the US; visited

annually by the US Coast Guard

Iceland

under a 1951 bilateral agreement, Iceland's defense was

provided by a US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered

in Keflavik; in October 2006, all US military forces in Iceland were

withdrawn; nonetheless, the US and Iceland signed a Joint

Understanding to strengthen their bilateral defense relationship,

including regular security consultations, military communications in

the event of national emergencies, annual bilateral exercises on

Icelandic territory, and future bilateral and NATO support to four

Iceland Air Defense System (IADS) radar sites

Iles Eparses

defense is the responsibility of France

Isle of Man

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Jan Mayen

defense is the responsibility of Norway

Jarvis Island

defense is the responsibility of the US; visited

annually by the US Coast Guard

Jersey

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Johnston Atoll

defense is the responsibility of the US

Juan de Nova Island

defense is the responsibility of France

Kingman Reef

defense is the responsibility of the US

Kiribati

Kiribati does not have military forces; defense assistance

is provided by Australia and NZ

Laos

Laos is one of the world's least developed countries; the Lao

People's Armed Forces are small, poorly funded, and ineffectively

resourced; there is little political will to allocate sparse funding

to the military, and the armed forces' gradual degradation is likely

to continue; the massive drug production and trafficking industry

centered in the Golden Triangle makes Laos an important narcotics

transit country, and armed Wa and Chinese smugglers are active on

the Lao-Burma border (2005)

Lesotho

the Lesotho Government in 1999 began an open debate on the

future structure, size, and role of the armed forces, especially

considering the Lesotho Defense Force's (LDF) history of intervening

in political affairs

Liechtenstein

defense is the responsibility of Switzerland

Macau

defense is the responsiblity of China

Marshall Islands

defense is the responsibility of the US

Mayotte

defense is the responsibility of France; small contingent of

French forces stationed on the island

Micronesia, Federated States of

defense is the responsibility of the

US

Midway Islands

defense is the responsibility of the US

Monaco

defense is the responsibility of France; the Palace Guard

performs ceremonial duties (2003)

Montenegro

Montenegrin plans call for the establishment of a fully

professional armed forces

Montserrat

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Nauru

Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal

agreement, defense is the responsibility of Australia

Navassa Island

defense is the responsibility of the US

Netherlands Antilles defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

New Caledonia

defense is the responsibility of France

Niue

defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Norfolk Island

defense is the responsibility of Australia

Northern Mariana Islands

defense is the responsibility of the US

Palau

defense is the responsibility of the US; under a Compact of

Free Association between Palau and the US, the US military is

granted access to the islands for 50 years, but it has not stationed

any military forces there (2005)

Palmyra Atoll

defense is the responsibility of the US

Panama

on 10 February 1990, the government of then President ENDARA

abolished Panama's military and reformed the security apparatus by

creating the Panamanian Public Forces; in October 1994, Panama's

Legislative Assembly approved a constitutional amendment prohibiting

the creation of a standing military force, but allowing the

temporary establishment of special police units to counter acts of

"external aggression"

Paracel Islands

occupied by China

Pitcairn Islands

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Puerto Rico

defense is the responsibility of the US

Saint Helena

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

defense is the responsibility of France

Samoa

Samoa has no formal defense structure or regular armed forces;

informal defense ties exist with NZ, which is required to consider

any Samoan request for assistance under the 1962 Treaty of Friendship

San Marino

defense is the responsibility of Italy

Sao Tome and Principe

Sao Tome and Principe's army is a tiny force

with almost no resources at its disposal and would be wholly

ineffective operating unilaterally; infantry equipment is considered

simple to operate and maintain but may require refurbishment or

replacement after 25 years in tropical climates; poor pay and

conditions have been a problem in the past, as has alleged nepotism

in the promotion of officers, as reflected in the 1995 and 2003

coups; these issues are being addressed with foreign assistance as

initial steps towards the improvement of the army and its focus on

realistic security concerns; command is exercised from the

president, through the Minister of Defense, to the Chief of the

Armed Forces staff (2005)

South Africa

with the end of apartheid and the establishment of

majority rule, former military, black homelands forces, and

ex-opposition forces were integrated into the South African National

Defense Force (SANDF); as of 2003 the integration process was

considered complete

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

defense is the

responsibility of the UK

Spratly Islands

Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small

islands or reefs, of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by

China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam

Svalbard

demilitarized by treaty on 9 February 1920

Tokelau

defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Tromelin Island

defense is the responsibility of France

Turkey

in the early 1990s, the Turkish Land Force was a large but

badly equipped infantry force; there were 14 infantry divisions, but

only one was mechanized, and out of 16 infantry brigades, only six

were mechanized; the overhaul that has taken place since has

produced highly mobile forces with greatly enhanced firepower in

accordance with NATO's new strategic concept (2005)

Turks and Caicos Islands

defense is the responsibility of the UK

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges defense is the responsibility of the US

Virgin Islands

defense is the responsibility of the US

Wake Island

defense is the responsibility of the US; the US Air

Force is responsible for overall administration and operation of the

island; the launch support facility is administered by the US

Missile Defense Agency (MDA)

Wallis and Futuna

defense is the responsibility of France

Yemen

a Coast Guard was established in 2002

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2138 Communications - note

Afghanistan

in March 2003, 'af' was established as Afghanistan's

domain name; Internet access is growing through Internet cafes as

well as public "telekiosks" in Kabul (2002)

Bouvet Island

automatic meteorological station

Coral Sea Islands there are automatic weather stations on many of the isles and reefs relaying data to the mainland

Europa Island

1 meteorological station

Glorioso Islands

1 meteorological station

Iles Eparses

Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island,

Tromelin Island: 1 meteorological station on each possession; note -

meteorological station on Tromelin Island is important for

forecasting cyclones

Juan de Nova Island

1 meteorological station

Saint Helena

South Africa maintains a meteorological station on

Gough Island

Tromelin Island

important meteorological station

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2140 Government - note

French Polynesia

under certain acts of France, French Polynesia has

acquired autonomy in all areas except those relating to police and

justice, monetary policy, tertiary education, immigration, and

defense and foreign affairs; the duties of its president are

fashioned after those of the French prime minister

Malawi

the executive exerts considerable influence over the

legislature

New Zealand

while not an official symbol, the Kiwi, a small native

flightless bird, represents New Zealand

Solomon Islands

June 2003 Prime Minister Sir Allan KEMAKEZA sought

the intervention of Australia to aid in restoring order; parliament

approved the request for intervention in July 2003; troops from

Australia, NZ, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga arrived 24 July

2003; by 2006, the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon

Islands (RAMSI) had been scaled back to 259 police officers and 20

military, in addition to civilian technical advisers; in response to

rioting that broke out in mid-April 2006, Australia dispatched an

addtional 220 troops and 70 police officers to help restore order

Somalia

although an interim government was created in 2004, other

regional and local governing bodies continue to exist and control

various cities and regions of the country, including the

self-declared Republic of Somaliland in northwestern Somalia, the

semi-autonomous State of Puntland in northeastern Somalia, and

traditional clan and faction strongholds

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2142 Country name

Afghanistan

conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

conventional short form: Afghanistan

local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Afghanestan

local short form: Afghanestan

former: Republic of Afghanistan

Akrotiri

conventional long form: Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area

conventional short form: Akrotiri

Albania

conventional long form: Republic of Albania

conventional short form: Albania

local long form: Republika e Shqiperise

local short form: Shqiperia

former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania

Algeria

conventional long form: People's Democratic Republic of

Algeria

conventional short form: Algeria

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash

Sha'biyah

local short form: Al Jaza'ir

American Samoa

conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa

conventional short form: American Samoa

abbreviation: AS

Andorra

conventional long form: Principality of Andorra

conventional short form: Andorra

local long form: Principat d'Andorra

local short form: Andorra

Angola

conventional long form: Republic of Angola

conventional short form: Angola

local long form: Republica de Angola

local short form: Angola

former: People's Republic of Angola

Anguilla

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Anguilla

Antarctica

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Antarctica

Antigua and Barbuda

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina

conventional long form: Argentine Republic

conventional short form: Argentina

local long form: Republica Argentina

local short form: Argentina

Armenia

conventional long form: Republic of Armenia

conventional short form: Armenia

local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun

local short form: Hayastan

former: Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic; Armenian Republic

Aruba

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Aruba

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

conventional long form: Territory of

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Australia

conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia

conventional short form: Australia

Austria

conventional long form: Republic of Austria

conventional short form: Austria

local long form: Republik Oesterreich

local short form: Oesterreich

Azerbaijan

conventional long form: Republic of Azerbaijan

conventional short form: Azerbaijan

local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi

local short form: Azarbaycan

former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic

Bahamas, The

conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas

conventional short form: The Bahamas

Bahrain

conventional long form: Kingdom of Bahrain

conventional short form: Bahrain

local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn

local short form: Al Bahrayn

former: Dilmun

Baker Island

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Baker Island

Bangladesh

conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh

conventional short form: Bangladesh

local long form: Gana Prajatantri Banladesh

local short form: Banladesh

former: East Bengal, East Pakistan

Barbados

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Barbados

Bassas da India

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Bassas da India

Belarus

conventional long form: Republic of Belarus

conventional short form: Belarus

local long form: Respublika Byelarus'

local short form: Byelarus'

former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic

Belgium

conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium

conventional short form: Belgium

local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie

local short form: Belgique/Belgie

Belize

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Belize

former: British Honduras

Benin

conventional long form: Republic of Benin

conventional short form: Benin

local long form: Republique du Benin

local short form: Benin

former: Dahomey

Bermuda

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Bermuda

former: Somers Islands

Bhutan

conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan

conventional short form: Bhutan

local long form: Druk Gyalkhap

local short form: Druk Yul

Bolivia

conventional long form: Republic of Bolivia

conventional short form: Bolivia

local long form: Republica de Bolivia

local short form: Bolivia

Bosnia and Herzegovina conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bosnia and Herzegovina local long form: none local short form: Bosna i Hercegovina former: People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Botswana

conventional long form: Republic of Botswana

conventional short form: Botswana

local long form: Republic of Botswana

local short form: Botswana

former: Bechuanaland

Bouvet Island

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Bouvet Island

Brazil

conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil

conventional short form: Brazil

local long form: Republica Federativa do Brasil

local short form: Brasil

British Indian Ocean Territory

conventional long form: British

Indian Ocean Territory

conventional short form: none

abbreviation: BIOT

British Virgin Islands

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: British Virgin Islands

abbreviation: BVI

Brunei

conventional long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam

conventional short form: Brunei

local long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam

local short form: Brunei

Bulgaria

conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria

conventional short form: Bulgaria

local long form: Republika Balgariya

local short form: Balgariya

Burkina Faso

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Burkina Faso

local long form: none

local short form: Burkina Faso

former: Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta

Burma

conventional long form: Union of Burma

conventional short form: Burma

local long form: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the

US Government as Union of Myanma and by the Burmese as Union of

Myanmar)

local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw

former: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma

note: since 1989 the military authorities in Burma have promoted the

name Myanmar as a conventional name for their state; this decision

was not approved by any sitting legislature in Burma, and the US

Government did not adopt the name, which is a derivative of the

Burmese short-form name Myanma Naingngandaw

Burundi

conventional long form: Republic of Burundi

conventional short form: Burundi

local long form: Republique du Burundi/Republika y'u Burundi

local short form: Burundi

former: Urundi

Cambodia

conventional long form: Kingdom of Cambodia

conventional short form: Cambodia

local long form: Preahreacheanachakr Kampuchea (phonetic

pronunciation)

local short form: Kampuchea

former: Kingdom of Cambodia, Khmer Republic, Democratic Kampuchea,

People's Republic of Kampuchea, State of Cambodia

Cameroon

conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon

conventional short form: Cameroon

local long form: Republique du Cameroun/Republic of Cameroon

local short form: Cameroun/Cameroon

former: French Cameroon, British Cameroon, Federal Republic of

Cameroon, United Republic of Cameroon

Canada

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Canada

Cape Verde

conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde

conventional short form: Cape Verde

local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde

local short form: Cabo Verde

Cayman Islands

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Cayman Islands

Central African Republic

conventional long form: Central African

Republic

conventional short form: none

local long form: Republique Centrafricaine

local short form: none

former: Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire

abbreviation: CAR

Chad

conventional long form: Republic of Chad

conventional short form: Chad

local long form: Republique du Tchad/Jumhuriyat Tshad

local short form: Tchad/Tshad

Chile

conventional long form: Republic of Chile

conventional short form: Chile

local long form: Republica de Chile

local short form: Chile

China

conventional long form: People's Republic of China

conventional short form: China

local long form: Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo

local short form: Zhongguo

abbreviation: PRC

Christmas Island

conventional long form: Territory of Christmas

Island

conventional short form: Christmas Island

Clipperton Island conventional long form: none conventional short form: Clipperton Island local long form: none local short form: Ile Clipperton former: sometimes called Ile de la Passion

Cocos (Keeling) Islands conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Colombia

conventional long form: Republic of Colombia

conventional short form: Colombia

local long form: Republica de Colombia

local short form: Colombia

Comoros

conventional long form: Union of the Comoros

conventional short form: Comoros

local long form: Union des Comores

local short form: Comores

Congo, Democratic Republic of the conventional long form: Democratic Republic of the Congo conventional short form: none local long form: Republique Democratique du Congo local short form: none former: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire abbreviation: DRC

Congo, Republic of the conventional long form: Republic of the Congo conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville) local long form: Republique du Congo local short form: none former: Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congo

Cook Islands

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Cook Islands

former: Harvey Islands

Coral Sea Islands

conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory

conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands

Costa Rica

conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica

conventional short form: Costa Rica

local long form: Republica de Costa Rica

local short form: Costa Rica

Cote d'Ivoire

conventional long form: Republic of Cote d'Ivoire

conventional short form: Cote d'Ivoire

local long form: Republique de Cote d'Ivoire

local short form: Cote d'Ivoire

former: Ivory Coast

Croatia

conventional long form: Republic of Croatia

conventional short form: Croatia

local long form: Republika Hrvatska

local short form: Hrvatska

former: People's Republic of Croatia, Socialist Republic of Croatia

Cuba

conventional long form: Republic of Cuba

conventional short form: Cuba

local long form: Republica de Cuba

local short form: Cuba

Cyprus

conventional long form: Republic of Cyprus

conventional short form: Cyprus

local long form: Kypriaki Dimokratia/Kibris Cumhuriyeti

local short form: Kypros/Kibris

note: the Turkish Cypriot community, which administers the northern

part of the island, refers to itself as the "Turkish Republic of

Northern Cyprus" (TRNC)

Czech Republic

conventional long form: Czech Republic

conventional short form: Czech Republic

local long form: Ceska Republika

local short form: Cesko

Denmark

conventional long form: Kingdom of Denmark

conventional short form: Denmark

local long form: Kongeriget Danmark

local short form: Danmark

Dhekelia

conventional long form: Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area

conventional short form: Dhekelia

Djibouti

conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti

conventional short form: Djibouti

local long form: Republique de Djibouti/Jumhuriyat Jibuti

local short form: Djibouti/Jibuti

former: French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland

Dominica

conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica

conventional short form: Dominica

Dominican Republic conventional long form: Dominican Republic conventional short form: The Dominican local long form: Republica Dominicana local short form: La Dominicana

East Timor

conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste

conventional short form: East Timor

local long form: Republika Demokratika Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum];

Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste [Portuguese]

local short form: Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum]; Timor-Leste [Portuguese]

former: Portuguese Timor

Ecuador

conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador

conventional short form: Ecuador

local long form: Republica del Ecuador

local short form: Ecuador

Egypt

conventional long form: Arab Republic of Egypt

conventional short form: Egypt

local long form: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah

local short form: Misr

former: United Arab Republic (with Syria)

El Salvador

conventional long form: Republic of El Salvador

conventional short form: El Salvador

local long form: Republica de El Salvador

local short form: El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea

conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial

Guinea

conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea

local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial/Republique de Guinee

equatoriale

local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial/Guinee equatoriale

former: Spanish Guinea

Eritrea

conventional long form: State of Eritrea

conventional short form: Eritrea

local long form: Hagere Ertra

local short form: Ertra

former: Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia

Estonia

conventional long form: Republic of Estonia

conventional short form: Estonia

local long form: Eesti Vabariik

local short form: Eesti

former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic

Ethiopia

conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of

Ethiopia

conventional short form: Ethiopia

local long form: Ityop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik

local short form: Ityop'iya

former: Abyssinia, Italian East Africa

abbreviation: FDRE

Europa Island

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Europa Island

local long form: none

local short form: Ile Europa

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Faroe Islands

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Faroe Islands

local long form: none

local short form: Foroyar

Fiji

conventional long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands

conventional short form: Fiji

local long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands/Matanitu ko Viti

local short form: Fiji/Viti

Finland

conventional long form: Republic of Finland

conventional short form: Finland

local long form: Suomen tasavalta/Republiken Finland

local short form: Suomi/Finland

France

conventional long form: French Republic

conventional short form: France

local long form: Republique francaise

local short form: France

French Polynesia

conventional long form: Overseas Lands of French

Polynesia

conventional short form: French Polynesia

local long form: Pays d'outre-mer de la Polynesie Francaise

local short form: Polynesie Francaise

former: French Colony of Oceania

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

conventional long form:

Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands

conventional short form: French Southern and Antarctic Lands

local long form: Territoire des Terres Australes et Antarctiques

Francaises

local short form: Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises

abbreviation: TAAF

Gabon

conventional long form: Gabonese Republic

conventional short form: Gabon

local long form: Republique gabonaise

local short form: Gabon

Gambia, The

conventional long form: Republic of The Gambia

conventional short form: The Gambia

Gaza Strip

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Gaza Strip

local long form: none

local short form: Qita Ghazzah

Georgia

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Georgia

local long form: none

local short form: Sak'art'velo

former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic

Germany

conventional long form: Federal Republic of Germany

conventional short form: Germany

local long form: Bundesrepublik Deutschland

local short form: Deutschland

former: German Empire, German Republic, German Reich

Ghana

conventional long form: Republic of Ghana

conventional short form: Ghana

former: Gold Coast

Gibraltar

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Gibraltar

Glorioso Islands conventional long form: none conventional short form: Glorioso Islands local long form: none local short form: Iles Glorieuses

Greece

conventional long form: Hellenic Republic

conventional short form: Greece

local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia

local short form: Ellas or Ellada

former: Kingdom of Greece

Greenland

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Greenland

local long form: none

local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat

Grenada

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Grenada

Guam

conventional long form: Territory of Guam

conventional short form: Guam

local long form: Guahan

local short form: Guahan

Guatemala

conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala

conventional short form: Guatemala

local long form: Republica de Guatemala

local short form: Guatemala

Guernsey

conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey

conventional short form: Guernsey

Guinea

conventional long form: Republic of Guinea

conventional short form: Guinea

local long form: Republique de Guinee

local short form: Guinee

former: French Guinea

Guinea-Bissau

conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissau

conventional short form: Guinea-Bissau

local long form: Republica da Guine-Bissau

local short form: Guine-Bissau

former: Portuguese Guinea

Guyana

conventional long form: Cooperative Republic of Guyana

conventional short form: Guyana

former: British Guiana

Haiti

conventional long form: Republic of Haiti

conventional short form: Haiti

local long form: Republique d'Haiti/Repiblik d' Ayiti

local short form: Haiti/Ayiti

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

conventional long form: Territory

of Heard Island and McDonald Islands

conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands

abbreviation: HIMI

Holy See (Vatican City) conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City) conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City) local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano) local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)

Honduras

conventional long form: Republic of Honduras

conventional short form: Honduras

local long form: Republica de Honduras

local short form: Honduras

Hong Kong

conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative

Region

conventional short form: Hong Kong

local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu

local short form: Xianggang

abbreviation: HK

Howland Island

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Howland Island

Hungary

conventional long form: Republic of Hungary

conventional short form: Hungary

local long form: Magyar Koztarsasag

local short form: Magyarorszag

Iceland

conventional long form: Republic of Iceland

conventional short form: Iceland

local long form: Lydveldid Island

local short form: Island

Iles Eparses

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso

Islands, Juan de Nova Island, Tromelin Island

local long form: none

local short form: Bassas da India, Ile Europa, Iles Glorieuses, Ile

Juan de Nova, Ile Tromelin

India

conventional long form: Republic of India

conventional short form: India

local long form: Republic of India/Bharatiya Ganarajya

local short form: India/Bharat

Indonesia

conventional long form: Republic of Indonesia

conventional short form: Indonesia

local long form: Republik Indonesia

local short form: Indonesia

former: Netherlands East Indies; Dutch East Indies

Iran

conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Iran

conventional short form: Iran

local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran

local short form: Iran

former: Persia

Iraq

conventional long form: Republic of Iraq

conventional short form: Iraq

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah

local short form: Al Iraq

Ireland

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Ireland

local long form: none

local short form: Eire

Isle of Man

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Isle of Man

Israel

conventional long form: State of Israel

conventional short form: Israel

local long form: Medinat Yisra'el

local short form: Yisra'el

Italy

conventional long form: Italian Republic

conventional short form: Italy

local long form: Repubblica Italiana

local short form: Italia

former: Kingdom of Italy

Jamaica

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Jamaica

Jan Mayen

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Jan Mayen

Japan

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Japan

local long form: Nihon-koku/Nippon-koku

local short form: Nihon/Nippon

Jarvis Island

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Jarvis Island

Jersey

conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey

conventional short form: Jersey

Johnston Atoll

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Johnston Atoll

Jordan

conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

conventional short form: Jordan

local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah

local short form: Al Urdun

former: Transjordan

Juan de Nova Island conventional long form: none conventional short form: Juan de Nova Island local long form: none local short form: Ile Juan de Nova

Kazakhstan

conventional long form: Republic of Kazakhstan

conventional short form: Kazakhstan

local long form: Qazaqstan Respublikasy

local short form: Qazaqstan

former: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic

Kenya

conventional long form: Republic of Kenya

conventional short form: Kenya

local long form: Republic of Kenya/Jamhuri y Kenya

local short form: Kenya

former: British East Africa

Kingman Reef

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Kingman Reef

Kiribati

conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati

conventional short form: Kiribati

local long form: Republic of Kiribati

local short form: Kiribati

note: pronounced keer-ree-bahss

former: Gilbert Islands

Korea, North

conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic of

Korea

conventional short form: North Korea

local long form: Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk

local short form: Choson

abbreviation: DPRK

Korea, South

conventional long form: Republic of Korea

conventional short form: South Korea

local long form: Taehan-min'guk

local short form: Han'guk

abbreviation: ROK

Kuwait

conventional long form: State of Kuwait

conventional short form: Kuwait

local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt

local short form: Al Kuwayt

Kyrgyzstan

conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic

conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan

local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy

local short form: Kyrgyzstan

former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic

Laos

conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic

conventional short form: Laos

local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao

local short form: none

Latvia

conventional long form: Republic of Latvia

conventional short form: Latvia

local long form: Latvijas Republika

local short form: Latvija

former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic

Lebanon

conventional long form: Lebanese Republic

conventional short form: Lebanon

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah

local short form: Lubnan

former: Greater Lebanon

Lesotho

conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho

conventional short form: Lesotho

local long form: Kingdom of Lesotho

local short form: Lesotho

former: Basutoland

Liberia

conventional long form: Republic of Liberia

conventional short form: Liberia

Libya

conventional long form: Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab

Jamahiriya

conventional short form: Libya

local long form: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah

al Ishtirakiyah al Uzma

local short form: none

Liechtenstein

conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein

conventional short form: Liechtenstein

local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein

local short form: Liechtenstein

Lithuania

conventional long form: Republic of Lithuania

conventional short form: Lithuania

local long form: Lietuvos Respublika

local short form: Lietuva

former: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic

Luxembourg

conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

conventional short form: Luxembourg

local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg

local short form: Luxembourg

Macau

conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region

conventional short form: Macau

local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao

Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese)

local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese)

Macedonia

conventional long form: Republic of Macedonia

conventional short form: Macedonia

local long form: Republika Makedonija

local short form: Makedonija

note: the provisional designation used by the UN, EU, and NATO is

Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)

former: People's Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of

Macedonia

Madagascar

conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar

conventional short form: Madagascar

local long form: Republique de Madagascar/Repoblikan'i Madagasikara

local short form: Madagascar/Madagasikara

former: Malagasy Republic

Malawi

conventional long form: Republic of Malawi

conventional short form: Malawi

local long form: Dziko la Malawi

local short form: Malawi

former: British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland

Protectorate, Nyasaland

Malaysia

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Malaysia

local long form: none

local short form: Malaysia

former: Federation of Malaysia

Maldives

conventional long form: Republic of Maldives

conventional short form: Maldives

local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa

local short form: Dhivehi Raajje

Mali

conventional long form: Republic of Mali

conventional short form: Mali

local long form: Republique de Mali

local short form: Mali

former: French Sudan and Sudanese Republic

Malta

conventional long form: Republic of Malta

conventional short form: Malta

local long form: Repubblika ta' Malta

local short form: Malta

Marshall Islands

conventional long form: Republic of the Marshall

Islands

conventional short form: Marshall Islands

local long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands

local short form: Marshall Islands

abbreviation: RMI

former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Marshall Islands

District

Mauritania

conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania

conventional short form: Mauritania

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah

local short form: Muritaniyah

Mauritius

conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius

conventional short form: Mauritius

local long form: Republic of Mauritius

local short form: Mauritius

Mayotte

conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte

conventional short form: Mayotte

Mexico

conventional long form: United Mexican States

conventional short form: Mexico

local long form: Estados Unidos Mexicanos

local short form: Mexico

Micronesia, Federated States of

conventional long form: Federated

States of Micronesia

conventional short form: none

local long form: Federated States of Micronesia

local short form: none

former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Ponape, Truk, and

Yap Districts

abbreviation: FSM

Midway Islands

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Midway Islands

Moldova

conventional long form: Republic of Moldova

conventional short form: Moldova

local long form: Republica Moldova

local short form: Moldova

former: Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic; Moldovan Soviet

Socialist Republic

Monaco

conventional long form: Principality of Monaco

conventional short form: Monaco

local long form: Principaute de Monaco

local short form: Monaco

Mongolia

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Mongolia

local long form: none

local short form: Mongol Uls

former: Outer Mongolia

Montenegro

conventional long form: Republic of Montenegro

conventional short form: Montenegro

local long form: Republika Crna Gora

local short form: Crna Gora

former: People's Republic of Montenegro, Socialist Republic of

Montenegro

Montserrat

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Montserrat

Morocco

conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco

conventional short form: Morocco

local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah

local short form: Al Maghrib

Mozambique

conventional long form: Republic of Mozambique

conventional short form: Mozambique

local long form: Republica de Mocambique

local short form: Mocambique

former: Portuguese East Africa

Namibia

conventional long form: Republic of Namibia

conventional short form: Namibia

local long form: Republic of Namibia

local short form: Namibia

former: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa

Nauru

conventional long form: Republic of Nauru

conventional short form: Nauru

local long form: Republic of Nauru

local short form: Nauru

former: Pleasant Island

Navassa Island

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Navassa Island

Nepal

conventional long and short form: Nepal

local long and short form: Nepal

Netherlands

conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands

conventional short form: Netherlands

local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden

local short form: Nederland

Netherlands Antilles

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles

local long form: none

local short form: Nederlandse Antillen

former: Curacao and Dependencies

New Caledonia

conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and

Dependencies

conventional short form: New Caledonia

local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances

local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie

New Zealand

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: New Zealand

abbreviation: NZ

Nicaragua

conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua

conventional short form: Nicaragua

local long form: Republica de Nicaragua

local short form: Nicaragua

Niger

conventional long form: Republic of Niger

conventional short form: Niger

local long form: Republique du Niger

local short form: Niger

Nigeria

conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria

conventional short form: Nigeria

Niue

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Niue

former: Savage Island

Norfolk Island

conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island

conventional short form: Norfolk Island

Northern Mariana Islands conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands abbreviation: CNMI former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Mariana Islands District

Norway

conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway

conventional short form: Norway

local long form: Kongeriket Norge

local short form: Norge

Oman

conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman

conventional short form: Oman

local long form: Saltanat Uman

local short form: Uman

former: Muscat and Oman

Pakistan

conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan

conventional short form: Pakistan

local long form: Jamhuryat Islami Pakistan

local short form: Pakistan

former: West Pakistan

Palau

conventional long form: Republic of Palau

conventional short form: Palau

local long form: Beluu er a Belau

local short form: Belau

former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Palau District

Palmyra Atoll

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Palmyra Atoll

Panama

conventional long form: Republic of Panama

conventional short form: Panama

local long form: Republica de Panama

local short form: Panama

Papua New Guinea

conventional long form: Independent State of Papua

New Guinea

conventional short form: Papua New Guinea

local short form: Papuaniugini

former: Territory of Papua and New Guinea

abbreviation: PNG

Paracel Islands

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Paracel Islands

Paraguay

conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay

conventional short form: Paraguay

local long form: Republica del Paraguay

local short form: Paraguay

Peru

conventional long form: Republic of Peru

conventional short form: Peru

local long form: Republica del Peru

local short form: Peru

Philippines

conventional long form: Republic of the Philippines

conventional short form: Philippines

local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas

local short form: Pilipinas

Pitcairn Islands

conventional long form: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie,

and Oeno Islands

conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands

Poland

conventional long form: Republic of Poland

conventional short form: Poland

local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska

local short form: Polska

Portugal

conventional long form: Portuguese Republic

conventional short form: Portugal

local long form: Republica Portuguesa

local short form: Portugal

Puerto Rico

conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

conventional short form: Puerto Rico

Qatar

conventional long form: State of Qatar

conventional short form: Qatar

local long form: Dawlat Qatar

local short form: Qatar

note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls

between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar

Romania

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Romania

local long form: none

local short form: Romania

Russia

conventional long form: Russian Federation

conventional short form: Russia

local long form: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya

local short form: Rossiya

former: Russian Empire, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic

Rwanda

conventional long form: Republic of Rwanda

conventional short form: Rwanda

local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda

local short form: Rwanda

former: Ruanda, German East Africa

Saint Helena conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Helena

Saint Kitts and Nevis conventional long form: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis conventional short form: Saint Kitts and Nevis former: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis

Saint Lucia conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Lucia

Saint Pierre and Miquelon conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon local long form: Departement de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Samoa

conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa

conventional short form: Samoa

local long form: Malo Sa'oloto Tuto'atasi o Samoa

local short form: Samoa

former: Western Samoa

San Marino

conventional long form: Republic of San Marino

conventional short form: San Marino

local long form: Repubblica di San Marino

local short form: San Marino

Sao Tome and Principe conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe local short form: Sao Tome e Principe

Saudi Arabia

conventional long form: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

conventional short form: Saudi Arabia

local long form: Al Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah

local short form: Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah

Senegal

conventional long form: Republic of Senegal

conventional short form: Senegal

local long form: Republique du Senegal

local short form: Senegal

former: Senegambia (along with The Gambia); Mali Federation

Serbia

conventional long form: Republic of Serbia

conventional short form: Serbia

local long form: Republika Srbija

local short form: Srbija

former: People's Republic of Serbia, Socialist Republic of Serbia

Seychelles

conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles

conventional short form: Seychelles

local long form: Republic of Seychelles

local short form: Seychelles

Sierra Leone

conventional long form: Republic of Sierra Leone

conventional short form: Sierra Leone

local long form: Republic of Sierra Leone

local short form: Sierra Leone

Singapore

conventional long form: Republic of Singapore

conventional short form: Singapore

local long form: Republic of Singapore

local short form: Singapore

Slovakia

conventional long form: Slovak Republic

conventional short form: Slovakia

local long form: Slovenska Republika

local short form: Slovensko

Slovenia

conventional long form: Republic of Slovenia

conventional short form: Slovenia

local long form: Republika Slovenija

local short form: Slovenija

former: People's Republic of Slovenia, Socialist Republic of Slovenia

Solomon Islands

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Solomon Islands

local long form: none

local short form: Solomon Islands

former: British Solomon Islands

Somalia

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Somalia

local long form: Jamhuuriyada Demuqraadiga Soomaaliyeed

local short form: Soomaaliya

former: Somali Republic; Somali Democratic Republic

South Africa

conventional long form: Republic of South Africa

conventional short form: South Africa

former: Union of South Africa

abbreviation: RSA

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

conventional long form:

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

conventional short form: none

abbreviation: SGSSI

Spain

conventional long form: Kingdom of Spain

conventional short form: Spain

local long form: Reino de Espana

local short form: Espana

Spratly Islands

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Spratly Islands

Sri Lanka

conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of

Sri Lanka

conventional short form: Sri Lanka

local long form: Shri Lamka Prajatantrika Samajaya di

Janarajaya/Ilankai Jananayaka Choshalichak Kutiyarachu

local short form: Shri Lamka/Ilankai

former: Serendib, Ceylon

Sudan

conventional long form: Republic of the Sudan

conventional short form: Sudan

local long form: Jumhuriyat as-Sudan

local short form: As-Sudan

former: Anglo-Egyptian Sudan

Suriname

conventional long form: Republic of Suriname

conventional short form: Suriname

local long form: Republiek Suriname

local short form: Suriname

former: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana

Svalbard

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Svalbard (sometimes referred to as

Spitzbergen)

Swaziland

conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland

conventional short form: Swaziland

local long form: Umbuso weSwatini

local short form: eSwatini

Sweden

conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden

conventional short form: Sweden

local long form: Konungariket Sverige

local short form: Sverige

Switzerland

conventional long form: Swiss Confederation

conventional short form: Switzerland

local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German);

Confederation Suisse (French); Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)

local short form: Schweiz (German); Suisse (French); Svizzera

(Italian)

Syria

conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic

conventional short form: Syria

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah

local short form: Suriyah

former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)

Taiwan

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Taiwan

local long form: none

local short form: T'ai-wan

former: Formosa

Tajikistan

conventional long form: Republic of Tajikistan

conventional short form: Tajikistan

local long form: Jumhurii Tojikiston

local short form: Tojikiston

former: Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic

Tanzania

conventional long form: United Republic of Tanzania

conventional short form: Tanzania

local long form: Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania

local short form: Tanzania

former: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar

Thailand

conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand

conventional short form: Thailand

local long form: Ratcha Anachak Thai

local short form: Prathet Thai

former: Siam

Togo

conventional long form: Togolese Republic

conventional short form: Togo

local long form: Republique togolaise

local short form: none

former: French Togoland

Tokelau

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Tokelau

Tonga

conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga

conventional short form: Tonga

local long form: Pule'anga Tonga

local short form: Tonga

former: Friendly Islands

Trinidad and Tobago

conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and

Tobago

conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago

Tromelin Island

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Tromelin Island

local long form: none

local short form: Ile Tromelin

Tunisia

conventional long form: Tunisian Republic

conventional short form: Tunisia

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah

local short form: Tunis

Turkey

conventional long form: Republic of Turkey

conventional short form: Turkey

local long form: Turkiye Cumhuriyeti

local short form: Turkiye

Turkmenistan

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Turkmenistan

local long form: none

local short form: Turkmenistan

former: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic

Turks and Caicos Islands

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands

abbreviation: TCI

Tuvalu

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Tuvalu

local long form: none

local short form: Tuvalu

former: Ellice Islands

note: "Tuvalu" means "group of eight," referring to the country's

eight traditionally inhabited islands

Uganda

conventional long form: Republic of Uganda

conventional short form: Uganda

Ukraine

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Ukraine

local long form: none

local short form: Ukrayina

former: Ukrainian National Republic, Ukrainian State, Ukrainian

Soviet Socialist Republic

United Arab Emirates

conventional long form: United Arab Emirates

conventional short form: none

local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah

local short form: none

former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States

abbreviation: UAE

United Kingdom

conventional long form: United Kingdom of Great

Britain and Northern Ireland; note - Great Britain includes England,

Scotland, and Wales

conventional short form: United Kingdom

abbreviation: UK

United States

conventional long form: United States of America

conventional short form: United States

abbreviation: US or USA

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

conventional long

form: none

conventional short form: Baker Island; Howland Island; Jarvis

Island; Johnston Atoll; Kingman Reef; Midway Islands; Palmyra Atoll

Uruguay

conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay

conventional short form: Uruguay

local long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay

local short form: Uruguay

former: Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province

Uzbekistan

conventional long form: Republic of Uzbekistan

conventional short form: Uzbekistan

local long form: Ozbekiston Respublikasi

local short form: Ozbekiston

former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic

Vanuatu

conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu

conventional short form: Vanuatu

local long form: Ripablik blong Vanuatu

local short form: Vanuatu

former: New Hebrides

Venezuela

conventional long form: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

conventional short form: Venezuela

local long form: Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela

local short form: Venezuela

Vietnam

conventional long form: Socialist Republic of Vietnam

conventional short form: Vietnam

local long form: Cong Hoa Xa Hoi Chu Nghia Viet Nam

local short form: Viet Nam

abbreviation: SRV

Virgin Islands

conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands

conventional short form: Virgin Islands

former: Danish West Indies

abbreviation: USVI

Wake Island

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Wake Island

Wallis and Futuna

conventional long form: Territory of the Wallis

and Futuna Islands

conventional short form: Wallis and Futuna

local long form: Territoire des Iles Wallis et Futuna

local short form: Wallis et Futuna

West Bank

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: West Bank

Western Sahara

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Western Sahara

former: Spanish Sahara

Yemen

conventional long form: Republic of Yemen

conventional short form: Yemen

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah

local short form: Al Yaman

former: Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and

People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen]

Zambia

conventional long form: Republic of Zambia

conventional short form: Zambia

former: Northern Rhodesia

Zimbabwe

conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe

conventional short form: Zimbabwe

former: Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2144 Location

Afghanistan

Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran

Akrotiri

peninsula on the southwest coast of Cyprus

Albania

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian

Sea, between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro

Algeria

Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between

Morocco and Tunisia

American Samoa

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean,

about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand

Andorra

Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain

Angola

Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between

Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo

Anguilla

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North

Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Antarctica

continent mostly south of the Antarctic Circle

Antigua and Barbuda

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and

the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico

Arctic Ocean

body of water between Europe, Asia, and North America,

mostly north of the Arctic Circle

Argentina

Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic

Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay

Armenia

Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey

Aruba

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian

Ocean, midway between northwestern Australia and Timor island

Atlantic Ocean

body of water between Africa, Europe, the Southern

Ocean, and the Western Hemisphere

Australia

Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South

Pacific Ocean

Austria

Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia

Azerbaijan

Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between

Iran and Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus

range

Bahamas, The

Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic

Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba

Bahrain

Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi

Arabia

Baker Island

Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half

way between Hawaii and Australia

Bangladesh

Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma

and India

Barbados

Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of

Venezuela

Bassas da India

Southern Africa, islands in the southern Mozambique

Channel, about one-half of the way from Madagascar to Mozambique

Belarus

Eastern Europe, east of Poland

Belgium

Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and

the Netherlands

Belize

Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between

Guatemala and Mexico

Benin

Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria

and Togo

Bermuda

North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean,

east of South Carolina (US)

Bhutan

Southern Asia, between China and India

Bolivia

Central South America, southwest of Brazil

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic

Sea and Croatia

Botswana

Southern Africa, north of South Africa

Bouvet Island

island in the South Atlantic Ocean, southwest of the

Cape of Good Hope (South Africa)

Brazil

Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean

British Indian Ocean Territory

archipelago in the Indian Ocean,

south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia

British Virgin Islands

Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the

North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Brunei

Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia

Bulgaria

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between

Romania and Turkey

Burkina Faso

Western Africa, north of Ghana

Burma

Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of

Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand

Burundi

Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Cambodia

Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between

Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos

Cameroon

Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between

Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria

Canada

Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on

the east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on

the north, north of the conterminous US

Cape Verde

Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic

Ocean, west of Senegal

Cayman Islands

Caribbean, three island (Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac,

Little Cayman) group in Caribbean Sea, 240 km south of Cuba and 268

km northwest of Jamaica

Central African Republic

Central Africa, north of Democratic

Republic of the Congo

Chad

Central Africa, south of Libya

Chile

Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean,

between Argentina and Peru

China

Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow

Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam

Christmas Island

Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean,

south of Indonesia

Clipperton Island

Middle America, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean,

1,120 km southwest of Mexico

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the

Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia

to Sri Lanka

Colombia

Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea,

between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean,

between Ecuador and Panama

Comoros

Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of

the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern

Madagascar and northern Mozambique

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Central Africa, northeast of Angola

Congo, Republic of the

Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic

Ocean, between Angola and Gabon

Cook Islands

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean,

about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Coral Sea Islands

Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of

Australia

Costa Rica

Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the

North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama

Cote d'Ivoire

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,

between Ghana and Liberia

Croatia

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between

Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia

Cuba

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North

Atlantic Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida

Cyprus

Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey

Czech Republic

Central Europe, southeast of Germany

Denmark

Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea,

on a peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also includes two major

islands (Sjaelland and Fyn)

Dhekelia

on the southeast coast of Cyprus near Famagusta

Djibouti

Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea,

between Eritrea and Somalia

Dominica

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North

Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to

Trinidad and Tobago

Dominican Republic

Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of

Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean,

east of Haiti

East Timor

Southeastern Asia, northwest of Australia in the Lesser

Sunda Islands at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago; note

- East Timor includes the eastern half of the island of Timor, the

Oecussi (Ambeno) region on the northwest portion of the island of

Timor, and the islands of Pulau Atauro and Pulau Jaco

Ecuador

Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the

Equator, between Colombia and Peru

Egypt

Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between

Libya and the Gaza Strip, and the Red Sea north of Sudan, and

includes the Asian Sinai Peninsula

El Salvador

Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean,

between Guatemala and Honduras

Equatorial Guinea

Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra,

between Cameroon and Gabon

Eritrea

Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and

Sudan

Estonia

Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of

Finland, between Latvia and Russia

Ethiopia

Eastern Africa, west of Somalia

Europa Island

Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel,

about half way between southern Madagascar and southern Mozambique

European Union

Europe between the North Atlantic Ocean in the west

and Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine to the east

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Southern South America, islands in

the South Atlantic Ocean, east of southern Argentina

Faroe Islands

Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian

Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from

Iceland to Norway

Fiji

Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about

two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Finland

Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia,

and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia

France

Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English

Channel, between Belgium and Spain, southeast of the UK; bordering

the Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain

French Guiana: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic

Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname

Guadeloupe: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the

North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico

Martinique: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North

Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Reunion: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of

Madagascar

French Polynesia

Oceania, archipelagoes in the South Pacific Ocean

about one-half of the way from South America to Australia

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

southeast of Africa, islands in

the southern Indian Ocean, about equidistant between Africa,

Antarctica, and Australia; note - French Southern and Antarctic

Lands include Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet, and Iles

Kerguelen in the southern Indian Ocean, along with the

French-claimed sector of Antarctica, "Adelie Land"; the US does not

recognize the French claim to "Adelie Land"

Gabon

Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator,

between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea

Gambia, The

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and

Senegal

Gaza Strip

Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between

Egypt and Israel

Georgia

Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey

and Russia

Germany

Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea,

between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark

Ghana

Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote

d'Ivoire and Togo

Gibraltar

Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar,

which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on

the southern coast of Spain

Glorioso Islands

Southern Africa, group of islands in the Indian

Ocean, northwest of Madagascar

Greece

Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and

the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey

Greenland

Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean

and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada

Grenada

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic

Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Guam

Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about

three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines

Guatemala

Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean,

between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras

(Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize

Guernsey

Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest

of France

Guinea

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between

Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone

Guinea-Bissau

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,

between Guinea and Senegal

Guyana

Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,

between Suriname and Venezuela

Haiti

Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola,

between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the

Dominican Republic

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

islands in the Indian Ocean, about

two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica

Holy See (Vatican City)

Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)

Honduras

Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between

Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North

Pacific Ocean), between El Salvador and Nicaragua

Hong Kong

Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Howland Island

Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about

half way between Hawaii and Australia

Hungary

Central Europe, northwest of Romania

Iceland

Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the

North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK

Iles Eparses

Southern Africa, in the Indian Ocean

Bassas da India: atoll in the southern Mozambique Channel, about

half way from Madagascar to Mozambique

Europa Island: island in the Mozambique Channel, about half way

between southern Madagascar and southern Mozambique

Glorioso Islands: group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northwest of

Madagascar

Juan de Nova Island: island in the Mozambique Channel, about

one-third of the way between Madagascar and Mozambique

Tromelin Island: island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

India

Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of

Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan

Indian Ocean

body of water between Africa, the Southern Ocean, Asia,

and Australia

Indonesia

Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean

and the Pacific Ocean

Iran

Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and

the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan

Iraq

Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait

Ireland

Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of

Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain

Isle of Man

Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great

Britain and Ireland

Israel

Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt

and Lebanon

Italy

Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central

Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia

Jamaica

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba

Jan Mayen

Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the

Norwegian Sea, northeast of Iceland

Japan

Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and

the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula

Jarvis Island

Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, about half

way between Hawaii and the Cook Islands

Jersey

Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of

France

Johnston Atoll

Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 717 nm

(1328 km) southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii, about one-third of the way

from Hawaii to the Marshall Islands

Jordan

Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia

Juan de Nova Island

Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique

Channel, about one-third of the way between Madagascar and Mozambique

Kazakhstan

Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of

the Ural River in eastern-most Europe

Kenya

Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia

and Tanzania

Kingman Reef

Oceania, reef in the North Pacific Ocean, about half

way between Hawaii and American Samoa

Kiribati

Oceania, group of 33 coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean,

straddling the Equator; the capital Tarawa is about one-half of the

way from Hawaii to Australia; note - on 1 January 1995, Kiribati

proclaimed that all of its territory lies in the same time zone as

its Gilbert Islands group (GMT +12) even though the Phoenix Islands

and the Line Islands under its jurisdiction lie on the other side of

the International Date Line

Korea, North

Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula

bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and

South Korea

Korea, South

Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula

bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea

Kuwait

Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and

Saudi Arabia

Kyrgyzstan

Central Asia, west of China

Laos

Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam

Latvia

Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and

Lithuania

Lebanon

Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel

and Syria

Lesotho

Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa

Liberia

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between

Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone

Libya

Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between

Egypt and Tunisia

Liechtenstein

Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland

Lithuania

Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia

and Russia

Luxembourg

Western Europe, between France and Germany

Macau

Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Macedonia

Southeastern Europe, north of Greece

Madagascar

Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of

Mozambique

Malawi

Southern Africa, east of Zambia

Malaysia

Southeastern Asia, peninsula bordering Thailand and

northern one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia,

Brunei, and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam

Maldives

Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean,

south-southwest of India

Mali

Western Africa, southwest of Algeria

Malta

Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of

Sicily (Italy)

Marshall Islands

Oceania, two archipelagic island chains of 29

atolls, each made up of many small islets, and five single islands

in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to

Australia

Mauritania

Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,

between Senegal and Western Sahara

Mauritius

Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of

Madagascar

Mayotte

Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about

one-half of the way from northern Madagascar to northern Mozambique

Mexico

Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of

Mexico, between Belize and the US and bordering the North Pacific

Ocean, between Guatemala and the US

Micronesia, Federated States of

Oceania, island group in the North

Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to

Indonesia

Midway Islands

Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about

one-third of the way from Honolulu to Tokyo

Moldova

Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania

Monaco

Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea on the

southern coast of France, near the border with Italy

Mongolia

Northern Asia, between China and Russia

Montenegro

Southeastern Europe, between the Adriatic Sea and Serbia

Montserrat

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of

Puerto Rico

Morocco

Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the

Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara

Mozambique

Southeastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel,

between South Africa and Tanzania

Namibia

Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between

Angola and South Africa

Nauru

Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the

Marshall Islands

Navassa Island

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, 35 miles west

of Tiburon Peninsula of Haiti

Nepal

Southern Asia, between China and India

Netherlands

Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium

and Germany

Netherlands Antilles

Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean

Sea - composed of five islands, Curacao and Bonaire located off the

coast of Venezuela, and St. Maarten, Saba, and St. Eustatius lie

east of the US Virgin Islands

New Caledonia

Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of

Australia

New Zealand

Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast

of Australia

Nicaragua

Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the

North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras

Niger

Western Africa, southeast of Algeria

Nigeria

Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin

and Cameroon

Niue

Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga

Norfolk Island

Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of

Australia

Northern Mariana Islands

Oceania, islands in the North Pacific

Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines

Norway

Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North

Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden

Oman

Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and

Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE

Pacific Ocean

body of water between the Southern Ocean, Asia,

Australia, and the Western Hemisphere

Pakistan

Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on

the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north

Palau

Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean,

southeast of the Philippines

Palmyra Atoll

Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half

way between Hawaii and American Samoa

Panama

Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the

North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica

Papua New Guinea

Oceania, group of islands including the eastern

half of the island of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and the South

Pacific Ocean, east of Indonesia

Paracel Islands

Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs

in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central

Vietnam to the northern Philippines

Paraguay

Central South America, northeast of Argentina

Peru

Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean,

between Chile and Ecuador

Philippines

Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine

Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam

Pitcairn Islands

Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about

midway between Peru and New Zealand

Poland

Central Europe, east of Germany

Portugal

Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,

west of Spain

Puerto Rico

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the

North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic

Qatar

Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi

Arabia

Romania

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between

Bulgaria and Ukraine

Russia

Northern Asia (the area west of the Urals is considered part

of Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North

Pacific Ocean

Rwanda

Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Saint Helena

islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway

between South America and Africa; Ascension Island lies 700 nm

northwest of Saint Helena; Tristan da Cunha lies 2300 nm southwest

of Saint Helena

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about

one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago

Saint Lucia

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North

Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Northern North America, islands in the

North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland (Canada)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Caribbean, islands between the

Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Samoa

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about

one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

San Marino

Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy

Sao Tome and Principe

Western Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea,

straddling the Equator, west of Gabon

Saudi Arabia

Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red

Sea, north of Yemen

Senegal

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between

Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania

Serbia

Southeastern Europe, between Macedonia and Hungary

Seychelles

archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar

Sierra Leone

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,

between Guinea and Liberia

Singapore

Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia

Slovakia

Central Europe, south of Poland

Slovenia

Central Europe, eastern Alps bordering the Adriatic Sea,

between Austria and Croatia

Solomon Islands

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific

Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea

Somalia

Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian

Ocean, east of Ethiopia

South Africa

Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent

of Africa

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Southern South America,

islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of the tip of South America

Southern Ocean

body of water between 60 degrees south latitude and

Antarctica

Spain

Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay,

Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains,

southwest of France

Spratly Islands

Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the

South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam

to the southern Philippines

Sri Lanka

Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India

Sudan

Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and

Eritrea

Suriname

Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,

between French Guiana and Guyana

Svalbard

Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents

Sea, Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway

Swaziland

Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

Sweden

Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia,

Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway

Switzerland

Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy

Syria

Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon

and Turkey

Taiwan

Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea,

Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the

Philippines, off the southeastern coast of China

Tajikistan

Central Asia, west of China

Tanzania

Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya

and Mozambique

Thailand

Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf

of Thailand, southeast of Burma

Togo

Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and

Ghana

Tokelau

Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean,

about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Tonga

Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about

two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Trinidad and Tobago

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and

the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela

Tromelin Island

Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of

Madagascar

Tunisia

Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between

Algeria and Libya

Turkey

Southeastern Europe and Southwestern Asia (that portion of

Turkey west of the Bosporus is geographically part of Europe),

bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering

the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria

Turkmenistan

Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran

and Kazakhstan

Turks and Caicos Islands

Caribbean, two island groups in the North

Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas, north of Haiti

Tuvalu

Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the

South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to

Australia

Uganda

Eastern Africa, west of Kenya

Ukraine

Eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Poland,

Romania, and Moldova in the west and Russia in the east

United Arab Emirates

Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the

Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

United Kingdom

Western Europe, islands including the northern

one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean

and the North Sea, northwest of France

United States

North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean

and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Oceania

Baker Island: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 1,830 nm (3,389 km)

southwest of Honolulu, about half way between Hawaii and Australia

Howland Island: island in the North Pacific Ocean 1,815 nm (3,361

km) southwest of Honolulu, about half way between Hawaii and

Australia

Jarvis Island: island in the South Pacific Ocean 1,305 nm (2,417 km)

south of Honolulu, about half way between Hawaii and the Cook Islands

Johnston Atoll: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 717 nm (1,328 km)

southwest of Honolulu, about one-third of the way from Hawaii to the

Marshall Islands

Kingman Reef: reef in the North Pacific Ocean 930 nm (1,722 km)

south of Honolulu, about half way between Hawaii and American Samoa

Midway Islands: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 1,260 nm (2,334 km)

northwest of Honolulu near the end of the Hawaiian Archipelago,

about one-third of the way from Honolulu to Tokyo

Palmyra Atoll: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 960 nm (1,778 km)

south of Honolulu, about half way between Hawaii and American Samoa

Uruguay

Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean,

between Argentina and Brazil

Uzbekistan

Central Asia, north of Afghanistan

Vanuatu

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about

three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Venezuela

Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and

the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana

Vietnam

Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of

Tonkin, and South China Sea, alongside China, Laos, and Cambodia

Virgin Islands

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the

North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Wake Island

Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about

two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to the Northern Mariana Islands

Wallis and Futuna

Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about

two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

West Bank

Middle East, west of Jordan

Western Sahara

Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,

between Mauritania and Morocco

Yemen

Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red

Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

Zambia

Southern Africa, east of Angola

Zimbabwe

Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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@2145 Map references

Afghanistan

Asia

Akrotiri

Middle East

Albania

Europe

Algeria

Africa

American Samoa

Oceania

Andorra

Europe

Angola

Africa

Anguilla

Central America and the Caribbean

Antarctica

Antarctic Region

Antigua and Barbuda

Central America and the Caribbean

Arctic Ocean

Arctic Region

Argentina

South America

Armenia

Asia

Aruba

Central America and the Caribbean

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Southeast Asia

Atlantic Ocean

Political Map of the World

Australia

Oceania

Austria

Europe

Azerbaijan

Asia

Bahamas, The

Central America and the Caribbean

Bahrain

Middle East

Baker Island

Oceania

Bangladesh

Asia

Barbados

Central America and the Caribbean

Bassas da India

Africa

Belarus

Europe

Belgium

Europe

Belize

Central America and the Caribbean

Benin

Africa

Bermuda

North America

Bhutan

Asia

Bolivia

South America

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Europe

Botswana

Africa

Bouvet Island

Antarctic Region

Brazil

South America

British Indian Ocean Territory

Political Map of the World

British Virgin Islands

Central America and the Caribbean

Brunei

Southeast Asia

Bulgaria

Europe

Burkina Faso

Africa

Burma

Southeast Asia

Burundi

Africa

Cambodia

Southeast Asia

Cameroon

Africa

Canada

North America

Cape Verde

Political Map of the World

Cayman Islands

Central America and the Caribbean

Central African Republic

Africa

Chad

Africa

Chile

South America

China

Asia

Christmas Island

Southeast Asia

Clipperton Island

Political Map of the World

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Southeast Asia

Colombia

South America

Comoros

Africa

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Africa

Congo, Republic of the

Africa

Cook Islands

Oceania

Coral Sea Islands

Oceania

Costa Rica

Central America and the Caribbean

Cote d'Ivoire

Africa

Croatia

Europe

Cuba

Central America and the Caribbean

Cyprus

Middle East

Czech Republic

Europe

Denmark

Europe

Dhekelia

Middle East

Djibouti

Africa

Dominica

Central America and the Caribbean

Dominican Republic

Central America and the Caribbean

East Timor

Southeast Asia

Ecuador

South America

Egypt

Africa

El Salvador

Central America and the Caribbean

Equatorial Guinea

Africa

Eritrea

Africa

Estonia

Europe

Ethiopia

Africa

Europa Island

Africa

European Union

Europe

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

South America

Faroe Islands

Europe

Fiji

Oceania

Finland

Europe

France

Europe

French Guiana: South America

Guadeloupe: Central America and the Caribbean

Martinique: Central America and the Caribbean

Reunion: World

French Polynesia

Oceania

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Antarctic Region

Gabon

Africa

Gambia, The

Africa

Gaza Strip

Middle East

Georgia

Asia

Germany

Europe

Ghana

Africa

Gibraltar

Europe

Glorioso Islands

Africa

Greece

Europe

Greenland

Arctic Region

Grenada

Central America and the Caribbean

Guam

Oceania

Guatemala

Central America and the Caribbean

Guernsey

Europe

Guinea

Africa

Guinea-Bissau

Africa

Guyana

South America

Haiti

Central America and the Caribbean

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Antarctic Region

Holy See (Vatican City)

Europe

Honduras

Central America and the Caribbean

Hong Kong

Southeast Asia

Howland Island

Oceania

Hungary

Europe

Iceland

Arctic Region

Iles Eparses

Africa

India

Asia

Indian Ocean

Political Map of the World

Indonesia

Southeast Asia

Iran

Middle East

Iraq

Middle East

Ireland

Europe

Isle of Man

Europe

Israel

Middle East

Italy

Europe

Jamaica

Central America and the Caribbean

Jan Mayen

Arctic Region

Japan

Asia

Jarvis Island

Oceania

Jersey

Europe

Johnston Atoll

Oceania

Jordan

Middle East

Juan de Nova Island

Africa

Kazakhstan

Asia

Kenya

Africa

Kingman Reef

Oceania

Kiribati

Oceania

Korea, North

Asia

Korea, South

Asia

Kuwait

Middle East

Kyrgyzstan

Asia

Laos

Southeast Asia

Latvia

Europe

Lebanon

Middle East

Lesotho

Africa

Liberia

Africa

Libya

Africa

Liechtenstein

Europe

Lithuania

Europe

Luxembourg

Europe

Macau

Southeast Asia

Macedonia

Europe

Madagascar

Africa

Malawi

Africa

Malaysia

Southeast Asia

Maldives

Asia

Mali

Africa

Malta

Europe

Marshall Islands

Oceania

Mauritania

Africa

Mauritius

Political Map of the World

Mayotte

Africa

Mexico

North America

Micronesia, Federated States of

Oceania

Midway Islands

Oceania

Moldova

Europe

Monaco

Europe

Mongolia

Asia

Montenegro

Europe

Montserrat

Central America and the Caribbean

Morocco

Africa

Mozambique

Africa

Namibia

Africa

Nauru

Oceania

Navassa Island

Central America and the Caribbean

Nepal

Asia

Netherlands

Europe

Netherlands Antilles

Central America and the Caribbean

New Caledonia

Oceania

New Zealand

Oceania

Nicaragua

Central America and the Caribbean

Niger

Africa

Nigeria

Africa

Niue

Oceania

Norfolk Island

Oceania

Northern Mariana Islands

Oceania

Norway

Europe

Oman

Middle East

Pacific Ocean

Political Map of the World

Pakistan

Asia

Palau

Oceania

Palmyra Atoll

Oceania

Panama

Central America and the Caribbean

Papua New Guinea

Oceania

Paracel Islands

Southeast Asia

Paraguay

South America

Peru

South America

Philippines

Southeast Asia

Pitcairn Islands

Oceania

Poland

Europe

Portugal

Europe

Puerto Rico

Central America and the Caribbean

Qatar

Middle East

Romania

Europe

Russia

Asia

Rwanda

Africa

Saint Helena

Africa

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Central America and the Caribbean

Saint Lucia

Central America and the Caribbean

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

North America

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Central America and the Caribbean

Samoa

Oceania

San Marino

Europe

Sao Tome and Principe

Africa

Saudi Arabia

Middle East

Senegal

Africa

Serbia

Europe

Seychelles

Africa

Sierra Leone

Africa

Singapore

Southeast Asia

Slovakia

Europe

Slovenia

Europe

Solomon Islands

Oceania

Somalia

Africa

South Africa

Africa

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Antarctic Region

Southern Ocean

Antarctic Region

Spain

Europe

Spratly Islands

Southeast Asia

Sri Lanka

Asia

Sudan

Africa

Suriname

South America

Svalbard

Arctic Region

Swaziland

Africa

Sweden

Europe

Switzerland

Europe

Syria

Middle East

Taiwan

Southeast Asia

Tajikistan

Asia

Tanzania

Africa

Thailand

Southeast Asia

Togo

Africa

Tokelau

Oceania

Tonga

Oceania

Trinidad and Tobago

Central America and the Caribbean

Tromelin Island

Africa

Tunisia

Africa

Turkey

Middle East

Turkmenistan

Asia

Turks and Caicos Islands

Central America and the Caribbean

Tuvalu

Oceania

Uganda

Africa

Ukraine

Asia, Europe

United Arab Emirates

Middle East

United Kingdom

Europe

United States

North America

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Oceania

Uruguay

South America

Uzbekistan

Asia

Vanuatu

Oceania

Venezuela

South America

Vietnam

Southeast Asia

Virgin Islands

Central America and the Caribbean

Wake Island

Oceania

Wallis and Futuna

Oceania

West Bank

Middle East

Western Sahara

Africa

World

Physical Map of the World, Political Map of the World,

Standard Time Zones of the World

Yemen

Middle East

Zambia

Africa

Zimbabwe

Africa

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2146 Irrigated land (sq km)

Afghanistan

27,200 sq km (2003)

Albania

3,530 sq km (2003)

Algeria

5,690 sq km (2003)

American Samoa

NA

Andorra

NA

Angola

800 sq km (2003)

Anguilla

NA

Antigua and Barbuda

NA

Argentina

15,500 sq km (2003)

Armenia

2,860 sq km (2003)

Aruba

0.01 sq km (1998 est.)

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

0 sq km

Australia

25,450 sq km (2003)

Austria

40 sq km (2003)

Azerbaijan

14,550 sq km (2003)

Bahamas, The

10 sq km (2003)

Bahrain

40 sq km (2003)

Baker Island

0 sq km

Bangladesh

47,250 sq km (2003)

Barbados

50 sq km (2003)

Bassas da India

0 sq km

Belarus

1,310 sq km (2003)

Belgium

400 sq km (2003)

Belize

30 sq km (2003)

Benin

120 sq km (2003)

Bermuda

NA

Bhutan

400 sq km (2003)

Bolivia

1,320 sq km (2003)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

30 sq km (2003)

Botswana

10 sq km (2003)

Bouvet Island

0 sq km

Brazil

29,200 sq km (2003)

British Indian Ocean Territory

0 sq km

British Virgin Islands

NA

Brunei

10 sq km (2003)

Bulgaria

5,880 sq km (2003)

Burkina Faso

250 sq km (2003)

Burma

18,700 sq km (2003)

Burundi

210 sq km (2003)

Cambodia

2,700 sq km (2003)

Cameroon

260 sq km (2003)

Canada

7,850 sq km (2003)

Cape Verde

30 sq km (2003)

Cayman Islands

NA

Central African Republic

20 sq km (2003)

Chad

300 sq km (2003)

Chile

19,000 sq km (2003)

China

545,960 sq km (2003)

Christmas Island

NA

Clipperton Island

0 sq km

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

NA

Colombia

9,000 sq km (2003)

Comoros

NA

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

110 sq km (2003)

Congo, Republic of the

20 sq km (2003)

Cook Islands

NA

Coral Sea Islands

0 sq km

Costa Rica

1,080 sq km (2003)

Cote d'Ivoire

730 sq km (2003)

Croatia

110 sq km (2003)

Cuba

8,700 sq km (2003)

Cyprus

400 sq km (2003)

Czech Republic

240 sq km (2003)

Denmark

4,490 sq km (2003)

Djibouti

10 sq km (2003)

Dominica

NA

Dominican Republic

2,750 sq km (2003)

East Timor

1,065 sq km (est.)

Ecuador

8,650 sq km (2003)

Egypt

34,220 sq km (2003)

El Salvador

450 sq km (2003)

Equatorial Guinea

NA

Eritrea

210 sq km (2003)

Estonia

40 sq km (2003)

Ethiopia

2,900 sq km (2003)

Europa Island

0 sq km

European Union

168,050 sq km (2003 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

NA

Faroe Islands

0 sq km

Fiji

30 sq km (2003)

Finland

640 sq km (2003)

France

total: 26,190 sq km;

metropolitan France: 26,000 sq km (2003)

French Polynesia

10 sq km (2003)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

0 sq km

Gabon

70 sq km (2003)

Gambia, The

20 sq km (2003)

Gaza Strip

150 sq km; note - includes West Bank (2003)

Georgia

4,690 sq km (2003)

Germany

4,850 sq km (2003)

Ghana

310 sq km (2003)

Gibraltar

NA

Glorioso Islands

0 sq km

Greece

14,530 sq km (2003)

Greenland

NA

Grenada

NA

Guam

NA

Guatemala

1,300 sq km (2003)

Guernsey

NA

Guinea

950 sq km (2003)

Guinea-Bissau

250 sq km (2003)

Guyana

1,500 sq km (2003)

Haiti

920 sq km (2003)

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

0 sq km

Holy See (Vatican City)

0 sq km

Honduras

800 sq km (2003)

Hong Kong

20 sq km (1998 est.)

Howland Island

0 sq km

Hungary

2,300 sq km (2003)

Iceland

NA

India

558,080 sq km (2003)

Indonesia

45,000 sq km (2003)

Iran

76,500 sq km (2003)

Iraq

35,250 sq km (2003)

Ireland

NA

Isle of Man

0 sq km

Israel

1,940 sq km (2003)

Italy

27,500 sq km (2003)

Jamaica

250 sq km (2002)

Jan Mayen

0 sq km

Japan

25,920 sq km (2003)

Jarvis Island

0 sq km

Jersey

NA

Johnston Atoll

0 sq km

Jordan

750 sq km (2003)

Juan de Nova Island

0 sq km

Kazakhstan

35,560 sq km (2003)

Kenya

1,030 sq km (2003)

Kiribati

NA

Korea, North

14,600 sq km (2003)

Korea, South

8,780 sq km (2003)

Kuwait

130 sq km (2003)

Kyrgyzstan

10,720 sq km (2003)

Laos

1,750 sq km (2003)

Latvia

200 sq km

note: land in Latvia is often too wet, and in need of drainage, not

irrigation; approximately 16,000 sq km or 85% of agricultural land

has been improved by drainage (2003)

Lebanon

1,040 sq km (2003)

Lesotho

30 sq km (2003)

Liberia

30 sq km (2003)

Libya

4,700 sq km (2003)

Liechtenstein

NA

Lithuania

70 sq km (2003)

Luxembourg

NA

Macau

NA

Macedonia

550 sq km (2003)

Madagascar

10,860 sq km (2003)

Malawi

560 sq km (2003)

Malaysia

3,650 sq km (2003)

Maldives

NA

Mali

2,360 sq km (2003)

Malta

20 sq km (2003)

Marshall Islands

0 sq km

Mauritania

490 sq km (2002)

Mauritius

220 sq km (2003)

Mayotte

NA

Mexico

63,200 sq km (2003)

Micronesia, Federated States of

NA

Midway Islands

0 sq km

Moldova

3,000 sq km (2003)

Monaco

NA

Mongolia

840 sq km (2003)

Montenegro

NA

Montserrat

NA

Morocco

14,450 sq km (2003)

Mozambique

1,180 sq km (2003)

Namibia

80 sq km (2003)

Nauru

NA

Nepal

11,700 sq km (2003)

Netherlands

5,650 sq km (2003)

Netherlands Antilles

NA

New Caledonia

100 sq km (2003)

New Zealand

2,850 sq km (2003)

Nicaragua

610 sq km (2003)

Niger

730 sq km (2003)

Nigeria

2,820 sq km (2003)

Niue

NA

Norfolk Island

NA

Northern Mariana Islands

NA

Norway

1,270 sq km (2003)

Oman

720 sq km (2003)

Pakistan

182,300 sq km (2003)

Palau

NA

Panama

430 sq km (2003)

Papua New Guinea

NA

Paracel Islands

0 sq km

Paraguay

670 sq km (2003)

Peru

12,000 sq km (2003)

Philippines

15,500 sq km (2003)

Pitcairn Islands

NA

Poland

1,000 sq km (2003)

Portugal

6,500 sq km (2003)

Puerto Rico

400 sq km (2003)

Qatar

130 sq km (2002)

Romania

30,770 sq km (2003)

Russia

46,000 sq km (2003)

Rwanda

90 sq km (2003)

Saint Helena

NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis

NA

Saint Lucia

30 sq km (2003)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

10 sq km (2003)

Samoa

NA

San Marino

NA

Sao Tome and Principe

100 sq km (2003)

Saudi Arabia

16,200 sq km (2003)

Senegal

1,200 sq km (2003)

Serbia

NA

Seychelles

NA

Sierra Leone

300 sq km (2003)

Singapore

NA

Slovakia

1,830 sq km (2003)

Slovenia

30 sq km (2003)

Solomon Islands

NA

Somalia

2,000 sq km (2003)

South Africa

14,980 sq km (2003)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

0 sq km

Spain

37,800 sq km (2003)

Spratly Islands

0 sq km

Sri Lanka

7,430 sq km (2003)

Sudan

18,630 sq km (2003)

Suriname

510 sq km (2003)

Svalbard

NA

Swaziland

500 sq km (2003)

Sweden

1,150 sq km (2003)

Switzerland

250 sq km (2003)

Syria

13,330 sq km (2003)

Taiwan

NA

Tajikistan

7,220 sq km (2003)

Tanzania

1,840 sq km (2003)

Thailand

49,860 sq km (2003)

Togo

70 sq km (2003)

Tokelau

NA

Tonga

NA

Trinidad and Tobago

40 sq km (2003)

Tromelin Island

0 sq km

Tunisia

3,940 sq km (2003)

Turkey

52,150 sq km (2003)

Turkmenistan

18,000 sq km (2003)

Turks and Caicos Islands

NA

Tuvalu

NA

Uganda

90 sq km (2003)

Ukraine

22,080 sq km (2003)

United Arab Emirates

760 sq km (2003)

United Kingdom

1,700 sq km (2003)

United States

223,850 sq km (2003)

Uruguay

2,100 sq km (2003)

Uzbekistan

42,810 sq km (2003)

Vanuatu

NA

Venezuela

5,750 sq km (2003)

Vietnam

30,000 sq km (2003)

Virgin Islands

NA

Wake Island

0 sq km

Wallis and Futuna

NA

West Bank

150 sq km; note - includes Gaza Strip (2003)

Western Sahara

NA

World

2,770,980 sq km (2003)

Yemen

5,500 sq km (2003)

Zambia

1,560 sq km (2003)

Zimbabwe

1,740 sq km (2003)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2147 Area (sq km)

Afghanistan total: 647,500 sq km land: 647,500 sq km water: 0 sq km

Akrotiri total: 123 sq km note: includes a salt lake and wetlands

Albania

total: 28,748 sq km

land: 27,398 sq km

water: 1,350 sq km

Algeria

total: 2,381,740 sq km

land: 2,381,740 sq km

water: 0 sq km

American Samoa total: 199 sq km land: 199 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island

Andorra

total: 468 sq km

land: 468 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Angola

total: 1,246,700 sq km

land: 1,246,700 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Anguilla

total: 102 sq km

land: 102 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Antarctica

total: 14 million sq km

land: 14 million sq km (280,000 sq km ice-free, 13.72 million sq km

ice-covered) (est.)

note: fifth-largest continent, following Asia, Africa, North

America, and South America, but larger than Australia and the

subcontinent of Europe

Antigua and Barbuda total: 442.6 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km) land: 442.6 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km

Arctic Ocean

total: 14.056 million sq km

note: includes Baffin Bay, Barents Sea, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea,

East Siberian Sea, Greenland Sea, Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait, Kara

Sea, Laptev Sea, Northwest Passage, and other tributary water bodies

Argentina

total: 2,766,890 sq km

land: 2,736,690 sq km

water: 30,200 sq km

Armenia

total: 29,800 sq km

land: 28,400 sq km

water: 1,400 sq km

Aruba

total: 193 sq km

land: 193 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

total: 5 sq km

land: 5 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and

Cartier Island

Atlantic Ocean

total: 76.762 million sq km

note: includes Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Caribbean Sea, Davis Strait,

Denmark Strait, part of the Drake Passage, Gulf of Mexico, Labrador

Sea, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, Norwegian Sea, almost all of the

Scotia Sea, and other tributary water bodies

Australia

total: 7,686,850 sq km

land: 7,617,930 sq km

water: 68,920 sq km

note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island

Austria

total: 83,870 sq km

land: 82,444 sq km

water: 1,426 sq km

Azerbaijan

total: 86,600 sq km

land: 86,100 sq km

water: 500 sq km

note: includes the exclave of Naxcivan Autonomous Republic and the

Nagorno-Karabakh region; the region's autonomy was abolished by

Azerbaijani Supreme Soviet on 26 November 1991

Bahamas, The

total: 13,940 sq km

land: 10,070 sq km

water: 3,870 sq km

Bahrain

total: 665 sq km

land: 665 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Baker Island

total: 1.4 sq km

land: 1.4 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Bangladesh

total: 144,000 sq km

land: 133,910 sq km

water: 10,090 sq km

Barbados

total: 431 sq km

land: 431 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Bassas da India

total: 0.2 sq km

land: 0.2 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Belarus

total: 207,600 sq km

land: 207,600 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Belgium

total: 30,528 sq km

land: 30,278 sq km

water: 250 sq km

Belize

total: 22,966 sq km

land: 22,806 sq km

water: 160 sq km

Benin

total: 112,620 sq km

land: 110,620 sq km

water: 2,000 sq km

Bermuda

total: 53.3 sq km

land: 53.3 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Bhutan

total: 47,000 sq km

land: 47,000 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Bolivia

total: 1,098,580 sq km

land: 1,084,390 sq km

water: 14,190 sq km

Bosnia and Herzegovina

total: 51,129 sq km

land: 51,129 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Botswana

total: 600,370 sq km

land: 585,370 sq km

water: 15,000 sq km

Bouvet Island

total: 49 sq km

land: 49 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Brazil

total: 8,511,965 sq km

land: 8,456,510 sq km

water: 55,455 sq km

note: includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas,

Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao

Paulo

British Indian Ocean Territory total: 54,400 sq km land: 60 sq km; Diego Garcia 44 sq km water: 54,340 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago of 55 islands

British Virgin Islands

total: 153 sq km

land: 153 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited

islands; includes the islands of Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda,

Jost van Dyke

Brunei

total: 5,770 sq km

land: 5,270 sq km

water: 500 sq km

Bulgaria

total: 110,910 sq km

land: 110,550 sq km

water: 360 sq km

Burkina Faso

total: 274,200 sq km

land: 273,800 sq km

water: 400 sq km

Burma

total: 678,500 sq km

land: 657,740 sq km

water: 20,760 sq km

Burundi

total: 27,830 sq km

land: 25,650 sq km

water: 2,180 sq km

Cambodia

total: 181,040 sq km

land: 176,520 sq km

water: 4,520 sq km

Cameroon

total: 475,440 sq km

land: 469,440 sq km

water: 6,000 sq km

Canada

total: 9,984,670 sq km

land: 9,093,507 sq km

water: 891,163 sq km

Cape Verde

total: 4,033 sq km

land: 4,033 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Cayman Islands

total: 262 sq km

land: 262 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Central African Republic

total: 622,984 sq km

land: 622,984 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Chad

total: 1.284 million sq km

land: 1,259,200 sq km

water: 24,800 sq km

Chile

total: 756,950 sq km

land: 748,800 sq km

water: 8,150 sq km

note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez

China

total: 9,596,960 sq km

land: 9,326,410 sq km

water: 270,550 sq km

Christmas Island

total: 135 sq km

land: 135 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Clipperton Island

total: 6 sq km

land: 6 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

total: 14 sq km

land: 14 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island

Colombia

total: 1,138,910 sq km

land: 1,038,700 sq km

water: 100,210 sq km

note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, and Serrana Bank

Comoros

total: 2,170 sq km

land: 2,170 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

total: 2,345,410 sq km

land: 2,267,600 sq km

water: 77,810 sq km

Congo, Republic of the

total: 342,000 sq km

land: 341,500 sq km

water: 500 sq km

Cook Islands

total: 236.7 sq km

land: 236.7 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Coral Sea Islands

total: less than 3 sq km

land: less than 3 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea

area of about 780,000 sq km, with the Willis Islets the most

important

Costa Rica total: 51,100 sq km land: 50,660 sq km water: 440 sq km note: includes Isla del Coco

Cote d'Ivoire

total: 322,460 sq km

land: 318,000 sq km

water: 4,460 sq km

Croatia

total: 56,542 sq km

land: 56,414 sq km

water: 128 sq km

Cuba

total: 110,860 sq km

land: 110,860 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Cyprus

total: 9,250 sq km (of which 3,355 sq km are in north Cyprus)

land: 9,240 sq km

water: 10 sq km

Czech Republic

total: 78,866 sq km

land: 77,276 sq km

water: 1,590 sq km

Denmark

total: 43,094 sq km

land: 42,394 sq km

water: 700 sq km

note: includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest

of metropolitan Denmark (the Jutland Peninsula, and the major

islands of Sjaelland and Fyn), but excludes the Faroe Islands and

Greenland

Dhekelia

total: 130.8 sq km

note: area surrounds three Cypriot enclaves

Djibouti

total: 23,000 sq km

land: 22,980 sq km

water: 20 sq km

Dominica

total: 754 sq km

land: 754 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Dominican Republic

total: 48,730 sq km

land: 48,380 sq km

water: 350 sq km

East Timor

total: 15,007 sq km

land: NA sq km

water: NA sq km

Ecuador

total: 283,560 sq km

land: 276,840 sq km

water: 6,720 sq km

note: includes Galapagos Islands

Egypt

total: 1,001,450 sq km

land: 995,450 sq km

water: 6,000 sq km

El Salvador

total: 21,040 sq km

land: 20,720 sq km

water: 320 sq km

Equatorial Guinea

total: 28,051 sq km

land: 28,051 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Eritrea

total: 121,320 sq km

land: 121,320 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Estonia

total: 45,226 sq km

land: 43,211 sq km

water: 2,015 sq km

note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea

Ethiopia

total: 1,127,127 sq km

land: 1,119,683 sq km

water: 7,444 sq km

Europa Island

total: 28 sq km

land: 28 sq km

water: 0 sq km

European Union

total: 4,324,782 sq km

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) total: 12,173 sq km land: 12,173 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands

Faroe Islands

total: 1,399 sq km

land: 1,399 sq km

water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams)

Fiji

total: 18,270 sq km

land: 18,270 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Finland

total: 338,145 sq km

land: 304,473 sq km

water: 33,672 sq km

France

total: 643,427 sq km; 547,030 sq km (metropolitan France)

land: 640,053 sq km; 545,630 sq km (metropolitan France)

water: 3,374 sq km; 1,400 sq km (metropolitan France)

note: the first numbers include the overseas regions of French

Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Reunion

French Polynesia

total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)

land: 3,660 sq km

water: 507 sq km

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

total: 7,829 sq km

land: 7,829 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet, and Iles

Kerguelen; excludes "Adelie Land" claim of about 500,000 sq km in

Antarctica that is not recognized by the US

Gabon

total: 267,667 sq km

land: 257,667 sq km

water: 10,000 sq km

Gambia, The

total: 11,300 sq km

land: 10,000 sq km

water: 1,300 sq km

Gaza Strip

total: 360 sq km

land: 360 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Georgia

total: 69,700 sq km

land: 69,700 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Germany

total: 357,021 sq km

land: 349,223 sq km

water: 7,798 sq km

Ghana

total: 239,460 sq km

land: 230,940 sq km

water: 8,520 sq km

Gibraltar

total: 6.5 sq km

land: 6.5 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Glorioso Islands total: 5 sq km land: 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ile Glorieuse, Ile du Lys, Verte Rocks, Wreck Rock, and South Rock

Greece

total: 131,940 sq km

land: 130,800 sq km

water: 1,140 sq km

Greenland

total: 2,166,086 sq km

land: 2,166,086 sq km (410,449 sq km ice-free, 1,755,637 sq km

ice-covered) (2000 est.)

Grenada

total: 344 sq km

land: 344 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Guam

total: 541.3 sq km

land: 541.3 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Guatemala

total: 108,890 sq km

land: 108,430 sq km

water: 460 sq km

Guernsey

total: 78 sq km

land: 78 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other

smaller islands

Guinea

total: 245,857 sq km

land: 245,857 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Guinea-Bissau

total: 36,120 sq km

land: 28,000 sq km

water: 8,120 sq km

Guyana

total: 214,970 sq km

land: 196,850 sq km

water: 18,120 sq km

Haiti

total: 27,750 sq km

land: 27,560 sq km

water: 190 sq km

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

total: 412 sq km

land: 412 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Holy See (Vatican City)

total: 0.44 sq km

land: 0.44 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Honduras

total: 112,090 sq km

land: 111,890 sq km

water: 200 sq km

Hong Kong

total: 1,092 sq km

land: 1,042 sq km

water: 50 sq km

Howland Island

total: 1.6 sq km

land: 1.6 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Hungary

total: 93,030 sq km

land: 92,340 sq km

water: 690 sq km

Iceland

total: 103,000 sq km

land: 100,250 sq km

water: 2,750 sq km

Iles Eparses

Bassas da India: total - 80 sq km; land - 0.2 sq km;

water - 79.8 sq km (lagoon)

Europa Island: total - 28 sq km; land - 28 sq km; water - 0 sq km

Glorioso Islands: total - 5 sq km; land - 5 sq km; water - 0 sq km

Juan de Nova Island: total - 4.4 sq km; land - 4.4 sq km; water - 0

sq km

Tromelin Island: total - 1 sq km; land - 1 sq km; water - 0 sq km

India

total: 3,287,590 sq km

land: 2,973,190 sq km

water: 314,400 sq km

Indian Ocean

total: 68.556 million sq km

note: includes Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Flores Sea,

Great Australian Bight, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Java Sea,

Mozambique Channel, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Savu Sea, Strait of

Malacca, Timor Sea, and other tributary water bodies

Indonesia

total: 1,919,440 sq km

land: 1,826,440 sq km

water: 93,000 sq km

Iran

total: 1.648 million sq km

land: 1.636 million sq km

water: 12,000 sq km

Iraq

total: 437,072 sq km

land: 432,162 sq km

water: 4,910 sq km

Ireland

total: 70,280 sq km

land: 68,890 sq km

water: 1,390 sq km

Isle of Man

total: 572 sq km

land: 572 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Israel

total: 20,770 sq km

land: 20,330 sq km

water: 440 sq km

Italy

total: 301,230 sq km

land: 294,020 sq km

water: 7,210 sq km

note: includes Sardinia and Sicily

Jamaica

total: 10,991 sq km

land: 10,831 sq km

water: 160 sq km

Jan Mayen

total: 377 sq km

land: 377 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Japan

total: 377,835 sq km

land: 374,744 sq km

water: 3,091 sq km

note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto,

Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and

Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)

Jarvis Island

total: 4.5 sq km

land: 4.5 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Jersey

total: 116 sq km

land: 116 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Johnston Atoll

total: 2.63 sq km

land: 2.63 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Jordan

total: 92,300 sq km

land: 91,971 sq km

water: 329 sq km

Juan de Nova Island

total: 4.4 sq km

land: 4.4 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Kazakhstan

total: 2,717,300 sq km

land: 2,669,800 sq km

water: 47,500 sq km

Kenya

total: 582,650 sq km

land: 569,250 sq km

water: 13,400 sq km

Kingman Reef

total: 1 sq km

land: 1 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Kiribati

total: 811 sq km

land: 811 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands,

Phoenix Islands

Korea, North

total: 120,540 sq km

land: 120,410 sq km

water: 130 sq km

Korea, South

total: 98,480 sq km

land: 98,190 sq km

water: 290 sq km

Kuwait

total: 17,820 sq km

land: 17,820 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Kyrgyzstan

total: 198,500 sq km

land: 191,300 sq km

water: 7,200 sq km

Laos

total: 236,800 sq km

land: 230,800 sq km

water: 6,000 sq km

Latvia

total: 64,589 sq km

land: 63,589 sq km

water: 1,000 sq km

Lebanon

total: 10,400 sq km

land: 10,230 sq km

water: 170 sq km

Lesotho

total: 30,355 sq km

land: 30,355 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Liberia

total: 111,370 sq km

land: 96,320 sq km

water: 15,050 sq km

Libya

total: 1,759,540 sq km

land: 1,759,540 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Liechtenstein

total: 160 sq km

land: 160 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Lithuania

total: 65,200 sq km

land: NA sq km

water: NA sq km

Luxembourg

total: 2,586 sq km

land: 2,586 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Macau

total: 28.2 sq km

land: 28.2 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Macedonia

total: 25,333 sq km

land: 24,856 sq km

water: 477 sq km

Madagascar

total: 587,040 sq km

land: 581,540 sq km

water: 5,500 sq km

Malawi

total: 118,480 sq km

land: 94,080 sq km

water: 24,400 sq km

Malaysia

total: 329,750 sq km

land: 328,550 sq km

water: 1,200 sq km

Maldives

total: 300 sq km

land: 300 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Mali

total: 1.24 million sq km

land: 1.22 million sq km

water: 20,000 sq km

Malta

total: 316 sq km

land: 316 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Marshall Islands

total: 11,854.3 sq km

land: 181.3 sq km

water: 11,673 sq km (note - lagoon waters)

note: includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, Kwajalein, Majuro,

Rongelap, and Utirik

Mauritania

total: 1,030,700 sq km

land: 1,030,400 sq km

water: 300 sq km

Mauritius

total: 2,040 sq km

land: 2,030 sq km

water: 10 sq km

note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint

Brandon), and Rodrigues

Mayotte

total: 374 sq km

land: 374 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Mexico

total: 1,972,550 sq km

land: 1,923,040 sq km

water: 49,510 sq km

Micronesia, Federated States of total: 702 sq km land: 702 sq km water: 0 sq km (fresh water only) note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) Islands, Yap Islands, and Kosrae (Kosaie)

Midway Islands total: 6.2 sq km land: 6.2 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Eastern Island, Sand Island, and Spit Island

Moldova

total: 33,843 sq km

land: 33,371 sq km

water: 472 sq km

Monaco

total: 1.95 sq km

land: 1.95 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Mongolia

total: 1,564,116 sq km

Montenegro

total: 14,026 sq km

land: 13,812 sq km

water: 214 sq km

Montserrat

total: 102 sq km

land: 102 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Morocco

total: 446,550 sq km

land: 446,300 sq km

water: 250 sq km

Mozambique

total: 801,590 sq km

land: 784,090 sq km

water: 17,500 sq km

Namibia

total: 825,418 sq km

land: 825,418 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Nauru

total: 21 sq km

land: 21 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Navassa Island

total: 5.4 sq km

land: 5.4 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Nepal

total: 147,181 sq km

land: 143,181 sq km

water: 4,000 sq km

Netherlands

total: 41,526 sq km

land: 33,883 sq km

water: 7,643 sq km

Netherlands Antilles total: 960 sq km land: 960 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)

New Caledonia total: 19,060 sq km land: 18,575 sq km water: 485 sq km

New Zealand

total: 268,680 sq km

land: 268,021 sq km

water: NA

note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands,

Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands

Nicaragua

total: 129,494 sq km

land: 120,254 sq km

water: 9,240 sq km

Niger

total: 1.267 million sq km

land: 1,266,700 sq km

water: 300 sq km

Nigeria

total: 923,768 sq km

land: 910,768 sq km

water: 13,000 sq km

Niue

total: 260 sq km

land: 260 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Norfolk Island

total: 34.6 sq km

land: 34.6 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Northern Mariana Islands total: 477 sq km land: 477 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian

Norway

total: 323,802 sq km

land: 307,442 sq km

water: 16,360 sq km

Oman

total: 212,460 sq km

land: 212,460 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Pacific Ocean

total: 155.557 million sq km

note: includes Bali Sea, Bering Sea, Bering Strait, Coral Sea, East

China Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Gulf of Tonkin, Philippine Sea, Sea of

Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, South China Sea, Tasman Sea, and other

tributary water bodies

Pakistan

total: 803,940 sq km

land: 778,720 sq km

water: 25,220 sq km

Palau

total: 458 sq km

land: 458 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Palmyra Atoll

total: 11.9 sq km

land: 11.9 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Panama

total: 78,200 sq km

land: 75,990 sq km

water: 2,210 sq km

Papua New Guinea

total: 462,840 sq km

land: 452,860 sq km

water: 9,980 sq km

Paracel Islands

total: NA sq km

land: NA sq km

water: 0 sq km

Paraguay

total: 406,750 sq km

land: 397,300 sq km

water: 9,450 sq km

Peru

total: 1,285,220 sq km

land: 1.28 million sq km

water: 5,220 sq km

Philippines

total: 300,000 sq km

land: 298,170 sq km

water: 1,830 sq km

Pitcairn Islands

total: 47 sq km

land: 47 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Poland

total: 312,685 sq km

land: 304,465 sq km

water: 8,220 sq km

Portugal

total: 92,391 sq km

land: 91,951 sq km

water: 440 sq km

note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands

Puerto Rico

total: 13,790 sq km

land: 8,870 sq km

water: 4,921 sq km

Qatar

total: 11,437 sq km

land: 11,437 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Romania

total: 237,500 sq km

land: 230,340 sq km

water: 7,160 sq km

Russia

total: 17,075,200 sq km

land: 16,995,800 sq km

water: 79,400 sq km

Rwanda

total: 26,338 sq km

land: 24,948 sq km

water: 1,390 sq km

Saint Helena

total: 413 sq km

land: Saint Helena Island 122 sq km; Ascension Island 90 sq km;

Tristan da Cunha island group 201 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Saint Kitts and Nevis

total: 261 sq km (Saint Kitts 168 sq km; Nevis

93 sq km)

land: 261 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Saint Lucia total: 616 sq km land: 606 sq km water: 10 sq km

Saint Pierre and Miquelon total: 242 sq km land: 242 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the Miquelon groups

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

total: 389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344

sq km)

land: 389 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Samoa

total: 2,944 sq km

land: 2,934 sq km

water: 10 sq km

San Marino

total: 61.2 sq km

land: 61.2 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Sao Tome and Principe

total: 1,001 sq km

land: 1,001 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Saudi Arabia

total: 2,149,690 sq km

land: 2,149,690 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Senegal

total: 196,190 sq km

land: 192,000 sq km

water: 4,190 sq km

Serbia

total: 88,361 sq km

land: 88,361 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Seychelles

total: 455 sq km

land: 455 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Sierra Leone

total: 71,740 sq km

land: 71,620 sq km

water: 120 sq km

Singapore

total: 692.7 sq km

land: 682.7 sq km

water: 10 sq km

Slovakia

total: 48,845 sq km

land: 48,800 sq km

water: 45 sq km

Slovenia

total: 20,273 sq km

land: 20,151 sq km

water: 122 sq km

Solomon Islands

total: 28,450 sq km

land: 27,540 sq km

water: 910 sq km

Somalia

total: 637,657 sq km

land: 627,337 sq km

water: 10,320 sq km

South Africa

total: 1,219,912 sq km

land: 1,219,912 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince

Edward Island)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

total: 3,903 sq km

land: 3,903 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South Georgia

Island, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consist

of eleven islands

Southern Ocean

total: 20.327 million sq km

note: includes Amundsen Sea, Bellingshausen Sea, part of the Drake

Passage, Ross Sea, a small part of the Scotia Sea, Weddell Sea, and

other tributary water bodies

Spain

total: 504,782 sq km

land: 499,542 sq km

water: 5,240 sq km

note: there are 2 autonomous cities - Ceuta and Melilla - and 17

autonomous communities including Balearic Islands and Canary

Islands, and three small Spanish possessions off the coast of

Morocco - Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez

de la Gomera

Spratly Islands

total: less than 5 sq km

land: less than 5 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts

scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South

China Sea

Sri Lanka

total: 65,610 sq km

land: 64,740 sq km

water: 870 sq km

Sudan

total: 2,505,810 sq km

land: 2.376 million sq km

water: 129,810 sq km

Suriname

total: 163,270 sq km

land: 161,470 sq km

water: 1,800 sq km

Svalbard

total: 61,020 sq km

land: 61,020 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island)

Swaziland

total: 17,363 sq km

land: 17,203 sq km

water: 160 sq km

Sweden

total: 449,964 sq km

land: 410,934 sq km

water: 39,030 sq km

Switzerland

total: 41,290 sq km

land: 39,770 sq km

water: 1,520 sq km

Syria

total: 185,180 sq km

land: 184,050 sq km

water: 1,130 sq km

note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory

Taiwan

total: 35,980 sq km

land: 32,260 sq km

water: 3,720 sq km

note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy

Tajikistan

total: 143,100 sq km

land: 142,700 sq km

water: 400 sq km

Tanzania

total: 945,087 sq km

land: 886,037 sq km

water: 59,050 sq km

note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar

Thailand

total: 514,000 sq km

land: 511,770 sq km

water: 2,230 sq km

Togo

total: 56,785 sq km

land: 54,385 sq km

water: 2,400 sq km

Tokelau

total: 10 sq km

land: 10 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Tonga

total: 748 sq km

land: 718 sq km

water: 30 sq km

Trinidad and Tobago

total: 5,128 sq km

land: 5,128 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Tromelin Island

total: 1 sq km

land: 1 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Tunisia

total: 163,610 sq km

land: 155,360 sq km

water: 8,250 sq km

Turkey

total: 780,580 sq km

land: 770,760 sq km

water: 9,820 sq km

Turkmenistan

total: 488,100 sq km

land: 488,100 sq km

water: NEGL

Turks and Caicos Islands

total: 430 sq km

land: 430 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Tuvalu

total: 26 sq km

land: 26 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Uganda

total: 236,040 sq km

land: 199,710 sq km

water: 36,330 sq km

Ukraine

total: 603,700 sq km

land: 603,700 sq km

water: 0 sq km

United Arab Emirates

total: 83,600 sq km

land: 83,600 sq km

water: 0 sq km

United Kingdom

total: 244,820 sq km

land: 241,590 sq km

water: 3,230 sq km

note: includes Rockall and Shetland Islands

United States

total: 9,826,630 sq km

land: 9,161,923 sq km

water: 664,707 sq km

note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

total - 6,959.41 sq

km; emergent land - 22.41 sq km; submerged - 6,937 sq km

Baker Island: total - 129 sq km; emergent land - 2.1 sq km;

submerged - 127 sq km

Howland Island: total - 139 sq km; emergent land - 2.6 sq km;

submerged - 136 sq km

Jarvis Island: total - 152 sq km; emergent land - 5 sq km; submerged

- 147 sq km

Johnston Atoll: total - 276.6 sq km; emergent land - 2.6 sq km;

submerged - 274 sq km

Kingman Reef: total - 1,958.01 sq km; emergent land - 0.01 sq km;

submerged - 1,958 sq km

Midway Islands: total - 2,355.2 sq km; emergent land - 6.2 sq km;

submerged - 2,349 sq km

Palmyra Atoll: total - 1,949.9 sq km; emergent land - 3.9 sq km;

submerged - 1,946 sq km

Uruguay

total: 176,220 sq km

land: 173,620 sq km

water: 2,600 sq km

Uzbekistan

total: 447,400 sq km

land: 425,400 sq km

water: 22,000 sq km

Vanuatu

total: 12,200 sq km

land: 12,200 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes more than 80 islands, about 65 of which are inhabited

Venezuela

total: 912,050 sq km

land: 882,050 sq km

water: 30,000 sq km

Vietnam

total: 329,560 sq km

land: 325,360 sq km

water: 4,200 sq km

Virgin Islands

total: 1,910 sq km

land: 346 sq km

water: 1,564 sq km

Wake Island

total: 6.5 sq km

land: 6.5 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Wallis and Futuna total: 274 sq km land: 274 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island), Ile Alofi, and 20 islets

West Bank

total: 5,860 sq km

land: 5,640 sq km

water: 220 sq km

note: includes West Bank, Latrun Salient, and the northwest quarter

of the Dead Sea, but excludes Mt. Scopus; East Jerusalem and

Jerusalem No Man's Land are also included only as a means of

depicting the entire area occupied by Israel in 1967

Western Sahara

total: 266,000 sq km

land: 266,000 sq km

water: 0 sq km

World

total: 510.072 million sq km

land: 148.94 million sq km

water: 361.132 million sq km

note: 70.8% of the world's surface is water, 29.2% is land

Yemen

total: 527,970 sq km

land: 527,970 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Perim, Socotra, the former Yemen Arab Republic (YAR

or North Yemen), and the former People's Democratic Republic of

Yemen (PDRY or South Yemen)

Zambia

total: 752,614 sq km

land: 740,724 sq km

water: 11,890 sq km

Zimbabwe

total: 390,580 sq km

land: 386,670 sq km

water: 3,910 sq km

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2149 Diplomatic representation in the US

Afghanistan

chief of mission: Ambassador Said Tayeb JAWAD

chancery: 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] 202-483-6410

FAX: [1] 202-483-6488

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Akrotiri

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Albania

chief of mission: Ambassador Aleksander SALLABANDA

chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942

FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342

Algeria

chief of mission: Ambassador Amine KHERBI

chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800

FAX: [1] (202) 667-2174

American Samoa

none (territory of the US)

Andorra

chief of mission: Ambassador Julian VILA COMA

chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017

telephone: [1] (212) 750-8064

FAX: [1] (212) 750-6630

Angola

chief of mission: Ambassador Josefina Perpetua Pitra DIAKITI

chancery: 2108 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 785-1156

FAX: [1] (202) 785-1258

consulate(s) general: Houston, New York

Anguilla

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Antigua and Barbuda chief of mission: Ambassador Deborah Mae LOVELL chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 362-5122 FAX: [1] (202) 362-5225 consulate(s) general: Miami

Argentina

chief of mission: Ambassador Jose Octavio BORDON

chancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 238-6400

FAX: [1] (202) 332-3171

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,

New York

Armenia

chief of mission: Ambassador Tatoul MARKARIAN

chancery: 2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 319-1976

FAX: [1] (202) 319-2982

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Aruba

none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note -

Mr. Henry BAARH, Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba at the Embassy

of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

none (territory of Australia)

Australia

chief of mission: Ambassador Dennis J. RICHARDSON

chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000

FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New

York, San Francisco

Austria

chief of mission: Ambassador Eva NOWOTNY

chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035

telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700

FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Azerbaijan

chief of mission: Ambassador Hafiv Mir Jalal PASHAYEV

chancery: 2741 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 337-3500

FAX: [1] (202) 337-5911

Consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Bahamas, The

chief of mission: vacant

chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 319-2660

FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668

consulate(s) general: Miami, New York

Bahrain

chief of mission: Ambassador Nasir bin Muhammad al-BALUSHI

chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 342-1111

FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192

consulate(s) general: New York

Bangladesh

chief of mission: Ambassador Shamsher Mobin CHOWDHURY

chancery: 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183

FAX: [1] (202) 244-5366

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Barbados

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael Ian KING

chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 939-9200

FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467

consulate(s) general: Miami, New York

consulate(s): Los Angeles

Belarus

chief of mission: Ambassador Mikhail KHVOSTOV

chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 986-1604

FAX: [1] (202) 986-1805

consulate(s) general: New York

Belgium

chief of mission: Ambassador Dominique STRUYE DE SWIELANDE

chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900

FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

consulate(s): Atlanta

Belize

chief of mission: Ambassador Lisa M. SHOMAN

chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636

FAX: [1] (202) 332-6888

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Benin

chief of mission: Ambassador Cyrille Segbe OGUIN

chancery: 2124 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656

FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996

Bermuda

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Bhutan

none; note - Bhutan has a Permanent Mission to the UN;

address: 2 United Nations Plaza, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10017;

telephone [1] (212) 826-1919; FAX [1] (212) 826-2998; the Bhutanese

mission to the UN has consular jurisdiction in the US

consulate(s) general: New York

Bolivia

chief of mission: Ambassador Gustavo GUZMAN Saldana

chancery: 3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 483-4410

FAX: [1] (202) 328-3712

consulate(s) general: Houston, Miami, New York, Oklahoma City, San

Francisco, Seattle, Washington, DC

Bosnia and Herzegovina chief of mission: Ambassador Bisera TURKOVIC chancery: 2109 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 337-1500 FAX: [1] (202) 337-1502 consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York

Botswana

chief of mission: Ambassador Lapologang Caesar LEKOA

chancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990

FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164

Brazil

chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio de Aguiar PATRIOTA

chancery: 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 238-2700

FAX: [1] (202) 238-2827

consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,

New York, San Francisco

British Indian Ocean Territory

none (overseas territory of the UK)

British Virgin Islands

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Brunei

chief of mission: Ambassador Pengiran Anak Dato PUTEH

chancery: 3520 International Court NW #300, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 237-1838

FAX: [1] (202) 885-0560

Bulgaria

chief of mission: Ambassador Elena B. POPTODOROVA

chancery: 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 387-0174

FAX: [1] (202) 234-7973

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Burkina Faso

chief of mission: Ambassador Tertius ZONGO

chancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 332-5577

FAX: [1] (202) 667-1882

Burma

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires MYINT

LWIN

chancery: 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 332-3344

FAX: [1] (202) 332-4351

consulate(s) general: New York

Burundi

chief of mission: Ambassador Celestin NIYONGABO

chancery: Suite 212, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 342-2574

FAX: [1] (202) 342-2578

Cambodia

chief of mission: Ambassador EK SEREYWATH

chancery: 4530 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011

telephone: [1] (202) 726-7742

FAX: [1] (202) 726-8381

Cameroon

chief of mission: Ambassador Jerome MENDOUGA

chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790

FAX: [1] (202) 387-3826

Canada

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael WILSON

chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001

telephone: [1] (202) 682-1740

FAX: [1] (202) 682-7701

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas,

Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Phoenix,

San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tucson

consulate(s): Anchorage, Houston, Philadelphia, Princeton (New

Jersey), Raleigh, San Jose (California)

Cape Verde

chief of mission: Ambassador Jose BRITO

chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820

FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207

consulate(s) general: Boston

Cayman Islands

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Central African Republic

chief of mission: Ambassador Emmanuel

TOUABOY

chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800

FAX: [1] (202) 332-9893

Chad

chief of mission: Ambassador Mahamat Adam BECHIR

chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 462-4009

FAX: [1] (202) 265-1937

Chile

chief of mission: Ambassador Mariano FERNANDEZ

chancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 530-4104, 530-4106, 530-4107

FAX: [1] (202) 887-5579

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New

York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

China

chief of mission: Ambassador ZHOU Wenzhong

chancery: 2300 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 328-2500

FAX: [1] (202) 328-2582

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San

Francisco

Christmas Island

none (territory of Australia)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

none (territory of Australia)

Colombia

chief of mission: Ambassador Carolina BARCO Isakson

chancery: 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 387-8338

FAX: [1] (202) 232-8643

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los

Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico),

Washington, DC

Comoros

chief of mission: Representative to the US and Ambassador to

the UN Mahmoud M. ABOUD

chancery: Mission to the US, 336 East 45th Street (2nd floor), New

York, NY 10017

telephone: [1] (212) 750-1637

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

chief of mission: Ambassador Faida

MITIFU

chancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009: note -

Consular Office at 1726 M Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690, 7691

FAX: [1] (202) 234-2609

Congo, Republic of the

chief of mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI

chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011

telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500

FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860

Cook Islands

none (self-governing in free association with New

Zealand)

Coral Sea Islands

none (territory of Australia)

Costa Rica

chief of mission: Ambassador Tomas DUENAS

chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945

FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Hammond (temporary location

in Louisiana), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Juan

(Puerto Rico), Tampa (temporarily closed), Washington, DC

consulate(s): San Francisco

Cote d'Ivoire

chief of mission: Ambassador Daouda DIABATE

chancery: 3421 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300

FAX: [1] (202) 244-3088

Croatia

chief of mission: Ambassador Neven JURICA

chancery: 2343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 588-5899

FAX: [1] (202) 588-8936

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Cuba

none; note - Cuba has an Interests Section in the Swiss

Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Dagoberto RODRIGUEZ Barrera;

address: Cuban Interests Section, Swiss Embassy, 2630 16th Street

NW, Washington, DC 20009; telephone: [1] (202) 797-8518; FAX: [1]

(202) 797-8521

Cyprus

chief of mission: Ambassador Andreas KAKOURIS

chancery: 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 462-5772, 462-0873

FAX: [1] (202) 483-6710

consulate(s) general: New York

note: representative of the Turkish Cypriot community in the US is

Hilmi AKIL; office at 1667 K Street NW, Washington, DC; telephone

[1] (202) 887-6198

Czech Republic

chief of mission: Ambassador Petr KOLAR

chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 274-9100

FAX: [1] (202) 966-8540

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Denmark

chief of mission: Ambassador Friis Arne PETERSEN

chancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300

FAX: [1] (202) 328-1470

consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York

Dhekelia

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Djibouti

chief of mission: Ambassador Roble OLHAYE Oudine

chancery: Suite 515, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005

telephone: [1] (202) 331-0270

FAX: [1] (202) 331-0302

Dominica

chief of mission: Ambassador Swinburne A.S. LESTRADE

chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016

telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781

FAX: [1] (202) 364-6791

consulate(s) general: New York

Dominican Republic

chief of mission: Ambassador Flavio Dario ESPINAL

Jacobo

chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280

FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057

consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Boston, Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto

Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto

Rico)

East Timor

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires

Constancio PINTO

chancery: 4201 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: 202 966-3202

FAX: 202 966-3205

consulate(s) general: New York

Ecuador

chief of mission: Ambassador Luis Benigno GALLEGOS Chiriboga

chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 234-7200

FAX: [1] (202) 667-3482

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Jersey City (New Jersey),

Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco,

Washington, DC

Egypt

chief of mission: Ambassador Nabil FAHMY

chancery: 3521 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 895-5400

FAX: [1] (202) 244-4319

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco

El Salvador

chief of mission: Ambassador Rene Antonio LEON Rodriguez

chancery: 2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 265-9671

FAX: [1] (202) 234-3834

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Dallas, Elizabeth (New Jersey),

Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York (2), Nogales

(Arizona), Santa Ana (California), San Francisco, Washington, DC

consulate(s): Boston

Equatorial Guinea

chief of mission: Ambassador Purificacion ANGUE

ONDO

chancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700

FAX: [1] (202) 518-5252

Eritrea

chief of mission: Ambassador GHIRMAI Ghebremariam

chancery: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 319-1991

FAX: [1] (202) 319-1304

consulate(s) general: Oakland (California)

Estonia

chief of mission: Ambassador Juri LUIK

chancery: 2131 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101

FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108

consulate(s) general: New York

Ethiopia

chief of mission: Ambassador Samuel ASSEFA

chancery: 3506 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 364-1200

FAX: [1] (202) 587-0195

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

consulate(s): New York

European Union

chief of mission: Ambassador John BRUTON

chancery: 2300 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037

telephone: [1] (202) 862-9500

FAX: [1] (202) 429-1766

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

none (overseas territory of the

UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Faroe Islands

none (self-governing overseas administrative division

of Denmark)

Fiji

chief of mission: Ambassador Jesoni VITUSAGAVULU

chancery: 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 240, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 337-8320

FAX: [1] (202) 337-1996

Finland

chief of mission: Ambassador Pekka LINTU

chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800

FAX: [1] (202) 298-6030

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

France

chief of mission: Ambassador Jean-David LEVITTE

chancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000

FAX: [1] (202) 944-6166

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los

Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco

French Polynesia

none (overseas lands of France)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

none (overseas territory of

France)

Gabon

chief of mission: Ambassador Jules Marius OGOUEBANDJA

chancery: Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 797-1000

FAX: [1] (202) 332-0668

consulate(s): New York

Gambia, The

chief of mission: Ambassador Dodou Bammy JAGNE

chancery: Suite 905, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005

telephone: [1] (202) 785-1379

FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430

Georgia

chief of mission: Ambassador Vasil SIKHARULIDZE

chancery: 1101 15th Street NW, Suite 602, Washington, DC 20005

telephone: [1] (202) 387-2390

FAX: [1] (202) 393-4537

Germany

chief of mission: Ambassador Klaus SCHARIOTH

chancery: 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 298-4000

FAX: [1] (202) 298-4249

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los

Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco

Ghana

chief of mission: Ambassador Fritz Kwabena POKU

chancery: 1156 15th St. NW #905, Washington, DC 20005

telephone: [1] (202) 785-1379

FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430

consulate(s) general: New York

Gibraltar

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Greece

chief of mission: Ambassador Alexandros P. MALLIAS

chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 939-1300

FAX: [1] (202) 939-1324

consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San

Francisco, Tampa

consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, New Orleans

Greenland

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of

Denmark)

Grenada

chief of mission: Ambassador Denis G. ANTOINE

chancery: 1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 265-2561

FAX: [1] (202) 265-2468

consulate(s) general: New York

Guam

none (territory of the US)

Guatemala

chief of mission: Ambassador Guillermo CASTILLO

chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 745-4952

FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,

New York, Providence, San Francisco

Guernsey

none (British crown dependency)

Guinea

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)

chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 986-4300

FAX: [1] (202) 478-3800

Guinea-Bissau

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); note -

Guinea-Bissau does not have official representation in Washington, DC

Guyana

chief of mission: Ambassador Bayney KARRAN

chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900

FAX: [1] (202) 232-1297

consulate(s) general: New York

Haiti

chief of mission: Ambassador Raymond JOSEPH

chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090

FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215

consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, San Juan

(Puerto Rico)

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

none (territory of Australia)

Holy See (Vatican City)

chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio

Archbishop Pietro SAMBI

chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121

FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036

Honduras

chief of mission: Ambassador Roberto FLORES Bermudez

chancery: Suite 4-M, 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 966-7702

FAX: [1] (202) 966-9751

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,

New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco

honorary consulate(s): Boston, Detroit, Jacksonville

Hong Kong

none (special administrative region of China)

Hungary

chief of mission: Ambassador Andras SIMONYI

chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 362-6730

FAX: [1] (202) 966-8135

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Iceland

chief of mission: Ambassador Albert JONSSON

chancery: Suite 1200, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1704

telephone: [1] (202) 265-6653

FAX: [1] (202) 265-6656

consulate(s) general: New York

India

chief of mission: Ambassador Ranendra SEN

chancery: 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; note -

Consular Wing located at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington,

DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 939-7000

FAX: [1] (202) 265-4351

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco

Indonesia

chief of mission: Ambassador SUDJADNAN Parnohadiningrat

chancery: 2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 775-5200

FAX: [1] (202) 775-5365

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San

Francisco

Iran

none; note - Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani

Embassy; address: Iranian Interests Section, Pakistani Embassy, 2209

Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007; telephone: [1] (202)

965-4990; FAX [1] (202) 965-1073

Iraq

chief of mission: Ambassador Samir Shakir al-SUMAYDI

chancery: 1801 P Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 483-7500

FAX: [1] (202) 462-5066

Ireland

chief of mission: Ambassador Noel FAHEY

chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939

FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993

consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, San Francisco

Isle of Man

none (British crown dependency)

Israel

chief of mission: Ambassador Salai MERIDOR

chancery: 3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 364-5500

FAX: [1] (202) 364-5607

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los

Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco

Italy

chief of mission: Ambassador Giovanni CASTELLANETA

chancery: 3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 612-4400

FAX: [1] (202) 518-2151

consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New York, Los

Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco

consulate(s): Detroit

Jamaica

chief of mission: Ambassador Gordon SHIRLEY

chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 452-0660

FAX: [1] (202) 452-0081

consulate(s) general: Miami, New York

Japan

chief of mission: Ambassador Ryozo KATO

chancery: 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 238-6700

FAX: [1] (202) 328-2187

consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver,

Detroit, Agana (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New

Orleans, New York, Portland (Oregon), San Francisco, Seattle

Jersey

none (British crown dependency)

Jordan

chief of mission: Ambassador ZEID Ra'ad Zeid al-Hussein,

Prince

chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664

FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110

Kazakhstan

chief of mission: Ambassador Kanat B. SAUDABAYEV

chancery: 1401 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 232-5488

FAX: [1] (202) 232-5845

consulate(s): New York

Kenya

chief of mission: Ambassador Peter Rateng Oginga OGEGO

chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 387-6101

FAX: [1] (202) 462-3829

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Kiribati

Kiribati does not have an embassy in the US; there is an

honorary consulate in Honolulu

Korea, North

none; North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the UN in

New York

Korea, South

chief of mission: Ambassador LEE Tae-sik

chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600

FAX: [1] (202) 387-0205

consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Atlanta, Boston, Chicago,

Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle

Kuwait

chief of mission: Ambassador SALIM Abdallah al-Jabir al-Sabah

chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702

FAX: [1] (202) 966-0517

Kyrgyzstan

chief of mission: Ambassador Zamira SYDYKOVA

chancery: 2360 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 338-5141

FAX: [1] (202) 386-7550

consulate(s): New York

Laos

chief of mission: Ambassador PHIANE Philakone

chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416

FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923

Latvia

chief of mission: ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires

Maris SELGA

chancery: 2306 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 328-2840

FAX: [1] (202) 328-2860

Lebanon

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires

Carla JAZZAR; note - ambassador designate is Antoine CHEDID

chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 939-6320

FAX: [1] (202) 939-6324

consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, Los Angeles

Lesotho

chief of mission: Ambassador Molelekeng E. RAPOLAKI

chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536

FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815

Liberia

chief of mission: Ambassador Charles A. MINOR

chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011

telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437

FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436

consulate(s) general: New York

Libya

chief of mission: ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ali

AUJALI

chancery: 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Suite 705, Washington, DC 20037

telephone: [1] (202) 944-9601

FAX: [1] (202) 944-9060

Liechtenstein

chief of mission: Ambassador Claudia FRITSCHE

chancery: 888 17th Street NW, Suite 1250, Washington, DC 20006

telephone: [1] (202) 331-0590

FAX: [1] (202) 331-3221

Lithuania

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires

Kornelija JURGAITIENE

chancery: 4590 MacArthur Blvd. NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 234-5860

FAX: [1] (202) 328-0466

consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York

Luxembourg

chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph WEYLAND

chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171/72

FAX: [1] (202) 328-8270

consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco

Macau

none (special administrative region of China)

Macedonia

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)

chancery: 2129 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 667-0501

FAX: [1] (202) 667-2131

consulate(s) general: Southfield (Michigan)

Madagascar

chief of mission: Ambassador Narisoa RAJAONARIVONY

chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526

FAX: [1] (202) 265-3034

consulate(s) general: New York

Malawi

chief of mission: Ambassador Bernard Herbert SANDE

chancery: 1156 15th Street, NW, Suite 320, Washington, DC 20005

telephone: [1] (202) 721-0270

FAX: [1] (202) 721-0288

Malaysia

chief of mission: Ambassador RAJMAH binti Hussain

chancery: 3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 572-9700

FAX: [1] (202) 572-9882

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Maldives

chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed LATHEEF

chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400E, New York, NY 10017

telephone: [1] (212) 599-6195

FAX: [1] (212) 661-6405

Mali

chief of mission: Ambassador Abdoulaye DIOP

chancery: 2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 332-2249, 939-8950

FAX: [1] (202) 332-6603

Malta

chief of mission: Ambassador John LOWELL

chancery: 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 462-3611, 3612

FAX: [1] (202) 387-5470

consulate(s): New York

Marshall Islands

chief of mission: Ambassador Banny DE BRUM

chancery: 2433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 234-5414

FAX: [1] (202) 232-3236

consulate(s) general: Honolulu

Mauritania

chief of mission: Ambassador Tijani Ould Mohamed EL KERIM

chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700, 5701

FAX: [1] (202) 319-2623

Mauritius

chief of mission: Ambassador Usha JEETAH

chancery: 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 441, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 244-1491, 1492

FAX: [1] (202) 966-0983

Mayotte

none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)

Mexico

chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos Alberto de ICAZA Gonzalez

chancery: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006

telephone: [1] (202) 728-1600

FAX: [1] (202) 728-1698

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas,

Denver, El Paso, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York,

Nogales (Arizona), Omaha, Orlando, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Antonio,

San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

consulate(s): Albuquerque, Brownsville (Texas), Calexico

(California), Del Rio (Texas), Detroit, Douglas (Arizona), Eagle

Pass (Texas), Fresno (California), Indianapolis (Indiana), Kansas

City (Missouri), Laredo (Texas), Las Vegas, McAllen (Texas), Midland

(Texas), Oxnard (California), Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon),

Presidio (Texas), Raleigh, Saint Paul (Minnesota), Salt Lake City,

San Bernardino, Santa Ana (California), Seattle, Tucson, Yuma

(Arizona)

Micronesia, Federated States of chief of mission: Ambassador Jesse Bibiano MAREHALAU chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 223-4383 FAX: [1] (202) 223-4391 consulate(s) general: Honolulu, Tamuning (Guam)

Moldova

chief of mission: Ambassador Nicolae CHIRTOACA

chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130

FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204

Monaco

chief of mission: Ambassador to the US and UN Gilles NOGHES

chancery: 565 Fifth Avenue, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10017

telephone: (212) 286-0500

FAX: (212) 286-1574

Mongolia

chief of mission: Ambassador Ravdan BOLD

chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 333-7117

FAX: [1] (202) 298-9227

Montenegro

chief of mission: Ambassador Miodrag VLAHOVIC

Montserrat

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Morocco

chief of mission: Ambassador Aziz MEKOUAR

chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 462-7979

FAX: [1] (202) 265-0161

consulate(s) general: New York

Mozambique

chief of mission: Ambassador Armando PANGUENE

chancery: 1990 M Street NW, Suite 570, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 293-7146

FAX: [1] (202) 835-0245

Namibia

chief of mission: Ambassador Patrick NANDAGO

chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540

FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443

Nauru

chief of mission: Ambassador Vinci Niel CLODUMAR

chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, NY 10017

telephone: [1] (212) 937-0074

FAX: [1] (212) 937-0079

consulate(s): Agana (Guam)

Nepal

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)

chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550

FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534

consulate(s) general: New York

Netherlands

chief of mission: Ambassador Christiaan Mark Johan KRONER

chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300

FAX: [1] (202) 362-3430

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York

consulate(s): Boston

Netherlands Antilles

none (represented by the Kingdom of the

Netherlands); note - Mr. Jeffrey CORRION, Minister Plenipotentiary

for Aruba at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

New Caledonia

none (overseas territory of France)

New Zealand

chief of mission: Ambassador Roy N. FERGUSON

chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 328-4800

FAX: [1] (202) 667-5227

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Nicaragua

chief of mission: vacant

chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 939-6570, [1] (202) 939-6573

FAX: [1] (202) 939-6545

consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San

Francisco

Niger

chief of mission: Ambassador Aminata Maiga Djibrilla TOURE

chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227

FAX: [1] (202)483-3169

Nigeria

chief of mission: Ambassador Professor George A. OBIOZOR

chancery: 3519 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 986-8400

FAX: [1] (202) 775-1385

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, New York

Niue

none (self-governing territory in free association with New

Zealand)

Norfolk Island

none (territory of Australia)

Norway

chief of mission: Ambassador Knut VOLLEBAEK

chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000

FAX: [1] (202) 337-0870

consulate(s) general: Houston, Minneapolis, New York, San Francisco

Oman

chief of mission: Ambassador Hunaina bint Sultan bin Ahmad

al-MUGHAIRI

chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980 through 1981, 1988

FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933

Pakistan

chief of mission: Ambassador Mahmud Ali DURRANI

chancery: 3517 International Court, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 243-6500

FAX: [1] (202) 686-1544

consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New

York, Sunnyvale (California)

Palau

chief of mission: Ambassador Hersey KYOTA

chancery: 1700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC

20006

telephone: [1] (202) 452-6814

FAX: [1] (202) 452-6281

consulate(s) general: Honolulu

consulate(s): Tamuning (Guam)

Panama

chief of mission: Ambassador Federico HUMBERT Arias

chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 483-1407

FAX: [1] (202) 483-8416

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New

York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa

Papua New Guinea

chief of mission: Ambassador Evan Jeremy PAKI

chancery: 1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 805, Washington, DC

20036

telephone: [1] (202) 745-3680

FAX: [1] (202) 745-3679

Paraguay

chief of mission: Ambassador James SPALDING Hellmers

chancery: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 483-6960 through 6962

FAX: [1] (202) 234-4508

consulate(s) general: Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York

Peru

chief of mission: Ambassador Felipe ORTIZ de Zevallos

chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 833-9860 through 9869

FAX: [1] (202) 659-8124

consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Denver, Hartford, Houston,

Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paterson (New Jersey), San Francisco,

Washington, DC

Philippines

chief of mission: Ambassador Willy C. GAA

chancery: 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 467-9300

FAX: [1] (202) 328-7614

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San

Francisco, San Jose (Northern Mariana Islands), Tamuning (Guam)

Pitcairn Islands

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Poland

chief of mission: Ambassador Janusz REITER

chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 234-3800 through 3802

FAX: [1] (202) 328-6271

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Portugal

chief of mission: Ambassador Joao DE VALLERA

chancery: 2012 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 350-5400

FAX: [1] (202) 462-3726

consulate(s) general: Boston, New York, Newark (New Jersey), San

Francisco

consulate(s): New Bedford (Massachusetts), Providence (Rhode Island)

Puerto Rico

none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)

Qatar

chief of mission: Ambassador Nasir bin Hamad bin Mubarak

al-KHALIFA

chancery: 2555 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037

telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 and 274-1603

FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061

consulate(s) general: Houston

Romania

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires

Daniela GITMAN

chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851, 4852

FAX: [1] (202) 232-4748

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Russia

chief of mission: Ambassador Yuriy Viktorovich USHAKOV

chancery: 2650 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 298-5700, 5701, 5704, 5708

FAX: [1] (202) 298-5735

consulate(s) general: Houston, New York, San Francisco, Seattle

Rwanda

chief of mission: Ambassador Zac NSENGA

chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 232-2882

FAX: [1] (202) 232-4544

Saint Helena

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Saint Kitts and Nevis chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Izben Cordinal WILLIAMS chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 686-2636 FAX: [1] (202) 686-5740 consulate(s) general: New York

Saint Lucia

chief of mission: Ambassador Sonia Merlyn JOHNNY

chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016

telephone: [1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795

FAX: [1] (202) 364-6723

consulate(s) general: Miami, New York

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

none (territorial overseas collectivity of

France)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines chief of mission: Ambassador Ellsworth I. A. JOHN chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6730 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6736 consulate(s) general: New York

Samoa

chief of mission: Ambassador Aliioaiga Feturi ELISAIA

chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017

telephone: [1] (212) 599-6196, 6197

FAX: [1] (212) 599-0797

San Marino

San Marino does not have an embassy in the US

honorary consulate(s) general: New York, Washington, DC

honorary consulate(s): Detroit, Honolulu

Sao Tome and Principe

chief of mission: First Secretary Domingos

Augusto FERREIRA

chancery: 400 Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10022

telephone: [1] (212) 317-0580

FAX: [1] (212) 935-7348

consulate(s): Atlanta

Saudi Arabia

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Ambassador

Designate Adil al-Ahmed al-JUBAYR

chancery: 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037

telephone: [1] (202) 342-3800

FAX: [1] (202) 944-3113

consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, New York

Senegal

chief of mission: Ambassador Amadou Lamine BA

chancery: 2112 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 234-0540

FAX: [1] (202) 332-6315

consulate(s) general: Houston, New York

Serbia

chief of mission: Ambassador Ivan VUJACIC

chancery: 2134 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 332-0333

FAX: [1] (202) 332-3933

consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York

Seychelles

chief of mission: Ambassador Jeremie BONNELAME

chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017

telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785

FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786

Sierra Leone

chief of mission: Ambassador Ibrahim M. KAMARA

chancery: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 939-9261 through 9263

FAX: [1] (202) 483-1793

Singapore

chief of mission: Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee

chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100

FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876

consulate(s) general: San Francisco

consulate(s): New York

Slovakia

chief of mission: Ambassador Rastislav KACER

chancery: 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 237-1054

FAX: [1] (202) 237-6438

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Slovenia

chief of mission: Ambassador Samuel ZBOGAR

chancery: 1525 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 667-5363

FAX: [1] (202) 667-4563

consulate(s) general: Cleveland, New York

Solomon Islands

chief of mission: Ambassador Collin David BECK

chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017

telephone: [1] (212) 599-6192, 6193

FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925

Somalia

Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased

operations on 8 May 1991); note - the TFG and other factions have

representatives in Washington and at the United Nations

South Africa

chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara Joyce Mosima

MASEKELA

chancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 232-4400

FAX: [1] (202) 265-1607

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

none (overseas

territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Spain

chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos WESTENDORP

chancery: 2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037

telephone: [1] (202) 452-0100, 728-2340

FAX: [1] (202) 833-5670

consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,

New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Sri Lanka

chief of mission: Ambassador Bernard GOONETILLEKE

chancery: 2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 483-4025 (through 4028)

FAX: [1] (202) 232-7181

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

consulate(s): New York

Sudan

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires, Ad

Interim Khidir HAROUN (since April 2001)

chancery: 2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 338-8565

FAX: [1] (202) 667-2406

Suriname

chief of mission: Ambassador Henry Lothar ILLES

chancery: Suite 460, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 244-7488

FAX: [1] (202) 244-5878

consulate(s) general: Miami

Swaziland

chief of mission: Ambassador Ephraim Mandla HLOPHE

chancery: 1712 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 234-5002

FAX: [1] (202) 234-8254

Sweden

chief of mission: Ambassador Gunnar LUND

chancery: 902 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 467-2600

FAX: [1] (202) 467-2699

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Switzerland

chief of mission: Ambassador Urs ZISWILER

chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900

FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New

York, San Francisco

consulate(s): Boston

Syria

chief of mission: Ambassador Imad MUSTAFA

chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313

FAX: [1] (202) 234-9548

Taiwan

none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the

people of the US are maintained through an unofficial

instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative

Office (TECRO), which has its headquarters in Taipei and in the US

in Washington, DC; there are also branch offices called Taipei

Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in 12 other US cities

Tajikistan

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)

chancery: 1005 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037

telephone: [1] (202) 223-6090

FAX: [1] (202) 223-6091

Tanzania

chief of mission: Ambassador Andrew Mhando DARAJA

chancery: 2139 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 939-6125

FAX: [1] (202) 797-7408

Thailand

chief of mission: Ambassador VIRASAK Futrakul

chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 401, Washington, DC

20007-3681

telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600

FAX: [1] (202) 944-3611

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Togo

chief of mission: [vacant]

chancery: 2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 234-4212

FAX: [1] (202) 232-3190

Tokelau

none (territory of New Zealand)

Tonga

chief of mission: Ambassador Fekitamoeloa 'UTOIKAMANU

chancery: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022

telephone: [1] (917) 369-1025

FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024

consulate(s) general: San Francisco

Trinidad and Tobago

chief of mission: Ambassador Marina Annette

VALERE

chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 467-6490

FAX: [1] (202) 785-3130

consulate(s) general: Miami, New York

Tunisia

chief of mission: Ambassador Nejib HACHANA

chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005

telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850

FAX: [1] (202) 862-1858

Turkey

chief of mission: Ambassador Nabi SENSOY

chancery: 2525 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 612-6700

FAX: [1] (202) 612-6744

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York

Turkmenistan

chief of mission: Ambassador Murad Bairamovich ORAZOV

chancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500

FAX: [1] (202) 588-0697

Turks and Caicos Islands

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Tuvalu

Tuvalu does not have an embassy in the US - the country's

only diplomatic post is in Fiji - Tuvalu does, however, have a UN

office located at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017,

telephone: [1] (212) 490-0534

Uganda

chief of mission: Ambassador Perezi Karukubiro KAMUNANWIRE

chancery: 5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011

telephone: [1] (202) 726-7100 through 7102, 0416

FAX: [1] (202) 726-1727

Ukraine

chief of mission: Ambassador Oleh V. SHAMSHUR

chancery: 3350 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 333-0606

FAX: [1] (202) 333-0817

consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York, San Francisco

United Arab Emirates

chief of mission: Ambassador Saqr Ghobash Said

GHOBASH

chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC

20008

telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400

FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432

consulate(s): New York, Houston

United Kingdom

chief of mission: Ambassador David G. MANNING; note -

will be replaced the Sir Nigel E. SHEINWALD in the autumn of 2007

chancery: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 588-6500

FAX: [1] (202) 588-7870

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los

Angeles, New York, San Francisco

consulate(s): Dallas, Denver, Miami, Orlando

Uruguay

chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos Alberto GIANELLI Derois

chancery: 1913 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20006

telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313 through 1316

FAX: [1] (202) 331-8142

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York

consulate(s): San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Uzbekistan

chief of mission: Ambassador Abdulaziz KAMILOV

chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 887-5300

FAX: [1] (202) 293-6804

consulate(s) general: New York

Vanuatu

Vanuatu does not have an embassy in the US; it does,

however, have a Permanent Mission to the UN

Venezuela

chief of mission: Ambassador Bernardo ALVAREZ Herrera

chancery: 1099 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 342-2214

FAX: [1] (202) 342-6820

consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans,

New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Vietnam

chief of mission: Ambassador Nguyen Tam CHIEN

chancery: 1233 20th Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 861-0737

FAX: [1] (202) 861-0917

consulate(s) general: San Francisco

Virgin Islands

none (territory of the US)

Wallis and Futuna

none (overseas territory of France)

Western Sahara

none

Yemen

chief of mission: Ambassador Abd al-Wahab Abdallah al-HAJRI

chancery: 2319 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 965-4760

FAX: [1] (202) 337-2017

Zambia

chief of mission: Ambassador Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA

chancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719

FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826

Zimbabwe

chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Machivenyika T. MAPURANGA

chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100

FAX: [1] (202) 483-9326

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2150 Telephones - main lines in use

Afghanistan

280,000 (2005)

Albania

255,000 (2003)

Algeria

2.572 million (2005)

American Samoa

15,000 (2001)

Andorra

35,400 (2005)

Angola

94,300 (2005)

Anguilla

6,200 (2002)

Antarctica

0; note - information for US bases only (2001)

Antigua and Barbuda

38,000 (2004)

Argentina

8.8 million (2005)

Armenia

582,500 (2004)

Aruba

37,100 (2002)

Australia

11.46 million (2005)

Austria

3.705 million (2005)

Azerbaijan

1,091,400 (2005)

Bahamas, The

139,900 (2004)

Bahrain

196,500 (2005)

Bangladesh

1.07 million (2005)

Barbados

134,900 (2005)

Belarus

3,284,300 (2005)

Belgium

4.801 million (2004)

Belize

33,300 (2005)

Benin

76,300 (2005)

Bermuda

56,000 (2002)

Bhutan

32,700 (2005)

Bolivia

646,300 (2005)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

968,900 (2005)

Botswana

132,000 (2005)

Brazil

42.382 million (2004)

British Indian Ocean Territory

NA

British Virgin Islands

11,700 (2002)

Brunei

90,000 (2002)

Bulgaria

2,483,500 (2005)

Burkina Faso

97,400 (2005)

Burma

476,200 (2005)

Burundi

27,700 (2004)

Cambodia

36,400 (2003)

Cameroon

99,400 (2004)

Canada

18.276 million (2005)

Cape Verde

71,400 (2005)

Cayman Islands

38,000 (2002)

Central African Republic

10,000 (2004)

Chad

13,000 (2004)

Chile

3,435,900 (2005)

China

350.433 million (2005)

Christmas Island

NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

287 (1992)

Colombia

7,678,800 (2005)

Comoros

16,900 (2005)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

10,600 (2005)

Congo, Republic of the

13,800 (2004)

Cook Islands

6,200 (2002)

Costa Rica

1,388,500 (2005)

Cote d'Ivoire

257,900 (2004)

Croatia

1,889,500 (2005)

Cuba

849,900 (2005)

Cyprus

area under government control: 420,000 (2005); area

administered by Turkish Cypriots: 86,228 (2002)

Czech Republic

3,217,300 (2005)

Denmark

3.35 million (2005)

Djibouti

11,100 (2004)

Dominica

21,000 (2004)

Dominican Republic

894,500 (2005)

East Timor

NA

Ecuador

1,701,500 (2005)

Egypt

10,396,100 (2005)

El Salvador

971,500 (2005)

Equatorial Guinea

10,000 (2005)

Eritrea

37,700 (2005)

Estonia

442,000 (2005)

Ethiopia

610,300 (2005)

European Union

238 million (2005)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

2,400 (2002)

Faroe Islands

23,800 (2005)

Fiji

102,000 (2003)

Finland

2.12 million (2005)

France

38.433 million; 35.7 million (metropolitan France) (2005)

French Polynesia

53,400 (2005)

Gabon

39,100 (2005)

Gambia, The

44,000 (2005)

Gaza Strip

349,000 (includes West Bank) (2005)

Georgia

683,200 (2004)

Germany

55.046 million (2005)

Ghana

321,500 (2005)

Gibraltar

24,512 (2002)

Greece

6.303 million (2005)

Greenland

25,300 (2002)

Grenada

32,700 (2004)

Guam

84,134 (2001)

Guatemala

1,132,100 (2004)

Guernsey

55,100 (2004)

Guinea

26,200 (2003)

Guinea-Bissau

10,600 (2003)

Guyana

110,100 (2005)

Haiti

140,000 (2004)

Holy See (Vatican City)

5,120 (2005)

Honduras

494,400 (2005)

Hong Kong

3,794,600 (2005)

Hungary

3.356 million (2005)

Iceland

193,900 (2005)

India

49.75 million (2005)

Indonesia

12.772 million (2005)

Iran

18.986 million (2005)

Iraq

1.547 million (2005)

Ireland

2.033 million (2005)

Isle of Man

51,000 (1999)

Israel

2,936,300 (2005)

Italy

25.049 million (2005)

Jamaica

342,000 (2005)

Japan

58.78 million (2005)

Jersey

73,900 (2001)

Jordan

628,200 (2005)

Kazakhstan

2.5 million (2004)

Kenya

281,800 (2005)

Kiribati

4,500 (2002)

Korea, North

980,000 (2003)

Korea, South

23.745 million (2005)

Kuwait

510,300 (2005)

Kyrgyzstan

438,200 (2005)

Laos

90,067 (2006)

Latvia

731,000 (2005)

Lebanon

990,000 (2005)

Lesotho

48,000 (2005)

Liberia

6,900 (2002)

Libya

750,000 (2003)

Liechtenstein

19,900 (2002)

Lithuania

801,100 (2005)

Luxembourg

244,500 (2005)

Macau

174,400 (2005)

Macedonia

533,200 (2005)

Madagascar

66,900 (2005)

Malawi

102,700 (2005)

Malaysia

4.366 million (2005)

Maldives

32,181 (2006)

Mali

75,000 (2005)

Malta

202,100 (2005)

Marshall Islands

5,510 (2004)

Mauritania

41,000 (2005)

Mauritius

359,000 (2005)

Mayotte

10,000 (2002)

Mexico

19.512 million (2005)

Micronesia, Federated States of

12,400 (2005)

Moldova

929,400 (2005)

Monaco

33,700 (2002)

Mongolia

156,000 (2005)

Montenegro

177,663 (2005)

Montserrat

NA

Morocco

1,341,200 (2005)

Mozambique

69,700 (2004)

Namibia

127,900 (2004)

Nauru

1,900 (2002)

Nepal

448,600 (2005)

Netherlands

7.6 million (2005)

Netherlands Antilles

81,000 (2001)

New Caledonia

55,300 (2005)

New Zealand

1,800,500 (2004)

Nicaragua

220,900 (2005)

Niger

24,000 (2005)

Nigeria

1,223,300 (2005)

Niue

1,100 est (2002)

Norfolk Island

2,532; note - a mix of analog (2500) and digital (32)

circuits (2004)

Northern Mariana Islands

21,000 (2000)

Norway

2.129 million (2005)

Oman

265,200 (2005)

Pakistan

5,162,798 (2006)

Palau

6,700 (2002)

Panama

440,100 (2005)

Papua New Guinea

62,000 (2002)

Paraguay

320,300 (2005)

Peru

2,250,500 (2005)

Philippines

3,437,500 (2004)

Pitcairn Islands 1 (there are 17 telephones on one party line); (2004)

Poland

11.803 million (2005)

Portugal

4.234 million (2005)

Puerto Rico

1,111,900 (2004)

Qatar

205,400 (2005)

Romania

4.391 million (2005)

Russia

40.1 million (2005)

Rwanda

23,000 (2004)

Saint Helena

2,200 (2002)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

25,000 (2004)

Saint Lucia

51,100 (2002)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

4,800 (2002)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

22,500 (2005)

Samoa

13,300 (2003)

San Marino

20,600 (2002)

Sao Tome and Principe

7,000 (2004)

Saudi Arabia

4.5 million (2006)

Senegal

266,600 (2005)

Serbia

2,685,400 (2004)

Seychelles

21,400 (2005)

Sierra Leone

24,000 (2002)

Singapore

1.848 million (2005)

Slovakia

1.197 million (2005)

Slovenia

816,400 (2005)

Solomon Islands

7,400 (2005)

Somalia

100,000 (2005)

South Africa

4.729 million (2005)

Spain

18.322 million (2005)

Sri Lanka

1,509,913 (2006)

Sudan

670,000 (2005)

Suriname

81,100 (2004)

Svalbard

NA

Swaziland

35,000 (2005)

Sweden

6.447 million (2004)

Switzerland

5.123 million (2005)

Syria

2.903 million (2005)

Taiwan

13.615 million (2005)

Tajikistan

245,200 (2004)

Tanzania

148,400 (2004)

Thailand

7.035 million (2005)

Togo

58,600 (2005)

Tokelau

300 (2002)

Tonga

11,200 (2002)

Trinidad and Tobago

323,500 (2005)

Tunisia

1,257,500 (2005)

Turkey

18.978 million (2005)

Turkmenistan

495,000 (2006)

Turks and Caicos Islands

5,700 (2002)

Tuvalu

700 (2002)

Uganda

100,800 (2005)

Ukraine

12.142 million (2004)

United Arab Emirates

1.237 million (2005)

United Kingdom

32.943 million (2005)

United States

268 million (2003)

Uruguay

1 million (2004)

Uzbekistan

1,717,100 (2003)

Vanuatu

6,800 (2004)

Venezuela

3,605,500 (2005)

Vietnam

15.845 million (2005)

Virgin Islands

70,900 (2004)

Wallis and Futuna

1,900 (2002)

West Bank

357,300 (includes Gaza Strip) (2004)

Western Sahara

about 2,000 (1999 est.)

World

1,263,367,600 (2005)

Yemen

900,000 (2006)

Zambia

94,700 (2005)

Zimbabwe

328,000 (2005)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2151 Telephones - mobile cellular

Afghanistan

1.4 million (2005)

Albania

1.259 million (2004)

Algeria

13.661 million (2005)

American Samoa

2,377 (1999)

Andorra

64,600 (2005)

Angola

1,094,100 (2005)

Anguilla

1,800 (2002)

Antarctica

NA

Antigua and Barbuda

54,000 (2004)

Argentina

22.1 million (2005)

Armenia

320,000 (2005)

Aruba

98,400 (2004)

Australia

18.42 million (2005)

Austria

8.16 million (2005)

Azerbaijan

2.242 million (2005)

Bahamas, The

186,000 (2004)

Bahrain

748,700 (2005)

Bangladesh

9 million (2005)

Barbados

206,200 (2005)

Belarus

4.098 million (2005)

Belgium

9.46 million (2005)

Belize

93,100 (2005)

Benin

386,700 (2005)

Bermuda

49,000 (2004)

Bhutan

37,800 (2005)

Bolivia

2.421 million (2005)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

1.594 million (2005)

Botswana

823,100 (2005)

Brazil

86.21 million (2005)

British Virgin Islands

8,000 (2002)

Brunei

205,900 (2004)

Bulgaria

6.245 million (2005)

Burkina Faso

572,200 (2005)

Burma

183,400 (2005)

Burundi

153,000 (2005)

Cambodia

1.062 million (2005)

Cameroon

2.259 million (2005)

Canada

16.6 million (2005)

Cape Verde

81,700 (2005)

Cayman Islands

17,000 (2002)

Central African Republic

60,000 (2004)

Chad

210,000 (2005)

Chile

10.57 million (2005)

China

437.48 million (2006)

Christmas Island

NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

note - analog cellular service available

Colombia

21.85 million (2005)

Comoros

16,100 (2005)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

2.746 million (2005)

Congo, Republic of the

490,000 (2005)

Cook Islands

1,500 (2002)

Costa Rica

1.101 million (2005)

Cote d'Ivoire

2.19 million (2005)

Croatia

2.984 million (2005)

Cuba

134,500 (2005)

Cyprus

area under government control: 718,800 (2005);; area

administered by Turkish Cypriots: 143,178 (2002)

Czech Republic

11.776 million (2005)

Denmark

5.469 million (2005)

Djibouti

34,500 (2004)

Dominica

41,800 (2004)

Dominican Republic

3.623 million (2005)

East Timor

NA

Ecuador

6.246 million (2005)

Egypt

14,045,134 (2005)

El Salvador

2.412 million (2005)

Equatorial Guinea

96,900 (2005)

Eritrea

58,000 (2006)

Estonia

1.445 million (2005)

Ethiopia

410,600 (2005)

European Union

466 million (2005)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

0 (2001)

Faroe Islands

42,500 (2005)

Fiji

142,200 (2004)

Finland

5.231 million (2005)

France

49,369,800; 48.058 million (metropolitan France) (2005)

French Polynesia

87,000 (2005)

Gabon

649,800 (2005)

Gambia, The

247,500 (2005)

Gaza Strip

1.095 million (includes West Bank) (2005)

Georgia

1.459 million (2005)

Germany

79.2 million (2005)

Ghana

2.842 million (2005)

Gibraltar

9,797 (2002)

Greece

10.043 million (2005)

Greenland

32,200 (2004)

Grenada

43,300 (2004)

Guam

98,000 (2004)

Guatemala

3,168,300 (2004)

Guernsey

43,800 (2004)

Guinea

189,000 (2005)

Guinea-Bissau

67,000 (2005)

Guyana

281,400 (2005)

Haiti

400,000 (2004)

Holy See (Vatican City)

NA

Honduras

1.282 million (2005)

Hong Kong

8.693 million (2005)

Hungary

9.32 million (2005)

Iceland

304,000 (2005)

India

69,193,321 (2006)

Indonesia

46.91 million (2005)

Iran

8.5 million (2005)

Iraq

8.7 million (2006)

Ireland

4.21 million (2005)

Isle of Man

NA

Israel

7.757 million (2005)

Italy

72.2 million (2005)

Jamaica

2.7 million (2005)

Japan

94.745 million (2005)

Jersey

83,900 (2004)

Jordan

3,012,800 (2005)

Kazakhstan

4.955 million (2005)

Kenya

6.5 million (2006)

Kiribati

600 (2004)

Korea, North

NA

Korea, South

38.342 million (2005)

Kuwait

2.536 million (2006)

Kyrgyzstan

541,700 (2005)

Laos

520,546 (2006)

Latvia

1.872 million (2005)

Lebanon

1.178 million (2005)

Lesotho

245,100 (2005)

Liberia

160,000 (2005)

Libya

234,800 (2004)

Liechtenstein

11,400 (2002)

Lithuania

4.353 million (2005)

Luxembourg

720,000 (2005)

Macau

532,800 (2005)

Macedonia

1.261 million (2005)

Madagascar

504,700 (2005)

Malawi

429,300 (2005)

Malaysia

19.545 million (2005)

Maldives

271,053 (2006)

Mali

869,600 (2005)

Malta

324,000 (2005)

Marshall Islands

1,198 (2004)

Mauritania

745,600 (2005)

Mauritius

713,300 (2005)

Mayotte

48,100 (2004)

Mexico

47.462 million (2005)

Micronesia, Federated States of

14,100 (2005)

Moldova

1.09 million (2005)

Monaco

19,300 (2002)

Mongolia

557,200 (2005)

Montenegro

543,220 (2005)

Montserrat

70 (1994)

Morocco

12.393 million (2005)

Mozambique

1.22 million (2005)

Namibia

495,000 (2005)

Nauru

1,500 (2002)

Nepal

248,800 (2005)

Netherlands

15.834 million (2005)

Netherlands Antilles

200,000 (2004)

New Caledonia

134,300 (2005)

New Zealand

3.53 million (2005)

Nicaragua

1.119 million (2005)

Niger

299,900 (2005)

Nigeria

21,571,131 (2006)

Niue

400 (2002)

Norfolk Island

0 (proposed cellular service disallowed in August

2002 island referendum) (2002)

Northern Mariana Islands

20,500 (2004)

Norway

4.755 million (2005)

Oman

1.333 million (2005)

Pakistan

48,289,136 (2006)

Palau

1,000 (2002)

Panama

1.352 million (2005)

Papua New Guinea

26,000 (2005)

Paraguay

1.887 million (2005)

Peru

5.583 million (2005)

Philippines

32.81 million (2005)

Poland

29,166,400 (2005)

Portugal

11.448 million (2005)

Puerto Rico

2.682 million (2004)

Qatar

854,900 (2006)

Romania

13.354 million (2005)

Russia

120 million (2005)

Rwanda

290,000

note: Rwanda has mobile cellular service between Kigali and several

provincial capitals (2005)

Saint Helena

NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis

10,000 (2004)

Saint Lucia

93,000 (2004)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

70,600 (2005)

Samoa

24,000 (2005)

San Marino

16,800 (2002)

Sao Tome and Principe

12,000 (2005)

Saudi Arabia

13.3 million (2005)

Senegal

1.73 million (2005)

Serbia

5.229 million (2005)

Seychelles

57,000 (2005)

Sierra Leone

113,200 (2003)

Singapore

4.385 million (2005)

Slovakia

4.54 million (2005)

Slovenia

1.759 million (2005)

Solomon Islands

6,000 (2005)

Somalia

500,000 (2005)

South Africa

33.96 million (2005)

Spain

41.328 million (2005)

Sri Lanka

4,284,256 (2006)

Sudan

1.828 million (2005)

Suriname

232,800 (2005)

Svalbard

NA

Swaziland

200,000 (2005)

Sweden

8.436 million (2005)

Switzerland

6.847 million (2005)

Syria

3,128,470 (2005)

Taiwan

22.17 million (2005)

Tajikistan

265,000 (2005)

Tanzania

1.942 million (2005)

Thailand

27.379 million (2005)

Togo

443,600 (2005)

Tokelau

0 (2001)

Tonga

16,400 (2004)

Trinidad and Tobago

800,000 (2005)

Tunisia

5.681 million (2005)

Turkey

43.609 million (2005)

Turkmenistan

52,000 (2004)

Turks and Caicos Islands

1,700 (1999)

Tuvalu

0 (2004)

Uganda

1.525 million (2005)

Ukraine

17.214 million (2005)

United Arab Emirates

4.535 million (2005)

United Kingdom

61.091 million (2004)

United States

219.4 million (2005)

Uruguay

600,000 (2004)

Uzbekistan

1.1 million (2005)

Vanuatu

12,700 (2005)

Venezuela

12.496 million (2005)

Vietnam

9.593 million (2005)

Virgin Islands

64,200 (2004)

Wallis and Futuna

0 (1994)

West Bank

1.095 million (includes Gaza Strip) (2005)

Western Sahara

0 (1999)

World

2,168,433,600 (2005)

Yemen

2,074,846 (2006)

Zambia

946,600 (2005)

Zimbabwe

699,000 (2005)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2153 Internet users

Afghanistan

30,000 (2005)

Albania

75,000 (2005)

Algeria

1.92 million (2005)

American Samoa

NA

Andorra

21,900 (2005)

Angola

172,000 (2005)

Anguilla

3,000 (2002)

Antigua and Barbuda

20,000 (2005)

Argentina

10 million (2005)

Armenia

150,000 (2005)

Aruba

24,000 (2002)

Australia

14,663,622 (2006)

Austria

4.65 million (2005)

Azerbaijan

678,800 (2005)

Bahamas, The

93,000 (2005)

Bahrain

152,700 (2005)

Bangladesh

300,000 (2005)

Barbados

160,000 (2005)

Belarus

3,394,400 (2005)

Belgium

5.1 million (2005)

Belize

35,000 (2005)

Benin

425,000 (2005)

Bermuda

39,000 (2005)

Bhutan

25,000 (2005)

Bolivia

480,000 (2005)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

806,400 (2005)

Botswana

60,000 (2002)

Brazil

25.9 million (2005)

British Virgin Islands

4,000 (2002)

Brunei

56,000 (2005)

Bulgaria

2.2 million (2005)

Burkina Faso

64,600 (2005)

Burma

78,000 (2005)

Burundi

25,000 (2005)

Cambodia

41,000 (2005)

Cameroon

167,000 (2005)

Canada

21.9 million (2005)

Cape Verde

25,000 (2005)

Cayman Islands

9,909 (2003)

Central African Republic

9,000 (2005)

Chad

35,000 (2005)

Chile

6.7 million (2005)

China

123 million (2006)

Christmas Island

464 (2001)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

NA

Colombia

4.739 million (2005)

Comoros

20,000 (2005)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

140,600 (2005)

Congo, Republic of the

36,000 (2005)

Cook Islands

3,600 (2002)

Costa Rica

1 million (2005)

Cote d'Ivoire

160,000 (2005)

Croatia

1,451,100 (2005)

Cuba

190,000

note: private citizens are prohibited from buying computers or

accessing the Internet without special authorization; foreigners may

access the Internet in large hotels but are subject to firewalls;

some Cubans buy illegal passwords on the black market or take

advantage of public outlets, to access limited email and the

government-controlled "intranet" (2005)

Cyprus

298,000 (2005)

Czech Republic

5.1 million (2005)

Denmark

3,762,500 (2005)

Djibouti

9,000 (2005)

Dominica

20,500 (2005)

Dominican Republic

938,300 (2005)

East Timor

1,000 (2004)

Ecuador

616,000 (2005)

Egypt

5 million (2005)

El Salvador

637,100 (2005)

Equatorial Guinea

5,000 (2005)

Eritrea

70,000 (2005)

Estonia

690,000 (2005)

Ethiopia

113,000 (2005)

European Union

247 million (2006)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

1,900 (2002)

Faroe Islands

33,000 (2005)

Fiji

61,000 (2004)

Finland

3.286 million (2005)

France

29.945 million; 29.521 million (metropolitan France) (2006)

French Polynesia

55,000 (2005)

Gabon

67,000 (2005)

Gambia, The

49,000 (2005)

Gaza Strip

243,000 (includes West Bank) (2005)

Georgia

175,600 (2005)

Germany

50.616 million (2006)

Ghana

401,300 (2005)

Gibraltar

6,200 (2002)

Greece

3.8 million (2005)

Greenland

38,000 (2005)

Grenada

19,000 (2005)

Guam

79,000 (2004)

Guatemala

756,000 (2005)

Guernsey

36,000 (2005)

Guinea

46,000 (2005)

Guinea-Bissau

26,000 (2005)

Guyana

160,000 (2005)

Haiti

500,000 (2005)

Holy See (Vatican City)

93 (2000)

Honduras

223,000 (2005)

Hong Kong

4,878,713 (2005)

Hungary

3.05 million (2005)

Iceland

258,000 (2005)

India

60 million (2005)

Indonesia

16 million (2005)

Iran

7.5 million (2005)

Iraq

36,000 (2005)

Ireland

2.06 million (2005)

Isle of Man

NA

Israel

3.7 million (2006)

Italy

28.87 million (2005)

Jamaica

1.067 million (2005)

Japan

86.3 million (2005)

Jersey

27,000 (2005)

Jordan

629,500 (2005)

Kazakhstan

400,000 (2005)

Kenya

1,054,900 (2005)

Kiribati

2,000 (2004)

Korea, North

NA

Korea, South

33.9 million (2005)

Kuwait

700,000 (2005)

Kyrgyzstan

280,000 (2005)

Laos

25,000 (2005)

Latvia

1.03 million (2005)

Lebanon

700,000 (2005)

Lesotho

43,000 (2005)

Liberia

1,000 (2002)

Libya

205,000 (2005)

Liechtenstein

20,000 (2002)

Lithuania

1,221,700 (2005)

Luxembourg

315,000 (2005)

Macau

201,000 (2004)

Macedonia

392,671 (2005)

Madagascar

90,000 (2005)

Malawi

52,500 (2005)

Malaysia

11.016 million (2005)

Maldives

19,000 (2005)

Mali

60,000 (2005)

Malta

127,200 (2005)

Marshall Islands

2,000 (2005)

Mauritania

14,000 (2005)

Mauritius

180,000 (2005)

Mayotte

NA

Mexico

18,622,500 (2005)

Micronesia, Federated States of

14,000 (2005)

Moldova

406,000 (2005)

Monaco

16,000 (2002)

Mongolia

268,300 (2005)

Montenegro

50,000 (2004)

Montserrat

NA

Morocco

4.6 million (2005)

Mozambique

138,000 (2005)

Namibia

75,000 (2005)

Nauru

300 (2002)

Nepal

175,000 (2005)

Netherlands

10,806,328 (2004)

Netherlands Antilles

2,000 (2000)

New Caledonia

76,000 (2005)

New Zealand

3.2 million (2005)

Nicaragua

140,000 (2005)

Niger

24,000 (2005)

Nigeria

5 million (2005)

Niue

900 (2002)

Norfolk Island

700

Northern Mariana Islands

10,000 (2003)

Norway

3.14 million (2005)

Oman

245,000 (2005)

Pakistan

10.5 million (2005)

Panama

300,000 (2005)

Papua New Guinea

170,000 (2005)

Paraguay

200,000 (2005)

Peru

4.6 million (2005)

Philippines

7.82 million (2005)

Pitcairn Islands

NA

Poland

10.6 million (2005)

Portugal

7,782,700 (2006)

Puerto Rico

1 million (2005)

Qatar

219,000 (2005)

Romania

4.94 million (2005)

Russia

23.7 million (2005)

Rwanda

38,000 (2005)

Saint Helena

1,000 note - includes Ascension Island (2003)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

10,000 (2002)

Saint Lucia

55,000 (2005)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

8,000 (2005)

Samoa

6,000 (2004)

San Marino

14,300 (2002)

Sao Tome and Principe

20,000 (2005)

Saudi Arabia

3.2 million (2006)

Senegal

540,000 (2005)

Serbia

1.4 million (2006)

Seychelles

20,000 (2005)

Sierra Leone

10,000 (2005)

Singapore

2,421,800 (2005)

Slovakia

2.5 million (2005)

Slovenia

1.09 million (2005)

Solomon Islands

8,400 (2005)

Somalia

90,000 (2005)

South Africa

5.1 million (2005)

Spain

19,204,771 (2006)

Sri Lanka

280,000 (2005)

Sudan

2.8 million (2005)

Suriname

30,000 (2005)

Svalbard

NA

Swaziland

36,000 (2005)

Sweden

6.8 million (2005)

Switzerland

5,097,822 (2005)

Syria

1.1 million (2005)

Taiwan

13.21 million (2005)

Tajikistan

5,000 (2005)

Tanzania

333,000 (2005)

Thailand

8.42 million (2005)

Togo

300,000 (2005)

Tokelau

NA

Tonga

3,000 (2004)

Trinidad and Tobago

160,000 (2005)

Tunisia

953,800 (2005)

Turkey

16 million (2005)

Turkmenistan

36,000 (2005)

Turks and Caicos Islands

NA

Tuvalu

1,300 (2002)

Uganda

500,000 (2005)

Ukraine

5,278,100 (2005)

United Arab Emirates

1,397,200 (2005)

United Kingdom

37.6 million (2005)

United States

205,326,680 (2005)

Uruguay

680,000 (2005)

Uzbekistan

880,000 (2005)

Vanuatu

7,500 (2004)

Venezuela

3.04 million (2005)

Vietnam

13.1 million (2006)

Virgin Islands

30,000 (2002)

Wallis and Futuna

900 (2002)

West Bank

243,000 (includes Gaza Strip) (2005)

Western Sahara

NA

World

1,018,057,389 (2005)

Yemen

220,000 (2005)

Zambia

231,000 (2005)

Zimbabwe

1 million (2005)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2154 Internet country code

Afghanistan

.af

Albania

.al

Algeria

.dz

American Samoa

.as

Andorra

.ad

Angola

.ao

Anguilla

.ai

Antarctica

.aq

Antigua and Barbuda

.ag

Argentina

.ar

Armenia

.am

Aruba

.aw

Australia

.au

Austria

.at

Azerbaijan

.az

Bahamas, The

.bs

Bahrain

.bh

Bangladesh

.bd

Barbados

.bb

Belarus

.by

Belgium

.be

Belize

.bz

Benin

.bj

Bermuda

.bm

Bhutan

.bt

Bolivia

.bo

Bosnia and Herzegovina

.ba

Botswana

.bw

Bouvet Island

.bv

Brazil

.br

British Indian Ocean Territory

.io

British Virgin Islands

.vg

Brunei

.bn

Bulgaria

.bg

Burkina Faso

.bf

Burma

.mm

Burundi

.bi

Cambodia

.kh

Cameroon

.cm

Canada

.ca

Cape Verde

.cv

Cayman Islands

.ky

Central African Republic

.cf

Chad

.td

Chile

.cl

China

.cn

Christmas Island

.cx

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

.cc

Colombia

.co

Comoros

.km

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

.cd

Congo, Republic of the

.cg

Cook Islands

.ck

Costa Rica

.cr

Cote d'Ivoire

.ci

Croatia

.hr

Cuba

.cu

Cyprus

.cy

Czech Republic

.cz

Denmark

.dk

Djibouti

.dj

Dominica

.dm

Dominican Republic

.do

East Timor

.tl; note - ICANN approved the change from .tp in January

2005

Ecuador

.ec

Egypt

.eg

El Salvador

.sv

Equatorial Guinea

.gq

Eritrea

.er

Estonia

.ee

Ethiopia

.et

European Union

.eu (effective 2005); note - see country entries of

member states for individual country codes

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

.fk

Faroe Islands

.fo

Fiji

.fj

Finland

.fi; note - the IANA has assigned the ccTLD of .ax to the

Aland Islands

France

metropolitan France - .fr; French Guiana - .gf; Guadeloupe -

.gp; Martinique - .mq; Reunion - .re

French Polynesia

.pf

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

.tf

Gabon

.ga

Gambia, The

.gm

Gaza Strip

.ps

Georgia

.ge

Germany

.de

Ghana

.gh

Gibraltar

.gi

Greece

.gr

Greenland

.gl

Grenada

.gd

Guam

.gu

Guatemala

.gt

Guernsey

.gg

Guinea

.gn

Guinea-Bissau

.gw

Guyana

.gy

Haiti

.ht

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

.hm

Holy See (Vatican City)

.va

Honduras

.hn

Hong Kong

.hk

Hungary

.hu

Iceland

.is

India

.in

Indonesia

.id

Iran

.ir

Iraq

.iq

Ireland

.ie

Isle of Man

.im

Israel

.il

Italy

.it

Jamaica

.jm

Japan

.jp

Jersey

.je

Jordan

.jo

Kazakhstan

.kz

Kenya

.ke

Kiribati

.ki

Korea, North

.kp

Korea, South

.kr

Kuwait

.kw

Kyrgyzstan

.kg

Laos

.la

Latvia

.lv

Lebanon

.lb

Lesotho

.ls

Liberia

.lr

Libya

.ly

Liechtenstein

.li

Lithuania

.lt

Luxembourg

.lu

Macau

.mo

Macedonia

.mk

Madagascar

.mg

Malawi

.mw

Malaysia

.my

Maldives

.mv

Mali

.ml

Malta

.mt

Marshall Islands

.mh

Mauritania

.mr

Mauritius

.mu

Mayotte

.yt

Mexico

.mx

Micronesia, Federated States of

.fm

Moldova

.md

Monaco

.mc

Mongolia

.mn

Montenegro

.me

Montserrat

.ms

Morocco

.ma

Mozambique

.mz

Namibia

.na

Nauru

.nr

Nepal

.np

Netherlands

.nl

Netherlands Antilles

.an

New Caledonia

.nc

New Zealand

.nz

Nicaragua

.ni

Niger

.ne

Nigeria

.ng

Niue

.nu

Norfolk Island

.nf

Northern Mariana Islands

.mp

Norway

.no

Oman

.om

Pakistan

.pk

Palau

.pw

Panama

.pa

Papua New Guinea

.pg

Paraguay

.py

Peru

.pe

Philippines

.ph

Pitcairn Islands

.pn

Poland

.pl

Portugal

.pt

Puerto Rico

.pr

Qatar

.qa

Romania

.ro

Russia

.ru; note - Russia also has responsibility for a legacy

domain ".su" that was allocated to the Soviet Union, and whose legal

status and ownership are contested by the Russian Government, ICANN,

and several Russian commercial entities

Rwanda

.rw

Saint Helena

.sh; note - the IANA has assigned .ac as the ccTLD for

Ascension Island

Saint Kitts and Nevis

.kn

Saint Lucia

.lc

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

.pm

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

.vc

Samoa

.ws

San Marino

.sm

Sao Tome and Principe

.st

Saudi Arabia

.sa

Senegal

.sn

Serbia

.rs; note - former ccTLD .yu will remain in service until the

end of 2006

Seychelles

.sc

Sierra Leone

.sl

Singapore

.sg

Slovakia

.sk

Slovenia

.si

Solomon Islands

.sb

Somalia

.so

South Africa

.za

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

.gs

Spain

.es

Sri Lanka

.lk

Sudan

.sd

Suriname

.sr

Svalbard

.sj

Swaziland

.sz

Sweden

.se

Switzerland

.ch

Syria

.sy

Taiwan

.tw

Tajikistan

.tj

Tanzania

.tz

Thailand

.th

Togo

.tg

Tokelau

.tk

Tonga

.to

Trinidad and Tobago

.tt

Tunisia

.tn

Turkey

.tr

Turkmenistan

.tm

Turks and Caicos Islands

.tc

Tuvalu

.tv

Uganda

.ug

Ukraine

.ua

United Arab Emirates

.ae

United Kingdom

.uk

United States

.us

Uruguay

.uy

Uzbekistan

.uz

Vanuatu

.vu

Venezuela

.ve

Vietnam

.vn

Virgin Islands

.vi

Wallis and Futuna

.wf

West Bank

.ps

Western Sahara

.eh

Yemen

.ye

Zambia

.zm

Zimbabwe

.zw

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2155 HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate (%)

Afghanistan

0.01% (2001 est.)

Albania

NA

Algeria

0.1% ; note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

American Samoa

NA

Andorra

NA

Angola

3.9% (2003 est.)

Anguilla

NA

Antigua and Barbuda

NA

Argentina

0.7% (2001 est.)

Armenia

0.1% (2003 est.)

Aruba

NA

Australia

0.1% (2003 est.)

Austria

0.3% (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan

less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The

3% (2003 est.)

Bahrain

0.2% (2001 est.)

Bangladesh

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Barbados

1.5% (2003 est.)

Belarus

0.3% (2001 est.)

Belgium

0.2% (2003 est.)

Belize

2.4% (2003 est.)

Benin

1.9% (2003 est.)

Bermuda

0.297% (2005)

Bhutan

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Bolivia

0.1% (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Botswana

37.3% (2003 est.)

Brazil

0.7% (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands

NA

Brunei

less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

Bulgaria

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Burkina Faso

4.2% (2003 est.)

Burma

1.2% (2003 est.)

Burundi

6% (2003 est.)

Cambodia

2.6% (2003 est.)

Cameroon

6.9% (2003 est.)

Canada

0.3% (2003 est.)

Cape Verde

0.035% (2001 est.)

Cayman Islands

NA

Central African Republic

13.5% (2003 est.)

Chad

4.8% (2003 est.)

Chile

0.3% (2003 est.)

China

0.1% (2003 est.)

Christmas Island

NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

NA

Colombia

0.7% (2003 est.)

Comoros

0.12% (2001 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

4.2% (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

4.9% (2003 est.)

Cook Islands

NA

Costa Rica

0.6% (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

7% (2003 est.)

Croatia

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Cuba

less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

Cyprus

0.1% (2003 est.)

Czech Republic

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Denmark

0.2% (2003 est.)

Djibouti

2.9% (2003 est.)

Dominica

NA

Dominican Republic

1.7% (2003 est.)

East Timor

NA

Ecuador

0.3% (2003 est.)

Egypt

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

El Salvador

0.7% (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

3.4% (2001 est.)

Eritrea

2.7% (2003 est.)

Estonia

1.1% (2001 est.)

Ethiopia

4.4% (2003 est.)

European Union

NA

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

NA

Faroe Islands

NA

Fiji

0.1% (2003 est.)

Finland

less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

France

0.4% (2003 est.)

French Polynesia

NA

Gabon

8.1% (2003 est.)

Gambia, The

1.2% (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip

NA

Georgia

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Germany

0.1% (2001 est.)

Ghana

3.1% (2003 est.)

Gibraltar

NA

Greece

0.2% (2001 est.)

Greenland

NA

Grenada

NA

Guam

NA

Guatemala

1.1% (2003 est.)

Guernsey

NA

Guinea

3.2% (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

10% (2003 est.)

Guyana

2.5% (2003 est.)

Haiti

5.6% (2003 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)

NA

Honduras

1.8% (2003 est.)

Hong Kong

0.1% (2003 est.)

Hungary

0.1% (2001 est.)

Iceland

0.2% (2001 est.)

India

0.9% (2001 est.)

Indonesia

0.1% (2003 est.)

Iran

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Iraq

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Ireland

0.1% (2001 est.)

Isle of Man

NA

Israel

0.1% (2001 est.)

Italy

0.5% (2001 est.)

Jamaica

1.2% (2003 est.)

Japan

less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

Jersey

NA

Jordan

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan

0.2% (2001 est.)

Kenya

6.7% (2003 est.)

Kiribati

NA

Korea, North

NA

Korea, South

less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

Kuwait

0.12% (2001 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Laos

0.1% (2003 est.)

Latvia

0.6% (2001 est.)

Lebanon

0.1% (2001 est.)

Lesotho

28.9% (2003 est.)

Liberia

5.9% (2003 est.)

Libya

0.3% (2001 est.)

Liechtenstein

NA

Lithuania

0.1% (2001 est.)

Luxembourg

0.2% (2001 est.)

Macau

NA

Macedonia

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Madagascar

1.7% (2003 est.)

Malawi

14.2% (2003 est.)

Malaysia

0.4% (2003 est.)

Maldives

0.1% (2001 est.)

Mali

1.9% (2003 est.)

Malta

0.2% (2001 est.)

Marshall Islands

NA

Mauritania

0.6% (2003 est.)

Mauritius

0.1% (2001 est.)

Mayotte

NA

Mexico

0.3% (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of

NA

Moldova

0.2% (2001 est.)

Monaco

NA

Mongolia

less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

Montserrat

NA

Morocco

0.1% (2001 est.)

Mozambique

12.2% (2003 est.)

Namibia

21.3% (2003 est.)

Nauru

NA

Nepal

0.5% (2001 est.)

Netherlands

0.2% (2001 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

NA

New Caledonia

NA

New Zealand

0.1% (2003 est.)

Nicaragua

0.2% (2003 est.)

Niger

1.2% (2003 est.)

Nigeria

5.4% (2003 est.)

Niue

NA

Norfolk Island

NA

Northern Mariana Islands

NA

Norway

0.1% (2001 est.)

Oman

0.1% (2001 est.)

Pakistan

0.1% (2001 est.)

Palau

NA

Panama

0.9% (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea

0.6% (2003 est.)

Paraguay

0.5% (2003 est.)

Peru

0.5% (2003 est.)

Philippines

less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands

NA

Poland

0.1% ; note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

Portugal

0.4% (2001 est.)

Puerto Rico

NA

Qatar

0.09% (2001 est.)

Romania

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Russia

1.1% (2001 est.)

Rwanda

5.1% (2003 est.)

Saint Helena

NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis

NA

Saint Lucia

NA

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

NA

Samoa

NA

San Marino

NA

Sao Tome and Principe

NA

Saudi Arabia

0.01% (2001 est.)

Senegal

0.8% (2003 est.)

Seychelles

NA

Sierra Leone

7% (2001 est.)

Singapore

0.2% (2003 est.)

Slovakia

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Slovenia

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Solomon Islands

NA

Somalia

1% (2001 est.)

South Africa

21.5% (2003 est.)

Spain

0.7% (2001 est.)

Sri Lanka

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Sudan

2.3% (2001 est.)

Suriname

1.7% (2001 est.)

Svalbard

0% (2001)

Swaziland

38.8% (2003 est.)

Sweden

0.1% (2001 est.)

Switzerland

0.4% (2001 est.)

Syria

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Taiwan

NA

Tajikistan

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Tanzania

8.8% (2003 est.)

Thailand

1.5% (2003 est.)

Togo

4.1% (2003 est.)

Tokelau

NA

Tonga

NA

Trinidad and Tobago

3.2% (2003 est.)

Tunisia

less than 0.1% (2005 est.)

Turkey

less than 0.1% - note - no country specific models provided

(2001 est.)

Turkmenistan

less than 0.1% (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

NA

Tuvalu

NA

Uganda

4.1% (2003 est.)

Ukraine

1.4% (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates

0.18% (2001 est.)

United Kingdom

0.2% (2001 est.)

United States

0.6% (2003 est.)

Uruguay

0.3% (2001 est.)

Uzbekistan

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Vanuatu

NA

Venezuela

0.7% - note - no country specific models provided (2001

est.)

Vietnam

0.4% (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands

NA

Wallis and Futuna

NA

West Bank

NA

Western Sahara

NA

World

NA

Yemen

0.1% (2001 est.)

Zambia

16.5% (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe

24.6% (2001 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2156 HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

Afghanistan

NA

Albania

NA

Algeria

9,100 (2003 est.)

American Samoa

NA

Andorra

NA

Angola

240,000 (2003 est.)

Anguilla

NA

Antigua and Barbuda

NA

Argentina

130,000 (2001 est.)

Armenia

2,600 (2003 est.)

Aruba

NA

Australia

14,000 (2003 est.)

Austria

10,000 (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan

1,400 (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The

5,600 (2003 est.)

Bahrain

less than 600 (2003 est.)

Bangladesh

13,000 (2001 est.)

Barbados

2,500 (2003 est.)

Belarus

15,000 (2001 est.)

Belgium

10,000 (2003 est.)

Belize

3,600 (2003 est.)

Benin

68,000 (2003 est.)

Bermuda

163 (2005)

Bhutan

less than 100 (1999 est.)

Bolivia

4,900 (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

900 (2003 est.)

Botswana

350,000 (2003 est.)

Brazil

660,000 (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands

NA

Brunei

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Bulgaria

346 (2001 est.)

Burkina Faso

300,000 (2003 est.)

Burma

330,000 (2003 est.)

Burundi

250,000 (2003 est.)

Cambodia

170,000 (2003 est.)

Cameroon

560,000 (2003 est.)

Canada

56,000 (2003 est.)

Cape Verde

775 (2001)

Cayman Islands

NA

Central African Republic

260,000 (2003 est.)

Chad

200,000 (2003 est.)

Chile

26,000 (2003 est.)

China

840,000 (2003 est.)

Christmas Island

NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

NA

Colombia

190,000 (2003 est.)

Comoros

NA

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

1.1 million (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

90,000 (2003 est.)

Cook Islands

NA

Costa Rica

12,000 (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

570,000 (2003 est.)

Croatia

200 (2001 est.)

Cuba

3,300 (2003 est.)

Cyprus

less than 1,000 (1999 est.)

Czech Republic

2,500 (2001 est.)

Denmark

5,000 (2003 est.)

Djibouti

9,100 (2003 est.)

Dominica

NA

Dominican Republic

88,000 (2003 est.)

East Timor

NA

Ecuador

21,000 (2003 est.)

Egypt

12,000 (2001 est.)

El Salvador

29,000 (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

5,900 (2001 est.)

Eritrea

60,000 (2003 est.)

Estonia

7,800 (2003 est.)

Ethiopia

1.5 million (2003 est.)

European Union

NA

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

NA

Faroe Islands

NA

Fiji

600 (2003 est.)

Finland

1,500 (2003 est.)

France

120,000 (2003 est.)

French Polynesia

NA

Gabon

48,000 (2003 est.)

Gambia, The

6,800 (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip

NA

Georgia

3,000 (2003 est.)

Germany

43,000 (2001 est.)

Ghana

350,000 (2003 est.)

Gibraltar

NA

Greece

9,100 (2001 est.)

Greenland

100 (1999)

Grenada

NA

Guam

NA

Guatemala

78,000 (2003 est.)

Guernsey

NA

Guinea

140,000 (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

17,000 (2001 est.)

Guyana

11,000 (2003 est.)

Haiti

280,000 (2003 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)

NA

Honduras

63,000 (2003 est.)

Hong Kong

2,600 (2003 est.)

Hungary

2,800 (2001 est.)

Iceland

220 (2001 est.)

India

5.1 million (2001 est.)

Indonesia

110,000 (2003 est.)

Iran

31,000 (2001 est.)

Iraq

less than 500 (2003 est.)

Ireland

2,800 (2001 est.)

Isle of Man

NA

Israel

3,000 (1999 est.)

Italy

140,000 (2001 est.)

Jamaica

22,000 (2003 est.)

Japan

12,000 (2003 est.)

Jersey

NA

Jordan

600 (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan

16,500 (2001 est.)

Kenya

1.2 million (2003 est.)

Kiribati

NA

Korea, North

NA

Korea, South

8,300 (2003 est.)

Kuwait

NA

Kyrgyzstan

3,900 (2003 est.)

Laos

1,700 (2003 est.)

Latvia

7,600 (2001 est.)

Lebanon

2,800 (2003 est.)

Lesotho

320,000 (2003 est.)

Liberia

100,000 (2003 est.)

Libya

10,000 (2001 est.)

Liechtenstein

NA

Lithuania

1,300 (2003 est.)

Luxembourg

less than 500 (2003 est.)

Macau

NA

Macedonia

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Madagascar

140,000 (2003 est.)

Malawi

900,000 (2003 est.)

Malaysia

52,000 (2003 est.)

Maldives

less than 100 (2001 est.)

Mali

140,000 (2003 est.)

Malta

less than 500 (2003 est.)

Marshall Islands

NA

Mauritania

9,500 (2003 est.)

Mauritius

700 (2001 est.)

Mayotte

NA

Mexico

160,000 (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of

NA

Moldova

5,500 (2001 est.)

Monaco

NA

Mongolia

less than 500 (2003 est)

Montserrat

NA

Morocco

15,000 (2001 est.)

Mozambique

1.3 million (2003 est.)

Namibia

210,000 (2001 est.)

Nauru

NA

Nepal

61,000 (2001 est.)

Netherlands

19,000 (2001 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

NA

New Caledonia

NA

New Zealand

1,400 (2003 est.)

Nicaragua

6,400 (2003 est.)

Niger

70,000 (2003 est.)

Nigeria

3.6 million (2003 est.)

Niue

NA

Norfolk Island

NA

Northern Mariana Islands

NA

Norway

2,100 (2001 est.)

Oman

1,300 (2001 est.)

Pakistan

74,000 (2001 est.)

Palau

NA

Panama

16,000 (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea

16,000 (2003 est.)

Paraguay

15,000 (1999 est.)

Peru

82,000 (2003 est.)

Philippines

9,000 (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands

NA

Poland

14,000 (2003 est.)

Portugal

22,000 (2001 est.)

Puerto Rico

7,397 (1997)

Qatar

NA

Romania

6,500 (2001 est.)

Russia

860,000 (2001 est.)

Rwanda

250,000 (2003 est.)

Saint Helena

NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis

NA

Saint Lucia

NA

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

NA

Samoa

12

San Marino

NA

Sao Tome and Principe

NA

Saudi Arabia

NA

Senegal

44,000 (2003 est.)

Seychelles

NA

Sierra Leone

170,000 (2001 est.)

Singapore

4,100 (2003 est.)

Slovakia

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Slovenia

280 (2001 est.)

Solomon Islands

NA

Somalia

43,000 (2001 est.)

South Africa

5.3 million (2003 est.)

Spain

140,000 (2001 est.)

Sri Lanka

3,500 (2001 est.)

Sudan

400,000 (2001 est.)

Suriname

5,200 (2001 est.)

Svalbard

0 (2001)

Swaziland

220,000 (2003 est.)

Sweden

3,600 (2001 est.)

Switzerland

13,000 (2001 est.)

Syria

less than 500 (2003 est.)

Taiwan

NA

Tajikistan

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Tanzania

1.6 million (2003 est.)

Thailand

570,000 (2003 est.)

Togo

110,000 (2003 est.)

Tokelau

NA

Tonga

NA

Trinidad and Tobago

29,000 (2003 est.)

Tunisia

1,000 (2003 est.)

Turkey

NA

Turkmenistan

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

NA

Tuvalu

NA

Uganda

530,000 (2001 est.)

Ukraine

360,000 (2001 est.)

United Arab Emirates

NA

United Kingdom

51,000 (2001 est.)

United States

950,000 (2003 est.)

Uruguay

6,000 (2001 est.)

Uzbekistan

11,000 (2003 est.)

Vanuatu

NA

Venezuela

110,000 (1999 est.)

Vietnam

220,000 (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands

NA

Wallis and Futuna

NA

West Bank

NA

Western Sahara

NA

World

NA

Yemen

12,000 (2001 est.)

Zambia

920,000 (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe

1.8 million (2001 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2157 HIV/AIDS - deaths

Afghanistan

NA

Albania

NA

Algeria

less than 500 (2003 est.)

American Samoa

NA

Andorra

NA

Angola

21,000 (2003 est.)

Anguilla

NA

Antigua and Barbuda

NA

Argentina

1,500 (2003 est.)

Armenia

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Aruba

NA

Australia

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Austria

less than 100 (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan

less than 100 (2001 est.)

Bahamas, The

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Bahrain

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Bangladesh

650 (2001 est.)

Barbados

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Belarus

1,000 (2001 est.)

Belgium

less than 100 (2003 est.)

Belize

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Benin

5,800 (2003 est.)

Bermuda

392 (2005)

Bhutan

NA

Bolivia

less than 500 (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

100 (2001 est.)

Botswana

33,000 (2003 est.)

Brazil

15,000 (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands

NA

Brunei

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Bulgaria

100 (2001 est.)

Burkina Faso

29,000 (2003 est.)

Burma

20,000 (2003 est.)

Burundi

25,000 (2003 est.)

Cambodia

15,000 (2003 est.)

Cameroon

49,000 (2003 est.)

Canada

1,500 (2003 est.)

Cape Verde

225 (as of 2001)

Cayman Islands

NA

Central African Republic

23,000 (2003 est.)

Chad

18,000 (2003 est.)

Chile

1,400 (2003 est.)

China

44,000 (2003 est.)

Christmas Island

NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

NA

Colombia

3,600 (2003 est.)

Comoros

NA

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

100,000 (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

9,700 (2003 est.)

Cook Islands

NA

Costa Rica

900 (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

47,000 (2003 est.)

Croatia

less than 10 (2001 est.)

Cuba

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Cyprus

NA

Czech Republic

less than 10 (2001 est.)

Denmark

less than 100 (2003 est.)

Djibouti

690 (2003 est.)

Dominica

NA

Dominican Republic

7,900 (2003 est.)

East Timor

NA

Ecuador

1,700 (2003 est.)

Egypt

700 (2003 est.)

El Salvador

2,200 (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

370 (2001 est.)

Eritrea

6,300 (2003 est.)

Estonia

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Ethiopia

120,000 (2003 est.)

European Union

NA

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

NA

Faroe Islands

NA

Fiji

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Finland

less than 100 (2003 est.)

France

less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

French Polynesia

NA

Gabon

3,000 (2003 est.)

Gambia, The

600 (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip

NA

Georgia

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Germany

less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Ghana

30,000 (2003 est.)

Gibraltar

NA

Greece

less than 100 (2003 est.)

Greenland

NA

Grenada

NA

Guam

NA

Guatemala

5,800 (2003 est.)

Guernsey

NA

Guinea

9,000 (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

1,200 (2001 est.)

Guyana

1,100 (2003 est.)

Haiti

24,000 (2003 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)

NA

Honduras

4,100 (2003 est.)

Hong Kong

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Hungary

less than 100 (2001 est.)

Iceland

less than 100 (2003 est.)

India

310,000 (2001 est.)

Indonesia

2,400 (2003 est.)

Iran

800 (2003 est.)

Iraq

NA

Ireland

less than 100 (2003 est.)

Isle of Man

NA

Israel

100 (2001 est.)

Italy

less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Jamaica

900 (2003 est.)

Japan

500 (2003 est.)

Jersey

NA

Jordan

less than 500 (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Kenya

150,000 (2003 est.)

Kiribati

NA

Korea, North

NA

Korea, South

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Kuwait

NA

Kyrgyzstan

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Laos

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Latvia

less than 500 (2003 est.)

Lebanon

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Lesotho

29,000 (2003 est.)

Liberia

7,200 (2003 est.)

Libya

NA

Liechtenstein

NA

Lithuania

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Luxembourg

less than 100 (2003 est.)

Macau

NA

Macedonia

less than 100 (2003 est.)

Madagascar

7,500 (2003 est.)

Malawi

84,000 (2003 est.)

Malaysia

2,000 (2003 est.)

Maldives

NA

Mali

12,000 (2003 est.)

Malta

less than 100 (2003 est.)

Marshall Islands

NA

Mauritania

less than 500 (2003 est.)

Mauritius

less than 100 (2001 est.)

Mayotte

NA

Mexico

5,000 (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of

NA

Moldova

less than 300 (2001 est.)

Monaco

NA

Mongolia

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Montserrat

NA

Morocco

NA

Mozambique

110,000 (2003 est.)

Namibia

16,000 (2003 est.)

Nauru

NA

Nepal

3,100 (2003 est.)

Netherlands

less than 100 (2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

NA

New Caledonia

NA

New Zealand

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nicaragua

less than 500 (2003 est.)

Niger

4,800 (2003 est.)

Nigeria

310,000 (2003 est.)

Niue

NA

Norfolk Island

NA

Northern Mariana Islands

NA

Norway

less than 100 (2003 est.)

Oman

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Pakistan

4,900 (2003 est.)

Palau

NA

Panama

less than 500 (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea

600 (2003 est.)

Paraguay

600 (2003 est.)

Peru

4,200 (2003 est.)

Philippines

less than 500 (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands

NA

Poland

100 (2001 est.)

Portugal

less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Puerto Rico

NA

Qatar

NA

Romania

350 (2001 est.)

Russia

9,000 (2001 est.)

Rwanda

22,000 (2003 est.)

Saint Helena

NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis

NA

Saint Lucia

NA

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

NA

Samoa

3

San Marino

NA

Sao Tome and Principe

NA

Saudi Arabia

NA

Senegal

3,500 (2003 est.)

Seychelles

NA

Sierra Leone

11,000 (2001 est.)

Singapore

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Slovakia

less than 100 (2001 est.)

Slovenia

less than 100 (2003 est.)

Solomon Islands

NA

Somalia

NA

South Africa

370,000 (2003 est.)

Spain

less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Sudan

23,000 (2003 est.)

Suriname

less than 500 (2003 est.)

Svalbard

0 (2001)

Swaziland

17,000 (2003 est.)

Sweden

less than 100 (2003 est.)

Switzerland

less than 100 (2003 est.)

Syria

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Taiwan

NA

Tajikistan

less than 100 (2001 est.)

Tanzania

160,000 (2003 est.)

Thailand

58,000 (2003 est.)

Togo

10,000 (2003 est.)

Tokelau

NA

Tonga

NA

Trinidad and Tobago

1,900 (2003 est.)

Tunisia

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Turkey

NA

Turkmenistan

less than 100 (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

NA

Tuvalu

NA

Uganda

78,000 (2003 est.)

Ukraine

20,000 (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates

NA

United Kingdom

less than 500 (2003 est.)

United States

14,000 (2003 est.)

Uruguay

less than 500 (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan

less than 500 (2003 est.)

Vanuatu

NA

Venezuela

4,100 (2003 est.)

Vietnam

9,000 (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands

NA

Wallis and Futuna

NA

West Bank

NA

Western Sahara

NA

World

NA

Yemen

NA

Zambia

89,000 (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe

170,000 (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2172 Distribution of family income - Gini index

Albania

28.2 (2002)

Algeria

35.3 (1995)

Argentina

48.3 (June 2006)

Armenia

41.3 (2004)

Australia

35.2 (1994)

Austria

31 (2002)

Azerbaijan

36.5 (2001)

Bangladesh

31.8 (2000)

Belarus

30.4 (2000)

Belgium

25 (1996)

Bolivia

60.6 (2002)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

26.2 (2001)

Botswana

63 (1993)

Brazil

56.7 (2005)

Bulgaria

29.2 (2003)

Burkina Faso

48.2 (1998)

Burundi

33.3 (1998)

Cambodia

40 (2004 est.)

Cameroon

44.6 (2001)

Canada

33.1 (1998)

Central African Republic

61.3 (1993)

Chile

57.1 (2000)

China

44 (2002)

Colombia

53.8 (2005)

Costa Rica

46.5 (2000)

Cote d'Ivoire

45.2 (1998)

Croatia

29 (2001)

Czech Republic

27.3 (2003)

Denmark

23.2 (2002)

Dominican Republic

47.4 (1998)

East Timor

38 (2002 est.)

Ecuador 42 note: data are for urban households (2003)

Egypt

34.4 (2001)

El Salvador

52.5 (2001)

Estonia

33 (2003)

Ethiopia

30 (2000)

European Union

32 (2003 est.)

Finland

26.9 (2000)

France

32.7 (1995)

Georgia

38 (2003)

Germany

28.3 (2000)

Ghana

30 (1999)

Greece

35.1 (2003)

Guatemala

48.3 (2000)

Guinea

40.3 (1994)

Honduras

55 (1999)

Hong Kong

52.25 (2001)

Hungary

26.9 (2002)

India

32.5 (2000)

Indonesia

34.8 (2004)

Iran

43 (1998)

Ireland

35.9 (1996)

Israel

34 (2005)

Italy

36 (2000)

Jamaica

37.9 (2003)

Japan

38.12 (2002)

Jordan

36.4 (1997)

Kazakhstan

31.5 (2003)

Kenya

44.5 (1997)

Korea, South

35.8 (2000)

Kyrgyzstan

29 (2001)

Laos

37 (1997)

Latvia

35.03 (2003)

Lesotho

63.2 (1995)

Lithuania

32.5 (2003)

Macedonia

28.2 (1998)

Madagascar

47.5 (2001)

Malawi

50.3 (1997)

Malaysia

49.2 (1997)

Mali

50.5 (1994)

Mauritania

39 (2000)

Mauritius

37 (1987 est.)

Mexico

54.6 (2000)

Moldova

36.2 (2001)

Mongolia

44 (1998)

Morocco

40 (2005 est.)

Mozambique

39.6 (1996-97)

Namibia

70.7 (2003)

Nepal

37.7 (FY04/05)

Netherlands

30.9 (2005)

New Zealand

36.2 (1997)

Nicaragua

55.1 (2001)

Niger

50.5 (1995)

Nigeria

50.6 (1996-97)

Norway

25.8 (2000)

Pakistan

41 (FY98/99)

Panama

56.4 (2000)

Papua New Guinea

50.9 (1996)

Paraguay

56.8 (1999)

Peru

49.8 (2000)

Philippines

46.6 (2003)

Poland

34.1 (2002)

Portugal

38.5 (1997)

Romania

28.8 (2003)

Russia

40.5 (2005)

Rwanda

28.9 (1985)

Senegal

41.3 (1995)

Sierra Leone

62.9 (1989)

Singapore

42.5 (1998)

Slovakia

25.8 (1996)

Slovenia

28.4 (1998)

South Africa

59.3 (1995)

Spain

32.5 (1990)

Sri Lanka

34.4 (1995)

Sweden

25 (2000)

Switzerland

33.1 (1992)

Tajikistan

34.7 (1998)

Tanzania

38.2 (1993)

Thailand

51.1 (2002)

Tunisia

40 (2005 est.)

Turkey

42 (2003)

Turkmenistan

40.8 (1998)

Uganda

43 (1999)

Ukraine

29 (1999)

United Kingdom

36.8 (1999)

United States

45 (2004)

Uruguay

44.6 (2000)

Uzbekistan

26.8 (2000)

Venezuela

49.1 (1998)

Vietnam

36.1 (1998)

Yemen

33.4 (1998)

Zambia

52.6 (1998)

Zimbabwe

56.8 (2003)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2173 Oil - production (bbl/day)

Afghanistan

0 bbl/day (2004)

Albania

3,600 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Algeria

1.373 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

American Samoa

0 bbl/day (2004)

Angola

1.6 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

0 bbl/day (2004)

Argentina

745,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Armenia

0 bbl/day (2005)

Aruba

2,363 bbl/day (2004)

Australia

530,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Austria

25,360 bbl/day (2004)

Azerbaijan

477,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Bahamas, The

0 bbl/day (2004)

Bahrain

188,300 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Bangladesh

6,813 bbl/day (2004)

Barbados

1,000 bbl/day (2004)

Belarus

34,260 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Belgium

10,690 bbl/day (2004)

Belize

0 bbl/day (2004)

Benin

0 bbl/day (2004)

Bermuda

0 bbl/day (2004)

Bhutan

0 bbl/day (2004)

Bolivia

42,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

0 bbl/day (2004)

Botswana

0 bbl/day (2004)

Brazil

2.09 million bbl/day (2006 est.)

British Virgin Islands

0 bbl/day (2004)

Brunei

200,800 bbl/day (2005)

Bulgaria

3,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Burkina Faso

0 bbl/day (2004)

Burma

18,500 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Burundi

0 bbl/day (2004)

Cambodia

0 bbl/day (2004)

Cameroon

82,300 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Canada

3.135 million bbl/day (2004)

Cape Verde

0 bbl/day (2004)

Cayman Islands

0 bbl/day (2004)

Central African Republic

0 bbl/day (2004)

Chad

225,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Chile

15,100 bbl/day (2006 est.)

China

3.631 million bbl/day (2005)

Colombia

512,400 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Comoros

0 bbl/day (2004)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

21,090 bbl/day (2004)

Congo, Republic of the

267,100 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Cook Islands

0 bbl/day (2004)

Costa Rica

0 bbl/day (2004)

Cote d'Ivoire

32,900 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Croatia

20,500 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Cuba

72,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Cyprus

Republic of Cyprus: 300 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Czech Republic

15,240 bbl/day (2005)

Denmark

391,400 bbl/day (2004)

Djibouti

0 bbl/day (2004)

Dominica

0 bbl/day (2004)

Dominican Republic

11.95 bbl/day (2004)

Ecuador

493,200 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Egypt

700,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

El Salvador

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

420,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Eritrea

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Estonia

6,819 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Ethiopia

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

European Union

3.172 million bbl/day (2004)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Faroe Islands

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Fiji

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Finland

9,105 bbl/day (2004 est.)

France

77,690 bbl/day (2004 est.)

French Polynesia

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Gabon

268,900 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Gambia, The

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Georgia

1,981 bbl/day (2004)

Germany

167,400 bbl/day (2004)

Ghana

7,477 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Gibraltar

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Greece

5,401 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Greenland

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Grenada

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Guam

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Guatemala

22,300 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Guinea

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Guyana

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Haiti

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Honduras

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Hong Kong

0 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Hungary

47,530 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Iceland

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

India

785,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Indonesia

1.061 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Iran

3.979 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Iraq

2.093 million bbl/day; note - prewar production (in 2002) was

2.2 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Ireland

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Israel

3,209 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Italy

145,100 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Jamaica

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Japan

120,600 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Jordan

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan

1.3 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Kenya

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Kiribati

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Korea, North

138.5 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Korea, South

7,378 bbl/day (2004)

Kuwait

2.418 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

1,378 bbl/day (2004)

Laos

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Latvia

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Lebanon

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Lesotho

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Liberia

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Libya

1.72 million bbl/day (2006 est.)

Lithuania

14,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Luxembourg

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Macau

0 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Macedonia

0 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Madagascar

90.59 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Malawi

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Malaysia

770,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Maldives

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Mali

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Malta

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Mauritania

75,000 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Mauritius

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Mexico

3.42 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Moldova

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Mongolia

548.8 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Montenegro

0 bbl/day

Montserrat

0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Morocco

300 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Mozambique

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Namibia

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Nauru

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Nepal

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Netherlands

95,800 bbl/day (2004)

Netherlands Antilles

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

New Caledonia

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

New Zealand

27,860 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Nicaragua

14,300 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Niger

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Nigeria

2.451 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Niue

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Norway

3.22 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oman

769,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Pakistan

63,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Panama

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea

50,000 bbl/day (January 2006 est.)

Paraguay

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Peru

120,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Philippines

25,320 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Poland

35,880 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Portugal

3,849 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico

721.8 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Qatar

790,500 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Romania

119,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Russia

9.4 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Rwanda

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Saint Helena

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Saint Lucia

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Samoa

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia

9.475 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Senegal

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Serbia

14,660 bbl/day (2003)

Seychelles

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Sierra Leone

3.993 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Singapore

9,701 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Slovakia

11,480 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Slovenia

7.83 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Somalia

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

South Africa

229,900 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Spain

31,250 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Sudan

344,700 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Suriname

9,462 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Swaziland

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Sweden

3,208 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Switzerland

2,241 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Syria

420,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Taiwan

7,755 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Tajikistan

252.8 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Tanzania

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Thailand

230,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Togo

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Tonga

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

150,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Tunisia

81,530 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Turkey

50,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Turkmenistan

213,700 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Uganda

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Ukraine

85,090 bbl/day (2004)

United Arab Emirates

2.396 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

United Kingdom

2.075 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

United States

7.61 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Uruguay

513.5 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan

142,000 bbl/day (2004)

Vanuatu

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Venezuela

3.081 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Vietnam

400,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Virgin Islands

17,110 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Western Sahara

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

World

83 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Yemen

387,500 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Zambia

140 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2174 Oil - consumption (bbl/day)

Afghanistan

4,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Albania

25,200 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Algeria

233,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

American Samoa

3,900 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Angola

48,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

3,800 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Argentina

470,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Armenia

41,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Aruba

7,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Australia

877,300 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Austria

282,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan

120,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The

27,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Bahrain

27,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Bangladesh

85,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Barbados

11,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Belarus

165,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Belgium

641,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Belize

6,400 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Benin

14,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Bermuda

4,658 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Bhutan

1,160 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Bolivia

47,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

23,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Botswana

11,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Brazil

2.194 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

British Virgin Islands

480 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Brunei

10,770 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Bulgaria

109,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Burkina Faso

8,200 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Burma

37,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Burundi

3,100 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Cambodia

3,750 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Cameroon

24,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Canada

2.294 million bbl/day (2004)

Cape Verde

1,150 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Cayman Islands

2,600 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Central African Republic

2,420 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Chad

1,460 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Chile

238,000 bbl/day (2006 est.)

China

6.534 million bbl/day (2005)

Colombia

269,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Comoros

720 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

8,200 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

6,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Cook Islands

420 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Costa Rica

44,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

23,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Croatia

93,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Cuba

204,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Cyprus

Republic of Cyprus: 53,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Czech Republic

203,100 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Denmark

185,300 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Djibouti

11,900 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Dominica

900 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic

127,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Ecuador

148,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Egypt

590,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

El Salvador

43,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

1,220 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Eritrea

5,300 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Estonia

60,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Ethiopia

29,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

European Union

14.7 million bbl/day (2004)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

230 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Faroe Islands

4,550 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Fiji

10,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Finland

220,400 bbl/day (2004 est.)

France

1.977 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

French Polynesia

6,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Gabon

13,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Gambia, The

2,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Georgia

13,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Germany

2.65 million bbl/day (2004)

Ghana

44,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Gibraltar

24,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Greece

435,700 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Greenland

3,860 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Grenada

1,800 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Guam

16,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Guatemala

67,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Guinea

8,440 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

2,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Guyana

11,200 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Haiti

11,600 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Honduras

37,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Hong Kong

285,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Hungary

132,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Iceland

20,560 bbl/day (2004 est.)

India

2.45 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Indonesia

1.084 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Iran

1.51 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Iraq

351,500 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Ireland

182,400 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Israel

248,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Italy

1.881 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Jamaica

71,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Japan

5.353 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Jordan

107,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Kazakhstan

220,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Kenya

55,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Kiribati

200 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Korea, North

25,000 bbl/day (2004)

Korea, South

2.149 million bbl/day (2004)

Kuwait

335,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

10,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Laos

3,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Latvia

47,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Lebanon

107,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Lesotho

1,400 bbl/day (2004)

Liberia

3,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Libya

237,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Lithuania

56,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Luxembourg

62,420 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Macau

12,360 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Macedonia

23,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Madagascar

14,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Malawi

5,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Malaysia

515,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Maldives

7,200 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Mali

4,300 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Malta

19,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Mauritania

24,200 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Mauritius

21,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Mexico

1.97 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Moldova

14,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Mongolia

11,220 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Montenegro

450 bbl/day

Montserrat

380 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Morocco

170,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Mozambique

11,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Namibia

18,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Nauru

1,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Nepal

11,980 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Netherlands

946,700 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

70,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

New Caledonia

10,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

New Zealand

150,600 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Nicaragua

25,200 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Niger

5,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Nigeria

290,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Niue

20 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Norway

244,300 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oman

60,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Pakistan

324,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Panama

79,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea

18,000 bbl/day (January 2006 est.)

Paraguay

27,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Peru

156,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Philippines

342,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Poland

445,700 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Portugal

332,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico

234,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Qatar

80,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Romania

212,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Russia

2.5 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Rwanda

5,400 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Saint Helena

100 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

800 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Saint Lucia

2,800 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

1,400 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Samoa

1,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe

660 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia

1.845 million bbl/day (2004)

Senegal

31,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Serbia

85,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Seychelles

5,600 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Sierra Leone

6,600 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Singapore

800,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Slovakia

74,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Slovenia

53,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands

1,280 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Somalia

5,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

South Africa

502,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Spain

1.573 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka

80,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Sudan

66,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Suriname

11,200 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Swaziland

3,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Sweden

362,400 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Switzerland

268,100 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Syria

265,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Taiwan

965,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Tajikistan

28,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Tanzania

23,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Thailand

900,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Togo

14,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Tonga

900 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

34,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Tunisia

89,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Turkey

715,100 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Turkmenistan

95,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

80 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Uganda

10,890 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Ukraine

370,000 bbl/day (2004)

United Arab Emirates

400,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

United Kingdom

1.827 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

United States

20.73 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Uruguay

38,100 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan

148,000 bbl/day (2004)

Vanuatu

620 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Venezuela

560,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Vietnam

230,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Virgin Islands

115,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Western Sahara

1,800 bbl/day (2004 est.)

World

82.59 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Yemen

85,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Zambia

13,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe

22,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2175 Oil - imports (bbl/day)

Afghanistan

NA bbl/day (2005)

Albania

21,600 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Algeria

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

American Samoa

NA bbl/day (2001)

Angola

NA bbl/day (2001)

Antigua and Barbuda

NA bbl/day (2001)

Argentina

39,000 bbl/day (2003)

Armenia

NA bbl/day

Aruba

NA bbl/day (2001)

Australia

530,800 bbl/day (2001)

Austria

152,600 bbl/day (2004)

Azerbaijan

NA bbl/day (2001)

Bahamas, The

NA bbl/day (2001)

Bahrain

NA bbl/day (2001)

Bangladesh

NA bbl/day (2001)

Barbados

NA bbl/day (2001)

Belarus

360,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Belgium

1.042 million bbl/day (2001)

Belize

NA bbl/day (2001)

Benin

NA bbl/day (2001)

Bermuda

NA bbl/day

Bhutan

NA bbl/day (2001)

Bolivia

NA bbl/day (2001)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

NA bbl/day (2001)

Botswana

16,000 bbl/day (2001)

Brazil

572,600 bbl/day (2001)

British Virgin Islands

NA bbl/day (2001)

Brunei

NA bbl/day

Bulgaria

157,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Burkina Faso

NA bbl/day

Burma

49,230 bbl/day (2003)

Burundi

NA bbl/day (2001)

Cambodia

NA bbl/day (2001)

Cameroon

NA bbl/day

Canada

963,000 bbl/day (2004)

Cape Verde

NA bbl/day

Cayman Islands

NA bbl/day (2001)

Central African Republic

NA bbl/day

Chad

NA bbl/day

Chile

222,900 bbl/day (2006 est.)

China

3.181 million bbl/day (2005)

Colombia

NA bbl/day (2003)

Comoros

NA bbl/day

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

NA bbl/day (2001)

Congo, Republic of the

NA bbl/day (2001)

Cook Islands

NA bbl/day (2001)

Costa Rica

NA bbl/day (2001)

Cote d'Ivoire

NA bbl/day (2001)

Croatia

NA bbl/day (2001)

Cuba

NA bbl/day (2001)

Cyprus

NA bbl/day (2001)

Czech Republic

182,000 bbl/day (2004)

Denmark

195,000 bbl/day (2001)

Djibouti

NA bbl/day (2001)

Dominica

NA bbl/day (2001)

Dominican Republic

129,900 bbl/day (2003)

Ecuador

NA bbl/day (2001)

Egypt

NA bbl/day (2001)

El Salvador

NA bbl/day (2001)

Equatorial Guinea

NA bbl/day

Eritrea

NA bbl/day (2001)

Estonia

54,000 bbl/day (2004)

Ethiopia

NA bbl/day (2001)

European Union

15.74 million bbl/day

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

NA bbl/day (2001)

Faroe Islands

NA bbl/day (2001)

Fiji

NA bbl/day (2001)

Finland

318,300 bbl/day (2001)

France

2.281 million bbl/day (2001)

French Polynesia

NA bbl/day (2001)

Gabon

NA bbl/day (2001)

Gambia, The

NA bbl/day (2001)

Georgia

NA bbl/day (2001)

Germany

2.135 million bbl/day (2003)

Ghana

NA bbl/day

Gibraltar

NA bbl/day (2001)

Greece

468,300 bbl/day (2001)

Greenland

NA bbl/day (2001)

Grenada

NA bbl/day (2001)

Guam

NA bbl/day (2001)

Guatemala

NA bbl/day (2001)

Guinea

NA bbl/day (2001)

Guinea-Bissau

NA bbl/day (2001)

Guyana

NA bbl/day (2001)

Haiti

NA bbl/day (2001)

Honduras

NA bbl/day (2001)

Hong Kong

25,000 bbl/day

Hungary

94,000 bbl/day (2004)

Iceland

15,470 bbl/day (2001)

India

2.09 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Indonesia

345,700 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Iran

NA bbl/day (2001)

Iraq

NA bbl/day (2005)

Ireland

178,600 bbl/day (2001)

Israel

NA bbl/day (2001)

Italy

2.158 million bbl/day (2001)

Jamaica

NA bbl/day (2001)

Japan

5.449 million bbl/day (2001)

Jordan

100,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan

47,000 bbl/day (2003)

Kenya

NA bbl/day (2001)

Kiribati

NA bbl/day (2001)

Korea, North

22,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Korea, South

2.263 million bbl/day (2004)

Kuwait

NA bbl/day (2003)

Kyrgyzstan

NA bbl/day (2001)

Laos

NA bbl/day (2001)

Latvia

0 bbl/day (2004)

Lebanon

NA bbl/day (2001)

Lesotho

NA bbl/day (2001)

Liberia

NA bbl/day (2001)

Libya

0 bbl/day (2004)

Lithuania

93,000 bbl/day (2004)

Luxembourg

50,700 bbl/day (2001)

Macau

12,840 bbl/day (2005)

Macedonia

NA bbl/day

Madagascar

NA bbl/day (2001)

Malawi

NA bbl/day (2001)

Malaysia

NA bbl/day (2003)

Maldives

NA bbl/day (2001)

Mali

NA bbl/day (2001)

Malta

NA bbl/day

Mauritania

NA bbl/day

Mauritius

NA bbl/day (2001)

Mexico

205,000 bbl/day (2004)

Moldova

NA bbl/day (2001)

Mongolia

11,210 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Montserrat

NA bbl/day (2001)

Morocco

147,800 bbl/day (2000 est.)

Mozambique

NA bbl/day (2001)

Namibia

12,770 bbl/day (2003)

Nauru

NA bbl/day (2001)

Nepal

11,760 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Netherlands

2.284 million bbl/day (2001)

Netherlands Antilles

NA bbl/day (2001)

New Caledonia

NA bbl/day (2001)

New Zealand

119,700 bbl/day (2001)

Nicaragua

15,560 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Niger

NA bbl/day

Nigeria

NA bbl/day

Niue

NA bbl/day (2001)

Norway

88,870 bbl/day (2001)

Oman

NA bbl/day

Pakistan

NA bbl/day (2004)

Panama

NA bbl/day; note - imports oil (2001)

Papua New Guinea

NA bbl/day

Paraguay

NA bbl/day (2001)

Peru

NA bbl/day

Philippines

312,000 bbl/day (2003)

Poland

413,700 bbl/day (2001)

Portugal

357,300 bbl/day (2001)

Puerto Rico

NA bbl/day (2001)

Qatar

NA bbl/day

Romania

163,000 bbl/day (2004)

Russia

100,000 bbl/day (2005)

Rwanda

NA bbl/day (2001)

Saint Helena

NA bbl/day (2001)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

NA bbl/day (2001)

Saint Lucia

NA bbl/day

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

NA bbl/day (2001)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

NA bbl/day (2001)

Samoa

NA bbl/day

Sao Tome and Principe

NA bbl/day

Saudi Arabia

0 bbl/day (2003)

Senegal

NA bbl/day

Seychelles

NA bbl/day (2001)

Sierra Leone

NA bbl/day

Singapore

NA bbl/day (2001)

Slovakia

59,000 bbl/day (2004)

Slovenia

NA bbl/day (2001)

Solomon Islands

NA bbl/day (2001)

Somalia

NA bbl/day (2001)

South Africa

398,000 bbl/day (2006)

Spain

1.582 million bbl/day (2001)

Sri Lanka

NA bbl/day (2001)

Sudan

0 bbl/day (2004)

Suriname

1,644 bbl/day (2003)

Swaziland

NA bbl/day (2004)

Sweden

553,100 bbl/day (2001)

Switzerland

289,500 bbl/day (2001)

Syria

NA bbl/day

Taiwan

0 bbl/day (2005)

Tajikistan

NA bbl/day (2001)

Tanzania

NA bbl/day (2001)

Thailand

NA bbl/day (2001)

Togo

NA bbl/day (2001)

Tonga

NA bbl/day (2001)

Trinidad and Tobago

NA bbl/day (2001)

Tunisia

NA bbl/day (2001)

Turkey

616,500 bbl/day (2001)

Turkmenistan

NA bbl/day (2001)

Turks and Caicos Islands

NA bbl/day (2001)

Uganda

NA bbl/day

Ukraine

444,600 bbl/day (2004)

United Arab Emirates

0 bbl/day (2004)

United Kingdom

1.084 million bbl/day (2003)

United States

13.15 million bbl/day (2004)

Uruguay

NA bbl/day (2001)

Uzbekistan

NA bbl/day (2004)

Vanuatu

NA bbl/day (2001)

Venezuela

NA bbl/day (2004 est.)

Vietnam

NA bbl/day (2001)

Virgin Islands

NA bbl/day (2001)

Western Sahara

NA bbl/day (2001)

Yemen

NA bbl/day (2001)

Zambia

NA bbl/day (2001)

Zimbabwe

23,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2176 Oil - exports (bbl/day)

Afghanistan

NA bbl/day (2005)

Albania

0 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Algeria

1.127 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

American Samoa

NA bbl/day (2001)

Angola

NA bbl/day (2001)

Antigua and Barbuda

NA bbl/day (2001)

Argentina

470,000 bbl/day (2003)

Armenia

NA bbl/day

Aruba

NA bbl/day (2001)

Australia

523,400 bbl/day (2001)

Austria

30,140 bbl/day (2004)

Azerbaijan

NA bbl/day (2001)

Bahamas, The

transhipments of 29,000 bbl/day (2003)

Bahrain

NA bbl/day (2001)

Bangladesh

NA bbl/day (2001)

Barbados

NA bbl/day (2001)

Belarus

14,500 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Belgium

450,000 bbl/day (2001)

Belize

NA bbl/day (2001)

Benin

NA bbl/day (2001)

Bermuda

0 bbl/day (2005)

Bhutan

NA bbl/day (2001)

Bolivia

NA bbl/day (2001)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

NA bbl/day (2001)

Botswana

NA bbl/day (2001)

Brazil

241,700 bbl/day (2004)

British Virgin Islands

NA bbl/day (2001)

Brunei

192,700 bbl/day (2005)

Bulgaria

51,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Burkina Faso

NA bbl/day

Burma

3,356 bbl/day (2003)

Burundi

NA bbl/day (2001)

Cambodia

NA bbl/day (2001)

Cameroon

NA bbl/day

Canada

1.6 million bbl/day (2004)

Cape Verde

NA bbl/day

Cayman Islands

NA bbl/day (2001)

Central African Republic

NA bbl/day

Chad

NA bbl/day

Chile

0 bbl/day (2006)

China

443,300 bbl/day (2005)

Colombia

NA bbl/day (2003)

Comoros

NA bbl/day

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

NA bbl/day (2001)

Congo, Republic of the

NA bbl/day (2001)

Cook Islands

NA bbl/day (2001)

Costa Rica

NA bbl/day (2001)

Cote d'Ivoire

NA bbl/day (2001)

Croatia

NA bbl/day (2001)

Cuba

NA bbl/day (2001)

Cyprus

NA bbl/day (2001)

Czech Republic

26,670 bbl/day (2001)

Denmark

332,100 bbl/day (2001)

Djibouti

NA bbl/day (2001)

Dominica

NA bbl/day (2001)

Dominican Republic

NA bbl/day (2001)

Ecuador

387,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Egypt

134,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

El Salvador

NA bbl/day (2001)

Equatorial Guinea

NA bbl/day

Eritrea

NA bbl/day (2001)

Estonia

0 bbl/day (2001)

Ethiopia

NA bbl/day (2001)

European Union

5.318 million bbl/day

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

NA bbl/day (2001)

Faroe Islands

NA bbl/day (2001)

Fiji

NA bbl/day (2001)

Finland

101,000 bbl/day (2001)

France

409,600 bbl/day (2001)

French Polynesia

NA bbl/day (2001)

Gabon

NA bbl/day (2001)

Gambia, The

NA bbl/day (2001)

Georgia

NA bbl/day (2001)

Germany

12,990 bbl/day (2003)

Ghana

NA bbl/day

Gibraltar

NA bbl/day (2001)

Greece

84,720 bbl/day (2001)

Greenland

NA bbl/day (2001)

Grenada

NA bbl/day (2001)

Guam

NA bbl/day (2001)

Guatemala

3,104 bbl/day (2003)

Guinea

NA bbl/day (2001)

Guinea-Bissau

NA bbl/day (2001)

Guyana

NA bbl/day (2001)

Haiti

NA bbl/day (2001)

Honduras

NA bbl/day (2001)

Hong Kong

0 bbl/day

Hungary

47,180 bbl/day (2001)

Iceland

0 bbl/day (2001)

India

350,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Indonesia

431,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Iran

2.5 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Iraq

1.42 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Ireland

27,450 bbl/day (2001)

Israel

NA bbl/day (2001)

Italy

456,600 bbl/day (2001)

Jamaica

NA bbl/day (2001)

Japan

93,360 bbl/day (2001)

Jordan

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan

890,000 bbl/day (2003)

Kenya

NA bbl/day (2001)

Kiribati

NA bbl/day (2001)

Korea, North

NA bbl/day (2004)

Korea, South

645,200 bbl/day (2004)

Kuwait

1.97 million bbl/day (2003)

Kyrgyzstan

NA bbl/day (2001)

Laos

NA bbl/day (2001)

Latvia

0 bbl/day (2004)

Lebanon

NA bbl/day (2001)

Lesotho

NA bbl/day (2001)

Libya

1.34 million bbl/day (2004)

Lithuania

0 bbl/day (2004)

Luxembourg

634 bbl/day (2001)

Macau

21 bbl/day (2005)

Macedonia

NA bbl/day

Madagascar

NA bbl/day (2001)

Malawi

NA bbl/day (2001)

Malaysia

230,200 bbl/day (2003)

Maldives

NA bbl/day (2001)

Mali

NA bbl/day (2001)

Malta

NA bbl/day

Mauritania

NA bbl/day

Mauritius

NA bbl/day (2001)

Mexico

1.863 million bbl/day (2004)

Moldova

NA bbl/day (2001)

Mongolia

515 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Montserrat

NA bbl/day (2001)

Morocco

0 bbl/day (2000 est.)

Mozambique

NA bbl/day (2001)

Namibia

NA bbl/day (2001)

Nauru

NA bbl/day (2001)

Nepal

NA bbl/day

Netherlands

1.418 million bbl/day (2001)

Netherlands Antilles

NA bbl/day (2001)

New Caledonia

NA bbl/day (2001)

New Zealand

30,220 bbl/day (2001)

Nicaragua

758.9 bbl/day (2004)

Niger

NA bbl/day

Nigeria

NA bbl/day

Niue

NA bbl/day (2001)

Norway

3.466 million bbl/day (2001)

Oman

721,000 bbl/day (2004)

Pakistan

NA bbl/day (2004)

Panama

NA bbl/day (2001)

Papua New Guinea

NA bbl/day

Paraguay

NA bbl/day (2001)

Peru

49,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Philippines

0 bbl/day (2001)

Poland

53,000 bbl/day (2001)

Portugal

28,830 bbl/day (2001)

Puerto Rico

NA bbl/day (2001)

Qatar

NA bbl/day

Romania

NA bbl/day (2001)

Russia

7 million bbl/day (2005)

Rwanda

NA bbl/day (2001)

Saint Helena

NA bbl/day (2001)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

NA bbl/day (2001)

Saint Lucia

NA bbl/day

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

NA bbl/day (2001)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

NA bbl/day (2001)

Samoa

NA bbl/day

Sao Tome and Principe

NA bbl/day

Saudi Arabia

7.92 million bbl/day (2003)

Senegal

NA bbl/day

Seychelles

NA bbl/day (2001)

Sierra Leone

NA bbl/day

Singapore

NA bbl/day (2001)

Slovakia

2,160 bbl/day (2004)

Slovenia

NA bbl/day (2001)

Solomon Islands

NA bbl/day (2001)

Somalia

NA bbl/day (2001)

South Africa

NA bbl/day (2001)

Spain

135,100 bbl/day (2001)

Sri Lanka

NA bbl/day (2001)

Sudan

275,000 bbl/day (2004)

Suriname

1,370 bbl/day (2003)

Swaziland

NA bbl/day (2004)

Sweden

203,700 bbl/day (2001)

Switzerland

10,420 bbl/day (2001)

Syria

285,000 bbl/day (2004)

Taiwan

0 bbl/day (2005)

Tajikistan

NA bbl/day (2001)

Tanzania

NA bbl/day (2001)

Thailand

NA bbl/day (2001)

Togo

NA bbl/day (2001)

Tonga

NA bbl/day (2001)

Trinidad and Tobago

NA bbl/day (2001)

Tunisia

NA bbl/day (2001)

Turkey

46,110 bbl/day (2001)

Turkmenistan

NA bbl/day (2001)

Turks and Caicos Islands

NA bbl/day (2001)

Uganda

NA bbl/day

Ukraine

8,891 bbl/day (2004)

United Arab Emirates

2.5 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

United Kingdom

1.498 million bbl/day (2001)

United States

1.048 million bbl/day (2004)

Uruguay

NA bbl/day (2001)

Uzbekistan

NA bbl/day (2004)

Vanuatu

NA bbl/day (2001)

Venezuela

2.1 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Vietnam

NA bbl/day (2001)

Virgin Islands

NA bbl/day (2001)

Western Sahara

NA bbl/day (2001)

Yemen

370,300 bbl/day (2003)

Zambia

NA bbl/day (2001)

Zimbabwe

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2177 Median age (years)

Afghanistan

total: 17.6 years

male: 17.6 years

female: 17.6 years (2006 est.)

Albania

total: 28.9 years

male: 28.3 years

female: 29.5 years (2006 est.)

Algeria

total: 24.9 years

male: 24.7 years

female: 25.1 years (2006 est.)

American Samoa

total: 23.2 years

male: 22.9 years

female: 23.4 years (2006 est.)

Andorra

total: 40.9 years

male: 41.2 years

female: 40.7 years (2006 est.)

Angola

total: 18 years

male: 18 years

female: 18 years (2006 est.)

Anguilla

total: 31.2 years

male: 31.2 years

female: 31.1 years (2006 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

total: 30 years

male: 29.5 years

female: 30.5 years (2006 est.)

Argentina

total: 29.7 years

male: 28.8 years

female: 30.7 years (2006 est.)

Armenia

total: 30.4 years

male: 27.8 years

female: 33.2 years (2006 est.)

Aruba

total: 38.5 years

male: 36.4 years

female: 40.3 years (2006 est.)

Australia

total: 36.9 years

male: 36 years

female: 37.7 years (2006 est.)

Austria

total: 40.9 years

male: 39.8 years

female: 42 years (2006 est.)

Azerbaijan

total: 27.7 years

male: 26.3 years

female: 29.2 years (2006 est.)

Bahamas, The

total: 27.8 years

male: 27.1 years

female: 28.6 years (2006 est.)

Bahrain

total: 29.4 years

male: 32.4 years

female: 25.8 years (2006 est.)

Bangladesh

total: 22.2 years

male: 22.2 years

female: 22.2 years (2006 est.)

Barbados

total: 34.6 years

male: 33.4 years

female: 35.6 years (2006 est.)

Belarus

total: 37.2 years

male: 34.5 years

female: 39.9 years (2006 est.)

Belgium

total: 40.9 years

male: 39.6 years

female: 42.1 years (2006 est.)

Belize

total: 19.6 years

male: 19.5 years

female: 19.8 years (2006 est.)

Benin

total: 17.6 years

male: 17.2 years

female: 18 years (2006 est.)

Bermuda

total: 40.2 years

male: 39.3 years

female: 41 years (2006 est.)

Bhutan

total: 20.4 years

male: 20.2 years

female: 20.6 years (2006 est.)

Bolivia

total: 21.8 years

male: 21.2 years

female: 22.5 years (2006 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

total: 38.4 years

male: 37.2 years

female: 39.5 years (2006 est.)

Botswana

total: 19.4 years

male: 18.8 years

female: 20 years (2006 est.)

Brazil

total: 28.2 years

male: 27.5 years

female: 29 years (2006 est.)

British Virgin Islands

total: 31.4 years

male: 31.6 years

female: 31.2 years (2006 est.)

Brunei

total: 27.4 years

male: 28 years

female: 26.7 years (2006 est.)

Bulgaria

total: 40.8 years

male: 38.7 years

female: 42.9 years (2006 est.)

Burkina Faso

total: 16.5 years

male: 16.3 years

female: 16.7 years (2006 est.)

Burma

total: 27 years

male: 26.4 years

female: 27.6 years (2006 est.)

Burundi

total: 16.6 years

male: 16.4 years

female: 16.9 years (2006 est.)

Cambodia

total: 20.6 years

male: 19.9 years

female: 21.4 years (2006 est.)

Cameroon

total: 18.9 years

male: 18.7 years

female: 19 years (2006 est.)

Canada

total: 38.9 years

male: 37.8 years

female: 39.9 years (2006 est.)

Cape Verde

total: 19.8 years

male: 19 years

female: 20.7 years (2006 est.)

Cayman Islands

total: 37.2 years

male: 36.8 years

female: 37.5 years (2006 est.)

Central African Republic

total: 18.4 years

male: 18 years

female: 18.8 years (2006 est.)

Chad

total: 16 years

male: 15.3 years

female: 16.6 years (2006 est.)

Chile

total: 30.4 years

male: 29.5 years

female: 31.4 years (2006 est.)

China

total: 32.7 years

male: 32.3 years

female: 33.2 years (2006 est.)

Colombia

total: 26.3 years

male: 25.4 years

female: 27.2 years (2006 est.)

Comoros

total: 18.6 years

male: 18.4 years

female: 18.9 years (2006 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

total: 16.2 years

male: 16 years

female: 16.4 years (2006 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

total: 16.6 years

male: 16.4 years

female: 16.9 years (2006 est.)

Cook Islands

total: 25.3 years

male: 24.7 years

female: 25.9 years (2001 census)

Costa Rica

total: 26.4 years

male: 26 years

female: 26.9 years (2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

total: 19.2 years

male: 19.4 years

female: 18.9 years (2006 est.)

Croatia

total: 40.3 years

male: 38.3 years

female: 42.1 years (2006 est.)

Cuba

total: 35.9 years

male: 35.2 years

female: 36.5 years (2006 est.)

Cyprus

total: 34.9 years

male: 33.9 years

female: 35.9 years (2006 est.)

Czech Republic

total: 39.3 years

male: 37.5 years

female: 41.1 years (2006 est.)

Denmark

total: 39.8 years

male: 38.9 years

female: 40.7 years (2006 est.)

Djibouti

total: 18.2 years

male: 18.7 years

female: 17.7 years (2006 est.)

Dominica

total: 30.1 years

male: 29.8 years

female: 30.4 years (2006 est.)

Dominican Republic

total: 24.1 years

male: 24 years

female: 24.3 years (2006 est.)

East Timor

total: 20.8 years

male: 20.8 years

female: 20.7 years (2006 est.)

Ecuador

total: 23.6 years

male: 23.1 years

female: 24 years (2006 est.)

Egypt

total: 24 years

male: 23.6 years

female: 24.3 years (2006 est.)

El Salvador

total: 21.8 years

male: 20.7 years

female: 22.9 years (2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

total: 18.8 years

male: 18.2 years

female: 19.4 years (2006 est.)

Eritrea

total: 17.8 years

male: 17.6 years

female: 18 years (2006 est.)

Estonia

total: 39.3 years

male: 35.8 years

female: 42.6 years (2006 est.)

Ethiopia

total: 17.8 years

male: 17.7 years

female: 17.9 years (2006 est.)

European Union

NA

Faroe Islands

total: 35 years

male: 34.7 years

female: 35.5 years (2006 est.)

Fiji

total: 24.6 years

male: 24.1 years

female: 25 years (2006 est.)

Finland

total: 41.3 years

male: 39.7 years

female: 42.8 years (2006 est.)

France

total: 39.1 years

male: 37.6 years

female: 40.7 years (2006 est.)

French Polynesia

total: 27.9 years

male: 28.2 years

female: 27.5 years (2006 est.)

Gabon

total: 18.6 years

male: 18.4 years

female: 18.8 years (2006 est.)

Gambia, The

total: 17.7 years

male: 17.6 years

female: 17.8 years (2006 est.)

Gaza Strip

total: 15.8 years

male: 15.7 years

female: 16 years (2006 est.)

Georgia

total: 37.7 years

male: 35.3 years

female: 40.1 years (2006 est.)

Germany

total: 42.6 years

male: 41.3 years

female: 43.9 years (2006 est.)

Ghana

total: 19.9 years

male: 19.7 years

female: 20.1 years (2006 est.)

Gibraltar

total: 39.8 years

male: 39.4 years

female: 40.1 years (2006 est.)

Greece

total: 40.8 years

male: 39.7 years

female: 42 years (2006 est.)

Greenland

total: 34 years

male: 35.3 years

female: 32.3 years (2006 est.)

Grenada

total: 21.7 years

male: 22.1 years

female: 21.2 years (2006 est.)

Guam

total: 28.6 years

male: 28.3 years

female: 28.8 years (2006 est.)

Guatemala

total: 18.9 years

male: 18.5 years

female: 19.4 years (2006 est.)

Guernsey

total: 41.3 years

male: 40.4 years

female: 42.2 years (2006 est.)

Guinea

total: 17.7 years

male: 17.4 years

female: 17.9 years (2006 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

total: 19 years

male: 18.4 years

female: 19.6 years (2006 est.)

Guyana

total: 27.4 years

male: 26.9 years

female: 27.9 years (2006 est.)

Haiti

total: 18.2 years

male: 17.8 years

female: 18.6 years (2006 est.)

Honduras

total: 19.5 years

male: 19.1 years

female: 19.8 years (2006 est.)

Hong Kong

total: 40.7 years

male: 40.4 years

female: 40.9 years (2006 est.)

Hungary

total: 38.7 years

male: 36.3 years

female: 41.4 years (2006 est.)

Iceland

total: 34.2 years

male: 33.8 years

female: 34.7 years (2006 est.)

India

total: 24.9 years

male: 24.9 years

female: 24.9 years (2006 est.)

Indonesia

total: 26.8 years

male: 26.4 years

female: 27.3 years (2006 est.)

Iran

total: 24.8 years

male: 24.6 years

female: 25 years (2006 est.)

Iraq

total: 19.7 years

male: 19.6 years

female: 19.8 years (2006 est.)

Ireland

total: 34 years

male: 33.2 years

female: 34.8 years (2006 est.)

Isle of Man

total: 39.6 years

male: 38.4 years

female: 41 years (2006 est.)

Israel

total: 29.6 years

male: 28.8 years

female: 30.5 years (2006 est.)

Italy

total: 42.2 years

male: 40.7 years

female: 43.7 years (2006 est.)

Jamaica

total: 23 years

male: 22.4 years

female: 23.5 years (2006 est.)

Japan

total: 42.9 years

male: 41.1 years

female: 44.7 years (2006 est.)

Jersey

total: 41.4 years

male: 40.7 years

female: 42.1 years (2006 est.)

Jordan

total: 23 years

male: 23.7 years

female: 22.4 years (2006 est.)

Kazakhstan

total: 28.8 years

male: 27.2 years

female: 30.5 years (2006 est.)

Kenya

total: 18.2 years

male: 18.1 years

female: 18.3 years (2006 est.)

Kiribati

total: 20.2 years

male: 19.8 years

female: 20.8 years (2006 est.)

Korea, North

total: 32 years

male: 30.7 years

female: 33.4 years (2006 est.)

Korea, South

total: 35.2 years

male: 34.2 years

female: 36.3 years (2006 est.)

Kuwait

total: 25.9 years

male: 28 years

female: 22.3 years (2006 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

total: 23.6 years

male: 22.8 years

female: 24.5 years (2006 est.)

Laos

total: 18.9 years

male: 18.6 years

female: 19.2 years (2006 est.)

Latvia

total: 39.4 years

male: 36.3 years

female: 42.4 years (2006 est.)

Lebanon

total: 27.8 years

male: 26.7 years

female: 28.9 years (2006 est.)

Lesotho

total: 20.3 years

male: 19.7 years

female: 21 years (2006 est.)

Liberia

total: 18.1 years

male: 18 years

female: 18.3 years (2006 est.)

Libya

total: 23 years

male: 23.1 years

female: 22.9 years (2006 est.)

Liechtenstein

total: 39.6 years

male: 39.2 years

female: 40.1 years (2006 est.)

Lithuania

total: 38.2 years

male: 35.7 years

female: 40.8 years (2006 est.)

Luxembourg

total: 38.7 years

male: 37.7 years

female: 39.7 years (2006 est.)

Macau

total: 36.1 years

male: 35.7 years

female: 36.4 years (2006 est.)

Macedonia

total: 34.1 years

male: 33.2 years

female: 35.1 years (2006 est.)

Madagascar

total: 17.5 years

male: 17.3 years

female: 17.7 years (2006 est.)

Malawi

total: 16.5 years

male: 16.2 years

female: 16.8 years (2006 est.)

Malaysia

total: 24.1 years

male: 23.6 years

female: 24.8 years (2006 est.)

Maldives

total: 17.9 years

male: 17.8 years

female: 18 years (2006 est.)

Mali

total: 15.8 years

male: 15.4 years

female: 16.3 years (2006 est.)

Malta

total: 38.7 years

male: 37.2 years

female: 40.1 years (2006 est.)

Marshall Islands

total: 20.3 years

male: 20.4 years

female: 20.3 years (2006 est.)

Mauritania

total: 17 years

male: 16.8 years

female: 17.3 years (2006 est.)

Mauritius

total: 30.8 years

male: 30 years

female: 31.8 years (2006 est.)

Mayotte

total: 17 years

male: 18 years

female: 16 years (2006 est.)

Mexico

total: 25.3 years

male: 24.3 years

female: 26.2 years (2006 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of

total: 20.9 years

male: 20.5 years

female: 21.4 years (2006 est.)

Moldova

total: 32.3 years

male: 30.3 years

female: 34.3 years (2006 est.)

Monaco

total: 45.4 years

male: 43.3 years

female: 47.3 years (2006 est.)

Mongolia

total: 24.6 years

male: 24.3 years

female: 25 years (2006 est.)

Montserrat

total: 28.9 years

male: 28.6 years

female: 29.2 years (2006 est.)

Morocco

total: 23.9 years

male: 23.4 years

female: 24.5 years (2006 est.)

Mozambique

total: 18.3 years

male: 17.8 years

female: 18.8 years (2006 est.)

Namibia

total: 20 years

male: 19.8 years

female: 20.1 years (2006 est.)

Nauru

total: 20.6 years

male: 20 years

female: 21.2 years (2006 est.)

Nepal

total: 20.3 years

male: 20.1 years

female: 20.4 years (2006 est.)

Netherlands

total: 39.4 years

male: 38.6 years

female: 40.2 years (2006 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

total: 32.8 years

male: 31.1 years

female: 34.4 years (2006 est.)

New Caledonia

total: 27.8 years

male: 27.4 years

female: 28.2 years (2006 est.)

New Zealand

total: 33.9 years

male: 33.2 years

female: 34.7 years (2006 est.)

Nicaragua

total: 20.9 years

male: 20.5 years

female: 21.4 years (2006 est.)

Niger

total: 16.5 years

male: 16.5 years

female: 16.4 years (2006 est.)

Nigeria

total: 18.7 years

male: 18.7 years

female: 18.6 years (2006 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands

total: 29.5 years

male: 31.7 years

female: 28.5 years (2006 est.)

Norway

total: 38.4 years

male: 37.6 years

female: 39.3 years (2006 est.)

Oman

total: 19 years

male: 21.7 years

female: 16.5 years (2006 est.)

Pakistan

total: 19.8 years

male: 19.7 years

female: 20 years (2006 est.)

Palau

total: 31.7 years

male: 32.7 years

female: 30.7 years (2006 est.)

Panama

total: 26.1 years

male: 25.8 years

female: 26.5 years (2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea

total: 21.2 years

male: 21.4 years

female: 21.1 years (2006 est.)

Paraguay

total: 21.3 years

male: 21.1 years

female: 21.6 years (2006 est.)

Peru

total: 25.3 years

male: 25 years

female: 25.5 years (2006 est.)

Philippines

total: 22.5 years

male: 22 years

female: 23 years (2006 est.)

Poland

total: 37 years

male: 35.1 years

female: 39 years (2006 est.)

Portugal

total: 38.5 years

male: 36.4 years

female: 40.6 years (2006 est.)

Puerto Rico

total: 34.7 years

male: 33 years

female: 36.4 years (2006 est.)

Qatar

total: 31.7 years

male: 37.1 years

female: 22.7 years (2006 est.)

Romania

total: 36.6 years

male: 35.3 years

female: 37.9 years (2006 est.)

Russia

total: 38.4 years

male: 35.2 years

female: 41.3 years (2006 est.)

Rwanda

total: 18.6 years

male: 18.4 years

female: 18.8 years (2006 est.)

Saint Helena

total: 36 years

male: 36.2 years

female: 35.8 years (2006 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

total: 27.8 years

male: 27.1 years

female: 28.6 years (2006 est.)

Saint Lucia

total: 25.2 years

male: 24.4 years

female: 26.1 years (2006 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

total: 34.1 years

male: 33.7 years

female: 34.5 years (2006 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

total: 26.9 years

male: 26.7 years

female: 27.1 years (2006 est.)

Samoa

total: 25.2 years

male: 28.1 years

female: 22 years (2006 est.)

San Marino

total: 40.6 years

male: 40.3 years

female: 41 years (2006 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe

total: 16.2 years

male: 15.6 years

female: 16.8 years (2006 est.)

Saudi Arabia

total: 21.4 years

male: 22.9 years

female: 19.4 years (2006 est.)

Senegal

total: 19.1 years

male: 18.9 years

female: 19.3 years (2006 est.)

Serbia

total: 40.4 years

male: 39.1 years

female: 41.7 years

Seychelles

total: 28.1 years

male: 27 years

female: 29.1 years (2006 est.)

Sierra Leone

total: 17.4 years

male: 17.1 years

female: 17.7 years (2006 est.)

Singapore

total: 37.3 years

male: 36.9 years

female: 37.6 years (2006 est.)

Slovakia

total: 35.8 years

male: 34.2 years

female: 37.6 years (2006 est.)

Slovenia

total: 40.6 years

male: 39 years

female: 42.2 years (2006 est.)

Solomon Islands

total: 18.9 years

male: 18.7 years

female: 19 years (2006 est.)

Somalia

total: 17.6 years

male: 17.5 years

female: 17.7 years (2006 est.)

South Africa

total: 24.1 years

male: 23.3 years

female: 25 years (2006 est.)

Spain

total: 39.9 years

male: 38.6 years

female: 41.3 years (2006 est.)

Sri Lanka

total: 29.8 years

male: 28.7 years

female: 30.9 years (2006 est.)

Sudan

total: 18.3 years

male: 18.1 years

female: 18.5 years (2006 est.)

Suriname

total: 26.5 years

male: 26 years

female: 26.9 years (2006 est.)

Swaziland

total: 18.5 years

male: 17.8 years

female: 19.2 years (2006 est.)

Sweden

total: 40.9 years

male: 39.8 years

female: 42 years (2006 est.)

Switzerland

total: 40.1 years

male: 39 years

female: 41.1 years (2006 est.)

Syria

total: 20.7 years

male: 20.6 years

female: 20.9 years (2006 est.)

Taiwan

total: 34.6 years

male: 34.1 years

female: 35 years (2006 est.)

Tajikistan

total: 20 years

male: 19.7 years

female: 20.4 years (2006 est.)

Tanzania

total: 17.7 years

male: 17.5 years

female: 18 years (2006 est.)

Thailand

total: 31.9 years

male: 31.1 years

female: 32.8 years (2006 est.)

Togo

total: 18.3 years

male: 17.8 years

female: 18.7 years (2006 est.)

Tonga

total: 20.7 years

male: 20.1 years

female: 21.3 years (2006 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

total: 31.2 years

male: 30.8 years

female: 31.7 years (2006 est.)

Tunisia

total: 27.8 years

male: 27.3 years

female: 28.3 years (2006 est.)

Turkey

total: 28.1 years

male: 27.9 years

female: 28.3 years (2006 est.)

Turkmenistan

total: 21.8 years

male: 20.9 years

female: 22.7 years (2006 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

total: 27.5 years

male: 28.3 years

female: 26.8 years (2006 est.)

Tuvalu

total: 24.6 years

male: 23.6 years

female: 26 years (2006 est.)

Uganda

total: 15 years

male: 14.9 years

female: 15.1 years (2006 est.)

Ukraine

total: 39.2 years

male: 35.9 years

female: 42.2 years (2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates

total: 28.1 years

male: 34.8 years

female: 23.3 years (2006 est.)

United Kingdom

total: 39.3 years

male: 38.2 years

female: 40.4 years (2006 est.)

United States

total: 36.5 years

male: 35.1 years

female: 37.8 years (2006 est.)

Uruguay

total: 32.7 years

male: 31.3 years

female: 34.2 years (2006 est.)

Uzbekistan

total: 22.7 years

male: 22 years

female: 23.3 years (2006 est.)

Vanuatu

total: 23 years

male: 23 years

female: 23 years (2006 est.)

Venezuela

total: 26 years

male: 25.4 years

female: 26.6 years (2006 est.)

Vietnam

total: 25.9 years

male: 24.8 years

female: 27.1 years (2006 est.)

Virgin Islands

total: 37.1 years

male: 36.2 years

female: 38 years (2006 est.)

West Bank

total: 18.3 years

male: 18.2 years

female: 18.5 years (2006 est.)

World

total: 27.6 years

male: 27 years

female: 28.2 years (2006 est.)

Yemen

total: 16.6 years

male: 16.6 years

female: 16.6 years (2006 est.)

Zambia

total: 16.5 years

male: 16.3 years

female: 16.7 years (2006 est.)

Zimbabwe

total: 19.9 years

male: 19.7 years

female: 20 years (2006 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2178 Oil - proved reserves (bbl)

Afghanistan

0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Albania

185.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Algeria

11 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Angola

25 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Argentina

2.116 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Australia

3.664 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Austria

84.3 million bbl (2004)

Azerbaijan

589 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Bahrain

121 million bbl (2006 est.)

Bangladesh

28.45 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Barbados

1.254 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Benin

4.105 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Bolivia

458.8 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Brazil

12.22 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Brunei

1.255 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Bulgaria

15 million bbl (1 January 2006)

Burma

less than 1 billion bbl (2005)

Cameroon

90 million bbl (2006 est.)

Canada

178.9 billion bbl

note: includes oil sands (2004 est.)

Chad

2 billion bbl (2005)

Chile

150 million bbl (1 January 2006)

China

16.1 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Colombia

1.282 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

1.538 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Congo, Republic of the

93.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Cote d'Ivoire

220 million bbl (2006 est.)

Croatia

93.6 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Cuba

259 million bbl (2006 est.)

Czech Republic

17.25 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Denmark

1.23 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Ecuador

5.115 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Egypt

2.6 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

563.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Ethiopia

214,000 bbl (1 January 2002)

European Union

7.335 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

France

144.3 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Gabon

1.827 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Germany

395.8 million bbl (1 January 2004)

Ghana

8.255 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Greece

4.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Guatemala

263 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Hungary

110.7 million bbl (1 January 2002)

India

5.6 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Indonesia

4.85 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Iran

132.5 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Iraq

112.5 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Ireland

0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Israel

1.92 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Italy

586.6 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Japan

29.29 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Jordan

445,000 bbl (1 January 2002)

Kazakhstan

26 billion bbl (1 January 2004)

Kuwait

96.5 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Libya

42 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Madagascar

0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Malaysia

3.1 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Mauritania

1 billion bbl (2005)

Mexico

12.49 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Morocco

100 million bbl (2006 est.)

Mozambique

0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Namibia

0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Netherlands

88.06 million bbl (1 January 2002)

New Zealand

89.62 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Nigeria

36.25 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Norway

9.859 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Oman

4.7 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Pakistan

358.9 million bbl (2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea

170 million bbl (2006 est.)

Peru

370 million bbl (2006 est.)

Philippines

152 million bbl (1 January 2004)

Poland

142.4 million bbl (December 2004)

Qatar

15.2 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Romania

500 million bbl (yearend 2004)

Russia

74.4 billion bbl (2005 est.)

Rwanda

0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Saudi Arabia

262.7 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Serbia

38.75 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Slovakia

9 million bbl (1 January 2006)

Somalia

0 bbl (1 January 2002)

South Africa

7.84 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Spain

10.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Sudan

1.6 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Suriname

150 million bbl (2005)

Syria

2.5 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Taiwan

3 million bbl (2006 est.)

Tanzania

0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Thailand

583 million bbl (November 2003)

Trinidad and Tobago

990 million bbl (1 January 2004)

Tunisia

1.7 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Turkey

288.4 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Turkmenistan

273 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Ukraine

395 million bbl (9 November 2004)

United Arab Emirates

97.8 billion bbl (2006 est.)

United Kingdom

4.5 billion bbl (31 December 2004)

United States

22.45 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Uzbekistan

600 million bbl (1 January 2005)

Venezuela

75.27 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Vietnam

2.5 billion bbl (2006 est.)

World

1.326 trillion bbl (1 January 2002 est.)

Yemen

3.72 billion bbl (2006 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2179 Natural gas - proved reserves (cu m)

Afghanistan

99.96 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Albania

2.832 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Algeria

4.545 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Angola

45.87 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Argentina

612.5 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Australia

821.2 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Austria

15.01 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Azerbaijan

849.5 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Bahrain

92.03 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Bangladesh

300.2 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Barbados

141.6 million cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Benin

1.133 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Bolivia

679.6 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Brazil

250 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Brunei

390.8 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Bulgaria

5.947 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Burma

283.2 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Cameroon

110.4 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Canada

1.603 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Chile

97.98 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

China

2.35 trillion cu m (2005 est.)

Colombia

114.4 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 991.1 million cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

90.61 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Croatia

24.64 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Cuba

70.79 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Czech Republic

3.964 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Denmark

99.99 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Ecuador

9.769 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Egypt

1.657 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

36.81 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Ethiopia

24.92 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

European Union

3.219 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

France

12.77 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Gabon

33.98 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Germany

279.1 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Ghana

23.79 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Greece

991.1 million cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Guatemala

3.087 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Hungary

34.26 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

India

853.5 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Indonesia

2.557 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Iran

26.62 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Iraq

3.115 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Ireland

19.82 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Israel

38.94 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Italy

226.5 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Japan

39.64 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Jordan

6.23 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Kazakhstan

1.841 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Kuwait

1.572 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Libya

1.472 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Madagascar

0 cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Malaysia

2.124 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Mauritania

0 cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Mexico

420.5 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Morocco

1.218 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Mozambique

127.4 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Namibia

62.3 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Netherlands

1.756 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

New Zealand

33.36 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Nigeria

4.984 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Norway

2.085 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Oman

829.1 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Pakistan

759.7 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Papua New Guinea

345.5 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Peru

246.8 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Philippines

106.8 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Poland

164.8 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Qatar

25.77 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Romania

300 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Russia

47.57 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Rwanda

56.63 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Saudi Arabia

6.654 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Serbia

48.14 billion cu m (1 January 2005)

Slovakia

15.01 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Somalia

5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

South Africa

28.32 million cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Spain

2.549 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Sudan

84.95 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Suriname

0 cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Syria

240.7 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Taiwan

76.46 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Tanzania

22.65 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Thailand

377.7 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

733 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Tunisia

77.87 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Turkey

8.495 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Turkmenistan

2.01 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Ukraine

1.121 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

United Arab Emirates

6.006 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

United Kingdom

589 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

United States

5.451 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Uzbekistan

1.875 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Venezuela

4.276 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Vietnam

192.6 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

World

172.2 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Yemen

478.6 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2180 Natural gas - production (cu m)

Afghanistan

20 million cu m (2004 est.)

Albania

30 million cu m (2004 est.)

Algeria

80.15 billion cu m (2004 est.)

American Samoa

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Angola

750 million cu m (2004 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Argentina

44.88 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Armenia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Aruba

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Australia

37.03 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Austria

1.963 billion cu m (2004)

Azerbaijan

5.01 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Bahrain

9.75 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Bangladesh

13.1 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Barbados

29.17 million cu m (2004 est.)

Belarus

180 million cu m (2004 est.)

Belgium

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Belize

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Benin

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Bermuda

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Bhutan

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Bolivia

10.05 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Botswana

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Brazil

9.66 billion cu m (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Brunei

11.5 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Bulgaria

1 million cu m (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Burma

10.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Burundi

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Cambodia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Cameroon

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Canada

183.6 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Cape Verde

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Cayman Islands

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Central African Republic

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Chad

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Chile

1.09 billion cu m (2004 est.)

China

52.88 billion cu m (2005)

Colombia

6.18 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Comoros

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Cook Islands

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Costa Rica

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

1.3 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Croatia

1.64 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Cuba

704 million cu m (2004)

Cyprus

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Czech Republic

216 million cu m (2004 est.)

Denmark

9.43 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Djibouti

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Dominica

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Ecuador

170 million cu m (2004 est.)

Egypt

32.56 billion cu m (2004 est.)

El Salvador

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

100 million cu m (2004 est.)

Eritrea

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Estonia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Ethiopia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

European Union

238.1 billion cu m (2004)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Faroe Islands

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Fiji

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Finland

0 cu m (2004 est.)

France

1.4 billion cu m (2004 est.)

French Polynesia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Gabon

100 million cu m (2004 est.)

Gambia, The

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Georgia

20 million cu m (2004 est.)

Germany

19.9 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Ghana

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Gibraltar

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Greece

23 million cu m (2004 est.)

Greenland

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Grenada

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Guam

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Guatemala

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Guinea

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Guyana

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Haiti

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Honduras

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Hong Kong

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Hungary

2.963 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Iceland

0 cu m (2004 est.)

India

28.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Indonesia

83.4 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Iran

83.9 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Iraq

1.75 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Ireland

855 million cu m (2004 est.)

Israel

780 million cu m (2004 est.)

Italy

12.96 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Jamaica

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Japan

2.957 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Jordan

310 million cu m (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan

20.49 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Kenya

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Kiribati

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Korea, North

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Korea, South

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Kuwait

9.7 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

29 million cu m (2004 est.)

Laos

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Latvia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Lebanon

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Lesotho

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Liberia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Libya

8.06 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Lithuania

0 cu m (2004)

Luxembourg

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Macau

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Macedonia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Madagascar

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Malawi

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Malaysia

62.43 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Maldives

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Mali

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Malta

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Mauritania

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Mauritius

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Mexico

41.47 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Moldova

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Mongolia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Montserrat

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Morocco

50 million cu m (2004 est.)

Mozambique

80 million cu m (2004 est.)

Namibia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Nauru

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Nepal

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Netherlands

85.98 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

0 cu m (2004 est.)

New Caledonia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

New Zealand

4.35 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Nicaragua

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Niger

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Nigeria

21.8 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Niue

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Norway

83.49 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Oman

17.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Pakistan

27.4 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Panama

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea

140 million cu m (2004 est.)

Paraguay

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Peru

860 million cu m (2004 est.)

Philippines

2.9 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Poland

5.957 billion cu m (2004)

Portugal

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Qatar

39.17 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Romania

11.8 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Russia

641 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Rwanda

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Saint Helena

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Saint Lucia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Samoa

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia

65.68 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Senegal

50 million cu m (2004 est.)

Serbia

650 million cu m (2003 est.)

Seychelles

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Sierra Leone

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Singapore

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Slovakia

165 million cu m (2004 est.)

Slovenia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Somalia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

South Africa

2.23 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Spain

339 million cu m (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Sudan

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Suriname

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Swaziland

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Sweden

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Switzerland

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Syria

7.1 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Taiwan

1.1 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Tajikistan

39 million cu m (2004 est.)

Tanzania

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Thailand

22.36 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Togo

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Tonga

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

28.09 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Tunisia

2.4 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Turkey

688 million cu m (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan

58.57 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Uganda

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Ukraine

19.2 billion cu m (2004)

United Arab Emirates

46.29 billion cu m (2004 est.)

United Kingdom

95.97 billion cu m (2004 est.)

United States

531.1 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Uruguay

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan

59.86 billion cu m (2004)

Vanuatu

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Venezuela

27.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Vietnam

6.342 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Virgin Islands

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Western Sahara

0 cu m (2004 est.)

World

2.824 trillion cu m (2004 est.)

Yemen

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Zambia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe

0 cu m (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2181 Natural gas - consumption (cu m)

Afghanistan

20 million cu m (2004 est.)

Albania

30 million cu m (2004 est.)

Algeria

19.28 billion cu m (2004 est.)

American Samoa

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Angola

750 million cu m (2004 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Argentina

37.85 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Armenia

1.33 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Aruba

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Australia

26.37 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Austria

8.981 billion cu m (2004)

Azerbaijan

9.94 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Bahrain

9.75 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Bangladesh

13.1 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Barbados

29.17 million cu m (2004 est.)

Belarus

20.5 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Belgium

17.06 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Belize

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Benin

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Bermuda

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Bhutan

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Bolivia

2.14 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

300 million cu m (2004 est.)

Botswana

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Brazil

17.28 billion cu m (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Brunei

2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Bulgaria

5.301 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Burma

2.7 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Burundi

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Cambodia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Cameroon

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Canada

95.85 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Cape Verde

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Cayman Islands

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Central African Republic

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Chad

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Chile

8.29 billion cu m (2004 est.)

China

47.91 billion cu m (2005)

Colombia

6.18 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Comoros

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Cook Islands

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Costa Rica

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

1.3 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Croatia

2.75 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Cuba

704 million cu m (2004)

Cyprus

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Czech Republic

9.6 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Denmark

5.171 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Djibouti

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Dominica

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic

130 million cu m (2004 est.)

Ecuador

170 million cu m (2004 est.)

Egypt

31.46 billion cu m (2004 est.)

El Salvador

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

100 million cu m (2004 est.)

Eritrea

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Estonia

1.44 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Ethiopia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

European Union

507.4 billion cu m (2004)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Faroe Islands

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Fiji

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Finland

4.86 billion cu m (2004 est.)

France

45.41 billion cu m (2004 est.)

French Polynesia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Gabon

100 million cu m (2004 est.)

Gambia, The

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Georgia

1.5 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Germany

102 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Ghana

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Gibraltar

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Greece

2.34 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Greenland

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Grenada

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Guam

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Guatemala

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Guinea

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Guyana

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Haiti

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Honduras

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Hong Kong

2.2 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Hungary

14.46 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Iceland

0 cu m (2004 est.)

India

30.83 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Indonesia

22.5 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Iran

85.54 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Iraq

1.75 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Ireland

4.295 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Israel

780 million cu m (2004 est.)

Italy

80.61 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Jamaica

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Japan

83.55 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Jordan

1.41 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan

15.75 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Kenya

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Kiribati

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Korea, North

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Korea, South

27.84 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Kuwait

9.7 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

919 million cu m (2004 est.)

Laos

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Latvia

1.91 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Lebanon

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Lesotho

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Liberia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Libya

5.93 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Lithuania

2.92 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Luxembourg

1.361 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Macau

43.96 million cu m (2005 est.)

Macedonia

100 million cu m (2004 est.)

Madagascar

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Malawi

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Malaysia

32.97 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Maldives

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Mali

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Malta

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Mauritania

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Mauritius

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Mexico

50.45 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Moldova

2.17 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Mongolia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Montenegro

NA

Montserrat

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Morocco

50 million cu m (2004 est.)

Mozambique

80 million cu m (2004 est.)

Namibia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Nauru

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Nepal

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Netherlands

51.3 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

0 cu m (2004 est.)

New Caledonia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

New Zealand

4.349 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Nicaragua

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Niger

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Nigeria

9.21 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Niue

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Norway

8.09 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Oman

6.77 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Pakistan

27.4 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Panama

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea

140 million cu m (2004 est.)

Paraguay

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Peru

860 million cu m (2004 est.)

Philippines

2.9 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Poland

15.67 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Portugal

3.737 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico

680 million cu m (2004 est.)

Qatar

15.11 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Romania

18 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Russia

445.1 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Rwanda

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Saint Helena

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Saint Lucia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Samoa

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia

65.68 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Senegal

50 million cu m (2004 est.)

Serbia

2.55 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Seychelles

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Sierra Leone

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Singapore

6.61 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Slovakia

6.719 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Slovenia

1.1 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Somalia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

South Africa

2.23 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Spain

27.01 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Sudan

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Suriname

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Swaziland

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Sweden

979 million cu m (2004 est.)

Switzerland

3.311 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Syria

7.1 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Taiwan

10.7 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Tajikistan

1.389 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Tanzania

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Thailand

29.86 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Togo

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Tonga

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

14.15 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Tunisia

3.7 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Turkey

22.6 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Turkmenistan

16.57 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Uganda

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Ukraine

86.4 billion cu m (2004)

United Arab Emirates

40.31 billion cu m (2004 est.)

United Kingdom

98.47 billion cu m (2004 est.)

United States

635.1 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Uruguay

120 million cu m (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan

50.2 billion cu m (2004)

Vanuatu

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Venezuela

27.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Vietnam

6.342 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Virgin Islands

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Western Sahara

0 cu m (2004 est.)

World

2.82 trillion cu m (2004 est.)

Yemen

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Zambia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe

0 cu m (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2182 Natural gas - imports (cu m)

Afghanistan

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Albania

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Algeria

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Angola

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Argentina

800 million cu m (2004 est.)

Armenia

1.33 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Australia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Austria

8.407 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan

4.93 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Bahrain

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Bangladesh

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Barbados

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Belarus

16.22 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Belgium

16.88 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Bolivia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

300 million cu m (2004 est.)

Brazil

7.62 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Brunei

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Bulgaria

5.3 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Burma

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Cameroon

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Canada

10.86 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Chile

7.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

China

0 cu m (2005)

Colombia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Croatia

1.11 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Cuba

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Czech Republic

8.815 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Denmark

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic

130 million cu m

Ecuador

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Egypt

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Estonia

1.44 billion cu m (2004 est.)

European Union

347.7 billion cu m

Finland

4.866 billion cu m (2004 est.)

France

44.78 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Gabon

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Georgia

1.5 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Germany

90.11 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Greece

2.641 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Hong Kong

2.524 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Hungary

11.42 billion cu m (2004 est.)

India

2.63 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Indonesia

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Iran

5.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Iraq

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Ireland

3.44 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Israel

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Italy

67.91 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Japan

81.23 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Jordan

1.1 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan

2.27 billion cu m

Korea, South

28.93 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Kuwait

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

890 million cu m (2004 est.)

Latvia

1.91 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Libya

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Lithuania

2.92 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Luxembourg

1.361 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Macedonia

100 million cu m (2004 est.)

Malaysia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Mexico

9.831 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Moldova

2.17 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Morocco

0 cu m

Mozambique

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Netherlands

18.85 billion cu m (2004 est.)

New Zealand

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Nigeria

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Norway

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Oman

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Pakistan

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Peru

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Philippines

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Poland

9.963 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Portugal

3.76 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico

680 million cu m (2004 est.)

Qatar

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Romania

6.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Russia

36.6 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Senegal

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Serbia

2.1 billion cu m

note: includes Montenegro (2004)

Singapore

6.61 billion cu m

note: from Indonesia and Malaysia (2004 est.)

Slovakia

6.948 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Slovenia

1.1 billion cu m (2004 est.)

South Africa

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Spain

26.95 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Sweden

979 million cu m (2004 est.)

Switzerland

3.311 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Syria

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Taiwan

9.6 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Tajikistan

1.35 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Thailand

7.5 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Tunisia

1.3 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Turkey

21.73 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Ukraine

67.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates

1.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

United Kingdom

12.3 billion cu m (2004 est.)

United States

120.6 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Uruguay

120 million cu m (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Venezuela

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Vietnam

0 cu m

World

828 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Yemen

0 cu m (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2183 Natural gas - exports (cu m)

Afghanistan

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Albania

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Algeria

60.87 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Angola

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Argentina

7.83 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Armenia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Australia

10.66 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Austria

1.324 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Bahrain

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Bangladesh

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Barbados

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Belarus

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Belgium

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Bolivia

7.91 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Brazil

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Brunei

9.5 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Bulgaria

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Burma

7.5 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Cameroon

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Canada

104 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Chile

7.2 million cu m (2004 est.)

China

2.79 billion cu m (2005)

Colombia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Croatia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Cuba

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Czech Republic

88 million cu m (2004 est.)

Denmark

4.099 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Ecuador

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Egypt

1.1 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Estonia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

European Union

78.89 billion cu m

Finland

0 cu m (2004 est.)

France

770 million cu m (2004 est.)

Gabon

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Georgia

NA cu m

Germany

8.81 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Greece

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Hong Kong

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Hungary

0 cu m (2004 est.)

India

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Indonesia

37.5 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Iran

3.56 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Iraq

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Ireland

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Israel

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Italy

396 million cu m (2004 est.)

Japan

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Jordan

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan

7.01 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Korea, South

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Kuwait

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Latvia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Libya

2.13 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Lithuania

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Luxembourg

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Macedonia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Malaysia

29.46 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Mexico

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Moldova

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Morocco

0 cu m

Mozambique

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Netherlands

53.56 billion cu m (2004 est.)

New Zealand

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Nigeria

12.59 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Norway

75.4 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Oman

10.43 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Pakistan

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Peru

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Philippines

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Poland

46 million cu m (2004 est.)

Portugal

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Qatar

24.06 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Romania

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Russia

216.8 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Senegal

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Serbia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Singapore

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Slovakia

1 million cu m (2004 est.)

Slovenia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

South Africa

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Spain

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Sweden

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Switzerland

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Syria

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Taiwan

0 cu m (2005)

Tajikistan

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Thailand

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

13.94 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Tunisia

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Turkey

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan

42 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Ukraine

3.9 billion cu m (2004)

United Arab Emirates

7.18 billion cu m (2004 est.)

United Kingdom

9.8 billion cu m (2004 est.)

United States

24.18 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Uruguay

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan

9.7 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Venezuela

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Vietnam

0 cu m (2005 est.)

World

810.9 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Yemen

0 cu m (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2184 Internet hosts

Afghanistan

22 (2006)

Albania

430 (2006)

Algeria

1,202 (2006)

American Samoa

1,456 (2006)

Andorra

14,944 (2006)

Angola

2,525 (2006)

Anguilla

403 (2006)

Antarctica

7,757 (2006)

Antigua and Barbuda

2,231 (2006)

Argentina

1,612,423 (2006)

Armenia

8,163 (2006)

Aruba

11,548 (2006)

Australia

7,772,888 (2006)

Austria

2,062,035 (2006)

Azerbaijan

880 (2006)

Bahamas, The

591 (2006)

Bahrain

2,165 (2006)

Bangladesh

469 (2006)

Barbados

282 (2006)

Belarus

33,641 (2006)

Belgium

2,870,770 (2006)

Belize

3,905 (2006)

Benin

867 (2006)

Bermuda

8,114 (2006)

Bhutan

7,567 (2006)

Bolivia

20,085 (2006)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

31,490 (2006)

Botswana

5,499 (2006)

Bouvet Island

6 (2006)

Brazil

6,508,431 (2006)

British Indian Ocean Territory

65 (2006)

British Virgin Islands

525 (2006)

Brunei

27 (2005)

Bulgaria

184,975 (2006)

Burkina Faso

399 (2006)

Burma

42 (2006)

Burundi

160 (2006)

Cambodia

1,378 (2006)

Cameroon

39 (2006)

Canada

3,934,223 (2006)

Cape Verde

234 (2006)

Cayman Islands

8,611 (2006)

Central African Republic

10 (2006)

Chad

9 (2006)

Chile

506,055 (2006)

China

232,780 (2006)

Christmas Island

2,368 (2006)

Colombia

581,877 (2006)

Comoros

5 (2006)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

1,778 (2006)

Congo, Republic of the

46 (2004)

Cook Islands

1,456 (2006)

Costa Rica

12,751 (2006)

Cote d'Ivoire

2,534 (2006)

Croatia

18,825 (2006)

Cuba

2,234 (2006)

Cyprus

67,589 (2006)

Czech Republic

1,267,265 (2006)

Denmark

2,415,530 (2006)

Djibouti

1,540 (2006)

Dominica

263 (2006)

Dominican Republic

91,895 (2006)

East Timor

68 (2006)

Ecuador

19,027 (2006)

Egypt

2,254 (2006)

El Salvador

4,682 (2006)

Equatorial Guinea

19 (2006)

Eritrea

1,088 (2006)

Estonia

52,241 (2006)

Ethiopia

88 (2006)

European Union

50.5 million (2005); note - sum of individual country

Internet hosts

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

103 (2006)

Faroe Islands

6,915 (2006)

Fiji

8,987 (2006)

Finland

1,633,614 (2006)

France

3,149,008; 3,148,379 (metropolitan France) (2006)

French Polynesia

14,047 (2006)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

38 (2006)

Gabon

322 (2006)

Gambia, The

14 (2006)

Georgia

10,752 (2006)

Germany

11,859,131 (2006)

Ghana

380 (2006)

Gibraltar

641 (2006)

Greece

587,717 (2006)

Greenland

8,851 (2006)

Grenada

17 (2006)

Guam

76 (2006)

Guatemala

49,026 (2006)

Guernsey

1,245 (2006)

Guinea

367 (2006)

Guinea-Bissau

5 (2006)

Guyana

1,046 (2006)

Haiti

6 (2006)

Holy See (Vatican City)

45 (2006)

Honduras

3,973 (2006)

Hong Kong

800,834 (2006)

Hungary

608,085 (2006)

Iceland

212,897 (2006)

India

1,543,289 (2006)

Indonesia

170,834 (2006)

Iran

5,242 (2006)

Iraq

5 (2006)

Ireland

238,191 (2006)

Isle of Man

290 (2006)

Israel

1,251,881 (2006)

Italy

1,731,165 (2006)

Jamaica

1,402 (2006)

Japan

28,321,846 (2006)

Jersey

1,240 (2006)

Jordan

3,441 (2006)

Kazakhstan

21,187 (2006)

Kenya

13,274 (2006)

Kiribati

42 (2006)

Korea, South

5,433,591 (2005)

Kuwait

2,310 (2006)

Kyrgyzstan

18,928 (2006)

Laos

1,108 (2006)

Latvia

65,858 (2006)

Lebanon

3,307 (2006)

Lesotho

168 (2006)

Liberia

8 (2006)

Libya

31 (2006)

Liechtenstein

4,697 (2006)

Lithuania

148,675 (2006)

Luxembourg

88,661 (2006)

Macau

108 (2006)

Macedonia

3,716 (2006)

Madagascar

1,504 (2006)

Malawi

377 (2006)

Malaysia

158,650 (2006)

Maldives

1,357 (2006)

Mali

278 (2006)

Malta

14,025 (2006)

Marshall Islands

6 (2006)

Mauritania

32 (2006)

Mauritius

4,997 (2006)

Mayotte

1 (2006)

Mexico

3,426,680 (2006)

Micronesia, Federated States of

550 (2006)

Moldova

58,886 (2006)

Monaco

12,720 (2006)

Mongolia

272 (2006)

Montserrat

386 (2006)

Morocco

3,218 (2006)

Mozambique

6,985 (2006)

Namibia

3,527 (2006)

Nauru

52 (2006)

Nepal

17,789 (2006)

Netherlands

8,363,158 (2006)

Netherlands Antilles

19,204 (2006)

New Caledonia

13,962 (2006)

New Zealand

1,050,197 (2006)

Nicaragua

24,452 (2006)

Niger

189 (2006)

Nigeria

1,549 (2006)

Norfolk Island

100 (2006)

Northern Mariana Islands

20 (2005)

Norway

1,364,448 (2006)

Oman

3,555 (2006)

Pakistan

72,765 (2006)

Palau

3 (2006)

Panama

7,149 (2006)

Papua New Guinea

1,573 (2006)

Paraguay

13,178 (2006)

Peru

269,981 (2006)

Philippines

111,262 (2006)

Pitcairn Islands

8 (2006)

Poland

358,476 (2006)

Portugal

845,980 (2005)

Puerto Rico

404 (2006)

Qatar

301 (2006)

Romania

57,470 (2006)

Russia

1,979,924 (2006)

Rwanda

1,590 (2006)

Saint Helena

329 (2006)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

50 (2006)

Saint Lucia

21 (2006)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

0 (2006)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

94 (2006)

Samoa

10,680 (2006)

San Marino

3,140 (2006)

Sao Tome and Principe

735 (2006)

Saudi Arabia

10,931 (2006)

Senegal

412 (2006)

Serbia

NA

Seychelles

72 (2006)

Sierra Leone

20 (2006)

Singapore

898,762 (2006)

Slovakia

210,758 (2006)

Slovenia

61,735 (2006)

Solomon Islands

2,658 (2006)

Somalia

3 (2006)

South Africa

645,179 (2006)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

271 (2006)

Spain

2,520,711 (2006)

Sri Lanka

6,526 (2006)

Sudan

16 (2006)

Suriname

126 (2006)

Swaziland

2,472 (2006)

Sweden

2,958,435 (2006)

Switzerland

2,442,659 (2006)

Syria

66 (2006)

Taiwan

4,320,310 (2006)

Tajikistan

98 (2006)

Tanzania

8,609 (2006)

Thailand

938,784 (2006)

Togo

520 (2006)

Tokelau

298 (2006)

Tonga

18,775 (2006)

Trinidad and Tobago

30,732 (2006)

Tunisia

428 (2006)

Turkey

1,313,135 (2006)

Turkmenistan

585 (2006)

Turks and Caicos Islands

2,735 (2006)

Uganda

1,365 (2006)

Ukraine

229,110 (2006)

United Arab Emirates

337,092 (2006)

United Kingdom

6,064,860 (2006)

United States

195,138,696 (2005)

Uruguay

145,774 (2006)

Uzbekistan

9,058 (2006)

Vanuatu

413 (2006)

Venezuela

51,968 (2006)

Vietnam

12,114 (2006)

Virgin Islands

3,855 (2006)

Wallis and Futuna

1 (2006)

Yemen

171 (2006)

Zambia

3,227 (2006)

Zimbabwe

7,954 (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2185 Investment (gross fixed) (% of GDP)

Albania

24.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Algeria

23.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Angola

14.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Argentina

22.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Armenia

20.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Australia

26.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Austria

21% of GDP (2006 est.)

Azerbaijan

44.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Bahrain

21.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Bangladesh

24.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Belarus

25.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Belgium

19.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Belize

18.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Benin

19.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Bolivia

12.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Botswana

21.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Brazil

20.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Bulgaria

24.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Burkina Faso

20.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Burma

11.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Burundi

11.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Cambodia

18.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Cameroon

16.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Canada

21.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Cape Verde

25.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Chad

9.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Chile

21% of GDP (2006 est.)

China

44.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Colombia

22.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

27.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Costa Rica

19.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

11.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Croatia

28.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Cuba

11.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Cyprus

Republic of Cyprus: 21.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Czech Republic

26.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Denmark

22.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Dominican Republic

15.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Ecuador

22.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Egypt

19.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

El Salvador

16.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

34.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Eritrea

24.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Estonia

32.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Ethiopia

21.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

European Union

20.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Finland

18.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

France

20% of GDP (2006 est.)

Gabon

22.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Gambia, The

20.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Georgia

30% of GDP (2006 est.)

Germany

17.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Ghana

29% of GDP (2006 est.)

Greece

25.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Guatemala

15.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Guinea

17.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Guyana

31.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Haiti

27.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Honduras

23.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Hong Kong

21.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Hungary

23.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Iceland

31.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

India

29.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Indonesia

20.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Iran

30% of GDP (2006 est.)

Ireland

28% of GDP (2006 est.)

Israel

17.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Italy

20.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Jamaica

30.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Japan

23.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Jordan

24.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Kazakhstan

27% of GDP (2006 est.)

Kenya

19.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Korea, South

29.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Kuwait

26.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

15.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Latvia

31.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Lebanon

17.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Lesotho

32% of GDP (2006 est.)

Libya

7.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Lithuania

23% of GDP (2006 est.)

Luxembourg

18.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Macedonia

18.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Madagascar

26.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Malawi

9.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Malaysia

19.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Malta

25.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Mauritius

23.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Mexico

20% of GDP (2006 est.)

Moldova

24.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Montenegro

% of GDP NA

Morocco

21.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Mozambique

21.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Namibia

25% of GDP (2006 est.)

Netherlands

19.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

New Zealand

22% of GDP (2006 est.)

Nicaragua

29.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Nigeria

26.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Norway

19.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Oman

14.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Pakistan

15.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Panama

17.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea

19.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Paraguay

19.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Peru

20.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Philippines

14.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Poland

19.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Portugal

20.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Qatar

33.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Romania

25% of GDP (2006 est.)

Russia

18.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Rwanda

19.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe

35.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Saudi Arabia

16.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Senegal

41% of GDP (2006 est.)

Serbia

14.2% of GDP (2005 est.)

Seychelles

44.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Singapore

21.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Slovakia

27.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Slovenia

25% of GDP (2006 est.)

South Africa

17.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Spain

29.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Sri Lanka

28.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Sudan

25.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Swaziland

15.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Sweden

17.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Switzerland

21.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Syria

22.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Taiwan

18.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Tajikistan

19.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Tanzania

19% of GDP (2006 est.)

Thailand

28.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Togo

22.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

19.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Tunisia

22.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Turkey

20.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Turkmenistan

28.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Uganda

23.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Ukraine

22.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates

24.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

United Kingdom

17.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

United States

16.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Uruguay

13.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Venezuela

19.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Vietnam

32.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Yemen

15.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Zambia

26.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Zimbabwe

16.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2186 Public debt (% of GDP)

Algeria

18.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Angola

32.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Argentina

62.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Aruba

46.3% of GDP (2005)

Australia

14.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Austria

63% of GDP (2006 est.)

Azerbaijan

10.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Bahrain

34.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Bangladesh

46.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Belgium

90.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Bhutan

81.4% of GDP (2004)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

24.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Botswana

7.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Brazil

50.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Bulgaria

23.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Cameroon

28.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Canada

65.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Chile

3.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

China

22.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Colombia

45.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Costa Rica

53.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

69.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Croatia

56.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Cyprus

Republic of Cyprus: 68.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Czech Republic

29.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Denmark

28.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Dominican Republic

45.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Ecuador

36% of GDP (2006 est.)

Egypt

102.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

El Salvador

44.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

4.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Estonia

3.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Ethiopia

78.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Finland

37.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

France

64.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Gabon

28.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Germany

66.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Ghana

38.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Greece

104.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Guatemala

25.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Honduras

67.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Hong Kong

1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Hungary

68.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Iceland

23.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

India

52.8% of GDP (federal and state debt combined) (2006 est.)

Indonesia

43.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Iran

25.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Ireland

22.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Israel

91% of GDP (2006 est.)

Italy

107.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Jamaica

129.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Japan

175.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Jordan

79.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Kazakhstan

11% of GDP (2006 est.)

Kenya

50.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Korea, South

21.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Kuwait

8.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Latvia

11% of GDP (2006 est.)

Lebanon

209% of GDP (2006 est.)

Libya

5.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Lithuania

18% of GDP (2006 est.)

Macedonia

27.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Malawi

68.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Malaysia

46.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Mauritius

57.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Mexico

20.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Moldova

84.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Montenegro

% of GDP NA

Morocco

70.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Mozambique

23.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Namibia

31.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Netherlands

50.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

New Zealand

19.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Nicaragua

82.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Nigeria

10.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Norway

44.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Oman

4.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Pakistan

55% of GDP (2006 est.)

Panama

61.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea

53.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Paraguay

30.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Peru

33.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Philippines

69.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Poland

49% of GDP (2006 est.)

Portugal

65.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Qatar

23.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Romania

21.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Russia

8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Saudi Arabia

32.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Senegal

17.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Serbia

53.1% of GDP (2005 est.)

Seychelles

166.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Singapore

100.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Slovakia

36.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Slovenia

29% of GDP (2006 est.)

South Africa

32.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Spain

39.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Sri Lanka

90.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Sudan

59.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Sweden

46.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Switzerland

51% of GDP (2006 est.)

Syria

38% of GDP (2006 est.)

Taiwan

34.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Tanzania

30.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Thailand

43.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

36.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Tunisia

57.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Turkey

64.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Uganda

29.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Ukraine

17.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates

17.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

United Kingdom

42.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

United States

64.7% of GDP (2005 est.)

Uruguay

70.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Uzbekistan

29.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Venezuela

28.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Vietnam

47.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Wallis and Futuna

5.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Yemen

30% of GDP (2006 est.)

Zambia

65.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Zimbabwe

108.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2187 Current account balance

Albania

$-679.9 million (2006 est.)

Algeria

$25.8 billion (2006 est.)

Angola

$7.7 billion (2006 est.)

Anguilla

$-42.87 million (2003 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

$-83.4 million (2004)

Argentina

$5.81 billion (2006 est.)

Armenia

$-229.5 million (2006 est.)

Australia

$-41.62 billion (2006 est.)

Austria

$5.913 billion (2006 est.)

Azerbaijan

$2.737 billion (2006 est.)

Bahrain

$1.999 billion (2006 est.)

Bangladesh

$339 million (2006 est.)

Belarus

$-511.8 million (2006 est.)

Belgium

$6.925 billion (2006 est.)

Belize

$-173.4 million (2006 est.)

Benin

$-342.7 million (2006 est.)

Bolivia

$688 million (2006 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

$-1.73 billion (2006 est.)

Botswana

$1.698 billion (2006 est.)

Brazil

$5.81 billion (2006 est.)

British Virgin Islands

$134.3 million (1999)

Bulgaria

$-4.13 billion (2006 est.)

Burkina Faso

$-604.6 million (2006 est.)

Burma

$1.247 billion (2006 est.)

Burundi

$-57.84 million (2006 est.)

Cambodia

$-412 million (2006 est.)

Cameroon

$419 million (2006 est.)

Canada

$20.56 billion (2006 est.)

Cape Verde

$-44.43 million (2006 est.)

Chad

$-324.1 million (2006 est.)

Chile

$5.063 billion (2006 est.)

China

$179.1 billion (2006 est.)

Colombia

$-2.219 billion (2006 est.)

Comoros

$-17 million (2005 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

$1.215 billion (2006 est.)

Cook Islands

$26.67 million (2005)

Costa Rica

$-1.176 billion (2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

$460 million (2006 est.)

Croatia

$-2.892 billion (2006 est.)

Cuba

$-1.218 billion (2006 est.)

Cyprus

Republic of Cyprus: $-1.051 billion (2006 est.)

Czech Republic

$-4.352 billion (2006 est.)

Denmark

$4.941 billion (2006 est.)

Dominican Republic

$-1.124 billion (2006 est.)

Ecuador

$727 million (2006 est.)

Egypt

$2.697 billion (2006 est.)

El Salvador

$-1.059 billion (2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

$175 million (2006 est.)

Eritrea

$-440.5 million (2006 est.)

Estonia

$-1.919 billion (2006 est.)

Ethiopia

$-1.34 billion (2006 est.)

European Union

$NA

Fiji

$-465.8 million

Finland

$8.749 billion (2006 est.)

France

$-35.36 billion (2006 est.)

Gabon

$1.807 billion (2006 est.)

Gambia, The

$-54.61 million (2006 est.)

Georgia

$-735 million (2006 est.)

Germany

$134.8 billion (2006 est.)

Ghana

$-219 million (2006 est.)

Greece

$-21.37 billion (2006 est.)

Guatemala

$-2.028 billion (2006 est.)

Guinea

$-344 million (2006 est.)

Guyana

$-84.3 million (2006 est.)

Haiti

$-58.72 million (2006 est.)

Honduras

$-160 million (2006 est.)

Hong Kong

$20.9 billion (2006 est.)

Hungary

$-8.392 billion (2006 est.)

Iceland

$-2.932 billion (2006 est.)

India

$-26.4 billion (2006 est.)

Indonesia

$1.636 billion (2006 est.)

Iran

$13.13 billion (2006 est.)

Iraq

$8.134 billion (2006 est.)

Ireland

$-9.45 billion (2006 est.)

Israel

$1.463 billion (2006 est.)

Italy

$-23.73 billion (2006 est.)

Jamaica

$-970 million (2006 est.)

Japan

$174.4 billion (2006 est.)

Jordan

$-2.834 billion (2006 est.)

Kazakhstan

$133 million (2006 est.)

Kenya

$-1.119 billion (2006 est.)

Kiribati

$-19.87 million (2004)

Korea, South

$6.741 billion (2006 est.)

Kuwait

$40.75 billion (2006 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

$-287.3 million (2006 est.)

Laos

$-381.7 million (2006 est.)

Latvia

$-2.538 billion (2006 est.)

Lebanon

$-5.339 billion (October 2006)

Lesotho

$-75.44 million (2006 est.)

Libya

$14.5 billion (2006 est.)

Lithuania

$-2.572 billion (2006 est.)

Luxembourg

$4.63 billion (2006 est.)

Macedonia

$-167 million (2006 est.)

Madagascar

$-504 million (2006 est.)

Malawi

$-186 million (2006 est.)

Malaysia

$17.86 billion (2006 est.)

Malta

$-966.2 million (2006 est.)

Mauritius

$-651 million (2006 est.)

Mexico

$-400.1 million (2006 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of

$-34.3 million (FY05 est.)

Moldova

$-561 million (2006 est.)

Montenegro

NA

Morocco

$389 million (2006 est.)

Mozambique

$-444.4 million (2006 est.)

Namibia

$572 million (2006 est.)

Netherlands

$50.17 billion (2006 est.)

New Zealand

$-7.944 billion (2006 est.)

Nicaragua

$-883 million (2006 est.)

Nigeria

$12.59 billion (2006 est.)

Norway

$63.33 billion (2006 est.)

Oman

$7.097 billion (2006 est.)

Pakistan

$-5.486 billion (2006 est.)

Palau

$15.09 million (FY03/04)

Panama

$-467 million (2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea

$661 million (2006 est.)

Paraguay

$-300 million (2006 est.)

Peru

$1.515 billion (2006 est.)

Philippines

$5.355 billion (2006 est.)

Poland

$-4.548 billion (2006 est.)

Portugal

$-16.75 billion (2006 est.)

Qatar

$12.51 billion (2006 est.)

Romania

$-12.45 billion (2006 est.)

Russia

$105.3 billion (2006 est.)

Rwanda

$-104.1 million (2006 est.)

Samoa

$-2.428 million (FY03/04)

Sao Tome and Principe

$-24.4 million (2006 est.)

Saudi Arabia

$103.8 billion (2006 est.)

Senegal

$-895.2 million (2006 est.)

Serbia

$-2.451 billion (2005 est.)

Seychelles

$-78.59 million (2006 est.)

Singapore

$35.58 billion (2006 est.)

Slovakia

$-3.781 billion (2006 est.)

Slovenia

$-789.2 million (2006 est.)

South Africa

$-12.69 billion (2006 est.)

Spain

$-98.6 billion (2006 est.)

Sri Lanka

$-1.118 billion (2006 est.)

Sudan

$-4.51 billion (2006 est.)

Swaziland

$-23.13 million (2006 est.)

Sweden

$28.61 billion (2006 est.)

Switzerland

$50.44 billion (2006 est.)

Syria

$-1.065 billion (2005 est.)

Taiwan

$9.7 billion (2006 est.)

Tajikistan

$-73.95 million (2006 est.)

Tanzania

$-906 million (2006 est.)

Thailand

$-899.4 million (2006 est.)

Togo

$-261.9 million (2006 est.)

Tonga

$-4.321 million (FY04/05)

Trinidad and Tobago

$3.259 billion (2006 est.)

Tunisia

$-760 million (2006 est.)

Turkey

$-25.99 billion (2006 est.)

Turkmenistan

$321.2 million (2006 est.)

Tuvalu

$2.323 million (1998)

Uganda

$-423 million (2006 est.)

Ukraine

$-1.933 billion (2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates

$26.89 billion (2006 est.)

United Kingdom

$-57.68 billion (2006 est.)

United States

$-862.3 billion (2006 est.)

Uruguay

$-600 million (2006 est.)

Uzbekistan

$1.41 billion (2006 est.)

Vanuatu

$-28.35 million (2003)

Venezuela

$31.82 billion (2006 est.)

Vietnam

$1.029 billion (2006 est.)

Yemen

$1.69 billion (2006 est.)

Zambia

$-165.4 million (2006 est.)

Zimbabwe

$-264.6 million (2006 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2188 Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Albania

$1.621 billion (2006 est.)

Algeria

$71.96 billion (2006 est.)

Angola

$6.75 billion (2006 est.)

Argentina

$30.24 billion (November 2006 est.)

Armenia

$761 million (2006 est.)

Australia

$48.25 billion (2006 est.)

Austria

$8.413 billion (August 2006 est.)

Azerbaijan

$1.8 billion (2006 est.)

Bahrain

$2.918 billion (2006 est.)

Bangladesh

$3.278 billion (2006 est.)

Belarus

$1.329 billion (2006 est.)

Belgium

$9.626 billion (August 2006 est.)

Belize

$78.96 million (2006 est.)

Benin

$607.3 million (2006 est.)

Bolivia

$3.303 billion (2006 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

$2.7 billion (2006 est.)

Botswana

$7.445 billion (2006 est.)

Brazil

$77.27 billion (2006 est.)

Bulgaria

$10.58 billion (2006 est.)

Burkina Faso

$1.328 billion (2006 est.)

Burma

$932 million (2006 est.)

Burundi

$87.69 million (2006 est.)

Cambodia

$1.385 billion (2006 est.)

Cameroon

$1.336 billion (2006 est.)

Canada

$35.79 billion (August 2006 est.)

Cape Verde

$166.4 million (2006 est.)

Chad

$352.8 million (2006 est.)

Chile

$17.16 billion (November 2006 est.)

China

$1.034 trillion (2006 est.)

Colombia

$16.5 billion (2006 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

$547 million (2006 est.)

Costa Rica

$2.5 billion (2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

$1.4 billion (2006 est.)

Croatia

$11.07 billion (2006 est.)

Cuba

$2.618 billion (2006 est.)

Cyprus

Republic of Cyprus: $4.613 billion; north Cyprus $NA (2006

est.)

Czech Republic

$30.99 billion (2006 est.)

Denmark

$30.38 billion (August 2006 est.)

Dominican Republic

$2.106 billion (2006 est.)

Ecuador

$2.514 billion (2006 est.)

Egypt

$26.3 billion (2006 est.)

El Salvador

$1.951 billion (2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

$3.235 billion (2006 est.)

Eritrea

$30.6 million (2006 est.)

Estonia

$2.344 billion (2006 est.)

Ethiopia

$1.186 billion (2006 est.)

European Union

$NA

Finland

$6.561 billion (August 2006 est.)

France

$39.98 billion (August 2006 est.)

Gabon

$835 million (2006 est.)

Gambia, The

$88.11 million (2006 est.)

Georgia

$492 million (2006 est.)

Germany

$48.76 billion (August 2006 est.)

Ghana

$2.098 billion (2006 est.)

Greece

$2.5 billion (2006 est.)

Guatemala

$3.959 billion (2006 est.)

Guinea

$59.6 million (2006 est.)

Guyana

$294.9 million (2006 est.)

Haiti

$123.4 million (2006 est.)

Honduras

$2.778 billion (2006 est.)

Hong Kong

$132 billion (November 2006 est.)

Hungary

$21.05 billion (2006 est.)

Iceland

$1.018 billion (August 2006 est.)

India

$165 billion (2006 est.)

Indonesia

$43.04 billion (2006 est.)

Iran

$58.46 billion (2006 est.)

Iraq

$15.65 billion (2006 est.)

Ireland

$842.5 million (August 2006 est.)

Israel

$28.2 billion (2006 est.)

Italy

$70.5 billion (2006 est.)

Jamaica

$2.15 billion (2006 est.)

Japan

$864.7 billion (August 2006 est.)

Jordan

$5.55 billion (2006 est.)

Kazakhstan

$15.26 billion (2006 est.)

Kenya

$2.35 billion (2006 est.)

Korea, South

$235 billion (2006 est.)

Kuwait

$11.08 billion (2006 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

$621.2 million (2006 est.)

Laos

$316.9 million (2006 est.)

Latvia

$2.61 billion (2006 est.)

Lebanon

$16.78 billion (2006 est.)

Lesotho

$528.2 million (2006 est.)

Libya

$57.48 billion (2006 est.)

Lithuania

$5.22 billion (2006 est.)

Luxembourg

$232.2 million (August 2006 est.)

Macedonia

$1.845 billion (2006 est.)

Madagascar

$563 million (2006 est.)

Malawi

$175.5 million (2006 est.)

Malaysia

$82.3 billion (2006 est.)

Malta

$3.065 billion (2006 est.)

Mauritius

$1.358 billion (2006 est.)

Mexico

$85.01 billion (2006 est.)

Moldova

$680 million (2006 est.)

Montenegro

NA

Morocco

$18.21 billion (2006 est.)

Mozambique

$1.353 billion (2006 est.)

Namibia

$480 million (2006 est.)

Netherlands

$10.24 billion (August 2006 est.)

New Zealand

$10 billion (2006 est.)

Nicaragua

$723 million (2006 est.)

Nigeria

$42.97 billion (2006 est.)

Norway

$49.62 billion (August 2006 est.)

Oman

$4.908 billion (2006 est.)

Pakistan

$13.29 billion (2006 est.)

Panama

$1.236 billion (2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea

$1.099 billion (2006 est.)

Paraguay

$1.543 billion (2006 est.)

Peru

$17.04 billion (2006 est.)

Philippines

$20.57 billion (2006 est.)

Poland

$49.69 billion (2006 est.)

Portugal

$10.7 billion (2006 est.)

Qatar

$5.755 billion (2006 est.)

Romania

$27.88 billion (2006 est.)

Russia

$314.5 billion (2006 est.)

Rwanda

$422.8 million (2006 est.)

Samoa

$70.15 million (FY03/04)

Sao Tome and Principe

$25.47 million (2006 est.)

Saudi Arabia

$31.63 billion (2006 est.)

Senegal

$1.18 billion (2006 est.)

Serbia

$5.35 billion (2005 est.)

Seychelles

$44.78 million (2006 est.)

Singapore

$134.6 billion (2006 est.)

Slovakia

$15.75 billion (2006 est.)

Slovenia

$8.761 billion (2006 est.)

South Africa

$23.74 billion (2006 est.)

Spain

$17 billion (2006 est.)

Sri Lanka

$2.81 billion (2006 est.)

Sudan

$3.552 billion (2006 est.)

Swaziland

$228.5 million (2006 est.)

Sweden

$22.26 billion (August 2006 est.)

Switzerland

$38.29 billion (August 2006 est.)

Syria

$5.5 billion (2006 est.)

Taiwan

$280.6 billion (2006 est.)

Tajikistan

$209.2 million (2006 est.)

Tanzania

$2.375 billion (2006 est.)

Thailand

$59.06 billion (2006 est.)

Togo

$333.9 million (2006 est.)

Tonga

$40.83 million (yearend)

Trinidad and Tobago

$6.888 billion (2006 est.)

Tunisia

$6.646 billion (2006 est.)

Turkey

$53.42 billion (2006 est.)

Turkmenistan

$3.518 billion (2006 est.)

Uganda

$1.4 billion (2006 est.)

Ukraine

$20.69 billion (2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates

$25.51 billion (2006 est.)

United Kingdom

$38.83 billion (August 2006 est.)

United States

$69.19 billion (August 2006 est.)

Uruguay

$3.594 billion (2006 est.)

Uzbekistan

$2.986 billion (2006 est.)

Vanuatu

$40.54 million (2003)

Venezuela

$35.95 billion (2006 est.)

Vietnam

$11.92 billion (2006 est.)

Yemen

$6.735 billion (2006 est.)

Zambia

$1.05 billion (2006 est.)

Zimbabwe

$140 million (2006 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2193 Major infectious diseases

Afghanistan

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk countrywide below 2,000

meters from March through November

animal contact disease: rabies

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified

among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a

negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens

who have close contact with birds (2007)

Algeria

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: cutaneous leishmaniasis is a high risk in some

locations (2007)

Angola

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria, African trypanosomiasis (sleeping

sickness) are high risks in some locations

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis

water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)

Bangladesh

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E,

and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in

some locations

water contact disease: leptospirosis

animal contact disease: rabies

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified

among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a

negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens

who have close contact with birds (2007)

Benin

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria, yellow fever, and others are high

risks in some locations

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007)

Botswana

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria (2007)

Burkina Faso

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified

among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a

negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens

who have close contact with birds (2007)

Burma

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in

some locations

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified

among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a

negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens

who have close contact with birds (2007)

Burundi

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria (2007)

Cambodia

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and Japanese

encephalitis are high risks in some locations

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified

among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a

negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens

who have close contact with birds (2007)

Cameroon

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in

some locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified

among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a

negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens

who have close contact with birds (2007)

Central African Republic

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007)

Chad

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria, plague, and African trypanosomiasis

(sleeping sickness) are high risks in some locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)

Congo, Republic of the

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria (2007)

Cote d'Ivoire

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria, yellow fever, and others are high

risks in some locations

water contact: schistosomiasis

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified

among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a

negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens

who have close contact with birds (2007)

Djibouti

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified

among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a

negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens

who have close contact with birds (2007)

Equatorial Guinea

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria (2007)

Eritrea

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations (2007)

Ethiopia

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, typhoid fever, and hepatitis E

vectorborne diseases: malaria and cutaneous leishmaniasis are high

risks in some locations

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis

animal contact disease: rabies

water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)

Gabon

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria (2007)

Gambia, The

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, Crimean-Congo

hemorrhagic fever, yellow fever are high risks in some locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007)

Ghana

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in

some locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007)

Guinea

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in

some locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis

aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2007)

Guinea-Bissau

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in

some locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007)

India

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E,

and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and Japanese

encephalitis are high risks in some locations

animal contact disease: rabies

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified

among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a

negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens

who have close contact with birds (2007)

Indonesia

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and chikungunya are

high risks in some locations

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified

among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a

negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens

who have close contact with birds (2007)

Kenya

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)

Liberia

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in

some locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2007)

Libya

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: may be a significant risk in some locations

during the transmission season (typically April through October)

(2007)

Madagascar

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in some

locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)

Malawi

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in some

locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)

Malaysia

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in

some locations (2007)

Mali

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007)

Mauritania

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and Rift Valley fever are high risks

in some locations

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007)

Morocco

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, and hepatitis A

vectorborne diseases: may be a significant risk in some locations

during the transmission season (typically April through November)

(2007)

Mozambique

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in some

locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)

Namibia

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria

water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)

Niger

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified

among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a

negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens

who have close contact with birds (2007)

Nigeria

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis

aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: one of the most highly

endemic areas for Lassa fever

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified

among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a

negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens

who have close contact with birds (2007)

Pakistan

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E,

and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and cutaneous

leishmaniasis are high risks depending on location

animal contact disease: rabies

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified

among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a

negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens

who have close contact with birds (2007)

Papua New Guinea

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in

some locations (2007)

Philippines

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in

some locations

animal contact disease: rabies (2007)

Rwanda

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria (2007)

Sao Tome and Principe

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria (2007)

Senegal

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, yellow fever,

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, and Rift Valley fever are high

risks in some locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007)

Sierra Leone

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in

some locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2007)

Somalia

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever are high risks in

some locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

animal contact disease: rabies (2007)

Sudan

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, African trypanosomiasis

(sleeping sickness) are high risks in some locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified

among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a

negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens

who have close contact with birds (2007)

Tanzania

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria, Rift Valley fever and plague are high

risks in some locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)

Thailand

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, Japanese encephalitis,

and plague are high risks in some locations

animal contact disease: rabies

water contact disease: leptospirosis

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified

among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a

negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens

who have close contact with birds (2007)

Togo

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in

some locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007)

Tunisia

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A

vectorborne diseases: may be a significant risk in some locations

during the transmission season (typically April through November)

(2007)

Uganda

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping

sickness) are high risks in some locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)

Vietnam

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, Japanese encephalitis,

and plague are high risks in some locations

animal contact disease: rabies

water contact disease: leptospirosis

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified

among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a

negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens

who have close contact with birds (2007)

Western Sahara

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,

hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: may be a significant risk in some locations

during the transmission season (typically April through November)

(2007)

Zambia

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in some

locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)

Zimbabwe

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

typhoid

vectorborne disease: malaria

water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2194 Refugees and internally displaced persons

Afghanistan

IDPs: 136,565 (mostly Pashtuns and Kuchis displaced in

south and west due to drought and instability) (2006)

Algeria

refugees (country of origin): 90,000 (Western Saharan

Sahrawi, mostly living in Algerian-sponsored camps in the

southwestern Algerian town of Tindouf)

IDPs: 400,000-600,000 (conflict between government forces, Islamic

insurgents) (2006)

Angola

refugees (country of origin): 13,464 (Democratic Republic of

Congo)

IDPs: 61,700 (27-year civil war ending in 2002; 4 million IDPs

already have returned) (2006)

Armenia

refugees (country of origin): 219,324 (Azerbaijan)

IDPs: 8,400 (conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh,

majority have returned home since 1994 ceasefire) (2006)

Azerbaijan

refugees (country of origin): 2,800 (Russia)

IDPs: 580,000-690,000 (conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh)

(2006)

Bangladesh

refugees (country of origin): 21,053 (Burma)

IDPs: 65,000 (land conflicts, religious persecution) (2006)

Benin

refugees (country of origin): 26,632 (Togo) (2006)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

refugees (country of origin): 7,458 (Croatia)

IDPs: 180,251 (Bosnian Croats, Serbs, and Muslims displaced in

1992-95 war) (2006)

Burma

IDPs: 540,000 (government offensives against ethnic insurgent

groups near the eastern borders; most IDPs are ethnic Karen,

Karenni, Shan, Tavoyan, and Mon) (2006)

Burundi

refugees (country of origin): 20,359 (Democratic Republic of

the Congo)

IDPs: 100,000 (armed conflict between government and rebels; most

IDPs in northern and western Burundi) (2006)

Cameroon

refugees (country of origin): 39,303 (Chad) 9,711 (Nigeria)

13,000 (Central African Republic); note - there are an additional

10,000 Central African refugees unregistered with UNHCR as of

December 2006 (2006)

Central African Republic

refugees (country of origin): 19,960

(Sudan) 3,325 (Democratic Republic of the Congo); note - UNHCR

resumed repatriation of Southern Sudanese refugees in 2006

IDPs: 150,000 (ongoing unrest following coup in 2003) (2006)

Chad

refugees (country of origin): 234,000 (Sudan), 41,246 (Central

African Republic)

IDPs: 100,000 (2006)

China

refugees (country of origin): 300,897 (Vietnam) estimated

30,000-50,000 (North Korea)

IDPs: 90,000 (2006)

Colombia

IDPs: 1.8-3.8 million (conflict between government and

illegal armed groups and FARC factions; drug wars) (2006)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

refugees (country of origin):

106,772 (Angola), 42,360 (Rwanda), 19,032 (Burundi), 18,954

(Uganda), 11,723 (Sudan), 5,243 (Republic of Congo)

IDPs: 1.1 million (fighting between government forces and rebels

since mid-1990s; most IDPs are in eastern provinces) (2006)

Congo, Republic of the

refugees (country of origin): 56,380

(Democratic Republic of Congo), 6,478 (Rwanda)

IDPs: 48,000 (multiple civil wars since 1992; most IDPs are ethnic

Lari) (2006)

Costa Rica

refugees (country of origin): 9,470 (Colombia) (2006)

Cote d'Ivoire

refugees (country of origin): 39,919 (Liberia)

IDPs: 750,000 (2002 coup; most IDPs are in western regions) (2006)

Croatia

IDPs: 4,200-7,000 (Croats and Serbs displaced in 1992-95

war) (2006)

Cyprus

IDPs: 210,000 (both Turkish and Greek Cypriots; many

displaced for over 30 years) (2006)

Djibouti

refugees (country of origin): 9,828 (Somalia) (2006)

East Timor

IDPs: 150,000 (2006)

Ecuador

refugees (country of origin): 9,851 (Colombia), note - UNHCR

estimates as many as 250,000 Columbians are seeking asylum in

Ecuador, many of whom do not register as refugees for fear of

deportation (2006)

Egypt

refugees (country of origin): 100,000 (Iraq), 70,255

(Palestinian Territories), 13,446 (Sudan) (2006)

Eritrea

IDPs: 40,000-45,000 (border war with Ethiopia from

1998-2000; most IDPs are near the central border region) (2006)

Ethiopia

refugees (country of origin): 73,927 (Sudan), 15,901

(Somalia), 10,700 (Eritrea)

IDPs: 100,000-280,000 (border war with Eritrea from 1998-2000 and

ethnic clashes in Gambela; most IDPs are in Tigray and Gambela

Provinces) (2006)

Gabon

refugees (country of origin): 7,298 (Republic of Congo) (2006)

Gambia, The

refugees (country of origin): 5,955 (Sierra Leone) (2006)

Gaza Strip

refugees (country of origin): 993,818 (Palestinian

Refugees (UNRWA)) (2006)

Georgia

IDPs: 220,000-240,000 (displaced from Abkhazia and South

Ossetia) (2006)

Ghana

refugees (country of origin): 38,684 (Liberia), 14,136 (Togo)

(2006)

Guatemala

IDPs: undetermined (estimates vary from none to 1 million

displaced from government's scorched-earth offensive in 1980s

against indigenous people) (2006)

Guinea

refugees (country of origin): 54,810 (Liberia), 5,423 (Sierra

Leone), 3,900 (Cote d'Ivoire)

IDPs: 19,000 (cross-border incursions from Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia,

Sierra Leone) (2006)

Guinea-Bissau

refugees (country of origin): 7,320 (Senegal) (2006)

India

refugees (country of origin): 77,200 (Tibet/China), 50,730

(Sri Lanka), 9,700 (Afghanistan)

IDPs: at least 600,000 (about half are Kashmiri Pandits from Jammu

and Kashmir) (2006)

Indonesia

IDPs: 200,000-350,000 (government offensives against

rebels in Aceh; most IDPs in Aceh, Central Kalimantan, Central

Sulawesi Provinces, and Maluku), 300,000 (December 2006 floods in

Aceh regions) (2006)

Iran

refugees (country of origin): 662,355 (Afghanistan), 54,000

(Iraq) (2006)

Iraq

refugees (country of origin): 22,698 (Palestinian Territories),

13,382 (Iran), 13,332 (Turkey)

IDPs: 1.6 million (ongoing US-led war and Kurds' subsequent return)

(2006)

Israel

IDPs: 150,000-420,000 (Arab villagers displaced from homes in

northern Israel) (2006)

Jordan

refugees (country of origin): 1,835,704 (Palestinian Refugees

(UNRWA)), 700,000 (Iraq)

IDPs: 160,000 (1967 Arab-Israeli War) (2006)

Kazakhstan

refugees (country of origin): 5,000 (Russia) (2006)

Kenya

refugees (country of origin): 150,459 (Somalia), 76,646

(Sudan), 14,862 (Ethiopia)

IDPs: 431,150 (KANU attacks on opposition tribal groups in 1990s)

(2006)

Korea, North

IDPs: 50,000-250,000 (government repression and famine)

(2006)

Lebanon

refugees (country of origin): 405,425 (Palestinian Refugees

(UNRWA)), 20,000-40,000 (Iraq)

IDPs: 17,000 (1975-90 civil war, Israeli invasions), 200,000

(July-August 2006 war) (2006)

Liberia

refugees (country of origin): 6,592 (Cote d'Ivoire)

IDPs: 13,000 (civil war from 1990-2004; IDP resettlement began in

November 2004) (2006)

Libya

refugees (country of origin): 8,873 (Palestinian Territories)

(2006)

Macedonia

IDPs: fewer than 1,000 (ethnic conflict in 2001) (2006)

Malaysia

refugees (country of origin): 19,153 (Indonesia), 14,208

(Burma) (2006)

Maldives

IDPs: 10,000 (December 2004 tsunami victims) (2006)

Mali

refugees (country of origin): 6,165 (Mauritania) (2006)

Mexico

IDPs: 10,000-12,000 (government's quashing of Zapatista

uprising in 1994 in eastern Chiapas Region) (2006)

Namibia

refugees (country of origin): 11,900 (Angola) (2006)

Nepal

refugees (country of origin): 106,248 (Bhutan), 20,153

(Tibet/China)

IDPs: 100,000-200,000 (ongoing conflict between government forces

and Maoist rebels; displacement spread across the country) (2006)

Nigeria

refugees (country of origin): 6,051 (Liberia)

IDPs: undetermined (communal violence between Christians and Muslims

since President OBASANJO's election in 1999, displacement is mostly

short-term) (2006)

Pakistan

refugees (country of origin): 1,084,208 (Afghanistan)

IDPs: undetermined (government strikes on Islamic militants in South

Waziristan), 34,000 (October 2005 earthquake, most of those

displaced returned to their home villages in the spring of 2006)

(2006)

Papua New Guinea

refugees (country of origin): 9,991 (Indonesia)

(2006)

Peru

IDPs: 60,000 (civil war from 1980-2000; most IDPs are

indigenous peasants in Andean and Amazonian regions) (2005)

Philippines

IDPs: 60,000 (fighting between government troops and

MILF and Abu Sayyaf groups) (2006)

Russia

IDPs: 25,000-180,000 (displacement from Chechnya and North

Ossetia) (2006)

Rwanda

refugees (country of origin): 41,403 (Democratic Republic of

the Congo), 4,400 (Burundi) (2006)

Saudi Arabia

refugees (country of origin): 240,015 (Palestinian

Territories) (2006)

Senegal

refugees (country of origin): 19,712 (Mauritania)

IDPs: 22,400 (approximately 65 percent of the IDP population

returned in 2005 but new displacement is occurring due to clashes

between government troops and separatists in Casamance region) (2006)

Serbia

refugees (country of origin): 100,651 (Croatia), 46,951

(Bosnia and Herzegovina)

IDPs: 228,000 (mostly ethnic Serbs and Roma who fled Kosovo in 1999)

(2006)

Sierra Leone

refugees (country of origin): 59,952 (Liberia) (2006)

Somalia

IDPs: 400,000 (civil war since 1988, clan-based competition

for resources) (2006)

South Africa

refugees (country of origin): 10,609 (Democratic

Republic of Congo), 7,548 (Somalia), 5,764 (Angola) (2006)

Sri Lanka

IDPs: 500,000-600,000 (both Tamils and non-Tamils

displaced due to long-term Tamil conflict renewed in 2006) (2006)

Sudan

refugees (country of origin): 116,746 (Eritrea), 20,000

(Chad), 14,633 (Ethiopia), 7,901 (Uganda)

IDPs: 5,300,000 - 6,200,000 (internal conflict since 1980s; ongoing

genocide in Darfur region, IDP registration for return to South

Sudan started in 2005) (2006)

Syria

refugees (country of origin): 600,000 (Iraq), 434,896

(Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA))

IDPs: 305,000 (most displaced from Golan Heights during 1967

Arab-Israeli War) (2006)

Tanzania

refugees (country of origin): 393,611 (Burundi), 150,112

(Democratic Republic of the Congo) (2006)

Thailand

refugees (country of origin): 116,499 (Burma) (2006)

Togo

refugees (country of origin): 8,000 (Ghana)

IDPs: 1,500 (2006)

Turkey

IDPs: 1-1.2 million (fighting 1984-99 between Kurdish PKK and

Turkish military; most IDPs in southeastern provinces) (2006)

Turkmenistan

refugees (country of origin): 11,173 (Tajikistan) (2006)

Uganda

refugees (country of origin): 212,857 (Sudan), 20,564

(Democratic Republic of Congo), 20,213 (Rwanda)

IDPs: 1.2-1.7 million (350,000 IDPs returned in 2006 following

ongoing peace talks between the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and

Government of Uganda) (2006)

United States

refugees (country of origin): the US admitted 62,643

refugees during FY04/05 including, 10,586 (Somalia), 8,549 (Laos),

6,666 (Russia), 6,479 (Cuba), 3,100 (Haiti), 2,136 (Iran) (2006)

Uzbekistan

refugees (country of origin): 39,202 (Tajikistan)

IDPs: 3,400 (forced population transfers by government from villages

near Tajikistan border) (2006)

West Bank

refugees (country of origin): 705,207 (Palestinian

Refugees (UNRWA)) (2006)

World

the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

estimated that in December 2005 there was a global population of 8.4

million registered refugees, the lowest number in 26 years, and as

many as 23.7 million IDPs in more than 50 countries; the actual

global population of refugees is probably closer to 10 million given

the estimated 1.5 million Iraqi refugees displaced throughout the

Middle East (2006)

Yemen

refugees (country of origin): 78,582 (Somalia) (2006)

Zambia

refugees (country of origin): 75,468 (Angola), 61,243

(Democratic Republic of the Congo), 5,669 (Rwanda) (2006)

Zimbabwe

refugees (country of origin): 6,536 (Democratic Republic of

Congo)

IDPs: 569,685 (MUGABE-led political violence, human rights

violations, land reform, and economic collapse) (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2195 GDP (official exchange rate)

Afghanistan

$7.095 billion (2005 est.)

Albania

$9.306 billion (2006 est.)

Algeria

$92.22 billion (2006 est.)

American Samoa

$333.8 million (2005)

Andorra

NA

Angola

$28.37 billion (2006 est.)

Anguilla

$108.9 million (2004 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda

$905 million (2005 est.)

Argentina

$210 billion (2006 est.)

Armenia

$6.6 billion (2006 est.)

Aruba

$2.258 billion (2005 est.)

Australia

$645.3 billion (2006 est.)

Austria

$309.3 billion (2006 est.)

Azerbaijan

$14.05 billion (2006 est.)

Bahamas, The

$6.159 billion (2006 est.)

Bahrain

$12.12 billion (2006 est.)

Bangladesh

$69.02 billion (2006 est.)

Barbados

$3.157 billion (2006 est.)

Belarus

$28.56 billion (2006 est.)

Belgium

$367.8 billion (2006 est.)

Belize

$1.141 billion (2006 est.)

Benin

$4.622 billion (2006 est.)

Bermuda

NA

Bhutan

$840.5 million (2005 est.)

Bolivia

$10.22 billion (2006 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

$9.158 billion (2006 est.)

Botswana

$9.697 billion (2006 est.)

Brazil

$620.7 billion (2006 est.)

British Virgin Islands

$839.7 million (2003)

Brunei

$5.486 billion (2004 est.)

Bulgaria

$27.85 billion (2006 est.)

Burkina Faso

$5.821 billion (2006 est.)

Burma

$7.845 billion (2006 est.)

Burundi

$778.9 million (2006 est.)

Cambodia

$5.122 billion (2006 est.)

Cameroon

$16.37 billion (2006 est.)

Canada

$1.089 trillion (2006 est.)

Cape Verde

$1.128 billion (2005 est.)

Cayman Islands

NA

Central African Republic

$1.542 billion (2006 est.)

Chad

$5.255 billion (2006 est.)

Chile

$100.3 billion (2006 est.)

China

$2.512 trillion (2006 est.)

Colombia

$105.5 billion (2006 est.)

Comoros

$402 million (2005 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

$8.061 billion (2006 est.)

Congo, Republic of the

$5.093 billion (2006 est.)

Cook Islands

$183.2 million (2005 est.)

Costa Rica

$20.77 billion (2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

$17.19 billion (2006 est.)

Croatia

$37.35 billion (2006 est.)

Cuba

$40 billion (2006 est.)

Cyprus

Republic of Cyprus: $16.35 billion (2006 est.)

Czech Republic

$118.9 billion (2006 est.)

Denmark

$256.3 billion (2006 est.)

Djibouti

$702 million (2005 est.)

Dominica

$279 million (2005)

Dominican Republic

$19.91 billion (2006 est.)

East Timor

$349 million (2005)

Ecuador

$32.57 billion (2006 est.)

Egypt

$84.51 billion (2006 est.)

El Salvador

$15.14 billion (2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

$7.644 billion (2005 est.)

Eritrea

$1.244 billion (2005 est.)

Estonia

$13.62 billion (2006 est.)

Ethiopia

$9.789 billion (2006 est.)

European Union

$13.62 trillion (2006 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

NA

Faroe Islands

NA

Fiji

$2.038 billion (2006 est.)

Finland

$196.2 billion (2006 est.)

France

$2.154 trillion (2006 est.)

French Polynesia

NA

Gabon

$7.052 billion (2006 est.)

Gambia, The

$461.2 million (2006 est.)

Gaza Strip

NA

Georgia

$5.272 billion (2006 est.)

Germany

$2.858 trillion (2006 est.)

Ghana

$10.18 billion (2006 est.)

Gibraltar

NA

Greece

$222.5 billion (2006 est.)

Greenland

NA

Grenada

$454 million (2005)

Guam

$2.773 billion (2001)

Guatemala

$28.84 billion (2006 est.)

Guernsey

$2.742 billion (2005)

Guinea

$3.737 billion (2006 est.)

Guinea-Bissau

$295.1 million (2006 est.)

Guyana

$826.6 million (2006 est.)

Haiti

$5.947 billion (2006 est.)

Honduras

$8.414 billion (2006 est.)

Hong Kong

$187.1 billion (2006 est.)

Hungary

$113.1 billion (2006 est.)

Iceland

$13.85 billion (2006 est.)

India

$796.1 billion (2006 est.)

Indonesia

$264.4 billion (2006 est.)

Iran

$194.8 billion (2006 est.)

Iraq

$46.5 billion (2006 est.)

Ireland

$202.9 billion (2006 est.)

Isle of Man

$2.26 billion (2003)

Israel

$121.6 billion (2006 est.)

Italy

$1.78 trillion (2006 est.)

Jamaica

$8.579 billion (2006 est.)

Japan

$4.911 trillion (2006 est.)

Jersey

NA

Jordan

$12.32 billion (2006 est.)

Kazakhstan

$52.6 billion (2006 est.)

Kenya

$17.39 billion (2006 est.)

Kiribati

$76.4 million (2005 est.)

Korea, North

NA

Korea, South

$768.5 billion (2006 est.)

Kuwait

$58.3 billion (2006 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

$2.24 billion (2006 est.)

Laos

$2.768 billion (2006 est.)

Latvia

$16.13 billion (2006 est.)

Lebanon

$19.62 billion (2006 est.)

Lesotho

$1.419 billion (2006 est.)

Liberia

$902.9 million (2006 est.)

Libya

$34.83 billion (2006 est.)

Liechtenstein

$2.487 billion (2001)

Lithuania

$25.78 billion (2006 est.)

Luxembourg

$34.37 billion (2006 est.)

Macau

$11.56 billion (2005)

Macedonia

$5.649 billion (2006 est.)

Madagascar

$5.097 billion (2006 est.)

Malawi

$2.172 billion (2006 est.)

Malaysia

$131.8 billion (2006 est.)

Maldives

$817 million (2005 est.)

Mali

$5.847 billion (2006 est.)

Malta

$5.39 billion (2006 est.)

Marshall Islands

$144 million (2005)

Mauritania

$1.641 billion (2006 est.)

Mauritius

$7.135 billion (2006 est.)

Mayotte

NA

Mexico

$741.5 billion (2006 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of

$232 million (2005)

Moldova

$2.588 billion (2006 est.)

Monaco

NA

Mongolia

$1.54 billion (2006 est.)

Montenegro

$4.744 billion (2006 est.)

Montserrat

NA

Morocco

$56.72 billion (2006 est.)

Mozambique

$6.431 billion (2006 est.)

Namibia

$5.304 billion (2006 est.)

Nauru

NA

Nepal

$7.154 billion (2006 est.)

Netherlands

$612.7 billion (2006 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

NA

New Caledonia

NA

New Zealand

$98.77 billion (2006 est.)

Nicaragua

$4.816 billion (2006 est.)

Niger

$3.638 billion (2006 est.)

Nigeria

$83.36 billion (2006 est.)

Niue

$10.01 million (2003)

Northern Mariana Islands

$633.4 million (2000)

Norway

$261.7 billion (2006 est.)

Oman

$27.23 billion (2006 est.)

Pakistan

$124 billion (2006 est.)

Palau

$145 million (2005)

Panama

$16.2 billion (2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea

$4.148 billion (2006 est.)

Paraguay

$7.696 billion (2006 est.)

Peru

$76.09 billion (2006 est.)

Philippines

$98.48 billion (2006 est.)

Poland

$265.4 billion (2006 est.)

Portugal

$176.6 billion (2006 est.)

Puerto Rico

NA (2006 est.)

Qatar

$30.76 billion (2006 est.)

Romania

$79.17 billion (2006 est.)

Russia

$733 billion (2006 est.)

Rwanda

$1.968 billion (2006 est.)

Saint Helena

NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis

$453 million (2005)

Saint Lucia

$825 million (2005)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

$428 million (2005)

Samoa

$399 million (2005)

San Marino

$880 million (2002)

Sao Tome and Principe

$71.38 million (2005 est.)

Saudi Arabia

$286.2 billion (2006 est.)

Senegal

$8.562 billion (2006 est.)

Serbia

$19.19 billion for Serbia alone (excluding Kosovo) (2006 est.)

Seychelles

$712 million (2006 est.)

Sierra Leone

$1.233 billion (2006 est.)

Singapore

$121.5 billion (2006 est.)

Slovakia

$46.9 billion (2006 est.)

Slovenia

$37.64 billion (2006 est.)

Solomon Islands

$286 million (2005)

Somalia

$2.483 billion (2006 est.)

South Africa

$200.5 billion (2006 est.)

Spain

$1.081 trillion (2006 est.)

Sri Lanka

$23.52 billion (2006 est.)

Sudan

$25.5 billion (2006 est.)

Suriname

$1.398 billion (2006 est.)

Swaziland

$2.212 billion (2006 est.)

Sweden

$371.5 billion (2006 est.)

Switzerland

$386.8 billion (2006 est.)

Syria

$27.23 billion (2006 est.)

Taiwan

$353.9 billion (2006 est.)

Tajikistan

$2.066 billion (2006 est.)

Tanzania

$13.13 billion (2006 est.)

Thailand

$196.6 billion (2006 est.)

Togo

$2.109 billion (2006 est.)

Tokelau

NA

Tonga

$244 million (2005 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

$14.99 billion (2006 est.)

Tunisia

$32.95 billion (2006 est.)

Turkey

$358.2 billion (2006 est.)

Turkmenistan

$16.16 billion (2006 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

NA

Tuvalu

$14.94 million (2002)

Uganda

$8.502 billion (2006 est.)

Ukraine

$81.53 billion (2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates

$110.6 billion (2006 est.)

United Kingdom

$2.341 trillion (2006 est.)

United States

$13.22 trillion (2006 est.)

Uruguay

$14.3 billion (2006 est.)

Uzbekistan

$10.78 billion (2006 est.)

Vanuatu

$341 million (2005)

Venezuela

$147.9 billion (2006 est.)

Vietnam

$48.26 billion (2006 est.)

Virgin Islands

NA

Wallis and Futuna

NA

West Bank

$3.45 billion (2003)

Western Sahara

NA

World

$46.66 trillion (2006 est.)

Yemen

$15.16 billion (2006 est.)

Zambia

$5.806 billion (2006 est.)

Zimbabwe

$3.146 billion (2006 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@2196 Trafficking in persons

Algeria

current situation: Algeria is a transit and destination

country for men, women, and children from sub-Saharan Africa and

Asia trafficked for forced labor and sexual exploitation; many

victims willingly migrate to Algeria en route to European countries

with the help of smugglers, where they are often forced into

prostitution, labor, and begging to pay off their smuggling debt;

armed militants reportedly traffic women for sexual exploitation and

involuntary servitude, and children may be trafficked for forced

labor as domestic servants or street vendors

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Algeria took no steps to assess the

scope of trafficking in the country and reported no investigations

or prosecutions for trafficking offenses this year

Argentina

current situation: Argentina is primarily a destination

country for women and children trafficked for sexual and labor

exploitation with most victims trafficked internally, from rural to

urban areas, for exploitation in prostitution; foreign women and

children trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation come

primarily from Paraguay, but also from Bolivia, Brazil, the

Dominican Republic, Colombia, and Chile; Bolivians are trafficked

for forced labor; Argentine women and girls are also trafficked to

neighboring countries for sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Argentina failed to show evidence

of increasing efforts to combat trafficking particularly in the key

area of prosecutions; government efforts to improve interagency

anti-trafficking coordination did not achieve significant progress

in moving cases against traffickers through the judicial system; the

government made progress in other areas, by submitting

anti-trafficking legislation to Congress in August 2005 and

sensitizing provincial and municipal government officials to the

trafficking problem

Armenia

current situation: Armenia is a major source and, to a

lesser extent, a transit and destination country for women and girls

trafficked for sexual exploitation largely to the UAE and Turkey;

traffickers, many of them women, route victims directly into Dubai

or through Moscow; profits derived from the trafficking of Armenian

victims reportedly increased dramatically from 2005

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Armenia has failed to show evidence

of increasing efforts, particularly in the areas of enforcement,

trafficking-related corruption, and victim protection; the

government increased implementation of its anti-trafficking law, but

failed to impose significant penalties for convicted traffickers and

failed to vigorously investigate and prosecute ongoing and

widespread allegations of public officials' complicity in

trafficking; victim protection efforts remain in early, formative

stages and a lack of sensitivity for victims remains a problem,

particularly in the judiciary

Bahrain

current situation: Bahrain is a destination country for men

and women from South and Southeast Asia who migrate willingly to

work as laborers or domestic servants, but may be subjected to

conditions of involuntary servitude when faced with exorbitant

recruitment and transportation fees, withholding of their passports,

restrictions on their movement, non-payment of wages, and physical

or sexual abuse; Eastern European women are also believed to be

trafficked to Bahrain for the purpose of commercial sexual

exploitation or forced labor

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Bahrain's efforts to address

trafficking in persons are based largely on pledges of future

efforts; the government did not enact a comprehensive

anti-trafficking law extending labor protection to domestic workers

Belize

current situation: Belize is a source, transit, and

destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the

purposes of labor and sexual exploitation; women and girls are

trafficked mainly from Central America, and exploited in

prostitution; children are trafficked to Belize for labor

exploitation; Belize's largely unmonitored borders with Guatemala,

Honduras, and Mexico facilitate the movement of illegal migrants who

are vulnerable to traffickers; girls are trafficked within the

country for sexual exploitation, sometimes with the consent and

complicity of their close relatives; there are unconfirmed reports

that Indian and Chinese migrants are trafficked for involuntary

servitude in homes and shops

tier rating: Tier 3 - Belize has failed to show evidence of

significant law enforcement or victim protection efforts

Bolivia

current situation: Bolivia is a source and transit country

for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of labor

and sexual exploitation to Argentina, Brazil, and Chile, as well as

to Spain; children are trafficked internally for sexual

exploitation, forced mining, and agricultural labor; illegal

migrants from Asia transiting Bolivia are vulnerable as trafficking

victims

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Bolivia has failed to show evidence

of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in the areas of

prosecutions and victim protection

Brazil

current situation: Brazil is a source and destination country

for women and girls trafficked for sexual exploitation within Brazil

and to destinations in South America, the Caribbean, Western Europe,

Japan, the US, and the Middle East, and for men trafficked within

the country for forced agricultural labor; child sex tourism is a

problem within the country, particularly in the resort areas and

coastal cities of Brazil's northeast; foreign victims from Bolivia,

Peru, China, and Korea are trafficked to Brazil for labor

exploitation in factories

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Brazil has failed to show evidence

of increasing efforts to fight trafficking, specifically for its

failure to apply effective criminal penalties against traffickers

who exploit forced labor

Burma

current situation: Burma is a source country for men, women,

and children trafficked to East and Southeast Asia for sexual

exploitation, domestic service, and forced commercial labor; a

significant number of victims are economic migrants who wind up in

forced or bonded labor and forced prostitution; to a lesser extent,

Burma is a country of transit and destination for women trafficked

from China for sexual exploitation; internal trafficking of persons

occurs primarily for labor in industrial zones and agricultural

estates; internal trafficking of women and girls for sexual

exploitation occurs from villages to urban centers and other areas;

the military junta's economic mismanagement, human rights abuses,

and policy of using forced labor are driving factors behind Burma's

large trafficking problem

tier rating: Tier 3 - Burma does not fully comply with the minimum

standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making

significant efforts to do so

Cambodia

current situation: Cambodia is a source, destination, and

transit country for men, women, and children trafficked for the

purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor; a significant

number of women and children are trafficked to Thailand and Malaysia

for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; men are

trafficked primarily to Thailand for forced labor in the

construction and agricultural sectors, particularly the fishing

industry, while women and girls are trafficked for factory and

domestic work; children are trafficked to Vietnam and Thailand for

the purpose of forced begging; Cambodia is a transit and destination

point for women from Vietnam trafficked for sexual exploitation;

trafficking for sexual exploitation also occurs within Cambodia's

borders, from rural areas to the cities

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Cambodia does not fully comply with

the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however,

it is committed to making significant efforts to sustain progress

over the coming year

Central African Republic

current situation: Central African Republic

is a source and destination country for children trafficked for

domestic servitude, sexual exploitation, and forced labor in shops

and commercial labor activities; while the majority of child victims

are trafficked within the country, some are also trafficked to and

from Cameroon and Nigeria

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - the Central African Republic failed

to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in

persons during 2005, specifically its inadequate law enforcement

response to trafficking crimes

China

current situation: China is a source, transit, and destination

country for women, men, and children trafficked for purposes of

sexual exploitation and forced labor; the majority of trafficking in

China is internal, but there is also international trafficking of

Chinese citizens; women are lured through false promises of

legitimate employment into commercial sexual exploitation in Taiwan,

Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan; Chinese men and women are smuggled to

countries throughout the world at enormous personal expense and then

forced into commercial sexual exploitation or exploitative labor to

repay debts to traffickers; women and children are trafficked into

China from Mongolia, Burma, North Korea, Russia, and Vietnam for

forced labor, marriage, and sexual slavery; most North Koreans enter

northeastern China voluntarily, but others reportedly are trafficked

into China from North Korea; domestic trafficking remains the most

significant problem in China, with an estimated minimum of

10,000-20,000 victims trafficked each year; the actual number of

victims could be much greater; some experts believe that the serious

and prolonged imbalance in the male-female birth ratio may now be

contributing to Chinese and foreign girls and women being trafficked

as potential brides

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - China failed to show evidence of

increasing efforts to address transnational trafficking; while the

government provides reasonable protection to internal victims of

trafficking, protection for Chinese and foreign victims of

transnational trafficking remain inadequate

Cuba

current situation: Cuba is a source country for women and

children trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and

forced child labor; Cuba is a major destination for sex tourism,

which largely caters to European, Canadian, and Latin American

tourists and involves large numbers of minors; there are reports

that Cuban women have been trafficked to Mexico for sexual

exploitation; forced labor victims also include children coerced

into working in commercial agriculture

tier rating: Tier 3 - Cuba does not fully comply with the minimum

standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making

significant efforts to do so

Cyprus

current situation: Cyprus is primarily a destination country

for a large number of women trafficked from Eastern and Central

Europe, the Philippines, and the Dominican Republic for the purpose

of sexual exploitation; traffickers continued to fraudulently

recruit victims for work as dancers in cabarets and nightclubs on

short-term "artiste" visas, for work in pubs and bars on employment

visas, or for illegal work on tourist or student visas; there were

credible reports of female domestic workers from India, Sri Lanka,

and the Philippines forced to work excessively long hours and denied

proper compensation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Cyprus does not fully comply with

the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and failed

to show evidence of increasing efforts to address its serious

trafficking for sexual exploitation problem; however, it is making

significant efforts to do so

Djibouti

current situation: Djibouti is a source, transit, and

destination country for women and children trafficked for the

purposes of sexual exploitation and possibly forced labor; small

numbers are trafficked from Ethiopia and Somalia for sexual

exploitation; economic migrants from these countries also fall

victim to trafficking upon reaching Djibouti City or the

Ethiopia-Djibouti trucking corridor; women and children from

neighboring countries reportedly transit Djibouti to Arab countries

and Somalia for ultimate use in forced labor or sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Djibouti does not fully comply with

the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however,

it is making significant efforts to do so based partly on the

government's commitments to undertake future action

Egypt

current situation: Egypt is a transit country for women

trafficked from Eastern Europe to Israel for the purpose of sexual

exploitation; these women generally arrive as tourists and are

subsequently trafficked through the Sinai Desert by Bedouin tribes;

men and women from sub-Saharan Africa and Asia are believed to be

trafficked through the Sinai Desert to Israel and Europe for labor

exploitation; some Egyptian children from rural areas are trafficked

within the country to work as domestic servants or laborers in the

agriculture industry

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Egypt is placed on the Tier 2 Watch

List for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to

address trafficking over the past year, particularly in the area of

law enforcement

Equatorial Guinea

current situation: Equatorial Guinea is a transit

and destination country for women and children trafficked for forced

labor, involuntary domestic servitude, and commercial sexual

exploitation from surrounding countries - primarily Benin, Nigeria,

Mali, and Cameroon; victims work in the agricultural and commercial

sectors of Malabo and Bata, where demand is high due to a booming

oil sector; children work as farmhands, street vendors, or household

servants; girls and women are also trafficked for commercial sexual

exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Equatorial Guinea is placed on the

Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide adequate evidence of

concrete measures to address trafficking over the past year

India

current situation: India is a source, destination, and transit

country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of

forced or bonded labor and commercial sexual exploitation; the large

population of men, women, and children - numbering in the millions -

in debt bondage face involuntary servitude in brick kilns, rice

mills, and embroidery factories, while some children endure

involuntary servitude as domestic servants; internal trafficking of

women and girls for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation

and forced marriage also occurs; the government estimates that 90

percent of India's sex trafficking is internal; India is also a

destination for women and girls from Nepal and Bangladesh trafficked

for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; boys from

Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh are trafficked through India

to the Gulf states for involuntary servitude as child camel jockeys;

Indian men and women migrate willingly to the Persian Gulf region

for work as domestic servants and low-skilled laborers, but some

later find themselves in situations of involuntary servitude

including extended working hours, nonpayment of wages, restrictions

on their movement by withholding of their passports or confinement

to the home, and physical or sexual abuse

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - India has been on the Tier 2 Watch

List since 2004 for its failure to show evidence of increasing

efforts to address trafficking in persons

Indonesia

current situation: Indonesia is a source, transit, and

destination country for women, children and men trafficked for the

purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor; Indonesian victims

are trafficked to Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Hong Kong,

Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore; a significant number of

Indonesian women who go overseas each year to work as domestic

servants or "cultural performers" are subjected to conditions of

involuntary servitude and commercial sexual exploitation; to a

minimal extent, Indonesia is a destination for women from East Asia,

Europe, and South America who are trafficked for sexual

exploitation; there is extensive trafficking within Indonesia from

rural to urban metropolitan areas particularly for sexual

exploitation and involuntary domestic servitude

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Indonesia is placed on the Tier 2

Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts

to combat trafficking

Iran

current situation: Iran is a source, transit, and destination

country for women and girls trafficked for the purposes of sexual

exploitation and involuntary servitude; according to foreign

observers, women and girls are trafficked to Pakistan, Turkey, the

Persian Gulf, and Europe for sexual exploitation, while boys from

Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan are trafficked through Iran en

route to Persian Gulf states where they are ultimately forced to

work as camel jockeys, beggars, or laborers; Afghan women and girls

are trafficked to the country for forced marriages and sexual

exploitation; women and children are also trafficked internally for

the purposes of forced marriage, sexual exploitation, and

involuntary servitude

tier rating: Tier 3 - Iran is downgraded to Tier 3 after persistent,

credible reports of Iranian authorities punishing victims of

trafficking with beatings, imprisonment, and execution

Israel

current situation: Israel is a destination country for

low-skilled workers from Eastern Europe and Asia who migrate

voluntarily for contract labor in the construction, agriculture, and

health care industries, some of whom are subsequently subjected to

conditions of involuntary servitude; many labor recruitment agencies

in source countries and in Israel require workers to pay large

up-front fees that often lead to debt bondage and vulnerability to

forced labor; Israel is also a destination country for women

trafficked from Eastern Europe for the purpose of sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Israel is placed on the Tier 2

Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts

to address trafficking, namely the conditions of involuntary

servitude allegedly facing thousands of foreign migrant workers

Jamaica

current situation: Jamaica is a source country for men,

women, and children trafficked for the purposes of sexual

exploitation and labor; information suggests that women from the

Dominican Republic and Eastern Europe are also trafficked to Jamaica

for sexual exploitation; women and children are trafficked

internally from rural to urban and tourist areas for sexual

exploitation; there may also be trafficking for domestic servitude

and forced labor

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Jamaica is placed on the Tier 2

Watch List based on the determination that it is making significant

efforts to undertake future action

Kenya

current situation: Kenya is a source, transit, and destination

country for men, women, and children trafficked for forced labor and

sexual exploitation; children are trafficked within the country for

domestic servitude, street vending, agricultural labor, and sexual

exploitation; men, women, and girls are trafficked to the Middle

East, other African nations, Western Europe, and North America for

domestic servitude, enslavement in massage parlors and brothels, and

manual labor; Chinese women trafficked for sexual exploitation

reportedly transit Nairobi and Bangladeshis may transit Kenya for

forced labor in other countries

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Kenya is placed on the Tier 2 Watch

List due to a lack of evidence of increasing efforts to combat

severe forms of trafficking

Korea, North

current situation: North Korea is a source country for

men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor

and sexual exploitation; North Korea's own system of political

repression includes forced labor in a network of prison camps where

an estimated 150,000 to 200,000 persons are incarcerated; the

illegal status of North Koreans in China and other countries

increases their vulnerability to trafficking schemes and sexual and

physical abuse; North Koreans forcibly returned from China may be

subject to hard labor in prison camps operated by the government

tier rating: Tier 3 - North Korea does not fully comply with minimum

standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making

significant efforts to do so

Kuwait

current situation: Kuwait is a destination country for men

and women who migrate legally from South and Southeast Asia for

domestic or low-skilled labor, but are subjected to conditions of

involuntary servitude by employers in Kuwait including conditions of

physical and sexual abuse, non-payment of wages, confinement to the

home, and withholding of passports to restrict their freedom of

movement; Kuwait is reportedly a transit point for South and East

Asian workers recruited for low-skilled work in Iraq; some of these

workers are deceived as to the true location and nature of this

work, and others are subjected to conditions of involuntary

servitude in Iraq; in past years, Kuwait was also a destination

country for children exploited as camel jockeys, but this form of

trafficking appears to have ceased

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Kuwait is placed on the Tier 2

Watch List because its efforts are based largely on pledges of

future actions

Laos

current situation: Laos is a source country for men and women

trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation;

a significant number are economic migrants who are subjected to

commercial sexual exploitation or conditions of forced or bonded

labor in Thailand; to a lesser extent, Laos is a transit and

destination country for women who are trafficked for sexual

exploitation including a small number of victims from China and

Vietnam trafficked to work as street vendors and for sexual

exploitation in prostitution

tier rating: Tier 3 - Laos does not fully comply with the minimum

standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making

significant efforts to do so

Libya

current situation: Libya is a transit and destination country

for men, women, and children from sub-Saharan Africa and Asia

trafficked for forced labor and sexual exploitation; many victims

willingly migrate to Libya en route to Europe with the help of

smugglers, but may be forced into prostitution or work as laborers

and beggars to pay off their $800-$1,200 smuggling debt; laborers

from Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia are reportedly trafficked to Libya

for the purpose of labor exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Libya is placed on the Tier 2 Watch

List for its lack of evidence of increasing efforts to address

trafficking since 2004

Macau

current situation: Macau is a transit and destination

territory for women trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual

exploitation; most females in Macau's sizeable sex industry come

from the interior regions of China or Mongolia, though a significant

number also come from Russia, Eastern Europe, Thailand, and Vietnam;

the majority of women in Macau's prostitution trade appear to have

entered Macau and the sex trade voluntarily, though there is

evidence that some are deceived or coerced into sexual servitude,

often through the use of debt bondage; organized criminal syndicates

are reportedly involved in bringing women to Macau, and fear of

reprisals from these groups may prevent some women from seeking help

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Macau is placed on the Tier 2 Watch

List for failing to show evidence of increasing efforts to address

trafficking since 2004

Malaysia

current situation: Malaysia is a destination and, to a

lesser extent, a source and transit country for men and women

trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor;

foreign victims, mostly women and girls from China, Indonesia,

Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam, are trafficked to Malaysia

for commercial sexual exploitation; economic migrants from countries

in the region who work as domestic servants or laborers in the

construction and agricultural sectors face exploitative conditions

in Malaysia that meet the definition of involuntary servitude; some

Malaysian women, primarily of Chinese ethnicity, are trafficked

abroad for sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Malaysia is placed on Tier 2 Watch

List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to

combat trafficking, particularly its failure to provide protection

for victims of trafficking

Mauritania

current situation: Mauritania is a source and destination

country for children trafficked for the purpose of forced labor,

begging, and domestic servitude; adults and children are subjected

to slavery-related practices rooted in ancestral master-slave

relationships in isolated parts of the country where a barter

economy exists

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Mauritania is placed on the Tier 2

Watch List for its failure to show evidence of increased efforts to

combat trafficking, particularly in the area of law enforcement

Mexico

current situation: Mexico is a source, transit, and

destination country for persons trafficked for sexual exploitation

and labor; while the vast majority of victims are Central Americans

trafficked along Mexico's southern border, other source regions

include South America, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, Africa, and

Asia; women and children are trafficked from rural regions to urban

centers and tourist areas for sexual exploitation, often through

fraudulent offers of employment or through threats of physical

violence; the Mexican trafficking problem is often conflated with

alien smuggling, and frequently the same criminal networks are

involved; pervasive corruption among state and local law enforcement

often impedes investigations

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Mexico remains on the Tier 2 Watch

List for the third consecutive year based on future commitments to

undertake additional efforts in prosecution, protection, and

prevention of trafficking in persons, and the failure of the

government to provide critical law enforcement data

Oman

current situation: Oman is a destination country for men and

women primarily from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India who migrate

willingly, but may subsequently become victims of trafficking when

subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude as domestic workers

and laborers; there have been occasional reports that expatriate

children engaged in camel racing may transit or reside in Omani

territory

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Oman is placed on the Tier 2 Watch

List because of a lack of evidence of increasing efforts to combat

severe forms of trafficking in persons in 2005

Peru

current situation: Peru is primarily a source country for women

and children trafficked internally for the purposes of sexual

exploitation and forced domestic labor; most victims are girls and

young women moved internally from rural to urban areas, or from city

to city, and lured or coerced into prostitution in nightclubs, bars,

and brothels; Peruvians have also been trafficked for sexual

exploitation to Spain, Japan, the United States, and Venezuela; the

government acknowledges that sex tourism occurs, particularly in the

Amazon region of the country

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Peru is placed on the Tier 2 Watch

List for failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to eliminate

trafficking in 2005

Qatar

current situation: Qatar is a destination country for men and

women from South and Southeast Asia who migrate willingly, but are

subsequently trafficked into involuntary servitude as domestic

workers and laborers; the problem of trafficking of foreign children

as camel jockeys was thoroughly addressed by government action in

2005, but independent confirmation of the problem's complete

elimination is not yet available

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Qatar has made noticeable progress

in rescuing and repatriating child camel jockeys, establishing a

shelter for abused domestic workers, and creating hotlines to

register complaints; however, Qatar is placed on the Tier 2 Watch

List for its failure to provide sufficient evidence of increasing

efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2005, particularly with

regard to labor exploitation

Russia

current situation: Russia is a source, transit, and

destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for

various purposes; it remains a significant source of women

trafficked to over 50 countries for commercial sexual exploitation;

Russia is also a transit and destination country for men and women

trafficked from Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and North Korea to

Central and Western Europe and the Middle East for purposes of

forced labor and sexual exploitation; internal trafficking remains a

problem in Russia with women trafficked from rural areas to urban

centers for commercial sexual exploitation, and men are trafficked

internally and from Central Asia for forced labor in the

construction and agricultural industries; debt bondage is common

among trafficking victims, and child sex tourism remains a concern

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Russia is placed on the Tier 2

Watch List for a third consecutive year for its continued failure to

show evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking,

particularly in the area of victim protection and assistance

Saudi Arabia

current situation: Saudi Arabia is a destination

country for workers from South and Southeast Asia who are subjected

to conditions that constitute involuntary servitude including being

subjected to physical and sexual abuse, non-payment of wages,

confinement, and withholding of passports as a restriction on their

movement; domestic workers are particularly vulnerable because some

are confined to the house in which they work, unable to seek help;

Saudi Arabia is also a destination country for Nigerian, Yemeni,

Pakistani, Afghan, Somali, Malian, and Sudanese children trafficked

for forced begging and involuntary servitude as street vendors; some

Nigerian women were reportedly trafficked into Saudi Arabia for

commercial sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 3 - Saudi Arabia does not fully comply with the

minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not

making significant efforts to do so

South Africa

current situation: South Africa is a source, transit,

and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for

forced labor and sexual exploitation; women and girls are trafficked

internally - and occasionally to European and Asian countries - for

sexual exploitation; women from other African countries are

trafficked to South Africa and, less frequently, onward to Europe

for sexual exploitation; men and boys are trafficked from

neighboring countries for forced agricultural labor; Asian and

Eastern European women are trafficked to South Africa for

debt-bonded sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - South Africa is placed on the Tier

2 Watch List for its failure to show increasing efforts to address

trafficking in 2005

Sudan

current situation: Sudan is a source country for men, women,

and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual

exploitation; Sudan may also be a transit and destination country

for Ethiopian women trafficked for domestic servitude; boys are

trafficked to the Middle East, particularly Qatar and the United

Arab Emirates, for use as camel jockeys; small numbers of girls are

reportedly trafficked within Sudan for domestic servitude, as well

as for commercial sexual exploitation in small brothels in

internally displaced persons (IDP) camps; the terrorist rebel

organization "Lord's Resistance Army" (LRA) continues to abduct and

forcibly conscript small numbers of children in Southern Sudan for

use as cooks, porters, and combatants in its ongoing war against

Uganda; some of these children are then trafficked across borders

into Uganda or possibly the Democratic Republic of the Congo;

children are utilized by rebel groups and the Sudanese Armed Forces

and associated militias in the ongoing conflict in Darfur; during

the decades of civil war, thousands of Dinka women and children were

enslaved by members of Baggara tribes and subjected to various forms

of forced labor without remuneration, as well as physical and sexual

abuse; with the cessation of the North-South conflict and the

ongoing peace process, there were no known new abductions of Dinka

by Baggara tribes during 2005; however, inter-tribal abductions of a

different nature continue in Southern Sudan and warrant further

investigation

tier rating: Tier 3 - Sudan does not fully comply with the minimum

standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making

significant efforts to do so

Syria

current situation: Syria is a destination country for women

from South and Southeast Asia and Africa for domestic servitude and

from Eastern Europe and Iraq for sexual exploitation; women are

recruited for work in Syria as domestic servants, but some face

conditions of exploitation and involuntary servitude including long

hours, non-payment of wages, withholding of passports and other

restrictions on movement, and physical and sexual abuse; Eastern

European women recruited for work in Syria as cabaret dancers are

not permitted to leave their work premises without permission and

have their passports withheld; some displaced Iraqi women and

children are reportedly forced into sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 3 - Syria does not fully comply with the minimum

standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making

significant efforts to do so

Taiwan

current situation: Taiwan is primarily a destination for men,

women, and children trafficked for forced labor and sexual

exploitation; women from China and Southeast Asian countries are

trafficked for sexual exploitation and forced labor; women and

children, primarily from Vietnam, are trafficked through the use of

fraudulent marriages, deceptive employment offers, and illegal

smuggling for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; a

significant share of foreign workers - primarily from Vietnam,

Thailand, and the Philippines - are recruited legally for

low-skilled jobs, and are subjected to forced labor or involuntary

servitude by labor agencies or employers upon arrival in Taiwan; to

a much lesser extent, there is internal trafficking of children for

sexual exploitation and trafficking of a small and declining number

of Taiwanese women to Japan for commercial sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Taiwan is placed on the Tier 2

Watch List for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts

over the past year to address trafficking, despite ample resources

to do so, particularly the serious level of forced labor and sexual

servitude among legally migrating Southeast Asian contract workers

and brides

Togo

current situation: Togo is a source, transit, and destination

country for children, women, and men trafficked for forced labor and

sexual exploitation; the majority of victims are children, and

trafficking within the country is more prevalent than international

trafficking; children are trafficked to work as domestic servants,

produce porters, roadside sellers, agricultural laborers, and for

sexual exploitation; Togolese women may be trafficked to Europe for

forced labor and sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Togo is placed on the Tier 2 Watch

List for failure to show evidence of increased efforts to combat

trafficking over the past year, particularly in the areas of

prosecution and protection

United Arab Emirates

current situation: the United Arab Emirates is

a destination country for men, women, and children trafficked from

South and East Asia, Eastern Europe, Africa, and the Middle East for

involuntary servitude and for sexual exploitation; an estimated

10,000 women from sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe, South and East

Asia, Iraq, Iran, and Morocco may be victims of sex trafficking in

the UAE; women also migrate from Africa, and South and Southeast

Asia to work as domestic servants, but may have their passports

confiscated, be denied permission to leave the place of employment

in the home, or face sexual or physical abuse by their employers;

men from South Asia come to the UAE to work in the construction

industry, but may be subjected to conditions of involuntary

servitude as they are coerced to pay off recruitment and travel

costs, sometimes having their wages denied for months at a time;

victims of child camel jockey trafficking may still remain in the

UAE, despite a July 2005 law banning the practice; while all

identified victims were repatriated at the government's expense to

their home countries, questions persist as to the effectiveness of

the ban and the true number of victims

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - UAE is placed on the Tier 2 Watch

List for its failure to show increased efforts to combat trafficking

in 2005, particularly in its efforts to address the large-scale

trafficking of foreign girls and women for commercial sexual

exploitation

Uzbekistan

current situation: Uzbekistan is a source and, to a

lesser extent, a transit country for women trafficked to Asia and

the Middle East for the purpose of sexual exploitation; women from

other Central Asian countries and China are trafficked through

Uzbekistan; men are trafficked for purposes of forced labor in the

construction and agricultural industries to Ukraine, Russia,

Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan; men and women are also trafficked within

the country

tier rating: Tier 3 - Uzbekistan is placed on Tier 3 because it

failed to fulfill commitments by the country to take additional

steps during 2005, including the adoption of comprehensive

anti-trafficking legislation, criminal code amendments to raise

trafficking penalties, support to the country's first trafficking

shelter, and approval of a national action plan

Venezuela

current situation: Venezuela is a source, transit, and

destination country for women and children trafficked for the

purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor; women and children

from Colombia, China, Peru, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic are

trafficked to and through Venezuela and subjected to commercial

sexual exploitation or forced labor; Venezuelans are trafficked

internally and to Western Europe, particularly Spain and the

Netherlands, and to countries in the Caribbean region for commercial

sexual exploitation; Venezuela is a transit country for illegal

migrants from other countries in the region and for Asian nationals,

some are believed to be trafficking victims

tier rating: Tier 3 - Venezuela does not fully comply with the

minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not

making significant efforts to do so

World

current situation: about 600,000 to 800,000 people, mostly

women and children, are trafficked annually across national borders,

not including millions trafficked within their own countries; at

least 80% of the victims are female; 75% of all victims are

trafficked into commercial sexual exploitation; roughly two-thirds

of the global victims are trafficked intra-regionally within East

Asia and the Pacific (260,000 to 280,000 people) and Europe and

Eurasia (170,000 to 210,000 people)

Zimbabwe

current situation: Zimbabwe is a source, transit, and

destination country for women and children trafficked for forced

labor and sexual exploitation; children may be trafficked internally

for forced agricultural labor, domestic servitude, and sexual

exploitation; women and girls are lured out of the country to South

Africa, China, Egypt, and Zambia with false job or scholarship

promises that result in domestic servitude or commercial sexual

exploitation; there are reports of South African employers demanding

sex from undocumented Zimbabwean workers under threat of

deportation; women and children from Malawi, Zambia, and the

Democratic Republic of the Congo transit Zimbabwe en route to South

Africa; small numbers of South African girls are trafficked to

Zimbabwe for domestic labor

tier rating: Tier 3 - Zimbabwe does not fully comply with the

minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not

making significant efforts to do so

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2001

Rank Country GDP (purchasing power parity) Date of Information

1 World $ 65,000,000,000,000 2006 est. 2 United States $ 12,980,000,000,000 2006 est. 3 European Union $ 12,820,000,000,000 2006 est. 4 China $ 10,000,000,000,000 2006 est. 5 Japan $ 4,220,000,000,000 2006 est. 6 India $ 4,042,000,000,000 2006 est. 7 Germany $ 2,585,000,000,000 2006 est. 8 United Kingdom $ 1,903,000,000,000 2006 est. 9 France $ 1,871,000,000,000 2006 est. 10 Italy $ 1,727,000,000,000 2006 est. 11 Russia $ 1,723,000,000,000 2006 est. 12 Brazil $ 1,616,000,000,000 2006 est. 13 Korea, South $ 1,180,000,000,000 2006 est. 14 Canada $ 1,165,000,000,000 2006 est. 15 Mexico $ 1,134,000,000,000 2006 est. 16 Spain $ 1,070,000,000,000 2006 est. 17 Indonesia $ 935,000,000,000 2006 est. 18 Taiwan $ 668,300,000,000 2006 est. 19 Australia $ 666,300,000,000 2006 est. 20 Turkey $ 627,200,000,000 2006 est. 21 Iran $ 610,400,000,000 2006 est. 22 Argentina $ 599,100,000,000 2006 est. 23 Thailand $ 585,900,000,000 2006 est. 24 South Africa $ 576,400,000,000 2006 est. 25 Poland $ 542,600,000,000 2006 est. 26 Netherlands $ 512,000,000,000 2006 est. 27 Philippines $ 443,100,000,000 2006 est. 28 Pakistan $ 427,300,000,000 2006 est. 29 Saudi Arabia $ 374,000,000,000 2006 est. 30 Colombia $ 366,700,000,000 2006 est. 31 Ukraine $ 355,800,000,000 2006 est. 32 Bangladesh $ 330,800,000,000 2006 est. 33 Belgium $ 330,400,000,000 2006 est. 34 Egypt $ 328,100,000,000 2006 est. 35 Malaysia $ 308,800,000,000 2006 est. 36 Sweden $ 285,100,000,000 2006 est. 37 Austria $ 279,500,000,000 2006 est. 38 Vietnam $ 258,600,000,000 2006 est. 39 Algeria $ 253,400,000,000 2006 est. 40 Hong Kong $ 253,100,000,000 2006 est. 41 Switzerland $ 252,900,000,000 2006 est. 42 Greece $ 251,700,000,000 2006 est. 43 Czech Republic $ 221,400,000,000 2006 est. 44 Norway $ 207,300,000,000 2006 est. 45 Portugal $ 203,100,000,000 2006 est. 46 Chile $ 203,000,000,000 2006 est. 47 Denmark $ 198,500,000,000 2006 est. 48 Romania $ 197,300,000,000 2006 est. 49 Nigeria $ 188,500,000,000 2006 est. 50 Peru $ 181,800,000,000 2006 est. 51 Ireland $ 177,200,000,000 2006 est. 52 Venezuela $ 176,400,000,000 2006 est. 53 Hungary $ 172,700,000,000 2006 est. 54 Finland $ 171,700,000,000 2006 est. 55 Israel $ 166,300,000,000 2006 est. 56 Morocco $ 147,000,000,000 2006 est. 57 Kazakhstan $ 138,700,000,000 2006 est. 58 Singapore $ 138,600,000,000 2006 est. 59 United Arab Emirates $ 129,400,000,000 2006 est. 60 New Zealand $ 106,000,000,000 2006 est. 61 Slovakia $ 96,350,000,000 2006 est. 62 Sudan $ 96,010,000,000 2006 est. 63 Iraq $ 94,100,000,000 2005 est. 64 Sri Lanka $ 93,330,000,000 2006 est. 65 Tunisia $ 87,880,000,000 2006 est. 66 Burma $ 83,840,000,000 2006 est. 67 Belarus $ 80,740,000,000 2006 est. 68 Bulgaria $ 77,130,000,000 2006 est. 69 Syria $ 75,100,000,000 2006 est. 70 Libya $ 74,970,000,000 2006 est. 71 Puerto Rico $ 74,890,000,000 2006 est. 72 Dominican Republic $ 73,740,000,000 2006 est. 73 Ethiopia $ 71,630,000,000 2006 est. 74 Guatemala $ 60,570,000,000 2006 est. 75 Ecuador $ 60,480,000,000 2006 est. 76 Croatia $ 59,410,000,000 2006 est. 77 Ghana $ 59,150,000,000 2006 est. 78 Azerbaijan $ 58,100,000,000 2006 est. 79 Uzbekistan $ 54,810,000,000 2006 est. 80 Lithuania $ 54,030,000,000 2006 est. 81 Kuwait $ 52,170,000,000 2006 est. 82 Angola $ 51,950,000,000 2006 est. 83 Uganda $ 51,890,000,000 2006 est. 84 Costa Rica $ 48,770,000,000 2006 est. 85 Slovenia $ 46,080,000,000 2006 est. 86 Turkmenistan $ 45,110,000,000 2006 est. 87 Serbia $ 44,830,000,000 2006 est. 88 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 44,600,000,000 2006 est. 89 Cuba $ 44,540,000,000 2006 est. 90 Oman $ 43,880,000,000 2006 est. 91 Cameroon $ 42,200,000,000 2006 est. 92 Nepal $ 41,920,000,000 2006 est. 93 Kenya $ 40,770,000,000 2006 est. 94 Korea, North $ 40,000,000,000 2006 est. 95 Cambodia $ 36,780,000,000 2006 est. 96 Uruguay $ 36,560,000,000 2006 est. 97 Latvia $ 35,080,000,000 2006 est. 98 El Salvador $ 33,200,000,000 2006 est. 99 Luxembourg $ 32,600,000,000 2006 est. 100 Paraguay $ 30,640,000,000 2006 est. 101 Mozambique $ 29,320,000,000 2006 est. 102 Tanzania $ 29,250,000,000 2006 est. 103 Jordan $ 28,890,000,000 2006 est. 104 Cote d'Ivoire $ 28,470,000,000 2006 est. 105 Bolivia $ 27,210,000,000 2006 est. 106 Qatar $ 26,050,000,000 2006 est. 107 Estonia $ 26,000,000,000 2006 est. 108 Equatorial Guinea $ 25,690,000,000 2005 est. 109 Panama $ 25,290,000,000 2006 est. 110 Zimbabwe $ 25,050,000,000 2006 est. 111 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 24,800,000,000 2006 est. 112 Honduras $ 22,130,000,000 2006 est. 113 Senegal $ 22,010,000,000 2006 est. 114 Afghanistan $ 21,500,000,000 2004 est. 115 Lebanon $ 21,450,000,000 2006 est. 116 Trinidad and Tobago $ 20,990,000,000 2006 est. 117 Yemen $ 20,380,000,000 2006 est. 118 Albania $ 20,210,000,000 2006 est. 119 Guinea $ 19,400,000,000 2006 est. 120 Botswana $ 18,720,000,000 2006 est. 121 Burkina Faso $ 17,870,000,000 2006 est. 122 Cyprus $ 17,790,000,000 2006 est. 123 Georgia $ 17,790,000,000 2006 est. 124 Bahrain $ 17,700,000,000 2006 est. 125 Madagascar $ 17,270,000,000 2006 est. 126 Macedonia $ 16,910,000,000 2006 est. 127 Nicaragua $ 16,830,000,000 2006 est. 128 Mauritius $ 16,720,000,000 2006 est. 129 Armenia $ 15,990,000,000 2006 est. 130 Chad $ 15,260,000,000 2006 est. 131 Papua New Guinea $ 15,130,000,000 2006 est. 132 Namibia $ 15,040,000,000 2006 est. 133 Mali $ 14,590,000,000 2006 est. 134 Haiti $ 14,560,000,000 2006 est. 135 Rwanda $ 13,540,000,000 2006 est. 136 Laos $ 13,430,000,000 2006 est. 137 Jamaica $ 12,710,000,000 2006 est. 138 Niger $ 12,230,000,000 2006 est. 139 Zambia $ 11,510,000,000 2006 est. 140 Iceland $ 11,400,000,000 2006 est. 141 Kyrgyzstan $ 10,490,000,000 2006 est. 142 Gabon $ 10,210,000,000 2006 est. 143 Macau $ 10,000,000,000 2004 144 Tajikistan $ 9,405,000,000 2006 est. 145 Togo $ 9,248,000,000 2006 est. 146 Moldova $ 8,971,000,000 2006 est. 147 Benin $ 8,931,000,000 2006 est. 148 Mauritania $ 8,397,000,000 2006 est. 149 Malta $ 8,122,000,000 2006 est. 150 Malawi $ 8,038,000,000 2006 est. 151 Brunei $ 6,842,000,000 2003 est. 152 Bahamas, The $ 6,476,000,000 2006 est. 153 Swaziland $ 5,910,000,000 2006 est. 154 Mongolia $ 5,781,000,000 2006 est. 155 Burundi $ 5,744,000,000 2006 est. 156 Fiji $ 5,504,000,000 2006 est. 157 Sierra Leone $ 5,380,000,000 2006 est. 158 Gaza Strip $ 5,327,000,000 2005 est. 159 West Bank $ 5,327,000,000 2005 est. 160 Lesotho $ 5,195,000,000 2006 est. 161 Barbados $ 5,108,000,000 2006 est. 162 Somalia $ 5,023,000,000 2006 est. 163 Congo, Republic of the $ 4,958,000,000 2006 est. 164 Central African Republic $ 4,913,000,000 2006 est. 165 French Polynesia $ 4,580,000,000 2003 est. 166 Cyprus $ 4,540,000,000 2006 est. 167 Bermuda $ 4,500,000,000 2004 est. 168 Eritrea $ 4,471,000,000 2005 est. 169 Guyana $ 3,620,000,000 2006 est. 170 Jersey $ 3,600,000,000 2003 est. 171 Montenegro $ 3,394,000,000 2006 est. 172 Gambia, The $ 3,250,000,000 2006 est. 173 New Caledonia $ 3,158,000,000 2003 est. 174 Cape Verde $ 3,129,000,000 2006 est. 175 Suriname $ 3,098,000,000 2006 est. 176 Liberia $ 2,911,000,000 2006 est. 177 Bhutan $ 2,900,000,000 2003 est. 178 Netherlands Antilles $ 2,800,000,000 2004 est. 179 Guernsey $ 2,742,000,000 2005 180 Guam $ 2,500,000,000 2005 est. 181 Belize $ 2,307,000,000 2006 est. 182 Aruba $ 2,258,000,000 2005 est. 183 Isle of Man $ 2,113,000,000 2003 est. 184 Cayman Islands $ 1,939,000,000 2004 est. 185 Andorra $ 1,840,000,000 2004 186 Liechtenstein $ 1,786,000,000 2001 est. 187 Virgin Islands $ 1,577,000,000 2004 est. 188 Maldives $ 1,250,000,000 2002 est. 189 Guinea-Bissau $ 1,244,000,000 2006 est. 190 Greenland $ 1,100,000,000 2001 est. 191 Faroe Islands $ 1,000,000,000 2001 est. 192 Samoa $ 1,000,000,000 2002 est. 193 San Marino $ 940,000,000 2001 est. 194 Northern Mariana Islands $ 900,000,000 2000 est. 195 Monaco $ 870,000,000 2000 est. 196 Saint Lucia $ 866,000,000 2002 est. 197 British Virgin Islands $ 853,400,000 2004 est. 198 Solomon Islands $ 800,000,000 2002 est. 199 Gibraltar $ 769,000,000 2000 est. 200 Antigua and Barbuda $ 750,000,000 2002 est. 201 Seychelles $ 626,000,000 2002 est. 202 Djibouti $ 619,000,000 2002 est. 203 American Samoa $ 510,100,000 2003 est. 204 Mayotte $ 466,800,000 2003 est. 205 Comoros $ 441,000,000 2002 est. 206 Grenada $ 440,000,000 2002 est. 207 Dominica $ 384,000,000 2003 est. 208 East Timor $ 370,000,000 2004 est. 209 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 342,000,000 2002 est. 210 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 339,000,000 2002 est. 211 Micronesia, Federated States of $ 277,000,000 2002 est. 212 Vanuatu $ 276,300,000 2003 est. 213 Turks and Caicos Islands $ 216,000,000 2002 est. 214 Sao Tome and Principe $ 214,000,000 2003 est. 215 Kiribati $ 206,400,000 2004 est. 216 Cook Islands $ 183,200,000 2005 est. 217 Tonga $ 178,500,000 2004 est. 218 Palau $ 124,500,000 2004 est. 219 Marshall Islands $ 115,000,000 2001 est. 220 Anguilla $ 108,900,000 2004 est. 221 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) $ 75,000,000 2002 est. 222 Nauru $ 60,000,000 2005 est. 223 Wallis and Futuna $ 60,000,000 2004 est. 224 Saint Pierre and Miquelon $ 48,300,000 2003 est. 225 Montserrat $ 29,000,000 2002 est. 226 Saint Helena $ 18,000,000 1998 est. 227 Tuvalu $ 14,940,000 2002 est. 228 Niue $ 7,600,000 2000 est. 229 Tokelau $ 1,500,000 1993 est.

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2003

Rank Country GDP - real growth rate(%) Date of Information

1 Azerbaijan 32.50 2006 est. 2 Mauritania 19.40 2006 est. 3 Equatorial Guinea 18.60 2005 est. 4 Angola 14.00 2006 est. 5 Turkmenistan 13.00 2006 est. 6 Trinidad and Tobago 12.60 2006 est. 7 Liechtenstein 11.00 1999 est. 8 Cyprus 10.60 2006 est. 9 Armenia 10.50 2006 est. 10 China 10.50 2006 est. 11 United Arab Emirates 10.20 2006 est. 12 Anguilla 10.20 2004 est. 13 Faroe Islands 10.00 2001 est. 14 Mozambique 9.80 2006 est. 15 Sudan 9.60 2006 est. 16 Latvia 9.30 2006 est. 17 Estonia 9.20 2006 est. 18 Georgia 8.80 2006 est. 19 Venezuela 8.80 2006 est. 20 Argentina 8.50 2006 est. 21 India 8.50 2006 est. 22 Kazakhstan 8.50 2006 est. 23 Ethiopia 8.50 2006 est. 24 Afghanistan 8.40 2006 est. 25 Belarus 8.30 2006 est. 26 Libya 8.10 2006 est. 27 Kuwait 8.00 2006 est. 28 Vietnam 7.80 2006 est. 29 Bahrain 7.60 2006 est. 30 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 7.50 2006 est. 31 Mongolia 7.50 2006 est. 32 Cuba 7.50 2006 est. 33 Singapore 7.40 2006 est. 34 Dominican Republic 7.20 2006 est. 35 Laos 7.20 2006 est. 36 Lithuania 7.20 2006 est. 37 Qatar 7.10 2006 est. 38 Chad 7.00 2006 est. 39 Malawi 7.00 2006 est. 40 Uruguay 7.00 2006 est. 41 Tajikistan 7.00 2006 est. 42 Vanuatu 6.80 2005 est. 43 Sierra Leone 6.80 2006 est. 44 Uzbekistan 6.80 2006 est. 45 Liberia 6.70 2006 est. 46 Morocco 6.70 2006 est. 47 Macau 6.70 2005 48 Russia 6.60 2006 est. 49 Oman 6.50 2006 est. 50 Pakistan 6.50 2006 est. 51 Peru 6.50 2006 est. 52 Slovakia 6.40 2006 est. 53 Romania 6.40 2006 est. 54 Sri Lanka 6.30 2006 est. 55 Isle of Man 6.30 2003 56 Panama 6.30 2006 est. 57 Czech Republic 6.20 2006 est. 58 Niue 6.20 2003 est. 59 Bangladesh 6.10 2006 est. 60 Congo, Republic of the 6.00 2006 est. 61 Zambia 6.00 2006 est. 62 Ukraine 6.00 2006 est. 63 Bhutan 5.90 2005 est. 64 Hong Kong 5.90 2006 est. 65 Serbia 5.90 2005 est. 66 Saudi Arabia 5.90 2006 est. 67 Cambodia 5.80 2006 est. 68 Tanzania 5.80 2006 est. 69 Rwanda 5.80 2006 est. 70 Egypt 5.70 2006 est. 71 Luxembourg 5.70 2006 est. 72 Ghana 5.70 2006 est. 73 Algeria 5.60 2006 est. 74 Bulgaria 5.50 2006 est. 75 Cape Verde 5.50 2005 est. 76 Madagascar 5.50 2006 est. 77 Palau 5.50 2005 est. 78 Samoa 5.50 2005 est. 79 Malaysia 5.50 2006 est. 80 Kenya 5.50 2006 est. 81 Colombia 5.40 2006 est. 82 Indonesia 5.40 2006 est. 83 Bosnia and Herzegovina 5.30 2006 est. 84 Nigeria 5.30 2006 est. 85 Philippines 5.30 2006 est. 86 Poland 5.30 2006 est. 87 Ireland 5.20 2006 est. 88 Burkina Faso 5.20 2006 est. 89 Turkey 5.20 2006 est. 90 Honduras 5.20 2006 est. 91 Korea, South 5.10 2006 est. 92 World 5.10 2006 est. 93 Saint Lucia 5.10 2005 est. 94 Mali 5.10 2006 est. 95 Albania 5.00 2006 est. 96 Uganda 5.00 2006 est. 97 Suriname 5.00 2006 est. 98 Nepal 5.00 2006 est. 99 Burundi 5.00 2006 est. 100 Iran 5.00 2006 est. 101 Gambia, The 5.00 2006 est. 102 Finland 4.90 2006 est. 103 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4.90 2005 est. 104 West Bank 4.90 2005 est. 105 Turks and Caicos Islands 4.90 2000 est. 106 Senegal 4.90 2006 est. 107 Gaza Strip 4.90 2005 est. 108 Saint Kitts and Nevis 4.90 2005 est. 109 Chile 4.80 2006 est. 110 Israel 4.80 2006 est. 111 Botswana 4.70 2006 est. 112 Costa Rica 4.70 2006 est. 113 Bermuda 4.60 2004 est. 114 Moldova 4.60 2006 est. 115 Jordan 4.60 2006 est. 116 Mexico 4.50 2006 est. 117 South Africa 4.50 2006 est. 118 Solomon Islands 4.40 2005 est. 119 Taiwan 4.40 2006 est. 120 Sao Tome and Principe 4.40 2006 est. 121 Croatia 4.40 2006 est. 122 Slovenia 4.40 2006 est. 123 Thailand 4.40 2006 est. 124 Mauritius 4.30 2006 est. 125 Sweden 4.20 2006 est. 126 Cameroon 4.10 2006 est. 127 Namibia 4.10 2006 est. 128 Andorra 4.00 2004 est. 129 El Salvador 4.00 2006 est. 130 Barbados 4.00 2006 est. 131 Benin 4.00 2006 est. 132 Tunisia 4.00 2006 est. 133 Macedonia 4.00 2006 est. 134 Bahamas, The 4.00 2006 est. 135 Guatemala 3.90 2006 est. 136 Antigua and Barbuda 3.80 2005 est. 137 Hungary 3.80 2006 est. 138 Cyprus 3.70 2006 est. 139 Iceland 3.70 2006 est. 140 Ecuador 3.60 2006 est. 141 Greece 3.60 2006 est. 142 Spain 3.60 2006 est. 143 Belize 3.50 2005 est. 144 Niger 3.50 2006 est. 145 Marshall Islands 3.50 2005 est. 146 Austria 3.30 2006 est. 147 Bolivia 3.30 2006 est. 148 Djibouti 3.20 2005 est. 149 Guyana 3.20 2006 est. 150 Yemen 3.20 2006 est. 151 United States 3.20 2006 est. 152 Papua New Guinea 3.20 2006 est. 153 Paraguay 3.20 2006 est. 154 Brazil 3.10 2006 est. 155 Dominica 3.10 2005 est. 156 Iraq 3.10 2006 est. 157 American Samoa 3.00 2003 158 Central African Republic 3.00 2006 est. 159 Norway 3.00 2006 est. 160 Togo 3.00 2006 est. 161 Guernsey 3.00 2005 est. 162 Denmark 3.00 2006 est. 163 Comoros 3.00 2005 est. 164 Netherlands 2.90 2006 est. 165 Guinea-Bissau 2.90 2006 est. 166 Switzerland 2.90 2006 est. 167 Syria 2.90 2006 est. 168 Australia 2.80 2006 est. 169 Japan 2.80 2006 est. 170 Gabon 2.80 2006 est. 171 European Union 2.80 2006 est. 172 Canada 2.80 2006 est. 173 Fiji 2.70 2006 est. 174 Jamaica 2.70 2006 est. 175 United Kingdom 2.70 2006 est. 176 Burma 2.60 2006 est. 177 Somalia 2.60 2006 est. 178 Belgium 2.50 2006 est. 179 Nicaragua 2.50 2006 est. 180 Aruba 2.40 2005 est. 181 Tonga 2.40 2005 est. 182 France 2.30 2006 est. 183 San Marino 2.30 2002 est. 184 Germany 2.20 2006 est. 185 Eritrea 2.00 2005 est. 186 Virgin Islands 2.00 2002 est. 187 Guinea 2.00 2006 est. 188 Kyrgyzstan 2.00 2006 est. 189 Swaziland 2.00 2006 est. 190 New Zealand 1.90 2006 est. 191 Greenland 1.80 2001 est. 192 Haiti 1.80 2006 est. 193 East Timor 1.80 2005 est. 194 Brunei 1.70 2004 est. 195 Lesotho 1.70 2006 est. 196 Italy 1.60 2006 est. 197 Malta 1.30 2006 est. 198 Cote d'Ivoire 1.20 2006 est. 199 Tuvalu 1.20 2002 est. 200 Portugal 1.20 2006 est. 201 Korea, North 1.00 2006 est. 202 Netherlands Antilles 1.00 2004 est. 203 British Virgin Islands 1.00 2002 est. 204 Cayman Islands 0.90 2004 est. 205 Grenada 0.90 2005 est. 206 Monaco 0.90 2000 est. 207 Puerto Rico 0.50 2006 est. 208 Micronesia, Federated States of 0.30 2005 est. 209 Kiribati 0.30 2005 210 Cook Islands 0.10 2005 est. 211 Montserrat -1.00 2002 est. 212 Seychelles -1.00 2006 est. 213 Maldives -3.60 2005 est. 214 Zimbabwe -4.40 2006 est. 215 Lebanon -5.00 2006 est.

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2004

Rank Country GDP - per capita (PPP) Date of Information

1 Bermuda $ 69,900 2004 est. 2 Luxembourg $ 68,800 2006 est. 3 Equatorial Guinea $ 50,200 2005 est. 4 United Arab Emirates $ 49,700 2006 est. 5 Norway $ 47,800 2006 est. 6 Guernsey $ 44,600 2005 7 Cayman Islands $ 43,800 2004 est. 8 Ireland $ 43,600 2006 est. 9 United States $ 43,500 2006 est. 10 Jersey $ 40,000 2003 est. 11 British Virgin Islands $ 38,500 2004 est. 12 Iceland $ 38,100 2006 est. 13 Denmark $ 37,000 2006 est. 14 Hong Kong $ 36,500 2006 est. 15 Canada $ 35,200 2006 est. 16 San Marino $ 34,600 2001 est. 17 Austria $ 34,100 2006 est. 18 Switzerland $ 33,600 2006 est. 19 Japan $ 33,100 2006 est. 20 Australia $ 32,900 2006 est. 21 Finland $ 32,800 2006 est. 22 Belgium $ 31,800 2006 est. 23 Netherlands $ 31,700 2006 est. 24 Sweden $ 31,600 2006 est. 25 Germany $ 31,400 2006 est. 26 United Kingdom $ 31,400 2006 est. 27 Faroe Islands $ 31,000 2001 est. 28 Singapore $ 30,900 2006 est. 29 France $ 30,100 2006 est. 30 Italy $ 29,700 2006 est. 31 Qatar $ 29,400 2006 est. 32 European Union $ 29,300 2006 est. 33 Taiwan $ 29,000 2006 est. 34 Gibraltar $ 27,900 2000 est. 35 Isle of Man $ 27,800 2003 est. 36 Monaco $ 27,000 2000 est. 37 Spain $ 27,000 2006 est. 38 Israel $ 26,200 2006 est. 39 New Zealand $ 26,000 2006 est. 40 Bahrain $ 25,300 2006 est. 41 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) $ 25,000 2002 est. 42 Liechtenstein $ 25,000 1999 est. 43 Macau $ 24,300 2005 44 Korea, South $ 24,200 2006 est. 45 Andorra $ 24,000 2004 46 Brunei $ 23,600 2003 est. 47 Greece $ 23,500 2006 est. 48 Slovenia $ 22,900 2006 est. 49 Cyprus $ 22,700 2006 est. 50 Aruba $ 21,800 2004 est. 51 Czech Republic $ 21,600 2006 est. 52 Kuwait $ 21,600 2006 est. 53 Bahamas, The $ 21,300 2006 est. 54 Malta $ 20,300 2006 est. 55 Greenland $ 20,000 2001 est. 56 Trinidad and Tobago $ 19,700 2006 est. 57 Estonia $ 19,600 2006 est. 58 Portugal $ 19,100 2006 est. 59 Puerto Rico $ 19,100 2006 est. 60 Barbados $ 18,200 2006 est. 61 Slovakia $ 17,700 2006 est. 62 French Polynesia $ 17,500 2003 est. 63 Hungary $ 17,300 2006 est. 64 Netherlands Antilles $ 16,000 2004 est. 65 Latvia $ 15,400 2006 est. 66 Lithuania $ 15,100 2006 est. 67 Argentina $ 15,000 2006 est. 68 New Caledonia $ 15,000 2003 est. 69 Guam $ 15,000 2005 est. 70 Virgin Islands $ 14,500 2004 est. 71 Oman $ 14,100 2006 est. 72 Poland $ 14,100 2006 est. 73 Saudi Arabia $ 13,800 2006 est. 74 Mauritius $ 13,500 2006 est. 75 Croatia $ 13,200 2006 est. 76 South Africa $ 13,000 2006 est. 77 Libya $ 12,700 2006 est. 78 Malaysia $ 12,700 2006 est. 79 Chile $ 12,600 2006 est. 80 Northern Mariana Islands $ 12,500 2000 est. 81 Russia $ 12,100 2006 est. 82 Costa Rica $ 12,000 2006 est. 83 Turks and Caicos Islands $ 11,500 2002 est. 84 Botswana $ 11,400 2006 est. 85 Antigua and Barbuda $ 10,900 2005 est. 86 Uruguay $ 10,700 2006 est. 87 Mexico $ 10,600 2006 est. 88 Bulgaria $ 10,400 2006 est. 89 World $ 10,000 2006 est. 90 Cook Islands $ 9,100 2005 est. 91 Kazakhstan $ 9,100 2006 est. 92 Thailand $ 9,100 2006 est. 93 Iran $ 8,900 2006 est. 94 Turkey $ 8,900 2006 est. 95 Turkmenistan $ 8,900 2006 est. 96 Anguilla $ 8,800 2004 est. 97 Romania $ 8,800 2006 est. 98 Brazil $ 8,600 2006 est. 99 Tunisia $ 8,600 2006 est. 100 Belize $ 8,400 2006 est. 101 Colombia $ 8,400 2006 est. 102 Macedonia $ 8,200 2006 est. 103 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 8,200 2005 est. 104 Dominican Republic $ 8,000 2006 est. 105 Panama $ 7,900 2006 est. 106 Belarus $ 7,800 2006 est. 107 Seychelles $ 7,800 2002 est. 108 Algeria $ 7,700 2006 est. 109 China $ 7,600 2006 est. 110 Ukraine $ 7,600 2006 est. 111 Palau $ 7,600 2005 est. 112 Namibia $ 7,400 2006 est. 113 Azerbaijan $ 7,300 2006 est. 114 Gabon $ 7,200 2006 est. 115 Cyprus $ 7,135 2006 est. 116 Suriname $ 7,100 2006 est. 117 Saint Pierre and Miquelon $ 7,000 2001 est. 118 Venezuela $ 6,900 2006 est. 119 Peru $ 6,400 2006 est. 120 Fiji $ 6,100 2006 est. 121 Cape Verde $ 6,000 2006 est. 122 American Samoa $ 5,800 2005 est. 123 Niue $ 5,800 2003 est. 124 Albania $ 5,600 2006 est. 125 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 5,500 2006 est. 126 Lebanon $ 5,500 2006 est. 127 Armenia $ 5,400 2006 est. 128 Swaziland $ 5,200 2006 est. 129 Nauru $ 5,000 2005 est. 130 Philippines $ 5,000 2006 est. 131 El Salvador $ 4,900 2006 est. 132 Jordan $ 4,900 2006 est. 133 Guatemala $ 4,900 2006 est. 134 Saint Lucia $ 4,800 2005 est. 135 Guyana $ 4,700 2006 est. 136 Paraguay $ 4,700 2006 est. 137 Sri Lanka $ 4,600 2006 est. 138 Jamaica $ 4,600 2006 est. 139 Ecuador $ 4,500 2006 est. 140 Morocco $ 4,400 2006 est. 141 Serbia $ 4,400 2005 est. 142 Angola $ 4,300 2006 est. 143 Egypt $ 4,200 2006 est. 144 Syria $ 4,000 2006 est. 145 Cuba $ 3,900 2006 est. 146 Maldives $ 3,900 2002 est. 147 Grenada $ 3,900 2005 est. 148 Dominica $ 3,800 2005 est. 149 Georgia $ 3,800 2006 est. 150 Wallis and Futuna $ 3,800 2004 est. 151 Montenegro $ 3,800 2005 est. 152 Indonesia $ 3,800 2006 est. 153 India $ 3,700 2006 est. 154 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 3,600 2005 est. 155 Montserrat $ 3,400 2002 est. 156 Vietnam $ 3,100 2006 est. 157 Bolivia $ 3,000 2006 est. 158 Nicaragua $ 3,000 2006 est. 159 Honduras $ 3,000 2006 est. 160 Vanuatu $ 2,900 2003 est. 161 Marshall Islands $ 2,900 2005 est. 162 Kiribati $ 2,700 2004 est. 163 Papua New Guinea $ 2,700 2006 est. 164 Cambodia $ 2,600 2006 est. 165 Ghana $ 2,600 2006 est. 166 Lesotho $ 2,600 2006 est. 167 Pakistan $ 2,600 2006 est. 168 Mauritania $ 2,600 2006 est. 169 Mayotte $ 2,600 2003 est. 170 Saint Helena $ 2,500 1998 est. 171 Cameroon $ 2,400 2006 est. 172 Micronesia, Federated States of $ 2,300 2005 est. 173 Sudan $ 2,300 2006 est. 174 Bangladesh $ 2,200 2006 est. 175 Tonga $ 2,200 2005 est. 176 Laos $ 2,100 2006 est. 177 Samoa $ 2,100 2005 est. 178 Gambia, The $ 2,000 2006 est. 179 Kyrgyzstan $ 2,000 2006 est. 180 Guinea $ 2,000 2006 est. 181 Moldova $ 2,000 2006 est. 182 Mongolia $ 2,000 2006 est. 183 Zimbabwe $ 2,000 2006 est. 184 Uzbekistan $ 2,000 2006 est. 185 Iraq $ 1,900 2006 est. 186 Burma $ 1,800 2006 est. 187 Haiti $ 1,800 2006 est. 188 Korea, North $ 1,800 2006 est. 189 Senegal $ 1,800 2006 est. 190 Uganda $ 1,800 2006 est. 191 Togo $ 1,700 2006 est. 192 Cote d'Ivoire $ 1,600 2006 est. 193 Tuvalu $ 1,600 2002 est. 194 Rwanda $ 1,600 2006 est. 195 Chad $ 1,500 2006 est. 196 West Bank $ 1,500 2005 est. 197 Nepal $ 1,500 2006 est. 198 Mozambique $ 1,500 2006 est. 199 Gaza Strip $ 1,500 2003 est. 200 Bhutan $ 1,400 2003 est. 201 Nigeria $ 1,400 2006 est. 202 Congo, Republic of the $ 1,300 2006 est. 203 Tajikistan $ 1,300 2006 est. 204 Burkina Faso $ 1,300 2006 est. 205 Kenya $ 1,200 2006 est. 206 Sao Tome and Principe $ 1,200 2003 est. 207 Mali $ 1,200 2006 est. 208 Benin $ 1,100 2006 est. 209 Central African Republic $ 1,100 2006 est. 210 Djibouti $ 1,000 2005 est. 211 Liberia $ 1,000 2006 est. 212 Zambia $ 1,000 2006 est. 213 Tokelau $ 1,000 1993 est. 214 Niger $ 1,000 2006 est. 215 Ethiopia $ 1,000 2006 est. 216 Eritrea $ 1,000 2005 est. 217 Madagascar $ 900 2006 est. 218 Guinea-Bissau $ 900 2006 est. 219 Sierra Leone $ 900 2006 est. 220 Yemen $ 900 2006 est. 221 Afghanistan $ 800 2004 est. 222 Tanzania $ 800 2006 est. 223 East Timor $ 800 2005 est. 224 Burundi $ 700 2006 est. 225 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 700 2006 est. 226 Solomon Islands $ 600 2005 est. 227 Comoros $ 600 2005 est. 228 Somalia $ 600 2006 est. 229 Malawi $ 600 2006 est.

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2034

Rank Country Military expenditures - percent of GDP(%) Date of Information

1 Eritrea 17.70 2005 est. 2 Jordan 11.40 2005 est. 3 Oman 11.40 2003 4 Qatar 10.00 5 Saudi Arabia 10.00 2002 6 Angola 8.80 2005 est. 7 Israel 7.70 2005 est. 8 Liberia 7.50 2005 est. 9 Madagascar 7.20 2005 est. 10 Armenia 6.50 FY01 11 Yemen 6.40 2005 est. 12 Macedonia 6.00 13 Syria 5.90 14 Burundi 5.60 2005 est. 15 Maldives 5.50 2005 est. 16 Turkey 5.30 2003 17 Brunei 5.10 2003 est. 18 Morocco 5.00 2003 est. 19 Bahrain 4.90 2005 est. 20 Singapore 4.90 21 Bosnia and Herzegovina 4.50 22 China 4.30 2005 est. 23 Djibouti 4.30 2005 est. 24 Greece 4.30 2003 25 Kuwait 4.20 2005 est. 26 United States 4.06 2005 est. 27 Zimbabwe 4.00 2005 est. 28 Libya 3.90 29 Tajikistan 3.90 FY01 30 Pakistan 3.90 2005 est. 31 Cyprus 3.80 32 Chile 3.50 2005 est. 33 Botswana 3.40 2005 est. 34 Ethiopia 3.40 2005 est. 35 Gabon 3.40 2005 est. 36 Egypt 3.40 2004 37 Turkmenistan 3.40 38 Colombia 3.40 FY01 39 Iran 3.30 2003 est. 40 Algeria 3.20 2005 est. 41 United Arab Emirates 3.10 42 Guinea-Bissau 3.10 2005 est. 43 Lebanon 3.10 2004 44 Cambodia 3.00 45 Comoros 3.00 2005 est. 46 Sudan 3.00 2004 47 Indonesia 3.00 2004 48 Guinea 2.90 2005 est. 49 Rwanda 2.90 2005 est. 50 Australia 2.70 2005 est. 51 Azerbaijan 2.60 52 Korea, South 2.60 2005 est. 53 Sri Lanka 2.60 2005 est. 54 France 2.60 2005 est. 55 Bulgaria 2.60 2003 56 Honduras 2.55 2005 est. 57 India 2.50 2005 est. 58 Vietnam 2.50 59 Romania 2.47 2002 60 Taiwan 2.40 2005 est. 61 United Kingdom 2.40 2003 62 Croatia 2.39 2002 est. 63 Benin 2.30 2005 est. 64 Namibia 2.30 2005 est. 65 Portugal 2.30 2003 66 Fiji 2.20 FY02 67 Uganda 2.20 2005 est. 68 Mongolia 2.20 FY02 69 Burma 2.10 70 Uruguay 2.10 2005 est. 71 Seychelles 2.10 2005 est. 72 Lesotho 2.10 2005 est. 73 Equatorial Guinea 2.10 2005 est. 74 Malaysia 2.03 75 Ecuador 2.00 2005 est. 76 World 2.00 77 Uzbekistan 2.00 78 Finland 2.00 FY98/99 79 Estonia 2.00 2002 est. 80 Lithuania 1.90 FY01 81 Mali 1.90 2005 est. 82 Norway 1.90 2003 83 Slovakia 1.87 2005 84 Czech Republic 1.81 85 Bangladesh 1.80 2005 est. 86 Zambia 1.80 2005 est. 87 Thailand 1.80 2003 88 Italy 1.80 2004 89 Cuba 1.80 2005 est. 90 Hungary 1.75 2002 est. 91 Poland 1.71 2002 92 Afghanistan 1.70 2005 est. 93 Sierra Leone 1.70 2005 est. 94 Slovenia 1.70 FY00 95 Belize 1.70 2005 est. 96 Cote d'Ivoire 1.60 2005 est. 97 Togo 1.60 2005 est. 98 Netherlands 1.60 2004 99 Kenya 1.60 2005 est. 100 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1.50 2005 est. 101 Tunisia 1.50 102 Sweden 1.50 2005 est. 103 South Africa 1.50 2005 est. 104 Nepal 1.50 2005 est. 105 Cameroon 1.50 2005 est. 106 Germany 1.50 2003 107 Denmark 1.50 2004 108 Albania 1.49 FY02 109 Bolivia 1.40 2005 est. 110 Senegal 1.40 2005 est. 111 Swaziland 1.40 2005 est. 112 Ukraine 1.40 FY02 113 Papua New Guinea 1.40 FY02 114 Peru 1.40 2003 est. 115 Niger 1.40 2005 est. 116 Belarus 1.40 FY02 117 Kyrgyzstan 1.40 FY01 118 Mauritania 1.40 2005 est. 119 Congo, Republic of the 1.40 2005 est. 120 Argentina 1.30 FY00 121 Burkina Faso 1.30 2005 est. 122 Mozambique 1.30 2005 est. 123 Belgium 1.30 2003 124 Brazil 1.30 2005 est. 125 Latvia 1.20 FY01 126 Spain 1.20 2003 127 Venezuela 1.20 2005 est. 128 Canada 1.10 2003 129 Bhutan 1.00 2005 est. 130 Switzerland 1.00 FY01 131 Panama 1.00 2005 est. 132 New Zealand 1.00 FY02 133 Malta 1.00 2005 est. 134 Japan 1.00 2005 est. 135 Central African Republic 1.00 2005 est. 136 Chad 1.00 2005 est. 137 El Salvador 1.00 2005 est. 138 Austria 0.90 2004 139 Somalia 0.90 2005 est. 140 Philippines 0.90 2005 est. 141 Paraguay 0.90 2003 est. 142 Luxembourg 0.90 2003 143 Kazakhstan 0.90 FY02 144 Haiti 0.90 2003 est. 145 Guyana 0.90 2003 est. 146 Ireland 0.90 FY00/01 147 Ghana 0.80 2005 est. 148 Sao Tome and Principe 0.80 2005 est. 149 Malawi 0.80 2005 est. 150 Mexico 0.80 2005 est. 151 Nigeria 0.80 2005 est. 152 Cape Verde 0.70 2005 est. 153 Nicaragua 0.70 2005 est. 154 Suriname 0.70 2003 est. 155 Trinidad and Tobago 0.60 2003 est. 156 Georgia 0.59 157 Guatemala 0.50 2005 est. 158 Costa Rica 0.40 2005 est. 159 Jamaica 0.40 2003 est. 160 Gambia, The 0.40 2005 est. 161 Laos 0.40 2005 est. 162 Moldova 0.40 FY02 163 Mauritius 0.20 2005 est. 164 Tanzania 0.20 2005 est. 165 Bermuda 0.11 166 Dominican Republic 0.00 2002 est. 167 Iceland 0.00

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2038

Rank Country Electricity - production(kWh) Date of Information

1 World 17,150,000,000,000 2004 est. 2 United States 3,979,000,000,000 2004 3 European Union 2,980,000,000,000 2004 est. 4 China 2,500,000,000,000 2005 5 Japan 974,400,000,000 2004 6 Russia 952,400,000,000 2005 7 India 630,600,000,000 2004 8 Canada 573,000,000,000 2004 9 Germany 566,900,000,000 2004 10 France 540,600,000,000 2004 11 Brazil 380,900,000,000 2004 12 United Kingdom 363,200,000,000 2004 13 Korea, South 345,200,000,000 2004 14 Italy 277,600,000,000 2004 15 Spain 263,300,000,000 2004 16 Mexico 242,400,000,000 2004 17 South Africa 227,200,000,000 2004 18 Australia 225,300,000,000 2004 19 Taiwan 189,700,000,000 2005 20 Ukraine 177,300,000,000 2004 21 Iran 155,700,000,000 2004 22 Saudi Arabia 155,200,000,000 2004 23 Sweden 150,500,000,000 2004 24 Poland 143,500,000,000 2004 25 Turkey 143,300,000,000 2004 26 Thailand 121,700,000,000 2004 27 Indonesia 112,600,000,000 2004 28 Norway 108,900,000,000 2004 29 Argentina 93,940,000,000 2004 30 Venezuela 93,030,000,000 2004 31 Netherlands 92,700,000,000 2004 32 Egypt 91,720,000,000 2004 33 Finland 81,600,000,000 2004 34 Pakistan 80,240,000,000 2004 35 Belgium 80,220,000,000 2004 36 Czech Republic 79,140,000,000 2004 37 Malaysia 78,240,000,000 2004 38 Austria 65,560,000,000 2004 39 Kazakhstan 63,260,000,000 2004 40 Switzerland 61,970,000,000 2004 41 Greece 55,510,000,000 2004 42 Romania 54,530,000,000 2004 43 Philippines 53,130,000,000 2004 44 Paraguay 51,770,000,000 2004 45 Chile 50,910,000,000 2004 46 United Arab Emirates 49,520,000,000 2004 47 Colombia 46,930,000,000 2004 48 Uzbekistan 46,450,000,000 2004 49 Israel 46,070,000,000 2004 50 Portugal 42,520,000,000 2004 51 Bulgaria 41,960,000,000 2004 52 New Zealand 41,100,000,000 2004 53 Kuwait 40,370,000,000 2004 54 Vietnam 40,110,000,000 2004 55 Hong Kong 38,450,000,000 2005 56 Denmark 38,020,000,000 2004 57 Serbia 33,870,000,000 2004 58 Singapore 32,640,000,000 2004 59 Hungary 31,830,000,000 2004 60 Iraq 31,700,000,000 2005 61 Syria 29,640,000,000 2004 est. 62 Algeria 29,390,000,000 2004 est. 63 Belarus 29,330,000,000 2004 64 Slovakia 28,810,000,000 2004 65 Puerto Rico 24,140,000,000 2004 66 Peru 23,990,000,000 2004 est. 67 Ireland 23,260,000,000 2004 68 Korea, North 21,710,000,000 2004 69 Azerbaijan 20,350,000,000 2004 70 Libya 19,440,000,000 2004 71 Nigeria 19,060,000,000 2004 72 Morocco 18,480,000,000 2004 73 Bangladesh 18,090,000,000 2004 74 Lithuania 17,800,000,000 2004 75 Tajikistan 16,500,000,000 2004 76 Cuba 15,340,000,000 2005 77 Dominican Republic 15,020,000,000 2004 78 Slovenia 14,460,000,000 2004 79 Oman 14,330,000,000 2004 80 Kyrgyzstan 14,060,000,000 2004 81 Bosnia and Herzegovina 12,980,000,000 2004 82 Croatia 12,950,000,000 2004 83 Qatar 12,400,000,000 2004 84 Ecuador 12,200,000,000 2004 85 Tunisia 11,810,000,000 2004 86 Mozambique 11,580,000,000 2004 87 Turkmenistan 10,790,000,000 2004 est. 88 Zambia 9,962,000,000 2004 89 Lebanon 9,762,000,000 2004 90 Zimbabwe 9,412,000,000 2004 91 Estonia 9,290,000,000 2004 92 Iceland 8,474,000,000 2004 93 Jordan 8,431,000,000 2004 94 Costa Rica 8,400,000,000 2004 95 Uruguay 8,183,000,000 2004 96 Bahrain 7,794,000,000 2004 97 Sri Lanka 7,714,000,000 2004 98 Guatemala 7,604,000,000 2004 99 Panama 7,545,000,000 2004 100 Jamaica 6,913,000,000 2004 101 Congo, Republic of the 6,847,000,000 2004 102 Georgia 6,804,000,000 2004 103 Ghana 6,489,000,000 2004 104 Armenia 6,317,000,000 2005 105 Burma 6,310,000,000 2004 106 Macedonia 6,271,000,000 2005 107 Trinidad and Tobago 6,049,000,000 2004 108 Kenya 5,709,000,000 2004 109 Albania 5,434,000,000 2004 110 Honduras 4,805,000,000 2004 111 Cote d'Ivoire 4,625,000,000 2004 112 Latvia 4,550,000,000 2004 113 Bolivia 4,472,000,000 2004 114 El Salvador 4,174,000,000 2004 115 Yemen 4,077,000,000 2004 est. 116 Laos 3,936,000,000 2004 117 Cyprus 3,926,000,000 2004 118 Cameroon 3,924,000,000 2004 119 Sudan 3,845,000,000 2004 120 Moldova 3,506,000,000 2004 121 Papua New Guinea 3,358,000,000 2004 122 Mongolia 3,240,000,000 2005 est. 123 Luxembourg 3,203,000,000 2005 est. 124 Montenegro 2,864,000,000 2005 est. 125 Brunei 2,806,000,000 2004 126 Nicaragua 2,766,000,000 2004 127 Nepal 2,565,000,000 2005 128 Tanzania 2,562,000,000 2004 129 Ethiopia 2,294,000,000 2004 130 Malta 2,291,000,000 2004 131 Angola 2,194,000,000 2004 132 Mauritius 2,107,000,000 2004 133 Bhutan 2,050,000,000 2004 134 Macau 2,027,000,000 2005 135 Uganda 1,894,000,000 2004 136 Bahamas, The 1,795,000,000 2004 137 Guam 1,764,000,000 2004 138 New Caledonia 1,675,000,000 2004 139 Gabon 1,543,000,000 2004 140 Suriname 1,509,000,000 2004 141 Senegal 1,453,000,000 2004 142 Namibia 1,397,000,000 2004 143 Malawi 1,293,000,000 2004 144 Netherlands Antilles 1,005,000,000 2004 145 Madagascar 984,000,000 2004 146 Virgin Islands 980,000,000 2004 147 Barbados 896,000,000 2004 148 Botswana 823,000,000 2004 149 Guyana 818,800,000 2004 150 Fiji 817,000,000 2004 151 Guinea 790,000,000 2004 152 Aruba 770,000,000 2004 153 Afghanistan 734,300,000 2004 154 Bermuda 682,500,000 2005 155 Haiti 536,200,000 2004 156 French Polynesia 477,000,000 2004 157 Swaziland 458,000,000 2004 158 Mali 410,000,000 2004 159 Cayman Islands 400,000,000 2004 160 Burkina Faso 400,000,000 2004 161 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 353,000,000 2004 162 Liberia 325,000,000 2004 163 Greenland 295,000,000 2004 164 Faroe Islands 292,600,000 2004 165 Saint Lucia 290,000,000 2004 166 Togo 286,200,000 2004 167 Eritrea 276,100,000 2004 168 Somalia 269,000,000 2004 169 Lesotho 250,000,000 2004 170 Sierra Leone 244,000,000 2004 171 Niger 232,000,000 2004 172 Seychelles 208,000,000 2004 173 Djibouti 200,000,000 2004 174 Micronesia, Federated States of 192,000,000 2002 175 Mauritania 176,700,000 2004 176 Belize 175,000,000 2004 177 Grenada 171,300,000 2004 178 Maldives 149,900,000 2004 179 Gambia, The 145,000,000 2004 180 Burundi 137,000,000 2004 181 Gibraltar 131,200,000 2004 182 Cambodia 131,000,000 2004 183 American Samoa 128,000,000 2004 184 Saint Kitts and Nevis 125,000,000 2004 185 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 114,000,000 2004 186 Central African Republic 109,000,000 2004 187 Samoa 108,000,000 2004 188 Antigua and Barbuda 105,000,000 2004 189 Chad 94,000,000 2004 190 Rwanda 93,000,000 2004 191 Western Sahara 85,000,000 2004 192 Dominica 83,880,000 2004 193 Benin 82,000,000 2004 194 Guinea-Bissau 58,020,000 2004 195 Solomon Islands 55,000,000 2004 196 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 50,000,000 2004 197 Cape Verde 44,000,000 2004 198 Vanuatu 43,000,000 2004 199 British Virgin Islands 42,000,000 2004 200 Tonga 41,000,000 2004 201 Nauru 30,000,000 2004 202 Cook Islands 28,000,000 2004 203 Equatorial Guinea 26,000,000 2004 204 Comoros 19,000,000 2004 205 Sao Tome and Principe 18,000,000 2004 206 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 16,000,000 2004 207 Kiribati 13,000,000 2004 208 Saint Helena 7,000,000 2004 209 Turks and Caicos Islands 7,000,000 2004 210 Niue 3,000,000 2004 211 Montserrat 2,000,000 2003 212 Gaza Strip 140,000

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2042

Rank Country Electricity - consumption(kWh) Date of Information

1 World 16,180,000,000,000 2004 est. 2 United States 3,717,000,000,000 2004 3 European Union 2,770,000,000,000 2004 est. 4 China 2,494,000,000,000 2005 5 Russia 940,000,000,000 2005 6 Japan 906,200,000,000 2004 7 India 587,900,000,000 2004 8 Germany 524,600,000,000 2004 9 Canada 522,400,000,000 2004 10 France 440,600,000,000 2004 11 Brazil 391,700,000,000 2004 12 United Kingdom 345,200,000,000 2004 13 Korea, South 321,000,000,000 2004 14 Italy 303,800,000,000 2004 15 Spain 241,800,000,000 2004 16 Mexico 224,600,000,000 2004 17 Australia 209,500,000,000 2004 18 South Africa 207,000,000,000 2004 19 Taiwan 175,300,000,000 2005 20 Ukraine 158,900,000,000 2004 21 Iran 145,100,000,000 2004 22 Saudi Arabia 144,400,000,000 2004 23 Turkey 140,300,000,000 2005 24 Sweden 137,800,000,000 2004 25 Poland 124,100,000,000 2004 26 Thailand 116,200,000,000 2004 27 Norway 112,800,000,000 2004 28 Indonesia 104,700,000,000 2004 29 Netherlands 102,400,000,000 2004 30 Argentina 90,930,000,000 2004 31 Venezuela 86,520,000,000 2004 32 Egypt 84,490,000,000 2004 33 Belgium 82,410,000,000 2004 34 Finland 80,790,000,000 2004 35 Pakistan 74,620,000,000 2004 36 Malaysia 72,710,000,000 2004 37 Austria 64,070,000,000 2004 38 Czech Republic 58,800,000,000 2004 39 Kazakhstan 58,300,000,000 2004 40 Switzerland 56,930,000,000 2004 41 Greece 53,500,000,000 2005 est. 42 Romania 49,620,000,000 2004 43 Philippines 49,410,000,000 2004 44 Chile 49,090,000,000 2004 45 Uzbekistan 48,200,000,000 2004 46 United Arab Emirates 46,050,000,000 2004 47 Portugal 46,050,000,000 2004 48 Hong Kong 44,550,000,000 2005 49 Colombia 42,010,000,000 2004 50 Israel 41,380,000,000 2004 51 New Zealand 38,220,000,000 2004 52 Kuwait 37,540,000,000 2004 53 Vietnam 37,300,000,000 2004 54 Hungary 37,100,000,000 2004 55 Bulgaria 35,230,000,000 2004 56 Iraq 33,300,000,000 2005 57 Denmark 32,560,000,000 2004 58 Belarus 31,050,000,000 2004 59 Singapore 30,350,000,000 2004 60 Syria 27,570,000,000 2004 est. 61 Algeria 27,400,000,000 2004 est. 62 Slovakia 24,200,000,000 2004 63 Ireland 23,230,000,000 2004 64 Puerto Rico 22,450,000,000 2004 65 Peru 22,310,000,000 2004 66 Azerbaijan 20,570,000,000 2004 67 Korea, North 20,190,000,000 2004 68 Morocco 18,890,000,000 2004 69 Libya 18,080,000,000 2004 70 Nigeria 17,710,000,000 2004 71 Bangladesh 16,820,000,000 2004 72 Croatia 16,530,000,000 2004 73 Tajikistan 15,700,000,000 2004 74 Cuba 14,100,000,000 2004 75 Dominican Republic 13,960,000,000 2004 76 Oman 13,330,000,000 2004 77 Ecuador 12,950,000,000 2004 78 Slovenia 12,670,000,000 2004 79 Qatar 11,530,000,000 2004 80 Bosnia and Herzegovina 11,030,000,000 2004 81 Zimbabwe 11,000,000,000 2004 82 Tunisia 10,970,000,000 2004 83 Uruguay 9,939,000,000 2004 84 Mozambique 9,592,000,000 2004 85 Lebanon 9,529,000,000 2004 86 Lithuania 9,358,000,000 2004 87 Turkmenistan 9,030,000,000 2004 88 Georgia 8,528,000,000 2004 89 Jordan 8,387,000,000 2004 90 Macedonia 7,933,000,000 2005 91 Iceland 7,881,000,000 2004 92 Costa Rica 7,574,000,000 2004 93 Bahrain 7,248,000,000 2004 94 Sri Lanka 7,174,000,000 2004 95 Ghana 7,095,000,000 2004 96 Panama 6,888,000,000 2004 97 Estonia 6,846,000,000 2004 98 Kyrgyzstan 6,777,000,000 2004 99 Moldova 6,731,000,000 2004 100 Zambia 6,692,000,000 2004 101 Guatemala 6,649,000,000 2004 102 Jamaica 6,429,000,000 2004 103 Latvia 6,329,000,000 2004 104 Luxembourg 6,140,000,000 2005 est. 105 Burma 5,869,000,000 2004 106 Trinidad and Tobago 5,626,000,000 2004 107 Kenya 5,459,000,000 2004 108 Albania 5,231,000,000 2004 109 Congo, Republic of the 5,127,000,000 2004 110 Honduras 4,824,000,000 2004 111 Armenia 4,374,000,000 2005 112 El Salvador 4,229,000,000 2004 113 Bolivia 4,168,000,000 2004 114 Yemen 3,792,000,000 2004 est. 115 Cyprus 3,651,000,000 2004 116 Cameroon 3,649,000,000 2004 117 Sudan 3,576,000,000 2004 118 Mongolia 3,370,000,000 2005 est. 119 Laos 3,260,000,000 2004 120 Cote d'Ivoire 3,202,000,000 2004 121 Paraguay 3,133,000,000 2004 122 Papua New Guinea 3,123,000,000 2004 123 Namibia 2,819,000,000 2004 124 Brunei 2,609,000,000 2004 125 Nicaragua 2,573,000,000 2004 126 Botswana 2,464,000,000 2004 127 Tanzania 2,383,000,000 2004 128 Macau 2,159,000,000 2005 129 Ethiopia 2,133,000,000 2004 130 Malta 2,130,000,000 2004 131 Angola 2,040,000,000 2004 132 Mauritius 1,960,000,000 2004 133 Nepal 1,850,000,000 2005 134 Bahamas, The 1,669,000,000 2004 135 Guam 1,641,000,000 2004 136 Uganda 1,596,000,000 2004 137 New Caledonia 1,558,000,000 2004 138 Gabon 1,435,000,000 2004 139 Suriname 1,403,000,000 2004 140 Senegal 1,351,000,000 2004 141 Malawi 1,202,000,000 2004 142 Swaziland 1,123,000,000 2004 143 Netherlands Antilles 934,700,000 2004 144 Togo 929,200,000 2004 145 Madagascar 915,100,000 2004 146 Virgin Islands 911,400,000 2004 147 Barbados 833,300,000 2004 148 Afghanistan 782,900,000 2004 149 Guyana 761,500,000 2004 150 Fiji 759,800,000 2004 151 Guinea 734,700,000 2004 152 Aruba 716,100,000 2004 153 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 658,300,000 2004 154 Jersey 630,100,000 2004 est. 155 Bermuda 616,700,000 2005 156 Benin 576,300,000 2004 157 Bhutan 526,500,000 2004 158 Haiti 498,600,000 2004 159 French Polynesia 443,600,000 2004 160 Niger 415,800,000 2004 161 Mali 381,300,000 2004 162 Cayman Islands 372,000,000 2004 163 Burkina Faso 372,000,000 2004 164 Liberia 302,300,000 2004 165 Greenland 274,400,000 2004 166 Faroe Islands 272,100,000 2004 167 Saint Lucia 269,700,000 2004 168 Eritrea 256,700,000 2004 169 Somalia 250,200,000 2004 170 Lesotho 244,500,000 2004 171 Sierra Leone 226,900,000 2004 172 Rwanda 196,500,000 2004 173 Seychelles 193,400,000 2004 174 Djibouti 186,000,000 2004 175 Micronesia, Federated States of 178,600,000 2002 176 Mauritania 164,300,000 2004 177 Belize 162,800,000 2004 178 Grenada 159,300,000 2004 179 Burundi 157,400,000 2004 180 Maldives 139,400,000 2004 181 Gambia, The 134,900,000 2004 182 Gibraltar 122,000,000 2004 183 Cambodia 121,800,000 2004 184 American Samoa 119,000,000 2004 185 Saint Kitts and Nevis 116,300,000 2004 186 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 106,000,000 2004 187 Central African Republic 101,400,000 2004 188 Samoa 100,500,000 2004 189 Antigua and Barbuda 97,650,000 2004 190 Mayotte 87,790,000 2001 191 Chad 87,420,000 2004 192 Western Sahara 79,050,000 2004 193 Dominica 78,010,000 2004 194 Guinea-Bissau 53,960,000 2004 195 Solomon Islands 51,150,000 2004 196 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 46,500,000 2004 197 Anguilla 42,600,000 198 Cape Verde 40,920,000 2004 199 Vanuatu 39,990,000 2004 200 British Virgin Islands 39,060,000 2004 201 Tonga 38,130,000 2004 202 Nauru 27,900,000 2004 203 Cook Islands 26,040,000 2004 est. 204 Equatorial Guinea 24,180,000 2004 205 Montenegro 18,600,000 206 Comoros 17,670,000 2004 207 Sao Tome and Principe 16,740,000 2004 208 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 14,880,000 2004 209 Kiribati 12,090,000 2004 210 Saint Helena 6,510,000 2004 211 Turks and Caicos Islands 6,510,000 2004 212 Niue 2,790,000 2004 213 Montserrat 1,860,000 2003 214 Gaza Strip 230,000

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2053

Rank Country Airports Date of Information

1 World 49,024 2006 2 United States 14,858 2006 3 Brazil 4,276 2006 4 Mexico 1,839 2006 5 Russia 1,623 2006 6 Argentina 1,381 2006 7 Canada 1,337 2006 8 Bolivia 1,084 2006 9 Colombia 984 2006 10 Paraguay 881 2006 11 South Africa 731 2006 12 Indonesia 662 2006 13 Papua New Guinea 582 2006 14 Germany 554 2006 15 France 501 2006 16 Ukraine 499 2006 17 China 486 2006 18 France 477 2006 19 United Kingdom 471 2006 20 Australia 455 2006 21 Guatemala 450 2006 22 Zimbabwe 403 2006 23 Venezuela 375 2006 24 Chile 363 2006 25 Ecuador 359 2006 26 India 341 2006 27 Iran 321 2006 28 Peru 268 2006 29 Philippines 256 2006 30 Sweden 255 2006 31 Angola 244 2006 32 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 234 2006 33 Kenya 225 2006 34 Bulgaria 217 2006 35 Saudi Arabia 208 2006 36 Nicaragua 176 2006 37 Japan 175 2006 38 Cuba 170 2006 39 Mozambique 158 2006 40 Costa Rica 157 2006 41 Spain 157 2006 42 Kazakhstan 150 2006 43 Finland 148 2006 44 Algeria 142 2006 45 Libya 141 2006 46 Pakistan 139 2006 47 Oman 137 2006 48 Namibia 137 2006 49 Italy 133 2006 50 Tanzania 124 2006 51 Poland 122 2006 52 Czech Republic 121 2006 53 New Zealand 118 2006 54 Malaysia 117 2006 55 Panama 117 2006 56 Turkey 117 2006 57 Honduras 116 2006 58 Madagascar 116 2006 59 Zambia 111 2006 60 Iraq 110 2006 61 Thailand 108 2006 62 Korea, South 107 2006 63 Norway 99 2006 64 Iceland 98 2006 65 Denmark 92 2006 66 Syria 92 2006 67 Lithuania 91 2006 68 Guyana 90 2006 69 Egypt 88 2006 70 Sudan 88 2006 71 Belarus 86 2006 72 Botswana 85 2006 73 Burma 85 2006 74 Ethiopia 84 2006 75 Greece 82 2006 76 Korea, North 77 2006 77 El Salvador 75 2006 78 Nigeria 69 2006 79 Croatia 68 2006 80 Portugal 66 2006 81 Somalia 65 2006 82 Switzerland 65 2006 83 Bahamas, The 64 2006 84 Uruguay 64 2006 85 Romania 61 2006 86 Uzbekistan 61 2006 87 Morocco 60 2006 88 Gabon 56 2006 89 Austria 55 2006 90 Israel 53 2006 91 Liberia 53 2006 92 Chad 52 2006 93 French Polynesia 51 2006 94 Central African Republic 50 2006 95 Nepal 48 2006 96 Cameroon 47 2006 97 Suriname 47 2006 98 Afghanistan 46 2006 99 Latvia 46 2006 100 Yemen 46 2006 101 Hungary 46 2006 102 Laos 44 2006 103 Mongolia 44 2006 104 Belgium 43 2006 105 Belize 43 2006 106 Malawi 42 2006 107 Taiwan 42 2006 108 Tajikistan 40 2006 109 Serbia 39 2006 110 United Arab Emirates 37 2006 111 Kyrgyzstan 37 2006 112 Azerbaijan 36 2006 113 Ireland 36 2006 114 Slovakia 36 2006 115 Solomon Islands 35 2006 116 Cote d'Ivoire 35 2006 117 Jamaica 35 2006 118 Burkina Faso 34 2006 119 Dominican Republic 33 2006 120 Congo, Republic of the 32 2006 121 Vietnam 32 2006 122 Vanuatu 31 2006 123 Uganda 31 2006 124 Puerto Rico 30 2006 125 Tunisia 30 2006 126 Mali 29 2006 127 Turkmenistan 29 2006 128 Bosnia and Herzegovina 28 2006 129 Fiji 28 2006 130 Lesotho 28 2006 131 Guinea-Bissau 28 2006 132 Niger 28 2006 133 Netherlands 27 2006 134 Mauritania 25 2006 135 New Caledonia 25 2006 136 Estonia 24 2006 137 Georgia 23 2006 138 Antarctica 20 2006 139 Senegal 20 2006 140 Cambodia 20 2006 141 Kiribati 19 2006 142 Swaziland 18 2006 143 Eritrea 17 2006 144 Macedonia 17 2006 145 Jordan 17 2006 146 Bangladesh 16 2006 147 Sri Lanka 16 2006 148 Cyprus 16 2006 149 Guinea 16 2006 150 Marshall Islands 15 2006 151 Seychelles 15 2006 152 Greenland 14 2006 153 Slovenia 14 2006 154 Armenia 13 2006 155 Djibouti 13 2006 156 Ghana 12 2006 157 Haiti 12 2006 158 Moldova 12 2006 159 Albania 11 2006 160 Western Sahara 11 2006 161 Sierra Leone 10 2006 162 Cook Islands 9 2006 163 Singapore 9 2006 164 Togo 9 2006 165 Rwanda 9 2006 166 Burundi 8 2006 167 Turks and Caicos Islands 8 2006 168 East Timor 8 2006 169 Cape Verde 7 2006 170 Lebanon 7 2006 171 Kuwait 7 2006 172 Micronesia, Federated States of 6 2006 173 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6 2006 174 Tonga 6 2006 175 Mauritius 6 2006 176 Trinidad and Tobago 6 2006 177 Benin 5 2006 178 Qatar 5 2006 179 Netherlands Antilles 5 2006 180 Guam 5 2006 181 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 5 2006 182 Northern Mariana Islands 5 2006 183 Maldives 5 2006 184 Montenegro 5 2006 185 Comoros 4 2006 186 Samoa 4 2006 187 Svalbard 4 2006 188 Equatorial Guinea 4 2006 189 Antigua and Barbuda 3 2006 190 West Bank 3 2006 191 British Virgin Islands 3 2006 192 Palau 3 2006 193 Spratly Islands 3 2006 194 Midway Islands 3 2006 195 Hong Kong 3 2006 196 Grenada 3 2006 197 Bahrain 3 2006 198 Anguilla 3 2006 199 American Samoa 3 2006 200 Cayman Islands 3 2006 201 Bhutan 2 2006 202 Wallis and Futuna 2 2006 203 Virgin Islands 2 2006 204 Sao Tome and Principe 2 2006 205 Saint Lucia 2 2006 206 Saint Kitts and Nevis 2 2006 207 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 2 2006 208 Montserrat 2 2006 209 Brunei 2 2006 210 Dominica 2 2006 211 Gaza Strip 2 2006 212 Luxembourg 2 2006 213 Guernsey 2 2006 214 Aruba 1 2006 215 Barbados 1 2006 216 Wake Island 1 2006 217 Tuvalu 1 2006 218 Tromelin Island 1 2006 219 Saint Helena 1 2006 220 Mayotte 1 2006 221 Macau 1 2006 222 Palmyra Atoll 1 2006 223 Christmas Island 1 2006 224 Juan de Nova Island 1 2006 225 Johnston Atoll 1 2006 226 Jan Mayen 1 2006 227 Jersey 1 2006 228 British Indian Ocean Territory 1 2006 229 Isle of Man 1 2006 230 Paracel Islands 1 2006 231 Nauru 1 2006 232 Norfolk Island 1 2006 233 Niue 1 2006 234 Malta 1 2006 235 Glorioso Islands 1 2006 236 Gibraltar 1 2006 237 Gambia, The 1 2006 238 Faroe Islands 1 2006 239 Europa Island 1 2006 240 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 1 2006 241 Bermuda 1 2006

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2054

Rank Country Birth rate(births/1,000 population) Date of Information

1 Niger 50.73 2006 est. 2 Mali 49.82 2006 est. 3 Uganda 47.35 2006 est. 4 Afghanistan 46.60 2006 est. 5 Sierra Leone 45.76 2006 est. 6 Chad 45.73 2006 est. 7 Burkina Faso 45.62 2006 est. 8 Somalia 45.13 2006 est. 9 Angola 45.11 2006 est. 10 Liberia 44.77 2006 est. 11 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 43.69 2006 est. 12 Malawi 43.13 2006 est. 13 Yemen 42.89 2006 est. 14 Congo, Republic of the 42.57 2006 est. 15 Burundi 42.22 2006 est. 16 Guinea 41.76 2006 est. 17 Madagascar 41.41 2006 est. 18 Zambia 41.00 2006 est. 19 Mauritania 40.99 2006 est. 20 Mayotte 40.95 2006 est. 21 Nigeria 40.43 2006 est. 22 Rwanda 40.37 2006 est. 23 Sao Tome and Principe 40.25 2006 est. 24 Kenya 39.72 2006 est. 25 Djibouti 39.53 2006 est. 26 Gaza Strip 39.45 2006 est. 27 Gambia, The 39.37 2006 est. 28 Benin 38.85 2006 est. 29 Ethiopia 37.98 2006 est. 30 Tanzania 37.71 2006 est. 31 Guinea-Bissau 37.22 2006 est. 32 Togo 37.01 2006 est. 33 Comoros 36.93 2006 est. 34 Haiti 36.44 2006 est. 35 Oman 36.24 2006 est. 36 Gabon 36.16 2006 est. 37 Equatorial Guinea 35.59 2006 est. 38 Laos 35.49 2006 est. 39 Mozambique 35.18 2006 est. 40 Cote d'Ivoire 35.11 2006 est. 41 Maldives 34.81 2006 est. 42 Sudan 34.53 2006 est. 43 Eritrea 34.33 2006 est. 44 Central African Republic 33.91 2006 est. 45 Cameroon 33.89 2006 est. 46 Bhutan 33.65 2006 est. 47 Marshall Islands 33.05 2006 est. 48 Senegal 32.78 2006 est. 49 Tajikistan 32.65 2006 est. 50 Iraq 31.98 2006 est. 51 West Bank 31.67 2006 est. 52 Nepal 30.98 2006 est. 53 Kiribati 30.65 2006 est. 54 Ghana 30.52 2006 est. 55 Solomon Islands 30.01 2006 est. 56 Guatemala 29.88 2006 est. 57 Bangladesh 29.80 2006 est. 58 Pakistan 29.74 2006 est. 59 Papua New Guinea 29.36 2006 est. 60 Saudi Arabia 29.34 2006 est. 61 Paraguay 29.10 2006 est. 62 Belize 28.84 2006 est. 63 Honduras 28.24 2006 est. 64 Zimbabwe 28.01 2006 est. 65 Syria 27.76 2006 est. 66 Turkmenistan 27.61 2006 est. 67 Swaziland 27.41 2006 est. 68 East Timor 26.99 2006 est. 69 Cambodia 26.90 2006 est. 70 El Salvador 26.61 2006 est. 71 Libya 26.49 2006 est. 72 Uzbekistan 26.36 2006 est. 73 Tonga 25.37 2006 est. 74 Philippines 24.89 2006 est. 75 Cape Verde 24.87 2006 est. 76 Nauru 24.76 2006 est. 77 Lesotho 24.75 2006 est. 78 Micronesia, Federated States of 24.68 2006 est. 79 Nicaragua 24.51 2006 est. 80 Namibia 24.32 2006 est. 81 Bolivia 23.30 2006 est. 82 Dominican Republic 23.22 2006 est. 83 Botswana 23.08 2006 est. 84 Egypt 22.94 2006 est. 85 Malaysia 22.86 2006 est. 86 Kyrgyzstan 22.80 2006 est. 87 Vanuatu 22.72 2006 est. 88 Fiji 22.55 2006 est. 89 American Samoa 22.46 2006 est. 90 Ecuador 22.29 2006 est. 91 Tuvalu 22.18 2006 est. 92 Grenada 22.08 2006 est. 93 India 22.01 2006 est. 94 Morocco 21.98 2006 est. 95 Kuwait 21.94 2006 est. 96 Turks and Caicos Islands 21.84 2006 est. 97 Panama 21.74 2006 est. 98 Mongolia 21.59 2006 est. 99 Jordan 21.25 2006 est. 100 Cook Islands 21.00 2001 census 101 Jamaica 20.82 2006 est. 102 Azerbaijan 20.74 2006 est. 103 Mexico 20.69 2006 est. 104 Colombia 20.48 2006 est. 105 Peru 20.48 2006 est. 106 Indonesia 20.34 2006 est. 107 World 20.05 2006 est. 108 Saint Lucia 19.68 2006 est. 109 Northern Mariana Islands 19.43 2006 est. 110 United Arab Emirates 18.96 2006 est. 111 Brunei 18.79 2006 est. 112 Guam 18.79 2006 est. 113 Venezuela 18.71 2006 est. 114 Lebanon 18.52 2006 est. 115 Costa Rica 18.32 2006 est. 116 Guyana 18.28 2006 est. 117 South Africa 18.20 2006 est. 118 New Caledonia 18.11 2006 est. 119 Palau 18.03 2006 est. 120 Suriname 18.02 2006 est. 121 Saint Kitts and Nevis 18.02 2006 est. 122 Israel 17.97 2006 est. 123 Burma 17.91 2006 est. 124 Bahrain 17.80 2006 est. 125 Montserrat 17.59 2006 est. 126 Bahamas, The 17.57 2006 est. 127 Algeria 17.14 2006 est. 128 Iran 17.00 2006 est. 129 Antigua and Barbuda 16.93 2006 est. 130 Vietnam 16.86 2006 est. 131 Argentina 16.73 2006 est. 132 French Polynesia 16.68 2006 est. 133 Turkey 16.62 2006 est. 134 Brazil 16.56 2006 est. 135 Samoa 16.43 2006 est. 136 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 16.18 2006 est. 137 Seychelles 16.03 2006 est. 138 Kazakhstan 16.00 2006 est. 139 Greenland 15.93 2006 est. 140 Moldova 15.70 2006 est. 141 Qatar 15.56 2006 est. 142 Korea, North 15.54 2006 est. 143 Tunisia 15.52 2006 est. 144 Sri Lanka 15.51 2006 est. 145 Mauritius 15.43 2006 est. 146 Dominica 15.27 2006 est. 147 Chile 15.23 2006 est. 148 Albania 15.11 2006 est. 149 British Virgin Islands 14.89 2006 est. 150 Netherlands Antilles 14.78 2006 est. 151 Ireland 14.45 2006 est. 152 Anguilla 14.17 2006 est. 153 United States 14.14 2006 est. 154 Faroe Islands 14.05 2006 est. 155 Virgin Islands 13.96 2006 est. 156 Uruguay 13.91 2006 est. 157 Thailand 13.87 2006 est. 158 New Zealand 13.76 2006 est. 159 Iceland 13.64 2006 est. 160 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 13.52 2006 est. 161 China 13.25 2006 est. 162 Trinidad and Tobago 12.90 2006 est. 163 Puerto Rico 12.77 2006 est. 164 Cayman Islands 12.74 2006 est. 165 Barbados 12.71 2006 est. 166 Montenegro 12.60 2004 167 Cyprus 12.56 2006 est. 168 Taiwan 12.56 2006 est. 169 Australia 12.14 2006 est. 170 Saint Helena 12.13 2006 est. 171 Armenia 12.07 2006 est. 172 Macedonia 12.02 2006 est. 173 France 11.99 2006 est. 174 Luxembourg 11.94 2006 est. 175 Cuba 11.89 2006 est. 176 Norway 11.46 2006 est. 177 Bermuda 11.40 2006 est. 178 Belarus 11.16 2006 est. 179 Denmark 11.13 2006 est. 180 Isle of Man 11.05 2006 est. 181 Aruba 11.03 2006 est. 182 Netherlands 10.90 2006 est. 183 Canada 10.78 2006 est. 184 Gibraltar 10.74 2006 est. 185 Portugal 10.72 2006 est. 186 United Kingdom 10.71 2006 est. 187 Romania 10.70 2006 est. 188 Slovakia 10.65 2006 est. 189 Finland 10.45 2006 est. 190 Georgia 10.41 2006 est. 191 Belgium 10.38 2006 est. 192 Sweden 10.27 2006 est. 193 Malta 10.22 2006 est. 194 Liechtenstein 10.21 2006 est. 195 Spain 10.06 2006 est. 196 Estonia 10.04 2006 est. 197 San Marino 10.02 2006 est. 198 European Union 10.00 2006 est. 199 Korea, South 10.00 2006 est. 200 Russia 9.95 2006 est. 201 Poland 9.85 2006 est. 202 Hungary 9.72 2006 est. 203 Switzerland 9.71 2006 est. 204 Greece 9.68 2006 est. 205 Bulgaria 9.65 2006 est. 206 Croatia 9.61 2006 est. 207 Japan 9.37 2006 est. 208 Singapore 9.34 2006 est. 209 Jersey 9.30 2006 est. 210 Latvia 9.24 2006 est. 211 Monaco 9.19 2006 est. 212 Czech Republic 9.02 2006 est. 213 Slovenia 8.98 2006 est. 214 Ukraine 8.82 2006 est. 215 Guernsey 8.81 2006 est. 216 Bosnia and Herzegovina 8.77 2006 est. 217 Lithuania 8.75 2006 est. 218 Austria 8.74 2006 est. 219 Italy 8.72 2006 est. 220 Andorra 8.71 2006 est. 221 Macau 8.48 2006 est. 222 Germany 8.25 2006 est. 223 Hong Kong 7.29 2006 est.

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2066

Rank Country Death rate(deaths/1,000 population) Date of Information

1 Swaziland 29.74 2006 est. 2 Botswana 29.50 2006 est. 3 Lesotho 28.71 2006 est. 4 Angola 24.20 2006 est. 5 Liberia 23.10 2006 est. 6 Sierra Leone 23.03 2006 est. 7 South Africa 22.00 2006 est. 8 Zimbabwe 21.84 2006 est. 9 Mozambique 21.35 2006 est. 10 Niger 20.91 2006 est. 11 Afghanistan 20.34 2006 est. 12 Zambia 19.93 2006 est. 13 Malawi 19.33 2006 est. 14 Djibouti 19.31 2006 est. 15 Namibia 18.86 2006 est. 16 Central African Republic 18.65 2006 est. 17 Nigeria 16.94 2006 est. 18 Mali 16.89 2006 est. 19 Somalia 16.63 2006 est. 20 Guinea-Bissau 16.53 2006 est. 21 Tanzania 16.39 2006 est. 22 Chad 16.38 2006 est. 23 Rwanda 16.09 2006 est. 24 Burkina Faso 15.60 2006 est. 25 Guinea 15.48 2006 est. 26 Equatorial Guinea 15.06 2006 est. 27 Ethiopia 14.86 2006 est. 28 Cote d'Ivoire 14.84 2006 est. 29 Russia 14.65 2006 est. 30 Ukraine 14.39 2006 est. 31 Bulgaria 14.27 2006 est. 32 Belarus 14.02 2006 est. 33 Kenya 14.02 2006 est. 34 Latvia 13.66 2006 est. 35 Cameroon 13.47 2006 est. 36 Burundi 13.46 2006 est. 37 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 13.27 2006 est. 38 Estonia 13.25 2006 est. 39 Hungary 13.11 2006 est. 40 Congo, Republic of the 12.93 2006 est. 41 Monaco 12.91 2006 est. 42 Bhutan 12.70 2006 est. 43 Moldova 12.64 2006 est. 44 Gambia, The 12.25 2006 est. 45 Gabon 12.25 2006 est. 46 Uganda 12.24 2006 est. 47 Benin 12.22 2006 est. 48 Haiti 12.17 2006 est. 49 Mauritania 12.16 2006 est. 50 Romania 11.77 2006 est. 51 Laos 11.55 2006 est. 52 Croatia 11.48 2006 est. 53 Isle of Man 11.19 2006 est. 54 Madagascar 11.11 2006 est. 55 Lithuania 10.98 2006 est. 56 Germany 10.62 2006 est. 57 Czech Republic 10.59 2006 est. 58 Trinidad and Tobago 10.57 2006 est. 59 Portugal 10.50 2006 est. 60 Italy 10.40 2006 est. 61 Denmark 10.36 2006 est. 62 Slovenia 10.31 2006 est. 63 Sweden 10.31 2006 est. 64 Belgium 10.27 2006 est. 65 Greece 10.24 2006 est. 66 United Kingdom 10.13 2006 est. 67 European Union 10.10 2006 est. 68 Guernsey 10.01 2006 est. 69 Poland 9.89 2006 est. 70 Finland 9.86 2006 est. 71 Burma 9.83 2006 est. 72 Togo 9.83 2006 est. 73 Austria 9.76 2006 est. 74 Azerbaijan 9.75 2006 est. 75 Ghana 9.72 2006 est. 76 Spain 9.72 2006 est. 77 Eritrea 9.60 2006 est. 78 Slovakia 9.45 2006 est. 79 Kazakhstan 9.42 2006 est. 80 Senegal 9.42 2006 est. 81 Norway 9.40 2006 est. 82 Gibraltar 9.31 2006 est. 83 Nepal 9.31 2006 est. 84 Jersey 9.28 2006 est. 85 Georgia 9.23 2006 est. 86 Montenegro 9.20 2004 87 Japan 9.16 2006 est. 88 France 9.14 2006 est. 89 Cambodia 9.06 2006 est. 90 Bahamas, The 9.05 2006 est. 91 Uruguay 9.05 2006 est. 92 Sudan 8.97 2006 est. 93 Macedonia 8.77 2006 est. 94 Faroe Islands 8.70 2006 est. 95 Netherlands 8.68 2006 est. 96 Barbados 8.67 2006 est. 97 World 8.67 2006 est. 98 Turkmenistan 8.60 2006 est. 99 Switzerland 8.49 2006 est. 100 Luxembourg 8.41 2006 est. 101 Saint Kitts and Nevis 8.33 2006 est. 102 Yemen 8.30 2006 est. 103 Guyana 8.28 2006 est. 104 Bangladesh 8.27 2006 est. 105 Bosnia and Herzegovina 8.27 2006 est. 106 Kiribati 8.26 2006 est. 107 United States 8.26 2006 est. 108 Tajikistan 8.25 2006 est. 109 Armenia 8.23 2006 est. 110 Pakistan 8.23 2006 est. 111 Comoros 8.20 2006 est. 112 India 8.18 2006 est. 113 San Marino 8.17 2006 est. 114 Malta 8.10 2006 est. 115 Greenland 7.84 2006 est. 116 Uzbekistan 7.84 2006 est. 117 Ireland 7.82 2006 est. 118 Vanuatu 7.82 2006 est. 119 Canada 7.80 2006 est. 120 Bermuda 7.74 2006 est. 121 Mayotte 7.70 2006 est. 122 Cyprus 7.68 2006 est. 123 Puerto Rico 7.65 2006 est. 124 Argentina 7.55 2006 est. 125 Bolivia 7.53 2006 est. 126 New Zealand 7.53 2006 est. 127 Australia 7.51 2006 est. 128 Suriname 7.27 2006 est. 129 Papua New Guinea 7.25 2006 est. 130 Cuba 7.22 2006 est. 131 Liechtenstein 7.18 2006 est. 132 Korea, North 7.13 2006 est. 133 Tuvalu 7.11 2006 est. 134 Montserrat 7.10 2006 est. 135 Kyrgyzstan 7.08 2006 est. 136 Maldives 7.06 2006 est. 137 Thailand 7.04 2006 est. 138 China 6.97 2006 est. 139 Mongolia 6.95 2006 est. 140 Grenada 6.88 2006 est. 141 Mauritius 6.86 2006 est. 142 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 6.83 2006 est. 143 Palau 6.80 2006 est. 144 Dominica 6.73 2006 est. 145 Iceland 6.72 2006 est. 146 Nauru 6.70 2006 est. 147 Aruba 6.68 2006 est. 148 Samoa 6.62 2006 est. 149 Cape Verde 6.55 2006 est. 150 Saint Helena 6.53 2006 est. 151 Sri Lanka 6.52 2006 est. 152 Jamaica 6.52 2006 est. 153 Taiwan 6.48 2006 est. 154 Sao Tome and Principe 6.47 2006 est. 155 Netherlands Antilles 6.45 2006 est. 156 Virgin Islands 6.43 2006 est. 157 Hong Kong 6.29 2006 est. 158 Seychelles 6.29 2006 est. 159 Andorra 6.25 2006 est. 160 Indonesia 6.25 2006 est. 161 East Timor 6.24 2006 est. 162 Peru 6.23 2006 est. 163 Vietnam 6.22 2006 est. 164 Lebanon 6.21 2006 est. 165 Israel 6.18 2006 est. 166 Brazil 6.17 2006 est. 167 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5.98 2006 est. 168 Turkey 5.97 2006 est. 169 Korea, South 5.85 2006 est. 170 Chile 5.81 2006 est. 171 El Salvador 5.78 2006 est. 172 Dominican Republic 5.73 2006 est. 173 Belize 5.72 2006 est. 174 New Caledonia 5.69 2006 est. 175 Fiji 5.65 2006 est. 176 Colombia 5.58 2006 est. 177 Morocco 5.58 2006 est. 178 Iran 5.55 2006 est. 179 Philippines 5.41 2006 est. 180 Antigua and Barbuda 5.37 2006 est. 181 Iraq 5.37 2006 est. 182 Panama 5.36 2006 est. 183 Anguilla 5.34 2006 est. 184 Honduras 5.28 2006 est. 185 Tonga 5.28 2006 est. 186 Egypt 5.23 2006 est. 187 Albania 5.22 2006 est. 188 Guatemala 5.20 2006 est. 189 Tunisia 5.13 2006 est. 190 Saint Lucia 5.08 2006 est. 191 Malaysia 5.05 2006 est. 192 Venezuela 4.92 2006 est. 193 Cayman Islands 4.89 2006 est. 194 Syria 4.81 2006 est. 195 Marshall Islands 4.78 2006 est. 196 Micronesia, Federated States of 4.75 2006 est. 197 Mexico 4.74 2006 est. 198 Qatar 4.72 2006 est. 199 French Polynesia 4.69 2006 est. 200 Algeria 4.61 2006 est. 201 Paraguay 4.49 2006 est. 202 Guam 4.48 2006 est. 203 Macau 4.47 2006 est. 204 Nicaragua 4.45 2006 est. 205 British Virgin Islands 4.42 2006 est. 206 United Arab Emirates 4.40 2006 est. 207 Costa Rica 4.36 2006 est. 208 Singapore 4.28 2006 est. 209 Ecuador 4.23 2006 est. 210 Turks and Caicos Islands 4.21 2006 est. 211 Bahrain 4.14 2006 est. 212 Solomon Islands 3.92 2006 est. 213 West Bank 3.92 2006 est. 214 Oman 3.81 2006 est. 215 Gaza Strip 3.80 2006 est. 216 Libya 3.48 2006 est. 217 Brunei 3.45 2006 est. 218 American Samoa 3.27 2006 est. 219 Jordan 2.65 2006 est. 220 Saudi Arabia 2.58 2006 est. 221 Kuwait 2.41 2006 est. 222 Northern Mariana Islands 2.29 2006 est.

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2067

Rank Country Military expenditures - dollar figure Date of Information

1 United States $ 518,100,000,000 2005 est. 2 China $ 81,480,000,000 2005 est. 3 France $ 45,000,000,000 2005 4 Japan $ 44,310,000,000 2005 est. 5 United Kingdom $ 42,836,500,000 2003 6 Germany $ 35,063,000,000 2003 7 Italy $ 28,182,800,000 2003 8 Korea, South $ 21,060,000,000 2005 est. 9 India $ 19,040,000,000 2005 est. 10 Saudi Arabia $ 18,000,000,000 2002 11 Australia $ 17,840,000,000 2005 est. 12 Turkey $ 12,155,000,000 2003 13 Brazil $ 9,940,000,000 2005 est. 14 Spain $ 9,906,500,000 2003 15 Canada $ 9,801,700,000 2003 16 Israel $ 9,450,000,000 2005 est. 17 Netherlands $ 9,408,000,000 2004 18 Taiwan $ 7,930,000,000 2005 est. 19 Mexico $ 6,070,000,000 2005 est. 20 Greece $ 5,890,000,000 2004 21 Sweden $ 5,510,000,000 2005 est. 22 Svalbard $ 5,501,000,000 23 Korea, North $ 5,217,400,000 FY02 24 Singapore $ 4,470,000,000 25 Argentina $ 4,300,000,000 26 Iran $ 4,300,000,000 2003 est. 27 Pakistan $ 4,260,000,000 2005 est. 28 Norway $ 4,033,500,000 2003 29 Belgium $ 3,999,000,000 2003 30 Chile $ 3,910,000,000 2005 est. 31 South Africa $ 3,550,000,000 2005 est. 32 Poland $ 3,500,000,000 2002 33 Portugal $ 3,497,800,000 2003 34 Colombia $ 3,300,000,000 35 Denmark $ 3,271,600,000 2003 36 Kuwait $ 3,010,000,000 2005 est. 37 Algeria $ 3,000,000,000 2005 est. 38 Switzerland $ 2,548,000,000 FY01 39 Egypt $ 2,440,000,000 2003 40 Morocco $ 2,310,000,000 2003 est. 41 Montenegro $ 2,306,000,000 42 Czech Republic $ 2,170,000,000 2004 43 Angola $ 2,000,000,000 2005 est. 44 Finland $ 1,800,000,000 FY98/99 45 Thailand $ 1,775,000,000 46 Malaysia $ 1,690,000,000 47 Venezuela $ 1,610,000,000 2005 est. 48 United Arab Emirates $ 1,600,000,000 49 Austria $ 1,497,000,000 FY01/02 50 Jordan $ 1,400,000,000 2005 est. 51 Iraq $ 1,340,000,000 2005 est. 52 Indonesia $ 1,300,000,000 2004 53 Libya $ 1,300,000,000 54 New Zealand $ 1,147,000,000 FY03/04 55 Hungary $ 1,080,000,000 2002 est. 56 Bangladesh $ 1,010,000,000 2005 est. 57 Western Sahara $ 992,200,000 58 Yemen $ 992,200,000 2005 est. 59 Romania $ 985,000,000 2002 60 Syria $ 858,000,000 61 Philippines $ 836,900,000 2005 est. 62 Peru $ 829,300,000 2003 est. 63 Nigeria $ 737,600,000 2005 est. 64 Qatar $ 723,000,000 65 Ireland $ 700,000,000 FY00/01 66 Cuba $ 694,000,000 2005 est. 67 Ecuador $ 650,000,000 2005 est. 68 Vietnam $ 650,000,000 69 Bahrain $ 627,700,000 2005 est. 70 Croatia $ 620,000,000 2004 71 Ukraine $ 617,900,000 FY02 72 Sri Lanka $ 606,200,000 2005 est. 73 Sudan $ 587,000,000 2004 74 Lebanon $ 540,600,000 2004 75 Belarus $ 420,500,000 2006 76 Slovakia $ 406,000,000 2002 77 Cyprus $ 384,000,000 78 Uruguay $ 371,200,000 2005 est. 79 Slovenia $ 370,000,000 FY00 80 Bulgaria $ 356,000,000 FY02 81 Tunisia $ 356,000,000 82 Madagascar $ 329,000,000 2005 est. 83 Botswana $ 325,500,000 2005 est. 84 Ethiopia $ 295,900,000 2005 est. 85 Brunei $ 290,700,000 2003 est. 86 Kenya $ 280,500,000 2005 est. 87 Gabon $ 253,500,000 2005 est. 88 Oman $ 252,990,000 2004 89 Cote d'Ivoire $ 246,600,000 2005 est. 90 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 234,300,000 91 Luxembourg $ 231,600,000 2003 92 Lithuania $ 230,800,000 FY01 93 Cameroon $ 230,200,000 2005 est. 94 Kazakhstan $ 221,800,000 FY02 95 Eritrea $ 220,100,000 2005 est. 96 Macedonia $ 200,000,000 97 Uzbekistan $ 200,000,000 98 Turks and Caicos Islands $ 192,800,000 99 Uganda $ 192,800,000 2005 est. 100 Guatemala $ 169,800,000 2005 est. 101 El Salvador $ 161,700,000 2005 est. 102 Estonia $ 155,000,000 2002 est. 103 Equatorial Guinea $ 152,200,000 2005 est. 104 Panama $ 150,000,000 2005 est. 105 Namibia $ 149,500,000 2005 est. 106 Armenia $ 135,000,000 FY01 107 Bolivia $ 130,000,000 2005 est. 108 Zimbabwe $ 124,700,000 2005 est. 109 Afghanistan $ 122,400,000 2005 est. 110 Zambia $ 121,700,000 2005 est. 111 Azerbaijan $ 121,000,000 112 Guinea $ 119,700,000 2005 est. 113 Senegal $ 117,300,000 2005 est. 114 Cambodia $ 112,000,000 115 Mali $ 106,300,000 2005 est. 116 Nepal $ 104,900,000 2005 est. 117 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 103,700,000 2005 est. 118 Benin $ 100,900,000 2005 est. 119 Turkmenistan $ 90,000,000 120 Latvia $ 87,000,000 FY01 121 Congo, Republic of the $ 85,220,000 2005 est. 122 Ghana $ 83,650,000 2005 est. 123 Costa Rica $ 83,460,000 2005 est. 124 Mozambique $ 78,030,000 2005 est. 125 Burkina Faso $ 74,830,000 2005 est. 126 Chad $ 68,950,000 2005 est. 127 Liberia $ 67,400,000 2005 est. 128 Trinidad and Tobago $ 66,720,000 2003 est. 129 Tokelau $ 66,720,000 130 Albania $ 56,500,000 FY02 131 Rwanda $ 53,660,000 2005 est. 132 Paraguay $ 53,100,000 2003 est. 133 Honduras $ 52,800,000 2005 est. 134 Maldives $ 45,070,000 2005 est. 135 Niger $ 44,780,000 2005 est. 136 Burundi $ 43,900,000 2005 est. 137 Swaziland $ 41,600,000 2005 est. 138 Lesotho $ 41,100,000 2005 est. 139 Burma $ 39,000,000 140 Malta $ 38,168,000 2005 est. 141 Fiji $ 36,000,000 2004 142 Tajikistan $ 35,400,000 FY01 143 Nicaragua $ 32,270,000 2005 est. 144 Jamaica $ 31,170,000 2003 est. 145 Togo $ 29,980,000 2005 est. 146 Djibouti $ 29,050,000 2005 est. 147 Haiti $ 25,960,000 2003 est. 148 Mongolia $ 23,100,000 FY02 149 Georgia $ 23,000,000 150 Somalia $ 22,340,000 2005 est. 151 Tanzania $ 21,200,000 2005 est. 152 Mauritania $ 19,320,000 2005 est. 153 Kyrgyzstan $ 19,200,000 FY01 154 Belize $ 19,000,000 2005 est. 155 Papua New Guinea $ 16,900,000 2003 156 Central African Republic $ 16,370,000 2005 est. 157 Malawi $ 15,810,000 2005 est. 158 Serbia $ 14,850,000 159 Seychelles $ 14,850,000 2005 est. 160 Sierra Leone $ 14,250,000 2005 est. 161 Comoros $ 12,870,000 2005 est. 162 Mauritius $ 12,040,000 2005 est. 163 Laos $ 11,040,000 2005 est. 164 Guinea-Bissau $ 9,460,000 2005 est. 165 Moldova $ 8,700,000 2004 166 Bhutan $ 8,290,000 2005 est. 167 Suriname $ 7,500,000 2003 est. 168 Cape Verde $ 7,180,000 2005 est. 169 Guyana $ 6,480,000 2003 est. 170 East Timor $ 4,400,000 FY03 171 Bermuda $ 4,030,000 2001 172 Gambia, The $ 1,550,000 2005 est. 173 San Marino $ 700,000 FY00/01 174 Sao Tome and Principe $ 581,729 2005 est. 175 Dominican Republic $ 0 2002 est.

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2078

Rank Country Exports Date of Information

1 World $ 12,450,000,000,000 2004 est. 2 European Union $ 1,330,000,000,000 2005 3 Germany $ 1,133,000,000,000 2006 est. 4 United States $ 1,024,000,000,000 2006 est. 5 China $ 974,000,000,000 2006 est. 6 Hong Kong $ 611,600,000,000 2006 est. 7 Japan $ 590,300,000,000 2006 est. 8 France $ 490,000,000,000 2006 est. 9 United Kingdom $ 468,800,000,000 2006 est. 10 Italy $ 450,100,000,000 2006 est. 11 Netherlands $ 413,800,000,000 2006 est. 12 Canada $ 405,000,000,000 2006 est. 13 Belgium $ 335,300,000,000 2006 est. 14 Korea, South $ 327,900,000,000 2006 est. 15 Russia $ 317,600,000,000 2006 est. 16 Singapore $ 283,600,000,000 2006 est. 17 Mexico $ 248,800,000,000 2006 est. 18 Spain $ 222,100,000,000 2006 est. 19 Taiwan $ 215,000,000,000 2006 est. 20 Saudi Arabia $ 204,500,000,000 2006 est. 21 Sweden $ 173,900,000,000 2006 est. 22 Switzerland $ 166,300,000,000 2006 est. 23 Malaysia $ 158,700,000,000 2006 est. 24 Austria $ 144,400,000,000 2006 est. 25 Brazil $ 138,000,000,000 2006 est. 26 United Arab Emirates $ 137,100,000,000 2006 est. 27 Thailand $ 123,500,000,000 2006 est. 28 Norway $ 122,600,000,000 2006 est. 29 Ireland $ 119,800,000,000 2006 est. 30 Australia $ 117,000,000,000 2006 est. 31 India $ 112,000,000,000 2006 est. 32 Poland $ 110,700,000,000 2006 est. 33 Indonesia $ 102,300,000,000 2006 est. 34 Denmark $ 93,930,000,000 2006 est. 35 Czech Republic $ 89,340,000,000 2006 est. 36 Turkey $ 85,210,000,000 2006 est. 37 Finland $ 84,720,000,000 2006 est. 38 Venezuela $ 69,230,000,000 2006 est. 39 Hungary $ 67,990,000,000 2006 est. 40 Iran $ 63,180,000,000 2006 est. 41 South Africa $ 59,150,000,000 2006 est. 42 Nigeria $ 59,010,000,000 2006 est. 43 Chile $ 58,210,000,000 2006 est. 44 Kuwait $ 56,060,000,000 2006 est. 45 Algeria $ 55,600,000,000 2006 est. 46 Puerto Rico $ 46,900,000,000 2001 47 Portugal $ 46,770,000,000 2006 est. 48 Argentina $ 46,000,000,000 2006 est. 49 Philippines $ 44,200,000,000 2006 est. 50 Israel $ 42,860,000,000 2006 est. 51 Vietnam $ 39,920,000,000 2006 est. 52 Slovakia $ 39,640,000,000 2006 est. 53 Ukraine $ 39,120,000,000 2006 est. 54 Libya $ 37,020,000,000 2006 est. 55 Kazakhstan $ 35,550,000,000 2006 est. 56 Angola $ 35,530,000,000 2006 est. 57 Qatar $ 33,250,000,000 2006 est. 58 Romania $ 33,000,000,000 2006 est. 59 Iraq $ 32,190,000,000 2006 est. 60 Colombia $ 24,860,000,000 2006 est. 61 Oman $ 24,730,000,000 2006 est. 62 Greece $ 24,420,000,000 2006 est. 63 Egypt $ 24,220,000,000 2006 est. 64 New Zealand $ 23,690,000,000 2006 est. 65 Peru $ 22,690,000,000 2006 est. 66 Slovenia $ 21,850,000,000 2006 est. 67 Belarus $ 19,610,000,000 2006 est. 68 Luxembourg $ 19,550,000,000 2006 est. 69 Pakistan $ 19,240,000,000 2006 est. 70 Lithuania $ 14,640,000,000 2006 est. 71 Bulgaria $ 14,600,000,000 2006 est. 72 Bahrain $ 12,620,000,000 2006 est. 73 Ecuador $ 12,560,000,000 2006 est. 74 Azerbaijan $ 12,510,000,000 2006 est. 75 Trinidad and Tobago $ 12,500,000,000 2006 est. 76 Morocco $ 11,720,000,000 2006 est. 77 Tunisia $ 11,610,000,000 2006 est. 78 Bangladesh $ 11,170,000,000 2006 est. 79 Croatia $ 11,170,000,000 2006 est. 80 Estonia $ 9,680,000,000 2006 est. 81 Equatorial Guinea $ 8,961,000,000 2006 est. 82 Yemen $ 8,214,000,000 2006 est. 83 Panama $ 8,087,000,000 2006 est. 84 Costa Rica $ 7,931,000,000 2006 est. 85 Cote d'Ivoire $ 7,832,000,000 2006 est. 86 Sudan $ 7,505,000,000 2006 est. 87 Sri Lanka $ 7,076,000,000 2006 est. 88 Latvia $ 6,980,000,000 2006 est. 89 Syria $ 6,923,000,000 2006 est. 90 Gabon $ 6,677,000,000 2006 est. 91 Dominican Republic $ 6,495,000,000 2006 est. 92 Congo, Republic of the $ 5,996,000,000 2006 est. 93 Uzbekistan $ 5,510,000,000 2006 est. 94 Turkmenistan $ 5,421,000,000 2006 est. 95 Burma $ 5,289,000,000 2006 est. 96 Botswana $ 4,836,000,000 2006 est. 97 Jordan $ 4,798,000,000 2006 est. 98 Serbia $ 4,553,000,000 2005 est. 99 Brunei $ 4,514,000,000 2004 est. 100 Chad $ 4,342,000,000 2006 est. 101 Cameroon $ 4,318,000,000 2006 est. 102 Virgin Islands $ 4,234,000,000 2001 103 Guatemala $ 4,097,000,000 2006 est. 104 Papua New Guinea $ 4,096,000,000 2006 est. 105 Uruguay $ 3,993,000,000 2006 est. 106 Zambia $ 3,928,000,000 2006 est. 107 El Salvador $ 3,686,000,000 2006 est. 108 Bolivia $ 3,668,000,000 2006 est. 109 Kenya $ 3,614,000,000 2006 est. 110 Iceland $ 3,587,000,000 2006 est. 111 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 3,500,000,000 2006 est. 112 Cambodia $ 3,331,000,000 2006 est. 113 Ghana $ 3,286,000,000 2006 est. 114 Macau $ 3,156,000,000 2005 115 Cuba $ 2,956,000,000 2006 est. 116 Liechtenstein $ 2,470,000,000 1996 117 Mozambique $ 2,429,000,000 2006 est. 118 Malta $ 2,425,000,000 2006 est. 119 Macedonia $ 2,341,000,000 2006 est. 120 Namibia $ 2,321,000,000 2006 est. 121 Mauritius $ 2,318,000,000 2006 est. 122 Swaziland $ 2,201,000,000 2006 est. 123 Jamaica $ 2,087,000,000 2006 est. 124 Netherlands Antilles $ 2,076,000,000 2004 est. 125 Honduras $ 1,947,000,000 2006 est. 126 Lebanon $ 1,881,000,000 2005 est. 127 Tanzania $ 1,831,000,000 2006 est. 128 Zimbabwe $ 1,766,000,000 2006 est. 129 Georgia $ 1,761,000,000 2006 est. 130 Nicaragua $ 1,714,000,000 2006 est. 131 Paraguay $ 1,690,000,000 2005 est. 132 Senegal $ 1,478,000,000 2006 est. 133 Bermuda $ 1,469,000,000 2004 est. 134 Korea, North $ 1,400,000,000 2005 est. 135 Cyprus $ 1,340,000,000 2006 est. 136 Tajikistan $ 1,160,000,000 2006 est. 137 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 1,108,000,000 2004 est. 138 Ethiopia $ 1,085,000,000 2006 est. 139 Armenia $ 1,056,000,000 2006 est. 140 Moldova $ 1,020,000,000 2006 est. 141 New Caledonia $ 999,000,000 2004 est. 142 Madagascar $ 993,500,000 2006 est. 143 Uganda $ 961,700,000 2006 est. 144 Liberia $ 910,000,000 2004 est. 145 Suriname $ 881,000,000 2004 est. 146 Togo $ 868,400,000 2006 est. 147 Mongolia $ 852,000,000 2004 est. 148 Nepal $ 822,000,000 2005 est. 149 Mauritania $ 784,000,000 2004 est. 150 Lesotho $ 779,100,000 2006 est. 151 Albania $ 763,200,000 2006 est. 152 Fiji $ 719,600,000 2005 153 Kyrgyzstan $ 701,800,000 2006 est. 154 Monaco $ 656,500,000 2004 155 Guyana $ 621,600,000 2006 est. 156 Guinea $ 615,100,000 2006 est. 157 Laos $ 593,600,000 2006 est. 158 Benin $ 563,100,000 2006 est. 159 Burkina Faso $ 543,500,000 2006 est. 160 Faroe Islands $ 533,000,000 2004 est. 161 Malawi $ 513,100,000 2006 est. 162 Greenland $ 480,000,000 2004 est. 163 Afghanistan $ 471,000,000 2005 est. 164 Bahamas, The $ 469,300,000 2004 est. 165 American Samoa $ 445,600,000 FY04 est. 166 Haiti $ 443,700,000 2006 est. 167 Seychelles $ 365,100,000 2006 est. 168 Belize $ 359,500,000 2006 est. 169 Mali $ 323,000,000 2004 est. 170 Gaza Strip $ 313,000,000 2004 171 West Bank $ 313,000,000 2004 172 Gibraltar $ 271,000,000 2004 est. 173 Djibouti $ 250,000,000 2004 est. 174 Somalia $ 241,000,000 2004 est. 175 Niger $ 222,000,000 2004 est. 176 French Polynesia $ 211,000,000 2005 est. 177 Barbados $ 209,000,000 2004 est. 178 Sierra Leone $ 185,000,000 2004 est. 179 Montenegro $ 171,300,000 2003 180 Solomon Islands $ 171,000,000 2004 est. 181 Turks and Caicos Islands $ 169,200,000 2000 182 Bhutan $ 154,000,000 2000 est. 183 Andorra $ 145,000,000 2004 184 Rwanda $ 135,400,000 2006 est. 185 Central African Republic $ 131,000,000 2004 est. 186 Gambia, The $ 130,500,000 2006 est. 187 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) $ 125,000,000 2004 est. 188 Maldives $ 123,000,000 2004 est. 189 Guinea-Bissau $ 116,000,000 2004 est. 190 Cape Verde $ 96,710,000 2006 est. 191 Samoa $ 94,000,000 2004 est. 192 Saint Lucia $ 82,000,000 2004 est. 193 Aruba $ 80,000,000 2004 est. 194 Dominica $ 74,000,000 2004 est. 195 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 70,000,000 2004 est. 196 Cyprus $ 69,000,000 2006 est. 197 Burundi $ 55,680,000 2006 est. 198 Antigua and Barbuda $ 46,810,000 2004 est. 199 Guam $ 45,000,000 2004 est. 200 Grenada $ 40,000,000 2004 est. 201 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 37,000,000 2004 est. 202 Vanuatu $ 34,110,000 2004 est. 203 Comoros $ 34,000,000 2004 est. 204 Tonga $ 34,000,000 2004 est. 205 British Virgin Islands $ 25,300,000 2002 206 Saint Helena $ 19,000,000 2004 est. 207 Eritrea $ 17,650,000 2006 est. 208 Kiribati $ 17,000,000 2004 est. 209 Anguilla $ 14,560,000 2005 est. 210 Micronesia, Federated States of $ 14,000,000 2004 est. 211 East Timor $ 10,000,000 2005 est. 212 Sao Tome and Principe $ 9,773,000 2006 est. 213 Marshall Islands $ 9,100,000 2000 214 Palau $ 5,882,000 2004 est. 215 Saint Pierre and Miquelon $ 5,500,000 2005 est. 216 Cook Islands $ 5,222,000 2005 217 Mayotte $ 4,850,000 2004 218 Cayman Islands $ 2,520,000 2004 219 Norfolk Island $ 1,500,000 FY91/92 220 Tuvalu $ 1,000,000 2004 est. 221 Montserrat $ 700,000 2001 222 Niue $ 201,400 2004 223 Nauru $ 64,000 2005 est. 224 Wallis and Futuna $ 47,450 2004 225 Tokelau $ 0 2002

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2079

Rank Country Debt - external Date of Information

1 World $ 44,620,000,000,000 2004 est. 2 United States $ 10,040,000,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 3 United Kingdom $ 8,280,000,000,000 30 June 2006 4 Germany $ 3,904,000,000,000 30 June 2006 5 France $ 3,461,000,000,000 30 June 2006 6 Italy $ 1,957,000,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 7 Netherlands $ 1,899,000,000,000 30 June 2006 8 Spain $ 1,591,000,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 9 Japan $ 1,547,000,000,000 30 June 2006 10 Ireland $ 1,392,000,000,000 30 June 2006 11 Switzerland $ 1,077,000,000,000 30 June 2006 12 Belgium $ 1,053,000,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 13 Canada $ 684,700,000,000 30 June 2006 14 Sweden $ 598,200,000,000 30 June 2006 15 Austria $ 593,900,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 16 Australia $ 585,100,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 17 Hong Kong $ 472,900,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 18 Denmark $ 405,000,000,000 30 June 2006 19 Norway $ 350,300,000,000 30 June 2006 20 Portugal $ 310,800,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 21 China $ 305,600,000,000 2006 est. 22 Greece $ 301,900,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 23 Russia $ 287,400,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 24 Finland $ 251,900,000,000 30 June 2006 25 Korea, South $ 229,300,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 26 Turkey $ 193,600,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 27 Mexico $ 178,300,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 28 Brazil $ 177,700,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 29 Poland $ 147,300,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 30 India $ 132,100,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 31 Indonesia $ 130,400,000,000 2006 est. 32 Hungary $ 107,300,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 33 Argentina $ 106,800,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 34 Taiwan $ 93,060,000,000 2006 est. 35 Israel $ 81,980,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 36 Iraq $ 81,480,000,000 2006 est. 37 Philippines $ 61,490,000,000 2006 est. 38 Thailand $ 57,830,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 39 Malaysia $ 57,770,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 40 South Africa $ 55,470,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 41 Kazakhstan $ 53,890,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 42 Czech Republic $ 50,200,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 43 Chile $ 47,600,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 44 Saudi Arabia $ 47,390,000,000 2006 est. 45 New Zealand $ 47,000,000,000 2006 est. 46 Romania $ 42,760,000,000 2006 est. 47 Pakistan $ 42,380,000,000 2006 est. 48 Ukraine $ 41,570,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 49 United Arab Emirates $ 39,100,000,000 2006 est. 50 Colombia $ 37,210,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 51 Venezuela $ 35,630,000,000 2006 est. 52 Croatia $ 33,090,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 53 Slovakia $ 31,500,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 54 Lebanon $ 31,100,000,000 2006 est. 55 Sudan $ 29,690,000,000 2006 est. 56 Egypt $ 29,590,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 57 Peru $ 27,930,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 58 Slovenia $ 27,630,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 59 Qatar $ 25,700,000,000 2006 est. 60 Singapore $ 24,300,000,000 2006 est. 61 Bangladesh $ 22,550,000,000 2006 est. 62 Vietnam $ 21,860,000,000 2006 est. 63 Bulgaria $ 21,100,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 64 Kuwait $ 19,700,000,000 2006 est. 65 Latvia $ 18,900,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 66 Tunisia $ 18,370,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 67 Ecuador $ 18,100,000,000 2006 est. 68 Monaco $ 18,000,000,000 2000 est. 69 Morocco $ 17,900,000,000 2006 est. 70 Serbia $ 15,430,000,000 2005 est. 71 Cuba $ 15,150,000,000 2006 est. 72 Lithuania $ 15,120,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 73 Iran $ 14,800,000,000 2006 est. 74 Estonia $ 13,940,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 75 Cyprus $ 12,630,000,000 2006 est. 76 Sri Lanka $ 12,230,000,000 2006 est. 77 Korea, North $ 12,000,000,000 1996 est. 78 Cote d'Ivoire $ 11,960,000,000 2006 est. 79 Angola $ 11,240,000,000 2006 est. 80 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 10,600,000,000 2003 est. 81 Uruguay $ 10,370,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 82 Panama $ 9,993,000,000 2006 est. 83 Jordan $ 9,071,000,000 2006 est. 84 El Salvador $ 8,841,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 85 Dominican Republic $ 8,634,000,000 2006 est. 86 Syria $ 8,355,000,000 2006 est. 87 Afghanistan $ 8,000,000,000 2004 88 Jamaica $ 7,384,000,000 2006 est. 89 Bahrain $ 7,267,000,000 2006 est. 90 Burma $ 7,162,000,000 2006 est. 91 Kenya $ 6,675,000,000 2006 est. 92 Costa Rica $ 6,420,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 93 Nigeria $ 6,278,000,000 2006 est. 94 Guatemala $ 6,169,000,000 2006 est. 95 Bolivia $ 5,916,000,000 2006 est. 96 Honduras $ 5,587,000,000 2006 est. 97 Belarus $ 5,498,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 98 Yemen $ 5,469,000,000 2006 est. 99 Zimbabwe $ 5,260,000,000 2006 est. 100 Algeria $ 5,000,000,000 2006 est. 101 Congo, Republic of the $ 5,000,000,000 2000 est. 102 Uzbekistan $ 4,713,000,000 2006 est. 103 Tanzania $ 4,610,000,000 2006 est. 104 Madagascar $ 4,600,000,000 2002 105 Libya $ 4,492,000,000 2006 est. 106 Zambia $ 4,397,000,000 2006 est. 107 Oman $ 4,259,000,000 2006 est. 108 Gabon $ 3,971,000,000 2006 est. 109 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 3,927,000,000 2006 est. 110 Nicaragua $ 3,763,000,000 2006 est. 111 Paraguay $ 3,722,000,000 2006 est. 112 Cambodia $ 3,664,000,000 2006 est. 113 Cameroon $ 3,657,000,000 2006 est. 114 Ghana $ 3,546,000,000 2006 est. 115 Guinea $ 3,460,000,000 2003 est. 116 Nepal $ 3,340,000,000 March 2005 117 Liberia $ 3,200,000,000 2005 est. 118 Macau $ 3,100,000,000 2004 119 Iceland $ 3,073,000,000 2002 120 Somalia $ 3,000,000,000 2001 est. 121 Trinidad and Tobago $ 2,838,000,000 2006 est. 122 Mauritius $ 2,834,000,000 2006 est. 123 Mali $ 2,800,000,000 2002 124 Ethiopia $ 2,789,000,000 2006 est. 125 Netherlands Antilles $ 2,680,000,000 2004 126 Mauritania $ 2,500,000,000 2000 127 Laos $ 2,490,000,000 2001 128 Azerbaijan $ 2,483,000,000 2006 est. 129 Kyrgyzstan $ 2,483,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 130 Turkmenistan $ 2,400,000,000 2001 est. 131 Mozambique $ 2,392,000,000 2006 est. 132 Moldova $ 2,142,000,000 30 June 2006 est. 133 Macedonia $ 2,138,000,000 2006 est. 134 Niger $ 2,100,000,000 2003 est. 135 Georgia $ 2,040,000,000 2004 136 Togo $ 2,000,000,000 2005 137 Armenia $ 1,936,000,000 30 June 2006 138 Burkina Faso $ 1,850,000,000 2003 139 Papua New Guinea $ 1,801,000,000 2006 est. 140 Senegal $ 1,628,000,000 2006 est. 141 Sierra Leone $ 1,610,000,000 2003 est. 142 Benin $ 1,600,000,000 2000 143 Albania $ 1,550,000,000 2004 144 Chad $ 1,500,000,000 2003 est. 145 Uganda $ 1,456,000,000 2006 est. 146 Rwanda $ 1,400,000,000 2004 est. 147 Belize $ 1,362,000,000 June 2004 est. 148 Mongolia $ 1,360,000,000 2004 149 Haiti $ 1,309,000,000 2006 est. 150 Burundi $ 1,200,000,000 2003 151 Guyana $ 1,200,000,000 2002 152 Central African Republic $ 1,060,000,000 2002 est. 153 Malawi $ 982,400,000 2006 est. 154 Guinea-Bissau $ 941,500,000 2000 est. 155 Namibia $ 887,000,000 2006 est. 156 Tajikistan $ 829,000,000 2006 est. 157 Lesotho $ 735,000,000 2002 158 Barbados $ 668,000,000 2003 159 Gambia, The $ 628,800,000 2003 est. 160 Seychelles $ 616,700,000 2006 est. 161 Bhutan $ 593,000,000 2004 162 Botswana $ 520,000,000 2006 est. 163 Suriname $ 504,300,000 2005 est. 164 Aruba $ 478,600,000 2005 est. 165 Antigua and Barbuda $ 427,300,000 2000 166 Djibouti $ 394,000,000 2004 est. 167 Swaziland $ 357,000,000 2003 est. 168 Grenada $ 347,000,000 2004 169 Bahamas, The $ 342,600,000 2004 est. 170 Cape Verde $ 325,000,000 2002 171 Sao Tome and Principe $ 318,000,000 2002 172 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 314,000,000 2004 173 Eritrea $ 311,000,000 2000 est. 174 Maldives $ 304,000,000 2004 est. 175 Equatorial Guinea $ 289,000,000 2006 est. 176 Saint Lucia $ 257,000,000 2004 177 Comoros $ 232,000,000 2000 est. 178 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 223,000,000 2004 179 Dominica $ 213,000,000 2004 180 Malta $ 188,800,000 2005 181 Samoa $ 177,000,000 2004 182 Solomon Islands $ 166,000,000 2004 183 Bermuda $ 160,000,000 FY99/00 184 Cook Islands $ 141,000,000 1996 est. 185 Fiji $ 127,000,000 2004 est. 186 Marshall Islands $ 86,500,000 FY99/00 est. 187 Vanuatu $ 81,200,000 2004 188 Tonga $ 80,700,000 2004 189 New Caledonia $ 79,000,000 1998 est. 190 Cayman Islands $ 70,000,000 1996 191 Faroe Islands $ 64,000,000 1999 192 Micronesia, Federated States of $ 60,800,000 FY05 est. 193 British Virgin Islands $ 36,100,000 1997 194 Nauru $ 33,300,000 2002 195 Greenland $ 25,000,000 1999 196 Kiribati $ 10,000,000 1999 est. 197 Montserrat $ 8,900,000 1997 198 Anguilla $ 8,800,000 1998 199 Wallis and Futuna $ 3,670,000 2004 200 Niue $ 418,000 2002 est. 201 Brunei $ 0 202 Tokelau $ 0 203 East Timor $ 0 204 Palau $ 0 FY99/00 205 Liechtenstein $ 0 2001

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2085

Rank Country Roadways(km) Date of Information

1 World 32,345,165 2002 2 United States 6,430,366 2005 3 India 3,383,344 2002 4 European Union 2,294,641 2005 5 China 1,870,661 2004 6 Brazil 1,751,868 2004 7 Japan 1,183,000 2003 8 Canada 1,042,300 2005 9 France 956,303 2004 10 Russia 871,000 2004 11 Australia 810,641 2004 12 Spain 666,292 2003 13 Italy 484,688 2004 14 Turkey 426,906 2004 15 Sweden 424,947 2004 16 Poland 423,997 2004 17 United Kingdom 388,008 2005 18 Indonesia 368,360 2002 19 South Africa 362,099 2002 20 Pakistan 258,340 2004 21 Bangladesh 239,226 2003 22 Mexico 235,670 2004 23 Germany 231,581 2005 24 Argentina 229,144 2004 25 Vietnam 222,179 2004 26 Philippines 200,037 2003 27 Romania 198,817 2004 28 Nigeria 194,394 1999 29 Iran 179,388 2003 30 Ukraine 169,477 2004 31 Hungary 159,568 2005 32 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 153,497 2004 33 Saudi Arabia 152,044 2000 34 Belgium 150,567 2004 35 Netherlands 134,000 2004 36 Austria 133,718 2003 37 Czech Republic 127,747 2003 38 Greece 114,931 2004 39 Colombia 112,988 2004 40 Algeria 108,302 2004 41 Korea, South 100,279 2004 42 Malaysia 98,721 2004 43 Zimbabwe 97,440 2002 44 Sri Lanka 97,287 2003 45 Ireland 96,602 2003 46 Venezuela 96,155 1999 47 Syria 94,890 2004 48 Belarus 93,310 2004 49 New Zealand 92,931 2003 50 Norway 92,513 2005 51 Egypt 92,370 2004 52 Zambia 91,440 2001 53 Kazakhstan 90,018 2004 54 Libya 83,200 1999 55 Uzbekistan 81,600 1999 56 Cote d'Ivoire 80,000 2006 57 Chile 79,605 2001 58 Lithuania 79,497 2005 59 Tanzania 78,891 2003 60 Peru 78,829 2004 61 Portugal 78,470 2004 62 Finland 78,189 2006 63 Uruguay 77,732 2004 64 Denmark 72,257 2005 65 Yemen 71,300 2005 66 Switzerland 71,297 2004 67 Uganda 70,746 2003 68 Latvia 69,532 2004 69 Kenya 63,265 2004 70 Bolivia 62,479 2004 71 Cuba 60,858 1999 72 Azerbaijan 59,141 2004 73 Morocco 57,493 2004 74 Thailand 57,403 2000 75 Estonia 56,856 2004 76 Angola 51,429 2001 77 Cameroon 50,000 2004 78 Madagascar 49,827 1999 79 Mongolia 49,250 2002 80 Iraq 45,550 1999 81 Guinea 44,348 2003 82 Bulgaria 44,033 2004 83 Ecuador 43,197 2004 84 Slovakia 42,993 2004 85 Ghana 42,623 2004 86 Namibia 42,237 2002 87 Slovenia 38,451 2004 88 Cambodia 38,257 2004 89 Serbia 37,887 2002 90 Taiwan 37,299 2002 91 Ethiopia 36,469 2004 92 Costa Rica 35,330 2004 93 Oman 34,965 2001 94 Afghanistan 34,782 2004 95 Chad 33,400 1999 96 Laos 31,210 2003 97 Korea, North 31,200 1999 est. 98 Mozambique 30,400 1999 99 Paraguay 29,500 1999 100 Croatia 28,344 2004 101 Tajikistan 27,767 2000 102 Burma 27,000 2005 103 Puerto Rico 25,735 2005 104 Botswana 24,455 2004 105 Turkmenistan 24,000 1999 106 Central African Republic 23,810 1999 107 Somalia 22,100 1999 108 Bosnia and Herzegovina 21,846 2005 109 Jamaica 20,996 2004 110 Georgia 20,247 2004 111 Papua New Guinea 19,600 1999 112 Tunisia 19,232 2004 113 Nicaragua 19,036 2005 114 Mali 18,709 2004 115 Kyrgyzstan 18,500 1999 116 Albania 18,000 2002 117 Israel 17,446 2004 118 Nepal 17,380 2004 119 Congo, Republic of the 17,289 2004 120 Benin 16,000 2005 121 Malawi 15,451 2003 122 Burkina Faso 15,272 2004 123 Niger 14,565 2004 124 Cyprus 14,496 2005/1996 est. 125 Guatemala 14,095 1999 126 Rwanda 14,008 2004 127 Honduras 13,603 1999 128 Senegal 13,576 2003 129 Iceland 13,028 2005 130 Moldova 12,733 2004 131 Dominican Republic 12,600 1999 132 Burundi 12,322 2004 133 Sudan 11,900 1999 134 Panama 11,643 2000 135 Sierra Leone 11,300 2002 136 Liberia 10,600 1999 137 El Salvador 10,029 1999 138 Gabon 9,170 2004 139 Macedonia 8,684 1999 140 Trinidad and Tobago 8,320 1999 141 Bhutan 8,050 2003 142 Guyana 7,970 1999 143 Mauritania 7,660 1999 144 Armenia 7,633 2003 145 Togo 7,520 1999 146 Jordan 7,500 2004 147 Montenegro 7,353 2005 148 Lebanon 7,300 1999 149 Lesotho 5,940 1999 150 Kuwait 5,749 2004 151 New Caledonia 5,432 2000 152 Luxembourg 5,227 2004 153 East Timor 5,000 2005 154 West Bank 4,996 2004 155 Suriname 4,304 2003 156 Haiti 4,160 1999 157 Eritrea 4,010 1999 158 Gambia, The 3,742 2004 159 Swaziland 3,594 2002 160 Bahrain 3,498 2003 161 Guinea-Bissau 3,455 2002 162 Fiji 3,440 1999 163 Singapore 3,234 2005 164 Djibouti 2,890 1999 165 Equatorial Guinea 2,880 1999 166 Belize 2,872 1999 167 Bahamas, The 2,693 1999 168 French Polynesia 2,590 1999 169 Brunei 2,525 2000 170 Samoa 2,337 2004 171 Malta 2,227 2004 172 Mauritius 2,020 2005 173 Hong Kong 1,955 2005 174 Barbados 1,600 2004 175 Solomon Islands 1,360 1999 176 Cape Verde 1,350 2000 177 Virgin Islands 1,257 2004 178 Qatar 1,230 1999 179 Antigua and Barbuda 1,165 2002 180 Grenada 1,127 1999 181 United Arab Emirates 1,088 1999 182 Vanuatu 1,070 1999 183 Guam 977 2004 184 Saint Lucia 910 2000 185 Comoros 880 1999 186 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 829 2003 187 Isle of Man 800 1999 188 Cayman Islands 785 2002 189 Dominica 780 1999 190 Tonga 680 1999 191 Kiribati 670 1999 192 Northern Mariana Islands 536 2004 193 Faroe Islands 458 2003 194 Seychelles 458 2003 195 Bermuda 447 2002 196 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 440 2003 197 Macau 368 2005 198 Cook Islands 320 2003 199 Sao Tome and Principe 320 1999 200 Saint Kitts and Nevis 320 1999 est 201 Andorra 269 202 Micronesia, Federated States of 240 1999 203 Niue 234 2001 204 Montserrat 227 2003 205 Saint Helena 198 2002 206 American Samoa 185 2004 207 British Virgin Islands 177 2002 208 Anguilla 175 2004 209 Christmas Island 142 2006 210 Turks and Caicos Islands 121 2003 211 San Marino 104 2003 212 Maldives 88 2006 213 Norfolk Island 80 2002 214 Marshall Islands 65 2002 215 Monaco 50 1999 216 Gibraltar 29 2002 217 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 22 2006 218 Tuvalu 8 2002

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2087

Rank Country Imports Date of Information

1 World $ 12,080,000,000,000 2004 est. 2 United States $ 1,869,000,000,000 2006 est. 3 European Union $ 1,466,000,000,000 2005 4 Germany $ 916,400,000,000 2006 est. 5 China $ 777,900,000,000 2006 est. 6 United Kingdom $ 603,000,000,000 2006 est. 7 France $ 529,100,000,000 2006 est. 8 Japan $ 524,100,000,000 2006 est. 9 Italy $ 445,600,000,000 2006 est. 10 Netherlands $ 373,800,000,000 2006 est. 11 Canada $ 353,200,000,000 2006 est. 12 Belgium $ 333,500,000,000 2006 est. 13 Hong Kong $ 329,800,000,000 2006 est. 14 Spain $ 324,400,000,000 2006 est. 15 Korea, South $ 300,400,000,000 2006 est. 16 Mexico $ 253,100,000,000 2006 est. 17 Singapore $ 246,100,000,000 2006 est. 18 Taiwan $ 205,300,000,000 2006 est. 19 India $ 187,900,000,000 2006 est. 20 Russia $ 171,500,000,000 2006 est. 21 Switzerland $ 162,300,000,000 2006 est. 22 Sweden $ 151,800,000,000 2006 est. 23 Austria $ 138,600,000,000 2006 est. 24 Australia $ 127,700,000,000 2006 est. 25 Malaysia $ 127,300,000,000 2006 est. 26 Turkey $ 120,900,000,000 2006 est. 27 Thailand $ 119,300,000,000 2006 est. 28 Poland $ 113,200,000,000 2006 est. 29 Brazil $ 95,830,000,000 2006 est. 30 Denmark $ 89,320,000,000 2006 est. 31 United Arab Emirates $ 88,890,000,000 2006 est. 32 Czech Republic $ 87,700,000,000 2006 est. 33 Ireland $ 87,360,000,000 2006 est. 34 Indonesia $ 77,730,000,000 2006 est. 35 Finland $ 71,690,000,000 2006 est. 36 Hungary $ 69,750,000,000 2006 est. 37 Portugal $ 67,740,000,000 2006 est. 38 Saudi Arabia $ 64,160,000,000 2006 est. 39 South Africa $ 61,530,000,000 2006 est. 40 Norway $ 59,900,000,000 2006 est. 41 Greece $ 59,120,000,000 2006 est. 42 Philippines $ 48,760,000,000 2006 est. 43 Israel $ 47,800,000,000 2006 est. 44 Romania $ 46,480,000,000 2006 est. 45 Iran $ 45,480,000,000 2006 est. 46 Ukraine $ 44,810,000,000 2006 est. 47 Slovakia $ 41,840,000,000 2006 est. 48 Vietnam $ 39,160,000,000 2006 est. 49 Egypt $ 35,860,000,000 2006 est. 50 Chile $ 35,370,000,000 2006 est. 51 Argentina $ 31,690,000,000 2006 est. 52 Puerto Rico $ 29,100,000,000 2001 53 Venezuela $ 28,810,000,000 2006 est. 54 Algeria $ 27,600,000,000 2006 est. 55 Pakistan $ 26,790,000,000 2006 est. 56 New Zealand $ 25,230,000,000 2006 est. 57 Nigeria $ 25,100,000,000 2006 est. 58 Colombia $ 24,330,000,000 2006 est. 59 Luxembourg $ 24,220,000,000 2006 est. 60 Slovenia $ 23,590,000,000 2006 est. 61 Kazakhstan $ 22,000,000,000 2006 est. 62 Croatia $ 21,790,000,000 2006 est. 63 Morocco $ 21,220,000,000 2006 est. 64 Belarus $ 21,120,000,000 2006 est. 65 Iraq $ 20,760,000,000 2006 est. 66 Bulgaria $ 20,690,000,000 2006 est. 67 Kuwait $ 19,120,000,000 2006 est. 68 Lithuania $ 18,250,000,000 2006 est. 69 Peru $ 15,380,000,000 2006 est. 70 Libya $ 14,470,000,000 2006 est. 71 Tunisia $ 13,890,000,000 2006 est. 72 Bangladesh $ 13,770,000,000 2006 est. 73 Qatar $ 12,360,000,000 2006 est. 74 Estonia $ 12,030,000,000 2006 est. 75 Dominican Republic $ 11,390,000,000 2006 est. 76 Costa Rica $ 10,880,000,000 2006 est. 77 Ecuador $ 10,810,000,000 2006 est. 78 Serbia $ 10,580,000,000 2005 est. 79 Jordan $ 10,420,000,000 2006 est. 80 Latvia $ 10,330,000,000 2006 est. 81 Oman $ 10,290,000,000 2006 est. 82 Angola $ 10,210,000,000 2006 est. 83 Sri Lanka $ 9,655,000,000 2006 est. 84 Cuba $ 9,510,000,000 2006 est. 85 Panama $ 9,365,000,000 2006 est. 86 Lebanon $ 9,340,000,000 2005 est. 87 Guatemala $ 9,118,000,000 2006 est. 88 Bahrain $ 9,036,000,000 2006 est. 89 Trinidad and Tobago $ 8,798,000,000 2006 est. 90 Sudan $ 8,693,000,000 2006 est. 91 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 8,250,000,000 2006 est. 92 El Salvador $ 7,326,000,000 2006 est. 93 Syria $ 6,634,000,000 2006 est. 94 Kenya $ 6,602,000,000 2006 est. 95 Cyprus $ 5,800,000,000 2006 est. 96 Ghana $ 5,666,000,000 2006 est. 97 Cote d'Ivoire $ 5,548,000,000 2006 est. 98 Iceland $ 5,189,000,000 2006 est. 99 Azerbaijan $ 5,176,000,000 2006 est. 100 Yemen $ 5,042,000,000 2006 est. 101 Honduras $ 4,860,000,000 2006 est. 102 Liberia $ 4,839,000,000 2004 est. 103 Jamaica $ 4,682,000,000 2006 est. 104 Virgin Islands $ 4,609,000,000 2001 105 Uruguay $ 4,532,000,000 2006 est. 106 Paraguay $ 4,500,000,000 2006 est. 107 Cambodia $ 4,477,000,000 2006 est. 108 Netherlands Antilles $ 4,383,000,000 2004 est. 109 Ethiopia $ 4,105,000,000 2006 est. 110 Malta $ 4,077,000,000 2006 est. 111 Uzbekistan $ 3,990,000,000 2006 est. 112 Turkmenistan $ 3,936,000,000 2006 est. 113 Macau $ 3,912,000,000 2005 114 Afghanistan $ 3,870,000,000 2005 est. 115 Macedonia $ 3,631,000,000 2006 est. 116 Mauritius $ 3,391,000,000 2006 est. 117 Georgia $ 3,320,000,000 2006 est. 118 Nicaragua $ 3,202,000,000 2006 est. 119 Tanzania $ 3,180,000,000 2006 est. 120 Zambia $ 3,092,000,000 2006 est. 121 Cameroon $ 3,083,000,000 2006 est. 122 Botswana $ 3,034,000,000 2006 est. 123 Senegal $ 2,980,000,000 2006 est. 124 Gibraltar $ 2,967,000,000 2004 est. 125 Bolivia $ 2,934,000,000 2006 est. 126 Albania $ 2,901,000,000 2006 est. 127 Mozambique $ 2,815,000,000 2006 est. 128 Moldova $ 2,650,000,000 2006 est. 129 Korea, North $ 2,600,000,000 2005 est. 130 Equatorial Guinea $ 2,543,000,000 2006 est. 131 Namibia $ 2,456,000,000 2006 est. 132 West Bank $ 2,370,000,000 2004 133 Swaziland $ 2,274,000,000 2006 est. 134 Zimbabwe $ 2,055,000,000 2006 est. 135 Burma $ 2,049,000,000 2006 est. 136 Nepal $ 2,000,000,000 2005 est. 137 Congo, Republic of the $ 1,964,000,000 2006 est. 138 Uganda $ 1,945,000,000 2006 est. 139 Mali $ 1,858,000,000 2004 est. 140 Bahamas, The $ 1,820,000,000 2004 est. 141 Haiti $ 1,721,000,000 2006 est. 142 French Polynesia $ 1,706,000,000 2005 est. 143 Papua New Guinea $ 1,686,000,000 2006 est. 144 Armenia $ 1,684,000,000 2006 est. 145 Brunei $ 1,641,000,000 2004 est. 146 New Caledonia $ 1,636,000,000 2004 est. 147 Gabon $ 1,607,000,000 2006 est. 148 Madagascar $ 1,544,000,000 2006 est. 149 Tajikistan $ 1,513,000,000 2006 est. 150 Barbados $ 1,476,000,000 2004 est. 151 Fiji $ 1,462,000,000 2005 152 Lesotho $ 1,401,000,000 2006 est. 153 Gaza Strip $ 1,370,000,000 2004 154 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 1,319,000,000 2004 est. 155 Togo $ 1,208,000,000 2006 est. 156 Kyrgyzstan $ 1,177,000,000 2006 est. 157 Mauritania $ 1,124,000,000 2004 est. 158 Laos $ 1,092,000,000 2006 est. 159 Andorra $ 1,077,000,000 1998 160 Burkina Faso $ 1,016,000,000 2006 est. 161 Mongolia $ 1,011,000,000 2004 est. 162 Djibouti $ 987,000,000 2004 est. 163 Bermuda $ 982,000,000 2004 est. 164 Benin $ 927,300,000 2006 est. 165 Liechtenstein $ 917,300,000 1996 166 Aruba $ 875,000,000 2004 est. 167 Cayman Islands $ 866,900,000 2004 168 Chad $ 823,100,000 2006 est. 169 Malawi $ 767,900,000 2006 est. 170 Suriname $ 750,000,000 2004 est. 171 Guinea $ 730,000,000 2006 est. 172 Guyana $ 706,900,000 2006 est. 173 Eritrea $ 701,800,000 2006 est. 174 Guam $ 701,000,000 2004 est. 175 Faroe Islands $ 639,000,000 2004 est. 176 Monaco $ 636,600,000 2004 177 Montenegro $ 601,700,000 2003 178 Greenland $ 601,000,000 2004 est. 179 Niger $ 588,000,000 2004 est. 180 Somalia $ 576,000,000 2004 est. 181 Seychelles $ 570,600,000 2006 est. 182 Maldives $ 567,000,000 2004 est. 183 Belize $ 543,000,000 2006 est. 184 Sierra Leone $ 531,000,000 2004 est. 185 Cape Verde $ 495,100,000 2006 est. 186 Cyprus $ 415,200,000 2006 est. 187 Saint Lucia $ 410,000,000 2004 est. 188 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 405,000,000 2004 est. 189 Rwanda $ 390,400,000 2006 est. 190 Antigua and Barbuda $ 378,000,000 2004 est. 191 American Samoa $ 308,800,000 FY04 est. 192 Samoa $ 285,000,000 2004 est. 193 Grenada $ 276,000,000 2004 est. 194 Mayotte $ 256,700,000 2004 195 Dominica $ 234,000,000 2004 est. 196 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 225,000,000 2004 est. 197 Northern Mariana Islands $ 214,400,000 2001 198 Gambia, The $ 212,200,000 2006 est. 199 Burundi $ 207,300,000 2006 est. 200 Central African Republic $ 203,000,000 2004 est. 201 East Timor $ 202,000,000 2004 est. 202 Bhutan $ 196,000,000 2000 est. 203 British Virgin Islands $ 187,000,000 2002 est. 204 Guinea-Bissau $ 176,000,000 2004 est. 205 Turks and Caicos Islands $ 175,600,000 2000 206 Solomon Islands $ 159,000,000 2004 est. 207 Micronesia, Federated States of $ 132,700,000 2004 208 Anguilla $ 129,900,000 2005 est. 209 Tonga $ 122,000,000 2004 est. 210 Vanuatu $ 117,100,000 2004 est. 211 Comoros $ 115,000,000 2004 est. 212 Palau $ 107,300,000 2004 est. 213 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) $ 90,000,000 2004 est. 214 Cook Islands $ 81,040,000 2005 215 Saint Pierre and Miquelon $ 68,200,000 2005 est. 216 Kiribati $ 62,000,000 2004 est. 217 Wallis and Futuna $ 61,170,000 2004 218 Marshall Islands $ 54,700,000 2000 219 Sao Tome and Principe $ 48,870,000 2006 est. 220 Saint Helena $ 45,000,000 2004 est. 221 Nauru $ 20,000,000 2004 est. 222 Norfolk Island $ 17,900,000 FY91/92 223 Montserrat $ 17,000,000 2001 224 Tuvalu $ 9,186,000 2004 est. 225 Niue $ 9,038,000 2004 226 Tokelau $ 969,200 2002

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2089

Rank Country Industrial production growth rate(%) Date of Information

1 Azerbaijan 50.00 2006 est. 2 Equatorial Guinea 30.00 2002 est. 3 China 22.90 2006 est. 4 Cambodia 22.00 2002 est. 5 Turkmenistan 22.00 2003 est. 6 Burundi 18.00 2001 7 Cuba 17.60 2006 est. 8 Moldova 17.00 2003 est. 9 Trinidad and Tobago 17.00 2006 est. 10 Belarus 15.60 2005 est. 11 Lesotho 15.50 1999 12 Cote d'Ivoire 15.00 1998 est. 13 Burkina Faso 14.00 2001 est. 14 Angola 13.50 2004 15 Kuwait 13.10 2005 est. 16 Laos 13.00 2005 est. 17 Singapore 12.60 2006 est. 18 Uruguay 12.60 2006 est. 19 Vietnam 11.30 2006 est. 20 Poland 10.20 2006 est. 21 Zambia 10.10 2006 est. 22 Algeria 10.00 2006 est. 23 Qatar 10.00 2003 est. 24 Korea, South 10.00 2006 est. 25 Czech Republic 9.50 2006 est. 26 Hungary 9.50 2006 est. 27 Bhutan 9.30 1996 est. 28 Latvia 8.50 2006 est. 29 Sudan 8.50 1999 est. 30 East Timor 8.50 31 Costa Rica 8.40 2006 est. 32 Tanzania 8.40 1999 est. 33 Benin 8.30 2001 est. 34 Argentina 8.20 2006 est. 35 Tajikistan 8.20 2002 est. 36 Estonia 8.00 2006 est. 37 Mauritius 8.00 2000 est. 38 Faroe Islands 8.00 1999 est. 39 Slovakia 7.80 2006 est. 40 Honduras 7.70 2003 est. 41 Uzbekistan 7.70 2005 est. 42 Kazakhstan 7.70 2006 est. 43 Armenia 7.50 2005 est. 44 India 7.50 2006 est. 45 Brunei 7.30 2003 est. 46 Bangladesh 7.20 2006 est. 47 Sri Lanka 7.10 2006 est. 48 South Africa 7.10 2006 est. 49 Lithuania 7.00 2006 est. 50 Venezuela 7.00 2006 est. 51 Peru 7.00 2006 est. 52 Rwanda 7.00 2001 est. 53 Ethiopia 6.70 2001 est. 54 Suriname 6.50 1994 est. 55 Switzerland 6.50 2006 est. 56 Taiwan 6.50 2006 est. 57 Malawi 6.40 2006 est. 58 Botswana 6.30 2006 est. 59 Ukraine 6.30 2006 est. 60 Kenya 6.30 2006 est. 61 Jordan 6.00 2006 est. 62 Pakistan 6.00 2006 est. 63 Slovenia 6.00 2006 est. 64 Thailand 6.00 2006 est. 65 San Marino 6.00 1997 est. 66 Oman 5.90 2006 est. 67 Colombia 5.80 2006 est. 68 Malaysia 5.80 2006 est. 69 Austria 5.70 2006 est. 70 Bolivia 5.70 2004 est. 71 Romania 5.70 2006 est. 72 Bosnia and Herzegovina 5.50 2003 est. 73 Turkey 5.50 2006 est. 74 Uganda 5.20 2006 est. 75 Egypt 5.10 2006 est. 76 Niger 5.10 2003 est. 77 Bulgaria 5.00 2006 est. 78 Ecuador 5.00 2006 est. 79 Iceland 5.00 2006 est. 80 Croatia 5.00 2006 est. 81 Ireland 5.00 2006 est. 82 Chile 5.00 2006 est. 83 Chad 5.00 1995 84 Russia 4.80 2006 est. 85 Israel 4.70 2006 est. 86 Tunisia 4.70 2006 est. 87 Guinea-Bissau 4.70 2003 est. 88 Belize 4.60 1999 89 Germany 4.40 2006 est. 90 Luxembourg 4.30 2006 est. 91 Sweden 4.30 2006 est. 92 Cameroon 4.20 1999 est. 93 United States 4.20 2006 est. 94 Guatemala 4.10 1999 95 Mongolia 4.10 2002 est. 96 United Arab Emirates 4.00 2000 97 Morocco 4.00 2004 est. 98 Hong Kong 4.00 2006 est. 99 Ghana 3.80 2000 est. 100 Nepal 3.80 FY04/05 101 Swaziland 3.70 FY95/96 102 Mexico 3.60 2006 est. 103 Macedonia 3.50 2006 est. 104 Brazil 3.40 2006 est. 105 Mozambique 3.40 2000 106 Japan 3.30 2006 est. 107 Isle of Man 3.20 FY96/97 108 Iran 3.20 2006 est. 109 Senegal 3.20 2006 est. 110 Albania 3.10 2004 est. 111 Anguilla 3.10 1997 est. 112 Belgium 3.00 2006 est. 113 Yemen 3.00 2003 est. 114 World 3.00 2003 est. 115 Panama 3.00 2006 est. 116 Madagascar 3.00 2000 est. 117 Georgia 3.00 2000 118 Finland 3.00 2006 est. 119 Central African Republic 3.00 2002 120 Djibouti 3.00 1996 est. 121 European Union 2.80 2006 est. 122 Samoa 2.80 2000 123 Indonesia 2.60 2006 est. 124 Denmark 2.50 2006 est. 125 Cyprus 2.40 2006 est. 126 Nicaragua 2.40 2005 est. 127 West Bank 2.40 128 Gaza Strip 2.40 129 Netherlands 2.30 2006 est. 130 Bahrain 2.00 2000 est. 131 Philippines 2.00 2006 est. 132 Mauritania 2.00 2000 est. 133 Greece 2.00 2006 est. 134 El Salvador 2.00 2006 est. 135 Dominican Republic 2.00 2001 est. 136 Saudi Arabia 1.90 2006 est. 137 Norway 1.80 2006 est. 138 Gabon 1.60 2002 est. 139 France 1.50 2006 est. 140 Italy 1.50 2006 est. 141 Syria 1.50 2005 142 Serbia 1.40 2006 est. 143 New Zealand 1.20 2006 est. 144 Cook Islands 1.00 2002 145 Vanuatu 1.00 1997 est. 146 Tonga 1.00 2003 est. 147 Portugal 0.90 2006 est. 148 Canada 0.70 2006 est. 149 Kiribati 0.70 1991 est. 150 Grenada 0.70 1997 est. 151 Spain 0.60 2006 est. 152 Congo, Republic of the 0.00 2002 est. 153 United Kingdom 0.00 2006 est. 154 Paraguay 0.00 2000 est. 155 Cyprus -0.30 2006 est. 156 New Caledonia -0.60 1996 157 Maldives -0.90 2004 est. 158 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines -0.90 1997 est. 159 Nigeria -1.60 2006 est. 160 Zimbabwe -1.80 2006 est. 161 Comoros -2.00 1999 est. 162 Jamaica -2.00 2000 est. 163 Barbados -3.20 2000 est. 164 Australia -3.50 2006 est. 165 Kyrgyzstan -4.50 2006 est. 166 Saint Lucia -8.90 1997 est. 167 Dominica -10.00 1997 est.

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2091

Rank Country Infant mortality rate(deaths/1,000 live births) Date of Information

1 Angola 185.36 2006 est. 2 Sierra Leone 160.39 2006 est. 3 Afghanistan 160.23 2006 est. 4 Liberia 155.76 2006 est. 5 Mozambique 129.24 2006 est. 6 Niger 118.25 2006 est. 7 Somalia 114.89 2006 est. 8 Mali 107.58 2006 est. 9 Tajikistan 106.49 2006 est. 10 Guinea-Bissau 105.21 2006 est. 11 Djibouti 102.44 2006 est. 12 Bhutan 98.41 2006 est. 13 Nigeria 97.14 2006 est. 14 Tanzania 96.48 2006 est. 15 Malawi 94.37 2006 est. 16 Ethiopia 93.62 2006 est. 17 Chad 91.45 2006 est. 18 Burkina Faso 91.35 2006 est. 19 Guinea 90.00 2006 est. 20 Rwanda 89.61 2006 est. 21 Equatorial Guinea 89.21 2006 est. 22 Cote d'Ivoire 89.11 2006 est. 23 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 88.62 2006 est. 24 Lesotho 87.24 2006 est. 25 Zambia 86.84 2006 est. 26 Central African Republic 85.63 2006 est. 27 Congo, Republic of the 85.29 2006 est. 28 Laos 83.31 2006 est. 29 Benin 79.56 2006 est. 30 Azerbaijan 79.00 2006 est. 31 Madagascar 75.21 2006 est. 32 Comoros 72.85 2006 est. 33 Turkmenistan 72.56 2006 est. 34 Swaziland 71.85 2006 est. 35 Haiti 71.65 2006 est. 36 Gambia, The 71.58 2006 est. 37 Pakistan 70.45 2006 est. 38 Uzbekistan 69.99 2006 est. 39 Mauritania 69.48 2006 est. 40 Cambodia 68.78 2006 est. 41 Uganda 66.15 2006 est. 42 Nepal 65.32 2006 est. 43 Cameroon 63.52 2006 est. 44 Burundi 63.13 2006 est. 45 Burma 61.85 2006 est. 46 Sudan 61.05 2006 est. 47 Bangladesh 60.83 2006 est. 48 Mayotte 60.76 2006 est. 49 South Africa 60.66 2006 est. 50 Togo 60.63 2006 est. 51 Yemen 59.88 2006 est. 52 Kenya 59.26 2006 est. 53 Ghana 55.02 2006 est. 54 Maldives 54.89 2006 est. 55 India 54.63 2006 est. 56 Gabon 54.51 2006 est. 57 Vanuatu 53.80 2006 est. 58 Botswana 53.70 2006 est. 59 Senegal 52.94 2006 est. 60 Mongolia 52.12 2006 est. 61 Bolivia 51.77 2006 est. 62 Zimbabwe 51.71 2006 est. 63 Papua New Guinea 49.96 2006 est. 64 World 48.87 2006 est. 65 Iraq 48.64 2006 est. 66 Namibia 48.10 2006 est. 67 Kiribati 47.27 2006 est. 68 Cape Verde 46.52 2006 est. 69 Eritrea 46.30 2006 est. 70 East Timor 45.89 2006 est. 71 Sao Tome and Principe 41.83 2006 est. 72 Iran 40.30 2006 est. 73 Morocco 40.24 2006 est. 74 Turkey 39.69 2006 est. 75 Moldova 38.38 2006 est. 76 Kyrgyzstan 34.49 2006 est. 77 Indonesia 34.39 2006 est. 78 Guyana 32.19 2006 est. 79 Egypt 31.33 2006 est. 80 Guatemala 30.94 2006 est. 81 Peru 30.94 2006 est. 82 Algeria 29.87 2006 est. 83 Micronesia, Federated States of 29.16 2006 est. 84 Syria 28.61 2006 est. 85 Brazil 28.60 2006 est. 86 Marshall Islands 28.43 2006 est. 87 Kazakhstan 28.30 2006 est. 88 Dominican Republic 28.25 2006 est. 89 Nicaragua 28.11 2006 est. 90 Samoa 26.85 2006 est. 91 Honduras 25.82 2006 est. 92 Romania 25.50 2006 est. 93 Vietnam 25.14 2006 est. 94 Trinidad and Tobago 25.05 2006 est. 95 Belize 24.89 2006 est. 96 Paraguay 24.78 2006 est. 97 Bahamas, The 24.68 2006 est. 98 El Salvador 24.39 2006 est. 99 Tunisia 23.84 2006 est. 100 Lebanon 23.72 2006 est. 101 Libya 23.71 2006 est. 102 Korea, North 23.29 2006 est. 103 China 23.12 2006 est. 104 Suriname 23.02 2006 est. 105 Ecuador 22.87 2006 est. 106 Philippines 22.81 2006 est. 107 Armenia 22.47 2006 est. 108 Gaza Strip 22.40 2006 est. 109 Venezuela 21.54 2006 est. 110 Albania 20.75 2006 est. 111 Solomon Islands 20.63 2006 est. 112 Colombia 20.35 2006 est. 113 Anguilla 20.32 2006 est. 114 Mexico 20.26 2006 est. 115 Bulgaria 19.85 2006 est. 116 Thailand 19.49 2006 est. 117 Tuvalu 19.47 2006 est. 118 West Bank 19.15 2006 est. 119 Oman 18.89 2006 est. 120 Antigua and Barbuda 18.86 2006 est. 121 Saint Helena 18.34 2006 est. 122 Qatar 18.04 2006 est. 123 Georgia 17.97 2006 est. 124 Malaysia 17.16 2006 est. 125 Bahrain 16.80 2006 est. 126 Jordan 16.76 2006 est. 127 British Virgin Islands 16.72 2006 est. 128 Panama 16.37 2006 est. 129 Jamaica 15.98 2006 est. 130 Greenland 15.40 2006 est. 131 Turks and Caicos Islands 15.18 2006 est. 132 Seychelles 15.14 2006 est. 133 Russia 15.13 2006 est. 134 Argentina 14.73 2006 est. 135 Mauritius 14.59 2006 est. 136 Palau 14.46 2006 est. 137 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 14.40 2006 est. 138 Grenada 14.27 2006 est. 139 Saint Kitts and Nevis 14.12 2006 est. 140 United Arab Emirates 14.09 2006 est. 141 Sri Lanka 13.97 2006 est. 142 Dominica 13.71 2006 est. 143 Saint Lucia 13.17 2006 est. 144 Belarus 13.00 2006 est. 145 Saudi Arabia 12.81 2006 est. 146 Fiji 12.30 2006 est. 147 Tonga 12.30 2006 est. 148 Brunei 12.25 2006 est. 149 Barbados 11.77 2006 est. 150 Uruguay 11.61 2006 est. 151 Ukraine 9.90 2006 est. 152 Bosnia and Herzegovina 9.82 2006 est. 153 Macedonia 9.81 2006 est. 154 Nauru 9.78 2006 est. 155 Netherlands Antilles 9.76 2006 est. 156 Kuwait 9.71 2006 est. 157 Costa Rica 9.70 2006 est. 158 Latvia 9.35 2006 est. 159 Puerto Rico 9.14 2006 est. 160 American Samoa 9.07 2006 est. 161 Chile 8.58 2006 est. 162 Hungary 8.39 2006 est. 163 Bermuda 8.30 2006 est. 164 French Polynesia 8.29 2006 est. 165 Cayman Islands 8.00 2006 est. 166 Virgin Islands 7.86 2006 est. 167 Estonia 7.73 2006 est. 168 New Caledonia 7.57 2006 est. 169 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 7.38 2006 est. 170 Slovakia 7.26 2006 est. 171 Poland 7.22 2006 est. 172 Montserrat 7.19 2006 est. 173 Cyprus 7.04 2006 est. 174 Northern Mariana Islands 6.98 2006 est. 175 Israel 6.89 2006 est. 176 Guam 6.81 2006 est. 177 Lithuania 6.78 2006 est. 178 Croatia 6.72 2006 est. 179 United States 6.43 2006 est. 180 Taiwan 6.29 2006 est. 181 Cuba 6.22 2006 est. 182 Korea, South 6.16 2006 est. 183 Faroe Islands 6.12 2006 est. 184 Italy 5.83 2006 est. 185 Isle of Man 5.82 2006 est. 186 Aruba 5.79 2006 est. 187 New Zealand 5.76 2006 est. 188 San Marino 5.63 2006 est. 189 Greece 5.43 2006 est. 190 Monaco 5.35 2006 est. 191 Ireland 5.31 2006 est. 192 Jersey 5.16 2006 est. 193 European Union 5.10 2006 est. 194 United Kingdom 5.08 2006 est. 195 Gibraltar 5.06 2006 est. 196 Portugal 4.98 2006 est. 197 Netherlands 4.96 2006 est. 198 Luxembourg 4.74 2006 est. 199 Canada 4.69 2006 est. 200 Guernsey 4.65 2006 est. 201 Liechtenstein 4.64 2006 est. 202 Australia 4.63 2006 est. 203 Belgium 4.62 2006 est. 204 Austria 4.60 2006 est. 205 Denmark 4.51 2006 est. 206 Slovenia 4.40 2006 est. 207 Spain 4.37 2006 est. 208 Macau 4.35 2006 est. 209 Switzerland 4.34 2006 est. 210 France 4.21 2006 est. 211 Germany 4.12 2006 est. 212 Andorra 4.04 2006 est. 213 Czech Republic 3.89 2006 est. 214 Malta 3.86 2006 est. 215 Norway 3.67 2006 est. 216 Finland 3.55 2006 est. 217 Iceland 3.29 2006 est. 218 Japan 3.24 2006 est. 219 Hong Kong 2.95 2006 est. 220 Sweden 2.76 2006 est. 221 Singapore 2.29 2006 est.

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2092

Rank Country Inflation rate (consumer prices)(%) Date of Information

1 Nauru -3.60 1993 2 San Marino -1.70 2001 3 Vanuatu -1.60 2005 est. 4 Northern Mariana Islands -0.80 2000 5 New Caledonia -0.60 2000 est. 6 Barbados -0.50 2003 est. 7 Dominica -0.10 2005 est. 8 Niger 0.20 2004 est. 9 Japan 0.40 2006 est. 10 Kiribati 0.50 2005 est. 11 Seychelles 0.70 2006 est. 12 Antigua and Barbuda 0.90 2005 est. 13 Brunei 0.90 2004 14 Liechtenstein 1.00 2001 15 Sierra Leone 1.00 2002 est. 16 Singapore 1.00 2006 est. 17 Taiwan 1.00 2006 est. 18 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1.00 2005 est. 19 Armenia 1.10 2006 est. 20 French Polynesia 1.10 2006 est. 21 Bahamas, The 1.20 2004 22 Switzerland 1.20 2006 est. 23 Gaza Strip 1.20 2005 24 Poland 1.30 2006 est. 25 Netherlands 1.40 2006 est. 26 Sweden 1.40 2006 est. 27 East Timor 1.40 2005 28 China 1.50 2006 est. 29 Gibraltar 1.50 1998 30 Austria 1.60 2006 est. 31 Greenland 1.60 1999 est. 32 Finland 1.70 2006 est. 33 Germany 1.70 2006 est. 34 Denmark 1.80 2006 est. 35 Israel 1.90 2006 est. 36 Saudi Arabia 1.90 2006 est. 37 Monaco 1.90 2000 38 Canada 2.00 2006 est. 39 France 2.00 2006 est. 40 Senegal 2.00 2006 est. 41 British Virgin Islands 2.00 2005 42 Oman 2.00 2006 est. 43 Belgium 2.10 2006 est. 44 Cook Islands 2.10 2005 est. 45 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 2.10 1991-96 average 46 Peru 2.10 2006 est. 47 Netherlands Antilles 2.10 2003 est. 48 Chile 2.10 2006 est. 49 European Union 2.20 2006 est. 50 Gabon 2.20 2006 est. 51 Hong Kong 2.20 2006 est. 52 Micronesia, Federated States of 2.20 2005 53 Virgin Islands 2.20 2003 54 Italy 2.30 2006 est. 55 United Kingdom 2.30 2006 est. 56 Norway 2.30 2006 est. 57 Cameroon 2.40 2006 est. 58 Slovenia 2.40 2006 est. 59 Guam 2.50 2005 est. 60 United States 2.50 2006 est. 61 Papua New Guinea 2.50 2006 est. 62 Congo, Republic of the 2.60 2006 est. 63 Panama 2.60 2006 est. 64 Montserrat 2.60 2002 est. 65 Luxembourg 2.60 2006 est. 66 Czech Republic 2.70 2006 est. 67 Isle of Man 2.70 2003 est. 68 Palau 2.70 2005 est. 69 Portugal 2.70 2006 est. 70 Albania 2.80 2006 est. 71 Wallis and Futuna 2.80 2005 72 Togo 2.80 2006 est. 73 Morocco 2.80 2006 est. 74 Bermuda 2.80 November 2005 75 Cyprus 2.80 76 Saint Lucia 2.90 2005 est. 77 West Bank 2.90 2005 78 Algeria 3.00 2006 est. 79 Belize 3.00 2006 est. 80 Fiji 3.00 2005 81 Grenada 3.00 2005 est. 82 Marshall Islands 3.00 2005 est. 83 Macedonia 3.00 2006 est. 84 Kuwait 3.00 2006 est. 85 Korea, South 3.00 2006 est. 86 Djibouti 3.00 2005 est. 87 Comoros 3.00 2005 est. 88 Benin 3.00 2006 est. 89 Libya 3.10 2006 est. 90 Cote d'Ivoire 3.20 2006 est. 91 Saint Helena 3.20 1997 est. 92 Greece 3.30 2006 est. 93 Samoa 3.30 2005 94 Malta 3.30 2006 est. 95 Aruba 3.40 2005 96 Andorra 3.40 2004 97 Mexico 3.40 2006 est. 98 Guernsey 3.40 June 2006 99 Montenegro 3.40 2004 100 Croatia 3.40 2006 est. 101 Ecuador 3.40 2006 est. 102 Bahrain 3.50 2006 est. 103 Spain 3.50 2006 est. 104 Central African Republic 3.60 2001 est. 105 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 3.60 1998 106 Lithuania 3.60 2006 est. 107 Hungary 3.70 2006 est. 108 Australia 3.80 2006 est. 109 New Zealand 3.80 2006 est. 110 Malaysia 3.80 2006 est. 111 Ireland 3.90 2006 est. 112 Tuvalu 3.90 2005 est. 113 Chad 4.00 2006 est. 114 Guinea-Bissau 4.00 2002 est. 115 Burkina Faso 4.00 2006 est. 116 Turks and Caicos Islands 4.00 1995 117 Niue 4.00 2005 118 Brazil 4.20 2006 est. 119 Bolivia 4.30 2006 est. 120 Colombia 4.30 2006 est. 121 El Salvador 4.30 2006 est. 122 Cayman Islands 4.40 2004 123 Estonia 4.40 2006 est. 124 Macau 4.40 2005 125 Slovakia 4.40 2006 est. 126 Mali 4.50 2002 est. 127 Jordan 4.60 2006 est. 128 Tunisia 4.60 2006 est. 129 Cape Verde 4.70 2006 est. 130 Lebanon 4.80 2006 est. 131 Cambodia 5.00 2006 est. 132 Namibia 5.00 2006 est. 133 South Africa 5.00 2006 est. 134 Lesotho 5.00 2006 est. 135 Cuba 5.00 2006 est. 136 Faroe Islands 5.10 1999 137 Thailand 5.10 2006 est. 138 Swaziland 5.10 2006 est. 139 Equatorial Guinea 5.20 2006 est. 140 Anguilla 5.30 2006 est. 141 Jersey 5.30 2004 142 India 5.30 2006 est. 143 Honduras 5.70 2006 est. 144 Laos 5.90 2006 est. 145 Tanzania 5.90 2006 est. 146 Guyana 6.00 2006 est. 147 Maldives 6.00 2005 est. 148 Uganda 6.00 2006 est. 149 Latvia 6.30 2006 est. 150 Kyrgyzstan 6.40 2006 est. 151 Egypt 6.50 2006 est. 152 Uruguay 6.50 2006 est. 153 Puerto Rico 6.50 2003 est. 154 Solomon Islands 6.60 2005 est. 155 Philippines 6.60 2006 est. 156 Guatemala 6.60 2006 est. 157 Rwanda 6.70 2006 est. 158 Iceland 6.80 2006 est. 159 Romania 6.80 2006 est. 160 Bhutan 7.00 2005 est. 161 Syria 7.00 2006 est. 162 Mauritania 7.00 2003 est. 163 Bangladesh 7.20 2006 est. 164 Bulgaria 7.20 2006 est. 165 Qatar 7.20 2006 est. 166 Tajikistan 7.50 2006 est. 167 Vietnam 7.50 2006 est. 168 Uzbekistan 7.60 2006 est. 169 Nepal 7.80 October 2005 est. 170 Pakistan 7.90 2006 est. 171 Azerbaijan 8.00 2006 est. 172 Trinidad and Tobago 8.00 2006 est. 173 Bosnia and Herzegovina 8.20 2006 est. 174 Dominican Republic 8.20 2006 est. 175 Ukraine 8.50 2006 est. 176 Kazakhstan 8.60 2006 est. 177 Saint Kitts and Nevis 8.70 2005 est. 178 Zambia 8.80 2006 est. 179 Mauritius 8.90 2006 est. 180 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 9.00 2004 est. 181 Sudan 9.00 2006 est. 182 Paraguay 9.00 2006 est. 183 Cyprus 9.10 184 Jamaica 9.10 2006 est. 185 Nicaragua 9.40 2006 est. 186 Belarus 9.50 2006 est. 187 Mongolia 9.50 2005 est. 188 Suriname 9.50 2005 est. 189 Russia 9.80 2006 est. 190 Turkey 9.80 2006 est. 191 United Arab Emirates 10.00 2006 est. 192 Argentina 10.00 November 2006 est. 193 Georgia 10.00 2006 est. 194 Ethiopia 10.50 2006 est. 195 Kenya 10.50 2006 est. 196 Nigeria 10.50 2006 est. 197 Ghana 10.90 2006 est. 198 Burundi 11.00 2006 est. 199 Turkmenistan 11.00 2006 est. 200 Tonga 11.10 2005 est. 201 Botswana 11.40 2006 est. 202 Madagascar 12.00 2006 est. 203 Sri Lanka 12.10 2006 est. 204 Costa Rica 12.10 2006 est. 205 Moldova 12.80 2006 est. 206 Mozambique 12.80 2006 est. 207 Angola 13.20 2006 est. 208 Indonesia 13.20 2006 est. 209 Eritrea 14.00 2006 est. 210 Gambia, The 14.00 2006 est. 211 Haiti 14.40 2006 est. 212 Yemen 14.80 2006 est. 213 Liberia 15.00 2003 est. 214 Sao Tome and Principe 15.00 2006 est. 215 Malawi 15.10 2006 est. 216 Serbia 15.50 2005 est. 217 Iran 15.80 2006 est. 218 Venezuela 15.80 2006 est. 219 Afghanistan 16.30 2005 est. 220 Burma 21.40 2006 est. 221 Guinea 27.00 2006 est. 222 Iraq 50.00 2006 est. 223 Zimbabwe 976.40 2006 est.

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2093

Rank Country Waterways(km) Date of Information

1 World 671,886 2004 2 China 123,964 2003 3 Russia 102,000 2005 4 European Union 52,332 2006 5 Brazil 50,000 2005 6 United States 41,009 2004 7 Indonesia 21,579 2005 8 Colombia 18,000 2005 9 Vietnam 17,702 2005 10 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 15,000 2005 11 India 14,500 2005 12 Burma 12,800 2005 13 Argentina 11,000 2005 14 Papua New Guinea 10,940 2003 15 Bolivia 10,000 2005 16 Peru 8,808 2005 17 Nigeria 8,600 2005 18 France 8,500 2000 19 Bangladesh 8,372 2005 20 Finland 7,842 2005 21 Germany 7,467 2005 22 Malaysia 7,200 2005 23 Venezuela 7,100 2005 24 Netherlands 6,183 2005 25 Iraq 5,279 2004 26 Laos 4,600 2005 27 Congo, Republic of the 4,385 2005 28 Sudan 4,068 2005 29 Kazakhstan 4,000 2005 30 Thailand 4,000 2005 31 Poland 3,997 2005 32 France 3,760 2000 33 Egypt 3,500 2005 34 Philippines 3,219 2005 35 United Kingdom 3,200 2003 36 Paraguay 3,100 2005 37 Mexico 2,900 2005 38 Central African Republic 2,800 2005 39 Belarus 2,500 2003 40 Cambodia 2,400 2005 41 Italy 2,400 2004 42 Ukraine 2,253 2006 43 Korea, North 2,250 2006 44 Zambia 2,250 2005 45 Nicaragua 2,220 2005 46 Sweden 2,052 2005 47 Belgium 2,043 2003 48 Australia 2,000 2002 49 Mali 1,815 2005 50 Japan 1,770 2006 51 Romania 1,731 2005 52 Hungary 1,622 2006 53 Korea, South 1,608 2006 54 Gabon 1,600 2005 55 Uruguay 1,600 2005 56 Norway 1,577 2002 57 Ecuador 1,500 2005 58 Angola 1,300 2005 59 Turkmenistan 1,300 2006 60 Guinea 1,300 2005 61 Ghana 1,293 2005 62 Afghanistan 1,200 2005 63 Turkey 1,200 2005 64 Suriname 1,200 2005 65 Uzbekistan 1,100 2006 66 Senegal 1,000 2005 67 Spain 1,000 2003 68 Guatemala 990 2004 69 Cote d'Ivoire 980 2005 70 Syria 900 2005 71 Iran 850 2006 72 Belize 825 2005 73 Panama 800 2005 74 Sierra Leone 800 2005 75 Croatia 785 2006 76 Ireland 753 2005 77 Costa Rica 730 2005 78 Malawi 700 2006 79 Czech Republic 664 2005 80 Canada 631 2003 81 Kyrgyzstan 600 2006 82 Madagascar 600 2005 83 Serbia 587 2005 84 Mongolia 580 2004 85 Estonia 500 2005 86 Bulgaria 470 2006 87 Honduras 465 2005 88 Mozambique 460 2002 89 Lithuania 425 2005 90 Moldova 424 2005 91 Denmark 400 2001 92 Gambia, The 390 2004 93 Austria 358 2003 94 Latvia 300 2005 95 Niger 300 2005 96 Cuba 240 2005 97 Portugal 210 2003 98 Brunei 209 2005 99 Fiji 203 2004 100 Tajikistan 200 2006 101 Slovakia 172 2005 102 Sri Lanka 160 2005 103 Benin 150 2005 104 Switzerland 65 2003 105 Togo 50 2005 106 Albania 43 2006 107 Luxembourg 37 2003 108 Liechtenstein 28 2005 109 Greece 6 2006 110 Kiribati 5 2003

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2095

Rank Country Labor force Date of Information

1 World 3,001,000,000 2005 est. 2 China 798,000,000 2006 est. 3 India 509,300,000 2006 est. 4 European Union 221,500,000 2005 est. 5 United States 151,400,000 2006 6 Indonesia 108,200,000 2006 est. 7 Brazil 96,340,000 2006 est. 8 Russia 73,880,000 2006 est. 9 Bangladesh 68,000,000 2006 est. 10 Japan 66,440,000 2006 est. 11 Nigeria 48,990,000 2006 est. 12 Pakistan 48,290,000 2006 est. 13 Vietnam 44,580,000 2006 est. 14 Germany 43,660,000 2006 est. 15 Mexico 38,090,000 2006 est. 16 Philippines 36,650,000 2006 est. 17 Thailand 36,410,000 2006 est. 18 United Kingdom 30,400,000 2006 est. 19 Burma 28,490,000 2006 est. 20 France 27,880,000 2006 est. 21 Ethiopia 27,270,000 1999 22 Turkey 24,800,000 2006 est. 23 Italy 24,630,000 2006 est. 24 Iran 24,360,000 2006 est. 25 Korea, South 23,880,000 2006 est. 26 Egypt 21,800,000 2006 est. 27 Spain 21,770,000 2006 est. 28 Ukraine 21,690,000 2006 est. 29 Colombia 20,810,000 2006 est. 30 Tanzania 19,350,000 2006 est. 31 Canada 17,590,000 2006 est. 32 Poland 17,260,000 2006 est. 33 South Africa 16,090,000 2006 est. 34 Argentina 15,350,000 2006 est. 35 Afghanistan 15,000,000 2004 est. 36 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 14,510,000 1993 est. 37 Uzbekistan 14,440,000 2006 est. 38 Uganda 13,760,000 2006 est. 39 Venezuela 12,500,000 November 2006 est. 40 Morocco 11,250,000 2006 est. 41 Ghana 10,870,000 2006 est. 42 Malaysia 10,730,000 2006 est. 43 Australia 10,660,000 2006 est. 44 Taiwan 10,460,000 2006 est. 45 Nepal 10,400,000 2004 est. 46 Korea, North 9,600,000 47 Mozambique 9,400,000 2006 est. 48 Romania 9,330,000 2006 est. 49 Algeria 9,310,000 2006 est. 50 Peru 9,210,000 2006 est. 51 Sri Lanka 8,214,000 2006 est. 52 Kazakhstan 7,834,000 2006 est. 53 Netherlands 7,600,000 2006 est. 54 Sudan 7,415,000 1996 est. 55 Iraq 7,400,000 2004 est. 56 Madagascar 7,300,000 2000 57 Saudi Arabia 7,125,000 2006 est. 58 Cambodia 7,000,000 2003 est. 59 Chile 6,940,000 2006 est. 60 Cote d'Ivoire 6,738,000 2006 est. 61 Cameroon 6,394,000 2006 est. 62 Angola 6,393,000 2006 est. 63 Yemen 5,759,000 2006 est. 64 Portugal 5,570,000 2006 est. 65 Syria 5,505,000 2006 est. 66 Czech Republic 5,310,000 2006 est. 67 Azerbaijan 5,191,000 2006 est. 68 Burkina Faso 5,000,000 2003 69 Zambia 4,903,000 2006 est. 70 Belgium 4,890,000 2006 est. 71 Greece 4,880,000 2006 est. 72 Cuba 4,820,000 2006 est. 73 Senegal 4,749,000 2006 est. 74 Rwanda 4,600,000 2000 75 Sweden 4,590,000 2006 est. 76 Ecuador 4,570,000 2006 est. 77 Malawi 4,500,000 2001 est. 78 Bolivia 4,300,000 2006 est. 79 Belarus 4,300,000 31 December 2005 80 Hungary 4,200,000 2006 est. 81 Zimbabwe 3,958,000 2006 est. 82 Mali 3,930,000 2001 est. 83 Dominican Republic 3,896,000 2006 est. 84 Guatemala 3,850,000 2006 est. 85 Switzerland 3,810,000 2006 est. 86 Somalia 3,700,000 87 Tajikistan 3,700,000 2003 88 Hong Kong 3,630,000 2006 est. 89 Haiti 3,600,000 1995 90 Austria 3,520,000 2006 est. 91 Tunisia 3,502,000 2006 est. 92 Papua New Guinea 3,477,000 2006 est. 93 Bulgaria 3,450,000 2006 est. 94 Benin 3,211,000 1996 95 Guinea 3,000,000 1999 96 Burundi 2,990,000 2002 97 United Arab Emirates 2,968,000 2006 est. 98 Serbia 2,961,000 2002 est. 99 Denmark 2,910,000 2006 est. 100 El Salvador 2,856,000 2006 est. 101 Laos 2,800,000 2002 est. 102 Paraguay 2,742,000 2006 est. 103 Chad 2,719,000 1993 104 Kyrgyzstan 2,700,000 2000 105 Slovakia 2,629,000 2006 est. 106 Finland 2,620,000 2006 est. 107 Israel 2,600,000 2006 est. 108 Honduras 2,589,000 2006 est. 109 Norway 2,420,000 2006 est. 110 Singapore 2,400,000 2006 est. 111 Turkmenistan 2,320,000 2003 est. 112 Nicaragua 2,261,000 2006 est. 113 New Zealand 2,180,000 2006 est. 114 Ireland 2,120,000 2006 est. 115 Georgia 2,040,000 2004 est. 116 Kenya 1,955,000 2006 est. 117 Costa Rica 1,866,000 2006 est. 118 Libya 1,787,000 2006 est. 119 Croatia 1,720,000 2006 est. 120 Lithuania 1,617,000 2006 est. 121 Jordan 1,512,000 2006 est. 122 Lebanon 1,500,000 2005 est. 123 Mongolia 1,488,000 2003 124 Panama 1,441,000 2006 est. 125 Sierra Leone 1,369,000 1981 est. 126 Moldova 1,339,000 2006 est. 127 Togo 1,302,000 1998 128 Puerto Rico 1,300,000 2000 129 Uruguay 1,270,000 2006 est. 130 Armenia 1,200,000 2005 131 Jamaica 1,197,000 2006 est. 132 Kuwait 1,136,000 2006 est. 133 Latvia 1,136,000 2006 est. 134 Albania 1,090,000 2004 est. 135 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1,026,000 2001 136 Oman 920,000 2002 est. 137 Slovenia 914,000 2006 est. 138 Macedonia 880,000 2006 est. 139 Lesotho 838,000 2000 140 Mauritania 786,000 2001 141 Estonia 673,000 2006 est. 142 Namibia 653,000 2006 est. 143 Trinidad and Tobago 618,000 2006 est. 144 Gabon 581,000 2006 est. 145 West Bank 568,000 2005 146 Mauritius 555,000 2006 est. 147 Qatar 508,000 2006 est. 148 Guinea-Bissau 480,000 1999 149 Guyana 418,000 2001 est. 150 Gambia, The 400,000 1996 151 Cyprus 380,000 2006 est. 152 Bahrain 352,000 2006 est. 153 Botswana 288,400 2004 154 Djibouti 282,000 2000 155 Montenegro 259,100 2004 156 Gaza Strip 259,000 2005 157 Solomon Islands 249,200 1999 158 Macau 248,000 2005 159 Luxembourg 203,000 2006 est. 160 Bahamas, The 176,300 2004 161 Iceland 173,000 2006 est. 162 Malta 160,000 2005 est. 163 Suriname 156,700 2004 164 Swaziland 155,700 2003 165 Brunei 146,300 2003 est. 166 Comoros 144,500 1996 est. 167 Fiji 137,000 1999 168 Barbados 128,500 2001 est. 169 Cape Verde 120,600 1990 170 Cyprus 95,025 2006 est. 171 Belize 90,000 2001 est. 172 Samoa 90,000 2000 est. 173 Maldives 88,000 2000 174 Netherlands Antilles 83,600 2005 175 New Caledonia 78,990 2004 176 Vanuatu 76,410 1999 177 Niger 70,000 2002 est. 178 French Polynesia 65,870 December 2005 179 Guam 62,050 2002 est. 180 Jersey 52,790 2004 181 Andorra 48,740 2004 182 Mayotte 44,560 2002 183 Northern Mariana Islands 44,470 2000 184 Virgin Islands 43,980 2004 est. 185 Saint Lucia 43,800 2001 est. 186 Grenada 42,300 1996 187 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 41,680 1991 est. 188 Aruba 41,500 2004 est. 189 Monaco 41,110 2004 190 Isle of Man 39,690 2001 191 Bermuda 38,360 2004 192 Micronesia, Federated States of 37,410 2000 193 Sao Tome and Principe 35,050 1991 194 Tonga 33,910 2003 195 Guernsey 31,470 March 2006 196 Seychelles 30,900 1996 197 Antigua and Barbuda 30,000 198 Liechtenstein 29,500 31 December 2001 199 Dominica 25,000 1999 est. 200 Greenland 24,500 1999 est. 201 Faroe Islands 24,250 October 2000 202 Cayman Islands 23,450 2004 203 San Marino 19,970 2003 204 Saint Kitts and Nevis 18,170 June 1995 205 American Samoa 17,630 2005 206 Marshall Islands 14,680 2000 207 British Virgin Islands 12,770 2004 208 Gibraltar 12,690 2001 209 Western Sahara 12,000 210 Palau 9,777 2005 211 Kiribati 7,870 2001 est. 212 Cook Islands 6,820 2001 213 Anguilla 6,049 2001 214 Turks and Caicos Islands 4,848 1990 est. 215 Montserrat 4,521 2000 est. 216 Tuvalu 3,615 2004 est. 217 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 3,261 1999 218 Wallis and Futuna 3,104 2003 219 Saint Helena 2,486 1998 est. 220 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 1,724 1996 221 Norfolk Island 1,345 222 Niue 663 2001 223 Tokelau 440 2001 224 Pitcairn Islands 15 2004

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2102

Rank Country Life expectancy at birth(years) Date of Information

1 Andorra 83.51 2006 est. 2 Macau 82.19 2006 est. 3 San Marino 81.71 2006 est. 4 Singapore 81.71 2006 est. 5 Hong Kong 81.59 2006 est. 6 Japan 81.25 2006 est. 7 Sweden 80.51 2006 est. 8 Switzerland 80.51 2006 est. 9 Australia 80.50 2006 est. 10 Guernsey 80.42 2006 est. 11 Iceland 80.31 2006 est. 12 Canada 80.22 2006 est. 13 Cayman Islands 80.07 2006 est. 14 Italy 79.81 2006 est. 15 Gibraltar 79.80 2006 est. 16 France 79.73 2006 est. 17 Monaco 79.69 2006 est. 18 Liechtenstein 79.68 2006 est. 19 Spain 79.65 2006 est. 20 Norway 79.54 2006 est. 21 Israel 79.46 2006 est. 22 Jersey 79.38 2006 est. 23 Faroe Islands 79.35 2006 est. 24 Aruba 79.28 2006 est. 25 Greece 79.24 2006 est. 26 Austria 79.07 2006 est. 27 Virgin Islands 79.05 2006 est. 28 Malta 79.01 2006 est. 29 Netherlands 78.96 2006 est. 30 Luxembourg 78.89 2006 est. 31 Montserrat 78.85 2006 est. 32 New Zealand 78.81 2006 est. 33 Germany 78.80 2006 est. 34 Belgium 78.77 2006 est. 35 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 78.61 2006 est. 36 Guam 78.58 2006 est. 37 United Kingdom 78.54 2006 est. 38 Finland 78.50 2006 est. 39 Isle of Man 78.49 2006 est. 40 Jordan 78.40 2006 est. 41 Puerto Rico 78.40 2006 est. 42 European Union 78.30 2006 est. 43 Bosnia and Herzegovina 78.00 2006 est. 44 Bermuda 77.96 2006 est. 45 Saint Helena 77.93 2006 est. 46 United States 77.85 2006 est. 47 Cyprus 77.82 2006 est. 48 Denmark 77.79 2006 est. 49 Ireland 77.73 2006 est. 50 Portugal 77.70 2006 est. 51 Albania 77.43 2006 est. 52 Taiwan 77.43 2006 est. 53 Cuba 77.41 2006 est. 54 Anguilla 77.28 2006 est. 55 Kuwait 77.20 2006 est. 56 Korea, South 77.04 2006 est. 57 Costa Rica 77.02 2006 est. 58 Chile 76.77 2006 est. 59 Libya 76.69 2006 est. 60 British Virgin Islands 76.68 2006 est. 61 Ecuador 76.42 2006 est. 62 Slovenia 76.33 2006 est. 63 Uruguay 76.33 2006 est. 64 Czech Republic 76.22 2006 est. 65 Argentina 76.12 2006 est. 66 French Polynesia 76.10 2006 est. 67 Northern Mariana Islands 76.09 2006 est. 68 Georgia 76.09 2006 est. 69 American Samoa 76.05 2006 est. 70 Netherlands Antilles 76.03 2006 est. 71 Saudi Arabia 75.67 2006 est. 72 United Arab Emirates 75.44 2006 est. 73 Mexico 75.41 2006 est. 74 Panama 75.22 2006 est. 75 Tunisia 75.12 2006 est. 76 Paraguay 75.10 2006 est. 77 Brunei 75.01 2006 est. 78 Poland 74.97 2006 est. 79 Dominica 74.87 2006 est. 80 Slovakia 74.73 2006 est. 81 Turks and Caicos Islands 74.73 2006 est. 82 Croatia 74.68 2006 est. 83 Venezuela 74.54 2006 est. 84 Bahrain 74.45 2006 est. 85 New Caledonia 74.27 2006 est. 86 Lithuania 74.20 2006 est. 87 Serbia 74.00 88 Macedonia 73.97 2006 est. 89 Qatar 73.90 2006 est. 90 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 73.85 2006 est. 91 Saint Lucia 73.84 2006 est. 92 Sri Lanka 73.41 2006 est. 93 Oman 73.37 2006 est. 94 West Bank 73.27 2006 est. 95 Algeria 73.26 2006 est. 96 Jamaica 73.24 2006 est. 97 Solomon Islands 72.91 2006 est. 98 Lebanon 72.88 2006 est. 99 Barbados 72.79 2006 est. 100 Hungary 72.66 2006 est. 101 Mauritius 72.63 2006 est. 102 Turkey 72.62 2006 est. 103 China 72.58 2006 est. 104 Malaysia 72.50 2006 est. 105 Saint Kitts and Nevis 72.40 2006 est. 106 Bulgaria 72.30 2006 est. 107 Thailand 72.25 2006 est. 108 Antigua and Barbuda 72.16 2006 est. 109 Seychelles 72.08 2006 est. 110 Estonia 72.04 2006 est. 111 Colombia 71.99 2006 est. 112 Brazil 71.97 2006 est. 113 Gaza Strip 71.97 2006 est. 114 Armenia 71.84 2006 est. 115 Dominican Republic 71.73 2006 est. 116 Korea, North 71.65 2006 est. 117 Romania 71.63 2006 est. 118 El Salvador 71.49 2006 est. 119 Latvia 71.33 2006 est. 120 Egypt 71.29 2006 est. 121 Samoa 71.00 2006 est. 122 Morocco 70.94 2006 est. 123 Vietnam 70.85 2006 est. 124 Cape Verde 70.73 2006 est. 125 Nicaragua 70.63 2006 est. 126 Palau 70.42 2006 est. 127 Syria 70.32 2006 est. 128 Marshall Islands 70.31 2006 est. 129 Iran 70.26 2006 est. 130 Philippines 70.21 2006 est. 131 Micronesia, Federated States of 70.05 2006 est. 132 Ukraine 69.98 2006 est. 133 Greenland 69.94 2006 est. 134 Indonesia 69.87 2006 est. 135 Peru 69.84 2006 est. 136 Fiji 69.82 2006 est. 137 Tonga 69.82 2006 est. 138 Guatemala 69.38 2006 est. 139 Honduras 69.33 2006 est. 140 Belarus 69.08 2006 est. 141 Iraq 69.01 2006 est. 142 Suriname 69.01 2006 est. 143 Kyrgyzstan 68.49 2006 est. 144 Tuvalu 68.32 2006 est. 145 Belize 68.30 2006 est. 146 Sao Tome and Principe 67.31 2006 est. 147 Russia 67.08 2006 est. 148 Kazakhstan 66.89 2006 est. 149 Trinidad and Tobago 66.76 2006 est. 150 East Timor 66.26 2006 est. 151 Guyana 65.86 2006 est. 152 Bolivia 65.84 2006 est. 153 Moldova 65.65 2006 est. 154 Bahamas, The 65.60 2006 est. 155 Papua New Guinea 65.28 2006 est. 156 Tajikistan 64.94 2006 est. 157 Mongolia 64.89 2006 est. 158 Grenada 64.87 2006 est. 159 World 64.77 2006 est. 160 India 64.71 2006 est. 161 Uzbekistan 64.58 2006 est. 162 Maldives 64.41 2006 est. 163 Azerbaijan 63.85 2006 est. 164 Pakistan 63.39 2006 est. 165 Nauru 63.08 2006 est. 166 Vanuatu 62.85 2006 est. 167 Bangladesh 62.46 2006 est. 168 Comoros 62.33 2006 est. 169 Yemen 62.12 2006 est. 170 Kiribati 62.08 2006 est. 171 Turkmenistan 61.83 2006 est. 172 Mayotte 61.76 2006 est. 173 Burma 60.97 2006 est. 174 Nepal 60.18 2006 est. 175 Cambodia 59.29 2006 est. 176 Senegal 59.25 2006 est. 177 Eritrea 59.03 2006 est. 178 Sudan 58.92 2006 est. 179 Ghana 58.87 2006 est. 180 Togo 57.42 2006 est. 181 Madagascar 57.34 2006 est. 182 Laos 55.49 2006 est. 183 Bhutan 54.78 2006 est. 184 Gabon 54.49 2006 est. 185 Gambia, The 54.14 2006 est. 186 Haiti 53.23 2006 est. 187 Mauritania 53.12 2006 est. 188 Benin 53.04 2006 est. 189 Congo, Republic of the 52.80 2006 est. 190 Uganda 52.67 2006 est. 191 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 51.46 2006 est. 192 Cameroon 51.16 2006 est. 193 Burundi 50.81 2006 est. 194 Equatorial Guinea 49.54 2006 est. 195 Guinea 49.50 2006 est. 196 Ethiopia 49.03 2006 est. 197 Mali 49.00 2006 est. 198 Kenya 48.93 2006 est. 199 Burkina Faso 48.85 2006 est. 200 Cote d'Ivoire 48.82 2006 est. 201 Somalia 48.47 2006 est. 202 Chad 47.52 2006 est. 203 Rwanda 47.30 2006 est. 204 Nigeria 47.08 2006 est. 205 Guinea-Bissau 46.87 2006 est. 206 Tanzania 45.64 2006 est. 207 Niger 43.76 2006 est. 208 Central African Republic 43.54 2006 est. 209 Namibia 43.39 2006 est. 210 Afghanistan 43.34 2006 est. 211 Djibouti 43.17 2006 est. 212 South Africa 42.73 2006 est. 213 Malawi 41.70 2006 est. 214 Sierra Leone 40.22 2006 est. 215 Zambia 40.03 2006 est. 216 Mozambique 39.82 2006 est. 217 Liberia 39.65 2006 est. 218 Zimbabwe 39.29 2006 est. 219 Angola 38.62 2006 est. 220 Lesotho 34.40 2006 est. 221 Botswana 33.74 2006 est. 222 Swaziland 32.62 2006 est.

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2108

Rank Country Merchant marine Date of Information

1 World 33,222 2006 2 Panama 5,473 2006 3 China 1,723 2006 4 Liberia 1,687 2006 5 Malta 1,220 2006 6 Russia 1,178 2006 7 Bahamas, The 1,177 2006 8 Singapore 1,063 2006 9 Antigua and Barbuda 1,011 2006 10 Hong Kong 924 2006 11 Cyprus 884 2006 12 Indonesia 824 2006 13 Greece 817 2006 14 Marshall Islands 795 2006 15 Norway 724 2006 16 Japan 683 2006 17 Korea, South 669 2006 18 Italy 591 2006 19 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 589 2006 20 Netherlands 558 2006 21 Turkey 545 2006 22 Cambodia 544 2006 23 United States 465 2006 24 United Kingdom 449 2006 25 Philippines 403 2006 26 Thailand 400 2006 27 Germany 394 2006 28 India 316 2006 29 Malaysia 312 2006 30 Isle of Man 305 2006 31 Denmark 293 2006 32 Belize 285 2006 33 Vietnam 267 2006 34 Korea, North 232 2006 35 Georgia 222 2006 36 Ukraine 202 2006 37 Sweden 198 2006 38 Gibraltar 180 2006 39 Canada 173 2006 40 Spain 169 2006 41 Netherlands Antilles 152 2006 42 Iran 141 2006 43 Brazil 137 2006 44 Honduras 136 2006 45 Bermuda 132 2006 46 Cayman Islands 132 2006 47 Comoros 121 2006 48 Taiwan 112 2006 49 Portugal 111 2006 50 Syria 108 2006 51 Finland 87 2006 52 Azerbaijan 84 2006 53 French Southern and Antarctic Lands 77 2006 54 Monaco 77 2006 55 Egypt 76 2006 56 Bulgaria 75 2006 57 Croatia 72 2006 58 Belgium 66 2006 59 France 61 2006 60 Mongolia 61 2006 61 Saudi Arabia 60 2006 62 United Arab Emirates 58 2006 63 Barbados 58 2006 64 Mexico 56 2006 65 Venezuela 56 2006 66 Sierra Leone 54 2006 67 Australia 53 2006 68 Nigeria 52 2006 69 Tuvalu 52 2006 70 Vanuatu 51 2006 71 Saint Kitts and Nevis 50 2006 72 Lithuania 49 2006 73 Dominica 48 2006 74 Chile 46 2006 75 Slovakia 43 2006 76 Bangladesh 42 2006 77 Luxembourg 42 2006 78 Algeria 41 2006 79 Argentina 41 2006 80 Morocco 41 2006 81 Lebanon 39 2006 82 Kuwait 38 2006 83 Estonia 35 2006 84 Burma 34 2006 85 Ecuador 31 2006 86 Switzerland 27 2006 87 Slovenia 26 2006 88 Jordan 25 2006 89 Albania 24 2006 90 Bolivia 24 2006 91 Papua New Guinea 24 2006 92 Ireland 23 2006 93 Romania 23 2006 94 Qatar 23 2006 95 Sri Lanka 22 2006 96 Latvia 21 2006 97 Paraguay 21 2006 98 Faroe Islands 18 2006 99 Israel 18 2006 100 Libya 18 2006 101 Colombia 17 2006 102 Maldives 17 2006 103 Pakistan 16 2006 104 Tonga 16 2006 105 French Polynesia 13 2006 106 Uruguay 13 2006 107 New Zealand 13 2006 108 Iraq 13 2006 109 Cuba 11 2006 110 Poland 11 2006 111 Jamaica 10 2006 112 Madagascar 9 2006 113 Tunisia 9 2006 114 Tanzania 9 2006 115 Austria 8 2006 116 Wallis and Futuna 8 2006 117 Turkmenistan 8 2006 118 Sao Tome and Principe 8 2006 119 Trinidad and Tobago 8 2006 120 Ethiopia 8 2006 121 Bahrain 8 2006 122 Brunei 8 2006 123 Cape Verde 7 2006 124 Fiji 7 2006 125 Moldova 7 2006 126 Guyana 7 2006 127 Cook Islands 6 2006 128 Mauritius 6 2006 129 Kazakhstan 6 2006 130 Eritrea 6 2006 131 Gambia, The 5 2006 132 Seychelles 5 2006 133 Angola 4 2006 134 Peru 4 2006 135 Yemen 4 2006 136 Montenegro 4 2006 137 Ghana 4 2006 138 Greenland 3 2006 139 South Africa 3 2006 140 Kenya 3 2006 141 Puerto Rico 3 2006 142 Costa Rica 2 2006 143 Togo 2 2006 144 Sudan 2 2006 145 New Caledonia 2 2006 146 Mozambique 2 2006 147 Kiribati 2 2006 148 Gabon 2 2006 149 Micronesia, Federated States of 2 2006 150 Anguilla 1 2006 151 Cameroon 1 2006 152 Djibouti 1 2006 153 Laos 1 2006 154 Samoa 1 2006 155 Namibia 1 2006 156 British Virgin Islands 1 2006 157 Somalia 1 2006 158 Suriname 1 2006 159 Oman 1 2006 160 Iceland 1 2006 161 Dominican Republic 1 2006 162 Czech Republic 1 2006 163 Equatorial Guinea 1 2006 164 Congo, Republic of the 1 2006 165 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1 2006

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2119

Rank Country Population Date of Information

1 World 6,525,170,264 July 2006 est. 2 China 1,313,973,713 July 2006 est. 3 India 1,095,351,995 July 2006 est. 4 European Union 486,642,177 July 2006 est. 5 United States 298,444,215 July 2006 est. 6 Indonesia 245,452,739 July 2006 est. 7 Brazil 188,078,227 July 2006 est. 8 Pakistan 165,803,560 July 2006 est. 9 Bangladesh 147,365,352 July 2006 est. 10 Russia 142,893,540 July 2006 est. 11 Nigeria 131,859,731 July 2006 est. 12 Japan 127,463,611 July 2006 est. 13 Mexico 107,449,525 July 2006 est. 14 Philippines 89,468,677 July 2006 est. 15 Vietnam 84,402,966 July 2006 est. 16 Germany 82,422,299 July 2006 est. 17 Egypt 78,887,007 July 2006 est. 18 Ethiopia 74,777,981 July 2006 est. 19 Turkey 70,413,958 July 2006 est. 20 Iran 68,688,433 July 2006 est. 21 Thailand 64,631,595 July 2006 est. 22 France 62,752,136 July 2006 est. 23 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 62,660,551 July 2006 est. 24 United Kingdom 60,609,153 July 2006 est. 25 Italy 58,133,509 July 2006 est. 26 Korea, South 48,846,823 July 2006 est. 27 Burma 47,382,633 July 2006 est. 28 Ukraine 46,710,816 July 2006 est. 29 South Africa 44,187,637 July 2006 est. 30 Colombia 43,593,035 July 2006 est. 31 Sudan 41,236,378 July 2006 est. 32 Spain 40,397,842 July 2006 est. 33 Argentina 39,921,833 July 2006 est. 34 Poland 38,536,869 July 2006 est. 35 Tanzania 37,445,392 July 2006 est. 36 Kenya 34,707,817 July 2006 est. 37 Morocco 33,241,259 July 2006 est. 38 Canada 33,098,932 July 2006 est. 39 Algeria 32,930,091 July 2006 est. 40 Afghanistan 31,056,997 July 2006 est. 41 Peru 28,302,603 July 2006 est. 42 Nepal 28,287,147 July 2006 est. 43 Uganda 28,195,754 July 2006 est. 44 Uzbekistan 27,307,134 July 2006 est. 45 Saudi Arabia 27,019,731 July 2006 est. 46 Iraq 26,783,383 July 2006 est. 47 Venezuela 25,730,435 July 2006 est. 48 Malaysia 24,385,858 July 2006 est. 49 Korea, North 23,113,019 July 2006 est. 50 Taiwan 23,036,087 July 2006 est. 51 Ghana 22,409,572 July 2006 est. 52 Romania 22,303,552 July 2006 est. 53 Yemen 21,456,188 July 2006 est. 54 Australia 20,264,082 July 2006 est. 55 Sri Lanka 20,222,240 July 2006 est. 56 Mozambique 19,686,505 July 2006 est. 57 Syria 18,881,361 July 2006 est. 58 Madagascar 18,595,469 July 2006 est. 59 Cote d'Ivoire 17,654,843 July 2006 est. 60 Cameroon 17,340,702 July 2006 est. 61 Netherlands 16,491,461 July 2006 est. 62 Chile 16,134,219 July 2006 est. 63 Kazakhstan 15,233,244 July 2006 est. 64 Burkina Faso 13,902,972 July 2006 est. 65 Cambodia 13,881,427 July 2006 est. 66 Ecuador 13,547,510 July 2006 est. 67 Malawi 13,013,926 July 2006 est. 68 Niger 12,525,094 July 2006 est. 69 Guatemala 12,293,545 July 2006 est. 70 Zimbabwe 12,236,805 July 2006 est. 71 Angola 12,127,071 July 2006 est. 72 Senegal 11,987,121 July 2006 est. 73 Mali 11,716,829 July 2006 est. 74 Zambia 11,502,010 July 2006 est. 75 Cuba 11,382,820 July 2006 est. 76 Greece 10,688,058 July 2006 est. 77 Portugal 10,605,870 July 2006 est. 78 Belgium 10,379,067 July 2006 est. 79 Belarus 10,293,011 July 2006 est. 80 Czech Republic 10,235,455 July 2006 est. 81 Tunisia 10,175,014 July 2006 est. 82 Hungary 9,981,334 July 2006 est. 83 Chad 9,944,201 July 2006 est. 84 Guinea 9,690,222 July 2006 est. 85 Serbia 9,396,411 2002 census 86 Dominican Republic 9,183,984 July 2006 est. 87 Sweden 9,016,596 July 2006 est. 88 Bolivia 8,989,046 July 2006 est. 89 Somalia 8,863,338 July 2006 est. 90 Rwanda 8,648,248 July 2006 est. 91 Haiti 8,308,504 July 2006 est. 92 Austria 8,192,880 July 2006 est. 93 Burundi 8,090,068 July 2006 est. 94 Azerbaijan 7,961,619 July 2006 est. 95 Benin 7,862,944 July 2006 est. 96 Switzerland 7,523,934 July 2006 est. 97 Bulgaria 7,385,367 July 2006 est. 98 Honduras 7,326,496 July 2006 est. 99 Tajikistan 7,320,815 July 2006 est. 100 Hong Kong 6,940,432 July 2006 est. 101 El Salvador 6,822,378 July 2006 est. 102 Paraguay 6,506,464 July 2006 est. 103 Laos 6,368,481 July 2006 est. 104 Israel 6,352,117 July 2006 est. 105 Sierra Leone 6,005,250 July 2006 est. 106 Jordan 5,906,760 July 2006 est. 107 Libya 5,900,754 July 2006 est. 108 Papua New Guinea 5,670,544 July 2006 est. 109 Nicaragua 5,570,129 July 2006 est. 110 Togo 5,548,702 July 2006 est. 111 Denmark 5,450,661 July 2006 est. 112 Slovakia 5,439,448 July 2006 est. 113 Finland 5,231,372 July 2006 est. 114 Kyrgyzstan 5,213,898 July 2006 est. 115 Turkmenistan 5,042,920 July 2006 est. 116 Eritrea 4,786,994 July 2006 est. 117 Georgia 4,661,473 July 2006 est. 118 Norway 4,610,820 July 2006 est. 119 Bosnia and Herzegovina 4,498,976 July 2006 est. 120 Croatia 4,494,749 July 2006 est. 121 Singapore 4,492,150 July 2006 est. 122 Moldova 4,466,706 July 2006 est. 123 Central African Republic 4,303,356 July 2006 est. 124 New Zealand 4,076,140 July 2006 est. 125 Costa Rica 4,075,261 July 2006 est. 126 Ireland 4,062,235 July 2006 est. 127 Puerto Rico 3,927,188 July 2006 est. 128 Lebanon 3,874,050 July 2006 est. 129 Congo, Republic of the 3,702,314 July 2006 est. 130 Lithuania 3,585,906 July 2006 est. 131 Albania 3,581,655 July 2006 est. 132 Uruguay 3,431,932 July 2006 est. 133 Panama 3,191,319 July 2006 est. 134 Mauritania 3,177,388 July 2006 est. 135 Oman 3,102,229 July 2006 est. 136 Liberia 3,042,004 July 2006 est. 137 Armenia 2,976,372 July 2006 est. 138 Mongolia 2,832,224 July 2006 est. 139 Jamaica 2,758,124 July 2006 est. 140 United Arab Emirates 2,602,713 July 2006 est. 141 West Bank 2,460,492 142 Kuwait 2,418,393 July 2006 est. 143 Bhutan 2,279,723 July 2006 est. 144 Latvia 2,274,735 July 2006 est. 145 Macedonia 2,050,554 July 2006 est. 146 Namibia 2,044,147 July 2006 est. 147 Lesotho 2,022,331 July 2006 est. 148 Slovenia 2,010,347 July 2006 est. 149 Gambia, The 1,641,564 July 2006 est. 150 Botswana 1,639,833 July 2006 est. 151 Guinea-Bissau 1,442,029 July 2006 est. 152 Gaza Strip 1,428,757 July 2006 est. 153 Gabon 1,424,906 July 2006 est. 154 Estonia 1,324,333 July 2006 est. 155 Mauritius 1,240,827 July 2006 est. 156 Swaziland 1,136,334 July 2006 est. 157 Trinidad and Tobago 1,065,842 July 2006 est. 158 East Timor 1,062,777 July 2006 est. 159 Fiji 905,949 July 2006 est. 160 Qatar 885,359 July 2006 est. 161 Cyprus 784,301 July 2006 est. 162 Guyana 767,245 July 2006 est. 163 Bahrain 698,585 July 2006 est. 164 Comoros 690,948 July 2006 est. 165 Montenegro 630,548 2004 166 Solomon Islands 552,438 July 2006 est. 167 Equatorial Guinea 540,109 July 2006 est. 168 Djibouti 486,530 July 2006 est. 169 Luxembourg 474,413 July 2006 est. 170 Macau 453,125 July 2006 est. 171 Suriname 439,117 July 2006 est. 172 Cape Verde 420,979 July 2006 est. 173 Malta 400,214 July 2006 est. 174 Brunei 379,444 July 2006 est. 175 Maldives 359,008 July 2006 est. 176 Bahamas, The 303,770 July 2006 est. 177 Iceland 299,388 July 2006 est. 178 Belize 287,730 July 2006 est. 179 Barbados 279,912 July 2006 est. 180 French Polynesia 274,578 July 2006 est. 181 Western Sahara 273,008 July 2006 est. 182 Netherlands Antilles 221,736 July 2006 est. 183 New Caledonia 219,246 July 2006 est. 184 Vanuatu 208,869 July 2006 est. 185 Mayotte 201,234 July 2006 est. 186 Sao Tome and Principe 193,413 July 2006 est. 187 Samoa 176,908 July 2006 est. 188 Guam 171,019 July 2006 est. 189 Saint Lucia 168,458 July 2006 est. 190 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 117,848 July 2006 est. 191 Tonga 114,689 July 2006 est. 192 Virgin Islands 108,605 July 2006 est. 193 Micronesia, Federated States of 108,004 July 2006 est. 194 Kiribati 105,432 July 2006 est. 195 Jersey 91,084 July 2006 est. 196 Grenada 89,703 July 2006 est. 197 Northern Mariana Islands 82,459 July 2006 est. 198 Seychelles 81,541 July 2006 est. 199 Isle of Man 75,441 July 2006 est. 200 Aruba 71,891 July 2006 est. 201 Andorra 71,201 July 2006 est. 202 Antigua and Barbuda 69,108 July 2006 est. 203 Dominica 68,910 July 2006 est. 204 Bermuda 65,773 July 2006 est. 205 Guernsey 65,409 July 2006 est. 206 Marshall Islands 60,422 July 2006 est. 207 American Samoa 57,794 July 2006 est. 208 Greenland 56,361 July 2006 est. 209 Faroe Islands 47,246 July 2006 est. 210 Cayman Islands 45,436 July 2006 est. 211 Saint Kitts and Nevis 39,129 July 2006 est. 212 Liechtenstein 33,987 July 2006 est. 213 Monaco 32,543 July 2006 est. 214 San Marino 29,251 July 2006 est. 215 Gibraltar 27,928 July 2006 est. 216 British Virgin Islands 23,098 July 2006 est. 217 Cook Islands 21,388 July 2006 est. 218 Turks and Caicos Islands 21,152 July 2006 est. 219 Palau 20,579 July 2006 est. 220 Wallis and Futuna 16,025 July 2006 est. 221 Anguilla 13,477 July 2006 est. 222 Nauru 13,287 July 2006 est. 223 Tuvalu 11,810 July 2006 est. 224 Montserrat 9,439 July 2006 est. 225 Saint Helena 7,502 July 2006 est. 226 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 7,026 July 2006 est. 227 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 2,967 July 2006 est. 228 Svalbard 2,701 July 2006 est. 229 Niue 2,166 July 2006 est. 230 Norfolk Island 1,828 July 2006 est. 231 Christmas Island 1,493 232 Tokelau 1,392 July 2006 est. 233 Holy See (Vatican City) 932 July 2006 est. 234 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 574 July 2006 est. 235 Pitcairn Islands 45 July 2006 est.

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2121

Rank Country Railways(km) Date of Information

1 World 1,115,205 2003 2 European Union 235,199 2005 3 United States 226,605 2004 4 Russia 87,157 2005 5 China 74,408 2004 6 India 63,230 2005 7 Canada 48,467 2005 8 Australia 47,738 2005 9 Germany 47,201 2005 10 Argentina 31,902 2005 11 Brazil 29,252 2005 12 France 29,085 2005 13 Japan 23,556 2005 14 Poland 23,072 2005 15 Ukraine 22,473 2005 16 South Africa 20,872 2005 17 Italy 19,459 2005 18 Mexico 17,562 2005 19 United Kingdom 17,156 2005 20 Spain 14,873 2005 21 Kazakhstan 13,700 2005 22 Sweden 11,481 2005 23 Romania 11,385 2005 24 Czech Republic 9,572 2005 25 Turkey 8,697 2005 26 Pakistan 8,163 2004 27 Hungary 7,937 2005 28 Iran 7,256 2005 29 Chile 6,585 2005 30 Indonesia 6,458 2005 31 Austria 6,011 2005 32 Sudan 5,978 2005 33 Finland 5,741 2005 34 Belarus 5,512 2005 35 Korea, North 5,214 2005 36 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 5,138 2005 37 Egypt 5,063 2005 38 Switzerland 4,583 2005 39 Bulgaria 4,294 2005 40 Cuba 4,226 2005 41 Serbia 4,135 2005 42 New Zealand 4,128 2005 43 Norway 4,077 2005 44 Thailand 4,071 2005 45 Algeria 3,973 2005 46 Burma 3,955 2005 47 Uzbekistan 3,950 2005 48 Tanzania 3,690 2005 49 Slovakia 3,662 2005 50 Belgium 3,521 2005 51 Bolivia 3,519 2005 52 Nigeria 3,505 2005 53 Korea, South 3,472 2005 54 Peru 3,462 2005 55 Ireland 3,312 2005 56 Colombia 3,304 2005 57 Mozambique 3,123 2005 58 Zimbabwe 3,077 2005 59 Azerbaijan 2,957 2005 60 Portugal 2,850 2005 61 Netherlands 2,808 2005 62 Kenya 2,778 2005 63 Bangladesh 2,768 2005 64 Angola 2,761 2005 65 Croatia 2,726 2005 66 Syria 2,711 2005 67 Denmark 2,673 2005 68 Vietnam 2,600 2005 69 Greece 2,571 2005 70 Taiwan 2,497 2005 71 Turkmenistan 2,440 2005 72 Namibia 2,382 2005 73 Latvia 2,303 2005 74 Iraq 2,200 2005 75 Zambia 2,173 2005 76 Tunisia 2,153 2005 77 Uruguay 2,073 2005 78 Morocco 1,907 2005 79 Malaysia 1,890 2005 80 Mongolia 1,810 2005 81 Lithuania 1,771 2005 82 Georgia 1,612 2005 83 Sri Lanka 1,449 2005 84 Saudi Arabia 1,392 2005 85 Uganda 1,244 2005 86 Slovenia 1,229 2005 87 Moldova 1,138 2005 88 Cameroon 987 2005 89 Ecuador 966 2005 90 Estonia 958 2005 91 Ghana 953 2005 92 Senegal 906 2005 93 Philippines 897 2005 94 Congo, Republic of the 894 2005 95 Botswana 888 2005 96 Guatemala 886 2005 97 Madagascar 854 2005 98 Israel 853 2005 99 Armenia 845 2005 100 Guinea 837 2005 101 Gabon 814 2005 102 Malawi 797 2005 103 Mali 729 2005 104 Honduras 699 2005 105 Macedonia 699 2005 106 Venezuela 682 2005 107 Ethiopia 681 2005 108 Cote d'Ivoire 660 2005 109 Burkina Faso 622 2005 110 Bosnia and Herzegovina 608 2005 111 Cambodia 602 2005 112 Fiji 597 2005 113 Benin 578 2005 114 Togo 568 2005 115 Dominican Republic 517 2005 116 Jordan 505 2005 117 Liberia 490 2005 118 Tajikistan 482 2005 119 Kyrgyzstan 470 2005 120 Albania 447 2005 121 Lebanon 401 2006 122 Panama 355 2005 123 Eritrea 306 2005 124 Swaziland 301 2005 125 El Salvador 283 2005 126 Costa Rica 278 2005 127 Luxembourg 274 2005 128 Jamaica 272 2003 129 Montenegro 250 2005 130 Guyana 187 2001 est. 131 Djibouti 100 2005 132 Puerto Rico 96 2005 133 Isle of Man 65 2006 134 Nepal 59 2005 135 Saint Kitts and Nevis 50 2005 136 Paraguay 36 2005 137 Nicaragua 6 2005

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2127

Rank Country Total fertility rate(children born/woman) Date of Information

1 Niger 7.46 2006 est. 2 Mali 7.42 2006 est. 3 Somalia 6.76 2006 est. 4 Uganda 6.71 2006 est. 5 Afghanistan 6.69 2006 est. 6 Yemen 6.58 2006 est. 7 Burundi 6.55 2006 est. 8 Burkina Faso 6.47 2006 est. 9 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 6.45 2006 est. 10 Angola 6.35 2006 est. 11 Chad 6.25 2006 est. 12 Sierra Leone 6.08 2006 est. 13 Congo, Republic of the 6.07 2006 est. 14 Liberia 6.02 2006 est. 15 Malawi 5.92 2006 est. 16 Mauritania 5.86 2006 est. 17 Guinea 5.79 2006 est. 18 Mayotte 5.79 2006 est. 19 Gaza Strip 5.78 2006 est. 20 Oman 5.77 2006 est. 21 Madagascar 5.62 2006 est. 22 Sao Tome and Principe 5.62 2006 est. 23 Nigeria 5.49 2006 est. 24 Rwanda 5.43 2006 est. 25 Zambia 5.39 2006 est. 26 Djibouti 5.31 2006 est. 27 Gambia, The 5.30 2006 est. 28 Ethiopia 5.22 2006 est. 29 Benin 5.20 2006 est. 30 Eritrea 5.08 2006 est. 31 Comoros 5.03 2006 est. 32 Tanzania 4.97 2006 est. 33 Togo 4.96 2006 est. 34 Haiti 4.94 2006 est. 35 Kenya 4.91 2006 est. 36 Maldives 4.90 2006 est. 37 Guinea-Bissau 4.86 2006 est. 38 Bhutan 4.74 2006 est. 39 Gabon 4.74 2006 est. 40 Sudan 4.72 2006 est. 41 Laos 4.68 2006 est. 42 Mozambique 4.62 2006 est. 43 Equatorial Guinea 4.55 2006 est. 44 Cote d'Ivoire 4.50 2006 est. 45 Central African Republic 4.41 2006 est. 46 Cameroon 4.39 2006 est. 47 Senegal 4.38 2006 est. 48 West Bank 4.28 2006 est. 49 Iraq 4.18 2006 est. 50 Kiribati 4.16 2006 est. 51 Nepal 4.10 2006 est. 52 Pakistan 4.00 2006 est. 53 Saudi Arabia 4.00 2006 est. 54 Tajikistan 4.00 2006 est. 55 Ghana 3.99 2006 est. 56 Solomon Islands 3.91 2006 est. 57 Paraguay 3.89 2006 est. 58 Papua New Guinea 3.88 2006 est. 59 Marshall Islands 3.85 2006 est. 60 Guatemala 3.82 2006 est. 61 Belize 3.60 2006 est. 62 Honduras 3.59 2006 est. 63 East Timor 3.53 2006 est. 64 Swaziland 3.53 2006 est. 65 Syria 3.40 2006 est. 66 Cape Verde 3.38 2006 est. 67 Cambodia 3.37 2006 est. 68 Turkmenistan 3.37 2006 est. 69 Lesotho 3.28 2006 est. 70 Libya 3.28 2006 est. 71 American Samoa 3.16 2006 est. 72 Micronesia, Federated States of 3.16 2006 est. 73 Zimbabwe 3.13 2006 est. 74 El Salvador 3.12 2006 est. 75 Bangladesh 3.11 2006 est. 76 Nauru 3.11 2006 est. 77 Philippines 3.11 2006 est. 78 Namibia 3.06 2006 est. 79 Turks and Caicos Islands 3.05 2006 est. 80 Malaysia 3.04 2006 est. 81 Tonga 3.00 2006 est. 82 Tuvalu 2.98 2006 est. 83 Samoa 2.94 2006 est. 84 Kuwait 2.91 2006 est. 85 Uzbekistan 2.91 2006 est. 86 United Arab Emirates 2.88 2006 est. 87 Bolivia 2.85 2006 est. 88 Dominican Republic 2.83 2006 est. 89 Egypt 2.83 2006 est. 90 Qatar 2.81 2006 est. 91 Botswana 2.79 2006 est. 92 Nicaragua 2.75 2006 est. 93 Fiji 2.73 2006 est. 94 India 2.73 2006 est. 95 Vanuatu 2.70 2006 est. 96 Kyrgyzstan 2.69 2006 est. 97 Ecuador 2.68 2006 est. 98 Morocco 2.68 2006 est. 99 Panama 2.68 2006 est. 100 Jordan 2.63 2006 est. 101 Bahrain 2.60 2006 est. 102 World 2.59 2006 est. 103 Guam 2.58 2006 est. 104 Colombia 2.54 2006 est. 105 Peru 2.51 2006 est. 106 Azerbaijan 2.46 2006 est. 107 Palau 2.46 2006 est. 108 Mexico 2.42 2006 est. 109 Israel 2.41 2006 est. 110 Jamaica 2.41 2006 est. 111 Greenland 2.40 2006 est. 112 Indonesia 2.40 2006 est. 113 Grenada 2.34 2006 est. 114 Suriname 2.32 2006 est. 115 Saint Kitts and Nevis 2.31 2006 est. 116 Brunei 2.28 2006 est. 117 New Caledonia 2.28 2006 est. 118 Mongolia 2.25 2006 est. 119 Antigua and Barbuda 2.24 2006 est. 120 Costa Rica 2.24 2006 est. 121 Venezuela 2.23 2006 est. 122 South Africa 2.20 2006 est. 123 Bahamas, The 2.18 2006 est. 124 Saint Lucia 2.18 2006 est. 125 Faroe Islands 2.17 2006 est. 126 Virgin Islands 2.17 2006 est. 127 Argentina 2.16 2006 est. 128 Korea, North 2.10 2006 est. 129 United States 2.09 2006 est. 130 Guyana 2.04 2006 est. 131 Albania 2.03 2006 est. 132 French Polynesia 2.01 2006 est. 133 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 2.01 2006 est. 134 Chile 2.00 2006 est. 135 Netherlands Antilles 1.99 2006 est. 136 Burma 1.98 2006 est. 137 Mauritius 1.95 2006 est. 138 Dominica 1.94 2006 est. 139 Iceland 1.92 2006 est. 140 Turkey 1.92 2006 est. 141 Brazil 1.91 2006 est. 142 Vietnam 1.91 2006 est. 143 Cayman Islands 1.90 2006 est. 144 Lebanon 1.90 2006 est. 145 Algeria 1.89 2006 est. 146 Kazakhstan 1.89 2006 est. 147 Uruguay 1.89 2006 est. 148 Bermuda 1.89 2006 est. 149 Ireland 1.86 2006 est. 150 Moldova 1.85 2006 est. 151 Sri Lanka 1.84 2006 est. 152 France 1.84 2006 est. 153 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1.83 2006 est. 154 Cyprus 1.82 2006 est. 155 Iran 1.80 2006 est. 156 Aruba 1.79 2006 est. 157 New Zealand 1.79 2006 est. 158 Luxembourg 1.78 2006 est. 159 Norway 1.78 2006 est. 160 Serbia 1.78 2006 est. 161 Montserrat 1.77 2006 est. 162 Australia 1.76 2006 est. 163 Monaco 1.76 2006 est. 164 Puerto Rico 1.75 2006 est. 165 Denmark 1.74 2006 est. 166 Tunisia 1.74 2006 est. 167 Seychelles 1.74 2006 est. 168 Trinidad and Tobago 1.74 2006 est. 169 Anguilla 1.73 2006 est. 170 China 1.73 2006 est. 171 Finland 1.73 2006 est. 172 British Virgin Islands 1.72 2006 est. 173 Cuba 1.66 2006 est. 174 United Kingdom 1.66 2006 est. 175 Sweden 1.66 2006 est. 176 Netherlands 1.66 2006 est. 177 Barbados 1.65 2006 est. 178 Isle of Man 1.65 2006 est. 179 Gibraltar 1.65 2006 est. 180 Belgium 1.64 2006 est. 181 Thailand 1.64 2006 est. 182 Canada 1.61 2006 est. 183 Jersey 1.58 2006 est. 184 Macedonia 1.57 2006 est. 185 Taiwan 1.57 2006 est. 186 Saint Helena 1.55 2006 est. 187 Liechtenstein 1.51 2006 est. 188 Malta 1.50 2006 est. 189 European Union 1.47 2006 est. 190 Portugal 1.47 2006 est. 191 Belarus 1.43 2006 est. 192 Switzerland 1.43 2006 est. 193 Georgia 1.42 2006 est. 194 Estonia 1.40 2006 est. 195 Japan 1.40 2006 est. 196 Croatia 1.40 2006 est. 197 Guernsey 1.39 2006 est. 198 Germany 1.39 2006 est. 199 Bulgaria 1.38 2006 est. 200 Romania 1.37 2006 est. 201 Austria 1.36 2006 est. 202 Greece 1.34 2006 est. 203 San Marino 1.34 2006 est. 204 Armenia 1.33 2006 est. 205 Slovakia 1.33 2006 est. 206 Hungary 1.32 2006 est. 207 Andorra 1.30 2006 est. 208 Italy 1.28 2006 est. 209 Spain 1.28 2006 est. 210 Russia 1.28 2006 est. 211 Korea, South 1.27 2006 est. 212 Latvia 1.27 2006 est. 213 Poland 1.25 2006 est. 214 Slovenia 1.25 2006 est. 215 Northern Mariana Islands 1.24 2006 est. 216 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.22 2006 est. 217 Czech Republic 1.21 2006 est. 218 Lithuania 1.20 2006 est. 219 Ukraine 1.17 2006 est. 220 Singapore 1.06 2006 est. 221 Macau 1.02 2006 est. 222 Hong Kong 0.95 2006 est.

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2129

Rank Country Unemployment rate(%) Date of Information

1 Andorra 0.00 1996 est. 2 Norfolk Island 0.00 3 Isle of Man 0.60 2004 est. 4 Uzbekistan 0.80 2006 est. 5 Guernsey 0.90 March 2006 est. 6 Jersey 0.90 2004 est. 7 Faroe Islands 1.00 October 2000 8 Azerbaijan 1.20 2006 est. 9 Iceland 1.30 2006 est. 10 Liechtenstein 1.30 September 2002 11 Belarus 1.60 2005 12 Vanuatu 1.70 1999 13 Cuba 1.90 2006 est. 14 Gibraltar 2.00 2001 est. 15 Kiribati 2.00 1992 est. 16 Vietnam 2.00 2006 est. 17 Papua New Guinea 2.00 2004 18 Bermuda 2.10 2004 est. 19 Thailand 2.10 2006 est. 20 Kuwait 2.20 2004 est. 21 United Arab Emirates 2.40 2001 22 Laos 2.40 2005 est. 23 Bangladesh 2.50 2006 est. 24 Cambodia 2.50 2000 est. 25 San Marino 2.60 2001 26 Ukraine 2.90 2006 est. 27 Singapore 3.10 2006 est. 28 Mexico 3.20 2006 est. 29 Qatar 3.20 2006 est. 30 Switzerland 3.30 2006 est. 31 Malaysia 3.50 2006 est. 32 Norway 3.50 2006 est. 33 Korea, South 3.60 2006 est. 34 British Virgin Islands 3.60 1997 35 Nicaragua 3.80 2006 est. 36 Northern Mariana Islands 3.90 2001 37 Taiwan 3.90 2006 est. 38 Japan 4.10 2006 est. 39 Macau 4.10 2005 40 Luxembourg 4.10 2006 est. 41 China 4.20 42 Palau 4.20 2005 est. 43 Ireland 4.30 2006 est. 44 Cayman Islands 4.40 2004 45 Denmark 4.50 2006 est. 46 Lithuania 4.50 2006 est. 47 Saint Kitts and Nevis 4.50 1997 48 United States 4.60 2006 49 Brunei 4.80 2004 50 Australia 4.90 2006 est. 51 Austria 4.90 2006 est. 52 Hong Kong 4.90 2006 est. 53 Namibia 5.30 2006 est. 54 United Kingdom 5.40 2006 est. 55 Cyprus 5.50 56 Netherlands 5.50 2006 est. 57 Cyprus 5.60 58 Sweden 5.60 2006 est. 59 Estonia 5.80 2006 est. 60 Nigeria 5.80 2006 est. 61 El Salvador 6.00 2006 est. 62 Montserrat 6.00 1998 est. 63 Romania 6.10 2006 est. 64 Virgin Islands 6.20 2004 65 Canada 6.40 2006 est. 66 Pakistan 6.50 2006 est. 67 Costa Rica 6.60 2006 est. 68 Russia 6.60 2006 est. 69 Latvia 6.70 2006 est. 70 Mongolia 6.70 2003 71 Aruba 6.90 2005 est. 72 Finland 7.00 2006 est. 73 Trinidad and Tobago 7.00 2006 est. 74 Italy 7.00 2006 est. 75 Germany 7.10 2006 est. 76 Peru 7.20 2006 est. 77 Hungary 7.40 2006 est. 78 Kazakhstan 7.40 2006 est. 79 Guatemala 7.50 2003 est. 80 Portugal 7.50 2006 est. 81 Armenia 7.60 2004 est. 82 Sri Lanka 7.60 2006 est. 83 Fiji 7.60 1999 84 Morocco 7.70 2006 est. 85 Bolivia 7.80 2006 est. 86 Malta 7.80 2005 est. 87 India 7.80 2006 est. 88 Anguilla 8.00 2002 89 Central African Republic 8.00 2001 est. 90 Moldova 8.00 2002 est. 91 Syria 8.00 2005 est. 92 Belgium 8.10 2006 est. 93 Chile 8.30 2006 est. 94 New Zealand 8.30 2006 est. 95 Czech Republic 8.40 2006 est. 96 Philippines 8.40 2006 est. 97 Israel 8.50 2006 est. 98 Spain 8.70 2006 est. 99 European Union 8.80 2005 est. 100 Panama 8.80 2006 est. 101 Venezuela 8.90 October 2006 est. 102 France 9.10 2006 est. 103 Greece 9.20 2006 est. 104 Mauritius 9.40 2006 est. 105 Paraguay 9.40 2005 est. 106 Suriname 9.50 2004 107 Brazil 9.60 2006 est. 108 Slovenia 9.60 2006 est. 109 Bulgaria 9.60 2006 est. 110 Greenland 10.00 2000 est. 111 Turks and Caicos Islands 10.00 1997 est. 112 Argentina 10.20 3rd quarter 113 Turkey 10.20 2006 est. 114 Slovakia 10.20 2006 est. 115 Burma 10.20 2006 est. 116 Bahamas, The 10.20 2005 est. 117 Egypt 10.30 2006 est. 118 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 10.30 1999 119 Uruguay 10.50 2006 est. 120 Ecuador 10.60 2006 est. 121 Barbados 10.70 2003 est. 122 Antigua and Barbuda 11.00 2001 est. 123 Jamaica 11.00 2006 est. 124 Colombia 11.10 2006 est. 125 Iran 11.20 2004 est. 126 Guam 11.40 2002 est. 127 French Polynesia 11.80 128 Niue 12.00 2001 129 Tajikistan 12.00 2004 est. 130 Puerto Rico 12.00 2002 131 Grenada 12.50 2000 132 Indonesia 12.50 2006 est. 133 Georgia 12.60 2004 est. 134 Belize 12.90 2003 135 Cote d'Ivoire 13.00 1998 136 Tonga 13.00 FY03/04 est. 137 Saudi Arabia 13.00 2004 est. 138 Cook Islands 13.10 2005 139 Tunisia 13.90 2006 est. 140 Saint Helena 14.00 1998 est. 141 Albania 14.30 2005 est. 142 Mali 14.60 2001 est. 143 Poland 14.90 November 2006 est. 144 Bahrain 15.00 2005 est. 145 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 15.00 2001 est. 146 Jordan 15.00 2006 est. 147 Oman 15.00 2004 est. 148 Wallis and Futuna 15.20 2003 149 Algeria 15.70 2006 est. 150 Dominican Republic 16.00 2006 est. 151 Netherlands Antilles 17.00 2002 est. 152 New Caledonia 17.10 2004 153 Croatia 17.20 2006 est. 154 Kyrgyzstan 18.00 2004 est. 155 Sudan 18.70 2002 est. 156 Comoros 20.00 1996 est. 157 Ghana 20.00 1997 est. 158 Lebanon 20.00 2006 est. 159 Saint Lucia 20.00 2003 est. 160 Mauritania 20.00 2004 est. 161 West Bank 20.30 2005 162 Cape Verde 21.00 2000 est. 163 Mozambique 21.00 1997 est. 164 Gabon 21.00 1997 est. 165 Micronesia, Federated States of 22.00 2000 est. 166 Monaco 22.00 1999 167 Dominica 23.00 2000 est. 168 Botswana 23.80 2004 169 Iraq 25.00 2005 est. 170 South Africa 25.50 2006 est. 171 Montenegro 27.70 2005 172 Honduras 27.90 2006 est. 173 American Samoa 29.80 2005 174 Cameroon 30.00 2001 est. 175 World 30.00 176 Equatorial Guinea 30.00 1998 est. 177 Libya 30.00 2004 est. 178 Marshall Islands 30.90 2000 est. 179 Gaza Strip 31.00 January-September 2005 avg. 180 Serbia 31.60 2005 est. 181 Mayotte 32.80 2003 182 Macedonia 35.00 2006 est. 183 Yemen 35.00 2003 est. 184 Afghanistan 40.00 2005 est. 185 Kenya 40.00 2001 est. 186 Swaziland 40.00 2005 est. 187 Nepal 42.00 2004 est. 188 Lesotho 45.00 2002 189 Bosnia and Herzegovina 45.50 31 December 2004 est. 190 Senegal 48.00 2001 est. 191 Djibouti 50.00 2004 est. 192 Zambia 50.00 2000 est. 193 East Timor 50.00 2001 est. 194 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 60.00 2000 est. 195 Turkmenistan 60.00 2004 est. 196 Zimbabwe 80.00 2005 est. 197 Liberia 85.00 2003 est. 198 Nauru 90.00 2004 est.

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2147

Rank Country Area(sq km) Date of Information

1 World 510,072,000 2 Pacific Ocean 155,557,000 3 Atlantic Ocean 76,762,000 4 Indian Ocean 68,556,000 5 Southern Ocean 20,327,000 6 Russia 17,075,200 7 Arctic Ocean 14,056,000 8 Antarctica 14,000,000 9 Canada 9,984,670 10 United States 9,826,630 11 China 9,596,960 12 Brazil 8,511,965 13 Australia 7,686,850 14 European Union 4,324,782 15 India 3,287,590 16 Argentina 2,766,890 17 Kazakhstan 2,717,300 18 Sudan 2,505,810 19 Algeria 2,381,740 20 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 2,345,410 21 Greenland 2,166,086 22 Saudi Arabia 2,149,690 23 Mexico 1,972,550 24 Indonesia 1,919,440 25 Libya 1,759,540 26 Iran 1,648,000 27 Mongolia 1,564,116 28 Peru 1,285,220 29 Chad 1,284,000 30 Niger 1,267,000 31 Angola 1,246,700 32 Mali 1,240,000 33 South Africa 1,219,912 34 Colombia 1,138,910 35 Ethiopia 1,127,127 36 Bolivia 1,098,580 37 Mauritania 1,030,700 38 Egypt 1,001,450 39 Tanzania 945,087 40 Nigeria 923,768 41 Venezuela 912,050 42 Namibia 825,418 43 Pakistan 803,940 44 Mozambique 801,590 45 Turkey 780,580 46 Chile 756,950 47 Zambia 752,614 48 Burma 678,500 49 Afghanistan 647,500 50 France 643,427 51 Somalia 637,657 52 Central African Republic 622,984 53 Ukraine 603,700 54 Botswana 600,370 55 Madagascar 587,040 56 Kenya 582,650 57 Yemen 527,970 58 Thailand 514,000 59 Spain 504,782 60 Turkmenistan 488,100 61 Cameroon 475,440 62 Papua New Guinea 462,840 63 Sweden 449,964 64 Uzbekistan 447,400 65 Morocco 446,550 66 Iraq 437,072 67 Paraguay 406,750 68 Zimbabwe 390,580 69 Japan 377,835 70 Germany 357,021 71 Congo, Republic of the 342,000 72 Finland 338,145 73 Malaysia 329,750 74 Vietnam 329,560 75 Norway 323,802 76 Cote d'Ivoire 322,460 77 Poland 312,685 78 Italy 301,230 79 Philippines 300,000 80 Ecuador 283,560 81 Burkina Faso 274,200 82 New Zealand 268,680 83 Gabon 267,667 84 Western Sahara 266,000 85 Guinea 245,857 86 United Kingdom 244,820 87 Ghana 239,460 88 Romania 237,500 89 Laos 236,800 90 Uganda 236,040 91 Guyana 214,970 92 Oman 212,460 93 Belarus 207,600 94 Kyrgyzstan 198,500 95 Senegal 196,190 96 Syria 185,180 97 Cambodia 181,040 98 Uruguay 176,220 99 Tunisia 163,610 100 Suriname 163,270 101 Nepal 147,181 102 Bangladesh 144,000 103 Tajikistan 143,100 104 Greece 131,940 105 Nicaragua 129,494 106 Eritrea 121,320 107 Korea, North 120,540 108 Malawi 118,480 109 Benin 112,620 110 Honduras 112,090 111 Liberia 111,370 112 Bulgaria 110,910 113 Cuba 110,860 114 Guatemala 108,890 115 Iceland 103,000 116 Korea, South 98,480 117 Hungary 93,030 118 Portugal 92,391 119 Jordan 92,300 120 Serbia 88,361 121 Azerbaijan 86,600 122 Austria 83,870 123 United Arab Emirates 83,600 124 Czech Republic 78,866 125 Panama 78,200 126 Sierra Leone 71,740 127 Ireland 70,280 128 Georgia 69,700 129 Sri Lanka 65,610 130 Lithuania 65,200 131 Latvia 64,589 132 Svalbard 61,020 133 Togo 56,785 134 Croatia 56,542 135 British Indian Ocean Territory 54,400 136 Bosnia and Herzegovina 51,129 137 Costa Rica 51,100 138 Slovakia 48,845 139 Dominican Republic 48,730 140 Bhutan 47,000 141 Estonia 45,226 142 Denmark 43,094 143 Netherlands 41,526 144 Switzerland 41,290 145 Guinea-Bissau 36,120 146 Taiwan 35,980 147 Moldova 33,843 148 Belgium 30,528 149 Lesotho 30,355 150 Armenia 29,800 151 Albania 28,748 152 Solomon Islands 28,450 153 Equatorial Guinea 28,051 154 Burundi 27,830 155 Haiti 27,750 156 Rwanda 26,338 157 Macedonia 25,333 158 Djibouti 23,000 159 Belize 22,966 160 El Salvador 21,040 161 Israel 20,770 162 Slovenia 20,273 163 New Caledonia 19,060 164 Fiji 18,270 165 Kuwait 17,820 166 Swaziland 17,363 167 East Timor 15,007 168 Montenegro 14,026 169 Bahamas, The 13,940 170 Puerto Rico 13,790 171 Vanuatu 12,200 172 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 12,173 173 Marshall Islands 11,854 174 Qatar 11,437 175 Gambia, The 11,300 176 Jamaica 10,991 177 Lebanon 10,400 178 Cyprus 9,250 179 French Southern and Antarctic Lands 7,829 180 West Bank 5,860 181 Brunei 5,770 182 Trinidad and Tobago 5,128 183 French Polynesia 4,167 184 Cape Verde 4,033 185 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands 3,903 186 Samoa 2,944 187 Luxembourg 2,586 188 Comoros 2,170 189 Mauritius 2,040 190 Virgin Islands 1,910 191 Faroe Islands 1,399 192 Hong Kong 1,092 193 Sao Tome and Principe 1,001 194 Netherlands Antilles 960 195 Kiribati 811 196 Dominica 754 197 Tonga 748 198 Micronesia, Federated States of 702 199 Singapore 693 200 Bahrain 665 201 Saint Lucia 616 202 Isle of Man 572 203 Guam 541 204 Northern Mariana Islands 477 205 Andorra 468 206 Palau 458 207 Seychelles 455 208 Antigua and Barbuda 443 209 Barbados 431 210 Turks and Caicos Islands 430 211 Saint Helena 413 212 Heard Island and McDonald Islands 412 213 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 389 214 Jan Mayen 377 215 Mayotte 374 216 Gaza Strip 360 217 Grenada 344 218 Malta 316 219 Maldives 300 220 Wallis and Futuna 274 221 Cayman Islands 262 222 Saint Kitts and Nevis 261 223 Niue 260 224 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 242 225 Cook Islands 237 226 American Samoa 199 227 Aruba 193 228 Liechtenstein 160 229 British Virgin Islands 153 230 Christmas Island 135 231 Dhekelia 131 232 Akrotiri 123 233 Jersey 116 234 Anguilla 102 235 Montserrat 102 236 Iles Eparses 80 237 Guernsey 78 238 San Marino 61 239 Bermuda 53 240 Bouvet Island 49 241 Pitcairn Islands 47 242 Norfolk Island 35 243 Macau 28 244 Europa Island 28 245 Tuvalu 26 246 United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges 22 247 Nauru 21 248 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 14 249 Palmyra Atoll 12 250 Tokelau 10 251 Gibraltar 7 252 Wake Island 7 253 Midway Islands 6 254 Clipperton Island 6 255 Navassa Island 5 256 Ashmore and Cartier Islands 5 257 Glorioso Islands 5 258 Spratly Islands 5 259 Jarvis Island 5 260 Juan de Nova Island 4 261 Coral Sea Islands 3 262 Johnston Atoll 3 263 Monaco 2 264 Howland Island 2 265 Baker Island 1 266 Kingman Reef 1 267 Tromelin Island 1 268 Holy See (Vatican City) 0 269 Bassas da India 0

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2150

Rank Country Telephones - main lines in use Date of Information

1 World 1,263,367,600 2005 2 China 350,433,000 2005 3 United States 268,000,000 2003 4 European Union 238,000,000 2005 5 Japan 58,780,000 2005 6 Germany 55,046,000 2005 7 India 49,750,000 2005 8 Brazil 42,382,000 2004 9 Russia 40,100,000 2005 10 France 38,433,000 2005 11 France 35,700,000 2005 12 United Kingdom 32,943,000 2005 13 Italy 25,049,000 2005 14 Korea, South 23,745,000 2005 15 Mexico 19,512,000 2005 16 Iran 18,986,000 2005 17 Turkey 18,978,000 2005 18 Spain 18,322,000 2005 19 Canada 18,276,000 2005 20 Vietnam 15,845,000 2005 21 Taiwan 13,615,000 2005 22 Indonesia 12,772,000 2005 23 Ukraine 12,142,000 2004 24 Poland 11,803,000 2005 25 Australia 11,460,000 2005 26 Egypt 10,396,100 2005 27 Argentina 8,800,000 2005 28 Colombia 7,678,800 2005 29 Netherlands 7,600,000 2005 30 Thailand 7,035,000 2005 31 Sweden 6,447,000 2004 32 Greece 6,303,000 2005 33 Pakistan 5,162,798 2006 34 Switzerland 5,123,000 2005 35 Belgium 4,801,000 2004 36 South Africa 4,729,000 2005 37 Saudi Arabia 4,500,000 2006 38 Romania 4,391,000 2005 39 Malaysia 4,366,000 2005 40 Portugal 4,234,000 2005 41 Hong Kong 3,794,600 2005 42 Austria 3,705,000 2005 43 Venezuela 3,605,500 2005 44 Philippines 3,437,500 2004 45 Chile 3,435,900 2005 46 Hungary 3,356,000 2005 47 Denmark 3,350,000 2005 48 Belarus 3,284,300 2005 49 Czech Republic 3,217,300 2005 50 Israel 2,936,300 2005 51 Syria 2,903,000 2005 52 Serbia 2,685,400 2004 53 Algeria 2,572,000 2005 54 Kazakhstan 2,500,000 2004 55 Bulgaria 2,483,500 2005 56 Peru 2,250,500 2005 57 Norway 2,129,000 2005 58 Finland 2,120,000 2005 59 Ireland 2,033,000 2005 60 Croatia 1,889,500 2005 61 Singapore 1,848,000 2005 62 New Zealand 1,800,500 2004 63 Uzbekistan 1,717,100 2003 64 Ecuador 1,701,500 2005 65 Iraq 1,547,000 2005 66 Sri Lanka 1,509,913 2006 67 Costa Rica 1,388,500 2005 68 Morocco 1,341,200 2005 69 Tunisia 1,257,500 2005 70 United Arab Emirates 1,237,000 2005 71 Nigeria 1,223,300 2005 72 Slovakia 1,197,000 2005 73 Guatemala 1,132,100 2004 74 Puerto Rico 1,111,900 2004 75 Azerbaijan 1,091,400 2005 76 Bangladesh 1,070,000 2005 77 Uruguay 1,000,000 2004 78 Lebanon 990,000 2005 79 Korea, North 980,000 2003 80 El Salvador 971,500 2005 81 Bosnia and Herzegovina 968,900 2005 82 Moldova 929,400 2005 83 Yemen 900,000 2006 84 Dominican Republic 894,500 2005 85 Cuba 849,900 2005 86 Slovenia 816,400 2005 87 Lithuania 801,100 2005 88 Libya 750,000 2003 89 Latvia 731,000 2005 90 Georgia 683,200 2004 91 Sudan 670,000 2005 92 Bolivia 646,300 2005 93 Jordan 628,200 2005 94 Ethiopia 610,300 2005 95 Armenia 582,500 2004 96 Macedonia 533,200 2005 97 Kuwait 510,300 2005 98 Turkmenistan 495,000 2006 99 Honduras 494,400 2005 100 Burma 476,200 2005 101 Nepal 448,600 2005 102 Estonia 442,000 2005 103 Panama 440,100 2005 104 Kyrgyzstan 438,200 2005 105 Cyprus 420,000 106 Mauritius 359,000 2005 107 West Bank 357,300 2004 108 Gaza Strip 349,000 2005 109 Jamaica 342,000 2005 110 Zimbabwe 328,000 2005 111 Trinidad and Tobago 323,500 2005 112 Ghana 321,500 2005 113 Paraguay 320,300 2005 114 Kenya 281,800 2005 115 Afghanistan 280,000 2005 116 Senegal 266,600 2005 117 Oman 265,200 2005 118 Cote d'Ivoire 257,900 2004 119 Albania 255,000 2003 120 Tajikistan 245,200 2004 121 Luxembourg 244,500 2005 122 Nicaragua 220,900 2005 123 Qatar 205,400 2005 124 Malta 202,100 2005 125 Bahrain 196,500 2005 126 Iceland 193,900 2005 127 Montenegro 177,663 2005 128 Macau 174,400 2005 129 Mongolia 156,000 2005 130 Tanzania 148,400 2004 131 Haiti 140,000 2004 132 Bahamas, The 139,900 2004 133 Barbados 134,900 2005 134 Botswana 132,000 2005 135 Namibia 127,900 2004 136 Guyana 110,100 2005 137 Malawi 102,700 2005 138 Fiji 102,000 2003 139 Uganda 100,800 2005 140 Somalia 100,000 2005 141 Cameroon 99,400 2004 142 Burkina Faso 97,400 2005 143 Zambia 94,700 2005 144 Angola 94,300 2005 145 Laos 90,067 2006 146 Brunei 90,000 2002 147 Cyprus 86,228 148 Guam 84,134 2001 149 Suriname 81,100 2004 150 Netherlands Antilles 81,000 2001 151 Benin 76,300 2005 152 Mali 75,000 2005 153 Jersey 73,900 2001 154 Cape Verde 71,400 2005 155 Virgin Islands 70,900 2004 156 Mozambique 69,700 2004 157 Madagascar 66,900 2005 158 Papua New Guinea 62,000 2002 159 Togo 58,600 2005 160 Bermuda 56,000 2002 161 New Caledonia 55,300 2005 162 Guernsey 55,100 2004 163 French Polynesia 53,400 2005 164 Saint Lucia 51,100 2002 165 Isle of Man 51,000 1999 166 Lesotho 48,000 2005 167 Gambia, The 44,000 2005 168 Mauritania 41,000 2005 169 Gabon 39,100 2005 170 Antigua and Barbuda 38,000 2004 171 Cayman Islands 38,000 2002 172 Eritrea 37,700 2005 173 Aruba 37,100 2002 174 Cambodia 36,400 2003 175 Andorra 35,400 2005 176 Swaziland 35,000 2005 177 Monaco 33,700 2002 178 Belize 33,300 2005 179 Bhutan 32,700 2005 180 Grenada 32,700 2004 181 Maldives 32,181 2006 182 Burundi 27,700 2004 183 Guinea 26,200 2003 184 Greenland 25,300 2002 185 Saint Kitts and Nevis 25,000 2004 186 Gibraltar 24,512 2002 187 Niger 24,000 2005 188 Sierra Leone 24,000 2002 189 Faroe Islands 23,800 2005 190 Rwanda 23,000 2004 191 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 22,500 2005 192 Seychelles 21,400 2005 193 Northern Mariana Islands 21,000 2000 194 Dominica 21,000 2004 195 San Marino 20,600 2002 196 Liechtenstein 19,900 2002 197 Comoros 16,900 2005 198 American Samoa 15,000 2001 199 Congo, Republic of the 13,800 2004 200 Samoa 13,300 2003 201 Chad 13,000 2004 202 Micronesia, Federated States of 12,400 2005 203 British Virgin Islands 11,700 2002 204 Tonga 11,200 2002 205 Djibouti 11,100 2004 206 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 10,600 2005 207 Guinea-Bissau 10,600 2003 208 Central African Republic 10,000 2004 209 Mayotte 10,000 2002 210 Equatorial Guinea 10,000 2005 211 Solomon Islands 7,400 2005 212 Sao Tome and Principe 7,000 2004 213 Liberia 6,900 2002 214 Vanuatu 6,800 2004 215 Palau 6,700 2002 216 Anguilla 6,200 2002 217 Cook Islands 6,200 2002 218 Turks and Caicos Islands 5,700 2002 219 Marshall Islands 5,510 2004 220 Holy See (Vatican City) 5,120 2005 221 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 4,800 2002 222 Kiribati 4,500 2002 223 Norfolk Island 2,532 2004 224 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 2,400 2002 225 Saint Helena 2,200 2002 226 Nauru 1,900 2002 227 Wallis and Futuna 1,900 2002 228 Niue 1,100 2002 229 Tuvalu 700 2002 230 Tokelau 300 2002 231 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 287 1992 232 Pitcairn Islands 1 2004 233 Antarctica 0 2001

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2151

Rank Country Telephones - mobile cellular Date of Information

1 World 2,168,433,600 2005 2 European Union 466,000,000 2005 3 China 437,480,000 2006 4 United States 219,400,000 2005 5 Russia 120,000,000 2005 6 Japan 94,745,000 2005 7 Brazil 86,210,000 2005 8 Germany 79,200,000 2005 9 Italy 72,200,000 2005 10 India 69,193,321 2006 11 United Kingdom 61,091,000 2004 12 France 49,369,800 2005 13 Pakistan 48,289,136 2006 14 France 48,058,000 2005 15 Mexico 47,462,000 2005 16 Indonesia 46,910,000 2005 17 Turkey 43,609,000 2005 18 Spain 41,328,000 2005 19 Korea, South 38,342,000 2005 20 South Africa 33,960,000 2005 21 Philippines 32,810,000 2005 22 Poland 29,166,400 2005 23 Thailand 27,379,000 2005 24 Taiwan 22,170,000 2005 25 Argentina 22,100,000 2005 26 Colombia 21,850,000 2005 27 Nigeria 21,571,131 2006 28 Malaysia 19,545,000 2005 29 Australia 18,420,000 2005 30 Ukraine 17,214,000 2005 31 Canada 16,600,000 2005 32 Netherlands 15,834,000 2005 33 Egypt 14,045,134 2005 34 Algeria 13,661,000 2005 35 Romania 13,354,000 2005 36 Saudi Arabia 13,300,000 2005 37 Venezuela 12,496,000 2005 38 Morocco 12,393,000 2005 39 Czech Republic 11,776,000 2005 40 Portugal 11,448,000 2005 41 Chile 10,570,000 2005 42 Greece 10,043,000 2005 43 Vietnam 9,593,000 2005 44 Belgium 9,460,000 2005 45 Hungary 9,320,000 2005 46 Bangladesh 9,000,000 2005 47 Iraq 8,700,000 2006 48 Hong Kong 8,693,000 2005 49 Iran 8,500,000 2005 50 Sweden 8,436,000 2005 51 Austria 8,160,000 2005 52 Israel 7,757,000 2005 53 Switzerland 6,847,000 2005 54 Kenya 6,500,000 2006 55 Ecuador 6,246,000 2005 56 Bulgaria 6,245,000 2005 57 Tunisia 5,681,000 2005 58 Peru 5,583,000 2005 59 Denmark 5,469,000 2005 60 Finland 5,231,000 2005 61 Serbia 5,229,000 2005 62 Kazakhstan 4,955,000 2005 63 Norway 4,755,000 2005 64 Slovakia 4,540,000 2005 65 United Arab Emirates 4,535,000 2005 66 Singapore 4,385,000 2005 67 Lithuania 4,353,000 2005 68 Sri Lanka 4,284,256 2006 69 Ireland 4,210,000 2005 70 Belarus 4,098,000 2005 71 Dominican Republic 3,623,000 2005 72 New Zealand 3,530,000 2005 73 Guatemala 3,168,300 2004 74 Syria 3,128,470 2005 75 Jordan 3,012,800 2005 76 Croatia 2,984,000 2005 77 Ghana 2,842,000 2005 78 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 2,746,000 2005 79 Jamaica 2,700,000 2005 80 Puerto Rico 2,682,000 2004 81 Kuwait 2,536,000 2006 82 Bolivia 2,421,000 2005 83 El Salvador 2,412,000 2005 84 Cameroon 2,259,000 2005 85 Azerbaijan 2,242,000 2005 86 Cote d'Ivoire 2,190,000 2005 87 Yemen 2,074,846 2006 88 Tanzania 1,942,000 2005 89 Paraguay 1,887,000 2005 90 Latvia 1,872,000 2005 91 Sudan 1,828,000 2005 92 Slovenia 1,759,000 2005 93 Senegal 1,730,000 2005 94 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1,594,000 2005 95 Uganda 1,525,000 2005 96 Georgia 1,459,000 2005 97 Estonia 1,445,000 2005 98 Afghanistan 1,400,000 2005 99 Panama 1,352,000 2005 100 Oman 1,333,000 2005 101 Honduras 1,282,000 2005 102 Macedonia 1,261,000 2005 103 Albania 1,259,000 2004 104 Mozambique 1,220,000 2005 105 Lebanon 1,178,000 2005 106 Nicaragua 1,119,000 2005 107 Costa Rica 1,101,000 2005 108 Uzbekistan 1,100,000 2005 109 Gaza Strip 1,095,000 2005 110 West Bank 1,095,000 2005 111 Angola 1,094,100 2005 112 Moldova 1,090,000 2005 113 Cambodia 1,062,000 2005 114 Zambia 946,600 2005 115 Mali 869,600 2005 116 Qatar 854,900 2006 117 Botswana 823,100 2005 118 Trinidad and Tobago 800,000 2005 119 Bahrain 748,700 2005 120 Mauritania 745,600 2005 121 Luxembourg 720,000 2005 122 Cyprus 718,800 123 Mauritius 713,300 2005 124 Zimbabwe 699,000 2005 125 Gabon 649,800 2005 126 Uruguay 600,000 2004 127 Burkina Faso 572,200 2005 128 Mongolia 557,200 2005 129 Montenegro 543,220 2005 130 Kyrgyzstan 541,700 2005 131 Macau 532,800 2005 132 Laos 520,546 2006 133 Madagascar 504,700 2005 134 Somalia 500,000 2005 135 Namibia 495,000 2005 136 Congo, Republic of the 490,000 2005 137 Togo 443,600 2005 138 Malawi 429,300 2005 139 Ethiopia 410,600 2005 140 Haiti 400,000 2004 141 Benin 386,700 2005 142 Malta 324,000 2005 143 Armenia 320,000 2005 144 Iceland 304,000 2005 145 Niger 299,900 2005 146 Rwanda 290,000 2005 147 Guyana 281,400 2005 148 Maldives 271,053 2006 149 Tajikistan 265,000 2005 150 Nepal 248,800 2005 151 Gambia, The 247,500 2005 152 Lesotho 245,100 2005 153 Libya 234,800 2004 154 Suriname 232,800 2005 155 Chad 210,000 2005 156 Barbados 206,200 2005 157 Brunei 205,900 2004 158 Netherlands Antilles 200,000 2004 159 Swaziland 200,000 2005 160 Guinea 189,000 2005 161 Bahamas, The 186,000 2004 162 Burma 183,400 2005 163 Liberia 160,000 2005 164 Burundi 153,000 2005 165 Cyprus 143,178 166 Fiji 142,200 2004 167 Cuba 134,500 2005 168 New Caledonia 134,300 2005 169 Sierra Leone 113,200 2003 170 Aruba 98,400 2004 171 Guam 98,000 2004 172 Equatorial Guinea 96,900 2005 173 Belize 93,100 2005 174 Saint Lucia 93,000 2004 175 French Polynesia 87,000 2005 176 Jersey 83,900 2004 177 Cape Verde 81,700 2005 178 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 70,600 2005 179 Guinea-Bissau 67,000 2005 180 Andorra 64,600 2005 181 Virgin Islands 64,200 2004 182 Central African Republic 60,000 2004 183 Eritrea 58,000 2006 184 Seychelles 57,000 2005 185 Antigua and Barbuda 54,000 2004 186 Turkmenistan 52,000 2004 187 Bermuda 49,000 2004 188 Mayotte 48,100 2004 189 Guernsey 43,800 2004 190 Grenada 43,300 2004 191 Faroe Islands 42,500 2005 192 Dominica 41,800 2004 193 Bhutan 37,800 2005 194 Djibouti 34,500 2004 195 Greenland 32,200 2004 196 Papua New Guinea 26,000 2005 197 Samoa 24,000 2005 198 Northern Mariana Islands 20,500 2004 199 Monaco 19,300 2002 200 Cayman Islands 17,000 2002 201 San Marino 16,800 2002 202 Tonga 16,400 2004 203 Comoros 16,100 2005 204 Micronesia, Federated States of 14,100 2005 205 Vanuatu 12,700 2005 206 Sao Tome and Principe 12,000 2005 207 Liechtenstein 11,400 2002 208 Saint Kitts and Nevis 10,000 2004 209 Gibraltar 9,797 2002 210 British Virgin Islands 8,000 2002 211 Solomon Islands 6,000 2005 212 American Samoa 2,377 1999 213 Anguilla 1,800 2002 214 Turks and Caicos Islands 1,700 1999 215 Cook Islands 1,500 2002 216 Nauru 1,500 2002 217 Marshall Islands 1,198 2004 218 Palau 1,000 2002 219 Kiribati 600 2004 220 Niue 400 2002 221 Montserrat 70 1994 222 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0 2001 223 Western Sahara 0 1999 224 Wallis and Futuna 0 1994 225 Norfolk Island 0 2002 226 Tuvalu 0 2004 227 Tokelau 0 2001

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2153

Rank Country Internet users Date of Information

1 World 1,018,057,389 2005 2 European Union 247,000,000 2006 3 United States 205,326,680 2005 4 China 123,000,000 2006 5 Japan 86,300,000 2005 6 India 60,000,000 2005 7 Germany 50,616,000 2006 8 United Kingdom 37,600,000 2005 9 Korea, South 33,900,000 2005 10 France 29,945,000 2006 11 France 29,521,000 2006 12 Italy 28,870,000 2005 13 Brazil 25,900,000 2005 14 Russia 23,700,000 2005 15 Canada 21,900,000 2005 16 Spain 19,204,771 2006 17 Mexico 18,622,500 2005 18 Indonesia 16,000,000 2005 19 Turkey 16,000,000 2005 20 Australia 14,663,622 2006 21 Taiwan 13,210,000 2005 22 Vietnam 13,100,000 2006 23 Malaysia 11,016,000 2005 24 Netherlands 10,806,328 2004 25 Poland 10,600,000 2005 26 Pakistan 10,500,000 2005 27 Argentina 10,000,000 2005 28 Thailand 8,420,000 2005 29 Philippines 7,820,000 2005 30 Portugal 7,782,700 2006 31 Iran 7,500,000 2005 32 Sweden 6,800,000 2005 33 Chile 6,700,000 2005 34 Ukraine 5,278,100 2005 35 Belgium 5,100,000 2005 36 South Africa 5,100,000 2005 37 Czech Republic 5,100,000 2005 38 Switzerland 5,097,822 2005 39 Egypt 5,000,000 2005 40 Nigeria 5,000,000 2005 41 Romania 4,940,000 2005 42 Hong Kong 4,878,713 2005 43 Colombia 4,739,000 2005 44 Austria 4,650,000 2005 45 Morocco 4,600,000 2005 46 Peru 4,600,000 2005 47 Greece 3,800,000 2005 48 Denmark 3,762,500 2005 49 Israel 3,700,000 2006 50 Belarus 3,394,400 2005 51 Finland 3,286,000 2005 52 New Zealand 3,200,000 2005 53 Saudi Arabia 3,200,000 2006 54 Norway 3,140,000 2005 55 Hungary 3,050,000 2005 56 Venezuela 3,040,000 2005 57 Sudan 2,800,000 2005 58 Slovakia 2,500,000 2005 59 Singapore 2,421,800 2005 60 Bulgaria 2,200,000 2005 61 Ireland 2,060,000 2005 62 Algeria 1,920,000 2005 63 Croatia 1,451,100 2005 64 Serbia 1,400,000 2006 65 United Arab Emirates 1,397,200 2005 66 Lithuania 1,221,700 2005 67 Syria 1,100,000 2005 68 Slovenia 1,090,000 2005 69 Jamaica 1,067,000 2005 70 Kenya 1,054,900 2005 71 Latvia 1,030,000 2005 72 Costa Rica 1,000,000 2005 73 Zimbabwe 1,000,000 2005 74 Puerto Rico 1,000,000 2005 75 Tunisia 953,800 2005 76 Dominican Republic 938,300 2005 77 Uzbekistan 880,000 2005 78 Bosnia and Herzegovina 806,400 2005 79 Guatemala 756,000 2005 80 Kuwait 700,000 2005 81 Lebanon 700,000 2005 82 Estonia 690,000 2005 83 Uruguay 680,000 2005 84 Azerbaijan 678,800 2005 85 El Salvador 637,100 2005 86 Jordan 629,500 2005 87 Ecuador 616,000 2005 88 Senegal 540,000 2005 89 Haiti 500,000 2005 90 Uganda 500,000 2005 91 Bolivia 480,000 2005 92 Benin 425,000 2005 93 Moldova 406,000 2005 94 Ghana 401,300 2005 95 Kazakhstan 400,000 2005 96 Macedonia 392,671 2005 97 Tanzania 333,000 2005 98 Luxembourg 315,000 2005 99 Bangladesh 300,000 2005 100 Panama 300,000 2005 101 Togo 300,000 2005 102 Cyprus 298,000 2005 103 Sri Lanka 280,000 2005 104 Kyrgyzstan 280,000 2005 105 Mongolia 268,300 2005 106 Iceland 258,000 2005 107 Oman 245,000 2005 108 Gaza Strip 243,000 2005 109 West Bank 243,000 2005 110 Zambia 231,000 2005 111 Honduras 223,000 2005 112 Yemen 220,000 2005 113 Qatar 219,000 2005 114 Libya 205,000 2005 115 Macau 201,000 2004 116 Paraguay 200,000 2005 117 Cuba 190,000 2005 118 Mauritius 180,000 2005 119 Georgia 175,600 2005 120 Nepal 175,000 2005 121 Angola 172,000 2005 122 Papua New Guinea 170,000 2005 123 Cameroon 167,000 2005 124 Barbados 160,000 2005 125 Guyana 160,000 2005 126 Trinidad and Tobago 160,000 2005 127 Cote d'Ivoire 160,000 2005 128 Bahrain 152,700 2005 129 Armenia 150,000 2005 130 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 140,600 2005 131 Nicaragua 140,000 2005 132 Mozambique 138,000 2005 133 Malta 127,200 2005 134 Ethiopia 113,000 2005 135 Bahamas, The 93,000 2005 136 Madagascar 90,000 2005 137 Somalia 90,000 2005 138 Guam 79,000 2004 139 Burma 78,000 2005 140 New Caledonia 76,000 2005 141 Albania 75,000 2005 142 Namibia 75,000 2005 143 Eritrea 70,000 2005 144 Gabon 67,000 2005 145 Burkina Faso 64,600 2005 146 Fiji 61,000 2004 147 Botswana 60,000 2002 148 Mali 60,000 2005 149 Brunei 56,000 2005 150 French Polynesia 55,000 2005 151 Saint Lucia 55,000 2005 152 Malawi 52,500 2005 153 Montenegro 50,000 2004 154 Gambia, The 49,000 2005 155 Guinea 46,000 2005 156 Lesotho 43,000 2005 157 Cambodia 41,000 2005 158 Bermuda 39,000 2005 159 Greenland 38,000 2005 160 Rwanda 38,000 2005 161 Congo, Republic of the 36,000 2005 162 Guernsey 36,000 2005 163 Turkmenistan 36,000 2005 164 Swaziland 36,000 2005 165 Iraq 36,000 2005 166 Belize 35,000 2005 167 Chad 35,000 2005 168 Faroe Islands 33,000 2005 169 Afghanistan 30,000 2005 170 Virgin Islands 30,000 2002 171 Suriname 30,000 2005 172 Jersey 27,000 2005 173 Guinea-Bissau 26,000 2005 174 Bhutan 25,000 2005 175 Laos 25,000 2005 176 Cape Verde 25,000 2005 177 Burundi 25,000 2005 178 Aruba 24,000 2002 179 Niger 24,000 2005 180 Andorra 21,900 2005 181 Dominica 20,500 2005 182 Antigua and Barbuda 20,000 2005 183 Sao Tome and Principe 20,000 2005 184 Seychelles 20,000 2005 185 Liechtenstein 20,000 2002 186 Comoros 20,000 2005 187 Grenada 19,000 2005 188 Maldives 19,000 2005 189 Monaco 16,000 2002 190 San Marino 14,300 2002 191 Micronesia, Federated States of 14,000 2005 192 Mauritania 14,000 2005 193 Northern Mariana Islands 10,000 2003 194 Sierra Leone 10,000 2005 195 Saint Kitts and Nevis 10,000 2002 196 Cayman Islands 9,909 2003 197 Central African Republic 9,000 2005 198 Djibouti 9,000 2005 199 Solomon Islands 8,400 2005 200 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 8,000 2005 201 Vanuatu 7,500 2004 202 Gibraltar 6,200 2002 203 Samoa 6,000 2004 204 Equatorial Guinea 5,000 2005 205 Tajikistan 5,000 2005 206 British Virgin Islands 4,000 2002 207 Cook Islands 3,600 2002 208 Anguilla 3,000 2002 209 Tonga 3,000 2004 210 Kiribati 2,000 2004 211 Netherlands Antilles 2,000 2000 212 Marshall Islands 2,000 2005 213 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 1,900 2002 214 Tuvalu 1,300 2002 215 Liberia 1,000 2002 216 East Timor 1,000 2004 217 Saint Helena 1,000 2003 218 Niue 900 2002 219 Wallis and Futuna 900 2002 220 Norfolk Island 700 221 Christmas Island 464 2001 222 Nauru 300 2002 223 Holy See (Vatican City) 93 2000

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2155

Rank Country HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate(%) Date of Information

1 Swaziland 38.80 2003 est. 2 Botswana 37.30 2003 est. 3 Lesotho 28.90 2003 est. 4 Zimbabwe 24.60 2001 est. 5 South Africa 21.50 2003 est. 6 Namibia 21.30 2003 est. 7 Zambia 16.50 2003 est. 8 Malawi 14.20 2003 est. 9 Central African Republic 13.50 2003 est. 10 Mozambique 12.20 2003 est. 11 Guinea-Bissau 10.00 2003 est. 12 Tanzania 8.80 2003 est. 13 Gabon 8.10 2003 est. 14 Cote d'Ivoire 7.00 2003 est. 15 Sierra Leone 7.00 2001 est. 16 Cameroon 6.90 2003 est. 17 Kenya 6.70 2003 est. 18 Burundi 6.00 2003 est. 19 Liberia 5.90 2003 est. 20 Haiti 5.60 2003 est. 21 Nigeria 5.40 2003 est. 22 Rwanda 5.10 2003 est. 23 Congo, Republic of the 4.90 2003 est. 24 Chad 4.80 2003 est. 25 Ethiopia 4.40 2003 est. 26 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 4.20 2003 est. 27 Burkina Faso 4.20 2003 est. 28 Togo 4.10 2003 est. 29 Uganda 4.10 2003 est. 30 Angola 3.90 2003 est. 31 Equatorial Guinea 3.40 2001 est. 32 Guinea 3.20 2003 est. 33 Trinidad and Tobago 3.20 2003 est. 34 Ghana 3.10 2003 est. 35 Bahamas, The 3.00 2003 est. 36 Djibouti 2.90 2003 est. 37 Eritrea 2.70 2003 est. 38 Cambodia 2.60 2003 est. 39 Guyana 2.50 2003 est. 40 Belize 2.40 2003 est. 41 Sudan 2.30 2001 est. 42 Benin 1.90 2003 est. 43 Mali 1.90 2003 est. 44 Honduras 1.80 2003 est. 45 Dominican Republic 1.70 2003 est. 46 Madagascar 1.70 2003 est. 47 Suriname 1.70 2001 est. 48 Barbados 1.50 2003 est. 49 Thailand 1.50 2003 est. 50 Ukraine 1.40 2003 est. 51 Burma 1.20 2003 est. 52 Niger 1.20 2003 est. 53 Jamaica 1.20 2003 est. 54 Gambia, The 1.20 2003 est. 55 Estonia 1.10 2001 est. 56 Russia 1.10 2001 est. 57 Guatemala 1.10 2003 est. 58 Somalia 1.00 2001 est. 59 India 0.90 2001 est. 60 Panama 0.90 2003 est. 61 Senegal 0.80 2003 est. 62 Argentina 0.70 2001 est. 63 Brazil 0.70 2003 est. 64 Venezuela 0.70 2001 est. 65 Spain 0.70 2001 est. 66 El Salvador 0.70 2003 est. 67 Colombia 0.70 2003 est. 68 Costa Rica 0.60 2003 est. 69 Mauritania 0.60 2003 est. 70 Latvia 0.60 2001 est. 71 United States 0.60 2003 est. 72 Papua New Guinea 0.60 2003 est. 73 Italy 0.50 2001 est. 74 Paraguay 0.50 2003 est. 75 Peru 0.50 2003 est. 76 Nepal 0.50 2001 est. 77 France 0.40 2003 est. 78 Vietnam 0.40 2003 est. 79 Switzerland 0.40 2001 est. 80 Portugal 0.40 2001 est. 81 Malaysia 0.40 2003 est. 82 Austria 0.30 2003 est. 83 Ecuador 0.30 2003 est. 84 Belarus 0.30 2001 est. 85 Uruguay 0.30 2001 est. 86 Chile 0.30 2003 est. 87 Mexico 0.30 2003 est. 88 Libya 0.30 2001 est. 89 Canada 0.30 2003 est. 90 Bermuda 0.30 2005 91 Bahrain 0.20 2001 est. 92 Belgium 0.20 2003 est. 93 United Kingdom 0.20 2001 est. 94 Singapore 0.20 2003 est. 95 Nicaragua 0.20 2003 est. 96 Netherlands 0.20 2001 est. 97 Malta 0.20 2001 est. 98 Moldova 0.20 2001 est. 99 Luxembourg 0.20 2001 est. 100 Kazakhstan 0.20 2001 est. 101 Iceland 0.20 2001 est. 102 Greece 0.20 2001 est. 103 Denmark 0.20 2003 est. 104 United Arab Emirates 0.18 2001 est. 105 Comoros 0.12 2001 est. 106 Kuwait 0.12 2001 est. 107 Algeria 0.10 2001 est. 108 Australia 0.10 2003 est. 109 Bangladesh 0.10 2001 est. 110 Bolivia 0.10 2003 est. 111 Bulgaria 0.10 2001 est. 112 Sri Lanka 0.10 2001 est. 113 Maldives 0.10 2001 est. 114 Oman 0.10 2001 est. 115 Mauritius 0.10 2001 est. 116 Morocco 0.10 2001 est. 117 Macedonia 0.10 2001 est. 118 Georgia 0.10 2001 est. 119 Fiji 0.10 2003 est. 120 Finland 0.10 2003 est. 121 Czech Republic 0.10 2001 est. 122 Ireland 0.10 2001 est. 123 Egypt 0.10 2001 est. 124 Cyprus 0.10 2003 est. 125 Cuba 0.10 2003 est. 126 China 0.10 2003 est. 127 Tajikistan 0.10 2001 est. 128 Syria 0.10 2001 est. 129 Sweden 0.10 2001 est. 130 Slovenia 0.10 2001 est. 131 Philippines 0.10 2003 est. 132 Romania 0.10 2001 est. 133 Poland 0.10 2001 est. 134 Pakistan 0.10 2001 est. 135 Mongolia 0.10 2003 est. 136 Yemen 0.10 2001 est. 137 Uzbekistan 0.10 2001 est. 138 Turkmenistan 0.10 2004 est. 139 Turkey 0.10 2001 est. 140 Tunisia 0.10 2005 est. 141 Slovakia 0.10 2001 est. 142 Lithuania 0.10 2001 est. 143 Lebanon 0.10 2001 est. 144 Laos 0.10 2003 est. 145 Korea, South 0.10 2003 est. 146 Kyrgyzstan 0.10 2001 est. 147 Jordan 0.10 2001 est. 148 Japan 0.10 2003 est. 149 New Zealand 0.10 2003 est. 150 Norway 0.10 2001 est. 151 Iraq 0.10 2001 est. 152 Israel 0.10 2001 est. 153 Iran 0.10 2001 est. 154 Indonesia 0.10 2003 est. 155 Hungary 0.10 2001 est. 156 Croatia 0.10 2001 est. 157 Hong Kong 0.10 2003 est. 158 Germany 0.10 2001 est. 159 Brunei 0.10 2003 est. 160 Bhutan 0.10 2001 est. 161 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.10 2001 est. 162 Azerbaijan 0.10 2003 est. 163 Armenia 0.10 2003 est. 164 Qatar 0.09 2001 est. 165 Cape Verde 0.04 166 Afghanistan 0.01 2001 est. 167 Saudi Arabia 0.01 2001 est. 168 Svalbard 0.00 2001

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2156

Rank Country HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS Date of Information

1 South Africa 5,300,000 2003 est. 2 India 5,100,000 2001 est. 3 Nigeria 3,600,000 2003 est. 4 Zimbabwe 1,800,000 2001 est. 5 Tanzania 1,600,000 2003 est. 6 Ethiopia 1,500,000 2003 est. 7 Mozambique 1,300,000 2003 est. 8 Kenya 1,200,000 2003 est. 9 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1,100,000 2003 est. 10 United States 950,000 2003 est. 11 Zambia 920,000 2003 est. 12 Malawi 900,000 2003 est. 13 Russia 860,000 2001 est. 14 China 840,000 2003 est. 15 Brazil 660,000 2003 est. 16 Cote d'Ivoire 570,000 2003 est. 17 Thailand 570,000 2003 est. 18 Cameroon 560,000 2003 est. 19 Uganda 530,000 2001 est. 20 Sudan 400,000 2001 est. 21 Ukraine 360,000 2001 est. 22 Botswana 350,000 2003 est. 23 Ghana 350,000 2003 est. 24 Burma 330,000 2003 est. 25 Lesotho 320,000 2003 est. 26 Burkina Faso 300,000 2003 est. 27 Haiti 280,000 2003 est. 28 Central African Republic 260,000 2003 est. 29 Burundi 250,000 2003 est. 30 Rwanda 250,000 2003 est. 31 Angola 240,000 2003 est. 32 Vietnam 220,000 2003 est. 33 Swaziland 220,000 2003 est. 34 Namibia 210,000 2001 est. 35 Chad 200,000 2003 est. 36 Colombia 190,000 2003 est. 37 Cambodia 170,000 2003 est. 38 Sierra Leone 170,000 2001 est. 39 Mexico 160,000 2003 est. 40 Guinea 140,000 2003 est. 41 Madagascar 140,000 2003 est. 42 Italy 140,000 2001 est. 43 Mali 140,000 2003 est. 44 Spain 140,000 2001 est. 45 Argentina 130,000 2001 est. 46 France 120,000 2003 est. 47 Indonesia 110,000 2003 est. 48 Togo 110,000 2003 est. 49 Venezuela 110,000 1999 est. 50 Liberia 100,000 2003 est. 51 Congo, Republic of the 90,000 2003 est. 52 Dominican Republic 88,000 2003 est. 53 Peru 82,000 2003 est. 54 Guatemala 78,000 2003 est. 55 Pakistan 74,000 2001 est. 56 Niger 70,000 2003 est. 57 Benin 68,000 2003 est. 58 Honduras 63,000 2003 est. 59 Nepal 61,000 2001 est. 60 Eritrea 60,000 2003 est. 61 Canada 56,000 2003 est. 62 Malaysia 52,000 2003 est. 63 United Kingdom 51,000 2001 est. 64 Gabon 48,000 2003 est. 65 Senegal 44,000 2003 est. 66 Germany 43,000 2001 est. 67 Somalia 43,000 2001 est. 68 Iran 31,000 2001 est. 69 El Salvador 29,000 2003 est. 70 Trinidad and Tobago 29,000 2003 est. 71 Chile 26,000 2003 est. 72 Jamaica 22,000 2003 est. 73 Portugal 22,000 2001 est. 74 Ecuador 21,000 2003 est. 75 Netherlands 19,000 2001 est. 76 Guinea-Bissau 17,000 2001 est. 77 Kazakhstan 16,500 2001 est. 78 Panama 16,000 2003 est. 79 Papua New Guinea 16,000 2003 est. 80 Belarus 15,000 2001 est. 81 Morocco 15,000 2001 est. 82 Paraguay 15,000 1999 est. 83 Australia 14,000 2003 est. 84 Poland 14,000 2003 est. 85 Bangladesh 13,000 2001 est. 86 Switzerland 13,000 2001 est. 87 Costa Rica 12,000 2003 est. 88 Yemen 12,000 2001 est. 89 Japan 12,000 2003 est. 90 Egypt 12,000 2001 est. 91 Guyana 11,000 2003 est. 92 Uzbekistan 11,000 2003 est. 93 Austria 10,000 2003 est. 94 Belgium 10,000 2003 est. 95 Libya 10,000 2001 est. 96 Mauritania 9,500 2003 est. 97 Algeria 9,100 2003 est. 98 Greece 9,100 2001 est. 99 Djibouti 9,100 2003 est. 100 Philippines 9,000 2003 est. 101 Korea, South 8,300 2003 est. 102 Estonia 7,800 2003 est. 103 Latvia 7,600 2001 est. 104 Puerto Rico 7,397 105 Gambia, The 6,800 2003 est. 106 Romania 6,500 2001 est. 107 Nicaragua 6,400 2003 est. 108 Uruguay 6,000 2001 est. 109 Equatorial Guinea 5,900 2001 est. 110 Bahamas, The 5,600 2003 est. 111 Moldova 5,500 2001 est. 112 Suriname 5,200 2001 est. 113 Denmark 5,000 2003 est. 114 Bolivia 4,900 2003 est. 115 Singapore 4,100 2003 est. 116 Kyrgyzstan 3,900 2003 est. 117 Belize 3,600 2003 est. 118 Sweden 3,600 2001 est. 119 Sri Lanka 3,500 2001 est. 120 Cuba 3,300 2003 est. 121 Georgia 3,000 2003 est. 122 Israel 3,000 1999 est. 123 Ireland 2,800 2001 est. 124 Lebanon 2,800 2003 est. 125 Hungary 2,800 2001 est. 126 Armenia 2,600 2003 est. 127 Hong Kong 2,600 2003 est. 128 Barbados 2,500 2003 est. 129 Czech Republic 2,500 2001 est. 130 Norway 2,100 2001 est. 131 Laos 1,700 2003 est. 132 Finland 1,500 2003 est. 133 Azerbaijan 1,400 2003 est. 134 New Zealand 1,400 2003 est. 135 Lithuania 1,300 2003 est. 136 Oman 1,300 2001 est. 137 Cyprus 1,000 1999 est. 138 Tunisia 1,000 2003 est. 139 Bosnia and Herzegovina 900 2003 est. 140 Cape Verde 775 141 Mauritius 700 2001 est. 142 Bahrain 600 2003 est. 143 Jordan 600 2003 est. 144 Fiji 600 2003 est. 145 Iraq 500 2003 est. 146 Mongolia 500 2003 est 147 Syria 500 2003 est. 148 Malta 500 2003 est. 149 Luxembourg 500 2003 est. 150 Bulgaria 346 2001 est. 151 Slovenia 280 2001 est. 152 Iceland 220 2001 est. 153 Brunei 200 2003 est. 154 Slovakia 200 2003 est. 155 Croatia 200 2001 est. 156 Macedonia 200 2003 est. 157 Turkmenistan 200 2003 est. 158 Tajikistan 200 2003 est. 159 Bermuda 163 2005 160 Bhutan 100 1999 est. 161 Maldives 100 2001 est. 162 Greenland 100 163 Samoa 12 164 Svalbard 0 2001

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2157

Rank Country HIV/AIDS - deaths Date of Information

1 South Africa 370,000 2003 est. 2 India 310,000 2001 est. 3 Nigeria 310,000 2003 est. 4 Zimbabwe 170,000 2003 est. 5 Tanzania 160,000 2003 est. 6 Kenya 150,000 2003 est. 7 Ethiopia 120,000 2003 est. 8 Mozambique 110,000 2003 est. 9 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 100,000 2003 est. 10 Zambia 89,000 2003 est. 11 Malawi 84,000 2003 est. 12 Uganda 78,000 2003 est. 13 Thailand 58,000 2003 est. 14 Cameroon 49,000 2003 est. 15 Cote d'Ivoire 47,000 2003 est. 16 China 44,000 2003 est. 17 Botswana 33,000 2003 est. 18 Ghana 30,000 2003 est. 19 Lesotho 29,000 2003 est. 20 Burkina Faso 29,000 2003 est. 21 Burundi 25,000 2003 est. 22 Haiti 24,000 2003 est. 23 Central African Republic 23,000 2003 est. 24 Sudan 23,000 2003 est. 25 Rwanda 22,000 2003 est. 26 Angola 21,000 2003 est. 27 Burma 20,000 2003 est. 28 Ukraine 20,000 2003 est. 29 Chad 18,000 2003 est. 30 Swaziland 17,000 2003 est. 31 Namibia 16,000 2003 est. 32 Brazil 15,000 2003 est. 33 Cambodia 15,000 2003 est. 34 United States 14,000 2003 est. 35 Mali 12,000 2003 est. 36 Sierra Leone 11,000 2001 est. 37 Togo 10,000 2003 est. 38 Congo, Republic of the 9,700 2003 est. 39 Guinea 9,000 2003 est. 40 Russia 9,000 2001 est. 41 Vietnam 9,000 2003 est. 42 Dominican Republic 7,900 2003 est. 43 Madagascar 7,500 2003 est. 44 Liberia 7,200 2003 est. 45 Eritrea 6,300 2003 est. 46 Benin 5,800 2003 est. 47 Guatemala 5,800 2003 est. 48 Mexico 5,000 2003 est. 49 Pakistan 4,900 2003 est. 50 Niger 4,800 2003 est. 51 Peru 4,200 2003 est. 52 Honduras 4,100 2003 est. 53 Venezuela 4,100 2003 est. 54 Colombia 3,600 2003 est. 55 Senegal 3,500 2003 est. 56 Nepal 3,100 2003 est. 57 Gabon 3,000 2003 est. 58 Indonesia 2,400 2003 est. 59 El Salvador 2,200 2003 est. 60 Malaysia 2,000 2003 est. 61 Trinidad and Tobago 1,900 2003 est. 62 Ecuador 1,700 2003 est. 63 Argentina 1,500 2003 est. 64 Canada 1,500 2003 est. 65 Chile 1,400 2003 est. 66 Guinea-Bissau 1,200 2001 est. 67 Guyana 1,100 2003 est. 68 Belarus 1,000 2001 est. 69 Spain 1,000 2003 est. 70 Portugal 1,000 2003 est. 71 Italy 1,000 2003 est. 72 Germany 1,000 2003 est. 73 France 1,000 2003 est. 74 Costa Rica 900 2003 est. 75 Jamaica 900 2003 est. 76 Iran 800 2003 est. 77 Egypt 700 2003 est. 78 Djibouti 690 2003 est. 79 Bangladesh 650 2001 est. 80 Gambia, The 600 2003 est. 81 Paraguay 600 2003 est. 82 Papua New Guinea 600 2003 est. 83 Algeria 500 2003 est. 84 Japan 500 2003 est. 85 Latvia 500 2003 est. 86 Philippines 500 2003 est. 87 Uzbekistan 500 2003 est. 88 Uruguay 500 2003 est. 89 United Kingdom 500 2003 est. 90 Suriname 500 2003 est. 91 Jordan 500 2003 est. 92 Bermuda 392 2005 93 Equatorial Guinea 370 2001 est. 94 Romania 350 2001 est. 95 Moldova 300 2001 est. 96 Cape Verde 225 97 Armenia 200 2003 est. 98 Lithuania 200 2003 est. 99 Lebanon 200 2003 est. 100 Laos 200 2003 est. 101 Kazakhstan 200 2003 est. 102 Korea, South 200 2003 est. 103 Kyrgyzstan 200 2003 est. 104 Hong Kong 200 2003 est. 105 Georgia 200 2003 est. 106 Fiji 200 2003 est. 107 Tunisia 200 2003 est. 108 Syria 200 2003 est. 109 Singapore 200 2003 est. 110 New Zealand 200 2003 est. 111 Oman 200 2003 est. 112 Mongolia 200 2003 est. 113 Estonia 200 2003 est. 114 Cuba 200 2003 est. 115 Sri Lanka 200 2003 est. 116 Brunei 200 2003 est. 117 Bahamas, The 200 2003 est. 118 Barbados 200 2003 est. 119 Bahrain 200 2003 est. 120 Azerbaijan 100 2001 est. 121 Turkmenistan 100 2004 est. 122 Tajikistan 100 2001 est. 123 Switzerland 100 2003 est. 124 Sweden 100 2003 est. 125 Slovenia 100 2003 est. 126 Poland 100 2001 est. 127 Norway 100 2003 est. 128 Netherlands 100 2003 est. 129 Malta 100 2003 est. 130 Mauritius 100 2001 est. 131 Macedonia 100 2003 est. 132 Luxembourg 100 2003 est. 133 Slovakia 100 2001 est. 134 Israel 100 2001 est. 135 Iceland 100 2003 est. 136 Hungary 100 2001 est. 137 Greece 100 2003 est. 138 Finland 100 2003 est. 139 Bulgaria 100 2001 est. 140 Bosnia and Herzegovina 100 2001 est. 141 Denmark 100 2003 est. 142 Ireland 100 2003 est. 143 Belgium 100 2003 est. 144 Austria 100 2003 est. 145 Czech Republic 10 2001 est. 146 Croatia 10 2001 est. 147 Samoa 3 148 Svalbard 0 2001

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2173

Rank Country Oil - production(bbl/day) Date of Information

1 World 83,000,000 2004 est. 2 Saudi Arabia 9,475,000 2005 est. 3 Russia 9,400,000 2005 est. 4 United States 7,610,000 2005 est. 5 Iran 3,979,000 2005 est. 6 China 3,631,000 2005 7 Mexico 3,420,000 2005 est. 8 Norway 3,220,000 2005 est. 9 European Union 3,172,000 2004 10 Canada 3,135,000 2004 11 Venezuela 3,081,000 2005 est. 12 Nigeria 2,451,000 2005 est. 13 Kuwait 2,418,000 2005 est. 14 United Arab Emirates 2,396,000 2005 est. 15 Iraq 2,093,000 2005 est. 16 Brazil 2,090,000 2006 est. 17 United Kingdom 2,075,000 2004 est. 18 Libya 1,720,000 2006 est. 19 Angola 1,600,000 2005 est. 20 Algeria 1,373,000 2005 est. 21 Kazakhstan 1,300,000 2005 est. 22 Indonesia 1,061,000 2005 est. 23 Qatar 790,500 2005 est. 24 India 785,000 2005 est. 25 Malaysia 770,000 2005 est. 26 Oman 769,000 2005 est. 27 Argentina 745,000 2005 est. 28 Egypt 700,000 2005 est. 29 Australia 530,000 2005 est. 30 Colombia 512,400 2005 est. 31 Ecuador 493,200 2005 est. 32 Azerbaijan 477,000 2005 est. 33 Equatorial Guinea 420,000 2005 est. 34 Syria 420,000 2005 est. 35 Vietnam 400,000 2005 est. 36 Denmark 391,400 2004 37 Yemen 387,500 2005 est. 38 Sudan 344,700 2004 est. 39 Gabon 268,900 2005 est. 40 Congo, Republic of the 267,100 2005 est. 41 Thailand 230,000 2005 est. 42 South Africa 229,900 2004 est. 43 Chad 225,000 2005 est. 44 Turkmenistan 213,700 2004 est. 45 Brunei 200,800 2005 46 Bahrain 188,300 2005 est. 47 Germany 167,400 2004 48 Trinidad and Tobago 150,000 2005 est. 49 Italy 145,100 2004 est. 50 Uzbekistan 142,000 2004 51 Japan 120,600 2004 est. 52 Peru 120,000 2005 est. 53 Romania 119,000 2005 est. 54 Netherlands 95,800 2004 55 Ukraine 85,090 2004 56 Cameroon 82,300 2005 est. 57 Tunisia 81,530 2004 est. 58 France 77,690 2004 est. 59 Mauritania 75,000 2006 est. 60 Cuba 72,000 2005 est. 61 Pakistan 63,000 2005 est. 62 Papua New Guinea 50,000 January 2006 est. 63 Turkey 50,000 2005 est. 64 Hungary 47,530 2004 est. 65 Bolivia 42,000 2005 est. 66 Poland 35,880 2004 est. 67 Belarus 34,260 2004 est. 68 Cote d'Ivoire 32,900 2005 est. 69 Spain 31,250 2004 est. 70 New Zealand 27,860 2004 est. 71 Austria 25,360 2004 72 Philippines 25,320 2004 est. 73 Guatemala 22,300 2005 est. 74 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 21,090 2004 75 Croatia 20,500 2005 est. 76 Burma 18,500 2005 est. 77 Virgin Islands 17,110 2004 est. 78 Czech Republic 15,240 2005 79 Chile 15,100 2006 est. 80 Serbia 14,660 2003 81 Nicaragua 14,300 2005 est. 82 Lithuania 14,000 2004 est. 83 Slovakia 11,480 2005 est. 84 Belgium 10,690 2004 85 Singapore 9,701 2004 est. 86 Suriname 9,462 2004 est. 87 Finland 9,105 2004 est. 88 Taiwan 7,755 2004 est. 89 Ghana 7,477 2004 est. 90 Korea, South 7,378 2004 91 Estonia 6,819 2004 est. 92 Bangladesh 6,813 2004 93 Greece 5,401 2004 est. 94 Portugal 3,849 2004 est. 95 Albania 3,600 2005 est. 96 Israel 3,209 2004 est. 97 Sweden 3,208 2004 est. 98 Bulgaria 3,000 2005 est. 99 Aruba 2,363 2004 100 Switzerland 2,241 2004 est. 101 Georgia 1,981 2004 102 Kyrgyzstan 1,378 2004 103 Barbados 1,000 2004 104 Puerto Rico 722 2004 est. 105 Mongolia 549 2005 est. 106 Uruguay 514 2004 est. 107 Cyprus 300 2005 est. 108 Morocco 300 2005 est. 109 Tajikistan 253 2004 est. 110 Zambia 140 2004 est. 111 Korea, North 139 2004 est. 112 Madagascar 91 2004 est. 113 Dominican Republic 12 2004 114 Slovenia 8 2004 est. 115 Sierra Leone 4 2004 est. 116 Antigua and Barbuda 0 2004 117 Botswana 0 2004 118 Bahamas, The 0 2004 119 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 2004 120 Solomon Islands 0 2004 est. 121 Panama 0 2004 est. 122 Paraguay 0 2004 est. 123 Netherlands Antilles 0 2004 est. 124 Nauru 0 2004 est. 125 Nepal 0 2004 est. 126 Vanuatu 0 2004 est. 127 Niger 0 2004 est. 128 Niue 0 2004 est. 129 New Caledonia 0 2004 est. 130 Mozambique 0 2004 est. 131 Maldives 0 2004 est. 132 Malta 0 2004 est. 133 Mauritius 0 2004 est. 134 Moldova 0 2004 est. 135 Macau 0 2005 est. 136 Luxembourg 0 2004 est. 137 Lesotho 0 2004 est. 138 Liberia 0 2004 est. 139 Latvia 0 2004 est. 140 Lebanon 0 2004 est. 141 Laos 0 2004 est. 142 Kiribati 0 2004 est. 143 Mali 0 2004 est. 144 Macedonia 0 2005 est. 145 Montenegro 0 146 Malawi 0 2004 est. 147 Montserrat 0 2003 est. 148 Kenya 0 2004 est. 149 Jordan 0 2004 est. 150 Jamaica 0 2004 est. 151 Iceland 0 2004 est. 152 Ireland 0 2004 est. 153 Dominica 0 2004 154 Djibouti 0 2004 155 Cook Islands 0 2004 156 Saint Lucia 0 2004 est. 157 Somalia 0 2004 est. 158 Saint Helena 0 2004 est. 159 Senegal 0 2004 est. 160 Seychelles 0 2004 est. 161 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0 2004 est. 162 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0 2004 est. 163 Rwanda 0 2004 est. 164 Guinea-Bissau 0 2004 est. 165 Zimbabwe 0 2004 est. 166 Swaziland 0 2004 est. 167 Samoa 0 2004 est. 168 Western Sahara 0 2004 est. 169 Namibia 0 2004 est. 170 British Virgin Islands 0 2004 171 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0 2004 est. 172 Burkina Faso 0 2004 173 Uganda 0 2004 est. 174 Tanzania 0 2004 est. 175 Sao Tome and Principe 0 2004 est. 176 Togo 0 2004 est. 177 Tonga 0 2004 est. 178 Turks and Caicos Islands 0 2004 est. 179 Cape Verde 0 2004 180 Central African Republic 0 2004 181 Costa Rica 0 2004 182 Comoros 0 2004 183 Cayman Islands 0 2004 184 Sri Lanka 0 2004 est. 185 Cambodia 0 2004 186 Burundi 0 2004 187 Honduras 0 2004 est. 188 Hong Kong 0 2005 est. 189 Haiti 0 2004 est. 190 Guyana 0 2004 est. 191 Guinea 0 2004 est. 192 Guam 0 2004 est. 193 Greenland 0 2004 est. 194 Grenada 0 2004 est. 195 Gibraltar 0 2004 est. 196 Gambia, The 0 2004 est. 197 French Polynesia 0 2004 est. 198 Faroe Islands 0 2004 est. 199 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0 2004 est. 200 Fiji 0 2004 est. 201 Ethiopia 0 2004 est. 202 El Salvador 0 2004 est. 203 Eritrea 0 2004 est. 204 Bhutan 0 2004 205 Benin 0 2004 206 Belize 0 2004 207 Bermuda 0 2004 208 Armenia 0 2005 209 American Samoa 0 2004 210 Afghanistan 0 2004

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2174

Rank Country Oil - consumption(bbl/day) Date of Information

1 World 82,590,000 2004 est. 2 United States 20,730,000 2004 est. 3 European Union 14,700,000 2004 4 China 6,534,000 2005 5 Japan 5,353,000 2004 est. 6 Germany 2,650,000 2004 7 Russia 2,500,000 2005 est. 8 India 2,450,000 2004 est. 9 Canada 2,294,000 2004 10 Brazil 2,194,000 2005 est. 11 Korea, South 2,149,000 2004 12 France 1,977,000 2004 est. 13 Mexico 1,970,000 2004 est. 14 Italy 1,881,000 2004 est. 15 Saudi Arabia 1,845,000 2004 16 United Kingdom 1,827,000 2004 est. 17 Spain 1,573,000 2004 est. 18 Iran 1,510,000 2004 est. 19 Indonesia 1,084,000 2005 est. 20 Taiwan 965,000 2004 est. 21 Netherlands 946,700 2004 est. 22 Thailand 900,000 2004 est. 23 Australia 877,300 2004 est. 24 Singapore 800,000 2005 est. 25 Turkey 715,100 2005 est. 26 Belgium 641,000 2004 est. 27 Egypt 590,000 2004 est. 28 Venezuela 560,000 2004 est. 29 Malaysia 515,000 2004 est. 30 South Africa 502,000 2004 est. 31 Argentina 470,000 2004 est. 32 Poland 445,700 2004 est. 33 Greece 435,700 2005 est. 34 United Arab Emirates 400,000 2004 est. 35 Ukraine 370,000 2004 36 Sweden 362,400 2004 est. 37 Iraq 351,500 2005 est. 38 Philippines 342,000 2004 est. 39 Kuwait 335,000 2004 est. 40 Portugal 332,000 2004 est. 41 Pakistan 324,000 2004 est. 42 Nigeria 290,000 2004 est. 43 Hong Kong 285,000 2005 est. 44 Austria 282,000 2004 est. 45 Colombia 269,000 2004 est. 46 Switzerland 268,100 2004 est. 47 Syria 265,000 2004 est. 48 Israel 248,000 2004 est. 49 Norway 244,300 2004 est. 50 Chile 238,000 2006 est. 51 Libya 237,000 2004 est. 52 Puerto Rico 234,000 2004 est. 53 Algeria 233,000 2004 est. 54 Vietnam 230,000 2004 est. 55 Finland 220,400 2004 est. 56 Kazakhstan 220,000 2004 est. 57 Romania 212,000 2004 est. 58 Cuba 204,000 2004 est. 59 Czech Republic 203,100 2004 est. 60 Denmark 185,300 2004 est. 61 Ireland 182,400 2004 est. 62 Morocco 170,000 2004 est. 63 Belarus 165,000 2004 est. 64 Peru 156,000 2004 est. 65 New Zealand 150,600 2004 est. 66 Ecuador 148,000 2004 est. 67 Uzbekistan 148,000 2004 68 Hungary 132,000 2004 est. 69 Dominican Republic 127,000 2004 est. 70 Azerbaijan 120,000 2004 est. 71 Virgin Islands 115,000 2004 est. 72 Bulgaria 109,000 2005 est. 73 Jordan 107,000 2005 est. 74 Lebanon 107,000 2004 est. 75 Turkmenistan 95,000 2004 est. 76 Croatia 93,000 2004 est. 77 Tunisia 89,000 2004 est. 78 Bangladesh 85,000 2004 est. 79 Yemen 85,000 2004 est. 80 Serbia 85,000 2003 est. 81 Sri Lanka 80,000 2004 est. 82 Qatar 80,000 2004 est. 83 Panama 79,000 2004 est. 84 Slovakia 74,000 2004 est. 85 Jamaica 71,000 2004 est. 86 Netherlands Antilles 70,000 2004 est. 87 Guatemala 67,000 2004 est. 88 Sudan 66,000 2004 est. 89 Luxembourg 62,420 2004 est. 90 Estonia 60,000 2004 est. 91 Oman 60,000 2004 est. 92 Lithuania 56,000 2004 est. 93 Kenya 55,000 2004 est. 94 Cyprus 53,000 2004 est. 95 Slovenia 53,000 2004 est. 96 Angola 48,000 2004 est. 97 Bolivia 47,000 2004 est. 98 Latvia 47,000 2004 est. 99 Costa Rica 44,000 2004 est. 100 Ghana 44,000 2004 est. 101 El Salvador 43,000 2004 est. 102 Armenia 41,000 2004 est. 103 Uruguay 38,100 2004 est. 104 Burma 37,000 2004 est. 105 Honduras 37,000 2004 est. 106 Trinidad and Tobago 34,000 2004 est. 107 Senegal 31,000 2004 est. 108 Ethiopia 29,000 2004 est. 109 Tajikistan 28,000 2004 est. 110 Bahrain 27,000 2004 est. 111 Paraguay 27,000 2004 est. 112 Bahamas, The 27,000 2004 est. 113 Albania 25,200 2005 est. 114 Nicaragua 25,200 2005 est. 115 Korea, North 25,000 2004 116 Mauritania 24,200 2004 est. 117 Cameroon 24,000 2004 est. 118 Gibraltar 24,000 2004 est. 119 Bosnia and Herzegovina 23,000 2004 est. 120 Macedonia 23,000 2005 est. 121 Tanzania 23,000 2004 est. 122 Cote d'Ivoire 23,000 2004 est. 123 Zimbabwe 22,500 2004 est. 124 Mauritius 21,500 2004 est. 125 Iceland 20,560 2004 est. 126 Malta 19,000 2004 est. 127 Papua New Guinea 18,000 January 2006 est. 128 Namibia 18,000 2004 est. 129 Guam 16,000 2004 est. 130 Madagascar 14,500 2004 est. 131 Benin 14,000 2004 est. 132 Togo 14,000 2004 est. 133 Moldova 14,000 2004 est. 134 Gabon 13,000 2004 est. 135 Zambia 13,000 2004 est. 136 Georgia 13,000 2004 est. 137 Macau 12,360 2005 est. 138 Nepal 11,980 2005 est. 139 Djibouti 11,900 2004 est. 140 Haiti 11,600 2004 est. 141 Botswana 11,500 2004 est. 142 Mozambique 11,500 2004 est. 143 Mongolia 11,220 2005 est. 144 Guyana 11,200 2004 est. 145 Suriname 11,200 2004 est. 146 Barbados 11,000 2004 est. 147 Uganda 10,890 2004 est. 148 Brunei 10,770 2005 est. 149 Fiji 10,000 2004 est. 150 Kyrgyzstan 10,000 2004 est. 151 New Caledonia 10,000 2004 est. 152 Guinea 8,440 2004 est. 153 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 8,200 2004 est. 154 Burkina Faso 8,200 2004 est. 155 Maldives 7,200 2004 est. 156 Aruba 7,000 2004 est. 157 Sierra Leone 6,600 2004 est. 158 Belize 6,400 2004 est. 159 Congo, Republic of the 6,000 2004 est. 160 French Polynesia 6,000 2004 est. 161 Seychelles 5,600 2004 est. 162 Malawi 5,500 2004 est. 163 Niger 5,500 2004 est. 164 Rwanda 5,400 2004 est. 165 Eritrea 5,300 2004 est. 166 Somalia 5,000 2004 est. 167 Bermuda 4,658 2005 est. 168 Faroe Islands 4,550 2004 est. 169 Afghanistan 4,500 2004 est. 170 Mali 4,300 2004 est. 171 American Samoa 3,900 2004 est. 172 Greenland 3,860 2004 est. 173 Antigua and Barbuda 3,800 2004 est. 174 Cambodia 3,750 2004 est. 175 Liberia 3,500 2004 est. 176 Swaziland 3,500 2004 est. 177 Burundi 3,100 2004 est. 178 Laos 3,000 2004 est. 179 Saint Lucia 2,800 2004 est. 180 Cayman Islands 2,600 2004 est. 181 Guinea-Bissau 2,500 2004 est. 182 Central African Republic 2,420 2004 est. 183 Gambia, The 2,000 2004 est. 184 Grenada 1,800 2004 est. 185 Western Sahara 1,800 2004 est. 186 Chad 1,460 2004 est. 187 Lesotho 1,400 2004 188 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1,400 2004 est. 189 Solomon Islands 1,280 2004 est. 190 Equatorial Guinea 1,220 2004 est. 191 Bhutan 1,160 2004 est. 192 Cape Verde 1,150 2004 est. 193 Nauru 1,000 2004 est. 194 Samoa 1,000 2004 est. 195 Dominica 900 2004 est. 196 Tonga 900 2004 est. 197 Saint Kitts and Nevis 800 2004 est. 198 Comoros 720 2004 est. 199 Sao Tome and Principe 660 2004 est. 200 Vanuatu 620 2004 est. 201 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 500 2004 est. 202 British Virgin Islands 480 2004 est. 203 Montenegro 450 204 Cook Islands 420 2004 est. 205 Montserrat 380 2003 est. 206 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 230 2004 est. 207 Kiribati 200 2004 est. 208 Saint Helena 100 2004 est. 209 Turks and Caicos Islands 80 2004 est. 210 Niue 20 2004 est.

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2175

Rank Country Oil - imports(bbl/day) Date of Information

1 European Union 15,740,000 2 United States 13,150,000 2004 3 Japan 5,449,000 2001 4 China 3,181,000 2005 5 Netherlands 2,284,000 2001 6 France 2,281,000 2001 7 Korea, South 2,263,000 2004 8 Italy 2,158,000 2001 9 Germany 2,135,000 2003 10 India 2,090,000 2005 est. 11 Spain 1,582,000 2001 12 United Kingdom 1,084,000 2003 13 Belgium 1,042,000 2001 14 Canada 963,000 2004 15 Turkey 616,500 2001 16 Brazil 572,600 2001 17 Sweden 553,100 2001 18 Australia 530,800 2001 19 Greece 468,300 2001 20 Ukraine 444,600 2004 21 Poland 413,700 2001 22 South Africa 398,000 2006 23 Belarus 360,000 2004 est. 24 Portugal 357,300 2001 25 Indonesia 345,700 2005 est. 26 Finland 318,300 2001 27 Philippines 312,000 2003 28 Switzerland 289,500 2001 29 Chile 222,900 2006 est. 30 Mexico 205,000 2004 31 Denmark 195,000 2001 32 Czech Republic 182,000 2004 33 Ireland 178,600 2001 34 Romania 163,000 2004 35 Bulgaria 157,000 2005 est. 36 Austria 152,600 2004 37 Morocco 147,800 2000 est. 38 Dominican Republic 129,900 2003 39 New Zealand 119,700 2001 40 Jordan 100,000 2004 est. 41 Russia 100,000 2005 42 Hungary 94,000 2004 43 Lithuania 93,000 2004 44 Norway 88,870 2001 45 Slovakia 59,000 2004 46 Estonia 54,000 2004 47 Luxembourg 50,700 2001 48 Burma 49,230 2003 49 Kazakhstan 47,000 2003 50 Argentina 39,000 2003 51 Hong Kong 25,000 52 Zimbabwe 23,000 2004 est. 53 Korea, North 22,000 2004 est. 54 Albania 21,600 2005 est. 55 Botswana 16,000 2001 56 Nicaragua 15,560 2005 est. 57 Iceland 15,470 2001 58 Macau 12,840 2005 59 Namibia 12,770 2003 60 Nepal 11,760 2001 est. 61 Mongolia 11,210 2005 est. 62 Suriname 1,644 2003 63 United Arab Emirates 0 2004 64 Saudi Arabia 0 2003 65 Taiwan 0 2005 66 Sudan 0 2004 67 Latvia 0 2004 68 Libya 0 2004 69 Algeria 0 2004 est.

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2176

Rank Country Oil - exports(bbl/day) Date of Information

1 Saudi Arabia 7,920,000 2003 2 Russia 7,000,000 2005 3 European Union 5,318,000 4 Norway 3,466,000 2001 5 United Arab Emirates 2,500,000 2004 est. 6 Iran 2,500,000 2004 est. 7 Venezuela 2,100,000 2004 est. 8 Kuwait 1,970,000 2003 9 Mexico 1,863,000 2004 10 Canada 1,600,000 2004 11 United Kingdom 1,498,000 2001 12 Iraq 1,420,000 2005 est. 13 Netherlands 1,418,000 2001 14 Libya 1,340,000 2004 15 Algeria 1,127,000 2004 est. 16 United States 1,048,000 2004 17 Kazakhstan 890,000 2003 18 Oman 721,000 2004 19 Korea, South 645,200 2004 20 Australia 523,400 2001 21 Argentina 470,000 2003 22 Italy 456,600 2001 23 Belgium 450,000 2001 24 China 443,300 2005 25 Indonesia 431,500 2004 est. 26 France 409,600 2001 27 Ecuador 387,000 2004 est. 28 Yemen 370,300 2003 29 India 350,000 2005 est. 30 Denmark 332,100 2001 31 Syria 285,000 2004 32 Sudan 275,000 2004 33 Brazil 241,700 2004 34 Malaysia 230,200 2003 35 Sweden 203,700 2001 36 Brunei 192,700 2005 37 Spain 135,100 2001 38 Egypt 134,000 2004 est. 39 Finland 101,000 2001 40 Japan 93,360 2001 41 Greece 84,720 2001 42 Poland 53,000 2001 43 Bulgaria 51,000 2005 est. 44 Peru 49,000 2004 est. 45 Hungary 47,180 2001 46 Turkey 46,110 2001 47 New Zealand 30,220 2001 48 Austria 30,140 2004 49 Bahamas, The 29,000 2003 50 Portugal 28,830 2001 51 Ireland 27,450 2001 52 Czech Republic 26,670 2001 53 Belarus 14,500 2003 est. 54 Germany 12,990 2003 55 Switzerland 10,420 2001 56 Ukraine 8,891 2004 57 Burma 3,356 2003 58 Guatemala 3,104 2003 59 Slovakia 2,160 2004 60 Suriname 1,370 2003 61 Nicaragua 759 2004 62 Luxembourg 634 2001 63 Mongolia 515 2005 est. 64 Macau 21 2005 65 Albania 0 2005 est. 66 Jordan 0 2004 est. 67 Zimbabwe 0 2004 est. 68 Taiwan 0 2005 69 Philippines 0 2001 70 Morocco 0 2000 est. 71 Lithuania 0 2004 72 Latvia 0 2004 73 Iceland 0 2001 74 Estonia 0 2001 75 Chile 0 2006 76 Hong Kong 0 77 Bermuda 0 2005

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2178

Rank Country Oil - proved reserves(bbl) Date of Information

1 World 1,326,000,000,000 1 January 2002 est. 2 Saudi Arabia 262,700,000,000 2006 est. 3 Canada 178,900,000,000 2004 est. 4 Iran 132,500,000,000 2006 est. 5 Iraq 112,500,000,000 2006 est. 6 United Arab Emirates 97,800,000,000 2006 est. 7 Kuwait 96,500,000,000 2006 est. 8 Venezuela 75,270,000,000 2006 est. 9 Russia 74,400,000,000 2005 est. 10 Libya 42,000,000,000 2006 est. 11 Nigeria 36,250,000,000 2006 est. 12 Kazakhstan 26,000,000,000 1 January 2004 13 Angola 25,000,000,000 2006 est. 14 United States 22,450,000,000 1 January 2002 15 China 16,100,000,000 2006 est. 16 Qatar 15,200,000,000 2006 est. 17 Mexico 12,490,000,000 2006 est. 18 Brazil 12,220,000,000 2006 est. 19 Algeria 11,000,000,000 2006 est. 20 Norway 9,859,000,000 1 January 2002 21 European Union 7,335,000,000 1 January 2002 22 India 5,600,000,000 2006 est. 23 Ecuador 5,115,000,000 2006 est. 24 Indonesia 4,850,000,000 2006 est. 25 Oman 4,700,000,000 2006 est. 26 United Kingdom 4,500,000,000 31 December 2004 27 Yemen 3,720,000,000 2006 est. 28 Australia 3,664,000,000 1 January 2002 29 Malaysia 3,100,000,000 2006 est. 30 Egypt 2,600,000,000 2006 est. 31 Syria 2,500,000,000 2006 est. 32 Vietnam 2,500,000,000 2006 est. 33 Argentina 2,116,000,000 2006 est. 34 Chad 2,000,000,000 2005 35 Gabon 1,827,000,000 2006 est. 36 Tunisia 1,700,000,000 2006 est. 37 Sudan 1,600,000,000 2006 est. 38 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1,538,000,000 1 January 2002 39 Colombia 1,282,000,000 2006 est. 40 Brunei 1,255,000,000 1 January 2002 41 Denmark 1,230,000,000 1 January 2002 42 Burma 1,000,000,000 2005 43 Mauritania 1,000,000,000 2005 44 Trinidad and Tobago 990,000,000 1 January 2004 45 Uzbekistan 600,000,000 1 January 2005 46 Azerbaijan 589,000,000 1 January 2002 47 Italy 586,600,000 1 January 2002 48 Thailand 583,000,000 November 2003 49 Equatorial Guinea 563,500,000 1 January 2002 50 Romania 500,000,000 yearend 2004 51 Bolivia 458,800,000 1 January 2002 52 Germany 395,800,000 1 January 2004 53 Ukraine 395,000,000 9 November 2004 54 Peru 370,000,000 2006 est. 55 Pakistan 358,900,000 2006 est. 56 Turkey 288,400,000 1 January 2002 57 Turkmenistan 273,000,000 1 January 2002 58 Guatemala 263,000,000 1 January 2002 59 Cuba 259,000,000 2006 est. 60 Cote d'Ivoire 220,000,000 2006 est. 61 Albania 185,500,000 1 January 2002 62 Papua New Guinea 170,000,000 2006 est. 63 Philippines 152,000,000 1 January 2004 64 Chile 150,000,000 1 January 2006 65 Suriname 150,000,000 2005 66 France 144,300,000 1 January 2002 67 Poland 142,400,000 December 2004 68 Bahrain 121,000,000 2006 est. 69 Hungary 110,700,000 1 January 2002 70 Morocco 100,000,000 2006 est. 71 Croatia 93,600,000 1 January 2002 72 Congo, Republic of the 93,500,000 1 January 2002 73 Cameroon 90,000,000 2006 est. 74 New Zealand 89,620,000 1 January 2002 75 Netherlands 88,060,000 1 January 2002 76 Austria 84,300,000 2004 77 Serbia 38,750,000 1 January 2002 78 Japan 29,290,000 1 January 2002 79 Bangladesh 28,450,000 1 January 2002 80 Czech Republic 17,250,000 1 January 2002 81 Bulgaria 15,000,000 1 January 2006 82 Spain 10,500,000 1 January 2002 83 Slovakia 9,000,000 1 January 2006 84 Ghana 8,255,000 1 January 2002 85 South Africa 7,840,000 1 January 2002 86 Greece 4,500,000 1 January 2002 87 Benin 4,105,000 1 January 2002 88 Taiwan 3,000,000 2006 est. 89 Israel 1,920,000 1 January 2002 90 Barbados 1,254,000 1 January 2002 91 Jordan 445,000 1 January 2002 92 Ethiopia 214,000 1 January 2002 93 Afghanistan 0 1 January 2002 94 Rwanda 0 1 January 2002 95 Tanzania 0 1 January 2002 96 Namibia 0 1 January 2002 97 Somalia 0 1 January 2002 98 Mozambique 0 1 January 2002 99 Ireland 0 1 January 2002 100 Madagascar 0 1 January 2002

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2179

Rank Country Natural gas - proved reserves(cu m) Date of Information

1 World 172,200,000,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 2 Russia 47,570,000,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 3 Iran 26,620,000,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 4 Qatar 25,770,000,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 5 Saudi Arabia 6,654,000,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 6 United Arab Emirates 6,006,000,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 7 United States 5,451,000,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 8 Nigeria 4,984,000,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 9 Algeria 4,545,000,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 10 Venezuela 4,276,000,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 11 European Union 3,219,000,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 12 Iraq 3,115,000,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 13 Indonesia 2,557,000,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 14 China 2,350,000,000,000 2005 est. 15 Malaysia 2,124,000,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 16 Norway 2,085,000,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 17 Turkmenistan 2,010,000,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 18 Uzbekistan 1,875,000,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 19 Kazakhstan 1,841,000,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 20 Netherlands 1,756,000,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 21 Egypt 1,657,000,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 22 Canada 1,603,000,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 23 Kuwait 1,572,000,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 24 Libya 1,472,000,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 25 Ukraine 1,121,000,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 26 India 853,500,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 27 Azerbaijan 849,500,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 28 Oman 829,100,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 29 Australia 821,200,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 30 Pakistan 759,700,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 31 Trinidad and Tobago 733,000,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 32 Bolivia 679,600,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 33 Argentina 612,500,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 34 United Kingdom 589,000,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 35 Yemen 478,600,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 36 Mexico 420,500,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 37 Brunei 390,800,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 38 Thailand 377,700,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 39 Papua New Guinea 345,500,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 40 Bangladesh 300,200,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 41 Romania 300,000,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 42 Burma 283,200,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 43 Germany 279,100,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 44 Brazil 250,000,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 45 Peru 246,800,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 46 Syria 240,700,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 47 Italy 226,500,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 48 Vietnam 192,600,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 49 Poland 164,800,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 50 Mozambique 127,400,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 51 Colombia 114,400,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 52 Cameroon 110,400,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 53 Philippines 106,800,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 54 Denmark 99,990,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 55 Afghanistan 99,960,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 56 Chile 97,980,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 57 Bahrain 92,030,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 58 Congo, Republic of the 90,610,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 59 Sudan 84,950,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 60 Tunisia 77,870,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 61 Taiwan 76,460,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 62 Cuba 70,790,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 63 Namibia 62,300,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 64 Rwanda 56,630,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 65 Serbia 48,140,000,000 1 January 2005 66 Angola 45,870,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 67 Japan 39,640,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 68 Israel 38,940,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 69 Equatorial Guinea 36,810,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 70 Hungary 34,260,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 71 Gabon 33,980,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 72 New Zealand 33,360,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 73 Cote d'Ivoire 28,320,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 74 Ethiopia 24,920,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 75 Croatia 24,640,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 76 Ghana 23,790,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 77 Tanzania 22,650,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 78 Ireland 19,820,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 79 Austria 15,010,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 80 Slovakia 15,010,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 81 France 12,770,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 82 Ecuador 9,769,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 83 Turkey 8,495,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 84 Jordan 6,230,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 85 Bulgaria 5,947,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 86 Somalia 5,663,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 87 Czech Republic 3,964,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 88 Guatemala 3,087,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 89 Albania 2,832,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 90 Spain 2,549,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 91 Morocco 1,218,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 92 Benin 1,133,000,000 1 January 2005 est. 93 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 991,100,000 1 January 2005 est. 94 Greece 991,100,000 1 January 2005 est. 95 Barbados 141,600,000 1 January 2005 est. 96 South Africa 28,320,000 1 January 2005 est. 97 Madagascar 0 1 January 2005 est. 98 Mauritania 0 1 January 2005 est. 99 Suriname 0 1 January 2005 est.

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2180

Rank Country Natural gas - production(cu m) Date of Information

1 World 2,824,000,000,000 2004 est. 2 Russia 641,000,000,000 2005 est. 3 United States 531,100,000,000 2004 est. 4 European Union 238,100,000,000 2004 5 Canada 183,600,000,000 2004 est. 6 United Kingdom 95,970,000,000 2004 est. 7 Netherlands 85,980,000,000 2004 est. 8 Iran 83,900,000,000 2004 est. 9 Norway 83,490,000,000 2004 est. 10 Indonesia 83,400,000,000 2005 est. 11 Algeria 80,150,000,000 2004 est. 12 Saudi Arabia 65,680,000,000 2004 est. 13 Malaysia 62,430,000,000 2004 est. 14 Uzbekistan 59,860,000,000 2004 15 Turkmenistan 58,570,000,000 2004 est. 16 China 52,880,000,000 2005 17 United Arab Emirates 46,290,000,000 2004 est. 18 Argentina 44,880,000,000 2004 est. 19 Mexico 41,470,000,000 2004 est. 20 Qatar 39,170,000,000 2004 est. 21 Australia 37,030,000,000 2004 est. 22 Egypt 32,560,000,000 2004 est. 23 India 28,200,000,000 2004 est. 24 Trinidad and Tobago 28,090,000,000 2004 est. 25 Pakistan 27,400,000,000 2004 est. 26 Venezuela 27,200,000,000 2004 est. 27 Thailand 22,360,000,000 2004 est. 28 Nigeria 21,800,000,000 2004 est. 29 Kazakhstan 20,490,000,000 2004 est. 30 Germany 19,900,000,000 2005 est. 31 Ukraine 19,200,000,000 2004 32 Oman 17,200,000,000 2004 est. 33 Bangladesh 13,100,000,000 2004 est. 34 Italy 12,960,000,000 2004 est. 35 Romania 11,800,000,000 2004 est. 36 Brunei 11,500,000,000 2004 est. 37 Burma 10,200,000,000 2004 est. 38 Bolivia 10,050,000,000 2004 est. 39 Bahrain 9,750,000,000 2004 est. 40 Kuwait 9,700,000,000 2004 est. 41 Brazil 9,660,000,000 2004 est. 42 Denmark 9,430,000,000 2004 est. 43 Libya 8,060,000,000 2004 est. 44 Syria 7,100,000,000 2004 est. 45 Vietnam 6,342,000,000 2005 est. 46 Colombia 6,180,000,000 2004 est. 47 Poland 5,957,000,000 2004 48 Azerbaijan 5,010,000,000 2004 est. 49 New Zealand 4,350,000,000 2004 est. 50 Hungary 2,963,000,000 2004 est. 51 Japan 2,957,000,000 2004 est. 52 Philippines 2,900,000,000 2004 est. 53 Tunisia 2,400,000,000 2004 est. 54 South Africa 2,230,000,000 2004 est. 55 Austria 1,963,000,000 2004 56 Iraq 1,750,000,000 2004 est. 57 Croatia 1,640,000,000 2004 est. 58 France 1,400,000,000 2004 est. 59 Cote d'Ivoire 1,300,000,000 2004 est. 60 Taiwan 1,100,000,000 2005 est. 61 Chile 1,090,000,000 2004 est. 62 Peru 860,000,000 2004 est. 63 Ireland 855,000,000 2004 est. 64 Israel 780,000,000 2004 est. 65 Angola 750,000,000 2004 est. 66 Cuba 704,000,000 2004 67 Turkey 688,000,000 2004 est. 68 Serbia 650,000,000 2003 est. 69 Spain 339,000,000 2004 est. 70 Jordan 310,000,000 2004 est. 71 Czech Republic 216,000,000 2004 est. 72 Belarus 180,000,000 2004 est. 73 Ecuador 170,000,000 2004 est. 74 Slovakia 165,000,000 2004 est. 75 Papua New Guinea 140,000,000 2004 est. 76 Equatorial Guinea 100,000,000 2004 est. 77 Gabon 100,000,000 2004 est. 78 Mozambique 80,000,000 2004 est. 79 Morocco 50,000,000 2004 est. 80 Senegal 50,000,000 2004 est. 81 Tajikistan 39,000,000 2004 est. 82 Albania 30,000,000 2004 est. 83 Barbados 29,170,000 2004 est. 84 Kyrgyzstan 29,000,000 2004 est. 85 Greece 23,000,000 2004 est. 86 Afghanistan 20,000,000 2004 est. 87 Georgia 20,000,000 2004 est. 88 Bulgaria 1,000,000 2004 est. 89 Aruba 0 2004 est. 90 Botswana 0 2004 est. 91 Belgium 0 2004 est. 92 Belize 0 2004 est. 93 Benin 0 2004 est. 94 Bhutan 0 2004 est. 95 Guinea 0 2004 est. 96 Guatemala 0 2004 est. 97 Guam 0 2004 est. 98 Greenland 0 2004 est. 99 Grenada 0 2004 est. 100 Gibraltar 0 2004 est. 101 Ghana 0 2004 est. 102 Gambia, The 0 2004 est. 103 Faroe Islands 0 2004 est. 104 Luxembourg 0 2004 est. 105 Lesotho 0 2004 est. 106 Liberia 0 2004 est. 107 Lithuania 0 2004 108 Latvia 0 2004 est. 109 Lebanon 0 2004 est. 110 Laos 0 2004 est. 111 Korea, South 0 2004 est. 112 Kiribati 0 2004 est. 113 Zimbabwe 0 2004 est. 114 Zambia 0 2004 est. 115 Yemen 0 2004 est. 116 Swaziland 0 2004 est. 117 Samoa 0 2004 est. 118 Western Sahara 0 2004 est. 119 Namibia 0 2004 est. 120 Virgin Islands 0 2004 est. 121 British Virgin Islands 0 2004 est. 122 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0 2004 est. 123 Uruguay 0 2004 est. 124 Burkina Faso 0 2004 est. 125 Uganda 0 2004 est. 126 Tanzania 0 2004 est. 127 Sao Tome and Principe 0 2004 est. 128 Togo 0 2004 est. 129 Tonga 0 2004 est. 130 Turks and Caicos Islands 0 2004 est. 131 Switzerland 0 2004 est. 132 Sweden 0 2004 est. 133 Sudan 0 2004 est. 134 Saint Lucia 0 2004 est. 135 Somalia 0 2004 est. 136 Singapore 0 2004 est. 137 Sierra Leone 0 2004 est. 138 Slovenia 0 2004 est. 139 Saint Helena 0 2004 est. 140 Seychelles 0 2004 est. 141 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0 2004 est. 142 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0 2004 est. 143 Rwanda 0 2004 est. 144 Puerto Rico 0 2004 est. 145 Guinea-Bissau 0 2004 est. 146 Portugal 0 2004 est. 147 Panama 0 2004 est. 148 Paraguay 0 2004 est. 149 Nicaragua 0 2004 est. 150 Netherlands Antilles 0 2004 est. 151 Suriname 0 2004 est. 152 Nauru 0 2004 est. 153 Nepal 0 2004 est. 154 Vanuatu 0 2004 est. 155 Niger 0 2004 est. 156 Niue 0 2004 est. 157 New Caledonia 0 2004 est. 158 Maldives 0 2004 est. 159 Malta 0 2004 est. 160 Mauritania 0 2004 est. 161 Mauritius 0 2004 est. 162 Mali 0 2004 est. 163 Macedonia 0 2004 est. 164 Malawi 0 2004 est. 165 Montserrat 0 2004 est. 166 Mongolia 0 2004 est. 167 Moldova 0 2004 est. 168 Macau 0 2005 est. 169 Madagascar 0 2004 est. 170 Korea, North 0 2004 est. 171 Kenya 0 2004 est. 172 Jamaica 0 2004 est. 173 Iceland 0 2004 est. 174 Honduras 0 2004 est. 175 Hong Kong 0 2005 est. 176 Haiti 0 2004 est. 177 Guyana 0 2004 est. 178 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0 2004 est. 179 Fiji 0 2004 est. 180 Finland 0 2004 est. 181 Ethiopia 0 2004 est. 182 El Salvador 0 2004 est. 183 Eritrea 0 2004 est. 184 Estonia 0 2004 est. 185 Dominican Republic 0 2004 est. 186 French Polynesia 0 2004 est. 187 Dominica 0 2004 est. 188 Djibouti 0 2004 est. 189 Cyprus 0 2004 est. 190 Cook Islands 0 2004 est. 191 Cape Verde 0 2004 est. 192 Central African Republic 0 2004 est. 193 Costa Rica 0 2004 est. 194 Comoros 0 2004 est. 195 Cameroon 0 2004 est. 196 Cayman Islands 0 2004 est. 197 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 0 2004 est. 198 Congo, Republic of the 0 2004 est. 199 Sri Lanka 0 2004 est. 200 Chad 0 2004 est. 201 Cambodia 0 2004 est. 202 Burundi 0 2004 est. 203 Solomon Islands 0 2004 est. 204 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 2004 est. 205 Bahamas, The 0 2004 est. 206 Bermuda 0 2004 est. 207 Armenia 0 2004 est. 208 American Samoa 0 2004 est. 209 Antigua and Barbuda 0 2004 est.

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2181

Rank Country Natural gas - consumption(cu m) Date of Information

1 World 2,820,000,000,000 2004 est. 2 United States 635,100,000,000 2004 est. 3 European Union 507,400,000,000 2004 4 Russia 445,100,000,000 2005 est. 5 Germany 102,000,000,000 2005 est. 6 United Kingdom 98,470,000,000 2004 est. 7 Canada 95,850,000,000 2004 est. 8 Ukraine 86,400,000,000 2004 9 Iran 85,540,000,000 2004 est. 10 Japan 83,550,000,000 2004 est. 11 Italy 80,610,000,000 2004 est. 12 Saudi Arabia 65,680,000,000 2004 est. 13 Netherlands 51,300,000,000 2004 est. 14 Mexico 50,450,000,000 2004 est. 15 Uzbekistan 50,200,000,000 2004 16 China 47,910,000,000 2005 17 France 45,410,000,000 2004 est. 18 United Arab Emirates 40,310,000,000 2004 est. 19 Argentina 37,850,000,000 2004 est. 20 Malaysia 32,970,000,000 2004 est. 21 Egypt 31,460,000,000 2004 est. 22 India 30,830,000,000 2004 est. 23 Thailand 29,860,000,000 2004 est. 24 Korea, South 27,840,000,000 2004 est. 25 Pakistan 27,400,000,000 2004 est. 26 Venezuela 27,200,000,000 2004 est. 27 Spain 27,010,000,000 2004 est. 28 Australia 26,370,000,000 2004 est. 29 Turkey 22,600,000,000 2005 est. 30 Indonesia 22,500,000,000 2005 est. 31 Belarus 20,500,000,000 2005 est. 32 Algeria 19,280,000,000 2004 est. 33 Romania 18,000,000,000 2004 est. 34 Brazil 17,280,000,000 2004 est. 35 Belgium 17,060,000,000 2004 est. 36 Turkmenistan 16,570,000,000 2004 est. 37 Kazakhstan 15,750,000,000 2004 est. 38 Poland 15,670,000,000 2004 est. 39 Qatar 15,110,000,000 2004 est. 40 Hungary 14,460,000,000 2004 est. 41 Trinidad and Tobago 14,150,000,000 2004 est. 42 Bangladesh 13,100,000,000 2004 est. 43 Taiwan 10,700,000,000 2005 est. 44 Azerbaijan 9,940,000,000 2004 est. 45 Bahrain 9,750,000,000 2004 est. 46 Kuwait 9,700,000,000 2004 est. 47 Czech Republic 9,600,000,000 2004 est. 48 Nigeria 9,210,000,000 2004 est. 49 Austria 8,981,000,000 2004 50 Chile 8,290,000,000 2004 est. 51 Norway 8,090,000,000 2004 est. 52 Syria 7,100,000,000 2004 est. 53 Oman 6,770,000,000 2004 est. 54 Slovakia 6,719,000,000 2004 est. 55 Singapore 6,610,000,000 2004 est. 56 Vietnam 6,342,000,000 2005 est. 57 Colombia 6,180,000,000 2004 est. 58 Libya 5,930,000,000 2004 est. 59 Bulgaria 5,301,000,000 2004 est. 60 Denmark 5,171,000,000 2004 est. 61 Finland 4,860,000,000 2004 est. 62 New Zealand 4,349,000,000 2004 est. 63 Ireland 4,295,000,000 2004 est. 64 Portugal 3,737,000,000 2004 est. 65 Tunisia 3,700,000,000 2004 est. 66 Switzerland 3,311,000,000 2004 est. 67 Lithuania 2,920,000,000 2004 est. 68 Philippines 2,900,000,000 2004 est. 69 Croatia 2,750,000,000 2004 est. 70 Burma 2,700,000,000 2004 est. 71 Serbia 2,550,000,000 2003 est. 72 Greece 2,340,000,000 2005 est. 73 South Africa 2,230,000,000 2004 est. 74 Hong Kong 2,200,000,000 2005 est. 75 Moldova 2,170,000,000 2004 est. 76 Bolivia 2,140,000,000 2004 est. 77 Brunei 2,000,000,000 2004 est. 78 Latvia 1,910,000,000 2004 est. 79 Iraq 1,750,000,000 2004 est. 80 Georgia 1,500,000,000 2005 est. 81 Estonia 1,440,000,000 2004 est. 82 Jordan 1,410,000,000 2004 est. 83 Tajikistan 1,389,000,000 2004 est. 84 Luxembourg 1,361,000,000 2004 est. 85 Armenia 1,330,000,000 2004 est. 86 Cote d'Ivoire 1,300,000,000 2004 est. 87 Slovenia 1,100,000,000 2004 est. 88 Sweden 979,000,000 2004 est. 89 Kyrgyzstan 919,000,000 2004 est. 90 Peru 860,000,000 2004 est. 91 Israel 780,000,000 2004 est. 92 Angola 750,000,000 2004 est. 93 Cuba 704,000,000 2004 94 Puerto Rico 680,000,000 2004 est. 95 Bosnia and Herzegovina 300,000,000 2004 est. 96 Ecuador 170,000,000 2004 est. 97 Papua New Guinea 140,000,000 2004 est. 98 Dominican Republic 130,000,000 2004 est. 99 Uruguay 120,000,000 2004 est. 100 Equatorial Guinea 100,000,000 2004 est. 101 Macedonia 100,000,000 2004 est. 102 Gabon 100,000,000 2004 est. 103 Mozambique 80,000,000 2004 est. 104 Morocco 50,000,000 2004 est. 105 Senegal 50,000,000 2004 est. 106 Macau 43,960,000 2005 est. 107 Albania 30,000,000 2004 est. 108 Barbados 29,170,000 2004 est. 109 Afghanistan 20,000,000 2004 est. 110 Aruba 0 2004 est. 111 Bahamas, The 0 2004 est. 112 Solomon Islands 0 2004 est. 113 Burundi 0 2004 est. 114 Zimbabwe 0 2004 est. 115 Zambia 0 2004 est. 116 Yemen 0 2004 est. 117 Swaziland 0 2004 est. 118 Samoa 0 2004 est. 119 Western Sahara 0 2004 est. 120 Namibia 0 2004 est. 121 Virgin Islands 0 2004 est. 122 British Virgin Islands 0 2004 est. 123 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0 2004 est. 124 Burkina Faso 0 2004 est. 125 Uganda 0 2004 est. 126 Tanzania 0 2004 est. 127 Sao Tome and Principe 0 2004 est. 128 Togo 0 2004 est. 129 Tonga 0 2004 est. 130 Turks and Caicos Islands 0 2004 est. 131 Sudan 0 2004 est. 132 Saint Lucia 0 2004 est. 133 Somalia 0 2004 est. 134 Sierra Leone 0 2004 est. 135 Saint Helena 0 2004 est. 136 Seychelles 0 2004 est. 137 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0 2004 est. 138 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0 2004 est. 139 Rwanda 0 2004 est. 140 Guinea-Bissau 0 2004 est. 141 Panama 0 2004 est. 142 Nicaragua 0 2004 est. 143 Netherlands Antilles 0 2004 est. 144 Suriname 0 2004 est. 145 Nauru 0 2004 est. 146 Nepal 0 2004 est. 147 Vanuatu 0 2004 est. 148 Niger 0 2004 est. 149 Niue 0 2004 est. 150 New Caledonia 0 2004 est. 151 Paraguay 0 2004 est. 152 Maldives 0 2004 est. 153 Malta 0 2004 est. 154 Mauritania 0 2004 est. 155 Mauritius 0 2004 est. 156 Mali 0 2004 est. 157 Malawi 0 2004 est. 158 Montserrat 0 2004 est. 159 Mongolia 0 2004 est. 160 Madagascar 0 2004 est. 161 Lesotho 0 2004 est. 162 Liberia 0 2004 est. 163 Lebanon 0 2004 est. 164 Laos 0 2004 est. 165 Kiribati 0 2004 est. 166 Korea, North 0 2004 est. 167 Kenya 0 2004 est. 168 Jamaica 0 2004 est. 169 Iceland 0 2004 est. 170 Honduras 0 2004 est. 171 Haiti 0 2004 est. 172 Guyana 0 2004 est. 173 Guinea 0 2004 est. 174 Guatemala 0 2004 est. 175 Gibraltar 0 2004 est. 176 Ghana 0 2004 est. 177 Gambia, The 0 2004 est. 178 French Polynesia 0 2004 est. 179 Faroe Islands 0 2004 est. 180 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0 2004 est. 181 Fiji 0 2004 est. 182 Ethiopia 0 2004 est. 183 El Salvador 0 2004 est. 184 Guam 0 2004 est. 185 Greenland 0 2004 est. 186 Grenada 0 2004 est. 187 Eritrea 0 2004 est. 188 Dominica 0 2004 est. 189 Djibouti 0 2004 est. 190 Cyprus 0 2004 est. 191 Cook Islands 0 2004 est. 192 Cape Verde 0 2004 est. 193 Central African Republic 0 2004 est. 194 Costa Rica 0 2004 est. 195 Comoros 0 2004 est. 196 Cameroon 0 2004 est. 197 Cayman Islands 0 2004 est. 198 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 0 2004 est. 199 Congo, Republic of the 0 2004 est. 200 Sri Lanka 0 2004 est. 201 Chad 0 2004 est. 202 Cambodia 0 2004 est. 203 Bhutan 0 2004 est. 204 Benin 0 2004 est. 205 Belize 0 2004 est. 206 Bermuda 0 2004 est. 207 American Samoa 0 2004 est. 208 Botswana 0 2004 est. 209 Antigua and Barbuda 0 2004 est.

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2182

Rank Country Natural gas - imports(cu m) Date of Information

1 World 828,000,000,000 2004 est. 2 European Union 347,700,000,000 3 United States 120,600,000,000 2004 est. 4 Germany 90,110,000,000 2004 est. 5 Japan 81,230,000,000 2004 est. 6 Italy 67,910,000,000 2004 est. 7 Ukraine 67,200,000,000 2004 est. 8 France 44,780,000,000 2004 est. 9 Russia 36,600,000,000 2004 est. 10 Korea, South 28,930,000,000 2004 est. 11 Spain 26,950,000,000 2004 est. 12 Turkey 21,730,000,000 2004 est. 13 Netherlands 18,850,000,000 2004 est. 14 Belgium 16,880,000,000 2004 est. 15 Belarus 16,220,000,000 2004 est. 16 United Kingdom 12,300,000,000 2004 est. 17 Hungary 11,420,000,000 2004 est. 18 Canada 10,860,000,000 2004 est. 19 Poland 9,963,000,000 2004 est. 20 Mexico 9,831,000,000 2004 est. 21 Taiwan 9,600,000,000 2005 est. 22 Czech Republic 8,815,000,000 2004 est. 23 Austria 8,407,000,000 2004 est. 24 Brazil 7,620,000,000 2004 est. 25 Thailand 7,500,000,000 2004 est. 26 Chile 7,200,000,000 2004 est. 27 Slovakia 6,948,000,000 2004 est. 28 Singapore 6,610,000,000 2004 est. 29 Romania 6,200,000,000 2004 est. 30 Bulgaria 5,300,000,000 2004 est. 31 Iran 5,200,000,000 2004 est. 32 Azerbaijan 4,930,000,000 2004 est. 33 Finland 4,866,000,000 2004 est. 34 Portugal 3,760,000,000 2004 est. 35 Ireland 3,440,000,000 2004 est. 36 Switzerland 3,311,000,000 2004 est. 37 Lithuania 2,920,000,000 2004 est. 38 Greece 2,641,000,000 2004 est. 39 India 2,630,000,000 2004 est. 40 Hong Kong 2,524,000,000 2004 est. 41 Kazakhstan 2,270,000,000 42 Moldova 2,170,000,000 2004 est. 43 Serbia 2,100,000,000 2004 44 Latvia 1,910,000,000 2004 est. 45 Georgia 1,500,000,000 2005 est. 46 Estonia 1,440,000,000 2004 est. 47 Luxembourg 1,361,000,000 2004 est. 48 Tajikistan 1,350,000,000 2004 est. 49 Armenia 1,330,000,000 2004 est. 50 Tunisia 1,300,000,000 2004 est. 51 United Arab Emirates 1,200,000,000 2004 est. 52 Croatia 1,110,000,000 2004 est. 53 Jordan 1,100,000,000 2004 est. 54 Slovenia 1,100,000,000 2004 est. 55 Sweden 979,000,000 2004 est. 56 Kyrgyzstan 890,000,000 2004 est. 57 Argentina 800,000,000 2004 est. 58 Puerto Rico 680,000,000 2004 est. 59 Bosnia and Herzegovina 300,000,000 2004 est. 60 Dominican Republic 130,000,000 61 Uruguay 120,000,000 2004 est. 62 Macedonia 100,000,000 2004 est. 63 Afghanistan 0 2004 est. 64 Bolivia 0 2004 est. 65 Yemen 0 2004 est. 66 Vietnam 0 67 Venezuela 0 2004 est. 68 Uzbekistan 0 2004 est. 69 Turkmenistan 0 2004 est. 70 Syria 0 2004 est. 71 Senegal 0 2004 est. 72 South Africa 0 2004 est. 73 Saudi Arabia 0 2004 est. 74 Philippines 0 2004 est. 75 Qatar 0 2004 est. 76 Papua New Guinea 0 2004 est. 77 Pakistan 0 2004 est. 78 Peru 0 2004 est. 79 Trinidad and Tobago 0 2004 est. 80 New Zealand 0 2004 est. 81 Kuwait 0 2004 est. 82 Iraq 0 2004 est. 83 Cote d'Ivoire 0 2004 est. 84 Israel 0 2004 est. 85 Indonesia 0 2005 est. 86 Gabon 0 2004 est. 87 Ecuador 0 2004 est. 88 Denmark 0 2004 est. 89 Cuba 0 2004 est. 90 Colombia 0 2004 est. 91 Cameroon 0 2004 est. 92 China 0 2005 93 Congo, Republic of the 0 2004 est. 94 Brunei 0 2004 est. 95 Burma 0 2004 est. 96 Norway 0 2004 est. 97 Nigeria 0 2004 est. 98 Mozambique 0 2004 est. 99 Malaysia 0 2004 est. 100 Oman 0 2004 est. 101 Morocco 0 102 Libya 0 2004 est. 103 Equatorial Guinea 0 2004 est. 104 Egypt 0 2004 est. 105 Bangladesh 0 2004 est. 106 Barbados 0 2004 est. 107 Bahrain 0 2004 est. 108 Australia 0 2004 est. 109 Angola 0 2004 est. 110 Albania 0 2004 est. 111 Algeria 0 2004 est.

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2183

Rank Country Natural gas - exports(cu m) Date of Information

1 World 810,900,000,000 2004 est. 2 Russia 216,800,000,000 2004 est. 3 Canada 104,000,000,000 2004 est. 4 European Union 78,890,000,000 5 Norway 75,400,000,000 2004 est. 6 Algeria 60,870,000,000 2004 est. 7 Netherlands 53,560,000,000 2004 est. 8 Turkmenistan 42,000,000,000 2004 est. 9 Indonesia 37,500,000,000 2005 est. 10 Malaysia 29,460,000,000 2004 est. 11 United States 24,180,000,000 2004 est. 12 Qatar 24,060,000,000 2004 est. 13 Trinidad and Tobago 13,940,000,000 2004 est. 14 Nigeria 12,590,000,000 2004 est. 15 Australia 10,660,000,000 2004 est. 16 Oman 10,430,000,000 2004 est. 17 United Kingdom 9,800,000,000 2004 est. 18 Uzbekistan 9,700,000,000 2004 est. 19 Brunei 9,500,000,000 2004 est. 20 Germany 8,810,000,000 2004 est. 21 Bolivia 7,910,000,000 2004 est. 22 Argentina 7,830,000,000 2004 est. 23 Burma 7,500,000,000 2004 est. 24 United Arab Emirates 7,180,000,000 2004 est. 25 Kazakhstan 7,010,000,000 2004 est. 26 Denmark 4,099,000,000 2004 est. 27 Ukraine 3,900,000,000 2004 28 Iran 3,560,000,000 2004 est. 29 China 2,790,000,000 2005 30 Libya 2,130,000,000 2004 est. 31 Austria 1,324,000,000 2004 est. 32 Egypt 1,100,000,000 2004 est. 33 France 770,000,000 2004 est. 34 Italy 396,000,000 2004 est. 35 Czech Republic 88,000,000 2004 est. 36 Poland 46,000,000 2004 est. 37 Chile 7,200,000 2004 est. 38 Slovakia 1,000,000 2004 est. 39 Afghanistan 0 2004 est. 40 Barbados 0 2004 est. 41 Bangladesh 0 2004 est. 42 Israel 0 2004 est. 43 India 0 2004 est. 44 Hungary 0 2004 est. 45 Croatia 0 2004 est. 46 Hong Kong 0 2004 est. 47 Greece 0 2004 est. 48 Gabon 0 2004 est. 49 Finland 0 2004 est. 50 Ireland 0 2004 est. 51 Yemen 0 2004 est. 52 Vietnam 0 2005 est. 53 Venezuela 0 2004 est. 54 Uruguay 0 2004 est. 55 Syria 0 2004 est. 56 Sweden 0 2004 est. 57 Spain 0 2004 est. 58 Singapore 0 2004 est. 59 Slovenia 0 2004 est. 60 Senegal 0 2004 est. 61 South Africa 0 2004 est. 62 Saudi Arabia 0 2004 est. 63 Peru 0 2004 est. 64 Taiwan 0 2005 65 Turkey 0 2004 est. 66 Tunisia 0 2004 est. 67 Tajikistan 0 2004 est. 68 Thailand 0 2004 est. 69 Switzerland 0 2004 est. 70 New Zealand 0 2004 est. 71 Mozambique 0 2004 est. 72 Mexico 0 2004 est. 73 Morocco 0 74 Macedonia 0 2004 est. 75 Moldova 0 2004 est. 76 Luxembourg 0 2004 est. 77 Lithuania 0 2004 est. 78 Puerto Rico 0 2004 est. 79 Philippines 0 2004 est. 80 Romania 0 2004 est. 81 Serbia 0 2004 est. 82 Papua New Guinea 0 2004 est. 83 Portugal 0 2004 est. 84 Pakistan 0 2004 est. 85 Latvia 0 2004 est. 86 Kuwait 0 2004 est. 87 Korea, South 0 2004 est. 88 Kyrgyzstan 0 2004 est. 89 Jordan 0 2004 est. 90 Japan 0 2004 est. 91 Iraq 0 2004 est. 92 Cote d'Ivoire 0 2004 est. 93 Ecuador 0 2004 est. 94 Cuba 0 2004 est. 95 Colombia 0 2004 est. 96 Cameroon 0 2004 est. 97 Congo, Republic of the 0 2004 est. 98 Bulgaria 0 2004 est. 99 Brazil 0 2004 est. 100 Belarus 0 2004 est. 101 Estonia 0 2004 est. 102 Equatorial Guinea 0 2004 est. 103 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 2004 est. 104 Belgium 0 2004 est. 105 Bahrain 0 2004 est. 106 Azerbaijan 0 2004 est. 107 Albania 0 2004 est. 108 Armenia 0 2004 est. 109 Angola 0 2004 est.

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2184

Rank Country Internet hosts Date of Information

1 United States 195,138,696 2005 2 European Union 50,500,000 3 Japan 28,321,846 2006 4 Germany 11,859,131 2006 5 Netherlands 8,363,158 2006 6 Australia 7,772,888 2006 7 Brazil 6,508,431 2006 8 United Kingdom 6,064,860 2006 9 Korea, South 5,433,591 2005 10 Taiwan 4,320,310 2006 11 Canada 3,934,223 2006 12 Mexico 3,426,680 2006 13 France 3,149,008 2006 14 France 3,148,379 2006 15 Sweden 2,958,435 2006 16 Belgium 2,870,770 2006 17 Spain 2,520,711 2006 18 Switzerland 2,442,659 2006 19 Denmark 2,415,530 2006 20 Austria 2,062,035 2006 21 Russia 1,979,924 2006 22 Italy 1,731,165 2006 23 Finland 1,633,614 2006 24 Argentina 1,612,423 2006 25 India 1,543,289 2006 26 Norway 1,364,448 2006 27 Turkey 1,313,135 2006 28 Czech Republic 1,267,265 2006 29 Israel 1,251,881 2006 30 New Zealand 1,050,197 2006 31 Thailand 938,784 2006 32 Singapore 898,762 2006 33 Portugal 845,980 2005 34 Hong Kong 800,834 2006 35 South Africa 645,179 2006 36 Hungary 608,085 2006 37 Greece 587,717 2006 38 Colombia 581,877 2006 39 Chile 506,055 2006 40 Poland 358,476 2006 41 United Arab Emirates 337,092 2006 42 Peru 269,981 2006 43 Ireland 238,191 2006 44 China 232,780 2006 45 Ukraine 229,110 2006 46 Iceland 212,897 2006 47 Slovakia 210,758 2006 48 Bulgaria 184,975 2006 49 Indonesia 170,834 2006 50 Malaysia 158,650 2006 51 Lithuania 148,675 2006 52 Uruguay 145,774 2006 53 Philippines 111,262 2006 54 Dominican Republic 91,895 2006 55 Luxembourg 88,661 2006 56 Pakistan 72,765 2006 57 Cyprus 67,589 2006 58 Latvia 65,858 2006 59 Slovenia 61,735 2006 60 Moldova 58,886 2006 61 Romania 57,470 2006 62 Estonia 52,241 2006 63 Venezuela 51,968 2006 64 Guatemala 49,026 2006 65 Belarus 33,641 2006 66 Bosnia and Herzegovina 31,490 2006 67 Trinidad and Tobago 30,732 2006 68 Nicaragua 24,452 2006 69 Kazakhstan 21,187 2006 70 Bolivia 20,085 2006 71 Netherlands Antilles 19,204 2006 72 Ecuador 19,027 2006 73 Kyrgyzstan 18,928 2006 74 Croatia 18,825 2006 75 Tonga 18,775 2006 76 Nepal 17,789 2006 77 Andorra 14,944 2006 78 French Polynesia 14,047 2006 79 Malta 14,025 2006 80 New Caledonia 13,962 2006 81 Kenya 13,274 2006 82 Paraguay 13,178 2006 83 Costa Rica 12,751 2006 84 Monaco 12,720 2006 85 Vietnam 12,114 2006 86 Aruba 11,548 2006 87 Saudi Arabia 10,931 2006 88 Georgia 10,752 2006 89 Samoa 10,680 2006 90 Uzbekistan 9,058 2006 91 Fiji 8,987 2006 92 Greenland 8,851 2006 93 Cayman Islands 8,611 2006 94 Tanzania 8,609 2006 95 Armenia 8,163 2006 96 Bermuda 8,114 2006 97 Zimbabwe 7,954 2006 98 Antarctica 7,757 2006 99 Bhutan 7,567 2006 100 Panama 7,149 2006 101 Mozambique 6,985 2006 102 Faroe Islands 6,915 2006 103 Sri Lanka 6,526 2006 104 Botswana 5,499 2006 105 Iran 5,242 2006 106 Mauritius 4,997 2006 107 Liechtenstein 4,697 2006 108 El Salvador 4,682 2006 109 Honduras 3,973 2006 110 Belize 3,905 2006 111 Virgin Islands 3,855 2006 112 Macedonia 3,716 2006 113 Oman 3,555 2006 114 Namibia 3,527 2006 115 Jordan 3,441 2006 116 Lebanon 3,307 2006 117 Zambia 3,227 2006 118 Morocco 3,218 2006 119 San Marino 3,140 2006 120 Turks and Caicos Islands 2,735 2006 121 Solomon Islands 2,658 2006 122 Cote d'Ivoire 2,534 2006 123 Angola 2,525 2006 124 Swaziland 2,472 2006 125 Christmas Island 2,368 2006 126 Kuwait 2,310 2006 127 Egypt 2,254 2006 128 Cuba 2,234 2006 129 Antigua and Barbuda 2,231 2006 130 Bahrain 2,165 2006 131 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1,778 2006 132 Rwanda 1,590 2006 133 Papua New Guinea 1,573 2006 134 Nigeria 1,549 2006 135 Djibouti 1,540 2006 136 Madagascar 1,504 2006 137 American Samoa 1,456 2006 138 Cook Islands 1,456 2006 139 Jamaica 1,402 2006 140 Cambodia 1,378 2006 141 Uganda 1,365 2006 142 Maldives 1,357 2006 143 Guernsey 1,245 2006 144 Jersey 1,240 2006 145 Algeria 1,202 2006 146 Laos 1,108 2006 147 Eritrea 1,088 2006 148 Guyana 1,046 2006 149 Azerbaijan 880 2006 150 Benin 867 2006 151 Sao Tome and Principe 735 2006 152 Gibraltar 641 2006 153 Bahamas, The 591 2006 154 Turkmenistan 585 2006 155 Micronesia, Federated States of 550 2006 156 British Virgin Islands 525 2006 157 Togo 520 2006 158 Bangladesh 469 2006 159 Albania 430 2006 160 Tunisia 428 2006 161 Vanuatu 413 2006 162 Senegal 412 2006 163 Puerto Rico 404 2006 164 Anguilla 403 2006 165 Burkina Faso 399 2006 166 Montserrat 386 2006 167 Ghana 380 2006 168 Malawi 377 2006 169 Guinea 367 2006 170 Saint Helena 329 2006 171 Gabon 322 2006 172 Qatar 301 2006 173 Tokelau 298 2006 174 Isle of Man 290 2006 175 Barbados 282 2006 176 Mali 278 2006 177 Mongolia 272 2006 178 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands 271 2006 179 Dominica 263 2006 180 Cape Verde 234 2006 181 Niger 189 2006 182 Yemen 171 2006 183 Lesotho 168 2006 184 Burundi 160 2006 185 Suriname 126 2006 186 Macau 108 2006 187 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 103 2006 188 Norfolk Island 100 2006 189 Tajikistan 98 2006 190 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 94 2006 191 Ethiopia 88 2006 192 Guam 76 2006 193 Seychelles 72 2006 194 East Timor 68 2006 195 Syria 66 2006 196 British Indian Ocean Territory 65 2006 197 Nauru 52 2006 198 Saint Kitts and Nevis 50 2006 199 Congo, Republic of the 46 2004 200 Holy See (Vatican City) 45 2006 201 Burma 42 2006 202 Kiribati 42 2006 203 Cameroon 39 2006 204 French Southern and Antarctic Lands 38 2006 205 Mauritania 32 2006 206 Libya 31 2006 207 Brunei 27 2005 208 Afghanistan 22 2006 209 Saint Lucia 21 2006 210 Northern Mariana Islands 20 2005 211 Sierra Leone 20 2006 212 Equatorial Guinea 19 2006 213 Grenada 17 2006 214 Sudan 16 2006 215 Gambia, The 14 2006 216 Central African Republic 10 2006 217 Chad 9 2006 218 Liberia 8 2006 219 Pitcairn Islands 8 2006 220 Bouvet Island 6 2006 221 Marshall Islands 6 2006 222 Haiti 6 2006 223 Comoros 5 2006 224 Iraq 5 2006 225 Guinea-Bissau 5 2006 226 Palau 3 2006 227 Somalia 3 2006 228 Mayotte 1 2006 229 Wallis and Futuna 1 2006 230 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0 2006

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2185

Rank Country Investment (gross fixed)(% of GDP) Date of Information

1 Azerbaijan 44.90 2006 est. 2 China 44.30 2006 est. 3 Seychelles 44.20 2006 est. 4 Senegal 41.00 2006 est. 5 Sao Tome and Principe 35.20 2006 est. 6 Equatorial Guinea 34.10 2006 est. 7 Qatar 33.20 2006 est. 8 Vietnam 32.60 2006 est. 9 Estonia 32.40 2006 est. 10 Lesotho 32.00 2006 est. 11 Guyana 31.50 2006 est. 12 Iceland 31.40 2006 est. 13 Latvia 31.40 2006 est. 14 Jamaica 30.80 2006 est. 15 Georgia 30.00 2006 est. 16 Iran 30.00 2006 est. 17 Nicaragua 29.80 2006 est. 18 Spain 29.40 2006 est. 19 India 29.20 2006 est. 20 Korea, South 29.10 2006 est. 21 Ghana 29.00 2006 est. 22 Turkmenistan 28.80 2006 est. 23 Thailand 28.70 2006 est. 24 Croatia 28.50 2006 est. 25 Sri Lanka 28.20 2006 est. 26 Ireland 28.00 2006 est. 27 Slovakia 27.60 2006 est. 28 Haiti 27.40 2004 est. 29 Congo, Republic of the 27.20 2006 est. 30 Kazakhstan 27.00 2006 est. 31 Australia 26.80 2006 est. 32 Zambia 26.50 2006 est. 33 Kuwait 26.40 2006 est. 34 Nigeria 26.40 2006 est. 35 Madagascar 26.30 2006 est. 36 Czech Republic 26.20 2006 est. 37 Belarus 25.90 2006 est. 38 Greece 25.90 2006 est. 39 Cape Verde 25.50 2006 est. 40 Sudan 25.30 2006 est. 41 Malta 25.10 2006 est. 42 Romania 25.00 2006 est. 43 Slovenia 25.00 2006 est. 44 Namibia 25.00 2006 est. 45 Bangladesh 24.90 2006 est. 46 Bulgaria 24.80 2006 est. 47 Moldova 24.80 2006 est. 48 Jordan 24.80 2006 est. 49 Albania 24.50 2006 est. 50 Eritrea 24.50 2006 est. 51 United Arab Emirates 24.30 2006 est. 52 Honduras 23.70 2006 est. 53 Japan 23.70 2006 est. 54 Mauritius 23.60 2006 est. 55 Uganda 23.50 2006 est. 56 Algeria 23.40 2006 est. 57 Hungary 23.40 2006 est. 58 Lithuania 23.00 2006 est. 59 Colombia 22.80 2006 est. 60 Ukraine 22.70 2006 est. 61 Argentina 22.60 2006 est. 62 Ecuador 22.60 2006 est. 63 Gabon 22.40 2006 est. 64 Togo 22.40 2006 est. 65 Tunisia 22.30 2006 est. 66 Denmark 22.20 2006 est. 67 Syria 22.10 2006 est. 68 New Zealand 22.00 2006 est. 69 Botswana 21.80 2006 est. 70 Switzerland 21.80 2006 est. 71 Singapore 21.80 2006 est. 72 Morocco 21.70 2006 est. 73 Mozambique 21.50 2006 est. 74 Canada 21.30 2006 est. 75 Ethiopia 21.30 2006 est. 76 Cyprus 21.20 2006 est. 77 Bahrain 21.10 2006 est. 78 Hong Kong 21.10 2006 est. 79 Austria 21.00 2006 est. 80 Chile 21.00 2006 est. 81 Armenia 20.90 2006 est. 82 Portugal 20.90 2006 est. 83 Italy 20.80 2006 est. 84 Burkina Faso 20.50 2006 est. 85 European Union 20.40 2006 est. 86 Gambia, The 20.30 2006 est. 87 Indonesia 20.30 2006 est. 88 Peru 20.30 2006 est. 89 Brazil 20.20 2006 est. 90 Turkey 20.10 2006 est. 91 France 20.00 2006 est. 92 Mexico 20.00 2006 est. 93 Malaysia 19.90 2006 est. 94 Tajikistan 19.90 2006 est. 95 Rwanda 19.80 2006 est. 96 Venezuela 19.80 2006 est. 97 Belgium 19.40 2006 est. 98 Costa Rica 19.40 2006 est. 99 Netherlands 19.30 2006 est. 100 Paraguay 19.30 2006 est. 101 Egypt 19.20 2006 est. 102 Poland 19.20 2006 est. 103 Kenya 19.20 2006 est. 104 Papua New Guinea 19.20 2006 est. 105 Benin 19.10 2006 est. 106 Norway 19.10 2006 est. 107 Trinidad and Tobago 19.10 2006 est. 108 Tanzania 19.00 2006 est. 109 Finland 18.90 2006 est. 110 Macedonia 18.80 2006 est. 111 Cambodia 18.70 2006 est. 112 Taiwan 18.40 2006 est. 113 Luxembourg 18.30 2006 est. 114 Belize 18.20 2006 est. 115 Russia 18.20 2006 est. 116 Lebanon 17.80 2006 est. 117 Guinea 17.60 2006 est. 118 Sweden 17.60 2006 est. 119 Panama 17.50 2006 est. 120 Germany 17.30 2006 est. 121 Israel 17.30 2006 est. 122 United Kingdom 17.20 2006 est. 123 South Africa 17.10 2006 est. 124 Cameroon 16.80 2006 est. 125 United States 16.60 2006 est. 126 El Salvador 16.20 2006 est. 127 Saudi Arabia 16.20 2006 est. 128 Zimbabwe 16.10 2006 est. 129 Yemen 15.70 2006 est. 130 Pakistan 15.60 2006 est. 131 Dominican Republic 15.50 2006 est. 132 Guatemala 15.50 2006 est. 133 Swaziland 15.50 2006 est. 134 Kyrgyzstan 15.50 2006 est. 135 Angola 14.60 2006 est. 136 Philippines 14.30 2006 est. 137 Oman 14.20 2006 est. 138 Serbia 14.20 2005 est. 139 Uruguay 13.60 2006 est. 140 Bolivia 12.40 2006 est. 141 Burundi 11.90 2006 est. 142 Cuba 11.90 2006 est. 143 Burma 11.80 2006 est. 144 Cote d'Ivoire 11.80 2006 est. 145 Chad 9.20 2006 est. 146 Malawi 9.20 2006 est. 147 Libya 7.40 2006 est.

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2186

Rank Country Public debt(% of GDP) Date of Information

1 Lebanon 209.00 2006 est. 2 Japan 175.50 2006 est. 3 Seychelles 166.10 2006 est. 4 Jamaica 129.70 2006 est. 5 Zimbabwe 108.40 2006 est. 6 Italy 107.80 2006 est. 7 Greece 104.60 2006 est. 8 Egypt 102.90 2006 est. 9 Singapore 100.60 2006 est. 10 Israel 91.00 2006 est. 11 Sri Lanka 90.60 2006 est. 12 Belgium 90.30 2006 est. 13 Moldova 84.50 2006 est. 14 Nicaragua 82.70 2006 est. 15 Bhutan 81.40 2004 16 Jordan 79.90 2006 est. 17 Ethiopia 78.10 2006 est. 18 Morocco 70.90 2006 est. 19 Uruguay 70.60 2006 est. 20 Philippines 69.60 2006 est. 21 Cote d'Ivoire 69.40 2006 est. 22 Hungary 68.60 2006 est. 23 Cyprus 68.40 2006 est. 24 Malawi 68.40 2006 est. 25 Honduras 67.10 2006 est. 26 Germany 66.80 2006 est. 27 Portugal 65.70 2006 est. 28 Zambia 65.70 2006 est. 29 Canada 65.40 2006 est. 30 France 64.70 2006 est. 31 Turkey 64.70 2006 est. 32 United States 64.70 2005 est. 33 Austria 63.00 2006 est. 34 Argentina 62.20 2006 est. 35 Panama 61.30 2006 est. 36 Sudan 59.60 2006 est. 37 Mauritius 57.90 2006 est. 38 Tunisia 57.30 2006 est. 39 Croatia 56.20 2006 est. 40 Pakistan 55.00 2006 est. 41 Papua New Guinea 53.70 2006 est. 42 Costa Rica 53.40 2006 est. 43 Serbia 53.10 2005 est. 44 India 52.80 2006 est. 45 Switzerland 51.00 2006 est. 46 Netherlands 50.80 2006 est. 47 Brazil 50.70 2006 est. 48 Kenya 50.50 2006 est. 49 Poland 49.00 2006 est. 50 Vietnam 47.50 2006 est. 51 Bangladesh 46.70 2006 est. 52 Malaysia 46.70 2006 est. 53 Sweden 46.40 2006 est. 54 Aruba 46.30 2005 55 Dominican Republic 45.60 2006 est. 56 Colombia 45.30 2006 est. 57 Norway 44.80 2006 est. 58 El Salvador 44.20 2006 est. 59 Indonesia 43.80 2006 est. 60 Thailand 43.50 2006 est. 61 United Kingdom 42.20 2006 est. 62 Spain 39.90 2006 est. 63 Ghana 38.60 2006 est. 64 Syria 38.00 2006 est. 65 Finland 37.70 2006 est. 66 Trinidad and Tobago 36.60 2006 est. 67 Slovakia 36.10 2006 est. 68 Ecuador 36.00 2006 est. 69 Taiwan 34.60 2006 est. 70 Bahrain 34.20 2006 est. 71 Peru 33.80 2006 est. 72 South Africa 32.90 2006 est. 73 Angola 32.70 2006 est. 74 Saudi Arabia 32.50 2006 est. 75 Namibia 31.60 2006 est. 76 Paraguay 30.90 2006 est. 77 Tanzania 30.50 2006 est. 78 Yemen 30.00 2006 est. 79 Uzbekistan 29.70 2006 est. 80 Uganda 29.30 2006 est. 81 Czech Republic 29.10 2006 est. 82 Slovenia 29.00 2006 est. 83 Denmark 28.60 2006 est. 84 Gabon 28.60 2006 est. 85 Cameroon 28.40 2006 est. 86 Venezuela 28.40 2006 est. 87 Macedonia 27.50 2006 est. 88 Guatemala 25.90 2006 est. 89 Iran 25.30 2006 est. 90 Bosnia and Herzegovina 24.50 2006 est. 91 Bulgaria 23.80 2006 est. 92 Qatar 23.60 2006 est. 93 Iceland 23.50 2006 est. 94 Mozambique 23.20 2006 est. 95 Ireland 22.80 2006 est. 96 China 22.10 2006 est. 97 Korea, South 21.40 2006 est. 98 Romania 21.40 2006 est. 99 Mexico 20.70 2006 est. 100 New Zealand 19.90 2006 est. 101 Algeria 18.60 2006 est. 102 Lithuania 18.00 2006 est. 103 Senegal 17.80 2006 est. 104 United Arab Emirates 17.70 2006 est. 105 Ukraine 17.30 2006 est. 106 Australia 14.10 2006 est. 107 Kazakhstan 11.00 2006 est. 108 Latvia 11.00 2006 est. 109 Azerbaijan 10.40 2006 est. 110 Nigeria 10.40 2006 est. 111 Kuwait 8.10 2006 est. 112 Russia 8.00 2006 est. 113 Botswana 7.10 2006 est. 114 Libya 5.60 2006 est. 115 Wallis and Futuna 5.60 2004 est. 116 Equatorial Guinea 4.70 2006 est. 117 Oman 4.50 2006 est. 118 Chile 3.90 2006 est. 119 Estonia 3.60 2006 est. 120 Hong Kong 1.00 2006 est.

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2187

Rank Country Current account balance Date of Information

1 China $ 179,100,000,000 2006 est. 2 Japan $ 174,400,000,000 2006 est. 3 Germany $ 134,800,000,000 2006 est. 4 Russia $ 105,300,000,000 2006 est. 5 Saudi Arabia $ 103,800,000,000 2006 est. 6 Norway $ 63,330,000,000 2006 est. 7 Switzerland $ 50,440,000,000 2006 est. 8 Netherlands $ 50,170,000,000 2006 est. 9 Kuwait $ 40,750,000,000 2006 est. 10 Singapore $ 35,580,000,000 2006 est. 11 Venezuela $ 31,820,000,000 2006 est. 12 Sweden $ 28,610,000,000 2006 est. 13 United Arab Emirates $ 26,890,000,000 2006 est. 14 Algeria $ 25,800,000,000 2006 est. 15 Hong Kong $ 20,900,000,000 2006 est. 16 Canada $ 20,560,000,000 2006 est. 17 Malaysia $ 17,860,000,000 2006 est. 18 Libya $ 14,500,000,000 2006 est. 19 Iran $ 13,130,000,000 2006 est. 20 Nigeria $ 12,590,000,000 2006 est. 21 Qatar $ 12,510,000,000 2006 est. 22 Taiwan $ 9,700,000,000 2006 est. 23 Finland $ 8,749,000,000 2006 est. 24 Iraq $ 8,134,000,000 2006 est. 25 Angola $ 7,700,000,000 2006 est. 26 Oman $ 7,097,000,000 2006 est. 27 Belgium $ 6,925,000,000 2006 est. 28 Korea, South $ 6,741,000,000 2006 est. 29 Austria $ 5,913,000,000 2006 est. 30 Argentina $ 5,810,000,000 2006 est. 31 Brazil $ 5,810,000,000 2006 est. 32 Philippines $ 5,355,000,000 2006 est. 33 Chile $ 5,063,000,000 2006 est. 34 Denmark $ 4,941,000,000 2006 est. 35 Luxembourg $ 4,630,000,000 2006 est. 36 Trinidad and Tobago $ 3,259,000,000 2006 est. 37 Azerbaijan $ 2,737,000,000 2006 est. 38 Egypt $ 2,697,000,000 2006 est. 39 Bahrain $ 1,999,000,000 2006 est. 40 Gabon $ 1,807,000,000 2006 est. 41 Botswana $ 1,698,000,000 2006 est. 42 Yemen $ 1,690,000,000 2006 est. 43 Indonesia $ 1,636,000,000 2006 est. 44 Peru $ 1,515,000,000 2006 est. 45 Israel $ 1,463,000,000 2006 est. 46 Uzbekistan $ 1,410,000,000 2006 est. 47 Burma $ 1,247,000,000 2006 est. 48 Congo, Republic of the $ 1,215,000,000 2006 est. 49 Vietnam $ 1,029,000,000 2006 est. 50 Ecuador $ 727,000,000 2006 est. 51 Bolivia $ 688,000,000 2006 est. 52 Papua New Guinea $ 661,000,000 2006 est. 53 Namibia $ 572,000,000 2006 est. 54 Cote d'Ivoire $ 460,000,000 2006 est. 55 Cameroon $ 419,000,000 2006 est. 56 Morocco $ 389,000,000 2006 est. 57 Bangladesh $ 339,000,000 2006 est. 58 Turkmenistan $ 321,200,000 2006 est. 59 Equatorial Guinea $ 175,000,000 2006 est. 60 British Virgin Islands $ 134,300,000 1999 61 Kazakhstan $ 133,000,000 2006 est. 62 Cook Islands $ 26,670,000 2005 63 Palau $ 15,090,000 FY03/04 64 Tuvalu $ 2,323,000 1998 65 Samoa $ -2,428,000 FY03/04 66 Tonga $ -4,321,000 FY04/05 67 Comoros $ -17,000,000 2005 est. 68 Kiribati $ -19,870,000 2004 69 Swaziland $ -23,130,000 2006 est. 70 Sao Tome and Principe $ -24,400,000 2006 est. 71 Vanuatu $ -28,350,000 2003 72 Micronesia, Federated States of $ -34,300,000 FY05 est. 73 Anguilla $ -42,870,000 2003 est. 74 Cape Verde $ -44,430,000 2006 est. 75 Gambia, The $ -54,610,000 2006 est. 76 Burundi $ -57,840,000 2006 est. 77 Haiti $ -58,720,000 2006 est. 78 Tajikistan $ -73,950,000 2006 est. 79 Lesotho $ -75,440,000 2006 est. 80 Seychelles $ -78,590,000 2006 est. 81 Antigua and Barbuda $ -83,400,000 2004 82 Guyana $ -84,300,000 2006 est. 83 Rwanda $ -104,100,000 2006 est. 84 Honduras $ -160,000,000 2006 est. 85 Zambia $ -165,400,000 2006 est. 86 Macedonia $ -167,000,000 2006 est. 87 Belize $ -173,400,000 2006 est. 88 Malawi $ -186,000,000 2006 est. 89 Ghana $ -219,000,000 2006 est. 90 Armenia $ -229,500,000 2006 est. 91 Togo $ -261,900,000 2006 est. 92 Zimbabwe $ -264,600,000 2006 est. 93 Kyrgyzstan $ -287,300,000 2006 est. 94 Paraguay $ -300,000,000 2006 est. 95 Chad $ -324,100,000 2006 est. 96 Benin $ -342,700,000 2006 est. 97 Guinea $ -344,000,000 2006 est. 98 Laos $ -381,700,000 2006 est. 99 Mexico $ -400,100,000 2006 est. 100 Cambodia $ -412,000,000 2006 est. 101 Uganda $ -423,000,000 2006 est. 102 Eritrea $ -440,500,000 2006 est. 103 Mozambique $ -444,400,000 2006 est. 104 Fiji $ -465,800,000 105 Panama $ -467,000,000 2006 est. 106 Madagascar $ -504,000,000 2006 est. 107 Belarus $ -511,800,000 2006 est. 108 Moldova $ -561,000,000 2006 est. 109 Uruguay $ -600,000,000 2006 est. 110 Burkina Faso $ -604,600,000 2006 est. 111 Mauritius $ -651,000,000 2006 est. 112 Albania $ -679,900,000 2006 est. 113 Georgia $ -735,000,000 2006 est. 114 Tunisia $ -760,000,000 2006 est. 115 Slovenia $ -789,200,000 2006 est. 116 Nicaragua $ -883,000,000 2006 est. 117 Senegal $ -895,200,000 2006 est. 118 Thailand $ -899,400,000 2006 est. 119 Tanzania $ -906,000,000 2006 est. 120 Malta $ -966,200,000 2006 est. 121 Jamaica $ -970,000,000 2006 est. 122 Cyprus $ -1,051,000,000 2006 est. 123 El Salvador $ -1,059,000,000 2006 est. 124 Syria $ -1,065,000,000 2005 est. 125 Sri Lanka $ -1,118,000,000 2006 est. 126 Kenya $ -1,119,000,000 2006 est. 127 Dominican Republic $ -1,124,000,000 2006 est. 128 Costa Rica $ -1,176,000,000 2006 est. 129 Cuba $ -1,218,000,000 2006 est. 130 Ethiopia $ -1,340,000,000 2006 est. 131 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ -1,730,000,000 2006 est. 132 Estonia $ -1,919,000,000 2006 est. 133 Ukraine $ -1,933,000,000 2006 est. 134 Guatemala $ -2,028,000,000 2006 est. 135 Colombia $ -2,219,000,000 2006 est. 136 Serbia $ -2,451,000,000 2005 est. 137 Latvia $ -2,538,000,000 2006 est. 138 Lithuania $ -2,572,000,000 2006 est. 139 Jordan $ -2,834,000,000 2006 est. 140 Croatia $ -2,892,000,000 2006 est. 141 Iceland $ -2,932,000,000 2006 est. 142 Slovakia $ -3,781,000,000 2006 est. 143 Bulgaria $ -4,130,000,000 2006 est. 144 Czech Republic $ -4,352,000,000 2006 est. 145 Sudan $ -4,510,000,000 2006 est. 146 Poland $ -4,548,000,000 2006 est. 147 Lebanon $ -5,339,000,000 October 2006 148 Pakistan $ -5,486,000,000 2006 est. 149 New Zealand $ -7,944,000,000 2006 est. 150 Hungary $ -8,392,000,000 2006 est. 151 Ireland $ -9,450,000,000 2006 est. 152 Romania $ -12,450,000,000 2006 est. 153 South Africa $ -12,690,000,000 2006 est. 154 Portugal $ -16,750,000,000 2006 est. 155 Greece $ -21,370,000,000 2006 est. 156 Italy $ -23,730,000,000 2006 est. 157 Turkey $ -25,990,000,000 2006 est. 158 India $ -26,400,000,000 2006 est. 159 France $ -35,360,000,000 2006 est. 160 Australia $ -41,620,000,000 2006 est. 161 United Kingdom $ -57,680,000,000 2006 est. 162 Spain $ -98,600,000,000 2006 est. 163 United States $ -862,300,000,000 2006 est.

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Rank code: @2188

Rank Country Reserves of foreign exchange and gold Date of Information

1 China $ 1,034,000,000,000 2006 est. 2 Japan $ 864,700,000,000 August 2006 est. 3 Russia $ 314,500,000,000 2006 est. 4 Taiwan $ 280,600,000,000 2006 est. 5 Korea, South $ 235,000,000,000 2006 est. 6 India $ 165,000,000,000 2006 est. 7 Singapore $ 134,600,000,000 2006 est. 8 Hong Kong $ 132,000,000,000 November 2006 est. 9 Mexico $ 85,010,000,000 2006 est. 10 Malaysia $ 82,300,000,000 2006 est. 11 Brazil $ 77,270,000,000 2006 est. 12 Algeria $ 71,960,000,000 2006 est. 13 Italy $ 70,500,000,000 2006 est. 14 United States $ 69,190,000,000 August 2006 est. 15 Thailand $ 59,060,000,000 2006 est. 16 Iran $ 58,460,000,000 2006 est. 17 Libya $ 57,480,000,000 2006 est. 18 Turkey $ 53,420,000,000 2006 est. 19 Poland $ 49,690,000,000 2006 est. 20 Norway $ 49,620,000,000 August 2006 est. 21 Germany $ 48,760,000,000 August 2006 est. 22 Australia $ 48,250,000,000 2006 est. 23 Indonesia $ 43,040,000,000 2006 est. 24 Nigeria $ 42,970,000,000 2006 est. 25 France $ 39,980,000,000 August 2006 est. 26 United Kingdom $ 38,830,000,000 August 2006 est. 27 Switzerland $ 38,290,000,000 August 2006 est. 28 Venezuela $ 35,950,000,000 2006 est. 29 Canada $ 35,790,000,000 August 2006 est. 30 Saudi Arabia $ 31,630,000,000 2006 est. 31 Czech Republic $ 30,990,000,000 2006 est. 32 Denmark $ 30,380,000,000 August 2006 est. 33 Argentina $ 30,240,000,000 November 2006 est. 34 Israel $ 28,200,000,000 2006 est. 35 Romania $ 27,880,000,000 2006 est. 36 Egypt $ 26,300,000,000 2006 est. 37 United Arab Emirates $ 25,510,000,000 2006 est. 38 South Africa $ 23,740,000,000 2006 est. 39 Sweden $ 22,260,000,000 August 2006 est. 40 Hungary $ 21,050,000,000 2006 est. 41 Ukraine $ 20,690,000,000 2006 est. 42 Philippines $ 20,570,000,000 2006 est. 43 Morocco $ 18,210,000,000 2006 est. 44 Chile $ 17,160,000,000 November 2006 est. 45 Peru $ 17,040,000,000 2006 est. 46 Spain $ 17,000,000,000 2006 est. 47 Lebanon $ 16,780,000,000 2006 est. 48 Colombia $ 16,500,000,000 2006 est. 49 Slovakia $ 15,750,000,000 2006 est. 50 Iraq $ 15,650,000,000 2006 est. 51 Kazakhstan $ 15,260,000,000 2006 est. 52 Pakistan $ 13,290,000,000 2006 est. 53 Vietnam $ 11,920,000,000 2006 est. 54 Kuwait $ 11,080,000,000 2006 est. 55 Croatia $ 11,070,000,000 2006 est. 56 Portugal $ 10,700,000,000 2006 est. 57 Bulgaria $ 10,580,000,000 2006 est. 58 Netherlands $ 10,240,000,000 August 2006 est. 59 New Zealand $ 10,000,000,000 2006 est. 60 Belgium $ 9,626,000,000 August 2006 est. 61 Slovenia $ 8,761,000,000 2006 est. 62 Austria $ 8,413,000,000 August 2006 est. 63 Botswana $ 7,445,000,000 2006 est. 64 Trinidad and Tobago $ 6,888,000,000 2006 est. 65 Angola $ 6,750,000,000 2006 est. 66 Yemen $ 6,735,000,000 2006 est. 67 Tunisia $ 6,646,000,000 2006 est. 68 Finland $ 6,561,000,000 August 2006 est. 69 Qatar $ 5,755,000,000 2006 est. 70 Jordan $ 5,550,000,000 2006 est. 71 Syria $ 5,500,000,000 2006 est. 72 Serbia $ 5,350,000,000 2005 est. 73 Lithuania $ 5,220,000,000 2006 est. 74 Oman $ 4,908,000,000 2006 est. 75 Cyprus $ 4,613,000,000 2006 est. 76 Guatemala $ 3,959,000,000 2006 est. 77 Uruguay $ 3,594,000,000 2006 est. 78 Sudan $ 3,552,000,000 2006 est. 79 Turkmenistan $ 3,518,000,000 2006 est. 80 Bolivia $ 3,303,000,000 2006 est. 81 Bangladesh $ 3,278,000,000 2006 est. 82 Equatorial Guinea $ 3,235,000,000 2006 est. 83 Malta $ 3,065,000,000 2006 est. 84 Uzbekistan $ 2,986,000,000 2006 est. 85 Bahrain $ 2,918,000,000 2006 est. 86 Sri Lanka $ 2,810,000,000 2006 est. 87 Honduras $ 2,778,000,000 2006 est. 88 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 2,700,000,000 2006 est. 89 Cuba $ 2,618,000,000 2006 est. 90 Latvia $ 2,610,000,000 2006 est. 91 Ecuador $ 2,514,000,000 2006 est. 92 Costa Rica $ 2,500,000,000 2006 est. 93 Greece $ 2,500,000,000 2006 est. 94 Tanzania $ 2,375,000,000 2006 est. 95 Kenya $ 2,350,000,000 2006 est. 96 Estonia $ 2,344,000,000 2006 est. 97 Jamaica $ 2,150,000,000 2006 est. 98 Dominican Republic $ 2,106,000,000 2006 est. 99 Ghana $ 2,098,000,000 2006 est. 100 El Salvador $ 1,951,000,000 2006 est. 101 Macedonia $ 1,845,000,000 2006 est. 102 Azerbaijan $ 1,800,000,000 2006 est. 103 Albania $ 1,621,000,000 2006 est. 104 Paraguay $ 1,543,000,000 2006 est. 105 Cote d'Ivoire $ 1,400,000,000 2006 est. 106 Uganda $ 1,400,000,000 2006 est. 107 Cambodia $ 1,385,000,000 2006 est. 108 Mauritius $ 1,358,000,000 2006 est. 109 Mozambique $ 1,353,000,000 2006 est. 110 Cameroon $ 1,336,000,000 2006 est. 111 Belarus $ 1,329,000,000 2006 est. 112 Burkina Faso $ 1,328,000,000 2006 est. 113 Panama $ 1,236,000,000 2006 est. 114 Ethiopia $ 1,186,000,000 2006 est. 115 Senegal $ 1,180,000,000 2006 est. 116 Papua New Guinea $ 1,099,000,000 2006 est. 117 Zambia $ 1,050,000,000 2006 est. 118 Iceland $ 1,018,000,000 August 2006 est. 119 Burma $ 932,000,000 2006 est. 120 Ireland $ 842,500,000 August 2006 est. 121 Gabon $ 835,000,000 2006 est. 122 Armenia $ 761,000,000 2006 est. 123 Nicaragua $ 723,000,000 2006 est. 124 Moldova $ 680,000,000 2006 est. 125 Kyrgyzstan $ 621,200,000 2006 est. 126 Benin $ 607,300,000 2006 est. 127 Madagascar $ 563,000,000 2006 est. 128 Congo, Republic of the $ 547,000,000 2006 est. 129 Lesotho $ 528,200,000 2006 est. 130 Georgia $ 492,000,000 2006 est. 131 Namibia $ 480,000,000 2006 est. 132 Rwanda $ 422,800,000 2006 est. 133 Chad $ 352,800,000 2006 est. 134 Togo $ 333,900,000 2006 est. 135 Laos $ 316,900,000 2006 est. 136 Guyana $ 294,900,000 2006 est. 137 Luxembourg $ 232,200,000 August 2006 est. 138 Swaziland $ 228,500,000 2006 est. 139 Tajikistan $ 209,200,000 2006 est. 140 Malawi $ 175,500,000 2006 est. 141 Cape Verde $ 166,400,000 2006 est. 142 Zimbabwe $ 140,000,000 2006 est. 143 Haiti $ 123,400,000 2006 est. 144 Gambia, The $ 88,110,000 2006 est. 145 Burundi $ 87,690,000 2006 est. 146 Belize $ 78,960,000 2006 est. 147 Samoa $ 70,150,000 FY03/04 148 Guinea $ 59,600,000 2006 est. 149 Seychelles $ 44,780,000 2006 est. 150 Tonga $ 40,830,000 yearend 151 Vanuatu $ 40,540,000 2003 152 Eritrea $ 30,600,000 2006 est. 153 Sao Tome and Principe $ 25,470,000 2006 est.

This file was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

Appendix A - Abbreviations

ABEDA: Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa

ACCT: Agency for the French-Speaking Community (see International

Organization of the French-speaking World)

ACP Group: African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States

AfDB: African Development Bank

AFESD: Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development

Air Pollution: Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution

Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides: Protocol to the 1979 Convention on

Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of

Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or Their Transboundary Fluxes

Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants: Protocol to the 1979

Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Persistent

Organic Pollutants

Air Pollution-Sulphur 85: Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long- Range Transboundary Air Pollution on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or Their Transboundary Fluxes by at Least 30%

Air Pollution-Sulphur 94: Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-

Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Further Reduction of Sulphur

Emissions

Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds: Protocol to the 1979

Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the

Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or Their

Transboundary Fluxes

AMF: Arab Monetary Fund

AMU: Arab Maghreb Union

Antarctic-Environmental Protocol: Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty

Antarctic Marine Living Resources: Convention on the Conservation of

Antarctic Marine Living Resources

Antarctic Seals: Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals

ANZUS: Australia-New Zealand-United States Security Treaty

APEC: Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation

Arabsat: Arab Satellite Communications Organization

ARF: ASEAN Regional Forum

AsDB: Asian Development Bank

ASEAN: Association of Southeast Asian Nations

AU: African Union

Autodin: Automatic Digital Network

BA: Baltic Assembly

bbl/day: barrels per day

BCIE: Central American Bank for Economic Integration

BDEAC: Central African States Development Bank

Benelux: Benelux Economic Union

BIMSTEC: Bay of Bengal Iniative for Multisectoral Technical and

Economic Cooperation

Biodiversity: Convention on Biological Diversity

BGN: United States Board on Geographic Names

BIS: Bank for International Settlements

BSEC: Black Sea Economic Cooperation Zone

C: Commonwealth

c.i.f.: cost, insurance, and freight

CACM: Central American Common Market

CAEU: Council of Arab Economic Unity

CAN: Andean Community of Nations

Caricom: Caribbean Community and Common Market

CB: citizen's band mobile radio communications

CBSS: Council of the Baltic Sea States

CCC: Customs Cooperation Council

CDB: Caribbean Development Bank

CE: Council of Europe

CEI: Central European Initiative

CEMAC: Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa

CEPGL: Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries

CERN: European Organization for Nuclear Research

CEPT: Conference Europeanne des Poste et Telecommunications

CIS: Commonwealth of Independent States

CITES: see Endangered Species

Climate Change: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol: Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations

Framework Convention on Climate Change

COCOM: Coordinating Committee on Export Controls

Comsat: Communications Satellite Corporation

COMESA: Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa

CTBTO: Preparation commission for the Nuclear-Ban-Treaty Operation

CY: calendar year

CP: Colombo Plan

DC: developed country

Desertification: United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa

DDT: dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane

DIA: United States Defense Intelligence Agency

DSN: Defense Switched Network

DST: daylight savings time

DWT: deadweight ton

EADB: East African Development Bank

EAEC: Eurasian Economic Community

EAPC: Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council

EBRD: European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

EC: European Community

ECA: Economic Commission for Africa

ECE: Economic Commission for Europe

ECLAC: Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

ECO: Economic Cooperation Organization

ECOSOC: Economic and Social Council

ECOWAS: Economic Community of West African States

ECSC: European Coal and Steel Community

EEC: European Economic Community

EFTA: European Free Trade Association

EEZ: exclusive economic zone

EIB: European Investment Bank

EMU: European Monetary Union

Endangered Species: Convention on the International Trade in

Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES)

Entente: Council of the Entente

Environmental Modification: Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques

ESA: European Space Agency

ESCAP: Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

ESCWA: Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia

est.: estimate

EU: European Union

Euratom: European Atomic Energy Community

Eutelsat: European Telecommunications Satellite Organization

Ex-Im: Export-Import Bank of the United States

f.o.b.: free on board

FAO: Food and Agriculture Organization

FAX: facsimile

FLS: Front Line States

FOC: flags of convenience

FSU: former Soviet Union

FY: fiscal year

FZ: Franc Zone

G-2: Group of 2

G-3: Group of 3

G-5: Group of 5

G-6: Group of 6

G-7: Group of 7

G-8: Group of 8

G-9: Group of 9

G-10: Group of 10

G-15: Group of 15

G-11: Group of 11

G-24: Group of 24

G-77: Group of 77

GATT: General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade; now WTO

GCC: Gulf Cooperation Council

GCTU: General Confederation of Trade Unions

GDP: gross domestic product

GMT: Greenwich Mean Time

GNP: gross national product

GRT: gross register ton

GSM: global system for mobile cellular communications

GUAM: Organization for Democracy and Economic Development; acronym for member states - Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova

GWP: gross world product

Hazardous Wastes: Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary

Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal

HF: high-frequency

HIV/AIDS: human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome

IADB: Inter-American Development Bank

IAEA: International Atomic Energy Agency

IANA: Internet Assigned Numbers Authority

IBRD: International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World

Bank)

ICAO: International Civil Aviation Organization

ICC: International Chamber of Commerce

ICCt: International Criminal Court

ICJ: International Court of Justice (World Court)

ICRC: International Committee of the Red Cross

ICRM: International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement

ICSID: International Center for Secretariat of Investment Disputes

ICTR: International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda

ICTY: International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia

IDA: International Development Association

IDB: Islamic Development Bank

IDP: internally displaced person

IEA: International Energy Agency

IFAD: International Fund for Agricultural Development

IFC: International Finance Corporation

IFRCS: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent

Societies

IGAD: Inter-Governmental Authority on Development

IHO: International Hydrographic Organization

ILO: International Labor Organization

IMF: International Monetary Fund

IMO: International Maritime Organization

Inmarsat: International Maritime Satellite Organization

InOC: Indian Ocean Commission

INSTRAW: International Research and Training Institute for the

Advancement of Women

Intelsat: International Telecommunications Satellite Organization

Interpol: International Criminal Police Organization

Intersputnik: International Organization of Space Communications

IOC: International Olympic Committee

IOM: International Organization for Migration

IPU: Inter-parliamentary Union

ISO: International Organization for Standardization

ISP: Internet Service Provider

ITU: International Telecommunication Union

ITUC: International Trade Union Confederation (the successor to ICFTU

(International Confederation of Free Trade Unions) and the WCL (World

Confederation of Labor)

kHz: kilohertz

km: kilometer

kW: kilowatt

kWh: kilowatt-hour

LAES: Latin American Economic System

LAIA: Latin American Integration Association

LAS: League of Arab States

Law of the Sea: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS)

LDC: less developed country

LLDC: least developed country

London Convention: see Marine Dumping

LOS: see Law of the Sea

m: meter

Marecs: Maritime European Communications Satellite

Marine Dumping: Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by

Dumping Wastes and Other Matter

Marine Life Conservation: Convention on Fishing and Conservation of

Living Resources of the High Seas

MARPOL: see Ship Pollution

Medarabtel: Middle East Telecommunications Project of the

International Telecommunications Union

Mercosur: Southern Cone Common Market

MHz: megahertz

MICAH: International Civilian Support Mission in Haiti

MINURSO: United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara

MIGA: Multilateral Investment Geographic Agency

MINUSTAH: United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti

MONUC: United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

NA: not available

NAFTA: North American Free Trade Agreement

NAM: Nonaligned Movement

NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization

NC: Nordic Council

NEA: Nuclear Energy Agency

NEGL: negligible

NGA: National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

NIB: Nordic Investment Bank

NIC: newly industrializing country

NIE: newly industrializing economy

NIS: new independent states

nm: nautical mile

NMT: Nordic Mobile Telephone

NSG: Nuclear Suppliers Group

Nuclear Test Ban: Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons Tests in the

Atmosphere, in Outer Space, and Under Water

NZ: New Zealand

OAPEC: Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries

OAS: Organization of American States

OAU: Organization of African Unity; see African Union

ODA: official development assistance

OECD: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

OECS: Organization of Eastern Caribbean States

OHCHR: Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

OIC: Organization of the Islamic Conference

OIF: International Organization of the French-speaking World

ONUB: United Nations Operation in Burundi

OOF: other official flows

OPANAL: Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean

OPCW: Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

OPEC: Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

OSCE: Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

Ozone Layer Protection: Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer

PCA: Permanent Court of Arbitration

PFP: Partnership for Peace

PIF: Pacific Islands Forum

PPP: purchasing power parity

Ramsar: see Wetlands

RG: Rio Group

SAARC: South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation

SACU: Southern African Customs Union

SACEP: South Asia Co-opeative Environment Programme

SADC: Southern African Development Community

SCO: Shanghai Cooperation Organization

SAFE: South African Far East Cable

SECI: Southeast European Cooperative Initiative

SHF: super-high-frequency

Ship Pollution: Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International

Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 (MARPOL)

Sparteca: South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation

Agreement

SPC: Secretariat of the Pacific Communities

SPF: South Pacific Forum

sq km: square kilometer

sq mi: square mile

TAT: Trans-Atlantic Telephone

Tropical Timber 83: International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983

Tropical Timber 94: International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994

UAE: United Arab Emirates

UDEAC: Central African Customs and Economic Union

UHF: ultra-high-frequency

UK: United Kingdom

UN: United Nations

UNAMSIL: United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone

UNCLOS: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, also know as

LOS

UNCTAD: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

UNDCP: United Nations Drug Control Program

UNDOF: United Nations Disengagement Observer Force

UNDP: United Nations Development Program

UNEP: United Nations Environment Program

UNESCO: United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural

Organization

UNFICYP: United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus

UNFPA: United Nations Population Fund

UNHCR: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

UNICEF: United Nations Children's Fund

UNICRI: United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research

Institute

UNIDIR: United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research

UNIDO: United Nations Industrial Development Organization

UNIFIL: United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon

UNITAR: United Nations Institute for Training and Research

UNMEE: United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea

UNMIK: United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo

UNMIL: United Nations Mission in Liberia

UNMIT: United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste

UNMOGIP: United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan

UNMOVIC: United Nations Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection

Commission

UNOCI: United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire

UNOMIG: United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia

UNOPS: United Nations Office of Project Services

UNRISD: United Nations Research Institute for Social Development

UNRWA: United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East

UNSC: United Nations Security Council

UNSSC: Untied Nations System Staff College

UNTSO: United Nations Truce Supervision Organization

UNU: United Nations University

UNWTO: World Tourism Organization

UPU: Universal Postal Union

US: United States

USSR: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (Soviet Union); used for information dated before 25 December 1991

UTC: Coordinated Universal Time

UV: ultra violet

VHF: very-high-frequency

VSAT: very small aperture terminal

WADB: West African Development Bank

WAEMU: West African Economic and Monetary Union

WCL: World Confederation of Labor

WCO: World Customs Organization

Wetlands: Convention on Wetlands of International Importance

Especially As Waterfowl Habitat

WEU: Western European Union

WFP: World Food Program

WFTU: World Federation of Trade Unions

Whaling: International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling

WHO: World Health Organization

WIPO: World Intellectual Property Organization

WMO: World Meteorological Organization

WP: Warsaw Pact

WTO: World Trade Organization

ZC: Zangger Committee

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

=====================================================================

Appendix B - International Organizations and Groups

advanced developing countries: another term for those less developed countries (LDCs) with particularly rapid industrial development; see newly industrializing economies (NIEs)

advanced economies: a term used by the International Monetary FUND (IMF) for the top group in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition, and developing countries; it includes the following 28 advanced economies: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UK, US; note - this group would presumably also cover the following seven smaller countries of Andorra, Bermuda, Faroe Islands, Holy See, Liechtenstein, Monaco, and San Marino that are included in the more comprehensive group of "developed countries"

African Development Bank (AfDB): note - its predecessor was

Organization of African Unity (OAU)

established - 9 September 1999

aim - to promote economic and social development

regional members - (53) Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso,

Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros,

Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire,

Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The

Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,

Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique,

Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal,

Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland,

Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

nonregional members - (24) Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada,

China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South

Korea, Kuwait, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain,

Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

African Union (AU): note - replaces Organization of African Unity

(OAU)

established - 8 July 2001

aim - to achieve greater unity among African States; to defend states' integrity and independence; to accelerate political, social, and economic integration; to encourage international cooperation; to promote democratic principles and institutions

members - (53) Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi,

Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros,

Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire,

Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The

Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,

Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia,

Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (Western

Sahara), Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,

Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia,

Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (ACP Group): established - 6 June 1975

aim - to manage their preferential economic and aid relationship with the EU

members - (79) Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados,

Belize, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde,

Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the

Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba,

Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Equatorial Guinea,

Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea,

Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho,

Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania,

Mauritius, Federated States of Micronesia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru,

Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and

Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome

and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands,

Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo,

Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPANAL): note - acronym from Organismo para la Proscripcion de las Armas Nucleares en la America Latina y el Caribe (OPANAL)

established - 14 February 1967 under the Treaty of Tlatelolco; effective - 25 April 1969 on the 11th ratification

aim - to encourage the peaceful uses of atomic energy and prohibit nuclear weapons

members - (33) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados,

Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica,

Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana,

Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru,

Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,

Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela

Andean Community of Nations (CAN): note - formerly known as the Andean

Group (AG), the Andean Parliament, and most recently as the Andean

Common Market (Ancom)

established - 26 May 1969; present name established 1 October 1992; effective - 16 October 1969

aim - to promote harmonious development through economic integration

members - (5) Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

associate members - (5) Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay

observers - (2) Mexico, Panama

Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (ABEDA): note - also known as Banque Arabe de Developpement Economique en Afrique (BADEA)

established - 18 February 1974; effective - 16 September 1974

aim - to promote economic development

members - (17 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Palestine Liberation Organization; note - these are all the members of the Arab League excluding Comoros, Djibouti, Somalia, Yemen

Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD): established - 16 May 1968

aim - to promote economic and social development

members - (20 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq (suspended 1993), Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia (suspended 1993), Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

Arab Maghreb Union (AMU): established - 17 February 1989

aim - to promote cooperation and integration among the Arab states of northern Africa

members - (5) Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia

Arab Monetary Fund (AMF): established - 27 April 1976; effective - 2

February 1977

aim - to promote Arab cooperation, development, and integration in monetary and economic affairs

members - (21 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria,

Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon,

Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan,

Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

Arctic Council: established - 18 September 1996

aim - to address the common concerns and challenges faced by Arctic governments and the people of the Arctic; to protect the Arctic environment

members - (8) Canada, Denmark (Greenland, Faroe Islands), Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, US

permanent participants - (6) Aleut International Association, Arctic

Athabaskan Council, Gurch'in Council International, Inuit Circumpolar

Conference, Russian Association of Indigenous People of the North,

Saami Council

observers - (5) France, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, UK

ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF): established - 25 July 1994

aim - to foster constructive dialogue and consultation on political and security issues of common interest and concern

members - (26) Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Canada,

China, East Timor, EU, India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, South

Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea,

Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, US, Vietnam

Asian Development Bank (AsDB): established - 19 December 1966

aim - to promote regional economic cooperation

members - (47) Afghanistan, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh,

Bhutan, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, East Timor, Fiji,

Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, South Korea,

Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Federated

States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Palau,

Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri

Lanka, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu,

Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam

nonregional members - (19) Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC): established - 7 November 1989

aim - to promote trade and investment in the Pacific basin

members - (21) Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, NZ, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, US, Vietnam

observers - (3) Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Pacific Economic Cooperation Council, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN): established - 8 August 1967

aim - to encourage regional economic, social, and cultural cooperation among the non-Communist countries of Southeast Asia

members - (10) Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam

dialogue partners - (12) Australia, Canada, China, EU, India, Japan, South Korea, NZ, Pakistan, Russia, US, UNDP

observers - (1) Papua New Guinea

Australia Group: established - June 1985

aim - to consult on and coordinate export controls related to chemical and biological weapons

members - (40) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,

Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, European Commission,

Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,

Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands,

NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain,

Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US

Australia-New Zealand-United States Security Treaty (ANZUS): established - 1 September 1951; effective - 29 April 1952

aim - to implement a trilateral mutual security agreement, although the US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986; Australia and the US continue to hold annual meetings

members - (3) Australia, NZ, US

Baltic Assembly (BA): established - 12 May 1990

aim - to thoroughly discuss various cooperation issues between Baltic states

members - (3) Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania

Bay of Bengal Iniative for Multisectoral Technical and Economic

Coopertion (BIMSTEC): established - June 1997

aim - to foster socio-economic cooperation among members

members - (7) Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand

Bank for International Settlements (BIS): established - 20 January 1930; effective - 17 March 1930

aim - to promote cooperation among central banks in international financial settlements

members - (55) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, European Central Bank, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, UK, US; note - Serbia and Montenegro have separate central banks; their links with BIS are currently under review

Benelux Economic Union (Benelux): note - acronym from Belgium,

Netherlands, and Luxembourg

established - 3 February 1958; effective - 1 November 1960

aim - to develop closer economic cooperation and integration

members - (3) Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands

Big Seven: note - membership is the same as the Group of 7

established - 1975

aim - to discuss and coordinate major economic policies

members - (7) Big Six (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK) plus the US

Black Sea Economic Cooperation Zone (BSEC): established - 25 June 1992

aim - to enhance regional stability through economic cooperation

members - (12) Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine; note - Macedonia is in the process of joining

observers - (16) Austria, Belarus, Black Sea Commission, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Energy Charter Secretariat, France, Germany, International Black Sea Club, Israel, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Tunisia, US; note - Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia have applied for observer status

Caribbean Community and Common Market (Caricom): established - 4 July 1973; effective - 1 August 1973

aim - to promote economic integration and development, especially among the less developed countries

members - (15) Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize,

Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and

Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname,

Trinidad and Tobago

associate members - (5) Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands

Caribbean Development Bank (CDB): established - 18 October 1969; effective - 26 January 1970

aim - to promote economic development and cooperation

regional members - (20) Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas,

Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Colombia,

Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and

Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and

Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Venezuela

nonregional members - (5) Canada, China, Germany, Italy, UK

Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC): see Monetary and

Economic Community of Central Africa (CEMAC)

Central African States Development Bank (BDEAC): note - acronym from

Banque de Developpement des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale

established - 3 December 1975

aim - to provide loans for economic development

members - (10) African Development Bank (AfDB), Cameroon, Central African States Bank (BEAC), Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Kuwait

Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE): note - acronym from Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economico

established - 13 December 1960 signature of Articles of Agreement; 31 May 1961 began operations

aim - to promote economic integration and development

members - (5) Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua

nonregional members - (5) Argentina, China, Colombia, Mexico, Spain

Central American Common Market (CACM): established - 13 December 1960, collapsed in 1969, reinstated in 1991

aim - to promote establishment of a Central American Common Market

members - (5) Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua; note - Panama, although not a member, pursues full regional cooperation

Central European Initiative (CEI): note - evolved from the

Quadrilateral Initiative and the Hexagonal Initiative

established - 11 November 1989 as the Quadrilateral Initiative, 27 July 1991 became the Hexagonal Initiative, July 1992 its present name was adopted

aim - to form an economic and political cooperation group for the region between the Adriatic and the Baltic Seas

members - (18) Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine

centrally planned economies: a term applied mainly to the traditionally Communist states that looked to the former USSR for leadership; most are now evolving toward more democratic and market- oriented systems; also known formerly as the Second World or as as the Communist countries; through the 1980s, this group included Albania, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, North Korea, Laos, Mongolia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, USSR, Vietnam

Colombo Plan (CP): established - May 1950 proposal was adopted; 1 July 1951 commenced full operations

aim - to promote economic and social development in Asia and the Pacific

members - (25) Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Fiji,

India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives,

Mongolia, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,

Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, US, Vietnam

Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA): note - formerly known as Preferential Trade Area for Eastern and Southern Africa (PTA)

established - 5 November 1993

aim - recognizing, promoting and protecting fundamental human rights, commitment to the principles of liberty and rule of law, maintaining peace and stability through the promotion and strengthening of good neighborliness, commitment to peaceful settlement of disputes among member states

members - (20) Angola, Burundi, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the

Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar,

Malawi, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sudan, Swaziland, Uganda,

Zambia, Zimbabwe

Commonwealth (C): note - also known as Commonwealth of Nations

established - 31 December 1931

aim - to foster multinational cooperation and assistance, as a voluntary association that evolved from the British Empire

members - (53) Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brunei, Cameroon, Canada, Cyprus, Dominica, Fiji, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, NZ, Nigeria, Pakistan (suspended), Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, UK, Vanuatu, Zambia; note - on 7 December 2003 Zimbabwe withdrew its membership from the Commonwealth

Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS): established - 8 December 1991; effective - 21 December 1991

aim - to coordinate intercommonwealth relations and to provide a mechanism for the orderly dissolution of the USSR

members - (12) Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

Communist countries: traditionally the Marxist-Leninist states with authoritarian governments and command economies based on the Soviet model; most of the original and the successor states are no longer Communist; see centrally planned economies

Coordinating Committee on Export Controls (COCOM): established in 1949 to control the export of strategic products and technical data from member countries to proscribed destinations; members were: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, UK, US; abolished 31 March 1994; COCOM members established a new organization, the Wassenaar Arrangement, with expanded membership on 12 July 1996 that focuses on nonproliferation export controls as opposed to East- West control of advanced technology

Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CEMA): note - also known as

CMEA or Comecon

established 25 January 1949 to promote the development of socialist economies and abolished 1 January 1991; members included Afghanistan (observer), Albania (had not participated since 1961 break with USSR), Angola (observer), Bulgaria, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Ethiopia (observer), GDR, Hungary, Laos (observer), Mongolia, Mozambique (observer), Nicaragua (observer), Poland, Romania, USSR, Vietnam, Yemen (observer), Yugoslavia (associate)

Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU): established - 3 June 1957; effective - 30 May 1964

aim - to promote economic integration among Arab nations

members - (10 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

Council of Europe (CE): established - 5 May 1949; effective - 3 August 1949

aim - to promote increased unity and quality of life in Europe

members - (46) Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium,

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic,

Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary,

Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg,

Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland,

Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia,

Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK

observers - (5) Canada, Holy See, Japan, Mexico, US

Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS): established - 6 March 1992

aim - to promote cooperation among the Baltic Sea states in the areas of aid to new democratic institutions, economic development, humanitarian aid, energy and the environment, cultural programs and education, and transportation and communication

members - (12) Denmark, Estonia, EC, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden

observers - (7) France, Italy, Netherlands, Slovakia, Ukraine, UK, US

Council of the Entente (Entente): established - 29 May 1959

aim - to promote economic, social, and political coordination

members - (5) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Niger, Togo

countries in transition: a term used by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the middle group in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition, and developing countries; IMF statistics include the following 28 countries in transition: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan; note - this group is identical to the group traditionally referred to as the "former USSR/Eastern Europe" except for the addition of Mongolia

Customs Cooperation Council (CCC): note - see World Customs

Organization (WCO)

developed countries (DCs): the top group in the hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); includes the market-oriented economies of the mainly democratic nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Bermuda, Israel, South Africa, and the European ministates; also known as the First World, high-income countries, the North, industrial countries; generally have a per capita GDP in excess of $10,000 although four OECD countries and South Africa have figures well under $10,000 and two of the excluded OPEC countries have figures of more than $10,000; the 34 DCs are: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, Canada, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US; note - similar to the new International Monetary Fund (IMF) term "advanced economies" that adds Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan but drops Malta, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey

developing countries: a term used by the International Monetary Fund

(IMF) for the bottom group in its hierarchy of advanced economies,

countries in transition, and developing countries; IMF statistics

include the following 126 developing countries: Afghanistan, Algeria,

Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, The Bahamas, Bahrain,

Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil,

Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central

African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic

Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote

d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,

Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The

Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,

Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya,

Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar,

Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania,

Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Morocco, Mozambique,

Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman,

Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar,

Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal,

Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri

Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,

Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, Uganda, Uruguay, Vanuatu,

Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe; note - this category would

presumably also cover the following 46 other countries that are

traditionally included in the more comprehensive group of "less

developed countries": American Samoa, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands,

Brunei, Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Cook Islands,

Cuba, Eritrea, Falkland Islands, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gaza

Strip, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guernsey, Isle

of Man, Jersey, North Korea, Macau, Martinique, Mayotte, Montserrat,

Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands,

Palau, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Saint Helena, Saint

Pierre and Miquelon, Tokelau, Tonga, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu,

Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna, West Bank, Western Sahara

East African Development Bank (EADB): established - 6 June 1967; effective - 1 December 1967

aim - to promote economic development

members - (3) Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda

East Asia Summit (EAS): established - 14 December 2005

aim - to promote cooperation in political and security issues; to promote development, financial stability, energy security, economic integration and growth; to eradicate poverty and narrow the development gap in East Asia, and to promote deeper cultural understanding

members - (16) Australia, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, NZ, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam

Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC): note - was formerly the Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC)

established - 8 December 1964; effective - 1 January 1966

aim - to promote the establishment of a Central African Common Market

members - (6) Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon

Economic and Monetary Union (EMU): note - an integral part of the

European Union; also known as the European Economic and Monetary Union

established - 1-2 December 1969 (proposed at summit conference of heads of government; 7 February 1992 (Maastricht Treaty signed)

aim - to promote a single market by creating a single currency, the euro; timetable - 2 May 1998: European exchange rates fixed for 1 January 1999; 1 January 1999: all banks and stock exchanges begin using euros; 1 January 2002: the euro goes into circulation; 1 July 2002 local currencies no longer accepted

members - (12) Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24 October 1945

aim - to coordinate the economic and social work of the UN; includes five regional commissions (Economic Commission for Africa, Economic Commission for Europe, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia) and nine functional commissions (Commission for Social Development, Commission on Human Rights, Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Commission on the Status of Women, Commission on Population and Development, Statistical Commission, Commission on Science and Technology for Development, Commission on Sustainable Development, and Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice)

members - (54) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL): note - acronym from Communaute Economique des Pays des Grands Lacs

established - 20 September 1976

aim - to promote regional economic cooperation and integration

members - (3) Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda; note - organization collapsed because of fighting in 1998; reactivated in 2006

Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS): established - 28

May 1975

aim - to promote regional economic cooperation

members - (15) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo

Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO): established - 27-29 January 1985

aim - to promote regional cooperation in trade, transportation, communications, tourism, cultural affairs, and economic development

members - (10) Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC): note - began as the North

Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC); an extension of NATO

established - 8 November 1991; effective - 20 December 1991

aim - to discuss cooperation on mutual political and security issues

members - (46) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium,

Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland,

France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,

Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia,

Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia,

Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey,

Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan

Eurasian Economic Community (EAEC): established - May 2001

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD): established - 8-9 January 1990 (proposals made); 15 April 1991 (bank inaugurated)

aim - to facilitate the transition of seven centrally planned economies in Europe (Bulgaria, former Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, former USSR, and former Yugoslavia) to market economies by committing 60% of its loans to privatization

members - (63) Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan,

Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia,

Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, EC, European Investment Bank

(EIB), Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary,

Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea,

Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia,

Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ,

Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia,

Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine,

UK, US, Uzbekistan

European Community (or European Communities, EC): established 8 April 1965 to integrate the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), the European Economic Community (EEC or Common Market), and to establish a completely integrated common market and an eventual federation of Europe; merged into the European Union (EU) on 7 February 1992; member states at the time of merger were Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, UK

European Free Trade Association (EFTA): established - 4 January 1960; effective - 3 May 1960

aim - to promote expansion of free trade

members - (4) Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland

European Investment Bank (EIB): established - 25 March 1957; effective - 1 January 1958

aim - to promote economic development of the EU and its predecessors, the EEC and the EC

members - (25) Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,

Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy,

Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal,

Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK

European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN): note - acronym retained from the predecessor organization Conseil Europeenne pour la Recherche Nucleaire

established - 1 July 1953; effective - 29 September 1954

aim - to foster nuclear research for peaceful purposes only

members - (20) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK

observers - (8) European Commission, India, Israel, Japan, Russia, Turkey, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), US

European Space Agency (ESA): established - 31 May 1975

aim - to promote peaceful cooperation in space research and technology

members - (17) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK

cooperating states - (4) Canada, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania

European Union (EU): note - see European Union entry at the end of the "country" listings

First World: another term for countries with advanced, industrialized economies; this term is fading from use; see developed countries (DCs)

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): established - 16 October 1945

aim - to raise living standards and increase availability of agricultural products; a UN specialized agency

members - (190) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Brunei, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, and Singapore (187 total); plus Cook Islands, EC, and Niue

former Soviet Union (FSU): former term often used to identify as a group the successor nations to the Soviet Union or USSR; this group of 15 countries consists of: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE): the middle group in the hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); these countries are in political and economic transition and may well be grouped differently in the near future; this group of 27 countries consists of: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia; this group is identical to the IMF group "countries in transition" except for the IMF's inclusion of Mongolia

Four Dragons: the four small Asian less developed countries (LDCs) that have experienced unusually rapid economic growth; also known as the Four Tigers; this group consists of Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan; these countries are included in the IMF's "advanced economies" group

Franc Zone (FZ): note - also known as Conference des Ministres des

Finances des Pays de la Zone Franc

established - 1964

aim - to form a monetary union among countries whose currencies were0000000 linked to the French franc

members - (16) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo

Front Line States (FLS): established to achieve black majority rule in

South Africa; has since gone out of existence; members included Angola,

Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT): see the World Trade

Organization (WTO)

General Confederation of Trade Unions (GFTU): established - 16 April 1992

aim - to consolidate trade union actions to protect citizens' social and labor rights and interests, to help secure trade unions' rights and guarantees, and to strengthen international trade union solidarity

members - (11) Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

Group of 2 (G-2): informal term that came into use about 1986; to facilitate bilateral economic cooperation between the two most powerful economic giants; members were Japan, US

Group of 3 (G-3): established - September 1990

aim - mechanism for policy coordination

members - (3) Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela

Group of 5 (G-5): established - 22 September 1985

aim - to coordinate the economic policies of five major noncommunist economic powers

members - (5) France, Germany, Japan, UK, US

Group of 6 (G-6): note - also known as Groupe des Six Sur le

Desarmement; not to be confused with the Big Six

established - 22 May 1984

aim - to achieve nuclear disarmament

members - (6) Argentina, Greece, India, Mexico, Sweden, Tanzania

Group of 7 (G-7): note - membership is the same as the Big Seven

established - 22 September 1985

aim - to facilitate economic cooperation among the seven major noncommunist economic powers

members - (7) Group of 5 (France, Germany, Japan, UK, US) plus Canada and Italy

Group of 8 (G-8): established - October 1975

aim - to facilitate economic cooperation among the developed countries (DCs) that participated in the Conference on International Economic Cooperation (CIEC), held in several sessions between December 1975 and 3 June 1977

members - (8) Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, UK, US

Group of 9 (G-9): established - NA

aim - to discuss matters of mutual interest on an informal basis

members - (9) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Sweden

Group of 10 (G-10): note - also known as the Paris Club; includes the wealthiest members of the IMF who provide most of the money to be loaned and act as the informal steering committee; name persists despite increased membership

established - October 1962

aim - to coordinate credit policy

members - (11) Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

observers - (4) BIS, EU, IMF, OECD

Group of 11 (G-11): note - also known as the Cartagena Group

established in 21-22 June 1984, in Cartagena, Colombia, aim was to provide a forum for largest debtor nations in Latin America; members were: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

Group of 15 (G-15): note - byproduct of the Nonaligned Movement; name persists despite increased membership

established - September 1989

aim - to promote economic cooperation among developing nations; to act as the main political organ for the Nonaligned Movement

members - (19) Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Venezuela, Zimbabwe

Group of 24 (G-24): established - 1 August 1989

aim - to promote the interests of developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America within the IMF

members - (24) Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Democratic

Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana,

Guatemala, India, Iran, Lebanon, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru,

Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago,

Venezuela

observers - (1) China

Group of 77 (G-77): established - 15 June1964; October 1967 first ministerial meeting

aim - to promote economic cooperation among developing countries; name persists in spite of increased membership

members - (130 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,

Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Bahrain,

Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and

Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi,

Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile,

China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of

the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica,

Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial

Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada,

Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India,

Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, Kuwait,

Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,

Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Federated

States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal,

Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea,

Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and

Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome

and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,

Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan,

Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad

and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE, Uruguay, Vanuatu,

Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation

Organization

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC): note - also known as the Cooperation

Council for the Arab States of the Gulf

established - 25 May 1981

aim - to promote regional cooperation in economic, social, political, and military affairs

members - (6) Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE

Organization for Democracy and Economic Development (GUAM): note- acronym standing for the member countries, Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova; formerly known as GUUAM before Uzbekistan withdrew in 5 May 2005

established - 7 June 2001

aim - commits the countries to cooperation and assistance in social and economic development, the strengthening and broadening of trade and economic relations, and the development and effective use of transport and communications, highways, and related infrastructure crossing the boundaries of the member states

members - (4) Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine

high income countries: another term for the industrialized countries with high per capita GDPs; see developed countries (DCs)

Indian Ocean Commission (InOC): established - 21 December 1982

aim - to organize and promote regional cooperation in all sectors, especially economic

members - (5) Comoros, France (for Reunion), Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles

industrial countries: another term for the developed countries; see developed countries (DCs)

Inter-American Development Bank (IADB): note - also known as Banco

Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID)

established - 8 April 1959; effective - 30 December 1959

aim - to promote economic and social development in Latin America

members - (47) Argentina, Austria, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium,

Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia,

Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, France,

Germany, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,

Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama,

Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Suriname, Sweden,

Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela

Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD): note - formerly known as Inter-Governmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGADD)

established - 15-16 January 1986 as the Inter-Governmental Authority on Drought and Development; revitalized - 21 March 1996 as the Inter- Governmental Authority on Development

aim - to promote a social, economic, and scientific community among its members

members - (7) Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda

Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU): established - 1889

aim - fosters contacts among parliamentarians, considers and expresses views of international interest and concern with the purpose of bringing about action by parliaments and parliamentarians, contributes to the defense and promotion of human rights, contributes to better knowledge of representative institutions

members - (148) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia,

Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium,

Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria,

Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile,

China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the

Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech

Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,

Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia,

Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Hungary, Iceland, India,

Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazahstan,

Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia,

Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Lichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg,

Macedonia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritius,

Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique,

Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway,

Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,

Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Somalia, Samoa, San

Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia,

Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,

Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Tajikistan, Thailand,

Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,

Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

associate members - (7) Andean Parliament, Central American Parliament,

Community Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States,

East African Legislative Assembly, European Parliament, Latin American

Parliament, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA): established - 26 October 1956; effective - 29 July 1957

aim - to promote peaceful uses of atomic energy

members - (145) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina,

Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium,

Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,

Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Cameroon, Canada, Central African

Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the

Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech

Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,

Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany,

Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland,

India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan,

Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia,

Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg,

Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands,

Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro,

Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,

Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,

Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal,

Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South

Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,

Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine,

UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,

Zimbabwe

International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD): note - also known as the World Bank

established - 22 July 1944; effective - 27 December 1945

aim - to provide economic development loans; a UN specialized agency

members - (185) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Cuba, North Korea, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Nauru, and Tuvalu

International Chamber of Commerce (ICC): established - 1919

aim - to promote free trade and private enterprise and to represent business interests at national and international levels

members - (91 national committees) Algeria, Argentina, Australia,

Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon,

Canada, Caribbean, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba,

Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El

Salvador, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala,

Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel,

Italy, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lithuania,

Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Nepal,

Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines,

Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal,

Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,

Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia,

Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO): established - 7

December 1944; effective - 4 April 1947

aim - to promote international cooperation in civil aviation; a UN specialized agency

members - (189) includes all UN member countries except Dominica, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, and Tuvalu (188 total); plus Cook Islands

International Civilian Support Mission in Haiti (MICAH): established

17 December 1999 to promote respect for human rights; members included

Argentina, Benin, Canada, France, India, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo,

Tunisia, US; closed 2001

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): established - 17

February 1863

aim - to provide humanitarian aid in wartime

members - (15-25 individuals) all Swiss nationals

International Court of Justice (ICJ): note - also known as the World

Court

established - 3 February 1946 superseded Permanent Court of International Justice

aim - primary judicial organ of the UN

members - (15 judges) elected by the UN General Assembly and Security Council to represent all principal legal systems

International Criminal Court (ICCt): established - 11 April 2002

aim - to hold all individuals and countries accountable to international laws of conduct; to specify international standards of conduct; to provide an important mechanism for implementing these standards; to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice

members (countries that have ratified the treaty) - (104) Afghanistan,

Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria,

Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina,

Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada,

Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic

of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus,

Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador,

Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany,

Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,

Italy, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia,

Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malawi, Mali, Malta,

Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, Namibia,

Nauru, Netherlands, NZ, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru,

Poland, Portugal, Romania, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint

Kitts and Nevis, Samoa, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone,

Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,

Tajikistan, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, UK, Uruguay,

Venezuela, Zambia; note - Comoros and Saint Kitts and Nevis became full

members on 1 November 2006

signatory states (countries that have signed, but not ratified, the

treaty) - (39) Algeria, Angola, Armenia, The Bahamas, Bahrain,

Bangladesh, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chile, Cote d'Ivoire, Czech Republic,

Egypt, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Iran, Jamaica, Kuwait,

Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, Moldova, Monaco, Morocco, Mozambique, Oman,

Philippines, Russia, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles,

Solomon Islands, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, Ukraine, UAE, Uzbekistan,

Yemen, Zimbabwe

International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol): established - September 1923 set up as the International Criminal Police Commission; 13 June 1956 constitution modified and present name adopted

aim - to promote international cooperation among police authorities in fighting crime

members - (186) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua

and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan,

The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,

Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,

Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,

Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,

Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the

Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech

Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor,

Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia,

Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany,

Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,

Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,

Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya,

South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho,

Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia,

Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands,

Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro,

Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands

Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,

Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,

Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint

Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Sao Tome and

Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,

Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,

Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan,

Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,

Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,

Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

subbureaus - (11) American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Macau, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos Islands

International Development Association (IDA): established - 26 January 1960; effective - 24 September 1960

aim - to provide economic loans for low-income countries; UN specialized agency and IBRD affiliate

members - (166)

Part I - (27 developed countries) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE, UK, US

Part II - (139 less developed countries) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Energy Agency (IEA): established - 15 November 1974

aim - to promote cooperation on energy matters, especially emergency oil sharing and relations between oil consumers and oil producers; established by the OECD

members - (27) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic,

Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy,

Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal,

Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

(IFRCS): note - formerly known as League of Red Cross and Red Crescent

Societies (LORCS)

established - 5 May 1919

aim - to organize, coordinate, and direct international relief actions; to promote humanitarian activities; to represent and encourage the development of National Societies; to bring help to victims of armed conflicts, refugees, and displaced people; to reduce the vulnerability of people through development programs

members - (185 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,

Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,

Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain,

Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia

and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso,

Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African

Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of

the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote

d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica,

Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial

Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia,

Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-

Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia,

Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,

Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,

Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,

Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta,

Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova,

Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,

Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New

Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania,

Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and

the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,

Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia,

Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,

Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan,

Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,

Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,

Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Palestine Liberation Organization

observers - (2) Eritrea and Tuvalu

International Finance Corporation (IFC): established - 25 May 1955; effective - 24 July 1956

aim - to support private enterprise in international economic development; a UN specialized agency and IBRD affiliate

members - (177) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Brunei, Cuba, Guinea, North Korea, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Montenegro, Nauru, Qatar, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Suriname, Tuvalu

International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD): established -

November 1974

aim - to promote agricultural development; a UN specialized agency

members - (165)

Category I - (23 industrialized aid contributors) Australia, Austria,

Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland,

Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal,

Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

Category II - (12 petroleum-exporting aid contributors) Algeria, Gabon,

Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia,

UAE, Venezuela

Category III - (130 aid recipients) Afghanistan, Albania, Angola,

Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh,

Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina,

Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,

Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,

Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook

Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti,

Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,

Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana,

Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras,

India, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North

Korea, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia,

Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,

Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,

Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Niue, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua

New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts

and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao

Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia (suspended since 1992), Seychelles,

Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan,

Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,

Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Uruguay, Vietnam,

Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Hydrographic Organization (IHO): note - name changed from International Hydrographic Bureau on 22 September 1970

established - June 1919; effective - June 1921

aim - to train hydrographic surveyors and nautical cartographers to achieve standardization in nautical charts and electronic chart displays; to provide advice on nautical cartography and hydrography; to develop the sciences in the field of hydrography and techniques used for descriptive oceanograrphy

members - (76) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh,

Belgium, Brazil, Burma, Canada, Chile, China (including Hong Kong and

Macau), Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo (suspended),

Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic (suspended),

Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,

Guatemala, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Jamaica, Japan,

North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico,

Monaco, Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,

Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal,

Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,

Suriname (suspended), Sweden, Syria, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and

Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela

International Labor Organization (ILO): established - 28 June 1919 set up as part of Treaty of Versailles; 11 April 1919 became operative; 14 December 1946 affiliated with the UN

aim - to deal with world labor issues; a UN specialized agency

members - (179) includes all UN member countries except Andorra,

Bhutan, Brunei, North Korea, Liechtenstein, Maldives, Marshall Islands,

Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Nauru, Palau, Tonga, and

Tuvalu; note - includes the following dependencies: Netherlands

(Netherlands Antilles and Aruba)

International Maritime Organization (IMO): note - name changed from Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO) on 22 May 1982

established - 6 March 1948 set up as the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization; effective - 17 March 1958

aim - to deal with international maritime affairs; a UN specialized agency

members - (167) includes all UN member countries except Afghanistan,

Andorra, Armenia, Belarus, Bhutan, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi,

Central African Republic, Chad, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho,

Liechtenstein, Mali, Federated States of Micronesia, Montenegro, Nauru,

Niger, Palau, Rwanda, Tajikistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Zambia

associate members - (3) Faroe Islands, Hong Kong, Macau

International Monetary Fund (IMF): established - 22 July 1944; effective - 27 December 1945

aim - to promote world monetary stability and economic development; a UN specialized agency

members - (184) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Cuba, North Korea, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Nauru, Tuvalu; note - includes the following dependencies or areas of special interest: China (Hong Kong and Macau), Netherlands (Netherlands Antilles and Aruba)

International Olympic Committee (IOC): established - 23 June 1894

aim - to promote the Olympic ideals and administer the Olympic games: 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy; 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China; 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada; 2012 Summer Olympics in London, UK

National Olympic Committees - (201 and the Palestine Liberation

Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra,

Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia,

Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados,

Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and

Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Brunei,

Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,

Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile,

China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of

the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba,

Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican

Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea,

Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia,

Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea,

Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland,

India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan,

Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,

Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,

Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,

Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania,

Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco,

Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands,

Netherlands Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,

Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,

Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint

Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa,

San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia,

Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon

Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname,

Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania,

Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,

Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,

Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Palestine Liberation Organization

International Organization for Migration (IOM): note - established as

Provisional Intergovernmental Committee for the Movement of Migrants

from Europe; renamed Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration

(ICEM) on 15 November 1952; renamed Intergovernmental Committee for

Migration (ICM) in November 1980; current name adopted 14 November 1989

established - 5 December 1951

aim - to facilitate orderly international emigration and immigration

members - (120) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina,

Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh,

Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina,

Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde,

Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the

Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic,

Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia,

Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,

Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iran,

Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya,

South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg,

Madagascar, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova,

Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria,

Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,

Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Slovakia,

Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland,

Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine,

UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

observers - (19) Bhutan, Burundi, China, Cuba, Ethiopia, Guyana, Holy

See, India, Indonesia, Macedonia, Mozambique, Namibia, Papua New

Guinea, Russia, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia,

Turkmenistan, Vietnam

International Organization for Standardization (ISO): established -

February 1947

aim - to promote the development of international standards with a view to facilitating international exchange of goods and services and to developing cooperation in the sphere of intellectual, scientific, technological and economic activity

members - (103 national standards organizations) Algeria, Argentina,

Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados,

Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria,

Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa

Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,

Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana,

Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland,

Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea,

South Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia,

Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria,

Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar,

Romania, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore,

Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden,

Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,

Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam,

Zimbabwe

correspondent members - (43 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization)

Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Brunei, Burkina

Faso, Burma, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia,

Georgia, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Hong Kong, Kyrgyzstan,

Latvia, Lithuania, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Moldova,

Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Papua New Guinea,

Paraguay, Peru, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Swaziland, Togo,

Turkmenistan, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia, Palestine Liberation Organization

subscriber members - (9) Antigua and Barbuda, Burundi, Cambodia, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Honduras, Lesotho, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

International Organization of the French-speaking World (OIF): note - name changed from Agency of Cultural and Technical Cooperation (ACCT) in 1997

established - 20 March 1970

aim - founded around a common language to promote and spread the cultures of its members and to reinforce cultural and technical cooperation between them

members - (55) Albania, Andorra, Belgium, Benin, Bulgaria, Burkina

Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Canada - New Brunswick,

Canada - Quebec, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros,

Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Cyprus,

Djibouti, Dominica, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, France, French Community

of Belgium, Gabon, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Laos,

Lebanon, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania,

Mauritius, Moldova, Monaco, Morocco, Niger, Romania, Rwanda, Saint

Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Switzerland, Togo,

Tunisia, Vanuatu, Vietnam

observers - (13) Armenia, Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Georgia, Hungary, Lithuania, Mozambique, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine

International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM): established - 1928

aim - to promote worldwide humanitarian aid through the International

Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in wartime, and International

Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS; formerly

League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies or LORCS) in peacetime

National Societies - (182 countries); note - same as membership for

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

(IFRCS)

International Telecommunication Union (ITU): established - 17 May 1865 set up as the International Telegraph Union; 9 December 1932 adopted present name; effective - 1 January 1934; affiliated with the UN - 15 November 1947

aim - to deal with world telecommunications issues; a UN specialized agency

members - (191) includes all UN member countries except East Timor, Palau (190 total); plus Holy See

International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC): note - its predecessors were the Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) and the World Confederation of Labor (WCL)

established - 3 November 2006

aim - to promote the trade union movement

members - (306 affiliated organizations in the following 153 countries)

Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Argentina,

Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus,

Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bonaire, Bosnia and Herzegovina,

Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde,

Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of

the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote

d'Ivoire, Croatia, Curacao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,

Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia,

Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Gabon, The Gambia,

Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-

Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland,

India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South

Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia,

Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius,

Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal,

Netherlands, New Caledonia, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway,

Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto

Rico, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent

and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal,

Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa,

Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan,

Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,

Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Islamic Development Bank (IDB): established - 15 December 1973 by declaration of intent; effective - 12 August 1974

aim - to promote Islamic economic aid and social development

members - (55 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,

Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei,

Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt,

Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,

Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia,

Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Oman,

Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan,

Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan,

Uganda, UAE, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

Latin American Economic System (LAES): note - also known as Sistema

Economico Latinoamericana (SELA)

established - 17 October 1975

aim - to promote economic and social development through regional cooperation

members - (27) Argentina, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile,

Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador,

Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico,

Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago,

Uruguay, Venezuela

Latin American Integration Association (LAIA): note - also known as

Asociacion Latinoamericana de Integracion (ALADI)

established - 12 August 1980; effective - 18 March 1981

aim - to promote freer regional trade

members - (12) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

observers - (26) China, Corporacion Andina de Fomento, Costa Rica,

Dominican Republic, EC, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Inter-

American Development Bank, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on

Agriculture, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latin America Economic System,

Nicaragua, Organization of American States, Panama, Pan-American Health

Organization, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine,

United Nations Development Program, United Nations Economic Commission

for Latin America and the Caribbean

League of Arab States (LAS): note - also known as Arab League (AL)

established - 22 March 1945

aim - aim - to promote economic, social, political, and military cooperation

members - (21 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria,

Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon,

Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan,

Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

least developed countries (LLDCs): that subgroup of the less developed countries (LDCs) initially identified by the UN General Assembly in 1971 as having no significant economic growth, per capita GDPs normally less than $1,000, and low literacy rates; also known as the undeveloped countries; the 42 LLDCs are: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos, Lesotho, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Yemen

less developed countries (LDCs): the bottom group in the hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); mainly countries and dependent areas with low levels of output, living standards, and technology; per capita GDPs are generally below $5,000 and often less than $1,500; however, the group also includes a number of countries with high per capita incomes, areas of advanced technology, and rapid rates of growth; includes the advanced developing countries, developing countries, Four Dragons (Four Tigers), least developed countries (LLDCs), low-income countries, middle-income countries, newly industrializing economies (NIEs), the South, Third World, underdeveloped countries, undeveloped countries; the 172 LDCs are: Afghanistan, Algeria, American Samoa, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands, Fiji, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gabon, The Gambia, Gaza Strip, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guernsey, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Isle of Man, Jamaica, Jersey, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Oman, Palau, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, UAE, Uganda, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna, West Bank, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe; note - similar to the new International Monetary Fund (IMF) term "developing countries" which adds Malta, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey but omits in its recently published statistics American Samoa, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Cook Islands, Cuba, Eritrea, Falkland Islands, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gaza Strip, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, North Korea, Macau, Martinique, Mayotte, Montserrat, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Saint Helena, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Tokelau, Tonga, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna, West Bank, Western Sahara

low-income countries: another term for those less developed countries with below-average per capita GDPs; see less developed countries (LDCs)

middle-income countries: another term for those less developed countries with above-average per capita GDPs; see less developed countries (LDCs)

Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA): established - 12

April 1988

aim - encourages flow of foreign direct investment among member countries by offering investment insurance, consultation, and negotiation on conditions for foreign investment and technical assistance; a UN specialized agency

members - (168) includes all UN member countries except Andorra,

Bhutan, Brunei, Burma, Comoros, Cuba, Djibouti, Iraq, Kirabati, North

Korea, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Monaco,

Montenegro, Nauru, NZ, Niger, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe,

Somalia, Tonga, Tuvalu

Near Abroad: Russian term for the 14 non-Russian successor states of the USSR, in which 25 million ethnic Russians live and in which Moscow has expressed a strong national security interest; the 14 countries are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

new independent states (NIS): a term referring to all the countries of the FSU except the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania)

newly industrializing countries (NICs): former term for the newly industrializing economies; see newly industrializing economies (NIEs)

newly industrializing economies (NIEs): that subgroup of the less developed countries (LDCs) that has experienced particularly rapid industrialization of their economies; formerly known as the newly industrializing countries (NICs); also known as advanced developing countries; usually includes the Four Dragons (Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan), and Brazil

Nonaligned Movement (NAM): established - 1-6 September 1961

aim - to establish political and military cooperation apart from the traditional East or West blocs

members - (116 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,

Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,

Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brunei,

Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central

African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic

of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti,

Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial

Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada,

Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India,

Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Kenya, North Korea, Kuwait, Laos,

Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,

Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,

Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama,

Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and

Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and

Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,

Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria,

Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan,

Uganda, UAE, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,

Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization

observers - (15) Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvadore, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Paraguay, Serbia, Ukraine, Uruguay

guests - (23) Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic,

Finland, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, NZ,

Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain,

Sweden, Switzerland

Nordic Council (NC): established - 16 March 1952; effective - 12

February 1953

aim - to promote regional economic, cultural, and environmental cooperation

members - (5) Denmark (including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Finland (including Aland Islands), Iceland, Norway, Sweden

observers - (3) the Sami (Lapp) local parliaments of Finland, Norway, and Sweden

Nordic Investment Bank (NIB): established - 4 December 1975; effective - 1 June 1976

aim - to promote economic cooperation and development

members - (8) Denmark (including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Estonia, Finland (including Aland Islands), Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden

North: a popular term for the rich industrialized countries generally located in the northern portion of the Northern Hemisphere; the counterpart of the South; see developed countries (DCs)

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA): established - 17 December 1992

aim - to eliminate trade barriers, promote fair competition, increase investment opportunities, provide protection of intellectual property rights, and create procedures to settle disputes

members - (3) Canada, Mexico, US

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO): established - 4 April 1949

aim - to promote mutual defense and cooperation

members - (26) Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark,

Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia,

Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania,

Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, UK, US

Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA): note - also known as OECD Nuclear Energy

Agency

established - 1 February 1958

aim - to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy; associated with OECD

members - (28) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic,

Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,

Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway,

Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG): note - also known as the London

Suppliers Group or the London Group

established - 1974; effective - 1975

aim - to establish guidelines for exports of nuclear materials, processing equipment for uranium enrichment, and technical information to countries of proliferation concern and regions of conflict and instability

members - (45) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil,

Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,

Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy,

Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta,

Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia,

Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine,

UK, US

observer - (1) European Commission (a policy-planning body for the EU)

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD): established - 14 December 1960; effective - 30 September 1961

aim - to promote economic cooperation and development

members - (30) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic,

Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,

Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Norway,

Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

special member - (1) EC

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE): note - formerly the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) established 3 July 1975

established - 1 January 1995

aim - to foster the implementation of human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy, and the rule of law; to act as an instrument of early warning, conflict prevention, and crisis management; and to serve as a framework for conventional arms control and confidence building measures

members - (56) Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus,

Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus,

Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany,

Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan,

Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia,

Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland,

Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia,

Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine,

UK, US, Uzbekistan

partners for cooperation - (11) Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Mongolia, Morocco, Thailand, Tunisia

Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW): established - 29 April 1997

aim - to enforce the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling, and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction; to provide a forum for consultation and cooperation among the signatories of the Convention

members (countries that have ratified the Convention) - (181)

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,

Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus,

Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina,

Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia,

Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile,

China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cook

Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech

Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Djibouti, East Timor, Ecuador, El

Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland,

France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada,

Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland,

India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,

Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,

Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg,

Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,

Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of

Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique,

Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria,

Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea,

Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia,

Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,

Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia,

Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,

Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania,

Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,

Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,

Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

signatory states (countries that have signed, but not ratified, the Convention) - (6) The Bahamas, Burma, Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Israel

Organization of African Unity (OAU): see African Union

Organization of American States (OAS): established - 14 April 1890 as the International Union of American Republics; 30 April 1948 adopted present charter; effective - 13 December 1951

aim - to promote regional peace and security as well as economic and social development

members - (35) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba (excluded from formal participation since 1962), Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, US, Uruguay, Venezuela

observers - (60) Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan,

Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Cyprus,

Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, EU,

Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Holy See, Hungary,

India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia,

Lebanon, Luxembourg, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan,

Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia,

Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland,

Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, Yemen

Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC): established - 9 January 1968

aim - to promote cooperation in the petroleum industry

members - (11) Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia (suspended), UAE

Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS): established - 18 June 1981; effective - 4 July 1981

aim - to promote political, economic, and defense cooperation

members - (7) Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

associate member - (2) Anguilla, British Virgin Islands

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC): established - 14

September 1960

aim - to coordinate petroleum policies

members - (11) Algeria, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Venezuela

Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC): established - 22-25

September 1969

aim - to promote Islamic solidarity in economic, social, cultural, and political affairs

members - (56 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,

Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei,

Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt,

Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Indonesia, Iran,

Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia,

Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Oman,

Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan,

Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan,

Uganda, UAE, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

observers - (11) AU, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Central African Republic, ECO, LAS, Moro National Liberation Front, NAM, Russia, Thailand, Turkish Muslim Community of Kibris, UN

Pacific Community (SPC): note - formerly known as the South Pacific

Commission (SPC)

established - 6 February 1947; effective - 29 July 1948

aim - to promote regional cooperation in economic and social matters

members - (26) American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, France, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, NZ, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, US, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna; note - UK withdrew in January 2005

Pacific Islands Forum (PIF): note - formerly known as South Pacific

Forum (SPF)

established - 5 August 1971

aim - to promote regional cooperation in political matters

members - (16) Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, NZ, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

observers - (4) East Timor, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Tokelau

Paris Club: established - 1956

aim - to provide a forum for debtor countries to negotiate rescheduling of debt service payments or loans extended by governments or official agencies of participating countries; to help restore normal trade and project finance to debtor countries

members - (19) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

Partnership for Peace (PFP): established - 10-11 January 1994

aim - to expand and intensify political and military cooperation throughout Europe, increase stability, diminish threats to peace, and build relationships by promoting the spirit of practical cooperation and commitment to democratic principles that underpin NATO; program under the auspices of NATO

members - (23) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Finland, Georgia, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan; note - a nation that becomes a member of NATO is no longer a member of PFP

Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA): established - 29 July 1899

aim - to facilitate the settlement of international disputes

members - (105) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium,

Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon,

Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa

Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican

Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia,

Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti,

Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy,

Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia,

Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia,

Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ,

Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland,

Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia,

Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,

Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Turkey,

Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Rio Group (RG): note - formerly known as Grupo de los Ocho, established NA December 1986; composed of the Contadora Group and the Lima Group

established - 1988

aim - to consult on regional Latin American issues

members - (20) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, CARICOM, Chile, Colombia,

Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala,

Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay,

Venezuela

Second World: another term for the traditionally Marxist-Leninist states of the USSR and Eastern Europe, with authoritarian governments and command economies based on the Soviet model; the term is fading from use; see centrally planned economies

Secretariat of the Pacific Communities (SPC): established - 6 February 1947

aim - to serve island development in 22 Pacific countries; to develop technical assistance and professional, scientific, and research support; to build planning and management capability

members - (26) America Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, France,

French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of

Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands, NZ,

Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands,

Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, US, Wallis and Futuna

Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO): established - 15 June 2001

aim - to combat terrorism, extremism, and separatism; to safeguard regional security through mutual trust, disarmament, and cooperative security; and to increase cooperation in political, trade, economic, scientific and technological, cultural, and educational fields

members - (6) China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan

observer - (4) India, Iran, Mongolia, Pakistan

socialist countries: in general, countries in which the government owns and plans the use of the major factors of production; note - the term is sometimes used incorrectly as a synonym for Communist countries

South: a popular term for the poorer, less industrialized countries generally located south of the developed countries; the counterpart of the North; see less developed countries (LDCs)

South American Community of Nations (CSN): established - 9 December 2004

aim - to coordinate common policies regarding multilateral organizations, to integrate physical infrastructure, and to consolidate the merger of CAN and Mercosur

members - (12) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Surinam, Uruguay, Venezuela

observers - (2) Mexico, Panama

South Asia Co-operative Environment Program (SACEP): established -

January 1983

aim - to promote regional cooperation in South Asia in the field of environment, both natural and human, and on issues of economic and social development; to support conservation and management of natural resources of the region

members - (7) Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC): established - 8 December 1985

aim - to promote economic, social, and cultural cooperation

members - (7) Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka

observers - (5) China, EC, Japan, South Korea, US

South Pacific Forum (SPF): note - see Pacific Island Forum

South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement

(Sparteca): established - 1981

aim - to redress unequal trade relationships of Australia and New Zealand with small island economies in the Pacific region

members - (16) Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, NZ, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI): established - 6

December 1996

aim - to encourage cooperation among participating states and to facilitate their integration into European structures

members - (12) Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey

observers - (15) Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Canada, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Ukraine, UK, US

Southern African Customs Union (SACU): established - 11 December 1969

aim - to promote free trade and cooperation in customs matters

members - (5) Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland

Southern African Development Community (SADC): note - evolved from the

Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC)

established - 17 August 1992

aim - to promote regional economic development and integration

members - (14) Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Southern Cone Common Market (Mercosur) or Southern Common Market: note - also known as Mercado Comun del Cono Sur (Mercosur)

established - 26 March 1991

aim - to increase regional economic cooperation

members - (5) Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela

associate members - (5) Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru; note - Mexico is to become an associate member by the end of 2006

Third World: another term for the less developed countries; the term is obsolescent; see less developed countries (LDCs)

underdeveloped countries: refers to those less developed countries with the potential for above-average economic growth; see less developed countries (LDCs)

undeveloped countries: refers to those extremely poor less developed countries (LDCs) with little prospect for economic growth; see least developed countries (LLDCs)

United Nations (UN): established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24

October 1945

aim - to maintain international peace and security and to promote cooperation involving economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian problems

constituent organizations - the UN is composed of six principal organs and numerous subordinate agencies and bodies as follows:

1) Secretariat

2) General Assembly: Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UN

AIDS), International Research and Training Institute for the

Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), Office of the United Nations High

Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Organization for the Prohibition

of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Preparation Commission for the Nuclear-Ban-

Treaty Operation ((CTBTU), United Nations Center for Human Settlements

(UN-Habitat), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), United Nations

Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations

Development Program (UNDP), United Nations Drug Control Program

(UNDCP), United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), United Nations High

Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), United Nations Institute for

Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), United Nations Institute for Training

and Research (UNITAR), United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice

Research Institute (UNICRI), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA),

United Nations Office of Project Services (UNOPS), United Nations

Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East

(UNRWA), United Nations Research Institute for Social Development

(UNRISD), United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC), United Nations

University (UNU), World Food Program (WFP)

3) Security Council: International Criminal Tribunal for the Former

Yugoslavia (ICTY), International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR),

United Nations Compensation Commission, United Nations Disengagement

Observer Force (UNDOF), United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-

Leste (UNMIT), United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo

(UNMIK), United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), United

Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), United Nations Military Observer

Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), United Nations Operation in

Burundi (ONUB), United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI),

United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO),

United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), United Nations

Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS), United Nations Monitoring and

Verification Commission (UNMOVIC), United Nations Observer Mission in

Georgia (UNOMIG), United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic

Republic of the Congo (MONUC), United Nations Peace-Keeping Force in

Cyprus (UNFICYP), United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti

(MINUSTAH), and United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO)

4) Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): Commission for Social

Development, Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice,

Commission on Narcotics Drugs, Commission on Population and

Development, Commission on Science and Technology for Development,

Commission on Sustainable Development, Commission on the Status of

Women, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP),

Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), Economic

Commission for Africa (ECA), Economic Commission for Europe (ECE),

Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Food

and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), International

Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Bank for Reconstruction and

Development (IBRD), International Center for Secretariat of Investment

Disputes (ICSID), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO),

International Development Association (IDA), International Finance

Corporation (IFC), International Fund for Agricultural Development

(IFAD), International Labor Organization (ILO), International Maritime

Organization (IMO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), International

Telecommunication Union (ITU), Multilateral Investment Geographic

Agency (MIGA), Statistical Commission, United Nations Educational,

Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Forum on

Forests, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO),

Universal Postal Union (UPU), World Health Organization (WHO), World

Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), World Meteorological

Organization (WMO), World Tourism Organization (WToO), and World Trade

Organization (WTO)

5) Trusteeship Council (inactive; no trusteeships at this time)

6) International Court of Justice (ICJ)

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF): note - acronym retained from the predecessor organization, UN International Children's Emergency Fund

established - 11 December 1946

aim - to help establish child health and welfare services

members - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD): established - 30 December 1964

aim - to promote international trade

members - (193) all UN members plus Holy See

United Nations Development Program (UNDP): established - 22 November 1965

aim - to provide technical assistance to stimulate economic and social development

members (executive board) - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF): established - 31

May 1974

aim - to observe the 1973 Arab-Israeli cease-fire; established by the UN Security Council

members - (7) Austria, Canada, India, Japan, Nepal, Poland, Slovakia

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization

(UNESCO): established - 16 November 1945; effective - 4 November 1946

aim - to promote cooperation in education, science, and culture

members - (191) includes all UN member countries except Liechtenstein, Montenegro, and Singapore (188 total); plus Cook Islands and Niue

associate members - (6) Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Macau, Netherlands Antilles, Tokelau

United Nations Environment Program (UNEP): established - 15 December 1972

aim - to promote international cooperation on all environmental matters

members - (58) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

United Nations General Assembly: established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24 October 1945

aim - to function as the primary deliberative organ of the UN

members - (192) all UN members are represented in the General Assembly

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR): established - 3

December 1949; effective - 1 January 1951

aim - to ensure the humanitarian treatment of refugees and find permanent solutions to refugee problems

members (executive committee) - (70) Algeria, Argentina, Australia,

Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia,

Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Denmark,

Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece,

Guinea, Holy See, Hungary, India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan,

Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Lebanon, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mexico,

Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria,

Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia,

Serbia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland,

Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UK, US, Venezuela, Yemen,

Zambia

United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO): established - 17 November 1966; effective - 1 January 1967

aim - UN specialized agency that promotes industrial development especially among the members

members - (172) includes all UN member countries except Andorra,

Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Estonia, Iceland,

Kiribati, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Federated States of

Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Samoa, San Marino, Singapore, Solomon

Islands, Tuvalu, US

United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR): established - 11 December 1963 adoption of the resolution establishing the Institute; effective - 24 March 1965

aim - to help the UN become more effective through training and research

members (Board of Trustees) - (18) Belgium, Brazil, China, Czech

Republic, Egypt, France, Ghana, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco,

Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, Switzerland, US; note - the UN

Secretary General can appoint up to 30 members

United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK): established - 10 June 1999

aim - to promote the establishment of substantial autonomy and self- government in Kosovo; to perform basic civilian administrative functions; to support the reconstruction of key infrastructure and humanitarian and disaster relief

note - gives civilian support only; works closely with NATO Kosovo Force (KFOR)

United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL): established - 19

March 1978

aim - to confirm the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and assist in reestablishing Lebanese authority in southern Lebanon; established by the UN Security Council

members - (11) Belgium, China, Finland, France, Ghana, India, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Spain

United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP): established - 24 January 1949

aim - to observe the 1949 India-Pakistan cease-fire; established by the UN Security Council

members - (8) Chile, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, Uruguay

United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO): established - 29 April 1991

aim - to supervise the cease-fire and conduct a referendum in Western Sahara; established by the UN Security Council

members - (25) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, China, Croatia, Denmark,

Egypt, El Slavador, France, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Honduras, Hungary,

Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland,

Russia, Sri Lanka, Uruguay

United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE): established - 31 July 2000

aim - to monitor the cessation of hostilities

members - (39) Algeria, Austria, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina,

Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France,

Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, India, Iran, Jordan, Kenya,

Malaysia, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Poland,

Romania, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania,

Tunisia, Ukraine, US, Uruguay, Zambia

United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL): established - 19 September 2003

aim - to support the cease-fire agreement and peace process, protect UN facilities and people, support humanitarian activities, and assist in national security reform

Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Czech

Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Finland,

France, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya,

South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia,

Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,

Poland, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, Sweden, Togo, Ukraine, UK,

US, Zambia

United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL): established on 22 October 1999; aim was to to cooperate with the Government of Sierra Leone and the other parties to the Peace Agreement in the implementation of the agreement; to monitor the military and security situation in Sierra Leone; to monitor the disarmament and demobilization of combatants and members of the Civil Defense Forces (CFD); to assist in monitoring respect for international humanitarian law; mandate ended 31 December 2005; members were Bangladesh, Bolivia, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Guinea, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Tanzania, Thailand, Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Zambia

United Nations Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS): established - March 2005

aim - to support implementation of the comprehensive Peace Agreement by Monitoring and verifying the implementation of the Cease Fire Agreement, by observing and monitoring movements of armed groups, and by helping disarm, demobilizing and reintegrating armed bands

members - (59) Australia, Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil,

Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Canada, China, Croatia, Denmark, Ecuador,

Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, Finland, Gabon, Germany, Greece, Guatemala,

Guinea, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan,

Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal,

Netherland, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,

Poland, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Tanzania, Thailand,

Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET): established on 17 May 2002 to provide assistance to structures critical to public security and to assist in the development of law enforcement agencies; to contribute to extenal security; members were Australia, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Denmark, Fiji, Jordan, Malaysia, Mozambique, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Sweden; completed its mandate 20 May 2005

United Nations Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC): note - formerly known as United Nations Special Commission for the Elimination of Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction (UNSCOM)

established - December 1999

aim - to identify, account for, and eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and the capacity to produce them

commissioners - (16) Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, UN Department for Disarmament Affairs, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, Senegal, Ukraine, UK, US

United Nations Operation in Burundi (ONUB): established - 21 May 2004

aim - to support and help implement the efforts undertaken by Burundians to restore lasting peace and bring about national reconciliation

members - (30) Algeria, Belgium, Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Egypt,

Ethiopia, The Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Jordan, Kenya, South

Korea, Malawi, Mali, Nambia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan,

Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Senegal, South Africa, Thailand, Togo,

Tunisia, Yemen

United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG): established - 24

August 1993

aim - to verify compliance with the cease-fire agreement, to monitor weapons exclusion zone, and to supervise CIS peacekeeping force for Abkhazia; established by the UN Security Council

members - (26) Albania, Austria, Bangladesh, Croatia, Czech Republic,

Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia,

Jordan, South Korea, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Russia, Sweden,

Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay

United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the

Congo (MONUC): established - 30 November 1999

aim - to establish contacts with the signatories to the cease-fire agreement and to plan for the observation of the cease-fire and disengagement of forces

members - (51) Algeria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and

Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, China, Czech Republic,

Denmark, Egypt, France, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, India, Indonesia,

Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mongolia, Morocco,

Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay,

Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, South Africa, Spain,

Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Togo, Tunisia, Ukraine, UK, Uruguay,

Zambia

United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI): established - 27

February 2004

aim - to facilitate the implementation by the Ivorian parties of the peace agreement signed by them in January 2003

members - (41) Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Chad, China,

Croatia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ethiopia, France,

The Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, India, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya,

Moldova, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay,

Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, Tanzania,

Togo, Turkey, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Yemen

United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP): established - 4 March 1964

aim - to serve as a peacekeeping force between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots in Cyprus; established by the UN Security Council

members - (7) Argentina, Austria, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia, UK, Uruguay

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA): note - acronym retained from predecessor organization UN Fund for Population Activities

established - July 1967

aim - to assist both developed and developing countries to deal with their population problems

members (executive board ) - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the

Near East (UNRWA): established - 8 December 1949

aim - to provide assistance to Palestinian refugees

members (advisory commission) - (22) Australia, Belgium, Canada,

Denmark, EC, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon,

Netherlands, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,

Turkey, UK, US

United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD): established - 1963

aim - to conduct research into the problems of economic development during different phases of economic growth

members - no country members, but a Board of Directors consisting of a chairman appointed by the UN secretary general and 10 individual members

United Nations Secretariat: established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24

October 1945

aim - to serve as the primary administrative organ of the UN; a Secretary General is appointed for a five-year term by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council

members - the UN Secretary General and staff

United Nations Security Council (UNSC): established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24 October 1945

aim - to maintain international peace and security

permanent members - (5) China, France, Russia, UK, US

nonpermanent members - (10) elected for two-year terms by the UN General Assembly; Belgium (2007-08), Republic of the Congo (2006-07), Ghana (2006-07), Indonesia (2007-08), Italy (2007-08), Panama (2007- 08), Peru (2006-07), Qatar (2006-07), Slovakia (2006-07), South Africa (2007-08)

United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH): established - 30 April 2004

aim - to stabilize Haiti in many areas for at least six months

members - (19) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Ecuador, France, Guatemala, Jordan, Morocco, Nepal, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Sri Lanka, US, Uruguay

United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO): established -

June 1948

aim - to supervise the 1948 Arab-Israeli cease-fire; currently supports timely deployment of reinforcements to other peacekeeping operations in the region as needed; initially established by the UN Security Council

members - (23) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile,

China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Nepal,

Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden,

Switzerland, US

United Nations Trusteeship Council: established on 26 June 1945, effective on 24 October 1945, to supervise the administration of the 11 UN trust territories; members were China, France, Russia, UK, US; it formally suspended operations 1 November 1995 after the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (Palau) became the Republic of Palau, a constitutional government in free association with the US; the Trusteeship Council was not dissolved

United Nations University (UNU): established - 3 December 1973

aim - to conduct research in development, welfare, and human survival and to train scholars

members - (24 members of UNU Council and the Rector are appointed by the Secretary General of the United Nations and the Director General of UNESCO)

Universal Postal Union (UPU): established - 9 October 1874, affiliated with the UN 15 November 1947; effective - 1 July 1948

aim - to promote international postal cooperation; a UN specialized agency

members - (189) includes all UN member countries except Andorra,

Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau (188

total); plus Holy See; note - includes the following dependencies or

areas of special interest: Australia (Norfolk Island), China (Hong

Kong, Macau), Denmark (Faroe Islands, Greenland), France (French

Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands,

Guadeloupe, Iles Eparses, Martinique, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Reunion,

Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna), Netherlands (Aruba,

Netherlands Antilles), NZ (Cook Island, Niue, Tokelau), UK (Guernsey,

Isle of Man, Jersey; Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory,

British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar,

Montserrat, Pitcairn, Saint Helena, Turks and Caicos), US (American

Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, South Georgia and

South Sandwich Islands, Virgin Islands)

Warsaw Pact (WP): established 14 May 1955 to promote mutual defense; members met 1 July 1991 to dissolve the alliance; member states at the time of dissolution were: Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and the USSR; earlier members included German Democratic Republic (GDR) and Albania

West African Development Bank (WADB): note - also known as Banque

Ouest-Africaine de Developpement (BOAD); is a financial institution of

WAEMU

established - 14 November 1973

aim - to promote regional economic development and integration

regional members - (9) Central Bank of West African States, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo

international/nonregional members - (6) African Development Bank, Belgium, European Investment Bank, France, Germany, People's Bank of China

West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU): note - also known as

Union Economique et Monetaire Ouest Africaine (UEMOA)

established - 1 August 1994

aim - to increase competitiveness of members' economic markets; to create a common market

members - (8) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo

Western European Union (WEU): established - 23 October 1954; effective - 6 May 1955

aim - to provide mutual defense and to move toward political unification

members - (10) Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, UK

associate members - (6) Czech Republic, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, Poland, Turkey

associate partners - (7) Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia

observers - (5) Austria, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Sweden

World Bank Group: includes International Bank for Reconstruction and

Development (IBRD), International Development Association (IDA),

International Finance Corporation (IFC), and Multilateral Investment

Guarantee Agency (MIGA)

World Confederation of Labor (WCL): established - 19 June 1920 as the

International Federation of Christian Trade Unions (IFCTU), renamed 4

October 1968

aim - to promote the trade union movement

members - (105 national organizations) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,

Aruba, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil,

Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic,

Chad, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of

the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic,

Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France,

French Guiana, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea,

Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran,

Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein,

Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta,

Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal,

Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Niger, Pakistan, Panama,

Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania,

Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and

Principe, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, South

Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand,

Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam,

Zambia, Zimbabwe

World Customs Organization (WCO): note - began as the Customs

Cooperation Council (CCC)

established - 15 December 1950

aim - to promote international cooperation in customs matters

members - (171) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola,

Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,

Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bermuda,

Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso,

Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African

Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of

the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia,

Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, East Timor,

Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland,

France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala,

Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India,

Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,

Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia,

Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau,

Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,

Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco,

Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, NZ,

Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New

Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania,

Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia,

Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa,

Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,

Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,

Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,

Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU): established - 3 October 1945

aim - to promote the trade union movement

members - (125 and the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,

Albania, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia,

Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Benin,

Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon,

Canada, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of

the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic,

Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea,

Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, The Gambia, Ghana,

Greece, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,

Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Japan,

Jordan, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon,

Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali,

Martinique, Mauritius, Mexico, Mozambique, Nepal, New Caledonia, NZ,

Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru,

Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Romania, Russia,

Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Solomon

Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Syria,

Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,

Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu,

Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization

World Food Program (WFP): established - 24 November 1961

aim - to provide food aid in support of economic development or disaster relief; an ECOSOC organization

members - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

World Health Organization (WHO): established - 22 July 1946; effective - 7 April 1948

aim - to deal with health matters worldwide; a UN specialized agency

members - (193) includes all UN member countries except Liechtenstein (191 total); plus Cook Islands and Niue

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO): established - 14 July 1967; effective - 26 April 1970

aim - to furnish protection for literary, artistic, and scientific works; a UN specialized agency

members - (184) includes all UN member countries except East Timor, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu (182 total); plus Holy See

World Meteorological Organization (WMO): established - 11 October 1947; effective - 4 April 1951

aim - to sponsor meteorological cooperation; a UN specialized agency

members - (188) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, East

Timor, Equatorial Guinea, Grenada, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands,

Montenegro, Nauru, Palau, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines, San Marino, Tuvalu (179 total); plus Aruba, British

Caribbean Territories, Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Hong Kong,

Macau, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, and Niue

World Tourism Organization (UNWTO): established - 2 January 1975

aim - to promote tourism as a means of contributing to economic development, international understanding, and peace

members - (150) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola,

Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,

Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and

Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi,

Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad,

Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of

the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech

Republic, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El

Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, France, Gabon,

The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-

Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel,

Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South

Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya,

Lithuania, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,

Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia,

Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Niger,

Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru,

Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, San

Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia,

Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri

Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,

Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, Uruguay,

Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

associate members - (7) Aruba, Flanders, Hong Kong, Macau, Madeira Islands, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico

observers - (1 plus Palestine Liberation Organization) Holy See, Palestine Liberation Organization

World Trade Organization (WTO): note - succeeded General Agreement on

Tariff and Trade (GATT)

established - 15 April 1994; effective - 1 January 1995

aim - to provide a forum to resolve trade conflicts between members and to carry on negotiations with the goal of further lowering and/or eliminating tariffs and other trade barriers

members - (150) Albania, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,

Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium,

Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina

Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African

Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the

Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba,

Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican

Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, EC, Fiji, Finland,

France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada,

Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong,

Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,

Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lesotho,

Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar,

Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,

Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands,

NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua

New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar,

Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and

the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore,

Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,

Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand,

Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, UK, US,

Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe

observers - (31) Afghanistan, Algeria, Andorra, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Belarus, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cape Verde, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Holy See, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Libya, Montenegro, Russia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Serbia, Seychelles, Sudan, Tajikistan, Tonga, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Yemen; note - with the exception of the Holy See, an observer must start accession negotiations within five years of becoming observers; Montenegro and Serbia each sent observers

Zangger Committee (ZC): established - early 1970s

aim - to establish guidelines for the export control provisions of the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty (NPT)

members - (36) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,

Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France,

Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea,

Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia,

Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey,

Ukraine, UK, US

observers - (1) EC

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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Appendix C - Selected International Environmental Agreements

Air Pollution

see Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution

Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides

see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or Their Transboundary Fluxes

Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants

Air Pollution-Sulphur 85

see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or Their Transboundary Fluxes by at least 30%

Air Pollution-Sulphur 94

see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions

Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or Their Transboundary Fluxes

Antarctic - Environmental Protocol

see Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty

Antarctic Treaty

opened for signature - 1 December 1959

entered into force - 23 June 1961

objective - to ensure that Antarctica is used for peaceful purposes only (such as international cooperation in scientific research); to defer the question of territorial claims asserted by some nations and not recognized by others; to provide an international forum for management of the region; applies to land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees south latitude

parties - (45) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil,

Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic,

Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,

Guatemala, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, North Korea, South Korea,

Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Poland, Romania,

Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey,

Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela

Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of

Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal note - abbreviated as Hazardous

Wastes

opened for signature - 22 March 1989

entered into force - 5 May 1992

objective - to reduce transboundary movements of wastes subject to the Convention to a minimum consistent with the environmentally sound and efficient management of such wastes; to minimize the amount and toxicity of wastes generated and ensure their environmentally sound management as closely as possible to the source of generation; and to assist LDCs in environmentally sound management of the hazardous and other wastes they generate

parties - (149) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda,

Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,

Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin,

Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria,

Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde,

Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros,

Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote

d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,

Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,

Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Finland, France,

The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana,

Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel,

Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South

Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,

Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,

Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania,

Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco,

Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal,

Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,

Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,

Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint

Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal,

Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa,

Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,

Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,

Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,

Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (3) Afghanistan, Haiti, US

Biodiversity

see Convention on Biological Diversity

Climate Change

see United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

see Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals note - abbreviated as Antarctic Seals

opened for signature - 1 June 1972

entered into force - 11 March 1978

objective - to promote and achieve the protection, scientific study, and rational use of Antarctic seals, and to maintain a satisfactory balance within the ecological system of Antarctica

parties - (16) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Poland, Russia, South Africa, UK, US

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (1) NZ

Convention on Biological Diversity note - abbreviated as Biodiversity

opened for signature - 5 June 1992

entered into force - 29 December 1993

objective - to develop national strategies for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity

parties - (182) Albania, Algeria, Andora, Angola, Antigua and

Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The

Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,

Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,

Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,

Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,

Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the

Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba,

Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican

Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea,

Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia,

Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,

Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,

Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan,

Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea,

Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,

Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,

Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania,

Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco,

Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands,

NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau,

Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,

Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis,

Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino,

Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles,

Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands,

Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,

Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,

Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu,

Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela,

Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (6) Afghanistan, Kuwait, Serbia, Thailand, Tuvalu, US

Convention on Fishing and Conservation of Living Resources of the

High Seas note - abbreviated as Marine Life Conservation

opened for signature - 29 April 1958

entered into force - 20 March 1966

objective - to solve through international cooperation the problems involved in the conservation of living resources of the high seas, considering that because of the development of modern technology some of these resources are in danger of being overexploited

parties - (37) Australia, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina

Faso, Cambodia, Colombia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Fiji,

Finland, France, Haiti, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho,

Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Netherlands,

Nigeria, Portugal, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands,

South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and

Tobago, Uganda, UK, US, Venezuela

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (21) Afghanistan,

Argentina, Bolivia, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ghana, Iceland, Iran,

Ireland, Israel, Lebanon, Liberia, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Panama, Sri

Lanka, Tunisia, Uruguay

Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution note - abbreviated as Air Pollution

opened for signature - 13 November 1979

entered into force - 16 March 1983

objective - to protect the human environment against air pollution and to gradually reduce and prevent air pollution, including long-range transboundary air pollution

parties - (48) Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and

Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic,

Denmark, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece,

Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia,

Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova,

Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia,

Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey,

Ukraine, UK, US

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (2) Holy See, San Marino

Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as

Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar) note - abbreviated as Wetlands

opened for signature - 2 February 1971

entered into force - 21 December 1975

objective - to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural, scientific, and recreational value

parties - (125) Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,

Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain,

Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia,

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso,

Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African

Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic

of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire,

Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican

Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia,

Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana,

Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Hungary,

Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,

Japan, Jordan, Kazakstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia,

Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,

Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta,

Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco,

Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,

Nicaragua, Niger, Nieria, Norway, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New

Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania,

Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal,

Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa,

Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,

Tanzania, Tajikistan, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,

Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela,

Vietnam, Zambia

Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources no te - abbreviated as Antarctic-Marine Living Resources

opened for signature - 5 May 1980

entered into force - 7 April 1982

objective - to safeguard the environment and protect the integrity of the ecosystem of the seas surrounding Antarctica, and to conserve Antarctic marine living resources

parties - (31) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria,

Canada, Chile, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy,

Japan, South Korea, Mauritius, Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Norway,

Peru, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, UK, US,

Uruguay, Vanuatu

Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild

Flora and Fauna (CITES) note - abbreviated as Endangered Species

opened for signature - 3 March 1973

entered into force - 1 July 1975

objective - to protect certain endangered species from overexploitation by means of a system of import/export permits

parties - (156) Afghanistan, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda,

Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh,

Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia,

Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi,

Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic,

Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the

Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia,

Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican

Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea,

Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia,

Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,

Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia,

Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,

Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,

Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,

Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova,

Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands,

NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New

Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar,

Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Palau, Saint Lucia,

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi

Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,

Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,

Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand,

Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE,

UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen,

Zambia, Zimbabwe

Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and Other Matter (London Convention) note - abbreviated as Marine Dumping

opened for signature - 29 December 1972

entered into force - 30 August 1975

objective - to control pollution of the sea by dumping and to encourage regional agreements supplementary to the Convention; the London Convention came into force in 1996

parties - (78) Afghanistan, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,

Australia, Azerbaijan, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil,

Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Democratic Republic of

the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,

Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Finland,

France, Gabon, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hong

Kong (associate member), Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Ireland, Italy,

Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Libya,

Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Nauru,

Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New

Guinea, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saint Kitts and

Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia,

Serbia, Seychelles, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain,

Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,

Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Vanuatu

associate members to the London Convention - (2) Faroe Islands, Macau

Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques note - abbreviated as Environmental Modification

opened for signature - 10 December 1976

entered into force - 5 October 1978

objective - to prohibit the military or other hostile use of environmental modification techniques in order to further world peace and trust among nations

parties - (66) Afghanistan, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,

Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Brazil,

Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba,

Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Egypt, Finland, Germany,

Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan,

North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Malawi, Mauritius, Mongolia,

Netherlands, NZ, Niger, Norway, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Poland,

Romania, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao

Tome and Principe, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka,

Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay,

Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (17) Bolivia,

Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Holy See, Iceland, Iran,

Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia, Luxembourg, Morocco, Nicaragua, Portugal,

Sierra Leone, Syria, Turkey, Uganda

Desertification

see United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa

Endangered Species

see Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES)

Environmental Modification

see Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques

Hazardous Wastes

see Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal

International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling note - abbreviated as Whaling

opened for signature - 2 December 1946

entered into force - 10 November 1948

objective - to protect all species of whales from overhunting; to establish a system of international regulation for the whale fisheries to ensure proper conservation and development of whale stocks; and to safeguard for future generations the great natural resources represented by whale stocks

parties - (42) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria,

Brazil, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Denmark, Dominica, Finland,

France, Germany, Grenada, Guinea, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan,

Kenya, South Korea, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ,

Norway, Oman, Panama, Peru, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint

Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Solomon Islands,

South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983 note - abbreviated as

Tropical Timber 83

opened for signature - 18 November 1983

entered into force - 1 April 1985; this agreement expired when the International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994, went into force

objective - to provide an effective framework for cooperation between tropical timber producers and consumers and to encourage the development of national policies aimed at sustainable utilization and conservation of tropical forests and their genetic resources

parties - (54) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma,

Cameroon, Canada, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo,

Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, EU,

Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guyana,

Honduras, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea,

Liberia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Norway,

Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Russia,

Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, UK,

US, Venezuela

International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994 note - abbreviated as

Tropical Timber 94

opened for signature - 26 January 1994

entered into force - 1 January 1997

objective - to ensure that by the year 2000 exports of tropical timber originate from sustainably managed sources; to establish a fund to assist tropical timber producers in obtaining the resources necessary to reach this objective

parties - (58) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma,

Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, China,

Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo,

Cote d'Ivoire, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, EU, Fiji, Finland, France,

Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guyana, Honduras, India, Indonesia,

Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Liberia, Luxembourg, Malaysia,

Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru,

Philippines, Portugal, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland,

Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu,

Venezuela

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (1) Ireland

Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate

Change note - abbreviated as Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

opened for signature - 16 March 1998

entered into force - 23 February 2005

objective - to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions by enhancing the national programs of developed countries aimed at this goal and by establishing percentage reduction targets for the developed countries

parties - (144) Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia,

Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium,

Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burma,

Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cook

Island, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,

Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,

Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, The Gambia,

Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana,

Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel,

Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea,

Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein,

Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,

Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico,

Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco,

Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,

Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New

Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar,

Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Slovakia,

Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,

Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago,

Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay,

Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (6) Australia, Croatia, Kazakhstan, Monaco, US, Zambia

Law of the Sea

see United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS)

Marine Dumping

see Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and Other Matter (London Convention)

Marine Life Conservation

see Convention on Fishing and Conservation of Living Resources of the High Seas

Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer note - abbreviated as Ozone Layer Protection

opened for signature - 16 September 1987

entered into force - 1 January 1989

objective - to protect the ozone layer by controlling emissions of substances that deplete it

parties - (183) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,

Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,

Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin,

Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria,

Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape

Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,

Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo,

Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic,

Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El

Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The

Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,

Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran,

Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya,

Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,

Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,

Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,

Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated

States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,

Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua,

Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New

Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar,

Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint

Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi

Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,

Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain,

Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,

Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,

Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US,

Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,

Zimbabwe

Nuclear Test Ban

see Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space, and Under Water

Ozone Layer Protection

see Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer

Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 (MARPOL) note - abbreviated as Ship Pollution

opened for signature - 17 February 1978

entered into force - 2 October 1983

objective - to preserve the marine environment through the complete elimination of pollution by oil and other harmful substances and the minimization of accidental discharge of such substances

parties - (119) Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,

Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,

Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burma, Cambodia, Canada,

Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba,

Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican

Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Finland,

France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,

Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia,

Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North

Korea, South Korea, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg,

Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius,

Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Norway, Oman,

Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland,

Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint

Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia,

Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South

Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,

Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Tuvalu, Ukraine,

UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam

Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty note - abbreviated as Antarctic-Environmental Protocol

opened for signature - 4 October 1991

entered into force - 14 January 1998

objective - to provide for comprehensive protection of the Antarctic environment and dependent and associated ecosystems; applies to the area covered by the Antarctic Treaty

consultative parties - (27) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil,

Bulgaria, Chile, China, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, India,

Italy, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Peru, Poland,

Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, UK, US, Uruguay

non consultative parties - (16) Austria, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, North Korea, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine

Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air

Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or

Their Transboundary Fluxes note - abbreviated as Air

Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides

opened for signature - 31 October 1988

entered into force - 14 February 1991

objective - to provide for the control or reduction of nitrogen oxides and their transboundary fluxes

parties - (28) Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech

Republic, Denmark, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,

Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands,

Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, UK, US

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (1) Poland

Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air

Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic

Compounds or Their Transboundary Fluxes note - abbreviated as Air

Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

opened for signature - 18 November 1991

entered into force - 29 September 1997

objective - to provide for the control and reduction of emissions of volatile organic compounds in order to reduce their transboundary fluxes so as to protect human health and the environment from adverse effects

parties - (21) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark,

Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein,

Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden,

Switzerland, UK

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (6) Canada, EU, Greece, Portugal, Ukraine, US

Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Sulphur 94

opened for signature - 14 June 1994

entered into force - 5 August 1998

objective - to provide for a further reduction in sulfur emissions or transboundary fluxes

parties - (23) Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic,

Denmark, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy,

Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia,

Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (5) Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Russia, Ukraine

Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air

Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants note - abbreviated as Air

Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

opened for signature - 24 June 1998

entered into force - 23 October 2003

objective - to provide for the control and reduction of emissions of persistent organic pollutants in order to reduce their transboundary fluxes so as to protect human health and the environment from adverse effects

parties - (22) Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic,

Denmark, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia,

Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Romania,

Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (14) Armenia, Belgium, Croatia, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Ukraine, UK, US

Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air

Pollution on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or Their

Transboundary Fluxes by at Least 30% note - abbreviated as Air

Pollution-Sulphur 85

opened for signature - 8 July 1985

entered into force - 2 September 1987

objective - to provide for a 30% reduction in sulfur emissions or transboundary fluxes by 1993

parties - (22) Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech

Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary,

Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Russia,

Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine

Ship Pollution

see Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 (MARPOL)

Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer

Space, and Under Water note - abbreviated as Nuclear Test Ban

opened for signature - 5 August 1963

entered into force - 10 October 1963

objective - to obtain an agreement on general and complete disarmament under strict international control in accordance with the objectives of the United Nations; to put an end to the armaments race and eliminate incentives for the production and testing of all kinds of weapons, including nuclear weapons

parties - (113) Afghanistan, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,

Armenia, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belgium,

Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,

Bulgaria, Burma, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, China,

Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote

d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican

Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, Finland, Gabon, The

Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary,

Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy,

Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon,

Liberia, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta,

Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,

Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru,

Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Samoa, San Marino,

Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia,

Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname,

Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,

Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UK, US, Venezuela,

Zambia

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (17) Algeria,

Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chile, Ethiopia, Haiti, Libya,

Mali, Pakistan, Paraguay, Portugal, Somalia, Tanzania, Uruguay,

Vietnam, Yemen

Tropical Timber 83

see International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983

Tropical Timber 94

see International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS) note - abbreviated as Law of the Sea

opened for signature - 10 December 1982

entered into force - 16 November 1994

objective - to set up a comprehensive new legal regime for the sea and oceans; to include rules concerning environmental standards as well as enforcement provisions dealing with pollution of the marine environment

parties - (148) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,

Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bahrain,

Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and

Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso,

Burma, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Comoros,

Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote

d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,

Dominica, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, EU, Fiji, Finland, France,

Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada,

Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary,

Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan,

Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon,

Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives,

Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,

Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Mongolia, Mozambique,

Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway,

Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay,

Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts

and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao

Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra

Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia,

South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Tanzania,

Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine,

UK, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (29) Afghanistan,

Bangladesh, Belarus, Bhutan, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African

Republic, Chad, Colombia, Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic,

El Salvador, Ethiopia, Iran, North Korea, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,

Liechtenstein, Madagascar, Malawi, Morocco, Niger, Niue, Rwanda,

Swaziland, Switzerland, Thailand, UAE

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those

Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification,

Particularly in Africa note - abbreviated as Desertification

opened for signature - 14 October 1994

entered into force - 26 December 1996

objective - to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought through national action programs that incorporate long-term strategies supported by international cooperation and partnership arrangements

parties - (178) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and

Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The

Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,

Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma,

Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African

Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic

of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote

d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,

Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,

Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France,

Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada,

Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary,

Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,

Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait,

Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein,

Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall

Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of

Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia,

Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue,

Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay,

Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint

Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,

Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal,

Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon

Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,

Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Thailand, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo,

Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu,

Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela,

Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change note - abbreviated as Climate Change

opened for signature - 9 May 1992

entered into force - 21 March 1994

objective - to achieve stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a low enough level to prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system

parties - (189) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and

Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The

Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,

Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,

Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,

Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,

Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the

Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba,

Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican

Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea,

Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia,

Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,

Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,

Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,

Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,

Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,

Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,

Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania,

Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco,

Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands,

NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau,

Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,

Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis,

Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino,

Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles,

Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South

Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,

Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,

Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda,

Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela,

Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Wetlands

see Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially As Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar)

Whaling

see International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

=====================================================================

Appendix D - Cross-Reference list of Country Data Codes

FIPS 10: Countries, Dependencies, Areas of Special Sovereignty, and Their Principal Administrative Divisions (FIPS 10) is maintained by the Office of Targeting and Transnational Issues, National Geospatial- Intelligence Agency, and published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (Department of Commerce). FIPS 10 codes are intended for general use throughout the US Government, especially in activities associated with the mission of the Department of State and national defense programs.

ISO 3166: Codes for the Representation of Names of Countries (ISO 3166) is prepared by the International Organization for Standardization. ISO 3166 includes two- and three-character alphabetic codes and three-digit numeric codes that may be needed for activities involving exchange of data with international organizations that have adopted that standard. Except for the numeric codes, ISO 3166 codes have been adopted in the US as FIPS 104-1: American National Standard Codes for the Representation of Names of Countries, Dependencies, and Areas of Special Sovereignty for Information Interchange.

Internet: The Internet country code is the two-letter digraph maintained by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in the ISO 3166 Alpha-2 list and used by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) to establish country-coded top-level domains (ccTLDs).

Entity FIPS 10 | ISO 3166 | Internet Comment

Afghanistan AF AF AFG 004 .af

Albania AL AL ALB 008 .al

Algeria AG DZ DZA 012 .dz

American Samoa AQ AS ASM 016 .as

Andorra AN AD AND 020 .ad

Angola AO AO AGO 024 .ao

Anguilla AV AI AIA 660 .ai

Antarctica AY AQ ATA 010 .aq

ISO defines as the territory south of 60 degrees south latitude

Antigua and

Barbuda AC AG ATG 028 .ag

Argentina AR AR ARG 032 .ar

Armenia AM AM ARM 051 .am

Aruba AA AW ABW 533 .aw

Ashmore and

Cartier Islands AT - - -

ISO includes with Australia

Australia AS AU AUS 036 .au

ISO includes Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Coral Sea Islands

Austria AU AT AUT 040 .at

Azerbaijan AJ AZ AZE 031 .az

Bahamas, The BF BS BHS 044 .bs

Bahrain BA BH BHR 048 .bh

Baker Island FQ - - -

ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Bangladesh BG BD BGD 050 .bd

Barbados BB BB BRB 052 .bb

Bassas da

India BS - - - -

administered as part of French Southern and Antarctic Lands;

no ISO codes assigned

Belarus BO BY BLR 112 .by

Belgium BE BE BEL 056 .be

Belize BH BZ BLZ 084 .bz

Benin BN BJ BEN 204 .bj

Bermuda BD BM BMU 060 .bm

Bhutan BT BT BTN 064 .bt

Bolivia BL BO BOL 068 .bo

Bosnia and

Herzegovina BK BA BIH 070 .ba

Botswana BC BW BWA 072 .bw

Bouvet Island BV BV BVT 074 .bv

Brazil BR BR BRA 076 .br

British Indian

Ocean Territory IO IO IOT 086 .io

British

Virgin Islands VI VG VGB 092 .vg

Brunei BX BN BRN 096 .bn

Bulgaria BU BG BGR 100 .bg

Burkina Faso UV BF BFA 854 .bf

Burma BM MM MMR 104 .mm

ISO uses the name Myanmar

Burundi BY BI BDI 108 .bi

Cambodia CB KH KHM 116 .kh

Cameroon CM CM CMR 120 .cm

Canada CA CA CAN 124 .ca

Cape Verde CV CV CPV 132 .cv

Cayman Islands CJ KY CYM 136 .ky

Central African

Republic CT CF CAF 140 .cf

Chad CD TD TCD 148 .td

Chile CI CL CHL 152 .cl

China CH CN CHN 156 .cn

see also Taiwan

Christmas Island KT CX CXR 162 .cx

Clipperton Island IP - - -

ISO includes with French Polynesia

Cocos (Keeling)

Islands CK CC CCK 166 .cc

Colombia CO CO COL 170 .co

Comoros CN KM COM 174 .km

Congo, Democratic

Republic of the CG CD COD 180 .cd

formerly Zaire

Congo,

Republic of the CF CG COG 178 .cg

Cook Islands CW CK COK 184 .ck

Coral Sea Islands CR - - -

ISO includes with Australia

Costa Rica CS CR CRI 188 .cr

Cote d'Ivoire IV CI CIV 384 .ci

Croatia HR HR HRV 191 .hr

Cuba CU CU CUB 192 .cu

Cyprus CY CY CYP 196 .cy

Czech Republic EZ CZ CZE 203 .cz

Denmark DA DK DNK 208 .dk

Djibouti DJ DJ DJI 262 .dj

Dominica DO DM DMA 212 .dm

Dominican Republic DR DO DOM 214 .do

East Timor TT TL TLS 626 .tl

Ecuador EC EC ECU 218 .ec

Egypt EG EG EGY 818 .eg

El Salvador ES SV SLV 222 .sv

Equatorial Guinea EK GQ GNQ 226 .gq

Eritrea ER ER ERI 232 .er

Estonia EN EE EST 233 .ee

Ethiopia ET ET ETH 231 .et

Europa Island EU - - - -

administered as part of French Southern and Antarctic Lands;

no ISO codes assigned

Falkland Islands

(Islas Malvinas) FK FK FLK 238 .fk

Faroe Islands FO FO FRO 234 .fo

Fiji FJ FJ FJI 242 .fj

Finland FI FI FIN 246 .fi

France FR FR FRA 250 .fr

France,

Metropolitan - FX FXX 249 .fx

ISO limits to the European part of France, excluding French

Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands,

Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Reunion, Saint

Pierre and Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna

French Guiana FG GF GUF 254 .gf

French Polynesia FP PF PYF 258 .pf

ISO includes Clipperton Island

French

Southern and

Antarctic Lands FS TF ATF 260 .tf

FIPS 10-4 does not include the French-claimed portion of Antarctica

(Terre Adelie)

Gabon GB GA GAB 266 .ga

Gambia, The GA GM GMB 270 .gm

Gaza Strip GZ PS PSE 275 .ps

ISO identifies as Occupied Palestinian Territory

Georgia GG GE GEO 268 .ge Germany GM DE DEU 276 .de Ghana GH GH GHA 288 .gh Gibraltar GI GI GIB 292 .gi Glorioso Islands GO - - - - administered as part of French Southern and Antarctic Lands; no ISO codes assigned

Greece GR GR GRC 300 .gr

Greenland GL GL GRL 304 .gl

Grenada GJ GD GRD 308 .gd

Guadeloupe GP GP GLP 312 .gp

Guam GQ GU GUM 316 .gu

Guatemala GT GT GTM 320 .gt

Guernsey GK GG GGY 831 .gg

Guinea GV GN GIN 324 .gn

Guinea-Bissau PU GW GNB 624 .gw

Guyana GY GY GUY 328 .gy

Haiti HA HT HTI 332 .ht

Heard Island and

McDonald Islands HM HM HMD 334 .hm

Holy See

(Vatican City) VT VA VAT 336 .va

Honduras HO HN HND 340 .hn

Hong Kong HK HK HKG 344 .hk

Howland Island HQ - - - ISO

includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Hungary HU HU HUN 348 .hu

Iceland IC IS ISL 352 .is

India IN IN IND 356 .in

Indonesia ID ID IDN 360 .id

Iran IR IR IRN 364 .ir

Iraq IZ IQ IRQ 368 .iq

Ireland EI IE IRL 372 .ie

Isle of Man IM IM IMN 833 .im

Israel IS IL ISR 376 .il

Italy IT IT ITA 380 .it

Jamaica JM JM JAM 388 .jm

Jan Mayen JN - - - ISO

includes with Svalbard

Japan JA JP JPN 392 .jp Jarvis Island DQ - - - ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Jersey JE JE JEY 832 .je Johnston Atoll JQ - - - ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Jordan JO JO JOR 400 .jo

Juan de

Nova Island JU - - - -

administered as part of French Southern and Antarctic Lands;

no ISO codes assigned

Kazakhstan KZ KZ KAZ 398 .kz

Kenya KE KE KEN 404 .ke

Kingman Reef KQ - - - ISO

includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Kiribati KR KI KIR 296 .ki

Korea, North KN KP PRK 408 .kp

Korea, South KS KR KOR 410 .kr

Kuwait KU KW KWT 414 .kw

Kyrgyzstan KG KG KGZ 417 .kg

Laos LA LA LAO 418 .la

Latvia LG LV LVA 428 .lv

Lebanon LE LB LBN 422 .lb

Lesotho LT LS LSO 426 .ls

Liberia LI LR LBR 430 .lr

Libya LY LY LBY 434 .ly

Liechtenstein LS LI LIE 438 .li

Lithuania LH LT LTU 440 .lt

Luxembourg LU LU LUX 442 .lu

Macau MC MO MAC 446 .mo

Macedonia MK MK MKD 807 .mk

Madagascar MA MG MDG 450 .mg

Malawi MI MW MWI 454 .mw

Malaysia MY MY MYS 458 .my

Maldives MV MV MDV 462 .mv

Mali ML ML MLI 466 .ml

Malta MT MT MLT 470 .mt

Marshall Islands RM MH MHL 584 .mh

Martinique MB MQ MTQ 474 .mq

Mauritania MR MR MRT 478 .mr

Mauritius MP MU MUS 480 .mu

Mayotte MF YT MYT 175 .yt

Mexico MX MX MEX 484 .mx

Micronesia,

Federated

States of FM FM FSM 583 .fm

Midway Islands MQ - - - ISO

includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Moldova MD MD MDA 498 .md

Monaco MN MC MCO 492 .mc

Mongolia MG MN MNG 496 .mn

Montenegro MJ ME MNE 499 .me

Montserrat MH MS MSR 500 .ms

Morocco MO MA MAR 504 .ma

Mozambique MZ MZ MOZ 508 .mz

Myanmar - - - -

see Burma

Namibia WA NA NAM 516 .na

Nauru NR NR NRU 520 .nr

Navassa Island BQ - - - -

ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Nepal NP NP NPL 524 .np

Netherlands NL NL NLD 528 .nl

Netherlands

Antilles NT AN ANT 530 .an

New Caledonia NC NC NCL 540 .nc

New Zealand NZ NZ NZL 554 .nz

Nicaragua NU NI NIC 558 .ni

Niger NG NE NER 562 .ne

Nigeria NI NG NGA 566 .ng

Niue NE NU NIU 570 .nu

Norfolk Island NF NF NFK 574 .nf

Northern

Mariana Islands CQ MP MNP 580 .mp

Norway NO NO NOR 578 .no

Oman MU OM OMN 512 .om

Pakistan PK PK PAK 586 .pk

Palau PS PW PLW 585 .pw

Palmyra Atoll LQ - - - ISO

includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Panama PM PA PAN 591 .pa

Papua New Guinea PP PG PNG 598 .pg

Paracel Islands PF - - -

Paraguay PA PY PRY 600 .py

Peru PE PE PER 604 .pe

Philippines RP PH PHL 608 .ph

Pitcairn Islands PC PN PCN 612 .pn

Poland PL PL POL 616 .pl

Portugal PO PT PRT 620 .pt

Puerto Rico RQ PR PRI 630 .pr

Qatar QA QA QAT 634 .qa

Reunion RE RE REU 638 .re

Romania RO RO ROU 642 .ro

Russia RS RU RUS 643 .ru

Rwanda RW RW RWA 646 .rw

Saint Helena SH SH SHN 654 .sh

Saint Kitts

and Nevis SC KN KNA 659 .kn

Saint Lucia ST LC LCA 662 .lc

Saint Pierre

and Miquelon SB PM SPM 666 .pm

Saint Vincent

and the

Grenadines VC VC VCT 670 .vc

Samoa WS WS WSM 882 .ws

San Marino SM SM SMR 674 .sm

Sao Tome and

Principe TP ST STP 678 .st

Saudi Arabia SA SA SAU 682 .sa

Senegal SG SN SEN 686 .sn

Serbia RB RS SRB 688 .rs

Seychelles SE SC SYC 690 .sc

Sierra Leone SL SL SLE 694 .sl

Singapore SN SG SGP 702 .sg

Slovakia LO SK SVK 703 .sk

Slovenia SI SI SVN 705 .si

Solomon Islands BP SB SLB 090 .sb

Somalia SO SO SOM 706 .so

South Africa SF ZA ZAF 710 .za

South Georgia

and the Islands SX GS SGS 239 .gs

Spain SP ES ESP 724 .es

Spratly Islands PG - - -

Sri Lanka CE LK LKA 144 .lk

Sudan SU SD SDN 736 .sd

Suriname NS SR SUR 740 .sr

Svalbard SV SJ SJM 744 .sj

ISO includes Jan Mayen

Swaziland WZ SZ SWZ 748 .sz

Sweden SW SE SWE 752 .se

Switzerland SZ CH CHE 756 .ch

Syria SY SY SYR 760 .sy

Taiwan TW TW TWN 158 .tw

Tajikistan TI TJ TJK 762 .tj

Tanzania TZ TZ TZA 834 .tz

Thailand TH TH THA 764 .th

Togo TO TG TGO 768 .tg

Tokelau TL TK TKL 772 .tk

Tonga TN TO TON 776 .to

Trinidad

and Tobago TD TT TTO 780 .tt

Tromelin Island TE - - - -

administered as part of French Southern and Antarctic Lands;

no ISO codes assigned

Tunisia TS TN TUN 788 .tn

Turkey TU TR TUR 792 .tr

Turkmenistan TX TM TKM 795 .tm

Turks and

Caicos Islands TK TC TCA 796 .tc

Tuvalu TV TV TUV 798 .tv

Uganda UG UG UGA 800 .ug

Ukraine UP UA UKR 804 .ua

United Arab

Emirates AE AE ARE 784 .ae

United Kingdom UK GB GBR 826 .uk

United States US US USA 840 .us

United States

Minor Outlying

Islands - UM UMI 581 .um

ISO includes Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island,

Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island,

Palmyra Atoll, Wake Island

Uruguay UY UY URY 858 .uy

Uzbekistan UZ UZ UZB 860 .uz

Vanuatu NH VU VUT 548 .vu

Venezuela VE VE VEN 862 .ve

Vietnam VM VN VNM 704 .vn

Virgin Islands VQ VI VIR 850 .vi

Virgin Islands (UK) - - - .vg

see British Virgin Islands

Virgin Islands (US) - - - .vi

see Virgin Islands

Wake Island WQ - - - -

ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Wallis

and Futuna WF WF WLF 876 .wf

West Bank WE PS PSE 275 .ps

ISO identifies as Occupied Palestinian Territory

Western Sahara WI EH ESH 732 .eh

Western Samoa - - - .ws see

Samoa

World - - - -

the Factbook uses the W data code from DIAM 65-18 Geopolitical Data

Elements and Related Features, Data Standard No. 3, December 1994,

published by the Defense Intelligence Agency

Yemen YM YE YEM 887 .ye Zaire - - - - see Democratic Republic of the Congo

Zambia ZA ZM ZMB 894 .zm

Zimbabwe ZI ZW ZWE 716 .zw

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

=====================================================================

Appendix E - Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes

IHO 23-4th: Limits of Oceans and Seas, Special Publication 23, Draft 4th Edition 1986, published by the International Hydrographic Bureau of the International Hydrographic Organization; note - this document has not yet been ratified and only the 3rd Edition (1953) remains in force

IHO 23-3rd: Limits of Oceans and Seas, Special Publication 23, 3rd

Edition 1953, published by the International Hydrographic Organization

ACIC M 49-1: Chart of Limits of Seas and Oceans, revised January 1958,

published by the Aeronautical Chart and Information Center (ACIC),

United States Air Force; note - ACIC is now part of the National

Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA)

DIAM 65-18: Geopolitical Data Elements and Related Features, Data Standard No. 4, Defense Intelligence Agency Manual 65-18, December 1994, published by the Defense Intelligence Agency

The US Government has not yet adopted a standard for hydrographic codes similar to the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 10-4 country codes. The names and limits of the following oceans and seas are not always directly comparable because of differences in the customers, needs, and requirements of the individual organizations. Even the number of principal water bodies varies from organization to organization. Factbook users, for example, find the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean entries useful, but none of the following standards include those oceans in their entirety. Nor is there any provision for combining codes or overcodes to aggregate water bodies. The recently delimited Southern Ocean is not included.

Principal Oceans and Seas of the World

With Hydrographic Codes by Institution

IHO 23-4th IHO 23-3rd* ACIC M 49-1 DIAM 65-18

Arctic Ocean 9 17 A 5A

Atlantic Ocean - - - -

Baltic Sea 2 1 B26 7B

Eastern Mediterranean 3.1.2 28 B - 8E

Indian Ocean 5 45 F 6A

Mediterranean Sea 3.1 28 B11 -

North Atlantic Ocean 1 23 B 1A

North Pacific Ocean 7 57 D 3A

Pacific Ocean - - - -

South Atlantic Ocean 4 32 C 2A

South China and Eastern

Archipelagic Seas 6 49, 48 D18 plus 3U plus

others others

South Pacific Ocean 8 61 E 4A

Western Mediterranean 3.1.1 28 A - 8W

*The letters after the numbers are subdivisions, not footnotes.

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

=====================================================================

Appendix F - Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names

Name Entry in The World Latitude Longitude

Factbook (deg min) (deg min)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

=====================================================================

Appendix G - Weights and Measures

Note: At this time, only three countries - Burma, Liberia, and the US - have not adopted the International System of Units (SI, or metric system) as their official system of weights and measures. Although use of the metric system has been sanctioned by law in the US since 1866, it has been slow in displacing the American adaptation of the British Imperial System known as the US Customary System. The US is the only industrialized nation that does not mainly use the metric system in its commercial and standards activities, but there is increasing acceptance in science, medicine, government, and many sectors of industry.

Mathematical Notation

Mathematical Power Name

10^18 or 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 one quintillion 10^15 or 1,000,000,000,000,000 one quadrillion 10^12 or 1,000,000,000,000 one trillion 10^9 or 1,000,000,000 one billion 10^6 or 1,000,000 one million 10^3 or 1,000 one thousand 10^2 or 100 one hundred 10^1 or 10 ten 10^0 or 1 one 10^-1 or 0.1 one-tenth 10^-2 or 0.01 one-hundredth 10^-3 or 0.001 one-thousandth 10^-6 or 0.000 001 one-millionth 10^-9 or 0.000 000 001 one-billionth 10^-12 or 0.000 000 000 001 one-trillionth 10^-15 or 0.000 000 000 000 001 one-quadrillionth 10^-18 or 0.000 000 000 000 000 001 one-quintillionth

Metric Interrelationships

Prefix Symbol Length, weight, Area Volume or capacity

exa E 10^18 10^36 10^54 peta P 10^15 10^30 10^45 tera T 10^12 10^24 10^36 giga G 10^9 10^18 10^27 mega M 10^6 10^12 10^18 hectokilo hk 10^5 10^10^ 10^15 myria ma 10^4 10^8 10^12 kilo k 10^3 10^6 10^9 hecto h 10^2 10^4 10^6 basic unit - 1 meter, 1 gram, 1 meter^2 1 meter^3 1 liter deci d 10^-1 10^-2 10^-3 centi c 10^-2 10^-4 10^-6 milli m 10^-3 10^-6 10^-9 decimilli dm 10^-4 10^-8 10^-12 centimilli cm 10^-5 10^-10^ 10^-15 micro u 10^-6 10^-12 10^-18 nano n 10^-9 10^-18 10^-27 pico p 10^-12 10^-24 10^-36 femto f 10^-15 10^-30 10^-45 atto a 10^-18 10^-36 10^-54

Conversion Factors

To Convert From To Multiply By

acres ares 40.468 564 224 acres hectares 0.404 685 642 24 acres square feet 43,560 acres square kilometers 0.004 046 856 422 4 acres square meters 4,046.856 422 4 acres square miles (statute) 0.001 562 50 acres square yards 4,840 ares square meters 100 ares square yards 119.599 barrels, US beer gallons 31 barrels, US beer liters 117.347 77 barrels, US petroleum gallons (British) 34.97 barrels, US petroleum gallons (US) 42 barrels, US petroleum liters 158.987 29 barrels, US proof spirits gallons 40 barrels, US proof spirits liters 151.416 47 bushels (US) bushels (British) 0.968 9 bushels (US) cubic feet 1.244 456 bushels (US) cubic inches 2,150.42 bushels (US) cubic meters 0.035 239 07 bushels (US) cubic yards 0.046 090 96 bushels (US) dekaliters 3.523 907 bushels (US) dry pints 64 bushels (US) dry quarts 32 bushels (US) liters 35.239 070 17 bushels (US) pecks 4 cables fathoms 120 cables meters 219.456 cables yards 240 carat milligrams 200 centimeters feet 0.032 808 40 centimeters inches 0.393 700 8 centimeters meters 0.01 centimeters yards 0.010 936 13 centimeters, cubic cubic inches 0.061 023 744 centimeters, square square feet 0.001 076 39 centimeters, square square inches 0.155 000 31 centimeters, square square meters 0.000 1 centimeters, square square yards 0.000 119 599 chains, square surveyor's ares 4.046 86 chains, square surveyor's square feet 4,356 chains, surveyor's feet 66 chains, surveyor's meters 20.116 8 chains, surveyor's rods 4 cords of wood cubic feet 128 cords of wood cubic meters 3.624 556 cords of wood cubic yards 4.740 7 cups liquid ounces (US) 8 cups liters 0.236 588 2 degrees Celsius degrees Fahrenheit multiply by 1.8 and add 32 degrees Fahrenheit degrees Celsius subtract 32 and divide by 1.8 dekaliters bushels 0.283 775 9 dekaliters cubic feet 0.353 146 7 dekaliters cubic inches 610.237 4 dekaliters dry pints 18.161 66 dekaliters dry quarts 9.080 829 8 dekaliters liters 10 dekaliters pecks 1.135 104 drams, avoirdupois avoirdupois ounces 0.062 55 drams, avoirdupois grains 27.344 drams, avoirdupois grams 1.771 845 2 drams, troy grains 60 drams, troy grams 3.887 934 6 drams, troy scruples 3 drams, troy troy ounces 0.125 drams, liquid (US) cubic inches 0.226 drams, liquid (US) liquid drams (British) 1.041 drams, liquid (US) liquid ounces 0.125 drams, liquid (US) milliliters 3.696 69 drams, liquid (US) minims 60 fathoms feet 6 fathoms meters 1.828 8 feet centimeters 30.48 feet inches 12 feet kilometers 0.000 304 8 feet meters 0.304 8 feet statute miles 0.000 189 39 feet yards 0.333 333 3 feet, cubic bushels 0.803 563 95 feet, cubic cubic decimeters 28.316 847 feet, cubic cubic inches 1,728 feet, cubic cubic meters 0.028 316 846 592 feet, cubic cubic yards 0.037 037 04 feet, cubic dry pints 51.428 09 feet, cubic dry quarts 25.714 05 feet, cubic gallons 7.480 519 feet, cubic gills 239.376 6 feet, cubic liquid ounces 957.506 5 feet, cubic liquid pints 59.844 16 feet, cubic liquid quarts 29.922 08 feet, cubic liters 28.316 846 592 feet, cubic pecks 3.214 256 feet, square acres 0.000 022 956 8 feet, square square centimeters 929.030 4 feet, square square decimeters 9.290 304 feet, square square inches 144 feet, square square meters 0.092 903 04 feet, square square yards 0.111 111 1 furlongs feet 660 furlongs inches 7,920 furlongs meters 201.168 furlongs statute miles 0.125 furlongs yards 220 gallons, liquid (US) cubic feet 0.133 680 6 gallons, liquid (US) cubic inches 231 gallons, liquid (US) cubic meters 0.003 785 411 784 gallons, liquid (US) cubic yards 0.004 951 13 gallons, liquid (US) gills (US) 32 gallons, liquid (US) liquid gallons (British) 0.832 67 gallons, liquid (US) liquid ounces 128 gallons, liquid (US) liquid pints 8 gallons, liquid (US) liquid quarts 4 gallons, liquid (US) liters 3.785 411 784 gallons, liquid (US) milliliters 3,785.411 784 gallons, liquid (US) minims 61,440 gills (US) centiliters 11.829 4 gills (US) cubic feet 0.004 177 517 gills (US) cubic inches 7.218 75 gills (US) gallons 0.031 25 gills (US) gills (British) 0.832 67 gills (US) liquid ounces 4 gills (US) liquid pints 0.25 gills (US) liquid quarts 0.125 gills (US) liters 0.118 294 118 25 gills (US) milliliters 118.294 118 25 gills (US) minims 1,920 grains avoirdupois drams 0.036 571 43 grains avoirdupois ounces 0.002 285 71 grains avoirdupois pounds 0.000 142 86 grains grams 0.064 798 91 grains kilograms 0.000 064 798 91 grains milligrams 64.798 910 grains pennyweights 0.042 grains scruples 0.05 grains troy drams 0.016 6 grains troy ounces 0.002 083 33 grains troy pounds 0.000 173 61 grams avoirdupois drams 0.564 383 39 grams avoirdupois ounces 0.035 273 961 grams avoirdupois pounds 0.002 204 622 6 grams grains 15.432 361 grams kilograms 0.001 grams milligrams 1,000 grams troy ounces 0.032 150 746 6 grams troy pounds 0.002 679 23 hands (height of horse) centimeters 10.16 hands (height of horse) inches 4 hectares acres 2.471 053 8 hectares square feet 107,639.1 hectares square kilometers 0.01 hectares square meters 10,000 hectares square miles 0.003 861 02 hectares square yards 11,959.90 hundredweights, long avoirdupois pounds 112 hundredweights, long kilograms 50.802 345 hundredweights, long long tons 0.05 hundredweights, long metric tons 0.050 802 345 hundredweights, long short tons 0.056 hundredweights, short avoirdupois pounds 100 hundredweights, short kilograms 45.359 237 hundredweights, short long tons 0.044 642 86 hundredweights, short metric tons 0.045 359 237 hundredweights, short short tons 0.05 inches centimeters 2.54 inches feet 0.083 333 33 inches meters 0.025 4 inches millimeters 25.4 inches yards 0.027 777 78 inches, cubic bushels 0.000 465 025 inches, cubic cubic centimeters 16.387 064 inches, cubic cubic feet 0.000 578 703 7 inches, cubic cubic meters 0.000 016 387 064 inches, cubic cubic yards 0.000 021 433 47 inches, cubic dry pints 0.029 761 6 inches, cubic dry quarts 0.014 880 8 inches, cubic gallons 0.004 329 0 inches, cubic gills 0.138 528 1 inches, cubic liquid ounces 0.554 112 6 inches, cubic liquid pints 0.034 632 03 inches, cubic liquid quarts 0.017 316 02 inches, cubic liters 0.016 387 064 inches, cubic milliliters 16.387 064 inches, cubic minims (US) 265.974 0 inches, cubic pecks 0.001 860 10 inches, square square centimeters 6.451 600 inches, square square feet 0.006 944 44 inches, square square meters 0.000 645 16 inches, square square yards 0.000 771 605 kilograms avoirdupois drams 564.383 4 kilograms avoirdupois ounces 35.273 962 kilograms avoirdupois pounds 2.204 622 622 kilograms grains 15,432.36 kilograms grams 1,000 kilograms long tons 0.000 984 2 kilograms metric tons 0.001 kilograms short hundredweights 0.022 046 23 kilograms short tons 0.001 102 31 kilograms troy ounces 32.150 75 kilograms troy pounds 2.679 229 kilometers meters 1,000 kilometers statute miles 0.621 371 192 kilometers, square acres 247.105 38 kilometers, square hectares 100 kilometers, square square meters 1,000,000 kilometers, square statute miles 0.386 102 16 knots (nautical mi/hr) kilometers/hour 1.852 knots (nautical mi/hr) statute miles/hour 1.151 leagues, nautical kilometers 5.556 leagues, nautical nautical miles 3 leagues, statute kilometers 4.828 032 leagues, statute statute miles 3 links, square surveyor's square centimeters 404.686 links, square surveyor's square inches 62.726 4 links, surveyor's centimeters 20.116 8 links, surveyor's chains 0.01 links, surveyor's inches 7.92 liters bushels 0.028 377 59 liters cubic feet 0.035 314 67 liters cubic inches 61.023 74 liters cubic meters 0.001 liters cubic yards 0.001 307 95 liters dekaliters 0.1 liters dry pints 1.816 166 liters dry quarts 0.908 082 98 liters gallons 0.264 172 052 liters gills (US) 8.453 506 liters liquid ounces 33.814 02 liters liquid pints 2.113 376 liters liquid quarts 1.056 688 2 liters milliliters 1,000 liters pecks 0.113 510 4 meters centimeters 100 meters feet 3.280 839 895 meters inches 39.370 079 meters kilometers 0.001 meters millimeters 1,000 meters statute miles 0.000 621 371 meters yards 1.093 613 298 meters, cubic bushels 28.377 59 meters, cubic cubic feet 35.314 666 7 meters, cubic cubic inches 61,023.744 meters, cubic cubic yards 1.307 950 619 meters, cubic gallons 264.172 05 meters, cubic liters 1,000 meters, cubic pecks 113.510 4 meters, square acres 0.000 247 105 38 meters, square hectares 0.000 1 meters, square square centimeters 10,000 meters, square square feet 10.763 910 4 meters, square square inches 1,550.003 1 meters, square square yards 1.195 990 046 microns meters 0.000 001 microns inches 0.000 039 4 mils inches 0.001 mils millimeters 0.025 4 miles, nautical kilometers 1.852 0 miles, nautical statute miles 1.150 779 4 miles, statute centimeters 160,934.4 miles, statute feet 5,280 miles, statute furlongs 8 miles, statute inches 63,360 miles, statute kilometers 1.609 344 miles, statute meters 1,609.344 miles, statute rods 320 miles, statute yards 1,760 miles, square nautical square kilometers 3.429 904 miles, square nautical square statute miles 1.325 miles, square statute acres 640 miles, square statute hectares 258.998 811 033 6 miles, square statute sections 1 miles, square statute square kilometers 2.589 988 110 336 miles, square statute square nautical miles 0.755 miles miles, square statute square rods 102,400 milligrams grains 0.015 432 358 35 milliliters cubic inches 0.061 023 744 milliliters gallons 0.000 264 17 milliliters gills (US) 0.008 453 5 milliliters liquid ounces 0.033 814 02 milliliters liquid pints 0.002 113 4 milliliters liquid quarts 0.001 056 7 milliliters liters 0.001 milliliters minims 16.230 73 millimeters inches 0.039 370 078 7 minims (US) cubic inches 0.003 759 77 minims (US) gills (US) 0.000 520 83 minims (US) liquid ounces 0.002 083 33 minims (US) milliliters 0.061 611 52 minims (US) minims (British) 1.041 ounces, avoirdupois avoirdupois drams 16 ounces, avoirdupois avoirdupois pounds 0.062 5 ounces, avoirdupois grains 437.5 ounces, avoirdupois grams 28.349 523 125 ounces, avoirdupois kilograms 0.028 349 523 125 ounces, avoirdupois troy ounces 0.911 458 3 ounces, avoirdupois troy pounds 0.075 954 86 ounces, liquid (US) cubic feet 0.001 044 38 ounces, liquid (US) centiliters 2.957 35 ounces, liquid (US) cubic inches 1.804 687 5 ounces, liquid (US) gallons 0.007 812 5 ounces, liquid (US) gills (US) 0.25 ounces, liquid (US) liquid drams 8 ounces, liquid (US) liquid ounces (British) 1.041 ounces, liquid (US) liquid pints 0.062 5 ounces, liquid (US) liquid quarts 0.031 25 ounces, liquid (US) liters 0.029 573 53 ounces, liquid (US) milliliters 29.573 529 6 ounces, liquid (US) minims 480 ounces, troy avoirdupois drams 17.554 29 ounces, troy avoirdupois ounces 1.097 143 ounces, troy avoirdupois pounds 0.068 571 43 ounces, troy grains 480 ounces, troy grams 31.103 476 8 ounces, troy pennyweights 20 ounces, troy troy drams 8 ounces, troy troy pounds 0.083 333 3 paces (US) centimeters 76.2 paces (US) inches 30 pecks (US) bushels 0.25 pecks (US) cubic feet 0.311 114 pecks (US) cubic inches 537.605 pecks (US) cubic meters 0.008 809 77 pecks (US) cubic yards 0.011 522 74 pecks (US) dekaliters 0.880 976 75 pecks (US) dry pints 16 pecks (US) dry quarts 8 pecks (US) liters 8.809 767 5 pecks (US) pecks (British) 0.968 9 pennyweights grains 24 pennyweights grams 1.555 173 84 pennyweights troy ounces 0.05 pints, dry (US) bushels 0.015 625 pints, dry (US) cubic feet 0.019 444 63 pints, dry (US) cubic inches 33.600 312 5 pints, dry (US) dekaliters 0.055 061 05 pints, dry (US) dry pints (British) 0.968 9 pints, dry (US) dry quarts 0.5 pints, dry (US) liters 0.550 610 47 pints, liquid (US) cubic feet 0.016 710 07 pints, liquid (US) cubic inches 28.875 pints, liquid (US) deciliters 4.731 76 pints, liquid (US) gallons 0.125 pints, liquid (US) gills (US) 4 pints, liquid (US) liquid ounces 16 pints, liquid (US) liquid pints (British) 0.832 67 pints, liquid (US) liquid quarts 0.5 pints, liquid (US) liters 0.473 176 473 pints, liquid (US) milliliters 473.176 473 pints, liquid (US) minims 7,680 points (typographical) inches 0.013 837 points (typographical) millimeters 0.351 459 8 pounds, avoirdupois avoirdupois drams 256 pounds, avoirdupois avoirdupois ounces 16 pounds, avoirdupois grains 7,000 pounds, avoirdupois grams 453.592 37 pounds, avoirdupois kilograms 0.453 592 37 pounds, avoirdupois long tons 0.000 446 428 6 pounds, avoirdupois metric tons 0.000 453 592 37 pounds, avoirdupois quintals 0.004 535 92 pounds, avoirdupois short tons 0.000 5 pounds, avoirdupois troy ounces 14.583 33 pounds, avoirdupois troy pounds 1.215 278 pounds, troy avoirdupois drams 210.651 4 pounds, troy avoirdupois ounces 13.165 71 pounds, troy avoirdupois pounds 0.822 857 1 pounds, troy grains 5,760 pounds, troy grams 373.241 721 6 pounds, troy kilograms 0.373 241 721 6 pounds, troy pennyweights 240 pounds, troy troy ounces 12 quarts, dry (US) bushels 0.031 25 quarts, dry (US) cubic feet 0.038 889 25 quarts, dry (US) cubic inches 67.200 625 quarts, dry (US) dekaliters 0.110 122 1 quarts, dry (US) dry pints 2 quarts, dry (US) dry quarts (British) 0.968 9 quarts, dry (US) liters 1.101 221 quarts, dry (US) pecks 0.125 quarts, dry (US) pints, dry (US) 2 quarts, liquid (US) cubic feet 0.033 420 14 quarts, liquid (US) cubic inches 57.75 quarts, liquid (US) deciliters 9.463 53 quarts, liquid (US) gallons 0.25 quarts, liquid (US) gills (US) 8 quarts, liquid (US) liquid ounces 32 quarts, liquid (US) liquid pints (US) 2 quarts, liquid (US) liquid quarts (British) 0.832 67 quarts, liquid (US) liters 0.946 352 946 quarts, liquid (US) milliliters 946.352 946 quarts, liquid (US) minims 15,360 quintals avoirdupois pounds 220.462 26 quintals kilograms 100 quintals metric tons 0.1 rods feet 16.5 rods meters 5.029 2 rods yards 5.5 rods, square acres 0.006 25 rods, square square meters 25.292 85 rods, square square yards 30.25 scruples grains 20 scruples grams 1.295 978 2 scruples troy drams 0.333 sections (US) square kilometers 2.589 988 1 sections (US) square statute miles 1 spans centimeters 22.86 spans inches 9 steres cubic meters 1 steres cubic yards 1.307 95 tablespoons milliliters 14.786 76 tablespoons teaspoons 3 teaspoons milliliters 4.928 922 teaspoons tablespoons 0.333 333 ton-miles, long metric ton-kilometers 1.635 169 ton-miles, short metric ton-kilometers 1.459 972 tons, gross register cubic feet of permanently 100 enclosed space tons, gross register cubic meters of 2.831 684 7 permanently enclosed space tons, long (deadweight) avoirdupois ounces 35,840 tons, long (deadweight) avoirdupois pounds 2,240 tons, long (deadweight) kilograms 1,016.046 909 8 tons, long (deadweight) long hundredweights 20 tons, long (deadweight) metric tons 1.016 046 908 8 tons, long (deadweight) short hundredweights 22.4 tons, long (deadweight) short tons 1.12 tons, metric avoirdupois pounds 2,204.623 tons, metric kilograms 1,000 tons, metric long hundredweights 19.684 130 3 tons, metric long tons 0.984 206 5 tons, metric quintals 10 tons, metric short hundredweights 22.046 23 tons, metric short tons 1.102 311 3 tons, metric troy ounces 32,150.75 tons, net register cubic feet of permanently 100 enclosed space for cargo and passengers tons, net register cubic meters of 2.831 684 7 permanently enclosed space for cargo and passengers tons, shipping cubic feet of permanently 42 enclosed cargo space tons, shipping cubic meters of 1.189 307 574 permanently enclosed cargo space tons, short avoirdupois pounds 2,000 tons, short kilograms 907.184 74 tons, short long hundredweights 17.857 14 tons, short long tons 0.892 857 1 tons, short metric tons 0.907 184 74 tons, short short hundredweights 20 townships (US) sections 36 townships (US) square kilometers 93.239 572 townships (US) square statute miles 36 miles, square statute acres 640 miles, square statute hectares 258.998 811 033 6 miles, square statute square feet 27,878,400 miles, square statute square meters 2,589,988.110 336 miles, square statute square yards 3,097,600 yards centimeters 91.44 yards feet 3 yards inches 36 yards meters 0.914 4 yards miles 0.000 568 18 yards, cubic bushels 21.696 227 yards, cubic cubic feet 27 yards, cubic cubic inches 46,656 yards, cubic cubic meters 0.764 554 857 984 yards, cubic gallons 201.974 0 yards, cubic liters 764.554 857 984 yards, cubic pecks 86.784 91 yards, square acres 0.000 206 611 6 yards, square hectares 0.000 083 612 736 yards, square square centimeters 8,361.273 6 yards, square square feet 9 yards, square square inches 1,296 yards, square square meters 0.836 127 36 yards, square square miles 0.000 000 322 830 6

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Table of Contents

THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK 2007

CONTENTS

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

Y

Z

THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE